#like 25 people from our school tried to get in

[drdemonprince]

it's very weird for me because I hear all these stories from my peers about how they were preyed on, about how they were spending all this time stopping older women from killing themselves or being groomed. I recognize that there were people who tried to do this to me, but I generally rebuffed them. it was offline where my mother was abusing me emotionally and (I've come to realize) sexually, gaslighting me into literally thinking she could read my mind, and it was online where I was treated like a real live person with agency who could experience pain

so when I hear my peers saying "oh it's horrible for kids to be on the internet unsupervised, it's all full of groomers," I'm like... the people grooming me were the people outside the computer. the yaoi sex RP at like age 12 was actually a welcome escape because I was treated like a human

Yeah, I'm with you. I had a lot of adult online friends when I was a child and teen and it actually all worked out great for me.

When I was in 4th grade I was active in AOL's video game community, participating in caption contests weekly, and the host of the contest liked my humor so much that he gave me a dedicated spot on the site. He and several of the other games writers were completely supportive and appropriate with me -- they treated me like a funny kid and made me feel like I had something valuable to say, and never crossed boundaries.

After that I was super active on the Invader Zim Obsessives Anonymous forum, which was mostly populated with preteens but was run by a 25 year old woman. She was a big sister figure to many of us, answering our questions about what getting drunk felt like and what it was like to drive a car when we had questions or needed details for the roleplays we were writing. I wrote little raps based on each week's Invader Zim episode and she made a special thread for me to do it and cheered on all our creativity.

I was also really active on virtual spaces like There.com, Gaia Online and Second Life. I went to virtual dance parties with adults as well as teens, traded items, attended game nights and other events, and chatted with them on voice or via text. Sometimes I'd hear an adult talk about their real life problems that I couldn't fully understand but it didn't feel any different from like interacting with a real-world neighbor or friend's parent.

Throughout high school I was on other forums filled with both adults and kids -- the asexuality forums, several Zelda forums, etc. A writer in his 50s even asked me to start contributing to his politics & culture blog when I was 16, after enjoying some of the writing I had about atheism and politics on my Myspace. He & his fellow writers on the blog mentored me as a writer and helped me feel confident in what I had to say and that I had the right to say it.

If I hadn't had all these supportive adults in my life, virtually, I would have been a lot more ignorant about the world, more socially isolated, and I wouldn't have the ironclad confidence that I have in my writerly voice. I am the product of dozens of adults encouraging me, seeing the promise in me, promoting my creative work as something worth paying attention to, and taking my interest in the world seriously.

The only near miss that I had was when I was on Myspace, where an adult man almost groomed a 16-year-old me for a "modeling photoshoot" in his basement. I had a bad feeling and bailed. By then I'd had enough healthy experiences that I knew when something felt off.

I mourn for the old days of the internet, pre social media, and I do not think it harmed me at all to have free and unmonitored internet access. It was never the internet that was the problem anyway -- it was the social conditions that kids are typically trapped inside of.

[athenamikaelson]

Klaus Mikaelson x Reader!Soulmate x Elijah Mikaelson PART 2

Word Count- 3k

Warnings- Swearing, blood, canon spoilers

Vampires exist. So don’t werewolves and witches, the supernatural. This is what Elena had told me on the way back to Mystic Falls after our adventure with the 3 cannibals. No, not cannibals, vampires. 

Flashback

“It’s true, Y/N. Vampires, witches, and other supernatural creatures exist. Those people who took us were vampires,” She motions to the two men in the front seat, “Stefan and Damon are aswell, but you don’t have to worry about them they won’t hurt you.”

“We’ll see.” The dark-haired one says out loud as he glances back at me skeptically. The look made me want to throw up but since my stomach didn’t have any more food to throw up I just stared at him nauseously.

“Damon, stop it,” Elena glares at him from the seat next to me, “You will not hurt Y/N, ever.” Elena continues her glaring at the man as he turns over his shoulders and rolls his eyes. 

“Don’t worry about Damon,” Elena whispers as she grabs my hand, “I’ll explain everything you need to know.”

“Yo, you good in there,” Theo’s voice calls from the other side of the bathroom door, “I need to do my hair before school and you know I need at least 25 minutes!”

I let out a deep sigh and tried to wipe away the tiredness from my eyes. After I got back last night Theo bitched me out for leaving him stranded at the party, without a license he had to walk himself home. When asked where I went off to I made up some lie about sleeping over at Elena’s. Theo was skeptical since he knows the closest person I have to a friend is the 67-year-old librarian at Mystic Fall’s library, but he’s more brawn than brain so he didn’t think much more of it. I hated lying to him, With Theo and I being so close and age we never kept things from each other, even though he’s a pain in my ass there’s no one in this world I love more than him. After our father and mother divorced that bond only strengthened. 

“Ya I’m fine,” I open the bathroom door and Theo’s usual calm facade breaks for a moment as he looks at me, “What the fuck happened to you? you look like you got into a fight with a squirrel and didn’t stand a chance.”

I roll my eyes at his remark and push past him to my room. As I grip the door handle a hand grabs my upper arm.

“Hey, I’m joking,” I turn to see Theo staring down at me worriedly, “Seriously though Y/N, what happened you look like you haven’t slept in years?” 

I can’t argue with his observation because I know what I look like since I just spent the last 15 minutes staring back at myself in the mirror. I was too tired last night to take a shower so I just used a washcloth for the blood on my face and chest, then passed out. Or at least tried to, my dreams were vacated by thoughts of what is truly hiding in the shadows, now that I know what is out there. 

“I just didn’t sleep that well last night.”

I try to get Theo to understand that I don’t want to approach this subject any further and thankfully he takes the hint. Within a split second the worried look drops and is replaced with a judgy look.

“Fine, but you’re going to need to change whatever it is you’ve got going on here,” He motions with his hands to my Hello Kitty T-shirt and matching pajama pants, “If I’m seen with you like this my social status will take a massive hit.”

My eyes roll and I shove a fist to his shoulder, earning a mocking gasp from him. 

“I’m taking the day off today, I only had two periods today anyway. I’ll still take you and drop you off, be in the car in 15 minutes, or else you’re taking the bus.”

Theo shoots me a horrified look and gasps, “And make me sit next to those peasants! You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.”

—-

Eight minutes later we’re in my car driving to school. One thing I can always count on with Theo is that he will never do anything to tank his reputation. When we moved here a few months ago I was worried he’d have a hard time making friends and fitting in but that was my mistake. Theo is the most extroverted extrovert I have ever met and has a way of making people fall over and do anything he wants with a flash of a smile. Where he got the charisma I got the brains. I would never admit it out loud but sometimes I’m jealous of just how many people truly liked being around him. My only friend is the librarian and the only reason she hasn’t run away from me is because it’s her 9-5, and she can’t leave. 

I pull up to the front of the school and Theo finishes putting the finishing touches onto his hair. As he steps out a group of football guys all wave and acknowledge him.

“My practice gets out at 4:30 tonight. Don’t forget me this time,” Theo leans down and looks at me with a pointed look. 

“I’ll be there, I give you my word.”

“Great,” Theo smiles at me and reaches his hand over for a fist bump, “Later nerd.”

I bump his fist with mine, “Bye loser.”

—-

As I pull into my driveway, I hear my phone chime go off. Glancing down at the screen I see an incoming call from Elena Gilbert. My brain tells me to ignore it and go back up to my bed and hide away from the world until I’m at least 43 years old, but my body has already made my thumb swipe to answer the call. 

“Hello?”

“Hey Y/N! How are you doing this morning,” Elena's voice comes from the other end, I hear the sound of a car in the background making me realize she must be driving, “I honestly didn’t think you’d pick up.”

“Honestly I debated not to,” I tell her honestly. 

“Um, well,” She pauses for a moment, “I know you’re probably very confused, and I don’t know if you want the company or not but I’m going to go do something and was wondering if you wanted to join me?”

I frown slightly at the question, “Why?”

Elena lets out a sound of confusion, “I just thought you might want to know more, or at the very least you shouldn’t be alone right now.”

“I don’t need your pity.”

“That’s not what I’m doing I promise you, Y/N. If you don’t want to come that’s fine by me, but I just want you to know you have a friend out there to talk to about this if needed. If you change your mind I’ll text you the address.”

I hum in acknowledgement and after a moment the call goes dead. I sit in my car for the next 20 minutes going through my head all the things I could do. I could do what I wanted to do before and hide out and be alone, or I could help Elena…. Hiding out seems like a great idea. As soon as my hand reaches the car door handle I’m reminded of how Elena defended me yesterday and fought for me and a loud groan escapes my lips. Fuck. I sit back, pull up the address she texted me, and pull out of my driveway. If I’m kidnapped again I’m going to be so pissed. 

—-

I pull my car into the spot next to Elena’s car in the middle of the woods. Yep, I'm getting kidnapped. What teenager hangs out in the woods next to a graveyard? I pull out my phone and dial Elena’s number. It rings for a moment before I get a response. 

“Y/N? Is everything ok? Are you hurt?” Elena’s frantic voice comes from the other end.

“What? No, I’m here. Where are you?” I turn around in a circle trying to catch a glimpse of the brunette girl but see nothing but tall barren trees.

“Oh! I didn’t think you’d come, I’ll be up in a second.” She hangs up the call as I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, come up from where? My question is answered when brown hair makes an appearance as Elena walks up a stone staircase leading to who knows where. As she notices me a small smile spreads onto her face and for a moment I get the urge to smile back, but suppress it back down and just nod at her in acknowledgment. She walks over to me and before I have a chance to react she’s wrapping her petite arms around me in a hug. What’s with all the hugging?

“Thank you for coming,” She releases me, “before I take you down though I should warn you it might be a little weird.” 

Her warning makes my heart start to beat faster and a sense of nausea surfaces, I really have to invest in some Tums. 

“Weirder than being kidnapped by three vampires, which I guess now are actually real?” 

Elena processes the question over for a moment before shaking her head slightly, “I guess not as weird as that, no.”

“Come on,” Elena motions me to follow as she guides me down the stone staircase. I tighten the small sweater over myself once I realize I’m still in my pajamas. With each step down I fear I’m walking into something that’ll make me regret getting out of bed this morning. But all I’m met with at the bottom of the stairs is a small stone room covered with dirt, in the center the stone opens up to darkness and I fight the urge to strain my neck to look in.

“Did you bring me a snack?” 

A tough female voice calls from the black abyss. Fuck, I really am getting kidnapped, aren’t I? I’m just about to run right back up those stairs and floor my Toyota Corolla out of this bitch when Elena speaks back to the voice.

“You’re not going to lay a finger on Y/N,” Elena looks at me as she walks over to the hole in the wall and sits down patting the spot next to her, “It’s ok Y/N, as long as she’s in there and we’re out here she can’t touch us.”

I frown in confusion as I drag my feet to where she’s sitting but as I walk from behind her I stop and stare at the woman slumped over in front of Elena. Or not Elena? What the actual fuck is happening!

“Elena, why the hell does she have your face, wait do you have a twin” I motion to the spitting image of Elena in front of us. She looks identical to Elena, wearing a dark mini-dress that looks like it would be easier to burn it rather than clean it at this point. 

“Don’t insult me like that.” The clone throws me a dirty look. 

“This was the weird thing I was mentioning earlier,” Elena explains, “This is Kathrine, she’s my doppelganger.”

“Correction,” Elena’s dopple-whatever jumps in, “She’s my doppelganger, I’m the original she’s just a cheap copy.” 

Ok…bitchy much.

Elena just rolls her eyes as if she’s used to this treatment, “It’s a supernatural phenomenon I guess where every few hundred years someone that looks just like us is born. Kathrine is the vampire that turned Stefan and Damon a hundred years ago.” 

I try to nod along but with all the information I’ve learned in the past 24 hours my mind feels like it’s going to explode. 

“Is she stupid or something?” I whip my head to Kathrine at the remark.

“Fuck you bitch.” 

Kathrine raises an eyebrow at my retort and shifts her shoulders upwards, “Fine, not stupid,” She slints her eyes at me, “Just slow.”

My anger rises at her insult and I am about to open my mouth to go tell this bitch off but Elena raises her hand in a stopping motion. 

“Don’t listen to her Y/N, she’s just trying to provoke you,” Elena sends Kathrine a dirty look, “It’s what she does.”

I nod my head along and realize that these two don’t seem to like each other even though they share the same face.

“So is this some bonding session,” I question Elena, “What are we doing here?’

“I came here to ask Kathrine questions about why I was taken yesterday, and why Elijah seemed to have known you from somewhere.” I watch Kathrine’s posture change slightly at the mention of the suited man. Appears she’s not a fan of the man either. I sigh as I sit down on the dusty ground next to Elena, and can only sit there disgusted as she pours something thick and red into a little cup. Once the stench hits my nose I realize she’s pouring blood.

I go to ask her what the hell she is doing but stop as she uses a stick to push it over to Kathrine. I disturbingly watch as the dopplebitch grabs the cup with her pale hand and brings it to her chapped lips. The red from the blood paints her lips as her mouth opens slightly and I catch a glimpse of two white sharp teeth protruding from her gums. 

“Finish the story,” Elena urges Kathrine as she flings the cup back to Elena. Kathrine adjusts her posture as she taps her chin in thought.

“Right, now where was I?”

“You were mentioning how you betrayed Rose and Trevor by killing yourself for your freedom, and ever since you’ve been on the run,’” Elena stands up and says as if it’s not the wild-ass sentence I’ve ever heard, she pauses for a moment in thought and I watch as a realization washes over her, “That’s why you’re here isn’t, to bargain your freedom to Klaus?” 

Kathrine follows suit and stands up facing Elena, “Mmm. Five hundred years on the run I figured maybe he’d be willing to strike a deal.”

I shake my head in confusion, “Wait, who’s Klaus? I thought Elijah was the scary cannibal guy everyone was afraid of.”

“Klaus is an ancient vampire who wants to sacrifice me,” Elena replies staring down at me, she must notice the look of utter confusion on my face because she tells me she explain that later. 

As I have no idea what the hell is even going on I just listen and watch as the two “not-twins” discuss the Klaus guy and the ingredients for the curse. Ingredients that happen to be actual people might I add. Caroline who I found out is now a vampire and not just some loud blonde girl that sits behind me in my French class, some special stone, Elena as aforementioned, and Theo’s football captain Tyler Lockwood, who surprise surprise is a fucking werewolf. Self-reminder to keep Theo away from him. 

“Better you die than I,” Kathrine tells Elena as she questions how she can just hand over all those innocent people. Elena shakes her head in frustration and then glances at me.

“Is Y/N a part of it,” Elena gestures to me and questions Kathrine who picks a piece of invisible lint off her shoulder. Kathrine takes her time moving her eyes from the wall in front of her to look me in my eyes. Where Elena and Kathrine may be almost identical it is the eyes that make them different. Where Elena’s eyes are kind and welcoming, Kathine’s are filled with nothing but malice and something much darker. 

“Why would she be? She’s human, and I already have my vampire,” Kathrine sends me a cold glance, “If Caroline doesn’t work out though, you can always be a backup, I guess.” 

I shiver at the cruel chuckle she lets out, and Elena walks in front of where I’m sitting. 

“That’s not what I’m talking about. Yesterday I watched as Elijah’s whole demeanor changed when he saw Y/N. He looked at her like he had known her his entire life.”

A small shift in Kathrine’s face appears for a split second before it’s gone. The cruel look in her eyes is now gone and replaced with something much different. Realization is what I can only think of as she runs her eyes over me as if seeing me in a different light. The corner of her lips tightens as she glances at me with an unexplainable look.

“He’s going to destroy you.”

