#hired on because that was the expectation

[cassolotl]

Time for a late night post-migraine ramble!

I wonder about this scenario as well, and about how it *should* play out even in our current sexist society. How I unfold it in my head is like this:

If there's a cisgender woman who has trauma that means she can't undress around people who look like men, that's basically PTSD or similar, which is an anxiety disorder.

In the UK at least, we have the Equality Act 2010, which requires organisations to provide "reasonable adjustments" to people with disabilities, and disability has a specific but quite broad and inclusive definition that totally includes things like long-term mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders.

But the reasonable part of reasonable adjustments comes into play here. When I imagine a cisgender woman with an anxiety disorder attempting to use a changing room...

Let's say she's arachnophobic and there's a spider in the changing room, I'm sure it would be reasonable for a member of staff to remove the spider, because it doesn't cost anything and it's quick and easy and the spider probably shouldn't even be there anyway. But if she had a phobia about other people's nudity, the staff would probably be like, "yeah it's a communal changing room, you might well see naked people in there, there's not a lot we can do about that." Let's say she takes the leisure centre to court for being in breach of the Equality Act 2010, and the courts would deem it unreasonable for the cisgender woman to ask the leisure centre to build a whole private changing room with direct access to the pool just for her. (The court might suggest that when they remodel they consider installing private changing rooms or cubicles in addition to the communal changing rooms, but they wouldn't enforce it.) The staff could go out of their way to ask other swimmers to try to cover up more in the changing room, or to allow a solo swimming session, or to host a "very covered up changing room" session, but that would be very generous of the leisure centre and not expected.

Ultimately, the mental illness that is preventing the woman from using changing rooms would be the responsibility of the woman, not people around her. Similarly,

If a swimmer who was agoraphobic asked for a solo swimming session, they probably wouldn't get it, or they would be asked to pay a very high fee to hire the whole pool.

If a cisgender woman felt anxious in women's changing rooms because she was assaulted by a woman, she would not be able to expect the leisure centre to remove all the other women from the changing room.

If a cisgender woman felt anxious getting undressed around people who were taller than her, and while she was getting undressed someone taller walked in, she wouldn't be entitled to ask the tall person to leave.

All of the arguments that people use about trans women not being allowed in changing rooms really all end up in the same place for me.

If you feel it's undignified for you to undress around someone who looks male to you in a place that you go into voluntarily, don't do that.

If you have PTSD from a sexual assault, which would obviously negatively impact your life in a lot of ways, that's awful and you have my sympathy, and you can ask for adaptations from others and/or make uncomfortable adaptations to your life and/or seek treatment and recovery.

If you just think that people who have or used to have penises are inherently more dangerous and you don't see a problem with that, that's fine and all you can really do is avoid half the population.

If you think genitals are disgusting or offensive you have bigger problems and you should probably also avoid places where people's genitals might be incidentally visible, like changing rooms and also art galleries and such.

Obviously if someone comes into a changing room and they're doing something antisocial or harmful, yes, they should stop or leave. The staff can remove them, you can call the police... Anything that an evil trans woman might do to a cisgender woman in a women's changing room is already illegal, and would be illegal if a cisgender woman did it too. The only way keeping trans women out of women's changing rooms would be an appropriate and preventative response to this is if trans women were inherently, universally and inevitably dangerous to cisgender women, which is to say... they're robots/animals with no control over their behaviour. It is ridiculous that I feel like I should point out how absurd this is.

[The way TERFs talk about trans women, it really seems like they believe this to be the case. I would put this in the "anxiety disorder" category myself, which is not to say it's not based in reality - anxiety disorders form within societal norms and systems and life events, and you don't have to look very hard to see how often women are assaulted by men and how often the men get away with it while the victims suffer if they try to get justice. The belief is understandable, and it is also disproportionate and life-impairing. And, for example, I also think that gender-neutral changing rooms would seem a lot less scary to a lot of women if there was any confidence whatsoever that sexual assault in a changing room (by anyone of any gender) would result in arrests and punishments with minimal harm to the victim.]

I can imagine that to many people this is going to sound like victim-blaming, and I do think there should be more accommodations and more compassion for people with PTSD. For most people taking your clothes off around strangers does make you feel a lot more vulnerable, the "people of all genders use your bathroom at home and you have no problem with that" argument doesn't fly with me, and those vulnerable communal spaces should be made safer regardless of gender inclusivity/exclusivity. Toilet cubicles and changing cubicles are kind of barbaric when it's fairly easy to build them to be and feel safer! If you get a lot of reports about sexual assaults in your changing rooms, install small rooms with locks and/or hire an attendant!

