#i mean. don't really. my god the weight of obligation

[unopenablebox]

why do i have so many friends on england time. im not even truly online until like 11pm EST. come back

[shankss-magnificent-ass]

Imagine giving Shanks baby fever

At a tavern

Child: I wanna join your crew!

Shanks: pfft, no way

Child: I'm a real good fighter, I won't get in the way, I promise!

Shanks: hmmm, [taps his chin and looks like he's thinking about it]

Child: [thinks he's going to get a chance]

Shanks: hmm...Hmmm?... No

Child: aw come on

Child's mother: [barges into the tavern holding her infant] Julius Antony D. Frost! What do you think you are doing here? You haven't finished your chores, the goats got hungry and two of them broke into the house!

Child: but mom!

Child's mother: here hold this [foists her infant into your arms and drags her son off by his ear]

You: ??? [Looks to the local barkeep for help]

Barkeep: she'll be back when she realizes, just look after that little girl until then.

You: [pulls the infant closer to you and glowers]

Barkeep: I know it's a little unorthodox, but that lady has six kids, you're holding her only daughter, and her husband is a fisherman. This means he's gone most of the time, and her five eldest boys keep her busy, so please don't judge her, we help her out as much as she'll allow.

You: fine, [goes over to your table with Shanks]

Shanks: [cocks his head and gets a good look at the baby]

Baby: [looks at Benn and starts to cry]

Shanks: [pushes Benn away] You're scaring the baby.

Benn: ay! Ay! Alright, alright, I'll move.

You: [bounces the infant, pats it on the back, and starts to sing to try]

Baby: [settles down, and relaxes against your shoulder]

Shanks: wow, I didn't know you were so good with kids.

You: I didn't either... [Turns to the barkeep] Can I get this table wiped down so I can set the baby down?

Barkeep: [ obliges]

You: [sits the baby's weight down on the table, but keeps your arm around her so she's still leaning against you] Are you the cutest baby in the world?

Baby: ◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜

You: [gasps] Yes you are, you are the cutest baby in the whole world. [Gently tickles her tummy]

Baby: [giggles]

The crew: [find the two of you painfully adorable]

Baby: [ turns to Shanks and makes grabby hands at him]

Shanks: [ leans in closer]

Baby: [grabs a handful of his hair]

Shanks: she's got a good grip on her, how old is she? A year?

Barkeep: yeah, fourteen months, I think.

You: oh I could just eat you up, yes I could! In fact, I think I will. [Blows raspberries on her tummy]

Baby: [erupts into laughter]

You: [ pulls the baby back to your chest, leans back against Shanks, and smiles up at him] She still has that baby smell.

Shanks: (⁠๑⁠♡⁠⌓⁠♡⁠๑⁠)

Child's mother: [bursts through the establishment's doors] Holly!

Baby: [whips around to look at her mother]

Child's mother: oh thank God, thank you for looking after her, I'm so sorry.

You: it's okay, she's easy to deal with, plus from the looks of it you had your hands full. [ Passes her her child]

Child's mother: she is, isn't she? Thank you have a nice day. [Leaves with her child]

Later that night

Benn: you've been eyeing them all night, what's up.

Shanks: [shifts his gaze from you to Benn] So I'm not as subtle as I thought I was... I dunno. Ever since seeing them with the baby, what was her name? Holly?... I guess I can't get it out of my head.

Benn: oh you've got baby fever, don't cha?

Shanks: [blushes] maybe

Benn: I thought you didn't want kids on this boat anymore?

Shanks: I don't, that hasn't changed. [Gets up and heads over to you] What do you say we call it a night?

You: hmm, alright, I'm getting tired anyway. [Lets Shanks lead you to the Captain's quarters]

Shanks: [is handsy with you the whole way]

You: [doesn't mind] You seem rather frisky tonight, or at least friskier than usual.

Shanks: Sorry, but seeing how good you are with kids really ignited something within me. [Smooches up and down your neck]

You: I thought you didn't want kids?

Shanks: For Fuck's sake, I don't, not yet, but that doesn't mean I don't want to practice. [Dumps you on the bed and starts to take off his pants.]

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[perfectlyoongi]

BOYFRIEND!TAEHYUNG who takes showers with you just for the intimacy. it was the silence of the moment, the purity of the intimacy, the way you two felt so comfortable with each other with something that had become so vile and perverse by society, that made Taehyung venerate your baths together; no words, just Taehyung's gentle touch across your body, as you rest on his chest and feel the tranquility of your love. “i like this, you know? of our intimacy. how none of us feel obliged to be something other than ourselves.”

BOYFRIEND!TAEHYUNG who only trusts your opinion when it comes to his clothes. before leaving the house or when he goes shopping, Taehyung always asks your opinion about his outfit, patiently waiting for your honest reaction, never feeling bad when the feedback comes back negative — after all, he just wanted to continue to impress you, it was only your opinion that mattered. “tomorrow i have to buy a new coat. do you want to come with me? i would like to have your opinion.”

BOYFRIEND!TAEHYUNG who loves coming home and lying down with you, his head resting on your chest. Taehyung couldn't live a whole day without having your affection; in an extremely stressful and quite complicated job, it was in your arms that Taehyung found peace and serenity, the way you touched his hair, his face, his arm, took Taehyung to a distant land of dreams and rest. “today was so tiring. all i could think about was how you would be here for me and make me feel good again.”

BOYFRIEND!TAEHYUNG who takes your perfume with him on tour, just so he can deal with missing you. it was a simple memory, something that could last the long weeks of touring the world without ever losing its value; your perfume was intoxicating, something so delicate and beautiful that made Taehyung remember all the hugs and kisses and caresses and moments he had spent with you. “i promise i won’t spend it all. please. i really need something that reminds me of you or i'll go crazy. seriously!”

BOYFRIEND!TAEHYUNG who accompanies you on any and all purchases you make just to share some mundane time with you. whether it was for groceries or clothes, an electronic item or a gift for someone, Taehyung was always by your side, giving his opinion, holding your hand and always walking with a smile on his lips because he was next to the one he loved. “oh, do you need help picking a gift? i don't mind going with you. can i? i just want to feel normal for a moment. please.”

BOYFRIEND!TAEHYUNG who watches the stars and clouds with you while trying to discover shapes and meanings among them. lying on the grass, your head on his belly, you and Taehyung told stories with the various shapes you saw in the sky, laughter flowing as naturally as time passed, endless memories of tales created comforting your hearts. “that star is so bright! oh, and next to it those stars form a heart. see? even the heavens believe that our future will be bright.”

BOYFRIEND!TAEHYUNG who only said he loved you when you confessed first, a huge weight leaving his heart as soon as the words left his mouth. as soon as he heard your confession, Taehyung's heart began to beat quickly without having any time to assimilate what he just had heard, his words running after yours to try to embrace them. “oh, thank god. yes. finally. i love you. i love you. i love you so much. oh my god.”

[sunny44]

Marriage (Pt. 2)

Pairing: Max Verstappen x ex fiancée!reader Mason Mount x Fiancée!reader

Warnings: past talk, anger

Summary: Max leaves his fiancée y/n at the altar on their wedding day but after years of regretting what he did, by a miracle of fate (or Lando) she appears in his life again.

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

The next day, after a restless night of reflection and regret, I decided that I needed to do something to make up for what I had done to Y/N years ago.

