#can't even read my book i borrowed from the library

[todaysromano]

10.14.2024

Today, Romano took a shower and was happy with his soft hair.

Arab.com link

[totallynotreadingatwork]

Told myself I was only going to read books I already owned this year because I have a massive stack in my bedroom I need to get around to reading, so that means no library books (sorry library), no borrowing from other people, and no buying new stuff (unless it's part of a series I'm partway through).

Thus far, out of the 50 books I've read this year, the breakdown is a follows:

Borrowed books; 7

Library books: 23

My books: 20

And of the books I've read that are actually mine there are 5 that were bought this year.

Oops.

[erwinsvow]

𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬

summary: how you and rafe got started <3

author's note: if i could stop losing my brain cells over rafe cameron for a minute that would be great but i can't so here it is <3 this is mostly cute but in the shea cinematic universe this establishes the beginning of what can only be a hopelessly codependent relationship <3 more parts to come! also none of this would be written without the surge of inspo i get from reading every single one of @princessbrunette's posts but in particular this one, this one, and this<3 one!

now spinning: one of the girls by the weeknd & jennie

Rafe’s always thought you were cute. 

Cute, he’d think to himself in passing, on a hot summer day when he was getting ready to take beers from the fridge and go find the boys at the country club. He didn’t need to steal anything, the waitress at the club always gave him whatever drink he asked for, but he just felt like taking them from the house today. 

You were dawdling around the house with a bored Sarah, all dressed up with nowhere to go. Sarah was texting on her phone, likely engaging in a virtual fight with Topper. He’d feel bad, but the two of them did it to themselves. You were at the counter with Wheezie, leaning on your elbows while the two of you discussed something. He didn’t really care, until he met your eyes for a second. 

Cute. The way you met his eyes and then looked away, face heating up. You were in a bikini and a coverup, probably waiting for his sister before spending the day on the beach or at the pool. The cover up was white and see through, covering everything to the point where no one could see anything but the faint yellow of your bikini underneath.

Leaning on the counter, when you looked away, he got a glimpse into the top of your dress. He could make out little yellow flowers on the material of your bikini and the outline of your tits squeezed against each other. 

He grabbed a beer and opened it with his back tooth, spitting the cap out on the counter next to Wheezie’s book.

“Ew, Rafe, get your spit molecules away from my book.”

“Who reads in the summer anyways? You should be glad for my spit if it makes you stop.”

“It’s my summer reading, Rafe, not everyone can just skip their assignments and get away with it.”

“Please, what have I skipped?”

You and Wheezie turn to look at each other and start laughing. He cracks a smile too, unexpectedly.

“Actually, it’s a great book. You’re missing out, Rafe,” you say, with a smile gracing your face, and he realizes he’s never actually heard the sound of your voice. You’ve maybe said hi to him twice, and both times Sarah had dragged you away within seconds. You even sound cute. His name on your tongue sounds even cuter.

“Really? Maybe I need to give it a try.” You laugh again, meeting his eyes this time. 

“You can’t have my copy, I already put my annotations in this one-“

“Stop yapping, Wheeze. I’m not gonna take yours.”

“Actually you have a copy in the library upstairs. I borrowed it last summer.”

“Really, kid? Wanna come find it with me?”

Your face heats up so much you turn away. He smiles then, and he smiles again when you follow him up to the library.

“This one is fantastic too, it’s about this young girl in England-” your voice continues to describe the plot of the book in your hand. You shelve it and then your eyes immediately land on another, another classic, another favorite. You ramble off the description but Rafe’s hardly paying attention.

He’s trying to recall when you had become so cute, so pretty. He thinks he’s never noticed you after you walk away with Sarah, or when he walks away from you two lounging on pool chairs, your nose in a book like always.

This is different. When had you become so irresistible?

Your pretty hair falls down your back. It sticks to your neck when the two of you are outside in the sun, in the heat. He has an urge to lick the sweat off just to see how you’d blush and feel how you’d squirm. Your eyes are warm and bright, but you’re still too shy to meet his blue ones, even when it’s just the two of you.

And it has been. Just the two of you, recently, almost all of the time. Sarah’s always off with her stupid friends and Wheeze is at home doing her summer work. 

The two of you travel to every ice cream parlor in the eight in the next few weeks. Conversation comes easily, even though you have nothing in common. He hasn’t picked up a bag from his dealer since he started talking to you, he realizes. Hasn’t felt the need to get high.

You’ve never even smoked weed, much less snorted coke. You’ll drink at a party with Sarah, but not too much, and you always end up being the sober friend holding back the vomiting girl’s hair. At the bonfire that he invites you to, your eyes keep darting around, seeing if anyone needs your help. 

Rafe moves so he’s standing right in front of you, blocking your view.

“Hey, kid,” he says quietly, leaning in. You’re boxed in, with Rafe and only Rafe on your mind. The clean, attractive scent of his cologne. The way it lingers on his clothes, like the button up you’re wearing over your pink dress.

He picks up the red cup in your hand and places it on the log beside you, balancing his beer next to it. His hands are cold from the bottle but you don’t mind much. He takes your wrists first, holding them in place, and then slides down so your hands are touching. 

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” You were looking down at the hands, where the two of you were connected, but his voice makes you look up. He’s looking at you, and you want to hide your face. Your fingers twitch beneath Rafe’s grip. He holds on even tighter. “Don’t look away, princess. We gotta work on that, huh?”

You feel your face heating up at the nickname. You wish you were home so you could scream into your pillow.

“Sorry, sorry,” you scramble, trying to look up but you can’t find the strength or the will.

You’re embarrassed. Of course you are—this is Rafe, and you’re just you. Rafe is the one you’ve had a crush on since you knew what crushes were, and you are still the awkward little thing you were the first time you met him. 

His gaze burning holes through you makes you want to run and hide. Because this is Rafe, and right now you’re one of his girls. The ones Sarah’s complained about the whole time she’s known you—they get too attached, act all clingy, and then are replaced before long. 

You hear Rafe’s quiet laughter. You’re still boxed in, feeling hot and clammy even though he’d given you his button up not thirty minutes ago because you felt cold. 

“What’re you saying sorry for?” You look up quickly, and then look back down. Then Rafe’s hands leave yours, and he holds up your chin until you’re looking right into his eyes. “Hmm?”

You feel like puking. 

“I-I just, well I just-”

“You just what?”

“I don’t think I can be, um, be one of your flingy, uh fling-type girls. So, you know, maybe all of this isn’t a good idea.”

“Fling-type girls?” he questions. He’s holding back a laugh, which makes you irrationally upset. You shove hard against his chest to free yourself from the cage of his arms. 

“Yes, your fling-type girls. You have a new girl on your arm every week, and everyone knows it, and I refuse to be one of them, because it’s just embarrassing and dehumanizing,” he watches you ramble on. He smiles, but you don’t notice. “And frankly, I deserve better than that.”

“Are you done?” You glare back at him.

“Yes, and not because you said that. I was done anyway.”

“Good.” Your face drops for a second, thinking you overstepped and totally overreached regarding his intentions, but then Rafe surprises you—he leans in and kisses you. 

You weren’t expecting a playground peck, but the way he’s kissing you completely surpasses any and all expectations (and fantasies) you’d dreamt up. His grip on your hips is hard, and his tongue is almost down your throat. It’s messy, and wet, and when he pulls away, there’s strings of spit connecting you to each other. 

You should wipe your mouth before anyone sees, but you don’t. Your heart is racing, and you can barely speak, much less move. 

“If I wanted you to be one of my girls, I wouldn’t have spent the last three weeks listening to you blab about books and buying you ice cream. You’re gonna be my only girl, and that’s that, okay?”

You nod dumbly—words and motions still not quite back yet. You feel flushed. People’s eyes are on you both.

