#like they just make him so unlikable through his actions but he's so enjoyable in every other aspect

[taus-inc]

sitting here watching the beginning of vamp elena arc and the blood stuff i wouldn't see it but the way she so blindly listens to damon all the time when she was NEVER like that and we all knew damons blood turned her.... chat why are we not connecting the dots???

[sunni-stuff]

I came, I saw, I liked.

—★! NSFW, MDNI, AFAB! Reader is in too deep.

part 3 here!!

Just one stream was enough to captivate you, leaving your panties soaked and craving for more. The man on the screen was unlike anyone you had ever seen before, and the promise of seeing more was constantly flashing and tempting you.

Without a second thought, you stumble out of bed and rush to your purse, desperate to grab your credit card before the man's performance ends. Your hands frantically search through the velvet lining of your purse until you finally grasp onto the plastic key that will unlock GD's show for you.

You rush back to your laptop, snatching it up and quickly typing in your credit card information with a sense of desperation that surprises you. It's crazy how one man can make you act like such a hornball. But he's not like other men; there's something about him that draws you in, and it's not just his impressive size. It was the way he spoke so few words that left you dripping wet like a leaky faucet. By the time your payment goes through and the paywall disappears, the live stream is over and he's already gone. You can't believe you missed it.

Although you were disappointed, his profile was now open for your viewing pleasure. There were only a few videos available, and the dates between them were inconsistent. Some had been posted months apart, while others had nearly a year in between. He didn't upload content frequently, which left his fans eager for more and made his live streams a special treat for those who managed to catch them before he disappeared again.

You crave to hear his voice a little more, so you click on one of his latest videos. Once again, GD's face is not shown, only the lower half of his body and a long-sleeved shirt. He leans forward with a closed hand, examining a pair of delicate red panties. You can tell by the way he holds them up that he is inspecting them closely. A dark chuckle escapes him as he shakes his head in disbelief. "When I said I didn't mind receiving gifts, this was not what I had in mind, love." His words are directed towards whoever sent him their lingerie. He speaks politely, his gravelly accent resonating in the dimly lit room where he sits.

"You didn't have to, but I do appreciate it," he says with a teasing tone as he lays the fabric across his lap. His fingers playfully trail along the material, revealing a hint of desire in his actions. "Were you thinking about me when you wore these? That's not very good, getting such a beautiful pair all wet." He chuckles at the idea, and soon there is a visible bulge in his pants. GD showed no hesitation, he pulls out his thick shaft from his sweatpants, the glistening drop of precum on the tip a clear indication of how turned on he is.

In a matter of seconds, he wrapped the garments around his member, the beads of precum coating them in his sticky fluids. The lace was now stained with a darker shade of red from his essence. GD's moans and groans escaped freely from his lips, not caring who heard and knowing it only added to the enjoyment for his audience. "You naughty little thing, sending me these. Is it a turn on for you to see my cum all over them?" His words were pure filth, nothing compared to what you experienced on his livestream.

Ring, Ring, Ring.

Your phone alarm startles you, and you see that it's already 10:30 PM. You know you should be asleep by now; tomorrow morning will be a nightmare if you don't get enough rest. You quickly turn off your alarm and shut down your laptop, getting ready for bed even though you feel the dampness between your legs.

Days had passed since everything happened, but the memory of GD still left you reeling. It was difficult to concentrate at work, as your mind would often drift to those videos. They seemed to constantly invade your thoughts, playing over and over again. You could almost hear his voice, whispering vulgar words that would make even a nun blush.

By the sixth day, you couldn't contain it any longer. After a long day of work, you quickly took off your pants, desperate for some sort of release from the mental torment that man had caused. Lying in bed with your laptop by your side, you clicked on a random video - anything would do, as long as he was in it.

The video was dimly lit and he wasn't in his usual spot. Instead, the camera angle was from above. On the bed lay a sex doll, only showing its waist down with visible hips, vagina, and ass. Its skin tone was similar to yours, but much more artificial and obviously made of plastic.

GD appears, and for once he was shirtless. His muscular arms are covered in intricate tattoos, and he even has a slight belly despite being in good shape. The broad expanse of his chest is proof of his fitness. The blur on his face only added to the mystery of the man who had captured your attention. You couldn't help but wonder what he looked like underneath.

He hovers over the toy, one hand engulfing his already hard cock. His fingers trace the curves and ridges of the doll's form, like a sculptor admiring his creation. "Such a pretty little pussy," he taunts devilishly, as if speaking to an invisible audience. But you know his words are meant for you, the doll a mere stand-in for your physical form in this fantasy.

What is he doing to you? You can't believe how quickly your body has responded; your hand slips under the waistband of your panties, eager to explore. Your fingers tease and caress your slick folds, already wet from anticipation. It's embarrassing how easily you get aroused, but you can't resist the urge to pleasure yourself while watching him on the screen.

He grits his teeth as the tip of his cock brushes against the entrance of the toy, letting out a sharp breath before plunging in with one forceful thrust. His hips collide with the toy's, causing his legs to tremble momentarily before he regains his balance. With both hands gripping the sides of the toy tightly, his fingers leave indentations on its surface as he moves forward relentlessly.

He's no longer gentle or teasing, but instead unleashes his hunger with unrestrained force. The man you saw on the live stream days ago is a far cry from the one in front of you now. His heavy breathing devours your thoughts, leaving you helpless. Your hand movements become more frantic, mirroring his fervent intensity. A shudder courses through you as he speaks through ragged breaths, "Fuck…you're squeezin' me so tight, dirty slag."

GD thrust ruthlessly into the toy, causing a slight bulge to swell in its plastic material. His impressive size stretched the toy to its limits, leaving a gaping hole each time he pulled back before slamming back in with a wet squelch. It was the kind of rough pleasure that could leave one sore and unable to walk the next day. GD slows down, letting out a frustrated grunt as he crawls onto the bed, his knees sinking into the soft mattress. He needs more pressure and better leverage to reach his peak. His large hands squeeze the toy firmly, as if trying to squeeze every last bit of pleasure from it.

His body stirs once more, this time with a slower and deeper thrust that hits at the core. If it were you the tip of his manhood would press against your cervix, it makes you wonder what it would feel like to have him inside you. You can see his expertise as he handles the toy, using his body like a skilled tool. A pleasurable tingle travels up your spine and you instinctively lift your hips to meet your fingers, which are now swirling delicious circles on your eager pearl.

GD's movements are precise and well-practiced, a result of countless experiences. He knows exactly what he's doing and how to bring himself to climax. If the toy in his hand were a real person, If it was you he would have you writhing under him within just three thrusts.

But you are not like him; your endurance is weak compared to his, like a small pool trying to withstand crashing waves. As your legs shake with the strain and a shattered gasp escapes your lips, you continue to stimulate yourself with determined fingers. Finally, your orgasm hits like a flood breaking through a dam, causing your walls to clench and release around nothing. Sweat beads on your skin as you take deep breaths, trying to calm down from the intense pleasure.

You take a moment to close your eyes and savor the intense pleasure coursing through your body. It was the most satisfying orgasm you’ve ever experienced, all thanks to a man whose face you’ve never seen, but whose dick is the only thing on your mind. A deep growl from the screen catches your attention and you open your eyes to watch. GD is still going strong, his stamina seemingly endless. His movements become erratic and uncoordinated as he nears his own climax. He no longer holds onto the toy, instead using his hands to support himself on the bed while he reaches orgasm. His moans are loud and intense, sending shivers down your spine as you feel them reverberate inside of you.

With a sudden burst of energy, he reaches his peak and releases thick ropes of cum inside the doll. The warm liquid fills it to the brim, and he can feel it pulsating against his skin. He pulls out, but the sensation lingers, and he continues to paint the outer skin with his spunk. The doll's previously pristine exterior is now marked by his seed and a pool of semen slowly seeping from the abused holes. His breaths come in ragged gasps as he finishes, though not quite completely spent from his intense encounter with the doll.

You couldn't look away, even as he continued with renewed energy after his earlier release. The arousing feeling in your gut resurfaced, but you were already drained, giving everything you had. You sit up and reach for the screen to close it for the night when a message from the community page catches your eye, posted by GD.

“Top Donator next stream gets a private show.”

♡! Thank you so much for all the love on my very first post! It really means alot and I couldn't be more grateful!

♡! Sorry if it seemed like Ghost wasn't talking much, I kind of see him as a more actions than words person for stuff like this! ૮₍ >﹏< ₎ა

˚ ✦ . Taglist (People who commented): @forgotten-lego-piece @lamebuddy @emmalandry

[epickiya722]

I don't think I expressed enough how much I do actually like that Yuji is this... I don't know how to really put it into words but... how Yuji is this unique embodiment of horror and strangeness.

Like, just the details of his character makes him stand out to me. Everyone in JJK has some bit of oddness to them, and he has own unique kind.

He looks like sunshine personified and he is. He is the sweetest kid there is. And he looks like the typical "Oh, he must be the normal one who has to adapt to the horrors the other have to go through" character. Ha ha... no, he is the horror. He is the "creepy child" trope without even showing that he is.

Yuji is the kind of horror you actually have to put thought into to even realize "Oh, wait, that is actually fucked up". Fridge horror, the horror that you think nothing too much of until you really open your mind to it.

Like, he's this own level of odd with how he behaves and thinks.

First, it's his interests. Yuji didn't mind really being in the occult club. Of course, his reasons was that the club time allowed him enough time to see his grandfather. But also, even though he didn't have to really participate, he actively does. Iguchi and Sasaki exploring haunted places? Yuji tags along and isn't frightened at all. Mind you, they like going go haunted places because they like being scared. Why folks watch horror movies and go to attractions, right?

Yuji will play with an oujia board.

Fan of a movie series titled the Human Earthworm and actually can find the beauty and love in said movies. He's so real for that.

So far it's just simple stuff like that, right?

First time seeing a curse? Admits to being scared, but barely even flinches. When Megumi talks about the Cursed Finger and mentions how curses want to eat it? His response?

"Why, is it good?"

IT'S A FINGER?!

When informed about Inumaki's technique? What was the example he uses? "So if he says 'die' then it will happen?" Out of all the examples?! He was more impressed by the technique than actually fearful of it.

