#is this the correct tag??? am i doing it???

[exopelagic]

hello dirt truthers I love you but I do not respect you and here’s why

plants photosynthesise. that’s their whole deal. photosynthesis is when plants convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, in the equation below:

6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2

that just means they’re taking up 6 carbon dioxide molecules (from the air! famously a gas in the air, you may know her from her recent work in Climate Change) and 6 water molecules (from the soil! but soil is also famously Not made of water and we will get to that later), making 1 glucose molecule and 6 molecules of oxygen (which go back into the air! different kind of air). this is cool because it’s the same process as respiration (how we break down sugars to release energy!) in reverse!

BUT MR PELAGIC — I hear you ask — what about the SUNSHINE?

that’s the fun complicated part for all you contrarian third party motherfuckers :)

the ENERGY for this process comes from light. I said before that this is respiration in reverse: which means that energy needs to go IN, it can’t do this on its own. but! light is VERY good at carrying energy! you may have experienced this with sunburn. you may also know that photosynthesis uses a green pigment called chlorophyll, which is the star of the show here

(I’m lying it’s really rubisco but we’re not going there rn)

yknow when you’re wearing something black when it’s sunny and it gets hot. same thing happens with chlorophyll when it’s absorbing light. but all that energy has to go SOMEWHERE, so instead of just sitting there, the chlorophyll breaks down a little and releases an electron.

stay with me here. we’re getting back to the air. so this electron is carrying a bunch of energy now — this is gonna get passed around and sent to play with the big kids. carbon dioxide is the big kids. as well as her friend ribulose bisphosphate (big carbon based molecule! CO2 has one carbon, this one has 5, and was initially made by joining CO2s together!). the electron here provides the ENERGY for these two to join together — energy was released to break something, needs to be put back in to make something. light -> energy -> bond. which leaves us with glucose! which is MADE of carbon dioxides! a bunch of them!

(you may have noticed the water is missing from this! you remember our friend chlorophyll who’s sad and broken and missing an electron? water (H2O) can ALSO be broken apart by light in the same way, into oxygen, 2 hydrogen ions, and 2 electrons! the oxygen is released as a gas, and the hydrogen ions and some electrons are used as fuel while the rest of the electrons are passed back to patch up ms chlorophyll. everything gets used up!)

SO. altogether, that’s:

carbon dioxide is taken in from the air

water is taken up from the soil (water ≠ soil)

light knocks an electron off the chlorophyll

carbon dioxide joins with ribulose bisphosphate (big 5 carbon molecule) to make glucose, USING THE ENERGY from the electron

water is broken down to replenish electrons and fuel the whole process

NOW! as my dear friend mx splash said above, a big chunk of plants is made of cellulose, which is created by chaining glucose molecules together. most of the things in plants are made of carbon, and all that carbon has to start off in this process -- from glucose molecules, made of carbon dioxide, made of air.

i fear this might be where i lose some of the soil truthers. what about the nutrience?

the main stuff that plants take up from the soil are things like nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (absorbed through their roots, dissolved in water). these are what fertilisers are made of! they're needed to make up many things -- all proteins (nitrogen), for example, as well as DNA (phosphorous). however!

MOST OF THOSE MOLECULES ARE MOSTLY CARBON. carbon's super good at making a framework to stick stuff onto. for example, proteins are long chains of amino acids joined together. the simplest amino acid is called glycine:

which has a ratio of 2 carbon atoms for every 1 nitrogen! most amino acids have a couple more carbons (all other amino acids stick something on instead of a hydrogen) -- which means that there is more carbon than nitrogen even in the vast majority of proteins, which make up a whole bunch of the mass of everything currently alive because they can be used for so many things.

(if you want some stats pulled from the first random paper I could find talking about this, under optimal conditions, tomato leaves in this study have a carbon:nitrogen ratio of roughly 6:1 -- there's 6 times more carbon than nitrogen in a given leaf. [1])

water is also fun, because while plants need a bunch of water (they use it like a skeleton! isn't that cool as hell??) their STRUCTURES aren't made of water. water maintains pressure and a consistent environment and keeps everything standing up (vs wilting when they run out of water), but they're not physically made of water for the most part -- we saw earlier that it's mostly used to drive the process of photosynthesis, while stuff is actually built from the carbon dioxide.

soil itself is also made of a lot of carbon: it's dead plants and rocks and shit. mostly dead plants. but this is a one way relationship: we know that plants are mostly carbon, and plants get the vast majority of this carbon as carbon dioxide from the air -- the stuff they need from soil is instead the extra nutrients like nitrogen, which are released as the dead plants and shit decompose. plants become soil, but soil doesn't become plants (soil is made of plants, plants are not made of soil). when everything works right, the nutrients get put back in the soil by things decomposing, and that layer keeps building up (carbon storage!). soil is really good at sittin there. that's also why air plants can exist, and why we can grow most plants in just water -- all they really need from soil is the water, nutrients and support.

