#marriage of inconvenience my ass

[katoska]

I keep rotating this thought and it won't stop turning.

BJ in movie1: "Maybe you can help me get out of here. Because I gotta tell you, this dead thing, it's just too creepy" [...] "I want out, for good. In order to do that, hey, I gotta get married."

Betel wanted to get out of being dead, permanently, and he needed to marry a living person to do it.

What's the difference between being not-dead for good, and immortality?

What are the chances that there are two ways in which you can gain immortality through marriage?

[thinkinonsense]

Bewitched: The Rake and The Risk

˖⋆࿐໋ james logan howlett ✦ bridgerton au series

bewitched masterlist

chapter two

cw: flirting (mix of 1800s and modern day), jealousy, old time thoughts of women and marriage, james is a slut

pairing: viscount!logan howlett x fem!reader

a/n: sorry this is later than intended! i try to aim for a new chapter every friday but college is kicking my ass right now. next chapter will be longer!! also!! if you want to be tagged for the bewitched series please comment on the original bewitched masterlist post linked above this<3 there are so many of you lovely readers who want to be tagged and i need a more organized way to find everyone to add. sorry for the minor inconvenience. i appreciate every one of you!!

main masterlist

in all the twenty-nine years of knowing james howlett, lady chamberlain never would have pictured him coming to her home to ask about the eligible bachelorettes of the ton.

"what do you want to know, my dear?" lady chamberlain asked, sipping a cup of tea as the two of them sat in the living room.

"i am coming to you because as you know, my mother is expecting me to wed sooner rather than later and i was wondering whom might be the best women to seek out this season." james said, lying through his teeth.

if james really wanted to know who the best women this season were, he would've just opened the latest issue of lady cavanaugh. both of them knew this but it was more fun for lady chamberlain to tease the viscount.

"hm.." she smiles. "anyone in particular?"

"no."

the lie falls with ease. too much ease but lady chamberlain sees right through him.

"well, i did take note last night that the only lady you danced with was lady worthington's niece." she remarks slyly.

"the french girl?" he asks, playing coy. "i think i remember her."

lady chamberlain wasn't going to play games with the boy in front of her.

"i would hope so, you seemed quite fawned of her."

"i don't know if i would say that much."

"hm, so you don't want to know who she's planning to attended the mask ball with?" lady chamberlain smirks, knowing she's got him hooked.

everyone in the ton looked forward to the queens mask ball each season. it was the perfect way to help break the usual ice of finding 'the one'. that's where most couples tend to meet for the first time.

"let me guess..." james rolls his eyes. "prince harrison?"

lady chamberlain shrugs, placing her tea cup back on the dish. "the two of them talked quite a bit after you stormed off. she seems quite smitten with him."

"it's the first ball of the season. she has plenty of time to look for a better husband." he scoffs.

"well, dear... there are people who search their whole lives for something that's been right in front of them the entire time."

the elderly woman's words rang true in the room but james was far too in denial to notice them. instead, his ego was eating him alive. why would you not jump at the opportunity to be with the viscount?

˖⋆࿐໋

this afternoon was the queen's annual tea party. all the ton's debutantes gather to make friends and share their predictions for this season. anxiously, you paced the cobblestones outside, waiting for the carriage to pick you up.

"dear, it's not lady-like to pace back and forth." your aunt calls out from the doorway.

"my apologies," you reply, not stopping your feet.

"you're snagging the hem of your gown!"

thank heavens that the carriage was approaching. she waves you off, wishing you luck on your first adventure alone in the ton, wishing desperately she could join you.

your goal today is to make at least one friend. you'll even settle for an allied.

once you arrive at the queen's castle, you step inside. covered in soft pastels, flowers, and butterflies; you immediately feel calm. everyone is chatting and sipping tea at the tables. you sit down in the first available seat.

"you're the diamond, correct?" someone whispered next to you asks.

you turn your head to see a blonde girl to the right. she's wearing a soft yellow dress that doesn't quite fit her right.

"correct." you nod, offering the girl a smile to which she returns.

"shouldn't you be sat with the queen?" she asks, nodding to one of the beautiful girls surrounding the queen.

"probably but this was the first seat i saw." you joke, sipping on your tea.

the girl laughs with a small nod and introduces herself. her name is bridget and her father is a jewelry maker for the queen.

"i saw you dancing with the viscount last night at the ball." she smiles. "do you fancy him?"

almost choking on your tea, you shake your head.

"no, no, no. i don't fancy the viscount." you state.

bridget hesitates, watching your body language closely. the pressure gets you to speak up again.

"why do you ask?"

"because the viscount is a major rake."

the word rake rolls off her tongue with pure disgust. you'd never heard someone with such respect as a viscount be called something so dishonorable. rakes were known for their ability to seduce and lead on women with no promise of marriage.

"but he talks of his desire for a wife?" you question, more to yourself than to bridget but alas, she answers anyway.

"only because his mama is practically begging for a viscountess." bridget whispers.

you suppose this made sense due to the fact that most rakes never even intend to wed and after your conversation with james last night, he made it clear that marriage was not something he craved.

"trust me, you aren't the first lady to attempt to tie down the viscount. well, at least you have a shot since you're the diamond this season and all." the blonde girl rambles.

"oh, heavens no!" you repeat.

"hm, that's sad..." she sighs. "he is quite handsome."

"most definitely but i intend to wed for pure reasons."

"if that's truly the case, stay as far away from the viscount as possible."

˖⋆࿐໋

for the rest of the afternoon, bridget's words stuck to the front of your brain. if james wasn't so intolerable, perhaps he would make a good husband to someone.

once everyone finished with their tea, you decided to go sketch in wisteria park. the weather was beautiful outside and gave you the perfect inspiration needed to work on a new piece. normally, you would only draw on the sides of the letters written to your father back home. no one was more supportive of you than your parents. in a world where women mean nothing more than their wombs to society, it was rare to have parents who let their daughters have dreams.

sat on a patch of grass near the small pond, you set up your quill, small tray of paints, and paper. in the area where you decided to sit, across from you stood a beautiful cherry tree. as you work on the outline, you can hear footsteps approaching.

"i should've known i would find you here." a familiar voice says.

you don't even glacé up at the person near you, paying no mind to the man who seeks your attention most.

"do you want something, my lord?" you ask, fighting the urge to roll your eyes.

james' head spun every time those last two words fell from your lips, sounding to pretty the way that they roll of your tongue.

"you may call me, logan." he says. "if you so wish."

"logan?" you cock a brow, finally looking up at him.

"it's my middle name." he replies awkwardly.

"hm..." you pretend to ponder for a moment. "that's far too personal for me."

" 'too personal'? how might that be?"

james stands arms crossed against the cherry tree, glaring in your direction. you don't rush to answer his question instead you continue adding details to the branches and trees. he huffs under his breath, clearly irritated your lack of interest in him.

"well, we have no intentions to be together this season and we aren't friends so, there's no need for nicknames and such." you reply nonchalantly.

"you don't know my intentions"

a sweet giggle escapes you. james brushes off the warmth flooding his chest, rather focusing on topic at hand.

"oh, i bet i do."

suddenly, you drop your quill and give him your undivided attention.

"why are you even here, james?" you sigh.

"i was visiting an old friend this morning and wanted a stroll through the park."

"an old friend?"

the words left your lips before you could stop yourself. james was quick to notice the tone shift. he smirks, walking over to you and sitting on the grass to your right.

"mhm..." he hums.

"is she viscountess material?" you scoff, returning to your scribbles.

"and why would you care?"

why did you care? it's not like the two of you really know each other; yet, something about james made your blood boil. perhaps it was how he has a near perfect life and somehow still complains. he has no issues in finding a partner because everyone wants him. if he didn't have his head up his own ass, he would realize that.

"i don't."

"sounds like you do."

james liked watching your face scrunch up at little with dislike for him. how your pressure on the quill increases. how you avoid his gaze. how you pretend he doesn't exist next to you.

"i don't." you repeat. "i just cannot believe that someone like you is complaining about having to take a wife when all the women of the ton are smitten with you."

"someone like me?" james pretends to be offended but he was too busy enjoying this riled up version of you.

"someone who never gone with unmet needs, never struggled financially, never been under minded or overlooked." your words come out sharp but james doesn't let them cut deep.

"look, sweetheart..." he squints those hazel eyes, glaring deep into your soul and leaning in closer than he should've. "you know nothing of my families struggles."

"and you know nothing of mine."

james was so close to you. your noses almost touching before you pull away. being within his close proximity made you feel a foreign warm tingle deep in your stomach.

thank heavens that the park was empty, minus the two of you. the last thing you needed was for someone to see the two of you this close and label you as one of the viscounts mistresses.

