#i get it life's busy for everyone so i try not to let it get me down too much it's bonkers to assume they can put aside other things for me

[sanjisleggy]

it's a date (dracule mihawk x reader)

summary: how Dracule Mihawk behaves around you–the person he has feelings for who also (unfortunately for him) happens to be on Shanks’ crew

a/n: based on a super cute quest by 🪐 anon! :D a short and sweet one that’s purely yearning and fluff! hope you enjoy :>

contents: pre-relationship (obv :P), fluff, simp!Mihawk, yearning

wc. ~800

wanna be on my taglist?

first of all, it will not show on his face. ever. years of steeling himself to face any life-threatening obstacle has made it easy for the swordsman to hide his feelings under a facade of his typical cold  indifference… at least that's what he thinks 

meanwhile Shanks is over here like

bc he clocks it even before Mihawk himself realises he harbours feelings for you. Shanks could tell from the way his old friend would linger behind you at all times, eyes darting towards any sign of danger; how the ends of his lips quirked upward ever so slightly every time you speak to him and how intently he listens even if the topic is obviously not something the swordsman is interested in. your captain knows had it been anyone else (including him!) trying to make conversation about such mundane things, Mihawk would’ve long walked away

no one on the crew questions how often the Warlord seems to be tagging along, everyone just assumes he has his own business to take care of and hitching a ride on the Red Force just happens to be the most efficient way

you’re ecstatic that he’s coming aboard more frequently, however, and are not afraid to show it, often dragging him around the ship to show him your favourite spots. your shamelessness makes your fellow crewmates fear for your life but after a while even they get used to the sight of you pulling around the Greatest Swordsman in the World like a mother cat with her kitten. they dare not assume anything about the man but behind closed doors, some do gossip about how strange it is he’d allow you to do such a thing with no repercussions

Mihawk believes he fell for you after one particular interaction in which you forwent taking part in some festivities in favour of sitting beside him a distance away from the party

“shouldn’t you be dancing with the locals or something?” he’d commented rather snarkily, assuming you perhaps had some ulterior motives for staying by his side.

“i just want some peace and quiet tonight.” you shrugged. “it’s nice sitting with you in silence,” you added with a smile and for the first time in a long time Mihawk felt blood rush to his face. “but i can leave if i’m bothering you.”

“no,” he answered before he could even fully process your offer. “you may stay.”

your smile grew wider and some foreign feeling gripped at his heart.

it’s been a while since that night and he’s long since accepted that that feeling was some kind of infatuation; or at least, that’s what it started out as. day after day he feels his heart yearning for you; at first the feeling was simply small and nagging but it’s long since grown into something akin to desperation, like how one’s lungs would yearn for air after holding their breath for far too long

your voice is the sweetest sound Mihawk’s ever heard and on days he isn’t aboard your crew’s ship, he wishes to hear it more than anything. you could talk to him about snail anatomy and his need would be more than satiated

your touch burns his skin but it hurts more when you let go. so often you grab him by the wrist to pull him around, the contact itself enough to send his poor heart racing. the simple action flusters him so much he always wishes for you to let go before his facade breaks but when you finally do, arriving at where you wanted to bring him, he wants nothing more than for you to hold his hand again

Mihawk feels like a child. actually, scratch that, even as a child he’d never felt this way around anyone before. always laser-focused on his swordsmanship, he never saw the need to seek out companions in general. he’d keep the rare ones he stumbled across and liked well enough but never actively looked. even meeting you was purely a coincidence; had you not joined his old friend’s crew, he’s sure you never would have met 

he’s thankful that you did, though

“would you care to join me for dinner tonight?” the swordsman asks from across the ship’s library where the two of you had been browsing books in silence for a while now.

“dinner?” you respond rather lamely, surprised by the sudden invitation. he smiles to himself but you aren’t able to catch it from so far away. he, however, more than easily notices your flustered expression. “just us two?”

“yes.”

“... is it…” you look away from his direction and kick at the floor at some non-existent rocks, “... a date? like a… romantic date?”

your sudden shy demeanour is so endearing to the man he feels what can only be described as ‘cuteness aggression’ as he resists the urge to close the wide gap in between the two of you.

“only if you want it to be,” Mihawk replies rather smoothly, a stark contrast to his anxiety-ridden heart that’s currently pounding so hard in his chest it feels like it's about to explode. at his answer, your eyes meet his and you smile so sweetly it nearly knocks him off his feet.

“it’s a date then.”

gen taglist: @irethepotato @i-reblog-fics-i-like @grierpilots @appalost @hyper-fic-ation @dressycobra7 @38lyra38 @chaseyui @paraparakiss @krooschl @teewon @olliesoxenfree @misstraffy @riftmage27 @aletch @somatchajade @kitsunechan707 @thesmolestsage @lunaizhere @saint-atlas @goldenpanda16 @Jordan03400 @rebeccawinters @glorywielder101 @slytherinambitious @the0twst0shrimp0mc

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

read the leona flaws req(?) and now im curious about silvers flaws. i was gonna ask about kalims too, but it's probably pretty obvious what his are (obliviousness or wtv). but if you've done this before then just ignore this ask m(__)m

[Referencing this post!]

I won’t be going out of my way to make a list of all Silver and Kalim's flaws due to the reasons cited in this post. However, I’m going to at least discuss Kalim here!

This anon proposes that Kalim's flaws are "probably pretty obvious" and mentions that his obliviousness is one such flaw. Yes, that's true. Kalim often does not notice how his requests and ideas impose on others (namely Jamil). At other times, his obliviousness leads to him unintentionally insulting others. For example, he accidentally insults Riddle's lack of stamina by remarking, "You know, it's kinda nice to see even you can't come first in everything, Riddle." Finally, his obscene wealth allows Kalim to not really be cognizant of his privilege; Kalim often does not realize there is a significant wealth disparity between himself and others, and while he isn't mean about it, it can still come off as demeaning when he casually talks about what he has or acts surprised by what others don't have.

Honestly, a lot of Kalim's flaws come from the sheltering that his privilege gives him. He doesn't seem to understand how a lot of things work and doesn't seem to be aware of the struggles that the common man experiences. Kalim also believes that there are easy solutions to what are very complex issues, like claiming that he and Jamil can "start over" and try to be friends and rivals on their own terms. This optimism can be a good thing too though--Kalim chooses to be trusting of others, even if it puts himself in danger, because he doesn't want to live life being suspicious of everyone and everything. When you think about it, Kalim doesn't know when the day could be his last (since there are constant attempts on his life). So his whole "party boy" persona... maybe he's just living it up as best he can because hey, if he dies today then he wants to have gone out like a firework... shining brightly, being happy, etc.

