#i get yelled at and criticized when i do housework. i get yelled and criticized when i don't

[rubiesintherough]

.

[baby-pink-flowers]

Pairing: Anna Marie Lebeau/Rogue x Remy Lebeau/Gambit

Prompts: "What are you wearing?"-"it's Landry day!"

Authors note: this is shorter than I'd like it to be, but I'm kinda dumb so deal with it. I tried to write out Gambit's accent the best i could. If you have any criticism, let me know in the comments

Warnings: Talk of pregnancy, fluff, lots of kissing, probably ooc Gambit because i don't know how to write for him yet,

"Sugah, do ya have any clothes that's not in the Landry basket?" Rogue says with the Landry basket in hand. From the other room, she hears her husband, "Sha, I was gonna do th'at Landry thi's week"

"Oh, but Remy, you have been so helpful this month. I thought I could do at least something. " she puts the basket down and puts her hands on her 7 and a half months belly. They have been trying to have a baby for about a year, and over 7 months ago, they succeeded, and they were over the moon.

"No, Sha, it's ma job to do all the housework since I'm tha one that got ya pregnant," he says as he walks down the hallway into their room. "And it's your job to rest and - what are you wear'ing, Sha?"

"It's Landry Day!"

Rogue was wearing one of Remy's oversized shirts. He rarely wears it anymore, and when he does, it's to sleep, so it's not often washed. The shirt has a graphic of a playing card that was a queen of hearts. Remy got the shirt because it reminded him of her since "she is the queen of his heart"

"Sha, you got plenty of clothes." he raises a brow at the Mississippi lady."They're all dirty, swamp rat!" She yells at her husband with her hands on her hips. "My Sha, ya haven't called me tha since we got official"

The Cajun man says, leaning in twords Rogue, wrapping his hands around her waist. He looks at her neck to see if she is wearing her choker, which has a gem that can block her powers so that way they can touch each other.

"I'm sorry, Sugah"

"It's ok, Sha,"

Remy grabs the landry basket and puts it in the washroom for later. He then heads over to his wife and picks her up in a bridal carry, then kisses her.

"Sugah, aren't ya gonna do the landry?" She looks at her husband confused, but she's not going to get out of her husband's arms because she loves Remy holding her.

"No, Sha, tha' landry can wait, I need ta'h sp'nd some time wit' mah two favorite girls"

Remy starts to walk to the living room area, wife in hand.

"Bold of ya to assume I'm having a girl, swamp boy," she says with endearment in her voice and face. Her arms are crossed over her chest in sarcastic anger.

"I know you are. It's a Cajun intuition, " he says with the confidence of a man lying

"You made that up, sugah"

"Ye's ma'am"

"I think I'm having a boy"

"If we hav'a girl, I like th'a name Isabella"

"And if it's a boy, I really like Otis"

[sparky-the-springbot]

I’d like to tell you a story because I’m in M mode and bored and a lot of the most fun things to do are off limits when I’m on Earth.

Once upon a time on a far away planet, there was a prison, and in that prison was a Mechanism. Me. I had been on that planet with the others, having our usual brand of fun, when I got caught. Getting caught can be fun for the first little bit, but thanks to a certain idiot (read: Marius Von scrapping Raum!) yelling “Don’t let them flip your switch, Sparky!” the local authorities found out about my switch and promptly flipped it.

With that ‘change in perspective’ I decided it would be best to just go with them and do what they said, and hope I could get out on good behavior. Turns out that after a few years and a failed breakout attempt by some rebels, the warden decided the information surrounding my switch would be better as a secret, and after a few decades, no one knew what it did or even what I was in jail for.

True to my word and my programming, I was on my best behavior. I even smiled. At people. When I wasn’t happy. I have no idea how I didn’t loose my mind, but then again I think quite differently when I’m in goody-goody mode. It’s so wild, I actually have memories of asking the guards of my prison cell how their day was and actually caring about the answer.

But that’s not the point.

Several decades passed in this dingy basement of a prison. It was all too similar to the cave I spent my first dismal decades in. My only comfort was that unlike that unfortunate early period of my life, my processing power was working fast as ever, so I could think, and I could talk to the people that guarded my cell or came to give me water or wanted to interview me about various things.

Since, after a few years, no one knew why I was in jail anymore, a new warden decided to very publicly and showily give me a second chance. I think he was looking to get elected as governor and wanted this to counter claims that he would be too harsh and controlling. He let me out and even let me live in his house with his wife. Of course, he followed the strict instructions from his predecessors to make sure my switch was never touched.

Because I was in W mode, I ended up doing housework for them, all with a cheery smile, but secretly I did not warm to them. If I’m in W mode, then if someone can’t tell I don’t like them, I’m doing my job correctly. The warden was more than happy to have me help out around the house and was generally opposed to me leaving, except for very public outings where he showed off how kind and welcoming he was for taking in this stranger from another world. (He was never that kind in private). His wife was able to pursue more of her hobbies now that I was doing the house work, but he didn’t seem to like that. He criticized her art and mocked her crochets, and said she didn’t do any work to support their family, and he couldn’t even give him a child. Her response? “Why don’t you take that thing as a child since you seem to like it so much.”

See, the Warden had told his wife not to flip my switch, but he had never told her why, as he himself did not know, but he never wanted to admit that to anyone. I’m not sure how he didn’t know, but I suspect he wasn’t paying attention when the previous warden told him. And soon the wife began to speculate on what my switch did that he was keeping secret. She wondered if it would make me be able to help out even more, or perhaps unlock some ability that would help her but not her husband.

The thing about my core is that it is powered by blue matter which inspires my creativity in singing and just generally being more whimsical than your average space pirate, and it is surrounded by my organic bones which are infused with red matter that fuels my passion for the things and people I love (and hate). but when I'm in W mode for a long time, it's harder for the two to mix, since the red matter can't get into my core. so instead, it mixes on the outside, where it gradually leaks outward into the air, where it can influence people to want to flip my switch if they didn't already have a reason not to. it's not something I can control, but it often works out in my favor.

One day when she was feeling very cross with the Warden, she snuck up behind me while I was doing the dishes and flipped my switch. I, of course didn’t want to give away what it was that it actually did so soon, so I merely said “Thanks! I was in pain before, but you flipping the switch made me feel much better!” And left it at that. But on the inside, I was celebrating finally being able to have my revenge. That night, I took the warden’s weapons from his personal supply and I got payback on that planet for locking me up and then treating me like some charity case. Luckily, I caused enough chaos and death that the intergalactic authorities were called, and then it was a simple matter of sneaking onboard their ship to hack their communications and let my crew know where I was.

When I was back onboard, I made sure to shoot Marius and Jonny a few times for good measure. Everyone gets left behind sometimes, and at least it was no 100 years in a sun.

[horizon-verizon]

[HotD] Alicent’s Character & Aegon (II): Evidence of Child Abuse

Disclaimer:

Not to defend the rapist Aegon II.

But Show!Alicent is the example of that woman who doesn’t resist against most patriarchal expectations and standards of moral femininity--unlike the gender nonconformists Daenerys, Rhaenyra, some of Cersei, Arya, Brienne, etc. All women who, it must be noted, dressed and/or acted outside of the norms of Westerosi standards for (noble)women even when they were children and teenagers.

Show!Alicent is one of the many women of the ASoIaF universe whose close family member uses their body for their own ambitions.

Yes, even Cersei, the woman who constantly uses Lannister specialness as a way to access that martial power that men receive and direct in this world, rejects anything remotely feminine if it doesn’t lend to this access, and thus becomes blind to her own faults and weaknesses. This maybe similar to nonconformity, but not really since she also tries puts pressures on her own daughter, Myrcella, to conform to the patriarchal standards of femininity, which Myrcella resists.

The abused often perform abuse against their close friends and family in both subtle and overt ways, with much unconscious and conscious manipulation to make the people around them feel responsible for them or suppress protests against the behavior. And emotional abuse (the abuser claiming their abused is  treating them harshly , violent use of words, tone, body movements and some “light” violence like squeezing the arms suddenly) is just as insidious and damaging as physical abuse. And it gets worse the more stressed out and paranoid abusers are. I’ve myself experienced it from both my mother and father, but my mother would often criticize the way I dressed “masculine” and how I should not present myself as a “bad girl”. I was often told to   acquiesce  to my brothers’ laziness and refusals to engage in housework as well as how my tone was disrespectful. Once my mother squeezed my arms and yelled in my face about how I was getting too fat.

Show!Alicent is clearly more like Cersei in this last aspect, when episode 6 shows us Alicent grabbing Aegon’s face and yelling into it about him being the challenge to Rhaenyra’s claim and how Rhaenyra will definitely kill him if he doesn’t work with/stand untied with Aemond against Rhaenyra’s children. Alicent wants Aegon to consider Rhaenyra a bigger threat than she is, and when he doesn’t she lashes out against him. Mainly because she doesn’t feel that he is taking what she’s taking seriously, seriously.

And she is like Cersei in that their parent/fathers sold their bodies to a ruler for political advancement, essentially locking them into a loveless marriage where one dismisses their wives.

Thus, when she sees her son perform sexually abusive acts, she’s also unreceptive to his thoughts of her and Viserys’ possible wrongs towards him. Which may seem like she's just responding to his act as someone who's priority is the young girl as she was (as the show tries to say) was once like her, but the show also lets us know that Alicent will do whatever to obey the status quo and indulge the male privilege the feudal patriarchy gives to her sons. So she will do what she can to maintain/purify her son's reputation (even though it would have bounced back, she seems to want to maintain it for the sake of usurping Rhaenyra and making him look better than her to the noble public).

Episode 8 reveals that she very likely never had a healthy or respectful line of communication with him. (And that would mirror the emotional distance b/t her and Helaena.)

Both because she feels she can’t give voice of her own suffering to him and maintain that image of authority and credibility (she talks about the shame he brings to both her and Helaena) AND because Aegon is totally ignored when he tries to weakly protest her expectations. To him, to act “kingly” in front to others is pointless and futile because of Viserys’ ignoring him as well as Alicent/Otto’s unseen (time jumps) constant prioritization of him having to act and perform kingliness.

Images Credit: slayer-of333lies @ tumblr

And it mirrors how Otto shut her down before he left, reinforcing how Alicent was at fault for his dismissal--even though he never touches her violently. That he makes it her fault alone when he speaks to her is an example of emotional abuse and we have seen multiple scenes where even his look intimidates her into anxiety and self harm.

We know that Alicent is highly stressed from no strong emotional and political support from her husband, father, or seemingly any other courtiers.  

She also slaps him in episode 8 after he gets up from the bed, naked. (The second instance where he’s naked and completely vulnerable as she uses violence against him....interesting). In this scene, Alicent also breathes deeply in with an intense glare, leans over him, and says, “You are no son of mine”.

(Not that I think Aegon is a good person, as even just a few months after this he shows himself a predator against serving girls. This is supposed to show Alicent's actions against her kids.)

It was still a violent gesture against her own child after having just told him to not bully his own brother and like real mother abusers she does this when she is emphasized by her forceful grab of Aegon.

I can surmise that when she loses control from a moment of the highest stress, she does this often, if we’re going to be Doylist here.

And if we’re going to be Watsonian and provide an in-universe explanation for how I think she does this often, I say the Aegon was scared at the moment but seems to try to immediately pass it off from his dulled reaction. Alicent doesn’t even acknowledge Aegon’s window masturbation is, which implies that he’s done this before and she has been very unsuccessful in getting him to stop. Which, to a highly stressed and ever-feeling-powerless Alicent, would be beyond frustrating and motivate her into trying to subdue Aegon’s rebellion through “soft” violence.

