#incredible that this is also now a topic of controversy

[sixth-light]

I was recently gifted a book for the child written and published in the UK in 1980 and, in the context of everything about children and gender these days, it is extremely notable that the book consistently uses 'it' pronouns for a toddler in a way that was clearly normal at the time. Literally over my lifetime we've gone so far backwards on hyper-gendering small children.

[cosmicaura7]

AITA SERIES

Pairings : pedro pascal characters x reader

Genre : f/m, sexual implications, controversial topics, taboo topics, use of R to refer to reader, 

Synopsis : So Reddit, Am I the Asshole…?

Clint Flood (Freaky Tales)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for being in love with my boyfriend’s dad?

I know how this sounds. I’m not proud of it. But I also can’t stop thinking about it, so here I am.

I (26F) have been dating J (28M) for almost a year now. He’s a good guy, steady, kind and a little boring but safe. The kind of guy you’re supposed to want to marry. The kind your mom would approve of.

Then there’s his dad. C (mid-50s). A little rough around the edges. Quiet, tall and intense. He’s got these piercing eyes that feel like they can see right through you and this whole ex-military and no-bullshit vibe that makes the air change when he walks into a room.

The first time I met him, I already felt something. But I ignored it, pushed it down. But it’s gotten worse. Every time I visit their family cabin, every time we sit across from each other at dinner, I feel his gaze linger just a little too long. I catch him watching me when he thinks I won’t notice. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t look right back. It’s not just lust, either. He actually sees me, listens to me in a way his son never really does. He remembers the small things I say, and even notices when I change my hair. Once, when I was quietly crying in the hallway during a family weekend (long story), he was the one who came out and handed me a glass of water without a word.

I feel so drawn to him. And I know how messed up that is, I’m dating his son after all. There’s no world where this ends well. I haven’t cheated. I haven’t done anything beyond maybe letting my imagination wander and entertaining a few dreams I’ll never admit out loud. But lately, when I’m with J, I just feel off. Like I’m pretending. Like I’m waiting for someone else to walk into the room. Someone who makes my skin burn with just a glance.

So Reddit… AITA for staying in a relationship when my heart might be somewhere else? Am I horrible for wanting a man I can’t have? Or is this just a passing obsession I need to bury deeper?

Dave York (The Equalizer 2)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for not acting on feelings for my kids’ babysitter even though she clearly wants me to?

Okay Reddit, I know how this sounds, but hear me out before you jump to “creep” in the comments.

I (41M) am a divorced dad of two daughters, A (10) and M (7). They’re my world. Been raising them mostly solo for the past three years since the split and it hasn’t been easy. Between work, school pickups and dance recitals, I needed help. Enter her (let’s call her R, 26F), the babysitter I hired after a friend’s recommendation.

She’s absolutely incredible. Responsible, patient, smart, funny and grounded. Everything you’d want in a woman. My girls adore her. They draw her pictures, ask for her when they’re sick, even slip up and call her “Mom” sometimes. I figured that would make things easier, someone stable in their lives.

What I didn’t expect was me being the unstable one. Because the problem is, she’s also gorgeous. Like, unfairly so. And lately, I can’t tell if I’m imagining things or if she’s trying to test me. The casual touches, the way she lingers in the kitchen when I come home, the soft voice when she tells me I look tired and should get more sleep, the ridiculously tight tank tops, the lip gloss and the way she looks at me when she doesn’t think I notice.

Part of me, a big part, wants to give in. I’m a man, I’m not oblivious to it. But the other part? The one that tucks my daughters in at night? That part is scared shitless. What if I misread everything? What if this ruins the bond she has with my girls? What if they lose someone they love because their dad couldn’t keep it in his pants?

She’s never said anything outright, never crossed a clear line. But I can feel the tension and I can feel myself getting closer to breaking every day. I want her so badly but I also want what’s best for my kids. I just don’t know if those two things can exist at the same time.

So Reddit… AITA for keeping her at arm’s length when all I want to do is pull her closer?

Dieter Bravo (The Bubble)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for falling in love with my fake PR girlfriend and not knowing if she actually likes me or is just a better actor than I am?

Okay. Buckle up, internet strangers because I’m spiraling.

I (early 40s M, actor, you’ve probably seen me snort a line or die dramatically in something) was recently paired up with another actor (let’s call her R, 30s F, wildly talented, unfairly hot and intimidatingly cool) to star in this big dramatic slow-burn romance film. Think tortured artists, rainy kisses and completely Oscar bait.

To sell it? The studios and our agents cooked up this genius idea, let’s fake date. Hold hands at events, post blurry selfies on Instagram, give flirty interviews. You know, classic “no, we’re just good friends… wink” PR bait. At first, I laughed. I’ve done this crap before. All the camera flashes, fake kisses, casually mentioning her in interviews, rinse and repeat.

Except it stopped feeling fake. I stopped feeling fake. Somewhere between the shared hotel rooms, the quiet after-parties, the little glances during press junkets, I fell for her. Fully, horrifically and irrevocably. The kind of fall that makes your chest hurt and your ego scream. The worst part? I have no clue if she feels the same. She’s good, man. Oscar-nominee good. She leans into my arm like she means it. Laughs at my dumb jokes like they’re brilliant. Once she looked at me after a long day of shooting and said, “Sometimes I forget this isn’t real.” and I swear to god my soul left my body.

But then the next morning she’ll be cold again. Professional and distant. Like I dreamed the whole thing. Like it’s all just lines from a script I don’t have a copy of. Now I’m sitting here, fully in love with the woman I’m supposed to be pretending to love and I don’t know if I should say anything. What if I ruin everything? What if she is just pretending? What if I’m just another role she nails while I’m over here method acting heartbreak?

So Reddit… AITA for catching real feelings during a fake relationship? Or just an idiot with a crush and no chill?

Din Djarin (The Mandalorian)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for not following through with a hit because I fell in love with the target?

Yeah. That title’s a mess. So’s the situation.

I (40M) work in a niche line of work. Let’s just say I solve problems that require extreme discretion and no paper trail. You hire me and the problem disappears. Clean and quiet within a blink of an eye.

A few months ago, I got a high-paying job from a rich smug prick who wanted his ex-wife taken care of. No explanation, just names, photos and a price I couldn’t ignore. I’ve done worse for less so I took it. Her name is R (36F). First time I saw her, she was sitting outside a little bookstore she owns, sipping coffee, talking to some neighborhood kid like she wasn’t marked for death. I kept my distance. Observed and waited for the right time.

Only it never came.

The more I watched, the harder it became to see her as a target. She volunteers at shelters. Leaves snacks out for delivery drivers. She sings in her car when she thinks no one’s watching. She’s light and warm. The kind of woman you protect, not eliminate.

I told myself I was just gathering intel but days turned to weeks. I started memorizing her routines. I learned the way she laughs when she texts her sister, the exact brand of tea she drinks, the way she tucks her hair behind her ear when she’s nervous. Somewhere along the way, the job stopped being a job. I never made contact, never said a word. But I started feeling and now I’m in too deep. I backed out of the job quietly. Told the client it was unworkable, returned the deposit. He wasn’t happy but I’d rather deal with him than live with the thought of hurting her.

Problem is, I still want her. And I’ve imagined going up to her. Introducing myself as just a guy who walked into her in a random shop. Letting her fall for me without knowing who I really am. But that feels like a lie. I’ve already lied by omission.

So Reddit… AITA for falling for her while stalking her? For not telling her the truth even though every part of me wants to protect her now? Or would telling her everything be the most selfish thing I could do?

Ezra (The Prospect)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for secretly dating my best friend’s brother even though she explicitly told me not to?

So I (F, 27) have been best friends with this girl since we were 7. We grew up together, sleepovers, secrets, teenage rebellion, the whole deal. She’s like a sister to me and we’ve been through everything.

Which means I also grew up around E (M, 34), her older brother. E was the charming, sarcastic, effortlessly cool older brother who’d tease us when we were kids, drive us around when we were teens, and smirk at me in that infuriating way that made me blush harder than I’d like to admit. We always had this… thing. Flirty comments, lingering looks, stupid jokes that only made sense to us. But I never acted on it. My best friend made it very clear and very early on that E was off limits. “It’d be weird.” She said, “Gross. I don’t want my bestie being near my brother like that

Fast forward to last year. I ran into E at a party she dragged me to and it was different. The flirting was heavier. The air was tense. He looked at me like he really saw me. One thing led to another, and… yeah. We started secretly dating. At first, it was light, late-night texting, stolen moments, private dinners. But it grew deeper. He’s thoughtful, steady, makes me laugh and makes me feel safe. He listens. We talk about everything. I think I’ve loved him longer than I’ve even known what love was.

We’ve been together for 5 months now. My best friend doesn’t know. I’ve lied to her face more times than I can count and I hate it. Every time E and I sneak around, a part of me dies a little because I know how betrayed she’ll feel if (when) she finds out.

But here’s the thing, it’s not some casual fling. We’re in love. I want to tell her. We both do. We just don’t know how without blowing up twenty years of friendship. And I can’t stop asking myself, do I owe her that level of loyalty? Or am I allowed to be happy even if it’s messy?

So Reddit… AITA for going behind my best friend’s back and dating her brother, the one person she begged me not to fall for?

Francisco Morales (Triple Frontier)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for wanting to ask out a woman who used to sleep with my best friend (even though I’ve liked her for years)?

Yeah, I know how this sounds. Buckle up.

I (38M) have this friend, let’s call him Pope, who I’ve known forever. We’ve been through the shit together. The kind of friendship where you’d kill for the guy, no questions asked.

A few years ago, he was hooking up with this woman (let’s call her R, 30F). Nothing serious. Just casual, no-strings. He made that clear to all of us. And she seemed fine with it. They’d hook up after drinks or late nights but it fizzled out naturally. No drama. No breakup. Just life moving on.

Thing is that I liked her, always liked her. Since day one. She’s smart, hilarious, can handle a room full of testosterone like it’s nothing and has this way of looking at you that makes you feel like you’re the only guy in the world. I kept my distance out of respect. You don’t move in on your best friend’s girl even if she was never really his girl. But now, years later, I still haven’t stopped thinking about her. We still talk and hang out sometimes. There’s a spark there, I swear. But I haven’t said a damn thing. Partly because I’m a coward, partly because I don’t want to blow up my friendship with Pope.

I asked him once, hypothetically, how he’d feel if someone dated a girl he’d just “hooked up with.” He shrugged and said, “If it was just a hook-up, I wouldn’t give a shit.” But I don’t know if he actually meant it. And I don’t know if it’s different when it’s one of us, tight-knit, military bond and all.

So Reddit… AITA if I ask her out? Am I a bad friend for wanting a chance with the woman he technically had first, even if it was casual and years ago? Or should I just shut my mouth and keep pretending I don’t care?

Harry Castillo (The Materialists)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for wanting to financially support my assistant in a way that might make me her sugar daddy?

Throwaway because, well, obviously.

I (42M) run several successful business firms and have a phenomenal assistant (26F). Let’s call her R. She’s sharp, competent, endlessly patient with my disorganization and frankly the reason this whole damn office runs at all.

Here’s the thing, I’ve noticed she’s been struggling lately. She’s skipping meals, avoiding turning on the office heat even when she’s freezing. I caught her patching a hole in her shoe with tape. She’s proud and never complains, but it’s obvious she’s barely staying afloat. I pay her more than what she deserves for her position but I know life’s expensive, especially in Manhattan. I also know she’s got student loans and takes care of her family. And I hate seeing her like this, it’s been eating at me.

So here’s where I might be the asshole, I’ve been toying with the idea of offering her help. Not a raise (I already gave her one recently). Not a loan (she’d never accept). More like a “no strings attached” arrangement where I’d take care of her rent, groceries or whatever she needs, if she lets me. Yes, I know how that sounds. I’m not trying to be a creep. I’m not expecting anything in return, no paying back, no sexual favors. But there’s no way to make this offer without it sounding like I want to be her sugar daddy.

Truth is… I wouldn’t hate that idea if she was open to something more. She’s beautiful and smart. The kind of woman I’d fall for in another life. But that’s not what this is about. I just want to take care of her and make sure she’s okay. If there’s anything more deserving in living the lavish life, it’s definitely her. 

So Reddit… AITA for even thinking about offering something like that? And if not, how the hell do I go about it without sounding like an old pervert?

Jack “Whiskey” Daniels (Kingsman)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for being cold to a woman at work because she reminds me of my dead wife?

I (late 40s, M) work in a high-risk field, let’s just call it federal-level security with a cowboy hat on top. I’m used to staying sharp and staying detached. I’ve had to be, ever since I lost my wife ten years ago. She was my everything. Sweet, sharp-tongued and tough as nails under lace. When she died… I buried my heart with her.

Then came her.

Let’s call her R (mid-30s, F). She’s the new secretary at our organization. Handles the logistics, the schedules, the background noise of our chaos. Always has a coffee in hand, always humming something, always looking at the world like it still deserves to be forgiven. The first time I saw her, I froze. She didn’t look exactly like my wife, not quite, but she moved like her, laughed like her and smiled with that same little tilt that used to undo me in an instant. And ever since then, I’ve treated her like she’s done something wrong just by walking into the damn room.

I’m short and dismissive with her, sometimes even rude. I pretend not to hear her when she says good morning. Once or twice, I’ve even corrected her harshly in front of others for mistakes she didn’t make. I know I’m being cruel. She hasn’t done a damn thing to deserve it. But every time she opens her mouth, I hear a ghost. Thing is, she’s never pushed back. She just looks at me with this confused kind of hurt, like she doesn’t understand what she did wrong and the truth is, she didn’t, never did. I did. I’m the one turning grief into anger. I’m the one who never dealt with losing the woman I loved and now I’m taking it out on someone who’s just being kind.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about apologizing, about telling her the truth. But I’m afraid if I let her in, I’ll start feeling again. And I don’t know if I’ve got the strength to lose someone twice.

So Reddit… AITA for being a jackass to someone just because she reminds me of someone I lost? Or is this just the only way I know how to cope?

Javi Guttierez (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for kissing my assistant and confessing my feelings, only for her to completely ignore it the next day?

This might be a mess so bear with me.

I (M, 33) am a scriptwriter and producer. I’ve worked my way up in this business and I take it seriously. One of the smartest things I ever did was hire her, my assistant (F, 28). Let’s call her R. She’s incredible. Organized, sharp, cool under pressure, has this dry humor that makes me laugh at the worst times and somehow remembers every detail about everyone I ever meet. She makes me better. She makes the job look easy.

And I’ve been in love with her for almost two years.

I know it’s unprofessional. I kept it quiet, never crossed a line, not even a toe near one. Because she deserves respect and I’d rather suffer in silence than make her uncomfortable or jeopardize her career.

But it’s been getting harder lately, especially at industry parties. She turns heads when she walks into a room. Every actor, every big name, they all want a piece of her. And I just stand there, pretending I don’t care. Pretending I’m not dying inside when they make her laugh, when they ask for her number, when she says, “I’m working” and looks away.

Then came this gala. One too many champagne flutes. One too many guys trying to corner her. She looked uncomfortable, kept glancing at me across the room. And something in me snapped. I pulled her away from the crowd, took her to the balcony, and without thinking, I kissed her. Then I told her everything. That I’ve liked her since week one. That I think about her all the time. That it kills me to watch her with anyone else.

And she just ran. Didn’t say a word. Just turned and walked away.