“Now, do you wanna head out and go get a cone?” You nod again. “Good girl. And watch your mouth.”

[prettealolilol]

I feel like as a reader and someone who grew up poor, Jason doesn't really pay attention to was he uses as a bookmark. Of course he has a handful of those, birthday and christmas presents, or simply gifts from when Bruce first found out the kid loved reading and wanted him to feel at home. And since the man is rich and emotionally constipated, he bought Jason really expensive bookmarks, like one made in China with a really detailed dragon carved into the wood, or another one embedded with little diamonds from France. Jason doesn't really understand, because a paper would be enough, you know ? There was only one bookmark Jason had truly felt overjoyed to have : one that belong to Jane Austen. Needless to say, Bruce had almost cried when Jason hugged him tight, smiling like he was trying to rival the sun. (When Jason died, Bruce framed the bookmark and put it in one of his desk drawers. When Jason came back, and they were on better terms, he went to his son place and put back the bookmark. When Jason came home, he found a birthday gift awfully wrapped up on his bed. If he cried while holding the bookmark, no one needed to know.)

Back to the point, Jason doesn't really care about what he uses, as long as he doesn't lose his page (although he almost gutted Tim when the boy folded the corner of his book. Instead he shook him like a puppet, telling him about how disrespectfull he was towards books and writers.).

---

Tim, pocking his head in the kitchen, where Alfred is busy cooking and Jason is reading : Has anyone seen my budget report ? I left it on the table in the library this morning, and I can't find it.

Jason, not looking up, shrugging : No one cares about your reports Timbers, no someone would have move it.

Tim leaves, sighing. Later, when Jason goes to close his book and reach for the paper he was using, he realises he was holding said report. Alfred raises an eyebrow. He must have taken it when he picked up the book in the library.

---

Damian, barging the cave, clearly annoyed : Todd !

Jason, repairing his bike : What, demon brat.

Damian : Tell me this instance if you have taken my sketchbook.

Jason, looking up : Why the fuck would I have your sketchbook gremlin ? Your dog is more likely to have run off with it.

Damian stomps back into the manor grumbling about Titus being more polite that Tood could ever be. Jason decides to ignore him. Later, when he's done with his bike and picks up his current book for some well deserved reading time, something falls with a thud when he opens it. Apparently he was the one with the sketchbook and used it as a bookmark. He didn't even realised. He'll have to find a way to give it back without the baby demon knowing.

---

Jason and Cass are sitting on the couch when he remembers he left his phone in his room and is expecting some informations. He looks around for something that could keep the book open, finding nothing.

Cass is staring at him, signing : Looking for something ?

Jason stares at her hand for a few seconds, before shrugging. He takes her left hand, the closest one and put it on his book : Don't move just a sec, i gotta go get something.

Cass stares at his back incredulously. When he comes back and take back his book, she just shakes her head, a fond smile on her lips.

---

Bruce, walking into the living room where the kids are playing : Does anyone have 20 bucks I can borrow ?

Jason, snorting : Aren't you, like, the richest man in the country ?

Bruce : I need to pick up something and they don't take card. There was an issue with the bank so no money can be withdrawn. I put a 20$ bill in the kitchen but I can't find it.

Dick, standing up, taking his wallet : I've got you. You owe me now though.

Bruce, slightly smiling : Sure chum.

When Jason get back to his place in the next morning and drops on his bed, he pulls out the book Tim had recommended a few days ago (although nobody can know he's reading it). A 20$ bill slips on his bed when he opens the book. He takes it, putting it his back pocket.

Jason, grinning : It's sad he didn't even try to find it. It would have so satisfying to watch the great Batman look for a bill hidden in a book.

---

Jason is helping Alfred bring the groceries to the kitchen, because no one in the godforsaken rich family should be trusted with food or anything to do with cooking.

Duke, shouting from the library : Why is there a dictionary open in the middle of the library ? On another book ?

Jason, who hadn't had the time to look for a proper bookmark : It's so I don't lose my page.

Duke, still shouting : Why a dictionary though ?

Jason ignores him. He doesn't have to explain himself.

---

Dick, at Jason's door : Hey little wing, have you seen my blue swe-

Jason, looking at his phone on his bed : What ?

Dick : You're the one who had it all this time. Seriously Jay, why don't you just ask- Why is there an open book underneath ?

Jason, shoting up : Don't touch that ! You're gonna make me lose my page.

Dick, blinking : Don't you have like thousand of bookmarks ?

Jason : Shut up.

---

When Stephanie breaks in Jason's apartment, he is grumbling about babysitting while bringing his med kit. She reaches his couch and suddenly she's laughing so hard she ends up wheezing on the floor. Jason doesn't understand why, until she stands back up slowly, taking her phone out to take a picture. Jason doesn't know if she's laughing at the book mark that is in fact a mug, or at the mug itself. It's clearly holding on for dear life, put down in between the pages, absolutly not stable. He then receives a text on the children Batman kidnapped 's groupchat, seeing a picture of a mug with Batman's signature bat symbol and the inscription 'this mug survives longer than Robins' (actually, Tim has a matching one with the inscription 'bats don't kill... coffee might', but no one needs to know that.).

[ppssession]

Wonderful freedom

In a long time there used to be a group of demons that lived in the human world. They were extremely lustful demons but sadly their bodies were not attractive to them. These demons that craved hot bodies came to the human world. They often lured many humans into falling for their sweet offers. Humans who fell for their sweet offers would eventually have their bodies snatched away. These demons would then possess humans.

Legend also says that it was so greedy for male genitalia that it didn't care whose body it belonged to. Kings, royalty, knights, peasants, and many others were possessed by the demon and used for sexual purposes.

Fortunately, at one point, the world of those demons was sealed off by a group of people with special powers, and the stories of demons possessing human male bodies were gradually forgotten.

When he finished reading, Brandon closed the book. “These legends are so ridiculous, where in the world would there be demons possessing men for sexual purposes?” Brandon complained about the collection of stories he had rented from a bookstore.

The handsome young man, Brandon, put down his book and prepared to go to the library to return the boring book he had borrowed.

Shortly after Brandon returned the book, he began wandering around the large library, looking for interesting books to take home and read.

But suddenly the library became dark. Even though he wondered what was going on, he continued walking to find the book he wanted to read. He walked back and forth in the darkness where he could see things.

After a while, he found a strange-looking book. It was a black book with an eye in the middle. At first, Brandon thought it was just a fancy book with just plain paper inside.

But as he was about to walk away, his mind felt strange, as if his body was being led to open that book, his mind ordered it to be that book, he slowly walked over to touch the book, when he picked it up, he felt that something was definitely going to happen, but he still couldn't stop himself from opening the book.

When he opened it, he looked inside, there were countless unknown characters, and those characters slowly floated out, they gathered together and turned into a large smoke, as the large smoke in front of him rushed into his body, a large amount of smoke entered his body through his mouth, causing Brandon's body to twist, his muscles twitched, and his eyes rolled back.

The book cover slowly crawled into the smoke, and the strange-looking book turned into an ordinary book.

Brandon's body, which was inhaled by the strange smoke, slowly twisted his muscles and moved his neck a few times before speaking with an evil smile, "I confess, I'm free now. That stupid seal only locked me for a few hundred years. Do you think I can't wait?"

A demon that desires a human body like mine can live for hundreds of thousands of years, it wouldn't know. The demon possessing Brandon replied yes as his body rubbed against it. "Wow, it seems I hit the jackpot, this body is insane, these muscles are making me horny," a large tent formed between Brandon's legs.

But unfortunately, I don't have enough power. I'll let this guy control his body for now while I take my time to recover and devour him. Haha, after speaking, Brandon's eyes rolled back and forth, he regained control of himself, and he couldn't remember anything about the strange book. "What happened? Oh yeah, I got the book from the library. Oh, I can't remember. Never mind, let's go home."

