#like guys it's not that hard to treat us well

[7s3ven]

SINGLE DAD! X BABYSITTER! READER HAS ME FROTHING OMGG. Even better when the rest of TF 141 is involved

part 1 | part 2 (coming soon - rest of tf 141 introduced)

master list

MDNI 18+

Warnings: big age gap, babysitter! reader, reader is in medical school (but still legal guys)

You told yourself it was just a temporary summer job, something to fill your pockets over the Summer break as you moved into another year of university. Medical bills were not easy to pay off and your old job that paid the bare minimum did not help you in the least. All it taught you was that you had a nasty uppercut (from the time you actually hit someone and got fired).

So, you found yourself standing in front of John Price’s house. You stared up at the tall building, brows raised in surprise. He had understated how big his house was… it even had a garden and a pool. You may as well consider it a mansion.

You quickly rang the doorbell, smoothening out your tight blouse. Your much more appropriate one was in the wash so you prayed whoever answered the door did not notice.

It was a tall middle-aged who greeted you, beard cleanly trimmed and… a hat on his head. “Y/N L/N?” He asked you. You swiftly nodded, softly smiling when he stepped aside.

“So, medical school, huh? Training to become a doctor?” He asks as he brews you a cup of tea while you read over his terms and conditions.

“A surgeon, sir. Not much better, though.” You offer him another smile, hoping to ease the awkward tension.

“Right. Next time I need surgery, I’ll call you up.” He takes a sip from your tea, which you notice but you say nothing. “Just checkin’ the temperature. Wouldn’t want ya to burn yourself.” He hands you the mug, his fingers lingering on your skin for a moment too long.

“I assume this is only a quick job for you? Just away to gain a bit of money to pay those student fees off?”

Your cheeks heat up in embarrassment as you nod. “Yes, sir. I know I should have clarified it but I’m a little desperate at this point. Besides, no retail places want to hire me… after I hit someone.”

Your words intrigued him. He let out a low chuckle as he sat across from you. “Now I’m interested.”

“Well… there’s not much to it… a guy kept staring at my chest. He said some vulgar stuff and next thing I knew, I was punching him.”

Price shrugs, leaning back in his seat. “The lad was askin’ for it. So, what do you think about the job? You’ll honestly be a glorified babysitter. Just do some cleaning and cookin’ here and there and make my baby happy and you’ll get a nice pay check every week.”

It all happened in a blur. You agreed to the job and weeks later, you found yourself at Price’s house more than your apartment. You hadn’t stepped foot into your apartment since two days ago, Price generously allowing you to use one of the guest rooms.

“Lila has a sleepover tomorrow.” Price mentions as you’re reading the instructions on how to make cookies for Lila’s bake sale.

Based on the cooking skills you had seen from Price, you doubted he could bake very well. In fact, all he could cook was steak, which was general knowledge for dads.

“I can drop her off if needed.” You offer while opening the packet of flour only for it to explode in your face. You smacked your lips together, grimacing. “Not a word.” You mutter to Price who’s chuckling under his breath.

“Wasn’t gon’ a say anything, love.” He helps wipe the flour dust off your face, still grinning in amusement.

In all honesty, your relationship with Price felt a little too domesticated, especially right now as you wore a frilly apron he had bought just for you.

“Your skirt’s too short, by the way.” Price grumbles, attempting to tug it down. “You sure no creeps stared at you on your way ‘ere? Wouldn’t want ya in danger.”

You push his hands away from your hips. “Even if people were staring, I’ll just punch them.”

You had tried to maintain a professional relationship with your boss but it was hard when he carelessly manhandled you and treated you like his wife rather than his daughter’s babysitter.

And all professional behaviour came crashing down when he unexpectedly stood behind you as you whisked the cookie batter.

“You look like a coke addict.” Price jokes, referring to the flour that still stained your face. “Like you got it everywhere but up your nose.”

“I can assure you, sir, I have never tried coke unless my friend daring me to snort sherbet counts.”

Price grins at your biting remark, his heavy hands falling to your waist. “Yeah? Heard it doesn’t feel too good with sherbet.”

“Not in the slightest.”

His hands trail dangerously low but you don’t have the courage to ask him to stop… nor do you really want him too. He seems to sense your willingness as he rests his face in the crook of your neck, body pressed up tightly against yours.

You feel more like his spoiled wife than a medical student just trying to pay her bills.

“You’re pretty, ya know that? Surprised you don’ have a boyfriend… or girlfriend. Or partner. Dunno what your label is.”

With shaking hands, you place the bowl filled with cookie batter to the side, afraid you’ll only spill it.

“Never met a woman as soft as you… most think I chased Lila’s mother away. But nah. Her mother ran off, leavin’ me with a baby. Not that I’m complaining, I love Lila… and without her, I wouldn’ have met you.”

You’re reduced to listening to Price’s words, stuck between his larger frame and the marbled kitchen counter.

“Sir.” You whisper but it reaches his keen ears. Everything after that is a distorted blur and you find yourself bent over the counter, clad in nothing but the apron, with Price right behind you.

Price was a mystery to you. How could a man be turned on by something as simple as an apron? Though, he was a single dad so it made sense.

Price is muttering praises in your ears as your knees tremble, threatening to buckle. You never imagined you’d be in your employer’s kitchen, having your back blown out by the man himself.

His hands were hungrily climbing your body, gripping every bit of exposed skin he could find. If it wasn’t for him holding you upright, you would have toppled to the ground in a heartbeat.

You feel Price lift a hand to grip your hair, tugging at your locks. He’s in a desperate stupor but you’re not any better, pushing back your hips to meet his harsh thrusts.

“Gon’ a fill ya up. Give you a baby of yer own. Fuck… be so pretty just like you. My perfect little wife.” He grunts in your ear. You have no energy to correct him; that you’re not actually his wife but you’d have no complaints if he bought you a ring.

If anything, his words spur you on more.

Your chest is heaving by the time you near your release. You’re whining like a damn dog, high pitched noises slipping past your saliva-slicked lips. And you only grow in volume as Price speeds up, pressing his body against your back.

He’s older than you, that’s a fact you knew from the start, but he’s definitely more experienced as well. His well thought out words have the desired effect on you as the coil in your stomach snaps.

Your fluids drip down your exposed legs, hitting the tiles kitchen ground in thick droplets. You hear Price swear under his breath, quickly pulling out and staining your back white.

He doesn’t say anything for a moment as he rests his forehead on your shoulder. Then he leads you towards his bathroom, ushering you inside and handing you a spare set of clothes.

“Imma place your old ones in the washing, yeah?” He mutters, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek before leaving you to wash off.

You sit on the shower floor for a good five minutes, replaying the moment in your head. When you finally cleanse yourself of sweat, you slip Price’s shirt over your head, inhaling the intoxicating smell of his cologne. It was the one you liked too.

His clothes engulfed you as you stumbled back into the kitchen, hobbling a little.

“I guess I’ll… get going then.” You murmur, fidgeting with your hands.

Price reaches out a hand to brush a strand of hair away from your face. Then he nods. “See you tomorrow night, lovie.”

Right, you still had to finish those cookies and pick up your clothes.

[icarusredwings]

Do you guys ever think about dementia Charles seeing Pietro and getting sad or becoming really happy because his poor mind connects the dots that he's Erik? It dosn't compute that this wouldn't be Erik because hes too young to be Erik rather assuming that he is young Erik and not exactly having the logic to understand that they are so differently aged.

"Oh! My old friend, you've gotten a haircut. Quite bold of you. It makes you look much younger."

".. yeah, yeah, old man.." he mutters, trying to avoid him best he can, but sometimes, when the others are busy, he can't stand to leave him alone. Coming to sit with him just to litsen to him gab about random nonsense, talking so fondly about his X-men and memories dear to him.

"Do you remember?"

"Do I remember what?"

"When Jean got her first bad grade and she cried to you about how cruel I was to her." He chuckles softly. "And all she got was a B-"

Pietro stares at him like he's crazy. Jean cried to his father? But why? He had his own children to take care of. So why would he treat her like that? It makes him a bit angry. "No.. I don't. What else?"

"Hm?"

"What else happened? With jean and my da- erm. Me."

