#it’s so bad it makes me proud of the difference

[luveline]

Can we perhaps have more of Hotch and Spencer's Shy older sister???

hotch knows he shouldn’t flirt but he can’t really help himself! fem, 1.3k

Aaron’s used to rushing around. He has so little time and so much to do, he spends the majority of his life trying to cram it to capacity. But the half an hour of therapy he forced himself to sit through with the BAU psychologist did unfortunately shed some light on what this is doing to his head —he’s more prone to panicking now than he was ten years ago. He keeps his head at work because he has to, but the fact of the matter is that there will be moments where he can’t choose if he doesn’t look after himself better. 

So. Today Aaron is looking for clothes. Some for himself and some for Jack, and it’s alright if it takes him four hours. All he has to do is get them some summer shorts and get Jack some new underclothes now he’s growing again, and afterwards he’ll go to the butchers for some fresh beef to grind, so he and Jack can make burgers when he’s home from his Aunt Jess’. 

Unfortunately, Aaron is bored out of his mind. He has a basket full of all the things he’d needed, having found what he needed methodically, and now he’s remembered he’s supposed to be relaxing as he's perusing the aisles. There isn’t much relaxing about department stores. A baby cries in a stroller across the room, a clerk slides hangers over a squeaking rail, and an annoying gentleman flirts over loud somewhere to the right. 

“Let me take you out for coffee.” 

Aaron turns the price tag on a sweatshirt and glares at it. Why should a plain black sweatshirt cost forty seven dollars? Jack will only have it for the year. It has about twenty good wears in it. 

“What do you say, sweetheart? Can we go for coffee?” 

Aaron lifts his head before you’ve opened your mouth to speak. He’s surprised to see it’s you, a Reid, nervously disposed as your brother, shifting from one foot onto another. “It’s a nice offer–”

You’re spoken over. “What do you like, matcha? Ice coffee?” 

Your lips are turning down. “I’m sorry, I–” Aaron can feel your panic, poor shy girl. He’s met you a handful of times with your brother in company, and each time you’ve melted under the attention, flustered, and somehow Aaron can tell this is different. “I’m married.” 

It’s obvious that you’re not being truthful. Your tone is high-strung, and it doesn’t perturb the unnamed man one bit. “Are you sure?” he asks with a laugh. “You don’t sound sure.” 

Aaron can’t confess to liking that. 

If a woman doesn’t want you to flirt with her, you shouldn’t. If she says she has a boyfriend, whether that seems true or untrue, you leave her alone. These are basic rules, easily followed, and easier still not to laugh at you. No, you won’t be laughed at. 

Aaron clears his throat, cutting the man’s laugh short, and worsening your panic for the few seconds where you don’t know who he is. You tip your head to him and there, he can see the thread of recognition. There’s pleasure to be found in the relief in your eyes, but Aaron puts it out of his mind. “She’s sure,” he says simply. 

“Aaron,” you say. 

“Found it,” Aaron says, presenting you with the forty-seven dollar sweatshirt, proud when you take it. “He’ll grow out of it by Christmas, but Mrs. Lundy can finally leave us alone about him having clothes for soft play.”

You play your part, inspecting the sweatshirt with a narrowed brow. “It seems a bit short for Jack?” 

Aaron gives your flirting man a look. Sorry buddy, it says, though he isn’t sorry at all. You’re firmly taken. 

“Well, I tried,” he says. 

Aaron snorts. 

You wait for the man to leave before letting your shoulders drop, rubbing your forehead with the back of your hand. “Ah, I’m sorry,” you say. “I’m so bad at saying no.”

“Do you really think that’s too short for Jack?” he asks. 

You raise your gaze. “Well, when I last saw him he was at my hip. That looks like it’d fit him and all, but not when he raises his arms? I don’t know, though, I’m not a mom.” 

You could be, thinking about the arm raising. It’s something he should’ve thought about himself. “I didn’t want to pay for it, anyhow,” he says, sliding it onto a random rack with a small apology in mind for whoever has to put it back. “I hope my intrusion was warranted.” 

“You probably think I’m a bad person. I should’ve been honest.” 

“For lying? You can be married if you want. It’s not really his business.” 

You seem to remember then that you’re intimidated by him, no matter how hard Aaron might try to put you at ease (though, to be fair to you, the last time you’d met Aaron had been flirting) (only because you’d had a crush on him all those years ago when Spencer settled into his new job and you’d came into Virginia to make sure of it). Your hand drifts to your neck and you look pointedly away from the women’s underwear behind you. 

“Uh, so– so how are you?” you ask. 

“I’m good, honey,” he says, entrenched in a fondness for you that’s far more endeared than pitying. “I thought I better come and get Jack some summer clothes without him hanging off of my arm. How are you? How are you settling in?” 

You’d finally made the move to be with Spencer a few months ago. You have your own apartment near his in Washington D.C, and Aaron hasn’t had any opportunity to see you beyond a few lunchtime visits. “It’s good to see you,” he says, giving you little time to answer his questions. 

Your answer is quiet, but not without genuineness. “It’s good to see you too, Aaron.” 

“And you’re alright?” 

“I’m fine.” You offer a smile that melts him to the bone, has him thinking oh, maybe I’m in more trouble than I first thought. “I start my new job on Monday.”

“Really? Where are you working?” 

Before he’s realised, you and Aaron have spent a half an hour standing in one place. Not the kind of chatter you can’t get away from: he is delighting in making you smile, and then laugh. If you weren’t Spencer’s sister, if he hadn’t just saved you from an untimely suitor, Aaron believes he’s grown enough to ask you out, making his intentions and affections clear, because you’re very cute. But you are Spencer’s sister, and you’d already found yourself trapped today by somebody who couldn’t take a hint. 

“Sorry,” you’re saying, “I’ve kept you,” and you’re still flustered, but it’s more of a glow now than a frazzled halo, beaming delight at holding his attention. If you only knew. “I’ll leave you to finish your shopping.” 

“It’s alright, I kept you too.” 

“Do you have a busy day?” you ask. 

“Not really. I have to pick Jack up later… But nothing else.” 

You both seem to teeter on the edge of the question, the possibility of what he could ask you, or what you could ask him if you weren’t so shy. He knows you won’t be able to. 

You let the quiet settle for just long enough for Aaron to know what you want. Spencer’s sister and invented marriage included. You aren’t making conversation and neither is he, because… 

“Would you want to grab a coffee?” he asks, chipper, to mask his nerves. 

You smile shyly. Your eyes dart to his hands, reminding him suddenly of the you he’d met years ago, timid sweetheart just a few years older than her genius brother and used to hiding in his shadow regardless, Gideon’s reluctantly amused observation: She’s sweet on you?

You aren’t as all-consumingly timid now. Still shy. Still sweet on him, it seems. “Yes,” you say, meeting his eyes from under lashes he’d like to feel beneath his fingertip, “I want to.” 