But.

When a victim of sexual assault who has PTSD complains because a trans woman is in the women's changing rooms and in this case the Equality Act 2010 requires the leisure centre to make a reasonable adjustment and the leisure centre can provide an alternative changing room for someone, the staff should not ask the trans woman to use the alternative changing room. The trans woman has done nothing to warrant this. The staff should offer the alternative changing room to the person with PTSD.

If you are afraid that a total stranger in your vicinity is going to do a sex crime when you've had no interactions with them whatsoever and they haven't done anything obviously suspicious, even if it's because of a disability (e.g. mental illness following previous sex crime), that's a you problem.

the idea that restrooms, locker rooms, etc need to be single-sex spaces in order for women to be safe is patriarchy's way of signalling to men & boys that society doesn't expect them to behave themselves around women. it is directly antifeminist. it would be antifeminist even if trans people did not exist. a feminist society would demand that women should be safe in all spaces even when there are men there.

[tsuutarr]

Tavern Owner Orc x New Hire Reader

I got to participate in the lovely Ozzgin's Secret Santa Event!! This one is for @tranquilo-antique-apothecary!!

Content is about 1K words of him being down bad for you <3

Sekkrad has always liked the bustling atmosphere of taverns, rich with rambunctious laughter and delicious food. After every win or loss, Sekkrad and his comrades would settle down at their favorite tavern, almost as if it were their second home. Maybe that was why he decided to open a quaint tavern after retiring from his warrior duties.

Despite his retirement, Sekkrad has always kept himself in shape. Working out has been engraved into his body, but beyond that, it’s also because his patrons can get quite rowdy at times. Plus, it’s helpful to be athletic when you’re working as much as he is. That said…

He really could use some help.

So, he puts up a flyer seeking an employee. As expected, there are some pretty good candidates. What’s unexpected, however, is you. You’re just so cute that Sekkrad literally stopped thinking when he first saw you walk through the tavern’s doors. He’s not even sure how he got through interviewing you, but somehow he did. And, just his luck, you’re a great candidate – exactly what he’s looking for! A good personality, a solid resume, and a cute face… so of course he hires you.

But on second thought – maybe it wasn’t his best idea. You look too adorable in the tavern’s uniform (that uniform does not usually look that good). And he practically blanks out every time you’re around him. You just look so soft and huggable. Plus that smile? It’s a killer. Thankfully, he somehow manages to guide you through your tasks and answer questions with a blank face (that he is desperately trying to control).

As he’s mulling about how he’s supposed to act around you, he notices you struggling to reach up to get a bottle of bourbon on one of the shelves. Without a second thought, he reaches over you, pressing his muscular body against your softer one.

“Here,” he grunts, voice low, as sirens whir in his head over how good your body feels against his. It’s like you fit perfectly against him.

“Thank you!” you respond, smile bright. Oh, Gods. You’re going to kill him.

He nods. “If y’need anything else, let me know.”

With that said, he moves to the storage in the back. He almost slams his head into the bag of flour, but reigns himself in after remembering how expensive flour is nowadays. Instead, he picks up some more syrup for his cocktails, willing himself to behave.

Despite the turmoil your presence brings to him, he manages to get through the day with relative ease. Hiring you really was the right choice – you’re an excellent worker. Smart, quick on the uptake, easy on the eyes – you’re just the perfect hire.

As he closes shop, wiping a wine glass clean, he watches as you wipe down the last table, a feeling of fondness spreading through his chest at how much of a hard worker you are. As you finish up, he prepares a sweet cocktail for you, before motioning you over.

“Good job,” he says, passing the cocktail to you.

“Thank you!”

He nods, motioning for you to sit. “Wait there.”

“Yessir,” you respond, saluting before you sit down. You watch as he disappears into the kitchen in the back, the sweet taste of your cocktail spreading over your tongue pleasantly.

It only takes him a few moments to come back with a plate of warm food. He places it in front of you.

“Eat up,” he murmurs, crossing his arms. “You were a great help today.”

Your cheeks heat up, making Sekkrad want to scream – you’re just so stinking adorable.

“I’m glad!” you beam, making his lips twitch up into a smile involuntarily. 

The way you eat his food also makes him feel warm and happy – it’s always a treat when someone enjoys his food.

“It was delicious!” you tell him once you’re done eating.

“Let me know what y’like to eat,” he says, looking pleased as you polish off his food. “I’ll make it for you next time.”

Eagerly, you tell him your favorite food, which he files away for later. He takes your empty dishes, which you try to protest, saying that you’ll clean up after yourself. He’s having none of it, though, and cleans up promptly as you finish off your cocktail.

