#gonna have to figure out what the point of that one is

[forever-rogue]

Salty

AN | Hello, as you all know Joel is alive and well and there are shenanigans afoot in Jackson. Enjoy💕

Pairing | Joel Miller x Fem!Reader 

Warnings | Language 

Word Count | 2.6k

Masterlist | Joel, Main 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You loved Joel.

Joel loved you (you hoped anyway) and Ellie.

Ellie hated you.

After just over half a year in Jackson, you had finally put two and two together. All those little things you’d thought were accidents or odd coincidences weren't that at all.

Everything came down to one Ellie Williams. And that led to you making a decision you immediately hated.

“I don’t think we… should spend time together anymore.” The lump in your throat was thick, and you focused your attention on the vegetables you were tending, refusing to look at the man. You’d rehearsed this very moment in your head about two hundred times, and still, it wasn’t going to plan. Sigh.

The man next to you was silent for a few beats, trying to decide if you were being serious. When you didn’t say anything further but he heard your sniffle, he realized this wasn’t a joke at all.

“Oh? And just how did you reach that conclusion, darlin’?”

“I just… I dunno, Joel. It just seems like the right thing to do.” You shrugged, adding the carrots you'd unearthed into the basket between the two of you. “I don’t… I don’t want you to get the wrong idea and think I’m… interested.”

A heavy silence fell over you; you tried to continue working, but Joel remained dumbfounded, watching your every move.

“Okay,” he eventually said, causing you to relax slightly. “I’ll do as you ask and respect your wishes and all that. You gonna tell me what changed suddenly?”

“Nothing,” you lied. You’d thought about telling him the truth but highly doubted he’d believe you. He’d never think his baby girl would do something so downright vicious. “It’s just… what I want.”

“Alright.” He stood up and wiped his hands on his jeans, capturing your attention. “I’ll leave you to it. I think you can handle it from here, right? I wouldn’t want to get the wrong idea.”

“Joel—” His name came out as a huff, but before you could get any further, he had already walked away.

You watched after him until he was out of your sight before hastily wiping at the tears rolling down your cheeks. This hurt even worse than you had anticipated. Ellie would probably leave you alone now that you weren’t pursuing her dad or trying to take him away from her.

“I guess it’s just you and me again.” You pulled a few more carrots out of the dirt and tossed them to the side. You were going to need a new hobby to occupy your mind.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The first time something strange had happened, you had been baking a cake for Joel's birthday. You were in the restaurant kitchen, having talked Seth into letting you use the space to keep your plans secret.

You were almost done mixing the dry ingredients when you couldn’t find the sugar.

“Where is it…” You looked through cabinets, sure you’d seen the container at some point. Without sugar, you definitely weren’t going to finish this cake.

“Looking for this?” There was a smile on Ellie’s face as she set an unlabeled bag down next to your bowl. You relaxed and nodded. “Sorry, I was using it earlier. Totally forgot to put it back.”

“No worries at all,” you said, grabbing the measuring cup and adding the sugar to your bowl. “I was starting to worry I’d imagined it.”

“Hmm.” Ellie watched you work in silence for a few minutes. “What’s this for?”

“I’m making a cake… for Joel.” Your face warmed as a flash of annoyance shot across hers. She was well aware of what you were doing, having overheard you talking to Tommy. “I figured it’d be something nice for him.”

“That’s really sweet of you,” she smiled. “I’m sure he’ll love it.”

“I hope so,” you agreed.

Unfortunately, fortune seemed determined to make a fool of you.

You’d stopped at Joel’s house to deliver the cake, wanting to make it casual.

“Happy birthday,” you sang, holding up the cake with an eager look. Your heart beat nervously as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “It’s not much, but I hope you like it.”

“It’s amazing,” he whispered, heart constricting at the sweet gesture. It had been a long time since someone had baked him a birthday cake. “C’mon in. We can cut right into it.”

“Oh,” you smiled shyly, finding it hard to meet his eyes. “I don’t want to intrude.”

“You’re always welcome here,” he said, firm but still soft. “And I insist.”

“Okay.” You followed him inside, setting the cake on the table. Joel grabbed a couple of forks, plates, and a knife. “Is Ellie here? Should we cut some for her?”

“She’s off at Dina’s,” he shook his head. “It’s just us.”

“Well here, let me.” You cut into the cake, placing large slices on each plate. You sat down across from him, pushing a plate toward him. “Happy birthday, Joel.”

“It certainly is now.” You tried not to freak out as you took a bite. Joel did the same.

As soon as you started chewing, you realized it tasted… terrible. Gritty and salty. Anything but sweet and decadent. You reluctantly swallowed and cast a forlorn look at Joel, who was clearly trying to school his expression.

“This is disgusting,” you said, horrified. “I—I must’ve added salt instead of sugar. Fuck. I should’ve paid more attention, but I thought… Ellie handed me the sugar.”

“It’s…” Joel, bless his heart, tried to make it seem better than it was.

“Terrible,” you insisted, trying not to cry. “I’m so sorry. I ruined it all.”

“It’s not… the worst thing ever.”

“Joel.”

“It’s pretty bad,” he admitted with a grimace, “but it’s the thought. Even if that’s cliché.”

“Well,” you sighed with a grimace, “maybe next time will be better.”

Joel reached across the table and placed his hand on top of yours. His touch made your stomach flip. “It’s okay, really. Thank you for this.”

“Happy birthday,” you whispered. Your face was warm, and you swore you saw a light blush on his cheeks.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The second time you were sure that you had bad luck. Everyone has bad luck sometimes, right?

It was spring, finally warm enough not to require multiple layers. There was a barbecue going on, and Joel had asked if you wanted to go with him. He hadn’t said it was a date—but he hadn’t not.

You’d put on a sundress, feeling prettier than you had in a long time.

But as you walked to Joel’s house, something slippery on the porch made you slide off and into a lingering patch of mud.

A scream escaped your lips. You weren’t hurt—just covered in mud from head to toe. Your shoes had fallen off. Tears of frustration fell down your face, which only smeared the muck.

“Are you okay?” Joel ran outside, worried. When he saw what had happened, he had to fight a smile. He was glad you weren’t hurt—but it was a little funny. You let out a frustrated huff. He stepped off the porch and held out his hand. “Oh, darlin’.”

Just as you reached for him, he slipped and landed next to you. His surprised face made you giggle. Reaching over to wipe a spot off his cheek, you shook your head.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” He smiled. “I’d say we make a fine pair.”

“Unfortunately, I think we’ll have to clean up and change before we do anything,” you teased. Joel looked at you with nothing short of fondness. “Why’re you looking at me like that?”

“No reason,” he said, leaning in. You leaned in too. “I’m just thinking I’d really like to kiss you right now.”

“Oh?” You were ready to finally close the gap when the front door burst open.

“Hey!” Ellie’s voice made you both jump apart. “What happened?”

“Slipped and fell,” you both said in unison.

“You should be more careful,” she said directly to you, brown eyes hard. “Wouldn’t want anything to happen.”

Then she turned and went back inside. A shiver ran down your spine.

“C’mon.” Joel got to his feet and helped you up. “Let’s get you cleaned up, yeah?”

“Thanks,” you said softly.

Something inside your stomach twisted. Something was going on.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The third time you were sure that none of the things that had been happening were accidental.

Joel had asked you on a date—made it very clear it was a date. Even though it was just Joel, you were full of butterflies.

You settled on an outfit and went into the bathroom to finish getting ready. Everything needed to be perfect.

Until… you tried to leave the bathroom and couldn’t. You jiggled the knob, convinced it was stuck, but after a few seconds of no success, you realized you were locked in.

You exhaled sharply, trying not to panic. This wasn’t an accident—but you weren’t in real danger either.

You banged on the door. “Ellie! Let me out! Please let me out!”

No response. But you thought you heard creaking down the hall. She wasn’t coming back.

You sat on the toilet, head in your hands. This was the worst. All you had wanted was a date with Joel. You couldn’t even have that.

Eventually, you pried open the bathroom window, grateful you lived in a one-story house. You squeezed out and fell a few feet onto the hard ground with a small oof.

Brushing yourself off, you made your way to Joel’s house, ready to set things straight.

Only one light was on. He wasn’t home. Your heart sank.

You knocked loudly. “Ellie!”

After a moment, the door flew open. She stood there, surprised. You laughed bitterly. “Surprised to see me?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“Cut the shit,” you snapped, tears pricking at the back of your eyes. “Why have you been doing this to me? And don’t even try to lie—I know it’s been you.”

“I…” She didn’t even bother to lie. “Stay away from Joel. He doesn’t need you. We’re fine without you.”

“Is that what this is about? Me and Joel? Why does it—”

“He doesn’t need you,” she hissed. “Stay away from my dad.”

The door slammed in your face.

You stood there, stunned.

After a few moments, you trudged home, your heart heavy, when you heard your name being called. You turned to see Joel catching up.

“Hey,” he said, falling into step beside you. “What happened? I waited for over an hour, then went to check if you’d gone to—”

“I was locked in my bathroom.” You pinched the bridge of your nose. Joel stared at you, waiting for a punchline. But then he saw your expression—serious.

“I’m sorry, Joel. I didn’t mean to stand you up. I was really looking forward to tonight.”

“How did you…”

“Weird accident.”

“Is everything okay?” he asked, stopping and gently grabbing your wrist. You turned to face him, fighting back tears. He touched your cheek.

“Things have been a little… off lately.”

“Guess I’m just having a spot of bad luck,” you shrugged, refusing to say the real reason. As angry as you were with Ellie, you understood. Joel was her stability—and in her mind, you were a threat.

“It’s nothing, really.”

“Okay,” he said quietly. “Did you still want to grab dinner?”

“Actually, I kind of just want to go home.” You hated the way hope faded from his face.

“I’ll see you around, Joel. Have a good night.”

“Good night.” He gave your hand a squeeze but watched you walk away, his heart heavy.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Two weeks passed.

You caught glimpses of Joel, but that was it. It wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.

You missed him.

One night, as you were getting ready for bed, a knock came at your door. You almost ignored it—but you knew better. No one in Jackson would let you live it down.

With a sigh, you trudged to the door, already annoyed.

“What?” you asked before even looking—only to find Joel standing there, a bemused smile on his face.

You couldn’t stop yourself from smiling. “What are you doing here?”

“I think we should talk.” You swallowed thickly. “Can I come in?”

“Y-yeah.” You stepped aside and led him into the living room. You sat across the couch from him. “What’s up?”

“Ellie told me what happened,” he said. Your shock was evident. “She explained what she did.”

“Oh.”

“She said she hated seeing me so miserable all the time,” he continued, and you realized you weren’t the only one hurting. “She said she felt some remorse.”

