#i mean he gets far less exercise like i mentioned

[invinciblerodent]

I tried to "fix" him a little

Didn't take that much tweaking, I didn't wanna like, completely remake him so that he doesn't even look like he's in Veilguard's style, but I think he looks a little bit more like he should now?

At least I made his beard and his eyebrows a bit messier, his eyes just a touch smaller, and his complexion a bit more freckled-ruddy like how it was in Inquisition (a bit more pale underneath because he's no longer hiking and clobbering his way through Orlais on the daily). I also tried to add back in his eyelid scar, his dark circles, his tattoo, and put a few grey hairs in his hair and beard as well.

Nobody lives through as much stress as Inquisitor Trevelyan without ending up with a couple forehead lines and grey hairs by 35.

I think the eye color tweak is the most impactful- I put quite a bit of emphasis on them being light blue rimmed in dark back in the day, but in-game they ended up looking quite a bit darker than I wanted, even though that was like half the reason I went with light eyes for Ver as well, lol.

(I wanted them to look at a glance like they might be distantly related- which in my heart they still are, but no more closely than he's also related to like, half the Marches.)

(That's just what old money nobility is like, there's a Trevelyan hidden somewhere in the branches of most noble families, and I headcanon that Ver's bio mom originally came to Tevinter from the Marches as a young woman, seeking those old blood-ties. She didn't have the Trevelyan last name or any meaningful connection, but she had a few drops of Trevelyan blood in her veins, and Grandma Trevelyan's smile sort of came through in her daughter.)

ah......

even after all these years (and the fucking Herculean task that is making anything even just resembling him in the cc), he still has that same inexplicable boyishness to him, doesn't he

he's a man in his mid-thirties now, his voice is deeper, raspier, more worn- he's tired, angry, in desperate need of a shave and a haircut, and he has been through the ringer more times than any one person has any reason to, and yet.... he's still in there

(I hope he and Dorian show up again- I mean, so far somehow they both managed to hold back from gushing about one another, how is Rook going to know that they've been happily together for over a decade huh)

(if they don't even deign to tell her that the true reason the Inquisitor got here so fast was because he's been technically living here, and taking a commuter Eluvian down south every day for years)

(who's gonna give Ver a shiny little kernel of hope that it is possible to find lasting love in the crucible of combat. who's gonna comfort her little soul that even within the ruin and devastation, flowers can still bloom) (she could really use a reminder like that, she'd tuck it away into her breast pocket and carry it with her everywhere)

[13as07]

Motherhood #1

(Kakashi Hatake)

[Art work is not mine! Credit to Garajiru]

Requested by: Myself

Keys:

None

[Idea inspired by Criminal Minds - Garcia and Derek; Season 8, Episode 11]

Word Count: 3,979

Warnings and/or Pre-Notes:

None

———————————————————————

My whole body aches as I walk across the grassy field of the Third Training Ground. I'll never understand why Kakashi insists on training so far away from the main parts of the village. Well... I do understand. Despite how he comes off, he is a very sentimental person.

Pain sizzles across my rib cages, a side effect from littered stitches across my skin. I'm never going to hear the end of it when Kakashi finds out.

I should wait until he's done training with his students. I know he's a personal guy and I get it, especially with our line of work, but I want to see him. The burning need for him has been clawing at my heart for the past week. That burning only grew once the stab wounds registered in my head, and somehow became even heavier as needles were being threaded through me to close my wounds. He's going to be pissy or at least off his game when I find him, but that's okay. I know he'll smooth himself out.

As if the universe wants to apologize, a mix of 'why's', groans, and 'Sensei!'s fill the meadow. I can feel a smile perk up at the sounds.

I've heard a lot about my husband's little genins; Sasuke the Uchiha boy who shows great potential if he could get over his attitude, Naruto the chakra-packed spaz-ball who dreams of being Hokage, and Sakara the kunoichi with impressive chakra control who's just a little too distracted by Sasuke.

My smile only grows as the big blob of my husband and his three little blobs fall into my sight. The yellow and orange blob - I think that one is Naruto - is bobbing up and down. What a cute little jumping bean; well jumping blob.

Despite the burning across my sides, I hurry up my pace to get to Kakashi faster.

Once I can make out the details of my dotting husband, the burning in my heart starts cooling off. God, I miss him so much when we're apart. The seemingly unreachable retirement in our future sounds so good right now.

"Calm down, guys. It's just a progress exercise," Kashi's voice rings out, paired with the soft clinking of the bells wrapped around his belt loop. Before I left he mentioned redoing the bell test with his genins to check how they've improved. I guess today is the day.

"Oh, come on Kakashi-Sensei! Do you have to? We all know I'm already the best, do you really have to double-check it?" Blondie whines as he messes with his headband. That is definitely the spaz-ball.

"Being less sucky than Sakura doesn't make you the best," the raven-haired boy mumbles, arms crossed over his chest as he glares at Naruto.

Sasuke's eyes catch me for a second before he glances at his Sensei for guidance. Said Sensei hasn't caught wind of me yet, curtsy of his back being turned towards me with his students facing the both of us.

Sakura's face sinks at her crush's words before a closed-eyes smile crosses her face. "I think it'll be fun to do the bell exercise again, Sensei!" When her eyes snap open, they catch on me too, just like the Uchiha did a second ago. Unlike the boy though, her face scrunches up as she stays focused on me. "Sensei-"

I jump forward, arms wrapping around my husband. I immediately regret it when my stitches come into rough contact with Kakashi's vest. A pain-filled whine slips out as I bury my head between his shoulder blades. "That hurt," I whine again, softly digging my fingertips into his stomach.

"Then maybe don't do that," Kash teases, his smile slipping through his words.

My head lifts before falling back down, softly headbutting his back. "Don't be mean."

A soft chuckle fills the air, spilling out from my husband. The sound fills me with warm, the good love-filled kind instead of the longing kind of heat. "My little crybaby," he mumbles, shifting in my hold so my head is against his chest instead of his back. "Why are you being such a crybaby?"

"I'm not being a crybaby," I bite back but it comes out as a pout instead of the strong 'don't fuck with me' attitude I was trying to have.

"Aww, now you're being pouty," he continues to tease as his hands slide under my shirt.

Despite his teasing tone, everything else about Kakashi is serious. His hands are soft and nimble as he rubs them over my skin, checking for new wounds from my mission. His eye repeatedly scanning me, looking for obvious wounds and any sign of real distress.

"I might have had a not-so-perfect mission," I mumble, glancing behind him at his students. They're all looking at each other in confusion, hushed whispers - and Naruto's failing attempt at being quiet - being passed between them.

     "What does that mean?" Kashi asks, his fingers light as he comes into contact with my wrappings.

     It's taken some practice, but I can see the small cracks in his calm composure. His eyebrows are ever so slightly pushed forward, jaw locked almost unnoticeably under his mask, eye slightly wider than normal, and a drop of worry hidden in his words. From an outsider, he'd look as calm as ever, but not to me. I can see the storm brewing under it.

     "I was stabbed a couple of times but it's not that big of the deal. No casualties and my squad came out less harmed than me, so over all a good mission."

     Another slip of composer; his fingers stiffing a bit as he dips them under the bandages. "I can't believe you were stabbed," he whispers, face inching closer to me so I can pick up on the soft volume.

     I feel bad about not being able to wait to see him. I know it's difficult for him to keep his composure when I'm hurt, and even more difficult when we're around people because he's worried his composure will slip.

     "I got stabbed in my vest," I mumble back, wrapping my hands slightly around his arms before I stand up a bit straighter. I use the extra height to nuzzle myself against his cheek. "It's just a couple of stitches, I'm okay."

     "Why don't they make better vests?" Kash mumbles to himself more than me, his focus on his hands as if he could see them through my shirt.

     His breath has picked up too, fingers not so light as they cling to my wrappings. My poor anxiety-filled husband is getting into his head way too much. "They're not stabproof. It's like when your watch gets wet and stops working. That's water resistant not waterproof. They need to make our vests knife-proof. They should-"

     "I... am... fine..." I breathe out, following each word with a kiss. First to his reviled eye, then to his cheek at the edge of his mask, and lastly, a light one against his masked lips.

     "I know but-"

     My hands dip further down his arms, tugging my shirt up gently so the edge of my bandages is exposed. "See? I'm fine?" I tease a bit, dipping my head behind his ear before pressing another soft kiss into him.

     When I fall back into place, Kakashi's eye is dancing over the edge of my wrap, fingers lightly dancing over my skin again. A barely visible pink pokes out from his mask. My partner might be a very composed man, but he's still a man. One that falls victim to the shaping of my waist, especially when it's empathized by a skirt or crop top; or bandages in this case.

     "It's just a couple of stitches," I repeat before dropping my hands back to my sides, my shirt following pursuit.

     "How... how, um..." Kakashi's flustered state is adorable, the pink getting deeper and his eye still locked in please even though his favorite sight is gone. "How long do you need to be taped up like this?"

     "I don't know. A couple of days maybe," I answer, letting my own eyes wander over him. I'm as pleased to look over Kashi's body as he is to look over mine; though his v-line is my favorite part.  A soft hum comes from him, his body going back to his actual calmness instead of his fake composure. "You relaxed now?" I tease, pulling away from his touch.

     "Ya, I'm relaxed now," he husks out, stepping forward in a slow attempt to chase me.

     "Sensei!" All three of his students call, pulling my husband back down to Earth.

     I think he missed me as much as I missed him. The thought makes me happy, tugging another small smirk to my face.

     "Students!" He calls, eye going wide as he looks at me. Perhaps Kakashi doesn't want me around his students because I'm too much of a distraction. Oh well, one day of distraction won't hurt. "Students," he repeats, turning away from me to face the children he's responsible for.

     "Sensei, who's the cute lady?" Naruto asks, his eyes wide as well as he looks over me.

     "Um..."

     "You can call me Mrs. Hatake!" I chirp out, sidestepping Kashi so his students can see me better.

     "She's not even that good-looking," the little emo boy says, rolling his eyes at Naruto's compliment.

     "And you're not as badass as you think you are," I respond, tone still chirpy as I smile at the Uchiha.

     "Maybe let's not insult Sensei's girlfriend," Sakura pipes in, sending a glare at her heartthrob.

     "Wife," Kakashi corrects, a small smile on his face. My heart jumps a bit at the word. I don't think I'll ever get used to him calling me his wife.

     "Wife?!" They all call out, surprise on their face as they look at me.

     "Wife," Kashi repeats, tugging his glove off his left hand before grabbing at mine. He holds up our hands, showing off our matching wedding bands to his students.

     The bands are basic but cute; black with blue lightening strips through them. Gai teases that Kakashi had them made this way to mimic his Chidori as a fail-proof claim to me. I don't mind the teasing, I find it adorable that Kashi wants people to know for certain that he's my husband. What better way to do that than marking me with his personal ninjutsu?

     "You... are married to someone like that?" His kunoichi asks, face scrunched up in disbelief.

     "Is that supposed to be an insult, Sakura?" Kash asks, his face still covered in a smile as he wiggles his glove back on.

     "No, you're just so..." she makes another face, causing a laugh to brew in my chest. "And she's so pretty."

     "You're pretty too, Sakura. I like the color of your hair," I answer, sending the kid a compliment back. Her face shifts to a smile instead of the previous face of disbelief. Good, I'm making a good impression on my husband's students.

     "You know Sakura's name?!" Naruto asks, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

     I hum a yes, turning my attention to him. "I know your name too, Naruto, and I know Mr Moody over there is Sasuke."

     Naruto - somehow - beams even more with happiness, and Sasuke's face scrunches in disapproval. "How do you know our names?" The ball of chakra asks, his in-place bouncing shifting to actual bouncing.

     "Because she's a jounin, duh. Do you ever use your head Naruto?" Mr Moody asks, paired with another eye roll.

     "Actually, I'm just a chunin. I'm not as skilled as your Sensei," I correct, sending Naruto a soft smile of reassurance.

     "Like a C-level chunin or a B-level chunin?" Sasuke asks, his attention finally caught.

     "Usually B-leveled but I do take C-level missions on occasion."

     "You just got back from a mission, ya?" He asks, body language opening up some. I'm three for three in the student department. That is a solid win.

     "Yes, I did. Maybe we can talk about it over some food, hm?" I gently push, sending Kakashi a sheepish smile. I know he's going to give me what I want; he always does, but I should have asked him privately before bringing it up to his students.

     On the other hand, Kakashi is out of his groove so I'm sure his students are out of a training mindset as well. Some food would help set them back on track, maybe. Probably not, but I want to get to know his students a little more. After all, they're a big part of his life, which makes them a big part of my life.

"Really?! Can we, Sensei? Can we? Can we? Can we?" Naruto cheers, running circles around Kash as he pleads.

"Alright, alright!" He calls, stopping Naruto in his tracks. "We can take a small break and go eat at Ramen Ichiraku, but as soon as we're done eating we are doing the bell test. Y/N can't wiggle you guys out of that," Kashi answers, sending me a warning look, telling me to not even try to stop their testing again after we eat.

