#i need them to exist outside of them for that to happen

[jeankluv]

The forgotten boy - Geto Suguru | Chapter 03

words: 3,2k

summary: He made a deal with the devil, over 1,000 years ago. Just for the sake of his loved ones but the deal came with a condition. Everyone he met from that moment on, would forget about his existence within minutes, and will be like that for the rest of the eternity

Like that Geto Suguru lived for 1,000 years, being forgotten by everyone he met, not being remembered by anyone and being alone.

"You remember me?"

You nodded. “Of course I do.” You smiled. “You have been coming here for a few days now. Always at the same hour and always asking for the same coffee.”

ac: _3aem

tags: angst, fluff, fantasy au, different lifetimes, dual pov, use of y/n, fem!character, modern settings but also past settings, eventual smut, destiny, characters death (in the flashbacks), blood [more tags in the future]

notes: from now on the chapters will be published between Friday-Sunday, I want to take my time to write the chapters properly and they will probably be every two weeks. One week there will be TFB chapter and another week Birdie chapter. This way is easier for me to organize everything. I also have to thank everyone for all your kind messages in this fic, makes me so happy. I personally love this chapter for a particular scene that happens, I hope y’all like it too 🫶

materialist | previous chapter | next chapter

Jujutsu Kaisen materialist | ao3

Suguru was outside the coffee shop waiting for you to finish your job. He was nervous, he couldn’t lie. The truth is that he has never had an actual date before. Sure he has had encounters with different people over the decades, but it was always one night where he needed to sneak out as soon as possible. Just imagine the shock of those who shared a passionate night with him after waking up and seeing a man they didn’t know anything about.

But with you, he didn’t want to have a passionate night. No. He wanted to get to know you and perhaps meet you on more occasions. Build something between the two of you, even if it was a friendship. He wanted to have that, someone to talk and share things they could remember.

He couldn’t deny it, you were gorgeous. Warm smile and kind eyes, that made his heart pump on his chest like never before. And small freckles on that face. Was it 9 or 10 freckles? He couldn’t remember it exactly.

“Kento!” Your soft voice made him look up. You were smiling at him. “Sorry, did I make you wait a lot? There was a last minute client and couldn’t leave.”

“No, it’s okay.” He smiled back at you.

“Good. So what do you want to do?” You moved your hands nervously.

“Mhm?” He thought for a moment. He only didn’t have much money with him, he didn’t expect to go out with anyone that day and he also didn’t want to borrow more money from Nanami’s apartment. “Are you hungry?”

“Oh I’m starving!” You smiled. “I know a really good place, near here. The sandwiches are delicious and…”

“I don’t have much money with me.”

You opened your mouth and then smiled. “It’s okay, I will invite you.”

“But I was the one that asked you out. It would be rude for you to be paying when it was me.” He said with a worried look.

“Then you will have to invite me out again.” You smiled and grabbed his wrist. “Now let’s go, Kento!”

Suguru just let himself be guided by you. Not only was your smile so warm, your hands were also warm. He watched your back while you still held his wrist, trying to make your way through the crowded street. It was lunchtime and many office workers had gone out to eat at the restaurants in the area. He could lose you if it wasn’t because you were still holding to his wrist.

You walked a few more meters and then turned to the left, through a small street that was not so crowded. You were still holding him and walking in front of him although there were not so many people around.

“Suguru, come on! We need to run from them!” A female voice told him.

Suguru stopped walking, making you also stop. When you turned, you saw his pale face, as pale as you had seen it hours before and his eyes wide open.

Suguru on his part, was trying to understand what that had been. A deja vu? Was that what they were called? He had felt real, even the cold of a nonexistent night had hit his face. But he had not been able to see the woman's figure well and her voice had been a distant echo.

“Kento?” You were looking at him and holding his arms on both sides. “You okay?”

Suguru nodded and tried to put those thoughts aside. “Yeah, don’t worry. There were just a lot of people before and I got a bit stressed. That’s all.” You nodded and this time placed yourself next to him.

You both walked slowly, not speaking but not feeling uncomfortable for the silence that it was formed between the both of you.

You stood in front of the bar where you wanted to take him and looked at him. He approached the door and opened it, letting you through. You entered the place, it was not very crowded and the people who were there seemed to be mainly people from the neighborhood, people who had lived there all their lives. You took his hand and took him to your favorite place. It was a table overlooking an interior patio that was decorated full of nature. You sat down, facing each other and took the menu.

“You should try this.” You said pointing at one of the sandwiches written in the menu. “It’s really good.”

“I would try it then.” He nodded.

“Good.” You stood up but he grabbed your hand. “What?”

“I should be the one ordering and paying…”

You shook your head with a smile. “Nope. This time I will be paying. That way you can ask me out again, right?” You winked your eye and walked out.

Suguru stood there with his mouth slightly opened and watched you as you spoke with someone that apparently you already knew. He turned around and looked through the window, when was the last time he ate with someone else? Probably with Nanami a few months ago, they met again and Suguru invited Nanami to eat, although it was technically Nanami’s money so… but it didn’t matter because that time after their goodbye, he knew Nanami wouldn’t remember him, but this time seemed to be different.

“Here!” You put the two sandwiches on the table.

“Thank you.”

“And tell me Kento.” Every time he heard that name it was strange. “What do you do for the living?” You bite a piece of the sandwich.

Suguru thought for a moment but without looking suspicious. “I work from home, in things related to marketing.” It was all a lie but he had read something about marketing in the newspaper and sounded cool.

“Oh.” You smiled. “That’s cool.” You nodded. “And do you like our coffee shop?”

“Yeah, it’s really nice. The coffee is really good and it has good employees.”

You slightly laughed. “It’s good to hear that and it’s also good to see you there everyday.”

“Let’s stop talking about me.” Suguru stopped you. “Tell me something about you.”

“Well… there is not much to say. I work in the coffee shop, I have a cat, her name is Blue.” You smiled. “And I studied arts.”

“Do you paint?” Suguru asked.

“Yeah.” You searched in your bag. “Here.” You took the sketch book from it and hung it to him. “You can look if you want and give me your honest opinion.”

Suguru held the sketch book between his hands and opened it. The first drawings were a cat, the same cat, it was probably your cat. There were also sketches of different people. You were good, really good. He turned the page and his eyes spotted a familiar figure, it was him, drinking a coffee.

“This…”

“Yeah, sorry.” You flushed. “I thought it was another sketch book with flowers but it was the one where I drew you. Sorry if you feel uncomfortable or something but you looked really good and I don’t know but something inside of me was screaming to draw you. Sorry again.”

“No.” Suguru shook his head. “This is really good. You are really good and I’m glad someone as talented as you can draw me like that. I’m honored.”

You looked at him with surprise. “I… that’s really nice. Thank you.” You said looking down and playing with your hands.

“You deserve to be in a museum or something.” He smiled.

“I doubt anyone would want to buy any of these.” You sighed.

“I would buy them.”

