#begging people to respect food allergies

[dcb-z]

as i discover more and more foods im allergic to, i grow increasingly afraid of the kind of people who will ignore people's food allergies out of spite or tell them "just eat at home if you have allergies". at least for service workers they can get fired/sued for trying to kill me i guess

[dinarosie]

I Was Bullied Too, So Why Didn’t I Turn Out Like Severus Snape?

I came across an anti-Snape post where someone shared their experience of being bullied in school. They said that even though they were bullied, they were able to overcome it, which is why they admired James Potter—because he changed and stopped being a bully. However, they hate Snape for not being able to move on from his past.

Everyone has the right to hate or love the characters based on their taste but What bothers me is how people often compare their own trauma to others' and disregard the genetic and environmental differences that shape us as individuals. I’ve decided to write a long post comparing my own life with Snape’s—two people who were both bullied as children. it was difficult for me to write this post, but I hope this comparison shows that not everyone who experiences bullying ends up the same. The variances in our upbringing and support systems play a crucial role in shaping who we become.

When I was seven years old, I was mocked and humiliated by a group of older girls on the school bus (they were eleven at the time). They made it clear that they bullied me because I was smaller and weaker than them. They treated me in a way that made me believe I deserved their bullying. I thought a weak and ugly girl like me was deserving of all their humiliation. They would mess up my hair, pull it, and ridicule me for having messy and ugly hair. Whenever I cried, they laughed. They didn't even let me be friends with other girls. To torment me further, they would point at me, whisper to each other, and giggle, making me feel even more isolated. I had allergies and a runny nose, and they wouldn’t let me wipe it, which they used as another reason to belittle me, saying I was disgusting. Even if there was an empty seat, they wouldn’t let me sit with them because I was "gross." I was terrified of them, hated school because of them, and cried every morning, begging not to go to school.

But why didn’t I turn out like Severus Snape?

1- I grew up like a normal child in every other aspect of my life. I was cared for and valued. I always had birthday parties with cake and gifts. I was praised when I got good grades. I had friends outside of school to play with, went on family vacations, and had fun times. From childhood to adulthood, I’ve had a safe home, enough sleep, good food, and a loving family.

2- I had parents who loved and cared about me. When my mother found out about the bullying, she went to the school and demanded they stop it. My parents also enrolled me in a private school to protect me from further bullying. When I started having nightmares and trouble sleeping, they took me to a child therapist.

3- My grandparents adored me. I would stay at their house when my parents were at work, and they made my childhood even more joyful. I always had safe arms to run to. Plus, my aunts and uncles cared for me and regularly took me to parks and other fun places, showering me with gifts and making sure I enjoyed my time.

4- My family had a respectable place in society, and I was never shamed or humiliated because of my family's circumstances. My father cared for me, my sister, and my mother, and he worked hard to provide for our needs. He respected my mother, and I never witnessed any abuse from him toward her.

5- My family had a stable income, and I always had new, appropriate clothes to wear. I never had to worry about poverty, hunger, or wearing hand-me-downs that would make me feel inferior to my peers.

6- My bullies mocked me, but they never caused me serious physical harm. I never feared for my life or sexual assault at school. The bullying was short-lived, lasting less than two years, and by the time I was a teenager, it had completely stopped. As I grew older, I made plenty of good friends and was popular among them. I have many fond memories from high school with my friends.

7- As a teenager, I didn’t worry about my future. My concerns were not about surviving a war, avoiding humiliation, or escaping poverty. I was free to plan my life, knowing I would go to university and study what I loved. Whenever I needed help, I knew I could count on my family—they were always there to support me.

8- I’m a psychology student, and studying this field has completely shifted my perspective on myself and others. It has allowed me to see the world with greater depth and empathy. I’ve become better at recognizing not only my own psychological wounds but also those of others, which has helped me connect with people on a deeper level. I've also sought therapy, both in-person and online, and have seen positive results. While I still struggle with some issues from my past—like feeling insecure about my appearance, doubting people’s motives, and having a hard time trusting—I’ve learned how to manage these feelings fairly well.

All of these factors combined have shaped me into someone different from Severus Snape. Yes, I was bullied, but I didn’t turn out like him because, unlike Snape, I was given numerous opportunities to grow, to experience love and joy, to heal, and to find pleasure in life.

Now, It’s much easier for someone like me to be kind and nice to others, to love people, to forgive myself and others, and to move on from those who don’t like me. It’s easier for me to see the world and people not as threats but with a more mature and balanced perspective. but I’m under no illusion that I am a better and more worthy person than Severus Snape or anyone like him who didn’t have the chance to heal. I simply know that I’ve been luckier, and for that, I’m grateful. But I never want to dismiss or belittle the suffering of others or blame them for their psychological struggles.

I can’t say for certain what I would’ve done in Snape’s exact situation or how bitter I might’ve become. But I’m certain of one thing: I could never be as brave or as selfless as Snape was, sacrificing his own life so readily for others. I know that I could never be a hero like him.

[brokendarkfairyempressforever]

Please don't get mad and go off on me just listen

okay so I was homeless like more than a year ago

It was awful and terrifying and now I have more trauma to add in my big book of traumas'

Almost got raped

Being homeless is scary as heck

Please stop treating people who are homeless as crap

They're people and they deserve to be treated one

We were homeless because before my dad left he didn't pay the rent for months and we didn't know until like 7 months later when the landlord told us. We also been paying the rent after he left. She seemed understanding of our situation. At least we thought. Around my first week of school first week of me being a freshman in highschool she said she's going to kick us out until we pay the missing rent the rent that my dad didn't pay that we didn't know about and when we found out she said it was OKAY THAT SHE UNDERSTOOD. She said we have until the end of October to move out. We begged her to understand my mom is a single mom, my sister had to drop out of college to help pay the debt my dad left. It was impossible for them to be able to pay that large amount. She then said we have until the end of December. She kicked us out on November 15th 2022. We had almost everything packed. We found a place we just needed to settle a few things. We were almost there. She kicked us out more than a month early. The house we were going to rent said no at the last minute. We were at the streets. A month later we found a shelter at this hotel. They had a section for the homeless. They gave us expired food. I got food poisoning multiple times. My immune system is non existent at this point. They rarely had halal food but at least they tried. We had a court case. And the land lord god that effing woman won because she's rich. Literally the only reason. She unpacked our things and messed it up to show how we're bad people. No one cared that my dad was the one who created this mess. Who cares right he's a man. And we're 3 girls and a child and we're poor, brown, south Asian, and muslim. She kept almost all of our things even things that we just had for memories. She took everything, every belonging she took and gave us empty bags and boxes. This lady by the way has 3 houses in the Hamptons, but who cares right? Ramadan was a nightmare the amount of days we didn't get food. I don't even want to remember. Then in the middle of Ramadan my county shut down that shelter since it was "hindering the hotel's business". So they shipped us to the only shelter in my county. I got sick a lot but I still had to go to school cause I was sick every couple weeks. They never had halal food and the masjid when they had leftovers the workers there wouldn't give it to us. Only one of the shelter worker cared for us and when she could she gave us the food. I pray for her everyday. We never really got food. I had little brother too I would give we would give most of the food we got to him. The my mom sister and me would share but I know they gave me a little more. Then around the end of Ramadan our social worker at the shelter was able to get us an apartment. It's been rocky since then but at least we have somewhat stable housing. We're definitely really lucky and fortunate. We thank Allah(God) every day.

I'm telling you this story because you don't know what people go through. You don't know the reasons why people are homeless. You don't know what they go through. So please help and understand and give us at least human decency.

And open more homeless shelters. Make them safer. Give food that you would give everyone else. Make food accessible for people with allergies and religious restrictions. Make it easier for people to go find work and education. Don't restrict their rights. It's all I'm asking

Anyway I'm just asking for the world to be kinder, respectful, understand to all people of this world.

[yggbasilseager]

I loved reading your love letter to Ozzy and how you became a fan of this ginger, carrot boy out of spite for the hate/exclusion of him! I'm a Billy (and Davey) fan so initially I wasn't interested in Ozzy. As you've pointed out, his attitude is grating and he has little plot involvement besides being killed. Cindy and Buggs indeed are similarly rude but are amusing and gain development in different quest lines. Ozzy on the other hand is the KG2 character who is most down-to-earth and realistically acts as an actual child would. Which unfortunately for him, people prefer the kids who are: more mature, foul-mouthed, violent, badass, bizarre, and tragic than him. (And they hate the whiner characters who complain about their unpleasant circumstances or kids who act... like kids and can't regulate their emotions perfectly)

It's reading Ozzy fics (We were meant to live for so much more | by Hazelfrmfshlv, KG Whumptober 2024 | by TheFearIsRed, The Before and The After | by Lilac_The_Book_Lover, Reset and Retry | by Abandoned_Artist) and seeing all the fanart of him that made me reevaluate him as one of my top 5 favorites. Also Lilac's Ozzy character analysis.

(I find it kind of amusing how besides Madison his girlfriend or his best friend Ron, Ozzy is primarily shipped with: Felix, Ted, and Kid, who are all involved with killing him. Similar to Lily and Cindy; no hate just pointing it out.)

I think you, Gaby, Lilac and others (Felozzy, Theozzy shippers) have succeeded in getting Ozzy more fans. The Slime Trio as well (sadly can't do anything about their lack of canon screen time/personality; though KG3 will make Alice relevant at least) who I rarely see art for compared to the other kids.

I agree Ozzy is not comparable to Tweek from South Park. As a fan of the show, the only similar qualities are that both face pressure when having their familiar, safe routines disrupted. (And maybe if you headcanon Ozzy as having a squeaky, shrill voice I guess.) Anyone would understandably be upset if their loved ones went missing (leaving you all alone) or that strangers have invaded your already small space/forcing you to share your things with them. And geez, there are people who hate Ozzy to the point that people would rewrite him out of the story or sadistically punish him for his impulsive behavior?

Ozzy is a kid with life-threatening allergies. He needs to use his inhaler to survive when overly stressed or exposed to flower pollen. Dr. Danner, an adult, grumbles about Ozzy's mom preventing him from doing more interesting classes (and effectively tells Ozzy's classmates to blame him for that). Ozzy's health problems brushed off as him needing "too much" accommodation and ruining everyone else's fun/experience.

What do Felix, Ted, or Kid do when they learn of Ozzy's triggers? They respect them and avoid causing them, right? WRONG! They plotted his murder by exploiting his weaknesses to advance their goals. Like bullies or food workers who intentionally abuse someone's food allergies for amusement or out of arrogant, judgmental assumption that the customer is just a lying, entitled, picky eater. I don't blame Ozzy for choking Kid to death because it was deserved for his would-be killer (And so is your AU scenario art of Rival Heir Ozzy throwing the Huxley twins in the pit instead. Baby's first villain arc~).

If those three boys want to date Ozzy, they better get down on their knees and beg for his forgiveness first! And be protective of him by researching any restaurants they take him to (if he has food allergies), make sure to have back-up back-up inhalers (which are expensive), give him the love and comfort he deserves-

It's not pathetic to be passionate about a fictional character. *Puts on Ozzy fan club member shirt* Let's all give head pats to Ozzy! Hug him. Cherish him. Forfeit all mortal possessions to-

What made you so drawn to Ozzy

you know, i’ve also wondered that myself for a while, but i think i figured it out.

ozzy, at first, did not stand out to me when i first got into the game. ozzy was just, there. my favorite was ted when i started.

ozzy’s a side character that doesn’t have much going for him. literally his only purpose in the game is to be killed. he’s just there to die. and he does not show any likeable traits to the average player, he’s a whiny, annoying, self-centered brat who’s constantly complaining every time you speak to him. he even told madison to take a bath first thing after she escaped (which i really don’t believe makes him a jerk, i mean being covered in unidentifiable slime is kinda gross don’t u think) who would like a character like that? ozzy’s really the most forgettable character in the game. these are thoughts i’ve noticed people always have abt ozzy. i didn’t really share these sentiments and thoughtof ozzy as annoying but i certainly wasn’t that interested in him before, he was just neutral to me.

buggs and cindy are less liked than the rest of the characters but they’re still more liked than ozzy because they are fun and hilarious characters, with interesting dynamics to explore. i feel like the SLIME GANG, the characters who have like 3 lines of dialog at most get more love than ozzy. gives people a lot of room to explore the potential of what their characters could be. and ozzy? ozzy’s just there.

but maybe, that’s the reason why i started to like him?

i’m not much for genuinely hating characters without reason, the very idea makes me sad and pitiful. i never hated ozzy, he’s just five, of course he’s going to act like that. but i wasn’t that drawn to him back then either. (i also dont like it when people hate on cindy to a concerning extent. like yeah she’s a little brat i can understand why people would dislike her, i don’t like it when that happens but i still understand why people would, but to the point of genuine burning hatred is when it’s concerning and disturbing. she’s still just five. ah, but that topic is for another day. i’ll continue abt ozzy.)

back then in the old fandom, i had a friend who loved loved ozzy a lot, ozzy was their favorite and they cherished him. they shared their thoughts on why they loved ozzy and the potential his character has. it was their love that made me start to appreciate ozzy a bit more. but ozzy was still not my favorite still. i appreciated him a bit more but he was still kind of put to the side with me.

then kg3 got announced.

with the new game coming out, i found myself returning back to my old roots, with new people to share the interest. i didn’t even realize there was still a fandom after all this time. a small one, sure, but it’s still just as lively. it was around this time when ozzy started to shine to me.

i looked back at previous memories, looked back at old kg convo’s with friends, and one person stood out to me. this person, very obviously, hated ozzy. it was upsetting to me to see, especially since i had a friend who loved ozzy. they cut ozzy out of his own canon friend group a lot, made jokes of “who cares abt ozzy” and made his character quite unlikeable in their au’s. made madison break up with ozzy even, and made ozzy into this pathetic mess of an unlikeable character. essentially made him even more unlikeable than canon. all of this, genuinely upsetted me. i hate seeing characters treated like this. maybe they had a valid reason for disliking ozzy, maybe ozzy reminded them of a toxic friend they used to know or smthn, but looking back at old convos and seeing all that ozzy hate really perturbed me. i couldn’t stand seeing characters treated like this. and it was all that hate that made me realized really just how underappreciated and exaggerated ozzy was in the fandom.

seriously, ozzy really wasn’t as bad people thought. and he’s NOTHING like tweek from south park?? he’s not spazzy and nervous at all? he’s really more angry and uptight! (AND BY THE WAY MADISON DID NOT ASK FOR A HUG AND I DONT KNOW WHERE PEOPLE CAME TO BELIEVE THAT SHE ASKED FOR ONE WHEN SHE DIIDDNNNNTTTTTTTTT ITS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION IN THE FANDOM AND IT MAKES ME ANGRYYYYY. LITERALLY LOOK UP A CREATURE FEATURE PLAYTHROUGH, SKIP TO THE END AND YOU CAN SEE SHE DID. NOT. ASK. FOR A HUG. Anyways,) and, he was even willing to make friends with kidd after an act of kindness (which, tragically, ended in ozzy’s demise.) he was just sad. he was just sad and miserable that his friends were gone suddenly, and he lashed out. but people focused on his tantrums, they didn’t focus on why. all they say was a whiny brat who constantly complained and it was all of that that made the fandom turn their backs on him. people didn’t even remember ozzy CANONICALLY HAS FRIENDS. HAS A GIRLFRIEND. madison and ron. barely did i ever see them all in one post. BARELY. i was an avid member of the fandom and saw lots of fanarts and i saw almost NOTHING of ozzy and his friends. ozzy was always by himself. madison and ron were always paired with alice. ozzy was literally REPLACED with alice to make the slime gang. ozzy’s friends were paired with alice instead. ozzy was fucking replaced and it made me genuinely upset to see. did no one fucking pay attention to that? did everyone really fucking forget when ozzy literally complained about missing his friends all the time? why was ozzy replaced?

it was all this mistreatment that made me pity ozzy. perhaps this was why i started liking him. perhaps it was out of pity and anger at how much his character was mistreated. and with all this pity, all this anger, it made me pay attention to him more, it made me see his potential as a character.

it opened my eyes.

i started to think abt him more, thought about his good sides and moments, thought abt how fun his character could be and the potential dynamics he could have. and with his little quirks and traits, i even started to headcanon reasons for it. why’s he so germaphobic? haha, perhaps it was dr danner’s fault and he traumatized him. why does he like destructotron so much? perhaps his friends introduced him to it, and now that toy is his favorite, as it is the only memory he has of them now. and, i think ozzy’s more kinder than people think, he opened up to kidd after a single gift, ozzy’s really just mad at the new kids that they took his beloved friends away, but with that single act of kindness made him realize, ah, maybe they aren’t so bad. really, he’s just lonely, you know? my pity for him opened my eyes to how much potential his character has, especially since he wasn’t as developed as the other characters, so i did it myself. i developed him myself, gave him lots of headcanons, as i am passionate about him and i believed in him, all this pity was the stepping stone in me starting to enjoy him a lot, lot more. he has a lot of potential and i want to use it. i believe he’s an underappreciated lovely, lonely child who’s angry at the world. and i like to believe he’s genuinely kinder than people think, and that he cares. (i believe he felt a heart dropping amount of guilt when he told madison to take a bath. how could he say that after seeing her again? his germaphobia is somethign he cannot control and he hates it, it inconveniences him and now it’s inconveniencing his loved ones and he hates it. i believe the next day, he gave madison (knowing that she already took a bath ofc) a hug and a gift because he truly missed her and felt guilty he couldn’t hug her before.) he loves and cares and he laughs and cries. he loves his friends and he loves his toy and he loves his games. and i cherish him, and i want to give him something to be happy about. i want to be part of the tiny tiny club that truly enjoys ozzy as a character because he deserves it. he deserves some people who genuinely like him in this cruel fandom who only saw him and ignored him because of his whiny tantrums.

