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praisethegabs · 2 years ago

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UMBRELLA

pairing: leon kennedy x reader synopsis: he's your partner, and you both have one thing in common: finish the job. sadly, you weren't expecting a betrayal. warnings: smut, rough sex (yeah, those kinds of things), description of fights and injures, blood, and violence. MINORS, DNI! author's note: inspired by a edit i saw on tiktok (apparently it got deleted), and i needed to write something like that. word count: 5023k

you believe this is a game, and you might be right. but if you think you can play it better than me, think again.

The building was silent, dark, and cold.

You could see the Umbrella logo on the wall, but that place was abandoned for a very long time. There was furniture tossed around, blocking the way, armchairs, bookshelves, and a lot of dust, pieces of broken glass, and mold.

You couldn't tell exactly when that building was abandoned, but the marks made by the time indicated it had been years, and you knew that since the corporation's downfall, the aura of malevolence still clung to the abandoned structure like a ghostly presence. Probably was right before Raccoon City went to hell since the government blamed Umbrella Corporation for the disaster.

At least, you weren't in there alone.

They say he's America's finest agent, but for you, he's the finest agent in America. Everyone knows his name. Everyone calls him Agent Kennedy, but he likes it when you call him Leon. Just Leon.

He's been your partner for a very long time, and you both succeeded in a lot of missions together. To your superiors, no one is good as you two, which is why they always send you together. You dare to say is the chemistry between you two that always helps during these long missions, and you can deny it, you know you have feelings for him. Your guess is that he also knows it.

But there's only one thing that bothers you a little.

And this thing is the fact that you always feel like you don't know him completely. It's like Leon hides himself inside a shell, and no one can enter his private little world. No one knows a thing about him. His birth date? His favorite weather or his favorite drink? He's an enigma, and you hate him for that. He knows every aspect of your life, but you don't know about him, and this small thing makes you angry. Constantly.

At first, it bothered you knowing nothing about him, but now, after all these years together, you just don't care so much anymore. He's just your mysterious partner that you care about, despite the fact his unknown to you.

"This place is weird," you say to him, moving an armchair from your way, your flashlight indicating the right direction. "I mean, the Umbrella was so huge years ago and now... all that is left is dust and empty buildings"

"Perfect for a good trap, don't you think?" Leon lights you up with his flashlight, smirking at you.

"Yeah, it's pretty suspicious. I'm not sure that bioweapon is here, I mean, look at this place," you said, walking forward, reaching the door to enter the depths of the building.

"Are you afraid of the dark, sweetheart?" Leon teased you, getting closer so he can follow your pace. You can smell his cologne, the one you love so much.

But you couldn't give him an answer since you were too focused on your job to care about his jokes. And despite his jokes, even though he was there, you had a strange feeling in your chest, like something was wrong. All those years next to Leon, and you still had that strange feeling, and even after so many attempts to get rid of the feeling, you just made peace with it, giving up.

But then, you hear a loud noise coming from the inside of the building. The hall was dimly lit, and the air was thick with dust and an unsettling silence. Broken lab equipment and remnants of twisted experiments lay strewn across the floor, telling the haunting tale of the atrocities committed here in the past. As they ventured deeper, the tension grew thicker, and your grip on your pistol tightened.

"I have a bad feeling about this" you whisper, feeling your heart beating much faster inside your chest.

"Quoting Star Wars won't help" Leon muttered to you, but you knew he was just teasing you to make things better.

"Just shut up" you chuckle, following inside to search for any type of danger or any sign of the bioweapon.

As you both entered a large, dimly lit chamber, the sound of dripping water echoed eerily through the silence. The room was lined with rows of mysterious containment units, some of them still sealed shut, while others lay open and empty. You shone your flashlight on a nearby computer terminal, hoping to find any trace of the experiments that had taken place.

Leon came across a stack of faded documents, partially eaten by time and neglect. He picked one up, squinting to read the blacked-out text that remained. It hinted at bioengineering and viral research far beyond anything they had encountered before. Suddenly, a distant creak echoed through the chamber, and both of you instinctively turned your attention toward it. Your hearts raced as you exchanged glances, confirming that you were not alone. Whatever lay hidden within the darkness was now aware of your presence.

Carefully, you both advanced toward a concealed staircase, leading you underground to a maze of forgotten catacombs. The air grew colder, and a stale, damp smell pervaded the underground corridors. Illuminated by your flashlights, the walls revealed unsettling symbols and arcane diagrams, hinting at the occult experiments performed by the malevolent organization.

In the depths of the catacombs, you both stumbled upon an unexpected sight: a dimly lit laboratory that appeared to have been operational even after the corporation's apparent demise. Here, strange machines hummed faintly, and the green glow of biohazard containers cast an ominous aura on the scene.

"What the hell they were doing in here?" You glance at Leon, shocked by everything you both saw in there, although he didn't give you an answer.

The duo pressed onward, uncovering evidence of illegal human experimentation, genetic manipulation, and the development of bioweapons. The scale of Umbrella's atrocities was chilling, and the weight of responsibility to expose the truth bore heavily on your and Leon's shoulder. The moon could be seen from the windows, casting eerie shadows across the forgotten structure. Ivy and moss crept up the walls, nature reclaiming the once imposing fortress.

"Are you sure that bioweapon is here, Leon?" You asked, gripping your flashlight tightly.

"I know it's dangerous, but we need to find out what Umbrella was up to before they disappeared, and I'm sure our intel was right" Leon replied, his eyes scanning the place for any signs of trouble.

Together, you two pushed open the rusty metal doors, the hinges creaking like a haunting melody. Inside, the air was heavy with the scent of decay and dampness. Broken glass crunched beneath your boots as you stepped into the abandoned lobby inside the lab, the remnants of a once bustling corporate hub. Your flashlight danced across the faded company logo on the wall.

"It's hard to believe this place was once responsible for such horrors." You whisper, looking around the place, searching for shreds of evidence or new clues.

"Yeah," Leon agreed, "but there might be something left behind that could help us locate the bioweapon"

As you advanced, you two discovered a vast laboratory section, much bigger than the first one. Countless empty test tubes and shattered vials littered the floor, reminders of the sinister experiments that once took place there. Again, a faint humming sound resonated through the halls. Leon and you exchanged glances, your hearts pounding in unison. Following the sound, you found yourselves in front of a sealed door.

"This must be where the main research was conducted," Leon whispered, touching the sealed door to see if he could open it.

"Do you think there's still something here?" You nodded, your nerves on edge as you speak.

"There's only one way to find out," Leon replied, producing a keycard he had acquired during your investigations.

With a beep, the door unlocked, revealing a dimly lit room filled with computers and lab equipment. Dust motes danced in the light as you two stepped inside, and the soft hum of machinery surrounded them.