Click. You had this conversation before. But when? Where? You shook your head and smiled back at him. The evening went smoothly, talking about trivial things.

Suguru couldn’t stop admiring you, the way your face light up whenever you were talking about something you liked, the way you would move your hands excited while telling him something. You were mesmerizing. He wanted this to last as much as he could, he didn’t want it to end, he wanted to spend more and more time with you. Hearing you speak, hearing you laugh. He wanted to see you paint.

“Oh shoot!” You gasped, looking at the hour on the clock that was hanging on the wall.

“You need to leave?”

“Yeah…” You sighed. “Kento I really wish I could stay more but…”

“It’s okay, don’t need to worry.” He stood from his chair. “Just let me walk you away. Until you let me.”

“Oh…” You said in surprise. “Then accompany me to my bus stop.” You smiled.

He smiled back and you, taking all the courage on your body, grabbed his hand. You were flustered, you knew it but, nothing of that matter at the moment. You walked side by side holding hands as if you were a couple. Your heart was pumping hardly on your chest and your hands were starting to sweat.

Maybe he doesn’t like it.

On the other hand, Suguru was beyond happy and nervous. He felt like he was a teenager in that exact moment. Maybe it was all happening too fast? He didn’t know, but there was something that connected both of you, in a way he couldn’t comprehend.

“This is my stop.” You said pointing at the stop.

He nodded and looked down at your hands. “I guess it’s a goodbye.”

“Your number.” You mumbled.

He looked at you and shook his head. “I don’t have a phone.”

“Oh that’s…” Strange. “Okay, don’t worry.” You smiled.

“I will still go to the coffee shop.” He smiled back.

“That’s good.” You were nervous. “Then… I will see you tomorrow Kento.” You started walking off but you felt him grabbing your hand once again.

“Wait y/n…” He whispered. “There is something I need to tell you.”

There it comes, he was married or had a girlfriend or something like that. It wasn’t possible for a man this handsome to be single. You couldn’t believe it was going to happen. Damn it.

“My real name…” He swallowed trying to find the words. “My real name is not Kento.”

You opened your mouth and closed it several times, you were confused, to say the least. “Huh? Then what is it?”

“It’s…” He seemed hesitant.

Suguru hesitated, was he going to be able to say it. To say the name he hasn’t said in the last 1,000 years? But maybe if the curse didn’t affect you, he could say it.

“Suguru…” He did it, the words came out of his mouth.

“Suguru…” You repeated and Suguru felt like crying when he heard his name on your lips. “That’s a really pretty name.” You smiled. “Then Suguru, it was a pleasure to meet you and eat with you.”

“It was the same for me y/n.” He smiled.

“I will see you tomorrow Suguru.”

And unintentionally, you let go of your hands, separating yourselves and saying goodbye with a wave. Suguru saw you board the bus and smiled at him from inside. He felt his heart warm up again with every smile you gave him.

You boarded the bus and waved goodbye to Suguru. Suguru. You repeated his name in your head over and over again, feeling your heart swell each time you said it.

The bus started moving, and you watched as Suguru's figure became smaller and smaller in the distance.

Resting your head against the bus window, you began to think about the "date" you had with Suguru. It was strange that Suguru had hidden his name and given you a false one, but for some reason, it didn't make you feel insecure or intimidated. In fact, it only fueled your curiosity to learn more about Suguru. His mysterious aura intrigued you, leaving you yearning for deeper connection.

As the bus rumbled on, your mind drifted back to your encounter with Suguru, each memory and conversation was being replayed in your mind, vividly.

Despite the ambiguity surrounding his identity, a strong bond seemed to have formed between you, as if destiny had orchestrated your meeting.

You wanted to know more about him, to see him again, to know what he was hiding behind those tired eyes.

Once you arrived at your stop, you advanced with a firm step to the place where you were going. You were going to present one of your works to be evaluated and perhaps obtain a job. Your heart was pounding in your chest and you felt your hands shaking more and more as you got closer to the art gallery.

Outside the gallery you saw Shoko, smoking a cigarette. When she noticed your presence she threw it away and smiled at you.

“You are here!” You hugged your friend.

“I'm scared to death, Shoko.” You cried a little.

“You will do well, the painting is impressive.” She rubbed your back, giving you the security you were missing.

“Have you brought it?” You asked, to which Shoko nodded her head.

You both headed towards her car, where the painting that you would display was stored with great care.

“You don't know how much I appreciate you bringing it to me.” You sighed. “If I had had to bring it on the bus, it would surely have been damaged.”

“No problem.” She shook her head, not caring. “I'll wait for you outside.”

"Don't you have to work at the hospital?" You said, grabbing the painting carefully.

"Not today, today is my day off." A smile appeared on her face. “We can go have something to drink later, we can call ‘Hime to come over, if her schedule allows it of course." She shrugged. “And Yuki, she's still out, right?”

“Yes, I don't think she's back yet. That's fine with me.” You smiled. “Then I'll see you in a bit.” You said turning on your feet.

“Good luck!” Shoko yelled at you from where you had left her.

Resolutely grabbing the painting, you opened the door to the art gallery and entered with your head held high and your step firm.

On the other side of the city Suguru walked with a calm step, as he usually did. But this time with a new warmth in the chest. Being able to share with you, even if it was just lunch, had made him feel alive.

He looked at his wrist and remembered the warm touch of your hand gently surrounding his wrist. The smiles you had offered him and those ten freckles that decorated your face. Yes, Suguru had counted them and had wanted to memorize them perfectly.

Arriving at the place where he spent his afternoons, he sat in the same place and contemplated the same view that he had been contemplating for months. With the breeze blowing against his face and moving his hair, he closed his eyes and began to think.

˖✧˖°.✶₊ ⊹ ⋆˖✧˖°.✶₊ ⊹ ⋆

— over 1,000 years ago

Suguru was on the hill of the town, while in one hand he grabbed a stick he had found and made drawings on the ground. He was bored.

He had done every task a 6 year old could do and now he was on that hill completely alone and bored. There wasn't much to do in that town and children his age were also helping their parents, so he only had to wait for someone to get him out of the boredom he felt.

“Suguru!!” A voice called him from a distance.

With a smile on his face, Suguru stood up from the ground and threw the stick away from him. Running up the hill, his best friend went up. His white hair was easily visible from a long distance and his cry calling him had probably been heard throughout the whole town.

“Satoru!!” Suguru said happily as his best friend reached him.

The little boy leaned on his knees, trying to catch the breath that had escaped from his lungs after running up the hill.

"Guess what?" Satoru looked up, regaining his usual energy. Suguru shook his head indicating for him to continue. "Today I went with my father to a village and there was a river on the way. And there were tadpoles in it!"

Suguru looked at him strangely. "Tadpoles?"

Satoru nodded. "It's where frogs come from!" Suguru opened his mouth in surprise. "My father let me bring some and we left them in the pond at my house. My father says that then frogs would come out." Satoru grabbed Suguru's hand and pulled him along. "Come on, I'll show you!"