That Cursed Doll he had to train with? Called it "cute" and Gojo questioned that. In fact, when meeting Yaga, Yuji commented on how the dolls were cute.

How he fights is even a little odd and unsettling. He immediately goes into action, doesn't even need to hear the bell. He always has this look on his face that "Yeah, your kneecaps are mine". Not once has I ever recalled he actually smiles during a fight. Unlike some of the others who have showcased some enjoyment or some type of being unhinged in a "to hell with it" mood, Yuji always has this almost animalistic glare, that kind of unhinged. He isn't holding back, even against normal people like the high school bullies in chapter 163. Sometimes I question if he even knows how to hold back.

He doesn't like to get violent or kill. If he has to, he will. But it's just not anything he can brush off or be like "Yeah, I like doing it".

Then the idea of dying? Yeah, Yuji makes it clear he knows people will die. Execution placed on his head? He accepts dying with Sukuna instead of asking if there's any way to work around it, find a solution. Keep in mind, Sukuna is downright evil and does nothing but make life hard for Yuji every chance gets.

However, by the end, Yuji changes from choosing to die with Sukuna, so that no one else has to suffer, to offering Sukuna to live along side him even if no one accepts that.

Oh, let's not forget his family.

Yeah, Sukuna I just mentioned? That's his uncle by soul reincarnation. Jin, Yuji's dad who we don't really know what happened to him, is the reincarnation of Sukuna's twin that Sukuna ate in the womb. Doesn't stop there.

Yuji's mother, Kenjaku? Actually a 1000+ year old sorcerer who body hops by implanting their brain into whatever body they find convenient for their plans. One of those bodies happen to be Kaori Itadori, Jin's wife. Jin's dead wife. Kenjaku played wife in a woman's dead body, the same body Yuji was born from.

Yuji was born out of a corpse. With one of the Cursed Finger somehow already sealed inside him.

His other family members include Death Paintings: Choso, Eso, Kechizu, Noranso, Sho-oso, Tanso, Sanso, Kotsuso, and Shoso. His older siblings (technically) through Kenjaku, who was possessing Noritoshi Kamo's (the ancestor) body at the time. And guess what? Their blood consists of a human's blood, a cursed spirit's and Kenjaku's.

Yeah, like them, Yuji isn't really human. Again, born with one of Sukuna's Cursed Fingers already sealed in him. Without Cursed Energy, he was already outrunning cars and possessing strength not normal for the average human.

Oh, wait, and let's not forget his 'appetite'. He will eat anything if it means saving people. And he has. Other than Cursed Fingers, the other Cursed Objects Yuji consumed are his own siblings 4 - 9. Mind you, they were akin to fetuses contained in glass jars. (He isn't happy about eating them or anything for that matter though. I wouldn't be either.)

In all, he's just fridge horror with a some goodness mixed in there. I'm just rambling here.

[prettyboykatsuki]

wyll, in my opinion, gets the standard fare treatment for characters that are unequivocally good. i.e. people think he's boring and uninteresting. standard fare might be kind actually given the level of racism and unexplained slander (which is often just more thinly veiled racism). his reputation about being boring is not helped by the very blatant neglect of his storyline post his rewrite and release. as a wyll enjoyer i am hyperaware of the sorry state of his current story in all three acts

despite all of that and the glaring flaws - i still believe that wylls storyline is worth of being engaged with and explored.

one of the reasons (not the most major one, but one) i think wyll experiences so much neglect as a companion stems from a wider idea that "goodness" is always the uncomplicated, easy choice.

it's something i see a lot. wyll is boring because of his archetype as a princely and universally righteous guy. and this is interesting, because it always seems to functions under the assumption that wylls moral character is innate. that his heroic and righteous actions are in some capacity, uncomplicated.

uniquely among the male origin companions, through the course of wylls story - there is never a point in which he is at risk of making a truly 'bad' choice. both gale and astarions story have them at risk of making choices that are ultimately bad for them and others (especially tav when each character is romanced). gales godhood and astarions ascension are their in game moral failings. they are the result of having not broke the cycle and are 'bad' choices for the individual character.

wylls main choice is however his pact and the choice to break that pact. notably - wyll is never at risk of making a bad choice, only a selfish one.

from the critique i see of wyll - it seems like this is the element of him people find most egregious. he's too smooth, not rugged enough, not gritty enough. but i don't think wyll's character needs grit, necessarily.

if you take any time to dissect wyll at all, based on dialogue and character interaction, many of his choices put himself at the forefront of sacrifice. the game strips wyll of a lot of agency, but wyll also always abides by and sticks to his core belief. so often towards his own detriment.

not only does wyll bear the consequence of being turned into a devil (stripping him of the last remaining shred of identity he's ever had and one of the most important things in his life), he bore the burden of being banished when he made his pact, and was willing to do the same for the sake of his father when he is taken to moonrise.

and unlike gale (who i adore, to be clear) who's concept of self-sacrifice stems mostly from a low self-worth - the belief that dying is the best he can do - wyll truly views that it's better him than them.

wyll does not think twice about allowing himself to be the one to take the fall. he can play any part, take any role, even when these choices haunt him so obviously. wyll claims that he forgives his father, but opens up to you about fearing his feelings of missing him are one-sided. he believes that making his pact was the right choice, the one he would make again - but doesn't deny the obvious pain and solace that came along with being a wandering traveler and banished son.

wylls goodness is so deliberate. he is so staunch in upholding and acting on his beliefs that it is always narrative to his own detriment. when you view wyll like this , and view his choices with regards this character attribute, it is imo very hard to hate him.

wyll's goodness is his double edged sword. it makes him heroic, brave, fearless. and it makes him scared, uncertain and lonely. again, the story itself is bare bones and i understand that - but it is so very beautiful to me thinking of him and tav or just his general romance.

as wylls romance partner, encouraging wyll to break his pact is as tragic as it very beautiful. tav is wylls one selfish thing. one of the only reasons that would move him to not give himself up. one of the only reasons he is okay with forgoing his beliefs. he loves tav enough to break his own oaths, and make choices for himself and no one else. not as the blade, or as a ravengard - but just as wyll.

and that aspect of him is in my opinion, enforced, by the mindflayer tav ending. in which wylls monster-hunting and morals are made exceptions with / for tav. my enjoyment of hero corruption might be speaking for me, but i digress.

in every way though - i truly love wyll as a character. and while im well aware of the critical flaws in his in game story state, i think it's both unfortunate and unfair that people call him boring. to me he is anything but

[lavandulawrites]

Gimmie yandere sanemi with a plump reader! He loves her so much and he knows he can't do better than her and she's convinced he can do better. She's ok with his yandere tendacies cause it means he wants her.

Bonus if you give her blue eyes and freckles please~~~

Yandere Sanemi with an insecure darling

Yandere Sanemi x reader

My first time writing a plus size reader so I hope I did it some justice. I chose not to include blue eyes and freckles.

Masterlist

Warnings: plus size reader, female reader, imprisonment, insecure reader, soft yandere

Word count: 606

His head leaned against the slide doors that lead to the terrace. The crisp autumn wind ruffled his hair as his lilac eyes raked over your form and a smug smile tugged on his lips. You were sitting comfortably on a chair while you read a book. When he had asked you what it was about you had told him it was a fairytale. You had always been fond of fairytales. You admitted to him quite early on in your relationship that it was an escape. An escape that you very much needed.

After that he had bought you every fairytale book he came across, though he told you to read it for your enjoyment, not as an escape. You had agreed after the Hashira kissed you gently on your cheek. Such uncharacteristic action always threw you of guard which he very much enjoyed.

As you flipped through the pages silently he was lost in thought. He was thankful you excepted his advances, because who knows what he would do if you didn’t. You hadn’t objected when he had whisked you away, which he found weird at first, but he soon shrugged off. He didn’t complain. Your corporation was something he appreciated. It made it easier to protect you.

However, Sanemi had started to sense that something was off. At first he thought you were secretly plotting your escape, but after a while he realised that that wasn’t the case. Then he thought that maybe you had feelings for someone else. Though that would’ve been unlikely since you spent your days inside his estate or in the garden surrounded by high fences.

He rose from the terrace and sat beside you on the chair. “Is anything the matter, love?” he asked with a gentle voice. The pet name felt foreign on his tongue, he never seemed to get used to it no matter how many times it fell from his lips.

Your pretty eyes lifted from the pages and found his. “No? Why are you asking?” you asked with a smile.

Sanemi might have not been the best with feelings nor people in general, but even he could tell that you were lying. “Don’t lie to me” his voice was stern.

Your eyes cast downward to your hands that were clutching the fairytale book. You remained silent for a few seconds before you opened your mouth. “I just think that you can do so much better than me. You shouldn’t force yourself” your voice was meek, but fully audible.

The white haired man blinked for a few seconds in disbelief. “What?”

“I mean it. I don’t want to hold you back” you looked away as you furiously blinked.

Sanemi’s face was twisted in disbelief. He crutched in front of you in the cold hardwood floors as he took your hand. “Don’t ever say that, ever again. You are perfect and I love you so much that it hurts” his voice was loud and laced with anger directed at those who made you think like that. He would find a way to get their names out of your pretty mouth and slash their throats. They would pay for their actions.

“You are perfect, both your appearance and your personality. If I catch you say something like that again, I will make you believe my words whether” you rose and leaned over you. His breath fanned over your face. His intense eyes fixed in yours. His lips locked with yours and his eyes closed. His calloused hands held your plush hands in a tight grip, as if he was afraid that you would disappear if he let go.

[goldfades]

✮ 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐯𝐞, jump then fall au

au masterlist! masterlist!

♡ ─ word count | 2.7k

♡ ─ summary | cece has been working for adam for a month, forming a bond with paloma. she comforts paloma during a tantrum and later helps adam when paloma won't stop crying, late into the night. they discover the meaning of paloma's name as they bond over it.

♡ ─ warnings | toddler tantrums, sleep-deprivation LMAO, um nothing else (i think)

♡ ─ taglist | @literatureluster @itsnotgray @valluvsu (fill in form in my navigation in you are interested!)

♡ ─ ev's notes | after weeks of writer's block, we GOT OVER IT. war is overrrrr, finally. we survived the great war. anyways, this chapter is so sweet and i love it so much. i also realized my love for adam is very much eternal and undying, i will love him more than anyone else 4ever and idc. should i start a go-fund-me so i could get his jersey?? help a broke college student get her fav hockey player's jersey✊🏼✊🏼 also happy spooky seasonnnnn!!!

also if anyone has au thoughts please send them in for my entertainment, i love love LOVE asks.