A flaw of Kalim's that I don't see being discussed much--perhaps because it's not as easy to "see", given how cheery he seems and how he has all of his basic needs and more met--is how Kalim actually doesn't entrust much of himself to others. "But wait, Raven!" I hear you saying. "That's not true! Kalim's so generous! He's always throwing parties for others and offering to buy them things. He's also one of the only students to be warm and inviting, and he can get emotional and talk too much about personal details." Yes, you're right! However, that's not the same as Kalim truly being vulnerable. A lot of his dialogue is talking about the fun he has with others or about his family and its business or connections. But what about his troubles? It's not realistic for Kalim to be happy 24/7. Surely he must have bad days too? Problems of his own? A line in his Dorm Uniform card suggests as much: "Mind if I bend your ear about my troubles sometime?" BUT THEN THE INSANE THING IS THAT HE FOLLOWS THAT UP WITH, "Let's see... Hmm... Actually, ever mind, my life is great! Ha ha!"

It sounds like he has issues he wants to share with you, but he never actually does. Instead, he dismisses it and claims that his life is just fine... even though this guy might have tons of trauma from the many assassination attempts on him. He gets ill at the thought of curry because Jamil was harmed in taste testing poisoned curry for him--and even in this story, Kalim is shown to care so much for others, but is unwilling to speak about himself and what he's going through. In book 5, Jamil is, for the first time, selected for his genuine skills over Kalim, who is used to everything being handed to him on a silver platter. Kalim struggles to verbalize why it is that he's frustrated, but resolves to practice more on his own without telling anyone. He even seems a little bashful that Yuu walks in on him, almost like Kalim is hesitant of showing people how he is when he's not happy. He's ultimately able to talk out his feelings with Yuu (which is great), but I'd argue Kalim doesn't truly come full-circle until book 7. That's when he finally makes good on a promise he makes in book 4: that he'll slug Jamil and call him a bad guy for betraying him all the way back then. Here it is in full force, that ugliness that Kalim wasn't ready to let out or come to terms with when we first met him.

I completely understand that it can be harder to spot the shortcomings of someone who so readily masks their problems with the whole "I'm okay! Look at how happy I am!" schtick. I'm not even necessarily accusing Kalim of "faking" it; that's genuinely how he is, and potentially also his main means of coping with whatever issues he's got going on. I think it's really fascinating to consider though! Even when you're as rich and as powerful as Kalim is, he's got his own demons to content with.

[aespabangedbang]

If you were to have cosplay sex with your idol girlfriend, which idol would you think would look best in the following costumes?

Police

Student

Professor

Witch

Superhero

Cheerleader

Princess

Comics, game characters

Bikini

Nude

COSTUME FUCK MANIA :

Let's see, there are some interesting roles for some interesting bitches here.

Police - SOYEON. Sturdy, sexy and have that cunty corrupted attitude in her. Everyone would droll to have some meat of justice wrapping their cock after seeing her.

Student - EUNCHAE. She got that age threshold and of course the dirty nympho side to her. She would be delicious in a student costume.

Professor - GISELLE. The busty MILF professor that any man would fuck in the campus. That's how she feels when all suited up and wearing glasses.

Witch - IRENE. Like do I need to even explain it when their concept suites perfectly? She also have that bewitching power to take any men to bed as she wish.

Superhero - SOMI. That perfectly toned combo of curvy and busty figure is straight out of superheroe comic books' pages. I think Marvel should just cast her already.

Cheerleader - LEESEO. The heavy hitter with boing boing assets that's bound to turn all head when she is busy cheering your bulges.

Princess - WINTER. She is so princess coded. Her photoshoots proves it. As long as you pamper her, she is willing to spread those legs for anyone!

Comics - NINGNING. Her ability to giggle and laugh through literally everything makes her a fine comic protagonist. She would keep laughing while used like cumdump no doubt.

Game Character - YUJIN. She suites a wide range of role, have sexy body and looks absolutely rapebait when she means it. Perfect choice for game related fetishes.

Bikini - MIYEON. She have the fine aura of high society bitches. Wear a bikini, seduce some old rich hags and live a luxurious life leeching their cocks; she can live this life faithfully.

Nude - KARINA. Why? Cause she would absolutely blast through any of the other costume or role eithout even trying. She is the sexiest bitch Kpop have ever produced. So being fully naked getting pounded by men in a daily basis suites her most!

That's it my lowely esteemed fucking reader. 🖕

[altaiiriss]

Repost from Trans Chuuya week 2024

Day 7 – Free Day

At fifteen, Chuuya is inevitably forced to spend way too much time around Dazai, courtesy of a gleeful Mori who thought it would be a good idea to pair them together.

They're in one of the mafia's safehouses when Chuuya finds out Dazai doesn't only cover his arms, but wears bandages all over his torso as well. He's helping the brunet with a bullet wound right below his chest and seeing how the bandages hug his skin tightly, Chuuya has an idea.

He steals one roll of bandages while Dazai is asleep, careful not to wake him up, then promptly enters the bathroom once he gets back to his apartment.

He stands in front of the mirror and reluctantly removes both his shirt and his bra, freeing his skin from the irritating fabric. He averts his gaze from the naked reflection in front of him, and with trembling hands he starts to wrap white strings of gauze around his chest.

He puts his shirt back on and heaves a sigh of relief as soon as his eyes finally settle on the mirror. His chest looks almost flat, as if it just disappeared, and a faint blush enlightens Chuuya's freckled cheeks.

The newfound "chest destruction technique"—that's what Chuuya calls it—boosts his confidence, though in the back of his mind he wondere how Dazai manages to keep all those bandages together.

Chuuya's always feel on the verge of falling off especially during combat, but he's too unsure to ask him. Dazai wouldn't understand the discomfort of looking at your own chest and wanting to rip it off; he would probably tell Chuuya he's an idiot, wouldn't he?

He's just a girl to Dazai—and anyone else really—therefore he wouldn't get it. On the contrary, people would most likely pity him for his small size, which is supposed to be a loss for a girl.

So, Chuuya simply goes on with his life, burying that 'I wish I were a boy' feeling in the back of his mind and ignoring all the times Dazai calls him a whiny girl or Kouyou asks if he's interested in make-up lessons.

It doesn't make any sense. It seems that mind and body go hand in hand for everyone but him.

He feels like a goddamn flaw in the system.

He tries to shove those feelings aside until one day he's changing outfits for an undercover mission–he's going as Dazai's girlfriend, of course–and Kouyou accidentally steps into the room.

Chuuya's arms instinctively fly to his chest while he tries to come up with some excuses to justify the bandages compressing his chest to the point it hurts. Kouyou doesn't fall for it and eventually gets Chuuya to admit he's been doing it for months.

Kouyou's jaw drops, disappointment painted all over her face, and Chuuya waits for a reprimand, an admonishment, anything.

Instead, Kouyou pats his head and asks for permission to help him with the bandages.

"This isn't safe, honey. Let's keep the bandages loose for now, okay? We can try sports bras if that's okay with you."