That’s all she says as she picks herself up and strolls back into the darkness. I watch her back retreat as Stefan’s voice comes from behind me. I don’t focus on anything as Kathrine’s words repeat in my head. I must’ve been standing there looking into the abyss for too long because a hand on my shoulder shocks me. 

“Hey, don’t overthink what she said,” Elena shifts me to look at her, “Elijah is dead. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

“Elena’s right,” Stefan chimes in from behind her, “Kathrine has never told the truth a day in her life, whatever she told you was just to rattle you.”

I nod my head as I take a step away from them and towards to staircase. 

“I think I’m going to head home. I have some things I have to do,” I lie about the last part, I just want to get out of here before another panic attack decides to make an appearance.

Elena nods and tries to send me a comforting smile, “OK. Well, can I call you later?” she asks almost hopefully. I just nod my head slightly as I turn around and make my way up the stairs. 

—-

The entire drive home my mind is filled with thoughts of everything that’s happened in the past day. Curses, kidnapping, and the supernatural. Jesus Christ, this sounds like a bad TV show. I try to focus on the road but Kathrine’s last words to me keep ringing in my head. My breathing starts to quicken as I realize what that look in Kathrine’s eyes was. Fear. 

TAGS- @promptly-mercy @superblyspeedydragon @yoyoyoyooy44

@reidsworld

[blank468]

Nothing in My Hero Academia makes any sense.

Looking back at this series made me realize how much a lot of stuff never made any sense. A lot of stuff just happens without any rhyme or reason.

1. Why does the world of MHA look the same as ours even though it went through a life-changing change?

2. Wouldn’t it make sense if there were a major increase of villains than heroes since All Might kept the rate down more than anyone else?

3. What was Deku’s plan to get into UA if he never met All Might?

4. How has AFO not already taken over the world, with his infinite number of followers, infinite number of quirks he’s stolen for decades, and being able to kill the previous users of OFA before All Might?

5. How come secret identities don’t matter in a series about superheroes?

6. Why didn’t Nana Shimura change her last name to protect her son and herself from AFO?

7. What separates those with or without quirks if they can get a suit of armor or use a gadget that doesn’t influence or affect their quirk?

8. Why did AFO bother training Shigaraki on becoming a leader if he was going to mind-control him?

9. Was the doctor aware that AFO planned to hijack Shigaraki’s body?

10. Why is there an emphasis on Bakugo being a fan of All Might when he has no respect for him?

11. Why is Shoto invested in wanting to be friends with Bakugo?

12. How come Kirishima and Mina don’t care that Bakugo was actively bullying Deku?

13. Where is this counseling/therapy session that UA claims to have to keep Bakugo in check?

14. If AFO had access to Overhaul’s quirk, why didn’t he steal it or make a copy to help him or Shigaraki manage different quirks?

15. Why does Class 1A assume Deku and Bakugo’s relationship is a simple rivalry?

16. How and why did Aizawa assume Shoto lost his drive to fight since his match with Deku in the Sports Festival?

17. If Bakugo was taking Uraraka seriously during the Sports Festival, why did he accuse Deku for giving her a plan?

18. Why did Toga need to steal Deku’s blood during the Provisional License Exam?

19. Why is it bad when Deku tries to do something in his own and risks his life, but when Bakugo does this against Shigaraki AFO, it’s okay?

20. Why is Koji Koda trying to be a pro hero and not the world’s greatest animal caretaker?

21. Why are citizens with quirks not allowed to protect themselves when there are no heroes around?

22. Why does UA, especially Aizawa, have no respect or concern for their female students when they are constantly being harassed by Mineta?

23. Why was Bakugo and Mineta allowed to take the entrance exam?

24. Why did the police let Eri live at a hero school and not an orphanage?

25. Why did the heroes become active in saving Eri from Overhaul and not earlier when learning about the Yakuza?

26. Why would the population of Japan automatically be against the heroes when the country is being attacked after the Dabi reveal?

27. Why didn’t Dabi do his reveal at a time when there is peace and not when there is already chaos?

28. What is the point of the nomus?

29. Why does the population care if Bakugo joins the LOV when he already acts and thinks like a villain?

30. Why does Bakugo use his quirk in public without a license without facing any consequences?

31. Why does the story say that Bakugo’s moves are similar to Deku’s Full Cowl when they are not?

32. Why does Deku want to "Save people with a smile on his face" other than because All Might did it?

33. What was Dabi’s plan to expose his father if he never had access to the PLF?

34. Why was there no continuation to Stain and his ideology after his appearance?

35. How are the villains inspired by Stain when they want completely different things that Stain doesn’t want?

36. Why wasn’t Muscular executed after the Forest Camp Arc?

37. Why doesn’t the series show the perspective of how the villains have a hatred for the heroes other than the fact that they hate the way the world is?

38. Why does Deku feel the need to maintain a friendship with a guy who assaults him daily?

39. What is the point of having Bakugo die if he was going to come back?

40. Why does the series make a big deal when a major event changes everything but the setting remains the same?

41. Why did All Might kept his suit of armor a secret from everyone?

42. How did Sero fail his exam by being carried out but Bakugou passed?

43. Why doesn’t Bakugo do anything different to improve his relationship with Deku while knowing that he’s the reason for his self-destructive behavior?

44. How is Deku an underdog if he is given the most broken ability?

45. How is Bakugo so dedicated to helping Deku succeed and master OFA when the only time he helped was when he tried to force Blackwhip out?

46. Why are some of the students some overactive buffoons or some unlikable and petty jerk that don’t act like heroes?

47. Why didn’t Deku tell anyone other than Uraraka that he wants to save Tomura?

48. Why does Aizawa expect his students’ problems to be fixed on their own?

49. Why didn’t Deku come up with a plan to save Tomura after being asked if he had one?

50. Why didn’t the story have the news reporters record Yoga sacrificing herself to save Uraraka?

51. Why wasn’t UA called out for playing favorites with their students?

52. How is My Hero Academia considered a progressive manga when the only trans character is a side character or a villain who gets killed off and completely forgotten about?

53. Why are so many characters and their developments destroyed and undermined to be in favor of a bunch of assholes?

54. Why do a majority of villains in this series exist to favor or give Shigaraki an unearned victory?

55. Why wasn’t Bakugo punished for using his gauntlet during the Battle Trials?

56. Why should 1A care that they lost Aizawa’s trust when they shouldn’t have any to give him?

57. Why was Hawks’ first reaction to seeing the Twice clones in the final arc to kill him?

58. Why does Rei say everyone s to blame for Dabi and his actions despite Endeavor being the abuser and everyone else being a victim?

59. Why doesn’t Hawks reflect on his idol being an abuser instead of being a cheerleader?

60. Why is the pacing of each arc all over the place?

61. Why does the hero ranking system still exist?

62. What are the heroes going to do in the future if there is another Bakugo, Endeavor, and Dabi?

63. Why did Bakugo pick a fight with Deku in the middle of the night and instead of reflecting and questioning on why the LOV thought he would make a villain?

64. If technology in this universe so advanced that you can create robots and a suit of armor why can’t Tensei have robot legs to help him walk again

65. Why is Aizawa constantly making up excuses to justify Bakugo’s behavior instead of punishing him?

66. How is Bakugo a pillar of inspiration for 1A when Shoto, Iida and Momo exist?

67. What was the point of Kurogiri/Shirakumo as a character?

68. Why did Bakugo kill Kurogiri when he was just helping the heroes?

69. Why should I care about Mitsuki and Masura when the story fails to further develop and improve their relationship with their son?

70. Why does the “Save to Win and Win to Save” motif do nothing but fuel Bakugo’s ego and his abusive attitude?

71. What is the point of chapters 218 to 240?

72. What is the point of chapters 396 to 410?

73. What is intelligent and complex about the plans that Bakugo when people praise him for being a good tactician?

74. Why does Dabi have no reaction to Toga and Shigaraki’s death?

75. Where is the Todoroki family dinner without Endeavor?

76. Why is Rei stuck with wheeling Endeavor after the final arc?

77. Why does Bakugo get to know about the secret of OFA when he doesn’t deserve it?

78. How is Shigaraki supposed to be this great fighter if he’s constantly being bailed out by to plot to save him?

79. Why is Rock Lock portrayed as being unfair and overprotective when he makes a good point as to why he does want first year students involved in the raid?

80. What is the point of showing the LOV suffering if they were going to be irredeemable?

81. Why wasn’t Midnight told or learned that Kurogiri was Oboro?

82. Why in the end there so much put on Bakugo’s feelings rather than the main character?

83. Why does the story want me believe that Dabi is sympathetic and is worth earning a redemption when he’s really an unlikable psychopath that kills people for no real reason?

84. How is Shigaraki a good leader if he spent hundreds of chapters doing nothing with no real game plan?

85. Why wasn’t Dabi blamed for letting the heroes find the LOV hideout?

86. Why didn’t Gran Torino check up on Tomura after Nana died?

87. Why didn’t Dani check to see if Best Jeanist was dead and keep check on Hawks before the war arc started?

88. How is Aizawza a good mentor when he doesn’t teach his class anything important?

89. How can 1A not take the time to visit Deku is the rate of villains has gone down after they graduated?

90. Why does everyone hate 1A and see them as arrogant for being attacked at USJ?

91. Why are the civilians portrayed as being unfair and evil for getting angry with UA and the heroes?

92. What sense does it make to have Deku place last in the quirk assessment test after he spent months doing physical training with the No.1 hero?

93. Why is there less focus on quirkless discrimination and more given to the one that enables it?

94. Why does Shisou get transferred to 1A when most of his dynamic with them is him being an asshole?

95. Why should I care that Aoyama left UA if I already know he’s going to come back eventually?

96. If the movies are canon why don’t they play a huge factor in the story?

97. What sense does it make to host the Sports Festival to the public after the events of USJ?

98. Why were almost all the females heroes useless during the Overhaul Raid?

99. What exactly did Deku proved to the world about supporting and reaching out to villains by murdering Shigaraki?

100. Why is the actual final fight against AFO a loud, obnoxious and over bearing mess that combines all the worst aspects of Horikoshi as a writer?

[littlespirit-199]

Trying to Decipher the Ages of the Burns Family from Transformers: Rescue Bots Because I Have Little to No Social Life

Apparently Nicole Dubuc once tweeted that Kade, Dani and Graham are 21, 20, and 19 respectively at the start of the show. I couldn’t find this tweet myself, but I did find people talking about it when I tried to look up if their ages had ever been confirmed, and I wanted to set the record straight, because I don’t buy that for a second. Not only does it assume that Graham earned two degrees by the age of 19, it also mixes up their age order. Seeing this made me wonder if I could puzzle out estimates of their real ages based on their respective licenses/careers and compare that to Maine law. If you’re the same kind of insane I am, hopefully you’ll enjoy my ramblings. It isn’t meant to be academically sound or airtight, I’m basically just here to have fun. No one asked for this, but it is my cross to bear lol

P.S. Everyone please thank Graham for being the only one with definitive markers of his age. Most of these guesses are based off of him and his age in relation to the other characters

Kade

He is the oldest child in the Burns family

According to portlandmaine.gov, three years of work and/or educational experience after high school are required to become a firefighter in Maine, so he is 20 at the absolute minimum (some people graduate high school at 17, but statistically, more people graduate at 18, which would push this minimum up to 21)

We see in S3E3, “Too many Kades,” that Kade also has his pilot’s license, but that doesn’t help us here, as you can get that at 16 in Maine, and we already determined that he’s obviously older than that

We can get a more accurate guess by comparing Kade’s age to Graham’s. Graham is clearly at least 24 at the start of the series (later discussed in his section), which would make Kade at least 25

None of these characters are new at their jobs. Kade, being the oldest, has likely been working the longest, so I can guesstimate he has ~5 years experience. This also points to him being 25-26, however, it’s mostly based on speculation and shouldn’t be taken at face value

In S2E13, “The Island of Misfit Tech,” Kade mentions how well he and Graham did at soccer, presumably when they were Cody’s age. This isn’t definitive proof that they’re close in age, however, it nudges me in that direction. Out of the 4 siblings, I believe these two have the smallest age gap, likely only a year or two between them, because they seem quite close and mention how they grew up together more so than either of them do with Dani. For the sake of argument, I’m going to assume that Graham is 1 year younger than Kade.

Final guess for Kade: 26

Graham

Second oldest according to S1E3 “Hotshots”

Apparently a lot of people headcanon Dani as older than Graham, but that directly contradicts what Dani says in this episode.

A high school diploma is required to get a heavy machinery operations license in Maine (though I don’t think anyone was doubting that he graduated high school)

He starts working on his PhD in S1E19 “You’ve Been Squilshed,” meaning he already had a master’s degree prior to that point

If we assume he took an average amount of time earning his previous degrees (4 years for a bachelor’s, 2 years for a master’s), he is 23 at an absolute minimum (more likely 24, if we assume he graduated high school at 18), but I’m inclined to believe he’s at least slightly older due to the fact that he’s clearly been working as an engineer for a while before the start of the series.

In S4E1, “New Normal,” he finished his doctorate, which was probably about 5 years working on it in total if we count the time spent during seasons 1-3 and factor in the three year timeskip. This is an expected timeframe for earning a PhD, which could support the argument that he earned his other degrees at an average pace as well.

If we go on our earlier assumption that Graham is a year younger than Kade, this would make him 25 at the start of the series, which fits all these stipulations

Final guess for Graham: 25

Dani

She is the second youngest Burns child, according to S1E3, “Hotshots,” and S4E14, “Hot Rod Bot”

I also believe that there’s a bigger gap between her and Graham, because in S2E22, “A Brush with Danger,” she runs into an old classmate that neither Kade nor Graham remembers meeting. Since Griffin Rock is so small, and we see during Cody’s school scenes that his class is very small, Kade and Graham would have remembered him if they were at the same school at the same time, so this pushed me in the direction that they had either graduated or were many grades ahead of Dani.

In the state of Maine, you have to be at least 16 to fly solo, and 17 to have a private pilot’s license according to umaine.edu

Notably, Maine is one of the few states that allows underage EMTs, with 16 as the minimum (source: https://www.healthcarepathway.com/become-an-emt/maine-emt). However, underaged EMTs have to follow a “junior supervision plan.” I couldn’t find what exactly this entails in my research, but we can assume Dani doesn’t have to follow one considering we see her acting alone many times without her father or older brothers around. This puts her at 18 at least. Considering she also doesn’t go to school, it’s pretty obvious that she’s already graduated (or dropped out, but that doesn’t seem likely considering she becomes an astronaut later, and you need schooling for that)

She also seems very experienced, so we can assume she’s been working at this job for a few years. I’d be willing to put her at 20-21 because of this.

There is an argument for her still being a minor, being that in S4E14, “Hot Rod Bot,” she gets grounded.

The mere fact that this is a season 4 episode essentially disproves that she would still be a minor. If she were still under 18 in season 4, this would only make her 13 in season 1, which is incredibly ridiculous and not even worth discussing

She’s still living at home, so she has to follow Charlie’s rules, and I would say that risking revealing Cybertronians to the public is grounds for a grounding even if you’re an adult

There’s not much to suggest her age other than that, so the full range of possibility for her is 18-24, which is a pretty big range to guess from. We’re trying to sculpt with cotton candy here, so I’m not as confident in this guess as I was for the other two.

Final guess for Dani: 22

Cody

He’s the youngest by a significant margin

Surprisingly, Cody was one of the simpler characters to parse out.

In S3E16, “Time After Time,” we see that Cody and Frankie are in the same class at school.

In S1E11, “Return of the Dino Bot,” Cody says that Frankie is “a little older than him,” meaning she is probably only a few months older (if she were a whole year older, they would be in different classes)

In S4E14, “Hot Rod Bot,” Frankie celebrates her 14th birthday, meaning she was 11 before the 3 year timeskip, and ~9 during season one, since we already established that several years passed during seasons 1-3.