“I’ll walk you home,” he offers while wiping his hands off on his apron. “It’s late.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly impose.”

Sekkrad doesn’t want to seem pushy, not when he really doesn’t want you to hate him, but he’s more concerned for your safety than anything. “You wouldn’t be imposing,” he replies, trying to make his voice softer. “I just want t’make sure my new hire’s safe.”

“Well…” you look up at him and Sekkrad has to look behind you so that he won’t combust. “...I’d appreciate it, thank you! I’ll go get my things.”

“Yeah,” he responds, watching as you go to the back to get your things. When you reappear, he straightens his back, motioning to the door. “Ready?”

“Yessir!” you say, starting your journey back to your home.

Your walk back with him is quiet and peaceful as everyone else is asleep. That, and Sekkrad has never been much of a talker, but he’s especially nervous around you. He’s not entirely sure how he’s supposed to talk to you, so he opts not to. Besides, you seem content to walk beside him quietly (and it’s just… nice to see how comfortable you look beside him). Despite his nervousness, he’s actually pretty content himself.

In fact, when you two arrive at your home, Sekkrad is almost disappointed. Still, he got you home safe and nothing was really amiss, so he can’t complain.

“Rest up,” he says, nodding at you. “I’ll see you at night.”

“I’ll be there dark and early,” you grin.

He can’t help but crack a smile at that. “Good.”

With a small laugh and a final wave, you enter your home. Sekkrad lingers until he’s fully sure you’re safe inside, before turning his heels to walk back to the tavern with light steps.

He really, really can’t wait to see you again.

[fanbasetwo]

anton who's hired by your mother as a family doctor and has a spicy crush on you 🫦

Ꮺ . , MEDICINES FOR THE YOUNG , L.CY !

sena’s note ᶻ 𝘇 𐰁 made this a drabble instead so that I could focus on other asks, thank you for requesting anon <3

You had recently decided to visit your hometown—a quiet place by the coast. The air was cool and refreshing, but even as you settled back in, you found yourself longing to leave again.

When you arrived, you weren’t expecting much company. That changed when you met Anton—or Chanyoung, as your mother called him. He was staying at your house because your mom had hired him as the family doctor. And while you greeted him politely, something about him felt off.

Anton was only a couple of years older than you, with an easy charm that seemed to win over your family in no time. Your mother especially adored him, maybe even more than she did you. No matter how much you insisted that your family didn’t need a live-in doctor, your mom wouldn’t hear it. Anton had already claimed his place in her heart.

At first, you just brushed it off. But after spending a couple of weeks around him, you started noticing things. The way his presence made your heart race, how you’d catch yourself glancing his way when he wasn’t looking. He was annoyingly attractive—lean, toned, with muscles that were hard to ignore, especially when water glistened on his skin after he worked out.

You hated to admit it, but he was magnetic. And while you resented how easily he fit into your family, you couldn’t stop your thoughts from wandering.

What you didn’t realize was that Anton noticed everything. The way your voice softened sometimes when you spoke to him, or how you’d come up with excuses to be near him. He’d never cross a line—always keeping his touches casual, fleeting, and respectful—but there was an unspoken tension neither of you could deny.

“Anton? Are you in there?” you called, knocking on his door harder than necessary. Your irritation was obvious, though you weren’t sure if it was directed at him or yourself.

You knocked again, your voice sharper this time. “Lee Chanyoung! Mom’s calling you for dinner! Get your ass out here already.”

As your voice echoed through the hallway, Anton sat behind the door, frozen for a moment. There was a flicker of guilt in his chest, but he couldn't deny the heat your words stirred in him. You had no idea the effect you had on him, and he was determined to keep it that way. For now.

Unbeknownst to you, Anton struggled to stifle a guttural moan that rumbled deep in his chest. His hand pumped furiously up and down his rock-hard, throbbing cock, the swollen shaft twitching with need. Beads of pre-cum leaked from the flushed, angry red tip, staining the front of his black pants a telltale white.

He couldn't help but close his eyes and imagine you. The way you moved, the sound of your voice—it all set his body on fire, consumed by a lust he could barely contain. As a gentleman, he knew he shouldn't feel this way, shouldn't want you with such desperate, aching hunger. But fuck, he did.

Struggling to maintain control, he watch as his own hand worked faster, tighter, squeezing his shaft with a firm and tight grip. His hips bucked into his fist, seeking more friction, more pleasure. The wet spot on his pants grew, spreading like a map of his growing arousal.

