#cash-for-houses-during-a-divorce

[melancholicstation]

The Socially Active Secretary: Chapter One

pairing: robert francis kennedy female ❤︎ original character charlotte agapov (secretary!reader)

authors note: this is more of establishing of context around our main secretary girl!! our favourite pathetic catholic men (the kennedys) will come very soon i promise, all in due time. 🍺 please leave comments of any questions/likes/dislikes/all around opinions so i know if your interested!!!

synopsis: charlotte agapov, a divorcee whom recently moved back to the states after a disastrous lovers quarrel, assumes the secretarial position to the most important man in America, but it is not he who has captured her attention, no. instead, it's his meek younger brother, the runt of the kennedy pack, bobby francis kennedy.

[1403 words]

taglist: @kennediva @absurdlyvintage

chapter two, three four

masterlist charlotte moodboard rfk moodboard

(border from jenny holzer truisms 2018)

Chapter One

May 1st , 1961

There Charlotte stood, rolling on the balls of her feet, observing the woman before her in the mirror, finding her increasingly difficult to place her as recognisable. She had all the features that Charlotte understood to be her own, but she felt like nothing of the sort. Swathed in wool, to accommodate for the seemingly perpetuate damp state of Massachusetts in the month of May, and encompassed by a calf-length dress fit with double-faced cashmere in a mousey grey. Due to her contentious divorce with the English baron Hugo Cornwall, he had ordered for all her typical clothes to be held in a storage facility in Kent instead of its original location: Brookline Massachusetts. He knew how important those items were to Charlotte, and he used them as nothing more as a bargaining chip.

As a result of the divorce Charlotte had been tabloid-manhandled out of Britain and promptly returned to her mother country, the United States, and backed right into perusing the job boards in the Cape Cod Times by her alimony-avoiding, hector of an ex-husband. Hugo, at 40, knew of nothing but a life of bone china plates and private charter jets, getting by in this world from a combination of generational handouts from his godmother's situated in a nondescript European country off the coast and the humiliatingly tacky private tours he host every Saturday evening of the inherited estates cashing in a small fortune. And yet, he avoids the alimony checkers in a not so dissimilar fashion to that of his shunned family embarrassment of an uncle, who was, as of last month, avoiding taxes of in sunny Monte Carlo.

Once it became incredibly clear that Hugo was never going to cough up, and that her mother's invitation of staying at her summer house in Martha's Vineyard had a fast approaching expiry date Charlotte started to look for her next move.

Just when she had nearly exhausted all her mother's country club friends who, in a tone that could only be translated as deeply patronising stated that,

"Unemployment for such a young, american divorcee was 'in' for 1962" and that they would "call back in April to work something out"

However, April came and went, and still nothing. During the 16-month stint since Charlotte's divorce of 1961, Charlotte felt very sorry for herself and--well that's about all she did really.

Not only did getting married at 20, and it's later disillusion 8 years later, create an abstract wreckage sculpture out of her self-esteem and physical health, it stripped all prior job experience that a girl her age should've been building. After all, she could still feel her mother's fingertips ushering an 20 year old Charlotte's hands away from a flyer, held by a piece of battered painter's tape on a lamppost advertising a law school in the area,

"Oh for christ sake what are staring at now Charlotte?, you know we have caroline's recital across town, and I swear if I have to hear your aunts nasally whine one more time so help me God I will--"

Charlotte abandons her post of intense eye contact with the poster fluttering by the winds will almost instantly and returns through a soft tone "I-I'm coming now, it just captured my eye that's all."

The rest of the walk was blanketed in a soft wool of repression and thoughts better left unspoken until her mother turned on her heal, the gravel exclaiming a pleasant crunch in response,

"Don't you dare think I didn't see what you were looking at Charlotte, these are not the aspirations expected of a future baroness, you won't have any need for these silly machinations once you're tending to your husband and your home together. I understand that your nervous but think of how happy you'll be in a short few months with Hugo."

Her mother assured her in such a cadence, with such wistful hope, not meaning to make Charlotte's stomach drop but it did all the same.

"You know, I got nervous too, when I was engaged to your father. I thought about leaving more times than Sinatra's gets played on the radio at Green's pharmacy, but I stuck it out. And I got rewarded a great deal for that, for that bravery, and you will too. Far more than I ever did, I mean you're marrying a Baron who is infatuated with you for Pete's sake!"

Charlotte thinks to scoff at the notion that Hugo is at all capable of the feeling of infatuation but halts when she observes the expression of sheer elation on her mother's face.

"Everything will run as it's meant to if you do what's best, I promise",

and with that a kiss is pressed to Charlotte's forehead, and the conversation is recklessly abandoned by both parties.

Charlotte had stayed in that marriage for 8 years and what did she have to show for it? Surely not anything tangentially useful. Sure, now she knew the intricacies of English etiquette and the British aversion to hugs but that's nothing to be put on a resume. However, one worthy advantage that came out of the grotesque misalignment that was their marriage was that around the 4th year mark Charlotte had managed to secure an English degree from the University of London. Now that was certainly something to put on her resume.

Still the world seemed to completely turn its back on Charlotte, though only on a strictly employment basis, she still attended mass each Sunday and caught up with her still married, though not happily, socialite friends but it was hard to find common ground anymore. Before she could feasibly pass as one of them, now even if they didn't explicitly state it, Charlotte was now regarded as persona no grata for the entirety of the high society scene of London. She was left with a bunch empty friends, and an, as if increasing by the day, empty purse strings.

That was until a job ad in The Boston Globe caught the baby blue shadowed eye of Charlotte during her quite lonely solo escapade to the local sandwich bar across the street from her flat.

It read, in a thick professional font:

'Exciting Secretary Position Available at political epicentre of Washington D.C!

Are you a talented and organised individual seeking a rewarding career in a fast-paced office environment? Our office is looking for a professional Secretary to join our team and contribute to our continued success.

Position: Secretary Location: Top Secret [Call to confirm details] Salary: Competitive, with excellent benefits

Responsibilities:

managing and prioritising daily office tasks with efficiency

coordinating appointments and travel

managing diaries

support senior executives

having a pleasant demeanour when interacting with important officials

Qualifications:

High School Diploma or equivalent

Apply today to be part of a supportive and thriving workplace!

Phone: *** *** ***''

Now sure, the vague nature of who exactly the job would have Charlotte working for was strange and a little more than unnerving but realistically Charlotte, a 29 year old women with the same employment history as a 18 year old fresh out of high school, was going to take whatever she could get at this point.

The girl took the changing of the sky from bright periwinkle to a dim earl grey, as a sign to head back to her place in order to escape the fast approaching storm, the newspaper resting comparably rolled up in the crook of her arm.

Prior to returning to her apartment Charlotte had come to forget about the job as she had ran a few errands after the sandwich bar, that was until her feet met the door mat of her apartment. It was no longer clean as she had left it prior it now had, scrawled in big black letters, 'warning of eviction if payment is not obtained by next month'.

Charlotte's shaking hands move to pick up the yellow slip, and as she makes her way through her apartment, periodically leaving her jacket on the armrest of her laughably small settee in her stress-filled haze, she then starts to remember the job offer from the afternoon.

Sure the ad's ambiguity was a bit strange, but truly who was she to judge? It's not like the job offers were exactly rolling in at the moment.

'Oh what the hell, she might as well give it a go!' Charlotte thought, as she hesitantly dialled up the rotary.

End of Chapter One.

[adore-laur]

GOLD RUSH: PART ONE

— harry is your ex-husband and the father of your child, and the both of you are just trying to make it work 💛 (loosely inspired by taylor swift’s “gold rush”)

——

For you, Nashville used to be a place where family and love resided. When Harry realized he found fulfillment in writing songs there, he suggested buying a house in the eastern part of the city, where the historical streets and electric nightlife lent him endless inspiration.

That was during the honeymoon phase, when you two were bound by a thread of intense desire. Shortly after, the newlywed phase came with spontaneous decisions you couldn't help but ride along with. Even the marriage itself was on a whim. Harry bent down on one knee after only one year of long-distance dating, never sounding more confident than when he asked you to be eternally his. Again, you agreed. But why? 

Let's just say he has a contrarian way of thinking paired with strong persuasion skills. 

Two months after getting married, you fell pregnant and welcomed a baby before the first wedding anniversary could even pass. To put it truthfully, it was unexpected. There was no plan to become parents so soon, especially since Harry was at the height of his career. Nonetheless, both of you adapted to his busy lifestyle for the family's sake. Everything was arranged around his schedule, yet you never thought twice about it. 

There's no doubt that Harry is a wanted man. Everyone needs something from him, whether an interview across the country or a tour on another continent. He accepted the business calls and flights with no hesitation, and you couldn't necessarily blame him since it's all he's known for over a decade. However, after a while, it reached a point where you weren't seeing him in person for several weeks at a time. 

When you were his girlfriend, it was tolerable. As a mother, it was unbearably desolate. 

He's a yes-man who shies under authoritative rule, and it affected every crevice of your private life with him. All you needed was for him to be present. That's not to say he was disconnected or couldn't bond with his baby during the instances he was around; it was quite the opposite. You had never seen him so enamored with another human before. Unfortunately, the limited time he was home without obligations tying him down was too much for you. 

Those exhausting nights spent alone trying to calm a crying baby, wads of dwindling cash being slapped in the babysitter's hand, keeping up with time zones just to call your husband for a short and meager conversation about nothing—it was miserable upon reflection. 

Harry had attempted to convince you to join him on tour with the baby, but you could clearly see in his eyes that he was hesitant. All the traveling, sleepless nights, and potential invasion of privacy would have been too risky for such a delicate part of your lives. 

Eventually, the bomb dropped. You had a nagging thought in your brain that wondered why Harry couldn't just trim the length of his tour so he could stay with you more often. Or at least try to visit every once in a while on his days off. It shouldn't be considered selfish to ask for such things, right? 

Well, you were terribly mistaken. Those dreaded questions you asked him over a late-night phone call turned into a screaming match. Words like weapons were thrown around—ones you still regret today. Harry had cowered while putting his guard up, claiming it was his job and that he couldn't always be home. Something along the hurtful lines of "I can't do two things at once" sealed the deal. 

So, while sobbing on your bedroom floor as your baby cried in the other room, you suggested a divorce. It was later finalized with paperwork signed by both parties. One signature took substantially longer to get, but dwelling on that fact eats you alive. 

A lot has changed in the year since you've separated from Harry. You don't hate him anymore, for one. You never expected to fall out of love with him since his presence is too comfy and his efforts to mend things are too admirable. Vulnerable conversations with him elicited a mutual agreement that you shouldn't shut each other out, especially with a child involved. 

Now, you successfully co-parent with him during the periods he's not touring. The child custody lawyer recommended the 3-4-4-3 schedule: Harry gets your daughter for the first three days of the week, while you get her for the last four. The fourth day is swapped every other week to maintain an equal parental balance.

You would say it's going well so far. It's a little trickier now, considering this is the first time he's been on tour since the divorce, so the scheduling is constantly being rearranged. You've discussed the possibility of flying out to a few shows every month and then Harry flying out to Nashville on his days off. 

It's Friday, your day with your daughter, and Harry just so happens to be playing a second sold-out show in Nashville tonight. You couldn't attend the first one because of work, but you're here now, standing in front of his dressing room at the Bridgestone Arena. As you wait for him to finish getting ready, your daughter rambles about what she wants Harry to wear tonight. Wishes for princess dresses and tiaras are sprinkled throughout her incoherent toddler speech.

"Is that who I think it is?" Outside the closed door, Harry's deep voice makes your face heat, as you anticipate it to do whenever he's around. 

Your daughter's head snaps toward the sound of her father, her expression immediately lighting up. "Me!" she shouts excitedly, trying to wiggle her way out of your arms. 

"Uh-oh. Sounds like trouble over there," he says teasingly.

She giggles and reaches over to try and turn the doorknob, but Harry beats her to it. The door swings open, revealing your ex-husband in a tight-fitting silk vest with matching trousers the color of ivory. He looks like an actual angel sent down from heaven. You sometimes wonder what it must be like to be as beautiful as him.

Harry gasps dramatically when he sees who you're holding and scoops her into his tattooed arms, kissing her cheek repeatedly. "I haven't seen you in forever," he murmurs against her head. "I missed you so, so much." 

It's been almost two weeks since he flew out to visit when he had a few days free from performing. Rehearsals and meetings have been bogging up his time, so you know it's been killing him to go so long without seeing her. 

You silently admire their indescribable bond through a lens of what could have been. Your mind occasionally creates scenarios about him that you'd like to be true. In moments of weakness, you pretend there's still a wedding ring on your finger, and you even shamefully put it on sometimes. You pretend Harry is sleeping next to you at night by laying a pillow on the other side of the bed and letting your body naturally drift over to hold it. You pretend the songs he wrote about you aren't about the heartbreak and loneliness you caused, instead choosing to believe they're about someone else. 

"Picture," says your daughter, lightly hitting the phone in your hand and pulling you from your wandering thoughts. 

"Do you want to take a picture of him?" you ask her, placing the phone in her grasp.

She nods and fidgets with the side buttons. You take her from Harry's arms and help her hold the phone, telling her where to click while Harry sets down his mic pack and readjusts his outfit. 

"Ready? Tell Dad to pose." 

Harry puts one hand on his hip and sticks his leg out, his back's reflection visible in the mirror behind him. He tries to keep a neutral expression, but a smile grows as the camera flash goes off. 

This somehow feels… normal. 

You set her down so she can dawdle around the dressing room, then place your phone in your pocket. "Where is everyone?" you ask, accepting Harry's hug. 

He inhales deeply and tightens his arms around your shoulders. "I told them I wanted some alone time with you guys." 

When you swallow, it feels like there are thorns lining your throat. "That's sweet. I can imagine it gets pretty chaotic back here." 

"Mm-hmm," he hums, beginning to sway you side to side. "I'm happy you came." 

"So am I," you say, painfully aware of his warm skin against yours. "Sorry we couldn't visit sooner. Work has been really busy." 

Harry leaves a kiss so faint on your head that you almost don't register it. "Hey, don't apologize. You work hard enough. It means the world that you both came to watch me tonight." 

"Of course. You have no idea how proud I am of you." 

He still doesn't let you go, his big, comforting hands splaying across the expanse of your back. "The feeling is mutual," he replies, his gentle voice seeping into your senses. "Proud doesn't even come close to what I feel about you. You know that, right?" 

You can't help but brush the dust off his statement and dig for a deeper possible meaning. You still have love for him; you know that for sure, but is it too far-fetched to think he still has some for you? You already know the answer if the songs he wrote are any indication. 

In another life, you see yourself happily married and raising a child with him in the comfort of your home in Nashville. Waking up next to him every morning and padding across the wooden floor to the kitchen, where you'd make tea and breakfast together. Finding a steady rhythm in terms of balancing work schedules and parenthood and eventually falling into a perfect domestic routine.

Yet deep down, you know it could never be. Harry's lifestyle wasn't made to clash with yours as much as you might have believed it all those years ago. The highs couldn't outweigh the lows. His life moved too fast, while yours ran out of stamina trying to keep up. You carelessly jumped into his inviting waters too soon and didn't think of the devastating fate that would come crashing down on you. 

You would still die for his love, just like everyone else, but you suppose it will fade over time. 

