#he needs friends but he's also just afraid to reach out like 9/10

[untoterxhund]

i hgave a need for late-night threads where our muses are just chilling at ungodly hours of the day/night?? either creatures of the night or insomnia-ridden and unfortunate souls just vibing and soaking in each other's presence

[igotanidea]

Let's fuck up the friendship : J.T x fem!reader

how cute is that picture? UwU

request by @parkjammys (once again, thank you for making my day by posting pics of Outlaws!Jason today)

based on the prompt: "sometimes i look at people and think.. really? that’s the sperm that won?” With best friend Jason feeling really jealous seeing his best friend that he has a major crush on, talk to some guy (guy is Kyle Rayner) and he's mumbling "he's not even her type"

***

„Why is he here again?” Jason scoffed, carefully observing his best friend Y/N, talking to that stupid prick of a green lantern, Kyle Rayner.

“Dunno.” Dick, still in his Nightwing suit shrugged casually, while stuffing his mouth with cereals ‘probably something to do with the newest mission on Earth or something like that.”

“It doesn’t bother you at all?” Jason hissed, involuntarily clenching his fist. “that he just drops by whenever he wants?”

“No, not really.” Dick swallowed particularly huge piece of his meal and focused on his brother’s face. “does it bother you?”

It wasn’t a secret that Jason and Kyle weren’t exactly friends, but the former never reacted with such…. intensity. All right, most of the times the green lantern showed himself around Jason was throwing offences left and right, showing his teeth and acting like he was marking territory. Kyle, however did exactly the same thing. It was sort of tradition at this point. But all that teasing, fake fighting and extreme emotions never escalated so quickly to the point where Jason was all red (and not because of the helmet or the gear), grinding his teeth and subconsciously reaching for his gun while his eyes were fixed on one place in space. Or rather, one person.

Y/N.

She was talking to Kyle, laughing at whatever he just said, her eyes sparkling, looking happy like never before. And what was even worse she just hit his chest playfully. SHE TOUCHED HIM for fuck’s sake and that fucker really seemed to enjoy that.  On the other side, Jay did not like it at all. How could he? He had a massive crush on her since he could remember and yet, despite all his cool demeanor, harsh behavior and bad boy outlook, he was too self-conscious to ever confront her about it. Stupid, longing idiot, afraid of his own feelings. To tell the truth, he himself wasn’t sure if he was more afraid of the possibility of her pushing him away or rather the fact that by some miracle she might want him. He was not good in relationships, any of them, and that made his mind create crazy scenarios in which she was hurt or killed or sad or crying because of him.

But sure as hell he was not going to let Rayner get to her first!

She was just …. something different.

The girl who knew what she wanted and wouldn’t settle for anything else. The girl who would stand by you, listening to every rant and problem you may have, but also the one who would turn and run the second she got vulnerable. It was so damn hard, to get her to open up, since on 9 out of 10 cases she would just jump into helping someone else or dig into work.  

And she was his best friend.

What kind of fool falls for his best friend?

It was stupid and childish and naïve and yet, all he wanted and needed was to just approach her that very second, interrupt her happy conversation and use one sentence that would either make her hate him and disappear for good or get them both to a whole new level of relationship.

“Let’s fuck up the friendship.” God, how he wished he had the guts to just get it out of his system.

Instead he settled on watching her from the distance, not rushing to make a fool out of himself in front of both Dickhead and that freaking Rayner.

“Jace?” Dick interrupted his train of thought, smirking under his nose.

“What?!”

“Is this about her?”

“What? NO. Fuck no. She’s just my friend. My best friend.”

“Yeah, right, friends don’t look at friends that way.”

“Whatever!” Jason scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest sulking for a moment and sighing deeply. ‘I hate the way she’s smiling at him.” He mumbled “and she’s not even trying to hide it….” He pouted like a completely immature 5 year old.

“She’s an astrophysicist, Jason.” Dick patted his arm reassuringly “ You can’t blame her for being enthralled by all that crazy space-shit stuff he’s saying.”

“I don’t blame her.” Jason hissed “I blame him, you know? Do you ever just look at people and think: really? That’s the sperm that won?”

“No…..” Dick made a face in confusion. Damn it, if that were the thoughts coming into Jason’s mindthan it really was bad.

“Well, I do. And he’s the living proof of that.”

“Jason…..”

“He’s not even her type…” Todd muttered under his breath.

“And what exactly is her type?” Dick smirked again “Tall, dark haired, well-build douche? If you care about her …..”

“I don’t fucking care about her!” he yelled.

Too loud.

Whoopsy.

Not a chance she didn’t hear that, and the sudden outburst made her turn her head towards him. Shit, if he was red before, now he was simply crimson. Jason found himself between the devil and the deep blue see. Should he clear this little misunderstanding? Should he come clean? Or should he just run away leaving the ground burning?

“Jace?” she stuttered, her eyes growing wide, while Kyle took the chance and wrapped and arm around her shoulders protectively to give her some grounding “Is this about me?”

“Good luck, clearing that out, Jaybrid” Dick laughed, but hid it by pretending to sneeze.

“Shut up, Grayson!” Jason hissed through clenched teeth and slowly approached the girl and Kyle. “It was not about you. It was about some girl Grayson met and about whom he couldn’t shut up. You are my best friend, you know it, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, right, best friend’ she mumbled looking down, moving slightly closer to Rayner and away from Jason. Oh, that was like a slap on the cheek. Like a sting right through his heart. Like a….

Was it disappointment in her eyes?

No, it couldn’t be…. Why would she be disappointed?

“Anyway, if you don’t mind, Rayner” Jason used the unimaginable amount of power to control himself “I would love to rescue my best friend from your hand. I bet whatever you say about space must be out of this world, but there are people who actually need her on Earth. On daily basis. Not just while dropping from time to time and leaving her hanging.”

“Oh, Todd.” Kyle cooed “aren’t you just so cute while trying to act like a knight in shining armor. But guess what, she doesn’t need your protection.”

“Right. The only one who’s going to need protection is you. From me.” Jason leaned forward eyeing the other boy with predatory gaze ‘I know what you are plotting, Rayner. And if you think I’m going to let you use her….”

“Is someone jealous?” Kyle scoffed “cause sure it seems you treat me like a threat.”

“Why don’t we take it outside so I can show you how much I am not scared of you. Maybe this time you will deal with someone equal to you rather than seducing girls with your fake charm!” Jason jumped to his feet, Kyle following right after and the tension was so palpable that most likely they wouldn’t even wait to go outside, just beat the shit of each other right inside.

“ENOUGH!” sudden scream coming from Y/N made them both gasp in surprise. Neither Jason nor Kyle has even seen her this angry. She was practically fuming and it was terrifying to see this normally calm, communicative and focused-on-peaceful-solutions-to-problems girl in such state. And it was them who pushed her to this point. She was not a meta or any other kind of superhero but at that moment she held the power of the hurricane and was about to throw it at them.

Shit.

“Y/N…” Jason raised his hands and tried to calm her down.

“Shut up, Jason!”

“ You heard the girl, shut up, Jason” Kyle laughed viciously

“THE SAME GOES FOR YOU RAYNER!”

“I’m sorry….” He whimpered and it was Jason’s turn to laugh.

“I am TIRED of being your toy. Exhausted to be precise. I’ve been making doe eyes at you, Todd for months now. Doe eyes that you chose to ignore every. single. fucking. time. And yet, the moment I move on from this silly, stupid, fucking, one-sided crush you decide to step it and ruin everything. Just because you wanted to? Just because you what? You get jealous now? Fuck, Jason, do you really think you can just do whatever you want, whenever you want, not caring about the others? Not caring what I have to say? Oh, hell no. You don’t hold such power over me. Not anymore.”

“Y/N….” Jason took a step forward, but she jumped away, almost like he was a disease she didn’t want to catch.

“Get away from me!” she hissed “We were just talking, you idiot! I was being nice, not that you know what it means! I’m done with both of you!”

“Wait, what did I do?” Kyle asked, now a bit confused

“Oh, nothing, sweetie.” Y/N mocked “just telling me the shit of improbable stories to make Jason angry while watching me laugh with you. Yeah, I noticed that.” She cut Jason off the moment he opened his mouth to say a thing in his defense “Well, genius, I was laughing at you, wondering when will you finally realize that I did my research and don’t believe a word you say. Are you familiar with the word sarcasm?”

“Haha! Burn!” Jason couldn’t help but let out a laugh

“And you, Todd, should  learn the meaning of the word honest. You are both losers. I want nothing to do with you. I’m out.”

And so she left. The only sound they heard after that was slamming of the door to her room. She had one at the Manor since her expert knowledge was sometimes needed and she was helping the bats while patrolling at night.

And then chewing on the cereals.

“Well that was quite the show….”

“SHUT UP GRAYSON!”

***

“Y/N? Please, open the door. I just wanna talk.”  Jason was knocking at her door for like 10 minutes now and yet, she didn’t bother answering and he started losing all hope.  Did he fuck up? Was all the chances he had with her gone just because he was a stupid idiot In love and therefore acting like crazy?

“She’s not there, you know.”  Tim emerged from his room, bothered by all the knocking and begging.

“What? then where is she?”

“Hm…. Not sure if I should tell you after everything that just went down…..”

“How do you….? Fuck, whatever. I swear if you don’t tell me where she hid I would burn all the coffee shops in the tristate area!”

“I equipped them all with the fireproof furniture and equipment a while ago. Had a feeling that sooner or later you will threaten me with the lack of coffee….Listen to me carefully, replacement…” Jason took a step forward, towering over Tim’s figure but before he could take any action, another voice joined the conversation.

“Boys. Why do you always have to act like savages? Y/N escaped to the roof. Guess she was in need of some air after that little outburst.”

“Thanks, Steph.”

“Always a pleasure. “ she winked “Oh, and Todd? Make sure to fix it. I really don’t like this Rayner guy, either.”

***

“Was it Steph? I know it was her.” Jason could only do as much as step into the rooftop when Y/N felt his presence. Apparently the time with bats sharpened her senses.

“Y/n. I just want to talk.”

“Ok. Sit. Talk. I’m listening.” She patted the spot next to her and Jason took it without any hesitation. She was willing to listen, maybe not everything was lost.

“I’m sorry” he sighed deeply and that made her turn her head and look straight into his eyes just to confirm if he actually did say the words she heard coming from him

“Wow! That would be the first time I ever heard you say a thing like that!” she laughed

“I mean it. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel like I was playing around with you or anything like this. It’s just…. just…..”

“What, Jace? Come on, just say it. Just be honest with me. I won’t laugh or judge you, I promise.”

“I had a crush on you.”

“Had?”

“All right, I still do!” he threw his hands in the air “Are you trying to humiliate me now?”

“For how long?” she asked looking at the space in front of her, not meeting his eyes and missing the fact that he was eyeing her with love sick puppy eyes, begging whatever deity was there that she would let him love her. Despite everything. He would put all the work in proving to her that he could be better. For her. For them. And if that required honesty – so be it.

“A year.” He muttered, almost inaudibly.

“A year?!” she cried “seriously, Jason! Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“How was I supposed to tell you?! I didn’t know if you were feeling the same way! I couldn’t risk scaring you off. I couldn’t risk…. Losing you. ”

“You didn’t notice all those times when I was making a fool out of myself just to get your attention? I mean really, doe eyes?”

“I’m…. I’m not good with all that flirting and teasing and relationship stuff. I … I don’t recognize it well. Besides, you are my best friend and ….”

“And what?” she moved her whole body, so now she was not only facing him, but her whole figure was turned towards him “Just say it. Please.” She begged, looking straight into his eyes, not faltering for even a second. “Say it, cause I don’t think I can.”