After that, about a month passed. แบรนดอนกำลังนั่งสบายๆ อยู่ในบ้านหลังจากทำธุระมาทั้งวัน เมื่อเขารู้สึกแปลกๆ ในท้อง

“Ahh, what happened?” Brandon’s body didn’t listen to his commands, it started moving on its own without his control, his muscles tensed, his penis hardened uncontrollably.

His hands were rubbing his body, now Brandon's mind was spinning, instead of being afraid, his mind was enjoying this feeling, the feeling that something was slowly taking over him, his eyes rolled back, that was the last time the real Brandon was conscious, suddenly his eyes returned to normal.

I'm so horny

The devil has taken over Brandon's body.

Okay, I have to deal with my hard cock first. One hand unzipped my pants and pulled out my big, thick, long cock from my pants.

His thick hand lightly touched the large cock, the other hand played with the nipple that was on his shirt. The moans of a man possessed by a demon echoed throughout the room that only he could hear.

Soon, the new Brandon was chasing after the climax, the speed of his hand was increasing, the rhythm was becoming unstable. In no time, the moan of the possessed man was heard along with the semen flowing out of the tip of his cock. “Ahhhhh.”

Brandon took a weak breath, this was his first release after being sealed away. He picked up his phone and found news of a new park being built in a nearby town. “Oh yeah, that’s where another one of my friends is locked up. I should probably go help him out, since he has the same taste in body possession as me.

Then the devil took a photo of himself with his new hot body a few hours later. The new Brandon was busy masturbating all night long.

After finishing, I must say that this story will have a sequel where Brandon will release the demons that are imprisoned in various places. Let's see what kind of demon friends the new Brandon will meet. See you, bye.

[zainnaprollyloveslevi]

"Got you, Love."

Satan X Reader

Summary: Out of pure boredom and maybe out of curiosity, you decided to play a light prank on Satan while he was in the library. However, he manages to turn the tables on you, reminding you why you shouldn't bother the avatar of wrath.

Warning: None, just fluff and no-brain writing. I don't know Satan that well (yes, I HAVE played the game, and I do still play it. I just pay all my attention to Leviathan) so this might be a little OOC. NOT PROOF READ. Short. GENDER NEUTRAL MC/READER

Word Count: 1.1k

Extra: This was a suggestion from tiktok! TYSM FOR BEING PATIENT!!

You didn't really think this through? Did you?

You sighed as you watched the blonde demon in front of you, a good distance from your sulking form. His pretty lashes crowned his eyes, the green hue seeping through like sunlight through blinds under the light of his own room, reading a book you two bought last week. He's obviously ignoring you. You pout, sigh, anything to get his attention. But alas, you have been reduced to background noises. You give up, resting your chin against the round wooden table. He had cleared out this table, which was once a place where old books were discarded to make way for you.

All you could do was stare at the figure in front of you as he flawlessly ignores you. You thought it was a good idea to prank him a little– just a smidge. He always looked so cool in public, upright and well-put, you wanted to see what it was like to startle him or get a strong reaction out of him that wasn't angry out in public. So, while he was returning the books he read in the library, you decided this would be the perfect moment to startle him. A stack of books rested upon his hand, his arms straight to keep the books steady. He was too absorbed in returning the books he had borrowed to notice your form. You didn't tell him you'd join him in the library. As soon as his hand picked up the book from the pile he was carrying, you jumped out from behind the bookshelf and yelled,

“Boo!”

His shoulders tensed, startled by your sudden presence. Unfortunately, this was enough to send the tower of books he was cradling, tumbling down onto the floor as he took a few steps back. Eyes lingered on the two of you, curious by the sounds of chaos in what was supposed to be a place of silence. A few shushed you two. You chuckled nervously, realizing you might have gone a few steps too far. He slowly turns his head, leering at you from over his shoulders. He was glaring at you angrily. Your fight or flight senses kicked in, and you bolted towards the exit of the library. Eventually, you felt bad, slowly walking towards his room, knocking on his door, apologizing through the solid that blocked you two. And yet, all he did was unlock his door, let it open a little, and go back to his spot, reading his book.

And here you are, regretting your actions from earlier deeply. You decided to try again.

“Satan… I'm sorry…”

Nothing. Not even a hum or a cough, just nothing. He's totally giving you the silent treatment. You sigh, resting your cheek on the old table.

“Sataaaannnn!”

He only blinks and flip the page. You feel the need to be more annoying. You'd find a cat and use that on him but the doors closed behind you as soon as you walked in. Like a boss level room you couldn't exit until you finished the quest. You then sit up.

“Come on, I know you can't ignore me forever!”

He finally puts his book down, you sit up straight thinking it was a sign he was finally acknowledging you, but he instead gets in his bed and covers himself in his blanket. Was he seriously going to sleep you away like you were some light cold?? You wanted none of that. You get up and march towards the bed and the lump on the bed.

“Satan! I really am sorry! Please don't ignore me… I'll do anything, just don't be mad anymore!”

Suddenly, his hand grabs your arm, pulling you into his bed, you yelp at the strain on your joints as you are forced to lay down near him. He glares down at you, looming over your strained form, sitting up to have your head close to his lap.

“Anything?”

Your face heats up, you cough as you try to sit up.

“Anything WITH LIMITS- ah!”

He doesn't let you sit up. His grip on your form was strong.

“Satan, let go!”

“First you beg for forgiveness, then you have the nerve to order me around?...”

You fall quiet, looking up at the demon in front of you. Well, at least he's giving you attention.

“...An apology won’t do, MC. That does nothing to soothe my anger...”

He trails his hands over your head, playing with every strand of your hair ever so gently.

“...You know this, and you know this well.”

You swallow a lump in your throat. You feel your heart racing. The gentleness of his trust betrays the roughness of his voice. He continues,

“You are the only human aside from Solomon who would do something as idiotic as irritating the avatar of wrath.”

Silence. You said nothing. All you could do was stare, feel afraid, and hope he chooses to spare you. Yet deep down, you liked this. The soft light of his room hits his back ever so gently, the shadow looming across his face made his eyes seem brighter than they were. It would be rude to say this, but he looked angelic, heavenly. If he were the demon who would lull you to sin like a sweet lullaby on a cold night, you'd be on your knees for forgiveness almost every hour. As scary as he was, he was beautiful.

Then, out of nowhere, he chuckles. A soft, teasing chuckle.

“Did I do good?”

You blink twice, confused.

“huh?”

He lets go of you. He chuckles once more as you sit up.

“Did I scare you?”

You were being played for a fool.

“Satan! I really thought you hated me!”

“Impossible.” He then sighed, thinking back to the moment you startled him.

“Well, at first I was annoyed at whoever thought it was a good idea to play me for an idiot at the school library, but after seeing it was you, I just let it go.”

He cocks a smile, as if bullying you for falling for his antics. “You were whining and begging to be forgiven so much that I couldn't resist getting back at you.”

You huff, genuinely annoyed but relieved that it was all just a set up prank to get back at you. He continues to speak. “Or… did you think I was arrogant enough to feel annoyed for being slightly humiliated?...”

He tilts his head back slightly, an intimidating look on his face. “...Don't you think that's something Lucifer would do? Are you, out of all people, comparing me to Lucifer?”

You jolt, trying to explain that that wasn't the case. However, he chuckles once more, amused by the different reactions you were giving him. He sighs.

“Got you, Love.”

[shootfromthehipobsessed]

My SFTH Experience!!!

I was lucky enough to see Shoot From The Hip live at the Komedia in Brighton last night and it was AMAZING!!!

In fact, I have so much to say about it that I'm going to tell you about the entire day, both before and after the show, but I'll put it below the cut in case thousands of words of me being obsessed isn't what you followed for haha!