——

[woso-dreamzzz]

Nobody asked me buuuut here's some of my hc of what the mum's/sisters would do in the Melting Pot universe:

Alexia gives me business owner vibes, not sure what the business would be though

Jeni gives me lawyer vibes

Lucy would be either a CEO oooor a police officer

Keira could be a teacher

Alessia would still be in college

Leah could be a DJ or a firefigther

Lia could be an engeener (not sure what could be)

Katie could be a firefighter or a police officer (while coaching karate to kids on her spare time)

Caitlin could be a vet

Viv could be a writer or a mechanic (idk not sure)

Beth would be a kindergarden teacher

Mapi would def be a tatoo artist

Ingrid would be a CEO too....idk she gives me powerful business woman vibes or a Model

Caro could be a firefighter while Marta could be a paramedic

Ona could be a vet too or a pilot (idk)

Aitana gives me profesional chef vibes

Frido would be a model

the rest idk....

Okay so this is just going to be a big infodump of the ideas I have for the dynamics between all the families so this might be kind of long. I'll probably put them into a masterlist at some point but probably after I move out

So, Alexia and Jenni had the twins (Bambi and Pequeñita) together before having a fairly amicable divorce. Business owner Alexia but the businesses she owns is a chain of fairly fancy restaurants and Jenni definitely gives lawyer vibes. So, they broke up and Alexia got with Olga to have Jaume and Jenni had Osita.

They're fairly chill with each other and their custody schedule is flexible and dictated by the twins so Pequeñita usually stays with Alexia while Bambi tends to go between them (now more heavily with Jenni now that Jaume's been born).

Lucy and Keira's relationship is also on the rocks. They were planning on adopting just as Keira got pregnant but decided to keep both plans going and then when they were settled, they adopted again to get Pup. They had a good relationship but it's kind of fizzling out and they're only really staying in the same house for the kids while pursuing different partners outside (thinking about if Lucy's a police officer then Ona might be a new recruit and Keira teaching at a local secondary school and Laura is the new teacher there).

Alessia is the frazzled uni student that's part time employed at one of Alexia's restaurants as a waitress so she's balancing it all while also caring for her little sister, Tesoro. They're always riding the line between on time and late.

Leah being a firefighter so she's on quite long shifts sometimes so taking care of Bug and Bean sometimes falls to Jordan (her amicable ex and Bug's other mum) who's all too happy to look after them both.

Thinking also about how Lia might be working in or around the fire station too (maybe admin???) who adores her little Guppy, who comes into the station every weekend to make sure it's all clean and tidy.

Actually, now that I think about it. Katie and Caitlin both being firefighters as well but working on opposite shifts so someone is always around to look after Gremlin and Kiddo. Rue's Katie's ex and Kiddo's other mum who just kind of does temp work where she's needed. The breakup is still a little toxic because Katie almost immediately got with Caitlin and had Gremlin. Kiddo is still adjusting.

Viv has her own column in the newspaper that she writes around caring for Munchkin and making paper sharks with Liefje while Beth probably has a job where she gets to be quite social with other people.

Daan is Beth's ex and they kind of had a kid together but still kind of didn't because Ellie's the one signed on as Pipsqueak's other mum but everyone is still friends and Pipsqueak gets sent off to Beth and Viv's house for babysitting during Daan and Ellie date nights.

Ingrid is definitely giving powerful ceo vibes. She's loaded with cash and has a big house up a hill somewhere so all her kids + Nena can have their own rooms and spaces. Mapi's tattoo artist income is practically petty change to Ingrid but she likes that Mapi's still doing something she's passionate about. Nena moved in with Ingrid somewhere between Sunshine being adopted and Teeny being born and settles right in with the rest of the pack.

Caro and Marta probably had a really sweet meet cute in the park when Conejita came over to the patch of flowers Caro was sitting next to and started picking them. Caro saw Marta and knew she was a goner.

Aitana working as a chef in Alexia's restaurant and actually getting recommended the school for Estrella by Alexia, who in turn, got the recommendation from Mapi who got it from Ingrid, who only really moved to the area because she heard the school was really good.

Frido as a model or as Ingrid's cfo who is looking after her baby sister and being all powerful and hot at the exact same time. She makes it seem so effortless.

Mary also being a semi-frazzled uni student who's probably working on a masters or PhD and she does her studying while little Rugrat is teaching herself how to read over in the corner or pointing out Mary's spelling mistakes before she submits a paper.

Steph being a single mum who probably works for the same paper that Viv does and recommends the area for Mini and Clara to bring Harper and Bubs too. Harper gets put into a different school than Bubs but that's alright because Bubs is in the same class as Angel and Mini swears she's never seen Bubs so bright and happy before.

Jessie also being at the local uni trying to wrap up her engineering degree. She's dealing with the pressure a lot better than Mary and Alessia are and she's got such a sweet Duckie to take to the park to decompress after a hard exam.

Emma recently moved Squish to the area to finally live with Frida permanently. I'm not sure what they would work out but they probably have a nice little house that backs into a forest so they can have long walks with Jordan and forage for mushrooms and berries.

Kristie probably works as a beautician or something similar while Sam works outside (I'm not quite sure as what) so it's no surprise that their kid Chook rolls in dirt and has fantastic eyebrows.

Magda and Pernille being lecturers at the university with really fancy credentials. Magda's been working there for a bit while Pernille taught in Germany and a job opened up so Pernille took it quickly, moving her and Princesse over to be closer to Magda.

[characteranalyst]

Phayu Character Analysis : The Man With a Borrowed Halo and One Foot in Hell

“My brother is far from simple, you’ll get burned if you don’t know how to play with fire” - Saifah

Gather round LITA obsessed children for an in depth analysis of our resident Daddy Dom Brat Tamer Phayu who Christian Grey wished he was and tried to be. You either hate him, love him, want to be him or all of the above.

I know PhayuRain’s arc seems like on the surface just a fluffy little romance with no need for lengthy think pieces.  But I’m obsessed with their dynamic and I could not let the hyper-fixation pass before doing a character analysis. Phayu haunts the periphery of dreams and I am hoping that this analysis will help me exorcise this beautiful spectre so I can finally know peace.

As much as I would genuinely love to crack open his skull and unspool all of his thoughts and motivations I cannot do that. So disclaimer obviously this will just be conjecture and my opinion and I am going to try and stick as closely as possible to canon and refrain from falling into head canon territory.

I have read Love Storm but I’m only going to be referencing how Phayu behaves in the series because I prefer that version of him. Also this is going to be a very LONGGGG post. I have many thoughts on this man. Feel free to skim through or save it to read for some other time.

I am mainly going to be speaking about the main character traits that I have observed from him and how he relates to the rest of the characters in the series. I think I am going to make a separate analysis of his dynamic with Rain because going in depth with that would be too much for me to mention here. 

Alright let’s get into it.

(1) EARLY CHILDHOOD AND YOUNG ADULTHOOD

We are given little to no information on his childhood and or young adulthood. What we do know is that his parents left him and Saifah an incredible house and the luxury garage so we can assume that they weren’t strapped for cash.  

Him and Saifah seem like two relatively well adjusted young men so I guess we can assume that there was little to no childhood trauma. In episode 6 during their pillow talk Phayu tells Rain that his parents are off living in Korat and enjoying their lives, I’m assuming. So I guess they’re not divorced. So he has no ‘separated parents’ trauma to deal with.

The only thing that gives us a little insight into how his childhood affected who he became as a person was when he told Rain the story of how his mother always used to argue with his father about how he could fix bikes beautifully but he could not build a house for them.

So Phayu decided that he was going to ensure that he was able to fulfil both by becoming a mechanic and an architect. I think from this we can conclude that Phayu is an overachiever and this displays his seemingly constant need to be perfect and the best.

I think this may also come from a child’s instinctual need to please their caretakers and make them proud. Phayu also seems like someone who has had a Type A personality from birth. In contrast to Saifah who seems like a little more laid back more go with the flow type.

From this little snippet of information we can also assume that his affinity for being a mechanic was either inherited from his father or taught to him and Saifah.

In conclusion it’s safe to say that Phayu does not really seem to have any trauma to speak of, he's just kinky.  I like the fact he doesn’t have any heavy trauma or unsavoury character traits (well I take this back he’s a little pushy and manipulative) he needs to get over. There is beauty in this simplicity where as a result, the majority of the narrative is focused on Phayu Rain falling in love with each other.

(2)   PHAYU AND HIS AIR OF MYSTERY (DR JEYKLL AND MR HYDE)

One thing that stood out to me when we as an audience were introduced to Phayu was his air of mystery. Everyone knows of him of course because he has been knighted as the God of the faculty of architecture.  But we see quickly that very few people actually know him personally. We can see how this fact plays out in the series through the following examples:

Pun says that she has no idea what kind of business Phayu runs but it's ok because she likes a man with a little mystery. (Episode 1)

Phayu refuses to tell Rain what he likes to eat on their first date because he says that Rain has to know him a lot longer before he can ‘snoop for information’ as he puts it. (Episode 3)

Phayu shares only a little information about his life with his senior Mhok before abruptly cutting the conversation short so as to not reveal too much information about his personal life. (Episode 4)

Phayu only reveals deep information about himself and his parents and childhood to Rain after their second time during pillow talk. (Episode 6)

He also doesn’t really seem to have close friends except for Prapai and Saifah. I don’t really think Saifah counts because he’s more of an unwilling captive because they have to share everything that their parents left them. I really don’t think they would even be friends if they weren’t brothers honestly because of their differing personalities. 

I think this ability to guard what he reveals to people helps maintain his mystique. There needs to be a certain level of distance and holding people at arm’s length that needs to take place in order for people to project their fantasies onto him and build him up as some sort of God among men.

I think the reason people idolise Phayu and like him so much is because they like the idea of him rather than the reality of him. I think if more people knew who he actually was in reality, they would be put off by how intense he is.

Rain seems like the only person who had become disillusioned with the idea of Phayu. After the debacle in Episode 1 he sees Phayu not as his ‘cool handsome big bike bro” but as a pushy piece of shit bastard that tried to assault him. I also think some of his anger towards Phayu had to do with him being confused by his feelings for him;  creating a cocktail of confusion for poor Rain to sort out. So he was able to view Phayu as a person and not place him on a pedestal like other people do.

I think this is what PhayuRain’s relationship needed to flourish as well because Phayu needs someone who is able to challenge him. We are well aware of how much he loves brats. The worshipful gaze of Som and Pun would not be satisfactory for him because they had him on a pedestal and were blinded by their idea of him so they would readily submit to him without much push back.

He needed someone with a backbone who could engage in a sort of push and pull relationship with him and our adorable little firecracker Rain was the perfect match. Phayu has people falling at his feet daily; he was in need of much more excitement than that.

Like the story of the titular character Dr.Jekyll a well-respected scientist who used his alter ego Mr.Hyde to delve into the darker side of science without repentance or taking responsibility; Phayu has that same sort of duality. I think Phayu keeps his kinky side under wraps and he’s very careful about whom he shows that part of himself to. Presumably only his lovers or potential lovers get to see his ‘bad side’.

So his DR JEKYLL would be, so to speak,the Phayu that is seen as a smart, capable, polite, helpful and well-adjusted young man, loved by all and sought after by many. This is the Phayu that would leave a random stranger his set square with an encouraging message about his future in architecture.

On the flip side his MR HYDE would be Dom Daddy Brat Tamer Phayu with a penchant for sadism and degradation.

At the end of the day both sides come together to make up who Phayu is as a person and there is nothing inherently wrong with his Mr. Hyde as long as he is able to channel it and engage with it safely with willing participants. Fortunately for him, he has Rain for that.

(3) WONKY MORAL COMPASS BUT STRINGENT PERSONAL RULES 

I really had a hard time dissecting this part. But I have come to the conclusion that Phayu deserves to be labelled as a morally grey or morally ambiguous person. I really have a soft spot for morally grey characters in media or literature. 

It makes the narrative far more interesting to follow. In real life however I would run in the opposite direction and call the police. But this isn’t supposed to be real, it's supposed to be a fantasy so I’m not going to go too much in depth about Phayu’s moral failings. This show doesn’t take itself too seriously so I’m not going to either.

Phayu is not a ‘nice’ person plain and simple and he knows it, contrary to Pun’s expository gushing in the first episode of the show when she refers to him as “super-duper nice”. After the spanking incident in Episode 2 (which was wild now that I think of it) where Rain declares that he is going to make him fall in love with him he says to himself;

 “You’re going to make me fall in love with you but do you know what kind of man I am.”

I think Phayu says this because he knows himself thoroughly the good, the bad and the ugly. Phayu has overcome himself. He has recognized all his shortcomings, all his base desires, all his lowliness, all the self-imposed restraints he places upon himself and overcome them. 

Phayu also strikes me as someone who has engaged with his shadow self and explored the parts of his psyche that most of us would repress and compartmentalise because we are too ashamed of our darkness to engage with it.

He has looked his darkness in the face and come to terms with it. That is why he says, "Do you know what kind of man I am?", because he understands people’s perception of him lies in stark contrast to his unsavoury character traits.

I also think his dabbling in BDSM has given him the room and space to conduct such exploration of himself in a safe, sane and consensual way. I think the nature of BDSM can afford people an outlet to engage with their own darkness and sort through it so that it doesn’t manifest in their life in other ways.

In Episode 1 we see where Prapai likens him to the devil (jokingly) but under every joke there is definitely some truth. If Prapai is calling him that it must be the truth because as we know Prapai looks like his only close friend.

We can assume that Prapai is incredibly familiar with Phayu’s Mr. Hyde as we can presume that they know each other very well so his assessment of dubbing Phayu as a devil must be accurate. 

Also head canon (I know I said I was going to refrain from going into head canon territory but please indulge me a bit) I’m sure they’ve fucked before in a bro-ish kind of way. I mean their both hot and bi and Prapai’s a sub in top’s clothing (I know Dom/sub and top/bottom are two separate things just enjoy the joke you know what I mean)  so it’s not far fetched to think they would have at some time fucked around a bit. 

Although I know Phayu is hardly the correct type of Dom for Prapai’s specific brand of subbiness. The point is I think that Prapai would be privy to Phayu’s true nature and how much of a little shit he can be when he isn’t using his powers for good.

In Episode 5 Saifah, the only other person we see having a close relationship with Phayu refers to him as a Devil as well.

I just know these two have witnessed some shit over the years of knowing Phayu that warranted him being referred to as a Devil.

Discussing Phayu’s moral code is very weird because it’s obvious that he doesn’t really adhere to a normal set of rules. We can assume he’s not particularly religious because it wasn’t mentioned.

I think Phayu is very domineering and kind of manipulative but at the same time he commands an air of respect. He is not necessarily what you would expect from someone who is so widely lauded as an exemplary person.

What also struck me about Phayu was the fact although his moral code seems a little flexible he has a few hard and fast non-negotiable rules that may seem arbitrary to someone like Rain but to him it may as well be gospel. 

One of these rules in the show is seen where we see he has a big thing for respect. We see an example of this when he calls Rain after he picks up his car from the garage and he tells Rain that only ill-mannered boys don’t greet the owner of the house when they stop by. He also ends the call by telling Rain to be respectful. We also see his thing for rules when he tells Rain that he doesn’t like ill-mannered boys and that he should address him as P’Phayu emphasising the use of honorifics.

Phayu is also a man of his word in Episode 7 when Rain tells Phayu that he will unleash his wrath on him if he ever cheats on him. Phayu just laughs and says he will never let Rain down. He holds true to this in the Special Episode when Rain accuses him of cheating on him with Natsu he utters the same sentiment that he promised to never let Rain down. This man looked absolutely horrified at the accusation like he wouldn’t even dream of it.