And since abusers do not just abuse one child but all of them in various ways, I do not doubt that Alicent mistreats Helaena, even if she doesn’t know it. 

Just in a different way from Aegon.

[unsentimentaltranslator]

As a 4Ber, I definitely think lesbians gloss over the difficulties of it and decentre actual 4Bers too much. During the worst of the discourse, I got so sick of it that I put a snarky comment in my bio about how some lesbians were acting just like aromantics by thinking of me only in terms of what I could do for them, not as a whole human being who chose celibacy because I looked at the way men treat their wives and girlfriends and worried about my safety and dignity, and am facing social and economic consequences for that choice.

BUT

It is critical that you understand that the words of a few lesbians, even the ones who have absolutely batshit insane takes about male-attracted women, are not even close to the way the whole of society is invested in convincing male-attracted women to date men no matter how badly they treat us.

You've said here "your only option is men who could possibly harm you or being completely romantically uninvolved", which is correct, but most male-attracted women don't stop and think about how heavily society socialises us that shit is better than nothing, and that, moreover, it's not really shit, you're just too picky. So I'm gonna do a deep dive into that.

You say it's "probably not healthy mentally to be completely romantically alone". The premise here, I'm assuming, is that being in a good romantic relationship, where you are treated as an equal, is better than being romantically alone. I agree with that premise.

But here's the problem: how many female-attracted men are willing to treat their girlfriend and eventually wife like an equal? How many of them were raised to know what equal looks like? Of them, how many are willing to do the same themselves, after witnessing the cushy deal other men get from women who have been socialised to think they don't deserve any better? How many female-attracted men were not raised to know what equal looks like? Of them, how many are willing to learn what it equal looks like and treat their girlfriend/wife accordingly, after witnessing the cushy deal other men get from women who have been socialised to think they don't deserve any better?

And here's the million dollar question, which goes back to probability class in what my country called School Certificate maths when I was at school: if only a small percentage of female-attracted men are willing to treat their girlfriend/wife like an equal, how many male-attracted women get to be in a romantic relationship where they are treated like an equal?

Of the male-attracted women who do get to be in such a relationship, how many of them have to go through abuse at the hands of shitty men before they get there? And how are we defining abuse? People think abuse is just yelling and hitting but is it not abusive to make your partner do all the housework? (The biggest lie Cinderella ever told was that forcing someone to do all the housework is something that is perpetrated by women and solved by men.) Is it not abusive to make your partner cover her face and remove her body hair every day and call her disgusting when she doesn't even though you don't do the same? Is it not abusive to dismiss your partner every time she sets a boundary, thereby making it so that you get to treat your partner any way you want and she has to just take it? Is it not abusive to insist that your partner please you in bed however and whenever you want, while making no effort to please her? Is it not abusive to guilt trip your partner into doing sex acts that hurt her?

How many male-attracted women have to experience violence before they find a romantic relationship where they are treated equally?

How many male-attracted women will never be in a romantic relationship where they are treated equally?

How much abuse should a male-attracted woman take before she gives up? How much violence?

And what impact is that abuse and violence going to have on her mental health?

In light of that, is my way really so crazy?

And if we know that romantic relationships with men will be a dead end for most male-attracted women, what can we do to fulfill our social needs in other ways?

I've said my piece about how a lot of people on radblr hate pregnant women. But I also don't particularly like the way a lot of them talk about straight women. I'll come out right now and say that I'm a token straighty. And yeah I don't particularly love seeing people say that we're all cock-worshiping breeders. Would you rather we become political lesbians? Sexuality isn't a choice, right? Now, I'm not gonna pretend for a second that we're the ones who are ACTUALLY oppressed, of course that's not true. But I don't particularly trust that people who say these kinds of things actually care about women.

And this idea that we're traitors because we date men and have sex with them is asinine. Once again, sexuality isn't a choice. It's kinda crazy for lesbians to act like they're all superior because they don't sleep with men. Like, yeah, of course it's easy for you. You're not attracted to them! Are we supposed to just abstain from any all sexual activity?

As with the misogyny towards pregnant women, people put the blame on women while ignoring that men are the problem. Having kids sucks cause men suck. Being in a heterosexual relationship sucks cause men suck. How can you call yourself a radfem when you attack women for men's shortcomings? You need to care about women more than you hate men.

[i-need-entertainment]

Haikyuu!! Boys and what type of old man they’ll be

Characters: Akaashi, Washio, Konoha, Kita, Suna, Ushijima, Yahaba, Iwaizumi, Futakuchi and Daishou

*Minor Timeskip spoilers*

TW- Old men, mentions of being senile, mentions of retirement home.

Akaashi Keiji: Old man with the best stories

The kind of old man who has the best stories.

He doesn’t tell fictional stories, they’re really just stories from his youth, but he always makes them so fun to listen to.

his grandkids always want him to be the one to read them bedtime stories.

He also gives really good advice.

Will do fun things with his grandkids like outings and what not, but he’ll also help out at home, take them to/pick them up from school and all that stuff.

Comes off as ‘wise’, and he’s stayed pretty sharp throughout the years.

Spends his mornings drinking coffee and playing crossword puzzles.

Aged very nicely, like he looks older sure, but he still looks nice.

Goes by Grandad

Washio Tatsuki: Sweet old man

The old man who only seems scary, because in all actuality he’s a softy.

Definitely loves kids, and keeps candy in a little bowl by the front door for when his grandkids come to visit.

Always offers to help people move into their houses, help with people’s housework etc. (He kept his nice physique playing professional volleyball dUh)

Always there for his family too. He hosts all the family dinners, makes sure his kids/grandkids are okay, all that good stuff~

He’s still pretty quiet though, but it’s never uncomfortable.

Like, you could sit in silence with Old Man Washio, both of you doing your own thing and you’d still enjoy your time with him.

Goes by Grandaddy

Konoha Akinori: Old man that shamelessly criticizes people

“haaa?!?! Well why the heck didya do that? That was dumb.”

He wasn’t exactly censored when he was older, so I find it very unlikely it got better as he aged.

He is in no way mean, just blunt.

Gives his two cents on everything.

The news? No don’t get news from them they’re stupid.

That brand of canned peas? They put way too little salt, there’s no flavor!

It seems like in any and every situation he has something to say about it.

Doesn’t get angry when he’s wrong, just laughs and moves on with life.

Goes by Poppy

Kita Shinsuke: Strict old man

Takes things very seriously, to the point he comes off as intimidating.

He’s spent a long time perfecting his routine, even as an old man he still has his life perfectly put together.

He remained blunt and perceptive, and he can sometimes come off as critical.

Just try cooking with him for example.

Really? You’re gonna do that? No, no it’s fine...just wrong.

But he’s passive aggressive with it.

Doesn’t realize it, but all of his kids/grandkids just want his approval r.i.p.

But little do they know they already have it, he loves his family and is already proud of him.

Goes by Grandpa Shinsuke

Suna Rintaro: Lazy old man

Yeah...he COULD do that..but he could also..like..not.

Spends his days. Uh. Watching tv mostly.

He’s pretty chill, and he’s is definitely the type to spoilt the heck outta his grandkids.

They don’t really even have to ask for it.

He’s just like ‘Hm...whelp, I’m the granddad, it’s not my job to parent you. Sure why not?’

His grandkids love him lol.

And not just because he buys them things, but he’s generally just a fun (but incredibly) unmotivated enjoyable old man.

Goes by Gramps

Ushijima Wakatoshi: He’s hOw old?!?!

He aged, but he didn’t...

Even in his old age he remains stoic and quiet.

Another one who becomes that ‘wise old man’.

He also tells good stories, even if most of them do revolve around volleyball...

Regardless his grandkids always enjoy spending time with him cause he’s just the coolest :)

But his grandchildren love him nonetheless!

Also calls his grandchildren by THEIR full names.

idk man it just works.

Goes by Grandfather...Yes, the whole thing but he doesn’t mind nick names, I mean they’re from his precious grandchildren after all.

Yahaba Shigeru: “When I was your age-”

The type to reminisce...you might even know what he’s talking about.

I don’t wanna say senile...

But he kinda goes senile y’know?

Gets a l l  the girls at the retiring home though.

He also aged well, his hair has not changed, just it’s color lol

Has told the same story countless times, but each time his grandkids still enjoy it, whether if that’s for his enjoyment or theirs they’ll never tell.

He speaks very fondly of his volleyball days, and high school in general.

Plays volleyball with his grandkids, just for fun! Doesn’t teach them everything, but if they want to he’ll play negotiator with the parentals.

Goes by Pops, he rEFUsed to be called ‘grandpa’ it made him feel old.

Iwaizumi Hajime: “quIET DOWN” Grumpy old man

The old man all children are afraid of.

It’s not...intentional...

Okay it’s a LITTLE intentional. But he doesn’t make them cry or anything!

But Let me tell you, there will be n o t h i n g  on Old Man Hajime’s lawn.

At one point some rowdy and punk teens started causing trouble on the street he lived on. 

His solution was to sit on his porch and just...yell.

After years of being an athletic trainer and intimidating all those around him, he was made for this.

Those kids never stood a chance h a.

1,000% A good grandpa though. He’s very supportive of his grandkids, and is nothing but good and soft to them.

I see him as having been a stricter parent to his kids, but once his grandkids were born was just like ‘Your turn to be mean, I get to be the fun one now sucker’.

Goes by Grandad while the grandkids are young, but once they grow a little older they call him Old Man.

Futakuchi Kenji: Immature old man

If he didn’t look old, you would never have known he was 60+.

He does all the fun things with his grandkids.

Spoils them rotten and sends them home to his kids with a ‘Goodbye~’.

Definitely the type to fill them up with sugar RIGHT before they go home just to do it.

Despite his age if the family is all together and he’s asked/challenged, he’ll do what the kids are doing despite the knowing pain he’ll feel later.

One time his family and Aone’s family (...Futakuchi’s son married Aone’s daughter :0) had a little reunion and were playing volleyball. Even though it had been a *few* years since the two had played, they figured they’d do it ‘for old times sake’ as they had called it.

Ignoring the warnings from their wives and children they started playing.

And actually played quite well, and avoided any serious injuries miraculously.

Goes by Grandad

Daishou Suguru: Mean old man

He is brutal.

To everyone not his wife, kids and wonderful grandkids that is.

The type of Old man to tease and provoke everyone, then plays it off like he’s just some ‘crazy old man’ who can’t control what he’s saying.

He can, or he is very much capable of doing so but chooses not too.

He’s a fun grandad though. Has all his grandkid’s favorite games/toys and snacks always stocked.

If his kids ever mess up he is rUthLess. 

Those are HIS grandbabies how dAre you.

Used to tease them (lovingly) about relationships.

...And then his eldest granddaughter started dating Kuroo’s oldest grandson...and due to the death stare his wife gave him he couldn’t do anything about it.

Had to ‘welcome’ the boy into the family, ugh gross.

Goes by Grampa (tHeRe’S a DiFfErEnCe oKaY)

[who-ever-said-i-was-nice]

Heya, could I ask for the ikevamp boys finding mc passed out at the table surrounded by work? Uni's been killing me lately. If all of them is too much then just Leonardo, Jean, Comte, Theo and Mozart? Thanks x

I cried five times while making this.

Dear Anon! Thanks sooo mush for the request. 😘I’m sorry for taking this looooong I also have a shit ton of work but HERE IT IS. I hope things get better for you and good luck!😘❤️❤️ I added a different type of uni to each of the guys just to make it interesting. @nad-zeta your daily dose of Theo. XD. Love you. Hope you enjoy! Ok here we go!