I couldn't just leave things the way they were.

I called Lando and asked if I could talk to him in person. He agreed and we met at a nearby café.

As soon as we sat down, I poured out my story and remorse to him, admitting all my faults and fears on that fateful day.

Lando listened in silence, with a serious look on his face.

"So that's why she reacted like that when you offered to pay,." he finally said. "My God, Max, how could you do such a thing? She's an amazing person and you had the chance to marry that woman and you ran out of the church like a scared puppy."

"I know, I screwed up and I really regret it, that's why I'm trying to get you to give me her number for me or I don't know maybe I’ll write a letter and you deliver it." He sighs. "Please, I'm begging you.”

"You know how much it must hurt her, right?" I shook my head, feeling the weight of guilt once again.

"I know, and I really want to make things right, Lando. If you can help me talk to her, I owe her a decent apology and an explanation of why I did what I did."Lando looked at me for a moment and then nodded.

"I'll talk to her, Max. But I can't guarantee that she'll want to see you again."

I thanked Lando and he promised to do his best to arrange a meeting between us.

While I was waiting, I started writing a letter to Y/N, expressing all my feelings and regrets honestly. I knew that a letter wouldn't solve everything, but I also didn't know if I'd be able to express all my feelings to her, I've never been good at expressing myself and I know that when it comes to talking to her I'll get in the way and won't be able to say everything.

A few days later, Lando called to tell me that Y/N had agreed to meet me at a local café. My heart was racing as I headed there.

When I walked in, I saw Y/N sitting at a table at the back.

She looked tense and nervous, but also determined. I sat down opposite her and took a deep breath.

"Lando said you wanted to talk to me so I'm hoping you'll say something instead of just staring at me like a idiot."

"I owe you a lot more than an apology and I also know that nothing I do or say will fix what I did, let alone ease the pain I caused you, but I'm not the same person anymore, I'm not the same stupid 21-year-old boy who left you at the altar." I took a breath and continued speaking. "I'd do everything differently if I could and I know you're probably thinking that it's too late to change the past and I know that but I can make it up to you in the future and prove to you that I'm a better person."

"I don't need you to prove anything to me."

"I know that, but I want you to know that the person who hurt you no longer exists." I took the letter out of my pocket and handed it to her. "The only thing that hasn't changed about me in all this time is the fact that I'm terrible at showing my feelings, but you already know that. I don't expect this to fix everything, Y/N, but it's a start."

She took the letter and laughed wryly as I got up to leave.

"Do you really think a letter can fix something, Max?"

"No, I don't think so, Y/N. But it's a start for me to express how sorry I am and how much you mean to me. I was wrong, I was afraid, but that doesn't justify what I did."

She took the letter and started to open it, but I put my hand over hers to stop her.

"I don't want you to read it now, I don't want you to read it in anger or out of obligation. I want you to go home and read it when you feel ready and not because I asked you to." I took my car key out of my pocket. "I'm really sorry and I hope you can forgive me someday."

I paid for our coffees and left with my heart a little lighter knowing that she had a part of my feelings in her hands.

Taglist: @ironmaiden1313 @dudenhaaa27 @christianpulisic10 @gaslysainz @fanboyluvr @urgirlceci @justdreamersdream @aundercover @newlifeforus @depressedriches @topguncultleader @123beautifulgirl123 @luvrrish

[atarathegreat]

Draken. Petty. Hair. DO IT.

Suck toes.

Ken Ryuguji x reader

What happens when gang member has a bad week and wakes up in a sour mood...alone?

Each day was as shitty as the last. If it wasn't the little annoyance of Mikey falling asleep after eating or making Kenny carry him around it was another gang trying to get on Toman turf or some brats picking a fight with him. Kenny felt like he couldn't catch a break, and just then was no different.

"Get lost, punk. I'm not in the mood today!" Draken growled, Mikey asleep on his back as he walked. It was just the perfect moment for the first year to get his ass beat. God, if Kenny could just put Mikey on the sidewalk and leave this whole mess to the unconscious boy. Though, he'd never leave his friend to handle his problems, even if Mikey could handle it. "Oh, is the big bad Draken afraid to fight a kid?" The little shit cackled. Cackled!

Kenny carefully put Mikey on the nearby bench, more pissed than he had been that whole week. "Your fuckin' funeral, brat."

He knew he was an amazing fighter, so he wasn't worried about him. Draken was, however, worried about how hard he was going to hit the boy. He went for a decent hit, sending the kid back a little bit and turning to grab Mikey. There was no need to double check the kid, it was obvious that he was out cold. "You owe me, Mikey." Kenny grumbled. Already that day had been filled with more fights than he liked.

And it didn't get any better when they got to the gang meeting. Peh-Yan was in a mood, meaning Pah-Chin was in a mood and they were picking fights with people left and right. As vice commander Draken had to deal with that. Nahoya was getting fired up because of Pah and Peh. As vice commander he had to handle it. Someone started an all out brawl in the middle of the crowd, and when Kenny went to break it up with the captains his head jerked back from a hit to the nose. It pissed him off to the point he had to leave the meeting.

Why were people all over him? Couldn't he catch a damn break? Didn't he earn some peace and quiet? It was stupid and Kenny was tired of being the person everyone ran after. It almost made him wish he'd dropped the gang shit when he was younger, and it wasn't any better when he returned home.

"Where have you been, Ken?" One of the ladies was already standing at the check in desk of the brothel, "It's late, you know?"

"Tch, get off my ass, okay? M'not in the mood." Draken walked past her. She grabbed hold of his shirt collar, tutting as she pulled him back, "C'mon now, young man, don't talk to me like that. I helped raise your ungrateful ass that I'm on."

He'd had enough, snapping at her for the first time, "Then maybe you shouldn't have! Ever think about that? Or are you too busy thinking about yelling at me when I come home?"

They both paused, Kenny staring angrily at her. He wasn't mad at anyone but himself in that moment, and stormed back past her and to the elevator.

It wasn't her fault he was having a bad week, and she was just being worried about where he'd been running off to so late. He sighed, knowing he'd get that later. She had been the one to primarily raise him, cared for him despite not being obligated to. She'd taught him to walk and talk, helped him learn to shave his face without really knowing how to herself. Kenny slammed a palm into his head as he thought about everything she'd done for him, but it didn't matter. He'd already snapped at her and couldn't bring himself to so much as text her.

There was only one place he could go anymore that wasn't going to make him feel guilty or pissed off, unless she'd had a shit day as well. It was worth it to at least see, and if he left quickly even more pissed off, then whatever.

But, heaven and earth, if he didn't feel a little bit of the weight fall from his shoulders when she answered the door. Her startled smile was still brighter than anything he'd faced his whole life, "Ken-Chin? Is everything okay?" All he had to do was shake his head and fall into a hug. She chuckled, her smaller body supporting the weight of the world that rested on Kenny.

"I can't do it, this week has sucked ass and I can't handle this shit." Kenny followed her inside like a lost and beaten dog. She sauntered around the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of something Kenny couldn't see and a wash cloth. "What happened to your nose, Kenny?" Y/n took her place between his legs, reaching out to gently clean the dried blood from his nose and lip.

"Got punched while I was at the meeting. Left early." Kenny mumbled as he leaned into her, his knees squeezing her middle to trap her next to him, "Weeks been shit, m'done doing it."

