#lol though i have no question why you asked me this

[st4ringlow]

suna rintarou x reader

bestfriends to lovers. just fluff. very rushed, sorry for everything you find unpleasant. idk what else do i put here

"what do you want for your birthday?"

suna hums in contemplation, munching on the cucumber salad you were eager to try from a tiktok influencer you've seen. now that he thinks of it, his birthday is just a few days away. "dunno, if i say it are you even able to afford it?" he said, a teasing smirk grows as he watches you roll your eyes. "i'd like to know still but just so i can have more reason to hate the rich," you said nonchalantly, popping another cucumber slice into your mouth. you hear suna hums again, a temporary silence keeping you both company as the man beside you puts his thinking cap to work.

"a cartier watch,"

"jesus you're fucking high-demand,"

"lol"

"dont 'lol' me in an oral conversation," your response earns a laugh from suna, who clearly enjoys having you annoyed. you roll your eyes again, wiping the sauces on your hand. "whats up with you and your obsession with watches, geez," you ask, but it didnt really come off a question but rather a subtle insult of 'hey man youre just so weird '. suna knows that.

"oh, a man cant have a hobby now?" suna scoffs, grabbing his phone from the coffee table. "you spent thousands on each of them, rin," you said, voice bolding at the word 'thousands'. you watch him shrugs as he scrolls on his phone. "so?"

"you have 10 of them already!"

"yeah and i dont have a cartier watch yet,"

"youre crazy,"

"crazy? i was crazy once,"

"dude shut up,"

"okay,"

there was a silence filling up the room as you both stopped talking, only the sound of the tv playing in the background. "seriously though, what do you want for your birthday?" you broke the silence, tone coming out more serious this time. suna looks up from his phone, his eyes meeting yours with a hint of curiosity. "honestly? i havent really thought about it," he admits. "why? so eager to please the birthday boy, huh?" the corners of his lips lifts up, seeing you got worked up by his last remark.

"am not,"

suna chuckles softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "sure, sure," he teases, leaning back on the couch. "but seriously, i havent given it much thought. maybe... just spending time with you would be enough."

you feel your heart skip a beat at his words, a warmth spreading through your chest. "oh, come on, you can do better than that," you say, trying to keep your voice steady. "there must be something you want."

suna's gaze softens as he looks at you, a small smile playing on his lips. "well, if you insist... how about a day where we just do all our favorite things together? no distractions, just us."

suna watches as your mouth falls open, unable to spit out a word. a blush creep up on your cheeks, and he cant help but find it endearing.

"are you trying to hit on me?"

"is it not obvious enough?"

[h0llyw0lly]

Goooooooood MORNING, all! As usual, I have thoughts lol.

I need to talk to someone about the Cinderella Boy season finale or I’m gonna explode, but none of my friends read it despite my insistence so I’m throwing this into the void that is tumblr.

CB season 1 finale spoilers under the cut (just in case y’all haven’t read it yet, in which case you really should)

Also, to my mutuals and followers who DON’T read it, don’t WANT to read it, or followed me for other stuff: I do not apologize for the constant stream of Cinderella Boy content, nor is it likely to change anytime soon (◡‿◡✿) <3

THE FINALE, RIGHT? Okay. Okay. I have so many thoughts, but my biggest one that I haven’t seen ANYONE comment on is a little detail regarding the kiss. THE KISS HOT DANG.

Sorry, okay. Throughout the series, Chase has had to play the role of the heroine and has had SO MANY princes trying to make out with him, and he has always had a HUGE thing about consent. Yelling at them when they ignored his refusals, slapping and punching when words didn’t work, and even leaving the stories early because he didn’t want to do something he was uncomfortable with.

Buddy knows this, and has even helped him reinforce this (see the Honor Among Thieves storyline when he BEATS A MAN WITH HIS PRISONER CHAINS FOR IGNORING CHASE, gosh I love that scene lmaooo).

So the KISS???? I’M OVER THE MOON, AND I’LL SHOW YOU WHY!!!!

BUDDY! ASKS! PERMISSION!!! While not explicitly asking a question aloud, his expression in the second photo is inquiring—saying “is it alright if I do what’s supposed to happen in the story? I want to help you, can I do that?” And he DOESN’T PROCEED ANY FURTHER UNTIL CHASE SAYS

Only then does he begin leaning towards Chase!!

Only then does he kiss him, even though he knows it’s their last hope and it could literally save Chases’s life!!!

Like….just, ugh. THAT is how you write consent: just a questioning gaze and a simple affirmation. Punko’s the best, y’all.

Also, Chase, I see that arm, mister.

[thebrokengate]

LEWISSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

Sorry. Sorry! Reflex. 😅

Anyway, I just want to say now that I've had time to review this video this morning, HOLY SHIT THIS IS SO WELL DONE! Your readings of the queer subtext in this game are so well put together, and I also have to thank you for adding in the parts about the Don Quixote story as someone who hasn't read it and never got to know the book that made Luis into the character that he is. I found myself nodding along in agreement as well to your reading of Krauser as I consider myself, after spending multiple months after the game came out studying him like a bug under a microscope, to probably be one of the most knowledgeable people about his character and his queer coding. There are a couple things I want to add if you don't mind me doing so though!

