#everyone else is just following trends and what their friends tell them to think

[raydfil]

opened the explore tab on here and immediately got whacked in the face with people saying that people drawing fucking hatsune miku as my nationality/heritage should be. killed and tourtured. oh boy i love the internet and people being normal.

[teopatra]

tell a friend to tell a friend, she’s bacccck 🤭 🤭 🤭

~ 😗 pick an image 😗 ~

Todays topic is… DRUM ROLL PLZ 🗣️.. 🥁 🥁 🥁

Why do ppl hate on u?? 🤔

Group 1:

You’re the type of person that is very thorough and this makes other people compare themselves to you and automatically feel attacked bc it’s so obvious that they’re only working to achieve the bare minimum. Before meeting you most people did only what was expected of them in school and work until they met you and now they see you as the standard. If you were such a bad person then why would random stranger customers praise you??? give you gifts, buy you snacks, etc if you were such the bad guy like people make you to be.

You’re the type of person that people may pick on for no reason not bc they see you as weak but bc they WANT you to FEEL left out, these types of people were the ones crying and complaining on social media during quarantine about how lonely they were and sad bc they had to be by themselves and you was just there sipping your tea bc you did your shadow work years ago when everyone else was creating soul ties and being n superficial frenemey relationships . You’ve been ostracized since an early age, but they can’t seem to understand why no matter how cliqued up they are and you’re standing alone or with one other person who also stands alone, why you aren’t begging to be n the circle or why you aren’t trying to prove yourself to others. whole time you’re loved by your family, your community , your siblings and or you have a friend group outside of them that they’re not aware of. Needless to say, you’re pretty fulfilled in life.

Bc of your high IQ, whether you know or not, you actually are gifted in creativity. For most you prob are supppper stylish you’re Mr or Misses put that shit on .. like FORREAL, and you rarelllllly get compliments or you do but not publicly or people may come days later like I saw that pic you posted and you’re thinking to yourself liiiiike hmm I didn’t see you n the likes thooo hater if you seen it why you ain’t like it then?? 🙄 people tell on themselves and you’ll realize years later that the whole time you were really the IT girl or Him but you make people feel small so they’d never tell you. Silent stalkers, silent obsessed fans and hidden enemies & prob people who call themselves your besties bc they wanna be accepted by the masses and since your the unconventional baddie (really not unconventional it’s just everyone else is basic and unoriginal / you break the norms and people don’t know how to be stylish outside of following trends or recreating what they see on their FYP or timeline…) anyway the way you dress is original and you’re prob good at trend forecasting and when you say stuff people be like “shut up” cuz you’re always right and people are inept when it comes to being creative or original; at the same time if someone was to try to wear what you’d wear for some reason they’d look like a fool 😂 it’s giving that’s so raven vibes where you’re psychic AND fashionable like how you gonna be the whole package? Meanwhile they’re getting bashed by their own family members for being dumb as doorknobs lmao

School : you’re the type to actually pay attention and when simple questions are asked you realize how little common sense people have bc they’ll basically repeat what was just said and so many people are used to being pacified and not called out on their BS bc it’s “not nice” but you’re like eff that why did you just ask what we’re doing n class when we’ve been talking about it for the last 30 min like bffr?? Cuz atp you’re playing in MYYY face for wasting my precious time by having to repeat simple stuff. I see you being the type where you’re tired of the professor asking the class questions and the class just mute sitting there like 🥴😓🫤🫠😵‍💫😴 .. AGAIN WASTING YOUR PRECIOUS LIFE FOR WATTT EXACTLY? So you *sigh* (save the day Superman /superwoman) by , once AGAIN, answering.. the.. questions.. you feel a tap on your shoulder.. “how did you know that??” ARGHHHH you want to scream bc I’m sorry [TW] everyone at your school is stupid or slow and it be making you feel like you weren’t even supposed to be born n this time period bc it’s no way 😂 you’re the type to get a bad grade n an easy class like gym just bc you didn’t try or change out when in reality you don’t gaf bc you prob have a high GPA anyways. I see you overall being a nice person (I just seen 3:33) but you have a low tolerance bc you know what you want out of life and everyone is just going thru the motions.

Work: you exemplify great customer service and work ethic and most people may hate on you bc customers prefer your service over others not just bc you look good 😂 which people also try to say you have pretty privilege and that disgusts them bc you actually do but don’t get it twisted bc you’re handsome intelligent and you understand psychology really well which goes hand in hand with sales. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for being friendly or doing your job right. I don’t see you being like a stickler rule follower but rather someone who engages with customers to make the day go faster and honestly it builds rapport and makes your reputation even better bc you could be the youngest yet seem the most knowledgeable bc people who’ve worked there longer or have senior experience bc they’re much older feel like you should just take notes from them even tho there’s no notes to be taken bc you body the job. In fact you body everything you do like they wouldn’t hire you if you weren’t qualified. You’re the type to get the job bc of your experience then when you work your magic now all your coworkers are hating UGH I can relate

Alright group 1 we’ve been going in LMBO if you want more actually check the other piles bc this one is getting long , like 2 may resonate assswelllllll🫶🏽✨💕

Group 2:

Okay girl people hate on you because they assume that because of how you dress you could come from a family that is a little more well off even tho you don’t flaunt it , tbh you are a lowkey kind of person and may be a bit timid. I see that you challenge yourself and put yourself out there because you’re a talented individual but your anxiety or shyness may get the best of you. You’re very intuitive and you can pick up on other peoples emotions you may be claircognizant or clairaudient or like the character in Charlie Bone who could touch objects and be transported back , so you sense things that most people don’t notice like subtleties and small changes n the frequencies.

People hate on you for seeing right thru them.. it’s unfair to ppl that try to hide behind a mask or coverup their true intentions or emotions and you may innocently ask someone what happened or what’s wrong bc something did and they didn’t tell anyone. So they immediately project on to you and call you weird or try to embarrass you wen you were trying to put yourself out there by being nice. Sorry I got side tracked but you could also be the type of person that doesn’t have alot of money but you’re resourceful and people wonder how you look so stylish when you’re not wearing anything designer. Or if you do wear designer brands it’s not the mainstream designer that people are used to and even up and coming designers that you’re aware of as are most people who are into the fashion world but these people are basic so all they know is Gucci.. you’ll have something on and people like it and love it trust me but they’ll try to get you to doubt your choices by making you the joke but honestly if it was so bad then why y’all talking about it sm?? Like who’s the fan? they are 🤭

People hate on you bc you’re chosen and they have pick me energy.. like you have the ability to stay focus and you’re selective with your energy I see you have this one true friend you rely on and everyone can’t stand them bc they’re 10 toes down for you and there’s prob a lot of daily talk where you’re the topic of conversation and others wish that people talked about them sm like they do you so they’d feel important but you’ve prob stopped someone from telling you what others say about you to you bc it isn’t aligned with your higher self or the action of gossip is just low vibrational. you’re like why’re y’all talking sm about other folks like can y’all step your game up so you can be the topic instead ??? You’ve prob told people you don’t care to go to college bc you want to sing , dance, act or do art.. strong fire energy or Aquarius energy. Like you’re just different and in your own lane and if anyone tried to find their way into your lane they’d automatically get called a copycat.

You’re the popular loner; you mind your business and stay focused and people hate on you bc you’re not easily distracted, there are no rumors that can go on about you bc you’re authentically you even tho you’re to yourself everyone knows exactly what you’re about and you really don’t leave any room for confusion or assumption cuz a “bih knew better than to to let [me]/ you hear it” .. 😂

People hate on your bc they can’t try you and honestly you’re probably everyone’s crush and they’re all competing for you.. funny thing is people don’t converse about how hot you are to each other bc in everyone’s eyes they’re trying to get with you or you’re their imaginary gf or bf and they wouldn’t admit it bc they don’t really wanna know who you’d pick😂 BIG delusional energy , you don’t have mean girl vibes but you don’t play the BS games. You make people feel like they have to step their game up like they may act childish but when you come around everyone straightens up and fights for your attention even if it’s a friend group bc they’re all secretly in love with you and wonder what type of things you’d like so they can win you over

People hate on you bc of how classy you are it doesn’t come off as arrogant, it just gives boujee high standard vibes. you could have a very attractive parent or older sister and peoples older siblings and parents can have crushes on your family and that’s why people hate bc they ugly 😂 or if their dad has a crush on your mom it’s like 🙄 it seems like people cannot escape you bc you’re the talk of the town.. people also hate on you because people try to be like you wen they realize their crush likes you bc even if you were to like someone back you don’t make it obvious you like to play hard to get or you like to be chased (AS YOU SHOULD ).. you may catch people watching you or eavesdropping or trying to steal glances at your phone or Instagram.. people would love to be your friend to get advice from you but they’re jealous and jealousy consumes people.. you’re really the nicest person but you couldn’t care less who likes you or doesn’t cuz at the end of the day you have INFLUENCE. And with great power comes great responsibility.. years later these people may try to friend you on FB or tell you how inspired they were by you or they wish you were friends.. but like they couldn’t handle being your friend anyway bc their standards for themselves really aren’t that high and it shows 😂

Strong Scorpio rising or Scorpio placements but now Scorpio sun

Group 3:

Bet y’all never heard this one 👇🏽😜 [explicit lyrics]

Okay last but not least pile 3 you should read pile 2 bc it’ll make more sense. you are also extremely talented and for some reason you have this karmic lesson that you have to overcome where everyone tries to put you into a certain box like oh you should just be a nurse o you should do this or be that but they don’t have the type of talent you have and with that type of talent that you have will attract a lot of naysayers but if you do music you either have a very angelic voice or your music tone or type is original like Kendrick Lamar’s flow when he first came out or like a mixture of alternative rap.. whatever it is don’t be shy try to live out loud. You’re not the type of artist that shoves your art in peoples faces and if you put your art on a platform like Etsy or SoundCloud I see the more intention you put into it and the more you believe in yourself the more attention you attract from strangers. People hate on you because you stand by your work whether it be tarot, pottery, resin work, herbology, makeup etc and people in your hometown may not support it as much as others do… like if you were to have a showcase I see people from other places hoping you announce a date so they can come to your city and support you aww 🥹 it MAY take years of hard work BUT that’s what people want us to think.. the Divine blessed you with a gift that you should love OUT loud.. the more you do the more resistance you’ll get from those around you but that’s bc Saturn, Rahu, Mercury, and Ketu want to challenge how hard you’ll work bc not everyone deserves to be famous which is why some famous people or people of notoriety flop or don’t last long bc it’s not genuine.. you don’t do it for the money you do it out of love..

people hate on you because you EXUDE love.. you ARE LOVE and there’s nothing bad people can say about you bc you don’t harm anyone you give people compliments but I see a lot of people from your family or hometown deal with generational trauma and they’re not used to Divine energy and true love so you trigger people bc you illuminate their shadows and you make them uncomfortable with how at peace you are with yourself.. you are an influence /influencer (in the making.. on a wide scale don’t think that you’re not an influencer just bc you’re it rich or famous or getting a bunch of brand deals baby you better live delusional cuz that’s how you manifest)

people hate on you bc they may secretly buy your products or listen to your music when they’re alone and it triggers something n their soul when they hear your voice and words and it may make them cry bc they realize how unhappy with self they are .. people wish they had your confidence to have a passion and a gift and to love it sm that you want to share it with the world they also hate how insecure they are.. they know your songs bar for bar and want to play it n public but feel embarrassed 😒

People hate on you because you’re funny and for some reason people wanna hate you sooooo bad for no reason lol what’s their problem and you make your haters and enemies laugh and they can’t help it to the point where they may try to be nice to you and even if they didn’t do anything overly mean or bully like to you you look at them like their dumb wen they do bc you’re like ummm didn’t you hate me last week ???? And now they have a reason to make you the bad guy (might wanna read group 1)

People hate on you for being the youngest 😂 they hate on you for dumb things like having small hands or being dainty .. people could hate on your for liking cute stuff (like hello kitty or computer games even if they’re violent or logical games) like you’re like a cute little angel baby even if you’re a guy and if you’re a guy people hate on you bc you’re sweet and quiet and you laugh to yourself and other guys feel like you should flex your masculinity some people (TW) may try to say you’re gay for liking certain things which you could be and so what if you are gay used to mean happy ☺️ but for most of you I see you’re severely homosexual lol and lowkey all the girls have crushes on you but even tho you’re a quiet angel baby you prob got lean muscles and dark hair and you just don’t look like the other guys it’s crazy how men deal with beauty standards like women too but even tho most people may not have an outward crush on you, if there was a vote most people surprisingly to you would actually say you’re quite attractive ..

people hate on you bc you wear simple clothes like graphic tees and joggers and you look so hot 😂 I see you may be kind of a clutz or accidentally wear mix match shoes bc you got dressed n the dark lmao it’s giving strong struggling artist hobo vibes lmao and people hate that about you bc you’re naturally alluring and radiant. You may like anime or like to tell stories, even tho people may try to act like you’re lame if there was a bonfire people would want you there and sometimes people may try to throw parties just to see if you’d show up but you never do bc ✨social anxiety✨ .. strong E girl E boy /goth vibes it reminds me of stefan salvatore from vampire diaries 🤭😍🤤😫.. you’re not actually a guys guy or a girls girl bc you prob have a lot of siblings that are the opposite gender or you and you’re the only one that’s a girl amongst brothers or vice versa or if you’re the only boy with a bunch of sisters you may have a baby brother that’s wayyyyy younger than you .. basically you see how people may use manipulative tactics due to gender

I keep seeing backpacks maybe you take transit a lot of you like to walk and you just got your backpack but what you got n there Dora? 👀 better not be a weapon of mass destruction lolz jk

Strong mutable sign vibes or check your Pisces /12th house and gemini houses or Mercury

[shubblelive]

— STOREROOM

— summary : you've been faceless for years, but when mr beast reaches out to you, you can't resist the opportunity to surprise karl.

