#if you feel like this needs a cw/tw tag let me know i wasn't really sure??? I dont usually post things that need warnings

[artingstarvist]

TGCF Vol 3, Chp. 43 - 44 (First "Kiss") Part 2 / 5 (First, Next)

Next part is finally done! Xie Lian's inner monologue kills me.

Novel excerpt under the cut:

[denotes panel #]

[1, 2] Xie Lian blinked, trying desperately to bat away the thousands upon millions of lingering crystalline bubbles. [3] Then he found himself caught by a pair of strong arms. [4, 5] One hand circled his waist, and the other grasped his chin. [6] In the next second, something cold and soft covered his lips. [7]In that instant, Xie Lian's eyes bulged. Never in his life had anyone treated him like this. First, no one dared, second, no one could. However this person was swift like the devil and had appeared so suddenly that he had no chance to defend himself before he'd been plunged into such a state. [8, 9] Flustered, he thrashed and desperately tried to push the person away. [10] Instead, he only succeeded in choking on large mouthfuls of water as string after string of bubbles escaped his mouth like crystal beads. Of course, this was a big mistake underwater. [11] The hands round his waist only tightened, pressing their bodies closer together, and Xie Lian's struggling hands were firmly folded and crushed against his own chest, trapping them in place. [12] His lips, too, were securely sealed. The kiss deepened, and with it, a breath of cool, gentle air was transferred into his mouth. [13, 14, 15] Completely helpless and at a loss, just as Xie Lian began to accept his fate, he finally saw the person's face clearly. [16] It was Hua Cheng. [17] The moment he realized it was Hua Cheng, he stopped struggling. Innumerable random thoughts popped into his mind, all inappropriate for the time and place, such as : So it was Hua Cheng! No wonder he's cold. [18] Ghosts don't need to breathe, but he can still transfer air to me?! [19] Don't ghosts sink in the water? [20] Hua Cheng suddenly opened his eye. [21, 22] Staring into that dark eye from such an intimate distance, Xie Lian froze again, then resumed struggling, his arms flailing like a duck so clumsy it was drowning. [23, 24] Hua Cheng easily corralled those thrashing limbs, and with his arm still firmly locked around Xie Lian's waist, Hua Cheng took him and speedily swam upward.

[crayonboxcolors607]

CW/TW -mentions of various triggering topics, including but not limited to, su!c!de, r@pe, se*ual a**ault, etc

in reference to a recent post i reblogged by @thedreadvampy

that post garnered a TON of negative attention due to the lack of content and trigger warnings proceeding the post, especially because it discussed some HEAVILY TRIGGERING topics.

i am not of the belief that "trigger warnings cater to the weak" or whatever dumb shit people come up with to justify not properly tagging their work.

i am also aware that i am someone who, while appreciating CWs and TWs, don't rely on them the way i know others do. i can read a fic or a post lacking trigger warnings, come across a triggering topic/piece of content, and maintain my wise-minded self. ( just a lil dbt flex)

and it's taken me years of therapy and skills work to get to this point. i still benefit from trigger warnings, but i don't need them the way i used to anymore.

and i know that there are some people who won't ever be able to get to the point that im at, simply because of how their trauma affected them.

AND THATS OKAY!

everyone's experiences are different, and everyone's reactions to those experiences are different. i could have the same exact trauma as someone else, and we could still have different after effects. because that's just how the world works.

the purpose of trigger warnings isn't to make a topic taboo or hush-hush, nor is it to garner excessive attention to your post (which is a claim i've seen made far too often). they are simply there to let people know that the topics discussed or written about may make cause some viewers distress. they're there because people who experience a traumatic event of any kind are more likely to have negative reactions to stories/conversations pertaining to that traumatic event or events of that kind.

people who haven't experienced trauma can also benefit from trigger warnings/content warnings.

let's say you were reading a really great fic, and then out of nowhere, there was rape or real non-con. you'd be confused and probably a bit upset right? because that wasn't the kind of content you were looking for, and the author didn't tell you their fic would contain that topic.

a content warning helps you realize that before you reach the upsetting content, allowing you to click off and avoid it.

i think the people who were upset at the lack of warnings have an absolute right to be. its really hard to come across something thats triggering for you. it causes flashbacks. it causes panic attacks. it causes meltdowns and shutdowns and moves you back in your recovery process.

but the purpose of the original post was to explain that just because they're triggering topics, doesn't the world can't talk about them. it was to say that the more we avoid these topics, the more taboo they become. the more mystery surrounds them. the more misinformation will get spread. and the less people will ask for help.

and i personally agree with that. these are topics that need to be talked about, so we make sure that the next generations know that they are not alone. they can ask for help. they can talk to people about how they're feeling.

but i do think that the OP should've included trigger warnings.