It had been a month since Cece had started working for Adam and she has loved every second of it.

Well, maybe not every second but Paloma was the sweetest girl she's ever worked for. She was funny and easy to work with, unlike some of the other kids she's worked with. Cece had quickly adapted to the rhythm of the new job, finding ways to connect with Paloma and make their time together enjoyable and overall fun. She had become an big part of Adam and Paloma's daily routine, and it was clear to everyone that Paloma adored Cece.

Cece was sitting comfortably on the floor next to Paloma, watching her favorite movie, "Beauty and the Beast" for the fifth time she couldn't help but smile at the toddler's enthusiasm. Paloma's eyes were glued to the screen, and she occasionally mimicked the characters' actions or lines with her limited vocabulary, making Cece laugh in the process. She was adorable, her heart melted with every little word she mimicked.

As Belle and the Beast danced in the iconic ballroom scene, Paloma attempted to mimic their graceful movements, stumbling slightly in her excitement. Cece chuckled and gently held Paloma's hand, helping her "dance" along with the characters.

She laughed as Paloma kept her dance up, "You're doing good, sweetheart!"

Paloma beamed happily at Cece's words of encouragement. Her tiny feet shuffled clumsily on the floor as she continued to "dance" with Belle and the Beast. It was a sweet sight, and Cece couldn't help but feel a deep affection for the little girl.

Right as the dance ended, the apartment door had opened. "I'm home!" Adam's voice rung out through the entire apartment. As he walked into the living room, he smiled at the scene in front of him.

"Hey," Cece greeted him with an equally bright smile as him, still sitting on the floor next to Paloma, who had now shifted her attention from the movie to her dad's arrival.

Adam bent down and scooped Paloma up into his arms, eliciting giggles from the toddler. "Did you have a fun day with Cece, sweetheart?"

It was sight she had grown used to now, Adam and Cece had become a staple in her life even if it only has been a month. She couldn't help but feel like she was a part of the family, somehow, even if she wasn't exactly blood-related.

Paloma nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Daddy, dance!" she exclaimed, her arms moving in an attempt to recreate the dance moves she had just seen on the screen.

Adam laughed, sharing an amused look with Cece. "You've been dancing, huh?"

Cece nodded, her smile warm. "She was quite the dancer, just like Belle."

Adam chuckled as he watched Paloma's attempts at dancing. "I see that. Thanks for keeping her entertained, Cece."

"No problem," Cece replied, a light tint of blush coming onto her cheeks. Adam continued to play with Paloma, making her giggle and laugh. Cece watched the father-daughter duo with a fond smile, her heart warmed by the sweet scene before her.

After a quick lunch, Adam had to go back for a team meeting so Cece had to stay with Paloma a bit more, which usually wouldn't have been a problem ─ except now, Paloma had suddenly decided to have a tantrum because of her father leaving.

Cece tried her best to soothe Paloma as Adam prepared to leave for his meeting. She understood how difficult it could be for a toddler when their parent had to leave, especially when they were as attached as Paloma wa.

As Adam headed towards the door, Paloma's cries grew louder, and she reached out for him, tears streaming down her cheeks. Cece held Paloma close, trying to comfort her. "It's okay, sweetie. Daddy will be back soon."

Adam paused at the door, his heart aching as he looked back at his daughter. He wanted to stay and comfort her, but he also knew he had responsibilities. "I'll be back soon, sweetheart," he reassured her, his voice filled with love. "Cece will take care of you."

Cece nodded at that and gave him a quick nod, gesturing for him to leave. He sighed and nodded, exiting the apartment as Paloma's cries continued for a while. Cece did her best to distract her with toys and games, hoping to ease her distress until Adam returned.

They played with her building blocks, read some of her favorite books, and even had a little tea party with her stuffed animals. Slowly but surely, Paloma's tears began to subside, replaced by the occasional hiccup.

Cece kept a watchful eye on the time, knowing that Adam would return from his meeting soon. She didn't want Paloma to be too upset when he got back. As they continued to play, she whispered comforting words to Paloma. "Daddy will be back before you know it, sweetheart. He loves you very much."

Paloma, still a bit sniffly, looked up at Cece with her big blue, teary eyes and nodded. Cece couldn't help but smile at the toddler's resilience. Paloma gave her a whine and gave reached out her arms towards her, gesturing for her to pick her up.

Cece gladly picked Paloma up and held her close, cradling her gently in her arms. Paloma's sniffles gradually turned into contented sighs as she rested against Cece's shoulder.

──

Cece awoke with a jolt as she felt Paloma being carried from her arms and Cece almost screamed until she realized it was just Adam. Relief washed over her as she blinked away the remnants of sleep, "Shit, you scared me."

"Sorry," Adam laughed softly, his voice filled with warmth as he held Paloma against his chest. "I'm back. How was my little princess while I was gone?"

"She was, um... she was good." Cece yawned, her eyes watering at that. Sudden embarrassment washed over her as she realized that she fell asleep on the job but before she had the chance to apologize, it seemed he had read her mind.

"Don't apologize, I get it." Adam offered Cece a reassuring smile as she nodded, gratefully.

"Thank you," she laughed softly as she got up from the sofa, standing in front of him. She never really realized just how tall he was but suddenly, she felt like he was towering over her. Sudden butterflies emerged in her stomach as she looked up at him and they gazed at one another.

"Well─"

"I─"

They both spoke in union before they paused, looking at one another for a second until they laughed. God, they were so in sync. "You, um, you go first," Adam smiled down at her, Paloma looking very pleased with the scene before her.

"I was just gonna say, I have a Chem test tomorrow and I haven't studied for it," she explained groggily, exhaustion clear in her face.

Adam couldn't help but feel disappointment building in his stomach as he heard those words come out of her mouth. "Oh, yeah of course. Go, don't worry, I'll take of our Paloma." It had come out so naturally he almost didn't catch it. Our Paloma. It sounded so... perfect and Adam could feel himself getting used to staying it, our Paloma, our girl.

Luca's words kept repeating in his mind as he waited for her response, "No girls." But as he stared into her eyes, her big, beautiful, deep─

"Yeah, our Paloma," she repeated softly, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Thank you, Adam."

"Of course, no problem. Um, get home safe and good luck on your test tomorrow."

As soon as she reached the door, Paloma whined. You looked back at Adam knowingly as Paloma started reaching for Cece.

"Hey, hey." Adam started trying to distract Paloma which did nothing but make it worse, somehow. "Princess, it's alright, she's coming tomorrow."

Paloma's whines grew louder as she continued to reach for Cece, her little arms outstretched. Adam didn't know what to do; she usually stopped crying after he comforted her, but this time, it seemed she only wanted Cece.

Cece hesitated at the door, torn between her responsibilities and the adorable toddler who clearly didn't want her to go. She looked at Adam with a questioning expression, silently asking for his help.

"It's fine, Cece. I can deal with her." Adam's voice was gentle, and he tried to hide any disappointment he felt about the situation. He walked closer to Cece, giving her an understanding smile. "You should get some rest and study for your test. I've got this."

Cece sighed in relief at Adam's understanding. She bent down and gently placed a kiss on Paloma's forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart," she whispered softly to the toddler before reluctantly stepping out of the apartment.

Adam watched her go, feeling a mixture of gratitude and disappointment. He knew that Cece needed to focus on her studies, but a part of him wished she could stay. He turned his attention back to Paloma, who was still crying in his arms.

"It's just you and me, kiddo," he said with a soft smile, carrying the crying Paloma back to the living room. He was determined to make the evening as comforting (as he could) for his daughter.

As the night wore on, Adam did his best to comfort Paloma. He played with her, read her a bedtime story, and even sang her a lullaby, but nothing seemed to calm her down completely. The toddler's cries continued, growing more tired and desperate as the hours passed.

He felt like he didn't know Paloma anymore, he spent less time with her than he had done in the past. Was he being a terrible dad by prioritizing his career over Paloma? He didn't know, he felt truly helpless as his ears began to sore from the constant crying from his daughter.

It was around 1 am when Adam realized he was at his wit's end. Paloma had been crying for hours, and he was exhausted and frustrated. He felt like he was going to go insane, especially because none of his family was here to give him a break. That was until he remembered: Cece.

He pulled out his phone and sent a text message to Cece, his fingers typing quickly.

Adam: Hey, sorry to bother you, but Paloma won't stop crying, and I don't know what to do.

He felt guilty for even asking, knowing Cece probably has her own worries and problems. But he truly had no one else to turn to, his body sore from practice and he was fatigued from all the crying, on top of everything.

His phone started buzzed almost immediately and he looked at the caller ID: Cece was calling him. He slid to answer,

"Cece, I'm sorry, did I wake you up?"

"No, I've been up." Cece laughed through the speaker. But Adam could hear the exhaustion in her laugh, as much as she tried to hide it.

The guiltiness hit him like a truck when he heard her voice. He almost wanted to cry, "I'm sorry, Cece. I just had... no one else to call who I trusted."

That statement made Cece's heart swell. He trusted her? "Oh, Adam don't apologize. That's what I'm here for. Do you want me to come?"

"No, no. It's too late and I don't want anything to happen."

Another soft laugh escaped her before she started hearing some crying from his side. She was almost concerned, thinking it was him until it registered in her sleep-deprived mind that it was just Paloma. "I'm a big girl Adam, I'll be there in 10."

Before he could protest, she hung up and Adam let out an exhausted sigh before he turned to Paloma, who was still crying. How much tears could one little girl have? Adam thought to himself.

Cece arrived at Adam's apartment right on time, her heart heavy with worry for both him and Paloma. She had come as quickly as she could, not wanting to leave Adam to handle the situation alone any longer. There wasn't any traffic because it was 1 in the morning, the only real plus of this whole thing.

When she entered the apartment, she found Adam sitting on the couch, looking utterly exhausted, with Paloma crying in his arms. She had never seen him so tired, his hair messy and his eyebags visible. Without hesitation, Cece went over and gently took Paloma into her arms.

"Hey there, princess," she cooed softly, rocking Paloma gently. "It's okay, I'm here now. Shhh, it's alright."