"Yes!" Naruto cheers, darting in the direction of the village's main road.

Sasuke rolls his eyes again but follows after his squad mate, his pace notably slower than Naruto's. Sakura follows suit, trying her best to get Sasuke to promise to sit next to her. He is having none of it though, at least not until Naruto offers to sit next to her. Then he seems a little more interested in the offer. The little Uchiha boy takes after his Sensei more than he knows.

—————————————

"That sounds so cool," Naruto yells around a mouth full of noodles. I'll have to send Iruka a passing comment about his kid's lack of table manners. Despite that, Naruto is still adorable and the cutest little fuzz-ball I've ever met.

"Didn't feel cool when I was getting stitched up," I reply a small chuckle following my words.

"If you can take the cut, you can take the stitch," Kakashi teases despite the tighter grip he has on my hand under the table. Mr. Play-It-Cool isn't as laid back as he's pretending.

     "What about you guys? You just got back from the Village hidden in the Mist, ya?" I push gently, trying to change the subject. I can almost hear the 'thank you' brewing in my husband's throat, even if he'd never voice it. The relaxed fingers tangled in mine are enough of an approval. "That must have been fun."

     "It was alright," Sasuke mumbles, chopsticks messing with his noodles. Little Moody isn't as good at playing off his emotions as his Sensei.

     "You got your second tomoe, right?" I try again, turning my focus to Sasuke. He's a closed-off one, just like Kakashi... and his brother.

     The Uchahi's eyes go a bit wide before his full attention is on me. "Um... ya, I guess."

     "You guess? I feel like that's something you would know."

     "I did, ya," he mumbles before turning his attention back to his bowl.

     "Well, that's quite the accomplishment. Your father would be proud."

     I should not have said that. Sasuke's grip on his chopsticks tightens, head snaps back up, glare directed at me, as he pushes himself to his feet. The stool he was standing on clinks to the ground, making Sakura jump. It would be a cute scene if the Uchahi didn't have murder in his eyes.

"And what do you know about my father? Nothing. Just like you know nothing about me, so stop trying to be a mother hen. I don't need you to be one, neither does Naruto or Sakura, so knock it off. And while you're at it stop pretending you know anything about the sharingan too, cause you don't."

     A soft smile sits on my face as I look over Sasuke. He reminds me so much of Kakashi, right down to the similar anger they have. The only difference is I managed to get Kashi to process his anger for the death of his loved ones.

     "Are you done?" I ask gently, ignoring the feeling of Kakashi repeatedly squeezing my hand under the table. That, and the stare he's burning into me.

     "Yes," the Uchiha hisses out, eyes squinting in anger.

     "Well, first, information on anything - sharingan included - is available at the library. Second, your Sensei has a sharingan so I know a good deal about it. Third, there's a difference between me wanting to get to know you and me wanting to mother you. Fourth, I did meet your father quite a few times before his death so I can say for certain that you were one of his pride and joys."

     "Oh," is the only answer I get back, but I don't mind since it seems my speech worked. Sasuke is still a bit on edge but his body language relaxes a bit before he picks his stool back up. I'll count that as a win. What a little spitfire.

The feeling of Kakashi's hold on my hand tightens again, pulling me out of the situation. I turn my attention to him, being met with a soft masked smile. Flowers of love blossom in my chest at the sight. God I love this man, and our little make-shift family. Maybe Sasuke is right, maybe I am accidentally trying to mother my husband's students.

—————————————

"Hatake!" A voice rings out, pulling my attention away from Gai. I've spent the day helping him train his students, aka being an example dummy for new taijutsus he wants to show his genins. It's not all bad, he promised me dinner to "ease my bruises".

"Yes?" I call back, glancing at Gai and his students before turning towards the noise.

Gai's mini-me - Lee - is beaming with joy as he races past me. "If it isn't my greatest competitor for Sakura's heart!" He yells, falling back into his defensive pose. I swear this new generation of Shinobis is just packed full of energy.

     Sasuke makes a face at Lee before turning his attention to me. "Sensei wants you," he murmurs before turning in his heels.

I shoot Gai an apologetic smile before heading off after the Uchahi. It's funny watching him trying to stay a step or two ahead of me. Given, that it doesn't last long, him falling back to a normal pace.

Most of the walk is uneventful, nothing more than silence and eye daggers being thrown at me. "I don't like you," Sasuke finally says once we get to the outer fields of the village.

"Well, I don't like you either," I shoot back, trying to keep the smile off my mouth.

Once again Sasuke makes a face, this time in surprise instead of disgust like earlier. "You can't say that to me."

"And yet, I did," I answer, letting the smirk settle on my face.

"You have an attitude problem."

"I'm copying you, so maybe you have an attitude problem."

Another face, this time leaving him as the spitting image of his mother. It's always surprised me how much Sasuke looks like his mom. Will Kashi and my child look that much like me? Or take after their father? I hope they at least get their father's Shinobi skills. Though, children can't be something I think of right now. Kakashi has his hands full as is.

     Once again silence falls between the genin and I, but this time it's a comfortable silence instead of the anger brewing one from before. As we walk, Sasuke occasionally bumps into me, his nose scrunching up each time followed by a couple of side steps away from me. Despite his efforts, the little Uchahi keeps hovering back to my side and continues to bump into me. It's good to know under all the brewing, Sasuke is still a child.

     "Look!" Naruto's voice echoes across the empty field, his blob coming into view again. "Lady Hatake!" He screams, dragging out my Clan name as he races across the field, Sakura in tow but she's screaming for Sasuke instead of me.

     "Naruto!" I call back, bracing myself for impact. Despite my preparation, I still end up taking a step or two back when Naruto's body collides with mine. His limbs stab into me in a few different places, bones colliding against my own along with my stitches. I suck in the hiss of pain trying to slide out as I hold on to the small boy.

     "Naruto," Sasuke hisses out, dagger eyes back on his face. "Be careful. Hatake is still hurt, dumbie." An eye roll is paired with the end of his sentence, along with a disappointed tongue click.

     "Oh, right. Sorry Lady Hatake."

     "It's all right," I hum, straightening the boy before letting him go. "What are you guys working on?"

     "Chakra control! Which I'm doing awesome at, by the way," Sakura answers, a proud smile across her face. I can't help but smile too at how proud she is of herself. My husband does have some good genins.

     "Hello," Kakashi's voice rings out, pulling my attention away from his students, but not for long.

     "Nah-uh! You get her all to yourself all the time Sensei, wait your turn!" Naruto barks, a sorry attempt at a glare on his face. "Guess what Lady Hatake!"

     "What?" I ask, glancing down at the chakra ball before looking back at my husband. He's beaming - well beaming as much as he lets himself outside of the safety of our house.

     "I tried a new ramen last night!"

     "Oh ya?" My empty question is followed by a twenty-minute conversation about some spicy ramen Naruto tried. It's also filled with Sakura reminding him that he's stupid and Sasuke's disapproval being openly shared.

     "Okay, that's enough about your dinner, Naruto," Kashi pipes up, cutting Naruto off. "You can have her back in a minute. Go... see who can hang upside longest." He mumbles, shrugging towards the tree a couple of feet away.

     "It's totally going to be me," Naruto cheers, running off towards the tree.

     "No way I'm going to let you beat me!" Sasuke yells, dashing after his squad mate, Sakura hot on his heels.

     The thought of children crawls back into my head. I already adore Kash's students, I can only imagine how much I'd adore our children.

     "Hey, Kash-"

     "Love-"

     Silence follows our accidental overlap, before being chased away by both of us chuckling. "What were you going to say?" I ask, soaking in my husband's appearance. No matter how many times or how long I look at him, Kakashi is always the most handsome man in the world.

"I think we should go to dinner tonight," he answers, glancing at his students. As ordered, all three are hanging upside down like bats. Though, Sakura looks tired so the competition will probably end up being between the boys.

"Why's that?" I ask my attention also on the genins. My chest bubbles with joy as I watch the boys try to tug each other off the branches.

"I want to talk about having a baby."

"What?" The word is torn from my lungs as my head flips back to Kakashi.

He's stood there, arms crossed and a faint smile under his mask. "I want to have a baby." He repeats, my head spinning a bit. Maybe he's more prepared for a child than I thought.

"Kash-" I start again, but end up getting cut off for the second time today.

"Naruto is cheating!" Sakura yells, waving her hands around to try and get Kakashi's attention.

     "I'll see you tonight. Naruto! Knock it off!" My eyes trail after him as I watch his path toward his students. The idea of motherhood seemed so lovely a second ago, but now? It's terrifying.

———————————————————————

[love-toxin]

OH GOD...

I saw your porn star Steve drabble, and I...

The fruity four taking your virginity, but all of them are pornstars and they're all yandere for you.

CAN YOU IMAGINE????

HEH.....HEH.......HEHEH!!!!

(cws: fruity four, modern/pornstar au, f!angelface, only the slightest inkling of possessiveness, camming, mentions of anal/pegging/dark sexual fantasies/squirting/femdom/sex toys/masturbation/virginity loss)

So. As we've established: Anal King Steve. But as for the others, they range with varying degrees of notoriety and popularity, but they're all pretty well-known nonetheless because they all associate with Steve, who is by far the most recognized.

Obviously, most of Steve's work is anal-based, although he didn't necessarily start out that way. He mostly just made use of a spicy twitter account to post his nudes and a couple videos, and before long he got contacted by an agency for some newbie scenes and ended up getting super popular. He mostly started out with just the generic stuff, but with peppering his self-directed movies with his preferred kink, his career really took off and he became very well-known in the anal category. Plenty of videos with titles like "(Insert porn actress) gets her ass stretched for the first time by King Steve", where the content is usually sweet and only on the cusp of being rough. But he's delved into the genre of painal plenty of times before, and while he's a gentle giant most of the time, he's deliriously sexy when he's being mean and holding down his chosen costar to pummel their poor ass into submitting to him.

Nancy's an acquired taste. Her femdom videos can either be sweet and very darling with all her cute clothes and girl-next-door appearance, or they can be brutal and she can exercise the full extent of her dommy mommy persona. But she's actually in one of the top earners for her category because of how big her singular donations can get--in a private camshow, she can earn up to thousands of dollars just by offering the pleasure of degrading whoever it is that's paid for her precious time. Pegging is one of her popular categories too, with both men and women happily submitting to Mistress as she turns their subby little brains into mush. Despite coming off as a top, she likes bottoming and being a little more relaxed and submissive too, she just usually keeps that for home sex so she can keep up her image online.

Robin's a very popular sub online, she has people flooding her comments with sweet, needy compliments and envy at the girls she does movies with. She cams a lot despite coming off as awkward and shy oftentimes, and it makes her some serious money especially when she does request streams, where she's completely at the mercy of her viewers. She's had to replace her donation-controlled vibrator several times now, since it's such a popular event on her livestreams that people will pool their donations on repeat just so Robin ends up cumming uncontrollably when it doesn't stop, terrorizing her poor, sensitive clit on the highest setting for all her viewers to enioy. She does a lot of squirting videos ever since she learned how to make herself do it, although she's also a fan of tribbing and facesitting too, especially when she's the one getting absolutely ruined by a pretty girl on top of her.

Eddie's pretty popular as a non-traditional pornstar. He started out doing more hardcore stuff, uncommon kinks and other stuff that tickles the fancy of those who like darker fantasies, and he stars less in actual productions and mostly relies on twitter and his OF. He does everything from knifeplay, handcuffs, and cnc to choking and heavy bondage, slasher cosplays and blood kinks and waxplay and hard domination--and then, here and there, he'll surprise his viewers with a very intimate and affectionate video with lots of kissing, hair stroking, and praise whispered into his partner's ear. He's got range. Lots of thirst traps and desperate people in his DMs, despite being so accessible he's got that aura of being some cool, unattainable man with a dick thick enough to break you. But he's such a senseless dork in real life, it's honestly such a shocking shift in personality for anyone that might only know him online.

And when the four of them individually announced their "group collaboration" with the other three, all four fanbases went wild. Four incredibly hot pornstars moving into one house together, with all the opportunity for collaborative videos one could ask for? It's a dream come true for any fan of theirs, save some of the obsessive weirdos and creeps. However, the fifth room in their new house poses a bit of a problem--it's a waste to leave it empty, but they don't have anything to really fill it, so Steve decides to post an ad for a roommate but avoids any association with his or the other's profession. Don't want some stalker or psycho moving in just to try and take advantage of any of them, so Steve just puts up the ad in a Hawkins-based forum and waits to get a response.

When you show up on their doorstep, though, fuck. He didn't think you'd be this cute in person, even though you had sent a picture to identify yourself along with some of your ID to sign for the lease. Being from out of town you'd been desperate to find a place to stay on your low budget, and you didn't mind living in a co-ed with multiple people, so you fit the main two standards. As for everything else, you seem eager to keep things clean and you offer to help out with whatever chores that need doing, as long as they're within your capability, so you're perfect in that sense. It's obviously a little awkward when Steve has to warn you about their careers, though, so you have time to back out before you sign the papers--he tries to make it as clear as possible that they're not working a prostitution ring or anything, and that they in no way expect you to participate, and that they have a schedule for filming and will run changes by you well in advance so you can avoid certain rooms or be out of the house to do something else. But you seem fine with it, and you aren't even really familiar with their accounts which is kind of a relief, so it really turns out well when you move in and start living amongst your very attractive roommates.

