#but otherwise one of the last places id expect this from | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

cy-cyborg · 7 months ago

Text

Toph Beifong doesn’t hold up as disability representation - Disability in the Media

[ID: A screenshot of Toph, a twelve-year-old girl with black hair in a loose, green and tan short-sleeve shirt and shorts, cheering in an arena. Next to text written in a rough, blocky font: "Disability in Media - Toph Beifong Doesn't hold up as disability representation" /End ID]

Avatar the Last Airbender is one of my all-time favourite TV-shows, and Toph is still easily one of my favourite members of Team Avatar. I was a few years younger than Toph when the show first started airing, and being a disabled kid who was into martial arts, constantly being dismissed by my able-bodied opponents and teachers, meant that I connected very strongly with her right from the get-go.

But upon my last couple of rewatches of the series, I began to come to the realisation that my opinions on Toph as a shining example of good disability representation were... well, pretty heavily influenced by my nostalgia for the show and that many aspects of Toph's character just don't hold up today. Which, honestly is fair, the show is nearly 19 years old (if it were a person in my country, it would be old enough to drink) and I think it's pretty ridiculous to expect every part of every character from an 19 year old show to age well. So today I wanted to talk about the things I think Avatar the original Last Airbender did right with Toph, where I think they missed the mark, and what changes I think would need to be made to Toph to make her work for a modern audience.

So let's start with why I think Toph doesn't really hold up as "good disability representation" today, and the elements of her character that just haven't aged as well.

For me, one of the biggest issues I noticed upon rewatching the show, is how often we are told (often by Toph herself) that she is blind, but how infrequently we are actually shown it's impact on her life beyond her bending or outside of jokey contexts. Outside of her bending, we only ever see her blindness impacting her ability to do things like read or write, otherwise, she functionally has full vision -so far as the audience is informed - with the only exceptions being when she's in the air or water (e.g. on Appa or in the submarines) or in loose soil (e.g. the desert). Having places and circumstances where she doesn't have access to her power that allows her to "see" was a step in the right direction, but I do think it would have been better if her seismic sense wasn't quite as accurate, even in the most ideal of circumstances.

But why? Well, I think Suki explains it really well, long before Toph is even introduced. when Sokka says "I should have seen you as a warrior instead of a girl" Suki stops him and says "I am a warrior, but I'm also a girl". Being a warrior and a woman are both important parts of Suki's character, and only recognising her as one or the other means ignoring a big part of who she is, and the same is true for Toph. Being blind is a big part of toph's character that has informed a lot of her life, but so is being a warrior and bending master. Many people see Toph as a warrior or fighter, but ignore her disability, but both are important. She's disabled, and a warrior, and those things don't cancel each other out, the same way being a warrior doesn't diminish Suki's status as a woman.

When the show was still airing though (and even still today) it was very common to see non-disabled fans of the show exclaiming that they honestly forget that Toph is even blind sometimes, with many people going so far as to say that she's not even disabled (and that this was a good thing). While I do think some of that comes from the fact they weren't used to seeing a disabled character as both disabled and an active participant in these kinds of stories, I do think this mostly happened because of the show's lack of, well, showing the impact of her blindness on her daily life and allowing her earthbending and seismic sense to erase the effects of her disability to some extent. It's much harder to forget a character is blind when it impacts their daily life in ways that are shown to the audience. This doesn't have to be in big, showy ways mind you, showing things subtly but consistently works way better than one "very special episode" type setup.

In the show as it is though, the seismic sense functionally gives Toph a perfect image of her surroundings until it's just not available anymore for *plot reasons*.

[ID: A black and white shot of Toph and how she sees the oponent she's fighting, with shockwaves radiating from him towards her to indicate how she's interpreting the scene. Her foe has jumped into the air and now has his hand dug into the ground of an arena, about to launch rocks towards her. /End ID]

In many ways, her picture of the world is better and clearer than what the non-disabled characters can see, leading to this feeling of her disability being erased. It may have been better though if the seismic sense could give her a general idea of big things in her immediate vicinity but she still missed the finer details, functioning at least a little bit more like a tactile/earthy-vibration version of the limited sight some legally-blind people have in real life. Things like a person's position, movement and overall pose would still be "visible" to her in a general sense, as well as big things in the environment (including things underground, since there are a few plot-points that require that), but smaller things like details about objects and creatures, people's facial expressions or what they're doing with parts of their body that have no direct contact with the ground (like their hands) is less clear. On top of this, she may struggle to detect smaller, lighter objects or creatures that realistically wouldn't cause much of a vibration at all. creatures as small and as light as Momo and Hawky for example might be detectable, but "fuzzy" to her, and anything smaller might make enough of a vibration to tell her it's there when it moves, but not enough for her to be able to tell what specifically it is without some other cue (such as sound). There are a few moments in the show that seem to imply this is what they were initially going for, but it's not really consistent, and is directly contradicted in her debut episode, "the blind bandit" when she explains that she can even "see" something as small as the ants off in the distance.

[ID: A shot of Aang, a twelve-year-old bald boy with an arrow tattoo on his head, dressed in a yellow and orange outfit, standing with Toph at night. In the foreground is an anthill will a trail of ants, which Aang is looking for. /End ID]

With an adjustment like what I'm suggesting though, she still serves her narrative purpose of teaching Aang the importance of being able to wait and listen - possibly even more so, as her needing to wait and collect more information in order to get a clearer image before striking, would back-up what Bumi tells Aang that he needs in an earth bending master. It would also still help to illustrate the connectedness of the world, a theme Toph continues to embody heavily in The Legend of Korra, while still showing the ways her disability impacts her more frequently.

When I talked about the "super-crip" trope a while back, I mentioned that one way to avoid the more harmful elements of the trope (where the character's disability is erased by their powers) is to use the ability in question more like a mobility or disability aid than a straight-up cure. The power should help them, but shouldn't make their disability redundant. People are creative and we would find ways to use a superpower or magic to help with our disabilities if it were available in real life, but what's the point of including a disabled character if you're just going to functionally erase their disability? For a character like Toph, I think this is the kind of approach that should be taken with her. Her seismic sense still helps her, but it's not a perfect replacement. (Ironically, I did use Toph as a "good" example of that trope, but I do think after this last rewatch, for the reasons I'm discussing here, I might have to backtrack that a bit).

I considered giving an alternative approach here, to keep the sensitivity of toph's seismic sense as it is in the show as is, but giving it draw-backs such as making her susceptible to sensory overload similar to what autistic people experience. However, while replacing one disability with another can work for some characters and stories, I don't think it's the best adjustment to make for Toph or any blind character, largely thanks to this also being a trope. The "blind (or d/Deaf) person who's other senses become super-human to make up for it" trope is very common in fantasy, sci-fi as well as older martial arts films, and while I'm not really the best person to cover it, I do know that members of both the blind and deaf communities have expressed a lot of frustration with it. Toph already falls into this trope quite a bit, and any suggestions I could make would have just dialled that element up to 11, and fixing one problem with another is never a good idea.

Another thing that actually did bug me for a while, even before my most recent rewatch of the show, is how Toph is treated on the rare occasions she does point out something won't working for her. There are a number of times where Toph advocates for herself and points out that something The Gaang is doing isn't accessible to her or sets a boundary to do with her disability, and she's either left behind, her concerns are brushed off or she's ignored entirely. The three most noticeable examples of this are in the Episodes "The Ember Island Players," "The Library," and Toph and Katara's segment of "Tales of Ba Sing Se."

In the Ember Island Players, Toph complains that the seats they have for the play are too high up and too far away, and she's unable to "see" what's happening on stage. Her friends don't really take any notice of her though except for Katara who tells her not to worry, "I'll tell your feet what's happening."

[ID: A shot of Katara, a fourteen-year-old girl with long brown hair and blue eyes, sitting with Toph, who is sitting with her arms crossed, annoying in a theatre seat. Both Toph and Katara are wearing red and gold, fire-themed outfits. Katara is looking at something off-screen. /End ID]

My problem here is that this particular kind of situation is something that is familiar to a lot of disabled people. Even the least independent disabled people I know get annoyed when their access needs or requests for accommodations, even among friends, are ignored and their pushback is brushed off with "don't worry, I'll just help you!" It's one of the first things that many disabled people tell non-disabled folks wishing to be better allies to us: you offering help instead of actually accommodating us isn't a good thing. We don't want to rely on others if we can avoid it, because honestly, non-disabled people often aren't very good at actually helping or in this case, relaying information to us without training and more often than not, it just results in us being left out. I find it very hard to believe a character as independent as Toph would accept that without any protest, especially considering that is pretty much exactly what ends up happening (even if the show didn't really acknowledge it). Katara never actually conveys anything about the play to Toph, except when she's attempting to throw Toph's words back in her face when she asks for clarification about the actor playing her - which ends up backfiring on her.

[ID: A shot from the same location as before, this time Toph has a huge smile on her face and is leaning on the balcony excitedly while Katara is leaning towards her, annoyed by her reaction. /End ID]

While it would have been better if Toph was actually listened to, it would have been…fine? if a justification was given for why they had to sit there (e.g. to avoid being recognised), if Katara had actually described the play for her. This wouldn't have been ideal, but it would have been better at least. In real life, many movies, TV shows (including this show's sequel series, The Legend of Korra) and other forms of visual media have an Audio Description track that does exactly that. If they weren't going to move for Toph to be able to see better, having Katara describe the play could have introduced kids to the fact this is an option. but instead it's brushed off, and I'll admit, it left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, even back in 2006.

The Library is a bit more forgivable in my opinion, since Toph is still new to the group, but in this episode, she states that she doesn't want to go inside the spirit library because she isn't able to read and therefor there wouldn't be anything for her to do. However, it still would have been nice to see her friends consider this at all before they actually arrived. They could have (and should have) still gone, but some acknowledgement that they at least thought about the inclusion of their disabled friend would have been nice.

[ID: A shot of Aang, Katara, Sokka and another man are talking while looking down at a map on the table. Meanwhile, Toph is sitting on the other side of the table, completely disinterested as she sips from a large ice cup with her feet up on another chair. /End ID]

Alternatively, I do feel like Wan Shi Tong, a self-proclaimed all-knowing-spirit or his assistants would have been able to point her in the direction of something to interest her, since he does imply books aren't the only form of knowledge he collects.

The reason I mention this though is two-fold. In real life, disabled people are very often left out of "fun" group activities, whether that be in formal settings or in casual ones, like hanging out with friends. If the episode had been framed as "the Gaang learns about the library and decides to track it down," I might have been less critical, but it's specifically framed as something that at least starts out as a kind of break for the team where they all take turns picking out fun things to do so they can rest, and Toph's access needs not being considered at all until they're already there hits a bit close to home, especially since they just end up leaving her outside. Secondly, there's also a stereotype that disabled people (and especially blind people) don't belong in academia and places of learning, such as in this case, libraries. This stereotype is about as old as the concept of organised institutions of learning, and definitely isn't unique to AtLA, but the assumption is often that disabled people wouldn't be interested in more formal methods of learning, so it's not worth accommodating us. With blind people in particular, when I've seen this in media, the premise is often "well I can't read anyway so why bother?" which Toph definitely falls into here with no push-back against the trope.