Each word that fell from your lips was like a match to gasoline, igniting a blaze of desire in his cock. He didn't want you to leave, not now, not ever. The thought of you departing in just a week filled him with a desperate ache, a longing he couldn't put into words. And yet he knew, he'd have to let go.

God, how he wished he could tell you, could confess the depths of his craving. But he knew, with a bone-deep certainty, that revealing his true feelings would only lead to ruin. He couldn't taint his reputation, his carefully crafted profession and image, for a silly little crush. So the poor guy would have to just digest it all with his own medicine to soothe his young desires.

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[the-voldsoy]

Alrighty it is almost the end of the year so, in no particular order, here are podcasts I recommend of the ones I've listened to this year! (let me tell you picking favourites for this was So hard) (Unfortunately I can't just do all of them because there are almost 50)

Hello From The Hallowoods: The world ended, but we're still here, and shit's weird. (Has made me cry; even the trees are queer; my comfort show<3)

Camp Here And There: Good morning campers! The time is 7:63AM and Cabin Magpie Moth has spontaneously combusted! Whichever one of you little woodworms can put it out first can come get a puffy sticker from me in the Nurses Cabin! (Is it a horror? Is it a comedy? I don't know, you'd have to check to be sure)

Wooden Overcoats: Funn Funerals used to be the only funeral parlor on the island. It isn't anymore. (Sitcom, the main characters are the most miserable wet cats you ever did see)

Re: Dracula: Maybe this year, they'll be okay. Maybe this year they'll all live. Maybe this year he won't go, and she'll be alright.

Magnus Protocol: TMA's louder, bolder, less serious younger sibling.

The Silt Verses: Oh boy. Let me tell you, you will look at crabs differently after this. (WET horror, genuinely the best pod I've ever heard)

Archive 81: Dan, a newly hired archivist, has to listen to and catalogue a set of old audio tapes. The tapes contain interviews conducted by someone Dan has never heard of. Dan is in an isolated bunker in the middle of the woods. Surely nothing will happen to our dear friend Dan. (What is it with archivists and getting snatched by The Horrors? Ignore the tv show it doesn't exist)

Red Valley: Just a couple of guys with an interest in research station Red Valley, whose focus was cryonics. It's completely defunct now. I wonder what happened. (Ethics? What's that?)

Woe.Begone: Some say it's about time-travel, some say it's about keeping yourself and those close to you alive, some say it's about online safety. All can agree on one point: What the fuck why are there cowboys now

Midnight Burger: Midnight Burger is a time-travelling, dimension-spanning diner. Dunno how it works or where it's going next. We open at six! (The episodes are an hour long minimum but it's worth it. Comedy sci-fi, lighthearted fun :)

Old Gods of Appalachia: The Appalachians are spooky y'all. (The narrator's voice is so comforting in this, it feels like campfire stories)

Dreamboy: Went into this pod being told it was made by the people who made WTNV and absolutely no other information. Let me tell you I did not expect the main character to tell us that he got a hard-on in the first episode. (The most sexually explicit pod I've listened to)

The White Vault: Nice little trip to Svalbard to check on the remote research station, surely nothing will go wrong :) (Holy Fucking Shit What Is That) (Recommend 1st season especially to The Thing (1982) enjoyers)

Camlann: Ever wished that you were apart of Welsh folklore or Arthurian legends? Or perhaps some of the last people left on Earth? No? Ah well, you'll pick it up soon enough. (Three idiots and a dog in Wales, fighting for their lives)

Breaker Whiskey: Imagine. Being the only person on earth. Just you. Just you, and someone on the radio. Just you, the radio, and a woman you absolutely do NOT have sexual tension with. (This one looks really long because it has 260+ episodes, but they're like 4 minutes long each so it's not really)

Ethics Town: Don't worry about it. (Cannot recommend enough, it is a mindfuck)

Tell No Tales: What if ghosts were a thing that could infest a place, like rats or roaches or mold? What if it was your job to exterminate them? And the million-pound question, do ghosts deserve rights? (I am waiting so so patiently for the rest of s2)

Remnants: You wake up in a place you recognise. You have always been there. You have no idea where you are. You see a stranger's life. You recognise them. You knew them once, you think. Discard or reshelve? You don't know what that means. It does not matter. Discard or reshelve, that is the question. (I am going insane over this pod)

Not Quite Dead: Vampires! Alfie is an overworked A&E nurse who does not have time for this shit. Unfortunately, he does not have a choice in this matter. (A really interesting take on vampirism, going into the biology. It is fascinating, and an exciting story)

Travelling Light: Space Quaker! Listen to the Traveller tell you about every new planet and civilisation they visit. Whattttt noooo they don't have a crush on one of their crew members what are you taaaalking abouttttt (Very comforting pod, beauty in the mundane in a way? But not mundane because yk. Aliens)

Someone Just Like You: Brilliant horror, just really well written. I don't even have words for it. So far there are only 6 episodes and the concepts/plots of each seem cheesy, but my GOD the execution.