[peggyrose19]

(tw: eating disorders) feel free to ignore this if it will trigger you or if you just don't feel like responding! I think I might have an ed (probably something restrictive) but I'm not sure if what's going on would qualify and I'm terrified to tell anyone about it because tbh I'm not sure if a ready for others help yet. But also I know that it's not healthy and I should reach out before things get worse. Do you have any advice on how to reach out or how to help yourself in this? Thank you!

hey there! first off, i'm so glad you felt you could ask me about this, and i'm so super proud of you for reaching out and knowing you need some help. secondly, i could talk about this probably for hours, so i will try to keep this concise as i can, however i make no promises. if you have any more questions, i am always happy to answer as best i can!

cw eating disorder talk under the cut (not in the tags because fuck apple)

(my adhd brain doesn't do blocks of text so i'm gonna bold the important shit)

the first thing i would recommend is to do a little research. my eating disorder, arfid, is a bit of an umbrella term for any sort of restrictive eating that isn't anorexia or bulimia. the best place to find information on it is going to be the MGH program; so far, they're the only place i know of doing research and treatment specifically for arfid. they have a bunch of info online that you can find, as well as a really awesome book. it also has a workbook and may have some helpful information on how you can begin to treat it.

one thing to know: even if you do not meet all the requirements for an official diagnosis, you are still struggling. don't let that discourage you. technically, i don't have an anxiety diagnosis because i "don't struggle enough" because i'm on medication. the dsm-5, how they diagnosis this stuff, is kind of bullshit. so don't let that impact how you feel and don't let it discredit how you feel. you know you best, always remember that.

you should definitely reach out before it gets worse. it's going to be so much harder to fight if you let it get worse, and take this from someone who's had this eating disorder for 8 years now. it wasn't understood when i was first diagnosed, even by the professionals. if you're not quite ready yet to get help, that's okay. it's a hard thing to accept you're struggling. but even if it's just telling your friends, an adult you trust, your therapist if you have one, i encourage you to tell someone. it's so important to have people on your side. if they're aware of how you're struggling, they can help you fight it.

for actually telling people, it can be hard, believe me i know. find a time and place you're comfortable. be as honest as you feel you can be. be clear with what it is you're struggling with. i'm not gonna lie, it's probably going to be hard for them to hear. that is not your fault. and you are not responsible for their feelings. if you want, have some research ready for them to look at. if they truly care about you as a human being, they will want to know how they can help.

it can be hard to know what others can do that will help. it may take a lot of trial and error. even now, i'm still not always sure. and these things may change. sometimes i need people there to encourage me to eat; other times i will cry if there are people near me when i try to eat. it's hard. however you are feeling is okay. but please, let people help you. you're not a burden to them, certainly not if they're offering help. they love you, they want you to do well.

i think i may have gotten a little off-topic here, but i did warn you lol. if nothing else, know that you're not alone and know that help is available when you're ready. know that i am always here; even if it takes a little while for me to respond, i always will. i sincerely hope some of this helps. and i hope, when you're ready, you can get the help you need. cause you deserve it <3

[lecherous-lollipop]

"Quiet"

***CW/TW: revenge, bullying, dubcon, abuse, referenced past abuse, noncon touching, dehumanization, implied slavery, abusive thoughts, violence, general mean old whump***

~This is my second attempt at writing something specific for the BBU, which I'm a *diehard* fan for since learning of it, so please, avoid this for your own good if you need to, or enjoy it for your own detriment; just please be kind!!~

"It's too quiet in here."

Half a minute later, soft, thrumming lofi music sprung to life, along with atmospheric rainbow hues that danced against the living room walls behind a set of impressive speakers. Bright, colorful illustrations of half naked anime men and women were spread across the walls, as well as some framed posters for some intense fantasy franchise. Most of the floor was a thick, grey carpet, gentle and yielding against the nameless box boy's weight.