Paloma's cries gradually began to subside as Cece worked her magic. Adam watched in awe as the two of them seemed to have an unspoken connection. Cece had gotten Paloma to quiet down after four hours of nonstop crying but Adam was too tired to feel anything but exhaustion. He had been at his wit's end, unable to calm his daughter down, and seeing Cece work her magic with such ease was nothing short of amazing.

"Thank you, Cece," Adam whispered, relief washing over him as Paloma finally began to calm down. He felt a deep sense of gratitude for the young woman who had come to their rescue once again.

Cece smiled warmly at him, despite her feeling just as (if not more) exhausted than him. "No need to thank me, Adam. I'm always here to help." She looked down at Paloma, who was now resting peacefully in her arms. "Besides, I think I've started to become quite attached to her."

Adam couldn't help but chuckle softly at that. He appreciated Cece more than he could express in words. As he looked at her, holding the most precious thing in his world like she was also the most important thing in hers too, he felt his heart do a little loop-di-loop and he couldn't stop it even if he tried.

"Thank you, Cece," he repeated, this time with a warmth and admiration that went beyond words.

"You know, Adam," Cece began softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "I'm here not just for Paloma. I'm here for you too."

Adam's heart skipped a beat at her words. It didn't feel like some grand confession, it felt like just a simple fact. And now, as he gazed back at Cece, he no longer questioned if she was responsible or sweet enough for his daughter, he knew it for a fact.

"I know," Adam's voice sounded even more exhausted than before, smiling back at her.

As Paloma fell asleep in her arms, Cece took a seat next to Adam on the couch. They both knew she wasn't going anywhere for at least a couple hours until Paloma is fully asleep, so she got comfortable.

As Paloma fell asleep in Cece's arms, a sense of calm settled over the room. The exhaustion and tension from earlier seemed to fade away, replaced by a peaceful stillness. Adam and Cece sat side by side on the couch, watching over Paloma as she slept.

In the quiet of the room, they didn't need to say much. Their presence was enough, and it felt strangely comforting. It was as if, in that moment, they were a small, makeshift family brought together by circumstances.

Cece was the first to speak up, her voice tired. "Do you know what Paloma means?"

Adam was too tired to say anything but shake his head as she continued, "It means Dove, I looked it up earlier. Isn't that cute?"

Adam had named her after his great-aunt (per request of his mother) but had always liked the sound of it. He had never thought of looking up the meaning but now that he knows, it's perfect. Dove, Paloma, it was just perfect.

Adam smiled at that. "That's so cute. Our little dove." His head fell on Cece's shoulder as he yawned, his eyes feeling heavy. "Dove, that's a cute nickname."

"We should start calling her that." Cece's eyes suddenly felt heavy too as she yawned along with Adam, nodding.

"Dove," Adam repeated softly, a smile playing at his lips. "I like it. Our little Dove."

Cece nodded in agreement, her voice barely above a whisper. "It suits her."

The exhaustion of the long night finally caught up with them both, and they began to drift into a comfortable silence. Adam rested his head on Cece's shoulder, and she gently leaned into him, their shared warmth and the sense of family they had formed providing a profound a great sense of comfort.

-> make sure to check out my navigation or masterlist if you enjoyed! any interaction is greatly appreciated! <-

thank you for reading all the way through, as always ♡

[respectthepetty]

twitter (.) com/VivienneActing/status/1696107618799079704

i'm not sure if you've seen this before, but you were the first person i thought about as soon as i read this tweet 🫠

ANON! You GET me!

This is the screenwriter for Only Friends, and as I was scrolling through his posts, he has continued to 'like' posts such as this: (*cough* Sand is confirmed Pan *cough*)

And this: (@forcebookish, he likes your post!)

And he is my kind of man.

Because I truly believe the show is telling us that people have treated Top solely as a sex object, which is why he has been regulated to tight spaces. He is restricted and limited in movements because he is seen as a sex object in those spaces.

For example, people tend to forget that Top has a job. He is doing it here.

And he is doing it well.

Yet the conversation turns to his sex life.

Which makes sense since the plot of Only Friends balances on these characters' messy sex life, but while everyone else is allowed to have conversations about their lives, Top is always connected to sex.

Which is why Boston only views Top as a sexual being. There is no intimacy involved in Boston and Top's sexual encounters. It's sex. It doesn't need to be comfortable. It doesn't need to be nice. It doesn't even need to be enjoyable. And unlike Nick who has sex with Boston anywhere, Top is boxed in with Boston.

The photo booth - quick, standing, tight space.

The shower - hand job, standing, dark.

The car - cramped, quick, raining.

And all the spaces are public.

Because Top's entire sex life is public for all to speculate and comment on. Nick just didn't get a recording of Boston having sex. Nick captured Top as well, and nobody seems too pressed about that. Top is shoved into tight spaces for sex, yet his entire sex life is fodder for public consumption.

So what must be going through his head when he lays in a spacious bed with a person, not having sex, in a room with a closed door?

To provide something beyond sex.

To not be limited in space or action.

And perhaps be capable of not only keeping some of his life secret, but holding others' secrets as well.

I mentioned this before but Top doesn't appear to have friends. It was common for his parents to be away when he was a child. He is alone at the bar when we first meet him, and the second Mew lets him in, he inserts himself into the group.

Wonder why a guy who has been boxed in with his whole sex life on display would want out of that?

A slut tiger can't change his stripes . . . right?

Oh, look! Actual stripes.

Say "no" to sex Top. Do it for the narrative.

[thelarriefics]

SPRING FIC REC: Below you will find fics that take place in spring, have a springy feel, etc. 

📖 always you (i should have known) by @28goldens (60k)

“Oi, now we’re talking. Came running to ol’ Tomlinson for help, gotta say Harold,” He crossed his arms over his chest, and Harry watched as his eyes looked him over. “It's very out of character for you.”

“Yeah, well, don’t feel too special, you're my last choice,” Harry subconsciously crossed his arms as well, giving Louis his own look over.

“Oh, that's a lot of power, I’m your last resort!” He wagged his finger at him, letting out a cackle. “Alright, hit me with it.”

Harry’s lips pursed as he slowly started to regret the words about to spill out of his mouth, “I want you to pretend to be my boyfriend.”

or the one where harry and louis cant stand each other and fake date to make someone jealous.

📖 (I'm Dreaming of a) One Night Inn by @lululawrence (54k)

When everything Louis had planned for his life falls through, and on his birthday no less, he's left with no other option but to regroup and start over again. The road of life isn't always straight and it certainly isn't always easy, but sometimes it's those twists and turns that find you your closest friends and—if you're really lucky—the love of your life.

Louis just happens to be very lucky.

A Holiday Inn AU.

📖 Blush by @dip-lou-in-honey (33k)

Harry is a young omega, presented at his first Royal ball, when he first meets Louis, the King. They're immediately infatuated with each other, but in the ancient hallways of the castle, whispers travel far and wide, and what they want is not what they're allowed to have.

📖 Tip Toe Through The Tulips by @peachbootylouis (27k)

Ever since moving to Manchester, it had just been Louis and his dog Clifford against the world though it had never felt like enough. It’s not until Clifford quite literally sniffs Harry out while on a walk that Louis realizes he’d been looking for someone like this flower child all along. A fluffy one shot filled with fur and flowers.

📖 To Begin Again by @chloehl10 (23k)

Harry’s ready to spend a fun Easter morning with his two children at the park, but it’s thrown into chaos when an over-excited dog and his owner come barrelling into their lives...

📖 Sakura Sunset by @mizzhydes (16k)

Harry and Louis have a tradition. Every spring they stand below hundreds of dazzling cherry blossom trees in Kew Garden, and year after year they come back to walk amongst the trees and experience that love over again.

This year everything changes. Louis is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity in Silicon Valley, California.

Only after Louis has left does Harry realise he made the biggest mistake of his life breaking up with Louis, and he has to live with the consequences of his actions.

Four years later, Harry discovers that Louis has returned to London, and in an effort to find the closure he desperately needs, he must tell Louis the truth behind their break up so he can move on with his life.

📖 The Prince and The YouTuber by @haztobegood (12k)

The Annual Rosendal Spring Gala hosted by the Royal Family is the most prestigious fundraiser in the country. When a problem with the honorary foundation arises, Crown Prince Louis Tomlinson must pick a new worthy foundation on short notice. He discovers the perfect replacement in an unlikely place, while watching his favorite YouTuber, Harrysparkles.

📖 Love You To Want Me by @rainbowsandlovehl (11k)

Niall coerces Louis into doing 'spring cleaning', which is basically cleaning their flat which leads to Louis finding the pair of braces he used to wear back in early Uni days. Harry, Niall's bandmate has a strange but visible reactions to the braces.

📖 Chubby Bunny by @littleroverlouis (2k)

Harry spends his Easter Sunday basking in the spring breeze while playing games with the smallest Tomlinsons, and a package of marshmallow Peeps.

Louis is stuck in a sweltering bunny costume for the enjoyment of all around him.

Harry offers him a chance to peel himself out of the costume and indulge in some of the fun.

📖 my lap is the best place for you to be by @bottomhaztoplou (1k)

Omegas, especially pregnant omegas, are expected to ride in their marriage partner's lap, usually on their knot, during carriage rides so as to minimise any jostling that may harm the pup.

Heavily pregnant in mid-April, Harry lifts his skirts and sinks down onto his waiting alpha, his body easily taking Louis inside himself.

[caecilian-king]

Ok. So, i read some more Wuthering Heights today and this one paragraph really struck me- like it got to me just as much as lines like ‘whatever our souls are made of his and mine are the same’. But I don’t think this part is probably talked about as much, because its about 2 of the supporting characters and its not a poetic romance quote.

I’m talking about this paragraph, where Nelly Dean is walking outside and is reminded of her childhood:

“all at once a gush of child's sensations flowed into my heart. Hindley and I held it a favourite spot twenty years before. I gazed long at the weather-worn block; and, stooping down, perceived a hole near the bottom still full of snail-shells and pebbles, which we were fond of storing there with more perishable things; and, as fresh as reality, it appeared that I beheld my early playmate seated on the withered turf: his dark, square head bent forward, and his little hand scooping out the earth with a piece of slate. 'Poor Hindley!' I exclaimed, involuntarily.”