"I believe it's Jean and I." He corrects his grammer, making the younger man roll his eyes in annoyance. Once a professor always a professor I guess.

"Sure. Jean and I.."

"You acussed me of being too hard on her, but when I explained it, you laughed... I haven't seen you laugh like that in so long.." It's sort of now that Charles remembers what's going on. Who he's talking to.

"..Im sorry. Who are you again?"

"Well you like to call me speedster."

"Pft. No I do not. Mr. Maximoff.. you've grown so big since the last time ive seen you."

'You just saw me yesterday' he thinks but makes that awkward smile and nods. "Yup.."

"Youll have to forgive me. Im not always.... here."

"I know.. are you alright?"

He shrugs in his chair. "About as alright as anyone could be in my situation." Ah yes. The paralyzed old bald man who was losing his mind still had jokes. Funny. But sad. He remembered him being so similar and yet.. so different.

It's not long before Jean comes to give him his medicine again, convincing him that it was for the kid's saftey. "You don't want to hurt them. Do you, Charles?"

"No... but I'm not that gone yet. I can decide when it's best to take my medication."

She smiles so sweetly at him. "Professor, you made this time schedule yourself. Im just doing what you told me. You always knew best for us."

"Oh.. well, alright then."

Before Jean can walk away, He stares at her.

"....Why did my father like you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Charles... he said.." He trails off, not sure how to say it without talking too quickly.

"He said you cried to my father. And.. he defended you."

Jean tilts her head. "I wouldn't say defended. I was just a child having a fit." She admits then shifts, looking at the walls as if remembering.

".. He was here a lot.. and then he just.. stopped coming. Im sorry. I don't know why. Like I said I was just-"

"Didyoureadhismind?"

"Uhm.. just a couple times."

"Jean used to con you into getting her ice cream." Charles smiles, closing his eyes, reminiscing.

"He.. got you ice cream?"

Jean's not dumb. She understands his frustrations, glancing at the old man and then to Pietro again. "Like I said.. I was just a kid.. I was just excited to be able to use my powers. I didn't mean anything by it. I didn't even know he had other children."

"...He never got us ice cream.. he didn't even bother sign my birth certificate.."

"Im sorry, Peter... Professor? Tonights dinner is potatoes gravy turkey with apple sauce. Remys making it so it might be a little spicy."

"Oh, that's alright. He means well. Erm.. thats the blue one right?"

Jean snorts. "No Professor. He's the card one."

"Oooh yes. Reeemmyy... right." He says his name slowly as if trying to connect 'the card one' to 'Remy' in his brain.

"...Bye Peter." She says, now awkwardly leaving.

"Remys that rat from the cooking movie" Pietro whispers and Charles' eyebrows raise. "Ahhh! Remy! That's right."

He might be an x-men. But he could still pull a little evil here and there.

[glitterymarshmellowfem]

Your young niece came to stay for a couple of weeks. You never really liked her. She was such a goody-goody and soooo religious. Well you owed your sister a favor, so you said okay, besides you thought it would give you a time to remold her.

The first night was nauseating, her always quoting scripture, refusing a glass of wine and wearing those frumpy clothes. You smoked around her constantly, but she was a xtian and she just said she'd pray for you. The second day you started to spike her food with booze. She never noticed, and even enjoyed the food. The third day for dinner you prepared a spicy dish and she kept drinking glass after glass of vodka spiked punch. Poor girl was so drunk, by the end of the meal she was consuming a glass of wine, saying she enjoyed it. From there on out every dinner had wine and not water and she would ask for a refill.

The fourth night you prepared a big dinner and then retired to watch a racy old flick where everyone smoked. and the women drank wine. As you both drank wine she asked if she could have a cigarette. You gave it to her, she lit it, coughed but got used to it. You kept small bowls of cigarettes in every room and you noticed her helping herself. By the sixth day, you both lingered at the kitchen table smoking and you asked her if she wanted an after dinner drink other than wine. You gave her some cognac. She thought it was good.and took her third glass into the tv room where you watched an old flick that had an anti-religious message. She excused herself and took her drink to her bedroom where she smoked and drank.You thought, well the religion's going to be a bit harder. On your way to bed, you peeked into her room and she was passed out with a bottle in her hand and a full ashtray. You covered her and let her sleep. She didn't come down to breakfast until late. She apologized for being late. She no longer made much attempt to cover up, just wearing her full coverage bra and panties with a cigarette in her hand. You mentioned how she needed a new bra, which she did, so you suggested you go lingerie shopping your treat. She jumped at the idea. You went to Victoria Secrets and bought her lovely racy demi-bras with matching panties, some of them thongs and some really soft sexy baby dolls. She liked it all going out wearing a set.

You suggested lunch at a tavern and as you ate, you noticed her eyeing men. You made comments about each one and she would agree or disagree. As you sat finishing off your bourbons, you noticed her chain smoking and discreetly playing with herself. You excused yourself to go to the restroom. On the way, you paid a handsome man to go flirt with her. You were gone for twenty minutes and upon your return, you saw him sitting close to her with his arm around her shoulders and both smoking and laughing. They had several empty glasses in front of them. The man got up to leave and gave you back your money saying it was his pleasure, besides she gave him her phone number.

As you walked down the street she passed a woman's fashion shop stopping to look at a mannequin in a short skirt and tight top. You both went in and she came outwearing the outfit with a pair of long black boots and her old clothes in the garbage can. That night after dinner you watched a soft porn flick.

On day nine she came down in her shortie baby doll, with the matching thong panty. First thing she did was reach for a smoke, but just had coffee for breakfast. She was scrolling on her phone and you noticed she was looking at dating sites. Her phone rang and it was the guy from the tavern. They made a date for tomorrow night. You brought out a hairstyles mag and she interestedly looked at the pics. She asked if you had a fave salon cause she wanted to get her brunette hair colored. You made an appointment and paid for her dye job and mani-pedi with one inch nails. That night when you went into the tv room she saw the DVD case of a hard core porn flick and she said she'd want to watch it. You agreed, but first you needed some toys. You brought out two dongs and she thought that would be fun. By midway through the movie both you ladies had thoroughly soaked dongs in your pussies. When a lesbian scene came on she started hitting on you. You never made it to the end of the movie as you were both up in your bed eating each other out. You brought out your harness and pegged her virgin ass. After initial discomfort she enjoyed it.

Day 11, she spent working on her ass with two other dongs. That night she changed into her boots, short skirt and open blouse, Her date picked her up. They had dinner, went barhopping and she ended up in his bed, getting both her ass and pussy fucked. You thought you could skip going back to that ant-religious flick for two reasons it was Sunday morning by the time she came home and never mentioned church and you found her bible in the trash can.

Day 12 you did more clothes shopping and she chose some really slutty fashions she said for another date, but this time with the first guy's friend. She didn't come home until day 13 at 10:00am. And you asked how the date with the guy went. She sat down at the table after poring herself two shots of whiskey and lighting a smoke and corrected you; she said guys. Turned out out this guy had three roommates and when propositioned to take all four she said yes. She said she was soooo proud of herself for satisfying all four of them as she was gang banged. You finished day 13 in your bed pleasuring each other.

Day14 started and you said goodbye to your now slutty niece in a tight leather outfit and boots you bought her with her tits greatly exposed. You felt so proud of yourself as you watched the slut walk away with her ass tightly outlined wearing her stilletto boots with a cigarette in hand. You invited her back anytime.

[kwillow]

Mail time. Theo clearly isn't the best candidate to lecture people on "good manners" but that's not going to stop him.

Also using this as a header for more LORE RAMBLES: THEO EDITION, because again I have more interesting asks about Theo than I can answer with drawings -- so REAMS OF WORDS it is!

Questions and answers under the cut...

Well, Theo isn’t terribly fond of the guy. He’s never met him, of course, but from his research into Old Kingdom history, he thinks of Ambroys as a conceited, shallow, disloyal, cowardly liar – and he’s not exactly wrong, ha.

If they met in the past, when Ambroys was his cocky, younger self, I think Ambroys would take advantage of Theo’s poor social skills and unpopularity by bullying him for some cheap points with other people who would find amusement in that. Ambroys wouldn’t have much use for him otherwise. Theo would spend far more time seething about Ambroys and plans for his revenge on that POMPOUS POPINJAY than Ambroys would spend thinking about Theo at all.

