#it's a hard job taking everything at face value and not understanding anything. but someone's gotta do it

[madrac]

i've finished season 11 of doctor who and i loved so many things but at the same time it feels like it should've been the first "draft" of the season, to be polished before actually making it. thirteen is amazing, she's got a bit of eleven but in her own way (somehow less goofy but also with +100% funny faces), the companions are lovely and some episodes were really good story-wise, but at the same time some choices are just ? not smart?

Like i love yaz to DEATH but the overarching story about tim shaw and grace serves ryan and graham's stories, so she's barely relevant (though the episode about her grandmother was one of the best this season). my point is. That three companions at the same time are too many. And by having so many you don't get to flesh them out properly . Graham as an old man has a lot of comedic potential that's barely used, even more considering his and Ryan's reluctant relationship. The only source of humor in this season has been the doctor, but it's hard to have really funny bits when jokes don't bounce between people a little. I just wish we could've gotten more fam(ily) dynamics between the doctor, ryan and graham, since family is a theme for the season, clearly.

On the other hand yaz and the doctor have a wonderful chemistry by themselves and to be honest i would've loved a few episodes (maybe even a whole season!!) just for the two of them. but Yaz doesn't really fit in the family/mourning theme, at least for season 11, and so it allf eels a little fragmented. Idk they're all lovely as i said, just not so spectacularly fleshed out and written. Also i say all this but Im going to eat concrete i just know they'll break my heart anyway

[fastandcarlos]

Forgotten Thing : ̗̀➛ Max Verstappen

summary: you know just how busy max is, and you understood too, only now you're starting to feel like the forgotten thing in his life

The sound of light snores greeted you as you walked into the apartment, unable to stop your eyes from rolling. Your heart raced as you slipped your shoes off, dropping your bag to the ground with a loud thud, not caring about the figure asleep in your living room.  

“Max,” you called out, standing to the side of the sofa with your arms folded across your chest. 

The sound of your voice had him stirring, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. A smile was on his face for a moment until Max noticed how nice you looked, eyes going wide in horror when he remembered that he had promised to pick you up from work. 

“That was a lovely walk home,” you sarcastically told him, taking a seat on the end of the sofa, “at least you got some rest though, that’s what matters, right?” 

The frustration was clear in your voice as you found yourself let down by Max again. It was becoming a pretty normal feeling for you, to be given empty promises and assured of things that you knew that Max wouldn’t be able to follow through. 

“Don’t be mad, please,” Max asked of you, sitting himself up. “I only planned on closing my eyes for a few minutes, and then I just lost track of time. I mean, all you had to do was walk home from work, it’s hardly the most difficult job in the world. 

Your head shook at how dismissive Max was. “The walk home didn’t bother me Max, it’s the fact that you promised you’d be there. You keep promising and not delivering, it’s like I’m some forgotten, unimportant part of your life.” 

Max brushed his hands over his face as he tried to wake himself up, not quite understanding what you were so fed up about. “I’ve been so busy at work recently I obviously just needed the sleep. We can’t all have a job like yours, some of us are working nonstop.” 

“I see, because my job is a walk in the park, isn’t it?” You scoffed. 

You couldn’t quite believe what you were hearing from Max, he’d always seemed to be supportive, but now you weren’t so sure. It was like the two of you were in competition, with Max clearly feeling like he was winning. 

“It’s not the same, how hard I work and how hard you work is very different. I’ve got a flight to catch early tomorrow morning and you’ve got the next two days off, so I’d say I’m slightly more important,” Max argued. 

Your mouth went wide in shock, letting go of a gasp. You didn’t recognise the man in front of you, the man who usually was so caring and sympathetic had turned into someone who couldn’t care less about you. 

“I’ve always looked after you Max, done absolutely anything for you. It’s a shame you can’t do the same for me. I might as well just leave, that’s how you make me feel,” you spoke. 

Max’s eyes widened once again, his body tensing up. You stood up, feeling Max's eyes watching your every move, slowly backing towards the front door. 

“You wouldn’t actually leave,” Max sniggered. 

“Why not? What is there to make me stay anymore?” You challenged, your voice getting louder. “Why shouldn’t I go somewhere where I actually feel valued and appreciated rather as if I’m nothing.” 

“Love,” Max whispered, brushing a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry that I’ve made you feel that way, it’s just been so hard for the past couple of weeks. I really did intend on picking you up, I set an alarm and everything, but I must’ve just slept right through it.” 

“If you were tired or stressed Max, you should’ve told me, I’d never have expected you to pick me up if I knew,” you sighed, walking back into the room again. 

“But you’re right, I do keep making promises that I can’t keep, so I wanted to pick you up to prove to you that I care.” Max tapped the space beside him on the sofa, inviting you to sit beside him as his hand rested against your leg. 

“I know that you care about me,” you assured him. 

Max’s head shook, “but I’ve not shown you that, when you’re constantly here caring for me, I just take it for granted, we’re supposed to care for each other.” 

You smiled weakly across at Max, knowing better than anyone just how hard he worked. For all his faults, you could never fault how loved he made you feel, even if his mind was elsewhere sometimes. Your hand reached out and pressed against the side of his face, lips pressing against his cheek, unaware of the way Max’s heart raced with relief at the feeling of your lips on him.  

“If you’re free this weekend, do you fancy coming to the race?” Max asked you, “I’ll make sure that we can spend some time together when I’m not needed at the garage. We can explore, have a proper look around.” 

Your head nodded at his suggestion, excited by the thought of being at a race again. It had been a while, you were never quite sure if Max wanted you there or not, but now he couldn’t imagine himself going to the race without you. 

“You don’t need to do this, I know how hard race weekends are,” you assured him, squeezing against his hand, “I don’t need anything to be made up to me.” 

“But you do,” Max defended, knowing just how badly he’d treated you. “I want to make sure you know that I care, I’m going to make sure that we have the best weekend together too.” 

Max moved his free arm around your frame as he pulled you into his side, pressing several gentle kisses against the top of your head. The hold he had on you was more loving than anything you’d felt from him in a while, letting you know just how sorry he was. 

Once he was done, Max kept his head resting on top of yours. “Whatever you want to do whilst we’re there this weekend, we’ll do. I’ll even drive you around and pick you up from the paddock.” 

“Max,” you whispered, but he quickly shushed you, knowing what you were about to say. 

“Don’t tell me that you understand that it’s alright, because it’s not,” he laughed, reading your mind perfectly. “I’ve been a terrible boyfriend and that needs to be put right.” 

“I do understand, you work so hard.” 

“And so do you,” Max responded, “I never should’ve made it sound like your job doesn’t matter, because it does, you’re the hardest working person I know. I’m sorry.” 

“Stop apologising,” you grinned, pressing your head further into Max’s side, “I know how sorry you are Max.” 

A hum came from him as he leant back on the sofa, cuddling you into his side as he draped his legs over the top of yours. 

“Let’s sleep for a bit,” you suggested, placing your hand on his chest, “I know how much better you sleep when you’ve got someone to cuddle.” 

Max nodded in agreement with you, “you can’t be telling anyone how much I love being cuddled to sleep, people won’t think I’m cool anymore.” 

“Leave me stranded at work again and I might just reveal all your secrets,” you teased. 

“You wouldn’t,” Max challenged, watching your head nod out of the corner of his eye. 

“You wouldn’t want to find out.” 

˗ˏˋ 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ! ´ˎ˗

[quiteliterallyilliterate]

Had an idea for some Yan!TP LinkxReader who could also shift into a wolf. Working on requests!

Tw: Yandere, Mentions of murder, Mentions of Cannibalism, Obsession

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

Link always knew there was something special about you. That was, something beyond the obvious. You were a being of absolute divinity in both beauty and intelligence. Not only that, but you saw him as a fitting devotee to grace with your presence. You saw him worthy of your worship. Someone to keep around rather than abandon, unlike some others he’s loved before. Of course you, absolutely incredible and utterly divine you, was special. There was absolutely no doubt about it —he’d kill anyone who had anything to say otherwise. He didn’t see the need to entertain or engage with such obvious mistruths. But there was always a nagging feeling that there was more to you than he could simply gather at face value. That there was something drawing him to you like a moth to a flame. Like he had some innate need for your presence like a starving man needs food. And yet, no matter how hard he tried nor how long he searched, he couldn’t exactly pin it. Perhaps it was sacrilegious of him to even doubt you, but his senses had never before led him wrong.

One must understand that, in the wreckage of his life post his heroics, the more animalistic side of him had since begun to merge with his sense of humanity. Two things, realms, entities mixing to eventually make some middle ground— an equilibrium. That line between man and beast blurred and bled into one another until he was more of himself than he ever was before. He could track down any missing person —incredibly useful for wrangling the rowdy children of Ordon— a task he could previously only do as a wolf but could now achieve as a human. He now had an odd hunger for raw meat. Originally, this happened posed quite a problem, as people don’t take well to seeing another person scarf down slabs of raw meat. But, as always, you provided a solution. Whenever he’d have to kill a man in offering to you —as they’d gotten too close to you, too close to touching what wasn’t theirs— all Link would need to do after the job was pick the bones clean. The carcass left quite a message, he was sure.