Following this logic, Cody is 8-9 during season one

Final guess for Cody: 9

Charlie

Idk he’s probably like 55 or something he’s old but still young enough to be a first responder and that needs a really good physical condition

Their season 3 ages:

Kade: 28

Graham: 27

Dani: 24

Cody: 11

Their season 4 ages:

Kade: 31

Graham: 30

Dani: 27

Cody: 14

[morgana-larkin]

Alright, here's part 24 of Just Tired. It's all in Melissa's POV and the next chapter will be Y/n's POV. Not edited in the slightest and I hope you like it!

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 25 Part 26

Just Tired - Part 24

Warnings: Manipulative Relationship (Mentioned), swearing

Words: 3.5k

Melissa wakes up the next morning with ruined makeup and her clothes from yesterday as she didn’t have the energy to get ready for bed. She reluctantly gets out of bed with a groan and gets ready for work. 

“Hey Barb, can I hitch a ride with you?” Melissa asks her as she sees her downstairs getting coffee ready.

“Of course, and maybe you’d want to tell me what happened yesterday between you and Y/n.” Barb says and Melissa looks down.

“We both said some things we shouldn’t have and then I told her to get out of my life.” She explains and then puts her head in her hands. “Oh god, I really fucked up.” She says and Barb hands her a coffee. 

“So you could both apologise and then put it behind you.” Barb says so simply.

“No you don’t understand, Y/n has a fear of intimacy and abandonment. She fears people leaving her and casting her out which is exactly what I did yesterday. She won’t want me back in her life, she’d be too scared to do that again.” Melissa explains.

“Hm, that does make it difficult.”

“More like impossible. She’s basically the best thing to come into my life and I fucked it up.” Melissa says and Barb looks at her with sympathy.

“I’m sure you and Y/n will be in each other’s lives again.”

“Well our classrooms are right across from each other and we teach the same grade so we will have to converse a few times but we agreed to avoid it if we can.” Melissa explains and lays her head on the kitchen counter. “What do I do?” 

“Well you could apologise and go from there.” Barb tells her and Melissa looks up.

“I don’t know, Barb, I really don’t know this time.” Melissa says and then they leave the house to go to work. Barb drives the both of them to work and keeps casting glances at Melissa who was leaning her elbow on the door and leaning her head on her hand. “She admitted she had feelings for me.” Melissa randomly says. “And what did I do? I told her I knew about her feelings but can’t be with her, like a fucking idiot.” 

“You’re not an idiot Melissa, you’re still healing. And it was right after the trial, you were in shock that they didn’t come to an answer.” Barb tells her.

“That shouldn’t matter, I’ve seen how Y/n has pushed aside her feelings to make sure I was ok, many times. I should have been able to do the same for her, just one time.” Melissa says to her and sighs. 

Barb and Melissa get to school and walk up to the doors and enter the school. They make it to the break room and Melissa freezes when she sees you there talking to Janine and Jacob like nothing happened. Barb gives her a slight push and she goes to put her lunch in the fridge. She takes a deep breath before her and Barb go to the couch to watch the news, away from you.

“Oh, we gotta get to our classrooms.” Janine says and you all pack up and leave the break room.

You were too busy greeting your students that you didn't notice Melissa staring at you almost the entire time. She watches as you say hi to all of your students with a smile and she sighs, wishing you’d smile at her again but probably never will. She kept herself busy as she taught lessons to her little eagles and grading their worksheets that they did on Friday. While grading, she glanced at you and you were leaning on your desk, facing your class as you kept asking them questions about something, getting them engaged. She liked your teaching style, you tried to engage your students as much as possible, ask them questions and see if they can guess the correct answer.

“Ms. Schemmenti?” One of her students says as they came up to her desk.

“Yes?” She asks them.

“I’m stuck on question 3.” They tell her and she goes to explain it to them, a couple different ways until they understood.

When they go back to their seat, she gets lost in thought again. Mostly about what happened on Sunday after the court trial. She knows she regrets what she said but she wonders if you do. You seem to be following exactly what she said, to stay out of her life as you haven’t even looked at her once today and she hates that. She misses the attention you gave her, all the compliments, all the times you would smile at her, touch her when she needed it. She then thought of how you took her to the club, had fun on a tire swing, took her roller skating, suggested casual dating. You opened up a whole other world for her and she’s not sure if she could continue with the way she has been, not when you’re not even in her life anymore. The best part was doing those things together, having fun together.

Barb drives them both home after school ends and Melissa was quiet the entire way back and all through dinner and Barb was worried about her. The only times Melissa was this quiet was when she was retreating into her own mind, when life was too much to deal with. Melissa goes to her room for the rest of the evening and just lays on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Memories flash through her brain and a tear rolls down her face.

She thinks about how you were smiling at her when she was learning how to roller skate, how you were laughing with her on the tire swing, how you smiled when she said that the two of you were friends. She also thought of how you held her on Saturday night, how you cuddled her right after she left Joe, how you held her whenever she started crying. Thoughts of how you used to cup her cheek when she was sad or when you were about to kiss her, how you were so attentive to what she needed when having sex or even just in general. She misses being able to talk to you, have you in her arms some nights, look into your eyes and see the complete adoration you have for her. Or at least the adoration you had as you probably don’t feel that way anymore. You two spent a lot of time together in the 8 weeks that you’ve known each other and she doesn’t remember when she’s ever been happier. She then grabs her pillow and puts it over her face as she lets out a scream. She then hears her phone vibrating and she looks at it and sees her mom is calling her, strange.

“Hey Ma.” She says after accepting the call.

“Melissa, honey, how are you?” Teresa says.

“I’ve been better but I'm trying to keep busy.” Melissa tells her.

“I heard that you were divorcing Joe.” She says and Melissa lets out a sigh.

“Ya, I realised I wasn’t happy with him, haven’t been for a long time.” Melissa tells her and hears her mother hum.

“I’m glad you’re leaving him, none of us liked him.” Teresa says after a few seconds and Melissa sits up from her bed in shock.

“Really? I thought you’d be upset with me then I’m getting divorced.”

“I probably would be if you were leaving anyone else but it seemed like he was trying to control you and I didn’t like that.” Teresa tells her honestly. “I may not have been there for you when you were growing up but I do love you and all your siblings.”

“Even Kristen Marie?” She asks with a smile.

“Even her.” Teresa says. “I’ve also heard that you’ve been hanging out with this young girl.” She says after a few seconds.

“Ya, her name is Y/n and her and I are friends, were friends…not anymore.” Melissa says and lets out a sigh.

“What happened?” 

“Joe talked to both of us and I guess let both of our insecurities come to light and her and I had a fight yesterday and I told her to get out of my life.” Melissa explains to her mom.

“It’s that Schemmenti anger, I’m sure you both will be fine, us Schemmenti’s are hard to leave and hard to get rid of, and we also do what we can to get what we want.” Her mother says and Melissa nods.

“Maybe.” Melissa says and then her and her mother chat for a few minutes before her mom has to go and they say goodbye before hanging up. Melissa lets out a sigh of relief that her family seems to be on her side in this and won’t cast her out. 

She then grabs the pillow that you slept on on Saturday night and buries her face in it, being able to still smell you on it. She lays her head on her pillow and holds the pillow you slept on close to her body. She places a kiss on the pillow before she closes her eyes and falls asleep.

The next morning she got up and went to get ready for work. Barb drives her again as Melissa is too distracted to drive carefully right now.

“So your mom said she was glad you were finally leaving him?” Barb says as they enter the school.

“Ya, she said she never liked him.” Melissa finishes telling her about the phone call. 

They walk into the break room and Melissa sees you there sipping from your coffee mug and wrapping your sweater closer to your body. She’s never seen you do that before, it may be the last week of October but it’s always the same temperature inside the school. You put your mug down and you seem lost in thought while Janine and Jacob carry on a conversation. Melissa then goes to put her lunch in the fridge before she makes her way to the tv.

“Y/n? Are you even paying attention?” Janine asks you and you look up at them.

“Not really, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.” You tell her. “Sorry.” You tell them before you stand up and head for the exit. You weren’t looking at your surroundings and you bumped right into Melissa as she was walking from the fridge to the tv and the coffee spilled on both of you. You end up dropping your mug and it breaks upon impact with the floor and you were in shock. “Oh god, Melissa I’m so sorry.” You apologise and she goes to say something but you speak again. “I’ll go get Mr. Johnson so he can clean this up.” You tell her and she sees tears in your eyes before you speed walk out of the break room. Were you just as upset as she was about the whole situation?

“I’m gonna go change my shirt.” She tells Barb and then goes to her classroom. 

She grabs the extra shirt she has before she starts to head to the bathroom when she sees your classroom light on but the door is closed. She decides to cross the hall and peek in through the little window and sees you crying at your desk. She raises her hand to knock but then she stops and thinks. She wants to comfort you right now but if you’re upset with her then she wouldn’t be much help. Also, would you even want to be comforted by her after what she told you? Probably not. She took one last look at you before she heads towards the bathroom, heart hurting from seeing you in pain. 

She sees you greeting your students with less enthusiasm than you usually do and she sighs. Against her better judgment, she crosses the hall to you and stops right beside you and you look at her in confusion.

“Can I help you Ms. Schemmenti?” You ask her, voice neutral.

“Just wanted to say no hard feelings about the coffee, accidents happen.” She says and then goes back to greeting her students. 

An hour later she’s staring at her phone as her students are doing quiet reading time. She’s had 5 people ask her out since Saturday night but she has no interest in going out with any of them. She had her insecurities brought to the surface by Joe and then had a huge fight with you which caused her to lose you, her interest in casual dating and sex is currently non-existent. She then puts her phone down and then starts working on next week's lesson plan. She gets a notification on her phone and she looks to see it’s a text from you and she quickly goes into her phone and looks at it. 

You: Thank you for forgiving me about the coffee incident.

It wasn’t a lot but it was enough to bring a smile to her face before she looks down the hall and see you writing something. You must have sensed you were being watched as you looked up and then turned your head to see across the hall and you both lock eyes. She sees that your eyes don’t seem as bright as they were a couple days ago, and you have pain in your eyes instead of adoration when looking at her. 

That information alone is enough to crush any hope Melissa has of ever making it up to you. Of course you look at her and feel hurt, she casted you out when you were starting to trust her and your fear is probably even worse now than ever before. Melissa turns away from you and looks down at her desk and continues working. 

She was saying goodbye to her students when she heard shouting across the hall and sees a parent yelling at you and furrows her eyebrows. 

“My kid has been telling me everything you’re teaching and I don’t like it! I want you to change what you’re teaching!” They yell at you and Melissa sees you seem to remain calm.

“I’m very sorry to hear that but I teach them what I’m told to teach them and what I think they should be taught as it’s important.” You tell them calmly.

“I don't want you teaching them queer history! I don’t want it rubbing off onto my kid! It’s bad enough that her teacher is a queer!” They yell and Melissa immediately walks over. 

“Is there a problem here?” Melissa asks the parent.

“Mrs. Schemmenti, you’re a respected teacher here. Please tell this queer that she shouldn’t be teaching gay history to our kids.” The parent tells her.

“Well first it’s Ms, and secondly I think it’s important for our kids to know our whole history and not just parts of it.” She defends you and the parent gets angry at that.

“Why are you defending her? This queer! This *insert gay slur*!”

“Sir, I’m gonna have to ask that you take your daughter and leave now.” She tells them and the father takes his daughter’s hand and walks away. Melissa then looks at you and you’re looking at the floor. “Are you ok? Parents can be mean sometimes, don’t listen to what he said.” She tells you and you look up at her.

“Never had anyone say anything bad about my sexuality before.” You tell her and she goes to grab your hand but stops herself and freezes as she doesn’t know what to do.

You see her go to reach for your hand but then freezes. You then go and wrap your sweater closer to your body and cross your arms.

“Don’t listen to him, he’s a homophobic jackass.” She decides on and you nod.

“Thanks.” You tell her and she nods before she goes back to saying goodbye to her students while casting glances at you. 

Barb drives both of them home as Melissa tells her about the incident with the parent.

“Well it must be nice for her to know that you’ll defend her no matter what.” Barb tells her.

“I don’t even know how she feels though. She’s spoken to me like 4 times in 2 days and I hate it.” Melissa says, followed by a huge sigh. 

“Just give her time, if she’s hurting right now then she’ll just need some time.” Barb says.

“Time for what? Time to heal? Time to forget about it? I can assure you that both will probably happen. She’ll heal but also won’t give a shit about me.” Melissa complains.

“What makes you think she’ll forget about you?”

“I looked into her eyes today. Before when I looked into her eyes, I used to see adoration for me. Today, all I saw was pain as she looked at me and it broke me. Her remembering the pain I cause her everytime she looks at me, it’s gonna break me.” Melissa says and leans back into the seat. 

“Melissa, do you think it’s possible that it’s not only the pain you caused her that’s hurting her. Maybe it’s also the pain she caused you.” Barb says and Melissa thinks about it. “You told her to get out of your life because of what she told you, don’t you think that maybe she’s also carrying guilt of causing it. She also could be respecting your wishes of staying away from you.” Barb tells her.

“Did she tell you any of this?” Melissa asks.

“No, I haven’t spoken to her since Sunday, I think she’s avoiding me too.” Barb says and Melissa sighs.

Barb watches as Melissa carefully makes dinner an hour and a half later. Melissa keeps slapping their hands if they try to help so Gerald left to the living room as Barb stays to keep her company. 

“Why does it have to be perfect?” Barb asks her.

“Because I’m giving a serving to Y/n tomorrow to help her feel better about what happened with that parent and good food makes anyone feel better.” Melissa explains as she starts chopping up the ingredients. 

“Why does it have to be perfect though? She basically ate anything you made.” 

“But that was when we were friends, before she never wanted to see me again.” Melissa says.

“So you think you could just slip a serving to her without her noticing and hope that she feels better?” Barb asks.

“Yep.” Melissa says.

“You really do love her.” Barb says and Melissa looks up at her. “I hope you don’t go too far just to try and get her back though.” Barb adds and Melissa lets out a deep breath.

“What if I’m willing to do whatever to get her back?” Melissa asks her. “Anything just to have her back in my arms? To be able to see her smile at me again, to have those eyes shine with love towards me just one more time.” 

“I’d say your feelings run deeper than I thought.” Barb tells her. “Everyone has their limits though. If you reach hers while trying to get her back and she’s still not wanting to be in your life, then you still have to be prepared to let her go.” Barb tells her cautiously and Melissa looks at her before she nods.

“For now, let’s hope that food makes her day better.” 

Melissa gets Mr. Johnson to unlock your classroom before you get there so she slips in and leaves the container of food on your desk. Melissa is organising some papers when she sees you go to unlock your classroom and walk inside. You go to your desk and read the note.

‘Hope this helps you feel better.’

-Melissa

You read it and then you look up to where Melissa went back to organising her papers so you don’t know she was staring at you. 

“Feel better about what?” She hears and didn’t realise you were at her doorway.

“About yesterday.” She simply says as she begins placing the test on the desks.

“I’m grateful that you defended me but I don’t need your food.” You tell her and she sees you have the container in your hands.

“I’ll defend any teacher here, no matter what. As for the food, just think of it as a celebration for surviving the first time a parent yells at you.” She says. “I’ve been here for 15 years and parents weren’t too pleased to have another white teacher at first.” She tells you.

“Well thank you.” You say to her and she shrugs, trying to play it cool even though she was happy on the inside. 