If they met in modern times – well that’s something we’ll address eventually, but Theo and Ambroys would not get along much better. Present-day Ambroys does not like mages one bit. Also, he is quite used to being literally worshipped. A little hater like Theo would not be looked upon kindly.

Thank you!! Now you too are present in a lore dump!

Theo is indeed a fan of the performing arts, and art in general (though he is, predictably, very particular in his tastes). Opera and such was performed during Ambroys’ time, and much of it was likely lost during the apocalyptic era between the time of the Old Kingdoms and the modern day, but I imagine some scant examples of the genre (and traditional plays by the likes of Furry Shakespeare, because Shakespeare is one of those people who just exists in every universe no matter how bizarre) would still survive into the Theo’s time.

Theo’s hometown of Northcrest would be too small and rural to have a real theatre, so experiencing “proper” performances would be rare treats for him, when he followed his mother on business excursions to the rich districts of Ironfrost. I love that you picked up on the fact that he would want his own private box, haha. He wants to observe, not be observed!

You’re right that musicals would probably still be in their vaudeville and burlesque era, and Theo would find them to be distasteful, vulgar pap suited only for the soft, feeble minds of the unwashed masses, not a refined intellectual like himself. (Which is funny because I think a real-world modern-day Theo would like musicals because in some ways, he is a theater kid without the charisma or confidence to actually perform.) While his mother did not enjoy theatre to the same extent he did (her tastes were more in feats of choreographry and human/anthro excellence like ballet), they would bitch about the decline of society together if they saw a poster for one of those terrible, gaudy cabaret catastrophes. In general, Theo hates anything modern and likes anything old-fashioned, and that shifts according to the decade he lives in. An Amaranthine Theo would hate swing music, but a real-world modern-day Theo would like it. Embarrassing!

Also, he will memorize and quote his favorite soliloquies at people for the faintest of reasons. Don’t test him.

No, I don’t think Hyden has strong enough arms or a sturdy enough back to lift an entire person, even one as little as Theo. Hyden might be large but he’s not as powerful as his height and bulk make him look. I think even Theo is more physically adept than Hyden is (and that’s not saying much).

Also, while he would learn to tolerate it from someone like Hyden (in the same way your cat might begrudgingly tolerate you grabbing their little feet), Theo does not like being picked up by people. I can speak from experience than when you’re a short person, people love to pick you up randomly to establish dominance and it’s not a very dignified experience. Theo has a hard enough time being taken seriously even without being lugged about like a wheezing sack of flour.

Theo would be the first to inform you he is not the person to consult on romantic matters. At the same time, he would still give his advice: stop being a fatuous little fool and turn your efforts to matters of greater importance, like work or supporting your family or collecting every edition of your favorite encyclopedia or hitting your head against a wall. All would be better ways to spend your energy.

(I think you’re alluding to a person with a crush on him – God knows why such a person would exist in his universe – asking him for romantic advice, but I feel compelled to specify that the message he’d give a man seeking instructions on how to deal with a lady would be akin to “GET A JOB. STAY AWAY FROM HER”)

(Or maybe you mean someone Theo has a crush on? Well, the answer would be the same. Theo isn't duplicitous enough or proud enough to try to swindle someone towards viewing him as a romantic prospect. But he sure wouldn't suggest they get with someone else. NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO BE IN LOVE. STOP IT, HE SAYS.)

Yes, those are self-inflicted injuries. He’s had a compulsion to bite and scratch himself ever since he was a kid. Sometimes as a punishment, sometimes as a ritual to quell distressing thoughts, sometimes out of the need to replace distressing sensations and events that are out of his control with one that is in his control, no matter how painful.

He does not particularly value his body nor its integrity. However, he is aware the scars are alarming, and finds them somewhat embarrassing reminders of his flaws in self-regulation. He deals with both the sight of the scars and the urge to harm by wearing his gloves, which is something he started doing in his late teens – they cover the marks and help redirect him by replacing the sensation of flesh with fabric when he goes to bite down.

On your question about Theo’s body-image: no, he does not care for how he looks. He likes that his eyes are grey (like mother’s) and that his fur is monochrome (like mother’s), and if pressed he might say the eyebrows aren’t bad, except for the parts where he’s pulled the hair out of them, but that’s it. He hates that he’s not just short but dwarfish, he does not like his heavy-set build, he would not choose to be born a rat, he despises his face, his teeth repulse him, he at least can make peace with the fact that he can’t grow facial hair because he’d never want a mustache like his father’s but it’s still somewhat emasculating, and on and on and on with the insecurities. He definitely feels physically inferior to other males. Your average man is not only much, much taller than him (and the world is cruel to a short king), but stronger and more classically virile as well. But he makes the best of that by dismissing those physical qualities as consolation prizes afforded to males who are obviously inferior to him intellectually, morally, and spiritually. He doesn’t care for brutes, but he doesn’t highly value machismo anyway… He thinks of himself as a gentleman whose best qualities reside in his mind and actions. A man who is reedy and petite but smarter or more charismatic than him is much more threatening to his ego than the bulkiest bruiser. (However, he will still try to fight both for dominance, either physically or verbally, and probably lose.)

Theo is highly offended and disgusted by nudity, both other’s and his own. Even states of mild undress are distressing to him, hence why he looks away when buttoning Hyden’s shirt. He’s willing to stomach some discomfort when it comes to helping a loved one, but only if it’s strictly necessary. He would pointedly not look and scold someone, even someone he was more comfortable with, if they were “too underdressed,” and freak out if they came into his vicinity in the nude. I think it would take years of gradual desensitization to lessen his negative reactions to nudity. It’s not just him being fussy, it borders on a phobia.

(Haha this shows how long I sit on asks before I get around to answering them SORRY...!!!!)

I don’t talk about it a lot because while the character’s sexual orientations do inform their lives and development, romance and sex are not usually at the top of my priority list when it comes to my stories… but I’ve alluded and mentioned directly that Theo is “canonically” bisexual (always feels weird to say “canon” about my imaginary friends, ha). But he is in denial/in the closet about it. Of course, he wouldn’t be aware of the concept of “bisexuality”, nor would that exact label exist in his world, so it’s not like he would identify that way even if he wasn’t repressing hardcore.

He is revolted by sex and intimacy, but that’s more due to his psychological baggage, his perception of his parent’s relationship and his cultural mores than something necessarily inborn or inherent to him.

(Hyden is actually Also Straight, possibly even straighter than Ambroys if we’re measuring by “creator’s admittance that character may be bi-curious one day.” I have a track record.)

Only if it’s karmic in some way, involving a person or persons he’s already predisposed to hating. Granted, dying of one’s own stupidity would be a form of justice in his eyes, but there’s limitations to that. Hearing about, say, an incident like Nutty Putty cave would not be amusing even though he would argue it’s the cave explorer’s “own fault” for going in there because it was such a gruesome and prolonged end, far outweighing the punishment Theo would find fair for such hubris. Of course, if the same cave explorer bullied him in prep school, then yes, it would be hilarious.

I don’t have a character named Herbert, so I am assuming you mean Theo here, from context. :’D

I’d like to draw Theo practicing his fencing some day! It’s on The List along with, er, fifty other drawings, ha. There’s just so much I need to make and so little time…

But besides that, Theo is not a particularly sporty guy. He doesn’t tend to enjoy competitive sports, either participating or watching. Physically he’s just not suited to them, and his schoolboy days did not endear him to them.

He does enjoy taking walks and admiring picturesque landscapes. He also hunted with his mother. One of the duties of the Norths is (or was, before he started shirking all his duties to focus entirely on his madness quest) to eliminate monstrous predators lurking on the outskirts of their territory before they could terrorize the mundane locals. Mages can sense magic, and thus are more capable of tracking down and felling corrupt magical beasts than your average person. Also, sometimes one wants a pheasant for dinner on special occasions. So, he grew up learning to hunt, and he’s decent with a rifle. He doesn’t go out to do much anymore, though. His mother’s death and subsequent self-imposed isolation exacerbated his already present issues with social phobia and paranoia, so he doesn’t feel safe outside his house. Someone could see him out there, and Something could happen. (He isn’t sure what exactly, but surely nothing good.)

