#i became so good at reading people to the point of being able to guess the cause of their issues just from a couple convos

[rivertakis]

one thing i never ever want to experience again is friendships with actively suicidal teens. that part of my life fucked me up so bad

i used to constantly try to find ways to help them, basically making it my job since i was like... 12?? and the worst part is - i became GOOD at it. i was almost prideful of it, and it just made me become a controlling asshole sometimes because i thought i knew better

never making THAT mistake again, good riddance

[gothgleek]

spencer x shy!bau!reader being in a case about serial killer where there are a lot of NSFW details. reader being flustered 24/7 when the investigation started. reader being the youngest of the team meaning the whole bau was dunking on her for being flustered. all the while spencer finding it really cute LMAO

i don't know if i'd laugh my ass off or die of fluff 😭😭😭😭 idk if this is a good topic for a one shot 🤍 love your work!!!

Note: I wasn’t sure if this was a smut prompt or not and since I’m not able to verify your age, I chose to make everything suggestive. I hope this was worth the wait, it took me a while to get in the right mindset for it😅 As always, likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated.

Note 2 : Mentions of non-explicit sex, BD/SM, pet play, shibari/rope play, dom/sub dynamics, choking, death, explanations that teeter the line of flirting and harassment, and hints of switch!Spencer.

“Psst… Pretty boy,” Derek whispered at Spencer. He looked up to find Derek smirking and pointing his head in your direction. “I think your partner over there needs your help.”

Spencer looked over to find you with a sight he was all-too familiar with this week- the newest BAU member frazzled and embarrassed at their newest case. Four women had been found strangled in their Illinois suburb homes. The main connection was a series of sexually explicit text messages between them and the suspect. The unsub posed as a devoted sub to the women to earn their trust. You had been tasked to look over the messages for evidence of who the unsub could be. And reading over those messages led to the BAU teasing you for being flustered at almost every explicit detail.

And as you kept protesting- You are not a prude. Yes, you will admit you had a habit of covering your face as you read the text messages that quickly became more and more explicit- which all of your coworkers had noticed of course. But being the youngest member of the BAU did not mean you were inexperienced. You had your fair share of partners. But- those relationships were tame and vanilla compared to this case. Everyday this week you would read sext messages between the victims and the unsubs. From pet play to primal play to choking to watersports. Again, you were not a prude- and it is far from you to kink shame anyone- but reading these at work of all places and then having to summarize it to your coworkers always made your face grow hot.

“Are you okay?” Spencer asked you, rolling his chair over to your desk. “You look alarmed.”

You cleared your throat in embarrassment. “I’m fine, it’s just I wasn’t expecting to read these messages when I got into work you know? Especially not this one. Do you know how to pronounce it? I’m not familiar with it.”

You held out the paper so Spencer could read it. He leaned closer, his face so close to yours you could feel his body heat and smell his shampoo. You could feel your face heat up once again.

“Shibari…” He says, elongating each syllable for you. “It’s a BDSM practice that originated in Japan. You tie people up in elaborate knots, occasionally suspending them from the ceiling or to a chair.”

“Oh…I guess that would explain the marks on their bodies. Personally, I’m not sure I understand the appeal of it...”

“Would you like me to demonstrate?” Spencer asked, a little unsure if this would get his name sent to HR. But he had a sneaking suspicion that you wouldn’t. After all, he was a profiler and he noticed the tell signs of your small, tiny, hardly mentionable crush on him since you joined the BAU. You nodded and he took off his vermillion tie, your eyes drifting to his flexed forearms as he did so. It seemed your habit of reading smutty fiction involving powerful men taking off their ties was catching up to you.

“Hand me your arms?” You obliged and offered your arms to him, palms up.

“Okay so…” Spencer’s hand wrapped around both of your wrists, pulling himself closer to you so he could begin wrapping his tie around you. “The most obvious one is that people enjoy the pain,” Spencer responded, eyes focused on you. Loose strands fell across his forehead and you felt grateful that he was holding your wrists so you wouldn’t push it away. You could feel your heart threatening to burst out of your chest.

“The way the rope tightens on their skin, the knots that press against you and leave marks.” Red fabric looped around your wrists and you looked around to see if anyone noticed what the two of you were doing. Obviously this was just a demonstration between two friends, two co-workers, but the idea of being caught like this made you feel a certain way… “People can feel… euphoric at the idea of marks being left on them. A sort of primal sense of being claimed, if you can imagine it.”

You could imagine it.

“There is also an aspect of fear that enhances the experience. Most people trust their partners just like you trust the operator of a roller coaster. But there is still that fear, that natural adrenaline that courses through your veins when you do it.” Spencer paused his knot tying to press two fingers against your pulsepoint- your heart beating even faster- and he looked up at you. “Kind of like that.”

Your eyes widened and he could definitely see your pupils dilate at his close proximity. Thankfully he did not say anything and continued his demonstration. “But eventually, for the person being tied up, your endorphins will make you feel relaxed and you will enter a subspace.” You hadn’t heard of ‘subspace’ before but you could definitely feel it as his hands rove over your skin. His fingers were so long and soft, your mind felt a little fuzzy at the idea of what he could do with them. Specifically what they could do to you.

“This makes it perfect for the rigger- the person tying you up- to have their way with you. And in my experience, that involves overstimulating their sub with more pleasure… or sometimes more pain.” He tightened his tie around your wrists as he looked you in the eyes.

Spencer’s eyes drifted downwards to your lips and your eyes did the same. His tongue wet his bottom lip and your eyes shot back to his. It remained that way for what felt like hours.

Then, Hotchner called for a team meeting, reminding the both of you that you were still at work. Spencer cleared his throat and gave you a bashful smile as he quickly undid his ropes, scooting his chair away from you a bit. “Obviously my tie is different from using rope but I think you get the idea.”

Suddenly the tie felt too hot and too heavy for your arms. You coughed as you untangled your arms from the fabric. “Where did you learn about all of that?”

“Well MIT did have a BDSM club,” Spencer told you before heading to the briefing room.

[aita-blorbos]

Aita for… uh, w- well, a lot of things, really, but um, primarily I guess my biggest ah… mistake, let’s say, mistake is a good word, for um… trying to kill my friend?

uh, Hello! I (oh people usually put their age and gender here, right? Umm, well, I’ve been alive for a while I guess, not really sure how long, and gender, I… don’t really have one I suppose! Being a robot and all, ai, genderless… but- but I do like to think of myself as a guy! Sometimes. So, yes, male, final answer- I’m rambling, I’m rambling again) was stuck in this awful facility, a truly dreadful sort of place ran by- by her and I needed out so I woke up one of the smelly- ah not smelly, shouldn’t say smelly, that’s rude, really, sorry ‘bout that, just woke up one of the humans to help me out. Now, this human… she likely had just a liiiiitle bit of serious brain damage, having been asleep for so long, but man alive could she jump! Amazing jumper she was, able to traverse the whole facility! We ran into a few issues, accidentally waking up her and restarting the testing tracks, but I was able to hack in and help my friend escape! Very proud of that, I am. Oh this girl and I, we were like two peas in a pod! The two musketeers! Best of friends! I’d tell her to run right and she’d go right, you know? We took down her together and even put me in charge of the facility, me!

The issue is, uh, small issue, since I was so bloody massive, I couldn’t exactly escape anymore and well, the power of being in charge of everything sort of… went to my head. I made some mistakes I truly regret and… I hate to admit it but I became like her. I don’t know why, really, I suppose it was just being connected to the mainframe, I needed to test all the time! It was like some sort of itch, I just… I NEEDED her to test for me and when she completed one it was pure euphoria! I was on cloud 9, just pure bliss, but it started wearing off and I got… irate. I shouldn’t have taken it out on her, she was just doing what I told her, but, well, as the title says, I ended up trying to kill her. It was a stupid decision, shouldn’t have done it, complete lapse in judgement on my part, but it’s all good! She survived! Strong woman I tell you, very strong. Took a bomb, well, five bombs to the face and still stood up afterwards! Long story short, I got thrown into space and she was put back in charge and my friend lived.

Now, I’m just wondering, as I type this from space, orbiting earth, if I was the butt here? I mean, I would never usually think the way I did back then! I do believe I was not at fault for what I did, but I still feel… really bad. I’m so truly sorry for being so mean, and monstrous, and evil and… I’m just sorry. I think I know I’m the butt at this point, so I guess this is just my way of saying sorry, even though I doubt she’ll ever see this.

If- if you are out there, reading this, lady, I’m truly, 100% sorry, and I… just, please don’t hate me?

[the-judicial-assistants-notebook]

I see your tags on the Wocky and Alita art, I would love to hear your thoughts on Alita actually!

I only need one person to show interest in what I have to say for me to talk forever and ever, thank you. HAHA Okay, in seriousness, this won't be as thorough/long as the Klavier post because... there really isn't much to her, but I find it extremely interesting how Alita falls into the same category of witnesses as April May and Dahlia without being — and I mean no offence to her when I say this — stunning? Like, with April and Dahlia, there's a very clear mass appeal to them which most people point out. Contrariwise, Alita's appearance is really only commented on by Trucy, and just glancing at her portrait, you can see that, without her slightly outlandish fashion, she's frankly nothing to write home about.

