#i would do anything for space barbie but i won't do that

[vespertine-legacy]

[ybcpatrick]

.

[formosusiniquis]

y'know like barbie

ao3

It's Erica who gives him the idea, incidentally. Though she carries herself with a maturity that far surpasses the boys most days and though she's been through multiple life altering events, she does continue to only be eleven. Which is, it turns out, prime babysitting age.

The Sinclairs are going out of town overnight, it's their anniversary -- 18 blissful years, since our marriage can vote we thought we deserved a night away -- and they don't want Erica to spend the night home alone.

Enter Steve, who the Sinclairs trust with their children and who is inexplicably the only person Erica would accept staying the night with her. Steve honestly didn't believe it even as Mrs. Sinclair was saying it. But he smiles and nods, looks over the emergency numbers on the fridge when they're pointed to, nods at the money on the counter for food that he probably won't take, and waves as they walk out the door promising that he and Erica will be fine for the night and not to worry.

It's only when their car is out of the driveway and the door is shut that Steve realizes he isn't really a babysitter. He is a keep children alive while in a dangerous situation and when the situation is over drive them around because you feel bad that their childhoods have been marred by trauma-er which doesn't have quite the same ring as babysitter, and it's a lot harder to say with that rude tone the boys have been favoring. He also realizes that he's never actually dealt with children, or not girl children. The boys had all been older than Erica, when he had started keeping them alive. Max was definitely basically a teenager when he started really dealing with her; and she was usually okay to do what the boys wanted to do, like go to the arcade. Hopper didn't really trust him with El and that was fine, he wasn't sure he trusted himself with El either.

It put him in an awkward spot now though. Staring at Erica in her kitchen, a little afraid to ask the question on the front of his mind which was "What now?"

So he asks the second question on his mind, "What do you want to do that isn't eat ice cream all night?"

Say what you will about Steve Harrington, and a lot has been said, but he always keeps his promises and he always brings a pint of ice-cream for Erica to have when he comes over to the Sinclair house. Tonight he brought three, all different weird flavors he thought she'd like to try.

"Why can't I eat ice cream all night?" She says it with a challenge in her eyes, but he'd bet dollars to donuts that she's just doing it to make him sweat. "Because I've seen you eat ice cream, we've only got enough for two hours at most." His hand migrates as if of its own mind to his hip. "You need more than two people for Dungeons and Dragons, right?"

Her brows raise, for the first time since he's met her Erica Sinclair is stunned silent. Maybe she's just surprised he got the name right.

It lasts about as long as it takes him to notice it. "You'd play Dungeons and Dragons with me?" There's something fragile in the way she asks, and there is the eleven year old girl she's meant to be. 

"Sure, you'd have to show me how, but if that's what you want to do I'm game."

Eyes narrowed in a distinctly intimidating way he kind of thinks she stole from Nancy, he does his best to make his sincerity clear on his face. "We need more than two people, but I've got something else we can do if you think your fragile manhood can take it."

He's got a retort at the tip of his tongue about just what his manhood can take and remembers just in time that yeah probably shouldn't make a joke like that in front of an actual child. "My pride isn't that delicate, I think I can handle anything you dish out."

"Famous last words."

He follows her to her bedroom, waiting outside the doorway to let her space stay private until he's told to come in. A clear plastic tub slides out from under her bed, out of sight but easily accessible and when the lid pops off he gets why. Rows of Barbies stacked neatly on top of each other, a mass grave for childhood. Steve has a stuffed bear, fur rubbed off of one ear, tucked up on the shelf of his closet that also got put away sooner than he would have chosen to, when it was too babyish.

“Alright, so who is the, like, elven warrior.”

“That’s not how you play Barbies.”

It’s snapped so fast that he thinks it embarasses her. He tactfully avoids eye contact, pulling out a doll with blonde hair snipped into a professional, if uneven, bob and a green skirt set. She's missing a shoe. “Then how do I play Barbies?”

“That one just won the Nobel Peace Prize, she solved world hunger, but she has plans to kill the Barbie who won the prize in Physics because she stole Barbie One’s research and gave it to NASA claiming it was her own.”

“Right, of course.” This was the kind of shit that happened on Dallas, only Barbie had a lot more awards. “And they’re all called Barbie?”

“Except for Ken, but Ken doesn’t do anything.”

“Well if Barbie just won the Peace Prize wouldn’t she use Ken to kill Barbie so she doesn’t get caught.”

Erica manages a look that is both condescending and considerate. “Barbie can do anything, including get away with murder; but she wouldn’t want to dirty her hands with that sort of thing.”

“And if Ken goes to jail it’s no loss.”

“Right.”

-

So maybe it's more accurate to say that Dustin actually starts it.

Dustin with the shittiest attitude this side of the Ohio, something Robin blames him for.

“Like father, like son.”

“Dustin doesn’t even know his dad.”

“I mean you and Eddie, dingus.”

“I am not that kid's dad. A brotherly figure at best, strong male role model more likely.”

“He’s a bitch because you are, Steve. Maybe if your and Eddie’s love language wasn’t being as bitchy as possible it wouldn’t have rubbed off on your kid.”

“Please don’t put Dustin and rubbing off in the same paragraph let alone the same thought wave.”

Dustin comes sprinting into Family Video on a Tuesday afternoon. “Steve! I need your car.”

“Did you learn how to drive when I wasn’t paying attention?”

“Obviously, I meant I need you too.” His hands are on his hips, eyes rolled. Shit maybe he did get it from Steve. “There’s this theoretical physicist coming to Notre Dame to give a talk on the Multiverse Theory.”

Steve was allowing himself a second to consider whether this was worth it, for once, instead of just blindly agreeing to drive Dustin wherever. The drive sucked ass, but it would put him close enough to Chicago that he could try to find a music store that would carry albums from the international metal bands Eddie couldn’t stop talking about.

It was a second too long for Dustin. “Steve, a theoretical physicist-”

See Steve had this suspicion that the kids did actually think he was an idiot. He was pretty sure that none of them, hell maybe none of Hellfire, save for Lucas realized that every athlete in the school had to keep up at least a 2.5 GPA. Which might not have been anything to write home about but Steve kept a 3.2 for most of high school, until the multiple concussions started to catch up with him. He wasn’t stupid, was the point and even if they didn’t think he was an idiot in a mean way he was a little sick of the shit.

“I know, like Barbie.”

That shuts Dustin up real quick.

“N- no, not like Barbie! Barbie is some girl's toy.”

“Excuse me?” Robin, who told Steve that she would not help him parent his children on work days or any other day ending in y had remembered that Martes doesn’t have one and her shift was almost over. “What does that mean, exactly, a girl’s toy?”

“And,” Steve adds, because he can and because Eddie made him drive him to fucking Bloomington because he was fixated on time travel and needed access to some science journal that only existed at Indiana U apparently, “Barbie is on a research team looking for the Higgs particle so she can start figuring out time travel.”

The bell chiming as Dustin leaves has never sounded sweeter.

He’ll definitely end up taking the twerp to stupid Notre Dame.

-

The thing is that Steve thinks he’s never really stopped being a bitch.

He doesn’t want to stop. He likes being bitchy. It’s fun, when you’re doing it with people you like it’s pretty funny, and honestly he’s kinda like Spiderman. With great power comes great responsibility, he’s only bitchy responsibly now.

And it’s actually perfectly responsible as an older brother type babysitter figure to correct the behavior of the younger siblings by being bitchy. If they don’t learn at home they’ll go out in the world thinking that kind of behavior is acceptable, see Steve Harrington in his early high school days who talked to people like his father did.

So when Mike interrupts El with, “I’m not going to ask Steve, he probably doesn’t even know what a Pulitzer is either.”

He says, “Oh, yeah like Barbie won. Or Nancy will someday, probably. It’s a journalism award, Wheeler.”

And when Lucas corrects, “I don’t actually think you can win an award for comics. It’s still really great though, Will!”

“Barbie won the Kirby Award in 1985 for best artist, I’m sure Will is soon to follow.”

Or when Nancy tells Holly, “Are you sure you wouldn’t want to be something important instead?”

“You could be an actress and do something cool like go to space if you want, Hols, like Barbie.” And maybe he says it with a little more bitch than he should that time, but he’s seen the ballerinas in Nancy’s room, she didn’t always want to be an investigative journalist.

It gets to be second nature. When someone starts being shitty about something or to lighten the mood.

Erica doubts whether she should run for student council. It's her first step to being actual president, like Barbie.

Dustin makes a crack about Steve's possible future prospects when he butts in on a conversation between Steve and Robin. "I could do all three, I could be a counselor and a hair stylist and an engineer. Maybe I'll add EMT too, Barbie wouldn't stop at three, why should I?"

Or when Mike sneers at him, "What are you a cop?" All because Steve told him not to buy weed now that Eddie had stopped dealing.

"Ew, no, because you look like a fresh-faced little narc trying to be cool and you're gonna get ripped off."

"What so not like Barbie?"

"The Barbie world has achieved equality at a level that it doesn't need the cops." Eddie sometimes has to get high after a run in with Powell or Calahan who he still doesn't really trust after the spring. Steve has been treated to many a lecture on why the police were a waste of resources.

He lets Mike sit with that for a minute before he adds, "Like Barbie, I am very cool and know what it looks like when I'm being taken for a ride. If you're gonna get pot from someone other than Eddie, ask Hop where he used to get all of his shit."

It doesn't feel stupid, until El comes running into the cabin one afternoon that Steve has decided to join the rebuilding effort. It’s actually just him and Hop, who has started trying to quietly parent him, something he’s not entirely convinced isn’t revenge for telling Wheeler that Hop has smoked pot before. Steve is pretty sure El was crying when she came in, something he bumps up to a certainty when he sees how awkward Hop looks right now.

“You mind taking that kid? It’s been a long time since high school.” he rubs the back of his neck, Steve does appreciate that he has the decency to feel weird about asking. “If it’s anything outside of big brother shit I can take over.”

He does let himself get suckered by that big brother line.

El is facedown on her bed in a clear ‘leave me alone I’m crying’ pose but he figures he’s already here it’s not like he can turn around and tell Hop that he was too afraid to approach a crying teenage girl. Like that wasn’t the whole reason he’d been sent in the first place. “Hey Ellie, can I come in?”