I believe he’s a good character and I like him.

perhaps it is pathetic to be so passionate about a fictional character, but does it really matter? i am still passionate. i am passionate and it gives me a drive.

[prongssprank]

Marauders Dietary/Food Headcanons:

CW/TW: food/relationships with food

(Because I had a random idea and now I’m running with it)

Lily Evans:

- Has been vegetarian basically her whole life

- She did go Vegan for a few years but didn’t keep it up (partially because she missed honey so much)

- Lily loves to cook and create her own recipes

Dorcas Meadowes:

- Suffers from Celiac so they eat gluten free

- They love to bake, they never buy bread from a store

- Dorcas also always brings a plate of food or a treat to share when they visit someone else’s home, always keeping people’s dietary requirements in mind

Sirius Black:

- Surprisingly to some, Sirius is actually not to shabby in the kitchen, he prefers to just help but can make a few dishes quite easily

- Prefers sweets to chocolate, and is a sweet tooth

- Loves seafood, particularly mussel (oysters)

Remus Lupin:

- He was anaemic when he was younger so now he eats red meat at least once a week

- Can follow a recipe… most of the time, but would much rather get takeout than cook for himself

- Remus is also a big comfort eater

Marlene McKinnon:

- Vegan and a big lover of oat milk

- Cannot cook for the life of her, except pancakes, they are her one specialty

- They’re allergic to nuts

Mary Macdonald:

- Is intolerant to a fair amount of foods as she suffers from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

- Gets moody when she’s hungry and even more moody when she gets bloated (as a result of IBS)

- Her random talent is making the best sandwiches, all of her friends often beg her to make them sandwiches

Peter Pettigrew:

- Is lactose intolerant (I know, ironic) not severely so he sometimes has dairy products anyways

- Has always hated vegetables, loves fruit but can barely stand most vegetables

- Has an amazing sense of smell when it comes to food and is a pretty good cook (totally not ratatouille vibes shh)

James Potter:

- Okay hear me out, he hates red meat. Cannot stand it but he does like chicken and other white meats

- Enjoys cooking and can make some pretty good stuff, every now and then he may go overboard with experimentations, especially different herbs and spices

- Has always wanted to try seafood like crab and shrimp but unfortunately he has a shellfish allergy

Alice Fortescue:

- Is obsessed with breakfast foods, it’s her favourite mealtime ever

- Is good at cake decorating, often teams up with Dorcas

- Alice is also one of those people who often fills their days so much that she forgets to eat sometimes which is part of the reason she never leaves without having had a good breakfast

Andromeda Black:

- AMAZING cook, can bake as well. Honestly just a wiz in the kitchen but never accepts help from anyone because she likes to be in control without distraction when she’s cooking

- She’s not a fan of pastries, she’ll have cake and brownies on occasion but she’s never loved pastries

- She definitely gave cooking lessons at one point in her life

Regulus Black:

- His secret food pleasure is olives, they don’t even need to be with anything he’ll eat them straight out of the jar sometimes

- Has a few different allergies including egg, soy and peanuts

- Never really tried cooking before until he turned 17

Frank Longbottom:

- Great at cooking and loves to do it, flipping pancakes and spinning pizza dough are his favourite thing to do

- His favourite food is Fish and Chips, it’s so plain but he adores it

- Frank loves diversity and when he and Alice would travel he would always explore new cuisines, he loves almost everything he tries

Ted Tonks:

- Always carries toffee with him, Andy always teases him that he’s like an old grandpa, he doesn’t mind

- Is probably one of the least picky eaters you’ll ever meet. Seriously he’ll eat anything

- His all time favourite food is Dino nuggets because it brings out his inner child, that and they’re easy enough for him to make when Andromeda is too tired to cook

Narcissa Black:

- Another vegetarian, stopped eating meat around the age of 9 by herself (meaning her family were not vegetarian)

- Had an unhealthy relationship with food for most of her teenage years but she slowly learned to love it and herself again

- She’s always had a soft spot for eclairs

Kingsley Shacklebolt:

- Very tolerant to spicy food, he would always have competitions with people, James was the only person who ever came close to beating him

- Not technically food but he was an avid tea drinker, he and Remus would always drink tea together

- Kingsley was also that person who would rarely have snacks or packaged food, he would always have proper meals that he cooked

Side note: these are just some of my personal opinions and headcanons! Everyone has their own, please be respectful <3

[fragileizywriting]

So does Chat Noir Vs. DL!Adrien end up being like this and kickstarts yet another variants feather allergy? - missmab(DOT)com/Comics/Vol_589(DOT)php

sas adrien can't watch the fight without losing his ability to breathe, so yes, it absolutely starts a feather allergy the moment the wings come out.

everyone is convinced that chat is going to win this tussle, because adrien has always claimed that he's never been in the equivalent of a bar fight and chat is always ready to swing, purely animalistic-- this man is only maybe similar to adrien. same golden hair, even though it's wild and unbrushed. same green eyes, but his are slitted and make dl!mari's hackles raise from how uncomfortable it is to look at him. same facial features and body type, and yet his teeth are always longer, his smile is always wider, his grin is always feral.

there's no fucking way a snobby prince wins this fight against what looks to be a bad LSD trip. with the way that adrien complained about getting his boots muddy. with the way that adrien shied away from the mushrooms that glow whenever someone approached. with the way he begged for a bath. with the way he went pale at the idea of hunting boar in order to have food.

but it's fine. the fight had started small, just petty bickering, with the way they were petty growling at each other so no one had taken it seriously, rolling their eyes at it... but it looks like the two of them somehow managed to take something seriously in their life and are actually going for the neck--

should they stop them? their growling is getting more aggressive. chat sounds like a completely different animal, with his tongue lolling out of his mouth to exaggerate his fangs. his breath smells like acid. like hellfire. and yet adrien doesn't even flinch at the sight-- his marinette's mouth is much more interesting.

the fight gets nasty. the fight gets horrid. chat is a fantasy creature, with fantasy powers, and although kitty and plagg seem to be having the time of their lives watching them fight, no one else seems to be all that amused as each hit makes craters into the forest floor.

adrien wins. not really. it's a draw. but chat falls first.

it's bloody.

grappling with chat is hard. his claws pierce through adrien's skin and clothes so easily, lacerating him with deep cuts that feel like his body is burning from the inside out.

adrien doesn't fight the way that chat does, using his wings as shields, and he's tattered in three different places and marinette just knows he's going to bitch and whine about the pain later when she's cleaning him up, but in the end, chat is dazed and blacked out, still wheezing about beginner's luck, mumbling under his breath that this "stiff upper lip on legs" won't win next time.

adrien slumps onto the ground, too. tired. not dead, although he feels like it, and will make sure to tell everyone.

they don't fight again. chat likes him. not many people can get back up after taking a hit from him, and not many people can punch hard enough to break his bones. he smells like sulfur for days, and whines about his marinette's incessant use of salve, but there's respect sparking in his eyes whenever he talks to adrien.

[canyouhearthelight]

The Miys, Ch. 142

Another late chapter... I’m really batting a thousand lately, seems like.

So, work has been insane, but @baelpenrose reminds me to post when I forget, thankfully. And this is SUCH a fun chapter.  I hope you all enjoy!

I dropped into a seat in Mess Hall Seven with a groan, so exhausted that I barely managed to get soup and a grilled cheese from the console.  Tyche yawned and nodded in agreement before poking at her sushi bowl idly. It was six Von-days after the last drill, and between coordinating increased training schedules for Shelters Three and Seven and helping Charly plan kink-night at the Undine, we were wiped.

“People are ungrateful,” she muttered before managing to barely balance a piece of salmon into her mouth.

I muttered something that hopefully sounded like agreement before I scooped up a bite of my soup with one wedge of sandwich, too lazy to even bother with the spoon. “Remind me why we don’t have Vati and Hannah handling the practice schedules?”

“Because they are handling the extra evacuation drills with Jokul and Arthur.”

Personally, I thought they were getting the better end of this deal, but since the raging success of their first Food Festival, it really was only fair. “And the relocations for those who need it,” I admitted. “Except mine.”

“Conor may actually strangle one of them if any of your plants don’t make it,” she pointed out, gesturing with her chopsticks for emphasis after having given up and using her fingers to eat her lunch. “Not to mention I wouldn’t wish packing with Maverick on anyone.”

“He’s letting me pack the books and textiles.” I shrugged in acceptance after taking another bite of soup-dipped sandwich.

We picked at our food in silence after that, grateful for something resembling a reprieve, before we were interrupted by a flurry of grey hair and enthusiasm landing in one of the nearby chairs with a heavy thunk. “Good afternoon, Madams Reid.”

“Hey, Jokul,” I muttered as Tyche just waggled her fingers at him. I really think I liked it better when he was trying to kill me. Right now, I might even let him do it.

“I know you are both on your meal period, but I wanted to test the waters on potentially scheduling a community activity,” he rushed out.

Tyche guarded her lunch with an almost feral aggression, having heard what happened the last time Jokul had interrupted my lunch. “That should really be something you run by Al-”

“Worthington, yes, I know,” he interrupted. “However, I know you are both quite busy and I wanted to be respectful of your time. As such, I will make this as brief as - ow!” He snatched his hand back away from the other half of my sandwich, rubbing where I had slammed my spoon down onto it.

“I have no idea where the food stealing comes from, but don’t,” I warned him.

“Rude, got it,” he nodded in a terrifying impression of Charly’s normal demeanor. “As I was saying, I recently learned a new type of game from Terra, from the Before.  It involves teamwork, and encourages creativity and escapism, and I think it would be a very good community activity - “

I surrendered to my urge to groan. “We are not doing a redux of Settlers of Cattan. Arthur stabbed someone last time.”

“I didn’t press charges…” Jokul pouted, glancing at the scar on the back of his wrist briefly. “Besides, it was only a fork. Clearly he didn’t mean it, there were four knives in arms reach counting my own.”

Tyche cocked an eyebrow at me. Seriously?

I pursed my lips and wrinkled my nose in response. Yep.

“So what game is it this time?” I asked hesitantly.

I was reward-bombarded with a grin. “It’s called Dungeons and Dragons! Somewhat like a video game, but with more people, and using writing implements and paper. Oh, and different kinds of dice, very important. One person is something of the narrator, to give the game a kind of structure, while the other players act as characters in the game… Ivan introduced me to it, and it is quite challenging with the right people.  The dungeon master - that is the narrator - has to re-evaluate the story based on the actions of the other players, but the players themselves don’t know what the dungeon master is going to do. It is very much a social diversion, and there are many classes….”

As Jokul continued to gush, he was rather oblivious to the fact that Tyche and I were stuffing our faces as quickly as possible to avoid interrupting him or laughing. We had both played when we were younger - in fact, we had been introduced to the game by our mother.  There had even been a very overwhelming pop-culture movement in our youth around the game, which further emphasized just how far out in the boonies Jokul had grown up.  As shocking as it was that he was just now discovering the game, it came at exactly zero surprise that he enjoyed it so much - it was right up his alley of interests.

About fifteen minutes and two more grilled cheeses into his retelling of the campaign he was part of, Charly and Arthur squeezed in with us, their own lunches in tow.  As seemed to be a growing trend, Arthur reached over and snagged one of my sandwiches before I could react, shoving half of it in his face.

That was apparently enough to snap Jokul out of his story. “Hey! Why didn’t you hit him?”

“His deathwish, not my problem,” I shrugged.

Around the remains of my lunch, Arthur managed to enunciate. “Told you, Noah fissed the dairy allergy.”

“Bleargh,” I gagged comically. “It’s okay, think I’m done anyway.”

Jokul’s hand swatted Arthur’s out of the way to steal the rest of my food. “As I was saying, Ivan was quite clever with his resolution to deal subdural damage to the player who was very much ruining the storyline by insisting his character was immune to magical sleep…”

“Oooooo! I love tabletops!” Charly squealed, bouncing in her seat. “What setting are you playing in right now?  My favorite was always Exalted…”

“Miss Harper, I think we are discussing different activities.” Jokul sounded supremely confused, but my heart broke a bit.

Arthur shook his head. “Maybe not Exalted, but what about Ebberron? Swordhaven, maybe?  Just tell me it isn’t Ravenloft… I know you haven’t been fucking around in a Dark Sun, but I beg you to tell me you aren’t playing Ravenloft.”

“I’m not sure what those are… Ivan introduced me to Dungeons and Dragons. There is only one setting.”

“So… Greyhawk or homebrew,” Arthur nodded. “Best place to start, get the basics down.”

Jokul’s head pivoted toward me and Tyche, squinting in annoyance. “You knew, didn’t you? And you let me prattle on…”

“You were so… happy….” I explained plaintively. “We didn’t want to ruin that for you.”

Tyche nodded. “We both remember how fun that first campaign is. And honestly? We’ve been having a kind of crappy day.  It was nice to hear someone be excited about something that isn’t work related.”

“But I came to you to discuss making it a ship activity…”

“Originally, yeah,” I shrugged. “That was maybe the first thirty seconds.  After that, you were doing what literally every tabletop roleplaying person has done since the beginning of time… telling stories about the fun, dramatic, and frankly stupid shit the people in your party are doing.”

“Says the two-foot eight halfling rogue,” Arthur scowled.

“I rolled it at random, it was fifteen years ago, get over it!” I threw my hands up dramatically. “At least I wasn’t mated to a frickin’ deity.”