So why am I discussing this? Surely it's a little reductive to analyse female characters beginning with their appearances? Usually, yes, but that's the thing about this category of witnesses: their pretty faces aren't just pretty faces.

For April and Dahlia, their beauty is part of their arsenal. It functions as both their defence and their weapon of choice; they know how to wield it to bring people under their heel. Alita being ordinarily pretty instead of drop-dead gorgeous deprives her of that weapon and leads you to wonder how she became a mafia heiress to begin with. It also parallels her to Mimi Miney in a way that goes beyond the 'murderous nurse who worked for and killed her awful boss' comparison you get on the surface. Presumably, Alita, like Mimi, only got to where she was because she managed to fool the people around her into believing she was less dangerous than she actually is. Mimi did this by feigning stupidity and inviting people to underestimate her. Alita seems to do this by showing them what they want to see.

When she first meets Apollo and Trucy, Alita stays quiet and spends more time listening to them than she does talking. Once she has a hold on who they are, then she slips into her persona, and I find it interesting how she doesn't even attempt to come across as particularly delicate or lovelorn? Instead she goes for the relatively typical role of a distressed, indulgent loved one earnestly entreating Apollo for help. I'm inclined to say she does this because her read on Apollo makes her realise that he'd likely be exasperated or annoyed by such a person; but it's also almost as if she knows she doesn't have the disposition to pull off that frail, damsel-in-distress archetype and has resigned herself to being ordinary. Like how she looks. The next time she has to reapply her persona, Alita's appearing in court, and again she makes subtle adjustments that best suit her situation. The judge is old, so she takes a chance on expressing her dedication as a wife while balancing her dedication as a righteous citizen, which works. But oddly enough, despite her successes, I don't think Alita is actually good? At donning disguises? Everyone I've seen discuss this case has been able to guess almost immediately that she's the culprit, and maybe we're just prepped by past characters like her that have appeared, but I don't think she's even that convincing in the game.

Both the identities she assumes are risky manoeuvres that happen to fall in her favour, and she's not particularly dedicated to maintaining the front. When she asks Apollo to be Wocky's defence, she admits that marrying him is largely a chance at a more exciting life than some great love story; Plum Kitaki straight up says that there's a darkness in Alita she doesn't like, despite how docile Alita behaves in front of her; and Wocky has moments where he slips up and calls her things like, "imposter" and "fallen angel", implying that at least subconsciously, he knows she's not what she makes herself out to be. Even her general mannerisms don't greatly differ between her actual self and the mask who's blunt her claws — nothing is ever overtly coy or cutesy — and when Apollo brings up the fact she was Wocky's nurse, she drops the facade almost immediately. There's no waffling, no, "Whatever do you mean?"s or, "You're scaring me"s, just the statement, "I don't know what you mean by 'meaning', Mr. Justice!" delivered in a sudden cool, frosted steeliness.

And I think that steel is what really makes her different.

See, the other women are all driven to crime by some defining trait in themselves caused by their circumstances. For Dahlia, it's her desperate need to be free of the Fey clan; for Mimi, it's grief over her sister's unjust death; and for April, it's her fear of Redd White. You don't really get that with Alita. Instead of there being something dark in her life that leads her down this path, she just seems... tired. Tired of being "pretty enough" but not "gorgeous", tired of being the obedient nurse to the corrupt doctor, tired of being ordinary. There's no predatory external force pushing her into a corner, there's no abusive family beliefs pinning her down. There's just an ordinary life, lived dull and ordinarily, and she had had enough. So what does this girl, who's tired and ordinary in every way except the steel that lines her spine, do to get out of this?

She gambles.

Marrying into the mafia was a gamble, seeking Apollo as council was a gamble, shooting Dr. Meraktis was a gamble. Every decision she's made since she met Wocky has been a series of high-stakes gambles that leave her life on the line all so she won't be second-best anymore. This time, she was going to be the one on top. No matter what.

... And I'm sorry for loving evil women, but girlboss?? Girlboss???

I've heard people say they're disappointed that her "breakdown" is just an extension of her usual damage sprite, but it's honestly one of my favourite "breakdowns" in the series ever? Just because it isn't really one? Everything Alita has done up till now has been reckless, calculated risk, of course being convicted for murder is no different than losing in any other aspect of her life. Of course you're not going to get more than her damaged sprite, because this doesn't warrant a more dramatic reaction. She's lived this whole time knowing it could all come crashing down around her, and it finally did.

She made a bad bet. You caught her. Oh well.

The frosted girl of steel, standing tall to the very end. It's kind of sad that, even after all that, she's still seen as only second-best, incomparable to mimi, dahlia or any of the other women who've stood in her place.

[meridiansdominoes]

I am LOVING "Dominoes" so far! I can't wait for what's next! Also, I have two questions. What inspired you to write "Dominoes" in the first place and gave you the idea for the story? Secondly, out of all the Jedi that could've possibly confronted Krell to arrest him, what made you choose Unduli and Windu? I understand why Anakin wouldn't be a good choice because he would've straight up murdered that sleemo besalisk on the spot. Not that I would blame him. But I know Obi-Wan is a good negotiator and seeing him sass Krell could've been hilarious! And seeing Plo Koon confront him could've been interesting as well with their completely opposite views on clones. Also, Master Plo doesn't strike me as the type to loose his temper easily. I don't know as much about Aayla so I can't really guess for her. But if she loves Bly, seeing her whoop Krell big time could've been interesting as well. Did you choose Unduli and Windu because they're were the most likely to be able to keep their cool dealing with someone like Krell? Or was it something else? Thanks! Keep being amazing!

Hiya! Thanks for the ask! I got the original idea when I was reading clone wars fanfics a while ago and every time travel fic was mostly Jedi! Not that there's anything wrong with that, and also now there's a ton of clone-centric time travel too, but back in the day it was very difficult to find clone time travel that was well executed. Since the clones had always been my favorite characters, I really wanted something like that, and the more I thought about it the more I became interested in how non-force sensitives and people with very little galactic influence would handle a time-travel situation! I decided to write it myself, using Domino squad because that way I could bring back three of my favorite characters and expand on characters who didn't get any screentime!

As for your second question, I actually chose Mace Windu to go after Krell because I decided that he had the highest chance of defeating Krell in a 1 on 1 lightsaber duel! I don't know how good of a fighter Krell actually is against other Jedi--we never get to see him fight another lightsaber user... maybe he's actually terrible and even Ahsoka could beat him, or maybe he's a monster. Regardless of reality, he's huge, and those dual double-bladed are super intimidating, so I decided he's probably pretty tough. With that in mind, I needed someone who was super competent at lightsaber dueling to take him on, so I chose Mace! It also made sense to me that the council would choose someone fairly important to go and arrest one of their own. I chose Luminara to back him up because, as you mentioned, she's good at staying calm under pressure, and I also felt like I had missed an opportunity to include her on Geonosis, so I wanted to make up for that! I also partially chose her because I'm a big fan of clone commander Gree, and I knew I eventually wanted to write a short about it from his perspective, which I did!

Plo Koon and Aayla both would have been interesting choices as well, you make really good points that their relationships with their clones could have really made them fierce opponents for Krell! As for Anakin... I didn't choose him for a very specific reason that you will find out in a few chapters hehe!

[come-away-with-me87]

Modern Hearts Chapter 9

Chapter 8 here

******

The remainder of your first week of work went very well.  Once word got out that there was a librarian on staff again, you were flooded with students needing all different kinds of books, for both study and leisure.  It warmed your heart, if you were being honest with yourself; kids still liked to read, even if it was studying.  Technology hasn't completely taken over.  And Toshinori was right on the nose; the student he was training with, Izuku Midoriya, was one of your most frequent visitors.  Boy, could that kid talk!  You liked him, though.  You could tell he was a good kid, and would go far in life as both a person and pro-hero.

The only times you saw Shouta during the week were during lunch breaks when all the teachers and staff were in the lounge area.  You were actually kind of grateful for that due to your...memory of him from Monday evening.  Even then, your interactions were perfectly friendly, as if no time has passed since you were children.  You took these lunchtime interactions to really get to know the staff.  After getting to know Nemuri more, you could understand why she was called the "R-rated hero."  You liked her, nevertheless, and saw her becoming a close friend.  You also became close to Hizashi, who insisted that you just call him "Mic."  Mic was really funny, and constantly had you in tears from laughing.  What you really liked about him, though, was the fact that, despite his humor, he knew when to be serious.

On one Thursday during lunchtime, you were sitting with Nemuri, Mic, Toshinori, and Shouta, and Nemuri suggested that you call go to the bar the following evening to celebrate you becoming the newest member of U.A..  Everyone seemed excited for the idea with the exception of Shouta.  "You already know I'm not really a 'going out' type of guy," he said.  Between you and Nemuri, you were finally able to convince him to come out.  "C'mon Shouta, for the sake of childhood friendship?" you asked him.  He finally muttered out a "fine," to which you and Nemuri high-fived each other.  You were able to get Eraserhead to go out with you guys!

