#fuck all the way off that’s fucking bullshit and we all know it

[anyroads]

I can't convey the insanity of how fast this fire happened. If you grew up in Southern California, you know to be prepared for wildfire evacuations and earthquakes. A lot of people have go bags, and a plan for what to pack when you have to do so quickly. But the timeline for that has always been a few hours at least, if not a day, maybe even two. This fire spread so insanely fast that people went from clear skies and no warnings to having ten minutes, or even no minutes, to grab what they could and run. People lost pets, especially cats, because there's no way to get a panicking animal into a carrier when the flames are at your door.

Most of the headlines about the Palisades fire are about what celebrities lost homes already. So I need you to understand that while yeah, the Palisades has become an upscale area and the hills have expensive houses, it was a middle class neighborhood until about 20 years ago so a lot of its residents have been there for 50 or 60 years, when homes were affordable to middle class working families. A lot of residents inherited their home from grandparents or parents who bought them when it was an affordable area. There are (were. past tense now. were.) neighborhoods full of 2-3 bedroom houses that you could have afforded if you'd been born 30 years earlier and lived in West LA. Most of the people there aren't celebrities or multi-millionaires - those people lived in houses that were built more recently and in undeveloped areas. I also need you to understand that there are several fires around LA, most of which are affecting middle and working class people. I say this because the headlines care more about celebrities and places people know from movies but it's not reflective of the extent of the damage. I say this because I know how tumblr is and this is not the time for tankie bullshit and inhumanity.

In my 9th grade science class we learned about climate change. We learned about the projected changes and disasters that we could expect in the first half of the 21st century. Yesterday I watched on a live broadcast as the classroom I learned this in went up in flames, while right wing conspiracy theorists and Trump blamed everyone and everything except climate change. This fire happened because it hasn't rained in LA for 8 months, and the Santa Ana winds were absurdly intense this week, getting up to 75mph. The LA Fire Dept had funding cut to fund the police like OP said, and hydrants ran out of water.

Embers can stay live while carried in the wind for miles, and every area with dry brush and palm trees just needs a spark right now. I know this because I learned it growing up. I'm literally watching the horror scenes that kept me up at night in high school as part of an imagined future play out in real time. This is climate change. And thank goodness it happened while Biden is still president and could declare it a federal emergency which means FEMA resources and help are available now, which will matter to all the people who are already being told to fuck off by the insurance companies they've paid fire insurance to for years. Because I have no doubt that if this happened two weeks later, all that support would be withheld as punishment for California's election results.

Southern California is on fire

In 2024, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass defunded the LA Fire Department by $17.3 million.

The LA Police Department, however, got a $138 million budget increase.

Among the firefighters, 30% of them are inmate firefighters who are risking their lives for $2 an hour. Only for them to not be able to get a job as a firefighter once they're released.

There are now 4 fires burning across Socal. The one getting the most attention is the Palisades fire which has grown to over 11,000 acres. Alongside it is the Altadena fire (over 10,000 acres), Hurst fire (700 acres), and Lidia fire (50 acres).

Due to the unprecedented Santa Ana winds, which have blown to over 100 mph, firefighters have not been able to make a dent on these fires.

A thousand homes have been destroyed. Two people lost their lives from the Altadena fires.

Instead of showing sympathy for the thousands of victims, right wing conspiracy theorists on twitter are blaming the fires on LA Fire Chief, who is a lesbian, while Trump is blaming CA Governor Gavin Newsom for not removing water from a delta that would have endangered a native species.

Not climate change. Not the Resnicks, a billionaire couple who took control of California's water supply and now use over 150 billion gallons every year for their companies.

If you're in Southern California, please download the Watch Duty app. It brings up to date information on the fires along with evacuation zones. If officials tell you to evacuate, you do it. Make sure you look up shelters and mutual aid organizations where you'll evacuate to. If you have to abandon your car, please move it to the side or leave your keys in the car so firefighters can move it out of the way.

The consequences of this disaster will be catastrophic. It's become increasingly clear that our government officials will not protect us as they would rather fill their own pockets. Stick together. Protect your community as best as you can.

Please keep Southern California in your thoughts. We're going to need them.

[nonphoto-blue]

Lucky Lucky ꕤ Cho Hyun-ju x Reader [1/?]

Read on AO3 Masterlist Summary: After your previous manager runs away to America with the funds meant to kickstart your debut, your band 4tune is left to pick up the pieces in an impending scandal. The new manager, Cho Hyun-ju, says she’ll do everything to ensure your debut is successful, but it’s a long road until she gains your trust, especially when her own secrets come to light. Or, the kpop/krock/band AU no one asked for.

Warnings: Slowwwww burn. Kind of an inherent power imbalance but reader isn't taking bs from anyone, and reader is 20+. Reader is AFAB and uses she/her. She's implied to be Korean/from South Korea but no physical description is used.

A/N: So I've had the horrible idea of a kpop au for Squid Game since the first season came out. Originally I'd thought of a Sangwoo x Reader fic but it felt in bad taste at the time. Season 2 came out and I can't stop thinking about Hyun-ju so uh. You're getting this.

Five years. You’ve been in trainee hell for five years, learning the ins and outs of PR, songwriting, language, appearances, how to fucking smile at a camera when all you wanted to do was sing and play guitar and look out at a crowd with more people than you can count on your hands. All for your dreams to be stolen away, packed up in bags and expedite-shipped to the United States. 

If you could go back in time to tell your past self to save herself the trouble and give up music altogether, you’d consider it. Or at least tell her to flip off the agency scout the second he approaches. Sure, you’d still be busking on the street, but you’d be spared this bullshit and continue life with hope still. You don’t want to be an idol. You want to be– you are a musician, and the evidence was going to be your debut.

Your band, 4tune, is slated to record your debut in a month, and begin promotions just a couple months from now, but thanks to your no-good-money-stealing-piece-of-shit ex-manager, the money set aside for appearances and advertising is no longer in the company’s bank account. With grim faces, you, your bandmates, and a few members of the company higher ups gather around a table in an emergency meeting.

“It’s ridiculous,” Se-mi crosses her arms across her chest, huffing her bangs out of her eyes. “What a coward.” She stands, crossing to a floor-length window and staring at the skyline of Mapo-gu, disbelief written on her face. 

Your mouth forms a thin line. “Who just… takes the money and runs? How was he allowed to take all of it anyway?”

“That’s all we know,” the CEO, Hwang In-ho, murmurs. He laces his fingers together and scans the rest of the band’s faces as you take in the not-quite-death-sentence he delivered your group. “We’ve got the police in South Korea and the United States investigating, but they haven’t found him yet.”

“So what does this mean for 4tune? I mean, are we… still going to debut?” Young-mi asks. 

“We don’t have a manager, we don’t have money, we don’t have a debut.” Jun-hee puts a hand on her forehead, closing her eyes in exasperation. 

“Actually,” In-ho raises a finger. “We do have a new manager for you. She couldn’t make this meeting, but she’s coming up from Busan after lunch. You’ll meet her tonight or tomorrow.” He leans forward in his seat, and rests both arms on the table in front of him. “Rest assured, you will debut.”

You can’t help but feel your lips curl into a sneer. A new manager? Who’s to say this one won’t make off with whatever scraps of money are left? You hear Se-mi scoff from the window, her thoughts echoing your own. Jun-hee looks hesitant, but Young-mi looks up at In-ho with hope.

“What’s her name? What’s she like?”

“Cho Hyun-ju. She’s an old acquaintance.” Looking over the group’s faces, In-ho stands, and begins to make his way to the meeting room door. “I’ve known her for a long time. She’s a good person.” Hardly glowing praise, but you suppose anyone would be better than the ex-manager. The other company members follow In-ho out of the room, meeting adjourned, leaving just your group members with their thoughts.

Your gaze lingers on the frosted glass door they left from. “Great. A manager, but no money. She can drive us around and shit, but we have nowhere to go. What’s the point?” Your words are bitter, spat in sorrowful resignation. 

Young-mi, ever the optimist, takes your hand in her’s. “Let’s give her a chance. In-ho sajangnim vouched for her, I say we see how she clicks with us before giving up on her.” She smiles meekly at the other members. None of you share her optimism, but with a shared side eye, the rest of you begrudgingly hear Young-mi out and agree.

“Fine,” you offer. “But if she does anything remotely shady I’m clawing my way out of this contract.” ꕤ

Despite the sudden wrench in 4tune’s future plans, you all have a schedule to uphold, so you go through the motions as if nothing was wrong. After a short break for lunch, language classes, pose training, you finally make it to the only part of training that doesn’t feel like a chore: rehearsal as a whole band. 

