#it's one of those things I don't focus on

[kitts-mechanix]

True story--I have a coworker at my job I can't stand. I won't detail why other than we have very opposing views on something moral. Yesterday we had a girl who needed a bandage, which was in the produce room. Coworker was there and I asked her to help me find the first aid kit and we both worked together to get her bandaged up. I put aside my own differences to help someone. And it's not just her, I have to deal with customers I don't like on a regular basis. One of them is my flippin' arch enemy (though I just try to avoid her). I'm not seeking validation from these people, this is part of my job that does require me to shove those things aside and focus on helping people. It's not easy, but it must be done.

Being nice to someone you don’t like is not manipulation btw it’s being civil

[fishnapple]

The 5th house - What kind of lover are you

About me | Masterpost

As the 5th house is 2nd from the 4th house, it's the tangible manifestation of your core, the creation of your inner emotional world, your heart. From it, your heart connects with the world around you. From it, love is given out to the world. The 5th house is generally regarded as the house of "romance", I think more specifically, it shows your "part" or "role" in that romance, your side of the story, who you are in a love story, what kind of lover are you.

♥ 5th house in Aries/ Mars in 5th house - "The Ardent Lover"

The one who sees love as the purest principle, something that needs to be revered and pursued with dedication and passion. No mind games, no dirty tricks, no manipulation, no timid guessing, just an honest declaration of love. To be the apple in your eyes is to be placed upon a pedestal. Once you're in love, you put your all in, it will be their greatest focus and inspiration. Each heartbreak is followed by rising up with a new hope. Love never loses its lustre to you. You are direct, straightforward and impulsive in your advances. Your passion and desire rule your actions. Competitions and the act of chasing make your adrenaline rushing. You want to "win", victories, whether over other competitors or your own lover, is of paramount importance. The need to conquer can make you seek competition where it's not needed. Can turn indignant and defensive when your love and faithfulness are being doubted. You can be perceived as "aggressive" and "rough" by the more sensitive people. Physical intimacy and physical touch, in general, are key to keeping your love burning.

♥ 5th house in Taurus/ Venus in 5th house - "The Indulging Lover"

Love to you is like honey, natural, nutritious, sweet, fragranced, viscous. Something that you want to dip yourself and your lover in, indulge and sink deeper and deeper into it. Love is simple yet eternal, "never let you go". A true romantic, you breathe love to keep your heart alive. Everything looks more beautiful when you have someone to love, and that someone will be the object of your adoration. You don't go out of your way to pursue someone, has anyone ever seen Venus do the chasing? No, lovers come to you, willingly, because they know that it's futile to resist the lure of Venus. You attract, by being your most beautiful self, by subtly sending signals to all the senses of your person. It can be quite a sensory overloaded experience for your lover. It's not easy to please all of your desires, not easy to turn your heat all the way up, but once it's ignited, it's not easy to snuff it out, fierce devotion. To an impulsive lover, you can seem to be slow and passive, to a patient and passionate lover, you're the forest they want to get lost in.

♥ 5th house in Gemini/ Mercury in 5th house - "The Exploring Lover"

The one who loves with their mind, you can be confused all the time about whether you're attracted to someone simply because you have interesting conversations with them or if there is anything more to that person. Love is a mental pursuit, a chess game, a word play that you want to go on and on. Love is light and exciting. The longest conversation. You show your love by communicating with your lover, to keep the connection line going. Teasing, asking questions, about them, about everything that comes to your mind. "Is there anyone willing to look at my mind and be willing to let me look at yours?". A simple smirk, two hands brushing each other, entwined fingers, a sparkle in the eyes, a hearty laugh and then giggles, those things can melt your heart and in turn, you can melt other's hearts with those. You take your lover to a wonderland, where your minds can be free to play, but also calm enough to rest. Life and love is an endless adventure, and you need a companion who can tag along, who can play juggling with you. Being held down and bored, in any sense, are your greatest nightmares. You want to have sweet dreams only, but nightmares can grab you if you don't focus and pay attention.

♥ 5th house in Cancer/ Moon in 5th house: "The Enveloping Lover"

Love is like a flood that washes over both you and your lover. The shared experience of being enveloped by emotions of all kinds, both the highs and lows, nothing is spared. You search for a lover who can allow you to feel safe enough to experience a love that can feel so engulfing at times. It's that emotional safety, knowing that you can reveal your full heart to somebody, to be spontaneous and moody without being judged. Being loved by you is like being wrapped in nostalgia of a time when everything was simple and pure, when everything was safe and taken care of, there's a childlike playfulness and simple quality to your love. To someone who didn't get to have those actual memories, you can create that memory for them, as if you created an alternative past for them. "Love" is synonymous with "Protection", you want both of you to protect each other, from the harsh world, from the demons inside, to create a home so safe that one doesn't want to get out of, one yearns only for it wherever they go. It's hard for you to let go of a lover, and it's also hard for them to let go of you. The hold may wax and wane, but never disappears completely.

♥ 5th house in Leo/ Sun in 5th house: "The Shining Lover"

Love, the warm sunlight that nurtures your heart. You are like a tree when in love, while artificial light can sustain you. You truly thrive only when you can have the most natural light source, the strongest and purest of them all. Authenticity, a love that doesn't hide or shy away, no hidden motives, no twisted desires, just pure exhilaration, basking in the glow of love. The love you give is unfiltered, as if you're giving your own heart away. Not everyone is capable of taking care of it properly, you learn the lesson of protecting your own heart and be more discerning of whom you can let in. Even then, the natural impulse is to spread whatever goodness inside you, out into the world. Being in love makes your life feel more colourful and lively. And you, in turn, wish to inspire your lover just like how you're inspired, it pains you to see a sinking spirit. You instil vitality into your lover's heart, making their heart beat to the rhythm of life. Some can feel your love too bright and burning, shying away from it, trying to darken it. This leaves you puzzled, you might even attempt to dim your light, but your dignity won't allow you to do that for long. No tree stops blooming just because one or two humans didn't appreciate it.

♥ 5th house in Virgo/ Mercury in 5th house: "The Devoted Lover"

Love is the quiet thunder that rumbles beneath the cool, serene surface of your heart. You want to build a lasting love, yes, "build", love doesn't strike you like lightning that makes you busted into intense fireworks, love is like knitting, one stitch at a time, stitch by stitch, line by line, until you get a cosy sweater that keeps you warm for many years to come, it takes skill and dedication. You also extend that comfort to your lover. To love is to worry, to care, to be there for that person. You would want your lover to thrive, to be spared of the burdens of responsibilities, you're willing to take on those burdens for them, to make their life better. But a truly fulfilling love is when you can receive that same devotion from your lover. You also need to be cared for just as much as you care for them. But sometimes, your lover's love doesn't measure up to the "silent" standard that you have, in a way, no one can love you perfectly like how you want them to. While knowing that, you still choose to be by their side, because you accept their imperfections, their imperfect love, because that's how you love.

♥ 5th house in Libra/ Venus in 5th house: "The Ideal Lover"

Venus's mirror, love reflects back at you all the beautiful things about the world and yourself. You also want to reflect them back on your lover. You can find yourself mirroring your lover, encouraging their shining qualities, making them aware of their own virtues, and simultaneously erasing their vices. You can turn your lover into a prince charming, a lovely princess, because you're one. You want you and your lover to be two beautiful human beings, both inside out, to walk on this Earth hand in hand. The words "we" and "us" have enormous significance to you. You seek to beautify everything, everyone you touch, to let them see the goodness in this world, yes, you're an optimistic lover, never one to lose hope for an ideal love. Love is like a harmonious melody that plays soothingly everywhere you go, everywhere you look. Harmony, peace and indulgence, the gifts you offer your lover, uplift their spirit, inspire their creativity, soothe their soul, and spoil them rotten with sweetness. You find yourself more alive, more beautiful when you're in love. You can fall in love with love itself. You seek harmony with your lover, nothing should be one-sided, everything should be equal give and take, a delicate dance.

♥ 5th house in Scorpio/ Pluto in 5th house: "The Burning Lover"

The molten volcanic soil underneath the calm and cool lake, whose soul is brave enough to venture there? Love for you is an all-consuming force that sweeps away all commonsense. You want love to be a devouring force, swallowing whole both you and your lover into the pit of the unknown. You push for more, to feel more, to be more. The word "mild" can't find a long-lasting place in your dictionary. Everything, joy, pain, longing, existence, all have to reach a boiling point in order for you to feel truly in love. A love too safe, too soft, too peaceful might get ignored by you. You chase the extremes, sometimes along the way, get burnt yourself, but often, you leave behind burnt lovers. You want to be your lover's only one as they're to you. You want to be the only existence that your lover seeks. There can be the issue of who dominates who, who has the upper hand, love can feel like a power play. You're vigilant against betrayals, you need absolute loyalty, making your lover jump through endless hoops to prove their love to you. Sometimes, you could feel so exhausted by the all-or-nothing love, but you would rather be like that than to be content with a "good enough" affection.

♥ 5th house in Sagittarius/ Jupiter in 5th house: "The Expanding Lover"

Have you ever felt like there's an infinite well of love you can give? not just to your lover but to life. You love someone because they're part of life, to love is to live. Love for you is like a ray of sunshine that wakes you up in the morning, or the breezy wind stroking your hair when you're standing in the middle of a field or on top of a mountain, a piney scent that lures you wandering deep into the woods. Love makes you want to move, explore, enjoy, and celebrate. So you can't feel fulfilled in a relationship that makes you feel small, that shackles your feet, that makes you lose hope. "Potential" is the word, as long as you can feel a potential for a future, you want to give your all, to take a gamble. Fortune favours the bold, you will find your luck in love when you're free and adventurous, when you inspire others. A benevolent lover who wants to help, guide, to protect their lover. Grand romantic gestures, spontaneous expressions of love, laughter that makes your cheeks hurt, deep conversations that stirs your mind, those can be the secret ingredients to capture your heart and also what you use to capture others.

♥ 5th house in Capricorn/ Saturn in 5th house: "The Steadfast Lover"

The life investment you make with your heart, love seems like a tangible thing that you can touch, that you can nurture and turn into a masterpiece of a lifetime. Things of value should be able to last for eternity, that's your motto and your belief in love. Love for you is not fickle like the wind or soft like a cotton candy, love is the steady heartbeat, the more you take care of it, the healthier it is. Thrilling adventures, passionate proclamations of love, over adorned for attention, those things pass right out of your vision, what is that? definitely not what you expect from your lover. You expect commonsense and predictability, you expect constant loyalty and devotion, quiet touches and deep gazes, the hand that holds yours when you're in pain, the silent smile that says "I will be here for you, with you". You stoke your fire with unwavering effort, never letting the flame burn out of hands or die from neglect, just enough to keep both lovers warm and safe. Some say you're picky, that you should loosen up and just give yourself to love, but you're a visionary, you look for love that you can work hard for, that can last the test of time, so no rushing.

♥ 5th house in Aquarius/ Uranus in 5th house: "The Whimsical Lover"

"Love at first sight" probably was invented by you. The sensation of being pierced by Cupid's bow, being struck by lightning, being hit by love out of nowhere is not something you're unfamiliar with. Love visits you like a summer downpour, a breeze that sends fragrances from afar to your nose, a sprouting that grows overnight, a laughter that bursts out amidst deadly silence. Love comes to you unexpectedly, and you find love in unexpected places. To love is to be free, the greatest gift you can give your lover and yourself is freedom, to be yourselves, to find safety in the ever-changing current of life. Who can say staying still is safe and stable? For you, movement is what nurtures a connection. You don't let your love stay stagnant, the novelties are your stable diet. Your love is not for the stubborn of heart, though you can be pretty stubborn and rebellious yourself when you're in love, it's a contradiction that perplex and vex your lover, but it's also the allure that they want to get a hold of, not that they will be successful, but they will try anyway. Like trying to catch lightning, trying to grab light. The only way they will ever get close to you is to be themselves and hope that one day, you two will stumble upon each other as fate wills it.