Charly giggled uncontrollably while Jokul goggled at us. “Exalted is broken in all the fun ways.”

“You literally sacrificed, and I quote ‘all of your fucks to give’, for necromancy.”

“That was your idea!”

Jokul turned toward Tyche, waiting for her to say something. She just held up her hands defensively. “I was a murder monk-bunny.”

Arthur snorted. “You were the Black Rabbit of Inle….”

“Well if my wife would have just stopped dying…!”

“At least none of us were the Platinum Knight who pissed his pants every time he confronted his favored enemy,” I laughed. “He never did live that one down. Every. Single. Dragon. He would crit fail his roles.”

“Oh, please,” Arthur intoned drily. “Did I ever tell you about the time one of my players managed to make ‘Notice me, Senpai’ into the most terrifying in-universe warcry imaginable?”

Charly choked before swatting his shoulder. “Not in front of my pasta. Please.”

Jokul, however, looked both horrified and intrigued, egging Arthur on. “Barbarian whose entire clan worshipped a god named The Senpai…. Just imagine, a barbarian in a rage, bellowing ‘NOTICE ME, SENPAI!!!’ before just scything down thirty men with a broadsword.”

At this point, I was laughing so hard that tears were rolling down my face. “Please, please tell me there was a kilt and pigtails involved….”

Jokul touched his own hair, before straightening as seriously as possible. “They are warrior’s braids, Councillor.”

That was it, I couldn’t take it anymore. I just put my head down on my folded arms and waiting to either pass out from laughing so hard or from exhaustion.  A few deep breaths and a spinning head later, I managed to wipe my face on my sleeve and realized the conversation was continuing without me.  Just as I was clearing my throat to let Jokul know he should be fine to start organizing something and to send me a rough outline, Arthur dealt the final blow.

Leaning over, he whispered over my shoulder. “By the way, the barbarian’s name was Drystan of the Doki-doki tribe.”

I was proud that I managed to get up and dash into the hallway before collapsing against the wall in maniacal laughter.  I barely registered Hannah’s voice behind me asking everyone at the table if I needed medical assistance, and that did not help.

<< Prev  Masterlist  Next >>

[tickle-bugs]

Justice League Headcanons

So...yeah. Blame @fickle-tiction and @fanficsandfluff but I can’t get JL out of my head. I know next to nothing in terms of canon and I only enjoy a handful of DC movies, so this is the beginning of what I am calling the BEU (Bug Extended Universe). 

Essentially, in the words of Nick Fury, ‘I recognize your canon, but seeing as it’s a stupid-ass canon, I have elected to ignore it :)’. A mish-mash of everything I’ve learned about DC through osmosis and my own personal vibe checks :)

This is absurdly long so everything is under the cut:

Clark Kent

- Superman? NO, Superdork. 

- He’s extremely clumsy. If he wasn’t as fast as a speeding bullet he’d get his ass handed to him ten times over. He has two left feet. 

- He has a sweet tooth like no one’s business. Lois once found him perched on the kitchen counter at 3 am eating the donuts she brought home from work. 

- Super playful and affectionate! King of bear hugs! Country boy I love youuuuuuu

- Curses like a sailor. Do you really think Clark ‘Smallville, Kansas’ Kent is wholesome? He stubbed his toe once and yelled FUCK so loud that the windows vibrated. Everyone who isn’t in the league thinks he’s a boyscout but the league knows the truth. 

- Forgets about his powers a lot. He has been known to run through walls/take doors off their hinges when he’s excited. 

- Goblin. He loves messing with Bruce and roping Barry into his schemes. 

- Clark being ticklish is actually smth that can be so personal? His laugh is so loud and he always goes ‘sorry’ and tries to be quieter but it does NOT work. He has flight instincts more than fight instincts so he often starts unconsciously floating away when he’s tickled it’s so cute. He giggles a lot and he’s not particularly embarrassed by it.

- Do NOT get me started on ler Clark I could write a dissertation. He is SO playful and teasy but also sweet? He definitely is the type to laugh along with his lee. He definitely allows any sort of retaliation/fighting back like,,, if you manage to crawl away it’s because he let you, and if he wants too, he can be very mean and immovable.

- Bruce and Barry are his favorite targets. He doesn’t go after Diana because, frankly, he doesn’t have a death wish. He loves to cause problems on purpose by squeezing Arthur’s side and then blaming it on Barry. (Hal Jordan isn’t in the DCEU Justice League but I wish he was...they’d be partners in crime <3)

Bruce Wayne

- Okay let’s clarify some things: he’s not actually an asshole. He can be abrasive and snarky but he’s more towards the sarcastic gruff side vs straight-up mean.

- A lot of people think he’s genuinely an asshole/disconnected rich guy because he has a terrible habit of zoning out/interrupting people? Bruce actually just has intense ADHD that he refuses to get diagnosed, no matter how much Alfred pushes him. He doesn’t care what people think about him and he’s mostly learned how to manage it, so he leaves it alone.

- That being said, his friendship with Barry has me :’) Yes, he thinks Barry’s a pest (affectionate), but they share a few science-related hyperfixations (robotics, chemical engineering, etc). They can frequently be found holed up in the Batcave with a week’s worth of food and caffeine, and they’re just....tinkering. Watching them at work is amazing because as much as they annoy each other, they respect each other :)

- He’s 100% a cat person. He doesn’t have a problem with dogs, he just prefers cats. He feeds the strays that hang out around the Manor all the time...

-...which Alfred begs him not to do, because Bruce is severely allergic. He thinks he can power through the allergies until one of the stray cats does the face-headbump thing and he’s incapacitated emotionally and physically for the rest of the day. 

- He severely restrains his emotions but like...catch him on a good day or in a good mood and he’ll smile and laugh, especially in friendly company. He just generally believes in maintaining a poker face so no one can read him. 

- Not to be disrespectful but...thighs. I am Looking. 

- Bruce has a wonderful laugh. He’s not much of a giggler tbh but he has this open, clear, slightly scratchy kinda laugh (his voice is permanently hoarse from the Batman Voice). It’s so lovely. He has a habit of covering his mouth bc he’s embarrassed of his smile but if he finds something very funny he’ll laugh openly. 

- Thee Batman is ticklish and he...doesn’t hate it? Like of course he protests ten ways from Sunday but he more minds the ‘guys stop you’re ruining my dark and brooding facade’ bit. He hates being teased though and he will throw hands. 

- Circling back to the emotions thing, he’s very good at controlling his reactions, which means he has thoroughly convinced everyone he’s not ticklish. Except Clark, stupidly perceptive Clark, because he can hear Bruce’s heartbeat and see the way he clenches his jaw to avoid smiling. 

Diana Prince

- WIFEY!!!!! 

- Diana is hilarious okay? She’s just...so fucking funny. Her jokes never miss. You wouldn’t think she’s the quippy type, but she is, and she’s damn good at it. In a distant alternate universe, Peter Parker senses a rival. 

- Loves fresh fruit, but especially strawberries? She makes frequent trips to the local farmer’s market. 

- She also has a raging sweet tooth. She and Clark work together to steal sweets and buy snacks. 

- Will not back down from a challenge, ever. It’s kinda a problem.

- She has such a sweet laugh :’) It’s so bouncy and melodic and she scrunches her nose. She WILL snort and it’s the cutest thing ever. Yes she’s ticklish, but no one gets more than five seconds of laughter out of her before she turns the tables. 

- World’s meanest ler. Not only is she frequently on the prowl, she is near-ruthless, especially if she’s been baited. Once she sets her sights on someone, she won’t rest until she’s heard their laugh. 

- Diana is very mischievous and loves hearing her friends laugh. It’s impossible to be in her vicinity for more than five minutes without at LEAST a few pokes. She is not above just,,, random tickles either. 

- Nails. That is all. 

Arthur Curry

- Why are his tiddies always out? Someone please explain.

- The most targeted for pranks ever. Diana especially. Something about him just attracts goblinism. 

- He’s coming for Clark’s bear hugger crown. He picks people up so often that they’re just used to it now. 

- Playfighting and roughhousing is his love language. He absolutely loves wrestling with anyone who’ll humor him. He and Diana frequently tussle because they’re both good sports about it (Bruce is a little bit of a sore loser. Just a smidge). 

- Thinks he can get away with anything, which is decidedly not true. He just nopes his way out of the room and everyone’s like D:< get back here and atone for your sins!!! But Arthur’s already in the Pacific Ocean. 

- I like to think he’s ticklish, just not super ticklish y’know? He probably has a couple hidden spots that make him lose it though. Like he’ll definitely laugh and fall over, but he can and will fight back. Oh boy, will he fight back. 

- Batman: No fear.

Diana and Arthur sneaking up behind him:

Batman: One fear. 

- Y’know that picture of Jason Momoa sneaking up behind Henry Cavill on the red carpet? That is extremely relevant. Arthur loves to sneak up behind people and just...take them down. 

- Thinks Barry is annoying (affectionate) and the two of them are constantly chasing each other around. Barry is fast but Arthur’s strong (and wayy less ticklish than Barry)

- Physical affection!! He always has his arms around someone’s shoulders or something. He’s just a touchy kind of guy :)

Barry Allen

- Speedy boy! ADHD king! Sometimes his thoughts are also at superspeed, which means he talks way too fast and no one can understand him? But Bruce speaks fluent Barry and he translates often (though not without a labored sigh beforehand). 

- Physically affectionate but casual about it? He likes to play with people’s hands while he’s talking, bump shoulders with whoever he’s next to, etc. He doesn’t really realize he does it either. It’s not uncommon for him to be talking to Clark or Diana and they just...unconsciously give him their hand before he reaches for it.

- Okay so y’know how Bruce feeds the strays? Who do you think lets them in the first place? Barry has tried to adopt every stray he comes across, and when Alfred inevitably says no, Barry runs them to the shelter himself :’)

- Gifting is his love language!!! If he sees anything that remotely reminds him of his friends, he brings it to them. 

- He likes to hang out with Victor because he’s quiet, but doesn’t mind when Barry rambles, which he tends to do quite often. Barry will catch himself rambling and trail off, but Victor will encourage him to keep going, because he’s listening. 

- Thee Pillsbury Doughboy. Just these high-pitched, bouncy, frantic giggles that only get worse and eventually morph into cackles. He hiccups a lot too :’)

- Okay so he’s not a flailer but he’s super squirmy. Barry will cling onto his ler’s arms just to hold onto something. He kicks his legs too (he does this when he’s not being tickled either, if he laughs and he’s sitting somewhere he kicks). He also just constantly tries to crawl away. If he isn’t pinned down he will drag himself to safety. He also has a habit of curling up :’)

- Absolutely invented the speed-tickle. He actually doesn’t often use his powers (unless he’s chasing down Clark, because Clark isn’t above breaking the sound barrier to escape). He’s just got incredible hand-eye coordination and precision. His hands will be absolutely everywhere and he is so teasy about it. 

- Tries not to start fights he can’t finish, but he always gets roped into Clark’s mischief and gets targeted with revenge tickles. 

- He has tickled Clark once. It was incredible, amazing, showstopping, spectacular. Literally his crowning achievement. Did Clark absolutely destroy him afterwards? Yes, but it was so worth it. 

Victor Stone

- Quiet and stoic, but he’s always preferred listening and interjecting with a joke or two. 

- Closest with Barry and Diana, but he’s making an effort to bond with everyone.

- Unfortunately not ticklish :( I like to think soft touches on his face will make him smile and lean away, but it’s not going to get a laugh from him.

- Doesn’t often get involved in tickly shenanigans, but when he does, he surprises everyone with how much fun he has. A different, warmer side of him comes out when he’s among his friends.

- He’s a hugger! Definitely awkward about it, but he loves hugs and just...holding his friends. 

- He collects hoodies. He can’t really feel them when he’s wearing them, but he likes them and the idea of it. Barry seems to slip him a new hoodie every week. Victor has no idea where he gets them from but he’s not complaining. 

- He is an enabler. He will look at Bruce like :| “no, I don’t know where Barry and Clark are, nor do I no what they’re planning” But they’re literally right behind Bruce, about to squeeze his sides. 

- That being said, he won’t do that with Diana. If she asks where they are, he’ll subtly nod his head in their direction. Even in jest, he will never lie to her. Which makes him Thee person to avoid when Diana’s on her mischievous streaks.

[shorkbrian]

Give in to Love

so I have several thots about this. Like with Kiri, he would be like, relieved you’re being submissive but then he’d become like super depressed that you aren’t like idk seeming to live in your body, like you’re just a husk and he’d get so worried and sad and pamper you with so much love.

Yeah so aside from Kiri, a yan that I imagine this type of scenario is with someone like Victor Nikiforov from YOI 

yes. This Bitch right here.

So first fucking off, he’s rich. Money is no problem for him.

Second off, he’s so confident that he would not hesitate to do whatever he wanted.

Third, he’s actually pretty kind (especially to pretty, vulnerable little things like you)

It’d probably start out with the man spilling coffee all over you or something SUPER cliche like that. 

(Warnings - not much. NSFW but only the teeniest tiniest bit. barely even a mention. but obvs Yandere, dub con, dark content.)

He’s in a rush, he was bursting out of the coffee-shop, you just so happened to be walking by and in the direct path of the door and so smacks into you, knocking you onto your butt.

Immediately, you’re being helped up by a silver haired man, he’s apologizing heavily, patting your clothes into place, smoothing your hair, steadying you onto your feet. He’s so sorry, he didn’t even see you! And then the man stops, looks at you, smiles blindingly and blurts out that you’re pretty.

You’re understandably stunned. but you quickly just brush it off, his accent is foreign, it’s probably just a cultural thing. 

Then he’s offering to buy you something to make up for him trying to give you a concussion, asking if you like coffee, sweets, maybe a sweater? You look cold.

And you’re just so tired, life is exhausting, you don’t really even care anymore what happens to you. You don’t protest as the man doesn’t wait for an answer, immediately grabbing your hand and marching you into the coffee shop he had just burst out of.

“Pick anything you’d like, my treat! An apology for not paying attention to such a beautiful thing.” He smiles, gesturing at the menu.

You study it for a second, but there’s too many choices, and it’d just be easier if you didn’t have to, and you’re so used to people telling you what to do and making decisions for you and you’re lost. Where do you even start?

After a few moments of silence, the man (who's been not-so-subtly watching you as you deliberate) speaks up. “Can I pick? I LOVE their raspberry cheesecake! So good!”

It sounds fine, and you’re somewhat relieved that he was going to choose, take the burden of responsibility off of your shoulders.

He buys one of the giant slices, ushers you to table, sits you down. The man watches you take a bite, his face lighting up and giving a little clap when you give a thumbs up. He has his own fork, and he takes bits and pieces here and there from the slice. While you eat, he talks.

His name is Victor, he’s from Russia, are you from around here? What’s your name? 

“That’s such a pretty name!” He says your name once, twice, rolling it around in his mouth like it’s something to savor. 

Victor is a ball of energy, confident, full of life. He’s frankly an intimidating man, with how attractive he is, the obviously expensive suit he wears, the way he dominates the conversation and expertly handles your awkward silences and uncomfortable pauses.

By the time you leave, he’s entered his number into your phone, quickly scrolling to find your own number (even though he was only supposed to put in his own - but you really didn’t care) and note it down.

You’re pretty sure he won’t actually be texting or calling you - he was just being polite, feigning interest in someone as boring and pathetic as yourself.

Lo-and-behold, that evening you get a notification that “Vitya! (:” has texted you.

Hello! Is your body feeling alright?

Immediately confused, you send out a reply

Who is this?

It’s Victor!!! From the coffeeshop, haha. 

