#especially since it's almost all physical

[miiju86]

" ... those girls still do exist". Sorry, but no. This is a religious/faith based belief. 'Gender' in that sense does not exist.

This is a religious and political belief based on the custom of socially enforced patriarchy - 'gender'.

And coming with that belief comes automatically the whole ideological construct and system behind it.

Without patriarchy - without male-supremacist sexual colonization of women and girls - there is no 'gender'. There are only neutral bodies of either female or male sex, with or without any DSDs.

Nobody and no body is "superior" or "inferior", nobody has a "girl-mode brain" or is an "alpha male". The sex of your body has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with what things you like, if you are a caring person or not, what clothes you wear, how your hair is cut, how you act and talk, what work you do and so on.

There is nobody "born in the wrong body". There are no "women trapped in men's bodies". These people are simply just men.

"Trans" is something you do, not a state of existence of its own.

I can understand in cases of living with extremely severe dysphoria, while knowing full well that patriarchy most likely will persist during their lifetime (and with it its pressure to uphold its social class system through gender norms and their consequences), that somebody might want to transition. Such people exist.

Yet they still pay a horrendous price. Suicide statistics for transitioned people don't go down - they actually go up! They become lifelong patients and suffer extreme physical, medical damage that can not be reversed and face significantly shortened lifespans - and that on the regular(!). Complications are almost the norm for people trying to transition.

In the face of all this to still believe and even go and promote this.... (not to mention the political ties to straight up the extreme right through pharma/medical industry and even horrendous animal expreiments and testing on a massive, industrial scale caused by the gender-industry, as well as the reasons following below). That's like spitting these people right in the face.

But at least they know what and why they are. These trans people know what they are really doing, why and also - most important - the cause of their suffering and the wish & the will to end that, not to uphold and even strenghten it!! They do not believe in an inner gender identity and a gendered soul. Because no such thing exists.

And thank the universe & reality that it does not - because if 'gender' was true and natural and innate, all these things would automatically also be rendered "true", "natural", "innate" and - the worst of it all - justified; Systemic inequality, based on male-supremacism; misogyny to the point of complete dehumanization of femaleness; based on that then following the complete (sexual) colonization of women and girls; then homophobia to the point of even its existence getting denied and erased; racism, especially against black women; ableism to the point of eugenics & forced sterilization of mainly young autistic people; extreme capitalist consumerism with total comodification of human life (not to mention any other living thing) in the style of privatized corporate transhumanism and - sadly - so much more.

Not to mention the fascistoid nature of it all - just like other faith based theocracies, patriarchy driven (driven back; only in new clothes) to that totalitarian state is fascist/fascistoid by its nature. No wonder since it is its base.

Patriarchy - male-supremacist colonization - has done enough. It has brought so much suffering in this world and in literally every single one of our lives.

As a lifelong feminist I do understand the unbelievable hurt it can cause, even today, in "the west" and even to members of the privileged class.

But please - wake up!

Do not buy into their agenda.

'Gender' does not exist.

If you feel any real compassion for people with dysphoria, for women and girls, for intersex people, for same-sex attracted people, for children, men, everyone - fight AGAINST the enforcing and further upholding of 'gender'.

It is an ideology designed to be a tool of oppression, of division and class hierarchy. It is socially enforced patriarchy. Nothing else. Don't be their "police" who gets around pressuring and terrorizing people into compliance with the system. And don't be their department of propaganda who goes around to blind and deceive people.

That non of you do this out of real compassion is clear - we just have to look how you treat detransitioners. We just have to look how you exclusively attack women's rights and how you never look for how uphold both sides. We just have to look how you, when talking about transpeople and trans rights, only ever mean transwomen - males, the ruling/upper class in the system. Everyone else is just a pawn, a means to an end and gets discarded as soon as there's no more profit to squeeze out of.

We have no space for male-supremacists. No space for colonizers. No space for hateful people driven by fantasies of supremacy and bootlicking.

Abolish gender.

btw you have to realize that there will be trans women who do not transition, who cannot transition, and do not want to transition, whether that is socially or medically or aesthetically or any combination of those. whether they like how they look or not, those girls will exist. and you dont get to belittle those women and girls for how they look or their choices in life, even if you are a trans woman and it makes you feel good because you hated your pre transition self or you’ve been hurt by men who look like that or whatever.

[hotchnerwrites]

hello this is my first time requesting so sorry if it’s bad😭😭😭. but i was thinking about maybe the reader having a hard day at work (she worked at the bau) and was kinda stress out so hotch sits her in between his legs and fingers her while whispering sweet nothings in her ear ???? i just need him to take care of me😩😩😩😩😩

Reckless

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x BAU!reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Warnings: NSFW (18+), fingering, mirror sex, kind of established but hidden relationship, no use of (y/n), afab reader

A/N: Hi, hun, thank you so much for taking the chance on me and requesting, especially since this is your first time <3 It was a great request, and I love the idea! I'm kinda new to writing smut. It's definitely a learning curve for me, but I tried my best. I really hope you like this, and it's what you wanted!!! mwah mwah mwah, enjoy. And man, I want Aaron to talk me through it so bad 😩

My requests are open. Send me stuff! :)

You hate Denver.

It’s ridiculously hot. Not even the AC was helping. And to add fuel to the fire, the local sheriff was utterly incompetent. Not only had he lost half the physical evidence, but he was also getting in the way of the team’s job.

And just your luck— you’d been tasked with retrieving the evidence. In a desperate effort to escape from reality, you’d locked yourself in the evidence cabinet, hands still shaking from too much caffeine. You knew it couldn’t last forever, but even ten minutes away from the local police was solace. 

For a while, the only noise in the room was the ruffle of papers as you dug through cardboard boxes desperately, wishing the documents would magically reappear. Mindless work, but it was grinding your gears, and you could feel yourself becoming more stressed by the minute. But you keep at it, hoping against hope. 

Just as you begin to settle into your task, you hear the door creak open. Damn it.

You tense, hoping it’s not that damn sheriff again. You didn’t want to have to punch him in the face. But a familiar cologne of warm spice and amber crowds your space and the tension eases— Hotch. 

Though you were grateful for his presence, the case, the pressure, the exhaustion— it had all built up to a breaking point. The last thing you wanted was to talk, but you couldn’t shake the knot in your chest. Hotch, always attuned to your mood, noticed how you seemed to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders right now. That’s why he’d followed you into the filing cabinet. 

Wordlessly, he slides you a small piece of paper. Before you could open it, he places a soft kiss on your temple and leaves the way he came.

10 pm Knock thrice if you’re feeling reckless. Twice if you want me to behave. Either way, my door is always open. - A

You smile.

———

You lay spread-eagle on your bed, listening for the sound of doors closing. You wanted the team in bed before you went to Aaron. All but one door… and there it was. The last click. The coast was clear. You swing your legs off the bed. Exhaustion racks your frame, but your excitement masks the strain.

You slip out of your hotel room, gently drawing your door close. Aaron’s room is opposite yours— convenient. As you’re about to knock on his door, you hesitate for a second. Twice or thrice? But as the week you’ve had flashes in front of your eyes, your resolve hardens. 

Tap-tap-tap.

The door swings open almost immediately. Chocolate brown eyes meet yours, and the day’s irritation melts away. Aaron takes you by the wrist, guiding you into the room gently. The warmth of his palm was comforting, a reassurance that you were safe, even when your mind was racing.

As you follow him, you take in the state of the room. Files are scattered across the desk. A few are marked with sticky notes, others open to pages filled with dense reports and scribbled annotations. A half-finished glass of bourbon is balanced precariously nearby, and his blazer is draped over the back of the chair. Aaron’s tie is missing, tossed in some dark corner.

A dry chuckle escapes you, “Good to see I’m not the only one going nuts from stress.”

He doesn’t respond, but the small quirk of his lips tells you he heard.

“Sit,” he instructed softly, pointing towards the edge of the bed. With a quiet exhale, you obey, letting yourself be steered. You didn’t want to think anymore. Your knees fall open as you settle in, tension roving through your muscles.

Hotch steps between your legs, presence steady and grounding. Without a word, he places his hands on your shoulders, expert thumbs kneading the knots there. 

Slow. Deliberate.

You can’t help the groan that falls from your lips. It felt heavenly. 

“Relax, sweetheart,” he murmurs, voice low and soothing. “Take a deep breath for me.”

