#benefits them without harming others :3

[caffeinatedopossum]

I kind of hate how just because I don't subscribe to any religion or believe in any specific god, people assume that means that I *disbelieve* in god(s)

I simply don't have much reason to think about whether or not there's a god, besides when I just want to enjoy some good old philosophical/hypothetical thinking or conversations.

Like people will hear I'm not Christian and go "how come you don't believe in god?" like no, no you misunderstand me. I don't NOT believe in god, I just don't believe in *your* god. And if your god is real, then it changes nothing about how I'm going to live my life. The Christian god is an ass and not someone I'm going to worship. I'm just gonna spend my life trying to do good, and if your god doesn't like that, then he's not a very good god, is he?

[styrofauxm]

Honestly, I am pretty frustrated by the "haha why would anyone hate ace people" responses to Rowling's tweet.

Don't get me wrong, the support is nice. But if you want to be an ally, you have to do so on our terms, not yours. And that means actually engaging with the aspec community, not just posting positivity every now and again. And what those responses highlight to me is what I've known for a while; you guys only support aspec people when it's easy and convenient.

It's easy to support aspec people when it's J.K. Rowling being awful again. It's easy to support us when it's just reblogging an "aspec people are queer" post.

But what about when we are talking about amatonormativity and the relationship hierarchy? When we are discussing the enforcement of compulsory sexuality? When we are pushing for greater awareness and support for aspec identities that are not asexuality or aromanticism? When we are criticizing terminology that you use but harms us? Because I can tell you right now, I rarely see allo people engage with those posts.

Why do people hate asexuality (or any other aspec identity)? Because it challenges the societal norms that benefit them. And that is uncomfortable and scary. So they turn to hate and oppression in order to assure that the changes we push by just openly existing never happen.

That means that to be a good aspec ally, you can't just make a positivity post every now and again, and you can't just laugh about how stupid aphobes are. You have to openly challenge the societal norms that harm us, even if they benefit you. Including but not limited to:

The idea that romantic and sexual attraction is the default state of being (amatonormativity)

The idea that a romantic, sexual relationship completes a person

People in marriages receiving special privileges and benefits

The idea that platonic, familial, etc. attraction are default states of being

The idea that not feeling some form of attraction must be compensated for through another form of attraction

The idea that love (not just romantic) is inherently morally good, while not feeling love is inherently a moral failing

The idea that any one form of relationship is inherently more important or deeper than any other (relationship hierarchy)

The idea that any one thing makes someone human

The idea that not having sex is shameful or infantile

The idea that having sex without romantic love is callous

Gendered divides of sexual and romantic attraction

Other aspec people please feel free to add on/challenge any of this. Allo (not aspec) people please feel free to ask questions.

Additions:

Addition from @blkaroculture

Addition (in tags) from @fluffytimearts

Addition (in tags) from @cjreblogsthings

I've placed some resources for learning more about these topics under the cut.

Amatonormativity:

[PT: Amatonormativity:]

1. Amatonormativity Coining

2. Introduction to Amatonormativity

3. Challenging Amatonormativity

4. Effects of Amatonormativity and Compulsive Sexuality on Asexual and Aromantic College Students

5. Effects of Amatonormativity On Black, Polyamorous Men

6. Essay on Amatonormativity From a Aroallo, Loveless Perspective

Marriage Benefits:

[PT: Marriage Benefits:]

1. Article about Singlism and Marital Privilege

Other Aspec Identities:

[PT: Other Aspec Identities:]

1. Aplatonicism

2. Afamilialism

Loveless:

[PT: Loveless:]

1. Loveless articles on the AUREA website

2. Essay on Amatonormativity From a Aroallo, Loveless Perspective (repeat from Amatonormativity section)

3. Follow-up Essay on Lovelessness and Aroallo Antagonism

4. Results of a Survey of Loveless People (part 2 is linked instead of part 1 as part 1 is mostly demographic information)

5. Guide to Writing Loveless Characters (it focuses on fictional characters so should not be taken as a catch-all for real people, but it still has a ton of good information about lovelessness and loveless antagonism)

Compulsory Sexuality:

[PT: Compulsory Sexuality:]

1. Effects of Amatonormativity and Compulsive Sexuality on Asexual and Aromantic College Students (repeat from Amatonormativity section)

2. Breakdown of Compulsory Sexuality

Relationship Hierarchy vs Relationship Anarchy:

[PT: Relationship Hierarchy vs Relationship Anarchy:]

1. Relationship Anarchy Coining

2. Breakdown of Relationship Anarchy

3. Issues Presented by the Relationship Hierarchy

Oppression:

[PT: Oppression:]

1. Aphobia Masterpost

2. Asexual History and Oppression

3. Asexual Theory 101

Miscellaneous:

[PT: Miscellaneous:]

1. Research on Aromantics

2. Ace in the UK Research and Activism ft. Yasmin Benoit

3. Asexual History and Oppression (repeat from Oppression section)

4. Asexual Theory 101 (repeat from Oppression section)

Books and Video Essays:

[PT: Books and Video Essays:]

An Ace Discourse Retrospective by Jenny Geist

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen

Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture by Sherronda J. Brown

[incognit0slut]

Devil’s advocate

Softcore Spencer doesn't feel any remorse when it comes to this strange arrangement involving sex. Neither do you.

Category: Smut (18+) Word count: 3.6k Content: fem!reader, dom!spencer, bratty reader if you will, implied age gap, unprotected p in v, spit kink, overstimulation, squirting, and kinda fwb or (more precisely) not-exactly-friends with benefits a/n: it took me more than 3 months to post again and it will probably take me another for the next post (kidding) (maybe not). try to imagine this spencer for a better experience

-

Spencer isn’t a good man.

A quiet verdict, a fault line.

A truth etched into the grain of his being that is unmoved no matter how many times people say otherwise.

He’s made a habit of the dissection — words, meanings, intent. A lexical autopsy, combing through every definition in the dictionary if it meant finding just one that could give weight to the well intentioned affirmations spoken by those who’ve shared his life through fourteen years of cases. From friends to mentors. From people he considers family. Even his mother has taken part in the exercise in her own way, quietly revising the definition of goodness to fit the shape of her son.

His love for her isn’t enough to convince him.

And he loves her, deeply, enough to bear the fragmented reality she clings to without complaint. Still, her confidence sounds like a desperate attempt to defend a virtue that, as far as he can tell, simply doesn't exist. Her faith in him is stubbornly rooted in wishes rather than proof. Pretty, fragile things wilting from reality. She doesn’t see the cracks hidden behind the glassy surface of his supposedly endearing charm.

Like most people never do. The brilliance of his brain blinds them. They think his mastery of facts or ability to weave information into careful answers is a reflection of some deeper moral foundation. Assuming that the man who can recite obscure case law from memory and deconstruct a lie with nothing but tone and syntax must also be someone incapable of harm. That someone who thinks in algorithms surely knows the difference between right and wrong and essentially follows it. Articulate, therefore righteous.

What lazy math that they run.

The truth, however, is far less romantic.

If there’s anything genuinely good left in him, he likes to believe it’s the act of waiting. Patience still sounds noble enough. It casts him as a silent benefactor, gifting others the space to sketch their own truths while he quietly collects their misconceptions and spends them like counterfeit bills.

He’s getting good at it, too.

Exchange his intelligence for wisdom.

Detachment for strength.

Emptiness for depth.

Little trades, so small and constant they almost feel natural now. As long as he keeps showing them the version they’ve come to accept, no one pauses to wonder if those long months locked inside his own head have carved him down to something less than whole. Selfish, perhaps, letting them cling to these illusions. But it’s a comfortable deception. They get the man they want, he keeps the truth to himself, paying nothing but time and silence for whatever reward comes from that carefully preserved silence.

After all, waiting is nothing more than delayed gratification, isn't it?

And this right here is what he’s waited for, to have you like this — warm and wet and dangling precariously off his bed.

A decadent reward for every second of restraint.

Purely carnal. Blasphemous in its perfection.

Your body curves at an angle that looks uncomfortable, a leg hooked over his shoulder, another barely hanging onto the edge of the mattress with the cool air licking your calf. Common sense tells him a complaint is warranted, yet not a murmur of discomfort escapes your pretty lips. You seem perfectly content to let him mold you into whatever shape he wants. Harmless, he insists, just a mutual indulgence between two consenting adults.

But morality has a way of souring sweet things — and maybe he should be ashamed.

Should be embarrassed at the way he finds satisfaction in this.

Should feel something other than pride watching your brows pinch together in pleasure.

Should care that he’s reduced to fucking you with all the desperation of a man who likes being selfish. It’s statistically uncommon for someone with his level of empathy, yet he stitches hunger into the tender curve of your body, scoring endless sensation with needles that prick and sting but never draw enough blood to slow him. Only if he distanced himself from you could he see the cruelty he’s gouging into the very seams of your skin.

He does no such thing.

He can’t. Not when he’s buried inside you like this, when your breath splits apart into fragile little pieces with weak fingers clawing at his back. Not when his selfishness feels bottomless, a craving so raw and wide and insatiable he's never dared give it a name — but somehow you seem to understand.

Understand what, though?

That he can’t help himself? That despite all the logic, all the reasons why he shouldn’t let himself have you, he does?

That he doesn’t regret it, not even a little?

No.

Good men don’t do this.

But you’re no saint either.

Innocence wears your face, but never fit so poorly. You’re trouble in its finest form — beautifully packaged, masterfully delivered with a smokey laugh that glides over the fine shiver pebbling across his skin as you offer a sly, “You’re getting sloppy.”

The smug little curl of your lips has his heart leaping in his throat, and he would have joined in your laughter if it weren’t for the way your breathless tone slithered into his ears. His brows draw together, sweat dripping down nose as he shakes his head to free the damp strands of hair clinging to his skin.

“Am I?”

“Mm.” You tip your head back against the bed, exposing the lovely curve of your neck. "Your age is starting to show.”

He finally huffs a laugh, lowers the leg hooked over his shoulder and trails up the inside of your thigh. “That’s not very nice.”

Your teeth briefly catch your lower lip.

“Neither is slowing down right when it’s getting good.”

“You think I’m slowing down?”

You faintly nod. “It’s actually cute how you’re pacing yourself. Should I be worried about your knees?”

That earns a sharp, almost affronted look before his palms grip both your inner thighs, followed by a sudden thrust that sends you back against the mattress. He thinks he’s regained some semblance of power over himself, until you let out a breathless little moan and continue to taunt him, arching your back with full insolence but only half the mockery. Docile in appearance alone when you’re flaunting your nipples in blatant invitation.

“That the best you can do?”

A hand flies to your breast, curling around the supple meat as he catches the stiff bud between his knuckles. “You’re acting brave tonight.”

“Sexually frustrated,” you admit with an exasperated sigh, rolling your hips. Urging him to move again. “Spent the whole day picturing you fucking me stupid and got exactly nothing.”

The corner of his mouth twitches.

Nothing feels almost insulting considering how easily he coaxed you through his apartment.

He tries to bend lower, and sure enough, there’s something that feels suspiciously like age nipping at his lower back. A dull throb he quickly swallows as his mouth find your nipple. And toys with it, rolling the taut peak between wet tongue and wetter teeth, each slow suck a deliberate rebuttal that the way he’s been driving his cock into you for the past twenty minutes is anything but nothing.

Your fingers slip into the softest surface of hair.

“Fuck me harder.”

He turns his attention to your other nipple. “That still wasn’t enough for you?”

“If you have to ask, then clearly not.”

His mouth closes around you again, laps slow, teasing circles, all the while you grind your hips, shamelessly trying to fuck yourself with every delicious tug of his lips.

Instinctively, he starts rutting his hips in response. Little thrusts of his cock easing inside you inch by inch. “You have no idea what you’re asking for.”

“I have every intention of finding out,” you counter, pulling him by his curls. “I know you can do better.”

His gaze touches yours.

You smile lazily.

“Go on. Show me.”

His eyelids dip in a slow, dangerous blink, and lets his nose brush the soft swell of your breast. Lingers. Smells the powdery scent of jasmine and honey consuming his senses.

What part of himself can he exchange this time? What currency of half-truths still has any value left?

The answer, adamantly, is etched in the narrow space of his mouth and your skin, a hush too charged to disguise. He doesn't think he owes you anything in counterfeit tonight. No borrowed patience. No repurposed kindness polished thin by repetition. The second you ask for more when he’s been giving you nothing less is the moment every polished veneer he’s spent years perfecting shatters like chipped glass.

So he gives you the one thing he’s never bartered — himself, stripped of caution.

Because no matter how many labels others slap on his name, you’ve never bought into a single one.

Not entirely. You catch the edges that don’t quite align, the rougher layers hidden beneath his careful composure. You see past the softness everyone assumes is the entirety of him, the reputation they’ve stitched together from fragments pieced carefully since he was an innocent young boy with oversized glasses and a penchant for knowledge.

Rationally, he is soft. He’s spent a lifetime wrapped in the belief that his gentleness is his sole trait. That it’s all he can embody.

But not with you.

With you, he's whatever he needs to be.

He's whatever he wants to be.

He pulls back just enough to watch your body seize around him, and drags his tongue over his chapped lips, tastes the salt of effort and the musky smell of sex before channeling what’s left of his energy into his core. Then fucks you harder. Shoving every inch back with a strangled noise of his own, savoring the tight pull of your dripping cunt. Relishing the slight roll of your eyes as he pushes deeper, harder, with a savagery that rips breathless whimpers from the back of your throat with each jarring thrust. 

Your moans ride every groaning hinge of the mattress, too, then linger, fogging the dark walls of his room as the wet slap of skin bounces off every surface. Stepping three beats out of time with reason, maybe more, for the way his eyes chase that music down the slope of your belly, following the trail of his thumbs over your mound, over your stretched folds, and pulls the soft skin apart.

His throat rises and falls in time with the motion of his cock — in, out, in, out. For someone so famously averse to germs, the streaks of your slick smearing across his skin outweigh every compulsion, so much so he pries you open even wider and lets a hot ribbon of saliva pool in his mouth. Watches it dribble over your clit. He’s nowhere near coherent enough to care about cleanliness when he can tell how much the slow trickle of his spit sliding down your swollen flesh — a foamy mess now resting heavily on his cock — only seem to intensify your thirst.

You squirm when he moves closer, fingers clawing around his wrist like you’re on the verge of asking for more but can’t bring yourself to say.

Stubborn, he's not surprised.

But he knows you well enough to understand the subtle shifts in your expression. He takes that slightly jutting lower lip of yours as a plea for him to give you what you need, so he smears the extra coat of lube over your clit and rubs frantically. Doesn’t bother to be gentle with it too, not when he’s seen how much you like it under rough hands. He’s proven right when he notices your muscles tensing up.