Oh, hi (: your contact name says “Vitya” lol what a typo

Not a typo, I like it when pretty girls call me Vitya (;

Baffled, you don’t reply, and no further messages are exchanged.

A few days go by, Victor texts you on the fifth day, asking if you wouldn’t mind recommending some fun local activities. You have to apologize - you don’t get out much, you’re sure there’s info online though.

Victor asks why you don’t go out, you decide to be blunt and succinctly explain the fatigue, you’re anxious, this is your first time being out on your own and you’re so used to other people dictating your life that it feels uncomfortable and wrong to be able to make decisions. 

The man asks if you would go to that coffeeshop again with him. The switch of topic relieves you, but at the same time you’re frowning. You probably word-vomited all over him, complaining about your problems. 

For some reason, you agree.

He meets you at the coffeeshop again, this time not even bothering to ask what you’d like to order. Victor just gets a few cookies, leads you to a table and plops down, spreading them in front of the two of you 

“In case you don’t like one of them. And if you have allergies!”

You smile at his explanation.

Victor slowly becomes a constant in your life.

The texts turn into quick calls, inviting you places, begging you to come sit with him in the park, feed some pigeons. Go to the grocery store with him? He’s lonely, don’t make him go by himself!

Even if you refuse, you’re gently bullied into doing virtually everything he says. It’s not like you mind though, you’re used to it.

He starts showing up at your apartment, you aren’t even sure when you gave him your address, but now he invites himself inside.

The first time he had shown up, completely unannounced, you had protested only once before letting him in. You could tell he was scrutinizing your home, but what did it matter? Victor was wealthy, everything you owned seemed shabby and poor.

He came over most nights, sometimes bringing food, making you sit with him at your table and eat. Sometimes he brought a book, or his laptop, and quietly sat on your couch while you puttered around. He’d always get distracted from what he was reading though, chattering towards you about this or that or the other.

Victor was nice.

He made decisions for you, he made you eat, he quickly picked up on when you were too tired to function, when all you could do was collapse somewhere and fall asleep.

But Victor was also threatening.

If you tried refusing him too many times, or if you mentioned your coworker telling a funny joke (It’s not like he wasn’t funny, the joke was hilarious - Victor just didn’t seem to like it) Victor’s face would sour, eyebrows drawing low, a deep frown etched onto his face. HIs voice would take on a commanding tone, low, as if he was going to do something that neither of you would enjoy if he had to ask again. 

It was scary sometimes.

But he had invaded your life, and you had stood by and idly watched. It’s not like you had put up a fight. You didn’t even know why he hung around you so, with the way you were constantly tired, moving through life like a zombie, sad and sleepy all the time.

Months passed and like every other year of your life, you could barely remember them slipping by. When had Victor become so comfortable in your apartment? It made you uncomfortable, but you were used to discomfort.

It came to a head when you retreated to your room for a nap, body sore and fatigued from merely existing. Victor followed you, nagging about wearing something cooler, to drink some water, how he heard about this new thing recently-

He followed you into your bed.

Like it was normal. Crawling under the covers with you, still maintaining a respectful distance, still talking. You were so tired, you didn’t care about how it made you uncomfortable.

When you woke up, he was curled around you, holding you tight. When you shifted, he had perked up, peeking around your shoulder to see your face. He had been awake the whole time, just chilling.

It was weird.

You were too tired to fight it.

Victor started paying for too much.

Of course it started small, as everything concerning Victor did. Sweets, small little gifts, occasionally a week’s worth of groceries. 

Then it escalated. He was paying for your medications, for your therapies, for your health aids. He started trailing after you to doctor’s appointments, introducing himself as a concerned friend.

You knew this wasn’t good, wasn’t healthy. Something was wrong about this, but you just didn’t care. Something was always wrong, you were always being directed and pushed towards this or that. You just had to accept it.

Then Victor was paying your rent, buying you clothes (since when did friends buy each other underwear?) surprising you with bigger and more expensive gifts until you tried to put your foot down.

You had gotten a stern talking-to, treated like an ungrateful child. And maybe you were? Victor was doing so much for you, shouldn’t you just accept his care?

Victor suggested that you move into his house, since he practically lives at your little apartment anyways. 

“My place is so much cozier! I have a fireplace, I miss it! I want to spend time with you but we could hang out in a more-” He looked around at your apartment “-comfortable place?”

You tried to argue, you did. But it took one disapproving glance from Victor and you were subdued, meekly agreeing to do whatever he wanted.

He called your landlord to terminate your lease. He helped you pack your clothes (that he had bought) into boxes (that he had bought) and arranged for your furniture (that he had bought, always complaining that your couch was bad for his back) to be sold.

Once moving in with him, he got more and more affectionate.

Right from the start, you quickly realized that Victor was very tactile-oriented. He wasn’t shy about physical touch, always wanting to hold hands or giving super long hugs, or begging to cuddle. He didn’t think it was weird, so you tried not to think so either.

Now that you were in his house, his gigantic, expensive house, Victor became even more physical. He showered you with kisses on the cheek, pressed to your forehead, on your shoulder, your neck when he curled around you at night (because of course you slept in the same bed. Victor had just laughed when you asked where your bedroom was)

Eventually, he kissed you on the mouth.

You were surprised, but you didn’t fight it. Why would you?

A heartfelt confession followed - how he had fallen in love with you at first sight, and how every day he fell more and more in love with you. You were his everything, the light of his life, he would die for you.

Don’t you feel the same?

You did, because that’s what Victor wanted to hear.

So now the two of you were dating, sharing kisses and intimate touches and eventually sharing bodies, letting him touch you even though it made your flesh crawl, touching him because he asked you to.

He provided everything, it was simpler just to do what he asked, what he desired. You didn’t even really mind being told what to do, what to wear, what and when to eat - it gave you a sense of comfort, knowing that you didn’t have to make decisions for yourself like that.

Victor would take care of you.

Even when you didn’t want him to

After all, it was simply easier to give in to love

[faustonastring]

Hello! Can you please do some headcanons with the main 6 with a very affectionate MC who loves to give kisses and hugs? Thanks a lot in advance!

Thanks for requesting! I hope you like it!

Request are open!

Main six with an affectationate Mc!

Asra

This is like a match made in heaven, he’s the same way. He doesn’t care where you are, what your doing, what weird exotic food you just ate, he wants to smooch you. And is soooo happy when he finds out your the same way.

Good morning kisses are a must. No matter what time of day it is. Or if either of you brushed your teeth yet. As soon as one of you wakes up, it’s race to kiss the other one before they beat you too it. (But if you were the one getting kissed in the morning- you need to give asra a good night kiss and vise-versa. Sorry I don’t make the rules.)

He’s waited so long to kiss and hug and hold you just like he used to. He’s over the moon when he finds out you want exactly what he wants. I headcanon him as the one out of the main six who is most into physical intimacy (him and lucio are tied if were being honest) so this is absolutely perfect

He loves it when you kiss and hug him, especially when you catch him off guard, but just know that as soon as he gets the chance he’s gonna get you back for it. And when asra gets you back. He gets you back.

Nadia

Her last spouse was....uh.....not the best, at physical affection. He begged and begged for it, but never gave. But ohoho how the turns have tabled. How the turns have tabled.....

She isn’t the type to beg you for affection though, oh no no no. She’s the exact opposite. As soon as she realizes how much you love physical affection, kisses and hugs, and all that Jazz. She’ll play hard to get. Not hard to get like totally ignoring you. More like hard to get in the way that she’ll only let you kiss her once every hour. And she’ll pull away if your kissing her for ‘too long’

She isn’t too big on pda. She is the countess after all. With that title comes responsibility. Unlike lucio, she can’t be asking out heavily with her spouse at public events, it’s just too unprofessional. She final has the respect of Vesuvia, she can’t afford to lose it. (no offenses)

But when the two of you are alone? Pounce. On days she feels like teasing you, wait In your shared bedroom, and as soon as she enters, just go buck wild dude, she ain’t gonna stop you. But on other days, or public events like the masquerade, pull her into private secluded areas for some alone time. Nadia doesn’t like big parties, and you like kissing Nadia, so it’s a win win.

Julian

Ohhhh this is nice. It’s so nice after a stressful day to find himself in someone’s arms, rather than crying into his hands at his desk. It’s so nice to kiss some on and it have meaning, rather then a random hook up with some one he met at the raven. It’s change. But it’s good.

He isn’t going to complain one bit. People tend to only fixate on julians horny side, when we should be paying more attention to the fact that he is indeed touch starved, and will melt as soon as you take him in your arms. Or plant a kiss on his lips, or cheek, or nose, forehead, chest, arms, hands, anywhere. He turns into a puddle at the thought of it.

He has something to look forward too. For once he’s looking forward to something. He’s looking forward to you. To your embrace when he comes home from work. To your lips when you kiss him hello. And too the other many many kisses and hugs that are too come.

Julian isn’t that big into pda. Sure a kiss here, or a hug there is fine. But he prefers to be making out some where more...private. Espically when your makeouts usually end up turning into more than just makeouts if you know what I mean-. (Also the both of you once got kicked out of the raven for making out too much, and Barth wouldn’t let you back in until you got your shit together- sorry I don’t make the rules)

Portia

She’s great at giving kisses and hugs, but reciving them? When you first start her face goes bright red everytime. But after time she’ll get used to it, then she’ll make it her Job to make you feel the way she first felt.

She’s touch starved, she’s just very good at hiding it. (Upon writing this I realiszed that they are all touch starved just too diffrent extents. I don’t know how it took me so long to realize-) so as soon you start kissing her and hugging her, she’s going to be begging for more.

Well not exactly begging....she isn’t the type to really beg, (unless you’re having sex maybe- but that’s another story) but she’ll drop subtle hints that she wants another hug or kiss though. And by subtle I mean not so subtle at all. She’ll literally say that she “misses the feeling of your lips on hers” and she’ll call it subtle.

She’s into pda, but too an extent. There’s a time and place for kissing, and higging. Just not at work. Or anywhere that m’lady might see. Not that she minds, or cares, Portia is just a little parinoid. But anywhere else? A where else is free game. So....>:)

Muriel

Oh god. Oh god please take it slow. If you just dive in head first, kissing and hugging him, he might die of heart failure because 1) you’re so damn cute. And 2) whathehellareyoudoingohmygodwhy-

Slow and steady wins the race. Introduce everything slowly, a quick kiss here, a small hug there. He starts to get the idea. It leaves him red in the face everytime, but how could he be complaing? The only thing he can really complain about is the weird feeling his has in his stomach after everytime you two kiss....

If you’ve played muriels route, you probably know that as time goes on Muriel starts to get more affectionate himself even going as far as to initiate affection, but there is no way In hell he’ll ever initiate it as much as you do, but he does thoroughly enjoy it, and it’s a good reminder that you love him

He’s spent years thinking that he was worthless, that no one could ever love him,but here you are, happily kissing him any chance you get, hugging him, making him feel safe. Making him feel loved. And it’s honestly one of the best feelings in the world.

Lucio

When you get turned into a ghost for three years the gets kind of lonely. Making lucio about 50x more touch starved than he was before. (And he was pretty touch starved before too. Mama morga wasn’t the most loving parent one could have, if you know what I mean.)

That being said, he’s living this affection stuff up! He gets hugs and kisses every day and for what? Just being alive? He doesn’t even need to do anything (most of the time) this is great! This is all he ver wanted. Not only to be loved and to getting hugs and kisses, he loves giving them too! And even more, he loves be able to love you.

He makes it into a game. To make sure he gives you more kisses and hugs than you give him. Yes. He keeps count. Is it always correct? No. But A+ for effort right? And if he beats you (which is almost always if you don’t care about his game) he brags about it and tells you that you’re “gonna have to make it up to” him. Have fun

But all jokes aside. This is all he ever wanted. He has a lot of insecurities that he pushes deep deep deep down inside of himself, so you giving him a lot of affection, is really reassuring. It reminds him that he’s not a total failure. Also, lucio can and will make out with you during any public event, anytime, any place, he does not care.

Thanks for reading! I’m feeling a little under the weather today so I’m writing this one early while I still have a burst of energy, and if I’m feeling better by tonight, I’ll write my next request, so I can start getting through them faster because I have about almost a month worth of request to get through! (Also I’m fine I promise it’s just really bad allergies) any way I hope you liked it, and I hope it follows the prompt close enough (if not like always I can rewrite it!)

Next Headcanon: Main six with a insomniac Mc

My request are open!

[natasha-romanoff-deserved-better]

Children of Yesterday- Chapter Five

Summary:

Standing in front of him, are two more children, only slightly older than the one he had found. The blonde child was freakishly skinny with dark bags under his eyes, and was standing with another black-haired slightly taller child who had a bony arm wrapped around him.

The blonde was wearing an over-sized Captain America costume that drowned him, and the other only wearing a leather jacket with sleeves that covered his hands and fell to his knees.

Tony almost chokes.

The blonde in the Captain America costume. The black-haired child standing over him. The scared, timid kid on his hip with glasses and bruises.

He knows who these kids are.

.

After an accident with Hydra and the time stone, Tony and Rhodey are left with six of their teammates turned into young children. Trying to keep the six young, traumatized and rambunctious children safe all while finding a cure and attempting to give them a taste of a real childhood might be their biggest mission yet.

Continue reading below or click here to read on AO3! 

.

The car ride goes as well as any of them expected, with the six kids arguing over who got to sit where; who got the window seats, who got to choose what radio station they listened too, how hot or cold the car should be, and even who had the “best” seatbelt, whatever the hell that meant. Thankfully, they reached the tower within fifteen minutes, and the sight of it stunned all six into total silence.

“Whoa,” Clint breathes out, after several seconds of awe. “Coolest foster home ever!”

Tony doesn’t bother to correct him.

Tony and Pepper leave the car out front, Friday taking over control to direct it into the garage. Rhodey meets them inside, having flown his suit back.

“I confiscated all the weapons in the common areas. Or…. All the weapons I could find. You never know with…” He stops himself from saying Clint and Natasha’s names, realizing how much confusion it would create. “With those two.”  

“Rhodey, you are an absolutely savior.” Tony praises.

“I’ll go find everyone some pajamas from their rooms,” Pepper tells, frowning at the hospital clothing the kids were still wearing. “At least some old T-shirts would be better to sleep in, I’m sure.”

Tony stares at the kids. They stare back.

“Who’s tired?” They say nothing. “Right…well. You’re all going to sleep anyways. Because I know none of you got much before you Houdini-ed your way out of SHIELD.”

It had already been decided, wordlessly, that none of them would be spending the nights in their original adult rooms. The main worry had been Clint and Natasha and the sheer number of weapons they had hidden all over their quarters, but it would also be much easier to keep an eye on all of them if they were all on the same floor.

The tower had a floor consisting all of guest rooms- It had been a joke at first, mainly from his wild playboy days. Now, it was used for guests staying overnight, be it for parties, galas, or several day long conferences. It was usually the safest option for many, eliminating the need for hotels and allowing the meetings to take place with much more secrecy. Tony loaded them all into elevator and brought to them to the guest room floor.

Whether they were willing to admit it or not, it was obvious they were all tired. For one, Bruce couldn’t stop yawning every other minute or so, which would set off a chain reaction through all the kids. Sam and Clint were both rubbing their eyes, Steve and Bucky looked like they were about to drop dead. Even Natasha was showing signs of tiredness, her eyes drooping closed for split second before jerking back up.

Pepper meets them on the floor, holding old shirts that she passes out to each respective owner. After everyone has their shirts, Tony randomly assigns each their own room. Steve and Bucky completely ignore him and enter the same room.

After everyone is all settled into their rooms, Tony is headed towards the end of the hallway to the suite room when Natasha pokes her head out her door.