The rigidity in your neck eases slowly, and your breathing evens out. For the first time since landing in Denver, you let go.

But just as you begin to get comfortable under Aaron’s ministrations, he moves.

Not far, just enough to sink down on the mattress beside you. Before you could process his decision, his large paws envelop your waist. And he pulls— guiding you effortlessly into his lap.

A quiet gasp escaped you as you let yourself be gathered into his hold, your back pressing flush against his chest, his arms winding around your middle.

“Better?” he murmured against your hair, his lips barely brushing your temple.

You exhaled, letting your head rest against his shoulder.

“Yeah,” you whispered. “Better.”

“Let me take care of you tonight, honey,” he whispered, fingers playing with the hem of your shirt.

He wasn’t kidding about being reckless. You had never done this before on a case. Despite that, you nod eagerly. You needed this. And something told you that Aaron did, too.

He doesn’t waste any time. Pressing wet, open-mouthed kisses down your neck, his hands trail up your ribs, going all the way up under your shirt. The feeling of his fingers on your skin set your senses on fire. Heat blooms across your face and your head lolls back against his shoulders as he cups your tits, the rough pad of his thumbs flicking against your nipples. A low grunt from Aaron conveys that he’s grateful for your decision to forego a bra tonight. 

Without warning, he pinches your right nipple. The sudden sensation catches you off guard, and you gasp, arching into his touch. He’s barely even started touching you, and you’re already losing it.

“The mirror,” he says suddenly.

The words cut through the haze of arousal settling on your brain. “What?”

“The mirror. Look at it.” You feel him indicate with a nod, and you blink, gaze shifting forward to land on the large mirror across from the bed—one of those standard hotel-room fixtures positioned perfectly to reflect the two of you. 

What you see makes heat spread across your face. You, seated in Aaron’s lap, with his arms wrapped securely around your waist. Your face is flushed, and your nipples are pointed through the material of your shirt. Your jaw hangs slightly open, and you’re breathing audibly. You look utterly wanton and at Aaron’s mercy. With a start, you realise his shirt is rolled up to his elbows, showing off his forearms.

Just the way you like it.

And the way they strained as they caged you against him? Words couldn’t describe how badly you needed him right now. Sensing your desire, Aaron moves faster. In the blink of an eye, he pulls your thin shirt over your head and discards it, exposing your breasts. Large, calloused hands sweep across your body and whispered sighs fall from your mouth. 

“Touch me, please,” you beg, desperate for his hands to graze you where you need him the most.

Through the mirror, you watch Aaron as he slowly mouths up your neck, settling on that soft spot behind your ears. Impatience takes over, and you grind into his lap, rubbing your pussy into his hardening crotch. You needed him inside you now, and you didn’t care whether it was his fingers or his cock.

“Patience,” he rasps into your ear, “Or I’m gonna go even slower.”

Your retort burns on your tongue, but before you can do anything about it, Aaron slides his hands under the waistband of your pants. He brushes his fingers gently over your abdomen, taking his sweet time.

“I’m gonna make you feel so good tonight, sweetheart,” he continues. His voice is unfairly composed. You have no idea how his brain is still functioning because yours certainly isn’t. All you can think about is the feeling of his thick fingers, preferably buried inside your cunt.

A prolonged moan slips out of you. You couldn’t give less of a damn about who heard right now. 

“Aaron,” you plead, making eye contact through the mirror. He looks so pleased— like a cat that got the cream. And then, slowly— oh, so slowly—his fingers flit over where you needed him the mouth.

“I want you to keep your eyes on yourself, sweetheart,” Aaron commanded, his Unit Chief voice seeping out. “If you don’t, I’ll stop.”

Your breath hitches. You nod. Anything. Whatever he wanted, you’d give it to him. You just wanted him inside of you. 

Aaron rolls your pants down in a deft movement, letting his palms rove over your stomach. Thankfully, he decides to put you out of your misery, and slides his fingers into your panties, groaning in your ear as it slips in oh so easily, creating a wet sound. The friction sends you to heaven, and you stretch your legs further apart, too far gone to be embarrassed by how you look in the mirror right now. 

“My pretty girl,” he rasps, “You’ve been so good today.”

The praise has you whimpering and you grind down on his palm.

“Didn’t even complain,” Aaron grunts, hooking his fingers inside your gummy walls, “Such a good girl.” You whimper at his words and the feeling of his warm breath on your neck. The way he’s scissoring his fingers in your cunt… 

“That’s it, sweetheart. You’re so wet for me right now.”

Aaron continues to slide his fingers in and out of you, ever so slowly but oh so perfectly. You bite your lips to contain the noises threatening to escape you, but when he grabs your tit, rolling a nipple between his fingers, your eyes slide shut, letting the sensations take over.

“I said,” he growls, punctuating his words with thrusts of his fingers, “Look. At. The Mirror.” 

Your eyes fly open, and your hips jerk involuntarily, overwhelmed by the feel of his touch. Your body burns in pleasure, and his name falls from your lips, tangled with a soft moan. 

“God, you feel so fucking good, honey,” Aaron groans, “I haven’t even fucked you yet and you’re so wet. You’re doing so well, baby”

“Please, yes…” you whine back, body arching to beg for more. His fingers are dripping wet with your arousal and you watch them disappear repeatedly into your cunt, making damp sounds. You bite your lower lip to keep your impending orgasm at bay, but just then, Aaron circles your clit with the pad of his thumb.

The cry that leaves you only seems to incense Aaron. He’s fully hard by now, and you can feel his cock straining painfully against your ass. Pleasure clouds your brain, and you can’t do anything but take what he gives you and grind helplessly on his lap. Despite that, you don’t look away from the mirror, watching indulgently as you bounce on Aaron’s hand and he sucks light bruises into your neck.

Aaron keeps circling your clit, applying just the right amount of pressure. The coil in your belly is tightening and you can barely even concentrate on the honeyed words he’s spilling in your ears. He continues to work you, pumping his fingers steadily into your pussy.

“Aaron, I wanna cum so bad,” you sob, hovering over the edge. The pleasure is spreading from your clit to the rest of your body, and you’re not sure how much longer you can hold on.

“Cum for me, baby,” he whispers, “Let go.”

He doesn’t have to tell you twice. 

Your orgasm crashes into you like a massive wave, walls squeezing his fingers tightly. Aaron groans deeply in your ear as you ride out your pleasure, watching you through the mirror. He continues thrusting his fingers inside you, his other hand holding your waist tightly.

Tears prick your eyes, and your body shakes. You take time to come down from your high, but when you do, you can’t even remember why you’d been in such a shit mood today to start with.

Aaron gently brushes strands of hair away from your face, still whispering sweet nothings. His eyes were still dark with lust, but he was looking at you like you’d hung the moon. You lift a trembling hand and wrap your palm around his wrist. Not pushing or pulling, just holding on.

“There’s my girl,” Aaron smiles, holding you close. “Feel any better?”

“Much,” you admit. 

“You did so good for me, sweetheart,” he murmurs, as he peppers your neck and shoulders with kisses.

“Hey, Aaron,” you start suddenly, “I think I know where the sheriff put the evidence.”

“What?” Aaron blinks at you, processing your words. Then, with an exasperated smirk, “You really know how to kill a mood, sweetheart.”

Thank you for reading! I appreciate any likes/comments/reblogs/follows. Constructive criticism is welcome. Do not plagiarise my content and/or post it anywhere without crediting me.

Dividers by @/cafekitsune

[inchidentally]

oohhhh my... when you recall how much physical affection Andrea made sure to show Oscar from the very earliest days (especially the one special hug in Australia 2023) when Oscar was clearly still feeling so new and dealing with the fact that he'd never be able to do what Daniel did and just slip into the void created by his predecessor - that he both wanted and needed to create a space for himself in the team bc he'd never be gregarious guy or have that easy physical and verbal affection with Lando (and not bc he can't when we saw in Prema he can! but kinda awkward when he's been this much of a fan of Lando's since they were both kids) but he also had an extra uphill battle in his predecessor being arguably one of the most popular and beloved drivers in modern F1 history… and that the many times Lando has soared while Oscar has quietly swallowed down his own disappointment (the added twist of both drivers being almost identical in age but with a huge gap of experience between them !) Andrea has taken special care to go to the boy and make sure he isn't alone and knows he's appreciated… (and that he makes sure to do on the occasions Lando is in that position as well !! bc no matter what certain fans and the media try to say, those are HIS sweet boys who he's raising and who adore him !!)

and then ^this photo^ from Melbourne where Oscar has clearly already taken moment to feel the disappointment and/or cry but then done his customary shower and a change into the team kit - not even the driver hat, he's wearing the all black that the rest of the team is - because if he hasn't gotten a podium, his favorite place is to blend in with everyone else on the team and Be There For Lando… and Andrea notices. he could be riding high with the rest of the team on what that race has proven for McLaren for the upcoming season and Lando sitting atop the WDC. it would be very easy to know that Oscar has his whole support system there and he'll be okay. but Andrea's eyes drop to Oscar, who's extended his contract at the first opportunity every time and who shows up for the team no matter what, and his big celebratory smile softens bc his big Italian heart is so proud of both his boys at that moment in two different ways, and for Oscar it's a quiet deep pride because where Lando sparkles, Oscar glows and jfc I'm a fucking mess sorry !!!