During the course of Amaranthine’s story he is, of course, forced to go outside again and travel, so he’ll rediscover his hobby of killing animals again. …Good for him. I suppose.

(This is in reference to the tags I put on my post of Theo's romance meme: #ok one piece of commentary: brain problems + highly repressed upbringing = where i put theo on the kinky slider. it had to be there #you should think less '50 shades' and more '50 year old guys waxing poetic about quicksand scenes in old adventure films' for that one #he's not a quicksand guy. but that's the vibe.)

Hahaha, I appreciate your curiosity, but I’m not sure if it’s a terrific idea to share Theo’s “quicksand” equivalents. Alas, I don’t want to encourage the perception that my characters exist to be romantic or sexual wish-fulfillment, instead of the dysfunctional little narrative fidget toys they are, by going too in-depth too often on their hypothetical sex lives. Also, I get my (un)fair share of fetish-mining asks, and if I mention certain kinks, the senders of those asks might think they can wheedle that kind of smut art from me, which… is not the case, even if I did like the things Theo is partial to. Frankly, I don’t have time to draw smut art when I have so many comics of my characters angsting at each other that I ought to be drawing instead!!!

Anyway, complaining over. But I do know what Theo’s “interests” are, and don’t worry, they are suitably cringe. I find amusement in giving embarrassing proclivities to all my favorite characters, even if it will never come up in their stories. It keeps them humble.

The Theo befriending scenarios are becoming more elaborate…!

Magic can’t really do that in Amaranthine (it’s more limited than a lot of people think)! But even if you could, I think Theo might realize something was off eventually. Granted, he is blind to a lot of manipulation when he trusts someone, and for his own stupid reasons he trusts Hyden, so that alone would provide cover for some time. Being nice to him in Hyden’s guise might even fulfill some boyhood dreams of his, so that helps too. Still, I don’t think anyone but Hyden could manage to act like Hyden forever.

Theo abhors liars, manipulators, and traitors (I know, this is very funny considering I just talked about how Theo likes Hyden – again, Theo is not a great judge of character). While he would be mortified at his own gullibility, it’s not like he’d spare you any judgment for being the one to take advantage of his hospitality in the first place.

So, in attempting to befriend him, you would have 1) caused harm to someone he has charged himself with protecting by kidnapping Hyden, 2) committed the sin of deceiving him and 3) wounded his ego by exposing a huge vulnerability in his psychological armor. These are not crimes he is likely to excuse. Among Theo’s many faults are his capacity for spite and appetite for disproportionate vengeance. In other words, he would want to hurt you very, very badly.

Anyway, in summation, this is not a great way to try and win Theo’s affection. If befriending something hostile is what you’re after, I’d recommend purchasing a pet cobra or something, it would be more rewarding and less difficult to manage.

Ooh, this is another one of those “it depends” sort of questions… an Amaranthine Theo is completely unsuited for parenthood because he is just totally off his rocker and devoted to an impossible, nature-impugning, corruptive madness quest, so there’s not really much space left in his brain for any of the tasks involved in parenting.

Also, how well and in what way he would approach parenting would depend on if he has a partner and who they are, if the kid is biological (and therefore an extension of the North line) or adopted (and therefore might be spared some of those expectations), and what the kid or kids are like.

But, I’ll try to speak generally. He does put an importance on family so he would not be neglectful. In fact, I think he’d tend towards being smothering, way too over-protective. He would have high expectations for their academic career (despite flopping in his own) and would be upset if his children didn’t share his interest in intellectual pursuits. He lacks a lot of knowledge about life, and so he wouldn’t be able to pass that on to his children, despite desiring that they be self-sufficient and capable. He would try and keep them from being romantically involved until they could marry, which he wouldn’t think would be difficult considering how he himself is, but I think he would be disappointed and frustrated by the fact that most people (and therefore probably his kids) aren’t so averse to macking on other teenagers in their school days. His tendency towards being neurotic and temperamental would be an issue, and I think even if he tried to control his explosive tendencies around his children, they’d still pick up on it and be afraid of his moods. I think, with his immature development, he would have a lot of difficulty not descending to a teenager’s level of petty sniping if his teenage child did what teenagers do and started challenging him.

So… this is not painting a rosy picture. Don’t get me wrong, he’d try his best, and he would aim to be a good, supportive, and loving parent, but the man has issues. He wouldn’t be perfect. He might not even be good. He is Theo, after all.

Speaking of parenthood, let's get into some...

Family Matters

NO, they did not like each other. Their passive-aggression is as genuine as it is petty. They were the most divorced people to still technically be married.

Love was never in the cards for these two. The marriage was purely strategic, and all parties were aware of that. Leonard would have liked to have his wife love him, if only because it would be much more pleasant and convenient for him, but it wasn’t a requirement. He could seek love elsewhere if need be. He was always an opportunistic fellow that way.

Jo never held fondness for Leonard, either before or after their engagement. The marriage was at the behest of her father, and Jo had always put her duties to her family line above whatever selfish wants she might have had. She was willing to tolerate Leonard, which is about the best you could expect from her. However, he tried her patience too often to maintain even that level of camaraderie.

Leonard liked how Jo looked, and he liked the idea he had of her personality. Because Jo was deferential to her father, he assumed she would be similarly deferential to him. Hahaha. Not so. After her father passed, she inherited the Barony and thus, in her mind, the right to dictate the use of her family’s assets, the alliances she would forge with her noble connections, and the future of her estate. All her plans conflicted sharply with Leonard’s ideas of what he was going to do with the North’s influence, and he thought himself the keeper of their assets by patriarchal right. They clashed often and they both were too proud, power-hungry, and conniving to reconcile.

Leonard stayed because giving up the marriage would be giving up his avenue to social power. If he wanted to appear like he held the reins to potential allies and business connections, he had to stay in the manor, stay in Northcrest, and keep that ring on his finger. But he did take a very “I just live here” attitude to his home life. Jo stayed because her family’s long-held values maintained that it was her duty to do so, and to falter in her duties would be a permanent black stain on her good name. Also, it proved her superiority to the clearly weak-willed, dissolute Leonard, and that was an ego boost she wouldn’t pass up.

AHAHAH. THEO PEGGED FOR INBRED.

Yes, well, as you intuited, the Norths are one of those inbred noble families, like those you mentioned.

They’re a mage bloodline, and in the old days, mage nobility was a separate form of titled aristocracy from mundane nobility. Legitimate heirs had to have magical ability. If a mundane Viscount produced a mundane child, that was the end of the line of inheritance. Hence, noble mages in the Old Kingdoms only married other mages, to try to ensure their offspring could inherit their titles. While not all practiced inbreeding, it was a practice some families employed to try to “enhance” the magical ability and purity of their line, or just keep their wealth and power within their family (the Hyden family is another infamous example).

However, most magical lineages were wiped out during the fall of the Old Kingdoms, and those that survived were scattered to remote areas of the continent. Very few mages still exist, and the North family is one of the only lineages to survive “intact” to the modern day. They cling to their family’s history and their magical bloodline as their source of power and would never risk a union with a mundane. Like many other old traditions best left in the past, the Norths clung to the old ways, marrying within their line, inbreeding like an endangered species (which I suppose you could argue they were).

Of course, as the North’s numbers declined, the marriages shifted from pairing distant relatives to being cousin-cousin pairs. That level of consanguinity isn’t great for your offspring’s health or fertility, as it turns out, and further diminished their numbers (and options) until it came time for Jocosa to make their dying lineage limp along for another generation. By the time she was of age, there were no branches on the family tree left to harvest a husband from. Thus, the Norths needed to go further afield of the stagnant gene pool they’d been festering in.

Because of that, Theo is arguably a bit less inbred than previous generations of his family. The damage was already done, though. The fruits of the North’s unfortunate marriage practices have garnered them a deserved reputation for weak bodies, sick minds and dying young, and so far, Theo is two-for-three. We’ll see if he gets the triple.