“Just give me the container back when you’re done with it.” She tells you and you nod before you go to the break room quickly to put the food in the fridge. After you leave, Melissa can’t help but smile, maybe she can get you back.

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[lolahasmoxie]

Conversations at 3 AM (E.M.)

PAIRING: Eddie Munson x Reader

WORD: 1.3k

WARNING: nudity, language, casual intimacy, established relationship, friends to lovers, mentions of getting pregnant, mentions of sexy times, heart-to-heart talks (Eddie & reader are 25)

CONCEPT: You and Eddie aren't used to people sticking around.

DIVIDER FROM @firefly-graphics

Even though you were born at 6 a.m. on the dot, you were a night owl through and through.

During high school and college, summer meant you became a nocturnal creature, much to the annoyance of your family. There was one person it never annoyed, though.

You had met Eddie in elementary school after he moved into the trailer across from yours. From the day you met, you had been thick as thieves. For years, your friends watched as you skirted the line of will they won't they, watching the other traverse dating and relationships with an envious eye. It wasn't until a year ago, when Eddie kissed you during the middle of a movie night, that you had finally become more.

Tonight, you'd had dinner at Steve's house with the whole gang, seeing as Mike, Dustin, and Lucas were all in town for a long weekend from college. The boys had planned a one-off campaign at your shared apartment the following night, and by midnight, you and Eddie were in your home.

Side by side, you brushed your teeth, trying not to laugh as Eddie made faces at you in the mirror. Once in your Queen bed, Eddie's hands began mapping your body, and in a practiced routine that felt like breathing, you let him love you until sleep came for you both.

However, this time, sleep only came for Eddie.

You had tried everything to fall back asleep: counting sheep, listing Metallica songs followed by Black Sabbath, breathing in time with Eddie. Nothing worked. So, as carefully as you could, you crawled out of his hold, placing your pillow closer to Eddie when he started to stir. As his gangly arms wound around the object, you entered your kitchen.

You had been at the table for a while when you heard soft footsteps coming down the hallway. Turning your head, you watch as your tall metalhead boy walks into the kitchen naked as a jaybird, cock dangling freely as his hands wipe at his eyes like a little boy.

"What time issit." he mumbles as Eddie comes up behind you. He wraps his arms around you, placing a kiss on your hairline. "Why are you still up?"

"Almost 3 a.m. and I tried to go to sleep, but no dice," you say. He nods in understanding before sitting next to you at the table.

"I was having this great dream; you were wearing that black number you wore to our last show at the Hideout? Anyway, you were letting me drag you to the bathroom to do unspeakable things to you when I woke up, and instead of rubbing against my pretty girlfriend, I was humping your pillow. By the way, I'm pretty sure there's a stain, and I'm sorry in advance." You can't help but smile as you dip a carrot into the hummus.

"Didn't want to wake you up. You know how I toss and turn when I can't sleep."

"So there's no reason you're up at almost 3 a.m. eating," he paused as he reached for the container of hummus. "Jalapeno hummus? Holy fuck, you're not pregnant, are you?"

"No, you asshole," you playfully slap Eddie's arm as he tries to play off his terrified expression. "Nice to know how you feel about the topic, though."

"I'm just warning you, we could be on a babymaking schedule to get knocked up; I will still probably freak the fuck out when it does happen, so just a heads up for when we get there."

"Duly noted." you chuckle. Eddie laces his hand into yours and brings them to his lips. You can feel his eyes on you; you know Eddie will give you your space to work out whatever is going on in your brain. But he's also a persistent asshole who won't stop until he finds out why you left him alone in bed. "Does this ever feel too good, Eds?"

"What do you mean?"

"Us. I mean, we disagree on things, but we never really fight. Being together with you has always just felt scarily easy; I've never had that with other boyfriends." You sigh as you look at your joined hands. "Feels like I'm waiting for something, but I don't know for what."

"Easy, I know what it is," Eddie says as he gives your hand a squeeze. "You're waiting for the other shoe to drop." When you meet his gaze, those cow-brown eyes study you, looking at you with more love than you think you can handle.

"Elaborate, please."

"You and I have always been alike," he begins. "our dating histories are littered with people telling us we were too much. Too loud, too needy, or too whatever. But here's the good part, babe. You will never be too much for me. Ever."

"You mean it?" You're impressed that he could sum up your feelings so succinctly. He grins at you, a beautiful smile spreading from ear to ear.

"Of course I mean it. I had to watch you date assholes for ten years; you really think I'm gonna let you go now that I'm lucky enough to call you mine? Not a chance, sweetheart." You reach out a hand and cup his cheek, and you can't help but smile when Eddie leans into your touch.

"Thank you, Eddie."

"No problem; you know, I had resigned myself to loving you from afar a long time ago. Sometimes, when I wake up next to you, I feel like I gotta pinch myself to make sure it's real."

"You're such a cheeseball," you tease. "Why don't you head back to bed? I'm gonna clean up and join you in a minute." You stand from your chair, but Eddie stops you with a tug of your hand. In a flash, you're on his lap. Your hands hold onto his shoulders, although you're in no danger of falling. Edde's grip is secure as he gives you a look you are all too familiar with. You speak his name, and he raises a hand to push the hair from your face.

"You know, it was very mean to leave me in that big bed all by myself," he begins, his hand cupping your cheek. You feel your body warm as his thumb caresses your cheek. "Why don't you let me take you back to bed and help quiet that big brain of yours. Sound good, sweetheart?"

You lean in to kiss your man, his arms wrapping tight around you as he fists your shirt in his hands. When his tongue runs along the seam of your lips, you happily grant him access, tangling your hands in his hair while you slowly start to grind against him. When you feel him hard and warm underneath you, you think you may never want to sleep again.

You both enjoy the kiss, neither of you rushing things. You pull back when you need air, and while Eddie's face is happy, there's something else. You raise an eyebrow as he licks his lips.

"You taste like salsa." You can't help but laugh as you lean forward and bury your nose in his neck. He pulls you closer, hands caressing your back like you're the most precious being in his universe. You can feel his chuckle as your chests press together.

You stay still for a moment to enjoy being surrounded by him. One of the things you loved about being nocturnal was how quiet the world was at almost 3 a.m. You hum contentedly when you feel Eddie's lips against your hair. You close your eyes, wanting to commit this moment, this feeling to memory.

"Alright," Eddie taps you on the ass and breaks the silence. "Let me take you back to bed, alright?" You climb out of his lap and softly kiss the corner of his mouth.

"I'll go brush my teeth. Why don't you go make sure the bed is warm." Eddie hops up, cock bobbing comically as he begins to do a naked run back to your room.

"I'll keep the home fires burning! If I fall asleep, wake me up with head!"

BONUS: THE NEXT DAY

Dustin: I'm just gonna have a seat here, and we can get started.

Eddie: fair warning, my naked ass has been on that chair.

Dustin: 😳

Dustin: like, recently naked?

Eddie: last night.

Dustin: you're a fucking animal.

Eddie: 😁

[just1cefor4ll]

—You’re the kind of person they write rock songs about

—modern!au Viktor x fem!reader warning. swearing, not proof read, might be OOC

part two || part three || part four

A/N. sorry if this is short I promise the next chapter will be longer D:

‘You eye each other as you pass

She looks back and you look back

Not just once, not just twice’

——————————————————————————

vik.tor222 posts followers following

4 107 25

Vik

Piltover Uni || Physics & Engineering

2027 🎓

tagged: truly.y/n, powpow, ekk0stime and 4 others

liked by ekk0stime, ishaaq, j.talis and 32 others

posted 2 weeks ago

——————————————————————————

You found yourself scrolling through Viktor’s account, your finger idly swiping through his highlights and posts. Each photo and story offered a glimpse into his world—museum trips, late-night coffee breaks, and snapshots of the people he cared about, though he never really appeared in any of them. He also had a highlight containing pictures of him but most were faceless and only ever showed off his outfit of the day. The newest post however caught your eye: a picture of you and your band from the night you all first officially hung out and the Last Drop. It was more of an unexpected and last minute get together but it sure was worth spending that time with them. The memory tugged at you, bringing a flicker of joy as you remembered the warmth and laughter of that evening.

But the smile on your face quickly faded as reality set in. There was a reason you were staring at his account, hovering over his name like some indecisive idiot. Right, texting him. You sighed, locking your phone and staring blankly at the ceiling, trying to muster up the courage to type something that wouldn’t make you sound ridiculous. Why was this so hard? It wasn’t like you hadn’t talked to him before.

This was about to be the fifth time that week you’d tried to coax information out of him, and it was starting to make you feel like a desperate ex who couldn’t take a hint. But the utter curiosity had completely taken over, refusing to let you rest until you got some answers.

You groaned, running a hand through your hair. Fuck it. If Viktor wanted to keep things cryptic, fine—but you weren’t about to sit here driving yourself insane over it. Picking up your phone again, you opened your messages, quickly typing out a message before you had the chance to overthink it and chicken out.

——————————————————————————

[truly.y/n] Vikkk >:((

[truly.y/n] where do we even meet up? band is asking soo many questions and I need answers

[truly.y/n] can you PLEASE tell me where we’re going? what place could possibly need all of our equipment? did you do something?

[vik.tor222] 6pm outside the school dormitories, i’ll pay for the taxi

[truly.y/n] unless you know a taxi driver with a van then we’ll be going by Ekko’s van. we need to move Isha’s drums, the speakers and all that shit

[vik.tor222] okay then the meeting spot is the same, want me to drive?

[truly.y/n] idc, if you wanna :P

[vik.tor222] alright then, see you in 2 days :)

[truly.y/n] whatever mr. mysterious, cya

——————————————————————————

Two days passed in the blink of an eye, your bandmates just as clueless as you however Ekko was the most excited out of everyone who just stood there, waiting for you and Powder to load up the van. “Why can’t he just tell us?” Isha signed, eyeing Viktor who was patiently waiting near the drivers side of the van, occasionally tapping his cane and looking towards the slightly frightened looking band which only amused him.

“Whatever it is, we’re ready,” he said, tuning his bass with a big grin. “Mystery gigs are kind of cool, y’know?” “Cool until we walk into a disaster,” Isha signed, twirling her drumsticks in the air before stepping into the van so you could all be on your way

“Alright, let’s get going.” Ekko exclaimed enthusiastically, while you and Powder cheered— yours being more sarcastic than excited but you played along with their enthusiasm.

The drive wasn’t long, but the anticipation made every minute feel like hours. Powder kept trying to guess where you were going however you gave up a long time ago. “Okay, hear me out,” she said, leaning forward from the back seat. “It’s gotta be a secret underground gig. Like, a place that only the coolest people know about. Right?” “Or,” Ekko added, “maybe it’s some rich dude’s private party. Like, we’re about to play for some billionaires who want to vibe out to live music.” “God, I hope not,” Isha signed from her corner, pulling off one headphone.

Viktor chuckled softly, his focus still on the road. “You’re all very creative. Perhaps I should’ve hired you as consultants.”

“Don’t dodge the question!” Powder groaned, throwing a crumpled receipt at him from months ago. He ignored her antics, his smirk unwavering as the van slowly came to a stop. You blinked in disbelief, staring out the windshield at the familiar neon sign glowing softly in the early evening light. “No way,” you murmured, your heart skipping a beat.

Ekko leaned forward, squinting. “Wait... isn’t this that café? The vintage one you’ve been obsessed with?” “The one one you have been dying to play at?” Powder added, her voice rising with excitement. “The very one,” Viktor confirmed, stepping out of the van and gesturing for everyone to follow. His cane tapped rhythmically against the pavement as he led the way to the entrance.

You hesitated, your stomach twisting in equal parts of excitement and panic. “Viktor, what are we doing here?” He paused at the door, turning to look at you with a calm, knowing smile. “You said it was your dream to play here. I’d like to think the most ‘impossible’ dreams are the ones most possible, aren’t they rockstar?” Your mouth opened, but no words came out. Powder gave you a nudge from behind, practically bouncing with excitement. “Come on! Let’s go!” The group piled into the café, and the cozy, familiar ambiance hit you immediately—it was exactly as you’d imagined it when you first stepped in weeks ago.

A staff member came up to you as soon as you entered, his sharp jaw and carefully ironed dress shirt was enough to make you feel small. His intimidating aura shifted however once he began to speak; “Right on time! Do whatever you need to do and we’ll be ready when you are.” He said with a smile before giving you a quick nod and turned to leave.

Powder let out an excited squeal, grabbing your arm and shaking it. “Vik I can’t believe you booked us here!” “I merely opened the door,” Viktor said, his smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “It’s up to you to walk through it.”

Ekko was already setting his gear down, grinning from ear to ear. “Yo, this is insane. We’re actually playing here.” Isha looked quite stunned as well, looking around with wide eyes as she shakily set up her drums. You’ve played at cafe’s before and had a few successful shows but this.. this was different. It was a famous place, one with people who’d gladly give you job offers like playing at their bar, or more of a moving job where’d they’d reach out to people and find you gigs with the snap of their fingers. This was a real opportunity.

Viktor was staring at you and the band from a booth, having a view better than anyone else as he had a proud smile on his face. He felt your excitement, the absolute joy that radiated from your body which was amusing to the normal eye however he knew what it truly meant to you. He’s properly known you for a little over two weeks but it felt like he’s known you forever. Viktor found himself silently rooting for you in a way that surprised him. He glanced at the growing crowd, noting their curiosity, some patrons leaned forward in anticipation, while others sipped their drinks casually, oblivious to the significance of what was about to unfold.

Your setlist was a mix of two original songs and covers from legends like Queen’s Seven Seas of Rhye, Deftones’ Sextape, Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe and Metallica.

From the first chords of Seven Seas of Rhye, the café buzzed with energy. “Hell yeah!” Ekko exclaimed, sending you all a proud smirk as he strummed the chords of every single song perfectly. “Everyone feeling alright?” Powder yelled into the mic, an uproar of cheers sending bolts of energy into you. “That’s what I wanna fucking hear! Let’s keep this energy going!” When you hit the haunting melody of Sextape, the crowd seemed transfixed, and you felt Viktor’s eyes on you, his expression focused and unreadable.

You kept locking eyes with him throughout the show, a flutter of butterflies stirring in your stomach each time you caught the way his gaze softened with what almost looked like adoration. Every time you tried to force yourself to look elsewhere, embarrassed by how often your eyes found his, you failed. It was as if some invisible magnet pulled your gaze towards his, neither of you able to look away.

By the end of the set, as the final note hung in the air, your eyes found his one last time. He gave a small nod, a faint but genuine smile tugging at the corner of his lips. And for reasons you couldn’t fully explain, that single gesture felt like the loudest applause of the night.

taglist: @skullmvncher @startingtoloveyou @astarionapologist

© URFAVLARRY

DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE OR COPY ANY OF MY WRITING TO OTHER PLATFORMS

I DON’T CONSENT FOR MY WRITING TO BE USED TO TRAIN AI 🚫

[3600frames]

Overlaid my changes (plus some additional edits) to the pre-existing fan translation of the Baker tweets for easier readability. Thank you to MagicalGirlFia for the original translation.

[The tweets of the bassist/vocalist Beika of C-Side on a certain day]

Waiting for Kiki, who's late to the studio, as usual.

〇2　←5　♡623

Is there anyone else who’d come back to the band they quit once, or is it just Kiki? Well, I suppose the ones who'd let 'em back in with open arms are just as rare.

〇5　←18　♡1533

I think Clickbait was first made when Walter started hitting the drums while we were setting up the sound in our rehearsal studio. There was this funky cymbal noise that sounded like a "WHAM"! When Kiki and I first heard that, there was no way we wouldn't start singing "dededededede"!

