#literally risking expulsion

[raineboweclispe]

Dude. The amount of classmates in MULTIPLE of my classes AND on the official school Facebook group saying they use chatgpt when completing assignments. You guys are PAYING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS for knowledge and not even participating in the work that lays the foundation for that knowledge. Ugh.

[vsnotresponding]

OMG WAIT SPYXFAMILY PÚLSAR AU

[themusingsofacurlyhairednerd]

HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY IK UR writING OTHER STUFF RN SO EEL FREE TO IGNORE THIS BUTTTTTTTTTT LIIKE I WANTED TO SHARE MY BRAINROT (idk if u do a/b/o so here's the warning my idea is weird and smutty and dark and if you don't like that or are uncomfortable please don't feel pressured to read further! I completely understand)

i cant get out the idea of being in an a/b/o universe where your rhysand's omega (but like in a pack way and you guys haven't done anything yet) and yk alphas are all about dominance and stuff so imagine one day you accidentally do something in front of cass and az and him like not obeying him to come to him when he asks and he just decides right then and there he needs to make u submit to him which leads to Rhys fucking u into submission Infront of azz and cass but like in a sweet 'i need u to obey me darling" way

anyways ur a great writer and I love ur werewolf works! hope my idea make u stay up at night thinking about it <333

I love getting fic requests! Sometimes I get too hyper focused on finishing a project that I forget to have fun with it and requests help get me out of my head, so send as many as you like! <3 (And yes this one literally kept me up last night thinking about it lmao)

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Claimed

Warnings: Possessive!Rhys, Dominate!Rhys, SMUT, Voyeurism, A/B/O dynamics.

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A blaring base rattles the windows, the cabin shaking under the heavy thrum of music from one of Azriel's club playlists. The sensual beat has the pack pushing the worn furniture in the living room up against the walls to make room for an impromptu dance floor. There's more than one pack here tonight, all cramming into the den for a monthly party that has an endless stream of booze and mirthroot that would put RIta's to shame. The pack likes to party and they don't like to do it alone.

Rhysand has rules in place of course. One: Visiting Alphas have to stay ten feet apart from each other, any hint of a fight equals immediate expulsion from this party and any other future event; usually this keeps the visiting packs in line--there are few places in Illyria that come with this much free booze and a chance for social climbing, they won't risk a misstep. Two: The upstairs bedrooms are off limits for everyone outside the pack; no one else's scent enters his domain. For it is his, and his alone. Don't let the fact that Azriel and Cassian are a rare pair of Alphas allowed to run with the pack fool you, the pack answers to Rhys and Rhys alone. And Third, and most important: Omegas are off limits.

You think he made this one specifically for you, and not just because Azriel had seemed surprised when it had been implemented, but because Rhys always made sure you were close by. You want a drink? Rhys grabs it from the fridge for you, making sure he's the only one that pops the lid off the bottle before it touches your hands. Want to dance? You have three acceptable partners: Amren, Mor, or Rhys. Cassian had asked you once, Rhys had nearly ripped out his throat in response. The poor Alpha had slept outside for a week afterwards.

Which would be an acceptable response if Rhys was your Alpha. If his claiming mark adorned your throat and you'd moved all your stuff into his room, getting your nest ready for your next heat. But he isn't. Yes, he'd found you in the Hewn City, about to be auctioned off like a breeding mare and saved you; had brought you into the pack and made you feel safe and welcome and cared for. All things you were a stranger to, especially without a price. He never asked anything of you. When that first heat had hit you he'd offered you some of his shirts to nest in and brought food and water to your door, but he'd never come in. Never touched you like you wished he would. He was the pack's Alpha, but he'd never claimed you as his Omega.

You've tried to make your peace with it, tried to tell yourself that he just doesn't want you like that, but then he comes up with these rules and gets defensive when anyone gets too close to you. It's infuriating! He can't have it both ways. Either he wants you as a pack mate, or he wants you as his mate. He can't have both.

You cannot take him trying to have both any longer! His scent drives you mad, makes the wolf within you whimper and preen, yearning to be touched and claimed and taken the way you sometimes think he wants to. Sometimes he looks at you like he plans to devour you whole and you'd happily lie down and bare your throat and body to him if only he would make a move.

You've decided tonight's the night. Your heat will be here soon enough. If he's not going to make a claim on you than he needs to let you find someone who will.

You know of course that it won't be Azriel or Cassian. They'd never dare make a move on you with Rhys as protective of you as he is. That doesn't mean you won't have a little fun with it.

You wait, let the night draw out, spending the first part tucked into Rhys's side like a good little Omega. He brings you cold beer whenever you ask, makes sure your part of every conversation he gets pulled into. Then you slip away to dance with Mor, the heavy thrum of the base a pulse that echoes in your veins as you sway and dance along with her. The Beta keeps her hands on your hips, always keeping a respectful gap between your bodies like she too is scared of what Rhys might do to her if she gets any closer. You feel his eyes on you like a brand the entire time.

You wait as long as possible to catch his eye, and feel yourself flush as that violet gaze drags over every inch of your body when you do. He takes his full lip between his teeth as he watches your hips sway to the beat. But he doesn't move away from the wall to come get you, just watches with laser focus to every movement your body makes.

You let him watch for awhile, intentionally shaking your ass when Mor spins you, or making sure you run your hands slowly over your chest when you know he's looking.

Still, he doesn't move to come get you.

So you move into the next phase of your plan. You're poking the beast by doing this. But you walk right up to where Azriel leans against the far wall, chatting animatedly with Cassian about some fight or another with as much confidence as you can muster.

"Need a new dance partner!" You declare.

Azriel shoots Cassian a look, dark brows raised underneath the thick curtain of onyx hair that falls into his face.

"You know the rules," Cassian says, waving a bottle in your face like a disapproving finger. "Go find Amren or Rhys."

You stick out your lower lip. "But I want to dance with you."

"How unfortunate, 'cause you're being summoned," Azriel retorts, gesturing with his chin to where Rhys stands in the kitchen, arms folded over his broad chest.

You can feel the disapproving glare from there, the heat in it making a shiver run down your spine. Rationally, you know that you should give up while you're ahead, but you need a decision to be made. You need to know if he wants you as badly as you want him.

You force yourself not to turn to look at him, your hands shaking as you say, "I don't see why he's being so intense about this. What's the harm? We're friends, aren't we?"

Azriel snorts in disbelief.

"Yes, we are friends," Cassian says tersely.

"Don't tell me you want something more than that, Cass?" You tease, batting your eyelashes at him with more confidence than you feel.

The Alpha's cheeks turn a bright shade of pink.

"You're his," Azriel says gruffly, leaving no room for an argument.

You push your hair off your shoulder, fingers brushing over your unmarked throat. "I don't see a claim anywhere, do you?"

"Now you've done it," Cassian mutters, pressing himself flat against the wall like the old wood might open up and swallow him.

You've lost sight of Rhys in your peripherals, so when his hand suddenly locks around your exposed throat and yanks, you're woefully unprepared. His body is hard and warm against your back as he pulls you flush against his chest, breath hot as he brings his lips to your ear.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" He growls.

You shiver under the dominance in his tone, under the sheer possessiveness in his touch. This is what you've wanted; this is what you've been waiting for.

"Just having a chat with the boys," you stutter. His hand is large enough that it encircles your throat like a necklace; he fits against you like it's right where he belongs.

"She asked us to dance," Azriel tattles and you shoot him a glare you don't really mean.

"You know the rules, Little One." His lips haven't left the spot next to your ear, mouth so close to where you want him to be. If he would only dip his head just a little and sink his fangs into your throat! He would be yours and you would be his and you would happily surrender to all these stupid rules if it meant you didn't have to question why he constantly left you in limbo about his feelings towards you.

"Maybe I just don't see the point to your stupid rules."

Cassian's eyes widen with a healthy enough dose of fear that your heart skips a beat in your chest.

His hand tightens just enough to make you gasp a little, a mirthless chuckle slipping past his lips. "What was that?"

"That's my queue to leave," Azriel says.

"No, stay. Want you here for this, Az," Rhys returns, but there is a lethal edge in his voice.

"Now, Darling, why don't you tell me exactly what you think about my stupid rules?"

You're in too deep now to get out of it. You swallow the lump in your throat, or try to, the pressure of his hand around your neck makes your head buzz. It's not like he hasn't let you cuddle up against him on the couch, hands tracing shapes into your skin, but he has never held you like this before. It's a heady sort of glee that fills your veins to finally have him touch you in a way that's more than casual. It makes thinking hard; makes that part of you that is so ready to submit rise to the surface. It is an effort to think past the white noise and find your voice. "I think..."

He knows your scent is changing, you can feel it in the way his chest presses into your back, body melding over yours. You're so damn tempted to rock your ass back into him, just to see what he would do to such brazen behavior.

"Go on, don't get shy now. You were so ready to bat those pretty little eyes at Cass a moment ago. Where'd all that attitude go, huh?" His hand slides up under your chin, tilting your head up so he can look at your face.

You're whole body trembles as you take him in, eyes so dark they're almost all pupil.

"Go on, say it." His voice is a deep, husky purr that makes your insides feel molten. The voice made for the gentle darkness of the bedroom, to be used as your bodies tangle in the sheets. You squeeze your eyes shut, trying not to think about the images that voice conjures, of all the things you would let him do to you if he asked in that tone.

You clench your thighs together unconsciously, trying to hide the sudden pool of wetness you feel spreading across your panties. He hasn't done anything at all, but you're so ready for him. So willing. You're practically shaking in his grip, your plans for the evening forgotten.

"I was just messing around," you mumble, confidence now lost. "Didn't mean it."

"Seemed like you meant it to me." He retorts. "Didn't it seem like she meant it, Az?"

"Sure did," he says.

You won't open your eyes to look at him, don't even want to think about how pathetic you look right now.

"Do you know what happens, when you break my rules, Omega?"

"I have an idea," you mutter.

"No," his breath dusts over your skin as his hand slides back down your throat, lips brushing over your jaw. It's not quite a kiss, but close enough that heat coils tight in your lower belly. "I don't think you have any idea what you've done."

A whimper slips out of you before you can bite it back down and that same mirthless chuckle rumbles through his chest as his lips dust over your throat. It's pure torture. Not the kiss you want but close enough to the real thing that you can pretend it is.

"Do you know why I have my rules in place?" He whispers.

"No," you whimper.

He nips teasingly at your earlobe. "To keep you safe. You know I want you to be safe, don't you, Darling?"

You'd nod if you could. "Mhm."

He scrapes his teeth along the tender skin beneath your jaw and you could honestly cry over how close he is to your scent glands, right where he needs to bite down to claim you.

"And there isn't an Alpha in here who hasn't thought about fucking you, you know that too, don't you?"

That's honestly news to you. If any of the visiting Alpha's had been paying you any attention, you hadn't noticed. None of them could compare to Rhys anyway.

"N-no," you stutter.

"See, that's why I had to make my rules," he continues, nose nuzzling against your scent gland now, taking in the smell of your budding arousal.

Now you're really shaking in his grip, thighs clenched so tightly together your muscles ache.

"Because I can't have anyone trying to take what's mine."

His. The heady swell of hope in your chest makes you just a bit bolder as you tilt your head back to try and look him in the eyes. This is what you'd been waiting for.