♥ 5th house in Pisces/ Neptune in 5th house: "The Dream Lover"

This is someone who can elevate the experience of falling in love and being in love to the height of poetry, of songs that lovers sing together. Love is art, art is love, love is the soothing balm that erases all the pain, but also the blind that covers your eyes. Oh, the extent you're willing to go in the name of love. Everything seems to take on more vivid colours, music seems to accompany you everywhere you go, you hear your love through the songs that randomly play in the mart, through the absentminded remark of a stranger, through the flowers that sway gently in the wind. You hear your heart echo back at you through the eyes of your lover. While your eyes hold an ocean that promises blissful abandonment, endless treasure and a subtle warning of being drowned, but others are too busy getting mesmerised by you to stay lucid enough to heed your warning. How many lovers have you drowned? How many seas have you swum alone, longing for a rescuer who can take you to land and keep you warm? You need a love story that feels like a fairy tale, but you also need a love that is real.

[princessmaeee]

I think I need myself some secret romance T.O.P and GD's little sister

Discretion ? I don't think So

Hello ! So, first of all, I'm sorry for the wait, it often take me some time to do the request cause I need time to think and get inspired. The challenge with that was to make it in one part so it's more of a relation than romance. Otherwise for a fanfiction it probably could have been a cute Slow Burn. I hope you will still Like it. TW : Not full Smut but mention of it.

You stepped out of the train and directly rushed into Jiyong's arms when you noticed him. Since you didn't live  at Seoul and didnt have a car Yet, when you want to visit your brother, you always take the train and of course, he’s always there to bring you at the train station. With all the fame Big bang has, having you around is always a little bit dangerous. Even If you are G-Dragon's little sister and all the fanbase knows about you, sneaking you into the house is not that easy. After all, your brother lives with other guys and if the fans came to know about you staying with them even for vacation, that could be a problem. Who knows what can happen in those walls. And actually, The fanbase wouldn't be wrong this time. After all, you are secretly in a relationship with Seung Hyun for almost a year now and even your own brother doesn't know about it. When You visit him at Seoul, it's of course to see and spend time with him but also with your boyfriend. When you can’t do a trip to Seoul, it happen that Seung Hyun come to see you or his days off and pass two or three day at your place and as much as you like to have him around, it’s kinda hard since you can’t do activities like a normal couple outside of the horse so you prefer to see him at Seoul. It’s easier to plan things and have more privacy. On your way to the boys house, you talk with Ji Yong about recent things that happened at work and some drama around it. You said how some coworkers are annoying, asking you out again and again, making him laugh.

_Why are you Laughing ? _They seem to like you a lot to ask you again and again. Why do you not accept to just go out with one of them ? _Well, because… I don’t want a Boyfriend. I need to focus on my work and I don’t want any distraction. And if things didn’t end well, I don’t want things to be weird or the other coworker to involve themselves into everything. _Yeah, now that you mention it, it’s totally fair.

It’s kinda hard to not be able to say to Him that you already have a Boyfriend. Normally I would have been the first to know, but since this person is a member of his group, you prefer to keep it secret to avoid potential problems. As much as you wish to marry Seung Hyun and end your life with him, you are still careful cause you both don’t want to create issues if your relationship has to come to an end.

Once you entered the boys house, you could smell something nice in the air and smiled. Daesung and Taeyang, who were playing video Games came to greet you and hugged you. Seung Hyun was the last one to come see you and when you saw him, you couldn’t help it and smiled more. He wore a dirty apron, making you guess he was one who cooked tonight. He does that often when he comes to see you at your place. Actually He never let you cook when he’s around. You hope it’s not cause once Ji Yong told everyone you messed up some easy recipes like rice or eggs. You even burned some cookies you had made for school when you were sixteen. Now you are way better at cooking things since you live alone.

_What are you making for us Tonight, Seung Hyun ? Asked your brother _Oh, you're gonna see. Something you will probably enjoy, he answered as he gave you a look. _And How do you know she will ? _You talk about her so much, I start to guess what she will like, he answered before his eyes went back to you. You will have to excuse me for not giving you a hug like the others did, I'm sort of… dirty. _It’s fine, let’s save this for later, you answered with a smile. Do you need help in the kitchen? _Hell No, answered Ji Yong, I would like to still have a Kitchen by the end of the evening. Let Seung Hyun handle it while we go put your stuff in your room.

The boys laugh at your brother’s comment and you blush,embarrassed. Your brother let you use Taeyang old room. Since he lives with his wife now, this room is empty most of the time and almost became yours. You planned to stay a week so you packed a lot of outfits and even some more… revealing, hoping to have at least one moment alone with your boyfriend. As you put everything in the drawers, someone knocked at your door before it open. You turn around to see who it was and smile when you notice Seung Hyun. He had removed his dirty apron. You didn’t lose time and threw yourself in his arms, hugging him tightly as he hug you back.

_I missed you, you said. _I missed you too.

You stayed a little more in his arms before he let you go. You gave him a kiss on the cheek and went back to your clothes duties.

_For how long did you plan to stay, he asked. _A week, at least. I took vacation from work because I wanted to spend more time with you. I hope it’s okay.. _Of course, We will figure out when we can have a little date.

You both heard Ji Yong's voice from the kitchen, saying the meal will burn if Seung Hyun does not come back to watch after it. You rolled your eyes as your boyfriend opened the door.

_See you later, love, He said before leaving.

The first evening you had with the guys was fun. Seung Hyun's food was delicious as alway, he even cooked cookies. He was right about how much you will enjoy it, cause you did. After dinner, you helped the boys to clean the kitchen and discussed having a game night. Taeyang refused, saying he had to go home, but all the others agreed. Ji Yong and Daesung left to go grab some snacks at the grocery store, leaving you alone with Seung Hyun. You quickly decided to go take a shower. As you undressed in the bathroom, the door behind you slowly opened before you could feel your boyfriend’s arms around you and his lips on your naked shoulder. You shiver and smile.

_Want to take a Shower with me ? You asked softly. _I would love to, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. The guys will come back soon.

You turned around and passed your arms around his neck, still smiling.

_So we're gonna have to make it quick.

You pressed your Lips against SeungHyun's, as your fingers slided in his air.  His hands on your hips pulled you closer to him as he answered your kiss. You slowly take a step back, still holding him, carefulling making your way to the shower, your lips still glued to his. When you were close enough, your hands went down to the base of his top and removed it, pulling away from his lips before you crashed it back to it.

_Okey, You win, Go first, I will join you in a minute, said Seun Hyun against your lips.

You pulled away, smiling before you started the shower and entered it.  When your boyfriend was ready, he joined you in it and pushed you against the cold wall of the shower. His lips came back to yours  and you quickly started to forget that you had to make it really quick. The room was filled by the steam of the shower but also from the heat of your bodies collapsing against each other.  Once you finished ‘’ taking a shower ‘’ you got out and rolled yourself in a big towel as Seung hyun put his around his hips. He gently kissed you on the forehead and left the room first. That’s when you heard your brother’s voice coming from the living room.

_What about time guys. You could have told us at least that you wanted to be alone.

Seung hyun had frozen in the living room when he noticed JiYong and Daesung on the couch. You felt your cheeks burning and you quickly put on your pyjama before getting out of the bathroom to join them in the living room. This time, you had nothing to say. No excuses could be used.

_From how long have you been back ? You asked _Long enough to hear things I would like to never hear again. But at least we had our headphones.

You looked at Seung Hyun, he looked as embarrassed as you.

_I know you guys are a thing but next time, warn us. Since when ? Asked your boyfriend _I had my doubts when Once a month your snapchat map says you are at my sister’s house. And We also caught you when we came back from the studio and you were asleep on the couch last time Y/N visited. And after today I can be certain that discretion is not your thing at all.

As much embarrassed you felt, you were sort of happy that your brother knew. You will not have to hide anymore in front of him or any other group member, at least.

[callahanisms]

college au caitlyn

i finally watched arcane after a lot of convincing from my friends and a determination to see how badly s2 butchers s1's themes. and uh caitlyn's my problematic fave unfortunately.

college au caitlyn? yes. and she wants you. 🫵 yes you specifically.

these are my headcanons. you don't have to agree with them.

accompanying bot: 🫐

banner by @cafekitsune

🫐 | piltover national university (pnu) is not cheap. even for piltovians, getting a higher education makes a massive dent in their back accounts. if you're from piltover, you're well off enough to sustain yourself. if you're from zaun, you worked your butt off to be here.

🫐 | college is really where many piltovians, caitlyn kiramman included, finally get outside of their comfort zone. they start to learn things. and caitlyn begins to finally interact with people outside of her circle.

🫐 | double majoring in poli-sci and anthropology. she enjoys the subject of anthropology. but her mother wants her to do poli-sci. who is she to deny her mother?

🫐 | basketball player. she's tall, she did it in high school and continues to do it. it's an excuse to get out of the house and to stop burying her nose in books. her height also makes her perfect for reaching for things on high shelves if you need her help.

🫐 | as a roommate, caitlyn has a strict schedule. she likes to keep things tidy and neat. and she has no hesitation cleaning your side of the room as well if it gets dirty or out of hand. (also definitely has you use coasters on the wooden desks of the dorm)

🫐 | massive workload. honestly kind of unbearable but she's one of those people that just powers through it. she has expectations to meet. and her fear of failing them is what drives her to be hunched over the desk, late at night, with the light on while you're trying to sleep.

🫐 | you guys met in one of your gen ed/core classes. maybe you both are the opposite. or maybe you guys share a major. either way, you become friends because you asked her if she wanted to get lunch with you afterwards. she was also smart, so studying with her and peering over at her notes was always a perk.

🫐 | definitely obsessive. caitlyn has always struggled with friends. the kiramman name doesn't exactly lend to the most fruitful friendships. and yet here you are. attractive, a bright smile. she finds herself missing you.

🫐 | so what if she stalks your hexgram account? she's just looking out for you. that girl on the basketball team? yeah. she's not the most reliable. maybe you shouldn't go on a date with her. or that guy who's a poli-sci major. don't trust poli-sci majors (except herself of course).

🫐 | at some point caitlyn recommends you guys move in together. like move in off campus. she can take care of the rent no problem. she has money. she wants to take care of you after all. and despite your objections, she convinces you to live with her.

🫐 | and even though you live together, it's simply not enough. her mind runs rampant with fantasies of domesticity. and crap, she just wishes you guys were together. and she misses you when you're out of the house. and maybe it's a problem that she's always checking your social media when she's bored in class or losing focus while studying. she likes to call those her "study breaks."

[erikahammerschmidt]

This is a very hard thing for many people to grasp, because... it challenges so many of the things that, for them, make life worth living.

the idea that there's an inherent justice to the world, and those who consistently do right will eventually see some good results from it, something that makes it all worthwhile.

the idea that you are safe.

the idea that you deserve whatever good things you have. (and that you don't have any reason to give up your own happiness to feel bad for others who lack those things, or give up your own good fortune to share with them)

and that lacking good things happens for comprehensible reasons-- so if you do the right things, you don't have to fear ever being one of those who lack. (And that you actually have any real way of knowing what "the right things" even are.)

the idea that we, individually, have any power over what happens to us.

the idea that free will is actually meaningful, and that the few meager things about our lives that we can (somewhat) control are actually capable of making a difference against the vast enormity of what we can't control.

...

...the fact that none of these comforting thoughts are true, feels awfully bleak and hopeless.

To the point that, if your own life hasn't yet forced you to give up those beliefs, you might find yourself unable to let go of them, because the alternative is too terrifying

As someone with mental and (increasingly) physical disabilities, my own mental health fights a battle against this hopelessness every. single. day

...

and, like.

I believe there IS actually some hope for something better...

if enough people can come to the agreement that a lot of people's good fortune (including good health) IS really just luck... and that the bad things in their lives (often even including bad behaviors!) can get at least somewhat better with help from others...

if enough of us could someday let go of the concept of deserving and not-deserving... this focus on blame and punitive justice, and this obsession on bad circumstances being deserved punishments

and if enough of the more fortunate people could contribute from their own lucky circumstances to help others... with no thought of who deserves what, and no other goal except making a world that will, in general, overall, be better for pretty much everyone

then...

Well, I'm not saying this will make everyone's life live up to the current unrealistic ideal of perfect health.