Your breath stutters. Your body jerks.

He rubs your clit with more pressure. “Good enough for you?”

You swallow thickly, blinking up at him through heavy lids. “Still—fuck—”

“What was that?”

“Still—think you can—do better,” you retort, hiccupping through your words. 

It’s beyond him that you’re still functioning. Your hair clings messily to your forehead, damp strands caught in a tangled halo around your face. Your cheeks are blotchy from where his stubble scraped across your skin, lips kiss-bruised and swollen and somehow still trying to get the last word.

You should be done by now. Boneless, reduced to little more than trembling limbs, yet you still have bits of reason floating around that mush he’s turned your brain into. There’s a spark of energy left to bait him. Foolish, he decides, but if there’s even a sliver of you left untouched, he’ll gladly take every fragment that dares to surface.

He wrenches off your body just long enough to fist his cock, dragging his bulbous tip through the sticky fluids down to the puckered hole beneath, then slaps himself through the mess. If it weren’t for your hips bucking shamelessly, he’d think he was wrong for indulging such filthy impulses he’s never dared to overstep. You can’t seem to discern whether the sharp throb is pain or pleasure, but your cunt flutters around emptiness and aches like it's grieving the loss of him.

One stroke after repositioning himself and he’s right back where you need him, hammering into that devastating spot that sends your pupils scattering upward, leaving nothing but the whites of your eyes. He pulls out and does it again.

And again.

And again.

And again, until he’s certain all your senses have braided into one indistinguishable pulse.

“Oh God,” you moan, trying to press your thighs together out of reflex, but his grip tightens as he pries them open once more.

You feel lightheaded. Your belly rolls, your cheeks burn, drool slips from the corner of your mouth. You’re so far gone you don’t even notice. Too wrapped up in the desperate drag of breath through your parted lips, too busy chasing the dizzy spark bursting behind your eyes. You’re nothing short of raw nerves, lost in the punishing rhythm that keeps tearing you open and stitching you together in the same brutal stroke.

It doesn’t take long for a high, agonizing squeal to wrench free from your throat as your orgasm barrels through you without warning. Steals your breath away, leaving behind only a splintered string of gasps and trembling cries that fall recklessly from your lips as his pelvis hammers into the curve of your hip bone.

And he catches every fractured syllable and synchronizes his thrusts to the quiver of your voice, or maybe he’s simply addicted to the jagged rise and fall of your moans — like a direct stroke to his ego, trophies he hoards greedily.

He ponders how many more of those rewards he can coax from you tonight, how many more heights your body can scale before it finally gives way. He assumes it’s too much to ask, yet the greedy pulse in his veins insists there’s always more shiver to claim, another breathless note to add to his growing collection.

It turns out to be unnervingly easy.

Your second climax arrives in the span of a single heartbeat.

The third steals in like an electric stab, splintering along your spine as he pins you down and pounds hard into you.

By the fourth, your cunt swells and clenches around him in frantic pulses, yet he’s still fucking you relentlessly as if one more keepsake will finally satiate his greed.

Your hand shake when you lift one to trace his bicep, though it ends up as more of a twitchy pawing than anything resembling grace before you blindly scramble up his shoulder, finding his damp mess of curls again. Its wild, humid knot of heat tangles between your fingers as the most wrecked little whine trembles in your throat.

“P-Pee.”

He blinks, straining to pluck your voice over the rush in his ears. The words barely register at first, but when they do, his own pulse comes apart in a hot scatter mess.

“Need to pee,” you fluster again.

And if that doesn’t unravel him to his bones, he doesn’t know what will.

He tucks his hands into the crevice of your thighs. “‘S not pee.”

“What?”

The confusion in your voice is almost cute for someone who usually acts like they know everything. Adorable how you’ve been nothing but provocative all night, only to falter gradually.

“You don’t need to pee,” he rasps. The grip behind your knees tightens, fingers digging into soft flesh as he drives deeper with all the focus he can muster. He’s holding back by sheer will alone now, even when the familiar feeling of his balls growing taut creeps up, but that ache is a small price to pay when he’s painfully aware of what your body is capable of giving.

His cock strikes a deep, delicious spot inside you.

Rearranges your insides until you're wrapped tight around him.

“Fuck,” you croak. “I’m gonna piss your bed.”

“It’s not pee.”

His words barely register when your whole body winds so tightly that your face doesn’t even look like yours anymore. Eyes unfocused, spine bowing, throat bared. The muscles in your neck tighten like cords that it’s clear you’re still trying to fight whatever pressure you’re under.

“You need to relax,” he urges, finding your clit once again. Wide eyes flutter over intense brown orbs.

“Wait wait wait—gonna pee—”

“You’re gonna come again,” he corrects. He sees you puff out a long breath, which is nothing less strained than his own. “Female ejaculation, different glands. Less than—”

His words catch in a groan as your cunt flutters around his thickness.

“…less than ten percent of the fluid is even related to—to urine.”

Annoyed, you tug on his curls and whine, “This isn’t the time.”

“No better time than now.” His hips continue to buck into you with a sharp, hungry rhythm. “You’ll understand if you stop fighting it.”

“I can’t!”

“You can.” Thwack-thwack-thwack. “You will.”

The sound of his balls slapping against the wet cradle of your ass is making you delirious. Even more so when a warm, buzzing sensation sparks in your core and rushes outward, blooming into this intense prick that spreads across your lower belly with startling speed.

“Oh—shitshitshit—”

“That’s it, just breathe through your nose.”

His words falls on deaf ears. “I-I can’t hold it any longer.”

“You’re not supposed to hold it in.”

"I—wa—wait—Spencer!”

“Let it out,” he frets, and closes the last inch of space between you. Foreheads nearly touching, brows pulling together in quiet frustration. “Need you to trust me for once.”

“I don’t—fuck! I am NOT pissing on you—”

“Do it.”

“I can’t—”

“C’mon,” he prods. “Give it to me.”

You sniff a strangled sob.

“Do it.”

You claw at his hair once more, and any semblance of control that you clung to shatters immensely.

You try to follow his words and suck in a sharp breath. Lungs expanding, ribs flaring, and the rush of oxygen pouring into your blood sharpens every sensation to something blinding. A passage of whines pitches upward as his thumb swipes side to side over your tight nub while he slams into you. Once, twice, over and over — until a concentrated surge of pressure around his cock urges him to pull out.

Warm bursts of liquid splashes onto him. Streaks down his damp thighs, the flushed skin of his skin. Seeps deep into the cotton fabric of his sheets with muffled sounds as your heart thunders wildly in your chest. He doesn’t even try to fight the smile that pulls at his mouth the second your eyes flicker with disbelief, or the lazy circle his thumb traces around your sensitive, overstimulated clit. He’s too focused on the way your release continues to mark the bed he intends to sleep in.

"There it is,” he hums proudly, "knew you could do it."

He did. He knew this would happen the moment your breath stuttered into helpless little gasps, but nothing could have prepared him for the reality. His lust blooms unchecked, a fever behind molten eyes, something his vision can’t seem to outrun. Even as his gaze blurs over your dripping hole puckering around nothing, over the tiny bead of precum trickling down your cleft, he’s stunned into silence.

You’re a ravishing mess, and he’s never seen anything so pretty.

You’re on another level of divine that it makes something in his head tick just from the sight. His cock twitches helplessly as he unconsciously inserts himself back through the warm puddle of your flesh, and swears he can still feel you fluttering. Feels the tremor in your sweet, sopping cunt. Hears the faint splatter of droplets beating the sheets with every deliberate stroke of his hips.

He’s long since fallen behind in being a good man, but you certainly deserve something in return for listening to him. So he reaches out, cradles your face between palms that have never claimed to be gentle, and drinks deeply. Tries to steal back the breath you robbed from him.

Kiss, taste, repeat.

Touch, grab, repeat.

But it’s not enough.

He doesn’t think it ever will be.

The dopamine surge won’t last, a notion as clear as the haze of your sweat gluing to his skin. He’s even sure he could rattle off half a dozen papers about reward circuits and compulsive behavior, recite the exact millisecond window in which the pleasure centers will spike and fall. None of it matters when your mouth parts for him and your breath warms his cheeks.

He tries to catalog the way your pulse thumps beneath his thumb, the microscopic tremor in your lashes, the sweetness of carbon dioxide exhaled against his tongue. It becomes another unsolved equation, a tangle of variables his doctorate never prepared him to parse. There’s only the thunderous beat of his own heart and the simple, staggering fact that you’re here, giving when he has taken so much.

But there is no safe dosage of you that will let him step back unscathed. One hit becomes two, two becomes habit, soon habit feels indistinguishable from necessity. An addiction he can’t refuse when it would only mean denying himself the only thing that makes him feel alive.

And if that makes him weak, he might as well be weak for you — again and again until there’s nothing left of him that doesn’t carry the imprint of your name. To ruin or to worship, it makes no difference to him.

He’ll fall to his knees just the same.

Your pulse begins to settle into a calmer rhythm in the hush that follows, and he scatters small kisses along the corner of your jaw, up the sweep of your cheekbone, pausing at the hinge of your lips. The gentle weight of his mouth has you shifting along wet sheets, every muscle tensing at the unexpected softness threaded through his touch.

Tenderness, in your world, feels foreign. Unfamiliar. Ill-fitting. And truthfully, he isn’t much better when it comes to you. Sharper tongues seem to be the better fit for two people who know how to fight more than they know how to surrender.

His lips skate beneath your chin instead, slides along the sweat slick column of your throat and hums, “Think you can do that again?”

Avoidance. It’s the language you both speak fluently.

The stiffness in your body bleeds out with your next exhale.

“…depends on your skill, old man.”

That's it. He can take another one of your barbed little comments. Another sly jab delivered with that pretty pout of your mouth. In fact, he finds himself almost craving it. Your taunts fuel the heat beneath his skin as much as they test his patience, and patience is something he's mastered after all. So he continues to grind his hips. Rubs the tip of your clit with the fine coarse of hair dusting his belly before you’re writhing again.

Peculiar, how easily his selfishness devours reason. Logic. Decorum. How quickly a man who’s built his life on discipline can find himself unraveling for something as simple and devastating as the way you gasp his name.

A good man would’ve stopped at the soft mist pooling in your eyes.

Spencer keeps going.

"If a God is a dog and a man is a fraud then I'm a lost cause." Devil’s Advocate—The Neighbourhood

[baji-side-sideblog]

Clipped Bird Chapter 2

Chapter 1, current, ch 3, ch 4, 5 the end

‧₊˚ ཐི⋆𓆩ᗢ𓆪⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ‧₊˚ ཐི⋆𓆩ᗢ𓆪⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ‧₊˚ ཐི⋆𓆩ᗢ𓆪⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ‧₊˚

Alfred looks to his side seeing Damian storm into the dinning room. The others aren’t far behind him, and before they can speak Alfred holds his hand up.

“I know what you all are going to ask, I didn’t tell you out of their own request,” Alfred’s voice was clear and firm leaving no room for doubt, “They wanted it to just be between us, so their move to their college dorms can go unbothered.”

“So you’re just saying they left us without any word at all, even after they got into a fight!” Damian huffs.

“Yes, they didn’t wish to stay any longer. They are in good health, and weren’t harmed in the fight, luckily.”

Bruce steps up putting his hand on Damian to remind him to calm down, “What college are they going to?”

“Gentlebrook University, they thought it was the best seeing as it has more options for their interest,” Alfred adjusts his tie, “Though you all better not rush them at once. They will only react negatively to it seeing as they’re not used to your attention.”

Bruce sighs, putting his hand to his chin as he thinks of a plan to get to you. He doesn’t need you running off and hiding from them more just by seeing all of them. Looking over to his sons he tries to think of who has the best relationship with you, so they can be the one to talk to you. But no one pops up right away for him, making the man grumble. They’ll all have to step up once they get you back and make up for everything they missed. A pit of guilt grows in his stomach thinking about how they all failed you so horribly.

“Tim, you're just a bit older than them. I think it’s best if you go and talk to them. Remember to be slow about it, we just want them back in our lives. No forcing them back into the house, it will only upset them more,” his voice is stern, “The rest of you all will be getting things ready just in case the worse situation happens.”

Jason, Dick, and Damian try to speak up, each wanting to be the one to go get you, but Bruce shakes his head. The trio sigh but reluctantly agrees.

"I'll track them down, so I have an easier time finding them on campus," Time speaks up, "I'll keep all of you updated when I go to talk to them.

Alfred looks at the group, “I shall not be helping you all, seeing as I don’t wish to make them feel isolated if anything goes amiss.”

Bruce turns to the butler wanting to bring him onto their side, but seeing the determination in Alfred’s eyes, he knew he couldn’t change his mind. He just nods having to respect his choice, plus they can use it to their benefit in case they have to force you back to the house. You’ll be more compliant hopefully with Alfred here and your two’s relationship stays secure.

‧₊˚ ཐི⋆𓆩ᗢ𓆪⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ‧₊˚ ཐི⋆𓆩ᗢ𓆪⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ‧₊˚ ཐི⋆𓆩ᗢ𓆪⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ‧₊˚

Here you are in your first in person class! Your nerves are going crazy from all the excitement and anxiety. The class was just a simple math class even with your major they still require the general classes to be done first. Hopefully you can make some friends, but first you got to unhide your presence. It’s just a bit scary the idea of being not hidden, you’re not sure how your classmates will react to you. But if you want friends you have to be willing to be out there. So taking a deep breath you let your presence be known, spooking the lady sitting next to you.

“Oh goodness! I didn’t realize you were right next to me.”

“It’s ok, sorry about spooking you,” you hold out your hand introducing yourself but using Pennyworth as your last name, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too! I’m Jenny. Um, so would you mind if we hang out? I mean, well, sorry. I stumble over my words when I’m nervous,” she fidgets with her ginger hair, “I’m new here and I figure you are too, so would you want to be new together?”

Heat rushes to your cheeks as you nod excitedly, your first friend! This is it! Your heart pounds so fast, you hope you don’t scare her off. Jenny smiles and shakes your hand very fast, scooting closer to you to work together. Before you know it, class is over, and Jenny is leading you all around campus to hang out. This is the most fun ever, even though nothing is really happening besides talking. For the first time ever with someone who isn’t your dad, you feel like you belong. The campus is wonderful too since it was more colorful than the usual Gotham buildings.

Jenny is a rather fast talker, rambling about all sorts of things that pops into her head. But she makes sure to leave space for you to chime up, and when you do her focus is all on you. Happily listening to everything you have to say, as if it's the most important thing ever. And luckily enough Jenny doesn't listen to the news since it makes her sad, so she has no idea who you are. You never felt so lucky before to have a fresh start with someone.