"But am I yours, Rhys?" You sound as small as you feel next to him.

His other hand has been pinning you in place by the hip, but it now trails slowly across your stomach, bunching up the minuscule skirts on your skin tight dress. His lips had been distracting, you don't notice until your flush with his hips just how hard he is behind you. His scent always feels overwhelming, but now it feels like the jasmine and citrus scent of him is seeping into your skin, trying to meld itself into your very being.

His hand drifts lower, parting your legs like there's no resistance, despite how hard you're still clenching them together. You let out a little gasp as his fingers glide over the embarrassing wet patch in your panties.

"You've always been mine," he growls. "From the moment I met you I knew."

The fact that Cassian and Azriel are watching does nothing to stop him from the slow, deliberate strokes he makes along your clothed core.

Pleasure licks it's way up your spine and you squeeze your eyes shut, trying to find something to ground yourself in. When you try to close your legs, he uses his knee to part them further, growling as he nips a warning to behave into your neck.

"Then why haven't..." coherent thought is becoming harder and harder the longer you remain in his grip. Cauldron you're going to slip into subspace embarrassingly fast at this rate, your base instincts taking over. "Haven't you claimed me?"

His tongue laves over your scent gland, lips sucking a bruise into your skin. "Wanted you to be comfortable," he murmmers into your skin. "Wanted it to be because you wanted me, not because you were about to go into heat, but now you've gone and made a mess of things, haven't you, Darling?"

"Didn't mean to," you whimper.

"Yes you did," Cassian points out.

Your audience is irrelevant as long as he keeps that pressure between your legs. You're fairly sure if he would pull his hand away now he would be able to see just how wet you really are.

"'m'sorry," you whimper, words jumbling as he applies a little more pressure. Your hips roll on their own accord, chasing the friction of his hands. Cauldron you could cum just like this.

"I don't think you've learned your lesson," he tuts, but he despite the threat you hear in his tone, his fingers doesn't stop moving, he doesn't try and stop you from grinding against his hand, even though he very well could. Perhaps he's always indulged you a little more than he should. "But you will."

"I'll be good, promise!" This position is torture! You can't roll over and expose your throat to him like you should, can't spread your legs and invite him to take whatever he wants from your body. You're at his mercy, chasing his hand like a horny teenager and it's all wrong and muddled in your head.

"We're not going to have this conversation about following my orders again, are we?" He asks.

"No," you assure as his thumb catches the edge of your panties and drags them to the side so he can finally touch you.

The hand holding your throat pulls away so suddenly you fall forward, hands darting out to catch the wall so you don't collapse. Neither Azriel nor Cassian move to catch you, though their eyes seem glued to where Rhys' hand is between your legs.

"No, what?" Rhys growls, the hand no longer holding your throat coming down hard against your ass.

You yelp, the sound just barely covered by the blaring music. The visiting packs still dance and party around you, but you can't focus on anything other than the stinging in your backside and the heat of Rhysand's body so close to yours.

"No, Alpha," you squeak.

His fingers pulls away from your core and you could cry from the loss, but the tears stinging your eyes are the least of your concerns as he slides your panties down your legs, leaving the damp fabric gathered at your ankles. Your dress isn't long enough to hide your exposed flesh, especially not when Rhys pushes the fabric up to your hips to land another well placed blow to your backside.

You bite down on your bottom lip to keep anyone from hearing you. "Say it like you mean it, Darling."

"Promise, I'll follow all your rules, Alpha!" You squeak.

Instead of another blow, he leans in close, the heat of his body seeping into yours as he presses a tender kiss beneath your jaw. "That's my, Omega."

You relax as you feel some of the tension slide from his body.

"And I know you'll keep that promise," he says in your ear. The music hides the sound of his zipper coming undone, but you feel the shift of him as he pulls away from you for a moment. "Because you know what happens when you obey me, don't you?"

He doesn't give you time to answer as he kicks your legs further apart. There's no time to think about it as the tip of his cock glides through the slick dripping down your thighs. Your mouth drops open, something between a moan and a squeak slipping past your lips as he pushes himself inside you. Your arms shake, hands firmly planted against the wall to try and maintain your balance. You try to rest your head against the worn wood, bracing yourself as he slides deeper and deeper inside you, but he grabs you by the throat again and pulls your head back so he can drag his teeth over your exposed throat.

You moan unabashedly now, the sound loud enough to be a scream.

He chuckles, the sound sweeter than the music shaking the house around. "Good Omegas get to cum."

You've lost count how many heats you've gone through over the years imagining how it would feel to have him inside you, none compare to this. Nothing, no toy, certainly not your own hands, could compare to the stretch of his thick length inside you. He takes you an inch at a time, lips nipping gently at your throat as he goes deeper than you thought possible.

"Fuck me," Cassian whispers, reminding you that he's there. "Look how she takes you."

You try to glance down at what they're seeing, but Rhys holds your chin in place, tutting disapprovingly in your ear when you try and fight him. "Now, now, just focus on me, yeah? This is as much a reminder to them that you're mine as it is to you."

He finally seats himself fully inside you, panting as he braces a hand against the wall to support himself. "Feel so good, Darling."

You lean your head back against his chest as he drags his hand down the wall to lace his fingers with yours, the gesture soft amidst the clear dominance in his every move. You're ready to surrender; you always have been but you've never been more aware of how naturally it comes to you until now.

"I'll be good," it's a chant, a prayer, chest heaving as you whimper and bare your throat best you can around his body as he leans over you. "I'll be your good Omega, promise!"

He pulls out tortuously slow, making sure you feel every inch of loss, until you're sure you'll feel empty forever. You're panting, breath rasping out of you, chest heaving as you babble and beg for him to come back, to fill you again. You think you might just promise anything to have him fully seated inside you again. Someone, you think it's Azriel, but you've lost the presence of mind to see either of the other males, laughs at your neediness. But Rhys merely kisses your throat tenderly before he slams himself back inside you.

You grip tightly to his hand, body jerking so quickly forward your chest brushes the wood of the wall.

He repeats the motion twice more, pleasure coiling tighter and tighter in your lower belly with each thrust.

"Rhys," you whimper.

"Gonna claim you later," he promises as your legs start to shake.

Heat licks up your spine, dances across your skin, you think you might be on fire with every bit of contact you have with his body. He is everywhere, filling all your senses.

"When we're alone and I can really take my time with you."

This isn't him taking his time? Your eyes roll back into your head, muscles tightening to the point of pain. He's so deep inside you, pace leisurely if not punishing. You can feel every thrust in your stomach, tip of his cock easily finding your cervix. You can barely breathe around each rough thrust back inside your dripping cunt.

"Please, Alpha," you whine. "Please, please!" You're so close.

He kisses beneath your jaw again, lips soft and gentle despite how he picks up his pace. "I think you've learned your lesson, Darling." His free hand slides down between your legs again, finding your clit with ease.

You squeeze your eyes shut as the coil in your belly tightens once more before it snaps entirely. You think you might be screaming his name, but you've lost control of your limbs, body going slack. His fingers leave your clit so he can catch you before you fall on your face, body limp as he pumps once, twice, three times more before his own release follows yours.

Even with all the white noise in your skull, the warmth of him inside you makes your base instincts preen. This is what you're made for; this is what you've been waiting months and months for.

You're caught between the wall and his chest, barely standing as he pulls himself out of you and hurriedly pulls his pants back up. "That's my girl!"

As soon as his zipper is back up, he's sweeping you into his arms, holding you close to his chest. "Did so good for me."

You nuzzle into his neck, dragging more of his scent over your skin, as if he hadn't already covered you in it.

"I take it this means you're not down to share?" Cassian asks, his voice sounding strained.

A growl rumbles through Rhys' chest. "I don't think you'll like my punishment for you quite as much as she did if you so much as look at her without my permission."

You giggle as you place a kiss to his throat. "Don't be such a grumpy Alpha, you know I only came over here because I wanted your attention."

"Mission accomplished," Azriel mutters.

Rhys kisses the tip of your nose as he leads you towards the stairs. "You could have just said so."

You find yourself grinning. All things considered, you're plan worked out flawlessly. "Where's the fun in that?"

[imagination-mess]

The Explosive Demon (Demon!Katsuki) (2/3)

This is an alternative universe where demons can be familiar to witches or wizards to assist and, most of all, as protectors. Witches and wizards can create pacts with demons.

Word Count: 1.3K (2/3)

A/N: Tumblr has a limit on how much you can post. I was forced to put it into three different posts. If you wish to see a singular post about it, here is the link to Ao3.

Part One (1/3)

Demon Katsuki Bakugou:

Time Skip (University)

The two of you have had a playful dynamic of sorts since becoming a duo for years now. More often than not, people get concerned over you whenever they see him baring his teeth at you and showing off his fangs with an unhinged look towards you.

He growls at you, to which you happily return, already used to his behavior. It evolved into something the two of you do.

“You do know he can just eat you if he wants to."

“And I can turn him into a bug."

He already has a reputation due to his past actions of picking fights. He doesn’t go around trying to pick fights, and he walks away from the challenger. He hasn’t gotten into a physical altercation since the incident. He will get into verbal altercations sometimes.

He used to be defensive and extremely territorial over you when other demons tried to convince you to drop him.

With time, He trusted you and took the time to teach you how to handle and defend yourself. It has provided him with peace of mind.

If someone else's familiar approaches you, you can constantly feel his gaze on your back. Yet you will find him around the corner, keeping a watch to ensure you are okay. He wouldn’t admit it to you.

He is also well known for needing his personal space. He will swipe at you after the first warning. The first warning is a deep growl. He only gives you one chance to remove yourself from his personal space before he does it himself. He will not be easy on it, either.

There was a time when the two of you won the Witch Hunt competition.

The two of you became even more popular and mainstream. You got multiple donations because of it. A competition between the witches and their families. The goal is to capture witches with their familiars. Each duo had a specific number of points they were worth.

It gets violent pretty fast within the games. It took literally years for Bakugou to convince you to do them. Both parties had to have a mutual agreement in order to enroll in the competition. It is also a perfect way to get donations from benefactors who watch them annually.

Nevertheless, it is a perfect competition where other witches can take out their resentment on someone without the risk of expulsion. It was the perfect way to get even. This also goes for demons who have been holding grudges against other demons.

You aren’t blind. Bakugou has made few enemies, especially in the beginning. You also made a few enemies during your time studying at the academy and here at the university.

Both of you know you will have a massive target on your guys back, especially rising up the ranks over time.

You earned the attention of everyone, seeing how well the two of you worked together. The two of you have known each other's fighting styles for years now. It has become second nature. Surprising all those who doubted his abilities as familiar. Despite showing improvement in his behavior, people still hold his past against him.

Most of all, seeing how loyal Bakugou is despite being under a spell that causes him to be rabid and pushing all of his true instincts to the surface. It pushed all logical reasoning out of the window. It also shows the true colors of whomever it is cast on.

The witch and demon neglected to consider how dangerous Bakugou’s abilities are because there wouldn’t be any resistance from him. He was acting on pure instinct and wasn’t holding back at all.

He didn’t attack you despite letting out numerous attacks beside you in an attempt to scare you or make you run like normal prey. His attacks never touched you, but beside you, you could feel the heat from his attacks.