Ikevamp boys x an overworked mc

Leonardo

he just woke up from one of his naps and he decided he’s going to have a snack most probably mc

as he’s walking towards kitchen he spots you sleeping on one of the tables in the library surrounded by a huge pile of books, pens and papers

now he knew that you refused to give up on the uni you where going to when you came here but he’s still a bit surprised

he walks up to you and takes a peek at what you are studying 

architecture

more specifically some designs he came up with

*eyes emoji*

after the initial shock of finding out you where studying his work he smiles and picks you up and caries you to your bed

from that moment on he will always help you with whatever you are studying and always makes sure you take breaks

Comte

he was walking around socializing with the residents when he stumbled upon you snoozing on the dining table buried in a mountain of book

ha was aware of your studies and offered to let you off work completely

but you insisted on dedicating 4 days a week on housework

however this meant you had to study like crazy

when he saw you there he already knew what’s wrong

he panicked internally but calmly walked to your side

he didn’t insist one knowing what exactly you where studying but this was so convenient he just had to take a look

finance studies

well damn

finds it very amazing that you manege to work and study that at the same time

sighs and carefully picks you up and takes you to bed

after that he makes sure you get enough rest in between study sessions

he will spoil you a bit more and offer to help with your studies

Jean

ok so we know poor baby can’t read

he doesn’t get why you are so passionate about your university

what did you call your studies? Linguistics? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

he has no idea what you are talking about but he loves you and loves that you have a passion

when he sees you passed out in your room in a very uncomfortable position surrounded by books...

...panic

oh wait no panic you probably just fell asleep ‘cause you where tiered

wait tiered?

panic

he will pick you up and take you to your room, makes sure you are tucked it

from that moment on he will make sure you get enough rest

Isaac

precious little bean

on one hand he understands why you are so passionate about your studies on the other he is worried

one time you where working late into the night and he asked you to stop and you brought up the argument that he does the same

so he decided not to stop you

however when he finds you passed out in the gazebo...

nope.

he is panicked and scared and angry at himself for not realizing sooner

he hurries to your side when one of your books catches his eye

you are studying quantum physics?

say what?

ok he now has a whole lot of respect for you

he will gently shake you awake

“ Mmmhmm...I did my essay” “Y/N it’s me, wake up”

you immediately wake up

“ Don’t ever do that again. You scared me.”

Now you guys study together so cute

Napoleon

UMMMMMM boy

if he saw you just hanging off a table passed out he will have a heart attack

then he will realize that you are just sleeping and you are not dead so he will calm down a bit

he can’t resist the urge to take a look at what you are studying either

politics

interesting.

so you want a  politics degree

what you will do with it he has no idea. After all you are in a different time period, but he thinks  it’s good to have a goal

what he doesn’t think is good is over working your self

“nunuche wake up” “noooooooooo I won’t wake up unless you do what I do to wake you up”

so he will kiss you and you agree to wake up how adorable i  think i’m going to cry over my own work damn I’m weird  

If he ever see you looking even a little tiered he will steal you away and you will cuddle

Arthotthur

Heart attack nr.2

oh no wait my bird is just sleeping

he’s not happy

ok let me rephrase that

he’s happy that you are happy but he’s not ok with the fact that you have overworked yourself and on top of that he’s beating himself up for not noticing earlier

he’s debating whether you’d be more pissed if he carried you to your room* or if he woke you up when something catches his attentive eye

you where studying to get a bachelor's degree in English whaaaaaat!

will go through your notes and

when he finds out you want to become a writer.....

Omg fanboy mode: activate

“ I didn’t know I had such an effect on you Luv”

you: say wut? Arthur I became writer because I wanted to

Now you two run around n the corridors smiling like dorks and narrating random events when your free and he writes next to you when you study   ( to keep and eye on you. He loves you so much)

* if that doesn’t apply to you I’m sorry. I try to write from another persons prospective, but a lot of my writing is based of my reactions to a situation or my personality. In this case I’d be pissed if he left my stuff there or went into my room ( it’s my sanctuary ok my disaster). And waking me up oh no bitch run. But on a serious note don’t be mad if it doesn’t fit your description, and if it didn’t and you want me to change something feel free to let me know. Ok next victim:

Theo

to say he’s pissed is an understatement

he’s pissed at you for taking it to far but he’s pissed at himself a lot little more for not noticing sooner

like his bff he’ll also be contemplating taking you to bed rather then yelling you awake like witch one will end up in a bigger slap

then he notices what you are studying

art

when you are done with this you are literally going to get an art degree

Theo ex. has stopped working

he is getting emotional on the inside

 will gently take you to bed and tuck you in

he’ll pat your head “ Creative Hondjie”. He has such a gentle smile on his face god I can picture it I’m crying

from then on when you have a project he will help criticize you and he will help you progress with your art

 will be keeping an eye on you 25/7 yes 25 this guy will create a time loop if it meant that you had more time to do the things you love (ahem Theo) xd  no

all in all he will be just a little softer with you, but only you. And will also deny it if somebody points it out

Vincent

Let’s all just sit down, take a moment and appreciate Vincent

He will see you passed out and he will PANIC

he will rush up to you and make sure you are ok

also waking you up in the process

he will ask what you are studying

“sooo you want to become a chef”

Pffffffff we all know poor baby is parallel with cooking

like he will burn water

is super supportive tho gee who would have thought

this boy is an angel and will help you cook

Jesus I hope Comte has fire insurance

you have a lot of fun with him and he will actually end up learning a few things form you.

will make sure you never overwork yourself again

 Dazai

this dork almost stepped on you

you had passed out under you window , ‘cause you had been studying on the floor

and this guy came waltzing in through the window

“Toshiko-san? Toshikooooo shit”

*cricket sounds* yup

he will squat down next to you and poke your cheek

“ what are you doing on the floor?” you: “what are you doing in my room?”

OOOOH GOT ‘EM

you two of you will laugh about it and he will ask you what you are studying

you proudly shove your text book under his nose

“ well well Toshiko-san want’s to take care of small animals?”

you: Yes, like Isaac

he’s not really fazed by you falling asleep but  will make sure you don’t overwork and if he sees you getting tired he will crack a few terrible jokes to lighten your mood and then he will proceed to steel you away

Mozart

ok now clean freak here is going to be worried

not panicked just worried

uhum Wolf you keep telling yourself that

you where studying in the music room while Wolf was playing

suddenly he heard a thump

he stopped and looked around only to find you passed out on the table

seems like the all-nighter combined with the music led you to fall asleep

he’s frozen for a hot second until he realizes you are just sleeping

he will slowly walk up to you and poke you with a broom ‘cause he doesn’t want to touch you

Jkjk

he will go up to you and gently attempt to shake you awake when he notices what your studying

 you where studying music

“Marry me?”

he will wake you up and question you about it

from that moment on he actually helps you a little when you don’t get something and you study in the music room at all times because” it’s noisy outside”

we know you just care about her Mozart

Sebastian

he flicks your forehead

that’s it. Thant’s the canon

no I’m kidding he knows how much you study and is worried about you even before you pass out

and when you do that’s it

he scoops you up and takes you to your bed

he only flicks your forehead when you wake up

yeah you get an ear full from him

he asks what you are studying and tell him you want a degree in history

ok suddenly he’s not mad at you

from that moment on he always makes sure you are not over working

he actually shows you his notebook and you find it fascinating 

now you both collectively stalk the residents

William

y’all aren’t ready for this

when he sees you passed out in the garden he’s ready to pull out a gun and kill anyone and everyone who dared harm you

then he realizes you’re actually sleeping and he calms down a bit ( he’ll keep the gun tho shhhhh don’t tell Comte)

he will gently pat your hair and just look at you

when you wake up he will ask you what you are studying

you are a complete blushing mess when you tell him you want to become an actress

he’s shooketh and also really happy at the same time

now he takes you with him to the theater and he gives you a role to play and he watches while you practice

he’s also super attentive and will never let you overwork yourself again

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Stay safe everyone! 😘😘😘

[raytaku]

Like. That was likely among the most stressful times in my entire life so far and my aunt and uncle Still expected me to carry on like it was nothing. My sibling, one of my closest family members, had (and still has) a serious medical problem and had to get a Very invasive surgery that was super risky and I Still had to go to work And look for a place to live in a barren rental market And do housework And cope with severe seasonal trauma and act Normal

And the most supportive person in that place was my sibling. They were the only person who understood and Helped me through all of it. My aunt and uncle would yell at or criticize me bc I kept doing things "wrong" or bc I was "lazy" and not struggling

They only began offering help when it came to moving me out. I appreciate all their help but like. I guess it just left a bad taste in my mouth. Where was this in the last four months. Where was this compassion

"We are all fighting our own battles" and why couldn't you recognize the ones I was fighting and lay off a bit. You just kept adding more weight and saying "we're all struggling" like an excuse

Realizing all the fucked up things I've been through in the last four months

[tosikoarts]

SFW Alphabet | Mihael Keehl

You can check tosikowrites tag for more! Warning: there’s a lot under the cut.

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

The most straightforward among main three of Wammy’s boys. His interpretation of own feelings is excellent and he makes sure everybody around knows about them. If he hates you, you’ll feel a burning hole in your back whether it is because of intense staring or literal bullet. If he loves you, you’ll be surrounded by abundance of affection.

When it comes to person he loves, Mello is very vocal. Words do matter, they oblige you and put responsibility on your shoulders. That’s why he loves to brag about his dearest to the closest friends, and even acquaintances know about this one special person. Another important thing is nickname, which Mello chooses based on the brightest features of character/appearance. Baby, honey, dearest are common too but he feels that  they deserve exceptional treatment and exceptional nickname.

He absolutely loves physical affection. Skin to skin contact gives him weird sensation right in the head as if he can physically feel neurons releasing dopamine. It also helps with keeping his anxiety under control.

By the way, sometimes inferiority complex gets the best of him, and in these moments he is extremely capricious. For the same reason Mello may act like his loved one deserves everything, while he can go with bare minimum.

He is great at reassurances. The second he realizes his loved one is insecure, upset, lost, the gears in his head start zealously turning. The words he uttered are always spoken in the right tone and able to touch the necessary strings of the soul. At the same time Mello always has doubts in the efforts made.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Friendship with Mello carries spirit of 80s-90s. It’s a wild ride he once invited you to and then you couldn’t get off. Stuff gets messy, stuff gets hot, but it doesn’t matter until you both have fun.

He will roast you so much and will never get offended if you roast him in response. Mello aims for a good laugh only. His favorite entertainment is to go shopping together just to critic each other’s outfits.

You better move that body when he drags you on the dance-floor. Blasting music and colorful lights make him feel like a fish in the water so Mello will try to teach you dance. Yes, from the easiest ones to Michael Jackson’s moonwalk.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Cuddles are essential for relationship with Mello. He enjoys snuggle up to his loved one on calm evenings, when there’s nothing to disturb the peace. Warmness of loved one’s head on his chest and smell of their skin calm him down better than chamomile-mint tea. He loves to listen to the sound of another person’s heartbeat as well.