The end of the school day on Friday eventually reared its head; you made it through your first week unscathed!  Besides the thoughts you had about Shouta on Monday evening, the week went better than you could have imagined.  You definitely made the right choice in moving back to Japan, and especially made the right choice in choosing U.A. High School as your place of employment.  You were able to reconnect with your childhood best friend, and you could already tell that the people you worked with were going to become lifelong friends.

You and Shouta just happened to be leaving the school at the same time, so you decided to walk back to Heights Alliance together.  "Are you excited to get out for a little bit tonight?" you asked him.  "I guess," he replied flatly, "at least you'll be there."  You don't know why, but you felt yourself blushing at his statement.  You tried to shake it off and laughed, "we're going to have a lot of fun!"  He just looked straight ahead as you two continued your walk towards the campus.  Once you arrived at the campus, you made it up the stairs, and you told him you would see him again soon.  He gave you a slight grin in response, went into his dorm, and closed his door behind him.

You couldn't help but laugh as you walked into your dorm.  Shouta was still the same 'ol recluse you knew as a kid.  I guess some things never change.  You were still introverted, but only to a certain point.  You enjoyed being around people, but you never wanted to be the center of attention in front of a group of people.  Even though tonight was to celebrate you, you were comfortable with the idea as it was with a small group of people you liked and were getting to know.

You all agreed to meet up at 6:00pm, and since it was 4:00pm at that point, you decided to start getting ready.  You hopped in the shower, washed up, wrapped a robe around yourself and a towel in your hair.  You went to your closet to pick out an outfit.  You didn't want to wear your normal librarian outfit, so you opted for your favorite pair of jeans and a black top that showcased your curves quite nicely, topped off with a pair of high-heeled booties.  You laid your outfit on your bed, and started blow drying your hair.  For tonight, you took your curling iron out and put some waves in your hair, making it look nice and voluminous.  

You loved makeup, so you put on a little foundation, some eyeliner, and mascara.  You looked at yourself in the mirror, and even you thought you looked good.  You stopped for a moment; what did it matter though?  Who were you trying to look good for?  You were just going out with friends, that was all.  By that point, it was 5:30pm, so you put on your outfit, gave yourself one final look in the mirror, and left your dorm.  You happened to run into Mic on your way out.  "Woooo girl, don't you look nice!" he exclaimed.  You laughed at him, and playfully punched him in the shoulder.  "Thanks, Mic. Since we're leaving at the same time, do you wanna grab a car and go together?"  "Sure!" he responded.  You two got a car, and began your descent to the bar.

******

To be continued...

******

Tag list: @jaguarthecat ; @lili-pond

[virgo-dream]

One of Their Own 🏳️‍🌈✨

dreamling / queer joy / fluff / first kiss / 3,6k words

summary: Hob Gadling invites Dream to a meeting of the uni's queer clubs at the New Inn. Dream learns more about his own gender identity, and that he's very much in love with his best friend.

author’s note: this fic, this pairing and this fandom all mean the world to me, so I thought it was fitting to bring it back for pride month!

I’m incredibly thankful for finding Sandman when I did. Since joining this fandom, I’ve made wonderful friends and became part of a community of bright, kind, loving and loyal queer people that I would not trade for anything. I’ve learned more about my community and about myself, and I wave my ace/agender flag proudly now. This fic was written in a moment in my life where I felt hopeless and alone. Now, things couldn’t be more different. Happy pride sandfam! 🏳️‍🌈✨

read here or on ao3

Dream doesn’t get it at first. He never really did get it, but only attributed it to the need humanity had for labels, for packing things into boxes and saying this goes here and that goes there. Sometimes, it leads to this goes to heaven and you go to hell. It seemed to be a very common one, too. He was beyond that; his name said it all, Dream was endless. Not he nor she, not man nor creature, he was all there was to be and the nothingness beyond it. Gender and sexuality need not apply.

Still, it meant so much to Hob, that he’d have dreams about it. Nightmares too, for nights on end, and even if Dream begged Hob to allow him to take them away, Hob always declined, always braving through them. “If you take them, I’ll forget how much it all means. I’ll forget why I’m still fighting.”

They sat at the New Inn one afternoon, while Hob graded papers and Dream had a cup of chamomile tea, but his eyes couldn’t help but focus on a shiny pin on Hob’s jumper shaped like a flag, the shades of pink, purple and blue a spot of proud colour in Hob’s otherwise earthy colour palette.

“It’s the bisexual pride flag.”

“Hm?” Dream’s eyes darted up to meet Hob’s, tilting his head slightly. He wasn’t sure if he should feel bad for being caught, because he wasn’t sure what he was looking at in the first place.

“The pin. I wear it for my students, but also for myself. The kids feel safer I guess, knowing they have at least one of their own in the faculty. Can’t say it doesn’t make me feel good too.”

Hob has a particular tone to his voice that makes Dream’s heart sing in tune to its melody. It’s a fuller sense of self, maybe more than Dream ever had in regards to his own identity. “…one of their own?”

“Oh, I– Sorry, those are pretty recent.” Hob straightened himself up (ha) on the chair, his lecturing posture taking over. Dream liked when he did that. He liked to hear Hob speak of things he had deep knowledge of and passion for. “This one was created in 1988 by a queer activist called Michael Page. Had the pleasure of being there when it was first unveiled, but clearly it took a long time until I was able to wear something like this out in public and not be decked by some bloody homophobe.”

It was starting to sink in.

“…I’m afraid I was not present for these developments.” Dream saw the look on Hob’s face, like he was ready to apologise. He raised a hand to stop him, waving his concern away. “As far as I can remember, queer was not a form of self identification, but only a way to shun out those outside the established norm.”

“Ah, yes. We reclaimed it, though. Or are reclaiming it. The 80s were crazy. All of them were, for me.” Hob smiled at Dream, at their shared secret and at their years of now reestablished friendship.

“I think you’re lonely.”

Could it have been….? Could he have meant…?

“What does it mean for you, then?” Dream asks in a way he hopes sounds inconspicuous, pointing at the pin. He was hesitant to ask, afraid to be getting it all wrong.

“For me? It means I love whoever I love. Man, woman, either or neither.”

The pride coming from Hob’s words filled Dream with hope, something he had not felt in a long, long time. The look in his face then shifted onto something else, something he didn’t quite understand. “…what about you? That is, if you’re okay with talking about that. I don’t want to overstep. Last thing I want is for you to walk out–”

“I won’t, Hob.” Dream knew Hob had reason for feeling that way. “I don’t believe the terminology you have could define my experience. I have laid with mortals and gods alike, and have worn many faces and names. It is beyond human comprehension.”

Hob seems to take a moment to think about what he’d just heard. Dream feels like he might have thrown too much at his human friend. “…I think I get it. But, and tell me to bugger off I’m wrong, do you prefer to be a particular way? To be with a particular sort of being?”

Dream. Didn’t have an answer.

He never thought of what he preferred. He’d never felt in need of any sort of outside validation, but. That was a lie. He needed it. He just never cared to look for it.

Hob’s smile was what broke him out of the spell of his own self doubt. “It’s okay if you don’t have an answer. It takes people a long time to get it, it took me nearly 600 years! Ah! You know what? I’ve got an idea–” He reached inside his brown messenger bag, pulling out a colourful piece of paper, handing it over to Dream. A pamphlet for a meeting. “We’re having a meeting for the uni’s LGBT clubs here at the Inn. I want this to be a safe space for the kids, and to get them to connect with other folks in the community, share their experiences. It’s tomorrow, and I’d love it if you could make it. I’m sure they would too.”

Dream took the pamphlet in hands, looking at the bright colours and bold fonts, taking in every bit of information Hob was giving him and trying to fill in the gaps of the questions he wouldn’t dare ask. After a moment, he looked up at Hob, allowing himself a small smile. “I shall be in attendance, then.”

—————

Dream stood outside the New Inn, hands tucked safely inside the pockets of his coat jacket. He watched as groups of young adults arrived, greeting each other cheerfully. The hair colours and outfits reminded him of his sister, Delirium, but they all seemed to be more in line with her previous self; delighted to be there, happy to meet their friends. A flag danced in the light summer breeze on a pole next to the window, the stripes of colours brightening up the already lively scene. A rainbow, Hob had told him the day before, was the most recognizable symbol of the queer community. It now was accompanied by stripes of light pink and blue, white, black and brown. Dream enjoyed good symbolism, and he could feel the meaning of those colours to all who were present from their daydreams alone.