The rehearsal space is intimate; a small room with warm wood-panel flooring and a three-person couch in the corner. Se-mi’s drum kit is already set up on the drum rug, as is Young-mi’s keyboard and three amps, one for Young-mi’s bass, one for Jun-hee’s guitar, and one for yours, as well as a vocal mic on a long arm. Stepping into the space brings an energy you thought would be lost following this morning’s bad news, and you place your guitar’s hard case down with a determined vigor.

You unlatch the case, and pull out your guitar, a Fender Lite Ash Telecaster. The strap rests perfectly on your shoulder, the neck fitting perfectly in your left hand, a guitar pick in your right. The quarter-inch cable plugs into your guitar with a satisfying click and the amp hums to life when you switch it on. You set upon tuning your guitar, but it doesn’t take much adjustment for any member of the band, and soon your group is playing the first notes of what will be your title track for your debut.

It’s an upbeat song, and the lyrics are inherently hopeful and optimistic. You feel the stress pouring out of you as you hear how well the band plays together. From the wailing of Jun-hee’s guitar, to the machine-like precision of Se-mi’s drumming, to the effortless jumping from keys to bass by Young-mi, pride fills your heart knowing that you’re collaborating, and creating something beautiful in spite of everything going wrong.

You play rhythm guitar and sing. Closing your eyes, you pour your heart and soul into the high-energy chorus, the softer verses, and everything in between. As the outro plays out and you all play your final notes, a soft applause that crescendos into a quick flurry of claps breaks through your reverie. 

You hadn’t noticed when she came in, but at the door stands an unfamiliar woman. She’s tall, and seems a bit younger than In-ho. Her hair is cut at her shoulders with blunt bangs reaching her eyebrows. She’s dressed well, and she’s not standing timidly per-se, but there’s an awkwardness to how she holds herself, like she’s unsure if she’s allowed in this space.

“I’m sorry,” she smiles at the band. “I was told you were in this practice room and I heard you playing. You all sound amazing.”

Young-mi smiles back. “You must be the new manager! It’s nice to meet you! I’m-”

“Young-mi, right?” Young-mi nods. The woman turns to the drumset, “You’re Se-mi,” to the lead guitarist, “and Jun-hee,” and then she turns to you, and says your name so tenderly, so kindly, every fiber of your being is shouting at you to give her a chance. “And yes, I’m Cho Hyun-ju, your new manager.” ꕤ

Rehearsal stagnates after Hyun-ju’s arrival as the band seems more interested in the new arrival than playing, but you keep your guitar plugged in and guitar strap on. Young-mi puts down her bass and steps away from her keyboard to approach Hyun-ju immediately, Jun-hee following soon after. You pluck out a few notes here and there, trying to at least try to get through your part of the next song, but after Se-mi stands up from her drumset, you give up trying to continue rehearsal.

Hyun-ju seated herself on the couch in the corner. Jun-hee and Se-mi stand in front of her, and Young-mi sits beside her. “I’m excited to work with you all,” Hyun-ju half-bows in her seat. “You sounded amazing playing just now, your debut will be a hit, I can just feel it.”

“We’re happy to have you here too. I’m sure you’ve heard but our last manager flaked out on us.” Se-mi explains. Hyun-ju hums a condolence, eyes casting down to the ground. “We’re almost ready to record our album, so I’m sure you’ll have a lot to do coming up.”

You clear your throat, walking over to the group. “What experience do you have managing?” You don’t mean for it to come out as harsh as it does. It’s supposed to be a light conversation about her work history, not an interrogation into her credentials. Hyun-ju’s face falters at the stern tone, and you kick yourself internally.

“Managing specifically, I've done most of the tasks individually before. That is, things like schedule management and driving and the like. I do have experience in the music and idol industry outside of management.”

You try to school your expression, you really do, and you pull your lips into a not-quite-smile that ends up looking more like a grimace. “Well then,” you push out, “I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

[mscherub]

Courting with Jade(Jade Leech x Reader)

Gender neutral reader, referred to as Perfect or Y/N ✦

Warnings!:

swearing as usual, just in my nature

Jade being…creepy. We like him for that tho ig…

Uneducated reader on merfolk mating rituals

Word count: approximately 2.63k

Exactly how long has it been since jade has been acting weird? Well…weirder than usual. He was a little more out of it, that being the nicest way to explain his actions. This is Jade we’re talking about, Jade, the man who was always pristine in looks and words, well mannered, knew proper etiquette while also being absolutely creepy nice…but the way he was acting now was different, going as far as calling it absurd, even!

Jade was never like this, he had never smiled so wide when you accidentally brushed your hand against his, and you have never ever seen that guy blush before, that is until you yawned while facing him after so graciously helping clean and close the lounge (which you only did for the money). It’s confusing, baffling, bewildering, yea, you get it. What happened to the mushroom obsessed eel boy? Maybe he ate one too many mushrooms and that’s why he’s acting like this. But, who knows why? Well, you want to. Jade, no matter how cynical he appeared to be, no matter how many threats he made that you didn’t quite know were empty or not, you liked him, and all this bullshit that he’s pulling is freaking you out way more than his normal personality!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Grim and you were in a tight situation, as usual. Money was running low, food stock was running low (more so Grim’s tuna), and the recent check from Crowley never managed to disappoint. How many thaumarks did you get, you ask? A whopping $650…again? Shit. It seemed his checks kept dwindling more and more by the month, which evidently caused you to have to score a job at the lounge, which Azul happily took your offer up on. Definitely wasn't just using you because he knew most of the student body liked you, pshhhh...

Azul was always there to lend you a helping hand when you needed it, although you usually never took his hand, physically and metaphorically speaking, but you had to these past few months, all because your little furbaby needs his food or he might just burn down Ramshackle, and you can definitely not afford that catastrophe right now. While working there, Jade grew a little closer to you but never ceased to be a pain in the ass, same with his brother, runs in the family you suppose. You look at the time and realize you have to get going.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hours tick by, the lounge now closed for the night after a particularly busy day, and you just stand wiping the same spot on the table over and over again, zoning out as drowsiness overcomes you in a flash. How long had you been working? Let’s see, your shift started at around 2:00 p.m. which is when classes are usually over and– HOLY SHIT! As realization dawns on you as you look at the clock, you see It’s 1:30 in the morning.

You pause and you take a breath in, looking down at the table which you had been absentmindedly cleaning more than it needed to be. You pick up the rag and you throw it on the cart. Jade and Floyd looked as graceful as ever as they mopped the floor and wiped off the seats, their earrings jingling in sync it seemed. You sit down at a booth and take off your lounge uniform blazer and slip your gloves off…

“Stupid things…fuck my life, fuck this.” you murmur under your breath. You lean back and close your eyes. How did they do this? Did they do this every night? You knew Azul could be cruel, but damn…working them that long every day? You wouldn’t survive that, that’s all you know.

“Done already? Azul doesn’t like slackers, which I’m sure you know.” Jade smirks. You snap your eyes open, jumping a bit. His footsteps were always eerily silent, always catching anyone least expecting him to pop up off guard. You shake your head and sit up again, clearing your throat.

“Uh, yea. I’m done. Sorry.” you huff out, grabbing your gloves off the table. You look up at him, his smile never faltering.

“Ah, amazing job. Shall I walk you back to Ramshackle then?” He tilts his head. You narrow your eyes at him. That’s different. But you nod and grab your blazer, standing up.

Jade takes it right from your hands, holding it open so you can slip your arms in.

“I can do it myself” You sigh. You wait for him to do something, but he shakes the blazer and smirks even wider. What is up with him?

"I insist." He grins. You roll your eyes, and you slip your arms through the sleeves. Jade then gingerly slips his hand to the small of your back, rambling on about whatever it was that he has on his mind as he leads you out of the lounge. You’re way too tired to comprehend anything he says or even notice the hand placement, all you know is that your bed is calling your name.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You slump down on the couch in Ramshackle, kicking off your shoes and running a hand down your face, letting out a small yawn, tears pricking the corner of your eyes.

Jade chuckles and watches from the doorway with evident amusement at your appearance and actions. “Difficult day I presume?” he chuckles. You are definitely not in the mood for his antics today.

“You were there the whole time, so yea, obviously. Goodnight, Jade.” you grumble and make a swatting motion with your hand towards him. He simply grins wider.

“Ah, humans are so different. In the deep, staying up long hours is essential to make sure you’re always safe, never let your guard down.” He muses. You close your eyes and lean your head back against the couch.

“Ok, well we aren’t in the deep and I honestly don’t care. Goodnight, Jade.” you say more sternly, slightly harsher than you had intended, but if he would leave you alone so you could sleep, that would be the best thing ever at this rate.

“Ah, ah. How harsh, Y/N, I was simply stating how we are superior as a species, all fun in games.” He chuckles again. “So angry it seems. You should join me for a hike one of these days, it helps to clear the mind, especially after such stressful situations.” he remarks.