(It won't! there will still be people with severe problems, both mental and physical! And if people's current expectations don't change a whole lot to go along with it, there are gonna be a lot of people who think this whole societal improvement was a failure, even if it does succeed!)

But. if humanity can find itself capable of this big, big shift in worldview? then... there is hope. For something better. Not great, not perfect, but... better.

And it's hard enough to believe this is possible sometimes. Because, again-- even if I do all of what I think are the "right" things, in order to work toward this better world? That doesn't necessarily mean anything will come from all my hard work.

Like everything else, it'll depend on luck. And on the combined actions of lots and lots and LOTS of other people, none of whom I can control at all.

But it's all the hope we've got, so... I still try.

Some rando: You should think about stopping your prescription

Me: My pills make me not want to die tho

They: You shouldn’t want to die, that’s not normal

Me: Yeah that’s why I’m taking my pills

[often-daydreaming]

Second Chances

"Danny!?"

"Danny!"

"Hey, hey, hey."

"Keep your eyes open for me."

"Come on Danny."

"Just focus on me."

"..."

"I promise everything will be alright."

The last thing Danny ever sees before everything goes black is the tears in his herald's ey...

-_- -_- -_-

"No!"

"Not again!"

-_- -_- -_-

"I can't... I can't lose him."

"Not like this."

"..."

"..."

"Say something! Anything!"

"Tell me how to fix this!"

"..."

-_- -_- -_-

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

-_- -_- -_-

"There's nothing you can do."

"You can let me do this! Let me take your place!"

"If you die here hundreds of thousands of lives will be changed forever. You'll never time travel. You'll never meet your friends."

"I don't c-" "You'll never meet me."

"I can make it work. I've time traveled before, rewritten fixed points."

"Not those times. Not one line."

"But..." Bart looks so lost as he desperately tries to figure out a plan but they were running out of time.

The handful of remaining heroes were scattered. They'd ignored all of the warnings, believed the worst kind of people and the League wasn't prepared for Pariah's reawakening to empower the moonlit world. No one was prepared for it, not when the monsters were already deep within the League pulling the strings from within and... This was… Without any warning Bart collapses, the nth metal bracelet he's always kept wrapped around his wrist sending a cold chill through his body as the familiar touch of Danny's magic engulfed the area.

"It's okay." Danny catches him before he can hit the floor, pulling him into one last bone crushing hug to hide his own tears. "It's not over for you. Clockwork... Clockwork promised everything would work out if I did this... He guaranteed it and he rarely gives me a straight answer so... So we'll... I guess we'll see each other again. You've got a whole new life ahead of you. The Justice League. The team. You and me."

"Even if I'm not the same person a part of me will always be there to watch you run." The bracelet glows softly with his promises, the runes that had protected him for years binding them together with his words and then Danny was shoving him back leaving Bart less than a fraction of a second to try and reach out for him before his entire world is swallowed by shadows and he's falling.

Bart Allen would live.

He'd have as many second chances as Danny could spare since Earth 63 was lost.

The moonlit world had decimated it, turning friends and family against each other but even now the Infinity Realms rumbled a challenging call. Their herald was gone for now but the king would fight, and continue fighting to the bitter end while Bart... Bart would... He'd...

"Time out."

Staring down at the young herald Clockwork smiled a little half smile as the ripple effects of their actions were already taking effect.

It might be a little different then he'd intended and he'd certainly bent a few rules in order to ensure his preferred outcome but the Ancient of Time was confident things would work out for the better.

"Now let's see if we can get it right this time."

It's nothing much but a part of an idea I had for Bart and Danny trying to survive/fix the DC vs. Vampire universe.

Danny's trying.

Bart keeps trying to reset everything but it isn't working. He changes a few things but nowhere near enough to stop what's going to happen until Clockwork finally steps in with a playbook that might work.

I don't know what it is with me always imagining the two of them traveling around apocalyptic worlds but Danny is Danny so he can't be turned into a vampire while Bart is his herald, he's essentially Danny's Fright Knight with an anti magic nth metal bracelet and a whole lot of blessings so he doesn't end up like the rest of his family.

[littlemissshifter]

There is no 'imagination'.

Someone needs to tell you this but everyone is too busy struggling between the two so I'll do it. Reality is the only thing that exists. It just exists differently in different planes.

In the 4D we call it Imagination but honestly it's not really something we're 'imagining', it's reality somewhere out there. IT IS reality in your head as well even if you don't believe it.

When you 'imagine' something you're not making it up. Creation is already finished. You're choosing a particular reality. A particular thought. A particular outcome. Because everything has already happened. Think of your mind as a dress up game. There are cloth options (thoughts/realities) in different clothing sections (related to the thing you want). You are combining clothes from those sections to get your desired outfit (desire/outcome).

Imagination is what reality is called in the 4D plane. Imagination is a different name for reality. They are the same thing with different names. This is why we can also say that reality is just an imagination or 'everything is in the mind'. Everything was one all along.

This is very different than saying reality mirrors/reflects imagination. Yes imagination exists sure blah blah blah but it's just a different name for reality. It's something that you haven't physically experienced yet. It's not actually in your head in a way that it's not real. Everything in your head is a very real reality in the multiverse. A very real outcome. Just not yours right now in the present (unless you choose it).

I don't think you get it. Let me explain again. Imagination does not exist in a way you think. Your every single thought, the images in your head, your 'fake' scenarios, your 'fake' arguments, literally anything you can think of or feel inside your head is real. Maybe not here maybe not right now. But it is real in a reality 'out there' which is basically just inside your mind, because the mind is the multiverse.

You are choosing the scenario, the thought, the image from infinite realities out there (in the mind) with infinite possibilities. Like you choose a scenario to happen in your dr except here it has already happened. Everything has already happened. That is you connecting yourself to different realities in the multiverse. The mind is connected to every reality that is existing because it exists inside the mind. That's why it's said that you are the universe. Because YOU ARE. Continuosly shifting, changing, choosing from the mind. You are existence.

Before anyone says something dumb like imagination/4D plane is the true reality I'll explain that every plane is a true reality abiding by their own unique set of rules. There is no true reality to you in your perspective except what YOU decide to BE. You exist in every plane. Your existence in every plane abides by it's rules. Unless you decide to change the rules of your existence.

You can be a 1D object. A line.

You can be a 2D object. A map (if you wanna add spice to it then a talking map.)

You can be a 3D object. A ball. (You already are a 3D being.)

You can be a 4D object. A hypercube.

And so much more. Everything is energy. You're probably a rock in a different reality/universe. Maybe a line in a world of paper. Or a talking ball. Or just a ray of light. Come on don't loose focus now. You're the entire universe what else did you expect?

We strayed a little from the topic here but like I was saying the mind is like a place where every single reality has a tea party. What you don't experience physically doesn't mean it didn't happen. In the mind reality is faster. Because everything is happening right now. The physical plane has a slow moving energy so we can 'experience' our life. Like I said everything happens a little different in different planes.

Everything is a reality (or different universes). It's like reality (you) in a reality (physical plane) which you can mould to your will because you are the reason why it (reality) exists. You are existence itself. Pure awareness experiencing the experience that already exists in you. Your mind. The void.

There is no innerman or outerman you're literally both. One's literally a different name for the other and vice versa. Stop looking for the middle ground when you are the middle ground. You are reason they even exist. Why? because only you exist. Everything that exists is the same thing which came from you with different forms, different names, different energetic pattern, different rules for each of them. That's why everything is connected.

Different realities are creating a reality you're currently living. Your own reality is a mix of many combined together moment after moment so you can experience things in the physical plane.

The reason imagination was even popularised as something that creates reality is because people thought that to experience something we have to 'imagine' it first. But they're wrong. They were doing the right things but intercepting it wrong. We don't imagine anything. We live it the moment we even think about it. Everyone is understanding it now. Imagination is not reality. Nothing was ever imagination in the first place. Everything inside your head was always real.

Reality is fluid. Human beings are fluid. They are both free flowing energies. We pass through different realities the same way different realities pass through us at every moment. Remember folks, shifting is your nature.

Everything is and will always be a reality existing in the multiverse.

Let me decode some popular quotes for you to understand.

- The universe is mental.

Meaning: Everything exists is in the mind because every reality exists where it was created by pure awareness, hence the mind. Realities are expanded outwards through us, chosen from pure awareness experienced through the heart (the knowing/feelings) which exists in your physical body. Which further exists in the mind because it was also created by pure awareness.

Confusing? Well because pure awareness, the mind, realities and us are the same thing expressed in different ways. Like I said everything is connected.

- As within, so without.

Meaning: This one is quite obvious. What we see on the outside of us is also inside of us. I explained all that in this post and my reality is YOU post already.

There is no imagination. Reality has always been the only truth.

I've been working on this post for 2 days hope y'all understood atleast a little. I'm super tired can't wait to just pass out right now. Ignore any typos please and feel free to ask any questions!

[angelsdean]

hot take maybe but actually i do expect my mom to comfort me and make me an ice cream sundae when i’m sad even when i get to 40 and she’s 70. my grandma does that for her still. it’s not. limiting her. it’s not saying she only has to be my mommy. i have taken care of her too. it’s saying we love each other and want to take care of each other. mary struggling to be able to interact with grown up sam and dean was very very valid and understandable and i love her for it. she also could’ve maybe tried a little more anyway. they could’ve lent on each other. idk.

Yea i've said before that I think it's a bit outrageous the way people seem to think someone stops being a parent once their child reaches adulthood. Maybe it's a cultural thing, I don't know, but the whole idea of "once your kid turns 18 they're out the door and not your problem anymore" is so deeply flawed IMO. But yea I focus more on "debunking" the claim that Dean expects some sort of motherly coddling / babying from Mary because that seems to be the deancrit take I see the most with regards to this arc / the "i'm not just a mom" scene.

But for sure many people seem to have some weird ideas IMO about what it means to be a parent. Like I think you can feel for Mary and understand that parents can and are more than just parents, but also understand that they will never stop BEING a parent either. Their kids will always be their kids. It's why people always say being a parent is a full time job, not something to go into lightly, that you should be sure you actually want kids and understand that having them is a lifelong commitment etc etc. And having kids makes them become your priority, even when you want to be selfish you always have to try to put them first. Obviously that lessens as they grow up but like, if your adult child were injured or had some kind of health issue / challenges as a parent it's still your job to be there for them, to support them, to care for them. That doesn't just end at 18. It's why *I* know that even though I like the idea of kids I probably never will have any because it's so much responsibility and because those kids are always always going to come first, forever! That's kind of part of the parental "contract" IMO. And even when they're adults, a parent should still be the one person in the world your kid can turn to, rely on, seek comfort in.

And I understand these expectations are complicated in this particular narrative by the fact that Mary died young and is not equipped to be a mother to adults. I think that's such a delicious component that I wish they leaned into more. She is grieving her babies. She is allowed to feel those feelings and feel confused and unsure and struggle with accepting this new dynamic with her children. But a big part of Mary's arc in s12, which culminates in 12x22 with "I need you to see me" is that she is the one stuck in the past, needing to accept her reality and "SEE" her children for who they are now. That's what the arc is moving towards, that acceptance. And after s12 we see her and Dean have a better relationship. We see her still getting to be Mary the person AND Mary the "mom." She hunts, she comes and goes, but she's someone Dean can talk to, share a meal with, spend time together. It's what he always wanted most. He tells her in 14x11 that "just knowing you're around, that you're alive has meant everything to me."

Anyways, I won't ramble about all that again because I've made a bunch of posts about it already. But yes, I think it's normal for Dean (and Sam) to want Mary to comfort them, do nice things for them, the way any parent or really a family member in general might do. They are not asking for kisses on their boo-boos and getting tucked into bed with a bedtime story, which is how a lot of deancrit posts read. What they want is some sort of familial reciprocal care. Like the way Dean spends quality time with those he loves. The way he baked a cake for Jack. Cooks for his family. The way he gives people gifts. The way he fixes Cas's truck. The way he calls to check in on people. He doesn't do these things out of some obligation or playing some "role", he does them because he cares. Because he loves his family, and that's just what family does for each other.