The two children ran down the hill. The townspeople were not surprised to see them together, since, since they could remember, they had both been together. Crossing the streets, the two children arrived at Satoru's family home and approached the small pond there. Satoru letting go of Suguru's hand, crouched down and put both hands in the water and then showed them to his best friend.

“Look." He nodded. “Do you see the black things?” Suguru nodded. “That will then turn into frogs!” Satoru said with excitement.

"How?" Suguru asked, wanting to satisfy his intrigue.

Satoru shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what to answer. “I guess they will become strong and transform into frogs.” Suguru nodded. "Like you and me!" Satoru exclaimed, leaving the tadpoles back in the pond. “We will become strong and we will become the strongest!” He raised his fist. “We will serve the emperor as the strongest warriors.”

“I doubt our parents would like the idea.” Suguru sighed in resentment.

“But once we are older we can do as we please.” Satoru smiled. “We will leave this town and become the strongest together.” He stood up and stretched out his hand for Suguru to grab.

Suguru looked at the hand and then at his best friend, in his eyes he could see determination and bravery, and that gave him infinite confidence.

With a smile he grabbed the hand of his best friend and nodded. “We will be the strongest warriors!”

“Yes! The strongest!” Satoru replied.

“Don't even think about it!” A voice interrupted them.

"Mother!" Satoru protested. "You can't stop us, Suguru and I will leave this place and become the best warriors in the world."

“You are too small to know what you want.” Satoru's mother scolded them. “You don't know what dangers there are. Spirits, curses and worse.”

“Mom, those are children's stories.”

"No my son, it's real, it's better that you never join the emperor's army."

“Is that dangerous, Mrs. Gojo?” Suguru asked.

“Yes Suguru, so please don't do it.”

“But it won't matter because Suguru and I will be the strongest ones and we will be able to handle everything.” Satoru smiled arrogantly.

“This kid…”

˖✧˖°.✶₊ ⊹ ⋆˖✧˖°.✶₊ ⊹ ⋆

As Suguru looked towards the horizon, memories of the past still lingering in his mind, he couldn't help but feel a sense of resignation wash over him. The sunset in the distance served as a poignant reminder of the passage of time.

With a deep sigh, Suguru knew it was time to return to the present, to the reality that awaited him at "home." Although the past had its own appeal, he realized that thinking about what could have been would only serve to anchor him in a perpetual state of longing and regret.

As he walked away into the sunset, Suguru took a moment to focus on the present moment, to appreciate the beauty of the world around him and the possibilities that lay ahead. The fleeting memory of your face crossed his mind as he thought about the future that awaited him. And a smile appeared on his face, because for the first time in centuries, Suguru harbored some hope in his heart.

Final notes: I know somethings might seem rare at first but then they will make sense, but if I say something it would be a spoiler. Also don’t ever be surprised if I call Suguru by mistake Satoru, bc sometimes I’m writing TFB and I go “Satoru said” and I’m like “shit this is not Satoru this is Suguru!” So yeah

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[lynnuvo]

Golden Retriever's Leash

Characters: Midoriya Izuku x Female (Y/N)

If there's one thing anyone knows about Midoriya Izuku, it was that he was the sweetest boy in all of UA. His kindness and seemingly never-ending flow of support played a great part in your romantic interest in him, after all. Fueled by his oblivious encouragement, you surprised Midoriya with a date consisting of some of his favorite activities and merch to ask him out. He was a blushing mess and cried on the spot, sputtering acceptance between sobs. After being bullied for years and being fixated on his quirkless or now-quirk-filled body, he hadn't expected anyone to see him in such a light.

But the truth was that more than a couple did. You just happened to have the balls to get to him first.

It was unfortunate you weren't in his class. After learning about what happened at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint (USJ), you were quick to ask for his number that day in the cafeteria. His classmates' gushing made your insides swirl, but you continued, telling Midoriya you wanted to learn more about him. He--with a face as red as a tomato--happily gave it to you. Since then, you both messaged pretty often and went on a few hangouts outside of school. With trouble brewing about with villains, however, Midoriya had been messaging less, and you two haven't gotten to hang out as much.

Your classmates and even some students outside of class gushed about how lucky you were to have Midoriya by your side, but you knew there were at least a few that were jealous. Or at least you guessed. Though you displayed confidence about the security of your relationship to your friends, a part of you was anxious about him losing feelings. This was especially so now that he lived in a dorm with his entire class.

One day, you were leaving class when you heard your name being called. You turned to the right to find Midoriya in his school uniform, with his tie still not properly done, rushing over to you. His smile was beaming so hard, you would have been blinded if it were possible.

"Midoriya-kun, nice to see you," you greeted with a smile, ignoring the gushes of your friends as they hurried to leave you alone with your lover. "It's not often you come all the way to my class. What's up?"

"Oh--uh--I just missed you is all," he replied with a blush. One of his hands grasped yours. "It's been so hectic lately. I was thinking maybe...seeing you would make my day better. Can I walk you back to your dorm?"

You chuckled. "Better yet, why don't we go sit in the courtyard? I missed you too. Let's talk before we have to go back!'

"Really?! That'd be great! Yes please!"

You both headed to his dorm for your spontaneous date. His classmates waved upon noticing your presence, and a couple of the girls made noises that sent Midoriya into a blushing mess. His class has met you a few times, all of which you managed to squeeze in free time to be somewhere around them. Most of their welcoming aura, however, likely resulted due to Midoriya sharing cute pictures of you to them and gushing about how in love he was. At least, that was what you knew according to Mina Ashido.

Once you both settled on a bench, you stretched your arms. "Ah, it feels good to hang out again. Are you busy this afternoon?"

His smile fell a bit. "I am, unfortunately. I was hoping to ask you on a date, but I need to prepare for my Provisional Hero License Exam. It's really important."

"I know it's important to you, love. I don't know what hero would exist without one," you chuckled, ruffling his fluffy green hair. You reached into your bag and pulled out a bento box and a pair of chopsticks. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to finish the leftovers from lunch. Would you like to try some?"

"I'm okay, don't worry! You don't have much left, so you should eat them all."

"It's fine. You won't hurt me by trying my cooking again."

"I wouldn't want you to go hungry later because of that one scoop though. Oh! Hold on! I almost forgot!"

Your boyfriend dug through his backpack and withdrew a box of chocolates with an adorable red bow wrapped around it. As he undid it, he explained, "I was visiting the grocery store the other day when I ran into a student here at UA in their uniform still. I don't know why they were outside UA in their uniform since it's especially dangerous, considering the USJ attack. I was in my civilian clothes because of that. Maybe they were running a quick errand before heading back to the dorms? Um. Anyway, she saw me and ran away almost immediately. I was freaking out and wondered if I did something to offend her that badly, but then she came back while I was at the register with this box. She said she just bought it and wanted to give it to me."

The excitement you had for the chocolates faded away the more he spoke. Maintaining a smile the best you could, you took a piece of chocolate he offered and asked, "Why did she give you chocolates?"