Next morning? It was like it never happened. She showed up, clipboard in hand, rattling off schedules, looking me dead in the eye like she hadn’t fled from my lips ten hours prior. I’ve tried talking to her. I’ve begged for just five minutes of her time. She dodges me, changes subjects, acts like everything is normal, and it’s driving me insane. I feel like I crossed a boundary. But also, I was honest. I never forced anything. I just said how I felt.

So Reddit… AITA for kissing my assistant and confessing my feelings after years of silence, even if now she won’t speak to me?

Javier Peña (Narcos)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for constantly rejecting my coworker’s advances even though I’m actually in love with him?

This is going to sound like I’m the world’s biggest idiot, but here goes.

I (29F) work for the government. It's a hard, high-stress job and there’s not a lot of room for vulnerability or, y’know, romance. Which sucks because I’ve been half in love with my colleague, let’s call him J, since the day I met him.

He’s everything you’d want in a man. Confident, charming and dangerous in that bad boy way. He walks into a room and women stare. He talks and people listen. He flirts like it’s breathing. And yeah, he’s got a reputation. Everyone knows he’s been around, probably the most sexually experienced man I’ve ever met.

Me? I’ve never even had sex. Not religious, not traumatized, it just never happened for me. I’ve always been shy and easily intimidated. I was the "shy bunny" in the academy, not the one guys chased after. And when J started flirting with me, like really flirting, I froze.

It’s not like I’m not interested, I am. But every time he makes a move, I panic, I dodge, I pretend that I’m too busy or brush him off with a joke. Because the thought of actually being with him, of taking off my clothes in front of a man like that, makes me want to crawl into a hole. I’m scared I’ll disappoint him. That I’ll be awkward or inexperienced or just not enough. And then I’ll ruin the one good relationship I have on this damn job. He still flirts, still checks in. But I can feel the distance growing. I think he’s starting to think I’m not into him. Or worse, that I’m playing games. I’m not. I just don’t know how to tell him why I keep backing off.

So Reddit… AITA for rejecting him over and over while secretly being in love with him? Should I be honest and risk everything? Or just keep my mouth shut and let him move on to someone who won’t choke up the second he touches her?

Joel Miller (The Last of Us)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for having feelings for my dad’s best friend, who basically helped raise me?

Okay, so this is going to sound real bad on paper, but hear me out.

I (26F) have known this man, J, since I was a kid. He’s my dad’s best friend, a grumpy rugged Texan who’s been around for every milestone in my life. School plays, birthdays, college move-in day, you name it, J was always there, usually fixing something or standing off to the side with a cup of coffee and his permanent scowl.

Here’s the thing, somewhere in the last year or two, I started not seeing J as just “Dad’s friend.” Like, I’ll walk into the kitchen in my pajamas and he’s fixing the sink with his sleeves rolled up, arms flexing and suddenly I’m thinking things I should probably be arrested for. It’s not just physical. He listens to me, respects me and treats me like a grown woman, not a little girl.

A few nights ago, he stayed over after helping Dad rebuild the deck. I poured him a whiskey after Dad went to bed and we talked for hours. At one point, he brushed my hand and didn’t pull away right away. It was small but it felt like something shifted. Here’s the kicker, I want something to happen. I want him but I feel like the biggest asshole on the planet because 1.) he’s my dad’s best friend, 2.) he’s literally 20+ years older than me, and 3.) I know if my dad ever found out, it’d destroy their friendship.

So Reddit… AITA for wanting to sleep with the man who basically helped raise me? I haven’t acted on it yet, but I want to desperately. Am I a terrible person for thinking so?

Marcus Acacius (Gladiator II)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for secretly dating my professor after we hooked up, even though I was the one who pursued him first?

Throwaway for obvious reasons. This is messy and I know it.

So I (22F) am a senior in college, finishing my degree in classical studies. For the past year, I’ve been taking a Roman history seminar taught by Professor M (M, late 30s?). He’s brilliant, sharp-tongued, a little intimidating and, honestly, incredibly attractive in that cold, untouchable kind of way. I’ve had a crush on him since day one.

He’s very professional, like textbook boundary-keeper. Never gave me special treatment, never even hinted at anything, even though I was top of his class and probably tried way too hard to impress him. I figured it would stay one-sided forever. Until a few weeks ago, I went to a bar near campus with friends. And who do I run into? Him. Out of the suit, out of the lecture hall, totally relaxed. He buys me a drink. We talk, like, really talk. He’s charming, funny and flirty. I was shocked. One thing led to another and I ended up at his apartment. We slept together. It was intense, passionate and everything I’d secretly fantasize about.

We talked the next morning. He made it very clear that he hadn’t planned it, that it was wrong in theory, but neither of us wanted to stop. So we kept seeing each otherecretly. Always professional on campus. No PDA. No weird behavior in class. It’s all strictly off the clock.

And honestly? I’m happy. I care about him. I think he cares about me too. But lately, some classmates have started joking that he favors me, not knowing anything is happening, and it’s making me feel paranoid. I’m terrified of ruining his reputation, of jeopardizing his career or mine. 

So Reddit… AITA for crossing that line with him? Or are we just two adults trying to be careful about something real in a setting that doesn’t make room for it?

Marcus Moreno (We Can Be Heroes)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for feeling blindsided that my neighbor, who babysits my daughter and I might be falling for, has a kid I didn’t know about?

Hey Reddit, this might sound like a midlife crisis-in-the-making but I really need some outside perspective.

I (M, 39) am a single dad. My daughter, also M (F, 8), is the best part of my life. I work a demanding job, and for the past year or so, my neighbor (F, 35), let’s call her R, has been babysitting M when I’m away. She’s kind, dependable and just gets my daughter in a way that instantly puts me at ease.

More than that, she gets me. We’ve grown close. Coffee on porches. Passing each other in the hall. Sometimes we talk until midnight over paper takeout boxes and M’s school projects. I always chalked it up to neighborly chemistry, nothing more. But lately, I’ve caught myself looking at her differently, wondering if maybe, just maybe, she might feel the same. My daughter doesn’t help. Every other night it’s, “Daddy, she has a crush on you.” Or “I think she’d be a great mom someday, like, to me.” Kids, right?

I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. I figured if she felt something, she’d say something or maybe I’d grow the courage to bring it up myself. But then, this weekend, a car pulls up in her driveway. I look out the window and I see a man step out, not threatening, just there. And then a little boy hops out of the back seat and runs into R’s arms.

My heart dropped. Turns out she has a kid, a son. From a previous marriage, she’s divorced. None of this was ever mentioned in all our conversations and now I feel off? Confused. A little betrayed? I know that sounds unfair, she’s not obligated to tell me her life story. But after all these quiet, close nights and tender moments and hearing from my daughter that she might have feelings for me, why didn’t she ever tell me about her son? I haven’t said anything. I don’t want to make her feel guilty. She still babysits my daughter. But I can’t stop replaying it all. Did she keep it from me on purpose? Was I just a fool for thinking we had something? Or am I just overwhelmed because I wanted her to be part of our little family and didn’t realize she already had one of her own?

So Reddit… AITA for feeling a little heartbroken and distant after finding out my neighbor has a son she never told me about?

Marcus Pike (The Mentalist)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for not telling my best friend that I’m secretly dating the man she just asked me to help her get with?

I (F, 30s) have been dating a coworker of mine, let’s call him M (late 30s, thoughtful, charming, ridiculously handsome) for over three years. We met working in the same department (federal law enforcement, so discretion is basically part of the uniform), and from the start, we kept it quiet. No PDA at work, no romantic texts on company phones, nothing that could put us under scrutiny. It was just easier that way, completely private and ours.

Fast-forward to now, we’ve built a whole life together in the shadows. We take trips, spend weekends at each other’s apartments, and talk about buying a house someday. The real deal.

Here’s the problem, my best friend, who also works in our agency, pulled me aside a few days ago and told me she has a huge crush on M. She said she’s had a thing for him for months but didn’t know how to approach it. And then she asked if I could help set her up with him, talk her up, ease her in, “put in a good word.” She has no idea I’m with him. We’ve never told anyone. And the worst part? She was genuinely excited when she told me, like school girl giddy level. She said, “I really think he could be the one.”

Now I feel sick. I didn’t know what to say. I kind of froze, gave a weird laugh and changed the subject. But now she keeps asking about it. And I feel like I’m betraying both of them, M, by not protecting our relationship and her, by hiding something huge.

M says we can go public. That he’s fine with it if I am but then what? I tell her I’ve been with the guy she’s secretly pining over for years and just didn’t say anything? Won’t she feel humiliated? Betrayed? I’m terrified it’ll destroy our friendship.

So Reddit… AITA for not telling my best friend I’m already with the guy she wants? And if not, what the hell do I do now?

Max Philips (Bloodsucking Bastards)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for wanting to quit because my boss won’t turn me into a vampire even though I’m literally the top performer?

I (24F) started an internship at a mid-size sales company a few months ago. I was just trying to get some experience and a paycheck. I didn’t expect, you know, vampires to be a part of that experience.

The office rumor (that everyone knows is true) is that M (mid-30s? ageless? hot in a soul-sucking Wall Street vampire sort of way) is the boss who handpicks the best employees to “promote” aka turn them into vampires. It’s a reward. Eternal life, endless energy, better insurance and apparently a coffee tolerance that doesn’t make your hands shake. Thing is, I’ve crushed the sales board for three months straight. Like, no competition. The next closest guy is 42 calls behind and cries during lunch. I stayed up late. I meet quotas no one else touches. My neck is basically exposed at this point, figuratively and literally.

And yet nothing. No shadowy invite. No creepy-but-glamorous “let’s talk in my office with the lights off.” M just gives me these weird once-overs in the elevator and says things like, “Good work, kid,” like I’m still in high school. Meanwhile, last month’s top performer (D, who sells like he’s reading from a cereal box) got “promoted” after one good week.

I tried asking. M just smiled, that smug fanged GQ smile and said, “It’s not just about the numbers.” Which… okay? What is it about then? Charm? Blood type? Being less annoying during meetings? Now I’m spiraling. Like am I not vampire material? Am I too ambitious? Not attractive enough? Too human? Every day I walk past the break room and see the cool undead crowd sipping their crimson smoothies and laughing at inside jokes about graveyards and their never ending orgies, and I feel like the nerd no one wants at the slumber party.

I’m starting to hate him. Not just because he won’t bite me but because I wanted it. I earned it. And now I’m stuck here, mortal, exhausted and drinking stale coffee while wondering if I’m not enough.

So Reddit… AITA for wanting to quit my job because my boss won’t make me a vampire? Or am I just taking professional rejection way too personally?

Maxwell Lord (Wonder Woman 1984)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for wanting to ask out my son’s teacher even though I’m afraid of messing up his life again?

So, I (M, early 40s) am a single dad to the best kid on the planet, A (9M). Sweet, brilliant and too good for me honestly. His mom and I split a few years ago and I’ve been doing the whole daddy CEO redemption arc thing ever since. Trying to be a good man. Trying to keep the chaos in check. Trying not to completely screw this kid up.

Enter her. My son’s teacher. Let’s call her R (30s F). She’s sunshine in human form. Whip-smart, patient and warm. She talks to A like he’s the most important person in the room, and hell, she talks to me like I’m not just a walking Wall Street headline. I’ve been smitten since parent-teacher night. Every time I drop A off or pick him up, I try to be charming, likeable, funny, confident. You know, my usual moves.

And I fail miserably. Every. Single. Time.

She doesn’t laugh at my stupid money jokes, she gives me this look when I bring her overpriced coffee like she knows I googled “gifts teachers love.” Once, I tried to compliment her and said, “You’re doing really admirable work wrangling a room full of small people.” I sounded like I was describing a livestock auction. Still, she smiles. She’s kind and I think, maybe, she likes me back? Or at least doesn’t hate me. Which, for me, is progress.

Here’s the problem, I’ve been thinking about asking her out. Just coffee, something simple. But I keep stopping myself because of A. He adores her. I mean, glows when he talks about her. I don’t want to confuse him. I don’t want him to feel weird if she becomes something more to me than “Ms. R.”

But lately, he’s been drawing pictures of the three of us. Me, him and her. He says stuff like, “Ms. R would make a good mom.” Or, “Ms. R always makes me feel safe.” And I can’t help but wonder, is he already hoping for something more?

So Reddit… AITA for wanting to ask out my son’s teacher even if it risks changing something sacred in his life? Or should I just keep pretending this isn’t killing me a little more every time I see her?

Lucien De Leon (The Uninvited)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for not being able to look at my best friend the same after I saw her camming and moaning my name?

Yeah. I know how that sounds. But please let me explain before you judge.

I (M, 29) have been best friends with R (F, 28) since we were kids. Grew up in the same neighborhood, went through awkward teen years together, cried on each other’s shoulders during breakups, shared popcorn during horror movie marathons, the whole “platonic soulmates” deal. Everyone always assumed we’d end up together but we never crossed the line. Mostly because I never had the guts.

Truth is, I’ve been in love with her since high school. She’s funny, brilliant, completely unfiltered and has this laugh that makes me feel like everything’s okay. I never told her because I didn’t want to lose what we had.

Then last week, I was up late, bored, scrolling whatever and I ended up on a cam site. Just clicking around, not expecting anything.

And there she was.

On camera. 

In the most sinful lingerie I’ve ever seen and looking gorgeous as ever. And at first I froze. I thought, “No way. That can’t be her.” But it was 100% her. The mole on her hip, the way she chews her lip when nervous, her voice. 

And then she moaned my name. Not in passing. Not like in a roleplay type of way. My actual real name. I exited so fast I nearly dropped my phone. I haven’t told her. I can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t stop picturing it. Her, saying my name, like that. And now every time we hang out, it’s like a war in my head, part of me still wanting to protect her, the other part completely wrecked by desire and curiosity. I feel like I’ve violated something, even though she’s the one streaming it publicly. I feel like a creep but also kind of hopeful? Like maybe she feels something for me, too? I don’t know what to do. I can’t unsee it and I don’t know if I should talk to her, confess, or bury it forever.

So Reddit… AITA for not being able to treat my best friend the same now that I’ve seen her in that way, even if she doesn’t know I know?

Oberyn Martell (Game of Throne)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for falling in love with the enemy and not telling her I originally used her to get revenge on her family?

I (41M) come from a family with blood in the streets and revenge in its bones. We’ve been at war with another family, let’s call them the Ls, for decades. The kind of feud where you don’t just destroy businesses, you burn bloodlines.

A while back, I met her. Let’s call her R (32F) and is the youngest from that said family. She walked into a neutral club downtown like she owned it, and every man in the room turned to look. So did I. At first, I saw an opportunity. I’m not proud of it but I’ll be honest, I wanted to get close to her to hurt her family. Seduce her. Use her. Break her heart. Maybe learn a few secrets along the way. That was the plan.

Except, it didn’t go that way.

She didn’t fall easily. She’s not some porcelain princess. She challenged me, even mocked me. Didn’t take any of my shit. And somehow, in all that fire and venom, I started wanting her. Not as a pawn. As a person. As mine. We've been seeing each other in secret for almost a year now. Behind closed doors, it’s real. It’s not a game. I bring her flowers. She brings me peace. She’s the only one who touches me like I’m a man, not a monster. And gods help me, I think I’d burn down my whole empire just to keep her safe.