[ID: A close up of Toph and the rest of the group, Katara, Sokka and Aang standing in a desert. Toph shrugs, looking bored, while the others looks confused and surprised with the exception of Katara, who looks mildly annoyed, standing with her hands on her hips. /End ID]

It does make sense that she would have been resistant to going in, and I'm not saying this episode should have turned Toph into a bookwork akin to Wings of Fire's Starflight (another blind character) or anything. But there was a chance in this episode to push back against some of these assumptions, and I think it's a shame they missed it. How cool would it have been if Toph had mentioned not feeling welcomed in more formal learning spaces because of her disability, which was just reinforced by the way her old earthbending instructor and her parents treated her. She decides to go inside the library anyway as "backup" in case something goes wrong, grumbling about it the whole way down. Wan She Tong starts his introduction mostly the same way, saying humans aren't welcome and Toph makes a snarky comment about it. Wan She Tong, equally offended that this human thinks he, the all-knowing-spirit, wouldn't have considered something, shoots back with an annoyed comment about humans being so self-centred. He explains that spirits come in all shapes and sizes, and not all of them have eyes, but they can still access his library. She's not the first sightless being in his study, and he-who-knows-ten-thousand-things knows this too. Once everyone is permitted entry, one of the knowledge seekers shows her to a series of slates about a lost earthbending form that she can actually read (or at least, "see" the pictures on) because it's carved. Or instead of a slate, it's a series of statues outlining the form, similar to what Aang and Zuko find in the episode "The Firebending Masters". Perhaps this form is something that helps her develop metal bending later on, and lays the groundwork for Toph becoming interested in teaching in the comics.

And finally, Toph and Katara's segment of Tales of Ba Sing Se. Katara convinces Toph to go get a makeover with her as part of a girl's day. Overall, this segment of the episode is pretty nice, and I liked that they showed that a person's gender expression (in this case, being a tom-boy) doesn't mean they can't like things outside of what we usually associate with that. Tom-boys can like girly things on occasion, and vice-versa, and I think this is an example of an episode that would seem a bit ham-fisted today, but honestly, was needed in 2006. However, there's a throw away joke where Toph says "as long as they don't touch my feet," and it immediately cuts to show spa workers filing down the calluses on her feet in a way so painful several staff are required to hold her down.

[ID: An image of Toph in a bath robe being held down in a chair by two spa workers while a third scrubs at her feet so hard that she is sweating. Meanwhile Toph is fighting against the two holding her down and has a facial expression like she is in a great deal of pain. /End ID]

this might be a minor thing in the grand scheme of the show, but it's still another example of Toph's boundaries about her disability and her access needs being disrespected by her friends, which the show just doesn't acknowledge it at all. People ignoring Toph's wishes about a part of her body she depends on in a much more direct way that others do is played off like a joke in a montage of otherwise enjoyable and goofy activities and this is a very, very common experience in disability circles.

There are a number of other, much more minor issues that show up with Toph as well, such as the fact she's the only one of the main cast who never has an on-screen (or on-page) relationship. not in the original show, not in any of the comics and not in The Legend of Korra. Again, it's not a big issue on it's own, especially because in AtLA, she's young enough where it's possible that she was just not interested yet, and she does have kids in The Legend of Korra where she mentions a relationship with a man named Kanto (Lin's father). So it is implied she does have some form of relationship eventually, but the issue is that it's never shown on screen or on the page. This feeds into a wider pattern in media of disabled characters being the only ones in their respective cast not given on-screen romantic relationships in stories, and so I still think it's worth pointing out, especially since the creators have had a lot of opportunities to correct that by now.

Toph is also portrayed, pretty much undeniably, as the best earthbener in a way that, at times, comes across almost like the creators felt like they need to compensate for her being on the team "despite" her being blind. This trope is one that I think Toph, at least partially, helped to popularise with the current generation of story tellers: The Disabled Savant. In this trope, disabled characters aren't really given the same room for growth as other characters; they aren't permitted to be average or still learning, they start good and get better. If they do progress, they often become the best, which is the case for Toph. To be fair, everyone in the The Gaang is the best at their respective skill by the end of the first series, which is why I say this is a minor point. She dose, however, have the least amount of on-screen growth in skill out of the whole team. Katara starts out barely able to lift any water at all, let alone actually bend it. Sokka is skilled with weapons from the start but does get his butt handed to him a number of times by others with more experience than him whom he learns from throughout his story arc. Zuko spends most of the early-to-middle of the show having things "blow up in his face" (to use his own words) and being belittled by his family of prodigies. While Aang is an airbending and, to a lesser extent, waterbending prodigy, he fails at pretty much everything else for a while before he starts to find his confidence - especially earth and firebending, not to mention the entire situation with locking himself out of the Avatar state. Toph is the only one who doesn't seem to fail or struggle all that much from a combat perspective. She does grow and improve in her bending (she invents metal bending after all) but she never has any moments where she really messes up or even struggles in combat all that much compared to the others.

All of these points and criticisms I've mentioned are not necessarily big in and of themselves, but when looked at together, they build up to create some issues with how Toph is depicted and how the people around her treat her disability

So that's it then? Toph is bad disability rep and Avatar should be "cancelled"?

God no. Like I said at the start, I still adore Toph and Avatar as a whole, but the show is a year away from being two decades old, it's bound to have some elements that don't hold up and I think it's worthwhile discussing them, specifically because I love the show and it's characters. Despite all the negativity I've brought up, I do think there are a lot of things AtLA did well with Toph too.

I've mentioned a few times that we rarely see how Toph's blindness impacts her life outside of her bending and combat abilities, and there's a reason I made that specification. Unsurprisingly, if you know much about the show's development, the ways in which Toph’s blindness and seismic sense impacts her bending and fighting style is one area where the show really does shine, and I still think that is worth a mention. The various types of bending are based on different styles of martial arts, specifically, different types of Kung Fu. Most earthbending in the show takes heavy inspiration specifically from Hung Ga, but Toph is different. Her bending heavily references Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu, something unique to her within this world.

The reason for this (outside of simply wanting her to be visually distinct) was because the show’s creators made sure to consider what limitations Toph might have and what parts of the more common earthbending styles wouldn't work for her. Since her connection to the earth was critical in order for her seismic sense to work, they decided on a style that would keep her feet on the ground more, prioritised strong stances with minimal jumping and put more focus on attacking with her upper body. While not an intentional choice, the style they went with for Toph, according to the show's head martial arts consultant, Sifu Kisu, was supposedly developed by a blind woman in real life, at least according to legend. The creators also made further adjustments to the style with the help of martial arts consultants and just watching Toph fight is evident that a lot of love and care was put into the decisions made on that front.

I also appreciate that Toph's disability wasn't off-limits to joke about.

[ID: A picture of Toph waving her hand in front of her face with an exaggerated smile to remind the others she's blind. /End ID]

As I already mentioned, they didn't land 100% of the time, but lot of shows are afraid to use disability as a source of jokes, which would have felt weird and out of place in a show like Avatar. I see this hesitance in real-life too; people get extremely uncomfortable when I joke about my own disabilities and I've heard several people and even disabled comedians talk about the same observation. My last video on Tik Tok that got outside my usual audience was a joke about my prosthetic leg, and every single stictch and duet I received was people saying some variation of "I'm such a bad person for laughing!" "I'm going to hell!" or just straight up asking if they're aloud to laugh. If I didn't want you to laugh, I wouldn't have posted the joke! But joking about disability does make it more approachable. Despite how often Toph and the others made blind jokes though, outside of the one instance I mentioned earlier, they never felt mean-spirited or like they were punching down. Even when a very sleep-deprived Katara was intentionally trying to be.

I think it's also worth keeping in mind the context of the media landscape when Avatar The Last Airbender was airing. Today, characters like Toph are very common, so much so there's a whole trope about them (super-crips) but at the time, having a character with a major disability be a main character in an action-orientated kids show like Avatar was really rare. She wasn't the first of course, but a lot of the time, if they were included, they were almost certainly sad and depressed, wishing for a cure or they were designated to the roles of "Guy in the chair" (which is a character, usually a tech person, who helps from the background), inspiration, scary villain fake-out (or other variations of "creepy" character) or the actual villain. Having a character that was not only comfortable in her skin as a disabled person, who didn't want or need to be "fixed" or "cured" to be directly involved in the story, and who's main obstacle (at least in season 2) were how the people around her treated her, was pretty ground-breaking at the time (pun not intended) and went against the most prevalent stereotypes of it's day.

And I really want to emphasise that. For many Millennials and older Gen Zers, myself included, Toph was the first character that didn't tell us we were broken and needed to be fixed in order to be part of the group (even if they slipped up with that messaging occasionally). Prior to seeing Avatar, I honestly thought there was something deeply wrong with me for being happy with my life (a reminder, I was 10 years old when this show first started airing), because every other disabled person in the media only ever talked about how much worse their life was because of their disability, how much they hated it and how much they hated themselves. Many outright said that they wished they had died rather than become like me. Toph wasn't the first to go against those tropes, but she was the first example of a disabled character who wasn't like that many people my age saw. Did she do it perfectly? Hell no, but personally, back then, I was happy to have a character who maybe over-corrected and took things a bit too far than another sad character talking about how lives like mine weren't worth living.

I also deeply appreciated that Toph did struggle with her independence, at least initially, and where to draw the line with accepting help. Because of how much she'd been coddled and overprotected as a little kid, she saw any attempt at people being helpful and working as a team as them trying to baby her. It was very on the nose, but I liked that the show gave her an episode just dedicated to realising that it's ok to accept help. Again, this is a bit of a story telling trope today, but having the disabled character realise that it's ok to accept help, and to do it without talking down to them or saying that them wanting independence was bad, was a refreshing change compared to what was around at the time.

[ID: a zoomed out image of Toph, standing before her parents with Aang, Katara and Sokka standing behind her. /End ID]

While I think the show's creators could have benefited from consulting with disabled people and specifically blind people the same way they brought in consultants for the martial arts featured in the show, it's very clear to me that the intention behind Toph's character was good, and that actual effort was put in to make sure they depicted her well, even if some of it was a bit misplaced. It's also worth noting that the groundwork for a lot of my suggestions is already in place, they just didn't follow it all the way through. Overall, I'd say Toph was good for her time, and she's what was needed in the 2000's, even if she doesn't hold up as well today. I also think it speaks to how far we've come in terms of disability representation. When I first started engaging with the online fandom directly, almost no one, even other disabled people, argued that Toph wasn't good representation, because honestly, the bar was on the floor and we were just happy to have something different. But now there are options, and the standards are higher, and that's so, so good. It means that people, even in the media, are starting to listen and be more thoughtful about their depictions of disability than we were in 2006.