She sighed and the sound was enough to make Ken wish he hadn't brought his issues to her door, "Wanna talk about it?"

"Nah, just the normal shit being excessive." He wiped his face to get the peroxide off, smiling at Y/n, "Doing better now, I think."

It was her, everyone knew it was her that kept Kenny chilled out on his bad days. To Mikey it was more than obvious that Kenny sought out her presence when things got tough, often bringing her to meetings and glancing at her just to see her smile. She often lightened the mood, along with Emma who was just as giggly.

Kenny had met Y/n on a day that he needed it the most. He was about to get jumped by a ton of punks, and though he could've handled all of them, he was relieved when he didn't have to. She stomped up from behind him, loud and angry and pointing in everyone's faces, "Who do you think you are, ganging up on someone? I'm ashamed that you all go to this school! Go on!" And her spunky little self seemed to not mind that Kenny was clearly a delinquent, even smiled at him and commented on his tattoo.

The same tattoo she was tracing with her fingertip, talking about her day as Draken zoned back in, "And the math class was so hot I had to take my jacket off and-Kenny?" She'd only just noticed the way his hands were shaking, holding tightly to the bottom of her shirt, "M'fine, sweetheart. Keep talking."

"Well, I had to take my jacket off and, of course, my pen had to have busted in my skirt pocket and stained up my shirt. I've still got a black splotch stained onto my side!" She wound her finger around the dragons tail, making Kenny shiver and rest his head on her shoulder, "So a lot of the girls were laughing about that, rude tramps. But, I knew that I could change in the nurses office so it was an easy fix."

Listening to her problems made him feel better. Seeing how silly she acted over a busted pen, somehow made him feel happy he didn't have such trivial angers.

"What about you, Ken-Chin?" She asked, taking out his braid. He shrugged, "The usual. Little brats want to fight, Mikey is lazy, and the gang is wild. It's just a bit much right now."

"Maybe you should get some rest? You know Mom and Dad don't mind you staying here, we can share my bed, too." Y/n parted his hair down the middle, tugging lightly as she played with it, "You'll wake up and feel ten thousand times better!"

And he wouldn't deny it, either. Instead of grumbling, as he wanted to, he got up and stretched. Never did it cease to amaze him how he towered over her, and he saw it every time she had to crane her neck to look at him. And still Kenny trudged down the hall behind Y/n, yawning and ready to just relax. She tossed the blanket out and laid it over the bed, waving for Kenny to get comfortable. He wasn't about to waste his time asking silly questions of "Are you sure?" He knew she was serious and she'd kick his ass if he didn't get sleep.

But he was going to kick her ass when he woke up alone, to laughter in her living room. Kenny stayed silent as he stood in the hallway, watching as she brushed Mikey's hair, talking about how Kenny had showed up that night. Mikey thanked her as she put his hair up, only the top just how he liked it, and she smiled at him.

There was a quick shot that went through his chest, it was bothersome. Why was Mikey being so close to her? Why was she just smiling at him and laughing as though Kenny, as far as she knew, wasn't still laying in her bed. He could see his hair tie on her wrist and walked up behind them, "Move, Mikey." He didn't hesitate to pick up his best friend and toss him to the other seat, sitting on the floor in front of Y/n. She giggled, resting her legs over his shoulders and moving to softly brush his hair. There were a few knots, but not too many, and she was careful to not tug on them.

"A braid, as usual?" She leaned over and tapped his chest with the brush. He nodded, "Would ya'?"

Kenny didn't mind the slight tugging that pulled his head backward, he was just thankful that her attention was on him and not someone else.

[miss-nandini]

Don't say you love me, unless you do.

He didn't have to act like an arse. Sure, he was stressed and busy. That overworking dude seriously. But, you were only trying to help him. The only thing you said was

"Hey, Lucifer! Do you want me to help you?"

What bad thing did you say? Exactly, nothing. But, there's a thing you see, people take your love and care for granted and forget that you have feelings too. Humans do that all the time. Can you really blame the demons? Yes, you can. Because being a bloody prick can never solve anything. What's bad is bad. Dosen't matter what species they are.

He went out of his way and called you "Pathetic, insufferable little human", "annoying happy-go-lucky", "immature and insensitive." Lots of other stuff probably, you don't even remember everything.

You didn't cry in front him. Instead, you stared back with a raging fire in your eyes and snapped "Damn, what all of them said about you is true after all."

That rendered him speechless. Good, you won't let him tear your soul just because he feels like it. You are so done being the sweet and forgiving one. Have they really forgotten that you can feel? That's it. That's so fucking it.

You had stormed off from his office and requested Solomon to pick you up. Surprising, that you didn't break down in tears. You could feel rage bubbling inside your veins like hot lava. Damn him and his stupid pride. You wanted to scream and throw things.

"(Y/N)??"

It was Simeon. Yup, you ended up crashing in the Purgatory hall, of course. But why Simeon is calling in the middle of the night?

"What is it man?"

"Ummm... I guess you should go outside and see for yourself."

You huffed but eventually obliged. You already had a hunch about what it might be and that's exactly why you were reluctant to go.

Sure enough, it was the person—demon you didn't want to face. What? He is capable of pulling that puppy dog look? Well, too bad, you ain't falling for it, not today. Wait, are those... tear stains? Ah man seriously? He knows so damn well that you are soft. But bloody hell man he looks like shit and that's that.

"(Y/N), I'm sorr—

"Apology unaccepted, now leave. Goodnight."

"There's nothing good about this night when you are not by my side."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Lucifer. You realize that I'm not a robot right? I have feelings too and YOU—Mr, congratulations! you officially lost my trust."

Every word that came out of your mouth struck him like a bullet. He didn't mean it. He didn't mean anything. He made a grave mistake—again. He dosen't deserve anymore chances. Still, his heart wants you. His body automatically moves toward you.

"I'm really sorry... I-I know I caused a lot of damage. I feel shame... But, (Y/N), I love you..."

"Don't say you love me, unless you do."

"(Y/N)...."

You were doubting his love for you and that was enough to understand the weight of the situation. Well, it was him who digged his own grave, as simple as that.

His eyes welled up. You could see his hands trembling like crazy. Well, shit. You aren't supposed to give in. Not after what he did. You shouldn't welcome him back in your life. He isn't worth that. Or... wait... true, he destroyed your feelings today but... you can't deny that in countless situations he helped you in every way he can. Also.... watching him so miserable... You are supposed to feel the taste of sweet sweet revenge. Then...why it makes you sad...? Damn him for having such a strong hold over you.

"Lucifer..."

Whatever decision you take, it's going to be a turning point. Do you really want to lose him? Not really... The answer is crystal clear. You want him back.

"Fine, you know what you are lucky. But, I swear to god, this is the last fucking time I—

You couldn't finish your sentence. He was holding you like you will disappear in thin air. You could feel sobs wrecking his body. Now, who is the pathetic one? Probably, something you would've loved to say. But, no, you could feel the genuineness. Argh... why do you love him so much?

You blinked back the tears. Fine, just this once he will get away with it because you love him too damn much.