There was, However, the final issue he used to struggle with. The beast often demanded a Mate. He supposed it made some form of sense —the hunger for satisfaction. After All, it’s not like the beast can really understand that there’s more to living than survival and reproduction when you have consciousness. Whenever the urge would come back, knawing at his ribs like a spitting fire daring to be tamed, he’d let it fizzle out. It was all the real options he had. The beast didn’t beg for just anyone to tame the teeming flames. Instead it urged for someone specific. But of course, for no one he knew of. It cried and howled, with no way to sate the beast’s desires. And so, Link resigned himself to waiting. Again, It’s not like he had any other option. But of course you, marvellous you. You were the solution. You happened to be the very one that his soul cried out to. The calm sun, dowsing him with light after so long of storms. Like moonlight to a moth and bread to a starving man, you saved and sated him down to the matter of his vary soul. He didn’t dare question it, not now he had you. That would be simply disgraceful of him to turn you away in even the slightest. So while you attuned yourself to him, he could spend all his time and energy toward cherishing you. He could spend everything toward your worship. While you learned of him and of his home, he learned what foods you best like and how you’d best like him so you would just stay by his side. Please- you’re all he has left.

The summer night was quiet in Ordon, the kids having gone to bed and most of the adults having gone to follow. Crickets buzzed in the tall grasses and the pleasantly cool night meant you could open up the windows. The two of you lounged inside, curled up close. His face was nuzzled into your neck, calmed by the familiarity and warmth of your scent.

“Link?” Your voice was soft and quiet to match the comfortable silence you’d established for yourselves. He hummed back to you in response, looking up. He basked in the attention you gave him, he was blessed that you picked him. You could have had anyone. Well not anyone, he’d kill his competitors.

“Look, I have to show you something, but you have to promise you won’t freak out.” He sat upright with the worry that pulled at your tone. You were too good to live a life that provided you with worries. He’s gone through so much that you could live in blissful peace as you deserve. He’d level towns- he’d bring death to Hyrule as the two of you know it if it means your worries are calmed. You slid off the couch and returned with your fluffy cloak in hand. It was your favorite, lined with a thick pelt capable of keeping you warm and dry in harsh weather. Not to mention, you looked utterly adorable when the fluff dwarfed your frame. You clipped it over your shoulders and anxiously adjusted it so it fit perfectly. You breathed slowly, and it was like energy breathed into the still room. There was a small glow of light, and when it cleared, you were no longer sitting before him. Instead, a wolf looked back at him, ears perked and the same intelligent eyes looking back at his own. You were like him. That’s why you were meant to be together, why his soul called to yours. Gods- you were perfect for him in ways he didn’t know he craved. He was hellbent on making sure that you’d live a good life, by any means necessary.

[teenandbeyond]

Hey girl!!! I loved the Bayverse one!!! It was so accurate on how I have seizures!!! I loved it!!! I was thinking maybe that again but maybe the mha boys. I was thinking Shinsou, Bakugou, Deku, and Tokoyami. If that’s to much then I’m sorry!!!! I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable!!!

Bnha Boys x Chubby. Autistic Reader

Want more, get addicted HERE.

☆*: .｡. .｡.:*☆☆*: .｡. .｡.:*☆

Let's Learn Each Other (BNHA or Boku no Hero Academia)

Warning(s): Seizures (and again, it's in the ask, so...)

You worry you may be too much for your boy, but he's happy to assure you, you're worth it...

✨✨✨✨✨✨

Shinsou

Shinsou was so chill about everything, you felt comfortable enough to not mask your behaviors.

And he didn’t pay them any mind until someone else pointed out that they weren’t typical.

Which he didn’t take very kindly.

They were offered a glare, “Are you saying [Name] has a problem?”

You had to hold back the laugh that wanted to escape from his protectiveness, “Well, it’s not a problem as much as a–um–condition.”

“Huh?”

“They’re right, I don’t—I don’t have normal behaviors, since I’m autistic,” you explained.

“Oh, I know you are,” he shrugged, “I just don’t find any issue with it. It’s a part of you and I like you, so it didn’t make sense to make a big deal of it like it’s bad or something.”

He admitted that he noticed your tics and traits but quickly grew used to them and continued as normal.

He thought you were perfect for him, you were sensitive to touch, and he wasn’t a touchy guy.

In the past, you would feel bad that you couldn’t touch him like most couples did. You’d force yourself to hold his hand despite the anxiety. Until he told you he wasn’t a big fan, either.

You were direct, which was a trait he respected and valued.

And he honestly wasn’t much of a conversationalist himself, so he didn’t mind the communication issues you had.

And despite you not understanding many emotions, you easily flustered him.

“Shinsou, your Quirk is so cool, you know that?”

“You did a good job. I’m proud of you.”

Cue a Shinsou with a flushed face avoiding eye contact.

Sometimes you’d think you’d embarrassed him until he tells you.

“No, I just…stuff like that makes me a little shy sometimes, that’s it.”

“You don’t like it?”

He shook his head, which he realized was probably confusing, “I don’t mind when you do it.”

Since he was pretty aware of Autism before he met you, he could guess when you had a seizure for the first time on the couch...

Which was repetitive swallowing.

A focal seizure. It wasn’t long, and it was subtle.

But he carefully watched you until it passed, “You okay?”

You waited for a moment before you nodded.

“I’m okay now.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I wouldn’t have thought anything of it.”

“People usually think of seizures as only being dramatic, obvious, and intense…but it isn’t always that way. There just has to be more people out there to teach them.”

“Yeah. Another thing this society has to change,” he picked up the remote to change the show.

“Shinsou?”

“Hm?”

“Thank you.”

Midoriya (Deku)

“Autism?... I think I heard of it.”

A few minutes later Midoriya will have a clear notebook from who knows where, writing things down like a madman.

“Oh! That explains why you do that head tilt thing a lot.”

In between the internet, he will ask you questions that are specific to you, outside of the general stuff.

He tries to ask questions sparingly so it doesn’t get overwhelming.

“They also mentioned seizures. Do you have those?”

“Yes. Sometimes.”

Even though he now understands your behavior better, he will still misunderstand you for a few moments until he remembers.

Like when your bluntness can be offensive without intending to. But trust Midoriya won’t burst into tears, he’s had much worse things said to him.

Sometimes you will misread the mood, but he’ll explain it to you.

You attempt to practice better communication skills, but he’ll assure you.

“Don’t practice too hard, [Name], you don’t need to be perfect at it. Besides, I…don’t have the best communications skills, either.”

And sometimes, Midoriya’s back and forth consistency throws you off.

But you both work to make the relationship good for the both of you.

And then he experiences a seizure experience with you for the first time.

You’re in his room at home when your muscles suddenly go rigid.

Of course, you’re used to this happening, but you can’t help the slight panic of sudden loss of control.

His first instinct is to panic, but he fights against it because he realizes you already are. He doesn't want to make it worse.

He quickly works on timing it while making sure to make you’re comfortable. He softly starts to tell you a story, his voice is calming and you start to freak out a little less.

Then, it’s finally over.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better…a little sore. But better.”

His brows furrowed as he thought, “That was a…tonic seizure?”

“Yes.”

“Before I met you, I didn’t realize there were so many different types–Hm, can I ask a few questions? So I can be better prepared, next time?” he quickly parted from you to find his spare [Name] notebook.

“You didn’t do too bad this time. But okay, go ahead.”

Bakugo

You would mask your behaviors around people. You were a hero in training, you didn’t want anyone questioning your capabilities for something you couldn’t change.

But Bakugo’s incredibly observant and picked up on a few things you let slip without realizing.

Once he’d watched you for a while, he approached you and got straight to the point. He wasn't one to beat around the bush.

“Oi. Are you Autistic?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

“Thought so.”

You were surprised Bakugo had approached you considering you actively avoided him.

You were sensitive to loud noises. You’d learned to adjust to some sounds that couldn’t be avoided as a hero, but his yelling still made you anxious as hell.

But right now, he was quiet. No yelling.

You thought that was the end of it, that he was just curious about your possible Autism…but no, he kept talking to you. He kept asking you questions.

And you didn’t mind answering them.

And along the way, you found yourselves in a relationship.

The class was wondering how in the world you tamed Bakugo, he wasn’t yelling nearly as much…when you were around, anyway.

But you didn’t do anything. Behind closed doors, he was always relaxed, his speaking tone was even, and he was gentle.

You had to learn how to understand each other.

Bakugo was emotional and buried what he felt. He would keep to himself how he was feeling. And you weren’t able to read his emotions sometimes.

So you learned to ask him.

“Hey, Bakugo.”

“Yeah?”