That day Chuuya learns about the word 'trans' and his feelings start to make a bit more sense.

Kouyou asks him whether he'd like to be referred to with different terms and pronouns and Chuuya gladly accepts, and there's a new light shining in his eyes.

The next day the young girl takes him on a shopping spree so that he can look for sports bras that are tight enough to flatten his chest without hurting his body. They also visit the men's section and for the first time Chuuya isn't too scared to step into the fitting room and stare at himself in the mirror.

Even though Chuuya never dressed in what is considered a stereotypical feminine way, people start to notice the shift in his style and even in his demeanor.

He isn't exactly in the closet, but hasn't explicitly come out yet because he finds the whole ordeal quite embarrassing.

What is he supposed to do? Grab a mic and tell the whole Port Mafia he's a trans boy? He'd rather die; plus it's no one's business really. They'll realise eventually.

That's why one day he's taken by surprise while he's arguing with Dazai.

"Sorry?"

"Has Chuuya become deaf?" Dazai remarks, annoyed, "I said he should buy a supply of milk or else he's going to be a small boy for the rest of his life."

The shift in pronouns was natural and none of them questioned it, but Dazai never called him a boy before.

Chuuya ignores the usual insult, basking in the warmth growing in his chest.

Some time later, Chuuya finds a package waiting for him outside the door. There's a small card that reads 'For all the bandages slug stole from me'.

Ah, of course the fucker knew.

He opens the box, expecting some kind of unfunny prank; instead, his brow furrows as he realises he's holding trans tape in his hand.

He's glad he's alone right now and no one is there to mock him, so he allows himself to let the tears run down his cheeks.

Quietly, Dazai escapes from the bathroom window.

On his 17th birthday, Kouyou gifts him a binder.

Chuuya isn't excited at first as he assumes it isn't much different from a sports bra. He changes his mind immediately as he tries it on and looks at himself in the mirror.

"This can't be real." he mutters to himself and he promptly grabs one of his tightest shirts.

"Ane-san!" he turns to Kouyou, enthusiasm getting the best of him, "They're gone—what? W-Why are you crying!?"

That day Chuuya learns that you don't have to fully understand people's happiness to the core to be able to experience it together.

One night he and Dazai are lying in the redhead's king-size bed, the moon being the only source of light and the only witness of their encounters.

It's a habit they developed at some point, and neither of them dare question it. By the time the sun is up, Dazai will be gone and will act like nothing happened anyway.

Dazai's bandages are gone and so is Chuuya's binder—they never hide themselves from each other. There's some sort of intimacy that allows them to tear down the walls they built up against the world.

Chuuya is tracing random patterns on Dazai's arm with his finger when the brunet suddenly speaks.

"You know, some people get their top surgery scars tattooed."

Chuuya hums. "Do you want me to get them tattooed too?"

"It's Chuuya's choice. Besides, he needs to get top surgery first."

"Right." Chuuya mumbles, unsure. "Do you think I should get them covered?"

"Chuuya doesn't have to hide himself." he replies, sensing the direction of the redhead's thoughts. "That isn't why I suggested it."

In the end, Chuuya has Dazai admit he brought up the idea just because he thinks Chuuya would look good with tattoos.

"You can get your scars tattooed too, you know." Chuuya tentatively suggests.

"I have a bit too many, slug."

"Who cares? You can pick the one that hurt the most."

"I can't cover my soul in tattoos, Chuuya."

When Chuuya wakes up from anesthesia, his first thought is to ask for Dazai. He promised he would be there, and that's why when Chuuya doesn't see sitting by the bed he thinks that he must have gone to the bathroom or something. Right?

His mind isn't clear enough yet to remember that the bastard defected two years ago without a word. Drugs truly do some fun things to your brain.

Kouyou offers him a sad smile and reassures him that Dazai is waiting for him at home.

When he finally steps into his apartment, peeking with curiosity at the couple of scars on his chest, he doesn't even remember he asked for that idiot in the first place.

And when several months later Chuuya comes back from a mission abroad, a small card awaits him on his bed. There's an address written over it.

Now, Chuuya isn't stupid. All it takes is a quick trip to google to realise that said address matches his favourite tattoo artist.

When he gets there, hands slightly trembling, a familiar figure is waiting for him. Obnoxiously tall, messy brown curls, amber eyes and a tan coat—the last one is new, but it definitely suits him better.

"I hope she's still your favourite artist." the other man speaks quietly, voice filled with nervousness.

Chuuya finally relaxes.

"And I hope you have finally picked your favourite scar, mackerel." the redhead replies, a warm smile adorning his face.

Dazai doesn't know he has already been forgiven years ago.

"Come on, let's go in."

[doshi-sukiru]

Your SG!TFONE AU is ruining my life /pos. I'll be at work and your art will just pop into my head and suddenly I'm completely sidetracked lol.

How does the High Guard help Megatron recover after Optimus kidnaps him? What does Megatronus say/do about it?

HI SORRY I'VE BEEN BUSY-

so basically when the high guard get Megatron back, the first thing they do is try to get him to Knockout. When Megatron gets freed from the brainwashing Cliffjumper had him under, he has a moment where he almost collapses from the sudden change of scenery because the last time 'Megatron' was online, he was on the surface and just got ambushed.

His mind is still trying to take in everything when he suddenly hears Megatronus trying to speak to him, yelling at him to run while being pushed by the high guard to start moving too. All he can do is just follow wherever Shockwave and Blitzwing are going, with Bee trying to stall time for them. Megatron did get hurt after one of the autobots aimed poorly and shot him in the face instead of hitting Shockwave, but it wasn't bad.

None of the high guard trusted him to transform when they reached their planned destination at the roof of the building, and so Blitzwing took it upon himself to help fly Megatron out there.

When they reach their new base, Megatron can't take one pede forward before he's crashing onto the ground, exhausted. The high guard did freak out, but after Knockout's checkup and mandatory order to recharge and relax, everyone is coming by telling him about small things happening.

Soundwave and his cassetticons are always coming by, mostly to talk about the cyber deer and old tales about when Soundwave worked with Megatronus. Starscream comes by and often informs Megatron about any new updates to their base, along with how his relationship with Skyfire has been (he hasn't disappeared yet). Shockwave likes to reminiscence about the time he was still a Senator. Ravage likes to come alone and rest on Megatron's lap, which Megatron greatly appreciates.

Of course, Megatronus lets Megatron recover before discussing what happened in his absence. Megatron at first is surprised and hurt by Optimus's actions against him, but he tries to justify Optimus's actions, claiming he was just 'desperate to have what they had before.' Megatron still believes that deep down, the Orion Pax he knew is still here, just lost in a new world with a new frame, just like him. Megatronus doesn't buy it at all, but doesn't push it at the time.

also ty! I give you more art to suffer with-

woe be upon you, messy gif and comic-

again, sorry for being late!

