#like no one else will ever get it in a way some other people do

[mossworth]

I am fully convinced that so many major "puritanical" figures of myth and history--from Hippolytus Son of Theseus to John Harvey Kellogg--would not just be better explained but better understood if folks just took the time to consider that asexuality exists as more than just a Non-Sexuality. Treating it like a Non-Sexuality, like a Non-Thing, takes away the agency of preference and sense of self. It takes away the ability for its existence to be used as an explanation for human motivation. The same way love--and lust--are some of the oldest motivators for every possible human story ever written, asexuality-- a weak or lack of innate sexual attraction--has just as much power to motivate someone for or against certain actions as sexuality might. Why were these people so confused by, and confusing to, their greater public? Why were they so heart-set on certain ideals that seemed so natural to them, but unnatural to others? What in them motivated them to take up the mantle of lives that seemed so difficult to other people? Why do we seek out heat when we're cold? Or avoid food when we're not hungry? Sure, God is an answer. Purity. Chastity. But those are decisions and ideals, decisions that some people find quite hard to make, and others find quite easy. The whole story of Hippolytus is that he was so "pure" and, in an essay I wrote some years ago now, asexual that even the gods noticed. It was a part of him that was unbelievable to his peers, so they thought he was lying. They think: he must be protesting too loudly, denying all the things he must do because everyone wants to do those things. The high regard he had with Artemis in his story tells us, the reader, that he wasn't. She wouldn't be so easily fooled. He was just *like that*. And, damn, as a character, he's obnoxious and misogynistic about how easy it is to stay chaste, and how much he just doesn't understand why it's seemingly so hard for others. He's as blind to the individuality of his own preferences as the people who accuse him are to their own. I like to think I wasn't nearly so puritanical but so much of his story sounded a lot like when I thought I was a Good Christian Married To The Lord and No One Else Who Didn't Even Need A Purity Ring To Remind Me Of My Promise (when, it turned out, I was just aroace. Religious chastity is a good outlet for getting to stop asking why you don't date. I was, on all other accounts, a terrible Christian. Worse now because I'm gladly and gleefully not one at all, anymore.)

I dunno. I don't mean to derail your post. But I really do think we should consider the Maergarets of our past more often. It might explain some things.

There were probably some medieval asexuals that were absolutely insufferable on their moral high horse about it. Like "this modesty shit easy - I haven't lusted over any man ever in my life and only fuck my husband out of duty from God and only so that we have children. I am so much better than any of you hoes."

And some other local goodwife would get sick of this and go "well obviously you don't have time for cock, Maergaret, since you're always too fucking busy choking on your own vanity and pride!" and have a smackfight that progresses into a full-on two-woman brawl in the town square. People gather around to watch this until a clergyman shows up to remind everyone that not only is this kind of brawl between good christians definitely a sin, it's also a sin for everyone who's watching to place bets on who's going to win.

[silent-stories]

𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x reader

Summary: Noah has trouble sleeping. Except when he's with you.

Tw: anxiety, insomnia, fluff

Noah had always struggled with sleeping. For as long as he could remember, a good night of sleep had been a distant dream, something just out of reach.

His head was always full of thoughts and his chest was heavy with an imaginary yet so real weight.

Nights were the hardest for him—his mind raced with thoughts, overanalyzing everything: the smallest doubts, the big uncertainties of life, songs he was working on but couldn't get perfect, the upcoming shows, and a problem with band merch he ordered but hadn't arrived yet.

His body would feel the tension, the weight of exhaustion, but his mind wouldn't cooperate. It was a never-ending cycle that left him frustrated, drained, and sometimes even a little hopeless.

But then, there was you. You had been by his side for years, through everything. You were there when Bad Omens was just a small band doing shows that had a maximum of one hundred people in the audience, and you were there when he sang on stage with Oli Sykes.

You were the one constant, the one person who seemed to understand him in a way no one else did, not even Nicholas and the rest of the band, sometimes. And, strangely, whenever you were around, sleep became easier to grasp.

It was subtle at first. He didn’t realize it right away, but whenever you were near him, whether sitting next to him on his bed after a long day, lying on the couch watching Tokyo Ghoul until late, or simply hanging out at your place and chatting during the night, he found himself drifting off faster than he ever could alone. It wasn't like any magic trick, or some profound change in his routine. It was you. You were the one who somehow made sleep feel less like a battle.

At first, Noah dismissed it, unsure of what was going on. He wondered if it was the way you were there—your presence somehow conforting him. Maybe it was the calming energy you exuded without even trying. He couldn’t pinpoint it, but there was something about you that eased him. He thought it might be the warmth of your body near his, your soft laugh in the silence of the night, the way your hand played with his fingers while watching a stupid movie.

There was something comforting about your closeness—how you made him feel safe enough to finally let go. Maybe it was the way you allowed him to rest his head on your stomach, feeling the soft rise and fall of your breath, the rhythmic beat of your heart. It became his anchor. With you nearby, he could finally relax. And, somehow, he found himself falling asleep much quicker than ever before.

Noah didn’t quite understand why it worked this way. You two had been friends for so long that it never crossed his mind to analyze the situation. But every time you spent the night at his house or he at yours, and he sank into deeper sleep beside you, he couldn't ignore the feeling that you were the key to his peace. He had been around people before, slept in bed with other people, and yet, it was only with you that sleep seemed attainable.

Part of him felt guilty—guilty for needing you in this way, guilty for relying on you when it was supposed to be something he could manage himself. But another part of him was grateful, so deeply thankful for your presence, for the comfort you unknowingly provided. It was as though, in a world that felt so overwhelming, you were the one thing that could bring him peace.

You loved the quiet evenings at your place, when the soft hum of some anime filled the room as you and Noah were sprawled on the bed, each of you nestled into your own little corner of the pillows.

"Dude! You didn't tell me Hide was still alive!"

"I would have ruined the surprise, look at your face now!"

You chuckled, shaking your head.

You were halfway through an episode, the light of the screen flickering across the dark room, when Noah's exhaustion slowly started to catch up with him and his gaze softened as he sank further into the comfort of your bed.

You glanced over at him, noticing how his eyelids seemed to be growing heavier with each passing minute. His usual chatter had quieted down, and now, the only sounds were the faint rustling of his clothes as he shifted, trying to get comfortable. He wasn't one to admit it, but you could tell he was tired. Really tired.

You knew he had trouble falling asleep, even though you had never seen him struggle with it when you were together, because he had mentioned it a couple of times, and you weren't about to wake him up to watch the last episode of the season.

You reached over, grabbing the blanket that was bunched up near your legs, and pulled it over the both of you, draping it loosely over his body too. It was a simple gesture, but one that you knew would make him feel more at ease. The bed was warm, and the space around him felt safe.

Noah’s hand, which had been resting beside him, moved slightly, searching for something. Your fingers brushed against his as he tried to find you in his half-conscious daze. Smiling softly, you let him take your hand, intertwining your fingers gently. He squeezed your hand once, his body finally settling, and that’s when you knew he was starting to drift.

The sounds from the show faded into the background as his breathing deepened, slower and more steady. He’d been fighting sleep for so long, but in your presence, surrounded by the quiet comfort of your room and the low murmur of the anime, it seemed like he couldn’t hold out anymore. The rise and fall of his chest began to slow, and before long, his head tilted slightly to the side, resting softly against your shoulder, his mouth slightly open.

You didn’t move. Instead, you let him be, the way he always let you be when you needed comfort.

His breathing was rhythmic now, soft and deep, the kind of sleep that only comes when someone feels completely safe. You glanced down at him, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips.

You shifted slightly, adjusting the blankets and making sure he was comfortable, but Noah didn’t stir.

You also loved the nights at Noah’s place, when the band was off doing their own thing, leaving you and Noah alone in his room, as usual. The bed was slightly messy with clothes and gear scattered around, and the low hum of the TV created a soft background to your conversation.

You were lying on your stomach, flicking through your phone, while Noah stretched out beside you, his head resting on his arm as you chatted.

“I mean,” he continued, his voice playful, “when I was a kid, I used to tell people Jackie Chan was my dad.”

You blinked, trying to process what he just said. “Wait, what?”

Noah shrugged, the grin never leaving his face. “Yeah, when I was like... maybe 13 or 14? I’d go around showing people a picture of Jackie Chan and say, ‘This is my dad.’”

You raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Why would you do that?"

“I don't know,” he said, laughing at the memory. “I was convinced it would make me cool. I’d pull out the picture—one from a magazine or something—and tell everyone that he was my dad.”

You chuckled, still processing it. “Okay, but what did people say when they saw it? Like, did they believe you?”

Noah smirked, leaning back against his pillows. “Most of them were like, ‘Wait, is that Jackie Chan?’ And I’d just be like, ‘Nope, that’s my dad.’ Like, no hesitation. Just totally confident about it.”

You laughed so hard you almost fell off the bed. “Wait, hold up. You actually said that? You didn’t try to explain? Just, ‘Nope, that’s my dad? And he randomly looks exactly like Jackie Chan?'"

“Yep,” Noah said, chuckling. “I’d be like, ‘No, that’s not Jackie Chan, what are you talking about?, that’s my dad.’ I’d act all casual about it too."

“I'm sure they all believed you,” you said, barely able to contain your laughter.

"Hey! Don't make fun of me now."

You shook your head in disbelief, still grinning. "Oh I'm not! That's one of the coolest things I know about you!"

"Okay, shut up now."

As the laughter died down, there was a peaceful silence. You both relaxed into the bed, the soft glow of the lamp casting gentle shadows on the walls. Noah, his eyes heavy, turned his head toward you, his body shifting closer as he found a comfortable spot.

He seemed so at peace in moments like this, with his hair splayed around the pillow and a slight stubble on his face that made your skin tingle every time he left a kiss on your cheek.

Slowly, his breathing deepened, and you realized that the ridiculous story had done what it always did—made him relax. Little did you know that the sound of your voice, more specifically the sound of your soft laugh, had also played its part.

You glanced at him, smiling softly. “You know I’ll never let you live that Jackie Chan story down. Like, ever.”

He grinned, eyes still closed, mumbling, “I’m okay with that. Just cause it's you.”

And, with that, he drifted off to sleep, your laughter still hanging in the air.

And then, there are the nights you and Noah didn’t spend together.

It was a typical night, one where you and Noah had gone your separate ways after hanging out all evening. You were at your our place, cozy in bed still on your phone, scrolling through social media, even if it was starting to get late, while Noah was at his house with the band, sleeping, or so you thought.

The silence of the night had settled in when your phone buzzed. You looked at the screen, a message from Noah popping up:

Noah: Hey, are you awake?

You weren’t exactly sleepy yet, and something about the message made you pause for a second, wondering if something was off. You quickly typed back:

You: Yeah. What’s up?

The message came almost immediately after yours:

Noah: Can I call you?

You were a bit surprised, but you could tell something was off. You quickly tapped the phone to call him before he could send another text.