“How are you…feeling? You look tired, but you sound upset?”

And he learned to be more direct with his feelings, which helped you understand him better.

And sometimes, on accident, he would get a little loud, so you would ask for breaks, which he would give you.

Although Bakugo could be spontaneous, he was consistent with the things that mattered, so it made it a little easier for you to learn him.

Bakugo treated you like any other person, he didn’t treat you like Autism was something strange or bad. He was protective of you, so if anyone talked about your behaviors or appearance, he would pull them aside to go off on them.

He showed interest in your interest. He loved when you would ramble about it and he would always remember what you’d say.

He had to compromise touch, since you craved it. He was surprised, but all you said was,

“It’s actually a myth that all people on the autistic spectrum are averse to touch. Some of us like it, depends on the person.”

But he found he liked it when you cuddled with him, so he didn’t mind. It wasn’t a bad compromise.

Bakugo likes knowing things, so he’ll look stuff up and ask questions until he has a wide knowledge of Autism, your specific type, and everything about it. He learned about you outside of your Autism, your favorite foods, favorite color, any information he could get his hands on.

He paid special attention to information on your seizures.

Talked to you about them, watched videos, read books.

So when he witnessed it the first time, he was prepared.

You weren’t, since it was in the common room and most of your class was there.

Everyone was panicking, this hadn’t happened to you with them around before.

Kirishima rushed to get Bakugo from his room, let him know what’s going on.

“Shit. Is everyone panicking?” he rushed past his redheaded friend.

“I–Who wouldn’t? It was just so sudden!”

Once he made it into the room, everyone was crowded around you.

And someone looked as if they were about to try and hold you down.

“Back up! All of you!” he barked out.

“But Bakugo—”

“Stop standing there like idiots and move!” he growled, pushing past them.

He started moving things away from you and carefully checked your breathing.

“How long has it been like this?”

“N-Not long–Half a minute, maybe?”

“Okay.”

He spoke quietly to you, apologizing that he wasn’t there with you when it started, apologizing for the idiots making things worse.

“Maybe [Name] needs some water—”

He turned to Kaminari, about ready to strangle him for the suggestion, “Does it look like they can drink water right now? Does that make any sense to you?”

“Right–Right, sorry.”

“And all of you, back up some more or leave. I feel like you’re breathing down our necks,” he scoffed.

So they did, now it was just the two of you. Then you settled.

He waited for a minute, softly petting at your head until you could speak again.

“Thank you, Bakugo.”

“Huh? For what?”

“Helping. They weren’t being very helpful.”

“They’re the ‘panic first, get into action later’ types.”

“I noticed.”

“How are you feeling?”

“I need water, I think. And cuddles, too. If you’re up for it.”

Tokoyami

He honestly hadn’t noticed anything was unique about you until you told him you had Autism.

“Oh? I hadn’t noticed.”

He does ask you plenty of questions over the next few weeks whenever one comes to mind.

You find yourself fascinated by Dark Shadow, though you misunderstand some things he says to Tokoyami that make him flustered. It was always something about you.

You were also sensitive to bright lights, which made you perfect for Tokoyami. He wasn’t a fan himself.

He showed devotion to listening to you about your interest, never seeming annoyed about the same thing.

He was very uncomplicated to you.

He spoke his mind, he was to the point. If he didn’t tell you his emotions at first, he will tell you eventually.

Behind closed doors, he lets you gently pet his feathers–although they are sensitive, it relaxes you, so it’s the least he can do.

He also helps you find relaxation training, which you appreciate.

And one day, he experiences your seizure with you. He almost missed that’s what it was, since you would stare off and get confused suddenly.

He kept the environment relaxed until the moment passed.

Which you were grateful for, but then…

“Tokoyami. Let’s–Let’s take a nap.”

“That’s a good idea, [Name].”

And a nap you took.

[sugar-konpeito]

ok take this entire post with a grain of salt because i'm really hyperfixated right now and just writing whatever but,, something i think about A LOT is mamoru's behavior (particularly anime mamoru (which i think may have something to do with ikuhara being really critical of japan's treatment of vulnerable children)) can be explained as results of neglect and developmental delays.

he was raised in an institution from the age of five, and probably primarily raised himself. he had to become self-sufficient at a very young age because he knew there was no one who would support him besides himself.

having more-or-less been an adult his whole life, he seems very mature. he's very successful in school, has worked multiple jobs, and owns an apartment. he's very well-mannered and polite, and never childish or poorly behaved. he has many accomplishments/skills for his age and is worldly. but if you pay close attention to him, there are aspects of his personality that are very childlike still or couldn't grow much. particularly emotional and social ones

here's a list of his signs of trauma/neglect/developmental delay (because i'm not sure how to make these into a paragraph):

-He's very naïve in general. Despite the cynical façade he put on early in the series, he doesn't understand many everyday social concepts and has a tendency to take things at face value.

-For example, he doesn't seem to have a firm grasp on gender. He's had very few close relationships in life, and only seems to have a very sketchy idea of what boys and girls are. Since the sailor guardians are pretty much the only girls he's been close to, he assumes their characteristics are indicative of all girls, instead of being idiosyncrasies of theirs.

There's a scene where Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars start randomly bickering over something innocuous and get pretty vicious and *very* loud. Tuxedo Mask slips away and remarks "It's scary when girls fight."

It's not a jab, it's more like an observation. He sees an element of Usagi and Rei's very unique dynamic and assumes it applies to *all* girls. He doesn't have much info to draw from and is currently constructing his idea about how girls function based of off the sailor senshi. It also shows how he takes things at face value, because he instantly accepts his first interpretation of the situation and doesn't think much further into it.

-Another example is when Zoisite managed to trick him by pretending to surrender, and Mamoru just trusted him!😭

-Even though he's a teenager, he doesn't understand dating at all, and doesn't know what the appeal of it is. When dating Usagi he tries to be romantic by emulating things he saw on TV and acts very odd. Because of all of his responsibilities, he probably never had many opportunities to bond with his peers. Dude has no clue what partners do together, what he's supposed to be feeling, or much of anything really! he also gets confused by girls liking him and doesn't catch on to their advances most of the time..

-His expressions are very subtle or could even be described as blank. Difficulty with facial expressions are a common characteristic of neglect. (Lots of fans think he's cold because of this.😢 he's not!! he just has a rough time okay??😢😢)

-He has a hard time asking for help. It doesn't even usually occur to him as an option. He's so used to solving everything himself, asking somebody else seems unthinkable

-When he's walking down the street with a shoulder wound, and Usagi shows concern about it, it doesn't even register! He gets annoyed by her following him and asks her why. She answers that she was worried. "About me?" he asks, despite there being no one else in the alleyway. He's completely baffled. It's never occurred to him that someone may care about his well being.

-He's very shy and usually plays social interactions safe by not talking much. Sometimes this actually has the effect of making the conversation awkward. (That time in SuperS where he has guests over and just sits there while usagi and chibiusa argue over who his real girlfriend is. he doesn't intervene even when it makes the guests uncomfortable)

-HE'S SUCH A PEOPLE PLEASER. i don't think i have to explain this one, but he dated rei for a while despite really disliking it because he didn't want to hurt her feelings!! and that time he apologized to usagi for not knowing her birthday and scrambled to get her a gift even after she hit him and embarrassed him in public. he wasn't mad for a second. he thought he must be in the wrong!! (he doesn't value himself as much as he should😢)

-he struggles to be vulnerable, even in small, mundane ways.

-when pressed, he has a tendency to shut down, using submissive body language and avoiding eye contact. (like when mercury cornered him and tried to force him to be direct with her. (he ended up running away))

-he is VERY selfless. in Transylvania no mori, he's stabbed and is dying. he focuses all his remaining energy on comforting Usagi and making sure she knows it's not her fault, when he should probably be focusing on survival. he clearly wants to take care of others, which is good, but he has too little concern for himself!! he wasn't taught he had value

-he can act prickly (probably out of fear/defense mechanism)

-he doesn't set boundaries!!! the closest he usually comes is ignoring the person causing him problems😭😭😭😭

i don't know where i'm going with this but developmental psychology is one of my special interests,, also i think usagi is so good for him because she unconditionally loves him and accepts him where he's at instead of expecting him to be more mature or something!! and you help people with delays grow by meeting them where they're at and nurturing whatever needs they have instead of questioning or criticizing them!! she teaches mamoru to value himself and can teach him the things he didn't learn!! she had a really safe and loving family and a stable childhood and she can use the benefits her secure life gave her to help him!!!!!! :,,,,DDDDDD

(people always think usagi is the fragile one, and mamoru ought to protect her better, but she's really the strong one of the two!! she had the safe childhood. mamoru is a bit (emotionally) frail from his hard life :,,>)

mamoru is so grateful to her for loving him, he gives her his 100000000% and takes care of her with everything in him!!!