[ruruumin]

15 - underlying meaning

today was a warm and sunny day. the clouds were out of sight and the sun was beating down on your skin. it felt a little too perfect. you sat on the outside tables in front of magnolia, sipping on your drink while you and collei waited for nilou and aether to return with snacks. she was wearing a pretty, white lace sundress and birch-wood cardigan over it. cute and simple, the best way to describe collei and her radiant smile. 

she raises her hand towards you, speaking to you through sign language. 'has been a long time. you and aether have been busy.'

you wave her off with your hand, a sigh coming out of your throat. “yeah, i’m sorry about that. i’ve just been caught up with so much stuff that i’ve been losing track of time. i’ve been showing up to class later than i’d like, and on some days i just end up skipping entirely.”

she gives you a reassuring smile. 'i’m not disappointed. last week i've been finishing my lab. but that sounds bad. wanna talk?'

you stare down at your drink, pondering if its worth telling collei the truth. how would she react to your interaction with alhaitham? hey my ex-boyfriend who broke up with me over text, suddenly shows up at the same cafe as aether's date. and he proposed that we work together so they can get together. god, when you say it like that, it's awful.

you lock your jaw. she’s never met him, only heard about him in passing through aether and nilou. maybe she’d give you an unbiased point of view. you know aether has a strong disliking for the silver-haired man. nilou had classes with him before, thought he was just quiet, until she heard about what he did to you. collei could give you the most unbiased opinion out of everyone.

and despite this rationality, you aren’t sure. you don’t want to worry the rest of your friends. you don’t want to bring up your love life anymore than you did in the past. you still remember the night aether called you, the way your voice cracked and trembled as you sobbed uncontrollably, and how nilou and collei stood on the sidelines, unsure of what to do. they gave you the space you needed. you just don’t know if you want to go through that heartache again. let alone put your friends through it.

your thoughts were cut short when nilou approaches the table, smiling and waving to collei. “when is the last time we met up like this?” she asks, crunching on the crisp exterior of her taiyaki. the custard filling was warm and sweet. and she was thankful to have had the day off today because she couldn’t take eating another dessert filled with extra sugary strawberry fillings. 

both of them sat down at the table and you were quick to grab your snack. aether sat beside you while collei and nilou stayed close. 

“it must be tough having to help a certain someone with his suspiciously good love life.” her eyes trailed over to aether, who was absentmindedly sipping from his straw. he was pretending to daydream in a middle of a conversation.

“are you talking to me?” he replies, jokingly rubbing the inside of his ear with his pinky. “wow isn’t this matcha the best thing ever? so good, i can’t believe i didn’t try this sooner, (name) you should totally order this instead of your jasmine milk tea 75% sugar and less ice.”

“okay, you did not have to say my entire order out loud,” you roll your eyes. your reply causes him to pinch your thigh, a yelp coming out of your mouth before you slap his hand. 

“you’re such an ass!”

collei smiles, 'aether needs help, no? two months ago, he almost dated ayaka. he's been through many relationships. what makes kaveh so different?'

aether places his head down on the cool, glass table, mumbling, “well hes the only person i didnt have to help or save, so it just feels different having someone like you without you doing shit for them… or whatever.” 

“she can’t read your lips if you put your head down,” you say, pinching his ear, “i can’t quite hear you, want to speak up big boy?”

he straightens out his back, looking at you with a twitch in his eye, he speaks slower so collei could pick up on his words. “he’s the only person i didn’t help. so it feels different having someone care about you without them being in debt to you. it’s just… different.”

“besides, we should be questioning you instead. you should be the embarrassed one. if i saw my ex out in the wild i would have punched him square in the face. don’t tell me you got too swept up in his pretty looks to say anything rude?”

“oh yeah? how come you didn’t do it when you saw scaramouche? that guy treated you like shit when you first met and then he cozied up to you on my couch! my couch!”

“well he’s a changed man, if anything, i fixed him!”

“i don’t think having sex on my couch counts as therapy!”

“we did not have sex, only heavy make outs. and look whos talking, remember when you were in the backseat of my car with albedo?” 

nilou lets out a long, exhausted sigh. she forgot that everytime they go out together, she should expect a bit of bickering between you and aether. and while it may annoy or confuse other people outside of your group, she and collei know how charming it can be sometimes. she hasn’t seen a pair so close before. you and aether have some sort of freakish telepathic connection that lets you know what’s wrong with each other (if only this extended to arguments, the world would be at peace).

“don’t think i didn’t hear those face-sucking noises of yours! shame! shame on you!”

you gasp, “how dare you slutshame me!” 

“fuck you i hope when you order your jasmine milk tea 75% sugar with less ice they give you more ice and more sugar!” 

“now that’s going too far!”

collei taps on the glass table with her nail, knocking you and aether out of your petty banter. 'stop fighting, especially not in public. kaveh might see!' aether looked back at you before letting out a huff. you both roll your eyes while murmuring apologies under your throats, knowing well on the car ride back it’ll continue. the effort was enough to make collei clap in glee though.

so what happened between kaveh and aether? it sounds like it went well but i need the inside scoop.

“nothing really, i don’t think you missed much collei,” returning back to the topic at hand, you stir your drink with a straw. “they had their first ‘date’ at nilou’s cafe. they probably talked about how boring aether’s outfit was because he wasn’t wearing that yellow sweater vest. things were going well until…” 

nilou nudges your elbow, “he showed up.”

'he? you mean...' collei looks up at you with concern laced in her eyes, 'he did what?'

“more like said,” aether interrupts. “did he apologize about what he did to you last year? or should i be the one to beat his ass for you?”

'no fighting!' collei waves.

“look, he didn’t say anything, really.” you force a smile. “we just talked about school. caught up a little bit and that was it. besides, as much as i want him to apologize to me, i know that won’t happen. he’s not that type of person.”

“i don’t know (name)...” nilou presses her lips in a thin line.

collei pats your hand, giving you the same warm look she always had in her eyes. 'everything will be okay. we are here, if you need. don't worry.'

aether, on the other hand, doesn’t seem quite as convinced. his eyes were laser focused on the crinkling of your nose and the distant expression you had. he’s known you long enough to tell that the absent stirring was a sign there was something more. he doesn’t want to put you on the spot with collei and nilou, but he can’t help it. he feels as if there is something on between you and alhaitham that he doesn’t know about.

and the thought makes his stomach drop. 

you continue with the conversation as normal, laughing about how aether needs your help out of everyone for love. you talk about how disappointed you were not being able to see him dress up more. nilou is still chewing on the tail of her taiyaki while collei nods to your story.

aether is biting the inside of his cheek, listening as a good friend would. he needs to stay focus on the conversation. he shouldn’t think too hard about it. if you said it was just school, then it should be left like that. there is nothing going on between you and alhaitham.

and if there was… what would he do?