You waited for the line to pick up, the ringing echoing in your ear. A few seconds later, you heard Noah’s groggy voice.

"Hey," he said, his tone a little rough and tired, "I can't sleep."

You felt a wave of relief wash over you that he was okay, but something in his voice made you worry. “You’re not feeling sick or anything, are you?”

“No, I’m fine,” Noah muttered, but it sounded like he was trying to fight off exhaustion. “Just... can’t sleep. I’ve been lying here for hours.”

You frowned, sitting up a little in bed. “You scared me. I thought something happened.”

“No, nothing happened. Just... I can't fucking sleep."

You could hear the frustration in his voice, and it made your chest tighten.

There was a little pause and you could feel him slipping into his thoughts again. So, in an effort to pull his mind away from whatever it was that was keeping him awake, you decided to tell him something to distract him.

“So, when I got home tonight,” you started, leaning back against your pillows, “I found a cat in my backyard.”

Noah let out a soft grunt, clearly intrigued. “A cat? Was it your neighbors'?”

You chuckled a little at his curiosity. “Not exactly. It was a stray, I think. It didn’t let me get close at all. Kept running away from me whenever I tried.”

“Aww, poor thing,” Noah said, his voice already softening.

“Yeah, it looked pretty hungry,” you continued, trying to keep the conversation light. “So, I left it a can of tuna outside. I didn’t have anything else, but I figured it might help a little.”

"That's sweet."

“Well, yeah,” you said with a smile. “I couldn’t just leave it there. It seemed so skinny. I hope it eats it. Maybe it’ll stick around.”

“Do you think it’s gonna come back?” he asked.

“Maybe,” you said, stretching out in bed, trying to keep your voice casual. “I mean, if it’s really hungry, it probably will. I’m hoping it doesn’t just go off somewhere else. It seemed like it really needed food. And love.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. You could tell Noah was picturing the scene, likely imagining the little stray cat outside in the dark. After a moment, he spoke up again.

"I hope it’s okay.”

“I hope so too,” you said softly. “I’ll keep an eye on it and let you know if it comes back. I’ll be sure to keep feeding it if it does.”

Noah’s voice softened even more when he spoke again. “You’re good... You know that, right?”

"I just left it a tuna can, Noah."

"I'm not only talking about the cat. It's almost 2 a.m and you are here talking to me because I can't sleep. Not everyone would do that."

You smiled, feeling your heart warm. “I care about you, Noah. You know I do. And I care about cats too." You added the last part with a chuckle.

“I'm glad you do, really. Thank you. I don’t say it enough.” Noah said with a yawn. “I hope the kitten will be still there tomorrow.”

“I’ll let you know if I see it again,” you said. “And I’ll be sure to give the backyard buddy more food if it comes back."

You could hear him chuckling softly, but then his voice started to quiet down again. He was fading, his breath becoming slower, deeper.

"Alright," he mumbled.

There was another long pause, and then, you heard it—Noah’s breathing had slowed, becoming even and rhythmic. You weren’t sure if he’d heard you, but then you heard a soft snore.

You smiled softly, happy to know he was finally getting some rest, but you stayed on the line for a few more minutes, making sure everything was okay. You could hear the calm rise and fall of his breath, the sound of him finally finding peace.

Your heart swelled with a mix of affection and understanding. Sometimes, you didn’t need to say much. Just being there to talk about random things in the middle of the night was enough.

Slowly, you pulled the phone away from your ear, a quiet smile on your face. As you hung up, you whispered to the empty room, “Goodnight, Noah.”

And with that, you settled back into your own bed feeling comforted knowing you could help him a bit when he needed you.

And then, there was the night he realized that how he felt about you wasn't exactly how he should feel about a best friend.

It had been hours. Hours of tossing and turning in bed, of staring at the ceiling, of the quiet sounds of the guys in their respective rooms. The restlessness, the heaviness in his chest seemed too much. He’d been trying to sleep since midnight, but now, the clock was nearing 3 AM, and it wasn’t getting any easier.

Noah sat up in his bed, running a hand through his messy hair in frustration. His body felt exhausted, but his mind? It was still awake, thinking too much, filled with thoughts he couldn’t push away. The only thing that ever helped was hearing your voice.

He grabbed his phone, almost instinctively, and typed out a text to you.

Noah: I'm gonna be a pain in the ass again

Noah: are you still up by any chance?

A few moments later, your reply popped up.

You: Yep

Relief washed over him as he read your message. He stared at his phone for a moment before typing out his next question.

Noah: Can I call you?

The wait felt endless, though it was only a few seconds. Then, the response came:

You: Gimme ten minutes.

Ten minutes. Noah frowned, puzzled. What could that mean? Ten minutes? Was it a code? Did you have something going on? Maybe you were busy. But at three in the morning?

Maybe you were with someone else. The thought hit him like a wave—was there someone else? A guy? A guy in your bed that wasn’t him? His chest tightened as the idea planted itself firmly in his mind. He tried to push it away, but the more he thought about it, the worse it seemed.

No. That couldn’t be right. You were his best friend. If you had a boyfriend or someone, it wasn't a problem.

Right?

The thought of you with someone else gnawed at him, eating away at his insides. Maybe he had no reason to feel this way. After all, you were just friends. But as the minutes passed and his overthinking spiraled out of control, Noah couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, he wasn’t supposed to feel like this about you.

His mind was racing, heart pounding. Why was he feeling this way? It was just you, right? But then, the moment that snapped him out of his thoughts came when he heard the unmistakable sound of the front door opening downstairs.

Noah blinked, confused. Was someone leaving the house?

He pushed himself up from his bed, trying to shake off the strange sense of unease that had gripped him. He stepped into the hallway, peering down the stairs. The door clicked shut behind you.

There, standing at the bottom of the stairs in the dim light of the hallway, was you. You were wearing sweatpants and a hoodie—his hoodie, the Bad Omens one he had given you a while ago. It was a small thing, but seeing you in it, with your hair tied up and your face still soft from sleep (showing that when Noah texted you you were actually sleeping), made Noah’s heart skip a beat. There was no guy. No one else. It was just you. There. For him. Because he couldn’t sleep.

You gave him a little smile. "Hey."

Noah couldn’t speak at first. He just stood there, watching you approach. All the anxiety and overthinking he'd been battling melted away when you took his hand gently in yours, your fingers cool from the night air.

"Hey."

It was a simple gesture, but it was exactly what he needed. You didn’t say anything else; you didn’t need to. The way you held his hand, the way you guided him back to his room, was enough.

He followed you back to his room in silence. As soon as you entered, you led him to his bed. The room felt warm now, the kind of warmth that only comes from someone being exactly where they were needed. You motioned for him to lie down, and without a word, he did.

You climbed into bed beside him, gently placing his head on your stomach. The soft fabric of your hoodie brushed against his cheek, and he could feel the steady rise and fall of your breath beneath him.

You reached out, running your fingers through his hair, the comforting rhythm of your touch calming him, making his mind slow down. Your fingers scratched lightly at his scalp, and for the first time that night, Noah felt the tension leave his body.

He closed his eyes, finally allowing himself to rest. Everything felt right, like he was exactly where he needed to be. He’d never felt so cared for in his life. You hadn’t said much, but your presence spoke louder than any words ever could.

"Why did you come?" he whispered after a few moments, his voice barely audible. His heart was racing for a different reason now—because, in that moment, he realized just how much you meant to him. More than just a close friend. How much you always had, and how he was afraid of losing you.

You smiled softly, your fingers still weaving through his hair. "Because you needed me." you whispered.

For the first time in hours, Noah felt really at peace. You had helped him in a way no one else could, just by being there, by taking care of him, by simply holding him.

It was the most tender thing anyone had ever done for him. And as he drifted off, he realized just how important you were in his life, more than a best friend, more than he had ever allowed himself to believe.

Tags: @anything-more-than-human @ladyveronikawrites @iloveyoutodeathbutimdrowning @collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard @fadingangelwisp @xmads-omensx @iwasntstable @thisbicc @pathion @flowery-mess @into-the-grey @lacy1986 @tosoundlessdarkistare @stardustsirenmelody @thewrstinme

[mclarengf]

il faut que je te dise quelque chose

a new years party? i bet absolutely nothing will happen.

[1.1k]

note: happy new year yall!!! i hope 2025 brings u all a lot of happiness and good luck x

“i’m gonna do it.”

lando looked up from his phone, “what?”  i haven’t been listening to you at all.”

you pouted at him before repeating yourself, “i’m gonna kiss him tonight. at midnight. for real.”

“wait, oscar?”

you flicked him square in the forehead for his stupidity.

“who else, dummy? i’m gonna sit him down and tell him how i feel, and then, if he somehow feels the same way, i’m gonna kiss him.”

he barks out a laugh and tells you, “about time!”

you liked oscar, and lando was the only other person who knew it. ever since he figured it out in miami, lando had made your life miserable, constantly teasing you if you blushed after oscar complimented you, or if you lost your train of thought when he walked in the room.

“anyway, are you done yet? max wants to know when he should pick us up.”

some of your friends in monaco are throwing a new years party tonight, and you and lando, your closest friend here, are getting ready for it in your apartment. 

well, you’re getting ready. he’s dressed already, in a simple button-up and jeans, and has been tapping at something on his phone for the past 20 minutes— something which looks suspiciously like jetpack joyride. 

you tell lando you have to finish doing your hair, but will probably be done around the time max gets to your place if he leaves now. 

“alright,” he slaps his knees as he stands up, “you have to tell me how it goes, yeah?”

he claps you on the back before leaving to the kitchen, probably to start his night of drinking. 

—

the party was loud. whoever was dj’ing had to have hearing damage, because anyone else wouldn’t be able to be in such close proximity to the bass-boosted speakers.

it was about an hour til midnight, and annoyingly, you still hadn’t seen oscar. that’s why you were now making the rounds trying to find him, sliding past groups of people you didn’t recognise and briefly saying hi to the ones you did. 

you were trying to navigate around a stupidly placed configuration of chairs when you bumped into someone.

“i’m so sorry-�� your apology died on your tongue when you saw who it was.

“oscar!”

he greets you with a hug and a quick kiss to the cheek, “how’ve you been? i haven’t seen you since the championship party!”

you smile up at him.

“i’m good! i’ve been a bit busy at home, so i haven’t been able to do anything else. how are you? you look good!”

you take a step back from him to take the sight of him in. he must have arrived a while ago, if his sweaty hair and the drink in his hand are anything to go by.

“you look beautiful, by the way.”

you’ve never been able to handle his compliments well, not when he always tells you like he really means it. 

you manage to keep your composure enough, though, and stutter out a ‘thank you’ before returning the sentiment. 