"i-i must get going." you stutter, collecting your belongings.

"where are you off to?" he asks.

"i'm supposed to be accompanying lady chamberlain and prince harrison to dinner this evening."

his face scrunches with distaste at the mention of the prince. also, why would lady chamberlain hide this piece of information from him?

"isn't it quite early to prepare for dinner?"

"i must look perfect for the prince." you smile.

but not at james. you're smiling for that no good excuse of a prince who couldn't see that you already were perfect.

"you look fine to me." he huffs.

"it's vocabulary like that, that keeps you from finding a wife."

"and to think it was my insufferable personality that kept the ladies of the ton away."

it's difficult to hide the laugh you want to let out. instead you bite down on your cheek, not giving him the satisfaction of your laughter.

"ha ha ha." you mock dryly.

"do you always have a stick up your ass?"

james question makes your jaw drop. never in your life have you heard a man speak so vulgarly.

"that's no way for a viscount to speak to a lady." you scold. he can't help but roll his eyes at your comment.

"i'm sure that a man has spoken even more colorfully to you."

"what are you insinuating, my lord?"

"that i highly doubt a lady such as yourself still has her virtue." he shrugs.

never has your head spun so fast at a single sentence. you couldn't fathom that a rake like him has the nerve to question anyone's virtue.

"excuse me, viscount howlett but my virtue is none of your business." you rage. "and you have quite the nerve to question it."

"and why's that?"

james was playing with fire but he didn't mind getting scorched by your flames.

"i've heard the stories about you."

"like what?"

"like what you do with the promiscuous women of the night." your words leave a smirk plastered on his face as he watches you intensely.

"don't act so innocent either." james hums. "i'm sure you've had your fair share of promiscuous adventures in france."

a flush of red hits at your cheeks. the last person you wanted to talk about promiscuous acts with is james. mostly because your lack there of. only your own hands have touched you so intimately.

james studies your facial expression before it clicks for him. he shouldn't ask. he really shouldn't. but come on, he has to.

"have you never—" his words come to a halt when there's a ruffled noise inching closer.

"i'm under no obligation to answer you, viscount howlett." you scold, collecting your belongings.

"hm... seems like you've already answered my question." his cocky tone sends you over the edge of annoyance.

"shouldn't you be more concerned with finding a wife rather than my virtue? this season will be over before you know it and you will need to find one sooner rather than later."

james admired the way you spoke with such sharpness. you were shy and reserved but the weight of your words were heavy. there was grace in the way you spoke and he loathed it.

he loathed how perfect you were. how absolutely perfect you would fit into his life. how perfect you would be at being his little wife. only needing to plan parties and open your womb to his child. he would never stop you from your dream of painting either. all he wants is someone who can handle the duties that come with being his other half.

by the time james snaps out of his thoughts, you are long gone. off to get ready for your date with a man who's twice as rich as him and much more likable. the only thing he could do is hope that nothing good comes from this dinner.

──★

i'll tag everyone else who commented in the morning when i wake up <3

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[thestrangesthell]

Beetlejuice truly loves Lydia.

The why of it all is a different kettle of fish altogether and, in all honesty, it doesn’t really matter. He loves her and she can genuinely do no wrong by his books.

Delores is shown as one of the “loves of my [Betelgeuse’s] life” during MacArthur’s Park, alongside Lydia (and a dog - which is coincidentally Burton’s, thrown in as a last-minute gag). Despite what she did to him, Betelgeuse legitimately and canonically acknowledges her as someone he loved.

But she killed him.

Yes and he killed her too. She’s out for revenge and he…kinda isn’t too fussed about her having killed him. He’s too fixated on Lydia to care all that much, and her threat mostly reads as a major inconvenience to him that she might come between himself and Lydia. Even if he was successful in marrying Lydia and came back to life, Delores could just suck his soul anyway.

Delores did Betelgeuse wrong and he has no feelings left there for her, despite calling her one of the loves of his (After)life.

Lydia, on the other hand, has handed Betelgeuse’s ass to him twice.

Not once but twice has she managed to escape a marriage - the second one involving a contract (which, if you ask me, absolutely did not depend on rule 699. That was bullshit and I will not be persuaded otherwise). But Betelgeuse barely tried to stop her when she sent him back. He hissed at her.

Huh?

We know he’s more powerful than that.

Infinitely.

At the end, when he reappears beside her in bed, (leaving that saucy little imprint), we as the audience know he’s still haunting her. He will not. Let. Her. Go. That man is committed as fuck, even after Lydia has bested him over and over again.

Why?

He loves her.

I would happily wager my life on the idea that, while Lydia was saying his name three times at the end of the movie, Betelgeuse let her. As another user Tumblr brilliantly pointed out, MacArthur’s Park is a farewell song. He knew he was against the clock, fate and some inexplicable loophole. That said, no one knows Afterlife rules quite like Betelgeuse. I refuse to believe he didn’t know bringing Lydia into the Afterlife would cost him their contract (and yes, I’m clearly still bitter). Either that, or he was a lovesick fool who was too excited to turn her down.

I digress.

MacArthur’s Park is a farewell song. Betelgeuse played that wedding out in excruciating detail to give Lydia some kind of amusement. He clearly knows what’s happened in her life and he wants to give her something special. He did the whole shebang, made it magical, (we all know how excited Lydia is to float at the end of the first movie) and something to remember. But his love for her is so deep he wouldn’t want her marrying him without actually genuinely wanting to.

Betelgeuse let the love of his life destroy him rather than risk destroying the trust they had built.

You saw Lydia’s face when she looked at what was left of him on the floor. She’s feeling guilty as hell. He’s haunting her because she lets him. She. Can’t. Let. Him. Go.

They’re utterly alone, together.

🪲🕷️

[mopopshop]

headcannons about taurasi when reader and her are arguing , angst, possible smut 👀

Lost Love

Summary: DT’s late practices are straining her marriage to Aniyah (reader). As loneliness and unspoken words drive apart, both must confront their unraveling relationship and search for a way back to each other.

y’all this might be too angsty honestly LMAO but i’m actually kinda proud of it😓🙏🏾

send more requests!! i’m gonna close them after tomorrow

It’s once again another late night, alone, sad, and in the dark.

Diana’s practices have been getting later and later these past few weeks. You’ve tried to be understanding, tried to support her as best as you can. After all, you knew what you were signing up for when you married a professional athlete. But tonight, it feels like the loneliness has swallowed you whole.

When you finally hear the sound of keys jangling at the door, you sit up, your heart heavy with a mix of anticipation and dread. Diana steps in, looking exhausted and barely acknowledging your presence. 

"Hey," she mumbles, dropping her bag by the door.

"Hey," you reply, trying to keep your voice steady. "Another late night."

She shrugs, not meeting your eyes. "Yeah, practice ran over. Again."

There’s a tension in the air, thick and palpable. You’ve had this conversation too many times before, and yet, here you are again, hoping for a different outcome.

"D, we need to talk," you start, your voice trembling slightly.

"About what?" she snaps, her tone sharper than intended. "I’m tired, okay? Can we do this later?"

"No, we can’t," you say, standing your ground. "We’ve been putting this off for too long. I’m tired too, D. Tired of feeling like I’m not a priority in your life."

Her eyes finally meet yours, and you see a flicker of guilt before she hardens her expression. "You knew what this was when we got together. This is my career. This is important."

"And what about us?" you ask, your voice breaking. "Aren’t we important? I— I am your wife for christ’s sake! 

She sighs, running a hand over her face. "Yeah I fuckin’ know that. I’m the one who goddamn proposed to you Niyah-“

"But it doesn't feel like it anymore!" you shout, cutting her off. The dam of your pent-up frustration and hurt bursts open. "You act like your career is the only thing that fucking matters! When was the last time we had a real conversation? When was the last time you actually listened to me?"

Diana's eyes flash with anger. "I am doing everything I can! Do you think I wanna- wanna come home to this? You think I enjoy arguing with you? Being yelled at after practice? I’m working my ass off every damn day to support us, babe. I'm giving it my all out there!

"And what about in here?" you counter, pointing to the space between you. "What about giving your all to this marriage? I feel like I'm just an inconvenience to you now, D. Like I'm something you have to deal with instead of someone you want to be with."

She shakes her head, her jaw tight. "That's not fair. You know how demanding this job is. You knew it from the start."

"Knowing it and living it are two different things," you say, tears welling up in your eyes. "I can't keep pretending that everything's okay when it's not. I can't keep sitting here every night, wondering if you'll even remember to come home."

Diana throws her hands up in exasperation. "What do you want from me, Niyah? To quit? To give up everything I've worked for?"

"I want you to fight for us as hard as you fight on that court!" you cry, your voice trembling. "I want to feel like I matter to you, like I'm not just some fuckin’ second thought."