〇　←5　♡322

No point in hiding it, I'm happy that people are covering and arranging that song in across many different places. Though when that school of salmon attacked, I heard the version they played with the violin(?). It was so baffling that I couldn't help but laugh.

〇3　←12　♡475

Paintscraper is based on a demo that Walter made. It seems like he played the guitar himself too. It sounded kinda limp and really cracked me up, but it's got this odd appeal to it. If I get the chance, I wanna share it.

〇8　←56　♡757

"Triple Dip" - If they tell you that you can't double dip, why not triple dip? Know what I mean? I tried to make a song without knowing if it was cool or not. How'd I do?

〇3　←18　♡224

I'm typing this in a drunken stupor. I've said this half a billion times just this year, but please know this: Now or Never is a C-Side original. Some guys from Inkopolis, Skip...something or other… had the nerve to cover it without permission, but we recorded it before they released theirs. We just didn't release ours.

〇54　←3577　♡8993

One has gotta wonder if there’s anything that tastes better than having dinner alone in the middle of the night.

〇25　←28　♡223

I can forgive the version by that weird trio who do the Splatcasts because it's funny. I got no clue what they're saying in the intro, though.

〇45　←2213　♡12k

One more thing. That guitarist/vocalist of Skid-something, Ichiya, was born in the Splatlands. I should know- i went to middle school with him. He said he was going to Inkopolis, and off he went. Soon after, I heard about how he’d debuted with a band. I tried listening to them, but their sound was so soft that it made my ink churn.

〇512　←75k　♡52k

So, you’re probably wondering why we covered that Splattack (did I get it right? LOL song of theirs. I get a lot of people thinking it’s an homage, but just for the record, I was only trying to get across, like “If it’s you lots’ "music" we’re talking about, then obviously we could make it SO much cooler. I mean, our version is 300 times better, right?”. That’s all. It wasn’t meant as a damn homage.

〇156　←4573　♡9130

What's he doing now? Apparently, he changed the band's name and is loitering around the Splatlands now. It’s the kind of thing that makes you think "You have some nerve to come crawling back home", y'know?

〇89　←5282　♡11k

Well, I guess their… music? It’s not as bad as it used to be.

〇144　←3423　♡8924

I rambled too much last night. I think the current Inkopolis scene is way too pretentious. However, I know they’re kinda old news now, but those Bottom Feeder guys are pretty cool. I'd like to perform with that violin chick. 

〇12　←4674　♡8995

I want to play along with the rest of C-Side so you all can hear it. A truly pure sound that'll reverberate throughout this era of chaos, no matter whether it's the Splatlands or Inkopolis.

〇??　←??　♡??

[tookthe-405]

On our way

Chapter 1 :

We’ll keep falling on each other

DONATIONS & LINKS 🇵🇸

DAILY CLICK🍉

Loser!ellie x ex-bsf!reader

ROADTRIPPPP

authors note: first chapterrr🤪 ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE SO PLS

And pls tell me if the chapters should be shorter and what kind of perspective I should write from (Ellie pov will come later when I’ll fit), LONG AF

Summary: modern Jackson au!

you and Ellie were best friends through your childhood. Now your just neighbours who act like enemies towards each other, but after an incidence you both decide to run away together.

Joel lives 💯

warnings: anxiety , Panik attack?, alcohol, smoking, feeling of throwing up (only mentioned once) smut in future chapters!!, chaotic and stupid arguing between reader and Ellie, school anxiety, messy af (I mostly write at night when the demons come out🐺)

(ellie is 18 and reader is 17 (soon 18))

Readers pov:

6/25

You couldn’t remember the fall out.

For a matter of fact you couldn’t remember anything that happened that night.

You just knew that the next morning Ellie and you weren’t friends anymore. You guys weren’t anything, just total strangers who knew more about each other than any other.

“Iced Coffee and 4 chocolate donuts should be your order”

Your head snaps up and an older guy holds out a bag of donuts.

“Yes, thank you”

You quickly scurry out of the waiting crowd, out the dinner and into the summer air.

2:25 p.m. If Jody would finally pick you up, the both of you might only be 10 minutes late to the game.

While you're waiting, you take a donut out of the bag and realize as you're eating that you don't have a cold ice coffee in your other hand.

"Fuck”

you really wanted that coffee, and by any normal logic you should just go back.

But the fear of embarrassment won. so you decide to just wait outside without a coffee, feeling the dizziness of the lack of sleep in your brain.

The day before was the last exam and you couldn’t sleep the whole night, because of your anxious thoughts that are so unjustified that it’s actually embarrassing.

you watched the cars drive by, as you wait for Judy to pull over.

Today was the last school day. Ever. This morning was the last morning you would ever be in a high school class room to study.

After waiting for a while you hear the horn of Judy`s car or rather her parents car, since both of you are broke and only one of you has their license.

"i forgot my coffee" you complain as you collapse into the passager seat.

"yeah but you didn`t forgot the donuts and thats the really important thing here" Jody happily takes the box full of donuts, out of your hand

"footbal games always stress me out" you rummage through your bag, looking for gumm or just something that will help your body through this hard time.

"i hope my exams were good" you tell her anxious.

"It was our last fucking day, dont worry about something that is over soon. Those last days don`t really matter no one cares"

"I do"

Judy scoffs, puting the donute to her mouth again, all while looking at the street.

"I know, thats your problem. Really, you need to fix that. Your grades are amazing and whatever college you wanna go to, will say yes."

Now you scoff.

"right then why haven’t they replied yet then?"

"because you were too anxious too send your application, you almost threw up in my room"

Your face contorts at the memory. Judy's poor cat hissed at you the whole time because you couldn't sit still at all.

"yeah sorry he gets like that, but not all cats are this easy to annoy i swear"

Your giggle fills the car and you share the last donute, as judy tries to find a parking spot which is obviossly not that easy anymore.

"goddamit those wild people are so greedy" her hands grab the steerig wheel harder, but theres simply no other free spot anymore.

You grow even more annoyed now.

The thoughts in your head take more space than you usually allow them.

The whole morning was shit, the whole day is shit and your life is fucked if you don’t get into university.

"i think we need to use the other one" judy says

"then we`ll have to run through the whole fucking school, were already late, Malik is playing!"

Out of the corner of her eye, she looks at you, thinking, and finally sighs.

"get out I’ll park the car" You immediantly regret snapping at her.

"you dont have to-"

she interrupts you (no suprise)

"bro get out of my car. It’s my fault we`re too late anyway and we both know im only here for the fries"

For a few seconds you hesitate, but then you grab your bag and the donut, and get out the car. Outside, a warm brise tickles your skin, now that the sun is shining right on your face. You pinch you eyes.

Judy dissapers around the corner and you wave, hoping she saw it, but the worry leaves with her because you start running towards the football field.

The whole row was full, every seat. You try to push your way through the crowd on the front, which didn't make it any easier because everyone was pushing forward against the bar to see better.

And it was so loud, every type of noises from every angle. This is your last game of course everyone will be loud, Jesus you’ll be loud, but the game hasn’t even started.

Arriving in the almost last row, Lyla waves to you and you sprint towards her.

"I don't know how you manage to save us seats, thank you so much," You almost scream, because the large group sitting behind her started singing the fucking national anthem.

lyla quickly hugs you and sits right back down. "I don't know how either, but here you go. Where's Judy?"

Her gaze wanders behind you to look out for her, as if judy is hiding behind you "Looking for another parking spot and getting us some fries"

You feel the light box in your hand and remember the one donut inside it.

“Here we’ve left you a donut”

“How generous” lyla replies smirking

Your attention turns to the football field. No one’s there.

“Everyone is still in the cabins, you're not as late as you think" she adds while slurping her milshake.

Malik is Lylas brother and a good friend of yours. Even Judy likes him, and that's saying something.

After the "incident" you tried so hard to find another group of friends, that one day it actually happened.

Which wasnt easy, before ellie you didnt relly need other friends. You also didnt want other ones. You always thought she felt the same way.

Her company, her words, her feelings and thoughts were all you wanted.

"Holy shit im not late!"

Judy's loud voice pulls you out of your thoughts. She quickly sits down next to you and hands you the large french fries package. You grin at her and pass them on to lyla. The loud noises became quieter and quieter, which made you hear the microphone voice.

"Dear seniors and juniors, After weeks full of learning and exams, one last football game with our beloved team and a guest team of their choice should be enough for you. I don't understand why you wanted to have this when every one of you’ve seen so many other games, but as you want. That’s the last one really though, please."

Judy giggles at the voice of the principal, but with empathy rather than mockery.

"Poor Ms. Servopoulos, juniors and seniors are not easy. The Other Class's prank surpassed everything"

lylas eyes widened at the memory. "Which of the 20 One?" She asks, leaning a bit over my lap to hear judy better.

"The one where they all had their tables outside at the_" Judy's bright voice gets stuck in the air, and she looks past me with squinted eyes in dismay.

You know why and didn't want to turn around.

But you do it anyway.

She wore her typical short baggy shorts and a red oversize t shirt with a fucking beanie , which makes her look like the love child of Adam Sandler and Jesse Pinkman.

You’d be happy to laugh at her if she didn't look so fucking good. But you chuckle a bit in your head at the Beanie, because it’s fucking june.

She looks down at you , just standing there.

Ellie has always been a bit taller than you. You might be sitting right know, but you still know That hasn't changed yet. You don't have to get up to be sure. You would notice if she grew even 1 cm. You don't know if she would still recognize that about you.

The familiar, soft and light brown freckles on her face. As a tween you always wanted to connect them, to find out how it would turn out. Or how she would look. Or react. You wanted to make her laugh so bad it hurt.

"Seth told me to bring this too you"

The Ice Caffee, with your name on it, is suddenly right in front of your face.

"Why should I accept it? It's already warm anyway" The irritated pitch in your voice cannot be ignored

Elie's gaze remains neutral, but there was some caution in her expression. "He forced me when I was paying, just take it and throw it away."

"Why didn't you throw it away?"

"Because im at a point where I listen to that old man for my benefits. Seth hates me already. He didn't even tell me about the senior special last week" she protests

You roll your eyes in annoyance.

"i dont give a shit about you or the now hot coffee"

Your argument became more intense, Judy and lyla exchanged glances but stayed out of it. You want to sort out your shit yourself and they know that.

"just fucking throw it away ellie!"

"No, I'm sitting at the top and have to go down all the fucking stairs and-"

"I don't care Ellie"

The people around slowly became aware of the both of you screaming, and you wonder for a second how strange you both must look right now. How you line up like little kids. But ellie also hurt the child version of you. God she has hurt so fucking many versions of you.

"just be happy that I’m even bringing this too you, i didnt really had to do that"

Her hand holds the plastic cup so hard in front of your face that it looks like it's about to explode.

The fact that she thinks she has a right to be angry with you bothers you even more, as you try to hold back your tears. You try to imagine her as adam sandler, screaming at you in this fucked up voice from grown ups, to make the tears go away.

"right i didn’t ask you to do anything, you decided to be so stupid and come over here"

she chuckles sligtly at your words, really pissed now. "you bitch-"

The last words never came out of her mouth. But the coffee out the cup. On your shirt.

Frightened, you take a loud breath in and stand up. Ellie has already put a safe distance between the both of you and her own mouth is open with surprise and startle.

Behind her stands a paralyzed Joshua, with his hand on his mouth.

"I swear, he ran into me...," she babbles desperately to herslef, waving her hands in the air, the empty cup on the floor now. Looks like the rest of the liquor soaked your shoes.

Yo didn’t let her finish. You mumble to lyla and judy not to follow you and that you would call them later. You grabbed your bag and Then left.

And you cried the whole ride home with your mom next to you. And not because of the coffee.

The smoke comes out of your mouth, you take the ciggarette to you lips again, and breathe in deeply.

If you smoke in your room, you always have to lean almost completely out of the window, now with the shadows of the trees falling in your face.

The light, split by the limbs, danced to the movements of the branches. There was a small and almost sweet breeze in the air.

The sun is still shining, but the golden hour is almost here.

You get goose bums on your arm as a cold breeze comes, and you put out the cigarette on your ashtray.

As you lie down on your bed and just stare at the wall for a while, the dark smell of cigarettes is still in the air. your parents don't care as long as it doesn't get into the rest of the house.

You grab a book from your bedside table and start reading.

"And when you at last find someone to whom you feel you can pour out your soul, you stop in shock at the words you utter- they are so rusty, so ugly, so meaningless and feeble from being kept in the small cramped darek inside yous so long"

You close the book with a jerk.

Yes, maybe no sylvia plath for today.

The buzzing of your phone makes your head move to the side.

Judy: Malik won

Judy: Tonights a party at the beach, everyones going

Your eyes stare back into the void of your ceiling.

Ellie has had so much influence over you and your feelings for so long, that has to stop at some point. And with all the anger in you, you think that today it will.

You get up and stand in front of your closet, you rummage around to find something and you do. A t shirt that belonged to ellie.

Your fingers brush over the dark green material. It was a fucking normal t shirt. Except that it wasn't.

"Today it will stops"

You put the t-shirt in your backpack and look for an outfit that was well suited for the beach. In the end, you wear short jeans shorts, where your grandma had sewn in flower patterns years ago, With a light blue shirt it goes nicely with the flowers.

you: can you pick me up?

Judy: I would love too :)

You quickly brush your teeth to get rid of the smell of smoke. Outside, you can already hear Judy's honking. You sprint down the stairs with your backpack and look for your beach shoes.

"Where are you going" Your mother is standing behind you with her arms crossed. In her old cardigan, she looked like she did a few years ago and you almost get a déjà vu.

"A party, Judys picking me up"

"how long are you gonna be there?"

"Mom im going to be 18 in what now 4 days you dont have to ask me that anymore"

she scoffs

"yes i do and guess what? i also want you to text me So i know youll be fine"

Nervously, you look out to see if Judy's car is still there, maybe she thinks you've changed your mind.

"Ok, Mom, I'll probably go to Judy's and be gone till midnight."

Suspiciously, she looks at you from head to toe, but (luckily) gives in.

"okay but please call me if something happens. Be smarter than your brother"

Your body flinches at the mention of him. "Has… he called lately?" you murmur

She looked at the floor and you thought for a moment she was going to cry. "No, but maybe if you call him, he'll answer"

You nod, but you know you won't do it.

He doesn't care about you either.

~

"I'm proud that you're coming along" Judy and you are walking, with beer in your arms, towards the beach where a few people have already gathered.

"I mean, that was a great show, a few people definitely noticed it"

You sigh at the unpleasant memory. "Then that's the way it is, I think a few other things are going to happen tonight, that are far more interesting than a girl with coffee on her T-shirt"

"I hope so" A mischievous smile on her face.

You look around to find lyla and malik, But because of all the people, it doesn’t really work. You were sure that there weren't that many seniors and juniors, but that a few friends of others came along. There was a big fire and even a barbecue.

After wandering around for a while, you find the two siblings. They had already made themselves comfortable on the big blanket and had taken some alcohol with them, but the bottles will probably spread over the whole beach anyway.

"Finally I see you, everything ok with you?" Malik mentions as he stands up, giving you a vigorouslyhug. "Really fucked up what happened"

You digress with a wave of your hand and sit down

"im fine, but you won, tell me abou it!" You try to make your voice as shrill as possible to make it clear that you don't want to talk about it.

“oh yeah we won, I made a touchdown, obviouly"

"almost didn’t catch it tho" throws lyla into the round and you giggle.

"Shut up, we only won our last game Ever, Because of me!”

Pride, but also the quiet pain of the loss of his team, can be noticed on his face andin his voice. The reality that you try so hard to run away from hits you again. high school is over, real life begins now.

“whatever, im getting something to drink and then im gonna tell sam to put on some music” Lyla ties you back into the moment. "I'm going with you , I need a drink of Voda-Coke"

~

Later that night Mr. Brightside was what got you on your feet and into the crowd.