₊˚ ♡ masterlist | previous + next.

synopsis; when your friend aether calls for help in his budding crush on his senior kaveh, you're forced to confront your ex-boyfriend by means of playing cupid.

⤷ notes; hopefully the asl portion makes sense. there are specific words that are omitted and the structure of words is different (time + topic + comment).

⤷ taglist [pm to be added, 30/50]

@aixaingela @cherrybb-ily @lupicalbestwolf @arraxthatsonjah @state-of-grac3

@knighttimes @toastedfailure @tired-jaz @whipped-for-fictionals @noellesfactory

@alhaiko @sundays-prince @angel-of-requiem @jaguarthecat @vitanye

@tiramizuloz @luvvhaerin @gabirii @blvdmrcnry jayzioxx

@0lives10 @tamikahoshiko @cr4yolaas @milkuu333 @x-hihihi-x

@kangyeonie @hydration-is-for-weenies @sorcerersseestars @jiminscarmex @backgroundcharactera

[canirove]

Canary boy | Chapter 13

Previous chapter | Next chapter (coming out on Tuesday)

Masterlist

“He's mad at me.”

“Not this again, please” Carla says, rolling her eyes.

“But he is! Why else would he keep ignoring my texts and calls and being super cold when he bothers to reply?”

“You can't tell if someone is being cold through texts, Inés.”

“You can.”

“You can't. And didn't he say he is busy studying? That he wants to focus on that before getting distracted by the holidays?”

“He did, but…”

“And let's not forget about the fact that he's studying with a scholarship. He can't lose it.”

“I know, but…” I protest again.

“Inés, Pedri isn't mad at you or ignoring you on purpose. He is just busy” she says.

“But you take breaks from studying. You stop to eat, to go to the bathroom, to disconnect. Why can't he text me then? Or give me a quick call?”

“Maybe because he also knows you are busy with training and studying, and doesn't want to bother you?”

“Maybe… But…”

“Inés, no” Carla cuts me. “Stop this, I'm serious. We have an important game in a couple of hours. One we have to win not only because we can't go into the Christmas break with a defeat, but also because Real Madrid are breathing down our necks. So focus on this and stop all this Pedri nonsense.”

“Ok. I'll try” I sigh.

“No, you won't try. You will.”

“Fine, I will” I sigh again. Though easier said than done.

And you may be wondering, what happened for me to be so worried and think that Pedri is mad at me? Well, that the Christmas dinner with the team actually ended up being the worst night of my life (dramatic much? Maybe).

When Víctor and I left the restaurant, there still were photographers and some fans outside, and they obviously took photos of us together. Of me wearing his jacket, him just on his shirt, and us getting together into the same car. And those photos were everywhere online the next day, people going crazy about them. Because we had seemingly arrived together, been together during dinner, and then left together. So if you are a shipper or someone who doesn't know what is going on and saw those photos, you would think that we are a couple. I mean, I saw them myself and we did look like a couple. And I just… Urgh. 

But to make things even worse, Víctor posted one of our photos arriving and one of him hugging me to save me from flashing everyone, photos where I was smiling (even though on the second one I was actually panic smiling if that is a thing) and where we looked as if there was something going on between us, adding a heart emoji to his caption about being a great night or something like that. 

And I'm sure Pedri has seen everything. Even some sports newspapers and websites have written articles about it, using “Barça's new it couple?” as their headline. And even though I explained everything to him, maybe not in the best way at first because I just sent him a photo of my broken dress saying “this is how my night ended, what about yours?”, which Carla made me see could mean that something had actually happened between me and Víctor (as in him tearing my dress from my body if you know what I mean)... He is in his right to be upset. Like, I would. I've felt like that in the past because of him and Nerea. But I just… I… Urgh. Urgh!

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

“Ok, I can do this. It isn't a crazy idea. Or maybe it is. But Carla said that we need to talk, and at least we will be doing something of that so… Ok” I say, taking a deep breath and ringing the bell.

“Inés?” Pedri says after opening the door of his flat. “What are you doing here? It's Christmas Eve!”

“I know. But here is the thing. Like you may remember, I'm having dinner with my dad, his new girlfriend and her daughter, whom I haven't met yet. And according to my sisters, who have already met them, they are a pain in the ass and I can't go deal with them alone. So I thought that, even if you are mad at me, you could come and be there for me as moral support. Think of it as a Christmas good deed or something like that.”

“Inés…” he says, running a hand through his hair.

“It'll be just for tonight and then you can go back to being mad at me. But I could really do with you being there for me, Pedri. As one last act of friendship.”

“Inés, I'm not mad at you.”

“What?”

“Why don't you come in? My neighbours are a bit noisy and I'm sure they already are checking what is going on.”

“I… Umm… Ok.”

“You look beautiful, by the way” he smiles as I walk past him and inside his flat.

“Thank you” I reply, feeling my cheeks already getting warm. 

“Did you make sure the seams on that dress are all ok?”

“What?” I say, turning to look at him.

“We don't want it to end like the last one, do we?” he smirks. He is… smirking. Teasing me. He… what?

“We… Pedri, aren't you mad at me?”

“No. I already told you” he shrugs. 

“Then why… Then why have you been behaving so weird since those photos with Víctor came out?”

“What?” he chuckles.

“Yes, like… You've barely replied to my texts, and when you've done it, you've been super cold. And you have ignored my calls too. You haven't even liked my Instagram posts or watched my stories!” 

“I can explain, Inés. But why don't we do it while you help me iron my shirt?”

“What?” Is that the only word I know today? Yes, looks like it.

“I can't go meet your dad with a wrinkled shirt, can I?” 

“You… Wait, you are coming?”

“Of course I am. And not as one last act of friendship or whatever nonsense you said. Now, will you help me iron my shirt or not?”

“I… Yes, sure” I say, following him to his room. What the hell is going on?

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

“Done” I say when I finish ironing Pedri's shirt. 

“Thank you, Inés. I suck at this.”

“Are you going to tell me now why you have been acting so weird or…”

“Yes, sorry” he says, taking off his hoodie and t-shirt all in one go like happened… No, Inés. Don't go there. And don't stare at his naked chest and his abs and those things on his hips and… No. Just don't. Focus. “If I've been a bit weird lately it's because I've been stressed, and when that happens, I sometimes shut down” he says while putting on his shirt.

“You shut down?” I say as my eyes follow the way his fingers are buttoning his shirt. Who knew something like that could be so… sexy.