IN CONCLUSION:

plants take in carbon dioxide (air) and use it to make glucose (via photosynthesis, powered by energy from light) which is then used to make the majority of the stuff in the plant. soil isn't taken up directly -- plants suck up nitrogen and other nutrients dissolved in water, which are important, but there is so much more carbon than anything else, which is needed for basically everything because it's used as a base to build on.

plants are made of fucking air <3

dirt propaganda: he says ‘the plants eat the dirt with their roots’ and ‘soil has nutrients’

air propaganda: air plants are a thing and also i reckon we would have run out of soil by now otherwise

[inseobts]

TRAITOR pt.2

law x traitor!reader

PART 1 ⤳ PART 3

words count: 2.6k

tags: series, enemies to lover(?), traitor reader

masterlist || ao3 || ko-fi

It’s easy to forget you’re lying when they make it feel real.

The Heart Pirates aren’t just a crew, they’re a family. They bicker like siblings, tease each other relentlessly, and somehow, without meaning to, you’ve been pulled into it.

You should’ve kept your distance.

But how could you, when—

“Y/N! HELP!”

You barely have time to register the shout before something massive collides with you, nearly knocking you over.

“Bepo—” you gasp, struggling under the weight of the massive mink currently clinging to you “You cannot use me as a shield... what the hell is going on?”

Shachi and Penguin sprint around the corner, looking absolutely murderous. Ikkaku follows close behind, arms crossed, her glare laser-focused on Bepo.

“There you are, you traitor!” Penguin points an accusing finger at the trembling mink still latched onto you.

You blink “Okay, wow. Let’s pause. Why is Bepo a traitor?”

Shachi glares “Because someone ratted us out to the Captain.”

You sigh, already piecing it together “Did you guys try to smuggle alcohol into the infirmary again?”

“… No.”

“You so did.”

Bepo’s ears flatten, guilt all over his face “I had to tell him! He was going to find out anyway!”

“You snitch!” Shachi wails.

“You idiots,” you correct, prying Bepo off you before he suffocates you with his fluff “Why do you always try to hide stuff from Law? You know he’s just gonna find out and punish you worse.”

“It’s about the principle of it,” Penguin grumbles.

You sigh, rubbing your temples “What was the punishment?”

Shachi pouts “No dessert for a week.”

You stare “That’s it?”

“That’s everything, Y/N.”

Bepo nods solemnly “They’re suffering.”

You shake your head, barely suppressing a laugh “You guys are so dramatic.”

Ikkaku crosses her arms “You’re laughing now, but if Law ever finds out about that thing you did, you’re not getting out of it so easily.”

Your breath catches.

Just for a second.

And then you force an easy grin “Which thing? I do a lot of things.”

Ikkaku narrows her eyes playfully “The one with the—”

“Shh!” You slap a hand over her mouth “Don’t tell them, it’s supposed to be a secret!”

The others immediately light up with interest.

“Oh, now you have to tell us,” Shachi says eagerly.

“I am so telling the Captain,” Penguin teases.

Bepo nods sagely “This is karma.”

You groan, regretting everything.

Despite moments like these, you don’t forget why you’re here.

Deep beneath the Polar Tang, hidden in one of the ship’s most secure rooms, is one of the reasons you really joined this crew.

The copies of the Poneglyphs.

You don’t know how Law got his hands on them, but you do know that your real crew, the one you actually belong to, wants them.

And you’re the one who has to steal them.

The thought makes your stomach twist.

Because despite everything, despite the mission, despite knowing you’re a liar.

You don’t hate being here.

You don’t hate them.

You should’ve. It would’ve made this easier.

But you don’t.

Some weeks later you meet the Straw Hats, and you immediately know you’re in trouble.

Not because they’re enemies, or because they’re a threat.

But because of Zoro. You've met him years ago, and even if your real crew was always subtle that no one actually know them, he knows you're a well known pirate between the bounty hunters, even without a specific crew name on it.

You see it in his face the second his eye land on you. That flicker of recognition... subtle, but unmistakable.

You know that look.

It’s the look of someone who remembers you.

He just doesn’t know from where.

And that’s a problem.