“You forgot about me.”

“What?” Tony’s brows furrow, trying to think what she could possibly mean. She simply holds out her wrist to him, an expectant look on her face. “Sorry, kiddo, but you’re gunna have to help me out here a bit more. What’s wrong?”

Natasha drops her arm in annoyance at his ignorance. “Handcuff?”

“Oh. No, Nat, god. No, no handcuffs.” Tony crouches to her level, hoping to get his point across. “You’re free to move around as you wish here. Got that?”

If the look on her face is anything to go off of, Natasha does not got it. Her nose is scrunched up and forehead creased slightly in confusion, but she still nods.

“Alright, good. I’m just going to be down in that room over there, so you can call me if you need anything at all, yeah?”

Natasha nods again, whispers a quiet “thank you, sir” and steps back into her room, leaving Tony dumbfounded in the hallway.

---------------

Tony closes the door, leaning his back against it. “Oh, god.” His hands come up to rub at his face.

From her side on their bed, Pepper lowers her book and raises an eyebrow at him.

“What the hell did I do, Pepper? What the fuck was I thinking?”

“You were thinking about their best interests—”

“Best interests,” He scoffs. “I’m me, Pep. I can’t take care of six kids! Hell, I can’t even take care of myself!” He runs his hands through his hair, grabbing tufts and pulling slighting. “Oh, god.”

“Tony- just breathe for a minute,”

“Fucking hell. What if something happens to them? It will be all my fault. What if they run away from me as well? Or if I crash the car while driving them somewhere? What if,- I don’t give them enough food and they starve and.. Oh god, I don’t even know if any of them have any food allergies or not? There’s no way Steve isn’t allergic to something. And these kids are way too smart for their age. You should have seen them on those tapes. Jesus Christ, I’m going to get them killed. There’s no doubt about it.”

“Tony.” Pepper demands. He looks up at her, panic written all over his face. She pulls back the silk sheets covering her and opens an arm in invitation. “Come here.”

Tony scrambles over to her, climbing up onto the bed and then her, resting his head on her chest. She pulls the covers back up over them, hugs him close. “I can’t do this, Pepper. I don’t know how to take care or interact with kids. Especially not kids with their backgrounds…. I don’t want to ruin them even more. That’s what I do. I ruin people.”

The last sentence, she knows, is a reference to his weapon making past, but also to Peter. She chooses to ignore it- they don’t need to go down that rabbit hole tonight- and keeps the focus on the team.

“The kids are going to be fine. They’re tough. And if god forbid anything does happen, we’ll get through it. The same as we do everything else. You have me. And Rhodey… And Happy, if Peter hasn’t given him one too many heart attacks yet.”

Tony snorts out a laugh at the mention of Happy and nuzzles deeper into his partner.

---------------

“I’m not sure that’s a great idea, Tony,” Pepper says, eyeing the children who are sitting at the table, happily munching on their breakfast of pancakes. It’s a stark difference from one hour prior, when Steve and Bucky had woken everyone up with their screaming after FRIDAY had said something to them.

(In retrospect, he probably should have mentioned the ceiling will talk back to you last night, but oh well.)

“We can just order clothes and whatever we need from online.”

She’s right- they could. It would be the easiest thing to do.

But Tony remembers his clothes as a kid. Always too itchy or rough or too soft, never the fun colors or designs like the other kids got to wear, never what he actually wanted. There had never been anyone around who could be bothered enough to take him to a store, to wait while he picked out his own things.

“I’m taking them.”

Pepper sighs. “Well just know you two are on your own.” She checks the time on her watch, a habit. “I have all kinds of things I need to settle, since it seems as if you’re going to be out of commission for a while.”

He knew she was right, even though he was tempted to beg her to come with. He and Rhodey only knew so much about kids, but she had seemed to have some kind of natural maternal instinct with them. He would be willing to bet his whole company that she would have no problem controlling the kids. But there were meetings, galas, conferences, so many things in his schedule that Pepper now that to cancel or reschedule or do herself.

---------------------

The kids pour out of the cars as Tony stands aimlessly, staring at the building of the mall.

“Which stores even have kids clothing? I don’t know any of these names.”

Rhodey has beaten him to it, again, pulling out a google list on his phone. “Let’s start with… uh, that place.” He points some doors to his left, double checking the name of the store. “I don’t know. It’s a kid store and has five stars, so...”

“Good enough for me.”

They herd the kids the best they can towards the store, not wanting to lose anyone before the first ten minutes. Tony was about to just open the doors and turn the kids buck wild, but Rhodey stopped them all before entering.

“Okay, guys. Here’s the rules. You be nice to the employees, and don’t be disruptive. That means no screaming, yelling, fighting. None of that. And no leaving the store. You can go off by yourself within the store but don’t go out. Got it?” They all nod.

Tony adds on. “Yeah, what he said. But other then that just grab whatever you like and that fits. Price doesn’t matter, yeah?”

The kids run off in all different directions, each going towards whichever section caught their eye the most. He gives some time to run around by themselves, before going to check on them.

Bruce has stuck to mostly neutral colors, gray and brown sweaters hanging off his arms with the same pair of jeans hanging over his arm. Sam has gone ambitious, picking out shirts with the most obnoxious patterns and designs Tony has seen.

Steve and Bucky have each picked out a few things, but glancing at them, Tony can tell the clothes the two boys are holding are not their correct size.

“Those are way too big, you two. Do you know how to check sizes?”

“No, we know how.” Steve tells him, going red slightly. “It’s just that…it’s good to get bigger clothes. So you have room to grow.”

Realization dawns on Tony as he recalls this is most likely a symptom of being depression era kids.

“Steve, Bucky. Get your correct size. I promise I have more than enough money to buy more clothes the second either of you two grow an inch, okay?”

“How do you have so much money?” Bucky asks, but Steve shoves at his arm.

“Don’t be rude, Buck!”

“It’s not rude, I’m just asking!”

“Guys, it’s okay. Just trust me on this. Money won’t ever be an issue while you’re with me, alright? I want you to have things that fit you.” Deciding quickly to make it less about them and more himself, he adds, “It would really make me feel a lot better if you did that.”

That does it for them, and the pair returns the wrong sizing before moving to a completely different section to find the correct ones.

Checking in on Clint, he finds Natasha trailing after him several feet away, her arms empty. Tony frowns.

“Not finding anything you like, Nat?”

She shrugs.  

“Well. Why don’t you let me know what you like, and I can help you look?” She shrugs again. Wrapping her arms around her torso, she whispers something, too quiet for Tony to hear. “What?”

“I don’t know what I like. We do not choose clothes in Russia.”

“Oh. Right.” Of course she was confused. She had most likely never been given a choice of clothes before in her life. He racks his brain to try and think of what she might like. Black. Black was a safe option. He glances around himself for a few seconds before finding a plain black tank top and pulling it off the hanger. “What about this? It’s soft- here, feel it.”

Natasha tentatively reaches out a hand to run a small finger over the fabric, lips quirking up slightly at the smooth texture. Tony figures that’s the best he’s going to get from her and places the top into her hands.

He helps her pick out several other things. He tries other colors, but she seems to actively hate almost everything else. At one point, he pulls out a purple shirt, and she doesn’t sneer at the color like she has all the others, so he counts it as good enough and begins loading her up with purple things as well.

To the side, he can hear Rhodey speaking with Clint, suggesting Clint get some shirts other than graphic tees, and Clint’s flabbergasted “why would I do that?”

Once all the kids have each gathered a decent number of tops and bottoms, Tony and Rhodey gather them all up to pay for all the new clothing. Sam and Clint are both bouncing on the heels of their feet, trying and failing to contain their excitement at getting so many new clothes. Rhodey has the brilliant thought to distract Steve and Bucky when the cashier tells him the price for all the items, as to avoid a freak out from the two.

One store down, Tony and Rhodes steer the group into another child clothing store, hoping to load up on as much as possible in one trip. Tony prayed they were just being overly cautious, and his teammates would be back to normal before they had a chance to wear all their new outfits.

It’s going well, Tony assures himself- Steve and Bucky have gotten more confident after the first store and have amassed a good amount of clothes between the two of them, Bruce has decided to go a little more adventurous this time and pick a green long sleeved. Natasha only has one thing, but she picked it out all on her own. Sam and Clint are-

Not there.

Tony whips around, eyes scanning the store frantically for the two boys. He had just seen them, not even five minutes ago. They’re not on the floor. Not in the dressing rooms.

“Rhodey!” Tony calls loudly, ignoring the ugly look sent at him from a middle-aged woman. “Have you seen Clint and Sam? Please tell me you’ve seen them.”

Rhodey copies the same move Tony had done just seconds earlier, twists around to sweep the store, as if Tony just hadn’t looked hard enough.

“I knew I’d lose them eventually. Fuck.”

His glasses-FRIDAY- sensing his stress levels, points him to the east, signaling to him she had picked up the two’s heat signatures in that direction. Tony and Rhodey take off, the other four kids following closely at their heels.

FRIDAY directs them, and they end up in the Disney store, surrounded by bright lights and colors and children’s music blasting from the ceiling speakers. “Sam! Clint!” He calls out loudly, ignoring the stink eye he gets from a mother holding a snotty nosed sleeping baby in her arms. The two boys pop out from between some aisles, each holding several toys in their arms.

“Tony! Look what we found! Look how cool!” Sam runs up to show him the toys they had found. Clint hangs back slightly, eyeing Tony for a second before dejectedly placing the toys onto a rack near him. Tony watches this, feels a slight tug on his heart strings.

“Clint,” Clint’s eye shot back up to his, a trace of guilt in his face. “Pick them back up. You’re not in trouble.” Tony turns to the other four, who Rhodey is standing behind. “Why don’t you all go pick out some toys or stuffed animals you like, yeah?”

Steve and Bucky link hands and hurry over to the aisle with the dress up solider uniforms, while Natasha hesitates but makes her way over near Clint, who points out a Simba lion stuffie to her. She rolls the fluffy ears between her fingers, before smiling slightly and pulling it into her arms.

By the time they’re all finished, the pile of stuffed animals and toys on the cash register is absurd, but the beaming faces of his teammates make it worth it. Over the pile, the girl working the register flicks her eyes between Tony and Rhodey and the kids.

“They’re adorable,” she says, smiling at them. “Must be quite the handful with so many. Are they all yours?”

Tony snorts. “You’re telling me. And, uh, yeah. Mostly. Something like that,” He says, not quite sure exactly how to answer.

She nods, looking between the two adults again and smile growing bigger. “Well, I think it’s wonderful. I can’t believe there are some groups out there that would try and stop you two from adopting,”

“Hm?” Tony says, reaching into his wallet to pull out his black card, only half heartedly listening. “Oh yeah, for sure. We- wait, what?”

“Oh, I’m just saying, clearly you two are very loving dads.”

“Oh! Um,” Tony splutters, completely caught off guard. This is not what he was expecting to have to deal with today. Natasha trying to stab someone, sure. Steve somehow ending up in a hospital from a freak medical illness, fine. Clint climbing up a clothing rack, whatever. But not being mistaken for a gay couple with six children with his best friend.

Next to him, Rhodey is laughing. The bastard. Rhodey throws an arm around Tony’s shoulders and pulls him in, playing it up, and plants a sloppy kiss onto his cheek.

Thankfully, before Rhodey could pull anything else, the cashier scans the last stuffed animal and lets him know the final price. Tony happily pays it and hurries the kids out of the store, bags upon bags of new clothes and toys.

[laughing-with-god]

Pandemonium XI

Words; 3.4k

“I don’t want to repeat my innocence.  I want the pleasure of losing it again.” 

The tension in the room always seemed to follow Namjoon.  

It was as if he carried the marvelous ability to take the thin air around him and bend it into a daunting aura.  The very presence of him screamed alarm to others, an alpha just begging you to fuck with him. One found it a bit of a task to just meet his eye line.  

You must admit, his little dialogue of his prediction of your ‘submissive’ side left a somewhat startled and taken aback feeling for you to process.  

Surprisingly, he did make a point of you aggressive persona being a lot to upkeep.  You weren’t sure if it was a defense mechanism or your personality, but you did feel a bit tired at times from having to keep a constant level of defiance.  Perhaps you did have a problem showing vulnerability, and that’s why you act so bold; especially in the face of men.

You found yourself in a position you rarely were ever in; flabbergasted and strangled by silence as your mind struggled to keep up with what was just said.  

Namjoon looked pleased, aristocratic features twisting up in a witty smile as if your confusion aided his pleasure.  His dimples made an appearance and you felt your own face scrunch up into a scoff. How befitting was it for such an adorable feature to be plopped beside the very same lips that uttered such taboo topics at the dinner table?

His smile sparked some annoyance within you due to it revealing the satisfaction that his plan was working.  

He wanted you to be freaking out right now.

He wanted you to feel exposed.

He wanted to plant a seed in your head.  

You wouldn’t let him.  

You leaned back in your seat and grabbed your glass to take a sip of whatever expensive wine he found necessary to splurge on.  ‘Rich people’, you thought while barely suppressing an eye roll.

“You know Mr. Kim, I think that perhaps your little male ego just needs to feel vital.  That’s why you enjoy the concept of being a girl’s ‘daddy’.”

A snark from his baritone voice.  His olive tone hand reached out to mirror your actions by grasping his own glass of wine.  “Charming analysis, really. Yet this doesn’t stem from a need to be in control and feel important.  Like I stated before nymphet, it works both ways. You’d be just as vital to me as I am to you.”

“Be that as it may, don’t you think that forcing a submissive role onto someone is just manipulative?”  You retorted.

“Not at all.  Tell me babe, exactly when did I force any type of role onto you?  In fact, I quite like you just as you are. I would be very bored if you were a utter doormat.”  

You snorted at this.  “And what exactly was that whole ted talk about your psychological analysis concerning my inner submissive side?”  

“My meer suspicions.  But let me ask you some questions.”  A pause as if to wait for your objection. You stayed quiet.  “Do you find it a negative that your partner would want to take care of your every need?”

You shook your head.

“Is it bad to depend on your partner?”

Another shake of the head.

“And will you admit that in relationships, one usually falls into a more assertive role while the other falls into a submissive role?”

A prolonged response, but you settled for a shrug.  

“And you have a softer side, it’s just hidden under a facade of aggression.”  

You placed your drink down quickly, and stuttered; “W-well, I wouldn’t say-” “No, no.  That wasn’t a question.”  His dark eyes glimmered with a knowing benevolence.  

You face warmed on its’ own accord.  

Logic was also something that was not wasted on this man by any means.  It was like you were debating against a world class lawyer. You felt small and somewhat stupid, trapped by the brilliant diction to escape those plush lips of his.  Of course, your immediate reaction was to yell and spark up another fight. He had tricked you.

Yet, you couldn’t.  You would be proving him right.

Perhaps you were too stubborn.  Maybe you were demonizing the idea of a dom/sub relationship.  As you searched your mind for one valid reason to take a strong stance against it, you couldn’t.  

“Are you two ready to order?”  This broke your trance, causing you to look up and see the anxious waiter, pen and paper in hand.  

You huffed and looked at Namjoon.  “Order for me.”

Namjoon smirked, “No allergies to speak off?”  

“Nope.”

Namjoon turned his attention to the waiter and informed him of the food that he would be expecting.  Meanwhile, you attempted to drown yourself in that alcoholic grape juice that suddenly became all too interesting.  Not noticing the very proud smirk Namjoon held.

--

“Any recent literature to capture my nymphet’s mind?”  

You shoved another fork full into your mouth, not knowing whether or not to be happy that Namjoon did indeed order something you found very delicious.  Not that you would ever tell him that, though.