“Yeah. It's like I go into my own little shell and ignore everything else that is going on around me” he says, finishing with his shirt and taking off his joggers. Oh dear. “It started happening when I moved here and especially at the end of each semester. The pressure of having to pass all my exams if I don't want to lose my scholarship, being away from home and missing my family, all the other things going on in my life like making sure I make it to the end of the month with my bank account not being in red numbers, keeping up with friends, my relationship… It can be a lot, you know?” he says before putting on his suit trousers. “And when it gets too bad, like has happened lately, I shut down. I stop checking on friends and family, replying to their messages, going out… I focus on only one thing, usually studying, and ignore everything else, which is what has happened since we came back from Tenerife. That trip was like… Like a dream, Inés. Having you there with me, with my family and my childhood friends, in my house, finally getting to kiss you, to… you know” he says, his cheeks turning a bright shade of pink. He's blushing. Pedri is blushing just by thinking about what we did and… Holy shit. “Everything was perfect. And then we came back here, and it was like reality punched me right in the face. I had a lot of things to catch up with, feelings and thoughts to go through, decisions to make. And I just… I… It was too much and I shut down. But it was all me, Inés. All me” he says, moving to wear I am and taking my hands on his. “And I'm sorry for making you believe that it was you, that you had done something wrong, that I was mad at you. I should have explained myself, maybe have Mario talk with you. But since things between him and Carla are a bit awkward, I didn't want to get him involved. He's been doing enough already by dragging me to the gym every day.”

“The gym?”

“According to a therapist I talked with, working out can help de-stress because it releases something and for a while you don't think about anything. So at the end of each day, Mario has been forcing me to go to the gym, making me try different classes to see what works and what I like the best.”

“And have you found anything?” I ask him.

“Boxing is the one I've enjoyed the most. It leaves me shattered and that's why I haven't been answering to our usual before bed calls, because I am exhausted. And I know what you are going to say, but I tried yoga too and…”

“And?”

“And you were right, Inés. It isn't stupid or easy, and it feels so good.”

“Told you” I smile. “But if that's all that has been going on, then the photos with Víctor…”

“Those didn't bother me, they mean nothing. Because I know how you feel about him, and I think I know how you feel about me too” Pedri says, moving his hands from mine and resting them on my waist, pulling me closer to him.

“I… Ummm…”

“I like you, Inés. I like you very much.”

“You… you do?” 

“I do” he says, pulling me even closer. “And I think that you also like me. At least a tiny bit” he says with a teasing smile.

“Yeah, a tiny bit” I laugh. A tiny bit much. 

“At what time is this dinner with your dad?” 

“Ten.”

“Ten…” he says, looking at his watch. “And is the restaurant or wherever we are going too far from here?”

“Like half an hour. But the traffic is really bad, so…”

“Shame” he sighs. “I was hoping we could have enough time to make sure your dress won't be tearing apart tonight, but we'll have to take the risk.” 

“We can do it after dinner.” Wow, Inés. Wow. Bold. Because he was definitely not talking about checking all the seams of my dress and getting thread and needle if one was a bit wonky.

“What would be the point of doing it after?” he smirks as I wrap my arms around his neck. 

“Making sure it won't break the next time I wear it. And if that woman my dad is dating and her daughter are as annoying as my sisters say… I'll be needing a distraction, a physical activity to help me let go. To de-stress. And since you have some experience on that matter…”

“I'm an expert.”

“An expert?” I laugh.

“Make all the fun of me you want, Inés. But in the morning you will be agreeing with me. You'll see” he says, brushing his lips against mine. “Now let's finish getting ready” he says, taking a step back.

“Hell no” I say, stopping him.

“Inés, you are gonna wrinkle my shirt” Pedri smirks, looking down at where my hands are, at the way I'm holding him close to me.

“It’ll survive. But I won't if you don't kiss me right here and right now.”

“Is that an order?” he asks, arching an eyebrow.

“Yes.”

“Then make it sound as an order, Inés” he says, the way he is looking at me sending goosebumps all over my body.

“Kiss me, Pedri. Now.”

“Yes, ma'am” he smirks before kissing me, the feeling of his lips on mine turning the goosebumps into fire, making me forget about all my stupid doubts and crazy ideas about him being mad at me, but reminding me of something. Something very important.

He has told me that he likes me. He. Pedri… He likes me. And very much.

[keiiaq]

how I found out about shifting ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

─────.☘︎ ݁˖─────

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hello everyone, i’m so sorry for not posting. i’ve been incredibly busy in regards to my baccalaureates, my school tennis tournament and i’ve been trying to reconnect with myself and doing some shadow work :)

I decided to post this because I feel like i’ve been getting a little lost in my journey and I want to just ground myself and I’d love to look back on everything in it too. so let’s start!

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how did I discover shifting? ── .✦

I discovered shifting around late 2019, I remember stumbling across a video on youtube in regards to shifting. I questioned it at first but ignored it, only to see it again in march 2020 which I started to get interested in.

I’d start scripting in notebooks while watching my favourite shows I remember my first ever completed script I decided to make was on 28.1.21. and my first mini shift was on 9.5.23

I believe that shifting is something that comes across for other people, to put it simply. I believe it’s a sign to people to show they’re destined to explore more and experience things in different realities other than just being here.

(my first shift script was to shift to sailor moon lol 🥲)

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why do I want to shift? ── .✦

I feel like at first, I felt like a black sheep quote a lot ever since I discovered shifting. i’m not sure how to put it, I feel like it felt like a burden to believe you’re chosen for a bigger task compared to everyone around you. so I wanted a place to fit in at first.

later on in my shifting journey, I did slowly start changing my viewpoint into it being a good thing. because realistically, nobody is normal. we all may do things that might be different to what people normally do, but that’s just who you are. it’s not a bad thing at all.

so, while I started changing my viewpoint, I started to see shifting as a good thing and I could optimise it and do something fun, like exploring space without being scared. or, experiencing fun things you wouldn’t here. for example; having a quirk, being a na’vi, owning a miraculous, etc. however, I really like using shifting to feed my curiosity about the world. knowledge is really important, in my opinion.

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beliefs ── .✦

at first when I started to put the peices of what shifting would be like, I low-key started believing that shifting would be like sleepwalking - so when I’d do something in my DR, I’d do it in my CR but with sleepwalking instead. (don’t ask why, haha. my thoughts used to be all over the place back then.)

my beliefs about how it worked did change and i’m really happy about it because now I just see it as an intention you say, you affirm that you’re there already, and then shift your awareness. it’s a simple belief because i’ve let go of overcomplicating how it is. I prefer simplicity because I tend to forget complicated things 😅

if I don’t feel like shifting, but want to talk to the people in my DR, I just prefer channeling, or shufflemancy :)

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conclusion ── .✦

shifting has completely changed my life, I don’t think I could ever see myself without it. i’ve met so many people in my DR, and i’ve explored and got to experience many cool things.

I feel grateful to be able to experience this and find out so many cool things about the universe and other countries or places like pandora.

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thank you for reading if you’ve made it down here! i’m so happy to talk about my journey this freely and happy shifting my lovelies :)

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[panchulien]

Makarov and Nikolai have a conversation. (Abrupt Ending)

The cell door opened with a loud buzz.

Nikolai welcomed himself in, cautious in his steps as if trying not to disturb the man inside.