Lucas had already returned with the glass of water and some plastic packaging. He set the water to the side and searched a shelf for a moment before finding some scissors. Bobbing his head along with the music, he cut away at the plastic and meandered to where his personalized little pet waited for him.

The plastic packaging fell away to the floor, adding to the pile of discarded wrappings. So many ruined birthdays and Christmases in the past, about to be set right. Lucas stepped closer to his prize, using the tips of the open pair of scissors to lightly graze along his scalp, down to his jaw. The blades lingered there for an awful moment, before he suddenly yanked them up, and out, cutting the blindfold free from the box boy's face.

"There he is..." Lucas purred, stepping back to admire the view.

"Look at me, '742. Let me see you. Position one."

Large, almond eyes blinked rapidly, the dark, mirror like pupils dilated with the sudden onslaught of light. His shoulder length mane fell forward as he rose to his feet to assume the neutral standing position. The ends of his shining locks just barely brushed his prominent collarbones, standing out as a testament to the time and training that he survived. Despite having been obviously neglected, hints of well defined muscle lay just beneath a reddish brown tan He gently tossed his head to the side a little in an attempt to keep his hair out of the way as he sheepishly met his owners gaze.

"I hate to say it, I really do.." Lucas began, "You may be..clumsy.. And disgusting... And pathetic.. but you do look good, darling."

The music increased in tempo and intensity as Lucas rounded about the box boy again. He stopped, facing him, and dragged the tips of the scissors lazily across his belly in a criss cross shape.

"Well, well, lookee here.." Lucas' voice raised slightly in pitch, his expression strained as he barely kept from bursting into complete laughter. "No more hardcore fuckin' abs for you!! Ha!"

He finally cracked, tossing the scissors haphazardly behind him and lifting his other fist up as laughter spilled from deep inside him. Metal, cold and hard, glittered across the bridge of his fist, catching both the glaring white light of the open kitchen, and the melting colors of his lighted sound system. He looked to the box boy, a man, really, that stood several inches taller then him, and was delighted to see the reflection of the knuckleduster glinting back at him from his dark eyes.

"Good, you're paying attention. This is all part of protocol right?"

He twisted his wrist around, testing the weight of the impressive weapon on his fist, and even threw a few shadow punches into the air. It made him feel like a thug, a real badass. The Host had simply slapped little Colton around; it was cute to watch, but ultimately too weak.* He grinned from ear to ear, bouncing on his feet to the hyperactive music.

"I'm going to make sure you're properly responsive, now. Ready? Set?..."

He raised his fist, staring '742 directly in the eyes as he readied a punch. The boy just kept licking his cracked lips, his eyes darting back and forth from Lucas' own and the gleaming brass knuckles, waiting for the incoming attack.

".....GO!"

Lucas swung-- but stopped a few inches short, just a tiny distance from satisfaction. The boy flinched hard, visibly struggling to keep from folding into himself. His face had scrunched into a wince and turned away from the direction of Lucas' fist.

Lucas cackled.

"Oh my god, oh fucking.. really? Really, man?"

He chortled for a moment, shaking his head with disbelief, before going back into his mock up attack stance.

"I mean.. I know I ordered for you to be more of an idiot then you already were, but this.. Ok, here we go, now really get ready for it."

Lucas waited until the box boy had straightened himself back into position, arms loose at his sides, his breathing somewhat evened out.

"One.... T--!!"

Right before two, he swung his entire weight into the punch, landing it squarely on the boy's cheek. The room seemed to vibrate from the sound; there was silence as time felt suspended for a brilliant, white hot moment, before the rythmic music flooded back in.

The box boy somehow stayed true to where he stood, his head only slightly pushed to the side where he was hit. Lucas was surprised, no, disappointed, to see that there had been no blood arcing into the air, or screams of anguish. The boy only shuddered once with a deep, long sigh, and as if he were gathering his broken pieces back together, he breathed deeply in and faced forward, meeting Lucas' incredulous stare once again.

Not even a tear graced those unfairly gorgeous eyes.

He shouldn't be so surprised, not with what the pet used to be able to take, in his former life. Even though they shrunk him down to his frame at the facility, he was still a sturdy and stubborn athlete to the end.