Not only does Krauser have the "Anything to make the pretty boy feel special!" line, he also has another line that's either next to impossible to trigger or has been deleted where he tells Leon, "You rely on those pretty blues too much!" And though I can't find a clip of him saying it anywhere on video (and trust me I've tried like. every playthrough that exists on YouTube ever and if you or anyone else finds one PLEASE SEND IT TO ME I NEED IT FOR. reasons.), it is said in this collection of his lines from the game at 2:50. I'm also going to warn you before you click- volume warning because the first line that comes up is Krauser yelling "DIEEEEE" like a death metal singer and it blew out my eardrums the first time I clicked it. Please help me, I am in pain.

More on Krauser: remember when Leon says right after Luis dies, "You won't get away with this, Krauser"? Well... somebody please tell me why Leon tries to or at least thinks about leaving the fight multiple times during the arena boss battle then? The first time it happens is in the opening cutscene after Krauser says, "I've been waiting for you, rookie" where Leon's already looking for a path to escape before Krauser poses the question, "Worried about the girl, is that it?" (and then he says "That's just like you. You've always had poor judgment" which can be taken in.. a number of ways LOL. Is his judgment poor for trying to save everyone or for going after women instead of men- *gunshot sound*) When the battle kicks off, Krauser says, "Better run, rookie!" to which Leon replies, "Not like I have a choice." Which.. he absolutely has another choice: to fight back. Krauser comments several times about how shaky and unsteady Leon is while facing him, and even says, "What's wrong? Show no mercy!" He knows Leon doesn't want to do this and Leon comments multiple times in both fights against Krauser how Krauser isn't leaving him much choice but to fight him and he can't believe that Krauser is actually making him do this. The next time Leon tries to leave, it's right before Krauser uses his newfound power in las plagas to turn one arm into a weapon (before inevitably doing it to both). "Are we done here, Krauser?" Leon asks. Which makes me wonder. Uh- if he really was done, would Leon just let him walk away at this point? Krauser again comments here how Leon is too soft to do what's necessary - put Krauser out of his misery - and attacks again, knocking Leon down into the labyrinth. The final time that Leon tries to get away, he runs for the drawbridge that closes up on him and the look of pain on his face before Krauser jumps down behind him is.. it's just sad. He's tried multiple times to get away, but now he really has no choice. Every time he tries to run away, something else stops him, and now he has to go through with killing Krauser. Even when Krauser's down, he hesitates to do so for so long and had so much trouble doing so that originally, from what Mike Kovac said, Krauser was going to put his hand on Leon's on the knife to guide him to kill him but they couldn't do that because both of Krauser's arms were mutated (linking the video here. never forget what they took from us.. at 3:07:41). And I think it's worth noting too that this is the only fight where Leon tries so hard to get away. Right after this is the Saddler fight and Leon remarks, "I'll make sure you're the next to go, Saddler" and actually does it without trying to leave once. For the duration of the entire fight, Leon flip flops back and forth between trying to leave and trying to reason with Krauser, and it's such a testament to Leon's character how even after all Krauser has done, he still wants to save him (in fact, neither one of these idiots [affectionate] really wanted to kill each other and you can tell in Krauser's responses to actually killing Leon and the way he plays with his food in the first fight like you said - but it ended in death anyway).. and Leon looking back at Krauser's body in the end like a lost puppy utterly destroys me every time.

Going into a little bit about the parallels of RE2R to RE4R, every character and every boss has parallels to each other. Mendez is like the new Mr. X, some of the boss movements of Krauser in the final fight after he's mutated resemble the stage 1 Birkin fight's movements (specifically they both can grab Leon's head and both have mutations starting with the arms), even something as simple as the Garradors paralleling the Lickers - both unable to see but can hear you and are very quick to kill you with their long claws or something that resembles claws. So it's only natural that certain character dynamics parallel too. When RE4R first came out, I saw some people say that "Luis is the new Marvin Branagh" but I disagree. I think that role rather goes to Krauser - in an equal but opposite way. Both Marvin and Krauser were people meant to train and lead Leon in his line of work, Marvin as his lieutenant and Krauser as his major. They also both refer to Leon as "rookie", and Krauser taught Leon to fight with a knife, just as you receive a combat knife from Marvin in RE2R. Equal characters, but opposites. So no, I think Luis actually instead parallels Ada. At least for Leon. Why? He has a shady past, having worked with Umbrella, much like Ada has a shady past running missions for Wesker as a mercenary. He appears and disappears multiple times, leaving and rejoining Leon just like Ada did in RE2R. And there's a moment where he dies, just the way Leon originally thought Ada did at the end of RE2R except this time Luis actually does die. But what's changed here? Luis was on a mission of redemption, dying a better man than he was before, unlike in RE2R where it ends with Ada and Leon turning on each other before Ada seemingly falls to her death. They're both wounded by a third party - Ada being shot by Annette and Luis being stabbed by Krauser - as well. So if that's not more to the queer coding of Luis, I don't know what is. But I also want to elaborate on my "at least for Leon" point because, even though it's irrelevant to the queer coding, Luis acts as a parallel in Ada's story to Leon. She has to save him, he gets himself into trouble all the time, his heart is often bigger than his brain, he's the one she wants to get her the amber, she pushes him away when he tries to care for her like Leon did in RE2R... the works. Luis was a second chance for both of them to make amends with their Raccoon City past together.