Okay, I'll dedicate 5 minutes to my Boring Normal Morning before diving into the wonderful world of SFTH!

Morning: I actually did rewatch some SFTH videos on their YouTube channel (I couldn't resist!) but I also watched David Lynches 'Blue Velvet' and was horrified, but hey it's a classic I thought I'd at least watch it to have an opinion! Then I went to the library to return 'Love In Exile' by Shon Faye (I highly recommend this and her other book) and in turn borrowed a copy of 'Brokeback Mountain' by Annie Proulx (although I think other stories are included; I started reading it on the train). I would proceed to leave it so deep in my bag that I didn't even start to rummage for it when they asked for books...

Journey there: I took the train and it was maybe half an hours journey for me, which is why I love when they aren't up in London as I'm saving a fortune in train fares! (I just missed the after school rush too!)

In Brighton: I visit Brighton every now and then, so I only arrived a couple hours early and got a Greggs sausage roll for dinner (vegan because they didn't have any others and honestly, it was surprisingly nice!) which I ate whilst waiting in line. Then I had a mooch around town, managing not to buy things I didn't need (win for my wallet) before getting in touch with a friend I planned to meet (for the first time) at the venue.

At the Venue (and a Very detailed account of the evening):

I didn't recognise the lovely group I was meeting with and waited alone with my sausage roll at the back of the queue for a while, until they kindly waved and we were united! But I'll circle back to that in a minute, shoutout to the boys behind me who A) Had already been drinking B) Kept joking that they were alcoholics then C) When one of them said something dark and serious about not seeing the point of life, his friend just replied 'It's okay we're seeing Shoot From The Hip' because that was Real!

The folks I met with were absolutely phenomenal and just such lovely people! I was immediately welcomed and thanks to them got to sit up front with an amazing view. Plus I was very kindly gifted a little bracelet with 'Krampus' in letters across it, since I mentioned that 'Divorces and Teddy Bears' was my favourite longform! I will treasure it forever (I don't wear jewelry because of sensory things but it's a lovely fidget and so precious to me)!!! I also met the older gentleman who I've seen in the crowd of so many videos which was fun! Basically, this community is just as lovely in person as you are online, and I can't thank you enough for that as somebody previously apprehensive about going alone!

We were literally one of the first groups in, I got a little stamp on my arm (does anybody else with scars feel very self conscious when they do this at events?) which I was sad to wash off later and we sat at what Sam called 'tables like a viking long hall' which is a very apt description! We got 3 seconds to rotate our seats though so it all worked out but it was an unusual set up! We had an hour to wait until it started and I didn't get any drinks or food because I knew they'd be ridiculously expensive and I had my water from home. Also, I was so excited I probably couldn't have kept down more than my sausage roll!

At this moment, I came to realise how Loud it was. The speakers were pretty much above the table next door (next to us) and I wished very strongly that I had brought my ear defenders (note for next time!) so if you're planning on going and know you can get overwhelmed by noise, do not be like me and think 'well I'll wear some headphones around Brighton and it'll be okay at the venue because it's them talking, how loud could it be?' you have to account for the hour of Very Loud music beforehand! Why not wear my normal headphones? I feel rude, plus they don't block out much at all.

But! I took 5 minutes to chill in the toilet (loved the set up, instead of gendered toilets the signs just showed 'urinals and cubicles' for on and 'cubicles' for the other, they even mentioned how many! So if you're a gender neutral toilet user you will be able to piss here! Luckily I can cope alright with overwhelm on my own (I like to think so anyway), I was just a bit quiet which I can live with.

Then they came on, we were held in suspense for a few minutes and it was literally magical!!! I can't even describe how amazing seeing them live after months and months of watching them on my little phone screen was, I actually started shaking. I wanted to jump and run laps of the building but y'know, that's impolite so I stuck with my fidget (another note: glow in the dark Tangles are amazing but in a dark venue I felt rude, as if it might be too bright, so it was under the table a lot) and basically vibrating in my seat! The speakers finally quit the music only to be replaced with microphones that felt like stabbing my ear drums, SFTH was no less amazing despite this!

Sam had pink and blue glitter in his beard, which was so lovely as a trans guy (plus it's pride)!!! On that note, I severely abused my binder, remember that they have limits kids! My back hurts now and it did for a lot of the evening (worth it, just be smarter than I was). I will also take this moment to say it's so special that they openly support queer people, so casually, it makes my heart melt!

I didn't take any photos on my own phone (on 10% and rapidly dying) but thankfully the lovely folks on Discord shared theirs as well as getting photos with the boys on someone else's phone (more on that later as well). Another learning moment here: charge your devices and bring a power bank/charger!

It all went SO quickly and I won't describe every game in too much detail (or in order) since it's all in the Discord (and my memory is appalling and I would hate to leave something out!) but the SparkNotes version: They played the game where they ask for a line, the game where they ask for a place, book game, TED talk translation game and party game! It was all hilarious, I mean I-was-wiping-away-tears-hilarious and my face hurt from smiling by the end of it! That was the first half in summary, I'll provide a little more depth (I can't help myself!).

The place was a reptile shop which involved Child-J and Parent Luke plus a weird Pig-Snake and Tom selling it, as per usual Sam was ruthless and AJ's knowledge (or lack thereof) about reptiles was revealed and tested. The first line was 'Don't step on the armadillo' which led to an Evil AJ and Tom (Armadillo Man, tied up) fighting, with Sam watching as a voyeur. The next line was 'Why go see comedy' (it felt rude but they were great about it) and Sam Absolutely Nailed It, becoming emo with Tom (who borrowed a fabulous hat and sunnies from the crowd) then bullied AJ for being too bald to be emo before accepting him, there were a lot of references to bands. The TED talk was on ADHD and got pretty frisky, two audience members were 14 so there were a lot of jokes about censoring a bit! (Apparently Sam recently taught a fourteen year old the word 'cunt' so that came up a lot!)

The suggestions from the audience were brilliant. I found out it's very, very frightening (I say this as somebody who used to be a drama student and isn't often shy) shouting out ideas, but I got a few in and wasn't picked but I built up the confidence and will hopefully be louder next time! For book game, Sam had a book that was something about a Paladin and Luke had a children's book called 'Why Do I Feel Angry?' or something similar and it resulted in a very funny scene about Divorced Father AJ and his angry children!

Then party game, where AJ was guessing (so badly that it was brilliant), Sam was a man who was convinced he's a spider (and squirted out a web in a rather obscene fashion), Luke was a guy who didn't know how to wear hats (hardest to guess for AJ) and came up with a few VERY unique ways of wearing them! Then Tom was Mickey Mouse but he's absolutely baked and ate someone's chips! It was such a good first half and I couldn't believe it went so quickly!!!

The interval was my moment to escape the noise for a minute, but I don't smoke/vape so I felt awkward joining that crowd and the rest of the group wanted to get drinks and stay down there so I went out (queue an embarrassing interaction where some staff pointed outside only for me to say 'Is that the outside? followed by a 'Yes' then from me, 'Thank you sorry' which they had a bit of a laugh about but hey, I made it to the outside!). I had been sat down (although admittedly, not very still) for an hour which in my books meant I was just about ready to fly off (shoutout to everyone who can't sit still), plus I was so energised from excitement on top of that, that I just walked away. I fully up and left, walking down a few roads and enjoying the quiet and fresh air, maybe speed-walking a bit before looping back around and going back down, I didn't remember how long the interval was and probably would've stayed out a bit longer but it was long enough to prepare myself for the noise! (I also ended up behind the Komedia at one point, beginning to worry someone backstage might see me and think 'where is he going?' but fortunately I went unnoticed!)