[marshmallowprotection]

So. V Bad Relationship Ending 1, on the 7th day...I have some thoughts. (sorry V, I only have love for the white haired boys ♡ bad endings on V route are my only forte)

Ray is really panicked and frantic in the story mode- more "dark/danger Ray" coded than his typical breakdowns where he's crying and begging you to not leave him and wanting reassurance. Here, he's very *directly* threatening you because you made him panicked and very fearful of his security with/his trust in you.

I wonder how Ray would respond to someone that would go out of their way to interrupt his crazed thoughts- about betraying him, liking the AIs more than him- and insist that they only strayed from the game because they only wanted to talk to him. Because in the story mode, you don't get an option to respond after he spirals.

I think Ray would respond to comfort better in a state where he's purely distressed and breaking down vs Ray when he feels the need to "fix" and "correct" something you've done that he perceives as wrong because his security feels threatened by you...you see what I mean? His state of mind would greatly influence how much weight your words have on him!

Typically he is able to find some reprieve and comfort in your words, but under these circumstances he might insist that you're trying to manipulate/lie to him.

Anyways, I'm rambling about how creepy scary dangerous emotional state Ray would respond to someone trying to assure him they want to be with and talk only to him when he's entirely convinced you need to be punished for a wrongdoing (in his eyes)

The problem with this ending is simple. He is overcome with paranoia and it is next to impossible to pull him out of the state of paranoia. It feels that way for a reason.

It doesn't matter how much you try to reason with him, once he has it in his head that you are trying to manipulate him because you've been manipulated by the person he hates the most—it's going to be difficult to convince him that you are not twisted by the arm. He is all but paranoid about losing you to the very thing that stole his joy from the beginning. The outside world that he was never allowed to exist in and all its wonders.

The outside world that readily accepts his brother who "abandoned" him with open arms, the outside world that accepts V who "turned against him and Rika" to save himself. A world like that isn't fair to someone like him and he can't stand the thought of that world ever hurting you like it hurt him. If you believe in the lies...

God, you'll be destroyed.

He has convinced himself without listening to a single word you've said to him that you have been brainwashed. You have to remember that paradise has been sold to him as a place where he can inevitably end up with you and no longer have to work himself to death.

Paradise is a carrot on a string. It is a carrot he will never be able to reach, and no matter how much he tries to convince himself of that, it is the truth. You're also a part of that carrot. Every time he tries to reach you or the paradise he's working so hard for, he gets hit with the stick that's holding the string. 

He has convinced himself that fantasy is better than reality.

You can't necessarily blame him for believing in that because it was the only thing he was allowed to have, but you can blame him for where he takes that fantasy and how he conceptualizes it under Rika’s thumb. That fantasy of you was the only thing that kept him alive during the lowest points of his existence, and it's no wonder that he continues to chase after that version of you in his head because it's the only thing that's ever made him feel like he's not alone. 

When you get the good ending in his route, it's because you gave him the opportunity to understand that real life is better than fiction, and he can choose the life he wants instead of chasing after a pipe dream that will never come true. 

In V’s route, you never gave him a chance. You're not obligated by law to give him a chance or anything, mind you. You don't have to be nice to him and you don't have to be considerate of him when it doesn't... really seem like he's all that considerate of you.

You don't have to risk everything on getting to know him, but if you value his happiness or seeing his happily ever after to completion, you would want him to have an opportunity to live in a world that he deserves to live in rather than one that has been transformed into a gilded cage not only for you, but for him as well. 

This cage isn't safe for either one of you, but it's hard to convince him to leave it when it's the only thing he's been taught to believe in and all other avenues feel like death. Do I think it would be impossible to reach him in this bad ending? No, but I do think it would be hard to convince him that you're not trying to "side" with Saeyoung or V. He's afraid of them because of what Rika did to him. You can't use them as voices of reason.

I think the best way to get to him would be to reason with his pain and your pain, too. That's how it works in Ray Route. You fight to help him see that you don't want him to destroy himself and you don't want to watch him destroy himself to make a gilded cage for the two of you. As far as what he might do in the process of you trying to win him over... I'm not sure. In V Route and the Day 4 Bad Ending, he has no point of hesitating in implying that he could use the elixir to help you see what he believes in.

I suppose the best I can give you is a concept I've explored before in one of my own Danger Ray stories. Elixir kisses. He surprises you in a split second by being bold enough to give you a kiss, but that kiss is laced with elixir and when you gasp, you've got no choice but to sit there and swallow the bitter liquid. He promises the kisses make it... sweeter, but in truth, it burns more like betrayal.

[liliallowed]

I think we should stop talking about weight loss or gain. that shits both personal and subjective.

instead let's be proud of taking care of our health and our body without the need to specify the details.

I'm eating well. I'm healthy and I go for small walks! that's great!

i have been told many times that exercise can brighten up your mood... uhm they're wrong. it won't.

not unless you're in a good mood. which kinda beats the whole argument 😂.

again I won't pretend to be some role model or give cliche advice. it's just me sharing my experience.

going for a walk makes it worse for me... but I think it has been a while since I went to go for a walk because I simply... wanted to? it has always been a chore or an obligation because I'm responsible for my health so I must force myself to fuck off and go for a walk I never enjoy.

I always thought of it as "the cure" or like medicine.

it's really not. specially when you force yourself.

sure it regulates blood its supposed to help you loosen up but uhm... not if every time your heart is about to burst out of your chest with anxiety.

if I'm having a bad day my mood brightens up when I disassociate to music and animations.

it's like a small brain reset. it's probably not healthy but with walking my brain gets over stimulated and bored at the same time.

walking makes it worse. unless I listen to music.

but then I'd walk straight into a car accident so we can't exactly rely on autopilot lili to run this body while I go daydreaming 😂.

I dunno. I never really found fitness gun unless I was in a good mood.

right now I'm glad I'm in that mood to do it!

idk how my brain did it or what I did to make this feeling magically manifest but I suddenly don't feel like wanting to flop on the floor all day! yay???

brain I fucking hate you. you mean to tell me neurotypical people feel like they can do stuff and just ... DO IT!?. like this feeling I'm having rn due to the meds?

BRAIN FUCK YOU.

but also like thanks for working a lil better.

it's okay buddy I know you're like an unbalanced dark souls playable characters.

you magic stat is off the charts but your stamina and defense is 0 with avrage speed and agility...

BUT YOU'RE OVERPOWERED IN MAGIC ABD WOULD BEAT GOD...

if you could walk.

yeah. don't worry I see your strength brain. but can we please remember to appreciate these small steps?

look I'm probably not going to feel like this forever.

idk what makes my executive decide to function but right now it's in the mood to do it.

SO MAKE IT FUCKING COUNT!

[hedgiwithapen]

MAWS prompt: Waller and the General kidnap Clark early in the season, before he's told anyone about his powers. Jimmy has to decide whether to tell Lois Clark's secret, and they have to figure out who could have taken him...

(I'm playing fast and loose with the timeline here. episode 4/5 but Lois never finds the article, Steve never left the weights, etc)

Flip peddled hard, panting.  She twisted the gearshift on her handlebar that was slightly too big for her hands. The 21 speed bike was a great investment, just like she'd told her mom. Usually, it was just so she could get her paper route done and still have time for both cartoons AND homework after school. This was a far bigger deal.  Without the bike, there'd have been no way she was getting up the hill. At least the way down was fast. she didn't even touch the brakes, screeching a warning as she flew past a stop sign. It was illegal, but this was way too important. 