"She said it was because I was cool and thought it could help me relax," he answered with a slight blush. You'd learned a long while ago that his blushes were prone to emotions of different kinds, but your stomach churned despite your brain acknowledging he was probably just flustered at the praise. "I said thanks and thought about giving it to you."

"Awww, that's...so sweet, love." You ate the chocolate and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for thinking about me, but it doesn't feel right for me to eat something meant for you."

He frowned. "Please? Do you not like it?"

"Oh, no! It's delicious. I just...."

"If you like it, don't hesitate to eat. Pretty please? I'll try your leftovers in exchange for you eating some more chocolate."

You rolled your eyes with a smile. "I just can't resist an offer like that from you, can I?"

The two of you spent the rest of the hour you had together chatting about classes and what else has been going on in your lives. It didn't take long to finish eating, and you both decided to conclude your meeting then. Once you both parted, your mind returned to the girl who gifted your lover the chocolates. Even as you tried to fall asleep, your heart was heavy while your mind conjured up different scenarios that endangered your relationship. Although you doubted that Midoriya would ever betray you, security wasn't set in stone. You two have been together for less than a year, and people could be unpredictable.

A few weeks went by. You and Midoriya privately celebrated the acquisition of his new license by enjoying dinner at a restaurant. The boy was all nerves, a cute sight. He'd never been on a date until he met you. Despite having been on several since then, a meal in a dimly lit, fancy location set such a romantic tone. You both shared a gentle kiss at the end of the night. Things were looking up for you two.

Until Midoriya came up to you with another gift from a girl.

And another.

One was flowers and another was an All Might keychain, both to celebrate his accomplishments thus far. Now, you didn't like thinking of yourself as the jealous type. It was smarter to acknowledge that those gifts were likely given with his well intent. But what bothered you was that not only was Midoriya not reassuring you, but he was also clearly oblivious. Despite knowing you needed to either talk to him or figure out how to dissolve your emotional conflict yourself, you opted for the second. It'd be less embarrassing for him to not know this side of you.

What made you sad upon thinking about it shifted into agitation when you were approached by a girl in one of the Support classes. You had just finished a mathematics test. After a night of cramming information, all you wanted to do was go to your room and take a fat nap. Alas, lunch was in the way, but you could use some energy. While you were in line, she tapped you on her shoulder.

"Excuse me, I hope this isn't too invasive to ask, but do you and Midoriya-san know each other personally?" she questioned, twiddling her fingers. "I've seen you two talk in the halls a couple times; that's why I ask."

You nodded. "Uh--yes. How come?"

"Well, I was wondering...um...sorry this is embarrassing."

You smiled and ushered her in front of you. She didn't have a lunch box and didn't reject your indirect offer to enter the line. "It's okay. You can tell me."

"Thank you, thank you." She bowed before taking a deep breath. "Do you know if he has a girlfriend?"

Your heart dropped. "Oh. Are you interested in him?"

She nodded, hands shooting to cup her cheeks. "Yes! I've been admiring him for a while. I saw this other girl give him flowers and was wondering if those two might be together. Maybe I lost my chance..."

"Oh, no. Um. They're not dating."

"Really?!"

"Yeah. Me and him are."

Her eyes grew as wide as saucers as she let out a gasp. "You?! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

You chuckled. "It's fine, really. We haven't had much time to see each other during school, so he's been without me lately. Otherwise, we hold hands sometimes."

"Aww, that's so cute! Congratulations!"

You were grateful she was such a kind girl, but it unsettled you how sought after your boyfriend really was. It made you wonder at night if he received even "closer" treatment from his female classmates. It irked you. It ate at you. It made your stomach flip to think about too much.

Your last straw came on what was supposed to be a happy day. Classes were preparing for the school festival, an event you'd been dying to participate in. If any Japanese school's festival was meant to be eye-catching, then UA's was bound to be one of--if not--the best. Midoriya had been messaging you about Eri, a child he'd saved during his internship with Pro Hero Sir Nighteye. You were relieved to hear both he and the girl were safe. He promised to make up for your worries by giving you the "best festival experience ever!"

You were really looking forward to it until the day you came over to his class while they were building their set outside. His peers invited you over to help, but it ended up being the guys encouraging you to sit and catch up with Midoriya while they handled the heavy work. Urakaka, a sweet soul, gave you a glass of lemonade along with the rest of the class.

As you two talked, a notification from Midoriya's phone made him reach for it out of his pocket. He smiled and showed it to you. "I almost forgot. Do you remember the girl who gave me flowers?"

Your lips tightened into a smile. "Yes. What about her?"

"She came by my class last week and asked for my number. I gave it to her, and we've been making great conversation! She's nice and really encouraging. And guess what? She also collects All Might figures!" He leaned forward with sparkles in his eyes. "She invited me to come to an All Might event at the mall! I didn't even know one was happening! Isn't that cool?"

"Yes, dear. Does she know you have a girlfriend?"

"Um. Not yet. The topics of our talks have been on All Might, classes, and other stuff. Not about relationships."

Without wasting a second, you set your glass of lemonade on a table, stood, and walked away.

Midoriya called your name and raced over to you, but you yanked his hand off your shoulder and continued storming away from your boyfriend. Your chest quaked as tears escaped your eyes. You wiped them away to avoid unwanted attention, though you were likely already getting it from the distancing chatter of Class 1A. Even though you should probably have let your classmates know you were turning in for the day, you stormed all the way to your room and locked yourself inside. Sobs escaped your mouth at last. Throughout the rest of the day, your phone buzzed with messages and missed calls from the green-haired boy, but you didn't have the energy nor desire to answer them. A couple classmates came to check on you, but they got the hint to give you some space after a small talk.

You knew you couldn't avoid the situation long, though. When you woke the next morning, you turned on your phone to find apology after apology from Midoriya. He begged to see you and talk, and he apologized for bringing up another girl into the conversation. You sighed and messaged for the next time he'd be available to meet privately. He messaged back immediately that he can come over to your dorm as soon as possible. You hesitated before replying that he can come over in the afternoon and sent directions to your room. He'd never been to your dorm before, but luckily, it was a weekend, and you were sure your classmates wouldn't mind him coming over after they noticed your gloomy demeanor.

Time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye while you readied yourself and your room for his arrival. A knock sounded on your door, and you opened it to find Midoriya holding a bouquet of your favorite colored flowers.

You let out a heartless laugh. "Is this one from another girl?"

He sucked in a breath of air and bit his lip. "No. This one is for you. Can I please come in and talk to you, (Y/N)-chan?"

"Sure." You stepped aside and gestured him to sit on the bed. He did so after handing over the flowers, their sweet smell tickling your nose. As much as you wanted to bury your head in his display of affection, you set the bouquet on your desk and sat next to him. "Hon, I'm sorry for walking off so suddenly yesterday, but we need to talk."

He nodded. "I know. I know what I did wrong."