[winteringdream]

YOU'RE MINE ! ──── boynextdoor (boynextdoor's protective gestures! )

✩ ⋅ pairing. ot6 bonedo x gn!reader ✩ ⋅ genre. fluff, headcanons ✩ ⋅ warnings. none! ✩ ⋅ wc. 1335

myung jaehyun (light-hearted) distraction

jaehyun doesn't like confronting someone in a serious manner so if someone makes you uncomfortable, he’ll loudly drag you into a different conversation to try and distract you. “hey, hey! did I tell you about the time I fell off a balcony?”

he might try to keep the situation more light-hearted by trying to defend you (jokingly but not so jokingly) “you want me to fight them with words or with my actual fists? or both?”

if needed, he’ll pull out the (fake) boyfriend move and grab your hand to announce loud and proud, “sorry, taken!” before pulling you away. but if someone’s standing too close to you, jaehyun will pull you a step backward, depending on what mood he is he may do this subtly or really obviously ("why are you all up their face?")

aftermath

jaehyun is all playful energy until he senses you’re not okay. he’d tone it down, giving you space to talk if you want to. if you brush it off, he won’t push, but he’ll stay close, filling the silence with casual conversation so you don’t feel alone. if he knows something happened, he’ll sit with you, making jokes about the situation to make it more light-hearted. and if words aren’t enough, he might throw an arm around your shoulders and lean against you, making sure you feel safe

park sungho doesn't play around

park sungho has everything thought out. if he’s telling you to do something, it’s because he’s already thought through every possibility. "if you’re walking home alone, send me your location. no arguments." if you try to brush it off, saying you’ll be fine he won't let it go. "i don’t care if you think you’re fine. just send it."

if someone makes you uncomfortable, he will immediately stand between you and them without hesitation, i wouldn't say he'd be the type to push someone back, but maybe if he's really mad

he watches out for you, even when he acts like he’s not paying attention, he knows exactly where you are in a room. especially if there's someone he knows is not fond of you is present. he will immediately stop everything he does if he sees the two of you talking, quickly appearing by your side to ensure things don't escalate

sungho doesn't hesitate to physically remove you from a situation. if you’re frozen in a bad moment or unsure how to handle the situation, he just grabs your wrist and walks you out of there. and he doesn’t play games, if he thinks something is going to get serious, he’ll escalate it without hesitation by calling authorities.

aftermath

he approaches it head-on. if you resist, he doesn’t back off easily but also doesn’t pry if you clearly don’t want to talk. instead, he’d reassure you, "i can’t fix everything, but i can be here. so let me." he’s more about action than words, so if you’re feeling overwhelmed, he’ll take you somewhere quiet, get you food, or force you to take a break because he knows you won’t do it yourself. also, no downplaying anything! "if it matters to you it's not nothing."

lee riwoo quiet but supporting

riwoo isn’t the type to make a scene when he’s being protective, but he makes it clear he’s paying attention.

If he senses something’s off, his usual laid-back demeanor shifts slightly. He doesn’t necessarily say anything right away, but his body language changes; he stands a little closer, his eyes track the situation carefully, and he becomes more aware of the way you act.

if someone’s making you uncomfortable, he won’t confront them outright. Instead, he’s the type to interrupt smoothly, effortlessly shifting the situation before things escalate.

if someone upsets you, he gets uncharacteristically serious. "Was that supposed to be funny?" he doesn't let anything slide, remembering every mean/rude thing anyone has ever said to you.

aftermath

if you’re upset but not saying anything, Riwoo notices. He doesn’t force you to talk, but he stays close, offering small gestures of comfort like nudging your shoulder, walking beside you without a word, maybe even sending you a random meme later just to lighten the mood. he believes in letting you process things at your own pace, but if you need someone in your corner, he’s already there.

han taesan quiet and blunt

if someone is acting weird around you, taesan doesn’t immediately say anything, he just stares. if they don’t take the hint, his voice comes out flat, unimpressed. “what exactly are you trying to do?” he doesn’t raise his voice, doesn’t get worked up. he has no patience for disrespect. If someone so much as talks down to you, he interrupts before they can finish. “try again,” he says, "with respect this time.”

he has a habit of subtly standing between you and crowds, his movements so natural that you don’t even realize he’s doing it at first. a casual hand on your wrist, the lightest press against your back, guiding without making a big deal out of it. it’s something he does without thinking.

taesan doesn’t sugarcoat things. if you do something reckless, he’ll call you out without hesitation. “don’t walk alone at this hour, you’re too weak to fight someone off if you get attacked.”

aftermath

if you’re upset but not saying anything. he won’t push you to talk, but he lingers a little longer and stays within reach (like how he acted when leehan was upset during the what?door! ep). he’s not one for grand comforting gestures, but he makes sure you’re not alone. If you need space, he gives it, but if you need distraction, he’ll find an excuse to keep you occupied. you might find small, thoughtful actions like your favorite snack left near your seat or a playlist shared with no explanation.

kim leehan gentle but assertive

leehan also seems like the type who picks up on your discomfort immediately, smoothly changing the subject or finding a reason to pull you away without making it obvious.

in crowded places, he casually holds onto your sleeve or wrist, not in a possessive way, just as a natural gesture to keep you close. he looks out for you, always checking in to make sure you’re okay.

leehan knows when to drop the nice act. if someone refuses to back off, his usual warmth disappears, replaced by a firm, no-nonsense demeanor that makes it clear he isn’t playing around.

aftermath

leehan just sits with you if you're upset. Ii you want to vent, he listens without interrupting, nodding occasionally to show he’s paying attention. when you’re finished, he gives thoughtful advice, but only if you ask for it. he comforts you in small, quiet ways. he tries to use lighthearted distraction to make you smile.

kim woonhak bold but playful

woonhak won’t hesitate to call them out dramatically. “wow, did anyone just hear what they said?” immediately draws attention and makes the person feel self-conscious, often causing them to back off.

despite his usually carefree and playful demeanor, when woonhak is genuinely angry, he becomes surprisingly intimidating. he would glare down the person who is bothering you in the hopes of intimidating them away.

if someone starts bothering you woonhak is the first to declare that you’re off-limits. "sorry! already taken by me!" he makes it clear that they’re unwelcome in a way that everyone can hear.

aftermath

if you don’t open up to him about something bad that happened, he might pretend to guilt-trip you in a playful way. "wow, so you just suffer in silence? rude,” to encourage you to share what’s going on in a lighthearted manner, making sure you know he’s there to listen. he’ll randomly check in, texting or calling just to make sure you’re doing okay. even when he’s not right next to you, woonhak’s eye is always on you. He’ll subtly watch over you from across the room, picking up on any signs that something might be wrong.

[tealvenetianmask]

Why Stolas's Story Is a Neurodivergent Story

And what that means for what's ahead.

Like a lot of fans, I see Stolas as autistic. This isn't a diagnosis post. But yes, something something special interests, dinosaur arms, persistent difficulty fitting in with his own social class, anxiety about social situations, frequent difficulty reading people and/or noticing others' emotions (especially when caught up in his own thoughts), masking, etc. etc. etc.

I want to talk about how Stolas's character arc tells a really well written (and potentially very uplifting) story about what it's like to be neurodivergent.

So what would be in my ideal neurodivergent story? Well I'd rather stay away from true utopia and have it reflect what it feels like to be neurodivergent in society today. So the character would struggle, not because their traits are bad, but because society isn't built for them. As the story progresses, the character might find happiness in unexpected ways and begin to look beyond society's rigid expectations for what a "good life" looks like. And then, hopefully, after some twists and turns, this character reaches a kind of self-acceptance where they are more themselves than ever, proud of who they are, and maybe even able to help change their society for the better.