“You look familiar,” he says bluntly, eyes narrowing slightly “Do I know you?”

Your mind races. A dozen different excuses flash through your head, but none of them are good enough.

So you go for the simplest, most believable one.

“You probably saw my bounty poster,” you say smoothly, forcing a grin “I’ve got a pretty face, after all.”

Shachi and Penguin snicker behind you.

Zoro eyes you for a second longer, clearly unconvinced, but Luffy claps a hand on his shoulder before he can question you further.

“Zoro, stop being weird,” Luffy says, grinning at you “She’s cool, right, Law?”

Law, who has been watching the exchange carefully, nods once. “She’s one of us.”

The words shouldn’t make your chest tighten the way they do.

But they do.

And that’s dangerous.

The Kid Pirates are even worse.

Because Kid is loud, brash, and aggressive—but he’s also smart.

And he watches you.

Not like Zoro, who’s trying to place your face. Not like Law, who looks at you like you matter.

Kid watches you like he’s waiting for you to slip up.

Like he knows something’s off about you, but he just hasn’t figured out what yet.

“You don’t fit,” he says one night, after too many drinks.

You tilt your head, keeping your expression neutral “Excuse me?”

Kid leans forward, propping his elbows on the table “You’re a little too smooth, a little too good at blending in.” He smirks. “Like you practiced.”

Your fingers tighten around your glass.

“I’ve always been good at adapting,” you say, keeping your voice casual “That’s what a good pirate does, right?”

Kid hums, unconvinced.

And you realize, with a slow sinking feeling—

He’s not going to stop watching you.

The deeper you fall into this act, the more tangled it gets.

Zoro recognizes you but doesn’t know from where.

Kid doesn’t trust you but doesn’t have proof.

Law believes in you, and that’s the worst part of it all.

Because when the truth finally comes out...

This new alliance between the three is a sign for you, a sign that it's time to make a move and get away before someone finds out who you are.

You knew the time was coming. You knew.

But now that it’s here, a sick feeling settles in your chest.

Because you don’t want to do it.

It’s not supposed to be this hard.

You’ve done this before. You’ve infiltrated crews, stolen information, betrayed captains who thought you were theirs. It’s always been simple.

Get in. Get what you need. Get out.

But this time—

This time, it’s different.

Because you’re attached.

Because when Law smirks at you in that rare, teasing way, it makes your chest tighten.

Because when the crew laughs and drags you into their stupid antics, you enjoy it.

Because when Bepo whines about missing Zou, when Shachi and Penguin bicker like children, when Ikkaku rolls her eyes at all of them...

It feels like home.

And now you have to rip it apart.

You tell yourself you’ll make it quick.

One night. One chance.

Slip into Law’s office. Get informations and the Poneglyph copies. Get out.

The submarine has weak points, small openings where the sea meets steel, barely noticeable unless you know where to look. And you do.

A quiet escape. No blood. No confrontation.

That’s the plan. Fast and easy, right?

So why does it feel like a mistake before you even start?

You wait until late, when most of the crew is asleep, their laughter from dinner still lingering in the halls.

Law is in his office, like always.

You hesitate outside the door. Just for a second. Just long enough to remind yourself—

This isn’t real. They were never yours.

You push the door open.

Law doesn’t look up immediately, focused on some report in front of him “You should be asleep.”

You smile, stepping closer “So should you.”

He exhales through his nose, amused but tired “What do you want?”

You want him to make this easy.

You want him to be cruel, to be distant, to remind you why you don’t belong here.

But he doesn’t.

He just leans back in his chair, looking at you like you matter. Like you’re his.

Your chest tightens “Just… wanted to check on you.”

A lie. A stupid, obvious lie. But Law doesn’t question it. Instead, he rubs his temple, sighing “You’re always worrying about me.”

“Someone has to.”

“You shouldn’t.”

You swallow “Why not?”

“Because…” He hesitates, fingers tapping against the desk “Because if you care too much, it’ll be harder to leave.”

Your heart stops.

For a second, you think—does he know?

But then he looks away, staring at some distant point, jaw tight.

And you realize—

He’s not talking about you, he's talking about himself.

Not you...

Himself.

Law is the one who doesn’t want you to leave.

And that’s when it hits you... He trusts you. Completely.

Even now, when you’re standing in his office, pretending to care while planning to betray him—

He still trusts you.

Something in your chest aches.

You shouldn’t care. You shouldn’t...

But when he finally looks back at you, exhaustion clear in his golden eyes, and says “Stay a little longer”

And you do.

You sit with him. You don’t steal anything. You don’t run. You just stay.