— genre : fluff!!

— warnings : none!!!

— pairing : cc!karl jacobs x fem!faceless!cc reader

— featuring : cc!karl jacobs, mr beast (+crew), cc!quackity (mentioned)

— pronouns : she/her

— request : what abt a karl x fem!reader where he has a crush on them but she is a faceless streamer and mr beast like asks them to face reveal for a competetion (the reader has been thinking abt face revealing so its not boundary crossing yk) and like its a surprise for karl?? like he wasnt told that she was coming and he is like a lost puppy following her around the whole video??? AND THE READER LIKES RHEM BACK GOOD VIBES ONLY anyways slay ilysm

— word count : 0.7k

— note : my best boy karl <33 he would be so giggly and cute

he was trending on twitter. it wasn't uncommon, he was a creator after all. but now he was trending in association with you.

"fans of karl jacobs left excited after his "adorable" reaction to the prospect of meeting up with longtime friend for the first time ever."

"why is 'adorable' in quotation marks?" he turned his phone screen around so jimmy could see. jimmy just laughed and shrugged.

you and karl had streamed together last night, and you'd entertained the prospect of a face reveal. you'd become a creator rather young, never expecting it to truly take off. but now as an adult with a flourishing career, you felt ready to show your face.

karl had been elated that he was the first person you wanted to meet in person. you and him had been friends for years, and you telling him that he was your best friend turned him into a giggly blushing mess.

but, that was for him to think about later, because right now he had a video to shoot. this one wasn't an endurance challenge, so he didn't think he'd be here for more than maybe four hours. but that was four hours he could spend talking to you.

"hey, karl?" jimmy called him over about an hour. "can you grab another cable from the storeroom?" karl nodded and pocketed his phone, jogging over to storeroom one. "oh, wait. not that one. we have a guest in there."

"oooh, who is it?" he asked. usually, whenever they had guests it was either viewers that karl would meet when they got to the warehouse, or another creator that he would also meet when they got to the warehouse.

"i can't tell you," jimmy said simply. "it's a surprise."

karl frowned, but just put it off. "why are they in the storeroom,"

"we took out the shelves and put up some decor and stuff," jimmy said. "figured we would do more surprise reveals after this one and we need somewhere for them to stay."

to karl's dismay, he soon found out that everyone knew who was in the room except for him. over the next few hours, they filmed the challenge portion of the video, and then took a break before the end segment.

karl had won, and he had a lot of fun. it seemed like everyone else had given up fairly easily, but he assumed that everyone had off days.

he pulled out his phone and texted you: "hi bub sorry, been filming all day. you're probably asleep right now so call me when you wake up <33"

you and karl had been friends for years, but for the past year or so it had been different. you weren't dating, it was a weird sort of in between thing.

you knew he liked you, he knew you liked him. but you'd both silently agreed to wait until you met up irl before anything was going to happen.

once they were all gathered together jimmy spoke to the camera for a second before turning to karl. "alright, now. since karl was the winner, he gets our mystery prize. it's right in there," he gestured to the storeroom that had been done up.

"ooh, is it taylor swift?" he giggled as he opened the door. he expected it would be maybe his family, or another creator he hadn't got to meet.

"you've been hanging out with alex too much," was the first thing you said before karl was pulling you into his arms.

"you're here. oh my god," he recognised you based off of your voice, and he couldn't believe you were physically in front of him. "you're so pretty, gosh,"

"hi honey," you squeezed him as hard as you could.

"it's weird," he mumbled. "i missed you. but, i talked to you all the time. it doesn't make sense,"

"don't worry, karl. none of us saw her, she came in early." chris said. "we were all in on it,"

"can't even be mad," karl still hadn't let go of you, burying his face in your neck. "not when you're here,"

he had to pull away from you (still keeping your hand firmly in his), to finish the video. but the second everyone had gone he was putting his hands on either side of your jaw. "you're here, with me," he needed to keep repeating it so you didn't suddenly disappear.

"karl, honey?" he hummed in response. "i missed you too."

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Parker Molloy at The Present Age:

Alright, folks, let's talk about the strangest new trend in politics: calling your opponents "weird." Yes, you read that right. In the past week, the Democratic camp has decided that the best way to take on Trump and the GOP is to break out their middle school vocabulary. It all started when Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (a potential VP pick, by the way) described GOP nominee Donald Trump and "cat lady"-obsessed running mate JD Vance as "just weird." From there, it's like the entire Democratic Party collectively went, "You know what? He's onto something," and ran with it. Now, I know what you're thinking. "Parker, are you seriously telling me that seasoned politicians are resorting to playground insults?" And the answer is... kind of, yeah. But here's the kicker: it's working. Or at least, it's getting one hell of a reaction.

The Evolution of Political Language

Remember when political debates were all about tax rates and foreign policy? Yeah, me neither. Welcome to the era of political discourse where calling your opponent "weird" passes for a campaign strategy. But before we judge too harshly, let's take a step back and look at how we got here.

Over the past few decades, we've seen a gradual shift from policy-focused debates to character-driven campaigns. It's no longer just about what a candidate plans to do, but who they are (or who they claim to be). This isn't entirely new; politicians have always tried to sell their personalities alongside their policies. But social media has cranked this up to eleven. In a world of tweets and TikToks, nuanced policy discussions don't exactly thrive. Instead, we get catchy slogans, memorable insults, and yes, apparently, the word "weird." It's like politics has merged with reality TV, and we're all just waiting for someone to say, "I'm not here to make friends." But here's the thing: as much as we might roll our eyes at this trend, it's not just about dumbing down the discourse. These simple, punchy messages often cut through the noise in a way that lengthy policy papers never could. They stick in people's minds, spark conversations (or Twitter wars), and sometimes reveal more about a candidate's values than any carefully crafted speech ever could.

Unpacking the Appeal of "Normal"

Let's talk about "normal" for a second. It's a concept that's been at the heart of conservative messaging for decades. The idea is simple: we're the normal ones, the real Americans, the default setting. Everyone else? Well, they're the outliers, the deviants, the ones trying to change everything. As writer A.R. Moxon puts it in a recent Twitter thread: ["What recent discourse is exposing is something I've been trying to say for years now, which is that there is little conservatives care more about than being considered the only normal ones by everyone else, and they'll use bullying and the threat of punishment to get it."]

This obsession with being seen as "normal" isn't just about feeling good. It's a powerful political tool. If you can convince people that your way of life is the default, then anything else becomes a threat. It's why we see so much fear-mongering about the "radical left" or the "gay agenda" or whatever the boogeyman of the week is. But here's where it gets interesting. By labeling the GOP as "weird," Democrats are flipping this script. They're challenging the very foundation of conservative identity politics. And boy, are conservatives not happy about it. Julia Serano, in her recent blog post, nails why this is hitting such a nerve: ["I think it has to do with the MAGA worldview being centered on them being the supposed norm. They are heavily invested in the notion that their perspective and lifestyle is the one true and righteous way that all others must follow. Calling them 'weird' upends this worldview."]

Parker Molloy with another gem of a post on the GOP’s weirdness to Americans who aren’t in the MAGA Cult.

See Also:

The Advocate: Democrats embrace ‘weird’ label, turning tables on conservative rhetoric often used against queer people

[chiefduckgarden]

No worries - Halloween Special

A/N: This is complete inspired in LYKN short film "No worries".

Natasha wasn't in the room when you woke up. You didn't know what time it was, but from the darkness outside the window, you could tell that night had fallen.

You got up and saw a note taped to the mirror across from your bed: "See you in the lobby, the new guys will be on their own today". You rolled your eyes playfully and removed the note from the mirror. Beside it, on the footrest of the bed, your friend had left your sheet. With a smile, you picked it up and headed to the lobby.

When you finally arrived, you noticed that the spot usually occupied by the hotel receptionist was empty. There were a couple of items scattered on the counter and on the floor. Natasha had started without you. How unfair.

Suddenly, a scream echoed from the employees' lounge. You chuckled, knowing exactly what was going on, and draped the sheet over yourself before walking over there. You adjusted the small holes to align with your eyes and opened the door.

Kate and Peter, the new night shift employees, were huddled in a corner, almost hugging each other. Natasha stood in front of them, wrapped in her sheet, tossing cushions at the poor kids.

When you opened the door, they screamed again, but this time, they took the opportunity to run out. Natasha turned in your direction, and once the kids had left the room, she threw off the sheet.

-Wow, you finally woke up - she said, smiling - This was getting very boring without you.

-Well, you were the one who didn't wait for me - you replied - I know it's fun, but I think sheets are pretty old-fashioned at this point, Nat. We can move things without wearing sheets, and people would still get scared.

She shrugged and flopped down onto the sofa - Doesn't matter - she said - I like the sheets. They make people run from something.

You laughed a little and threw a cushion at her face.

-Come on, no resting, those kids are around here hiding, and we have to find them - you said, leaving the room, knowing Natasha would follow you immediately.

You didn't know how you had ended up there. All you remembered was seeing a white light, and then you appeared in the hotel. It was a strange sensation; you could see everyone, you could move things, but people couldn't see you.

You knew you weren't alive; Natasha had explained it to you from the first day. You weren't like Kate and Peter; you didn't have a physical body. But you knew you had had a life. You just couldn't remember it.

Natasha had been there since the day you arrived. She had been there longer than you, so long that she had lost count. She was your only company, the only one there besides you.

She had taught you everything you knew: people couldn't see you, they could see the things you moved but not you; you could wander all around the hotel but couldn't leave it; people got more scared if you put a sheet over yourself and chased them. It was all very straightforward. Living in the hotel was simple.

You enjoyed scaring people; thanks to you and Natasha, the hotel had gained a reputation for being haunted. This caused fewer people to visit the place most of the year. You and Natasha took it upon yourselves to frighten any tenant who arrived, especially the employees. Natasha said it was better for the hotel to be empty; that way, it was better for both of you.

The trend of few tenants only broke during the month of October, as Halloween approached. The haunted hotel hosted a massive Halloween party for which people lined up to enter. But on that day, people didn't bother you and Natasha at all; that day was different.

-This key lets us open the door to this world and cross over to theirs - Natasha told you as October 31 approached, showing you a small cabinet key - We are given the opportunity to spend one night among them, one night where they can see us, where we can interact. We just have to return before dawn, or else… we start over. Do you understand?

Starting over. That's what happened if you left the hotel, if you didn't return by sunrise on a Halloween night, or if a new soul arrived. You would begin a new cycle of life, in the purest form possible – you would become a baby again. You didn't know much about the concept, but you had to avoid it; you didn't want to stop being you, you didn't want another life.

You didn't have to worry about that for a long time. Not until now.

After scaring the poor employees a bit more, Natasha and you returned to the room, laughing. You spent a few minutes, distracted, admiring the view from your window before Natasha called you.

-Y/N… - you heard her concerned voice behind you - I think… Someone else is coming.

You turned to look at her and found a weakened Natasha, with a bright light emanating from her body… fading away.