“I wanna fuck up the friendship.” He gasped, not really believing the words coming out of his mouth. But once he started he just couldn’t stop the flow “I want to love you. I want to have you to myself. I want to be yours. I want to be able to hold you, touch you, kiss you. I don’t want to be just friends anymore. I want to make you mine. If you let a fool like me…..“

“And it’s not just because of Kyle?”

“Fuck no! I don’t give a single damn about him! I care about you, Y/N. In a more-than-friends way. I’m done pretending. ” he whispered looking down, his cheeks a bit reddened. Not a long though since she cupped his cheek and made him look at her.  “Please, be mine”he whimpered

“Jason, can you promise me you won’t act like a male ego embodied again?”

“I can’t.” he shook his head in resignation “I can’t cause I care too much and can’t help getting possessive sometimes and…..” She didn’t let him finish leaning forward and pressing her lips to his. This took him a bit by surprise, since he thought she was going to ditch him for not being able to promise her what she needed. And instead, she was kissing him?

Damn it, not just kissing, that was clearly an understatement. She was laying all her love on him. Those sweet, soft lips he was dreaming about for so long were on his, brushing over his gently and yet with so much passion he was practically melting. He wanted more and yet, all that tenderness and intimacy of sharing first kiss in the privacy of nighted rooftop was something to enjoy rather than to destroy by any urgency.

And so, even if still confused, he followed her lead, choosing delicacy and softness. Maybe it was what they both needed and enough to get him high and drunk on the feeling of her. He could feel her with every cell in his body. Her touches, her smell, her affection for him. All of it combined.

He barely held back a whine when she pulled back.

“Does this mean you forgive me?” he whispered, his hands aching to touch her and hold her to his chest, but holding back because he needed her direct answer. “For acting like a dumbass?”

“You had me at I wanna fuck up the friendship” she laughed lightly, changing position and settling between his legs, not fighting or running away.  

“You have no idea how long I wanted to say it.” He answered, wrapping arms around her waist, pulling her closer and kissing her neck softly, inhaling the fresh scent of her shampoo “So long, baby… so fucking long…..”

“Glad you choose the moment when I was forgiving and merciful” she chuckled “’because you know, it could have backfired on you.”

“But you’re not leaving?” his grip on her tightened in a sudden fright this was all just a crazy dream and in a minute he would wake up in his own bed, alone and cold, still yearning for her, none of those words from before said in real life.

“No.” she put her soft hands on his biceps, caressing his skin and all those scars reassuringly “I made up my mind, Jason. It’s you. It’s always been you. I’m done pretending too.“ she turned her head and hid face in the crook of his neck, nuzzling her nose over his skin. “I love you.”

In the darkness of the roof, with almost no stars on the sky and with her eyes closed,  she didn’t notice few tears that gathered in Jason’s eyes and flowing down his cheeks.

He had her.

He finally had her.

And he was not going to let go.

[homeofthelonelywriter]

Let's call it Fate | Part 6

(A/N) Not me digging out my old Latin textbook for this chapter. Istg. Also, I think I'm getting a hang on the chapter lengths, kinda proud of myself for that one.

Pairing: Cardinal Copia x Reader (no Y/N)

Warning: google translate translations, abusive parents (especially mother), arranged marriage, age gap, bullying, talk of grandparents and death of a grandparent, misstreatment of Ghouls

Prologue | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13

Over the next few days, you established a simple routine.

Wake up and get ready, before going to breakfast. After that classes until lunch and then join Papa Primo in the greenhouse. And when it’s time for dinner, accompany him back up and meet Lila for the daily gossip trait. After dinner, find your spot in the library and study until it was time for bed.

Most of the time studying was spent on Latin since it was giving you the biggest troubles, but you also like to review whatever you had learned in the other classes. And from time to time, Copia would join you, either to work on his own things in silence or to help you learn Latin. Either way, you enjoyed spending time with him.

It was just another day, Friday of the first week to be exact. You were excited because you had the weekend off and on Sunday you’d join the first black mass. Lila immediately noticed your good mood when she joined you at the usual table for dinner.

“Any plans for this weekend?”

You shrugged as you were shoveling food into your mouth. Work had been exhausting that day. Exhausting but fun.

“I’ll probably explore the Ministry so more. And I promised Swiss and Dew that I’d meet their friends, have a picnic, or something like that.”

As soon as you mentioned the Ghouls, Lila made a face. Since she’d been raised by people who subscribed to the whole ‘The Ghouls are our servants’ way of thinking, you spent a tremendous amount of time showing her in how many ways that was wrong. And she was starting to understand and change her way of thinking, but she still reacted weirdly whenever you mentioned them.

“Lila…”

“I know, I know. It’s just…it’s weird to hear someone talk so casually about them. And to be honest, they kind of scare me. Especially the tall one.”

You giggled when she mentioned Swiss. And you understood why she might be afraid of him. He was tall and strong, and his constant grinning and showing off his canines wasn’t helping.

“He is harmless, I swear. He gives really good piggyback rides.”

The moment you mentioned the piggyback rides, she choked on the water she was drinking at that moment, making others stare and you burst out laughing. Once she had calmed down, she shook her head, before looking at you with a lopsided grin.

“You are something else.”

She hesitated for a second.

“Don’t ever change, okay?”

You grinned and nodded, reaching out and grabbing her hand in yours.

“You neither Lila.”

You were soon done with dinner and bid Lila a quick goodnight, before you rushed out the mess hall and to the library. The woman at the counter smiled at you, as you waved at her and the Ghoul, you think his name was Aether. He didn’t talk much.

By now, you had the way to your table memorized. Straight ahead, fifth bookshelves turn to the right, continue for two bookshelves before turning left, and then straight ahead until you reach a little hidden nook. As usual, you were the first to arrive. So, you took out everything you needed and started working on reviewing the vocabulary you learned that day.

“Magnus - big. Non - not. Laudat - to praise. Et - and. Summus…ahm…shit. Summus…summus…”

“The highest.”

You smiled, turning to look at Copia who stood behind you with a stack of papers in his hands. He was also smiling, slowly walking up to the table. Once he was in reach, he gently sat down the stack of papers and fell into the chair beside you.

“Paperwork?”

“Si. Things my fratello didn’t have time for today.”

Copia rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed.

“Let me guess, he spent his entire day on the couch surrounded by his lovers.”

He chuckled and nodded.

“You’re not wrong, he did spend most of his day like that. But he did have time to go over and agree upon one thing. His clothes. For the black mass this Sunday.”

Copia sounded so done, but at the same time amused, that you couldn’t help but laugh.

“Well, when you’re Papa those are the difficult decisions you’ll have to make.”

He turned to look at you, his eyes wide in surprise.

“You think that I’ll be Papa one day?”

“Of course. Why shouldn’t you be?”

Copia shrugged, averting his eyes to the paperwork.

“Most in the clergy think me too…imbarazzante, timido. They don’t think I have what it takes to be Papa. Well, my mother thinks I do, but she is my mother, and-”

”And she is right. Hell, you’re already doing most of the work that should be taken care of by the Papa. Plus, you’re smart, kind, caring but also strict when needed. You know how to lead people but you’re not power hungry. I think you’d be an amazing Papa. Plus, you look really good on stage. Kind of jealous of that one fan.”

At some point during your rant, your eyes had drifted back to the book in front of you, scanning the vocabulary. But when Copia didn’t respond or move, you looked up, concerned you said something wrong. Instead, you found a blushing Copia with tears in his eyes.

“You…you- I uh…I mean…thank you, cara. You don’t know how much these words mean to me.”

He gently grasped your hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a firm kiss to your knuckles, while looking you in the eyes. You immediately felt your cheeks heat up and averted your eyes, before looking back up. Copia squeezed your hand, before carefully setting it down and turning to his stack. But as soon as he turned his attention there, he looked miserable.

“Let me help you with that.”

He looked up, slightly confused, and was about to protest when you stopped him.

“You always help me, now let me help you. It’s only fair. Plus, there are no classes tomorrow, so I can sleep in.”

After a second of consideration, Copia agreed and handed you about a fourth of the stack. He quickly explained what you had to do, before both of you started working in silence. After an hour you understood why Papa Terzo didn’t want to take care of this stuff. It was boring and exhausting and after that one hour, you had to take a break, rest your eyes for a second. You carefully placed the paperwork a bit further up the table before resting your head on your arms and closing your eyes.

“If I fall asleep, wake me in like ten minutes, okay?”

Copia just hummed as he continued reading and before you knew it, you were asleep.

Hushed voices were what woke you up.

“I brought the paperwork to your office, Cardinal.”

The voice was unfamiliar, you wondered who it was.

“Grazie, Phantom. If you could just open the door to her room for me in un secondo?”

“Of course.”

The voices stopped, as you felt a sense of security and care wash over you, falling back asleep.

“I got it from here, thank you.”

“Of course, Cardinal. Good night.”

You heard footsteps retreating as you suddenly felt something soft underneath you. Instinctively, you nuzzled against the cool fabric, twisting your body until you were lying on your side. A familiar chuckle reached your ears and you automatically smiled.

“Buona notte, cara mia.”

You felt soft lips meet your temple and immediately you wished they’d stay there for just a moment longer. But they quickly left your skin as familiar footsteps walked away from you before a door was shut gently.

You wanted to get up and chase after that feeling of security and love, but before you could, sleep took over you again.

Translations: Si...yes fratello...brother imbarazzante...awkward timido...shy cara...dear Grazie...thank you un secondo...a second Buona notte, cara mia...Good night, my darling

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Tags: @antoniamarie1989

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[maspers]

Ranking the Miracucast by how they'd react to being chosen as the next holder of One For All

Marinette: She would scream and cry and do everything in her power to avoid becoming the next Symbol of Peace. She would then proceed to be one of the most beloved and powerful Heroes the world has ever seen. 9/10

Alya: Depends on when she gets the Quirk. Early Seasons Alya is all about fame and branding, and she'd be loved by the populace as a hero but make a decent amount of rookie mistakes. Late Seasons Alya would be way more competent as a One For All user, but she also knows how to keep things subtle. I can see her becoming an Underground Hero like Eraserhead. Either way, 7/10

Adrien: Yes. 10/10

Nino: He would be very confused as to why he's being chosen, but if his friends were in danger he'd do it. Would much prefer to focus on his music than hero work, and as such would be known for the former more than the latter. 3/10

Chloe: She would try so, so, so hard to be the ultimate superhero that everyone loves. Unfortunately we saw how that went down in canon. She has the potential to great things, but motives will always be a serious problem for her. 4/10

Sabrina: Getting One For All might be what it takes to get her out of her shell. She'd never reach the fame and reputation that All Might and Deku have, but she would treat her powers with utmost respect and very few people would have bad things to say about her as a hero. 7/10

Mylene: She would be very confused, and very scared, and honestly would probably reject the Quirk outright. If forced to take it she'd be great, but I just can't see her wanting to hold on to it. She prefers to change the world in other ways. 3/10

Ivan: Everyone would doubt him due to making assumptions, but he would surpass them all and come into his own as a beloved and respected hero, albeit one that's pretty intimidating. He wouldn't really focus on quirks other than the super strength, but hey, it worked for All Might! 8/10

Rose: Be afraid. Be very afraid. 6/10

Juleka: Guaranteed to be more of the Underground hero type. Possibly might go full vigilante. She would use the Quirks very differently than most would expect, so people won't make the connection to past One For All holders. She does not want to have a body count, but definitely has one. 6/10

Kim: Kim is a total doofus who would immediately gain a rep as a reckless hero who causes lots of collateral damage but makes up for it by just trying really hard. Deep down he will feel unworthy and self-conscious. Local Himbo has internal turmoil and Does Not Deserve It. 5/10

Max: Would reject the Quirk outright and only accept it in the most dire of circumstances. Max does not want a messy complicated Quirk like One For All. Max likes simple and efficient, stuff he can manipulate from the get go. One For All is not simple. Give it to someone else. 0/10

(side note: while Max does not want One For All, Markov absolutely does, and finding a way to give Markov One For All would make for an interesting challenge. But Max still isn't taking it.)