She sits up, tear tracks plain on her face but no more are falling, and nods in that endearing, aggressively certain way she’s got. “Is everything okay?” He pauses and asks, “Was it Mike?” because he knows that’ll be the first thing Hopper asks when Steve comes back out.

“You are worse than Dad.”

“That stings, Ellie Bell.”

She takes a deep breath, steeling an already impressive will, “Lucas says it is okay to just want to be happy right now, but all they talk about is what they are going to do. Dustin is talking about going to admission early, Will talks about talking to Dad and Joyce about art school, Lucas worries about his sports and scholarships, and Mike talks about classes that count twice. I do not know what I want to be. I do not know why I have to be anything.”

“You guys have been through a lot. I don’t think anyone would blame you for taking time to just be a kid.”

“What if I never want to be something? What if I do not ever want to go to college?”

He’s made his way over to the bed with her, sits tentatively on the edge like he’s seen Joyce do before. “Then you don’t. You’ll probably have to get a job at some point, but that doesn’t have to be what you are. Lucas isn’t a landscaper just because he mows lawns in the summer.”

“You don’t think Dad would be upset?” she asks.

“I don’t think there’s anything you could do that would really make Hop mad. And you might change your mind. I've been out of school for almost two years and I’m only thinking about college now. Or you could go to college and change your mind about what you want to be. You could be a hundred things, you could be anything! Like Barbie.”

He feels like an idiot almost immediately. A jerk quickly after that. He’s made El’s genuine crisis part of his stupid running joke. But something settles in the room. The underlying tension, the thing that had the hair on the back of his neck raised. He realizes, now, that her powers had probably also been on edge.

"Like Barbie." She says it with a graven seriousness, like Steve's dumb little joke is a mantra now.

"Yeah, and you're a sophomore you don't have to have your whole life figured out right now. And don't take life advice from Henderson anyway, he thought it was a good idea to raise an Upside Down slug as a pet."

He mostly just used it to be a bitch though. Because it was fun. No, it was what he was good at. So good at it he didn't even have to try.

Because Steve had a plan to be bitchy. Specifically to Mike Wheeler who kept flirting with Steve’s boyfriend while taking advantage of his hospitality. Sure it was at their stupid Dungeons and Dragons game, and yeah Steve was the one who said they could host the game at his house now that Eddie had graduated. Yes, he knew Eddie didn't mean anything by it when he responded and usually didn't flirt back with the kids. But it was still the kind of behavior that had to be gently corrected, for Mike's sake because if he didn't stop things were going to get drastic.

His initial plan is already in action. He encouraged El to come along to watch the Party play. It was, admittedly, a half hearted plan. Wheeler got so awkward anytime El was around he mostly just hoped that would keep him from trying anything.

It isn't. Eddie starts to describe a new character, "Blonde and statuesque, she has a long bow in hand and delicate elven features."

And even though El is sitting a few feet from him Mike perks up the way he always does when there's a new NPC to flirt with. He is going to have to have a talk with Eddie about letting the kid try out a bard.

He does at least have one other tool in his belt. "Oh, like Barbie."

Steve knew what he'd get as he said it. A groan from Dustin, who falls for this as being sincere about as often as he falls for the dumb-dumbs and dipshits line -- which is everytime for the record. Will and Lucas keep their laughs small, enough that they're covered by Erica's snort. The original Hellfire crew mostly looks confused, it's becoming less and less their default as they warm up to the Steve he is rather than the Steve they thought they remembered; but he likes to keep them on their toes.

Eddie is charmed. He can tell. Sees him duck his head behind his screen and his binders, trying to preserve the stern and scary dungeon master image. That apparently isn't possible if you're smiling like an idiot at your stupid boyfriend, so he's been told.

And Mike has maybe been on the wrong end of the joke a few more times than everyone else. He turns an interesting shade of red, two parts anger and one part embarrassed is Steve's guess. The foot stomp is unexpected, but he expects its been passed down the Wheeler line as a shared signal of outrage. "Not like Barbie, this isn't some stupid kids game. She's probably a hot, wisened archer ready to reward us for helping her village, not some stupid doll that you're obsessed with."

Eddie's blank face with the twitchy eyes has fallen into place when he sits back up from behind his screen. His things aren't going according to plan, panicked face. "I think that's a good place to end things this week. Wheeler, Henderson, Jeff, and Lady Applejack you've all cleared enough experience to level right? Do that before next week."

Steve knows enough to keep his mouth shut while everyone packs up to leave. Sends a small smile to Erica on her way out to the family minivan, he knows she struggles a little being the youngest at the table even if she won't say it. He has to imagine that the outburst had stung a bit.

"You gotta be nicer to little Wheeler." Eddie chides once everyone is gone, halfhearted at best when he's telling Steve off into the soft skin of his neck. When he feels the admonishment more than hears it.

"I'm not mean to Mike." He says on instinct, he does try not to be. "And he started it."

"Definitely think you started the Barbie thing, Sweetheart."

And well, yeah. "I Barbie all the kids equally."

Eddie hmms Steve can feel the vibration of it through his back and on his neck. Eddie is about to start something he better plan on finishing. "He asked Hop where he should get weed."

Oh. "I didn't think he'd actually do it!" And then, "Is that why he keeps flirting with you, revenge?"

"No, he's got a bunch of misplaced jealousy because Will and the girls think you're hot." He toys with the edge of Steve's shirt as he says it. Perpetually cold fingers brushing the clothes warmed skin beneath making him shiver.

"The girls don't think I'm hot."

He hums again, nips at the blush red skin at Steve's neck. "El used to, Max definitely has a taste for jock.

"That's not my fault, you let Mike play a bard." He wishes he didn't sound so desperate.

"Wanted to leave the Paladin spot open for you, baby."

"I'm starting to feel convinced, we could go upstairs and you could show me your character sheet."

The things he'll say to get laid.

"Don't think I can do that Stevie, smooth as a Ken doll down there. Could show you the actual character sheet though." 

His back is cold as Eddie pulls away, smirking unrepentant as he lets Steve have the tiniest taste of his own medicine.

"Barbie has a very active sex life, actually." He's never been one not to double down. "Let me show you the fun we can have without getting your dick out."

-

He does leave it alone for a little while, even though he really, really doesn't want to. But despite what his friends, his fifth grade report card, and his mom might think; Steve is capable of keeping a hold of his worst impulses when he wants to.

So he lets opportunity pass him by.

He makes no comment about Barbie when Eddie talks about how John Carpenter is a film auteur. Not even when Dustin tries to define auteur for him. Incorrectly, but Robin comes to Steve's defense.

Barbie goes unmentioned, barely when an argument breaks out about Nobel prize winners, of all things. He thinks the kids argue more now than they ever have like it's the only way they have to get their bloodlust out now that the Upside Down was closed. He was quickly boxed out of the conversation, even if Erica kept sending him little glances over everyone's heads. (She'd let him have Peace Prize Barbie a couple weeks ago and maybe he was a little obsessed.)

Holly wants to be a vet now, a singing vet who is also on TV, but mostly a vet. She tells him all about it while he waits for Mike to find his shoes? Definitely not his quarters for the arcade, the day any of them bring those is the day Steve brings the nail bat back out. He’s one impulse purchase away from getting one of those little coin dispenser belts that the employees have -- Gareth just quit, maybe he still had his? Mike's frown is a little less general annoyance at Steve and a little more confusion when he's finally ready to leave and Barbie has gone unmentioned.

He almost breaks again when Eddie starts talking about sports. Or he starts talking about NASCAR which is close enough for Eddie, he has a surprising taste for racing for someone who never wanted to put his van on the starting line at parties. A woman led a Busch Series race for the first time, what a year '86. He's got no opinion on Barbie's ability to drive at all.

He could let a joke go. He could be nice. It wasn't so out of character that it needed this kind of attention.

-

Mike has forgiven him by the time the next session rolls around. Delayed two weeks after Eddie screamed so loud on stage that he couldn't speak for two days, and then again for Jeff's emergency appendectomy. Eddie has stopped leaving pointed gaps in conversation for Steve to fill with mention of Barbie, he has had his thinking face on instead which is good for Steve about as often as it isn't.

He leaves it alone. A little bit of non-life threatening surprise is good for the soul, or something. Listen, he’s made it this far by only asking questions when shit is about to get really, really bad and Eddie’s thinking face has only resulted in something bad once or twice -- and they probably should have spent more than a couple minutes negotiating that particular kink anyway.

When the kids start showing up and nothing has come from the thinking face, he assumes it was just for them anyway. He settles in to see whatever shit Eddie is going to do.

"From the ditch you pull a human man, a paladin. His plate is dirtied by his time on the ground but clearly gleams in its typical state. He's handsome, a square jaw and fluffy brown hair-"

"Ugh is this Steve? You already made us do a quest for him," Mike complains, maybe he hasn’t completely forgiven Steve for that last interruption.

Steve has, by his own count been the inspiration for at least three NPCs for this campaign: a white light faction rogue, Sol, that the party had to rescue from the dungeons of the nightmare King after he was caught sneaking into the bedrooms of the prince -- like it was Steve's fault that Wayne had super hearing; a young fighter from the gladiatorial combat ring who helped the party rescue a group of kidnapped children that were going to be used as bait in the next round of fights; and the most obvious Prince Stefan who sent the party on a quest to kill his betrothed a Duke called Thomas the Boarish and rescue his knight Rowen and beloved Bard Edwin -- it's not like he could unkiss Tommy, and he could be a dick but boarish was dramatic. 

He was not this paladin, assuming Eddie was telling the truth about saving the Paladin he'd made for Steve.

"Cut the out of character chatter, Michael, before it starts counting in game. The Paladin before you is handsome in a bland, approachable, non-threatening way," Mike opens his mouth again, how is that not like Steve surely perched at the edge of his tongue and stopped in its tracks by elbows from Erica and Joey. "He introduces himself to his rescuer, Will the Wise, 'Thank you, kind sir, I would have been down there for ages before my lady noticed my absence. I am Sir Kenneth.'"

"What deity does he serve?" Will asks, something suspicious drawing across his face.

"Is there a holy symbol on his armor?" Gareth follows up. Gareth has been backing a lot of Will's plays lately, Steve thinks something might be going on there but he hasn't wanted to deal with Eddie teasing him for being a meddling matchmaker, again.

"There is no identifiable holy symbol on his clothes or armor." Eddie says, there's a mischief in his eyes, the way he tilts his head with quiet challenge and smiles.