“I finished Fitzgerald’s ‘This Side Of Paradise.’”  You bluntly responded.

“And your thoughts?”  Namjoon prodded.

“Amory Blaine was a player who got mad when he got played.”  

Namjoon laughed, “Really now?  I thought he was ahead of his time.  When he met a woman who was finally of his wit and standard, she rejected him because she was too clever.  Hell, Amory Blaine wouldn’t have married himself!”

“Sure, she was smart for dodging him and marrying someone rich.  Yet, he didn’t have the right to bitch about it.”

“He got his heart broken.”  Namjoon argued.

“He got his ego broken.”  You disagreed, remembering the protagonists’ self-entitled rants of despair.

“We should have our own book club.”  Namjoon suggested, seeming to enjoy the contrast of beliefs concerning classic novels.  

“No thanks, I would rip your head off if I constantly had to hear your propaganda.”  Chewing harshly on purpose, you glared straight ahead at him.

He smiled, amused by your lack of manners.  “You’re a messy eater.”

You chewed louder, mouth open to get the sound effect as well.  

“You know, you’re only proving me right by acting like a childish brat.”  He smirked before passing you over a napkin. “If it were up to me, you would have gotten something from the kid’s menu and be eating out of kiddie plates and sippy cups.”  

“I think you would find perfect companionship at a daycare if that’s what you would want to see someone eat out of.”  You swallowed loudly, taking in sick satisfaction from Namjoons’ eyebrow twitch,

“Someone needs to teach you manners.”  He stated.

“You’re right.  Maybe Mr. Kim or Yoongi would be up for the job.”  Using his brothers against him was cruel, but you couldn’t deny the opportunity to get under his skin.  

He halted his movement to slice through his steak and looked up to bore his orbs into yours, “Don’t you dare mention those buffoons when you’re with me.”  

“Why?  Does it grind your gears to know that one of your brothers could be a more capable ‘daddy’ than you?”  you couldn’t help but tease, feeling a level of power at finding a weak point at a seemingly powerful man.  

A silence passed and his head bowed to cut through his steak, more precisely and harshly than he was mincing it before.  You paused your consuming, partly startled at his sudden seriousness and lack of banter.

“Tell me something dear, were you spanked as a child?”  

You choked, “What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”

He popped a dice of meat into his mouth to devour, “......because you’re about to be.”

--

Besides the obvious undertones of power-play, the dinner was perfectly adequate.  

Namjoon held qualities that you would’ve liked in a partner; intelligent, gentlemanly, well-read, respectful and clever enough to uphold a repartee with you.  He was one of the few people who you felt stimulated with by debating openly, one of the few people you respected as an equal footing with you. He challenged you. Some men you considered below you, knowing that their intentions were ill moraled and brains not nearly filled enough.  Other men you considered to be of a different world, too out of touch to ever be a match to you. Similar to how you felt when your relationship first bloomed with Jimin, a man who should’ve never collided worlds with you.

But Namjoon was someone you felt rather comfortable with.  After getting past the desperate swaying of dom/sub dynamics, you found yourself enjoying the company of the previously intimidating man.  He entertained your thoughts on culture, music and even absurd analysis on how Oscar wilde was the ‘first gay king’ as you lovingly put it.  

The meal was finished and he refused to beg for more of your time (something Jungkook or Jimin would’ve pulled.)  He paid the bill with the help of a shiny black card, laid a crisp twenty dollar bill on the table and led you out of the restaurant whilst guiding you via an arm around your waist.  

The car ride home was rather silent, the enchanting notes of Chopin played through the radio and draped an air of sophistication into the atmosphere.  Neither of you spoke, yet it was far from awkward. It was more like a mutual agreement to appreciate a stillness after such engaging conversation.

He pulled into your dorm parking lot.  Like an old fashioned bachelor, he exited his side to open the door for you and walk you to your door (or more like the dorm entrance).  

“Was I satisfactory?”  His deep voice rumbled, tone sounding more intimate as you were directly next to him...practically feeling the vibrations from his chest as he said his words.  

You two continued your walk, however you were setting the pace.  It was a slow walk, you had to admit, but you wanted to prolong the time and see how Namjoon would wrap the evening up.  So it was your little secret that you took your time with calculated strides.

“Compared to what I thought was going to happen….yeah, I’m pleased.”  

“And just what was your prediction?”  He chuckled.

“I don’t know.  Maybe you pulling a Cosby and taking me to a playroom or something.”  You laughed.

“Your humor is too satirical love, people overhearing might not get the joke.”  Namjoon pulled your form closer to him as a chilly wind passed through unexpectedly.  You breathed deep and briefly wondered if it would be weird to ask just exactly how much this fucker drops on cologne alone.  

‘He did tip a waiter like 20 dollars though….maybe I don’t wanna know.’

Sadly, you had approached the door and were forced to face him with goodbyes.  

“Well...I’m glad you got to spend a night with a man instead of wasting it on a little boy.”  

You rolled your eyes, and debated with whether or not you should say what has been bothering you on the drive over.

“A-are you going to teach me how a man kisses?”  This indeed was the reason you had agreed to the date in the first place; Namjoon claiming to blow Jungkook’s boyish technique out of the water with a much more experienced mouth.  It was something that was bubbling under the surface for you, making you prone to bursting if it wasn’t addressed.

Namjoon quirked his brow and rubbed the back of his neck, “I suppose, if that’s what the lady wants.”  

You waited, holding your breath subconsciously.  

He smirked and stepped closer to you, invading any realm of personal space.  God, he was tall. You felt vulnerable but surprisingly….you didn’t feel any disgust towards this new feeling.  It felt almost intimate to be so close to such a bigger frame than yours...

“Close your eyes.”  He purred. You obeyed, you didn’t know why you did it without question...but you obeyed.  

You waited for the feeling of his lips to touch yours.  

Would his kisses be rough and alpha-like, like the domineering persona seen before?

Or would it be careful and elaborate, similar to his manners and mindset?

You felt his hand take yours.  

You pursed your lips, not wanting to waste any time and cover the distance quickly.

You felt something warm and soft pucker against the back of your hand.

What?

You opened your eyes to witness something you weren’t expecting; Namjoon’s broad and receding back as he retreated towards the parking lot.  

Rage spurred within you.  

The fucker really just kissed your hand before trying to leave while you had your eyes closed and lips out like a fucking idiot?!  

“What the fuck Namjoon?!”  You called out, not caring how shrill and insane your own voice sounded as it echoed through the parking lot.  

He raised one long arm to wave back, still not turning around to face you.  “A real gentleman doesn’t kiss on the first date babygirl.”

You breathed in.

Your breathed out.  

“YOU MANIAC!  YOU CAN TALK ABOUT BDSM OVER DINNER BUT CAN’T EVEN PECK ME?!  ‘DADDY’ MY ASS! YOUR BROTHERS WOULDN’T TREAT ME LIKE THIS!” You hollered as Namjoon got into his car, not once acknowledging your temper tantrum and starting up the vehicle to drive away.

You heard a window open as a college student poked their head out to see what was going on.  “What the fuck are you yelling for? People are trying to sleep!”

You looked up and flipped the anonymous peer off while taking out your keys to enter the dorm.  

The Kim brothers were an interesting breed, you decided.

--

You laid in bed, scrolling through your phone as you awaited sleep to come.  

When you had got home, Kat was nowhere to be seen and you were left with the dorm to yourself.  She did mention a study dat before so you weren’t too concerned.

You decided to wash up and turn in, knowing how early your first class was tomorrow.  

A notification popped up on the top of your screen, halting your browsing.

It was a text from Namjoon.  

‘I fell in love with her courage,

Her sincerity and her flaming self respect.  

And it’s these things I’d believe in,

Even if the world indulged in wild suspicions

That she wasn’t all that she should be.

I love her and that is the beginning of everything.’ ~F. Scott Fitzgerald’  

Did he really sent you a poem?  

You spent about ten minutes reading the words over and over again, letting it warm your heart as you pictured Namjoon’s long fingers typing it down and thinking of you.  It was easy for you to connect the dots given one of the his favorite topics was your submission to him. However, this poem hinted that he was not at all turned off by your aggression and bratiness. Even if the world didn’t think think you were proper, your flaming self respect earned Namjoon’s fondness of you.  And like the last line said….

This was only the beginning.

You fell asleep with a smile upon your face.

--

Perhaps if you had looked up the horoscope for your astrological sign, it would’ve warned you of just exactly how cursed this day was about to be.  Maybe even told you to stay your ass home.

Sadly, you had to discover this bad fortune the hard way by treading out into the very world itself.  

First, you woke up late and thus had very little time to get pretty.  Not only did you burst into your first class about 15 minutes late, but you also looked like a hot mess.  

Then, you realized that you forgot to charge your laptop last night.  Meaning, all notes were now going to have to painstakingly be taken by hand.  This would have been longer and more carpal-tunnel themed but god decided to strike upon you even harder by making that pen explode on you, ink now staining your shirt.  

And the final nail in the coffin was in your early afternoon class.  Your professor was handing back grades on the most recent paper to be turned in, one that you have worked very hard on and missed sleep over.  

And what did you get?

A big, bright, red ‘F’.

Red was a hideous color, you concluded.  Maybe that’s why teachers used it? To make the letter grade look angry and disappointed.  It worked like a charm given the more you stared at it, the more heavy the guilt and inner-turmoil felt on your chest.  

You had enough of this day.  

You looked like shit.

Felt like shit.

And apparently your quality as a student was utter shit.

There was a silver lining, and in a facade optimism you tried to focus on it and nothing else.  

You only had one more class to suffer through today, after that you were perfectly free to wallow the rest of the 24 hours in bed with whatever items to satisfy a pity party.  

But while walking on campus to your next class, you had caught sight of something.  

A group of guys were lurking by the entrance to your next class.  

The closer you approached, the more clearer their faces became.  

It was a fuck boy pack, about five in total.  They were excitedly talking with one another, some even rough housing with those enlarged limbs of theirs.  You rolled your eyes and continued your stride, not wanting to pause and give them any more inspection. All you had to do was pass them and get into the classroom.  

A boisterous roar that made you jump, the sound coming from the group itself (which now appeared to be like a group of wild hyenas).  

You turned to see what the fuck can be such cause for such foolish hollering.

Only to see one of the guys pointing right at you while the others turned to face the direction.  

And what face was among them?

Jungkook.

--

The scene was reminiscent of ‘Mean Girls’.  

When Lindsey Lohan ate her lunch in the bathroom because she had no one to sit with.  

You were just like her.

Instead, you weren’t eating lunch so much as you were bawling your eyes out.

A girl could only take so much, you know?

After you saw Jungkook among them, you snapped right back around to head to a bathroom.  Not wanting him to bear witness to your now red face and watery eyes.

You promised yourself that you were just heading to the restroom for a second to process what just happened.  Not to mention you also wanted to avoid them. However the more you tried to process it from within the claustrophobic stall of yours, the more unbearable the situation became.  

Paranoia clawed at you and it quickly became apparent that either way, it wasn’t looking good for you.

What the fuck did Jungkook tell them about you?

Did he also tell them about your night together?  

Did he tell them that you were a poor commoner willing to set aside self-respect for the wealth of sugar daddies?

Just how much did he expose of your intimate side to his bros for the sake of a laugh?

Although Jungkook was the proud owner of doe eyes, iron man socks and IU posters….he still hung out with jocks and wore too much axe spray to be allowed.  Foolish it was to place any trust on a man like that. If he wanted to let the whole school know of your dirty little secret, he would have all the proof and popularity on his side.  

You sniffled.

You knew that today in general just wasn’t a good day for you.  Over-sensitivity was a given. But did being aware of your wounded heart make the pain go away any less?  No. Of course not.

You just felt so...small.  Hopeless. Meek. Like prey to anyone and anything that wanted to hurt you today.  

And you craved protection of any sort.  

Your eyes released more tears and another sob broke through your seemingly paper-thin chest.  Just when exactly did you work yourself into a incomprehensive hysteria? You didn’t know.

Working on auto-pilot, you felt your own hand reach for your phone and swiftly click a contact name, tears dropping onto the screen before you put it to your ear.  

A ring as you called the person.  

He picked up on the second one.

“Hello?”  his deep voice greeted.  

“Daddy!   Please get me….I-I’m  scared.” you pleaded, not understanding the words that left your mouth until it was much too late.

Namjoon was taken aback on the other line.

Maybe the submissive side wasn’t so hidden afterall.

(Sorry I haven’t touched this fic in a long time....Im trash.  tbh I hit a writers block and found nam kinda intimidating to write for. Is it obvious I haven’t written this story in a long time lmao? I have an outline though for the next few chapters so we should get back on track.  Im very proud of the other stories I put out tho so if you haven’t yet, please check those out.  Ask my character is available, tell me your thoughts on this chapter and I’ll catch you guys on the flippity flop.)

[mexcine]

 Parasite (2019) review: A Tale of Three Families

           The Academy Awards don't mean that much to me. Most years I see only a handful (at most) of the nominated films, and rarely do I have a dog in the fight.  This year, I'd only seen part of one Best Picture nominee (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, losing interest about halfway through), but almost literally at the last moment (the afternoon of the day the Oscars were awarded), I watched Parasite.  

           I thought it was well-made and thought-provoking, and the awards it won were certainly deserved.  It’s fascinating, nuanced, and entertaining.  It’s slick and “accessible” to all audiences (although I suspect Koreans will pick up on aspects that others will not, similar to Roma). I'd read little about the film before I saw it, and have not read any critical analysis since then, so if the following repeats conventional wisdom, so be it. [Note: spoilers follow.]

           There are many aspects of Parasite worthy of extended analysis, including the visual schema, the various references to the USA (including the two Kim children going by “Kevin” and “Jessica” in their positions in the Park household), and of course socio-economic class/conflict. However, I’ll focus here on the film’s depiction of family. Parasite is structured around three families: the struggling Kims, the wealthy Parks, and the family of the Park's housekeeper. 

          The Kims and the Parks each consist of 4 members: Mr. Kim, Mrs. Kim, grown son Ki-woo and grown daughter Ki-jung; Mr. Park, Mrs. Park, teen daughter Da-hye, and young son Da-song.  The housekeeper Moon-gwang and her husband Geun-sae have no children.  All of the major characters belong to one of these three groups; Ki-woo's friend Min appears briefly (and plays a key role in getting the plot started), and the Park family's chauffeur has a small part, in addition to some other minor characters.

           The 3 families are presented in neither a wholly negative or positive light--any actions they take are done to protect or benefit the family, and are thus seen as justified.  For example, Ki-woo essentially betrays his friend Min, who arranged for him to become Da-hye's tutor.  Min does this out of friendship but he also trusts Ki-woo not to seduce Da-hye, because Min himself is romantically interested in her.  Ki-woo almost immediately reneges on this promise (and pays for it later, getting bashed in the head with Min’s “scholar’s stone” gift). Later, the steps taken to remove the chauffeur (and replace him with Mr. Kim) and the housekeeper (so Mrs. Kim can take her place) are directly harmful to these individuals (whereas Ki-woo and Ki-jung got their positions with the Park family through deceit but no one lost their positions so the Kims could be hired).  At one point the Kim family makes a passing reference to the chauffeur, assuring each other that he probably got "a better job," but they don't even try to do this when they engineer Moon-gwang's dismissal, and in fact utilise her potentially serious peach allergy to stigmatise her and thus achieve their desired outcome.  