"Let's split up," Leon suggested, "We can cover more ground that way. But stay in contact."

You agreed, and you both started examining the room. Leon tapped on the keyboard of an old computer, hoping it would give you some clue as to Umbrella's operations. Meanwhile, you sifted through old files, your eyes widening at the horrific experiments documented within. As you searched, the unsettling feeling that you were not alone grew stronger. Leon could sense the presence of something sinister lurking in the shadows. He turned his flashlight towards a dark corner and froze. A faint glimmer of red eyes stared back at him.

"Leon!" Your voice came through the radio, filled with urgency. "I found something you need to see."

Reluctantly tearing his eyes away, Leon rushed over to your location. You had found a hidden compartment, inside of which lay a collection of files marked "Top Secret."

"These could blow the lid off everything," you said, your voice trembling with a mix of excitement and determination. "With this kind of file, our government can at least know exactly what Umbrella was doing all this time... and that's not all"

Leon raised an eyebrow, getting closer to you so he could see what you had in your hands. He was curious. You could feel his breath on your neck, which made your body shiver instantly. You always felt something going insane inside you every time he got closer like this. And you hated yourself for not hiding it better.

"What else did you find?" Leon asks you, and you noticed that suddenly, he seemed disturbed and worried.

"There's another file. This one enlists all the double agents working for Umbrella," you said, opening the said file to have a better look at it.

Leon took the file from your hands, having a look himself. He looked at all the pages like he was trying to find something very important. You noticed his hands were shaking, and he was breathing heavily. You never saw him react like that, and your sixth sense screamed in your head something was wrong.

"Leon, is everything alright? You seem disturbed" you ask him, feeling your heart beating faster inside your chest, and you were starting to get nervous.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think we should go" he said, and his voice sounded dark as he closed the file and didn't return it to you.

"You can give me the file" Your voice sounded a little bit scared, but you tried your best to sound calm. Your hands, however, betrayed you.

"No, I can take it," Leon said, without looking at you and holding the file like it was his life in his hands. "Let's go"

But soon as he turned away from you, an instinct yelled at you, and without thinking twice, you took the file from him, standing away quickly. Leon turned to face you again, his eyes surprised and angry, trying to understand your insolence.

Leon Kennedy, the charismatic agent you had come to trust and rely on, stood before you. But there was something different about him now — his once warm gaze now seemed guarded, distant, and strangely calculating. You couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to his mission than he had let on.

"Please give me the file," Leon said, his voice steady but lacking the usual warmth.

"Why, Leon? What's going on?" you asked, your voice quivering with both fear and suspicion.

Leon stepped closer, his piercing eyes fixated on you, and you felt like a defenseless prey looking straight into your hunter.

"It's not what you think. This information is sensitive, and I can't risk it falling into the wrong hands," he said, getting closer as you tried to step back, keeping distance from him.

"Sensitive? What could be so sensitive that you can't trust me, your partner, with it?" You couldn't ignore the knot of doubt tightening in your stomach.

Your question seemed to agitate Leon, and for a moment, a flicker of frustration crossed his face. He took a deep breath, composing himself before speaking.

"It's not about trust, sweetheart. But this goes beyond our mission. Lives are at stake, and I can't let anything jeopardize that." Leon said firmly, his eyes locked on yours, analyzing every move you made.

You felt your heart sank. You had always admired Leon's dedication to his duty, but this seemed different. It was as if he was hiding something from you, something much darker than you could have ever imagined. You couldn't shake off the thought that Leon might not be the hero you had perceived him to be.

"Leon, we're a team. We face these dangers together," you implored, taking a step closer to him.

His eyes softened for a moment, but the resolve quickly returned. Your heart was beating so faster inside your chest that you were certain you would have it ripping your skin apart. You wanted to run, but you knew he would catch you.

"I know we are, but sometimes, in this line of work, there are things that one must carry alone. You don't need the burden of this knowledge." Leon said, his voice more cold and dark than before, his eyes scanning you and a slight smirk appearing on his lips. His words only fueled your suspicion further.

"Burden? Or the truth? I deserve to know, Leon. We both deserve to know what we're up against." You yelled at him, now completely scared.

Leon hesitated, torn between revealing more or maintaining the secrecy. You saw the battle within him, and that made you even more determined to uncover the truth, whatever it was. You remembered the countless times you both had saved each other's lives, trusting one another with your very existence.

"Leon, if you won't tell me the truth, then I'll find it myself," you declared, your voice unwavering as you took a step back, clutching the file tightly in your hand.

Suddenly, a loud crash from the hallway startled you both. Leon's eyes darted towards the door, and without another word, he lunged forward and snatched the file from your grasp.

"Leon, what's going on?" You demanded, your heart pounding faster, your hands shaking with fear.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I can't risk you getting involved any further." He hesitated for a moment, looking at you with a mix of remorse and determination.

Before you could react, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving you standing there, feeling betrayed and confused. Your mind raced, trying to process everything that had just happened. You couldn't shake off the feeling that something was deeply wrong. The doubts that had been lingering in the shadows now emerged with full force, and you knew that if you wanted to uncover the truth, you had to act fast. You went right after him, willing to take the truth out.

You took your knife out, and then, smoothly and quickly, you tripped his legs, which sent him crashing to the ground with a loud thud. You then leaped over him, holding the knife hard against his neck, the sharp blade gently tearing through his skin in a thin, shallow slash.

"I want the truth, Leon" you demanded again, pressing your knife deeper on his neck, using your knees to block his hands. "Or I swear to God, one of us won't see the sunlight"

"You're making things way more difficult than they should be" Leon replied, looking angry right before he switched places with you, leaving you under him. "We don't have to do this"

And unexpectedly, you hit him precisely, allowing yourself to be free from his grip. You stood up, grabbed your knife, and prepared to duel him.

"Then let's get clean. I won't let you go without telling me the truth" you said, noticing he also took his knife, you both in your positions, ready to fight.

"When I finish, remember that you chose this," he said, his voice more cold and dark as he prepared to fight with you.

Without another word, Leon and you lunged forward, knives glinting in the low light. The dance of blades began, the sound of steel clashing filling the room as you both tested each other's defenses and reflexes. Your movements were fluid, almost like a choreographed routine, but this was no ordinary dance – it was a deadly game of skill and strategy.

You struck first, your knife slicing through the air with precision. Leon deflected your attack with ease, stepping back to assess your next move. You came at him again, this time with a flurry of rapid strikes, but Leon parried each one, displaying his years of training and experience. Your connection was extraordinary. Your moves were perfectly timed, and it seemed as though you both could anticipate each other's intentions before you even made a move. It was a testament to the hours spent training together, forging a bond that transcended words.

