#i shouldn't have to feel this way why is it interfering with my Life

[blitz0hno]

Physical flashbacks are so weird like "hey the body and amygdala want you to know! *you involuntarily recoil as if the Pain is happening despite there being no actual physical pain*"

And then you have to act like nothing just happened because technically nothing actually happened???? Like how is this helpful

[riririnnnn]

I have this foreboding feeling that while we are prepared for Sae's and Shidou's backstory, Nagi's backstory is going to sneak from behind and punch us in the gut.

No, I don't think it's going to be straight up depression like Kaiser's, but I do think that it'll hit close to home.

You see, Nagi got Laissez-faire parents which means they never really interfered with his life. Like, these type of parents—as I have read on some websites—will basically set their child free and let them do whatever they want with no or very few rules/restrictions. They will not tell you, "Oh! You should do this!" or "Oh! You shouldn't do this!" They will simply let you figure out your life all by yourself.

I'm not an expert on this and I'm not calling this type of parenting bad in any way. Every child is different with different needs, and I'm sure there are many who grew up in this kinda family and liked this parenting method. However, I do think that Nagi didn't like it that much, and I got two reasons to think this way:

1. "That's nice."

When Reo said that his family constantly meddles in his life, Nagi's immediate reaction was, "That's nice" instead of being surprised or disgruntled. If Nagi really liked his parents NOT meddling in his life, then he should've said something like, "Really!? Sucks to be you, Reo. I can't imagine living a life like that!"

You getting me?

Also, we all know how Nagi is—he definitely feels that telling someone to do or not to do something is a hassle, so he, probably, feels that if someone is doing all this for you, then you are important for them.

And before any one says, no, I don't think Nagi was tying up his tongue thinking, "They are his parents. They wouldn't want anything bad for their own child, right? I shouldn't say anything against them and should say good things about them just to be safe." I don't think he has this kind of filter in him.

2. "Don't die ."

So, why would you not want someone to die? Of course, because you care for them and want them to be with you.

"Want"

That's really what I'm tryna highlight.

It's a pretty common knowledge that some children are just naturally more independent while others are a bit more dependent and seek guidance from the elders. Considering Nagi's first reaction to knowing about Reo's parents' meddling, I think that Kiddo!Nagi falls into the latter category—someone who likes to be guided and helped by the adults. Now, place Kiddo!Nagi with his Laissez-faire parents... You are getting where I'm going with this one?

That's why I think that Kiddo!Nagi, probably, thought that his parents didn't love him/care for him. And what happens if someone doesn't love you or care for you? Yeah, they don't care if you die which, somewhat, explains why Older!Nagi was happy to hear, "Don't die [before us (probably)]" from his parents.

I have already talked about his potential backstory before too, so it was actually when I heard he had longer bangs as a child that made my head turn to him again—something felt odd.

I understand that having long bangs is not a big deal—Niko's bangs literally cover his eyes, but having it as a kid is way different, y'know. Once you are like 12-13, you somewhat become capable of doing your own hair and clothes by yourself, so you can manage whatever aesthetics you prefer. However, for a kid younger than that, it's the parents' responsibility to look after his/her hair and clothes, and we all know that long bangs are quite bothersome—blocks our vision, sometimes stabs the eyes, and even irritatingly itches the nose.

All in all, till his backstory drops, I'd firmly believe that he was, though unintentionally, a neglected kid—at least, emotionally.

Now I can't get this image out of my head where Kiddo!Nagi is longingly staring at other kids in a park where everyone is learning things like riding a bicycle or maybe playing baseball and stuff with their parents while he is just.. there, probably, all alone.

[crownmemes]

Angry & Irritated Sentences, Vol. 20

(Angry and irritated sentences from various sources. Adjust phrasing where needed)

"Why do I get a feeling that no isn't an option here?"

"I have limited tolerance for being ambushed."

"You may not realise this, but I've been pretty damn patient with you already."

"I don't know who you are or who you work for, but I don't care. I'm leaving."

"Now see here, if you're going to make personal remarks, then I won't stay a minute."

"You just slide through life, don't you? And everything just slides off you."

"What? Is there some rule against having fun?"

"Don't be an asshole. Do you want to hear this or not?"

"I don't have to tell you who I've slept with!"

"I suppose you think you're very clever."

"Yeah, whatever. I have enough belief for both of us, okay?"

"That was a really stupid thing to do!"

"These people trusted you and you betrayed them!"

"It is nobody's business how old I am!"

"I'm competing for your attention again, aren't I?"

"Ignoring the truth doesn't make it a lie."

"Now, I'm not calling you dumb. I'm just saying that some of the things you do are dumb!"

"You were doing so well. Now you're being simply foolish."

"I will not be spoken to this way!"

"You are good, but you're not that good."

"You know, your arrogance is one of the big reasons why you're not further ahead with your career."

"You're following me. I don't care to be followed."

"You shouldn't have interfered. You'll pay for this."

"You keep promising that, but I don't see anything happening!"

"I can take care of myself just fine, alright?"

"I wonder if you even know you're lying."

"I like to keep my private life private, okay?"

"I know what you're doing. I also know it's going to get you killed."

"Notice how I didn't need to lower myself to your level?"

"Shh, don't talk! I want to hear what happens!"

"One day, you will wake up and wonder 'why is my life such a completely chaotic mess?'."

"I appreciate this concern, but I'm not like you, alright?"

"Are you trying to embarrass me?"

"I'm not going to take lectures on professionalism from you!"

"You just had to keep digging. You couldn't let it go, could you?"

"Of all the lies people tell themselves, I bet that's the most common."

"This is none of my business. I don't want to hear it."

"The fact that you won't explain explains everything."

"You're working way too hard to piss me off. It makes me think you're hiding something."

"I'm old, not stupid."

[generalhumancloudalmond]

idk if requests r open or not but i was wondering about platonic yandere chuuya and dazai rivalry? i think its a cool concept and if u could do it thanks!

Hello, yes, I can do it. Thank you for your request!

...

The brother you deserve

Platonic!Yandere!Brother!Dazai x Child!Fem!Reader x Platonic!Yandere!Chuuya

"Your brother such the asshole, you know..."

Honestly, Chuuya was right in a way. Your brother is very peculiar and in many situations could not show himself very well, even in relation to you. But even so, you knew that Dazai cared about you,

if only because he always pulled you out of any trouble you encountered. And because of your naivety and inexperience, you often encountered some troubles.

"Don't say that! Dazai is the best brother."

"Yeah, of course he is..."

Chuuya spat out caustically, looking away from you. In his head, like many who knew you and Dazai, it just didn't fit how you and he could be siblings. You, who will not leave anyone in trouble, and he, the one who drives into this trouble. However, even more it did not fit into his head how such a mistake of nature like Dazai managed to become a better brother, he probably used some tricks. And to be honest, even despite Chuuya's biased attitude towards his new partner, he was right.

"Where does this mummy even go?"

"Calm down, Chuuya."

Your small hand gently touches his sleeve and you still smile at him. Eventually, Chuuya falls to you on the bench when you move away a little, giving him more space. You saw that he was worried, and also knew the reason for this concern. You felt sorry for him.

"You know, I do not know how it is when you worry about your friends when they are in danger, but it is probably as much unpleasant as you see a person hanging himself. And this is already familiar to me. That's why I feel sorry for you."

Chuuya shuddered. This phrase reminded him again why he began to trust you so quickly, even despite the fact that you are from the mafia. You're a kid who says their true thoughts. Unlike your brother, you are open.

Then the Sheep King didn't voice his thoughts about your brother, knowing in advance how you would react to them. However, he knew that he was better suited to the role of your brother than Dazai. This suicidal maniac just doesn't understand how lucky he is to have you.

At the same time you knew that people don't hang themselves from a good life. And that for several hours they stare at the ceiling not from happiness. You have a pity for brother and you love him.

"Y/n, I..."

Chuuya reached out to you to feel sorry for you, but Dazai grabbed his wrist sharply and painfully.

"Hey! Chuuya, what do you think you're doing! She is my sister!"

"And what?! What does that mean that I can't even hug her?!"

"This means that you can't even breathe in her direction! Know your place!"

"What did you just say?! She doesn't even have friends because of a brother like you!"

They had a verbal altercation...again. You, as usual, just watched it. At least, they didn't require you to intervene to resolve the conflict.

Dazai knew that Chuuya was interfering where he shouldn't have. Namely, in your brotherly and sisterly relationship. The mafioso immediately noticed this. He saw the admiration in your eyes when you watched Chuuya make a paper crane fly. He saw with what accuracy and uncertainty you approach the Sheep King and take his sleeve. Dazai sees everything.

Chuuya feel Dazai infuriating him. Infuriates his cunning, his quibbles. It's infuriating that he has a sister like you and he doesn't appreciate it. It's infuriating that Dazai, being a disgusting brother, doesn't allow him to become for you a brother what you deserve. And Chuuya is furious to the point of gnashing his teeth that Dazai owns you.

[ananke-xiii]

Absence, that which never stops appearing.