           The first part of Parasite is structured as a humorous, "heist" story, as the Kim family schemes to improve their standard of living by obtaining positions in the Park household.  However, the Kims are not robbing the Parks: they actually provide the services for which they've been contracted (well, Ki-jung is not exactly a qualified "art therapist," but she seems to get along with Da-song), and are not skimming from the household accounts or anything of this sort. As noted above, the means by which they secure their new jobs become increasingly dodgy, but the ultimate goal of their plan is not to defraud or steal from their employers.

           As Parasite begins, Ki-Woo (aka "Kevin") seems set to be the protagonist, and he does ultimately have slightly more footage than his parents or sister, but the Kim family becomes a collective protagonist as the film goes on (with somewhat more emphasis given to Mr. Kim and Ki-Woo than to Mrs. Kim or Ki-jung, but a fair amount of time is spent on the whole family's interactions).  It's never specifically stated what brought the Kim family to its current station in life: were they middle-class before, or have they always been living in a precarious economic state?  Clearly, they are willing to work hard to improve their lot in life, but why can’t they find opportunities to do so?

           The second family group in Parasite is the Parks.  Mr. Park is a prosperous businessman, Mrs. Park occupies herself with her children and her social circle, Da-hye is cramming for her high school examinations, and Da-song is a hyper-active boy with a mysterious "trauma" in his past.  Although the Parks pay handsomely for Da-hye's tutors, Da-song is the focus of his parents' attention.  Is he, as Da-hye bitterly remarks, faking it?  Later in the film, Mrs. Park orders a special dish (ram-don) prepared for Da-song; when he doesn't eat it, and Mr. Park also turns it down, Mrs. Park consumes it herself. Da-hye points out that she was never offered any: it's as if she doesn't exist.  On the other hand, Da-hye seems to be a moody teen-ager who shuts herself up in her room a lot, so perhaps Mrs. Park simply forgot her daughter existed for a moment.

           The Kims acknowledge the Parks are “nice” rich people, while making the observation that perhaps they’re nice because they’re rich.  In other words, they can afford to be pleasant and generous, since they’re not in a frantic competition for their daily bread, unlike the Kim family (in one scene, Ki-woo practically begs for a part-time pizza delivery job). One trait of the Parks which ultimately has deadly ramifications is their fastidiousness.  The Kims live in a crowded, roach-infested “semi-basement” that is literally flooded with sewage at one point, while the Parks live in a spotless modernistic mansion.  Mr. Park is offended when his chauffeur apparently has sex in the back seat of the Park’s auto--not even in his “own” space, the front seat!--and leaves a pair of panties behind as evidence.  Mrs. Park dons rubber gloves and uses tongs to pick up the underwear, and Mr. Park almost seems more upset by the unhygienic nature of his driver and the man’s violation of his (Mr. Park’s) personal space than by the act itself.  

          Mr. Park also remarks to his wife about Mr. Kim’s odor, comparing it to “boiling a dirty rag” and says he’s smelled the same thing on the subway. Young Da-song also detects and remarks upon the similarity of the personal odors of  Ki-woo and Ki-jung, a breach of courtesy. During the birthday party massacre at the climax, Mr. Park grimaces when he has to move Geun-sae’s corpse to retrieve the keys to his car (it’s been previously established that Geun-sae’s subterranean life has resulted in an unpleasant body odor); Mr. Kim sees this and--having previously overheard his boss talking about Kim’s smell--is inspired to stab Mr. Park.  Snobbish and classist to be sure, but believing “poor people smell bad” is hardly worthy of a death sentence.

          The third family group in Parasite is revealed only in the second half of the film.  Housekeeper Moon-gwang is fired when the Kim family convinces the Parks that the woman has tuberculosis, a contagious disease.  Prior to this, the housekeeper is a neutral background figure, with no particular personality.  However, she returns to the Park home and explains to Mrs. Kim (her replacement) that Moon-gwang’s husband has been living in a secret bunker underneath the house for several years.  The shocked Mrs. Kim berates her predecessor but holds the moral high ground for only a few moments, until the Kim family full-employment conspiracy is revealed. This leads to conflict between the two under-class families, and ultimately to a protracted bloody denouement.  

          There are a few loose ends in the Moon-gwang/Geun-sae story.  Possibly the Parks would not have hired Moon-gwang as a live-in housekeeper if they knew she was married (or wouldn’t have permitted her husband to live with her), and apparently her salary wasn’t sufficient to allow him to live alone (he’s unemployed, but then again so are the Kims as the film opens, and they have an apartment, shabby as it is). As noted earlier, I haven’t read any analysis of Parasite so I don’t know if the issue is raised at all (or raised and debunked), but there is a slight hint that Moon-gwang and her husband may be North Korean emigrants.  In one scene, a manic Moon-gwang mimics a North Korean propaganda broadcaster, castigating the Kim family for their scheme to “defraud” the Parks; at another point, Geun-sae pointedly says he doesn’t qualify for a government pension.  

          Additionally, Moon-gwang indicates she’s been taking food to her husband and he’s been starving since she was fired, yet we see Geun-sae has the ability to enter the main house at will (in fact, he’s the “ghost” who traumatised Da-song several years before): why didn’t he simply do this (i.e., steal food from the pantry and refrigerator) when his wife failed to show up?  In a clever bit of dialogue, Mr. Park earlier admitted Moon-gwang was a good housekeeper but she “ate enough for two people”--yet Moon-gwang indignantly tells Mrs. Kim she paid for her husband’s food out of her own salary.  This changes the Moon-gwang/Geun-sae family dynamic: all the members of the Kim family contribute to their general welfare, Mr. Park is the (traditional, male) bread-winner in his family, but it’s Moon-gwang who supports her unemployed husband: he takes the dependent economic role of a child or a grown slacker offspring, living off his parent’s salary. Geun-sae is at once a pitiful and a weirdly creepy character, his long sojourn underground costing him his mental stability.  He worships Mr. Park--who is (through the medium of Geun-sae’s wife) the "provider from up above," and his last word (to Park) is (in English) "Respect!" On repeat viewing, it appears Geun-sae deliberately attacked Ki-jung (after having already badly injured Ki-woo), since he then calls out "Chung-sook" (Mrs. Kim) and tries to stab her (but is defeated by the feisty Mrs. Kim, who runs him through with a sausage-laden sword).

          Moon-gwang and Geun-sae wind up the losers in this three-way Korean Family Feud, killed by the Kim family; the Parks lose Mr. Park and possibly Da-song, while only Ki-jung of the Kims dies (although Ki-woo is badly beaten by Geun-sae, using the "scholar's stone" given him by Min).  Why do the Kims "win"?  Because, one might surmise, they're the family that is truly united--despite some occasional arguments, they stick together to the very end, whereas the Parks and Moon-gwang/Geun-sae are less cohesive, more dysfunctional, and have more "weak links" than the Kims--neither of the Park children is assertive and capable (a function of their age as well as their privileged upbringing--although Da-hye does step up to carry the injured Ki-woo to safety), and Moon-gwang and Geun-sae have no children (and Geun-sae is, as mentioned, somewhat emasculated by his living situation).

          Parasite obviously deals with the issue of socio-economic class, viewed through a specifically Korean prism that outsiders are not privy to (What's the unemployment rate in Korea, etc.). However, equally important, the film seems to say, is family.  The Parks aren’t obviously evil just because they’re rich, and their wealth doesn’t directly contribute to the misfortune that befalls them. Conversely, Moon-gwang loses her job and this removes the safety net she had been providing for herself and her unemployed husband: this is directly the fault of the Kim family.  So, the underclass preys on itself, rather than uniting in solidarity?  

          I’ve now seen 4 Bong Joon-Ho films: The Host, Snowpiercer (I had some issues with the basic premise of this one), Okja, and Parasite.   Parasite is the only one of these with no fantasy elements, which makes its themes somewhat more subtle, less didactic, and less overt.  But the ideas are still there.

[malachi-walker]

Rhythm & Blues Worldbuilding: Magicats

Since I finally got the rock star au up here and I'm working on the next chapter, I thought I'd share some of the worldbuilding ideas I've incorporated or plan to incorporate regarding how a world shaped by hybrids in addition to plain old humans would differ from our own. And since Catra of course is the protagonist along with Adora, it'd behoove me not to start off with the Magicats. ;) Though I do plan on making a post later covering the other kinds of hybrids as well (also for the love of God, crew-ra, please give me names for their individual races so I don't have to come up with shit like "lizard-kin". I'm begging you.)

World building goodness under the cut.

Quick note: although I do draw some indirect inspiration from real world cultures (specifically the clusterfuck that was colonial condescension to anyone who wasn't them) I do deliberately try to avoid taking customs from any real world culture. Because that has... Unfortunate implications. So most of what I discuss here is stuff I came up with on my own, but if something does match up with the real world it is unintentional on my part and feel free to let me know.

Standing with the other races

Out of all the hybrids the Magicats tend to be the most isolationist and closed off to outsiders, partly because they have a very small population size to begin with and partly because they along with the lizard-kin got hit hardest with the animal/predator comparisons. Although the current world has mostly gotten over that bullshit apart from some racists (note: I specifically use the term racist instead of speciest because writing speciest makes my memories of my editing teachers screech in the back of my head, but also because a running theme in the rock star au is that hybrids are still PEOPLE and should be treated as such, and drawing attention to it with words like "species" kinda defeats that purpose.) the average person on the street still doesn't know a whole lot about Magicat culture, and most of what they do know likely comes from old stereotypes or really suspect sources rather than actual Magicats. This is improving as more Magicats make their way into the public sphere and the internet has opened up new pathways for their voices to be heard, but it is still a work in progress.

Biology

General rule of thumb for Magicats for me is finding good middle ground between cat characteristics and people characteristics. Good example is that unlike cats, Magicats can eat chocolate, but too much of it in a short amount of time can build up to toxic levels. There are apps available that let them keep track of how often they can indulge. Same thing with alcohol; alcohol and Magicats is similar to a person with a very mild, non-lifethreatening allergy, i.e. they can get shitfaced very quickly on a comparitively low amount and it takes a bit longer for their body to metabolize out of their system. This is actually based on personal experience with my dad, who only drinks once in a blue moon and is thankfully a very mellow/happy drinker, so watching him get sauced on one-and-a-half rum and cokes is a pretty fun time. XD

Other dietary considerations: they're not complete carnivores, but they do have a greater meat to other food groups proportion than humans. Like sixty-forty percent, and heavy carbs and starches make up the smallest percentage of their diet because it's harder for their digestive system to process. Their front two molars are pointed like a predator's but their back molars are flat like humans'.

Like Catra has demonstrated in show, they possess phenomenal reflexes and agility, as well as heightened senses of smell and hearing--the hearing in particular is their primary dominant sense alongside vision. Speaking of vision, like cats they are red colorblind and shades of yellow are washed out compared to what we would see, but they see the rest of the color spectrum just fine. But like humans, they have a sharper clarity of vision than a cat would and aren't nearsighted.

Oh, and while it probably won't come up in the series itself, they do experience a heat cycle about once per year, but unlike in most fanfics they are still fully in control of their faculties and decision making capabilities. A Magicat in heat is no more likely to be sexually attracted to someone than they would be outside of heat, and it really pisses them off when people imply otherwise. It's kind of like when a human woman has her period but also feels horny. So if they don't want to get with a partner they should be left alone or treated like any loved one dealing with a rough period: patience and warm blankets.

Cultural Stuff

We're getting into the fun stuff now, though some of it will be saved for a future fic where Catra takes the time to learn about her own culture during her three years of homelessness. (Also please note that a lot of these are just general touchstones and actual viewpoints may differ from Magicat to Magicat.)

1. Magicat culture is an interesting mix between interconnectedness and individuality

And by that I mean that as a culture, Magicats do consider themselves to be an interconnected unit and to have a responsibility towards one another to assist as needed. However, they also have an emphasis on the individual as a complete being in and of themselves. This shows up most prominently in interpersonal relationships: unlike humans, who place a great emphasis on things like monogamy and marriage and the solidity of family units, it's not uncommon to see Magicats who are single parents of any gender, or never have kids, or maybe have a lifelong partner but never get formally married. That's because their culture makes it clear that one person is already whole on their own, and while having a partner or family is always nice it's not a requirement. It's up to each individual Magicat to decide what they want out of their lives, and there's usually no judgment whether they decide to get married and have kids or just stay single for their entire lives.

With that said, if a Magicat decides to get formally married (as in making an actual declaration of "this is the person for me") it is a BIG DEAL. Because again, culturally speaking it isn't a requirement, so making that commitment is a huge deal for them, and they often make that permanent. So if a Magicat decides to settle down completely with a partner, they use freeze branding to permanently turn a section of their fur white in a way that look similar to a quarter sleeve tattoo in a very distinct geometric pattern*. That basically tells every other Magicat on sight that this person is wholly dedicated to their chosen beloved. Younger Magicats will also use cold branding to replicate tattoos like other races, but the marriage brand is always distinct, both due to the particular geometric design work and because it is always on their dominant arm, to signify that they are offering their strength to their beloved for the rest of their lives. If their partner is another Magicat they will also get a matching brand, otherwise it depends on the particular race (humans typically get tattoos.)

*My personal mental image of what this resembles is similar to Maori or Pacific Islander forearm tattoos, but not a 100% match because 1) cultural appropriation is gross and 2) the logistical practicalities of doing that via freeze branding would be insane. So that general vibe but simplified. Feel free to flex those imagination muscles.

And before anyone asks... This may or may not come up later in the au. ;) ;) ;)

2. They have certain social rules dealing with other Magicats.

These will be explored in greater depth during the fic, but basically a lot of Magicat etiquette centers around who the other Magicat is to you and stuff like location. For example, they'll typically use honorifics to refer to Magicats who have been teachers to them or assisted them in some way as a show of respect.

The most obvious rule of etiquette to outside observers is that whenever two Magicats meet for the first time and wish to demonstrate respect for each other, the one who approaches the other will come forward slowly until they are just a bit beyond arm's reach. They will then take a half step forward with the leg that corresponds to their dominant hand and then offer that arm to the other. This is the cue for the Magicat being approached to mirror the pose regardless of what their dominant hand is (up until then they will remain in a straight and relaxed position and wait for the signal.) Once this is done, the two will clasp forearms and briefly dip their heads forward into the other's space for a single shared breath before breaking apart. This is a sign that they are now free to move closer to one another and can now interact in a way that is indistinguishable from what outsiders would consider normal conversation between new acquaintances. The purpose of the greeting is for the one approaching to demonstrate their respect for the other and ask to be let into their space; telegraphing which arm they favor symbolizes showing someone a strength of yours and is a sign of trust.

Again, this doesn't apply to all Magicats and the younger generation in particular tends to eschew or pick and choose what etiquette they follow, but in general they do like it when the old traditions are observed, especially by younglings. They don't use this system of etiquette with other races and usually instead adapt their behavior to the person they're interacting with.

Other Misc. Details

I was originally going to have Catra be a motorcycle lesbian because duh, but while doing my due diligence in researching motorcyle safety I ran into a few reasons why that isn't a good idea.

The first is that part of the reason why motorcyle helmets work in the first place is because the evenly curved surface provides an equal distibution of force when striking something. This is why novelty helmets like ones with cat ears or stuff of that type are considered dangerous; they break up that curved surface and thus can't redistribute that force as evenly. So not only would a motorcycle helmet like ours be uncomfortable for a Magicat and disabling to one of their primary senses, trying to design one to accommodate their ears would increase the danger to them in case of an accident.

The second is that I've already established in the au that overheating is a constant concern for Magicats, and proper protective clothing for human motorcyclists already carries a huge risk of overheating us without the added consideration of having fur. So it would be a trade off between solid protection at heavy risk of personal discomfort and overheating or eschewing that protection and increasing the chance of serious injuries. And yeah, Magicats have good enough senses that they could probably backflip or throw themselves clear if they're about to crash, but just getting off the bike isn't gonna do much if you then smack into another vehicle at 60 mph.