-Nat… what's happening? Why are you…?

-I'm going to start over, Y/N. Someone else is coming, and I must go… - she reminded you - You will have someone else here with you… you must teach them everything, Y/N…

-No, Nat… I don't want someone else… please - you pleaded, but it was in vain. Natasha disappeared within seconds. You ran to where your friend had been just moments ago, but there was nothing there.

It was then that you heard her sweet voice for the first time.

-Hello, my name is Wanda - she said smiling.

Life with Wanda was different. She quickly understood everything you taught her, and you enjoyed her company. You cherished her presence more than anything else.

She was young, maybe a couple of years younger than you. She was friendly, cheerful, warm… beautiful. She enjoyed scaring tenants as much as you did. She even asked you to make her own sheet.

Kate and Peter were already starting to become immune to the scares, but Wanda and you continued to chase them every night. You loved the way she laughed.

The few tenants who arrived during the year would run out of the place within hours. Wanda liked being the one to scare them first; she would burst into laughter when people got scared for the first time.

So time passed. It was just Wanda and you in your own world. You knew you weren't alive; you didn't have a beating heart; but when Wanda was near, you felt different. You didn't quite know what it was, you just wished to have her close to you forever.

You loved it when she held your hand. Sometimes it happened unconsciously while you were walking, or when you slept. That's when you began to wonder if she felt the same way as you. If she desired you as much as you desired her. Even if she didn't, having her there with you was enough.

But one day, he arrived.

Wanda and you were waiting for the new tenant in his room. As always, you would let her scare him first. You were lying on the bed, watching Wanda when the room's door creaked open. Wanda jumped in front of the man, whispering a 'boo,' causing a slight breeze to come in through the window.

Any person would have been scared. You expected a reaction from him, but he did nothing. He just stared into space, with sadness in his eyes. He looked at Wanda in front of him, and Wanda was puzzled, just like you, but she kept watching him.

Wanda could feel it; he was different.

You watched them from the bed. You knew the man couldn't see Wanda, but it seemed like he could feel her. It seemed like they were locking eyes.

She stopped smiling. She felt something, she was feeling something. But she didn't know what.

The man snapped out of the trance a few seconds later and walked, passing through Wanda.

Nothing would ever be the same.

She couldn't help it. She was drawn to that blond man. Both seemed to share a feeling of nostalgia. Wanda spent hours watching him, longing for him.

Vision Jarvis. You found out his name three days after his arrival when the hotel staff asked for his confirmation to stay a few more days. The guy didn't talk much; he interacted only when necessary and spent the rest of his days thinking, observing… feeling.

Since his arrival, Wanda hadn't been the same. It seemed like Mr.Jarvis had infected her with his sadness. He looked around, and Wanda looked at him.

You tried to cheer her up, tried to return to normalcy, but she couldn't. Something bound her to that man. You didn't understand what was happening to her, but you tried to make her smile. You stopped scaring for a while, even Peter and Kate could work in peace.

-Hasn't this happened to you with any other tenant, Y/N? - Wanda asked - It's like I can't do anything else but think about him.

No, it had never happened to you before. At least, not with someone alive. Only with Wanda.

Soon you understood the reason behind the situation.

Jarvis carried a photo of Wanda with him. One day, he simply took it out of his luggage and stared at it for hours. Wanda, who was beside him, looked at him, tears streaming down her face.

You watched the scene, unable to help feeling jealous. Wanda should be looking at you like that, not at him. It wasn't fair.

-Maybe we were together - Wanda spoke as soon as she noticed your presence - We were very close…

Things only got worse after that discovery. Jarvis cried for Wanda. Wanda cried for Jarvis. And you cried for Wanda.

Everything reached its breaking point one day when you went to Jarvis's room but didn't find Wanda there. That was unusual. You searched everywhere until you came across a sheet crying on the top floor. You walked slowly towards her, noticing her sobs.

-Hey, you're not watching him today… - you said, wrapping your arm around her to offer some comfort.

She shook her head.

-I can't do it anymore, Y/N, it hurts. I can't remember anything, but I can feel it… I can feel his pain… I just feel him - she said.

Your heart broke a little with her words, but you held your ground. You couldn't see her face; she still had the sheet over her, but you knew she was crying.

Halloween was approaching. It would hurt your soul for what you were about to do, but you couldn't bear seeing her so sad.

-I will help you be with him - you said - I will take you to his world… you just have to promise to come back before dawn.

She looked at you, confused, but you simply showed her the key. She remembered quickly and joyfully pounced on you, hugging you tightly.

October 31 came faster than you would have wished. The hotel had been preparing for its annual Halloween party over the last few days; Wanda had spent more time than usual with Jarvis, longing for the moment they would finally meet.

The hotel was bustling with people, the music blaring, and Jarvis was alone at the bar.

Wanda and you waited for the clock to strike midnight. You would only have until seven in the morning to wander around. In previous years, Nat and you enjoyed dancing, drinking, eating… even getting to know people. But this time, you didn't want to do anything else but go back through the door and stay with Wanda all night.

As soon as you crossed, Wanda ran out, but you grabbed her arm to stop her for a moment.

-Hey, Wanda… remember you have to come back before dawn…

She smiled at you - I know, I'll be back in time - she said, raising her pinkie finger as a promise. You smiled and intertwined your pinkie finger with hers.

As soon as Wanda walked through that door into the party room, Jarvis recognized her instantly. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion for you. They embraced, Jarvis smiled for the first time since he arrived at the hotel, and he gently caressed Wanda's face.

-Wanda, darling… - he whispered so intimately. You wished you could whisper her name like that.

You couldn't bear to watch anymore. You left the party and locked yourself in another room. People could see you, but you preferred to pretend you were still invisible. You took the sheet you had always used, covered yourself with it, and sat on the floor, waiting for the time to return.

It was 6:30 when you returned to the party in search of Wanda.

She seemed entranced by Jarvis. Both of them were in their own world, oblivious to the rest of the people. You sat in front of them at the bar, and when she noticed your presence, you simply pointed at the watch on your wrist.

She knew her time was almost up. She looked at Jarvis, who tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and she rested her head on his shoulder, intertwining their hands.

You looked at her one last time before leaving the place, waiting for her in the hallway in front of the door to cross back.

A few minutes later, both of you were in front of the door again. This time, you were more lively than before, but Wanda looked miserable.

-I don't think I can cross, Y/N… - she told you.

-What? - you asked, surprised - Wanda, if you don't come back… you'll…

-I know, I know… but it would be better to end all this suffering… I don't think I can keep living with this feeling… I feel hurt all the time, Y/N, I just can't bear it anymore - she said, on the verge of tears, looking in the direction where Jarvis was.

Your heart broke hearing her so sad. You wanted to find a solution, but nothing seemed to work. Wanda was determined.

-And… what if you take him with you? - you suggested as a last resort.

She looked at the boy one more time, shaking her head a few seconds later.

-I can't do that. I want him to live a happy and long life… he deserves it… besides, we can't have anyone else here, remember? - You closed your eyes, trying not to cry - Just go back, Y/N. Time is running out, and you have to return.

You knew what you had to do. Wanda deserved more time. You had been there long enough.

You hugged her one last time. You tried to memorize how it felt to have her close. Tears streamed down your face; you couldn't stop crying.

You looked toward where Jarvis was and saw him approaching. You broke the embrace and took Wanda's hands in yours one last time, smiling at her. When Jarvis was by your side, you placed Wanda's hands onto his.

Wanda and Jarvis would have a long time in the hotel. They would enjoy the time that had been stolen from them in life. You had spent so much time there that, just like Natasha, you had lost count. But you felt at peace with yourself. Somehow, your time had come.

The young couple walked towards the door. Jarvis was willing to leave everything for Wanda… and so were you.

Wanda looked at you one last time before the door closed. You could sense her sadness, but also her gratitude. You could even swear you saw some resistance in her; as if she didn't want to let you go.

You just smiled at her, letting her know that everything was okay. You were okay because she was okay. Slowly, you faded away, and the door closed. You had started anew.

You can watch the original video here, it's so freaking good:

[ask-missparker]

And all I've seen, Since eighteen hours ago / ONCE UPON A TIME AU

This continues the trend of the series 1 finale —> click here to read it

Pairing: Snow!Amelia x Charming!Nikolai, Rumple!Cole x Hook!Jeremy

Extra characters mentioned: Ethan, Liane, Cassie, Bella, Marlene, Melissa etc

Note: I tried my best with this one but i like how it turned out

A/N: I might need new songs for titles very soon 😂

———

—————

The streets were full with the dim lighting of the gray skies. The clouds covered each and every square of sunlight that tried to keep entering the town with such intensity just like the people in it.

A light blast waves through the air and past people who were simply walking around, trying to enjoy their day as that sudden explosion of light came through them. A shock wave of smoky memories entered folks from across the streets, as it all came from the hospital where Liane was just woken up from her slumber by her Prince. Ethan, Ace Of Hearts.

Mia was nursing a killer headache with another stroke of Advil, she might as well pass out from the tension on her forehead, that’s when she felt a shocked sensation come across almost immediately dropping her bottle of water.

Memories slowly started to brace for impact like being unlocked from a tightly packed closet. She looked over her shoulder gasping, rushing to swing the door open as the others followed suit.

“Snow?” Liane said with a hush tone, her eyes watered.

“Mal!” She replied rushing to carefully pull her into a gentle embrace.

She smiled at Ethan who winked at her remembering Cassie and watching Belladonna. Her mind was still fuzzy herself from the day she has had, trying to piece together what happened. She listened to Liane and Cassie joked with each other as Bella went to hug mother.

Still being a nurse and noticing herself as Amelia, she caught wind of Liane’s concern placing the patient staff in front of her.

She remembers Cole leaving that staff here for some reason before waking up then left without telling her anything else. She wondered where he headed of to now…

“Col—Rumple, left it here if you believe that. Found it a supply closest of all places.” She added.

“Is it still magic? Am I still magic?” Liane asked with a hopeful hint of wonder in her eyes.

“Uh, no one knows yet. But everyone is waking up. Wait—Nikolai!”

Oh shit her husband?! Amelia quickly tugged off her white coat and went rushing out the door hearing her friends laughter. She yelled at her fellow nurses Judy—who was really one of the knights wives of their land—oh dear god was her head was foggy, that she will be back later.

She raced out of the double doors into the main streets of the town finding people, who were her other friends running around looking for their loved ones, tripping over things.

She found Marlene crashing into her frantically trying to wrap her head around this whole thing and asking for Melissa. Mia blinked saying she’s at the hospital, as the tall brunette thanked her with a hug running over to find her girl.

Amelia—Snow, she walked around wondering if she will find him and her—oh my goodness gracious her son! She placed a hand over her stomach at the feeling started racing back to her body. She remembered a couple of things before passing around back in the enchanted forest, one of them being the last few moments with her son as Jeremy and Nikolai took her to the wardrobe.

Joshua…

~~~~~~~

Meanwhile Nik was sitting on the rooftop of his home thinking over his crazy week. From plenty of customers coming to get a tattoo to his kid being kidnapped by his brother. He took him to the hospital a couple hours ago to get a quick check-up after the bomb dropped at home.

Just as he was about to open the bottle of beer in his hand a sudden burst floated past him and crashing down his head. He sucked in a large breath as he moved backwards in his seat, his eyes closed then blinked open looking around confused for a split second. Like a light switch, the memories came pounding down at him.

Both Prince Charming and Princess Charming. Jeremy being Captain Hook, Cole being a wizard of their land, Ethan as Ace Of Heart, Melissa as Belle and the list went on. He was in pure shock and surprised scrambling off the rooftops, down the stairs and into the window that led him into of his loft. He went searching for his jacket then paused as his eyes caught the baby blanket in the hallway behind the wall, inching over his memories start to forward onto that day.

Flashbacks and echoes never wanting to let go. The laughter, the cries, the pain and faces. He reached the edge of living room where he found him sitting on the couch flipping across the tv screen for something entertaining to watch, locking eyes with him.

Joshua. His beautiful boy was now 16 years old with a small bruise of his arm and two tiny cuts on his face. He smiled and nodded sitting down beside him, cupping his face and just held him in his arms. All he wanted to do was apologize for leaving him alone for so many years. His son looked at him oddly as of trying to pick up the piece seeing the glimmer in Nikolai’s eyes.

“You remembered..? Y-you’re awake?” Joshua asked, not knowing weather or not to believe it.

Nikolai just nodded, “Y-yeah, bubba. I’m awake..oh god I am so sorry I didn’t believe any of you kids in the beginning.”

“It’s alright..it’s okay, does that mean everyone else is?”

“Y-yeah, it’s gotta be. You found us. You found really us…oh my god your mom and friends!”

“Mom?”

“I’ll go find your mother and my friends. You go check on the others.”