A week later you’re walking over to the local breakfast place with Jenny like usual just chatting. Everything is perfect like nothing could go wrong, till Jenny’s squeal catches you off guard.

“What is it?”

“It’s Tim Drake!” Jenny pulls you closer, pointing over to Tim who was standing by the campus entrance, a crowd starts to form, “Isn’t he dreamy. I wonder what he’s doing here.”

You stand there in shock. What is he doing here?! There’s no way this guy just came to look around, you know it. On instinct your presence disappears as you hide behind Jenny. Are you in trouble? Is he just here to mess with you? Why? Why? WHY?! Bang, bang, bang, your heart is beating so loud you swear everyone could hear it. Your breathing goes crazy as you grip onto yourself trying to calm down, you can’t though, you try and try but nothing is working. You’re hoping he doesn’t see you or recognize you if you’re lucky enough.

“Huh? Where did you go?” Jenny looks around confused till she turns and bumps into you, “Huh when did you..what’s wrong?”

“I can’t breathe,” the words are hard to get out.

“It’s ok, I got you,” Jenny’s usual playful tone turns serious, “Look at me ok, focus on me”

You nod looking into her green eyes, she tells you to follow her breathing. And you do, in the out, in then out, in then out. Your breathing slowly steadies, but your body still shakes. Once you’re calm enough, she looks over you. She wraps her arms around you, pulling you close into her. Before moving your head onto her chest to focus on the sound of her heartbeat.

“It’s ok, I’m here. I’m here for you, I’m not leaving,” hearing your sigh of relief she says, “What’s wrong?”

“I uh well…can we go to the breakfast place. I’ll explain there, I don’t feel comfortable being out here in the open.”

Jenny nods with determination, pulling you with her quickly. The last thing she wants you to feel is in danger. You stumble a bit surprised at how fast she can go, it takes you a bit to catch up with her pace. Once you two sit down at the restaurant you quietly explain a bit about why you’re uncomfortable. Her concern face turns red with anger as her nose scrunches up.

“Why those jerks! How dare they ignore you, oh why I outta wallop them! I don’t care how dreamie they are, no one ignores my best friend!” she stands up determined to go out and beat the hell out of Tim.

“Jenny please calm down, I don’t want anyone looking at us,” you grab her hand, “And I don’t want to be left alone.”

“Of course, I’m sorry,” Jenny takes a deep breath, “It just makes me so mad, they did that to you, it's not fair.”

“Yeah...I,” you stumble over your words a bit sniffling.

“Hey, it’s ok,” she pulls you in for a hug, “It’s ok to cry.”

You touch your cheek feeling how wet they are, you’re crying quite a bit. Damn, her words got to you, hearing her say it’s not fair, it feels good. It feels good that others see it the same way as you. She really cares about you so much and you just ugh this day is already filled with so many emotions and it barely even started. You feel like an other mess right now. You know she won't think you're weird, but your anxiety was telling you otherwise. Seeing you all scrunch up she rubs your back to comfort you, before gently nuzzling into you to make you laugh.

“Thanks, you’re the first person that’s not my dad who understands.”

“You don’t have to thank me at all. I’m just happy to be by your side,” she takes a breath, “So what do you want to do about your dumb brother Tim.”

“Nothing, hopefully he’ll tire himself out.”

“I would, but the coffee I drink is starting to hit,” a voice chimes up.

The two of you turn looking over and see Tim walking over to you two.

“How?” you gasp out

“You’re still on dad’s plan, so it was pretty easy to track your phone from there,” Tim tries to give you a reassuring smile, "I was actually hoping we can talk. Everyone misses you at home.

Jenny moves quickly to stand in front of you, “I can't speak for them if they want to talk with you, I'll never judge them for it. But if you touch my bestie or make them sad, I will bite you.”

‧₊˚ ཐི⋆𓆩ᗢ𓆪⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ‧₊˚ ཐི⋆𓆩ᗢ𓆪⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ‧₊˚ ཐི⋆𓆩ᗢ𓆪⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ‧₊˚

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[h0estar]

What are some traits/characteristics of Jinshi, that makes the relationship with him and maomao healthy— in a realistic sense?

where do i even begin :')

i'll try to make this solely about jinshi as much as i can (my interpretation of his character, at least), so here goes:

he puts others above himself. jinshi's #1 character trait is going above and beyond for people. it doesn't matter if they're doing him wrong or hate him; if he can find some way to help others, even at his own cost, he will. now, i know this isn't exactly healthy, but this guy is a people pleaser to his core </3

he listens. many times in the novels, we're shown how jinshi personally visits villages or people directly affected by taxes, laws, or whatever political movement the capital imposes, to gauge the people's reactions. he takes note and does what he can to help them.

he's wise and intelligent. takes one to know one. that's literally how he met maomao. to do his best work, he consults the opinions of those more knowledgeable than him (he's wise not to let something stupid like pride get in the way of his work). he takes their words to heart and takes them into consideration. oftentimes, he doesn't pursue a decision unless he's absolutely sure he's on the same page with trusted people.

he is kind and compassionate. he's been through shit since he was a child, but we don't see a vengeful streak once. this guy is so incredibly forgiving that he's willing to overlook any attempts made on his life (both sexual and murderous). this trait also drives him to help people without asking for anything in return. it's why he helped lady fuyou be reunited with her lover and why, despite his status, he wrote 200 letters begging regional leaders and political big-shots to help the western capital. and most especially, it's why shisui/loulan, suirei, and the shi clan children are still alive.

he is patient and resilient. again, people have been doing him wrong his entire life, but he still puts up with them (e.g., lakan & gyokou). he has a bad day almost every day and is stressed 24/7, but he tolerates it (despite complaining). still, he doesn't give up.

he has a strong work ethic. guy is a workaholic. if he's committed to doing something, he'll do it full-force, to the best of his abilities, and see it through till the end.

he is logical. he doesn't let his emotions dictate all his actions. if he could go about things his way, he would. instead, he uses critical thinking skills: he analyzes different perspectives, breaks elements down, and considers how his decisions will affect certain people. after all his thinking, he comes up with logical conclusions on which to base his decisions.

okay, so combine all these traits together, and we see how it makes his relationship with maomao healthy:

he prioritizes maomao above all else. everything he does, he takes her into consideration. when he makes decisions, he always has her safety in mind. he does this solely because he cares for her and doesn't want to put her in harm's way. he protects her, ensures her needs are met before his, and goes to great lengths to keep her from getting hurt, both physically and emotionally.

he listens and respects her boundaries. maomao is complicated. she has a skewed sense of value, self-worth, love, and all things emotional. she's also uncomfortable with grand gestures of affection, yet that doesn't stop him from pursuing her. and he does so in a way that is convenient for her, even if he has to take so much shit in the process.

he is supportive of her dreams and ambitions. though he views their status difference as an obstacle, he wields it for her benefit (he even created a new position just so maomao could practice medicine and opened up opportunities for her to become a surgeon.). he doesn't find her obsessions weird; instead, he sees value in their potential and actively encourages her to hone her skills. he also respects her expertise and doesn't command others to acknowledge it. he lets her competence speak for her as he stands from the sidelines, watching her shine.

he's incredibly patient with her. do i even need to expound? with all his princely authority, he could easily command maomao to reciprocate his feelings. but because he loves her so much, he doesn't. he sees her as someone he wants to be on equal footing with. however, because maomao is a different breed, he works for her affection and remains patient despite her constant avoidance. thus, the push-and-pull continues for 12 volumes. he's careful not to push her buttons too much and quickly observes how she reciprocates his advances.

he values her intelligence and trusts her. he never mansplains or acts like he knows more than her. he holds her words with heavy weight and consults her with things he finds difficult. even for stuff he's already figured out, he still seeks out her opinion because what she says and does matters to him.

he's loyal to her!!!! my guy is committed! he's thrown himself into this path ever since maomao said he'd always be jinshi to her, and he hasn't looked back or away since. he's determined to win her heart no matter how long it takes, and he will see it to the end.

i could go on and on and on about how self-sacrificial and beautiful jinshi's love for maomao is. the average guy would've given up on her, but he has the wits and intelligence to match her pace. he's likely noticed how maomao treats him differently from the rest and picked up on her kindness and compassion. he held on to that and kept faith, giving maomao the time needed to sort out her emotions and feelings, hoping his efforts would be rewarded someday.

now, i'm not saying jinshi is perfect. in fact, some of his character traits can be viewed as flaws. but when you really think about it, jinshi is a PRINCE living in a patriarchal society where women had little to no rights. yet he's doing all this FOR MAOMAO, a woman and a 'common apothecary.' despite his nobility, he's intentionally making his life difficult in his pursuit of her, yet he doesn't give a rat's ass. he wants her with every fiber of his being, and he wants her to want him too. but he's doing that on her terms.

however, jinshi's traits alone aren't what make their relationship healthy. jinshi loves maomao, but maomao values jinshi just as much. she cares for him, notices even the smallest things about him, observes him and his moods, supports him in any way she can, gets mad on his behalf, and gets worried and frustrated when he hurts himself for her or others, she feels comfortable when he's being his true self, and above all, she feels safe around him. there are so many more examples, and it's hidden in plain sight in the novels; you really just have to read between the lines.

maomao and jinshi are just humans, navigating feelings and personal relationships for the first time. it's an absolute delight to witness their growth and how far they've come, positively impacting each other despite their personalities. now that they're technically dating as of LN 12, they still have a long way to go, especially with communication and maneuvering this unfamiliar territory together. their love is so wholesome, strong, beautiful, and genuinely healthy. they truly bring out the best in each other, and you just can't help but root for these two freaks.

[letters-to-lgbt-kids]

My dear lgbt+ kids, 

I mentioned in a letter about autism that one of my special interests is sun safety which prompted multiple people to request a letter about that (which is really kind and touching!) - so let’s talk about sun safety! 

First things first: sun safety means protecting your skin from the sun or more specifically, from harmful UV radiation. There are two main reasons to protect yourself: in the short term, you avoid painful sunburns and in the long term, you lower your risk of skin cancer. 

Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to UV radiation. UV radiation damage is cumulative. This means that it adds up over the years - which is why it’s so important to practice sun safety every day rather than just on especially sunny days. 

Skin cancer is actually the most common cancer and it can affect people of all ages. 

Luckily, it is highly treatable if detected early  and treated promptly - but it is still a serious and even lifethreatening disease. Depending on the type of skin cancer, it can spread rapidly and it can kill you. The biggest reason to practice sun safety is to prevent that! 

I think a lot of messaging around sun safety nowadays wrongly focuses on anti-aging benefits. It’s true that UV damage can also contribute to wrinkles and skin sagging - but focusing on that can falsely portray sun safety as an optional beauty thing rather than a necessary health thing. Wrinkles and saggy skin are a normal, natural part of getting older - skin cancer isn’t.

UV radiation isn’t the same every day. You can check weather apps or websites and will find daily UV levels there. You need to practice sun safety if the level is 3 or higher. Depending on where you live, this may be nearly daily or only during summer months. Many people find it easier to just practice sun safety every day (so it becomes an automatic habit like brushing your teeth or showering, something you just do as part of your routine without needing to consciously remind yourself) while others prefer to check the UV level daily and base it on that. That’s just a matter of what works best for you personally. 

So, what does sun safety entail? You’re probably thinking of sunscreen and that is an important part of it, but not all of it! A fun way to remember all the steps is „Slip, slop, slap, seek, slide“: 

Slip into clothes

Slop on sunscreen 

Slap on a hat 

Seek shade 

Slide on sunglasses 

Slip into clothes: Skin that is covered by clothes is protected from UV rays. So a shirt with long sleeves offers more protection than one with short sleeves! (But of course you also need to prevent heatstroke, so it’s key to find a balance between covering skin and not overheating). All clothes (except for sheer or hole-y fabrics like lace) will protect you well but the ideal choice would be dense fabrics in dark colors. 

Slop on sunscreen: All skin that isn’t covered by clothes needs to be covered in sunscreen. We will go into more details on sunscreen below. 

Slap on a hat: Wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your scalp and get some extra protection for your neck, ears and face, too (though you should also cover those body parts in sunscreen!). Baseball caps are better than nothing but do not offer the same protection for your neck and ears. 

Seek shade: It’s a myth that clouds or rain protect you from UV rays. Shade however reduces them! So, use natural shade from trees, get into a gazebo or bring a sun umbrella. 

Slide on sunglasses: You can get skin cancer around or even in the eyes as well. UV radiation can also increase your risk for other eye conditions. So make sure to get sunglasses with UV protection. Look for a label that says it offers UVA + UVB protection (more on that below). 

And of course: staying inside will protect you! Obviously you can’t stay inside forever (that would be bad for your physical and mental health in other ways) but it can be a good idea to stay home during hours with especially high UV levels (8 and above). UV levels are often highest around midday. 

Some more details on sunscreen: 

The best sunscreen brand is the one you feel comfortable using daily. Whether it’s chemical or mineral, expensive or cheap, no matter what the texture and way of application (gel, lotion, spray, roll-on etc.) is… none of that matters if you hate using it and end up not making a habit out of it. Sure, if you wanna get nerdy with it, some offer more protection than others. For example, gels or lotions usually offer more than sprays, simply because there’s more product that actually ends up on your skin rather than in the air. But if you can’t stand the feeling of lotion on your skin and will realistically only use sprays, then a spray is the best option for you! Go with the one that you actually like using. 

Much more important than the exact brand are the following criteria: 

Choose one that’s at least SPF30 but ideally SPF50 or SPF50+. (This means that it’s a high level of protection. More specifically, it means that it multiplies the time your skin is protected from UV rays by 30/50.) 

Choose one that says „broad spectrum“ or „UVA and UVB“. (This means that it protects you from different kinds of UV radiation. This is a very oversimplified explanation but you can say UVA rays are longer than UVB rays, so they harm different layers of your skin.)

Choose one that’s water-resistant. (This means it’ll keep up 50% of its protection even if you get wet or sweaty. Important: you still need to re-apply after swimming!). 

A quick note on chemical vs. mineral: they both achieve the same goal, they just do it in different ways. Chemical ones basically absorb the UV rays and turn them harmless, mineral ones physically block the UV rays from reaching your skin. Both have their pros and cons in usage (Mineral ones work immediately after application and are often more gentle to dry or sensitive skin but can leave a white cast and feel heavy on the skin. Chemical ones are lightweight and transparent on the skin but can need up to 20 minutes to work and can be irritating for some people with dry or sensitive skin). But they both work well to prevent skin cancer. It’s a question of personal preference. 