I think his strict adherence to rules other than him being a Dom could also be influenced by his exposure and affiliation with the likes of P’Pakin and P’Chai.  He knows that there will be dire consequences if the rules aren’t strictly adhered to. This is why he curses Stop for mentioning the race in public and he reprimands Rain for thoughtlessly wandering into the illegal street race without permission to be there.

BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE

He’s so stringent about ensuring that Rain is polite and respectful but he thinks it’s perfectly fine to tamper with Rain’s car so that he would have an excuse to be his knight in shining armour and save him so they could hook up. The math is not mathing at all. I know he’s an experienced mechanic and he wouldn’t have tampered with anything that would have led Rain getting in an accident and getting injured but still. WEIRD BEHAVIOUR KHUN PHAYU!!!!!! Also don’t even get me started on him using the debt of fixing Rain’s car as some weird way to stalk him??? RED FLAGGGGGG!! His methods of courtship definitely need some fine tuning. 

In conclusion his contradictory moral code gives me whiplash trying to figure out where on the scale from angel to devil I should place him. But I think he’s just human. No one is all good and all bad and I think that Mame writes very human raw characters that make you feel something. I’ll give credit where credit is due.

(4) AN EERIE LEVEL OF SELF CONTROL AND THE PATIENCE OF A SAINT 

This man probably never has New Year’s Resolutions because he’s already operating at optimal condition. Phayu is portrayed to be quite literally always in control. The only time he looks undone is after THAT SCENE in Episode 6.

We see this self-control manifest in the way he makes love to Rain in a very formulaic, worshipful and almost performative manner. Gently throwing Rain’s head back, holding his hands down and caging his body. Rain responds in kind to his dominance by always baring his throat in submission and allowing his body to go lax under Phayu’s ministrations.

It’s so gentle but he’s still being dominant and in control. While Rain always looks halfway between heaven and earth during these scenes Phayu always seems wholly present and tethered to earth (like a good Dom should be) creating a space in which his precious sub can feel safe enough to fly out of this stratosphere.

The subtlety with which he maintains control makes me absolutely feral. There is hardly any jostling or manhandling but it’s still forceful. I think a great example of the subtlety of how Phayu displays his dominance can be seen in the PhayuRain make-out scene in Episode 5.

The natural way he cages Rain’s neck to control the flow of the kiss.

The way he stop kissing Rain when Rain tries to lead and he put a finger to his lips in a way that almost screams “Relax I’m in charge here.”

Unlike our donut firecracker Rain (my sweet boy) that was ready to scrap at the first sign of disrespect, Phayu seems like he is not one to resort to violence if they could sort it out by just talking and coming to an amicable solution.

We can see an example of this where Phayu refused to be baited by Stop into fighting with him even though Stop was about to punch him at the night racing circuit in the beginning of Episode 6.

Also before the race between him and Stop where Stop was trying to rile him up. He was able to remain level headed while Stop immediately lost his cool and tried to fight him once again when Phayu insulted him.

I’m assuming this self-control is more nature than nurture. It seems like he is the type to have always been calm and self-contained. He doesn’t need to bark loudly because his competence and self-assuredness speaks volumes. 

He quite literally doesn’t yell often he just uses that husky dom voice. The only time he ever really raised his voice was when he was shouting at Rain in Episode 2 when he was worried that he could have gotten killed for sneaking into the illegal street circuit race.

The thing about dominance and control that I think people like Stop with fragile egos get wrong is that they think it comes from a place of aggression, peacocking and forcing people to bow to your will. This is however not the sort of dominance that will truly gain you respect and have people willingly obey you.

Phayu’s dominance and control comes from a place of nurturing and caring and people only defer to him and his authority because he has proven time and time again that he is capable of shouldering the responsibility of what this control entails and he has consequently gained their respect because of it.

(5) PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL 

No matter how level headed he is and self-control he possesses he’s still a man and he has been socialised to exist as a man. So he’s not above engaging in a motorcycle race with an asshole like Stop to prove a point and because of his pride.

I like how this moment humanised Phayu and showed how no matter how above petty human emotions he seems, he’s still liable to fall victim to making decisions based on ego.

However, I like that he was self-aware enough to realise that he was indeed only participating in this race because of his pride because he says to Rain when he tries to stop him some things just don’t have an explanation. 

We can contrast him racing Stop because of his pride and him kneeling before Stop and crawling to save Rain from being hurt. Although he has an ego he was more than willing to put pride aside to ensure Rain’s safety.

(SIDENOTE- I died watching the kidnapping ordeal in episode 7 that shit was so unserious. The picture of Rain that Stop sent Phayu lives in my head rent free and I cackle from time to time because of it.) 

(6) “P’PHAYU LHOR MAKKKKK!” – Pun  (PRETTY PRIVILEGE AND THE HALO EFFECT)

Physical appearance is often a major part of the halo effect. People who are considered attractive tend to be rated higher as possessing positive traits in contrast to people who aren’t considered conventionally attractive.

I think beauty can be blinding and make people more willing to overlook people’s misgivings. As the halo effect states people are more likely to project good qualities on to people they deem to be conventionally attractive.

As I said when I was addressing his air of mystery; because people are so predisposed to projecting all these good qualities on Phayu the distance and the space that he creates between him and other people can be filled with these projections and good qualities so that they build him up in their minds as this amazing person.

This man radiates and secretes ungodly amounts of sex appeal without trying. So I think his general attractiveness is one of the reasons as well why Rain had a hard time getting people to believe that Phayu was a pushy manipulative little asshole in the beginning.

Do I think Phayu would have commanded the same level of respect that he does without also being pretty? I don’t know to be honest. I do however think Phayu is an unintentional cautionary tale about the dangers of projecting good qualities on someone just because they’re attractive and being blind to their faults.

(7) SELF ASSURED, CONFIDENT AND CHARMING – CONCEITED?

I mean I’d be that confident too if I was rich, handsome, talented, smart ANDDDDD could fuck like a porn star but I digress. Very much a quiet confidence to him as was elaborated on when I spoke about the air of mystery. He is evidently very capable and consequently people rely on him and I think his self- assuredness comes from the fact that he can back up his claims because he has every right to be self-centred.

Without mincing words this man is very conceited. However although he is conceited he doesn’t lack empathy and he doesn’t seem too self-involved as evidenced by the way he ensures that he takes care of the people he cares about.

(8) PHAYU THE COMPULSIVE CARETAKER, CONCEITED BUT NOT SELF-INVOLVED

We see in Episode 4 how Phayu puts Rain’s needs before his by ensuring that Rain focuses on his school work and ensures that his development and advancement as a person comes before pursuing a romantic relationship with Phayu.

He ensures that Rain understands how slacking on his work in pursuance of other things will affect his work life and he lectures him while still comforting him after. I really liked this scene in Episode 3 because Phayu is able to help Rain because he’s older and more experienced and he’s gone through it before. I also like the fact that there isn’t a hint of condescension in his voice, just concern and wanting to ensure that Rain becomes the best version of himself.

Phayu shows how much he cares about Rain and is invested in making Rain a priority in his life in so many little ways. We can see in Episode 5 how Phayu leaves an important meeting to answer Rain’s text messages. Also in Episode 4 When Rain finishes his project early after an all-nighter and instead of sleeping he goes straight to Phayu. Phayu ensures that there is reciprocity in their relationship by saying that you missed out on sleep to come see me, so I'm going to hurry up and finish my work so we can hang out.

He makes an effort to help Rain finish his models like he promised to do in his speech in Episode 5. Also in Episode 4 he apologises to Rain for his phone dying and for making him wait for him in the rain. In Episode 6 after he almost gets in a fight with Stop the first thing he does is ask Rain if he’s alright even though he was the one that almost had a brawl with Stop.

I think we really see throughout the show how the way Phayu interacts with Rain takes on a sort of paternalistic tinge. The title of Daddy is incredibly fitting and I really just think this is him being a good Dom.

That’s why I think this is the reason Phayu looks so touched and taken aback when Rain and him first meet and he holds the umbrella for Phayu while he’s changing his tire. Phayu’s so used to being relied on and being assumed to be competent and well put together. He’s used to giving without expecting anything in return. So when Rain does this small act of kindness in an effort to repay this Good Samaritan, Phayu becomes fascinated with him. 

(9) ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS B.R. (Before Rain)

Was he possibly a whore? Not as much of a whore as Prapai but he has definitely spun the block. Whereas our beloved service top Prapai has built a gated community in which he resides on said block. Phayu had a condom stashed under that toy car so we know he was getting some action.

He was probably not a whore whore because as he said to Rain in the bathroom scene:

We all know why he’s particular. I don’t think he would have been able to find a lot of people willing to put up with his domineering attitude and controlling nature long term if they didn’t have that sort of kink no matter how insanely hot he is.

But there were definitely others before Rain if we can take cues from the offhanded comments of the other characters in the series. Saifah tells Rain in Episode 3 when he’s waiting for Phayu that there were others before him. Was it a lot of others though? The world may never know.

Saifah comments on the fact that Phayu has been single for a long time and Saifah tells him if he wants to be happy like him he should get in a serious relationship. So we can assume that long term romantic relationships for Phayu have more than likely been few and far between. He probably was not celibate though as we see how he was going to have a one night stand with Rain.

We see Saifah saying that he feels bad for whoever is making Phayu smile like that and how he warns him not to be too mean to Rain because he will run away. We can assume that others have been perturbed by how intense Phayu was in the past and they have run off.

I’m sure Saifah knows Phayu very well and even if he isn’t aware of the details of his kinkiness he knows Phayu has a thing about control and a mean streak. At least that’s what Saifah computes it as in his vanilla mind. I’m sure this poor man has heard and seen way too much. JUSTICE FOR SAIFAHH!!!!!!

Lastly before they get together Phayu constantly tests Rain to see if he can handle what a long term relationship with him would look like. I’m sure this comes from things not working out in the past and Phayu wanting to ensure that Rain can handle him.

We can see that Phayu may have abandonment issues from things not working out in the past with his romantic pursuits when in Episode 5 he’s scared and panicked and sad when Rain runs away after they have sex for the first time. I have three theories about this:

(1) He didn’t want to lose Rain because he’s a unicorn and he may never have hope of finding someone so perfect for him again.  

(2) He was abandoned before because he was too much and overbearing and it triggered him.

(3) He’s big on communication and he feels slighted that Rain ran away before they could discuss how their relationship would develop after they had sex for the first time.

It could have quite possibly been a combination of all of the above. Phayu seems like the type to be fully invested in a long term relationship and he seems like someone who loves deeply so I think him testing Rain was him just trying to ensure that Rain was worth the investment before he got too attached.

(10) PHAYU THE SCULPTOR ; HIS OBSESSION WITH POTENTIAL AND MOULDING THINGS TO HIS LIKING 

“Rain before you design a house you need to design your life first”- Phayu

I get the impression that Phayu’s view on life is that everything can be curated and tailored to his liking if he tries hard enough. He’s definitely not a go with the flow kind of person. Every single move he makes is intentional. Looking at his two professions being an architect and his side of job of being a mechanic; these are two things that require moulding, precision.

Architects are able to create and design and bring their vision to life and make it tangible. It’s a very creative profession with the added bonus of having something you designed realised in real life.

Also mechanics are constantly tinkering with engines and in control of powerful machinery. Whether they work on maintenance, diagnostics, or repairs, they have to perform those tasks with exacting detail. That is because this careful work on important vehicle components could save someone’s life.

This speaks to Phayu’s pedantic nature with the added element of not wanting to deal with the consequences of disappointing Pakin. These machines are kind of like a puzzle to be solved.

But the catch is those things aren’t really his and they don’t truly belong to him.

In Episode 3 we can infer that sometimes clients may criticize his designs and he has to mould it to their liking instead of relying on his own vision.

In Episode 1 Prapai tells him your babies are so beautiful (referring to the motorcycles) but Phayu corrects him and says that they don’t belong to him.

But I think that although he doesn’t own these things and that he may be required to tailor the design of a house to someone else’s liking still these tasks scratch his itch for moulding and creating.

Then *enter stage left* a wild Rain appears, a blank canvas unmarred by past sexual or romantic experience. He has no expectations and no idea how anything works so he’s able to become a sort of pliable clay that Phayu can use his deft fingers to mold to his liking consequently making Rain his.

We can are shown how their relationship is mutually beneficial and how it works for them. Different folks have different strokes.

The glint in his eyes and the way Phayu all but shivers in excitement every time Rain tells him he can’t do something. 

Episode 4 – "I’ll teach you"

Episode 6- "I'll train you to be the best rider"

In the infamous Daddy scene in the special episode he says "When I teach I teach to the core" 

It’s not explicitly stated but I’m sure this man got off constantly at the fact that he was Rain’s first everything when it came to sex and romance and he is constantly in charge of moulding him.

We can definitely see how much of a diligent student and quick learner Rain is and how Phayu is consequently able to enjoy the fruits of his labour. (SIDE NOTE: I’m sure Phayu wasn’t prepared for the monster he created in Rain.)

I love the reciprocity in their relationship as Phayu shows Rain just how desired he is and worships him constantly.

(11) WHY HE WAS DEFINITELY A KID WHO HATED SHARING HIS TOYS 

Phayu strikes me as a man who knows exactly what he wants and  how to obtain it and when he finds it he will hold on to it and never let it go. We are given countless examples of Phayu’s blatant possessiveness over Rain once they begin their unorthodox courtship.

When after their first time Phayu says to Rain that he must repeat the phrase “Rain belongs to P’Phayu.”back to him.

This man heard that Pun was in Rain’s general vicinity and immediately drove to him to stake his claim. Also when he admits to being “insanely jealous” of Pun ever since he heard that Rain used to have a romantic interest in her.

He removes Saifah’s hand from Rain’s shoulder in Episode 4 and tells him to get back to work after Saifah suggests that he could teach Rain how to ride a super bike.

I do think this possessiveness is also in part because Phayu realises how much of a rare find Rain is and he will do everything in his power to ensure that they stay together forever. I also think in contrast, Rain’s possessiveness has more to do with him constantly having to fight off potential suitors because everyone is in love with Phayu (well the idea of him). 

I appreciate however that his possessiveness isn’t portrayed as particularly toxic because in episode 5 when Phayu is having lunch with Sky and Rain and Rain tells Sky he loves him after he told him that Phayu and him were dating.

Instead of getting unreasonable jealous of Rain and Sky’s obviously platonic relationship, Phayu simply says that he has no reason to be jealous because he knows that Sky and Rain are just friends.

I think if they ever decided on venturing out and engaging in a threesome it would 100% be Rain’s idea in order to satiate his own curiosity. Phayu would go along with it (ever indulgent of his sweet boy) but he would probably have to be in control the entire time while simultaneously barking orders at the third party about how to pleasure Rain properly.

(12) THE SADISTIC  LITTLE SHIT (AFFECTIONATE) AND HIS “DEK NGO”  "DEK NARAK"

I know PhayuRain and their kink list is longer than the elevator ride to hell but I’m going to focus on what in my opinion is Phayu’s poison of choice. That is sadism and degradation.

More specifically emotional and psychological sadism mostly. I don’t think he’s particularly opposed to physical sadism though. In the special episode he said he punished Rain until he was sore but Rain liked it. Although this is vague and he could have been sore for different reasons we see in Episode 2 when Phayu is berating Rain for breaking into the illegal race that isn’t above spanking Rain.

I don’t really know for sure if Rain is a masochist though I think he is definitely willing to try things with Phayu but he didn’t really seem to enjoy the spanking but I guess that was mostly because they didn’t know each other that well.

So I think while Phayu is mainly an emotional sadist and he prefers it he partakes in physical sadism with Rain because I think Rain would prefer that more based on his personality. This is mainly because of his obvious praise kink.