~~~~

The two stood up grabbing their coats rushing out of the loft. Nikolai knew there are so many things he needed to do later on, but his thoughts came rushing down to his wife. Joshua smiled running out the door as a glimpse of hope started to emerge from his eyes noticing the chaos of the streets rushing to find Bella and Ethan. He helped a couple of others that were still trying to desperately find their loved ones.

Rick and Luna were even seen reunited with their family at the diner.

Nikolai went around the corner, searching for his friends as the crowded streets went cold. His mind was running a miles a second faster than his body can handle, noticing couples running into each other’s arms, kids looking for their friends and some of his teammates piling up. He looked over his shoulders to notice the stack of bouncing brown curls in black jeans and top that seemed to be light blue scrubs.

He allowed a breathless smile reach his cheeks and yelled out, “Snow!”

She paused turning her head standing next to the pair of trucks, taking a breath as she muttered, “Charming…”

The two stumbled onto the middle of the streets, falling into each other’s arms. Amelia cupped his face for a split second, as her hands reached to grab the collar of jacket breathlessly taking in his features. His cheekbones were covered with a layer of cold blush and his curls acted a little wild but beloved nonetheless. Nikolai held her close, embracing her touch pushing the short brown layers out of her face, scanning every inch of her face like he was lost in translation and drowning, finding coming up for air.

“I missed you…you found me again..” She said joking softly

“Of course I would.” He responded with a small laugh, “You have you no idea how much I missed you..”

“God, it was right in front of us this whole time.”

“It’s okay. We were just as blinded as they were.”

Without a second thought, the couple pulled the other into a long awaited kiss, every bit of longing was brought into that moment. A hand was placed on the back of Amelia’s neck as they kissed, meanwhile a small hand stayed on Nikolai’s chest.

A small muttering voice was heard causing them to pull apart, reconnecting the very same thought to their son. Joshua stood there awkwardly smiling at his parents who pulled him into a tight embrace, hushing whatever worries or concerns he had. Amelia saw her baby again, that’s all that mattered to her as she kissed his forehead, the same forehead she stitched up a couple of hours ago. She had so many questions and things she wanted to truly know about him. Nikolai rested a hand on his head and pressed a kiss onto his forehead, remembering the last moment they shared together when he was just born, now he had another memory—another chance to rebuild up that list of moments lost.

~~~~

On the other side of town, Cole and Jeremy were talking about something, hiking up a hill near the woods. The two reunited in the middle of the streets a couple of minutes ago, telling one another how much they missed their husband very much.

As the two embraced it clicked for Jeremy that his husband he woke up first and didn’t think of waking him afterwards. He wasn’t too upset about it, just questioned how handled waking up to wake up from the curse and didn’t try to knock some sense into him.

Cole was holding his husband’s hand and sighs, “For the last time, I’m sorry for not waking up you up sooner!”

Jeremy softly glared returning the favor of keeping him closed as he responded, “You let me go on for more than a few weeks, under this spell as the most doe eyed husband known to man. With a damn prosthetic hand!” 

“Oh hush, you were happy under the curse for years and not taking my ear off! It was kinda funny coming home to you not wearing your leather and red vest.”

“I was wearing blue jeans, flannel and sneakers every day for years. I miss my thick boots..and I love prosthetic hand, but I kinda my hook, babe.”

“I know you will like the flexibility to use both. We’re going to go searching for it in my shop after we’re done. And I’ll take you out to dinner for an apology, I promise.”

Jeremy grinned hearing that part, knowing he more than deserved a whole week alone with his husband now that the curse was over. He knew he has to find their friends afterwards but first he wanted him.

Cole smirked and pressed a kiss to his lips, missing that cheeky grin of his loving man as they reach the wishing well closed to the town. The water of run below are set to have the powers to return what once was lost. Yes there was magic small enough to sprinkle in tiny corners of the town, but not as much as they would like.

They just needed a little more.

Cole let Jeremy to the honors, holding a small bottle of mist that was coated with true loves magical elements. The two were able to take a few flowers from the store across the pawnshop, crush the seeds within to create a misty powder, mixing with the other elements they could find.

It didn’t have to be a lot of magic. A trickle to a certain roar would do enough to breathe life back into the town. Cole rested his head on Jeremy’s shoulder as his husband poured the powder down the well.

They waited for something to take place.

“Nothing happened.” Jeremy said blunted, with a humorous tone.

“Wait for it, love.” Cole added inching for them to take a step back.

A mere two seconds later, a lower misty cloud crawled up the well and out pouring its down the slope of hills and mountains below, seemingly leading itself across town like a light blue sea of fog.

Sometimes the grandest gestures came from all packages. The misty clouds floated over the floor of the buildings and streets catching a slight breeze of attention for everyone. It wasn’t huge, but effective nonetheless.

It was subtle. 

The couple grinned at the sight, it was wild and soft whisper. Oh boy were they gonna have a nice dinner tonight.

~~~~~~

The town slowly but steadily noticed the glimmer of light blue smoke that reached above their feet. Even if none of them noticed, others have felt in their bones. Some people felt it quicker than the rest.

Good chance some might’ve gotten the bouncing feeling of magic surrounding them the moment the curse broke and others, the would’ve touched that side of themselves later on.

Liane felt it in her back as she lay across in her hospital bed, Ethan was more than concerned with their friends to notice. Bella noticed something small out of the corner of her eye, so did Cassie.

Alexander was in his office, glancing out the window to notice the blue smoke coming across the streets, he stood there confused then smirked wondering what would happened next.

Citizens of the town looked over their shoulders to notice the mist crawling from the ground like a breeze.

Nikolai’s eye widen grabbing his eye and son’s hands ushering them to somewhere else safer than the middle of the street.

Joshua’s narrow his eyesight as his mother held him close to her chest, watching the smoke start to pour onto the edges of town then slowly disappear. Amelia kept a hand on his head watching the smoke clear, leaning against her husband.

She knew whatever happens next, all that matters is they’re alive and kicking. Weather they have magic or not in these streets…

———-

—————

Th-th-that’s all folks! Hopefully more will be revealed soon hehe. 😜

Anyways I hope you guys enjoy it, tell me what do you think?

Thank you @missstrawbs2001 for coming on this journey with me! I honestly didn’t expect this to grow and become what it is haha it was originally intended to be a one off thing. 💕 Thank you @gcthvile for creating such amazing content to bounce of off, I love your work and taking time to explore this universe of storytelling 💘

Tags: @rooster-84 @cherrysft @gaminggirlsstuff @purpleprincessonfyre @luna-d-marsh @rickb-chaos @sherloquestea @thecavalrywife @thisgirlisonfayeeer @cherrykissthings @mera-xebella and etc

[bewareofdeaddove]

hello! since this is a discourse blog, introducing myself isn't a priority, but i'll do it anyway.

you can call me whatever name you want on this blog. i'm a minor. i use it/its pronouns. i will provide tw tags simply: no "tw" or "cw", just, for example, "blood" or "queerphobia". please block tags you're uncomfortable with!

i have no dni; i believe in fostering open and good faith discussion on this blog, as that's the point of making it! telling me to kill myself will get you blocked.

as a quick tl;dr before i conveniently list out some of my opinions: i am against harrassment and censorship, and i don't care what people decide to write fanfiction about or draw.

i am wholly against any form of harrassment. this includes calling people pedos for fictional ships, telling people to kill themselves, and anything else. if you really hate someone's posts, complain in private with your friends like everyone else does, don't harrass people.

i am wholly against censorship. media, no matter how bad or "irredeemable", always has a right to exist. all art has inherent value.

i don't judge people's morals over fictional content. as long as whatever you're posting is tagged properly and can be blocked if neccessary, it's not my business.

fiction and reality are not equal, but do have some effect on each other. i, of course, have issues with trends in media that, for example, downplay abuse and sexualize/"adult-ify" teenagers, but fanfiction is, like, the very end of that chain. it doesn't affect anyone. because of that, i don't care about it.

i don't care what you make if it doesn't hurt anyone, but being a bigot in your fiction does hurt people. the way people behave towards fictional characters, i.e. racist comments towards characters of color, can still be bigoted. it doesn't hurt the characters (obviously) but it does hurt real people, and that's where i draw the line.

i only have an issue with fanworks when they begin to perpetuate actual, real-life bigotry. this leads into my next point...

what are your personal limits regarding fiction?

aren't you basically pro-ship, then? well, yeah, i guess. i don't identify with the pro-ship label for many reasons, though. most of all, though, i don't want people to put words in my mouth; i have no desire to be called a pedophile because of the pro-ship label. i have no desire to have people assume that i want terrible things to happen in real life over internet discourse. i will never tolerate these accusations, and i don't use the label in order to avoid the possibility. you can call me whatever you want, though.

i don't particularly like anti-shippers. this is mostly from experience. i have been deeply entrenched in anti-ship communities, and i have come to only think one thing of them: the people themselves have good intentions, but the mindsets they foster are incredibly harmful. i'm open to discussion about this.

i avoid anti-shippers because of their tendency to harrass people, also. like... big tendency. community-built-on-the-idea level tendency. pro-shippers also harrass people, which is another reason i choose not to label myself as one. this i know from experience.

as a general rule, i am uncomfortable with:

shipcest

minor/adult ships

lolisho content (i have complex feelings on it, but i'm just uncomfortable with it as a whole and ask that it not be brought up with me)

rpf, but i only draw a hard line at rpf of minors and generally tolerate everything else, however begrudgingly.

i am fine with:

aging up underage fictional characters

selfcest (although i usually call it selfslash for comfort)

"rpf" of fictionalized versions of real-life people, like idk, hamilton characters.

just about anything else, honestly. we'll see about specifics.

in addition, my boundaries for this blog are as follows:

i will not respond to anon hate, including anything with death threats or anything accusing me of, like, being a pedo.

i will try not to reblog from people who have neutrals in their dni (as that's what i consider myself), but i don't really check dni pages, so i might make mistakes in that regard.

i will not reveal personal information about myself to justify my opinions.

[transmonstera]

In regards to your posts about ao3 and how vile it is in actuality, I wanna say thank you. I've not put much thought into the website I've been using but this has put things into perspective. I no longer want my work (work that I am proud of) on a website like that. Ao3 doesn't align with my values and I'm assuming many other people's who use the site.

Do you have any suggestions on a better site everyone can use?

(Side note: I absolutely adore your work!)

sure thing!

while there are no websites quite like ao3 in terms of filtering, curation, bookmarks, likes/comments etc there are a few alternatives out there!

Wattpad - I know people make fun of this one because it's where all the rpf for bands went back in the day but it is still operating and many people use it so you'll likely just switch viewers from ao3 to wattpad pretty seamlessly

Tumblr - you can always post directly on here! there is a character limit i believe of 4k so it's great for showing previews or even cutting up a small fic into parts 1, 2, 3, etc. a little clunky but it's an option if you only write short stuff! (Twitter threads can even be an option for this though again, a lil restrictive and works better for super short works!)

Google Docs + Linktree - if you have a linktree account you can always just link a view only (make sure people can't edit!) google doc of the fic! having the fics on a linktree still give people the ability to see all of your work in one place, and you can even see on linktree the click statistics for each fic! while it doesn't give the reader the ability to like/comment, you can always encourage those who do like it to leave a message on your tumblr!

Discord (or any groupchat tbh!) - similar to above you can always set up a discord server and post your fics view docs links there! it gives a curated experience and you can see the comments of people directly in the server

AO3 has seemingly made people believe that each and everyone one of their fan creations must be thrown out into the void where you hope everyone sees it and loves it. I think this has really stifled people's abilities to truly be creative in terms of making content of their favourite medias (and even with transitioning to making original work!) because you may subconsciously be adhering the current trends and whatnot of everyone else, even if you don't really like it yourself! I mean look at how common modern/high school aus still are today when I have yet to meet anyone who actually likes them. Look at how many books that have been published lately that painfully follow AO3 tag systems, where they don't even havea blurb anymore and instead just have "friends to lovers meet blah blah blah! read it now!". (Not to mention the quality of the books being published is fucking atrocious)

AO3 has ruined publishing and I am being entirely serious about that.