You were terrified on the inside, but you held it together to not show fear. It’s fear he wants to see; it's instinctual of demons. Thankfully, Bakugou has made you immune to his attacks. Those void eyes carefully observing your reaction lack any sort of soul in them. Eyes of a predator.

His lips crawl up into a delish smile, showing off the fangs that have the potential to rip into flesh. He lets out a low, deep growl.

Out of habit and years of Bakugou teaching you to growl appropriately. You growl back. You wanted me to devour you. There is a chance that he could take that growl as if you were challenging him

In a split second, you could see a faint light in his eyes before it disappeared. His eyes landed on the blood from the injury to your arm, where you had gotten injured when you attempted to interfere with the witch, who was in the process of casting her spell on Bakugou. He slowly turns his head to the side, tilting it to draw attention to the duo. The witch became nervous and let it be oblivious.

It is 101 Demon Physiology to not show any sort of fear or uneasiness. She just failed when there is a demon who has all of his instincts to be on the surface.

There was massive panic among the participants. He literally lost cannon, attacking anyone who showed the slightest fear and uneasiness. Everyone became prey in his eyes.

He was using his abilities to the fullest. He wasn’t holding back, letting out the biggest attacks.

You kept yourself behind him. You use his current state as a feral demon to your advantage. To protect the others, you have been sealing them in marbles after he injured them.

There was major destruction on his rampage. When the two collected enough points, no one could reach them. They immediately declared the two of you winners.

Strictly reserved for the highest witches, the spell that cast it onto Bakugou. That witch who cast that spell came from a long line of elite witches.

You also became the first one to use a rabid demon in a competition, even though you weren’t the one who cast it. Somehow it followed your lead and didn’t attack you for taking his victims from him. He just moved on to the next one around the area.

When the reverse spell was cast on him, he immediately collapsed. You attempted to catch him so that he could only be used as a cushion for his fall. There was no ceremony due to Bakugou being unconscious.

When Bakugou wakes up, you don’t have any clue how relieved he was once told about his state. If he had attacked you, he would have never forgiven himself.

The only thing he could remember was hearing a growl of yours; it's so specific that it would be hard to replicate by someone who. It triggered a set of various memories in his mind while he was outside. His body was acting out of instinct and using attacks that he had practiced for years.

As a result, the two of you became quite popular and had a reputation, which pissed the demon off because everyone is trying to talk to him now. Demons want to know how he trains and how much.

He earned a fanbase, which he doesn’t even want to think about.

He is now getting the attention of witches trying to recruit him after being left alone previously. His peace vanished. He was aggressive with his rejections.

“Fuck off!” was a daily occurrence you could hear from him, including his demonic language telling other demons to get off of his back.

Even more when demons and witches have less innocent intentions when approaching you.

He wants his peace. He wants to be left alone to enjoy his supper without interruption from people.

Final Part (3/3)

[puckspoetry]

DPS: Life and Beauty

The dps slander that I hear from some people makes me so sad like you can’t look at it from a surface level perspective. It’s so much more than people think and it makes me sad that they don’t understand the true meaning of the film.

Dead Poets Society is a film about beauty and the nature of life seen through each of the characters. I think this is so obviously seen through Neil and Charlie as they both experience the roller coaster that is being alive.

Neil starts the film re-engaging with his friends which are quickly established as a positive force in his life. His celebrations are quickly cut short as his father enters the room. Neil’s father is a symbol of oppression and social standard whereas Neil symbolises freedom and passion. Neil’s character takes us through a variety of emotions, most notably joy and sadness to both extremes. Neil is a symbol for life and how it can take dramatic turns unexpectedly. This can be seen most obviously with his father. Neil goes through periods of happiness which is then followed by an entry from his father which introduces negative emotions and thoughts. I think the best example of this (other than Neil’s suicide) is the night before the play. Neil’s father has finally found out about Neil’s involvement in the play at Henley Hall and confronts his son, forcing him to quit the play. Prior to this, Neil had been at the highest point in his happiness only for it to be stripped back down and leave him feeling empty. However, the next day we see Neil reach his real peak as he performs in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and it seems as if nothing can bring him down. But, as life goes, it comes crashing down which ultimately ends in Neil taking his own life.

Charlie is also really interesting to look into as his story isn’t as prevalent as say Neil or Todd. His story goes through the same up and down formation as Neil’s does but it is shown very differently. Charlie is quickly established as an outspoken person who isn’t one to shy away from controversy or risk. The first notable rise in Charlie is in the Phone Call From God scene in which he holds up a phone during an assembly and says that God is calling for a coed future at Welton. This is then quickly followed by his first dip as he is disciplined and warned with expulsion. As Mr. Perry is to Neil, Mr. Nolan acts as a negative figure in Charlie’s story as he is the one who continues to ground him. Charlie’s happiness continues to grow for the rest of the film until Neil’s death where his positivity is ripped from underneath him without an explanation.

Neil and Charlie are both symbols as they literally experience the roller coaster of life that is references throughout the film. Dead Poets Society isn’t solely a movie about poetry and its beauty, but it’s about the delicacy of life.

When Mr. Keating introduces the soon-to-be-Poets to the Dead Poets Society, Knox asks “so it was just a group of guys sitting around reading poetry” and I think this reflects an outside view of the film. The first few times I watched it, I don’t think I could truly grasp how deep and intellectual it is. Knox’s interpretation of the Dead Poets Society is a literal representation of how people who don’t understand the film think of it. Whereas Keating’s response (“we weren’t just guys, we weren’t a greek organisation, we were romantics. We didn’t just read poetry, we let it drip from our tongues like honey”) represents the people who can understand the intricacies of the film.

It just makes me so sad when it’s dismissed as a movie about guys reading poetry when it’s so much more than that.

~

If you can’t tell it’s my favourite film. I will not tolerate the dismissal of dps as “guys who read poetry”.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

I'm Working on the Winners from the Last Round of Ideas (Having a Tough Time Writing Two of Them) SOOOOO...

Hiccup in Time: Upon Meloni's return to the home she built with her husband and sons, she's haunted by echoes in her memories. She believes these echoes are the key to discovering what happened to her missing family. (flashfam; horror/supernatural AU)

Blood Lines: Jade and Roy's pasts come back to haunt them (literally) when their curses collide. (arrowfam; horror/supernatural AU, no capes AU)

The War Inside: Runaway turned military school student, Grant Wilson, risks expulsion when he falls for a troublemaking classmate. (boarding school AU, no capes/no powers AU)

Star Light, Star Bright: AU where Natalia didn't die or lose custody, and she accompanies Bruce and Jason to Ethiopia. (batfam; canon divergent AU)

Bunk Buddies: AU where Alan develops feelings for a friend at his boarding school during wartime. (jsa; boarding school AU/dark academia AU)

Chicken or Fish: Garth and Arthur age swap AU where tiny!Arthur becomes Garth's first friend/brother. (aquafam; ageswap AU)

Alone Together: AU where a freshly emancipated Thad is Bart's estranged older brother who takes him in after their Uncle Max falls ill. (flashfam; ageswap AU, no powers AU)

The Inside Scoop: Promising teen reporter, Linda Park, gets a scholarship to attend boarding school after her friend's sister was murdered. (flashfam; boarding school AU, dark academia AU)

The Outcry: Grant Wilson feels as if he's always lived in his brother, Joseph's shadow in this ageswap AU. (ageswap AU, no powers AU)

Before I Hurt You Too: Orion's deceased friend's brother begins to follow him despite Orion's objections. (fourth world; boarding school AU, dark academia AU)

Broken, Left Unspoken: AU where Thad returns three days after Mercury Falling and Bart and Thad move from Alabama to Kansas together. (flashfam; canon divergent AU)

Until Friday: Bart and Jason run into each other at the physical therapist's office and start to hang out as a result. (flashfam, batfam, yj98; no powers AU)

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb:

From author Elisa A. Bonnin comes Lovely Dark and Deep, a YA dark academia novel exploring magic, loneliness, and the power of found family. "A truly thoughtful, engaging reflection on the dark academia genre." —BCCB, starred review Hidden off the coast of Washington, veiled in mist, there is an island that does not appear on any map. And on that island is Ellery West.

The acclaimed school for magic has always been home for Faith. After an international move and a childhood spent adjusting to a new culture and a new language, Faith feels like Ellery is the only place she can be herself. That is, until Faith and another student walk into the forest, and only Faith walks out.

Marked with the Red Stripe across her uniform that designates all students deemed too dangerous to attend regular classes, Faith becomes a social pariah, an exile of Ellery West. But all she has to do is keep her head down for one more year so she can graduate, and get to keep her magic. Because when students fail out of Ellery West, they have their magic taken away. Forever. And Faith can't let that happen.

Except terrifying things are happening to students, and the dark magic that was unleashed in the forest still seems to be at work. To stop it, Faith and the other Red Stripes will have to work together, risking expulsion from the magical world altogether.

Review:

A girl with magic finds herself moved into a separate group of ostracized students... students who are known for dark magic when her best friend is killed... and she is the only one who got out of the woods alive.... but she awoke something in those woods and now its haunting her. In a magical school hidden off the coast of Washing on an island, is a academy for gifted students known as Ellery West. Faith is a student there and had lived a great life... until she walked into the dangerous forest with her best friend Sydney and only one of them made it out... and it wasn't Sydney. After the incident, everyone blames Faith and the school has marked her as a Red Stripe, with a literal red stripe across her uniform to designate to other students that she is a dangerous one. Faith finds herself suffering from the guilt of being alive, of being ostracized by her classmates and blamed, and of being lonely... yet in her new group of students with other fellow Red Stripes, Faith finds herself a new group of friends who actually care for her. Faith has a secret, she has nightmares of the night that she went into the dark woods with Sydney and did dark magic... but these nightmares are starting to have consequences as more students begin to turn up dead and it looks like Faith awoke something within those woods and now it wants her. Can Faith and her new friends figure out what is happening and how to stop the nightmare before everyone is killed? This was a dark academia story that focuses on loneliness, friendship, and healing. Faith is going through so much and learning to deal with the guilt of losing her best friend while also realizing that she might have loved her as more than a friend. She is also discovering how to open her heart to new friends and trusting new people. It's a interesting read and I definitely think it's a fun one for fans of magical academy stories.