The room echoed with the clashing of metal, and sweat began to bead on your brows. You were both pushing your limits, seeking to better yourselves and each other in this intense battle of skill and willpower. Your footwork was agile, and you utilized your speed to keep Leon on his toes. You feinted to the left and then lunged at his right side, but he was ready for you, sidestepping the attack and countering with a swift strike of his own. The tip of his knife grazed your shoulder, leaving a small, superficial cut.

You didn't flinch; instead, a determined glint flashed in your eyes. You intensified your efforts, your movements becoming more unpredictable and aggressive. Leon welcomed the challenge, his mind sharpened by the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Your breaths became audible, the rhythm of your heartbeats in sync with the dance you two performed.

A momentary distraction proved costly for Leon. As he glanced over your shoulder, you seized the opportunity, delivering a swift kick to his side, sending him stumbling backward. You capitalized on his momentary weakness, pressing the advantage and slashing your knife toward his exposed flank. Leon barely managed to twist away, but the blade still grazed his side, drawing a thin line of blood. The pain fuelled his determination, and he came back with renewed intensity. His strikes became more aggressive, forcing you to fall back and focus on your defense.

The clash of steel echoed through the night, a harmonious symphony of combat. You both moved with a fluidity that spoke of countless hours of practice, each moves an extension of your very being. But despite your efforts, neither seemed to gain the upper hand.

Time seemed to blur as you two fought, the minutes felt like seconds, and the seconds like an eternity. Both Leon and you were growing weary, the strain of the duel taking its toll. Sweat still dripped from your brows, and both of your breaths were labored, but neither was willing to yield. Then, in a moment of exhaustion, your concentration slipped ever so slightly. Leon seized the opportunity, redirecting your blade and disarming you with a swift, well-placed strike. Your knife flew from your hand, landing several feet away.

For a brief moment, the room fell silent, the only sound of the heavy panting of the combatants. Leon stood victorious, his knife pointed at you, who lowered your hands, breathing heavily but not willing to give up yet. A smile tugged at the corner of Leon's lips, a mix of relief and pride in his accomplishment.

"Well fought," he said, his voice slightly breathless, his eyes still locked on yours.

"Go ahead, kill me," you said to him, your eyes already tearing up, your forehead dripping sweat.

"I can't," he said, lowering his knife, catching his breath again, and for the first time, you could notice he was telling the truth.

The adrenaline inside you made your heart beat faster. But deep down, you knew it wasn't just the adrenaline. It was your feelings for him too, dominating your mind like poison, controlling every move of yours. Leon remained silent, his eyes still focused and locked on yours, and even though you both were tired, you knew he was sharing the same as you.

"What are you waiting for, Leon?" you asked him, accepting it was your end. You would die without knowing the truth, although you were starting to figure it out. "Fucking finish me"

But then, he surprised you with an urgent kiss, picking you up, holding your thighs, and pressing you hard against the wall, his tongue tasting every part of your face and your neck. You tangled your legs around his neck, your fingernails leaving scratches on his back, making him moan between your shared kisses.

Then, he put you down on a table, removing everything that was above, not caring about the noise or the mess or even the dirt. He used his belt to tie you down, removing your jeans and your underwear before he did the same. His fingers reached your pussy and he smiled largely, satisfied with his effect on you.

"I know you wanted me, ever since the day we met," he said, touching your clit and circling very slowly. "But that's okay, honey... I've always wanted to fuck you too"

"Shit, Leon..." You moan for him, biting your lip as you feel his touch. You were about to close your legs, but he stopped you from doing so.

"Don't you dare close your legs, sweetheart. I won't be gentle with you" he said, using the tip of his cock to tease you, rubbing it on your pussy, making you moan.

He gagged you with your underwear and smiled even more, looking at how desperate you were. You were so wet that he didn't have any trouble penetrating you, going deeper and slowly, his finger still circling your clit.

"Is this how you imagined me fucking you, honey?" he provoked you, starting to fuck you harder and you nodded, unable to answer. "Shit, you're so good... so tight, just for me"

He moans as he goes deeper into you, his fingers circling your clit, following the moves of his hips against yours. You moan, even muffled by your underwear in your mouth. He forces you to watch what he's doing to you, his hand holding your tied hands, making sure you're not going to move.

"You're so fucking beautiful" he moans again, looking at you, seeing your desperate body beg for him, which makes him smile largely. "Oh, God..."

Then, he takes off the underwear from your mouth and makes you sit down on your knees on the floor, putting his cock in your mouth, almost reaching your throat, making you suck him. He holds your head, making you taste him deeper, and when he removed himself out of your mouth, you gasped. Your eyes were tearing up, but he didn't care, he kept forcing you to suck him, and he knew you were enjoying it.

"Come on, sweetheart" he moans again, holding your head as he watches you suck him deep. "Shit, you're so good, baby"

You felt his precum on your mouth, and when he got closer to cum, he started to masturbate and force you to look at him while he did that. He started to moan again, still holding your head tight, until he released himself, and his cum when all over your face, his moans louder. His breath was heavier, and you saw his body trembling with the sudden release of pleasure. And to you, it was the most beautiful image you had of him, the type of Greek sculpture made by the Gods.

But if you thought he was done with you, well, you were wrong.

He lifted you again, pulling you back on the desk, spreading your legs wide open to lick you, tasting you on his tongue. The contact he made was so intense that the moan escaped through your lips like a sweet melody. Your tied hands reached his hair, and when he felt your touch, he glanced at you, a mean smile appearing on his lips.

"No, no, darling," he said, moving your hands away from his hair, that devilish smile still on his lips.

Leon hold your hands, and then, he returned his mouth to your pussy, licking it like a starved animal eating his prey. You started to moan, this warm feeling growing inside you, dominating your entire being. You lost yourself in the waves of pleasure, feeling them crashing over you like a tsunami of raw emotion. Your breathing grew heavier, each breath a desperate attempt to hold on to reality amidst the overwhelming ecstasy.

"Leon," you finally gasped, your voice barely a whisper. "I can't hold on much longer."

He met your gaze, his eyes filled with desire and passion, his pleasure entwined with yours, as he kept licking you, getting his mouth filled with your lubrication.

"Let go, honey," he encouraged his voice husky with desire. "I'm here with you."

With a final surge of intensity, you finally surrendered to the tidal wave of pleasure crashing over you. Your body quivered and shook, waves of delight coursing through your veins like liquid fire. In that euphoric moment, you were weightless, suspended in an infinite sea of rapture. Your body trembled with ecstasy as you let out a cry that echoed through the room, and then, you felt your body relaxed, and a sense of serenity washed over you. You opened your eyes, and the intensity of your gaze met Leon's.