"What did you do wrong?"

"I..." His eyes fell to your lap. "I kept on accepting gifts from other girls, and I let them get too close to me. I talked with Mina since she seemed to know more about relationships than I do, and she told me that...I wasn't really good at making myself look taken. She was there most of the time when those other girls came up, except for the one with the chocolates. She told me I should have rejected those gifts."

"Do you believe her?"

"I...I do, but I don't want to be mean to those girls."

"I understand. I do, really," you told him, resting one of your hands on his. "But it's not as much the fact you're accepting their gifts that makes me upset."

"It's not?"

You hiccupped and wiped your eyes with your other hand. "Whenever you tell me about these interactions, you never tell me you love me right after, or that I'm your only girl. Gifts are sweet, but letting another girl have your number AND not telling her you have a girlfriend already right off the bat is too far! You know, this one time at lunch, this girl came up to me asking if you had a girlfriend. It hurt a lot. Not because I don't think you'd be a good boyfriend, but it hurt knowing that if she were to make a move, you'd probably accept it."

Midoriya moved your hands aside and cupped your face in his hands. He kissed your tears, despite needing to wipe a few tears of his own. "I'm so sorry, (Y/N). I'm sorry. I'll do better, I promise. I'm sorry for hurting you so much. From now on, I'll make sure you know you're my only girl. I'll make sure the world knows. I promise. I love you, my dear."

"I love you, Izuku," you cried, wrapping your arms around his neck. "Please don't leave me for anyone else."

"Never. I promise."

He held you for a moment before pulling you away. Your lovely boyfriend wiped your tears with a gentle smile, a gesture you couldn't help but smile back at even as your face was a mess. Impatient for more of his affection, you pulled him for a kiss on the lips.

════════════════════ ⋆★⋆ ════════════════════

"Hey, did you read about that scandal Deku-kun got dragged into?" Uraraka questioned as she removed her hero gear. Her shift had finally ended, and she was more than ready to clock out of work.

Jiro shoved her jacket into her locker and yanked out her civilian backpack. "Yeah, I don't know why that one tabloid company keeps bringing up 'anonymous' accusations against him. We both know how head-over-heels he is for (Y/N). They're married, for fuck's sake."

"I can't imagine Deku-kun cheating on her. I guess we're all bound to get into a scandal of some sort since we're basically celebrity-level popular." Urakaka sighed. "I'm terrified to find out what scandal I'll get into."

Jiro bumped her shoulder with a grin. "As long as you're honest, you'll be fine! Now come on! The others are waiting for us for lunch. Kirishima texted me the address."

Urakaka changed as swiftly as she could. Then, she and Jiro got into the latter's care and drove to the restaurant. Every now and then, members of UA's former Class 1A planned a hangout for those who were available. Last time, the location was a western-styled buffet. This time, it was a casual ramen shop.

"There you two were!" Kirishima cheered, pointing his bottle of soju as the pair as they entered. "I was worried you guys would cancel last minute."

Jiro rolled her eyes, dragging an excited Uraraka into the seat beside her own. "Please, I have some manners. Pass me a bottle. I'm pooped."

"Are you sure you don't want to eat before drinking?" (Y/N) passed her a steaming bowl of ramen. "We ordered some to have them ready as you guys came. It's delicious!"

"Well, if you insist."

"Thank you, (Y/N)-chan!" Uraraka exclaimed as she started shoving her face with noodles. After swallowing, she looked around the shop. "Where's Deku-kun? He's usually here with you during our hangouts."

You chuckled. "Yeah, but he told me to go ahead of him. Have you guys seen the new issue of that one tabloid we talked about a couple days ago?"

Jiro scoffed. "Yeah. I was shocked when you sent the link in the groupchat. I got a magazine later that day before work just to make sure it was real. The audacity."

"I don't get the point of bringing up this drama," Kirishima stated with a frown. "Midoriya's so honest. If anyone were to do any cheating, it absolutely could not be him. Imagine! Midoriya, the cheater?! Japan would go insane!"

Uraraka laughed. "I think 'insane' is a bit of a stretch."

"I don't think so!"

You shook your head with a laugh at your silly friends. "Izuku saw the tabloids too. That's why he's not here with me right now. He wanted to go to the company himself and talk to the person who's making up such things."

Uraraka's jaw dropped. "Can he actually make them stop?"

You shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I think getting an earful from the Number One Hero is enough to intimidate any person out of gossip."

Just then, the shop's bell rang. All heads at the table turned to the entrance to see a built man with a bouquet of roses in one hand and a small box in the other. His eyes lit up upon seeing the group.

He rushed over to you guys, laid the items on the table, and embraced you tightly. "There's my darling! Hey guys!"

"I wanna hug too!" Kirishima pouted, Despite it being a joke, Midoriya laughed and squeezed him into a hug as well. The two were balls of positive energy even years later. After Kirishima let him go, he scanned the items. "Wow. You make me feel so single."

"I'm sorry! That wasn't my intention! I just felt so terrible after reading those tabloids; I couldn't shake my mind from (Y/N). I just had to get her something."

Uraraka held the bouquets, feeling the petals. "Remind me to never settle for a man who's less of a husband than you."

"What?! I'm just doing my best! It's nothing much!"

"It's everything, love," you reassured, kissing your husband on the cheek before opening the tiny box on the table. Upon seeing the gem, you rolled your eyes and lightly punched him. "Again with the bracelets?!"

"But this one is totally your color!" Midoriya pouted. "Try it on! Please!"

After doing so, you couldn't help but roll your eyes once more. "Okay. You didn't lie, but you still have to save your money."

He kissed your forehead. "Spending money on you is the best kind of spending."

You absolutely adored him.

Jiro tugged at your shirt. "Hey, lovebirds, why don't you guys kiss tonight and eat now? The food is getting cold."

Midoriya's face exploded red. "Sorry, sorry! Eating now!"

[natureboy96]

SJM, ACOTAR, Authorial Intent and what's "fair" to criticize/validate

So, the title of this post is, while accurate, a bit vague. I decided to put my two cents out on this because, since I joined the ACOTAR fandom a few months ago, I've found a lot of very harsh words being flung one way or another, largely based around the characters of the book or the direction people believe SJM has taken/will take the narrative. There's also been a lot of rather nasty attacks on people for their takes, their ships, and their criticism. I'm not an expert on writing, but I thought it worth having a proper, fleshed out discussion on these topics.

Author's Intent vs Reader's Interpretation

When it comes to understanding a text and gaining meaning from it, Author's Intent and Reader's Interpretation are generally the two fields which are subscribed to. Authorial Intent argues that the meaning of a text should be derived by what the author wanted the reader to take from it, and that a text is inherently connected to the intent of the author; for example, because SJM doesn't put as much emphasis on certain side characters, the reader shouldn't consider them important. Or, that SJM and the narrative intend and clearly state that the IC and Rhysand are the good guys, it only makes sense to view them as such. Reader's Interpretation posits that texts are meant to be interacted with, and that the meaning people can derive from them is subjective, because individuals have different life experiences and perspectives which can lead them to understand a text in different ways; A reader can see Rhysand's actions as hypocritical based on their interpretations of what he did and how in ACOSF. Or, coming at the text with a different understanding on trauma or sexuality, a reader can come away from a text finding Tamlin to be a more sympathetic character than hateful one. Both of these arguments have existed for decades, if not longer. And the thing is...