Stolas's character arc IS this story.

Act 1: It's hard trying to fit into a neurotypical world.

Stolas is taught to mask his true emotions and follow strict social expectations as a child. He isn't living in just ANY neurotypical culture. The Goetia are old and set in their ways, and have rigid expectations for what one does and does not do. He's playing the social game on "hard mode" from the beginning.

I think one thing that helps make Stolas high masking is the way in which his special interests are socially acceptable within his social sphere. Stars and plants? Books? Well he's a nerd, and no one wants to be his friend, but of course a guy with his particular destiny-assigned-in-childhood would like things like that.

Stolas develops a few different types of masks. One is the "I'm fine" mask where he pretends not to be emotionally affected by what's going on around him.

The other is this sort of "powerful" mask. A character who is in control of everything and plays into his society's ideas of how a Goetia should interact with the rest of the world. It usually means acting demeaning toward Blitz in order to preserve the facade of what a powerful prince of Hell is supposed to be. And he's conscious of putting on an act when he uses it.

But anyway, the masks cover up a person who is deeply unhappy in his prescribed role and doing his best to act correctly for others . . . his father's expectations and then his daughter's wellbeing, instead of for himself. I like that HB has him STILL not fit in among the Goetia despite his best efforts. It's an experience that a lot of neurodivergent people know too well.

By the way, I LOVE how Mastermind brings us Stolas doing something truly subversive with this "powerful" mask, playing into his society's expectations in order to, in a small way, undermine their power. BUT that's me getting ahead of myself.

Act 2: The neurodivergent character learns that there are other ways to be.

I think that Stolas has been dipping his talons into this part of his story for two seasons now but has been hesitant to envision himself as anything but a prince of hell. We're going to see him fully engulfed in working through these questions in Season 3 because of his banishment.

Blitz is of course the major catalyst for Stolas questioning his commitment to conformity and acting outright rebellious at times.

I think it's neat that Blitz is so clearly neurodivergent himself. We tend to find each other . . . if you're reading this and are neurodivergent, take a look at your closest friends. And these two share a kind of chemistry and appreciation for one another that most of Hell seems not to see in them.

BUT until he's banished, Stolas doesn't really reach for a situation where he doesn't need to act out his prescribed role. Even when he pursues a relationship with Blitz in earnest, he does so with the expectation that he'll somehow balance this relationship with satisfying the expectations of his upper-class peers.

Act 3: Radical Self-Acceptance?? Hopefully!

Now we can only speculate.

I think that despite realizing that he wants something else, Stolas still fundamentally believes that something is wrong with him. He doesn't understand yet that his enthusiasm for his interests and his emotiveness, for instance, are part of what makes him wonderful. He doesn't see yet that being different might even help him change a society that is deeply flawed.

I can't wait to see Stolas truly have fun in Imp City, and do things there that he's truly proud of.

Whatever happens with his literal powers, he might figure out that he's most powerful when he doesn't act like a "powerful prince" but instead acts like himself and proudly questions his society.

And there's a lot of "The Circus" in this post because @akirathedramaqueen and I had a major brainstorm while we were rewatching that episode. More new ideas about old material to come soon hopefully!

This post is a follow-up on this literal fever ramble from yesterday about Blitz as a neurodivergent character. And yes, I think neurodivergent stories map onto queer stories quite nicely.

[charliegyrth]

Mark Wears the Pants

I met Rob at the pool. I’d just finished my morning swim and he was walking out of the changing room.

I tell people that it was love at first sight, but that’s not really a thing. It was more… lust at first sight, you know?

Rob was exactly my type. He had shaggy blond hair and a long, lean face. His ears were slightly too big, but I found them very cute. He sort of had a swimmer’s body (like me), except his was just a tiny bit too skinny. I think that’s what really did it for me. Even though he had lean muscles all over his body, he looked underfed, like he needed a man to take care of him.

That’s exactly what I liked. Despite being pretty thin myself, I liked dominance. “Wearing the pants in a relationship,” so to speak. Muscly guys were hot, but they always had a bit too much swagger. I didn’t like that.

(I hope I don’t sound too picky. I just know what I like.)

I was going to take my shower, but I decided to stick around a little and watch Rob in the pool. He dove in beautifully, barely making a splash, but his swimming skills were… bad. Terrible, really. He didn’t know what he was doing. He did the breaststroke across the pool, never really settling on a rhythm, and stopped at the edge to catch his breath. He didn’t know how to time his breathing.

I watched him kick off and struggle to make it to the other side. It was obvious that he needed someone to help him, and I really wanted to be that someone.

I strutted over, sunlight drying my body, and crouched near him. “New at swimming, huh?”

He looked up at me, still catching his breath. His eyes glanced down at my bare chest before he met my eyes. “Is it that obvious?”

“I’m Mark.”

“Rob,” he said. “You, uh, swim here a lot, huh?”

“Every day. Maybe I can help you out a bit. You look like a natural swimmer. All you need to do is learn a rhythm.”

He smiled flirtatiously.

I stiffened a little in my trunks. He definitely noticed.

I got back in the pool and showed him all my moves. That meant I got to touch him all over as I showed him different positions in the water. He knew what I was doing, and he was definitely into it, too. His speedo didn’t lie.

By the end of our first swim lesson together, he was able to take several laps without gasping for air, we learned a little about each other, and we both decided to take things back to my place.

***

Rob and I went to the pool every evening that week. Afterwards, we’d have dinner at my place. He’d spend the night but leave in the early morning to get ready for work.

It didn’t take me long to realize that Rob and I were meant for each other.

He was a few years younger than me (23) and had always been “too skinny,” as he said. He had an anxious stomach, which meant he barely ate anything and almost never felt hungry. He was self-conscious of his body, so I always made sure to show him how beautiful he was, how every part of him deserved praise and attention.

Before that first day in the pool, he’d never really exercised and barely had any strength. He thought that swimming would be the best way to get healthier.

And with my help, that’s exactly what happened. Every day, he got stronger and more confident in the pool. Pretty soon, he was strong enough to race me. I always won, of course, but he got closer and closer to matching my time.

I felt so proud of him, especially because I knew that his improvements were because of me.

I also noticed that he was eating more at our dinners. All the time spent at the pool was finally giving him an appetite. Before, he looked a bit anxious at the dinner table. Now, we spent our meals talking and laughing.

After two months of seeing him every day, I invited him to move in with me. He was practically living at my place anyway. Rob was open to the idea, but because his apartment was bigger (and cheaper), we decided that I’d give up my place and move in with him.

That was a bit of an adjustment for me. I wore the pants in the relationship, and I didn’t want that to change by shifting things into his space instead of mine, but he had a point. His apartment was better.

***

Our dynamic started to change after I moved in. I was still in charge (making more money, choosing where we went in the evenings, topping him every night), but his newfound confidence had given him a more forceful personality.

It started with little things. Switching our roles in the bedroom sometimes. Pushing back against my plans. Surprising me with presents instead of the other way around.

I didn’t complain, because I still really liked him. And sex had actually gotten better.

But then he started beating me at the pool. I know it doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it was to me. I was the one teaching him, but now he was faster than me?

The first time he beat me, I thought it was a fluke. The second time, I actually got mad.

I’d always been the fastest swimmer I knew. I’d been swimming since high school. I know it sounds petty, but I started skipping some of our pool visits. I hated that he was showing me up.