The second half was an entire longform, titled 'The Beach With No Sand' by an Australian person who was (rightly) outraged by Brighton beach (sorry pal, our whole coastline looks like this!). It was about two Australian brothers on the run, plus another Australian 'Crime Family' chasing them for a murder that wasn't a murder really, and it had me in stitches! Turns out the brothers Were Not Brothers they were lovers and I got confused, but yay gay love story for pride month! There was a beautiful scene where Luke beats up Sam as well as a lot of Tired Sam and obviously general silliness!

When they gave their leaving speech I was so sad because I wanted the night to go on forever but I will definitely be going to more shows when money allows and I have been convinced to join the Patreon, I'm signing up right after I finish this!!! I also was tempted to get on other social media platforms since apparently they post different content to different places but surely it'll be up on Patreon? Let me know social media havers!

They got off and naturally we waited for a hello and a photo which the boys were so lovely about, my friend gave me a helpful nudge too because it's nerve-wrecking! I didn't want to be annoying and hang around too long, it was already late and they have lives! One person (who gave me the brilliant bracelet) gave them little plushies as a thank you for something and it was so sweet! I got a photo with the group I was with and I think next time I'll try get one alone too but it'll be such a lovely memory! I might pop into Boots later and get some printed out!

I actually got to say hi to Sam and look, maybe choosing favourites isn't something you do, but I Do have a favourite and it's Definitely Sam so I was ELATED!!! (Why, you ask? His jokes are the most out there and disciplinary-meeting-worthy which I adore, his laugh is amazing, he seems like such a great guy, and he's gorgeous, mainly the first reasons, but I can't not mention it, he's a stunning man!) I suddenly forgot how to speak (this is my first time getting to meet someone I really admire) and waved, got a thumbs up and smile back and felt a lot better about the whole thing at which point I managed to say 'Hi' and 'You're so cool' (I know, not my coolest moment) but still I feel blessed!!!

There was a queue behind us so we left pretty much straight after and said our goodbyes, my phone was down to about 5% and clinging onto life, and my mum gave me a lift home since it was fairly late and I wanted to rant to her (which I very much did)! I genuinely said it was 'the highlight of my life' which I stand by, it's one of those evenings I won't forget! Especially since this was something of a reward for finishing my exams and school (working means I'll hopefully afford the journey up to London haha) and it was PERFECT!!!!

No notes, the show was immaculate!!! Just charge your phones, respect binder guidelines and bring ear defenders if you might need them!

Massive thank you to the lovely SFTH community and of course the boys themselves, I will now go and sign up to Patreon, and possibly all social media platforms, I'm well and truly obsessed!

[dewdr0pz]

he looks just like a dream ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

summary: dating headcanons w/ remus lupin

a/n: hello!! this is my most recent fic on this account and my first Marauders fic, so sorry if this is bad!! also, please keep in mind that even though i'm writing a fic about something tied to the Harry Potter universe, this does NOT AT ALL mean i like JK Rowling. i've liked her books since i was a child and have been separating the art from the artist for quite some time when it comes to this. also, i've written Remus in more of a modern situation, so keep that in mind :)

tags: @back-totheoldhouse @daemontargaryennn @o-kye @unbeleevable @mochamuff1n @call-me-frosting-or-not-idc @dangerouslyyour (this is me just guessing who would be interested in this, please let me know if you would like to be removed/added from the taglist!!)

warnings: nicknames with "girl" in them but otherwise gn!reader, mentions of crying, mentions of scars

boyfriend!remus who's memorized how you like your coffee or tea. or if you don't like either, he's memorized your favorite drink and has perfected it every time he makes it. you tell him it's not needed, that you can make drinks yourself, but he says it's worth it just to see the smile on your face.

boyfriend!remus who wouldn't dare tell you to cover up with a dress or outfit you're wearing when you go out ("any guy who tells their girlfriend/partner to cover up because it makes him uncomfortable or insecure instantly just proves he has a fragile ego accompanied by a micropenis.") and he'll only suggest a jacket if he knows it'll be cold outside. if you're happy in what you're wearing, why should he stop you?

boyfriend!remus who reads the books you're reading to have an extra thing to talk to you about and to ensure he understands what you're describing when you rant about how much you either love it or hate it. "yeah I know, I can't believe he did that!" "seriously, the way the writer set up the plot is terrific." "what was the author thinking? the plot makes no sense."

boyfriend!remus who always gives you his clothes. his soft beige knit sweater? of course you can wear it to our date. you need to borrow his beanie because it's cold outside? please do. you want to wear his shirt to bed? just keep it, he thinks it looks 10x better on you.

boyfriend!remus who takes you on all sorts of dates. library dates, lego building dates (which turn into laughing hysterically because one of you doesn't understand the instructions and the other one does understand, but can't find the right piece), cafe dates, aquarium dates, baking/cooking dates, late night walk/drives dates...the list goes on (i will happily elaborate on any of these if asked). he may or may not stalk your pinterest to find out what dates you like

boyfriend!remus who subtly shows you off to the marauders. he's usually a little bit touchy with you in public (a hand on the small of your back or intertwined with yours, his arms around your waist or shoulders, etc.), but he does it more around his friends. it's not any sort of intentional possessive thing (like "grrr my bbg is mine you can't have her raaah"), he just likes people knowing he has a gorgeous partner :)

boyfriend!remus whose room is littered in random trinkets, some of which he'll randomly gift to you. a silver pocket watch he found with intricate details because he thinks you'd like it. a rock or crystal he says looks like your eyes. a flower that he found because he remembered the one time you said "what a pretty flower" when you accompanied him on a walk. a stuffed animal he found at a yard sale because it was your favorite animal. the list goes on.

boyfriend!remus who mainly shows love through acts of service and physical touch. your shoe's untied? he's getting down on his knee to tie it. your books are a bit heavy? he'll carry all of them for you. you're not feeling good? he's doing your homework.

boyfriend!remus whose nicknames for you are mainly "dove/dovey", "baby", and "darling". he calls you "sweet girl/pretty girl" when you're sick, under the weather, or sad, "my love/my dearest" when he knows you're upset, and "sweetheart" when you're in an argument.

boyfriend!remus who would be terrified of showing a lot of skin around you because of his scars mainly because he doesn't want you to be disgusted. he knows deep down that you wouldn't, but it's a deeply-rooted fear for him.

"Remus, your friends have scars. Does that make them ugly or bad people?"

"No."

"Some of the teachers you like have scars. Does that make them ugly or bad people?"

"No."

"I have scars. Does that make me ugly?"

"Of course not, dove."

"So then why do you think scars make you ugly if they don't make anyone else you care about ugly?"

[writingquestionsanswered]

hiya! for writers who are complete beginners, kinda sorta maybe write at a high school level, can't describe to save their lives, have overall bad flow (as in they can't decide what little moments scenes to think up and even write, if they do, they're no good), have been told countless times to write daily and just read more but that doesn't cover the basics or foundations of creative writing, not like they can learn from a book bc they're a hands on learner anyway and p.s they're super broke so can't afford writing classes and no library near them offers free ones ---- aka me :( --- do you have any advice? lol i feel kinda doomed and that maybe writing isn't for me, but I don't wanna get my hopes down!! with the right tools, it's possible.

Free Resources for Learning How to Write

I want to start with addressing why you've been told so often "to write daily and read more" as a way to learn how to write. It's very difficult to learn and excel at a craft if you have no experience with said craft. You can read all the information in the world about how to forge a sword, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to pick up a hunk of metal and be able to forge a beautiful sword. You need to spend a lot of time watching other people forge swords, and spend a lot of time actually practicing each step yourself if you want to get good at it. Writing works the same way. Reading lets you experience what fiction should be, writing lets you practice each step for yourself.