And finally, I want to really quickly mention The Netflix adaptation of Avatar. A few people have asked me now what I think they should do with Toph when they get to her, and what my predictions about the show are. I'm not going to talk about my predictions here, because this post is already way too long and that's not what this is about, but I don't think the suggestions I made today would necessarily work in this particular remake, primarily because of the tonal differences. Some adjustments definitely could, such the other characters doing a better job at listening to Toph when she points out inaccessibility and them actually considering her in the first place, but others might be harder to balance. The original show could get quite dark and serious at times, but it was primarily a light-hearted adventure story for kids. From what I've seen of the live action remake though, they're more heavily leaning into those serious elements - for better or for worse, and as such, trying to tone Toph down in the specific ways I mentioned might not balance out as well as it would in the original show. At the very least, the specifics would need to be different. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what approach they should take, that's not really the point of this post, but I did want to quickly address it to avoid confusion. My suggestions today were specifically on how to approach the cartoon version of Toph for a modern audience, and were not meant to be read as suggestions on how her live-action counterpart should be depicted.

#writing disability with cy cyborg #Wow I had a lot more to say about this than I thought (I think this is my longest post to date lol)#writing disability #disability representation #writeblr #writing #Avatar #avatar the last airbender #atla #Long Post #toph #toph beifong #the gaang #Animated Avatar #disability in media #fantasy

646 notes · View notes

annwrites · 16 days ago

Text

⸻ i want to give you oral.

· pairing: nate jacobs x fem!reader · type: one-shot (collection) · summary: you & nate are supposed to spend an easy afternoon together in his room, which starts out as the two of you just being friends, until he wants something more. · tags: oral (f receiving) · tw: emotional manipulation, gaslighting, guilt-tripping · word count: 1,410

You flop back onto Nate’s bed and rest your hands over your stomach while you wait for him to put his backpack away and stick his phone on charge.

It still surprises you even weeks later, after having become his friend and subsequently spending a good deal of your spare time at his house, that he’s so cleanly and organized for a teenage boy. Most of them… Well, most are admittedly slobs who expect mommy to take care of everything for them. Whereas Nate seems quite mature for his age.

You wouldn’t be his friend if it was otherwise.

Unexpectedly, Nate climbs onto the bed and settles his body atop your own while smoothing hair from your face.

It reminds you of the first night the two of you spent together on that football field, gazing up at the stars as the clock counted down to midnight and a new year began, which the two of you stepped into together.

He smiles softly down at you and threads his fingers in the soft strands of your hair. “I want to give you oral.”

Your eyes quickly flit between his as blood rushes to your cheeks. “As in—”

“Oral sex,” he states firmly.

Your brows furrow. “We…can’t do that. Nate, we agreed on being just friends. So, this isn’t a good id—”

He exhales slowly—his broad chest pressing in against yours; a weight bearing down against you. His silent way of telling you that’s he’s disappointed in your non-agreeable response.

“I just wanted to try it,” he whispers. “To, I don’t know, make you happy. Know what you taste like.”

He rises then, padding toward the bathroom. “I’m sorry.”

“Nate—”

“Just forget it,” he replies, slamming the door shut behind him.

You quickly sit up and most-certainly take note of his reaction to having not gotten his way. And the fact that it’s something of a sexual nature which he’s now pouting over…

You rise from the bed, pad over to your backpack, then slip it onto your shoulders.

You’ll have to find another way home, you suppose, since he’d driven you both here in his truck.

You’ll just call your mom to come and pick you up somewhere nearby.

Just as you place your hand over the doorhandle to leave, Nate comes back into the room.

His quickly notices the bag on your back. “Are you leaving?”

You waver for a moment. “You got upset rather quickly when I told you I didn’t want to.”

He comes over to you. “I know that you’ve said time and again ‘just friends’. But what if I can’t be only that when I’m with you?”

He rests his hand on your shoulder, then slides it lower, along your arm—the warmth of his palm gliding along your soft skin. “I’m not saying that we have to announce that we’re in a relationship first thing tomorrow morning at school. I just want…more.”

He curls his fingers around yours while dragging his gaze back to you.

“But that’s what we would be, nevertheless, right? In a relationship.”

His jaw ticks. “You say it like it’s some terrible thing. What, am I really that bad?”

You sigh. “It’s not about that. It’s about the fact that we’re a handful of months away from graduating. And once we have…everybody always goes their separate ways. I mean, you tell me: how many people from high school have your parents kept in-touch with? People drift apart.”

“So you’re saying none of it lasts, including friendship.”

He drops your hand. “Then what are we doing here? What’ve I been doing driving you around, inviting you to come over, buying you—”

Your eyes grow wide in disbelief. “I never asked you for any of that. You do not get to stand there and try to guilt-trip me just because you didn’t get your way five minutes ago.”

He slides a hand into his pocket to hide the fist that’s quickly forming out of anger. “I’m making a point. You don’t need to try and turn this into something that it’s not: some pointless fuckin’ argument.”

Your eyes flit between his out of confusion. Pointless argument? He’s the reason one started to begin with. So now it’s all your fault?

“I told you friends only and you didn’t listen to that. That’s what triggered all of this.”

You turn the handle. “I’m going home.”

He quickly grabs your forearm. “Wait. Please.”

You glance down to his hand, then up to him.

“I’m sorry, okay? I just… I care about you. We spend all our time together…”

He trails off and lets you go. “I should’ve known, anyway.”

He turns back to his bed and seats himself on the edge of it.

Your mouth tugs into a frown while you consider.

You should leave. You know you should. But to do so when he’s like this… Is he truly sorry, or is he just saying it to make you feel sorry for him?

“Should’ve known what?” You ask quietly.

He leans forward and rests his forearms atop his thighs, then shakes his head. “It’s nothing. Forget it. Just give me a minute and then I’ll take you home.”

You sigh, then set your bag down and pad over to him.

Hesitantly, you sit down next to him. “Tell me.”

Nate pretends to sniffle, wondering if you’ll buy it. “My whole life, I’ve felt like I wasn’t good enough, especially to my dad. And then Maddy comes along and… I thought I finally had someone. Someone to lean on, rely on, trust. We have a fight and she fucks another guy right in front of me and didn’t even feel guilty about it. And then we spend that night together on New Years and you come into my life and everything changes for the better. I just feel like I finally found something good and I’m terrified I’m going to fucking lose you to someone else.”

You study him for a moment—his slumped shoulders and the way his head hangs between them.

You’ve noticed it, in truth: his dad, the way the two of them don’t interact and that when they do, it’s only in strained looks and condescending remarks.

You slide a comforting hand up his back and caress the back his head while burying your fingers in his soft hair.

You cup his cheek in your other hand and turn his face toward you.

“You’re not going to lose me,” you say quietly. “I was lonely, too. Wanting a friend. And now I have one.”

Slowly, Nate leans in toward you.

You know you should pull back. Should stand up and leave. Because he once again is showing his propensity for doing what he wants without listening to what you tell him.

But you know he’s hurting—looking for acceptance from someone. From you.

He presses his lips to yours, then takes your face gently between his hands and deepens the gesture while gradually turning his body until you’re lying back and he’s hovering overtop of you.

He slides a hand beneath your dress, hooks his fingers under the waistband of your panties, then begins to pull.

You shouldn’t. You should instead insist once again: no. But you don’t want to hurt him.

Nate kisses down your neck and then between your breasts. He then presses his lips to your stomach before kneeling on the floor between your thighs.

And then he throws your legs over his shoulders and shoves his face between them.

And all he can think, as he fucks your beautiful virgin pussy with his tongue, is how, at least with you, he always gets his way. That you put his wants and feelings first.

In time, you’ll see how doing so is in your best interest. Like right now. You may’ve initially said no, but you can’t hide how much you’re enjoying yourself as you whine and moan and bury your fingers in his hair as he tends to you without asking for anything in return.

He kisses your pussy again and again, smiling slightly at the taste of you, knowing that this is one of the first steps of making you all his.

It began New Year’s night, in truth, and he knows it’ll take continuous effort on his part in breaking your walls down, but you’ll, in time, give in entirely. Because it’s only that: just a matter of time. A matter of time before you’re all his.

· tagging list: @emilynissangtr

#fic: euphoria (nate jacobs x reader)#nate jacobs x reader #nate jacobs x you #nate jacobs x y/n #euphoria x reader #nate jacobs imagine #euphoria x you #euphoria x y/n

77 notes · View notes

yuriisclumsy · 4 months ago

Text

𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐈𝐕 — 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚

𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐈𝐈𝐈 | 𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐈𝐕 (you are here) | 𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐕

Sub-Serie: City Outskirts Art | Timeless Treasure Concept Art

Authors note: Hi, Lovelies! It's been a while since I uploaded something to the Arc series. But here it is, at last! I have other Arcs' I've been working on, so expect a few more updates in the following weeks! PS. I'll probably post a schedule once I finish the arcs and the next two chapters for the Story.

Entrance

–The main way to enter the Divine City is by first going through a system of permission only entry given and issued by the Permission of Entry Council.

╰This Council is composed of members especially selected by her Grace.

–You have to apply to get permission to enter, with exceptions of Diplomat Permission and special Student Permission – also issued by the Council.

╰There are regulations as to who can come in, but that’ll the explored later.

–Once your permission has been approved, detailed instructions will be given to the entrance location. Even if the location of the entrance is already known to all, they still say it out of formality.

–The Main Entrance of the city is far away from the actual city contrary to common belief. Well, that is if you wish to enter by carriage or foot. Otherwise, an official boat comes around the ports of each nation every 2 weeks for transport. Hot-air balloons are also an option, though it is more complicated and expensive.

–Once inside, visitors will be given an Identification Document (ID) for recognition of Visitor Status.

–There are also guides inside the city especially for visitors. They also act like Field Trip Guides for students.

–The Hot-Air Balloon port is at a high altitude attached to the mountain the city is on. Those who chose this option will get a carriage and guide included, so it is a safe option when traveling with children.

Commerce District

–The Commerce District is the most visited place in the city. Its regulars consist of the citizens of the city and merchants, and the tourists that come in every two weeks.

–You can find all types of stores and restaurants in the district; from Sumerian cuisine to rare Liyue objects

╰Collectors usually visit Collection Actions hosted by some of the biggest treasure hunters (not to be confused for Treasure Hoarders) and adventurers out there.

Schools

–Schools… Pretty self-explanatory in my opinion. They are institutions that teach future generations. Nothing too important.

Colosseum

–The Colosseum. The second most visited place, and the most visited structure in the city. Mainly used for holding the Upholder Competition each year, the Colosseum is a place for holding big scale events. Such as, the academies introduction and orientation for first years, competitions, exams, and on rare occasions, concerts.