Alix: Would politely decline taking it. Because she's already received it (and passed it on after engaging in brief shenanigans with it) in the future, and knows it is not her battle to fight in the present. Alix/10

Nathaniel: Please let this poor boy have some sleep. He is very tired and very angry and accepted the Quirk on impulse and really doesn't want to do this. Eventually manages to figure out his niche being a artist/spraypaint hero (Alix helps), and may or may not accidentally trigger the downfall of a corrupt government. 7/10

Lila: She obtained it under false pretenses and we are all doomed. There's a slim chance she'll do some hero work for the sake of her image, but like. The cons will definitely outweigh the pros. This was a mistake. 1/10

Luka: Accepted One For All during a time of great need, and knew the moment he received it that it was something Important. He puts on a front of being chill, but treats his work as a Hero with the utmost of seriousness and will do what has to be done. Like his sister, he would actively strive to not have a body count, but definitely would have one. 9/10

Kagami: She's a superhero with a sword. Awesomeness is the default. She will have no idea what she is doing but like. She has a sword. Stuff is getting done. 7/10

Marc: Look, you know Worm? You know Legend? One For All Marc would be like Legend except less hunk and more bishonen. The fangirls and fanboys will rejoice. Marc does not want all the attention, but he has it anyway. 6/10

Ondine: Kim accepts his role as the ultimate trophy boyfriend. Ondine would be competent, but she would also create even more collateral damage. 5/10

Aurore (New!): If there's one thing she knows, it's branding. She may not be known as a particularly powerful hero, but her branding would be top notch. When people figure out she's the latest successor she will OWN it and turn it into more branding. 5/10

Felix: Was likely offered One For All by someone who thought he was Adrien, and accepted it under that pretense. Would do a good job as a hero (and would give Adrien the credit in the process) but would figure out how to use all the Quirks very quickly and have a gig as a vigilante going on under a different identity, using different quirks to keep people in the dark. Very sus, Felix. You can be better than this. 2/10

Zoe: Look the populace would pick up on the fact that she's blonde and associated with America and immediately assume she's related to All Might. That's just going to happen. All Might will basically have to end up adopting her, if he's still around. She does not like this, but makes it work. 6/10

[eofoc]

day 9: relationships (part 1)

Ange & Juliet - platonic, half-siblings

Ange & Yuze (angeyuze 🌿🌊) - romantic

Mischa & Orifiel (orimischa 🗝️🦢) - romantic; art credits: first, second

Juliet & Roselyn (roseliet 🌹🕯️) - complicated; art credits: first, second

AAAHAGHG MY FAV DAY!!!!! prepare for a crazy CRAZY EXTENSIVE infodump (under the cut) ...

edit: i feel like this is already a long ass post so tbh. i might just reblog with a description of the other two (🗝️🦢+🌹🕯️) at a later time :]

idk if i need to say this but i hate incest. please block me if you engage in any sort of incest media / fiction. my ocs siblings relationship are strictly platonic

💚🧸 ill start with the siblings because they make me a bit crazy i cant lie. they are half-siblings!! juliets dad died when she was very very young (a baby basically) so she grew up with her step-father (ange's father)... she didnt really gaf about him at all though because she was mommys girl . amen

when they were younger, ange and juliet got along really well!!!! juliet loved playing the role of an older sister and she liked dragging ange around ... they also played togetjer a lot :3 but like. gradually they started getting more into their studies and all .... their parents were getting more and more antagonistic towards each other so they began piting the kids against each other as well. #divorce

as a kid ange viewed juliet as some sort of a. higher figure... something beyond his reach... a kind and silly and funny angel and the only person who treated him right honestly. so when he assumed that juliet has betrayed yuze and had his parents killed . his world Lowkey literally crumbled. i think he realized at that time that shes just a human person and can Also make mistakes.

their relationship got a bit strained because ange started to isolate himself Hard. and juliet is a naturally pushy person when it comes to others so it did make her frustrated when he wouldnt tell her anything or talk to her... wah...... ange was also being ostracized by society because of his father :( juliet tried to throw parties and warm others up to him and she was like. just act nice okay. but it failed lowkey because hes a bit of an asshole sometimes

they had a big fight over that and stopped speaking like.. at all...... ange thought juliet was setting him up and exposing him to people that dont like him when all she did was try to fix his image and reputation... whatever okay.

i also want to say theyre very similar in a lot of aspect!!! both mask their emotions to a crazy degree, usually with a smile or with humor... both kind of try to appeal to people as much as they can, but in different ways? ange mostly wants people to see him as stupid and non-threatening (opposite of his father) and juliet wants people to see her as pitiful and hard-working. they are also both mildly suicidal BUT ange is like -> i have no purpose so i should kms vs. juliet being like -> kms is the only way to escape the purpose i have in life

🌿🌊 ohhh the doomed yaoi... they make me super super sickly.... i talked about their childhood like 93849 times so . well. idk if i should do it Again . However

theyre like. childhood friends to one-sided enemies to lovers . in their childhood years yuze and ange met when yuze was helping his parents with tailoring clothes and yuze helped him out a bit (ange was afraid to speak up and yuze noticed it...) and so it began. ange kind of even in his childhood clung to yuze a lot because it seemed like he was the only one who understood him and his troubles. like even to a bigger degree than juliet could. to yuze . well he didnt think too much about it . like childhood friend yay :)

then the whole FIASCO happened. yuze jumped through 9328 mental hoops and as a 10 year old the only logical thing that made sense was that ange had something to do with the death of his parents. poor ange lost his only friend, his dad was executed and his mama now hated him more than ever and forbid juliet from meeting with him. so they were both going through it .

and then when they meet again they are literally . two different people . its like meeting a fuckign stranger because of how much theyve changed and that drives me a bit crazy. ange is hurt by the resentment yuze seems to hold for him.... yuze is like damn i have to kill this guy (he doesnt Really hide it...) but he finds out how suicidal ange is and hes like. :/. i dont like you but dont do that actually jesus christ youve had it rough. and then he finds out that ange didnt have anything to do with his parents after all and the GUILT that kicks in is crazy. and then more stuff happens (Heh

[billiuspendragon]

Mob Psycho 100 playlist

I made a playlist, and I'm gonna post the songs on here and explain why I chose each of them. I'm not including every single song because of the audio limit but I'll explain the ones with the most thought behind them. Inspired by this post !

this is TOTALLY Mob about Tsubomi when they were kids.

Teacher thinks that I sound funny But she likes the way you sing Tonight I'll dream, while I’m in bed When silly thoughts go through my head About the bugs and alphabet And when I wake tomorrow, I'll bet That you and I will walk together again

Especially with the mention of them walking to school together, which is what Mob daydreams about. Altogether his crush on her is very childlike and innocent since he's loved her since they were kids, and I think this song reflects that.

Lyrics: 10 Vibes: 10

This one is why I decided to make a Mob Psycho playlist in the first place. It just brings back all my feelings from getting to the end of the show.

Oh, I'll settle down with some old story About a boy who's just like me Thought there was love in everything and everyone You're so naive! They always reach a sorry ending They always get it in the end Still it was worth it as I turned the pages solemnly and then

With a winning smile, the boy With naivety succeeds At the final moment, I cried I always cry at endings

Sorry that's such a long quote but it's so Mob I can't even. Reigen makes fun of him for being naiive but with his naiveté he succeeds!

I think it also works really well with Emi, since it talks about stories so much. She compares herself to Mob at once point too, which fits the "about a boy who's just like me" line.

Said the hero in the story "It is mightier than swords I could kill you, sure But I could only make you cry with these words

It's so him guys. His power is mightier than swords but it's his simple, honest words that usually win his battles.

Lyrics match: 8 Vibes match: 8

This song reminds me of Mob and Ritsu as kids.

And you know that I'm gonna be the one Who'll be there When you need someone to depend upon When tomorrow comes...

They're just,, always there for each other 🥹 they care about each other so much...

Also gonna share my favourite part:

Every star was shining brightly Just like a million years before And we were feeling very small Underneath the universe

It just gives me such a clear picture of them as small kids okay I just love their relationship so much aaaaa

Lyrics match: 7 Vibes match: 10

This is a brutal one to put right after the previous one, but it reminds me of Mob post-trauma.

There is no pain, you are receding A distant ship, smoke on the horizon You are only coming through in waves Your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying When I was a child, I had a fever My hands felt just like two balloons Now I've got that feeling once again I can't explain, you would not understand This is not how I am

I have become comfortably numb

Because he starts shutting himself away and numbing himself so his emotions don't get the better of him.

Lyrics match: 6 Vibes match: 8

This also reminds me of Mob and Ritsu, but also post-trauma.

Love, love will tear us apart, again

Mob grows distant out of a fear of hurting Ritsu, and Ritsu becomes slightly afraid of Mob. Love really did tear them apart 😭

Lyrics match: 7 Vibes match: 9

This one represents Mob when he's beginning to lose it.

I look inside myself and see my heart is black

Lyrics match: 7 Vibes match: 6

I wasn't able to include it but I also have "Where is My Mind" by The Pixies for similar reasons.

This one gives me Reigen vibes.

You know "My celibate days are over" You put me straight on the finer points of my speech rehearsed In the mirror of my steamy bathroom Where the lino tells a sorry story in a monologue, in a monologue

I think this song is mostly about the singer himself, but the lyrics are just so specific and evocative that it gives me the mental image of Reigen in that one outro in season one you know.

The chorus reminds me of him too:

Six months on, the winter's gone The disenchanted pony Left the town with the circus boy The circus boy got lonely It's summer and it's sister song's Been written for the lonely The circus boy is feeling melancholy

Lyrics match: 6 Vibes match: 9

THIS IS SO MOB WHEN HE LOSES IT I CAN'T EXPRESS THIS ENOUGH

I'm not the killing type, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, but I would kill to make you feel! I don't mean kill someone for real! I couldn't do that, it is wrong! but I can say it in a song, a song, and I'm saying it NOW!

Like PLEASE it's so fitting, especially for when he fights Shou's dad.

Also this verse:

I once stepped on a dying bird It was a mercy killing I couldn't sleep for a week I kept feeling its breaking bones

It's. It's so him.

Lyrics match: 10 Vibes match: 8

this whole song just reminds me of Reigen. I'm so annoyed that the little excerpt that Tumblr plays is never The Right Bit but --

...and for once in you're life, you've got nothing to say, and could this be the time, when somebody will come, to say "look at yourself, you're not much use to anyone"?

I just think it fits well as someone who's very confident on the surface but deep down feels a bit pathetic and doesn't know what he's doing.

(that's like my favourite song ever btw, it's so bouncy)

Lyrics match: 9 Vibes match: 8

This one just fits with the lower-stakes parts of the show to me.

Do something pretty while you can, don't be a fool, skating a pirouette on ice is cool

I don't know man, there's just something about it.

Lyrics match: 7 Vibes match: 10

I've skipped some songs out of this because of the audio limit but here's the full playlist if anyone wants to listen to it :D I think I explained all the important ones, the others are probably there for vibes.