Okay, I’ve reached the end of my series on resurrection and my personal goal (I’ve made it, yay!): this post will be about the impossible resurrection of Mary Winchester. It'll be long. Veeeery long and my mind has done all sorts of mortal somersaults to produce... *waves at all my yapping* all this.

I think I’ve said it before but I want to say it again: apart from the fact that this is just a personal interpretation of the role of resurrection in the late seasons of SPN, it’s also an interpretation coming from my own cultural background which I’m aware differs from the one the show came from. Part of my cultural background I’m referring to is my religious background, which is Roman Catholic. This means that I probably read a character named Mary in a different way compared to how other people read her or even to how she was… conceived. Apart from that, I’m also a learner of what’s generally considered “esoteric” or “occult” which are just fancy words but they do pertain to quite a vast array of fields knowledge. Obviously I use my own imagination and way of interpreting things but that doesn’t mean there’s no knowledge/research/study behind what I say. Maybe there are things that I interpret in a controversial way (true), or maybe there are things that I fail to understand or misinterpret. It could be. My knowledge is vast and not always deep and you definitely shouldn't fully trust me. As a matter of fact, I’m learning new things every day and every day my horizon broadens and my mind changes a little accordingly. As a lover of learning and a mind in search of poetry and beauty in a hard and mostly ugly world, I know I can't possibly be always right and I’m fine with that (okay, *in a squeaky voice* I’m working on it, *clenching my fists*).

Speaking of conception, I had this post prepared precisely to be posted on Dec 8th because this date marks the holiday of the Immaculate Conception here and I felt like doing a little myth-debunking, lol. In preparation of it, I wrote this without remembering that, perhaps, the concept of Immaculate Conception doesn’t even exist in other Christian denominations, it might mean something else or, most probably, there’s something I don’t know or I fail to see. So, obviously, I started doing some research but then I stopped, not because it’s not interesting to me, on the contrary! I have spent and will spend a considerable amount of time to the study of religions.

However, the research didn’t fit what I had in mind when I started my resurrection series. My idea was to give back a little because I feel like I’ve taken so much from so many intelligent minds on here. But I do have a tendency to consider gifts as a sort of moral duty where I have to prove worthy, lol (yeah, I know, I have a lot of issues, sorry). So this is what I have to give back, at least for now! My intensions were neither pure nor necessarily good but I do hope it’s close to enough!

So why can’t Mary be resurrected?

In “Absence” Mary’s resurrection fails but we don’t know if it fails because Mary’s body is “absent” (aka totally, utterly, irredeemably destroyed) or because Jack’s not in the right mental disposition to perform magic. I say that we don’t know because, according to Rowena, the Necromantiorum, the resurrection spell from the Book of the Damned, requires the body and the correct predisposition to perform powerful magic. In the absence of one and/or two of these “ingredients” she cannot guarantee what or, better, who will come back thanks to the spell. However, Jack does somehow manage to “re-form” Mary’s body but it’s… empty. It’s a body without organs incapable of holding life. In my fantasy, though, Jack would have been able to bring Mary back but someone interfered.

The premise of this whole series of mine was precisely this: the power of resurrection is a point of contention between Chuck and Jack (of which Jack’s not aware) because who holds this power has the divine ability of world creation/transformation. And Chuck wants to be the only one to hold it to the point that he caged his own “sister”, Amara, to be the only one, to be BIG. So, in this fantasy of mine, I think that Chuck didn’t want Mary back as much as he didn’t want Cas back. He let it slide the first time because Jack only initiated the process and Cas had to “fight for his life” or he wouldn’t have ever been resurrected. Also, Cas is an angel and doesn’t have a soul. Soul resurrection, however, well, that’s something else entirely. Because souls are the energy on which the whole Heaven and Hell existence/balance is based. And if there’s no more control over who goes where after death, there’s no more need for God. So having power over souls is central to me here.

By re-contextualizing Chuck in this way he becomes a much more interesting and layered character to me. He’s not just the capricious, pervy God obsessed with Dean. He’s also a scared God who’s well aware that he has appropriated the power of creation and that this power doesn’t belong exclusively to him but can be taken away. If Castiel’s resurrection was the warning light, Mary’s impossible resurrection is the catalyst for the beginning of the end. Since her last episode has been titled “Absence” I must think about what “absence” means in this context.

[theelkmaiden]

So I've been thinking.

If Captain Marvel is the Champion of Magic, does that mean he has to play by the rules of all magic? Demon, fea, pixie etc.? Because if you owe something to one of those, things tend to go wrong. Fae can take your children, pixies can make your life hell, demons can literally take your souls.

So what if Billy Batson, being the sweet boy he is, keeps doing people favours? Now, he'd never take a child or cause someone chaos, as that means actually interfering, but souls? That boy could definitely be having people sign their souls away to him and he has no idea.

The first time he did someone a favour after the wizard granted him his powers, Billy was overtaken by a surge of tingles that tasted vaguely of rotten eggs. The feeling only lasted a second, but he couldn't stop thinking about it for the rest of the day. All he did was help Old Linda from the block over carry a bag of food to her place of residence. That was it. But after the tingling, Billy felt like he was connected to her in some way, on a deep and intimate level that didn't make sense.

And then it kept happening.

Helping to paint his neighbours room. Helping a girls cat from a tree. Letting a lost child sleep in his abandoned apartment overnight.

And later, bringing Batman a coffee after a long mission. Teaching Green Arrow the basics of pickpocketing. Spotting Flash on his running form.

Anytime someone said "can I ask you a (quick) favour" the tingling and eggs would come and Captain Marvel had no idea what it was or why it happened.

That is.

Until Old Linda died.

It had been a long patrol for Captain Marvel. There was a crime wave almost every year around July, like clockwork. Mainly teenagers getting in with gangs and trying to prive their worth now that school was out (or, at least, that was Cap's theory).

He was just touching down near his building to transform when he felt an entirely unique sensation. The tingling he was so familiar with came crashing over him in a wave so intense the demigod found himself wobbling where he stood, garnering a few concerned stares by citizens. The part of him that had been connected to Linda had snapped into place and, without even having to doue check, Billy knew for a fact that Old Linda was dead.

He also knew where to find her.

Drawing on his magic, Captain Marvel opened a portal to a corner of the Rock of Eternity ans stepped through.

There, on the otherside, stood the kind old woman who would often give him food if she had any left over.

"Excuse me, sir?" She asked, looking rather fearful, "would you mind telling me where I am?"

With eyes already misting, Marvel closed the portal and stepped towards her with his arms out in a calming manner.

"Linda. I'm so sorry. You're in the Rock of Eternity. You shouldn't be here but I think it's my fault you are," he was swallowed thickly, putting every ounce of self control he had to the test to bit show how distraught he was with this development.

Clearly seeing his distress, Linda calmed and gripped the Captains arm in a consoling manner. "I'm sure it's quiet alright, dear. Why don't you tell me what happened and then you can return me home. And then you can explain to me all about this place, hmm?"

Her small smile fell when the captain did not immediately react to her request.

"Miss Linda," Billy tried, not feeling very much like a superhero at that moment I time, "I'm so so sorry! I shouldn't have helped you with the food. But I just wanted to do something good. And now you're stuck here forever and I don't know how to free you and there's so many people that are going to come here and I didn't mean to!"

The hulking form of Captain Marvel was now a kneeling, sobbing mess as the twelve year old realised what he had done. The feeling of rightness that sang in his magic at Linda standing within the Rock of Eternity. The pull of what he now knew to be souls pulling him in different directions. The fact that he had only been trying to help.

"Now dear," Linda kneeled next to him, patting his shoulder in confused concern, "I assure you I have no idea what you're going on about. I've seen you flying overhead and fighting monsters, but we've never met officially past today. But if I'm stuck here forever, then at least I'll have company. Now, come, dry your eyes and get up. You need to explain to me what's going on." The mum of four in her seemed to have taken over as she dragged the massive man up to his feet and the stood on her toes to wipe his cheeks with the sleeve of her cardigan.

Taking a deep breath, Captain Marvel nodded. "Miss Linda. You are dead. I'm sorry. I accidently own your soul and I don't know how to release you to go somewhere better. And you're only the first person that's going to arrive here. This is completely new for me and I'm not sure what to do. This place is my home so you are welcome to explore and make yourself comfortable. But it's not much."

The silence that followed was deafening as Linda contemplated her situation. It stretched on until a look of resolve made its way onto the old souls face.

"Okay."

"Okay? Is that it?"

"Well you are obviously very distressed so it was definitely an accident. But I am not staying somewhere that looks so dull for the rest of Eternity. You and I are going to be doing some redecorating. How big is this place?"

"Infinite."

"Then this shan't be an issue. We can build a lovely garden where we can all stay until you get this figured out. Besides, it'll give me something to do."

So, he did. Captain Marvel (who Linda learned to be Billy Batson) got to work and transformed a large section of the Cave into a garden, with strict directions from Linda.

Over time, more people joined and Linda took it upon herself to greet the newcomers and explain what had gone on. Many people were unhappy, but soon settled into their afterlife and making friends.