[muekyn]

modern!erwin headcanons

he works as a professor in a community college. teaches history. he wants to teach a class in a university but hasn’t had the best luck. he’s still happy with his job though, loves all his students and wants the best for them.

paces a lot when he gives lectures, or when he’s giving hange a stern talking to. basically, anytime he starts talking a lot and very passionately, he’ll have a little pace going on.

everyone who knows him knows him as the “motivation guy”. whenever someone is feeling down, erwin is there to bring their confidence up with his kind and uplifting words. can spit out an eloquent 10-minute monologue on a whim about anything and everything. erwin is just that good at articulating himself.

is always busy. it’s hard to make plans with him since he’s always caught up in work or personal affairs. though when you are able to see him, he devotes 100% of his energy and time to you.

carries around a mini notebook where he jots down things that come to mind. its incredibly cryptic and no one can seem to understand what’s written down. (no one except erwin)

stays up late most nights working, like grading paperwork or revising his lectures. desperately wants to sleep all the time but just never has the time for it. lives off of coffee

drives a truck or some other large car. doesn’t even use his car for the space, just has it “just in case”. everyone (except eren. eren isn't allowed) ends up borrowing his car to move stuff back and forth.

has a very fatherly/mentor-like bond with armin. armin was his student at first, and used to visit very often after class, full of questions. they shortly began a friendship due to having the same interests and the back and forth conversations they shared. armin stood out to erwin due to how studious and intelligent he was. their relationship is like the “are ya winning son” meme (the wholesome version)

speaking of wholesome, erwin is the most wholesome, most honorable man you’ve ever met. has such pure intentions, he's a very transparent person. he would never lie, would never cheat, would never look at you in a gawking sort of way. (he’s very soft with his gaze) sees value in everything and everyone. he’s just very wholesome

doesn’t really understand sexual jokes. it takes him a minute or two to even process when someone makes an innuendo. and by then he’s all red in the face, shocked.

doesn't really understand memes either. if he does, he's a little late on the joke. by the time he gets the joke, everyone has moved on from it.

can be overly trusting at times. it’s not that he’s oblivious, he just tends to see more positivity in people which makes him overlook any potential red flags. he has almost gotten scammed by falling for a fraudulent phone call. he was on the phone, giving away his phone number when luckily levi happened to be swinging by and was able to end the call before erwin gave away too much information.

likes very obscure things. either they’re things that no one has heard of, or he has rather unpopular opinions. for example, he thinks that shrek 3 was a good movie. he’s never incessant about his opinions though. he simply says, “yeah! i thought (insert bad thing here) was great!” which causes an uproar of “WHAT?!!?”

he loves to garden. he grows fruits and vegetables in his backyard. he uses the fruits and veggies to feed his horse (and himself). his favorite plant he has is the pomegranate tree he’s been growing for several years now.

loves stars and the constellations. can point to any cluster of stars in the sky and recognize what constellation it is. he gives you a quick little history lesson with each new constellation he shows you. before you met erwin, you only recognized the big and little diper. but he opened your eyes to the wonders of the stars and the meaning and importance behind each constellation.

[skye-huntress]

The Witch from Mercury Reaction

Episode 11: “The Witches from Earth”

I was a little wired during this episode so I made not time to stop and take notes. So now I’m going to try to remember everything bit by bit and it’s not going to be in any particular order

First, from now on the Jeturk son’s name is Bob. I accept no criticism

Speaking of Bob, it is safe to say he is the official punching bag of the show. We could compile a lengthy list of the number of times he has been owned and we’re not even halfway through the show

There was a lot of talk since the last episode about how the big miscommunication came about, and someone mentioned something I hadn’t consider. Suletta evaluates her own worth to how useful she can be to other people. When you give her a job you say no one else can do but her, that makes her feel happy and valued. Take that away from her, make her feel like she’s replaceable and she loses all confidence in herself and feels a constant need to prove her worth. The worst part, the more nervous she is, the more prone she is to make a mistake, which in turn further fuels her anxiety in a vicious cycle.

So all of Earth House and even their animals (and Belmeria) are along for the ride. Now that I have a chance to think about it, that’s actually extremely worrying. I’m not worried for Suletta or Miorine losing their lives, but the rest of Earth House is a long list of expendable characters.

I’m still very disappointed in Nika, but at least she has a bit more awareness with what is going on with Suletta, and the likely cause of it

In a surprising twist, Prospera chooses now to act like a decent mother to Suletta.

I have to wonder, both Miorine and Suletta have used the toilet to hide from people. Either it’s something they just happen to have in common, or maybe Suletta picked up a bad habit from her bride. The thought is both sweet and unsettling at the same time. And hey, Miorine did find her there on her own.

I enjoyed the chase, even though both our girls were having a hard time. I sort of feel like I should be disturbed by Miorine using such an underhanded tactic, however I can’t help but respect that it was both clever (she had me fooled) and, unfortunately, very necessary.

Suletta, true to her nature, spent much of her “explanation” rambling incoherently about things Miorine couldn’t understand without the proper context but somewhere along the way she picked up the general message. Miorine herself is not much better with all her contradicting statements, like how she wanted to run away from father, and now can’t and has to face him regularly and that’s the fault of thanks to Suletta. I’m glad they got some of their issues sorted out and now have a clearer idea of how the other feels about them, just in time for them to fall victim to a terrorist attack

The mystery of Prospera’s schemes deepens. She straight up uses her true name in front of Delling and appears to be using data from Aerial to assist in Delling’s super secret project. Prospera is hellbent on revenge according to the short novel, but we do not know what form it will take.

It’s interesting to see the pilot from the prologue make an appearance. He seemed formidable as a pilot, but now I’m not sure what he is supposed to be.

Jeturk continues to play his games. Unfortunately for him, he forgot something very important, you can’t trust a traitor. Anyone willing to help you stab someone else in the back is just as capable of turning the blade on you.

Speaking of traitors, that’s a good shot of Nico realising the consequences of her actions. She is now complicit in terrorism, and if anything happens to any member of Earth House, it will be partly on her head.

So, these witches. Seems one of them, Sophie, has taken a personal interest in Suletta. She seems like the wild card of the bunch so it’s up in the air whether this is better or worse for Suletta.

All that said, since Suletta and Miorine are communicating again, I’m more confident that they will end up working together to get themselves out of this crisis.

The real question is, can Bob break his losing streak?! A thought just occurred to me. If the terrorists are using Jeturk suits, Bob could probably hijack one and pilot it better than most could.

That’s probably not everything but it’s late and I’m at my limit. Another 2 weeks, was it?

Edit: I forgot the damn keychains! Miorine was really like: “this looks lame, cheap and ugly, no one with give this to me but you, which is exactly why it is now my most cherished possession”. That is exactly the reaction I was expecting.

[katyspersonal]

Happy (incoming) New Year!

It might look like a rush, but in my timezone, New Year only will arrive in as much as several hours. Like I noticed before, in my culture New Year is THE 'winter holiday to celebrate everything good and give warm wishes', not Christmas x)

Not going to lie though, this year has been a literal Hell for me from almost the very start. It is even sort of... hard to recall just how MUCH I've lost this year. Hopes, plans, peace, dreams, any sort of stability in the future, money, losing connections to being more trouble than I was worth, losing people to cold ruthless clutches of death - family members included, friends vanishing without a notion, health depleting... Past some point I started to feel personally cursed, even with the background of the tragedy of society- humanity, in general. I was cynically wondering - 'And what crucial thing will I lose this month?' as time went by. It felt like a sadistic game by a fate itself, to stripe me from literally everything that makes me a human being that I am, so when my inevitable death comes - it can't even count as a person dying... Only an empty husk resembling former self, that no longer can hope or believe. I cursed the whole world and decided I'll be the last one standing when 2023 arrives, even when everything and everyone around me is gone.

But now?

I realize that it is only some hours away from 2023, and yet, I miraculously didn't lose everything. I still live in this house, I still have my mom and my job. And most importantly... I still have my true friends, and just people dear for me.

All pain I went through this year was worth it, if that meant getting to say - 'I have people that saw me through everything and still stayed with me'. The previous New Year celebration I concluded - 'If you are not friends with someone anymore, it doesn't meant you never were', and now the same moral plays differently. Because, truly, in this awful and chaotic world, you can lose anything, anyone, anytime - only keeping warm memories of it. But in the end, the past can only give you so much. However, memories of TRUE, genuine friends are different. The people you chose to keep around and trust to and allow to influence you end up shaping you. Even after they are gone from your life, what you were shaped into by their presence lingers with you even after, helping you to face new challenges, helping you to be a better friend for new friends, after all! This sort of happiness is unique, even if that life takes away from you too.