(CC: Rain’s blissed out expression when Phayu whispered “keng mak” i.e. “Good job” in his ear in the bathroom stall scene after Rain had followed his instructions.)

So the degradation that comes along with emotional sadism may not be Rain’s cup of tea.

After the incident in Episode 3 where Phayu told Rain to change ‘ngo’ to ‘narak’ ; I think he realised how insecure Rain was about being called stupid and that this was a hard limit for Rain. We can see as the story progress after this incident where Phayu either calls him “naughty boy” or some version of good boy.

I do think that this is an example of how Phayu is willing to tailor and transform his kinks and compromise to ensure that Rain is comfortable. He realised that Rain responds far better to praise and made the necessary adjustments.

We also see Phayu’s penchant for degradation and humiliation in  Episode 3 where he buys Rain extra small underwear. Although they were the correct size for Rain, Phayu had to throw  in a little dick size shaming for his own amusement. The smug little smile after he riles Rain up about this speaks for itself. 

However I wanted to fight him when he made my baby Rain cry in episode 5 after he made Rain think that he didn’t want to be with him anymore. Although I kind of feel like this was sort of more punishment for the fact that Rain ran off after their first time in Episode 4 and made him worry. I guess it’s safe to add dacryphilia to their long ass kink list. Phayu you sadistic little shit. 

If we also listen to the words of Phayu in his little speech before they make out in episode 5, I swear the only thing missing from this was Phayu getting down on one knee and proposing to Rain. 

He says:

We can see that he enjoys this and gets off on being the one to tease and degrade Rain. He knows Rain’s limits and he ensures that he follows up any degradation with praise as a  salve to any open wounds he’s caused with his words. I think Rain eventually adapts to this part of Phayu however because in Episode 7 he tells Phayu that he is willing to let Phayu tease him forever. 

I love how they are both willing to adapt and compromise to better serve each other’s needs. Phayu constantly keeps Rain off kilter constantly guessing, constantly teasing him but at the same time he ensures that Rain understands that Phayu loves him and he is valued.

Phayu is constantly and reflexively adjusting himself to meet Rain's needs from moment to moment and I applaud him for it. Good job Daddy you get a gold star for all your hard work.

(13) PHAYU THE INVENTOR OF HEALTHY COMMUNICATION

This definitely has to be one of my favourite things about Phayu. I’m sure Rain isn’t the first person Phayu has attempted to have some sort of D/s relationship with and at the core of this is communication, consent and boundaries. 

D/s relationships especially 24/7 ones involve copious amounts of consent and negotiation and communication but I know that the show couldn’t necessarily explicitly address the fact that they are in a 24/7 D/s relationship so we don’t get any sit down moments where Phayu and Rain discuss it blatantly. However I would assume that at some point Phayu sat Rain down and explained to him what their dynamic is and what was expected of him.

We definitely see how much Phayu values communication in the Special Episode when Rain misreads a situation. Where he sees Phayu talking to Natsu on the couch in Phayu’s home. I mean to be fair sparks were flying between them. I don’t know  if that was just a Boss thing because good God this man can generate sexual tension with a  wall. (Went off on a tangent there moving on back to communication.)

I think that Phayu understands that Rain has a sort of inferiority complex that is made worse by people being constantly baffled as to how Rain ended up with a guy like Phayu. Rain also most likely due to immaturity and lack of life experience has a problem with communication and conflict resolution. 

Phayu has to drag the confession out of Rain about why he’s upset with him. We see where this man has quite literally done nothing wrong yet still he gets on his knees to apologise and tries to make it up to Rain. 

I love that Phayu possesses the maturity to  never allow misunderstandings to remain unaddressed and fester. Although Rain may lack the maturity to speak up and directly tell Phayu what is bothering him in any given situation, Phayu ensures that they talk it out so that their conflicts do not go unresolved and that resentment does not have the opportunity to set in. 

(14) PHAYU SEX & SEXUALITY 

Phayu is an unapologetically shameless and sexual person. This comfortability in his sexuality and his lack of preoccupation with other people's opinion of him allows him to exude a calm self assurance and striking sex appeal subconsciously. 

This comfortability with his own sexuality was displayed many times throughout the series. In Episode 3 when that are at the porridge shop and Phayu goads Rain into being unashamed of the fact that they were in public and on a date with each other.

In Episode 5 after Rain told Sky that he was dating Phayu he said he was happy that Rain told his best friend about them because he understands that he would be apprehensive in case Sky would start to see him differently. I like that he lets Rain come out on his own time and he doesn’t rush him. Lastly in Episode 6 Phayu proudly introduces Rain as his boyfriend to P’ Chai at the street race. 

Phayu is a readymade character who has presumably gone through the stage in his life where he would have explored his sexuality and unusual proclivities and has come to the point of acceptance. I think that is why he is portrayed as someone who knows exactly what he likes and enjoys and is unashamed of it.

This is why he seems to be such a safe place for Rain to explore the full spectrum of his own sexuality.  There is never any judgement in Phayu's eyes when they uncover another one of Rain’s off the walls kinks. We just see at most a sort of mild amusement and an instant willingness to acquiesce and indulge Rain.

Phayu being out and proud made Rain feel like it was ok to have these feelings so his apprehension about identifying as such quickly dissipated.He’s constantly willing to teach, indulge and hold Rain’s hand through this journey and I just think that’s so neat. 

Everyone deserves to have a safe place like Phayu when dipping their toes in and navigating the troubled unpredictable waters of sex and sexuality especially when coming to terms with their own queerness. 

WHAT IS PHAYU’S MAIN MOTIVATION THAT UNDERSCORES EVERYTHING SINGLE ACTION THAT HE TAKES?

The simple answer to this is control. This is important because I don’t see Phayu as someone who particularly chases after power but control? Yes most definitely.Power is the ability to make something happen. Control is the ability to make something happen the way you want. We are all created differently but Phayu needs control at all times in the same way we need oxygen to survive. It’s just the way his wires were crossed. 

Phayu could have easily just admitted to Rain on their first meeting that he remembered him and he could have left it to chance how their encounter would have gone. He could have also gone through the Prapaiesque route and  just pursued Rain himself. 

But he was different; he made sure that he was in control of  their dynamic from the very beginning. The aforementioned options left far too many variables that could have thrown a wrench in Phayu’s end game which was getting Rain. 

He even somehow managed to get Rain to pursue him and have him think that it was his idea. Even though he was the one who liked Rain from the very beginning.

This desperate all-consuming need to be in control at all times is tempered by Phayu’s ability to adequately shoulder the responsibility that comes with that control. Everything he does is calculated. There is always an end goal. Consequently he thrives and is most content when he has someone like Rain to be in charge of in a sense.

The contentment and ease that seems to overtake Phayu when he and Rain are in an established relationship is a sight to see. He’s no longer untethered; he's firm and grounded.

CHARACTER’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE PLOT

There isn’t too much angst and the denouement/final conflict just concerns external factors and has nothing to do with Phayu Rain’s romantic relationship

The plot is just romance; from the meet cute in the rain to the established relationship. I love how we just felt like we were along for the ride to watch two men fall irrevocably in love with each other and fit together perfectly like puzzle pieces.

CHARACTER’S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE SERIES

I’m going to be honest I don’t think there was much life altering character growth with Phayu. When we meet Phayu he seems like a fully fleshed out character who knows what he wants and isn’t ashamed of his proclivities and sexuality so there is no room to explore there or for any consequent development. Phayu is a static character with no change in behaviour, and his values and attitudes remain pretty consistent throughout the entirety of the text and the series. 

I don’t think I’m getting over PhayuRain anytime soon. If you got all the way to the end I hope you enjoyed my ramblings. Let me know if you guys have anything to add. The plot as well as the characters in this show were a far cry from perfect but I keep coming back to it so they must have done something right. 

[gogodollie]

Ghost normal (no clergy) family AU except Nihil/Imperator had been married but divorced after the cheating scandal. Imperator found out he had knocked some chick up (the baby in question is Secondo. Primo was a teen pregnancy situation that she had known about during the marriage. Terzo would be born after the divorce, a product of another affair that she wasn’t aware of at the time) and left him for obvious reasons. However, they get together again 25 years later and their household is a fucking nightmare.

- Copia is still born under the circumstance of Nihil being entirely unaware of his birth. Copia and Nihil are extremely awkwardly working that out when they find out about each other. It’s certainly strained but at least an effort is being made.

- Imperator is constantly beefing with Nihil’s other kids. She has a bit of lenience with Primo considering she was present in his life when he was younger but Nihil’s affair babies? She cannot stand Secondo and Terzo for the most part.

- Primo works at a cafe part time. Secondo works odd jobs but is constantly busy. Terzo is unemployed after he got fired from his last job as a restaurant host (he was fired almost a full year prior to Imperator rejoining the family).

- Terzo is asking Nihil for cash to go out and Imperator is going “Cough cough freeloader cough” right to his fucking face.

- Nihil is putting up their old wedding photos and acting like nothing ever happened.

- Nihil’s kids are insisting that Imperator is a gold digger but Imperator wears the pants on this house. She’s most likely the only reason they have non-expired food in the pantry.

- Imperator “I’m sick of these grown ass men in my house” vs Imperator “Yes, my 25 year old son needs someone to come with him to his dentist appointment.”

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Maggie Fox at The Fuller Project, via The Guardian:

As they prepare to take control of the White House and Congress next month, conservatives are eyeing cutbacks to federal programs that help tens of millions of women pay for healthcare, food, housing and transportation. Slashing or overhauling social support programs, long a goal of Republican lawmakers, could be catastrophic for women experiencing poverty. Supporters contend the social safety-net programs are already grossly underfunded.

“With this new administration that is coming in … I really am concerned about the lives of women. We are seeing so many policies, so many budget cuts,” said Christian Nunes, president of the National Organization for Women. Republicans say they want to keep campaign promises to cut government spending, and three major programs make easy targets: Medicaid, the joint state/federal health insurance program for people with lower incomes; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a cash-allowance program that replaced welfare; and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), widely known as food stamps. While conservatives frame cuts as making government more efficient and even restoring freedom, advocates for and experts on families with little or no income say reducing these programs will throw more people – especially women and children – further into poverty. “It is going to fall heavily on women,” said Elaine Waxman, a senior fellow in the Income and Benefits Policy Center at the Urban Institute, a non-profit research organization.

Predicting precisely what Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration will do is difficult. Congressional leaders are close-mouthed about negotiations, and the president-elect has not finished putting together his advisory team. None of the spokespeople contacted for this story returned calls or e-mails. But organizations known to advise top leaders in Congress and the previous Trump administration have laid out fairly detailed roadmaps. Project 2025, the conservative Heritage Foundation’s blueprint for the incoming administration, denies its proposed changes will harm women, saying instead that marriage and “family values” will improve their economic situations. “Marriage, healthy family formation, and delaying sex to prevent pregnancy are virtually ignored in terms of priorities, yet these goals can reverse the cycle of poverty in meaningful ways,” reads the section on proposed changes to TANF and Snap.

Numerous other groups that have studied the problem say forcing or even encouraging marriage will not make poverty disappear. And a recent study by a team at the University of South Carolina found that when state laws make it harder for pregnant women to get divorced, they’re more likely to be killed by their partners. Trump has promised not to attack the two most expensive and popular government programs: social security and Medicare. But he and Congress are up against a deadline to extend his 2017 tax reforms, which raised the federal deficit. They’ll have to cut something, and social spending programs, especially the $805bn Medicaid program, are low-hanging fruit for conservatives. Trump repeatedly tried to slash Snap during his last tenure in office: his 2021 budget proposal would have cut the program by more than $180bn – nearly 30% – over 10 years. Conservatives in Congress have continued these efforts and, with majorities in the House and Senate, they may be able to get them through next year. The Republican Study Committee, whose members include about three-quarters of the House Republican caucus, recommends more work requirements for Snap and TANF.

[...] Snap currently helps 41 million people buy groceries and other necessities every month. Women accounted for more than 55% of people under 65 receiving Snap benefits in 2022, according to the National Women’s Law Center, a gender justice advocacy group. About one-third of them were women of color, the NWLC said. Among other things, cutting these programs will trap women in dangerous situations, the NWLC said: “SNAP helps survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault establish basic economic security.” TANF, which provides cash assistance, overwhelmingly benefits women. In 2022, 370,000 TANF adult recipients were female and 69,000 were male, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Perhaps Medicaid is the most tempting target for conservatives because they can use it to undermine the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The GOP has been gunning for the ACA since it was signed into law without a single Republican vote in 2010.

Republicans and their he-man woman-haters club agenda blooms with their inane proposals to cut subsidies such as SNAP and WIC that are primarily used by women.

[catmarlowastrology]

Sabrina Carpenter's Natal Promise (Predictive Astrology)

Here are a few hints from the universe about Sabrina's life as seen in her natal chart. Remember, this is just my analysis and is for entertainment purposes only.

2nd house in Taurus with planets: This is the first hint that Sabrina's going to ride the financial rollercoaster all her life. These placements suggest she might rake in a lot of money but also struggle to hang onto it. It’s a big sign that her financial situation is tightly linked to other parts of her life. When her bank account is flush, everything else is peachy. But when she hits financial bumps (and she will, according to her chart), other areas are going to get rocky too.

Mars in the 7th house: This configuration hints at some kind of showdown (Mars) between two sides (Libra). It could mean that Sabrina might have to sue her business partners or divorce her husband if she ever ties the knot. The best-case scenario is that she gets exactly what she wants, and the whole process is smooth and diplomatic.

2nd house ruler Venus in Cancer in the 4th house: Stuff happening in her personal life — especially with family or at home — is going to mess with her finances. Could be good, could be bad. Venus in Cancer craves safety and comfort, so Sabrina might end up buying or building her dream home, a cozy haven perfect for raising a family (if she chooses to). Her home will be filled with love. But that dream home won’t come cheap. If she’s not careful, it could seriously dent her finances. There's also the risk of a bad investment, especially if she just wants a secluded spot away from prying eyes and doesn’t do her homework.

6th house ruler Sun in Taurus in the 2nd house: Financial ups and downs will greatly influence her daily responsibilities. The 6th house is all about the thrilling tasks like paperwork and appointments — those fun things that keep life from falling apart. When her finances are thriving, she'll notice a lighter load and more manageable tasks. However, during financial rough patches, she’ll feel like she’s drowning in paperwork and daily chores, unable to delegate and stuck handling everything herself.

7th house ruler Mercury in Taurus in the 2nd house: Once more, money is the star of the show, this time affecting marriages or contracts. Love and cash are like peanut butter and jelly in her chart. She might end up with someone who’s all about the Benjamins or super strict with money (Virgo 7th house). If Sabrina’s not smart with her finances, it could stir up some serious drama and nagging (thanks again, Virgo).

11th house ruler Saturn in Taurus in the 2nd house: Her finances are closely linked to her social circle. When she has more money, she gains more friends. When the money's tight, friends start to vanish. With Capricorn in the 11th house, she attracts ambitious people who want to succeed. They tend to avoid those they see as not doing well in life.

5th house ruler Moon in Pisces in the 1st house: Sabrina was born to shine. We’re talking star quality here, or at least some kind of entertainer. Her creativity is tied to her very being. Every choice she makes either lights up a new hit or tanks with a terrible album.

10th house ruler Jupiter in Aries in the 1st house: Her career directly impacts how she carries herself, her self-esteem, her self-love, and even her looks. But Jupiter can make her fly too close to the sun and get burnt. This setup hints that she might lose herself trying to meet career expectations. But that’s the worst-case scenario. If she keeps her head on straight, she'll not only advance in her career but also become wiser and more confident.