Diana clenches her fists, moving closer so now the two of you are yelling inches apart. "You're not a second thought," she insists, but the conviction in her voice wavers. "But I can't drop everything for you. I can't just walk away from my career."

"I'm not asking you to walk away," you reply, your tone desperate. "I'm asking you to find a balance. To show me that you care. To make some time for us, for me."

Diana's eyes narrow, her frustration boiling over. "Balance? You think that's easy? Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep up with everything? To stay at the top of my game? I can't just turn it off when I come home!"

"And I can't just turn off my feelings!" you shout back, shoving her lightly. "Every night, I'm here waiting, hoping you'll walk through that door and actually see me. But jesus D, it's like I'm invisible to you.”

You turn down the hallway, stalking towards your room as Diana follows you. 

“D, don’t fuckin’ follow me I’m done with this shit and I’m tired” you say exasperatedly and huff your way into a sitting position on the bed, trying to speak over her

"No! I am gonna follow you and I am gonna keep talking ‘cause that shit you just said isn’t  true, Niyah," she says, her voice rising. "I do see you. But I can't always be here. I have responsibilities, commitments. This is my life!"

"And what about our life?" you counter, your voice trembling with anger and hurt. "What about the promises we made to each other? Does any of that matter to you anymore?"

Diana looks away, the conflict in her eyes clear. "Of course it matters," she mutters, but the words sound hollow.

"Then why does it feel like you're choosing everything else over us?" you ask, your voice breaking. "I need you, Diana. I need you to be present, to be here. Not just physically, but emotionally."

She takes a deep breath, her frustration palpable. "I genuinely don't know what you want from me, Niyah. I'm doing the best I can."

"Your best isn't enough!" you shout, the words hanging in the air like a final blow. "I need more. We need more."

Diana's face hardens, her eyes flashing with anger. "And I need you to understand that I can't always give more. This is my career, my dream. I can't sacrifice that."

"And I can't keep sacrificing my happiness," you reply, your voice barely above a whisper. "I love you, D… I love you so so much— but I can't keep living like this. Feeling like I'm always waiting for you to remember that I exist."

The silence that follows is deafening, the weight of your words settling heavily between you. Diana's shoulders slump, the fight seeming to drain out of her.

"I don't know how to fix this," she finally says, her voice low and strained. "I don't know if I can."

"Neither do I," you admit, tears streaming down your face. "But something has to change, Diana. We can't keep going on like this."

Diana looks at you, her expression a mixture of pain and resignation. "Maybe... maybe we need some space. To figure things out. To see if this can even work."

The words hit you like a punch to the gut, but deep down, you know she's right. "Yeah," you say, your voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe you should go."

Diana nods slowly, the decision weighing heavily on both of you. She turns and heads toward the bedroom door, pausing briefly as if to say something, but the words never come. Instead, she grabs a few essentials and heads back to the living room to gather her things.

As she leaves, the sound of the door closing behind her feels final, like a chapter ending in your life. You sit on the edge of the bed, the tears flowing freely now. The loneliness you've been feeling these past few weeks intensifies, and the emptiness of the house seems to swallow you whole.

You lie down, curling into a ball as the sobs wrack your body. The bed feels too big, too cold without her. You clutch the pillow where her scent still lingers, but it offers little comfort.

The silence is deafening, broken only by your muffled cries. You lie there, heartbroken and alone, wondering how it all came to this and if there will ever be a way to bridge the gap that's grown between you and the woman you love.

———

[jenthebug]

OMG, it happened.

For the first time in our five year marriage, I’m annoyed with Husband. 😂

Not mad. He didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, he was running an errand that I hate (Costco) when this happened.

He bought a giant bag of vegetables that we don’t need, that takes up a ton of room in the freezer.

I’m trying to stuff the freezer with soups so we don’t have to cook much during recovery, and now there’s a big-ass bag of veggies where there should be tupperwares of soup.

So I’m going to do the reasonable thing and use them up, along with all the other frozen food that I can. Dinner? Chicken nuggets, tater tots, and veggie mix. Dinner tomorrow? Patty melts and veggie mix. Lunch? Rice bowls and veggie mix. Snack? Potstickers and veggie mix.

All the broccoli and carrots and cauliflower, all the time. Hell, I might even buy berries and try veggie mix smoothies, idgaf.

I am incredibly fortunate. Husband did too much of a good thing, went off-list at Costco and got reasonably priced healthy food at an inconvenient time. And THAT’S what annoyed me for the first time in five years.

Compare that to my ex-husband, who did shit like neglect to pay the bills or clean the house, buy a video game system with household money, smack my ass in public, and worse. He annoyed me on a nearly daily basis.

Anyway, I hope Husband is in the mood for lots of veggies lol

[graciereadshannigram]

hey fam, welcome to the September round up of all my favorite fics i read this month!!

as a reminder: the ingredients for a five star rating typically (but not always!!) include some combination of a.) believable characterizations of both Hannibal and Will, b.) compelling plot and/or character arcs, and c.) high quality smut.

that being said, my judgment of the aforementioned ingredients is powered almost exclusively by vibes and as such, is incredibly subjective.

you can find past recs below:

February March April May June July August

and if you have any recs of your own for me, PLEASE SHARE.

without further ado, let's go!

Marriage of Inconvenience by FragileTeacup

Word Count: 3563 Summary: When Will Graham hears that Hannibal Lecter has been threatened with deportation, he's far more dismayed than he ever thought he would be. But a flippant suggestion from Brian Zeller gives him an idea...

GREEN CARD FAKE MARRIAGE YES PLEASE.

Nakama by FragileTeacup

Word Count: 55656 Summary: Hannibal Lecter is handsome, clever, rich, Omegan... and quite oblivious to the fact that he is hopelessly in love with his brusque Alpha mentor, Will. Will Graham has always looked out for Hannibal, occasionally despairing of his young protégé's spoiled nature but valuing his companionship just the same. They are the best of friends. But when Hannibal finds himself in the grip of a late first heat, both men are forced to confront feelings which neither are prepared for... Nakama, a Regency A/B/O romance based on Emma by Jane Austen. Featuring beautiful art by the wonderful beatricenius!

I really enjoyed reading this, but also I love omega Hannibal and the angst in this was just *chefs kiss*

Peaches and Cream by The_Gemini_Dragon

Word Count: 5757 Summary: Hannibal picks up one of the jars, turning it over in his hands. He hasn't expected Will to can his own food. He pops the lid open, and knows immediately what it is. A sharp, sweet scent reaches his nose, as well as a whiff of alcohol.He dips his fingers into the jar and brings the peach slice to his mouth.

Drunk Hannibal really scratches an itch in my brain, especially when it leads to excellent sex :))))

Time Reversed by teacupsandtime

Word Count: 25,474 Summary: Hannibal and Will traverse an unexpected intimate development.

Heads up, this is mpreg. But it was very sweet and tender and made me very happy!

Depraved by sourweather

Word Count: 5891 Summary: Will was raised to think that certain things were wrong. Dirty, shameful. Even years later, there are certain lines that he can't seem to cross.For example, he's never been able to handle the idea of anything going in his ass.

y'all wanted to know what some of my most re-read fics are, this is certainly one of them LOL

shame by YouAreMyDesign

Word Count: 3240 Summary: Hannibal smiles, and goes to the contacts in Will's phone. Under the name 'Daddy', his phone has apparently grouped two phone numbers. The first is Hannibal's cell. The second has a Louisiana area code.

*fans self* hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha obsessed.

spider by YouAreMyDesign

Word Count: 3991 Summary: Hannibal likes his kills clean. Will likes them messy.

beware the tags, heavy on the "dead dove do not eat" but wow this was beyond enjoyable! felt very in character for them!

Sweet Tooth by HigherMagic

Word Count: 81017 Summary: He has prepared for this, of course. No self-respecting Omega of his stature and skill would deign to let themselves be taken by surprise. Although, again, he has not expected his final heat to approach for some time, it is one of those occurrences people prepare for like Doomsday. He has plans, and bags packed, and knows what he will need to do, to make sure he makes it through the ordeal with minimal discomfort. The first step will be to hunt, to stock his fridge and his stores so he will not go hungry. The second step will be to find a suitable companion.

another one that i've reread several times, whoops.

Look, Mother! The Sheep Have Devoured the Wolves! by HigherMagic

Word Count: 102934 Summary: Hannibal and Bedelia are married, but unable to have children. At Margot's insistence, Hannibal agrees to meet the Omega that was a surrogate for her and Alana. Will is rough-edged, unrefined, and everything Hannibal shouldn't desire. This arrangement promises to be clean, and simple. Of course, nothing concerning Will Graham is ever simple.