And for the first time, you think... Maybe you don’t want to leave at all.

You keep telling yourself this is the last night.

You don’t want it to be, but you’ve known it for days now.

Law trusts you. The crew… they think you belong.

And that’s exactly why you have to leave.

Because once you’ve broken through their walls, once you’ve made them care about you, there’s no going back.

No matter how much they make you laugh. No matter how much you start to care about them.

You’re not one of them. You’re just a pirate with an agenda. A thief. A liar. And if you’re not careful, you’ll lose everything.

The night now feels different.

You slip through the ship’s corridors, the quiet hum of the Polar Tang weirdly comforting as you move.

You can hear Shachi and Penguin arguing somewhere above deck, their voices muffled through the metal walls, and it almost makes you smile. Almost.

Law is in his office again. Alone. The perfect time.

You reach for the door, your hand already knowing the cold steel of the handle. But just as you touch it, your pulse quickens—an unease settling in your gut.

Something feels… off.

You hesitate, fingers still resting against the handle. It’s nothing. You’re just overthinking.

But before you can turn the handle, you hear it—the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Quiet but sure.

Law.

You freeze for a moment and then you start casually walking towards him.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

You look up at him, trying to mask the panic in your eyes “Just passing by.”

Law eyes you, a soft, knowing smile tugging at the corner of his lips “You know, if you keep trying to lie to me, it won’t work. I can tell when you’re lying.”

You swallow, forced to keep your face neutral, even though the tension in your chest is nearly suffocating “You don’t know me that well...”

He steps closer, not threateningly, but with a quiet sort of presence that makes your heartbeat rise “I think I know you better than you think.”

The distance between you two is closing quickly, and you feel a small, dangerous thought flutter in your mind—What if I never leave?

But you shake it off. This has to happen.

You step back, hand sliding into your coat pocket “I think I’ll take a walk. Clear my head.”

Law studies you for a moment, his golden eyes narrowing “You’re not very good at hiding things, you know that?”

You don’t know how to answer that. You don’t know how to lie when it’s getting harder and harder to look at him “I’m going to get some fresh air now”.

You’re standing at the edge of the Polar Tang, staring into the horizon. The sun is setting, painting the sky in oranges and purples.

Tonight, the mission becomes more urgent. The Straw Hats, Kid, and Law’s crew are all moving forward, and you’re running out of time. You know you have to finish what you started.

But how can you betray them?

How can you betray him?

You can’t keep pretending anymore. The lines are blurring. You’re starting to get too close, and you’re terrified of what will happen if you don’t leave soon.

The weight of it is heavy on your shoulders.

But there’s another reason you’re hesitating.

You’ve been hiding your power from them.

Law’s crew doesn’t know what you can do. And you’ve been careful to keep it that way. Because if they knew—if they saw what you could really do—things would change.

And they would fear you... they would all fear you. It happened before. When you’ve used your abilities to their full extent, it’s left a trail of broken minds and empty memories. You can make someone forget an entire conversation, erase their last few hours, manipulate their desires, twist their thoughts—it’s all within your grasp.

And once you start, you can’t stop.

You don’t want to be the monster they think you are. You don’t want them to see you as a tool for their own ends.

So you keep it hidden. You’ve been careful. But now…

Now, you’re feeling the pressure, and it’s getting harder to hide.

You’re walking back to your room, lost in thought, when you hear footsteps behind you.

It’s Law again.

He’s been following you for a while now, and you can feel his eyes on you. You don’t turn around immediately. Instead, you continue walking, your heart pounding.

“You’ve been distant lately.” His voice is calm, but there’s an edge to it—like he’s trying to read you.

You stop, then turn to face him, trying to keep your expression neutral “I’m just tired. There’s a lot going on.”

Law’s gaze narrows. He doesn’t buy it “You’ve been acting weird ever since we got back to the island. What’s going on, y/n?”

For a moment, the weight of the situation crashes down on you. He’s too perceptive. He’s too close to figuring it out.

You take a step back, trying to distance yourself from him, both physically and emotionally “It’s nothing. I just—”

“I’m not asking you to explain everything,” Law interrupts “But if something’s wrong, you can talk to me. We’re... crewmates. I trust you.” He hesitated at that word, as if he wanted to say something else—something much deeper—that scared not only you but himself as well.

You two always had some sort of relationship that started as casual and continued that way, without really talking about your real feelings, as if it were a given.

Anyway his words hit you like a punch. You can’t breathe for a moment.

He trusts you, he likes you.