After awhile, Billy took Linda aside and granted her a Boon. One of her choosing. She chose "to be the peacekeeper of this little afterlife. I want to help comfort those here who miss their old lives. I try, I do, but a little magical help wouldn't go amiss." And so she became the Peacekeeper.

In the outside realm, when Captain Marvel explained to Batman, Green Arrow, and The Flash that he accidently owned their souls, well, let's just say that shitshow lasted a while.

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #382

I'm not sure what's wrong with me. I seem to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

Nonetheless, I went to work this morning as per usual. But I wasn't thinking clearly, and my movements were slow. I don't think I did a very good job of being a productive teammate at work today. My brain seemed to be consumed with a variety of worries, and everyone else around me seemed pretty stressed out, too. Tr is dealing with some stuff outside of work; she cried a little, so I hugged her. But I can't magically take her problems away. I can't wave a wand and make the people in her life treat her right. All I can do is try to be a person in her life that, at very least, doesn't treat her blatantly and deliberately incorrectly.

...Often, it doesn't feel like doing that is nearly enough. I feel powerless almost all the time. Thoughts such as those are probably just remnants from a time in my life when I had to be actively useful or convenient in some way in order to avoid getting hurt.

Right now, I am struggling with the fact that someone I seemed to click with as friends has suddenly stopped responding to my text messages. I am certainly aware that I am entitled to no one's time or attention, but... I am nonetheless left wondering if I've done something wrong. I am wondering if something I've said or done was misinterpreted. I am wondering if perhaps they know someone from my past, and maybe they told this person that I'm some kind of stinky horrible bad person. Or maybe I initiated conversation one too many times and now they think I'm “clingy” or something.

...All of these have happened before. And... if it has happened again, I feel like I really shouldn't be surprised at all; the perils of existing as an autistic person in this world are the simple fact that everyone is sifting through your words and intentions for subtext that isn't actually there, the fact that your interests are usually too “weird” and “out there” for anyone to find them relatable, and the fact that you think, feel, and perceive the world differently from most everyone else, in ways that they often find foreign, incomprehensible, and repulsive.

I should be used to this sort of thing. Part of me feels stupid for feeling sad about it. Part of me feels stupid for hoping for any outcome other than disgust and rejection to begin with.

What's worse is the simple fact that my struggling with my emotions leaves me less available to be a good wife to my husbands. Both of them were hoping to play more Betrayal Legacy today, and I'm not currently in a position where I can trust myself to reliably keep my past trauma memories relating to board games in check. Both of them were disappointed, and... I can't help but feel like it's all my fault.

...But this, too, is just leftover from my past, in which my emotions were viewed as inconveniences and therefore punishable offenses, especially if they interfered with me doing what others wanted me to do. In old spaces... “punishment will continue until morale improves”. I struggle not to perpetuate that old script upon myself in the absence of some other irritable, insecure, and emotionally unavailable person to do it for me.

I don't really know what to do, though. There are too many thoughts swirling around, and, though J helped me with some grounding techniques, I'm still a little... weird, I guess.

So here; have some pictures of swirling tea. It's certainly a lot prettier than the inside of my brain right now:

...I think that's all I've got for you today. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel a little better. Thanks for your patience.

Maybe I'll play a few rounds of Hades to try to clear my head. If I do that, you'll find me here, though I don't imagine I'll be very talkative:

I love you. And I'll write again soon. Please do your best to stay safe in the meantime.

Your friend, Lumine

[twotangledsisters]

Love all the fics you've got pending!

Can you tell us more about A Hostage Situation and Mirror, Mirror, What You Took From Me?

I'm most excited for these!

Can I tell you more?? That shouldn't be a question, why you are asking me to talk about my ongoing projects, a favorite activity second only to sharing the finished stories once they're done!!

And both are those are ones I'm very excited about too! I'll start with the shorted of the two:

The Hostage Situation

Honestly, there's not much more to add than in the original post, it's one of my rare AUs that hasn't shown any signs of spiralling out of control yet!

This AU has a more... pacifist version of Hector, as rather than fight these strangers off he just snatches Cass and orders them to leave for her safety. Cass is never in any real danger and that becomes apparent pretty fast despite Hector's threats.

While most of them leave the way they came, Eugene is the one to sneak back inside with the intent of rescuing Cassandra. The main goal is to allow Cassandra to open up a bit more about her emotions, it's to allow Eugene who just stood by during the argument a chance to speak his mind, and it offers up some extra bonding with Hector.

I won't spoil the ending but I will say Cassandra manages to keep both hands in mint condition!

I'll add a few snippets to the end after the read more!

Mirror, Mirror, What You Took From Me

This one is waaaay longer! Although the summary focuses on Cassandra smashing the mirror and Eugene becoming trapped, this fic actually is a re-imagining of the show after that point.

The Mirror Realm in this AU is a portion of Zhan Tiri's realm, with Eugene captured Tromus has a different approach to getting the Sundrop and Zhan Tiri took takes a different approach.

If you want to go into the fic fully blind, stop reading now as I'm gonna ramble and spoil parts of it :D

With Eugene trapped, Tromus wishes to strike a deal with Rapunzel, and Rapunzel is willing to give anything to ensure she gets Eugene back. Cassandra doesn't trust Tromus though, and goes behind Rapunzel's back taking down Tromus and causing the shell house to collapse. Staring at the ruins of the home, with Eugene still missing, Rapunzel and Cassandra have a huge fight.

Rapunzel decides she's going to complete the journal, travel to the Dark Kingdom and acquire the moonstone because perhaps that amount of power will be enough to get Eugene back.

Cassandra argues the moonstone is dangerous! But Rapunzel is past reasoning with.

“Oh, so your feelings are valid? You have a bad feeling about the moonstone and that’s valid? But me feeling like trusting that man to get Eugene back isn’t?” “May I remind you had a bad feeling about the shell shaped building from the start? You thought it was swell and look, what happened? I didn’t put Eugene in danger. You did!” Rapunzel glared, then her face straightened and she turned. “Your journey ends here.” “What?” “I’m done with you interfering Cassandra, I want you out of my way.” “I’m not leaving.” “You don’t have a choice. I’m not making a request Cassandra, as your princess, I command you go back to Corona and stay out of my way. I’m going to do what I have to do to get my partner back, and you aren’t coming.”

After Rapunzel orders Cassandra to stay behind, Cassandra does start to walk towards Corona, but ultimately decides against it. Rapunzel is emotional and doesn't know what she's doing! If there is one thing that'll blind Rapunzel's judgement, it's Eugene. So Cassandra makers her way to the Dark Kingdom to take the moonstone before Rapunzel.

In this AU Cassandra takes the moonstone to protect Rapunzel and it's after taking it that Zhan Tiri appears, not to guide Cassandra, but to guide Rapunzel down a path of anger and a path of doing 'anything' to get Eugene back.

Eugene fights for his life in the mirror realm, he is questioned and his knowledge used by Zhan Tirir against Rapunzel.

Cassandra tried to go to the Spire to find something that'll help Eugene but she's already been reported a thief and is ambushed there.

She then goes to Varian who listens to Cassandra and understands how Rapunzel feels, blinded by grief. He agrees to start work on a portal to save Eugene and Cassandra goes into hiding.

Rapunzel eventually does locate Cassandra, and they clash. A portal opens, Zhan Tirir exits and Rapunzel sees Eugene, but he is unable to reach her, held back by the mirror-version of Cassandra. But having seen him Rapunzel is ready to listen to anything Zhan Tirir says.

AND... I am going to stop! I could keep going and spoil the entire fic... I WANT TO. But I won't.

I think you get the feel of the fic :D

I am super excited for it! I love switching roles up, letting Rapunzel be the one manipulated and missguided for a change! This fic is going to be a lot of fun, if you like fics of mine like Plus Forts Ensemble I'd say it's pretty similar to that in the way it both follows and doesn't follow the show's outline!