"What God do you serve?" Erica asks, blunt and to the point. She gets cranky when her rogue doesn't have anything to stab.

"'The Lady in Pink,' he answers."

Any time Eddie reveals lore shit there's always a bunch of people talking over top of each other. It always turns into the kind of mass blob of shouting that Steve has a hard time parsing out, especially these days. Eddie somehow manages to distinguish not only people but the things they're saying and keeps his cool enough to keep the story going.

"Roll your insight, Gareth. Jeff, with a 15 history check, you have heard some whisperings from your homeland about a newly ascended goddess but not a name. Dustin, you're not getting shit with a 5 don't even try that but my back story says shit with me. Will, pretty sure that's a cleric spell but I'll let you have it he's a Neutral Good alignment. An 18, shit, yeah Garebear he does seem to be telling the truth that is the deity he follows; but that isn't the whole truth, you know a lot of the newer pantheon have a colloquial name and a true name."

"I'm sorry," Lucas says, "we aren't familiar with your lady. What can you tell us about her? Why would she leave you there? And that's a 14 on persuasion before you even ask."

"Why would I have asked that, Sinclair the elder? He has stars in his eyes when he speaks, 'before she ascended she was already limitless. A powerful warrior, an expert marksman, a mage beyond compare. Her power grew and grew until the only place left to explore was godhood.'"

"And what's her real name, if we wanted to spread the word?" Joey asks.

"'Oh she's everything. She's the lady in pink, she's the goddess with the golden mane, but before she ascended she favored one name I assume she has kept it.'"

"What is it?" Mike asks, perched at the edge of his seat.

"Oh no," Dustin whispers, a dawning horror on his face.

"'Barbara, though she preferred it shortened. Nicknames you call them," Steve sees the joke, knows where this is going a split second before reality breaks through the haze of fantasy for the players around the table. Eddie's smirking now, smile too pleased and too attractive. "'Y'know like Barbie?'"

[respectthepetty]

Pit Babe Colors Ep. 12 The Black Parade Episode

I'm challenging myself with this show and seeing how good my color skills really are, so I'm doing my normal thing of watching it double-speed on mute, but now, the captions are off also. It's just colors and vibes here. Y'all done told be EVERYTHING, so I know the entire plot now.

THAT WAS A TEAR! KENTA IS CRYING!

I thought it wasn't just sweat last week but knowing he is actually crying as he thinks about their past did immediate damage to me, and now they are ALL standing there in the dark with Way and Pete highlighted by the blue, and, and, and . . . Kentana are you gonna die? You and Waymond are stressing me the fuck out!

Now that I know they are both enigmas, I can't see them the same. Are they using their superpowers on each other right now? Are they reading each other's minds? Are they trying to figure out how to get Kentana back, so they can make this poly?

Kentana, how many times are you going to have this man spit in your face before you realize that he ain't shit? Go to your room, turn on Billie Eilish's "Happier Than Ever" and really hear it. "Never told anyone anything bad cause that shit's embarrassing. You were my everything, and all that you did was make me fucking sad."

The blue keys in front of the red product placement is all I need to be reminded that this show refuses to allow me peace.

Shocking absolutely fucking nobody, Kentana did not listen to "Happier Than Ever"

And now someone is gonna die because there are only so many ways for you and Waymundo to redeem yourselves, and if you have Jeffrey in all black, I'm worried it's gonna be your funeral we will be planning next, Kentana.

There is one episode left and I am death gripping the one time Vegas' Hedgehog wore blue because I will never get it again. I hate them.

Real question: Is Barbie pregnant? I know he is sad Charles is "dead" *eye roll* but he is taking pills, getting fruit thrown at him, and staring out into space. I would love to believe he is going through his Edward-left-Bella-so-she-was-super-duper-sad era, but now that I know pregnancy is on the table, that's all I can see.

Oh, thank goodness! Someone actually has a tracker on his phone! But Kimberly has been kidnapped, caught up in human trafficking, and is now beating up children. Bro, what was your life before it all went to shit? Do you ever call your mom and tell her these are your friends now? Are you even still racing? Nevermind. Go catch those kids.

The problem with black is the shades. Waymond's jacket looks green. Peter's pants look blue. And yet it still feels like we are preparing for a funeral. A real one this time. Not fake like someone else's *cough* Charles *cough*

Kentana, are you betraying Jeffrey as Big Red watches? Or are you asking him how Peter's been? Has he been well, without you? Is he dating anyone? What is his status with Way? Well, Jeffrey wouldn't know, but Peter x Waymond could be poly if you get out of that fucking house and stop kidnapping people!

Going from Kentana in that House of Horrors to Pete looking like this makes me understand why Kentana is out there kidnapping people. I'd feel some type of way too if my childhood crush looked like this and was getting chummy with a dude who looked like Way Way. Damn.

What the hell is this?! The cover of a boy band album? A meeting to discuss poly? The Thai version of Barbie where Ken(tana) explains why he won't leave the Mojo Dojo Casa House? AND WHY ARE ALL OF YOU WEARING BLACK?! Someone is gonna die.

Did Big Red know Kentana went to see Barbie and the other Kens?! Was he sent there by Big Red?! Kentana is really breaking my heart on his knees hugging this man like this. I want to slap Kentana all the time, but I also want to hug him and tuck him into bed with a moon nightlight calmly lighting up the room.

Let's stick him in a video game, so he can learn to love himself.

Push him down the stairs, Kentana! Do it. PLEASE! Shoulder check his ass at least.

Oh Lord, NO! Waymond, do not take a fucking bullet for anyone. You canNOT die by Whiny Winifred's bullet. I refuse to let you go out like that. You finally used your powers for good, but this is not the time to die.

Y'ALL DIDN'T EVEN GRAB THE BAG!

This is Mission Kim Possible all over again! How do you not grab the damn bag?! Waymundo looks so damn good in his suit, so thank God he is still alive, but what the fuck guys?! One job! SECURE. THE. BAG.

I hate how good everyone looks in black because I keep swinging through emotions. I'm terrified for everyone yet very attracted to everyone. All the guys connected to Big Red have been in black this episode regardless if it was their color or not, so I'm hoping that means the funeral will be Big Red's.

A cult meeting, in this economy? Villains make the dumbest decisions.

Waymond has some white on . . . over black. Please Mary, mother of God, do not let him do something stupid.

Alan, did you just say "eff them kids"? No. Not my Alan. He'll be back for them. Right. Right?

Peter is gonna Regina George his way into this Halloween party that he was not invited to just to cause some havoc. Mad respect.

WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!

How the hell did Charles get there?! Did Barbie's dad tell him to go to the cult meeting? Dressed like that though? Did his spidey sense go off? So many questions, but all I know is Kentana better let them go, so he doesn't have to die.

Whiny Winifred better not get better at aiming in the final episode because I still need both of these two to wear blue TOGETHER.

WAYMOND, NO!!!!!!!!!!

Good to know it only took being kidnapped twice and (possibly) someone dying for Jeffrey to finally commit to the blue.

My nerves are wrecked. There was too much black this episode. Someone is going to die, and as much as I want it to be Big Red, I just don't feel good that Kentana is still on his bullshit, and Waymond keeps jumping in front of guns. Peter needs both of his boyfriends to live.

Also, Barbara, I already know you are immediately going to hug Charles next week, instead of having a moment to be pissed all the way off at him like you should be, so I'm going to start meditating on that right now. I've been mad at Charles the entire season, so I'll hold this grudge for both of us in the finale.

[xoyalanztov]

Just watched barbie and I am going through so many emotions right now.

SPOILERS AHEAD:

Okay so. This movie is a lot more than I thought it would be? like yeah I definitly expected the feminist subtext but they brought out the P word? saying the word Patriarchy out loud is like putting your hand on the stove, but I'm so happy they included it. Because this movie reflects a point where a lot of us are at in our lives. We are growing up, watching the people around us getting radicalised and its such a difference from what we used to be. How kind we used to be.

And Barbie is great at reminding us of that. Greta is so clever of never falling into the trap of saying: people are selfish, or all men suck. She knows what people will say about the movie, so she already added her rebutalls in, which is really clever.

The patrirachy affects everyone. This is a fact. Women live as a walking contradiction, cognizant of themselves and others at all times (with "an undertone of violence"), and we are so scared. All the time. It's exhausting be here, especially if you're an immigrant in a first world country, because you are constantly being reminded of how much better you have it. What people don't understand is that it's not enough. We deserve more. When the Barbies were getting their Nobel Prizes they were so confident, so assured in their right for recognization of the amazing work they've done, and just. I want that. So bad. I want to look at something and say I earned that.

And the Ken's were just this backdrop charecter, and it was achingly similar to how women are often presented in media. When Ken went into the real world he saw that he could be respected, could be loved, so of course he wanted that. This just shows that unbalanced societies will find ways to even themselves out, and those ways won't be great for everyone. But it does pose a great question for all "alpha" men: Who are you without the grind mindset, your podcast and your minifridge stocked with beer? Who are you? What is your life's purpose? What have you done with your life so far? You can do anything, and you are free to do anything. You don't have to work 80 hour weeks. You don't have to work yourself to the bone. Ask for help. Ask for compassion. Its ok.

And the way the movie makes fun of Mattel?? Aboslutely hilarious. Yes Barbie started out as a woman that could do anything, but she was perverted into this shell of herself, so that all that mattered was how much she would sell. This subtle dig at capitlisim is great, and the showcasing of performative activisim is top tier.

I think that at the heart of it this movie is about the thing that most great works of art are: human connection. The connection between mother and daughter, how it may wane, but if it is fostered and treated with respect it will flourish. Gloria loves her daughter. She gives her the speace she needs, lets her daughter grow. And her daughter understands that she needs that space, but also jumps to her mothers defence. Ken just wants to be loved, just wants someone to be there for him. Barbie helps him through that, and in the end, where Ken almost throws himself off the roof, Simu's Ken helps in persuading him not to, despite their bitter rivalry. Because love has many forms, and shouldn't just come from one person. Because we are more than a forgotten kiss.

Don't even get me started on the montages. I am so happy to be human. I am so in love with everything and everyone.

[misc-obeyme]

Could you do how the brothers would react to MC's Barbie and Lego sets? Would they play with them or just support MC by buying more sets

Hi there, anon!

While I definitely think all the brothers would be supportive, I also think all of them could be talked into playing, too lol.