[visualtaehyun]

P'Den held a space on twt last week wherein he answered questions about the four shows he's currently involved in - Zomvivor, The Next Prince, Khemjira and Love Upon A Time - and shared stories from on set of the different shows, about the actors, about his work in general as well as his methods etc. Since I've kinda become a Domundi girlie and follow P'Den on twt, I thought I'd share what he talked about on here ✌

Disclaimer: not a native Thai speaker, still learning 🙏

He spoke Thai most of the time so I'm mostly translating here but some questions were answered in English and then summarized in Thai so those parts I tried to consolidate to a degree. This entire post is not a 1:1 transcription or translation but I tried to stick as close to his word choices as possible, while still writing from a third person perspective. Oh, and I also sorted everything into four parts according to which show he's talking about instead of following the space chronologically.

Cheers, have fun, and do feel free to ask me any follow-up questions!

(Full post under the cut for length.)

To keep things concise (oh the irony after that previous sentence 🤡), the four shows will be abbreviated as ZVV, TNP, KJR and LUAT from here on out.

🧟‍♂️ "Spoiler about SanNon please, Kru🤣" (San and Non are Zee and Nunew's characters)

He likes seeing people's guesses from the teaser and that there's been a bunch of people who got close to what actually happens in the script. Are we gonna see them fight? ZVV is about raw human instinct coming to light when faced with disaster. The disaster or monster is a representation of a crisis or of problems within society. ZVV is set at a university so, once there's a zombie outbreak, how do the students deal with the problem?

🧟‍♂️ "On the set of ZVV, were there actual ghosts?"

ZVV was filmed mostly on a university campus, though there are some scenes outside of that setting. [In comparison to the set of KJR] they didn't really have any ghost encounters on set. But people were still afraid sometimes because they often filmed at night. For example, they shot in a library that was closed for renovation so there hadn't been any people in there forever. Or sometimes they shot on campus at night and had to turn off all the lights to set up the lighting. The only ghost encounters where when he'd run into some the extras in the restrooms, especially when he'd be lost in thought, after the extras were already in full zombie makeup. In that case, he'd be screaming sometimes.

🧟‍♂️ Talking about workshops

Lots of animal exercises where everyone would get assigned a different animal, observe that animal's behavior, and then play as that animal. Some human behaviors are already associated with animals, like 'mischievous like a monkey' or 'furious like a tiger'. Taking those animalistic sides into ZVV made the actors open up to their own instincts.

🧟‍♂️ "Were there any challenges in filming ZVV? Like anything you'd say was hard to film?"

There was one scene, one sequence really with many small scenes, that took 3 Qs to film! It was a big scene with effects, action, filming with special equipment, rain that had to bet set up. Plus the amount of actors being almost the entire label, maybe 60-70 people in the scene in total. And Aof and Kla wanted it to be perfect as it's one of the major scenes in the show. It was tiring for the actors, too, of course. But they did it and can be really proud of the final product.

🧟‍♂️ "Development of ZeeNew's acting from ZVV to TNP"

He says they were already good to begin with, ZVV just required a bit of adjustment for them since P'Den is one for realism. Not just them but all the actors had to train 'physical' with Om and Fuang - using one's body, combat scenes, letting one's body respond to emotions, movement. His part was more focused on the script and the character's inner works. ZVV was also intentionally filmed like a movie, making the acting choices really authentic in those situations. Many times, he wouldn't give the actors any choices beforehand, unlike during filming a series usually goes, where he'd go over the blocking, choreography, cues etc. Instead they explained the situation the characters were in, told the actors where the camera(s) was/were, and how far they could go in terms of blocking - but the rest was left up to the actors to go free and explore their own choices. So for Zee and New, at the very beginning, they were used to being given choices or having choices thought-out ahead of time. But once they met with P'Den, he tried to have them be in the present moment as much as possible and make choices according to what their characters feel at the time. He could tell they weren't used to it, but used to getting more input, so he met them halfway at first, giving them some help but still encouraging them to find and explore by themselves. Once they started TNP, they were much more used to his method and developed to be actors that are more free. They'd still ask for his feedback on their own choices sometimes, even though P'Den says they already thought like their characters and understood them well.

🧟‍♂️ Air date

Coming in the 4th quarter of 2025, as announced. He implied again that it will be aired on Netflix. It's still in editing, considering the CG, but almost done. We'll see the Domundi boys in roles that they don't usually get to play or are a departure from previous ones, like getting to do action and dramatic scenes for some that routinely play comedic roles or trying out comedic scenes for those that come from drama. There are many flavors in this series.

👑 "Does TNP still have any surprises, wow moments, stuff to leave us stunned, something that fans would never see coming? Like something we'd never expect to see lol"

So many! TNP is just The Most in his life so far. Everyone's using every skill they have and still learning new things for the show. There are scenes from the novel and new scenes, there are many grand scenes and special situations. The actors had to learn horse riding, fencing, ballroom dancing. There are many surprises that weren't in the pilot and characters that haven't been introduced yet.

👑 "First impression after working with P'Zee and Nong Nunew ☺️ Thank you, Kru Den, for being so passionate about TNP!"

He first met ZNN for ZVV and is happy to have met them. From an outsider's perspective they look utterly perfect, he had no clue what their real selves would be like. Zee seemed mature and prudent and Nunew's the miracle child who can do anything. Once he got to know them though, both of them still seem really young. They have so much enthusiasm for work, ask a lot of questions, want their work to turn out well, are down to earth and easy to talk to. They're really lovely Nongs to him but really all of Domundi's actors that he's worked with are lovely. He's never felt troubled when working with any of them because they all take their responsibilities seriously. ZeeNew work so much, he sees that they're working every day, yet they always do their homework. He never has to tell them which scenes precede and follow the scene they're currently filming, never has to tell them what their character is doing or feeling. He only has to help remind them of certain points or suggesting choices and then lets them play, sometimes letting them suggest choices themselves for him to decide which one would be most fitting, especially for difficult scenes. For New, that would be scenes where he has to cry right from the start of a scene. Playing music or talking about his character's feelings gets him there. Similarly for Zee, talking about what his character's been through gets him there. He's really happy to be working with this label's kids.

👑 Talking about workshops

The emphasis was on interpreting the script and finding the private moments of the characters and what they're like in those moments, what they think, want, are lacking. When they're with other people, what mask do they need to wear, who do they need to appear to be? TNP is about personas we need to portray in the world. It's Khanin's journey of suddenly finding himself to be a prince who needs to compete in the tradition of fencing, so he has to conduct himself differently depending on the individual. What is he like with his friends, with Charan, when faced with the public? Same goes for the other characters. They also improvised situations that aren't in the script, like filling in the parentheses to understand the course of events.

👑 "If you had to choose three words to describe the first episode of TNP Series, which ones would you use?👀"

Emotional. Roller. Coaster.

The first episode is always the establishing one, the one that explains what a given series is gonna feel like. So of course the different flavors we'll see in the entire 14 episodes of TNP, are all gonna be there in the first EP. No need to be afraid that the first EP's gonna be plastered in exposition. We're getting all the flavors right off the bat. Whatever we assume must be in TNP, we'll get in appetizer format in EP 1. All crew members that got to watch it, and P'Aof too, said that EP 1 has the vibe of a foreign production, kinda like Heartstopper, kinda like Red, White & Royal Blue, kinda like Bridgerton. There are gonna be lots of emotions, twists and turns, a bit of romance, a bit of comedy, a bit of drama, action, royalty. It's an introductory episode with its own depth and style.