Release Date: March 25, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[tokiro07]

Toki Reads Shonen Jump 2025, Issue #1: Heart Week

One Piece: The Straw Hats reunite and we get our first glimpse of Elbaf in it entirety, along with an ominous warning about staying too long. I can't help but feel that the crew reunited a little too quickly, I imagine there's some plotpoint still to come out of that

HxH: Morena and Borksen make out with tongue off-screen, convincing Borksen to join the Heil-ly. This is probably some kinda 4D chess move, but the idea that she had a lesbian awakening is a lot more compelling to me

Yozakura: Asa informs Taiyo that his plan of shooting himself in the heart is going to prove fatal, and Asa's presence is the only thing sustaining him; Taiyo responds by punching him. I'm honestly not worried about Taiyo at all; I'd bet money that Kyoichiro's True Blooming is going to be what saves him

Undead Unluck: Fuuko realizes that the final Sacred Treasure, The Heart, has to be accessible based on Luna's usual tricks; thanks to a hint from Sean, Fuuko deduces that it's her own literal heart and asks Andy to rip it out. To be honest, when she said "a Negator that dies easily" I thought for sure she meant Unhealthy, but this is a lot more impactful

Roboco: Roboco manifests the ability to summon the Negator font from Undead Unluck and accidentally squanders all of her screentime using it to make gags. Without any sense of bias, this is easily the best chapter in the series

Sakamoto: Tenkyu asks Shin if he's tired of being nice and if he wants to just go apeshit; Torres appears from seemingly nowhere to ask Atari for help with gambling on horses. Tenkyu's accusation that Shin is no different from him is fairly standard, but Shin's begrudging agreement is going to live in my head for a while

EluSam: The stresses of war and age catch up with Sadamune as the battle becomes more desperate; Sadamune and Tokiyuki accidentally meet up and decide to share a drink. I often wonder if familiarity with Japanese history would deepen my appreciation for this story or if seeing how much it deviates would irritate me, cus I get the feeling Tokiyuki and Sadamune never actually interacted at all

Witch Watch: Kuon hears Hibana's backstory and decides to become her white knight. I assume Hibana is the one who gives Kuon his scar, and I kind of hope she survives this flashback to give him more angst later

Blue Box: Chinatsu's dad approves of her and Taiki's relationship and introspects on how he's been shirking his responsibilities as a parent. "A child is simply doing what they can within their own world" feels like it might be the thesis statement of the series

Akane: Shiguma overhears that Kiroku is risking expulsion by allowing him and Issho to perform, but Kiroku rebuts that expelling his students would betray his art. The idea of taking the mistakes of your past and turning them into a better future is lovely, and I think a lesson that may need to be redirected towards Issho

Kill Blue: The contests for the bonuses begin; the Home-Ec Club wins a roast off, but loses at Fornite, leaving them with an eating contest for Noren's least favorite food. A funny chapter, but I'm still not sold on the stakes; aside from pride, what fate will befall the Home-Ec Club if they fail?

Nue: Gakuro lops off Rido's hands and Rido's domain begins to collapse; as Gakuro drowns in the ensuing flood, Fujino saves him and uses his inability to hear her as an excuse to confess. For how little context I remember of it, the way Fujino's conflict is portrayed is pretty compelling, and I'm glad to see her being honest with her feelings; now do the same for Kazusa and MAKE THIS POLY

Kagurabachi: Samura seemingly kills Chihiro then goes to meet with the Hishaku to exposit on his motivations; his contract with them acts as a check and balance for the harm they can potentially cause with the Enchanted Blades. That definitely makes his plan seem less stupid, but they're definitely going to find a workaround; that one shot of the owl eyes in the sky was the sickest goddamn thing I've seen in a while

Chojo: Copbot seems to drop dead and the cast plays Among Us. Not much to say aside from it being a pretty solid gag

Astro Royale: The cast defeats Himuro with some solid combos, and Kinpa kisses Hibaru to save him from drowning. Wasn't there a whole thing about them being bad at combos? I guess it shows growth, even if they didn't have an inciting moment for it

Kiyoshi: Kiyoshi wakes up in the hospital and gets exposition on the Black Parade, learning that he might still be able to save the people sacrificed to summon Asuta Roth; Sakaki brings everyone to a hot springs. Now that a more concrete goal has been established, I anticipate that I'll start to feel a lot more invested going forward

Hima-Ten: Tenichi sees Himari rejecting a confession and accidentally says some smooth words that get her to start considering her own feelings; he also learns about the lucky lip balm and anticipates whether Honoka will be wearing it at their stargazing. Please let Himari start actually liking him outright so we can actually start analyzing the love triangle(s)

Ichi: Monigold exposits on Togeice's past and reputation, building her up as a lot more capable than her bad sense of direction gave the impression of, though her grand displays of power still prove less fitting for this challenge than Ichi's hunting skills. "She's next in line to lead Mantinel" is an AWFUL flag to raise so early for both Monigold AND Togeice, one of them is DEFINITELY dying sooner or later

Shinobi: Aoi's chauffeur, Mimizuku, is revealed to a ninja and her caretaker; despite playing a role, Mimizuku genuinely cares for Aoi and is glad that a change in management has given her the opportunity to live happily. The revelation that the current operator is actually a sudden replacement for a previous one is pretty suspicious, though perhaps it's only for the sake of the plot...?

Hakutaku: Mizuki calls out Zenji for assuming their late brother was unhappy with his life, causing Zenji to reevaluate his priorities and join as the team's programmer. "If the adults aren't cool, no one will ever want to grow up into one" resonated with me, but it's a line that feels like it's meant to wrap up a theme that wasn't actually being explored

Syd Craft: On a train to a play, Syd runs into Souffle and a con artist that she's captured; the con artist escapes, and Syd deduces that she's disguised as Souffle; Syd and Souffle go to the play together. The idea that Syd thinks Souffle hates his guts when really she's just overly competitive makes for a cute dynamic; can't wait for Souffle and Elio to start interacting

Ruri Dragon: Ruri's horns become Mood Horns, and she gives a rousing speech to kick off the sports festival. Any chapter where we learn a little more about Ruri's dragon traits is a good one for me, but this was also just an all around sweet chapter

This week's top 3:

Undead Unluck, obviously, this twist is literally heart-wrenching

Nue's Exorcist for actually making forward progress in what I think might be the first chapter I've actively enjoyed from this series

Syd Craft for continuing to endear me to its cast and concept so strongly

Honorable mentions go to Roboco for the Undead Unluck reference, Kagurabachi for its instantly iconic panel, and Shinobi Undercover for having such a sweet and endearing parental figure

It feels a little odd that I'm three-for-three on voting for Syd and I haven't voted for Ichi in quite some time...it's not that Ichi isn't grabbing me or compelling me, it's just...not wowing me, I guess? I wonder if writing for both UU and Ichi is skewing my perspective on Ichi's story progression and presentation...

[deusvervewrites]

Had a thought. Aizawa's trauma over Oboro's death means he pretty much only passes students he thinks are unlikely to die in the field - most likely, ones he thinks won't take unnecessary risks

But if he's teaching them not to take unnecessary risks, while failing to actually teach them to judge necessary risks... Well. We saw what that training looks like during the sludge villain incident

It's been noted before by others that that standards he promotes at the start of canon are not... the most Heroic they could be.

Aizawa's literal first line is calling friendship a waste of time. Yeah, that's, uh, definitely going to make a generation of Heroes who are super capable of cooperating in teams, I'm sure.

While he makes good points about Heroes needing to be ready for life fucking people over, I've spoken at length about the failings of the Quirk Apprehension Test as he does it and especially the Expulsion Threat.

Based on Aizawa's earliest appearances as a teacher, the Hero he'd approve of the most is--well, I almost said Endeavor, but Endeavor has sidekicks, so I guess Miruko? But he also doesn't like All Might, so maybe not?

[janetbrown711]

Proud of Your Boy

Glass Shard || Vehicular accident || “Watch out!”

MK's missed one too many classes at his fancy schmancy school and now has to tell Pigsy he's at risk of expulsion.

However, MK would literally rather do anything-- anything other than tell him. Even if it means delivering noodles in rain so thick he can barely see.

This will work out just fine.

Ao3 Link

Pouring rain fell outside of Pigsy’s Noodles, setting a dreary mood for the already dreary teen pacing up and down the back alley. He was late for work, just as he’d been late for school, and late to wake up– all of which he had no good reason for.

He knew he should go inside, that his boss didn’t appreciate tardiness, but he couldn’t– he just couldn’t because sitting heavy in his front backpack pocket was a letter from MK’s principal, explaining that he’d missed roughly the maximum amount of classes for the year and was at risk of expulsion.

MK hated himself and his chronic lateness– it wasn’t that he was completely ditching classes most times, his trigonometry teacher just had it out for him, he swore. Though, it wasn’t like his other teachers were great either and sometimes MK felt like he’d sooner die than step inside those awful classrooms. Plus, it wasn't like Jian and his other classmates created a "welcoming environment".

Still, MK knew it was only a matter of time til he had to face the music– and turns out it just had to be today.

MK sighed. The last thing he wanted was to go into Pigsy’s restaurant and announce that all of the years of hard work making sure MK got into the same good and fancy school as Mei was for nothing, and MK had completely thrown it away because of stupid anxieties. He was sixteen, man– he should be over this.

But at the same time, Pigsy would be upset if he was late for work too. It was a lose-lose situation; MK was destined to get a scolding, but the question would be if it was about being late or about making him break his back with extra hours of work for years for nothing.

MK sighed, a particularly large drop of rain landing on his head and dripping to his forehead, which he quickly brushed away. He didn’t have time for this. He just needed to get in there and start delivering so he could avoid conflict with Pigsy for as long as humanly possible.

Taking a deep breath, the kid walked in, quickly slumping his soaked backpack onto the back office countertop, only getting more annoyed when he noticed there was a hole in the side, meaning one of his expensive textbooks was probably damaged by the rain too.

He was just on a roll today, wasn’t he?

“Put on your game face, MK, just get through today,” He muttered to himself in the reflection of the computer screen, noticing how disheveled his hair looked and the heavy bags under his eyes. He practiced a wide grin two to three times before he dared emerge and make his presence known with a quick, "Hey Pigsy."

"There you are, kid. You're twenty minutes late," Pigsy looked at the clock while frying shrimp.

"Y-yeah, I know– the rain delayed the bus," He lied. "Any orders yet?"

“Just one I’m wrappin’ up now," His boss informed, so MK took a seat at the bar, his legs bouncing the second they were at rest.

The kid glanced around the restaurant and noticed the stool next to him was empty. "Where's Tang?"

"Sick. At some point he's gonna order his usual for delivery online, but he isn't gonna pay, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask ‘im anyways," Pigsy rubbed his forehead a little with a sigh.

Great, Pigsy was already having a bad day and MK was just going to make it worse. What fun.

“School okay?” Pigsy asked, adding the final touches to the bowl.

“S’whatever,” He mumbled, messing with a scratch on the counter.

“If you make that scratch worse you’re payin’ for repairs,” Pigsy smirked a little.

“I’m not making it worse,” He stuck his hands in his pockets, cursing the fact Pigsy had eyes on the back of his head.

His boss got back to work with a laugh, and MK just sat and waited until he was done cooking and bagging it all up.

However, when Pigsy actually saw MK he paused.

“You… uh… doin’ okay..?” He looked him up and down.

“Like I said, the rain delayed the bus, can I take the stupid order now?” He rolled his eyes.

Pigsy frowned. “If the bus got delayed then it might not be best–”

“Pigsy, I’ll be fine, okay? The order was already made anyway, so let’s just take the money and that’ll be that,” MK snapped, surprising himself and the chef.

The chef shook his head and sighed. “Fine– just be safe, will you?”

“Yeah, yeah,” MK rolled his eyes, snatching the bag and heading out, hearing Pigsy sigh right as he passed the bamboo flap.

Once he was out and by the dinky little excuse of a delivery cart, he cursed the fact that it didn’t have walls or doors, but he was the one who built it so that was also his fault. Well, at least there was a see through rain tarp thing– he just had to roll it down– and try to avoid the massive pool of water it collected, of which he completely forgot about this time and was soaked even worse in seconds.