“I don’t… I do blame her—because she did those things. But I can understand where she’s coming from.” You shrugged. “She’s trying to protect you. You’re her family. She doesn’t want to lose you. It’s her way of showing love. I can’t fault her for that.”

“I know,” he said. “She told me everything. But it doesn’t make what she did right. You could’ve been seriously hurt. I told her that no matter what happened between us, my love for her wouldn’t change.”

“Of course not.”

“But tell me… were you really ready to never speak to me again?”

“I mean… I wouldn’t be happy about it.” Your face flushed and you couldn’t meet his eyes. “But if that was best for everyone…”

“Do you really think that would’ve been best?”

“Well… no. Now it seems trivial.” You met his honeyed gaze—reverent, gentle. “I’m glad you’re here. I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” He scooted closer. You could feel the heat radiating from his body. “You still want me to stay away?”

“I’m kind of thinking I want you to finally kiss me.”

You didn’t know where the boldness came from, but it had been long enough.

“Is that so?”

“It is—”

Joel kissed you gently, cutting you off. It caught you off guard—but it was perfect.

“Yeah?” His hand was on your cheek, thumb stroking your skin.

“Again?” Your soft request made him chuckle. “Please?”

And he didn’t waste any time.

He kissed you again.

[playbucky]

Cowboy in a Pantsuit - M.R.

Description - Reader has been Gloria's assistant for almost three years, she has learned the ins and outs of her work, but no one knows her until a trauma means she's pulling on the gloves. Word Count - 2.1k Characters - Reader, Gloria, Robby, Dana, Langdon, Mel and mentions of other interns. Warnings - medical emergencies, medical inaccuracies, blood, trauma.

“Y/N, what can I help you with?” Dana greeted you with a forced smile. You weren’t stupid. You knew that no one liked Gloria, so no one liked you. “Gloria needs -,” You started before heavy footsteps rounded you. “I don’t have the time. She can try to corner me herself without sending her lackey down.” Robby grumbled, stretching an arm between you and Dand as he dropped a tablet onto the desk. You clenched your jaw and forced a smile. “Of course, I’ll pass the message on," you said, turning and walking away, then turning back. “I need you all to read this and sign it. Anyone whose signature isn’t on that document will be forced into a meeting with Gloria to discuss the rapid use of gloves.” You added, dropping the bundle of paper down. Dana looked amused as Robby jumped. “You should be nicer to them.” Dana said, Robby looked at her. “Why?” “You’re taking your frustration with Gloria out on them.” She said, he pinched the bridge of his nose over his glasses.

Walking into the ED caused you to freeze. Three gurneys were being wheeled in, vitals quickly listed off to anyone nearby, and Dana was guiding everyone to where they needed to be. Interns had panic on their faces, the shock of how quickly the day can turn. Dana directed one of the gurneys towards you, into the trauma room, before she and everyone else were pulled away when one of the others' vitals suddenly dropped. You tried to walk away, but the patient near you struggled to breathe, his hand came up to his chest, and you watched. You noticed the paperwork you were looking for, and the boxes of gloves that sat there. Sighing, you plucked a pair from the box and pulled them on. Making your way into the trauma room, you watched the screen; the vitals moved quickly. You opened your mouth to ask him some questions, but his head lolled to the side, his oxygen tanked and a silent curse passed your lips. Opening the tray, you found the incubation tube. Tearing the packaging off, you moved above the man, opening his jaw and placing the tube into his mouth. “What are you doing?” Robby asked, you stood at the head of the bed and easily slid the tube down the man’s throat.  You attached the bag to the end and started to pump the air in. A nurse appeared beside you and took over, glancing cautiously at Robby. You ignored him and walked to the patient's side again, carefully resting your hands on either side of his chest, feeling his ribs move underneath. His right-hand side felt bumpy, something had been moved or broken. “Gloria will have your head, you’re not trained.” He hissed, his hand wrapping around your elbow, you yanked it away. “I am," you hissed, pulling the man’s shirt wider, you watched the nurses place more pads on his chest, “Went through medical school and more, just like all the doctors here, so can we please work on the patients?” “You can’t give orders.” He argued, you dropped your hands and faced him. “Look Michael, Jack's the closest and probably twenty minutes away still, so please either help me or give me Mel.” You said, watching the man’s vitals continue to drop. “What has he got?” “He passed out before I could ask, but it's possible punctured lung, right side, going with the bruises.” You told him, gesturing to the purples and blues blooming. Robby pulled his stethoscope from his neck and placed it on his chest. You watched as his eyebrows furrowed together. He straightened and nodded, “You figured that out without any help?” Looking at you. “His chest was moving only on one side, point of contact and all that.” You used two fingers to point to the area. “He’s gonna need scans.” Robby said, you nodded and went to walk away, but the frantic beeping sounded, and both of your heads whipped around. “He’s crashing.” Robby said, he stepped around you as you placed your hand on the patient’s stomach, which had turned tight. “He’s bleeding out.” The beeping continued, the curtain was pulled back, and neither of you looked up. “All operating rooms are full.” Dana announced, and you glanced at her as she shared a look with Robby, nurses noticing your presence as well. “We could do it here?” You suggested, Dana’s eyebrow raised as Robby straightened. “It’s against protocol.” Dana and Robby said, you straightened. “Get us gowned up. I’ll take the blame if anything comes down.” You told them. They looked at you, and the nurses moved to place the cover over you.

“What are you doing?” Gloria’s voice cut through, you had just left a trauma room, everyone stopped to watch the interaction. “Working.” “This isn’t working.” “Gloria you know where my roots lie, I’m not going to be a bitch when someone’s dying.” You told her point blank, small murmurs filled the space, that force once had fallen quieter. “And there are doctors here to do that.” She said, you bite your tongue before removing your stained gloves and chucking them into the bin. “Y/N.” She went to apologise, pursing your lips whilst nodding. “No,” you held your hands up. Gloria, you made it clear. Let me get changed, and then I’ll grab your lunch, and we can ponder over how to better patient satisfaction.” You told her, and without giving her a chance to answer, you pushed past her, ignoring the looks from everyone else.

Exiting the building, you crossed to the car park, your heels clicking in the cement and digging into your heels. Reaching the aisle where your car was parked, you noticed the tall figure lingering around. “I should call security for you lingering around my car.” You commented, he lifted his head and looked at you, you walked around your car. “Why didn’t you tell us?” Robby asked, you raised a shoulder as you stood at your door. “Why didn’t you ask?” You asked back before scoffing. “Oh wait, you automatically thought I was a snobby woman who tried to change the way ED’s work without having worked in one.” “I’m sorry.” He apologised, and you looked at him before you nodded. “Where did you work?” He asked. “West Penn.” You grumbled. “Can I ask why you left there?” He questioned, you dropped your chin before lifting your head again. “It was either have my entire career ruined or move here and keep my certificates.” You admitted, holding eye contact with him. “You must’ve pissed someone off.” “Oh, I did.” You agreed with the statement, “But it seems like I do that daily, so not much has changed.” You said, you unlocked your car, pulling the door open. “You want a lift back?” You offered, he shook his head and took a small step backwards. “No, no thanks. I need to go back in and catch Jack for changeovers," he said, gesturing back to the hospital. You nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning then.” “I’ll be here.” He replied, you have each other a right smile before he stepped back and you ducked inside.

“How are you feeling?” Robby asked, you sent him a glance as he walked by your side. “I did something that might piss you off.” Robby admitted, your eyebrows furrowed as you looked at him. “Do I need to alert HR?” You quizzed, stopping at your office door. “No, well, not unless you want to report me.” He said, his shoulder resting on the wall against your office door. “For what?” “I have a friend at West Penn -,” “Unbelievable.” You muttered, twisting to your office. “Twelve cases, ten of which had serious lifelong disabilities because of him.” He said, following you into your office, you remained silent as you removed your coat and headed towards your desk. You walked to your desk, pulling the chair out before you dropped into it. You set your bag on the floor and the water bottle on a small coaster. Robby rested his curled hands on the desk. You opened your laptop and switched it on. “Y/N.” He said, you closed your eyes before looking up to him. “It was closer to fifty, Robby.” You said, slouching back into your seat, he looked at you. “I could only prove the twelve malpractice cases, but it was almost fifty, so you can see why I had to move.” You told him. He remained silent as you straightened, focusing on your laptop.

“Y/N?” Dana called, your headache had been inching its way forward all day, since Gloria had called you into a meeting before nine o’clock this morning. “What?” You snapped, turning to them, “Sorry.” You said softly, they took in your run-down appearance, and under your eyes had hollowed. “Is everything okay?” Robby questioned, you tilted your head back and inhaled deeply, blinking as you focused on him. “Yeah, it’s your best day since I’ve been fired.” You announced. “What?” Dana and Robby both stood, you chuckled before shaking your head. “Why?” “Gloria’s bosses got wind of me helping, said that it was against my rules, and I should be ashamed that I put the person's life at risk.” You explained, Robby pulled off his glasses, rubbing his face as Dana shook her head. “You saved him.” He stated, you raised a shoulder as Langdon walked over, placing his tablet on the desk. “May seem that way, but it’s against my contract.” You said. “Yet you’re down here.” Langdon said, your gaze snapped to him. “Yeah, pretty boy, thought I’d come warn you of the shit that coming your way.” You almost snarled, Langdon’s eyes widened slightly at your sharp response. “Y/N, what’s happening?” “One of the bosses is coming in to check everything, dot the I’s and cross the t’s, so all politeness will vanish.” You warned them. “You’re letting them fire you?” Robby questioned. “I keep my words.” You told him, knocking your knuckles against the desk before walking away.

“Why are you here?” You asked. Robby stood in your doorway, his dark eyes taking in your relaxed appearance, having only seen you in iron and sharp clothes. “Has Gloria phoned you yet?” “No,” you watched as he rubbed your hands together, “Do you want to come in?” You asked, stepping to the side allowing him to enter. “Why would she be phoning me?” “To offer you a job.” He said, stopping behind your couch, he took in the discarded blanket and book. “Funny.” You said, he shook his head. “I’m being serious, I put up with the devil, and we talked about what should happen.” He tried to joke, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Gloria understands the sacrifice you made to report the doctor, she wants to help you compile a case so you can go against him.” He explained, your eyebrows pinched together, “and that she’d be willing to allow you to start working in the ED.” “What?” “Why are you being so nice?” You quizzed, crossing your arms over your chest, having Robby in your apartment made it feel tiny. “I’m trying to make up for the times I treated you like shit.” He shrugged, hands tucked into the pockets of the worn hoodie. “I can’t put everyone at risk. He’s a powerful doctor, and I don’t want him to go after you or anyone.” “Y/N, it would be a waste of your training if you sat in an office.” He said. “Thank you.” “Answer the phone when Gloria calls, please.” He said, you nodded, and he turned back to your front door, you followed behind him. “Robby?” You asked, he turned to you and stumbled back as you wrapped your arms around him. He hesitated for a second before wrapping his arms around you, gently squeezing you. You took in the warmth he gave off before pulling back and looking at him. “Thank you.” You replied, he nodded, twisting to open the door. “I’ll see you at work.” He said, you smiled and nodded. Robby walked away, hearing you shut your door before he let a smile take over his face. He only sobered up when he saw his reflection in the mirror when the elevator doors opened.