Mesmerizingly, the fire flares higher and leaves just light trail of smoke behind. Malik and Judy are now singing along loudly with the others.

All these people who so clumsily sing the song about a heartbroken man, as if they would die if they don't do it, carry the same fate with them. They will all wake up tomorrow with a headache and worries about the next day. as it is one day closer to real life.

Some have broken families or parents, complicated friends, grief and draining fear of the future.

Knowing that it was like that but everyone was still singing along motivates you to do it too.

"Here more vodka has to work not taste good" Judy pours more vodak into your cup, but misses more than ends up in it.

Now you just laugh, because why did you thought so long about everything, this night was a good decision.

"I need to dance like I physically need to dance"

She grabs Malik's arm as he pours more beer next to her.

“let’s danceee!"

Lyla stands next to you, grinning and sober, and you both watch her.

"he likes her"

Lyla explains

"I know" you reply.

“That’s fucked up”

She looks a bit worried, as she watches the two of them dance and sing, with her arms crossed

"is that bad? or are you the "dont date my fucking brother" type of girl, please dont be by the way its always a bit-"

Your brain is mush, your tongue works on its own and Lyla obviously didn't like that

"no of course not, i don't care about him or who he dates"

The light from the fire reflected on her skin, she looked like a painting drawn at sunset and you wished you had your camera with you. It would be a shot of a very sad girl, with a lot of repressed feelings that she will never explain to a human soul.

But she didn't have to, because you understand.

You once looked at someone like that, from a distance where these looks were not visible to the person, where they were safe.

Comforting her was your first thought, dumb decision because a drunk person comforting a sober one never works out.

"I'm sure judy likes you back"

Alarm bells could be seen in her eyes.

"shut up you don't know that"

you laugh but it sounds unstable.

“No your right I don’t”

It looked like a lot of fun, everyone singing and drinking away their worries, you just wanted to join the dancing crowd when you see her. Again.

Fast an quickly, just ignore her, act like you didn’t see her.

But your eyes lock with hers and your stomach sinks.

In that moment you wish you could just admit that Ellie will always be a part of your mind. Wherever you are, with whomever, she will always appear In your mind and she will haunt you.

The worst thing is that it was also your fault, you allowed this relationship to be far too deep and perplexed even though you knew that it was becoming too emotional.

Ellie's presence on the other side of the fire, fills you with all those deeply buried feelings, as if she dug them up with her own hands. As if you told her where you buried them.

“I really don't understand you two"

with a snap you arrive back on planet earth.

"what?"

"the both of you. starring at each other, like you're about to run through fire to be just a bit closer. Makes me want to puke" lyla repeats.

Disbelief and vulnerability spreads through your chest and all those lights are too bright, the music is too loud and Ellie is too close.

"It's ok to forgive, we don't even know what happened so be honest, how bad was it?"

brushing all those feelings off, or at least trying to, you turn around and disappear into the darkness.

In a kind of trance you push your way through the many people, a few call after you, and you are sure that you have run into someone. You just didn't notice anything about it.

You stop in front of the many cars. You used to drive with your father to the local supermarket or other short distances, but you're not willing to steal a car.

Your head turns to the right then left, looking for something, anything that will take you away from here.

Cars, skateboards and bicycles.

Without thinking about it, you grab an unchained bike and get on it. The adrenaline in your veins works on its own and has far too much influence on your body.

It took some time to get stable on it, because the tears in your eyes made it difficult to see. Nobody seems to have noticed that you ran away and that you are riding a bike that doesn't belong to you.

The road was pitch black dark.

The warm summer wind wipes your tears away, the bright street lights of the city can be seen in the distance.

You step on the pedals and realize that you have arrived on the local road.

Out of breath, you press your fingers on the brake lever.

Desperately trying to get your lungs to return to normal, mind concentrate on the outline of your shadow that was visible on the floor, because of the street lanterns.

You get off the bike in silence, put it down next to you on the sidewalk and sit down.

The pumping of your veins feels like electricity.

You could still hear a few cars in the background.

You brush away strands of hair from your forehead.

“Fuck” you hear yourself whisper.

The tears were just about to come back when you hear a car turning.

She still drives Joel's old truck.

The vehicle stops in front of your feet and you notice that some of the light green paint has rusted off.

That wasn't the case the last time you saw that thing.

Ellie slams the car door loudly behind her, so she looks back to see if everything is still fine.

The feeling of shame just bubbles out of you and drips onto the floor, as she steps in front of you with even louder steps.

your head lifts up just a bit, to look at her. Her nose is a bit crooked and she's breathing just as fast as you were a few seconds ago, it looks a bit like she was running after you.

“What the fuck are you doing”

Ellie Williams will always come from the far corner of the world and remind you that you will never let go of her.

The effects of the alcohol still had an influence on your brain, so you stay calm.

“calming down"

For a few seconds it's eerily quiet, for a moment you thought Ellie had left again, but the squeaking of her sneakers prove the opposite. Her body settles down next to you.

"You look really stupid, sitting here like that."

You scoff mockingly.

"yes, that's exactly why you're sitting next to me bitch"

"don't fucki-"

"Don’t act so innocent, remember what you said today before you spilled my coffee on my shirt”

Her head turns to you, sweet regret and longing in her moss green eyes. She scans the bike next to you.

"i think i stole that" the embaressment goes up your cheeks.

"yeah totally badass, but we have to bring that back later" she chuckles softly.

The bright beam of light from the lantern above you gives her face an bright tint , like the beach sun always did in the evening.

"sorry... about the coffee, joshua ran into me and-"

"Yes, I know you've said that before"

She drops her head. No idea why she's sitting here, but you don't mind. you just wanted to capture her and keep her close to you, like a butterfly.

"your brother called me" Ellie mentions it so casually that it shocks you to the bone.

He can even call her but not you. After she just sat down, you were as close as ever.

"what did he say"

"He wants us to come visit him."

Her pupils were large, but you assumed it was because she just drove a dark route and not because she was high. She's way too lucid to be high.

"why? and why the both of us?"

Ellie shrugs her shoulders cluelessly

"He said that we would like Florida, that he was getting a new apartment next week and that we should visit him. You didn't tell him anything about me?"

"I haven't told him anything Ellie, we haven't been able to get in touch with him for months"

You can clearly see from her expression that it makes as little sense to her as it does to you, which worries you even more. something is wrong.

You can feel how your hands shaking, you tried to tell yourself that your just cold.

"Alex said that he tried to call you and your parents, but the line never got through, fuck he even reached Joel"

You continue to shake and Ellie gently grabs your shoulder like she has often before, when you were lost in your head, when you were so afraid of roller coasters that you almost vomited or when you cried because Alex moved out 3 years ago.

Ellie's own security was always an anchor for you, when things got too confusing she strengthened you and even though you didn't talk to each other for almost a year, she still decided to tell you that your brother was fine.

That he wants you with him.

Sometimes, on the particularly melancholic nights when loneliness and nostalgia take over, you read Sylvia's poems and it just clicks. That all because this girl with her hair that is way too short and her pants that are way too big and her full lips, her unhealthy obsession with the universe and planets, exists on the same time as you.

“There’s gonna be a explanation or a reason whatever but just calm down for now okay?”

her voice is suppressed but still safe. yes the Ellie Anchor effect, fuck that shit

“Okay yes your right what the fuck”

“Yeah I can be right sometimes”

“ I Doubt that”

Her lips pucker upwards and yours follow suit. you are still too close to each other, it all feels too new and yet too nostalgic.

The old patterns gave your heart a little sting, you quickly shook off her hand on your shoulder. You clear your throat, thanking the universe or whoever there is that it's night.

Otherwise Ellie wouldn't have been able to miss your red cheeks. In your mind you beat yourself up because you still feel this way after everything she did.

"Show me your phone"

Your hand goes protectively to your back trouser pocket. "um no?!"

Ellie Scoffs thinking your joking, but when she sees that you’re serious, she laughs.

"just give it? the fuck do you think im gonna do"

"I don't know"

With a little nudge to your foot, she gives you that look again that shows trust and you give in.

"fine"

It's a little painful for you, this morning you had a mental crisis because of her, now you letting her scroll through your contacts.

"yeah, sorry to disappoint you, but this is not your bros number"

But that must be his.

Your parents gave it to you.

Oh.

"show me" you said firmly, having a really fucked up scenario in your head, about why this is the wrong number.

Ellie takes out her phone and shows you your brother's contact. chats, phone calls, everything is there. the one from this week too.

"this doesn't make any sense, I just- I don't get it"

"Your parents gave you the number?"

You nod, "My mom said, a few Months ago he had to change his number, in the beginning we texted a bit but never really called"

your eyes switch from her phone to yours to check the numbers again and again .

"After a few days, he didn't get in touch at all, with no one. We thought he was just done with his old life." you pronounce the words and your stomach turns.

Ellie's eyes stare thoughtfully at the asgap in front of you. You're helplessly trying to build up eye contact to figure out what you're thinking.

"I think they lied to you… He said something like this could happen" She says it so fucking sure.

You couldn't take in any more and you get up with your eyes are watering "What the fuck are you talking about Ellie" Your voice broke with the trust in your parents, even Ellie looks at you sympathetically.

"Alex said on the phone that he has been trying to reach someone from home for a long time, but it doesn't work. He was so desperate that he even called me and joel. Do you think your parents or your mom-"

you raise your hand to tell her not to finish the sentence. "Why… would they do that?"

She gets up and comes closer to you. "He mentioned that your mother said he shouldn’t call her anymore or you anymore, that even you don't him in your life anymore"

It feels like your whole past is falling apart, all the beautiful moments with your family, you even want the bad memories back.

"Hey"

Ellie's soft fingertips gently touch the back of your hand. Roughness was still there, she hasn`t stopped playing guitar.

"lets run away"

a/n: omg, the chapters are gonna be shorter next time and we’re also on the road PLS STICK W IT

(and reblog😍)

anyways if you’ve come this far ur a real survivor thanks 🫶

@yourelliewillms @bready101 @liasxeatt @darkerstarsstuff @elliezato @crxmxnzl-c0rpzes @lovelyxbaby @yalaysbee @macaroni676

[twoidiotwriters1]

Chapter 25. Hydrangeas

Summary: Benedict is in Genovia, and he'll be here for at least half a month. Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Words: 1,455 Listen to: 'I Need You' -by Morrissey & Marshall A/N: I can't write a Benedict love story without a masquerade -Danny

Dear Diary,

Hyacinth Bridgerton has sent me a letter.

"Morning!" Rowan enters looking fresh and eager. "Who wants to join us to get our disguises for the ball?"

Marie makes a face. "Are we having a masquerade again? When will you grow out of dressing up like twats?"

"Quand tu arrêtes de coucher avec les gardes," Rowan whispers with a wicked gleam in his eyes. Marie tries to stab his arm with a fork, but you snatch the object out of her hand, walking past her in a sort of daze, visibly shaken. 

"Y/N?" Richard looks at you with concern.

"I'm not feeling well," you claim, face flushing as you speak. "But you know what I'll be anyway, can you get it for me?"

"Sure," Rowan mellows, sensing your stress. "Same colour and everything?"

"Yes," you say feebly.

"Y/N?" Marie frowns. "What's wrong?"

"I think," you say, carefully leaving the fork in front of you, "Marie's right. It's time we change things for this year's masquerade ball."

You look at her, incapable of telling her what's happening while your brothers are here. Sure, you confided in your father because you know he can keep a secret, but your brothers? God, they have slippery minds, often preoccupied with experiments, and forget they're not supposed to say things if you approach them while focused on their work.

Benedict is in Genovia, and he'll be here for at least half a month. You're in love with him, you know it now with certainty, life got back its colour the moment you read the news. Hyacinth told you everything, Eloise's plans and Benedict's willingness to accompany her as chaperone, and he'll never look for you, no matter what, so you must find him.

Eloise wakes him at dawn, banging on his door, already dressed and vibrating with excitement. She can barely eat while waiting for Benedict, who is slowly chewing his eggs and toast. He barely slept last night; the conversation kept replaying in his head, and it harassed him until exhaustion made him fall asleep on a chair that was too small for his frame.

They decide to walk to the college. Eloise wants to see the people around them more closely, and Benedict needs to use his body, or the energy coming to a boiling point inside him will make him explode. He should've sent you letters, he should've said yes when you told him he could come to you, but alas, pride! His bloody need to hide behind this careless persona.

When they arrive at Genovia's college, two headmasters show up, a man and a woman, who seem used to foreign ladies coming to see if they're a right fit for the school. They take Eloise out of Benedict's hands, though they ask if he's interested in enrolling as well, but he declines, claiming he is well off. 

Well? All he wants to do is turn around and run straight to London, forget he ever tried... what was he trying, coming here without even sending a letter to announce his arrival? The nerve to think she'd be waiting as if she were some maiden and not the Queen-to-be of a country!

He walks alone and distracted, barely paying attention to the curious glances he gets from the students he runs into. They can tell he's a foreigner, and they whisper it with a tiny smile. "Bollitore." Which in Genovian humour can be roughly translated to 'Kettle-head'.

His eyes catch sight of an abandoned easel as he passes by an empty classroom, much like a bird-watcher can spot their favourite type of winged creature from afar. He stops at the doorway, noticing this place has been forsaken: the sheets covering the desk and bookshelves are dusty and have cobwebs, and the tools are all going to waste, along with the canvases.

"Genovia prides itself in its scientific advancements and humanitarian laws," says a male voice over his shoulder, "but the arts have been neglected."

Benedict turns to see the headmaster standing a few meters away from him, hands behind his back. He must be around fifty, with greyish hair that still holds some black locks and a rich beard that's shiny and gives him a softer look rather than making him scarier. Benedict turns to face him properly, and he must be looking quite aghast because the man laughs as he continues.

"I know, I know... How is a country so rich in everything lacking such a big part of what makes us human? Well, we can't become prosperous if most of our folk are locked up drawing pretty things, can we? The youth here have everything they can dream of, so naturally, they don't need to imagine or escape life, which is often the purpose of art."

Benedict considers this. "I knew there had to be a downside to living here..."

"We're the home of geniuses, not poets," the headmaster smiles ruefully. "Though they are sorely missed. People come here to live, not to write or paint about it."

Benedict itches to speak in depth with this man, but then, if he's here, that must mean the tour is over. "My sister—"

"She's waiting with the Headmistress, so I came to fetch you. Your sister mentioned you're an artist, and at once I knew I'd find you here—this room calls to the likes of you."

His heart is pounding like before, though now it's for a completely different reason. He doesn't know what it means, though. "I should go back to my sister. Thank you for your time."

"No problem, we receive visitors almost every week. Ladies like your sister, and the occasional gifted boy."

"Do you think she..." Benedict pauses, unsure of how to ask.

"We pride ourselves on our diverse alumni," the headmaster nods. "We've had many Eloise Bridgertons come and go, all happy to be here."

Benedict smiles, excited for his sister's prospects. Once they reach her and the Headmistress, he bows. "Thank you again."

Eloise loops her arm through his and immediately begins to tell him all about the school and the curriculum, practically skipping as they go, cheeks flared with the barely contained excitement within her. "This place is home," she states with certitude. 

The statement resonates in Benedict, and it takes a lot of effort not to look towards the distant castle as they walk away.

"An open invitation?" Your mother stares at you, dumbfounded.

"What is a few hundred extra mouths to feed?" You debate. "The ball is half a week away, that's enough time to make adjustments. The twins agreed to it."

"And these adjustments, I assume, are going to be supervised by you?" Your mother raises a brow. "Because your brothers don't have the ability to focus long enough to take care of it, and I certainly can't use my time on this."