Last thing to note, just... Why is there so much BDSM in this game? Jeezaloo!

But that's just a fun addition, lmao.

Anyway, this video was so good and thank you so much for sharing it with the world! :)

hi happy re4 20th. here's a 50 minute long video to celebrate it

[flo-zoinks]

How would the gang react if you reveal ur a time traveler

Okily dokily!!!!

HOW EACH RDR2 GNG MEMBER WOULD REACT TO YOU BEING A TIME-TRAVELER (MY OPINION)

This is VERY vague. So I'm going to imagine this scenario you're from 1920 USA with lots of inside info on the vld gang cuz theres more I can do w that lol, and a person similar to John in terms of age/likeness/physicality. Imagine this is aprx chap 2.

Arthur - probably not have many questions really, just ask you why you'd come to this time of all times (he thinks you're stupid)

Hosea - only asks if John finally left with his family, and if everything actually does fall to bits. Doesn't really care for asking how he dies himself - In fact he doesn't want you to tell him

Dutch - Immediately asks if he dies for an ideal, or if he becomes someone of great reverence post mortem. When he doesn't like the answer he says he can't be kept by the lines society has decided for him so will disobey and flee "like Cain was once he was shun"

Reverend - says you're either deep in substances or have demons in you. Insists you must be a satanic lunatic and leaves with his head up. Later drunk he reveals he worries you're real and asks if God ever gives him a chance

Pearson - "heh...lemme guess...I'm in the books..ain't I?" "Ok you're lying though"

Sadie - asks when she will die and see Jake, and (if before this) asks if she gets to avenge his death

Charles - questions only on the land, and if the colonists finally destroy all of it by then, and on behalf of the natives. Otherwise tells you he's not interested in what will be otherwise

Micah - knows he's in the history books, so just walks off trying to be nonchalant. "Then I guess you know who I am.." (hes really close and breathing quite loudly)

Abigail - forgets herself to bombard you with questions about Jack and John, if they ever move away, if Jack grows up proper and they live till old. She starts sobbing after

Jack (1907) - wants to know if he becomes a writer, then whilst embarrassed quietly asks if his Father stays for real this time. Later tells you about a book he read with a similar premise. Your answer makes him quiet and hee doesnt speak for a while

John - Can't even think of what to ask, so just says like "ok- do-" then says he'll get back to you when he has something good to ask. Later: "wait-wait I got a good one... (some stupid question about future inventions)"

Trelawny - "I am a magician, too! I suppose we are both similar as such.." however he gets too freaked out and goes back to his family for a while

Javier - IMMEDIATELY only wants to know about the Mexican Revolution; was it successful? Did his family live? Does he return to Mexico? He refuses to believe your answer about him in Mexico in 1911 working for the government, insisting he would never pick that over his own life. Refuses to believe John would be the one to kill him, too. Angrily storms off after threatening you if you spit lies like that again (even if you proved to him ur fr)

Bill - gets scared of you thinking you have some other powers too, but then tries to toughen up and look unafraid. Demands, asks to know if becomes respected and feared in the future. Air punches when he hears he runs his own gang, then just looks straight up HURT hearing John kills him (trying to mask it) "But why wouldn't we be friends?"

Uncle - "you should be well aware then...of when the Lumbago gets to me.. where in the history books is that?"

Molly - quietly asks if everyone grows to like her (very embarrassed). She gets silent after your answer and goes to sit far away in camp for a while. Dutch later says to you that "you better not have put her in some mood"

Karen - says shes too sober for this, promptly grabs a drink and tells you she doesn't have anything to ask, but wishes she did. Avoids you afterwards fearing she was too open with you then.

Tilly - asks if she has a run-in with the foreman boys again. Otherwise then that she asks what cool things have been invented since

Mary-Beth - fascinated by future books, and asks if you have a novel from the future you could show her. She doesn't believe she could ever be a writer so doesn't ask.

Grimshaw - thinks you're a freak for coming here, saying "we are doing just fine! She does inquire about her girls though, if they all do well. She grows very strict with Karen there on, but also nicer

Sean - "do I become the big dog of the camp? Replace ol' king Arthur? Hahaha" a string of random questions , giving you no time to answer each one. He actually walks off before you can answer them thinking of more questions

Lenny - starts thinking if its okay to know about the future before responding, if theres no consequences, or if we as people should be able to. Decides he's better safe then sorry, and asks camp to be responsible. Dutch and him debate this

Kieran - asks if they finally accept him, and if the O'Driscolls come back. Grows very anxious at your response and spends the day cleaning the horses whilst trying to gather his thoughts to act upon.