Someone in my tags last night said it very well that what Dean really wanted was just, another family member, to spend time with, to share their joys and burdens with. Someone like Bobby, that he could turn to if he needed. Bobby was a parent figure but he wasn't "parenting" them, y'know? He was someone Dean could lean on, but he didn't expect Bobby to shoulder all his burdens. And I think that's what Dean wants most. Just someone he can lean on and rely on, since he's been having to be the strong one for everyone his whole life.

[bl-inded]

Faifa, bestie? Do you have to break my heart every week like this??? DO YOU??

I feel low-key crazy obsessing over every little thing that happens with Fai. But was it just me or did anyone else feel as hurt about their mom admitting she would have been happier taking Yotha than Faifa?? I know those weren't the intention of her words, and I certainly don't know how much was lost in translation. But to feel like you were always the second choice, and then to have it confirmed is fucking heartbreaking!

Before I get onto that bit of the rant though! I love how expertly Fai avoids talking about his own feelings.

It's a footnote to everyone else's feelings and trying to understand the situation. Which is mature and grown-up, but not at the cost of your own anger. And then he goes on to start defending his mom.

She heard Fai say this! She heard him say that her loving Faifa more was "definitely not the reason". Her justification was that she knew Faifa was the one who'd be most affected by being separated from his family?? Are you for real rn ma'am??

(I also hate the assumption that Yotha would not have missed his family? Like what??)

I know Fai is not the one in focus in this frame, but he looks sooo broken. Then he finds out she was planning to move without telling the kids-

And when she's doing her lil goodbye speech to each of them he refuses to even look her in the eye!!!

(I wish I could gif to show how much Junior manages to convey with his body language in this scene!! Dude was flexing his acting skills istg)

I've mentioned it before. But I think Faifa, despite being the youngest of the siblings, definitely has the energy of the oldest. And he's doing it again here. Unlike Yotha, I feel like he hasn't resolved anything with his mom. He's still a people pleaser so he'll make sure she is happy.

BUT WHAT ABOUT HIMMMMM??!!

I cannot wait for Faifa's story to start!! I have been ready for it for weeks, and I'm sooooo glad we're finally getting it. I think more than anything I want to see someone take care of Fai for a change. Someone actually see him be vulnerable and agree to share the pain. I want Wine to realize as Faifa is helping him through his heartbreak that there is so much hurt her carries behind the happy facade.

I want Faifa to let Wine see him!

[misaerabl]

I see a lot of Chloe x readers first time smoking and it usually turns to smut (which is fine! I live all Chloe fanfic writers!) but can I please get Chloe comfort where readers first time getting high was a bad trip?

Like maybe it's a bit self insert but I can't smoke at all and I feel like every stoner character has fics where reader smokes too but what about for the readers who can't, you know?

If not no worries take care of yourself <3

CONTENT: smoking weed (duh), bad first experience smoking, comfort chloe, max mentioned, SFW (also warning : I don't know shit about smoking or weed cuz ion do that, so correct me if there's anything wrong)

A/N: ify anon, as someone who can't smoke as well. also this is new!! first chloe price fic here ig. I'm replaying lis so this is such a good timinggg lovee!

Chloe had warned you to take it slow.

She had said it with a lazy smirk, passing you the joint with fingers stained faintly with ink and paint. But there had been a flicker of seriousness beneath her usual bravado—a hesitation you ignored in your eagerness to prove you could handle it.

Now, you weren’t handling it.

Your heartbeat was a frantic drum in your chest, pounding against your ribs like it was trying to escape. The world had narrowed, blurred at the edges, and you couldn’t tell if the weight in your limbs was from gravity or some invisible force pinning you down.

Chloe’s room, usually a chaotic but familiar mess of posters, CDs, and scattered clothes, felt too small. The walls were pressing in, the ceiling too low, the air too thick.

“Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa.”

Chloe’s voice cut through the static in your mind, sharp but careful. She was in front of you now, crouched down, her face clearer than anything else in the room. Her blue hair was a little frizzy, her beanie slipping back. She had that look on her face—half amused, half concerned.

“Talk to me. What’s going on?”

You shook your head. Couldn’t talk. Your throat felt tight, your mouth dry as hell.

Chloe frowned but didn’t push. Instead, she reached out, pressing the cold rim of a soda can into your palm. “Drink. It’ll help.”

You took a sip—too fast, choking slightly. Chloe just waited, patient. Her fingers tapped against the floor.

“I—” Your voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “I think I’m dying.”

Chloe snorted but immediately softened when she saw the panic in your eyes. “You’re not dying, dude. Just greening out. It happens.”

Greening out. Right. That was a thing. But knowing that didn’t stop the feeling, didn’t stop the weight pressing down on you like you were sinking into the floor.

Chloe shifted closer, her hands resting lightly on your knees. “Okay, okay, let’s get you grounded. You remember that one thing Max used to do? The five senses thing?”

You managed a weak nod.

“Cool. Let’s do it. Tell me five things you can see.”

You swallowed hard, forcing your eyes to focus. “Uh… your beanie.”

Chloe grinned. “Iconic. What else?”

You searched the room. “The… the glow-in-the-dark stars on your ceiling.”

Chloe’s gaze flicked up. “Hell yeah. Got those when I was ten.”

You listed the rest slowly—the chipped paint on her nightstand, the band stickers on her guitar case, the way the neon blue of her hair caught the dim light.

She guided you through the rest, coaxing out four things you could touch (the carpet, the cool metal of the soda can, the soft fabric of her hoodie when she draped it over your shoulders), three things you could hear (her voice, the faint hum of a song playing from her speakers, the rain tapping against the window).

By the time you got to taste, you were breathing easier. The fear wasn’t completely gone, but the walls weren’t closing in anymore.

Chloe nudged your shoulder. “See? Told you. Not dying.”

You let out a shaky breath, clutching the can tighter. “Never doing that again.”

Chloe smirked. “Yeah, yeah. That’s what they all say.”

But then her expression softened, and she bumped her forehead lightly against yours. “For real, though. I got you, okay?”

You nodded, feeling the warmth of her hoodie, the steadiness of her presence.

Maybe you weren’t as weightless as you thought. Maybe, with Chloe here, you were still on solid ground.

[my-owl-baby]

Hang Out

Masterlist

Taglist: @not-aya

You clean yourself up that night. The cut wasn't deep, so it would heal in a short amount of time.

Now, today, a new day, you're meeting to catch up with your childhood friend. He wondered if he found out anything, but you doubt it yourself but still worried.

"Shura, tell them to get lost," you whispered, standing near a window and seeing the group of students talking.

"What? Just because you're not ready to say anything doesn't mean to bring me into it. " She sneered at you, and you continued to beg until she gave in.

"Fine, and Rin put your tail away." Rin tried to but couldn't since he was holding the girl.

You sigh thinking about the whole thing with last night, a last minute side mission wasn't something you like to do. You only like to focus on your main goal, which is to find your parents' killer.

'Y/n' You looked down at Kuro, who is pushing his fur against your leg. 'I want some white sake,' he purred. You pick up the demon cat.

"I'll see if I can find anything when I'm out," you patted him. He smiled at you before jumping off your arms to go somewhere else.

Rin and Shura were still asleep, and it was already 6am. You sigh before leaving the house to meet Gojo.

You were mixed with feelings, excited and nervous. You dressed simply not to stand out much but something you like to wear.

"Hey! Come here!" You heard a little girl yelled, you saw her coming your way seeing a small goblin holding her backpack.

You step in front of the goblin way, making it run into your legs. "Hey now, I thought you guys don't bully kids," you said, picking it up.

It tried to get out of your grip, but you wouldn't let it. "Come on, give her bag back," the goblin pouted before sticking its tongue at you.

You were glad no one was up this early to see this. They might have thought you were the bully with mental problems.

"You can see them too?" She young girl asked, her hair brown along with the same color eyes.

"Yea, I'll make sure our friend here apologizes." You smiled at the girl. She looked so amazed by your actions for her. You didn't even know the poor girl.

Once you got the goblin to give her things back and apologize to her, it ran off. "Has those been hurting you or anything else?" You asked the little girl.

She shook her head "they only started doing this a week ago, only grabing my stuff" she said, you sigh in relief that the goblins haven't gone any worse.

"That's good, I'm pretty sure they'll stop, here take this." You took out a cross necklace handing it over to her.

"It will keep you safe." You smiled at her, she looked down at the necklace then at you, she wonder if it was her lucky day.

"Thank you, ma'am!" The little girl said outloud, giving you a small bow.

You blush from her complement "it's nothing. You shouldn't be bullied by them either way," you chuckled.

You were her new admirer. "My name is Tsumiki Fushiguro." she smiled at you.

"I'm Y/n L/n, it's nice meeting you," you could tell she was 6 or 7 years old. Especially by the height she is.

You bid your goodbye to the little girl, leaving her wondering how you could see them, but she was glad she wasn't alone in seeing them.

"Poor thing must been attacked by one of them" you sigh, knowing there might be other kids out there like her.

You and Satoru were going to meet up a old Cafe, you both use to go to when you were both young.

The walk there was long, which is why you woke up early to get there in time.

Looking around, seeing the sun come up. You were still tired from last night, staying up at 2am wasn't something you were use to.

You couldn't sleep from the pain as well, and now awake at 7am meeting your childhood friend from 8 years ago now.

You wonder if Satoru had wonder how your parents got killed, maybe he didn't too busy exercising cruse spirits.

Not knowing if today you should tell Satoru about being an exorcists. He'll understand right? Many questions and scenarios wonder in your head back and forth.

You couldn't change the past when you left Japan without telling Satoru the truth.

※。.:*:・'°☆

"What was that last night?" Shoko asked, they all wanted answers. Yaga stayed silent trying to figure out what to say.

"And who was that lady?"

"Yea, why was she there, we didn't even scent her presence" Geto said, they all piled questions one after another.

Yaga sigh, pushing his glasses up "Listen up-" he got interrupted by Gojo.

"I have to go." Satoru stood up, walking up to the door and leaving the rest behind.

"What? Satoru come back!" Suguru said, he followed behind his best friend. "We have to figure this out, we never seen nothing like this before" Geto continued to follow Gojo out of the school.

"I need somewhere to be, I'm meeting Y/n, and I'm late," he stated, not stopping his tracks.

Geto pause before he spoke up again, "Can I come along?" He asked, Satoru nodded with a smirk on his face.

They were going to be late for that meet up.

Satoru is of course concerned about the whole thing that happened last night. Of course it will cause a big commotion with the higher-ups once they hear about this.

"Suguru" Gojo suddenly said to get his best friend attention.

Geto looked at him confused with the sudden call out "my infinity almost didn't work" he mentioned, surprised by his best friend confession.

"What? But you held it back with no problem" Suguru laughed nervously, not knowing if it was a joke or serious.

Once he saw Satoru face it confirmed how what he was saying us true. "I don't know what kind of thing it is but it almost got close to me....luckily you were there to push it back" he sigh.

Suguru didn't know what to say, of course Gojo is cocky time to time knowing he can exercise any cruse energy in their way.

"We'll figure it out later, right now we need to meet up with Y/n right?" He said, Satoru nodded trying to pull his best smile he could at the moment.

You waited almost half an hour now, you got bored leaving the Cafe to head home 'he probably forgot' you groan rubbing you wrist feeling pain near your palm.

"Y/N!!" You turned seeing Satoru running towards you.

"Sorry, we were held back from Yaga" he panted looking up at you while he catched his breath. You only chuckled, you didn't see Gojo as the late kind of guy.

"Your late" you said, bring your small bag infront of you. Smiling at him softly "and who's we?" You looked around seeing if he brought anyone with him.

"I brought Suguru along is that okay?" He smiled, you didn't mind it but you weren't going to tell another jujitsu students about exorcists.

You soon saw Geto jogging his way to the both of you, "I need a drink" Satoru mumble, you turn your attention back to the Cafe.

"Come on, they won't close in another 3 hours" you said, opening the door for the two guys.

The three of you sat down getting smoothie, or coffee to your liking. "So how has 8 years been without me?" Satoru asked, he eyed you for a bit. You didn't place your bandaged hand there to not cause any commotion.