It's nice for a while. They're all kind to you, and you get to know each other pretty quick, but there's tension in the air. Nancy can tell you're inexperienced by the way you seem so flustered around the boys when they wander by in their underwear, and how you react to the simplest gestures of kindness or flirtation like it's the most flattered you've ever been. When Robin compliments your style and tells you how gorgeous you look before you leave the house, you look so shocked and utter a "really?" that's so sweet she makes it a point to compliment you way more often. But Eddie's the one that extracts the truth out of you, that you're a virgin, after a few drinks you two share following a late night out at the movies. He doesn't kiss you that night, but that's when he realizes he wants to.

A little while after that, after Eddie swears to shut his mouth but you feel comfortable enough to mention it in passing to the others, you decide to sate your curiosity and do a little research on your roommates and they're happy to give you a tour. They ease you in slow with Robin's account on phub, show you some of her teaser videos on twitter and her camsite, and they make it fun--they do it in the style of a movie night, getting snacks and cracking jokes as they screenshare Steve's phone to the tv as you pore over each of their portfolios. Gradually, you make your way down the list to their collaborations and the harder stuff, the mean and degrading clips that have your tummy buzzing as you sit between them on the sofa. They finally get to their group account, filled with all the stuff they've filmed in the house--some of it you've heard through the wall and touched yourself to--and you get to see them teasing each other in real life while they moan and sweat onscreen.

You get to watch Robin ride Nancy's face while she tugs on her hair, hips jumping and belly concaved as she gasps and whimpers out the sweetest dirty talk you've ever heard. They scroll over a link to phub titled "King Steve punishes Eddie the Banished with rough barebacking" with a thumbnail showing off Eddie's fucked-out face as Steve has his foot on the back of his head, eyeliner smudged and tearstreaked while his partner's cock is almost completely buried in his ass. Nancy insists on showing you a video they've filmed of her pegging Steve on his bare mattress, clearly taken just as they were moving in--that certainly hadn't stopped her from plowing him into it though, his arms wrapped tight around her as he clings to her chest and moans out pleas for her not to stop. And all the while she's teasing him, suggesting that maybe she should have the title of "anal king" after this.

You're so wet an hour into this showing that it's ridiculous. You're squirming so bad in your seat that you're practically begging one of them to touch you, no matter how quiet you are as Steve asks if you're cool and you nod a yes.

"Sorry, honey. Too much?" Eddie queries, stretching his arm out a little further from where it's draped over the couch, just barely touching your shoulders but not enough. He smiles to reassure you, about to suggest that maybe you all can switch from the porn to watching a movie instead--but then you blurt it all out, and the feelings that have been building up for months are suddenly all hanging out in the open.

"Would you take my virginity?"

They're struck silent, looking back at you with wide eyes that render you mute in seconds--you know that was such a mistake, it was too far, and you pray to god that Steve doesn't just throw you out. But you also fear the awkwardness of living out the rest of your lease with your roommate-turned-friends thinking you're a weirdo, and in some way it might be better if you just got kicked out.

Then they start exchanging looks. They start grinning. And when they finally deign to acknowledge you, the precious little virgin squished up between Eddie and Nancy on the couch they've fucked on a hundred times, you feel like you're the bunny facing the jaws of wolves upon wandering into their den. Steve reaches over Nancy's lap to rub your knee through your jeans, and his eyes flutter to a half-lidded expression of desire, before he speaks up in place of all his other romantic partners.

"We can do whatever you want, baby. Just no cameras this time--I want you all to us for this."

[pineappleciders]

ayo can i request a male (or gn if you prefer) adult reader adopting tweek, butters and kenny? bc i love those kids but they all deserve much better parents than the ones they have in canon.

masc adult reader adopting tweek, butters, and kenny (and a bit of karen)

A/N: i've never gotten to do a male reader b4 so i'm glad you asked!!!! these r kinda separate to keep it simple, also reader is referred to as dad :)

TRIGGER WARNING: SA and abuse mentions, drugs (obviously)

tweek tweak

first things first, you start weaning him off the coffee. you still give him smaller doses for awhile just to keep him stable and with no withdrawal

if you send him to rehab, he'd definitely be a little scared. so you pack his backpack and lunch and pat him on the head and send him off, telling him to text you if he needs anything

he's always coming into your room in the middle of the night gripping his pillow and pulling his hair.

"dad, the gnomes! t-they're back, AGH!"

"tweek, i thought we went over this..."

it can be a little difficult to calm him down sometimes, so you two practice breathing exercises in case you aren't there to help him

he carries around a little card keychain that you made for him with comforting words and grounding techniques. he carries it everywhere and attaches it to his bookbag!!

you put the coffee pods on the highest cupboard shelf so he can't reach them. he hasn't tried to reach them (as far as you're aware)

you try to smooth down his hair and brush it out but it somehow always pops back up. also his hairline is fucked. so are his teeth. he's a little fucked up in every way but you love him anyways

butters stotch

with butters, it's apparent that negative discipline is not the route here. you instead opt to use positive reinforcement when he obeys and does stuff right

you're not a pushover by any means, but you are a lot less strict than his biological parents.

he gets a little confused sometimes when he doesn't get shouted at or blamed for something he didn't do. like he walks in the door expecting to get yelled at but you just hug him and ask how his day at school was

he's really glad he can actually have friends over now. his friends are always commenting on how cool his new dad is compared to his old one

butters has learned to not talk about his trauma and past. he was always taught to bury it deep down and never mention it to anybody. so when he randomly blurts out how his uncle molested him at dinner, he's confused when you look horrified

he loves to play sports in the backyard with you!!! his old dad never really spent time with him, so he has the absolute time of his life playing ball with you. it becomes one of his best core memories

he likes to draw with crayons a lot so he always draws pictures of you and him like under a rainbow or something and you always hang it up on the fridge. you're quickly running out of room for his art

kenny mccormick

as soon as he gets home and you give him the OK to eat he is eating everything in your house

turns out it's really difficult for a 9 year old to properly grow on a diet of frozen waffles and dust bunnies. you're shocked when you're preparing his bath and he's a lot skinnier and shorter than the other kids

honestly if u adopt him then you have to adopt karen too. and kevin if you want. but preferably karen.

nothing makes kenny happier than knowing she's sleeping in a warm bed with a full stomach. it's just a bonus that he is too!!

like butters, he loves to play sports with you. specifically catch and baseball. he also forces you to play barbies with him and do a high-pitched girl voice

loves to fall asleep in your lap/in your arms. like he'll fall asleep mid-piggy back ride and just snore on your shoulder

always flexing on cartman that now that he isn't the poorest kid that cartman is now. cartman hates u for it

always wants a sip of your morning coffee and waits for karen to finish her food before finishing his. it's a force of habit and it's kind of sad but also really sweet

[dira333]

Head over Heels for you - Denki Kaminari x reader

Denki can still remember it vividly, something he rarely ever manages to do.

First week back in school after the war, everything different and yet still the same.

He had missed half of the explanation on why you were a new student so suddenly, but he caught your name and the way the light caught in your hair. 

Someone mentioned you being quirkless - it might have been Mineta, it might have been the wind - but he couldn’t care less. You were beautiful, in an ethereal kind of way.

And sure, he had more confidence than Bakugo had anger issues, but he knew his limits.

He still didn’t know how he got Jirou to like him to the point she did - maybe it was trauma or something else entirely - but he knew when he was out of someone’s league and you and him were so far apart he couldn’t even see the horizon separating the two of you.

So what did fate do? Fate decided to put the two of you together for team exercises.

“Sorry, you’re stuck with me.” He apologized. “I’ll try not to hold you back.”

You laughed softly and the sound sent a shiver down his back.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Kaminari-kun.”

The mission, as their teacher explained it, was as simple as it was stupid. Get on top of a building, get whatever was hidden up there, and get back down in one piece. Don’t use your quirk.

“Ha?” Bakugo called out from across the field, clearly annoyed at the stipulation.

“Can you catch?” You asked instead, your eyes intense.

“Uh, I think so.” 

“Good. I’ll climb up and throw it down.”

He didn’t even get enough time to process your words before the whistle sounded and you were off, practically throwing yourself at the building before you, leaping from one story to the other.

Some of the other teams tried copying you, but they lacked whatever you had. Talent, maybe? Or some deep knowledge about how buildings worked, because you climbed them like you’d been born doing it.

They won that race and he still isn’t sure how you did it, not even now, years later.

-

“Denki!” Your voice is soft as you pick up the call, he can hear the smile on your lips. “What do I honor that call?”

He stretches in the small hospital bed, still a bit high from the pain meds. At least he thinks he is, because the air around him is filled with glitter and he feels like laughing.

“Didn’t mean to call you.” He says, voice a bit sluggish. It sounds funny so he says it again.

“Are you alright?” You ask, worry creeping into your words.

“Yeah. Can you say my name again?”

“Denki?”

“Yeah.” He giggles. “It sounds pretty when you say it.”

“Are you alright?”

“Mhm… They had to cut me open but I’m alright now. Said I could go home in a bit.”

“They? What are you talking about?”

“I’m at the hopsital. Hotspial. Hospital. What a word. They said I broke a bone. Can you believe that?”

“Do you need someone to take you home?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m supposed to call Kirishima. He said I should call him once I got out. He’s such a good friend.”

“But you called me instead?”

“Yeah. I wanted to hear your voice.”

There’s silence on the other end of the line and he blinks at his phone in confusion, calling your name.

“Did you hang up?”

“No, sorry. No. I’m still here. Do you want me to pick you up?”

“No, it’s okay. You’re busy. I’m just going to talk to you until Kirishima is here.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. Do you know what hospital you’re in?”

“It has an s in it’s name.” He says. “And it sounds funny.”

“I’m sure you remember it, Denki. Tell me about it.”

“Your voice is so pretty.” He can’t believe he hasn’t told you that yet. “Everything’s so pretty about you. You wore your hair differently last time, I could have cried.”

-

He blinks against a bright light, his head a fuzzy cloud of pain.

“Ughhh.” He groans.

Someone presses something against his lips, he tastes water and swallows on instinct alone.

“Thanks, buddy.” He groans and hears a snicker.

“Sure, buddy.”

The voice sounds familiar but he’s too out of it to care for it, snuggling into the warmth of a hand on his cheek instead. How nice that his mother is here.

-

When he wakes, his leg feels like someone decided to play trumpet on it, blew up all the skin, and threw away the bones.

His skin feels clammy and icky and his mouth is dry.

The headache, however, is gone, and he can see his room clearly.

Someone must have cleaned it and he fears for the worst.

If Kirishima brought in Bakugo, he’ll never hear the end of it, because Bakugo must have opened the fridge - he always opens fridges at everyone’s house - and found the pound of Tofu that’s going to come alive soon.

“You’re awake.” That voice doesn’t belong to Bakugo.

He turns to see you, sleeves pushed up to your elbows, leaning in the doorframe.

He’s never seen anyone be this pretty in casual clothes but it’s you. He shouldn’t be surprised.

“What are you doing here?”

“You called me yesterday. So I picked you up from the hospital.”

“I was supposed to call Kirishima.” He recalls. “He said he’d be done with the mission briefing by the time I was out.”

“He was. He gave me directions because you couldn’t remember the name of the hospital.”

“Oh shit, I’m sorry. How out of it was I?”

“How much do you remember?”

“I remember that the air was filled with glitter.”

Something shifts in your face and you nod stiffly. “Okay.”

He knows, instantly and because he’s been himself all his life, that he must have said something or done something stupid.

“What did I do?”

“Nothing, really.”

“You’re a worse liar than I am.”

You chew on your lower lip for a second, a gesture so distracting he completely looses focus until you speak up again.

“Apparently I have the prettiest kneecaps in all the girls you’ve ever met.”

He pales. 

“Did I-”

“And my voice sounds like someone filled the taste of hamburgers into words. Which was very creative, by the way.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why?” 

“W-Why?”

“Yeah, why are you sorry?”

He stares down at the blanket covering his legs and wishes for a villain to crash through his window, right now, right here. But nothing happens. Because villains can’t be trusted with important tasks like saving the dignity of a typical twenty-year-old.

“I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“If you don’t feel that way, it’s okay.” You say, sounding almost shy for the first time ever since he’s met you almost five years ago. “But if the pain-meds made you tell me that you love me because you actually feel like it, I think you shouldn’t be ashamed of that.”

He shrugs helplessly.

“‘s not going to change anything anyway, right? You’ll still be too out of my league.”

You laugh, a sound he’d anticipated but not like that. 

You sound surprised, not disgusted and when he looks at you, you’re smiling like that time you partnered up. When he caught that stupid trophy back in UA and held it up for you to see.

Something like hope blooms in his chest and he cocks his head to look at you.

“Can you say my name again?” He dares to ask. “It sounds prettiest from your mouth.”