“Yea, yea, sure, whatever.” You drawl on as you find your eyelids getting heavier and heavier.

“Would this weekend work then for a hike?”

“Sure. whatever. Yep. good, or whatever. Bye.” your words stumble out of your mouth as you slump down onto the couch more and sleep finally takes over, sending you into a well-deserved rest.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Well…that happened, you guess?

Over the next few days, you forget about what you said in your tired state, more focused and confused on the little trinkets you find in the pocket of your work uniform whenever you arrive back at Ramshackle late at night, each one ranging from something shiny, like a pearl, or something like a scale from who knows who. You don’t know who these “gifts” are from, and it’s ominous in a way…but you don’t have time to question it, and you just throw it in a small box, just keeping the thought of money in your mind to keep the motivation of making bank to continue to have a place to live. Crowley, when you see him, it’s on sight, instantly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The weekend comes quick, and you honestly forgot about the whole “Deal” you made with Jade, just happily awaiting your check from Azul.

You practically skip your way to the lounge, the only word on your mind being “money.” You hum a tune quietly as you push your way past people waiting in line to get a table and head straight to the VIP lounge.

“Azulllll, I believe you owe me something!” You smile as you push open the door. In the room is the octotrio themselves, Azul scribbling on paper, Floyd looking bored out of his mind, and Jade dressed in– dressed in hiking gear, which jogs a memory in your mind. Your “agreement” to go on a hike with him, which seemed innocent, but knowing him, he was hiding something.

“Shrimpy!” Floyd perks up and instantly stands up, walking over to you and giggling happily. He picks you up and hugs you tight. You let out a short puff of air as most of it is squeezed out of you. Azul clicks his tongue and grumbles under his breath, going to fish through his drawer as you’re being suffocated to death. Jade gets up as well, smiling calmly at the scene before him. Floyd sets you down, bored already, and walks away, although he seems a bit wearier of Jade all of a sudden, which is quite unusual.

Azul then comes over as well and hands you an envelope with what you hope is a thick stack of money inside.

“Thank you.” You smile triumphantly. Jade, finally having enough of being quiet, clears his throat, grabbing your attention.

“Perfect, I thought you would have come prepared with proper attire, but it seems I have been mistaken.” he grins. You feel your stomach sink and you look away from him. You sigh and look down at your shoes. To be fair, you didn’t exactly have proper gear to begin with anyways, but you also weren't trying to go on this little trip in the first place.

“Fear not, the Mountain Lover Club is always prepared for newcomers, which means luckily for you, we have just the correct items.” Why was he using “we?” Only Jade was in the club, ah…whatever, the bigger problem here is that not only will you be hiking, but you will also be hiking alone, with Jade.

You purse your lips and nod. Azul sighs, gaining both yours and Jade's attention. “Discuss this somewhere else, I am a very busy man.” he huffs as he glances over at the door. Jade instantly takes the hint and walks out towards the door, looking over his shoulder to make sure you follow him.

Uh oh.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After getting suited up and getting permission to head off campus, rightfully excused by Jade since he was president of his club, you and Jade hiked up a mountain, a pretty steep one at that.

“Oh. Look, these mushrooms are special to this mountain due to its higher level of humidity. See how it grows along the trees and logs? Certainly fascinating.” He thrums out as he continues to observe the blue, glowing mushrooms. Meanwhile, you were leaning against a tree, heaving in and out as you finally were able to take a break to catch your breath after climbing, and the worst part of it all? You “were not to the desired destination yet,” quote Jade.

You glare over at him, but your gaze softens as you see him so interested in the mushrooms, his facial features softer and lacking that formal facade he’s so perfectly crafted and wore around everyone at NRC. You push yourself off of the tree and kneel down next to him, reaching out a hand to touch the blue thing, but he stops you.

“They are quite deadly. Toxic, in fact. It's better not to touch them, especially to prevent any incidents where you may inhale any spores released.” He schools you, looking down at you with a smile. You pull your hand away and keep it glued to your side, ok, no touching any blue glowing mushrooms, got it, though that should have already been common sense. An awkwardly pleasant silence falls between the two of you. Jade takes one last look before standing up again, holding a hand out to you. You take it and you both continue to hike up again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Jade? I have something that’s been bugging me.” You sigh out, the thought finally being too much to ignore.

“Give me a name and you’ll never have to deal with them again.” He answers firmly. You pause and open your mouth, then close it again, a confused look on your face.

“That’s…not what I meant.” You murmur out. Jade simply smiles and chuckles.

“My misunderstanding, what seems to be the trouble then?” he inquiries. You recall how you kept finding the little items in your coat pockets after work, thinking it had to have been him since he walked you back to ramshackle after working at the lounge.

“The little things in my pockets–”

“Those were from me. Why has it been bugging you, hmmm?” he hums as he ducks under a branch, continuing to move, his long legs helping him easily step over long roots sticking up from the ground. You pause your movements and stick your hands in your pockets, shrugging.

“Dunno, not like you.” you whisper out. He stops and turns to look back at you, quirking an eyebrow as he stares at you. But the look quickly goes away as quick as it came, and he smirks.

“You’ll find out soon. Follow along.” He turns back around and heads up the path again.

“Hey! No, Jade, I wanna know, stop being all secretive–

Jade pushes back a tree branch and reveals an open spot at the top of the mountain which overlooks the entire mountain range. The high peaks in the distance are spotted with snow, and the pine trees in mass quantities spread across the range, fog blanketing the dips and valleys. You stop in your rambling and go quiet as you slowly walk up next to him, your mouth agape at the sight.

“I…Woah.” Is all you can manage to stutter out.

“Truly a most ethereal sight. Things like this don’t exist under the sea, another thing that makes both worlds so different from one another, which evidently brings me to another drastically different aspect of the cultures.” he smiles and looks down at you, watching as the sun hits your features just right, casting you in a sort of golden glow. You turn your head up at him and a look of bewilderment flashes across it.

“I thought you to be smarter, Perfect. But one can only hold another in such high regards for little time.” he sighs, a pout on his face, though as well as you knew him, you knew it was just a ploy. Your eyes widen in surprise.

“I certainly expected you to catch onto my advances. You see, Y/N, I was courting you. Had I been too subtle?” his pout deepens. You’re speechless. You look into his eyes, and damn! That fucking pout, as fake as the meaning behind it was, he was incredibly cute at the moment, and the sun giving him an incandescent look didnt help either. You clear your throat and try to mutter something, anything out, but nothing comes. You glance away, flustered.

So that’s what all this weird behavior has been coming from him? He’s been trying to court you. It seemed unbelievable, but when you look back at him, he’s smiling his well-worn sinister smile, though it seems more genuine.

“You’re blushing, Perfect.” he snickers. “At a loss for words?”

Who knows what comes over you, maybe the past confusing moments finally making sense and you wanting to get revenge on him, but you pull him down by the collar of his jacket and you place a kiss on his cheek.

“Bastard.” You grumble as you pull away. Now it’s his turn to be left speechless, a faint tint of pink to his cheeks, but it quickly fades as he smiles again. His gaze softens again

“Glad you feel the same, Y/N…it’s truly a relief.”

Hope you enjoyed my lovelies! I’ll be posting more soon, I promise, lol. I’m just trying to get all my works over to here, but two other ones I have not posted are on my Ao3 —> https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ms_cherub

I was editing this on the bus so mb if I missed any spelling mistakes or anything like that! That’s it though <3

Please don’t steal or copy any of my work! You may, however, repost if you’d want to!

Pictures belong to Disney Twisted Wonderland but are edited by me :)

[mercury2venus]

CHAPTER 3

BACK 2 BACK

Warnings : straight SMUT, dirty talk. Real nasty y’all. MDNI.

We fucked. I mean he had me hanging halfway off the balcony screaming to the entire city of New York just how good Kyle Alexander was fucking me. 

It was New Year's Day and I needed to get my story typed up as soon as possible. I creeped out of the bed picking up the articles of clothing I was stripped from. I looked around the room, drinking in its appearance. God...we did some freaky shit. After getting dressed and getting lost in his big ass penthouse I bid adieu to the maid. And slipped out of the place. 

Then I realized I didn't drive here. Shit. I ran back in and dialed the only person I could trust to keep this to themselves. 

" Hello Who is this ? " she answered.  Monica was my best friend and held me down through it all but I know this shit was going to be a topic with her for days. 

'It's Mecca." I mumbled. “Look I just need you to come pick me up I'm at a friend house and I'm honestly not trying to overstay my welcome.” I gave her the address and begged her to hurry. 

I heard Monica laugh and agreed to be on her way. 

I watched her cherry red Porsche pull up, bumping some Jodeci. She just had to draw attention while I tried to make a quiet escape. I got in the car and seen the smug look on her face. " So.." Monica held back a laugh. Who fuckin house is that ? " 

" Just drive Mo." 