So, honestly, guys; if you find TRUE friends that love you unconditionally and stay with you through your worst moments and want to UNDERSTAND you despite your differences and are ready to pay the consequences of their love for you and not target to change or fix you... Fucking HOLD onto them. This sort of true friends you cannot attract with 'good behavior', cannot buy with money, cannot earn with drawing things for them and with always giving your support to them, cannot 'deserve' by being a 'good' person, cannot even win by changing yourself entirely to cater to their tastes. With all your struggle and what you THINK can win you loyalty and true love, genuine friends are always and ultimately the gift of fate - for weak or strong, for good or bad. You do not question why you was gifted it, but you must cherish it. And never, ever, EVER trade them for any of the arbitrary and temporary values this world has to offer. Because nourishing and transforming your soul by the bonds that are WORTH it is what will get you all further.

And as this year ends, I do not have regrets, because I have the bonds that are WORTH it, and on every step I've made a right choice regarding what people to value. I've gained experience, and I do not feel alone - instead I feel like I can truly choose friends wisely now, and am free to explore and develop my true self. Pain is how you grow, and pain is worth it when you have people that are willing to see you overcome it.

(Well... and also this year I created drawings I loved, saw the red moon for the first time and helped people a lot on several occasions - things I will value too.)

Happy new year, and I hope that you guys likewise can say that this year you are stronger than the last one, and that you've made choices you are proud of. Friends or just acquaintances, thank you for making this terrible year worth it in the end: @val-of-the-north @saintmicolash @ako-sirin @heraldofcrow @fantomette22 @scrawnytreedemon @kyrdjava @bimbomcgee @bombur-sexy-bitch @tangerinethecat and... also Arrol that Tumblr doesn't let me tag, Kris and Masha that do not have Tumblr and @cuddlefish-fish and now deactivated @fishbowlcarnage - who just disappeared one day, but are very good memories that were crucial for my fandom experience, and I pray that they are fine and are in better place after leaving the internets, not worse one.

[goatsandgangsters]

shadow and bone episode 6 liveblog: all two minutes of it before I turned off the TV

wow Baghra sure doesn’t…….. give a flying fuck that Alina plans to kill her son. which would be fucked up in a vacuum, but like. in the books, her motivation THE ENTIRE TIME is “saving him.” her ENTIRE THING is that SHE DOES NOT CARE about anything but herself and her son’s survival. EVERYTHING ELSE is expendable, the entire country is expendable, even Alina is expendable. BUT SURE!!! LET’S JUST NOT CARE THAT THE ONLY ONE OF YOUR MANY CHILDREN YOU BOTHERED TO RAISE AND THE ONLY CONSTANT OVER LIKE 800 YEARS OF YOUR LIFE IS GONNA GET MURDERATED

I am paused two minutes into the episode debating if this show is worth finishing

Darkling stans, I’ve always thought our section of the fandom unfairly vilified Baghra. but I am now maintaining that opinion only about book!Baghra. this is extremely cruel writing.

god. even book!darkling—an objectively worse and Deader Inside person than his show counterpart—had the decency to be extremely fucked up over Baghra’s death. and she just isn’t phased by the reverse prospect at all?

how did book!darkling, an objectively worse person who did far worse to everyone around him, get a more sympathetic treatment than what we’re doing now? like, what was the point of all the work they did to humanize the character and make him more three-dimensional, who DOESN’T EVEN DO HALF THE HEINOUS THINGS AS HIS BOOK COUNTERPART, only to turn around and take away sympathy for him that existed in the books

I was already expecting this liveblog would be a big rant about the decision to have baghra HELP alina with the amplifiers even though that is so outrageously counter to Literally Everything She Stands For And Believes In, but this just decked me in the face, so we might not even get far enough for me to do That Particular Rant

I’ve turned off the TV

an hour has passed, I’ve taken a shower, I’ve continued to debate with myself if I should just be done with the entire franchise and care about things that are actually good, instead of caring too much about things because I wish they were good

we’ll see what I decide. I’m gonna sleep on it 

don’t tell me anything / be very vague. I can ask Kara specifics for my mind-making-up-process but I still want to have control over what/how much info I take in to make that decision 

I really……. didn’t foresee a world where I wouldn’t like season 2

because like, I read the books. on the whole, I enjoyed them. even though objectively 5 of them are mediocre at best. I made it through. I had fun. they’re not good, but they’re entertaining, and that has value. and that was always my assurance. “well, if nothing else, the show won’t be WORSE than the books.” and I’m not so sure about that right now.

all things considered, I’m actually the world’s most easy-to-appease Darkling Stan. I don’t want a different ending. I like both deaths, in r&r and row. honestly, all I’ve ever wanted is for the narrative to be less heavy-handed on lecturing the audience, stop telling me how I’m supposed to feel, and respect the tragedy of someone who’s fought so hard and so long that there’s nothing left of him. Respect that that’s tragic.

and based on season 1, I thought, perfect, you’re golden, on the right track, just keep this up. I’m looking forward to that sweet sweet tragedy 

and I do not understand how this version of the character—who is nowhere near as bad as his book counterpart—is being treated with even less sympathy. I don’t understand it. his own mother doesn’t give a shit??? you can’t even give him THAT? there is not a single soul in this whole entire world with even a scrap of sympathy, despite the fact that there are multiple characters in the book who feel that? they trust the audience so little? 

my ask was so minimal. respect the tragedy of the character. and right now, it seems like they’re doing a WORSE job than the book did. 

[justaradioguy]

about muse, updated dec. 31, 2022

i. basic info

ii. personality

iii. appearance

iv. relationships

v. health

vi. background

basic info

name

-> kain fuery

aka

-> “kate” (code name), “the pawn” (metaphorical coded name, unknown to him)

gender / pronouns

-> male / he/him/his, though he wouldn’t careif others were used

age

-> 23 (main), 25-26 (post-series)

orientation

-> somewhere on the ace spectrum

personality

description

-> at his best, he’s altruistic, friendly, intuitive, and gentle. he doesn’t always understand people, but he has a genuine and fierce love for those around him. kain very much wears his heart on his sleeve and it’s usually not hard to tell what he’s feeling, though don’t expect him to spill his worries or problems very easily.

-> at his worst, he overthinks everything. he’s extremely harsh in his self-criticism and doesn’t believe he is worth anything more than his output. it is difficult to convince him that he’s cared for and valued, and he has a hard time asking for help.

appearance

facial features

-> he has a permanent baby face and is often mistaken to be several years younger than he is.

eyes

-> they’re dark (color varies, though my iteration of kain has grey eyes), big, expressive, and definitely require glasses.

hair

-> jet black and kept short + out of his face

height

-> 5’2” tall. doesn’t help the baby face for sure.

scars

-> no notable scarring in his main timeline.

typical clothing

-> he’s a huge fan of loose, comfortable clothes when he’s not in uniform. he doesn’t typically wear a lot of dark colors, either.

relationships

parents

-> he’s cut off both of his parents. this happened after he ran away at 16.

friends

-> roy mustang: his commanding officer and the person he is most loyal to. insulting mustang is more offensive than an insult to him directly. he does end up committing crimes to further this man’s agenda and he would absolutely do it again.

-> his unit: he would walk through hell twenty thousand times if they asked him to or needed him to. he’s not entirely certain that they care for him in return, but he believes that they’re good people worthy of his help and time.

-> his own subordinates: while they aren’t as close to him, kain does take time to be good to them and attempt to guide them to the right paths. rather than being distant and gruff like he has the option to, he prefers to lead through example. he is absolutely devastated by the loss of some of them in fotset and feels immense guilt + personal responsibility over it.

enemies

-> the amestrian military as a system and structure: he doesn’t like oppressive governments that much and actively plans to commit treason/helps to commit treason when the time comes for it.

-> the homunculi: he's not too knowledgeable on them, but they're part of the oppressive government, so he's on board the hate train

health

physical health

-> he’s mostly physically healthy, able to do everything the military requires him to do. however, he is prone to overuse injuries due to his job as a communications officer.

mental health

-> terrible. catastrophically bad. the only good thing here is his high self-efficacy, but even that feeds into his abysmally low self-esteem and his almost self-destructive perfectionism. it’s about ten times worse post-series due to the development of incapacitating PTSD and a guilt complex the size of the country.

background

place of birth

-> central city, amestris

birthday

-> february 23, 1891

age 0 - 5 (early childhood)

-> he was born to parents who did not want a child for the right reasons. they had kain less out of a sense of actually wanting him, but moreso out of a sense of societal obligation and to have someone to pass their business along to. he is made well-aware of this fact in childhood, as he’s often left in the care of people other than his parents.

age 6 - 12 (late childhood)

-> he discovers his fascination with technology, phones, radios, and everything else he can get his tiny little hands on. he learns to take it all apart, put it back together, and sometimes (around age eleven) turn it into something else entirely. his parents harshly criticise him for his “odd” field of interest, but he tries to pay them no mind. at least he’s getting their attention, right?

age 13 - 17 (teenage years)

-> same thing as before up until he’s sixteen. he gets into an argument with his father that ends up a screaming match, then decides to leave. he packs up his things and cuts all ties, not looking back even once.

age 18+ (adulthood)

-> without many other options, he enlists in the military. depending on when you ask him, he feels it a terrible mistake… until two weeks before he turns twenty, when he’s recruited by roy mustang to be a part of that team. it doesn’t take kain very long to decide he likes these weirdos and that they are the kindest bunch he’s met thus far. with a bit of restored faith in humanity, he vows to himself to be loyal to them unless they stray from their path.