“Denki, you dumbass.” You walk around his bed and put your hand on his cheek. “Next time don’t wait until you’re on pain-meds until you tell me something this important.”

-

He’s still on crutches when their class assembles for their next get-together.

You’re half astep behind him, mumbling concerned “Be careful”s and “Watch out for that step”s.

Kirishima is the first to notice you.

“Hey! Good to see you! Did he give you any trouble?”

“Not at all.” You smile and let Kirishima hug you for a second before stepping back to Denki’s side. “He was very talkative though.”

“Did he finally confess?” Bakugo yells from the bar only to be sushed by Momo immediately.

You laugh. “He did.” You say and the whole room falls silent.

“He did?” Mina asks, coming to her feet in an instant. “And?”

You look at Denki who looks at you, before he knocks his head slightly into yours.

“Turns out she’s been head over heels for me all this time.” He jokes lightly.

Somewhere in the back, Ochako calls out a triumphant “I knew it. Pay up sucker!” 

They all turn to watch a redfaced Izuku press money into her hands.

Your hand finds his, squeezes it tight for a second before you release.

He’s never been that glad over a broken bone.

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[myapothecarydiary]

Thoughts from reading The Apothecary Diaries Manga Ch. 3

An expansion on an idea presented last chapter–how Jinshi's appearance affects how others treat him and the potential seriousness of it. Don't want to take it too far, but could it be said that people treat him how women are often treated in real life? With cat-calling and such. Only there's a difference in the power dynamics at play as Jinshi is in a role of authority.

Here we are also getting more insight into Jinshi's internal life and thoughts, which present a notable contrast to how Maomao views him and the persona she has so far observed. He's not all charming smiles and sparkles, we see him contemplative and expressing a range of emotions.

As of now, though her intelligence is notable, you wouldn't say Maomao could check these boxes, but lineage + beauty + intelligence are qualifications I think we should keep in mind in relation to her character. Maomao low key has some princess raised as a peasant vibes going on. Maomao and "a sense of virtue" have a less clearcut relationship, but it will be a topic of conversation in the future.

I think it's easy to imagine that in a more typical story, Maomao might have a more Cinderella-like arc, a peasant gaining the attention/favor of the Emperor through beauty and kindness and I am once again reminded of how Maomao is valued first and foremost for her intelligence. She will be found to be beautiful, but her beauty did not gain her Jinshi's attention or her position as a lady-in-waiting.

Both Maomao and Jinshi think of the rear palace as a cage. I wonder if he considers it a cage for himself as well considering what he must do to occupy space there? Or is it simply the opposite–a path to freedom? Perhaps both?

Jinshi also recognizes the role he is to play, but that does not mean he supports all the actions he must take. Everything is not always what it seems. Like Maomao, Jinshi is pragmatic about his appearance and recognizes the value/power in his beauty, but he also seems to resent it to some degree and view it as a burden. Pragmatic but resigned.

Jinshi's pov on the entire concubine system is quite interesting. He seems to disapprove of how things are done (and how the consorts/women are treated?) Surely this clashes with his desire for the Emperor to secure an heir?

Is "the plan" the one regarding the aphrodisiac (and the mid-ranking concubine/military officer)? Or his wider plan regarding working in the rear palace?

I'm wondering about what exactly produces Jinshi's feelings of...let's call it "glee"? in regards to "using" Maomao and how useful she will prove to be. Is it that she entertains him? Excites what feels like a dull and monotonous life? Is it that he enjoys exercising power in this way? I feel it's more the former, especially since he next goes on to describe how she treats him differently than anyone else he has ever encountered. She is novel. And Jinshi, as someone used to people being taken with his beauty, enjoys how her reaction to him goes beyond being unaffected by his beauty to the point of being repelled by it.

It's interesting that Maomao can seem rather monotone and subdued (except when she's not–she is extremely expressive when it comes to what she is passionate about, like poison), but her face also often acts as a give away. (Is that just a Jinshi related thing?) I mentioned this in the previous chapter and how she skirts the line in terms of respectfulness in how her actions and expressions (and even tone) clash, but maybe she isn't really so successful in skirting the line if her expression is so obvious.

I find it interesting how the manga opts to adapt the idea of Maomao as a "new toy" for Jinshi–he is the one to think it and make that connection. Also lol at it having him explicitly state he's "not a masochist" because hmm there's an argument to be made that both he and Maomao derive pleasure from pain.

Maomao as intriguing to Jinshi feels important. I said that he values her knowledge and skills, and I suppose that + how she treats him differently than others do (+ him eventually seeing her as quite beautiful) forms the basis of his attraction to her. But her being intriguing also factors into that and reminds me of all the intrigue and mysteries Maomao (and Jinshi) get involved in. She herself is like a mystery to be solved (as is he to her as the story goes on!)

Maomao as a toy also speaks to how Jinshi uses her. Yes, she entertains him, but "toy" also connotes a power dynamic (and so part of the enjoyment does come from having power over her?) Maomao is of course later referred to as a cat, not to mention her actual name, and Maomao as Jinshi's pet seems like an apt way to describe their initial dynamic.

(oh no she fell down a (pet) rabbit hole) BUT I really think there is something to be said for considering Maomao and Jinshi through "pet" and all its various meanings. Only thing is Maomao is not tamed or domesticated XD (but maybe she'll trend in that direction as time goes on aka adapt to Jinshi's lifestyle and status?)

For now, Jinshi is the master and holds the power in a traditional sense, but he will also quickly develop affection and favoritism for Maomao (and wants her companionship!) + despite how the dynamic should work, Maomao will hold power over him in turn (as with actual cats, the question is who is really the master and I think the answer is both)

Cutie Maomao appreciation segue

The panacea is presented here as a bit of a segue itself and to show Maomao's enthusiasm + passion + dedication to medicine and experimentation, but it always feels like a weighted thing to drop, like it will be important later, at least symbolically/metaphorically. Perhaps it also works as the perfect intersection of Maomao's care for others + thirst for knowledge/curiosity.

Mini Maomao! A reminder of how petite she is and how that works along with her status (as a visual representation of it in contrast with characters higher up who tower over her). Another way she appears unassuming and is underestimated.

(also–yay Gaoshun is here!!)

In terms of Jinshi using Maomao vs Maomao using Jinshi– Jinshi's status enables Maomao access and freedom (that she wouldn't normally be afforded in her position and situation) through her connection to him. She is able to do work she enjoys and indulge her curiosities because of him.

Circling back to what I said earlier about how Maomao can seem subdued but is extremely expressive when it comes to what she is passionate about. And it actually goes beyond her facial expressions, her whole body is invigorated and taken over XD

Her blushing expression and body position at the top of that second page almost resembles a girl in love lol

It is an interesting adaptational choice to make Jinshi's expression kind of an unamused frown here–I wonder what to make of it. (We get it described as "He watched her with a mixture of curiosity and sheer bewilderment" in the light novel). Especially as it presents Maomao in a different light than he has seen her in so far.

It feels like Maomao is almost actively seeking reasons to criticize and dislike Jinshi (to justify the instinctual bad vibes she gets? And going off the fake-ness she picks up on. This can also demonstrate a general dislike of people in high positions and the behavior their status affords them) but also this moment illustrates her appreciation for hard work and competence. Not that Jinshi is doing anything admirable here, it is just that Maomao seems determined to (understandably) see the worst in him/leans into bad faith interpretations of his actions.

Paper and ice–I call this the collection of planting seeds for future storylines and topics. I love how we're given information that will be relevant later in a way that feels natural and factors into the world-building.

Things to add to Maomao's list of skills XD

Okay Miss Maomao getting distracted on the job! More of her getting invigorated by her passions and how they can take over her mind and focus. But also amusing considering her criticisms of Jinshi "having too much free time" (yes, she still washed the dishes and did work, but her attention was diverted and she lost track of time)

More of Maomao's skill set and add alcohol to the list of seeds for the future (and lol @ everyone's reactions to her late night snack plans "what weird shit is this girl into?")

"Alcohol can be categorized as a type of medicine. The more sensitive a person is to a particular drug, the greater the impact." Not just a seed but add it to the pile of potential poison/medicine symbolism

More lol @ Maomao. I said her upbringing in the pleasure district serves her well in the rear palace, but it (in addition to her apothecary background) also give her a unique and potentially off-putting outlook. This whole scenario can go to show how in spite of her regard for propriety, Maomao doesn't always behave how she "should."

More of how Maomao frames Jinshi–"anyone would be attracted to him but to me, he is a worm." Does Maomao's familiarity with beauty make it somewhat ineffective on her? She makes the connection here about how Jinshi's beauty could be a burden (or not just harmful to others but to himself).

I also enjoy how a blushing Jinshi is described as being enough "to make anyone lose their head" when Maomao often says she does things/follows orders because she wants to keep her head attached to her body (aka not be executed).

Jinshi's attractiveness to both men and women is both a nod to varying sexualities and how he in a way transcends a binary understanding of gender presentation. I think it is interesting how Maomao is so blunt and matter-of-fact about people's attraction, to Jinshi and in general.

Similarly, I love this (repeated) matter-of-fact outlook on aphrodisiacs and pleasure from Maomao (it is almost non-judgmental but also emphasizes safety).

Alright, guess who used too many images and so has to continue this post elsewhere for the very end of the chapter...

[fun-k-board]

TMNT 2012 with a s/o on their period

Note(s): I wrote this with a ftm Reader in mind, but there are no gendered pronouns or gendered titles used.

Characters included: Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michealangelo, April O'Neil, Casey Jones.

Leonardo

Listen, as much of a leader and confident guy you may believe he is, he is still a mutant turtle who does not get periods and only knows because it was mentioned in a show once and he wanted to know more. He will not understand, beside the basics of 'bleeding down there, intense hormones, and sometimes unbearable pain depending on who you ask.'

If you're someone who goes through a lot of physical pain expect an overbearing mother figure now in your life, he will literally be there with all the advice he can find that'll help.

With the limited resources in the lair and the fact he can't exactly go shopping himself, he'll ask April or Casey to buy period products or pain relief tablets for you if you complain. Even if he's awkward and shy about asking, he doesn't want to burden you by making you wait for a reply over text or have to get up, the fact it helps you makes it worth it.

Soup is also good, he knows how to make traditional teas and soups for you, with great difficulty, and help from Splinter, that will lessen your stomach cramps. Though if you get cravings he may be a little less helpful, it's hard to get ingredients when you live in the sewers and are hated by most of the world.

If you like company he would stay off patrols once or twice, but he's fairly strict about his schedule and won't go too far off it, even if he wants to help you.

If you don't get much pain, he's still by you in his free time and asking questions, you're literally bleeding he's never going to stop worrying.

Whenever you talk to him he basically soaks in the words like a sponge and uses it to help you, a one off 'yeah, this food helps.' and he's on his knees begging for April to buy some.

Raphael

Raphael... I love him, but he needs help when it comes to this. I imagine most of the other turtles at least know the basics, Michaelangelo is the worst but he still knows what a period is, but Raph just never really cared enough to learn.

He knows that a period happens... But that's about it. So, if you're in intense or even a small amount of pain and or wake up with blood around you, he's freaking the hell out, he thinks you've been stabbed or something or maybe he accidentally hurt you with his sais as you slept.

If you explain he's sort of like 'yeah whatever, how do we stop it from hurting you?' and then he never leaves your side.

You run out of products? Step out the way Casey and April, he's sneaking in the shop and thieving- I mean, he's putting on a trenchcoat and hat to hide his turtleness, and buying the products like a good mutant ninja turtle should. But seriously, he doesn't trust the two to buy the right ones, he gets the exact brand right somehow, even if you never tell him what one you want.

He pushes the exercise side of it, even if it doesn't help much, exercise is something that helps him so when he hears it can help he doesn't research further. It takes you explaining that it not only depends on the person but the exercise for him to pout and let you lead.

Donatello

He'd probably panic for a while but then tries to look through a science lense, like, oh! You need to level your blood sugars in this week, these excersises will help you but these won't, make sure to keep your stomach warm so you can lessen the contractions and pain.

Gets a bit sad if you're the type to be more distant and want alone time on your period, especially if you don't like loud noises. Donatello usually has you watching him while he works on his science stuff, so when you aren't it's a demotivator.

Ends up completely abandoning his work just to follow you around like a sad puppy, tending to your every need or waiting outside your room for a text from you if you need something.

If you want him around he's a lot more easy going, if you don't mind sitting in the lab with him while he works then he's all for it, of course he's checking on you every once and a while, and will talk when he wants to, but it comes from him wanting to help you.

If you have health issues caused by your period or your period is made worse by your health issues he's helping you a lot, he knows a lot about human anatomy and how to help ease pain, especially since April and Casey started hanging out with the Turtles more often.

He has a whole section of a diary dedicated to you, and that includes your period, when you're due, what food you've told him helps you, what foods you've said make it worse, what pain you usually describe as, etc, etc.

Michealangelo

Michaelangelo is 100% the type of guy who just goes along with what you want because he wants to help, he probably knows that you bleed, you get mood swings, and you're in pain. And that's all he needs to know.