👑 More than one person asked about Itthi, a beloved character in the novels

P'Den asked P'Aof for permission earlier to address this. About Itt - TNP has a script advisor, Kru Aumm, who's a talented screenwriter known for Analog Squad, for example, and has worked as a script advisor for Netflix Thailand and GDH. P'Den has worked with her before. Though P'Den is the acting coach for TNP and thus has nothing to do with the script but he knows that Kru Aumm advised about Itt and Wetid. In order not to have the cast size get too big and because these characters have really similar functions (in the story), she advised to merge them into one person, who would serve both Wetid and Itt's purposes. This was also done to tighten up the script. Of course they didn't want to cut too much from the plot that would make the main plot go down. So both characters have been combined into one character, Wetid, that is played by Most Witsarut. His acting skills are great, he's a Directing and Acting graduate as well and P'Den already knew and has worked with him before. As Wetid he'll be fierce and Charan's helper in lots of instances related to the main plot. P'Den saw questions about Itt come up again and again, some people thinking we'd just have to wait to see him in the series, so he asked P'Aof if he may announce that there's no Itthi in the series but that he's been merged into one character with Wetid.

👑 Someone asked about the photo of ZNN napping and cuddling on set of TNP that P'Den shared on twt

It's obvious that, once they need to change scenes, different people would disperse all over the place to get dressed, get their hair and make-up done, and read their own scripts. But these two get together - helping each other memorizing lines, rehearsing by themselves so it'll be faster and easier once they're on set, playing with each other like we've seen in photos. If there's time to rest, they'll play around together, teasing each other back and forth. If they're tired, they'll hug or sit on each other's lap. Sometimes, if they're too lazy to walk onto the set, they'll carry each other onto set. You'd think P'Den would be used to it by now but he still isn't. There's always something new to observe. Most of the time, it's probably New trying to annoy Zee, Zee teasing him back, New acting sulky and then Zee making it up to him. And then they're cuddling (while lying down). It would go something like that. They play with, comfort, and take care of each other all the time. If New gets tired, Zee would get to him even before a crew member. Sometimes New gets water or tissues, for example, even before the crew could (for Zee). Sometimes they fight, just like any other people who are close to each other - same as P'Den and his boyfriend [legally wedded, actually 🙂‍↕️] sometimes tease each other or fight with each other for some spice in their relationship [his words, not mine 🤣 sounds familiar to zonzons, too, no?], and then hug it out, comfort each other, and call it a day.

(ZeeNuNew) are very professional. At first, he felt a lot of pressure to be working with them because they're already very successful and famous and he was afraid that he wouldn't get up to par with them. P'Den isn't the type of person who feels like he needs to prove himself, he just always does his job the best he can. So he studied the script and scenes extensively, prepared his own timeline for all the scenes and situations, in terms of how the relationships change and the characters grow and develop, so he'd have his own documents to refer back to when he's coaching them or when they have any questions.

The crew is amazing, too, everybody remembers the timeline of the story and helps with the continuity of acting, emotions, hair & make-up etc. Since everybody does their jobs to the best of their abilities and with lots of passion, he hopes that'll prove itself. Nothing is perfect, of course, like there still might be oversights or mistakes but everyone's trying really hard because they know we've been waiting for this for three years. P'Den understands (the frustration) because he himself is also a fan who's had to wait years for things he's a fan of. But they're all really trying to get it right for us.

👑 About the script + final words

There were lots of script adjustments from the novels, both to tighten up the plot and make it more intense as well as to add stuff to make it more fun. There are more scenes to show Khun Charan's and Khanin's skills, in terms of sports disciplines, action scenes, drama. But there's still lots of cute scenes like in the novels. Kru Aumm's team, from Netflix, was coordinating with the script writer all the time to make several instances more condensed while retaining Khanin and Charan's character growth without leaving anyone behind. We are definitely getting the issue of the royal houses vying (for the throne), family issues, issues related to trauma, some political issues that are gonna make it more modern to current day audiences that P'Den thinks we'll enjoy debating and analyzing for sure, various symbols [unsure if he means literal emblems and such or symbolism], beautiful luxurious costumes and locations with hidden meanings that we'll also likely enjoy analyzing.

👻 "Kru Den, which scene in KJR do you think has been the most difficult? Have you encountered a lot of obstacles while filming? I saw that during the latest Q it was raining too ㅜㅜ"

Filming's been going pretty smoothly since it's dry season, the weather's pretty cool, and there's barely any rain. If it is hot, there's always fans, AC units, cooling wipes on set. On Domundi sets there's never a need to worry about the well-being of the crew and actors. Three meals a day, another two that are snacks, and tasty beverages! [lmao] It's just been recently that nature's interfering, like the rain during the previous Q. Which scene does he think was the most difficult? There's been one day where he said it was the biggest and most tiring day since the start of filming, in terms of filming technique, the number of people in the scene, the difficulty and intensity of the scene. People can probably guess what scene it is since there aren't that many scenes in the novel with that large a number of people and that're this brutal.

👻 "For KJR, could you spoil if there's gonna be more exciting things from now on, be it about the cast, scenes or anything else? After announcing the casting of Granny Si, there haven't been any more surprises to get excited about. Could you maybe spoil a little bit more? 😣"

There's so much still! There are still many characters from the novel that haven't been announced so there's still many actors to get wowed by once the series is on air.

👻 Talking about workshops

A lot of improvisation exercises to find the relationships, backgrounds, connection to the past etc. until they could speak and think like their characters.

👻 "KengNamping, TleFirstOne, how is their acting to you, Kru Den?"

It's good he met them ever since the pilot so he got to know everyone's strong points and what they'd still needed to work on.

Keng, for example, comes from movies so he struggled a bit at first with the way series are filmed, since you have a lot of cuts and angles and need to keep playing them the same way to keep the continuity. Whereas in a movie you'd be more free in your acting. He got used to it after the pilot and the workshops. Keng's role doesn't allow him to express a lot. Paran isn't the type of person to show what he's feeling outwardly or immediately. He has a maturity and circumspection to him, a feeling of keeping everything, all his feelings, tucked away in a drawer. For him to outwardly show something, it has to be notable. So Keng's challenge is that he can't feel and express things in one layer, he has to keep it to himself and select how much he'll show. For example, other characters might shout at each other but Por Kru wouldn't do that. He uses his gaze, his deep piercing voice, but wouldn't yell loudly. But Keng does it really well, a little goes a long way. And Keng has a great sense of give-and-receive with his scene partner. Sometimes just seeing him sit with a scene partner, like Mae Nok Noi (the actress who plays Granny Si), just the two of them, there's no need to even be speaking and it's already just right.

Namping is like P'Den, personality-wise. It's like he has two modes: Playful all the time but once he walks onto the set, he's calm, concentrating, ready for rehearsal and blocking, remembers his lines right from the get go. He doesn't hold his script when he enters the set - none of the actors P'Den is working with do, actually. Everyone memorizes their lines at home and did their homework on the ride to work or in the dressing room so once they're on the set, everyone's quiet and ready for blocking, rehearsal, and filming. Namping is that way - in the dressing room he's still playing around but as soon as they're preparing to film, it's on! Cut, moving the camera - and he's back to his cheerful self. P'Den has never seen Namping be exhausted in the almost 20 Qs so far, he's always full of energy which gives the people around him more energy, too.

Tle is detail-oriented, always the first one to get on set, very diligent, open towards different choices. The role of Charnvit isn't easy. It has a nerdiness that's approachable, instead of completely absorbed in one field of interest. He's critical and believes in cause and effect and it's this rationality of his that helps the group. Tle executes that well. Tle also doesn't really play around once he's on set - worlds apart from First!

First is mischievous but once he has to focus, he is really determined. He'll suddenly turn into a school boy, gaze fixed on P'Den and always asking so many questions. People like to ask if Tle and First aren't just playing themselves but Jettana (FirstOne's role) actually has so many dimensions. First can do them all, be it serious parts, dramatic, loving his friends, fun, funny, action, mischievous etc. and not all of them are First's real self 100%.

👻 "Which of the locations for KJR do you think is the scariest, Kru Den?"

Yesterday's! (Q19)

👻 "P'Den, about KJR, would it be any differences about Khemjira's character between series and its book? Because Khem is too easy to cry in its book kaa."