“you look really good, too.”

he smiles shyly at the ground, then gestures to a nearby booth so you can continue your conversation. 

as you make your way over, he places his hand on the small of your back, subtly guiding you through the small crowd in between you and your destination. the feeling of his hand on your skin burns, desperately drawing your attention. you try to ignore it though, for fear of blushing so hard that oscar will be able to see it, despite the strobing lights.  

wait, why is oscar staring at you? shit, is it that obvious already? 

you press a hand to your cheek as you sit, trying to feel how warm you actually are, but before you can properly judge your temperature, oscar picks up your talk where you had left it, and the two of you fall back into easy conversation. 

you talk about lots of things, in a way you can only comfortably do so around oscar, and you only take notice of the time again when the people around you start chanting down from 60.

“so, oscar, i was thinking…” you trail off, taking another sip of your drink as you consider how to word your confession.

he looks at you attentively, waiting for whatever you’re about to say. 

“i wanted to tell you that-“ you cut yourself off and sigh. this isn’t working. 

maybe you should just wait til another time. there’s no need to rush anything, you suppose.

35… 34… 33…

oscar has a strange glint in his eye, but you brush it off as being his amusement at your evident speechlessness. 

“nevermind!”

you try to smile like nothing’s wrong, but you’re cursing at yourself on the inside for being such a pussy. 

28… 27… 26…

you decide to switch the topic.

“shouldn’t you find some girl to kiss at midnight?”

he shakes his head, and this time it’s his turn to drink before he talks. 

“nah, i’m happy staying here with you. it’s nice.”

you melt at the thought of oscar being content to spend his new years with you over everyone else at the party. now, if only you could tell him how you’d like to spend the rest of your life with him over everyone else in the world, you’d be very happy.

17… 16… 15…

you spend the last fifteen seconds of your year internally debating whether you should still kiss oscar. i mean, if it’s a new years kiss and he has no idea about your feelings, then it’d be fine, right? 

you almost don’t realise it’s turned midnight because you’re too preoccupied, playing a mental game of eeny meeny miny mo to solve your dilemma. 

the time is brought to your attention, though, when oscar places his hand on your cheek, says, “i’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” and brings you close for a new years kiss.

you could swear you feel fireworks exploding in your chest when your lips touch, and it only takes you a second to realise what’s going on before you respond eagerly, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. 

you could die happy now, you think. his lips are so soft, and they fit with yours perfectly. you don’t even mind the taste of jack and coke on his tongue. somehow, it all blends together into one thing— oscar. 

everything is oscar, oscar, oscar. 

when you part, you’re slightly dazed from how passionate the kiss was.

“so, what were you gonna tell me?” 

although his cheeks are also flushed, and his pupils are slightly blown, oscar’s still got a cheeky grin on his face as he catches his breath. 

you roll your eyes, knowing full-well by this point that he knew just as much as you did, the whole time. 

“happy new year, oscar.” 

he raises his glass and tilts it towards you for a cheers.

“happy new year.”

you clink your drinks together, and as he slings an arm around your shoulders, you think, this year may turn out really well. 

[cjlouwho]

Since we’ve moved onto horny bottom Tommy after they’ve gotten together…

Tommy has been like an insatiable teenager since reuniting with Evan. They haven’t just been having sex either. They talk, they talk DEEP, the wring themselves dry…

And then they PHYSICALLY wring themselves dry.

It’s unlike sex with any partner ever before, even Evan the first time. One might even call it… transformative.

One night a few weeks into working things out again, they had one of their emotional, exhausting deep dives and started to fool around. Tommy automatically started to prep the gorgeous man below him, but Evan stopped him.

“I never thought to ask you before what YOU prefer”.

Tommy told him the honest truth. He’s verse, doesn’t necessarily have a preference, he likes to pleasure his partners, but that yes, he tends to prioritize what his partners want and tends to protect himself from some bad early experiences and let people make assumptions of him. But lately, since they got back together, he’s finding himself constantly wanting to be FILLED, often taking matters into his own hands with a toy at home. That’s never really been a strong urge with partners in the past, or even when he was single. Perhaps because of some less than stellar early experiences, maybe in part because of the expectations set by others and Tommy’s unwillingness to advocate for himself. Or really even consider what HE wanted, let alone express it to others.

Even…before… with Evan, Tommy spent so much time and energy making sure his boyfriend was comfortable and had good experiences he never put himself first. Evan wanted to try it all and turned out LOVED to bottom (and even had some experience being pegged, which Tommy shouldn’t have been so surprised about). Tommy rode Evan a few times early in “part 1”, thinking he was easing him into sex with men, but after that Evan was always so eager that Tommy never steered him otherwise.

Evan cups Tommy’s cheeks in his hands and asks earnestly, “we’re going to revisit all of that later, but what do YOU want RIGHT NOW?”

So Tommy answers just as earnestly “I want you to rail me halfway to the moon.”

Evan’s face glows, grinning from ear to ear, more than happy to meet his boyfriend’s request.

And that’s exactly what he does.

A switch flips that night. Evan starts checking in with Tommy more frequently to ask what he wants to do. Tommy starts giving more hints, learning how to ask outright for things without feeling selfish. Sometimes he wants nothing more than to have Evan’s cock in his mouth. Sometimes he wants to give Evan whatever he needs. Other times he wants to pound into his boyfriend’s ass. And when he wants to be slowly fucked into oblivion, he asks for that. And they TALK about Tommy’s past and what’s usually been expected or assumed of him.

Tommy is soon feeling sexually fulfilled like he never has before. His sex life with Evan “before” was amazing, but now it’s just on a whole new level.

Something else new happens one night while he’s being split open by his hot firefighter. They’ve done it before, but always the other way around. Never had it happen with other partners either because, well expectations of roles and such, but that’s all thrown out the window with Evan.

Tommy is on his back, writhing, trying to get off on his man’s dick hitting his prostate alone. Finally, he’s coming, and as he does he screams to Evan.

“DADDY!”

(Thanks for playing, that was a lot longer than I intended. Perhaps the Tommy calls Daddy movement is next?)

[beppothebadger]

So you want to collaborate with someone, and suddenly they become defensive.

In general, people found something in your shared plan that might have consequences they're not willing to accept.

Take it seriously.

Ask them what's wrong. Calmly. Like you don't want them to worry. (You want to rely on them. You actually don't want them to worry.)

Usually that means first asking which situation stresses them out (we tend to have that one ready and avoid the other answer), then figuring out what's the problem with that (this one hurts and often requires trust and patience).

There are three ways in which you can improve the situation. Let's imagine that you collaborator has an issue with your plans because it might lead to frobnicating the blorbos, then they need more wabumble, and they need all their wabumble as mickwick fuel.

You can reduce the problem by thinking of ways

to reduce the risk of frobnicating the blorbos

to provide replacement for the wabumble that the blorbos are willing to accept

to provide replacement for the wabumble that the mickwick can run on

to replace the mickwick with something else of the same function that doesn't require wabumble, but another resource that isn't in danger through your plan

When you have ideas that are viable, ask your collaborator which ones of those measures should get incorporated with your shared plan.

And then do it.

Yes, coming up with ever new ways of delaying something like that is a very common sabotage strategy to avoid change.

But the majority of people who voice a problem actually have one, and will be okay with a solution that doesn't kill what's dear to them.

*munches on some wabumble salad*

[sentientsnakeskin]

Also need to discuss the mischaracterization of Natalie Scatorccio because please look me in the eyes and tell me why people call her a bad person??? Like i get she’s verbally combative sometimes i guess but i can’t think of one time she did something bad that she didn’t genuinely apologize for afterwards. Like… seriously what. It feels like to me, narratively, she’s spent her whole life as a girl who goes through a lot of shit all the time and has unhealthy coping mechanisms, and then she gets shit from everyone around her for those same coping mechanisms. She has spent her whole life being unloved and unwanted and she still has such compassion inside of her and it’s so unreal. I mean i cannot believe the extent of her compassion, and there’s so much about her that I’ve never seen discussed, and I’m gonna talk about it. 

She was most likely going through withdrawal in the wilderness, she didn’t have access to anything and ik we saw her with a cigarette a couple times and we know she brought other contraband, but at some point she had to run out of it. She definitely had the ability to slowly let herself off of it but even that is something to take note of? Like if she did do that if means she quietly took the measures to get herself off it, to prepare for the eventuality that she wouldn’t have anything. And yet she never complained, was never a bitch about it, she even fucking gave what little she did have to Coach Ben cause she knew he needed it

Even with those that she didn’t like, most notably Lottie cause of the mysticism things and Jackie cause of the everything else, she still wasn’t near as rude as she could be? And was actually weirdly nice? She told Lottie to knock off the bullshit because she could see it going badly, and even when it came down to it and everyone started challenging her hunting skills in favor of Lottie, when Lottie needed it, she was there. She made up with Lottie, she apologized, she volunteered her tub of warm water despite also having hypothermia because Lottie needed it more. She could have been a smart aleck, but she wasn’t. She apologized. And even with Jackie, like she had every right to be pissed with Jackie because lowkey Jackie did say some shit abt her, but when it came down to it? She was good to her, she let her out of the closet at doomcoming, she never batted an eye about jackie sleeping with travis, she put aside all the petty shit, and she was the only one who ever showed any remorse for eating her. Nat hated Jackie the most out of everyone and she was the only one to have any reason to hate her, and yet Natalie Scatorccio was the one to carry her bones off to the burial site. She fucking apologized to her bones and thanked her for being the sacrifice they needed to survive, and that’s more than anyone else really did. Like bro… 

She literally always gave 110% for the survival of the group. I’m talking like, she got up at the crack of dawn every morning and went out and tried to hunt despite not getting anything ever, and got up even earlier to search for Javi with Travis despite never finding him. Like she had the same rations as everyone else just less sleep and more work like holy shit she tried?? All the time??? And then spent the time she did have at camp being the voice of reason? Defending the people that needed to be defended? Speaking up when no one else did? 

Also her attitude with Travis was just insane because you’re telling me she made an effort to understand why he was the way that he was even though he was nothing but a jerk to her, then when they got together took the time to go at a pace that was comfortable for him and reassure him of everything he ever needed to be assured of, and shelled out the effort to understand him when he started following Lottie more intensely, never batted an eye at him sleeping with Jackie in a heartbeat when he never did that with her their whole relationship, and even into their adulthood made an effort to help keep him clean and make sure he didn’t off himself while struggling with the same shit herself, even though he was clearly not good for her??? Like that’s literally insane bro 

Also, the stark difference between her behavior and everyone else’s when shit goes down is always stupidly obvious. Like especially at doomcoming? She ate the hallucinogenic mushrooms with everyone else, but she had the sense and the compassion to not only go and check on travis, she let Jackie out the closet, and then confronted everyone about trying to kill him, and stopped them. Like she could have joined in. That’s something she could have done but she didn’t, because she cares about Travis. She cares about people, in general. It’s so bizarre.