How to use sunscreen? First of all: It’s important to use enough. You need around seven teaspoons for your whole body. If only some body parts are exposed, a good guideline is: one teaspoon for your head and one teaspoon for each limb. 

It‘s also important to really cover all body parts (that aren’t covered by clothes). Don’t forget your ears, neck, scalp (if not covered by hat), hands, feet (if not fully covered by shoes) and lips (there are lip balms with SPF!). 

You need to re-apply (or head inside) after two hours. You also need to re-apply after swimming or heavy sweating (like after a workout). 

Try to store your sunscreen in a dark and cool place. Hot temperatures can make it expire more quickly. Check expiration dates of unused sunscreens before use. Replace opened sunscreens after twelve months. Old sunscreens can be less effective and some ingredients can turn harmful when expired. 

Remember that makeup products with SPF can only be an addition, not a replacement of actual sunscreen. You simply don’t use enough of them to work as sunscreen. Oftentimes, you’d need to use a ridiculous amount of product to even reach the promised protection. The only exception would be the mentioned lip balms (since most people wouldn’t put actual sunscreen on their lips). 

Last but not least: know that black people and other people of color need sunscreen, too! Your skin color doesn’t offer automatic protection. Or, well, it might offer up to SPF 13 - but as we have seen above, that’s not enough to protect you from skin cancer. Plus, if you have white doctors, it’s a sad reality that they may not be as trained in recognizing skin cancer on dark skin. Skin cancer tends to be diagnosed later in black people. Which is all the more reason to protect yourself! 

With all my love, 

Your Tumblr Dad 

P.S: and of course: don’t use tanning beds. They do not provide any health benefits and are not a safe alternative to natural sunlight. Instead, they’re heavily linked to skin cancer, especially in people younger than 35 years old. Even one single session can increase your risk. It’s just not worth it. 

[toxicanonymity]

Dear Anon Haters (Not just mine),

You don't have to like everyone. People can rub you the wrong way. But sometimes hate without real cause goes too far. Hating Elon Musk or Stephen Miller? Rational. *Productive* even, if it leads to activism or building community. Hating members of fandom so much that you can't stop watching them or sending hate? That's a problem.

The solution isn't to justify the emotion by convincing yourself that anyone you hate must be doing real harm. Slapping them with labels that are universally considered vile and hate-worthy is a desperate move. Doing this serves no one except those who benefit from the dilution and misuse of those terms. Like predators and the far right. It hurts everyone else, including you.

Obsessive hate is a form of self sabotage.

It can raise cortisol, disrupt sleep, and weaken libido. Hate is a black hole that sucks up mental energy and space that could be used on things with actual payoff. You don't wanna look back and wonder what you could've done with all the time and effort you spent stalking, dragging, or stewing over someone. You'll never know what you could've created, learned, or experienced. If you're in an echo chamber, it's robbing you of these things.

Making someone else's life miserable will never make you fulfilled. I'm not asking you to swear off being a hater for life, and I'm not saying no one is ever worthy of hate. But for your own good, try being honest with yourself and open to the idea that there is a better use for that energy, even if your only motivator is self-interest.

I know you care less about the impact to the other person, especially if you've truly deluded yourself into believing everyone you dislike is a terrible person. But it is worth remembering that behind every screen, there is a real person with an entire life and inner world and people in their life. People behind the screen have their own responsibilities, goals, regrets, dirty dishes, bills, trauma, shortcomings, failures, losses... You might have more in common with them than you think. They might even be actively involved in something IRL that you would support. And you never know what someone is going through. But you do know they are not responsible for your core insecurities.

You and the person you hate have common enemies, for sure. Like the ones devaluing human life and taking health care away and militarizing ICE, sending BIPOC and immigrants to alligator alcatraz, destroying the earth, and literally poisoning marginalized communities. If spite/hate is the only motivation that works for you, maybe try a placebo like redirecting it to one of these common enemies.

These common enemies are so insidious, so much more worthy of that hater energy. But you already know that, so what's the deal? Maybe the idea of upsetting someone lets you feel some kind of power and control you lack elsewhere. Maybe, with those more deserving of hate, the instant gratification isn't there compared to lashing out at someone more likely to read your message. But where is that gratification even coming from? What is it made of? What does it say about you? Because I promise you, it doesn't say anything at all about the person you hate.

Ty for reading, even if you hate-read. 🖤 ☠️

Managing your tumblr experience

How to stop obsessing over someone you hate

12 steps to stop feeling bitter:

1. Do a genuine re-evaluation, being honest with yourself. Often, in telling our story to others, we stop telling the truth to ourselves. What actually haunts you, versus what you tell your friends bothers you because they all agree it should?

2. Put your story on hold. What would happen if, just for a week, or even a few days, you take a break from telling it?

3. Take what responsibility you can for your feelings. The point is not to blame yourself, but to reclaim your personal power.

4. Stop spying. Spying on the person who triggered your upset is self-torture that inevitably lowers self-esteem. Spying on others can also be addictive. If you can’t stop spying, you might need support.

5. Face up to your hidden fears. Bitterness often is a perfect disguise for fear of failing. If the odds are stacked against you and nothing is fair, it's not your fault if you don't succeed how you want. If you deal with the fear, you won’t need the bitterness.

6. Forgive when feeling bitter? Sure, but only at your own pace. Fake forgiveness can be a way of just denying how you feel, or even hold you back from processing emotions and situations.

7. And don’t forget to forgive yourself, too. It’s possible to hold on to feeling bitter for a long time so you can focus your anger on someone else because the hard truth is that you are furious at yourself.

8. Step into the now. Bitterness lives in the past and the future. Get into the now moment by concerning yourself with current opportunities and goals.

9. Branch out from feeling bitter. Bitterness tends to fade in the face of excitement and joy. In other words, new and better experiences.

10. Set mini goals for yourself each day. Bitterness is a powerful tide, and best intentions to try new things and be mindful can soon be caught in its tug. The way around this is to not just make big goals, but also small, achievable goals that keep you on the road away from feeling bitter.

11. Try a new perspective. Feeling bitter can have us seeing life from a very narrow perspective indeed. Imagine what the situation you are struggling with would look like from a different viewpoint entirely.

12. Seek support. Feeling bitter can be quite the battle to move on from. And sometimes the strongest tactic and easiest way forward is to accept help.

----

[writing-whenever-whatever]

Little song bird - as our future empress 

Emperor geta x emperor Caracalla x reader 

Part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7

Summary: After the romans invade your home you’re father sets up an alliance with the twin emperors they will marry you and gain the land and titles to your name once your father has past little did you know how much you’d enjoy Rome 

Warning: Threats, no smut in this part sorry xx , arranged marriage not proof read 

———————————————————————

After Caracalla and geta took the role of emperor after the death of their father there was no surprise to the sudden change in Rome. 

Geta wanted success and victory he wanted to win every battle his army fought without thinking of the consequences, while his brother Caracalla wanted what rome would describe as chaos but he would call it happiness. While both boys lusted over the blood shed of the coliseum and hated the time spent with the boring men of the senate, who blabbered on and on about the importance of the peoples support, as if both boys were ignorant. 

 if there was one thing to know about the emperors it was that they may be young but they aren’t foolish. They know what the people wanted, they wanted Rome to be successful and to do that that meant war, many of the lower class despised the emperors love for violence but little did they know how necessary it was to protect everyone in the Roman Empire from harm. 

———————————————————————

For the last month my home has been  invaded by Romans innocent people are being slaughtered like rats in the streets their families left weeping over their corpses. Finally my father had had enough. my father, the leader of our land , took the responsibility to meet with the general Acacius to negotiate. they sit at a round table facing each other as I sit next to my father a little behind him, silently as the men speak picking at the bowl of fruit that was placed between them trying to be as civil as possible. 

“ general Acacius I wish to request an alliance to stop this invasion and to prevent further tragedy” my father places his elbows on the table resting his head in his hands “ an alliance?“ the general scoffs looking my father up and down “ and what do you have to give the emperors Geta and Caracalla that they do not already have“ he raises his eye brow trying not to laugh “ I wish to present my daughter to them” 

I look up at him my mouth opening slightly as if I want to protest yet as I lean forward to speak my father glares at me a cruil look spreading across his face “ and what would the emperors do with your daughter they have enough whores around the palace as it is “ the general says smugly taking in the expression on my face “ not as a whore general, as a wife” he leans back resting his hand ontop of mine as the general stares at me “ what qualities does your daughter hold that will benefit the Roman Empire” he sits up looking at us more intently “ she is my only blood and when I pass my titles will pass down to the man who marries her” he looks at me running his thumb over the back of my hand a smile on his face as the general stands “very well, we shall bring your daughter to Rome” he smirks looking at me as he walks over holding his arm out for me to take I push it away standing up on my own “ I do not need your help to stand general I have legs” I look up at him smiling sarcastically 

“ have your servants pack her things, then we’ll be on our way. it’ll take several days to travel to Rome so it’s best we leave as soon as possible “ he looks at my father as he nods then turning back to me his voice rough and stern“ say your goodbyes” I bend down placing a kiss on my fathers cheek whispering in his ear as I hug him “ you shall be damned in hell for what you’ve done to me” his face falls to a concerned look as I stand back up giggling as I walk away through the doors and to the chariot waiting outside. 

As I sit in the chariot waiting the general comes and joins me “ don’t you have anyone else to say goodbye to “ he asks his voice gentler than before “ no. I have no friends, no siblings, no mother. tis just I and father” he leans forward resting his calloused hands on mine I pull back slightly scowling “ do you not want to spend more time with him to say goodbye “ I shake my head “ why would I want to do that I’ve spent 17 years with that man and he’s been nothing but hateful.” He looks at me shocked as I sit back in my seat staring out the window . “this is the last straw he has damed me ” the general shakes his head his eyes soft and caring as he looks at me as if I’m his own daughter “ why do you think that? Rome can be a place of growth “ I smile baring sharp teeth as a chuckle escapes my lips “ do not lie to me general. I have heard of your emperors ” he sighs looking at me “ I know you do not deserve this. but this can lead to great opportunities for you, you’ll be powerfully by their side” I look down as my bags are packed into the chariot “ I won’t believe you till it happens “ i turn to look out the window again as the chariot finally starts moving I watch as my home slowly moves further into the distance. 

———————————————————————

Days pass and I’ve been sat uncomfortably in the chariot the whole journey I have my head rested against the window as I sleep peacefully. The chariot suddenly pulls to a violent halt causing me to fall forward out my seat I wake up sitting up on the floor my hear messy in my face as I sit up holding my head “ welcome to Rome” general Acacius smiles at me as I move back into my seat “ you could have woken me” I grumble running my hands though my hair pushing it behind my ear as the doors of the chariot opens. 

 the light beaming through the door the general walks out holding out his arm for me I take it holding onto it for support as we exit. seeing the streets of Rome for the first time is overwhelming hearing the cheers of the people and the buildings that tower over everything I stare around completely stunned as I hold onto Acacius arm tighter he pulls us forward walking towards the steps to a large temple like building where millions of guards stand holding swords and weapons ready to defend as two pale men stand together grinning down at us as we start to draw closer, children run up to the general throwing rose petals at his feet I sigh holding his arm tighter “ are things always like this” I ask raising my eyebrow as he nods his head at me his lips making a thin line as we get closer. 

 As we finally reach the top of the steps both emperors stare down at me with a predatory look in thier eyes I look up at them bowing slightly ” it is great to be in your presence emperors “ I rise myself up looking up at them “we hope your journey wasn’t to uncomfortable and wish to welcome you to Rome” geta says a smile smeared across his face as he holds out an arm to me, I take it my grip gentle as Caracalla takes my other arm. They turn and start to walk into thier home holding me between them as if I’m already theirs “ we hear that your father wishes you to marry us do we hear correct” Caracalla questions me his golden tooth twinkling in the sun as his lips curl up “ you have heard right emperor, my father wishes for an alliance to stop the war and give you both a claim to our titles “ I look up at them both they both seem glossed over as if under some sort of spell “ you are quite the beauty, for a lady from such a savage place” geta  pulls me out of his brothers grip twirling me around taking in every inch of my figure.

 I watch as both brothers exchanged a predatory look as I stumbled slightly going dizzy Caracalla catches me holding me up “ don’t fall silly we would want you to get hurt” he chuckles as I look up at him “ thank you emperor” my face flushed from embarrassment. As I get stable on my feet again I turn around looking at Caracalla smiling sweetly at him “ from what I’ve seen from Rome it’s incredible “ get tilts his head “ you’ve seen very little of Rome yet you’re already fascinated by it” he chuckles looking at me “ brother we should take her to watch the Colosseum” his eyes appear darker as Geta walks over to him whispering into his ear through gritted teeth. “ it can wait till we are married we don’t want to scare her off” Caracalla pulls away from his brother nodding looking down slightly less confident with himself as I look over at them smiling sweetly. 

“ you must be exhausted “ geta rests his hand on my shoulder “ we shall get someone to draw you a bath then escort you to your room to rest we have a dinner arrangement tonight to celebrate your arrival in Rome and our marriage arrangement” he smiles down at me as I nod “ thank you emperors you are both too kind” a smug look crosses their faces as a servant rushes over whispering something into getas ear that causes his hands to form fists “ we must go something needs our attention, we shall leave you in the care of this servant “ I nod bowing slightly as they walk away. 

I look at the servant a small smile on my face not realising the fact  they refuse to make eye contact with me “ come along my lady, I shall assist you in your bathing” she guides me towards a large room full of baths of steaming water I look down into the bubbly water as the servant helps takes off my clothes “ how long have you worked for the emperors” I ask curiously trying to initiate conversation, but this only seems to make her more anxious, her breath  halts as she final looks up at me her eyes full of terror “ I-i was born here, i-i s-started serving at the age of 12” I sit on the edge of the bath listening splashing the water with my feet a teasing smile on my face as I look up at here “ you seem frightened” I giggle laying my head back on the cold mosaic tiles that decorate the floor my hair sprawling out like a hallo 

“ the emperors are strict with what they want you to know” she stammers her hands trembling “ there’s no need to be frightened “ I reach my hand out resting it on hers gently she goes quiet as she looks at me she leans in her voice a whisper “ my lady you must be careful here, keep them happy. I fear what will happen other wise” my eyes widen at her suddenly statement “I will do what I want if that will be a problem they can tell me their selves” I snap finally sinking the rest of my body into the hot bath. The rest of the time I spend scilently ignoring the servant who stands watching me scrub my skin with sweet smelling oils cleaning away the dirt of my journey. 