THIS WAS SO GOOD. not gonna lie, almost didn't pick it up because of Hannibal being married to Bedelia, but it works!!!

Love in the time of cannibals by ToxicWitchling

Word Count: 69658 Summary: Franklyn has noticed Dr Lecter's favoritism with another patient. It started small; frequent appointments, hushed conversations and light touches. However, Franklyn draws the line at the recent extravagant gifts the Doctor seems to be bestowing on a scruffy fisherman from Wolf Trap. He realizes he may be more interested in the good Doctor than he first knew and begins to find out as much as possible about this Will Graham, if not to stop him toying with the Doctor's affections, then to learn where the attractions lies and steal it for himself.AKA. Franklyn notices Will is a sugar baby before Will does, gets jealous, and wants that lifestyle.

amazing. loved. love.

act on it by acheforhim

Word Count: 9142 Summary: “I work a lot. Don’t really have the time to find an alpha who won’t look down on me for…” “For wanting to be an omega?” “Basically, yeah.” — Will is lonely and his long-distance fuckbuddy encourages him to pursue Hannibal.

AHHH THIS WAS SO FUCKING HOT WHAT THE HELL. I HAD TO TAKE A BREAK TO MAKE SURE I WAS BREATHING.

An Ounce of Wit by Winddrag0n

Word Count: 69420 Summary: “It’s heavier than I expected. Anyways, here.” She walks in front of Will, and in her hands she is holding a long, furry snake. It’s white on the bottom, the top a dirty grey, with dark, blurry rosettes sprinkled along its length. “Where did you get that?” Will asks quietly, his brain rejecting the fact that it feels like a part of him.“It’s attached to your ass, dude. You have a fucking tail.”--AKA a modern magical AU where the entire point is to turn Will Graham into a catboy.

I didn't expect to like catboy Will Graham and then I read this and it was actually really well done!

Wildfire by Winddrag0n

Word Count: 4266 Summary: “I’m so sick of this,” Will bites out. “All your bullshit. Whatever this stupid fucking game we’re playing is.” He approaches Hannibal, palms open, showing he is unarmed. “You manipulate me for the better part of a year, send me to prison, and when I finally embrace this ‘inner darkness’ you’re always on about, you know what happens?” He jabs a finger out, pressing it harshly into Hannibal’s chest. “You don’t even have the fucking decency to die.” Will finds himself at a rave, and emerges a person with far less patience than before.

yeah, i have no words. so fucking good.

Still With Me by Winddrag0n

Word Count: 4271 Summary: There is, inexplicably, a coat check, which Will uses. He does not pocket the ticket, simply leaves it on a stool near the door, knowing Hannibal will grab it for him. While Hannibal is fast and assured in his movements, this is Will’s territory, and he easily slips a safe distance away with plenty of time to see Hannibal’s entrance. He catches the man in question putting the paper safely away with a small shake of his head, and then he’s looking up, taking in the room around him. A shiver runs down Will’s spine, because he did not realize Hannibal would actually make an effort to blend in. His hair holds no treatment, falling softly across his forehead, and he is dressed in dark grey slacks with a matching black button-up, undone partway down his chest. Most of all, in his eyes, where Will had expected to see some form of rejection, he only sees curiosity.Will turns away, towards the main floor. This point of this was to let go, not dwell on things, and he closes his eyes and lets it happen. Will makes a habit of going out to clubs, and one night Hannibal follows.

hey if you enjoyed my public sex prompt for kinktober, this might be a fun one!

3y3s by Winddrag0n

Word Count: 4866 Summary: Pain, bright and wide across his face as Will feels his head jerk to the side. It’s only when he turns back, sees the cold look in Hannibal’s eyes as he pulls his hand back, that he realizes Hannibal has just slapped him. “I will not apologize,” he says, words clipped. “You were out of line.”“Good,” Will grins, an electric energy shooting through his veins, “because I’m not going to apologize for this either.” He lunges forward, uses fists where the other man had used his open hand, and punches Hannibal square in the jaw. Trouble in paradise.

fighting as sex and sex as fighting?? *drools*

let's hate what our love makes us do by hannigramized

Word Count: 22250 Summary: Hannibal Lecter's patient, Franklyn Froideveaux, has been making unwanted advances towards Hannibal. Hannibal enlists the help of Will Graham to get Franklyn to back off. And because he may be kind of in love with Will. Takes place during Season 1, mostly Episodes Sorbet&Fromage

Fake dating is the best kind of dating! I love when they're oblivious and don't realize that they're actually in love.

Single All the Way by venus_in_bloom

Word Count: 34740 Summary: Will Graham has everything; a successful career, a loving father, a stable job. All he is missing is someone to share it with. When his dad insists he brings someone special, all thoughts go to his friend and weekly dinner companion Hannibal Lecter. A plan is hatched when Hannibal proposes that Will introduces him as his partner. Can visiting his roots help Will and Hannibal to finally take the leap and lay some roots of their own? Can Will resist the elusive doctor’s charms? Does he really want to? Inspired by the Netflix movie, Single All the Way!

Fluffy, cozy holiday fic that was actually perfect.

aaaaaand that's a wrap for September!!! have fun babes <3

[artgeekz]

Ragatha: Do you want to explain the text you sent me last night?

Pomni: It was autocorrect.

Ragatha: Autocorrect wrote "You're so hot. Please step on me."?

Pomni: Yes.

-

Ragatha: Look at me straight in the eyes and tell me the truth, Pomni!

Pomni: You can’t expect me to look into your eyes and be straight.

-

Ragatha: I feel like doing something stupid.

Pomni: I’m stupid, do me.

-

Ragatha: Bro-

Pomni: No, no, hold up, rewind.

Pomni: My tongue was down in your throat just a second ago and now you're calling me bro??

-

Ragatha: Smart is attractive. Educate me on something I don't know!

Pomni: The mouth of a jellyfish is also an anus.

Ragatha: Stop.

-

Pomni: We should get you to a doctor for a check up immediately. What if it happens again, and there isn’t anyone around to help you? What if it’s congenital? Oh my God! Was it me? Did I hurt you?

Ragatha: …You realize any other person that made their partner pass out on bed would simply feel really proud of themselves, right?

-

Ragatha: Talk dirty to me~

Pomni: Inflation is a serious problem and lumber prices are at a high.

Ragatha: Wha-

Pomni: The economy is in shambles.

-

Ragatha: What are you in the mood for?

Pomni: World domination.

Ragatha: That's a bit ambitious.

Pomni: You are my world.

Ragatha: Aww...

Pomni:

Ragatha:

Pomni:

Ragatha: OH.

-

Pomni: Are you an F5 key? Because that ass is refreshing.

Ragatha: Are you a software update? because not right now.

-

Ragatha: Wow, Pomni, you want to hold my hand before marriage? How awfully lewd of you.

Pomni: We literally slept together yesterday.

Ragatha: That's NOTHING compared to the lewdness of holding hands.

-

Pomni: Wait, what's going on? Are we all talking about how hot Ragatha is? Because Ragatha is a straight up sexual fox riding a red-hot nuclear bombshell right toward the yowza plaza in the heart of Babe City, Assachusetts, U S A. The last A just stands for more ass.

-

Ragatha: My future partner must be brave, strong, intelligent, successful and organized.

Pomni: *steps on a caterpillar and proceeds to drop to their knees and sob while apologizing profusely*

Ragatha: That one. I want that one.

-

Ragatha: Hey, I’m getting in the shower. Wanna help me out?

Pomni: ...Have you never taken a shower before?

-

Ragatha: Hey, Pomni, what do you think it would be like if we had kids?

Pomni: What would it be like? Inconvenient, mostly.

Ragatha: No, I mean, what would they be like, the kids? You ever think about it?

Pomni: Can't really say I have.

Ragatha: You know, for someone as eccentric as yourself, you can be boring as fuck sometimes.

Pomni: Sorry, Ragatha. For what it's worth, I'm picturing them now. A boy and a girl. Two perfect little freaks of nature raised by people who've clearly got no business bringin' up anybody.

-

Pomni, sweating: Ragatha, there’s something I need to ask you-

Ragatha: Finally! You’re proposing!

Pomni: How’d you know?

Ragatha: Pomni, you’ve dropped the ring five times during dinner.

Ragatha: I even picked it up once.

Seeing how the first quotes I made were good, here is ButtonBlossom now!

[thorns-and-rosewings]

I'm feeling like putting out some more stuff for the Home Sweet Bar AU 🍻 right now. Can't help it, it's funny and cute with angst yet to come along with... A few other surprises ��

.

Now there's all sorts of hijinks that can happen in a bar...