But I haven’t told her the truth. That I used her at first. That I lied when I said I just "ran into her." That I walked into her life with a knife hidden behind my back and only dropped it once I realized I didn’t want to hurt her, I wanted to keep her. Now I’m stuck. If I tell her the truth, I risk losing her forever. If I don’t, I’m living a lie. Every time I touch her, I wonder if she’d still look at me the same if she knew what I was when this started.

So Reddit… AITA for not telling her? For falling in love with the one woman I was supposed to destroy?

Pero Tovar (The Great Wall)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for wanting to say yes when my boss’s daughter asked me to get her pregnant to avoid sleeping with her fiancé?

I know how that title sounds. Believe me, I’ve lost sleep over it.

I (late 30s M), am an ex-military, currently working in private security. I was hired by a very rich, very controlling man to be his daughter’s bodyguard. Let’s call her R (mid-20s, beautiful, clever, and way too good for this world or for me).

R’s family is old-money, traditional and practically treats her like a business asset. A few months ago, they arranged for her to marry some stiff in a suit who’s more in love with her father’s power than with her. She doesn't love him, she’s made that clear. And now her family is pushing for kids. Like, very soon. Like, contracts signed and wedding night kind of pressure.

I’ve seen the way she looks after long meetings. Like she’s drowning. I’ve heard her cry in her room when she thinks no one’s listening. But I didn’t expect what she asked me. She pulled me aside yesterday. Calm, serious and no games. She said she couldn’t go through with letting a stranger own her body. That if she had to have a child, she wanted to choose the father. Someone she trusted. Someone she felt safe with. Someone like me. She said she wouldn’t expect anything else. No strings. No relationship. Just this one thing. And god help me, I want to say yes.

Because I’ve been falling for her since day one. Quietly. From the shadows. I was hired to protect her, not touch her, but every time I see her, I want to pull her away from all of this. From her family. From the cold fiancé. From the life she never chose.

But if I say yes, am I crossing a line? Taking advantage of her desperation? If I say no, I keep things clean, professional but I leave her alone in something that clearly terrifies her.

So Reddit… AITA for wanting to say yes when she asked me to give her something real in a life full of things she never chose?

Reed Richards (Fantastic 4)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for constantly arguing with my scientific rival, even though I might actually be in love with her?

Let me start by saying I’m not great with emotions. Equations? Fine. Quantum mechanics? My playground. Human connection? That’s where I fall apart.

I (40M) work in advanced theoretical physics, and I’m fairly well-known in my field. A few years ago, a new name started popping up in peer-reviewed journals. Let’s call her R (34F). She’s brilliant, bold and completely unapologetic. And somehow, infuriatingly, smarter than me in areas I used to dominate.

We met at a symposium and things escalated. What began as subtle jabs turned into full-blown intellectual warfare. Debates in front of panels. Arguments in laboratories. Petty rebuttals in published work. To everyone else, we’re rivals, frenemies at best, sworn enemies at worst.

But here’s the part no one knows, I don’t hate her at all.

In fact, I admire her more than anyone I’ve ever met. She challenges me. She keeps me on my toes. And, God help me, she’s gorgeous when she’s yelling at me about my “antiquated entropy model.” I’ve even found myself intentionally provoking her just to see the fire in her eyes. The problem? I’ve backed myself into a corner. I’ve spent so long acting like she’s my nemesis that I don’t know how to flip the script. I can’t just say, “Hey, I know I’ve spent the last three years criticizing your work in front of Nobel committees, but want to grab dinner sometime?”

She probably does hate me. Or worse, she sees me as a childish competitor who can’t handle being challenged by a woman. And maybe that’s not entirely wrong.

So Reddit… AITA for keeping up the act? For pretending to hate her when in reality I can’t stop thinking about her? I don’t even know if she’d take me seriously if I tried to be honest now. Or is it too late to change the rules of the game?

Tim Rockford (Merge Mansion)

~~ COMING SOON ~~

AITA for developing feelings for a witness in a murder case even though I’m the lead investigator and she’s the victim’s wife?

I know how it sounds. I hate that I’m even writing this. But here we are.

I (M, 40s) work in law enforcement, been doing it a long time. I’ve seen the worst of people. I’ve interviewed killers with no soul behind their eyes, and families so broken by grief I had to go sit in my car afterward and just breathe.

Then came her.

Let’s call her R (30s F). She was the wife of the man we found shot dead in their home. Brutal scene. She was there too, barely alive when we arrived. Beaten, bloodied and she fought like hell to survive. We think she wasn’t supposed to make it. Suspect must’ve thought she was dead when he fled.

We put her into a protective program while we sort this out. There’s still a threat, still pieces missing. And since I’m the lead on the case, I’ve been around a lot.

It started small, making sure she felt safe. Bringing her updates. Listening when she needed to talk about the past. Her husband wasn’t exactly Prince Charming. There’s a lot to unpack there. And somewhere along the line, I started seeing her as more than a witness. More than a case file. She’s sharp and resilient. The kind of woman who makes you want to be softer just standing near her. And she smiles at me, like she’s grateful I’m there, like she trusts me.

But here’s the thing: her husband just died violently. No matter how their marriage was, he’s gone and I’m the man investigating it. I’m supposed to be objective, professional. And I am, I swear I am. But I can’t lie to myself anymore and pretend I’m not catching feelings I shouldn’t. I haven’t acted on anything. I’d never cross that line. But the way she looks at me sometimes, I wonder if she feels it too.

So Reddit… AITA for wanting something with a woman who’s still technically grieving her dead husband, while I’m supposed to be the one protecting her?

[shhtickerbook]

CONSENT WITHIN AGE REGRESSION SPACES

So apparently this is a controversial take as when I posted about this topic on the agere subreddit, a lot of people didn’t agree which was incredibly worrying. The fact this is even considered controversial is ridiculous.

⭐️

EVEN IF AGE REGRESSION IS ENTIRELY NON SEXUAL, CONSENT IS STILL EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

⭐️

Age regression isn’t sexual, for most it is a coping mechanism and for some people, something they may not have control over. But when we are interacting with other people and involving them in your regression, said people have every right to be able to consent whether they feel comfortable. Somebody telling you that they’re not comfortable being around somebody regressed is not them being bigoted or ableist. And consent isn’t only ever necessary in nsfw spaces.

(I am not joking this is exactly the words people said)

⭐️

Ignoring somebody when they tell you they’re not comfortable around you regressing, is extremely unfair and disrespectful. Especially if you are in a public space, where drawing such attention (such as loudly baby talking, using pacifiers etc) could possibly put yourself and other people at risk of abuse or even assault. You wouldn’t say that somebody who’s uncomfortable around real babies is a bad person because the baby can’t help being a baby. People also have the right to say they’re uncomfortable around somebody regressing, not to mention the huge amount of pressure of somebody feeling like they’re now responsible for you.

⭐️

Your regression is still YOURS to manage. We may be babies sometimes, but it’s our responsibility to still be aware of those around us. Struggle with involuntary regressing? Try keep a survival kit on yourself of discreet toys and equipment. But another thing

If your regression is to a point where you are constantly involuntarily regressing to the point where you can’t care for yourself, you may need serious medical help. Age regression is a coping mechanism, and if it’s affecting you this severely, it’s likely not healthy for you.

⭐️

So find the people in life who love engaging with your little self, and please don’t make non regressors feel like they’re bad people because they aren’t good with regression. Everybody has their boundaries and they have every right to have such! 90% of the time they don’t hate you, or even regression as a whole. It’s just not for them! Everybody’s comfort is valid, not just ours.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

[alphajocklover]

Commissions, Rules, Story Index and Other Information ————

Commissions Information

I only have 5 slots at a time, but that may expand even more one day. I charge 1 cent per word. Below is a link to my ‘commissions page’ (it’s a google doc) with all the details, including a list of what I won’t do, what I definitely will do, and how to contact me. If you’re interested, please DM me and let me know!

————

Firstly this is a Jockification blog. It’s mainly about turning nerds into alpha male jocks. That doesn’t mean I won’t do other transformations or go into other kinks. I’ve already done some slightly different things like the macro tf and the Muscle daddy tf stories, both of which I loved writing. But most of this stuff is going to be jock tfs. Just wanted to make that clear.

Now, onto what I absolutely will not do. These are off limits, and I’ll explain why too. I’m not here to kinkshame or anything but I write these stories for fun, and if I’m not into something then it’s so much harder to write about.

Anything that’s not 18+. I know this is a very controversial topic, and I want to be clear. I do not have issues with age play (although personally I don’t love to write about that stuff either). As long as there are no actual children involved in the making of an erotic piece of fiction, or you are encouraging people to actually do horrible things to kids, you can write whatever you want. But since it’s so controversial, and it is way too easy to write something that makes light of a traumatic experience, I would rather avoid that all together.

Rape. Once again I am not going to kink shame anyone. A lot of people have a rape kink, and that’s perfectly normal. As long as all parties are consenting and of age irl, you can do whatever you want in the bedroom. But once again it is incredibly easy to write something that offends and hurts people, and on a personal note I just don’t feel comfortable writing something like that. I’m not gonna claim that everything I write, with all the reality bending and changing identities, is perfectly consensual, but there’s a big difference between writing about impossible magic powers and writing about realistic rape, and I don’t feel comfortable crossing that line.

Beastiality and Animals. Once again not going to kink shame anyone. And I want to stress I’m not talking about furrys or pup play or whatever. I’m talking about actual beastiality. You can write and read whatever you want as long as it’s not hurting people, but as far as I’m concerned animals can’t consent, so I won’t be writing anything with them in it. I’m also not entirely comfortable with human to animals tfs. Those are just not my thing.

Bathroom stuff and Smegma. This one is less complicated. I just don’t write this kink because I don’t like it. Watersports and scat and smegma all do nothing for me. Just a personal preference.

Real person Fiction. Once again it’s nothing personal. Plenty of people love real person fiction. I just feel so awkward writing about real live people. So I avoid it. Fanfiction about characters is another story.

Inanimate and Body part TF. I don’t really understand why, but these types of transformations make me uncomfortable. Really it’s just my preference.

Entirely Female Focused TFs: I am a gay man, and have a harder time writing erotic stories about women. While I can write about straight sex and women, I prefer to keep men as the focus, or at least have them heavily involved.

Gender TFs: I know this will probably upset some people, but I’ve personally just never enjoyed gender change tfs. Perhaps I will experiment with it one day, but not now.

Racial Slurs: While I do like raceplay and racial changes, I will not include slurs I cannot reclaim in my work. 

That’s all there is for my big limits. If theres anything else you’re unsure of and want to check, just DM me. I won’t judge, the worst I’ll do is say no. I hope all this serious talk didn’t upset anyone. More stories coming soon!

Will update as needed!

Just a reminder that I am up for story suggestions, questions, and DMs. I especially want story prompts because I’d love the opportunity to make more stories for you guys. I’m also open for trades if anyone is interested

————

Blogger Backup

My Blogger Blog, where I backup all of my stories, can be found here.

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Story Index

Below is a list of my bigger stories and ongoing series. I'll be doing this chronologically, and adding to it periodically! I'll be listing some kinks that are controversial or unusual for my blog next to each story they are in. I won't be marked G2S because I use that a lot. I hope this helps you guys get around my page better!

SuperNova TFs | A person makes a wish on a SuperNova

Older Brothers (My first story!) (involves incest)

Unmoved (involves bisexual sex)

Stereotypical

Professor to Frat Bro

Supernova Comedian (Political Play)

End of the World (100th Story Special!)

Wake Up | The true self awakens, and spreads

Wake up Bro

Wake up Pops

Marvel TFs | TFs themed around Marvel Characters. Not all connected

No longer a Spider, finally a Man (Implied relationship between a student and teacher)

Possessed by the Power of Thor (Giantism)

Like the Hulk

Like Wolverine

InstaJock TFs | A mysterious app that jockifies users.

InstaJock Introduction

InstaJock: A Small Glitch

InstaJock: On The Go

InstaJock: Details and Settings (Race TF, Asian)

InstaJock: Payback

Revert Mind

InstaJock: Preview

InstaJock: Research and Frats

InstaJock: Tricking a Thief

InstaJock: Regional

InstaJock: Secondhand

InstaJock: Girls

AlphaJock?!

InstaJock: Boyfriends

InstaJock: Double Friend Request (Race TF, Asian)

InstaJock: Sexuality

InstaJock: The Master and Mysteries

InstaJock: Other Apps (And First Year Anniversary QNA!)

InstaJock: Feed the Youth? (Male Lactation Kink, Muscle Tits) InstaJock: Pirate Link (Race TF, Asian)

Alpha with a Capital A | A look into literal Alphas

Alpha with a Capital A intro

Alpha with a Capital A: Sexuality

Alpha with a Capital A: Alphas and Gender (Transgender Character and physical gender transition)

Gay Couple to Straight Beta Bros

Greaser Alpha

Alpha with a Capital A: Big bro and Lil bro

Asian Alpha Bro

Jock Studies | Coaches and their brainwashed Jocks

Jock Studies: Swimming Coach

Straight to Gay

The role of Coaches

Assistant Coaches and Baseball

Eye of Beholder (EB) Jewelry | Jewelry Company with a secret

Engaged

Science Teacher to Football Coach

EB Jewelry: New CEO

EB Jewelry: The New COO

AirBFnBF

EB Jewelry: My Friend and Gauges

EB Jewelry: Dog Tags and Brothers

The Best Club in Town | Gay clubs and their members are turned straight

The Best Club in Town

The Douchebag Revolution | Time traveling fight over your right to be a straight douche

Welcome to the Revolution

Douche Rehab

1,000 Follower Special, The Douchebag Revolution Begins

The Hometown Hex | The town where everyone is a jock. Everyone

The Hometown Hex

Baxter Beach

500 Followers Special: Wally's Visit

Made for This Town

The Hometown Hex: Exports

The Ranch

BDE: Big Dick Energy | Literal BDE causes changes

An intro to BDE

BDE: How it Works

BDE: Extreme Buildup and Infection BDE: A First Hand Frat Experience

Retsam Mirror | Swapped with your selection. By force

Retsam Mirror

Trapped

My Uncle | Lore on my character, and his journey to save his Uncle

My Uncle

My Uncle: A Follow Up

Nick the Devil | A friend (Boyfriend) of my characters Uncle, whose a literal Devil

Nick the Devil

Douchebags and Souls

Pornstars and Doppelgangers

The Church | Evil Church converts people into new member

The Church (Semi-religious themes)

Potions Set | I gave an Actor a bunch of potions. I hope it works out...

Getting the Role

Camous | Those who change to fit in

Camous

The Master | The Man behind InstaJock and my Uncles Transformation. The Big Bad.

InstaJock: Going Viral (@occamstfs Occams 2000 challenge entry)

The Drunken Chameleon | A TF Bar

The Perfect Bar for You

Halloween TFs | Halloween themed transformations! Returns every October!

Personal Transformations | Transformations my character performs | references other stories

Miscellaneous Stories | Stories without a series or common theme

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I hope you guys like this! It took a lot of work putting this index together. If you have any questions or ideas, or just want to, dm me! Total stories: 112

[elbiotipo]

do you think a hypothetical highly developed alien species, i.e. sapient, would have a body form much different from that of a human, beyond things such as taxonomic classification? the human body is essentially purpose-made to function as the best possible instrument of labor, with dextrous hands, an upright posture, long maneuverable limbs, etc. as labor is what seperates us from animals and what allows our life.