Also, some snippets from The Hostage Situation:

Cassandra struggled against the rope tying her to one of the many trees which had grown within The Great Tree, the binturongs circled her and growled but she didn’t cease her frantic movements. “Let me go!” Hector ignored her shouts as he tended to his garden. “Once your friends are far enough away, I’ll consider.” “You have no right!” “I have every right,” Hector snapped back. “I have a duty to my kingdom and to the entire world, a duty to the moonstone. I warned your group more than enough times, yet you kept going. Be thankful I chose this route. I could have just as easily cut you all down where you stood and eliminated the problem at its route.” Cassandra glared. For a moment the only noise was the binturongs’ growls. “Why am I explaining myself?” Hector turned back to the garden. “It’s not like you’d understand the weight of duty.” And the tiredness in his voice got Cassandra’s expression to soften as she did understand that weight. She thought back to her last conversation with the king prior to starting this journey. It had been in the throne room, while the others packed, Cassandra had been practically shaking as the last time he had summoned her to the throne room it had only been the king and her father and she’d been banished to a convent. She expected to be scolded for disobeying a direct order, but instead the king just looked tired. “Cassandra, you are my daughter’s lady-in-waiting and, more importantly you are someone she trusts.” Cassandra nodded. “I must ask you to protect her on this journey. It’s her first time beyond the walls of Corona and I fear she may not be prepared.” Cassandra felt like such a favour should come after an apology for her near banishment, but he was a king and she but a commoner, so she bowed and promised she’d do all in her power to protect Rapunzel. If only Rapunzel had allowed Cassandra to carry out this promise. “I understand,” Cassandra told Hector, to her own surprise. “I even understand what it’s like for your own to not help with that duty…” she added. Hector looked at Cassandra over his plants. “I heard your woes, the ones you shared with the statues.” Cassandra blushed in embarrassment. “You can kill me now.” Hector laughed. “For coming from such a peaceful kingdom, you show promise. I’m sorry those close to you don’t see that.” Cassandra smiled. “Thank.” “You should consider going to another kingdom to pursue your dreams.” “And leave Rapunzel behind?” “She the princess to whom you have a duty?” “I mean… No, not exactly. She’s my boss and my princess, sure, but… I could leave, I’m just a servant. It’s not about duty, she’s my friend.” “Ah.” Hector turned so Cassandra couldn’t see his expression. “What?” “Nothing.” “Tell me.” “It’s just… My experience with royals is that they’ll be your friend, family, brother, what have you, when it’s convenient, but the day you need them to listen, they’re above you.” Hector’s mind wandered to the moonstone and the mistake that had cost him his home. “Rapunzel… It was just the one time.” “It was just the first time,” Hector corrected. Cassandra didn’t answer. She wanted to argue, but did Rapunzel deserve her defence right now?

Later:

Cassandra could see the stars through a gap in the bark, the moonlight’s glow her only light source. She heard footsteps coming from behind. “Finally! Surely my friends are far enough away for you to release me now?” There was a shuffle of footsteps, followed by a loud thump as Eugene’s bound body was tossed in front of Cassandra. She blinked. He grinned. “Hey, Cass! You were exactly who I was looking for.” Cassandra’s expression darkened. There went her hope of stretching her arms and reuniting with her friends. “I thought I’d rescue you.” “Guessing you thought wrong?” Eugene chuckled as Hector lifted him and tied him to the same tree as Cassandra. “Well… it’s the thought that counts.” “I don’t think that expression favours you, Eugene.” “I am regretting not leaving you for dead.” “I am regretting you not leaving me for dead.” “Leave the bonding exercises for another time, won’t you?” Hector rolled his eyes as he finished tying the knot. “Anybody else I should be worried about in my tree?” “Everybody else voted to leave Cass behind,” Eugene answered. “Good. Then next time I see something move and shoot on sight there won’t be any injuries.” Eugene frowned but said nothing as Hector left. “The others did leave, right?” Cassandra checked. “Yeah. We kind assumed I’d be enough… sorry.” “It’s fine,” Cassandra sighed. “I will never let you live this down though.”

[thewayhelooksatyou]

The Way He Looks at You Series B. II:IV

Cal Kestis Week Bonus Content: In Another Life Chapter IV: We Shouldn't Be Doing This

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Chapter Summary

Tumblr celebrated Cal Kestis Week, I used the dialogue prompts for each chapter. This chapter uses: "We shouldn't be doing this."

This mini series is what life could have looked like if Reader (lovingly nicknamed "Light" by Cal) had never lost her memory in the final battle of 'The Way He Looks at You'. Rating: 18+ Words: 1.2K Trigger Warnings: None Inquisitor Cal x Reader/OC

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Cal wraps his arms around Light, his hard chest pressing against her back, looking at the home he found for her in the same town as his last mission. It’s a small house, but it’s large enough for her and a couple of children. Cal squeezes her once, then releases his grip, reaching into his pocket to pull out the necklace he bought her. That Kaahlii had been kind enough to add a tracker to.

He brushes her hair onto one shoulder and drapes the gold jewelry around her neck, laying the pendant against her chest before securing the clasp. “I bought this for you. I wanted you to have something from me since I won’t see you quite as much.”

She looks down, fingering the hanging gem. “Is this the necklace from-”

“Yes, I saw an echo that you had been rather fond of this piece. I had a tracker added, just in case.”

Light smiles up at him. “I’ll never take it off.”

Cal presses a kiss against her hair and gives her a small push forward, encouraging her to go explore the house he’s picked for her. 

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Flying back to the Inquisitorious Tower no longer feels like going home. It feels as it did before she came into his life: the place where he sleeps. Cal is already counting the seconds until he can see her again. Everything is as it was from only a week ago, but that life feels much further away. 

Cal lands the Scythe with ease, striding across the high walkway, entering the tower. To his dismay, Fifth Brother is waiting for him.

“Thirteenth! You’re not avoiding me, are you?”

“Fifth Brother, of course not. I have simply been rather busy after the recent Rebellion attack.”

Fifth gives Cal a curious look. “Remind me Brother, How did you end up there? After all, it was my assignment to intervene in the Rebel attack.”

Cal grits his teeth. “I had no intention of interfering with your mission. I was simply there to retrieve what was mine. As I’m sure you are now aware, the Jedi leading the attack had stolen from me.”

Fifth gives a toothy grin. “That’s what I can’t seem to wrap my head around. Why would a Jedi care about a woman you claim you ran into on the street?”

“I’m sure you remember my reputation with the women of the galaxy. Jedi are always sticking their noses where they don’t belong.”

Fifth shrugs. “I suppose that tracks. You are infamous for your cruelty.”

Cal offers him a forced smile, hoping to end the conversation and gain the location of his next mission. The sooner he is working, the sooner he can see Light again. His thoughts drift to the unfinished events of last night. 

“It is odd, don’t you think?”

Cal sighs. “What is?”

“That you seem to care so much for her. I’ve not seen this behavior displayed before.”

Cal is silent, searching for the correct words to deflect Fifth’s prying. But nothing comes, leaving him in the incriminating quiet. Fifth smirks, circling to the side, as if taunting his prey.

“Brother?”

Cal does not respond, glaring at the wall, wishing to leave this conversation.

“Are you…in love?”

Cal whips around to face him. “We do not feel love, Brother.”

Fifth raises his hands, showing his palms. “I mean no harm. We have grown close these past years. I consider you a friend. If you are in love, I have no desire to stand in your way.”

Cal’s eyes narrow, not dropping his guard. “Wonderful.”

The sarcastic words come out louder than he intended. But it is enough to end this conversation. He turns on his heel and strides towards the far end of the room, wanting to hide behind the closed doors of his quarters.

Fifth’s words freeze him. “Where is the girl, Thirteenth?”

Cal grits his teeth, turning only his head to acknowledge the loaded question. “Not here.”

“Unusual, considering you typically keep her as your shadow.”

No longer willing to ask questions, Cal leaves.

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Cal throws open the front door to Light’s house, startling her and causing her to drop the dish she is holding. But the object hovers an inch from the ground, raising until she can wrap her finger around the smooth surface once more. 

“Cal!”

A big smile on her face, she sets the object on the kitchen counter before running into his arms. Cal wraps himself around her, holding her tight, breathing in the scent of her hair, his eyes closing in bliss. All the stress of his life melting away from something as simple as a hug from his woman.

She pulls back but doesn’t let go. “I thought it would be longer until I saw you again.”

He chuckles. “I work faster when there is the promise of seeing you.”

She smiles up at him; her gaze drifting to his lips for a moment.

Cal closes the distance, capturing her bottom lip between his. Each movement is slow and full of need. As though he were making love to her with only his mouth. Stars, he’d love to do that right now. 

He considers demanding her compliance in joining him in the bedroom, but the earlier conversation with Fifth lingers in the forefront of his mind. Cal loves her. But sneaking around is putting Light in danger. 

He breaks the kiss, holding her shoulders, looking down, eyes regretful. “Light, we shouldn’t be doing this.”

She furrows her brow in confusion. “Kissing?”

Cal shakes his head, gesturing around the room. “No. This. Us. Sneaking around, pretending like we have a normal life away from the Empire. I’m an Inquisitor.”

Light chews her lip. “I know. Do you still want to be one?”

Cal scoffs. “That implies I ever had a choice.”

She nods once. “What do you want to do?”

“Want and need are two different things, Light. I want to leave everything behind and stay with you. But I cannot.”

She gives a curious look. “Something happened.”

Cal moves to sit at the kitchen table, resting his head in his hands, rubbing his temples. “Fifth has begun asking too many questions about us.”

Light joins him at the small wooden table. “You’ve already made a decision, haven’t you?”

Cal looks up, seeing the tears glinting in her eyes. “You think I am making the decision for you?”

She rises, her chin held high despite the tears cascading down her cheeks. “I have been through this before, quite recently. I understand what you’re saying Cal. I’m going to bed, please do not join me.”

She leaves, her footsteps padding up the stairs and into the primary bedroom. Cal sits, trying to calm his breathing. His years in the Empire makes the rage difficult to contain. His hand twitches for his lightsaber, but instead, he collapses onto the table. Left cheek pressed flush against the cool varnished surface. 