For a moment, you could find words to express your thoughts. You remained in silence, watching the ceiling and trying to catch your breath. You couldn't think about anything else besides what happened. Your body was sensitive, still shivering, and you could still feel the pleasure. Until you saw him getting dressed again.

"I know you had a crush on me," he says out of nowhere, attaining your attention again. "And that is okay, this feeling is mutual"

"How long have you known that?" you ask him, sitting on the desk and putting your clothes back on again.

"Ever since we met. I wasn't kidding" he said, putting his gear back on, glancing at you while he spoke.

And when he turned around, you took the opportunity to look at the file about the double agents. And when you saw his name in there, everything started to fall apart. Everything made sense to you. Leon Scott Kennedy, the agent you fell in love with and trusted with your life, was working for the Umbrella Corporation. His eyes met yours, and there was nothing he could say.

"You work for them?" was the only thing you could ask him, feeling betrayed.

Leon sighed heavily, and instantly, his eyes changed. It was cold, dark, and empty of emotions. There was a macabre smile on his lips as he started to walk towards you.

"I told you before... you shouldn't have looked at it" he said, and then everything went black.

Your head was spinning around, and your left temple was aching, and you knew it was like someone hit you hard in the head. Besides this, your wrists were hurting too, and when you finally opened your eyes, you looked up and saw yourself suspended in the air, your hands tied by chains. You tried to free yourself, but it was very tight, and there was nothing you could do.

Suddenly, you heard a noise, and you felt your body falling to the ground, with a loud thud. Every part of you was hurting, and you felt your bones were burning. You started to cry when you saw Leon approaching you. His gaze is almost diabolical, like he was an animal with his helpless prey.

It was like he could take all the air from your lungs and leave you to die, and probably he would do that without hesitation. The sad part? You wouldn't mind. You felt so betrayed that at the moment, nothing else matters.

You were laying down on the floor, your eyes tearing up and your body aching in pain, and all he did was stare at you with those devilish, cold, and handsome blue eyes that you always loved. And while your body remembered that you were bleeding, your mind was racing, all your thoughts were focused on only one question: why?

"It hurts when we face the truth, isn't it?" he asks you, kneeling next to you, his hand resting on his knee as he holds his gun.

"I fucking hate you" Your voice sounds sharper and angrier, but you can't even stop looking at him.

"Funny. This isn't what I heard five hours ago" he smirks, trying to break your control, his hand reaching for your open wound, poking it and making you scream. "Yeah, that's better"

"You fucking asshole" your voice cracked a little as you sob in pain, your body twitching, trying to escape from him. "Why would you do that? You tricked me"

"Tricked you?" he laughs, his voice sounding colder than ever as he keeps looking at your miserable condition. "C'mon... I'm just doing my job, honey"

You spit on his face, your tears already falling down your cheeks. He smiled again, cleaning himself from your saliva before he grabbed you by your neck, his grip tight.

"I'll give you three options, honey. Chose one of them very carefully" Leon said, his eyes locked on yours, his dark smile getting bigger as he forced you to look at him. "One, you'll return with me, and you won't say a word about that damn file and let me do my job..."

You felt his cold gun reaching your face. He gently rubbed it on your face.

"Two, you'll work with me and help me get what I want" he whispers, his voice still cold, but a little bit caring, his eyes shining with the possibilities.

"What's the third option?" you ask him, your voice failing a little due to his tight grip on your neck. He smiled again, biting his lower lip before saying something.

"Your third option is death" he revealed calmly, like he did that before. You cried a little more, but he didn't care. "And I'll make it very slowly and painfully. So, darling, what's your choice?"

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blac-ivy · 1 year ago

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You know what I love? A break from the monotony of regular fics where the reader mc is a victim.

I love when the reader is the unhinged one. I love it when they're so deluded, so far gone that you as sane as you are (which can't be alot if you're on tumblr lol), that you start to see their point and even root for them.

It's like the ultimate girl power thing for me in like a screwed up way, to have the reader be the pursuer, the predator. It's so rare to see Yandere! Or obsessive! dark fics from that perspective.

I love seeing the common themes in dark fics, with a female reader as the instigator,

like the misogynistic "you're going to be my housewife and have my kids whether you like it or not" thing turned to " I'm just trying to be a good housewife for you and give you a family, I promise you'll love it" or " just let me make you feel good, I know you need it even if you don't know it yet" vibes

I love that. I'm going to eat it up everytime

If y'all know of any go ahead and comment. And to any writers who come across this don't be shy to self promote.

My preferred fandoms the MCU : the avengers, Captain America, TFAWS.Harry Potter, Twilight (which is dead as fuck)

Any C. Evans works, or S. Stan

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biomaterial · 1 month ago

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This is hands-down, one of the most solid and well supported pieces I've read on substack in ages. The premise, by drag queen Kochina Rude, surrounds what community means in the present era of queer visibility, the state of politics, and the reliance on businesses as queer third-spaces. It's a SF specific lens, but I feel it rings true for a large swath of the US, and beyond, with frustration and fatigue surrounding language vs action, individualism, and everyone being broke. While I recommend you read the entire piece, here are a few meaningful excerpts.

The current nightlife business model can no longer support those tasked with creating the culture San Francisco is known for, and our workforce has been paying the price for years. (Ask any bartender or security guard how many jobs they have.) The abundant, cheap labor the nightlife industry relies on to sustain itself is no longer possible within city limits; workers have moved across the bay or out of the area just to make ends meet, even if San Francisco remains the center of their social world. The drag queen supply has also just straight up exceeded demand; not just locally, but on television, as indicated by former reality TV contestants reporting fewer opportunities and empty schedules. (I’ve given up on keeping track of these girls, and I work with them.) On top of that, we’re living through a period of inflation and income disparity in the most expensive region in America, and anyone with a stake in the entertainment industry would be hard-pressed to deny what we’re seeing with our own eyes and in our bank statements. To sum it up: we’re down bad, divas.

...

As a queer person, I no longer believe that identity politics will save us. Unity and hybridity (separate parts that comprise the whole; or, intersectionality) come to roost in affinity: a commonality of characteristics suggesting a relationship to shared interests, causes, or circumstances. On paper, I may have next to nothing in common with my heterosexual friends in tattoo shops or hardcore bands, but we possess a unified outlook on life based on shared experiences from our youth. In contrast, I find that I do not typically share affinity with most other gay people I meet at the gay club. (Ooh, she’s “different.”)

...