Once I’ve finished cleaning myself I sink under the water letting my head fall under  small bubbles escape up to the surface from my nose and mouth as I open my eyes letting the water flow around me i suddenly here a splash as someone jumps in pulling me up to the surface I blink a few times coughing as a guard comes into my vision “ I was perfectly fine sir “ I grumble wiping the water out of my eyes as I cough “ what were you trying to do drown yourself “ he glares down at me his armour soaked I look up at him a small smirk climbing onto my face “ more like trying to drown out my thoughts “ he lifts me to the side of the bath sitting me there as he climbs out “ sounds like the same thing to me” he wraps a towel around my shoulders 

as the servant comes closer to me trying to dry me off I push her away standing up “ I can do it my self I do not need the help from someone who sees me as weak” I glare at her drying my body off quickly and platting my hair into a long braid “ my lady please let me assist you the emperors instructed me to help” she begs as she gets closer to me again her hands reached out to try to take the towel “ I said no do not touch me or I’ll scream” as I wrap the towel around me I stand up “ you may assist me by either getting me clothes or taking me to my room that is all” she looks at me nodding as she rushes off to get me something to wear. 

I sit back down my feet sitting in the water again as I take a deep breath calming myself as I rest my head in my hands “ does she offend you my lady” the guard asks sitting next to me I look up at him shaking my head “ I’m just exhausted and I’m extremely tired of being lectured like a child” I look up as she comes back with a deep blue and gold tunic that goes down to the floor my eyes light up slightly as I get up “ this is beautiful “ I run my hand over the expressive silk “ I’m glad you like it my lady emperor Geta chose it himself for you” the servant looks at me nervous as she talks “ I love it “ I smile as I slip it on it drapes over my figure perfectly fitting my body beautifully “ they agreed if Geta chose the outfit Caracalla would do the jewellery” she adds “ but if you wish to rest for now they can wait “ I shake my head “ no no I must see it now “ I smile more my teeth grinning together “ very well my lady come along” I follow her the long tunic dragging along the floor behind me as we make our way towards the bed quarters.

We enter a large room with extreme decorative elements across the room, gold draped across the walls and furniture as I look around excitement fills me more “ this will be your bed quarters my lady” she looks over at me “ I hope it’s to your liking “ I nod feeling speechless as I sit in the edge of the sofa taking it all in. 

The door suddenly swings open and both emperors walk in “ ah there you are” Geta smiles as he gets closers seeing me in the extravagant outfit he chose “ and don’t you look gorgeous “ he takes in how the clothes hugs my figure then turning to his brother a smug expression on his face “ where’s her jewellery “ Caracalla snaps looking at the servant “ I told you what jewellery I wanted on her” he glares “ she was just about to put some in me, we got caught up in chatting tis all” I smile sweetly as his hash expression fades away turning soft as he looks at me. 

The servant picks up the extravagant gold jewellery scattered in sapphires to match the blue dress I gasp looking at it “ this is beautiful emperor Caracalla “ he looks at his brother sticking his tongue out childishly as he moves to sit next to me on the bed “ it was chosen specifically for you my love” I blush violently as I look at him “ you both seem to know me so well already” I giggle looking in the mirror as the necklace is fastened around my neck bangles wrapped around my wrists and rings placed on every finger “ you both spoil me so” I look at them both “ you deserve it as our empress to be” Geta rests his hand on top of mine his touch surprisingly gentle as if he’s scared I’d break beneath his hand. 

“ we wanted to inform you we’re having a dinner party tonight with some friends and some members of the senate “ Caracalla looks at me smile “ we wanted it to be an opportunity for you to meet some people “ geta strokes the back of my hand gently “ that’s will be quite lovely” I look up at them “ I shall try to be on my best behaviour “ I giggle slightly watching as the brothers look at each other “ we can’t really promise you the same thing” geta chuckles “there’s no need to be behaved you’re our future wife and thier future empress you can do as you please” Caracalla smirks as he runs his hand up my thigh “ with in reason of course “ geta interrupts his brother “ i understand my emperors “ i pull a loose blanket off the back of the sofa pulling it around my shoulders “ would it be alright if i rest a little before the dinner party” i look at them smiling softly a tired look glazing over my eyes “ of course its best you have my energy for our guests “ Geta smiles softly running his hand over my soft flushed cheek “ we will have someone wake you in time” Caracalla adds looking at me as he stands up “ sleep well empress” they smile leaving me in the room as they close the door 

[yolkochan]

How @tigreblvnc Gains Engagement from Artists Without Proper Credit (19/2/25)

Helloo, it’s Yoko (@yolkochan), and I’m an artist in the bllkblr community. I believe in the importance of properly crediting creators, not just for ethical reasons but because artists deserve recognition for their work. 

Unfortunately, there are people who consistently repost artwork without giving artists proper credit, benefiting from the engagement while the original creators remain overlooked. This post highlights one such case—@tigreblvnc(Tetsuo/Suo)— who has repeatedly done this more times than I can count.

This problem has been recently brought to my attention by multiple people in this community. As a professional artist myself, I feel a responsibility to call out this pattern and raise awareness about why proper crediting matters. Despite knowing that I may lose some followers due to this post.

(20/2/25 Edit: @tigreblvnc has deleted his blog 5 hours after the release of this post. Sooo….)

I do not condone the harassment of anyone mentioned within this post.

@tigreblvnc is a well-known blogger in the Blue Lock Tumblr community, frequently analyzing characters like Michael Kaiser and reposting fanart. However, his repeated failure to properly credit artists has raised serious concerns. Instead of clearly naming artists in the captions, he relies on small, greyed-out “source” links that are easy to miss. As a result, he continues to gain thousands of likes and reblogs from art that isn’t his—without giving artists the recognition they deserve.

Below are multiple examples demonstrating this pattern.

Evidence of Improper Crediting

Examples of what someone would see when scrolling:

Link to post

Art by ogata69 on X

(underneath this post is literally another art repost lol) 2. Link to post

Art by asamashi288753 on X

Original posts: 1 2

3. Link to post

Art by asamashi288753 on X

Original posts: 1 2

4. Link to post

Art by ttioo14 on X

Original posts: 1 2 3

5. Link to post

Art by eppaya_okoge on X

The original posts of these artworks have been deleted.

This specific case is even more egregious since this artist doesn’t even allow reposts without permission.

In all of these screenshots, he posts their artwork without naming them in the caption.

The only credit is a small “source” text (greyed out as well) that is easy to miss when scrolling. (The link only goes to the profile, not the original post). This shows that this isn’t a one-time mistake but a repeated behavior over multiple posts, these are just a few examples from over 20+ similar instances. His top posts are almost all art reposts.

With at least 20+ instances, it’s hard to believe it’s purely accidental. 

Whether intentional or not, this kind of crediting prioritizes his own engagement over actually giving artists the recognition they deserve. If he genuinely didn’t realize, now he knows- and if he keeps doing it, that’s a choice.

Common concerns:

1. “He’s not making money off it, what’s the harm??”

Engagement is a form of profit. If his top posts are all art reposts, he’s gaining a following, likes, and influence off other people's work.

Engagement stays on his post, not the artist’s — when a repost gets thousands of likes while the original post goes unnoticed, the artist loses visibility and recognition.

2. “He did credit the artist, see? The source is right there!”

A hidden, greyed-out link isn’t real credit and  people won’t click the source - the link is small, greyed-out, and easy to miss while scrolling. If the artist’s name isn’t visible in the caption, many won’t bother checking. Proper credit means making the artist’s name visible and easily accessible. 

If people need to dig through tiny text to find the source, it’s not actual recognition—just plausible deniability.

On another note, he didn’t actually credit it himself, it was an automatic attachment by Tumblr which can be explained better here by @feathers-little-nest .

3.  “He’s just sharing art he likes! It’s not that deep.”

If he really liked and respected the art, he’d want people to find the artist.

Art reposting without proper credit is disrespectful because it reduces an artist’s work to engagement bait.

4. “Not everyone knows how to credit properly!”

Maybe once or twice, but after 20+ posts, he’s had plenty of time to learn.

5. “At least he’s not claiming the art as his own.”

That’s the bare minimum.

Also, multiple people have told me they thought that was his art due to the unclear credit, this can also be seen on the reblogs. And he doesn’t try to correct them.

Now you may be asking, how do I properly credit an artist then?

I will show you in the below examples, but on Tumblr (not cross-platform) I specifically encourage you to never repost someone’s work, just reblog the original post. Always check if the artists allow reposts in the first place in their bio and try to ask for permission before doing so.

Some basics are to mention the artist's name clearly in the caption and linking the original post.

Here’s 2 examples of how to properly credit an artist if you’re reposting them on a different platform.

1.

Art by @rokuii on Tumblr

(please support her!!💗💗)

2. Made by @sunriozz on (X/Tumblr)

also support her too! <3

End Note

This is not only a callout to him but also a callout to the many fanfic writers in this fandom who use fanart/fanedits in their fics (as a cover to grab attention, etc), and other art reposters in this fandom who use Pinterest without crediting the respective artists clearly in the post.

Suo’s repeated failure to credit artists properly is not just an oversight—it’s a pattern that prioritizes his own engagement over the visibility of the original creators. Whether intentional or not, this practice actively harms artists by preventing them from receiving the recognition and support they deserve. Please do not make the same mistakes as he did.

If he genuinely respects artists, he should:

Start clearly crediting artists in the captions, not just in hidden “source” links.

Retroactively update past posts with proper credit.

Refrain from reposting art unless he is willing to credit correctly or have permission from the artist.

There are other skeletons inside his closet and personal matters that I cannot publicly address, but they are worth considering. This post is also the reason why I haven’t been active in a while.

At the end of the day, artists deserve to be credited properly, not used for engagement. If you support artists, follow them directly, engage with their work, and avoid boosting repost accounts that don’t credit correctly.

[heartless-tate]

Just Friends? | Dark Azriel X Freader

Summary: You and Azriel are just friends. Who fuck. Or at least that’s how you see it. So what happens when you find out Azriel sees it completely different?. 🧁 | 2.6k words

A/N: I was feeling spicy today for some dark azzie boo bear. FYI, if you’d like this rewritten with a male reader, please ask!

WARNINGS: NSFW content, p in v?, oral F receiving, choking, murder(not reader), torture(not reader), shadow play, slight angst in beginning, fingering, slight degradation, slight manipulation, reader with she/her pronouns. with a pussy. THIS IS YANDERE CONTENT. ITS DARK AND POSSESSIVE.

The apartment is eerily silent. It’s dark, and shadows seem to liter every surface tonight. The stench of mold and something rotten doesn’t overwhelm your senses much anymore. Living here on this side of Velaris, you think you’re use to it. You didn’t bother turning the lights on. They always left a weird dim and yellow setting. The moonlight rays from the windows were enough light for now.

You stood in the cramped kitchen, in front of the oven. You stared at the cupcakes baking inside. Then at the clock; 3:04 am. You hadn’t been able to sleep and why not bake cupcakes? The inner circle would certainly enjoy them tomorrow. Not to mention it’d give you an excuse to question Rhysand of Azriel’s whereabouts. He always stops by your place at least once every three days. Or around that. It had been a week. You were lonely. And sexually frustrated. It was hard to get off without his long scarred fingers pressing into your skin, holding you close like he might lose you, and his cock pumping into you teasingly slow. Nothing compared to the feeling of it. Of him.

Going from fucking everyday, on almost any surface, to nothing within a week was driving you crazy. You needed it. You needed him. And not just sexually. But he couldn’t find that out. You wonder if you shouldn’t have had sex with him that night. Started whatever this mess was. Friends? Or what was it books called it?

Friends with benefits. You two spent the day time as friends, hanging out, talking, and at night you fucked like rabbits during the mating season. Or any time of the day really. You have had a crush on Azriel ever since you met him. How could you not? He was kind. Different. Quiet. And you both hit it off so easily when Rhysand introduced you to the inner circle. it seemed like he was always there. And if he wasn’t, his shadows were. Sure, you don’t have him as yours. But he was your friend. Your best friend. And that was enough. Or at least you tried to convince yourself that.

And so when he came back from a mission, sweaty and heated up from anger- you couldn’t help but relax and let him take control. You had had a stressful day too. Why not? Why not let your hot bestfriend fuck you senseless? That’s where the downfall was. You were just pity fuck or a way to blow off some steam for him. You see the way he’s always talking to Elain. You satisfied him for now. So you would happily reduce yourself to what felt like a sex toy, waiting for him in your shitty apartment in hopes maybe one day he would return your feelings. And more then ever you hated that you missed him, and not just the sex. You didn’t even have a clue to what day it was.

You approached the calendar on the wall and peered at it. He said he’d be back today. Or yesterday- since it’s 3:06 am now. He lied. Maybe he had found another woman. Jealousy swirled inside of you, ever growing like an invasive species. You slumped back down beside the oven. This was depressing. You felt like some lonely sad and depressed wife waiting for her husband to come home. Except he wasn’t your husband. And this wasn’t his home. And one day he’ll find another woman and you’ll be nothing but a faint memory in his mind.

A shadow scurried to you, dancing excitedly, others surrounded and curiously observed you. You watched as they scattered around your body as if searching for any harm. You paused- his shadows were back. Which meant he was back. And near. The shadow dancing in your face swirled and gently brushed against your cheek as if consoling you. As if it knew you were sad. You heard the door open to your apartment. You stood running to the living room watching as Azriel entered your apartment. He looked so out of place here. He slightly reeked of blood. As if he hadn’t washed it off yet and had just used magic to hide it for now. His hair was tussled and his eyes were oddly alert at this hour. He smirked at seeing you standing so excitedly. More shadows rushed to join the ones dancing around you, as if celebrating you.

You were so happy to see him again! But he was late. And probably was with another woman. You frowned and stepped back slightly.

“Where were you?”You questioned, crossing your arms. The shadows slowed to a lazy swirl. His wings tucked in slightly. He approached.

“Does it matter love? I’m here now.” He whispered cunningly, pulling you in by your hips. His fingers quickly moved underneath the baggy T-shirt of his you were wearing to grip at the flesh of your hips. He smiled at you broadly as if just noticing you were only wearing his shirt and panties. Your eyebrows furrowed. He could scent your arousal.

“I thought we didn’t keep secrets from each other.” You snuffed out. His wings tucked in further, his eyes flashing with darkness for a slight second.

“Do not question me.” He whispered softly. Azriel pulled you in closely nuzzling his cheek against your hair. He flinched when you jerked away angrily. He watched as you started back to the kitchen.