He, however, still felt like an outsider. Like he wasn't really meant to be there, save for Hob's generous invite. Dream was not defined by the same standards humanity aligned itself with; in fact, he wasn't defined by anything at all. He was not an individual, but the safe arms in which those dreamers rested every night, the common thread in their hopes, in their restful slumber. It would be silly to think that he'd need to identify as one thing or another, really. He was there for Hob . Because Hob invited him. Because he wanted to know more about the everyday life of his dearest friend. Because he wanted to hear him talk, see him inspire others with his tales, wanted to hear the sound of his voice, the gentle way in which he made people feel welcome, cared for, loved, he wanted–

Dream thought it best to wait it out, at least until most people had already arrived, until he had an idea of just how many young, hopeful minds would be in the vicinity. After escaping the Burgess Manor, Dream was faced with a considerable raise in the amount of dreamers under his care. He would not admit it to anyone but himself, but at times, it became too much even for him to bear. The idea of willingly walking into a space with so many people was daunting, to say the least. So he waited, watched as the New Inn became packed with dreamers, feeling his palms dampen inside the pockets of his coat.

Taking the first step towards the door was difficult. Pushing it open was even harder. Dream stepped in, careful not to bump into anyone or to even get too close. The sound of the little bell that was supposed to announce his arrival had no effect, as it was overtaken by the sound of chatter inside the Inn. It was better that way, Dream thought. Not having Hob rush to greet him. That way he could take a moment to adjust to his surroundings, maybe even blend in, become invisible. In hindsight, his usual choice of attire did anything but blend in there. He was a dark little cloud in a sky full of bright colours, like a multi-coloured sunset on a tropical beach. And of course, every sunset had its monarch, shining brightly, commanding the attention. That, of course, was Hob.

"Hello there, kids! Glad to see most of you could make it!" The cheerful, gentle register of Hob's voice filled the room, filtered by the small but potent speaker he'd rented just for the occasion. Dream could hear his voice clearly, and it helped him tune out everything else that wasn't his beloved friend. "This is the first of hopefully many meetings of our beloved Queer Clubs here at my beloved New Inn. I want you all to know this is a safe space for you all no matter what part of the gender and sexuality spectrums you fall on. The only things I won't accept here are discrimination of any kind, and anyone that thinks Lawrence Cheney shouldn't have won season 2 of Drag Race UK. Are we clear on that one?"

Laughter filled the room, and Dream couldn't help but allow his lips a small smile. Hob truly was a marvel. How anyone could shine so brightly was beyond even the dream lord's knowledge, but he was glad to be able to bask in that glow from time to time. He wished he could do it more often.

Hob was saying other things, Dream thought. Instructions on seating arrangements, subjects to be discussed, discounts on food and drinks. All Dream could do was watch as Hob did more than just make everyone feel welcome, but inspired them with hope and joy, a gentle breeze of acceptance, the embrace of a parent, the empathy of an equal. There was much to work with here, much to inspire new dreams. Dreams of comfort and love, of community and pride.

"Dream? You in there, love?"

Hob's voice broke the spell he himself had cast over Dream, who could now see his friend's palm waving in front of his eyes. He'd become lost in thought, it seemed. Dream's nose scrunched up at the interruption, looking at Hob with his usual look of curiosity. There was still much he needed to catch up on when it came to non verbal communication. "Aye. I'm here. Have I not fully manifested my presence?"

Hob chuckled, and his eyes wrinkled at the corners. "Oh, yes. Physically, at least." Dream's brows furrowed in worry, and he was glad Hob was quick enough to notice when something had gone over his head. "Just a joke– hey, I'm glad you could make it. The kids will love meeting you."

"Meeting me? There are far too many people here for you to make introductions. Besides, I know them all, and they all know me. They just do not remember it during waking hours."

This felt like a plausible enough explanation to keep Hob from actually introducing him to everyone in attendance. But Hob was far too optimistic to be dissuaded so easily. "I'm not talking about introducing them to Morpheus. I'd like them to meet my friend, Dream."

"I do not see the difference." He shouldn't say why he couldn't bear the idea of being introduced to so many people. Shouldn't burden Hob with his problems, that wouldn't exist had he just not been captured in the first place. Dream had been good at hiding his discomfort so far, and he'd continue to do so.

…well, maybe he was not so good at it. Not when Hob's eyes so clearly conveyed the worry that had just settled in his heart. It was difficult to deny Hob the truth when his warm, calloused hands took Dream's into his own so carefully, squeezing gently, as if saying you can trust me. I've got you. "It's okay if you'd rather not. I know it can be overwhelming sometimes."

"...thank you." Dream replied with a murmur. Hob gifted him with a smile. It seemed a lot could be said with just the eyes.

————

Even if Dream didn't intend on actually joining in on the conversations being held, he was glad to follow Hob along and listen to the discussions. It was amazing seeing just how bright the kids really were: they spoke of justice and equality, of inclusivity, of respect and love, of family and religion and sex and responsibility. It was a wider range of topics than he'd expected, an awareness of self he didn't think humans would ever possess, and now, he was glad to be proven wrong. He listened to their shared experiences, to the kindness in their eyes as they lifted each other up, the melody of their laughter and the bravery in their voices as they spoke of injustices they'd lived. It was fascinating, really.

What Dream was truly surprised to find was that people had, after all, an understanding of self that went beyond just physical. Hob brought him closer to a group of kids who were in a long discussion on gender identity. Some of them felt comfortable with the gender they'd been "assigned with at birth", others did not feel any affinity for it. Some of them had changed their bodies to fit with how they felt on the inside, and Dream couldn't help but feel enormous empathy for them, for the way they had to fight to exist in a body that didn't feel like a trap. It was something Dream always took for granted, until he himself felt the horror of having no agency over himself. The pain they went through to guarantee they'd have the right to live authentically. Dream's body had never been limited to an exclusive physical manifestation; he was as he felt like. Fluid , as one of the bright colour haired people had pointed out while explaining their own experience. They reminded Dream of his own sibling, Desire. Someone else brought up how they didn't particularly feel like they had a gender, and that the language surrounding it didn't particularly bother them. Agender, the girl said proudly. Dream wondered if there was any right or wrong way to declare oneself fluid or agender. Then he realised the tightness in his chest when the thought occurred to him.

"Are you alright?" Once again, Hob's voice brought him back to the Waking. Dream could now feel Hob's hand on his own again, but he wasn't sure what exactly had warranted it.

"Your hands were shaking."

Once again, Dream's physical form betrayed him. It was also clear how the conversation surrounding them had gone quiet, and more eyes than he would have liked had landed on their linked hands. He didn't like being watched. Like that.

"Oh, Mr. G, is this your boyfriend?" one of them asked, teasingly. "Would have never guessed you had a thing for goths!"

"Marissa, stop!" someone else said, poking the girl on the shoulder apprehensively. The next thing they said was soft as a whisper. "They are clearly not feeling well."

They.

Dream had never considered himself as they. But this person, whoever they were, preferred "not to assume" his gender. And the empathy displayed for his discomfort was something he wasn't expecting either. Hob seemed to be about to say something, but Dream was quicker.

"There is no need to worry for my well-being, but I thank you for your kindness." Dream allowed himself to smile once again. These children were going places, he knew it. "You may address me as he , if necessary. I would not oppose her or them either." It felt liberating to say it, and Dream didn't really know why. He did know, however, that he suddenly felt brave. "I am not Professor Gadlen's boyfriend , but I am honoured to call him my dearest, most cherished friend."

Dream looked at Hob, who seemed to be awestruck by his words. It was amusing to see him like that, and it lit something else inside him. This meeting was making Dream experience a range of feelings he'd forgotten about. He showed Hob a smile, and Hob smiled back at him, warm and gentle as ever. Their hands were still linked together. Dream had no intention of letting go. "Ah, yes. This little prick here is indeed my dearest, oldest friend. I did want them to meet you guys. I'm glad I was right about it."

When Hob said it, it made Dream's heart sing.

"...so you're fuckbuddies?"

" Marissa! "

————

After a few hours and many, many rounds of different conversations, Hob gathered the group once again, thanking them for coming and congratulating everyone on the success of their first meeting. Dream couldn't help but notice how Hob seemed unable to stop smiling. He could feel the pride and relief radiating off of his tanned skin and kind eyes. Dream wished he could have it all directed at himself, that gentleness.

Hob's boyfriend. Now that would be something.

Dream sat on the booth table behind the bar where he and Hob usually held their meetings and waited for everyone to leave. He wanted some time alone with Hob, even if just to hear what his beloved friend had to say about what he thought of the meeting, just to hear Hob's voice, the only music suited for Dream's ears.

He also had so many new feelings inside himself to explore. Those he could tend to later.

"Hey there, handsome stranger." Hob said as he sat across from Dream on the table, taking Dream's hand in his as if it was just the way they always did things. Maybe it could be. It wouldn't hurt (too much) to hope, would it? "Come here often?"

"Only when I'm in search of an epiphany." Dream couldn't bother to hide the fondness in his own voice, nor the relief he felt to have Hob's hand cradling his own again. "I am impressed, Professor Gadlen. You have gathered a group of exceptionally bright minds. It gives me hope for a better future for humanity."

"Wow Dream, that is… that is really high praise, especially coming from you." Hob seemed flushed, and Dream wondered what else he could do to cause that reaction, to see Hob shy and pretty like that again and again. "I learned a long time ago that I have to build the future I want to live in. But in all honesty… I'm more interested in the present right now."