"Lois! Lois!" she shrieked, pulling up to the sidewalk beside a familiar green-coat. One foot bracing her bike, she leaned her head on her handlebars, exhausted. "emergency!"

"Flip, forgetting your book report until last minute is not an emergency," Lois said.

"Not that--how'd you even remember that--wait, no, not the time." Flip gasped for breath. "Superman. they took him!"

"What?" Lois turned fully, eyes wide. Crouching partway, she grabbed the 4th grader's shoulders.  "Flip, what did you see? Tell me everything. Who took Superman?"

"Some guy with white hair. He had a sword, two swords, and, and he was doing flips, and there was a helicopter thing. He looked like a spy. or an assassin. A Spyssassin. Superman was fighting them, but they got really close to the freeway, and he was trying stop it from collapsing and people jumped out of the helicopter, and they took him!"

"Oh my god," Lois said. "Wait, Flip, did they see you?"

"No, I was hiding. We gotta find him! Lois, they had guns!"

"Flip, you  need to go home. I'll get Clark and Jimmy, we'll figure it out, okay?" Screw that she was just an intern--she was her father's daughter, too. Superman had saved their lives, they'd save him back. Somehow.

"I want to help!"

"You have. Flip, please. Go. Normally. Pretend everything's fine."

"But it's not fine!"

Lois nodded.  Impulsively, she hugged the kid. "Stay safe, ok?"

Then she took off running. 

*

Jimmy looked at the pieces of the alarm clock, and signed. This one was not going to be so easily fixed. Usually they broke in about the same way, and being more mechanical than digital, it wasn't that hard to replace a gear, or hammer out a dent. He'd actually gotten pretty good at it, thanks in no small part to Mr. Gotamco at the watch repair place down the street.  Honestly, if the whole photojornalist thing didn't work out, maybe that wouldn't be a half bad career.  His phone rang.

"It's Jimmy," he said, answering. 

"Oh, good," Lois sounded breathless. "Is Clark with you? He's not answering his phone. I'm on my way over right now."

"Why?" Jimmy asked. " It's our day off, isn't it? Did we have a meeting? Did I forget a--"

"No, no. Jimmy, focus. Clark."

"Uh, he went out to get lunch..." Jimmy looked at the clock and realized it was still broken. "Oooh, did he finally ask you out?"

"No! What? Open your door." Jimmy obliged, and Lois  slammed past him, red-faced from running. "It's about Superman."

"Yeah?" Jimmy asked, sweeping the clock parts to the side. He was going to have to buy a new one after all. "something I should put on Flamebird?"

"Yes, no, I don't know--where's Clark? We need him. Superman's gone."

"Gone?" Jimmy choked, putting down his phone. "What do you mean, gone?"

"Gone. Flip saw that guy from the city square take him. He could be hurt, or--we owe him, Jimmy. Say you'll help me."

Jimmy froze. Gone. Superman couldn't be...kidnapped... "Lois." He said, suddenly very quiet. "I need you to promise me you won't get mad."

"About what, Jimmy? Now is not the time for--"

"Promise," he said again. "You can't be mad."

"What did you do!?"

"Nothing. I--nothing. I just... know something. Something I'm not supposed to. And I shouldn't tell you but you have to know now so promise you won't be mad."

"Ok, I promise," she said too easily. Jimmy let it slide.

"Clark. He's Superman. I figured it out ages ago. Not that he was Superman, just that he was... you know. Different. but it's his secret and obviously he didn't want us to know but--if he's--"

"Clark?" Lois said, sitting hard on the couch. "Clark's... all this time, he's been...hiding--"

"You promised not to be mad," Jimmy said. "At either of us." She had not but it was implied.

"Oh, I'm mad," Lois said. "I'm mad at that... that..." she couldn't find the insult she wanted. "Asshole who took our best friend!"

Jimmy'd take what he could get. Clark couldn't be mad, either, right? Not if they were saving him.... Secret Identities were important, privacy mattered, but not when it was life or death. Jimmy really, really hoped that it was not life or death. 

"What's the plan?" he asked, jamming his shoes on. Lois deflated. "I don't know.  Look for clues, Flip said it was by the freeway. We could find something there, maybe?"

"Then let's go." Jimmy wasn't sure how they'd save Clark, after they found him. They had to find him. 

*

It wasn't hard to find the battlesite.  There were cracks in the support pillars of the overpass, all of them minor, or already sealed over.  patches of grass were charred or flattened.  Lois scoured the ground while Jimmy took photos of everything, hoping some clue might stand out. 

"I found something," Lois said.

"is it a clue? is it blood?" Jimmy asked, hurrying over and stopping at Lois's outflung arm. 

"Bootprints," Lois said. "I've seen prints like these before." Her voice was suddenly very un-Lois-like. Quiet. almost defeated. 

"In the tunnel, at the salvage yard?" Jimmy asked, squinting at the tracks. Maybe it was all connected to that tech. If it was, there had to be a way to trace it, they could find something that would lead them to Clark. Or Clark could get away on his own, maybe--he'd won the fight in the square before. Once he was in a place where innocents wouldn't get hurt, he'd have no problem kicking that guy's ass. "Or... the bank robbery?"

"No," Lois said, looking at her phone. The missed call log. Over and over, the declined calls. 

"Where, then?" Jimmy asked, staring at her, his camera lowered. "Lois?"

"My shoe rack, back home.  Standard issue. US Military. I...I have to call someone."

Her thumb hovered over the contact for 'dad' before pressing down with enough force to almost crack the screen. 

It rang, and rang, and went to voicemail. 

[originemesis]

@deathinfeathers xxx

"Are you going to keep rubbing that shit in my face for the rest of our brimstone besprinkled lives? I wasn't hunting you down! You were dead!! I was hunting down the bitch who I assumed was wearing your GODDAMNED GRUB EATEN SKIN!!" It sounds significantly more deranged when you say it out loud, doesn't it? But it seemed reasonable enough of an assumption at the time. More reasonable than the notion that he'd survived the pygmy slut's assault and crawled off to suck on some flat-faced degenerate plutocrat in a shitty suit anyhow. "And for your information--" There she goes, swinging her legs over the lip of the sill she'd been riveted to for the past five hours and taking to her feet. An accusatory finger is jabbed in his direction like the business end of a blessed spear. She presses onwards. "--he was actually pretty torn up about the whole ordeal!" Torn up about how torn up she was, rather, but torn up all the same. Of course that had changed when the true extent of his dirty dealings had come to light...at this point in time she wouldn't put it past Michael to do a little celebratory jig if he did manage to relieve Adam of his head. God, his fatalistic frame of mind is infuriating. She wants to fight, make no mistake about that. She wants the catharsis that always accompanies a good ol' noisy squabble, it never lasts but it feels good in the moment; a release. But she wants to feel bad afterwards, because she was unduly cruel, maybe stew in it for an hour or two before the compulsion to apologize takes the reigns and she drags her feet over to do just that. Apoligize. And when she has said her sorries, and he has said his, then she wants everything to be alright again. To bid adieu to another shitty ass day, crawl under the sheets and fall asleep to the smell of his skin, the sound of his breathing, the feeling of his warmth seeping into her flesh... She wants to fight—but it's all so exhausting. That scornful digit falls from the air to hang limply at her side like a popped balloon, before she has a chance to prod at his chest with it. "Adam—" A breath squeezed through pinched lips, she turns to hunch over the kitchen counter, elbows on the edge, head planted firmly in the cradle of her palms. "—can you please—please try to work with me here. Or, alternatively, tell me to fuck off if that's what you'd prefer...to go back to whatever life and identity you've carved out for yourself here? I will. I'll leave you be if you tell me to...I'll handle Michael, he's not going to be a persistent hurdle to you...but I need to hear you say it...if you don't want me around i need you to tell me—right now."