Tags - @breadsquash @riotsuns @ego-allie-bap @ultimate-geek14 @isla-finke-blog @crabbygabby @snowflames-world @elkitot @internetmultifandomfangirl @swiftie-4-lifes-stuff @readergf @agirlwholuvstoread @nihilophobias @omgbrainab @bruher @glitteryturtledeer @chaoticmessneutralplease @cycram0 @princesssunderworld @ilariyalavorowrites @overduelibrarybooks @dev525 @maroonbuttercup @evans-dejong @ay0nha @luminous-99 @velvetpucks @ninasemcafeina @im-nowhere-but-also-somewhere @brnesblogposts @trustme3-13 @mxacegrey @lol-im-done @girljusttrying97 @3am-at-a-party @nixandtonic @riotsuns @notsochillnerd @marianatrenchprobably @stqrs-thoughts @thatchickwiththecamera @dark-twisted-and-mechanical-mind

[bernardsbendystraws]

ೃ࿔*:･ Snow .ᐟ Reader x FWB.ᐟ Matt

ALTERNATE ENDING - You're finally ready to talk.

⚠︎ angst, unresolved ending, bitch i'm fucking crying idek what else to say

[ Can be standalone. Previous - P1 P2 P3 ] → au masterlist

The more you thought about it, the more you needed it to stop. All of it—everything, it’s all too fucking much. One moment you were in a drought of emotions, then Matt called you out—he triggered a flood. You’re drowning. 

You like him—you liked when he played the role of being your boyfriend for a brief moment, but it was more than that, it was far more atrocious than just a simple fond feeling. 

“Hey, can we talk now?” Matt asks, patting your knee as you sit side-by-side on your living room couch. 

You told him to come over, you said you were finally ready to talk. In all reality, you’re not ready, but you know you’ll never be ready—not for this type of conversation. 

“I don’t wanna do this anymore, Matt.” 

The words are choked coming out of your mouth. You try to hold your breath, trying not to cry as you feel the waves of emotions thrashing against every corner of your mind and heart. 

Oh god.

The look on his face is dreadful, defeat clouding his features as a stray tear falls down his cheek, quickly accompanied by more droplets that seem to get heavier in weight from how rapidly they scurry down his face. 

This is it. It’s really happening—it’s really over. 

“What?” he asks, his throat feeling unbearably tight as he tries to take in a deep breath. 

It hurts. No thought in your brain can agree, no throbbing in your chest is eased to feel relief, not like you hoped it would. 

This is supposed to be for the better. 

Honestly, the more you thought, the more you realized you did have feelings for him—feelings your brain wouldn’t let you concentrate on without pushing relentless words that made everything so confusing. 

You can’t be with him. Your heart has been bruised and battered to the point where you can barely care for yourself. He deserves better. 

The tears strolling down his face make all the second thoughts come rushing in before being mirrored back with affirmation—this is for the better. 

All you do is hurt him. You can’t even figure out how to be happy for yourself, you’d only drag him down. You can’t be that selfish. 

Matt is sweet, caring—he’s everything pure about the world with enough understanding to get into anyone’s heart. It’d be unfair for you to have him, hold him hostage from all the things he deserves—all the things you’ll never be able to give him.

“I’m sorry,” you sigh, your chest binding with pressure as your breath halts in your chest. 

Matt’s bottom lip wobbles, his mouth opening and closing as he tries to find the right words. “Are…are you sure? I—just—why? I…I know this is scary, but we can—”

The shake of your head makes his lips smack shut, a desperate attempt at holding back a sob as he realizes the determination in your eyes. This is it—this is all he’ll ever have with you, and it’s over. 

“I can’t do this right now. My…my heads everywhere, I don’t—it’s gonna be okay, Matt,” you coo, your brows scrunches as you pat his shoulder.

Matt goes to put his hand on top of yours, stopping as he realizes it’ll be the last time he ever holds your hand. He can’t do it. 

His hand falls to his lap, a burning sensation crawling through his knuckles as he aches to reach up and intertwine your fingers—but he can’t. He’s not sure if he’ll be able to let go.

A moment of silence passes. Matt rubs his hands over his face, trying to gather himself as your hand drops from his shoulder while he stands up. His eyes stay trained on the floor. Shame makes your body freeze as he grabs his keys from his pocket. 

“I’ll…I’m just gonna…I’m gonna go,” he puffs, his throat squeezing as he says the painful words. 

You stay frozen, your heart aching. It’s like a heavy ice block in the middle of your chest as you watch him walk through the door, a cold so shocking that it burns.

Matt walks through the door, shutting it behind himself, refusing to take glance over his shoulder. He can’t. He knows his heart will try to convince him to stay—to beg on his knees and plead with his entire soul, but that’s not fair to you. 

The words left your lips after you said you were ready to talk, after you had time to think. It wouldn’t be fair for him to try and convince you. He cares too much to interfere with your decision, no matter how much it breaks him to understand that this is truly it—the end. 

A slight glimpse of how he walked into that door with a bouquet of flowers rings through your mind, a small smile pulling on your lips before you breathe in reality. It’s impossible to reminisce happily about the memory. Instead, you feel something shatter—like ice shards stabbing through your chest in a way that makes you too aware of how you’re breathing. 

He’s gone. 

He’s really fucking gone. 

All the good times, all the fun things…they’re all just memories. 

That’s all he’ll ever be now. 

He’s a memory. 

A/N: Someone hug me I'm fucking sobbing holy shit. Sorry in advance. Especially to @weirdothatwritess @chrisbratt333 @sturnsblogs @lovesturni0l0s and more 😭😭😭

ITS AN ALTERNATE ENDING DW. THE OG ENDING IS RESOLVED.

·˚ ༘ ʚ 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒊𝒈 𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒔, 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆 𖧧

꒰ 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ๑ 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ๑ 𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ꒱

[therainscene]

Gonna be a bit of a buzzkill here, but: I think what annoys me about Ted's been casually assuming that Mike was dating Will this whole time theories is that they always tend to treat it as a fun outcome.

Like, I get it: Ted's the useless one-dimensional suburban dad who makes bland observations he thinks are insightful quips, and he hasn't had much of a character arc beyond getting dragged along for the ride his more three-dimensional wife is on -- so what is there for him to do, really, other than to delight us with one final, genuinely insightful joke that subverts our expectations but makes perfect sense in hindsight?

But I feel like this would essentially make him one of those "allies" whose egos are more important to them than actually being supportive, and so they make smug jokes about how accepting they are at the expense of their kids' fear of rejection:

"I hate my gay son! Oh, not because he's gay, he's just an asshole." 🤭 "Why are you telling me you're gay? I figured that out years ago. Stop crying and go help your mother with the dishes." 🙄 etc.

It wouldn't be out of character for Ted to do this. I can totally see him doing it! But it's out of character for the show to make light of queer struggles, so I'd expect it to be critical of Ted for doing this.

Often, parents like the ones described above really do mean well, but they just don't know what they're supposed to do other than try to keep treating their kid the same as if they were straight. Lots of parents struggle with that; I'd argue even Joyce does in S3:

Will's clearly experiencing a specifically queer difficulty here -- boys like him aren't allowed to fall in love and he's upset about having to watch straight people openly enjoy things he thinks he'll never have -- and that apparently sails over Joyce's head. She just smiles at her Silly Immature Boy Who Doesn't Get The Appeal Of Sex Yet and drops the topic.

[Edit: To be clear, Joyce knows he's gay and is explicitly showing support for gay love here. She just has a blind spot when it comes to the gay teen experience.]

It's a disappointing change in her approach from the first two seasons, in which she fought her ass off to understand and advocate for his needs, even when communication seemed nigh impossible.

But then, maybe S3 is about granting Will his S2 wish to not be coddled by his mom anymore.

The Jonwill heart-to-heart at the end of S4 is my favourite scene in the whole show, because it's a pitch-perfect demonstration of how to balance closeted queer kids' need for support against their need to handle things on their own terms, all without embarrassing them by showing your hand of Already Knowing.

Maybe you're thinking: didn't Karen do exactly this with Mike all the way back in S1?

[Literally hiding his future beard in his closet during this convo lol 10/10 queer-coding]

Well, no. The point I made in my previous Wheeler analysis still applies: Karen, as of S1, is too prone to trusting dangerous authorities over her own kids -- and so her words ring hollow. She means well, but deep down she's prioritizing her need to feel like a good mother over putting any real effort into figuring out what Mike needs: reassurance that he and his flock of outcast friends will be safe if he's open with her.

The key thing Jonathan gets right is to understand his brother well enough to directly address the underlying fear that's been preventing Will from opening up:

So if Ted's sole contribution to Mike's queer arc ends up being a reveal that he's always known and been too cool to blab to anyone, but also that he did nothing about it other than to smugly wait for Mike to come out...?

...I just think that would feel more tragic than funny.

[wlwsoccerfics]

Drunk Kisses (LotteWubbenMoyXReader)

A/N: i know we didn't win the League. This Is Just fiction.

Summary: you and the Team celebrate winning the League and drunk kisses are happening.

You and Lotte went to college together. With Alessia of course. That's how long you have known one another. It's also the amount of time you had a crush on Lotte. Alessia was very much aware of your crush on your teammate cause she had been the one having to listen to your rants about how much you liked Lotte. Which later turned into you being hopelessly in love with her. What you didn't know was that Alessia had to listen to Lotte saying the same stuff about you. In fact Alessia had tried to get the two to admit your feelings for one another multiple times. It never worked, obviously.

You met up with the Team at a Club to celebrate winning the League. You wore a black Jumpsuit and had left your Hair in his Natural state. Which meant it was full on curls for you.

"she looks like an Angel." Lotte whispered out to Alessia who was standing next to her. Drink in hand. Sighing softly to herself. Probably tired of the bullshit she had to Deal with regarding the two of you. It was loud at the Club. You walked over to them after you got yourself a drink as well. No Idea what Lotte had just said. Unfortunately. Cause this would have meant that finally things would have been out in the Open.

"hey less, hey Lo, you two alright?" You wanted to know. Sipping on your Drink.