-> and then the shit hits the fan a few years later. roy metaphorically flies too close to the sun, and kain’s sent away to south command without much ability to contact his friends. unfortunately for him, he’s too good at his job and is promptly sent to deal with communications-related issues on the front lines of the border war with aerugo in the town of fotset. he eventually abandons his post to go help commit treason. yay treason! :)

[itslenagain]

[ Part 1 here / Part 2 here / Part 3 here / Part 4 here ]

PART 5

"A series of viral videos online has lead to calls for investigation into a woman claiming to be the Greek goddess Hera-"

"I was on that plane and I was afraid for my life! We all barely escaped! What if they're terrorists, or-"

"They're illegals, they don't have jobs, they don't pay taxes, they're just a couple millennial freeloaders LARPing as Gods-"

"Well I guess *Hera* is pretty in the face, but that girl needs to lose weight before I'd say she's beautiful-"

"Here to talk about Greek mythology is Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, a UFO-ologist who claims aliens on Mount Olympus-"

"We cannot allow these so-called *Greek gods* to run around and threaten the values of our Christian nation-"

"I don't know if she's really a Goddess, but damn, I'd love to worship that thick ass-"

Bev turns off the TV and throws the remote at the wall. The batteries pop out and the cover flies under the sofa. She roars in frustration, eyeing the new dent in the wall of her Manhattan penthouse. She grabs her phone and furiously dials the number. "Joanne? Go find-"

"I'm way ahead of you, Bev. They're both on their way via armored transport. I made sure they were not seen."

"Hallelujah," Bev mumbles. "Don't bring them to New York - there's a paper trail proving I'm here. Take them to Providence."

"Roger," Joanne says, and hangs up. She turns to Hera and Kimberly. "That's the code word for her safehouse in Havana. I hope you don't get seasick."

The door to Bev's penthouse busts open as battering rams pound their way through. "FBI! COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!" The agent commands.

They're too late. Bev is gone, already three steps ahead.

(An hour later...)

Kimberly is anxious. The confrontation on the plane changed, well, *everything.* Suddenly, she and Hera are all over the news, the internet too, everyone with their own wild speculation or opinion on the situation. Kimberly had a normal life at some point, right? It was hard for her to even remember it at this point.

Hera is scrolling through internet feeds, laughing wildly at the whole ordeal. She turns to Kimberly. "What is a TERF?"

"An asshole who thinks you can't be a woman if you weren't born as one."

Hera cackles. "Mortals are ridiculous, aren't they?" She shows a meme to Kimberly with a painting of Hera labeled "The Original TERF," followed by a long manifesto on how as the Goddess of women, Hera would hate trans women. Kimberly winces. "They don't even understand the history they wrote of us. Uranus is the God of masculinity and he doesn't even have a penis anymore. Womanhood is not about body parts or the circumstances of birth."

Kimberly smiles. "Maybe the world needs you right now. Maybe, somehow, this is all happening at the right time."

Joanne looks back. "You aren't posting anything, right?! Is your location off?" She snatches the phone out of Hera's hand. She looks at it for a moment, then returns it to Hera. "Where did you get this?"

"I swirled my hands around and there was a lot of chanting and glitter and then magically I had a cellphone." Hera's deadpan expression sends Kimberly into a laughing fit. "I went to a store and bought it. But then I found someone who could help make it 100% untraceable to keep Zeus from using it to find me."

"Who's the someone?" Joanne asks.

Hera winks. "I can't show you my *whole* hand."

(The next day...)

Kimberly stretches and gets out of bed. Hera is seated in an armchair in the corner, cigarette in one hand, a massive book under the other. She glances up and smiles. "Good morning, my love."

Kimberly crosses the room and kisses her, slow and soft. "What are you reading?"

"Bev says I need to study. She's looking for a way to establish some sort of US citizenship for me. She's chain-smoking on the deck."

Kimberly steps out onto the deck. Bev looks frazzled. Kimberly has never seen her like this. Cigarette butts are scattered around the deck, a discarded pack lying on the ground. Bev looks up and stiffens. "Sorry," she mumbles, trying to pull her frizzy hair back from her face. "How're you holding up?"

"...I'm not really sure how to answer that," Kimberly replies with a chuckle. "I never imagined my first love would be a Goddess-turned-international-fugitive with a crazy husband."

Bev studies her carefully. "You've never been in love before?"

"Nahhh. I never felt like I needed it. I was always kind of a loner. There were girls here and there, but I never felt a meaningful connection, you know?" Bev offers Kimberly a cigarette, which she declines, instead reaching for an unopened can of beer on the table. "Hera just... I don't know. She upended everything I thought I knew about myself. I was never anxious before. Now I worry about her, about Zeus, the world, about not being good enough or strong enough, everything... and she has this way of just looking at me and suddenly the anxiety is melting and I can't even imagine why I was worried in the first place. And part of me feels stupid for ever thinking I could just exist without knowing what this felt like."

Bev laughs. "You've got it bad, huh?" Her eyes flash with pain. "I... I am envious." She lights another cigarette, quickly thumbing away a tear forming in the corner of her eye.

"...I noticed you've got pictures of yourself with someone in all your offices." Kimberly says. "...do you need to talk about it?"

Bev runs a hand through her hair. "I don't know. I've gotten so good at *not* talking about it that I don't even know where I'd start. Not sure if I even want to."

Kimberly offers her an understanding expression. "It's okay if you don't want to or aren't ready or whatever. But, I'm here if you need to." Bev smiles.

Joanne sighs from behind the window, where she's been listening to the whole conversation. Should she have asked, all those years ago?

(Later that day...)

The group is seated around a round table, papers and books scattered about. "I'm not sure you would qualify as a refugee. The laws on entering the US with no real legal birth records are really tricky, and I mean, there are *no laws* on what to do if an immortal entity is trying to enter the country." Bev sighs. "We have to be really careful, because obviously there is a lot of interest in you. However, we might be able to use that to your advantage. You're already somewhat of a feminist icon in some circles, maybe we lean into those circles for support. If we can create a lot of public sympathy towards you, it will be harder for them to turn you away."

"Do you think it's dangerous to go back?" Kimberly asks.

"Well, my inside sources tell me the CIA is highly interested in Hera and Zeus from an intelligence standpoint. The FBI wants to track you down and criminally prosecute you for, I don't even know, I guess they think you're a threat." Bev laughs. "The media has taken a million different positions, but really I just think the people want to know more and they're clinging to whatever information they can get their hands on."

"Should we make a public statement?" Joanne asks. Everyone looks at her. "Maybe we can use the advantage of everyone wanting to know, by just telling them."

"I love it!" Hera exclaims.

"Too dangerous," Kimberly warns.

"Risky but not a bad plan," Bev ponders.

(That evening...)

"I'm here with a video submitted from an anonymous source that appears to be a legitimate recording of the Hera woman, our team has investigated the footage and it does not appear to be doctored. You heard it here first, here's an exclusive look at a message from the sensation herself...." The reporter disappears as Hera's image fills the screen.

"Citizens of the world... You know me from stories that have been written, oral traditions passed through the ages, artwork, all of it. I am Hera. I am the daughter of Cronus and Rhea, the mother of Ares, Hebe, Eileithyia, Hephaestus, and Eris. You know me as the wife of Zeus. Your world is more complex than you may know. For millennia, the Greek Pantheon has lived in Olympus, choosing to no longer interfere in the mortal world. However, I am in need of mortal help. You see, mortals have written my story. I have not had a chance to change, to share my side. My husband, Zeus, has committed many crimes against me. I cannot get divorced in Olympus. I am seeking asylum in the United States in an attempt to obtain a divorce. I want to sincerely apologize for those on the flight from Phoenix that were frightened when Zeus created a storm to scare me. With your help, we can make sure Zeus returns to Olympus and does not interfere with our world again. And, you can give me a chance to write my own story. I want to follow the example of so many strong women in mortal history who challenged their oppressors and came out victorious. Please, I urge you to give me the chance to be free."

[ Next ]

You are a divorce lawyer, the best in your field. You have just received word that you will representing the Greek goddess Hera in her divorce from Zeus.

[cvpiidbiites]

꒰ᐢ. ̫ .ᐢ꒱

A/N: Part 2 of A-Z Fluff relationship alphabet For Lumi!

Marriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Would adore to be married though all it would really change would be legal stuff and "wife" instead of "girlfriend." (Although Lumi does accidently slip the words wife/husband/spouse through her pink lips time to time) Lumi truly wants it just to show Ha-min how serious and devoted she is towards them, to show that they are together and that he isn't alone in this home.