And at this bar they have some very good bartenders, with Eclipse being the best and head bartender. There are several others including Frank, all of whom are good at their jobs. But they do have a few that are new... Particularly one young woman named Sally who is new to the job, but a hard worker.

(Ruin does the hiring, even if they lack experience he can determine who would be a good hire. He is the more approachable of the two bosses and handles scheduling and any problems or issues the employees have.)

However, on this one night Sally's inexperience shows when a particularly abrasive customer starts to belittle her and starts make a scene... The poor girl is on the verge of tears when Eclipse steps in, tells her it's fine, and makes the drink himself.

This doesn't appease the customer, who continues to berate the girl until she leaves his sight. Then proceeds to chastise Eclipse. Commenting how a 'Frickin Robot' shouldn't be making drinks.

...Eclipse shows growth by not ripping the man's jaw off...

Instead he just expels him from the bar after making him pay. He even has some mild kindness to tell the upset bartender she did fine, the customer was just an asshole.

However, Ruin heard this whole exchange and he was feeling annoyed someone had the nerve to make one of his bartenders cry, but moreso mouth off to his... his partner... So Ruin walks over and takes a look at the information on the man's card that he paid with and informs Eclipse and Sally to enjoy the performance he's about to give. He says this with a sly grin.

He calls the number on the card, apparently the card belongs to his wife and Ruins smile grows larger as she picks up.

Ruin: (Sounding particularly chipper) Good evening madam, I am so sorry to disturb you and your husband. But I just wanted to make you aware that when you and your husband left our establishment this evening, he left his credit card behind.

(Confused talking on the wife's end)

Ruin: Why yes he was here, you both were ma'am. Your husband (Describes husband) and you (Describes a fictional character with a prostitute-esqe design) you just left a little bit ago. I hope I am catching you quick enough so the trip back won't be too inconvenient.

(Angry screaming on the phone and Ruin looking very smug... He paused for a minute before talking once more)

Ruin: Oh dear nevermind, your husband just walked back in and took his card. Jolly good, have a wonderful evening! (Hangs up)

Eclipse: (Laughing his ass off)

Sally: (Laughing as well) Oh my God... That was so bad. 🤣 I think you just destroyed his marriage!

Ruin: (Takes a bow for his performance)

Eclipse: Pffft, let's do that to a few others. This is fun!

Ruin: No no my friend, I only use my acting powers for good these days. :3

[atopvisenyashill]

Say Otto Hightower decides not to be an oath breaking murderous cunt at the small council and declares that the king should be buried and the crown set aside until a Great Council to be called. He offers the Blacks that Dragonstone/Driftmark deal if they agree to a peace summit. Do the Blacks take it?

wait first of all - Say Otto Hightower decides not to be an oath breaking murderous cunt - this is how you grab my attention, with Otto slander aljfklajsf

SECOND OF ALL - no and they shouldn't lmao. It's a shitty ass deal and there's no reason Rhaenyra should take it. For one thing, there's no guarantee something bad doesn't happen to Aegon and Viserys at the capital, even if she can convince Daemon of that (and she can't). For another, there's also no guarantee something shady doesn't happen to Jace, Luke, and Joff as well, and not just by the Targtowers but by the Velaryons - we already know Vaemond's line Does Not Fuck With Her in either canon, and Corlys, while he does seem to genuinely love and adore Jace and Luke, doesn't seem to have that close relationship with Joffrey, and ultimately Corlys has a close relationship with the older boys because it gets his blood (eventually) on the Iron Throne and gives him the ability to continue politicking from the shadows. Without that, it's like...I'm not saying he'd be like "actually they're bastards and I'm disowning them" but he's taking a massive hit here for absolutely no gain, and Rhaenyra knows it. And lastly....what lands is she being given here, really? So she gets to be a Lady - not even Lady Paramount - of two small, shitty islands? She's effectively exiled from the rest of Westeros for the rest of her life? She doesn't even get the guarantee that Jace and Luke's kids will get the chance to claim a dragon one day? No, absolutely not, she shouldn't take the deal because it's deeply unserious and requires Rhaenyra to take all of the risk while Otto gets all of the reward.

What she should do if Otto makes this offer is say "first of all, eat my entire asshole for rejecting my helaena/jacaerys match up and then pulling this gc stunt like you're being so magnamous here, i WILL be telling everyone you rejected the marriage proposal and you can suck shit forever. second of all, if i do happen to lose, you do NOT get my kids, kiss my ass, but you WILL give me my own area to be Lady Paramount over to pass to my children and Jaehaerys will NOT marry Jaehaera, he'll marry Jace and Baela's daughter, and Jaehaera will NOT marry Maelor either, she will eventually marry Jace and Baela's son." If he doesn't even try to negotiate, just says "it's dragonstone/driftmark or bust" then he's completely unserious. I'd still hold a great council, but I'd make it clear Otto isn't offering to actually guarantee peace or safety for Rhaenyra's children, and I'd also make plans to get the fuck out of dodge at the first opportunity if it looks like it's going Aegon's way because to be honest, even with a guarantee of "you'll be safe i promise" if Otto isn't actively losing something just like Rhaenyra is, she and her kids are never going to be safe in Westeros while Aegon is on that throne. The issue here is that neither side is willing to like, lose anything at all even a little. I think show Rhaenyra would be a bit more willing to bend here, and show Alicent might bend as well, so there's a chance but...man Viserys really dies at the most inconvenient time lmao.

[terrainofheartfelt]

do you have any headcannons or behind-the-scenes for "it's something new (because of you)"?

oh DO I

for starters i'm sorryyyyyy for letting this sit so long I have no excuse other than life and brain chemistry are Nuts.

BTS-wise, this one-shot within the universe was inspired by a photoset I stumbled across here on tumblr, and I thought: "that could be my blorbos" and lo! it came. I started drafting it while at was at my folks' for christmas, and then it sat in google docs in purgatory before I summoned the spoons to complete it. which at the time I thought was odd, because my general technique with smut is to write it all within the space of a couple days--they just flow differently than things with, ya know, plot, but this one incubated for a while, and I think it served it.

HCs-wise, I've jotted down a few about this universe and specifically the beginning of dair's marriage within it :)

this is how Dan & Blair (mostly Blair) announce the wedding:

Epperly guest writes a post for Blair Necessities covering the event/interviewing Blair

The morning the post goes live, Blair & Dan each post one (1) thing to their accounts

They each pick a photo from what their photographer sent them (both candid, because they look stupidly in love in those)

Dan’s caption is from the Auden Blair quoted in her vows to him: The years shall run like rabbits, / For in my arms I hold / The Flower of the Ages, / And the first love of the world.

Blair’s is a quote of a different kind: Reader, I married him. 

They make their posts from a sidewalk cafe in Firenze then shut off their phones. 

And the internet goes WILD

immediately there’s all these buzzfeedesque articles like “Blair Waldorf, Former Princess of Monaco has remarried,” and “Blair Waldorf’s New Husband Is Hot” and “Who Is Mr. Blair Waldorf?” and “Blair Waldorf Totally Won Her Divorce”

Just to fuck with everyone Blair posts another pic of Dan a couple days later. it's of him sitting at the window in their tuscan villa, pretty much the view Blair wakes up to in the beginning of it's something new. Caption: my huckleberry friend

They don’t see any of it til they check their messages over breakfast the next day. Dan loves the nomer “Mr. Blair Waldorf” and immediately adds it to his profiles (which he only made bc his agent made him). Sherri, said agent, almost makes him change them back before she sees the spike in his book sales. He was doing well enough on a debut, but now he’s doing really well. 

Thanks to his family’s caution (and the NDAs signed by the wedding vendors), no photos of Milo surface, he’s mentioned by Blair in her interview of course, and outside of W he’s only known as “Humphrey’s grade school-aged son”

Nate has a good laugh at it all, which he calls payback for all the good natured ribbing he and Serena got in the summer with “Serena van der Woodsen and Nate Archibald Eloped, Apparently”—a headline that spurred several never-ending phone calls from a horde of van der Bilts, and one—as Serena calls it—“ugly-ass gravy boat” (and yes, she did have to contribute to the swear jar for that)

I actually have MORE mostly about the work after something new, so don't mind me if I share those too ;))))

Speaking of Serenate, they’re on the move a lot and bring Sophie when they can, but she’s old so long haul trips to LA that are only a few days aren’t ideal. So they ask the Humphreys to dog sit a lot. Dan always outright refuses, because he knows that dog-sitting is only one degree of separation from “Why can’t we get a dog, Dad?” and he just cannot have that conversation. Again. 

There’s a lot of anxiety from all parties when Blair gets pregnant. There’s her traumatic history which flares up when it is most inconvenient, plus Dan’s trauma coupled with the fact that  he hasn’t done this part before. He missed almost all of Georgina’s pregnancy, so he doesn’t really know how to be. 