"hey y/n, yes we sure are. How are you?" The blonde Stargirl asked. You smiled at her and then at Lotte. Lotte blushed softly. Or at least you thought she did.

"i am well. Lotte, you look so pretty in that Outfit." You said softly.

"you really think so?" Lotte asked and now you saw that she was in fact blushing.

"yes i do!" You said nervously. Blushing a bit as well. Looking at Alessia now. She chuckled a bit. Excusing herself to get another drink. So you stood in the corner with Lotte. No one else from the Team in sight.

You and Lotte stayed quiet for a few minutes. It never was a problem for you. Since you have been friends for such a long time. But now it made you feel nervous and stressed. So you quickly finished your drink. Lotte did the same with her dirnk.

"want to grab another drink? It's on me!" You suggested. Lotte smiled softly. She was still nervous. So were you.

"yes sure. but you don't have to pay for my drink!"Lotte told you.

"but i want to." You let her know.

You walked to the bar next to one another and ordered your Drinks. You paid and Lotte thanked you. Walking back to a Corner of the Club. It was a bit more quiet there.

Alessia was standing in another Corner with a few of your teammates.

"do you think today will be the day they admit their love for one another to one another?" Caitlin asked. Kyra had her head sideways, staring at the two of you, like she was trying to Analyse the Situation.

"i mean, These two are in Love since our College days. They are just really stupid and haven't figured that out yet. I mean Look how many times we have tried to get them to admit it to one another!" Alessia stated.

"i am sure they gonna kiss tonight. Because they are already slightly tipsy. Look how close they are standing next to eachother." Kyra said.

"oh, y/n has her hand on Lottes waist!" Katie commented.

The two of you were giggling in the Corner. After the third drink you two were in your own little world. You didn't think alot in that moment when you pulled Lotte close. She didn't think much when she kissed you back. It was very gentle, very sweet but full of emotions. At this point the entire Team was watching from across the room.

"finally!" Alessia said. And the entire Team, including Renée agreed.

"took them long enough." Leah said.

"Lia you owe me Money now!" Kim told her. Mariona chuckled softly.

"told you they would kiss today!" She let Lia know. Kim and Lia had a bet, Lia said you two wouldn't kiss today and Kim said you would.

"damn! But i mean worth the 20€. Cause i was hoping they would find one another!" Lia admitted.

"i think everyone was. Especially Lessi, cause she had been dealing with their bullshit since the College days." Beth told them.

"oh yes. I am relieved. But let's wait and see how this plays Out and If they are actually together by the end or the night or in the Morning." Alessia answered.

Then they got into a disscusion about how that would play out and not paying attention to the two of you. So they didn't notice you and Lotte sneaking Out of the Club and walking to your place. Which was only a few minutes away from your Home. On the way to your place the two of you held Hand. The fresh air making sure you become more sober by each Minute that passed.

"lo? I have something to tell you." You spoke up.

"what is it?" She asked, looking concerned now.

"i have been in love with you, since our College days! And i was too afraid to tell you! Because i didn't want to ruin our friendship. You are actually the reason i broke up with my First ever girlfriend cause all i could think about was being with you! And i am sorry If you don't feel the same and just want to hook up." You stammered out all of sudden.

"oh my god! Y/n i feel the same!" Lotte stated and pulled you in for another kiss. Holding you close. As close as possible actually. You did the same. Not wanting to let go of her.

It took another twenty minutes to reach your place but let's say you had alot of catching up to do for the time you lost, not knowing how you felt about one another. And showed up to Team Lunch together the next day.

[motherofpirates]

“Dustin called he wants to have a movie night round my place. So, here I am looking for movies, because I am now apparently one his father figures.” Eddie gave a put-upon sigh that Steve recognised.

“Sucks to be you man.” Steve commiserated. “Did you walk here? You didn’t pull any stitches, did you? That must have taken you forever.”

“No, sweetheart, I did not pull any stitches. I took my time and waited for my meds to kick in before I left. I can’t get anywhere any other way, not got the all clear to drive until next week. Besides my van is still on your drive, Harrington, I hope you’re taking good care of her.”

“The best, man, she’s chilling on a big ole drive in the shade up in Loch Nora. I can take you to see her after work so you can check up on her if you like.”

Robin punched him on the arm, “Aren’t you supposed to be taking me home, dingus?”

The store’s phone began to ring, as Robin was closest to it, she picked up.

“Hello, Family Video, Robin speaking how may I help?” She made a face and shoved the phone into Steve’s hand. “It’s one of your children.”

“Yello?”

“Steve? Thank god, I need a ride to Eddie’s-“ Dustin started.

“We all need a ride to Eddie’s!” Lucas interrupted.

“I can’t believe you made Eddie walk here when he just got out of hospital last week, do you have any idea how inconsiderate that is?”

“He didn’t get hurt, did he?” Asked Dustin.

“Well, no… But that’s not the point.” Blustered Steve.

“Everything is fine then. No need to worry, wind in the need to mother-hen, Steve, he’s a big boy.” Steve rested his head on the counter and groaned. Eddie and Robin rubbed his back in commiseration.

“Exactly how many of you need a ride to Eddie’s?” There was some muttering as someone executed a head count.

“…Six…” Said Lucas.

“Can’t Nance take you in her Station Wagon?”

“She’s out somewhere with Jonathon and Argyle.” Shouted Mike.

It was Steve’s turn to give a put-upon sigh, to which Eddie and Robin laughed. Eddie began to look for movies that he thought the younger members of the Party would like. “I can’t wait for one of you little shits to learn to drive because you will be chauffeuring my ass around Hawkins.”

“You know, you love it, dumbass.” Max informed him.

“You’re not all gonna fit in my car, some of you are going to have to bike there.”

This statement caused uproar at the other end of the phone; Steve pulled the handset away from his ear as a squabble ensued.

“They have zero fucking chill.” He complained to Robin and Eddie. “I’m going to go prematurely grey.”

“We could take my van,” Suggested Eddie.

“I’ll drive.”

Eddie harrumphed.

“Hey, dingus, I still need to get home.” Robin reminded him.

“Why are you so desperate to get home, Birdie, you got a hot date?” Eddie asked from the horror section he had drifted over to; Robin threw an empty video case at his head.

“Rude.” He retorted as it narrowly missed him, he didn’t look up from his browsing.

“For your information I need to tell my parents I got into college.”

Steve was trying to get the kids over the phone to listen because they were still arguing.

“Can you guys shut up and listen for once in your lives!” He yelled trying to get them to notice him. “We’re coming to get you in Eddie’s van, you can all chill the fuck out!”

“Language, Steve, there’s children present.” Replied Dustin sarcastically, followed by laughter from the younger members of the Party in the background.

“Carry on and you’ll be the only one walking there, Henderson.” Steve threatened.

“As if you’d do that to me.”

“Want to try me, it might help with your attitude. Now where do I need to get you from?”

“Mike’s please.”

“That’s better, we’ll see you in-.” Dustin had got what he wanted and had put the phone down.

Steve groaned in frustration. “I’ll drop you off before we go to my house to get the van, Rob.”

“Make sure to make them wait, they deserve it for being obnoxious little shits anyway.” Eddie said as he brought his video choices up to the counter. “You dropped this.” He handed the empty case back to Robin.

“They get their obnoxiousness off you, you know.” She accused Eddie pointing the video case at him for emphasis as she rang up his videos.

“What can I say it’s a talent.” He shrugged.

____________________________________

If you enjoyed this snippet please head on over to AO3, my fic is entitled I Want You to Want Me.

[dragonakito360]

HELLOOO! Could you write Sabo x Maid of a celestial dragon!reader? Like, he save her from the stupids celestial dragons. It can be my genre fluff, angst or smut. This man is too hot (oh of course, he eat Mera Mera no Mi. YOHOHOHOHOHOHO💀)

My Saviour

⋆｡°✩ Pairing: Sabo x Maid!Reader

⋆｡°✩ Summary: Sabo rescues a maid from the Celestial Dragons, but she only comes to fear him.

⋆｡°✩ Content Tags: Reader has trauma, mild violence, small mentions of abuse, angst, hurt (not from Sabo) with comfort, eating disorder if you squint (Reader is malnourished and refuses to eat), that’s pretty much it I think.

⋆｡°✩ Word Count: 2,650 words

⋆｡°✩ Lorekeeper's Notes: I have no clue why the formatting for the pictures looks weird in the Doflamingo fic (on pc), hopefully this one looks better. I’ll admit, this isn’t my best work, this would probably fit better as a series than a oneshot. Next request hopefully will be done by Tuesday.

How long have you been here?

How long has it been since you were caged?

A day or two, you suppose. Fed scraps of food along with the other slaves in cages, trapped in a dark room at sea.

No, you were caged for far longer than that.

You had been serving as a maid to a Celestial Dragon for years now, perhaps even a decade. It was a hell, a life you wished you could escape from.

Not even in dreams were you safe, as nightmares plagued you each night.

“Hey gurlie, you gonna finish that?” You hear a voice call from the cage next to you. You look over to see burly man, pointing to a scrap of bread you had leftover. A former pirate captain, if you had to guess.

“I can spare a little.” You offered, picking up the piece of bread. You dropped it as you flinched, looking down at your bruised hands. With a pained expression, you start to recall the day’s events. The Celestial Dragon you worked under had gotten into a foul mood, taking it out on you when you messed up his cup of tea. He smacked a heavy centerpiece down on your hands multiple times, before sending you to the second ship following his. It was a dingy one, old and clearly having seen better days. Most of the slaves were kept there, “Filthy, worthless slaves have no place on my ship.” was the despicable man’s principle.

You picked up the piece of bread again, tearing a piece off and throwing it over to your neighbor. He picked it up, swallowing it whole since there was nothing much to begin with. “Thank you, gurlie.” He bowed his head in gratitude, something you didn’t expect, but the man’s spirit was broken, he no longer had a will to be defiant and fight. You sighed and leaned back against the cage bars, hoping to get more rest while you still can. That was until you were jolted from your spot, hitting the other side of the cage. The ship had stopped abruptly, as if stopped by a powerful force. The slaves who still had energy all rose from their cages, trying to catch a glimpse through the grate above. Screams could be heard all throughout the ship as an unseen fight rages. When it ends, you heard a young male’s voice call, his silhouette peering in.

“Over here! I see people down there!” He spoke with a commanding voice, breaking the grate’s lock and flipping it open. The man jumped down, examining the room before him. From what you could make out, he was a tall, blond man around your age, sporting a coat and top hat. “This is terrible. don’t worry, I’ll get you all out of here. Did you guys find any keys?” He asked, before a keyring was dropped down, landing in his open hand. The blonde started opening the cages, removing each of the collars with haki and tossing them away, exploding on the ceiling and breaking it apart. As light streamed in, you could make out more figures aboard the ship, presumably the blonde’s comrades.