Related to the above: if you haven’t realized already, the Norths are fucking freaks. Especially in the modern day of Amaranthine, caring about matching species in a marriage is seen as hyper-traditionalist, bizarre and absurdly impractical. But, well, the Norths are all those things. Jocosa’s parents were a stoat-stoat pair, their parents were stoat-stoat, and so on up the family tree, with maybe some rare exceptions where you might find a few polecats or minks scattered about in amongst the other long pointy-faced carnivores. Jocosa’s parents really would have preferred to have another mustelid marriage rather than wed their daughter to a rat.

But, that was a preference, and magical ability was a necessity. When Jocosa needed to marry, there were no other magical stoats, weasels, or even an otter for them to choose from.

That’s when an opportunistic young rat caught wind that there was a beautiful noble girl in need of a husband, just when he needed a rise in social station. Leonard was reasonably wealthy, and more importantly charming, quick-witted, and not afraid of lying his ass off to close a deal. He befriended Jocosa’s father and was able to delicately pick his way around or find loopholes in the Norths’ strict rules for marriage. Importantly for the Norths, Leonard had magical ability, albeit extremely weakly. You might say he was a sparkler while Jocosa was a flamethrower (in this analogy, in his prime, Hyden was an atomic bomb). Not ideal, but Leonard had enough magic to count as a mage for heir-producing purposes. Ultimately, Jocosa’s parents saw Leonard as the best option in a bad situation, rat or no. Preferable to dying out altogether, at least.

...

AND ON THAT, UH, HAPPY NOTE: thanks for reading and thank you all as always for sending questions about my little guy and being interested in him, even with all his slimy, weird, unpleasant foibles and flaws!

[pastel-peach-writes]

Okay I saw your korrasami x Reader fic and I loved it so much can’t wait for the next part. Whenever you have time would you be able to do a lil fic where Korrasami gets jealous/irritated the reader is being hit on? Maybe relationship isn’t established yet but the situation prompts them to confess 👀 have a good one!

Hi Anon! Thank you so much for the love! Second part of KorrAsami x Reader is out btw! (This post came out wayyy later than envisioned).

The Green-Eyed and Blue-Eyed Monsters | KorrAsami x Reader

╰┈➤ PLOT: Korra and Asami don't take it lightly when their shared crush gets hit on and when one thing leads to another, a confession ensures. ╰┈➤ WARNINGS: Jealousy, No Y/n, Not Proofread, Jealous Korra, Somehow Even More Jealous Asami, Oblivious Reader, Impromptu Confessions

⍣ ೋ Enjoy!⍣ ೋ

There was something in the summer air. Maybe it was the smell of the blooming flowers and fruits or the bustling sound of merchants advertising their fresh and homemade treats. Whichever or whatever it was, Korra and Asami weren't here for it.

People of all genders, shapes, and sizes kept complimenting you and making small talk. It was cute at first. The pair thought it was about time you were complimented for how you dress, how your skin glows under the sun's rays and your bright smile. But once the compliments became flirtier, they decided they had enough.

See, there's something Korra and Asami keep to themselves. Something that no one else, not even Team Avatar, knew about. And that was the pathetic crush they had on you.

They can't pinpoint when or how the crush developed, they just knew they had one on you and wanted you to be a part of their relationship.

You didn't notice the crush they had on you. They didn't act weird or out of character, and the compliments they gave you seemed normal. Something someone who's "just-a-friend," tells someone else who is also "just-a-friend".

Maybe your lack of understanding of flirtatious compliments is why you couldn't tell what these attractive strangers were doing. You thought they were being friendly!

"Asami, I'm reaching my limit," Korra said out the side of her mouth. The three of you were standing by a merchant booth. You wore clothes in that color that made Asami and Korra both crumble to their knees while the couple wore their typical summer gear. Turned out this Earthbender also liked that color on you, since she was flirting shamelessly with you in front of Korra and Asami.

"It's okay, Korra," Asami whispered to her girlfriend. "They deserve to be flirted with. They're cute and they're glowing a little more than usual today. It only makes sense that people saw it too."

"Yeah, but we're supposed to be the ones flirting with them!" whispered-exclaimed Korra, slamming her fists onto the merchant's counter. The elderly man scolded Korra and demanded she pay for the dent she made in the wood. "It was already there before, old man!"

The man raised a fist, scolding her more. Asami pulled Korra away from the booth, an apologetic smile on her face as she did so. "Korra," Asami spoke once they were distanced away from the elderly merchant. "We both agreed not to flirt with them until we got a signal that they liked us back."

Korra shrugged Asami's hands off her shoulders with her lips twisted in a scowl. "Well, I'm beginning to regret that agreement. It's stupid. How would they know we like them if we don't flirt?"

Asami shrugged. "I don't know. You're the one that made up the rule." She then snickered at Korra's incoherent grumbles and mumbles. "Look, just because you can't handle when people flirt with you, Kor, doesn't mean others can't either." Your voice is what saved Asami from an angry, yet flustered Avatar exclaiming protests.

"Hey, guys!" You greeted, the apples of your cheeks bright from how hard you were cheesing. "Why are we over there?"

Asami laughed, wrapping her arm around Korra's waist. "Because Korra was going to get into it with that older gentleman." You dramatically gasped, jaw slacked down to your chest.

"Please!" Korra protested with a laugh. "I didn't do anything. He was yelling at me about some dent that was already in his counter. He just wanted to con me into paying so he could get a new counter."

"Whatever the motive was," laughed Asami, "we moved over here to not cause a scene. Plus, it looked like you were getting all flirty with that girl anyway," the engineer teased.

You laughed. "Nah, she was just saying she loved my outfit and how it brought out the color in my eyes."

Korra's brows knitted together, arms crossed under her chest. "Yeah... that's flirting."

You only snicker as a rebuttal but Korra's face didn't change. You faced Asami but she wore the same expression. Was that girl really flirting? She kept spewing compliments and her eyes, well, they were super focused on you. Maybe even too focused? Her body was facing you and if you knew anything about body language, that meant she was interested in you or the conversation at least.

"Hey, excuse me?" A voice from behind you took you out of your thoughts. You turned on your heels to find a girl wearing an obnoxiously large jade necklace that she paired with her all-purple outfit. Even though the outfit was quite extreme, her tan skin made her glow and somehow, the different shades of purple just worked.

"Oh, hi!" You beamed a bright smile as you faced her. The same smile Korra and Asami worked tirelessly to see on your face day after day. The same smile Korra and Asami spoke about deep into the night when they finally succeeded in their attempts.

The couple loved your smile, how you showed off your teeth and gums, and how when it showed on your face, it was genuine and came from affection... So, why the heck was this smile on your face for this random girl?

Oh, jealousy. What an interesting and sometimes ugly feeling.

Asami's eyebrows knitted together, hands skeptically placed on her hips as she watched Jade Girl pull out a small basket of fruits from behind her back. They were bright, signaling how perfectly ripe they were, and there was an assortment of fruits, all the way from the Southern Water Tribe to where the Northern Air Temple once was.

"You don't have to accept this if you don't want to, but I saw you from the entrance of the market and knew I had to give you something. You're so pretty and deserved the fruits,"—her own laugh interrupted her sentence. Korra and Asami rolled their eyes—"of my labor!"

Somehow your smile brightened. The warmth of the sun sinking into your skin and now traveling up your body filled you with a buzz. What did you do to owe the pleasure? The people here sure were friendly. "Aw, thank you!" Your voice was a peculiar high pitch as you graciously accepted the basket, her purple manicured nails and slender fingers brushing against your fingers.

You would be lying if you said it didn't make you giddy.

"This is so sweet. Oh, wow. You even have jackfruit!" You showed the basket to Asami and Korra and the girls momentarily put on a smile as your attention was on them but then dropped when your attention returned to the beautiful stranger.

"Yes," giggled the woman with her hands clasped. "My family and I are, as some may say, wizards or magicians in the fruit department. It all started from my great-great-great-great grandfather, I think I missed a few greats, and his connection with Hei-Ran, Avatar Kuruk's firebending teacher. Y'know," she stepped closer to you and took a hold of your hands on the basket's handle.

Asami stepped forward protectively, hands in fists but Korra pulled her back by her shoulder with the shake of her head. Even if she was enjoying Asami's experience with the jealousy she's been feeling all day, stopping this interaction and maybe getting in trouble because of it, wasn't worth it.

Korra frowned at herself in disgust. Ew... Has she turned into Tenzin?