Thanks for the request!

brothers react to GN!MC who has Barbie and Lego sets

Warnings: none!

Lucifer

Due to his busy schedule, Lucifer is not likely to engage in playing with your sets unless you really get on his case about it. He's a busy demon. He likes that you're occupied, but he has mountains of paperwork. Please, MC, he just doesn't have the time.

Will absolutely purchase you new sets. Probably doesn't know which ones you have or don't have, so might need to consult with you or one of his brothers before purchasing one for you.

He's going to be concerned about storage, though. Wants to make sure that you have enough space to keep everything tidy. Please make sure you don't leave any tiny pieces on the floor because if he steps on a Lego it's all over.

When he does have a little time, you might be able to wrangle him into building a Lego set with you. Watch as he gets incredibly invested, refusing to sleep until it's complete. Might get a little frazzled, but in the end it turns out perfect.

Mammon

Acts like he's not interested. He's gonna say stuff like well okay I guess the Great Mammon can indulge ya for a bit, MC! But really he's totally fine with playing with you.

Always buying you new ones. Actually knows every single set you own and therefore is able to buy you ones you don't already have.

Keeps a couple in his room. Might act like he's more interested in keeping a finished Lego set, but secretly enjoys the Barbie sets, too. Displays them prominently where he can see them.

Good at putting them together. Anything that needs assembly, he's on it. If you're really struggling with a certain set, he is there to help. He'll be able to figure it out for you.

Leviathan

Of course he'll play with you, MC! Like he doesn't know how it is to be interested in something like that. He's going to be right there, ready to go.

Definitely buys you new sets. Finds you limited editions. Will wait in lines with you if necessary. He knows about new releases before you do, even.

Shows you how best to display them while you're not using them. Depending on how rare they are, might insist you get three of every set. You know, one to use, one to display, and one to keep!

If there is any kind of equivalent thing in the Devildom, he's going to get you into that, too. Lego-like sets that are Ruri themed? Maybe there's a little demon doll that's as popular as Barbie and has her own play sets? He will suggest them all to you.

Satan

Not likely to play with them. Likes watching you play with them, though. He'll join in if you really want him to. Give him a little bit of a pout and he'll succumb pretty fast.

Biggest exception to this is going to be any kind of set that has cats involved. Veterinarian Barbie with her own clinic full of kitties? Lego cats? He is invested.

Probably won't buy as many for you as the others - just because don't you already have enough sets, MC? But if he sees something he knows you don't have or that he thinks you'll particularly like, he'll get it for you. Especially if it's one he knows you've been wanting for a while.

When he does play, he comes up with elaborate story lines for all your Barbies. In fact, his favorite one becomes Detective Barbie while the rest become suspects and one is the victim. Watch him act out entire murder mysteries with them.

Asmodeus

Okay. Listen. Asmo is going to be making you new sets. Give him all your Barbies. They clearly need new clothes. He'll make them all entirely new wardrobes. Might not have the materials to make new Lego sets, but he's very good at designing them still.

If anything needs to be repaired, he's the one to go to. Might rope Levi into helping, but together there's nothing they can't fix for you.

Absolutely plays with you if you ask. He's happy to join in, especially considering how happy you look when he does. He just wants to see your sweet smiling face, MC. Also, you can expect elaborate Barbie fashion shows, especially if he's made them all new outfits.

Will buy you new ones without hesitation. Will just buy one whenever he sees it, doesn't even know if you already have it or not. You might end up with multiple sets because of this.

Beelzebub

You should be okay with this guy unless you've got anything that looks even remotely tasty. Fake food? Building a Lego cheeseburger? Forget it, those things are gone in seconds. It doesn't matter that it isn't actual food, we know he can eat anything. He's sorry, MC. They just looked so good and he was so hungry.

Keep him away from that stuff, but otherwise, you've got a buddy here. Beel will pretty much do anything that will make you happy, so if you want him to play with you, he will. Doesn't question it or act like he's not interested, he's interested in what you are interested in.

Feels bad about any that he's eaten, so will absolutely buy you new ones. Won't do it randomly, though. Always checks with you first. He wants to be sure he gets you ones you actually want.

Will always get roped into whatever you're working on. Plays with all the Barbie sets and helps as much as he can with the Lego sets. Perfectly content to sit by your side for hours. Just tell him what to do, MC.

Belphegor

Surprisingly easy to cajole into playing with you. If you're sitting in one spot for a while because you're playing with one or your sets, he's probably already asleep next to you anyway. When he wakes up and sees you, he's not going to be able to resist joining in. You're pretty cute, MC.

Surprisingly, Belphie knows all your sets. Any time he's with any of his brothers and they're considering buying one for you, he'll be able to direct them to one you don't have yet. He will buy them himself, too, but only if he knows it's one you really want.

Expect him to start using the Barbies to imitate his brothers. Turns one Barbie into Lucifer who doles out punishments to the others. One of the Barbies is him and she gets to sleep through everything.

He'll also use the Legos to make Lucifer crazy. Leaves them where he knows Lucifer won't notice and then steps on them. If Lucifer gets on your case about it, Belphie will take full responsibility for it. He doesn't want you to get into trouble because of his pranks.

masterlist | Thank you for reading!

[princesscolumbia]

The funny thing about being a True Domme transwoman in her mid-40s who's getting into miscecanis as a subversive lifestyle at the same time as the Barbie movie is coming out is witnessing the multitude of fuckboys lose their collective shit over being fucking called out by a movie that is basically an extended toy commercial that managed to squeeze in a message that strongly resonates with its true target audience of women who have been fucked over by an oppressively patriarchal culture with an equally effective B-plot about how men have been fucked over by the exact same culture.

M'dudes, there are a few things that are obviously slamming against your amidships and not penetrating the several inches of Fragile Mayo-l Eggo (as opposed to 'male ego,' a healthy and non-performative masculine sense of self usually found among elder gay men far more than their supposedly heterosexual contemporaries) that I'm going to put here in plain text. If you don't get it at this point, then you're fucked, there's no help for you. Go attempt a survival challenge in the middle of the Sahara and lose your compass and canteen. You'll be much more useful to the world doing that than continuing to ignore the following:

The 'theory' of "Alpha males" that you think you subscribe to? Yeah, it's a disproven theory that was misinterpreted in the first fucking place and you can all get FUCKED for thinking you're at all valid for claiming that title. Others have explained the science better than I, and just by claiming "Alpha" to justify the absolutely vile behavior you've proven you could give two shits about science or intellectual anything or human achievement or progress or culture or ANYTHING THAT'S HUMAN YOU HORRID, SUB-HUMAN PIECES OF WALKING SHIT! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! THERE ARE MUSHROOMS I'D RATHER CLAIM KINSHIP TO MORE THAN YOU!

A true Alpha in the miscecanis sense is the Ultimate Caregiver. Defined by more than biology, the Alpha's role in the relationship is to provide a safe and secure place for their mate(s) and to be selflessly loving and kind. This requires that the omega (or beta, I'm not judging. Two Alphas could be in a relationship too, though that gets tricky as you're dealing with, essentially, two tigers in a bag) feel as though you are the very foundation of their world and that foundation is as solid as pure granite but inviting as a squishmallow nest. That means you're more an engineer than a commander. You're more a facilitator than a leader. You're not some fucked up piece of shit who thinks that the tackle between your legs means you're superior to the person you're presuming to stick that tackle in.

Any true Alpha would take one look at you and say, "Oh, hun, it's okay, we understand that you think that's how Alphas work. Don't worry, your Alpha will be along soon and take you away from all the big scary Alphas that you wandered into the middle of." You're a spitting, hissing kitten. Another omega or a beta might be fooled, but a true Alpha will take one look at you and see right through the act. And every single one of them could take you down without breaking a sweat, but they won't because they don't want to be a bully.

And on the outside, the remote possibility that you did happen to be an actual Alpha, you'd be one of those toxic Alphas the omega's birthing person warned them about. You'd be the reason for the #YesAllAlphas hashtag. You'd be the reason omegas carried cans of pepper spray on their keychain at all times. You'd be the reason yet another challenge fight resulted in an "accidental" death after the rest of the Alphas in the area got sick of your shit and arranged for all the cell phones and security cameras to be conveniently off or broken.

I haven't seen the Barbie movie yet, but based on what I've seen from the spoiler-tastic reviews and memes and GIF-sets, here's what I'm betting a true Alpha would say:

"Wow, that Barbie's gotta be an Alpha, look at how she just owns the space around her."

"Yup, she's commanding and every one of those omegas around her are following her orders. Wonder how many of them she's marked?"

"Ouch! First time in a beta-only part of society, huh? Yeah, that sucks how they won't acknowledge your true gender and judge you based on your outward appearance and have no clue that you're an Alpha because their senses are impaired in comparison."

"Look at her defending her pack! Go girl!"

(Again, I haven't seen it, and this is through my particular interpretation of miscecanis as a lifestyle.)

On the other hand, I'm probably not going to get through to any of you. You got it into your head that you're somehow cosplaying as either White Savior Jesus or his boyfriend Emperor George Washington (who both personally wrote the bible in their native language of Late 20th/Early 21st Century American English and snuck secret messages in it to you telling you to hate all people with any melanin in their skin or any sex and/or gender preferences that you, specifically, find icky) and you got more invested in that persona than I have of being a miscecanis Alpha.

[staggersz]

Do Bruce, Finney, and Vance do the older brother shovel talk to Gwen, Amy, and Billy respectively? Do Donna and Gwen, despite being girls and in Gwen's case younger, give one to Griffin and Robin? If they do how was the reaction?

i actually giggled reading this and was thinking about it omw to school 😭

I'm gonna go from like. Most to least likely to do the shovel talk.

Vance 100% gives Billy the older brother shovel talk.

He's saying like "don't get handsy with my brother, stay away from him if he wants his space, don't hurt him, don't make him cry if you do i will literally pummel you" yknow stuff like that and Billy is standing there like 🧍 if because Billy would rather die than make Griffin feel uncomfortable + they aren't the type to be overly romantic or anything. What's funny is since Billy and Griffin have separation anxiety Vance can't get Billy alone so he's just threatening him while Griffin is also right there

Gwen is next, she SO gives Robin that talk like "if you hurt Finney or break his heart I will end you" and Robin knows she's being serious and is lowkey scared but Gwen realizes she won't be ending Robin anytime soon because Robin is. the most sweet and easygoing person when he's around Finney, and he does whatever Finney asks of him. Gwen is kinda surprised to see Robin like this, but Robin is just incredibly sappy with Finney. Like he fights the urge to giggle and kick his feet when he's around him so Gwen realizes they're probably okay!