"It's been good, I made a good amount my friends in True Cross" you lied, back in Korea the last 6 years have been hectic for you, the world almost got taken over by Gehenna.

"I'm glad, it's really been crazy here" he sigh, sipping his smoothie he got.

"Really, I'm all ears" you smiled at your friend. Suguru stayed quiet watching the both of you chat out.

He notice the same energy of that Ghoul coming from you, but he didn't speak up about it.

He wonder why Satoru wasn't questioning it or focus on it. "So, like I'm just saying maybe we should karaoke later" you said with a smile.

"Great Idea Y/n" Satoru said, with his cheerful smile."you wanna still come along Suguru?" He asked his best friend.

Suguru sigh, knowing Gojo would probably force him to sing. "Fine" he only agree to talk to you privately about your energy.

Satoru notice your hand "are you okay? What happened?" He asked grabing your hand gently. He examined your plam seeing the bandage warped around.

"I'm fine, I just not the best with knife cooking is the least things in my talent" you chuckled, that was a whole lie. Did he see through it no but Geto did.

"Oh, hehe be more careful next time if you need anything with knife related I can help" he gave you a soft smile, it made you feel bad for lying to him.

You all made your way out of the Cafe heading to a Karaoke place Satoru wanted to go to.

"I'm going to go get us set up!" Satoru said walking up to the front desk to get yall a room.

You and Suguru stand there waiting for Satoru to finish up "so uh...how long have you knew Satoru?" You caught his attention.

He looked at you for a moment before he responded "since at the age of 15 so three years now" he faked a smile.

You notice it, but decided not to say anything about it. "Guys! Come one we have room 99!" Satoru yelled, you both made your way to the room following Satoru behinded.

※。.:*:・'°☆

"I want you all alone in my mind" Saturo sang horrible, you laughed your ass off at the temp he made at singing.

Geto covered his ears, knowing they might bleed at any moment if he let go.

Once Satoru was done, you clapped your hands praising him for his horrible singing.

"Amazing!" You smiled with a few tears falling down from all the laughter.

"Thank you, what did you think Suguru?" He bowed, he looked pround of himself with his singing.

"Ugly" was only what Geto said. You held your laughter back. It was horrible. You couldn't lie to yourself.

"Suguru! How rude" he rolled his eyes at his best friend.

You smiled at how they bicker back at each other. It reminded of you and Satoru back when yall were both kids.

"Shut it, at least I don't break other people's ears" Geto said back, rolling his eyes.

You chuckled, your joyful feeling soon went away when you notice a certain energy pass by your room.

You looked at the door, see a dark figure pass by. 'Was that...no?' You thought, was it a good idea to check it out, no but you had too.

"I have to use the ladies" you smiled, making your way to the door. Suguru notice the energy too he wonder if you notice as well.

While Gojo shrugged it off and went back to the table to put on another song. "I'm going to get more refills" Suguru stood up, grabing both his and Gojos cup.

"Ohhh! Okay I want more sugar on mines" he hummed cheerfully. Geto nodded leaving the room too follow you.

You follow where energy might be. Maybe it was just your head playing tricks on you. "L/n?" You jump turning to see Geto holding two cups looking at you.

"The ladies restroom is over there?" He smiled, you did knew that but needed an excuse for your sense of direction.

"Oh...I had no clue since I saw restroom over here as welll" you smiled, feeling the energy leaving. "I have to go use it bye" you suddenly said running off.

Geto didn't left you alone and chased after you. 'Really?' You looked back seeing him behind you.

Stopping at the corner before turning left, you felt the energy higher here. Geto held on your shoulders, making you remember he was behind you.

"What are you doing?? We past the restroom?" He said smiling calmly at you. You didn't bother to listen what he had to say.

"Shut it" you moved his hands away from your shoulders, you peak your head looking to see a women there smiling at someone.

"Who is that?" He whisper, you glance at him and back at the women.

"I...um" he waited for answer but spoke up before you could say anything.

"Your energy is the same from last night, mind explaining that first?" He said, he sounded serious.

You were surprised he notice it, knowing he's a jujitsu Kaisen. You sigh pulling away into a room where the demon wouldn't notice the both of you conversation.

"Um well....what you were guys trying to find was a demon, who possessed a little girl" you started, you sat down looking at the ground.

"You guys wouldn't handle it" you looked at your plam "so I summon a ghoul to get yall out of the area if anything bad was going to happen" you finished.

He seem surprised, by the way you explain everything so simple "you used your blood?" He asked, you nodded with a small smile.

"Being a tamer has its cons and pros," you got up, stretching, "but I need to handle this," you said. He blocked your way to the door.

"I need more answers, L/n," he mumble, he looked at you seriously. You didn't know what to do but look at him.

You finally gave in "fine" sitting down, patting a spot next to you. "Ask me all you want to know." Geto sat next to you.

"Dose Satoru know about this?" He wonder that the most, he did knew the right answer but wanted to hear it from you first.

"No...I was going to tell him but things gotten mix up" you began "I wasn't able to tell him since my parents wanted to keep that part a secret" looking at him while you spoke those words, making sure that he knew you were telling the truth.

Geto nodded "how come Satoru can't see what I'm seeing or you?" That was a good question, you wonder why Geto could see the demonic souls.

"I've been attacked by one when I was a child, that's how people could see them" you said, looked at him waiting for him to answer.

"I haven't recalled being attacked by one, only been seeing cruse energy" he said, you nodded it might have happened when he too little to remember.

You looked at the ground "anything else?" You mumble, before he could continue a knock on the door started.

You saw Geto making his way to open it but you stopped before he did. "Don't move" you whispered, pushing him to a near wall where the demonic soul couldn't see the both of you.

She knocked a few times before taking her leave, the both of you. Your bodies touch, Geto notice while you were to busy making sure she was gone.

"I don't sense the dark energy anymore," you mumble, Geto clear his throat. You looked at him and noticed your bodies touching.

"Oh...sorry" you step back, it got awkward right after that. Silence passed for a few moments before Geto broke it up.

"Um, we should head back" he said, you agreed heading back where Satoru was.

"What took you guys so long?" He rolled his eyes, look at the both of your as he laid down on the couch.

"Sorry, the restroom were locked and I had asked Geto to watch over me while I use the men's instead" you made up a lie, hopping that Geto would go along with it.

"Yea, the ladies were closed" He sigh, you were relief that he agreed to your lie.

"Ohh, you could've texted me" Satoru said sitting in the between the both of you.

"I should've, next time if something like that happens I'll text you" you smiled.

Part of Geto wanted to know more, but his other side of the brain still remind in that moment.

He noticed how good you smelled, your eyes, and your soft touch. He glanced at you here and there but didn't say anything more after that.

[vidavalor]

Hey there! After your latest question on how Az might be taking over Hell and leading an army of demons, I wanted to ask who you think is more powerful overall, Crowley or Aziraphale? Of course they are the best when combining their powers 😉 but I always thought Crowley was the more “powerful” one, because he seemed to be of very high rank (he could open the file Muriel couldn’t). Would love to hear your take on it and here are some gluten free chocolate chip cookies if you like! 🍪 🍪

Hi there. 💕 Thanks for the cookies. Hope you're doing well.

I don't think that either of them are any more or less powerful than one another, or that either of them are any more or less powerful than any other person in the universe. Rank and power are not the same thing. Rank is, well... rank-- as in, it smells something fierce.

Rank is a perceived level of social power distributed to people by those at the top of an uneven power structure. It has nothing to do with an individual's own personal power. Political systems like this benefit only those at the very top, as they are using everyone else to maintain their own level of absolute power. They do not respect the autonomy of those beneath them and dole out rank-- perceived political power-- based on nothing more than the person showing fealty to them or being perceived by the villains at the top as being controllable.

Rank is not indicative of skill or, even, actual power. It's a bullshit system put into place by the one who has consolidated all power for himself to control the masses that enable him to do just that.

That is why the biggest threat to that villain's power is anything that would cause the masses to suddenly, collectively, start to doubt his story as to why it's him who has all this power and not all of them.

The biggest threat to those who have taken all the power for themselves and dole out rank to everyone else is everyone else suddenly having a reason to not focus on the distractions that villain has given them-- like rank itself, like the enemy he has told them to hate and the war he wants them to fight-- for long enough to realize that the so-called enemy isn't the actual enemy... that the whole system is broken. That there's an institutional problem and that institutional problem is the guy who took all the power for himself.

Rank in Heaven and Hell is meaningless. It doesn't really reflect power because it's just titles doled out by the villains in charge. Satan and The Metatron can't take anyone's individual power-- they can only just try to convince them and everyone else that they have. In reality, what really matters is individual power and no one can ever fundamentally really take that from a person.

The only way to use social power in a positive way is for the benefit of the group as a whole. It's to use your own individual power do what you can for others around you on a micro-scale. If everyone did that, we'd have more macro change, and systems like the one in Heaven would be undermined by the fact that, by recognizing one another as fellow people, the rank system of those seeking to oppress would collapse.

You've heard this put another way in Good Omens:

You can't have a war without war.

While Sandalphon is a fascist dirtbag, he accidentally hit on the whole theme of all of it without really understanding it. He meant you couldn't have a war (Armageddon) without War-- The Concept That Is A Character Played By Mirielle Enos. What is evident, though, is that all toxic systems are upheld by the rank-and-file. The power of the very few and very corrupt people at the top of a fascist regime is dependent on their ability to intimidate the rank-and-file into giving them all of that power.

It's all reliant upon making sure that those beneath them giving them all that power are kept as much as possible from working together by being taught to distrust one another, to view those in other parts of the system as 'other' and less human, and to always see the 'other' as the problem-- never the one who is using the sense of the 'other' to divide to maintain his own power.

It would be a big problem for our villains if people were to figure that institutional problem out, would it not?

It would cause them to push back on the top-- and collapse the idea of loyalty to pretend 'sides' as they began to recognize that they were all on the same one against those who were oppressing them.

When people assert their own individual power and begin to dismantle the idea of rank by joining forces with others in different tiers of it-- when they say that all people are just people and whether you're a human, an angel, a demon, whatever, it doesn't matter-- then what's happening is people using their individual power to form a collective social power to push back against their oppressors and break free of the negative system.

They are taking back their own power from those who have taken it from them by dismissing the idea of rank to join forces with those in different tiers of it, or outside of the structure of it.

Like Crowley and Aziraphale letting in the exhausted Supreme Archangel of Heaven. Like that Supreme Archangel of Heaven being excited to be Jim, an assistant bookseller, who counts humans among his new friends. Like Crowley, a former Prince of Hell, showing Muriel, the lowest-ranked angel there is, that imagination is power and if you think it, you can do it, because none of the demons actually have lost their angelic powers-- it's only as true as any of the angels and demons believe it is.

If you can visualize it, you can get through whatever the burning M-25 ring of fire of the moment is.

Just like with Adam in S1-- Make it happen. Make it real.

Crowley and the other demons can still do angelic miracles because miracles are reflective of individual, personal power, and no one-- no one-- can ever take that away from a person. They can take perceived social power-- like rank and status. They can try to kick you out of society and make rules against you and do you harm but they can never fundamentally take who you are. Your personal power always belongs to you.

Muriel cannot open Gabriel's file because they believed they had been told that they were not ranked high enough to do so. If they were to try again after Crowley showing them that he can? Odds are solid Muriel could open that file or anything else they wanted Up there. All Muriel really needs is what the others did, too-- the model of other people choosing to eschew the gross, rank system of Heaven/Hell to do their own thing.

Our Ineffable Quartet is giving them all that in spades.

Ironically, what they and Crowley learned from the contents of Gabriel's file is an example of exactly how bullshit rank is.

All it took for even The Supreme Archangel to be sent down the rank pile was an assertion of his own individual power. He refused to fight the war. The war is vital to the continued, personal power of The Metatron, even if it's detrimental to basically everyone else but for him and Satan. Gabriel narrowly escaped being murdered for doing the one thing you are not 'supposed' to do in a system that rank-- assert your own individual power to fuck over the system itself.