╰PS. For someone to get permission to hold a concert in the Colosseum, you’ll have to submit a request to the castle, and have it approved by none-other than her Grace.

Grand Library

–The Grand Library was founded by her Grace as an achievement for humanity. Achievements, published works, unpublished works, paintings, machinery, scripts, languages, everything is in here.

╰Students usually come to this library than any other because it has all they can ask for. But when outside, they will use any library they can find.

–There are a few restricted areas in the library, some having more importance than others. One in particular that no one has access to other than her Grace. No-one knows what is inside.

╰Some speculate that the answer to immortality is kept within its walls.

Castle

–The Castle is the residence of her Grace and high ranked officials. A saying about the castle says that whoever lives in the castle is automatically considered a royal. It’s been circulating for ages, many telling it to children to inspire them to achieve for the best in their fields so they can be chosen to live there.

╰Although this is fake information, those who live here are indeed treated like royals when out-and-about in the city.

–When talking to officials who live, you’d hear how they always get lost in the castle before getting the aid of Head Maid Zu or Head Butler Arias to guide them. To them, the castle is one large maze. Even General Tridalia gets lost after he takes naps in remote locations in the castle.

╰Because of the unique way the castle is structured, there is no one-way path to a place in the castle. This is why even some newer maids get lost, with even veteran butlers having difficulty when going to a new section they haven’t worked in.

Royal Garden

–The Royal Garden is her Grace's favorite place to enjoy tea when having done her work. The atmosphere is calming, with animals finding home within it.

╰Species from all over Teyvat visit.

–The garden has a lake, with rivers flowing down to the ocean.

╰All rivers in the city derive from here.

–The water in the rivers is safe for drinking.

╰People drink it when sick thinking there is healing properties in the water.

Table of Celestia

–The Table of Celestia used to be the meeting point for the gods, up until the Cataclysm, 500 years ago.

–It used to hold meetings between the devine and the mortal realm. A tree was planted there, a pledge between the two realms was formed: Mortals followed the Divines’ rule, and in turn, the Divine will protect them.

–Now, it stands as a reminder of the peaceful times we live in and those who lost their lives to achieve it.

╰It is a desolate place, not even animals come here. Her Grace softly watches from afar the table holding dear memories of time gone by.

…: ≧◉◡◉≦

???: Well, if it isn't our dear little one. It’s been a while, has it not?

…: (◡‿◡✿) *Nod*

???: Well, what have you been up to lately?

???: Not doing chaos I hope.

…: (ㆆ_ㆆ)

???: What?

???: You youngsters are capable of anything!

???: How would I know if your intentions are always pure?

…: ( ≖.≖)

???: Alright, alright.

???: I won’t judge you anymore.

…: (゜-゜)?

???: Who am I?

???: …Isn't it a little too late to ask that question?

…: ಠ╭╮ಠ

???: You want my name…Hhmm…

???: I won’t give it to you.

…: (◑_◑)

…: ◉_◉???

???: Why?

???: Simple.

???: I like the feeling of suspense.

𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚜: @udretlnea, @taurus-caeli. Re-blog or Comment if you want to get added into the Tag section for The Divine City: Arc. Back to The Divine City: Arc Master-List. Go to Story, a related series.

Back to Master-List

#genshin sagau #reader input #reader insert #sagau #The Divine City #genshin isekai #The Divine City: Arcs

21 notes · View notes

ultra-raging-ghost · 9 months ago

Note

op the best thing your parents can do is get the divorce bless, im sorry about the fighting :( i get you it's the WORST but at least you got to play a cool game🔥🔥 now cmon spill some batjokes go go go

this is the FUNNIEST ask to get without context and i feel like im finally living up to the expectations of an ao3 author, also ty anon i was just super fucking stressed, i got an hour of sleep sunday night/monday morning and then when i was at my friends place i crashed really hard and slept for 14 hours straight and it really helped but anyway okay BATJOKES

okay so i played both seasons i dont have a pc myself but my friend does and they have both seasons and brooooo..... i played the vigilante joker route and i loved it

i sacrificed the FUCK out of catwoman im ngl.... my friend was so surprised but dude i was SO DOWN BAD FOR JOHN!!!!!! IDGAF !!! i was so down bad for john the whole time dude and at the end it was like "oh you were manipulating him into thinking you liked him to get info" NO!!!! I WANTED TO FUCK HIM!!!!!!!

when harley debuted i chose the option of asking john if he was in love with me AND HIS ASS SAID NO BUT ISTG HE WAS IN DENIAL!!! PURELY BECAUSE HE BELIEVED HARLEY TO BE HIS SOULMATE, SHE HIT HIM SHE DOESNT DESERVE HIM LIKE I DO !!!!!

like at some point with catwoman i chose something like against her for john and i was in the MINORITY like it was a 95%/5% Ratio and i was in the 5% and i do NOT regret that shit ‼

otherwise aside from my mental illness about batjokes i had a lot of unpopular opinions according to the peanut gallery (my irl who was watching me play it) like im ngl i gave up batman to keep alfred like HES OUR DAD???? THATS OUR DAD RIGHT THERE AND HIS POINTS WERE VALID, IMMA LISTEN TO HIM HES SMART IDK.....

Otherwise dude... i felt SO bad for harvey (2face)!!!!!! aside from his main storyline (i was very merciful and understanding with him, actually i saved him over catwoman in that one scene so his face didnt get fucked up just his arm in the fire) i read his file on the gotham news reports and dude..... like everything surrounding him is just SO SAD

Also i cannot say this enough tbh i side with mr. freeze every time.... i may be a sucker for romance but that man was trying his hardest to save his wife and from what ive seen he does that in every iteration of batman, like he becomes a villain and gets into illegal shit because his wifes sick and idk man..... like even if he is a villain i really empathize with him??? in the playthrough i offered to keep his wife safe and alive and i took mercy on him when he got infected with the virus and i froze him, like i have confidence in him idk.... i know he probably died bc it turned out the reason the riddler survived was because of the cure that also made him go insane but like my fingers are CROSSED!!!!!

also will say the only thing id change was i was kinda iffy about taking that selfie with john at the funeral, like i didnt do it but idk..... afterwards i thought abt taking that back like dude i NEVER WRONGED that man!!!!!! he was my POOKIE!!!!!! and i lowkey feel like him going crazy in the vigilante route was pushed for by the writers bc it felt a lil.... idk..... like forced but i get it its part of the story line......./silly

my friend played the villain!joker route and from what ive heard its EVEN GAYER and they let me watch them play the last 15 minutes of the villain route so i could see how differently they handled selina and that doll scene was kinda.... idkkkk 👀 like heyyyyy/f

i also heard theres a line from harley in the villain joker route about how he could never get over me and how john always liked me better than her which was SO satisfying because i made batman so jealous over her and john hanging out like im ngl i was so up harleys ass in s2

OH OH other thing id change, i wouldnt sip from harleys slushie, i didnt understand why she was offering it to me but now that i know i wouldnt take it ngl, making john jealous was not worth that slushie !!!!!

uhhh thats all, ty anon :D

#asks #batjokes #telltale batman #if u dont know jokers name in the telltale games is “john doe” until he either becomes a vigilante or a villain #then he becomes joker

9 notes · View notes

calling4glaives · 1 year ago

Text

Guard Post: Citadel Steps

The last guard location we’re looking at (Nyx Week is next week, folks!) is the Citadel itself, where Nyx is posted for the signing. We won’t be looking at the whole Citadel (that is far too much for this post) just the exterior portions where Nyx and other guards are posted.

[[Unless otherwise noted, these screenshots were taken by @starjunco. All images have ID in the Alt]]

There are two passageways being guarded here - the gate and the Citadel itself. Nyx starts at the top of the stairs into the formal entrance to the Citadel. These steps are hardly accessible, so perhaps those with difficulty walking them (like, say, Noctis in his wheelchair after the attack) likely use alternative entrances - either around the side or below the courtyard level.

There appears to be two guards at each landing of the stairs, here, and one at the top. The lower four are Guardsmen like Petra, but Nyx seems to be the only Glaive we see on duty here.

A quick look at the area Nyx is directly posted to, showing off some interesting architectural features. There is a mix of modern and ancient - stone and glass, gold lanterns and dark columns. The knotwork and star medallions are quite interesting, as is the glimpse of the middle part of the Lucian Star above the doorway into the building itself. Other than that glimpse, everything here is laid out in strict verticals and horizontals - more greco-roman references, perhaps, especially with the Ionic capital atop the columns.

We’ll follow Nyx as he paces to see glimpses of the inner plaza. From this angle you can see the temporary scaffolding erected for the large black panels on either side of the building's entrance. They resemble the backdrop for a stage, so perhaps speakers or some type of entertainment or media coverage areas are scheduled there, or they could just be blocking off access to some of the other entrances to the building. In front of Nyx you can see the centerpiece of the plaza (we’ll have a better image later, this is just for your orientation).

Nyx completes his pace across and turns, letting us see what is beside the steps. More arches here, but the geometric motifs look somewhat like the lanterns below them. That square area could be for an elevator, but is likely just a buttress for the large building given the lack of places to stop or other support.

It’s also nice to see Lucis uses handrails, though they seem very modern even in comparison to this rather modern-looking building.

Beyond, you can see the curved walls that surround this plaza. Though they seem more defensive, they are slightly reminiscent of the colonnades surrounding St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

[[From the St. Peter's Plaza wikipedia page]]

At this point, Nyx figures out Crowe’s watch and abandons his post to race back home, so we get a glimpse of the outer gate.

This gate here could technically be the “Citadel Gate” from the signs in Nyx’s neighborhood, but there hardly seems to be 3km between them, so likely this is an inner gate of some sort. There are a plethora of banners and symbols to feast your eyes upon, but we’ll point out the greenery and tables - this is likely common space for tourists and perhaps those working within the Citadel itself, so they don’t have to leave the area directly.

Though one might expect this area closest to the center of the city and its capitol to be full of historical buildings, it seems to mainly be open spaces and modern skyscrapers. Perhaps something catastrophic happened here to destroy many of them…

It would be odd how few people are here, but there are two explanations, depending on your inclination. The first is these are all vetted people allowed within this area, and thus there are fewer total and, among them, lower percentages of protesters. The second is they didn’t want to waste money on animating a larger crowd.

Aside from the tragedy of Nyx and Libertus missing each other in the somewhat sparse crowd, this is an interesting view of the rest of the Citadel area. The building in the background is perhaps the same one found in, well, Founder’s Square seen as the Glaives returned to the city at the beginning of the movie:

It is, of course, possible, that this is a common building style in Insomnia, but judging from the proximity of the Citadel behind it, it likely is the same structure. This could be the ever-elusive Citadel Gate, though it's still not quite 3km from the Citadel.