Bruce gave Gwen the older brother shovel talk next because he knows how fired up Gwen can get and is like "Okay I KNOW I'm gonna sound crazy and you'll probably laugh about this with Amy later but I'm watching you . You make one wrong move and I will not allow you to see her 😁” like Bruce has the eye twitch and EVERYTHING he hates the idea of Amy dating. He gets incredibly protective. Of course just like he predicts, Gwen laughs and tells Amy later to which they both laugh about it but Gwen assures Bruce anyway that she won't hurt Amy ever

Finney gives Amy the talk, definitely. He's heard of Amy having blackmail so he's afraid she'll be weirdly controlling of Gwen. He just tells her that he doesn't want them having bad blood after their talk but he wants Amy to promise she won't embarrass or hurt Gwen's feelings but then Amy is like "Literally why the hell would I do that." and Finney is just left standing there like “🧍” and then Amy is like "if you dont want me to tell Gwen about this I want a barbie" and Finney is actually SHOCKED that he somehow got roped into blackmail now

Donna doesn't give the talk to Griffin. She knows Griffin would look at her like she's crazy if she talked to him about that. Donna sees how Griffin and Billy are literally just cherubs to each other. She sees how sweet and sensitive they are, she sees how they're just two boys trying to deal with growing up, so they seek comfort in each other. She can't find any red flags. She knows Griffin, and she knows he and Billy have never argued, she knows they take care of each other :3

[bmwiid]

My sewing machine is... chugging... I've had it for like 7 years and it's been not a bad lil buy.

I want to upgrade it because... you know... NEW and STUFF.

I am planning on using the excuse to my brain (who has crippling buyers remorse and guilt over spending money on myself - side note - there is a limit, anything over £50 is a LOT, but 5x£10 is fine - which is a lil leftover emotional abuse from mum) that it's a happy birthday gift to myself AS WELL AS a "well done for getting that whole weight thing under control".

Shopping online sucks because I love a good "high to low" and there are machines... for regular quilting grannies... that cost like £9k.

thats more than my car cost.

My current machine is 46 stitches, 5mm max stitch length, 40wats and fairly portable (which matters not, it lives in this room) has a LED light and you use the up and down arrows to select a stitch number.

I've used stitches 00, 01 and 02 for zips and 03 for stretch items, and the button hole thing is annoying because it's the four step one and I always manage to fuck it up, but I think thats more on me.

I've made a lot of items on this - I'm making a bag at the moment so a machine that can handle vinyl is also required (this one does, but struggles) I also live far enough away from places that servicing yearly just... isn't possible, but I have taken this apart a few times, cleaned out and oiled it.

I've made a lot on this machine and won't be getting rid of it - I may keep it for the Less Feral Little (TM) in my life, when she masters her lil portable barbie machine.

I spent £230 on my current machine and want to spend under a grand for a new one. I'd LOVE an automatic threader and the little 'thread cut' thing at the end of the line? And a one step button would be good - I have a 4 step one at the moment.

As for decorative stitches? I never use em as I make clothes not quilts, and I don't need an extension table but I do want a free arm because I make dolls things every so often and that small space really helps with sleeves.

Anyone got advice? a machine you love?

[saintmeghanmarkle]

Does A "Silent Divorce" Exist? by u/That__EST

Does A "Silent Divorce" Exist? https://ift.tt/hqRxj7M article has already been posted and discussed about the recent Page Six declaration that Meghan just LOVES the spotlight 🤪But it made me think about something else. Is it possible for two people to get divorced and never say anything about it? This article seems very try hard to me. Very much like Meghan is trying to put her spin on things about how they're NOT divorcing and they're NOT moving (which...was that even a rumor?)....but that they are at complete opposite ends of the spectrum in regards to everything involving their lifestyle, their relationship with the media, their decisions involving their children, etc. With some of these articles coming out about Meghan's role at Invictus, I'm also starting to wonder if she's really even involved in the project. What would be the catalyst for change with this year's games when last year she played a prominent role and she's been a part of it nearly every year that she's been in Harry's life to my knowledge. Also, can anyone tell me what the lead up to Harry being in Japan was like? Was there ever any hinting or insinuating that Meghan would accompany him to Japan?With Harry's lack of discussion about Meghan or his family while he has been in Japan, her barbed comments about Portia being with her at Barbie movie while Harry stayed home with the kids, and then all of these weird stated demands for her rider at this years Invictus, it really makes me feel like she's being unexpectedly rejected by Harry but doesn't want the public to know. So she's trying to make things seem like they're her idea while Harry becomes more and more indifferent towards her. I will definitely be watching this space to see how much involvement she actually has in Düsseldorf next month. I predict that it won't be much and that's why we have all of this flurry of puff pieces explaining it all away. What do y'all think about this? Is is possible that they will be broken up or even divorce without anyone knowing and we just won't ever see them together again? Meghan's PR definitely seems to be broadcasting how their lives are going in separate places and how it's oh so TOTALLY Meghan's idea herself. post link: https://ift.tt/IbZGuJ9 author: That__EST submitted: August 20, 2023 at 04:23PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[kimyoonmiauthor]

WIPs I'm working on.

Finally catching up by doing four books at once. Loosely they are with zero spoilers...

Regency Historical Romance Fiction with ND-coded main characters because the ND terms came later in history. It's Rom-comish with some geeky content. The ND is mostly on hyperfocus topics. Is it smutty? Yes. Iunno, I tried my best. I had to background the Diversity of others, but the diversity is 100% accurate and a way to push back on Julia Quinn's but then "I would have to explain why the diversity is there" statement. I haven't written white main characters in forever and a day. But I'm hoping the disability rep and ND rep won't alienate people to my writing. BTW, no magical cures of course are metted out. And maybe heavy political commentary on our current landscape.

Roughly, maybe 3-act, but also I borrowed heavily from Jane Austen and her contemporaries to shape the story structure because I read more than Jane Austen to pull it off.

BTW, to be sure is a quirk of Jane Austen, at least I found, at least when I did searches of her most well known phrases. That phrase isn't found in books by her contemporaries, and is less likely to even be found with men of her time period, which, BTW, matches the pattern in her books too. (She had girly language for her time period, that's why people later talked about how adverbs were evil.)

First book is completed, second book needs the last 4 chapters finished. Otherworld queer-friendly Polyamory default, East Asian-ish fantasy

I rewrote this one about 3-4 times already, but I had a rough outline and wrote the first few drafts out of order.

East Asian-ish here, BTW, isn't like OMG, I pulled kimono from Japan and then went off and pulled Lanzhou noodles from China and then I did kimchi from Korea. Instead, what I imagine it to be is if there was *another* country in East Asia and was influenced by those countries but built its own culture, what would it look like? To pull this off I did a TON of research into the complete history of Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Mongolia, etc in order to get the flavor of what is shared, not shared and pull carefully from that history. As I like to say, if you want pan-anything in your story, you need to do more research, not less. And I wanted it not to be only pan Asian, but also unique unto itself because WTF is that Anthro degree there for?

Main character couple are straight presenting, but they aren't straight. They mention it CONSTANTLY about how they aren't straight. Endlessly, it gets integrated hard into the story as minor plot points. I know how our culture would define it, but they don't quite define their queerness in the same way, because I wanted to fuck around with the European ideals of What is a Straight person™ and What is a Queer Person™ to show that gender and sexuality isn't defined the same way across time and space. So yeah, totally messed with and I'm very, very sure some straight people and some queer people might be like OMG, You can't do that you're messing things up. But chill, like it's fiction and you should think about that. Did I get rid of the patriarchy? Absolutely. 'cause fuck the patriarchy. And I don't want to do white feminism. And yes I wrote this before the Barbie movie came out. And I read enough theory to be able to pull it off.

The story covers theories of activism I've read from various authors over the years and I suppose on the surface it doesn't look that interesting until you get to the theory stuff and the plot kinda builds on itself. I used Dream Record+East Asian 4-Act (a mix between them). It's not beholden to conflict in order to drive the story forward, but conflict is there, its just not how the story moves.

Other World Pure Queer Joy with all of the rainbow in a non-European-eque setting Fantasy (Loose sequel to the previous one) Did I invent my own gender system which I'm not revealing to anyone prior to publication? Absolutely. It's not even in the first few chapters of the book, but trickled out. In fact two systems and a mention of 2 other systems. 'cause FUCK IT, I want to escape the European binary so badly and I put a ton of thought and research into how to do it. I read European stories that broke the binary for them, read East Asian stories fairytales and lit, read South Asian, read South East Asian, and generally mucked around.

The Setting is mainly East Asia-ish, but I also have mentions of African, Indigneous tip offs, and I'm trying very hard to figure out how to get a monsoon system going. If I could only figure out the amount of land mass needed which no geographers can tell me. I want it for two continents which I'm guessing has enough land mass...

And yes, the definition of what straight™ is 100% fucked with in the worldbuilding. 'cause why the fuck not. I'm kinda of sick of white queerness taking over queer spaces and THE conversation, so I kinda want to mess with the whole system because too many queer books still hold to the contemporary white European system instead of uprooting the entire thing.

There are white people, BTW, in the world building, but they are more nomadic and darker shades of white people due to the world building.

Since I wanted JOY in capitals, etc the conflict is downplayed a bit. It is reaaaallllyyy smutty though. LOL. But the first thing I axe is sex scenes when the story runs long.

Roughly 7 chapters to rewrite on the ~11th draft.

Contemporary Corporate Drama Romance (sorta comedy)

This one is smutty as hell and took me forever, I mean forever to get it to the last chapter. I'm not kidding. It was like pulling teeth on this one. I had to change names a few times, the venue a few times, the mechanics of the set up a few times, the timing of the set up a few times. I kept getting stuck over and over again. I changed the race of the characters, the sexualities, the disabilities, anything to get this damned story to work.

I was going to set it in college originally, but that didn't work and fizzled. *sighs*

For this one, I'm not kidding, I dumped the entire draft at least three times and rewrote it from scratch because it wasn't working out.

But the main characters are Latine and East Asian, het romance, one of them is a complicated version of bisexual. *grins* Because I can and I know it exists and people are being assholes about it, so if people are being assholes about it, I can at least highlight and counter some of the ideas about it.