[starlit-hopes-and-dreams]

Chapter 2 ~ Suffering is the name of the game

Previous ~ Masterlist ~ Next

Genre: Fantasy whump

Also on ao3

CW’s: captivity, restraints, aftermath of torture, broken bones are still there, as are some more visceral descriptions of said broken bones, smth adjacent to domestic abuse except this isn't really a true relationship (she's his whore to be perfectly clear)

WC: 3242

Chapter quote:

“Who’s there?” Nykim asked.   Even with his voice hoarse from screaming, the man managed to make the question more of a demand. A threat.

In which we meet the lead lady in this lovely story :D

AN: Hey, look at that, some caretaking in the second chapter! Huh, I must be going soft or something lol

Riah

Merrick grabbed Riah’s arm in a bruising grip, half dragging her from the room where the sound of that man’s screams lingered despite him having fallen unconscious. The ache in her left hip flared into a ball of electric fire, but she swallowed her cry of pain. Merrick didn’t care. Merrick had done that to her. 

“What the fuck was that in there?” he snarled, throwing her against the wall and nearly ripping her shoulder from the socket in the process. 

A leftover tear tracked down Riah’s cheek as her spine hit unforgiving stone. She ducked her head, allowing her hair to fall forward. The rich brown strands created a curtain, shielding her motions while she swiped it away. 

“I-I’m sorry,” she whispered. 

Stupid was what that had been in there. She hadn’t seen Merrick this angry in a while. She should leave it at that. Grovel, beg for forgiveness, say she’d do better. She knew how he could get, but… the question slipped out anyway. “I don’t understand–” 

A slap cracked across her cheek, whipping her head to the side.

“I don’t need you to understand, you useless whore. I need you to do as you’re told.” 

“Of course,” Riah said to Merrick’s boots, her face burning from more than the mark his hand had left. 

Useless whore, indeed. But why in the pits was she here then? 

At least he’d opened the lamp’s shutter when he’d hung it on the hook outside the chamber. Not that it made much difference; the space was still far too small, but it felt slightly bigger with the uncertainty of the darkness banished. Big enough that she could drag in enough air for the first time since Merrick had brought her back to check on his prisoner. 

“Listen,” Merrick said, grabbing her chin to force her to meet his steely gaze. “Go back in there and watch him. I want evidence of him using magic, you hear me?” 

He glared at her until she nodded, then went on. “Cut his shirt off and watch his back. I broke his kneecaps–he shouldn’t be able to do much more than scream or cry if he’s awake, so watch for that…” 

Mother, he wanted her to watch the man to see if he stopped moaning from the pain? Riah was momentarily distracted by her horror at the thought until she realized he was still talking.

“… but don’t get close to him while he’s awake. And for gods’ sake, stay on the stone. Even chained up and broken, that man is dangerous. Do you understand?” 

She shivered; there was no reason for her not to believe him. Nykim was one of the most feared presences in the city. In fact, Merrick liked to use the threat of gifting her to him as a warning when her behavior was out of line. 

“Yes, I do.” 

She wanted to ask how long she was expected to stay. Merrick had dragged her from bed in the wee hours of the morning, enlisting her aid to carry in what she’d thought was a dead body. He’d thought it was a dead body too, or he would’ve been more angry with her for screaming when the corpse started struggling. 

But Nykim was somehow alive, chained up behind that door, even though Merrick swore he’d stabbed the man multiple times. Dealing with him had cost Riah breakfast and probably her lunch as well at this point. Her stomach grumbled, but she wouldn’t chance asking for anything. Maybe she could slip out once Merrick was gone and grab some bread and water to bring back for her vigil. 

Merrick searched her eyes, looking for the gods’ only knew what, before he framed her face with his hands, pushing her hair back with the gesture. The pads of his fingers rubbed over the set of scars stretching from her hairline at her temples to the upper portion of her cheekbone. His mark. 

“And don’t forget who you belong to while you’re in there staring at another man,” he said softly. 

Biting her lip, Riah nodded, barely breathing. How could she forget, when he’d literally carved his ownership onto her face? How could she forget, when his hands trailed down her neck, her sides, before coming to a rest at her waist? How could she forget, when he dug his thumbs into her hip joints, making her gasp aloud at the bright spark of pain? 

The corner of his mouth tilted up because, of course, Merrick enjoyed her distress, and he increased the pressure on her left hip until tears filled her eyes once again. 

“That’s my girl.” Merrick finally released her, but Riah didn’t take a full breath until he moved away. “Go on.” 