Oh yeah and I added "Satellite of Love" onto the end because it reminded me of the aliens lmao... I might take it off though because "We Rule the School" feels like such a good one to finish on and idk where I would put Satellite of Love to get the flow right

[catchyhuh]

KIDS!!

no not like what they were like AS kids. that's cute though i might do that later but anyway this is just how they are around children. you bring up canon i shoot you dead. now let’s get goin

lupin:

lupin LOVES kids. does that mean he’s good with them/should be trusted to watch them and keep them from accidentally dying? no

he’s expected to have them because. gestures. but he’s not really in a rush. he’s just kind of waiting for fate to do something. (he’s hoping fate will have something to do with fujiko giving his kid pretty incredible genes but the reality is he’d probably stumble across some embittered oliver twist adjacent kid and take them in)

the REALest reality is he’s just every child he runs into’s favorite uncle. he’s a horrible influence and you know kids LOVE that. holds them by their ankles, throws them like five feet into a pool, they LOVE it, and it horrifies every reasonable adult nearby. except his friends. they’ve grown immune to the terrifying sights that come with this guy.

jigen:

(pushing aside the new jigen thing just in case it makes this post age poorly) have you ever met someone who hates kids but children just love them

jigen hates it but he lowkey has some fatherly instincts within. lowkey. it’s faint though don’t expect him to offer to watch your kid for you but like any mildly decent human being he’s not going to let a child run into an electrical fence. usually though those same people don’t just start giving said kid a piggyback ride to guide them back to a more responsible party though but don’t ever bring it up to him

really i think it just comes from a soft spot for mildly vulnerable people. not an obligation he feels exactly just like. this child is miserable. if i made a stupid face, will the child continue to be miserable? granted, if the stupid face does not cheer up the kid, he’s not beating himself up about it either. i said kids LIKED him not that he was GOOD with them

fujiko:

very impartial. again, has the basic human decency to see a child clearly about to hurt themselves within arms reach and moves to stop them, but it’s like. does she care about that child’s hobbies, their favorite color, their latest minecraft build? uh No not really no

not above smiling and cooing over how cute babies are, but again, doesn’t mean SHE FUCKIN WANTS ONE LMAOOOOO it’s just that she has. eyes. if she thinks your baby is ugly on the other hand she won’t exactly TELL you so but her grin is noticeably forced and shes like. “what. an angel. wow. she’s really gonna break hearts someday i’m sure. wow.”

fujiko (pushing aside that fuckass movie) fujiko does not want kids. if she has a kid it’s someone else’s responsibility hands down. it’s not even that she’s afraid of the commitment OF a child (although that admittedly isn’t a thing she’s a fan of) she just knows for a fact that some people on this earth are not meant to be parents and by GOD is she NOT meant to be a parent. honestly it’s a self-awareness she wishes more people had.

goemon:

i have to be. completely candid here i’ve never really thought about this. but now that i am it’s very clear to me that goemon is the type of person who talks to a 5yo the same way you’d talk to a fully grown man and that’s hilarious

kids are always very interested by him in the like. “why are you so dressed up” “why do you talk like that” “is that a real sword” sense which tends to overwhelm him for a brief blip, but leave him with them for a half hour and come back and he’ll be showing them INSANE hide and seek techniques 

he simultaneously doesn’t understand children at all but is also capable of having fun with them. a big chunk of it depends on his current mood, but if they’re like, nice, pleasant kids, 9 times out of 10 he’ll do like. one cool thing for them just to see them go OWAOAAWW!! he can get a little silly with it. if the situation needs be.

zenigata:

do you guys hear that? that like. wooing trumpet noise. with a little bit of stomping in there? sounds like there’s an elephant in the room or something. anyways

kids either love or hate him immediately. like goemon it tends to revolve around his mood and the mood of the kid in question, because sometimes he goes from sulking about losing (again) to “Oh My God is that your baby? TWO weeks old? just two weeks old? that tiny?” in a heartbeat. conversely children also tend to find him very bullyable. either way they flock to this guy

if you had a six year old and you needed one of these five to watch it for like, three hours, zenigata is your safest bet, but that’s. NOT SAYING MUCH he’s just the only one who’s moderately prepared for like. kid fell down and started crying type things. kid doesn’t WANT to eat spaghetti for lunch but that’s what they have to eat. that type of deal. he puts on this calm but slightly stern tone and the kid's like . okay fine i'll eat it. it's very jarring for anyone who's seen the way he is normally omg that trumpeting is back what the hell is that noi

POINT IS he’s good with kids. not perfect (children imitate the behavior they see you know) but good enough. it’s backed up in canon! in fact it’s so backed up you might even say he might as well have a kid even,

I'M SORRY FOR THE JOKES I JUST CAN'T HELP IT

[little-tyrant-gortash]

Oathbreaker

Pairing: fem!Tav x Enver Gortash, fem!Tav/Astarion

Tags: Emotional Manipulation, Manipulation, Manipulative Relationship, Paladin Tav (Baldur's Gate), Vaginal Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Drunk Sex, Unrequited Love, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Scars, Blood and Injury, Injury, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Torture, Psychological Torture, Implied/Referenced Torture

Word count: 2,204

Ao3 here.

Chapter 1.

Chapter 2.

Chapter 3.

Chapter 4.

Chapter 5.

Chapter 6.

Chapter 7.

Chapter 8.

Chapter 9.

Chapter 10.

Chapter 11.

Chapter 12.

Chapter 13.

Chapter 14.

Chapter 15.

Chapter 16.

Chapter 17.

Chapter 18.

Chapter 19.

Chapter 20.

Chapter 21.

Chapter 22.

Chapter 23.

Chapter 24.

Chapter 25.

Chapter 26.

Chapter 27. ⬇

Chapter 28.

Chapter 27: The Dark Urge

After lighting some candles, she sat back on the bed again, exhausted and hungry, once again. Enver stopped beside the bed, then reached for the backpack he placed just beside it.

"After you've left, I started to research the subject", he rummaged through the bag, and Tav frowned.

"How did you know?"

"Well, after you've said yourself that your cycles returned to normal, I immediately thought that that couldn't be. Thinking about all the evenings you've spent with me, then, your midnight craving, the way you avoided wine… thinking back on all of these, it was clear as day. I was just surprised you didn't notice."

Tav blushed beet red and looked away.

"I guess I was distracted."

"By what?" Enver mumbled with a frown.

"By the gods Enver, what do you think?" She huffed, running a hand in her hair. "It's all your fault."

"So you're blaming all of this on me?" He chuckled, finally lifting a smaller bag from his backpack.

"Definitely. After all, you made this possible", she motioned at her lower stomach.

"I'll gladly take all the blame", he chuckled, sitting next to her with the bag in his hands. "You wanted to have a child, and I could give it to you. I feel like that finally, I could do something right."

Tav frowned slightly at his choice of words. She tilted her head a little, then brought her hand up to touch his back to rub it. He felt… relaxed. Calm.

"While the timing could've been better… thank you", she said then, then shook her head with a smile when her stomach rumbled. "I just wish that I could keep something down. Anything."

"That's why I brought these", Gortash opened the bag and showed it's contents to her. To her surprise, it was full of cookies. "These have ginger and lemon in them, both should help with nausea."

"Did you make them?" She asked as she got a cookie out of the bag.

"No", he laughed lightly, "I'm afraid that this exceeds my expertise in the kitchen."

"Do you have any idea how many times I've been thinking of those steaks you've made for me in the past few days?" She sighed as she slowly munched on the cookie.

Gortash chuckled again, shaking his head as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to himself to kiss her temple.

"Move in with me", he murmured, "ever since I've known… I kept thinking about how dangerous it is for you out there."

Tav weighed her options. She could still meet her friends and try and plot everything with them during the day; it'd also be nicer to sleep in a bed. Lately, her back was slowly killing her whenever she slept in her bedroll. And she was almost constantly exhausted. Coupled with the small portions of food, bad quality rest and everything in between… it'd be definitely a positive change if she slept in a proper bed, and more importantly, with him around to help her if she needed it.

"Alright", she bit from the cookie again. It really helped with her rebelling belly. "I'll just go back to camp to gather my stuff, alright?"

"I'll need to be back at Wyrm's Rock Fortress tomorrow morning."

"Well, I could go to camp right now", she shrugged, "it's not that late. We can meet back here and go there together."

"Do you think I'd allow you to go back to your camp alone?" He raised a brow.

"No need to be so protective, Your Grace", she finished the cookie and booped his nose with a giggle, which made him furrow his brows even more. "I'll be fine. It's just a ten minutes walk away. It's not even dark yet."

Gortash contemplated arguing, but then, he decided not to. Her tempers could rise so much easily than a few weeks ago, and while he wanted to have things his way, he decided not to upset her again. Yet, anyway.

"Fine. But hurry back."

"Of course I'll hurry back", Tav promised, kissing his cheek before she got up and left the room.

Hurrying down the stairs and out of Sharess' Caress, she made her way straight back to the camp with a smile permanently stuck to her face. For once, her future looked much brighter than she thought it ever would; apart from a few nuances, all was well, and would be well, too.

But as Gortash warned her at their first meeting, there were people who were following her. Not just allies kept their eyes on her, but also those who wanted to turn inside out.

At the first corner where she had to turn right, just before she could reach her camp, she was abruptly stopped by a huge figure. She had to tilt her head back to look at the stranger's face. Even though he was wearing a hood, she could see that he was a dragonborn; his scales pale white, his eyes a burning crimson.

Rage. He looked like he was full of rage.

Tav took half a step back, but his right hand shot up and grabbed her arm. She struggled against him and opened her mouth to scream for help when he moved a piece of cloth against her nose and mouth with his free hand. The edges of her vision blurred and darkened until everything was consumed by the nothingness.

Pacing up and down, he counted the minutes. The room grew darker and darker still, and once again, darkness brought no comfort, no confidence.

Just agitation.

Something was wrong. He could feel it.

Casting the shape shifting spell, he donned the appearance of the redhed elf again, then fled the brothel, making a beeline for her camp. He'd made it in such a little time that his nervousness only grew.

"Who are you?" Gale arched a brow, looking him over suspiciously.

Gortash didn't want to waste time on an explanation. He broke his concentration, revealing himself, allowing Gale no time to react before he snapped:

"Did she make it back to camp?" Gale blinked, then dread visibly overwritten anything else he had on his face. Gortash grew impatient fast. "Did she make it back to camp?!" He shouted at the wizard.

"N-no. No, she didn't."

Gortash spun on his heels and went back to the alley where he came from, looking for clues. Gale followed him, Karlach and Shadowheart in tow.

"What happened?" Karlach asked, and Gale answered:

"Apparently, Tav should've made it back to camp", he furrowed his brows as he looked after Gortash.

"What?" Shadowheart whispered. "I thought she was with you, Gortash."

"She was", he confirmed in an almost detached tone. "She insisted coming back here to pick up her things. We planned going back to Wyrm's Rock Fortress together."

"Why didn't you come with her?" Shadowheart snapped.

Gale glanced at the Cleric. It was unlikely she'd snap in a way like this at anyone, especially at the tyrant who gave them many reasons to be wary of. But Gortash wasn't focusing on her tone.

"I trusted her to come back to our meeting point without a problem. She's strong and resourceful, I did not expect her to get into trouble. Especially because the camp is just a few minutes away."

"In her state, you should've came with her", Shadowheart snapped again, even angrier, this time.

"Her state?" Karlach echoed. "What does that mean? What state?"

Neither Shadowheart nor Gortash answered. Gale said nothing, but the way his expression shifted with confusion, realisation and then finally, sorrow and heartbreak, spoke volumes that he suspected the truth. Karlach, though, remained looking puzzled. Nobody answered her question, though.