I struggled with including and subtracting diversity in this one, but queerness made it, I don't think the characters are ND coded, but I'm open to people thinking they are. There is mention of composers and artists and how they were shitty people. So it does come off geekish, I suppose. Haha, when the author is ND, but the characters aren't can the characters escape the hyperfocus of the author? Probably not... ^^

Not quite sure of the story structure since it's not beholden to three-act, but it kinda, sorta seems a bit braided to me. Where separate strings come together.

So yeah, that's what I'm rushing to finish before the end of the year. I write interstitial. So Ummm... any agents ready for me to query about 6-8 books in succession?

Oh and I'm not sorry that I don't subscribe to the idea that only conflict is interesting and that's the only way to build tension nor that I truly despise the break up requirement of romance imposed on by the 1950's ideals. Fucking be adults argue and talk it out instead of adhering to unhealthy standards.

[shanayaaici]

schizoid bratz doll 

It's 9.44 am, I started my day with a jolt, and jumped straight out of bed. My brain couldn't possibly keep up with my body with my reaction time being this fast. I'm pretty certain writing in my diary would be slower than this, and I want to get my thoughts out as fast as they come. The flow I'm in is thanks to the emergency citalopram I am taking. I needed 10mg for my entire life, and now I have decided post 9:30 am that I need 20mg. Crying spells are not normal, and I crave more than anything to be normal. I supposed wishing to be different would make me believe my differences were actually intentional.

Ive of course managed to latch onto someone I don't want to lose yet again. Their name is not important in this story. I don’t want to mess this one up though, something I only can feel when I’m sober. I believe if I am using it I cannot fulfil my purpose. I love instagram so much I went live today so I could talk about art for a long time. I think that my relationship with instagram is really interesting. I told my new esteemed friend, whom I met in 2022 properly, that I won't be using my phone for a month. It is August 26th, 2024. I am 25 years old. I am excited to embark on a new adventure, perhaps with my fitnesspal as the compass of my life, and weight maintenance as the goal. I crave sustained ebbs and flows of tranquillity. I do not crave the ups and downs anymore. I am a recovered crack addict, I am a Narcotics Anonymous member, I am a young 19 year old girl who chose drugs over self soothing. I am better than most people, and I am worse all at once.

Black and white thinking will be the death of me if I don't stay sober for the rest of my life. God gave me one last chance, he told me in the form of my mother during my last schizophrenic episode. People envy me for being interesting. I envy them for being normal. It seems like everyone is normal and I am just the schizoid barbie they jack off to. IF I HADN’T BEEN RAPED MAYBE- IF I HADNT FELT NEGLECTED AND BULLIED MAYBE-

Khalas. Habibti you're so beautiful on the inside, your dark cloud shines amongst the most stunning of dark clouds, in the space time continuum you are a creator, and you live and breathe re-creation, you are endlessly creating yourself, and you are the master of your fate. Everyday's a new chance to achieve your highest dreams. Every night I take my antipsychotic medication, 2mg. You see they are scared I'll go crazy again, but if anything the drugs made me crazy, and these are all drugs. I will be medicated for the rest of my life. All the drugs I ever wished for, are now mine, and I have no choice but to take them.

Every night I find myself again, and I’m forced to take medication that makes me less crazy. My craziness is the reason I find joy in being myself every day. As the day progresses so does my love for myself. I do not go backwards, nor downwards. Only upwards.

[msgrumpygills]

Social Media Anon here!

This ask is about two things.

1. Why demographic rather than audience matters, and

2. Gen Padalecki's comment that she and Jared are looking at three works to produce (star in?), one going to script.

DEMOGRAPHIC

Dealing with demographic, people (including me) keep pointing out how much audience loss Walker has had, and they are right ( it's lost 70% and I suspect it will go a little more) what is REALLY worse is that it has gone from a .37 to a point .10. demographic That means that the audience is 50+.

TV SHOWS ARE JUST THE SPACE BETWEEN THE ADVERTS. The only reason TV shows exist is to have the audience looking at the screen for the adverts. Of course, Advertisers only want to advertise to an audience who will buy. That is the 18-34 and 18-49 demographic. Older viewers than that are seen as not moving to new products or new luxury goods. Think of the adverts that happen at age related daytime slots, they are for grey power products not general products.

Demographic is measured by taking the whole of that age group in the country and see what percentage of that watched the programme. so .10 means that 1% of the target age market watched Walker (not total viewers in that age, total population). THAT is low. Demographic is why the CW wanted to be a teen market. You can have low ratings but high demographic and be more successful than a high ratings show. You need to be hitting the target audience NOT any audience. Advertisers won't pay big money for the wrong demographic.

So the falling demographic is more of a problem for Walker than the audience share. Both are catastrophic... but advertisers drive shows.

GEN'S NEW PROJECTS

Obviously the only way Gen is going to get hired is through nepotism. She's a bad actress. She was a very pretty actress and could get away with bad acting but she's 40 and has had so much work you wouldn't put her near a naked flame (sorry Jared, candlelit dinners really aren't safe...).

Jared however should be pushing the longevity of Walker. He hasn't got time to "actively exec" a 22 episode show and seriously develop another project. When he tried to simply act in other shows in hiatus during SPN he was exhausted and both he and Jensen said they couldn't commit to anything else.

So.... is the idea of another product signalling the end of Walker? it'll go to season 3 but on it's current trajectory (it's number 3 in demographic on a falling curve on a network that has issues) season 4 isn't actually a given. He, I suspect, is expensive.

Jared is a businessman and I'm quite certain he'd be just as willing to put on a stethoscope, strap on a fireman's helmet or put on khaki to sell Jared Padalecki in whatever other poor show he can think of for a couple of seasons. He sells to the same people, squeezing every ounce of of them he can.

However, he isn't A list. Every C lister ever tried to get themselves back in the game by self production, it's the only way actors can guarantee work. Doors other than the CW won't automatically open to him.

Perhaps we can look forward to a season of PadaChristmas specials on the CW? I can't see any other network being interested in Texas Eco Barbie and Hooters Ken.

What do you think?

Texas Eco Barbie and Hooters Ken

I snorted! Alright, I will do my best not to go on a tangent, but given my track record, I’m not optimistic. 

First off, I had no clue how ratings and demographics worked until you brought your knowledge here and I appreciate it so much! It’s really fascinating to me! It also helps me (and probably the people who aren’t sure how the show is so garbage yet somehow “number one”) understand what’s going on and what counts. It’s really eye-opening to see those numbers too. I can’t imagine they’re too happy about their target demographic just simply not caring about this show the way they assumed they would. 

You’re right on the money about Gen only getting work through nepotism. If Jared wasn’t involved in Walker, she would have never landed that role. Try as she might, she’d be nothing without Jared at this point. 

You may be onto something with Walker being on the way out! Maybe Jared’s realizing that this show isn’t his ticket to superstardom and he’s trying to line up some back up plans. Either that or he just wants to follow in Jensen and D’s footsteps. After all, he can’t let Jensen (or anyone for that matter) have anything, can he?

You’re also 100% right about him doing anything to sell himself. We’ve seen him do it for the past few years and I don’t see him stopping anytime soon. 

Bias aside, I can’t see Jared or Gen bringing anything new and exciting to the table in terms of shows. Plus, if anyone has been watching his EP skills, I can’t imagine they’d be rushing to work with him. 

I guess time will tell, I just hope neither of them decide to make the leap to OnlyFans anytime soon....or ever. 

[stray-kids-react]

You go into little space

Masterlist

...

Bang Chan

* Protective caretaker mode has been activated, no matter what the situation is. *

° Chan came home from work, throwing his keys onto the kitchen counter. Soon noticing a cute crayon note stuck to the fridge with a magnet, 'Hi daddy! I hope work was good. I am in the room drawing, come join me!'

* Chan knew about little space, and understood that it was a way of you calming down from any stress. He was always willing to take care of you, and never got annoyed or weirded out like some people did. *

° Chan walked into the bedroom, noticing cute little stick fairies stuck all over the walls. Your tongue stuck out as you focused on coloring in one of the fairies dresses. Too focused to notice your care taker admiring you from afar.

"Hey princess/prince charming, did you draw these?"

° You nodded shyly, looking at the floor worried that he would be upset at the new decorations. But you relaxed when he cupped your face, pecking the top of your head softly.

"They look amazing y/n, which one is your favorite?"

° You pointed to the glittery blue fairy with large pigtails, unsticking it from the wall to hand it to him.

"That's mine too! I love the glitter, that was a nice touch."

Lee Know

* Is already whipped for you, but becomes even more soft when you go into little space*

° You were in the middle of shopping, when he noticed you shift into a more clingy and innocent faze. Minho looked at you with softened eyes, asking if you were alright. "Can we visit that store, please daddy?"

*Once Minho found out that you would sometimes go into little space, he researched everything about it to make sure he knew what to do. Constantly praising you for not being bratty or a bad girl/boy. *

° Minho guided you to the pajama store, wrapping his hand around your wrist gently. You skipped towards the sleeping masks, passing him a panda one and grabbing a cute glittery cat one for yourself.

"Does daddy look like this mask? Or do I look more like yours?"

° You tugged at the panda one, jumping up and down on the floor. Giggling excitedly when he would poke his face out from the mask, sometimes sticking his tongue out at you and making derp faces.

"Can we please get them? I really like this one~" You begged, pouting slightly.

° Minho loved seeing your bright smile, so he took it a step further and let you pick out one more. Chuckling when you clapped in joy.

"Let's go to the cash, and then we can go get some donuts. How does that sound munchkin?"

Changbin

* Changbin adored when you went into little space, always playing around with you. *

° You knew that Changbin was coming home in a couple minutes, and you decided to hide from him wanting to see if he could find you. Grabbing a flashlight, so you wouldn't be scared of the dark while in the closet.

*Changbin was really curious about little space, and let you explain everything to him. The next day, buying you a whole bunch of stuffies and glittery stickers. Letting you put one on his laptop, not planning on removing it anytime soon. *

° He walked in, noticing the empty bowl of ice cream with sprinkles left over. Changbin clued in that you were probably in little space, and played along with your hide & seek prank. Even though he could hear your small giggles from the closet.

"I wonder where my cutie pie went? Is she/he in the kitchen?"