You were snapped out of your thoughts when you heard the cage door open, a hand reaching through. The man gave you a warm smile. “It’s okay, we’re getting all of you out of here.” He assured. You stared at him with a cautious, reluctant expression, unsure if you can trust his words. You knew well that the only way out of being a slave was through death. You had seen it time and again, and it was through sheer luck you were still breathing. “C’mon, take my hand.” The man gestured for you to come closer. Without much of a choice, you took his hand and exited the cage, the collar being swiftly removed. “I think that’s all of them! Koala, is the ship ready?”

“We’re all set! Just waiting on you!” A female voice called out as a ladder drops from above.

“E-Excuse me.” You spoke up, causing the man to look at you. “Where are you taking us…?”

“We’ll be taking you to our ship. You’ll be safe there.” Your eyes widen at his words, you had heard them from before, long ago. Your breath hitched in your throat, hands trembling as memories flooded through your mind. You wanted to turn heel and run, out of poor instinct, but where are you to run? This man surely has many comrades at the ship’s deck.

You take a deep breath. Listen to them for now, you thought. For what it’s worth, wherever this man and his crew took you would be better than staying with the Celestial Dragon.

After the blonde man’s crew took you in, you were taken to their ship’s infirmary, where they assessed all the slaves’ wounds. They dressed your bruised hands with care, better than the simple self-care you had grown accustomed to. Over time, you had come to learn the girl’s name; Koala. She had a bright smile that eased your nerves, and yet, you couldn’t shake off the dread you felt. This whole situation, being stuck in a ship with people you were unfamiliar with, it brought back terrible memories from when you were first kidnapped.

It didn’t help that the man running the operation, Sabo, was constantly around.

He gave orders, checked on everything on the ship and even went to the infirmary every so often. His demeanor was similar to the slave dealer who had kept you; a happy, well dressed man.

Your mind raced, full of thoughts and emotions. What did these people want with you? With everyone? Were they really what you thought, bold slave dealers re-selling all of you for a higher profit?

Then again… They didn’t put a damned collar on you. But you didn’t know if the same was true for those outside the infirmary.

You were snapped out of your thoughts when you heard the infirmary door open. Koala stepped inside, holding what looked like a clipboard. She took a look around, checking and marking her clipboard every now and again. She then approached your bed, it was the one at the back of the room by your request.

“How are you feeling?” She asked with a warm smile. “You were the least injured, but I heard you’re malnourished. Did you eat…” Koala trailed off, noticing the untouched bowl of soup. It had a film at the top, an indication of how long it’s been sitting there. “You didn’t eat any of it?”

“I took a few spoonfuls, I’m not that hungry.” You lied, forcing a reassuring smile for the issue to not be pressed further. The brunette pouted, seeing through it immediately.

“You should eat more, you’re incredibly unhealthy!” She scolded, leaning forward to meet your gaze. “We’ll be docking at an island soon, don’t you want to leave this ship?”

You froze. An island? No, no, not Sabaody again. You don’t want to go back and be sold to another damned Celestial Dragon or World Noble. Staying on this ship would be the only way too avoid that fate. Being at the mercy of the powerful was like waiting for death.

“-Are you even listening?” You looked over to Koala, giving her another smile as you rub the back of your head.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be sure to eat more.” She simply sighed at your words, knowing there’d be no point trying to argue with you. You knew that she most likely knew of your behavior on this ship, how you’ve barely eaten anything. It wasn’t a risk you were willing to take, and for all you knew, they could be poisoning you.

“You’d better. And you should eat dinner too, okay?” Koala advised, her tone gentle and full of concern. She headed for the door, presumably to report back to Sabo.

Sabo stood by the ship’s bow, enjoying the cool breeze that blew in that part of the sea. He was ditching work to rest and watch the sea. Koala and everyone can handle everything, besides, they can just call him if they need him. As he gazed at the vast waters, he smiled brightly. Maybe he’ll be able to get away with slacking off–

“Sabo!” Spoken too soon, he thought, as he heard Koala’s voice call. “We’ve got a problem.”

“Depending how big it is, hand it over to Hack.” He replied with a dismissive wave, pretending to be disinterested. Koala let out a groan and pinched Sabo’s cheeks harshly.

“This is serious! It’s about one of the patients in the infirmary. She hasn’t been eating much for the past few days, just water and the occassional bread.”

“Has she asked for a different meal? Maybe she’s not big on soup. We’ve got meat, fish, shellfish–”

“She hasn’t asked for anything at all. She’s malnourished, it’s dangerous for her not to eat a balanced meal.” Sabo paused and put his hand to his chin, thinking about what to do next. He knew the issue had to be addressed immediately, and as the ship’s captain, he had responsibility for those onboard.

“I’ll take care of it. Can you ask the chef to bring over a fresh bowl of soup?”

“Were you listening? I said she doesn’t eat–”

“Make it two! And I’ll convince her, trust me! I’ll talk her into eating.” Koala raised a brow, a taunting smirk on her face.

“You? Really?” Sabo couldn’t help but snicker at her playful doubt. He’ll find a way, he always does.

Sabo entered the infirmary, bright smile on his face as he carried the tray of food. He didn’t sport his signature hat and coat, choosing to leave it in his room to have a simple, humble appearance. He walked to the back of the room, spotting you immediately. He walked on over, and the moment you took notice, your eyes widened in surprise. Taking a deep breath, you composed yourself, not giving any hint of fear. To the best of your ability, anyway.

“Hey!” Sabo greeted happily, pulling up a nearby chair to sit by your bedside. He set the bowls down, one at your bedside table and the other on his lap. “I heard you haven’t been eating much, why is that?”

“Oh, well… I’m not really hungry.” As if on cue, your stomach betrayed you, growling loudly to both the smell and sight of food.

“Not hungry, huh? I heard that stomach loud and clear!” He laughed, holding his bowl to not let any soup tipover and spill. He looked at you with a warm, reassuring smile. “There’s no need to hide it, let’s eat! The soup the chef makes is really good, but if you don’t want it, I can ask them to make whatever you’d like.”

You nodded, taking the bowl of soup and setting it down on your lap. You stared at it, watching your reflection before stirring it slowly. Sabo ate his portion, expecting you to follow suit. When he noticed your still movements, he lowered his spoon and looked at you with an expectant gaze, whether it was for you to eat or request a meal, you couldn’t tell.

“… What are you going to do with us?” You spoke up, meeting his gaze. Sabo paused, caught off guard with the strange question.

“The ones on the ship who are in good shape will be taken to an island we’re affiliated with. As for everyone in the infirmary, well, we’ll be taking you all to a different island when you’re all better.”

“Why?” Sabo raised a brow, not expecting that response from you. You swallowed the lump in your throat before you continued. “Don’t take them to Sabaody!”

“Sabaody? We’re not taking them to Sabaody.”

“Don’t lie!” In a fit of panicked rage, you threw the bowl of soup out of your lap, the hot liquid splashing on Sabo’s clothes. Your eyes widened, realizing what you had done. Your lip quivered as your trembling hands grabbed the blanket. “I-I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry.” Your knelt in front of the blonde, using the cloth and wiping his clothes in an effort to clean the mess you made. Sabo looked at you with a serious, hardened expression, one full of concern and frustration at your sudden action. But it wasn’t frustration towards your outburst, no, it was toward the Celestial Dragon who had instilled fear into you, and the distrust towards others.

“Stop, you can stop.” He spoke softly, a hint of sternness to truly make sure you cease your actions. He helped you up to your feet, sitting you down on your bed. “I need to know the truth. What did you think we were up to?” Your eyes widened slightly, your breath hitched as your heart started to pound. Sensing your distress, Sabo’s expression softened, placing a hand on your shoulder. “I’m not going to be mad. I just wanted to know why you’re so cautious of everyone.”

“… I thought… The Revolutionary Army are a bunch of slave dealers, and you were going to bring us to Sabaody to sell us back to the auction house.” You averted your gaze, afraid to see his reaction. You didn’t know if you prefer to be right or wrong, were you to be right, it’d be a horrible fear coming true. Were you to be wrong, you’d be embarassed, and you felt that Sabo would be angry at you for such a horrible assumption.

“I see. You don’t know anything about the Revolutionary Army, do you?” He asked, his gaze steady on you. You shook your head, and he understood immediately the situation you had been in. He knelt down in front of you. “We’re against the Celestial Dragons. They’re our enemies. The place we’re going to is an island affiliated with our organization. Everyone will be safe there, and they’re free to go home, or start a new life on that island. You have nothing to be afraid of.” He smiled reassuringly, looking at you with sincerity and honesty that was undeniable. As you stared at him, a wave of guilt washed over you. Every act of kindness they had shown you, every single thing they had done for everyone, you repaid with ingratitude and indifference. You teared up, not because you were afraid of his anger, but because of the earnestness in Sabo’s expression making you relax. You finally felt safe.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” You mumbled over and over, holding onto the sheets tightly. The blonde frowned, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping your tears.

“C’mon, no need to cry. It’s okay. You should be happy.” He smiled softly, holding onto your shoulders.

“I am happy.” You smiled, the most genuine one you’ve had in years. “I’m finally free, I’m safe. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. If only I was on the other team, maybe I could’ve thrown a punch or two on the Celestial Dragon who did that to you.” He snickered, and you couldn’t help but laugh along at his claim. It was outlandish, but it made you feel better. You hugged him tightly. hoping to convey the gratitude you felt from the bottom of your heart.

“Thank you, Sabo. You’re my savior.”

[tunamayuuu]

higuchi for the ask game!! <3

hey spliqi u won't like. kill me if i get her wrong right. right.

higuchi ichiyo (bsd)

favorite thing about them: her character arc! 100% her story was quite short but it's to be expected given that she's a support character for one of the main characters. regardless, i believe asagiri handled her pursuit of love and validation and the obstacle that is Ryuunosuke Akutagawa quite well to me. the persistence of loving and wanting to help him (esp that one scene where something flickers? glows? when she holds his hand and gets flashbacks to when aku yelled at him) OUGH god it HURTS! SO MUCH! the scene where she looks relieved, cries and smiles at akutagawa thanking her for helping??? "it's my job?" HELLO?

least favorite thing about them: her relationship with akutagawa is something that most people just misunderstand to either 'get in the way of sskk' or like. 'she doesn't need a man!' and i think people miss the point and honestly feels so weird to me that you'll say she's a girlboss (<- which she is! her arm strength to handle different guns is crazy to me) and proceed to grimace at the idea that she canonically cherishes and loves akutagawa and wants the best for him. willing to sacrifice her life to protect him. or like. downright dismiss her as a loser lol.

favorite line: "It's my job."

brOTP: ok uhm. don't kill me. atsuhigu. PLEASE. CONSIDER. THIIIIIINK ABOUT IT. I'M SORRY THAT ONE TIME SHE THOUGHT ATSUSHI WAS GONNA CONFESS TO GIN AND GIVE HIM TIPS ABOUT ROMANCING A LADY IS LIKE FOREVER SEARED INTO MY CIRCUITS. also i want more canon tachihigu interactions. just. self indulgent.