That was 2 months ago. Kyle called and called. Sent roses, left voicemails. Wrote me letters. All asking what did he do wrong ? And Why am I avoiding him. The answer was guilt. I never slept with someone I interviewed. It was classless and I hate myself for it but the dick was so good I found myself in perpetual daydreams.

 

Today I was a guest speaker at NY Fashion institute the article I did on Kyle got the attention of well everyone. I was proud of it, it truly was my best one to date.

I tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear hoping my updo would stay in tact at least till I get back home.  

Speaking to the students was a dream come true, They were so engaged and really has alot of commentary.  

" Hi Ms. Ali , I'm Fallon Brooks, Junior. i just wanted to tell you that seeing a Black Woman in journalism owning her own magazine. calling the shots, showing the world that we are more than what the media shows is inspiring to this little Black girl from Atlanta, Georgia. You mean the world to us and i just really wanted to say Thank you so much. she laughed. 

I wanted to cry this is why I do it, for all my little Black girls who felt unheard, went unseen, their well deserved opportunities given to white mediocre counterparts. 

" Thank you...God I'm gonna cry." I laughed. I wiped my tears and smiled. 

After speaking to the students, I walked towards the bathroom I had somewhere to be in a bit and I wanted to make sure I looked great. 

" Mecca." 

Damn. So much for avoidance. I turned around with a small smile. His eyebrows raised as if he's waiting for an explanation. " Mr. Alexander ...Hi." I spoke. 

He tilted his head and walked towards me. He got close to my ear," After making you cum 5 times I'd think you'd refer to me as what I told you to call me." He said softly.

Cocky much ? 

" Having sex with you was a mistake I let my judgment get clouded. Thank you for granting me access to your mind and for doing the interview. I really appreciate that. Mr. Alexander ." I smiled. I had to set boundaries. 

Kyle looked at me. Those intense eyes of his narrowed. Just stared at me. 

" Mecca. I don't care about the other bullshit okay ? We had a great time, what's the real reason you've been avoiding me hm ? He said lowly. 

I looked him in the eye. 

" Young black woman on the come up from Harlem meets rich, playboy fashion designer.. I don't know I just don't need the world thinking some knight in shining armor came and helped me or I fucked my way to the top. I put in time and effort for this, I didn't grind the way I did back at Spelman just for someone to look at me and say it was because of You" I vented. 

Kyle's eyes were soft.  " Mecca — I, I'm sorry I didn't even think about that. Fuck. I just really like you love. I have a tendency of moving really fast. I apologize sincerely. "

I looked into his eyes.

Fuck it.

                                  ••••••

"Shit, you messing up my hair K."I moaned.  Shameless I was. Here I am butt naked back at his house getting fucked from the back  Kyle had my discombobulated my French roll and was now gripping my hair as he grinds into me 

" this shit is amazing Mecca. I was being nice earlier you keep this away from me next time I'm going to your house. Understand? "

I hated him. Everything about him irritates my fuckin soul. But God the way he was talking sent shockwaves to my core.  He put a leg and and got deeper 

" I said do you understand ?" He barked. 

My response was caught in my throat the only thing I was able to muster up was some incoherent sound. 

" yes baby, fuck I hear you." 

He pulled my head back to give me a sloppy French kiss. " good fuckin girl " he mumbled.

"Ky, I'm about to cum daddy. " I moaned

" hold it, not yet. Fuck this pussy is too good " 

Confidence filled me at that moment 

" careful this good ass pussy will have you acting crazy "

" too late Mecca " he laughed.

I let out a pornographic moan. He was saying all the shit I loved to hear. " mm yea this your pussy now " I whispered. He must have heard me because next thing I knew I was on my back with my legs at my ears.  " keep saying shit like that and I'll nut in you Mecca" Kyle warned.

" then do it baby nut in me " I egged him on

" you so fuckin nasty .." Kyle threw his head back, he pushed my legs further to my head and began to pound mercilessly. 

" what's my fuckin name Mecca, tell them who this good ass pussy belongs to."

“it’s yours daddy, it’s forever yours baby I swear “ I yelped. My eyes began to roll to the back of my head as he thrusted into me deeply.

“ it better be, that’s the shit I like to hear Mec. Tell me you love it here and you’ll never leave again” he spoke into my ear.

I won’t , Kyle..I won’t.” I whispered as I became undone.

At that moment I signed a deal with the devil.

[mandareeboo]

For peeps of mine who haven't watched Rick and Morty (the correct choice tbh, you have good taste) here's a list of Random Bullshit that's canon in the show that you probably didn't even know:

Rick and Morty have hopped to at least two different universes to escape their various fuckups (three, if the universe where squirrels are sentient and control the government wasn't a weird joke) and the entire Smith family has jumped universe once.

Morty and Summer (his sister) have a canonical giant incest baby that lives in space named Naruto.

The baby itself was NOT conceived with intentional incest, but with a series of wacky shenanigans involving giant sperm, a horse breeding mount, and sexism.

Summer raised said baby mostly off-screen for like a month and taught it love and how to escape prison.

Rick has been pardoned for his Earth crimes at least three seperate times by pretending to be the turkey the President pardons on Thanksgiving. Somehow no time has passed however and they remain their normal ages.

FDR used to live in the basement of the White House as a giant spider creature. Used to because Morty burned him alive.

The show hates having canon SO FUCKING MUCH that Rick outright refused to even admit he had a backstory at all for four seasons.

One of the reoccurring villains is a guy named Story Lord who is legit just fighting for the show to have Canon Stakes and to give a fuck about its untapped potential. Rick and Morty both mock him relentlessly.

The many universes of Ricks made a government. Rick destroyed it. Then another version of Morty crushed the remains under his heel entirely to escape Rick.

The first Ricks to create dimensional travel realized there was a plethora of universes that weren't about Rick and sealed them away to feed his main character syndrome.

Rick's daughter, Beth, has a clone, but Rick ripped off their labels and spun them around in a circle a bunch of times before releasing one on the family and the other to live a Star Wars life in space. Even now no one knows which is which. The other Beth is called Space Beth and visits the house often.

Beth and Space Beth have banged. They then had a threesome with Jerry.

Rick has a mortal enemy named Mr. Nimbus who controls the ocean and police. Somehow. This is not extrapolated.

Beth and Jerry also had a threesome with Mr. Nimbus. It's implied Rick has also fucked Mr. Nimbus.

Rick became a pickle to escape family therapy. He stayed a pickle because he lied so well Beth took the serum because she thought it would hurt him.

The occasional season opener and ender is a weird fucker named Mr. Poopybutthole who just. Appeared one day. The show goes out of its way to leave plot crumbs on how Rick knows everyone else in his life but NOT Mr. Poopybutthole. He just showed up in an episode about parasites (he's not one, btw, that's the gag) and it's implied he's known the Smiths for years. Mr. Poopybutthole tells us all about his failing marriage and asks weirdly poignant questions about life and then tells the audience to keep tuned in to the current/next season.

Mr. Poopybutthole also canonically asked Morty, a fourteen year old, to marry him. It's implied Morty would've said yes.

The (ex) voice of Rick and Morty as well as the (ex) co-creator of the show casually confirmed that Ricks and Mortys fuck often and we just have to live with that.

Yes there's a lot of incest going on here. You get used to it.

Morty once deformed a man for life because he broke up with his sister.

Everyone in the Smith family has a body count in the hundreds and it's constantly being brushed off by authorities because the government can't kick Rick's ass.

Rick and Summer beat nazis in the streets for fun. Somehow conservatives love this fucking show. It's probably all the dicks.

The time police's entire fucking MO is beating whatever messed with time up while yelling "DON'T FUCK WITH TIME! DON'T FUCK WITH IT!" and Einstein, one of their victims, petulantly replied, "I WILL fuck with it!"

Rick has canonically fucked a planet, a collective, a woman with boobs on her elbows, a horse creature that lives underground, and ONE (1) human woman.

Morty also has/had a son, btw. He's most likely dead because he grew at an extremely fast rate and was in his mid-forties when we saw him last in season 1.

Rick once had Morty unintentionally murder dozens of Mortys to prove a point about his idea. His idea was a fake vat of acid with fake bones in a drawer to pull open and have float to the surface. He kept a gun to shoot a hole in any ladle they dipped in and a mediocre oxygen tube to stick in your mouth. This is a running gag and considered one of the best episodes of the show.

[plaidpajamallama]

(You scared me) RHEA RIPLEY X JEY USO

Chapter 24

_________________________________________________

Jey and Jimmy walked out through the curtain of gorilla into the hallway.

You think they would learn by now, uce.

Some people are hardheaded, he said, shrugging his shoulders.

As fuck, he laughed.

As they walked down the hall, he pulled out his phone, texting Rhea, asking her, Where are they at?

He could feel Jimmy looking over his shoulder.