° You jumped out of the closet with a cute rawr, making him "scream" in "fear". Placing a hand over his heart dramatically, he repeatedly praised you for being so "intimidating".

"I practiced my rawring all day, I wanted to surprise you daddy."

° He adored when you got all giddy after getting a reaction out of him, only encouraging him to be more dramatic each time. Sometimes even falling to the floor when you jump out of an obvious hiding spot.

"Get ready for supper cutie pie, I bought you your favorite pizza."

Hyunjin

* Loves when you go into little space, Becuase you both play around and he gets extra cuddles*

° You just woke up from a nap and wanted some attention, and you just so happened to jump into little space when you woke up. So you secretly grabbed one of your tiaras and planned on secretly placing it on Hyunjin.

*Hyunjin didn't know what little space was at first, so he let you guide him through all of the facts and duties of being a caretaker. He enjoyed when you became clingy, and used your light baby voice when asking for stuff. *

° Hyunjin immediately got into the character of a prince, assuming you were in little space. Voicing some of the barbies you brought out, and kissing a soft frog stuffed animal so it could turn back into a human.

"As prince of Amercanodale, I declare that Ken shall be released from jail."

° You soon grabbed different doll clothes, asking Hyunjin which one your dolls should wear. Asking for help with braiding the doll's hair, which he happily did along with some of his own hair.

"Can I bedazzle your hair? I have cute clips to use in it!"

° Hyunjin always allowed you to play with his hair, whether you be in little space of not. Loving that feeling of you stroking through his locks, and looking at him with only admiration and love.

"Use as many clips as you want beautiful, you can even use that hair chalk if you want."

Han

* Accidently found out about you going into little space, when he found your sticker stash*

° Jisung noticed your small pout throughout the day, noticing that you ran out of stickers and were in little space. He wanted to cheer you up so he took you onto a trip to the nearest dollar store, letting you pick out some stickers.

* Jisung knew about the basic things of Little Space, but never really looked into it until he found out that you used it as a stress relieving mechanism. He won't tell the members unless you are comfortable with it*

° You specifically picked out a pack of animal stickers that included some squirrels, sticking one on his cheek once he bought them for you. Pointing out that he reminds you of the sticker that you stuck on him.

"I look like the squirrel?... As long as you like squirrels than it's okay. *Chuckles*"

° You kissed the sticker on his cheek, and soon went on a rant about how much you love squirrels. Mentioning their fluffy tails, and cute cheeks that hold so much food. Not realizing how long you were ranting.

"Do you like Squirrels? Or are you more of a chipmunk lover?"

° Jisung thought wisely about which option would offend you the least, soon going with the most neutral answer. Explaining that he likes both and finds them just as cute as you do, loving the way your eyes sparkled in joy.

"Even though they are both cute, nothing can compare to my little squish y/n."

Felix

* The cutest and cuddliest caretaker ever, loves when you become his own personal backpack and pillow*

° You were both heading home from dinner with the boys, and by the last ten minutes he noticed you switch into little space. Getting hints by your constant clingy hugs, and never letting go of his hand.

* You told him about your shifts little space when you were serious enough in the relationship. Letting all of the anxiety you had leave your body, when he simply nodded and sent you a soft reassuring smile. *

° Felix tucked you under the soft sheets of your shared bed, brushing away any stray hairs from your face. Letting you choose a bedtime story to read to you, rubbing a soft circle across your stomach as he read aloud.

"The prince left a soft kiss upon aurora's lips, watching as her lovely eyes fluttered open."

° Felix constantly glanced at your increasingly tired state, thanks to mixture of his deep soothing voice and soft delicate hands. His hand trained up to your cheek, pressing his thumb against the corner of your lips.

"Before I go to sleep, can I have a goodnight kiss? Pleeeaassee~"

° Felix giggled at your dramatic begging, but caved into your needy yet calm cuteness. Placing small playful pecks all over your face, before landing his last one across your smile gently. Staying on your lips for a couple seconds longer than the rest.

"Goodnight sleeping beauty, wake me if you need anything. Even if it's just cuddles."

Seungmin

* Spoils you when you are in little space, just because you are too cute to say no too. *

° Hyunjin won a bet against Seungmin, so he had to go out and buy a toy for Kkami. You tagged along because you wanted to spend time with Seungmin and see some cute kittens. But you shifted into little space while looking at the kittens and babying them.

* Seungmin clued into small habits and hints you showed while going into little space, such as changing your voice, pouting, & being 10× more hyper than usual. Soon bringing emergency toys, just in case. *

° Seungmin asked an employee if you were able to hold one of the kittens, soon getting an answer when he unlocked the cage that the small kitten slept in. You held it close to you, making small baby noises during it.

"I wonder if Hyunjin would get mad if we came home with a kitten instead of a toy."

° You heard his sentence, but you were too focused on making the kitten purr louder for affection. Soon exclaiming in joy when it cuddled into your hand, making Seungmin comb his fingers through the soft fur.

"I think it likes me! Or maybe it just wants food... Either way I'm getting cuddles~"

° Seungmin saw the kitten a while back when he went shopping with Hyunjin for dog food, and knew that it needed someone who would love it unconditionally. So he ended up driving home with and furry lump asleep on his lap.

"We're home and brought something extra special, I hope Kkami doesn't mind cat fur."

Jeongin

*The only time he will let you call him oppa or daddy, understanding it's part of Little space*

° You were terrified of the loud storm that was happening outside, so you rushed to your boyfriend's dorm to try and calm down. Bringing a couple extra presents while in your child like splurge of ideas.

*Jeongin enjoyed playing with you, loving the innocent gaze you gave everytime he used a big word. Sometimes he would shift into little space with you without realizing, but he secretly enjoyed the feeling *

° Jeongin turned on a couple flashlights while strapping on the adorable hat you brought, asking if your wanted any drinks or snacks. Holding your hand while walking to the kitchen for some chips and soda.

" You don't have to be scared of anything, oppa is right here and won't let anything happen."

° You nodded still a bit cautious thanks to the booming thunder outside, but that only led to him holding onto you closer while walking back to the room. Shooing your irrational scary thoughts away.

"You're the best oppa ever Innie, thanks for the yummy snacks and cuddles."

° He played music off of his phone to try and distract you from the loud storm outside, feeding you chips and giving a cute bendy straw for your drink. Chuckling silently when you fell asleep with crumbs all over you.

"You such a cute little sunshine y/n, have a good rest cutie."

[sirro85-blog]

Humans are Space Orcs:

Part 3

For my readers of Human, Frell or Ilun origin the clearest way I can describe Pelcar-3 is as a trading port, the entrance for many goods and travellers with different species and cultures interacting, for other races please see the appendices for appropriate analogy. It has all the hallmarks of a trading port, the ability to buy or source anything, those willing to sell anything for a price be it information, substances or themselves, prostitutes of a dozen species rubbed shoulders with scores of mercenaries , traders and pilots.

The other similarity Pelcar-3 shares with those ancient ports is the crime, both organised and random; so, when 3 dead Flet were found in an empty drinking establishment no real outcry was raised. When a Flet was found tied to a street bench the local security assumed the Flet, so often hired muscle were engaged in a possible criminal struggle for control. Several more Flet bodies were discovered over the course of several days but when 8 more Flet bodies were found at one time more interest was paid, these Flet were better equipped and certainly appeared healthier than the normal criminal underclass, these bodies had the hall marks of Flet military and while no insignia were found or acknowledgement was forthcoming from the Flet Imperium the risk that a Flet hit squad had been eradicated on Pelcar-3 was a concern.

Like the cities of Earth and Ilun wealthy individuals did not live in the port but cared about it's business, indeed two of Pelcar-3's moon's provided accommodation to some of the wealthiest denizines of the galaxy. Security was increased and all armed groups or individuals were searched and monitored on their arrival to the planet.

The residents of Pelcar-3 went on with their lives untroubled, including those of the human mercenary unit known as the Dark Horses, especially now they knew all armed individuals were being monitored on arrival. Life inside their armed and defended compound was broadly unchanged although after several years of getting to know humans I can tell you that under the surface things were not as they seemed.

A peculiar human affliction is the release of stress through physical exertion and particularly unique is the common requirements for that physical exertion to involve others. These could involve acts of love making although after I was informed I was not allowed to observe these acts and take notes no matter the frequency of the events I had to turn my attention to the second physical interactions, sports.

Team games happened frequently, "B-ball"; "Footy" and "Rugby" all occurred regularly however most frequent of all were the activity called "Sparring" this involved getting into a large square and attempting to beat your opponent into submission, there were various standards to these submissions and until the recent events with the "Kittys" -as the Flet were known as a derogatory- the standards were observed and no real harm or injuries were caused. However as the days stretched this changed. The first victim was Captain Dorman who received a broken arm at the hands of Captain Wolf.

Sergeant Panther broke Barbie's jaw in three places; Riflemen Buckets and Ocampo had to be pulled apart and when Knickers choked Captain Becca out something in itself I had not seen before her celebration while standing over the limp body of her friend was savage and animalistic.

It reached a head when Major Kovac sparred with Captain Wolf something that apparently happened very rarely, it was seen as an event by the humans, wagers were placed and almost all those not on duty turned up to witness it.

I have seen both the Major and the Captain face enemies and inflict precise focused injuries while keeping their own wellbeing to a premium. In this bout they appeared to forget this, both appeared to abandon form for all out assault, and both were soon bleeding and injured, Wolf appeared to have several cracked ribs and Kovac was limping badly, I feared they may kill each other before the end which infact came suddenly, Kovac and Wolf sprang apart for a moment and then as they closed Wolf tried to target Kovac's injured leg and was driven back, the larger man threw him to the floor appeared to dislocate the Captain's shoulder before ending the fight with a single punch.

Staff Sergeant Frank King stopped the bouts after that, the accelerated healing methods they had available to them may have meant the two officers were back on their feet in a few days but "Staff" wasn't willing to treat anymore self inflicted injuries.

The sudden loss of their distractions seemed to focus the humans again. The NCOs barked out orders and had their men drilling and practicing at all hours, the officers were regularly meeting late into the night and arguing.

"We've got friends across the damn galaxy, half the council owes you personal favours damnit! We aren't on our own here." Captain Becca said, tears standing out in her eyes.