And then, I noticed that his body was changing. He was still thin, but he’d packed on some muscle, especially in his chest and shoulders. His abs were more defined, too.

I was still bigger than him, but not by a lot.

Then one evening, while I was snacking on potato chips on the couch, Rob walked shirtless into the room. He was getting ready for the pool. “You joining me today?”

I wanted to. I really did. But when I looked up at him and saw his defined pecs, I knew that he was now officially bigger than me. He looked really hot (and I loved his new tan), but I couldn’t swim with him! He’d show me up again.

“Not today, babe. Thanks.”

“Seriously? You haven’t gone to the pool all week.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but he was right. It had been a week. Probably more. What was happening to me?

“Suit yourself,” he said as he slipped on his shirt. It was actually my shirt, and it clung tight to his broadened shoulders. He kissed my cheek. “Okay, Mark. I’ll pick us up Italian after I’m done.” Then he was gone.

I watched his muscular ass sway under his shorts as he left. He wasn’t wearing literal pants, but for the first time, I knew that Rob was the one wearing the pants in our relationship.

As that realization hit me, I shoved another handful of potato chips into my mouth.

***

I was so focused on Rob’s body that I didn’t realize my own body was changing until a few weeks later. We were in bed together. I felt wonderfully sore.

Rob curled up next to me and his hand lightly grazed my stomach. “I miss swimming with you, Mark.”

“I’ll start back up again,” I said.

He quirked his mouth to the side. He didn’t believe me. “I hope you’re not self-conscious.”

So he knew! He knew that I’d stopped swimming with him because I didn’t like how he was showing me up!

Then he said something that made me shudder. “A lot of chubby guys go to the pool. No one’ll judge you.”

Chubby guys?

What did he mean?

Then I felt him pinch my stomach. I looked down in horror, finally noticing the roll of flab that had formed under my belly button.

I was chubby! Now that I wasn’t swimming, I’d let myself go. While Rob was hardening with muscles, I was turning into a blob.

“Honestly, I think you look wonderful.” He let go of my stomach and slid his hand under the covers. I felt his fingers reach under my ass cheek and squeeze that, too. “More cushion for the pushin’, right?”

I wanted to jump out of bed and look at myself in the mirror. I wanted to scream, too. But instead, I just lay there, frozen, accepting the fact that my stomach and ass were now soft enough to squeeze.

***

In the middle of the night, I got out of bed, careful not to wake Rob up. I snuck into the bathroom and finally saw what I’d become.

I was flabby. My nipples were poking out and a roll of fat hung over my boxers. My arms and legs had lost their definition, and worst of all, my jawline had rounded out with the start of a double chin.

I didn’t look manly anymore. I looked… pampered. I looked like some fat, lazy guy who just sat around and let his boyfriend take care of him.

And honestly, that’s what I was. I’d lost all control of our relationship, and I needed to get it back.

I had to swim again. I had to push myself harder and faster than I ever had before. That way I could lose the fat, gain more muscle than Rob, and change our dynamic back to the way it was supposed to be.

The next morning, I cancelled my morning meetings and went to the pool alone. I was going to keep swimming until I physically couldn’t anymore. I’d be there for hours.

Unfortunately, I was only in the water for twenty minutes. My swim trunks felt uncomfortably tight. My stamina was gone. I used to enjoy swimming. Now, it felt like a struggle.

I got out of the pool, my head hanging in defeat, when I noticed three guys staring at me. Well, they were staring at my wobbling stomach.

I didn’t know their names, but I’d seen them at the pool a lot. They were regulars, like I used to be. One of them looked disgusted at my softer body. The other two just gave me pity.

I raced into the changing room, which caused me to jiggle even more, and had a complete breakdown.

I lost myself and didn’t know how to get back to the old me, the guy I was meant to be.

As I stripped off my straining trunks, I thought long and hard about what I was going to do. I loved Rob, but I wasn’t happy with what our relationship had turned into. And I definitely wasn’t happy that he’d gotten bigger and stronger than me.

That’s when I came to a realization: He wasn’t bigger than me. He’d grown more muscle, but I definitely outweighed him. I didn’t have to be soft and weak anymore. I could be soft and strong. What if I kept growing, if I tried to make myself bigger?

I imagined what I’d look like with twenty more pounds. Fifty. A hundred. It wasn't the body I’d expected to have, but the image turned me on.

I’ll always remember that moment in the changing room. That was when I decided that I was going to make myself enormous.

***

Instead of going to work, I called in sick for the rest of the day, loaded up on pizzas, and stayed at home stuffing myself. I ate more food that day than I ever had before. It was painful, but I loved it.

Before Rob came home, I dumped all the boxes in the trash and sprayed air freshener around the house.

When Rob came back after his evening swim, he brought home Chinese food for us to share. I felt like throwing up. I couldn’t possibly eat anything else.

I sat with him at the table, staring at the food and feeling my stomach throb.

“What’s wrong, Mark? Still feeling self-conscious?”

That gave me the motivation I needed. I pushed through the pain and ate two plates’ worth.

I didn’t push myself as hard after that. I’d gone way too far, and my stomach had gurgled all night.

I continued overeating, though. Pancakes or muffins every morning. Fast food for lunch. And a secret dinner while Rob swam before we ate our real dinner together.

I was proud of myself for how much I could get down, and extra proud that Rob had no idea what I was doing.

He never saw all the wrappers and take-out boxes, but he saw my body. He knew I was growing.

In the span of a month, my stomach went from soft rolls to a round gut. I developed a matching stretchmark on each side. My ass and hips expanded. My double chin grew.

I sort of sprouted moobs, but they weren’t what I’d expected. Rather than fleshy breasts, I developed a small glob of fat under each stretched-out nipple. Those were very noticeable in any shirt I wore, and the way they scratched against the fabric sent shivers through my body whenever I walked.

Rob didn’t directly mention my gains, but he still made comments.

“Maybe we should get you new pants.”

“Why don’t you sit on the couch? More room to spread out.”

“You look very comfortable today.”

My coworkers’ comments were much more direct. And unkind. Most of them had known me as a fit guy for years, so my rapid changes definitely freaked them out.

Whatever. I kinda liked the ridicule. In fact, I made a point of snacking in front of them just to see their faces. They just didn’t see what Rob saw.

Because Rob, despite his avoidance of the topic, showered me with affection. When we sat together, he always had at least one hand on my new belly. Sometimes rubbing it but mostly just feeling it. And when we were in bed together, he grabbed onto every part of me. He probably knew more about my folds and creases than I did.

As I kept growing, I started taking charge again. Rob was more than happy to let me. This happened in the bedroom, where we both loved my weight pressing down on him. But it happened in our normal lives, too. I picked out where we ate. I made the decisions and invited him to places. I surprised him with presents.

By the time I reached 240, there was no denying that in our relationship, I was the big guy wearing the pants while he’d gone back to being my smaller, doting boyfriend.

***

Then one evening, while Rob was at the pool, I sat on the couch with a tray of storebought lasagna in my lap. I was feeling pretty good about myself, proud of how fast I was able to shovel it in.

I was so caught up in chewing and swallowing, though, that I didn’t hear the rain outside.

Rob came home early and caught me! For months, I’d been able to binge in secret, but now he knew.