Mello has one pet peeve tho: frequent head pats and hair stroking lead to greasy hair and this is exactly what he hates. If they put hand on his beautiful blond locks, he will take them by the finger and place their palm on his lips. This is a small but very loud gesture.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

The thought of settling down     never popped up in his head. Mello is way too young, he wants to live his     life to the maximum without thinking about another dirty plate in the sink     or how long it takes to make boiled eggs. Based on this you can say he     doesn’t like to do any housework. His cooking skills are decent but he     prefers creative mess to boring order. Mello likes to help someone in     kitchen when he is in the good mood.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Nervous type he is, Mello doesn’t want to end this relationship. But he has to. But he can’t. He is indecisive and hesitates on the way to them. Hell, if they are in good mood or overly excited, Mello won't say a word about break up. In his mind it has to be like pulling a tooth – painful but necessary, - but real life doesn’t work that way. When the moment finally comes he cannot keep his voice steady. Mello tries to end it as fast as possible and hold back a scream because yelling at his loved one is something he promised he’ll never do. Actually, I can see him doing something impulsive to blow off steam. Breaking random stuff, for example, or shooting bottles.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

No. Getting married is too much. He can’t see wedding bells ring no matter how hard he tries. Every day he becomes more confident in thought that strong sincere relationship do not need bureaucracy in the form of marriage. The only time you need a marriage certificate is during the divorce process. Mello isn’t 100% sure but pretty close to this percentage. If his loved one insists on marriage he will immerse in conflicting feelings. Then his next actions will depend on many factors but Mello definitely will try to explain his  position and convince them in its     validity.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Mello is on the rougher side when it comes to both physical and emotional affection. Childhood in the orphanage, involvement with the mafia, psychological issues, and responsibility placed on his shoulders taught it is necessity to be tough to survive in this world. When he lets his guard down nasty inner voice keeps reminding Mello about situations in which it could be a critical mistake. This leads us to the next point.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Here he comes, another  touched-starved male with trust issues. Mello needs time to get used to soft touch of other’s person hands. Sometimes he puts too much strength in his hugs and it may come across a little rough. Likes them anyway, takes initiative 90% of the time.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

It completely and entirely depends on his gut feeling. Something elusive tells him whether to trust a person or not, it’s not a rational decision. As soon as this strange sensation appears, he will immediately calmly utter three treasured words, and it’s not even so important for him to hear them in return. Mello just wants another person to know that they have become an integral part of his life.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

In addition to being easily jealous, Mello is scary as hell when someone is hitting on his loved one. If he witness such insolence, he will be extremely vocal and, well, unexpectedly rude. He is not afraid to get physical too.

If it’s his loved one who is acting flirtatious, Mello will be pissed off as well. His feelings are explosive mix of disappointment, anger, malcontent. It’s better to get off his way and let him cool a little before trying to explain anything or make excuses. In a fit of jealous rage he may say some terrible things which he’ll regret later.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

The most passionate kisser imaginable. He loves to kiss and he knows how to do it properly so why would you complain. He tends to forget about personal boundaries in process so make out sessions can get really… touchy. Anyway, loves to shower his loved one with kisses all over them, but lip smooches are his favorite. At the same time Mello doesn’t care where they kiss him because of solid fact he is being kissed.  

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

He is so awkward. Calm/gentle/kind children are ok, but if he has to deal with angry little shit who throws tantrum whenever possible, he will flip out. Being around his own children is more or less bearable but don’t expect much when it’s someone else's kids annoying poor man. Mello definitely will teach his favorite one all of the swear words as a joke.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

On a free day no matter who wakes up first you will spend another hour in the bed cuddling. Then life will pour cold water on you when Mello gets frustrated with making breakfast. This may grow into small quarrel but most of the time he pulls himself together and you two find a satisfying compromise. During breakfast on work week you rarely hear any plans for the day from him but he stays curious about your schedule just to see if he can catch you for a lunch or a short call. Nothing special, really.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Night is his favorite time of the day. Neon signs, coolness, slight buzz of a big city work as a charm on Mello, he feels free from people’s staring, empty chatter, and daily duties. If he could show the world as he sees it to his loved one, at least approximate image, dim reflections of pale moon in the high-rises’ glass, he would. So to do it he takes them on late night walks and rides, new places every time.  

Cafes and restaurants are another of his weaknesses, not only pastry shops, but also small diners with food that would seem boring to many. Take-outs are frequent too because chilling under the lilac sky and stargazing with Mello are 10 out of 10.

Don't let yourself be fooled, he likes to stay inside as much. Thanks to Matt, you’ll spend most of the time playing video-games and drinking pop until one of you starts yawning.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Mello is straightforward within adequate limits. You wouldn’t expect person to blur out “I hunt a Kira with my genius rival that works with FBI and Japanese Police” at any point of your movie night anyway, right? He does not pretend and does not resort to excessive secrecy but prefers to reveal facts about himself one by one.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Quickly gets angry, quickly cools down. Sadly, he his emotions are too strong and he does not know how to handle them and it often ends in heated argument. Even during a quarrel he feels his actions are hurting you but it’s not something he can stop at the click of a finger. After everything has settled down he is extremely remorseful and tried to make amends but Mello never ever promises to change. Why you make ask? In that case actions speak louder than words.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Remembers the stupidest things. He can’t remember any important dates like the day you started dating but will remind you about the most embarrassing thing you did in high school. Hell, he forgets your number sometimes but can describe the exact clothes you wore on that rainy day when car splashed you.

Unknown forces help Mello in choosing a birthday present. He has no clue what you wanted and if you wanted anything at all. Surprisingly, it always hits the mark.

Tried to write down “important” stuff about you once. Failed miserably. Decided to never do it again.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

The first time when they confessed their love to him since Mello rewound this moment in his head like a hundred times. He remembers what color sky was and what song was playing on the background and those little details made this moment more beautiful than the masterpieces of the Louvre. Joy overwhelmed him and he couldn’t get this picture off his head for a few days too.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Not that paranoid protective and obviously doesn’t need to be protected However, he will be fluttered if person showed that they care. He will freak put if they don’t answer his calls or messages for hours and in the case of real danger he will take that gun and shoot someone as a warning.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

He puts more effort in the beginning of relationship and its amount slowly declines with time. The closer he gets, the less he needs to try to cover up his sharp edges and imperfections or try to distract person with some kind of mask, mannerism, maneuver. Playing nice in early stages of dating gives him chance to throw the bait, to show he is able to be that datable material. A completely different question is whether a person wants to stay with him in spite of his inner demons.

Mello likes to surprise them with something special on anniversaries. Expect romantic late night motorcycle ride, car dates with take-out, and, of course, gifts. He likes to make/buy a presents person will like, something they wanted for a long time but couldn’t afford.

Acts extra-extra after anger tantrums. He knows he fucked up, okay, he just can’t control himself. Yes, it’s a lot easier to cover up consequences with huge bouquet and box of chocolates than to correct behavior learned over the years.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

If you ever had to deal with person stubborn as a donkey, you’ve seen demo-version of Mello’s behavior. Making compromises is not his strategy, so get ready for “this is the only right option”, “I said what I said”, “Yeah, go ahead, I’ll do it my way”. He immediately begins to sulk and spill his sassiness all over the place if things don’t go his way.

Doubtful impulsive decisions are most likely the cause of constant arguing and problem mentioned above. At first he does something (to say the least) stupid with impressive confidence. Then, after hours or days, his brains finally comes up with reasonable arguments but now it’s too late to back out.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

It’s obvious Mello likes to take care of himself. His sense of style is indisputable, he sticks to it and never fails to embellish the picture with shiny jewelry or other accessories. There may be dirt on his leather boots and soot on fur hood but they only complete his conceived image.

Probably has one company from which he buys all the hair care products. Feeling of easy combing through smooth silky hair before bed is another of his a little happiness.

How does he have such perfect face despite eating chocolate everyday? Mello is fond of beauty creams, masks, serums, and he doesn’t allow a single pimple ruin his day. Also, he uses different healing creams to soften the scars.

He would love to mess around with loved one trying new beauty products. There’s nothing better than taking care of each other.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Yes, yes, yes. It doesn’t matter why they are not in his life anymore, he feels devastated. All attempts to distract himself fail as he goes back to thinking about them every five-ten minutes, and not only thinking but overthinking. Sometimes his thoughts throw him back to the past, first meeting, first kiss, and it gnaws Mello even more.

If they left for some reason, he will try to get them back. A chance meeting in the evening is completely planned, he also rehearsed his lines in the head more than a thousand times just to stay calm and avoid going off on tangent.  

If they died, he will attend their grave for a few months. It doesn’t help much. He becomes incredulous and gloomy, scaring everyone around with frequent mood swings and defiant behavior. I can see him growing more actively aggressive and acting like he doesn’t have anything to lose too.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Because of his chocolate addiction, Mello has to visit dentist’s office quite frequently. The problem is he hates dentists and everything about them. The sound of a dental drill makes his skin crawl.

Mello can pull off any style, rock any outfit. He can dress up in trash bag and be fabulous as always. You can splash that man with the dirtiest water and he will still shine bright like a diamond. Unholy beauty.

He was that kid that got the highest score on Facebook picky sheet. He hates broccoli, never eats mushrooms, avoids pickles. Name any controversial food – he doesn’t eat it.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Mello can deal with pushy people but manipulators drive him nuts. As soon as he notice the smallest attempt to manipulate him, he will lash out. So you have to be the master manipulator to twist him around your finger or the batshit crazy person to pull an obvious manipulation on him.

Absence of communication. He won’t play mind games and try to guess your thoughts, so you better speak out your mind.

Oh, Mello doesn’t want a person who nods to everything he says. Sharing personal opinions plays a big role in relationships and he won’t agree to lose such way to connect.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

Mello sticks to adequate sleeping schedule. His lifestyle forces him to break it from time to time but he quickly makes up for sleepless nights. He doesn’t even get moody or irritated. On the contrary, his reactions slow down, and the only thing he is interested in is comfortable bed.

Speaking of comfort, Mello likes to wrap himself in fluffy blankets. The more pillows there are around him, the better his mood will be in the morning.

Dark chocolate rich in magnesium can help you sleep better so Mello prefers switch from milk chocolate to dark in the evening. It is not uncommon to find a wrapper foil on the nightstand in his bedroom.

[sub-taehyung]

Mama...?

☆ Pairings: Mommy!reader x babyboy!Jimin

☆ Summary: Jimin's girlfriend is on her way home when he sees a major crash on TV, causing him to worry if she was involved.

☆ Genre: angst, bit of fluff at the beginning and end

☆ Warnings: sub!Jimin, dom!reader, mdlb, car crash, mentions of death, crying, panic attack (?), I think that's all

☆ Word Count: 1.1k

☆ A/N note: sooooooooo can you tell I like angst?

Jimin wandered around the small apartment in his oversized duck onesie, awaiting his girlfriend to get home from work. His phone dinged and he smiled as he saw the message from her.

—

Mama💜🦄🐼🦋😇🍭🎼🍬💎🎈: “Hey sweet boy! I’ll be home in about half an hour. I just picked something up for you and I’m on my way😉 see ya soon sweetie pie!😘”

Jiminnie💝: “Ok Mama!🥰 see you then😊!”

—

He lazily plopped on the couch, a little smile glued to his face as he clicked on the TV. As he flipped through the channels the news caught his attention, and his smile fell.

“Large crash involving 6 cars, 2 pickup trucks, and a semi truck caught on the highway. So far 1 person is dead, 3 are in critical condition, and 7 have mild injuries but were able to walk away. More updates to come later in the evening.” The reporter finished as Jimin turned off the screen.

Jimin checked his phone seeing that it hadn’t been 5 minutes since she texted him. His palms started sweating as he got up and began pacing the floor.

“She’s fine. She’s fine. She’s fine. She’s fine.“ He repeated hoping he’d beginning to believe it.

—

Jiminnie💝: “Mama?”

Jiminnie💝: “There was a crash on the highway.”

Jiminnie💝: “Pls tell me your ok”

Jiminnie💝: “I’m really worried…”

—

Jimin set his phone on the table, hoping he could distract himself from the worrying thoughts attacking his mind. He wandered aimlessly around the apartment, picking up a stray cup or plate here and there that had been forgotten about and washing them. He went into their shared bedroom and made the bed, setting up his plushies in their correct order of his favorites. He continued to do little bits of housework until he couldn’t be bothered to do anymore.