All this behavior also continues in the adult timeline. Especially later when she’s at the commune, but we see it earlier too. As mentioned, she continues to chase after Travis, keep him clean and safe. When he dies, she goes on an all consuming investigation into his death. When she finds out he really wasn’t murdered and Lottie saw him die, she spends like .2 seconds being suspicious of Lottie before she’s like okay yeah i believe you. And then despite not believing in Lottie’s like spiritual bullshit cult thing she doesn’t attempt to escape and doesn’t act near as critical of it as she obviously was. She bonded with Lisa, stuck up for her against her mom, stole her fish back in her mouth for her, and genuinely apologized for hurting her. And then she died for her! She sacrificed her life for a girl she knew maybe a week or two at most and im losing my MIND over it 

I probably missed things cause this is mostly just off the top of my head so add on anything i missed, but it’s just so insane to me how kind she was and continues to be despite everything. I just love the exploration of this character who in show is characterized as a bitch and is verbally abrasive but all of that is a cover for her being the most empathetic character ever??? Like oh my god 

[deadtired-highkeyenergetic]

All The Reasons Why

Sorry for the lack of updates. Been suffering from jet lag and still kind of am, staying up until 3am for an event isn't helping much, pretty sure I haven't actually slept the whole night/early morning. Anyways after all that angst here's some...uh fluff? Sad fluff but still fluff I'm pretty sure

Summary: Alcohol loosens Silco's tongue and you find out a lot more about Silco's feelings towards you than what you expected

You've never really seen Silco drunk before. He has such a high tolerance towards alcohol that sometimes you believe he's immune to getting drunk, but tonight proves otherwise because he's stumbling into your room with flushed cheeks and red ears.

"Silco?" You hurriedly guide him to your bed before he can smack face first into anything. Considering how you knew he was outside your room from the very loud string of curses that came after the sound of something smacking into your door, you don't quite trust him to navigate his way around your room.

"Hey." His speech is slightly slurred, sea foam eyes unfocused. He better not puke all over your bed or anywhere in your room for that matter, you don't want to clean up that kind of mess in your room. He does obediently sit on your bed, watching you rather intently.

"Did you need something?" You ask, not quite sure why he tried to enter your room in the first place.

"I need to tell you a secret. Promise you will not tell anyone else?" You can smell the alcohol coming off his breath even when there's a gap between you both, a testament to how much he's drunk tonight.

"Uh, sure." Well this is intriguing. Silco always kept his secrets to himself, refusing to give others a peak at the cards he held in fear of them using it against him, not even Vander knew everything about Silco.

"There is this…person who I like."

You raise an eyebrow, lips quirking up in amusement. What an opener. You're pretty sure you know who he's talking about, but there's still a small part of you that doubts it, whispering all the reasons why it isn't the person you're thinking about, hissing that you're delusional and that he's found someone better. Someone better than you.

"They are amazing in every way. They look good, they fight well, they are better than me when it comes to scaring unwanted attention away. They are kind, caring, nothing like the tough image they project to the world. They hide behind the image of a rough unfeeling fighter because they have to in order to survive, but they are always so gentle with me and the ones they care about. They always worry about me, always know when I need someone to talk to, always know when to give me space and when to offer me their shoulder to lean on. They know all my habits, know my favourite food and drink, know where to find me, sometimes I wonder if there is nothing they do not know about me." He takes a deep breath, gaze searching the floor.

"But they are atrocious at giving compliments. It is as though they cannot say nice things to other people. I know though, that they compliment people through actions. They like messing up my hair, slapping me on the back, nudging me with their shoulder, sometimes they even tell me 'not bad', but that is the nicest thing they will ever say to me. I know that when they mess up my hair they are proud of me, slapping me on the back means 'well done' and 'not bad' means 'great job'." He smiles softly and you can't help but smile back, a warmth growing in your chest.

"I like it. I like the way they cannot compliment people, I like the way they try to show their appreciation for someone by doing little things for said person, I like the way their nose scrunches when they try to say something nice but all that comes out is 'not bad'. I like the way they fiercely devote themselves to everything, from what they believe in to protecting someone they care about. One moment they are angrily hissing at someone to shove off and the next they are turning to me, asking if I am alright in the most monotonous tone ever." He laughs quietly, gripping the bed sheet.

You recall when that exact situation happened, the confused look he gave you upon hearing your question and the amusement in his voice as he told you that you could at least ask him that with some concern. In your defense, you were checking him for injuries at the same time, analysing any possible sign knowing that he would stubbornly keep any injury a secret from you.

"I like the way they awkwardly react when I hug them, standing stiffly like a brick and staring at me confused. I like the way they do their best to console me when I cry, whether it be resting a hand on my back or patting my head. I like their loyalty. I know I can entrust more than my back to them, I know I can entrust my life to them because they will never betray me, never turn their back on me. I know that they will burn the world for me, and that if the whole world turns against me they will still stand by my side and fight against the world with me. I like every part of them — the parts they are proud of and the parts they hate." His voice drops to a whisper. "But I cannot understand what they like about me. They look at me and see 'Silco', not a miner, not Vander's shadow, not a 'dirty little thing' but I am not like Vander — a strong fighter with a heart as big as his size. I am not like Felicia — sociable, gentle and kind. All I can do is plot from the shadows, skulk about at celebrations, stare at my notebook as my friends chatter the night away. I am only a 'dirty little thing', not someone to be so devoted to, cherished, or loved."

A lump forms in your throat at his words. To hear him tear himself apart, believe the things enforcers and those who hate him say about him, it makes your heart ache.

"I think they like you because of how passionate you are about the dream of Zaun." You swallow hard, struggling to find the correct words to say. "They like the way you dare to dream big, the way you strive to become more than what others think you are. They like the way you persevere through it all, the determination in your eyes that drives you each and every day. It gives them hope, encourages them to dream of what can be, makes them fall in love with you over and over again. They like the way you fight for what you hold dear, no matter the odds you face."

He shakes his head, biting his lip as tears begin form.

"They like you because of how much you care about those you love, even if you don't ever show it through words. They like the way you smile contentedly as you quietly listen to friends banter, rolling your eyes when they say something dumb and drop the wittiest line whenever you do say something. They like the way you struggle to get properly mad at them for doing something stupid, the annoyed sigh you make as you massage the bridge of your nose when you find out they've done the very thing you told them not to and the way you always threaten to leave them to suffer the consequences alone but never do. They like the smile that forms on your face when you're proud of them, the way the corners of your eyes crease when you're happy." You don't recall when you took his hand in yours but it sits there now, nestling warmly as your fingers intertwine.

"They like the quiet laugh you make when something amuses you, the messy bedhead that they always see first thing in the morning, the sleepy mumbles that fall from your lips as you stumble towards the bathroom. They like the smell of the coffee that you make, the way you bring it to them in their bed piping hot and freshly made, the gentle kiss you press to their forehead after that. They like the way you lie down on their stomach, face buried in their shirt when you're tired. They like the moments when it's complete silence but it's a comfortable silence. They like the way your first thought is always them, even when you're drunk." You pull him into a hug, the first one you've ever initiated and he freezes for a moment before returning the hug, burying his face into your shoulder.

"They like the way you're always there for them, the way you always know when something's wrong, the way you always know how to cheer them up. They like how you've memorised all their favourite things, their habits, and always surprise them with little gifts." His tears stain your sleeve, causing the damp fabric to stick to your skin but you don't care. You gently rub his back, a motion that you've since learned brings him great comfort and hear him sniffle.

"They like the way your palm fits into theirs just nice, the sound of your heart beating, the warmth of your body pressed against theirs underneath the blanket, and they want nothing more. They just want you for who you are, want you as you are, love you as you are because to them you're amazing, you're their whole world, their everything. And they're glad to know you feel the same way too." You nuzzle into his hair, holding him tightly.

He clings onto you, gripping onto your shirt as the tears flow and his body shakes with each sob. You simply continue holding him, giving him all the time he needs to let everything out and soon he's cried himself to sleep in your arms. You gently tuck him into your bed before dipping under the covers yourself, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"I love you Silco. Always have and always will."

[clare-875]

Hello, this is Short Queen part 2 anon, thank you for responding to my ask, so I guess for the characters I want, can you maybe do Shanks, Crocodile, Mihawk, Katakuri, Smoker, and maybe Killer?

Short & Sweet pt.2 (Shanks, Crocodile, Mihawk, Katakuri, Smoker, Killer)

Pairings: Shanks x Reader; Crocodile x Reader; Mihawk x Reader; Katakuri x Reader; Smoker x Reader; Killer x Reader Summary: Their reaction to having a small girlfriend Warnings: Fluff, some angst & comfort, Female Reader A/N: Thank you for the ask!! I hope you like it <3 [Part 1: Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, Ace, Law, Kid, Sabo] [One Piece Masterlist] _____

- Shanks -

Shanks absolutely adores your smaller form and adores having you in his hold for as long as possible. He is one who loves to tease his partner so (as long as he knows you are comfortable) he will cherish the light pout on your lips as he playfully prods at your small stature. One of his favourite things to do is to pull you into him after a long day - it doesn't matter where - and hold you to him until he feels the stress melt away; you just fit so perfectly against him.

If he ever learns that you are insecure about your looks, he is there to quickly reassure you. He will be utterly livid if he learns that your insecurities stem from those around you and their unkind words; he is not above using his powers as Emporer to put people in their place. Ultimately, it would result once again with you buried in his chest as he murmurs comforts into the depths of your skin.

"Come here babe, you're all I need."

- Crocodile -

Crocodile doesn't pay too much mind to the height or stature of his partner. As long as they are strong and cunning and kind as you are, he could scarcely complain about anything else. In saying this, however, he truly adores the feeling he gets when you look up at him with your pretty eyes. Though he does not voice compliments often, they would be reserved just for you in isolated rooms where it was just you and him; murmurs of your fawlessness only for you to hear.

If he ever learns of your insecurities, he will listen in silence as you pace the room, concerns slipping from your mouth alongside your comparisons with other women you come by. Your doubt would cause a crease to form between his brows but he continues to listen anyway knowing you needed the rant. After he sees that you are done or are starting to work yourself up, he would rise from where he observed you, quick to offer his embrace and surprising words of comfort.

"You love, are the only thing that's perfect in this world. Don't doubt yourself."

- Mihawk -

Mihawk adores you in subtle ways, and so he adores your figure in subtle ways too. He would trace your smaller hand in his as you slept by him in the early mornings. He would pull your petite form to him as he sits and reads the newspaper, your flustered expression causing a subtle smile to reach his face. He would lean down and capture your lips before he leaves his Island for whatever duties he had as a Warlord of the sea. He loves the way you would look up at him afterwards, asking him to come home safe.

You were so perfect to him, encapsulating all he could ever want from a partner and your beauty was honestly unmatched. That is why, if he hears of your insecurities he will be utterly shocked, maybe even disappointed in himself. He is usually so observant when it comes to you and your thoughts, but because of his bias of your flawlessness, he had let your concerns dictate your mind. He would be quick to pull you into his chest, deep words murmured comfortingly into your ear until you forget your insecurities.