“Mark!” he said, acting surprisingly nonplussed. “Got rained out at the pool. That pre-dinner looks delicious.”

I gulped down the lasagna in my mouth. “Hi.”

“I assume you’ll still have room for our real dinner. We have reservations, remember?” (I was taking him to Senora Reina’s that night.)

“Uh…”

He sat next to me, draping his thick arm around my shoulder. His muscles hadn’t grown for the last couple months. (With swimming, there’s sort of a limit to how bulky you can get.) “Don’t look so embarrassed, Mark. I know about all your secret meals. I’m not an idiot.”

“But… How? I worked so hard to hide all the evidence.” The dumpster behind our house was constantly filled with all my empty boxes, and I knew he never looked back there.

“Not all the evidence,” he said, grabbing the bottom of my belly and jiggling it.

“And you didn’t say anything?”

“I thought it was hotter that way.” He kissed me, licking the tomato sauce from my lips.

“And, um, what do you think?”

He took the fork from my hand and scooped up a chunk of lasagna. “I think you’re big.” (He pressed the food against my lips and waited for me to take it. I did.) “And powerful.” (He fed me again.) “And so f*cking sexy.”

Why had I tried to gain in secret? All this time, I could’ve had Rob feeding me. This was so much better.

As he told me how handsome I was in a hundred different ways, he fed me bite after bite of the lasagna until the whole tray was empty. Then he kissed me, wiped the sauce off my face, and helped me stand up.

“You better start getting ready, Mark. Our dinner reservation is in thirty minutes.”

***

With Rob fully on board, my weight increased much faster than before. He fed me every night. He filled our nightstand with donuts so that he could surprise me with some sugar while I made love to him.

We even tried funnel feedings a few times, but that didn’t really work for us. Too messy, and I didn’t like how it gave Rob total control over me.

My most productive eating sessions, however, happened while Rob swam. I sat on a lounge chair by the pool, feasted on sandwiches or burgers, and watched my boyfriend race across the pool. I no longer felt jealous that he’d gotten so much faster than I'd ever been. I was proud of him, and proud of myself for teaching him everything he knew.

The other swimmers always gave me glares, but because Rob and I were loyal customers (and because Rob taught some swimming classes on the weekends), the owners never bothered me.

***

I’m 333 pounds now. A nice, lucky number. I need help dressing myself, but my mobility is more-or-less fine. I use the jacuzzi sometimes, enjoying the way the water pressure shoots ripples through my fat, but it’s been over a year since I swam. I probably still could. (God knows I’m buoyant enough.) But it’s Rob’s thing now, not mine.

Actually, Rob just got out of the pool, water dripping down his washboard abs. His wet, sun-bleached hair looks particularly golden. He smiles as he approaches me.

“Great job today!” I tell him.

“You, too!” He glances proudly at all the McDonalds wrappers on the lounge chair next to me. He leans over me, blocking out the sun, and we kiss. “Up?” he asks.

“Yes, please.”

He grabs me by the upper arms and pulls me into a sitting position. The bottom of my gut slaps loudly against my thighs. (Love that sound.)

Then, with a grunt from both of us, he pulls me to my feet.

“Beautiful day, huh?” I ask.

He takes a long look at what I’ve become. My tanned, sagging gut. My poky chest. My round, smiling face. “Beautiful,” he whispers.

Then we walk together to the changing room. Thankfully (and surprisingly), the stalls are big enough to fit us both.

I watch him change first. He strips off his speedo, giving me one last look at his small yet muscular body. Then he slips on a tank top and shorts.

Now it’s my turn. Even though I never go swimming, I always dress for the pool. (Mostly because it gives us an excuse to share the changing room.) He helps me pull down my own dry trunks. Then he slides on my underwear, playfully letting the tight fabric snap against me.

And he guides my feet into the legs of my 4XL jeans. He takes so much joy in feeling my wide, dimpled hips as he pulls up my jeans. I lift my belly so he can button them at the waist. He struggles.

“Looks like we need to go shopping again,” I say.

“Ooh! Can we?” He loves when I take him to the mall.

You know, it’s funny. I’ve gotten so fat that I can’t even put on my own pants without Rob’s help. But even with the added difficulty that my new body brings, I’m still wearing the pants in the relationship.

The End. Thanks for reading!

(Hi, @potato303! Hope you like the story!)

You can find all my stories here.

[falling-star-cygnus]

hey quick question:

uh.. does anybody know how to do permutations…? •w•” -> i hate them, i HATE them, i hate math, i hate permutations, i hate it i hate it i hate it

i wrote the market scene from this fic from Prune's POV to cope, please enjoy i fear i may cry

This was.. nice.

Prune Juice Cookie hadn't realized how much he had missed his rivals until he was walking between them in the streets of his.. well, not- home, exactly. But his origin.

Nestled safely between their arms, introducing the sights that Parfaedia had to offer, it made his chest feel all gooey.

Pleasantly gooey- almost loose like he could actually breathe for once and not choke on the weight of proving himself to people who couldn't enough care to look twice at him.

He didn't have to bluster to get these two's attention. They.. were already looking at him.

"I gotta say.. it's handy having you around, Capsaicin Cookie," he says, to curb the sudden sap of his thoughts, "It's usually so crowded this time of day."

Said cookie just tilts his head in that adorably confused way of his- his smile nervously indulgent- while Kouign Amann titters out her [enchanting] understanding giggle.

"Huh..?"

"Ahaha, right? It's like the crowd just parts around him."

Despite her proper appearance, her pristine and polished exterior, the paladin had a mischievous streak a mile wide. One that Prune was exhilarated to see in motion.

ahem.

"It's like this at Scovilia too," Capsaicin says, flexing his fists in a way that almost seems like proud second nature- bashful though, despite his boasting, "But I guess that's what happens when you're head and shoulders above the rest, hehe."

...what an atrocious pun.

Truly.

Awful.

Prune Juice is moving before he's even processed the action- up on his toes until his scrawny chest is bumping into the spicy cookie's. Their faces are closer like this, noses almost brushing, as he brings his hand up to his height.

"Oh? Head and shoulders, huh?"

WhatamIdoingwhatamIdoingwhatami-

"Doesn't look like you're too much taller than me."

Capsaicin's nervous smile is back tenfold, despite the tick in his brow, his clawed hands floundering uselessly at Prune's elbows. Like he can't quite decide between holding or guiding him back.

"What? You're shorter than Kouign Amann Cookie!"

"Do you need to get your eyes checked? Clearly, I'm taller-"

"Take your hat off." said paladin cuts in, deadpan and yet vaguely amused.

"...no."

Prune Juice Cookie is a lot of things- a brilliant potion maker, a champion, effortlessly smart, humble- but he is not a sore loser. He can admit defeat.

Just this once.

The potion maker goes to lower himself back to even footing, sighing as his two companions former rivals start to walk forward again. Like they could get anywhere in Parfaedia without-

flash

"Ack-" Prune sputters, one of his hands rising protectively to his eye.

Of all the times for a camera to-

clink

Eh?

His heel meets the rounded body of a bottle as he stumbles a step and, caught off guard by the strobe of some couple's waste of money, his feet slip out from under him.

The last thing he sees before hitting the ground is his friends' wide and worried eyes- their hands outstretched to stop his slip.