He's watching you for your entire cycle and just PRAYING nothing bad will happen, gives you all the food you want, no matter how unusual. This can sometimes make it worse, because cravings aren't always foods that will help you, and he feels really really bad if that happens.

He tries to hold himself back on just giving you whatever you want, but when you look up he just folds and starts treating you like royalty.

He can't make a lot of normal foods, he can make pizzas and maybe a decent sandwich, but besides that he's a bit useless, so he tends to buy you microwaved dinners. Unless you don't like them. And then he's just lost.

Mikey asks Donatello to help on the more science level, like no, chocolate will not help, that's a dumb myth, it will only make your sugar levels higher and increase pain, plus blood flow, and nobody wants that.

Cue Mikey closing the oven to hide his chocolate pizza he was making for you.

When buying or storing products, he tends to sort of forget how expensive they are, he'll go in with only a couple of dollars and fall to the floor in utter shock upon realising that is not nearly enough.

But he may or may not steal a few, he saves the city, he gets no money from it, this is completely justified in my opinion.

It's not like he tells anybody anyway.

April O'Neil

She understands so much, whatever you need she'll get for you within minutes.

If your cycles match up April and you will have days where you just sit down and cuddle together, usually at her apartment or in the lair.

She's most likely the one who goes shopping for stuff since she's usually shopping for the turtles as well, though you can come along or even do it yourself if hers is painful and yours is bearable enough to go and vice versa.

If you don't get much pain or mood swings, she makes a few jokes on how she wishes she was you, but if you ask her to stop she will.

Understands the pain that might come mentally, if yours is really bad during the month she even ignores the Turtles to help you out. Unless you want to be left alone in which case she can do that as well, but she will text you every few hours, this is probably happening with or without your period given how dangerous being friends with her is.

If you have intense pain, she's extremely worried for you and will try to help in any way she can, especially if you have other issues that impact your period and or your period causes you other issues.

Casey Jones

Once he gets it Casey doesn't care for the exact details, all he needs to know is when he needs to be involved. Then he's actually really helpful

Usually gets too embarrassed to buy pads for you so he asks April to do it for him, if she refuses he awkwardly makes his way over and will be red the entire time he buys them.

He will begrudgingly be mushy if it means you'll feel better, but also reluctantly leaves you alone if you prefer being alone, he's complicated when it comes to you.

Tends to try to make you laugh or smile if you get sad, but fails to realise that the flood gates of hell spill over with unholy blood whenever you do laugh too hard.

If you're someone with less blood and or pain he'll be asking once every few hours if you're okay, every month is the same, he never learns that you're going to be fine, or that you don't experience too much pain, but it shows he cares.

If you have intense pain he's next to you always helping and at your beck and call, he's fine with skipping out on time with April or the turtles because he doesn't want you in pain.

This has been in my drafts for a little over a year, I've only just got the strength to finish it (⁠｡⁠ŏ⁠﹏⁠ŏ⁠)

[skyrimfuckery]

Working on my Squire’s Plate redo is partly an exercise of looking back and seeing how I’ve progressed. I finished the gauntlets today, and I’d like to take the opportunity to compare the textures for the inside of the glove for all the gloves I’ve textured so far. The reason I chose this area is because it’s easy to ignore during gameplay and barely gets shown during screenshots, yet it has the potential for the most personality as it’s literally the palm of the hand. Furthermore, this has been an area that I have always needed to texture, no matter the design of the glove. It allows for a good 1:1 comparison between things.

Starting off with the Blackened Steel Vambrace, I must say the leather texture has nice folds and creases showing off personality. It is very rough around the edges, and could use more detail in the color maps and more nuanced creases in the finger areas. The seam work is done quite messily, too. At the time I was set out on creating a good leather material both up close and at a distance, and not so much on creating a leather glove. I can tell you right now that my current work, which I will show last, still does not meet my imagination’s standards.

Moving up, the leather on the Evermorin Gauntlet is downright disappointing. I put in very little effort in the palm texture and only added the bare minimum: the cushioning but at the base of all fingers is accentuated, that’s all. There aren’t even any creases worth mentioning in the fingers. That’s not to say this gauntlet sucks, because if you flip it over you’ll find something I’m proud of to this day. This texture work perfectly illustrates my earlier point of the palm being easily missed, meaning shoddy texture work goes unnoticed.

My first venture into Substance Painter was with the Lorisian Glove. You’ll see that t he seams are way cleaner and not as squiggly as the previous two gloves. I went in the right direction by adding yellowish highlights to the top of the creases to simulate natural wear. Too bad it’s not enough and the palm is not exactly convincing. The thumb, however, looks fucking nice though. Note the lack of detail around the fingers, once again.

Then we have the Dragonstar Gauntlet. The leather was supposed to be a rough suede esque thing, which means it starts to look crusty really fast. The creases, however, are done pretty nicely. There is defined geometry, with major and minor details. Note the shaping around the base of the fingers, which is cleaner than the previous work. Apart from some deformed stitching, I’d say this is a pretty okay texture. This work builds upon my previous stuff because it uses both larger and smaller creases. None are hand-drawn, all are the result of a rotated overlay and clever masking. All in all, it doesn’t come across as convincing leather.

The Dark Witch Gauntlet technically isn’t leather. But a palm’s a palm. The fingers are very detailed and got a splendid 3d-look to them. The palm, however, is relatively barren. That’s because fabric doesn’t leave crease marks with use like leather does, but I could have added a few here and there because the thing is being used, and it would make it look less like shrink wrapped latex. The few creases that are there are subtle because they are supposed to convey the pulling of fabric close to the seams. Overall, I paid a lot of attention to actually painting the shape of a hand in this one, which you can see around the thumb webbing and the base of the fingers.

Closing up, we have the palm of the Squire’s Plate. The redo. This is the first gauntlet I textured using a high poly bake. I sculpted all the finger details in blender and transferred them to the lowpoly. The thumb has creases running perpendicular to its axis. The details that I’ve added to other gloves are here, with a few more. What this workflow allowed me to do, though, is to add worn areas based on the sculpt data. So you’ll see that the top of the creases are lighter and their bottoms are darker. One thing to note is that I underestimated the normal strength resulting the baking process, because areas like the base of the fingers are not as defined as I’d like.

The workflow that I used for my most recent project, the Squire’s Plate redo, has allowed me to produce the most lively glove out of them all. Yet I must say that the dragonstar glove has the most intricate details, with creases everywhere running in directions that make sense. The Lorisian glove was made with a good mindset, I just lacked skill and experience. My first glove, the Blackened Steel Vambrace, remains a great work for the time. For a while it was head and shoulders above my other leather work.

This post was for showing you my journey thus far, and for me to learn from my older successes and mistakes. I’ll definitely go back to the Squire’s gauntlet for a little bit to add some more juicy creases because I still have the project files so it’s literally no big deal.

Included are also some pics of the Gauntlet as it looks like right now!

[elegantwoes]

LMAO you have just completely lost the plot. That's so embarrassing. What is Sansa DOING in the Vale ?? It’s about to be book 6 out of 7 and she can’t even rule or command 3 flocks of peasants. NOTHING about her arc is about learning how to rule, not like Jon and Daenerys. Sansa doesn’t know how to tax, she's bad at maths, she doesn’t know how to negotiate, battle strategies or how to command armies. She’s NEVER had any experience in ruling much less run a household. Her biggest achievement is throwing a lavish feast and tournament for nobles (while winter is on the horizon and with it starvation) while Petyr hoards food to gouge prices and she does nothing about it and doesn’t even ask him about it. Do you think Elizabeth I, Wu Zetian, Margaret I of Denmark, or Catherine II of Russia were traditional, soft and delicate ??

Ah, sorry, I forget, Sansa also thought about Mya Stone, “She could be pretty, if she would dress up like a girl.”

Sansa’s narrative arc is a slow, subtle and steady one. Clearly she’s a dark horse character who is meant to take the reader by surprise. In order to enjoy her story in heart’s content you have to have a patient mind. The fact you can’t do that sounds more like a you problem rather than a Sansa problem. Secondly, running a household is what Sansa does in AFFC and the fact there hasn’t been problems indicates that she has been doing a good job. GRRM doesn’t have to spell everything out to you in order to get that, like are you a child? Read between the lines, anon.

I don’t know all the women you mentioned but I know a thing or two about Wu Zetian and Elizabeth Tudor. Are you seriously comparing Sansa to women who accumulated majority of their power in their mid twenties? At Sansa’s age Wu Zetian was a maiden still living at home and doing her homework like a good girl.. Elizabeth was being sexually abused by pedophile Thomas Seymour (just like what Sansa is enduring right now. Sansa shares similarities with her too, not just Eleanor of Aquitaine).

Thirdly, Sansa doesn’t need to learn everything for you to understand that she has a political arc and is groomed by GRRM to become a ruler. Like Jon has his pit falls too but that doesn’t take away his political arc. All that tells me is Sansa is exceptional in area where Jon is lacking and Jon’s strongest area are Sansa’s weaknesses. It’s almost like GRRM is setting them up to combine their skills and work like a team. Funny isn’t it. Fortunately they will likely meet in TWOW and then Sansa can learn what she lacks from Jon. So I say wait till the book comes out before judge Sansa’s TWOW sample chapter (which by the way is likely only a draft). Patience is a virtue, anon. Exercise some.

I fail to see what that random quote about Mya Stone has to do with the point you are making, but since we sharing quotes I will share one too:

By the time all the new knights had been given their sers the hall was growing restive, and none more so than Joffrey. Some of those in the gallery had begun to slip quietly away, but the notables on the floor were trapped, unable to depart without the king's leave. Judging by the way he was fidgeting atop the Iron Throne, Joff would willingly have granted it, but the day's work was far from done. For now the coin was turned over, and the captives were ushered in. (A Clash of Kings, Sansa VIII)

Sansa at the age of twelve can listen to hours of court hearings without feeling bored or restless, something what adults twice, or even thrice, her age cannot do, for some of them quietly leave court. In this scene Sansa is on the gallery (Sansa leaned forward, her hands tight around the gallery’s wooden rail) and she could just easily leave without being noticed, but she doesn’t. She stays till the very end. You what this tells me? That Sansa can handle the day to day boring bureaucratic work that is required from a ruler. In fact she loves it. I mean she voluntarily decided to attend the court that Ned held in AGOT and then excitedly told everything that happened in court to Jeyne. Miss. War Criminal on the other hand grows bored of holding court. So who exactly is not suited to rule here? It certainly isn’t Sansa.

[the-chosen-fanfiction]

Simon the Zealot | Carry You Home | Platonic

Requested: Yes

Your legs can’t carry you any further, but Simon can. It does, however, mean a dent in his tough-guy image.

Every step feels heavier than the previous one as you plod your way through the plains of Judea, your shins feeling like they are on fire ever since passing Jericho. Trailing behind far enough as is, you sigh in defeat as you let your eyes go to the horizon again, where Philip and Jesus are waiting for you. 

“Sorry that I’m keeping you behind,” Little James says next to you upon hearing the sound leaving your lungs, and it genuinely causes you to pull a face. 

“What? No!” you quip back, reassuring him, “You’re not a burden at all. My feet feel like they’re falling off. That sigh was not directed towards you.” 

James lets out a relieved noise and smiles a bit. “Well, at least I’m not lonely now.” You chuckle and look at him from the corner of your eye. 

“I wouldn't have left you alone regardless of my own feet, James.”

A pleasant silence befalls you two as you continue walking towards Jesus and Philip, who wear patient smiles on their faces. “Apologies for holding up the group.” you say, but the two men shake their heads. 

“Neither of you is doing such a thing,” Jesus tells you, smiling. “We cannot just leave you behind here, though. The others will go ahead and set up camp, so we can join them later.”

Feeling immediately a tad guilty for having the others do the heavy lifting, you open your mouth to protest: “But Teacher, we cannot let the rest do our hard manual labour for us! I’d feel so burdened if someone had to set up my tent all by himself!”

Putting a hand on your shoulder, Jesus gently squeezes it. “Stop worrying so much, (Y/n). I love you, but don’t talk yourself down about matters you cannot do anything about. It has been a long day and those who set up camp know very well that you’re exhausted, so don’t mention it, okay? And we both know you’d do the same for them if the roles had been reversed.”

You dutifully nod, knowing better than to question Jesus’ judgement, and lean on the long stick you had found on the side of the road earlier, which supports you on your walk. Still, your feet feel like they might fall off soon.

For a moment, you wonder if it would be strange to ask Jesus to alleviate your hurt, but when you look at Little James walking beside you, you realise that you would feel ashamed to complain about your temporary pain, whereas your friend has been in this discomfort all his life and never so much as complained. 

On the horizon, someone runs your way – it is your good friend Simon, who seems to be in a bit of a hurry. “Master,” he gasps, slightly out of breath upon arriving in front of the four of you, his sandals leaving a trail of dust in their wake. “The boys in the front are bickering again, they’re having trouble picking a place to sleep and they have all agreed that they will only let You pick a spot to camp now.”