The Bright Sessions: People with powers get therapy! Thank God, they need it so bad. (I love one particular antagonist so much, I need to put him in a microwave)

Poe: Evermore: It wasn't until I started this that I realised that Edgar Allen Poe would have had a Boston-ish accent. Reallyyy interesting story of his life, and I keep getting jumpscared by VAs I recognise. Faulkner Silt Verses what are you doing here.

Witherburn After School News: Your school radio host getting WAY more involved in the news than they should. Really hope they're still breathing. Love the folklore section though!

Before The Tone: Voicemails from someone who just got a job they probably shouldn't have. (Brilliant idea for the format, and great execution)

I Am In Eskew: What if you were trapped? What if you had a home, a wife and a child? What if they aren't real? Are you sure? Go and check. What if your city tried to kill you? What if it loved you very much, more than anyone else? (Horror but the narrator is the saddest wettest man you've ever heard)

Sherlock & Co: Modern day Sherlock Holmes, and John Watson is a true crime podcaster. Dear God I did not think it would be as compelling as it is.

[lafiametta]

Just saw Anora and got so obsessed w Igor its not funny i need to see more posts about him 😭😭😭😭

Igor’s on such a journey and I love it.

Can you imagine: it’s your birthday and you get a call from the Armenian guy you work for to pick him up at a baptism so you both can check on his boss’s boss’s rich-ass useless son and see if he has or has not married a prostitute. You understand the job — look tough, provide a little muscle if the situation calls for it — and once it’s done you can go return your grandmother’s car from where you borrowed it and visit with her for an hour or so before maybe heading out for a lowkey night to celebrate.

Instead, the rich-ass useless son runs away and you end up having to make sure the girl he married — who takes great offense to being called a prostitute, by the way — doesn’t take off too, and because she won’t stop throwing things and hitting you in the face and screaming you don’t know what else to do except restrain her with a phone cord.

And then she bites you and breaks the Armenian’s nose even as you’ve got her in a hold on top of you.

It’s not exactly what Igor had in mind for the day, is all I’m saying.

As an audience, we also get our expectations turned on their head: Igor, who at first just seems like your standard Slavic hired goon, turns out to have a heart of gold, or at least a soft spot just big enough for a beautiful, foul-mouthed erotic dancer with an impressive left hook. (Although he’s no slouch either, considering how he wields that aluminum bat.) There’s something about her that he really likes, even from the beginning, and you can see him looking out for her and trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to make up for what he did to her back at the house.

I think he admires her brashness, and the way she’s determined to fight for the Cinderella dream that a life with Ivan promised her. In both the courtroom scene and on the tarmac with Ivan’s mother he secretly smiles as he listens to her argue and threaten, even against people far wealthier and more powerful.

(There also seems to be a class element, at least where her conflict with the Zakharovs are concerned. Igor probably doesn’t love the fact that he’s employed by these rich assholes and Ani saying that she’s going to take half their money has him silently cheering her on, because, yeah, fuck them. And when Galina Zakharov winks at him after threatening Ani’s whole existence, he has to look away in shame, because he still works for them, and they think that means they own him.)

I’d love to know when he decides to steal the ring from Toros. Maybe at some point on the plane, after he can see that part of her has given up. It’s a brilliant display of rebellion, made even better by the fact that he waits until the very last minute to give it to her. (Would we have heard all that shit about “hunchback weirdos” and “rape eyes” if he had surprised her with it the first moment they were alone? But Igor is secure enough to take all her insults, and probably likes the fact that she feels safe enough to keep roasting him again and again. “Touché, motherfucker?” she says, and all he can do is giggle.)

Which brings us to the car scene.

The ring is an act of atonement, something to make up for what she’s been through over the past two days — some of which he knows he’s responsible for — and one last fuck you to the family that humiliated her. Igor thinks he’s evening the score before he says goodbye, not realizing that Ani sees it as a gesture she needs to pay back to keep feeling like she’s in control. So she gives him what she thinks he wants — what all men want from her.