Yes, there will be some differences. When it's understandable that Khem is emotional, sensitive, and feels like crying then he will be crying in the series. But they're not going for a weak Khem. It's good and touching in the novel because you get to feel with the character. When reading you connect via the words and your own imagination. But once it becomes visual on-screen, he thinks people don't like to see the main character cry that much without doing anything for themselves or others. So in the series Khem's gonna be a little tougher. He'll still be sensitive, emotional, naïve, reserved but he will try to survive, just like the title. He'll try to persevere and do things for himself and his friends more.

There are gonna be some side-stories to showcase Paran's ability in dealing with ghosts and supernatural beings in the village, his relationship with the people in the village, and beliefs around shamans. And also side-stories to showcase Khem's strong mind and will and his ability to survive - if he managed to survive 20 years of his life, without his mother, seeing ghosts all the time, enduring all that, then he must be a strong person, not a crybaby. What he will be crying about would be personal and because of his feelings for the other characters. Of course Khem won't turn into the Daughter of the Village Chief [a wild child tomboy female character] but he will be a bit stronger than in the novel.

👻 Final words

They're still going strong with filming. As he said before, there have been some additions and changes to the script so it's still intense but can be shot more realistically. There's interference with beliefs, the principle of karma and the wheel of dharma, saving each other, saving oneself, taking a life to survive in any way, surviving like you're the only one to survive or surviving like we help each other to go on. The message is gonna be concentrated on cases of wiping out ghosts and meeting villagers who can make us come to terms with something. Which is in line with P'Aof wanting to make series not just for entertainment purposes but also to discuss and bring up various issues.

Since the show is 12 episodes long, some parts of the special chapters are going to be mixed into the series as well as side-stories and events from past lives. We're going to see a lot of culture, history, and a thrilling romantic story.

⏳ "P'Kim shared that the scarf scene was improvised, now I wonder how often the boys improvised the scenes?Another one is the part where PhopKhun being intimate, was the awkwardness a deliberation or was it coz JJ was too shy?"

He isn't very keen on improvisation since every scene has to connect to the scene before and after, they can't allow all improvisations to make the cut since the emotions and relationships have to be consistent and some scenes require an agreed-upon sequence, like combat scenes. If there are improvised moments that were kept in the pilot it's because they discussed whether the actors' instincts during filming fit the scene, in which case he let it pass, or not, in which case they'd discuss if it could be adjusted in a fitting way. They mostly just follow the script as is standard practice, these kinds of instinctive choices can make the scene stand out and fit each actors' interpretations of their character. So it's about 90% following the script direction but actors are also free to add their own interpretations and encouraged to be in the moment.

The awkwardness between Phop and Nakhun was indeed deliberate. Some of the choices are of course JJ's, like the facial expressions, but it was scripted to be this way, it's not because JJ was actually too shy or anything. There are gonna be parts where Nakhun becomes more daring but since the pilot takes place at the very beginning of the story, Nakhun gets shy a lot with Phop.

⏳ "Tell us about LUAT please"

Regarding workshop, it's a lot about language. It's like acting in a Shakespeare piece because we're trying to speak an obsolete language. So the kids had to translate their scripts into modern day language and then they'd act out the scenes with modern language first, in order for them to understand the characters' feelings and wants within a given scene. All four understood their characters and scripts, everyone just had their own things to work on, e.g. Nong Tte speaks too fast sometimes, Net doesn't always enunciate clearly. Some things are habitual and just part of their speech patterns, so they'd be difficult to change within the 2 months they had between workshops and filming the pilot. Learning to speak a 2nd or 3rd language accurately and precisely takes time. The LUAT actors are gonna be working with a speech therapist/vocal coach soon.

⏳ "For LUAT, was there any scene that was hard for the crew or the actors?"

Since this was a pilot, they had 2 Qs of time to film it. And during Q1 they had to move (between?) 2 locations so they were tight on time for actual filming. The kids got very little chance to play several takes since they had to keep going. So for the pilot they rehearsed extensively beforehand, ever since the workshop, every single scene. What we see in the pilot, most if not all of it was shot in under three takes. Among those three takes, none of them were bad either, but they were different choices, in the sense of being less or more, or different options for editing later.

What was hard for the crew was the scene of them sitting and drinking together, half-way into the NC scene, on the terrace. It took almost an hour to set up the lighting because they hardly used any electrical lighting, it was mostly practical lighting, lighting up candles and lamps. Meaning the candles had to continue, they had to change them out after every cut, and the oil lamps had to continue, the fire had to be consistent. And the actions and feelings between the characters were difficult as well. It was almost half past midnight at the time so everyone was tired. He remembers this scene requiring a lot of time and effort.

Another difficult one was the lantern-floating scene. A Krathong will just follow the flow of water but they needed it to be in front of the camera to get a nice shot of the pretty candle light on the lotus pond. So an art team crew member on a rowboat had to keep rounding up the Krathongs in front of the camera. It had such a cute vibe, actually, seeing them row back and forth to collect the Krathongs. It was late at night then, too, the other Q's night. Since this was an outdoor scene in a waterfront pavilion without lights or electricity, the light had to be completely set up, which also took a lot of time for the crew. As for the actors, it was an intimate moment wherein the characters finally know their feelings but Klao still feels like there might come a day he won't be here anymore - both in the sense that someone might mean Klao harm and come to hurt him as well as in the sense that he might just warp back to the present at any moment. There's a bittersweetness to it that dampens the romance but doesn't make it sad either so the actors had to find the balance.

⏳ P'Den couldn't find the question anymore but it was: "For LUAT, I'd like to know about Tte's development and him working together with P'Kim - how is it?"

(La)Tte surprised P'Den with how little he speaks, like, he's really silent. He seems like a hard-to-approach manly man, at least from P'Den's perspective as a queer. But he's actually really lovely and diligent and P'Den only just found out that he went to law school. He also takes down every single word P'Den says! Whether it's serious or joking or whatever, he takes notes on everything, as if he's sitting in a lecture hall. Those lines that are an almost-rap at the beginning (of the pilot), where he says so much, were the first lines during workshop. He's really hard-working - during break on-set, P'Den would turn around and see Tte with his script jotting stuff down endlessly. He feels the pressure on him since the last pilot, he's read the comments and knows what he needs to work on so he's really trying to improve at all times. P'Den sees his determination.

As for Tte's chemistry with Kim - they like teasing each other. Tte likes teasing Kim and sometimes Kim will tease him back. For example, when they were shooting the present-day scenes. P'Den saw Tte teasing Kim a lot so that Kim would actually feel annoyed like Nong Pun. Which would come back around once they shot the past scenes. It's one kind of relationship that's really fun, where the Nong messes with/teases the Phi and the Phi gets all huffy.

Kim also surprised him. P'Den knew already what he was capable of but he delivered since the very first take. There's no nervousness because of the camera at all. It's like he's fully prepared. He's a new actor who's done his homework well so there's almost no need to coach him, it's just about helping him in making acting choices. Kim was really sensitive, emotional, about the pouring water part to the point it became another key scene that everyone was talking about. That came from Kim, the credit is almost entirely his for that. He found that (in him) himself.

⏳ "For LUAT, is that one important event still gonna happen?🥹🥹 and are Mae Wanna and Khun Pim part of the script?"

They're currently having script meetings for LUAT. They got a script writer who's previously written period pieces, like Royal Doctor, Thong Ek: The Herbal Master and Ruk Laek Pop. The fact that LUAT is a period piece is pretty straightforward but there might need to be adjustments in the way the story is told because, reading the novel, there is a lot of Nakhun just going about his daily life at times and lots of descriptions of characters' feelings. So they need to add the situations and actions of the characters in order for the audience to get the picture. And they can't just have the characters describe every circumstance in a voiceover or directly tell the audience. They might need to be expanded into situations (small scenes).

But that one really important event is definitely going to be there, otherwise it would become a different story, it wouldn't be LUAT anymore. Therefore, whatever is key to the story - finding his identity, trying to find out where the previous Klao disappeared to and what's going on, disguising himself to get into the opium house and the brothel, adjusting to life in the Ayutthaya period, slowly falling in love with P'Phop, gradually revealing how they could've been close before - all of that has to be there.

As for if Mae Wanna and Khun Pim are going to be in the script, they are catalysts in the relationship of P'Phop and Nakhun. They have their function, they make us see that P'Phop really doesn't care for anyone else aside from Nakhun, no matter if in the past or in this life. And that also makes Nakhun more confident in this man. So P'Den thinks the series script has to have them but he can't say how minor or big their parts are going to be since they're still in talks about the script.