The gate here is simple but lovely. Its main identifying feature is these statues. Matching ones appear on the Citadel itself, visible through the gates. The figures appear to be feminine, and the hood and the golden belt might indicate some sort of formal role. These could be akin to the angelic figures from the hotel roof, messengers, priestesses, or (with the white and gold coloring) could represent the Oracles, though they are not usually depicted with the hood.

The elongated hexagons seem to be somewhat of a motif across this whole area, interestingly enough. A sign of the Astrals or their favor, perhaps?

As delicate and pretty as this gilded gate is, though, the road spikes indicate this is intended to be an actual part of the security, as does the massive thickness of the walls on either side.

Back inside this gate, Petra briefs the guards in the plaza before the Citadel. The citizens appear to be wearing far more white than usual - a sign of formality among non-nobility, or an appeal to the Oracle, perhaps. Or a concession to Niflheim and peace, as Aldercapt often wears white to contrast the Lucian black. Or, honestly, a concession to the heat and the black buildings and glass all around them turning the plaza into an oven.

Two guards appear to have replaced Nyx on the upper landing already, so at least there’s that. Perhaps that’s why Petra got pulled up.

This is just a cool look at his uniform.

Looking back at the now open gate from the inside as the Niffs approach. It appears to have the same design on both sides.

Nyx also missed Pruvia in the crowd, but that’s more understandable. There are also some more blond Insomnians, for your worldbuilding needs.

This lovely aerial view of the plaza shows the layout of the center area, the bridges, the sidewalks the pedestrians are standing on, and the lower level below them.

There are interesting designs visible from this angle, too. Is that red carpet always there, or was it painted/tacked down special for this event? The tiles on the first landing are also lovely, and impossible to see in other shots. Is that rectangular part just before the pyramids some sort of tomb of the unknown soldier, a king’s memorial, or some sort of plaque?

The arrows are also odd, given that Lucians drive on the right inside and outside Insomnia.

Here’s the promised look at the center of the plaza. The glass pyramids are interesting – perhaps they project light for some sort of display or show? Or just help prevent people from driving straight at the Citadel.

Beside the blurry Nyx among the crowd, if you squint you can see Aldercapt and Ardyn getting out of the car, along with their aides.

The main council members appear to have come out to greet them, though they don’t look particularly happy to be here.

Neither does Regis, looking on from the windows above. Of course, we know that to be the proper attitude for what’s to come.

But your doom is not yet set! There are still five days before Nyx Week 2023 starts! Good luck!

#NyxWeek2023 #Nyx Ulric #Kingsglaive #ffxv #Final Fantasy 15 #deep dive

33 notes · View notes

firewalkzwit · 1 year ago

Text

runt // jonathan crane x reader. (10)

Chapter 10

cross-posted on AO3

masterlist

Bloodshot eyes tried to stay open at the expense of aching tear ducts. Bruce Wayne had documented his night on his journal before his sleepless memory erased important details. Though he knew he wouldn't forget her, he still wrote down his close encounter with the unfortunate victim of Scarecrow. He felt greatly irresponsible to leave her to her fortune where he did, in his irrational impulsivity forgetting to even make sure she could drive her way out. From his screen stared back at him the same captivating face that he'd seen before, remembering why he was stunned stupid beyond the standard ID procedure. Bruce was hardly the type to be unethical during his rather unorthodox nightly activities, yet he was overwhelmed by guilt. It soon clicked as he scanned through her connections that she was the younger sister of a low category goon that used to work for Carmine Falcone, who had recently died. The same guilt washed over him, she was alone and surrounded by misfortune. Dates coincided with the ambush on Falcone's men at the dock, it was like two plus two for him to deduce the cause of death, which he chose not to bother to check. Guilt.

His record failed to provide any information on where she worked, which only made his prying more difficult to serve his ultimate goal; locating her. The last time she had worked officially was as a janitor in Gotham University four months ago. Although one is innocent until proven otherwise, the Batman often needs to resort to expecting the worst out of everyone, but Bruce Wayne wasn't allowing the mere idea to cross his mind. Guilt kept washing over him followed by a wave of empathy, feeling oddly connected to her. She was just a kid, alone in the world. Her brother had been her caretaker legally for as long as he'd been an adult, and it was all the family she had, or used to. Both Bruce and her were lone runts, losing the people most important to him to matters of fate, yet he felt the familiar feeling from his childhood of having blood on his hands lingered. Batman on the other hand, held the belief that compromising oneself for money had its consequences, and her brother got the worst end of the lottery of unfortunate outcomes. It felt unfair to think she had to pay the consequences of God's gamble on her life. Guilt. Guilt. Guilt.

Bureaucracy is not exempted to the multimillionaire Bruce Wayne, especially because all the privileges he could potentially favor from were revoked when he moonlighted as the protector of Gotham. He wasn't a fan of making calls and use of his contacts anyway, as Bruce was considerably detached from Wayne Enterprises and all its stakeholders. When Batman had to explain to Gordon why he needed the help of the police influence to contact Gotham University about Y/N, it bothered Bruce to lie to Gordon about her being a suspect on the fresh case they had on Crane. In a way, he had the necessary arguments to back it up, but the innocence of his lie was cleared by the motive of his sin.

Two nights passed since he last saw her before he met with Gordon again to receive the information he needed. The last record of her home pointed to a small condominium in the outskirts of Park Row. Ouch, dark memories for Bruce which he'd rather not approach unless necessary, but everything was too close to home for Bruce to let himself turn the blind eye on the young runt. Besides, he insisted to himself on it having nothing to do with Batman, believing firmly that he responded to his duties.

The place was dreadful, one of the most unapproachable places in all of Gotham, and for a city like it, awarding it the 'most unapproachable' title was a big deal. The Batman prowled looking down at the dismal building where she had her home. The condo was small and cramped, three buildings stuck together with the architectonic style of a working class London flat, only smaller, and hers in the left corner. The three buildings had for pillars convenience stores and under hers a humble Chinese laundry shop. As he approached, it was more Bruce than Batman hoping that he'd find her safe, and clear his conscience.

Y/N hadn't heard of Dr. Crane for the past two days since he'd been in her apartment, and while at some hours of her days she'd feel her disdain for him dissipate, it would occasionally come back to strongly strike in her a desire to drown him in the water she boiled to serve him tea. It was unpredictable, and she knew she needed to pull herself together before her feelings took over her decisions. Engaging with Dr. Crane shouldn't be any different from her job as a waitress in the 44 Below. It all served a greater purpose, she'd tell herself. She simply had to smile and take it easy and repeat the phrase in her head. Her eyes were immerse in the television as she watched from afar, seated on the small kitchen table as she chopped tomatoes for an insipid salad she'd eat with the chicken breasts she had recently grilled, a frugal meal it was. The last time she had delighted her taste buds with good food felt longer than it was, but in reality it had been roughly about four months ago, dates she'd rather not think about unless it was to remember how much she hated Batman.

The kitchen knife in her hands suddenly trembled in her grip, stabbing the cutting board as a noise outside her balcony startled her. The window was open, letting out the nauseating and invasive smell of the chicken on the griddle pan. The silence of expectation, waiting for another sound to invite her curiosity to look outside, was composed of long seconds, and it took no more than a minute before the lack of discretion of whatever lurked in her debatable portion of property practically begged her to look. She placed the knife on an approachable distance as her slow walk, similar to that of a hunter, approached the window with growing terror as the suspense prolonged itself. She sprinted and rested her weight on the wall beside the window, her arms glued to the wall as her neck and head peeped to the side to look outside the open window.

It was easier to expect a unicorn to fly into her apartment than what (or who) did. He was discrete, unlike when he was outside her apartment. Shocking to see someone with the stealth of a feline move, as usually those with such a talent for discretion were not seen, as they would hide under the shadows. The shock was too much for Y/N to bare, she couldn't dare to breathe, paused on a sharp inhale and frozen against her wall with her eyes wide open. Her nostrils flared as she debated on whether to jump and reach for the knife on the edge of her table, or stay where she was, but before she could gather the courage to do anything at all, the vigilante turned as he perceived the presence he suspected, confirming her fear once their eyes met; it was the Batman.

"I'm not here to hurt you." The familiar soft yet raspy voice scratched her eardrums unpleasantly. She hated that voice, clandestine and almost inhuman. Although her body battered on her chest to yell at him to get out, she was petrified. What could she do? It was too much to process, and she was glued to the wall still without a limb moving, shocking he was able to see her in the shadows despite her immense secrecy product of her fear. Seeing she was still immobile, he slowly began to approach trying to not scare her, but then again one can approach slowly trying to calm the opposite party, or approach slowly like a hunter prowls furtively on its prey before pounding. Her senses suspecting the latter, she slowly began to walk as well, semi-crouching as her head tilted trying to discern if it really was him. As she finally reached a safe proximity to the table, her impulses got the best of her, and she got a rapid but clumsy grip of the kitchen knife which she held onto the tightest she could. Her tense muscles and flexed arm pointed the weapon at him, and her agitated breathing hesitated.

He remained still, displaying no signs of being startled at the threat.

"Move and I'll cut you... Real ugly." She threatened, yet her voice lacked conviction. Her tone trembled and sounded insecure, but both knew that fear was bound to impulsivity, and impulsivity was bound to disaster. The vital parts of his body were protected, and she was no fool to omit this. Yet the gesture her fingers did drawing a circle around her chin seemed to indicate the obvious; if she were to feel threatened by any movement on his behalf she'd cut his face. Or that's what she thought, since it took only a second before his unmatched speed caught a grip of her wrist and spun her around, pressing her back against his chest and her own wrist under his control, the knife was close enough to her own face to cause her to gasp. She winced at his manoeuvre, the tightening on the muscle under her scapula caused by the sudden stretching of her arm that moved her entire body still felt sore after being released from the tension. His forearm was significatively stronger than hers, and she couldn't battle against him even if she tried, she felt foolish to have even attempted to point a knife at Batman himself, known to take down men with guns unarmed many times.

"Let go of me!" She squirmed under his grip, which only tightened her body against his cold, shielded chest. Her head against his neck, she could feel the sharp bone of his jawline against the top of her head.

"I needed to make sure you were alright."

"I don't want you checking on me, pervert." Batman needed only the grip on her wrist to move her around like a puppet, as he spun her around again using his other arm to tighten her chest around his, her arm flexed so tightly against itself her forearm ached at the tension. Her hand held the knife still, the bottom of the weapon grazing Batman's hand wrapped around her wrist. The keen edge of the knife had a dangerous proximity to the Bat's cheek, and in his physical power he rested an immense trust in that she wouldn't do anything, she was too afraid to. In a way, the knife was also terrifyingly close to her as well, as her face was close enough to his to feel his hot breath on her nose and mouth. Her derisive response was followed by a long silence which was staled by the sound of the television, and their fast-paced breathing, almost synchronised.