And you’ve been lying to him this whole time. You’ve been using him. Using his trust to get what you need.

But what if he’s right? What if you do need to tell him?

No. You can’t.

You can’t risk it.

You force a smile “I’m fine, really. Just… need some time to think. I’ll be okay.”

Law doesn’t look convinced, but he nods, though the worry in his eyes lingers “If you say so”

You watch him leave, feeling the weight of his words on your shoulders.

And then—just when you think you might break—you hear the voice in your mind.

It’s your old crew.

The ones who know you better than anyone else, or at least that's what you think.

It’s time. You don’t have much choice now, you have to do it NOW.

[81pastrys]

Their Mechanic

Summary— Lando has a mechanic, but when she isn’t available her ditsy brother’s work needs fixing.

Warnings— bad flirting

A/n— I have more parts (that need revision)

Series parts: 1 / ?

I walk into work, pull my shades up, and see the cars ready for work. My dad sees me and throws the keys at me. “Norris wants you to work on his car today.” He said. “He’s out back waiting. Be on time.”

I usually am on time. I gave myself a treat last night and went drinking. I roll my eyes and set my keys down along with my coffee. I walk out the back before changing and see my MVC. “Back so soon?” I ask.

“Well, you didn’t work on my baby last time.” He smiled. “When you don’t work on her, something ends up wrong.”

“Sounds about right.” I shrug. He popped the hood, and I leaned in. “What was supposed to be fixed?”

“One of the pistons.” He said, leaning on a wall and crossing his arms. I look in the car more and realize I haven’t changed.

“Let me change, and I’ll look in more detail,” I mention tossing his keys back. I go to my locker, swap shirts, and throw my sunglasses in the locker before locking it. I walk back out with a rag and stuff it halfway into my cargo pants. “Mind if I ask who ‘fixed’ it last?” I ask, throwing my hair in a messy pony.

“Ahh, your brother.” He smiled at me. “Seems the genes are only strong in you.”

“He’s ditsy sometimes,” I mention. “Gotta ask for me or my dad.”

“Yeah, I learned that the hard way.” He laughed.

“She can be yours in about an hour,” I say, finalizing my exam of the car. “Did you want a drink?”

“I would’ve never thought you’d be interested in me like that.” He asked jokingly, taken aback.

“I mean a water No-wins.” I joke back, smiling.

“It’s three now, can’t call me that.” He corrected, heading towards the lobby.

I work on his car and return to the lobby, grabbing a clipboard, marking things off, and handing it back to my mom to calculate. “Discount it; he was just here last week, Ma,” I say.

“Discounted prices aren’t going to get you laid.” She mumbled. I slap her arm and laugh. She knows my suppressed feelings for the man.

“Out of all of his options, he’d never.” I joke back with her. Lando realized we were talking about him and joined the conversation.

“Talking about me Trouble?” He asked while ripping the tag off the key ring.

“Calculating the price for the work I do so well.” I smile and give him a wink.

“You know my friends need a good mechanic.” He said. “Care to tend to them for me?”

“Tell them to ask for me, or they’ll get ditsy work.” I laugh, and it’s my mom’s turn to slap my arm. “What? He’s better at oil changes and inspection checks.”

“He’s your brother.” She said. I roll my eyes and wish Lando farewell

Lmk what you think 😊

[apollabarnes]

that was us part three

quick author's note: originally i wrote this series to coincide only with abby's appearances, so i didn't try and cover the time between abby leaving los angeles and coming back during the train derailment — however, since i've continued writing this series i've realized that what i orginally wrote had a lot of backstory that only existed in my head, but that was very much flavouring the rest of the story. i didn't write the tommy and abby interactions at the hospital as the first time they'd talked since he moved to harbor but all of that backstory stayed off the page. this is part of me trying to correct that, and i'm editing parts one and two to cover more of it. also, i know the hospital is originally part three, but this is sneaking in between chapter two and three (i'll update it on ao3 when i'm at my actual computer and not sneaking onto tumblr during work hours)

a tag for @leashybebes who asked to be tagged if i wrote any more of this!

abby's mom dies and she falls apart. she barely makes it through the funeral, buck holds her together while she's sorting through all of her mom's things and it's just. suffocating. her mom's passport is the last straw — how many things did she put off, thinking there would be more time before she got her diagnosis? how many things has abby put off? she loves being a dispatcher. she loves la. buck is the best thing that's happened to her in close to a decade. there were so many things she was planning to do before she tore her rotator cuff. then it was rehab, trying swimming again, quitting again — pushing off all things she'd thought about doing since she was a kid. tommy had helped with that, given her somewhere safe to recover while she licked her wounds, and still she'd put things off. put them aside and shoved them down and promised herself later, later, later. it's later and she still hasn't done even one of the things she wanted to do when she was younger.