More thoughts plagued his mind so he decided to put his headphones on and listen to music. But no matter how loud he played the music, he could still hear his thoughts. He just couldn’t keep his mind off the worse case scenario thoughts.

“She’s fine! She’s driving, that’s why she hasn’t answered.” He yelled loud enough to hear over his music.

“Or maybe she was one of the few that were only mildly hurt! A-and her phone got broken in the car!” He shouted so he could hear himself.

“O-or is she one of the ones in cri-ti-cal con-d-di-tion…” He stuttered out, barely audible to himself.

“IS SHE THE ONE THAT’S DEAD?!” He screamed, standing up and throwing his headphones off, running his fingers through his hair from stressing out.

—

Jiminnie💝: “MAMA PLEASE ANSWER ME!!!!”

—

She was supposed to be home in about ten minutes now. He ran over to the window he’d be able to see her at and looked out. No sign of her. His heartbeat began racing as he slipped onto the floor, holding his knees to his chest.

“It’s ok. She’s ok. It’s ok. She’s ok. It’s ok. She’s ok.” He started repeating to himself, banging the back of his head on the wall.

He crawled away from the wall once he began getting a headache, making his way to their room. He grabbed her perfume bottle and crawled on top of the bed sheets. Grabbing onto her pillow, he sprayed the perfume onto it, flopping onto his back and pulling the pillow over his face. The familiar sent did the opposite of calming him down, instead causing him to start sobbing loudly into the soft material.

As he sobbed in their room, he wasn’t able to hear the door open. Y/N walked into the apartment, and began looking around for her little boy.

“Jiminnie?” She called out with no reply. She placed her purse and his surprise on the counter, noticing how his phone was there as well.

“Jimin? Where are you, baby?” She asked walking through the apartment.

Her ears perked up as she heard something like muffled crying. She quickly walked to the source of the crying, following it right to their room.

“Jiminnie?” She asked, slowly opening the door.

Her hand went to cover her mouth as she saw him, now laying on his stomach, face buried into her pillow, shaking violently as he sobbed loudly. She ran over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist causing him to startle.

“MOMMY!” He shouted, practically knocking her back as he hugged her.

“Baby what’s the matter?” She asked, rubbing his back as he cried into her shoulder.

“Th-there w-wa-s a cr-ash-sh a-and I th-thou-ght y-you d-d-ie-d-d-d.” He stuttered out, holding her as tight as he could.

“Oh baby…” She trailed off, moving him onto her lap as she began rocking him, listening to his cries calm down.

They sat there for awhile, him crying into her shoulder as she rocked him back and forth. His crying soon calmed to just hiccups, him still not letting go of her.

“Are you ok now, baby?” She asked, pulling him away slightly so she could look at his face

It was bright red, tear trails prominent in his cheeks, his eyes and lips swollen, and his breathing still ragged.

“I-I think s-so.” He said, biting his lip as he looked away from her.

“I’m sorry sweetie.” She said, wiping a stray tear away.

“I w-was just ov-erre-reac-ting.” He said, hiccuping slightly.

“It’s ok baby. I get it.” She said, turning his head and giving him a kiss.

“I-I’m sorry…” He trailed off, burying his face in her neck.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart.” She replied, rubbing circles into his back.

She continued to hold him, feeling his heartbeat slow down back to normal, and hearing his breathing calm. Carefully, she stood up still holding him, his legs instinctively wrapping around her waist for a better grip. She packed him into the kitchen, a hand holding his butt in place as she reached for his present.

“Do you want your present sweetheart?” She asked as she sat down on a stool.

He quickly responded by nodding against her neck. She pulled him off her lap and placed him on the stool next to her, giggling as he whined from their lack of contact. Placing the small package on his lap, she planted a small kiss on his cheek, watching a smile and blush cover his face.

He pulled the tissue paper out of the bag, carefully placing each sheet on the counter behind him. Once he had pulled each piece of paper out, he reached inside and pulled out a yellow dog plushie.

“Mama, he’s so cute!!” He squealed, eyes lighting up as he hugged it to his chest.

“I thought you’d like him!” She replied, brushing some of his hair out of his eyes.

“Thank you, Mama.” He said with a big smile.

"You’re welcome, my baby.” She replied, kissing him again.

[occasionallyanauthor]

So This is Love

1,366 words

Taegi modern-day Cinderella AU

Constructive criticism is welcome, but please don’t be super harsh this is my first fic.

So This is Love: Kim Taehyung was effortlessly beautiful and could steal anyone’s man in a heartbeat. One problem: his brothers Seokjin and Namjoon had him deal with the brunt of the housework. Taehyung never leaves the house except to go to the market and search for his prince charming, his knight in shining armor. Little does Taehyung know his prince lives next door.

or: the very, very loosely based cinderella taegi au in which kim taehyung is an idiot and min yoongi is certified boyfriend material.

        Dishes. Taehyung’s worst fear (not really, but they were his least favorite chore). The sink was loaded up high and the dishwasher had broken the day before. Shit. He got to work, mentally rearranging his schedule and eventually deciding his trip to the farmer’s market and grocery store would have to wait until tomorrow, even though he was out of sugar and needed some to complete the icing for his brother Jin’s birthday. Taehyung decided to ask one of his neighbors, but who to ask: the grouchy old couple on the left or the mystery man on the right that he’d only ever seen the day he moved in? Mystery man it is Taehyung decided seeing as it was the safest option. The couple would only bash him for not being married at the ripe old age of 21. How caring. 

     Yoongi’s doorbell rang around 5:00 o’clock on a lazy Saturday night, and he expected none other than the pizza guy at his door. He did not expect to open the door to see the male Aphrodite reincarnate at his door. He also did not expect an energetic pomeranian to be nipping at his toes. “Tannie! Don’t bite the neighbor!” Taehyung scolded, but Yeontan was relentless in his attack so Taehyung settled for holding him instead. “Hello?” Yoongi questioned, slightly shy at the fact that this beautiful man was in front of him while he was wearing a pair of ill-fitting sweatpants and an old university hoodie. “Ah. Hello. Sorry about Yeontan, he gets to hyper sometimes. Uh, I’m from next door and I was wondering if I could borrow a cup of sugar and I just feel so-” “Yeah that’s fine. Come in,” Yoongi interrupted before Taehyung could get more flustered than he already was. Poor boy was shaking about as much as a leaf in the wind. 

     Taehyung felt grateful for that as he followed Yoongi to his kitchen and promptly took a seat at the breakfast bar with Yeontan in his arms. “I’m Kim Taehyung by the way, sorry for not introducing myself earlier. And this is my fluffy baby Yeontan. Sorry again about him biting at your toes, I haven’t had the time to teach him any manners.” “No, it’s fine. I’m surprised my dog Holly wasn’t up and at the door the second I opened it. I’m Min Yoongi. Also, may I ask why you need the sugar? You can have it, but I want to know why.” “It’s my brother Seokjin-hyung’s birthday and I ran out of sugar and didn’t have enough for the icing and I didn’t have enough time to go into town.” Yoongi hands Taehyung the sugar and his phone too, with a mumbled “in case you ever need more sugar.” Taehyung smiled at that, not believing that the cute, fair-skinned boy in front of him wanted his number. Taehyung put in his name and number, along with a cake emoji for good measure. Yoongi blushed and saw him out the door. When the doorbell rang about 5 minutes later, Yoongi was hopeful for Taehyung, but alas it was the pizza gut he had waited so long for.

---

     It was a rainy Friday when Taehyung next showed up at Yoongi’s doorstep with Yeontan in tow, claiming that he needed butter. Okay, so he didn’t really need butter but he can’t help coming over, the mystery man is really cute and it’s not like he has the time to go in town and get in on the action. So once in the kitchen, Taehyung tells Yoongi that he doesn’t need butter but just wanted an excuse to come and see him, to which Yoongi just smiles and laughs, his gums on full display. Taehyung’s chest flutters and butterflies erupt in his stomach only to realise that oh no, I have a crush on the not so mystery man. 

     “So,” Yoongi starts, “Why didn’t you just text me?” “It’s not the same.” “Okay, so why not call me?” “It’s still not the same.” “Okay, so how about facetime?” “Hyung!” Taehyung groans, “It’s just not the same.” Yoongi giggles (giggles), and Taehyung thinks that this may be the sweetest torture one could ever endure. 

     They talk for hours, and Yeontan and Holly play together on the floor. Yoongi learns that Taehyung’s birthday is coming up in the next couple of weeks and that Taehyung will be 22 and almost every aspect of Taehyung’s bright, colorful life (Taehyung makes it seem like that, even though all he ever does is be a glorified housewife). Taehyung learns that Yoongi is a composer and songwriter for some of Korea’s finest agencies and that Yoongi’s cheeks are in fact as squishy as they look. 

---

It’s Taehyung’s birthday and Yoongi comes over that morning to find him doing chores. Unacceptable. So, much to Taehyung’s dismay, Yoongi takes his ‘new best friend’ (Taehyung’s words, not his) out to town to have some fun for his birthday. Yoongi makes sure that they stop by the grocery store and get butter and sugar before heading of to the farmer’s market to fill the depleted shelves of the Kim household’s pantry. Yoongi also takes Taehyung clothes shopping because all the boy ever wears are white t-shirts and some old grey sweatpants. Yoongi buys everything before Taehyung can so much get his wallet out, so Taehyung insists on paying for lunch. The two of them meet up with some of Yoongi’s other friends and Taehyung’s old friend. Taehyung was shocked to see his old friend Park Jimin sitting at the table, and introduced Taehyung to Jeon Jeongguk, his boyfriend who also happened to be a friend of Yoongi’s. Yoongi’s other friend Jung Hoseok was there. They ate lunch at a cafe and reminisced of the old times until Taehyung got a phone call from his brother Namjoon asking where he was. Taehyung said he had to leave, but Yoongi insisted on taking him one more place. They ended up in front of a shoe store, where Yoongi bought Taehyung some nice sneakers to wear instead of the same worn-down ones he always wore. 

---

     It was around 7:00 pm that night when Yoongi texted Taehyung asking him to come over, and to ‘wear something nice.’ Taehyung wore his new sneakers (a prized possession of his), a sweater, and some jeans. Taehyung walked to Yoongi’s house and barely opened the door before a chorus of “Surprise!” rang out. Taehyung nearly cried, it was his first birthday party since his parents had died. Yoongi whisked him away and they sat at a table with Jimin, Jeongguk, and Hoseok. They drank until nearly midnight, and Taehyung had realized how late it was. His brothers were going to be pissed with him being out so late, claiming that he was neglecting his duties and disobeying his curfew. Even though he was now 22, his brothers still treated him like a child and never let him go out and do anything by himself. Taehyung saw that the clock had just struck midnight and bolted out the door, losing a shoe in the process. Taehyung returned home a little late, and his brothers decided to punish him by locking him in his room. 

---

     Taehyung swore he was going to die of boredom. He was alone in his room without his phone and without connection to the outside world. Well, he was until there was a yell, a crash, and the sound of footsteps clamoring up the stairs. Taehyung stayed still, afraid he was in yet more trouble. However, Taehyung was nothing but relieved when he saw Yoongi open the door. “Yoongi-hyung! What are you doing here?” “Returning your shoe,” Yoongi said, while slipping it onto Taehyung’s foot. “Y-Yoongi-hyung?” “Taehyung,” Yoongi started, “When you first came to my door asking for sugar I thought ‘I really like this guy.’ Now, Tae, (Taehyung giggled at that nickname) I think I more than like you. Taehyung, I think I love you. Will you be my boyfriend?” Taehyung gasped (only a little bit since he wasn’t that surprised) and leaned down to Yoongi. He whispered a yes, and the two shared a kiss on the floor of his bedrooom.