"I could take you for a tour of my family's orchard," continued the Jade-Fruit-Tan-Pretty Girl—Korra and Asami couldn't keep up with the adjectives they had for this extremely forward, go-getter type of woman—continuing to hold your hands and bounced on her heels as she spoke. "Maybe even as a date? If you're into that?"

The Avatar and engineer gave curious glances in your direction. Were you into that? A pretty girl shamelessly flirting with you, giving you gifts, and offering to give you a tour of her family's orchard that's been around since before you were even alive? Since before the great Aang was alive?

You gave the woman a flattered chuckle but pulled your hands away from hers. "Oh, wow, um." Suddenly, the heat and buzz the sun was giving you was too much, almost overwhelming and unnecessary as it scratched the back of your throat and made your cheeks glow in embarrassment. "Thank you but I'm afraid I'm going to have to say no. You're gorgeous and trust me, if this was any other circumstance i would say yes but I'm not really-- I don't--"

"Oh, my Spirits! Are you not into women? I'm so sorr--"

"No, no!" You waved your hands so fast in defense that you forgot you were holding the basket of delicate fruits. Korra used her airbending through muffled snickers and giggles to float the basket in her direction and placed it neatly at her feet. "I'm into women," you claimed a little too loudly. A few bystanders shot curious expressions your way but otherwise went about their day. "Trust me. I. Am. In. To. Women."

Watching you stumble over your words in an attempt to clear up the situation to the Jade Girl was amusing to watch, even Asami thought so. "At least one thing's clear," her green eyes met Korra's blue and without many words, they knew exactly what to say.

"They're into women," the two said simultaneously, finally letting their laughter and giggles break through their words. Your cheeks only warmed up more as you heard them in the background.

If you were trying to shoot your shot with this woman, you would have failed thanks to your fumbling and lack of charisma but luckily, you weren't. And double luckily, Asami's and Korra's laughter drowned out the real reason why you had to turn Jade Girl down and she left understandingly.

"Are you done?" you grumbled to the girls, picking your favorite fruit from the basket and inspecting it before taking a bite. You stood in front of them with your arms crossed and cheeks puffed out like an angry bunny.

Korra laughed, shoulders bobbing up and down as she wrapped her arms around her midriff. "I dunno," the Avatar's tone was heard through her laughs, "are you sure you're into girls?"

"Oh, shut up!" You threw a navel orange to her arm but she dodged it when she hurled over in laughter.

"We're sorry," Asami said in a horrible attempt of stifling her laughter. "It's too funny. If no one was sure of your sexuality before, they are now."

Korra cackled from her hunched-over position, collapsing onto her knees as she wheezed and wheezed. Watching her face turn from brown to a reddish-brown would be a sight to see if her maniacal laughter wasn't so alarming.

You thought with how hard she was laughing that she would forget to breathe but the opposite was true. She was breathing just fine, she was just dramatic, and watching you try to defend yourself was better than watching Bolin crash and burn in front of Opal. Sorry, Bolin.

Embarrassed yet pleased with how this situation seemed to make the two of them smile, you ate more of your fruit with a slight huff. "Yeah, yeah. Don't rub it in."

"Man." Korra finally pulled herself up from the ground with chuckles still coming out of her. Tears of laughter rolled down her cheeks and there were slight stains from them and the ground on her pants, but she didn't seem to care if she noticed. "That was great." She rested an arm on Asami's shoulder, still chuckling to herself as she brought her attention to you. "So, if your sexuality wasn't a problem, why did you turn that girl down?"

Huh. You quickly found out that you preferred her cracking a lung out on the street than her asking questions you didn't want to answer.

"Uhh," you grabbed your basket with a shy lipbite, "don't even worry about it."

"Uh, no?" Korra snorted. "I'm nosy and I want to know."

"Korra," Asami's warning tone fell upon deaf ears as the darker-skinned girl continued.

"Come on," whined Korra. "I'm the Avatar and you're a part of my team. I wanna know what's going on in my team's lives including their love lives."

Asami rose a brow at her statement. Korra never cared about anyone else's love life unless it somehow involved her.

...

Oh!

So, they were flirting with you now. Asami crossed her arms as smug as the smile that appeared on her lips. She could see the gears turning in your head and saw that you were so close to figuring Korra, and herself, out but weren't exactly there yet.

"She just wasn't my type," you admitted. You resumed your walk down the market, not expecting anyone to follow but given Asami's and Korra's reputation with persistence, you knew they would.

"And so what girl is your type then?" Asami prompted, she and Korra just a few steps behind you as you mindlessly swung your fruit basket.

Was this really how this was going to go down? You've envisioned this scene many times before and never have they gone down this way. This was supposed to be romantic, a moment to remember forever once you were sure you weren't going to freak them out with this.

"Because that Earthbender girl was pretty cute too," resumed Asami. "But you turned her down as well."

"To be fair, babe," Korra chimed in, "they didn't know she was flirting. They probably didn't know Jade-Necklace-'You're-So-Pretty' Girl was flirting either until she asked them out."

With her snort, you turned around swift on your heels and pointed at her. "Y'know, for someone in a relationship, you're weirdly obsessed with the people who may or may not be flirting with me."

Korra only gave you a nonchalant shrug. "So?"

"So, your girlfriend is right there!" You gestured to Asami who looked indifferent to the whole situation. She was interested in your love life too, for personal reasons just as much as Korra's, but she kept it under wraps better than her girlfriend. "Asami, aren't you at least upset by this?"

Asami mimicked the shrug Korra gave you seconds ago. "No."

"'No'?!"

"Yeah, 'no'," she snickered. "I'm just as curious as Korra and I don't see any harm in getting to know why you turned down every person that flirted with you today. They have eyes. They see the beauty I see in you every day."

"Okay, calm down," you awkwardly laughed. "Your girlfriend is right there."

"Oh, I know." Asami adjusted her crossed arms, her smugness still apparent in her body language. She even quipped a teasing, almost knowing brow. "She sees it too."

The confused, puzzled, and shocked noise that came out of your body made Korra chuckle as your eyes flickered to hers. She didn't know it was confession time until Asami blatantly flirted with you right in front of her, but she wasn't opposed. "Yeah. I think you're pretty cute."

"Excuse me?!" your voice was reaching the same volume and pitch you used when you tried to explain your sexuality to the jade girl but you couldn't help it. The people you were crushing on, who were in a relationship with each other mind you, were calling you beautiful and cute and not in the way friends do.

You may not pick up on flirting often, but you could pick up on the tones and vibes the couple was trying so hard for you to pick up on. How long were they trying to get you to notice? With how seamlessly Korra joined Asami on the compliment train, this couldn't be a first-time offense.

Asami took your questioning silence as a sign to keep going. "Honestly, today was kind of hard for us." The woman took an apple from the basket and rubbed it on the chest of her shirt. She took a bite, as if she wasn't about to share world-altering information with you. "Korra and I had to keep seeing and listening to these people flirt with you and compliment you--"

"Oh, I'm sorry--"

"Aht," Korra held up a finger, interrupting your interruption. "People with flirting with you should never be something you have to apologize for. Even if it upsets someone. You're attractive, it's about time people, even if they aren't us, act upon it."

You weren't given time to process what Korra said before Asami spoke again, after her bite of apple.

"Anyway, I was getting real tired of seeing these people flirt with you and all I could do was sit back and take it. Why? Because I, we, weren't sure how you felt about it. We didn't know if you didn't respond to our flirts because you were oblivious or uncomfortable and after today, it's clear you were oblivious.

"And so after Fruit Basket Girl, I've had enough. Korra and I spoke about this countless of times, night after night, but we still couldn't figure out a perfect way to tell you this." Asami wrapped her arms around her girlfriend who did the same to her.

Anticipation filled your body and soared through your veins. Asami ate more of her apple and basically left you hanging on a really thin thread, urging her to continue and aching for the rest of her answer.

The crushing weight of the anticipation was so large that even Korra nudged Asami to continue. "What?" the raven whispered down to her girlfriend. Korra shot a pointed look in your direction and Asami could only chuckle. "No, it's your turn. I've done my job."