What a fabulous day this was, truly.

Grumbling to himself, he placed the order next to him in the passenger seat, buckling it tight before pulling up the address on his phone and heading out.

Traffic was annoying and the wind and rain made it even more annoying, as the lack of doors made for a very cold, wet, and anxious MK. It also didn’t help that his windshield wipers were powered by mere thoughts and prayers, so did very little to clear his vision. At the very least he still had his headphones, but being soaked and practically blind canceled out any benefits they would’ve brought.

But it was still better than telling Pigsy he was getting expelled, so MK drove on.

He managed to deliver the noodles in fifteen minutes and received no tip, which was– whatever at this point. What was one more sign he was a total failure anyways?

When he got back in the cart, Pigsy had texted him saying two orders were waiting, and Mei texted asking to call, so he quickly dialed her number.

“Heyyyyyyyyyyy~ how goes my favorite delivery boy?” His friend sang out.

“I hate the rain,” MK muttered, waiting to be allowed out of his parking spot but car after car kept passing him.

“Aw, is Mr. Piggy still making you work with the weather like this?” Mei sympathized.

“No, I asked to. I don’t know why, I really hate this,” He sighed, seeing a chance and going for it– cringing when a car honked at him.

“You know, I told you getting a motorcycle would’ve been better but nooOOoo~ you need a cart,” She teased.

“Oh, please, this thing holds a lot more meals than any motorcycle could,” MK rolled his eyes and joined the main road.

“Motorcycle would get you there faster,” Mei pointed out smugly.

“Pigsy says those things are death traps, you know,” MK countered.

“And that dingy little cart isn’t?”

“I take offense to that.”

“I’m not wrong~”

“You know, if you wanted to call just so you could bully me, just take a number because I deal with that enough already,” MK huffed, checking his blind spot and switching lanes.

“Ugh, are those boys still being punks to you?” Mei voiced her disapproval.

MK snorted. “You thought they ever stopped?”

“Look, if you want me to beat them up, all you have to do is say the word.”

“Funny, but I’m in trouble enough as is,” MK rolled his eyes.

Just then his phone beeped and there was a call notification from Pigsy.

“What’s that sound?” Mei asked.

MK sighed. “Pigsy’s calling, though I don’t know why– unless the customer I just dropped off already called to complain, which is… ugh.”

“Oh, are you gonna pick it up?” His friend asked.

MK bit his cheek. “Nah, I’m not too far, it’ll be fine.”

“Oooooo~ boss man’s gonna be mad~” Mei teased again.

“Do you want me to hang up on you? Because I can,” MK smirked.

“No! Pleaseeeee don’t hang up– I don’t wanna do my homeworkkkkkk,” Mei groaned and her voice became muffled, probably from her slamming her face into a pillow.

“Yeah, well, at least your homework isn’t telling your d– boss you’ve made him waste thousands of dollars for some hoity-toity school that’s kicking you out before you can even finish your third year,” He complained, turning right and Pigsy’s icon disappeared.

“What? Why?”

MK internally face palmed.

In his stupidity, MK forgot Mei went to his school too and would obviously be stressed at the news of his imminent expulsion.

“Nothing, I–” MK tried waving off, when a truck kicked up a huge amount of water right in front of him, causing water to soak his feet and ankles right where the tarp didn’t reach the floor. “I hate the rain, did I tell you that?”

“MK, what do you mean they’re gonna kick you out? Isn’t there something you can do?” he heard Mei sit up.

MK sighed. “Look– I really don’t want to talk about it, okay? So either hang up or talk about something else.”

“... I can see if my parents can do something? Like– give the school some more money? Sweet talk teachers? Anything, really,” Mei offered.

“Not in the mood, Mei,” he warned, making a right turn.

“Right, right, okay,” His friend sighed, and he heard her flop back on her bed.

There was a bit of silence, in which Pigsy called again, but MK just ignored it.

“Jeez, he doesn’t normally call when you’re driving, does he?” Mei asked.

MK shrugged. “Not really, but he’s probably just being a worry wart because of the rain, or–”

MK’s eyes widened and his stomach sank.

“Or what?” Mei asked.

“I-I– um…” MK hit ‘decline’ on his phone. “Nothing, hopefully– I-I–”

“Shit, is he mad at you?”

“I don’t know,” MK glanced at his phone and saw a text from Pigsy he didn’t read.

“Maybe you’re right and he’s just worried; that sounds like him,” Mei suggested again, and MK shook his head.

“I’m not far from the restaurant, maybe if I’m quick I can just pick up the orders and be in-and-out of there,” MK tried to plan.

“You think he found out about the expulsion?” Mei asked the question he dreaded.

“He’s totally gonna kill me,” MK lamented, pulling up to a red light before slamming his head against the steering wheel.

“He’s not gonna kill you– yell at you, maybe, but Pigsy wouldn’t kill you,” Mei emphasized but all MK heard was “blah blah he’s gonna kill you blah”.

Eventually, MK was greeted by the familiar sights of the restaurant and pulled back into his parking spot, which was where he noticed Pigsy… smoking.

“I gotta go Mei,” MK said, heart and stomach full of dread.

“We can video chat later if you need, MK,” Mei offered.

“Yeah, I–… we’ll see,” MK chewed his cheek.

“Talk later?” Mei asked again.

“Yeah, talk to you later,” MK hesitated over the red button, but Mei hung up instead.

MK glanced back at his boss, who wasn’t looking at the cart at all, his eyes towards the road with a distant stare.

MK took a deep breath, put the vehicle into park, turned it off, and got out. “Pigsy–”

“What’re these absences about, MK?” His boss looked at him, already holding the letter in his hand.

“How did you find that?” MK tried to dodge.

“Backpack had a hole in it and I decided to inspect it to see if I could fix it. Now answer my question,” Pigsy huffed, eyes firm.

“I-I– I know it’s bad– I know–”

“MK, you’re such a smart kid– so much smarter than me. Why would you do this?” Pigsy interrupted.

“I-I didn’t mean to-! I just–... you know it’s hard waking up on time,” MK put his hands in his pockets and went under the little ramada to protect himself from the rain, though stayed as far away as possible from the chef.

“How do you ‘accidentally’ skip nine entire classes, MK?! These aren’t late marks, they’re absences,” Pigsy pointed out, before taking a step back and smoking more. “I– I don’t get it.”

MK winced. “I-I–”

“You begged me to go to this school, MK. I have poured thousands and thousands of yuan– I just– why?” Pigsy looked at him all heartbroken and confused.

“I-I know you did, D– Pigsy, a-and I know– I know it’s expensive, I-I just–” MK started rubbing his arms anxiously and glancing at the door to the restaurant.

“Then why, MK? Why are you skipping classes?” He pressed.

Because he was a stupid and dumb idiot coward who didn’t want to deal with a few mean looks and would rather make his poor guardian spend a stupid, stupid amount of money for classes he didn’t feel like going to, that’s why.

“I-I… I don’t know–”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Pigsy huffed.

“I– look, can I just deliver the orders to get this over with?” MK switched subjects, not waiting for permission before going inside.

“MK, you aren’t going anywhere until I get some answers for why I’m even paying for that school–!” Pigsy urged, following him in, cigarette still in hand.

“You know quitting smoking is supposed to be a permanent thing, right?” MK bit back, picking up the orders.

Pigsy stepped back, looking hurt by the low blow before he shook his head. “MK, this isn’t about me– it’s about you.”

MK tried not to care, using Pigsy’s somewhat fallen demeanor to get past him and back into the cart.

“MK–! Where on earth do you think you’re going?!” The chef fixed himself and followed him.

“To make my stupid deliveries and get out of your stupid hair!” MK shouted, struggling to turn the vehicle on when thunder suddenly boomed.

“MK, get back inside, we are not done talking about this,” Pigsy demanded.

“W-well I am! So– yeah!” MK got the ignition to start and shifted the gear into drive without buckling his seatbelt.

“MK!”

MK ignored him, barely looking before turning the vehicle out of his spot and turning onto the main road. Of course, he didn’t have the addresses plugged in so he’d have to do that while driving, which wasn’t smart and–

“MK– WATCH OUT–!” Pigsy shouted at the top of his lungs, and before MK could even turn to look, a car crashed into the side front of the cart, causing it to go airborne before landing on its side. Since MK wasn’t buckled in the slightest, he took the fall hard, hitting his head against the ground twice, and he cried out in pain as something hit his foot. He also had a sharp, sharp pain in his side, and was surrounded by broken glass and other fun rubble.

MK groaned at his stupidity and tried sitting up, but every inch of his body screamed that it was a bad idea. He tried just looking around, but his vision was fuzzy. He tried listening to his surroundings, but that was all muffled too– the shouting, the talking, the horns, the honking, the rainfall– all of it.

Great. Just great. Real smart, MK. Get yourself killed over skipping a few classes. Way to make Pigsy proud of you.

“MK?! MK–!” Pigsy’s voice broke above the ringing. MK tried to see where he was, but that was a mistake if there ever was one.

He heard shuffling and whispers and talking and shouting when a hand touched his shoulder, making him flinch– which made the rest of his body move and thus made him cry out in pain.

“Kid–! Oh, kid– you’re gonna be okay, o-okay? I-I’m right here– Didja hit your head–? What am I sayin’, of course you did– I won’t let you sleep, okay?” He heard his guardian say, and MK wanted to say something, but thinking just of words made him groan.

“I-I know kid, I know, it’s okay, I’m here for you kid,” Pigsy’s voice cracked– which was unusual. “Wh-where does it hurt? I-I know in your head, I know, I know, but where else, okay?”

MK tried very hard to concentrate, eventually sputtering out a, “P–pi–” before the pain in his side was too much and he instinctively curled himself a little tighter.

“Y-yeah, it’s me, I’m right here kid– where does it–” Pigsy gasped, apparently noticing something. He felt his guardian’s hands near where the pain was stemming, but they didn’t dare touch him, and after a beat, he called out, “S-someone– a-anyone– call 1-2-0– please-!”

There was more muffled talking but all MK could hear was the sound of his ill-tempered guardian sobbing openly.

He then felt a soft hand touch his soaking wet hair, stroking it somewhat as Pigsy whispered, “it’s okay MK, it’s okay, you’re okay, you’re gonna be okay, it’s okay–” over and over and over again. MK tried saying anything to make his guardian feel better, but could only cough and cry and groan from the all consuming misery before sirens wailed.

He heard Pigsy tell the EMT’s things before there was organized counting and suddenly his right foot was freed– though obviously still hurt like a motherfucker. He was still in agony when they put him on a stretcher and took him inside an ambulance, but at least he could see Pigsy now, who sat next to him, still stroking his hair as lightly as physically possible.

“You’re okay, MK, you’re okay– I-I’m so sorry for yellin’ at you, I’m so sorry,” his guardian continued to cry, making MK just feel even worse somehow as they drove away from the scene.

When they got to the hospital, Pigsy was pulled away from him, which MK knew because his crying and protesting faded.

The second his guardian was out of earshot, MK’s tears went from pain to sadness.

Soon after, he was taken to a room, where he was given an oxygen mask and pumped full of drugs as doctors and nurses pulled out a massive glass shard that had been lodged into his side. After that, he was given stitches and a handful of weird pills before being taken in and out of rooms with all sorts of scanners and weird machines, all while he barely maintained consciousness.