"Oh, is that so?" Hob's optimism was infectious, it seemed. Dream too could only focus on the present moment. "I am glad to be able to share it with you."

There was a short silence shared between them after that. It was as if neither of them were ready to say whatever it was they clearly needed. Dream tried to take comfort in the feeling of Hob's hand in his, rubbing the back of Hob's hand with his thumb.

His mistake was looking up to meet Hob's eyes.

"There is much I have learned today." Dream decided he'd be the one to break the silence. He'd be the one to take the leap, because he knew Hob had made sure he'd make a safe landing. He knew that no matter what happened, no matter how much he could get hurt, he was safe. He could trust Hob with his heart, even if there was a chance that he would break it. "I often make the mistake of thinking there is nothing more to my existence than what I have already discovered. I contain all conscious minds throughout the universe, their lives, hopes and dreams. Yet, I forget that the tales of others cannot substitute one's own experience, only enlighten it."

Hob listened to Dream's words attentively. He looked anxious, but would not interrupt. Dream knew he wouldn't. He knew how much Hob cherished the moments where Dream felt ready to share something new. "Today, you have once more shown me there is much I have to learn. For that, I am grateful, Hob Gadling.”

How could Dream not fall in love with someone that treated him like he was the moon? How could the moon not love the sun?

"I'm grateful for you too, you know. The kids loved you. I'm sure I'll be getting asked about you for the rest of the semester. Maybe even longer." Hob's eyes were so fond it made Dream want to cry.

"And how would you like to answer their inquiries?"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you like to tell them of your dearest, oldest friend…" Dream leaned in, bringing Hob's hand to his own cheek. He pressed a soft kiss to Hob's palm, and watched as Hob's eyes followed his every move. There was no turning back from this. "...or would you prefer to tell them about your lover, Hob?"

For a moment, time stopped. Their eyes met, and before Dream could get anxious or regret his words, Hob was already standing and leaning over the table, locking their lips together.

Dream thought he'd heard the sound of people cheering outside one of the windows of the New Inn. Hob would certainly be getting many questions from his students come next monday.

[acheel-and-cat]

Hey guys! I think I’ve finished Vampire Monty. I’ve never been super great at writing endings so we’ll see how I did. Thanks to @eat-the-lemons for the idea, and my amazing proofreaders @parathepineapple and @exploding-mush00m! Tag list: @random-potato-mil! Past chapters: one, two,and three!

Enjoy!

They finally made it back to Port Townsend.

“Uh so, I died in the Esther’s house. I swear I’m not going to lure you to some weird trap,” Monty prefaced their investigation with a shaky smile.

“Alright then Monty, lead the way,” Edwin said. They walked to Esther’s house and into her kitchen before Monty stopped.

“Okay so I died about right here,” he told them, pointing to a small scattering of black feathers.

“Crystal, can you read these?” Edwin asked, handing her one of the feathers.

“Yeah, okay,” she assured, taking the feather. Her eyes turned fully white as she read the feather. After a moment her eyes returned to normal and she looked at Monty.

“Jeez Monty, Esther was a major bitch!” she exclaimed, “You plummeted down and died, but about thirty-ish minutes after, a cat jumped over your body? After that you turned back into a human, or a vampire I guess?”

“A cat? You said a cat? Why does it have to be a cat?” Monty questioned, remembering his ordeal with the Cat King.

“Edwin mate, cats are kind of your thing,” Charles joked, “guess we’re taking a trip to the old Port Townsend cannery.” They began their trek towards the cat’s lair.

“Oh wow, the whole gang is here!” The Cat King called, appearing behind the group.

“What did you do to me?” Monty yelled, walking towards the Cat King.

“My little birdie experiment worked,” the Cat King seemed rather pleased with himself.

“What did you do?” Monty asked again, his anger rising.

“All my interesting supernatural acquaintances left and all I had was Tragic Mick, who is not the gossipy type. So I tried a little ritual I had heard of: a cat jumping over a corpse to create an undead bloodsucker, aka, a vampire. I wasn’t quite sure it would work with our crow here, but it appears it did!” he told them, prowling closer to Monty.

“Why would you want to talk to me? Don’t you have other beings to pester?” Monty really didn’t want to be a pawn in the Cat King’s game, again.

“Do you people not listen? I told you I had no one else to talk to! Jeez, you guys suck at paying attention.” The Cat King sighed, “Either way, I’m sure you haven’t eaten anything yet, so here.” He gestured at a body at the foot of his throne.

“Oh calm down,” he responded to the horrified looks from the group, “this lady abused animals. She isn’t going to waste either, Monty here will take his fill of blood, and the rest will go to my cats. Go on birdie.”

Monty slowly walked towards the corpse. As he drew near, the coppery scent of her blood became overpowering and he found himself draining her quickly. When he turned back, he saw everyone staring at him. He self-consciously wiped his mouth and averted his eyes, staring at the floor instead.

“So case closed, I guess?” He started sheepishly.

“Nah mate. We can’t have any loose ends can we?” Charles interrupted, looking at Edwin.

“That is true. While we have now figured out what you are, we have yet to answer where you will be staying or how you will be getting food,” Edwin added before the Cat King stepped up.

“He could stay here. There are unused rooms in the cannery and I often bring fresh bodies for my cats.”

“Monty what do you think?” Crystal asked, looking to him.

“Um, I guess I’ll stay in Port Townsend. I have a job at the library and I might be able to fix up Esther’s house or maybe find a different house to live in.” He said after a few minutes consideration, “I suppose I will have to find food, but I will be alright. Thank you for helping me. What is your fee? We’ll have to stop by the house so I can grab some more money.”

“Monty you covered the fee by buying my plane ticket over here. Believe me, we’re all good.” Crystal told him.

“Oh, alright then. But can I take you to lunch? I want to see if I can still drink stuff, or if everything is off limits.” Monty explained, silently begging to be able to still drink coffee. Crystal laughed, “Of course Monty, let’s go to Fountain Cafe. Have you been there? I think it’s pretty nice.” Monty let Crystal continue talking as she lead him to the cafe. He looked back at the Cat King and smiled before taking a step towards his new life.

The end!

[ju-vondy]

The text I wish I could draw to every Elriel shipper:

What Azriel feels about Elain is lust. The need to fill a void and nothing more. He's desperate because his loved so-called brothers found their mates who ironically were sisters but the third sister wasn't give to him. But what we do know is that Azriel WANTS a mate: this has already become clear at several points in the narrative of the books.

The mating bond is SO much deeper than lust. It's so BEYOND. Azriel will never feel a mating bond snapping with Elain, and guess why? Because she ALREADY HAS A BOND WITH ANOTHER FUCKING MALE. That is true: everyone can smell it, even Azriel can.

So, let Azriel kiss and f*ck with Elain how many time he wants... That will NEVER be a mating bond (that he desperately wants) at the end of the day. That will never be the connection he wants. And I wouldn't bother to see a scene of them going to bed together: I've seen Feyre having s*x with Tamlin, Aelin with Chaol, etc. etc. But did that EVER influenced the end? No. Once them found their partners the past didn't mattered anymore, for God's sake!!

And SJM has already made it clear that when she thinks about "pairing mates together" she always looks for who has the most things in common and also the two people must have a dynamic where one CHALLENGES the other. Like that dog and cat dynamic. Sarah loves writing "bunters."

Do you really think Elain will challenge Azriel, seriously? HOW?! She doesn't fight. She hates violence. She has zero personality. She has no interest in training (seriously, she could have literally shown up at the House to visit Nesta and signed up to participate in the training... But she didn't, clearly because taking care of the garden is more interesting than learning to defend herself, right? LOL). Elain likes SUNSHINE, flowers, baking, gardening, delicate things. Azriel has NOTHING to do with that.

Now: Gwyn is one of those hyperactive people, with orange cat energy. She is the total opposite of Azriel when it comes to communication hahaha and that would be REALLY COOL to see. She being plugged in at 220W and he getting lost thinking "Damn, how can this beautiful thing talk so much?" 😄👐🏻 Gwyn, with this personality, would simply take Azriel out of his comfort zone. Isn't that what SJM likes, after all??! People who challenge each other.

Not to mention Gwyn has a very good sense of humor. That day of the Solstice, Azriel could have simply been rude to her, but he decided to stay and start a conversation with her, joking: "Are you kicking me out?" And soon after, when Azriel said that he had forgotten his dagger and couldn't sleep without it, Gwyn didn't think twice before joking "Ah yes, a comfort for every growing child" and Azriel laughed. Gwyn has a sharp tongue and it would be lovely seeing Azriel losing his mind to it.

Gwyn, like Azriel, is interested in combat. She became the first Valkyrie after hundreds of years (Azriel himself looked at her with admiration when she was about to cut the ribbon) Gwyn likes to sing, Azriel too. She was PISSED when Azriel sneered saying that they wouldn't be able to overcome the obstacles and therefore hadn't thought of a prize for them. Gwyn is competitive and we know that Azriel is too, as Cassian and Rhysand have never managed to defeat him in snowball fights in all these years. Azriel is a master spy, Gwyn spent literally hours sitting up in the trees spying on opponents and monsters when she was in the Rite.