Neither of these are wrong or right ways to read a text

There is no "one right way" to engage with or criticize a text! If you believe that SJM is a bad writer because she uses characters as plot points rather than giving them actual growth/retcons things as needed for her narrative, or that Tam’s actions have earned him his redemption, that is a valid assessment based on what you read in a text. If you think Lucien and Elain have no chance because Elain has on multiple times been shown being friendly, even intimate (not romantic intimate, just close) with Azriel and that the author seems to hint towards a rejected mating bond, that is a valid assessment too. Anything in a text, written, implied or intended, is a valid avenue of criticism.

At the same time, people are fully allowed to have their own head cannons and fanfics about characters outside the written narrative. Just because SJM wants you to ship Feysand, doesn’t mean you can’t write or ship TamlinxRhysand, or Gwynriel or Rhysta. Art, including text, is open to interpretation and you are allowed to make it your own too, even if the text itself makes it clear it’ll never happen. Hell, shipping Elain and Tamlin because they both like flowers is entirely valid! Fan fiction and ships don’t have to be defended by the text/author’s intent, they are your own creation and can be based on whatever you want! Have fun, go crazy with em.

What isn’t ok for criticism

You can criticize the actions and choices and motivations of a book character all you want, using whichever method of critique you want. If you want to call Rhysand a pedo because he came to a pic of his child, you can make that take. If you call Tamlin a serial abuser who brought everything on himself, you can make that take.

What isn’t ok, is using your takes to criticize the people who disagree with you.

(These are just a few examples I’ve seen in the last few days, but I’m pretty sure everyone in this fandom has seen personal attacks along these lines, some far worse than the ones I grabbed. It’s also not a matter of degrees of bad faith criticism, all of these are of the same vein and one isn’t more ‘valid’ than others because it wasn’t as harsh.) Believing Rhysand is a pedo doesn’t make it ok to call people who like him the same. Believing Lucien is a terrible person doesn’t make someone who likes him a person of questionable morals. Having a different method of criticizing a text doesn’t make someone else’s different way of approaching the text wrong.

At the end of the day, these characters, this world, this narrative are all constructs, not people. You are not Feyre, you are not Tamlin, you are not Rhysand or a Valkyrie or Elain or Cassian. You do not deserve to be judged for the actions of fictional characters, and you should not be judged for your opinions on these characters either. And you need to let others have differing opinions on characters, even ones you dislike intensely.

Let people like the characters they want to like, let people criticize the characters they don’t like (or the ones they do) and for fuck’s sake, don’t take it or make it personal.

[lover-of-mine]

With the way the season played out + some comments from the actors/team, I really believed this was the year we'd get a end of season with a cliffhanger. Really feels like they could have intended for the bridge scene to be the whole episode and to leave us with at least Bobby's fate in jeopardy. And then changed it to give everyone a somewhat closed ending.

No, because the signs pointed to the bridge being worse than it actually was and personally I think a cliffhanger with a fan-favorite character in danger would be so effective to force a renewal. Like, imagine we get the sneak peek that Bobby is missing and we don't have the confirmation that season 7 is happening? We would've made NOISE to make sure the show got picked up. And I think the show always tries to package the finales nicely, let it end on a hopeful note for most characters, season 1 we had the start of Bathena, Chimney and his party, Karen coming back home, season 2 we had Bathena's wedding and Eddie's shield ceremony, season 3 we have May's graduation, season 4 we have Eddie's party, Hen's picnic with Nia, the Grant-Nash dinner, Albert's graduation, season 5 we have henren wedding and Eddie coming back to the 118, so like, I think it would be nice not to have a happy ending in season 6, leave us wondering, yk? Like, I don't think they have the balls to pull anything bigger than a temporary character death with the core 7, but like, even though we knew Buck was going to wake up, his death still left us on the edge, to put that in a bigger scale would've been a great experience. Like, my original guess was that rescuing Eddie was going to be harder, and that we wouldn't really see Bobby, he was going to fall, byebye see you next season. With what we got, I maintain that Eddie would be harder to rescue, but I think in a Hen would need assistance in the ambulance so it would take longer for Buck to get to him way, so by the time Athena found Bobby and there was the second collapse, you have Eddie and Chim incapacitated, we have Hen the way she was, we have Buck pushing through something (because i still can't believe he walked away from that unharmed okay, unrealistic lskoasokaosk) because Athena just radioed that she found Bobby then everything falls again and the episode ends. And to have Bobby, Chim, and Eddie incapacitated could even open up something with the broader theme they had going around fathers specifically and you could even do something cool with Buck taking charge but struggling, because you have his surrogate father, you have the father of his niece and you have his best friend who made him responsible for a kid in case something happened, so it could have so many cool ramifications all around. And it felt like they were building up to it and then just chickened out. It's like what @sherlockcrossing said, it's a square peg in a round hole. And it's a hole they built because the whole season felt like they were leading up to something that they chose not to deliver. I would much rather have the show not end than to have that attempt to force a happy ending that they could still pick back up next season if there was one.

I am curious really about how they'll pick it back up next season tho. If they'll retcon shit, commit to it, make something happen offscreen to work with. I'm particularly curious about Marisol and Natalia and the way they were building buddie up just to cut that off. But mostly because by the time the show comes back both relationships will be like, going 6 months (depending on the beginning of the season time jump they decide on once the strike ends) if they choose not to give them the Ali treatment, and to add 2 somewhat long relationships for 2 main characters (that a lot of people want together and that were being hinted at more clearly with 6b) with 2 characters we have no reason to be attached to will be a challenge. I guess we'll have to wait.

[girlscience]

I hate getting into something that has a canon(ish) sapphic couple, but I only end up caring about one of the two women 😭😭😭

[devilzfruit]

i just napped for like 4 hrs. uh. hello.

[mechahero]

@outofthiisworld asked- 18. entry made discussing a childhood memory. (there are…..too many good ones to choose from oough) dear diary (accepting)

(slightly long post and a brief mention of child abuse under the cut. it's one line but still.)

I kind of just remembered this one thing that happened when I was a kid and I don't really have anyone to talk to about it, so I guess I'll put it here? It's not like I got anywhere else to go with this.

I remember this one time me and my sister were goofing around doing, I don't know, anything? We were what? Around 6 or 7 at the time? Anyways, I think we were playing with this metal barrel we found in an area near our house? Yeah. Like, we just took turns climbing into it and rolling each other down a hill. Which looking back on it now, we should NOT have been playing that thing! That thing was rusty. I'm surprised neither of us got hurt! But that's not really the point. It was fun though, I won't lie. And then Mom caught us.