I've had this debate, I think that's an anthropocentric argument. Let's revise what are considered some of the "smartest" animals, in terms of problem solving, sociality, abstract thought, etc:

Primates, which are 99% identical to us

Cetaceans (dolphins, orcas, whales)

Corvids

Parrots

Octopuses

I'm missing more than a few, but notice that besides primates, which are basically us, they all have radically different body plans. Birds and octopuses do have dextrous appendages and use them to solve problems and use tools, but as you can see the difference between each and also primates is colossal. Cetaceans don't even have manipulators, yet they display very complex social behavior and problem solving, and have what some people have called a proto-language and "culture" (controversial but more here)

It's questionable that it was labor, or the use of tools on itself, that made us humans. What makes us human is perhaps one of the hottest topics to debate, but from the time I studied anthropology, it is not any anatomical feature, it seems to be abstract thought and culture. Abstract thought, as my professor put it, is the ability to imagine and concieve of something that doesn't exist yet (or cannot exist, or cannot be seen materially, like ideas) and managing to create it in real life, to take it out your mind so to speak and change the material world. Culture is the ability to transfer ideas from generation to generation through social learning. Many animals have social learning, but few (except maybe, maybe, cetaceans and corvids) have culture. I think this is key, for example octopuses are very smart, and they do have social skills, but they don't transfer any of those skills to the next generation or to their fellows, they don't really have a society*. Humans do; every single human being is shaped by culture, shares it and changes it and modifies it.

It was once thought that humans first evolved abstract thought and that "forced us" to become upright and use tools, now we know this isn't the case. Australopithecus already had upright bipedal posture, free hands for tool use, and it was probably pretty smart, yet it would have remained simply a bipedal ape if not by the development of abstract thought and culture. It's not like other animals don't have similar things, it's that humans are so incredibly defined by it that it makes our way of life unique.

With regards to alien life, well, we've seen incredibly complex behavior arise in animals as different as mollusks and vertebrates. I believe that alien life will look indeed, very, very alien, especially since the development of our own multicellular life was very bumpy and strange. But you know what's interesting? I believe that while we would have many differences between us and any alien civilization, we would be able to communicate and understand each other, to which degree I cannot say. Because, if what I say is true, and abstract thought and culture, mediated by language, are what create social animals capable of society and 'civilization', it means that there is a language that can be translated, and if that is the case, we can talk with them. About what? I cannot say.

(unless, like Lynn Marguillis has done a decent case for, the nervous system has its origin on modified microtubules, which are the result of endosymbiosis, and so it's a unique thing to animals and probably to Earth itself... then again, even slime molds, which are fungi, are able to display behavior similar to nervous systems, so I don't think this is a limitation)

*well, there's Octopolis and Octlantis, but that's more of individuals living together rather than a social group

[linkons-most-wanted]

Love your high school AU! How would you rank the LIs with respect to their overall academic performance and considering how much they actually care about it? (I feel like Zayne would be first place but Sylus is kinda competitive so...)

Oooh I love this question!

Smarts-wise, Sylus and Zayne are neck-and-neck. They have different kinds of genius. Sylus is intuitive and Zayne is methodical.

I think Sylus is simply too ADHD to care enough about grades to have his GPA reflect his intelligence, though. 😂 Teachers that vibe with him (by having reasonable and non-shitty policies) would be giving him A+ across the board, whereas in other classes if he thinks the homework is stupid he's just not going to do it. So he'd be the classic student where the teachers bemoan that he's "not living up to his potential". But he writes some damn good poetry.

Now Zayne, on the other hand--give him a rule and he's going to follow it. The man simply cannot do anything half way, and he's masochistic enough to do what needs to be done to get the grades (lookin' at you, med school). As a quintessential type five, he simply will not rest until he knows All The Things. The grade is secondary--if he can't ace the test, then he doesn't know All The Things and so he must study more.

Caleb's the one that's going to get really competitive. He's as ADHD as Sylus, but you think he's gonna let pipsqueak see Zayne be better at something than him without a fight? Hell no! Caleb will be casual about it at all times, of course, but as we know from Pathless Realms he was a top student at the Aerospace Academy. He's also going to subtly avoid topics he might not be as good at, packing his schedule with things that come easily to him. (Very type seven of him.)

I'm totally blanking on who made it, but I saw a lil comic about Zayne and Caleb where Zayne had no idea he was top of the class and Caleb was checking the rankings daily and trying to give Zayne a hard time, but Zayne was totally oblivious, and I just thought that was spot on. 😂

Xavier is definitely next up--he's mentioned that he got good grades in subjects he cared about, but not the others. So, he's up there, but def has a B- or a C+ floating around in there 😂 He's also maybe fallen asleep during a midterm or two...

Then we hav our dear fishie. Rafayel is as averse to being told what to do as Sylus, but completely unmotivated by status or money. Any time spent in class is time not spent on art. Any time studying is time not spent on art. Why exactly do I have to do anything that's not art? seems dumb. I'm sure he's got his teachers begging him to turn in the extra credit assignments so they don't have to fail him for the year because wow yeah his art is incredible.

It's not that Rafayel isn't smart. He picks up on more than people realize--as his teachers find when they try to call him out for doodling in the back of class and he immediately gives a complete and correct answer. But if he got really into a painting this week, yeah he's gonna skip the homework. And maybe he'll put in an effort for 70% of the test, but that's probably good enough, and he's gonna circle C for the rest of the questions and go back to doodling (probably MC) in the margins of his notebook.

Art history though? He can teach that class--and he does. Substitute teacher who? Just say something vaguely controversial and you can't stop Rafayel from talking about it. All that math stuff is for someone else to figure out. (Poor Thomas 😂)

Rafayel is also 100% going to pretend to be confused to get MC to tutor him. "I don't get it, can you explain it again?" (He already aced the homework last week.) Being doted on by her sweet, earnest, diligent efforts to explain? A million times better than getting A's.

So it's definitely Zayne > Caleb > Xavier right at the top of the class rankings.

Then, whether Sylus or Rafayel have worse grades depends a lot on whether Sylus sees an opportunity to drop out and start his own business. Why compete with other high school students for a piece of paper when you can be out there making real money, y'know?

If they both manage to graduate, they're pretty even in terms of DGAF energy 😂 But they'd also both be way higher in the class rankings than other people expect. The delinquent and the artist who never does his homework in the top 25%? What? How!

[asterberry]

Ace HCs

it's been a bit since i did more headcanons so i figured i'd do Ace :]

if anyone has suggestions on who i should do headcanons for next lmk! I'd like to get to everyone at some point but there are some characters i don't know enough about yet asdfhkdjk (im only on book 5 😭)

ipad kid. Crusty, cheetoh dust covered fingers ipad kid. Ace usually has sticky or dirty fingers from chips or whatever else and is constantly reminded to go wash them

Arcade fiend. He spends all his money on tokens and hardly wins any tickets. He also loves those little gacha machines that are a couple quarters in stores (he gave Yuu a plastic ring from once)

Wears crocs and slides majority of the time & Riddle screams at him when he does it with his dorm uniform

Severe self-esteem issues, he's good at hiding it but he often thinks of how he is a "weak link" and how the others will probably leave him behind some day. He can spiral quickly into panic attacks but it's usually why he gets into shenanigans, to distract himself (sorryyy i had to give at least a bit of angst, i've seen too many fics where ace is incredibly self depricating not to)

He loves origami and is quite skilled at it, he makes swans, dragons, and roses for his dormmates and friends on the regular (Riddle keeps every single one in his room, he appreciates it incredibly when his juniors, or anyone, gives him a gift)

Ace will bring up controversial topics just to start an argument. He'd probably be good in a debate team but he doesn't think it'd be as fun

Has faked sick to get out of dorm chores. Yuu dared him to use a different excuse every time he wants to get out of them so now his excuses are getting wilder and wilder

I forgot this was in my drafts from a couple days ago ngl. How is everyone's last few days of school- or summer to you lucky people? ONE LEFT!!! Today and then tomorrow will be the last! But theyre half days and no ones going to go anywaayyyy but i digress.

i've been listening to Obedience on loop i love it so much asgdjfk anyways have a good day :]

[xoxorealitygalore]

Midnight Dreams 5

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson x Black OC

Summary: Dwayne has secretly loved Snow for years, and as his feelings deepen, Snow begins to realize that Dwayne might be the love of her life.

Taglist: @bratzzzdoll @christinabae @magnificentbouquetmusic @lizzycaraballo-blog @ryecosse @isabella-2025 @bloodlineslut @she-is-a-saucey @mjonthetrack @tian-monique @duhitzkay380

Chapter Four

Stephanie McMahon Shares Her Thoughts on Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Relationship with Snow Marcil

In a recent interview that’s making waves in the wrestling world, Stephanie McMahon, longtime WWE executive and former in-ring performer, shared her perspective on the buzzed-about relationship between two of the industry’s biggest names: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Snow Marcil.

For fans of wrestling and sports entertainment, the news that The Rock and Snow Marcil are now a couple came as a surprise but not to everyone. Stephanie McMahon, who has known both superstars for years, was one of the few people who wasn’t entirely shocked by the pairing. When asked during a sit-down interview how she felt about their relationship, Stephanie responded with warmth and honesty.

“I’ve known Dwayne and Snow for a long time,” Stephanie said. “They’re both incredibly driven, passionate, and charismatic people. So in a way, it makes perfect sense that their paths would cross like this—personally as well as professionally.”

She went on to highlight how well the two complement each other, both inside and outside the ring.

“Dwayne brings this magnetic energy, and Snow—she’s fierce, she’s focused, and she’s got a heart that people don’t always see behind her strong persona. Together, I think they balance each other out. They push one another, and that’s something I admire.”

Stephanie, a key figure in WWE’s corporate leadership and someone who’s spent her life immersed in the business, also acknowledged how relationships in the wrestling world can be particularly challenging. With grueling schedules, high-profile scrutiny, and the pressures of performance, maintaining personal connections takes real effort.

“It’s not easy dating someone in this industry,” she admitted. “There’s travel, constant change, and your life is always under a microscope. But if anyone can navigate that, it’s Dwayne and Snow. They’ve both built their careers on resilience and authenticity.”

When asked if she had any reservations or concerns, Stephanie kept things diplomatic but clear.

“I think what matters most is that they support each other and keep communicating. As long as they’re real with one another and keep lifting each other up, I say good for them. Love is hard to find, especially in this business, so when it shows up, you don’t take it for granted.”

Fans have been speculating for weeks about the nature of Dwayne and Snow’s relationship, ever since they were first seen together on a double date with John Cena and his wife Shay in Los Angeles. Social media posts, subtle interactions, and a few candid photos had already fueled the rumor mill, but neither party confirmed the relationship.

Stephanie’s comments are some of the first public statements made by someone close to both wrestlers, and her tone seems to suggest a supportive stance, one that values their happiness over any potential controversy or fan speculation.

She closed the topic with a smile and a bit of humor: “If they’re happy, I’m happy. And if they ever tag team in the ring—I’d pay good money to see that.”

Whether the relationship continues to grow in the public eye or moves into more private territory, one thing is clear: they’ve got people in their corner who believe in them. And in the world of WWE, that kind of support is as powerful as any finishing move.

Liked by therock, avawwe_, zillafatu, and 991,023 others

snowmarcil Happy birthday to the man who keeps a smile on my face. Love ya, @therock

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The morning sunlight filtered through the sheer white curtains of the house in Kailua, casting golden streaks across the polished wooden floors. Outside, the ocean whispered against the shore with a soft regularity that made it feel like the house itself was breathing. It was Dwayne’s 53rd birthday, and the gentle hum of the Pacific breeze carried a peace he hadn’t known he needed until he had it.

The house wasn’t just a mansion, but it was beautiful in its own way which was laid-back, elegant, and tucked between the lush greenery and bright florals of the island. It was a home, not a showpiece. That was part of what made it special to him. He had chosen it for the quiet, for the privacy, for mornings like this.

The air inside was alive with the aromas of Snow’s cooking. She’d been up since sunrise, barefoot in the kitchen, her oversized T-shirt falling off one shoulder, her hair piled into a messy bun that somehow still looked glamorous. She moved with ease between the stove and the counter, flipping pancakes, chopping fruit, stirring pots. Hawaiian music played softly from a speaker near the window, blending with the sound of birds and waves.

Dwayne padded into the kitchen, his bare feet silent on the floor. He wore black athletic shorts and a gray tank, his morning workout already behind him. He paused in the doorway, taking it all in: Snow humming to herself as she layered sliced mango onto a platter, the way the sun lit her skin in soft golds and ambers, the contented way his daughters’ voices drifted in from the living room where Jasmine and Tiana were building a puzzle with their grandma Ata.

He didn’t say anything right away—he just stood there, smiling to himself.

Snow glanced over her shoulder and caught him staring. “You just gonna stand there being creepy or are you gonna come help me set the table?”

He laughed, stepping forward to wrap his arms around her waist from behind. “Just appreciating the view.”

“You’re lucky it’s your birthday,” she said, but her voice had softened. She leaned into his chest for a moment before nudging him away. “Now go get the girls. Breakfast is ready.”

The dining table had already been laid with care—ceramic plates hand-painted with hibiscus flowers, tall glasses filled with freshly squeezed guava juice, a centerpiece of plumeria and palm leaves Snow had arranged herself. It was the kind of table that made you pause before sitting, too pretty to disturb but too welcoming not to.

As they all gathered around—Dwayne, Snow, Ata, Jasmine, and Tiana—the room buzzed with light chatter and the clinking of utensils. Ata said grace, her voice steady and reverent, and then laughter filled the air as Jasmine told a story about a gecko that had startled her in the bathroom the night before.

Snow watched them all as they ate, a small smile curving her lips. She had never imagined herself here, in this kind of setting, with this kind of family. Dwayne had opened a door she hadn’t known she was still knocking on.

Later in the afternoon, after the dishes were cleared and the girls were playing in the backyard, Dwayne and Snow sat on the back lanai, watching the ocean and sipping iced tea. The sky was a vibrant blue that melted into turquoise at the horizon, and the breeze had picked up just enough to rustle the palm leaves gently.

“You okay?” she asked him.

He nodded. “Better than okay. I haven’t had a birthday like this in years.”

“You’ve had bigger parties though,” she teased.

“Yeah, but this is better. This is… real. I’ve done the big parties. The celebrity guest lists. The cameras. But this—” he looked out at the yard where his daughters laughed, Ata sat in a lounge chair flipping through a magazine, and the scent of Snow’s roasted pineapple still lingered in the air—“this feels like home.”

Snow’s gaze softened. “It is home.”

He reached for her hand, their fingers interlacing naturally. “You’re a big part of that.”

She looked down at their hands, her smile tightening just slightly. “It’s been a good three months.”

Dwayne looked at her carefully. “You still worried about us?”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. I mean, look at what we’ve had before this. We were friends for so long. I just… I don’t want to lose that.”

“You won’t,” he said without hesitation. “I told you. I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

Snow let out a breath, her head leaning briefly against his shoulder. “You always say the right thing.”

“Because I mean it.”

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the lanai, Ata called out that the girls needed to come in and get cleaned up. It was nearly time for cake.

Snow returned to the kitchen, where the cake she’d made earlier was resting beneath a glass dome. It was a triple-layer lilikoi and coconut cake—Dwayne’s favorite. She’d used a recipe Ata had given her, wanting to honor not just Dwayne but the people who had shaped him.