"I can help her," your dad offers, but your mother glares at him.

"She's the one who thinks balls are easy. Let her."

You blush with embarrassment and irritation. You know balls aren't easy, but your decision was impulsive, and even though you hate that your mother thinks you ignorant on this matter, you prefer it over admitting that you're doing this in hopes that it'll bring Benedict. He loves a good party.

"I will take care of it," you say with all the dignity you can muster. "I thought it'd be a nice gesture to our people, it's thanks to them that we have our reputation as a forward-thinking country. Let's be forward then, and be one with our common folk."

King Nicholas smiles proudly, which only makes you feel worse. "That's a Queen in the making, Mia. Don't you remember when you gave away your state to make it a home for orphaned children?"

Your mother softens, realising she might be getting a bit caught up in her role as monarch. "Yes... Yes, I remember," she looks at you with a bit more empathy. "Mary can help you. Paula too, of course. But your father and I can't stop our royal duties for the sake of a masquerade ball."

"You don't have to, Your Highness," you say soberly. "You can trust me." She gestures at you with a weak hand gesture, and you curtsy briefly before leaving the throne room, rubbing your clenched jaw once you're out of sight.

The Queen rubs her brow. "Y/N, Y/N..."

King Nicholas chuckles and leans down, reaching for her hand and kissing it. "Isn't she something?"

"You humour her too much," she declares.

"Can't help it. She reminds me of her mother," Nicholas winks. "It'll be alright, Mia. She's a grown woman, and she wants to do something nice for our subjects. She wants to live up to your legacy, can't you see?"

Mia squeezes his hand. "Ever since she came back from London, she's been so..."

Nicholas looks at the doorway through which you vanished, and the corners of his lips turn up in a gentle smile. "It wasn't London."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

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[audhdnight]

OH MY FUCKING GOD

Seriously this has opened my eyes to something that I honestly feel like I already suspected because there is SUCH an emphasis on “teaching them while they’re young” and not turning them out into the world until they are “past the point of no return” like this is why Christian fundamentalists hate college so much, because at that age people are still capable of reversing the damage (at least, a hell of a lot easier then they are at say, fifty). The prefrontal cortex doesn’t finish developing until around 25, so if an indoctrinated teenager goes to college at 18 and begins to see reality, they are much more likely to leave the church than someone who is sheltered from the world until they’re 30.

(Side rant: This is also why it’s so frustrating to talk to Christian adults who seem to be genuinely incapable of thinking logically. It explains a phenomenon that I noticed a long time ago: when speaking to relatives, I attempted to show them that they didn’t actually agree with, let’s say for the sake of the example, capitalism. I would bring up all their complaints with our current system and demonstrate how each one is a facet of capitalism. I was able to get them to agree to each individual point, but when I tried to put them all together as a whole, the person (usually my grandpa) would revert back to “okay the system is flawed but it still works” even though we just spent an hour discussing how it doesn’t work, actually. They are incapable of putting multiple pieces together and viewing them as one whole.)

I remember so clearly growing up the sermons on Proverbs 22:6 (Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it) and the pastors stirring up panic about public school and colleges stealing our children’s faith and poisoning their minds. I remember how afterwards all the parents exclaimed how their children would never go to college, that this is why they homeschooled, that this was yet another reason why young men should go straight into the work force and young women should immediately get married and become baby making machines. I vividly remember the panic over statistics of how many people leave the faith in college and how it was so much higher than the numbers of essentially any other group.

Fundamentalists worst fear is reality. They do not want their children to have any exposure to any rhetoric besides their own, unless it is presented disingenuously by apologetics teachers. Everything is filtered and twisted and watered down to keep us “safe” from reality.

This is literally how cults operate. Fundamental Christian evangelicalism IS A CULT

This is also why they target vulnerable groups, because like the OP mentions, people who have damage to their prefrontal cortex are much more likely to fall for indoctrination. This is why you see Christian “outreach groups” in homeless shelters and rehabilitation programs and hospitals. This is targeted and it is malicious. Even the “good Christians” who really do want to actually help people are upholding this system that actively harms vulnerable groups.

[mr2swap]

The incident: This man is my son

- Nate What the hell are you doing? -From falling my Briefcase to the ground while The funny creature that was in my new armchair began to bark without moving from its comfortable place in the muscular arms of my little son Nate, the long and smelly feet of my son stank the entire room with the musky odor of the sweat from his feet.

- Isn't it great dad? her name is Zoey, Mom and I rescued her on the way home, and don't worry about taking her for a walk I'm going to start jogging in the mornings before I go to school, and I'll pick up everything I do in the garden and I'm going to…- I made a hand gesture for her to stop and immediately there was silence, with the same hand I rubbed my hundred to try to alleviate the migraine that was beginning to attack me -Just... it's fine just don't put her on the sofa and clean what she does- I continued on my way towards the kitchen while Nate smiled at me with those lips hidden in a beard recently shaved by my wife Naina, in a second Nate wrapped his long arms around the dog and lowered her to the ground.

-And don't put your feet up on the table! - I yelled before entering the kitchen, once again Zoey the new member of the family barked at me and stayed while she and my huge and noisy son stayed in the living room, as soon as I entered the kitchen I almost tripped over one of my son's toys, put away the little red tricycle with a soft kick that my son usually plays with after coming home from the gym, maybe I should buy him a bike before he breaks it with his new weight of 265 pounds and his height of 6.5 feet tall but I should teach him how to drive it first just like I taught him how to shave.

The government psychologist assured me that it was only a matter of time before me to get used to my new son and his new body, but for me, it is still embarrassing to have to explain to the neighbors that the manly, muscular, shirtless white man who is playing basketball in our front yard is actually my little son Nate.

I couldn't do anything but get used to having another "man" at home, the government is trying to reverse the random exchanges but the terrorists altered the gas so that the effects would be indefinite, maybe forever, I went to the stove to prepare a chamomile tea, while I waited for the sound of the kettle to alert me, I tried to remember my life before that stupid accident in the subway.

Before Nate was the huge 6.5 feet tall hairy gorilla sitting in my living room he was an ordinary kid coming home to his grandfather from elementary school, the same way thousands of people inhaled the gas that a group of terrorists had stolen from a Swap Corp truck and when they woke up they found themselves trapped in the body of some stranger next to them!

The incident destroyed many lives and separated many families But Nate doesn't seem upset with his new body I don't think I've ever seen him smile so much now that he's a 33-year-old man, He doesn't have to go to school so while I and his mom are working he spends his mornings at the gym or playing video games but he still visits his old friends from elementary school to beat them at basketball and tell them all about his new life as a white man.

Of course, my father was also affected by the body-swapping gas, and right now he is spending his retirement money on his vacation in South Korea Before he left he said something about connecting with his new culture and his new age.

He was really lucky to end up in the body of “Yoon” a 25-year-old Korean man who was just at the station to take a couple of photos for his Instagram, at first Grandpa was puzzled by his adorable face and body. of a Greek god but now from all the pictures on the beach and in clubs on the other side of the world, it seems that he is having fun with his second chance. I can't say the same for the real Yoon, The term in my father's fat and old African-American body, and is living in a government asylum for people affected by the incident that's another story...

Hey folks! if you like bodyswap stories take a look at my patreon, I have a lot of more stories, and you can help me keep creating more stories!

[positron2399]

More Whispers in the Stars concept art:

Just concept art of two characters of a "hard sci-fi" super hero comic I hope to write one day. The first two are of the second "super" we'll see in the series, her people are "tiny" parasitoid arthropod analogs, with females only being around 9 cm excluding the stinger, and males being slightly smaller at 8 cm. The bug girl eventually signs up for her nation's space force (for reference, her "homeworld" is an O'Neill Cylinder), becoming one of the specialized warships of her people thanks to the total consciousness transfer technology of her people (as opposed to the copy-paste system of Soma and Invincible)... Copy-pasting a "soul" is possible. As for the warship she became, it uses fusion propulsion and is armed to the teeth with lasers and auto-cannons, her front outright having an x-ray cannon capable of outright disintegrating any ship unfortunate enough to stumble in front of her.

Very clearly inspired by Asuka and her mech... I'll eventually get around to watching Evangelion, so plz don't spoil. Also, while I haven't been playing it, I do love the designs of the ships from "Children of a Dead Earth."

... I dread the eventual meeting between "Mars" and these people of The Killing Stars, their launch was practically ancient history thanks to the ~natural~ lifespan of her people (only 20-25 earth years)

The next is President Reidmen of the alternate US the story takes place in, he's more or less a stand-in combination of Mitt Romney, Regan, the Bushes, and a few tiny hints of Trump for added "good" measure. Unlike most stories, I'm trying to make him seem "not" evil despite the fact that he's absolutely creampieing the economy and quadrupling down on bombing the fuck out of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine... Unfortunately for him and his shareholding buddies, the Superman (Delroy/The StarKnight) stand-in of the story refuses to let the US and Israel continue to "Manifest Destiny" and sending children to die "fighting tewwism" like he, his friends, and his brother did in Vietnam. The monstrous form isn't something he turns into, but how the StarKnight slowly begins viewing him as the "early" story goes on... also he's just really afraid of Dinosaurs, to the point where he couldn't watch Jurassic Park till he had his nuke-proof flying neutron-star body (he still had the lights on).

The thing about Riedmen is that he doesn't just sit around plotting to further bomb the Middle East, he has hobbies, he has fear, he has a corn farm and a family. He, much like Del, loves model train sets, and thanks to his wealth, it's far more impressive than our main protags, he has four shelter mutts and heavily advocates for the humane treatment of these animals, not because it'll make him look good, but because he actually cares, yet in the same breath will glorify any and all drone strikes Delroy failed to stop for it was "Al-Qaeda/Isis hiding in the Schools/Mosques/Hospitals." He also helps with the legalization of gay marriage in this world's US.

It was simply too funny to not have a Republican President with the last name "Reidmen." I also tried giving him a face that's either kind-looking or somewhat creepy for he is a very clear criticism of how Obama drone struck the hell out of so many children and how it was sold to children like me as a good thing, the American news at the time portrayed those mechanical abominations as some sort of "Super Hero" or "Angel." He has a mustache simply as it's been a very long time since a president had one and I thought it'd make him a bit more unique. The OFF/Paranoia Agent influence is real

@k1-2-ur-heart @toxetta @piko-chan @cyannidex33 @bladeechan @internetsinner

If you find them, the older posts aren't really cannon in terms of design, but are cannon in personality. The story itself would be paneled in a right-to-left flow specifically after Mob Psycho and the Pokemon Adventures manga, though I'd attempt to give it a more "Watchmen" feeling for the backgrounds and such.

!DESIGNS ARE NOT FINAL AND STORY MAY NEVER COME!

[msweebyness]

More Miraculous Recess Characters

Hey, all! Here’s some more Recess-inspired characters for our Miraculous universe! They’re not in the Recess Class, but they attend DuPont! @imsparky2002 @booksrbetterthanpeople @nerdy-chocomallow

Hunter Ippoliti (Hustler Kid)

Was the kid who ran hustles on the playground

Has several lucrative small business ventures, and will probably be a millionaire by the time he’s 25

If you need a guy, he knows a guy

Don’t mess with his hair or the coat

Likes to talk in gangster lingo

His family may or may not be in the mob

Has a crush on Kendra, but way too nervous to act on it

Devine “Dev” & Samantha “Sammi” Duggar (The Diggers)

Sisters that both have a huge interest in construction and architecture

Dev is into the design process while Sammi enjoys actually building things

Despite their appearance, they aren’t twins, Dev is a year older

Dev can be more than a little bossy, while Sammi is somewhat passive, but she’ll put her sister in her place when she needs to

They always dress in overalls and sometimes wear hardhats from helping out their dad with building projects

Tried to dig a hole to China when they were in fourth and third grade respectively, they actually made it about eight feet deep into the ground

Jabir Ghannam (Guru Kid)

Incredibly wise beyond his years, people go to him for advice on a lot of things

Very bohemian sense of style, and he’s very into meditation and spiritual stuff

He refuses to wear shirts, because the school rules don’t say he has to. (He’ll rock a stylish vest though) And I mean, he works out, no one’s complaining

Can be surprisingly snarky and witty when the situation calls for it

Openly a pacifist, he hates conflict and is good at defusing fights

Plays the bongos in a drum circle, he’s really good

Evan Lawson (Lawson)

Kind of an ass who never really can get when he needs to put a cork in it

Has a big ego about his athletic skills and often needs to be taken down a peg

Actually pretty insecure underneath his act and takes it out on other people

Has a HUGE rivalry with Victoria, the two are constantly trying to one-up each other

Actually does a have a soft side, he gets along very well with his older sister

Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs! Booksy, Sparky, Coco, anyone, feel free to add anything you want to these guys!

[ppumeonae-bigvibe]

alley-oop

↖ navigation: ateez masterlist || main masterlist 

pairing: san x gn! reader

↬ tags: cold x warm trope!, i really think i let loose on this one (my inner delusions are surfacing the more i type and before i knew it i birthed this very piece from my author-ussy, !

summary: san chuckles in acknowledgement, "it is my wish for you to see me in the nationals, but now that i won, i want sunbae to grant me another wish."

word count: 3.2 k words

a/n: i realized that what i see and read greatly influences the things i write...the increase in thriller and action kdrama has certainly been a big reason why my well has been dry lately—

also -> alley oop - a high pass caught by a leaping teammate who tries to dunk the ball before landing.

— 8 months before

"choi san, you need to get your grades up in the upcoming semester, or i'm not going to be able to let you compete in the upcoming basketball nationals at the end of the year."

his eyes widened at his coach's announcement.

"get your overall rank up to top quarter of your cohort. i've put you into the list of players, but your name will be removed if you don't improve."

"but, coach-nim!"

"our members have to balance both the club activities and school work, and i expect more from you because you are our team's stellar player. do you hear me?"

biting back an array of complaints, he hung his head in shame and accepted his fate. he knew that his grades weren't great and assumed if he kept playing well (he was good at it after all), his coach would overlook the horrible C and D grades.

"i know you can do it."

top quarter? he needs to be the top 25% of his cohort??

"yes, coach-nim."

the only problem now was to find someone who could tutor him.

— 8 months before

"and...yeah that was what happened. coach-nim pulled me out of extra b-ball practices. but who is going to want to tutor me?" san grumbles, listlessly swirling his noodles with a flick of his chopsticks.

"i know someone who could tutor you. all the subjects." wooyoung casually mentions over lunch and san jerks up, raising an eyebrow at his friend, "wait...you are serious?" wooyoung nods his head, mouth full of noodles.

"yeah. i know this sunbaenim who happens to just be the top scorer of the school." san sputtered, gold having landed in his lap, "dude?! why didn't you tell me earlier??"

— 7 months and 2 weeks before

"sunbae!" you watch in horror as this male student came barrelling down the hallway, calling out your name another time. not believing your eyes, you clutched onto your bagstrap tighter, the male progressively gaining unto you.

what on earth...?

your flight or fight instincts was triggered and you begin running away from him, not having any clue about what was going on.

"sunbae! stop running away please!" he never ceased his pace, steadily catching up. "w-what do you want...!" you hollered worriedly. he continued to chase you out of the hallway towards the school track field. you felt a sharp tug and you were sent falling backwards into his arms.

"for some nerd like sunbae, you are quite the runner."

you were absolutely floored, sweaty and breathless, whereas he seemed put together, not a hair out of place. you jumped out of his hold, shooting him a puzzled look, "why were you running after me...choi san-ssi?" you squinted at his name tag and he stares pointedly at you, "...now that you've stopped running, i got something to ask."