The room was small and dimly lit, consisting of only one table and two chairs on opposite sides. Said man was currently sitting at the chair close to the wall, his head bowed and his wrists tied together with cuffs. He didn't bother looking up when Nikolai entered.

Nikolai approached the chair, pulling it towards himself and taking a seat. His eyes never left the other man for a second.

A few moments passed, Nikolai quietly observing the man before him. It felt strange actually sitting across from him for the first time. Makarov looked exactly like he did in the newspapers and the camera footages. Although, slightly less intimidating now with the cuffs tied to his wrists and the grey jumpsuit he wore.

Nikolai remembers seeing him once or twice when they were younger, during his time as an informant inside the Ultranationalists. The organization was operating through multiple divisions and they never had the chance to talk or even acknowledge each other as Nikolai was busy climbing up the ranks. Makarov was probably doing the same, he thought. Two bright young men, with very different ambitions.

Nikolai wanted to see it for himself, that Makarov was finally taken down, his empire crumbling along. He had spent the last few years of his life working towards putting an end to the man's plans. It had been a slow and deliberate process, Nikolai witnessing every single step of it, watching as Makarov unleashed hell upon earth. But all of that was over, and now here he was with the man sitting across from him, stripped of all his power.

"I know you." Makarov breaks the silence, pulling Nikolai from his thoughts.

"I know everyone Price works with. You're his lapdog." He says with a smile, his brown eyes locking directly onto the matching pair across him.

Nikolai keeps his face straight. He knows what kind of a man Makarov is, having studied him long enough to have somewhat of an understanding of his tactics. He won't let Makarov have the upper hand by getting a reaction out of him.

Nikolai simply raises one eyebrow, prompting him to continue.

"I am quite familiar with your work, Nikolai. Russian Air Force, the Allegiance... Your very own Chimera." Makarov knows his enemies, Nikolai expects nothing less from him. He only briefly wonders just how much Makarov actually knows.

"Funny, isn't it? They let just about anyone into our army. Even a traitor such as yourself." He looks straight into Nikolai's eyes with barely contained disgust.

Nikolai is taken aback at first, but decides to indulge. "A traitor?" He smiles, amused.

"Da. A traitor who works with the West against his own country. Tucks his tail behind his legs and cries to the Brits just to save his own skin. What do you call that?"

So, Makarov was aware of the accusations made against him. It wouldn't surprise Nikolai if Makarov was the one behind them in the first place.

"Against my own country? That's a rich accusation coming from an Ultranationalist." Nikolai calmly responds, leaning back against the chair with his arms crossed. "MI6 came to me, just to stop you from starting another World War."

Makarov ignores the comment as he continues, "Not even man enough to accept an honorable death. If I had known you'd be such a problem in my plans, I would've personally seen to your execution." He doesn't even try to hide the resentment in his voice, almost sounding regretful.

"Shame, Nikolai. A man like you would've been a great asset by our side, but you just had to go and sell yourself to the West. I pity you, almost." Hatred hangs from his every word.

Nikolai lets the words wash over him, taking a second to process. It almost amazes him how Makarov still believes that his cause is righteous, even when he's completely powerless and reduced to nothing. It's the end of the road, doesn't he realize that?

"I must have done something very, very wrong if I earned the pity of a man like you." Nikolai responds, unflinching at Makarov's poisonous words.

"You don't see it, do you? Price is using you. That's what they all do." Makarov leans forward, the cuffs clinking against the metal table.

"I would hardly call it using if it meant the end of all the death and destruction caused by your hands." Nikolai leans forward. He was a fairly patient man, but Makarov was slowly working towards getting under his skin. Nikolai had always been a true patriot at heart, it was what drove him so strongly to work against Makarov. It had pained him to see his beloved country get ruined by a man like him for a violent and pointless cause.

"I did everything for the motherland, Nikolai. We grew up watching everything crumble, all of its glory gone and forgotten, turned into a joke by the West. I swore to restore it." Makarov's condescending smile was long gone, his expression troubled instead. "But like most, you lack conviction. Turned puppet at the hands of the West, it's exactly what the ancestors feared." He finishes, wide eyes darting between Nikolai's.

"Do you even hear yourself, Vladimir?" Nikolai would honestly laugh if it wasn't for the fact that the man looked dead serious.

"You did all this for the motherland, killed all those innocent people for what, a greater Russia? Is that what you want me to believe, that you're supposed to be some kind of hero?" Nikolai was genuine in his question, Makarov's words were messing with his head, every confession surprising him even further.

Makarov shakes his head. "Oh, no. I am no hero. I was simply the messenger." He replies, huffing out a laugh.

"I only ignited the flame, and it will only spread from now on. You cannot stop this, Nikolai. All other attempts will fail, just like Mactavish did."

Nikolai's hands twitch at the mention of the Sergeant. There had been many sacrifices made along the way, just to put the man where he was currently locked up, and John Mactavish was only another name in that long list of people who gave up their life.

Nikolai grits his teeth. "You keep his name out your mouth." Memories come flooding back to him, the Lieutenant's devastation, the funeral ceremony, the Captain going off the radar to hunt down the General partly responsible for this. He remembers the young Sargeant, his boisterous laugh and thick accent, his warm and inviting presence. That bright light in his eyes extinguished by the man sitting right in front of him.

Nikolai takes a second to pull himself together. He swallows the lump in his throat, dismissing the sudden urge he has to kill the man right then and there. God knows Makarov would benefit from it, no, Nikolai wasn't here for revenge. He didn't even know what he was here for, his mind was foggy. The man had really succeeded in getting under his skin.

Nikolai pushes his chair back, loudly scratching against the surface. He has to get up and move, regain his focus. Makarov smiles up at him, knowing very well he managed to get inside his head.

[theallianceofcelestials]

Hi, so i've been having this question for a good while now.

How would the SEA family react to Ruin?

I imagine them trowing questions like:

What do you mean that's Sun and Moon AT THE SAME TIME, BUT HE IS ALSO NOT EXACLTY THEM!?

What do you mean HE'S ALSO A ALTERNATIVE VERSION OF ECLIPSE!?

What do you mean this animatronic destroyed 5000+ in the blink of a eye?! HOW WAS HE ABLE TO DO THAT?! (This one more probaly came from Eclipse)

Why is he british!? (More like Bloodmoon or Lunar asking what's that funny accent he has)

And how is he possible?! wait- there's more like him?!

You know ,the usual stuff.

Btw, i really like and aprecciate your work and enjoy your writing, it's really good.

Someone asked this question before you, somhere's Part 1

They'd be freaked out by his body count. When they realise there were probably people who were celestials like them in those dimensions, they'd be pissed.

Eclipse would still ask him about the hows and whys. He understands hating the humans that created you, and he wouldn't have minded if it was just his creator Ruin destroyed. But all these other people?