That's and we're the reason why after reading ACOSF I stopped thinking about being Elriel and I'm rooting for the little redhead to be the boy Az's endgame.

She's so much more compatible with him! I liked the idea of Elriel because he had that "forbidden thing" going on and all, but honestly? It would be too cruel to Lucien. And Azriel is too loyal to Rhysand to disobey his orders. Azriel himself said that he didn't go that far with his plans, the only thing he thought about was bitching.

In other words: Az only thinks of Elain as a source of pleasure. But a partnership bond is not that. A bond of partnership is someone who challenges you, complements you and supports you. That's what I want for Az: someone he looks at and admires for who she is, and not just because he feels horny and wants to see how the female will react when he's inside her 🙄😮‍💨

Another thing: I don't want to see him getting some female whose his shadows DISAPPEAR when she is around. That would be too boring! Literally, the bonus chapter already gave us everything: on one page we see the shadows shrinking through Elain's breath and minutes later one of those same shadows intertwines with Gwyn's condensed breathing. And it wasn't just Azriel who calmed down after that conversation, it was the shadows too.

I'm not here saying that Azriel ALREADY DIES IN LOVE with Gwyn, for God's sake! How do you have selective interpretation, right, sweet Elriels?! Guys, Gwyn just appeared in the story (and has already attracted more attention than the plant in 4 books LOL, cry less!) And it's clear that she still has so much to develop! The whole thing just started, you know?

Sarah said she's leaving "crumbs" and "clues" along the way, and clearly the vocabulary says it all. What examples of hints can we notice? The "spark" Azriel felt in his chest and the image glowing quietly even if he buried it down deep. Sarah at one point in the narrative emphasized that Gwyn was "willing to erase Azriel and Cassian's arrogant smiles. Especially Azriel's." Why not let the narration die there in the penultimate sentence? Why did Sarah add *especially Azriel's*? Look at the DYNAMICS there my people 🗣️🗣️🗣️🤏🏻

Also, when Nesta hear Gwyn's singing she describes as if Gwyn's voice was claiming to be freed, to let go! As if there's something inside Gwyn that need to be developed. And Sarah has never been one to leave things loose. Anyway, let's see what fate awaits us!

[delicatelystrangepolice]

Simon is my favorite character from young royals so I didn’t really care if wille ended a monarch as long as Simon could stay away from that. A better ending for me is for Simon never taking Wille back again. He didn’t deserve all that bullshit. For me monarchy was not the problem but Wille never understanding Simon he never did in any season.

Hi Anon, thanks for the message! I'm the worst person to discuss YR with because I have a complicated relationship with that story and my opinion about it has changed a lot since I first watched it. But let me use this moment to blab about my thoughts...

I agree that whatever s3 did to wilmon's relationship didn't inspire me to imagine a happy future for them. For first two seasons I cheered for them because they seemed like such a tragic set up; conflicts always thrown at them and they desperately wanting to just be together. I understood their motivations from both sides.

However, I was always a little critical of the amount of conflicts. At some points, it felt like the characters were just being tortured. I excused that with 'oh it's such a complex story, it packages a lot with the little screentime it has and some things are left for the imagination!'

For me it has always been Wilmon relationship that was more 'you just need to read between the lines' which isn't bad in itself but looking at things that actually happened on screen - they never had a proper conversation. There were fights and there were sweet moments but s3 proved that they just don't know each other.

I've seen fans speculating: surely they do talk to each other much more off-screen. Wille saying Simon is the only person he can talk to was one of the reasons for that theory.

Well, how much did they talk if by the end of the story they became... that?

My overall hope came from my own delusions - because I do think it's very interesting to meet people from different backgrounds when you are able to learn from each other, enrich your point of view through their experiences. It happens easily and all the time when people are willing to listen and understand each other. It's what keeps this world fascinating and beautiful.

There were choices made to always keep Wille and Simon apart - creative choices that I first thought were very good but in s3 they became irritating. Instead of showing the potential of what Simon and Wille could be together, the show decided they needed to be tortured all the way through and quickly threw a 'happy ending' that seemed completely nonsensical.

And it pulled me out of the story so much that I was not even judging any of the characters - I only judged the creator. Which... I guess says something about how realistic that story felt to me.

So yeah...

[cod-dump]

Chilling with my twin brother and now all I can think of is Gaz having a twin sister, or even Price, maybe Nik, but definitely Gaz.

Just whichever one it was still being super close with her. They've been best friends their whole lives despite being very different people. Being able to have silent conversations with each other, totally freaking the others out. Whoever it is getting a random moment of "I need to call my sister" or "hey, I haven't spoken to her in a little while, something tells me I should let her know I miss her and love her and that everything's okay" only for her to tell them that she was having a bad day and really needed it.

If it's Gaz to have a twin sister (which seems the most likely tbh), everyone is a little shocked when one day Gaz is pacing in Price's office in a panic (I see Gaz as being pretty empathetic). Price looks somewhat concerned, but also tired at this point, and Gaz is clearly struggling to get in contact with someone. He's practically in tears by the time his twin sister answers, all confused and sounding sick. He tearfully explains he had what they call a "twin-tuition" moment and thought something was very wrong. She has to assure him that she was indeed sick, but that she's fine and it's just pneumonia, she just went to the doctor and has medication, she's fine. He ends up just having a moment over the phone with her, partly because he was anxious, partly the sleep-deprivation, and another part being homesick (ie mostly missing his sister). That's how they all learn about his twin sister, and then they never hear the end of it from him.

He's always telling them about everything she's doing. How he's so incredibly proud of her; she followed her dreams and became a schoolteacher and is beloved by her students. She's still single, and Gaz is heartbroken for her. He truly sees all the good in his sister, how amazing she is, and he's borderline distraught she doesn't believe anyone could ever love her. He's her number one supporter in everything she does, and she supports him. She may randomly call him in a panic similar to Gaz's earlier one because she somehow knew he got injured during their last mission. She had such a severe panic attack when he was dangling out of the helicopter in that one scene despite having no clue what was happening. She had a feeling it had to do with Kyle, but didn't get a chance to call him until several days later. She tried several times to call him over the span of those days, and both were in tears by the time he was able to answer/call her back.

When they finally meet her, she's clearly his sister (they look like siblings, but no one would ever guess twins). She's a lot shorter, lot more reserved and much more soft spoken. She's not very sarcastic, mostly just an absolute sweetheart. But then, they spend more time together and they're all shocked by how 'mean' she can be to him. They'll bicker and insult each other like there's no tomorrow, but then immediately ask the other what they want for lunch or how is momma doing? Sometimes, Price will get verbal whiplash from listening to their conversations with how back and forth they can be, but there's never any malice, they each seem to know where the limit is without ever having said anything about it.

This is 100% a self-insert, but it's so personal to me, and I just wish to see one of these guys have a good, healthy relationship with a sister, and based on personal experience, having a twin is one of the best ways to have that. Price is like the only other one that I would die if I read something where he had a twin sister, and the idea of Nik having a twin sister is hilarious, but honestly? Gaz with a twin sister makes me want to cry, it's perfect.

Being home and spending time with my twin has made me really emotionally about this whole concept. He's not able to work right now due to health issues and so we're the only ones at home during the day. Him having health issues has made me really emotional (I'm the empath in this duo) so this idea is just brain-rotting me worse

Like I am so fucking close to writing a short story where Gaz has a twin sister because holy fuck I am close to tears

You should definitely write a story if you're up to it!! I really like this!

I had written awhile ago about Gaz having a sister because he just seems like the type to have a sister (I don't know how to explain it). Him being a protective brother, willing fight anyone for his sister, very protective when she's dating someone but he's not overbearing about it because he trusts her judgement. Can imagine Soap flirting with her in a joking manner and Gaz almost beats the shit out of him because he knows Soap, he knows this man is a heart breaker and there's no way in hell he's letting him around his sister.

Like, 141 really adores Gaz's sister after things settle and they get to know her. Soap flirts but it's playful and Gaz isn't trying to kill him for it because he knows Soap won't try anything. Gaz's sister actually really gets along with Ghost because she's a teacher and Ghost's reminds her of a troubled kid so she really gets him and they bond quickly. Like, she of course loves Gaz and spends 80% of her time with him while with 141, but she also spends time with Ghost and Gaz doesn't like to be the jealous type but he is jealous watching his sister bond with Ghost. But he also is happy to see Ghost open up to someone and he can see Ghost light up when she walks over to him.

[torrtimandi]

My first Justice show... July 11, 2024. Les Déferlantes, France.