The reason this got to me so much is that this is exactly the way I’d been thinking about Heathcliff. ‘Sure, heathcliff’s a jerk!’ I’d think to myself, ‘but in the earlier chapters when he was a kid he was so cute and loved cathy so much! He was so unfairly treated!! He had moments where he laughed and played!!’ Not that i excused Heathcliff’s wrongful actions, but i sympathized with him, just a bit. Deep down i want him and cathy to have a happy ending, even though they’ve hurt and will hurt so many people.

(somehow, having many of heathcliff’s future actions spoiled for me by reading through the WH tag so often has not made the book any less enjoyable to me. This book is that good.)

Hindley, however….Up until this point I had always seen him as nothing more than a monster. We see very little of his childhood. We see him cry about his toy being broken, and then later we see him being racist towards-and then physically abusing- Heathcliff. After that, he’s a young adult/adult and is just consistently even worse to Heathcliff (and everyone else at Wuthering Heights) than he was before.

Nelly, unlike the readers, saw hindley’s whole childhood. She saw the moments when he was good, when he smiled and laughed. She saw ways that he was treated unfairly (his own father liking this new adopted son better than him and not hiding that bias at all).

Does this make hindley suddenly a good person? Of course not! But it really put into perspective for me how similar heathcliff and hindley are, and how i was biased way more towards one because I had seen his good side. Heathcliff and hindley are both incredibly violent, grumpy, abusive people who crave money and power. I’m sure I’ll continue to find similarities as I read more.

My three main takeaways from this paragraph are:

1) i think that hindley not only serves as a catalyst for heathcliff becoming a bad person, but also as heathcliff’s narrative foil. (Wikipedia says: ‘A foil usually either differs dramatically or is an extreme comparison that is made to contrast a difference between two things.’ I think this is a perfect description of how heathcliff and hindley work in the narrative- hindley is perhaps how we would view heathcliff if we hadn’t seen his childhood.)

2) i think this paragraph serves to remind the reader that everyone is a human who has at one point been innocent, and that this fact doesn’t excuse bad behavior, and that you should be careful about sympathizing with heathcliff so much that you begin to excuse his actions. I also think the fact that this paragraph comes so soon before isabella’s letter to nelly is incredibly important and intentional. That letter she writes about arriving at wuthering heights really highlights how bad of a person heathcliff is.

3) i am now slightly sympathetic towards hindley, and view him as a bit more of a complicated character than i took him for previously. I am also now a bit more conscious and critical of my sympathetic reading of Heathcliff up until this point.

All this being said- heathcliff is still (for lack of a better term) one of my blorbos. I am obsessed with his stupid edgy personality and his sarcastic comments and his over the top evil plans. I am ESPECIALLY obsessed with his relationship with cathy. I know it wouldn’t actually be romantic in real life but, man. I could write a whole ‘nother post about how much i love their relationship. I want to put him in a microwave and watch him spin around. the former-AP-english-student in me is aware that he is a terrible person but the silly drama-loving side of me cant help but just find all of his terrible actions sort of equal parts funny and badass (i feel like this will stay true even as he does some of the more horrifying things i’ve heard about later). silly side of me wants him and cathy to do whatever evil things they want and ride off into the sunset laughing maniacally together.

(JEEZ i did not think i would spend an hour writing like a full essay when i started this post. this is what adhd does to you, folks.)

[cashmoneyyysstuff]

hi bestie do u have any ff writing advice ?? ur flow and imagery and STYLE is so so good i love it. how do u come up with such good ideas??

hi ! first of all thank you SOOOOOO much that means sm to me it genuinely makes me so happy to know that you enjoy my writing. !!

speaking of writing..it took me a while to figure out a system i was comfortable with. i'm a little all over the place in general and that translates a lot in my drafts ESPECIALLY LMFAOO if you caught one glance at my drafts it's mostly just a prompt of a few sentences and w spelling mistakes in every word cus i write them down so fast so as not to forget them LMFAOOO. but it really works for me !

i know a lot of people say it but it really works, literally just write ! it doesn't have to come out as a full beautifully crafted piece immediately, just write down anything you can and polish it up all you want later ! forcing inspiration to come to you almost always has the opposite effect, for me anyways !

for flow, i think i like to mostly write dialogue between characters out first and then write my descriptions and actions around that ! i always get more excited about writing dialogue more than descriptions (not that those can't be fun ofc !)

oh , this might help for imagery ! and idk if you've noticed but the structure of a lot of my writing is heavily based on animes and manga. like the set ups and punchlines. (massive nerd ik) like if you read some of my one shot's like this one, this one (probably one of my fav fics i've done btw) or my first born series FBRC, (especially this part) (this part was actually the one i was most excited to write, and it's heavily based off of kobayashi's dragon maid's actual good and not weird moments and soundtrack, listening to music also helps me out a lot too!)

i try to model my speech to what i think an anime episode of the scenario i thought about would look like. visualizing my writing helps me write a lot as well, if that helps ! a little fun fact for you, fujimoto's writing has influenced a lot of the way i describe situations in fics, since i really like the sorta 'childish' descriptions over super fancy ones (cus i can't write those, but i don't really like them veerry much, but a lot of them are enjoyable to read!!) i find it very endearing and it's one of the reasons why i enjoy writing childhood friends to lovers so much. it's this sorta simplistic level of thinkin that kids have if that makes sense and it works out really well if you wanna write fluffy pieces if that makes sense

some examples ! :

"he drags you around a little too hard but it's to show you something he knows you'd like and you repay him by being patient with him and letting him drag you around to his hearts content. he let’s you use the crayons he’d just denied another classmate seconds ago and when it’s really early in the morning and you’re still sleepy unlike your more energetic friend, he waits for you. sitting with you in the reading corner quietly commenting on a little bit of everything in the book you’re sharing until you’re awake enough to start the day because katsuki wanted you to be together through anything no matter what, starting the day without you was simply unimaginable."

"despite his quieter presence he always seemed to stand out to you. his bag is big enough to carry everything he needs without having to shove anything inside or leaving it half opened. he wipes his mouth with a tissue after he's done eating his lunch alone and his handwriting is pretty. his lashes are long and he's pretty."

"you hated it when people said that because the shoto you knew wasn't like that. he knew people talked about him and he hated being associated with his father. he likes the caramel you sneak in for him at school and you like the way his eyes light up when he guesses the flavour of fruit candies you make him taste. the shoto you know that ties your shoes for you and shares his umbrella with you, the one who half heartedly stomps into wet puddles with you, the one with the pretty lashes and pretty smile and pretty handwriting isn't like that."

there are a lot of other examples (im OBSESSED with this trope can you tell.) i like these sorts of simplistic childish ways of love. tiny little specks of affection that make the heart so much fonder in such little big ways..if that makes sense :>

i dunno if im just very..special, but since i have a lot of oc's and scenarios constantly flowing in my brain, most of my ideas just tend to be what i dreamed about the night before, or what i daydreamed about LMAOO. even random things that happened to me at school sorta go from "oh it would be funny if this happened to [insert character]" and then they snowball into more and more thorough ideas !

and of course as cheesy as it is the most important part is to have fun ! i cannot stress enough how important it is to be in the mindset when you're writing. it's like when people say to force yourself to draw so you don't 'lose it.' and i do think it can work to jog inspiration, but i believe that as long as you enjoy it, you'll never truly lose it. so i say, write when you feel like it and don't write if you don't, it can truly be very draining. but it's all up to what feels better for you !

anyways, i hope my insane ramblings helped you out a little bit, and have fun writing !!

much luv xxx

[merakiui]

idk why suddenly im thinking…

Soft yan!jade……. That would be so weird yet interesting????? Like imagine his darling scared of thunder and he suddenly cuddle them and whispered their ear just sweet talking to calm them—

(AFAB) all affectionate on her period month, cook anything his darling want, rub her tummy cus cramps?? BRO I COULD IMAGINE THAT AND MAN I WOULD BE WILLING BE OBEDIENT TO HIM LMAOOAOA

Jade's idea of comfort is combating fear with logic (or facts that are slightly more disturbing than the actual thing you're afraid of, as if that'll truly dispel your nerves). It can be difficult to view his actions as genuine because he's always so deceptive. Unlike Floyd, who means everything he says and does, Jade has so many layers to everything that makes him him. Even his smiles have layers, so when he holds his hands over your ears to block out the sound of thunder and has you look into his eyes while he speaks, his voice a low muffle, you have no idea what prompted such treatment. Jade usually does everything for a reason; he calculates his actions beforehand. He thinks through a gesture, weighing whether it's necessary in that moment. A relationship with him might feel very give and take, though it's more mandatory for you considering you have no choice.

But he does have moments like the one written above where he's very soft and sweet. Logic isn't as soothing as the heart in some cases, and even Jade is aware of this. He's never spontaneous with his affection, though. Even that is carefully considered and executed. If Jade consoles you each time you're frightened, you might come to rely on him and view his presence as something comforting. Your fear doesn't bother him as much as it bothers Floyd, who hates to see his shrimpy upset. Jade's more interested in the psychology behind fears and the actions and words taken and said to drive them away. Perhaps your relationship won't be as strained as it currently is if he can be the one who rescues you from the things that frighten you.

Jade will use your fears like one might wield a double-edged sword. He'll file them away in the event he needs to subject you to them in the future, whether as a punishment or for some other reason. But he'll also keep note of them so that he can decide when to comfort you and when to step back and simply observe.

When it comes to your menstrual cycle, he's more likely to be very hyper-aware of you and, more importantly, the fact that you're bleeding. It's his instinctive nature as a predator to be on high alert when he smells blood, so naturally Jade will be extremely focused on you in the way a predator might when analyzing their injured prey. But he treats you very nicely when he knows you're suffering and there's not much you can do to control it. He'll cook your favorite meals, he'll give you a heating pad or medicine for your cramps, and sometimes he might even massage your shoulders or your stomach in hopes of chasing the cramps away.

He also informs you that he's aware of this marvelous, little life hack to relieve your cramps and provide enjoyment for both you and him. You already know where he's going with this based on the amused smirk that tugs his lips up. Even when you're in pain, he has to get a jest in. But it has you laughing dryly, so maybe he's succeeded in distracting you from the cramps, however temporary of a distraction it may be. You don't give him the satisfaction of engaging in this "marvelous, little life hack" of his, but Jade calmly nods, unfazed, and says he'll have a chance next month.