Flushed cheeks and breath of heat, Korra huffed before standing straighter with a fist proudly resting on her hip. "Asami and I have a crush on you. A pretty big one. I guess this one couldn't take the jealousy anymore and impulsively wanted to confess to you right here, right now, in front of this poor woman's pickled goods stand."

The three of you drifted your gaze to a woman in her late 50s, huddled over on her wooden stool with an assortment of jars surrounding her counter, shelves, and even the back of her stall eyeing the three of you with green-framed glasses. "Oh," she waved you three off, smiling fondly. "Don't let my presence stop you. I got teenagers and they're never this open with me about their love life. This is entertainment."

Korra's jaw slacked in bewilderment before she protectively reached out to grab your arm to lead you and Asami out of the market and around the corner where no one but a stray dog drinking out of a water bowl was.

"Okay," Korra addressed the two of you. "Now that we have no other intruders, I guess that just leaves you to talk. Asami and I have a crush on you and we know this is coming out of nowhere but what do you think about that? Did we freak you out?"

If a future version of yourself were to tell you that all it took to get the ladies of your dreams was a market, a cute stranger, and a fruit basket, you wouldn't have believed them and yet, here you are. Standing in front of two smart, fierce women who fought and preserved to get whatever they put their minds to.

Who would've thought they wanted you in the way you wanted them?

Korra's and Asami's stomachs churned and stirred in nauseating anticipation, the feeling alone making their knees wobble like jelly and their minds dizzy.

Simultaneously, they had no thoughts and every thought known to man swirling around their head.

Their waiting for your answer made their mind go quiet yet their worrying over ruining their relationship with you made them think about anything and everything.

What if you didn't want to see them anymore? What if they read the situation wrong entirely and you never saw them in that light?

The two of them conversed about the stolen glances you would take at them, thinking they didn't catch you but they did each and every time you would look at them. They would see the way you would smile at the other when she was wrapped up in her own world and how you would get lost in one's eyes as they spoke in group settings.

They were sure they read every situation as what it was: you crushing back on them. But as you stood in front of them with an unreadable expression on your face, light brown basket playing at the tips of your fingers, doubts clouded their minds.

You finally blinked into reality when a stray piece of wood poked at your pointer thumb. "Whoa, sorry. Uh, I guess I'm just shocked. I never thought this day would come." Asami's and Korra's lips upturned into a smile as they saw yours do the same. "Yeah, I like you two goobers back. I didn't think it would take jealousy to get us here," you gave them a laugh. "If I would've known that, I would've gotten you jealous a long time ago."

The couple gave you dry laughs, wrapping their arms around your shoulders.

"Absolutely not," said Asami.

"You do that and you will go back to being girlfriend-less," said Korra.

You snickered as you were happily held between them as you made your way back home. "Wow. Tough crowd-- Hey!"

The stray dog came crashing into your fruit basket, making the woven item crash onto the ground and get stomped on as the dog pounced on it to feast on the fruit the basket possessed.

"My fruit." You frowned. Every single piece of fruit, if not squashed or ate by the seemingly perfectly-weight dog, was dirtied. Some fruit juice grew to make a stain in the beige-colored gravel.

"Good doggy," Asami cooed at it. Korra, though agreeing with her statement, swatted at her arm with a laugh. "What?" She glanced between the two of you. "That dog is eating what that girl left behind. We're together now, we don't need that jade girl's basket." She held her chin up high as if she was the queen but a playful smile hinted at the corner of her lips.

You and Korra shared a laugh before continuing your trek back home. The fruit was probably better off with the dog anyway. You probably weren't going to eat much of it when you got home, not if Asami's and Korra's jealousy had anything to do with it.

WC: 3,752

[thatnarcissisticfeel]

I think that a lot of people without NPD have a really poor understanding of "narc supply" or the specific type of positive attention that pwNPD crave. Even the egotypicals who are allies, the ones denounce narc abuse and anti-NPD ableism, don't fully grasp it.

There's this false idea that NPDs like to be worshipped and showered with compliments all of the time, and I mean, yeah, most of us would eat that shit up, but I know that for myself and a lot of other pwNPD it's deeper and much more, I guess, personal?

I don't really know how to describe it, so I'll give an example: As a kid, no one really paid attention to my creative endeavors, my accomplishments, my feelings, etc. And if they DID pay attention, the attention was negative. I could always do better, I could always be smarter, stronger, etc. This came from peers and adults alike. So I developed a coping mechanism where I would tell myself that everyone else was wrong, that I'm actually the best person around, etc. I don't have to explain what disorder I ended up with as an adult as a result of all of that. :P

But anyway - the wound of constantly being ignored at best and insulted at worst is still there. You know how when you're in a group chat or a conversation with multiple people and no one ever pays attention to your comments, while paying attention to everyone else? Yeah, that shit hurts EVERYONE, but especially pwNPD. Even the smallest acknowledgment can be "narc supply."

You know how when you achieve something really cool and everyone ignores you - but the people who ignore you will be quick to praise OTHER people?

You know how when you post art/edits online and everyone ignores you - but the people who ignore you compliment someone else's post in the exact same thread?

You know how when you ask your friend to read your favorite book or listen to your favorite artist or whatever because of how much it means to you, and they never do it, but then they read/listen to everyone else's favorite thing at everyone else's recommendation, and how much it pisses you off? (Hurts even more if you have the SAME favorite book/artist and someone reads/listens to it at the other person's recommendation and not at yours.)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I could go on and on. That shit would bother anyone, us narcissists aren't alone in being hurt by that, but my G-d, it impacts pwNPD in such a specific way.

But let me flip it around to the positive!

A narcissist doesn't necessarily get their "supply" from someone telling them that they're the coolest person in the world and that they're a god. (Though if you do want to say that to us we probably won't complain!) Sometimes they get their "supply" from something as simple as someone acknowledging their achievements, and giving specific praise on what the achievement was. ("It's so cool that you won a prize in the music recital. The song you played sounds like it was really difficult and I loved your stage presence.")

Being told, "Wow, you did such a great job on your artwork, I love the colors!" goes a very very long way for a narc, especially when said narc is used to being IGNORED for their art.

Hearing, "it's so cool that you like that book, I'll have to read it and tell you my thoughts!" can help a narcissist's interests feel acknowledged.

You might be reading this and thinking, "well, isn't it just basic human interaction to compliment your friends or try out their interests"? And, well, maybe it is, but the whole point of NPD is that most of us grew up without receiving that type of attention, so now we're very very desperate for it - and very, very, VERY sensitive to when it doesn't happen, or is even perceived to not have happened. Something as small as being talked over in a group chat can set us off, but something as small as a simple, "hey, it's so cool that you did this, I love it." can win us over.

And to be completely fair, most of the time us being "ignored" isn't completely intentional. Like, I get it, yeah, sometimes timing just doesn't work out for person A to read my favorite book at my own rec, but by the time person B is in their life, person A can read it, and it's not anything personal. Sometimes the content I make just isn't someone's ~style~ and they support me, they really do, they just don't know what to say. Sometimes someone forgets to respond, or doesn't get a notification when I send them something I made or tell them about something I did. (There is less excuse for being ignored in face-to-face/offline convos though.) But because of the trauma of us constantly being ignored as kids/teens, the smallest little thing hurts and as a result we seek and crave attention EVERYWHERE.

So now, to give in to narc stereotypes of begging for attention: If you're a person without NPD and you genuinely want to help the narcissists you have in your life, the second best thing you can do for us is checking in to make sure we're not overlooked. Try to be sure you're not ignoring us, and if we do something cool, try to compliment it, even if it's something you don't fully "understand." Ask us about what we've been up to lately, what we're proud of about ourselves, and agree with us that what we've done is pretty cool. I mean, you'd do that for any friend, right? It's really not all outlandish for a narc to want that.

(If you're curious what the FIRST best thing you can do for a narcissist is, it's giving us a million dollars unlearning your anti-NPD ableism and calling people out who use narcissist as an insult as a synonym for abuser. Even in "offline" spaces, even when we're not around, even doctors/therapists. Even "narc" abuse survivors.)