"Love, you are utterly exquisite."

- Katakuri -

Katakuri, being one who often looms over others anyway, barely pays any mind to your stature or height. He would rather pay more mind to the things that matter, such as your loyalty and kindness and love. In fact, sometimes he would be envious of others who don't have to duck and lean down through doorways to go about their day. He does, however, adore the way you would compare your smaller hand to his on dark nights, cuddle into him as he envelops you fully, and feel your light caresses whenever he has a stressful day.

You were just perfect to him, and so if you were ever insecure of your stature, he would be utterly confused. He would be quick to comfort you, but he also cannot fathom how you feel such a way when you are just so flawless to him. If you compare yourself to other women who reside in Whole Cake Island and nitpick at your figure, he interrupts you with a kiss on the corner of your lips and his kind gaze on you.

"Love, every part of you is beautiful, it’s those qualities that make you who you are."

- Smoker -

Smoker is another who does not pay too much mind to the height or stature of his partner. He simply adores you. He may not speak of it often but he shows it in the way his touch searches for yours and in the depths of his gaze. He loves the way you would silently understand his subtle love. He loves the way you look up to him through your eyelashes or hold his larger hand in yours, a cheeky smile on your face that has him almost breaking his facade.

If he ever learns that you are insecure about your figure or height he is almost dumbfounded at the fact. The stoic marine would feel his heart crumble a bit. He may even internally scold himself for not speaking up about how perfect you were to him and affirm you that you would be all he could ever need. He would be quick to reassure you muttering words lowly to you as he pulls you into him.

"How can you think that way when you are flawless love?"

- Killer -

Killer absolutely adores you, and that adoration extends to every part of you including your figure and height. He loves how you pout up at him when you need help getting something from a higher shelf. He loves how you wrap your arms around him, barely able to contain him in your smaller embrace. He loves how you fit so perfectly into his side and how adorable you are when you smile up at him. He loves you.

If you ever tell him of your insecurities, however, he is always there to listen to them. Instead of diminishing them immediately because he knows insecurities cannot be wiped away so easily, he will listen as you rant to him about your concerns. He often mimics the way you comfort him of the face he beholds under his mask. He would pull you into him, carving his hands into the depths of your hair as he utters words of reassurance.

"You're perfect princess. Don't listen to anyone who says otherwise."

[summertimesadnessirl]

This is also a harmful lie.

Other people are responsible for their own actions and behavior.

It is not somehow your fault if someone else hurts you.

Manipulative people are very very good at creating ways to make you believe that.

Perpetuating the myth that it is your responsibility to stop other people from treating you badly

Or that it somehow reflects poorly on you if other people treat you badly

Is the biggest way that bad people get away with doing bad things.

It's evil.

Everyone has had someone hurt them.

Think of the most that girl person alive, okay?

The person who you look at and think

This is the perfect thing to be

Them, too.

Look up a list of famous beautiful women who got cheated on.

Look up a list of famous geniuses who nobody believed in.

If this shit were true, then it wouldn't be possible that they were beautiful or successful.

That would only happen to gross weak ugly stupid people.

The only way to be safe from people hurting you is to be incredibly rich and never leave the house.

Literally most people are just sadistic assholes. That's a story for another day.

The thing you need to understand is that the reason most people are like that is because our society teaches us that it's the job of people not to get victimized rather than the job of people not to harm others.

Literally.

If someone does something bad it reflects poorly on their character for doing the thing.

Even if you don't react the way someone thinks you should. Even if later you think there are red flags you should have seen.

Even if every person in the entire would owned no locks- no guns, no guard dogs, no alarms.

A thief would still be a thief.

Even if you would have consented to sex with someone they can still rape you. Even if they know if they asked you would have said yes.

People who disrespect you do it because they are just assholes.

If they want to, they will find a way.

Even if you do everything right.

Even if none of the things that normally hurt people hurt you.

There's a group of people who literally just go around and constantly try to make everyone miserable on purpose.

They just do it all the time. To everyone. Forever. By any means they can find.

In any group, there's always one.

Even if they don't know why they hate you or have a socially acceptable reason, they will just make something up.

They will pay more attention to you than anyone ever has in your life trying to figure out how to find a way to work some little ruination into every day multiple times a day and not be happy til they do.

That's all they do in every social interaction forever is try to make sure everyone wants to die a little bit.

You can't escape them or defend yourself against them. They just are.

You're going to be in unimaginable pain all the time. A lot.

Any tactic you find to try to help will eventually get corrupted and used against you.

That's it.

That's all life is forever is running from people who hate everyone and want to make everyone incapable of being happy.

Being alone is the only peace anyone will ever get.

Do not ruin it by wondering if it's your fault that other people were mean. If when you said that you didn't want them to do something or that it hurt your feelings in words multiple times they misunderstood you. If you somehow misunderstood the social contract around an interaction. If you were mean to them and didn't know it.

That's how they win.

When even being alone, you're still miserable.

Just focus on being alone as much as possible.

Literally our entire society is set up to force you to beg these specific people for everything you need to live until you die. So you won't ever be free of them.

But try.

Remember

No one.

Literally no one.

Is ever trustworthy.

No matter how long you know them.

No matter what their history is.

As soon as you think you can trust someone, that's when they change.

So stay as alone as possible.

That's the whole game.

2025: #3 STOP DISRESPECTING YOURSELF

Let’s have a serious conversation When was the last time you truly prioritized yourself? Not just physically—mentally, emotionally, spiritually? When was the last time you stood up and said, “Enough is enough. I deserve better than this”? Because if you’re constantly tolerating disrespect—from others or WORSE, from yourself—then it’s time to hit PAUSE and reevaluate.

Disrespecting yourself doesn’t always look obvious. It sneaks in through the BACK DOOR of your life. It looks like staying in toxic relationships that drain you because you’re scared of being alone. It looks like saying “yes” to people when you’re dying to say “no.” It looks like putting your dreams, health, and happiness on hold for someone who wouldn’t even do the same for you ET LE PIRE every time you allow that, you’re telling yourself you don’t matter as much as you should.

BFR Why do we do this? Why do we settle? It’s because somewhere along the line, we were told—or we believed—that our value comes from being liked, accepted, or useful to OTHERS. But that’s a lie. Your value has nothing to do with anyone else. It’s intrinsic. You were born with it. And the longer you rely on others to validate you, the further you’ll drift from your true selllfff

FIRST What Self-Respect Really Means

Self-respect isn’t just about cutting people off or putting up walls. It’s deeper than that. It’s about knowing who you are, what you stand for, and what you’re no longer willing to tolerate. It’s about treating yourself like someone you’re responsible for—because you are. You have a duty to yourself, just like you might feel you have a duty to your family, friends, or job... Respecting yourself means showing up for yourself every single day, even when it’s hard, even when no one else is clapping for u. It means keeping the promises you make to yourself because if you can’t trust yourself, who else can !?!??

SECOND:The Role of Toxic People

AHM .. the people in your life. Some of them are toxic. You know who they are. The ones who belittle your ambitions, drain your energy, and make you feel small. The ones who take and take and take but give you nothing in return (I HATE THEM OMFGGG) you cannot grow in an environment that poisons you. I know it’s hard to let go. Maybe you’ve invested years in these relationships. Maybe you’re scared of being alone. But staying in the wrong environment out of fear is the quickest way to lose yourself. Letting go doesn’t mean you hate them—it means you love yourself more.

THIRD: How to Start Loving and Respecting Yourself

1. Cut the Noise

Take a step back from social media, toxic relationships, and anything else that’s feeding your insecurities. Spend time alone to figure out who you are and what you need.

2. Set Non-Negotiables

Create a list of things you will and will not tolerate. Stick to it, no matter how hard it feels. These boundaries aren’t to punish others—they’re to protect you.

3. Prioritize Your Well-Being

Start small. Drink water. Move your body. Journal your thoughts. These aren’t luxuries; they’re necessities. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so stop running yourself dry for people who wouldn’t do the same for you.

4. Learn to Say No

Saying “no” isn’t selfish; it’s necessary. Every time you say “yes” to something that drains you, you’re saying “no” to something that could uplift you.

5. Surround Yourself with Support

Find people who build you up, not tear you down. People who respect your boundaries and encourage your growth.

REMEMBER Self-Love Isn’t Selfish

Let’s clear something up: loving yourself doesn’t mean you’re selfish, arrogant, or closed off. It means you recognize that your needs, dreams, and happiness are just as important as anyone else’s. It means you’re willing to do the hard work to heal, grow, and become the best version of yourself.But here’s the catch: no one is coming to save you. No one is going to hand you self-respect on a silver platter. You have to create it. You have to show up for yourself every single day, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it feels like you’re taking on the world alone. Because at the end of the day, you are the only constant in your life AT THE END OF THE DAY THE ONLY PERSON WHO STAY WITH U IS YOUUU WHY TF I DON'T NOTICE THAT ???

✒️..Stop disrespecting yourself. Stop breaking promises to yourself. This is your wake-up call. Respect yourself enough to walk away from what’s harming you, even if it’s hard. Love yourself LOVE YOURSELF enough to invest in your growth, even when no one’s watching. You are the most important project you will ever work on. Start acting like it.

📇 @bloomzone

[mysteriousrainsworld]

a funfair date

pairing: bf! yunho x gf! reader

genre: fluff, slice of life

summary: you’ve been wanting to go to the funfair to relive your childhood. now that you’re with yunho, you can make even better memories with him.

word count: 2.5k (2,515)

warnings: uhh reader is a bit (maybe a lot) shy, yunho leaves (only for a bit!) and she feels a little anxious, bf! yunho understands her needs better than her, uhh anything else and there’d be no point in reading?😭 OH pet names: baby (overused i’m sorry😓), my love, honey, my precious baby

author’s note: this was very self indulgent lol. my first ever fic 😱 i’ve had so many ideas but this is the first that i actually fully wrote cos i just wanna go to the funfair rn and would it be so bad to go with yunho :/. anyways, hope you love it and i would appreciate feedback 😋 ALSO ignore any grammatical errors lmao i went back and forth so much trying to make it all present tense but my brain hurt :/ leave me alone regarding that lol. enjoyyy!

“one sec, baby, i’ll be right back.”

your eyes widen as your boyfriend leaves your side. you turn to view his retreating figure, too embarrassed because of the people behind you in line to call out to him.

“y-yunho…?” you murmur, confused and a bit anxious as to why he suddenly left you alone.

“next!”

it was hook a duck, a game at funfairs you played often and loved as a child. you were so excited to be here with yunho, wanting to experience the loud lights in the dark hours of winter at 5pm. yet now it seemed like you were going to do the first activity by yourself. you’re given the rod and you aim for a duck to latch onto. as you’re about to hook one on, yunho’s voice hits your ears causing you to knock into the duck you were about to catch. before the stand owner could sense a failure, you quickly hook your duck, smiling to the owner for your prize but then glaring at yunho for his interruption and his prior exit. he’s oblivious to this though, eyeing the prizes as if he had a choice.