"It's dangerous, you here on your own." His voice finally spoke with its usual severity, it felt like he was scolding her rather than looking out for her. Frankly, she wanted neither from him, she only wanted to cry, feeling overpowered and surrendered to the man she wanted to unmask and force to face public condemnation, although at that very moment she just wanted to choke him to death. Realistically, she only got her way on one of her many irrational desires; and it was to cry. She broke down, impotent, her grip on her knife weakening as the weapon dropped down on the floor. Her whole body softened, and she only remained standing thanks to Batman's hold on her. She weeped like an infant, and she felt like one, a runt.

He hesitated. He hardly ever hesitated, but display of emotion was not his usual pick from the deck of options he had when he chose to react. His hand travelled from her back to her face, his gloved thumb caressing her humid cheek in an attempt to comfort her. She flinched at his touch, a soft caress from the Batman, to her, felt like whiplash. She recoiled and struggled, trying to free herself from his grip.

"I said let go of me you murderer!" Y/N screamed as her head shook uncontrollably, she was displaying an authentic tantrum and was out of control. Having Batman so close and under complete sobriety, unlike their first encounter, didn't get from her the heroic response she expected from her own emotions. She had hoped that if she ever encountered the Batman, she could trick him into surrendering his identity, and that under his own dread he'd beg for her to kill him, and she'd comply. The scene in her apartment was nothing like she pictured, seeing the man she blamed for her brother's death only triggered in her erratic responses and an utter display of surrender to her terror and trauma. Despite her state, he complied to her urges, her body collapsing on the floor as she sobbed on the verge of hyperventilating.

"You're not safe here." He repeated like she was slow, which only irked her further.

"I don't need you telling me to know that. Why do you care?" Her voice trembled, exacerbated. "Why do you care!?"

He didn't answer, he couldn't. She knew, and she knew he knew she knew. She could tell he felt guilt, and wanted to wallow on how his emotions leaked from him, she wanted to hear him say it to give her pride satisfaction, and her ache a partial fulfillment. He had killed her brother, and as if he was trying to torture her, invaded her space. Laid on the ground like she did when the police gave her the news, her tears dropping on the cold wooden floor.

He longed to hold her and comfort her, and in a way, comfort himself. It was Bruce who longed to hold her, he wanted to find solace in feeling understood by her, even if she hated him for it. He felt selfish, guilty. Yet he wanted to hold her in his arms like he hadn't wanted something in so long, hold himself. To see her sobbing as her arms wrapped around her knees, trying to find the contact of something warm in her own body felt like seeing himself, and it anguished him.

He failed to tell she didn't just hate him, he was fuelling her dread even more.

#jonathan crane #scarecrow #jonathan crane x reader #scarecrow x reader #batman #the batman #nolanverse batman #batman begins #bruce wayne #bruce wayne x reader #batman x reader #cillian murphy

18 notes · View notes

ask-team-misfit · 1 year ago

Text

Curiosity Didn't Kill the Cat, but We're Not So Sure She's Coming Back

Imagine you were on your way home from work. It's been a rough day. Maybe your boss was ranting about some nonsense that'd only make sense to close-minded people. Maybe you have that annoying coworker that got on your last nerve, and you have to cover for them like always. Or maybe you're just not that fond of your job to begin with, regardless of the likeability of your peers and superiors.

Or maybe you quite like your job, but a break would be nice. Anyways.

Imagine making your way back to the solace that is your home, be it messy, or very clean, and everything in between.

Then you turn a corner to hear this.

??: "E-excuse me. Um, I just need to g-get by… please?"

CRUNCH.

There goes another car.

??: "Oops…"

It was evening, the last leg of rush hour. Typically in this part of the Sciliva region, let alone in most places of the world, one wouldn't expect the appearance of a twenty-something foot tall Twileon trying to make her way down a busy street barely wide enough to accommodate her. One may not also expect, upon beholding the above scenario, for the giantess to successfully do such a thing without some sort of accident or some element of chaos to otherwise ensue; in which one would absolutely be correct.

While such accidents have been limited to the destruction of property for the moment, her appearance alone soon attracted a crowd. Reactions ranged from disbelief on part of her being some sort of hybrid or mutant Pokemon, to displeasure from her blocking traffic, and everything in between. Some even took to recording the event with cameras, or reporting on it. Some yelled at her directly.

Speaking of yelling, she heard a lot more of it right then, regarding that smashed automobile. When she spoke again, she sounded even more hushed and timid.

[ ID: A grayscale drawing of Pikavee gazing down with unease at a crowd of people before her. Among the crowd are characters from other ask blogs, featured here as cameos. The characters and blogs in question are listed further below. Pikavee's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

??: "Oh, I know I'm m-making a mess… a-and I'm really, really sorry…"

Surely with self awareness that she's disrupting the commute will come the realization that she probably shouldn't be here.

But the giantess, Pikavee, persisted anyway.

[ featuring the following characters: Hendrik and a bonus Sol doing the pointing Wojak meme from @ask-sarah-and-co ; Venus from @borealis-siblings ; Kats from @luckykatsranch ; Iris from @phantomguild ; Monarch from @ask-noonescity ]

[ next ]

Character page for Pikavee reestablished unlocked.

16 notes · View notes

kath-artic · 4 months ago

Text

realization ☝️ (writing this down for my therapist but u guys can be nosey if u want lol)

ive realized this before, but i dint think ive ever actually let it set in. my shame surrounding frivolity with love certainly stems from my dad, and my fear that changing will delegitimize me comes from my mom, but why do they bother me so much? why do they hold that kind of power over me? even my first ex eho made me ashamed to have a body, why should i care what he thinks? the thing is its none of them that concern me, they may have planted the seeds, but actually i think it was someone who had such a profoundly positive impact on my life, someone who i respect so deeply, that has made me as afraid as i am. my other ex who treated me with such kindness, who helped me in so many ways, its hard for me to admit that he did anything negative. but theres one thing he did. he was so afraid of loving me. he always made a point of telling me that things might not last forever because he was afraid i had dreamed up a world where he could never leave me, that i was going to try to trap him. the first time we said i love you was the only time we said it because he was afraid that id come to expect to hear it everyday if we said it more often. the only pictures we have together are ones his friends took or ones his mom took. our entire relationship practically only exists as a memory and one that already took place during borrowed time (ie covid lockdown). i am constantly justifying the significance of this memory because im afraid he's decided that it was all a mistake. and i continually make a big show of my belief that impermanence =/= insignificance because i dont want to scare other potential partners away. because im afraid theyll all think like him. and i see this guy who i have such a huge crush on post pictures with his girlfriend and i think "oh they must be getting married one day. he wouldnt take pictures with her otherwise" because ive decided that everyone else thinks the way he did.

and sure, a huge part of this mindset is just me and no one else. not him, not my parents, not the people that abused me. a lot of it is me projecting my own fears. but i think thats easier to accept than admitting that he ever, ever hurt me in any way no matter how small. i dont want anyone to recolor my memory of our time together

2 notes · View notes

animegoil-vnc · 1 year ago

Note

💭 well you knew this was coming :) headcanons about hmmmm. idk, literally anything relating to shiguang that you haven't already talked about! :D

Okay so I know I'm insanely late on this, buttttt, I did write a lot of them to hopefully make it up to you! They're all about their college years because I'm still fascinated by the concept of what their lives look like outside of the photo studio.

(Even though I can't think about it too hard because why the heck would they live in the dorms when their college is seemingly in the same town and they already have a place to live?? I guess it hasn't actually been confirmed that CXS and LG lived in the dorms, only QL with Xu Shanshan, right? And somehow QL is a year older and LG is younger but they all graduated at the same time? And was college two or four years if they're 21/22 but have been out of college for two years?? I've stopped trying to make sense of it...)

So without further ado, Shiguang College Headcanons™:

Lu Guang majored in business because that’s what his parents expected and he really had no prospects for himself otherwise. He minored in photography both because he was inspired by Cheng Xiaoshi and to share classes with him.

Cheng Xiaoshi always knew he’d major in photography, but after he decided to open his parents’ studio he decided to also minor in business.

So at any point during their college years they were sharing at least two classes.

LG was always jealous of the passion CXS had for photography - he was interested, sure, but he found he wasn’t passionate about *anything*, really. But photography was soothing, especially because he couldn’t read the ones he took, and he enjoyed spending that time with CXS so he kept taking the classes instead of switching to something else.

As part of their photography assignments they spent a lot of hours in the darkroom. Sometimes Lu Guang would just hang out there silently or take a nap while Cheng Xiaoshi finished developing photos for his more advanced classes. It’s also where they had their first kiss.

Lu Guang definitely had to help Cheng Xiaoshi with the business classes. Qiao Ling took accounting and finance, so they had one or two classes that overlapped, but either way they tag teamed Cheng Xiaoshi and gave him shit for how bad he was with numbers.

Cheng Xiaoshi drove them crazy because he always had a camera on him, which meant going *anywhere* with him inevitably took twice as long because he kept stopping to take photos of things that caught his eye. Usually this wasn’t a problem unless Cheng Xiaoshi was being quiet, because that meant it would take them a moment to realize he’d been left behind at the last corner taking a picture of something interesting he found.

Lu Guang secretly finds CXS’s leather camera harness extremely hot.

Cheng Xiaoshi had a phase where, finally freed from being in school with people who knew about his parents and his behavioral problems, he tried to befriend as many people as he could and go to parties and generally revel in his charm. Eventually, he realizes those superficial moments and relationships don’t leave him anywhere as fulfilled as a movie night with LG and QL, and somehow he also ends up second guessing how much he’s actually wanted and welcome at these parties and so he feels just as lonely as before. Unfortunately, Lu Guang has to deal with a drunk and maudlin CXS way too many times before he figures it out and stops.

QL, being a year ahead of them, tries to impart all her wisdom onto CXS and watch out for him more or less as she always has - and is surprised when LG has basically beaten her to it. Announcement that student IDs need to be replaced by end of the week? LG has already told CXS. Reminder to fill out the form to change a class to pass/fail grading in time? LG’s already reminded him. CXS wakes up hungover? LG already gave him aspirin, water, and some solid food by the time QL shows up. It leaves her feeling off kilter and oddly jealous for a bit until she accepts this is a good thing - and LG’s not perfect so he *does* need her help with him still.

CXS is on the basketball intramural team - LG occasionally joins during practice or if they need an extra player, but he’s on the literature magazine club instead, reading entries and voting on what will make it to this year’s publication. QL doesn’t stick to one club for long, but volunteers across several, which means she has a huge network of people she knows. At one point she serves as the student council treasurer.

So uh... there you have it, some scattered college headcanons lol

#link click #asks #elibean #animegoil fanfiction

12 notes · View notes

hypnofantasma-asks-and-doodles · 1 year ago

Note

questions about wonder because leader of my fleet is wonder and i wonder (boooo) how some stuff works

Konrolo sits in a little warehouse underground and has monitors set up in various different places around the world- courtesty of the shadow vani, silohwu.