If you're interested in a Natal Promise report (completely unique and written by me), you can grab one on my website.

[konigsrose]

König x Unhappily Married Reader pt5

Congratulations for reaching the final part! It’s FILTHY so MDNI and 18+ only, of course. Hope you’ve enjoyed the ride… Check out my AO3 if you want more König smut and fluff! Chapter Link and Full Works Link

Enjoyyyyyyy ————————

When you had arrived home that night, König came with you; he flashed a wad of cash to the taxi driver, and asked the driver to wait until König had seen you safely inside. König didn’t let you enter first, simply letting you unlock the door, then telling you to stand behind him as he checked the building. You probably shouldn’t have been too surprised, he had been an insertion specialist during his time in the field, and if any man knew how to breach and clear a building, it was him. You couldn’t help but feel he was being a little overprotective, though you had to admit to yourself, you found it kind of thrilling. König checked every room in your house, glancing through each door for anything suspicious, any sign that your husband had made a stupid decision… but there was nothing.

Nothing, but the note. Written in wobbly, drunken handwriting that seriously lacked appropriate punctuation, the note was left on the kitchen table scrawled on the back of an envelope. You read it with shaking hands, König standing behind you, reading over your shoulder, his fists clenched.

“Hope he’s worth it slut. You want a quick divorce so you can ride off into the sunset with your meathead - sell house 60/40 split I’ll go quietly. Don’t think about arguing I’m not scared of him.”

You laughed out loud, the joy that it was finally over outweighing the insult, the stupidity, and the demand. You would happily have given your husband - no, your ex-husband - the whole house, if it meant you would be free to start again. Being called a slut didn’t hurt, given that you hadn’t been touched by a man in almost a decade, though now you couldn’t help but hope that was going to change pretty quickly. You turned to König with a grin on your face, eyes brimming with tears of joy, and were surprised to see he didn’t look half as happy as you. In fact, he looked positively enraged, his jaw and fists clenched tight, eyes burning with anger. You reached up, cupping that tightened jaw with your soft little hand, and turned his face from the note, to you.

“I don’t care,” you said, quietly, reassuringly. “I don’t care what he calls me, or how much money he wants. I’m just glad it’s over.” Your fingers lightly caressed König’s cheek, and you sighed in relief. “Thank you,” you whispered, gazing up in adoration. “I could still find him, teach him his manners, test just how unafraid of me he is?” König offered, his fists finally unclenching, hands moving to your waist. “He’s not worth it. He’s not worth anything. Not like you…”

It took a great deal of restraint for König not to lean down, and press his lips to yours in that moment. He would have loved to have taken you right there, on that kitchen table, the note beneath your writhing body as he gave you all the pleasure you had been missing these last years. But he was a gentleman, at least when it came to you… And so, he kissed your forehead instead, and held you to his chest, before making you promise if anything happened overnight you would call him. He left, with an ache in the pit of his stomach, and another in his boxers, and prayed that you’d still want him tomorrow, and the day after that too. He needn’t have worried; you spent the whole night dreaming of your new life, free of your ex-husband and all the misery he wrought on you, and every dream had König at the centre of it.

You went to work as normal the next day, a little tired, and minus the silver rings on your finger. You were glad to be rid of them, you had always liked gold jewellery anyway, not that your ex had ever paid enough attention to know that. You exchanged nothing more than glances and smiles with König all day; him too nervous to approach you, too afraid of pressuring you, scaring you off, or embarrassing you at work… You, not sure how well you’d be able to control yourself, and hoping against hope that maybe tonight he would offer more than just a kiss on the forehead and a chest to lay your head on. You desperately waited for the last person in the office to leave, leaving you and König finally alone.

Only then did you dare to slip into his office, nerves welling in your stomach, heart pounding in your chest, to thank him once more for what he had done for you. You were so quiet, he didn’t even notice you enter the room, until you were halfway across it; he pushed his chair back and made to rise, but you stepped smartly behind the desk and laid a hand on his shoulder. He was closer to eye level for you like this anyway, you thought with an internal chuckle. You dithered for a moment, wondering how to start, what words you could possibly say that would express your gratitude, your desire… His eyes were wide, staring at you with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety, and you realised that there were no words for what you were feeling. Instead, you gathered every ounce of courage, leaned forward, and crashed your mouth against his, praying to every and any god that he would kiss you back.

Your prayers were more than answered, as surprise faded into delight, and König’s hands pulled you into his lap, his mouth answering yours with increasingly desperate, messy kisses. It wasn’t long before you were both unbuttoning each other’s shirts, his huge fingers fumbling with your tiny buttons, until both chests were bare, and your hands eagerly roamed one another’s bodies. His teeth nipped at your bottom lip, his fingers squeezed your breasts, delving into the lace of your bra to toy with your hardening nipples as you straddled his lap, skirt pushed up around your waist to make space for his huge thighs between your own, and started to grind against him. He moaned into your mouth at the feel of you rubbing yourself against his straining hard-on, which only encouraged you to press harder, move faster, the lace of your underwear slick with your excitement.

You bucked and writhed in his lap, your clit grinding against the hard bulge in König’s trousers, leaving a patch of damp arousal on him as he kissed you passionately, his tongue exploring your mouth. His hands were all over you, grasping your thighs, hips, breasts, until you broke from the kiss to whimper against his lips. “König- I’m going to-“ a high pitched little squeak of a moan stole the rest of the sentence away as you approached your climax. König’s hands gripped your hips tight and rocked them back and forth, taking over when you’d grown too excited to be able to maintain your own movements against him. He watched in awe and delight as your body went rigid, your thighs twitched, eyes fluttering shut and mouth dropping open as you came. The fact that, still fully clothed, you could get yourself off just rubbing that sweet little cunt against his bulge was intoxicating, and the sweet little moan you made when you came on his clothed cock sent König into a frenzy. He barely gave you time to get over your orgasm, before he was throwing you onto the desk, skirt pushed around your waist, tearing your lace underwear in two as if it were made of nothing, and burying his face between your thighs to taste your dripping arousal.

You couldn’t help but let out a low, delighted moan when König’s mouth finally met your cunt. You didn’t remember the last time you were pleasured like this - hell, you had never been made to feel this good - and all you could do was lie back, trying not to let your hips buck and writhe too much as his greedy mouth explored you. His tongue was lapping at you, probing you, then swirling and teasing your sensitive clit, until he began to gently kiss and suck it… it didn’t take long for you to be whimpering once more, the coil in your core tightening, your body tensing as your second orgasm approached. König pushed two large fingers into you, making you gasp with excitement at the stretch, while his mouth continued to work your clit. When you came undone again, you writhed, thighs trying to clamp together, but König’s free hand pinned you in place. He did not stop kissing, licking, sucking, working you through your climax and into overstimulation, making you tremble.

“König!” You whined, a third orgasm tearing through you almost immediately after the second, your cunt clamping tight around his big fingers. The sound of his name on your lips, moaned in ecstasy, did something to König. His icy blue eyes, which had not left your face as he pleasured you with his mouth and hand, took on a wild, frenzied look. He had been so in control, so calm, but hearing you whimper his name as your pussy clenched and pulsed against his mouth and around his fingers tore through any restraint he had left. He stood up, wiping your glistening arousal from his mouth with one huge hand, sucking it from his fingers, and paused momentarily to look over you, surveying the delicious sight before him. You, sprawled out on his desk, him between your thighs, your skirt up around your waist, blouse undone, breasts spilling from the lace of your bra… This was everything he had ever dreamed of… well, almost. He hovered uncertainly, desperate to take the next step, to claim you as his properly, to mould your sweet, tight pussy to the shape of his huge cock… but he needed you to make the decision, he didn’t want to push you. The wild look in his eyes as he gazed down at you was more than enough for you though, and you reached out with trembling hands. As you unbuckled his belt, your eyes flickered between König’s massive, throbbing bulge, and his face, with that desperate expression.

“Please?” You whispered, your hands busily unbuttoning and unzipping, eager for more. “You want me to fuck you, Liebling?” König breathed, stopping your hands in their movements, taking them in his own. You nodded, biting your lip, and again managed to whisper a plea. The moment the word left your lips, König had his boxers shoved down, his lengthy cock springing free, slapping against his stomach. You knew he would be big, but even the bulge you had been grinding against earlier hadn’t given a hint of just how big he was. Not just long, but thick, and rock hard, veins stood out like ropes wrapped around his meaty cock. König let your hand wrap around it, and your fingers didn’t manage to touch your thumb, he was so huge. You pulled his length down, until his tip was pressed against your slick entrance, and looked up at König’s face as he held himself there. His voice was gentle as one of his hands took over from yours, holding him in place, while he interlaced the fingers of his other hand with your own. “Are you ready, Engel?” He asked softly, patiently, his throbbing cock nestled against you. Again, you nodded, and again your teeth clamped on your bottom lip in anticipation.

Slowly, so slowly, König’s hips began to push forward.

The stretch of him filling you should surely have been painful, given his size; you felt nothing but pleasure, deep, delicious, breathtaking pleasure, as he pushed inside you. It was as if you were made for him, made to take him like this, or to be taken by him, and he moaned as he hilted himself in you, one hand on your thigh, one interlaced with your own hand, both tensing and squeezing as he felt the tight embrace of your cunt. He looked down at you with awe, with worship in his eyes, and slowly, gently moved his hips back, before driving himself into you again. You felt so good around him, within a few thrusts he was on the edge, feeling your heat and tightness dragging him towards release.

The hand pressing your thigh back moved to where you were joined, his thumb pressing down on your clit, making you moan even louder. He began to fuck you harder then, each moan and gasp spurring him on, as you trembled and writhed beneath him, overwhelmed with pleasure. Soon you were coming again, the pressure of his thumb combined with the way he fucked you so deep and hard sending you into spasms of ecstasy. König roared, feeling you clenching and pulsing around his length, and managed to gasp out a question, begging to know where you wanted his load, barely able to hold back from filling your fluttering cunt with it.

“Please,” you whimpered, still wild with ecstasy, “inside - fill me!” You managed to get the words out between your moans, and felt König somehow become even wilder at the words. He pounded into you, harder, faster, thrusting roughly as you continued to come around his huge cock, until he slammed against you a final time, burying himself and shooting spurt after spurt of his release deep into you. You clawed at his shoulders, frenzied with delight when you felt it, the pulsing heat of his cum filling you to the brim, until he collapsed down on top of you, utterly spent, and you nuzzled into his shoulder, exhausted.

It was a while before König managed to gather the strength to pull himself from you, kissing you softly before he straightened up. He gazed down at you, utterly satisfied, spread on his desk, his creamy load dripping from your cunt, and knew in that moment that you were truly his. No certificate, no ring, no lawyer could change that immutable fact; you were his, and he was yours. König cleaned you up as best he could, helped you redress, and finally, took you home. Not your old home, of course, but his, or as he thought of it now, both of yours. Of course, there would be discussions to be had, legalities to deal with, but that night all that mattered was that you were together. You spent much of the night revelling in each other, giving in to those fantasies and dreams you had both spent months trying to push aside.

The next morning, you woke in a strange bed which carried a familiar smell; that spicy scent of König’s cologne, mixed with his soap, and the smell of sex. You were aching, muscles sore, especially your thighs… but when the warm bulk of König’s body was pressed against your back, you didn’t care about the aching muscles. He took you so gently that morning, pressing soft, hot kisses to every part of your body as he worshipped you. When you were done, he carried you to the shower and washed your body with a tenderness that seemed almost impossible for a man his size. He made you breakfast, before you dressed in one of his shirts - a dress, on you, it was so big - and drove you to your old home. König trailed behind you as you walked around the place, picking up those few things that still mattered to you; some clothing, jewellery that had belonged to your grandmother, and a few books. It was a very small bag that you filled to take into your new life, but König took it from your hand anyway, unwilling to let you carry anything by yourself, regardless of the weight. He laughed when he saw how little you were taking with you, and you smiled too, pressing a kiss to his cheek as he took the little bag from your hand.

Now you had König, what more could you possibly need?

[papakhan]

Episode 1

Fuck it, I'm gonna do it anyway. Here's all the notes I took when watching episode 1 of the godawful fallout tv show. enjoy. I'm gonna run through this with notes I made while I watched the show so formatting might be kinda weird, I haven't done anything like this before so bare with me. I will try to explain things as if you the reader have not seen the show. This is gonna be very long and heavy on the hate and the spoilers.

Content warnings:

rape

incest

gif of the fight scene violence

self harming

Things I liked:

Vault Dwellers reusing the same wedding dress and everyone who'd worn it writing their names on the inside. that's sweet

"don't lose your head" vault poster during a firefight

Johnny Cash

I like Brotherhood Clerics but they totally fucked up the ranking system

The vault dwellers just painting over the blood on the walls

Horses are canon now

Goofy wasteland urban legends like "a feral ghoul does not abide a chicken"

That's literally it. Now it's time for everything else. I'll break it down into character bits since that's what the show does

Cooper

So Cooper Cowboy ghoul man is divorced and he's at this birthday party in I'm guessing Hollywood overlooking LA. It's a beautiful sunny day :) Bare in mind that in this scene the nukes drop so Bethesda has already fucked their own lore of the nukes dropping at 9:40am in Boston would mean that it should be 6:40am in California. Sunrise in California in October is 7am, btw. So already we're fucked. Real "design documents are a waste of time" behaviour on display here.

Anyway, nuke goes off. Now let me ask you something. What's one of the most infamous things about nuclear bombs? The flash, right? A nuclear explosion is bright enough to blind a person. Fallout 4 understood this, at least a little, where the flash of light from the bomb would fill your screen even if you weren't facing it, which is how nukes work. Closing your eyes in the face of a nuke would be pointless because the light would pass through your eyelids. There's even reports of people who held up their hands to shield the light and could see THEIR BONES THROUGH THEIR HANDS. That's how bright they are. They are horrifying weapons of mass destruction.

The nuke that hits LA is not a nuke, the flash of light on Janey's face (cooper's kid and the ONE SINGLE PERSON who notices a NUCLEAR FUCKING BOMB) is more akin to a camera flash. again. she is the only fucking person who notices a nuclear bomb go off, everyone else at the party is distracted by a TV of all things.

In the time between the ""flash"" of the bomb here's everything that happens before Cooper and co feel the shockwave

Janey notices the pathetic flash and looks up.

She holds up her thumb in the "vault boy" way

Cooper comes out of the house and walks over to Janey

He crouches down beside her and says some bullshit along the lines of "i got some cake for my favourite cowgirl"

Janey says "was it your thumb or my thumb?"

Cooper looks towards the source of the nuke and slowly stands up, watching it for a moment

He says "that's just a fire janey" as the smoke unfurls into a very obvious mushroom cloud

He realises that it was not. just a fire

then they get hit by a shockwave

This takes almost a full minute and none of the segments is supposed to be slow motion. Listen I know that light moves faster than sound and heat but come on. It's way too slow and also. dead fucking silent. also the shockwave comes before the mushroom cloud but who cares.

Anyway cooper gets on a horse with the girl and rides off down the road in the direction of LA. good job dude.

I've already read up about yknow who it was who wanted the nukes fired and I know that it was Barb who wanted the nukes dropped on America for?? vault tec profit??? so uh. why did she let Janey go to a birthday party with Cooper?