“so, what would you like?”

you turn your face to the multitude of plushies that came in all sizes, yet you knew for this game you could only have a small one.

“hmmm…”

“baby, they have the me to you tatty teddy bear! you love those.”

it was true, for some reason that bear was precious to you since you were young and as much as you wanted to refute yunho because of your slight annoyance with him, you couldn’t deny your love for that specific teddy.

“i’ll have that one, please.”

“here you go.”

“thank you!” you beam at the owner before turning around, walking towards the rides with your teddy in tow.

“where on earth did you go? you left me all alone,” you pout at yunho with furrowed brows.

“i went to get this.” only now do you realise he was hiding his hands away from your vision. he shows you the cotton candy he got and you make a face.

“yunho, you know i don’t like that.”

he pouts back at you, “oh, i know baby, that’s why i got you this.”

that’s when you see what he was hiding with his other hand: a blue and red slushie. your desperation to continue being annoyed with him wasn’t as big as your need to have something sweet on your tongue, so you take the large cup from him and relish in the taste. he grins at you, happy to see you satisfied.

“thank you, yunho.”

“no worries, baby. where to next?”

you look around at the rides, pretending to wonder about what to first ride on when you knew you already had made a plan before your trip. yunho knew this too but pretends to wonder with you.

“how about the…”

“the…”

you giggle as you look at him with hearts in your eyes, “the miami trip ride?”

“perfect, baby. lead the way.”

you wrap your arm around his and walk towards the ride, yunho putting his cotton candy stick in the bin on the way. as you approach the line, the usual nerves overtake you. you sip on some of your slushie hoping to keep calm but yunho can sense your nervousness.

“hey. baby.”

“yeah?”

“i’m excited,” he smiles at you so wide his glasses bunch up on his nose.

despite your nerves, yunho’s words help you voice your own excitement, “me too! i can’t wait.” you smile at him, grateful for his grounding presence.

finally, you’re allowed access to the seats of the ride. yunho knew you didn’t like sitting next to strangers so he sits next to you whilst you sit on the end. as soon as everyone is seated, the ride starts, slowly at first and then building momentum, going faster and faster which caused your stomach to have butterflies every time the ride came rushing down. it wasn’t too high but you could still get an overall view of the park, allowing your mind to capture the full picture of the aesthetic of the funfair. soon, the ride comes to an end and yunho helps you out. you pick up your slushie from where you had placed it on the ground and grab yunho’s hand to lead him to the next ride, adrenaline coursing through you.

luckily there was space for more people to join so you and yunho were admitted into the tagada ride without having to wait in line.

you sit in the middle where there was space and the ride begins. similar to the other ride, you were going at a soft pace until the conductor wanted to shake things up and started making it spin faster, making more bumps occur. a few times your legs lift into the air with your arms held onto the railing behind you. to stop you from momentarily levitating, yunho placed one of his long legs over your lap, securing you in place. you may not admit it but this is what you wanted the outcome of this ride to be: you held by him. you heart flutters but you try not to let your giddiness at his action show too much. he seemed content with keeping you safe and that was enough for the both of you. some other people did fall and you felt bad for finding it funny so you tried to hide your face behind yunho’s shoulder. eventually, the fun was over and you both headed to the next ride, not as disorientated as everyone else.

you once again had yunho’s hand in yours and was about to beeline to the next ride when he pulls you back. it was a bit comic, the way your leg stuck out only to fall back into his arms.

“how about we take a five minute break, yeah?” he speaks into your ear. it tickles but you couldn’t help the smirk that falls over your features.

you face him. “why? you getting scared?”

he chuckles at you. “no, baby, just thinking we don’t wanna waste all our energy now and be too tired to enjoy the rest of our time.”

he looks at you knowingly and you lower your gaze to the side. he was talking about you of course, since you tended to get overexcited when you were happy and that led to early burnout.

“okay, let’s find a bench to sit on.”

due to it being the middle of winter, the cold bit at exposed fingertips and noses with a dark azure blanket covering the park, which meant there weren’t as many people at the funfair than there would have been during the summer. you didn’t mind this at all, savouring the music from the rides travelling through the air.

“come here, baby.” yunho wraps one of his arms around you to pull you closer.

“yunho, i’m about to sit on your lap!”

“so? sit on it.”

“nooo! people will see us.”

“and? we’re just tryna keep warm.”

“i’m warm enough,” you huff at him.

“i want you to be warm more than enough.”

you look at yunho’s face and see the sincerity in it. the bright lights surrounding you two reflect from his glasses, looking like he was shooting stars from his eyes.

“being here with you is more than enough. i’m content. even tho the weather is freezing, i feel warm when i’m with you.”

because of the cold, because of your words, whichever it was, a light pink tint crept upon yunho’s face. you wanted to kiss him, just a peck, maybe even on the nose but your awareness of other people made you hold back. just as you were about to turn to get up, yunho’s face drops to yours and places a sweet kiss on your lips. he lingers but not for long, speaking just a breath away from you, “i love you.” it was your turn to blush.

before your shyness could overtake you, yunho gets up holding your hand and leads you to the next ride.

“wait, how did you know this was next?”

“mmm, just had an inkling.” he winks at you and you shake your head laughing.

it was time for one of your all time childhood favourites.

after waiting in line for less than five minutes, you and yunho sit in a cart and push the barrier over yourselves to make sure you were secure so that you wouldn’t fall out. when everyone was ready, the ride came to life, with its blinding lights and powerful music. you start moving forward, going up and down as if riding the waves of a smooth ocean. it starts to pick up pace and after a few minutes, your cart begins spinning, turning side to side. it felt like you were in a chaotic ballroom, where the moves were the same but harsher and with upbeat tunes. you fight to keep your eyes open, the intensity making you want to just snuggle against yunho. but you keep your hands on the handle and continue to enjoy the ride.

when it ends, you have to hold onto yunho for support, feeling a bit dizzy. he grasps your waist as he gets you both out of the ride and back on the ground.

“wow.”

“you okay, baby?”

“yeah, that was … a lot than i remember. but i’m okay! but… can we sit down… heh…?”

“of course we can, my love.” yunho smiles as he guides you to the bench you were sat on previously. he didn’t sit down with you, choosing to stand with his arms crossed, looking around as you gather your senses.

“hey, baby. how bout we go on the teacups?” he quirks an eyebrow.

“the teacups?” they aren’t a part of your plan, yet you don’t want to say no either. if you ride them for a bit, it would allow you more time to spend with yunho, and that was the whole point of today. “okay, help me up.”

he grabs both of your hands and then you make your way to the multicoloured teacups awaiting someone to sit in them.

it was getting late, meaning no children were scrambling to get on and you guessed maybe the remaining adults didn’t want to ride a stereotypical children’s ride, which was a bonus for you.

“go on, baby, go pick one.”

you didn’t think about it and just walked until you felt satisfied.

“i see, your favourite colour, honey.”

“oh. oh yeah.” maybe that’s why the green one felt right to you.

the teacups started moving and the whole ride was relatively slow, but that didn’t bother you as you felt calm. you and yunho spin your own teacup for a bit of fun but you mainly enjoyed each other’s presence, basking in the warm glow of the lights above.

it ends sooner than you expect. you drag your tired legs from the teacup and hold yunho’s hand as you both get off the ride. it was time for the next phase of your plan but it didn’t feel right to carry out yet. you didn’t know what to do in the meantime, eyes desperately flicking between the stands and rides that surrounded you.

yunho gasps, which scares you. “what?”

he points at a truck towards his left, a little closer to the end of the park. “churros.”

“oh,” you sigh in relief. “you want some?”

“do you?”

“hmm, yeah actually. let’s get some.” you smile up at him as you hold onto his arm, making your way there.

once you acquire the churros with the accompanying chocolate dip, you feel it’s the right moment.

“yunho, let’s have these whilst we ride the ferris wheel.”

he looks at you with a mixture of surprise and awe. “baby, that’s such a good idea. let’s go.”

finally, the last stop of the day. there were a few other couples getting on the ferris wheel as well, which annoyed you slightly, but you were grateful for the ride conductor for spacing out the people between the carts.

you get in with yunho and your churros, sitting down facing each other. at first, you sit in silence, the pair of you quietly enjoying the sweet treat, occasionally looking out down below. once you finish eating, you could only stare at yunho. shyness crept upon you for a second time that day and you try to avoid eye contact with him. you wanted this alone time together but could hardly handle being alone with him so intimately, let alone initiate anything.

yunho continues to look at your flustered figure, noticing how stiff your body was compared to you eyes flittering all around the cart. he tilts his head with a light smile, finding it cute how hot and bothered you became around him.

without a word, he pulls you onto his lap. you were about to pull away but this only made him hold you closer.

“shh, baby. we’re all alone. we’ll be fine.”

as he said that, the cart stops and you look out the window to see you were at the very top. just like you wanted.

yunho could sense you were too shy to make a move you had planned to make so he wanted to help you. he moves his face to yours so he could look straight into your eyes. you felt yourself warm up, contrary to the weather outside. holding onto his collar, you make yourself look back into his eyes, even if that had you slightly quivering.

“baby,” he speaks on your lips and your eyelids flutter. you will yourself to not shut them completely, resuming the staring contest.

he smiles against you. “ba-“ before he could finish the word, you press you face to his to close the gap, lightly kissing him. after a few (very long) seconds, you pull away, your eyes wide as if you didn’t expect yourself to make the first move. but you did, and yunho was so proud of you.

“my precious baby, kissing me first, hm?” you were ready to hide your face in his chest but he places his hands on your cheeks to keep you in place. “i loved it, should do it more often.” you whine at his words but you both knew how much that filled you with confidence.

the ride starts again, taking you down to the surface where you would have to depart. you wrap you arms around yunho’s neck and whisper in his ear, “i love you, yunho.” even though you were the only ones who would have heard it, your soft voice highlights the vulnerability you feel in the moment.

“i know, baby. i love you too.”

as you near the bottom, yunho gently places you on the seat you were sitting on opposite him and soon the doors open. you look at each other as you have everything you needed, walking out with your hands entwined and your tatty teddy bear in the other.

[sp00kymulderr]

This will be our year

Joel Miller x transmasc!reader

A lover boy drabble

Warnings/Tags/Notes: no outbreak au, mentions of anxiety (over being in a non-queer space), mention of reader not always passing, love at first sight because they’re both absolute loverboys. A kiss. Unedited, unbeta'd.

Words: 916

Summary: You meet Joel in a bar on New Year’s Eve

Joel doesn’t know why he agreed to this.