[not-quite-there-myself]

"Take My Hand"

Synopsis: It started off with you and him moving through a large crowd. Whether it was your nervousness or just an instinct to stick together, you reach for his hand to hold it. How do they react? Notes: Point form, gender neutral, refers to reader as "Summoner"

Arcturus

With so many people around, you feel yourself tense and reach for Arcturus. He almost doesn't notice your hold on him, thinking it was just someone brushing past his side. When he finds that the tug on his arm is still there, he turns his head and notices you firmly latching onto him. It might take a moment for him to register, but seeing your nervous expression is enough to make your action click.

"Woah! This area isn't usually busy at this time... Is there an event I missed? Ah, Summoner! You're holding onto my- No no, it's okay! You just surprised me! If it helps you, keep holding onto me. That way, we won't lose each other!"

He is the type to not mind holding hands at all! People getting anxious in a crowd is completely normal and he understands your impulse to latch onto someone familiar. After you manage to escape the crowd, he might ask if you two can hold hands again. Yes, mainly to make sure you are comfortable, but he also admits that holding hands is an enjoyable action for him as well. If you let him, he'd have his fingers interlocked with yours the entire way! ...Of course, only if it's alright with you.

"There's no need to worry, Summoner! Whenever you want to hold my hand, just say the word! I'll try my best to be here, and to protect you! Hehe."

Pollux

At first, he is a bit surprised that you reached for him. Instead of you being worried about getting separated from him, Pollux thought you were worried about him being separated from you. He's sometimes teased for being so short that he's easy to lose in a crowd, so when he learns that you wanted to latch onto him for the opposite reason, he felt almost pleasantly surprised.

"Hey hey, Summoner! What's up? Hold your hand? Ugh, you're not teasing me for being short like Alpheratz does, right? You're... you're not? Well in that case, go ahead!"

Pollux is very happy he could be able to give you some comfort while walking; for him, giving you his hand to hold is no problem at all. The feeling of your hand in his is a bit weird to him but not in a bad way. He's just not used to it, that's all. If anything, he may just encourage you to do it more often—that, and he might also make you pinkie swear on it. He won't openly admit it right away, but he enjoys holding you, too, you know? Whenever you get visibly anxious, rest assured that he will be the first to offer his hand regardless of if you're in a crowd or not.

"Of course you can hold my hand! If you ever get nervous again, just come to me! And promise you'll stick close to me, okay?"

Alpheratz

Unlike Pollux—and perhaps even Arcturus, too—Alpheratz is easier to find in a crowd, given the fact that he is a much taller person. Grabbing his hand or latching onto his arm doesn't serve as a problem, but you feared that Alpheratz's initial reaction might spark some awkwardness between the two of you. Fortunately for you, it doesn't look like he minds at all.

"Summoner? What are you grabbing onto me like that for? Scared you'll get lost? Ah... I get it. Alright, well, if you're gonna to hold onto me like that, at least hold onto me properly."

Whether it be for his own comfortability or your own, Alpheratz will adjust your hold on him so that you aren't just tugging at his sleeve. He may adjust your hand's positioning on his arm, or just take your hand and hold it like that. After successfully getting out of the crowd, if you ask him about wanting to hold hands again, he will not reject your proposal... At least, not without a few half-joking conditions.

"You want to do that again? That's fine by me, but only if we aren't around Spica or that little boy. They might get the wrong idea, haha. But seriously, if you really do need to hold my hand for comfort or something, just go ahead. I don't mind, promise."

Spica

When you suddenly reach for his hand, he immediately thinks something is wrong and worries for your safety. Spica will look at you with concern at first, continuing to walk through the crowd with you while being on guard. He'll subtly observe the people around you, and in doing so he might even hold your wrist in return; gently as to not hurt you or make you uncomfortable.

"Summoner, what is it? Are you feeling unwell? You are just... nervous? Mm, I see."

He will likely get the hint and figure out right away that you get a bit anxious in crowds; though, even without a crowd surrounding you, being nervous in general makes you want to latch onto someone for support. Spica is generally understanding, and if you let him know upfront, he will take a mental note to pay extra attention to you if you ever need to take his hand or arm. Also, he might not say it out loud, but he secretly likes having your hand in his, too.

"This crowd is a little dense. It helps if you hold hands with someone, correct? In that case, I can offer mine if you'd like. Do I like it? I... don't mind it. It is for your safety, so I don't see the problem."

Sirius

Sirius is quick to observe, especially when it comes to you. He can tell that crowds aren't your thing, and in general being nervous causes you to naturally want to reach out to someone. If ever given the chance to be the person you reach out to, why should he wait for someone else when he's right there? Whether intentionally or not, Sirius is the target your hand ends up gripping on to... and boy is he smug about it.

"Hm? Summoner's holding me so tightly, my hand might come off. Are you regretting holding my hand? Hahaha... Oh, you have no idea what kind of position you put yourself in. If you're not careful, people will think we might be a couple."

He absolutely enjoys it and will tease you about it. He knows full well that it's mostly for your own comfort, but he also can't help but find the act self indulgent as he finds himself wanting to hold your hand, too. Much to your dismay (or not!), Sirius may find a myriad of excuses to hold your hand despite your anxieties not being present. He might also appear out of nowhere just to make you hold hands with him, but those cases are few and far between.

"Summoner, your hands are so cold~ Here, why don't I take them to warm you up? ...Are you accusing me of wanting to hold your hand? Haha, that is a rather bold assumption, Summoner."

Vega

You reaching for his hand takes him by surprise; his other hand instinctively moves on the handle of his rapier, almost unsheathing it. His hand steadies when there is no obvious signs of a threat, but he still keeps you in his sights, close to him, and keeps his (as well as your own) distance from other people the best he can. He will ask you if you're alright, and if you just tell him that being in the middle of a crowd makes you nervous, he will get the two of you out of there right away.

"Summoner? What is... Why are you holding my hand? Um, no, it's not that I... dislike it. I was just worried, you look nervous. Ah, this crowd is making you uncomfortable? Then please excuse me, Summoner. I will hold your hand for now. Let me take you somewhere else."

When the crowd subsides and your anxiety dissipates, you'll find that Vega may be a little hesitant to let go. He looks away when your interlocked hands loosen, and you could swear that he looked almost disappointed. To his surprise, Vega finds himself missing your hand intertwined with his, even if it was for a short period of time. He'll manage, though. At least, that's what he tells himself. But maybe one day he'll find the courage to ask for your hand, just as you had before.

"You don't have to let go... No, it's not that I want to hold hands, it's just that I... Actually, nevermind. The danger has subsided for now. Summoner, what's that look for? ...I look disappointed-? No, i-it's nothing. Please just forget it."

[ria-writes-stories]

Description: what if Nori didn't die but Khan did, and raised Uzi all by herself instead of the other way around?

Genre: Action, character focus

Characters: Uzi and Nori

Inspired by @keeana 's art! Keena permitted me too write this fanfiction, her art is at the very bottom of this story. However, if you enjoyed this story make sure to go to her account and give that masterpiece the proper love it deserves because without it this story wouldn't have been made! Once again lots of thanks to keena! Without further a do, enjoy!

Side note: This is the official opening of my writing account!

------

(No one's pov)

The metal door closed as Nori held her baby close to her chest, looking struck with horror at the door.

'KHAN!' she screamed his name earlier, reaching a hand out while the other held her baby closely to herself as her husband looked at her with a defeated look. Oil was pouring in a small frail trial out of his mouth while the stab he had acquired within his chest, was being held down by the disassembly drone's claws the man clenched his fist tightly, and with a sheepish smile to his wife he punched the remote, closing the first door and breaking the remote as well making it impossible to be used again, so that the disassembly drones can not enter the colony.

Nori stayed there, locked in shock and horror at the thought that the better side of her was now gone forever as she was left with just the sweet little miracle that she had created with him.

Drones rushed to her to check up on her but Nori didn't even hear a mutter of their words as her gaze was locked on the door where her husband disappeared behind her.

"Forgive me Uzi. You won't get to see your father." Nori said with a numb face as a tear rolled down her cheeks as her eyes looked emptily at the ground.

Now...what about the fate of our beloved rebellious teenage girl? Well. Nori was a very loving mother, unlike her light-heartedly and dumb, when it came to social interactions, husband was much more convincing. She was already adored by over half the colony before the events of the attack, she was simply that easy popular person that people found enjoyable to hang around, and once Khan was out of the picture with his great sacrifice, it was Nori who took initiative to find people with the same passion and intelligence as Khan to built more doors. Of course, she didn't find anyone, no one could ever be like him, but, she did find enough drones each with a little knowledge of one of the engineering sides required to build the protective doors, and through the years door two and door three appeared.

What does anything have to do with Uzi? She showed remarkable intelligence and incline towards this methodical side that her father was so passionate about in his life. She assisted in the construction of door two by making the calculus and size measuring and then at the third door, she was the second in command in its building.

Uzi was heavily attracted to the more 'angsty' things and she was the black sheep of the herd because while her mother managed to convince her to help with the doors Uzi wanted to build weapons. And how did Nori respond with?

'Of course you can build weapons Uzi! You can do anything you put your mind to! Plus, why stop with just weapons? Why not become a jackal of all? Traps, weapons, attacks, defenses! That and so many more things you will achieve because you are a talented and wonderful young girl who has inherited the intelligence of her father. Oh if only Khan could see you right now, I am sure he would be so proud of your engineering skills!' it's safe to say that Uzi had a very loving mother who encouraged her each step of the way. Did that mean Uzi was popular?

Uzi was the 'miracle' kid due to her contribution to the colony from a young age, despite having an already assured spot for the future Uzi wasn't interested in any of that. She always wanted to do something...bizarre in the eyes of all the other drones except for her mother. Killing the disassembly drones.

This made her weird and strange for everyone else but this time around Uzi knew how to snap back, better than just saying 'Bite me' she would effortlessly put the drones that challenged her in their place via words. As I said, Nori was the one to raise her after all, and she made sure her daughter knew not to allow anyone to walk all over her.