Lucas was well aware of his own physical limits, after all, he only bought the knuckle duster because he didn't trust himself to actually cause any damage. He had never fully grown into his lanky limbs, even as a young adult. He was still shorter and smaller then the boy he had bought, but it didn't matter, not any more. Lucas' sheer intensity filled the room, his ego leering down at his prey, hungry to consume.

"That wasn't so bad, wasn't it? I mean.. really.. You don't seem to be very responsive, so I guess we might need to *wake you up* a little bit more!"

The boy's bottom lip began to tremble, as he attempted to form words. Lucas slightly lowered his fist, waiting, one eyebrow cocked.

"Well?! Choke it out."

"M-m-master, I am r-responsive," the boy garbled, his voice raspy and dry. Lucas watched with entertainment as he kept glancing at the cup of water, sitting nearby.

"Are you? Are you really though..?"

The first hints of a bruise began to bloom across the boy's cheek, darkening his already russet brown skin. It brought another curling smile to Lucas' lips as he rounded the helpless box boy again.

"You know you deserve this," he said, his voice taking on a different, shaky note. Like earlier, it was hard to tell if it was directed at the boy, or himself. He steadied his fist for another strike, this time at 742's ribs.

"You fucking deserve this!!"

He cried out, his voice breaking a little as he slammed the brass knuckles into the boy's ribcage. Another ripple of force tore through his arm, and violently through the boy's torso, finally yanking a delicious scream out from inside of him.

It was music to Lucas' ears.

Tag list: @whumpocalypse @darkapatheticwriter

*Credit to @shameless-whumper for Colton and the Host reference

[cozywine]

Title: My Type pt. 1

Summary: A fluffy piece based on a dream I had. F!Reader feels self conscious about her body size and he makes her feel better.

Pairing: SpencerxF!Reader

CW/TW: mention of general challenges with dieting and body image. No description of eating disorder though.

................................................................................

The case the team was currently on had been twisty turny in the worst way. They had been brought to Chicago after human remains had been found within 3 churches that were recently demolished. The remains were posed the same way and had been hidden in the same manner- beneath the baptismal font. They had been there over a week and were still trying to figure out who was responsible for the crimes. They'd had a suspect but it had led to nothing... Starting over was always the worst.

"Ok, let's go back to the beginning... What do we know about the victims?" Rossi instructed paternally.

"All females between the ages of 21 and 35." Y/N stated quickly. "No ties to the churches they were found within."

"All of them were college educated and single," added Emily. "And they were attractive... physically fit, well dressed and likeable types. Popular on Tinder and their other social medias."

Y/N always felt uncomfortable when profiling someone based off their physical traits... Bluntly put, she wasn't slim. In a profile, that would make her considered less sexually appealing for the majority of UnSubs. Statistically, it was a fact. Yet it always felt like there could be some subjectivity when her colleagues brought up the stature of those they worked to avenge.

All of her female colleagues were slimmer than her. She often found herself donning bulky sweaters in dark colors, hoping they would disguise the softness of her belly and the rolls on her back, just below her bra line. In magazines she'd read that she should emphasize her face and cleavage, as if that would distract anyone from the parts of her body she disliked.

Of course she was physically fit and capable of passing her field tests... She just didn't have the same body type as her colleagues. Where they were lean, she was voluptuous. Over-full. Despite lifelong diets and general misery around food, her body size remained a pain point until finally after working with a therapist, she discovered intuitive eating. Y/N now felt more connected to her body, appreciated it's cues for the type of fuel it needed, and generally struggled less around her eating habits. But the body image challenges... Those continued. Some days worse than others... And today was one of those.

She knew it wasn't necessarily intentional, but Derek never made flirtatious comments toward her. She sometimes sensed that Rossi put all of the vegetables closer to her end of the table. Hotch usually signed her up for desk work if it was an option. And Spencer, pipe cleaner that he was... Never gave her a second glance. They were all great friends, especially Y/N and the younger Doctor... Both intellectual, sensitive and intuitive, they got along famously. But Y/N knew it would never be more than that... Someone as beautiful as Spencer Reid would never give her the time of day.

"With no ties to the churches, being buried beneath the baptismal font could indicate our UnSub as someone looking to cleanse them of their sins of life." Y/N added, snapping out of her negative thoughts to focus on the case. "What would make someone want to do that?"