When she brought it out, candles already lit, Jasmine and Tiana led the singing. Dwayne smiled so wide it crinkled the corners of his eyes, and when he blew out the candles, he closed his eyes for a long moment, holding the wish tight in his heart.

They ate the cake with tall glasses of cold milk, and afterward, Dwayne opened a few gifts—drawings from the girls, a photo album from Ata, and from Snow, a custom chain engraved with the words “my rock, my reason.” It wasn’t flashy, but it meant something. He touched it reverently before slipping it around his neck.

As the night wore on and the girls got sleepier, Snow took Tiana upstairs to brush her teeth while Jasmine followed Ata to the guest room for bedtime stories. Dwayne stayed downstairs, sitting on the lanai with the lights low and the ocean whispering in the dark.

Snow joined him after a while, her body warm from the shower and her hair now in soft waves that smelled like plumeria shampoo. She sat beside him, pulling her legs up under her.

“You know,” he said, his voice low, “I never thought I’d be here. Fifty-three, in Hawaii, with a woman I’ve known for years, finally figuring out what real love looks like.”

Snow didn’t answer right away. Then she said, “I never thought I’d be anyone’s ‘real love.’ But you make me feel like I could be.”

He turned to her then, eyes catching hers in the glow of the patio light. “You are.”

She leaned over, kissed him slow and soft. And for a moment, the world faded—the years, the doubts, the lives they’d lived before. It was just them, on an island, under a sky filled with stars.

The start of forever didn’t always begin with fireworks. Sometimes it began with pancakes, puzzles, and lilikoi cake.

And that night, in a house by the sea, it was enough.

snowmarcil 21h

The golden glow of early May sunlight washed over New York City as the city buzzed in anticipation for one of fashion’s grandest nights: the Met Gala. It was the first Monday of the month, and crowds were already forming outside the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, eager for a glimpse of the glittering constellation of celebrities soon to descend. But among the many, one couple’s arrival would be more than just a photo op. For Dwayne and Snow, this was more than fashion, it was a declaration.

Although their romantic relationship had only bloomed over the past three months, theirs was no fleeting fling. It was rooted in years of friendship, built on laughter, late-night texts, and countless moments shared in silence and solidarity. This was their first official outing as a couple, the confirmation of long-circulating whispers. It was a moment Dwayne had embraced with confident ease, while Snow normally poised and radiant harbored quiet worries about whether they were risking something too sacred to gamble.

Yet tonight, under the opulence of chandeliers and flashes of paparazzi bulbs, those doubts would be tucked away. They were stepping into the public eye not just as icons but as partners, real and imperfect and beautiful.

The night’s theme was bold and purposeful: Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, inspired by Monica Miller’s profound exploration of Black dandyism and the diaspora’s relationship with fashion. The 2025 Met Gala's dress code—Tailored For You—invited guests to challenge the status quo, reinterpret menswear, and wear their identities like armor. For Dwayne, who rarely graced fashion events, this wasn’t his scene. But for Snow, it was the twelfth time she’d walked these stairs, and tonight she had someone new by her side.

Snow dazzled. Her LaQuan Smith gown was nothing short of sculpture: silver crystals dripped across the center of her body like melting stars, accentuating every curve. The structured black satin hugged her like it was made just for her and it was. A train billowed behind her with each step she took up the museum steps, her short blonde bob slicked back, sharp as a blade.

Dwayne, beside her, wore a sleek black tuxedo, his broad frame wrapped in a luxurious black fur coat that whispered old-school opulence. A crystal brooch glinted at his lapel, and his hand rested casually on a cane, more of a prop than a necessity and topped with an obsidian handle. Dark shades shielded his eyes, but nothing could mask the grin when he turned to Snow.

“You trying to get me in trouble,” he joked to Zuri Hall, when they stopped for an E! News interview.

Snow chuckled, arm around his. “He’s trying to make a baby tonight,” she said, a wink playing at the corner of her eye.

And while laughter carried the moment, Snow’s heart fluttered with something deeper. “I was feeling wedding vibes,” she admitted to the reporter, brushing her hand over Dwayne’s. “He was getting dressed in one room, I was in the other, and we didn’t see each other until it was time. I felt... giddy.”

Inside, the museum’s grand atrium had been transformed. Tables were dressed in black velvet, under lighting that bounced off mirrored centerpieces and sculptures that nodded to Black fashion’s storied past. Chef Kwame Onwuachi’s menu was a curated culinary experience each dish a nod to the diaspora’s diverse roots.

Snow, seated beside Dwayne and her sister Autumn, took selfies while sipping chilled wine. The sisters giggled like teens, admiring the elegant crowd, while Dwayne leaned in to whisper jokes in Snow’s ear.

At one point, a familiar voice called out.

“Well, well, well,” Rihanna said, stepping up to their table with her glowing baby bump on full display in a sheer jeweled tunic. “Look at y’all. I knew it.”

They hugged and posed for photos of Snow glowing, Rihanna teasing. “You’re next,” she said, nudging Snow’s belly with a smirk.

Later, Kim Kardashian approached, rocking a skintight, black leather dress by Chrome Hearts and coordinating black hat.

“When are you popping the question?” Kim asked, addressing Dwayne with a mischievous smile.

Snow, without missing a beat, threw her hand around Kim’s neck in mock-chokehold, “Girl, don’t start,” she said playfully, and everyone laughed including Dwayne, who gave Kim a wink that didn’t go unnoticed.

The Met Gala ended, but the night was far from over.

By midnight, the group of Dwayne, Snow, Autumn, and Kim slipped into a black SUV en route to the after-party hosted by Teyana Taylor. Inside the Times Square EDITION hotel, the energy was electric. Neon lights bounced off mirrored walls, and music pulsed through the marble floors.

This time, all four changed outfits. Snow was a vision in a black suit mini dress with fringe that danced with every step. Autumn wore black. Kim stunned in a black halter dress. And Dwayne? He traded the tux for a tailored all-black suit, crisp and cool, with fresh sneakers and layers of gold jewelry.

Walking hand in hand, cameras flashed like strobe lights as the group entered the venue, drawing attention like a magnet. Inside, the women sat in a row on a velvet couch beneath a mural of Harlem nightlife. Cocktails were passed. Stories exchanged. Snow straddled Dwayne’s lap at one point, grinding to the beat of the music as the crowd egged them on. He laughed, pulling her closer, whispering something into her ear that made her smile.

But the night wasn’t done yet.

At 2:00 a.m., they headed to Pharrell Williams’s “after hours” UNO tournament at Crane Club. The industrial-chic venue was transformed into a gaming haven complete with a DJ booth, bar stations, and glowing tables lit in red and gold.

Streamer Kai Cenat emceed the event with chaotic flair, announcing the prizes like they were at a high-stakes casino: diamond Tiffany & Co. earrings, a custom Louis Vuitton trunk, even a Richard Mille watch. Snow didn’t play, but she laughed watching Autumn trash-talk her way to the semifinals. Dwayne, ever the competitor, lost on purpose just to watch Snow’s reactions from across the room.

By 4:00 a.m., they were back at their suite.

Snow kicked off her heels, sighing as she dropped onto the bed. Dwayne helped unzip her dress, his fingers brushing softly along her back. “You were stunning tonight,” he said, voice low.

Snow turned to face him, stepping out of her gown slowly. “Join me,” she said, her voice playful, eyes heavy with heat, as she made her way to the bathroom, hips swaying deliberately.

Dwayne blinked. “I’m getting lucky tonight,” he muttered, ripping off his jacket and tossing it onto the floor before rushing after her.

Steam rose behind the frosted glass, laughter echoing through the room. Outside the city slumbered beneath its veil of lights, but for them, the night was still young.

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snowmarcil Met Gala 🖤

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Bravo Announces New Late-Night Talk Show “Chill with Snow Marcil” Premiering Fridays and Saturdays at 11 PM

Produced by Sony Pictures Television and The Marcil Productions, Executive Produced by Snow Marcil and Seth Meyers

LOS ANGELES, CA — [May 6, 2025] — Bravo is turning up the late-night heat with the official launch of Chill with Snow Marcil, a fresh and fearless 30-minute talk show hosted by powerhouse personality and WWE superstar Snow Marcil. The show is set to premiere Friday at 11:00 PM ET/PT, with new episodes airing every Friday and Saturday on Bravo.

Produced by Sony Pictures Television in association with The Marcil Productions, Chill with Snow Marcil promises bold interviews, unexpected conversations, and signature wit delivered by the one and only Snow Marcil. Filmed with a multi-camera setup, the show brings the classic energy of late-night talk into a vibrant, modern lens blending celebrity, culture, and Snow’s unique take on the world.

Each 30-minute episode will feature a curated mix of celebrity interviews, rising voices in entertainment and sports, behind-the-scenes moments, and occasional unfiltered commentary on the latest headlines. Expect real talk, raw laughs, and the kind of chill vibes that only Snow Marcil can bring.

“I’ve always wanted to create a space where people can relax, open up, and be real,” said Snow Marcil, who also serves as an executive producer. “Late night needs a new voice and we’re about to bring it.”

Joining her behind the scenes is Seth Meyers, who brings his seasoned experience as co-executive producer. Meyers added, “Snow has that rare combination of humor, edge, and authenticity that viewers are craving. I’m thrilled to help bring her vision to life.”

Bravo, known for its trailblazing unscripted content, is excited to extend its reach into the late-night arena with a host who defies convention and draws an audience as diverse as her own journey.

“Chill with Snow Marcil is a bold new chapter for us,” said a Bravo spokesperson. “Snow’s fearless energy and natural charisma are exactly what late-night needs right now.”

Whether she’s sitting down with A-list stars, amplifying fresh voices, or diving into pop culture chaos, Chill with Snow Marcil is where Friday and Saturday nights find their spark.

Tune in to the premiere of Chill with Snow Marcil on Bravo, Friday at 11 PM ET/PT. New episodes every Friday and Saturday.

Liked by therock and 875,923 others

snowmarcil 📺✨ BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! ✨📺
Late nights just got a whole lot cooler.
#ChillWithSnowMarcil premieres this Friday & Saturday at 11 PM only on @BravoTV!

🔥 Real talk. Big laughs. Unfiltered vibes.
🎤 Hosted by the one and only me!
🎬 Produced by Sony Pictures Television + The Marcil Productions
💥 Executive Producers: Snow Marcil & Seth Meyers

📍Tag a friend who’s gonna be obsessed!
#LateNightTV #SnowMarcil #BravoTV #TalkShowQueen #SetYourDVR

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TEASER TRAILER — “Chill with Snow Marcil” ft. Dwayne Johnson

[OPENING SCENE – bold music intro, fast-paced montage with colorful neon edits]
Hard-hitting instrumental track builds suspense

ON-SCREEN TEXT:
Late night just got stronger…

[CUT TO: Snow Marcil strutting onto the stage under bright lights, crowd cheering]

SNOW (smirking):
“You know I had to call in a heavyweight for our first episode…”

[CUT TO: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson entering with swagger, flashing that signature smile, crowd explodes]

ON-SCREEN TEXT:

First guest: Dwayne Johnson.

[DWAYNE SITTING ON THE COUCH, LAUGHING DEEPLY] ROCK:
“I already know you’re gonna stir the pot, Snow.”

SNOW (grinning):
“You walked into my kitchen, baby.”

[QUICK CUTS – The Rock talking about fame, family, fitness, and love rumors]

ROCK (serious tone):
“You can have the world but if your circle isn’t solid, none of it matters.”

[CLIP of them doing an impromptu arm wrestle and fun game on stage]

ON-SCREEN TEXT:
Big names. Bigger energy. Real talk, Snow-style.

SNOW (voiceover):
“Chill with Snow Marcil. Fridays and Saturdays at 11. Only on Bravo.

[LOGOS: BRAVO + Chill with Snow Marcil + Dwayne Johnson smiling]

ON-SCREEN TEXT:
Premieres this Friday & Saturday at 11 PM
#ChillWithSnowMarcil
@BravoTV @SnowMarcil @TheRock

Tagline:

“Late night. No filters. Just Snow.”

The morning sun rose over Manhattan with a soft golden hue, glinting off the glass towers and stirring the city into its usual rhythm. But for Snow Marcil, the day felt anything but routine. Just hours before, she had made headlines alongside Dwayne Johnson, their long-rumored relationship finally confirmed on the steps of The Met. It was all anyone could talk about—photos of Snow in LaQuan Smith’s glittering masterpiece of a gown arm-in-arm with Dwayne, who oozed old-Hollywood charm in his tuxedo and fur coat. They had dominated headlines and social media feeds overnight.

Now, sitting in the greenroom of The Sherri Show, Snow sipped slowly from a mug of chamomile tea, her fingers adorned with minimalist diamond rings clinking softly against the ceramic. She was calm, radiant even, dressed in a tailored white pantsuit with silver trim, her sleek blonde bob styled to perfection. Her makeup was soft glam—camera-ready but still distinctly “Snow.”

“Three minutes, Ms. Marcil,” called a crew member.

Snow nodded, taking a deep breath. This wasn’t her first rodeo. She’d been on shows like this a dozen times, but today was different. Today she was here not only to promote her upcoming late-night talk show, Chill with Snow Marcil, but to talk about him. About Dwayne. About love. About possibly wanting it all—motherhood, marriage, career—without losing herself in the process.

Sherri Shepherd greeted her with the warmth of an old friend, which, to be fair, she nearly was. They’d crossed paths many times over the years, shared panels and dressing rooms and even late-night laughs backstage. The applause of the audience filled the studio as Snow walked out, waving, confident, poised.

“Y’all, I have been waiting for this interview,” Sherri grinned. “She is the moment, okay? Please welcome the stunning, the glamorous, the taken—Miss Snow Marcil!”

Snow chuckled, giving a coy shrug as she settled onto the plush couch beside Sherri. “You just had to add that last part.”

“Oh, you know I did. The world needed that confirmation last night! You and Dwayne—whew! The Met Gala will never be the same!”

They both laughed, and Snow’s shoulders relaxed. She leaned into the warmth of the moment, letting the conversation guide her.

They started with Chill with Snow Marcil, which was set to premiere in the summer. Snow described it as “late-night with heart,” a mix of celebrity interviews, real conversations, and personal storytelling. “It’s a space where we can laugh, reflect, get real, and chill,” she explained. “And I’ve always believed the most powerful thing you can do with a platform is make people feel seen.”

But it wasn’t long before the conversation turned to him.

“So… the Met Gala,” Sherri said, wiggling her eyebrows. “You and Dwayne made waves. That was your first red carpet together?”

Snow smiled, her eyes lighting up. “Yes, officially. We’ve been together for a few months now, but we’ve known each other for years. Friends first, always. It’s made our foundation so strong. But that was definitely our debut as a couple. And I’ll admit, it felt good.”

The audience clapped, and Sherri leaned in, lowering her voice. “And you looked incredible last night. That dress? That body? And then Rihanna rolls up—pregnant! You were with her when she debuted that baby bump!”

“Oh my God, yes!” Snow laughed, her hands clasped. “I was so proud of her. She looked absolutely stunning. I mean, leave it to Rihanna to shut down a whole red carpet with just a belly bump and a smile.”

“Did you know?”

“She told me earlier that day. I had to keep it a secret. It almost killed me!” Snow laughed again. “But seriously, seeing her embrace this chapter so openly—it gave me a lot to think about.”

Sherri tilted her head. “About becoming a mom?”