She was so fucking mad. I mean, she's always mad but she was pissed about the barrel. Which I guess I can get but also I still don't really get it? Anyways, getting screamed at and not being able to sit right for a week? Totally worth it. I'd do it again.

...I miss my sister.

[awek-s-archived]

I wish my mom would stop and think before she speaks but at the same time I don’t know if she does think and says hurtful things on purpose or just doesn’t realise at all

[munamania]

i can’t believe i just read a post with my own two eyes that the only interesting thing about ronance is steve’s emotional reactions to them. steve stans do you hear yourself. and can you ever like. not say things

[oh2e]

I’m so sick of queer stories that aren’t about the queer character but about how everyone else reacts to them. It’s boring! It’s old! Queer people exist news flash!

[glow-in-the-dark-death]

A Week (He Will Take You)

~

Danny moved to Gotham for school, while there he noticed that Gotham's ambient ecto was really murky for lack of a better word.

This didn't really affect him too much besides a mild headache every once in a while but that also just might be stress from all his school work so maybe not.

Anyway

This murky ecto seemed to effect the people who lived there or more importantly the ghosts,

They were visible to the human eye like most ghosts back in Amity but instead of looking very much like a ghost they still looked like humans if a bit off putting.

They all seemed to be continuing their normal lives as if still fully alive, with the people around them none the wiser.

Danny noticed this and began approaching them to figure out what was going on.

Apparently the murky ecto in the city had made it so that they were strong enough to still continue a somewhat normal life but not be able to cross over to the GZ.

In other words they were stuck in Gotham

Danny was the Ghost King so he could easily fix this problem, all he needed to do was give them a bit of pure ecto for around a week to fully stabilize them them then he would just open a portal into the GZ and they could cross over with all their things also transferring into the GZ for their new haunt.

Unfortunately this looked rather worrying to an outsider,

Imagine you're used to your neighbor being very outgoing so you and others see them a lot suddenly this man seems to appear in their life out of nowhere an at exactly one week, your neighbor and all their belongings in their home disappear no trace to be found.

You tell people and they begin saying the same story they knew someone and them a man with black hair and blue eyes appeared in their life, then they and all their things disappear in exactly one week.

Of course the police in Gotham do the bare minimum so they're no help.

But it starts to begin a trend, especially online.

"Oh careful or the blue eyed man will make you disappear in a week"

This of course after time catches the bats attention, Gordon had already given them all the information he had.

"Young adult early twenties, dark hair, blue eyes"

That was it.

The bats look into it and from their point of view Danny is a serial killer.

But they can't find the connection between all of his victims, they range from young children and the elderly from different backgrounds absolutely no connection,

Worrying enough he doesn't just make one person disappear he has taken entire families up to over a dozen, without anyone figuring out how he's doing it or why at all.

The disturbing thing also being that he seems to take everything in their home, leaving it like it has always been empty

Like no one had been living in it.

People have tried to take photos of Danny get some kind of evidence of his existence, but when they try to do it, it either comes out completely corrupted or their devise simply shuts down fully.

Danny of course has no clue what is happening he's just happy that he's able to help so many ghosts, and is trying not to fail his exams.

~

Danny leaving the house he just helped: "That went easier than I expected!"

Neighbor peeking from the window: "Shit it's that guy! "

~

Red Hood marching down into the cave: " The fucker took many from my territory without me even realizing it!"

~

Tim: "I'm pretty sure his kill count is nearing the hundreds and he just started like maybe 4 months ago, this is bad."

Barbara: " I think I got a theory, this matches up with the new school year beginning so maybe their not a Gotham native which narrows down my suspect list."

Bruce: "Hn."

Tim: "Yes thank you B for the insightful commentary"

~

Danny trying not to fall asleep while on his way to class: "Strange I keep seeing shadows following me, oh well must be the stress!"

Bats who are pretty sure Danny is the killer: "Has he done anything suspicious yet?"

~

Just an Idea

[toastsnaffler]

i will ALWAYS be salty abt the ed-sheeranification of one ok rock (one of my fave personality-building anecdotes i explain at parties to ppl getting to know me) but the fact is that takas voice is soooo hot he could sing the words on the back of a milk carton to the tune of a t*ylor sw*ft song + id probably still listen to him. sorry

[assumptionprime]

"I Just Don't Think That's Going To Happen"

Good news: I finally made a new comic!

Bad news: It's about something that sucks! If the good news here outweighs the bad, maybe support me on Patreon.

In the midst of talking about how much this sucks, I am extremely fortunate to even be able to move to somewhere safer. Please support those who can't, or who need a helping hand to go somewhere they can be themselves. (Give trans people money)

[Image description: Comic, sixteen panels. Panel 1: Robin speaking on her phone, clearly distressed, tears in her eyes: "I'm telling you that I'm scared. These people-- the kind of people you vote for-- want to take my health care, my rights away from me. I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave my home." The voice from the phone answers: "Well," Large dialogue text in a large white space between panels: "I just don't think that's going to happen." Panel 2: Robin, wide eyes still tearing up, stares in disbelief at her phone. Panel 3: A website heading "Home > News" above a headline that reads "Utah just banned gender-affirming healthcare for transgender kids. These 21 other states are considering similar bills in 2023." Panel 4: Another headline reads "Health care for transgender adults becomes new target in 2023 legislative session." sub heading continues: "Lawmakers prefiled many anti-trans bills ahead of state--" Panel 5: Robin looking at a tablet screen, concerned. Panel 6: Robin siting on a couch, watching TV. A speaker on the TV says: "After the anti-LGBTQ+ campaign prompted several protests and bomb threats made against the Boston facility, the group has now turned its gaze toward the Gender Health Program at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville." Panel 7: Several headlines: "New Tennessee bill banning 'male or female impersonators' in public could criminalize drag performers and trans people" "Missouri lawmakers ban transgender care for minors, restrict coverage for adults" "Tennessee has passed a ban on gender affirming health care for trans kids. The bill's exceptions may only exist on paper" They headlines are accompanied by a map showing the severity of anti-transgender legislation in different US states. Panel 8: Robin's spouse Jordan sitting on the couch, looking up from her laptop toward Robin. Robin is gripping her arm tightly, a look of distress and sadness on her face, tears welling in her eyes. Jordan says "That's it. We're leaving." Panel 9: Robin taping the top of a cardboard moving box, looking over her shoulder toward Jordan, who is saying something as she walks away holding another box. More boxes are stacked behind them. Panel 10: Robin sitting at a table with a large stack of paperwork and holding a pen. She is leaning back and groaning: "Eughhhhhh" Panel 11: Robin standing with three friends, embracing as one of them speaks "I'm glad we got to see you before you left. We'll miss you." Panel 12: Jordan and Robin standing by the open trunk of their car. Several bags and suitcases are loading into the back. Jordan is shoving things in tighter and grumbling "It WILL fit!" Robin, holding a vacuum compression bag of full of clothing that has yet to go in the trunk, looks unsure. Panel 13: Robin and Jordan standing in the empty house, lights off, with sunlight coming in from the windows in the back doors and lighting them from behind. Robin looks upset, Jordan has a comforting hand on her shoulder. Panel 14: Jordan and robin sitting in the very full car, their dog in the back seat. Jordan is driving, Robin in the passenger seat looking out the window. Panel 15: Robin, still in the passenger seat of the car, now propping her head up with her hand on her cheek. She is looking down, seeming morose. Large dialogue text in a large white space between panels: "I just don't think that's going to happen." Panel 16: closer shot on Robin. Her gaze has shifted outside the window, her expression is now bitter, with tears gathering in her eyes.]