⏳ Final words

More script meetings coming up! P'Den directed the pilot and is also going to be directing the full series. Next up, he'll be sending the kids to clinical speech training with a vocal coach who's a colleague of his at Chulalongkorn University from the faculty of Arts and who got his degree in the US. They'll be learning how to enunciate and pronounce ancient Thai speech more clearly and comfortably. As for the script, they'll try to keep the important or key parts as they are but the way of telling the story might be different, to make it a more modern interpretation, at a time where there are countless period pieces, to make this BL period piece stand out. It won't be just a comedy, that's for sure, it will still have its drama, suspense and thrill. P'Den says he likes series with many different flavors so he'll try to make it as well-rounded as possible.

---

Unrelated to any show but very interesting nonetheless:

"what brought you/inspired you into the world of acting, writing, and directing? how is teaching it like?"

A few more notes: 1) There was a question about what Ar Ning (the actor who plays the King in TNP) is like - I axed it cause I figured most folks on here have no clue who he is anyway 🥴 2) I've read the novels to KJR and TNP but not to LUAT, so I had no way of verifying my choice of name romanizations and my translations for some of the plot details in the question about Mae Wanna, Khun Pim, and the script. Apologies if I've made any mistakes 🙏 3) There were also some shorter questions about learning Thai, several instances of him speaking Spanish (which I can vaguely follow from having learned other Romance languages before but would never actually be able to translate), and some pointless questions I didn't include like "Is NuNew gonna sing an OST for TNP?" which- Duh.

[hemeruni]

man. its so strange how KC will run into the arms of kits enablers and claim her art was ALWAYS about incest and whatever else kit might be hiding I don't think squeak or squeaks enablers really understand is that??? squeak has long since crossed the line of coping, if it was already leeching into buns art from the BEGINNING unknowingly having people draw bun fanart of family members interacting normally but fen just being like "oh this is defo incest <3" is like. bad actually, we understand that fetish mining is bad, right? especially if fen has had several predators past and present behind the scenes egging fen on to draw more and more not really caring about fens own mental state in the process thus. enabling fen I've lost any and all hope for KC to get her head out of her ass because its become crystal clear she doesn't WANT to get better, she doesn't want to put in any effort if it means finding other ways to cope thus having her stuck in her trauma getting deeper and deeper until what we have today, shes repeatedly lied to everyone (including survivors of the thing she jerks it to), continued to profit off of it through merch, patreon, commissions, and those fuckass adopts she made not too long ago, but is surprised it blew up in her face. Kittycorn be so for real right now, I think somebody needs to go outside for more than 20 minutes a day, not even like doing anything physical just sit on the porch or SOMETHING

As much as I want this to have SOME sort of "happy" ending (I couldn’t really think of another word but basically KC just. Leaves the internet) I feel like it wouldn’t be. Enough.

If we go by the Preboot mention, this has been going on for almost a whole decade at this point. That’s fucking horrific and the worst part is that, despite everything, KC. Doesn’t change. KC would rather have the world change around kit rather than kit change kitself. It’s horrible because at this point I don’t think there’s any point trying to change anything. The most we can figuratively DO is report the patreon because maybe THAT will snap some sense into her.

And even then, what would we do next? KC will probably just move to another site to get more people’s money to feed MORE into this shit. She isn’t getting out and I think she learned that long, long ago.

[theslumberinggod]

The Songbird, Part 1: Song of the Soul

Summary: A series of events in which Adeptus Xiao discovers the sweeter things in life and somethings unexpected---that Outlanders tend to turn his life upside down, that singing is his new favorite sound, and that you have captured his attention in an unprecedented way…

Pairing: Xiao X Reader

•~°~•

The first Outlander to come into Xiao’s life thoroughly changed him. How could she have not, sweeping through like a hurricane of good will, stepping into many strange things and into the lives of all around her? Lumine was simply the sort of person to change the world by intervention alone.

Xiao did not think his change in self would go further than what had already transpired, it was settled and done, the Chasm left him feeling a little lighter and new in a way he had not anticipated.

And so Xiao thinks he is content, so many years of doing the same thing in the name of devotion, debt paying and the good of the fleeting lives around him---he was content. He told himself he was, and thinks if any more change happened he would not know what to do with it.

Then came you.

Where Lumine changed the world by becoming a chess piece in the world's grand events and stories of lives---whether pawn or Queen or something else entirely---Xiao was almost certain you were going to change the world by changing the people around you.

He had little interest in mortals, (or so the Yaksha told himself) though he was indulging his curiosity more and more as years since the first Outlander’s appearance and she butted his way into his life. It made him curious, and perhaps believe that maybe he could be allowed, just maybe. The second Outlander (being you) was interesting because you were not like Lumine at all.

You were perfectly human at least so far, with needs of a mortal body. You did not at first speak a lick of Teyvat tongue, confused and bewildered, Verr Goldet gently took you in. Thankfully you picked up on basics of language fast and to everyone’s happy surprise, more than eager to help out around the Inn, and unlike Lumine, perfectly content with staying in Wangshu Inn, staying in Teyvat.

The Inn changed with you in it. You were a strange foreigner and that both made you stand out and fit in. Your care for those around you in whatever form you chose to show it made harder and darker days better, and moods lightened. You were a good influence in many ways, you added something delightful. You would be a face remembered when people left the Inn, for your kind words and unforgettable countenance.

You were curious indeed. Especially where most would shrink under Xiao’s gaze or in his presence, you looked at him with….something. emotions were harder for him to label and snme and pinpoint meaning, but he was observant at the very least.

You even apparently could make good tofu.

You were threatening to incite change in him too, because you looked at him with that something, because you were not afraid of him and to his utter horror he could tell the difference when you made the almond Tofu and when Yanxiao made the tofu. He had yet to gage why he could tell the difference or if one or the other was good, but it alarmed him.

However all good things in life to Xiao were momentary (Were you a good thing? Did he like the way you looked at him? Did it matter if he did, or should he even care? He shouldn't, he shouldn't, you were just…) and the bad things cropped up quickly and swiftly.

His Karmic Debt flared up more often, in the form of physical agony. Xiao had been through what Lumine called “hell and back” and so he could take whatever was dished to him, and proudly and loyally he would. He knew the stakes. The cost. The burden.

But it didn't make it any less awful.

The Yaksha sometimes wondered if it was a dream, perhaps in the battles that night he had pushed himself a little too hard . He lay in the grass, bleeding and desperately fighting the curse that soaked his being, the awful ugly thing that made him ugly, deservingly so he thinks in his despair. There is no hate within him, but anyone from the outside who knew of the deepest troubles of his soul (which few to none did) would see that perhaps Xiao simply loathed himself.

It all felt like waves of aching in his body, pinning him to the soft ground and forcing labored breaths and he thinks for a slight moment that it might not pass, and it would get worse, and he'd lose himself.

And then it happened.

A voice. A song on the wind, carried over miles and miles over the plain, distant and echoing and beautiful. It was a llullaby. The voice wasn't the most eloquent thing, a voice of a singer learning the tune and the lyrics, but it soothed all the horrible malevolence, the things still left in the plains already sulking away then fled from the melody. Relief washed over Xiao as the ache dissipated almost entirely, and he could see past black dots and visions into the star-lit sky, the world coming back into focus.

The only other thing that did that was the flute he so cherished, so had the Archon himself picked up the art of song, but if he did, then why did something so experienced sound so endearingly clumsy?

The song ended before Xiao could search for it’s esteemed source. It left the air empty and losing something, but it had healed and perhaps maybe saved Xiao that night. He wish he could hear it again, and his wish was granted.

For weeks on end the song repeated during Xiao’s patrols, the voice becoming clearer and smoother. Every time the song started the dark things of the night would shrink, the ache inside be soothed. But the song ended to quick for Xiao to go seek out, and no matter in what direction his keen ears pinpointed it, he found no one and nothing. Just mortals, doing mortal things. No Archon to thank.

“Are you alright?” Xiao knew you were approaching before you announced yourself. He leaned on the railing, the sun making it's graceful and colorful descent towards the horizon over the marsh. His arms were folded and he did not look at you when you approached, still unsure why he had not simply stayed away as he often did.