Jesus lets out a chuckle and rolls His eyes playfully. “Oh, why am I not surprised? Very well,” He quips with humour in His voice, “Simon, can you stay with Little James and (Y/n)? Philip, you come with Me to settle this little argument in the front. We will see you later, okay? Take your time, don't worry about us setting up your places to sleep or not having food, we will make sure that things are alright.”

“Can’t Philip stay with them, Master?” Simon suggests, gesturing at you and James, “Of course they are my friends, but I was hoping to get in some exercise before sundown, and…” 

The rest of his words trail off when he sees Jesus smile knowingly at him. “You will get your exercise Simon, trust Me. If I didn’t want you to stay with them, I wouldn’t have asked. And then, you’re always running around, doing heavy labour. Sometimes it is better to slow down for a bit, too.”

The bunch of you nod in agreement, but Simon seems less keen to stay behind. When Jesus and Philip are a fair bit away, the former Zealot sighs next to you with a slight pout over his features.

“What, not happy with babysitting duty?” you jest, and Simon snorts a laugh. 

“That’s not it,” he says, “It’s just not in my nature to walk so slowly.”

You chuckle lightly. “We know, Si.”

James pipes up: “At least now we’ve got someone very strong at our side in case something happens to us. If we happened to be robbed right now, we wouldn’t have to hand over our bags.”

“Not that there is a lot in there in the first place.” you murmur, earning an amused hum from him.

Simon folds his hands on his back as he walks next to the two of you in silence, eyes focused upon the distance. “Where do you think we’ll sleep tonight? Do you reckon we’ll have to walk for much longer?” 

You shrug. “I don’t know, it entirely depends on what Jesus– Gah!” 

The sudden dent in the road goes unnoticed by you and you strangely twist through your ankle, feeling it shift to the side. A wave of nausea hits you in the gut as you fall to the ground, a searing pain shunting through your form. 

“(Y/n)!” James cries out, “Are you okay?”

“Are you hurt?” Simon crouches down next to you and reaches for your elbow, his gaze focused on your ankle that is throbbing with white hot pain. Inhaling sharply, you nearly choke on your own tongue as you try to gather the air to speak, throwing back your head in discomfort, your teeth grinding together as you grip at your foot, letting out a strained sound. 

“Oh, Hades!” you manage to hiss, having picked up the term from Philip, “That hurts!” Tears spring into your eyes at the sensation.

Little James puts a concerned hand on your arm. “Can you walk?”

You exhale deeply through your nose as you try to move around your ankle, pain ripping through your heel and shunting up all through your calf. “I–I don’t know!” you stutter, your heart beating loudly against your chest. “Simon, can you help me up?”

The former Zealot shakes his head, and you frown in confusion, until he clarifies: 

“Properly sit down for a second, okay? I need to investigate it first.”

You shift yourself to sit on the road, Simon gently taking hold of your leg to stretch it out in front of you, taking your foot into his lap as he kneels down. “I’m going to remove your sandal, is that okay?” You nod, pursing your lips as he undoes the straps and carefully takes it off, holding your foot at the heel, unfazed by the sand between your toes. 

“It feels warm already,” he says, concerned. “It should be compressed for a bit, at least until we reach camp, just to keep it from swelling too much.”

Simon reaches into the bag on his hip and takes out a knife, your eyes widening at the sight. When he sees James’ and your responses at the fact that he carries a weapon on him, he smiles a bit. “It’s meant to cut fruits, don’t worry about it.”

Sighing in relief, you watch how he takes a few scraps of fabric from his bag, selects one and stuffs the others back in. Simon slices a strip clean off, and another, and another, before positioning your foot into his lap properly. You whimper in pain and he mutters a soft apology as he begins binding your ankle.

James holds out his hand for you to squeeze into and you gladly take it, smiling gratefully at him. With practised ease, Simon wraps the strips of fabric around your ankle, your heel, tightly strapping it into a certain position so that you have no choice but to keep it in a straight angle. “Just tell me if it is too tight,” Simon says upon a pained sound that leaves you, but you shake your head. 

“I’ll be fine. Thank you.” 

“Any time,” Simon tells you, putting away his items before helping you put your sandal back on, securing it. “Let’s see if you can walk. Luckily, you have a stick on you already.”

Upon standing, Simon helps you to your feet. However, the moment you slowly set it down, you lift your leg immediately to not put any pressure on the ankle. James hands you the walking stick and you lean into it, hoping for it to take away some of the agony. 

“I feel so silly for spraining my ankle now,” you sigh, “Sorry to keep you guys back even more.”

“You can’t help it, (Y/n), so no need to apologise.” James says. 

Simon supports your elbow as you attempt to make a step forward, but in spite of the assistance you’re receiving, tears blur your vision. “Oh, that is awful!” you whimper, distressed. “I don’t think I can walk.”

The three of you fall silent, your gaze going to the horizon, your heart sinking inside your chest. “Who knows how far we might be away from camp, still? For all we know, it’s miles away.”

“Pessimism will get us nowhere.” Simon reminds you, and you sigh, knowing that you’d indeed spend that time better by thinking of a solution. 

James suddenly pipes up. “Simon, can’t you carry her?”

The former Zealot frowns. “What?”

“Carry her on your back.”

He lets out a small noise and almost flusters at the suggestion. “As (Y/n) just said, camp could be miles away. Can’t we look for another solution?”

“Well, what do you suggest?” 

Brief silence as Simon overthinks it, visibly pondering for a few seconds before admitting to it. “Fine,” he sighs, “I can carry you. But don’t tell the others, otherwise people will request me to carry them just because they don’t feel like walking.” 

You chuckle at the mental image of Big James asking Simon for such a thing and wonder if this would mean a scratch onto his pride, but then, Jesus Himself had said he would get his exercise today. 

“Thank you, Simon.” you earnestly say, smiling kindly. “That means a lot, actually.”

He hums, reluctantly lowering himself so that you can put your arms around his shoulders and wrap your bad leg around his waist so that you can kick yourself off the ground with the other, and he grabs a hold of the back of your knees, lifting you up with a slight grunt. 

“See, that’s not too bad, is it?” James says with amusement in his voice, “If I ever trail back again or feel tired, I know just who to turn to, now.”

Simon lets out a sound and rolls his eyes, but cannot fight the smile. “See, there’s the kind of trouble I was fearing. Are you comfortable, (Y/n)?”

You tighten your grip around his shoulders and shift a little against his back before humming in agreement. “I am now,” you say, “As much as the pain allows me to be.”

When Simon starts to walk, you tightly grab onto him, sudden pain shunting through your ankle at the shocks that go through your body at every step. You rest your head against Simon’s back, grunting in pain. “Sorry,” you squeak, “Every movement just hurts.”

“Jesus will fix it,” Simon tells you, “And if not, it will only hurt for a few days.”

You manage to relax, trying to not focus too much on the pain. “Hm, would you carry me for several days, then?”

Simon clicks his tongue. “In your dreams, (Y/n). I’d drag you through the sand at a certain point.”

Both you and James laugh and you feel yourself becoming drowsy at the feeling of the lowering sun warming your back, the even pad of Simon’s feet lulling you into a state of content. 

“Falling asleep back there, (Y/n)?” James muses upon seeing your closed eyes, and you smile sleepily. 

“Maybe…” you hum, and Simon grabs a firmer hold on you as your body begins to slightly slouch forward against him. “Is it too heavy, Si?”

He shakes his head. “It’s okay,” he mutters, “Just close your eyes and try to rest while you can. After all, we don’t know how far off it is, and the more you sleep, the more energy you’ll have for your ankle to heal, and it means that your pain isn’t too bad at this very moment.”

You hum. “That’s right,” you say. “Thank you again for doing this.”

“Hey, don’t mention it.” Simon says, “Seriously thought, don’t mention it.” 

Laughing lightly, you pat his shoulder. “You grump.”

Simon’s eyebrows shoot up and he looks at you over his shoulder, giving you a challenging look. “I could drop you right here and now, you know?”

“You could, but you wouldn’t.”

The three of you travel onwards slowly albeit surely, hoping to find the rest of the followers somewhere soon. “Wake me up when you see camp,” you muse, closing your eyes again. 

Simon ignores the amused laughter of James.

“What a sight, though. Who knew that you were such a soft and caring person under all that tough-guy stuff?” Little James comments. You sleepily giggle.

In spite of his request, the former Zealot realises that he might not hear the end of this any time soon.

[icy-book]

Now, Coach Darnell just wanted a fun little hiking trip for the school. Give the kids some exercise, let the parents be involved. It's free, they get to be in nature, and it's a perfectly lovely laid-back afternoon. Unfortunately for him, the entire Close-Foster-Freeman-Swift-Stephen-Stampler-Marlowe-Swallows-Oak-Garcia-Wilson-Actually-Likely-dear-god-how-many-last-names-do-these-people-have family decided to chaperone.

 Henry: We should go to [fairly far away trail] it's a prefect one for the kids

Carol: How are we going to get there though? The school doesn't have enough minibuses

Darryl: Well, Odessey-san could probably fit about a class and some parents and teachers

Mercedes: And the journey is less than an hour so we can use our no-emission fuel source

Glenn: Guess that means I'm riding with you guys, huh

Darnell, who only knows the Odessey as Darryl's rundown car the kiddads got kidnapped in that one time: Hold on, are you seriously suggesting that we try and fit 30+ people into a 30-something year old minivan that runs on a weird fuel source that you never name and has to be changed every hour, that for some reason only Glenn use?

TJ, completely missing the multiple problems: ... she's bigger on the inside

TJ: She can fit a class

 Sparrow will not stop picking up squirrels. No one knows how he's even able to get that close to them or why they don't freak out when he picks them up (the answer is druid powers). There's a picture of him holding twenty and surrounded by more on the school's socials.

 Grant: This hike will be a great opportunity to spend time with Lincoln's new friends and see what they're like

*Sees Link with a terrifying goth girl who acts just like Terry Jr as a teen (including hating her new stepdad), a weeb who has the exact same vocal mannerisms as Glenn and cool guy energy as Nicky, and clearly Normal Oak*

Grant: You know what, never mind, maybe we should go back to homeschooling him

 (Grant: *he's just like me fr meme /negative*)

 Darnell: I don't want a repeat of soccer camp '22, Terry Jr

TJ: I did absolutely nothing wrong

Darnell: You stuck Lark on top of the flat mast saying, and I quote, "Naughty children go on the pole"

TJ: And it got him to stop setting fire to the goal posts, didn't it?

 Every single one of the s1 parents made homemade snacks. Every. Single. One.

 Henry, ranting about nature and rocks: and you know the chasm we're walking by is actually made by a waterfall slowly eroding its own overhang and slowly moving backwards along the valley

Darryl: Henry, we do this trail once a month and you mention this every single time. I did take high school geography. I know how oxbow lakes are formed

Glenn in the background: the chasm we're walking by is also where I fucked your mom WOO

Samantha: I'm pretty sure Autumn was more likely to make love here with Ronnie than you, Glenn

Glenn: Damn, Sam, still bringing out the decade-old burns

 At one point, Nicky hurts his ankle (plus his asthma is acting up) so Terry just starts giving him a piggy back unprompted.

Lark: Hey Teej, can you carry me as well for a bit

TJ: no <3

Nicky absolutely did not need to be carried the entire rest of the trail, but what was he supposed to do? Tell Terry to put him down? Obviously not an option

(Terry also could easily have carried Lark too, he was just being petty. He also knew he could have stopped carrying Nicky after like, 10 minutes, but hey, Nicky wasn’t complaining, and maybe he liked being able to be this close to him again, sue him)

 They go to a milkshake diner place after the hike (which has vegan options to appease the Swallows-Oak-Garcias). Glenn and Morgan get those couples straws and you know this meme?

They both do the thing in the bottom picture, but they share the glasses that they put the bottom end of the straws into so it still ends up looking like the top picture. Alternatively, they only share one glass, and the other straw is in an individual glass. Which of course means they get into a whole Freddie-esque tangent/rant about why the middle glass needs to be twice as big because it's being consumed at double the rate of the other two

Jodie is not jealous at all as he watches this. Nope. Nuh-uh.

Scam and Mark somehow snuck onto the trip. No one knows how. Terry spends the entire diner celebration shooting the paper coverings that come with straws at takeout places at Mark because he still hasn't forgiven her for upsetting Ron

Poor Darnell just has to keep dealing with this weird-ass blend of 4, maybe 5, different families that just keep on happening. Unfortunate downsides of being Carol’s best friend

[ladyluscinia]

I really cannot make it clear enough that the only people who think Izzy Hands has a massively outsized following in the OFMD fandom are people who aren't paying attention and probably get annoyed by every positive mention of Izzy Hands.

Those of us who do post about him / read fics about him / enthusiastically ship him / whatever are far more likely to quip about how there are whole dozens of us in our corner because that's a hell of lot closer to the reality. But if plain statistics on fics or repeatedly pointing out that tumblr notes are the same people hitting that same reasonable average of double digit reblogs... Idk. Maybe a more descriptive exercise would make this clear?