[itspileofgoodthings]

you know what I’ve realized lately? that’s really helped? the axiom: it just doesn’t really make that much of a difference. Or at least it doesn’t when you’re talking about good things and not, like, doing good vs. doing evil. Big choices, little choices, decisions, decisions —it’s not just that they don’t matter in the grand scheme of things—because they do! —but just. It won’t make that big of a difference. Life will continue to be wonderful AND difficult, fascinating AND hopelessly mundane, full of roses AND thorns and all the other cliches whether you walk down one road or another. And you’ll get used to the joys and sick of the sorrows whatever they are, and you’ll be ungrateful and bored and dissatisfied in some measure some of the time and you’ll have to work on all the things you have to work on anyways and just. Yeah! It doesn’t make that big of a difference! Even the biggest things!

[yashley]

no but it's hilarious to me that imogen herself has been parroted how terrible liliana is, how she knows she’s a bad guy, how she knows she needs to bring her down, and yet still they're like "i mean have you ever thought that your mom is evil and irredeemable????" lmao

[angeldcgs]

there were many factors at play when creating the taboo nature of lana and mr. landry's potential coupling— for one, there was the age difference. she'd thought it rude to ask specifically, but from what context clues she could pick up on, she'd guess he and his wife were around twice her age, but no matter the number, it was clear she and sully were in vastly different places in life with vastly different maturity levels. then, of course, there was the matter of him being her employer, and her landlord, and he was already married on top of that, which all combined gave him a great deal of power over her, and yet she couldn't help but feel like she was the one pulling the strings as she gazed at him from the passenger seat. as if she wasn't already worked up enough, there was just something about a man driving that really got her going, and she found herself becoming transfixed not by his face, or his broad chest just barely concealed by a flimsy t shirt, but by his hairy knuckles gripping the wheel. "i'm glad you came," she purred, lips slowly curling up into a lazy grin. no matter how hard she studied him, lana could never tell how exactly he felt about her. when she'd first taken the job, she figured she'd be dodging his advances left and right to try and form some basis of professionalism, but he'd been nothing but polite and respectful. at times he'd treat her with the detachment common for a boss, though as time went on and she became further integrated into the family, their dynamic shifted, lines blurring as he came to look out for her like one would a daughter. now that the incident at the party occurred— now that he knew what she used to do for a living— lana didn't know how exactly he saw her anymore, if it had planted some seed of sexual curiosity within his mind, or only made him that much more protective of her in a paternal sense. from what she picked up on, her attraction was far from one sided; it was merely a manner of helping him accept that he could act on his desires without jeopardizing his whole life. who knows? maybe she'd stumbled into that interview for a reason. perhaps some benevolent god had dropped her right onto his lap to help reinvigorate his lust for life, and he was just too boneheaded to accept it. "yeah?" her eyes were practically sparkling with intrigue, ink black lashes batting as she reached out to toy with the front of his shirt. "tell me about it..." her imagination was active, but she wanted something more concrete— had he merely engaged in the typical amount of debauchery for a man coming of age, or had he been particularly rowdy before marriage and fatherhood straightened him out? she'd liked to have seen him back then in his glory days, if for nothing else than to know for sure whether a mustache like that came pre or post twins. "i always do." as long as alcohol was involved, lana always had a good time, but going out now was almost bitter sweet when she remembered what she had back at home. "i should take you with me next time! maybe that'll stop random guys from grinding on me every five minutes." it was delivered in jest, though when spoken in her erotically inebriated tone of voice and when coupled with her sultry gaze which had drifted down to eye the crotch of his pajama pants, it may as well have been an invitation into her bed. "when's the last time you and mrs. landry went out, hm? you're always so busy... work, work, work..." the hand on his chest began traveling, working its way down to the waistband of his pants. "you work too hard taking care of everybody, mr. landry... who takes care of you?"

with lana safely tucked in the car, sully could finally let go of the breath he'd been holding and stop worrying quite as hard. he couldn't help but be a little frustrated at how long she had left him panicking about her well-being but it was a feeling that had been so easily overcome upon seeing her stumble out of the club, shaky on her heels as he'd expected her to be. focusing on getting her into his car in one piece had stopped him from getting too caught up in checking out the state she was in but once she was seated and leaning towards him, he couldn't help but notice the way her dress was failing to appropriately contain her breasts, the material only just managing to keep her from spilling out and revealing all to him. "don't worry about that. i'm glad you called." after a forced smile, he started the car and pulled away from the curb, away from the screeching drunks who had come to occupy the streets and back onto the road for what he imagined would be a mostly quiet journey home. she could've gotten an uber like she'd teased him about earlier but she hadn't, maybe she'd tried and failed but he had come through as the reliable option and that felt good. her playful accusation had him lightening up further, he laughed and shook his head in faux disagreement. he had plenty of stories he could tell if he wished to, many of which didn't paint him as the greatest person but they were all in the past, that version of him felt so distant from the man he had become and reminiscing was a dangerous game. it could lead to wishing to be back there, yearning for a youth that could never be replicated. lana still had plenty of time, to say he was envious wasn't entirely correct but there was a part of him that did wish for that freedom again. he loved his family and the life they had all built together but it had been so long since he'd given into any kind of impulses, let himself be driven by what he wanted instead of what was expected. "i had my moments." he glanced over to lana and made a conscious effort not to look anywhere but her face, a task that wasn't difficult with how sweetly she was staring at him. those huge brown eyes of hers made her look like one of the dolls his daughters cherished, so totally innocent even if he had the sneaking suspicion she wasn't so entirely wholesome. "did you have fun tonight?" after excelling at her job for so many weeks, a night off was well earned. it must've been a relief to spend a couple hours out acting her age, whatever that entailed.

[mantisgodsdomain]

Slowly, yet painfully realizing that we're probably the exact type of person that random fandom guys would miscast as a father.

[hecksupremechips]

Honestly though I think it’s really a bad sign when I look at Shin Tsukimi and literally feel like he’s a self insert 😩

[workingforitallthetime]

Adam #119 and Connor #98 feels special to me, love the NHL for treating the top prospects so well :)

https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-photo/adam-fantilli-poses-for-a-headshot-at-the-2023-nhl-scouting-news-photo/1258543255

https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-photo/connor-bedard-poses-for-a-headshot-at-the-2023-nhl-scouting-news-photo/1258543093

adam with his expressive face is incapable of taking a bad picture, and connor with his desire to never make an expression is incapable of taking a good one. why is gavin the only one whose shirt won't fit over his biceps.

[mirrortouchedsea]

rinniki + 21 or 5 🥺

Oh these are also both so cute but I'll go with 5 methinks

ask game

…where it doesn’t hurt.

---

Shit. Niki let go of the knife and drew his finger up to his mouth. He licked the blood off before assessing the damage. It wasn't deep but he'd have to have a band-aid on it for a few days and Rinne would never let him hear the end of it. That almost hurt more than the cut itself.

Niki walked over to the sink and turned on the water, taking a towel and gently cleaning his the cut. Where did they put the antiseptics again?

He jumped as a pair of arms wrapped around his torso.

"Oi, Niki, whatcha doin'?" Niki dropped the towel.

"Dishes. Leave me alone." He elbowed the man, his boyfriend, and grabbed for the box of band-aids on the counter.

"That doesn't look like dishes to me Niki-kyun~ Didya hurt yourself?" Rinne poked at Niki's shoulder. "Do ya need your Rinne-kun to kiss it all better?"

"Shut up Rinne-kun."

"Aw, don't be like that Niki~ c'mere." Niki had already finished putting the band-aid on when Rinne grabbed his hand and brought it to his lips. "There! All better!"

"You didn't even kiss the band-aid Rinne-kun!"

[catboyfurina]

One of the really irritating things about that 'oh QPR is just friendship, clearly you've never had friends, lmao loser' discourse is that (and there are many irritating things this is just one of them) even in QPRs that ARE just friendships with a new fancy label.... like...? There are many kinds of friendship that people just have because it's easier than not. And there are friendships that you think are going to be incredibly lasting, but then they date someone new and suddenly you're no longer a priority. The QPR label lets people attach an intentionality and priority to their friendship that really is not guaranteed..... like also not every QPR is this way etc etc but even when it is Just Friendship T M its still like entirely reasonable to want to use that label to signify that it isn't casual

[mars-ipan]

honestly i don’t really think any mental illnesses have been like “destigmatized”- not fully at least. i think the stigma has just changed from demonization to “that’s not a real problem get over it god”

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...