“I am fine,” Some confusion laced his gaze and he finally looked at you, standing there somewhat timidly with a plate of tofu in your hands. Something about the sight elicited a entirely unfamiliar emotion within him, so he squashed it like a bug. “Why do you ask, Outlander?”

“You were…what's the word?” You ask unabashedly, not intimidated by him---at least not in the way Xiao was used to observing within humans. He doesn't necessarily mean to intimidate humans, but it was good for them to understand who and what he was, and perhaps either you didn’t or you hid it well or you were just…funny, as Outlander’s apparently were. “When you look mad?”

He looked mad? “I look angry?”

“No,” You shook your head, pursing your lips. He traced the features of your face, how expressive you were. Verr Goldet had mused it made communicating with you easier when you couldn't really speak the native language at all, she could always tell what you were thinking. Xiao knew you were thinking, he was yet to figure out what or why he wanted to know so badly. “Just…like when you look at something really hard.”

“...glaring?”

“Yes, that!” You lit up, nodding vigorously. There was that emotion again, uneasiness in his stomach, tightness in his chest and breath caught in his throat, and he squashed it again. What was it and why do you spark it?!

“So,” Xiao looked away from you, but it did not effectively remove whatever you were doing to him as you had the audacity to approach him, closer than anyone would dare, setting down the tofu thoughtfully next to him. The wind blew in the right way. You smelled of fruit. “You are asking after my wellbeing because I was glaring?”

“Mhm,” You confirm, and take a step back to give him space. You clasped your hands together. “I am sorry if it is not okay to ask.”

Oh now why were you apologizing? Yes you were a little bewildering but you asking was at least showing you cared for the wellbeing of others, even it was terribly misplaced. You should not care for his wellbeing.

“It is fine,” He said carefully, looking at you again, golden gaze intense as ever but you did not waver under the sight, I ly meeting his gaze politely, “But do not trouble yourself. It's pointless to.”

To his further confusion, you looked like you wanted to argue, but instead you shrugged and smiled.

“If you say so. Enjoy your tofu!” And with that, you left perhaps a little hurriedly. No matter, he did not care if his answer displeased you, so why as he ate up his favorite meal, did he wish to know the cause of your fleeing as if you were retreating from a battle lost?

.

.

.

The dutiful Yaksha had begun to look forward to the elusive song every night. But tonight, the chilled, deceptively peaceful atmosphere of the marsh was disturbed by a scream.

Xiao followed it immediately. He was not far from the Inn and it had originated somewhere near-ish there, close enough to be where people were but far enough if something went awry it would be found out a little too late.

Now, contrary to popular belief, Xiao liked humans. Perhaps liked wasn't the right word, but it was one that best communicated how he felt about them. What kind of protector would be if he did not feel some measure of affection for those he so diligently looked out for?

But sometimes humans really did piss him off.

This was one of those occasions. Common thieves, they were, scoundrels who lived off dishonesty and were traversing the slippery slope close to the line between thief and something uglier.

They had all but assaulted you, taking the herbs you had been collecting for Yanxiao and were now currently demanding you give up your mora. Blood trickled from your nose from where you were so rudely and unjustifiably hit.

Before this absolute affront to all that is good and honest and you, you who did not deserve such treatment in any shape or form, Xiao appeared in a wisp of black-and-blue flames behind them.

Horrifying, he must've been, still in his mask, reeking of something awful from killing awful things, and you saw him first and gasped, looking at him with relief.

The thieves were in the ground in an instant, before they could act upon their visible fear. Guards were already circling down the path and they would take care of it. It was easy to incapacitate a human if you knew where to strike.

“Thank you,” You choked, holding a sleeve to your nose to stop the bleeding, a purple bruise forming on your face that did nothing to quell the indignant rage in him, though he kept it on a good and tight lid.

“Are you alright?” He asked you, voice echoing slightly through his mask.

“Yeah, they just got me in my face,” You sigh out, “My herbs …”

Your herbs were scattered in the ground. You look as if you might cry, cry over wasted herbs---just things you could replace so easily, he did not know why or what possessed you to do so. Maybe you were childish, though he considered that something rather scary happened.

They could've hurt you more, maybe worse, or pushed you in the cold river to try and cover up their tracks. He thinks you know that, he did.

“It will be fine,” He didn't like it. The tears in your eyes, or the way you shook slightly. He did not like how it yanked on his heartstrings, and he did not know how to make you stop in any beneficial way so he took you gently by the arm.

You froze, a little startled and for a brief panicked moment he thought maybe he had hurt you somehow, but you relaxed.

“I…I know but Yanxiao asked for them…” You were utterly defeated. Xiao hated it.

“He can wait. You shouldn't be out after dark.” He gently as he knew how reprimanded.

“...I'm sorry.”

There you go again, apologizing for no reason at all. Goodness.

“Do not be. Now you know.”

Without another word he whisked you away back to the Inn seamlessly, appearing on the deck. You stumbled a bit, shocked at the sudden movement and he gripped you a little tighter to keep you from falling, letting go as soon as you could stand.

“Thank you, Xiao,” You said quietly, looking at him again with that look.

“Don't thank me,” He says, face still hidden by his mask. He turned to leave again, back to his duties, perhaps back to that song.

“Why not?”

“Because it is pointless. I am only doing my job.”

“But it's a good job? And you rescued me---and you find those fights boring, don't you?”

Were you arguing with him? And how did you know he found combat with mortals too easy? Convenient yes, but at times it felt like a waste of skill---though on occasions of these, where one could not adequately defend themselves it didn't feel so without reason.

“...Yes. It's my duty. Do not thank me for that.”

You pursed your lips, expressions flitting across your face, a narrowed gaze. “How else am I supposed to express my gratitude?”

Archons!

“Almond Tofu.” He answered plainly. You smiled with a wince of pain.

“Perfect! I'll be right back, stay here!”

That's not what he---he watched helplessly as you disappeared. What of your nose? Why did he care, why---what were you?

Xiao wanted to leave, to go back out into the night, and in brief reprieve of monstrosity look for the source of the Song. But, despite this, he supposed it would mean something if he stayed. You did say you would be right back.

This consideration for your pointless show of gratitude was all Lumine’s fault.

Damn Outlanders!

He let his mask disappeared and tucked away his power, sitting on the railing. Than it happened again. The Song. The singing, the lullaby, and this time---it came from within the Inn.

He moved without thinking. He had to find it, he had to. This mysterious saving grace he surely didn't deserve but curiosity overwhelmed him, he had to! He---

There you were on the stairs, one hand holding a plate of Tofu, the other on the railing as you carefully climbed up. Your nose had stopped bleeding, so you had begun to sing. To sing.

It was you all along.

You looked up, and smiled, the song much to his agony, stopped.

“Here is your Almond Tofu, Xiao.”

And here was a thousand things stirring in him he didnt know how to name it what to do with, and most of all, he did not know what to do with the fact that it was you---someone who already made him feel all funny, were the source of his most welcomed relief.

[chukisser]

everytime i see someone say created systems can't have trauma, an angel loses it's wings and fucking dies on the floor.

i do not necessarily believe in created systems. i don't really believe in any non-disordered plurality.

but that doesn't mean they can't.... have trauma? do you guys know the statistics of people with trauma?

according to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 70% of adults in the US will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime. and that's just adults, in the US. that percent likely changes when you add other countries and minors into it.

do none of you know the statistics of divorced parents? or the statistics of bullying? have none of you heard the hundreds of stories about people being groomed through roleplay on apps like amino? or the statistics of people with drug addict parents? incase you don't, here they are;

bullying: In 2021–22, about 19 percent of students ages 12–18 reported being bullied during school, which was lower than the percentage who reported this in 2010–11 (28 percent). In 2021–22, among students who were bullied, 22 percent reported that the bullying happened online or by text.

divorce; As of 2024, the U.S. divorce rate remains between 40% to 50% for first marriages, though this number has been steadily declining over the past few decades.

drug addiction in families; Currently, 32% of Americans report drug abuse has caused trouble in their families, little changed from 27% who said the same in 2019. These data were collected as part of Gallup's annual Crime poll, conducted Oct. 1-19.

online grooming; Almost 34,000 online grooming crimes against children were recorded by UK police since we first called for social media regulation. 1 in 4 online grooming crimes in the last 5 years were against primary school children. 73% of crimes involved Snapchat and Meta, we are urging tech companies to accept regulation and prioritise children’s safety.

trauma cases have been on the rise for years, especially with the introduction of social media. cyber bullying and online abusive relationships are, unfortunately, INCREDIBLY common. it is so normal nowadays for people to comment the same copy and paste hate comments of "oh..!" and "on my cellular device?". bullying has become a normal thing when it's not.

not to mention, with the rise of the internet, people are VERY much exposed to harmful and traumatizing things (such as hardcore porn/bdsm and gore) at an incredibly young age.

the things i just listed are all things that very much can be considered traumatic, yet they're incredibly common experiences that most people unfortunately go through.

just because someone doesn't have a more extreme type of trauma such as experiencing SA or physical or emotional abuse, doesn't mean they can't be traumatized.

the idea that created systems can't be traumatized simply because they identify with a label is harmful. not just to created systems, but to EVERY trauma survivor. it is an idea that is rooted in victim blaming, sanism/ableism, and hatred for victims. the idea that certain people can't experience trauma is 100% rooted in harmful ideologies that target ALL survivors, but especially survivors of lesser known/less "serious" trauma.

tldr; just because you don't like someone, or the labels they use, doesn't mean they can't have trauma. trauma is unfortunately a very common experience that has been on the rise since the introduction of the internet.