Milo expresses a flicker of concern because he knows on some level that the upcoming baby is genetically connected to his parents while he isn’t and he needs reassurance. 

Dan consults his brother Scott, who lived through a similar situation being an adoptee, and being an adoptee with a younger sibling that was born to his parents, and his perspective helps. 

They move from the loft to a Park Slope townhouse just after the New Year and just shy of the beginning of Blair’s third trimester. She’s not allowed to pick up anything, so she just stands in the center of the first floor and directs the moving until Dan makes her sit on the first chair they bring in (the one from his home office). A joke about a sedan chair is made, and then Dan immediately regrets it when she looks like she’s considering it. Milo’s her assistant when he gets back from school. It’s adorable. 

It’s more house than either Humphrey boy knows what to do with, but they follow Blair’s lead in putting it together. Her nesting instincts kick into overdrive—it’s quite a thing to witness. Dan acquiesces to hiring Dorota full-time so Blair doesn’t do too much. 

The fetus of when everything else changes is male, despite Blair and Milo’s good vibes. After he’s born Blair—hopped up on drugs—is like “A boy? I don’t know anything about boys. How do I raise a boy?” Dan gives her a funny look and reminds her that she’s been successfully mothering a son for a few years now, actually. 

I haven’t an earthly idea what that baby’s first name is (Otis? — I’m KIDDING) but his middle name is Nathaniel. 

Blair and Milo are very precious and anxious and fussy when the baby comes and Dan is much more chill. He jokes that it’s because he’s Blair and Milo’s first baby

Dan becomes a stay-at-home dilf, fulfilling his potential ♥️

Rufus leaves the decision of what to do with the loft up to Dan and Jenny, and they can’t really bear to part with it, so they keep it in the family. It becomes Jenny’s crash pad when she’s in NY, and eventually morphs into her makeshift atelier, where she works while she’s in NY. 

[dothwrites]

in villains various and sundry, cas is like "yes i AM trapped in prison, yes this IS inconvenient. no i will NOT pass up the opportunity to be a bitch. thank you' and you know what, he's SO right for it. cas gets to be a bitch all of the time. i don't make the rules.

a few things that actually happened on this episode: 1. sam brings up cas 2. dean mentions that he is in love 3. sam reacts with obvious disbelief when dean says 'she'

i know what i'm SUPPOSED to think but it is much funnier to think that sam is just surprised that his fruity ass bottom brother who's in love with his best friend is talking suddenly about being in love with a woman

ROWENA ROWENA ROWENA LIGHT OF MY LIFE LOVE OF MY HEART I WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU

(i love rowena) (also she looks beautiful this episode) (rowena please take me to fifth base i'll go there with u)

i am irrationally pleased by the demon calling cas 'pretty boy' here. while cas is being a bitch still. absolutely god tier behavior. we also see the return of the smiting hand! if i recall correctly we have not seen cas smite anyone since s9 and I MISSED IT

rowena and sam's talk in the car about lucifer is SO good. ruthie KILLS IT in this scene because we get to see a side of rowena that we don't see very much--where she lets herself be vulnerable and scared. rowena THRIVES on bluffing and making everyone think that she's the strongest person in the room (which to be fair, she usually is). her letting her guard down around sam is her showing just how much she TRUSTS sam. sam and rowena's relationship is one of the most interesting things that they've done with sam in the later seasons, and i LOVE when they get to have their moments.

"not my first zombie luv" ABSOLUTE QUEEN BEHAVIOR. though i do love when rowena squeals as she runs from the zombie. and dean and sam struggling to get the hex bag definitely goes into the category of peak physical comedy

cas stabbing lucifer. also when cas is outside you realize just how much the lighting guys HATED HIM in the bunker. because he looks SO GOOD outside and so... less good in the bunker.

rowena in the kitchen going for the cheese grater. love it. "i've been stalling them until you could arrive" YES I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE MARRIAGE. the way dean sees rowena take out the witches and is like "HOLY SHIT YIKES" and you know what? he's right to do so!

[hasufin]

Battle lines and very small amounts of chemicals

It was on Monday that I realized I am unexpectedly on the front lines of the war against trans people.

How could this happen? I'm not trans. I don't even really identify as "queer". I am, on paper, completely acceptable to the rightwing authoritarians; I'd just need to put on a red ballcap and mouth "Jesus" a few times to get them to think I'm one of them.

Now, don't get me wrong - I certainly try to be an ally. Was strongly in favor of gay marriage when that question came up, and I'm in favor of healthcare for everyone, thanks. Which very explicitly includes trans people. But, well, I didn't think I personally was anything like being targeted. Yet I am. And how can this happen?

Well, on Monday I went to see a massage therapist, to hopefully get some help for elbow pain. I went to a place nearby that a neighbor recommended - decent sized place, plenty of LMTs, associated with a larger company. As a new patient, I gave them a fair bit of medical information: mostly just the usual ass-covering. Do I have a history of heart disease? Epilepsy? Do I realize that someone will in fact touch my body? &c.

One of the questions - and, again, I don't believe this was in any way meant to be discriminatory, just a broad liability question - was whether I am taking HRT.

And it clicked that, yes, I am taking hormone replacement. Very literally, I am. Just not what they were asking about.

I take levothyroxine. It's a synthetic hormone, most often called synthroid. It's used to treat hypothyroidism: when your thyroid is not producing enough hormone to regulate your metabolism properly. It's a pretty common drug; once I started it I found out that my brother and mother-in-law are both on it. I know it was a big deal for some people, but it's had no real effect on my life: every couple of months I go in and my doctor and I look at my labs and see whether my TSH numbers have gone down and T4 has gone up, and we adjust the dose accordingly. It's the first time since college that I've looked at anything in micrograms, though.

Aside from that the big effects have been that the pharmacy has trouble keeping track of the different prescriptions - their system shows the prescription for 125 mcg and 137mcg both as "Levothyroxi...." so that's fun. And I have to take it an hour before eating in the morning, which is inconvenient and the "solutions" to that always seem to assume my big problem is the 30 seconds between waking up taking the pill and not the 3600 seconds after that. But I digress.

The point is, I am very literally taking a hormone replacement. As part of an ongoing therapy. Hormone Replacement Therapy. That's what it is.

Every pseudo-concern that anti-trans people lob at the idea of HRT and gender-affirming care would actually apply to levothyroxine, too. There is only a finite amount of data on it (true of every drug, but hey, they want it to sound scary). There are risks. There are side effects. And, yes, I could probably stop taking it and not die.

Typically they avoid this - so far - by being nakedly bigoted, by banning it for specific people. Which is pretty obviously and wildly prejudiced. We wouldn't accept "Jewish people are not allowed to drive on Saturday" or "Black people can't buy sunscreen", but "Trans people can't get hormone replacement" is being allowed to slide past.

But mark me, the people pushing these things do not care. They will get stopped on their banning colored people from the drinking fountain. And they have no compunctions on tearing down the drinking fountain and closing the public swimming pools. They will absolutely try to ban an entire class of medication just because someone they have never met might have a slightly better life from it.

And if you imagine it won't affect you... I'm sorry, you're wrong. It can and will. You might not even connect it at the time, but you'll have a condition that's treatable with hormones, except you can't get them. Your mother will be unable to join you on a vacation because she's always tired now. Something. And that's the world these people want: one that's dragged down to the level of their bigotry, because they cannot abide even the chance that the people they hate might experience anything good.

[inun4ki]

"tell me where you are, or i'll figure it out myself.". Her voice sounded through the cell phone speaker. It didnt sound like she was joking. (Ming)

He hated when she got this way - pushy, always and completely willing to hunt him down, drag him back by the hair, and give the higher ups the middle finger. Most of the time, he respected her for it, but right now, there was simply too much on his plate for the pettyness of marriage. A check-in call shouldn't have devolved into bitter arguing, nor should it be able to distract him from the meat of his work. There were curses to exorcise, trails to follow, and yet more bullshit to busy himself with. She should be focusing on putting up her feet and painting her nails, or working on her dice projects - leave him to it so he can come back relatively unscathed.

"You'll do no such thing," he commanded flatly, running a hand through his hair in frustration, intent upon making himself clear. "The whole reason I do this is so that you don't have to-- I wasn't even complaining, Micchan, I was just updating you on where I'm at in my investigation. So there's been a lull, and maybe I was injured a few days ago, but neither are any cause for concern so sit your happy ass down, get comfortable, and be satisfied with knowing I'll be back as soon as I can."