Snow hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Yeah. I gotta get in the ring one more time. But you know, for a long time, I didn’t think I wanted that. I didn’t think it was in the cards for me. But lately… I’ve been open to the idea. More than open. I think it’s just about doing it at the right time, in the right way, with the right person.”

“And is Dwayne that person?”

Snow bit her lip, her eyes glimmering. “I believe he is. I really do.”

After leaving the Sherri Show, Dwayne decided to take Snow for brunch. The brunch spot was tucked away on a quiet street in downtown Manhattan, one of those intimate gems where the waitstaff knew your name and the mimosas came chilled and bottomless. It was a clear, crisp morning, sunlight casting soft patterns through the windowpanes as Snow and Dwayne sat at a private corner table draped in white linen. The events of the past twenty-four hours still hung in the air—glittering, breathless, surreal. And yet, beneath the public glamour of their Met Gala debut, the late-night after-parties, and Snow’s poised appearance on The Sherri Show, today felt like the beginning of something deeper. Something real.

Dwayne watched Snow from across the table with a quiet, focused intensity. She was dressed down from the glitz of the night before—no gown, no heels, no glam team hovering—but still radiant in her own right. Her short blonde hair was tucked under a Yankees cap, and a cozy oversized sweater swallowed her frame. She looked like the version of herself that he cherished the most: relaxed, unfiltered, and his.

Their server had just dropped off their food—avocado toast for her, a steak and eggs plate for him��when Dwayne leaned forward slightly, his voice low.

“So… about what you said earlier.”

Snow lifted her eyes to meet his, a flicker of nervousness dancing across her features. She took a sip of her tea before replying, “Which part?”

“That you want to do one more WWE run before we try for a baby.” His voice carried no judgment, only interest, admiration even.

Snow gave a small, steady nod. “Yeah. I do. I think I need to. I’ve still got something to prove—to myself, mostly. It’s like this last chapter that needs to be written before I can fully close that book.”

Dwayne’s face lit up with a warm grin, the same grin that made headlines and melted hearts on camera, but was, in this moment, only for her. “You know I get it. That itch? It doesn’t go away. Not until you settle it on your own terms.”

Snow exhaled, grateful he understood without needing her to overexplain. “Exactly. And I don’t want to have any lingering ‘what ifs’ when I become a mom. I want to be able to give that version of myself everything without looking back.”

He reached across the table and gently took her hand, his large thumb brushing over her knuckles. “So, we’re heading in the right direction with our relationship, then?” he asked softly, his voice laced with hope.

She smiled, lacing her fingers with his. “Yeah. I can’t let my fears stop me from being in a good relationship with you.”

There it was. The truth between them.

Snow had always been cautious, scarred by past relationships, shaped by disappointments, and protective of the walls she’d built over time. But something about Dwayne, his steadiness, his optimism, his unwavering belief in their future had slowly begun to dismantle those walls, brick by brick.

He didn’t press her. He didn’t need to. He just gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and picked up his fork again. “Well, then,” he said casually, “I guess I’ll just start prepping the nursery now and wait for you to body slam a few people first.”

Snow laughed, the sound bright and unrestrained. “Just save the paint until after WrestleMania, okay?”

Later that afternoon, back in their hotel suite, Snow stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, arms crossed, gazing out at the city. Dwayne was behind her, quietly scrolling through photos from the night before—press clippings, social media mentions, texts from family and friends. But his eyes kept drifting back to her.

“You really lit up the red carpet last night,” he said.

She turned slightly, arching an eyebrow. “You too. I saw those thirst tweets.”

He chuckled. “My favorite was the one that said, ‘Dwayne looked like he stepped out of a James Baldwin novel and into my heart.’”

She snorted. “You’re loving this.”

“Maybe,” he admitted. “But only because you were on my arm.”

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward, but thoughtful. There was a stillness to Snow’s gaze as she turned back to the skyline.

“I used to think I had to do everything on my own,” she said after a moment. “Like leaning on someone would make me weak. I was wrong about that.”

Dwayne set his phone down and walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “You were strong because you had to be. Now you don’t have to do it alone.”

Snow leaned back into him, resting her head on his chest. “I don’t want to do it alone anymore.”

His lips brushed the top of her head. “Then don’t.”

Masterlist | Chapter Six

[writteninlunarlight-years]

Hello! Dating Headcanons with the Golden Trio?

Harry Potter

Harry's relationships were always adventurous. Whether fighting off evils or getting into some mischief, he always sought to make each day something lively and new.

He was a soft boyfriend who loved to dote and care for his partner, wanting nothing more than to put a smile on their face and a pep in their step.

He would plan articulate and grandiose dates. He was the chosen one, after all, so he had to make sure you knew just how amazing it was to be with him.

Now, he isn't just boasting and proud about himself; he is also equally proud to be with you, no matter your accomplishments. He wants the world to know how incredible his partner is.

Once school was over, he would take you all over London and Britain as a whole. He had nothing confining him to the Durselys, so he wanted to make it all special.

If you are from London or somewhere else in Britain, he will do extensive research on your town so he can surprise you with something new to do.

Hermione Granger

Hermione's relationships were all about servicing the community and growing together as a couple, mentally and emotionally.

Nothing beats having a good study or reading date to learn more about the fascinating world around you two, which is ever-evolving.

She loves to cuddle and discuss intricate topics that may seem controversial to some, but to you two, it is a chance to better understand one another.

She loved to take you to all her clubs and join you in anything you particularly enjoyed. She wanted both of you to be knowledgeable about each other's hobbies and desires in life.

She also really relied on individuality. As the only girl in the trio and the 'smart' one, she liked to make sure you were never in her shadow or her in yours.

Once school was over, you two would continue to learn and cultivate as people in either the muggle or wizarding world. As long as you two were together, great things were being done.

Ron Weasley

Ron's relationships were very family-oriented. From dating in school to dating outside of school, family was and would always be a big part of his life.

He would want you to meet everyone in his family in time as you two grew closer, starting with his sister and working up to his Mom.

He was loyal and very caring about your needs and wants. He wanted to ensure you were well taken care of so you could confidently say yes when he asked the question one day.

Being the best friend of the chosen one made him slightly insecure at times, but you, being a light in his life, helped curb that. He knew you would be perfect for his family because you were always loyal to him as much as he was to you.

He is not shy about wanting to have a family with you once you are ready. Whether you want to have kids, adopt, or just raise animals, he is excited about the challenges of life with you.

Once school is out, his family and he will find you two a nice place to stay and begin your lives together. Remember that you must visit his family every other holiday, or they will miss you too much.

[lost-inanotherlife]

just finished "the substitute". no complain-y notes. 10/10. very good episode. just some random things that will stay with me for a while:

ben and his eulogy at john's funeral. lol. only michael emerson could pull that off. it was tender and sweet and also weird and awkward and all sorts of wtf. incredible actor, i LOVE him;

lapidus being lapidus voicing our thoughts, yes THAT was the weirdest funeral we've ever seen as well, frank;

hurley offering john a job via rose and the job that john CAN do turns out to be... teaching. okay, he's a substitute but he's still becoming a teacher. beautiful symbolism, i LOVE to see that;

the MiB preying on sawyer just like jacob preyed on the other candidates. really makes you think;

i really liked how they "ended" sawyer's arc re: juliet's death. bc in this episode he was confronting the MiB, he was able to be the "old" sawyer that we love to hate (sarcastic, controversial, witty) without looking like he had completely forgotten about juliet. saweyer's arc, as of now, is confirmed to be the best written this season;

tbh with you we should have a whole convo about LOST and its portrayal of disability (and addictions, and mental issues and depression and suicide ideation...) but for now i'll limit myself to consider the handling of this theme like the handling of other serious themes: as a "symbolic" representation of something else. not saying this is not problematic, although i'll say that this episode at least started to reframe john's disability in a different way (via using rose and her backstory, which is something that i didn't like at all). it was also "good" to see characters trying to be supportive of john and john himself coming to terms with his own disability. having said that, LOST is not the show for you if you're looking for something that deals with these topics in a realistic way and that's all i'll say for today;

ben linus, cunty, bitchy, hated professor of european history. that's all i'll say, as well.

[cocoatonedcurls]

become an academic weapon 📚🔫✨

hi all !!

with my GCSEs this year, and only a few weeks before back to school, I decided to really lock in yesterday 🫣

so I thought I'd take all the info I've come across while scrolling through studytok and put it into a little post for everyone looking to improve in their studies (& for my benefit as well 🙈)

motivation

this is probably the biggest factor when it comes to locking into your studies, motivation can quite literally make or break your academic achievements (😦)

so, its very important you motivate yourself, and moreover, stay motivated 😭

i've made it sound daunting but motivating yourself is lowkey easier than you think, here's a few ways to do it:

picturing yourself in 10 years, where all your studying and hard work has paid off - you can't be that person without doing the work that they did 😬

you can also do the opposite of the above - imagine how disappointed you'll be if you didn't work as hard as you could have and failed

"revenge studying" - the most toxic yet probably the most widely effective technique - working hard so you can beat than the people who are better than you

make studying aesthetic - create pinterest boards, look at quotes and tiktoks, make success your greatest desire

make it an addiction - if you're bored? study. had a bad day? nothing like setting yourself up for the best future. having a great day? go make it better by making yourself smarter.

get a motivational study app - i LOVE 'Study Bunny' I've been using it for two days now and it genuinely motivates me to be more productive to keep my bunny happy 🙃

resources

obviously, you need some help where you can get it despite all the controversies surrounding studying and the use of the internet, there are some amazing online resources you can use that will actively help you 📚

Quizlet/Anki - both of these flashcard platforms are incredibly useful - Quizlet is a fun platform and you can search for flashcards made by other people - Anki, in my opinion, is better than Quizlet for memorising, and you can import flashcards from Quizlet.

Mindnote - A mindmap making software online, a user-friendly interface + is quick and easy to make them - Great for visual learners

YouTube - the teachers on YouTube are incredibly helpful and can explain any topics you're confused about very quickly and very thoroughly

Spark Notes - great for English literature, with in-depth analysis of your texts and modern translations

Physics & Maths Tutor - free past papers and topic questions for core subjects and a few others, great for active recall

Study Bunny/Flora - helps keep track of your progress and keeps you motivated, I recommend Study Bunny because I can see how much work I've done of each subject and tick off things on my checklist

these are just a few out of many other resources so go do some of your own research, especially if there are websites that help with a specific subject

techniques

different study techniques work best for different people, no technique is a one-size-fits-all, some people are visual learners, others perform best by memorising & etc.

active recall - the only one-size-fits-all method - is a cognitive function that you carry out to remember things in tests, so practising this is a must -> the best way to do this is by completing topic questions and past papers using minimal amounts of notes. basically just testing yourself before the actual test

Spaced-out revision - one of the best ways to make sure things stick in your mind, revise a topic/subject and revisit it every few days, eg. 1, 3, 5, 9, 15, 30; and by the 30-day mark it should be stuck in your mind because your brain believes its something that you need to know in the long run and stores it in your long term memory

Flashcards - great to memorise content for the test, especially subjects that are tested with orals

Scribble method - scribbling on a piece of paper while revising the content in any form, reading, listening, etc. helps your brain store the information you're consuming more effectively

Feynman method - basically just explaining the topic you're revising to someone, this helps you develop your understanding and catches out any areas you're unsure about to revise later

making mindmaps - this is great for visual learners, especially if you use different colours for each section of the map so that you can associate each concept with each colour and recall them easily

again, those are just a few that come to mind. do your own research and find out what works best for you 😇

while studying

knowing how to study effectively is also a crucial aspect of success (obviously) 🤭

here are a few tips:

don't listen to music with lyrics, instead you can listen to lofi tracks, cafe/library asmr, brown noise, jazz music (my favourite)

set yourself a study slot, like 2 hours every day at a specific time & set a focus filter on your phone for the duration of your study time

make an aesthetic/cute study space so you can enjoy your time in that space and it doesn't feel like a chore

get a whiteboard to make learning more interactive & fun

light a specific candle whenever you're studying so your brain knows to associate the scent with working

have regular breaks eg. every half hour for 5-10 mins

reward yourself afterwards, so you associate studying with a good experience

consistency is key, the more you study the easier & more fun it becomes 🙃 the more you study the more you are likely to succeed and fulfil your dreams ✨

remember though, academics is not everyone's thing:

"you cannot judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree"

everyone is good at something, and it doesn't make anyone lesser or greater 🫶

if you try your best, that is all that matters 🫠

- li 🌘

[nyerus]

Hi! I would love to hear your thoughts about classism in TGCF, but specifically regarding XL. It surprised me to see people hating on XL for not knowing or doing better during his teenage years of luxury as the crown prince and making XL a complete villain because he didn't take down classism and restructure society despite still being a kid himself. It struck me as odd that the fandom is well aware of his 800 years in poverty but also not really addressing the fact that XL, too, is a victim of classism albeit a little different from someone like MQ.

Hi there! So sorry it's taken me this long to get to this ask, I've just been in sort of a funk for a few days haha.

But yeah, this is definitely a topic that comes up from time to time, with lots of discussion about. It surprises me that despite that, there are still people (maybe just newer fans? idk) who still hate on Xie Lian for his naive views as a 17yo. Especially since, despite being a naive 17yo, he still really wanted to help people less fortunate than himself. He didn't quite understand how to do this in the most effective ways (because he was a teenager), so it came off as somewhat patronizing as he was a person in a position of power compared to everyone else. Yet his desire to help people was genuine, and he didn't personally think of "common folk" as being any lesser than "royalty" -- even though in this case, there kind of literally was a difference. (E.g. when Lang Ying goes from being a commoner to a king, he gets a "kingly aura" that protects him!) So it's honestly kind of incredible that Xie Lian is willing to say things like "I think people are equal, even gods and humans, and if the Heavens disagree with me, then it's the Heavens that are wrong" with his entire heart.

I imagine a large part of the hate Xie Lian gets from certain fans is jealousy or resentment, due to the fact that Xie Lian was "born privileged." But on it's own, "privilege" is not "the great enemy" -- it's what said privilege means in the context of society, and what someone does/doesn't do with it that merits judgement. Xie Lian doesn't fully understand the privilege he had until he loses it (again: because he was 17!), but he still understood it enough to use it to protect and help people. That's more than many other characters can say. Him starting out as a prince doesn't automatically disqualify him from class struggles or the horrors of poverty. It's nonsensical to think so, when this is a character who literally spent almost 800 years busking for scraps, while sleeping in dirt outside and eating garbage….

On the flip side, as you mentioned Mu Qing -- yes, he was a victim of classism. But he's a very strange figure to use as the poster boy for that, though he often is by people who are critical of Xie Lian. This may be a controversial take, despite it being something I think that makes the character of Mu Qing really interesting: but he's a very "typical" guy within the concept of classism. He's someone who started off with a bad lot, but then ended up ascending to the highest point you pretty much can in that world/society. Which is great! He did that through hard work, and it paid off! But now, since he got his "happy ending," that's kind of it for him. He doesn't do anything to materially improve the lives of those less fortunate, especially those he has no personal connection with. This doesn't make him a bad person -- it's not really his job to that, even as a god. He's a martial god, so he's there to subdue threats and all that. Yet you can clearly see, that's exactly the type of person society values because such "rags to riches" stories give legitimacy to the whole system, and because they don't rock the boat once they're on top.

So then it's odd to be angry at Xie Lian but not Mu Qing (or others) for the lack of some "grand revolution" that some readers seem to want.