[ranboolivesaysstuff]

IMPORTANT POST PLEASE READ

Im gonna be honest and open for a sec, and please do not take this as "oh I HATE my community or I dont like the people who watch me" but honestly as of late (and I did highlight this during the mcc bit), ive felt like I havent been able to really be in my own community simply because of the constant way that "discourse" is handled. Making vague posts and not really tackling issues in a good way, all that is going to do is just show people a big "THIS COMMUNITY BAD" sign and not actually help anything within the community, all its going to do is have the good and potentially good people leave or not join in the first place. The way that discourse is treated that ive seen has been the main reason why I have started to try to distance myself, which has been the most heartbreaking thing I have had to do. I want problems to be solved in a mature, civil way, with either a dm or a reply, not an entire vague thing that only says "bad things are happening" and doesnt elaborate on anything or barely elaboratesa and only gives people on both the inside and outside a bad sign of what the community is. Making posts whenever something happens being like "here we go again" is only going to highlight the wrong things, and actually DOESNT help the issue at all! The problems should be discussed directly with the people who are doing said problems FIRST! Bring attention to behaviors and things that arent good DIRECTLY! And also, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO!!! It is not your duty as a viewer or fan of me to be involved in any of this if you do not want to! Just enjoy the content and make silly posts! As someone who constantly tried to fix and get into every problem as it was happening, it took a huge toll on my mental health, and I want you guys to just be able to enjoy the content without having to worry about what you say about it! Be constructive! Dont make posts again just being like "wow this community is so bad" because that doesnt solve literally anything! If you have enough passion to make the posts saying "wow this community is bad" then only post about that, you are only spreading that negative message, and not uplifting anything of actual value! And if the person you are trying to help is not willing or not listening, BLOCK! MUTE! DONT BRING MORE ATTENTION TO THE PERSON IF THEY ARE NOT BEING A GOOD PART OF THE COMMUNITY!!!! I know I say that if I see problems I will call them out, but I shouldnt have to babysit every single time a thing happens within the community as that just isnt a healthy way for a creator or a community to be handled. This does not mean that I do not care about the issues or dont want them fixed, rather it shouldnt take me having to make some grand statement every single time something happens it should take only your own self reflection and self awareness. And to add onto this, make sure that every once in a while no matter who you are you think and have that self reflection, you should be open to being willing to learn and grow as a person! And again, I do NOT want anyone taking this as "Wow this community is terrible" but rather that we just have things that need to be fixed and changed and THAT IS OKAY! I do not hate the community, I care so much about it that I want it to be a silly place for my content again! I want it to be the reason why people get into what I do because of it again! And I want to be able to just have fun and relax without having to worry about how every single thing that I may say could have someone stirring things up that simply dont help or solve anything! Take care of yourselves. And this isnt coming from a place of "I hate the community as a whole" but rather again I want to be able to exist and make content that we can all enjoy without having to worry about walking on eggshells around me or around eachother! At the end of the day im just a fella that wants to make silly videos for you all, and you are people who enjoy said videos. Nothing more. Nothing less.

[kichoukotori]

Several years ago I briefly worked in the warehouse of a nondescript extremely large e-commerce company. I had no other options for employment but desperately needed money. Turnover was like 150%. I worked from something like 7pm to 5am, my commute was 50 minutes each way and before I got paid I didn't even have the cash for enough gas to get home one night and had to bum $10 off of my kid sibling (this is all to give you an idea of my abysmal mental state while employed here.) You're not allowed to do anything besides your job, no music or anything and they track your movement on cameras so you can't even take a breather. The job is real monotonous, you get sent boxes of items of random sizes and you have to put the items into shelves of varying sizes and the shelves come to you, you don't walk to them. Because the company tracks the rate at which you put items on these shelves, many small items are desirable because you can put a lot of them in quickly. Everything about the place seems almost designed intentionally to break you mentally and turn you into a robot. So I'm about 6 or 7 hours into my shift, feeling on the verge of a mental collapse, and up comes a container with a bunch of small white boxes, bout half the size of a deck of cards. No labels. Great, I'm already happy about whatever these things are. So I go to scan them in, and it gives you the name of the item and a little picture. Sasuke Penis Costume. What? Sasuke Penis Costume. A picture of that red cloud robe from Naruto and one of the headbands with the metal plate on it. I'm thinking, there's no way. What is a penis costume? Am I hallucinating this? And there's so many of them, literally about a hundred, and I know I'm going to be spending at least an hour with Sasuke Penis Costume, there's so many and they're so small, I'm already excited about the potential efficiency of these, and then I see it's Sasuke Penis Costume? So the entire shift I'm like, trying to not put these things away too quick, because honestly I'm starting to build a kind of kinship with them. This is quite literally the most exciting thing to happen to me during my whole 2 week employment at the warehouse. I started to see Sasuke Penis Costume as a friend, some reminder of the outside world, a reminder of the humanity I was becoming so unfamiliar with, a reminder the world contained comedy, art, anime, and penis. I really couldn't tell you if I ended up putting all of them away, the last thing I remember is my desperate need to look these items up when I got home. I needed a link to send to my friends for when I told them this riveting story. I learned that the costume is called the Akatsuki cloak in my fervent search for the item, and wouldn't you know it, absolutely zero trace of these things exists online. Not on the e-commerce website, not on any specialized penis-costume websites (whose existence I was not privvy to prior to this incident) and no third-party retailer has these. Not even Google images will show me the hypothetical existence of Sasuke Penis Costume. Every few months I look it up, trying to find evidence that it can be bought, that any of this was ever real. My bond, my friendship, and dare I say even love for Sasuke Penis Costume feels as tangible as the boxes they came in, and yet the universe will give me no closure of their fate. Less and less frequently I search for them, each time becoming more and more discouraged that I will ever find them, but unlike their substance on this earth, one thing is inarguably certain. Sasuke Penis Costume exists to me, and it will live on firmly and resolutely within my memory and within my heart.

[angorwhosebabyisthis]

you know. there are few things that make me sit and think carefully about my instinct to say something would be a Good Fictional Metaphor for a real-world issue like the time i saw the take with my own two eyes that piranesi is a powerful, insightful, accurate metaphor for both colonialism in general and slavery in the US