she's going to start with her mom's old travel itinerary. abby packs a bag, buys an airline ticket, tells buck she's leaving. the thought of trying to sublet her apartment or sell it is just too much to deal with right now, so she offers him the apartment because he hates living with his roommates and she's certainly not going to be using it. she tries to be as gentle as she can. abby was stuck for a really long time and buck's the one that got her unstuck. it's a gift she's a hundred percent certain he has no idea he gave her, and she doesn't have the words to thank him for it, so she's gentle instead. buck deserves gentle. he deserves better than her, but she doesn't say that either. he wouldn't take it as the compliment she means it as.

it's a cliché to say that she can feel her heart break when he drops her off at the airport, but clichés become clichés because they're things that are true and universal.

abby sits in the airport lounge and waits for her flight to be called. she very quickly gets bored and pulls out her phone, staring at it. if she texts buck now she'll just turn around, let herself get stuck again. she'd like it, too. she wants to try. she can't stay. she scrolls through her phone contacts, stops on tommy's name. snaps a photo of her drink and the departures screen behind her.

guess who's going to europe?

since when do you text?

apparently phone calls are for fossils.

he didn't actually call you a fossil, did he?

no, of course not, but he's a texter. so. i am too now, i guess.

europe, huh? and a guinness to get you started. so you're headed to ireland.

how'd you guess?

your mom mentioned it a few times. really loved a good brogue and pierce brosnan.

she did, didn't she?

yeah. i'm really sorry, abby. about your mom and the fact i couldn't make it.

thanks. any recommendations for when i'm over there?

i'm more of a desert guy, hang on. i've got an idea.

what is this, a group chat? wait, abby texts?

why is everyone surprised that i text?

sal, abby's looking for places to visit in europe.

hey, sal.

head to italy. stop. eat. come home.

sal, jesus. i was hoping you'd be a little more useful.

well, no, he's got a point tommy, i do love pasta.

jesus, fine, stop — gina says hi, by the way. abby, i've been informed by your ex you're going to ireland first.

someone's got to keep you on track, sal.

you've already got the gift of gab since you're on the phone all day, so you can probably skip the blarney stone. there's the giant's causeway. and all the travel magazines try to rank the castles, but they're all neat.

didn't realise you'd spent so much time in europe, sal.

well, gina's the expert (and dictating some of this to me) but hey. she took me over for our honeymoon and we hit the highlights.

we're both very impressed, sal. how long are you going to be in europe, abby?

i don't know. until i get… inspired.

is the baby hotshot coming with?

i hate it when you two call him that.

we could have used his name if you'd ever given it to us.

and have you track him down at work and crack jokes? i don't think so. abby stares at her phone for a long moment before texting again. no, he's not coming. we broke up.

he broke up with you after your mom died?

forget cracking jokes, we'll track him down at work and break his leg.

thank you for the offer, i think? but i was the one that broke up with him.

why?

was the sex that bad?

because i'm going to europe and i don't know when i'm coming back?

gross, sal. abby, if this kid was really into you, he would have waited.

don't listen to tommy, abby, he's still half-hung up on this girl that dumped him ten years ago.

sal!

sal!

abby gets a solo text almost immediately from tommy, promising to dunk sal's head in the nearest toilet the next time they're in the same place. she laughs to herself, startling when the announcement for her flight comes crackling out of the overhead speakers.

that's my cue, gents. sal, just because you and gina wish tommy would move in doesn't mean you have to project that feeling onto us.

he's just so much better at folding laundry than sal ever is - gina

i'm not running away, we got a call. but i'm really embarrassed to know all three of you.

[travelingthief]

Hermaphroditus Offerings/Devotional Acts

* Hermaphroditus is an intersex god, but please keep this post out of the intersex tag - it is not the proper place for it. Please remember that Hermaphroditus's name is the origin of an outdated term now considered a slur by the community. Intersex is the proper term. 

*Intersexness, transness, drag, and cross-dressing are all mentioned here, but they are all separate identities and experiences. Sometimes they overlap, but I am by no means conflating any of them. 