Nicknames - What do they call their s/o?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ (My/My sweet) Angel, Dove, Darling, Miss/Mister Grumpy

On Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Oh god is it obvious, her chubby cheeks are always slightly tinted pink and its not from the makeup, biggest smile on her face, quite literally the light in any room she walks in. Lumi went from this meek model who was said very few words in the interviews to this grinning yapper who's finally free in her own skin. Her ways of showing her love is acts of service and it lord does it show! Im pretty sure Ha-min gained some of the healthy relationship weight with how often Lumi makes sure to get them to eat three hearty meals a day! (Even going out of her way to drop lunch off time to time. Good luck to any driver on the road)

PDA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Lumi may wish to show how much she loves Ha-Min but refuses to do anything more than what was agreed upon before leaving the house! Her darling's comfort is above all else! If Lumi s with friends or acquaintances and they ask about her love life she talks about it cheerfully before it becomes all out gushing and praises about her partner at times. (rip Minjun's ears.)

Quirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Caring for animals! Lumi never had a pet before but research so much about chinchillas when she met them! Since Ha-Min is busy most days Lumi is now the one in charge of caring for them and keeping them company!

Romance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ She learned all her romance through shitty Romcom movies so in theory Lumi is romantic but in practice she's cutely cringe. You can tell she's trying and all the heart shaped food and roses but god someone stop her before she tries to take romance lessons from random videos online or even worse romance animes.

Support - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Blindly supporting Ha-min's job! She doesn't know what her lover really does but she's always home being the relaxation they need before he goes back to work the next day refreshed! Dinner? Done. Clothing? Wash. Bed? Warm and waiting to comfort you!

Thrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Likes to spice things up when she can! Likes planning vacations or dates to let them have a change of scenery! She may not post much online but any new couple trend happening she's def trying to convince them to try it! Maybe it'll be fun or maybe they can make fun of it later!

Understanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ It takes such a long time for Lumi to know some things about Ha-Min and she likes to joke that you can't rush perfection with it! She understand how it's hard to just trust someone with everything about yourself so Lumi is gladly taking her time with learning facts about him! Every new fact about her is like a special memory for Lumi to keep.

Value - How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Lumi finds this relationship extremely important to her, it's her place of safety. Her and Ha-min are a family to her especially with their "babies" (chinchillas) Lumi would do anything if it meant to stay by Ha-Min's side and be their safe space too.

Wild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

Lumi is a very pink and beige person! Frilly, cute, and decorated. Random black and white accessories/nails on her may seem weird or that they stand out oddly but it all clicks when you see mismatches eyes staring down at her with the exact pattern that on Lumi's nails.

XOXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Extremely! Loves laying Ha-Min's head on her chest or lap, pressing kisses against their head when a headache comes on, and even learned how to do some slight massages for her back! She adores having her hands on her partner if it means helping lifting the weight of the world off them.

Yearning - How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Lumi in a sense is always surrounded by her so she can never truly miss him bad! However if there was a work trip Lumi can't attend and its far away god will she go crazy! (/lh) She develops such a bad habit of still cooking food for Ha-Min for when she comes home and then having to eat it herself so it doesn't go to waste since they're not around along with falling asleep in the cold empty living room on the couch waiting to see if they come through the front door early.

Zeal - Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Lumi is willing to give up all of her past life, willing to fake her death if she had to if it means she would stay safe, if it meant she could be the support Ha-Min needs.

[bysunnysun]

* Reminder to Self *

" Stop forcing yourself to nurture toxic relationships. It's not your job to carry the emotional weight of someone who doesn't respect, appreciate, or cherish your energy. You may feel obligated because of love, loyalty, or history, but those bonds should never serve as chains keeping you tied to a person who diminishes your well-being. Your time, energy, and emotional resources are sacred, and they should be invested in relationships that nurture your soul, not deplete it.

Toxic relationships often thrive on manipulation, guilt, and emotional blackmail, making it difficult to break free. You might feel that you're the only one holding the relationship together, that without you, things would fall apart. But that's not a healthy dynamic. Relationships should be built on mutual respect, love, and effort from both sides. If you're the only one putting in the work, then it's time to step back and reconsider.

It’s important to understand that just because you love someone doesn’t mean you should tolerate toxic behavior. Love should never be a justification for disrespect, control, or emotional harm. Sometimes, walking away is the most loving thing you can do for yourself. You’re not abandoning the relationship; you’re choosing to prioritize your mental and emotional health.

Boundaries are essential in any relationship, and toxic people often trample over them. They take without giving, demand without offering, and hurt without remorse. You deserve better than to constantly explain your worth to someone who refuses to see it. Setting boundaries might feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you're used to giving more than you receive, but it's a crucial step toward healing.

Remember, nurturing a toxic relationship doesn't make you stronger; it just drains you. You might think that enduring the pain or fighting to fix things will eventually pay off, but it often only deepens the hurt. The longer you stay in a toxic relationship, the more you lose pieces of yourself. You begin to doubt your own value, question your worth, and feel less than you truly are.

The fear of loneliness often keeps us trapped in unhealthy connections. We convince ourselves that it’s better to stay in a toxic relationship than to face the uncertainty of being alone. But being alone is not the worst thing—being in the wrong relationship is. Solitude allows you to reconnect with yourself, to heal, and to rediscover your strength. It’s in those moments of peace that you can truly grow.

Healing from a toxic relationship is a process, and it requires patience. You will likely go through a range of emotions—anger, sadness, guilt, relief—but know that all of these feelings are part of the journey. Give yourself the time and space to feel everything, but don’t allow yourself to be pulled back into the toxicity because of nostalgia or fear.

It’s also important to surround yourself with supportive people during this time. When you’re used to toxic dynamics, healthy relationships can feel foreign, but they’re crucial for your healing. Allow yourself to receive love, support, and kindness from others without feeling like you owe them anything in return. These relationships will remind you of your worth.

Forgiveness is another key element in moving forward. This doesn’t mean you have to forgive the toxic person for their actions, but you do need to forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for staying too long, for ignoring the red flags, for trying too hard. Be gentle with yourself as you heal, and understand that you did the best you could with the knowledge and strength you had at the time."

- Abhikesh

[aluckiicoin]

*Veritas couldn't believe it. Now, he was really getting irritated. He went as far as to admit his own mistake, well, sort of. He expected Aventurine to appreciate the effort, instead of such a bitter response. He tries to stay calm, he really does, but he can't hide the evident irritation in his voice.*

"I'm not treating you as an object. I was concerned, am I the only person who ever cared about you? Because you're clearly showing it with your every word."

*Of course he didn't mean to hurt the blonde, but he had to prove his point. This was a question of his pride and he wasn't willing to back off. Even the threatening touch on his chest wasn't as effective as his infuriation.*

"My reputation still has certain price, just like my life, if I have to put it in a way you'll understand. I'm willing to give everything to you."

*About the rest, how could he argue when Aventurine was right. He certainly wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice himself when it came to the gambler, without thinking about the aftermath, but how could it be that obvious? He thought he was hiding it well.*

"All I want is to protect you. Yes, I don't want to see you with anyone else, unless I'm sure they wouldn't hurt you. I care, do you hate it so much? I want you to avoid Sunday because he's dangerous, this has nothing to do with ego. If you told me about your plans from the beginning, I could have taken care of everything myself."

*Of course he won't admit he was mostly acting out of jealousy, he still had a little bit of his pride left.*

"Since you're so smart, diagnose me yourself. I'm completely fine."

*The words hurt, precisely because they were true. Veritas was well aware of all of his symptoms and as much as he tried to be back to normal, none of the usual methods seemed to work.*

@veritas-ratio-rp

The only person who has ever cared for him? What a horrible thing to ask. What a cruel thing to be reminded of. It would be just a misstep for any other person but the doctor had already let slip through he might have dug through Aventurine's files. Shoved his curious hands into the gambler's past unasked when the blonde turned out to be so unwilling to let anything slip.

So, no, it wasn't just a question. It was a proverbial slap to the face and it hurt, like it always did to be reminded. No, he would most certainly not cry in front of anyone but especially the doctor if he could help it. So Aventurine had to fuel the sadness into more anger.

“Maybe if the IPC did a better job keeping their promise I'd still have someone left who cared for me.”, his sister. “I'm certain my parents did for however short they managed to survive in this sad cruel world."

"It takes one to know one, does it not, doctor? With how you seem to define 'care' I'm quite certain no one ever cared for you either.”, if he couldn't motivate the man to leave with his actions – his words would have to do. “And if you keep running down this path no one ever will.”, it was the truth, at least as far as the Stoneheart was concerned. He couldn't really speak for others – and he likely wasn't right either.

A gloved hand drags over his own face in a show of exhaustion and anger. 'I'm willing to give you everything', ah so close to the problem yet so far away. “Have you ever stopped for a second to consider that it might not be what I want?”, clearly not or they would have some far different conversations. Sure, Aventurine might be very much at fault for that too. It was hard to imagine him putting value to anyone's life if he gambled with his own survival on an almost daily basis. But it was what he had always done, out of need or willingly.