"I JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE 'THAT BITCH'- in case you forgot!? Like shit, Lute! I mean, I appreciate the sentiment and all, but you really couldn't recognize me? MY helmet at least stayed the fucking same!" Unlike hers...her whole being, really. He's still not sure what sorts of angel steroids that Sera could have sprinkled her with, but the evidence of a promotion that never was supposed to come to pass under his leadership was evident even now without all the frills of a uniform in place. Granted, he was never supposed to end up face first in a used condom filled ditch in hell either, so maybe she was on to something... grotesque as she had to put it- like always.

Sending a still sore about it scowl over towards her perch, it's with a lesson learned back pivot that he slides the hulking weight of his frame back onto a heel as she jabs at him. Her angelic weapon might not be out for another branding round, but he'd had enough of an encounter with it skinning the neck flap of his helmet that even the gesture of a spear had his remaining feathers fluffed in alarm. "Please- it's not like you're obligated to pat my ass down here. We both know he could give zero fucks with that mic-ropenis of his." No, he wasn't against making Mic-centric jokes still. If anything, they helped smooth his feathers down as he paced the length of the apartment under her unrelenting gaze. Considering he's all she has left now up behind the big, pearly-gates, the late Commander's not sure she'll share in his cathartic name calling, but it can't hurt that its brought his voice down a couple of octaves and the weight of his gaze light enough to swivel up under heavy lashes to listlessly consider her next round of tumultuous tweets.

"Babe—?"

He huffs back before she can project more of what he can only assume is more of her frustrations with the situation-... with him. Her complaints don't fall on deaf ears, though the hints of hell-grown feathers near where the tufts of his hair and the tops of his lobes meet flare backwards as if to cover them or at least filter the tone of her request until it convinced him to ride the long, hissing exhale of his lungs to a patch of level ground between them- mainly the counter top. Tucking in beside her, he propped his chin up on a palm and a fanned set of talons while the golden pinpricks in his toasted gaze swiveled sideways to regard her the way an entirely too tired cat might observe a bird through a bay window. "I didn't carve shit, y'know? I never wanted you to have to be around me like...well-" Gaze dropping to study the curves of the set of claws he rested upon the counter in front of him, he curled their tips under the harmless ends of hell-charred knuckles and sighed. "-like this...zero dick energy disaster." A light shuffle of his weight from one shoulder to the one closest to her indicated he still felt some magnetism to her despite the shame-riddled sentiment. "But that never changed the fact that I needed you...that I don't know how to even be without you. All this life you say I carved? Was just me clawing the fuck out of everything just to keep my head above the surface of this complete and utter shit show!"

With a dropped sigh, he scooted the balled up fist over to where she'd tucked her head. A light press of knuckles against the side of her cheek coaxed another cautious rumble out of his chest. "You gotta understand- I been through this before. Always falling short of what they wanted...expected. Ending up alone. I can't handle it again- not with you. Because unlike my previous 'tasks' from heaven, I actually chose this. I chose YOU...so I can't be here when you decide this-" A soft grunt aimed down at himself and the flick of a tail as it coiled around his calf signaled his unease, but he shook at it like a wet dog. "-was never what you wanted in the end."

With a shift, he swiveled on the barstool to face inwards, cheek still propped precariously in his palm as he addressed her with a strained frown, lips a twitch from parting into a puff. "Because I-...fucking hell, Lute..." Thoughts of her perched in his lap with clumsy fingers lingering over the notes on an old bass he'd insisted on showing her coaxed the lightest quirk to the corner of his mouth, his eyes flashing with the sentiment his lips seemed hung on.

I fucking love you. "...don't leave."

[rebelwheelsnycpoetry]

A Good Jew (written in 2023)

by Michele Sommerstein

Pt 1 Wednesday, Los Angeles, white supremacists same rhetoric spewing, lies antisemitic, oozing, while, Zionist Jews in Israel, play theft again, in Palestine, these, violence unjust

and I feel fucked up, unsure, walking this high wire, delicately balancing poorly stacked and trembling plates & china of various sizes pondering what is my place, my lane, my right, my responsibility in this As an activist, a person of Jewish ancestry, this history that I awkwardly dance with awkwardly

unsolicited two cents, as people tell me how I should be. If I am to be “a good Jew” (if I am not to cause harm) as if speaking out against the occupation, especially during attacks from anti-Semites - causes harm has me questioning if and how and when I should speak?

this identity, that I do not list in my bio, for it would somehow feel fake as if I somehow haven't earned enough points to declare it, and yet whip out strategically, like a card in my wallet, when it comes to politics for I know of it's value, of its weight & and at times privilege Dear Senator, I write to you as a Jewish constituent.

It's been decades but I remember going with my mother temple too warm, small child drowsy, rabbi speaking, drones on and on, slow near monotone, and I am, disconnected from the meaning, not understanding, attending out of some weird obligation expectation that somehow came with my birth, and why? forget that it was often in another language that I did not understand (nor yet appreciate) sometimes I'd drift off day dreaming, mid sermon, of those after service cookies served in the basement that never really felt worth it nor were they ever that good. and yet every Thursday night on repeat

I remember, small child, inquisitive, inquiring But if God is everywhere, why do we have to pray in temple? For I was told that good Jews go, that god favors those, who attend

but the women in the two back rows, always gossiping I said even if they're not even paying attention? Yes, even if someone prays in the forest sincerely, he is less favored? Yes and it didn't make sense

Don't ask so many questions. Why can't you be more like your peers? Who ask nothing (they are good) and although still a child, it all just felt like bullshit that Jewish was just this thing you go along with without really knowing why & so by 13 “I did my time” and got out. L'Chaim.

Pt 2 I recall, late teens, paternal, grandparent's Oldsmobile (boxy with no power steering), grandfather (typically passive) parked in the Jersey driveway when the Queen Matriarch (my grandmother) turns to me, asking if I was yet dating, and I was, but she said “Well, when you're serious, he'll be Jewish.” For years I'd always inquire “Why?” “It's tradition” without fail she replied “But why is it tradition?” but tradition, presented as infallible and was not to be questioned. (why must you ask so many questions)

until one day, 19 years, late teens, backseat. Oldsmobile, boxy with no power steering, in frustration “But why is it tradition?!” This expectation to follow without reason And she, rooted in Zionism & trauma (and the intersections of) said “OK, you're old enough to know…” Spoke of my duty as a “pure blooded” Jewish woman a what? To marry, to mate with a pure blooded Jewish man and your pure blooded – she said again – Jewish children will be part of a collective army, so when – not if but when the next Holocaust comes, this time, we will. be, ready… Stunned and silent but with the blaring awareness that pure blooded was a term that Hitler had used against us and what the fuck?