After about three scans, MK was taken to an average and empty looking room, where he was given yet another handful of mysterious pills he didn’t question. He was hooked up to a heart and oxygen monitor, as well as a new IV and a few weird stickers they placed on his head before he was out like a light.

.o0o.

MK awoke feeling like his mouth was full of cotton, and the rest of his head was full of lead. His chest and sides felt numb from where he vaguely recalled there had been stitches, and his right foot was in a cast he didn’t remember getting.

As he slowly cracked open his eyes, MK was met with a hellish cold light that only added to the misery of the beeps and boops of the machines around him. But that soon didn’t matter at all, as MK saw his guardian pacing the foot of his bed, dark circles under his eyes that were still red and tear-stained from–

From him.

He had actually made Pigsy, the hot-headed chef of pure titanium, shed real tears over him that fell and everything.

It made MK cry too.

“P-P-Pigsy–” MK croaked, hot tears streaming down his face, making the chef stop in his tracks and rush to MK’s side, which was when MK noticed how bloodstained his chef's shirt and tank top were.

“Kid–! Oh I’m so glad you’re okay– I-I’m so sorry for yellin’ at you, okay? I-I was just– I don’t know what’s wrong with me– you feelin’ okay? You’re safe now, you’re at the hospital,” The chef stroked his cheek again and MK leaned into it this time since it didn’t hurt that much and he could.

“P-Pigsy, ‘m so s-s-sorry,” He cried, his whole chest shaking.

“No– no, MK, don’t be, it’s okay, I-I was so stupid– I should’ve handled it all differently– it’s not your fault, okay?” Pigsy wiped away his tears with calloused hands.

“I shouldn’ve skipped class, ‘m sorry,” the boy just continued to weep.

“I’m not mad MK, I promise I’m not– I-I’m so sorry,” Pigsy now held the boy’s face with both hands and MK was just overwhelmed by how warm they were and how he never wanted to leave his da– Pigsy’s embrace.

“M’sorry Pigsy– m’ so, so sorry,” He nuzzled Pigsy’s hands a little and the chef laughed weakly.

“You’re such a good kid, MK, I know you’re sorry, it’s okay, I’m not mad, I’m not,” The chef smiled warmly and wiped away some of the boy’s tears.

MK smiled weakly, though continued to cry, which Pigsy let him, which was… nice. It was so, so nice. It was so nice in fact, that it briefly made MK consider getting himself almost killed more often, but he’d never do that to Pigsy and Mei.

Unfortunately, the nice moment could only last a minute or two before a doctor suddenly came in. Both quickly wiped their faces and tried their best to pay attention to the medical mumbo jumbo.

It was a long winding conversation MK knew he should’ve paid attention to, but he was still absolutely exhausted and his head was filled with emotions and worries and aches and drugs– and also annoyance at the monitors and an obnoxiously loud AC unit.

At least Pigsy seemed to be taking note, nodding seriously and answering questions while MK was too busy looking at the shapes in the ceiling and a painting of a tree on the wall.

When the doctor left Pigsy sighed and wiped his face again, despite there being no tears to wipe away, but of course MK didn’t blame him and wouldn't dream of pointing it out.

“Kid, I-I’m–... I’m gonna ask you about the absences, is that okay?” The chef looked at him hesitantly.

MK sucked in a breath but nodded.

“So… I-I–... why? What’s going on..?” Pigsy looked at him for only a second before looking at the painting. “You’re so smart, MK. You don’t pull the same shit I used to do on the regular– and I keep trying to figure it out– a-and why you’d be so– so scared to tell me that you go out and nearly get yourself ki–...”

Pigsy choked on his words and clenched his eyes shut before desperately blinking away tears and taking a shaky breath.

“I just… a-am… Did I-I…? Are…?”

Pigsy took another breath.

“Are you… afraid of me?”

MK’s eyes widened. “N-no! No, never! I-I just– I– didn’t want to disappoint you, o-or let you know I’ve been wasting your money, which I know you work so, so hard for, a-and I don’t wanna seem ungrateful because I’m not! I-I’m so grateful, Pigsy– I-I–”

“Hey, hey, take it easy kid, it’s okay,” Pigsy looked relieved as he wiped away another one of MK’s tears.

“I-I’m just– I’m so sorry– e-even I don’t always know why I skip class. It's just– it’s like no matter what I do, I just can’t step in– but that’s only happened five times! The other times’re just because my trig teacher doesn’t let students be late, I swear! I-I don’t like wasting your money, Pigsy, I really, really don’t,” MK shook his head and covered his face, which made Pigsy pull him into a nice and warm side hug.

“What do you mean you ‘can’t step in’?” He asked softly.

MK shrugged weakly, leaning into the embrace a little more. “I-I don’t know… Sometimes it just– it feels like I can’t– like there’s a wall and if I pass it I’ll like… die or something. I know it sounds stupid, I know b-but– yeah…” he looked away in shame.

“Classmates bein’ dicks too?” His guardian guessed.

MK hesitated, but nodded.

“It’s okay kid, I know a thing or two about teachers n’ classmates bein’ dicks,” He rubbed MK’s arm and rested his head carefully atop his. “You’re a good kid, MK. You’re so grateful too– it’s almost concernin’ for a kid your age to be so aware,” his guardian tried to joke, but MK could hear the sadness.

“Still… m’sorry,” MK sniffled.

“Ah, it’s okay, kid, we’ll get this sorted out; I’ll send an email to that principal askin’ to switch trig teachers or somethin’, or try to deal with any punk kids– see if there’s a deal we can work out,” Pigsy chuckled tiredly.

MK nodded, but didn’t dare move from his guardian’s warm and protective embrace. To his relief, the chef didn’t seem keen on breaking it up either.

But after a while, MK couldn’t help but ask, “A-are you… disappointed in me?”

“What? ‘Course not, kid– if anything I’m disappointed in m–that– uh– that staff at your school. I pay ‘em how much a year and they don’t even take proper attendance? What a joke,” Pigsy forced a laugh.

MK looked down at his hospital blanket. “I-I was just– I was so scared you’d hate me o-or something and I-I just–”

Pigsy straightened up and forced MK to look at him and his deep, soft eyes.

“MK, you’ll always have your ol’ Pigsy, alright? I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”

MK nodded hesitantly and his guardian hugged him once again.

“Good… because– because I really mean it, there’s nothing you could do to make me hate or leave you.”

MK laughed weakly. “I know, Pigsy, I know.”

“Good,” Pigsy laughed a little too, squeezing him a little tighter before slowly letting go and fixing up the boy’s appearance– or what could be fixed of it anyways. “Are you feelin’ any better, kid? I know I should’ve asked that before but–”

“Yeah, much better,” MK chuckled, before a thought came to mind. “Is– um… Is my phone still in one piece? And do you have it? I think Mei probably thinks I’m dead so I should probably text her.”

“Oh, right, yeah– you kids and your phones,” Pigsy joked, fishing it out of his pocket and handing it to the teen, who instantly opened it and saw a myriad of texts from Mei.

4:15 You talk to Pigsy yet? 4:17: I’m going to take your silence as a no 4:20: Are you done yet? 4:22: MKKKKK are you doneeeeeee? 4:45: MK you’re making me actually consider doing my homework plz respond 😩 4:50: Did he kill you? If he did sorry I instilled false hope. In my defense, you didn’t seem like you believed it. 4:52: Okay I’m concerned fr fr– text meeeeeee 4:56: Damn you two must either be having a heart-to-heart or he’s ending your whole career– if so BIG oof 4:56: Praying for you 🙏 5:00: You done yet? 5:02: Is your phone on silent bc damn you aren’t even reading these– and here I thought we were friends smh 😔😔😔💔💔💔 5:13: DUDE there was a crash outside Pigsys Noodles! Did you see it?!! Call me!!!!! 5:15: MK WERE YOU THE GUY WHO CRASHED TEXT ME RIGHT NOW 5:16: MK you better be alive or so help me buddha I will motorcycle to your apartment so fast and kill you myself 5:17: OKAY i didn’t mean that, plz be alive I’ll be so nice if you’re alive 5:20: MKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK 5:25: Call me as soon as you can, okay? I’m worried over here 9:37: My parents took my phone but gave it back now bc I did my homework but you didn’t call so ig we can both be mad at each other 10:42: If this is revenge for Kim, you’re gay and that was middle school, I thought you got over that 11:01: /j 11:04: /lh /ily 💚 2:42: I really, really hope you’re okay… 💚💚💚

“Yeesh, you kids really do text a lot,” Pigsy eyed all the messages.

“It’s how she shows love,” MK laughed a little, and shot a quick text:

4:01 “Not dead 👍 in hospital”

He waited only two seconds before his phone flooded with more texts from his friend, none of which he read, just typing:

4:02 “Go to bed. I’ll call when I have the energy. Ily 💛”

The barrage stopped, and Mei sent back:

4:02 “Fineeeeeeeee, ily2 or whatever 🙄💚”

MK hearted the message and chuckled.

“You two need better sleep schedules,” Pigsy pointed out, shaking his head.

“Bah, I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” MK repeated one of his guardian’s favorite mantras.

“Har-har, I see how it is,” The pig demon rolled his eyes and MK laughed.

“Had to,” He grinned.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Pigsy ruffled his hair lightly before fixing it again.

MK chuckled. “How’s Tang doing? You call him at all?”

Pigsy half-shrugged. “Yeah– he was real bummed about not getting his noodles, but I talked sense into ‘im eventually,” the demon snorted. “He hopes you’re okay and get better soon.”

“Good, good,” MK nodded to himself, before glancing at his boss. “You– uh– gonna check up on him soon..?”

Pigsy laughed. “That big baby just has a cold, he’ll be fine if I stick around with you,” he assured him, though raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh well– um–” MK didn’t know how to respond. “I don’t know– I’m just– I’m glad you’re here, Pigsy,” he smiled weakly.

“I’m glad I’m here too, kid– I… I care a lot about you, you know that?” the chef asked nervously.

MK nodded with a weak smile. “Yeah, I know.”

Pigsy smiled with a soft hum, before he suddenly wrapped MK in another side hug and MK snuggled back up to him as best he could.

He knew it was stupid, that Pigsy was just his boss, but moments like these made MK feel like maybe in a different universe, Pigsy could be his dad, and that he’d stroke his hair and call him “son” and instead of saying “I care about you”, they could say “I love you”.

But that wasn’t what they had– MK was just his “ward” and employee, and Pigsy was just his legal guardian and boss, nothing more, nothing less.

But for now, MK could pretend and just be happy feeling safe and warm in his guardian’s arms without a care in the world– and a part of him could think that maybe– just maybe– Pigsy felt the exact same way…

Well, it was a nice fantasy no matter what, and he’d be fast asleep in the matter of minutes, snug as a bug in a rug in his guardian’s arms, feeling as though everything was right with the world for once in his chaotic young life.

[rotationalsymmetry]

I've been questioning my political beliefs recently. But thing is, I'll reread my blog description or something, and yeah, I still stand by all that. I'm worried about the future, I'm concerned that I may be overvaluing the ideal and undervaluing the potential for things to get worse. I'm worried I'm avoiding hard choices. But at the same time. I do believe all that. And I don't want to stop believing all that.