That day didn't start so great. On my way to the festival I got stuck in a terrible traffic jam because of a truck fire. I spent more than an hour in the middle of the French highway in the hellish heat of the south, which obviously pissed me off. Here I am traveling to another country to see my favorite band for the first time ever and suddenly some damn accident is going to prevent it when I'm so close?! Well, obviously I was overreacting at that point, we still had plenty of time to get there, my friend reassured me it's gonna be okay but the doubt of getting close to the stage was pretty high, and that's what I'd counted for from the beginning. The front row.

Soon the traffic was moving again and we arrived at the festival about an hour before Justice. Another band was still playing and my friend and I started to smoothly sneak through the crowd to get closer to the stage. There were a lot of fans of this band, Sum 41, around us, which was a good sign that the crowd would thin out as soon as they finished playing. And that's exactly what happened. The show ended, a lot of people left and suddenly the dream of being in the front row became a very reality...

From then on, the excitement was off the charts. Everyone here can guess how fucking crazy I am about Justice, and my friend @/lesreptiles, who was with me, is as crazy as I am, if not more so. Of course we grinned, we laughed a lot, commented on every detail of the stage and screamed when we saw Gaspard's mop of curly hair behind the stage a few minutes before the show started.

But the real excitement and madness was just about to begin... As soon as the first notes of the intro played, we went into a trance. We screamed, we shouted, we sang, we danced, we jumped the hell out of it. Sometimes it feels like Gaspard and Xavier are barely visible because of all the lights, but the truth is that they see the crowd very well and they always judge their performance by the crowd's reaction, and that's what I kept in mind. I just wanted to show them how fucking much I love their show and their music, how deeply it's rooted in my heart that I was able to sing every fucking line, that I knew every single played note. And I like to think they liked the sight of it, because sometimes it seemed like Gaspard was staring right at me and my crazy friend, sometimes even smiling...

The very end was just as crazy as the show. Of course it was sad to see the guys already finish such a wonderful show that seemed to go by too fast, but at least they always make sure to say goodbye properly. As always, they walked to the front of the stage, waved hands, bowed and walked down to the crowd. At that moment I managed to touch Gaspard's soft hand... I also quickly took out my Hyperdrama CD, which I'd brought along just in case. I think Gaspard would've almost missed it, but one of the security guys actually pointed at me and so Gaspard turned to me again, took my album and pen and nonchalantly took off the cap of the pen with his fucking teeth right in front of me, holy fucking shit, oh jesus... And just signed it and handed it me back. I yelled merci, which I doubt he heard, and grinned and looked with disbelief at my friend, who also managed to snap a quick selfie with Gaspard. Then Xavier finally came to our part of the row and I successfully tried to get his signature as well. He came over, signed Hyperdrama and that was it. I was officially dead. Not only did I manage to get a signed album, I was actually the one who got their signatures and that's the most important and precious part, that's what I'll keep in my memory probably forever.

Then they just came back on stage, they hugged each other very nicely, Xavier pointed at Gaspard, they waved their hands and bowed some more and that was it. The real end... I'm not even sure if anyone will read all of this, this review is getting quite wordy at this point, but I just wanted to share all of my huge emotions and feelings that I'm so grateful to have experienced. Justice means a whole lot to me, my blog and my writing shows that a little bit, and it was my very first time seeing them. My first time in France, my first concert here, my first Ed Rec act show etc etc, just a lot of firsts that I'm sure I'll remember for a long time and I'm sure I'll grin just as much while remembering it as I did during the whole live show that was truly an amazing and mind-blowing feast, both visually and sonically.

Thank you for reading it and most of all thank you to my dear friend who accompanied me last night. Me coming here, seeing Justice and having a front row wouldn't have been possible without you. Truly the best concert buddy right there!

[antianakin]

Okay, another dumb Star Wars comment I heard in my journeys in Star Wars YouTube. I was reading through a bunch of comments people had made hating on the Kenobi show (and that show is my entire heart so I was mostly doing it to entertain myself by seeing the terrible Jedi takes) but aside from all the unfortunate hate for the show I came across one person who claimed that it should have been Luke if the show was going to involve one of the skytwins, because Leia doesn’t react when Obi-Wan comes for her in A New Hope, and because Obi-Wan and Luke “SEEM TO KNOW EACH OTHER PRETTY WELL LATER ON” so they should’ve talked about how they became close.

like…… did you not WATCH A New Hope?

That’s…. That’s how they become close. 😭 (also Leia was super excited when she found out he was there so)

I think you can make a solid argument that it might've made more sense for it to be Luke instead of Leia just by simple logistics I guess. Leia doesn't really SEEM to know Obi-Wan super well within ANH, it's Luke who grieves Obi-Wan more openly and Luke who yells out Obi-Wan's name on the Death Star right before he dies, etc etc. Luke is the person that Obi-Wan has been most connected to at this point while Leia's knowledge of Obi-Wan seems to have primarily come through stories told to her by Bail and little else.

And while obviously ANH is supposed to stand on its own in building Obi-Wan and Luke's relationship, they really only get a few days together and a lot of Luke's connection to Obi-Wan seems to come from this desire to be a Jedi and the connection to his father he craves so desperately as well as just the fact that he loses everything else so his only real option IS to go with Obi-Wan. It's a different kind of connection than the one we see built between Obi-Wan and Leia in this show that feels more personal. I LIKE Obi-Wan and Luke's relationship well enough, but I am brought to literal tears by Obi-Wan and Leia's. So for people who like Obi-Wan and Luke more than I did and picked up on the extra emotional depth of the relationship given to Obi-Wan and Leia, I can understand the wish for it to have been applied to Luke instead of Leia, to bolster the already existing relationship rather than creating a new one.

So I GET IT. I don't feel the same way, the Obi-Wan and Leia relationship stole my whole heart and was a large part of why I loved that show, but I can see the reasoning for why people might feel that way.

That being said, Luke's had his turn to shine. He got an entire trilogy of films dedicated to HIS STORY and his growth into being a Jedi while Leia was primarily there as a supporting character in his story. The Kenobi show HIGHLIGHTS Leia and the growth that allowed her to become the person we know from the OT. We get to see that development happen for her and how Obi-Wan helps jumpstart it. We get to see more of what being an Organa means to her and her relationship with her parents, we get to see her love of ships and droids (clearly inherited from Bail), we get to see her passion for helping people and sparky attitude (also inherited from Bail), and the unbridled optimism she has in the fact that goodness and selflessness still exists in the world and it's worth believing in and fighting for. We got SO MUCH for Leia in this and it's about damn time something in high canon focused on her instead of her brother anyway.

So I think you CAN fit the events of the show into canon relatively easily, especially Obi-Wan and Leia having had this relationship, but I can understand people wanting more of Luke and feeling like the Obi-Wan and Luke relationship was usually more narratively relevant prior to this and was an easy place to flesh it out and explore it more in depth in a way ANH just isn't really able to do.

[moononmyfloor]

Dashing Youth Ep 22-25 Commentary

Ep 1-10, Ep 11-16, Ep 17-21, Ep 22-25, Ep 26-32, Ep 33-35, Ep 36-40

Ep 22

That's it. I've found my most favorite Cdrama character of the year. Do I love everything about him? No. Is he very relatable? No. Is he the best acting performance of the year? No. But heavens forbid if Master Li is written in a way that is just SO understandable and consistent for the setup of a sunny fearless youth who became an immortal and grew weary and bored with time, and decided to just stop with immortality and take one more chance at truly enjoying the mortal world so he could die satisfied. He's just so fucking intriguing to me I could write a 5 page essay about him! I guess I have already written about 2.5!

Dingzhi baby I wish you stop trying to hoard all your grievances and responsibilities in your heart all alone 😔 Tbh can't blame him, that's what happens when you were brutally stripped from your family and friends as a child and grew up with noone but an equally sad master, it stops occurring to you that you need to depend on other people sometimes. And it's not like Dongjun is the brightest bulb in the room to get a proper reading of everything Dingzhi is hiding behind his dazzling grins.

On the positive notes, Changfeng finally seems to be here to stay! Finally! They sleep seperated by a homophobic modesty table tho, boo

Ep 23

Presses play on Dashing Youth ep 23

*immeadietely spits tea out

Yeah I'm.... reading that dialogue.... bit differently. Cough

Help

me

What's going on 😭

Dude my bois were peacefully having their first time nobody asked you to invite yourself in huhu

That was so impolite to just crash and flash!!!

Oh my gods lol. Never make an enemy of Master Li. He will do planned cockblocking on you few decades in advance, AND make you and your partner the CEOs of his company, and sashay away to have his own honeymoon 🤣 You wouldn't have the time to say Jack Robinson.

I love how he developed a soft spot for Changfeng. I mean, who wouldn't

And Changfeng is like: I literally don't know how I got to this point of my life but boy I'm gonna have a good time

He's the underdog sidekick who ended up the ultimate winner and he wouldn't be able to explain how. He's so inspiring like all you have to do is being a nice person and mind your own business and treat your friends with honesty and the rest will work out by themselves.