Does the wonder sembla have a radius? Could Konrolo look at the monitor of new york and go "hmm i would like that building to be eviscerated", and then an army of gators crawls out of the sewers and starts destroying the place--- or does she need to be in that area for it to take effect?

Does wonder have a timer? Does it happen at a random time after the user wishes it to be or does it happen instantaneously? How much control over this would the user have?

Can a wonder user just... wish for something to happen at any given time and place to anyone and have it happen? Like "i wish Ranodio would just fucking. Explode rn" while she's on the moon and he's on earth?

How much focus and willpower (as well as psionics) goes into that?? What's the limit for it (like how plasma users can't.. summon a star.)

ALSO SORRY THIS ASK IS FUCKING GARGANTUAN i just dont wanna mess up her writing cause shes such an important character and id hate to spread misinfo on a semi public project /gen

1) Radius - All psionic abilities have a ranged radius based upon visualization, which also means they can affect areas they see in live cameras. The absolute cutoff is anything on different celestial bodies- you cannot be on the moon and affect something on Earth. HOWEVER- even with the ability to affect things via camera visualization, it takes more Will strain. The effects will be weaker and/or cause more mental willpower on the user, and likewise anything that's closer and in a tangible proximity will be stronger and use less willpower.

2) Timer - This is down to energy vs matter manifestations. If psionics conjure something that requires constant application, like a fire, a bolt of lightning, or otherwise doing an effect that's an energy, it will have a "timer" in the sense that once it is cast, it is done and cannot be repeated. If Wonder conjures a physical object of matter, the object stays until someone else removes it- same goes for every other sembla that summons energy or matter

Wonder also can't fully control the effects. Whatever's summoned will be summoned and "aimed" towards the desired task, but after they've been conjured, anything can happen and they can't be redirected or controlled directly

3) Wishes - Wonder cannot control the means (only cause Some Thing to happen), and the more specific and extravagant the desired outcome, the more strain it causes the user and the more focus it'd require. also like above, the absolute range cutoff is celestial bodies, so you can't be on Big Rock 1 and affect someone on Big Rock 2

4) Willpower - The more willpower one has, the more Big Things their manifestations of wonder can be. Wonder is commonly cast in the form of sudden small weather events, animal swarms, some piece of the room warping, a freak yet realistic accident, a freak UNREALISTIC accident due to warping, clownish shenanigans (like pulling 30 fuckin miles of cloth from your pocket even though that shit wasnt there before), something in the room suddenly gushing water, etc. of course, they get WAY more dangerous and complex, but thats the general common gist

ACTUALLY for a good example of media using Wonder - think of Discord from MLP as a VERY VERY strong Wonder user! also maybe the entirety of Alice in Wonderland. that'd be a whole Wonder user get-together

Wonder is a VERY fickle and VERY hard to use sembla, which is why good Wonder users are an absolute force to be reckoned with. Average wonder users (good example of an average or bad wonder user, Shmendrick the Magician from The Last Unicorn) are just sorta seen as silly lil magicians, or are kwaiz who prefer brawn over fancy psionics; only using said psionics to give a good ol jumpscare when you least expect it

#wonder #sembla #psionics #faniwo #fani

12 notes · View notes

nozomuaoyama · 9 months ago

Note

I don't think I know much about your OCs (yet) but I would LOVE That's Not Normal with whoever of them you see fit!!

Not me doing this so late it ends up a Femslash February prompt...

Day 2, please be gentle.

Caitlyn liked Amy, as weird as the other girl was. She'd just appeared near their school one day, with no ID or records, as far as anyone could find.

"Amy?"

"I don't understand. Why wouldn't you leave?"

Caitlyn doesn't question her, just nods for Amy to go on.

"I mean, I have given you nothing. I came from nowhere. All I do is follow you around. And you want me around."

Amy Chan, she'd given her last name as, and that was way too generic for Caitlyn to find anything about with her Google skills. It's not like she's a professional detective, anyway, so she supposes it doesn't really matter.

"I'm used to you." It's the first thing that comes to mind. "I like you, and I want to keep the things I like. Is it that hard?"

Caitlyn supposed that the only way it could actually be a problem was if Amy had been a criminal or something, but as far as she knew, everything about Amy was very tidy and put together. It was a little scary.

Amy fidgets with a lock of her hair. "...that's new."

She'd asked several times about names Caitlyn had never heard of and could barely find information about, other than several of them having disappeared months ago in foreign countries. They're desperate, and maybe they're the only desperate thing about Amy. But right now, Caitlyn's pretty sure she needs someone else.

"Yeah, well." Caitlyn doesn't smile. She doesn't really do that. She just looks at Amy with her half-bitten lip and nods. "You're new."

---

Amy is very quick to learn math, even if she might have started at division. She gets stuck on trigonometry, though, and Caitlyn really, really can't help her.

"Just look it up on YouTube. Especially this kind of problem."

For an irritating moment, Caitlyn thinks she's offended Amy, that the other girl will come running out of her house and never come back. It's not like there's any better place. The foster home is bad enough.

"What's YouTube?" Amy cocks her head to the side slightly, and the loose strands of hair from her pigtails fall over her shoulders.

"...you're weird. You don't know what that is, but you know everything about anime?"

"I don't know anything! I've never actually seen any! I-It's just that—" Amy lets out a little gasp. "Don't get mad!"

"I'm not mad." Caitlyn's tone is still even, like it usually is. She's not sure she knows how to be otherwise.

"It's really hard to tell!" Amy's hands are on her face, and she spreads her fingers just a little.

"It's just what, anyway?"

"I...knew someone who was really into it. He'd talk about it all the time..." She sighs. "That's why. I don't know anything about it. I've never seen an episode of anything."

"YouTube's a video sharing site. I'll show you."

"Sight? As in…" Amy gestures to her eyes.

"No, site. Website. Why are you so clueless?" Caitlyn runs her fingers through her hair. It's weird, seeing someone like this.

Amy isn't normal. She isn't okay. That's all she knows. But she can do better.

"It doesn't matter. I can learn. Please, be gentle whatever–"

"I don't hate you. I never will." She gives something of a nod. "Just stick around. I want you to."

---

They're in P.E. Amy hasn't known the time-tested "walk just enough for the mean girls not to take note of you" strategy, which Caitlyn thinks is probably to be expected. Most new kids don't know, either.

She hasn't stopped, either. She's outlasted pretty much the whole class at this point. Including the jocks. Her pace is even, and although her face is red she's still going, going, going, like she'll die if she stops.

"Chan!" the teacher barks. "Quit it!"

Amy skids to a stop in front of the mats, then rams her head into one.

Somehow, this doesn't make her any worse at the rest of the class. She's not good. She needs all the tiny rules of basketball explained to her. Travelling. Three-pointers. Free throws. But she can manage. As well as Amy ever manages, anyway.

Caitlyn is glad it's their last class of the day. She doesn't have to bother with showers.

"Amy?"

"Yes?"

"Don't shower. The water here is terrible."

Amy takes a look at the shower cubicles, then gives a confused nod. "…looks…never mind."

"Anyway, they'll probably call you gay for it."

"Gay?" Amy frowns. "Why would liking girls be bad? Unless you're r—need to control the bloodline, anyway."

"No, it's just…lots of reasons. They're bad ones. Just don't."

"So…it's okay to like girls?"

"It's very okay."

"Good." Amy shoves her towel and soap into her backpack. It somehow still doesn't look full. "I'm going back to the house. Um…can I see you tomorrow?"

"Where are you from?" Caitlyn asks. It doesn't follow. But she has to know.

"I live across town. You can't get me back."

"That's not—I know I've asked you and you've never answered, but you can't just do these things!" She's breathing hard. She's screaming. She's doing anything and everything. There's no one else here. "Just tell me."

"It doesn't matter. It's not like you can do anything about it."

"We can go back—"

"No, you can't. Just quit it." For once, Amy is mad.

It's a strange feeling, seeing her mad. Caitlyn wants to tear her hair out and scream and do a million things at once. But all she does is know.

"Someone hurt you, right?"

"Yes, but...you can't do anything to them. I can promise you. No one in this world can." Amy's words are careful, and maybe if Caitlyn paid a little more attention she'd know exactly just what she was talking about. But the details don't matter. What matters is…

"I can do something to you." She holds out her hand, and Amy takes it.

#me #badthingshappenbingo #minifemslashfeb2024 #no relation to the td amy before you ask #this one's a good girl

3 notes · View notes

endcant · 1 year ago

Text

ive seen a lot of speculation by aesthetics commentators (a strange existence to acknowledge) about why some zillennial gays seem to connect a lot with natural imagery despite the ~*cottagecore aesthetic*~ being increasingly associated with white cishet (& frequently xtian) traditionalism. many many possible explanations are acknowledged but theres parts of it that mean a lot to me but which i rarely see acknowledged

first of all, being gay/lgbt/queer is really beautiful and natural. and there are a lot of forces in society that seem to want to stomp out all the beautiful and natural things in this world for the sake of short term profit or power. this is the case at least in the US, but likely in other places as well.

i think there are a lot of other groups (nonwhite and non-traditionalist and non-white-traditionalist) that also connect with the idea that nature and natural things are worthwhile, even when they are not considered worthwhile to the white/cishet/evangelical/colonial/etc powers that be.

i feel this especially in this time when a lot of technofuturistic developments are being backed by famous self-serving billionaires and other various navelgazing silicon valley plutocrats that are still following the “move fast and break things” ethos, even as they move quickly onto breaking things in the human brain, in infrastructure, in politics, in labor, in housing and feeding people, in the ecosystem and so on.

furthermore, i think a lot of lgbt+ people long for privacy in a way that the always-on social media panopticon we live in straight up doesn’t allow. basically ever since tiktok came on the scene, there seemed to be a surge in gay interest in times when you could just disappear and live your gay life somewhere entirely else, without having to deal with everybody you once knew messaging you about your new pronouns or partner or whatever. yeah, those vague “old times” fucking sucked in a lot of other ways (i would not actually want to hack it as a cowboy i would be shot to death by some zachary taylor type for riding my horse while brown or id die of heat exhaustion or getting kicked in the head or some shit. also reading about the 1800s is depressing in a billion colonialist ways) despite all that, it feels like there is nowhere to run now. there is no “other place” to escape to, because numerous forces are trying to make all places into one big horrible homogenous place. speaking only technologically, people will film you for looking weird in public and post it thoughtlessly. people will dox you BECAUSE it’s dangerous to your life and livelihood. our technological present is not a great situation for lgbt ppl, queer ppl, gnc ppl, and people who otherwise awesomely and naturally differ from the ridiculously numerous and specific expected societal “norms”.

sometimes i want to live in a cave and only be seen by spiders and mosquitoes for the rest of my life. this would likely be both unbearably slow and unbearably laborious living, but at least i would not be at risk of being put in danger for being seen in public. this is not a statement of traditional or colonial values or actual intent to stake a claim on a cave somewhere. it is just tough to be gay and trans and fat and neurodivergent and visibly nonwhite while living in the panopticon. and i have to come up with an escape fantasy besides dignified death to write in my little journal about.

there are so many reasons for people who are not libertarians or fundies or tradwife girlies to long to stop and smell the roses one last time before they’re gone. and you feel it so much more when you are part of a beautiful and natural community (or multiple beautiful and natural communities) that fundies and traditionalists and racists and the other assholes of the world really really want to wipe out, which happens to include gays.

obviously (i hope obviously) this all applies to so much more than just hs gays. i just keep seeing it treated as a mystery that lgbt+ ppl are interested in natural and “cottagecore”/“grandmacore” imagery. even tho there were tons of gays and poc and disabled eco-punks and DIY advice-givers and trans mlm cowboy kids and whatever else in the space that would eventually become the cottagecore space on tumblr in the 2010s before that controversial name ever came about.