Uzi was still the rebellious angsty teen, the only difference is that she was afraid of the masses because they treated her like a freak and an outcast. She didn't feel the need to hide, instead, she walked confidently each step of the way.

Uzi didn't care what other drones thought about her, she still did what she wanted to do even if it 'broke the rules' of the colony. She was a truly rebellious person, but what made Uzi so different was the wits thought by her mother. The tricks, the strategies, the manipulation. Everything came naturally to Uzi, after all, she was Nori's daughter, and with the intelligence she inherited from Khan followed by her mother's guidance she was far more than what anyone from the colony acknowledged her for. She was feared because everyone knew that not only weren't they a match for her but also because they knew that if they stepped out of the line that she had allowed them to ridicule her in, she would make their life a nightmare without lifting a finger. It was simple really. Some drones may not be as emotionally developed as humans, but that primal fear of survival is still deep in their core and Uzi knew just how to push the buttons to cause them to be on the edge of their tippy toes and out of her face.

A school project about watermelons started it all you could say. How boring was that? Under stimulating and ridiculous, far too behind Uzi's level of capacity, so she decided that if she was going to kill some time she might as well kill it on something she enjoys.

However one tiny miscalculation and Uzi's magnetically calibrated rail gun blew up in her face, sending her to the infirmary. It wasn't the first time Uzi's experiments ended up wrong; she would do them under her other and always made sure to duck and hide her daughter when the project showed to be unstable and close to bursting into chaos.

Nothing from the colony could give Uzi what she needed to complete her masterpiece, so she did the most sane thing possible.

"You want to go where?!?" Nori asked caught a little off guard. "Just outside of door one-" "No! No, no, no, absolutely not, that is where your father passed! What if the disassembly drones are right outside the door?" "Then I'll blast them with my sick-as-hell rail gun!" Uzi said confidently as she clenched her fist, with a wide smirk.

Nori sighed softly and shook her head with a sheepish smile on her face as she went to Uzi, cupping her cheeks and kissing her forehead affectionately. "Alright my precious little devil. Just make sure to not have any of your limbs missing when you come back." "Mooom! I'm not four anymore!" Uzi protested her mother's behavior, but it was exactly this love and care that had made Uzi into the young woman she is today.

Nori simply laughed softly. "I know that dear. Make sure those disassembly drones will go scavenging for scraps far away from our colony." Nori said letting go of Uzi who simply nodded and rushed out the door, only to stop her in her tracks and run back to her mother for a quick hug.

"Thanks, Mom." "Anytime my sweet angel." Nori said with a content smile as she rested one hand on Uzi's back and the other on her head, before letting her go so she could go chase her dreams.

"They grow up so fast... If only you could see how much she took after you Khan." Nori said with a soft sigh before going back to her daily duties.

So far not much has changed did it? Uzi is still considered a freak. She still has an angsty rebellious teen reputation. She is still confident and does not bend to society's norms, and she is still extremely intelligent, being able to build an incredibly dangerous weapon.

Sure there is the part where she has become as sly as her mother when it calls for it, but other than that not much has changed...right?

Nori would tell Uzi bedtime stories, implementing the history of their world in her daughter's mind from a young fragile age without her knowing. The history and knowledge of what there is to come. Nori had no doubt that her daughter would master the curse transmitted through her coding better than she did.

The events are pretty much as we know them. A disassembly drone challenges the wrong drone to a fight.

She wins. He loses. They get to know each other, the other two come into view, and she runs away. He realizes his mistake and tries to fix it.

"Mom! Aim and shoot!" "What if it gets you as well?!" Nori said holding the weapon in horror. "That's not important right now! Aim and shoot!!!" Uzi repeated as the disassembly drone looked at Nori with the 'X' on his face and a wide murderous smile.

Nori lost someone she loved once at her own hands. She wasn't going to let it happen again. "You know I'm an old-fashioned baby..." Nori said sheepishly as she was ready to use something she hadn't used in so long. She was wondering if she even had it. It's been so long... She blocked the signal, long ago, for Uzi's safety and sake, all the way when she was just a baby. The one to help her achieve that was Yeva, and they never again spoke of it, but the thing is that they never looked for a way to unlock it, cuz why would they?

The moment was cut short as another drone grabbed Nori and pulled her backward as they closed the door. A WDF worked. Mother and daughter locked eyes in horror and terror as Nori threw the rail gun forward fast enough to move before the door closed.

"OPEN THIS DOOR THIS INSTANT!!!" Nori lashed out in anger and hatred as panic flew through her system. "M-ma'am please-" The subordinate begged as Nori suddenly became calm. What is she thinking? It's her daughter that she is talking about. She got this handled. She was better than her, better than Khan. Uzi will get to live another day, for now, Nori had to worry about those who weren't as fortunate and as blessed.

"Ma'am?" "Take everyone to the safety room." Nori ordered seriously as the WDF member nodded and opened a walkie-talkie as he began to move alerting all units of the colony. Nori did her homework, and she was prepared for a possible disassembly drone breach.

Everything that we know of unfolded as it was meant to be, the only difference was that when Uzi left, she did so to fight the bigger fish and not by banishing herself. And what did Nori do? She allowed it. Given Doll's behavior it wasn't hard for Nori to figure out that Yeva was gone. Doll's and Uzi's clocks were ticking and the sooner they took on this world the better for their long-term survival.

The 'program' wasn't happy. It knew Nori wasn't dead, even though it was unable to reach her, so when it was met with a glimpse of her predecessor it struck much to its demise.

All of a sudden the two disassembly drones attacked Uzi, but the fight didn't last long... A bright flash of purple and a strange symbol and the two disassembly drones were stuck in the air squirming and shrieking in terror as their system got a short circuit and what was once yellow turned purple.

"Come here." Uzi called the two drones over calmly.

Still lost in a state of subconciousness and wounded from the fight they obeyed like puppets and got closer to her without a moment of hesitation.

The male knelt on the ground as the female slightly lowered herself to be at the same level as Uzi.

Once they were close enough the symbol appeared again forcing their heads closer to the girl's touch, as one of her eyes turned into said symbol. "I think I like you like this more." Uzi said with a sly smile as she looked at V, cupping her cheek while her other hand rested on N's head softly caressing it.

Uzi was the same as we know her... But she took after her mother even more so.

New admin: darkxwolf17

The end

[quinloki]

*sliding again in your inbox* if you’re up for it, may I ask Yonji and Reiju with Public Humiliation, Rimming and Dogging? I’m loving your hc 🙈

I'm glad you're enjoying them! It's actually been a nice break from my usual Long Form story writing, and I think I needed the break more than I knew xD

Alright - this is my first time giving head canon to Yonji and Reiju, so let's see how it goes. (Also, what luck, the only two current Vinsmokes I *like* )

Yonji:

Public Humiliation - Yes - Yonji is perfectly happy to dress you as he pleases and haul you through whatever public space he so desires, all while letting loose with degrading phrases and actions. He's good at it, credit where it's due, but compared to his "older" brothers, he not nearly as cruel. It's still embarrassing, and the primary reason for it is more a declaration of to whom you belong. Yonji will lay into you in public, but if anyone is stupid enough to try and join in, he won't stand for it.

Rimming - Hm... I ... hm. I wanna say he's a Sure for receiving and you probably don't even want to ask for the giving side of it. Princely prince prince-ness isn't going to do something like that to someone even if it nearly kills them from embarrassment. But it's also not high up on his personal list of enjoyments. Not that he doesn't enjoy it, but it's a little more middle of the road for him is all. (the hang up is, he does want you to ask him to rim you, guy's got a little bit of a sub streak in him he rarely ever gets to flex, but he has to trust you implicitly before he'd bring it up, and it's hard to trust when you can barely engage in your emotions >.> )

Dogging - FUCK Yes - Look, it's not like you're in the stocks or something in the middle of town square, so don't go complaining. It's an empty parking lot, don't look over at the busy street while he's railing you, just make those pretty little noises he likes. If you hold your voice in then maybe it's time to move closer to the foot traffic, or maybe you're quiet because you do want to be in the stocks in the middle of the town square.

Reiju:

Public Humiliation - Sure - She'll do it, and she'll lean into with such practiced perfection you'd think you were being humiliated by Ichiji or Niji. Unlike her siblings, she is compassionate and fully capable of emotions, but she's really good at masking them. Sometimes leaning into the more cruel side of her personality is liberating, so it's not like she's doing this against her will, but it's also a part of who she needs to pretend to be around her family, so she's not nearly as enthusiastic as she appears.

Rimming - Yes - Giving or Receiving. There's pleasure to be had in the physical and I think Reiju is all for diving into that pleasure. She's very switchy to me, and while she prefers to maintain control, she's not against giving and getting for most activities. Sadly I think her practiced reserved nature has been going on for so long that I don't think she gets messy or down and dirty - everything is all very clean and proper and well-prepped. Which isn't a bad thing, in this kink, but I think it spills into her other kinks too.

Dogging - A Sure to Yes - Reiju doesn't want anyone else to hear the sweet sounds you make while she's being pleasured by you, or while she's pleasuring you. You've got to keep that voice that's only for her low and quiet, there's people just a few yards away, and she won't forgive you if someone else is graced by your mewling whimpers. Don't disappoint her now, and don't fight the building pleasure either, just because you're not allowed to be loud doesn't mean she doesn't want to see your face messed up in pleasure.

-- Little different vibe on those Dogging entries, but I hope it still came across well ^_^ Thanks!

Kinky One Piece Head Canon

[thetruejerrycan]

I'm honestly kind of dreading SF6 season 3. Whatever major balance patch comes out will determine what Capcom wants the game to be. I love SF6, it's my third favorite fighter, but it has major problems that really hurt my enjoyment of the game, especially at a higher level. I don't think drive rush is a problem more than it is an unpopular design choice (there's nothing you can do about it as a whole now because it's baked in. If there's one thing I'd like to see changed, I would like them to fix the screen freeze eating inputs because it always felt like a bug rather than intended part of the mechanic because the way it works is inconsistent with other screen freezes in the game), but individual character balance and throw loops are easily the weak points of the game right now.