In the meantime, Gortash found some clues. It appeared that a heavy person had been dragging someone much lighter there recently, straight to a manhole, leading down to the sewers. He cursed under his breath. He hadn't had much with him right now, but he wouldn't waste time going back to his home for weapons. He had to make do with what he had with himself: his spells, his dagger, and his ability to call upon Bane's Black Hand, should he need it.

Seeing that he wasted absolutely no time to go down, the other three exchanged confused glances.

"Wait, what's the plan?" Karlach asked Gortash then.

"We go down, find her captors, tear them to pieces and bring her out", Gortash grunted as he removed the lid.

"I like the sound of that, actually", Karlach smirked. "Especially the "tear them to pieces" part."

Gortash almost smiled. Almost.

"We'll split on the way so we cover more area. You can use your tadpoles to communicate from a distance with each other, I'll go alone and rely on myself, as always." He straightened up and glanced at the other three with a look that could strike terror into the heart of the fiercest warrior. "We're not leaving the sewers until we find her, understood?"

All of them looked surprised at how fast Gortash could whip out a plan they all agreed with.

"Understood", Shadowheart said on their behalf, and couldn't resist adding, "this sounds like a good plan."

"A good plan indeed." A silky voice broke the sudden silence. Astarion approached them, revealing himself from the shadows, dressed in a different set of clothes – which made Shadowheart snort. "Who are we searching for?"

"You just go back to your palace, Ascendant", Shadowheart teased him, "unless you want to change those clothes again."

"Why, if Tav is in danger, I'm nothing if not helpful." His voice was still calm and quiet, but his eyes burned with crimson fires. "Do we know who took her?"

"Since I have plenty of enemies", Gortash growled, "we'll see."

"It's dangerous to be your ally, is it not?" Astarion whispered, his eyes trained on the tyrant who made no move and gave no clue how the vampire's words made him feel. "One wonders if it's even wise to even talk to you, let alone-"

"Do you want to help us find her then, or not?!" Shadowheart snapped again. "Every minute counts! Shut up, make yourself useful for once and try to find her!"

And with that, she brushed Gortash out of the way and started to climb the ladder down without hesitation. Gale and Karlach followed without saying a word, leaving the tyrant and the Ascendant behind.

Gortash stared at the pale elf with as much malice as he could muster.

"What are you waiting for?" Astarion's smile looked dangerous. "Go on."

"I'm not turning my back on you", Gortash growled.

"Haha!" Astarion gave a little laugh, "you think you're very clever, aren't you?" He glanced up at the stars before he looked back at Gortash, his crimson eyes burning with hatred. "Let's play a game. If you find her first, she's all yours. But if I do, she's mine."

Gortash's brows twitched for a split second.

"This isn't a game, and she's not some prize to be won."

"Oh, please, spare me your fake rigtheous bullshit", Astarion waved him off as if he was fly. "You are a tyrant. If anyone believes she has a free will of choosing who will she spend her days with, they're not just gravely mistaken but also horribly stupid. With you, she doesn't have a choice."

"Why, does she have a choice with you?" Gortash snapped, his voice dangerously quiet.

"No", Astarion's lips twitched, then curled up into a small smile. "But she could never resist me. By now, you must've learned what I am."

"A vampire."

"Not just a regular vampire", Astarion tutted, "the Vampire Ascendant."

"Shiny title for someone who visibly has nothing else to his name." Gortash shifted closer to Astarion, clearly stepping into his personal space. The pale elf said nothing, he did not move, but his eyes flashed dangerously once more. "The only reason you're able to parade around in my city like a reanimated corpse is because you're useful to me. Every little act of yours makes her turn to me for protection even more than ever. But I'm growing tired of your empty threats. Cross my path the wrong way and you'll see that even a Vampire Ascendant can suffer and die."

"You are but words", Astarion whispered.

"Test my patience", Gortash challenged, his voice a low growl, "I dare you. It's wearing very thin, with every word you utter."

"Then let's get back to business", Astarion's brows lowered even more, and he snarled. "If I find her first, she'll be mine, and she'll become my spawn. She'll have no choice but to obey my every whim. We'll see how you'll like it when she gives me a lapdance at your next ball, Archduke."

The thought of Astarion changing her surely would mean that Tav would lose their unborn child. Gortash would not let that happen under any circumstances. He'd defend his own blood at any and all costs. It seemed that the very air around him darkened.

"If you touch a single strand of hair on her head, I will end you as painfully as possible."

"We'll see", Astarion purred, then shifted into his bat form and disappeared into the sewers.

Gortash cursed and followed him.

[eviestevie-nametaken]

This is something I’ve talked about on Twitter briefly but I also want to bring it up here because I’m seeing people discuss it (and honestly nitpick a bit) but yes, people think that WBY’s comfort to Jaune is jarring considering what happened in Episode 8. I get why people think that, but I honestly disagree.

WBY understood from the Paper Pleasers that Ascension isn’t actually death, but rebirth. Jaune was the only one out of the four who hadn’t accepted that yet, and it’s through this acceptance that they were able to reach the tree in episode 9. That scene needed to happen. They’re able to display their understanding of Ascension alongside their concern for Ruby. They’re all still worried about her, but they also know that they can’t force Ruby out of the tree (unlike what NeoCat wants to try to do).

People seem to forget that it’s not just RWBY who care about each other, it’s been RWBY and JNPR (+Oscar and Penny and so on) that have all been a group of friends/family. Of course they’re going to look out for everyone, and that includes Jaune. The people who despise his very presence on screen are just ridiculous, I can guarantee you he’s not “stealing” scenes like people always say. They need to get that Jaundice mentality out of their head. It’s just annoying at this point.

You can dislike Jaune, that’s fine. But saying he’s stealing screen time or the story is just plain stupid. Again, his acceptance of Ascension had to happen otherwise WBYJ never would have been brought to the tree. He’s a narrative foil to Ruby, a deuteragonist alongside his team. He’s a part of the story, as much as some people will hate that.

Another thing to add; I’ll say Ruby didn’t quite want to end her life as she simply wanted to be a different person. She says it herself in episode 8 “I don’t want to be me anymore.” That can still be taken as suicidal ideation, but again, Ruby knew like WBY that ascending doesn’t automatically mean death, she was there listening to the Paper Pleasers. Along with that point, in the moment how were WBYJ supposed to know what the tea did? They don’t have our point of view as the audience, they’re characters taking in the beats of a story.

None of RWBYJ fully understand the Ever After, and up until episode 9 (and maybe even 10) they didn’t know the full story compared to the fairytale. Their shock and confusion regarding ascension and what happened to Ruby was completely reasonable, but again they had accepted that it wasn’t death, Jaune just needed to catch up on that idea. He was afraid to, which makes sense considering what he’s been through in the EA.

That’s all I really have to say. I’m still waking up as I make this post so I guess if anyone wants to add anything they can. Please though, if you’re going to reply or add a point keep it civil. There’s really no need to fight or be so aggressive. K thanks bye.

[satureja13]

Disclaimer: This is the whole (kind of short) story of Jack and Kiyoshi in chronological order (not the order I posted it). 9 or 10 scrolls with 15 pictures. Until now. I felt the need to put everything in one place before we continue.

The first time Kiyoshi saw Jack was when Jack was 16 (Kiyoshi 17). (Around 2.5 years ago from now) Jack had been captured at the Lab and Kiyoshi had been sent there by his father to work as an assistant. Kiyoshi was raised in the beliefs of the Council and it was a shock for him to find out that Jack, a 'filthy creature', was supposed to be his fated mate. Kiyoshi made up his mind (with help from Dtui). He wasn't able to go on with the experiments. They rescued (at this time unconscious) Jack and Saiwa. The time at the Lab caused a huge damage to Jacks mind. And Kiyoshi feels guilty for this, because his family is involved.

Kiyoshi and Dtui had been sentenced to death because they rescued the 'test animals' and betrayed the Council. But they were able to escape. They made a deal with a lower 'god' and became Yokai (demons) and served at his temple furtheron. There Kiyoshi started his studies about werewolves to become Jack's Alpha one day. Which is hard for him. This is not his nature and he was teached to obey. But Jack is an omega by nature and damaged. He needs a strong hand and a strong partner to carry him through his hardships. But Kiyoshi pushed Jack to far. They are both too young and unfledged... (This can be read in Chapter 12, their Background Stories.)

From that day on Dtui and Kiyoshi had the Council at their heels. So Kiyoshi decided it would be better to keep his connection to Jack a secret to not put him in jeopardy.

Kiyoshi made his first move on Jack two years later, after Jack just had turned 18. He asked Ji Ho if it was ok to invite Jack to the Prom. (He really did this, he was a premade then ö.ö'). That was the first time Jack really noticed Kiyoshi and fell in love with him. (Jack has no memories of Kiyoshi from the lab, he and Saiwa had been anesthetized by Dtui to prevent them from further damage).

After Vlad had died, Jack was so broken, that he had been sent to the Temple where Kiyoshi took care of him. There they started their secret relationship. Kiyoshi just asked one thing of Jack - to trust him. He couldn't tell Jack why he was at the Lab and about his family and that he was a demon any why he became one. And that they are fated mates. He was so afraid that Jack would leave him if he ever finds out. All about this in Chapter 7 : Jack at the Temple

It's hard for Jack to trust Kiyoshi. After all that had happened to him, he's having a hard time trusting anyone. And he doesn't understand what a guy like Kiyoshi, who is adored by anyone could possibly want from a messed up wolf like him. And Jack can't trust himself. Deep inside he feels the same as Kiyoshi, but he can't give in. He developed a kind of paranoia after the Lab and is always searching for 'issues' and 'evidence' why it can't be. And Jack's jealousy doesn't make things easier either. He has any reason to be jeolous, though. Since Kiyoshi keeps his 'everybodies darling' image up to not reveal his relationship to Jack and to keep his connections to the Council. Under these circumstances it's better to also keep their relationship a secret from Jack's friends. They surely wouldn't approve Jack being treated like this.

One day Kiyoshi revealed that he is going to be connected with a familiar and Jacks imagination went wild... But in the same scene, Kiyoshi and Jack got engaged! (kind of ^^')

The named issues reached their peak in december. They were both at their limits and so they broke up (kind of)... But only a few days later Jack needed Kiyoshi's help to bring Vlad back (who gave control to Luci). And so Kiyoshi had to reveal to Jack that he is a demon. Jack was both shocked and attracted...

Their ways parted and when Saiwa, Vlad, Ji Ho and Jack returned to the Lab to investigate, Jack saw Kiyoshis nameplate in the abandoned Lab. Jack decided to keep this a secred from his friends. He couldn't break their hearts by revealing what Kiyoshi did to them since they like him so much. Even Vlad. (Plus he was bound to his promise to keep Kiyoshi's secrets - a trap). So he planned to 'get rid' of Kiyoshi in secret.

He soon got the opportunity. They met again at the 'Cattle Market' on the top of the mountain in Moonwood Mill. Where Kiyoshi was about to claim Jack and become his Alpha. Jack was confident. No one ever beat him in a fight. Not even Vlad. But Kiyoshi won. Against all odds. This was a dark night for Jack. To be the underling of his torturer...

They met again at their new school and Jack tried again to kill Kiyoshi in an honorable fight (of no avail), but he couldn't resist him either. Jack hates himself for this.

This whole situation drove Jack more and more nuts and after a werewolf class, where they learned that the Alpha gains strength from his pack and that Jack himself was the reason why he can't defeat Kiyoshi in an honorable fight, he decided to murder Kiyoshi right away with his new lightsaber.