Even funnier, he baited and shut down Michael when doing so by pulling rank on her. 😂 I told you could ask. But since I am the only First Order Archangel in the room or, you know, in the universe, I'm not gonna answer as much...

Those who use advantages given to them or that they have been able to obtain for themselves to make the world better for others are using both their personal power and their social power for good. See: Crowley and Aziraphale, for examples. The two who broke all concept of rank within their world to be with one another and to live with and support humans on Earth are the models for all sorts of characters looking to break free of all sorts of oppression. Gabriel and Beez have been protecting them and find they want to join them. Muriel wants to learn about living on Earth from them. Maggie and Nina look to them for help in having a love like theirs of their own.

Crowley and Aziraphale are the guardian angels of both the legitimate front and the black market of Whickber Street, using what resources and social power they each have to help, protect, and uplift not just one another but the humans that make up their community. Saving kids and goats and Dickensian orphans since 2500 B.C., those two have been. Making sure Maggie stays afloat and offering some extra security for their next-door neighbor, Mrs. Sandwich.

In S2, there is nothing more flying in the face of rank than a pair of angels from opposite ends of the power structure (Gabriel and Muriel) both showing up at the bookshop door and being given the same thing-- the choice of accepting shelter and resources and comfort and a chat. The choice to break rank and join forces against the system that, in this world, oppresses the entire universe.

Those who do not break rank are the ones who try to gain and consolidate power for themselves within the system by helping those at the top manipulate others around them into accepting a rank-based social hierarchy. They are convinced into thinking that their silly rank title means that they actually have some power and that they can get or lose more of it through playing the game of the rank system the existence of which they just accept. They seek power within the rank system, instead of questioning the existence of the whole thing.

Even if they do start to question its existence privately, they're still willing to publicly play the game of rank, instead of taking the more beneficial route of breaking rank to work together to burn the whole system down.

Michael is not beyond all hope but Uriel breaking rank in 2.06 to support Gabriel and Beez shows that she'll get there first. Others, like that Metatron bootlicker and memory thief, Saraqael, might never realize that there's no war without war because they are so far gone that they actually want the war. They've so internalized the bill of goods they've been sold that they believe they're the righteous ones. How very Nazi Zombie Flesheaters of them.

The entire system of Heaven and Hell is structured so that only two beings within it actually benefit from it-- The Metatron and Satan. The angels and demons accept this structure because of the narrative these villains have presented to them about it, which is centered around the fact that The Metatron claims he can talk to God.

That all seems pretty rank, if you ask me. We've seen absolutely no proof that this is true. None.

I don't know about you but the only God we've heard in the series is The Voice of Frances McDormand and She's definitely not speaking to The Metatron. [If She's even really God and not just a God that lives in Aziraphale's head, but that's a whole other topic.] The God who has been speaking to us is an intelligent, dry-witted, curious, empathetic, and warm person who loves humans and Earth and Crowley. She's definitely not the one behind all the evil batshittery that the angels and demons think is The Word of God.

It's really all just The Word of The Metatron.

So, it's really that The Metatron consolidated power for himself in Heaven by claiming that he was the angel-- the one God chose to speak through. He's every megalomaniacal dictator and crazed cult leader rolled into one. He took control of Heaven by manipulating the angels into believing that they weren't following him-- they were following God. *gestures basically at every religious movement, every cult in history* It's no different from human behavior.

The Metatron's right-hand being was Lucifer, to whom he gave a position of Supreme Archangel, something they probably just made up. The two of them convinced the angels that they were more holy than everybody else-- God's chosen favorites. Lucifer, though, wanted absolute power and thought what do I need The Metatron for? I could just take this place.

He starts going around and building an army by exploiting the needs in the angels that are going unfulfilled. He makes them feel seen and special. He tells them that their voices will be heard and that they can make the change happen-- that they can make a difference.

Many of these angels know deep down that it's all a little too good to be true but, like humans who fall into things like this on Earth, they don't see another way through in that moment. They're angry about the injustices around them. They're lonely, depressed, unfulfilled. There's no one else talking about change and they've grown desperate enough to toss their intelligence and common sense out the window for a charismatic savior-- only to realize, once they are on the inside, that the charismatic savior is actually evil and the whole promised social change group was actually a disguise for a cult.

Lucifer uses them-- especially ones near the top, like Crowley and Beez, whom he manipulated into being his lieutenants-- entrapping them before they realized that Lucifer wasn't really a social revolutionary but an evil cult leader. He wasn't going to improve any conditions because he did not give a fuck about anybody but himself. He wanted to be worshipped like a God himself, just like The Metatron. Two sides of the same evil egomaniacal coin.

Next thing anybody knows, Lucifer is leading a rebellion in Heaven, having gotten enough angels to follow him and fight a Great War against their fellow angels. At no point during any of it does anybody of the rank-and-file on either side say the problem here is really the two in charge. Instead, they were taught to hate one another because that proved beneficial, in the long run, for both Satan and The Metatron, who struck a deal of sorts that benefitted both of them with the creation of Hell.

Satan got his own kingdom of angels to exploit and The Metatron got a great story to keep his angels in line. They made up the concept of a demon to keep the angels distracted and uphold what is really a collective and very rank rank system.

In reality, all the angels fundamentally have the same amount of fluctuating-dependent-upon-their-energy-levels-on-any-given-day personal power, which we've seen is the source of magical power. After all, miracles can only be successfully performed if the person performing them is in the right headspace to do so, right?

Aziraphale couldn't influence Maggie when he fundamentally didn't want to and was too anxious to make it happen. Crowley is shown in two different scenes in S2 having trouble controlling his emotions enough to make a miracle happen the way he wants it to-- he over-miracles the rain for The Awning Vavoom and drenches Maggie and Nina. More consequentially? He was so angry over Wee Morag being shot that he over-miracled and sent the grave guards all the way to Hell, instead of putting them in a deep hole, like he said he had been trying to do. It's what wound up getting him dragged back to Hell.

That's personal power being exerted to make those magical miracles happen and personal power and miracles are a matter of energy. It's no different, really, from human energy.

When we protect our peace and take care of ourselves and let others in and share our frozen peas, we ensure that we have enough energy to participate in the world around us and we use what social power we have for good. Maintaining our energy so we don't waste our personal power is the struggle of people everywhere and one of the most primary, positive resources for doing so is having trustworthy and safe other people to talk to.

We all need resources-- food, shelter, books, etc.-- and, more than anything else, we need each other. A form of breaking rank is also seeking to have, as Crowley and Aziraphale do, emotionally open, consent-focused, and equitable relationships of all kinds. When we protect one another and allow them to do the same for us, we're making a safer world for all of us-- one that is stronger in the face of those who prefer the rankness of rank because it doesn't give any one person an excess of power. It's everyone looking out for one another being what keeps all forms of darkness at bay. [More on that over here, if you're interested.]

Power isn't the rank system of Heaven and Hell-- it's The Whickber Street Shopkeepers & Traders Association. We can push back on concepts of rank in any society by forming groups where people are treated as equals and come together for the benefits of mutual aid. That's when we can use our resources and social power to help the people in our orbit. If everybody does what they can on a micro-level, then more macro change begins to become possible. Help one person and open up a new world for many more as a result...

Power doesn't come from a rank system controlled by less than a handful of individuals who are seeking to oppress those they claim are beneath them. Real, collective power comes from blowing up a rank system by making sure that everyone is dancing at the monthly meeting of The Whickber Street Shopkeepers & Traders Association. It's super fucking annoying sometimes because, good Frances, a resolution condemning the misuse of apostrophes in sign windows?! 😂 no wonder why Mr. Arnold peaced out of those meetings for a decade... but dealing with people being people is part of what being a community is.

There are plenty of amazing things about humanity that outweigh the negatives. Being mindfully curious and open to learning new things, like Gabriel is in the scene below, can lead to greater appreciation for the world that can be as amazing as it can be depressing.

This is all why Aziraphale and Crowley are the opposites of The Metatron and Satan. They use their personal and social power to protect, assist, and support one another and those around them. They have been fucking over systems-- human and supernatural ones alike-- for millennia. They are the guardian angels of both the legitimate and black markets of Whicker Street-- helping humans start and keep their businesses afloat and providing resources and protection to the people around them, with particular emphasis on those who have been overlooked by society.

Crowley and Aziraphale's ranks in Heaven and Hell don't actually matter when it comes to their power. We saw in Before the Beginning that Crowley was a scientist and an engineer but that he was out there, alone in the universe, low-ranked enough that he didn't even have someone with him to help him start it until he asked for help. He didn't have a high ranking in Heaven when he met Aziraphale but Lucifer later made him a throne/dominion. It was rank-- perceived political power-- given to him by his abuser. The same is true of Beelzebub.

In Hell, Beez and Crowley are high-ranked. Beez is the Grand Duke of Hell-- the 'Supreme Archangel' of Hell, basically-- and Crowley is a Prince of Hell but it's based on how they had high rank in Heaven before The Fall. There was a time before The Fall when Crowley probably outranked Aziraphale in Heaven or, at least, was pretty on-par with him, but none of that really matters in terms of their magical powers. It's rank, not actual power.

You don't need rank to have actual power; you just need to wield what personal and social power you have effectively.

When I say things like Jim can take out Satan or Aziraphale could take control of Hell in short order, what I mean isn't really that they have more magical power than other characters. I mean that Gabriel has other people who are loyal to him because they love him and Satan does not. I mean that The Devil can't get to Gabriel in S2 because he cannot recognize him because Jimbriel is his polar opposite.

I mean that Gabriel has used the rank given to him by his oppressors to actually subtly come at those oppressors. He has wielded what perceived power his rank gave him well enough that there are other angels, like Uriel, who find they trust him more than they trust The Metatron. By using his power to do his best to support everyone around him-- angels and demons alike-- Gabriel has emerged someone who has a whole pack of people who are loyal to him and it's really the pack that Satan would have to take on.

What makes Gabriel intimidating to Satan and a whole damn problem to The Metatron is that, despite their best efforts to stop him, Gabriel has managed to be a real leader. He never set out to start a rebellion but he has by being someone that everyone else perceived as powerful showing people a new path. That makes him dangerous because if enough people look at what he's doing and say hey, that looks like a lot better than the current system, our villains are kind of fucked.

Especially considering that Heaven and Hell are both terrible so pretty much anything else would look better than the current system to most angels and demons... and Gabriel's not alone in saying so. It's really him and Beez and Crowley and Aziraphale. It took seeing that there was a group forming for Uriel to start to throw her hat in with them in 2.06 by sticking up for Gabriel and refusing to kill Maggie and Nina but Furfur and Muriel are right there, too.

Before long, there's going to be a reconfiguration of things. It's already really started, as the sides as they existed before have already fallen away. What can break the system is the demons and angels working together and that will take most of the main group of them breaking rank to form a more equal, united group.

In S1, several of them worked together to do the bidding of The Metatron and Satan but, in The Finale, they're going to wind up working together against them, or there isn't going to be a happy ending... and we all know there's a happy ending. 😇

Crowley and Aziraphale's statuses in Heaven and Hell-- technically, outlaws by 2.06, no rank at all-- didn't matter a lick when they asserted their individual and social power in the group scenes to take control of the situation. Everyone had to listen while Crowley put together the Gabriel situation because he had the information and he wasn't willing to defer to anybody's rank. They all had to stand there while he called basically everyone in the room shy of his partner and Gabriel idiots and then explained what was going on to all of them at the same time, not recognizing any of them as any more special than the other.

Hilariously, he also just plows straight through Michael's attempt to cosplay Supreme Archangelness, in my favorite bit of Crowley not giving a flying fuck about rank in the series:

Later, everyone had to shut up and follow Aziraphale's rules when he rang the bell and took charge of the situation. What rank gives Aziraphale the authority to, essentially, simultaneously take over Heaven and Hell at once in this moment? Absolutely none. He's considered a traitor. But it's his house they're all yelling in and, in a sudden power vacuum that upsets the established order of rank-- which Gabriel and Beez have created by also declaring themselves independent-- the leader that emerges is often the one who finds a way to just be heard.