But at the time I dared not utter a word because she was the Queen Matriarch, and respect, an elder with a free pass And I dared not utter a word because the women in my family were raised to be subservient to the men, who were then underfoot to The Queen (this also never made sense) I dared not utter a word because we had led very different lives not that this justified what I was hearing but I, who never had to escape by night, by boat, as a child from Russia so what right did I have to speak my mind? To tell her how to deal with her trauma? (a word that was never used, but influenced most things in my family)

I remember at the party DJ playing Hava Nagila (mandatory but welcomed) and everyone danced, loose & drunk-like, floppy though sober but not my grandmother. She, who moved with intention and purpose. With pride like a form of protest. In ways I did not comprehend at 13, why so serious (for no one really talked about the past, and you knew not to ask questions) but in that moment, she danced for all the times in Russia, she and her family could not Their culture, their religion, their existence, persecuted to no end I wish I was told more as a child, so I too would not have taken it for granted.

Pt 3 I don't remember ever hearing the word Palestine in Hebrew School. Nor seeing it on the maps they had us color in as kids But as I got older, I learned of its existence,

And the actual history, the hypocrisy, falsely justified as if those who were oppressed, could never become the oppressors. As if our history justified it all – it does not.

I saw Zionists twist the term anti-Semite to mean anyone who criticized the occupation, even when valid watering down the meaning of the word

I saw a video of Palestinian people who could not even wave their own flag without persecution. and I could not help but to notice the similarities

I saw Zionism exploiting the trauma of the holocaust, perpetually jabbing the wound, insisting “you need this to keep you safe!” but always failing to do so.

And when I spoke up, making art and poetry that points this out. I was yelled at, all caps, put down told to not ask so many questions, that I am bad, a self hating Jew

but I am not & nor am I alone

I've marched with Jewish groups protesting conservative Zionists who had teamed up with white supremacists on the topic of Israel – and what?!

I've met Jewish activists in solidarity with Palestine, who cry out “not in my name” taking a stand because “If Not Now, When?” teaching the history of Jewish rebellion & good good trouble

I've seen protest signs carried that read: “Zionism is not Judaism” (because that needs to be said) I've seen temples, boldly religious but not as in controlling, oppressive - restricted as in joyous, inclusive, ask the questions! as in love, community, as in growth, as in connection, this that was healing this that I wish younger me could have seen because then I would have known there were other people like me because then I could have separated the wisdom from the trauma and acknowledged and learned from both and Jewish would've been in my bio along with Queer and Disabled and writer and nerd and activist all the things I declare with pride.

Monday, New York City, white supremacists same rhetoric, spewing, lies antisemitic oozing, while Zionist Jews in Israel, play theft again, in Palestine, may it be known & without apology - these, violence unjust

[satansfootlong]

I fucking hate. That relationships in mormon culture were about obligation. Obligated to get along with family so everyone stays in the church and no ones barred from the celestial kingdom as punishment for the relative who leaves the church because they got "offended." obligation to try to convert any non member friends. And obligated to not waste effort on friendships with non members who won't convert when you could be converting someone else. Obligated to maintain friendships with members to keep each other faithful in the church. But don't bother too much with recent converts go find another friend to convert. Literally assigned friendships in relief society and priesthood. Paired with someone and assigned a family or two to visit with each month. And obligated to help your visiting teachee if they ask even if it means you can't help your actual friend if they ask. And don't ask for help wait for it to be offered. If you ask for help it's your fault for not being faithful enough for god to help you. And no matter how close friends you are with another mormon there's that weight over it of knowing that even if they didn't actually want to spend time with you they'd never admit it because what if you get offended and leave the church. And you all have an obligation to help keep each other in the church.

It's just. How can i trust that any friends i make now actually truly want to be my friend and aren't driven by obligation when that's all I've known my whole fucking life. How do i stop apologizing for needing my friends and genuinely wanting to spend time with them. Or thinking i need a valid reason to hang out with my friends because i can't admit that i just enjoy their company don't they expect I'm only spending time with them out of obligation too???? We're really allowed to just want friendships for the sake of friendship??? I'm allowed to ask my friends for support when i need it and they won't grudgingly help while looking down on me for not being able to take care of all my own problems myself??????

[arcplaysgames]

any persona characters you think fit the heavy weight of a blood aspect? idk there's all this talk about confidants and things but it's interesting to me that 'bonds' and 'identity' get slightly more interwoven in the persona universe compared to hs theories about heart and blood being opposed (not same as heart vs mind but close)! for some reason the p3 cast feels like there should be at least 1 blood player, but god knows if i can tell who

SEE WEIRDLY I have been thinking about that. I have no idea what HS theories you mean, I have my own theory of classpecting I built from the ground up (@classpect-navelgazing) and I don't really think of any aspects in opposition to each other. It's like saying rock is in opposition to scissors. It's not that neat and one-to-one.

But the thing about Blood as the aspect of obligation and connection and responsibility is that..... for all Persona talks about bonds and connections, I don't feel like any of the protagonists use Blood in that way. They don't actually invoke the power of their connections, the people you bond with just go "oh hey I should help out" without any invocation from the protags? It's odd.

I think if anyone comes to mind as Blood.... I'm wracking my brain. Akihiko might be Blood as out of the entire SEES team, he acts the most as the sort of team mom and manager of everyone, nudging them and reminding everyone what they should be doing and confronting people who aren't contributing. He also is bound up in his connections to Shinjiro and Ken and Mitsuru, and even manages to use that connection to basically drag Shinjiro kicking and gnashing his teeth back onto the team.

Yeah, sure, Akihiko can be Blood. And given his role as sort of an attendant to Blood, ensuring everyone's marching to the same beat and giving people wake up calls as needed, I'm thinking Sylph (healing the aspect in others) or honestly Prince (as he's obsessed with self-improvement and his fealty and duty).

.... Prince of Blood. He actually has all the markers for it. He's ruthlessly efficient, he has baggage with his past and with his role as one of the original members of SEES, he hones himself relentlessly, and he is in service to Blood and is thus empowered by Blood.

I feel pretty good about that one actually. Akihiko Sanada, Prince of Blood.

[truessences]

Hi! Currently catching up on fanfics and I was wondering why there are so few about mileven aged up/adulthood/parenthood ? The few (and there are some really good ones who depict them really well and are realistic, but there are just a few) that I read are so heartwarming and satisfying given the fact that it’s their ultimate goal you know ? So yes they are growing up and going to share their firsts milestones together as a couple and their first time, being intimate is just a natural evolution of them and it’s such a beautiful step to a relationship like theirs. And so is Mike proposing to El, them marrying, founding their home and a family together. And somehow on Twitter for example you really have to walk on eggs with this topic… they aren’t 12 anymore for god sakes 🤦🏻‍♀️ When did ppl became so hypersensitive about this? I find it just hypocritical honestly… Idk what’s your take on this … if the subject makes you uncomfortable don’t feel obligated to answer, I’ll understand 😊

Thanks for your ask! Also was sitting in my drafts and hopefully whoever you are anon, you see this response! I have some thoughts and hopefully this will make sense lol but I feel like I'm about to be all over the place.

People are hypersensitive about them (Mileven and minor characters in general) being aged up? This is a tricky subject in some ways. I know some people may not have even fully even "shipped" Mileven (or even Lumax) until they were older because they were so young in the beginning, so there's that too lol.