It took effort to peel herself away from the wall, but she did so. She slipped the lamp off the hook and stepped back into that room, trying not to gag at the heavy scent of blood hanging in the air. 

~~~ 

One look, and she’d had to walk straight back out. 

Merrick had turned and raised one eyebrow. Pushing past the rush of anxiety that look provoked, Riah’d told him she needed to clean Nykim’s back, or she wouldn’t be able to see to judge if he healed himself or not. 

Now, a cold sweat prickled her brow as she pressed a cloth that was no longer white to Nykim’s shoulder. She dunked it in water that was no longer clear, rung it out, and went back for another pass. 

The bleeding had slowed. Riah couldn’t say if that was a good thing or not. Couldn’t say if her stomach churned more from the crimson-soaked fabric in her hands or the clearly visible ruin of this man’s back. 

At least she’d gotten used to the thick tang of copper on the back of her tongue. It wasn’t all that different from when she had bitten the inside of her cheek bloody the last time Merrick had used the belt on her. Her back twinged at the reminder, even though it’d been months since she’d pissed him off that badly. 

Those bruises had been nothing in comparison.   

Nykim’s body shuddered when she pressed the cloth to a lash wound that was still sluggishly bleeding, and Riah flinched, her heart jumping into her throat. It wasn’t the first time he’d done that, even unconscious, but it scared her almost senseless each time. 

Her eyes flicked up, ensuring the chains were still stretched tight, holding his arms out to his sides. Even if he woke, he couldn’t hit her, she reminded herself. Or kick her–kneeling on broken kneecaps would ensure that. She supposed he could headbutt her, though, so she made sure to stay out of range in case he roused. 

And she stayed on the stone. No matter that it hurt her knees and aggravated her hip. 

But when she removed the cloth again, she decided that his back was as good as it was going to get. No point staying there, making herself suffer for a man who would only laugh at her pain. A man with a reputation worse than Merrick’s. Gods. 

Biting back a whimper, she rose, gathered her supplies, and limped over to the table at the side of the room. Her eyes slid off the cruel devices of torture littering its surface, including the barbed whip laying in a puddle of coagulated blood, which she placed the washing bowl in front of to hide. 

With nothing else to do, Riah sacrificed some of her clean drinking water to get the blood off her hands and pulled out the stuffed bun she’d swiped from the pocket of her gown. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, but she only took a small bite, chewing carefully before she swallowed. 

The spices in the savory center were probably good, but she couldn’t taste them, not while she was in that room, staring at a back that resembled nothing more than a slab of sloppily butchered meat. 

Half the bun was all she could tolerate, so she wrapped it back up. Shifting from foot to foot was no longer a viable option, her hip all but screaming at her, but what if–oh, screw it. If Merrick returned and found issue with her sitting on the ground, she’d deal with it then. 

She’d rather suffer later than suffer more now. 

Of course, after what felt like hours of sitting on a stone slab watching an unconscious man do nothing more than breathe and occasionally moan, Riah was forced to revise her opinion. Her life was measured in degrees of suffering, and it always would be. 

The degree was rather high right then. Walking back to her quarters was going to be a nightmare. And if Merrick wanted her tonight… the thought brought tears to her eyes. She wouldn’t be able to get out of bed the next day.  

There was nothing she could do about that now, though. Riah decided that maybe moving, miserable as it would be, might serve her better than sitting on hard stone that leached away her body heat. 

Unfortunately, halfway to her feet, one of Nykim’s semi-conscious moans turned into a barrage of curses so colorful that her ears burned. Riah’s foot slipped, and she fell, yelping as her hip hit unyielding stone. 

“Who’s there?” Nykim asked.  

Even with his voice hoarse from screaming, the man managed to make the question more of a demand. A threat. 

Riah froze, her heart thrumming. A quick look at his back revealed no change to its sorry state. She wasn’t sure about the knees, not without touching them, and she’d rather be thrown in the sea of flames than do that now. But why… how could he even speak? 

“There’s… light,” he said, subtly gasping for air between the words. “Are you… the shadow woman?” He tried to turn his head to look but gave up rather quickly, biting back another curse. 

Riah didn’t move. Couldn’t move. 

“Little shadow…” the thief master taunted. 

Bone crunched as the man shifted, and Riah almost threw up her meager meal from earlier. Guess that answered her question about his knees. 

Or–her eyes focused on the obvious deformity of his forearms–maybe it had been those bones shifting. Her stomach churned again, so she looked at the ground, swallowing convulsively. 

“Why are. You here. Little shadow?”  

He couldn’t hurt her he couldn’t hurt her he couldn’t 

“Your breathing sounds… worse. Than mine,” Nykim remarked drily. 

Gods, and what did that say about her? She opened her mouth, intending to say what, she didn’t know. Anything other than what actually came out–

“How are you alive?” Riah cringed, curling in on herself, halfway expecting a blow… from a restrained man. Mother help her. 

That man released a disappointed-sounding sigh. “If you don’t know. Rather not say. Would have to kill you… too, then.” 

She clapped a hand to her mouth, too late to completely stifle her gasp. Impossibly, her heart beat even faster, black flecks dancing in front of her eyes.  

“Fuuuuck,” Nykim groaned, so softly Riah almost missed it under the sound of her throbbing pulse. 

Ironically, the expression of pain soothed the edge of her panic, loosening the tightness in her chest. It reminded her that despite his terrifying reputation, he was still just a man, beaten and bloodied and broken, at the mercy of Merrick, of all people. Perhaps he even deserved this treatment. 