What do you want, Uce?

You talk to him? He said his tone was more serious.

Nope, we’re seeing him in LA.

Really, you aren’t going to talk to him till then, uce?

Yup, if he wants to talk, he’ll call. I’m sure as hell not going to call him.

He shook his head. Alright, y’all are so-

So what? He stopped in his tracks. Were so what

He chuckled to himself before answering him. Nothing, you see, come on, he hit him on the back. Where are the girls at?

Um, he looked back down at his phone. They left us?

What do you mean? He snatched his phone from him. Huh, they really left us?

Yeah, he snatched his phone back. They did, and they want us to pick up some food on our way.

Alright, shit, we better get going then. Uce, he hit his back again walking in front of him.

Keep doing that, Uce, and see what happens.

Ok, I told them. Rhea said while putting her phone back on her lap,

Good I’m starving. Naomi said, lying on her back, I could eat anything!

Me too, my stomach touching my back. Bianca said, taking a sip of her drink,

They were all sitting around on the bed after their match. They decided to go back to the hotel suite to all hang out and have a drink or two.

Oh, you guys want to see what he got me for Christmas?

Yeah, it’s crazy you think you have to ask. Bianca said

I already know, but I want to see it again. Naomi said, rolling over.

Of course you knew you know everything! She said, laughing, sitting her glass on the side table before walking over to her suitcase on the ground, grabbing the picture frame out of it before sitting back down in her spot.

Look how fucking cute this is. She sat it down in between them all.

Oh, that’s adorable he made it? Bianca asked

Yeah! He made it; he drew on the frame and everything!

Y’all is so cute; he loves you, bad girl.

Mmh, you should have seen him in the car drawing on the shit; he was so focused it was cute. Naomi said

She couldn’t help but smile at the thought of him sitting in the backseat doodling on a picture frame thinking about her.

What did you get him?

Ugh! She brought her hands to her face. It was so stupid after this.

It couldn’t be that bad, Mama.

No, it was bad; I got him some fucking headphones!

She could hear the silence; she took her hands off her face. Bianca was looking at Naomi, her eyes peeking over her glass as she took a sip.

Oh god, it’s really bad! She fell back against the pillows.

No! It’s not that bad. Rhea What did he say?

He said that he loves them, but that’s bullshit.

He wouldn’t lie if he said he loves them. He loves them. Naomi tried to reassure her.

Yeah, but it’s so stupid compared to his gift. Uh, I’m not good at giving gifts.

You can’t compare them; if he likes them, then it’s a good gift. Bianca put a hand on her leg.

It just feels dumb. I don’t want him to think I don’t care as much as he does.

Trust me, he knows how much you care for him, plus he’s not really a gift person anyway, Mama.

You promise? She said nervously.

Yes, we promise he knows.

They heard the lock of the door click, and like a bunch of dogs when their owner comes home, they all leaned over the edge of the bed, peeking around the corner of the built-in divider separating the bedroom and the living area.

Jey used his foot to push up the door; both of his hands were full with Waffle House. Jimmy followed behind him, rolling their suitcases in and closing the door with his foot.

Ooo, y’all got us some good food. Bianca said as she stepped off the bed, helping Jey out with the bags of food.

Yeet Jey said, placing the bags on the table, I can’t believe y’all left us uce.

We were done for the night; we didn’t want to just sit around. Naomi said

You could’ve at least told us before Jimmy said kissing the top of her head.

I will next time now get me another drink.

Oh, y’all drink! Jimmy said, taking her glass

Mmh, Rhea said, standing up and walking up behind Jey, looking over his shoulder. What did you get me?

What you like, he handled her a box here.

Thank you, love.

Yo, you out of ice! Jimmy yelled from the kitchenette.

Well, go get some then! Naomi yelled back.

He sucked his teeth. Alright, Rhea, do you want to come with me?

Yeah, sure, she set her box down before slipping on her Vans.

We're back, he announced, as, opening the door, he let her walk out first before shutting it, ice bucket in hand.

So how’s your toe? She asked, looking at him.

Still hurts a bit, but we're good.

Good, she chuckled.

Hey, can I ask you something?

Yeah, of course.

Has he been sleeping? Like through the night and shit?

Um, she thought about it; she figured he was, but maybe not? Why do you think he’s not? She asked with concern in her voice.

I don’t know; I just know how he is and how he gets, especially when it comes to Roman.

What does that mean? You all keep saying that

It means that he can keep all this shit in, pushing it deep down, and start to shut down.

They walked into the little nook where the ice machine was located. He put the bucket on the shelf before pressing the button to dispense the ice.

They both leaned on opposite sides of the wall, staring at each other.

So you know what Roman said? She asked, crossing her arms.

I do, he said, crossing his He didn’t tell you, Uce?

Every time I ask him, he just says it was “bullshit” and then changes the subject.

So you want me to tell you what happened?

I can’t help him if I don’t know what the issue is, Jimmy.

A grin appeared on his face as he nodded his head. He told Roman about you, and he just kind of brushed it off, making it about work, which pissed him off and made it seem like you're just some random fuck of the week. He didn’t like that, so he left.

She just took a minute to process what he had just said, unfolding her arms. Well, that is bullshit, she said with a nervous laugh.

Yeah, he pulled up off the wall, grabbing the bucket now full of ice. I wouldn’t worry, though. Roman’s just being

A dick, she said, pushing off the wall.

He chuckled. I mean, yeah, but that’s not what I meant. Uce, he said, picking up the bucket.

They walked out of the nook back into the hall.

I’ll talk to him to make sure he’s good. She said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Thanks, I appreciate it. I’m just looking out even if he doesn’t want me to.

He does; he’s just—

Hardheaded, he said with a grin.

That’s not what I was going to say, but yes, he is. She laughed as she pulled her keycard out, opening the door.

Jey was standing in front of Naomi, her arms crossed, and Bianca, sitting in a chair, turning her attention to them both with a wide-eyed expression.

What the fuck is going on!? Jimmy said getting their attention

We're back! Jimmy said before shutting the door behind them

Hey sis, Here he said, putting a box out for Naomi.

Thank you, she signed, grabbing it. You want a drink?

Hell yeah, if y’all are drinking, I’m drinking too, shit.

She laughed as she poured him a drink here.

Thanks, he took the last of the boxes out of the bag, sitting them on the table.

It’s been a hot minute since I saw you, uce. How have you been?

I’m good still, champ, and I get this one now, she said, pulling Naomi into a hug. She hugged her back.

Well, you better watch your back street saying it was her, he said, taking a sip of his drink.

They both scoffed dramatically before Naomi hit his arm. I didn’t do it!

Ok, ok, you aren’t going to tell me he put his hands up. I know the truth.

You're so annoying, you know that?

I’m great. I don’t know what you are talking about, uce. He said, taking another sip of his drink,

You got anything new going on, Jey? Bianca asked, sitting down in the chair next to her.

Not much He leaned against the edge of the table. I’m starting the show off tomorrow so I can talk to Drew’s dumbass, so we’ll see how that shit goes.

Well, I wish you luck. Drew’s a piece of work.

You mean a piece of shit, then yeah, also I think we’re supposed to pop up on y’all's show.

Oh really? For what?

Bloodline shit, you know, got to handle it 'cause Roman ain’t here to do it, he said with a laugh, but his frustration showing through his words.

Well, thank you for taking care of them. Naomi said, giving him a side hug.

Oh, Rhea showed us what you got her.

She did? You think it’s good, not too much.

No, not at all; she seems to love it. Bianca said, taking a drink from her glass,

Ok, I asked this one up, but it’s good to hear that of a normal one.

Naomi hit him again in his arm before moving to sit on the edge of the bed.

Bianca laughed. She did seem a little insecure about her gift, though.

Yeah, I know I love my gift, and I told her that, but

Speaking of Rhea, what are you going to do next week?

What do you mean, uce?

I mean, we’re all going to be in LA. What are you going to do about her and Roman? Naomi said.

He hadn’t thought about that. He’d been so busy with Drew and this and trying not to think about Roman that he totally forgot that they would all be together soon.

I don’t know. I haven't thought about it. He shifted his stance, putting his hands in his hoodie pocket.

Well, you should. We’re all going to be there, and they both have matches. You're going to want to be there for both.

I know he just looked briefly at the floor before bringing his gaze back to her. You know how it is.

I know Jey, but he’s going to want you there, and so is she, and you don’t get to choose in this race.

Yeah, but why should he meet her if he doesn’t even give a fuck about her?

Jey, he does. He just already—she caught herself before finishing her sentence.

He gave her a weird look. He already what?

Nothing just-

No, he cut her off. What were you going to say, Uce? He already what!? He said, taking a step forward.

Already what!?

He already knows! She said him just a few steps from her. He already knew about you and Rhea before you told him.