“Fine. It’s whatever. After all we’re just-“

“Don’t you fucking dare say friends, Y/n.” He snarled loudly. A sharp contrast from his before behavior. Before you could respond he was pulling you back, your back hitting his chest. It was like he snapped. His arms wrapped tightly around your center, holding you still as his wings surrounded you both.

“The only reason I’ve been putting up with your fucking friends with benefits bullshit is to give you time to adjust.” Azriel said, hands roaming. It became difficult to focus.

“What? What is that suppose to mean Azriel?”

His hand found it’s way to your clothed cunt, feeling the wet spot on your panties. He snickered. Of course you were turned on. His hard chest pressed into you and you could feel his erection firmly prodding against your back. The size difference between you two was almost unbelievable. You had been turned on since you got lost in thought of him earlier. Since that wet dream you had. You mewled softly as two tendrils of his shadows slither their way under your shirt and rub against your perked nipples. Azriel smirked and kissed your neck slowly. He moved your panties to the side and dipped his finger into your gushing cunt, enjoying the sounds it made. And the ones you made.

You couldn’t help the moans that escaped in response. It felt like you were on fire. Azriel was always capable of reducing you to a moaning incoherent mess within seconds. His long scarred fingers started pumping in and out of you, pressing into the one spot that made you cry out. His other hand grasped your throat and forced your head up to face him. His amber eyes were dark and piercing, a feral look on his face. It was terrifying, and yet you felt your body react differently then your mind did.

“What it means is, this pussy is fucking mine. This body. This mind. You’re fucking mine. You’ve been mine since the day we met. My beautiful foolish mate. I waited for the bond to snap for you, but it hasn’t yet. So when we started fucking, I assumed it would snap for you soon. And I could give you time to grow use to me, to having a lover and someone who cares for you. I know nobody has cared for you in a long while, sweet little thing. I knew you would need time to adjust. But it seems maybe you got the wrong idea. We’re not just friends. We’re mates. You belong to me. I belong to you. There will never be anyone else for us. Just me and you.. for eternity.” He whispered possessively in your ear. His feral smile only seemed to grow, making your own fear- but also pleasure grow? His thumb rubbed at your clit at a breathtaking speed, eyes sharp as they watched you squirm. He refused to let go of you though. Holding you close. You couldn’t process his words clearly. Everything felt too good. Too right. Like you belonged there- in his arms.

“W-wait az-“ you whimpered out trying to jerk your hips from the overwhelming heat building in your core. Azriel didn’t relent, shoving a third finger in you, dragging it slowly against your walls. He started pumping them in, every-time he hit the spot he knew that would make you dumb. The spot he knew would make you cock drunk when he angled his dick to press into it every-time he pumped into you. The shadows twirled and pinched at your nipples, creating a mix of pain and pleasure. They knew you enjoyed it. Azriel knew you did with the way your soaking cunt spasmed. You were close. He could see it in the way your body went limp against him. His hand grasped at your throat more aggressively- cutting off some of your air. His eyes were narrowed as he forced you to look at him. He knew you were close by the foggy and dumb look you gave him.

“Cum on my fingers princess. Make a mess.” Azriel purred sweetly, pressing his hard on into your back for some friction. He smirked knowingly when you cried out silently, hands clawing at his arm that was wrapped around neck. He felt the way your walls tightened, clenching around his fingers and he felt wetness leak around them. He released your throat, letting air back in. You gasped for air desperately. Your cunt was gushing around his fingers, a mixture of wetness and cum dripping drown his scarred hands. You clenched around nothing at the sight as he pulled them away.

“Atta girl. Look at you, making a mess of me hands. Clean it up hun.” He cooed, raising his fingers to your mouth. You obediently opened your mouth, allowing his fingers to be shoved into your mouth. You sucked them, tasting yourself. He groaned at the sight, pressing his erection against you again. Shadows suddenly swarmed around you both, and all of a sudden you were inside of Azriel’s house. Well- one of them. He had a penthouse, and a secluded cabin-house? It was deep in the forest and and secluded with the sense of a cabin but much more bigger and fancier. It had a modern look to it. He kept it secret, as it was a hide away for himself, but he always brought you to it.

He pushed you against his bed, mounting you like a feral animal. Both of your clothes disappeared- except for the shirt of his you had on. It stayed. His shadows swirled around you two. His erection prodded your ass.

Azriel seemed much more animalistic now, as he rutted his erection agaisnt you. His arm wrapped around your waist as he lifted you to him. He pulled you into a long, wet, and sloppy kiss. He nipped your lips until swollen and slightly bloody. And you returned it, happily, forgetting everything else. For now. He pulled away when you tapped his arm, needing air. He stared as you regained your breath.

“You wanna know where I was?” He asked, using his knee to knock your legs wider. His hand reached in between yours, feeling your wetness. He ears twitched at the sound of your soft gasp.

“Y-yes” You stuttered out, rutting into his hand.

“I was hunting down that pathetic excuse of your landlord. After you told me about how he threatened to touch you to make up for your lack of money and the missed payments, I went and found the fucker. I had to go on a mission Rhys sent me on, but I told him to count his days. When I got back, I found him and fucking destroyed that piece of shit.” Azriel growled proudly, taking in the scent of your fear and confusion. “He screamed like a little baby, louder then any other girl I’ve tortured before. I made it hurt. Nobody gets to fucking talk or touch my girl like that. Nobody.” He huffed out, chest puffed up with pride.

Azriel grunted when you shoved him away and scrambled to the headboard. His head titled with confusion. He scented your fear and his ears picked up the sound of your heart beat.

Azriel killed someone. You realized. He killed your landlord. It was hard to wrap your head around it. You knew he wasn’t innocent but the Azriel you knew was soft and kind. Not- not this. He killed someone. For you. Someone died. Because of you. Dread filled your bones. He crawled forward. Straddling your hips before you could move. His naked body in all it’s glory.

“Oh sweet thing, don’t be scared. I would never, ever, harm you. Don’t be afraid of me. I was just protecting you. And your landlord wasn’t just threatening you. He was doing it to other females. It’s okay, princess. He was just getting his deserved consequences. Can you imagine how many woman I could’ve possibly saved from his harm tonight? Don’t be scared of me. You’re safe.” Azriel purred out, wings flared. His cock rested on your stomach. You couldn’t help but relax as his scarred hands slowly spread your thighs. He’s right. Azriel’s always right. Someone could’ve been hurt if it wasn’t for him. He was doing you, and other women a favor. There was no reason you shouldn’t just relax and enjoy this. Him.

He smirked, hooking your legs upon his shoulder. Azriel, rubbed gentle circles in your thigh. He admired your pretty cunt. And then you. In his shirt. Smothered in his scent- inside and outside. In his bed. In his house. Where no one could disturb you. Pussy on display for him. And just him. He moved his hips down before nose diving into your pussy, scenting you. You smelled and tasted divine and your cute yelps and squirms of shock only spurred him on as he lapped at your gushing cunt for more. You tasted divine. Better then he could imagine. His hands held tight, nails leaving crescent moon shapes in the soft flesh of your thighs. Azriel couldn’t help but groan and whimper loudly at your taste. Tongue lapping and lapping like a starved man.

“Azzie!” You squeaked out, hands clutching at his hair, hips rutting into his face. His eyes were stuck on you, staring you down like a lion who had finally caught its favorite mouse. He groaned before pulling away, your wetness dripping down his face. He held eye contact as he licked around his mouth, enjoying your flavor. He grabbed the base of his cock and slapped it against your swollen clit, watching as you squirmed and yelped, sensitive. You were so adorable. His shadows slithered around your body before multiple restrained your limbs down. Leaving you helpless and vulnerable to him.

You relaxed. Azriel would never hurt you. He’s always been there for you. And this is what you wanted- him. And even better- he was your mate. Yours. And you were his. Who cares if he brutally killed your landlord? He was just doing his job as your mate. Protecting you. And plus, you have an excuse to move in with him. You had a feeling you wouldn’t be living this bed for a long, long, time. And as he slowly lined his fat cock with your soaking cunt, you couldn’t help but remember one thing. Your fucking cupcakes.

[samkerrworshipper]

My Masterlist

WIPS

Leah Williamson -

seeing her tonight, it's a bad idea right?

just some friends with benefits smut that’s ends with confessions of love

medication

r stops taking their anxiety medications during the euros finals to get rid of three side effects… but what happens when it seriously effects them on the pitch

let me love you

r struggles after her and leah break up after some drunken kisses with other people… can they mend it all before r’s health is seriously affected?

the call up

when r gets the news notification from the Spanish federation regarding the forced call up the espwnt

safe and sound

r having suicidal thoughts and leah just being there to support them and be there for them

playgirl

friends to lovers smut w cocky as fuck playgirl leah who secretly only has eyes on r

losing

what happens when r loses for the first time?

asthma attacks

what happens when r has a asthma attack whilst Leah’s out for the night?

i will wait for you.

r gets injured in the champions league final and finds herself pushing out everyone, is it to late to make up with the people that matter most?

lost cause

r doesn’t want to do life anymore… leah’s there to make it all better and let her know how loved she is

tourniquet

r struggles with self harm and Leah helps her with it in theee different examples

pain, sweet, pain.

leah’s return from her acl injury is nothing like what she wanted nor expected, but her team are there to help her up when she’s down.

scars and all

leah finds out about her girlfriends past mental health issues

beautiful girl series (leah + jordan as coparents)

part 1 -> close you’re eyes: leah and jordan’s daughter is struggling after their breakup

part 2 -> have no fear: jordan and r have a heart to heart and somethings are revealed

part 3 -> the monsters gone: leah confronts her daughter

part 4 -> she’s on the run: r runs away

part 5 -> and your moms are here: reconciliation

part 6 -> beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful girl: final part

Lucy Bronze -

mamacita

jersey smut with lucy after winning

daddy?…. sorry

just a little drabble about dom daddy lucy

a shoulder to cry on

lucy is there for r after she has a career shattering injury

euro champs and abs

lucy’s prize for winning the euros

leg shakes and body aches pt.2^

after care for the fic above

epiphany

random grief drabble - more r focused then lucy tbh but if u want a good cry then readdd

Alexia Putellas -

movie night

cheek voyeurism smut with r and alexia at team movie night

lap dance

stripper smut with Alexia after the world cup

on the sidelines

wag Alexia on the sidelines for wnba girlfriend

i remember everything

r struggles with eating disorder… alexis is to absorbed in her own life to notice.. what are th consequences?

the party

songfic based off the song the party & the after party by the weeknd… pure filthy smut

exile

songfic based off the song exile by taylor swift

the last time (pt.2^)

Alexia tries to apologise to r after what happened at the club… another songfic based off the song the last time by taylor swift

between thighs

just a little quickie fic

back between villages

alexia tears her acl.

sugar, baby

u have a little arrangement with la reina

bar-ca

babyfic with newborn alexia and r as parents

rockin’ around the christmas tree

fluffy kidfic with christmas with the putellas’ family

underneath the surface

alexia finds out about your endometriosis

Sam Kerr -

cock blocked

team night with the arsenal girls who r keeping you from being thoroughly fucked by your girlfriend

smut headcanons

just smutty dom headcanons with sammy k

a whore’s punishment

literal smutty porn without plot… that’s it.

concealed

little drabble about sam concealing a strap during a photo shoot

the phone call

based off the scene in the uswnt doc with the different call ups except sam x reader coded

acls

based off sam’s acl injury :(

Katie Mccabe -

nails

katie comes home from ireland camp with a new set of nails and she shows you just how much she can do even without using her hands or

Mapi Leon -

massage therapy

mapi gets injured… reader tries to resolve some of the tension in her body

warmed

cockwarming… that’s about it

las 15

based off of the spanish players boycott pre world cup

Alexia Putellas x Reader x Lucy Bronze -

twos a company, threes a crowd

| pt.1 | pt.2 | pt.3 | pt.4 |

pure filth between my three girlies

Leah Williamson x reader x Lia Wälti -

all yours

just a little friends to lovers angsty fic about lia and leah getting together when the three have always been best friends and r struggling with it

Mapi Leon x Reader x Ingrid Engen -

long distance

touch starved and anxious reader who’s been away from mapi and ingrid for a while and needs a reminder just how much the love her

Vivianne Miedema x Beth Mead -

bad days

Viv has a bad anxiety day… Beth’s there for her no matter what

Kristie Mewis x Sam Kerr -

pinky promise?

little anxiety fic about kristie stressing about meeting Sam’s parents for the first time

wet dream

kristie can’t sleep.. sam has a wet dream..

Lia Wälti x Alexia Putellas -

captains connection

sometiems the captains are the ones who need the most help after games..

auswnt -

togetherness

pt.1 | pt.2 | pt.3

just some tillies angst and fluff

arsenal women -

found family

r goes out in the snow and gets really sick, but is scared to bother their arsenal teammates, two captains show up at their door after them not showing up to training for a few days and help them out and show them just how much the team loves them

homework help

when r moves to england she struggles with the adjustment of new school… arsenal team are there for her though

sticker chart

r and kyra r the pranksters of the team… but what happens when they take it too far and the arsenal parents seperate them as a result

revival

arsenal reader has been struggling more than she’d ever admit.. when it becomes to much she attempts to take her life but her teammates refuse to let her kill herself when she has so much more to live for.

hard times

arsenal reader struggles with PTSD and new year’s eve is a particular struggle… but the arsenal girlies are there for her even if she doesn’t know she needs them

narcotics

reader has a drug problem.. her arsenal teammates help her to realise and overcome it

how did it end?

suicidal ex-arsenal reader who retired after leaving the club

barca women -

suffer in silence

r struggles with self harm after the problems with the spanish federation.. mapi, ingrid, lucy and alexia are there to pick up the broken pieces

exhausted

insomnia reader with concerned alexia

initiation orgy universe

initiation:

pt.1 -> pt.2 -> pt.3

celebrations:

pt.1 -> pt.2 -> pt.3

[literaryvein-reblogs]

can you do a post about the forms of manipulation? or if you already have, traits people have when trying to manipulate you. thank you!!

Writing Notes: Psychological Manipulation

Manipulation - Behavior designed to exploit, control, or otherwise influence others to one’s advantage.

3 Basic Forms of Manipulation

DECEPTION

Includes outright lying to those manipulated (e.g., making false promises to them) and also

Misleading them without actually misrepresenting anything, such as:

by encouraging false assumptions, or

fostering self-deception that is advantageous to the manipulator’s ends, or

getting the manipulated person to “view things differently” or interpret the situation in a light favorable to the manipulator’s purposes.

PRESSURE TO ACQUIESCE

Can involve:

browbeating (i.e., to intimidate or disconcert by a stern manner or arrogant speech; bully),

wearing down the other’s resistance, and

making someone agree to something just to avoid further discomfort or embarrassment.