Fortunately, there are lots of ways to read fiction for free. You can borrow books from friends, family members, and members of your community. You can check out books and e-books from your local library if you have one. You can look for Little Free Libraries in your neighborhood. There's also a lot of legally free fiction available online. Project Gutenberg, Planet E-Book, Bartleby, Literature.org, Classic Literature, Classic Short Stories, Wattpad, Archive of Our Own, Library of Short Stories, Levar Burton Reads, and sites like Kobo, Amazon, and Audible often offer freebies of both e-books and audio books.

Other free ways to learn how to write:

1 - Follow bloggers and vloggers and authors on social media who talk about the craft of writing. Some of my favorites are: Joanna Penn/The Creative Penn, K.M. Weiland, Liselle Sambury, Abbie Emmons, Hannah Lee Kidder, Brittany Wang, Alyssa Matesic, Bethany Atazadah, Lindsay Puckett, Alexa Donne, Shaelin Writes, Ellen Brock, The Writing Gals, and Sincerely, Vee.

2 - Follow writing craft blogs here on tumblr: (some suggestions) @writingwithcolor, @howtofightwrite, @heywriters, @cripplecharacters, @lgbtqwriting, @fixyourwritinghabits, @wordsnstuff, @yourbookcouldbegayer, @lizard-is-writing

3 - Watch writing craft videos on YouTube: If there's something specific you want to learn about, say, "how to structure a scene," type it into YouTube and many different videos will pop up that walk you through how to structure a scene. Just look for one that strikes you as appealing!

4 - Look for free writing resources online: many authors (especially indie authors and writing gurus/coaches like Joanna Penn, K.M. Weiland, Bethany Atazadeh, Brittany Wang, and Abbie Emmons) offer free writing resources on their web sites or by signing up for their newsletters. Often you'll see writers participating in free online writing summits/workshops which you can sign up for and either watch the videos live or via video playback that is offered for a short period of time (like 24 hours.)

5 - Do a Google Search: believe it or not, there's not a single thing you could want to learn about writing that you can't find for free on Google. If you want to learn how to improve your grammar, go to Google, type in "tips for improving grammar" and you will get a million articles that will tell you how to do just that. Want to learn how to improve your story's flow? Google "how to improve story flow" and you'll have your answer. You can even search for free worksheets, guides, and workbooks on just about anything you want. "Free character development worksheet" brought back a ton of nice looking free worksheets. "Free worldbuilding workbook" brought up several free workbooks and worksheets to help you with worldbuilding. Everything you could want to know is out there.

And, bonus: you can always read through the posts in my WQA master list to get help with a wide variety of craft and writer-related issues.

Happy learning! ♥

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

[genderqueerdykes]

in searching for queer books to borrow from my library, i realized something. it is very important to read what publications are there, however, when folks ask me for book recommendations on certain queer identities, it becomes difficult, because publishing books, zines, and other writings is difficult while queer.

in many places in the world it is quite literally illegal to publish any queer material whatsoever. in other places it is so heavily stigmatized it is overwhelming for many. some queers don't have a talent for writing, and that's okay. a lot of queers live turbulent, busy, and often dangerous lives. it's hard to write when you have a lot going on in your personal life, especially when it comes to transmisogyny, transandrophobia, biphobia, and other big queer issues.

in many places in the world, outing one's self as a trans woman or transfemme could result in death. it would be extremely risky to publish something talking about lived experiences in places where trans women & femmes are constantly in danger. in many places in the world, this same struggle affects trans men, and other trans people. it can be literally a matter of life and death to publish writings or art about one's queerness depending on geographic location and circumstance

also, getting something published and distributed takes time and money, something many folks don't have. many people do not have access to queer charities or organizations that will help them publish. many people can't get an editor. many lose access to their computers, phones, files, electricity, internet, and other resources. many become homeless, or encounter housing insecurity. many queer people unfortunately live very short lives.

many intersex people don't get to even discuss our experiences, let alone write and publish them. many intersex people had procedures done to them and ages far too young to remember- and paperwork stating what ACTUALLY happened is generally totally unavailable. many intersex people live their entire lives not knowing they're intersex. there's a huge deficit on literature when it comes to intersex experiences and lives and it's because we're actively being silenced

it's not to say publications aren't out there, and i'm not going to start posting recommendations, but if you can't find a lot of published books on a certain queer identity, it's because that it's hard to write about queer experiences in general and get them published and distributed. keep searching, but if you can't find what you're looking for at a book store or library, try finding anecdotes, stories, comics, zines and other writings from people online. people talking about their experiences online is credible. not for citing as a source in a paper, but it is just as valuable as anecdotes published in a book.

[liriostigre]

those posts and memes and videos of people saying they buy and buy books but they never read them (you know those that are like "me buying a new book: 😃, the 50 unread on my shelf looking at me: 👁️👁️. or those 100+ physical tbr booktube videos. or some bullshit like that) piss me off so much because i WISH i could afford books—the books i want to read! i read everything on my phone and all of them illegally downloaded. and no, i can't borrow books from the public library because i live at the end of the world in a small forgotten town with no local public library. i'm messing up my sight with so much screen time because i love reading while those consumerist fools can't even fathom what it's like to value things!

[sephirthoughts]

crisis core but if cloud was aware of his cuteness:

zack: hey, tseng, i forgot my wallet at the office. can i borrow ten gil for lunch?

tseng: you being irresponsible with your things is not my problem. i hope going hungry teaches you a valuable lesson

cloud: tseng-gege, can i—

tseng: here's my wallet take whatever you need

zack:

later on the helicopter to modeoheim:

cloud pouting and rubbing his ass: ow this seat is so hard

zack still mad about lunch: why don't you sit on tseng-gege's lap

tseng: wouldn't be any better

zack:

zack: OH GOD GROSS

after they crash in modeo ravine:

zack: fuck! my leg's broken!

tseng: you SOLDIERs are supposed to be tough. use a cure materia and walk it off

cloud leans against tseng: sorry, tseng-gege. i'm a little dizzy

tseng scoops him up like a princess: i better carry you. can't take any chances with your health

zack: what about his rifle and gear?

tseng: good thinking. make sure you grab those. and pick up the pace, will you?

zack: a̵g̴s̸h̴f̷l̸a̶g̶s̴h̸f̶g̷a̵k̷

later outside the mako extraction facility:

cloud shivers: wow it's pretty cold up here

tseng: zack you can handle a few hundred enemies on your own, right?

zack: well not—

tseng: excellent. take care of this and meet us in town afterward. we'll be at the hot spring baths

zack: COME ON, MAN

years later in nibelheim:

tifa: not goin' too fast for you, am i?

zack: of course not. we're just trying to pace ourselves

cloud: actually, my feet kind of hurt

sephiroth turns around: your feet hurt? you are a shinra trooper. when we are in the field, you represent all of us. you should—

cloud: -takes off his helmet-

sephiroth: —be looked after with the utmost care, like the precious treasure you are. as such, i am duty bound to carry you the rest of the way up the mountain.

zack: IT'S ALL HAPPENING AGAIN

tifa: cloud…?

later in the shinra basement library:

zack visibly twitching: hey, sephiroth. what you got, there?

sephiroth reading a book to cloud, who is sitting in his lap: oh, zack, it's you. you'll never believe this. i'm not even human. turns out i was created in a lab, from the dna of an ancient creature they dug out of a sedimentary rock layer. isn't that cool?

zack: HOW IS THAT COOL? AREN'T YOU DEVASTATED??