Either way, she wanted to see his face. Wanted to see what expression such a man would wear, brought so low.  

It took her too long. Too long to stand. Too long to work up the nerve to duck under the chain, making sure to only step on the blocks of stone. Too long to raise her head. She probably resembled nothing more than a frightened prey animal. 

Annoyed with herself, Riah set her jaw and forced herself to look. 

Light brown hair–or dark blond, could be either, truly–collected in a braid that fell over his shoulder, the tip of which was flecked with crimson droplets. Several loose strands, soaked with sweat, surrounded a face that reminded her of a fox’s, all sharp edges and angles.

For a moment, she thought his eyes were green. Then he blinked, long dark lashes fanning across high cheekbones before rising once more to reveal pale gray irises. Or were they blue? Blue-gray? She tilted her head, unable to decide and equally unable to stop staring. 

“Hmm, not so little, are you, Shadow?” 

She ripped her gaze free at that, blushing furiously as she took an involuntary step back, only to slam into the brick wall. A hiss escaped her clenched teeth, and she ducked her head, allowing her hair to fall forward. 

That didn’t help. Riah hadn’t considered that removing the prisoner’s shirt would leave his chest bare, just that she needed access to his back. 

Now, she was confronted with a smooth expanse of sculpted, tanned skin littered with thin white scar lines and dusted with golden hair. Hair that trailed lightly through defined abdominals, leading down–her gaze snapped back up to his face, her chin lifting even as her cheeks continued to burn.  

Lips that looked far too soft for a man like him tilted up at the corner, little crinkles appearing around those enigmatic eyes as he… laughed at her? 

She scowled. He was supposed to be cowed, in unimaginable pain, unable to do much besides cry and moan, or perhaps beg for mercy. Not poke fun at her too-tall-for-a-proper-woman height or too-thick-for-a-woman-without-children waist. 

The man huffed, disturbing a few of those loose tendrils of hair, which now curled enticingly around–and she was going to stop herself right there. Gods, he had no right to be this attractive. Or to look so self-satisfied. 

“Like what… you see?” 

“Yes,” she snapped, “I like seeing horrible people like you in the position you’re currently in.” 

The smirk didn’t fall from his face, but the laughter left his eyes. “Yes, of course. I deserve–” 

Something shifted in his arm, something that made that awful bone-on-bone sound she was so familiar with from her hip, and he cut off, pursing his lips as his face lost all color. 

It wasn’t until then that she noticed the other signs of pain she’d conveniently missed before. The tension in his thighs, evident through the tight black material of his pants. The way his chest rose and fell a bit too fast. The barely visible sheen of sweat coating his skin. 

This man was in agony, but instead of moaning or screaming or even demanding she help him, he was sitting there on shattered knees, hanging from broken arms, conversing with her. Oh, and couldn’t forget his shredded back. 

Gods, she was a terrible person. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t. I didn’t mean that.”  

“Yeah, you did,” Nykim panted. “Which–fuck–which is curious, considering the… shit company you keep.” 

Riah winced. 

“Don’t suppose… you could loosen the chains?” He didn’t look at her, like he already knew the answer. 

She didn’t bother to respond. 

“Yeah, okay. It’s okay.” 

The most notorious pack master in the city, one rumored to skin people alive and keep their bones as ornaments in his home, was reassuring her? It was an act. It had to be an act. 

But Riah wasn’t made of stone. She couldn’t do anything about his position; Merrick would notice for sure. But maybe she could… 

Her breath punched out of her at the current of pain shooting down her leg when she pushed away from the wall. Hopefully, he wouldn’t notice the hitch in her gait as she ducked under his chains; it probably wouldn’t be wise to let him know she had any weaknesses, even if he was restrained.   

He looked surprised when she returned with her cup of water, and downright shocked when she awkwardly pressed it to his lips from where she stood on the stone. Had she been any smaller, she wouldn’t have been able to bridge the gap at all. 

Riah allowed him to gulp down half the cup before pulling it away. “Do you… want something to eat?” 

Prisoners still needed fed and watered, right? She didn’t really know–Merrick didn’t normally involve her in pack business, not in this way. 

Setting the cup aside, she pulled out the other half of the bun she’d been unable to eat earlier, peeling back the wrapping to show it to him. 

“I ate some already, but if you don’t care about that, you can have the rest…” 

There was a certain calculating way he eyed the food, but when Nykim nodded, she reached out, offering it to him. What could he possibly do, anyway? 

His teeth flashed as he bit into the bun, so awfully close to her fingers that some ideas occurred to her after all. 

Reflexively, she snatched her hand back, trembling. Stupid, she was so stupid, offering to hand-feed this man. He could bite her fingers off and not even bat an eye while doing it. 

Resignation flashed in Nykim’s eyes, there and then gone. His eyelids fluttered closed as he chewed and swallowed, the pink tip of his fox tongue darting out to capture a stray crumb. 

“Thanks,” he whispered, letting his chin drop to his chest.

Gods, he looked so tired. Riah stared at him, trying to figure him out. His reputation wasn’t exactly matching up to the man in front of her. Maybe it was situational, but all he had done was tease her when he could’ve been demanding, demeaning, or downright cruel.  

He might be the world’s best con man, but her heart twinged nonetheless. Watching people suffer had never been her favorite pastime. And it would be unfair if she offered food only to take it away after one bite.   