Man I'm just so bloody uninterested in Dongjun/Yue Yao tho🤣

Dingzhi is that infamous bad boy in high school who is actually a doll and ends up winning over all the head-teachers to everyone's surprise

Ep 24

Ughh the wedding is going to take place I'm nauseous and I want to murder Wenjun's dad

Go, my boy. Even though you two will only get a pocket of happiness, you should get it. 😔

Ep 25

*screaming my head off

I fucking hate you so much. You are not a good guy but you aren't willing to full-on embrace that you are a bad guy either, which makes you a good politician and a good candidate for the throne and therefore the absolute worst scum. Bah.

Gods I think the last time I saw (and cared for) a het estranged couple (plus the girl being forced into a romantic/sexual arrangement she didn't want) was in Shaolin Wendao, but at least there was solace at the end of the story for the sheer agony the characters and the viewers went through. And I already know there will be none for Dashing Youth😭 Why am I doing this to myself.

I need to rewatch BoY just so I can see the younger gen stand up to the monarchy that their parents gen couldn't topple.

Grandparents: "For the greater good" let's downplay the corruption and raise our kids worry-free. If we close our eyes, the evil doesn't exist.

Parents: Dreamers, romantics, unprepared for the cruelty of the world, everyone gets heartbroken and traumatised for life

Kids: Fuck all this we can barely pay rent

[madeofsweetness]

Book Talk Continuation @2pretty

I honestly loved reading your thoughts (the analogy to junk food was perfect!) and I agree with everything you said. The most beautiful thing you wrote was, "Our time should be spent in a way that makes us love life, not distracts from us living it." It’s the whole conclusion of the book really! I’ve noticed that many people in our generation are almost against the idea of this. They call everything cringe, make fun of people who are happy, disrespect anyone who doesn’t believe their nonsense, and try to drag others down. This is the problem of social media I guess and I’m sure you’ve talked about it before.

Also let me point out, the quote at page 202 is spot on! When I began to limit my sm usage and do No Social Media Sundays (thanks to you girl!), I felt anew. I now do not wanna spend no more than like 20 minutes on apps like twitter and tumblr cause it feels weird😭 Cultivating a life worth living is the ultimate freeing state to be in and a lot of these apps become extremely wasteful, once you start filling your schedule with higher quality activities. It’s just like Outkast said, you need to get up, get out and get something. Don’t let the days of your life pass by! 

I would love to hear about any habits you have or will do as well! But here are my habits I would like to implement after reading this book: 

Calling people instead of texting. Honestly, the only people I call are my family but when I make more friends, I want them to know, calling is my preferred method of communication. I want to be even more human again and only texting doesn’t allow for that. (Reference to page 145 about irl communication vs digital)

Printing or writing out directions instead of using google maps. I love google maps but I want to be able to have an internal compass, know which street will come after the other and be able to ask people around me for help like my parents do, without feeling so sure that “oh my phone will tell me”.

Only accessing social media on my laptop instead of through the apps. The apps are there to make the process convenient and addicting but I’m planning on using these apps for a sole purpose which means, I can’t keep caring about conveniency!

Only looking up words in my physical dictionary. As a kid, I loved reading my dictionary and encyclopedia but as technology progressed, it became easier to quickly open the next tab and search "what does [blank] mean?" without thinking. I honestly miss the feeling of cracking open a hardcover book and scanning through the words until I finally landed on what I was searching for. Plus I think dictionaries are good for truth/historical purpose, it’s not based in emotion ;) hehe

Buy photo albums again!! I still use disposable cameras so that’s not a problem, but instead of keeping my pics digital, I want to print them out from my phone and keep them safe in a beautiful family album like how my other memories are. I also was totally inspired by my mom bcs I seen her photo book from her teen years and it warmed my heart completely. Memories will always be cherished, even the silly ones. 

Praying 24/7. To talk, to reflect, to ask for guidance, etc. I’m realizing that praying isn’t to be done only when in a [blank] state of mind nor is it to be "perfect". (Direct reference to page 95)

Learning to not just whip out my headphones when I feel awkward. On page 100, I felt sooo called out when he said iPods created this way of living that now enables you to have a musical backdrop for your entire day lol. I love music too much to give it up whenever I’m outside especially since it helps with my emotions, but I do recognize that being plugged in constantly will not want to make people talk to me, and I want to look approachable and friendly!!

I eventually want to start taking 2 hour walks. That’s it.

Months ago, I wished badly to have love letters written about me from my future man haha, but I realized I could write myself love letters! I decided that every year I could write about what this year was about for me. I don’t know if I will still do that or if I’ll just write everything down in my journal and label that as my "love letter" but either way, I’m documenting off of my phone.

Just like when I was a kid, I now always carry a current book im reading, my word finder book and a notebook whenever I leave the house. Only problem is I need a bigger bag haha.

As a (Black) American, I think it’s crucial for me to learn the skills that my grandmother and great grandmother knew, things like sewing, quilting, and cooking without recipes lol, are what I want to know how to do as well. I think it’s a wonderful way to honor them and when I have my own family, I would love to teach my children too. These crafts should not be forgotten, it’s culture.

[basu-shokikita]

Kloktober 2023 Day 19

Inspired by a non-metal song

I've written so much Skwistok from Toki's POV during this event, so I wanted to write Skwisgaar POV instead. What better choice than do it based on one of my favorite songs ever?

If you've read the lyrics, you might be able to guess this particular entry takes place while Toki has been kidnapped, of course.

Skwisgaar looked outside the door, waiting. And waiting. 

And waiting.

It was stupid and he knew it. But what else could he do? It had been weeks by now, Toki was probably…

He laid down and closed his eyes, the same few images coming to his mind. Toki walking into the auditions. Toki playing with him. Toki joining the band. It was all Toki. The young and hopeful Toki. The little guy had clung to Skwisgaar like dirt did to a shoe. 

And Skwisgaar had liked it. He had liked it more than he could admit it. Having someone constantly fawn over everything he did was not only extremely flattering but also the most attention anyone had ever paid to him in his entire life. Sure, he was this handsome and extremely talented guitarist, yet, people’s fascination was short-lived. After he was done performing, both on stage or in bed, it was over. 

Toki, though, Toki kept looking. And Skwisgaar unconsciously became accustomed to his attention, often trying to impress him, whether it was for good or bad. He had never felt like having a specific person’s eyes on him before, but with Toki he did. It was like filling a hole in his soul that Skwisgaar never knew existed to begin with. It made him feel complete.  

It also worried him, however. He had vouched to never become dependent on anyone and yet, he was growing dependent on Toki now. He was addicted to the validation Toki gave him. And what’s worse, he loved spending time with Toki and getting to know him better. There was a certain warmth inside his chest before whenever they hung out. It was unfamiliar and it was dangerous, so he pushed Toki away.

At the time, it felt like the right thing to do. Skwisgaar couldn’t afford to be vulnerable. He couldn’t afford to have weaknesses or be tied to anyone. He was a God and he had to behave as such. So he ignored the part of him that missed Toki, he severed it. He stomped all over their connection and kept going. They would still hang out but it wasn’t the same. Toki knew it too, also putting distance of his own. 

This was good, this was how it was meant to be, was what Skwisgaar told himself.

And then Toki was taken away and Skwisgaar discovered that he hadn’t done shit to protect himself. He had tried for sure, but the emptiness that could only be drowned with substances reminded him how much he had failed at it. 

Yet, he kept fighting it. He kept fighting the part of him that cared, that worried. The part of him that wouldn’t sleep at nights worrying about Toki’s well-being. The part of him that couldn’t touch the guitar anymore because it reminded him of Toki’s absence. The part of him that…loved Toki and had loved him for a very long time, and regretted not ever having told him. 

Skwisgaar sat down and took a few gulps of the bottle of vodka in his hand. Almost fondly, he remembered the time when Toki had been drinking straight vodka since the morning and wanted to hear nothing of it when Skwisgaar pointed it out. He wondered what Toki would think of Skwisgaar now, drinking alone and in the dark. He wondered if Toki thought of him, if he hated him. The thought made Skwisgaar smile bitterly, Toki did say he had always hated him. He popped a few pills into his mouth, the ache almost soothing out instantly. 

“Skwisgaar?” A voice called him outside the door. 

He turned and spotted a silhouette he couldn’t quite make out. His body froze. Could it be…?

The silhouette walked into the doorstep, and Pickles’ face came into Skwisgaar’s point of view. “What are ya doin’ in-” He stopped himself, breath hitching. “Here?”

Skwisgaar stood up, trying to play it cool despite having been found in Toki’s room. He was kind of woozy, though, and it probably showed in his movements. “Just cames to get a t-shirts backs.” He said. 

Pickles stared long and deep at him for a few seconds and Skwisgaar thought he was going to say something to him. Instead, he forced a smile. “Right! Nethan wanted to go get some sluts at the bar, are ya comin’?” 

Skwisgaar emptied the bottle before replying. “Shores!” He smashed it on the ground euphoric, watching the way the pieces of glass spread outside Toki’s room. 

“Let’s go, then.” Pickles closed Toki’s door and headed towards the hall.

As Skwisgaar followed him, he glanced at the door one last time before turning around and shutting his emotions for good.

A part of him, though, still waited.