In this case, it was the guy with the bell who got them all to shut up for five seconds and then demanded that they all treat each other as equals and collectively solve the problem by speaking one at a time. He showed grace and skill in extending the first invitation to speak to Shax-- a demon, the lowest-ranked of those arguing in the room, and the person who had literally invaded his house the night before.

The ironic thing is that Aziraphale himself hasn't yet realized his own power here. He still thinks that the only way out of this mess is to try to find a way to win within the rules of the rank system that he knows is absolutely rank. He doesn't want to be The Supreme Archangel-- he's more than aware of the fact that it's a totally bullshit position that nearly killed Gabriel and cannot really fundamentally change the system. He said no when that was the only thing offered.

He only agreed to be drawn back into the web of rank when what was offered was the possibility of changing Crowley's status within it. Not because he needs Crowley to be an angel again-- far from it. He loves Crowley as he is. Neither of them, though, are really fully free from the system while the system still exists and all this rank is dangerous for Crowley.

Aziraphale cannot ever refuse an offer that might have even the slightest chance of giving him the power to ensure Crowley's safety. It's the only offer that he can't refuse, which is why it's the perfect temptation. Aziraphale doesn't even fully trust that it's true but he'd do anything to keep Crowley safe so it's not even much of a true choice to him.

Aziraphale doesn't reject this offer because we are still in a spot in the story where we're more sitting on the edge of a revolution that is fomenting but not yet fully underway. It's started but they don't all yet quite realize how much it's started. Aziraphale felt alone. He felt like he and Crowley couldn't fight this system on their own and there's nowhere to run from it and he's absolutely correct about all of that.

It's why Aziraphale falling is the best way to galvanize all the characters to then come together to push back on the system for and with him. They've all got to do it together or it won't work. None of them are free from it unless all of them are free.

Political power is largely a matter of perception. It's why no one listens to Michael's claim that they have Supreme Archangel authority-- they just don't really believe it because Michael isn't selling power, they're selling desperation. Every time they open their mouth and say "I'm The Big One In Charge!", the fact that it's all kind of pathetic just makes them look weaker.

Power isn't saying you're in charge-- it's actually taking charge. The strongest leaders are ones who wield that power wisely. They inspire loyalty by treating people with respect. Sometimes, though, to even get to a place of doing that, you've got to make it clear that doing anything less will not be tolerated and that, if they want to continue doing so, they'll have to do it elsewhere.

Aziraphale used his personal and social power to take control of the situation in the bookshop in 2.06. He didn't need rank to do that-- he actually had none at all when he did. He rang the bell and just took charge, defining the rules of his house as being that they were all equals and then telling them they would be speaking one at a time, assuming de facto leadership of the group as he did. Aziraphale's ability to do that is what makes him dangerous to our villains and it's why they were trying to take him out before he could start a revolution. It's a bit too late for that, though.

It's never mattered what rank anyone has because they all have individual power and all can contribute to bettering their society in different ways. The first step, though, is everyone recognizing that rank is rank and everyone is equal and their own people. Recognizing and supporting one another's autonomy is what takes power from those at the top. Stopping obeying and upholding The Metatron and Satan's social rules is what can take power from them.

If enough do? No Armageddon. No war...

On this topic, you might also be interested in this meta about the story skewering reductive ideas of rank and power through a series of scenes mocking proskynesis. 💕 Hope you have a good week!

[hillbillyoracle]

It has taken a long while for me to understand that right wing religious seminars are just as popular in the Fundie community as leftwing ones are in the (fragmented) liberal Menno community, and because of where I live, we don't have a lot of them. The Bible says a lot of contradicting things, and there are few things that Christians agree on.

But I keep reading your post and I still would like more information, if you are willing. You don't seem to know what we don't know, and you're taking quite a bit for granted as common knowledge.

Here is my question: What is the logic behind the things that aren't in the Bible, and the things leftwing Christians interpret only as metaphors? The interpretation of Revelation that is so incredibly common regarding spiritual warfare on Earth? When and how did the Antichrist come into play? Disregarding what I believe or don't, what does that even mean? What are they talking about? Why are they so deeply afraid to the point of constant war and such legalism? Even things like the Umbrella of Authority I find confusing, because in my church community, everybody is always equal regardless of gender, and women have always held power in the church's history.

The purpose of their getting involved in politics is to assuage fear and enforce their values, of course. But how did we get these values in the first place? I know you were inside of it, so you will never see what it's like for us from the outside, what we don't know about them, especially people who have been persecuted by various forms of fundamentalists for generations but still try to welcome exfundies openly. But I read your post again, and I guess I just need to keep trying.

You don't seem to know what we don't know, and you're taking quite a bit for granted as common knowledge.

100% true. I'm really struggling with it in the conversations I've been in lately and it's something I'm trying to correct so I appreciate your patience.

I also think part of it is a limitation of my current perspective as well. When I've gone line by line and explained things, it usually leads people to become more entrenched in their negative beliefs about fundies which in turn makes them behave in ways that ultimately fuel their whole bit. So that's why I focus on more overarching aspects.

But if you think it'll help, I'll give it my best shot.

Here is my question: What is the logic behind the things that aren't in the Bible, and the things leftwing Christians interpret only as metaphors?

Biblical literalism has been around for a long long time so I can't speak to all of it.

What I do know is that the thread of it that current day fundamentalists in the US at least have ties to started in the late 1800s as a reaction to the rise in prominence of scientific explanations of the world - think Darwin's work, germ theory, and the discovery of the electron and eventually radioactivity.

What this basically lead to was some Christians believing that a scientific view of the world was compatible with religions and some saying that the Bible took precedent over human modes of knowledge. So the "logic" of Biblical literalism in conjunction with the latter idea was that if God's word took precedent over human knowledge, he would make it very clear - very literal for us

Key to this group's understanding of Christianity was the belief in Christ's miracles as literally happening. With the rise of scientific explanations, there was now this whole new language for trying to discredit those miracles and making fun of people who believed they literally happened. They were a favorite punching bag whenever the scientific community had scandals exposed in particular - "Sure we've basically tortured human subjects in the name of science but at least we don't believe Jesus literally healed the sick, can you imagine?" These groups saw this lack of regard for human life and responded by relying more on God's word which they regarded as perfect in a way humans were not - which essentially meant more literalism.

And you can debate that all you like but that's more or less the basis of it to this day, whether modern fundamentalists know it or not. It's this idea that God wants to be known so why would he obscure himself behind metaphor? And the literal meanings of his word come before all other types of human created knowledge because humans are sinful and faulty and his word is perfect.

The interpretation of Revelation that is so incredibly common regarding spiritual warfare on Earth?

So the interpretation of Revelation varies dramatically between fundamentalists churches. I spent my early years in one that didn't place a big emphasis on it but regarded it as literal and in the future. I spent my middle and high school years in one that regarded Revelations as having begun sometime around the industrial revolution and believed it was already playing out slowly but gaining steam (insert steam powered joke).

Spiritual warfare also varies. Some people think it is angels and demons fighting all around us. Some people think it is in the battle of ideas. My early church believed in the former. My later church believed in the latter. The categories aren't exactly neat and tidy unfortunately.

So it's tough to speak to since it's not terribly unified. I would say in general the literal reading of revelations stems from what I wrote about just before this - why could God obscure himself if he wants to be known?

A common belief I ran into was the idea that a purely metaphorical reading of Revelations was born of fear and a lack of faith in the truth of the Bible. It was kind of a litmus test. People who were unafraid to imagine this terrible future and believe it was real and could happen to them in this lifetime were more faithful than those that wouldn't.

I think it makes sense if you remember a lot of people who left mainline traditions left in part due to difficult experiences which church complacency. The urgency of a literal reading of Revelations speaks to them.

When and how did the Antichrist come into play? Disregarding what I believe or don't, what does that even mean? What are they talking about?

The antichrist is a literal translation of a word made up of the Greek roots for anti and Christ. Its in John's letters:

Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. - I John 2:22 (NIV)

This was the one I heard quoted the most but there are other instances too.

I'm less well versed in how he came to have the lore around him that he has with fundamentalists but poking around it looks like it definitely didn't start with fundamentalists. My guess it is a holdover from before their break with mainline Protestantism that took on a new form when it came into contact with biblical literalism. A figure who is against or put in place of Jesus is common in other denominations, my guess is there was a conflation of this figure with the Beast in Revelations due to similar language being used for both.

But that's a guess.

The big "thing" with the antichrist is said to be positing himself as savior of mankind. That's why scientists and the like often get pegged for it. He's also said to bring a quickening to the end of days.

I'm realizing I'm probably taking a lot for granted here. I'm not sure how to explain the antichrist. He's just a real bad guy and he could be anyone. He's the Red Scare but a literal person.

Why are they so deeply afraid to the point of constant war and such legalism?

I mean I don't know what to tell you there. Life is fucking scary.

One day, I'm laughing with my mom. 24 hours later I'm in a hospital watching her on a ventilator and not recognizing me. That's scary.

One day my body more or less worked and the next day I woke up and my hands were in so much pain I couldn't move them. At 24 years old. That's scary.

Think of all the things you can't control that determine the course of your life - war, famine, disease. That shit is scary.

That's admittedly is my generous response.

That initial fear has been coopted by prominent figures who basically draw the line from more universal fears to anxieties people have about their place in the world and then to things like gender and sexuality - things that can be controlled.

The legalism is as much a way to understand it as it is a reaction to it. It's rooting in this idea that if we were to live in alignment with God's word, much of the terrible things we're experiencing wouldn't be happening (which is false but it's compelling to some people).

Even things like the Umbrella of Authority I find confusing, because in my church community, everybody is always equal regardless of gender, and women have always held power in the church's history.

There's also lots of verses about women needing to be quiet and obey their husbands and not wear certain adornments and the list goes on. While yes, individual women have carved out and held on to power in the church, they're more the exception than the rule when taken over the course of the church's entire history. Which is just to say that women's place in the church in any denomination is complicated.

For instance, look how many fundamentalist women have run for office and won. They're playing to a particular archetype within fundamentalist Christianity as the secondary protectors of the family. They tend to focus on issues relating to children for that reason. They have power but it's within the narrow confines of what a woman should be.

Umbrella of protection can be more "natural law" flavored or more "mystical" flavored. I was in a "natural law" family. And that idea held that obedience to my parents but in particular my father was the model by which I would learn to obey God. If I didn't obey them, then I wouldn't know how to obey God. If I didn't know how to obey God then I would sin and bad things would happen to me.

I knew a handful of people who were in the more mystical flavored version but to be honest I'm not completely clear on how that worked. My impression of it was that I guess the dad as the head of the household was granted a certain measure of power to protect his family but he could only use if they obeyed. And in return he was supposed to only ask for their obedience where their safety mattered not merely on a whim but that's not usually how that played out.

The purpose of their getting involved in politics is to assuage fear and enforce their values, of course. But how did we get these values in the first place?

There's a theological component to this answer and there's a political component.

The theological component has to do with that literal reading of and primacy of the Bible. It's read not only as a description of what's wrong with the world but also how it's supposed to be. Their reading of it emphasizes themes in the New Testament as Jesus being the sacrifice that would restore order to the world. So they in turn see an emphasis on Jesus and order to be key to dealing with what is wrong with the world (i.e. whatever scares them). Part of their view of order also emphasizes family in imitation of the holy family.

The political component is that in the middle of the 20th century, conservative strategists specifically started courting big figures in the fundamentalist movement. Both were eager to get fundies more involved in politics but for slightly different reasons. Fundamentalist leaders saw it as advocating for good and a way to distinguish themselves from mainline denominations which weren't generally that politically active. Conservative operators saw how fired up fundies could get as revivals and similar and wanted to funnel that toward their political aims.

There was a shift in how fundamentalist leaders talked about money in particular during this time, emphasizing it as a means by with to do the work of the lord and a sign of God's favor when earned justly. Conservative messaging to their new base emphasized impacts on families and it's the emphasis they still lead with.

So where outsiders see contradiction, it's generally not seen as contradicting when looking through the lens of protecting and benefiting the family. Guns - allow you to protect your family. Regulations - limit how well you can provide for your family. Immigrants - are a threat to your ability to provide for your family. God came into the world via a particular kind of family and we were supposed to live in imitation of that - hence the opposition to queer people and trans folks.