OTP: higugin! i think higuchi being fucking flabbergasted over gin being a girl is funny to me specifically. ALSO ALSO THAT ONE FUCKING. OMAKE???? OF THEM GOING OUT???? AND GIN BEING IN HER WORK UNIFORM??? GOD. WOW THEY'RE SO FUNNY.

nOTP: akuhigu! i actually find some akuhigu fanart on here and i think they're cute! it's just not for me. i very much care for their relationship as partners in the mafia though :)

random headcanon: i have no idea how higuchi joined the mafia, but i like to assume she played a little bit of dress up to figure out what to wear as her standard uniform.

unpopular opinion: she can be a girlboss (combat) and a girlfail (romance) at the same time :) this isn't like a controversial take though

song i associate with them: diet mountain dew by lana del rey, americano by lady gaga, lies by MARINA, notice me by SZA

favorite picture of them:

IM SORRY I JUST SAW THIS IN THE IMAGE GALLERY???? WHY IS SHE CUTE WITH IT??????????

anyway real fav pic:

i also love the anime ver of this!! but i can't find it in the wiki >:(

[lobtster]

IDW Oppy makes me violent but in a bad way. The fact that they took a character who is known for having strong ideals and beliefs who will do anything to fight against oppression a centrist asshole and a cop is just baffling.

Before i start i must clarify that English isn't my first language, these are just my opinions this post isnt meant to attack or upset anyone i just like complaining :3

I like when Tf does something different but for it to change something it has to have a good understanding of the original. You cant change a recipe without understanding why the original worked.

Now i understand what they were going for when they did make Oppy a cop working for the system. They wanted Oppy to have her big revelation and understanding that the system is actually bad. They wanted Optimus to figure things out for herself to be mistaken and have an opportunity to correct said mistakes by redeeming herself and fighting against said system she worked for. I have 2 major problems with this. (Aside form the obvious that making Optimus a cop is really fucking stupid.)

The first one and obvious one is that by making Optimus be the good one and Megatron the bad one. *By making Optimus a middle class cop who was never really affected by the system itself a hero. And Megatron the abused lower class miner who was directly exploited and affected by said system of the government the "bad guy". It doesn't really leave a nice message. The comic might as well say "hey you shouldn't fight against your agressors try to reason with them while they completly fuck you over."

They paint megatron as the villain for daring to stand up and fight against the system that had been violently repressing him and his friends since the moment he was online. Then they turn around and pat Optimus in the back for being a centrist prick who doesn't condone violence.

Its why i think TF one did the right thing by making them both members of the same vulnerable and exploited class. That way they understand why they need to fight against and destroy the system because they were victims to it. It makes that whatever differences they have with one another stem from their own personal ideas and beliefs. (Im also gonna say that while making Optimus an arquivist or librarian is 10x better than making her a cop it still makes her have this higher social status than Megatron which again shows the same problems as i've mentioned before*)

My second point is like i mentioned before they want Optimus to go through this growth, at having realized the system is bad to change it. (Think Caytlin from Arcane). Problem is they don't change the fact that she still carries centrist ideals so she starts "fighting" against the system but instead of demolishing it she wants to reform it. And that is shown to be the correct option, Megatron is the villain for wanting to tear down a system that has violently oppressed thousands of workers for thousands of years. So this big revelation she has, this noble call to arms, the big redemption, the want to fight against the system falls flat on its face if she just doesnt want to fight it so much as she wants to reform it.

Also i understand that after she reads Megatron she still stays a cop because she thinks she can fight the system from withing. Which is just so stupid because she was a witness to said corruption, she should've known there was no way to fight it from within.

I dont think i have to explain why that centrist ideal doesnt work for Optimus' character. Someone who has always stood at the side of the oppresor, who would sacrifice anything and fight tooth and nail for a world in which everyone has the right to be free and choose. Optimus is opposed to violence if there is another way to solve a conflict she will choose that over violence but if she is given no other choice she will put up a damn fight. This isn't a small aspect of her character you can tweak or change its a core part of Optimus. I'd say of the Transformers series, this big fight for a better world.

Also i gotta talk about the very obvious thing which is that THIS WHOLE STORY ARC (minus the centrism ideology) would've been perfect for Prowl. A cop who realizes the system is flawed, attempts to fight the corruption from withing, has to realize that it's impossible and eventually leaves. Its a very Prowl story. I think with Prowl's more morally grey attitude it would've made it far more interesting than Optimus' little miss lets reform the system.

This whole ordeal frustrates me because it ruins for me the good well written parts of IDW Optimus, how she goes and confronts the senate, her guilt over the war to the point she exiles herself, the conversation she has with Megatron in chaos theory, etc. It sucks seeing your favorite character mishandled in such a way esoecially if youre a really big fan of them. Only good thing IDW did with her character was make her repeat the last words said when she is surprised or in shock.

[igglemouse]

Next indeed! I make it home and get to dancing because your girl is hustling! I have ANOTHER audition later tonight and I want to make sure I am fit for it because again, competition out here is no joke! The entertainment industry plows through dreamers like me and often spits us out on the street and I have to make sure that will not be me!

I wanted to work out until it was time for my next audition but of course mama calls. She has this tendency to kind of ruin things for me all without meaning to. At least I think she doesn't mean it? Maybe she does? At some point it cannot be coincidence, right? Either way, she's checking in on me and wonders about papa. I haven't seen him since yesterday but I do think he's enjoying the city as this is kind of like a vacation for him?

Also, I will be adopting a puppy! More on that later!

Because first I need to eat! I'm still kind of scared of cooking on my stove since it did try to murder me yesterday and so I will not give it a chance to do so. Sandwiches and salads until me and her can get along a little better.

Thankfully my new housemate arrives just in time! We don't have the best of introductions as he growls and almost even bites me, which would have been terrible for my audition. I don't think showing up with a bloody hand or missing finger would have been a good look.

I've decided to call him Bruno. Simple and easy and whenever a guy hits on me I can always say "I have to get home to Bruno," and hopefully they will imagine some big burly guy leave me be.

Off to my second audition!

Aaaaaand I didn't get the part.

I'm just gonna blame mama for this one, SHE interrupted my workout sesh aaaand it forced me to go to the addition slightly sweaty which I figured sweaty is better than late and I think I figured that wrong.

Well, one door closes and another one opens? I waste no time setting up the next audition, no time at all.

I'll continue to put myself out there and see what comes of it, that is really all I can do...

Index ~ Next

[pleasehitmewithabus]

pLease tell me this is rage bait??? This has to be willful misunderstanding of why the fandom is outraged. The fandom is upset about tlok's blatant mischaracterization of katara as a general rule, not the accomplishments that she canonically has! No one is arguing that she shouldn't have been politically involved in the outlawing of bloodbending or whatever else strawmans fallacies people can come up with to try and warp the fandoms upset at straight up bad writing. The point of the outrage is that they (bryke) took everything that made Kataras character into something Meaningful and Original and dumped on it.

In ATLA, katara was a fighter, a healer, a revolutionary, and the greatest water bender alive. She wrote the book on kicking ass and taking names while being kind and compassionate. Which in of itself was an amazing thing to see in early 2000s media.

In TLOK, yes she is briefly mentioned having outlawed blood bending, but do we see her in this role or even as a part of Yakones trial which would make sense narratively? No. We don't. Seeing Sokka was great and I get the whole councilman thing but let's be real, it didn't make sense for him to be there or hold that role. Why was he not in the swt, a chieftain there? Why was katara not the council member? I'll let you figure that one out.

She's korras water bending instructor which, yeah cool makes sense no arguments here, but also stood by while the white lotus isolated Korra her entire life and treated her in a reprehensible manner. This doesn't make sense either.

She isn't even at Jinoras air bending ceremony which is just?? Insane? She's not at her grandaughters big fancy Very Important Cultural Ceremony, for a culture that she literally single handedly rebirthed (pre-korras restoring the spirit world thing). That is not good writing.

She's not shown in the city that she supposedly helped build whatsoever and lacks any meaningful interactions with any character other than MAYBE tenzin and Korra, (which furthers the issues I have with her neglect of her children mentioned below)

She should've gotten a statue the same way that Suki should've been at least fucking mentioned. If not for a common sense narrative-driven reason, then for a fucking fair one. We know katara wouldve loved a statue, and that she Deserved one, but somehow she ends up being the one person who doesn't get one?

I'm not sure what the chip on ops shoulder is with toph and zuko, but honestly, pretty sure this is one of those strawmans fallacies I was mentioning earlier so I'm not gonna bother.

Canonically, Aang was kind of a shit dad, and katara was canonically a Doormat for this shitty behavior. She never once intervened in his neglect of bumi and kya? Katara? KATARA, the justice and fairness for all girl, let her husband neglect her children??? I have no problem with her being a wife and a mother. But to have written her as such a crappy one? get out of my face with that bullshit.

Sure, it kinda stings to only see her represented as a healer, but that's not what the root issue is, and everyone knows that.

Long story short, the IssueTM with TLOK is the writing and the straight up abandonment of previously established characterization. Yes, some people are upset about her becoming aangs wife, some people are upset that she didn't have a statue, but the root of these issues is the way the characters we all grew up with or discovered or identified with or whatever were completely yakked on. Toph became a cop? You're kidding me. Katara turned her back on the neglect of her children? Be serious. The Complete and Total absence of Suki? Why???

Yeah we get it, it's a show about a new group, focusing on new people, but that's no excuse for bad writing. And to pretend like everything is on the up and up bc it hurts your (ops or anyone else's) feelings to consider that maybe not everything is perfect about tlok, is just plain willful ignorance. Learn media literacy.

Honestly the whole "Katara got erased and had no accomplishments post canon/ Katara was just a healer-wife" thing is exhausting because its blatantly false and I'm TIRED of people completely ignoring her accomplishments instead of celebrating them

Like Katara is explicitly mentioned to be involved in politics, to have been powerful enough to be the person to be solely credited with outlawing bloodbending. Her impact on Korra's life couldn't be understated she's one of the most important figures in Korra's life. She worked with the white lotus, but also didn't follow them blindly and she was willing to encourafe Korra to go up against them, kickstarting the show. She took part in the Civil War on the side of the South, healing fighters and creating a base of operations for the rebels. She was the only person at the centre of the ceremony of Tonraq becoming chief that wasn't directly involved with the battle at Harmonic Convergence, which probably implies at least Some Political relavance idk.