Threats, when the harm they threaten falls short of being coercive, could be categorized as this kind of manipulation.

Pressure can also take the form of offering inducements, when, they give the manipulated person “the wrong sort of reason” for opting in favor of the manipulator’s proposals.

PLAYING UPON EMOTIONS, EMOTIONAL NEEDS, OR WEAKNESSES OF CHARACTER

Includes eliciting an emotion with the aim of making use of it.

Typical emotions used to manipulate are:

fear,

sympathy,

a sense of gratitude toward the manipulator, and

feelings of guilt if the manipulated person does not consent to what the manipulator wants.

Typical weaknesses of character employed for manipulation are:

vanity and

the need for approval—especially the need for the manipulator’s approval.

Another common character flaw through which people can be manipulated is greed:

which tends to make people exaggerate the value or the importance of some prospective benefit, and

to make them willing to take excessive risks when subject to its allure.

Some manipulation makes use of traits or dispositions common to most people, not even necessarily weaknesses, together with situational factors in which these traits come to look like weaknesses.

Manipulativeness, as a trait, can be seen in the following:

EMOTIONAL ABUSE

Also called psychological abuse.

Nonphysical abuse: A pattern of behavior in which one person deliberately and repeatedly subjects another to nonphysical acts that are detrimental to behavioral and affective functioning and overall mental well-being.

Researchers have yet to formulate a universally agreed upon definition of the concept, but they have identified a variety of forms that emotional abuse may take, including:

verbal abuse;

intimidation and terrorization;

humiliation and degradation;

exploitation;

harassment;

rejection and withholding of affection;

isolation; and

excessive control.

MACHIAVELLIANISM

A personality trait marked by a calculating attitude toward human relationships and a belief that ends justify means, however ruthless.

A Machiavellian is one who views other people more or less as objects to be manipulated in pursuit of their goals, if necessary through deliberate deception.

Machiavellians are manipulative: they use, deceive and shortchange others. They always take and even seek the opportunity to benefit from misleading others (Sutton & Keogh 2000).

Manipulation has a multifaceted connection with lying. Machiavellians often lie and they lie convincingly and effectively.

Traits of Machiaveillians: Manipulative, Self-interested, Duplicitous, Cynical, Amoral, Focused on personal gain

Niccolò Machiavelli argued that an effective ruler must be prepared to act in this way.

ANTAGONISM

People who display antagonism behave in ways that put them at odds with other people. They may exhibit any of the following traits:

manipulativeness,

deceitfulness,

grandiosity,

attention seeking,

callousness, and

hostility.

PSYCHOPATHY - A cluster of traits that includes:

lack of empathy,

lack of remorse,

tendency to manipulate other people,

superficial charm,

egocentricity,

deception, and

a grandiosely high sense of self-worth.

HISTRIONIC PERSONALITY DISORDER

Some people with HPD make suicide attempts, often to manipulate others (Bressert, 2016; APA, 2013).

NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER

Once in treatment, clients with NPD may try to manipulate the therapist into supporting their sense of superiority (Skodol & Bender, 2019).

NOTES: On Manipulators

A manipulator's aggression is not obvious.

The tactics manipulators use can make it seem like they're hurting, caring, defending...almost anything, but fighting.

All of us have weaknesses and insecurities that a clever manipulator might exploit.

What our gut tells us a manipulator is like challenges everything we've been taught to believe about human nature.

SOME TACTICS USED BY MANIPULATIVE PEOPLE

Denial

Selective inattention

Rationalization

Diversion

Lying

Covert intimidation

Guilt-tripping

Shaming

Playing the victim role

Vilifying the victim

Playing the servant role

Seduction

Projecting the blame

Minimization

EXAMPLES: Of Manipulative Behaviors

Being highly manipulative in relationships (e.g., being hypochondriacal, being inappropriately seductive, making suicidal threats) to get attention.

Appearing calm and reflective, and then the next minute be highly manipulative (“Do this or else I’ll take you to court! . . .”).

Acting as if they are weak and helpless, or using sexual seduction, or threatening suicide to get attention.

Some examples that challenge the position that manipulation is always wrong:

A negotiator persuades the hostage taker to release the hostages.

Psychological strategies employed in self-defense to thwart an attacker.

Getting a boss to do something that he would not consider doing unless he thought it was his idea.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ 600+ Personality Traits

Hope this helps with your writing! :)

[contract-crawdad]

Look Outside Character Recruit Concepts: Part 3

Back for another round!

Phillippe — The Traitor Friend to the End

It’s everybody’s best friend, Phillippe!! Despite his low health, low speed, and an attack stat so sad that it makes Sophie’s look good, his skills allow him to pull his weight in combat anyway! Still, it's advisable to keep an eye on him while performing any of them, just to make sure that there any totally unintentional downsides.

Recruited by following the route to the ‘He’s Real God Damn it’ achievement and obtaining Philippe’s remains (an item that does actually exist in the game, for those unaware).

You must also purchase a humidifier (not real) from Mutt’s Fish n’ Chips, which will be set up back at your apartment similar to the coffee maker. The humidifier itself provides no benefit, but if you have Phillips’s remains you will get the idea to place them inside your kitchen's trash can in the hopes that the combination of humidity and the nutrient-rich environment might be enough to revive him.

After a night passes, Phillippe will be growing out of the garbage the next morning.

“I hate you. I hate you so much.”

> Only a true friend would be so honest… sniffle…

“You’re fucking with me. Are you really this gullible? So… what, we’re supposed to be friends now? I’m supposed to say ‘Gee willikers, you saved me with the power of friendship, I’ll help you kill guys now’? Is that it?? Is that how you think this is going to go?!?”

> Pretty much, yeah.

“No, but— you— I’m…! Fine. You win, you deluded little cretin. I’m your best buddy Phillippe and you saved me from the eeevil mushroom queen… or some shit like that. At any rate, since you killed my progenitor/life support system, I can’t survive for long without your humidifier. So it looks like I’m stuck here anyways.”

Phillippe possesses many powerful skills, but each has a tendency to ‘accidentally’ harm the party in various ways. As long as he is in your party, every character gains the ‘Watch Phillippe’ skill.

Passive Quirks

All teammates have the 'Watch Phillippe' skill in battle.

Physical attack stat does not increase upon leveling up.

Can eat rotten leftovers and mushrooms with no downsides.

Early Skills

Watch Phillippe

Not actually one of Phillippe's skills, but as long as he is in the party, every other character has access to this skill.

Don’t you trust him?? Use your turn keeping a close eye on Phillippe to make sure he doesn’t try anything funny. Removes the downsides to the next skill Philippe uses this turn. Cannot be used by a character that is blinded. Has no STM cost.

Fungal Affront

Phillippe makes a perfectly crafted and deeply hurtful remark about the opponent. Chance to inflict between 1 - 3 of the following statuses: blinded, confused, stunned, and/or any mental status except for fear or charmed. Moderate STM cost.

If nobody is keeping an eye on Phillippe, he will also throw in a crude remark about a random teammate which randomly inflicts them with statuses as well.

Leech

Phillippe saps life from an opponent using his root-like mycelium. Deals moderate piercing damage and restores HP to Phillippe equal to half the total damage dealt. Low STM cost.

If nobody is keeping an eye one Phillippe, he will also ‘accidentally’ brush against an ally, using a weaker version of this attack on them.

Late Skills

Spore Rapport

Phillippe scatters spores, giving all enemies the ‘toxic’ status effect (similar to poison but ramps up in damage each turn until it is cured). Moderate STM cost.

If nobody is keeping an eye of Phillippe, he will ‘unintentionally’ get some spores on the rest of the party, but only enough to inflict them with regular poison.

'Friend?! Help!'

What an adowable widdle guy! Phillippe brings out his cutesy moth schtick to trick the enemy, convincing them to fight for your side. Charms a target for one turn (or until they take damage) if successful. Heavy STM cost.

If nobody is keeping an eye on Phillippe, he will actively conspire with the enemy, marking every member of his team except for himself. This is problematic if there are multiple foes, and something to deal with when the charm wears off.

Apartment Interactions

> How are you feeling?

“Better than that time you killed me. Remember that? Hey, if you really care about my feelings, do me a solid and answer a question… is that vision of beauty in your bedroom single?”

> Xaria?

> Monty?

> …Juicebox?

“What? No. Ew. I’m talking about that potted temptress you have squirreled away back there. Can you ask them if they’d be open to a mycorrhizic relationship? Mind you, I don’t usually go for that sort of thing, but with chloroplasts like those I’ll gladly make an exception.~”

> What did you do before all this?

“Mostly a lot of trickery, deceit, gaslighting… say, do you think that sort of thing would look good on a resume? Do employers look for those traits in a candidate? Because I guess I’ll have to get a job in the near future.”

> What do you think will happen?

“I’ll tell you what’s going to happen, the first group of mutated freaks to get properly organized and expand fast enough will inherent the whole damned world. That’s what the gang and I were trying to do, anyways.”

> Did you look outside?

“I’m a fungus, genius. I don’t really ‘do’ sunlight.”

> Glad you're safe, even if we couldn't get you back to normal.

“I keep telling you. I was never a moth. Never! That was a just ploy to get you to feed yourself to my mother organism.”

If Joel is recruited: “It’s okay that you’re not a moth anymore Mr. Philip!! Lots of us… hhh… look different now!”

“Sigh… I miss being dead.”

Harriet — The Worrywart

A bit of an all-rounder, with average stats across the board aside from notably high defense and awful luck. Her training as a nurse comes in handy when using healing items in battle, even if she won’t equip any shoe items for some strange reason…

Recruited by reuniting her with her daughter and then taking her up on their offer of a visit. Upon entering their home on F2, it seems some kind of monster put a bunch of huge holes in their walls while Harriet and Sophie were both out looking for one another (heavily implied to have been Jeanne’s rampaging heads looking for food).

Harriet will insist that she and Sophie could probably figure something out, but will be tremendously appreciative if you offer her and Sophie a place to stay. Recruiting her will also re-recruit Sophie, but from this point onwards you cannot have Sophie in your party unless you also have Harriet. Harriet is able to join the party without Sophie, however.

Harriet, while in your apartment, will chime in when you’re attempting to craft something for the first time. Basically meaning no crafting outcome is ever uncertain!

Harriet functions a lot like Sam, Papineau, and Ernest in that she has very few equipment restrictions! The only thing she will not equip are shoes, for no immediately obvious reason that surely isn’t cause for concern.

Passive Quirks

Can't wear shoes.

While recruited, all crafting attempts have known outcomes.

Won’t let Sophie go on expeditions without her.

Doesn’t react well to Sophie being knocked out…

Early Skills

Read the Label

Requires 1 medication. Applies the effect of medication to the entire party. Makes one bottle of medication go further by actually knowing how much of it you’re supposed to take. Low STM cost.

Frugal Application

Requires 1 balm. Applies the effect of balm to the entire party. With a daughter like Sophie, she knows how to use this stuff optimally. Medium STM cost.

Kick em Where it Hurts

Harriet delivers a suspiciously powerful kick to a sensitive area on the opponent, dealing crushing damage that pierces defense as well as slightly lowering all the target’s resistances. Low STM cost.

Late Skills

Divvy it Up

Requires 1 tonic. Applies the effect of a tonic to the entire party, but at only 25% of the usual effectiveness. Who would have thought that a set of measuring spoons would be so useful in the heat of battle? High STM cost.

Proper Dosage

Requires 1 stimulant. Applies the effect of a stimulant to the entire party, but at only 25% of the usual effectiveness. It’s definitely not healthy for a single person to take the whole thing at once, anyways. High STM cost.

Secret Ability

If Sophie and Harriet are on the same team and Sophie is knocked out in battle, Harriet enters a secret form. Hiking up her dress, she reveals that she is in fact cursed: possessing far far too many legs.

Harriet is on the warpath!

Each turn, she will randomly choose between:

Kicking with many legs, dealing crushing damage 3-9 times to randomly chosen opponents, and 1-5 times to randomly chosen allies. Each hit deals a moderate amount of damage.

Scratching with dozens of claws, dealing slashing damage 3-9 times to randomly chosen opponents, and 1-5 times to randomly chosen allies. Each hit deals very little damage but has a high chance to inflict a layer of bleed.

Tearing through flesh with reckless abandon, which deals heavy piercing damage to a single random enemy and causes all allies to panic. Deals extra damage to bleeding targets.

Harriet only calms down and hides her legs again once combat is over.

Apartment Interactions

> How are you feeling?

“Just fine, thank you. It’s been a rough couple of days, but you’ve been a great help.”

> What did you do before all this?

“Most of my time was spent working as a nurse and trying to find babysitters that hadn’t blocked my number yet… sigh… say, you don’t babysit by any chance, do you? I kid, I kid!”

> What do you think will happen?

“Honestly? No clue. I just hope there is a world, when all this is said and done.”

> Did you look outside?

(If Harriet has not gone berserk in battle):

“What? Of course not! You’ve seen what looking outside does to people, I’m… I’m not like that!”

(If Harriet has gone berserk in battle):

“…R-Right. You saw those. Look, I… I understand if you need me to leave, but please don’t tell Sophie. She can’t know. It’s under control. It’s fine.”

> Can I ask your advice on making something?

“Oh, sure, what do you need to know?” (Opens up a list of craftable items and selecting one reveals its recipe)

Plant — the Wild Card

Your potted pal has really grown over the past few days! The ultimate offensive jack of all trades, able to deal many different types of damage if properly equipped. Doesn’t have the best defensive qualities, however.

Recruited by having met the following conditions:

Have a good relationship with Plant! Relationship is improved each day in a row that you talk to the plant, and increased further if you’re keeping up an ideal watering schedule..

Move Plant into the light when prompted and never moving them back.

The earliest you can recruit them is by day 6, but it could be longer if you’re not consistently meeting the talking/watering conditions. After Plant is happy enough, one morning…

…Your plant is pacing the room on thin, tendril-like roots. Their leaves sway towards the door, wordlessly conveying a longing to see the world outside your apartment in all its glories and in all its horrors.

They extend a tendril towards you.

A kinship between man and plant has been formed.

Plant cannot equip accessories or clothing with the exception of hats. On the plus side, using their many tendrils they have access to four weapon slots instead of the usual two! None of these slots are designated for specifically for melee or ranged weapons either: this means you could equip four different melee weapon, or four different ranged weapons. Two handed weapons still take up two slots.

This does not mean that Plant can attack four times! What this does mean is that they can perform a basic attack with any one of the equipped weapons, and they have access to all of the skills of each equipped weapon (which each still deal their respective damage type). Has no restrictions on the type of weapon they can equip.