It’s true that I’m sick of talking about community. But I’m entering the new year with the understanding that sometimes we must take a step back and re-examine our relationships to things to remember why it’s worth doing. One must never forget that we—me, you, and everyone we know—are all worth it. A Jewish proverb attributed to Pirkei Avot from the early common era (first and second centuries, CE) states: “you are not obligated to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”

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dropintomanga · 2 months ago

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Manga I Enjoyed in 2024

2024 has been an amazing year for manga. With the debut of the American Manga Awards to go alongside the Harvey Awards and Eisner Awards, we're about to head into some really fun times for manga recognition starting now. I read a lot of manga this year compared to last year, thanks to the libraries in my area.

But these few are the ones that impressed me the most.

Honorable Mention: Kagurabachi by Takeru Hokazono - I remember when I first read this manga, it became a meme. But once the meme died down, you got a title that's going to be another huge Shonen Jump anime hit. Reading Kagurabachi reminds me of the days when I loved BLEACH. The mix of sorcery, swords, and urban society combined with impressive art will leave a great impression on shonen readers. VIZ Media made an excellent decision in licensing the print edition as soon as possible as Volume 1 has sold amazingly well in bookstores across North America.

Favorite Ongoing Weekly Manga: Centuria by Tohru Kuramori - I swear more fans should know about this manga. Centuria is about a young man named Julian, who's been living as a slave for most of his life. On a slave ship, he meets a woman and a monster god - both who would change his life forever. Julian suddenly becomes endowed with supernatural powers and decides to pursue freedom however he can all while raising a child destined to be something more. This is a dark fantasy action series that is pretty much influenced by Berserk. Add the fact that Kuramori worked as an assistant under Tatsuki Fujimoto of Chainsaw Man and you have a highly underrated action series that will scratch any seinen fan's itch.

Without further ado, here's my top 5 manga of the year!

5.) She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat by Sakaomi Yuzaki - While this manga starts off as a nice yuri series about two women whose common interest is food, it goes into some good commentary about what it means to be a woman living in an extremely patriarchal society like Japan (which I'll discuss in a future post). I like how the manga becomes better with each volume as you get to see the cast grow and confront issues bothering them alongside each other. I appreciate that this series is about how eating food with people you care about is always worthwhile when you get a chance to do so.

4.) Home Office Romance by Kinetsu Yamada - This is a charming one-volume manga about two people who find love during a pandemic lockdown. Reading the manga made me relate to Nokoru, the male lead, as I share the same insecurities as he does when it comes to finally finding love and having the courage to push ahead with it. The manga also made me think about the early lockdown days of COVID as I did enjoy those days quite a bit. But nothing will ever beat actually wanting to be with someone in-person. Plus, good things do happen when you take the time to slow down. I knew this manga was a hit on Reddit and I can see why.

3.) Sketchy by Makihirochi - A librarian recommended this to me earlier this year around the summer, but the premise of skateboarding didn't appeal to me at first. I later gave the manga a shot after my library put it on their top 2024 book list. I was left very impressed. While this manga is about women trying to find more to life than love/work/school, I saw myself in the main characters due to finding a hobby (mahjong) that got me out there engaging with a world full of fun people not related to the daily grind. Sketchy is a testament to finding hobbies even as an adult and making friends there as those relationships are extremely important in ensuring that you still matter even if you're not respected by mainstream forces.

2.) The Darwin Incident by Shun Umezawa - This is a very clever, action-packed, political thriller. It's my favorite action manga of the year. There's so much social commentary that will greatly appeal to Western readers. What I love about the manga so much are the cliffhangers. I don't remember the last time I was impressed with cliffhangers in a manga. Every plot twist has been executed properly from what I've read. There's also some great lines from a really great cast of characters. I hope this series blows up when the anime comes out.

1.) The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't Really a Guy at All by Sumiko Arai - A manga that has lived up to the hype it got online and in Japan. I love the design. I love the usage of green throughout the manga. I love Mitsuki and Aya. It may not be the most original love story, but I love this manga for bringing me back to the days of '80s/'90s rock music. My adolescence was defined by rock music and I felt that the manga is a love letter to the era I grew up in. Even though I listen to mostly K-Pop, I still listen to rock from time to time. When I see new rock artists bringing back sounds I grew up with for a newer generation, it makes my heart glad. I remember how much music from any era has the power to change people's lives. Music does give hope and courage to those who desperately need it. This year was a year where I finally dwelled back into music and that's why green yuri is my manga hit of the year.

If you haven't noticed, most of the manga I recommended are about relationships. 2024 was a year where I made some new close friends whose bonds I want to nurture. It makes me hopeful about people and those who I will meet in the future. While I can't make friends with everyone, I know how much the people currently in my life mean to me and I wouldn't be here without them.

Hope you enjoyed my list and I'll see you guys in 2025!

#manga #2024 #manga reviews #Centuria #Kagurabachi #The Darwin Incident #She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat #The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't Really a Guy at All #Sketchy #Home Office Romacne #manga list

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matan4il · 1 year ago

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It's very interesting that anti-Zionists claim to be "anti-colonial" given the arguments I routinely see them use against Jews. For years, I've seen them use full scale blood quantum arguments, for one. Most recently, now that we're fully in "Jesus was a Palestinian" season again, I saw a famous economist claim that "Jesus is genetically closer to Palestinians, (particularly Christians) than to Israelis (0 connection to most groups)," which is false to begin with.

Personally, I'm very sensitive to this kind of argument because I'm a ger. These people go after Jews like us very hard because to them we have the wrong DNA and thus undermine Jewish indigeneity, peoplehood, and history. Even if they concede the genetic evidence of born Jews' ancestral origins, they still point at gerim and any of our descendants as the "fake Jews" who don't belong… anywhere, actually. We don't belong in Israel because we're "foreign interlopers," and we don't belong outside of Israel because we had the gall to become Jews.

It's one type of antisemitism I can't seem to numb myself toward.

Hi Nonnie! Thank you for the ask, and my apologies about how long it's taking me to reply these days. Real life is not currently kind... :(

Okay, I had to roll my eyes so hard at that propaganda lie about Jesus. (found the economist in question, love it when someone who is living as a colonizer on stolen Native American land, has the audacity to goysplain a Jewish man to Jews, who support Jewish native rights. There really is no end to how much Jews just don't count to such people, is there?)

And it really is remarkable how many things he could get wrong in just that one part of his tweet...

Jesus was not a Palestinian, he was a Jew.

If you traveled back in time, and wanted to ask him about being Palestinian, you wouldn't be able to speak to Jesus in Arabic, which is the language of the Palestinians as Arabs, you would have to speak to him in either Hebrew or Aramaic (which is so close to ancient Hebrew, that I can speak some Aramaic simply by virtue of being a native Hebrew speaker) for him to understand you. Because he was a Jew.