— 7 months and 1 week before

after much persuasion (it surprisingly wasn't too difficult), you agreed to tutor him after you mentioned that you were friends with wooyoung. in the name of 'getting to know someone better', he has been asking the people in school about what they know of you.

this was as far as he has gathered: you were not someone who stands out from the crowd, the only thing distinguishable was just your outstanding grades. you hardly said no to any request and were an all-round nice person, smiling everywhere you went; hence you were also quite the popular person, much to san's chargin.

and somehow, wooyoung also just happened to be your neighbor. (san wonders why wooyoung's grades weren't stellar, but who was he to judge, right?)

here he was, sat beside the top scorer of the school, also his senior, and also somehow wooyoung's contact. he felt a bit out of place in your neat and tidy room, a stark contrast to his messy and dim one.

"san-ah, let's try that again, shall we? if we look through this part again..."

he didn't want to be here, but he needed to pull his grades up...by a lot. damn his poor grades. he sighs frustratedly, rubbing his eyes from the bright afternoon light streaming into your room. well, it was helping him to focus somehow...

"are you paying attention?" you lightly tapped on his shoulder and he scowls, "sunbae...i'm trying to..."

out of courtesy, he told you to drop the honorifics and now he doesn't know whether to hate the fact his name rolls off your tongue so sweetly or that it was annoying.

"sure, okay...listen, this part here? that's important. if you follow..." you continued your explanation, but paused when you see him drifting off into his own world yet again.

"san? do you need a break?" mildly mortified because you caught him zoning out more than once (this was the fourth time), he huffed and shook his head.

with amusement, san watches as you pulled out a packet of chocolate milk from your bag and he raises a brow when you push it into his hand. "sunbae, what..." did you think he was a little kid? he was nearly 2 heads taller than you and--

"just something to cheer you up. i thought you might like it...but if you don't..." you proceeded to take it back but san was quicker to grab it, lightly grazing your hands in the process.

"i want it." he realized how much he sounded like a petulant child and cleared his throat, 'i mean...i'm hungry." you smiled affectionately at him, causing him to practically wince at your undivided focus.

gulping down on the milk, san purposely avoided eye contact with you. he subtly glances at you from the corner of his eyes: you were looking intently at his worksheet, scribbling tips and notes at the borders, neatly summarizing for him what is the important things.

he'd rather get punched in the stomach than admit he likes you more than he thinks. (he doesn't know yet.)

"well...are you going to start listening?" "yeah...yeah..."

— 5 months and 3 weeks before

"sunbae..." san spots you sitting down by the bleachers in the evening sun and his heart rate picks up. it's been a few weeks since you started tutoring him and he's beginning to look forward to each and every session, putting in the effort to actually revise his topics so you could be proud of him. he's definitely warmed up to you, and unbeknownst to him, his cold exterior begun to chip in your presence.

jogging over, he calmed down for a bit—taking his excessive excitement down a notch—before talking to you

"what are you doing here?" he hoped he was presentable as he stood slightly nervous before you.

"wooyoung told me i should come and support him; i expected you to be around too so i thought i could hang around." you simply smiled and a sting of jealousy struck san. he brushed it off, cool exterior back in place, "so how was i?"

"i think you're really good! i hope that your grades improve so that you can stand brightly on the court with no worries." the way you encouraged him effortlessly nearly had him buckling. just on cue, wooyoung materializes beside san, "sunbae! you came!"

"you called didn't you? i hope all that basketball didnt cause you to forget our tutoring session." you rolled your eyes as wooyoung playfully pats your head, "of course sunbae!"

san guesses he's thoroughly mistaken: you were also tutoring wooyoung.

why did he think he was the only tutee you had? for all he knew you had more than just wooyoung and him as your students.

wooyoung trundles away to get his gym bag and you followed him, all while san stands there trying not to be sulky. you picked up your schoolbag, grabbing your jacket, "san-ah, i'm going to go first."

pausing in your tracks, you waved goodbye to san with a cheery smile on your face, "don't forget our session tomorrow okay?" he brightens at your reminder (if he might add, a little giddy when you said 'our'), "okay...!"

you spun around and jogged to wooyoung's side and san wishes that it was him. maybe if he knew how to express his emotions better just like how outgoing wooyoung is, so that you could have that similar banter with him.

almost immediately, san smacks his face with his palms, eyes widening in shock.

no…now’s not the time to be distracted choi san!!!

— 4 months before

to make things easier for you, you begun tutoring the two of them in your home since they took similar subjects despite the being put in different classes. san was happy that tutoring sessions increased, but...not so happy that he couldn't have one-on-one time with you.

wait...since when did he care about that?

"i heard that you two had a mock test just this week. can i review your papers?" wooyoung confidently hands his over, "i managed to get into the top ten! are you proud of me?" you nodded your head as you flipped through wooyoung's papers. it wasn't long before your attention was on san, who was dodging your very gaze when you noticed the barely passing mark circled in red on his paper.

"i didn't do quite well." san admits, lowering his gaze. "it''s okay. you improved from your previous rank! small improvement is still improvement after all."

wooyoung interrupted and cheekily grabbed your arm, "sunbae! since i did well i can skip on today's tutor session right? see you~" without much hesitation wooyoung takes his own paper back from you and scampers out of your room. "his head is gonna inflate from all that pride i swear." you chuckled and san hides a laugh at your words.

"well now that he's gone, let's review your paper now, shall we?"

you sat him down beside you as you went through his mistakes and gave him additional questions, leaving him quite miserable at the end of the session. sensing his dejected spirit, you pat his back to comfort him. "sunbae, i feel bad because...i can't do well..."

san didn't know what came over him as he rambled on, stopping himself almost immediately because he thought he sounded silly. you grabbed his hand, that same enchanting smile on your face, "well...i'm here aren't i? i promised i'd help you to do your best so you can go for the nationals."

"but why do you want to help me?" san questioned. you shrugged your shoulders, "you're the coolest on the court!" san sputters, "huh? sunbae, don't joke with me!"

you shoot him a bashful smile, "to know that i was able to help you? that's more than enough. i don't need you to repay me; i just wanna see you fulfill your passions."

at that split second of a moment, when the sun was setting and you were basked in it's golden glory, san thinks he's falling in love with you.

— 3 months

"wooyoung, why do you keep hanging out around sunbae these days?" san randomly brings up, before shaking his head, "you know what? nevermind."

"why are you even asking me this question?" wooyoung's eyes never left the computer screen, fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard to make his game avatar run and dodge.

san aimlessly scrolls his mouse about, "just...nothing." of course, being neighbors and all it would not be weird for san to witness the two of you walking to and from school together, to hang out occasionally together. that much is normal, but to what extend is it considered not?

wooyoung bursts out laughing, "are you jealous or something? do you like sunbae?"

san silence spoke volumes and wooyoung turns his head slowly, unbelief evident in his contorted face, "you have a crush?!" san slaps his hand over wooyoung's mouth.

"not so loud genius!!"

wooyoung gasped in shock, "no wonder you've been so...weird lately. it is certainly very unlike you and i guess this explains everything. like...everything!"

— 2 months before

san felt as if a whole boulder has been lifted off his heart at the realization that he likes you. that explained all the "unnecessary" heart racing moments when it was just you and him, all the times when he would "accidentally" detour around school just to walk past your class and "somehow" get a glimpse of you.

with this newfound appreciation, his grades also took a turn for the better because he wanted to make you proud. he started texting you about his day outside of school (wooyoung often left him on read), giddy with happiness when you replied to him with the same enthusiasm.

before he knew it, the semester tests were around the corner. san stood worriedly outside the classroom with his other classmates waiting to enter. he spots you walking hurriedly down the hallway and when his eyes met yours, he relaxed his tensed shoulders.

murmurs from his classmates increased as you paused in front of him, "i'm rooting for you. here's your lucky charm." you whispered, pushing something into his hand. as quickly as you stopped by him, you walked away to your classroom on the floor above his.

he opens his palm to see the pen, a grin forming on his face when he notices your name sticker on it. gripping it tighter in his hand, he enters the classroom with confidence.

— 2 month and 3 weeks before

"sunbae, do you have a good luck charm?"

"well, i don't have one."

san propped his head on his hand, "i need a good luck charm for the coming tests, just like what i have for my matches." he points to his bracelet, one made by wooyoung to commemorate them being friends in basketball.

"from me?" you stared at him quizzically and san flushed, parroting your question, "from...you?!" you two burst out laughing at the absurdity of the interaction. you calmed down enough to formulate a proper response, "i'll...maybe think about it...?"

san pouts at your uncertainty, "you're not going to give me one?" you lightly pinched his cheeks, "you're making it very hard for me to say no. i'll get you something, okay?"

"i'll hold your word to it sunbae!"

— 1 month before

"how did it go?"

you were huffing, having ran from your homeroom to san's classroom as soon as he texted you he got back his results. you found him standing outside the classroom: head hung low, hands clenched at his side. he perked up at the sound of your question and the sight before you nearly had you reeling.

"i..."

you waited with bated breath for san to finish his statement. "i...somehow did it..." he points to the ranking that was displayed on his phone, and in the picture you could see that his marks barely made the cut, yet because of the person after him, he was pushed to the top 25% of scores in his cohort.

"san! you did it!" you hugged him and he freezes in your hold. you pulled away from him, unshed tears in your eyes causing him to panic, "ahh! sunbae! why are you crying!!" san hurriedly wipes away the falling tears and you laughed, "i'm so glad all that hard work paid off, even if it was just merely there, you improved by leaps and bounds!"

"could have been the lucky charm you gave me. i brought it with me to all my papers." he mentioned and delights in the way you were tongue-tied at his revelation. "sunbae, why this pen though? is there anything special about it?" he pulls out the pen from his pocket, rotating it in his hands to examine it closely.

"if you really must know, it was the very first pen that i got with my own pocket money. nothing special, but i liked the fact that i worked hard to get this branded pen." you bashfully replied, taking back the pen from him.

he thinks you're really beautiful like this, and he finds it so difficult to not like you. he's thoroughly crushing on you now, even more so than before when he first met you.

"before i forget, san-ah, what's your wish?"

— 2 weeks before

now that san has earn the respect of his coach from his drastically improved grades, he's been staying back after school every day to practice till late.

with the ball dribbling beneath his palms, he relishes in his passion and determination that brought him this far.

"you're in great form, eh?" wooyoung teases as the two of them shoot hoops. "yeah, i absolutely missed this. back when coach only allowed me to come for tuesday trainings? that was such a pain!" san laughs, thinking about how he would linger outside the auditorium as he watch his teammates train with each other, while he had to get going to be tutored.

not that he minded, actually. deep down, he was glad for this break because after meeting you, he was reluctant to go back to this thrice-a-week club trainings. he immediately pushes that thought away, exerting force to fling the ball in wooyoung's general direction.

"did you get sunbae to come watch you?" wooyoung—who somehow has become his confidant for anything relating to you—wiggled his eyebrows and san's face warmed up, "yeah i managed to ask. and sunbae's going to be coming..." san embarrassedly hides his face behind the ball wooyoung returns and an uncharacteristic squeal leaves wooyoung's lips and he excitably hugs san, "let's go! my bro's got this!"

— D-DAY

"san! over here!" wooyoung hollers and san passes the ball over. with just about one more minute left in the last quarter, san was really feeling the physical and mental strain after the first 3 rounds. he needs to make the final blow that will pull his school out of the current tie they were in.

san let's his other teammates go ahead of him as he scours around for a wide spot with as little defense from the opposing team.

san's entire being awakens as his gaze lands on you in the bleachers; you were here for him. his eyes flicker between the court and you distractedly, watching as you looked around uncertainly, before deciding to just stand at the back, still within his line of vision.

"san!" surging with adrenaline he nods at wooyoung, who then swings the ball high up. this move he practiced countless times with his friends, coordinating down to even synchronizing their breaths and footsteps.

this is for you.

he takes a huge leap with arms held up. the moment the ball from wooyoung falls in his palms, he sends the ball hurtling into the net. heart beating in trepidation, he feels the second melting into one another as the ball dramatically lands in the hoop with a satisfying woosh.

"with that quick thinking, KQ high school wins the nationals!"

the whole auditorium was flooded with cheers, confetti and streamers floating down from the sky. san feels himself being lifted up by his teammates, wooyoung shouting in his ear about how crazy it was, but all he could focus on was you and your awed expression. pride blooms through him like a blossoming flower, and he thinks he could get used to having someone being there for him.

after all that congratulatory messages from his team, he makes his way to you, beckoning for you to come over to the side lines.

"you made it, sunbae."

"i'm fulfilling your wish, isn't it?"

san chuckles in acknowledgement, "it is my wish for you to see me in the nationals, but now that i won, i want sunbae to grant me another wish."

your nose scrunched up, the corners of your lips turned downwards despite the big smile on your face, "another? that's—"

"—sunbae, will you go out with me?"

@ppumeonae-bigvibe 's work ; likes and reblogs are appreciated <3

[maxdibert]

I think the main reason why the marauders fandom judges 11 year old Snape so hard is because 90% of them are 12 themselves.

They’re not that young, but they are still very young. From what I’ve observed, most of them are either still minors or barely in their early twenties, which gives them a pretty limited perspective on things—especially considering they’re talking about characters who are more or less their age. For example, to them, laughing at a kid because of their appearance or bullying them is something they don’t take seriously, because they’re at an age where such behavior is common, particularly if they believe there’s a “reason” for it. They manage to justify the abuse with any cheap excuse, which ultimately boils down to typical adolescent rhetoric shaped by a narrow and inexperienced view of reality.

For us as adults, it seems outrageous, but that’s precisely because age gives us perspective. When you look at youthful cruelty from a distance, you can’t find any coherent justification for, say, a group of wealthy kids with social status tormenting a poor kid. I mean, I can understand why they downplay it—it’s possible that when I was 15, if I saw someone being mocked for their appearance or constantly harassed, I wouldn’t have thought it was right, nor would I have participated. But I probably wouldn’t have grasped the full weight or seen it as seriously as I do now. Did I think it was wrong? Yes. Did I think it was as wrong as I do now as an adult? No. (Granted, my school environment was never that violent—no one ever tried to kill someone or strip them in front of others or anything that extreme, but still.)

On the other hand, there’s also that teenage mindset of seeing adults as the enemy or thinking that once you hit 25, you’ve got life all figured out—as if those of us nearing 30 or already in our thirties are people who have it all together, know everything, or don’t cry five times a day when we’re having a bad week. That’s also where their view of adult Severus comes into play. They don’t want to understand him, and honestly, I don’t think they can, because I genuinely believe you understand Severus and his adult behavior better as you yourself get closer to that age. You realize everything is a complete mess, no one teaches you how to be an adult, and you constantly have to remind yourself that you’re not a kid anymore and that everything you do has consequences. But in your head, you’re not the functional adult society expects you to be—you’re a bag of unresolved trauma, bills to pay, and the urge to end it all at least twice a week.

For example, today I woke up with a terrible hangover and an overwhelming sense of fear I couldn’t pinpoint. I spent the whole damn day watching childhood movies and crying my eyes out for no reason, unable to do anything else, because I needed to feel like I was in a safe space—like when I was six years old watching Home Alone seven times a day, back when there were no dramas, no problems, no responsibilities, nothing. And that’s something a 15-year-old whose main concern is being aesthetic and getting 38,182,839,282,819,282 interactions on Tumblr with absurd headcanons about characters they don’t even like (because they’ve reinvented them and slapped canon names on them) just can’t understand.

But well, they’ll grow up eventually and realize everything is crap, and they’ll look back at when they defended sexual assault and attempted murder as kids and think, “Wow, we were complete idiots, how embarrassing.” Or at least I hope they will—because if not, what a garbage generation we’re in for.