I'm sorting AO3 by most kudos, looking at OFMD fics with Izzy's character tag (aka the one place he really outstrips the other side characters in numbers). A few observations:

Izzy's name appears in a fic summary for the first time on Fic 6, with "...and Izzy getting disrespected several times." Not much of a mention.

First Izzy/OC ship is Fic 7 (Hell or High Water - a title I recognize but have never read)

First Izzy/Other Character is Fic 17, with Izzy/Lucius, which also appears to be the first Izzy focused fic

Fic 22 is the first appearance of BlackHands as part of a SteddyHands fic

46 Fics in we get the first one Not Technically Ship Tagged with BlackBonnet (a Lucius/Izzy with a "background blackbonnet" tag), and at Fic 63 we get the first Actually Not Ship Tagged with BlackBonnet (a Stizzy fic about bonding over hating Calico Jack).

I think Fic 215 is the first mention of Sam Bellamy? I'm trying to find something specific and it's taking a while...

Oh wait there it is! 216 Fics by Kudos into the "Israel Hands" character tag (out of 7785 total) we have the first BlackHands fic that doesn't have Stede involved. Prior to this there were a lot of BlackBonnet fics, and notable numbers of SteddyHands and Izzy/Lucius. Hell we even hit Izzy/Frenchie and Izzy/Captain Flint before getting to this point.

I'm just really trying to illustrate here that for all the snide accusations and defensive worrying I see about all the sinister Izzy fans trying to make the whole show and fandom about him, "Izzy" content (which this ought to demonstrate is hardly all about Izzy) is just not that overwhelming. Izzy content that excludes or ignores the Revenge crew even less so. Like, run this exercise with any side character and you'll get pretty similar results - seeing as the dominance of BlackBonnet above all else is still ridiculous by fandom standards - but that's kinda the point.

Izzy is a popular side character, which is a thing that tends to happen when side characters get speaking time, characterization, camera focus, exploration of their current and potential relationships (conflict counts), etc. You know, things that Izzy gets a bunch of as an antagonist? Izzy having more content than Oluwande is not really more weird than Oluwande having more content than Buttons or Wee John? I'm not going to pretend that fandom spaces don't drop the ball on content for characters of color pretty often, but the tagged content breakdown in this fandom is not far off from what you would expect by character descriptions alone.

Like the list goes Cool Protagonist / Love Interest -> POV Protagonist -> Live-In Primary Antagonist -> Side Fun Guy with a Death Cliffhanger / Fanfic Gap Ending -> Side Pirate Assassin with a Subplot -> Assassin's Side Love Interest... I mean, maybe Lucius is a bit higher than Jim even for what "Lucius in the walls" fics can account for, or Lucius / Izzy have a bit bigger of a lead than they would without white identifying bias, but that's like? Unprovable speculation at best???

Not remotely comparable to, like, "Star Wars Sequel Trilogy" where Kylo Ren is 46.3% of fics while the two non-white protagonists are only in 35.7% (Poe) or 29% (Finn). Like Poe is technically behind Hux's 35.9%, which is absurd for a secondary antagonist no matter how fun I found his blatant evil. It's like if Chauncey Badminton was neck and neck with Jim or even Edward. That is a content percentage you should question, and the numbers might be worse in "Star Wars - All Media Types" (though Kylo does at least lose to Obi Wan).

[theteablogger]

Same anon re: costuming. CW for weight gain/loss & mentions of EDs

Yes, just as a couple of examples of things which I’ve dealt with which sprang to mind reading about Andy’s history and made me go “yikes”, from school:

- When taking measurements, were taught to *ask* people if they wanted to know them or not (if not, we wrote them down but didn’t say it out loud). I once had someone say before I could ask, “Please don’t tell me, I’m recovering from an eating disorder and can’t know stuff like that”.

- Re: not commenting on weight, that included changes. I re-measured someone from a start of the first semester show to end of the second and she looked significantly different. She kept apologizing because her measurements were larger and finally said that she’d actually lost a bunch of weight because she’d been sick and that’s why she’d been smaller before. I stuck to saying I was glad she recovered, but she was clearly scared of being judged for how her body had changed.

Those are just two things, but thinking about how he habitually talks about weight gain/loss, fatphobia, beauty standards etc around women—the negging, backhanded compliments and lectures from 2018, but also some of the stuff he reffed in that thread (and further back the way those types of situations were exploited for abuse!)—you can see why I find it alarming to think about that being a voice of authority in the context of an industry where actors are (far more than in the context of an art school) consistently under insane pressure with regard to diet and exercise culture, often at the expense of health.

With regard to stunts and SFF/Adventure genres, see here: https://amp.theguardian.com/film/2016/jun/29/why-stuntwomen-are-in-more-danger-than-men

The TL;DR is that tight-fitting costumes which cover less skin, high heels, shape wear etc all make it way easier to sustain injuries. I point it out mainly because it’s a pretty obvious difference between cosplay and actually doing things other than standing/walking around in costume, and also because it’s indicative of a culture where people are far less likely to be held accountable for safety than for making sure it’s all aesthetically pleasing. The “nightmare scenario” is always someone arguing over safety and comfort concerns (whether or not stunts are involved) because of the look and a performer not being able to overrule, and that tragically happens far too often. Even professionals don’t necessarily “call it out” among their peers, same with lookism & fatphobia from those who consider being skinny part of the job description.

It’s the very fact that AB’s online persona these days is all about awareness and sensitivity towards those issues that makes me both REALLY hope he’s serious for once and worried about who might suffer for it if he’s not, and it’s another case where “sensitivity” is used as a matter of knowing people’s “weaknesses”. That’s part of why learning the source of the thread shook me up so hard: it was because the ‘progressive’ industry language was almost right but just slightly off—and then “slightly off” was “Oh okay so when you say you’re intimately aware of people’s body image struggles, did you mean your job, or those times you psychologically tortured your exes? Or set off others’ dysphoria repeatedly? Or…” you get the picture :/

Thanks for writing back, anon! It's always helpful to get perspectives from people involved in costuming.

It’s the very fact that AB’s online persona these days is all about awareness and sensitivity towards those issues that makes me both REALLY hope he’s serious for once and worried about who might suffer for it if he’s not, and it’s another case where “sensitivity” is used as a matter of knowing people’s “weaknesses”.

Well put, and I agree. His persona has been this way at least since he appeared on Tumblr in 2011, and he's definitely said and done plenty of shitty things since then. That's one of the reasons it's always so hard to believe that he's changed: he performs sincerity very well, but when he feels like he can get away with something (like in the summer of 2018), he doesn't practice what he preaches.

[lean-mean-demon-genevieve]

It so upsetting knowing she won the rebound girl lottery and she still act like this and promotes like this. Like I just don’t get what her point is with all of this why keep at something that isn’t anything and then put a storefront up? What business model is she following? who is advising? Why does she look like a news guest from 1978 in that video what is with those books? what is that shine? Why can’t she put words together? When did she get stupid? Like she wasn’t a bright bulb but since her turn on Walker she has lost like 30 IQ points! What is this woman’s point at the point why can’t she just spend money maybe do reality show if she need her own cash at least that would be honest why does she keep trying to pretend she has substance? Townn is literally nothing and I had to fight auto correct to even spell it here so it’s less than nothing. Do Jared’s fans really like her this much that she has to pretend to be doing a thing? Wouldn’t they like her if she just went to the spa everyday?

I have a lot of jumbled thoughts. My theory is that Gen thought her life was going to be more full of notoriety that was INDEPENDENT of Jared. And that is what Towwn represents to her and why she will not let it go. It feels important to pursue, but not for the reasons she is claiming. Gen comes from generational wealth and a land of nepotism opportunity. Add to that the signature Middle Aged White Feminist urge to be seen as Mom of the Year, but also not “just a mom,” while centering yourself in every cause…and you’ve got our gal.

If you’ve taken note of how many times she has straight up copied bits and jokes from Jared’s social media that he did with Jensen, how many times she has referenced being a perfectionist and Type A, mentioned that she went to Tisch, or has to constantly be improving her health, then it should be clear that Gen is competitive as all holy f**k. She doesn’t just want to be seen, she wants to be recognized. And she wants you to recognize what a great job she’s doing. AKA, somebody’s mom was a frosty ice queen who didn’t praise her enough and now she is making it everyone’s problem.

The sick part is that since she’s attached to Jared, she never has to do anything very well in order to be liked. She is well protected in this fandom by the full spectrum of casual onlooker to rabid stan. She can stutter and ramble and fidget until the organic cows come home. She is always going to have the “Jared’s Wife” pass to fall back on because fans want to be her. A lot of fans see her “awkward book nerd” shtick as relatable, endearing, and goofy. But that only gets her as far a fandom and that’s not good enough for Gen.

She does not care about the Spn fandom. She cares about building a brand because her acting career was a flop and she has been unable to get out of Jared’s shadow since they got married. I actually think she resents him a whole, whole lot but that’s maybe another post.

Gen is too competitive to just give up and too starved for attention and accolades, so she needs a platform to showcase herself while “doing it all” and then some. I mean, what do you think the (also flopped) Now and Gen blog was for? Don’t you get it? She’s a supportive wife, a mom of 3 young children, has dogs and a great big garden, exercises obsessively regularly, travels across the map, and makes time for the photo shoots and other public appearances ALL WHILE LITERALLY TRYING TO SAVE THE PLANET!!

I mean, wow…I could never. How does she do it?? She’s a superhero…the BEST. 🏆

[biro-slay]

I remember I really wanted therapy and now I started going there. But it isn't helping. So I am in a situation where I go to therapy and don't get better, or I tell my parents and risk them just stopping therapy completely.

Also, I think 1. I only go once a week, and we didn't do 2-3 weeks before new years, and now it's January and I don't know what happened at all. 2. I am scared to tell the therapist about me thinking I might be trans. 3. I can't really control what we talk about. Like, the first session was almost a complete miss on what I have problems with. Maybe I could tell her what's bothering me, but I don't know when and scared to it. 4. So far the only problem she has figured is that I have high expectations for myself, which probably is true but like. 5. Nothing is being done about the problems???? Like, just don't be so harsh to yourself duh. I think those things might do something with it not helping, not sure though..

I do want to say, the therapist is nice, and it's just my particular situation, therapy helps and saves a lot of people.

But I think I should add, I think I once randomly overheard my mom call me an idiot to someone on the phone, presumably the therapist, so you know, maybe she got the wrong impression from my mom if that was her on the phone.

I think it also says something about my mom, when I casually mentioned that going to school in person sucks, as well as online(which starts at 8:10 am BTW!!) sucking, but that online is less heavy on mental AND physical health. She said that I will continue going one week in person, then switch, and so on. So that I "socialise more" even though she knows that the breaks are 5 minutes, and that I basically didn't talk to anyone this week. She then said that the fact that we online education for a while made me too comfortable and that's where my problems come from.

HM, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THAT IT'S BECAUSE I MISSED THE FIRST TWO WEEKS IN SEVENTH GRADE AND HAD TO DO EVERYTHING RAPIDFIRE, MEANING I MISSED THE NEW HOMEWORK, AND IT CONTINUED UNTIL I GAVE UP. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAD NEW SUBJECTS LIKE FUCKING PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY, I FUCKING WONDER WHY IT ALL STARTED, HMMM DEFINITELY WAS THE ONLINE EDUCATION. ALSO HOW I WAS TREATED MY WHOLE LIFE AS A "GIFTED KID" AND STILL BEING TOLD IT WASN'T ENOUGH DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS.

ok sorry I just had to. I don't even know where to go next with this post, like I hate her so fucking much. I literally told her I might be trans and she just fucking ignored it and continued to call me Boris and a he him. Also like, do you think that even when I had almost perfect grades for 5-6 years straight and still thinking it wasn't enough has something to do??? I was always told that I need to exercise more, or I won't achieve anything in life. IN ADDITION to calling me too skinny at every opportunity, haha "I can even see your ribs" is really funny haha I can't stop laughing, even though you've said it a billion times(side not, now I am being called fat). IN ADDITION to being told my handwriting is trash and that I am too messy. IN ANOTHER FUCKING ADDITION to being told that "boys don't cry" "boys need to be strong", when I was like 6 or somethin I had slightly longer hair than usual because I hated going to get my hair cut, I got called a girl(derogatory) and told it's a bad thing, imagine telling that to a really emotional kid(I once cried because I got a 9.50 instead of a ten, I could get really emotional because my toy bear's eye fell off) with health problems(I don't have a specific diagnosis to my knowledge, but I can't a pushup, or a pull up, can't run fast or far, and recently it started to hurt to walk, so you know) that, that's so fucked up. That's so fucked looking back. I am surprised it took this long for me to get as fucked as I am right now.

And, I am not making this up for dramatic effect or anything, I don't even expect anyone to read this, but I cry so much that I don't remember the last I didn't cry at all. I cry during a day so much I am more surprised when I am not crying or not about to cry. And like, for me it feels like a waterfall of tears, while outside it's just my eyes being a little more closed and me being a littler redder, so no one notices. And I want to complain that some teachers already now I am sad, but all(except for one that sometimes prevents me from sleeping sometimes and makes me want to kill myself when she starts talking about how lazy we are) of them have to work as teachers in Ukraine, so I guess I can't blame them too much. And my classmates don't care or don't notice, but they are in the same position as me, sooo.