"Those favours are turning a blind eye to our acquiring off market explosives or allowing me to fortify this building without needing to apply for planning permission. I'm not sure they'll start another war with the Imperium for me. There are favours we can call in but first we need information, which means calling in our first few favours, contact any low level council members you know and find out what the Galactic Council knows about the Flet politics. I'll contact the Ditiri, see what those criminals know." Kovac said calmly.

I saw a certain level of obsession from the soldiers surrounding me over the following few days, men repeatedly checking and rechecking their weapons, rifles being cleaned; magazines rebombed; and blades sharpened. Kit was packed and checked and repacked and personal items were pulled from pockets or from round the neck, kissed or checked and replaced and all the while the Sergeants and the other NCOs prowled the lines, experienced eyes scanning for any mistakes. Sergeant "Fluke" Glover put his whole troop on basics because two foot lockers were found unlocked. Sergeant Panther had her's running laps and doing press ups at two in the morning.

By the time a second meeting was called the Dark Horses accommodation was a highly strung military fortress and for good reason, on three separate occasions armed Flet were caught within rifle range of the buildings, their bodies dumped in the warehouse districts across Pelcar-3.

"They're still getting through to us, we're not safe here." Dorman insisted, "when they workout Hemmings and Richards are in their eyries they won't be so obvious about scoping us out."

"In the meantime I have information," Captain Gillespie interrupted, "from what we've been told, the target on your back is politically motivated. The Royal family of the Flet Imperium are not the absolute rulers they would like to be, the heir that you killed on some battlefield was by all accounts very popular and by first whipping up anger and sympathy for her death and then setting you as the target they hope to show that they are the political entity that can give the people what they want."

"Easy if they're the ones telling the people what it is they want in the first place," scoffed Becca, "same as our lot used to do with immigrants and foreigners and all that crap..."

"Alright Bex, not right now." Kovac interrupted, "so it's just one faction, does that mean we have allies Gilly?"

"Hardly, they won't want to be seen assisting the enemy," Gillespie said with a sigh.

"However, take away the head of that faction, or get them to back down in some way..." Captain Wolf began.

"The people I spoke to said that could work, the Flet are always looking for outward enemies to stop infighting and backstabbing, take out the leader of the faction and the whole party will fall apart trying to claim the top spot." Gillespie finished.

"We'll need more information, Becca you and Dorman need to work your contacts, get us names and details, we need a target, probably 3 or 4." Wolf started hurriedly.

"Head of a faction!" "Targets!?" Becca stared around her, "are you forgetting this is the head of the royal family of the Flet Imperium, this isn't going to be possible."

"Bec, it'll be alright, the Major will come up with a plan, remember what they used to say in the 88th?"

"Slick drills, quick kills, fight hard and if all else fails put your faith in Kovac," Becca said with a faint smile.

"To be fair they said that mostly about me getting my hands on embargoed liquors," Kovac said awkwardly.

The meeting went on with minor details being hammered out, I drifted away to observe the base, cursed by my form of existence I found myself helpless when it started.

Sinsi was the commander of the Hyte of the Flet Imperium, she watched as her 5 Hyte silently scaled the walls of the human compound, until this moment, forced to use the dull soldiers from the allied military factions the royal family had not achieved success in killing the target, now though with the Hyte the Galaxy's finest assassins finally being employed the task would be complete.

The snipers high above the compound had been identified and steps had been taken to avoid detection from their omni-goggles, the human sentries were good but Sinsi's pride were better, even with the whole of the Imperium to choose from finding recruits was nigh impossible in a whole generation maybe a dozen would start training, that 6 had survived to form this pride was considered a blessing indeed.

They closed with the first sentry identified as unavoidable, a flash of claws and the body was quickly hidden, humans would not smell the blood as acutely as Flet. They closed with a second soldier, as Keerdop's claws raked down the soldier darted aside, raised her rifle, Keerdop realised she must silence the weapon, that instinct cost her life, as Keerdop clawed at the hands holding the rifle, and tried to silence the soldier, the bayonet mounted on the rifle drove into Keerdop's throat. At the same moment claws tore into the soldier's flanks, "Tell 'em Knickers sent you," growled the human.

Appalled that one of her sisters had fallen Sinsi was forced to calm herself as her rage told her to maul the human's body, she stopped, the human and the Flet were dead, secure the mission, she gestured for the two bodies to be hidden. "Humans are quicker than you think they are", the lesson taught first and first forgotten. Now they were close, the room they wanted was close, 5 Hyte closed on the room, no mistakes this time, the door opened silently and with night vision a human could only hope for Sinsi saw him, asleep in bed beside a female of his species. She advanced on preternaturally silent paws till she was standing over the humans, a Hyte sister at her side.

Two clawed arms flashed, the female human reacted, to what, Sinsi could not tell but the human moved suddenly pushing the male off the bed she stood up on the soft bedding, Sinsi took a moment to marvel that such small, few limbed creatures could be considered a danger, no natural protection and this one had fur only on her head the rest was covered in nothing but the tender pink skin. Sinsi flicked a wing out to disembowel the naked female, to her astonishment the human stopped the blow and then flexing her body rose in the air to plant both her feet into Sinsi's chest.

Sinsi crashed backwards, stunned at the power in these small forms, her sister had fared no better, Kovac the target had picked her up and thrown her much larger frame at those in the doorway. Realising the chance to employ claws had slipped by Sinsi drew her power lance and fired a bolt at Kovac who, like a coward dived for cover behind his bed before rolling into the adjacent room.

Sinsi advanced with Loirwa and Truvay all with power lances drawn, the finest shots in the Imperium would hit their target once he dared to show his face. However Loirwa was waylayed by the naked human female who had rolled off the bed and now charged hammering her lowered shoulder into the Flet's abdomen. They both crashed into the nearby wall and as the winded Flet bent double the human's skull collided with the Flet's descending chin, their was a sickening crack as Loirwa's head snapped backwards impacting the wall and the human planted her knee repeatedly into the Flet's groin. "Humans do not fight like us with tooth and claw, to them all of their bodies are a weapon", another early lesson and so easily disregarded. Distracted that another Hyte sister had been bested by the diminutive humans Sinsi only had time to call out a warning to her sisters as the target appeared round the door frame and opened fire with one of the human "pistols". Truvay recoiled as her power lance shattered as the human bullet struck it.

Sinsi realised the sisters at the door were under attack. She gestured at Truvay to kill the human female who had finished stamping on Loirwa's windpipe. She opened fire on the Major who had to dive clear of the bolts as they shattered the wall he stood behind, Sinsi gave Truvay a quick glance, the human female had found a weapon but it was not one known to Sinsi as part of the human arsenal, approximately 300mm long it was pink and appeared to be buzzing due to some vibration, made of a soft rubber-like material it bore a striking resemblance to a part of the anatomy of the naked human male. Whatever it was the human female was using it to provide extra reach, dodging blows from the Hyte and repeatedly stabbing the Flet in the vulnerable areas inside her limb joints.

Sinsi sprayed another hail of bolts into the next room and turned to see the Human diving out of reach and throwing the long pink shaft at Truvay, as the human rolled to her feet Truvay landed a blow that threw her across the room and into the wall, the human struck the wall a metre from the ground and fell heavily, "Kovac," she whimpered.

The target gave his position away by opening fire the bullets were wayward however and did not trouble Sinsi as she turned her lance and fired multiple bolts, the human had to throw himself flat to avoid them and this put him almost at Sinsi's feet. Truvay's collapse made her pause and she realised why the bullets had been wayward, that was when she saw the sisters holding the door had both fallen and then she remembered the lesson her old master had been so keen to teach her, "Kings and generals may fear our blades but the assassin should fear the cold efficiency of the professional soldier." She understood it as Kovac pulled the trigger.

As a species made mostly of gas and energy it is hard at times to watch the tactile galaxy interact, but never in my existence of Millenia have I tried so hard to intervene as when I watched the Flet's Hyte assassins try to murder Kovac.

Major Kovac staggered naked into the hallway, stepping over the dead Kitty assassins, "They had to take out some sentries to get this far. Find them, are the sentries OK!? Dana! Becca's hurt, go see to her, Wolf give me that bloody blanket I'm naked."

In minutes the bodies of the sentries were found, it was to my great joy that Knickers was found to be alive, terribly injured and weak but alive.

Humans do not appear as impressive as some other xenotypes in this galaxy but what is never taken into account is that for all their day to day weakness they can produce immense strength when excited, they may lack the speed of some races but they can combine what physical speed they have with prodigious speed of thought and action and most of all humans do not fight like those born with natural weapons, without claws humans turned their whole body into weapons.

[littlewalken]

Oct 14

Here's to wanting contact with the person who could hear my out on a story idea about a character based on Goff Barbie (it comes from an article about Roger and how he pronounces goth) who would make these faces to the idea-

And then help me figure out some side stories that happened while he was in that plot complication.

The pics are screen caps from a ca1996 Cure interview where Roger says something in an attempt to break Robert's brain.

If Perry is saying his wife won the derby, Roger is asking who rode her.

Every copy of Friday I'm in Love sold gives Perry songwriting money that he'll only spend on buying a bigger yard so his wife can rescue and rehab more hoofed babies. It's total proof that guys with fishing in their profile pics attract horse girls.

It would be nice if anything I have ready to write would actually feel like wanting to be written. Or some other creative thing I could create to feel better.

This has to be depression because I don't feel like doing anything. I will have to do some tidying today so I can reach my dresser drawers and clean clothes. We'll be doing laundry soon so that will have to go somewhere too.

I think going back to college so soon after my brain injury helped in getting me to do some stuff depression otherwise wouldn't. Being clean and wearing clean clothes every day when I went out became a necessity because I would be in close contact with other people and the whole holes in my clothes in jr high thing still weighs heavily on me.

I also had to make sure my brain understood being somewhere on time and completing assignments because I was on a free school program and if I didn't keep a certain GPA I'd be out. I didn't know it was the end of an era where college degree=job but I wanted to try and get out of the generational poverty in the family.

So, no matter how depressed I am somehow I've managed to connect 'if you do this now it won't bother you later' and 'once this chore is over your time is your own' in to my operational system. I've always had directional avoidance, but didn't have a name for it, but left to my own devices I can manage myself and my space.

I don't do dishes around other people because I used the wrong rag 40+ years ago and can hold my breath a very long time. And with the Life Ruiner doing anything was pointless because she'd go out of her way to undo it. But if it's just me or another responsible person and me you'd be amazed what happens.