cloud snuggling up to sephiroth: i think it's cool, sephi-chan

sephiroth: see? cloud thinks it's cool. i guess you just don't get it. actually, you'd better leave. you're kind of killing the vibe

zack: i̴̘̥̕ ̷̨͗͝å̶̱̝ḿ̴̡̕ ̶̰͋̕b̸̢͚́u̴̘̯͊͂r̸̼̭̐n̵̢̿ȋ̵̜n̴͙̠͒͘ģ̷́́ ̶̦̀t̵̼̗͑h̸̠̺̾͒i̷͚̗̿s̴̡̥͐ ̶̤͝f̵̤͐u̴̖͖͌c̷̱̲͑͗k̸͔̃̾i̵̮̥̊n̴͕̆̓g̸̨̒͝ ̴͎̈́t̵̼̞́̍ṏ̸͚w̷̡͗̃ń̸̫̈́ ̵̟̎t̸̞̓o̶̼̎ ̶̢͔̈́ẗ̸̼̩ḧ̵̳̮́e̴͚̋ ̵͎͚́̅g̴̗͒̈́r̸͉̓̕o̴̗͌̕u̶̹̓n̷̛̘̹d̴̙̑

[catalystcorvid]

Where to Find Free, Legal Books

If you have access to a public library and/or have college credentials;

Libby - Ebooks, digital audiobooks, and magazines from your public library. Free, but requires a library card. Materials aren't infinite, so popular titles will often have a several week long waitlist. If you're in the US (or sufficiently crafty) you can sign up for a free card from the Queer Liberation Library.

Hoopla - Another service often bundled with a library card. The selection is smaller than Libby, but you have a limited number of instant borrows per month to cash in.

EBSCOhost Research - Ebooks and research materials, usually offered through a college. Where I do most of my reading lately, TBH.

Worldcat - Browse the world’s libraries from one search box. Easiest way to find out where to go to check out a book if you can't find it at your usual spot.

US residents will likely have a public library near them, but if you cannot go in person and sign up, there are a number of public libraries that don't require anything but a local address to get an Ecard. The libraries that offer this change frequently, so ask around.

Also keep in mind that US public libraries don't typically purchase self published material. If you're looking for your favorite tumblr author's book, you might want to try the links below instead.

If you can't get a library card (or couldn't find what you're looking for)

Open Library - Large collection of ebooks. Some materials may not be available currently due to ongoing legal issues.

Project Gutenburg - Another huge collection of ebooks, probably the most well-known option on this list.

Standard Ebooks - Professionally formatted public domain ebooks (sourced from places like Project Gutenburg but then turned into dynamic epubs)

LibriVox - Public Domain Audiobooks. Extremely limited library, but provides a rare service.

Audible Free Trial - Amazon offers a free trial of their service, with one free title on signup. You need a viable payment method to get access, but you keep the book even after you cancel. Don't give Amazon your money, folks.

I'd also recommend trawling youtube and soundcloud for user-made audiobooks. The quality varies, but I've been surprised at the results.

Other cool resources

StoryGraph - A non-Amazon GoodReads alternative, for those who like to challenge themselves to read more or enjoy writing book reviews.

Banned books list - Around since 1994 and currently still updated weekly, this site showcases books that are either banned or have been attempted to have been banned somewhere in the US. Some are available to read for free on site.

[loves0phelia]

Hey, how are you? Could I request something for Zach Maclaren, where the reader and Zach are spending the night together for the first time (no smut) but the reader can't sleep because she's wearing a bra, afraid of making Zach uncomfortable if she doesn't, and Does Zach figure this out?

Bra insecurities

Summery: The request.

Words: 1,1k

Warnings: grammar mistakes.

A/N: I'm great, i hope you feel good too and i hope you like this! thank you for the request xxx

You and Zach have been together for a couple of months, yet somehow you haven't had a sleepover together. Every time he asked for you to come over to his house to spend the night something came up (more like you gave him excuses)

You knew Zach would never comment on your body. He adored everything about you, from head to toe, inside and out. He was completely smitten. But knowing that, didn't stop you from overthinking.

You had eyes, you could see how your breasts looked without a bra. They slumped down instead of being held up and the outline of your boobs could easily make someone uncomfortable especially when you wore a tank top. You didn't want to risk Zach looking at you differently. Your relationship was perfect the way it was.

"Hey baby," his delicate voice rang in the quiet library as he laid his head on your shoulder, wrapping his muscular arm around your waist from behind.

“Hi,” You turned in his hold to face him.

“I have soccer practice after class but do you want to come over tonight? We haven't spent any time together this week. I miss you so much” he dipped his head to meet your lips. 

“You could spend the night, my sister is staying at a friend's house for the weekend and my parents are away on a couple's weekend. I promise no funny business, I just want to spend time with you.” His digits gently rub against your cheeks and his eyes have that small glimmer you can't refuse.

“I don't know…” You bow your head down towards the floor, avoiding his begging gaze.

“Please, please, please, please” Between each “please” he placed a kiss on your cheeks and your forehead. 

“Fine” Your voice was barely above a whisper when you spoke but Zach did not fail to hear you. His eyes widen as well as his smile.

“Yes! You're the best!” He picked you up and spun you around as if you weighed nothing which made him earn, from the librarian a few feet away, a shush.

“Alright join me at the field after my soccer practice okay? see you tonight baby” he pressed one last rapid and excited kiss to your cheeks before running out the door leaving you giggling from the spot he had left you. 

You spent the rest of the day studying and reading your newly borrowed book until it was time to join Zach. When you got to the field you already had your backpack filled with your toothbrush, skin care, PJs and a change of clothes just in case. 

You saw him wipe his face with the bottom of his shirt which revealed his perfectly sculpted abs. Your face reddened instantly and his eyes met yours.

“You ready to go babe?” he met you with a small welcoming kiss. Still flushed from the previous sight your boyfriend gave you, you could only nod in agreement.

Taking your hand in his, he led you to his car. And like the gentleman he was, he opened the door for you. You offered a small "thank you" as you climbed in.

The ride was silent yet comfortable, his thumb was rubbing softly on your thigh as his other hand clutched the steering wheel. Your knee couldn't help but bounce anxiously at the thought of sleeping at his house tonight. 

But Zach had planned everything perfectly. the second you entered his house he rushed to get everything ready. He laid out plush blankets on his bed, with multiple pillows and your favourite snacks. The scent of freshly popped popcorn merged with the faint chocolate aroma of your favourite candy bar.

"This is amazing, Zach," You said, turning to him with gratitude and affection after he prepared everything. At this moment you couldn't even remember why you were nervous to begin with.

"I'm happy you like it, babe," he grinned and replied, his voice tender as he pulled you into a gentle embrace.

He reached for the remote and he started your favorite movie after settling down on his bed. 

"I'm so glad we're finally doing this," he whispered, his eyes meeting yours in the dim light.

“Me too” you replied shyly before letting your lips meet his.

After the movie ended, you and Zach both started getting ready for bed. Once again your anxiousness came back.

“Hey, do you want to sleep with one of my shirts?” He asked, he always loved seeing you in one of his shirts.

“Sure” You mumbled and took the white t-shirt from his hand, slowly you turned so your back faced him and removed the shirt you already had on. Just as you were about to put his over your head his voice stopped you.

“You gonna sleep with that? isn't it uncomfortable?” You turned your head over your shoulder and saw him looking over at the clasp of your bra on your back

“oh yes, it's ok” You pulled the shirt down he didn't ask more questions. He didn't know much about what girls wore to bed.

So you got in his bed and acted like everything was normal. Truthfully nothing was normal. The clasp dug into your skin as well as the straps, and the metal strings inside the bra felt like it was cutting underneath your breasts.

“Do you want me to remove it for you?” Zach spoke up in the dark and silent room.

“No!” you said harshly. “It- it's fine” 

“Baby come on it's hurting you” his hand softly stroked your arm.

“I don't want you to see my boobs” you admitted and you saw his brow furrow in the dark.

“You don't have to worry about that, you have my shirt on, I won't see anything I promise” His voice was honest and sincere, you knew you could trust him but you were still scared of judgment. 