Ironically, Xie Lian used what power he had to try and help people -- and he was worse off for it. If he had done nothing, he would have been able to live a happy and carefree life. He would have lived and died as a rich prince/king with no troubles. Like, that's the point! The societies we live in punish those who want to broadly help others or make meaningful change, while rewarding those who quietly play the game for themselves -- because it helps keep the wheels turning. It doesn't matter at "what end" of the spectrum you start out on, the rules apply the same way. If you go against the establishment, there's a price to be paid.

Throughout Xie Lian's long journey, he learns this lesson the hard way. And the fact that in order to change it, he would somehow have to change the hearts and minds of pretty much everyone -- which is an impossible ask. How is he even supposed to that, or restructure society as a whole, without vast amounts of collateral damage? In the end, Xie Lian discovers that he was not wrong in his desire to help people, even if he cannot help everyone. He can still help people he meets in whatever ways he can, and that is still important. To show kindness, mercy, and empathy towards your fellow man is worth it. Helping your neighbors or complete strangers you meet once and then never again -- all that is still worth it.

I wish I had the time to sit down and really talk about this in a more organized way, but these disjointed thoughts are all I can manage at the moment! I hope it was still valuable to you in some way, and thank you for sending in the ask!

(Also, I recently reblogged a post that talked about something similar if you wanna check it out, Anon. It's right under the manhua highlights I think!)

[creepyboyandhisforestfriends]

Thoughts from a disabled acespec on the topic of Viktor's asexuality

As many others have discussed, I too believe the main controversy from this announcement goes hand in hand with Viktor's disability. While there are several disabled characters in Arcane, it's undeniable that he is the most prominent of them. It's an integral part of his character, his story, etc. Because of this it is undeniable that the choice of the creators to make him ace is influenced by this. And that's where the problem lies. Because it is now no longer a simple case of ace representation for the sake of ace representation. It is an inherent implication that disabled people are incapable of wanting/having sex.

This isn't anything new, either. There's a long history of disabled people being viewed as 'undesireable' or 'incapable of sex' etc. because of their disabilty. And yes, there are also many disabled people who are asexual. Whether that's because of their disability or not. And that's perfectly fine, that's real life, real people, whose decisions don't affect that of an entire fandom. But Viktor does. 

If it had been any other character, I believe there wouldn't be nearly half as much uproar. Let's say Jayce, for example. The conventionally attractive himbo. Personally I think him being ace would be a way better, more subversice take, seeing as it goes directly against the 'big strong man' stereotype that he fits so easily. Seeing as Arcane breaks so many other stereotypes, why should this one be any different? And there'd still be plenty of room in the story for Jayce to have his romantic feelings towards Mel and/or Viktor. Just no sex. No big deal. He'd be asexual for the sake of simply, being asexual.

I am one of many disabled people who's seen so much of myself in Viktor's character. Which is honeslty quite rare. Yes, the ace community has a significant track record of bad representation, or even none at all. But so does the disabled community. We're in this together. I understand that seeing so much hate against this decision without the context of why it's in such bad taste is incredibly hurtful for the asexual community. But this arguement isn't all acephobia. It's ableism too. I've seen so many other disabled acespec people agreeing that Viktor's aceness is disrespectful to both communities and it's been really touching to see. We're in this together. 

So, like all things in fandom, don't take it too close to heart. If you're ace and you see yourself in Viktor being ace, then that's perfectly fine. If you're disabled and are both empowered and horny by the idea of Viktor topping Jayce, hell yeah. You do you. Someone is always going to be upset and offended and very very loud about something. But never let that affect the way you choose to interpret your favs. The word of one man is not gospel to an entire fandom, no matter how important he may be.

And, frankly, I'm not going to touch the whole "oh he only said it bc he's homophobic and wants to ruin jayvik" because I do suspect that's just people blowing things out of proportion like the internet is want to do. And yes, there is definitely a portion of the fandom who has taken this announcement, and all the argueing, as a chance to just be blatantly acephobic. Like I said, that's the internet, it's bound to happen. Those people are arseholes, and do not deserve a say in this debate. This is for the queers and the cripples, amen. 

(Addendum: I rarely ever make big posts like this argueing about fandom stuff, but this topic in particular is very close to my heart. Plus, I seem to be one of the few people in this discussion who is in both communities and is therefore allowed to have a proper say in all this lmao. Everything I've said here is without animosity, only to educate. Feel free to add your thoughts, or let me know if you think I missed something important. Peace and love <3)

[crimsonhydrangeavn]

(please forgive any mistakes, English is not my native language) Hello, your project is cool! The characters you created are incredibly wonderful (I am ready to kneel for the sake of Marcelo and Camilla)! You did an excellent job! I was wondering, given that Garret is 32 years old, what if MC (18-20 years old) refused a closer relationship, since MC would be uncomfortable with the fact that they have a big age difference? (The question was asked without a negative connotation, I hope you feel comfortable answering it. If not, then please ignore the question. Please forgive me)

Aww! Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words! I also deeply appreciate the fact that despite English not being your native language, you put in the effort of reading my work and sending me a message. It really means a lot to me to know that you not only enjoy my characters, but and are willing to kneel before them! Haha As for your question, I really appreciate the respectful manner in which you approached a sensitive topic! I take no offense to it and I want to thank you for broaching the subject so thoughtfully. I just want to make a disclaimer before answering it. Given that this is a yandere visual novel, it goes without saying that there will be twisted, dark, and controversial themes throughout the game. All of my characters are inherently flawed and I believe flawed characters make fictional stories a lot more interesting.

I do not support or condone people in real life forcing themselves onto others or displaying any of the toxic behaviors mentioned in my game/ tumblr.

Now that that's out of the way, onto your question!

If the only reason you gave him was the age gap, he wouldn't take the rejection seriously. Silly MC, you have no idea how long he's waited for someone to catch his eye. Now that you were here, there was no way he was about to let you go over such a flimsy excuse. Especially considering the large age gap between his own parents.

Of course, initially he would act like he understood and insist being friends instead. So what if you needed a little more time to accept him? After all, what's a ten year age gap once you turn 30? No, he wouldn't accept your answer, however he would content himself with being by your side until you were ready to accept him and the age gap. It goes without saying that if anyone else caught your eye he would intervene and make sure they disappeared, without your knowledge of course. Garret can be a very patient and respectful man, however he will always get what he wants, one way or another.

[frankie-bell]

An Essay Exploring Psycho-Pass's Most Controversial Character

I know I’m opening a huge, slimy can of worms and potentially incurring the wrath of half the Psycho-Pass fandom, but I feel compelled to share my feelings on Mika Shimotsuki and how I believe she serves as a lightning rod for fan culture misogyny. Now, before I start, let me just say that this essay isn’t targeted at any one individual, and it’s just my personal opinion, which you are more than welcome to disagree with. I’d also like to stress that, despite my love for Mika’s character, I’m going to try my very best to approach this topic from an academic standpoint rather than an emotional one. I recently picked Parasocial Relationships and their effect on female celebrities and fictional characters as a thesis for my Gender and Media course, and it really got me thinking about this anime in particular, so here we go…

Let’s tackle the female side of things first, because it’s the one that shocks and disappoints me the most. Don’t get me wrong -- I think fandoms with a strong female presence are awesome, complex, uplifting, and oftentimes incredibly positive and inclusive spaces. I love being a female genre fan and interacting with other female genre fans. That said, I’ve noticed female fandom can sometimes fall prey to online bullying and misogynistic groupthink when it comes to (a) female characters they find arrogant, bossy, mean, etc. and (b) female characters who are positioned as potential love interests for their collective male "blorbos," "husbandos," "faves," whatever the term may be. These two things very often overlap, which I’ll touch on later, but for now, let’s talk about the first point.

There was a big movement online several years ago urging creators to, “Let women be mean. Let them be angry. Let them be petty and complex and difficult. Let them be messy.” I fully support this idea in both theory and practice and wish it were that simple, but unfortunately, it’s not, because uncomfortably large swaths of fandom don’t like/appreciate unapologetically mean female characters the way they do male characters. Men in fiction are allowed to be cutthroat, selfish, cruel, narcissistic, arrogant, and even evil without garnering a fraction of the judgement that female characters receive for simply being “difficult” or “unlikable.”

Take, for instance, Shougo Makishima. The Psycho-Pass fandom at large adores this character (myself included), despite the fact that he’s a remorseless sociopath who touts the importance of free will as a wholesale excuse for murder. He is a bad person, full-stop, and yet he garners love -- even sympathy -- in abundance. He’s the subject of fawning fan fiction, chibi art, thirst tweets, and endless Reddit analysis. Fans are capable of seeing him, murderous warts and all, as a product of the warped dystopian society Sibyl has created. But Mika? Nope. Just “a bitch, a whiner, an arrogant little girl who deserves to get slapped in the mouth.” (I am not making this up. These are the type of comments I see *female* fans making left and right about her character). She receives far more hate for giving up the location of Akane’s grandmother as a blackmailed, frightened teenager than Makishima does for slashing Yuki’s throat or blowing up Masaoka. Hell, she catches more heat for Akane’s grandmother than Sakuya Togane, the woman’s actual murderer and -- I can’t stress this enough -- a 41-year-old adult man.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking -- Makishima and Togane are villains, so their personality flaws (putting it lightly) and horrible actions are essential to the narrative and indicative of good storytelling. We’re meant to “love to hate them.” All correct, and yet this doesn’t change or excuse the fact that their standing in the fandom, when compared to the equally complex and emotionally fractured Mika, is textbook pernicious misogyny. But, for the sake of argument, let’s compare Mika to another character ostensibly on the side of good -- Nobuchika Ginoza. [Note: Ginoza is my favorite character in Psycho-Pass, and any commentary regarding his PP1 shittiness is made with pure love and appreciation for him and nuanced character growth in general.]

When we first meet Ginoza, he is rude, terse, unyielding, intellectually smug, and totally unforgiving of those closest to him. He’s a brilliant character, and his behavior, no matter how insufferable and seemingly cruel, is the result of compounded trauma -- the trauma of having his father ripped away when he was only nine, the trauma of being unfairly judged for the “sins” of said latent criminal father, the trauma of his mother numbing her pain with medication and eventually becoming something akin to a human corpse, the trauma of finding a new support system and best friend in Kougami only to once again be “abandoned” for the other side of the law. In many ways, he’s still a hurt child lashing out at the world, unwilling to see it for the complicated, morally gray place that it is, because being mad is easier. Telling himself that Enforcers are nothing more than dogs for him to guide and use as shields is easier. Blindly trusting the judgements handed down by Sibyl is easier.

In this way, he and Mika are remarkably similar. When she first joins the MWPSB, she’s a 17-year-old minor whose best friend (and probably first love) was dismembered by a latent criminal under the direction of a serial killer disguising himself as a teacher -- a trusted authority figure. She’s filled with guilt and self-loathing over her failure to act, and the easiest way for her to sort out her feelings and ensure the same thing doesn’t happen again is to harden herself to all latent criminals. Distrusting them, treating them as “other,” is her form of self-preservation. Yes, it makes her come across as mean, as closed-minded, as unlikable, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s good storytelling, and it presents her with plenty of potential for growth, which she is certainly given.

[Upon discovering that her best friend, fellow Oso Academy student Kagami Kawarazaki, has been murdered by Rikako Oryo, Mika breaks down in tears, blaming herself for the tragedy. This is the moment her distrust of latent criminals is solidified.]

But, unlike Ginoza (a 28-year-old adult man), over half the fandom decided that Mika was so awful, so totally unforgivable, such a “heinous cunt,” that they were unwilling to allow her the time and space to grow beyond her trauma and immaturity. But why? Is it because we’ve been taught to judge women, even fictional ones, based on a different set of criteria than men? I think the answer is obvious, and I urge fans who dislike Mika’s character with such intensity to seriously examine their reasoning. I don’t mean to say that she’s infallible (hardly) or that it’s wrong to dislike her. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and no one person’s take is more valid than another’s, but it’s definitely something to think about in the larger conversation that is media analysis.

Which brings me to Akane Tsunemori, someone who fits all the abovementioned criteria for a “likeable” female character. [Another note: I love Akane, and none of this is meant to disparage her. I am simply trying to point out that she’s a more easily digestible female when viewed through the patriarchal lens of pop culture.] She’s smart but not arrogant about it, strong-willed but never disagreeable, empathetic but not easily led by her emotions, and most importantly, she’s always kind to the fandom’s male faves. She is, in almost every way, trademark "Best Girl" material, and Mika is her foil (at least in PP2). She’s set up to be the anti-Akane, both in personality and narrative function. If Akane trusts someone, Mika doesn’t. If Akane wants to bend the rules, Mika is rigid in upholding them. If Akane isn’t afraid of clouding her Hue, Mika is downright terrified.

Though it’s never stated outright, she probably hoped Akane would serve as a mentor figure, yet we see none of that from the senior Inspector, who often abandons Mika to chase down seemingly wild leads and appears to be stuck in the past, yearning for the original Division 01. (Mika even says as much to Ginoza in a novelization of the first film.) On top of that, I think it’s important to remember that we’re predisposed to side with Akane, as she is both our POV protagonist *and* the hero of the narrative. We have unprecedented access to her private moments, motivations, and methodology. We know she means well and trust that her unconventional strategy will pay off in the end. Mika does not. All she knows is that her direct superior is habitually breaking the rules, overloading her team with what feels like excessive busywork, and ignoring the more bureaucratic side of the job in favor of unconventional/unsanctioned detective work. If I’m being perfectly honest, I would also be submitting concerned reports to my boss.

[When Akane blatantly disregards Sibyl's judgement of bomber Akira Kitazawa, talking him down from a Crime Coefficient of 302 to 299, Mika confronts her for putting both their colleagues and nearby civilians in danger. This later proves to be the right call, as Kitazawa attacks Inspector Risa Aoyanagi and escapes police custody.]

[While investigating Kirito Kamui, Akane keeps her suspicions/theories close to the chest, leaving Mika and the rest of Division 01 in the dark as to her game plan.]

[Although Akane's decision to entrust Hinakawa with all 185 Halos proves to be the right one, it's understandable why Mika is taken aback by her placing so much responsibility on a single subordinate -- especially one with Hinakawa's history.]

Now, that’s not to say Mika’s feelings about Akane are purely altruistic. She’s definitely jealous of her fellow Inspector and resents her standing within the Bureau, which makes her behave in ways both petty and vindictive. But I’d argue that this, too, is understandable, if not wholly forgivable, when viewed through Mika’s eyes. Picture this: You’re the youngest-ever recruit to a highly coveted position. You follow protocol to a T, are deferential to your superiors, and show a genuine aptitude for the job. Even your callousness toward the Enforcers (again, your childhood best friend was butchered by a latent criminal) is in accordance with Sybil’s will. Shitty, yes, but standard for someone raised within the Orwellian hellscape of 2100s Japan. And yet, everyone around you prefers your senior Inspector. Your subordinates defer to her when you’re the officer in charge (Hinakawa) and even help her game the system (Ginoza). The Chief tells you you’re boring, but displays obvious favoritism toward her. This severely harms your self-esteem and colors the way you interact with everyone around you. After all, it’s hard to feel like a valued member of the team when you’re being undermined and lectured at every turn. This doesn’t excuse Mika’s behavior, and if she didn’t evolve, I might understand some of the hate, but she does evolve. Spectacularly. She’s just not Akane, and that’s okay.