He was confused in shock at what she just said.

They just looked at each other; the sound of Jimmy yelling broke him out of thought.

He took a step back, looking over at them.

What’s going on, uce? Jimmy said, walking into the room, setting the bucket on the kitchenette

You knew? He said, walking towards him You knew he fucking knew!?

Knew what uce? I don’t even know what the hell you are talking about. He looked towards Naomi for an answer to what the hell was going on.

I told him what you told me she said before looking away from him.

He looked back at him. Uce-

Did you know that he knew about us?

Yeah, I did, but only just found out.

I see you every goddamn week; you could have mentioned it!

It wasn’t going to change shit.

He scoffed. You should have told me, Uce.

Yeah, I should have, but it wouldn’t change what happened.

You don’t know that!

Jimmy tried to put a hand on his shoulder, but he shook it off, taking a step back.

Jey, if you knew he knew, what would you have done?

He shrugged his shoulders. I don’t know.

Because it wouldn’t have changed what happened, he still would have done what he did whether you knew or not.

He ran a hand through his hair, calming down a little. When did you find out?

The same day you told him, I overheard him talking to Paul on the phone about it.

He scoffed, Why would he act like that if he already knew? The way Roman’s mind worked will forever be a mystery to him.

He moved to sit down in the chair behind him, running a hand over his face.

_________________________________________________

Rhea was sitting down on the couch hanging out in her locker room watching the Damian match with the War Raiders vs. the Judgment Day. She had a good laugh at their new entrance.

Before the door swung open Jey walking in without a shirt on, her eyes immediately started following his tattoo up his body; she snapped out of it when she found the frustrated look that was on his face.

You okay? She said, letting her foot hit the ground as she moved to look at him.

He didn’t respond, just let out a deep breath as he white-knuckled the edges of the table in front of him, letting his head hang.

She put the TV on mute before standing up to put a hand on his back, beginning to rub it; his skin was hot. He let out a stuttering breath.

After everything that happened last night, he’s been quiet. He told her he didn’t want to talk about it, but she saw all his thoughts running through his mind last night. She saw what Jimmy was talking about: heavy is the head that wears the crown.

Are you hurt, baby? She said, gently tilting her head to the side to get a better look at his face, She had seen him in the beginning of the show get jumped by Drew.

No, I’m good. I’m just—he sighed. I'm just done with Drew, he said flatly.

Okay, what are you going to do?

I’m going to beat his dumbass next week.

Okay, good. That’s good love. It means you're almost done.

Yeah, but he ran a hand over his face. I have never been able to beat Drew one-on-one. Why would I be able to now?

She could hear the lack of confidence in his voice; she turned him to look at her.

His eyes were low and glossy. His face looked tired; the bags under his eyes seemed to grow overnight.

You're going to win. That may not be the end of it, but you're going to beat him. Her hand rested against his face. You're going to win.

She reached her hand into his hair; he fell into it, the tension in his shoulders falling.

I think what you're feeling isn't about Drew baby? I think it’s about last night.

The tension returned to his body, his eyes going to the ground.

Your hurting love I can see it. Roman hurt you. What Jimmy told you hurt you.

Rhea-

You don’t have to talk to me about it if you don’t want to, but all of this is hurting you, baby; you need to talk to him.

He let out a heavy sigh, his gaze flicking to her then back to the ground, the corner of his lip twitching. What if I don’t want to?

I know you don’t, but you need to, my love.

He grabbed her other hand, standing straight up to look her in her eyes. Rhea Can we talk about this later when we get back to our hotel?

Yeah, of course I told Damian I would find him after his match, but after that we can go

Alright, I’m going to go get my stuff. See you in a bit.

He placed a kiss on her forehead before walking away, closing the door behind him.

She turned around, grabbing the remote off the couch, unmuting the TV, and catching Damian pin Dom to get the win.

Jey was sitting in the driver's seat waiting for Rhea; she texted him to meet her outside.

But when he got out there, she wasn’t there. He figured she was still talking with Damian.

Leaving him alone in his thoughts He kept thinking about what Rhea said, how he needed to talk to Roman.

It’s not that he didn’t want to; he wanted to fix it. There was something inside him telling him to just fix it, that it would all be better if he fixed it.

It was the same thing he felt when Jim and Roman got into it: the need to fix everything.

He wanted to talk to him; he wanted him to meet her as his girl and not as Mami.

But there was a sinking feeling in his gut, a feeling of fear; he was scared of the what-ifs.

He heard the door open. Rhea stood in the doorway saying goodbye to Damian before sitting down. Sorry, baby, you ready?

Yeah, yeah, let’s go.

He rolled his suitcase against the wall before lying down on the bed; his body ached from the beating he took from Drew.

She lay down next to him, laying her head on the pillows. He crawled up her body, laying his head down on her chest.

She wrapped her arm around him, scratching his back through his shirt.

Will you be there?

What baby?

Will you be there when I talk to him? He lifted his head up some to meet her

Of course, my love, if you want me there, I’ll be there.

Okay, thank you.

Is there a reason you want me there, love?

I just need you, baby.

Ok, I’ll be there.

He laid his head back down on her, feeling her soft skin under him. The words rushing through his mind slowed as her warmth became his; the sounds of her heart beating replaced his thoughts. everything just melted away except his feeling of fear in his gut

Rhea

Yes, she let her hand fall on the small of his back.

I think I’m scared.

Of what? Losing to Drew?

Of losing you, as the words left his mouth, he felt a lump in his throat.

What? You're not going to lose me, baby. I’m here.

Rhea I never thought I would lose Jimmy, but I did, and it was the worst thing I ever felt, and fighting him hurt even more. I can’t lose you.

You're not going to lose me, ok? She put both of her hands on his cheeks. I love you.

Jimmy loved me too, and then he took the biggest thing I ever did away from me. Roman hurt me in ways I couldn’t imagine before.

But when I think about losing you, it hurts the most. Rhea, what if, what if

The lump in his throat was hot as a couple of tears fell down his face.

You’re not going to lose me, ok? I promise

You promise? His voice was quiet and broken.

She wiped his tears away, looking him dead in the eyes. I promise you I’m never going to leave.

He nodded his head as she wiped more tears from his face. I love you. I’m here. I got you.

He laid his head back down, slipping his hands under her. She wrapped her hands around him, kissing the top of his head.

I love you too, he said against her chest, his voice still shaky, his hot tears falling on her skin.

She held him close to her, feeling him start to calm down.

_________________________________________________

The way I tried to get this out before 11 but my spell check kept fucking up 🖤

[mikeysonly]

“You’re Safe With Me” - Manjiro (Mikey) Sano

♡ uhuhu soft toman mikey saving u again. y/n is afab as usual but change it in ur head if u want. I can’t stop writing for him aaaa I’m losing it >_< enjoy.

♡♡♥︎♡♡♥︎♡♡

Y/N hastened her pace, clutching her bag tightly against her chest. She never meant to involve herself. It was supposed to be a quiet evening after work, but when she saw the group of gang members cornering the elementary school boy in the alley, she couldn’t just walk away.

Now, she regretted it.

“Now where the hell do you think you’re off to, princess?” one of the men spat.

Y/N froze, her heart hammering. “I..- I wasn’t doing anything,” she stammered, her voice trembling.

“Bullshit,” another snapped, circling her. “We saw you. Yelling like that. Trying to play the hero? Who the fuck do you think you are, princess?”

Her knees felt weak. “I just..-“

The leader laughed, loud and cruel. “You hear that? She thought we’d listen to her. Cute.”

He stepped closer, his shadow looming over her. Y/N backed up instinctively.

“You’ve got nerve, princess I’ll give you that,” he said.

One of the other men snickered. “What should we do with her?”

Y/N’s throat tightened as she scanned the empty street. No one was around. There was no way out. She couldn’t fight them; she could barely stand. Her mind, a storm of panic, but that’s when another voice cut through the chaos.

“You’re gonna back the fuck off.”

It was quiet. Steady. But it carried a weight that silenced the group in an instant.

The gang turned, their expressions shifting immediately.

Standing at the mouth of the alley was Mikey. His hands were in his pockets, his blonde hair easily recognizable under the dull light. His Toman jacket was draped casually over his shoulders, the black and gold fabric all too evident. But it was the unmistakable manji symbol on the back and on his arm that made the gang members freeze.

“Shit,” one of them muttered. “That’s Mikey. Toman Mikey.”

The leader’s grip on Y/N tightened as he sneered. “I don’t give a shit. He’s just one guy.”

��Try me,” Mikey said, his tone flat.

The leader shoved Y/N toward one of his men and stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. “You think you can take us on by yourself?”

Y/N gasped as Mikey moved, quicker than her eyes could comprehend. His foot connected with the leader’s jaw, the impact echoing through the alley. The man crumpled instantly, out cold before he hit the ground.