[tlatollotl]

There's no other way to put it: Maria de los Angeles Tun Burgos is a supermom.

She's raising five children, does housework and chores — we're talking about fresh tortillas every day made from stone-ground corn — and she helps with the family's business in their small village about 2 1/2 hours west of Cancun on the Yucatan.

Sitting on a rainbow-colored hammock inside her home, Burgos, 41, is cool as a cucumber. It's morning, after breakfast. Her youngest daughter, 4-year-old Alexa, sits on her knee, clearly trying to get her attention by hitting a teddy bear on her mom's leg. The middle daughter, 9-year-old Gelmy, is running around with neighborhood kids — climbing trees, chasing chickens — and her oldest daughter, 12-year-old Angela, has just woken up and started doing the dishes, without being asked. The older kids aren't in school because it's spring break.

Burgos is constantly on parental duty. She often tosses off little warnings about safety: "Watch out for the fire" or "Don't play around the construction area." But her tone is calm. Her body is relaxed. There's no sense of urgency or anxiety.

In return, the children offer minimal resistance to their mother's advice. There's little whining, little crying and basically no yelling or bickering.

In general, Burgos makes the whole parenting thing look — dare, I say it — easy. So I ask her: "Do you think that being a mom is stressful?"

Burgos looks at me as if I'm from Mars. "Stressful? What do you mean by stressful?" she responds through a Mayan translator.

A five-minute conversation ensues between Burgos and the translator, trying to convey the idea of "stressful." There doesn't seem to be a straight-up Mayan term, at least not pertaining to motherhood.

But finally, after much debate, the translator seems to have found a way to explain what I mean, and Burgos answers.

"There are times that I worry about my children, like when my son was 12 and only wanted to be with his friends and not study," Burgos says. "I was worried about his future." But once she guided him back on track, the worry went away.

In general, she shows no sense of chronic worry or stress.

"I know that raising kids is slow," she says. "Little by little they will learn."

Breast, formula or goat?

Burgos learned how to be a mom by watching — and helping — her own mom, her aunts and her neighbors raise many children. Throughout her childhood, she was training to be a mom.

Here in the U.S., many parents don't have this firsthand experience before having children themselves. Instead, we often learn about burping, potty training and tantrum control through parenting books, Google searches and YouTube videos. But this information comes with two big caveats, which aren't always divulged.

For starters, parenting advice can give the impression that the recommendations are based on science. But a deep look at some studies reveals that the science is more like smoke and mirrors. Sometimes the studies don't even test what the parenting expert is purporting they do.

Take for instance a study often cited as evidence that the "cry-it-out" method of sleep training is effective. The method claims that if babies are left to cry themselves to sleep, eventually they will learn to fall asleep on their own without crying, and sleep through the night.

But what the study actually tests is a gentler regime, in which babies were left to cry for only a short amount of time before being comforted. And the parents were supported by a hefty amount of personalized counseling on their babies' sleep and eating habits. The babies who made progress also did not retain the ability to put themselves to sleep and stay asleep over the long term.

As psychologist Ben Bradley argues in his book Vision of Infancy, a Critical Introduction to Psychology: "Scientific observations about babies are more like mirrors which reflect back the preoccupations and visions of those who study them than like windows opening directly on the foundations of the mind."

And sometimes the data supporting the recommendation are so flimsy that another study in a few years will come along and not only overturn the first study but completely flip the advice 180 degrees.

This is exactly what happened last year with peanuts. Back in 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics advised parents not to give babies peanut butter because one study suggested early exposure would increase the risk of developing an allergy. But last year, the medical community made a complete about-face on the advice and now says "Let them eat peanuts!" Early peanut exposure actually prevents allergies, follow up studies have found.

So if science isn't the secret sauce to parenting books, what is? To answer that, we have to go back in time.

In the early 1980s, the British writer Christina Hardyment began reviewing more than 650 parenting books and manuals, dating all the way back to the mid-1700s when advice publications started appearing in hospitals. The result is an illuminating book, called Dream Babies, which traces the history of parenting advice from 17th-century English physician and philosopher John Locke to the modern-day medical couple Bill and Martha Sears.

The conclusions from the book are as clear as your baby's tears: Advice in parenting books is typically based not on rigorous scientific studies as is at times claimed but on the opinions and experiences of the authors and on theories from past parenting manuals — sometimes as long as the 18th century.

Then there's the matter of consistency — or lack thereof. Since the late 1700s, "experts" have flip-flopped recommendations over and over, from advising strict routines and discipline to a more permissive, laissez-faire approach and back again.

"While babies and parents remain constants, advice on the former to the latter veers with the winds of social, philosophical and psychological change," Hardyment writes. "There is no such thing as a generally applicable blueprint for perfect parenting."

Take, for instance, the idea that babies need to feed on a particular schedule. According to Hardyment's research, that advice first appears in a London hospital pamphlet in 1748. Sleep schedules for babies start coming into fashion in the early 1900s. And sleep training? That idea was proposed by a British surgeon-turned-sports writer in 1873. If babies "are left to go to sleep in their cots, and allowed to find out that they do not get their way by crying, they at once become reconciled, and after a short time will go to bed even more readily in the cot than on the lap," John Henry Walsh wrote in his Manual of Domestic Economy.

Even the heated debate about breastfeeding has been simmering, and flaring up, for at least 250 years, Hardyment shows. In the 18th century, mothers didn't have high-tech formula but had many recommendations about what was best for the baby and the family. Should a mother send the baby off to a wet nurse's home, so her husband won't be offended by the sight of a baby suckling? And if the family couldn't afford a wet nurse, there was specially treated cow's milk available or even better, the baby could be nursed by a goat, 18th-century parenting books advised. (If you're wondering how moms accomplished such a feat, Hardyment includes an 18th-century drawing of a young mom pushing a swaddled newborn underneath a goat's udder.)

Goat udders aside, perhaps the bigger issue with parenting books and advice on the Web is what they aren't telling you. And boy, is there a large hole.

These sources ignore most of the world and come almost entirely from the experience of Western culture. But when it comes to understanding what a baby needs, how kids work and what to do when your toddler is lying on the sidewalk (just asking for a friend), Western society might not be the best place to focus.

"WEIRD," stressed-out parents equal anxious kids?

In 2010, three scientists at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, rocked the psychology world.

They published a 23-page paper titled "The weirdest people in the world?" And in it, uncovered a major limitation with many psychological studies, especially those claiming to address questions of "human nature."

First, the team noted that the vast majority of studies in psychology, cognitive science and economics — about 96 percent — have been performed on people with European backgrounds. And yet, when scientists perform some of these experiments in other cultures the results often don't match up. Westerners stick out as outliers on the spectrum of behavior, while people from indigenous cultures tend to clump together, more in the middle.

Even in experiments that appear to test basic brain function, like visual perception, Westerners can act strangely. Take one of the most famous optical illusions — the Muller-Lyer illusion, from 1889.

The Müller-Lyer illusion, devised in 1889.

Americans often believe the second line is about 20 percent longer than the first, even though the two lines are exactly the same length. But when scientists gave the test to 14 indigenous cultures, none of them were tricked to the same degree as Westerners. Some cultures, such as the San foragers in southern Africa's Kalahari desert, knew the two lines were equal length.

The conclusion from these analyses was startling: People from Western society, "including young children, are among the least representative populations one could find for generalizing about humans," Joseph Heinrich and his colleagues wrote. The researchers even came up with a catchy acronym to describe the phenomenon. They called our culture WEIRD, for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic societies.

With that paper, the ethnocentric view of psychology cracked. It wasn't so much that the emperor of psychology had no clothes. It was more that he was dancing around in Western garb pretending to represent all humanity.

A few years later, an anthropologist from Utah State University, David Lancy, performed a similar analysis on parenting. The conclusion was just as clear-cut: When you look around the world and throughout human history, the Western style of parenting is WEIRD. We are outliers.

In many instances, what we think is "necessary" or "critical" for childhood is actually not present in any other cultures around the world or throughout time.

"The list of differences is really, really long," says David Lancy, who summarizes them in the second edition of his landmark book The Anthropology of Childhood: Cherubs, Chattel, Changelings. "There may be 40 to 50 things that we do that you don't see in indigenous cultures."

Perhaps most striking is how Western society segregates children from adults. We have created two worlds: the kid world and the adult world. And we go through great pains to keep them apart. Kids have their own special foods, their own times to go to sleep, their own activities on the weekends. Kids go to school. Parents go to work. "Much of the adult culture ... is restricted [for kids]," Lancy writes. "Children are perceived as too young, uneducated, or burdensome to be readily admitted to the adult sphere."

But in many indigenous cultures, children are immersed in the adult world early on, and they acquire great skills from the experience. They learn to socialize, to do household chores, cook food and master a family's business, Lancy writes.

Western culture is also a relative newcomer to parenting. Hunter-gatherers and other indigenous cultures have had tens of thousands of years to hone their strategies, not to mention that the parent-child relationship actually evolved in these contexts.

Of course, just because a practice is ancient, "natural" or universal doesn't mean it's necessarily better, especially given that Western kids eventually have to live — and hopefully succeed — in a WEIRD society. But widening the parenting lens, even just a smidgen, has a practical purpose: It gives parents options.

"When you look at the whole world and see the diversity out there, parents can start to imagine other ways of doing things," says Suzanne Gaskins, a developmental psychologist at Northeastern Illinois University, who for 40 years has been studying how Maya moms in the Yucatan raise helpful kids.

"Some of the approaches families use in other cultures might fit an American child's needs better than the advice they are given in books or from the pediatricians," she adds.

Who's in charge?

So what kind of different philosophies are out there?

When I spent time with Maya families that Gaskins has studied, I saw a very different approach to control.

In Western culture, parenting is often about control.

"We think of obedience from a control angle. Somebody is in charge and the other one is doing what they are told because they have to," says Barbara Rogoff, a psychologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who has studied the Maya culture for 30 years.

Gelmy, one of the five kids in Maria de los Angeles Tun Burgosa's family, rakes the backyard of their home in Yucatan, Mexico.

And if you pay attention to the way parents interact with children in our society, the idea is blazingly obvious. We tend to boss them around. "Put your shoes on!" or "Eat your sandwich!"

"People think either the adult is in control or the child is in control," Rogoff says.

But what if there is another way to interact with kids that removes control from the equation, almost altogether?

That's exactly what the Mayas — and several other indigenous cultures — do. Instead of trying to control children, Rogoff says, parents aim to collaborate with them.

"It's kids and adults together accomplishing a common goal," Rogoff says. "It's not letting the kids do whatever they want. It's a matter of children — and parents — being willing to be guided."

In the Maya culture, even the littlest of children are treated with this respect. "It's collaborative from the get-go."

The idea is so strong that some Mayan languages don't even have a word for "control" when talking about children, Rogoff says.

After visiting the Maya village this spring, I've been trying this approach with my 2 1/2-year-old daughter. For instance, I often struggle to get Rosemary to put her clothes on the morning. In the past, I would nag and yell: "Put your shoes on! Get your jacket!"

But now I try a more collaborative approach. "Rosemary, mom, dad and Mango [our dog] are all going to the beach," I explain. "If you want to go to the beach, you have to put your shoes on. Do you want to go to the beach?" So far it's working.

And if Rosemary says she doesn't want to go to the beach? What would a Maya mom do? She would drop her off at an aunt's or neighbor's house and spend an afternoon without her. Because Maya families also have a different idea about who is supposed to care for the kids. One way to think of it: They don't keep mom in a box.