But back to where you wanna go with your fics now. Don't be afraid to restructure how you interact with your hobbies! It doesn't have to be so exposed and vulnerable to anyone and everyone having their say on it. I used to participate massively in fandom and I'll be honest, it made me miserable. I constantly felt like I couldn't keep up, that my ideas were wrong because another idea was more popular, and I really struggled. So I took about a hundred steps back and only interact with the media I like through my friends who also like it! And it's a lot better! You may not get hundreds and thousands of likes on fics from here on out if that's what you're used to, but I guarantee you'll have more meaningful interactions that you actually hold dear to you far more than any "a guest has left a kudos on your work" notification.

(Also just a pre-emptive thing of anyone who wants to defend AO3 on this post because "it's an integral part of fandom!" or "they need that much money because they run a site with no ads!", or you want to try and tell me that the fics on there are fine because it's fiction regardless of what the fics is (including literal fucking CSAM), just know you are completely unserious and I don't value a single thing you say. So don't even try it. How about you donate to a marginalised person's mutual aid for the first time in your life and you'll calm down.)

[jazz-kitty]

Fern sat at the edge of the nightclub’s roof- the beat of the music faintly echoing through the buzz of the city at night. PROTAGONIST had come back from the corners of the universe holding a gangly 13 year old gir by the scruff of her pajamas, marking the end of the end of the world. It was the cause for a rightfully huge celebration, and for hours everyone downstairs would talk, and dance, and drink until even Elias couldn’t tell left from right.

Fern, much like Florinia, had quickly gotten overwhelmed by all the voices and flashing lights. Fern, unlike Florinia, had no friends that would make it worth it to stay downstairs despite it.

However, his lonely night was soon to be interrupted, as a boy donning vibrant purple hair and enough fishnets to last a lifetime had peeked his head through the door.

“Heyyyyyy. Come here often?” Cain smiled, tilting his head to the side.

“No way you come up here, like, five minutes after I do coincidentally.” Fern decided to ignore the question. “The hell do you want, Cain.”

“Nothing, nothing. I pinky promise.” He hummed, taking confident steps forward towards Fern. He had two red solo cups in his hands, which made his attempts at brushing aside a loose strand a hair a struggle.

“I just figured you’d at least want a drink if you’ll be brooding up here now.”

Cain crouched down, placing one of the cups besides Fern.

“You like sprite, right?”

“...Pepsi. Thanks anyways, I think.”

He picked up the cup of sprite, swishing it around and staring at the fizz that would form.

“Not even a kiss on the cheek for my wondrous deed?” Cain wiped a non-existant tear from his eye. “This generation’s gotten so cold.~”

“Don’t push your luck.”

“Hehe. Okay, just for you.”

He gave a final wink, before standing back up to make his exit.

However, Fern still had thoughts lingering in his head, and being as loud as he was it was nearly impossible to keep them tohimself. PROTAGONIST’s success had marked the end of an era. But every end was followed by a beginning.

Just… What had begun?

“Cain, hold on.”

“Oh? Is someone calling for me?” He twirled, facing Fern yet again.

10 seconds of silence followed, broken only by the jingling of Cain’s bracelets.

“This is stupid, but…”

Fern sighed. This was stupid. Really stupid. And yet, he continued. Maybe being stupid was a trend for him.

“Cain, what- what are you gonna do now?”

Cain slotted himself on the building’s edge beside him, letting his feet kick back and forth.

“Finally asking me out?”

“Absolutely not. You know what I meant.”

“Hehe.” Cain stuck out his tongue, but switched to a more pensive expression soon after. “But, do I? I mean- I wanna go to the mall tomorrow, if that’s what you mean. That one pretzel place finally reopened after the Moltres fiasco.”

“Not. Really.” Fern pushed a hand to his forehead, grumbling no words in particular.

“It’s, like- ugh. That was-” He gestured out to the stars, city, and regions before them. “-the past few years of our lives.  What am I supposed to do with myself now? It’s-” Fern tilted his head to the side, realizing that he was telling this to some emo gayboy on the street.

“-It’s… stupid. It’s really stupid, and I’ll kill you with rocks if you even think about this conversation around somebody else. But.” He sighed.

“What's supposed to come next? It feels like. I already lived an entire life worth of events- lord. Way fucking more than that. But we aren’t gonna die for, like, a good 70 years.”

“Cain, what’s next?”

The two boys, scrawny and battered by enemies and friends alike, stared into each other’s eyes.

“Well, I-”

“I’m serious. You’ll go down to having, like, a week left of your life if someone else hears about this.”

“Harshhhh.~” Cain gave a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. Nonetheless, he continued.

“But, I don’t think I’ll change my answer.”

Fern was right. This was stupid.

“It’s nice to just… enjoy the peace now. Buy really good pretzels at the mall. The past few years, um. Were bad. So bad, I might even put them below my last ex.” Fern seriously doubted whether Cain had ever dated a single person.

“But with PROTAGONIST keeping Lin- never would have guessed she was that short, by the way- in check, we just have… time. To go be stupid and gay and have fun without life ending consequences.”

Cain smiled at him, but he failed to smile back.

“I’m being serious! Everybody needs their beauty rest. Even you. It’s been exhausting looking this good through all the horrors. So, I think ‘what's next?’ is a long deserved break.”

“I… guess. But what about what’s after even that?”  

Fern took a long sip of his not-really-that-good soda, trying to grapple with the idea of there not being some immediate concern or problem to attend and occupy his thoughts. What even entailed a ‘break?’ Before, it involved playing Petz Catz 2 on his DS until his head hurt tucked beneath the covers. But enough time had passed for Fern to have no interest in it anymore. Was he even recognizable to the Fern who still lived in Florinia’s apartment?-

“What about it?” Cain whacked Fern upside the head to knock him out of his somber train of thought. Like clockwork, he hit him back.

“We can worry about ‘it’ when we get there. Enjoy the ride while it lasts. Actually, here’s an Idiom you’ll love me for: Stop and smell the roses! Aren’t I a smart cookie for coming up with that!” He was so proud of relating plants to the kind of grass type guy, it was infectious.

“That fucking sucked.” He smiled anyways.

“But. I guess so, huh?” Fern leaned back, staring up at the night sky. “I feel stupid for asking that now. Go forget I ever said anything.”

Cain thought for a few moments.

“Its okay! Because I’m so kind, here's another stupid question to balance it out!: You wanna go get pretzels with me tomorrow?”

Fern didn’t know where this new chapter of life would take him.

But, if even for a moment, he trusted it to take him someplace pretty alright.

“...Sure.”

[yeonban]

@dangaer, cont'd.

                            ❛     seems like every single one     i have gets stolen by everyone else.   ❜  he phrases it like a suggestion, but he doesn’t mean it like that, not really —- he can tell they are, more than aware when a singular conversation one day leads to discovering a certain pink haired colleague in the same shop he tries out, a mathematical genius in a familiar isle, an forever-followed bluenette causing a sell out of … everything remotely similar to the singular hint she had offered him, though he struggles to admit the full story, frown deepening. while no stranger to uncertainty, he’s always thought he held the upper hand when it comes to … his childhood friends, he thinks, despite how distant he’s slowly become. he may not know what it’s taken for toma to get here, but to be in the same predicament together … he’s pretty grateful, really; it makes his idea easier, a solution for them both rather than it benefitting only one.  

                         ❛   the only way i can think to give her something special now is to come up with a surprise … like getting something together, this time.   ❜  he offers, a little too forwardly. ❛   i can pay, and with all those girls you hang out with, you know the latest trends, don’t you?   ❜  

❛ Yours too, huh...? ❜ He can't say it's a surprising turn of events, not when he himself has been trailed by their colleagues all over the city similarly to a criminal who's escaped confinement and was endangering public safety. A hand rises to rustle through blond locks while recalling the memory, and it's with a soft sigh that he declares to having found himself in the same boat. ❛ I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but it was getting pretty hard to when Kent and Waka seemed to come out of the woodworks wherever I happened to check for gifts. ❜

The idea of a shared gift prompts Toma's gaze to lift from the ground onto his childhood friend's face and after a momentary pause he smiles, an expression of tender happiness that would seem mildly unfit for the occasion (it isn't the saving of money on either of their parts that gladdens him, it's the fact that Shin suggested they work together... as they haven't done in longer than Toma would have liked). ❛ A joint effort, hm? Not a bad idea. No matter what gift we'll settle on, I think she'll be happy even just from seeing us present it together. ❜ And that wouldn't apply to her alone, either. Latching onto the rare opportunity to spend more time with Shin without being kept at an arm's length would certainly be akin to a balm for Toma's heart, as well.

❛ Well... I do, but it depends on what we want. I think she'll have enough clothes and accessories to last her the entire year if we think about what the others have bought. ❜ Especially if Mine and Ikki had any sort of say in it. A thoughtful silence takes over while he silently ponders on an unique gift she would enjoy, before a soft interjection ('oh!') betrays his potential solution as he ambitiously glances over. ❛ ...Say, Shin? What if we book her a vacation? She's been looking a bit worse for the wear lately, so I think she might be stressing too much. A break from university and work would do her well. I have some friends who work at inns, so we could get a discount, and maybe I could score a room before they put it up on their site too. ❜

[foesofthefemme]

Shein and hyperconsumerism: who's to blame?

By now, we all know and either love or hate the newest fast-fashion giant, Shein. The Chinese-owned retailer sells clothing for women, men, and children, as well as home décor and beauty products, all for unbelievably low prices. When the website first gained popularity on TikTok in 2020, everyone was asking themselves, “how are they selling clothing for as low as $1?” 

As if fast fashion wasn’t unsustainable enough, Shein has adopted an ultra-fast-fashion approach using AI algorithms and unethical labor practices. The retailer produces hundreds of new designs and styles a day through AI to keep up with fashion trends and fads. Employees at Shein’s factories work up to 18-hour days and make up to 500 pieces of clothing a day, earning approximately 4 cents per item.

Underpaying employees and using cheap materials for their clothing is what allows them to keep their prices so low. However, Shein’s success can be attributed to more than just their insanely low prices and large selection of trendy clothing; their popularity is a testament to how determined people are to keep up with fashion trends in the age of social media and fast fashion. This is especially prevalent among young women, who face the most pressure to be “fashionable.” If you use TikTok, you might have an idea of what I’m referring to. Influencers and other young women on the app post “Shein hauls,” or “unboxing videos,” sharing the shockingly large amounts of clothing they purchased for under $100. 

At its core, Shein provides a cheap and accessible way for women to keep up with fashion trends that will go out of style in a month or two, maybe less. But if these trends die out so fast, what’s the point in participating in them? Normally, there would be no point in spending money on clothes that will go out of style that quickly. However, the intensifying pressure to be “trendy” and Shein’s low prices make participating in microtrends both feasible and necessary. Recently, I spoke to a friend who frequently shops at Shein; the reasons for the retailer’s success became obvious after our conversation.

Maddie, a fellow Rutgers student, informed me that she first started shopping at Shein because “everyone else was.” She went on to tell me that the ability to buy new, trendy clothes for so cheap is what sucked her in, which didn’t surprise me. What interested me more, though, was that she described her purchasing habits at Shein as a “vicious cycle.”  She said, “I buy trendy clothes from there because it is cheap, and I know that the trends will die soon so it is not worth buying it elsewhere for a higher price. But then the clothes I bought go out of style again. I feel so embarrassed wearing it out to the bars or wherever, so I buy more clothes and the cycle repeats.” This cycle repeats regularly, according to her. 

When Maddie shared that she feels embarrassed wearing her “outdated” clothes on a night out, I realized that for many women (including myself) the tendency to hyperconsume “trendy” clothing may lie in their fear of being perceived as “unfashionable.” Women bear a multitude of societal expectations and gender roles regarding their physical appearance, but the fashion aspect is often overlooked. Unfortunately, the standard that women should be stylish and trendy is becoming more prevalent as Shein and the increased rate at which trends die and evolve is normalized. In the process of trying to fit in and therefore avoid judgement, we only make things worse for ourselves and the environment. 

So, how do we fix this? How do we deconstruct the expectation that young women must follow trends to avoid social ostracism? I wish I knew, but I think that reinstating the importance of personal style, sustainability, and high-quality clothing is a start. There is no simple solution to deconstructing gender roles, especially one as rigid as fashion. However, it is my opinion that we need to take it upon ourselves to rediscover our own personal style aside from what TikTok trends tell us to wear and support other women in their decision to do so. 