Their relationship is over, it’s the best decision, to keep her safe from the Empire. Cal feels nauseous knowing that Theo ended his relationship with Light for the same reason. A Jedi and an Inquisitor both in love with the same woman, giving her up to protect her from the same threat. 

Cal worries that he may be more like the Jedi than he once thought. After some contemplation, he exits the home, locking up, and heading back to Coruscant.

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[casspurrjoybell-25]

Cold as Ice - Chapter 46 - Part 2

*Warning Adult Content*

Landon Reilly

After the next skater, I left Wren to go to the bathroom and grab us drinks.

As I finished in the bathroom and came out, I was suddenly standing face to face with my father.

I knew of the possibility of this happening when I came here but that still didn't prepare me for the tightness in my chest just at the sight of him.

The last time I had seen him, it had sent me into a spiral and he hadn't even looked at me.

This time, he was staring right at me and it felt like I was about to fall over.

No matter how much I thought I could handle being face to face with him, nothing could have prepared me for it.

It was still like I was just thrown to the wolves.

It was like I was a speck that he could just walk on.

I was minuscule and he had me under a magnifying glass.

I felt helpless and weak in his presence.

"Landon," he said in a low tone.

I had heard him say my name that way so many times.

It was disappointment and anger.

I didn't say anything back, I couldn't.

All I wanted was to walk away from him and back to Wren but I was frozen in place.

"You shouldn't be here," he said.

"You shouldn't be speaking to my daughter at all. You've distracted her and she tanked her performance all because of you."

"I..." I started but he quickly cut me off.

"You are to cut all contact with my daughter," he snapped, moving in closer and making me feel smaller.

"I have my ways of finding these things out, so I will know if you continue speaking to her."

I wanted to argue with him, to show him that he didn't scare me or have any affect on me but I couldn't because it wasn't true and I couldn't even fake it.

"You've really let yourself go," he said, looking me up and down.

"I've caught a few of your games on T.V. out of curiosity and it's not surprising that you've become sloppy. You're a failure because you lack discipline and I will not allow you to rub off on my daughter. She has a future. She is a good girl. She doesn't need your influence on her."

"She doesn't know I'm here," I said, my voice weak, trying to protect Olivia in any way that I could.

"Don't lie to me," he snapped.

"I know that she does. I know that you two have kept in contact. Trust me when I say you will not like the consequences if you don't cut all contact with her."

My heart was beating fast, my breaths becoming shallow.

"As far as I'm concerned, Olivia is an only child," he continued.

"You think that because you're no longer part of this family that you can do as you please but I will make your life hell if you continue interfering. Do you understand? You are a worthless, disgusting failure and I will not let you drag my daughter down with you."

Every nasty thing he had ever said to me started flooding my brain.

Every horrible thing he had ever done to me played on a loop.

I knew he would follow through on his threats if given the chance.

"Landon?"

I looked over my father's shoulder to see my mother standing behind him.

She looked at me with sad, wide, teary eyes.

It almost felt like she missed me and that she was overcome with emotion at the sight of me.

I almost walked past my father to go to her, then I remembered her complacency.

I remembered how she let my father abuse me, I remembered how she treated Olivia.

My mother was always the kinder of my parents.

Rather, I used to think of her as kind but now knew that she didn't have a kind bone in her body.

She let my father do as he pleased to me, she never protected me.

I almost forgot that when I looked at her though, I wished I could walk over to her and let her take me into her arms.

I remembered times when I prayed for my parents' love, times when I asked God why my parents didn't love me.

My life would have been so different if my parents just loved me.

"I have to go," I muttered, mustering up the strength to speak.

"Leave this place. Now," my father said in a familiar voice of authority.

I staggered past him, walking by my mother without a glance, though I could feel her eyes on me as I left.

I left through the exit doors and went down the stairs until I reached the outside.

I took in deep breaths, finally no longer feeling like I was being suffocated.

I didn't know how long I was out there but eventually, Wren found me.

I was still breathing heavy when he came outside.

His hand on my shoulder startled me and I jumped back then relaxed when I saw it was him.

"What happened?" Wren asked, his face serious and full of concern.

"Go. Now," I breathed out.

Wren wrapped his arm around me and directed me to his car.

He helped me into the passenger's seat but he stayed there standing outside the car in front of me instead of moving to the driver's side.

"Landon," he said, putting his hands on my shoulders.

"Calm down, okay? Breathe slowly."

We looked into each others eyes and I tried to match Wren's breathing.

"Better," Wren said, bringing his hand up to my face to push my hair off my forehead.

"Let's go."

Wren kissed my forehead then backed away, shutting the door and moving around to the driver's seat.

We were mostly quiet on the way back to my dorm, Wren placing a comforting hand on my thigh, moving it up and down.

When we got back to my dorm, Wren brought me into the bathroom and started the shower.

I was confused but I didn't question him. 

"Come on," he said, gesturing toward the shower.

"You're sweaty. You need to get in."

Without thinking, I listened to him and got undressed and into the shower.

A moment later, Wren followed me.

Normally, I would yell at him or push him out but I wanted him near me even though I was embarrassed.

I didn't want to snap at him, I wanted his comfort, welcomed it.

Wren pushed his hands through my hair as the water cascaded over me.

I let him put my shampoo in, his fingers kneading my scalp.

After he rinsed it out, I stepped forward and in o his embrace, letting my face fall between his neck and shoulder.

Wren held me, one hand on the back of my head and the other on my back.

"Was it your father?" Wren asked quietly against my ear.

"Did you see him?"

"Are you going to say 'I told you so'?" I asked, feeling embarrassed.

Wren hummed.

"No."

"Why not? You were right," I said.

"I saw him and I couldn't handle it."

"While I do enjoy hearing 'you're right' come from your mouth, I'm not glad to be right about this," he said.

"You're glad to be right about everything else," I muttered.

"Your pain doesn't bring me happiness."

I shuddered, overwhelmed with emotions.

I wanted to squeeze him and hold onto him forever, I wanted him to always be whispering in my ear, playing with my hair, rubbing circles on my back.

I wanted him in my life always, hen it hit me.

'I love him'.

I pulled away slightly so I could look at his face, my eyes wide.

Wren smiled slightly at me, bringing his hands up to rest on my cheeks, moving his thumbs under my eyes.

"I knew you'd eventually let me in the shower with you," he said, his grin widening.

'I love him'.

"You didn't really give me a choice," I said, my voice low.

I was still reeling at my realization, the force of it weighing on me.

"If you didn't want me in here, you would have pushed me out," he said.

I leant forward and kissed his grinning mouth, slowly and carefully like it was my first time.

He responded slowly, letting me take the lead.

We stayed like that in the shower until the water started getting cold.

Then we ran back to my room and Wren wrapped a towel around me before kissing my neck and jaw.

He lowered himself in front of me then looked up at me with a smirk.

"I think you deserve some birthday action," Wren said.

My heart fluttered even with him being so crude.

He moved the towel out of the way and put his mouth on me.

Even then, I could only think of one thing.

'I love him'.

[ilovetoddi]

( 09/02/2024 ) 11:23 PM — you're unaware of how my heart still revolves in your orbit, how any imbalance in your existence can turn me into dust. i bet you don't know the significance you hold, but you are the sun; always have been, always will be. even if there aren't stars around you, i can assure you that things will remain this way until the entire universe dies with you. there is no universe without you. no starlight. no existence. everything started because of you, bada. the beginning of life in my heart, the flood you caused within me, my inability to explain simple concepts, it's all on you. all your words seemed to magically silence what haunts me, so i'm nothing without you. i think my days before you weren't as sweet, or calm, or full of hope. despite everything that kept us apart, like all the pain i feel that could've pushed you away, your sweetness was enough to prevent any new disasters. you silenced a catastrophic past too. when i had days filled with doubts, you were there for me and kissed them all away. when i thought exhaustion would prevent me from continuing my work, even though you're not as tired as me, you suggested that we rest together. when i said i couldn't listen to anyone else's heart since mine was lost about what it loved or not, you cleared my mind without touching it, without interfering in my feelings with empty promises. when i felt my own heart breaking, i know that yours broke too. what you did for me goes beyond empathy. i'm sure your soul has been created with all the good things in the world, which does not exclude the imperfections in you. they're your sunspots. you're unique. you're my sun. i thought that, having my heart shattered into pieces, unable to fix it on my own, no one would know how to do it for me. i thought no one would be good enough to love such a mess, to find sense in it. and i was wrong. my shards aren't supposed to be anyone's, though, they shouldn't have hurt you like they hurt me, but every piece of my heart came together in your hands again. you never needed me, but since nothing is random, i know how you chose me every day. even if you didn't say it. i think that's why what we had was so good. we weren't stuck. the universe was still moving around us, but nothing compared to what each other's company could do.

[peacehopeandrats]

8 & 14 please

Hmm.... Another interesting pairing. I think I know what I'm going to do with these as I save it for writing later. We will see where it goes.