Like why is that all tossed into the garbage can? For what? Like why are we so obsessed with this woman having a bad time and being so mistreated does it get you guys off or something.

"bUt ZUkO anD tOPh gOT to FiGhT!" Zuko had like 2 mediocre action scenes and got his ass handed to him almost immediately and proceeded to peace out right before the final battle. Toph beat up an ex paraplegic (whom KATARA healed might I add) and bullied her a bit and then got one good hit in on foes that didn't even know she was there. Big whoop. Frankly, their inclusions were so clunky and clumsy and clearly there just because people were bitching about not getting the rest of the Gaang, that I much perfer Katara's organic and actually meaningful inclusion in the show.

"bUT thE stATue...!" Please remember that in B1 and B2, when we see most of the statues, they are there because the rest of the Gaang don't appear, or are Dead. The doylist explanation of thos complaint is that Katara was actually present in the show, so the others got to be there as statues. Post B2, we actually don't spend as much time in Republic City, and the only new statues we uncover are the ones of Toph in Zaofu, which makes sense and is narratively significant. I would've loved to ahve seen Katara get a statue, but the reason she didn't get a statue isn't because she's being sidelined by the creators, its technically the other way around..

Like is the "victimized housewife" narrative so much more appealing to you guys than the "accomplished politician, martial arts teacher and woman in stem" storyline we got because that is so Depressing and, frankly, creepy.

[buckevantommy]

so i googled 'marker art landscape tutorial' and this video got me started. i like warm colours (and my marker collection is limited) so i chose this reference pic. 

[logicpng]

so that update huh

[ Description in ALT ]

[ladymoonstardust]

may I present you with the meeting:

A sunny day in Verona, much like any other the one before finds Mercutio and Benvolio walking together by the seashore. Romeo is off with Bella? Rosaline? No one could keep count anymore, all looks ordinary but with a peaceful sense to it, not a monotone one as that would surely drive Mercutio insane, had it not happened before, Benvolio thinks. However things become rather interesting as the Sun ascends higher in the sky, bringing a series of events with it that Benvolio would not believe if he’d not seen it with his own eyes, he most likely still struggles to, as logically it would make more sense Mercutio got him on one of his drugs, than for the following to actually occur.

“This is definitely not Diagon Alley”

“No fucking shit!” two voices bicker in the distance, making (much to Benvolio’s dismay) Mercutio lift his head from where it lay in his lap. Strange people talking about strange places? Yeah count Mercutio in.

“I don’t understand! I’ve done this millions of times” spotting the source of the sounds, Benvolio can make out the figure of a shorter person with curly black hair (not as divine as his Mercutio’s thank you very much) and another, much taller guy with sandy hair and many, many scars.

“Routine isn’t all there is to it, sweetheart, maybe try concentrating next time?” the two fall in silence then, exchanging a look which makes Benvolio turn his head to Mercutio’s direction, who is looking at him with mischief in his eyes.

“No, absolutely not Merc-“

“Come on! I wanna go to that Diagonal place!”

“You don’t even know what that is!”

“Especially!” Benvolio Montague is in love with an idiot. Further proof is in the way Mercutio shoots to his feet and begins walking toward the newcomers, and well, he is an idiot but, as established Benvolio is in love with him so he follows. One day, he’s gonna get both of them killed.

“Who the hell are you?” curly person says and points… a stick at them? Yeah okay, everyone is on drugs. Surprisingly enough Mercutio thinks so as well, as he almost instantly bursts out in one of those laughs at his, the one that he seems to draw right out of his heart and lets it echo in any place he is in, a personal sourve of sunshine.

“Benny look! It doth seem as though Queen Mab is with us” Despite himself, Benvolio smiles at the comment.

“Are you qouting Shakespeare?” sandy haired guy asks with suspicion, and makes the other person lower their , well stick. Not something Benvolio thought he’ll ever have to witness.

“Who?” Mercutio asks, still very much fascinated with the situation. The couple exchange a look, equally confused, Benvolio supposes as they are, because well, drugs do that.

“What an excellent word, let’s establish that then, eh? Who are you?” curly person says, and it’s ridiculous how their tone makes Benvolio think about Mercutio.

“The Prince’s cousin? Hello? If you’re coming to Verona, the least you can do is know that”

“Verona?” the newcomers say in shock, which should be offensive as yeah, their city is fucked up but is it really so bad as to look like you’re facing demons?

“Are you fucking joking? You’re telling me you fucked apparetion up so much we ended up in Verona?”

“How was I supposed to know that?!”

“What’s apparetion? I want to do that?” Mercutio adds to their bicker, and from how confused Benvolio is, he can’t even scold him for it. The guy with the sandy hair looks at him, studying him a bit too closely which may or may not makes Benvolio want to reach out and hide him away, but he’s stronger than people give him credit for, so he doesn’t.

“Mercutio, right? And I’d assume you’re Benvolio?” he asks after he deemed Mercutio’s studied well enough, and it is truly an uncomfortable thing for Benvolio to be recognised like so. Not for Mercutio, though

“We’re famous Benny!” he laughs and the curly person joins him, making Benvolio look at the one who just called them out, oh they’re in some serious stupidity aren’t they?

“How’d you know?”

“This will sound extremely strange, but Sirius” here the guy points at the curly person who’s currently beaming at him “and I, Remus by the way are from another place? And there’s this play about Verona there, and you guys fit the description well enough “

Correction, today was not a day like the one before in Verona

Imagine a fictional crossover where Bencutio and Wolfstar meet. It would be such a hilarious mess

[bitegore]

I made a character sheet to plot your OC's development over time! (There's supposed to be a character name in the big white space next to "over time" but it got eaten a little lmao)

You can use this for whatever you want, and you don't have to credit me. Feel free to change or edit anything you feel like. Please don't tag me if you credit me - just link to the original post.

Credits, explanations & a transparent version under the cut :D

Credits:

The actual image was made with the free NBOS character sheet creator, which is a sort of dated but free and solid text-layout sheet maker intended for ttrpg style character sheet creation.

Fonts used were Bisdak (titles) and Rockwell (body). Both are free! You can use them to fill it out if you like.

Inspired by a comment @maybe-solar-powered-calculator made on this other post about filling it out for characters at multiple points along their arcs. Thanks for putting the idea in my head :D

This is explicitly released under a CC0 1.0 deed, ie: you can do fucking whatever you want with it and I don't care and you don't have to tell anyone where you got it from and no one gets to stop you.

-

Last time I made one of these I got a bunch of questions on all manner of things, and I can never keep up, so I'm just appending a set of notes for how to use it and a glossary because I know some of these phrasings will be confusing.

Ignore or change anything you don't feel like works for you here. You can do whatever you want forever.

Suggested / intended use & general notes:

This sheet could work for something story-level, if you want. But it's really only good for individual arcs; if the character goes through multiple arcs in your story, then they're going to fit poorly here. In that case, you're probably better off doing versions for each arc, or just adapting this to a different format more suited to your thing.

Also, if your arc has a nontraditional structure - divorced from the typical "rising action - climax - conclusion" type of structure where there's a clear 'important turning point' - it may not work as well either.

The mindset section is meant to come at it from a 'golden mean' standpoint - that is, everything on either extreme of the slider is 'too much' and therefore bad. It's not bad-to-good! The far right side is a flaw too. They're only grouped the way they are on basis of the specific OCs I personally had in mind when I put it together.

Growth is labeled 'worse'-to-'better' but it means, like, active decrease in that area vs active increase; if nothing changes, it should stay at the center even if it sucks. The category is about contrasting changes, and sometimes changes are for the worse!

The entire sheet is very deliberately subjective. It should really be answered from the character's perspective - how they feel about it, not what's necessarily true. Technically you can do whatever you want and I can't stop you, but it's a better tool if you approach it from the point of view that the character may believe things that aren't true - that will define their behavior way more than the objective facts of the story.

-

Definitions:

This part is long as hell - recommend using ctrl+f to find the specific words you're stuck on. I defined everything.

General categories:

Mindset: how your character thinks about themself and how they act. Their understanding of their own approach to life. Attitude, viewpoint, decision-making process, that sort of thing.

Circumstances: the relationship between your character and the world around them. Where they are, what that place is like, and how they feel about it.

Growth: how the character and their impact - their attitude, their behavior, their immediate surroundings - changes over time.

Outset: the start of the character's arc.

Present: the 'center' of the arc. If you're planning something ahead of time and it hasn't 'happened' yet, then this is the near future.

End-game: where they are after the conclusion of the arc.

Mindset terms:

Center of the world: "If I have a problem, it's the only thing that matters to me." Self-centered, self-absorbed. Doesn't necessarily mean anything beyond that - they don't necessarily have to be unpleasant to be entirely focused on their own life.

my life isn't relevant: "Everyone else's problems are so significant, I don't pay any attention to my own". Someone who ignores or neglects their own life in service of some other thing, or doesn't consider their own behavior to have any real importance.

Only see enemies: Paranoid. Everyone's out to get them. Anyone who seems nonthreatening is hiding their potential for danger and everyone who seems threatening is a threat. The character must remain ever-vigilant, lest the cashier at the 7/11 suddenly stab them, or their best friend turn out to secretly be trying to poison them to death.

Only see friends: Naïve. Everyone is a good actor who wishes everyone else well, and if they don't seem like they're acting from a place of kindness or care then you probably don't understand what they're up to. The character is pretty sure the stranger holding that knife is, like, someone to chat up maybe, they're clearly only hanging out in this dark alleyway because it's a nice spot and no other possible reason.

overthink everything: Ten thousand thoughts per every single action taken. Maybe they never get around to acting at all. They have to consider every possible outcome. What if by eating lunch they accidentally trigger the apocalypse?! Who's going to think about these things if not them?!?!?!

impulsive to action: Act first, think never. What do you mean "consequences of actions"?

Unilateral decisions: "I will make every choice and no one else's opinions or thoughts are relevant". Discounts outside suggestions. Firmly convinced that they know best in any situation, and will brook no disagreement with their views when it comes to actually doing things.