He was just about to leave their apartment, whe he noticed the data from the lab on Saiwa's computer. And he saw the video from Kiyoshi and Dtui's execution. So Kiyoshi tried to save them? He deleted the video nevertheless. He promised Kiyoshi to keep his secret. And if Kiyoshi finds out that Jack knows what the Council did to them, he would be concerned that Jack couldn't keep his feet still and would endanger their mission (to find out what the Council wants from Vlad). And he would have been right. Because now, Jack is determined to kill his Principal and her daughter - to start with... (because their name was printed on the documents Jack found in the lab). And then Jack had a mental breakdown. His mind went to a galaxy far far away...

And his body rests in a pod in Copperdale... ~ To be continued ~ ouf!

They are both aware that they will never be each others top priority. Jack will always put his friends first. Above all Saiwa and Vlad. And for Kiyoshi his duty will always be predominant. For his temple and for the Resistance. Still both have a deep understanding for their partners decision. And maybe just that is proof that they are already each others main concern.

For me it is a relief to know that Jack and Kiyoshi will stay together and even raise kids in my other story universe. This makes it easier to endure. And that Kiyoshi helped Jack become the reliable and halfway 'sane' man i know for over 10 years.

'You showed me that I was just a diamond in the rough You helped me to grow into the man that I've become We've been down, we've been up I hope I've made you proud enough You make it look easy even when I'm hard to love'

Hard To Love - One Ok Rock

From the Beginning  ~  Underwater Love ~  Latest

[b-splendens]

the xtended families + red herrings + new characters + rough outline + new names

this morning i realized that i had not factored the influence of multiple generations within each family. i think i had been working off of the assumption that "oh! the occupation and war killed everyone's parents!", which is kind of bad.

so i put my thinking cap on and oops! I think I accidentally created the ACTUAL villains—the GRANDPARENTS of the jak family, whose disfavoring of Heungjin throughout his life created a complex that he then instilled in Doryeong. I also ended up making Doryeong and Onjo's (name still pending) relationship much more antagonistic, which is sad but also more interesting; they were/are basically pawns for Heungjin and Noljin's widow to use to gain status and win favor from the grandparents/in-laws. but paradoxically, it is their children who bring the family glory, and not the other way around,

this will probably shift the gil's priorities a little, and make their revenge an all-out assault on the entire family, in addition to their associates. come to think of it, i seriously have to factor in their extended relatives for the plot to be anywhere near realistic.

PLUS, I'm considering having khanh's father and his disappearance be actually tied to the originally Jak Noljin, Heungjin, Gil Yong-gi case, although it might be unrealistic to do so.

I also came up with a reason for Onjo to still be a bachelor at the ripe old age of around 30; he DID marry in his early twenties, pressured to by his grandparents/mother after Doryeong's whole debacle with his dead bae and leaving the country (red herring: his entire family). but then ONJO's wife mysteriously dies before they can have a child. hm... (red herring: heungjin or doryeong). so he's sad :( and takes some time off to mourn. while the reasons why doryeong doesn't marry or adopt to raise a line/namebearer are 1) spite for his grandparents and 2) Heungjin's new daughter and 3) he's afraid of raising his own kid.

I ALSO also realized that the gil siblings' plan sort of looks like Parasite. And thus, my intention is to show them initially as what seems like conning grifters with eyes for the money (at least from the gom's perspective). Yuk-Nyang probably poses as a tutor or maid. Yeonseok is supposed to gun for Doryeong, either as a family-employed guard, his personal clerk/assistant, spiritual advisor, or just some guy he met at the club.

I've also been evolving new characters for various uses. That Jaded Painter is still onboard, but I'm unsure of his function. There's a reporter role I've held for a while now that I think I'll connect to Khanh. She'll have hired them to record the progress of her investigations, with the promise of a big story to sell. I envision them to be from across the ocean as well.

still have to chart out the beginning events though.

1) mother dies and hands yuk-nyang their mission, as well as a very small inheritance.

2) yuk-nyang plans while mourning

3) yuk-nyang finds their brother, and drags him back home. they pull off a heist or gambling spree to get mad cash.

4) yuk-nyang finds khanh because they know that she became friends with doryeong during her famous case

5) yn convinces khanh to help them investigate the jak family and expose their crimes for revenge, because khanh's career is in a slump and they have the funds (but khanh really just needs an excuse to go to yulle-terre).

6) khanh goes first, pretending to be on vacation. meets doryeong and is welcomed.

7) yeonseok and yn eventually reach the country and receive intel/instructions from khanh

8) yeonseok and yn and khanh link up and do investigating

9) BUT yn (and yeonseok?) starts murdering people; NOT part of khanh's plan.

10) doryeong hires khanh because he's suspicious. khanh looks into it discreetly, juggling both sides while conducting her own investigations.

11) shit happens. yn escalates, going forward with kidnapping the precious jak heirs, which khanh was also not informed about. everything goes KABOOM

now that i think of it i think (think, possibly) I can write now. who knows.

OH WAIT THERE'S MORE; Khanh's public name is Vu Hanh Xuan (without the diacritics). In Yulguk-eo it's Mu Haeng-chun.

[aishangotome]

Chapter 12-10 Cranes Crying and Cicades Chirping in the Cold (鶴唳寒蟬)

Chapter 12-9

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Da, da, da... Steady, firm. Those were the footsteps of martial artists.

The sound drew closer and closer. But Wangjue and I had already reached a dead end, with nowhere to hide. In the narrow corner, we could only hear each other's rapid breathing and heartbeats.

At this critical moment, a strong force suddenly gripped my wrist—a warm palm slid along my skin and forcefully unfolded my tightly clenched right hand.

Fortune Teller: Oh dear, young lady! You and your nephew, I'm afraid you're in for a bloody disaster today!

The shadow guards heard the commotion and approached us. Wangjue and I, with our backs to the alley entrance, couldn't help but hold our breaths.

The flamboyant fortune teller in front of us... continued to proclaim my fate in a loud voice.

Fortune Teller: Romance stirs in the six kingdoms of mountains and seas, the phoenix is drawn to the parasol tree—

Fortune Teller: A guest comes from afar, surrounded by a constellation of stars. Pinching my fingers, I calculate that romance is most prosperous.

Fortune Teller: I think the men and women of the world no longer need to pray to the Old Man under the Moon. The young lady standing there is a living signboard. With a fraction of your luck, one can have a prosperous marriage!

Fortune Teller: However, although the Red star governs marriage, it also has the responsibility of commanding battles. After all, the Red star was originally under the command of the Queen Mother of the West, similar to the Nine Heavens Mysterious Girl...

Fortune Teller: Although it is a time of chaos, the young lady is destined to be a rare female general star!

His words were rapid-fire and incessant, leaving no room for interruption. Anxious, I tried to pull my hand away, but he held on tight.

Shadow Guard A: Let's go, it's not the person we're looking for.

Shadow Guard B: The figure looks quite similar.

Shadow Guard A: Sounds like a fortune teller. If I weren't on a mission, I'd want my fortune told too...

Shadow Guard B: My second uncle's grandmother was scammed out of hundreds of taels of silver by a fortune teller. It's a new type of scam, you can't fall for it...

Fortune Teller: ...

The two chatted idly as they walked away. After the sound of footsteps completely disappeared, the man finally let go of my hand.

—So, he was deliberately helping us out?

Princess: Thank you. Whatever fee you require, sir, I can pay.

Fortune Teller: I don't accept gold or silver, only the young lady's time.

Princess: Are you the Black and White Impermanence?

Fortune Teller: Not taking your lifespan... Just asking you to chat with me for five hours!

Princess: Uh...

Fortune Teller: The young lady didn't say anything, that means you agree! Good, good, good, as expected, the moment I saw the young lady, I felt a special connection with you!

He was incredibly moved and grasped my hand, shaking it vigorously, with tears glimmering in his eyes.

Fortune Teller: After so many years! No one has ever agreed so readily. Could the young lady be the Goddess of Mercy, Cihang Daoren, descended from heaven?

Princess: I'm not... I haven't...

He obviously wasn't listening anymore, and started talking to me about everything from the snacks at Yuyan Pavilion to the dog hole in the kitchen of Squire Wang's house on West Street, becoming more and more animated as he spoke.

Getting excited, he grabbed my palm again, about to spread it open, when another hand suddenly intervened.

Wangjue, with a straight face, pried my hand away from the fortune teller's.

Wangjue: Sir, why don't you tell my fortune as well?

The fortune teller was taken aback, then a playful look appeared on his face.

Fortune Teller: ...Alright. I wonder what this young friend wants to know?

Wangjue: Just... my fate with someone.

Fortune Teller: Who?

Wangjue: Don't you know, sir?

I couldn't help but frown. What riddle were they playing?

But at this moment, the fortune teller finally shed some of his swindler appearance and seemed rather immortal-like.

The crisp sound of the cloud clappers echoed in the alley. His brows furrowed and relaxed, and after a long while, he finally spoke softly.

Fortune Teller: The flame that never extinguishes, how does it burn?

Fortune Teller: I advise you, young friend, when you can barely protect yourself, do not entertain any more wishful thinking.

Wangjue: The flame that never extinguishes, how does it burn... wha...

A wry smile rarely appeared on Wangjue's face. But the fortune teller had already swayed away with his banner, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

Princess: ...Whose fortune did you have him tell?

Wangjue looked away silently, without answering.

Quickly, quickly, quickly, this way, this way! Hurry!

Under the dim twilight, the sound of scraping armor and flickering shadows suddenly came from outside the alley.

An ominous premonition arose in my heart. We painstakingly infiltrated Baiyu Jing to avoid bloodshed. But if the aristocratic families couldn't hold back and made a move in advance...

Princess: Today... I'm afraid something's going to happen.

Wangjue: What should we do? Do they want to make a move today? Auntie, I'm scared... Should we go find Ning Shangqing for advice?

Wangjue: Shangqing is revising the law books in the Cangjing Pavilion today... But that's in the palace.

Princess: If you're still outside the palace at this time, I'm afraid it will be easier for someone to kill you quietly.

Wangjue: Return to the palace?

Princess: Return to the palace.

We said in unison, and looked at each other with a smile.

-

Darkness swallowed the last rays of light on the horizon, and the towering palace was like a giant beast lurking in the darkness.

Wangjue was meticulous and knew that it was the time for the imperial guards to change shifts. We stealthily made our way in, narrowly avoiding the guards each time. Soon, the golden roof of the palace seemed to be within reach—

Nancang Imperial Guard A: Stop! Who are you?!

Wangjue: If we're caught, should we say we know Chen Xiu?

Princess: If the imperial guards were all Chen Xiu's people, we could just swagger in.

Wangjue's face was shrouded in gloom.

The flickering torchlight drew closer and closer, surely allowing them to see our faces clearly.

Nancang Imperial Guard A: Turn around.

Princess: ...

???: Wait a moment.

An unfamiliar voice came, and I followed the sound to see a palace attendant I didn't recognize.

Palace Attendant: Dark clouds cover the moon, the dangerous star moves south, I fear disaster is imminent. I am acting on the orders of the National Teacher to bring a pair of young boy and girl into the palace tonight to perform a ritual.

Palace Attendant: It is these two. Let them pass quickly, don't delay our task.

Nancang Imperial Guard A: So that's how it is. My eyesight is poor, go on.

Only after we were far from the palace gate did I speak up.

Princess: How did the National Teacher know we were here?

Palace Attendant: The National Teacher calculated it.

Princess: What about the dangerous star moving south and the young boy and girl?

Palace Attendant: The National Teacher made it up.

This National Teacher, reliable yet unreliable... why does it seem so much like someone I know?

Official A: No matter what celestial phenomenon is amiss, the king should appear by now!