Too bad they were just a little too far away.

crack.

As if falling wasn't embarrassing enough.

Prune Jelly, one of his oldest and most favorite creations, surges out of his bag- it's make roiling with paranoia.

dAnGEr, daNgeR, DaNGeR! wHeRe?

No danger!

One of the beautiful things about creating sentience.. you tend to forge a connection with it.

sCAred?

Prune swallows.

Two hands, drastically different in size, suddenly seize his upper arms and then he is scared. Scared to be jerked around, to be yelled at for causing a ruckus, scared to- in front of-

Oh.

Molten eyes and heart-adorned pupils stare into him, at him, as they oh-so gently guide him to his feet like he was made of the finest spun sugar.

Prune Jelly lurches towards them.

No.

And stops.

Thankfully it's easy enough to coax the hulking creation back into its broken jar after that. It's not a permanent solution, but really only the neck of the bottle had busted- so the cork still fit snugly in the opening.

He would replace it later.

When the rest of Parfaedia stopped looking like they wanted to dissect him.

"Eheh.. heh," the bitter cookie forces out, nestled between his rivals yet not quite feeling safe, "Not to worry, that was just- uh.. Prune Jelly! Quite handy when you need to carry heavy loads, right?"

Typically, this would be the part where everyone averts their eyes and scurries away- lest they end up the target of his next potion.

This is not a typical day.

Maybe they feel emboldened by the visiting champions, or maybe the potion maker just looks truly pathetic, but they start muttering.

"Of course it was Prune Juice Cookie.." "Ugh." "Only he would carry around something so dangerous." "Can't he just use magic like a normal Parfaedien?"

..like a normal Parfaedian.. ...normal Parfaedian... ..normal.

Of course.

Capsaicin Cookie and Kouign Amann step forward, faces set in fury, but... but..

Well.

It's a good thing Prune Jelly was tucked away.

Prune Juice Cookie tugs his hat down over his eyes, and throws a potion. Immediately, the square fills with damp smoke.

He makes his escape while they're choking.

[lukellios]

What a difference six years makes

[hinamie]

I could've been a better man, but I'm not

more lmhs megu bc i love him. he is here fr ur lunch money :>

jjk atla!au with @philosophiums

[ancha-aus]

RealAgeAU Drabble - Parentalbond Horror

*grinning* I am baaaaaaaack!! @spotaus get over here :D

So. I had the difficult choice on which drabble i wanted to write so For now I settled on this one because I haven't had the chance to write a drabble with Horror's pov since a while and that is a crime.

First Drabble here Prev Drabble here Next Drabble here

As always we go in unbeta'ed and unedited.

*-----------------*

Horror checks the windows again before turning back to the couch and seeing Nightmare just staring at him.

Horror tils his skull "sleep will be easier if you actually lay down...." And he looks pointedly at the couch.

Nightmare gains that stubborn glint in his sockets again as he huffs "I am fine. Not tired at all." he looks at the pile of bags in the corner of the room wishfully.

Horror has to keep his chuckling inside as he answers "Shame then that it is bedtime for young skeletons." And adult skeletons. Horror glances at the other three. All KO on the other couch, all still dressed in their normal clothes and none of them actually finished their meals.

Horror will have to pack up the leftovers. Make sure nothing goes to waste. But he will let them sleep for now and just make them eat a big breakfast. But all three had been running themselves ragged lately. Especially after the last encounter they had had with the Stars.

It meant they have been making more jumps and teleports and not going out as much to collect things to make it easier for them.

Horror walks over to them and puts one of the blankets in this apartment over them, he doesn't bother to try and pull them away from one another. The four of them always had the habit of sleeping in a pile and that habit only got worse once they started searching for Nightmare and reclaimed him.

Horror checks Ngihtmare's plate and smiles "You finished it all today." No wonder he is grumpier and more active than usual.

Nightmare pulls a face and crosses his arms. Horror walks over and nudges him at his shoudler "Sleep time." and he waits.

Nightmare grumbles more as he pushes the blankets and pillows around. Horror just crosses his arms as he waits. Nightmare huffs but lays his skull down on the pillow and glares at him.

Horror knows he is grinning but he is proud to say he doesn't actually snort or laugh at the grumpy face Nightmare is pulling. instead he moves closer slowly, the first week of watching Nightmare flinch at every movement and sound had been horrible, and puts the blanket over him as well.

Nightmare doesnt complain about it. Most likely becuase he just saw Horror do the same for the other three.

Horror nods and sits by him "Time to sleep." it is his turn to keep watch and he plans on taking ti seriously.

Nightmare huffs but just turns his face further into the pillow. Tiny body starting to relax with the simple comforts.

Horror tries to not be obvious as he keeps an eye on Nightmare.

Horror knows of course what is going on and he is trying to not give in. At least one of them should not give into the adopting.

Horror can admit he had been surprised that Dust was the first one to actually soul adopt Nightmare. Especially after only a week. It had been so fast and the transition between the before and after state had been so smoothly that Horror had honestly thought that Dust had done it on purpose and planned.

It would have made sense. Dust had been the one to find the book first and been the one to actually manage to get Nightmare back to them.

Only for it to become obvious that Dust had no idea what he had just done.

Soul adoption is a rather normal thing for monsters to do. Though in most universes they rarely happened as monsters don't tend to abandon children.

But well, Horror's AU had been one with starvation and a lot of fighting. People lost their lives in multiple ways. That meant quite a few orphans.

Soul adoption happened when an adult monster willingly took the role as caretaker for a younger monster who doesn't have a caretaker. There are a few more factors obviously but Horror doesn't know all of them of the top of his skull, especially not now with that hole in it.

What it comes down to? Nightmare is an orphan and has no one he could go to that could take care of them, and all of them know this. Dust found out first and surprisingly his soul was open enough to the idea to accept Nightmare as... well... his.

There are more hurdles in this situation of course. The fact that they Nightmare they knew was an adult, which is what Horror thinks is tripping up Cross. But Dust had been very quick with accepting that Nightmare is now a child and so immediantly treated him as one.

Killer took a bit longer but quickly fell into step as well. Calling Nightmare tiny boss and going from his right-hand-man to his babysitter, Killer's words not Horror's.

Horror is however a bit surprised that Killer also soul adopted Nightmare. In theory it shouldn't have happened as Nightmare at this time already had Dust as his caretaker and so technically didn't need one anymore.

Seems like Killer's soul didn't agree with that.

Horror can't say a lot about it though, seeing as he can feel it happening with himself as well. And he has no doubt that Cross is very close to giving into his own instincts and feelings concerning this as well.

The whole thing with their last interaction with the Stars is a very big give away. Even if Cross felt very embarresed by his own reaction.

At least Nightmare is no truly convinced that they won't harm him and will help him. Horror is happy they managed to get there and with it having only been a month since they took him with them. Horror can say they did a good job.

Nightmare has falled asleep.

Horror move slowly and silently and puts two fingers to the the side of his small belly and feels.

Horror may not have a lot of magic himself but his AU was left him with a very useful skill. Wiht how little food there was available and how little magic there was there came issues. One of the issues was that after a while the magic monsters had wasn't strong enough anymore to digest the food that the mosnters did manage to eat. meaning that even if the monster ate food they would not get any energy or new magic from it.

Meaing that even if they ate they would continue to starve.