SF6 is designed in a very specific way. Most buttons are negative to where even jab pressure isn't guaranteed, thus putting a strong focus on decision-making. Almost every action you can take is a commitment that can be hard punished, hence punish counter as a mechanic. But there are a handful of characters in this game who either don't adhere to this design philosophy at all or have easily abusable ways of circumventing it. Ken is still the best character in the game because he has it all and more importantly doesn't have to make any meaningful decisions to get his win condition. All it takes is one jab and a run tatsu for him to get the corner and run his meterless throw loop with zero effort. In fact, Ken gets a lot without spending any resources unlike every other character in the game. It's not so bad to the point you never see Ken burn out but the disparity between how much drive he doesn't need to spend compared to the rest of the cast is obnoxiously apparent.

Speaking of obnoxious, M. fucking Bison. This character is honest to god the worst thing that ever happened to this game. If you don't like the way Street Fighter 6 plays, you'll love Bison because he's playing Street Fighter 5. I get the idea of what they're going for with this character, he's an oppressive rushdown character with good meterless pressure that is difficult to punish if you don't know what to look for. While I am a little annoyed that he's designed in a way that incentivizes you to counter hit him rather than punishing him (the central mechanic of the game), I don't have a problem with a character like him existing nor do I have a problem with him being good. The major issue is that it takes so little effort to actually play him well. His normals are mostly unpunishable with some of the better ones including his 5HP being plus. I play Ryu so I'm no stranger to having free plus frames but the difference is that Bison is a much stronger character in neutral so tripping up people trying to counter hit him is so easy, not to mention that Bison is notorious for having a combo that pretty much kills every character. It is the only combo you see Bison players do because it's easy and the damage is ludicrous. And I haven't even mentioned the mostly safe on block neutral skip that is his scissor kicks, or his safe on block OD psycho crusher that also blows through air attacks and projectiles. And people will say these moves aren't that bad because you can drive impact them on reaction, which is bullshit. Even if DI is the best thing you can do, you don't always have access to it because of the way the drive gauge constantly fluctuates throughout the match (not to mention the health cost), depending on the situation you might put yourself into burnout and not be able to deal enough damage to kill, and you should not just have to rely on hard callout system mechanics to beat extremely abusable moves that a character can use for free. That's just not fair. Between M. Bison's repertoire of attacks that are either impossible or proportionally too difficult to reliably punish on block and Akuma's insane plus frames out of demon flip, I genuinely think Capcom made these two DLC characters overtuned on purpose.

And finally, my main problem with this game that I absolutely will not defend, throw loops. Throw loops are without question the worst part of the entire game. I have yet to meet a single person who even likes throw loops. Everybody wants them out of the game whether they are in master rank or have never even touched ranked matchmaking. The corner is scary enough as it is not only on accounts of it being a fighting game, drive impact is an unblockable wall splat that leads to combos. Throws are also already very strong in this game because they're frame 3 (which makes them the fastest move in the game), knock down, and don't tend to create a lot of distance between both players in the corner. I get that Capcom didn't want the game to be devolved into fishing for perfect parries, hence why throwing people in a parry state take additional damage and suffer a hard knockdown, and why perfect parry punishes have 50% scaling. But throw loops are the worst possible solution to preventing this because it creates a different brainless problem. The game up until you're in the corner is rock-paper-scissors, and when you're in the corner, it feels like it's supposed to be another RPS but instead turns into a 50/50.

On offense, your main three options are to go for another throw, do a meaty strike, or shimmy. On defense, your main three options are to do an invincible reversal, block/parry, or do a fast low. But like I said, this isn't actually an RPS, it's effectively a 50/50 that favors the attacker. Shimmy is simply too safe against two of the better and more rewarding options. Walking backward makes you block the reversal and it also lets you walk back in and punish parry attempts. This and the fact that strikes beat throws on the same frame also makes trying to tech the throw incredibly risky. Frustratingly, if you go for a low and they're committed to a meaty, you lose straight up and you get blown up on counterhit for it. SFV had this exact same problem and from what I can tell, nobody liked it there either. Interestingly, neither of these have throw invuln on wakeup, which is just, why? Every other game has wakeup throw invuln and don't suffer from this problem whatsoever when when those games' grapplers are really good.

I've heard two main takes about solving the issue: one is the suggestion of increasing pushback from the corner with every successful throw which while it would be a solution to throw loops, landing multiple throws in succession in and of itself is not an issue that needs changing. The other take I've heard is that if they did end up removing throw loops, they would have to majorly restructure each character's moveset around this change, which first of all, no they wouldn't. Every character has some sort of baked in strike-throw and the frame data reflects this. A move being +3 is a deliberate design choice. There are 2 frames of throw invuln after being hit or blocking, which means that you can either input a throw that is 1 frame more difficult to react to or go for a 4 frame jab which will intercept the opponent if they attempt to counterattack. But an important distinction to make is this only works against grounded opponents. As soon one of you is knocked down, the relationship between all of these options is completely different and frankly irrelevant to the discussion of fixing throw loops. Secondly, even if Capcom is intentionally designing characters to abuse throw loops in the corner, that's a really fucking stupid way of making strong characters.

I've talked about it before and I'm not going to stop until I feel like Capcom starts listening to the community about this, but I genuinely think the solution is to just add wakeup throw invuln to the game. Every other Street Fighter game other than SFV has this. Even if it was just the 2 frames that you get after hit or block, it means you can't just meaty throw to invalidate two of the opponent's options in an RPS and your other two main options on offense don't have to change, and on defense you actually have a proper RPS that's still in the spirit of the game. Invincible reversals are still invincible so they beat both throws and strikes and lose to blocking, parrying still gets blown up by shimmy, and fast lows can reliably beat shimmy attempts. Universally, this would be a great change.

But does Capcom think so? Do they care that throw loops are just not fun to play with, against, or even watch? What about the aforementioned problem characters? That's my main fear with season 3 and onward. They've done so good with this game even in updating it but at the same time I feel like they just aren't responding to community feedback nearly enough to make the game feel healthy

[jarlsthegreat]

I Don't Care for Xavier Thorpe

I put off watching the Wednesday show for a while, long enough that I had already had the entire thing spoiled for me when I actually sat down to watch it. This isn't an uncommon occurrence for me, I watch content knowing what is going to happen all the time and it never dampens my enjoyment of the thing. However, I feel that in this instance that I may have come to hate Xavier so much as a character because I went in knowing he wasn't the Hyde.

Watching through the season it struck me that unlike other characters like Tyler, Bianca or Miss Thornhill, knowing how Xavier ended the series kind of left me with nothing to enjoy about him. All of those other characters can still be enjoyed as characters on rewatch of the show, but Xavier is kind of empty. We don't really know much about him in episode 6 that we didn't know in episode 1. The only things of note that I can think of are his prophetic dreams, his strained relationship with his father and his history with Tyler. But, all of these things that we learn are so surface level, his dreams are on the same level as his power to bring his drawings to life since it doesn't really feed into anything else about his character, we only have a few offhand comments about his father and we don't even get to hear him explain what happened with Tyler, it's just vaguely exposited by Wednesday later with no emotion or detail. It just seems like every chance they had to make me latch onto Xavier as a character was cut off at the knees. And with the way he acted throughout the season he really needed a moment like the one with Bianca and her mother or her reaching out to Lucas. If Xavier had a scene where he got to fully express the hurt his father caused him or if he actually got to tell the story of being attacked on Outreach Day onscreen, I wouldn't be writing this post.

Moving on, the way Xavier acted throughout this season just rubbed me the wrong way. I can enjoy mean characters, I can enjoy fantastically evil characters, I can enjoy tragic characters that make all the wrong choices, but I cannot STAND characters that I am supposed to view as morally upstanding being mundanely horrible and never being challenged on it. 

Xavier has a few good scenes throughout the season, namely his introduction scene when he's talking to Wednesday, him explaining physic powers and the scene where he attempts to help Wednesday in the fight against Crackstone episode 8 (despite him failing horribly). But the majority of the rest of his scenes just make me angry. It started out in episode 1 when he came up to Wednesday during the carnival. During this scene he makes it clear that he knows Wednesday wants him to leave but he doesn't. 

The times when Xavier warned Wednesday to stay away from Tyler before he revealed his history with him annoyed me personally because I have been in his situation, and I just couldn't stop thinking "Just tell her" Every time he just repeats that Tyler's trouble without elaborating. If you know someone is trouble and you have already told the person to stay away from them, you have to either accept that it's their life or tell them the reason why. Granted, Xavier does eventually give Wednesday an actual reason to stay away from Tyler, but it doesn't make the previous scenes of him being unjustifiably pissy at Wednesday any less aggravating.

His treatment of Bianca is a whole other can of worms, the fact that he previously berated her for using her powers to manipulate him before having the audacity to ask her to make him forget Wednesday. He has to know on some level how Bianca feels about her siren song so these two actions are just so insensitive towards her. And Bianca is a character that I actually like a lot so this knocks a ton of points off of Xavier in my book.

Then there's the scene where Xavier tells Wednesday that he has believed her from the beginning. This scene has already been picked apart, so I'll be brief. It is so obviously gaslighting that I legitimately thought "this line feels like it should be coming from Tyler as a manipulation tactic when Wednesday wises up to him" like I could actually see Tyler using that exact line on Wednesday when she had him tied up. Moving on.

The final scene that makes me hate this man so much is the scene where Wednesday visits him in prison. I've seen people calling this a great scene because Xavier finally calls Wednesday out on her selfishness. I wish I could see the scene that way, but the fact that Xavier seems more concerned that Wednesday kissed another guy than the fact that there is currently an active serial killer on the loose just angered me to no end. I know this character is a teenager and he is supposed to be immature, but there is a fine line and there is such a profound level of childishness and selfishness in the fact that Xavier does not give even a passing thought that he is actively endangering everyone in his school and the town because of his own bruised ego. And it is never called out, just like all of his other questionable actions. If he even tried to give Wednesday any help in this scene, been the bigger man in any way, or had to apologize for his behavior in a later scene, I possibly could have put aside his previous actions, but after that I don't know if I could ever like this character.

I don't think anyone is a bad person for liking Xavier, I'm sure a lot of you could write an essay just like this one on why you love his character, he just isn't for me. I like Tyler and he isn't for some people. Just act respectful towards fans that disagree with you. They're just opinions on characters at the end of the day.

TLDR: Xavier acts very selfishly throughout this season and the show acts like he has nothing to atone for and he isn't developed much as a character so I cannot latch onto any aspect of him.