Official A: For months, only one intermediary has been able to see the king, what kind of system is this? Besides, didn't the king summon us to the palace today—

Official A: If the king really cannot appear, Ning Shangqing will do...

Looking from the back hall to the front hall, many officials had already gathered below the throne, some with apprehensive expressions, others whispering to each other.

I stepped into the main hall. The lingering fragrance of ambergris was like fog, like the Chu River and Han border, vaguely separating me and the officials on two sides of a chessboard.

Official A: The king is not yet married and has no concubines in the harem... how can there be a woman here?

Princess: The king will arrive shortly, please be patient, your excellencies.

Official A: Little girl, what do you know? This afternoon, we were summoned to the palace, but now it's already a late hour, and the king is still nowhere to be seen, nor are we allowed to leave the palace!

Official A: Who are you? How dare you point fingers in our Nancang's main hall? You have no manners!

Princess: I am just a distant relative of the Chen family who entered the palace by chance.

Official A: Oh... Right now, the Chen family is neither accepted by the Gao faction nor trusted by the king. Even if Chen Xiu or Chen Qi were here, would they dare to yell and shout in the main hall?

I didn't say a word. The ministers looked at me with contempt, and a young attendant serving the candles sneered.

Intermediary A: If you want to serve the king, young lady, you can't be so ignorant of the rules...

I smiled faintly and didn't argue with him.

Behind me, another attendant's sharp and thin voice pierced the night sky, and the scene suddenly fell into dead silence.

Intermediary B: The king has arrived--

Wangjue strode out from the back of the hall, with his usual smile, but his gaze was inexplicably cold as he glanced sideways at the attendant holding the lamp.

Wangjue: Drag him out. What kind of thing are you, to dare speak disrespectfully to my aunt.

The contrast between the smile in his eyes and his icy voice was like a sudden clap of thunder that exploded among the ministers.

Their bodies reacted before their minds, and they hurriedly bowed down. The one who had been shouting the loudest before was even more flustered.

Official A: Aunt... that is... We, your humble servants, greet the Princess! Princess, please forgive us!

Official A: Please forgive this lowly one for failing to recognize taishan...

I remained motionless, my expression unchanged.

Just a status. With just a status, those who were arrogant and domineering would kowtow like this, respectful and humble.

The lingering fragrance of ambergris in the hall was piercingly cold.

Amidst the fading pleas of the attendant being dragged away, Wangjue ascended the throne and leaned back leisurely.

Official B: Your Majesty, the Princess's arrival in Nancang is truly a joyous occasion, but with Ning Shangqing absent, we are truly uneasy!

Official B: The situation is changing rapidly, and everything depends on Shangqing. There are many matters that we dare not handle ourselves...

Official B: We implore Your Majesty to summon Ning Shangqing to the palace immediately—!

The atmosphere grew more and more tense, like a bowstring drawn taut, eagerly anticipating the climax.

Just as the commotion in front of me reached its peak, a moon-white figure slowly emerged from the back hall.

Ningji: Your Majesty, I am late.

A beautiful man held a fan, his steps steady, dignified and calm, like a sparkling, untainted iceberg under the sunlight. This was the unsmiling, mature and prudent Shangqing that Wangjue had spoken of.

Princess: You, you are...

Ningji: Your humble servant, Ning Ji, greets the Princess.

Wasn't this the person who debated with me at Yuyan Pavilion?! And this voice... why does it sound so much like the fortune teller in the alley?!

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Chapter 12-11

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

[what-dat-ritalin-do]

#1 (Originally Recorded 8th November, 2003)

Wednesday, 8th Nov 2023.

9:35 AM

Psychiatric help is expensive

I went for my first psychiatry session today. I was about an hour long and it was mostly evaluative. Dr. J said I might have Asperger's as well (as ADHD). After taking into account Ayd's diagnosed mild autism and Gold's very possible autism, he said I have some mild traits, but not enough for a full-blown diagnosis. Either I've gotten a little better at condensing my Life Story™  or he's just really good at knowing what to ask. Probably the latter.

He set me up with Ritalin

3 x 10 mg tablets

Taken every morning with or after breakfast

For 1 month

He said I might experience some heart palpitations and suppressed appetite, so I'm going to eat a bit before I try it. He also said that it may be addictive. So I'll take it with precaution. He did say he hasn't had any problems yet, though.

He also suggested I let S know we should start doing full CBT in our sessions.

5:43 PM

Because the session was at 8 AM, I'm very hungry, but the food at the place I'm in isn't too nutritionally balanced. So I'll eat enough to stay satisfied, then do some groceries. I'll have a balanced meal at home, and then try it. I will update then.

It has been approximately 3 hours and 25 minutes since I took my first dose of Ritalin.

I went on a grocery store run after my last entry and only reached home in the afternoon. I had lunch consisting of the following:

Rice

Fried chicken

Sambal

Cucumbers

Fried tofu

Fried tempeh

Peanut sauce

Chocolate cake ball

Not the most well-balanced meal, but at least it covers all the bases. I took the medication with water

10 mg Ritalin x 3

The medication started to effect about 5 minutes after taking it. As expected, I was told it would be fast. For about 10 minutes, I felt an intense uptick in blood circulation. I could feel blood circulating in my veins. I could hear blood pumping in my head. It was like getting stuck in an ocean current, swept away by a strong, uncontrollable force.

And all of a sudden, it was quiet.

I can hear the blood in my body

And the "current" came back. And the chest pains started. For the next couple of hours, I experienced, consistently, waves of an intense rush of blood flow followed by an equally brief period of complete lucid control. I will describe the states:

A. "Current"/Flurry State

My hands shake involuntarily

Periodic chest pains (ranging from slight to sharp)

Sharp back pain

Occasionally lose focus in vision

Instability (difficulty getting up), loss of balance

Dizzyness

B. Clear State

Enhanced ability to make decisions.

-> I am not frozen/caught in between wanting to do two things at once. I just pick one thing and do it. I clear things (eg: Rubbish) immediately. I don't need to "reason with myself".

Mental clarity to accept some of my tasks are not feasible.

-> Related to 1(B), I can quickly evaluate the tasks I want to completely and choose which one is easiest to complete. Immediate execution.

It is now 6:46 PM. According to Dr. J, the effects of the medication should be wearing off. He said they would last for about 4 hours. I can feel myself coming down from the rush. I can feel a low, restless hum rising but I think it will pass soon. I will return tomorrow with another log.

My thoughts get faster. I am able to structure my thoughts more easily to the point where I could visualize myself presenting them to an audience. I have not felt this way in years.

-> I spent a whole hour documenting my experience and detailing my mental health journey to my friends in our group chat. For once, it was easy to structure my words. I didn't have to draft them out in my Notes app first to make sure it made sense. My messages were coherent as I was typing them out.

-> It felt like my thoughts moved faster than my body. My handwriting feels messier, more rushed. I'm writing like I'm afraid my thoughts will fly away if I don't capture them right now. Even when trying to speak my thoughts, it feels like my mouth can't enunciate the amount of words that want to come out at the speed I want it to. My breath can't keep up with my phrasing.

[bitcoinprophets]

Many Muslim Women Love Jesus. Exploring That Connection - The Gospel Coalition

Our campaign ends in . . . I’ll never forget sitting across from a dear friend who tried to communicate what life was like for Muslim women. She held up two fingers and said, “You don’t understand. Women are number two—we’re number two!” She recognized that in my youth and naïveté, I simply didn’t understand some of the things she experienced. She felt my confusion, so she tried to communicate more gently, “This is just how things will be here.” Our family had moved to a country with a population that was 99 percent Muslim. I was trying to learn a new language, adapt to a different culture, and somehow show these beautiful women that, by God’s design, they were most certainly not number two. Yet I realized their greatest need wasn’t for me or anyone else to convince them—they needed to see Jesus. They needed to truly see the Messiah who loves them unconditionally and offers them the abundant life for which they were created. Advertise on TGC Over the next decade of walking through life with these women, I learned that they longed to hear four important truths. 1. Jesus sees and honors women. When women covered by a burka or hijab first hear the story of the bleeding woman in the Gospels, they often immediately relate to her. She was a woman who felt unseen, unclean, and alone. Then they hear that Jesus saw her, reached out to her, and called her “daughter” (Luke 8:43–48). Someone once told me that in the country where we lived, 9 out of 10 husbands were cheating on their spouses. While I can’t verify that statistic, I do know infidelity was rampant. Many of my friends felt alone and unloved. So we would introduce them to the story of Hagar in the book of Genesis. Their hearts would soften when they read that Hagar, alone, mistreated, and afraid, was never truly alone. God saw Hagar. In fact, God sent an angel to deliver his hope-filled words directly to this husbandless woman in need. Muslim women long to be known and loved by a God who sees them deeply and understands them intimately. Muslim women long to be known and loved by a God who sees them deeply and understands them intimately. Muslims are taught God is transcendent but many never learn he’s also personal and near. Muslim women long to be known and loved by a God who sees them deeply and understands them intimately. Their hearts find hope when they learn that Jesus not only sees women—he looks upon them with dignity and honor. 2. Jesus offers women the good portion. In some parts of the world, Muslim girls and women aren’t offered the same opportunities as boys and men in their communities. One of my dearest friends was a trained engineer, yet she still had to receive signed permission from her husband or father to work in the field in which she’d been granted a degree. She felt discouraged and unvalued. On Fridays, many of the men in our city would crowd into the local mosque. Women either weren’t included or would be invited into a small, separate room away from the main community of worshipers so they wouldn’t be a distraction to the men’s ritual prayers. In Islam, even “paradise” for the Muslim woman is husband-centered; it’s a place for Muslim men to enjoy their many wives for eternity. By contrast, Jesus’s relationship with women isn’t mediated by a husband or father. Muslim women are offered direct access to the Lord, and he invites them into a personal relationship with him. Jesus told a distracted Martha that when her sister Mary wanted to sit and hear his teaching, Mary had “chosen the good portion” (Luke 10:38–42). Every Muslim woman is offered this good portion. Not only is she welcomed to the teaching of Jesus, but she’s also offered fellowship with Jesus himself. 3. Jesus provides women purpose and meaning. Muslim women desire purpose and meaningful work. Their work inside the home is valued, but life can be difficult for those who don’t marry or who aren’t able to have children. They long to hear that God has a plan and purpose for their lives—that they were created to do good work. Jesus’s relationship with women isn’t mediated by a husband or father. Jesus’s relationship with women isn’t mediated by a husband or father. In God’s design and through Christ, women have indispensable roles in both the church and the world (Eph. 2:10). In Jesus’s final words to his disciples, he calls them to make disciples of all nations and to teach others to do the same. READ MORE HERE Read the full article

[dwarf-vader-of-middle-earth]

Gadric and Erebor's kids (two daughters)

1. Sarthis and Mirias

2. Considering Erebor and Nerevar are references to my favorite media, I added Sarthis as a nod to Sarthis Idren from Skyrim. Mirias is just pretty and sounds Kydon enough.

3. Sarthis is like her father, Erebor. Brash, forthright, and reliant on others. Mirias is like her father, Gadric. Strong, selfless, bold. Together, the sisters clash constantly, but at the end of the day, love each other.

4. It mostly affects the sisters to have Gadric as their dad. They constantly ask the worldly hero to see Jun'ka'ur, to wield it, etc. But Gadric never lets the sword out of his grip, or off his back. They brag to their friends, their fellow students, that Gadric is their dad.

5. Nah, I can't think of any when I'm focused on writing the novel for Gadric first and foremost.

6. The sisters have no planned romantic partners. I see them young. Very young. Perhaps Mirias might be interested in people, but she certainly wouldn't be allowed to have a romantic partner at her age.