My Stranger Things/Titanic AU "The Weight of Living" has the characters aged up, I think I have them around 19-21 because that's what the story calls for, I think, and in the movie, I believe Rose is 17 and Jack is 20 but I wanted El and Mike to remain close in age so I just made them legally adults. But my intention was just that it was easier to have them dealing, feeling and thinking more adult things/situations outside of sexual intimacy, which I still haven't decided if I'll tackle that since that's just not really my thing to write. But they couldn't be young teenagers because that's not the story I wanted to tell.

I've seen a lot of discourse over this for many years. There was a big thing in one of my Facebook nerd groups when this girl went on this weird rant about how "sexy" she thought Aang was from ALTA and calling him "daddy" and all that. It was a big debate about fictional characters and simping. As an adult, I don't simp for any "minor in age" character, they are my children lol that's it. A big example is like My Hero Academia when people call the students (Class 1A) their husbandos or whatever, but they are actively 15 years old, so I can't see them past that and they are my children lol. Same with like Gon and Killua, also why I don't generally ship kids either, unless the show leans into that. However, I have read some fics where the authors have aged up the characters to tackle more adult content and I don't particularly have a problem with it because I'm just enjoying the story about characters I enjoy, who I'll probably never see as adults in their respective medium.

I think the problem comes, for some people, is that, "oh you like this? With these characters aged up? that's weird, that's pedo behavior" which I think is really dangerous language to throw around. Or they're like "Oh, you only aged up these characters so you can... xyz". But they are fictional and the writer aged them up because that's the story they want to tell and them being adults or older teenagers (whatever) better suits the story.

Now, I do think there's a line. I know I generally won't read a fic that's labeled "underage" because that's uncomfy. Sometimes, I miss a tag or don't read them at all, just the summary and dive into a story and then I'm surprised (my own fault).

What I also think some people forget, is that teenagers are sexually active. I mean, we saw probably 16 year old Nancy have sex with a 17 year old Steve. She and Jonathan later had sex and we know that they did. I know it might be weirder with the party kids because we have watched them grow up from being 12-14 to adults and their characters are still teenagers... but I'm more bothered by people writing real life fanfictions than I am by them aging up characters.

So, idk, this was probably a whole bunch of a nothing answer lol but I can see why people are sensitive about it but I also see why some people are like "relax".

Idk lol

[godzexperiment]

*finger guns in oh this is tragic thoughts regarding nix* ~this one is not light in the slightest/pretty fucked up and heavy~

(mostly his like non watered down/main background but sure trickles in other verses etc)

-okay but the weight? of how he has to listen, even if he is actively tuning it out... it'll still tuck away into his brain and him being able to understand his maker's disjointed rants/rambles just means absorbing it all endlessly even if there is no intent for him to soak it up.

-which also the way it affects him for the rest of forever (here is your purpose, you never asked for and will affect you hearby for the rest of forever) remembering cruel words, kind words those last sounds of dying breathes stick forever or the laughter of somebody who can't stand him *the voice of his maker, spoken words of an long gone being*

-imagine your sole purpose being to listen to the entity who created all of creation; constantly critique it and grumble about your siblings yet it makes you so quick to defend even at the cost of your own being+possible erasure out of existence

-the way he was created to be pretty unfeeling more or less; only to be so emotional? especially when his maker has weaponized/tested emotional things on him? 'what would it be like to give an angel intense heartbreak' -nix in agony clawing at the floor just kind of like we didn't need to test this theory this way- so very caring in contrast to his maker's growing apathy

-watch me punish the humans, my angels for mild annoyances and nix just like :( watch me get my ripped out heart handed to me for suggesting maybe we don't go damaging creation in That Way for such minor nothing little things

-getting sent down to handle the "antichrist" mainly as another morbid lesson/an 'well i cant destroy you or i'd be down an punching bag+obligated listener so i'll break your soul another way' and nix just so rebellious hearted but being given the space to fail or succeed (maybe he manages- but then comes the death of some nature and god just yanking him back+erasing it all only leaving pieces of the suffering behind)

-knowing the darker aspects/side, the Wrath and far less of the nature his siblings associate with their maker yet not resenting any of them for it. as he sure knows they've got other issues like having to carry out their orders. go through horrors sometimes entirely avoidable. so it's not like anybody is thriving; just so much hurt and dragging out an abandonment inevitable.

-the way he is like 'yeah no what really haunts me is his apathy; that I might have soaked that and all the other horrors right up' because he sees so much beauty in everything (is it evil to see so much beauty in mortals sustaining the earth when they're gone or not blink at death sometimes etc)

-seeing so much beauty, so much love only for so much horror+damage to exist inside him and still be possible (new pains in actual heartbreak, in possible rejection by siblings or them fighting- in not being mind wiped after loving somebody only to lose their inevitable mortal soul) how wounds on Earth, hurt different than wounds in Heaven etc

-and if gets tossed the 'here creation is yours to look after' the labor of such an weight on him? the way it very much would feel like an punishment some parting 'okay so you care so much- meddle as you wish' *doesnt send him to earth either just thoughtlessly or to put lemon juice in the cut*

how of course nix would willingly do so/promise to regardless (even though he is very much not suited for the task+believes strongly in letting people make their own dumb choices etc so it's all so odd and draining is so many ways)

-perpetually exhausted, forever haunted and scarred in every meaning of the word seeming to collect even more babey boy who could desperately use love+kindness and being cared about would 100% sob hysterically if anybody were to go 'its not all on you' in especially the direct way

[limeade-l3sbian]

Thank you so much, it means a lot 💜 It’s like a weight is finally off my chest. Even though my parents didn’t take it equally good, thankfully entire of them seem hateful about it.

My question is that I’ve noticed it’s kind of an on going joke within the lesbian community that lesbians move extremely quickly forward in their relationships emotionally. And I’m just scared because while it’s obviously probably a stereotype, they usually do stem from reality a bit if it’s the people themselves it’s about making the jokes. I’m super introverted and really love my own space, in fact I can’t function well with too much socializing constantly. So i’m fearful that if I one day do get to be as lucky as to find someone who I fall for that also falls for me, that she would suddenly wanna move in with me ultra quickly and start thinking marriage, etc. I actually honestly don’t see myself ever really living together with someone and if the joke has truth to it, i wonder if i’m just doomed amongst other lesbians?

I’m not in an area or even country with a super loud and proud gay community, especially not lesbian community, so if I’m ever lucky to find someone I match with, do you think it would be doomed from the beginning?

No lesbian is doomed!

There is a woman out there for every woman. The joke has merit, but like most things, it has been so overdone that it misguides freshly out lesbians like yourself into thinking it is somehow the experience of 90% of us.

As long as you're open with a woman about a disinterest for living together with someone since it would technically deviate from the "norm", it would be her decision whether she would be okay with that. But also! Realize on your end that while you're in no way obligated to change this view you have (because trust me, I get it. The bed is MINE), don't feel like you're losing yourself if this mindset changes.

Maybe you'll find a woman who is like "don't wanna live together? dope, neither do I" or you'll find yourself saying "oh God. I think I wanna move in with this woman." You win either way! But if a woman isn't okay with it, don't feel discouraged. There's that saying that's something like "what if I told you you were three more no's away from a yes?" You never know! Just go at your own pace with everything and stay true to yourself. Don't let ANYONE pressure you to act a certain way or feel like you have to think something. The great thing about this community is all the different types of women. 💜