If you did speak to Jesus in Hebrew or Aramaic, and asked him about being Palestinian, he wouldn't know what you're talking about, because the Romans would only rename the land Provincia Syria Palaestina in 136 AD, over 100 years after his death. Calling Jesus Palestinian is like saying that Chief Powhatan (probably best known as Pocahontas' father) was a Virginian, just because he was born and lived on territory that would later become Virginia. It's anachronistic, blatantly untrue, and totally imposing colonialist inventions on native people.

To the best of my knowledge NO ONE has dug up Jesus' DNA to compare it to ANY group. This is how you can tell that when he gets to that part, this guy is just blatantly making propaganda up.

Israelis are not one group, but Israeli Jews do test close to other Middle Eastern groups, and closest to other Jewish groups from around the world.

I guess, why settle for one bit of bullshit, when you can go for five?

I find it so interesting that you used the term "blood quantum." For non-Americans, who may not know it, here's a short introduction:

A person's Blood Quantum is the fraction of their ancestors, out of their total ancestors, who are documented as full-blood Native Americans. The blood quantum policy was first implemented by the federal government within tribes to limit native citizenship. However, since 1934, tribes were granted the authority/ability to create their own enrollment qualifications.

I find it interesting, because I keep thinking Jews and First Nations have so much in common, as native peoples. I remember coming across at least two different stories of people being adopted into Native American tribes. Obviously, each first nation has its own rules about it, before and after the colonization of America, but the point is... there is room for someone to become a member of the tribe, not based on blood. Most of the time, membership of the tribe IS based on ancestry, but it isn't limited to that. Some people come and live with the tribe, adopt its customs and way of life, emerge themselves in the values and heritage, embrace its spiritual beliefs, become a member of this community, and then they are adopted in. It's the same with Jews. Most of us are born Jewish, some of us choose to live this lifestyle, embrace the customs, beliefs and culture, go to synagogue, get to know the community, and eventually adopt and are adopted by it. That's the thing. Converting to Judaism isn't just changing your belief system. It's joining a tribe, and changing one's identity through this process of mutual adoption. Converts to Judaism don't take away ANYTHING from the native rights of Jews. On the contrary, this process of conversion is so different to when someone moves from one religion to another (think of how much simpler baptism is, to the long journey of converting to Judaism), precisely because Judaism isn't just a religion, unlike Christianity and Islam. It is an entire, intricate identity that combines multiple aspects, as all ancient, native identities do.

And in this context, think of Americans who are mostly of European descent, and have nothing to do with Native American culture, or way of life, but they can point to having an "exotic" great great great grandfather, who was a Native American chief. From what I've gathered, they would not be considered members of the tribe by most Native American nations. But the person who lives with the tribe, and shares its ways and its fate? That person is recognized as such by the tribe members.

Jews are the same. We are not native just because our ancestors are from Israel. We are also native, because we are the people who have preserved that Israelite identity. We have carried its torch, and passed it on along the generations, and we have shared our light with those, who chose to stand with us, to share our ways, our fate, and the consequences of the horrible hatred aimed at us.

I love you, my fellow tribe member. Thank you for sharing the light, and the burden, together! *sending so much love* xoxox

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

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theconstitutionisgayculture · 19 days ago

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Sorry, I just have to complain about something.

I have a casual acquaintance with this guy from NC, and I think he's pretty cool. He's more than ten years younger than me, but we have a lot of similar interests and viewpoints, and he strikes me as a genuinely kind person who's very easy to get along with. I always avoid politics with him because I assume most of Gen Z is left leaning, as per the usual with the youth of our culture, and I never wanted to find out about his political views and consequently lose respect for him.

I ran into him today, having not seen him since before Christmas, and I was eager to catch up a bit, but unfortunately, the first words out of his mouth were about how he's been distracted by the inauguration, alarmed specifically that Elon Musk gave a proper Nazi salute during his speech, and that he's afraid for the future of our country.

I am so put out with the TDS. I have been a libertarian and a middlest for a long time, and I used to pride myself on my ability to find common ground with most folks. But more and more, over the last ten years, I have come to feel like I have to close myself off from people, and often young people in particular, because they are constantly revealing their inability to think for themselves and their utter lack of tolerance towards what are, in my opinion, perfectly valid viewpoints and concerns.

Long of it short, I would rather not automatically assume that young people, in spite of how intelligent and reasonable they may seem when first met, are not worth getting to know, but I am genuinely bothered by their penchant to assume that everyone thinks the way they do, and that anyone who doesn't is evil.

I think often about something you're fond of saying, which is that if a person can't accept me for who I am, they are not a true friend. There are still people I love and am hurt to think of losing whom I believe would want nothing to do with me if we honestly discussed politics, but as the culture wars drag on and intensify, I also notice how much resentment towards them has blossomed in my heart.

I am looking forward to four years of Trump and truly hoping that, in time, America can heal.

It is sad, I agree. But there are signs of hope. Young men are trending conservative, and Trump won the young male vote. He won gains in every demographic, some of those gains being historic numbers in groups that haven't gone right in nearly 50 years. There's growing backlash to far right policies in deep blue states like California and deep blue cities like Chicago. Divisive, evil ideologies like DEI and wokeism are on the decline. The media is rapidly losing what little influence, and viewership, it has left. For the first time since the early 90s, everything is trending in the right direction in the US. And not just the US, either. Right wing populism is on the rise all across Europe, too.

This isn't to say that you should live and die by political trends. It's just to show that things are changing. Your friend is going to wake up one day and find that his circle has shrunken to just himself and a few miserable people who see Nazis and death squads around every corner. It will be up to him to decide if he wants to cling to irrational fear that everyone else has long since thrown off, or keep wallowing in that misery because it's comfortable and familiar. And no one can make that choice for him. Just like no one can make any of the screeching pearl clutchers on the left see reality as it actually exists. That's a journey they need to make, or reject, on their own.

Your choice is a more difficult one. You can observe the world through eyes that aren't covered with ideological blinders. You can see all the good parts of your friend, as well as the bad. And you need to decide if holding onto that friendship, if betting that those good parts will win out in the end, is worth dealing with all the bad and hiding a part of yourself from your friend. If the enjoyment you get from being his friend outweighs always needing to be on your toes in case he finds out you hold an opinion he can't handle. That's a choice only you can make.

But while you're thinking about that, consider this. This young man considers you a friend. That seems to mean he thinks you agree with him on everything, and that anyone who disagrees with him is evil in some fundamental, visible way. If you talk to him about your beliefs, that may force him to come to terms with the fact that someone he likes can also have "evil" beliefs. It may ruin the friendship, but it also might be something he desperately needs to find out. A black man named Daryl Davis once dissolved an entire KKK chapter just by making friends with its members and showing them that their beliefs about black people were wrong. I'm not saying you, or anyone else, needs to be Daryl Davis for young leftists, but personal relationships can be a powerful tool for change.