7. Sarthis looks like a perfect mix of Erebor and Gadric. She has one eye of each father, the face shape of Gadric, the shoulders of Erebor, the body of Gadric, the legs a mix of both Gadric and Erebor, and her own wings. Mirias looks more like Erebor than Gadric, with more of his features, but the same wings as Gadric.

8. The kids will not do anything close to what their parents did. Both parents were raised in a time of war. Gadric was a child soldier. Erebor chose to join the peace council between Earth and Antu'rok as an adult, and was betrayed. Instead, Sarthis wants to be an artist, and Mirias wants to be a teacher.

9. Mirias has an easy time making friends, and does so without trouble. They're good friends, and love her. Sarthis, on the other hand, gets peer pressured to hang with the bad crowd, and makes poor friends she doesn't want to be with, who influence her to bully others when she doesn't want to. Mirias finds this out, and fights Sarthis's "friends" off. Gadric is upset learning his daughter fought, but is proud she did the right thing. Erebor prides himself in knowing Mirias fought hard and won.

10. Together, the sisters are an unstoppable force of epicness, and sisterhood. They fight together. They make messes together. They fix each other's problems. They may clash in personality, but their fathers taught them that opposites sometimes get along rather than similarities. And in this case, it's very true.

11. The sisters get along amazingly with their Uncle Zorak, and Pibling (nonbinary family member of Zorak, Gadric, and Erebor) Nerevar. They have no grandparents, as Gadric never knew his parents, and Erebor's were killed by Humans in the Tech-War.

12. Sarthis and Mirias are strong siblings. Sarthis is younger, by roughly 150 years (Kydons are immortal, and ageless past adulthood, which they reach at about 5,000 years old).

13. Sarthis and Mirias get along perfectly with their fathers. They definitely see Erebor as the stay-at-home dad, and Gadric as their fierce protector. They love both dearly, but for different reasons. They know Gadric will keep them safe, while Erebor will teach them all they need to know.

14. I see them as maybe the equivalent of 12 and 14 years old. Mirias is the equivalent to 14, and Sarthis the equivalent to 12.

15. Mirias wears armor, and Sarthis wears a cloak and coat. She is too young for armor.

16. Mirias and Sarthis struggle knowing their one father, Gadric, has PTSD. They feel bad for him, and know he is strong, but not all the time. They struggle to have a relationship with him when he can't always take care of himself. Mirias is good in her studies, while Sarthis is struggling in them. Similarly, Sarthis has trouble with friendship because of her personality.

17. Sarthis is afraid of losing her father, Gadric. Mirias is afraid of this, too. They're afraid of Humans, too, considering one tried to destroy all their kind in a genocide. They're also afraid of Jun'ka'ur and its power.

18. Mirias is pansexual, while Sarthis is straight.

19. Sarthis likes wrestling, fighting, training, and battling. Mirias likes studying, and being helpful toward others.

20. Mirias has ADHD, while Sarthis has anxiety. The sisters help each other out through these difficulties, as do their fathers.

Next gen questions!

Do you have headcanons for character's future children? Do you have a full next gen AU in your head? Well, then this ask game is for you! Works with your OCs future kids too!

Send a character or a ship, or just a fandom (or the title of the original work) and a number!

What are their child's/children's name/s?

Why did you pick those names/that name?

Are their personality similar to their parents?

Having this/these character/s as their parents, how did it affect them?

Any planned stories/events with the kids in your head?

Does the child/children have any planned romantic partners?

Which parent do they most resemble look-wise?

Will they do something similar to what they parents did as kids?

Do they have any friends and if so, how are they like?

If siblings, how are their relationship to each other?

How are their relationships with other relatives (grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc)?

If siblings, how far are their age gaps?

How does their relationships look with their parents?

How old have you imagined them as?

How is their clothing style?

Do they have any struggles in any way?

Do they have any fears?

Sexuality?

What are their main interests?

Is there anything significant about them that you wanna share?

[iwritebutshouldi]

The Boy Savior - part 5

Summary: When your family dies in a shimmer factory accident you lose everything. All you want is getting your revenge, but then you meet him… The Boy Savior.

Happening during the last two acts of Arcane at first (probably advancing further as I have plans with this story)

A/N: I have to use made up names for the Firelight members because I can’t find their names anywehere :(

Ekko x Reader

Content Warning: mentions of death

Link to Prologue, Link to Chapter 1, Link to Chapter 2, Link to Chapter 3, Link to Chapter 4, Link to Chapter 6, Link to Chapter 7, Link to Chapter 8, Link to Chapter 9, Link to Chapter 10, Link to Chapter 11

Chapter 5

You stepped closer to the firelight. He was damn tall compared to you. In order to reach his face, you had to stand onto your tiptoes and still you barely managed to touch his cheek. It didn't help that he kept pushing your arms away, trying to stop you from reaching him.

"Please." You said as your eyes met his only one, he could still open. You saw the hesitation in his gaze, and then his eye jumping to look at Ekko - the boy behind your back probably signaled him to stay put, because he finally let you place your palm on his injured face.

You felt his drying blood sticking to your skin as you closed your eyes. First you had to concentrate to your heartbeat. You couldn't explain it, but you had always felt that your powers somehow came from your heart. You followed the pulse of your own blood through the veins of your right arm and when it reached the very tip of your fingers you felt the familiar warmness.

Under your palm you also felt his bones crackling and skin twitching and you waited a few seconds after knowing there was nothing else to heal - just to make sure. Only then you let go of him and opened your eyes to see his face seeming healthy again under all the blood and both of his eyes now looking back at yours.

You let out a tired sigh. You always felt a little drained after using your talent; your exhaustion usually depended on the seriousness of the injury you dealt with. If it was just a cut, you never even noticed it, but if it was something more complex like a broken bone for example, you always felt a little tired afterwards.

You looked at Ekko behind you. He seemed like he had been holding his breath back all this time because when your eyes met, he let all the air out at once.

"What..." he started but he seemed to be overwhelmed by what he had just witnessed. "We gotta talk..."

***

After Ekko asked the other firelight to leave, who's name you learned was Scar, it was only the two of you left in the dimly lit, little room. The only light source was a narrow, little window on top of one of the walls. As the weak light made its way inside, you could see the particles of dust flying through it, slowly dancing around each other.

You had to sit down to gather your strength back and Ekko followed your example - he probably needed to get himself together as well after seeing you braze the bones of his friend with just a touch.

So now the both of you were sitting by each other again in a dark room - seemed like it was becoming a regular way for you to talk.

"I remember the very day when I discovered I could heal." You looked at the boy by your side whose eyes were pinned on you. Under the weight of his gaze, you felt your cheeks warm up, so you looked away from him. "I was about 5 years old and my brother was 9. We were playing a game in which if you fall off the furniture, you'll get eaten by our imaginary monsters - and of course you had to make sure the other one would fall first." You smiled to yourself as you thought about your favorite childhood game. "My brother pushed and I fell of course, but in a very unlucky way and I broke my right arm." You'd never forget the panicked face of your brother after seeing your lower arm bending unnaturally under you. "I remember how worried he was - both because I got hurt and because he was afraid our parents would find out he broke my arm."

You looked at Ekko again, who'd been watching you the same way as before as you said: "Of course they wouldn't have done anything to him, but you know how children are." You shrugged your shoulder. "Anyway, I also got scared - not because of my arm, but because of my brother. He had always been some kind of a role model for me, so seeing him panicked was way scarier than seeing my arm wrecked." You chuckled a little. Ekko also smiled as he watched you. "I wanted to fix everything so much that I managed to heal my arm without even knowing how I did it. I was just holding it, as I cried and one moment it still hurt, then a second later the pain was gone." As you talked, you reached your right arm in front of you and twisted your hand from right to left, the same way you did when you were 5 and wondered how it became healthy again.

"I wanted to keep it a secret because I was so worried for my brother, but he told our parents the minute they came home and closed the door behind themselves. He was always so mature..." you smiled. "You know," you looked at Ekko, straight into his brown eyes you still couldn't grasp what their shade reminded you of, and this time you stood his gaze. "I know that I don't know you well yet, but you remind me of him so much."

You sighed as you leaned your head against the wall and brushed a strand behind your ear. "You understand now why I say that I could have really helped if I were with my family that day? Or with you this morning? Maybe Eden could have returned as well..."

"No." Ekko said plainly by your side. You looked at him, surprise laying along your features. "I'm sure that even you can't bring anyone back from the dead. And neither your family nor Eden had a chance." He said bitterly to the ground but when he looked at you again, his features changed immediately - they became much more... softer? "If you were with us today, you'd might be dead as well. I know the person who killed Eden too much... And there are things you can't change, no matter how hard you try - you have to accept that, if you don't want them to drive you crazy. Trust me... I know." You could see pain shadowing his features once again. You pulled your knees up to hug them as you watched the boy.

"Are you talking about the one who... who killed Eden?" You asked and you saw Ekko and his rage by your side deflating tiredly.

"Among others, yeah..." he was the one who looked away now. "I used to be childhood... friends with her." He said, but his voice rang in a strange way. You searched his face in the semidarkness and you understood that probably there was more to them than just friends - at least from the boy's side and you felt your heart sink for him.

"What happened?" You whispered your question. You were afraid you'd ask something you shouldn't but you wanted to know Ekko and his story better. From the very moment he showed you this place, you wanted to get to know him better and to know how someone can get this far at such a young age... Especially if you looked at your own, non-existent accomplishments.

You held your breath back as you watched him carefully think through his answer.

"Silco found her and took her in when she needed someone the most." He leaned his head against the wall behind you and looked at the dusty ceiling. "But we are not here to talk about me." He smiled a little as he shot a side glance towards you.

"Yeah, I know... we are talking about me and my curse..."

"What? No. It is everything but a curse!" Ekko opposed you immediately. He leaned towards you as he continued. "I think what you can do is amazing, to be honest. Also, quite unbelievable. But definitely not a curse."

"My family had to live in the deepest and most toxic parts of Zaun because I had to be hidden. They died because of me..."

"No, Y/N." Ekko interrupted you. "They died because Zaun is in the hands of someone who only pretends to care about our people. He’s not even pretending anymore..." After a little pause, and since you didn't answer anything, he added: "I don't believe you should hide. At least not with us. You can trust the Firelights and everyone here."

You hesitated. As much as you liked what Ekko said, you still had to live your whole life trying to hide your abilities. It felt hard to break the "rules" your family tried to play by so hard ever since you could just remember. Your eyes met Ekko's again, and the way he looked back at you made you believe his words. He was exceptional after all, a boy who'd saved the lives of many already, even so gave them hope and a new start. And now he was offering one to you as well.

"Okay... I - I'll stop hiding!" Your eyes shone determined as you said it out loud. It felt strange, as if you finally dropped down your handcuffs now that you’d made up your mind.

"It's just an option. You can keep it a secret like before and simply live with us here." Ekko said.

"I know - and no, I can't just live here peacefully. Not until Silco is still out there, living and breathing..." The boy watched your face as you talked, searching your features and you felt yourself blush again. His gaze was sharp and you felt like he was penetrating right through your soul - but you looked back at him, trying to show how serious you were.

He nodded after a few seconds and stood up. "I saw you were trying to learn how to use a hoverboard."

You wanted to say that you did not exactly have any other choice but before you could have spoken Ekko continued.

"The kids can be a little overwhelming sometimes, but I can help you if you'd like me to." He stepped to the door and placed his right hand onto the doorknob as he waited for your answer.

And you said yes. Not because you were so fond of the thought of flying.

But because you realized, you really liked the young firelight's company.