Igor’s an adaptive, street-smart guy, but he wasn’t prepared for what she ends up doing. He doesn’t resist, though, taking initiative only once she’s fully on top of him and then just to take her face in his hands. Does some part of him know this is transactional? Does some part of him want it to be real the way Ani wanted Ivan to be real? He wants to pretend at least, and tries to kiss her, only for Ani it’s too real, too much, and she’ll fight to make it stop, like she fights for so many things in her life. But the emotions bubble up anyway, and even through the haze of sex Igor can see she’s in pain, so he pulls her in close and lets her cry, steady and silent as the sobs wrack her body like waves.

It’s a scene that neatly mirrors the one from the living room — him holding her as she’s on top of him — now cast as an expression of vulnerability and care rather than fear and aggression. He’s always been strong enough to hold her, but it’s only at the very end that Ani is willing to be held.

[atruththatyoudeny]

Happy 28th! Here are all the amazing fics I read this month:

An Alpha For Christmas | IceQueenRia | [28k] At age 30, Harry Styles is embarrassed to admit he’s still a single Omega and he knows his family are worried about him being alone. With the Christmas holidays coming up, Harry’s sister makes a comment about how he should ask Santa for an Alpha for Christmas. “Maybe I’ve already got one,” he retorted. He intended it to be a joke, but Gemma took him seriously and excitedly told everyone that Harry FINALLY has a boyfriend so now his entire family expects to meet his Alpha over the holidays. There isn’t enough time for Harry to meet someone for real and he certainly can’t afford to hire an Alpha. So Harry swallows his pride and asks the Alpha who recently moved in 2 doors down to join him and his family for Christmas.

Honk | allwaswell16 | [3.7k] Louis was not a romantic. He never really dreamed of finding his soulmate. Definitely not like this. Never like this. Harry was a romantic. He’d always dreamed of finding his soulmate. Just like this. Exactly like this. An omegaverse, soulmate goose fic for the holidays

Wrapped in Red & White | wanderlou | [21k] “It’s very rude not to say hello back,” she scolded, hands planted firmly on her hips like she was running the place. “My mommy taught me that.” Harry stared at the little pup, mouth agape, his grip on the stapler slackening. Was this real? It couldn’t be real. Maybe Jacob had drugged his sandwich earlier because there was no logical reason for a random child to be standing in his office, alone, at 5 PM. “Are… are you real?” he finally managed to ask, brow furrowed in disbelief. Or Grumpy CEO Alpha Harry despises Christmas, but his world is turned upside down when a sweet Omega and his adorable pup enter his life. Will their unexpected bond be enough to thaw his icy heart?

Scrubs | sarah_e28 | [55k] Louis Tomlinson is a world class neurosurgeon. He has worked hard and made many sacrifices to become the best in his field. That includes leaving his boyfriend of ten years for a new start. What happens when his ex shows up at his hospital with more than Louis bargained for?

No bananas in the library | emmli28 | [36k] Sometimes it all starts with a dare, sometimes the dare comes later, and sometimes the dare is actually the push someone needs to be brave enough to talk to someone. Louis wouldn’t say Harry is his enemy but that loud frat boy can be incredibly annoying, always disturbing Louis when he tries to study, and Louis has certainly told him so. And he’s always eating his disgusting bananas. However, one day Harry approaches him to say that he wants to get to know Louis. This isn’t the typical “dare”-story.

Half Agony, Half Hope | asphodelknox | [132k] Harry had never believed the rumors of the beast at the manor on the hill. They sounded like something from Twilight or an old Hollywood horror film, a beautiful man who turned into a beast once a month and killed anyone who was unlucky enough to be stuck on the manor’s grounds. Yeah, right. The manor was probably just creepy and old. Besides, it’s not like he had anything else to do. Harry's had enough of his shit year. Had enough of his shit ex and the fact that he graduated from university with no idea what to do next or what to do with the grief. Ed dares him to spend a month at the crumbling Tomlinson manor, and Harry goes cause what else do you do when your life's fallen apart? It's not really haunted anyway... is it? I Guess I'll Surrender | therogueskimo | [28k] A lad’s Christmas holiday provides the perfect opportunity for Louis and Harry to prank their friends. They decide to fake date. Feelings kind of get in the way.

If The Fates Allow | zita17 | [25k] A serendipitous meeting led former boy bander and current pop star Harry Styles to fall in love with a boy named Louis nine Christmases ago. Six Christmases ago, that boy left him to raise a baby that wasn’t Harry’s. And, well, Harry never quite got over that. But this year, he gets a second chance at first love. A love letter to second chances, unconventional families, and Christmas in New York. Loosely inspired by James Arthur’s Emily and Dickens' A Christmas Carol featuring Liam, Niall, and Zayn as the ad hoc ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. The ingredients for this Christmas treat include a wallop of a blizzard, a pinch of angst, a dollop of fluff, several cups of clichés, and The Rockefeller Center skating rink as a supporting character.