Instead of guarding, Plant has the option to Act Natural, allowing them to pretend to be an ordinary houseplant and fade into the scenery. Doesn’t work if Potted Plant is marked, the only party member left standing, or against attacks that hit the entire party.

Passive Quirks

Weak to fire and ice damage.

Resists acid.

Hides instead of guarding.

Cannot equip clothing except for hats.

Has access to four weapon slots.

Early skill

Photosynthesize

Potted Plant embraces the life-giving light of the visitor. Heals a variable amount based on the time of day and your location in the building. Fails at night or in the basement, most effective at noon, and provides a full heal and cures negative statuses if used on the roof. Can only be used once every six hours (effectively meaning you can only use it once per battle at most).

Late Skill

Fan the Hammer

Perform a basic attack with each of Plant’s equipped melee weapons and fire a normal shot of each equipped ranged weapon (provided you have the necessary ammunition). Targets chosen randomly. Increased chance to damage each weapon used. Moderate STM cost.

Apartment Interactions

> How are you feeling?

Five of their leaves form an impressive approximation of a thumbs up.

> What was life like for you before you got all… mobile?

A unfamiliar flowery smell fills the area. You suppose they’re trying to communicate through chemical signals but have no idea what they’re trying to say.

> What do you think will happen?

Somehow, their leaves produce a high pitched tittering noise. You’re… not quite sure how to interpret that.

> Did you look outside?

They use a leaf to make the ‘fifty-fifty’ gesture.

> Do you still want me to water you? Or would that be weird now?

The plant pats your shoulder comfortingly with a tendril. Seems you’re relieved of watering duty. You feel strangely sad.

[theambitiouswoman]

How to know if something is normal, or if it’s incredibly messed up but you’re so used to it that you can’t tell the difference:

I’ve spoken about how easy it is for our body to get used to both good and bad things so much so that we can’t decipher the difference. I see a lot in your messages and responses how certain things have become normalized for you, so much so that you don’t consider them a big deal, but should not be something you should be accepting. You’ve become so used to it, you actually don’t realize the effect it has on your frame of mind and health.

This concept is called adaptation—how our bodies and minds become accustomed to certain habits, environments, or stimuli, whether they’re beneficial or harmful. Over time, this normalization makes it harder for us to recognize what is healthy for us and what might be detrimental to our psyche and wellbeing.

For example:

• A poor diet might feel “normal” if it’s been a habit for years, even though it drains energy or causes other health issues.

• On the flip side, regular exercise can feel like a necessity over time because the body adapts to the positive effects.

Sometimes, our lives run on autopilot, and we normalize things that might actually harm us. This is why mindfulness is so important— constantly tuning in to assess whether what we’re used to aligns with what we need for our well being.

How to decipher which is which:

1. Listen to Your Body

• Does it leave you feeling drained, anxious, or unwell?

• Physical Symptoms: Headaches, tension, or digestive issues might be signs of stress or unhealthy patterns.

• Recovery Time: Do you feel worse after engaging in it, whether it’s food, an activity, or even a person?

Try This: Write down how your body feels after meals, activities, or interactions for a week. Notice any recurring discomforts.

2. Evaluate the Long Term Impact

• Does this habit, relationship, or choice align with your goals and values?

• Ask: “If I continue this for 5 years, will it benefit or harm me?”

3. Check Your Emotional State

• Recurring Feelings: Does it bring consistent joy, peace, or growth?

• If it triggers guilt, resentment, or unease, it might not be healthy for you.

• Peace and Joy: Healthy habits and relationships leave you feeling lighter and more fulfilled.

Try This: Before making a decision, pause and ask, “Will this add to my peace or take away from it?”

4. Track Patterns

• Track Daily Habits: Note how you feel physically and emotionally after key moments (e.g., eating, exercising, interacting with people). Journal how it makes you feel physically and emotionally over time.

• Identify Triggers: Over time, you’ll see patterns—what lifts you up and what drags you down.

Start Small: Write down 3 things each day—one thing that made you feel good, one that drained you, and one change you could try.

5. Test Alternatives

• Try removing it or replacing it with something healthier and observe how you feel.

Examples:

• Diet: Swap processed foods for whole foods and notice the difference.

• Relationships: Spend less time with toxic people and see if your stress decreases.

• Habits: Replace scrolling on your phone with journaling or reading for a week.

Ask Yourself: “Do I feel better or worse without this?”

6. Seek Outside Perspectives

Sometimes, we’re too close to the situation to see clearly.

• Ask People you Trust: They might notice what you’ve normalized.

Try This: Say, “I feel like [this habit/relationship] might not be good for me. What do you think?”

7. Trust Your Intuition

Your instincts are powerful. If something feels “off,” it probably is.

• Gut Feelings: Do you feel uneasy or hesitant about continuing it?

• Inner Voice: Are you justifying something that deep down you know isn’t right?

Ask Yourself: “If I truly valued myself, would I allow this in my life?”

[inkempressz]

Yandere Izuku Midoriya with a God Complex

If Izuku Midoriya developed a god complex and lost his moral compass over years of being a pro hero, his yandere tendencies would become far more sinister and delusional. The constant adoration from the public, the power he wields, and the endless cycle of defeating villains could erode his humility, leaving a man who believes himself untouchable and above societal laws. Combined with his obsession for you, this would make him terrifyingly controlling and dangerously detached from human empathy.

The Evolution of His God Complex

Izuku’s unwavering dedication to heroism and his rising fame would transform him over time.

1. Moral Decay Through Justifications:

• Years of battling villains would desensitise him to violence. At first, he might have regretted the collateral damage caused by his actions, but over time, he’d rationalise it as “necessary sacrifices for the greater good.”

• This mindset would bleed into his personal relationships, including you. If he believes something is for your benefit, he’d do it without hesitation, regardless of whether it harms others or violates your autonomy.

2. Seeing Himself as Above the Law:

• With his immense power and influence, Izuku would come to see laws and regulations as obstacles created for ordinary people. He’d believe he operates on a higher plane, where the rules don’t apply to someone as indispensable as himself.

• If anyone tried to hold him accountable for questionable actions, he’d dismiss their concerns, framing himself as the only one who can keep the world safe.

• This mindset would extend to you; he’d see you as his reward for all he’s done for society. In his eyes, no one else could love or protect you like he can, and thus, you’re destined to be with him.

3. Viewing Humanity as Livestock:

• Years of dealing with selfish villains and watching ordinary people rely on heroes to save them would foster a quiet contempt for humanity. While he’d still protect civilians outwardly, inwardly, he might see them as weak, directionless creatures who exist only because of heroes like him.

• This distorted worldview would extend to your relationships with others. He’d see anyone close to you—friends, family, colleagues—as nothing more than distractions or threats to his control. Their lives would hold little value to him compared to yours.

How His God Complex Affects His Yandere Behaviour

1. Complete Possession of You:

• Izuku wouldn’t just see you as his partner; he’d see you as an extension of himself. To him, you are his creation, someone shaped by his influence and protected under his power.

• He’d believe he has the divine right to decide what’s best for you, dismissing your own desires as “uninformed” or “short-sighted.”

2. Manipulating Public Perception:

• If you tried to escape or speak out against him, he’d leverage his public image to discredit you. He could frame you as mentally unstable, traumatised, or even in danger from imaginary villains to ensure the world sides with him.

• His adoring fans would make it nearly impossible for you to find help, as no one would dare accuse the beloved “Symbol of Peace” of wrongdoing.

3. Casual Violence Towards Others:

• Izuku’s god complex and moral decay would make him ruthless towards anyone he deems unworthy of his time.

• If someone flirted with you or tried to help you escape, he’d treat them as villains, using his quirks to punish them with terrifying efficiency. In his mind, their suffering would be justified because they interfered with his “sacred” relationship with you.

4. Creeping Detachment From Humanity:

• Izuku’s lack of empathy for ordinary people would lead to chilling behaviour. He might calmly discuss harming others as if it’s inconsequential, or even use people as pawns in his schemes to keep you close.

• He’d view the world as his playground, and its inhabitants as mere tools to be used or discarded in pursuit of his happiness.

5. Obsession With “Perfecting” You:

• As someone who sees himself as a god-like figure, Izuku would want you to reflect his perfection. He’d subtly (or overtly) criticise your habits, appearance, or social interactions, “guiding” you to meet his ideal vision of a partner.

• Any resistance on your part would be met with condescension, as if you simply don’t understand what’s best for you. He might even isolate you under the pretext of “helping you grow.”

Creepy Behaviour Under the Influence of His God Complex

1. Sacrificing Others for You:

• If someone threatened your safety—or even your relationship—Izuku wouldn’t hesitate to destroy them. Whether that meant ruining their career, orchestrating their public humiliation, or outright killing them, he’d justify it as protecting what’s his.

2. Twisting the Narrative:

• Izuku would craft a story where you’re the ultimate victim in need of his protection. Even if you actively tried to escape, he’d spin it as you being “confused” or “in danger,” ensuring everyone around you supports his version of events.

3. Creepy Worship:

• Despite his god complex, Izuku would paradoxically worship you as his muse. He’d keep locks of your hair, items you’ve touched, and photos of you in secret shrines. He’d tell himself these are tokens of his devotion, proof of his unshakable love.

4. Absolute Isolation:

• Izuku would create a gilded cage for you, cutting you off from the outside world under the guise of protecting you. He’d shower you with affection and gifts, making it hard to see him as a villain, even as he strips away your autonomy.

5. Experimental Behaviour:

• Izuku’s analytical nature would drive him to “test” your limits. He might stage elaborate scenarios to see how much you depend on him, such as faking a rescue or putting you in harm’s way just to swoop in as the hero.

What Makes Him Truly Frightening

Izuku’s descent into a god complex, combined with his yandere tendencies, would make him a man who believes he’s entitled to rewrite reality to suit his desires. His power, intelligence, and public influence would render him nearly untouchable, and his unwavering conviction that everything he does is for your sake would leave you trapped in a nightmare where he’s both your saviour and your captor.

[zzencat]

Things To Expect + Advice In August 2024 - PAC

Hey, Teddy! What’s the forecast for August 2024? Where’s the energy headed? What should I expect? Any advice? What should I do?

Deck: deviant moon tarot

TO ENHANCE ACCURACY BEFORE CHOOSING: Clear your mind. Time is now patient and still. Close your eyes, inhale deeply, fill your chest up to the fullest, feel the soft air brush up against the ridges of your nose. Breathe out.

Breathe and choose. From left to right.

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Pile 1. Fight or flight?

• there might be a clash of ideas or communication issues. maybe a sucky group project. maybe some sucky friend group issues. maybe family is being a bit of a pain. whatever the drama is, you’re trying to keep out of it. in fact, you’ll be trying to avoid any drama.

• ^^it might bother you in the background, and if you have a leveled head, i suggest you speak up more this month. Stick up for yourselves or other people! This pile feels very introverted to me and keeping peace and harmony is very important for you. But keep in mind that sometimes, doing nothing is more harmful. Use your better judgment for these situations.

• if you have questionable people around you, people who do things you’re not proud of, or are in a bad situation, you’re being called to leave this group behind, find better scenery and connections.

• on the bright side, look forward to making a new friend or new friends this month!! I’m also hearing “stop being a wallflower”

• find those who share similar interests to you. Join online communities, get involved, find clubs, share your findings with others.

• have strength and be courageous! you might think you have no say or no right to speak up, but you do. this is going to unlock a side of you that you didn’t even know you had. You have a voice!!!Please use it!! Good luck pile 1!

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Pile 2. Ehh…meh…feeling like a potato 🥔

• not much tbh. you might be at a standstill in life from trying to figure out what the next thing you want is, making yourself relatively comfortable first. so this month, there’s going to be extra effort going into self-care!!

• ^^ dance or sing when no one’s around!! Get moving!!

• be careful of any scams btw!! you should keep an eye on your belongings or money this month.

• you have dreams, but feel that it might not be the right timing. You could be in a stump. A lot of stagnancy and waiting for something to happen.

• ^^ this might be bothering you a lot, like feeling like you could be doing something better with your life (or with your time or skills). you might think in the back of your mind that life “oh, well. My life is just rotting away, but I’ll just deal with it” *shrugs* — Suggestion: Find a hobby or passion. Find your purpose in life again. Remember: only YOU can give your life meaning. No one else.

• not a lot of traveling. a lot of staying at home and figuring out life and what happens next. you might find your job to be extremely boring and draining, that you could use a break. Be careful not to get too careless or sloppy at work.

• there’s also a sense of laziness or not feeling motivated. An obvious lack of drive. You might make decisions without thinking too much or caring.

• (not my place to armchair-diagnose, but if you struggle with depressive symptoms and you’re not able to get professional help, sharing your thoughts/ideas with friends/family/even fuckin reddit, or writing them out in a journal would benefit you immensely. Just tell somebody. You just need any outlet to let out pent up creativity. Doesn’t even have to be creative—you could scribble something. As long as you’re not directing this self-loathing and pitying energy inwards.)

• a lot of stagnancy in this pile so this is a wake up call for change. Get active, get out there, and do something you actually like!!!! Don’t waste more time. Good luck to you pile 2 👍

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Pile 3. Stop for no one.

• some people here will be going through a break up, but you’ll feel better after it happens. you’re going to leave a very significant thing behind you and move on with confidence. either some of you already saw it or you realized in hindsight that it hand to be done in order for you to move forward

• ^^ this is not exclusively romantic!! some will be cutting ties with friends or even family, but once it happens, you will finally be aligned with your emotions and what your higher self has been craving deep down inside

• it will be a little shitty, but I see some of you smiling!! Trust the process! You’re leaving behind things, people, and qualities that have held you down for so long

• a lot of you guys are taking a risk here, sending someone something, flirting, being honest, but you’re finally going in the direction you want. you’re tired of waiting. lots of doubts, but you’ll make your move and decide to see this to the end.

• you are going to face a lot of realizations (positive and negative) when it comes to other people in August (work, friends, school, potential love partners)

• it’s really up to you this month. stagnancy will lead you nowhere, whereas action will bring you great abundance

• ^^ some of you will receive awards or recognition for your efforts. others will be rewarded great wealth.

• a lot of business moves are prominent in this pile!!! investors, potential business partners and expansion! Be cautious and consider all your moves, but go for it pile 3!

• some of you will lead or have a chance to teach people while in a higher position (ex: a mentor, coach, etc.)

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Teddy note: Hey guys!! I hope you enjoy this pac! I’m starting a self-improvement series (sorta?) and I will be doing these monthly! Rmr to take what resonates and leave what doesn’t. Thank you again 😎👍👍