Wiht how difficult it had been for Nightmare at first to eat or even remember to eat Horror had worried something simular may have happened. That being in the goop form had caused his own magic to grow too weak to be able to function fully.

But all Horror feels is the soft and quiet purr of NIghtmare's magic working hard to use the offered food to rebuild the babybones' small reserves.

Horror sighs a sigh or relieve and just watches Nightmare for a moment. Nightmare, having noticed the pressure on him, makes an unhappy sound and his socket flutters open to give him a sour look.

Horror chuckles as he whispers "I apologise." Horror is unsure how clear his answer is as Horror himself is purring like a loud law mower at this point.

Nightmare blinks at him, still looking like the tiniest little grumpy skeleton this multiverse has ever known, before closing his sockets again and turning on his side. surprisingly not away from the touch and light hold.

Horror watches the other. It is strange. They are all different yet Nightmare still has them all completely under his control. Yet it is in a completely different way and Ngihtmare now doesn't even seem to realise it.

Horror leans on the couch and watches their tiny charge just sleep. Horror had managed to keep the need to complete an adoption at bay by reminding himself that Nightmare already had a caretaker- well two and a half now, Horror is sure that all Cross still needs to complete the soul adoption is a tiny nudge. Horror thinks that Cross is jsut thinking too much about it and doubting his own instincts and feelings.

But that still leaves Horror, and what he wants to do. He figured that it would be better to at least keep one of them unbiased in this nature, just in case that Nightmare suddenly turns into an adult again. But the longer this went on the less likely it seemed to Horror.

Not to forget. Horror doesn't even think Nightmare wants to be an adult again. Not now that he is a child but doens't have to vigilent every moment of every day.

Does he technically already have caretakers? Yes. Does Horror still want to count himself as one? Yes.

So. He just picks for himself.

Horror moves slowly and quietly as he picks Nightmare up. Nightmare grumbles in his sleep at being moved but calms when his magic recognises Horror.

Horror gets comfortable on the couch and lays Nightmare on his sternum. He can still feel the tiny soul beat and pulse fast even through two shirts.

Horror pulls the blanket back over Nightmare and waits.

It doesn't take long as Horror can feel the slight pull on his magic and energy. Hardly noticable and Horror doubts that if he wasn't so paranoid about his own levels he would have noticed.

It is something tiny monsters do. To help stabalise and sharp their own magic they try to take tiny bits of their parents, or caretakers in this case, to help guide them. It all happens naturally.

Horror just holds the tiny babybones closer and feesl Ngihtmare's soul slowly start to match Horror's own soulbeat and he feels all the calmer.

Now it is pretty much done. Horror will have to probably deal with this decision one day but for now he is happy. Their tiny babybones is comfortable and everyone is resting. Tomorrow they will have to worry about getting supplies and where they can go and eventually where they will sleep that night.

But right now? Right now he doesn't have to worry about that. and all he ahs to worry about is that their babybones is comfortable and healing.

*-----------------*

First Drabble here Prev Drabble here Next Drabble here

[reksink]

Comms for Delightful Friends 💚

[javierduffy]

stuffand also things

[cobra-creampuff]

so anyway. headcanon that richie doesn't believe he deserves to be happy, but he makes a concerted effort to live a happy and fulfilling life post derry 2.0 anyway because the kid he used to be still deserves it, and also because all the kids and adults who don't know if it's possible for them or if they deserve it either need to see they can still have it too.

[viperwhispered]

It is here! The playlist for Emi's first year at NRC, and her relationship with Jamil.

Don’t get spooked by the Finnish in the first song, the rest are in English.

Basically, this mostly follows the timeline of Emi’s first year in NRC (for more details, you can check her intro post and the timeline of her relationship with Jamil). All from her pov, pretty much.

You can probably tell when the Jamil feelings start to take hold, lol.

Funnily enough, My Land was the first specific song that came to my mind when I started this up (hi Azul apparently the mood for your schemes is very specific). For the rest, I combed through my spotify library (and oop did it take longer than I anticipated).

There’ll also be a few bonus songs in a reblog, including some for Jamil's point of view (because tumblr likes to be silly about showing posts with links and I don't wanna try my luck more than I already am).

Also if someone would prefer a youtube version to more easily access the songs, do let me know!

Anyways, there'll be some rambles and explanations under the cut, both for my thought process and for what each song was chosen to represent.

Taikatalvi

I wanted to start off with something in Finnish, to express where Emi’s coming from before waking up in the coffin at NRC. Palasia by Harmaja was also a very strong contender, but I figured this had more of a magical and fairytale vibe which suited this occasion. Plus, like, Nightwish as a band has been with me about forever, so it was quite fitting from that perspective, too.

The Worlds Forgotten, The Words Forbidden

It seems to me this one might be reasonably self-explanatory. Emi doesn’t know where she is, she doesn’t remember where she’s coming from, and she’s not exactly having a great time trying to figure out what is happening. The joys of surprise isekai 🙃

Whatever Makes You Feel Superior

Our first overblot song. Emi’s rule following has its limits, too, and her first impressions of Riddle sure ain’t the most favorable.

Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams

Basically, about Emi generally trying to cope with her situation and keep her hopes up. I also thought of using Turn the Page by Blind Guardian or Wishmaster by Nightwish to specifically refer to her escapism via books, but unfortunately those had to go when I was cutting down the playlist.

Mindfall Remedy

For Leona’s overblot - yep, Emi doesn’t have a huge amount of sympathy for Leona either, at least in the moment when she’s just scared. It Won’t Fade by Sonata Arctica was also a strong contender, especially with all the pack and animal imagery, but it didn’t quite fit - plus we already had another song from that album, and I figured I’d go for more variety instead.

Day Three: Pain

Emi struggling to come to terms with the fact that welp, she could’ve died, and this place is dangerous, and scary, and strange, and everything. Basically, things are not great.

My Land

I felt the mood suited book 3 and Emi’s feelings there quite well. Azul basically got Emi on a warpath - Azul’s taken something of hers, her home as much as she has one, and she wants it back.

Plus, this has been a very motivational / inspiring / uplifting song for me for ages, getting me pumped up for dealing with difficult things, so I figured it’d be very fitting here, with Emi squaring up to deal with Azul’s schemes.

The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me

Basically Emi’s mood after book 3 / as winter break approaches. She’s still struggling, but she is hanging on, and seeing more of a light at the end of the tunnel as she’s adjusting more.

Asking For It

For Jamil’s overblot. This was a tricky one to pick a song for, because it’s like Emi’s angry and hurt, but not completely without sympathy. My other options were Chameleon Halo by Entwine or Sin With a Grin by Shinedown. Honestly, all of them could’ve worked, but again trying to pick just one. Girl’s fear and all sure is turning into anger here, tho - and she sure doesn’t appreciate the feeling of being fooled and used.

Life

For ADeuce and friendship in general. It’s not all bad here, is it, and Emi’s gonna be very touched when she realizes the lengths they both are willing to go for her.

Clevermind

Some reflections post Jamil’s overblot. Honestly partially included this just since it talks about what could've been in December, it just felt too fitting. Like, Jamil could've had more sympathy and stuff from Emi, and Emi recognizes it, but boy did he squander it.

Arabesque

I’m sure y’all can figure out who this refers to. (I’m thinking the Scarabia duo in general, tbh, but yeah Jamil in particular when book 5 rolls around.)