[imjustavenuxwithaboomerang]

i have a lot of qualms with umbrella academy, especially after season 4, but the scene where allison runs into the salon for help will remain one of my favorite opening scenes, it's just so good

[yoshistory]

I wanna make more sense of Petscop just from like. my brain and not looking things up and trying to see what I can form. But I do think it's a really obtuse reading of it to assert that Paul and Care and "Pall" are not the same person. But I'm trying to entertain the thought just to look at it from another angle

[stillfruit]

i love not knowing if i'll ever be healthy again i love all of the time i've used to move my body become nothing i love spending my adulthood wasting away year after year for various reasons baby!

[arolesbianism]

Anyways incorporating new saint hcs into my semi au Sliver lore means that now saint gets to continuously experience ascending Sliver forever 👍

[dadbots]

cold as shit & freezing my ass off in this winter (But at least we made it to December.)

[solar-nightengale]

@lizardthelizard You wanted my thoughts, you're getting them 😏 Three and a half weeks later but you're still getting them ehehehe 😌😌😌 (Idk what to make of them so have fun with that word wall of mayhem)

August 2.18 | Zelena 3.16

[genekies]

screaming, tearing my hair out, sobbing face down on my bed

[dollsahoy]

Something I see a lot, with people who are new to sewing, is a lack of understanding of the grain of woven fabric, and why it's important to cut out pattern pieces the way the pattern tells you to in relation to that grain.

The grain runs parallel to the selvedge edges of the fabric yardage, and is physically made up of the warp yarns that run the length of woven fabric, that the weft yarns are...well, that those yarns are woven around to make the fabric.

Because the warp yarns have to withstand the shuttles, carrying the weft yarns, passing back and forth across them repeatedly, the warp yarns are generally stronger than the weft yarns.

This means that, if you cut something perpendicular to the grain that is intended to be cut parallel to the grain, then the direction of the soft yarns and the direction of the sturdy yarns will be swapped, and the piece won't hang like it's supposed to.

Furthermore, the warp yarns need to be more stable, while the weft yarns, since they're traveling back and forth while being woven, are more flexible, which often results in a subtle stretch across the grain--from selvedge to selvedge--that can make a noticeable difference in how the finished item fits, especially if it's in any way fitted. There is almost never stretch along the warp/with the grain.

I so often see people new to sewing doing things like folding the fabric so the cut edges are together, which results in cutting the pattern pieces from the fabric across the grain instead of with the grain (not to mention doing potentially unwanted things to the nap and print direction.) Folding the fabric so the selvedges are together is usually what's directed in pattern cutting layouts, with the pattern pieces laid out parallel to the folded edge and selvedges, along the grain.

It's also common to see new-to-sewing people laying out the pattern pieces in all directions (usually jokingly called tetrising), to maximize the efficiency of fabric usage. This can easily lead to a finished item that doesn't quite fit right, even if you've used that exact pattern with that same kind of fabric before, and, without understanding the role of grain, it will seem completely random as to why it didn't work this time.

I know that a lot of the things sewing patterns tell you to do seem fussy and unnecessary, but they really do have their reasons!

[chastiefoul]

he finds you crying ft. love and deepspace men

ft. zayne, xavier, rafayel, and sylus a/n: I always feel like mc wasn’t given enough time to grief when chapter 4 happened (or maybe they just didn’t show it or i remember it wrong) but to lose the people you’ve considered family like that in front of your eyes would severely mess on anyone’s mental well-being. mc stronger than me fr i would've had a breakdown every night. so i tried to write the comfort that was long overdue. <3

Zayne

He found you hunched over at the couch, knees tucked to your chest. your shoulder shook as he heard the sniffles and although he’s physically perfectly fine, he swore it felt like his heart was breaking in two.

He would gently put his key on the table, making his presence known in the subtlest way possible so you didn’t get startled.

You quickly tried to wipe your eyes and sat normally but suddenly in no time you were carried as he made you sit on his lap, bringing your head close to his neck as he held you tight.

Zayne wasn’t one who’s great at offering consoling words, as he also a firm believer of actions speak louder than words. As he rubbed your back gently he only said, “Let it all out, I’m here.”

So you did just that. You’ve said this once to him as a joke, but truly, anywhere by his side was the time you felt the most safe.

The doctor continued to comfort you in silence, hoping with every beat of his heart that his arms and hands that’s so used in saving people’s lives, could offer at least some kind of solace for your heart that was in disarray.

Xavier

He’d never hated the sight of a bed so much, until he found you crying atop of it.

Xavier would rushes over to you (arguably faster when he encountered strayed wanderers), determined to do anything he could to help you feel better.

As he put a hand over your cheek, wiping the tears that just kept on coming he whispered, “I’m here, what do you need?”

When you couldn’t even manage a reply Xavier would just stay by your side, his and was diligent in rubbing the side of your face; he never felt so useless, knowing the little gesture gave almost to none help.

For someone who finds sleep easy inbetween every hours, that was the most restless he’s ever been. He stayed with you until you calmed down, offering gentle whispers as you felt your awake state slipping away.

The moment you’re asleep Xavier was keen on wiping your face softly off of the remaining tears, and he tucked you in properly. He brought you to his embrace.

Yet unlike any other nights, he couldn’t find any part of him that was able to join you into the dream state.

Rafayel

Rafayel knew he came at a bad time. Seeing the way you spoke so stiffly and the way you zoned out of the conversation every few minutes.

However, he also knew he couldn’t leave you alone right then.

The silence once again was loud, but he didn’t think you realize that, as he followed your stare to the table, to what’s on the top of the table to be exact. A necklace with an apple charm on it.

He approached your side, cupping your face with both of his hands. “Miss bodyguard, you don’t have to be strong all the time, you know? Especially now, since you’re off duty.”

You chuckled quietly, but what followed after was not your usual easy smile but instead it was tears streaming down your face. And it felt like Rafayel could offer anything he had just to make them stop. And if that’s not enough, he swore to give you twice or thrice of what he had, it didn’t matter if he was to be in debt.

He held you tight, the sight of you crying was enough to make tears made their way to his eyes as well. And it pained him, knowing the best he could do in that moment was only to hold you tighter, as he wished that he could mend whatever broken part you had with one of his.

Sylus

He didn’t even flinch when you climbed on his lap, your usual talkativeness was nowhere to be found.

You rested your head on his shoulder and within seconds he knew that your emotions were in chaos, and if you thought you could find comfort in him, then he was more than happy to be there for you.

“Let me stay like here for a while,” you said weakly, voice all tense and anxious.

He brought a palm to your back, “By all means, darling. You didn’t think I was going to turn you away, did you?”

You stayed quiet, trying your best to get your emotions in order but it just seemed impossible. Sylus then sigh at your another attempt to pretend once again that you’re okay. “Cry if you need. Tears were never a sign of weakness, it just proves that you’re human.”

His rigid sentence somehow brought a strange sense of comfort for you, making your tears escape freely.

Sylus’ fingers felt fleeting on your back, like a touch that could slip away anytime. But he made sure none of that will happen as he stroke your hair gently over and over.

Was he worried of you? Absolutely. Yet he believed with all of his entire being that you that has fallen apart that day, would have no time standing back up again on the next day.

If there’s anything he learnt about you during your time with him, is that you’re a stranger to giving up.