Still, it took her several moments to calm her racing heart and gather the courage to try again. 

“You–I, um.” Riah bit her lip when he raised his head once more. Mother, his gaze was intense. “Here.” She thrust out the crumbling remains of the bun. “Don’t bite me? Please?” 

One eyebrow raised, Nykim slowly took another bite, watching her face the entire time. When she didn’t pull away again, he made short–but careful–work of the rest. The only contact made with her person was his lips brushing her fingertips when he took the last morsel. 

She snatched them back as if burned, then quickly bent to retrieve the water cup to hide her smile at the mischief she’d read in his eyes. 

Too charismatic, this one. Which was a danger all on its own, one she knew all too well. 

Still, she found herself frowning as she traced the lines of tension creasing his brow while she helped him drink. She still couldn’t imagine how he was functioning, but the proof of pain was undeniably written on his face and in the way he held his body. 

There was no evidence of magic use that she could determine. Merrick probably wouldn’t be happy about that. 

The squeal of the hinges on the door nearly stopped Riah’s heart, and she snatched the cup from Nykim’s lips, hiding it behind her back as she stumbled away from the prisoner.    

Merrick’s eyes burned into her from over Nykim’s shoulder, never leaving her as he stalked toward the unshuttered lamp on the table.  

Forget the magic. He wasn’t happy with her. 

Next

Taglist (lmk if you'd like to be added/removed): @pleasestaywithmedarling

[applebrooklyn]

India bears a disproportionately large burden of the world's tuberculosis rates, with World Health Organization (WHO) statistics for 2011 giving an estimated incidence figure of 2.2 million cases for India out of a global incidence of 9.6 million cases.

Tuberculosis is one of India's biggest health issues, but what makes this problem even worse is the recent discovery of Totally Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis, TDR-TB. This issue of drug resistance began with MDR-TB, moved to XDR-TB and, as of 2021, has grown to embrace the most dangerous form, TDR-TB.

The cost of this death and disease to the Indian economy between 2006 and 2014 was approximately US$1 billion.

Another major cause for the growth of TB in India has to do with its standing as a developing country. A study of Delhi slums has correlated higher scores on the Human Development Index and high proportions of one-room dwellings tend to correlate with TB at higher rates.[16] Poorly built environments, including hazards in the workplace, poor ventilation, and overcrowded homes have also been found to increase exposure to TB

( Their own living situation is causing them death and suffering, and bad wiring is causing summer fires)

It’s a fun fact and a reality check education hour.

I do agree with you. The world is living through a silent pandemic for years and it's the worst in India. We are struggling with it since pre independence era. The first sanatorium was established in 1905 or 1906, if I remember correctly, and even now, if you go to any of the colder places or hill stations, you will find these delepidated buildings which once used to be a sanatorium. One of them is near my college as well.

In 1951, the GOI launched a mass vaccination program for BCG and in 1962, National Tuberculosis Control Project was launched. As a young nation, we did well. Goverment's efforts were commendable. But soon enough, in late 1970s, we realised BCG vaccine isn't exactly working. This should have prompted the government to take an action, but nothing happened. Although, I would like to add here that some say that some data was lost between 1978-1979 (if my memory serves me right) and if we took that in account, the vaccine was working just fine. I would leave this to your discretion.

The world then saw the emergence of HIV in 1984. We too had cases of HIV infection. We did not knew until 1986. Until then, many were infected with HIV and TB was it's most common secondary infection. In 1992, we reported our first MDR TB case as well.

So we were in a hot soup. No vaccine, HIV, increasing population, recession, political upheaval, communication gap between the government and the masses, poor sanitation, lack of knowledge in public, MDR.

In 1993, TB was declared a global emergency and in the same year, Revised NTCP was piloted. We had our objectives clear—85% cure rate and 70% detection rates. And we did it. The catch—it took us 13 years!

Now, time is an asset. Even more so in the case of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. There is a whole catalogue of 17000 mutations which may lead to multi drug resistance. Bacteria are quick to reproduce and respond. They are exceptional at defence and time constraints are tight. Safe to say, the devil works fast, but bacteria work faster. Sadly, we did not realise it at that time. In 2012, we then encountered a rather strange strain that was resistant to all the first line and second line drugs—the TDR strain. As if MDR-TB wasn't a nuisance enough. The MDR-TB treatment has a success rate of only 54%. WHO reported roughly 3.4 lakh deaths due to TB in India in 2022 and 1.1 lakh were due to MDR-TB. We had record TB cases in 2023.

But yes, we are working on it. We are a big country with a big population. Population burden is always going to be an issue. We can't run from it. We are working on sanitation, it is taking time, but it will hopefully happen in its due course. In 2023, we became the first country to make a mathematical model to estimate the cases of tuberculosis. According to that, there was an 11 % reduction in the case of TB in 2022 as compared to 2023.

Government has launched NSP for Tuberculosis elimination (2017-2025). We have NiKshay ecosystem (under which the mathematical model has been developed), we have Nikshay poshan Yojana for financial support of TB patients. The scientists are doing their due. Two vaccines are under phase 3 clinical trials. Drugs are being developed. Rifampicin derivatives, BDQ, Delaminid etc.