Lucy

x3 Incest jokes may not seem like a lot but it was 3 too many for me. I hate the "good karma" noise that played when Lucy got arranged married. I said I liked the vault poster of "don't lose your head" but I hate the way Lucy keeps getting her inspiration from Vault Boy I'm sorry but its annoying and dumb to me. Interconnected vaults in LA is also. dumb. you're telling me The Master didn't notice these fucking things? you're kidding. Look at it, it's not even hidden in a cave or anything its just out in the open.

Way to retroactively make the Master look like a moron, though I know they do this to Mr House later on. ugh.

Her intro makes it sound like she's supposed to have Tagged Skills in repair, speech and science but she displays none of this in the later episodes I have seen, in fact her speech seems like utter dogshit so what was the point in introducing her in a "game protag" way if none of that was gonna get used later?

Anyway, lets get onto the raiders. If you know me, you know I love raiders. They're a cool and interesting critique of individualism and "might makes right" and also aesthetically just kind of fuck.

Now, knowing what I know about Moldaver and her being the current ?leader of the NCR remnants, that implies that the people she has led into Vault 33 are former NCR citizens or soldiers, right? right?

So the ""fall of shady sands"" according to the show is 2277 and yeah sure okay that's during new vegas' time and sure okay right todd howard promised that this didn't de-canonise fallout new vegas. however. it's 2296 meaning it's been 19 years since Shady Sand's.......decline. and 15 years since New Vegas where we last saw the NCR. And i know that the NCR aren't exactly the good guys To suggest that in less than 20 years the citizens of shady sands have been reduced to Bethesda-style raiders who:

Are unable to use utensils such as knives and forks

Can't grow crops

Don't know how to use cups

Will rape a woman, wipe his dick on a curtain, and then try to murder said woman

Shoveling fistfuls of cake into their mouth during a firefight

Threatening a pregnant woman

In another episode one of these guys is interrogated/interviews and shows their asshole to the guy talking to him.

is fucking ludicrous

Anyway Monty looks like Jerma

RIP

Anywayyyy how come only Lucy's pipboy picked up on the radiation from these outsiders huh? everyone else was wearing a pipboy during the wedding, they sat next to each other, those geigar counters would have been going off. what? they had them on silent out of respect of a good Christian wedding? if you try to convince me that's the explanation I will eat your liver. Bethesda raider style

anyway no.2 girlypop (lucy) straight up pulls a knife out of her wound which is medical petpeeve no.9394328 for me but then its immediately resolved by a stimpak. I hate how stimpaks in the show are used exactly how they are in the game. I was under the impression that it was a video game mechanic and not how it actually worked in the narrative. What's next? Jet gives me extra action points or some shit? I'm so tired

the fight scene sucked. the choreography of the raider guy shooting a vault dweller through the head of another vault dweller just kind of looked like shit and seemed impractical, clearly just there to be like WOAH THATS COOL it wasn't cool it looked clunky and weird. do not fucking tell me that fallout is supposed to be clunky and weird I will kill you.

the doors cutting the raider in half was also dumb since its been routinely established that the dull and ominous "thunk. thunk. thunk" heard deep in the bowels of a vault is a door that's trying to close but there's something stuck under it, if they could just slice a whole man in half then they could cut through a table or skeleton in game. Also irl I'm a health and safety officer and that moment made my toes curl. lol

It jumps from Lucy to Max and then back to lucy but I'm just gonna continue talking about her shit here. quick fire round because I've been yapping too long already

Her little brother looks way too old to be acting like a teenager this much.

Chet (Lucy's cousin and ex boyfriend. gross) wants to come with her thank god he doesn't

why doesn't she give a shit about the sky

Why doesn't she give a shit about the ocean

Maximus

"stupid blimp is back" is at the very top of my notes, lol. anyway I still don't understand where they got this thing from

Latrines made out of stacks of tires is so dumb. like I cant even explain how dumb that is. surely rubber has better use for that. surely. just shit in a hole in the ground like everyone else please for the love of god

I know the twist with Daine and let it be said, having your first on screen transgender character cut themselves with razors to get out of the military is not, in fact, Bethesda trying to be on the side of transgender people, it is in fact them making fun of us, okay? do we understand?

hiding baby max is a fridge made me so angry I blacked out. do not remind me of "kid in a fridge" ever again.

Anyway Bethesda finds it so difficult to keep the BOS consistent to the point that they are all so different from each other with little to no explanation as to why they've changed so much. In fact it feels like to me that at some point between fallout 3 and fallout 4 Bethesda has totally mixed up the BOS and the Enclave, since now the BOS hate ghouls for no reason and want to colonise the wasteland. This is just that again. Once more, no design doc behaviour.

Quotes from the BOS i think suck ass

"Duty of the Brotherhood of Steel is to secure the wasteland"

"Flesh is weak by steel endures"

"Violence is a tool we use it to bring order to the wasteland"

When Max is getting interrogated for being a suspect for cutting Daine with razors, mentions "send me to Eden or wherever" and it confused me so much. The only Eden I knew about was John Henry Eden from Fallout 3. Turns out I think what they're trying to reference is New Eden a BOS base from. Fallout Brotherhood of Steel 2?? of all fucking things?? really strange I can't imagine what else he could possibly be referencing though. This is literally just thrown in for the loreheads and I hate it.

Anyway after being a suspect for cutting Daine with razors and also failing his classes Max gets a promotion! this is not explained. They also brand him which people a lot smarter than me have discussed at length about why branding a black guy on screen in your fallout show is a bad idea. Read it here.

I don't really understand why the BOS all do shit in latin now, I know some of them had latin names in fo1 but IIRC Frank Horrigan of the Enclave was the only person in the og games who spoke latin. it feels like Bethesda wanting to capture the interest of people who liked the Legion. maybe that's a reach but given how much right wing propaganda is in the coming episodes I wouldn't put it past them.

Cooper again

I am not calling this idiot The Ghoul that's fucking dumb. what like he's the only one? ever? dumb. whats up with him being buried huh? did Todd not want to tell Nolan that ghouls arent actually zombies and arent actually undead? that just wanted him to jump out a coffin because oooh spooky zombie. honestly just kill me.

My notes: "Don't tell me the ghoul is in that grave I can't take it"

this guy gets dug up once a year and gets pieces of him cut off and put back?? why? for what purpose? how is he down there without eating or drinking? is it a kid in a fridge moment where ghouls don't need to eat or drink, well he drinks a whole lot of water in episode 3 so that's afucking lie. get real. the glowing IV? what is that??

the yodelling is really gonna piss me off, isn't it.

Not him ending the episode on the same quote he said to his daughter. whatever.

Rating: 3/10

[thinkingaboutbetterdays]

the way it used to be. ( niles crane x reader )

gif belongs to me

The road to entering a relationship with Niles happened over a long four years, where you were oblivious to his dreamy stares and the way he hung onto your every word when you shared a tale from your youth. When he learned you went to college with Roz, he expected some wild stories but when you told them, it was hard for him not to let his imagination run amuck.

After his marriage to Maris broke down, it took him a while to adjust to losing her wealth, the grand house he used to live in, and his BMW but when he found a new place Frasier told Roz, who relayed the information to you. You took it upon yourself to help Niles settle into the dingy apartment. You scrambled for cash for several months to buy him one of his favorite wines and surprised the psychiatrist one day when he stopped by to visit his brother at the radio station.

When Niles unwrapped the tissue paper he was stunned to see the bottle, and his jaw nearly hit the floor when he met your gaze.

"Woah!" Roz exclaimed. "You got a rich boyfriend I don't know about?"

You playfully rolled your eyes, bumping your shoulder with hers, shaking your head. "Oh, no, no. Nothing like that. When I heard about the divorce I knew you could use some cheering up. So I set money aside and it took me a while, but...ta-da!"

Frasier looked at Niles who blinked rapidly, stammering as he tried to string a sentence together to express his gratitude.

"I remembered you saying during the blackout that you liked this particular bottle, and, well," You tapped your index finger against your temple, your smile becoming more nervous when he didn't speak. "I banked it for later."

Frasier hit his brother's back and Niles found his voice again, expressing his gratitude and you could see how shocked he was that you remembered something about him. You heard many stories about Maris from Frasier and Roz and knew she never did anything to make him happy, and since the divorce Niles had been going through a rough patch and you wanted him to have something to be happy about.

Niles gripped the bottle tightly as you stepped forward to squeeze his arm, before turning away to head down the hallway to help an on-air personality start their show. You turned when he called your name and Niles drummed his thumb anxiously against the neck of the bottle as he glanced at the floor, summoning the courage to meet your gaze.

"Maybe you can stop by and we can drink it together?"

In the four years you had known him, there had been many risky situations as Frasier would put it. When temptation grew a little hotter between you both and while you were oblivious to his feelings, Niles had been lovestruck ever since he entered Café Nervosa and was introduced by Roz while Frasier brought over your drinks. And despite his love for Maris, his feelings for you had always been stronger from the moment you met and Frasier frequently had to shout his name to snap him out of his admiring gazes, or appreciative stares at your ass. The day you walked into his booth to ask Roz's final opinion on a dress you had chosen for a date, he was sure Niles would faint.

The little black dress you wore to his new apartment to share a bottle of wine improved the space marginally and you were pleasantly surprised by the meal he had prepared - although you knew Daphne had likely done most of the work. You had witnessed Niles in a kitchen before and knew that while he had fancy tastes, you doubted he had cooked for himself until he moved into the Shangri-La.

That night as you sat on the sofa, you toasted to his fresh start in life and Niles smiled as he sipped his wine, glancing over at you while you tasted the wine for the first time. There was a buzz in the air that night as you closed the gap between friends and lovers. When he saw his younger brother the next day, Frasier knew that, after four long years, his waiting finally paid off.

Niles quickly grew to like the Shangri-La studio apartment when you stayed over and was almost sad to leave the studio apartment where you had your first kiss, exchanged I love you and made love for the first time. Those early months in your relationship were treasured as Niles adjusted to his new life with your help. Frasier took him to the opera, while you took him to a drive-in movie and your favorite restaurants. Niles traded his suits for slacks and a button-up shirt.

When he moved into the Montana apartment you got the sinking feeling that things would change. Niles wore his suits more frequently, and while you had fallen in love with the smartly dressed doctor, you also enjoyed seeing him unwind a little. He took you to the opera, to watch ballet or see plays. Instead of pizza, you went to a fine dining restaurant and you did so without complaint, knowing that it wasn't the place it was who you went there with that made it special. You adapted to his high society friends and with Frasier's help, hosted a dinner for them all at the Montana.

However, there were nights you missed the simpler things you were used to. And when you caught Niles lying about having to tend to a patient to avoid having dinner at a restaurant he was too snobby to eat at, you took it as a rejection of who you were. A woman who worked nine to five, lived in a small apartment and preferred a good pizza over eating veal.

Frasier knew from the moment Niles entered his condo that there was tension between you. The past few days he had checked his phone for new messages, only to tuck it away later when he found that there wasn't.

"Oh, is Y/N not joining us?"

"She wanted a quiet night in." Niles lied, poorly at that.

His suspicions were confirmed when Daphne set a mug on the table for him along with the coffee and the Englishwoman went to the kitchen soon after. The three Crane men shared glances as they listened to her bashing about while tidying up dishes from breakfast.

"What's eating her?" Martin asked.

Frasier looked at his younger brother as he sat down at the dining table, his crestfallen expression. "Well, let's review shall we? The phone rings, she takes it in her room and when Niles arrives she looks as if she wants to bury him underground."

When another bang came from the kitchen, Niles sighed and finally met Frasier's sympathetic and confused gaze. In the eight months you had been dating, there hadn't been a single argument and while he knew it was bound to happen eventually, he hadn't predicted your first fight to be a big one.

"You're fighting?"

Niles shook his head, "No, worse. She hasn't said a word in two days. Just the other day, she was kissing and biting my neck on the chaise lounge chair in front of the fire and," He gestured to his shirt buttons, "taking my shirt off so she could run her soft hands over my chest." He drifted off into his thoughts for a moment and Frasier called his name a few times to bring him back from the memory.

"What happened?" From Niles's guilty expression Frasier knew it was his doing. "Niles..."

"She wanted to go to a drive-in movie then to a restaurant that sells meat on sticks. I told her I had a patient who needed my help."

"You lied to her?" Frasier looked at the kitchen when Daphne released more of her frustration on the cupboards.

Niles nodded. His father tutted, learning on his cane as he walked to his chair, sitting down and putting his feet up.

"It's the Timber Mill all over again."

Niles looked at his father when he muttered under his breath. "What are you talking about?"

"You stuck your nose up at the food, the decor, hell, every damn thing. I took it personally. A woman like Y/N has simple tastes. You think she likes going to the snooze fest that is the opera? Or be dragged around galleries? No. She went because you wanted to go. Because she cares about you. She asks you to go somewhere different for a change and what do you do? Insult her. Why? Because you're a snob, you're snobby."

Niles looked at Frasier who glanced away, and knew he agreed with their father's assessment. "That's not what happened."

"Isn't it?" Frasier raised an eyebrow, gesturing with his hands as he spoke, "You went there before when you lived at the Shangri-La. What's changed? Could it be because you don't want any of your new circle of friends to know you are going there?"

"That has nothing to do with it."

"You're not denying it." Martin chimed in.

Daphne walked out of the kitchen and Niles moved away at the sight of her thunderous expression as she gathered the coffee and the unused mug before turning to walk into the kitchen.

From the sounds in the kitchen, the three Crane men were surprised she hadn't broken anything yet. Niles ran a hand over his forehead before reaching into his jacket to take out his phone.

As he dialed your number he paused and tucked the phone into his pocket. Frasier turned when he walked away to the door and called out to him but the door closed before he could sound the s in his name.

You were watching a Hallmark movie, the kind Niles liked to poke holes into and you both laughed at how cheesy they could be when there was a series of knocks on the door in quick succession. You wrapped the blanket around your shoulders and muted the television as you rose from the armchair where you had spent most of the evening curled in. You approached the door, unlocked it, and opened it, meeting Niles's guilty gaze.

You crossed your arms, leaning against the doorframe with a sigh.

When you refused to speak, Niles cleared his throat, hands ringing at his sides anxiously. "Can I come in?"

You continued to stare silently and he tapped his hand against his thigh.

"Alright." He took a deep breath, "I want to apologize. I shouldn't have lied about tending to a patient." You glanced away briefly and he knew you were listening. "I realize that I've become absorbed in trying to rebuild what I once had, and I was blind to everything else. I didn't intend to upset you. But I did, and I'm sorry." When you stood straighter but remained silent, he grew more anxious. "Really really really sorry."

You shook your head, "It's fine." You attempted to close the door but Niles immediately pushed back and stood in the doorway so you couldn't try again.

"No, it isn't. The last person I want to hurt is you. I know I can't undo what I did. It happened, and no clock can turn back time. But I can do what I should have done." He reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and held out the two tickets to a drive-in movie.

You listened while you read the tickets as he explained his conversation with his dad and Frasier earlier that day and how it made him realize how he made you feel.

You blinked away the tears in your eyes, swallowing the lump in your throat as you met his gaze. The sight of your pain was enough to make his eyes tear up, seeing what he had caused.

"It wasn't about the stupid movie or even the restaurant. Well, sorta. It just seems like ever since you moved into that fancy apartment that everything's changed. When you stayed at the Shangri-La we went for pizza, we went to a movie, and had a quick drink in a bar before heading home. It felt like you were rejecting me. Like...I wasn't good enough for you anymore."

Niles shook his head, stepping closer when you wiped a tear from your cheek. "No, no, no. That would never happen." He exhaled sharply, "I've loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I haven't felt like that before or since. You - You're everything I've ever wanted. Craved, even."

"You never told me that before." You sucked in a breath, placing your fingers over your trembling lips at the sight of his regretful tears.