With that, he rather defiantly snapped his cellphone shut, arms crossing tightly over his chest, and scowled deeply. On one hand, he was sorry he'd made her worry enough to feel the need, but on the other... He didn't want her trudging out this far north, and he especially didn't want her to come grab him by the scruff and drag him home by force. He refused to allow his work to interfere anymore with her life, and she would sooner see him dead than have to lift a finger - if he could help it. Too bad it seemed he couldn't, because she did not make idle threats.

He sighed hollowly before continuing on his way, waiting for the moment his most beloved would catch up to him, even if he'd probably be waiting a substantial amount of time. He was in Hokkaido, after all. They always send him on the inconvenient and difficult wild goose chases.

"If she even thinks about it..." She's lucky I love her.

[lizziela]

tw: toxic relationships and just weaponised incompetence

I know I am one of the few from my generation who had a good childhood home without trauma from their parent's marriage/relationship. And I think that's why this affects me so badly, because I never saw it first hand before (thank god).

But this weekend I am in my home country, but I haven't arrived in my home city yet, with that being said, I am staying at my best friend/sister by friendship's house.

She is 25 and has two daughters under 3. She is (unfortunately) married to a guy who is, I think, two years older than her. They got married because of the whole "we are having an unplanned baby, we should get married to give this baby a good house" type of thing. So she got married, and got pregnant again, and now they have two beautiful children (I love them so, so much).

Well, I never have been to her house before, and since the beginning (after she introduced her boyfriend, now husband, to me and my family, I had a feeling that he wasn't all that she said him to be) I felt he wasn't good for her, though what could I say?

She is an anti-feminist (which makes things worse, I believe) that being said, she is the type of woman who will be delighted to be a housewife even with a law degree, I think if she could she would love living in the 50s. I don't judge, but I think this helps for her acceptance of the way she lives.

Yes, he does work all week, I think 8-9 hours a day and usually the weekends are a time for rest. But shouldn't you know that taking care of your daughters is too a full time job? Yes, I know you probably didn't want a guest staying at your house for a weekend, but did you know you could just suck it up and be a pleasant host and a good husband for one weekend???

God, I felt so horrible staying here knowing that I am probably one of the reasons my friend got treated like this. She wakes up, does his breakfast while he is "helping" with the glass you accidentally broke, and while he says little snipets to you in a condescending tone. He yells at his 2 yo (yes, it's glass, and she could hurt herself, but you don't need to be an ass to her). I helped my friend with her oldest while she practically gave him his breakfast in bad.

After that, the youngest woke up, and her husband went to sleep (again), and I helped her to do the lunch AND take care of her children.

After that, he woke up at 5p.m. and was fighting with her because she didn't cook a lunch he actually eats. Ok, you are fucking 26-27 years old, if you want somenthing that she didn't cook you do it yourself and stop being an asshole.

Now, 7 p.m., she wanted to go out with me, and she took the kids because apparently he can't take care of them for 1 whole hour. We were going to the mall, but I don't know the city, it was late and we would take a highway, so she asked him to take us. He took us, but all the way he was making unfunny jokes and saying shit things to her. During the traject, her oldest went to sleep, so she asked him (who would go home while we were at the mall) to take her home. He refused and woke the baby up.

Well, she obviously was a grumpy child during the time we were there.

My friend then called her husband to ask him to give us a lift home when it was 9p.m. I don't really know what he said in the call, but she got upset, and they arrived minutes later.

We went home, the whole way was DEAD SILENT.

After we arrived, she sent me a text message apologising for the inconvenience that was tonight. She put the children to sleep and when I was taking a glass of water to drink before bed, she came to talk to me. Her eyes were puffy and god, how I hate her husband for making her feel this way.

She said in the message how she wanted to give her children a good childhood, different from the broken home she came from, but honestly? I think her husband is to blame for this. And I don't want kids to grow in broken houses, but now I wish my friend can actually divorce this piece of shit of husband.

I don't know if my friend will see this (I remember her having a tumblr back in 2016, I don't know if she still uses it)

But if she does, this is probably you, and I know it isn't a good place to vent about other peoples relationships, but I hope you can heal, that it was a one time thing (I fear it might not be), and yes, I meant the last few paragraphs. I can't say this to your face because I am kind of a coward, but I pray that you can survive this for you and the girls! I'm sorry to talk bad about your husband, I wish it wasn't needed. But I actually needed to speak with someone (or something) about this, because I can talk this t your face, but I can write it down.

Don't forget I love you and my nieces!

[nessie31]

I’ve been debating writing this post all day. Last night it felt necessary; like there was no way to sort through my thoughts and feelings on the subject if I didn’t. But I knew if I started typing, J would be all up my ass and over my shoulder thinking I was texting L to bitch about him (and sure enough that’s what happened when I was typing something else). So I made myself a note to write it today.

Do I still feel strongly about the issue? Obviously or I wouldn’t have decided to write this. But there’s another part of me that just wants to ignore it and wasp it away so I don’t look too closely at it. Because if I ignore it then I can pretend everything is fine. I can pretend that it doesn’t break my soul continuing to allow it to happen.

But ignoring things has never been my strong suit.

Trust. Marriage, and relationships in general, in their most basic forms come down to trust. Do I trust this person to have my back? Do I trust them to stick by my side? Do I trust them to be honest with me? I could go on and on, but you get the point.

Now, do I know this is rich coming from me with everything I’ve done? Yes I do. But, like any good hypocrite, I’m going to say that’s a completely different situation with no baring on this situation.

I know I’ve done a lot of shit, especially in my teens and early twenties that was…questionable in character. I’ve lied to save face or get myself out of fucked up situations. Honestly though, who hasn’t?! I know I’m not the only one, and I know that it is not my distinguishing characteristic. I also know that it’s something I have been working hard on over the last few years; recognizing that stupid things are not worth lying about just to save face. But even so, it is thrown in my face CONSTANTLY in my marriage.

And my concern comes down to this. If you can’t trust me with the dumb shit, how can you trust me with the big shit. And furthermore, if you can’t trust me with the dumb shit, why are you with me?

I get that you love me. I get that the sex is great. And that’s true.

But if you CHOOSE to not trust me over the dumbest shit, AND fight me on it, then why the fuck stay with me?

But this gets even better.

When I am upset and offended by you not trusting me it’s “stupid and not worth getting upset over”. But when I say that I don’t trust you with my emotions and honest, it’s a huge ass deal that YOU get to be offended by because how dare I.

And honestly, isn’t that the bigger issue; the overarching issue that will be the breaking point? That at the end of the day, my opinions and feelings are consistently invalidated in almost every altercation.

I tried to ignore it. All day. And yet, I can’t put away the thought that when it really comes down to it, I don’t matter. My opinions/feelings will always come second if it offends or inconveniences you. As you’ve said once before, my feelings should not come at your expense. And honestly, hasn’t that been the theme of our last 2.5 years?

And that’s the problem.

You ask questions you already know and don’t actually want the answers to. Because you don’t like being the bad guy. Because you’ve built this image in your head about who you are. And you’ve told yourself this narrative about how you are constantly the victim being looked passed or set aside for people you consider to be less than you. You have built this idea in your head that you are better than other men because you fancy yourself a liberal feminist; even though you would never actually call yourself that because, connotation is everything.

You once asked me what S had done to me to cause me to change myself so drastically. How could someone so strong and independent and brash become so small and voiceless and manipulated. And you tie it up to the sex or his “silver tongue”.

But here’s the truth: he did the same thing then that you’re doing now.

Day by day, month by month, year by year he broke me down. Slowly, behind words said and the actions and words that were dismissed. He brought me down with every argument; making me feel as though it was always my fault. That I had caused it by something I did or said, something I didn’t do or say, or from just “overreacting” to something he deemed ridiculous.

Yeah, he told me he loved me. And yeah, he made sure I knew he thought I was hot. But just like with us, that’s not enough.

I need to know that I am valued. That my opinions matter. That my feelings matter. That you care about how I see things. That you pay attention to my past and my trauma. That it actually mattered. That you actually took it seriously.

But here is why I don’t trust you. Because I don’t.

Because I’m not valued. My opinions don’t matter. My feelings don’t matter. You don’t care about how I see things. You don’t pay attention to my past and my trauma. To you, it doesn’t matter. You don’t take it seriously.

And that’s broken me. Possibly beyond repair. Definitely beyond the point of caring. And I hate that.

I wish I felt bad, but I don’t. I wish it bothered me, kept me up at night, but it doesn’t; at least not for the reasons it should.

So now here I sit. Trying not to cry with 30 students in my room. Raging at you through a computer screen; on a post you will never see. My heart and emotions poured out on the page. And honestly, I’m left empty.

And what’s even worse, I know that I’m not going to do anything about it. Not right now and not any time soon; unless my hand is forced. So I have become one of those people I hate. The people who complain about their problems and do nothing to change it.