Get mom out of the box

In our culture there's a lingering belief that the ideal family structure for kids is a stay-at-home mom who devotes her full attention to the kids. That may sound like a relic from the past. But even just 10 years ago, 41 percent of people thought moms working outside was harmful to society, PEW research found. The result is a mom stuck in an apartment or a single-family home — which are both essentially boxes — raising children, alone.

But if you look around the world and throughout human history, this parenting approach is arguably one of the most nontraditional out there. The notion that the mom is responsible for raising the children, alone, is even strange within Western culture. Up until about 150 years ago, households were much larger and included extended family members and sometimes paid help, historian Stephanie Coontz documents in The Way We Never Were. And women were expected to earn some income for the family. "Women not only brought home half the bacon, they often raised and butchered the pig," Coontz says.

Anthropologist David Lancy compares the "mom in the box" approach to parenting to what happens with an Inuit family in the Arctic, when inclement weather isolates a mom and her child in an igloo and forces the mom to be the only playmate for the children. Most of the burden of parenting is placed on the mom. "There is every reason to believe that modern living conditions in which infants and toddlers are isolated from peers in single-parent or nuclear households produce a parallel effect," Lancy writes: a mom left to a perform a role typically performed by children — that is, siblings, cousins, neighborhood kids and whoever else is hanging around a home.

Human children didn't evolve in a nuclear family. Instead, for hundreds of thousands of years, kids have been brought up with a slew of people — grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, the neighbors, Lancy writes. It's not that you need a whole village, as the saying goes, but rather an extended family — which could include biological relatives but also neighbors, close friends or paid help.

Throughout human history, motherhood has been seen as a set of tasks that can be accomplished by many types of people, like relatives and neighbors, the historian John R. Gillis writes in The World Of Their Own Making. Anthropologists call them "alloparents" — "allo" simply means "other."

Across the globe, cultures consider alloparents key to raising children, Lancy writes.

The Maya moms value and embrace alloparents. Their homes are porous structures and all sorts of "allomoms" flow in and out. When a woman has a baby, other moms work together to make sure she can take a break each day to take a shower and eat meals, without having to hold the baby. (How civilized is that!)

In one household with four kids that I visited, the aunt dropped off food, the grandma stopped by to help with a neighbor's baby and, all the while, the oldest daughter looked after the toddler — while the mom fed the livestock and started to make lunch. But in Western culture, over the past few centuries, we have pushed alloparents to the periphery of the parenting landscape, Gillis writes. They aren't as valued and sometimes even denigrated as a means for working moms to outsource parenting duties.

In the past few generations, fathers have stepped up and started helping with a big chunk of parenting duties. Since 1965, American dads have more than doubled the number of hours they spend each week on child care, PEW research found. But moms still carry most of the load. They spend, on average, 14 hours each week on child care while fathers spend about 7.

The result is something unique in human history: A mom stuck in a box, often alone, doing the job typically performed by a handful of people. As Gillis writes, "Never have mothers been so burdened by motherhood."

[devoirat]

Devoir de Synthèse 2 Anglais 1ère AS

Echebbi Secondary School, Teacher : Hatem Ben Salah END OF TERM TEST N° 2 Date: March 8th, 2019 Time allotted: 2 hour Name: ………………………. Class: Second Year Arts Mark............... / 40   THE TEXT   - During my 2-year stay at home with my kids, I felt my husband was the superior parent. He had more patience with Sam, my 5-year-old Whereas I was the bad parent, the one who did the lion’s share in taking care of Sam and my infant son, Alan, while my superhero husband, after work, provided our children with just one hour of quality time but got all their love. - I felt so guilty that I was failing at something normal like motherhood. Yet I accepted it. I was an exhausted mother juggling two children, housework and work duties at the same time. "I wish I could stay at home with them and do what you do," Rob would often say, when he gets home at 6 pm. “I would never yell at them like you do. I would appreciate the hours spent with ” - Then, just a few weeks ago, his wish came true; my husband’s pharmaceutical company had a huge deficit in the economic crisis. And he has become one of the 8% unemployed. That was really sad. But I was so relieved: It is his turn now to take care of them while I can finally pursue my writing career in peace –though from my - Yet from the first day, my husband is ready to quit. “Where are her clothes? Why aren’t they clean?” he asks me. I respond in a vindictive way “Did you do the laundry*?” Then Sam throws a fit* and Alan starts to cry and I could see him running like mad between Sam and Alan. Exhausted, he would go to me and say “How did you manage all this? It’s crazy to handle those two I need your help!” - And somehow amidst this terrifying economic crisis we have been given a gift we never would have received otherwise: true Babble.com (adapted and abridged) throws a fit*= becomes extremely angry. do the laundry*= wash the clothes.   - READING COMPREHENSION (15 marks)   - Complete the summary with words from paragraphs 1 , 2 and ( 3 marks) Because   she   had   to   stay   at   home,   Sasha   Brown   was   complaining   that   she   grew extremely…………………….. 1 and resentful as she had to cope with her...................................... 2 career, household chores  and her........................... 3 kids at the same time.   - Choose a suitable adjective for each situation and write it ( 5 marks)   (revengeful – jealous – happy – reproachful – guilty – sad)   Situations Feelings Sasha felt she wasn’t successful at motherhood. Sasha was…………………………………… Rob wished he was in Sasha’s place. Rob was……………………………………. Rob said: “I would never yell at them like you do.” Rob was……………………………………. Rob would take care of kids. Sasha was……………………………….. The kids made their father mad. Sasha was…………………………………   - For each of the following statements pick one detail that it is (2 marks) - After losing his job, Rob is still (paragraph 4) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   - Sasha was a successful (paragraph 2) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   - Find words in the text having nearly the same meaning as: (2 marks) - Managing / handling: (paragraph 2)………………………   - Revengeful / happy because something bad happened to a person: (paragraph 4) ………………………   - What do the underlined words in the text refer to: (2 marks)   - their: (paragraph 1) refers to ……………………………………………....…   - your: (paragraph 4) refers to ……………………………………………....…   - What does the writer mean by “true equality”?. (1mark)   ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..   - Language (10 marks)   - Circle the right alternative: (3.5 marks)   School uniforms have always been a recurrent debate, with critics calling for their eradication as opposed to supporters who insist (on / in / at) the persistence of these outfits. Those for the uniforms say that (he / they / you) project an atmosphere of uniformity, pride in belonging to school, loyalty, and most importantly (equal / equality / equally) between the rich and the poor. By the simple act of (wear / worn / wearing) a school uniform, students escape the daily (fashion / worry / design) of deciding on what to put on; they (also are / are also / also) motivated to conform to the school rules and put more focus on their studies. However, skeptics argue that uniforms are silly things (which / who / where) destroy the youngsters’ individualities and freedom of expression.   - Supply with the right tense or form of the bracketed (3 marks)   Indian police accused 42 people of using under-age workers and helped 400 children escape   from                  illegal   sweatshops.    Most   children    aged    between    14    and   16    (choose) ……………………… to do the work because they urgently need money for their families; but they (not / know).................................. it was illegal. One of the workers said: “They make us work a lot.” The Indian children were mostly involved in small engineering or leather businesses in the city. Child labour which is a big problem around the world (define).......................................................................... by UNICEF as all young people involved in (employ).................................... that could harm them, even if they are above school age. Children who are obliged (work) ……………………… to support their families often don't have time to go to school, or simply enjoy their (child) …………………………   - Fill in the blanks with words from the following list. (3.5 marks)   human / illegal / human / labour / of / gender / remind / trade / slave / was   The 2nd of December is International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. It was on this day in 1949 that the United Nations passed an anti-slavery resolution. This.............................................................. titled the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation …………………………Others. It was another half a century before the UN created an official day based on this. The day serves to …………………………people that slavery still exists in this world today. It highlights the fact that slavery is a terrible breach of.............................................................. rights. The U.N. wants people to fully understand the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says: “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.” Most slavery today is forced labour, child …………………………and human trafficking people. Slavery is thousands of years old. It dates back to almost every ancient civilisation. It is a part of normal international ………………………throughout the Roman Empire, through to Medieval times and right up to the transatlantic slave trade. Slavery in the USA was officially made.......................................................... n 1865.   - Writing (15 marks) - Rewrite the following sentences starting as (5 marks)   - The master separated Fredrick Douglass from his   Frederick Douglass…………………………………………………………………………………………   - Unfortunately Frederick’s mother died before reuniting with her   Frederick and his mother didn’t reunite,.................................... ?   - Frederick didn’t love his mother because he didn’t know   ………………………………………………, that’s why……………………………………………………   - Working parents have to teach their children how to be   Children whose parents work need to look after............................... while their parents are away.   - Child labour is bad, but slavery is very   Slavery is ………….........………… than …………………………………………………………………   - Your best friend always fails most of his exams although s/he says that s/he works hard. Obviously, s/he doesn’t know how to cope with exams. You decided to write him/her an e-mail to give advice on good exam (10 marks) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Read the full article

[bryan28richter-blog]

Is Security in South Africa Truly suc a huge Concern?

In 1986 my parents relocated us to a farm just beyond a tiny little God abandoned town, concerning 60 kilometers beyond Johannesburg called, Delmas. As a kid, I had actually grown up with the apartheid age, as well as being white in those days had actually placed you instantly in the "excellent' side of the fence. Currently, as you could visualize, as a youngster of 10, rasicm as well as racism had no definition to me. I had no idea just what was going on, things were as they were, and have actually constantly been. We had a good life. We had enough money to live. We had not been abundant, but at the very least we had food on the table, and also an excellent sized home to reside in. We can play outside up until late, occasionally our moms and dads really did not even understand exactly what we were up to, or where we were doing it. As long as we were home by the time it obtained dark, they were not bothered with us. The house maid who operated in your home, had taken care of us during the day, due to the fact that my parents had to function. The gardener was additionally semi- in charge of us youngsters, because we were a bunch of criminals, o say the least! My moms and dads had actually brought us as much as be solid individuals, and also to support what we believe in, and also in that had actually tought us that no human being is more than one more. Your house we moved into was a significant old ranch home. It had no safety and security, no burglar bars, and also definitely no alarm system. We had dogs, yet that was it, as well as everyone had a canine or two, specifically when you had the area to maintain them. So it ended up that we grew up with Rottweilers and also ducks in the garden. Constantly we had black people in and around our home. Either operating in the house, garden or for the business my moms and dads had begun there. Al-in-all we used greater than 60 people at once. A few of individuals that works for my parents to this particular day, had relocated with us when we chose to begin a new life. Those people resemble family members as well as have been around a lot longer than the majority of my parents good friends. As the years progressed, your home received rather of a make-over. Bare windows were closed up with burglar bars, as a result of a tried break in of just what we had actually wrapped up to be a lot of youngsters messing around. Then came 1993-1994. The large transformation had actually been flung right into activity. As a Youngster, I really did not also find out about the riots and the bombings, until my mother and bro narrowly left fatality at a restaurant bombing in Benoni, a community a lot closer to Johannesburg. They had actually enjoyed the "Frail" a convenience food dining establishment. My mommy had gotten them some lunch, as well as they had simply sat down, when my mom beholded a black man, resting really uneasy at a table in the middle of the restaurant. He had no food with him, and also he was clearly on side. Say thanks to God, my mommy had the sense to listn to her reactions, and grabbed my brother up, and also left. As they reached the automobile, they heard the big BANG! The dining establishment had risen in flames, and individuals all around, black and white were screaming and also yelling. I guess that would certainly be the day I recognized that things aren't equally as nice as they seem. People typically aren't constantly wonderful, and also does not always take care of the kids in a certain circumstance. I can possible refer to Germany, throughout Holocaust, not also children, that had no say in things, or even understood just what the trouble was, could get away penalty. As the years grew on, discrimination became a thing of the past. I could still bear in mind watching Mr. Mandela leaving jail, the commencement and also his first day in parliament. We were all stuck to the television, waiting for completion of the world to strike anytime. Suddenly, all that was a white person had actually ended up being the anti-Christ! Even little children, who really did not also recognize ways to link their footwear laces were criticized for the horrible things our so called "leaders" of the day had actually applied. Thankfully for us, Mr. Mandela is a remarkable person. He had actually not once taken the position of tyrant, as well as had dealt with every individual as an equivalent person. Black, white, coloreds and Indians alike. We were all simply people to him, and also I'm sure to this particular day. Back on the farm, things have altered much more. Electrical entrances were installed, as well as the stringy little fencing that stood there for years had actually been replaced by a six foot beast of a fencing. Individuals were cutting up the fencings to obtain right into the yard, so they might swipe the electric circuitry we made use of inside the greenhouses for illumination. So, later, up webcam the electric fencing! However before that, a real break in. Cash swiped, right out of the safe, easily, no reducing devices, they knew specifically where the secrets were, and also the risk-free. No TV's were taken, no radio's, only the cash, not also my mother's fashion jewelry. That very same day the housemaid had would like to know from my mother if I would be home that night, or if I would certainly be going out with my close friends. It ended up the maid was the culprit, and her partner, that had masterminded the whole thing was in the Cops Solution, he even "examined the situation". So there goes your count on humanity, right gone! The house maid was fire, a protection system was put in, as well as every little thing was now secured at night, from the restroom door, to the door of every area that was not in use! My parents had likewise put a slide safety gate in your home, to section off your house from the bed rooms, and that was locked too. So below we remain in our Substantial old farmhouse, trapped like rats in a cage! Beautiful! The basic reality is, that nobody is risk-free any more in South Africa. I don't are what our security minister informs the world. No check it out is safe. Black people are being differentiated on by black individuals, whites by whites. It's a countless vicious cycle, and also all the while words rasicm is swivelled like a toy airborne. Buddies have actually been hi-jacked, attacked, stolen from, shot as well as killed. Not even if another person is starving and needs the cash, yet due to the fact that they are white, they owe the world. One farmer in the area had been terrorized by the individuals residing in the community ships, because he refused to offer his land to the community for more housing. He was tortured, his children hurt defeated. He had been shot in the face and also delegated pass away, as well as with the grace of god still lives.