[While dealing with the hostage situation in PP2, Mika notices Hinakawa working on something off to the side. When she confronts him about it, he admits that he's acting on Akane's orders, even though Mika is technically the officer in charge.]

[A similar incident occurs in Sinners of the System: Case. 1, when Ginoza shoots down Mika's (admittedly ridiculous) plan, which she interprets as him once again siding with Akane over her.]

Again, this is good storytelling at work, and you can acknowledge that these two women are diametrically opposed and still appreciate -- hell, even like -- both of them for the well-written characters they are. After all, most Psycho-Pass fans like both Kougami and Ginoza in PP1 despite their many differences, not to mention the fact that Ginoza is (and I say this with love) a giant asshole. Let’s not forget, he was *this close* to microwaving Kougami at Chief Kasei’s behest. You can tell yourself he wouldn’t have, but are you sure? Are you really sure? But we forgive him, because he’s a man. Anyway, back to Akane and Mika. For reasons I’ll never understand, many fans find it borderline impossible to love two women with beef, whether it’s one-sided or mutual. There can only be one Best Girl, and everyone better be on her team. It reminds me of the Sansa vs. Daenerys discourse that gripped the Game of Thrones fandom in its last few seasons. This is doubly ridiculous in Psycho-Pass’s case, because Akane and Mika come to trust, respect, and depend on each other. But people decided to hate this 19-year-old forever, so none of that matters.

[Notice how Ginoza's gaze narrows ominously in the last frame, suggesting he might actually have pulled the trigger, thereby killing his best friend, had Akane not intervened.]

Now, let’s return to my earlier point about certain fans irrationally hating any female character they deem unworthy of their blorbo, husbando, etc. This is where Parasocial Relationships become extremely interesting. As mentioned above, Ginoza is my favorite character in Psycho-Pass, which I think is pretty common. While I myself have never been one for self-insertion or creating OCs to pair with my favorite characters, I understand that it’s a popular trend, and if you enjoy it, more power to you. It becomes problematic, however, when those who engage in self-shipping/OC-shipping decide to collectively gang up on the female character creators have paired (or hinted at pairing) with the object of their affection. Enter GinoMika. Now, I know what you’re thinking -- “But Mika’s a lesbian!” I don’t necessarily agree. Do I think she was in love with her best friend at Oso Academy? Yes. Do I think she had a crush on Yayoi at the beginning of PP2? Yes. Do I also think it’s obvious she currently has feelings for Ginoza, which have been steadily growing since Sinners of the System? Absolutely. For this reason, I interpret her as being both bisexual and demisexual. But that’s beside the point --

The point is that many Ginoza fans who ship him with themselves, their OCs, or Akane (remember, she’s Best Girl) seem to enjoy trashing on Mika like it’s an Olympic sport. And when I say “trashing,” I don’t mean your normal yet still disappointing level of ship nonsense; I mean unhinged, violent rhetoric that makes me feel like the Internet is a place where women can never win. And why? Because she was mean to him when she first started working for the MWPSB? As if he was oh-so-kind to the Enforcers who worked under him. I seem to recall him screaming at his father and threatening to “make him pay” for visiting his sick wife without permission. Oh, and then there was the time he introduced Akane to her new colleagues by telling her, “Don’t think that the guys you’re about to meet are humans like us.” But yes, Mika once told him that she didn’t want his opinion as a latent criminal, which is so much worse. And before you can say that she’s still a bitch to him, let me point out that she is a textbook tsundere. That’s how she flirts, shows affection, etc. She can never come right out and say what she means, because that would make her vulnerable. But she can surreptitiously tell Ginoza he better come back alive by insisting he return her special Dominator. You know, because it would be a real hassle if she had to replace that thing.

[The language Ginoza uses when introducing Akane to the Enforcers, including his own best friend and father, is deeply dehumanizing.]

[When Aoyanagi takes Masaoka to visit his estranged wife, Ginoza reacts with explosive anger, reprimanding his father in front of their colleagues and threatening to retaliate should he do it again.]

Which brings us, at long last, to the male portion of the fandom. While many female fans like to call Mika out for her more negative character traits, completely ignoring any and all growth she’s experienced since PP2, male fans tend to direct their anger, dislike, etc. in a much more aggressive manner. I wish I was exaggerating when I say that I’ve seen multiple posts praying for Mika’s rape and subsequent murder. You can’t dive into a single “Season 4 Wish List” thread without finding at least one person wishing extreme ill on Mika Shimotsuki. It's pure misogyny, classic “I’ll fuck the bitch right out of her” rhetoric, and it has no place in this fandom or any other. You would never see a male character being talked about in these terms. Consider this: There’s more fan fiction featuring Mika being raped or coerced into sex by her tormentor, Sakuya Togane, than her having a positive, consensual experience with any other character. Love her or hate her, that is extremely fucked up. We as a fandom need to do better, because once this type of misogyny can be weaponized against fictional characters, it becomes much easier to use against real people. Fan culture, though it might seem trivial, says a lot about us and our values.

[This is just a sampling of the comments you'll find on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, and other social media sites.]

That said, I’d like to end this essay on a more positive note, so let’s take a look at all the ways in which Mika has become a better, more compassionate human being over the course of the series...

By PP3, she shows obvious concern for her Enforcers, values their opinions, and treats them like integral members of her team. In an especially cute scene, she even fist-bumps Tenma Todoroki after they work seamlessly to defeat Koichi Azusawa’s henchmen. She also makes a point to attend the party thrown in the Enforcers’ quarters, as she now longs to be part of the gang -- a gang she would have actively shunned in PP2. 

[During First Inspector, Mika shows time and again that she's willing to work with and for her Enforcers.]

[As Chief, Mika realizes that Enforcers deserve respect and gratitude from their superiors. They are no longer dogs to her.]

[In PP2, Mika tells Ginoza she doesn't care what the Enforcers think of her. By PP3, however, we see her display concern that her team might find her dull. She wants to be liked and accepted by them.]

She becomes far more flexible with her co-workers, allowing Inspectors Arata Shindo and Kei Mikhail Ignatov plenty of freedom to conduct investigations as they see fit. Yes, she consistently scolds them (textbook tsundere behavior), but this is done in a manner far more humorous than anything else. We know she actually trusts them and has their best interests at heart; she just can’t bring herself to say it aloud. She also repeatedly takes heat from Chief Hosorogi on their behalf and is genuinely worried for Arata when it seems like Sibyl might “eliminate” him. The palpable relief on her face when she finds out he’s allowed to remain an Inspector speaks volumes.

[Throughout PP3, Mika allows Kei and Arata to play to their individual strengths, even if it means bending the rules -- something she would never have done in PP2 or the first film.]

[Just look at that excited face. No caption necessary.]

She goes out of her way to make sure the immigrant prostitutes saved by religious leader Joseph Auma are protected following his death. This is an especially big deal, since many of these individuals are latent criminals, and Mika is forced to ask her newfound nemesis, Frederica Hanashiro, for a favor in order to secure their safety. When she tries to pretend it’s no big deal, Frederica calls her bluff by pointing out that no one would stoop to asking someone they hate for help in order to protect people whose fates they don’t care about.

[Even though Mika detests Frederica, she puts the well-being of the immigrants before her own pride.]

In Sinners of the System: Case. 1, her distrust of latent criminals is permanently altered after dealing with Izumi Yasaka, whom she works tirelessly to rescue and comes to view as brave, capable, and worthy of reintegration into society. She also displays genuine concern for and lack of discrimination toward Takeya Kukuri, the young son of a latent criminal, and is horrified to discover that the latent criminal inmates at Sanctuary are being used as disposable tools to move nuclear waste canisters.

[Sinners of the System: Case. 1 marks a decided shift in the way Mika views latent criminals. Instead of lumping them all together, she begins to see them as individuals who deserve basic human rights.]

[Even though Mika is unable to save all the latent criminals at Sanctuary, she does everything in her power to ensure Yasaka and Takeya walk away clean.]

When Enforcer Mao Kisaragi turns out to be the “fox within the CID,” Mika and the rest of Division 01 are united in supporting her claim of innocence. Mika trusts (without concrete proof, mind you) that she’s telling the truth about being an unwitting accomplice, something she never would have done in PP2 or even the first film.  

[While the old Mika would have been the first person to distrust Kisaragi, here we see her standing up for the beleaguered Enforcer.]

She comes to respect Division 01 (Akane, Ginoza, Sugo, Hinakawa, Kunizuka, and Shion), views them as a surrogate family, and misses them once their unit is disbanded. In Sinners of the System: Case. 3, Frederica Hanashiro, who temporarily worked as part of their unit, says, “CID Division 01… They’re not just capable; they have a rare teamwork that overcomes the barrier between Inspectors and Enforcers.” Yes, this is mostly due to Akane’s guiding influence, but it’s clear Frederica is talking about the whole team. It’s taken Mika years to get there, but she is now definitely part of the group, not a jealous outsider looking in. In fact, even Mika’s obvious dislike of Frederica in PP3 is a clear result of this affection. After finally finding a place to belong, she feels as though Frederica swooped in and stole her found family, leaving her right back where she started -- on the outside.

[Though she'll never admit it, Mika views Ginoza as both a mentor and a friend. When he leaves the PSB to join SAD/MOFA, she misses having him around.]

[During her lowest moment in PP2, a jealous Mika actually hopes that Akane's Hue will darken. In Sinners of the System: Case. 2, she pleads with her to take her own safety more seriously. It's clear a big change has occurred in the intervening years.]

[Instead of feeling constant competition with Akane, by PP3, Mika is finally able to give her her due. It's clear they trust and respect each other despite their many differences.]

She’s grown from an immature young woman who couldn’t bring herself to take responsibility for her failures -- most notably her involvement in Akane’s grandmother’s murder -- to a responsible PSB Chief who holds herself accountable for anything that goes wrong with her Inspectors and Enforcers. This is most evident in her reaction to Koichi Azusawa taking control of Nona Tower and subsequently endangering the lives of MWPSB faculty and agents. We first see inklings of this change near the end of PP2, when Kunizuka tells Mika she’ll never forgive the person who gave up Aoi Tsunemori’s location, and Mika responds in kind. It’s clear that she’s not merely parroting a response to save her own skin but is deeply troubled and filled with regret over her own actions.

[In PP2, Mika is constantly blaming others for her mistakes. By First Inspector, she's owning mistakes she didn't even make.]

[Mika trusts her team so much, she's willing to put her job on the line.]

[Although Mika doesn't come clean to Kunizuka about her role in Aoi Tsunemori's death, it's clear she’s haunted by it. Later, when she confesses the truth to Ginoza, he admits to feeling a similar guilt over the way he treated his late father, telling Mika they'll have to bear their respective shame silently for the rest of their lives.]

And lastly, I believe the biggest example of Mika's growth can be found in what is arguably her most important relationship -- the one she shares with Ginoza. Whether you view them as mentor/mentee, begrudging friends, potential love interests, or all three, you can't deny that they have one of the most interesting and entertaining dynamics in the series. As mentioned above, when Mika first meets Ginoza, she views him as a cautionary tale. His demotion from Inspector to Enforcer is her worst nightmare, something that could conceivably happen to her, though she'll never admit it. Because of this, she treats him with hostility, disregarding his opinions and shunning his advice. But the longer they work together, the more we realize that Ginoza brings out the best in Mika -- and vice-versa. His calm, cool demeanor tempers her fiery spirit, and her enthusiasm makes him feel like he still has a purpose. By the time PP3 rolls around, he's become her #1 confidant, the person she calls whenever she has intel to share, grievances to air, etc. And you can't deny that Mika is the one person who makes Ginoza funny. Their flirtatious banter is genuinely charming and shows the softer, more human side of both their characters.

[Given her history with latent criminals, Mika refuses to listen to Ginoza, even when he's coming from a place of experience and genuinely trying to help her.]

[After working together for several years, Mika learns to value Ginoza's opinion and even feels proud when he compliments her.]

[During the Sanctuary case, Ginoza admits to both Akane and himself that being an Enforcer isn't so bad, as long as Mika is the one calling the shots. He knows she has a good heart, and working for her reminds him why he joined the MWPSB in the first place.]

[Notice how Mika's body language changes from PP2 to Sinners of the System. She now looks at Ginoza with appreciation and, in certain instances, affection. The fact that he views her the same way speaks volumes about how far their relationship has come.]

If you made it to the end of this mammoth post, thank you for sticking with me. Hopefully, we can all treat Mika with a little more patience, kindness, and respect when PP4 arrives.

[businesstiramisu]

Guys I have found the most incredible Languagehat thread

First, I'll point out the length: almost 2k comments! LH comment threads can be quite long and meandering (and the cool thing is its totally acceptable to start posting on them years later & revive the thread; it's like Tumblr!) but that usually means dozens to hundreds of comments. I've only found two threads that that clear four digits, and this one is BY FAR the longest.

At first it's the usual pleasant meanderings of the regulars, but since the topic of this one is "The Indo-European Controversy" cranks soon appear. (I swear, *nothing* gets cranks to show up in your comment sections like Proto-Indo-European!)

First we get some guy trying to suggest that PIE originated in North America. Which, maybe *slightly* less crazy than it sounds given that we're* all bullish on Dene-Yeniseian here, but Na-Dene languages are (mostly) in the close-to-Asia corner of the continent... this guy's just picking languages at random through the continent and pointing at single-word similarities. hmmm)

Anyways his proposals failed to convince the regulars (to say the least) but we got some pretty good jokes out of his nonsense sound-change proposals:

LMAO

Anyways, that's all good fun, but at the start of it, someone mentioned a blogger called German Dziebel. This name means nothing to me, but it turned out to be an omen of things to come.

Eventually the guy himself shows up in the thread, to chime in withe support for the North American-PIE hypothesis, even double-down on it with claims that genetic evidence supports a back migration from N. America to Eurasia. (It doesn't.) He also wants to completely overturn mainstream PIE root reconstruction and brings his own new cognate sets to the efforts. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence; well, German Dziebel certain provides extraordinary obduracy.

He eventually gets banned for insulting the other commenters, particularly for his strident insistence that only blogging under your real name is valid and all the pseudonymous commenters are trolls.

German Dziebel posted maybe 90 comments before getting banned; we're only about a quarter of the way through the thread now. What really makes this thread go the distance is about a week later when Vladimir Diakoff enters the thread. He positions himself as an interested amateur and support of Dziebel (though he says Dziebel doesn't return his emails), and he's here to further explain (his understanding) of Diakoff's PIE reconstruction proposals and also proposal a few of his own. He's (mostly) much friendly than Dziebel and he Will. Not. Stop. Posting.

This lasts from late November 2015 through late March 2016, when languagehat's host finally persuades some of the other comments to set up a separate blog to discuss Diakoff's proposals. By my count Diakoff racked up almost 500 comments; between him and the people arguing with him we're now more than 90% through the thread. Conversation on the original thread meanders from there, dying down across spring of 2016 with a few resurgences in 2018 and 2019.

And then, in 2023:

Those links: Vladimir Diakoff's proposals (on that blog the other commenters set up for him) and German Dziebel's paper.

I'm afraid of academia.edu so all I can tell you is that the titles seem to match. But if TR and the followup comments are correct that means either:

German Dziebel finally started reading Vladimir Diakoff's emails, and wrote a paper based on his ideas, without listing Diakoff as a co-author (maybe he's in the acknowledgements?)

The guy who got banned for insulting other commenters for not posting under their real names came back a week later with a sock puppet for 500 more comments.