And that's kind of a shame, because otherwise Magicats would be ideal safe motorcyclists. Their spacial awareness and sense of balance is phenomenal, and they'd be great at anticipating and reacting the movements of other drivers. I just couldn't make it work with rock star!Catra because she's a lot less reckless. Canon!Catra I could see taking the risk. Don't get me wrong: if you wanna make Catra a sexy, motorcyle riding catgirl you have my full support. I just couldn't justify it in this au.

Honestly, there'll probably be more later, but I'm tapped for now. Would love to hear what if any of you have any thoughts. And of course, if you like what you've read and haven't already, check out my rock star au under the Rhythm & Blues tag or the masterpost list. ;)

[dolantwinsfavss]

Two Broken Hearts Part 6 {g.d}

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 // Masterlist

After that night Ethan was always there for you, whether if you needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to make you laugh. He was right by your side. But still, he was no Grayson. No could ever be Grayson.

For the next couple of days you mostly kept to yourself, wanting to avoid any interaction with Grayson or with the group. You were slowly getting better, but it still your heart felt more broken than ever. You would be lying if you said you didn’t cry everyday, blaming yourself for what had happened. How stupid you were.

But today Ethan begged you to go out and get lunch with him joined by your brother and his girlfriend. You all settled for a cute little cafe that wasn’t too busy. As you were all eating, you found yourself missing the old times when everything just felt right. When everyone was here just enjoying each other’s company. As much as you wanted to hate Grayson, a part of you couldn’t. You couldn’t hate the guy that would always be so kind and caring. Or the guy that would always crack the cheesiest jokes just to make you laugh when no one else thought it was funny. You could never hate him.

“So um Y/N... what happened at the beach between you and Grayson?” Your brother’s girlfriend asked as both your brother and Ethan got quiet.

“Nothing that matters anymore.” You said looking down and pushing your food around with your fork, hoping to avoid the conversation.

“He told us Y/N.” Your brother said catching your attention.

“He told you what?” You asked, internally hoping the Grayson you knew respected you at least a little bit.

“Grayson told us what happened and that you have feelings for him. He said you caught feelings because you were interpreting his friendliness the wrong way and that you wouldn’t stop trying to go after him after he said no.” That’s what shocked you. The fact not only did he tell them what happened between you two to everyone else, but the face that he would make up lies just so he would look like the victim.

“H-He what? That’s not true. How can he say that?” You said, tears ready to fall from your eyes as you felt Ethan rub your back.

“Is not true though, is it?” Your brother asked. It didn’t even matter to you anymore that your brother knew because now nothing was ever going to happen between you two.

“It’s true that I liked him but not about me catching feelings because I interpreted his signals the wrong way. No one just does the things he did for someone they don’t have feelings for. And that conversation we had at the beach was the only one we had about me liking him but you all know how that turned out.” You said still hurting inside as your mind flashed back through the painful memories.

“Why didn’t you tell me you liked Grayson?” Your brother asked with worried eyes. You were surprised he wasn’t upset or angry at you for liking one of his friends, you would expect him to be yelling at you for not staying away.

“Because I knew if I told you wouldn’t be okay with it... But mostly because I didn’t know if he actually liked me back or not, especially after everything but now I know my answer. He never did. He was just leading me on to make me look stupid... I really thought that he was going to be different.” You said playing with your napkin hoping it would distract you from crying but you were beginning to lose that battle.

You felt Ethan wrap his arm around you, pulling you into his chest and placing a kiss on your temple. “Hey... You’re not stupid. Grayson’s not realizing how much he’s losing. He’s losing someone who cares so much for him and others, who has the biggest heart I know, and someone who’s so amazing in general.”

“You know I always thought Grayson was into you, even before I noticed you starting to be interested in him. But I never thought he would be the one to do this... And Ethan’s right, no matter now annoying you are sometimes, Grayson’s missing out on someone really great.” Your brother said starting to get a little angry that one of his friends broke your heart.

“He won’t notice what he’s losing now but he’ll notice when it’s too late and you’ve already moved on. And if he’s not right for you then you already know not to waste your time on someone who’s not willing to fight for you. He’s just one heartbreak closer to a happily ever after. ” Your brother’s girlfriend chimed in.

“Yeah and every time that happens, we’ll always be here for you. You’re never alone because you have us.” Ethan said.

“Thanks you guys...” You said snuggling closer to his chest until you all heard someone walk up to the table and say, “Hey guys! What’s going on here?”

You immediately got quiet when you connected eyes with Grayson and the girl standing next to him. She was the same girl from the bonfire at the beach that night- still pretty, still perfect, still with Grayson. Everyone else diverted their eyes back to you, worried this would be too much for you. And it was. You just didn’t want to show it.

“Y/N are you crying?” Grayson asked as if nothing ever happened between you two.

You took a deep breath before putting on a fake smile and said, “Just allergies. That’s all.”

“Alright if you say so,” Grayson shrugged before placing an arm around the girl, pulling her closer to him, “Guys this is...” You don’t know what he said because by the time he got to her name you had already blocked him out.

The two sat at the table right next to you guys as you only sat about two feet away from Grayson. Just having him in your presence made you miss him being right next to you but he also made you feel sick. He tried to make conversation with the group but they only gave him blunt answers while you just stayed quiet the whole time. You would have left already but you didn’t want him to win. You didn’t want him to know how easy it was for him to make you give up so easily. So you stayed trying to stay strong on the inside when it really felt like everything was being torn apart every time you heard or saw them interact, still wishing that was you.

Every time Grayson tried to talk to you, you acted like he wasn’t even there. Yes, it made you seem like a bitch but why even bother to talk to someone who clearly doesn’t give a shit that they hurt you. You had to sit there and pretend everything was okay. As much as you wanted to scream at him and hit him, you couldn’t, so you sat there only occasionally talking to everyone but the two that sat right next to you. From the corner of your eye you could see the girl staring at you so you looked up and saw Grayson staring at you but he quickly looked away when his girlfriend made him turn his face towards her. But Grayson didn’t seem to care that you weren’t talking to him after trying to get your attention the first time. It didn’t even same like he cared about you anymore or if he ever did.

But what you didn’t see was that every time he looked over at you or tried to talk to you, his heart would break a little. He saw how happy you had seemed whenever Ethan would make you laugh. He saw how quickly you were able to move on from him as if nothing ever happened, Grayson didn’t want that. He wanted to keep you by his side. Be the one to make you laugh so he would see the smile on your face one last time. Instead, all he saw was his girl slipping away day by day. He wanted to pull you away and tell you how sorry he was, how stupid he was to let you go. But he didn’t. Instead his stupid ego got in the way and made him become someone he promised himself he would never be and that was to be the person to hurt you.

After lunch you all decided to walk around, enjoying the break from the cold weather that had been going on recently. You all ended up at an ice cream place, treating yourselves some more. As you all walked in, Ethan said, “They better have some dairy-free ice cream. I’m dairy-free. I can’t have ice cream that’s not da-”

“Dairy-free. We get it E. You don’t have to say it once again.” You said laughing about how dramatic that boy can be sometimes.

“Hey! All I’m just saying is that I don’t want to be stuck eating nothing while everyone else gets to enjoy some ice cream.” Ethan said slightly nudging you. Everyone found a place to sit while you offered to get everyone’s orders, just so you wouldn’t have to be by Grayson and his girl, who were clearly too invested in each other to talk to anyone else.

You waited in line looking up at the menu deciding which flavor you wanted to get. Normally you would always get your favorite but you also wanted to try something new.

“Are you getting your favorite as always?” You heard someone ask beside you. But you didn’t need to even look at them to see who it was, you could already tell it was Grayson beside you. His voice and presence still gave you chills.

You stayed quiet and moved a few steps forward so you wouldn’t have to be right beside him. But of course that didn’t work because he stood right beside you and asked, “Are you really not going to talk to me?” Again, you didn’t say anything, instead you looked around the room seeing people enjoy their ice cream and the moment they are sharing with who they’re with. You smiled to yourself as it brought back memories with your friends and family you wish you could relive. The rest of the group was sitting at the table still talking amongst each other as the girl Grayson was with was gone, who you assumed had went to the bathroom.

Suddenly you felt an arm wrap around your shoulder, giving you butterflies once again. It was Grayson. He wrapped his arm around your shoulder and pulled you closer to him. You wanted to pull away, but just being so close to him still felt so right. But then you began to remember who he was. “I think we’ve done enough talking. Don’t you remember?” You said blatantly, still not daring to look into his eyes, afraid all of those feelings you had been suppressing would come right back up. 

Grayson stayed silent with his head down and slowly moved his arm back to his side, but still stayed right beside you. As much as you wanted to yell at him to leave you alone, it felt nice to have him by your side for what had felt like forever. you couldn’t deny that you didn’t miss him. It was just who he had become was unforgiving.

You got the ice cream and sat down at the table pretending as if nothing had happened. But your mind and heart was still racing at the thought of him. But of course that was not the same for Grayson. He returned to pretending as if you weren’t there and was all over his girl. Even though you were physically present in that moment, your mind was else where.

When you were all done, you headed to the bathroom while everyone else went outside. After you were done, you saw Grayson leaning against the wall just looking at you. Still annoyed, you rolled your eyes and walked right past him without saying a word but before you could get away, you felt him lightly grab your wrist to stop you. Shocked, you looked down at your wrist and then back up at him and you wished you didn’t. In his eyes you could still see the sparkle in his eyes that made your heart melt, but you could also see the a hint of sadness in his eyes.

Still Grayson had not said a word, so you did, “What do you want Grayson?”

He was quiet for a bit, but eventually said in a low voice, “I shouldn’t have done what I did earlier.”

“You shouldn’t have done a lot of things,” you fired back and pulled your arm out of his grip, “And what did you do?”

Grayson took a deep breath and said, “Earlier when you were standing in line alone, these guys sitting at the table over there kept checking you out and making disgusting comments. I couldn’t just watch that happen to you so I got up and acted like we were together.” 

What he had said made your heart flutter but also break at the same time. You were glad he felt like he needed to be by your side, but you were still hurting on the inside. So instead, this had only brought you anger and sadness because what he did had reminded of you of him playing with your feelings once again.

“I don’t need you to protect me Grayson. I’m perfectly fine by myself.” You said beginning to walk away again, but he grabbed your wrist once again.

“But Y/N...” Grayson said wanting to explain more.

“Grayson!” You said pulling your arm away from his grip, “I don’t need you to protect me. I don’t need you to be start these pity conversations because you feel bad about what you did. I mean if you even do feel bad. I don’t need you to be playing with my feelings anymore and besides you have a girlfriend!”

“She’s not my gi-” 

“I don’t care. I don’t need you in my life anymore and you have proved that perfectly all on your own. We’re not friends anymore. We never were and we never will be.” You said harshly before walking out the door, leaving Grayson shamefully standing in his place full of regret and sorrow he wish he was brave enough to tell you.

I’m sorry if this part sucks. It was kind of just a filler part for the next upcoming parts, but thank you for reading!! -r

@mutuallynotmutual @captainelizza @kawennote09 @fireghost-x @this-and-that-with-meghan @graydolan12 @sweet-dolans @hollandhearts @parkers-onesie @cthoodsthetic @babygirlblogs-posts @w0nderr @ohmydolanz @headlights95

[justjaderp]

About Abraxus Tarek;

The Delinquent; The Magnet

full name: abraxus haan ammon malik tarek

aliases: ra, rax, raxxy, ab, abra

age: 25

date of birth: april 2nd

place of birth: las vegas, nevada, usa

current residence: los angeles, california, usa

gender: cis male

sexuality: bisexual

profession: small-time musician, criminal (b&e, gta)

appearence.

height: 5′10″

eye: brown

hair: black

face claim: mena massoud

scars: small nick on the underside of his chin

tattoos: none

dominant hand: right

relationships.

parents: malik and nailah, live in las vegas still, small business owners

siblings: one younger sister, meena (20), attends UC-Berkley

children: none

enemies: too many to count, those he’s screwed over and those who have screwed him

health.

physical ailments: none

neurological ailments: severe ADHD

allergies: mango

sleeping habits: deep sleeper, sleeps in

emotional stability: self-reliant, emotional highs and lows hit often

sociability: very sociable

addictions: nicotine

drinks alcohol? often

smokes? yes, both weed and cigarettes

mental.

education: one semester of college at UCLA

languages: English, Arabic, Egyptian Arabic

magic.

wand:

boggart:

patronus: amortentia: third year electives: prefect: quidditch: favorite professional quidditch team: clubs:

sex and intimacy.

sexual orientation: bisexual

romantic orientation: biromantic

commitment level: has never been in a serious relationship

analysis.

negative traits: frivolous, aimless, irresponsible, rowdy

positive traits: dynamic, articulate, magnetic, gentle-hearted

aspirations: to keep putting some money in his pocket and a roof over his head

fears: dying and being forgotten, fully losing the respect of his family

hobbies: cooking, puzzles

pet-peeves: killjoys

bad habits: frivolous spending, short-lived investments of his time and interest

likes: sweets, good music, good company

dislikes: people who take themselves too serious, cops, rules

typecast.

moral alignment: chaotic good - acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he's kind and benevolent. He believes in goodness and right but has little use for laws and regulations.

vices: gluttony

element: fire

hogwarts house: gryffindor

divergent faction: dauntless

sin: greed

virtue: charity

biography.

Abraxus is a first-generation Egyptian-American who thanked his lucky stars every day that he has full American citizenship rather than being a DREAMer like so many of his childhood friends were. He is well aware that he would have more than likely fucked that up for himself by this point in his life. After all, it wasn’t like he was the picture of success like his younger sister was shaping up to be. Rax didn’t have it in him to follow any path that was straight and narrow. It seemed that any time anything in his life was going right, he had to veer left before he had a taste of anything close to stability.

He couldn’t even blame it on a fucked up childhood. Sure, his parents were strict and religious, but they weren’t hateful nor distant. He knew that they loved him and knew that he could show up on their doorstep any day, even now, and they would welcome him in with open arms. No, Rax had no one to blame but himself.

To be honest, he thrived in chaos. He attracted people from both the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ crowd like he was a homing beacon. He is known to be dynamic, charismatic, and someone that you could listen to for hours and walk away feeling like only minutes had passed and you were already missing the sound of his voice. Rax got off on that in some way. He thrived in chaos and it was almost as if he drew his energy from the undivided attention of others, negative or positive, it didn’t matter.

He left his family home in Vegas for college in LA, knowing full well that he wasn’t cut out for it. The only reason Rax had good grades was that high school had come easy to him. His record was already marred by office referrals and suspensions, but it had only taken an in-person interview to get his foot in the door at UCLA. He lasted one whole semester, and that in itself was a miracle. After breaking the news to his parents and hating every second of it, Rax threw his hat into the LA music scene in hopes of just being able to keep the shitty apartment he shared with four other young guys and put some food in his belly. 

His mother begged him to come home, but Abraxus was well-received by local venues and started to make a bit of money faster than even he had expected. It was enough to convince his ma he would be okay, but not enough to satisfy his hunger. Instead of putting his nose to the grindstone and saving up, Abraxus blew the money he had quicker than he could earn it. All it took was another regular musician to tell him about a fast and easy B&E job for him to get hooked on the rush and fast money that came from quick crime.

Now, Abraxus works officially as a small-time musician playing bars and clubs up and down California, but on the side, he accepts random jobs that he knows he could never let his parents hear about.