"I should have." He reached out, hands hovering over your arms for a moment. You stepped into his embrace and he closed his eyes, holding you close to his chest. You rested your chin on his shoulder, closing your eyes as tears fell down your cheeks. "I love you. Nothing will change that."

"I love you too."

[cosmicpuzzle]

Saturn 🪐Transit in Aquarius 2023- What you should be careful with?

Saturn moved to sidereal Aquarius on 17th Jan 2023 bringing changes for each one of us. Here is what each rising/Moon sign should be careful with.

Aries : Existing friendships may get severed. Relations with elder siblings and close friends may be strained. Health needs to be watched out for. Investments and speculation need care.

Taurus: Relations with boss may be tested. Travels to foreign countries could be delayed. Your employer could change. Partner could be under some work stress. You may not get much reward for your efforts now.

Gemini: Relations with father could be strained. Your luck could come slowly now. Travel to foreign countries or other states may prove challenging or challenges arise during travel. Visa renewal issues could arise. Relations with siblings are difficult. Your co workers may not be very supportive now.

Cancer : Relations with spouse and spouse's family could be under stress now. Not the time for making entry into stock markets as Saturn hits both 8th and 5th house. Conceiving children could be delayed and relations with children could be burdensome. Your partner's income could be restricted.

Leo: Relations with spouse , father and family could be strained. Spouse could have some stress (with their job or health). Legal issues could drag on and divorce cases may prolong. Your own health needs attention with Saturn aspecting ascendant.

Virgo: Relations with co workers will be tested. You could change your employer now. You may have to carry out other's work too. Your health could be in focus now. Relations with in laws and father in law is strained now. Journeys to foreign countries will be delayed. Some block in your regular exercise or gym could arise.

Libra: Relations with children can be strained. Your love life can be seriously blocked now and any advances made will tend to get rejected. Not a time for dating but persons older in age could approach you. Delay could be there in conceiving child. Investments and speculation may give losses.

Scorpio: Relations with family and mother could be strained. Mother's health needs care and attention. If you are in school, studies could be affected. There is possibility of change in residences. Your own health needs care and attention. Relatives may be cold now.

Sagittarius: Relations with younger siblings could be strained or they may physically move to faraway places. Your love life could be blocked. Plans to conceive children would be met with delays. If you are in school/college your studies could get affected. You may take some short term courses if you are employed.

Capricorn: Money matters will be tested. Personal finances could be under strain. You may not have money to spend. Relations with family could turn sour. Your own plans to start your family will be delayed. Relation with in laws, your income and partner's income could be restricted. Tough time for cash flow.

Aquarius: Your health will be tested as Saturn is on your ascendant. Relations with team mates and younger siblings could be difficult. You may change your employer now or you may be unhappy with your workplace.

Pisces: Your sleep cycle would get affected. You may have to wander in foreign countries. Your work is restricted now and your income could be under strain. Your relations with elder siblings or friends could become distant. You may move away from your family.

Results depend on your individual time periods and scores of Saturn. For complete Saturn Transit Reading- DM

[choicesmc]

tell me about rin's backstory pls

ALRIGHT

this took me a while because I wanted to get it just right

Starla Day nee Bishop (Rin's mom) was married to an active duty military officer who was deployed elsewhere. Around a year into their marriage, Starla had a boyfriend that her husband knew nothing about and within the next two years Starla was pregnant with Rin. And since her husband wasn’t around, it was pretty easy to hide her pregnancy from Jackson Day. However, pretty quickly Starla ran into a teeensy problem. Hospital bills were far harder to hide as the pregnancy progressed and a birth certificate would blow this secret wide open. So, what does she do to avoid these? 

Easy. 

Avoid hospitals and do a home birth. (With a hired midwife paid in cash only.)

Needless to say, Starla did not elect to get Rin a birth certificate D: which. which. was a Not Good Idea. (minor sidenote: Rin isn’t Rin’s name, her birth name was Renee Day)

No birth certificate = no formal schooling of any sort so Rin is homeschooled instead. Under someone more responsible, this wouldn’t be a bad choice but I hope I’ve established that Starla is anything but responsible. 

(sidenote rn: Starla as a mother was incredibly inconsistent. Sometimes she adored Rin and absolutely showered her in praise and adoration + sometimes she hated Rin so much she’d ignore and punish her harshly. <- terrible inconsistencies led to Rin developing an incredible attachment to Starla + always trying to ‘stay on her good side’ <- you woulda called her a mama’s girl if you saw her then.) 

Well, this scheme actually works right until Jackson comes home a little earlier than he should be and finds a four year old in his house and his wife shagging up with a stranger in the room next door. 

Starla + Rin + Mother’s Partner get kicked out with Starla + Rin making their way to Starla’s mother’s home. The divorce begins only a few weeks later. 

This is a terrible time for everyone involved!! Starla + her mother, Sherryl, had a horrible relationship. Starla got married straight out of high school in order to leave home + the only reason she’s back is that she has no where else she can go. 

Sherryl is overly critical + jumps straight to the jugular from day one. She doesn’t want Starla home. She didn’t even know Starla hadn’t gotten married until her prodigal daughter showed up on her doorstep six years after running away with a child in tow and a smirk so mean + smug it made Starla see red. 

During this time, Rin continued to be homeschooled. It got a little better though, maybe. Her mother’s inconsistency had melted into pure negligence tinged with a little hatred. But her grandmother did make sure she had a better curriculum now. Rin learnt to read, write, and do basic math during the five years she lived with her grandma. 

 After five years, Starla decided she couldn’t do it with her mother anymore and took Rin with her. They were officially homeless and without Sherryl to distract her mother’s anger, Rin ended up being the usual recipient of Starla’s anger. (<- has the scars to prove it + probably emotional baggage too…) 

And things were just like this, for a couple years (~2/3) until the homeless camp she was staying in was raided, her mom bolted, and Rin finds herself arrested. <- The trouble comes when they’re trying to book her but can’t find any identification in the state system. 

After combing through the state records with all the details they could get (<- Rin isn’t sure how old she is sho she can’t give them a year she was born so they have to make do with a rough time frame utilizing medical personnel advice…) and still not turning anything up, the police figure Rin’s just undocumented and toss her over to immigration court to figure it out.

Now. In US Immigration Court, you are not guaranteed the right to an attorney (<- only applies to criminal law) so 13 year old Rin is on her own in pleading for a right to stay in the US against an experienced lawyer. 

Rin doesn’t know wtf a citizenship is. Immigration law is second only to tax law in complexity. Rin, metaphorically speaking, is fuuuucked. With a capital F. 

As luck would have it, (she’s owed a little bit, okay?) Rin’s case is handed off to an immigration law clinic + she gets two good lawyers. Awesome. Perfect even. 

Long story short, Rin goes from facing deportation to who knows where to having a SIJ (special immigrant juvenile) Status and simply waiting for a spot to open for her. It only takes a couple years back and forth… to get approved and now she gets to wait five, ten? Years until the status is actually conferred to her. 

(under the banner is a more technical explanation) 

Starting off, Rin’s lack of birth certificate was key. The very first thing anyone would do is attempt to find it. Because if they do then the rest of this is unnecessary. Rin, by birth, is a US citizen. 

But Rin is thirteen and doesn’t have her birth certificate + isn’t sure it actually exists. So they try to find her mother to no avail before changing directions and trying to get a hold of Sherryl, Rin’s grandmother, instead. 

Which is another dead end because remember earlier: 

She didn’t even know Starla hadn’t gotten married until her prodigal daughter showed up on her doorstep six years after running away with a child in tow and a smirk so mean + smug it made Starla see red.

Sherryl can’t help. And Rin never went to school. There are, quite literally, no legal records of her birth and her life up until now and the only person who can testify to her birth is her mother who no one can get a hold of. 

(minor sidenote: on the plus side, Rin gets issued a Letter of No Record stating that they can’t find any information on her so now she has a legal record… stating that she has no others 😭) 

And no one knows what to do. Rin's in a limbo.

 SIJS has a couple requirements: (this is my simplified understanding + yes, i am taking a couple liberties)

You must be under the jurisdiction of a juvenile court in whatever state you’re applying in when the application is made (for some states the age cut off is 18, for others 21). 

The applicant must have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by one or both parents. 

It is in the applicant's best interest to remain in the US. 

The applicant must be physically in the US during the filing, adjudication, and adjustment period of the application.

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 can be easily met. The problem is that SIJS is not an initial status. It's something that you change status to. So, immigration prosecution argues that without an initial status Rin is still deportable while her team argues that Rin is an extremely special case and (at minimum) should be held within the US until her mother could be found (<- rin's not a fan of this plan for various reasons that I won't elaborate here because this is getting far too long)

its hell, y'know. Rin doesn't know any other life. Doesn't even really know why she's here and by the time the systems done and spits her out --she's approx. 20/21 (<- that's ~seven years going back and forth for her now precarious position)

Rin's tired man.

[delilahcalicocat]

I love your fics 🔥. Would you do a Sammy Guevara x reader angst, where reader and Sammy were engaged but then he cheated on her with Tay Melo and even left reader for Tay and now they flaunt their relationship all around AEW and right in front of reader. So reader gets back at them during one of her in ring promos by dropping a pipebomb (Like CM punk & Aj Lee did)

A/N: yes of course! And I made the reader CM Punk's little sister, and I'm glad you enjoy my fics!!

{I'm Done.}

{Rating: Angst, Fluff}

{Warnings: Swearing, Mentions of divorce, Y/N calling out Sammy.}

{Pairing: Sammy Guevara x ExWife!Fem!Reader}

your contract with AEW was far from over. But you had to work with your Ex-fiancée and his Wife. Who'd purposely flaunt their relationship to rub it in your face.

It really fucking annoyed you, to the point you called off sick one week.

While your brother was in the WWE, Living it up at WrestleMania 40 night 1. You were fighting for Collison.

You had just beaten your opponent, Lady Frost. And requested a mic.

You cleared your throat, before sitting in the ring like your brother did.

"Y'know. My contract is far from up, but I don't care about that. I care about the two assholes trying to get under my skin. I've moved the fuck on. I don't care anymore. So I hope that the fucker who's champion. Lies in this ring tonight crying that he lost his title. Have fun Sammy and Tay." You said before walking backstage.

"Y/N what the fuck were you thinking?!" Dax Harwood questioned you

"Forgive me, but I'm sick and tired of them flaunting their stupid fucking relationship. I'm leaving this goddamn company." You spoke

"Y/N, it doesn't have to be this way.. if you leave... Your brother will freak out." Cash Said

"Cash, Dax. I just can't anymore. I'm sick of Sammy and Tay doing this shit.." You said.

"Y/N, please... your the one who helped us when Julia Hart attacked us.. we're still in hot water with House of Black.. we need you.." Dax pleaded

"Fine... I'll stay... I guess I'll tell Kenny and Tony in the morning to see if they'll do something.." You sighed begrudgingly

Without another word, both Cash and Dax. Hugged you. Not in a romantic way. Just a hug because you needed it after the night you had.

"I'm sorry for going off. I'm just done with Tay doing that.." You apologized

"You're fine, you should eat something though it could be that too." Cash said

"Let's just go to catering together." You smiled as the three of you walked off

[30sims4ever]

Save File Preview: San Sequoia

San Sequoia is a Major City connected to Willow Creek, Newcrest and Magnolia Promenade.

The Economic Basis is in Health & Medicine and the Architecture Builds are based off of San Francisco

The competition between San Sequoia and its sister city Willow Creek is as old as the cities themselves, and presently being continued by the Mayor, Ricky Pyler, and Ezra Waite, Mayor of Willow Creek.

Lore During Ricky’s term, he has grown San Sequoia into a major contender in the pharmaceutical and medical fields. Many large companies, production facilities, and conventions have relocated to the city, bringing a boom to the economy. Even stealing a bit of tourism from Willow Creek. It isn’t all roses, however. Ricky’s success is riddled with corruption and a potential health crisis. Under-the-table deals with pharmaceutical companies have both helped the economy - creating jobs, bringing in bigger businesses - and hurt the local environment - production facilities and city amenities being moved into what used to be an unofficial nature preserve and increased property prices and taxes to an extent that most locals have run to the outlying cities to afford a comfortable lifestyle. On top of shady development deals, Ricky has allowed pharmaceutical companies to illegally dump their waste in the river that runs downstream to Willow Creek. Ricky’s campaign competition, Zara Marquez, has been a nurse in San Sequoia for decades. She’s noticed an uptick in certain illnesses that are symptoms of this pollution. If she can’t stop it in San Sequoia, it could continue to poison the city and its surrounding areas. Without a change in regime, the pharmaceutical companies’ influence will continue to corrupt the city to an irreversible end. They’re already influencing development and waste-management policies, and slowly moving into the hospitality and education industries of the Hub. The embezzlement of pharmaceutical funds is on par with mob activity, and the results could end in mass casualties if Zara’s whistleblowing is unsuccessful. Unwilling to allow Willow Creek to go uncontested in ANY arena, members of the San Sequoia community begin joining their sister city’s voices in protesting environmental hazards being brought on by the greed of the government and corporations. Meanwhile, to complicate Ricky’s re-election campaign even further, another opponent comes onto the scene in the form of Caleb Vargas - a rather young man from the business sector. Nobody really knows who he is, but he is extremely and strangely well funded. His advertisements are blanketing the city and tv screens, making vague promises of cleaning up the city, but in reality he’s starting to bribe and bankroll many of Ricky’s old contacts with the intention of using them for his own devices. More Tea: San Sequoia political candidate Caleb Vargas is in the pocket of Damien Mesquite, and actively a part of Damien’s attempt to take over the North East Hub

Cross Family - Unit #1

Cassie Cross, famous historical fiction writer, has been alone in her townhouse since her divorce. She's admittedly not the easiest person to live with, a sentiment undoubtedly echoed by her late husband. However, she's been a bit lonely in recent years. After renovating a basement room for a live in nurse she took in her granddaughter LuLu and her partner Rowan who had recently been kicked out of her parents house. Cassie's estranged daughter Deanna, who is married to prominent music producer Kapo, is furious with her mother but suspects the nurse is trying to get between her and her mother's money. Which is true. Everett is a con man that parts lonely women from their cash. Having her granddaughter in the house is sure to prove a wrinkle. Additionally, while Deanna's conservatism is mainly her objection to Rowan, it's also the fact that her daughter's partner has little ambition for school and dreams of being a pop star. Convenient, considering who LuLu's father is. LuLu only dreams of being a fashion designer and crushing school to prove her mother wrong.

Cassie - Traits: Snob, Bookworm, High Maintenance Aspirations: Bestselling Author (completed) Career: Creator of Worlds in the Writer career (should also be a Proper Celebrity) Deanna - Traits: Dance Machine, Jealous, Ambitious Aspirations: Fabulously Wealthy Career: Vice President in the Business Career Kapo - Traits: Glutton, Music Lover, Self-Assured Aspirations Musical Genius Career: Registered with labor board as Music Producer (also a B-lister) LuLu - Traits: Creative, Dance Machine Aspirations Admired Icon High school A Student Rowan - Traits: Self-Absorbed, Music Lover Aspirations World Famous Celebrity High School C Student Everett - Traits: Genius, Materialistic, Romantic Aspirations Villainous Valentine Career: DigiThief in Crime Career (oracle branch)

Jaqueline Casares - Unit #2

Jaqueline Casares is the corrupt administrator of San Sequoia's hospital who has been taking bribes for years to fund her secret pill habit, she's been sleeping her way through the staff and city politicians and whoever else she wants, really. Work hard, play hard! Her dog Cosmo is also a terror of the local dog parks.