The others stepped back, panic across their faces.

“We don’t want trouble, Mikey,” one of them stammered. “We didn’t know she was with you.”

Mikey’s gaze swept over them, cold and unforgiving. “You know who I am, and you still thought this was a good idea?”

“N-No, we-”

“Get lost,” Mikey said, his voice low but laced with enough malice to scare even the toughest gang members.

The men didn’t need to be told twice. They dropped the leader’s body and scrambled out of the alley.

Y/N stood frozen, her legs trembling. Mikey turned to her, his expression softening instantly.

“You okay?” he asked, stepping closer.

She nodded shakily, though her legs felt like jelly. “I… I think so.”

“You’re shaking,” Mikey said, his gaze sweeping over her. “Where are you hurt?”

Y/N blinked, touching her face. Only then did she notice the sting on her cheek. “I… I guess?”

Mikey frowned, taking her hand gently. “Come with me.”

She didn’t protest as he led her through the quiet streets, his presence steady and grounding. They reached his apartment not long after, and Mikey guided her to the couch.

“Sit,” he said and disappeared into the bathroom.

When he returned, he had a first aid kit in hand. He kneeled in front of her.

“You don’t have to…-” She mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

“You’ve got a cut,” Mikey said, dabbing at her cheek with a warm cloth. His movements were precise, gentle.

Y/N watched him in silence, his face serene, but something in the tension of his jaw gave him away.

"You shouldn't put yourself into situations like that,” he said finally, his voice soft yet firm.

"I know," she whispered. "But I just couldn't do nothing and stand there."

Mikey let out a sigh, his head shaking slightly. "You're way too kind, you know. It's dangerous as hell at night.”

When he finished, he set the cloth aside and sat back on his heels, studying her. “Promise me you’ll be more careful next time.”

“I promise,” she said softly, her cheeks warming under his gaze.

Mikey stood, motioning toward his bed. “You’re sleeping next to me tonight.”

Her eyes widened. “I can’t..-”

"You can," he said so firmly that further discussion was no longer an option. "Go."

Too tired to care, she pulled the covers up and sank under them. A second later, hardly having time to realize what he was doing, Mikey slid in beside her, settling there as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"You don't mind, do you?" he asked quietly.

“No,” she replied, her cheeks warming. “It’s… nice.”

Mikey offered a faint smile, his arm draping over her as he pulled her closer.

“Go to sleep,” he whispered.

For the first time that night, Y/N felt a sense of safety. As her eyes began to close, she heard him murmur,

“You’re safe with me.”

[lighttailoring]

SYRIL DAY! SYRIL DAY <3 MY TERRIBLE HORRIBLE BOY

I really wasn’t sure what to post but eventually I have settled on a list of things that I think are cool. I don’t think anyone reading this won’t have been subjected to at least a little bit of this already so for this I’m sorry. But this is my moment to shine!

NO JOKE CHARACTERS

This is the #1 thing I notice and appreciate about Syril’s arc, honestly. I’ve seen far, far too many shows set up characters like this in other media. Mean, Pathetic Losers whose only role in the plot is to be repeatedly humiliated over the course of it – and of course, it’s always all their fault. Why don’t they realise that nobody likes them, that everything they do is terrible, that they should just go away and leave the normal people alone? When he first showed up on screen I was genuinely watching through my fingers. Just kill him off already, I thought. Please. Just kill him off, so I don’t have to watch him be used as a punching bag while you point and go “Ha, funny right? It’s funny to watch freaks like this guy suffer, isn’t it? Aren’t you glad you’re not like him – wait, you’re not like him, are you?”

But then they… didn’t do either of those things? Syril doesn’t win, sure. He can’t win, at least on the path he’s currently going down, because this is Andor. I will leave the entire post that I could write about how Andor’s narrative *will * fuck you for Timm &/ Nurchi Appreciation Day – that’s coming, right? But tl;dr: God is real on this show and his name is Tony Gilroy and he hates fascism lol.

But he also isn’t treated like a joke. There are no joke characters on this show. His stroppy little attempts to be taken seriously are laughable but they’re also given depth, just like everybody else’s shitty decisions. Real motivations, real consequences.

And then after they didn’t kill him off in Reckoning, Andor heard everyone making their cute little Mommy Issues jokes and went “OK!” and sent him home to his actual mother and we all had to sit there and watch -

THE OPPRESSIVE REGIME AS THE ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WRIT LARGE

“It’s easier to hide behind forty atrocities than a single incident,” says Nemik, and in the same episode we see Eedy Karn – a woman whose first interaction with her only son, who she’s not seen in years, is to slap him across the face – repeatedly needle Syril. The kitchenette is small, cramped, lit only by grubby artificial lighting. It feels like an interrogation room. It basically is an interrogation room. Eedy berates Syril for every single thing he does or says – a brown suit triggers a particularly insidious wave of insults disguised as concern, but we know as well as he does that he could have worn any colour and gotten the same reaction. In the same show we also watch Mon Mothma struggle against a constant onslaught of bullshit from her dreadful husband, and we see the same tactics being used, albeit in slightly different ways. It just never lets up, for either of them – if they try to ready themselves to fight back against even one barb, they’ll find themselves with ten more lodged in their backs that they haven’t been able to dodge, so they just… endure it.

Fuck it - this isn’t an academic essay. What I’m trying to say is fuck I love Andor for holding up a picture of an abusive relationship and a picture of an oppressive regime and waiting for us to figure out that they’re the same picture. Undermine your target at every turn – convince them that they can’t win. Then when you actively harm them, they won’t even bother to fight back.

A SHADOW, A TENANT, A STRANGER

So yeah there’s that. But Syril’s arc in specific really focuses on what it’s like to live in a panopticon – to know you’re constantly being monitored. “I have ways of knowing,” Syril says to Eedy. But he doesn’t seem to have ways of preventing her from snooping on him. And really, what good does knowing that you’re being watched do, if you can’t stop it?

How do you grow, when you’re constantly being monitored, and when – as it’s been demonstrated – there is no possible way to please the person who’s monitoring you? How do you develop a personality? How do you do anything?

We see so many times just how stunted Syril is – from his absolute inability to think in shades of grey, his need for order because he doesn’t have any idea what he wants (“I want what you want,” he says – does he mean I think I know what you want, or does he mean Whatever you want is what I want?), the way he looks like a little child in his sad pyjamas sitting at that plastic table, his bizarre little friendship with Mosk that’s more like two kids on the playground than two fully grown men. He doesn’t have his own desires because he hasn’t been allowed to have them. He wants the rigidity and facelessness of the Empire because then he doesn’t have to deal with the fact that he doesn’t have a face of his own. He’s so nothingy. I love him so much you guys.

TAILORING

BUT the one thing we do see Syril actively doing is… tailoring. Well, we don’t see him do it, but Kyle Soller has confirmed in interviews that Syril is doing it himself, which I think most of us suspected. In a show that keeps bringing up salvage and ‘fix it yourself’ and how we’re pushed towards the pre-packaged and mass-produced precisely because it keeps us reliant on the supplier, it’s… it itches, to see this guy taking in his shapeless Pre-Mor uniform to flatter him (hi Kyle Soller slutty waist fans), to see him raising the collar of the brown suit that his mother hates so much (and someone pointed out that the collar is a slightly darker brown than the rest of the suit, and that he’s then clearly used that same material to add to the cuffs, so that it looks intentional). Where’s that post about how the reason influencers and celebrities look so great in clothing that you look dreadful in is because they’ve had all of their clothing tailored to fit, where you’re expected to just make do in stuff that’s designed to fit someone who doesn’t even exist.

The fact that you’d THINK he’d be so wedded to the idea of Following The Rules that he’d insist on not making any alterations to his uniforms at all???? (First person to say “It’s Because He’s Vain And Selfish” is getting a little kissy on the forehead because I know that will annoy you more than anything <3)

THE SUN…

You’re still reading this, so you’re getting my favourite, most brain-itching thing YAY

The opening scene of The Axe Forgets is the moment that cemented Syril in my head as My Blorbo Forever. Two seconds. I timed it! Two seconds of sunlight. And he’s been waiting for it, sat on his bed like a dog waiting for its master to come home – and there it is, the sun on his face – and then it’s gone. He’s left all alone in the darkness again.

(and THAT’S on a sunny day... and what happens when another block is built, or someone puts up a billboard, or runs an expressway through that little sliver of sky? Fuck you, is what).

It’s implied that Syril and his mother are pretty solidly lower-middle-class. They’ve Worked Hard All Their Lives, and have probably been ‘calling in favours’ their whole lives, also. I’m half convinced that Syril was sending money home from Pre-Mor to help pay the rent (otherwise why the immediate need for Syril to get another job? Wouldn’t Eedy love to relish in her son’s unemployment, and have him at home 24/7 to boot?) And this is what all that hard work gets them – two seconds of sunlight a day.