So here I sit.

[lanaespot]

Success: An Introspective Look

Written on January 3, 2023

Success.

It’s a small, seven-lettered word that should seem insignificant amongst the vast catalog that is the dictionary. However, the word success holds a lot more importance for many people on this Earth than any other.

When we hear the word success, we all have different ideas—visions, even—on what it is. For some, it is the cozy feel of a humble American Dream home, a wonderful spouse, and three little bundles of joy wreaking havoc around the house. For others, it is a modest apartment life in a great location, working a job they love with their three cats. For an even bolder crew, it’s signing a 1 Million Dollar lease to the perfect Parisian Modern penthouse and partying on a big-ass yacht. And for me, it’s drinking cranberry juice because I can’t legally have wine yet and living my best life out of pure spite for humanity.

But there is the occasional day when we may ask ourselves this: why? Why has this word wrought this emotionally-driven phenomenon? Why do we have such an idea of success?

Because, as Mark Manson puts it in his famous book Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope, we humans are afraid of “The Uncomfortable Truth”—the idea that if we don’t have hope for said success, then we, in truth, have nothing to live for. It’s an idea implanted firmly in the back of our minds, and some choose to embrace it while others hardcore deny it.

So then, how does one be successful? Yes, I’m almost fresh out of high school and near entering college (out of the frying pan and into the fire), but with the number of times life has tried to bulldoze me, I surely have enough credit to be remotely successful.

It isn’t just a simple 1-2-3 recipe, or a nice morning stroll down the street to that local coffee shop. The truth is that life is hard. And it never gets easier. However, you can make it easier for yourself. And no, I don’t mean hop on Indeed or Glassdoor and find a couple more jobs.

No Sense In Crying Over Spilled Milk

You’ve probably heard that phrase a lot and had no idea who it was directed at. I mean, who, other than babies or toddlers, cries over spilled milk? But beyond that, you’ve probably heard the phrase “Perseverance is Key” a hell of a lot too.

And just like before, you’re hearing it again.

Perseverance isn’t just key. It’s a part of life itself. It’s the special line in the sand between being balanced and being a jackass. It’s the marriage counselor between your heart and existential crisis.

See, the timeframe between 2018 and 2020 was, in fact, the lowest point in life for me. In August 2018, my mother passed away. I was a little shocked at first, and then I began having very healthy mental breakdowns every 2-3 business days as any normal person would. I chronically skipped school and my grades dropped from their usual A’s and high B’s.

But death is an inevitable thing, and what would it make me if I had given up on life there?

So I continued—until my dad had a stroke in 2019. Luckily, he lived, but that meant I couldn’t visit my people up in the good ol’ NC.

Then Covid hit North America. Hard. We had to go virtual, and that was easily the worst year of my high school career. While other kids were chilling behind their Zoom cameras, I was stuck as the only participant in a majority of my classes, working for a hard-earned grade that other kids got easily because the school didn’t want to look bad with their horrendous failure rate.

And then my dad died on the Thanksgiving break of that year, so I couldn’t even enjoy that.

Immediately after, my mom’s mother passed away. Given, I wasn’t as close to her given we barely got along so I didn’t quite know how to react. Even so, I’d been through so many deaths at that point I’d gone numb.

The point is: life threw a lot of shit at me all at once. However, I didn’t give up dragging my way through its graveyard of inconveniences. Success pretty much depends on your ability to accept the no’s in life. Because if you don’t, you’ll be stuck whining at missed opportunities and bawling on TikTok at how people you’ve never met before have more followers than you.

I’m not saying suck it up; I’m saying suck it up and pick yourself back off the ground. Trust me when I say this: it’s the better option over becoming a complete pessimist.

Self-Awareness: Denying Your Person Is Like Murdering Your Psyche Ten Times Over

If you’re an overthinker like me, chances are you’ve had five minutes before to sit in one spot and think about who you are and why you may or may not have done some of the idiotic things you did (I am terribly sorry for leaving my thumb in the car door as you pulled off, Mom; it wasn’t a hospital trip but it wasn’t a fun time either).

These are what I’d like to call “Moments of Realization”. Moments where you can take a minute and realize that ���wow, that was stupid’ or ‘holy crap, I really am a good writer’. Say I’m a narcissist all you’d like but I am currently doing the latter.

Where is this leading, you may ask? Well, I’ll tell you! Many people when giving their motivational speeches or scripting their Youtube self-help videos often tell you to be the best person you can be and to not let anyone hold you back. The problem with most of these optimistic outlooks, however, is that many tend to forget the most important step to achieving this self-assuredness: accepting who you are in that moment.

Accepting yourself isn’t just a step to success. Accepting your current personality and traits is also a great step to improving your mental health. It doesn’t matter who you are, good or bad. If you want to improve, you have to acknowledge where you are on that proverbial staircase, and whether or not you truly want to move upwards. The better your mental health, the more chance you have at becoming successful without dying inside.

So the next time you sit down and think about how much of an asshole you were that day, accept it. Because if you can’t accept who you are or what you may have done despite the circumstances, you’ll spend more time trying to deny a negative self-image than getting your life together.

Material-Gurling Your Way Out of Depression

Someone once said, “Money doesn’t buy happiness”. Yes, while that is generally true, money can still buy the path to happiness. Even briefly. There will be days that feel worse than others, where not even your beyond-the-job-market abilities can help you feel good about yourself. In times like these, it’s best to find something to help cheer you up, is it not?

But sometimes, hanging out with friends and subliminal therapy doesn’t help. That’s where material possessions come in. Books, crafts, clothes, food—you name it. Find the comfort item of your choice, and indulge in it.

It, admittedly, isn’t the best habit. In fact, I have had my fair share of unnecessary purchases during my period of severe depression after my mother passed. I’m pretty sure I spent 100+ dollars on Honkai Impact 3rd to gamble away on the character gacha. It wasn’t my proudest moment, avoiding owning up to why money was gone just like that out of her bank account, but it certainly was a learning opportunity.

That’s why, when you buy for the feel-good sensation, you have to be smart about it. Buy something that’ll help, not harm. Be productive in your purchase. Don’t buy something that’ll bring you short-term enjoyment. Rather, buy something that you can think back on or use again.

Buy things like a nice, cozy sweater, or even some crochet starter kits.

Or, if you’d like to be like me, a shit-ton of Udemy courses and graphic design books to give you tons of learning material when your usual schtick isn’t working out, and the ever-looming existential crisis is coming back full force.

Of course, this isn’t to say don’t go fine dining at a restaurant, buying an expensive wine to let loose, or purchasing a delicate watch from the local jeweler. Sometimes, it is good to indulge yourself with material items if not out of spite.

Just don’t end up broke, hungover, and butt-naked in an alleyway behind a motel. That’s when it gets out of hand.

It’s The Tiny Things In Life

When it comes to success, many people tend to think along the lines of being a millionaire or billionaire, or making the biggest change in the history of humanity. That you aren’t successful until you’re enjoying weekly travel vacays and having everyone scrambling for an interview with you.

This isn’t true. Success is, by definition, the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. Bigger goals, like the ones mentioned above, tend to be your ‘purposes’ in life. A ‘purpose’ is what I’d like to categorize as a long-term goal. Your ‘purpose’ is to be successful. Your ‘purpose’ is to be a well-renowned Chemical Engineer or the best UX Designer in your field.

However, your ‘aims’ are the smaller goals in life. Your ‘aims’ are the most important stepping stones to achieving that ‘purpose’ that defines you as successful. You may think you aren’t successful in that current moment, but you really are. Because if you’re completing your ‘aims’, you’re triumphant in your long-term goal.

The major thing about aims is that they aren’t always noticeable. In fact, a lot of people commonly take their abilities and actions for granted. You could be able to read faster, purchase a book of reference material, or perhaps even watch a five-minute Youtube tutorial. Either way, these are all part of the tiny things in life that can assist your ‘purpose’.

But let’s say you don’t exactly have a purpose yet. That’s completely fine! Still adopt the mindset of your little actions mattering in life, because they do. You never know what the tiniest things could do for you.

Success Is Conditional

Overall, Success is conditional. Its definition varies from person to person. So, despite all my ramblings, the concept is what you think it is. If that’s getting accepted into your dream college, yay! If it’s winning a hot dog eating contest, wahoo!

However, remember that success is tailored to an individual’s own mindset. The next time you think you’re not winning, think about the small things you’ve done. Continue improving how you think and do things not by purchasing self-help books (though those are pretty niche; looking at you Mark Manson), but by keeping yourself off the ground and accepting who you are and the ways you can change.

If you want to think of it without all the flowery words and context: unless you’re on the streets or a deadbeat, you’re pretty much successful.