Traits: Jaqueline - Materialistic, Romantic, Mean Aspiration: Serial Romantic Career: Chief of Staff in the Doctor Career Cosmo - Active, Aggressive, Smart

Arturo Mella - Unit #3

Arturo Mella comes from a blended Selvadoradan/Chestnut Ridge family. While he loves his rural roots he has a love of tech. He's recently graduated college and snagged a job as a pro e-sport gamer, using his signing bonus to get a small apartment in the heart of San Sequoia. He's trying to make friends to watch sports and play games with and maybe struggle with his crush on some of them. Gaymer problems!

Traits: Bro, Geek, Recycle Disciple Aspiration: Computer Whiz Career: E-sports Competitor in the Tech Career

Description: Designed to blend into the area, this restaurant is an art piece itself. Situated in San Sequoia, it's the perfect getaway for dinner and drinks. Lot Name on Gallery: Anchorpoint Restaurant

Kowalyzk - Unit #2A

Meet Marna. After the children's parents were accidentally killed in a tragic teleporation crash, childrens services assigned her as the next in line primary care giver. Marna who was living in Strangerville at the time was advised by chidlrens services that she would need to relocate if she was to take custody of the children. Not being able to afford much on a retirement income she was advised by the social worker that there was space in the newly built Social Housing apartments in San Sequoia. Marna accepted the apartment to ensure that Nikki and Christopher would not end up in Foster care.

Traits: Aspirations:

Cunningham - Unit #3B

Sophie was a orphan who always had a great outlook on life. She was kind, generous and loving. She yearned to find her soulmate and over the years had unfortunately given her trust away to far too many of the wrong people. Year after year Sophie suffered from betrayl, heartbreak and was taken advantage of numerous times. This led her develop a new trait of paranoia. Sophie has found it hard to make and keep friendships and relationships over the years. Being on a single income with a part time job has found her newly moved into the Social Housing program where she is working with her social worker to build back her confidence so she can take control over her life again. Her only friend has been her german shepherd Bud.

Mackenzie - Unit #4A

The Mackenzie kids were found as children living on the street in Willow Creek. Their parents who had been deep into crime and mischief had neglected and abandoned them when they left town. The kids now teens are hoping that they can find their place in the world having only each other to rely on. Hannah has dreams of being a doby builder so that she will be strong enough to protect herself from anyone who tries to harm her, Kenneth dreams of becoming a mastermind criminal just like his father and Steffan dreams of becoming a detective to arrest the people that would do anyone harm.

Marquez Family Zara has been around long enough to catch wind of the bad practices in the hospitals and has decided to do something about it. She started leaking details to the press and began to organize protests while constantly being threatened by her bosses. Soon enough she finds herself thrust onto the political stage as one of Pyler’s opponents.

Wife of Zara Marquez, Emilee has heard the horror stories of what’s really going on in the city, the hospital, and with the pharmaceutical companies moving in for years. Always ready to support their wife, Emilee has stepped up as a protest organizer and leader in WC. Thankfully they have a career in environmental activism dating back to their early days living in San Myshuno to fall back on. She has a protestor friend who still lives in San Myshuno that is TBD in the lore. When we get there it will need added.

Zara- Traits: Good, Cheerful, and Self-Assured. Aspiration: Nerd Brain Career: Assistant Nurse (Level 5 in the Doctor career track) Emilee- Traits: Creative, Self-Assured, and Family-Oriented Aspirations: Friend of the World Career: Ringleader in the Criminal career track (level 3) Jasmine- Traits: Cheerful Aspirations: Artistic Prodigy B student Ernesto is Wild.

Plyer House

Ricky Pyler is the current mayor of San Sequoia that is running for re-election. He grew up in Willow Creek as a lonely nerd that eventually stole his best friend's girlfriend and continued their rivalry into the running of his new city. Years of shady backroom dealing has grown it and the healthcare industry but also lined his pockets June remains perhaps intentionally and blissfully unaware of her husband's less than ethical business practices. She is happy to run a mayor charity that helps fundraise for the locals hospitals and pharmaceutical research by throwing parties from the luxury of their grand estate.

Traits: Ricky - Overacheiver, Active, Evil June - Genius, Foodie, Insider Aspirations Ricky - Mansion Baron June - Party Animal Careers Ricky is and Elder Statesperson in the Politics Career June is a Charity Organizer in the Poliitics Career

Forrester Home

Priya, a pharmaceutical scientist, was told she was infertile after years of chemical exposure so she and her husband Leo, a botanist, had a daughter through a surrogate. Their daughter Ellenor is a bright child that loves unicorns and wants to be a doctor someday. However, when their work drove them apart, Priya had a fling with Caleb Vargas and was shocked to find out she was pregnant. Leo, who maybe spends more time in the garden than with his family, hasn't quite caught on that Rika isn't his, and it remains to be seen if their marriage will weather the truth.

*image coming soon*

Huron Household

One evening just after flower bunny weekend their numbers were finally drawn! May immediately called her employer and resigned that night and Jim-Jim just stopped showing up. They gave their kids some money to purchase their home and Jim-Jim started booking flights as these two were about to explore the world. Thats right they wont the lottery!

While their intention was never to be gone so long these two travelled taking their time to embrace all the cultures of each world they visited. When they returned home they were surprised to find that they have two grandchildren! They purchased a home in a family friendly area and are dedicated to spending as much of their time with the children and grandkids.

These two are often referred to as the hippie grandparents in the neighborhood, and while it hasnt gained them many new friends it most certainly has never stopped them from throwing a good family reunion. These two make sure that both thier kids and grandkids know that their door is open and they are always welcomed while teaching them about the different cultures and life experiences that they have learned along the way and to remind them that life is short, live happy.

Jim-Jim and May Huron: Retired Aspirations: May- Zen Guru Jim-Jim- Archaeologist Traits: (May) Cheerful, Family Oriented, Lotal (Jim-Jim) Family Oritened, Cringe, Bro

All townies have base game outfits in each category so no sim will be walking around like a hot mess

All lots have been play tested

All townies have careers and relationships

All townies have been set into clubs in game

Get to Work Lots are completed for gameplay

No CC or Mods have been used thus far

[chaosfish2775]

Okay, long post so I’ll get through the important stuff here:

I live in a house with two of my friends, my dad, and my dad’s girlfriend. My friends and I own 3 cats between us, my dad and his girlfriend own a dog. The house is owned by my dad’s uncle. My friends moved in here about half a year ago, and their intentions have always been to move out as soon as financially possible. About a month ago, my dad’s uncle approached my friends and told them that they have to move out. He gave them a move-out date of October 31st, but didn’t give any eviction notice. About a week ago, they had a conversation, and told him that they wouldn’t be able to move out for another 2 weeks after October 31st, he accepted this reality, he did not give any eviction notice. This week, he started being a bully, and pressuring them to move out, he also acted as though their last conversation didn’t happen. He approached them again on the 31st, with a piece of paper. It was not an eviction notice, it was a signed transcription of their previous conversation, 2 days prior. He has still yet to give an eviction notice.

My friends have a GoFundMe, I highly recommend that anyone who has an extra bit of cash, and wants to help out some people in need, donates. They have 3 children who live with their grandparents right now, and they desperately want to reunite, get back on their feet, and get out of this horrible house.

https://gofund.me/69d7591b

Now for my stuff! TW, mentions of abuse, sexual assault/rape

I am 18 years old, and I’ve lived about 16 and a half of those years with my dad. He is a liar, a narcissist, an egomaniac, a sociopath, and a fucking pedophile. That’s not exaggeration, by the way, especially not the sociopath one. I have lived in fear of him for over a decade, and that fear is finally almost gone.

Two days ago, my dad called me and told me that I was being kicked out, and he expected me to be gone by the end of the night. His reasoning was that I have been telling people that he’s a pedophile. In effect, he was kicking me out for telling the truth. I know he’s a pedophile, my sisters have told me that he’s done shit to them, my mom (they’re divorced, if you couldn’t tell) confirmed that he’s a pedophile. Even worse for him, my friend has seen text messages from him with her own eyes. Text messages that, if brought up as evidence in the court of law, would be enough for a jury to declare him guilty of several sexual crimes, including multiple counts of statutory rape.

Now, he can’t kick me out, because I’m an adult. I know this, in fact, I went to the police to confirm that was the case. His uncle has to evict me, and that’s a long and expensive process. (By the way, my dad already knew that I was going to be moving out with my friends, so this was pointless anyways!) I am still living in the house, and my plans have not changed. But Jesus has this been stressful! And that’s been the general pattern for my entire life, stressing about what my dad might do. It has not been fun, and I’m excited to finally be done with his shit soon.

This part of the post really doesn’t add much, I just wanted to rant. I hate this man, he does nothing but lie and cheat. He only cares about himself. If you aren’t useful to him in some way, he doesn’t care about you. The only time he’s done anything with me other than auto work, general maintenance, or during driving lessons earlier this year, was when his girlfriend was in a mental hospital after she assaulted one of my friends and told the police that she wanted to murder both of them. She constantly lies to him about me, and he believes her every time.

He rarely feeds me, only if it’s convenient for him. He tells me he’s broke, then buys frozen pizzas, a shit ton of snacks, and a bunch of other shit he doesn’t need. I asked him for gas money to go to a job interview, and he told me that it was too far away. It was like, 20 miles, and it was the only opportunity I had gotten in weeks. He had me sleeping in the basement, which only ended recently. Trust me, that basement was never habitable. Before I lived here, I was living with my mom. I had been for over a year, and that was after 6 months of torture living with just my dad and his girlfriend. He convinced me to come back by telling me he owned a house, and promised to pay for me to get a drivers license, and to pay for me to get a car. He did neither, and as previously stated, he doesn’t own the house. These promises were made on the idea that he would be getting a promotion at work, which didn’t end up happening.

So to be clear, he contacted my mom, to get into contact with me, after we hadn’t spoken in over a year, when the last few weeks of contact were full of screaming, fighting, and him insinuating that I’d murder his unborn child. He gave me promises based on a promotion he didn’t have yet, without telling me that was the situation, and then never delivered on any of them. What a fucking dick.

Also, I got a cat recently. She was a stray, and still kinda is, but she’s coming with me when I leave. I made a Facebook post, and he left a comment telling me that I didn’t ask him if I could keep her, and that I had to bathe her. Like, bro, that’s not your choice, and she’s a stray cat, the fuck did you think I was gonna do?? Of fucking course I’m going to bathe her! What an asshole.

[loominggaia]

Evangelite Law

LAW

Laws are mostly homogenous across all Evangelite territories, meaning the same set of laws applies to all of the kingdom’s cities, towns, and villages. This is due to the widespread adoption of Lindist doctrine.

Nobility:

-Evangeline Kingdom is a monarchy. To be eligible heirs for the throne, Evangelite High Rulers must be: Male, Lindist, Evangeline-born, and noble by blood. Evangelite High Rulers may only marry noble-blooded Evangelite citizens. Foreign nobles are not eligible for marriage.

-A High Queen may only rule Evangeline Kingdom alone if her wedded king widows her during his reign. She may finish ruling his term until her death or retirement.

Education:

-As of Indiga’s rule, basic schooling is free and mandatory for all human males aged 5-15. Basic schooling is free for human females as well, but not mandatory. Females of all species are still not permitted to attend college.

-Basic schooling may or may not be free for inhuman commoners, depending on jurisdiction. Schooling is not mandatory for inhuman commoners.

-Slaves are not permitted to attend school.

Social Welfare:

-Fae and gaians are a slave class. Only commoners can be Evangelite citizens.

-Marriage is only permitted between two legal adult commoners of the same species and opposite sexes. For example, male humans may only marry female humans. Same-sex marriage and sexual relations are prohibited. Polygamous marriage is prohibited. Fae and gaians are slave classes and are not permitted to marry. Marriage or sexual relations between adults and children is prohibited.

-A woman may not divorce a man unless she can prove he has committed domestic violence or infidelity against her. A man may only divorce a woman if he can provide a doctor’s note proving that she cannot bear children. In cases of divorce, child custody is given to the father unless the mother proves she can provide better conditions for them.

-Women of any species may not own assets such as land, bank accounts, or slaves unless these assets were legally transferred by a male relative. Women may not purchase these assets for themselves.

-As of Indiga’s rule, Evangelite men are entitled to a minimum wage. Women are also entitled to a minimum wage, but it is only half of a man’s wage regardless of the job being performed.

-Only married commoner couples may adopt children. The children they adopt must match the species of the parents. The parents must meet strict income requirements.

-As of Indiga’s rule, all disabled citizens are entitled to some level of welfare, including food and housing vouchers, and small monthly cash stipends. Disabled military veterans are entitled to more benefits. Humans are entitled to more benefits than other commoners.

-All immigrants must be sponsored by a Lindist priest for a minimum of one year before they are eligible for citizenship. They must also prove their conversion to the Lindist faith and pass a test proving their understanding of Evangelite culture.

Religion:

-Non-Lindist religious worship is prohibited. The only houses of worship that may operate in Evangeline Kingdom are Lindist temples.

Censorship:

-Media depicting interspecies or same-sex relationships, including pornography, is prohibited. 

-Any media which depicts Evangelite culture in a negative way is prohibited.

-All non-Lindist religious media is prohibited.

Military:

-Only adult male commoners are eligible to join the military.

Slavery:

-Fae and gaians may not be citizens of Evangeline Kingdom and are only eligible for slavery. All unclaimed slaves default to ownership by the High King.

-Evangelite slaves may not own any property or other assets. They may not marry.

-Sexual relations between citizens and slaves is prohibited. Sexual relations between two different species of slaves is prohibited. Sexual relations between two same-sex slaves is prohibited. Forcing two opposite-sex slaves of the same species to breed is legal, so long as all master(s) consent.

-All newly captured or newborn slaves must be registered with the Kelvingyard Slaving Company. Unregistered slaves may be seized by authorities and violators will be penalized.

-Slaves may not be killed or eaten except in matters of self-defense or self-preservation. Slaves may not be deliberately tortured for amusement purposes.

-Slave-fighting is legal only in designated arenas, and all fighters must be legally registered as such.

Magic:

-All magic use is strictly prohibited in Evangeline Kingdom, unless it is being used by nymphs for the benefit of Gaia. Magic potions and enchanted objects are prohibited.

Nymphs:

-Evangelites may not interfere in the natural business of nymphs.

-It is illegal to harm a nymph outside of self-defense.

-Nymphs are not considered fae in Evangeline’s jurisdiction, but rather a class of their own. They are not eligible for citizenship, but have their own unique set of rights and protections.

Monsters:

-No monster is permitted in Evangeline Kingdom. All monsters shall be executed on sight.

Environment:

-Evangelite Nymph Pact: All automated industries are prohibited within Evangelite borders. All industrial operations must be performed manually. All industrial operations must be environmentally sustainable. Plastics, toxic chemicals, and all non-biodegradable materials are prohibited within Evangelite borders. (Caveat: Cameras and film projectors may be operated with a special permit. If broken, these devices must be turned in to the proper facility or else the operator shall be fined.)

-Livestock must be provided adequate food, water, shelter, and medical care.

-Hunting and fishing may be performed only in designated zones. Poaching is prohibited.

-As of Indiga’s rule, all new housing must have a space that receives adequate sunlight for plant growth.

-Sewage must be disposed of in an environmentally-neutral way, such as composting or processed for utility (fuel, building material, etc.)

See Also:

Ask - Law

Ask - Education

Ask - Culture

Ask - Slavery

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Questions/Comments?

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