Offerings

Intersex pride flags/merch

Trans pride flags/merch

Any queer pride flags/merch

Books about intersex experiences

Books about gender

Male/female symbols

Hormone prescriptions

Used testosterone vials

Menstrual products

Makeup

Binders

Packers

Breast forms

Tucking tape

Binding tape

Birth control

Perfume

Cologne

Phalluses

Breast imagery

Vulva imagery

Temperance tarot card

Water from ponds/springs/rivers/oceans 

Flowers/flower petals

Rose quartz

Rose water

Feathers

Wedding rings

Wedding souvenirs/photos

Childhood photos

Mirrors

Depictions of satyrs

Protest signs

Drag gear

Crossdressing gear

Gender-affirming surgery recovery supplies

Erote imagery

Devotional Acts

Write about your experience as an intersex person. Are there things you need to come to terms with? What have you learned? Etc.

Write about your experience as a transgender person. Are there things you need to come to terms with? What have you learned? Etc.

Reflect on your relationship with gender

Reflect on your relationship with biological sex

Take your hormones

Learn about intersex variations

Explore your gender identity

Perform in drag

Crossdress

Donate to organizations that advocate for intersex peoples’ rights (interACT)

Advocate for “corrective” surgeries on intersex children to stop 

Educate yourself on intersex issues ESPECIALLY if you are a perisex worshipper. Worshipping Hermaphroditus without an understanding of intersex issues (and including them in your activism) is a disservice to intersex people, yourself, and Hermaphroditus.

Practice self-love

Stand in front of a mirror and say aloud all the things you love about your body

Do things that affirm your gender

Understand that intersex and trans-femme people are some of the most marginalized people in the Queer community. Challenge any beliefs you hold and listen to their experiences and concerns

Go to your doctor’s appointments

Help people recovering from gender-affirming surgery 

Journal about intersex/trans childhood experiences

Learn about different gender identities

Learn about different pronouns

Work to desexualize intersex bodies in society

Learn intersex history

Learn transgender history

Learn drag history

Donate to organizations that advocate for trans rights

Stop infighting

Learn about issues that impact intersex people

Learn about issues that impact trans people

Take a self care bath

Learn about queer mythology 

Disclaimer: I am a perisex trans person who worships Hermaphroditus. I have read and sought out resources about intersex people’s experiences, but I am not an expert. If any intersex person wants to correct or add something to this (non-comprehensive) list, please reach out! The same goes for trans-femme and non-binary people.

[bloopitynoot]

Reading TGCF: Chapter 51

For those who don't know, I am reading TGCF for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag Bloopitynoot reads TGCF. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read BUT if you followed along with my SVSSS read, the rules and vibe are the same.

Tea today: regular with milk and sugar.

Today is a sleepy vibes only day. It means slow reading, lots of tea, comfort meals, and maybe making some art.

let's go chapter 51!!!!

Not even knowing about the dilemma Xie Lian was having about staying with his long distance boyfriend or repaying a debt (not a real debt, a perceived social debt) Hua Cheng solved all the issues by going along with them p407

Hua Cheng: hmmm, this compilation of research about this ghost doesn't seem right. I'm pretty sure I killed these people over here. p410

But also, thank fuck Hua Cheng is here because it seems like a ton of the information they're working off of is not correct at all. p411

The way Hua Cheng said and agreed/offered to have someone watch over the shrine is giving me a vibe that Xie Lian will be coming back to another stunning temple. p412.

We did it! Book three is done! On to book 4

A few things from this chapter.

1. the trust Xie Lian has is WILD. He has no idea who's watching the kids, temple, and Qi Rong but feels totally fine just letting it happen.

2. I am so invested in this jinx monster investigation. Already starting so crooked by being in the wrong location.

3. Shi Qingxuan has got to start doing some things for themselves, like goodness, the research skills here are abysmal.

[p0ssym1lker]

Damian and jason who want to hang around Danny because his ectoplasm makes them feel like they have taken 20 of the best naps in a row: .....

Tim, dannys boyfriend, who has told Danny all about the shit that happened between them: I tried to frame it in a very good way, I really did-

[thetisming]

amatonormativity: a romantic partner should be the most important person in EVERYONE'S life

NOT amatonormativity: MY romantic partner is the most important person in MY life, but i understand this is not the same for other people

allosexnormativity: EVERYONE should have sex and sex is something EVERYONE needs/wants/should want

NOT allosexnormativity: I PERSONALLY enjoy sex and love having sex because it makes ME feel good, but other people dont feel the same and that's okay

platonormativity: having friends is important for EVERYONE and EVERYONE needs/has/should have friends

NOT platonormativity: having friends is important to ME and I PERSONALLY love having friends, but there are people who dont and theres nothing wrong with that

faminormativity (is that the word?): family is important for EVERYONE and EVERYONE needs to have their family

NOT faminormativity: family is important to ME and I PERSONALLY need my family with me, but other people dont feel the same and i understand that

lovenormativity (again, not sure if this is a word): EVERYBODY feels love and there's something wrong wiith you if you dont

NOT lovenormativity: I PERSONALLY feel love and love people, but not everyone does and that's completely okay!