It didn't go where I expected it to, but I like what I ended up with.

And so ends a month of writing prompts. Thanks to everyone who went along on this ride with me. Feel free to poke around with anything I've posted and ask more questions. Everything I've done this month has been a part of something as yet unwritten, either a chapter or part of a series, but always something that already exists. It was rough and it was raw, but it was fun to do. Glad some of you came along with me to do it.

Gideon stared down at the restaurant table, pondering the rich, golden red color under the clear finish. He picked out one dark stripe that represented the tree's life and followed it from one end of the table to the other, then chose another.

"Gideon?" His mother pulled him from the mindless task he'd put to himself. "Are you feeling all right?"

He blinked at her. "Do I not look it?"

"You do look a little under the weather," his father admitted with concern.

He shook his head. "I'm fine." Neither of his parents seemed to believe him, so instead of insisting this was true, he shrugged. "Maybe just my brain is feeling kind of down."

There was something carved into the slick surface just to his left, interfering with the path of several wooden stripes. He placed his finger over the dent and traced it, then pulled his hand away. Having felt the groove, he could now easily make out the single letter 't'. Bent in what was almost a perfect handwritten script, the beauty of it struck him as unusual. It was the result of vandalism, after all, and he thought he should feel more dislike for this stray remnant of someone's lawlessness. He found that he couldn't hate it though, in fact it became something of a fascination rather than being something he could easily discard.

He wondered why it wasn't capitalized and what the person who made it was trying to say. Was it meant to be longer and they got interrupted? Had they been caught in the act and thrown out of the restaurant? It couldn't be just an initial, because certainly no one would carve their initials in lowercase lettering.

Around him, the buzz of other patrons drew his eyes upward, to take in the room. Every person at every table seemed to be engaged in pleasant conversation. Would any of them be willing to deface property like this? Could one of them have left this part of themselves behind and returned to mark another table? Maybe it was some sort of secret code, left from one diner for another who would take this seat on request and know exactly what the 't' meant.

"Gideon," his mother's voice broke the spell of his ponderings.

His eyes met hers and he noticed the sadness in them. "Yes?"

"I think it was wrong of me to let you choose that particular book from the library today. It seems to be a little darker than we thought. What do you think?"

"Maybe. I mean it talks about death a lot and people doing things with animals they shouldn't, but it's interesting."

His father shook his head. "I don't like how upset it seems to have made you," he said. "Even if it is meant to be a different representation of the tales from our realm."

"Not our realm, Papa. Just.. another one."

"All right. Another realm. Either way, you've not been yourself since you started reading it."

Both of his parents looked as if they would begin to cry at any moment and Gideon thought about the things they would never tell him, the secrets he would never know.

"Does this have anything to do with me?" He asked the question gently, hoping not to hurt them.

"No," his mother promised. "It has to do with me and being too lenient with your choices. When you are older, I'll let you try the book again, but for now, I think the theme is more for adults than even you can handle. Are we agreed?"

Gideon took in a deep breath and slowly let it escape him. Either his mothers words, the release of air, or quite possibly both, made him feel as if he were sending a hidden darkness away from himself and out into the corners of the dining space. He nodded. "Agreed."

Finally, his father smiled, and his mother joined in soon after, both grasping for Gideon's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"So, what can we talk about now to lift your mood?" His father's question brought a smile to Gideon's face.

Glancing down at the carved letter, Gideon wriggled closer to the table and lowered his voice as if sharing a secret. "Did either of you ever do something mischievous when you were my age?"

[withered-rose-unbreakable-lotus]

@sleeplesssmoll While some ages could be older, in my view too, I downright disagree Vertin should have been older, personally. (The following opinion is just that, an opinion, I'm not claiming you are wrong, I am just expressing my pov on the matter.)

She was given the duty of the Timekeeper too early, right after completing her studies at the Foundation (if she even completed them I don't remember) and besides her charisma she often looks way too naive to me which makes sense for a 19 year old. When you're just out of school, despite your trauma, you still have that childlike wish to do big things, at least I personally also did, so I get her passion and wish to help other arcanists and make sure nb has the same fate as the friends she tried to sneak out with. She has that bravery to do everything in her power to achieve all her goals, to save people, get answers for her past etc, and doing all that even if risks come on the way like sneaking in places, as you mentioned etc etc.

While I too see her stoicness I don't see maturity. For example, in the argument between Spathodea and Ezra, it drove me crazy she didn't interfere and some could take this as maturity, like stay away from arguments, but personally I would have interfered as an adult and explain that while I get Spathodea's side, there are some things Ezra said that Spathodea should have put her ego aside and understand as well. Sure her silence plays an important role in Spathodea's growing as a character and understanding things by herself, but Vertin's not speaking didn't look like she was trying to be an adult that wants kids to understand things on her own, but more like she didn't know what to say to calm things down and all she had to say after all this was that she saw this coming or that the map is actually good. Like why didn't you say that during the argument, you know? I don't think she deals well with confrontation or intense arguments, hence why she stayed silent. This could also be an indicator of trauma for her in that moment too. And yup, in that case, neither Ulu nor Desert intefered either, but that's a whole other post about how those two saying nth as well could be interpreted. At the end of the day this is storywriting aka art and art can be interpreted in a 100 ways depending on a person's experiences.

Vertin's charisma follows the trope of the chosen one for whatever reason so it makes sense for being a "gifted" child that seemingly can do anything. While it's prevalent in anime, it exists a lot in western media as well. She doesn't have to be old to get that charisma because 1) she follows that trope and 2) because even in real life, sometimes kids are seen as such, they are the "gifted kids" who are often told they are too mature for their age or that somehow have "incredible" skills for their age, only to find out after becoming adults that they'd never been as skillful as they were told to be and that they still have a lot to learn. I believe Vertin too had to get some such slaps on the face in her so far journey. Even though she is seen as sb this special, she still had to lose more people after the whole drama with Schneider. You did mention she doesn't have all the answers yet, I saw it, but I dunno, personally I feel like she rarely has any answers so I don't in any way see her a character that could be older than 23.

As for this point: "Also her travels and sneaking around in places she shouldn't be would be easier if she's older." I think that if it was this easy they wouldn't have much of an in-between big events plot to go with, nor would there be as much learning for her character to grow. Like you said it would have been easier, and I add, it would also reduce her chances of failure greatly. Also, if she was old enough to do all this you mention, she wouldn't need the help of sooo many characters. The other characters must in some way join her journey and struggles. If she was older and more experienced with things, she would technically not need as many people around her, children or adults.

As for Mathilda, I believe the 14 we get there is before her graduation and becoming the monitor sth, i forget her title now. But she is the same age as Sonetto, they were in the same class and both have graduated, so the ages we see in the game have been changed already by a few years. But if they indeed kept her 14 and let her graduate in that age well that too can be applied to reality for kids who are considered genius enough to be sent to organizations before even becoming adults because they are too smart for further training like other kids. *shrugs*

And a little note on Blonney, in the Green lake story she is said to be a college student who went at the lake for a project, if I remember correctly, so if filming studies are 4 years long, she couldn't be older than 21 or 22.

One thing I'd change about Reverse 1999.

The more I think about it, the more I wonder why Vertin and the others are so young. It's like the anime problem where they're so reluctant to use young adults/adults even though it'd make more sense in terms of immersion. Or they make a character look young but they're actually very old.

Matilda is 14.

Tooth Fairy is 25! I read her as at least 28-30ish. To put that into perspective, Blonney is 20 and Horrorpedia is 21 which I can see. They made Zima 29 so I know it's possible!

From a story standpoint, I read Vertin as at least 19, and that's including the trauma that forced her to be the mature and stoic Timekeeper. Her charisma, ability to travel the world on her own, and experience in the field made me think of one who is old enough to deal with problems but not quite at the level where they have all the answers. Also her travels and sneaking around in places she shouldn't be would be easier if she's older. For example, more job opportunities, the ability to get a license etc. 19 is a transitional stage where she's both a kid and adult. Although, you could say this about a 16yo Vertin too but it feels...different. like a different type of transition happens during these ages but I can't put my finger on it.

Idk if I can really put this feeling into words because that's all it is really. Certain characters ages don't "feel" right.

On a completely unrelated note, I want an arcanist that looks like your stereotypical witch with a point hat and black cat! She seems like a scary grumpy lady (70), but she actually has butterscotch in her pockets and and a big ol' loving heart in her chest.

I also want a Salem trials "witch" who is actually an arcanist.