The fundamental value on which all of my political beliefs rest is opposition to coercion. That's a good value. I stand by it.

And I can't be true to that value and not be an anarchist. Liberals often want less coercion. But they pretty consistently fail to stand for no coercion. They'll swallow the bad apples argument about police officers, even though that makes no sense, because most of them are affluent white people who know the leopards aren't going to eat their face. (And they're right! They don't! At least as long as they moderate their politics enough.) They'll defend prisons because they can imagine getting raped or mugged but they can't imagine not having a competent lawyer to defend them and money for bail. So, again, the leopards never eat their faces. They want immigration reform, but not open borders. They want school lunches but won't question whether it's actually a good idea to have kids spend half their childhoods in institutions where the adults just don't have time to deal with anything other than classroom management and teaching,

and you're probably thinking "ok but that's literally what teachers are supposed to do" ok but like. Sometimes a kid shows up and their cat just died or they've been getting bullied all year and they need someone to TALK to and it's not going to be a teacher and good luck with getting a school counselor who has time for anyone who isn't at imminent risk of expulsion. And they're not allowed to talk to their peers, not while class is in session. This is...not an environment conducive for people being people. I mean. It's fine if you're preparing workers for an "if you have time to lean, you have time to clean" work environment, I guess. But that just begs the next question, which is what's the deal with work environments that don't allow for basic humanity?

Liberals want abortion to be legal but who the fuck cares whether it's not accessible because all the abortion doctors have been driven out of the state? They know they can afford to travel, or pay for their kids' travel. Liberals might express sadness over Palestinian children dying from bombs or hunger or preventatable illness, but they tend to see it as a necessary tragedy. Israel has the right to defend itself.

And yeah, the US was founded on genocide and slavery, and that matters. That's not something that it's ok to shove to the sidelines and not acknowledge. (I know land acknowledgements are wildly inadequate, but they still beat spending 364 days a year acting as though Native Americans don't exist and never did, and the 365th day telling comfortable lies about them.)

(Not arguing against conservatism because I don't think it's particularly necessary here, but yeah, obvs conservatives and especially fascists are worse at being anti coercion.)

I can follow an argument that goes "those are good priorities, but let's do these things first, change is more likely to be overall good when it's slow and we need to spend some time shoring up victories to prevent backlashes" I'm just not at all convinced most liberals share any of these priorities. Goodness knows if they do they're not copping to it.

I'm on social media now because I can't do offline stuff so much. When I could, I did Food Not Bombs, I did bicycle advocacy, I did peace protests, I campaigned against legislation pushing homeless people even further into the margins. I showed up at picket lines and bail hearings. For people who have more ability to get into the world than I have, those are still things needing to be done. As are any form of community building, things like habitat restoration and guerrilla gardening, anything involving paying attention to children, vegetarian/vegan advocacy, and just, like, getting cash to people who need some emergency cash. And squatting. Sqautting's important.

(People like my parents give money to arts organizations and political advocacy groups, rarely to things like food banks, and more or less never to go fund me's because they know they're not going to need to crowdfund themselves. Which means crowdfunding efforts rarely break out of circles of people who know they're close to needing it. People who don't expect to need crowdfunding should support crowdfunding, it's voluntary redistribution of wealth which has some problems but it's still redistribution of wealth, equalization of wealth, which is good and important. And while there's also arguments for giving to orgs instead of to individuals/families directly, you do lose a % of the money to overhead costs, which is not the end of the world but it is A Thing. And if there's a scam involved, it's going to be some white collar embezzlement nonsense, which isn't any better than getting scammed by someone stealing someone else's story or w/e.)

[floralkittygambler]

I'm getting out of Hazbin Critical, there's an underage kid here lying about their age and that's such a red flag for me I'm not even gonna respond to them. At 12/13, they shouldn't be here interacting with adults or this show. It is literally beyond their age level. If the Hazbin Critical community cannot regulate safety here and ban minors, we risk hurting so many people, including our own. I'm done. Lying about ones age should be an automatic ban and expulsion. End of story.

I recommend doing what is in your best interest health wise. Anything tied to Viv oozes toxicity - on all sides. She’s vile, but so are many of the staff, the fans, and the not fans. I’ll remain anti but focused on what benefits me whilst maintaining a healthy professional boundary. Focus on your own well being first, you’re no good to yourself or others if you’re not existing, ok? Take care. Put yourself first. Prioritise healthy practices and I wish the best for you. This is the first step.

Rooting for you!

[infiniteglitterfall]

Unpopular but accurate opinion time!

EVERYONE has privilege over some group in some area, no matter how many forms of oppression they personally experience.

EVERYONE has the responsibility to examine what unconscious biases they've absorbed from the world around them. (And it's not only possible, but pretty common, to be biased against groups you're a part of.)

Antisemitism means anti-Jewish bias.

For more than 1,000 years, there has been a vicious and still ongoing cycle, around the world, of expelling and massacring Jews; which reduces general exposure to and awareness of Judaism; which makes it much easier to buy into the biases that lead to expulsions and massacres.

Yemen was the most recent country to expell Jews.

In 2021.

It is highly likely that either you have unconscious biases against something you associate with Jewish culture, or you've already explored and unlearned those biases.

That wasn't the unpopular opinion part.

This is:

If you need to be coached not to blame random Jews for anything the literal government of an entire country does, you are antisemitic.

If you need a reason not to blame random Jews for anything the literal government of an entire country does, you are antisemitic.

If your reason not to blame random Jews for anything the literal government of an entire country does is, "that's what that powerful manipulative government secretly WANTS you to do!" you're not actually addressing or changing your antisemitic bias. You're putting out juuust enough effort to project this specific bias, in this specific context, onto something besides Jews Overall.

If you feel distrustful of or upset with Jews, even though you don't personally know any, you are antisemitic.

If you feel distrustful of or upset with some Jewish subgroup, even though you don't really know anyone in that group, you are antisemitic.

If you mentally divide Jews into "the good ones" and "the bad ones," you are antisemitic. No matter how much you support "the good ones."

If you think that Jews overall feel safe in your country, even though you've never asked around about it, you're almost certainly wrong. I have yet to hear of a country where Jews, overall, feel pretty safe. I have heard a lot of people here in the U.S. say that they HAD thought they were safe, before so very many people around them went full "masks off" antisemitism on October 7.

If that's a concern for you -- that most Jews don't feel safe in your country -- but mainly because you don't want them to think it's okay for the country of Israel to exist? You are antisemitic.

If you only think about Jewish safety when you're worried Jews in the diaspora will think or do something "wrong," you are antisemitic.

If you only care about Jewish safety because something something Israel, you can fuck right off are antisemitic can fuck right off.

If you are anthropomorphizing Israel to the point of imagining it has conscious, sneaky, evil plans to guilt-trip goyim into supporting it, then you have absolutely not avoided the antisemitic trope of sneaky, evil Jews controlling global opinion.

If you witnessed Jews saying that someone's rhetoric or actions after October 7 were antisemitic, and your response was to believe that Israel -- or Zionists, or Jews, or some other group -- was falsely claiming antisemitism in order to shut down valid criticism, you are antisemitic.

And now for a few fun facts.

The real estate company that advertised Gaza beachfront property for sale was trolling people for publicity.

Israel is extremely diverse. It's almost 25% Muslim, including the Negev Bedouin, who are likely indigenous to the Negev Desert. About half the Jewish population is recently from North African and Middle Eastern countries. It has small but important numbers of Druze, Armenian, and Circassian people who survived those groups' genocides. I don't think I've ever heard anyone refer to it as homogeneous across any axis. That's just not a thing.

In general, Jewish culture tends to value discussion and debate very highly, rather than having a tendency to shut it down with false claims of antisemitism.

I do think it's safe to say that Judaism predated even the Kingdom of Israel, 3000 years ago or so. But that kind of contradicts the OP's argument. Because the point of Zionism, and of Israel, is that that's where the Jewish people originated, and where so many Jewish prayers express a yearning to return to self-determination. I seriouslyhave a replica of a 1,957-year-old coin that says "For The Liberation Of Zion" in proto-Hebrew.

It's the literal definition of indigeneity: Jews were the first culture there, were there before any colonization occurred, have been the longest continuous population there, and have maintained a cultural connection to the land the entire time, even in the diaspora. Jews did not displace the people native to the region. Jews were the people native to the region.

I'm sure there were people who liked the idea of shipping all their Jews overseas. However, framing it as "the U.S. created a colonialist project to get rid of its Jews" overlooks the fact that (a) the U.S. still has one of the largest Jewish populations in the world; (b) the U.S. had almost zero to do with any of it, I think OP might have confused the U.S. with the U.K.; and (c) it was the League of Nations, and then the U.N., that decided what to do with the (horrible and genocidal) Ottoman Empire's land.

For that matter, the displaced Palestinian Arabs were displaced by a war in which all the surrounding countries invaded en masse. It boggles the mind that this has turned into, "Jews ran the Palestinians off and stole their land." Even worse is the fact that people are only "pro-Palestinian" when they see it as "Palestine vs Israel in a Battle Royale!" and not when Lebanon, Syria, etc have abused Palestinians for a lifetime.

TL;DR: Stop attacking every single Jewish thing and Jewish person you see.

Stop attacking your campus Hillel on your way back from the protest. Stop spitting on Jews. For fuck's sake. I don't care if you decide they're genocidal baby-killers because they were trying to get to an event where one of the speakers was also an IDF reservist.

You don't know what the topic is, you're acting like they're not truly human and can't think for themselves, and you're not even on the same continent as Gaza. Nobody is going in there to kill babies, and at this point there's a very high likelihood that they're going in there to be around people who won't spit on them for an hour or two.

Yes, that's a lot of words for what seems like a very unlikely situation. I'm giving it this much space because I know of at least 10 campuses where people spat on Jews in the past few months, and at least five situations where they felt justified in doing it because Baby-Killing Jews were speaking.

Stop screaming things at people you see walking to synagogue. No, screaming "Free Palestine" at random Jews is not activism that they'll only get upset about if they're bad people. You're screaming at them, not trying to get them to do a cheer with you.

Stop drawing swastikas on pictures of hostages. Stop drawing swastikas on stars of David. Stop drawing swastikas ANYWHERE. Stop comparing Jews to Nazis and go educate yourself about the Holocaust.

Stop supporting Hamas and start supporting Palestinian activists in and from Palestine. Start with finding Bassem Eid on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram, and then look up the "We Want To Live" movement.

Stop chugging antisemitic propaganda like it's breast milk, for fuck's sake. The ADL is a good place to start to learn all sorts of garbage tropes and dogwhistles.

First rule of thumb when you start to challenge and unlearn any prejudice: IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL VALIDATED AND SECURE INSTEAD OF CURIOUS AND INTERESTED, IT'S PROBABLY WRONG.

Then follow a bunch of Jews on the platform of your choice, and listen silently and with the awareness that they know what they're talking about.

op turned off reblogs on this post for safety reasons but gave me permission to repost it because it's an important message.

[ashmayclinic]

15 Expert-Backed Tips to Pass Kidney Stones Quickly

Passing a kidney stone can be one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. Whether it’s your first time or a recurring issue, the goal is always the same — get rid of it fast and as painlessly as possible. Thankfully, expert urologists offer tried-and-tested strategies to help you deal with kidney stones efficiently. If you're looking for the best kidney stone treatment in Jaipur or simply want expert advice, these tips will guide you toward quicker relief.