He may punch him in the face, but no worries about that, because I think Ruin is used to that by this point. He sure wasn't bothered by all that scorn and abuse on the surface before, so he won't let anything slip now either.

Ruin will have the easier time developing a friendly relationship with: Eclipse, Sun, Killcode and Solar Flare

While he may struggle with: Lunar, Bloodmoon and Moon

This wouldn't mean that he's trusted. Not at first though. Trust would be slow, helped greatly when it's revealed to them he's trying.

They also already know thanks to Canon he's the one who brought Canon Eclipse back, but they'd still ask him why, despite knowing the answer

Killcode would also make him stand up, because by god he's sensing a potential dad-friend and he's not going to let Ruin get away with rebuilding Eclipse and not taking responsibility for him. Parenting an Eclipse is great and rewarding! You'll see! Ruin stop trying to run away and get back here! You may be fast but I'm faster!

Sun and Moon would at times be the bad cop and the good cop with him. They would be the ones monitoring most of his interactions with the 'kids', because KC is too busy trying to get him to be the dad that stepped up if Canon KC didn't. They also just want to see that shitshow go down while eating popcorn. Also they're amused by the whole nice and mean one act. They deserve to do a bit of evil as a treat 💅

Bloodmoon would threaten eating him. They might even chomp down on him sometimes to prove they're 'serious'. They aren't, but they greatly enjoy bullying the funny accentman. He's amusing and gratifyingly expressive.

Solar Flare is just silently staring at him, making him uncomfortable. It's their way of trying to bond with a stranger. They're testing the waters.

Lunar would demand uppies after he got to know Ruin a bit more, to see if he gives great uppies. Being a daycare attendant, he probably does, so that's satisfying. After that the next test is playing a game together.

And the accent is just something everyone's trying to figure out the logistics behind. Like what do you mean two USA accents made a British one somehow?? If Moon's going to cut him open for something, it's that.

Eclipse secretely really likes it though, cuz it makes him more soft-spoken and he prefers that over loudness. And he has more than enough loud people in his life

(Also thanks! I'm really happy you enjoy my writing! :> )

[sararahrah]

I have zero doubt that the USA has the capacity to turn to and build up from the lowest horrors of its distant and recent past. In fact, I think all the morally-bankrupt men in power are actively trying to do so - mostly because they have said it for all to hear, and I believe them.

Thus, I will stand my ground, and I will fight with my voice and fight with my body to protect my loved ones and to protect peace in my country. Not to be dramatic or an alarmist, but because I am ready to defend what I've fought so hard to obtain. Worst case scenario, I worked myself up over nothing. Best case scenario, I get an early start on this battle.

Thus, I am doing the following and encourage anyone and everyone who will see the United States of America as a free, progressive nation again in our lifetime to do the same.

1) I'm writing to my senators and representatives, demanding they stand with democracy and grind this fascist machine to a halt by calling quorum, voting against R bills, and fillibusting as much and as often as possible. I am demanding they protect the rights of all minorities - women, immigrants, POC, LGBTQIA+, the bottom 99%, etc. I'm letting them know in clear terms that failing to do so means that during the next local election, their opponents will receive my vote and the vote of my people. The same brown people who bring multiple language programs to their community schools; who clean their yards, their homes, their cars; take care of their children; pick and pack their food; build their products; sit next to them in offices and PTA meetings; and serve next to them in our government.

2) I am attending town hall meetings as often as possible and signing up to speak as much as possible. Not only are they going to read and hear my words in their inboxes and phones, but they will have to look at my face as I demand they protect my rights or lose my vote.

3) I am educating myself on my rights, crafting and printing one-pagers with the rights I'll exercise during ICE raids, during traffic stops. Hell, during unfair stops due to the color of my skin. And, by extension, I'm printing out these cards and educating my immediate family on how to exercise them. We're literally practicing these interactions - much like I've read the Panthers used to practice possible protest interactions. My next step is getting a very diverse group of my friends and colleagues to tape up these pages on businesses and community buildings (churches, schools, etc) around our communities.

4) On that same vein, I am making allies by finding common ground and aligning our big-picture goals. I am putting aside whether someone voted for this asshole if they're willing to canvass with me for change. I am putting aside whether someone believes life begins at conception if they're willing to spam reps to protect women's rights. I am putting aside whether my neighbor believes illegal immigrants are "stealing his job", if he's willing to vote against politicians who want to dismantle the 14th Amendment and build concentration camps that further enable slavery. Ideal? Not really. Necessary? Absolutely.

5) From, 6-8am and 5-7pm, I am keeping the pulse on things through govt websites (yes, those clunky, OLD, buggy attrocities), YT channels like Leeja Miller, Legal Eagle, and David Pakman, politicians who've shown a track record of leadership and transparency like AOC, and news sources like PBS and Reuters. At the end of each time block, I'm reflecting on whether I need to adjust my actions in 1, 2 or 3 and putting it on my Google calendar. I am being systemic and methodical about this to protect my mental and emotional well-being, and to avoid giving these fascists my panic and fear. My self-care is a way to say, "fuck them all".

6) I am staying aware of my and my family's exit strategy options. I don't want to, but if I have to, I'll go somewhere outside of my city/state/country to stay safe while, almost as importantly, continuing to advocate for and demand change and peace and safety in my community.

[lady-harrowhark]

lol not me crying because someone from my program texted me to ask how i was doing and that they hadn't seen me around in a while

[margindoodles2407]

i. wow. i am. so lonely

[termagax]

re: "good girl" i think they say it once randomly as a joke and its just one of those things that gets him wayyy more than they expected it would. so now its their secret weapon and they use it very sparingly and every single time he gets super embarrassed about it but it works ill tell you what.

[twpsyn-who]

Today on "Another JeanMarco Soulmate AU absolutely no one asked for" I present to you -

Soulmate AU in which you stop seeing colors when your soulmate dies, the only exception being your soulmate. Now cue to Jean who just found Marco's, his best friend's, body. And you know, there's the shock of finding out Marco's dead. The pain and confusion and guilt. But there's also the revelation, because despite everything he can still see Marco like nothing took place at all- yes, half of his face is missing and his body is straight up lifeless, but Jean can still make out the color of his eye ; see that light shade of brown perfectly, remember all the times he has found himself looking at them while listening to Marco talk. He can still make out the colors of his uniform, see the same shade of black his hair has always had, practically see. Despite being dead, Marco was the only piece of color left in his life.

And there's denial for a moment because there's no way Marco was his soulmate. But that goes away fast, getting replaced by guilt. By the fact that he hasn't been there to save him, that Marco has to die all alone without anyone being there for him.

And that was worse than the simple fact that he could no longer see colors ; because Marco was there when Jean needed him, but he failed to do the same. And not only he lost his best friend that day, but his other half too.

[phagodyke]

weekend melancholy is starting to kick in >~<