[byakuyasdarling]

saw your silly post and realized i was thinking of something sort of similar, so i hope you don’t mind if i were to share a few of my thoughts :)

anyways, i personally really enjoy seeing older (technically a good chunk of users are older than me but thats just bc i’m literally 15 so like... unsurprising) people on tumblr. i feel like theres always that “isn’t it weird to do this at my age?” in that back of my mind so when i see like 30 yr olds on tumblr posting essays about their faves or 21 year olds lovemailing their f/os or 17 yr olds being like ya i still sleep with my plushies! it feels very... nice? calming.

i sort of worry about like wtf do i do when i turn 18?? is that too old?? what if i still want to self ship at 30? what if i want to wear cute dresses even in my 40s? is that too old? but then like i go on tumblr and see everyone else doing Just that and its soo...! nice. it reminds me that age doesn't matter, you can have silly blogs and post fics and draw even if you're like 27. is there really an age limit on like.. enjoying life and having hobbies???

i don’t mean to make it about me or anything but i just wanted to remind you that there is no such thing as being too old to enjoy the things you like!! so long as its not interfering in anything or hurting anyone, why not indulge a bit? anyone who tells you otherwise literally needs to live a little, enjoy things & go out more 💀 sending a thousand seals their way as we speak...!

18 is also still incredibly young, you shouldn't be shamed by anyone for liking byakuya and drawing silly ship art where you two kiss. why does it matter what you do anyways .. !!

Thank you so much, I’m so happy to hear that! I really love seeing older selfshippers too <3 a lot of people I see in the selfship community are older than me, and I really look up to the fact they still do this.

I don’t know what the big deal is. I see older women (particularly) froth over actors all the time, so why can’t I love a fictional guy? I know it’s not the same… my dad says it’s “a bit full-on”, “it was okay when you were 17”, and I fear a lot of my family has that sentiment. I know they really love me and care for me but you know. My psychologist aunt thinks it’s cute and good for me though, so I’m taking her word. I think it’s good for me too.

I think it comes from the perspective of “you can have someone real!” My family somehow thinks I’m the biggest catch ever, and probably wants to see me happy. But a real man won’t make me happy right now. Of course I want a boyfriend, but I literally can’t be a good partner in my mental state. But I’ve said this a lot already.

In Australia, at least in my family but it is prominent see the culture of where I live, is that 18 = adulthood. You must know how to be an adult and act adult at this point. It’s bullshit. Even developmentally you are not an adult. I really agree with the age of 21 being “adulthood” because you’ve actually had real experiences in the real world at that point.

Also people who wear cute clothes and cuddle with plushes are so based. I think a lot of people thinks it’s cute though from what I observe (in our generation).

[theorist-influencer-untitled]

3.3.23 Wednesday

12:05 am

Still, up here... Still, will take my shower in a few minutes, simply resting... I still have the windblow trap and I have fear, I posted that on my yesterday's entry here,angels...

It is just weird that old friends are gone, I have a windblow trap and I feel hurt since 2007! It is unfair to control someone's life without asking a permission...

It's ohkay to be a friend but interfering on a secretive way is not a good act for friendship... A true friend will care and only think of good things to a friend... But changing a friend into something that they wanted, is not fair...

Why, a friend will put an agenda to erase my past pages... I just heard that a particular friend and some judgemental people who didn't know me at all are smashing my ego as a woman....Or commenting things that is foul... Like some old fake people said that they pity me coz nobody likes me ever since and I had have no story to tell, and it hurts me so much...

7:50 am

It is weird...Last night during shower my left eye suddenly felt itchy and I felt that something is inside my left eye...

Then this am, it is the first time again to wake up having a morning star/ sleep dust...Which is which but I have literally here.... But I still feel something on my left eye, a sandy feeling... Shit! Is it sore eyes?

8:10 am

Probably a foreign substance such as a small eyelash... whew!

One of my fears these days that I don't have extra in my pockets angels... If in case that I need to see a doctor...

I feel bitterish and hurt since 2007....A group of particular people damage my entire life coz they wanted to interfere on me unfairly...

Then,those interfering people will just drop me like that... As if they are not guilty on me? Totally, unfair!

They need to be responsible angels for interfering on me since 2007...

Plus, I have sciatica/ priformis syndrome that I can't get my MRI... This is bullshit!

They remove my college diploma... They took away or stole my college diploma angels...

They just pull me down probably bunches of undergraduates vs interfering fake friends overly concern on me though college graduate....

They shouldn't stop caring until I can revive to have a new story and own real money... I feel bitter...

I wanna buy starbucks everyday... I wanna see donkey and camel... I wanna have my life back but with maturity....

8:37 am

Plus Lazadah so weird no human being as customer care...

Where is the rice cooker??? I tried tracking... I got this...

This is the disadvantage if not bridging with LEXPH....Coz the delivery group of LEXPH they will regularly update the status on timeline form but on other courier you have to search it on your own...

9:10 am

I feel sad and I still have the windblow trap and it wants me to reveal some old secret coming from mixed fake people such as church of christ.

I was a true friend... Windblow came to me year 2007... Then, I lost social life and I lost xfactor! I feel hurt...

Then, weird movement on me coming from people that are closer and people that I just got along with like in my old religion the church of christ...

My mouth and tongue are holy coz it will not say a thing to damage someone....It's original form...There are so many fake members of church of christ... If I mentioned something it is my observation and conclusion....

It is weird to post here like this "Oliver" my old church of christ member/ churchmate this is just a story now, a story to share here from the past years...That it is weird everyone are on movement on something. Oliver said that Borgy wasn't handsome why do I like him ,he is just wealthy...

This is still probably on my pages on my messenger....Then, I tried investigating the weird cult and I tried streaming and somehow got some people come and go on "Tagged".

Then,I replied on Oliver, huh? Hahaha Borgy Manotoc Marcos is a good looking guy for me... But since Oliver is my churchmate he told me no, he is just wealthy.... End of converstion....But he is married now...

My point Oliver is weird that he came up on my Tagged stream twice, I think and so weird to say here that probably church of christ is my bad hacker here...

11:30 am

I still have the windblow trap and I feel jealous and a big question mark...

If Dra. Mitch is negotiating without my knowledge,I feel super jealous... What was the main point? What will be the point? But I do believe she is at peace....If she did something I don't want her to go up unless I will know everything, I can sense there is a link on me but I can't pin-point...

I hope, I have a good angels with me here... But I really wanna switch religion...

I really wanna leave the hometown... I just need protection on my old partner's....I have so many frustrations for 16 years,since 2007... I feel hurt!

1:15 pm

Still,have the windblow trap... I wanna leave the hometown... I feel bitter... I feel super self-pity...

It is unfair to have a gathering at my back... Most specially when my exes are with some gf's or old friends....Totally unfair...

1:38 pm

I feel jealous coz I lost attention on my rightful category... I used to be pampered or nicely spoiled but I never smash anyone, I don't remember smashing anyone's ego's from the past, even now... I feel hurt... I feel bad...

I wanna leave the hometown and I have windblow trap here...

1:58 pm

I'm calling the attention of my exes please give me protection, something is wrong on the people here in Cavite... Why, my past are all taken away from me? Why, that bad group smashed my ego for 16 years...

3:08 pm

About Uncle Jun, went to the forest, went back here just to have his lunch and went back to baranggay forest... I still don't like Georgia'z gang for being lifted up by Betsilogz...

I feel self-pity coz of their private car and I wanna leave the hometown... I wanna have some bags and collagen on my feet...

4:24 pm

On behalf of Doc Carol this Mr Vet in the making Mr Sherwin... Intern... According to him just 1 ml of KC shot to be put on the syringe...

John's KC shot annual update.

5:58 pm

I wanna leave the hometown and I don't wanna stay here forever...

Asking my exes please to put a protection on me coz I don't know this windblow trap...

I can't find new partner right now and it made me bitterish and I can't be with judgemental people.

For my exes I hope there is no bad grains of rice... I miss being in the center of pretty faces men and with stability and sanity...

Now, I really wanna leave the hometown...

Just hate the thought of some gf's took away my exes or negotiating something without my approval... It is foul on "girl code rule"....

8:57 pm

It is a stress for me that the rice cooker is not yet here... I hope and pray that LEXPH can help me...

I still have the windblow trap... I feel bitterish and self-pity that I can't find a man enough for me....I feel self-pity... I feel fat and ugly everyday....I can't exist on the rightful place... I wannna get an american looking, English speaking and with stability or if dark-skinned just like the al-maktoum face....

I hate women here in the Philippinea, women who are bad monkey's, stealing my thunder and able to fix themselves.

Next, hating some old friends and some fake monkey's proving that they are mature and upper than me,that's why they are able to have their own family and have kids now, being part of an unfair group since 2007 just to give me an anxiety and mixed-up in life....

It is so bitter-strange... I feel bad.....I feel bad....

9:19 pm

My sciatica is aching...

[unhingedhousehold]

count the sheep

summary: you can't sleep and bradley passed his sweet mom's genius method to help you.

lol. omg. was scrolling through tumblr when i found this post and one of the reblogs said they used to go through alphabet and name a person they love whose name starts with each letter and... that's how i gave birth to my 2nd story lol who would've thought I'll have 2 babies!

this story is so funny in my head sffdgfgr i had so much fun writing this sfagafwfsgsgsgsgdg okay enough with the giggles

pairing: bradley bradshaw x reader (reader has hair)

warnings: mentions of bradley's parents, mentions of pineapples on pizza (lol), mentions of mint choco flavor (lol again), implied smut, a bit of marriage proposal thought (bradley is a simp), bradley saying fuck!!, my knowledge about natops and navy based on my 5 mins google research so apologize for any mistakes, english isnt my 1st language so you know the sorry for any inaccurate words and bad grammar drill!!

words: around 2k i think

i don't consent my work being translated or copied, please be respectful of someone's work!