Obviously I don't agree with that and obviously it's more to do with people just being biased and afraid but that's the underpinning by which those fears get organized into a political system of values that we see playing out right now.

I know you were inside of it, so you will never see what it's like for us from the outside, what we don't know about them, especially people who have been persecuted by various forms of fundamentalists for generations but still try to welcome exfundies openly.

You're right that I don't know it the way you know it. That's for sure.

But I would also point out that I am queer and trans and realized both of these things while still inside the church. I got persecuted from within and I got persecuted when I got pushed out. So while I don't have the intergenerational aspect you speak of, I have definitely been and currently am persecuted by them in my daily life so I have a small insight into what that can be like. It's hell, it really is.

I appreciate you wanting to learn. I hope this post is a little more enlightening. It's the truth as best I know it but I know I'm missing information myself.

[talesofkhaos]

Spencer couldn't quite believe how quickly things escalated between them. He found himself equally mesmerized by Oliver's charm and sincerity, feeling warmth every time their eyes met. Despite his usual guarded nature, Spencer was surprised at how effortlessly he opened up to Oliver. Spencer wondered whether this bond was indeed something more profound than he had ever experienced. In his past relationships, Spencer often felt a lingering sense of hesitation, as if something was always holding him back. With Oliver, however, there was a unique sense of ease and authenticity that he had never encountered before. It was as if Oliver had unlocked a part of him that had long been hidden, revealing a deeper connection that Spencer had yearned for but never truly believed was possible. In his previous relationships, Spencer often faced heartbreak when his partners would suddenly become distant or even disappear from his life entirely. There were times when tragedy struck, leaving him to mourn the loss of those who had been important to him. Yet with Oliver, there was a sense of hope and stability that made Spencer dare to believe that this time, things might be different.

Spencer, now slowly searing the steak, felt a wave of contentment as Oliver returned, his smile lighting up the room. Glancing over at Oliver, Spencer replied, "I'm glad to hear everything's okay," his voice carrying a warmth that matched the cozy atmosphere they had created together. As Spencer continued to cook, his mind began to drift, imagining what it might be like to have Oliver in his arms, their bodies entwined in the privacy of his bedroom. Though they hadn't known each other for long, the thought of being so intimately close to Oliver sent a thrilling shiver down Spencer's spine. He couldn't help but wonder how Oliver's voice would sound in those private moments, soft and breathless, whispering his name. The mere thought of it made Spencer's heart race, a tantalizing mix of anticipation and curiosity. He quickly snapped back to reality, trying to focus on the sizzling steak, but the tantalizing possibility lingered in the back of his mind. Spencer cleared his throat, trying to sound casual as he said, "After dinner, maybe you could put some of your clothes in the dresser. I don't want your clothes to wrinkle in the luggage." He glanced at Oliver, hoping his suggestion didn't come off too forward, but secretly thrilled at the prospect of Oliver settling in, even if just for a little while.

Spencer noticed Oliver's hesitation when he offered the drink, but instead of pressing, he let his profiling skills kick in. "You know, we have some great sparkling water or juice if you'd prefer something non-alcoholic," Spencer suggested gently, offering Oliver a reassuring smile. He wanted Oliver to feel comfortable and at ease, knowing full well the importance of making choices that aligned with one's well-being. "Well, I wouldn't say easy," Spencer replied with a teasing grin. "But I like to think I've got a knack for picking up on the little details." He hoped his light-hearted response would ease any tension and show Oliver that he genuinely cared about his comfort. Spencer had a peculiar habit of unconsciously profiling people, a skill honed from years of experience, which often kicked in when he felt nervous. It wasn't something he did intentionally; rather, it was a reflex that emerged in moments of uncertainty or when he wanted to connect more deeply with someone. In Oliver's presence, this tendency seemed to surface more frequently, revealing Spencer's desire to understand and reassure him.

He paused the searing process, placing the spatula down, and turned towards the kitchen counter. With practiced ease, Spencer reached for a glass from the cabinet and filled it with a few ice cubes, their clinking sound adding a soothing rhythm to the room. As he poured the whiskey over the ice, he couldn't help but glance at Oliver, gauging his reaction and hoping the small gesture of hospitality would be appreciated. Spencer handed the glass to Oliver with a warm smile, saying, "Did you know whiskey dates back to the 15th century, originally crafted by monks in Ireland and Scotland? It's fascinating how it's evolved over the years." He continued, "In moderation, whiskey is said to have some health benefits, like aiding digestion and boosting heart health. But of course, it's all about enjoying it responsibly." Spencer hoped the conversation would not only distract Oliver but also offer a sense of comfort and intimacy.

Spencer chuckled softly, turning his attention back to the skillet as he expertly seared the steaks, ensuring they were cooked to perfection. He carefully lifted the steaks off the heat, letting them rest as the rich aroma filled the kitchen. Just as he was about to respond, Oliver's playful remark caught him off guard, and he glanced up with a smile, replying, "Well, maybe a little trauma makes the whiskey taste even better." Spencer took a sip of his own glass of red wine, smirking at Oliver's candid confession. "Ah, the allure of a perfectly cooked steak is hard to resist, isn't it?" he teased, setting his glass down. "Though I suppose we all have our vices," he added with a playful wink, appreciating the easy camaraderie that was slowly building between them. Spencer appreciated Oliver's flirty comment about liking his men fresh and lean, and it made him laugh heartily. "Well, I'm glad to meet your standards," he replied with a grin, enjoying the banter. As Oliver shared his passion for making homemade food for his dogs and cats, Spencer said, "That's impressive-only the best for your pets, I see!"

Putting his glass of wine down, Spencer handed over the knife to Oliver, saying, "Here, would you mind helping me cut the asparagus?" For the briefest moment, Spencer's imagination ran wild, envisioning a scenario where Oliver turned the knife against him. The absurdity of the thought almost made Spencer laugh out loud, but he quickly shook it off, focusing instead on their shared task. "Don't worry," he joked. "I promise the asparagus won't put up much of a fight." "Tonight, we're having these perfectly seared steaks with a side of roasted asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes," Spencer announced with a hint of pride. "I thought a classic meal would suit the mood," he added, glancing at Oliver to gauge his reaction. "And for dessert, I've got a surprise that I think you'll love," he teased, keeping the details under wraps for now.

Spencer’s impulsive move was definitely well received. it left Oliver feeling breathless and smiling like a dumbstruck idiot. he was enamored immediately, drawn in by Spencer’s brilliant personality and mind; though it helps that he’s easy on the eyes. while the affection was surprisingly immediate, Oliver felt their connection growing as time ticks on by. he wanted to be something special to Spencer and he wasn’t sure why that is, but looking at him now, he can feel it in his heart. he stays true to what he said earlier- he believes they were fated to meet and even, perhaps, they were fated to be, too. it’s not to say that Oliver really believes in fate, but meeting Spencer, he couldn’t help but believe in it in that moment. it felt too surreal to be anything other than fate. he couldn’t explain it, but he knew this to be true. they were written in the stars like Romeo and Juliet. he snorts at the thought as he puts his luggage away. it’s silly to think, but he’d already referred to Spencer as his Romeo two times already- it’s pretty telling on his part that he’s entertaining the romantic notion of it all. he’s never really been one for romance, but now he can’t stop thinking about it. it makes his heart soar to the heavens, begging to take Spencer with him in this adventure of his.

when he returns to Spencer’s side, he hesitates in answering him. he knows Spencer can sense the anxiety on him- it was pretty obvious from the get-go that he was nervous, but now that he’s staring Spencer in the eye, it feels like he’s on cloud nine and it whisks away any of the remaining anxiety. “yes, i found everything okay,” he replied easily, his gaze lingering on Spencer for a moment too long. he feels entranced by him, like he could stare at him all day and never tire. he was a book he could read over and over and never get bored of. he’d always find something new to discover. Spencer is an enigma he wants to solve and he feels like that’s a shared feeling- that Spencer wants to discover him, too. maybe tonight, they can discover each other in all new ways. it makes him blush to think about, having to finally tear his gaze away as cheeks warm at the implication his mind has offered.

dirty boy, Charlie says, cackling in his mind. you just want him to fuck you.

Oliver coughs into his arms, in hopes that Spencer can’t hear the voice inside his head. knowing logically that he can’t, he still fears that Charlie will be heard and his embarrassment will be tenfold. he chooses to ignore Charlie then, keeping his attention firm on Spencer as he offers him a drink. Oliver contemplates this, teetering on what he should do. he was an alcoholic at one point in his life- or twice, actually, and it sends nerves spiking down his spine. what should he do here ?? should he accept the drink and risk getting wasted and ruining their date or should he decline as nicely as possible and ask for something else ?? he debates for a moment before letting out a soft laugh. “am i that easy to read?” he says, leaning forward on the balls of his feet. he knew he should have brought a bottle of wine to drink. he’d even debated on it on the way to the apartment building, wondering if he should stop at a liquor store and pick something up. but he hadn’t anticipated what their dinner was going to be and he didn’t want to second guess himself, so he decided against it. he’s glad Spencer picked up on that notion himself and went ahead with his own drink. it eases some more of that anxious feeling in Oliver’s chest.

after a moment of this deliberation, he finally decides to say fuck it and ask for a glass of whiskey. he might as well make himself comfortable and the thought of alcohol would ease some more of that anxiousness he feels. “i could go for some whiskey,” he says finally; the finality of his statement relaxing his shoulders as tension begins to fade away. besides, alcohol has a tendency to make the visions go away and as Oliver looks off the side, he can see things that don’t belong lingering in the corner of his eye. he’d like to make them go away so he can enjoy his night with Spencer, be whatever it may be.

he chuckles at Spencer’s observation, his eyebrows raised in surprise and amusement. “are you sure it isn’t the trauma?” he teases back, lips quirked upwards into a smile. even he can be self-deprecating at times, but he finds it amusing to say nonetheless. no one’s ever told him he had a radiant glow about him, it makes him grin. “i’ve heard trauma has a particular radiance about it, too.” he continues, barreling on with a quiet laughter. “but no, seriously, i don’t think i could ever be a vegetarian. i like my meat like i like my men. fresh and lean.” okay, that was bad. his face flushes at his bad attempt at a joke, clearing his throat awkwardly as he looks away quickly. “i make my cats’ food from scratch, too. can’t leave them out. they get fed the same food, except my cats get more fish. i catch it myself, so it’s really fresh.” he likes fishing- it’s one of his favorite hobbies . . . well, when he can get himself out to fish anyways. he has a tendency to stay indoors when he isn’t walking his animals. he goes fishing maybe once or twice a month if he can. it’s a nice relaxing activity for him and he can write while he’s out there, and not get bit by mosquitos because he prepares accordingly. he’s not an idiot.

Oliver carefully takes the offered knife, holding it in his hands for a moment, just letting its weight fill his palm. he briefly entertains the idea of stabbing Spencer just then- and is abruptly startled by the thought that passes through his mind. but it’s such an intriguing thought that he pauses to consider what that would feel like and how Spencer would react if he just reached over and stabbed him in the gut, sliced him open like a deer carcass. he’s gone hunting before; he knows exactly what to do to gut a man. he entertains the possibility as he imagines blood washing over him as shock dances across Spencer’s face. he’d never see it coming. there’s a primal hunger there that he can’t deny; a feeling so thrilling that he almost considers letting the intrusive thought win. however, he shakes his head to clear it and smiles, walking around Spencer to help him out with cutting up the vegetables. it’s a sort of domestic atmosphere as he stands next to him, tilting his head to look up at him. “yeah, that’s not a problem. what are we making here?”

[shslpunkartist99]

One last random post.. probably

I'm conflicted in making my Keith Hispanic or Japanese. Simply because I easily see him as both

[r3dblccd]

I can't wait to use my new bullet journal 🥰

Bonus: My first bullet journal that I've been using for this a d last year. I named it CHONKY (ignore the bottom left sticker, a friend gave it to me. Probably for a reason but ain't gonna talk about that fjgfjffif)