The bar is absolutely packed, happy partygoers ready to ring in a new year, a whole world of hope and happiness at their fingertips, bolstered by of alcohol and misguided optimism

It was Sarah's idea. She’d wanted to ring in the new year with friends, and despite the little bit of heartbreak he felt at spending New Years Eve without her knowing she’d be back at college soon, Joel had of course said it was fine. She was young, she didn't want to hang around with her old dad when her friends were going to all be together doing...whatever nineteen year olds do these days. He tries not to think about that too much.

Tommy was going out, of course, heading downtown to some bar with some army friends. Sarah had told Tommy to take Joel with him, and Joel hadn't had much choice in the matter at all.

"C'mon old man, you can't sit on your ass alone all night. That's no way to bring in the new year!" Tommy had slapped him on the back, “You're coming with me”

"Who knows, might meet someone if you put yourself out there" Sarah had teased, kissing him on the cheek as she packed an overnight bag.

Joel had scoffed at that. Meet someone? He wasn't going to meet someone he liked in some downtown dive bar where everyone was off their face drunk and desperate to find someone to kiss. That had never worked for him before.

***

You don’t know what the hell you’re doing here.

Your usual haunts were a little less divey and a lot more queer. You hadn’t been in a bar that felt so straight in a long time, and your nerves were all over the place because of it.

Jas had dragged you along, refusing to let you spend the night alone when all of your friend group was going out. “You're too young and hot to be spending your New Years Eve all by yourself” They’d insisted, and you’d reluctantly agreed.

If you had been in any of your usual bars, you would be dancing and laughing and making the most of the night, but here with the thumping bass of an unfamiliar song thrumming through your body your anxiety was at an all time high.

***

Joel sees you from across the bar and he could swear his heart had just skipped a fucking beat. You’re the most handsome man he's ever seen.

A little uncomfortable as you sit at the other end of the bar, the friend you'd been talking to was now chatting someone elses ear off and you swirl the straw in your drink, fingers moving nervously.

Joels mouth feels dry. He can’t remember the last time he felt such immediate, electrifying attraction to anyone.

Fuck, he’s staring. You’re looking up and he’s staring like some creep. Fuck fuck fuck. Your eyes meet his and there’s a nervous flicker in them like you think he’s going to cause you trouble, so he smiles and you soften slightly, return it with your own shy one. You’re the first to look away.

He considers getting up. Wading through the sea of people between the two of you and introducing himself, shouting his name over the loud music only because he needs you to know it, even if it leads to nothing.

He thinks about it, but he can’t seem to make himself move. Surely you don’t want it; you’re younger, here for a good time, you don’t want to be chatted up by some miserable looking old man who hasn’t moved from nursing his beer all night.

When he turns to take another look, trying to convince himself to just move, you’re gone. Joel’s heart sinks, but he supposes it’s what he gets for being so indecisive.

***

You’re pushing through a crowd of people. Why are you doing this? It’s like your body separated from your brain as if drawn to something magnetic. Someone.

You don’t even know who he is. If he was just being kind, if he felt sorry for you, if he was mocking you. It wouldn’t be the first time, it’s why you don’t go to places like this. You don’t necessarily pass all the time and people can be cruel. People can be so very cruel. But he seems kind. Something in his eyes, he seems gentle in a way. Something soft in him that shines out around him.

“Hi” You say, standing by his shoulder - big and impossibly broad now you stand so close to him. He doesn’t hear. The music gets louder and you jump a little nervously at the sound of an announcement, one minute to midnight.

“Hey” You shout a little louder, tap his shoulder, try to remember to smile. He turns with a look of annoyance that turns to surprise that turns to beautiful, bright smile and your heart melts a little. He’s so handsome you feel a little woozy.

“Hi” He says, his voice sounds nervous. Gentle, leaning in close to you but respectful too.

You tell him your name. A countdown starts. You laugh nervously.

“I’m Joel” He tells you, “I’m sorry for staring before I just…”

His blush is so gorgeous and there’s ten seconds to midnight and a new year and suddenly you feel this little spark of hope.

“Well, fuck. You’re the most handsome man I ever met”

Three…two…one

You kiss him.

Happy new year

[rosetyler42]

Ericka: She already has redeemed in canon.

Alice: I think she could be if her soul ever finds peace and gives up her quest for perfection. That's kinda what happens with my version of Alice. They kinda imply it too in Dark Revival when Alice and Allison meet. Having friends and family around helps too.

Bill: ...Maybe, though not as he is now. There is the Same Coin theory that Stan is a reincarnated redeemed Bill that I like. But as much as I like Handyman Bill, Crystal Bill and other Redeemed Bill stuff...in canon I think something like Same Coin theory where he restarts as someone else is the only way that'd happen. As Bill himself, he clearly has little desire to change and he's already caused the Pines family and others alot of pain and abuse.

Shego: I think she COULD, esoecially if there was a bigger threat like what happens in Graduation, though she mostly ENJOYS villainy too much.

Evelyn Deavor: I like to think she could be if she learned that Superheroes are just people who truly want to help rather than blaming reliance on them for her parents' deaths. It would take some time

Meteora: She kinda does get redeemed when she reverts to babyhood. Now, as Ms. Heinous...I think maybe she would have had a shot if Moon hadn't messed things up and angered Meteora to the point she turned on Eclipsa and ultimately went too far. I feel like if she had been met with love and compassion...people who were like her and didn't see her as an evil monster, she may have been able to be talked out of her assault on Mewni. We SEE it for a moment when Eclipsa tells her she loves her.

Mabel: Not really a villain or antagonist, but since she's hated by the fandom for starting Weirdmaggedon and other signs of selfishness I'll give her a space here. I don't think she deserves the hate she gets as she was a child of divorce in a vulnerable place manipulated by someone she thought was a friend. That said, she does need to try and think of others' needs more often since she does pick on Dipper for laughs and Dipper is often the one sacrificing for her. But...slot of siblings mess with each other and as someone who is also creative and impulsive I relate to Mabel and her fear of growing up.

Bloo: Another hated character I'm gonna add here. I kinda see Bloo as a jerk with a heart of gold. He clearly has some (understandable) fear of growing up/dislike of grownups and he can definitely be immature and come off as lazy, but he doesn't deserve the hate he gets and ALOT of the problems he has are understandable as Mac's surrogate older brother in an abusive or neglectful household. He's had to basically look out for Mac for the first 5 years of his life, he's entitled to be a kid and do things for himself. @lovelylivelyv explains this better than I can but...yeah.

This request was sent to us and we made a poll in response to it. Send any Blorbo-related question you want to our inbox and we’ll make a poll on which people can vote with their own Blorbos in minds

[miidnighters]

It's the end of 2024, and man what a wild time this year has been for me. A whole host of things changed in my life but I knew I always had this space to fall back on. I came back to RP in October 2023, so this time last year I was still somewhat finding my feet but this year things really took off, and I have made some real friends that I absolutely treasure. Anyone who's followed me for a bit knows that I love surprising u all w a follow forever because I love to shout out the people who have made being here so fun and so special.

Much love to you all and I hope 2025 brings you everything you've ever wanted ♡.

@92328 / @laidbear

Every time I see you pop up in my notifications, I know I’m in for a treat. Your creativity is unmatched, and I love how real all your characters thoughts and motivations are even if it’s unconventional. I’m always so excited for whatever you have planned next.

@defloweir

We also haven’t written together a heap yet but I think your characters are really interesting and I’m really enjoying what we’re starting to do together with Callie and Colt. I’m excited to start digging into some of the others.

@demonstigma

Kage is so well-crafted, and I’m always wanting more every time we write together. You have such an incredible way of balancing chaos and heart, and I’m obsessed with our nonsense.

@epistrefei / @kinlochs

I know Artemis is a little quiet right now, but even though they were the one that sparked us off first, I love every single character you make. Every plot feels so rich and alive, and I’m so excited for whatever we cook up next.

@exquisitexagony / @cursedvessels / @distantsongsofjoy

Moss, the way you explore Sami's happiness and pain (as Arthur) and growth is so compelling. No matter what blog you’re on, I’m always excited for what we’ll create next together. You’re a star.

@filthystill

We also haven't been writing very long but even already it seems like your brand of nonsense matches my brand of nonsense. Your characters seem so interesting and I can't wait to see what else we cook up.

@freekzout / @hungryyheart

The most chaotic yet well-crafted duo I’ve ever seen. Not only that, but the rag-tag team on the multi, and Conrad (getting war flashbacks from that one time I called him Conan w my whole chest)? You bring so much life to every plot, and I love seeing the wild ideas we come up with take shape. Truly iconic.

@fvzzyelf

You are such a light on my dash. The creativity and care you bring to Kurt (and all your other characters) is so inspiring, and every time we write together, it’s something truly special. I’m so lucky to get to collaborate with you.

@gingerspiice

The way you craft Frenchie is so detailed and compelling to me. Every thread we’ve started is so fun, and even when you’re not writing with me I love seeing what shenanigans Frenchie is up to with everyone else.

@gollldrush

I know we’ve only really just started writing but I’ve seen you writing with other people on the dash and I’m already in love with Leo and Billie’s antics. I can’t wait to see what else we can throw together.

@idnull

The layers you bring to your characters is so inspiring. You’ve created some of the most complex and intriguing characters I’ve ever seen, and it’s always such a joy to explore their dynamics with mine no matter what pair or context we throw together.

@inrovina / @holyrots

There’s no character of yours that doesn’t feel alive and captivating. The way you build worlds and relationships is nothing short of masterful, and I’m so excited to play in this huge interconnected network we’ve built.

@interxstitial

I love seeing how Jiwon interacts with anyone I throw at him, and every dynamic we’ve explored has been so fun and meaningful. He and Flynn especially are so special to me, and I can’t wait to see what else we can throw together.

@kurjaks

Every time I see your writing, I’m blown away by Kurjak. Full stop. I’ve said it before but the choices you make for him, be it what he says or how he acts are so interesting and it makes for such compelling interactions.

@narrativedemanded / @narrativeanomaly / @narrativeobsession

The way you write your characters is so rich and full of life—I’m always captivated by the way you bring them to the forefront. The threads we’ve had by just throwing muses together have been some of the most fun I’ve had in ages.

@recitedemise / @mageister

Dean, your writing is like poetry, and I’m constantly in awe of the way you bring Gale and Dorian to life. Every thread feels so rich, and I can’t wait to see what more we can create together. You’re truly amazing.

@sorrowsick

Elliot, your creativity knows no bounds. Every time we come up with something, it feels fresh and exciting and just a little insane. I love the relationships we’ve built, and I’m so excited for whatever wild ideas we dream up next. 

@starlyht

You bring so much creativity and heart to everything you do. Every character you write feels so real and captivating, and as much as I love our interactions with Sol’rys and Fox, I’m so excited to explore this new stuff with Kyran and Sszefryn too.

@strszyga

Klava is so interesting to me. I love that she’s not easy to talk to in the first instance, because it makes me think of how my own characters interact differently. I can’t wait to see what else we do.