Bradley felt like it's been hours since you've been turning and tossing on your side of bed when in fact, it's only been around 30 minutes. He already turned off the lamp, a playlist created to help both of you to sleep soundly still playing, yet you're still wide awake squirming trying to sleep. You were in his embrace earlier, but escaped because you simply just can't stop moving and shift your body a bit from Bradley's. He heard you grunt, and that's his cue to get you back to his embrace, his arms wrapped around your body and chin on your hair.

“I say this with so much love, please stop squirming or I'll have to tie you on the headboard.” He heard you chuckling and even though he can't see you but somehow, he's able to detect there would be a witty answer from your upcoming reply.

“Oh kinky, wouldn't be the first time though.”

See?! You and your smart mouth will be the death of him!

“Pervert. Seriously, what's up? You're usually the first one to go to the dreamland. Try to relax and stop thinking, okay? We had a long day; let's rest our tired body, yeah?”

You sighed, feeling guilty and trying to escape again from his embrace so he'll be able to have his sleep, “That's what I've been trying. Sorry. Maybe I should be sleeping on the cou–” he stops you with a kiss on your lips, “Nah, don't apologize,” and tightens his grip to prevent you from getting away again, "and not a chance."

You relented and hugged him back, with muffled voice, you reason, “This is why you shouldn't let Bob chose a movie. I don't do well with horror.”

“He won today's quiz from Cyclone. Phoenix would've killed me if I interfered with Bob's choice of movie. Besides, you have your eyes closed the entire time the movie is on! And you know it yourself you will never be able to say no to Bob.”

You smiled fondly at his statement, recalling the time when Bob offered you to try his mint choco flavored ice cream and you ended up liking it to normal amount (up to this day, Fanboy still convincing you you're basically having toothpaste as a dessert. Hangman as the Vice President of Mint Choco Ice Cream Lovers kicked his ass for that). “Bob is really the worst enabler in my life.”

You can feel Bradley's laughter from the way his chest grumbled. He then hummed along the song that's currently playing, usually his humming would help you sleep faster, yet it's not working.

You're tracing something on his back, from your initial to his, and mixed both of your initials when he started talking again, “You know, maybe I know a way. This is something my mom came up with when she was dealing with her insomnia.” He said it with so much ease, so different from years ago when he didn't even wanna talk about his mom. You started writing his Mom's name on his back.

“How?”

As he felt you writing the O letter, he answered, “Count the sheep.”

You stopped your movement from writing the I letter, “So I should literally counting them to thousands? I've made it past 300 only back then.”

(You remembered it because you had 3 coffees in one day thanks to back to back studying session you had to do during exam period.)

“No, you're not literally counting the sheep. It's more like you try to think of things that fit the topic you chose and count them, but don't google the answers. Just lay in bed and think of them.”

“Does it work for you?”

He answered when you just finished his Mom's name, and now you're going to write his Dad's, “Most of the times, yes.”

Bradley felt it when you're done writing NICHO, index finger about to start writing L when you quietly asked, “What kind of topic did you chose then?”

“Inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons between 1980 to 2009. What's on NATOPS Pocket Checklist. NATOPS Emergency Procedure Basics–” before he can continue with more Navy related that you have no idea about, you looked up and kiss his lips tenderly to shut him up, “You're such a nerd.”

He laughed, kissing the top of your hair and defends himself. “Not always like that. Sometimes I think of ways to please you. My favorite topic to think about, honestly.”

You rolled your eyes, your hands that previously on his back smacked his ass lightly.

“Or you can use my mom's way, she told me to go through the alphabet and name a person I love whose name starts with each letter.” Bradley started writing something on your back, like you did earlier to his.

When you felt him writing your last name, that's when you found your voice back. “Hmm. Interesting.”

“Yeah, I used to do that a lot when I was a kid but I don't think I can do it now.”

“Why?”

“Because your letter is the only letter I can think of. I don't need to through from A to Z to think of someone I love.”

With your fist, you hit his chest lightly, “You're such a sap.”

“Only with you, sweets.”

His index finger started to write M, followed by R, S, continues with B, R, and then A. You had an idea what he was about to write, so you decide to try his Mom's method.

“Okay, I'll try.”

He just finished writing W with heart emoji in the end when he replied, “Go on. I'm listening.”

You wrote A on his chest, rocking your brain to come up with someone whose name starts with A.

“A.. I can't think of any A... Aaron?”

Bradley tensed up, the movement of his index finger trying to write the V letter suddenly stopped and shifted his body a bit to get a look at your face, “Who the hell is Aaron?”

“What? Urgh, I don't think this method will work. It's just one male name and you're already this worked up. How am I supposed to go through until Z?”

“The Aaron I know in your life was your ex-fling! You could've mentioned Ally!” Your brows furrowed, looking at him with confusion clouded your face, “She makes omelet you claimed is to die for at the diner we frequent to?”

You laughed at his goofy but correct answer, “You're unbelievable.”

You're back to his chest, writing B as the next letter. “Okay. B.. hmm...”

You both knew damn well who is the person going to be, but riling him up is your favorite thing to do so you made your voice to be the sweetest and full of hope voice that you'll certainly say one precise name.

“Oh I know, this is the easiest,” You practically can feel Bradley's anticipated eyes, smile at the ready and kisses that awaits you after you said one name, his fingers ready to write so much after he finished i love you on your back earlier.

(He's just that good with his timing, huh? You can't let him have his victory, though.)

“It's Bob! Next for C...”

Bradley released you from his embrace, fingers stilled in the air, and giving you that look when you told him you like your pizza with pineapples on it, “What the fuck?”

You showed him your innocent eyes, a kind of eyes that will let you get away with anything and everything, blinking them, “What? I'm doing it right! Bob starts with B!”

He huffed, hands covering his face dramatically, “You know there's someone else whose name starts with B.”

You taunt him, “Yeah? Who?”

Oh, he loves you so much for that.

He pouts, voice like a little kid whose mom rejected his idea to go biking with friends, “Oh come on, big elephant in the room?”

Your eyes lit up when he said that, as if you got what he meant by the elephant in the room.. because you should! How could you forget his name? A name that you're screaming to when he went down on you! A name you fervently vocalize when he's ball deep insi –

“Hmm.. Benjamin Penny?”

Shocked at your answer, his mouth goes wide open, formed a big O, “Are you kidding me?”

And what happened next was your laughter filled the room with Bradley hovering over you as he tickled you with so much force; from your waist to your sole, your stomach isn't lost on him as he blew so much raspberry on it. Not only that, he attacks you with kisses on your neck, biting the juncture between your shoulder and neck, the back of your ear tickles at how much force he puts to make you laugh that you can't say anything but laughing. When you got lost in the feeling, he's back on tickling your waist.

He's really good at memorizing your body, thanks to the amount of times he spent to explore on it. You decided you couldn't take another tease from him when you felt his right hand trying to make its way on between your closed legs, and as you tried to get away from his teasing by hitting his shoulder, an idea came up, “Stop it, Cradleeeey!” But it seems like he didn't hear you, looking at how his hands busy kneading the flesh of your thighs.

“Hey Dradley, stop it! Okay, I surrender!” He's now looking at you, confusion over his pretty face because he just registered what you just called him.

“What did you just call me?”

“Cradley. Dradley. Eradley? Bradley starts with E sounds so weird.” Both of his hands are now on your side, face inches away from yours, “Fradley is funny though. Oooh, Gradley?” You kissed his nose, and his cheeks as you said each name.

“Did you just change the first letter of my name?”

“Yeah. Now I know what you meant by elephant in the room! You said to go through the alphabet and name a person I love whose name started with each letter, right? Hradley sounds weirder than Eardley, don't you think?”

He laughed so hard at your expression and to muffle his chuckles, he hid his face on your neck. You can't help but to join him as you wrap your hands around his neck.

“Wait until we get to T.” He said after so much effort to stop his giggles.

“Oh my god! You're right. Hey, Tradley,” you giggled, amused by it and he kissed your forehead because he didn't want to interrupt your laughter and looked at you like you hung the moon (you did, according to him), “I don't think I'll be able to pronounce Xradley and Zradley well though.” You said the X and Z with struggles, and for your attempt to pronounce Yradley and Wradley next, he rewards you with a kiss to your lips, deepening it when he felt you opening your sweet lips to welcome him.

–––

And the next few weeks when Bradley was deployed and had a hard time sleeping, he chose his topic about ways on how to propose you. He woke up smiling as he vividly remembers what he came up with. He thanked his genius Mom for her count the sheep method; that's how he knows his Mom has always been, is always, and will always be with him, just like she promised.

the ending is a bit weird but whew 🥹🥲🫣 if you make it to the end, thank you for reading!