It didn't mean he wanted other's he might or might not care for to offer up their life so easily. The good doctor went down the path to self-destruction so quickly and mindlessly it would be fair to say that the blonde had quickly become afraid for the man's safety – and sanity for that matter. He didn't want to have any part in that besides maybe putting a stop to it.

Yet, just like it had always been, he failed to save even a single person. If anything he was making matters worse with his mingling. “I hate how it makes you act. I despise how it threatens...”, no, nevermind – it didn't matter the truth would stay where it belonged. Somewhere well hidden. He was not going to be tempted into giving information due to his anger.

“Maybe I just make it all up while I go.”, came, the mask dragged back in place where it belongs after all. “Not a single thought in that pretty head.”, he tipped against his temple, head tilting to the side.

“But I'll give it a try. It doesn't take someone smart to see what is happening to you.”, it was just a wonder how it could be so bad. “You have a crush on – whoever you deem Aventurine to be. It's a neurochemical con job nothing more. It would just pass if you let it be. Instead? You ride that wave with an obsessive mania. Truly a wonderful display of a mad scientist.”, he sighed, shaking his head in the progress

“Because somehow you believe that you could do better than the world and anyone currently in it has done for the object of your obsession. You might not call it possession but you ultimately act that way. If the IPC put up a price on my head for sale today, you'd likely have the coin by tomorrow. And you'd think yourself a saviour.”

[bonbon-bonny]

Deities, the moon, psychology and unconditional love PT 1.

When I was a little girl I was at a non-denominational christian church with my parents where a kind Chinese woman had just recently come back from a missionary trip where she had worked with orphans in another country. I thought she was very beautiful and I remember coming to my mom saying that I wanted to be a missionary too. That I wanted to adopt all the orphans in the world because no one should ever have to feel unloved or unwanted. For me at that time there were only two places that existed in the world. The US in Washington where I lived at the time, and China. As I grew up we had moved across the country towards Mexico; before I moved all by myself to another state on a very foolish whim. See, I originally had an offer to go to a very nice visual art university in Washington but my family said they couldn't afford it and that I should stay and go to the local community college in the state we lived in. It was around this same time that I came across a man who manipulated my feelings and told me they loved me but that they were too far. I was so desperate to be loved by someone at that time, to have a relationship, to be seen and valued that I decided that if I was going to have to pay for my education all on my own, I might as well go to the university where he lived because THAT would fix everything. Well I'm sure it's to one ones surprise it didn't. Still, I lived there for some time and had some really amazing experiences. I even met my best friend there :) and sometimes I think that finding someone like her almost makes the rest of the challenges I faced there worth it. One day I was at a shop there called crystal dove and the store was full of various eclectic items. All of them beautiful, all of them full of love and light. But there was one item in particular that caught my attention.

This is Quan Yin. She is the Bodhisattva of kindness, compassion and mercy. Something about this statue called out to me, and as the shop keeper explained who she was I was reminded of the missionary who had come to our church, and of Jesus who is also known for his kindness, compassion, and unconditional love. Unfortunately my life was hard. I was working two jobs and barely made enough money to afford food, and when I saw the price tag on this beautiful statue I knew I would never be able to afford it. Still I kept the idea of her with me, and years later I came across something I didn't know about her.

Sometimes Quan Yin is depicted sitting on a moon. And sometimes:

She is standing on the back of a dragon. Personally I like to imagine that this Dragon protects her. After all, if someone walks this earth trying to show kindness, compassion, and unconditional love there are bound to be others who try and take advantage of it. Should anyone who walks this earth trying to help others pull back in fear that their generosity of soul should be snatched away? Should a heart close itself off from the world in fear of being taken advantage of? I don't believe so but neither should such a heart judge or condemn those who seek to abuse it. True unconditional love does not hold grudges nor hold back forgiveness because even those who treat us poorly are they themselves suffering. Neither Jesus or Quan Yin would look at these people and think they were horrible for their actions, but perhaps they would come to the understanding that just because they are able to offer kindness, compassion, and unconditional love does not mean they need to stay with someone who does not reciprocate nor seek to find a better way of being. Sometimes it's better to release such people instead of forcing them to reciprocate while still also offering kindness, compassion, and unconditional love. Perhaps in time they will understand why they took so much without offering anything in return, or perhaps they'll spend their lives never truly understanding how their actions affect others; but either way Jesus, Quan Yin or any deity that embodies the virtues of kindness, compassion, and unconditional love would never dream of condemning them. The only thing they would wish for them is that they find the happiness and love they're seeking. Even if that happiness and love is not with them.

[letters-to--the-void]

an expression of thanks

how do you write a letter to someone you've never met -- someone who may never know of your existence? it's a question I've grappled with over much of the last year since discovering Sleep Token has changed the trajectory of my life. naturally, it follows that I feel a great deal of gratitude toward the band as a whole as well as the individuals behind the music.

Vessel, you'll probably never know who I am. we'll probably never meet; you won't see my face or know my name. just as you are meant to be an enigma to us -- a blank slate that serves only to portray the art as it is meant to be -- so many of us fans are to you. the intentional disconnect between the artists, the art, and the fans further divorces a rapidly growing fanbase from any sort of personal connection to those responsible for the gift of this music, and make no mistake; I respect the creative vision and intention behind this decision immensely. however, as someone who owes so much to this art, it makes it difficult for me to feel I can ever adequately express my appreciation for all this music has done for me.

without getting into too much detail, my early independent adult life has been challenging. I found myself in an unhealthy living situation, a job that takes advantage of me, and a relationship in which my boundaries and needs are neither acknowledged nor respected. every way I looked, I felt trapped between a rock and a hard place, and like a seedling growing through cracks in the pavement, I allowed myself to be stunted and forced into the shape of something I was not. I fell into a complacency where nothing really moved me; I was going through the motions day to day, no longer really feeling or caring about anything at all. I couldn't move myself to engage in the hobbies that once brought me joy; couldn't even find the energy to care.

one day I stumbled across Sleep Token. I'm someone who's always had quite a diverse but specific taste in music, an "I like what I like" kind of person if you will. I wasn't immediately taken with the songs that I sampled, but a couple days later I felt compelled to go back & listen through the entire discography, which is a rarity in and of itself as I've never been the type to even listen through an entire album, much less an entire discography. with each song, I fell a bit deeper until I was consumed by it.

yours is the first band to truly make me feel seen and understood; the first to communicate experiences and feelings in such a way that I knew there was someone else out there who had felt the way that I have. this music became a remedy for my tired existence. listening to some songs feels like picking at a wound, yet in a cathartic way. there is recognition of the fact that there is indeed a wound, but its very existence also suggests that healing is possible. other songs are a comfort like a hand upon the shoulder, reassuring you that all will be fine with time; the warm embrace of someone who cares, promising that they will be there to hold your pieces together when you inevitably break.

this art slapped me out of the sense of complacency and despondency I'd fallen into. it reminded me that I am alive and that there are still mysterious and beautiful things worth living to discover if only I can find the strength and bravery to fight long enough to see them. it told me that I am not alone in my struggles with mental health and toxic relationships; that I am worth more than the abuse and that I am capable of breaking the cycle. it taught me that everything is a cycle, but nothing lasts forever. I can repeat my lived experiences or I can create a new beginning. I can be who I've always been or I can become someone new; someone who is capable and deserving of more, someone who makes different choices and lives a different life.

I have a long way to go. I'm still stuck in a workplace that doesn't truly value me and partnered with someone who doesn't understand or respect me, but the difference is stark. I recognize and care that these situations aren't right for me, and I'm taking steps to rectify these issues. not only is this music now an incredible comfort and support to me, but I've met a lovely community of fellow fans, some of whom are now very close and incredibly dear to me and have proven to be a phenomenal support system. it's been a bit less than a year since I discovered Sleep Token but in that time frame, this music has inspired me to push my comfort zone, meet new people, and do things I otherwise would not have done. in fact, if someone had told me at the beginning of 2023 what the rest of the year would look like, there's not a snowball's chance in hell that I would believe them. ST's music has even reignited my love for music, which was something I was deeply involved with in my teenage years but got out of as I grew older, as we oftentimes seem to do with our teenage hobbies.

I don't know where I would be without this music, but there's a fair chance I might not be around to write such a letter. this art found me in my time of need. it sounds melodramatic, but I'd never discovered anything that gives me as much comfort, strength, and reassurance as this music. though I wish I could give so much more, I'm afraid that all I can offer is this simple thanks and my endless love and support for this project. please remember that you are precious, irreplaceable, and so very loved. your art is changing and saving the lives of many. never doubt your worth. I wish you all the best that life has to offer. as long as ST is around, I'll still be supporting, singing, cheering from the crowd... worshipping.

endlessly, gratefully yours.