“I don't want to make you uncomfortable, you can see them through the t-shirt and… they aren't pretty without a bra, they slouch down”  Your voice got even quieter and you avoided his gaze at all costs, but he grabbed your chin to make you look at him.

“Y/N I love you” Your eyes winded at the confession. “I love everything about you, even the things you don't like.”

“Really?” 

“Yes. I absolutely adore you, you could have the biggest or smallest boobs on earth and I would still love you!” He laughed and kissed your cheeks almost eagerly which also made you giggle.

“Now please let me help you remove it. I can't bare to see you uncomfortable.” you nodded and slowly his hand slid inside the shirt to unlace the clasps. Immediately the bra fell and your breast fell free.

“See? much better” His hand massaged your shoulder and he pressed a gentle kiss to your neck.

“Thank you, Zach, I love you too” 

[damnfandomproblems]

Fandom Problem #9161:

I feel like a lot of online activists focus so much on creating an in versus out group and using shame/bullying/harrassment of said out group that they only result in taking people from the middle and either straight up push them to opposite side so to speak or they make them completely unwilling to listen to either side

I'm going to use Harry Potter fans as an example since most people in fandom spaces have at least some vague knowledge of it as an IP and some knowledge of the author and her bigotry, and it's something I have more personal experience with these kind of activists in that fandom

It's such a dumb way to approach the topic of what to do when a creator is problematic because most people aren't involved in fandom, and most people don't vent every author who's book they read to make sure they're not problematic. Most Harry Potter fans in the real world just straight up don't have idea of who J.K Rowling is beyond that just being the name on the books. I was one of these people, and so was my trans brother, he was the one who recommended the series to me actually

We both read the books and since he isn't as chronically online as I am, I eventual joined the fandom and he didn't. It never crossed my mind to look up the author because I just don't care about who make what, I just read and enjoy and move on with my life. When I started getting death/rape/doxxing threats, suibaiting, people wishing harm and illness on me and my family and pets out of the blue for being transphobic it did nothing to encourage me to drop the fandom, it just made me stay purely out of spite and because no one bothered to explain why they were sending such awful hatemail, I just figured it was the usual crazies being jealous of a creator and I wanted to defend this random lady who, as far as I knew at the time, probably didn't do anything to deserve this because 99% of the time creators who get a lot of hate like that don't deserve it. It wasn't until someone politely messaged me explaining what was happen and who J.K Rowling is that I knew she that not only did she not need defending, she earned that hate and deserved it

But something this person also did not do was shame me for being interested and attached to fictional world, rather they told me to continue engaging with it if I wanred to, just to do it a way that divorce the author from the material—such as encouraging me to use my library to check out the movies if i ever wanted to watch them or to buy them second hand and to encourage others irl and online to do them so that women isn't getting money from my continued enjoyment

There was no shame, just kindness and acceptance. And when I shared who J.K Rowling is with my brother he didn't even give a shit if I continued to read the books or not, hell, he continued to borrow my because he also enjoyed them an we both agreed as long as didn't give her money, they're no harm in continuing to have fun with the Harry Potter universe

I feel like assuming everyone in the fandom is transphobic and evil and treating them as such is just rude and frankly, immature. People can't help if they find something interesting or form an attachment to it before finding out some aspect of it bad. Shaming them and telling them that that interest or attachment is bad, is just shaming someone for something they can't control and that only drives people away from your cause and from doing what you want them to

It just makes so more sense to to me to rather throw away that shaming bullshit and to instead just encourage people to be smart with how they approach/indulge in that interest/attachment, such as encouraging people to use libraries, shop second hand, pirate, etc and to kindly explain why they should do that. It also has the added benefit of probably pissing the problematic creator since not only are all these people they hate finding enjoyment in their work, they're doing so while divorcing them from it so they don't get any money

The hate activism doesn't even feel like activists because it does nothing to actually help, it just feels like you want to be abusive to strangers and get away with it

Sorry this is really rambly, it's midnight and i got the inspiration to submit this while drunk talking with my brother about the topic (and before anyone gets on my ass for specifying he's trans earlier, he knows and doesn't give a shit because 1. This submission is anonymous and 2. He gets how it's kind of relevant that he, a trans dude, doesn't give a shit about having fun in the fandom as long as they don't give J.K Shitling their money when these hate activities love to disagree)

[tinytalkingtina]

Wiggly 🧠🪱 Wednesday

@devondespresso Tagged me in this forever ago and I finally had one wiggle its way into my brain!

This week been fiddling with the idea of a true role reversal Steddie, with Eddie as the popular jock and Steve as the metalhead (as opposed to a punk). This got a little away from me, haha. No idea for a story or how other characters might fit in, but if anyone wants to take the concept and run with it feel free!

Eddie

Eddie is still poor, and still lives with his uncle (let's pretend he had to repeat a grade due to the chaos of moving in with Wayne). But he's Hawkin's star track runner/lightweight wrestler, channeling his energy into sports and competition. His grades are probably still not great, but since he's winning awards at meets, teachers let a lot more slide, and he skates by most of his classes with low C's. If he's loud and excited, then well, that's just what jocks do, right?

Wayne works nights, so Eddie is usually left to his own devices. Sure, the trailer can't hold that many people (and maybe Eddie has a bit of a chip on his shoulder that he lives in the trailer park), but this is the Midwest, and Eddie is creative. He hosts big bonfire ragers out in the woods, deep enough that the cops can't easily break them up.

Eddie's "Munson Doctrine" is from the perspective of being a jock. Mixed with his insecurities, it becomes about staying on top, no matter what. That means dating around, taking girls out most Fridays. He likes girls and has plenty of fun. And if he occasionally slips in a fantasy or two about drug dealer Steve Harrington pinning him against a wall with that knife of his, no one needs to know.

Steve

Then we have Steve. Steve's had piano lessons since he was 5. A framed picture of him in his bow tie and tiny suit at his first recital sits on his mom's desk. He's good at sports and does Little League as a kid, but they don't hold his interest, not the way music does. When he hits middle school, him and his dad have a huge fight over him refusing to try out for any sports. The cracks were already there, because his parents are louder than they think when they argue. To drown them out, he turns on the radio, spinning the dials. By chance, he finds a Black Sabbath song. Something in it speaks to him, gives an outlet to the frustration and anger he's feeling.

Steve picks up drums to play in band at school, but he also borrows books from the library and teaches himself guitar after begging his mom for one for his 13th birthday. He makes a few friends, they start a band. As he enters high school his parents fight more. His grades, never great to begin with, slip further, so no more allowance for Steve. The first time he tries to steals a tape, he's caught almost immediately. But he gets better at it over time. Can't steal tattoos though, and Steve's not a great artist. So maybe he starts dealing. His parents work late most nights, so they don't need to know about his...extracurricular hobbies.

Even if he's not at the top of the high school food chain, Steve's still good at reading people and social situations. I don't think he would have the desire to DM AD&D, but I think Steve makes a good player, always solid at strategizing. In the hallways, he sees and overhears things, enough that he's able to keep the heat off him and his friends with some clever insinuation, and the threat to cut off anyone who tries something.

He sees the way that loudmouth jock Eddie Munson's eyes flick down to his lips when he buys weed off him at parties too, the guy isn't nearly as subtle as he thinks he is. Steve would love to take him down a couple pegs, if Eddie'd let him.

Thanks to @little-annie for some ideas on fleshing metalhead!Steve out more :D

Edit: check out the role reversal steddie tag for snippets of what Annie and I are writing now :)

No pressure tags to some folks (and if anyone wants to be tagged in the future let me know!): @augustjustice @hbyrde36 @puppy-steve @soaringornithopter

@hairstevington @eyesofshinigami