NOT amatonormativity: i dont have friends/have any desire to have friends, i am happy with other relationships/no relationships at all

NOT platonormativity: i dont have any desire to be in a romantic relationships, and i am happy with my platonic relationships

NOT allosexnormativity: i like hooking up with people and having one night stands or friends with benefits

NOT faminormativity: i care about my family deeply and am close with family members

NOT lovenormativity: i feel love for people i care about

it's not normative to personally enjoy something, so long as you respect that other people simply arent like you and aren't going to like the same things as you. taking down normativity is a two way street, allos and aspecs need to do it. support your local aros, aces, apls, afams and other aspecs today! remember to challange all normativities, and to not enforce other normativity by saying how bullshit other normativities are!

nothing is universal. romance is not universal. sex is not universal. friendship is not universal. family is not universal. love is not universal. nothing is universal.

[rox-of-iu]

to no ones surprise more of my special guy

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

hope you feel better soon!

I am riddled with ailments, but I stay silly!

[bunnyboy-juice]

NO MORE ASSOCIATING THINGS WITH FEMMES ONLY BECAUSE THEY ARE PINK!HYPERFEM FEMMES ARE GREAT AND I LOVE YOU CAMPY FEMMES WHO EMBODY PINK BUT ALSO JESUS CHRIST CAN YOU GUYS NOT GO MORE THAN ONE DAY W/O TRYING TO SHOEHORN FEMMES INTO BEING ONLY PINK UWU BABIES. I AM FEMME AS IN GRASS AS IN DIRT AS IN TREE BARK AS IN WEEDS SPROUTING THROUGH THE SIDEWALK CEMENT. FEMME AS IN GENDER NONCONFORMITY AS IN FUCK YOU MY FEMININITY IS WHAT *I* SAY IT IS. FEMME AS IN DEPTH AND DARKNESS AND WARMTH AND TERROR. FEMME AS IN CAVES. FEMME AS IN LIGHTNING. FEMME AS IN AN AMALGAMATION OF TRAITS THAT I HAVE DECIDED ARE FEMININE REGARDLESS OF WHAT SOCIETY SAYS. FUCK IS IT THAT HARD TO UNDERSTAND?!???

[anastacialy]

tracked down this clip just because of this post! have jokes from skizz and scar

[utdrmv-confession-box]

Transcript: I really, really, REALLY hate and despise when people make Spamton, Susie, Noelle, Alphys or Undyne, Mettaton or Roulxs straight. I also can't stand Alphton[Alphys x Spamton], *especially* not that one. Ew. I get it, you're straight, but stop trying to erase the gay characters from the shows we enjoy WHEN THE GAME SAYS IT ITSELF AND THE CREATOR WROTE IT THAT WAY!! Straightwashing is horrible and I will always vouch for gay ships in both UT and DR. It's just like, if you really want something straight so bad go make your own content to straightify or better yet, SHIP ACTUAL STRAIGHT SHIPS FROM THE GAME! It's so messed up when people do this.... almost as bad as when people purposefully label Kris, even though Toby explicitly stated they are a they. 🤮

I get the whole argument of "Spamton said he'd be like that if someone gave him money to be in a couple!" but no. His entire energy does not radiate hetero and he is a completely valid gay king. I sincerely hate when people do that I hate it so much I hate it more than anything else..... I really wish straights would stop erasing us.

[wortsandall]

had the realization that i only care about jason and a lesser extent damian. the rest could have the most interesting, most controversial comic run of their lives and i wouldnt give a fuck.

they could all die and stay dead forever and i would barely notice. they could be packaged in all my favorite headcanons and tropes and i still wouldn't spare them a second glance

[winn-wynn]

Why is Percy the only who has to grovel at the rest of the Weasleys family feet? Why is he the only one who to apologize in a fight that wasn’t one sided.

Both sides made mistakes. Why in fics is Percy the only one begging for forgiveness? Why aren’t the rest of the family reevaluating their choices and wondering what made him want to go anyway?

Is it because that would be admitting they’re wrong? Because clearly Percy was wrong so why is the rest of the family wrong? We were on the right side of the war.

[mylittleredgirl]

depression is genuinely so fucking stupid. at least being insane is interesting.