"If I'm the UnSub, these churches mean a lot to me.. So I'm religious. I would be repulsed by their lack of virtue... Yet possibly attracted to them. What would that make me do?" Morgan added. "I might feel that this is the only way to feel holy again."

"So we need to go back to the church... We already figured that this UnSub would need access to the facility but there must be someone we missed." Rossi said.

Rossi and Morgan went back to the church while the rest of the team worked with Garcia to pinpoint any specifics of who might be the culprit. Limited social media use by the UnSub made it tricky, but you eventually tracked down Joseph Knight. He was a current seminary student placed at one of the many Catholic churches in Chicago. In his mission work, he organized events for young professionals to volunteer as tutors for lower income students. As it turned out, all three victims had been to at least one tutoring session, each in a different neighborhood.

"So there's our connection, my furry friends. And wouldn't you bet the next event is tomorrow night?" Garcia said.

"If we send someone in who fits his type, we could draw him out..." Emily added. "What do you guys think?"

Y/N took a deep breath. "Yeah, I think it could work. You or JJ rock paper scissors for it. I'm going for a coffee refill... Anyone need anything?"

Y/N pushed away from the table, pushing up the sleeves of her navy blazer and wrapping the strap of her wallet around her wrist. She adjusted her jeans quickly, making sure they still sat at the narrowest part of her waist and ensured that her striped tee wasn't clinging anywhere. She felt a little flustered, her outfit not doing as much as she'd hoped to make her feel confident. The local coffeeshop around the corner had friendly baristas and a little positive human interaction would definitely improve her mood.

"I'll join you," Spencer said quickly. "If that's all right. I could use some fresh air."

They walked in silence to the coffeeshop in the brisk September air, Spencer holding the door for Y/N with a small smile. He did this for everyone, so Y/N paid it no mind. The shop smelled delicious, roasty and warm. They hopped in the short line, and Y/N perused the drink list. In their week there, she'd tried a few specialties but mostly stuck to plain coffee.

"Okay genius... Which has more caffeine, black coffee or an Americano?" She asked, trying to lighten the mood.

His eyes shone, excited for the opportunity to talk about something other than work.

"Contrary to popular belief," he explained, his hands moving as he spoke, "One 2 oz double espresso shot has about 80 milligrams of caffeine. Whereas a 12 oz brewed coffee has about 120 milligrams. So actually there is more caffeine in an average cup of drip coffee than in espresso. If you really want to go crazy you could get a red-eye, but I wonder if the post-caffeine crash is really the best idea for you today."

"What do you mean? I'm fine." She said. "Frustrated that I had to board Millie for a second week, but I know we're getting closer to solving this." Thinking of her sweet lab mix made her smile.

"Fair. I just mean, you seemed a little touchy when Emily suggested sending in someone as bait."

"Yeah, I don't know. They'll figure out who's the most attractive. It will probably work. It's good, for sure."

"The most attractive to that UnSub, you mean?" He tried to clarify, not totally sure why she sounded so down talking about it.

"Oh yeah, yeah... Of course." She shrugged. The line had dwindled. She smiled at the barista, who was wearing a hand drawn name tag. "Hi Jenny, how are you?... Great thanks. Can I please have a medium plain latte with an extra shot? Thank you so much. Spence, what's your order?"

He flushed, clearly feeling a little awkward. "Oh, a large pour over... The Guatemalan single origin, if you have it."

The barista nodded, and Y/N chuckled lightly at his very specific order. She paid, tipping Jenny generously, and they went to stand near the pickup counter.

"Single origin, huh? Getting fancy, Dr. Reid." Y/N teased. Her brief conversation with Jenny had brightened her day.

"Yeah, they tend to be more interesting than a blend so I like to try them when I can... Thank you for buying by the way... next one on me, ok?" She nodded in response, and he continued.

"Did you know that Guatemala is one of the top ten coffee producers in the world, producing more than 204,000 metric tons of coffee beans a year?" He looked delighted, a far cry from his usual down turned look when they were on a case. He looked... Great.

Y/N tried not to focus too much on the happy crinkles around his eyes or the way his large yet delicate hands gestured as he spoke. She knew he would never consider her equally lovely.

Their coffees came up quickly and they returned to the station ready to plan for the next days effort.

A/N stay tuned for part 2... Just thought this was getting a little lengthy!