Just something to think about.

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aeneakarts · 5 months ago

Text

‼️ EMERGENCY COMMISSIONS OPEN ‼️

I have my current situation all explained after the cutoff but to put it short, my younger brother has been hospitalized for sudden lung complications and I am across the country away from family trying to finish my final year in college. Tuition + medical bills in America is an absolute nightmare for a barely middle-class family so I am trying to help my family by opening commissions!! Reblogs are very much appreciated <33

All commissions in my carrd are open, from pixels to digital to animated items. If there is something you would like that isn't listed on the carrd (such as ref sheets, customs, phone wallpaper, badges, etc), feel free to inquire about it and I can get you a quote. I am quite desperate and would honestly consider doing nsfw commissions as well for an additional 50% of the original price. Payment will be through ko-fi/paypal!

Carrd with commission prices: https://neacomms.carrd.co/#

Trello for commission updates: https://trello.com/b/pX0vbAXb/owed-art

Contact: Feel free to send me a dm here on tumblr but I would much appreciate if you are able to instead contact me on [Toyhouse]. Feel free to also send me a friend request on discord @/Aeneak if you prefer that as well. My carrd lists my email for contact as well but do note that you might get a delayed response there.

Donations: If you would rather just leave a donation (trust me when I say even $1 can go a long way) feel free to send what you can/are willing to spend through my ko-fi or Paypal. Note that my ko-fi is able to process credit/debit/and other forms of payment as well!! <3

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/aeneakarts

https://ko-fi.com/aeneak

If you are reading this then thank you for taking the time to do so, it is more than I could ever ask for <33

So just yesterday on Sept. 4th it felt like any other normal day, I get to my dorm to video call family and instead of seeing my parents at home, I see them both in tears as my younger brother is laid in a hospital bed with tubes and oxygen and wires from several medical devices coming out of him. He had a normal morning but as he was dropped off to class he started to have chest pains, not one hour later he had to get picked up from school and soon enough he was rushed to the ER. After some xrays the doctors had said there were some holes in his right lung which had collapsed and had been giving him complications in breathing properly and gave him severe pain. He spent the night in the hospital, and earlier today he was taken for surgery to get a pump installed to help him breathe and get his body to recover and heal. I am so so thankful that things are going smoothly but he will be in bed in the hospital for the next several days, my mom is with him just about every second possible and my dad has also taken the week off of work to spend as much with them as possible. I am stuck across the country barely starting my year in college and have no way home, the best I can do is continue my studies but with no current income, I am opening commissions to work on between classes. I have been here the past two days since I found out about this news absolutely sick to my stomach unable to eat/rest properly trying to go through my day as normally as possible. I am Hispanic so my family is very close-knit and they mean the absolute world to me, especially my brother who has always been by my side and we do just about everything together, hell, he would always look up to me for everything and has been inspired to dabble in art because he saw me doodling all the time.

We still do not know why this happened suddenly, they tell us it can be common for athletes especially those who push their bodies to the limits, but my brother does not do any kind of sports. He is not unfit either, he is the healthiest person I know and always watches what he eats, so to have this suddenly happen was completely out of the blue. My parents will stay with him in the hospital for the next 5 nights until he can hopefully be released to recover at home. During this period we are not getting any income and with everything that's happened so far, the medical bill is going to be a nightmare.

If you are unable to send in a commission request/donation please do not worry, everyone is going through their own struggles and I completely understand, take care of yourselves first!!

A reblog is always very much appreciated to help spread the word but regardless, if you've made it this far thank you so so much for reading everything, I hope you all are having a wonderful day/night and if not, I truly hope things get better for you soon! Please take care and remember to drink water <3

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rems-writing · 7 months ago

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The prettiest Slytherin

Pairing: Slytherin!Seonghwa × Hufflepuff!oc

Summary: Park Seonghwa is considered untouchable. However, one person can make him fall to his knees. And boy will he do anything for his one and only darling

Warning(s): An oc (original character) named Ajax, simp!Seonghwa (he's so down bad lol), stereotyping (when it comes to the Hogwarts houses lol)

Genre: Fluff with sprinkles of spice and suggestive themes

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society

Thank you to @bunnliix for helping me decide which name I should pick for my oc

Slytherins are known for being cunning, ambitious, and straight up rude while Hufflepuffs are known to be humble, hardworking, and willing to compromise in order to avoid conflict.

The one thing these houses share in common however? Loyalty.

Park Seonghwa carried the traits of a Slytherin. Minus the rudeness. He was known by many things. Handsome, beautiful, perfect, funny, and kind. The one thing he is however, according to most of the students, including his fellow Slytherin peers?

Untouchable.

Many women wanted him while many men wanted to be him. Hence, the occasional jealous look every time he walked across the hallways to either a class or the grand hall for a simple meal.

Today was just another day for Seonghwa. As he made his way to his next class, he was stopped by his little group of fangirls.

They called themselves shinestars since his name translates to "To be a star" and his name backwards means Mars.

As he gave them his award-winning smile and used his charismatic charm on the already swooning girls, one of them approached him with a bit of fear in her eyes.

"Um... Seonghwa, you need to watch out."

"For what, babe?"

The girl melted before she regained her composure. He had a way with words.

"Apparently, we have a new Hufflepuff student. And before you can assume..."

She looked around to see if that student was listening. When she made sure the coast was clear, she leaned in to whisper softly.

"He's not your average Hufflepuff. In fact... he's probably the scariest one."

The other girls agreed while Seonghwa grew curious.

"Who is this 'scary' Hufflepuff if I may ask?"

All the girls quickly shushed him and tried to move on from this supposed touchy subject. He was slightly annoyed since his interest was piqued. However, he let the girls fawn over him before he made his way to his all-time favorite class.

Astrology.

He sat down in his usual seat and read his textbook, occasionally stopping to say hi to his fellow classmates. As he read his textbook and prepared for class, he felt a presence beside him.

"Ayo. Is this seat taken?"

An American accent. With a deep voice. Seonghwa looked up to see who spoke.

His knees buckled even though he was seated.

Black hair swept back, cold eyes, a clenched jaw, and hands that carried way too much. There were textbooks, notebooks, and his wand in both palms. Afraid his patience was growing thin, Seonghwa quickly spoke, although his voice cracked.

"Of course! You may sit here."

Seonghwa shut his mouth and cringed at the way he sounded overly excited. Luckily, the guy nodded firmly and sat next to him. Seonghwa peeked over at which house he was in and his throat went dry.

The Hufflepuff crest was on his robe. And there was yellow on the inside of his black robe.