Wanna Be Loved By You | likelarry | [40k] Harry and Louis have just finalised their divorce when Harry finds out he's pregnant with Louis' baby. Together, they have to find a way to work on their relationship, despite them ending on a bad note, for the sake of their child and maybe along the way, they relearn why they'd fallen in love with each other in the first place.

we're leading each other out of the dark | anditsonlyforthebrave | [16k] “But I don’t want you to think that I left because I didn’t care,” Harry admits, “Lou, you’re terrifying in the best way. And I knew that if I told you, if I said goodbye, I would’ve come back crying after two weeks,” Harry explains, “and I wish I had a better explanation, but everything I have ever said to you was true. I loved you, and you were the most important person in my life and I never, ever wanted to let you down.” “But you left me.” Harry nods, “and you hid the fact that I had a child for six years, involving my own mother.” “But you left me,” Louis repeats. or Harry leaves and never looks back, only for him to eventually come home to find Louis and a little girl that looks exactly like him.

Not having a breakdown! (I'm just here for the kid.) | louisismycat (tiflamomet) | [28k] Harry has to park outside his ex-husband’s (Louis) wedding so that he can whisk their kid away if a meltdown ensues during the day. Guests will not know this and will only see him parked outside, it cannot be stressed enough, his ex-husband’s wedding.

It's Complicated | LTHSFICS | [93k] Louis takes a swig of his beer. “You wanna know why we aren’t okay?” “Please do tell me Louis,” Harry insists. “You”-Louis sticks his finger against Harry’s chest-“are making a big deal about nothing! We both miss shit, not just me okay? So don’t go blaming all our problems on me!” “The problem is you Louis!” “Oh really? Well then why don’t you just rid of the problem then?” Harry frowns. “What the hell do you mean?” And without even thinking Louis shouts, “Divorce me! Hell divorce me and maybe we’ll both be happier!” As soon as the words leave his mouth, he regrets them. OR Louis and Harry never would have thought that one day they would be getting a divorce. The only thing that connects them now is a long history and more importantly their three children. Both parents never wanted this, but maybe a divorce was just what they needed.

[randomactsofpigeon]

I work in engineering. Aerospace and automotive are closely related enough that people do crossover between the industries, so I feel somewhat qualified to have an opinion on this.

There is no shortage of US engineering talent. There are a lot of talented engineers, especially young engineers, who are having a very hard time finding work right now. This is not to say that engineers educated elsewhere in the world are not on the same level, because they are.

But my guess is that Musk prefers to hire workers on visas because that gives him a great deal of power over them. It's easier to exploit someone when they will be deported if you fire them. American engineers can and do walk away from the murderous expectations at Musk's companies. Working at SpaceX was once seen as a resume builder; more recently, companies have become concerned about ex-employees poisoning their culture, which should give you some idea of how bad things are there.

When Musk says motivated, he means exploitable.

Billionaire Tesla and X owner Elon Musk, President-elect Donald Trump's chief financier, on Wednesday sparked MAGA backlash after defending visas for foreign tech workers.

South African-born Elon Musk was once an immigrant to the U.S., illegally overstaying his visa to build a future here. He employs hundreds of foreign-born engineers at his Tesla and SpaceX companies and says they fill a shortage of American-born workers. 

Musk called a shortage of “excellent engineering talent” a “fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley” in a Wednesday tweet, arguing that immigrant labor is an essential ingredient in American innovation and warning of a "dire shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in America."

“If you force the world’s best talent to play for the other side, America will LOSE. End of story,” Musk replied to critics.

[cannibalisticskittles]

amity would not want to share memories in general, but if the tadpole connection let anyone see any memories of her when she was younger/before she started trying to be an adventurer -- when she mingled with other patriars, and tried to engage in high society -- amity would be mortified and extremely apologetic -- "sorry you had to see me like that, how awful!"

she wouldn't have that same feeling if the memory being shared is one where she's getting her ass kicked, even if it's one of the ones where she's REAL fucked up, bc yeah it's a bit embarrassing to be seen in that moment where she got stabbed in the gut AND had an arrow sticking out of her shoulder AND was nursing an incredibly broken nose, but if someone happens to see one of those, yeah, sure, whatever. no apologies for how she looks there.