Sorry for this rant it's just everything sucks.

[supersaiyanjedi14]

Jedi June 2023

*This was originally meant for Week 4 (Focus/Gathering), but a linty of life factors led to me scrapping my plans for participating this year. However, this fic is one I was determined to pump out, so I can still say I took part in this year's Jedi June. Enjoy!*

*SPOILERS for Jei Survivor

“Clear your mind.  Let yourself submerse into the world around you.  Become one with the plants, the stones, even the air.”

The young woman heard her master’s words with her mind rather than her ears.  The exercise was after all meant for her awareness beyond her physical senses.  Taking deep breaths, she reached into the Force.  The scent of fresh air filled her nostrils, but this sensation was quickly overpowered by all she sensed beyond it.  It was far more than just seeing or feeling what was around her; she was what was around her.  She was the breeze blowing by, she was the towering cliffs and bottomless gorges, she was the trickling water in the ponds and streams, she was the grasses and bushes and all their roots, she was the very warmth radiated by the sun’s light, she was…the pair of hands excitedly pulling on her head.

Snapped out of her mediations, Kata Akuna let out a groan as she turned to face the interruption.  The tails of her headband were currently gripped in the mits of a young girl no older than seven, her deathly pale skin and dull green eyes sharply contrasted by her bright red hair and toothy grin.  Upon seeing that she had caught the elder’s attention, the girl started giggling like a caffeinated bogling, seemingly unaware of what she had just interrupted.

“Hylana,” Kata scolded, trying to find a proper blend of her frustration and amusement of her “sister’s” antics, “I can’t concentrate when you yank on me like that.”

“It was BeeDee’s idea” the girl argued back, prompting an indignant series of warbles from the small droid trailing behind her.

The man next to Kata let out a chuckle.  At thirty-seven standard years, Cal Kestis’s face bore the signs of his strenuous years.  Between his constant battles with the Empire, his efforts to maintain the Tanalorr sanctuary, not to mention fatherhood, his face was as weathered as anyone would expect.  Regardless, he still wielded the energy one would expect of any Jedi, as the rigorous training he had subjected her and the other impromptu initiates to would attest.

“Did he now?” Cal asked as he rose to his feet.  “And I’m sure he would only have given you that idea if all your chores were done for the day, right?”

“Yep!” Hylana replied almost immediately, her smile big enough to swallow a freighter.  “Does that mean I can go play in the grotto now?  Please?”

Cal sighed.  Kata knew that Hylana would milk her wrapping around Cal’s finger for whatever it was worth.  Kata didn’t want to say Cal and Merrin spoiled their daughter, but it was undeniable that they would let her get away with things none of the other trainees could ever dream of trying.

“Alright,” Cal relented, ruffling Hylana’s fiery hair, “But only if BeeDee and Kata go with you.  And you need to be back by dinnertime, okay?”

Hylana perked up and rushed over to the older girl.  “Can you come with me, Kata?  Please, please, ple-“

“Hold your banthas,” Kata laughed.  Seeing as meditation was out of the question for the moment, she got to her own feet.  With her cargo pants, loose green tunic, bandana and the blaster rifle she slung over her back, she looked more like a bounty hunter than a Jedi apprentice.  Not that anyone would dare suggest she was any less a Jedi for it.  Kata had dedicated herself to her studies harder than anyone else on Tanalorr.  Ever since she had first met Cal all those years ago, she had been dedicated to learning everything she could about the Jedi way; as well as how to prevent that way from being deformed.

Kata may have been young at the time, barely older than Hylana was now, but she still remembered her first trip to this sequestered world.  More importantly, she remembered what her father had become.  She clung onto her loving memories of her father as tightly as she dared, but she knew she could never truly forget what Bode Akuna’s obsession had turned him into.  Focus was a critical part of being a Jedi, honing your senses and instincts so as to best heed the will of the Force.  But that focus could not come at the expense of the big picture or how your actions affected the world around you.  Obsession had turned her father into a murderer, blinding him to how he was harming others, herself included, even as he fought to protect her.

For all she had sought to emulate, Kata knew that she would eventually find her own struggles with such things, no better exemplified than the youngling running off with BD-1 scampering at her heels.  Kata loved Hylana like a little sister, just as much a doting part of her life as her parents and Greez, and she knew she would do anything within her power to keep her safe.  This was no abstract of course; Tanalorr’s status as a refuge from the Empire had demanded an obscene amount of security precautions, and discovery was both a very real danger and something they had had several serious close calls with.  The first time Kata had been forced to take a life had been when Inquisitors had attempted to seize the Forest Array, and she and Cal had had to silence them to keep the colony and newborn Hylana safe.  The one she had fought had threatened unspeakable things once he made his way through the Koboh Abyss, things that haunted her nightmares.  Obviously she feared what may happen to those she loved, but she also privately feared what lengths she may go to keep them safe.  How much would she be willing to sacrifice?  How far would she go before she stopped?

A giggle broke Kata’s thoughts.  Taking a deep breath, she pushed the intrusive thoughts aside and started jogging down the path.  Now was not the time to be fretting on what-ifs.  Now was for exploring the beautiful crystal grotto alongside her little sister.  She made her way down a winding path until she reached a short cliff face, just in time to see BD-1 latch himself onto a cable that led right down towards the cavern entrance.  Hylana caught onto the little droid and began to slide her way down.  Kata was at the edge of the drop by the time Hylana reached the bottom and turned up.

“Hold on, Kata!” the little girl called up, “I’ll send BeeDee right back up!”

“No, it’s okay!” Kata called back.  “I’ll take my own way down.  Go on ahead, just don’t go too far!”

“Okay!”  Hylana giggled as she and BD-1 took off.  As much as Kata liked zipping around on the droid, and knowing that it was the faster way down, she found her personal route far more fun.  Turning towards one of the ravine’s walls, she opened with a sudden sprint followed by a powerful jump.  What followed next was a series of downward slides, heel kicks off walls, dynamic flying flips, and traversing a multitude of natural handholds she had all but memorized by now.  Initially she had required a grappling cable to reach the most advantageous spots, but now all she needed to do was call upon the Force.  It took several minutes to reach the bottom, but by the time her feet touched the bottom, she had completed an acrobatics course that would have made even the birds blush.  Wiping the sweat off her brow, Kata made her way down the tunnel where the grotto lay.  She was just turning her mind to the mesmerizing crystal growths of the caverns when she heard something unexpected.  It was Hylana’s voice.

And another, unfamiliar one.

“-re’s a landing pad near the temple you could have used.”

“I probably should have, but my ship was acting up.  That’s a pretty weird nebula I had to fly through.”

“Everyone says that first time out.  My daddy had some issues too.”

“Your daddy sounds very interesting.  Could I meet him?”

Kata’s mind went blank, then raced.  Hylana talking to strangers was troubling enough, but a stranger who had flown through the Abyss?  Had neglected to dock with the land at the blatantly obvious landing pad?  Was lurking around in the caves?  And he was asking about Cal?  Alarm bells started ringing in her mind.  She broke into a run and burst into the grotto.

“Hylana?  Who are you talking-“

Kata stopped mid-sentence.  Any other day she would have been enamored with the beautiful crystal formations that grew on the walls in a rainbow of colors, reflecting off the shimmering pool of water at the grotto’s center.  But Kata ignored all that.  Her eyes were focused on Hylana, who was sitting on a boulder playfully kicking her feet.  Then she snapped her attention to the figure sitting across form her on another rock, a figure dressed in a black tunic and cloak- and seemed to burn in the Force.

In her experience, people dressed all in black with a strong presence in the Force only meant one thing; trouble.

“Hylana, get back!” she barked.  Kata swung her blaster from her back and leveled it on the stranger, who immediately threw up his hands.

“Whoa, whoa!” he said in a startled and now clearly masculine voice, “easy there.”

Hylana was on her feet and running up to Kata in a heartbeat.  But instead of jumping behind her legs, the girl stayed in front of her.  “Kata, wait!  It’s okay he’s friendly.”

“Hylana, back!” Kata repeated.  She forced her way between Hylana and the stranger, her weapon trained on him like a hawk sensing it’s prey.  “You, drop the cloak and whatever weapons you have.  Now!”

“Alright,” the stranger said slowly, “let’s just stay calm.  I’m not going to hurt anyone, I promise.”  As he spoak, he undid the clasps of his cloak and let it slide off his shoulders.

Kata finally got a good look at the face of the black-clad man.  He was human, somewhere around her own age, though with a lighter skin tone and short dark blonde hair.  Aside from the color, his clothes were fairly nondescript, just a normal tunic, trousers and boots.  What certainly wasn’t standard was one of the objects he removed from his belt and laid on the ground.  A roughly 28 centimeter metalic cylinter with a set of ridges on one half leading up to a narrow-necked flattened emitter on one end.

Kata’s girp on her blaster tightened a bit.  The last time a powerful Force-sensitive with a lightsaber had approached Tanalorr, Kata had had the fight of her life on her hands.  If this guy was anything like that…

Kata stopped herself mid-thought.  As the stranger rose to his feet, hands raised again, she tool several deep, calming breaths.  It was good to be vigilent, but not paranoid.  An inability to trust others had led to her father’s descent into darkness, and assuming the worst could only lead to so many outcomes.  She thought backto what Cal had just been telling her and let the Force speak to her.  She focused on what had actually happened so far.  The man had cooperated fully with her.  He had not harmed or endangered Hylana in any way.  And as she took in his demeanor, she probed his mind for his intentions, anything that even resembled ill will.  Nothing.

Kata wasn’t foolish enough to take a gut feeling at face value, but the Force was basicially waving a sign in her face; this man is no threat.

Slowly lowering her weapon, she genstured to the lightsaber on the ground.  “Nice stick,” she quipped.  “Where’d you get it?”

“I built it.” the stranger answered, still making no further move towards her.  “If you want, I can tell you the exact details of the construction.”

“For now,” Kata breathed, “let’s just have you tell me your name and what you’re doing here.”

The stranger gave a reassuring smile.  “My name is Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight.  I heard rumors of another Jedi who survived the Emperor’s purges and was operating a refugee colony concealed in a nebula.  I’m hoping to rebuild the Jedi Order and I’m hoping to gather as much of the remnants of the Jedi tradition as I can.”  He let out a sigh as he continued.  “So much was lost all those years ago, and starting from scratch is daunting.  If this Jedi is here, I could really use his help.”

Kata regarded him.  “Interesting story,” she reasoned.  “One we’ve heard from a few would-be visitors on occasion.  Not a lot of success.”

The man- Luke, apparently- chuckled.  “The Laterro running the bar said much the same thing.”

Now it was Kata’s turn to snort.  “That’s Greez for you.”

Hylana peaked around Kata’s legs.  “If he’s a Jedi, we should take him to Daddy, right?”

Luke smiled at the girl’s comment.  “I take it her daddy is the Jedi in question.”

Kata thought for a moment.  Common sense would have said that being this transparent with a complete stranger would be stupidity of the highest order.

The sense she relied on, however, was neither common nor so cynical.

“I would hope so.”  Kata remarked.  Reaching for her blaster again, she gripped a thick cylinder latched to the underside of the barrel.  Detaching it with a slide, she turned it in her hand for a moment before holding it up and thumbing a button on the side.  With a snap and a hiss, a shining beam of green light shot out of the end, letting off a soothing hum as its emerald hue filled the grotto.  “Who else do you think taught me how to build this?”

Luke regarded Kata’s lightsaber with awe, and his face turned into a look of satisfaction and relief.  Kata could pick up on what he was thinking without even needing to use the Force.  He was trying to gather what little remained of an order that had faced attempted extermination for over two decades, and now he had found one of the best leads he could hope for.  Reaching down, he collected his cloak and lightsaber.  “Would it be okay if I were to meet him?”

“Well-“

“Yeah!  Yeah!” Hylana’s cheering echoed through the cavern.  “You have to meet Daddy!  And Mommy too!  They can tell you all sorts of cool things!  Right Kata?”

Kata looked from Hylana to Luke, and her mouth turned upwards into a genuine smile.  “I guess you can come up for now.”  She said with a hint of mirth.  She then looked down at the little droid.  “What do you think, BeeDee?”

BD-1 warbled for a moment, the rapidly shot off a string of affirmatives.  He seemed to think that Luke was true to his word.  As BD finished beeping, a different set of electronic noises came about.  BD ran off behind Luke, and Kata followed his path to find a blue and white R2 astromech droid rolling into the grotto.  Humored smirks adorned the humans’ faces as the two droids shared a spirited conversation in binary.

“That settles it,” kata said with an air of finality.  She shut down her lightsaber, reattached it to her blaster, then slung the whole thing over her shoulder.  “Let’s see what you think of Tanalorr, Luke Skywalker.”

Luke smiled, patted his droid on the dome and gestures towards the path leading back to the temple.  “Lead the way.”

@jedijune