It’s like… OK the reason they made a TV show instead of writing an essay is because I can write all of this out, but when you see that shot, you feel it. The fucking SUN. Even the sunlight is out of reach. Coruscant is Hell I stg

BUT WAIT I HAVE MORE THINGS TO SAY. Luthen says “I burn my life to make a sunrise I know I’ll never see” and there is of course a supremely ironic comparison to be made there with Syril’s own hubris handing Ferrix to the Empire and leading him back to that childhood room where he literally will never see the sunrise – but. The sunrise.

The problem with sunrises is that you sort of can’t stop them from happening. I think it falls into the wider (and perhaps faulty!) concept in Andor that the success of the rebellion is inevitable – that “one single thing will break the siege”.

Why did they give Syril these scenes with the sun? Nothing in this show is accidental. I’ve been turning it over and over in my brain ever since the show aired. Why is this character, who’s so browbeaten and curled in on himself and willing to debase himself in service of an Empire that hates him because he doesn’t know anything other than being hated – why does he get the sun, the sun that will always rise no matter what

Drives me crazy. Anyway

Character Appreciation Friday - Syril Karn

Name: Syril Karn Played by: Kyle Soller Appearances: Kassa, That Would Be Me, Reckoning, Aldhani, The Axe Forgets, Announcement, Narkina 5, Nobody's Listening!, Daughter of Ferrix, Rix Road

Happy Friday, fam! We're really getting to the meat of it for Appreciation Friday from here on out, starting with our number one sad cereal boy, Syril Karn.

Love him or hate him, there's so much to appreciate about this little weasel of a character. So let me know what you think in a reblog, comment, or ask! (and remember, do not be an asshole if you don't like him. learn to say it in a respectful way or don't say it at all)

Next week: Kleya Marki

[voulezloux]

tw abuse in the tags

[pageofheartdj]

You know it's annoying how people accept gender being a complex thing. How the way you identify and the way you present are not the same. How complicated and fluid your gender can be.

And then turn around and deny ALL of it for sexuality. That sexuality is binary and strict.

[pollenallergie]

“do the hardest task first”

no. just… no.

hot take: this doesn’t work for people with adhd (in my experience/from what i’ve heard from other people with adhd in my life). i recommend doing the easy/moderately difficult stuff first, that way you can convince yourself that it’s all going to be this easy and undemanding. then hyper-focus will kick in because your brain is like, “yeah, we can do this, we’ve got this.” then, before you know it, you’ve completed both the easy tasks and the hard tasks while hyperfocusing.

like, on a serious note, it’s always been easier for me to convince myself to get the most difficult tasks done when i’m already working/in the working frame of mind, not when i’m laying in bed or sitting on the couch, mindlessly scrolling through stuff on my phone, and struggling to start at all.

if the choice comes down to you not starting at all or starting with the easiest task first (which, for me, it often does), always, always pick starting with the easiest task first. sometimes you need a small victory, a little bit of an accomplishment, to give you the courage to take on bigger challenges.

[giantkillerjack]

Uh-oh! You are like, SOOO awkward!!

You're so awkward that it is occasionally mildly uncomfortable for people!

You're so awkward that sometimes people are confused by you and then there are awkward silences!

You're so awkward ...... that ultimately no one is harmed!!

Oh damn!!! What a vile crime you have committed! What an unforgivable thing it is to make a fellow human briefly confused!

Why, if *I* were ever briefly confused and kind of uncomfortable as a result, I'd be devastated.... by the absolute net zero change in my happiness and health! - From which I might never recover!! Yes indeed! No punishment can ever be enough for you!!

So you better absolutely hate yourself for it.

Better be SO MEAN to yourself about every single missed social cue so you don't forget your horrible crime! Meaner than you'd ever dream of being to someone else for the same thing! This is YOUR responsibility!

You need to show the world that you KNOW you are bad by punishing yourself constantly! After all, think of all the people who BENEFIT from you punishing yourself! - No, really! Think about it! Think about who benefits from your pain.

Think of alllllll the definitely-good people that your definitely-necessary self-torment definitely helps! I mean, you can't just cut off their definitely-life-sustaining supply of your suffering, right?? Sure, everyone else has a breaking point, but you're probably the only person in human history who doesn't, right? Best not to question it probably. Sure, it's a symptom that billions of people with trauma have had, but who knows? You could be a one-in-seven-billion exception. Anything's possible!

Instead, better just accept that idea that bullies carry like guns in holsters - the idea that people who have trouble with social cues deserve to suffer. Better carry on the burden they placed on you until you drop. Aid the cause of the callous by enforcing shame and suffering upon yourself extra hard; try your best to do their work for them. They're very busy.

Better not recognize that you need patience and kindness to heal from your trauma. Better not find out that it was trauma rather than personal weakness filling your head with self-hating thoughts. Better not find out it wasn't your fault.

Better not find out that awkwardness is not inherently harmful or unkind, and, in fact, the people who act like it is *are the ones enacting harm and being cruel.*

Better not get righteously angry when you realize just how much unnecessary damage this has done to you. After all, if you get mad, you might realize you deserve better. You might even feel brave enough to DEMAND better! You might build boundaries that keep you safe! You might make other people think they deserve to feel safe too! And we obviously can't be having that, so...

Better not show yourself even a little kindness a little bit at a time.

Better not make a habit out of it after all that practice.

Better not get confident.

Especially if you can't first wipe out every trace of awkward. (And you probably never will. Because people who experience absolute social certainty at all times tend to be insufferable assholes that enforce the status quo. And you just don't have the stock portfolio for that.)

Better not be confident and awkward because then you might confuse and delight people

- you might accidentally end up making other people feel less shame for their social difficulties

- you might make isolated, traumatized, and shy people feel like they deserve to be included in social situations

- you might even make them feel they can be themselves around you

- you might start loving the effect you have on a room

- you might enjoy conversations more

- you might forgive yourself and bounce back from shame more easily and frequently

- you might come to enjoy some of those moments of harmless confusion you cause because NOBODY expects the Confident Awkward, and that can genuinely be an advantage in social situations

- you might stop apologizing so much.

- you might find that socializing is like a video game: it requires practice but also a safe space for it to be fun and positive.

Or if you can't become assertive and confident, better not remain awkward and shy and quiet, and then love and forgive yourself anyway!

Why, it would be carnage!!

In either scenario, you run the risk of finding out that it's not your fault that safe spaces full of kind people can be really hard to find, create, and nurture. You could end up building a skillset that helps you do those things if you're not careful!

If you start giving yourself even the tiniest amount of grace at a time, you will find that you've accessed a gateway drug with extreme long-term side effects:

- You might realize that it was never your fault that it took so long to like yourself.

- You might realize that you were always worth talking to, even when you didn't like yourself and communication felt impossibly difficult.

- You might realize that you'll still be worth talking to even if communication becomes harder as you age and/or experience disability.

- You might come to know that you deserve to be heard even on bad days when words come slow and blurry.

You might discover that you were always deserving of kindness, first and foremost from yourself.

So. As you can see, it's FAR too much of a risk to start granting your awkward self free pardons for your many heinous and harmless crimes. Better to just leave it there.

[bleaksqueak]

lol due to the pose of this tarot card i'm being forced to draw the front facing panel of the reaper uniform completely by hand for the first time in (probably two years now...hahahaha) oh, assets, you are great and wonderful and save me so much time Until not even Warp and Transform can lift you high enough. Then I must replicate these complicated designs Wholly Anew. like some sort of "art" "doer" (I hate that I have to add this disclaimer but this is the hell world we live in: the assets in question are ones I painted by hand at flat angles with the intent to be used over and over again. like a shoujo transformation sequence. it's not Aye-Eye BS or anything of the sort) with that disclaimer out of the way.... at the very least it means I can save the flats for this specific pose and thus it can then be re-used later when the comic will inevitably call for it. WORK SMART! WORK ART SMRT

[slippery-minghus]

oof

[scorndotexe]

genuinely sorry about all the dndposting recently it hasn't even been interesting but i'm so desperate to dm. i've got storytelling skills!!! i've got improv skills!!! i want to build a story around characters!!! i want to see what players do with what i give them!!!

[dragons-and-yellow-roses]

Had an ADHD assessment a few years ago and the fuckwit that assessed me said, as a direct quote, "You're too smart to have ADHD." Like that's not any type of paraphrasing, that stupid fucking statement is burned in my brain forever and has been since I heard it.

I talked to my psychiatrist about getting a referral to a different psychologist for assessment, and she agreed and sent it in.

Today I got a call that said they don't agree that I need reassessment, and I'm welcome to pursue it elsewhere, but they won't provide reassessment. Which is just.

I don't even know where to start with that one. I just needed to get it out. I'm so tired.