Plastic World

For Vil’s overblot. I also considered Curtained Life by Entwine. Nothing much to say tbh, I feel it fits quite nicely.

State of My Head

Grim’s gone (and so are a few others), and turns out Emi cares enough to be feeling very protective. Not like she can rush STYX guns blazing but yeah, she’s not exactly feeling meek here.

Bleeding for the Cure

For Idia’s overblot. Was a bit tricky finding something exact for this, but I think the mood’s pretty fitting here. Plus how Idia's feeling like she doesn't have a chance for a future outside STYX and all that fun stuff.

The Symphony

Things are looking more up, Ramshackle’s starting to get more cozy with what Emi & Jamil have been doing to fix it up, some of the anxieties have been leaving Emi. And, mayhaps, there are some feelings stirring?

A Dark Switch & Aquaman

Emi’s starting to realize her feelings for Jamil and commit to it. I could've stuck with just one song but I could not bring myself to do so.

The Looking Glass

For book 7. Comatose by Ayreon would’ve also been great, but again, trying to cull things down.

The rest is basically more or less sappy love songs for Jamemi’s future, lol. Still, it’s not all sunshine and roses - there’s times of separation in their future, with them being on different years on NRC, they gotta lean on each other, and it’s not like they always see eye to eye.

Honestly it was so hard not to make this too long with all the songs I wanted to include, but I’m quite happy with the range here.

And like, how could I not dedicate some time to being thoroughly sappy with these two.

Tagging @scint1llat3 @moonyasnow @bibi-cha

If anyone else would like to be tagged for Emi things, do let me know!

[theworldthrukaleidoscope-eyes]

To fast food workers: "It's only meant for young people in college! Not to support a family!"

To retail workers: "The job isn't that hard. Why do they need to be paid so much?"

To CEOs: "They had to work hard to get where they are!" - Let's talk about this. A CEO of a small business (I'm using an example of someone I know personally, just so you know I'm not inflating or spewing secondhand facts) makes 350k/year. Minimum wage makes 15k/year. Do you honestly think any people/persons are capable of working over 20x harder than anyone else?? Retail workers have customers screaming at them for 8+ hours a day; fast food workers must prepare your food in a boiling hot kitchen (with customers screaming at them!) for 8+ hours a day. I could go on about waitresses, firemen, childcare, teachers! (oh but those jobs should be fulfilling enough without the paycheck...right?? Tell that to the CEO) My CEO friend doesn't work every day. She works MAYBE 15 hours a week, and complains about the days she has to drive to work to handle things in person. She absolutely does not work harder than minimum wage workers. Don't get me wrong--she used to. Before she made 350k a year. Before she made even 200k a year. Did she work hard to 'earn' a position where she makes so much and doesn't work? No. That's what we call 'retiring'. What she is doing is earning money she don't need off the labor of others. Because that's the kicker--she doesn't need this much money. She owns three houses. She travels at least 3 times a year overseas or on yachts/cruises. She buys expensive furniture (I'm talking 2 thousand dollar lamps, 400 dollar chairs) on a WHIM. She eats out for nearly every meal. She does not need this much money. People in poverty don't want to have a free ride. They don't want rich people to pay their way. They want this kind of financial imbalance to stop. Because when your friend who just spent more than you make in a year on her monthly travel expenses, and then complains that her taxes are just too high, and she has to pay way too much for health insurance, to someone who literally cannot afford health insurance (and some days, actual food)...it starts to get ridiculous.

This is a real person I know in real life. Not a billionaire. Not a famous actor, artist, or anyone you would have heard of. This is income inequality right on your doorstep.

[sysig]

Red Eyes and Evil Time, practically the same thing right (Patreon)

[karebear923]

Vice Versa rewatch ep 8

ANOTHER BIG IMPORTANT EPISODE!!! LET’S FXCKING GOOO!!!!!!!

Episode 8 is cloudy gray! Gray can have many meanings such as ambiguity, neutrality, weariness, wisdom, and melancholy. It’s interesting to note that cloudy gray specifically has a pink undertone. 👀 Also the new character we meet in this episode’s name is Mek, which means gray.

Bro, they’ve been doing this for over a year now!! That’s crazy!! 🤯 of course Talay is struggling to tell the difference between himself and Tess now.

ONCE AGAIN 10/10 THE BEST FRIENDS ONE COULD ASK FOR. Honestly, real Tess doesn’t deserve them but I’m so glad Talay has them ☺️

Iconic first AouBoom moment! Vice Versa fans are the real OG AouBoom stans! 🤭

PUEN I HOPE YOU GET TO LIVE OUT YOUR EVERY FANTASY WITH TALAY WHEN YOU’RE BACK IN YOUR UNIVERSE!!! 😄😍😏😉

MY BOY PERTH!!!! This was the first show I ever saw him in and even without knowing him I got the feeling that he was some kind of special guest or something. Like people knew who this guy was. And then I watched Love By Chance but it was a year later and he was such a baby there that I didn’t recognize him 😅 but I loved his acting so much and when I saw Never Let Me Go I finally did recognize him and I got so excited to see him again!

Oh the motherly joy I felt seeing him all grown up too! 🥹 I’ll always have a soft spot for him! 🥰 Back then I didn’t know anything about different companies or production houses so I just thought it was cool to see him again. Now I understand a little bit more about how he switched companies and stuff.

I’m sorry but as a Hispanic/Latina, Alessandro is not a Spanish name 😄 sounds more Italian to me. In Spanish it’d be Alejandro, but I don’t blame the Thai writers for not knowing lol (also he’s a Spaniard or Spanish person not a Spanish but again I guess it’s not their fault lol)

(ALSO ALSO: ‘Spanish people’ ONLY refers to people from Spain, just like ‘English people’ refers to people from England. People from Central or South America are NOT Spanish. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. It’s a very important topic to me.)

Seeing this now is funny cause back then I had no idea who Tay Tawan was 😅 I knew he was some kind of special cameo like Perth was but I’d never even heard of Dark Blue Kiss or anything. I watched this show at the beginning of my BL fandom experience so I was a clueless newbie.

THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT FOR PUEN TO HEAR!!! Cause yeah there’s the fear of Mek looking like Talay’s old crush, but more importantly as an actor Puen is used to people liking him for his looks. As a celebrity people don’t really know the real you and they judge you for what you look like or how you present yourself. But with this new body Puen is free to truly be himself with no filters and Talay doesn’t know what he really looks like. So all he knows is the real person that Puen is and that’s who he likes!!! He says “I like you even though I don’t know what you look like… I don’t know who you are.” He makes it clear that it has nothing to do with the fame that Puen has and all to do with who he truly is. And when Puen responds with “I like you too. I like everything about you” his voice is quaking with emotion and his eyes are watery with unshed tears!! 🥹❤️

AND THEN WE GET A BEAUTIFUL FIRST MUTUAL KISS!!! SINGLE TEAR ROLLING DOWN PUEN’S CHEEK!! TALAY MOVING HIS HAND TO GRAB HIM TIGHTER!! ME FLAILING AND KICKING MY FEET!! FADE TO BLACK TO END THE EPISODE!! PERFECTION!!

Fin.

Until next week at least lol

[weezerlvr228]

flippin boobahs!