For the people living in the towns the tale coincides, except, they don't have police security. The police seldom endeavor right into a town, as well as justice is left up to individuals. They could not head out of their residences when the sun decreases. Their youngsters are being raped as well as abused by "Tsotsi's" while they go to job. So you could not state that there is a difference in therapy for white or black individuals. In my final thought. No, South Africa is not secure. It is not an area where you intend to live. People are scared to set foot outside their homes. People don't intend to utilize any more houseworkers, since they obtain taken from. People are frightened for their kids, who in my point of view, does not deserve the rap their getting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVME_l4IwII

[raytaku]

Like, putting aside the fact that I've been TRYING TO LEAVE for A Year And A Month Now is that I did try. I literally tried my fucking best. But neither of them bothered to meet me halfway. And I learned Pretty Fucking Quickly that I can't reach out to them abt what I'm struggling with bc they'll either Dismiss it or make it About Them and turn it into pain olympics

Literally the Only time that they acknowledged that I was in severe stress abt my sibling's health last year was The Night they were leaving to the city for my sibling to get their surgery done. And it was to yell at me for... not spending time with them that evening bc I was exhausted from work. Which I had to go to and act like Everything Was Normal despite the Very Real Threat of my sibling fucking dying, bc if I took time off work they'd get Fucking Pissed at me like they always do. Even when I'm physically sick

And whenever I brought up Anything they didn't like they'd shut it down or treat me like I was lying (like telling them that I was asthmatic. They Still treat me like I'm lying abt that. I've been on a puffer for Ten Years.)

Literally any conversation I tried to start with them about this has gone Nowhere

And y'know. Their constant criticism made my mental health Worse and I became an alcoholic bc God I couldn't Deal with it all sober. I literally found myself contemplating suicide a Lot bc it was just. A nightmare. And it was either living with them or going to my mom (infinitely more worse) or living on the street

I felt like I had to repress myself bc they Always reacted negatively to whatever they saw. I became too scared to make art and getting caught in the Flow State bc it'd mess with Their Schedule

Nothing I did would make them happy. Nothing I Do makes them happy. Even as I'm moving out I'm still accidentally pissing them off. They offer help but get mad at me for "taking advantage" of them bc I have had no energy to do housework bc I'm Still Burnt Out from all the shit I went through from September to Now. And the only time they'll acknowledge this is when they're mad at me

Not in a "despite all that you're dealing with" kind of way but a instead a "I Know you've been through a Lot but why can't you do [basic thing]. It's so goddamn easy. You're so lazy. You're taking advantage of us."

I can't Wait until this move is Done and I can take some time to myself and Heal without worrying about them getting mad with me

My uncle told me "If you tried to get along better, you could have lived here much longer."

[whumpinggrounds]

I’ve Got Red In My Ledger

day 5 of @whumptober2021 with my loves Jasper and Wilder :)

CW: assault i guess? but barely? insults. this is very expositionary

The day Wilder is accepted as Master Aeron’s apprentice is his most exciting day for a long time after, and that’s saying something, considering he spent half of it crouching in an alley. Despite the wizard’s repeated warnings, Wilder had let himself believe that he’d be assisting in experiments, or at the very least, observing them. Instead, Jasper curtly informs him that he’ll be doing housework until Master Aeron is finished with the spell he’s currently working on.

And, okay, Master Aeron had definitely told him that. Master Aeron had not misled him. But Wiler had hoped he would at least get to see the lab. Instead, he’s relegated to anywhere but, told by a dispassionate Jasper that the experiments were too delicate for an inexperienced viewer.

That’s the other thing. If Jasper weren’t here, Wilder tells himself, he wouldn’t feel so resentful. If Jasper weren’t here, there’d be nothing to resent. Wilder would be in the lab with Master Aeron, assisting on groundbreaking experimentation, instead of mopping and dusting and washing the dishes, only to be told when it’s finished that he hasn’t done a thorough enough job.

The worst part is that it’s not even Master Aeron criticizing Wilder – it’s Jasper. Since that first day, Wilder has only caught glimpses of the wizard, as the man keeps odd hours in the lab and sends Jasper to bring his food to him. It’s the blonde apprentice that Wilder deals with, that Wilder argues with, that Wilder comes to dread.

They criticize everything Jasper does. In the same low, resigned tone, they tell him that the kitchen isn’t neat enough, the library is dusty, the tools in the operating room need to be sterilized at least once a day. They don’t even demand that Wilder redo it either, they just set about fixing it themselves, as if even after correction, Wilder’s worse than hopeless.

At first, Wilder tries not to let their unpleasantness get to him. He tells himself that they probably just don’t like the change to the status quo. They’re a bit older than him, have clearly been here awhile, and are probably used to a certain routine. Wilder disrupts that. He tries smiling at them extra, initiating little polite conversations. Jasper turns away from them all, face set in their perpetual weary frown.

Okay, maybe Master Aeron was right. Maybe Jasper feels threatened by Wilder. On a few occasions, Wilder has gotten close enough to see even less yellow in the other apprentice’s eyes than Wilder has in his own. Clearly, his counterpart isn’t very powerful, and maybe that’s why he’s been here so long, serving as an apprentice without moving up. As Jasper micromanages dinner preparations, Wilder casually mentions growing up with insecurity about his own low magical energy. His vulnerability is met with a blank brown stare.

That’s when Wilder breaks, just a little. That’s when he finally loses his patience. Throwing down the spoon he’s using to stir the stew, he rounds on Jasper, who’s busy flinching at the sight of like, three drops of broth spilling on their flawless kitchen floor.

“Can you stop being so rude to me?” Wilder demands, eyes narrowed.

“I’m not being rude.” Jasper picks up the spoon from where Wilder threw it down and rinses it in the sink. The spoon wobbles with Jasper’s perpetual tremor. Once it’s clean, they stand waiting, clearly wanting Wilder to let them past so they can take over dinner preparation. “I’m not rude for not wanting to talk about your childhood.” They lift their eyes to Wilder and gesture with the spoon, but Wilder’s not playing that game. He snatches it from their hand and turns back to the dinner that he’s making himself, thank you.

“Well, you don’t have to just ignore me all the time.”

Behind him, Jasper heaves a long-suffering sigh. “I don’t think we have much to say to each other.”

It takes effort for Wilder not to spin around, but if he does that, he thinks Jasper might just manhandle the spoon away from him, and now cooking dinner has turned into a weird pride thing. “We live in the same house,” he points out, trying to stay reasonable. “We sleep in the same room. We’re both apprentices to Master Aeron.”

“That doesn’t make us friends, Wilder.”

Forgetting himself, Wilder turns around. When his green eyes meet Jasper’s, the other apprentice takes a step back, bumping right into the table behind him. “Why can’t we be friends?” Wilder tries not to sound pathetic but can’t tell if he succeeds. “It’d be a lot easier!”

Jasper sets their jaw. “I don’t want to be friends with you.”

It’s such a juvenile thing to say, and it’s stupid that it hurts anyway. “You don’t even know me,” Wilder protests. He’s distracted enough that Jasper slips the spoon from his hand, and he’s unreasonably pissed about that. He glares, folding his arms and standing firmly in place while the other apprentice tries to find a way around him, to the pot boiling over the fire. When Wilder refuses to budge, Jasper steps back, sighing.

“I don’t need to know you. I don’t want you as a friend.”

“Okay, actually!” Wilder yells it this time, and Jasper darts a glance over their shoulder, clearly caring more about their master than whatever Wilder is saying. “What is your problem, Jasper? What is your deal?”

When Jasper looks back to Wilder, their gaze is steady. “I don’t want you here.” They say it flatly, with finality. “Go home.”

“No!” Wilder grits his teeth. “I want to be a healer, and Master Aeron is the best healer around. I grew up hearing stories about him and the discoveries he’d made. I’ve wanted this for years.”

Jasper purses their lips. “I don’t care.”

Even after the days they’ve spent together, Wilder is still somehow stunned by their blatant rudeness, their unfounded dislike. His mouth drops open a little. “Well…well good thing it’s not up to you!”

He reaches for the wooden spoon, intending to take it back so he can go on stirring the stew, so he can have some excuse to turn away from Jasper. The other apprentice steps back and Wilder goes on stubbornly reaching, and so –

So, Jasper smacks him on the back of the hand with the wooden spoon.

It’s a moderately hard blow, hard enough to sting, hard enough that Wilder snatches his hand back before he even gets to think about it. Jasper’s strong, and the wood comes down right on Wilder’s knuckles, and he’s hissing with surprise and a sharp little shock of pain before he even processes what’s happened. After his brain has caught up with his body, he’s left staring at Jasper, hand clutched to his chest, and okay, it didn’t hurt that bad, but, but –

But Wilder’s never been hit like that before. His mother is a healer and his father is a gentle man and he’s the oldest; he set an example, he’s never been hit before. He stares at Jasper, who directs their gaze to the floor and nudges him aside, still angling for that stupid fucking pot of soup.

Wilder opens his mouth to say something, anything, to demand an explanation, but finds, to his horror, that his throat is thick. To his humiliation, his eyes are welling with tears. Not trusting himself to speak, Wilder holds his reddened hand to his chest and flees, leaving Jasper to their perfect pristine kitchen and their fucking pot of soup.