on a purely superficial level, this is a little funny. because, to be clear, amity is a pretty girl. even now, when she's fucked up her hair with careless knife haircuts, and her skin isn't in the best condition (she uses her One Bar Of Soap for everything on the road, bc it's important to be clean, and it's efficient!) and she's dressed plainly and practically and is constantly dusty at a minimum, and bloodstained and ragged on a fairly regular basis.

so in those memories of her at court? she's radiant. she kept her hair long for years, and it was in much better condition before she started cutting it herself and washing it with The Same Fucking Bar Of Soap She Uses For Everything Else, and her curl pattern was still intact then. and she dressed the part of the only daughter of a nobleman; very fashionable, well-tailored gowns and garments. superficially, she looked gorgeous.

but of course, it isn't really about that. in her eyes it's all awful. everything from that time is. she has shame attached to all those attempts to be a part of high society. back then, she was just making a fool out of herself, trying to be seen as something other than what she was, for people who would always see through her. and whenever she thinks about how she looked then -- the time and effort involved in letting her hair be meticulously styled and braided and brushed out and outfitted and decorated, and sometimes feeling eager, hopeful even, to be involved, when she should have known better. should have known it would never end like she wanted.

she might not like how she looks now but she at least feels like she's doing something worthwhile -- trying to help people who need help. the act of fighting for someone is a noble pursuit and the trying was worth it, even if it didn't work out well for her in that moment.

[miscellaneousrenaissant]

Thinking about how Chilchuck and Laios started adventuring at around the same relative time in their lives

There are a bunch of similarities to their backstories - leaving home at a young age (14, 12), starting careers in exploring dungeons as young adults (19, 22), developing a complex about the first monster that killed them (Mimics, Living Armor), getting scammed or taken advantage of by other adventurers (succubus-hunting party, gold-peelers) - that they give me "past and future" vibes

Chilchuck is the older mentor to the less-experienced Laios. He joined Laios' party when Laios had only been exploring the dungeon for a year, and Chilchuck regularly gives advice based on his own 10 years of experience in an effort to support Laios as leader. There are several occasions of Chilchuck either teaching or wishing Laios would learn something in particular that he thinks would help with the job

Laios is a reflection of Chilchuck's past from when he was just starting out as a naive adventurer, while Chilchuck is an example of the future that Laios is striving towards as a seasoned dungeon explorer and leader

But also, they can represent missed opportunities and paths not taken for each other

An example for Chilchuck is that he isn't treated with the same respect as a tall-man because he is a half-foot. He can lead a union of half-foots, but leading a party of other races, many of whom would infantilize him, is unlikely. There are limitations to what he can do (physically and socially) compared to Laios simply because of how each were born, and it's partly why he's so hard on Laios to make him a good leader and not waste the opportunities afforded to him

Meanwhile as an example for Laios, who left his family and fiancée behind when going out on his own at 12 years old, who wasn't shocked that Chilchuck became a father at 13, and who even mentioned that some tall-men get married at 13, too...

If Laios had never left home, would he, at 13, have married someone from his childhood and also become a father of three?

[babytoothbrain]

I Have Never Been Forgiven for not Understanding

You Shall Know our Velocity!, Dave Eggers// @heartmush // "Outbreaks", Kitchen McKeown// "Cures for Shame", Rookiemag// The Allure of Shame, John Dalton// "Outbound", Hieu Minh Nguyen// Visual Overdose//

[moeblob]

Erin, to her crush: You're a dick

Mason, the crush: I won't argue! But to clarify -

[black-rose-writings]

My boss may not have explicitly called me a retard who should go work in a dark hole somewhere where nobody needs to see what an embarrasment to society I am, or fired me for being neurodivergent specifically, but it sure as hell felt like it.

[thenotoriousscuttlecliff]

Kinda feels contradictory to tell Jodie Whittaker to not watch any previous Doctors because you don't want it influencing her performance then sit all your writers down and make them watch a lot of David Tennant stories.

[writeouswriter]

Ooh everyone desperate for workers but then need a fucking background check to stock apples in your own hometown I'm going to strangle someone

[franksfishies]

Finally listening to malevolent s5 kinda. Before sleep so it's fragmented af but anyway my toxic malevolent trait is like dad era Arthur idgaf about Faroe or the dead wife nor do I care about good female rep in the show but this witch chick has good vibes. Would.

[spirit-meets-the-b0ne]

Every post I see arguing the pathos and/or contradiction around the whole Rhaenys Dragon Pit vs Meleys' head impressions on the small folk I can't help but remember there is no point trying to understand or argue a point of discontinuity created like this:

Because it is right up there with this dog shit call from the writers room of old:

And I grant 0 validity or justification to either of these decisions and I sleep more soundly at night