Command me, please: "I don't know what to do and I don't know what to even start with, someone please tell me what to think". No confidence in their own views. Will not make any decisions unless forced and even then will beg someone else to please tell them what to do. Has no idea what's best and is pretty sure anyone else will have a better idea.

can't ask for help: No one will ever help the character; they have to do everything themself, even the things other people have repeatedly offered to do for them and have much more experience with. Doesn't necessarily mean that no one will help them or that they are explicitly barred by some real-world circumstance; just that, for whatever reason, they refuse to ask for help. This is an attitude thing - will they ever reach out? No? Then they're here.

too reliant on others: Have they ever solved a problem alone? Do they believe they're even capable of doing so? The character all the way at this end of the scale absolutely never expects to be able to do anything themself, has no trust in their ability to solve a problem, and needs someone else to come save them from it. The kind of person who needs ChatGPT to do their homework. Again - doesn't actually mean anyone will help them, or that the people they're relying on are reliable - just that they think they are helpless without ... well, help.

Weapon maker: This has to do with problem-solving strategies and not actual weapons. The weapon-maker is a character who views every situation as a conflict that cannot be de-escalated or solved by cooperation, and responds appropriately. The most fundamental weapon maker character turns everything into an argument, a fight, a war, etc. There are a bunch of other responses to conflict, though - they might avoid problems that need solving because they avoid conflict generally too. Fundamentally what you want to answer here is: when they see a locked box and they don't have the key, do they respond to it the same way they'd respond to someone telling them "you can't open this box"? And how do they respond to that? Typical weapon-maker approaches: - brute-force the box open or try and then give up if it doesn't work; and also get into an argument that might turn physical with the hypothetical person - shrug and give up immediately, in both situations so on and so forth. Another hallmark is that they kind of suck at problem-solving and give up if brute-forcing a problem doesn't work. This is not someone who is picking locks unless someone else told them to - they have one solution, it's to make everything into a conflict, and then to win that conflict by beating them or to give up because they think they'll lose.

Tool maker: This person approaches every situation like it's a puzzle, not a fight - up to and including actual fights. Tool-maker characters generally assume that a situation can be solved by just finding the right approach and doing it the clever way. There's the same fundamental question as above - if your character sees a locked box and has no key, would they approach it differently than someone telling them they're not allowed to open the box? 'Typical' tool-maker approaches: - I can trick the person into giving me the key by saying the right things, and I can also pick the lock because fundamentally there are 'right answers' to both of these - If i make friends with this person, they might change their mind, because now we're cooperating. I can still pick the lock because there are 'right answers' there. - The person has a reason for wanting me not to open the box, so I can definitely figure out what that is and solve the reason so then they'll let me open it. I can take whatever it is even if they really want to keep it if I just find the right answer. I'm going to break this box into little pieces because that's the easiest way to get into it but I could probably open it some other way if that wouldn't work.

A note - the center of this bar is someone who generally has different responses to different kinds of situations - like, in the box example, they'd approach the box and the person with two different general attitudes and processes - but generally responds to those situations using the same kind of decision-making process for each category every time. Most people are nowhere near either extreme. Characters tend to be classifiable into weapon-maker and tool-maker because they are fictional and it's easier to define one kind of approach than many. Approximately average approaches: - pick the lock if no one's around, but give up if someone is there because someone telling me not to open the box is a conflict i think i'll lose but a locked box is just a puzzle that i can solve - argue with the person, but give up on the box, because they're approaching the box as a puzzle and they don't think they have the skill to get into it, but the person is someone who can be convinced or bullied into handing over the key

I made this particular dichotomy up, which is why I think I get a lot of questions on it whenever I put it into anything, but I also don't know of any other snappy way to describe this sort of thought or approach variance, and it's genuinely useful for character writing in my opinion.

Pessimist spot-finder: Generally a downer but not necessarily. This kind of character just approaches everything with a close eye for problems, issues, reasons to find fault. If they're miserable, it might be why, but like, they can be a cheerful spot-finder if you want, I just wanted to get at "the glass is half empty" and "the glass is half full" more than anything.

Optimist upside fan: The opposite. "The glass is half full". If there are problems, they can find something about them that's not so frustrating or bad to focus on. Pretty damn good at overlooking minor issues if there's no reason to fixate on them. Not necessarily cheerful.

Abysmal company: could not give less of a damn about treating people the way they 'should' be treated. Maybe they take pride in that. Maybe they just think it's irrelevant. Either way, they know they treat people badly and they don't see any reason to stop. Does not necessarily mean that they treat people badly if they think they're doing the right thing and are wrong. Doesn't mean they're actually pleasant or unpleasant to hang out with, either, unless you really want it to mean that.

Decent to others: treats people well as a matter of course, or at least they sure think they do. Makes an effort. Would probably care and/or consider changing their behavior if someone said they were treating someone poorly. As before - they can be completely un-self-aware and just think they're doing right by people while treating them completely horribly.

Morality is irrelevant: 'abysmal company' for broader approaches to life and problems. Maybe they just know they're myopic and don't think other people's problems matter. Maybe they just gave up on trying to differentiate between 'good' and 'bad' and outsourced it to someone else or stopped paying any attention. Maybe they just like to take morally unjust actions and can't be bothered giving a damn when someone points out that they're morally unjust, or maybe they're proud of it. Kind of a villain trait generally, but not necessarily - it doesn't have to mean they act badly, just that they don't care if they do. Also, this is about how they choose their own actions and view their own behavior. They can think morality is relevant for other people as long as they ignore it when they act themself.

Always in the right: feels morally righteous in every decision they make. Standard superhero type of trait. Doesn't necessarily pass judgement on others, doesn't necessarily act well according to everyone's moral code (see: blue and orange morality), but they are extremely principled and will never deviate from the moral code they personally believe in. And they do genuinely believe in it.

Circumstances terms:

Generally terrible to generally excellent: how subjectively decent is your character's situation, overall? If they think everything is horrible, but the situation is charmed to everyone except them, then it's generally terrible.

Need for changes to passive tolerance: will they do something about it? Do they feel like they have to?

No agency in action to decisions are huge: agency being "how much power do I have to make changes here?", this just asks how much they have. No agency means that, no matter what they do, nothing will happen - they might be locked in a cage or somehow otherwise completely unable to use any sort of power at all, even the power of just leaving. The other end of the spectrum is where every decision the character makes makes a huge difference, not just to themself but to everyone around them as well. They can start wars, they can have anyone they want killed, they can do anything whenever they feel like it. If they think they have no agency even though they do actually have agency, they don't have agency here. If they feel like they have all the agency in the world and can do anything, then they do even if it's not true. It's perceptual again.

Stakes are deadly to mistakes solvable: what are the consequences of failure? Will you die, will you lose status you can't afford to lose, will you lose belongings, will you have to apologize, will nothing happen at all? Mistakes solvable is where they think every mistake is solvable forever - the character pushes someone through a woodchipper and they come out and to fix it, maybe an apology has to occur, but not much else. Does not necessarily mean no one gets hurt or killed as long as the character thinks there are no permanent consequences. This is the most important one on this section to keep subjective because it will greatly influence how your character approaches situations. A character who thinks everything is deadly-stakes may go to cartoonishly-extreme lengths to avoid turning a report in a day late. A character who thinks all mistakes are always solvable may push someone through a woodchipper and then just assume they can say they're sorry and it'll all go away. The setting and their approach do not need to be applicable.

Needs go unmet to attended with care: how do the people around them treat them? Do they pay attention when the character needs something, or do they ignore it? Does the character have to do everything themself around here, or are there people who will help out?

Regarded poorly to regarded well: how do they think other people see them? Are they respected, are they liked, or are they disliked? Do people broadly trust them or are they pretty sure everyone regards them with suspicion?

Nothing changes to changes in seconds: functionally the 'stability' meter of your setting - is the situation generally stable, or are things constantly changing? Does your character feel like every five minutes, there's a new problem that needs dealing with, or do they feel like nothing has ever happened ever?

Growth terms:

Changes in place: do they go somewhere else? Does the physical setting otherwise change (eg; earthquake, war, etc) ? Are there any other reasons that the 'vibe' or 'experience' of the place is different from before?

Change in power: does the character's percieved agency (see: no agency in action to decisions are huge) change? Alternately you can use it if they've gained or lost power in some percieved way (deposed, assigned a commanding position, etc).

Change in bonds: do their relationships with people change? Have they made new friends, lost old friends, changed the nature of their relationships with friends or partners, etc?

Change in beliefs: straightforwardly, have their beliefs, morals, etc, changed?

Change in hurts: have they undergone some horrible experience? Do they have past trauma from some pre-arc horrible experience they're healing from and/or discovering they're more powerfully subject to? Did they experience a physical injury that they're recovering from or which materially changed their life? Did something recent dredge up old issues? So on and so forth.

Change in hopes: Do their desires for the future look the way they used to? Do they care about different things now? This is something the character is not actively working for, but may be tied to actual goals.

Change in fears: are they overcoming fears? Growing past them? Gaining new ones? Are they scared of shit different from how they used to be?

Change in goals: Not the same as a hope because it needs to have a specific, achievable outcome the character is actively working toward. Do those material goals look different? Perhaps they no longer want to work against something, maybe they didn't have any goals and now they do. Or maybe they've realized the goal is impossible, or something has happened to make that goal unachieveable. Whatever it is, if there's a change, it's a change.

Change in self-awareness: their beliefs about who they are and what they're like, and what their circumstances are. Have they gotten more self-aware, have they gotten less self-aware, or has nothing changed?

Change in relationships: their relationships' overall health and resilience, as far as the character is concerned - which doesn't mean they're necessarily good, just that the character thinks they're how they're supposed to be. Have they improved? Have they gotten worse? Have they not changed?

Change in knowledge: do they feel like they know more about the world, their place in it, the people around them, etc? Not necessarily how to do things - just general information and awareness.

Change in social standing: how does others' regard for the character change over this part of their arc? Do people like them more or less? Are they respected more or less than before? Has nothing changed? And so on.

Change in skills and abilities: do they feel more skilled than they were before? Do they feel like they know how to do as many things as before? Again - not necessarily rooted in reality - a classic example of a character being wrong about this is a 'big fish in a small pond' character who used to be the high school sports star going to college on a sports scholarship and discovering they're not the best any more, and suddenly feeling like they're the worst - when they're better than they've ever been in an objective light. Use a subjective viewpoint for this.

Change in agency in life: how does the character's percieved agency change? Do their decisions matter less now than ever? Do their actions make way more happen than before? (See: no agency in action vs decisions are huge)

Change in outlook: Here's the upper/downer part. Are they more or less hopeful for the future? Do they think things are more terrible now? Are things improving as far as they're concerned? Or has that not changed?

Change in goal progress: how do they feel like they're progressing on the goals they've set for themself? Are they getting further and further away? Are they getting closer?

If some of this doesn't make sense and you want a clarification, you will have to tag me to get my attention, because I'm turning notifications for this post off the minute it leaves my immediate social circle.

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[dreamsy990]

TELEMACHUS AND ANTINOUS. FINALLY