#draftsposting

2 notes · View notes

pulaasul · 2 years ago

Text

Freeloaders or Squatters C6 - Ukiyo Ace

Ace was determined to save his mother, even if it meant cutting all ties to the people he had gotten close with in this era when his supporter told him to meet somewhere he didn’t expect.

Tycoon’s place.

A/N: Shoutout to @narashikari @askrikkaiandhyotei for coining the term “Berobaa-san” that I am using in this fic XD. Also shout out to @flaim-ita , @chancellorxofxtrash , @rainixdra , @tokuteasings and @maou-the-tree because a lot of their responses have contributed to this idea XD

C1 C2 C3 C4 C5

FFN i Ao3

------

"Tycoon's place?" Ace raised an eyebrow as soon as he read the nameplate by the door.

The last time Ace met Tycoon was after saving him, his sister, and Na-go from Buffa's rampage. He didn't regret saving the three of them, and they did bond over some soba some time ago. It's apparent that the other Rider wasn't angry with him, not anymore at least.

The anger on Tycoon's face before he met his apparent end at Buffa's hands really got to him when every bomb of information was dropped on their faces.

Then his mother's innocence was so apparent to him when he finally saw her and that producer just denied all of that.

Then the game master confirmed everything.

Ace didn't really have a chance to knock as Tycoon had opened the door before he could even do the courtesy knocking.

"Tycoon."

For whatever reason, Tycoon wasn't angry upon seeing him. He was simply resigned and opened his palm at him.

"ID core."

"ID core?"

Ace had to admit, Tycoon asking for his ID core wasn't something he expected. In fact, he didn't expect anyone to ask for his ID core at all.

"Ziin-san is already inside, his Rise Cartridge is on the table." Keiwa gestured towards the table near the doorway, and sure enough, there was one Rise Cartridge on the table.

"Why?"

"Beats me," Tycoon shrugged. "Lately all of the supporters have been meeting in my house."

"All of – Including Beroba?"

"Who do you think revived me?" Keiwa raised an eyebrow. "Used some sacrifices to revive me?"

"My mother is innocent."

"Just give me your ID core and you'll be inside meeting with your biggest fan."

Seeing nothing could be lost if he would just give Tycoon his ID core, he acquiesced. He was immediately let into the man's house, making a mental note where he put his ID core: near Ziin's Rise Cartridge.

"Geats, what do you think of the meeting place?" Ziin asked as he drank tea from the couch he was sitting on.

"Why?"

"Kekera has suggested that we meet up here from time to time."

"And you agreed to it?" Ace couldn't help but ask the home's owner.

"I prefer to identify them as freeloaders or squatters," Tycoon shrugged. "They have been eating our food, and using our appliances; all without paying a single yen."

"We don't have money," Ziin helpfully added. "At the very least the things we trade with don't have any equivalent in this era."

"And you're stuck babysitting four entitled people –"

"Hey!"

"-Former or otherwise, for free."

"Pretty much."

Ace made an attempt to reach for his pocket when Tycoon interrupted him.

"And before you pay for yourself and for Ziin-san, just know that if you're paying for Ziin-san, you also need to pay me for Beroba, Michinaga-san, and Neon-chan."

"Your supporter's not included?"

"He's mine and Nee-chan's supporter," Tycoon shrugged. "We could at least take responsibility for him."

"He could also go for Kyuun's idea of forcing the Kurama Zaibatsu to fork him cash because he's technically doing their work for them." Ziin supplied.

"And deal with their lawyers? No, thank you, I know how the system works in this era."

"Beroba's right, there's Samas," Ziin offered. "Technically, she's running the Desire Grant Prix, or the Desire Royale in Niram's absence."

"She does know her way in the present." Ace hummed.

"What guarantee do I have that I won't end up like PunkJack-san?" Tycoon looked Ziin straight in the eye.

"None!"

Beroba slammed the door open, placed her Rise Cartridge on the table where Tycoon put his ID core on, and skipped towards the couch and lounged on it.

"You know, had Kekera-san been here, he'd actually order you to take off your boots." Tycoon stated.

"Too bad, he's not here yet." Beloba stuck out her tongue.

"Not that I care," Tycoon shrugged off the blatant disregard of etiquette in his home.

"Excuse me?"

"Didn't I tell you earlier? She's here squatting."

"Squatting is still a harsh word, Tycoon." Beroba pouted.

"I call it like I see it." Tycoon shrugged.

"I thought they would just be here most of the day and then go to who knows where," Ace admitted. "I certainly did not expect them to take over your household, Tycoon."

"Eh, you gotta live with your cards." Tycoon continued shrugging off the situation he was in.

"They're not just eating your food, are they, Tycoon." Ace's eyes narrowed.

"Like I said, they're freeloading or squatting."

Before Ace could even react some more to the absurdity that he was witnessing, someone unexpectedly spoke and interrupted their conversation.

"Sakurai Keiwa-sama."

Everyone jumped a little at the new voice. They looked in the direction where the voice came from, behind Tycoon, and there was Tsumuri holding a piece of envelope.

"Tsumuri-san? Eh?"

"Nee-san? You just enter into other people's houses?"

"Not like it's the first time she did it."

"Not like it's the fir- Nee-san!" Ace couldn't help but exclaim.

Sure, he may have forced Tsumuri nee-san to 'become his family' but that was with the belief that his mother was among the DGP's staff.

In the end, he was right, just not in the way he imagined it was.

But still, his sister, entering other people's home, other men's homes just like that was something he did not expect.

It didn't sit right with him.

"As Navigator, I am obliged to learn what each and every player is doing and see if they're leaking information about the Desire Grand Prix."

"I was wondering why no one was reprimanding Tycoon when he made video diaries of his first game." Ziin hummed. "During the game no less." He chuckled.

"Because she was already spying on me," Tycoon sighed. "Why are you here? I'm not even filming a diary now."

"It has come to our attention that most of the Kamen Rider supporters have gathered in your house, as we cannot permit a Desire Grand Prix participant to become a member of our staff, we instead opted to give you this as compensation for housing and entertaining the Kamen Rider supporters in our stead."

Tsumuri handed Tycoon a piece of envelope.

Tycoon opened the envelope only to see three blank checks, one was under the account of the Kurama Zaibatsu."

"And money and accommodations aren't going to be a problem for us," Beroba laughed. "I knew giving that idea to Kyuun and Na-go would net us this result."

"You're just so good at reading people, are you, Berobaa-san?"

"We only ask that you only take a million yen from each check, and you itemize any and all expenses the supporters have incurred in your finances."

"A million yen!" Tycoon exclaimed.

"And I thought after dying, nothing would startle or surprise you anymore, Tycoon." Ziin unhelpfully pointed out.

"THIS IS A MILLION YEN, ALL IN ALL, I AM GETTING THREE MILLION YEN!" Tycoon began yelling. "How am I explaining to the police where I got all of this money?!"

"Isn't that why they gave you a blank check instead of writing the amount themselves?" Ace couldn't help but point out.

"Have to say, Tycoon, you're giving me one hell of a good time!" Beroba just laughed at Tycoon's predicament.

"Shut up, Berobaa-san, none of you could understand the predicament I'm in right now." Tycoon fired back.

"How about writing two hundred thousand yen for each check?" Ace offered. "Most ATMs offer that as the highest amount to be withdrawn."

"Of course, the star knows that tidbit." Tycoon actually scoffed.

"I'm just helping."

"Maybe we can replace this old dingy TV." Beroba pointed out.

"Yeah, no, this is solely for your expenses." Tycoon shook his head. "If this had been my personal money, I would have donated half of it to charity."

"Which still leaves you with one and a half million yen," Ace pointed out. "What are you going to do with the rest of it?"

"If you think this amount of money will make me withdraw in the Desire Royale, you've got another thing coming." Tycoon stared at Geats with determination.

"Don't forget he is still the goddess's son." Beroba helpfully reminded everyone in the room.

"Oh shut up, Berobaba," Tycoon growled. "While I cannot forgive the goddess for the sacrifices made to grant wishes, to revive me, I could not be angry at Ace and Neon-chan, who are merely products of those wishes.

"Baba?!" Ziin sputtered out a laugh.

"Baba?!" Beroba indignantly reacted to the disrespect.

"This is a surprise." Ace couldn't help but utter out.

"You really believe that I would be angry at you just for existing?" Keiwa raised an eyebrow.

"The way you grabbed my collar suggested otherwise."

"Still, if you shut down the Grand Prix, I couldn't get my daily dose of misery." Beroba pouted.

"Don't get me wrong, the Desire Grand Prix needs to burn to the ground," Tycoon growled. "The Goddess just needs to resurrect everyone it has sacrificed to grant the various wishes of various Desire gods in the past."

"What if, what if that's too tall an order for the goddess of creation." Ziin pointed out. "The DGP has killed a lot of people."

"If that would be all," Tsumuri decided to make her presence known before anyone could even react to Ziin's question. "I'll take my leave now."

"Why don't you join us, Tsumuri-san, I am already cooking for your brother and for his biggest fan, may as well right?"

"Right, nee-san, come join us."

"If you would have me." Tsumuri sat next to Ace.

"What would you like to have, Tsumuri-san, Ace?"

"Let's see how good your Kitsune Udon is, Tycoon." Ace smirked.

"Hai, hai, Kitsune Udon for me too!" Beroba interjected.

"Jaa, I will have what Ace is having." Ziin helpfully supplied.

"I will take a Kitsune Udon as well, Sakurai Keiwa-sama."

"Now THIS is a surprise, everyone ordered one dish."

#kamen rider geats #ukiyo ace #ziin #beroba #ace ukiyo #keiwa sakurai #sakurai keiwa #freeloaders or squatters #story #tsumuri

5 notes · View notes