@soulmissed

The way you write August’s emotions is so beautiful and raw. Every interaction feels so meaningful, and I’m always excited to see where our threads will go. You’re such a talent.

@tewwor

You’re a master of chaos, and I love every second of it. Your characters and concepts are so vibrant and full of life, and I’m always so excited to see what we come up with together - or what you’re coming up with with other people.

@unpossession

Willow is such an incredibly rich and captivating character, and I love how we've started exploring her dynamics with Bella and Flynn. I'm so looking forward to what else we can throw together.

@vitalphenomena

I am in awe of your mind. The world building and depth you bring to your characters is so inspiring, and I’m so glad we get to write together. Every thread we put together is so much fun. 

@whileurmine

Every thread we’ve done has been an absolute joy. Your characters feel so real and layered, and I’m always so excited to see what we come up with next - particularly when it comes to the Roosevelt men and what grief my characters are giving them.

Also special shoutout to my darlings who were/are on hiatus but who I still think about lots:

@abysswarden @bloodykneestm @cigarettesandcoffee / @whiskeyneat @draconisa / @fairytaletold @fangmother / @luxbrumalix @pohlepen @solrites @womanlives @yxkanna / @cxldblxxded

[les-gnossiennes-fantomatiques]

Getting more writing done these days. It feels nice.

A little bit more from my current WIP:

Lost in the lines of her body, it seemed that the evening had given way to twilight in little more than a blink of an eye.

“I don’t think I ever commented on just how lovely your piano playing is.” Augustine’s voice nearly shocked him out of his stupor. She cast him a kindly glance over her shoulder. “Is there an end to your talents, Erik, or are you this naturally astonishing?”

He was too floored to admonish her for moving out of position, let alone properly process her words.

“It’s muscle memory and craft that make a good artist.” So said Mama, almost every time she found him sitting at her precious piano. To this day, whenever he happened to feel a little more charitable about his existence, he could hear her voice scolding him across the decades, practically feel the metronome clicking away as she beat every hard lesson into him. “For as much as the world loves its Mozarts and Beethovens and whatever little novelties it calls genius, perfection does not just spring forth from the ground like Moses divining water from a rock. If you expect praise and adulation without practice and failure—” (and here, even after all these years, he would wonder how she thought he’d ever leave the house, let alone expect praise from other people) “—if you perform for compliments and applause and not for the purpose of making music, you have already proven yourself a mediocrity.”

Erik would never admit it—not to his dear Daroga, not to the Shah, not to Charles, not to long dead Nelus, nor poor Mama. And certainly not to any woman off the street, hungry for his money or otherwise; the unfortunate truth, however, was that in spite of everything, there still lay some part of him which longed for a sincere and kind word.

“It’s for the best, mademoiselle. I did not ask you here to flatter me. I asked you here to sit still, if that’s even possible—”

“I don’t flatter people I dislike.” She turned sharply to face him, her gaze locked on his for the briefest of moments before it dropped down to his hands. An involuntary gesture most people made in front of him when confronted with his face, to be sure, but now—why was he so charmed? “‘You play twice as well as most of the musicians I’ve ever met, and I’ve sat through enough concerts to last me three lifetimes.” Her words were slow and soft—less of an intrusion, more of an unraveling. “What else can you do, Erik? Sing? Write music? You might as well be a one-man show.”

“Hush.”

She was far too clever for her own good, and moreover, far too kind. And kindness was the sharpest blade a woman like her could possess. Yet when he looked at Augustine, he once again heard the opening chords of last Friday’s music ringing in his ears. The sound of something strange and wonderful and ruinous. To be a man who lives as he pleases, who loves as he might dare—

“If you must know, I am in the beginning stages of writing something.”

“Are you?” She smiled, cordially tossing her long hair over her shoulders.

“Yes—just the very beginning of a project, if you please. A song cycle. Perhaps an opera, if I end up feeling ambitious. Now, please—turn around and be quiet, won’t you?”

[citrusickness]

some more burping scenarios based on a random word generator, because i haven't written anything like this in a hot second!

♡ pillow

♥︎ someone is sleeping next to someone else, {it's up to you whether this is romantic or just a friendly sleepover thing!} but they ate a bit too much before going to bed, leading them to being bloated and really needing to burp. they're able to hold down the air for a little while, but eventually, a burp escapes them against their will. in a panic, and not wanting to leave the room in fear of waking the other person up, they lay face first in their pillow in an attempt to muffle their burps. they still try to hold them in, but at least the ones that do get up are made a bit more quiet by the pillow.

♥︎ bonus: the other person can hear the burps, and is turned on by them, leading to them needing to muffle moans into their own pillow... it certainly wouldn't be "a friendly sleepover thing" after that!

♡blindfold

♥︎ someone decides to let someone else feed them random foods while they're blindfolded and have them guess what they're being fed. it's a fun challenge for a while, but eventually they get to a food that disagrees with their tummy. that on top of being full of so many other foods leads to their tummy becoming really gassy and gurgly. the other person takes notice and asks if they want to stop, but they persevere. eventually, though, the inevitable happens, and the stuffed person burps... just as they are being hand-fed another bite of food. the challenge ends there in favor of the contestant getting a well-earned tummy rub to help them work up the rest of the gas.

♡ brothel

♥︎ imagine, if you will, a brothel in which the workers wear tight clothing that is sure to show off their stomachs. {or perhaps loose clothing to show how bloated their stomachs are, or nothing at all, take your pick!} they eat/drink plenty of whatever is their clients' choosing before they engage in interrelations with one another. maybe the clients opt to make the workers burp by rubbing their bloated tummy, or patting their back. or maybe the burps work their way up naturally when they do that thing that people tend to do in brothels, with the burps reverberating aginst the client, bringing them closer to their climax.

♡ phone

♥︎ someone forgets that they have an important video call that they have to attend, and ends up stuffing themself before having to make said call. they manage to hold in most of their burps during the call, besides a few small ones that they're able to pass off as background noises. that is until they, specifically, are asked a question, and just as they open their mouth to give a begrudging response, a loud burp forces its way out of them, and there's no way that everybody on the other end of the call doesn't hear it. humiliated, they quickly leave the call and pray that nobody ever brings it up. maybe they even start crying a bit out of sheer embarrassment, resulting in a cacophony of sobs and burps.

[mandalhoerian]

i've been in the far orbit of this argument for a while and I'm really baffled why people can't be understanding of each other's perspectives and i'm sorry for what you're going through...

i want to have a little break-it-down for reblog's sakes if anyone wants to put this in their blog because there is MUCH to be said about the non-MC and you are the MC angles. spoiler alert: there is no wrong answer. it's about respect & understanding.

you are the main character

This perspective is all about inclusivity and self-insertion, which is honestly such a big draw for otome games in general. The idea is simple: you’re not just playing a game--you’re imagining yourself in the game. Your avatar is customizable, so you can tweak your appearance to reflect how you see yourself, or even how you want to see yourself. It’s like being dropped into an isekai where you’re not just some regular person--you’re someone special.

and HEY, who doesn’t want to imagine themselves as this badass, idealized version of themselves? In this game, you’re a cool hunter, you’ve got skills, you’re navigating this wild sci-fi/fantasy world with monsters and powers & oh yeah, you’ve got a literal aether core in your chest. That core isn’t just a plot device, it’s a metaphor for potential, for becoming something more. The game practically screams, “Hey, this could be you! Look how powerful and capable you could be!” It’s empowering in a way, and I totally get why people love this angle. It’s fun to imagine yourself as the one charming the LIs, holding your own in battle, and rising to the challenge of this world.

For people who vibe with this, it’s about escapism and self-expression. You don’t want to read about someone else being awesome, you want yourself to be awesome. It’s the ultimate power fantasy.

key word: power fantasy. which brings me to

you are NOT the main character

The argument here is that while the game tries to sell the MC as us, it just......... doesn’t land for a lot of players. Let’s start with the fact that this is a Chinese game, and the default character design is heavily rooted in East Asian beauty standards. Which is fine. It's their game, I'm not complaining I'm just telling it as it is. Yes, the skin tones are inclusive, and I’ll give them credit for that, but the body type? The facial features? The overall aesthetic? It’s not exactly universal. I mean, take a good look at my big fat ass and tell me how I’m supposed to feel immersed when the MC looks like a dainty stick figure who’d snap in half if she ever actually tried to fight (despite all the "abs" talk.) Like, she’s cute, sure, but she’s not me. And definitely not you. (Don't talk to me about "she has to look like that because she's a hunter, remember". all of us know that's not the case. it's about beauty standards.)

And then there’s the way she acts. Oh boy,,,,,,,, Sometimes it feels like she’s actively trying to make the worst decisions possible. It’s one thing to be flawed, flaws are human and relatable, but there are moments, especially in the Sylus arc, where I’m sitting there like, “Girl, what are you doing?!” She makes choices that I would never make, and it pulls me right out of the story because it’s not even a matter of imagining myself in her shoes anymore. It’s like watching a character in a TV show make a bad call, and you’re yelling at the screen, but it’s not like you can change what happens. That's okay, though, it's not a sin. She has her own personality, her own reactions, and her own story, and while that makes for a compelling narrative, it also makes it really clear that she’s not us.

For people who lean toward the “non-MC” argument, it’s frustrating because the game is selling this experience as one where we’re supposed to see ourselves in the MC, but she’s written in a way that feels so disconnected from how many of us would act or feel. It’s hard to immerse yourself in a story when the character representing you feels so far removed from who you are or who you want to be.

so what?

Honestly, I think this boils down to what you’re looking for in the game. If you’re someone who loves the “you are the MC” vibe, then you’re probably willing to overlook or even embrace the gaps between you and the character because the customization and the overarching narrative of personal growth are enough to make you feel seen. But if you’re in the “non-MC” camp, then every time the MC makes a cringe-worthy choice or the story reminds you that she’s more of a predefined character than a blank slate, it’s going to take you out of the experience. (This was me in "No Defense Zone", I had to put my phone down and do laps around in my room out of second hand embarrassment.)

Maybe the real issue here is that the game is trying to have it both ways. It wants to tell a story with a strong narrative and a compelling lead character, but it also wants to let players insert themselves into that story. And honestly? That’s a tough balance to strike. It works for some people, but for others, it ends up feeling like a half-measure that doesn’t fully satisfy either camp.

At the end of the day, I think it’s okay to feel a little jealous of the MC because, in a way, she isn’t us. She’s her own character, living her own life in this world, and we’re just along for the ride. And whether you see her as “you” or as “another character,” what really matters is how much you’re enjoying the story. So let’s keep discussing it, but maybe we can stop tearing each other apart and harrass people over it. It’s okay to love the game for what it is—or even for what it isn’t.

Guys I may be mentally insane but ... Why do I low-key feel jealous of MC when I see clips of the upcoming cards... Especially the Sylus one..

IK SHE'S MEANT TO BE US BUT 😭😭