References

IMPACT x Nightline: Unboxing Shein

[sankta-starkova]

LETTERMAN

039; let it go

previous chapter | next chapter | masterlist

summary: the one where ej and andy get to spend time together in the camp until the production gets in the way, threatening to ruin their summer and relationship

wordcount: 1.9k

Andy and some of their friends, snuck into Ricky's cabin the next morning, yelling happy birthday.

It was their best friend tradition and she laughed as he jumped up in fear, a smile on his face. It was a little more exciting than hers yesterday after that debacle.

That's when Big Red ran in with a cake, half for Andy and half for Ricky. It was a surprise to both of them

"We've spent every joint birthday together since pre-school, how could I ever miss your birthdays," he said.

Even though Andys was yesterday, her and Ricky would always have a shared party for monetary reasons, it was cheaper for one balloon castle then two or one game of laser tag then two.

He hugged Andy and Ricky, the two blowing out their candles on the cake.

Andy stood back stage later that evening in hwr Anna costume as EJ walked in, "There's my beautiful Anna," He said, taking her hand and spinning her around, "You're gonna be brilliant, hope I didn't keep you up too late last night,"

She fake yawned, "I think the shadow puppets really put me over the edge," she joked. She loved just being able to talk to him all night and spend time with him again, like home.

That's when Channing came in, ruining the fun, "Hello campers, there are 10 cameras planted in random places in the theater, it all comes down to tonight," he explained.

Andy was already nervous enough but to know that there are hidden cameras everywhere is even worse.

"We will be live streaming tonight's frozen performance on Disney plus to drum up anticipation for the documentary," Channing explained, "I'm gonna shake up the show, right,"

"We can do that!" EJ exclaimed and everyone looked at him, horrified, "We won't disappoint you Channing,"

Everyone gasped, shocked that they were going to actually follow on what he was doing.

"Why would you say that!" Everyone exclaimed, talking over each other in shock.

"Settle down, I was just acting to get that jerk off our backs. We're theater kids and we're going to do things our way, final decision," he said.

His pep talk seemed to cheer them all up, making everyone excited for the show.

"You sure you're okay with that, you've worked so hard and if we're not trending in Braz-" she started and he cut her off with a shrug.

"Thats tomorrow's problem. Tonight I'm gonna sit there and watch my girlfriend ace this," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

The show was going smoothly from the second it started. Everyone aced their performances and the audience seemed to love it.

Whenever she'd go backstage, EJ would tell her that everyone online was loving the show.

Kourtney was midway through her breathtaking performance of let it go when the lights were cut off.

Andy looked around, unsure of what to do as everyone backstage panicked, trying to find out why the lights went off.

Miss Jenn held up her phone light in the audience, everyone else following after her to illuminate the room.

Hesitantly, Kourtney started to sing again, her voice reaching the same power as before.

Gina and Andy stormed off after noticing that Channing was missing. They made it to the breaker where Gina switched it back on again.

"You're lucky Ginas here or Channing, you would be so dead right now," Andy said before the girls rushed back to watch the end of Kourtneys performance.

The lights had come back on and luckily it hadn't ruined her song. Instead, people on the live stream were saying how amazing it was that she had the courage to keep going.

"You okay Ands?" EJ whispered in her ear as he noticed how tense she was, his hands gently rubbing over her shoulders.

"Yeah, just mad," she replied. He nodded, wrapping his arms around her waist and feeling her relax into his touch.

"I've got you," he said. She smiled, leaning her head back as they watched the rest of Kourtneys performance.

During the thirty minute interval, EJ and Andy sat in his cabin, the two of them relishing in the peacefulness for a second before they had to go back to the group.

He had decided that he wanted to call his dad and let him know that he wasnt leaving Salt Lake.

He couldn't jeopardise his relationship with Andy or his plans for the future and he wouldn't let his father get in the way of that.

"You got this Eej," she said, watching as his finger hovered over the call button, "Do you want me to?"

He nodded and she took the phone from his hand, clicking the button and handing it back to him.

They sat down and Andy took his hand in hers, rubbing the pad of her thumb over his knuckles just like he always would.

She saw him take a deep breath as his dad answered the phone, "Hey dad, it's me. We're in the interval right now and I fooled myself into thinking you'd be here,"

He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. He knew why Andys family wasn't here and it was because of her mum and he understood. She'd actually called earlier that morning to wish them luck.

"I know you think this is the waste of my time but just once in my life I wanna hear you saw you're proud of me," he said, "Just, I'm proud of you EJ, how hard is that,"

He froze when he heard the sound of a phone being hung up.

He scoffed, "He hung up," he said, trying to sound steady but he just sounded defeated.

She pulled him in for a hug, feeling as he pressed his head into the crook of her neck, trying to stop the tears from falling.

"Listen to me," she said, pulling away to look at him, "I think you're amazing. You've given up your summer, our summer, to make this show perfect for us and our friends,"

She reached over, wiping a tear from his cheek when she saw it slip past his waterline. It broke her heart to see him like this.

She could hear his shaky breaths and ran a hand over his back, wondering if he would have another panic attack.

"I'm proud of you. I'm amazed that you're my boyfriend, I'm so lucky every day - except for a few this week," she said and he chuckled, "And I love you, for everything you are. Despite the stubbornness, the distance, I love the kindness and the intelligence and the fun,"

She could see the tears starting to spill over his cheeks now and she brushed one or two of them away

"I love you EJ Caswell, and every day I'm proud to say I'm your girlfriend, I always will be," she said.

He smiled, nodding his head, placing his hand on her cheek, "You're the best girlfriend in the world," he said, leaning in to kiss her.

They went back and finished the show, getting changed out of their consumes and walking into the barn where Miss Jenn was waiting.

"You were all incredible," she said, congratulating the group.

Andy held onto EJs hand, she wasn't going to let him go now, something she'd realised over the summer.

Corbin remembered Jennifer from the films, calling her his favourite cast member. But when Channing tried to film it, Corbin shut it down, firing him.

"Last night of camp, huh kids," Miss Jenn said.

Gina sighed, "It just kind of feels like something is over,"

"Sometimes the really good stuff only starts when something else ends," Miss Jenn replied, taking her hand.

One month later and Andy and EJ stood at the red carpet for the world premiere of frozen the musical the documentary in Hollywood again.

"Here's my favourite couple, EJ and Andy, your love story is going to he thr highlight of the show," Corbin said as the duo approached him after their photos.

EJ was wearing a blue jacket and she was wearing a blue satin dress that Kourtney had made her.

"What do you two want the people watching this to take away from it?" Corbin asked.

"I just hope that people know that it's cool to follow your dreams, no matter what your parents say," EJ said.

She looked at him, a smile on her face, "And that you should follow your heart too, even if sometimes you think you shouldn't," Andy said.

The two walked inside, his arm wrapped around her waist. It was weird as the paparazzi took photos of them but this was the life they were going to have to get used to.

They sat down in their chairs where Corbin explained that they were going to watch the trailer before everyone else came in.

"Your reactions will he recorded and just act casual and normal," corbin said.

They watched the trailer, horrified at the way it made them seem. Kourntey and Gina had an apparent rivalry and Gina and Ricky had some secret relationship.

"I didn't say that about you!" Gina said, her voice high pitched and worried.

The worst part was Andy and EJs scenes. They were made out to be this sick lovey dovey character with scenes of them always kissing and making out.

"I didn't consent to those clips being shown," Andy yelled out, watching as Ricky covered his eyes. There was one scene of him leaning over her and she yelped, "That's not legal I'm sure,"

Then scenes were shown with Val and EJ talking and then Andy and EJ yelling at each other in the barn. They didn't realise they were being filmed there either. Then Ricky made a comment about them.

"I wasn't talking about you Andy, I swear, I was talking about the guys from Frozen!" He announced.

Once the trailer ended they all began yelling at what all that was.

"Is everyone okay?" Corbin said and everyone started to rush off, leaving just Andy and EJ and Corbin in the room.

"I've got to call my mum," Andy said, "Mr Bleu, that trailer was like 25% me and EJ either yelling at each other or kissing. Channing made it look like all we did all summer was sleep together! And we haven't done that!"

EJ walked over, standing behind Andy and rubbing her shoulder reassuringly, "Mr Bleu, is there any way we can change that, that's not how the summer went, for any of our friends,"

"I'm sorry kids, I didn't realise that's what it would be like. Channing was clearly mad and made you all look like awful people," he stated.

"Awful people! I look like a whore, he looks like a cheater and I've got college applications and I'm not gonna get in if I look like a ditsy blonde on TV," she explained.

"Calm down Ands baby, it's all gonna be okay," EJ said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "Right Mr Bleu, there's got to be something you can do,"

"I'll try. I'm gonna call disney plus this instant okay, you kids stay put," he said, walking out.

Andy groaned, putting her head on his chest, "I've got to go back to school EJ, this is gonna be the worst senior year ever," she said.

He sighed, "We're going to make it work. Corbins going to fix this, I promise you," he said.

All she knew is that she going to hold him forever and the two of them would look after each other.

Taglist:

@maggiecc @hesfasttandshesweird

[kmhnsecretexchange]

Title: My World is Better with You

Author: kwriterintraining

For: wlw-izuru

Pairings/Characters: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito, Hinata Hajime & Kuzuryu Natsumi

Rating/Warnings: General Audience / No Archive Warnings Apply

Prompt: hajime hinata is the most normal guy in his year, and he wants to stand out more. so naturally, he turns to the weirdest dude in school, nagito komaeda (who happens to think that hajime is more than fine as he is)

Author’s notes: I had fun coming up with this light and fluffy fic, I hope you enjoy your gift ^^

Hajime ate his sandwich, the chatter of the building fading into white noise as he became lost in thought. Suddenly, a loud slam brought him back to reality. A burning pair of green olive eyes were staring daggers into his soul.

Shit.

What were they even talking about? Fashion? Exams? Celebrities?

Who cares?

Should he care?

Hajime couldn’t say for sure.

“Ugh! Why do I even put up with you?” Natsumi Kuzuryuu screeched in his face.

If it was anyone else, they would probably cower away or beg for mercy. But Hajime knew better. They had known each other since freshman orientation. Even though it was an event to help the new students get along, Natsumi apparently made it her mission to scorch the earth she walked on the moment she arrived at Subaseka university.

She gave a verbal lashing to everyone she came across and glared at anyone who talked behind her back. Soon enough, everyone who wasn’t pissed off at her was too scared to even acknowledge her. Hajime’s first impression of her wasn’t the best, but he admired her courage. She had the guts to stand out and make sure everyone in the room would know who she was.

Hajime, on the other hand, was just another forgettable face in the background. His life mainly consisted of studying and working part-time jobs. He didn’t care to follow celebrity gossip or trends. He just lived his simple normal life like any other person in the world.

He didn’t even think Natsumi would remember him until they found out they shared a lot of classes. Since no one else was willing to work with her, they got paired up in group projects and bonded over their frustrations. Hajime admired her charisma and confidence, while Natsumi appreciated having a friend who was brave enough to tell it to her straight.

So, something like this was normal to Hajime now. The two of them had a staredown, neither of them yielding to the other. Hajime never broke contact as he finished his sandwich. Eventually, Natsumi yielded. 

She huffed and crossed her arms, “Listen, you dick! I’m spending my time on your sorry ass, so the least you can do is pay attention. You’re the one bitching about wanting to be different, so at least try to pick something.”

Natsumi gestured to the fashion magazines laying on the table in front of him. That was when Hajime remembered what they were talking about. He felt a little embarrassed for spacing out when she was doing her best to help him.

He quickly glanced over the covers and felt a weight on him pushing him further into himself. Those models posed with such confidence as they modeled the trendy outfits on them. How could someone make a white t-shirt with ripped jeans look like the coolest thing on the market?

He tried imagining himself with the exact same outfit and cringed. He’d look like a disheveled shut-in who needed a social life.

Half of the other clothes would be too embarrassing to actually wear or were out of his budget. In fact, Hajime was certain he already saw someone on campus wearing one of these outfits. 

“I’ll just look like everyone else who decided to copy from these magazines.” Hajime said as he looked away from Natsumi and the models on the covers. It felt like they were mocking him with how charismatic they were. 

“Well, nothing’s gonna change if you keep moping like this.”