1. Stay Hydrated — Really Hydrated

Water is your first line of defense. Drinking at least 2 to 3 liters a day helps flush out small stones naturally.

2. Use Lemon Juice

Citrate in lemons can break down calcium stones and prevent them from growing. Try warm lemon water in the morning.

3. Avoid High-Oxalate Foods

Foods like spinach, beets, nuts, and chocolate can make stones worse. Limit these while you're passing a stone.

4. Go Low on Sodium

Salt increases calcium in your urine, which can form stones. Stick to a low-sodium diet.

5. Take Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers

Use ibuprofen or acetaminophen (after consulting your doctor) to manage pain while waiting for the stone to pass.

6. Move Around

Walking and light activity can help dislodge the stone and aid its movement through your urinary tract.

7. Try Warm Compresses or Hot Baths

This helps relax the muscles in your back and abdomen, offering temporary pain relief.

8. Use Medical Expulsive Therapy (MET)

Under the guidance of the best urologist in Jaipur, medications like tamsulosin may be prescribed to relax the ureter and speed up stone passage.

9. Monitor Your Stone

Catch the stone using a urine strainer to analyze its composition — this helps your urologist suggest the right prevention plan.

10. Stay Away from Sugary Drinks

Cola and energy drinks can worsen your condition. Replace them with water or coconut water for hydration.

11. Eat More Citrus Fruits

Oranges, grapefruits, and lemons can help reduce stone formation.

12. Reduce Animal Protein

High-protein diets can increase uric acid and calcium in the urine. Switch to plant-based proteins for a while.

13. Take Prescribed Supplements Carefully

Don’t take calcium or vitamin D supplements without consulting a doctor, as they can increase the risk of kidney stones.

14. Don’t Ignore Repeated Pain

If the pain becomes unbearable or you suspect an infection, don’t wait — seek kidney stone treatment immediately.

15. Consult a Urologist Early

If your stone is larger than 5mm, it may not pass on its own. Seek help from the best urologist in Jaipur for advanced treatments like lithotripsy or endoscopic procedures.

Final Thoughts

Kidney stones are painful, but they don’t have to disrupt your life. By following these expert-backed tips and opting for the best kidney stone treatment in Jaipur, you can manage the condition efficiently. Don't delay consulting a specialist — a timely visit to the best urologist in Jaipur can make all the difference in your recovery and future prevention.

[lessergoodnow]

Jewish Students Chain Themselves to Columbia Gates to Protest ICE Jailing of Mahmoud Khalil

Transcript of interview:

PROTESTERS: Release Mahmoud Khalil now! We want justice! You say, “How?” We want justice! You say, “How?” Release Mahmoud Khalil now!

CARLY: Hi. My name is Carly. I’m a Columbia SIPA graduate student, second year. And I’m chained to this gate today as a Jewish student and friend of Mahmoud Khalil’s, demanding answers on how his name got to DHS and which trustee specifically handed over that information. We believe that there is a high chance that our new president Claire Shipman handed over that information. And we, as Jewish students, demand transparency in that process.

AMY GOODMAN: what makes you think that the new president, Shipman, gave over his information?

CARLY: There was a Forward article with that leak. And there has not been transparency from the Columbia administration to Jewish students, when they claim that they are doing all of this to protect Jewish students. We would like to be consulted in that process, instead of being spoken for. You know, as Jewish students and to the Jewish people at large, being political pawns in a game is not a new occurrence, and that’s something that we very much so are here to say, “Hey, you cannot weaponize antisemitism to harm our friends and peers.”

AMY GOODMAN: And talk about being chained. And are you willing to risk arrest or suspension or expulsion from Columbia?

CARLY: Yeah, I mean, just for speaking out for Palestine on Columbia’s campus, you know that you’re risking arrest and expulsion. That is the precedence they have sent, and that is something that we all know at this point. I mean, we are now in a situation where, for many of us, our good friend is in ICE detention. And as Jewish students, we feel we need to do more.

AMY GOODMAN: How did you know Mahmoud Khalil? You said you’re at SIPA. What are you studying there?

CARLY: Yeah, so, I’m a human rights student, and we were classmates. We were classmates and friends. And it’s been a deeply troubling few weeks. And, you know, everyone at SIPA, the students at SIPA, we really are just hoping for his safe return. And for me as a graduate in May, I truly hope we get to walk together at graduation.

AMY GOODMAN: Did he hear that you were out here? And did he send you a message?

CARLY: Yes. So, it has gotten back to Mahmoud that Jewish students are out here chained to the gate, and he did send a message that I read earlier that expressed his gratitude.

AMY GOODMAN: Can you tell me what he said?

CARLY: Yes, I can pull up the message. I don’t want to misquote him. OK. “The news of students chaining themselves to the Columbia gates has reached Mahmoud in the detention center in Louisiana, where he’s currently being held. He knows what’s happening. He was very emotional when he heard about it, and he wanted to thank you all and let you know he sees you.”

SARAH BORUS: My name is Sarah Borus. I am a senior at Barnard College.

AMY GOODMAN: Why a Jewish action right now?

SARAH BORUS: So, the government, when they abducted Mahmoud, they literally put — Donald Trump put out a post that said, “Shalom, Mahmoud.” They are saying that this is in the name of Jewish safety. But there is a reason that it is four white Jews that were on that fence or that were on that gate, and that’s because we are not the ones that are being targeted by the government. It is Muslim students, Arab students, Palestinian students, immigrant students that are being targeted.

AMY GOODMAN: How do you respond to those who say the protests here are antisemitic?

SARAH BORUS: I have been involved in these protests for my last two years here. The community of Jewish students that I have found is one of the most wonderful in my life. To call these protests antisemitic, honestly, degrades the Jewish religion by making it about a nation-state instead of the actual religion itself.

SHEA: My name is Shea. I’m a junior at Columbia College. I am here for the same reason.

AMY GOODMAN: You’re wearing a keffiyeh and a yarmulke.

SHEA: Yes. That’s standard for me.

AMY GOODMAN: Are you willing to be expelled?

SHEA: If the university decides that that is what should happen to me for doing this, then that is on them. I would love to not be expelled, but I think that my peers would also have loved to not be expelled. I think Mahmoud would love to not be in detention right now. This is — I obviously worked very hard to get here. So did Mahmoud. So did everyone else who has been facing consequences. And, like, while I obviously would prefer to, you know, not get expelled, this is bigger than me. This is about something much more important. And it ultimately is in the hands of the university. If they want to expel me for standing up for my friend, for other students, then that is their choice.

PROTESTERS: ICE off our campus now! ICE off our campus now! We want justice! You say, “How?” We want justice! You say, “How?” Answer our demands now! Answer our demands now!

MARYAM ALWAN: My name is Maryam Alwan. I’m a senior at Columbia. I’m also Palestinian, and I’m friends with Mahmoud. I’m here in solidarity with my Jewish friends, who are in solidarity with all Palestinian students and Palestinians facing genocide in Gaza. We are all here today because we miss our friend, and it’s inconceivable to us that the board of trustees are reported to have handed his name over to the federal government, and the fact that these board of trustees have now taken over the university. Just yesterday, the University Senate at Columbia released an over-300-page report called the Sundial Report, which reveals that the board of trustees has completely endangered both Palestinian and anti-Zionist Jewish students in the name of quashing dissent and cracking down on protests like never before, eroding shared governance, academic freedom. And so this has been a long-standing process of over 1.5 years to get us to the point where we are today, where people are getting kidnapped from their own campuses. And we can’t just sit by and let the federal government do whatever they want to our own university without standing up against it. So, whatever we can do.

AMY GOODMAN: And what does it mean to you that it’s Jewish students who have chained themselves to the gates?

MARYAM ALWAN: It means a lot to me, especially because of all of the rhetoric that surrounds these protests saying that we’re violent or threatening, when, from day one, I was part of Students for Justice in Palestine when it was suspended, and we were working alongside Jewish Voice for Peace from day one. And the media just completely twisted the narrative. So, the fact that my Jewish friends are still to this day fighting, no matter what the personal cost is to them — I’ve seen the way that the university has delegitimized their Jewish identity, put them through trials, saying that they’re antisemitic, when they are proud Jews, and they’ve taught me so much about Judaism. So it just means a lot to see, like, the solidarity between us even almost two years later now.

AHARON DARDIK: My name’s Aharon Dardik. I’m a junior here at Columbia. And we’re here to protest the trustees putting students in danger and not taking accountability.

AMY GOODMAN: Why the chains on your wrists?

AHARON DARDIK: We, as Jewish students, chained ourselves earlier today to a gate on campus, and we said that we weren’t going to leave until the university named who it was amongst the trustees who collaborated with the fascist Trump administration to detain our classmate, Mahmoud Khalil, and try and deport him.

AMY GOODMAN: Where are you originally from?

AHARON DARDIK: I’m originally from California, but my family moved to Israel-Palestine.

AMY GOODMAN: And being from Israel-Palestine, your thoughts on what’s happening there?

AHARON DARDIK: There’s never a justification for killing innocent civilians and for war crimes and genocide that’s being committed now. And I know many, many other people there who are leftist Israeli activists who are doing their best to end the occupation, to end the war and the genocide and to end Israeli apartheid, but they need more support from the international community, which currently sees supporting Israel as synonymous with supporting the fascist Israeli government that’s perpetrating this genocide, that’s continuing the occupation.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Ok kids, last one before bed

Blood Lines: Jade and Roy's pasts come back to haunt them (literally) when their curses collide. (arrowfam; horror/supernatural AU, no capes AU)

Before I Hurt You Too: Orion's deceased friend's brother begins to follow him despite his objections. (new gods, fourth world; boarding school AU)

Demolition Derby: Scott Free falls for the toughest girl in the school after his father and nanny force him to take up wrestling. (new gods, fourth world; hs AU, wrestling AU, roller derby AU, no powers AU)

The Houdini Clause: Scott Free's escape attempts from the highest security boarding school catches the attention of the valedictorian and children from their much more laid-back sister school across the bridge. (new gods, fourth world; boarding school AU, dark academia AU)

The War Inside: Runaway turned military school student, Grant Wilson, risks expulsion when he falls for a troublemaking classmate. (boarding school AU, no capes AU/no powers AU)

Dead Sons Club: Jason Todd and Grant Wilson walk into a bar... ANd they're both supposed to be dead. (batfam; canon divergent AU, maybe a oneshot)

The Outcry: Grant Wilson feels as if he's always lived in his brother, Joseph's shadow in this ageswap AU. (ageswap AU, no powers AU)

Chicken or Fish: Garth and Arthur age swap AU where tiny!Arthur becomes Garth's first friend/brother. (aquafam; ageswap AU)

I Bet You're Wondering: College AU where Ted Kord and Booster meet in the emergency room. (jli; college/university AU)

If Ever In My Nature: HS AU where Guy Gardner recalls the summer he fell in love with a boy named Taylor from his high school's buddy program. (jli, gl corps; hs AU)

orange: Guy Garner decides to foster a little girl in this no powers AU. (jli, gl corps; no powers AU)