So yeah, it's an uphill battle and we have made many mistakes. But if all of us do our respective parts, we still have a chance to overcome it.

[crocksyo]

What's that feeling you get as your GYN turns on their headlamp and ask you to scoot to the edge..... further...

further......

more...

more....

bit more.....

more... .

further...

[shinozaki-ayumi]

seeing ayumi slander in current year... disappointing...

[doomer-soyjack]

Thought about talking to others about shared interests and immediately got bored and fed up.

[woo-lesbeano]

Today in my university class we were presenting our end of semester videos. One of my classmate's video was completely drawn, really well done, but a somewhat... distinct style.

So I went up to him after class and went - "Hey, dude, can I ask you a question?"

He goes - "yeah, sure."

So I ask - "Did you read Homestuck in middle school?"

And the question hit him with such a degree of psychic damage he just immediately keeled over coughing.

Anyways, I was right.

[namtanlovesfilm]

DAMNNN, they kinda popped off on step by step! would be a fair point to make if it wasn't itself a bl show profiting off lgbtq+ relationships but oh well 🤭

[sleepy-stitches]

hello tumblr user sleepy stitches why am i willing to die for ur yuri ocs despite only having seen one line of dialogue from both of them?

sincerely, me

hi tumblr user verysharpfish,

thank you for writing in. at the top of this post i would like to clarify that pahrsi was made by my good friend rye beans, so i cannot at all take credit for her. ariane is my girl though. i would love to blend her. she sucks.

to answer your question, i think it is because they are both completely fucking insane. the dialogue in question is one i picked because i think it's wild out of context, but it stays equally insane in context? this exchange happens maybe two hours after they've met, after pahrsi has stitched up a particularly icky wound ariane has in the back of her leg (obtained from other yuri. thats a story for a different post though). they literally met at a casino and pahrsi talked ariane into taking her back to her place to stitch her up. as a complete stranger. because she thought it would be fun. i need to send her to the shredder.

the whole reason they find themselves drawn to each other in the first place is because they both have girlfriends that they have kind of rocky relationships with, and they remind each other of those girlfriends. it's kind of a weird rebound situation except if they never did anything explicitly romantic and instead just kind of danced around the fact that they're obviously attracted to each other for like two entire years. they make me fucking crazy.

oh and every exchange they have is equally insane. they always talk like this. im struggling to pick my favourite one to add at the end here because all of it is really really good. i think this one is a classic; this is barely a third of the conversation these two have about ariane's potential to kill pahrsi.

what the FUCK is wrong with them

[mad-hunts]

@question-marked asked: “are you making fresh pasta?”

barton managed to barely hear eddie over the sound of two of his kids arguing in the background — who seemed to be jack and matilda, respectively, as he would soon call out to them using their names in his native tongue. but the fact remained that he had heard him and so after he essentially told them to ' get along ' in french, barton turned to face the other. he was currently kneading what looked to be some kind of dough with his hands, ❝ sorry, they've been unusually argumentative today with each other. you're going to have to excuse them. but yeah... lucky for you, you caught me right in the middle of making dinner. ❞

barton seemed to have some experience as he hadn't gotten any of the dough on his hands and it seemed to be quite close to having the right texture (not too dry, and not too wet). and truthfully, he did as the recipe he'd gotten for chicken alfredo from winslow? it called for homemade noodles so he figured he might as well try his hand at it. though barton still wasn't good at certain aspects of it, like actually rolling the dough through the pasta maker. a purposely overdramatic sigh left his lips then, ❝ ahh, but i'm really no good at rolling the dough through the pasta maker myself. if only there were someone here who could do it for me. ❞ he discretely looked over to edward afterward as if to say ' i'm totally not talking about you here, but also, i am. ' barton really didn't like to look like he wasn't an expert at things in the kitchen after all when he'd been cooking so long.

but this was only his second time making this, so he supposed it was more than reasonable for him to still struggle with it. barton stopped kneading the dough and looked at edward through squinted eyes as if analyzing him, ❝ i'm still a bit confused as to why you would come here when you're not injured. would you mind telling me again why you're here, considering i don't think you like me enough to be here simply for a social call? oh, and while you're doing that, could you also get me that dough cutter over there? thanks, ❞ a small unreadable smile ghosted across his features while he gestured towards the blade a little ways away from him. edward had honestly given him no reason to hate him, so as it stood, he felt rather ambivalent towards him. ❝ say, you aren't a vegetarian... right? because i'm making chicken alfredo. and enough to feed a small army, probably, so you can definitely have some. ❞

[sunbedo]

Hey guys. gay rights

[pepprs]

idk how to reconcile my new self with my old self. also i fucking hate waiting. GRAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[shadwife]

Tumblr gives you such a skewed perception of the world. At jury selection, we were asked if a police officer was giving a testimony, would we be less inclined to believe them simply because of their occupation, and I was one of like two or three people that stood up. Out of a hundred people. Get 100 random people in a room and 97% of them don’t hate the police? Being online has you thinking the world’s against them.