It might have been Hajime’s imagination but Natsumi’s words sounded softer now. But, Hajime just wanted to stop thinking about it. His eyes roamed around the large eatery they were in. Most of the tables were filled with people grabbing a quick bite before their next class. However, one table stood out because it was only occupied by one person.

A white-haired boy with a frame that reminded Hajime of death. The black leather jacket he was wearing only makes his skin look paler. He was like a specter, alone in a corner as if no one could even see him.

However, despite always being alone, everyone in this school knew about Komaeda. Whispers between periods talked about how he said the most confusing and frustrating things. Girls would stay away because of how uncomfortable he made them feel. Guys kept saying how pointless it was to fight him since he always laughed in the face of misery and pain.

That being said, this was the first time Hajime actually saw Komaeda in the flesh. 

“Yeah, maybe I should do something about it.” Hajime muttered, unable to take his eyes off that enigmatic boy.

Natsumi followed Hajime’s gaze before turning back to him with a sharp hiss, “Komaeda? I thought you wanted to stand out, not be a fucking weirdo.”

“I’m just gonna talk to the guy.”

With that, Hajime stood up from his seat. The loud squeak from the chair’s sudden movements drew the attention of countless eyes in the room. Hajime felt their eyes on him but he did his best to ease his drumming heart. That jolt of anxious adrenaline got him in front of Komaeda’s barren table.

“Mind if I sit here?”

Komaeda looked up from his book, seemingly unaware of the attention on them right now. He smiled and said, “Of course. Most people tend to go elsewhere. It makes sense, no one would want to risk associating themselves with someone like me.”

Yeah. Weird and confusing. Komaeda was just like what the rumors said.

“Ok…” Hajime warily sat down on the table. He quickly noticed that people had stopped paying attention to them. He pushed the thought away and focused on making a good impression, “My name is Hinata Hajime.”

“Nice to meet you, Hinata-kun. I’m Komaeda Nagito.” Komaeda introduced himself without putting the book down. In fact, his eyes went back to reading it the moment introductions were over.

Was this guy serious?

A few minutes of painstaking silence answered that question. Hajime decided to take the initiative, “What’re you reading about?”

“Oh, nothing special, just a book about urban legends.”

Hajime knew Komaeda was unusual. After all, rumors about him that circulated him weren’t always kind. But, Hajime wasn’t expecting an answer like that. Komaeda said it in such a carefree way like it wasn’t a big deal at all.

“Really? You believe that stuff?”

Komaeda let out a thoughtful hum, “Well, I don’t think half of these legends are true. Otherwise, we’d see ghosts everywhere we looked. But I do believe there is a natural order to the world.”

“A natural order? Like the strong devour the weak or something like that?”

An airy laugh came from his thin lips as Komaeda finally put the book down, “You have a pretty cutthroat viewpoint, Hinata-kun.”

“H-Hang on! I didn’t say that was my viewpoint!” Hajime quickly argued, pink blotches appearing on his tan cheeks. “I was just asking since you’re the one who mentioned it.”

“Fair enough. After all, what right does someone like me have to question your beliefs?”

Komaeda’s response pretty much shut down the conversation. However, unlike before, he didn’t pick up his book again. Instead, his full attention was now on Hajime. Hajime fought the urge to squirm under his gaze.

Hajime rarely had someone who was so interested in him. He was so ordinary that anything he said wouldn’t add to a conversation, nor did he have any special niche to show off. Even Natsumi was fed up with him and his complaining, he was actually surprised she didn’t follow through on her many threats.

“So… are there any urban legends in there you like?”

Komaeda opened the book and lazily flipped through the pages, “Most of these are more like ghost stories than actual legends, though my personal favorite is about the Curse of the Colonel.”

“Colonel? Was he some big shot from a war?”

“Nope, it’s about a life-size statue of Colonel Sanders. Ever wondered why Hanshin Tigers had such bad luck?”

The answer was so absurd that Hajime started laughing in disbelief. It likely drew some attention but he didn’t care. Hajime didn’t know what was weirder, the fact that people believed that a statue for a fried chicken brand could curse a baseball team or that Komaeda actually liked something like that. He didn’t even know such a thing existed.

How would one respond after being told something like that?

Before Hajime could come up with an answer, a soft beeping melody came from Komaeda and stopped Hajime’s laughter. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and turned the alarm off.

“My class will be starting soon. Hinata-kun is so very kind to spend time with a worthless worm like me. I apologize for rudely cutting our conversation short.”

Komaeda cleared the table he was using and stood up. Hajime also felt that the perpetual smile he noticed on Komaeda’s face looked a little sadder now.

“It’s fine, we can always talk again later.”

Hajime’s words got Komaeda to perk up. His eyes widened ever so slightly. Was Komaeda that surprised?

“If that’s what Hinata-kun wants, I’ll happily oblige.” Nagito chuckled airily before asking, “Could you lend me your phone?”

The whiplash left Hajime speechless as he passed his phone to Komaeda. After Komaeda handed his phone back, he walked away until he finally disappeared from Hajime’s view.

Hajime looked at the number displayed on his phone. How did this happen? Was this really a good idea? The conversation was a whirlwind of emotions that he couldn’t keep up with, but Hajiime never felt so excited.

Maybe this was exactly what he was looking for.

_______________________________________________

“I still can’t believe you’re doing this.”

Hajime fought the urge to sigh at those words. How many times had he heard Natsumi say that after he first told her about this?

He turned away from the other passengers on the train before responding, “You told me to do something about it, and this is me taking action.”

“There’s standing out and committing social suicide.” There was a pause from the other side. Hajime wondered if the connection was lost before she asked, “You sure this is a good idea?”

The question was asked so quietly that Hajime almost didn’t hear it over the rumbling of the train. No matter how her words may sound, they always carried her truest intentions.

“You’re overthinking it. If this doesn’t work out, we just don’t talk to each other again. Not like we spoke much anyways.”

Although Hajime said that with an air of indifference, his heart twinged a little at the thought of not talking to Nagito again. Ever since they exchanged phone numbers, there were brief greetings in the halls and random texts throughout the week. Sometimes, one of them would ask a question that would turn into an hour-long conversation about something else entirely.

Hajime couldn’t explain it, but talking with Nagito was so comforting.

“Your funeral, then.”

Natsumi’s words still lingered in his mind as he got off the train. Nagito had asked him to meet him in Shibuya this evening, and Hajime was intrigued to see what Nagito had in mind. Once he made it to the surface and faced the noise of the city, he pulled out his phone.

Just as he was about to text Nagito, he spotted the green jacket and white hair standing out in the crowd. Nagito must have noticed him as well and met him halfway,  “Hinata-kun, you made it.”

“Well, yeah. I said I would.”

“Hinata-kun is too kind.” Nagito’s smile felt like there was more beneath it, but Hajime decided now was not the time to pry.

“So, what are we doing here?”

“A friend of mine suggested something we could do.” Komaeda said as he and Hajime walked away from the station.

“Something that needed a driver’s license?” Hajime asked with a raised brow.

Nagito said nothing more about his surprise, changing to another topic. How their classes were going, how the rain had been a nuisance when running between buildings, and how the professors seemed to be relentless with their assignments. Nagito proposed that the professors were conspiring with each other to have their coursework align as closely as possible.

Nagito played it off as a joke but Hajime wondered how true it was since he had 4 assignments due in the coming 2 weeks.

Eventually, they came across a storefront with go-karts parked on the side of the road. There were people dressed up in costumes inside the store, making Hajime feel weirdly underdressed. He awkwardly tugged the sleeves on his hoodie and followed Nagito to the counter.

“What is this place?”

“Nanami-san told me about this, we get to dress up as Mario characters and drive around Shibuya. It sounded interesting, so I wanted to surprise you with it.”

Well… this wasn’t what he expected when Nagito asked him to meet up in Shibuya at night. Hajime was expecting something… weirder?

Like a cafe with yokai statues all over the place, or a mystic wishing pond. 

Something that wasn’t this.

“Hinata-kun, do you not like it?” Nagito muttered as he wrapped his arms around himself, “Ah, I should’ve known better than to be so presumptuous. Driving at night in the middle of the city isn’t very fun. Our first date, and I am already ruined-”

“Woah, calm down.” Hajime quickly shook his head and hands, trying to get through to him, “I never said I didn’t like it. We came all the way to Shibuya for this, so we might as well try it out.”

The smile on Nagito’s face made it a little easier when he walked over to the costume rack and accepted the costume bag Nagito was holding.

That warm feeling went away immediately when he saw the orange dress inside of it.

Hajime walked out of the dressing room with a scowl, while Nagito was obviously holding back his laughter. Why did he have to be Daisy when Nagito got a Luigi costume?!

“You look good in orange, Hinata-kun.”

“Did you book this?”

“Costumes can’t be booked ahead of time, Hinata-kun. I just picked two off the rack that matched our sizes.”

Hajime didn’t fully believe him but there was no point in making a scene when all the other drivers were in costume too. After the kart instructor gave them instructions about the go-kart and the route they’d be taking, they each hopped into their own karts and drove off into the night.

For the first time in a long time, Hajime was entranced by the nightlife around him. In a world where everyone was competing to outshine the other, he never really took the time to actually look around at the people he competed with.

The glowing lights from the giant screens and signs, the chatter of people on the sidewalk, and the sound of traffic whizzing alongside the karts.

Hajime felt grounded in a way he didn’t remember feeling before.

Nagito’s kart drove up next to his, and the city lights made Nagito shine like nothing Hajime had seen before. The lights gave Nagito’s pale skin a glow of color. His fluffy hair looked ethereal as strands of it fluttered with the passing sights. His eyes had a sense of wonder in them as he took in everything around him.

He turned to Hajime and smiled.

Even in that ridiculous green costume, Hajime was charmed.

Eventually, they made it back to the starting point. Hajime got out of the kart with a new perspective of the city. He only came to Shibuya when Natsumi dragged him along on her shopping binges, so he never really thought much of it until now.

He had Nagito to thank for that.

Hajime quickly took the costume off in the dressing room and placed it back into the bag it came in. Nagito was waiting for him with his Luigi costume in hand, “Did you enjoy it?”

“More than I thought, actually.”

“Hinata-kun’s expectations were already so low, I see. I’m glad I didn’t disappoint you.” The smile on Nagito’s face as he said that made Hajime’s heartache and Hajime was ready to argue against that.

“Are you kidding me? If anything, I’m surprised you’re not disappointed by me.”

“Hinata-kun could never disappoint me.” Nagito’s sudden declaration surprised him into silence. Hajime saw the sincerity in his expression and heard no hesitation in those words.

Were those Nagito’s true feelings?

As they left the building, Hajime glanced at where the train station was. However…

He wasn’t ready for this to end yet.

Instead, he turned towards Nagito, “Come on, a date isn’t over until we have dinner. How are you feeling?”

Nagito’s shoulders slumped a little as he answered, “A little peckish.”

Was Nagito worried Hajime would leave? Maybe Nagito didn’t want this to end yet either.

With a burst of confidence, Hajime took Nagito’s hand and started walking, “How about some ramen? I know a good place.”

Nagito’s eyes brightened as he let Hajime lead the way. He felt Nagito intertwining their fingers together, embracing the warmth from their hands. To anyone else, they were another couple on the bustling streets of Shibuya. But to Hajime, no one else existed at this moment but him and the boy who he grew to care so much about.

Hajime usually felt like another face in the crowd, just another ordinary person that would never stand out. But tonight he realized it didn’t bother him at all. Not once did he feel that pressure on his chest or the anxiety gnawing away at his sanity. Nagito snapped Hajime out of his dull boring world and gave him a taste of what he had neglected. 

How did Hajime miss so much? And Nagito… Hajime had already seen enough to know the rumors didn’t show the real Komaeda Nagito. The real Nagito was earnest, spontaneous, and very optimistic. How many more layers would Hajime uncover as they spent more time together?

With Nagito, Hajime felt special. Nagito looked at him like he was worth admiring, like he was more than enough. Hajime supposed that he was fine being who he was. After all, he finally felt seen by someone who mattered to him.

[void-tiger]

please tell me more about the fic where Ke/th doesnt get to be a paladin again, i keep seeing shit like how the team abandoned/failed Ke/ith and should have apologized to him when it was literally the opposite (i am sorry but the team almost DIED because K/ith fucked off to run off with the Blades, werent for Kuron entering Black they would have actually died, i do not understand how anyone can see this and say the team was in the wrong/Ke1th was in the right, and still be considered a team player let alone a team leader is beyond me. Really really sorry about salt in your askbox)

No worries! (Although, disclaimer: I had to set aside my voltron fics for a bit ‘cause I can’t work on them without getting salty, and too much salt is bad for you. So they’re…curing, I guess. I’ll stop with the bad salt jokes now XD)

But short answer? Keith’s their comfort blorbo, and it’s incredibly easy to have that become “can do no wrong ever it MUST be EVERYONE else!” and…not recognize that kneejerk bias. Ask The Real Fandom Olds TM who’ve participated in fandom culture since the 80s and 90s and that’s a key issue with Current Fandom and especially younger fans (ie, probably our generation and younger.) Add in that a lot of us online trend (in my antidotal experience) towards having untreated anxiety or depressive symptoms and/or undiagnosed neurodivergent brain wiring that an individual might’ve not quite learned how to cope with yet (and many come with emotional regulation symptoms) in addition to…human brains really just Don’t stop developing until mid20s regardless of someone’s birth gender and brain development is particularly chaotic and…well.

That’s a recipe for a volatile fandom, and since the VLD Characters in particular were geared towards Teens or Teen Nostalgia? [Comfort Blorboing Intensifies.]

Now, in one fic series Idea, Keith DOES become the Red Paladin again, but he has to work for it. Really work for it. Like, the Team is still incredibly hurt that he left and never really apologized for ditching them before THAT Scene where Jiro is forced to step in s4. I think I have in my notes somewhere [coughs] prolly a random post or very buried DM to a friend that Red Lion finally outright takes Keith for a joy ride (much like Blue and Black did with Lance and Shiro) and literally has him bouncing around in zero g and gforces until Red’s really willing to accept him back as Paladin. (Also it makes me feel better.)

[tags: blackbox verse, rewrite the stars, blackbox, veeladee fixit. Note that some of the older posts especially I’ve probably discarded. But I do my best worldbuilding thinking aloud, and hey. It’s fanfic. Who gives af about spoilers? Not me.]

But, in Blackbox verse, I wanted Jiro to have his very own Lion…and the Sincline Meteor is right there. Plus, y’know. Fixing-fixing. Making as much work as I felt like since it was intended to be a series, anyway.

Buuut, that’s not the fic idea you asked about.

The one you asked about is actually a Redo of The Black Paladin’s episode following alteanroyals’ prompt of “what if Shiro’s the one who fights the clone, and the clone gets to just come home. Have his own name.” Because, c’mon. The visuals would’ve been incredible, and Josh Keaton and Studio Mir adores Shiro and Jiro even if the EPs and arguably NONE of the writers (even the better ones trying to patch job before bailing out) gave a shit about Jiro as his own character.

So. Back to Keith.

He actually tries flying Black Lion, same as the (egh) canonical episode…and…

WHOOPS. He gets lasers shot at him for his efforts (hA HA~)

Allura steps in, and has a battle of wills against Black Lion, then realizes that what has Black so torqued is Keith tried to dominate the Lion. (Imo? The only reason why Keith could fly with Black in s2-4 was because of the bond they both had with Shiro. “Help me help you.”) And well. Allura’s learned a thing or two: trying to dominate a Lion does NOT work. She learned that for herself with White Lion, she’s now realizing that’s why Black Lion accepted Shiro as it’s Paladin over Zarkon at all. So Allura changes tactics, senses Shiro’s Quintessence still inside Black Lion nearly two years after he vanished, and calls the others in. They do a reverse-balmera ceremony via their voltron bonds and pull Shiro back out—in his OWN body, tyvm.

And well. Remember how it’s technically a “Shiro vs CloneShiro” prompt? Yeah, they fight. (I’ll try not to have them totally wreck the place. All Shiros are Good Shiros.) And when Black Lion comes for them now that the Lion can get a clear shot? Red Lion also comes.

Because Keith isn’t the only character who holds the needed qualities for a Red Paladin. (Reactive instincts, laser focus, loyalty, but often emotionally volatile.) Jiro does too. And unlike Keith, Jiro stayed even when he “no longer” had a Lion to fly from his POV, and he struggled with the rest of the Team to adjust to Lions that no longer suited them in the wake of Shiro’s Absence. So Red chooses Jiro and flies to him. (Black would’ve saved Jiro, too, even though Jiro wasn’t Black’s true paladin. But seeing a Lion accept him, and further proof that he’s not just a poor copy but his own person and even a Paladin in his own right?)

[gemini fic, shiro vs jiro]

Basically, in starting writing and continuing to ruminate on ideas, I realized that Gemini works best as a single fic, so having Firm Consequences make more sense. Other tidying up?

-Allura and the Paladins take the Castle and immediately head out for the Altean Colony while Shiro (and Black Lion at Black’s literal insistence) go after Jiro. (And with Shiro here to lead and analyze + Convenient Recap/Alternate Explanation, Pidge is able to shut down the virus far earlier before it makes the Castle truly dead in the water.) Haggar never gets her claws into them.

-Keith formally leaves the Blades. He had a family, and he turned his back on them. Those relationships won’t be what they were before (ie, symbolic in losing his Red Paladinship), but this time he’s willing to put the work in to repair their trust in him. Meanwhile, the Blades never were going to help him find his mother intentionally no matter how many times he sacrificed his life for them, and his life and the lives of all the other Blades ultimately meant very little to Kolivan and the Blades as an organization. He surrenders the knife to Krolia, and walks away if Team Voltron will let him stay. It not, he can do better good with the Rebels. (Infiltration was Pidge’s thing, anyway. He’s the showy diversion maker.)

-Lotor returns to Orionde. But when he faces the Ancients and White Lion again, he stops attacking and running from his sins. He sacrifices his full life force, and the Drained Alteans revive fully restored. The tragedy his family caused and he ended up perpetuating ends with him. (That does leave…y’know. The Galran Empire without an Emperor. But hey. IF I finish this fic, that’s potential sequel material, baby!)

-

…anyway. Point is, Keith Antis put a bad taste in my mouth, but the point of “Keith loses Red” wasn’t to punish Keith (okay…maybe a little. But that was still mostly Black blasting lasers everywhere. For catharsis.) The point was, “There are consequence, and while some relationships can be repaired or make new ones with the same people after you’ve hurt them, others can’t. You lose them. It’s important to put in the work, but it’s also important to accept loss and endings, especially after you’ve fucked up.”

And well. I felt that Keith Losing Red, Jiro Gaining Red made things narratively tidy.

[outeremissary]

For the headcanon meme: ♦ - quirks/hobbies headcanon for Balthazar please 👀

From here...

I’d say for these purposes studying esoteric religious and arcane lore doesn’t really count as a hobby, although it’s certainly something he’s spent a lot of free time on. Balthazar knows a lot less conventional magical theory than you’d expect for someone who went through a formal apprenticeship (he wasn’t especially good in it and he had a terrible teacher), but he knows a lot of Odd Shit of dubious veracity about a lot of really niche topics and also just a pretty solid sense of the nuance of various faiths.

But more on topic... I’d say that he’s very interested in fashion. Not really in a “creating it” way- he’s never enjoyed picking up finicky skills- but he likes seeing the breadth of styles that exist and appreciating all the history and technique and social statement that goes into clothing and the way the body is presented to the world. Absalom was a great place to be really into clothes and Balthazar loved anticipating new trends and working to be on the forefront of what was happening. And while he didn’t really have the means to be immersed in high society on his own, he had a talent for finding well-situated friends to indulge his tastes. The Stolen Lands are a cultural chasm by comparison. He can’t help but agree with Stefano on that. There’s never anything new going on, and they aren’t well enough connected to see novelty from anywhere else... it’s horrible to feel so out of the loop and small, and frankly a bit stressful with World’s Meanest Teen Lander Lebeda happily making comparisons of his own between the meager barony and the grand traditions of Brevic nobility.

Balthazar does have a very sincere interest in Sharel the tailor’s work. He thinks that Sharel possesses a talent worth fostering and does a lot worth following with silhouette and shape. He’s a desperately needed breath of fresh air and his visits are quite eagerly anticipated- something Balthazar would even confess if asked about it.

As for quirks... it feels like there are too many of those to list. It’s an odd thing to be placed alongside hobbies to me, so I feel like I’m missing something as well ^^;; To pick something at random, he hates sitting anywhere he can’t see the doors to a room. If he gets seated somewhere he doesn’t have a good view of them he’ll always move his chair or slowly drift to a better position. It just makes him antsy not being able to tell who’s in a room. Really, he wants to be able to glance around and see everyone from wherever he is... On a related note, even though his study has pretty large, nice windows, his desk faces away from them because they’re opposite the door. The poor architect who worked so hard to highlight the view could never have accounted for some jumpy bastard being more interested in the entrance to the room...

[6okuto]

Hello!! I love your work and was wondering how you get different ideas for fics? I struggle coming up with ideas that are kinda outside the box lol, lots of love <333

OMGGG Thank U!! I get it. < girl who's been stuck on ideas. lol...(said in agony). i will try to make a list for both of us (T＿T)b

being so srs 1) i don't think any of my work is vry unique/creative and 2) i'm an infp-t who injects romance into everything and thinks about it everywhere. i have issues. so a popular prompt or one of my Many thoughts is usually all i need 🫥😔 But!!!

reels/tiktoks, esp if it's a trend (would u love me if i was a worm / act a fool / etc). i basically trained my fyp before i uninstalled tiktok to give me new scenarios LMAO

prompt lists/generators can be vry helpful to get my brain going

^ have a list of fave charas / charas that have different personalities !! bokuto, iwaizumi, suna, etc. r faves but they're so different that Boom. 1 prompt = 5 scenes to pick from :]

+ a list your favourite things / tropes/ aus. doesn't matter how popular or niche! key things for Me: special moments/firsts + domesticity + charas being whipped. LOL

think of different media! your fave shows/movies, dating sims, etc. do u have a favourite moment.. what got U flustered 🤨

i get smau ideas from pinterest sometimes . i find funny memes + tweets and save them to a board LOL

Read other works!! also i follow the oc questions tag bc the q's can hit super specific scenarios that make u go Woah

tbh ideas just come from,,, life. silly things. Write down these moments to use later! "photo of you" was bc i saw a girl printing pcs of herself for her friends and said hey... :)

^ "boyfriends in public" was bc i kept watching couples try to pay for each other at checkout. songs they'd post you to...i kept seeing ppl posting their s/o and said what about Me.

multi-chara post: take a prompt and think of it in different locations! he gives you his jacket? why? because you're outside and it's cold, because you're at his game/set/etc. and he thinks it'd be cute that everyone knows you're dating, because you want to sleep and you can use it as a blanket, etc etc.

^ just start naming random places in ur head and see if anything happens—get more specific as u go! house. kitchen. the walk-in pantry. boom: big party scene and person a walks into the pantry at the sight of their favourite snack, caught by person b who's the host. oh that's a good one actually. woah. LOL

and like,, it's so so cool to just.. do an idea that's been done before. remember that if u as a reader will eat up the same prompt/trope over and over again, that u as a writer can feel happy to write it too!! So Many of my own posts have been done before but i think they're still good in their own way 🤷🏻‍♀️ U writing it rather than someone else means that it'll automatically be special to U.

some prompts / thoughts 4 u to use + get ur brain going!!! ^___^

holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, firsts dance! in the kitchen? at a wedding? is it their first one? are they really bad at it? person a thinks person b is a worker and asks for help and they do! they do Not work at this store though. fogged up glasses person a saving b from an awful looking date / a no show a gets b smth from build a bear with a special recording both going to the movies alone but ending up next to each other. it's a comically bad movie a is asked what their 'type' is and describe b who's listening both cosplaying as a chara part of a duo/relationship, then spotting the other at a con :0 (hurt/)comfort: anxious reader, overworked reader, someone was rude, person a has a nightmare, person a accidentally injures themself and doesn't tell b package left at the wrong door "god the men you put on this earth to hunt and protect are ___" person a, who struggles to initiate physical affection, suddenly initiates physical affection (why? where? are they both flustered?) person a tries slipping a valentine into b's things as a secret, but is caught in the act strangers on an airplane watching the same movie next to each other (bonus: one is re-watching, the other is watching for the first time. the re-watcher pretends they don't know what's going to happen because it's endearing to watch the other) a accidentally reacts to b's ig story or posts the comment they very much did not mean to comment