This was the 'scary' Hufflepuff the girls were talking about earlier.

But he didn't seem scary.

"Um... so the accent. Are you... from America?"

The guy nodded and Seonghwa took a mental note of that before continuing to speak with him.

"I assume you transferred from Ilvermorny?"

"You could say that. But to put it lightly, I got kicked out of there. For what? I don't fucking know."

The bluntness and abrasiveness of the man's tone caught Seonghwa off guard but the Slytherin found himself being intrigued by him even more.

"I'm sorry that you were unjustly kicked out of there. But allow me to welcome you into Hogwarts."

Seonghwa mustered up his best smile and stuck out his hand. The guy slowly turned to him and shook his hand. Seonghwa almost melted under his touch.

"My name is Park Seonghwa, head boy of Slytherin!" He used his usual introduction but unlike the other first encounters with new students, his hand became clammy the longer it stayed in the guy's hand.

"I'm Ajax."

The man, now known as Ajax, introduced himself shortly and Seonghwa nodded before letting go of his hand quickly.

"Sorry! My hand is a bit sweaty. I don't know why. Maybe it's hot in here. Heh heh!"

Ajax quirked an eyebrow at Seonghwa as he saw the young boy wipe his palm on his robe.

"It's fine."

That was the last thing he said before turning to his textbook. Seonghwa could've sworn he heard Ajax mumble under his breath as the Slytherin fumbled to open his notebook.

Did the 'scary' Hufflepuff call him cute?

---------------------------------------------------

"Ooh! Seonghwa is down bad~"

His friends laughed at and teased him while Seonghwa rolled his eyes and tried to calm his blushing face down.

"Quit it, Wooyoung!"

The loud Hufflepuff giggled and kept eating.

Seonghwa had seven other friends. There was Hongjoong and Mingi from Ravenclaw, San and Jongho from Gryffindor, and Yunho, Yeosang, and Wooyoung from Hufflepuff.

"What? Woo's just stating the obvious, Hwa." Yeosang teased him and Seonghwa groaned dramatically as he sipped on his drink.

Wooyoung's teasing was bad. When Yeosang joined, it was pure chaos. And he's usually the calmer Hufflepuff.

"I have dated both men and women, but never have I felt this way about anyone until he came along." Seonghwa ranted as Hongjoong patted his back.

"Perhaps this could be the one for you. Why not ask him out?"

"Joong, be serious. Hwa can't do anything without that gaggle of girls breathing down his neck." Mingi said bluntly and Hwa sadly agreed.

"They'll most likely push Hwa away from him."

"MINGI!"

"What?! You know I'm right!"

Indeed he was.

Every time Seonghwa tried to approach Ajax, his fangirls would whisk him away. They think they're protecting him but really, they're annoying him. And even if Seonghwa was able to approach Ajax, Ajax would simply roll his eyes and say something horrible like 'Go back to ya lil fangirls' or 'Don't be caught with me unless you want to be unpopular or whatever' before walking away.

Seonghwa knew Ajax didn't mean anything by it yet it still hurt.

He was starting to hate his reputation as the untouchable Slytherin.

"Oop! Look out, Hwa. Here he comes~" San teased him and Seonghwa immediately looked up. His heart began racing upon seeing the sight of him.

His hair was tousled, his robe was open and revealed a white tank top and black slacks, and his eyes were sharp as he hurried over to... wherever he was going.

Before he had the chance to say anything, Yeosang spoke up.

"YO! AJAX! OVER HERE!"

Ajax stopped and saw his fellow Hufflepuff peer waving over at him before sighing and walking over to where Yeosang was.

Imagine his surprise when he sees Seonghwa staring at him with wide eyes and an almost red face. As he sat next to Yunho, he nodded over to Seonghwa, who was nudged by Jongho so the Slytherin can face him.

"You friends with these guys?"

Seonghwa nodded nervously, waiting for another unintentional insult. His heart raced even faster when he saw Ajax smiling slightly.

"That's cool. I hope you don't mind if I spend the rest of my break with you guys."

"That's totally fine!"

Everyone laughed at Seonghwa's excited outburst while Ajax's smile never left his face.

The lunch break still went on and over the course of it, Ajax sat closer to Seonghwa. Seonghwa was a bundle of nerves as he got flustered over everything. From reaching over him to grab something from one of his friends to accidentally brushing against his shoulder to reach for his bag that was behind him.

The nerves got worse when Ajax leaned in to whisper in Seonghwa's ear.

"Meet me outside the dorms and in one of the hidden rooms after everyone goes to bed. We need to talk."

TALK?!

WHAT THE FUCK DID THIS INSANELY HOT MAN WANT TO TALK ABOUT?!

"Um... ok." Seonghwa agreed quietly and Ajax smirking before continuing to speak with the rest of the guys.

---------------------------------------------------

Seonghwa fidgeted nervously as he paced back and forth in the hidden room Ajax informed him about later that night.

What did he want to talk about?

Did he find out about his crush on him?

Just what was going on.

A pair of hands landed on his waist and he was pulled back into a broad chest. A pair of lips ghosted over his ear.

"Hey."

Seonghwa turned around and sighed dreamily upon seeing his boyfriend in the moonlight.

"We don't have to pretend. We're alone now. Come here."

Ajax brought Seonghwa into a warm hug as he spoke softly, which was uncharacteristic of him. Seonghwa gladly returned the hug and looked up at him with big boba eyes.

"I know you didn't mean what you said earlier, but it still hurts."

"I know, mon chère. I know. It's hard to say those things every time I look at you. Those stupid fangirls of yours are relentless! They already painted me as a bad guy and I've been here for a week."

Ajax connected his forehead with Seonghwa's and he sighed shakily.

"I wish we didn't have to hide ourselves. I hate being called untouchable. I hate my reputation. I just want to love you openly!" Seonghwa was upset as he ranted and he swore he felt himself about to cry.

Ajax sighed and brought Seonghwa into a tender and passionate kiss. It was full of love and desperation. Ajax grabbed under Seonghwa's thighs and lifted him so he could wrap his long legs around his waist. As Ajax laid Seonghwa down on the bed, both men thought back to how they first met whilst they slowly undressed each other.

---------------------------------------------------

THREE MONTHS AGO

Seonghwa was waiting for his date to arrive. It had been a while since he last went on a date, let alone a blind one. He was so busy with finals that he forgot that he had a life to live. With the help of his friends, he was dressed in a pristine black three-piece suit with chrome silver jewelry everywhere, ranging from the rings on his delicate fingers to the earrings that Hongjoong made for him.

It had been 30 minutes since Seonghwa arrived at the restaurant and as his patience grew thin, his hope was slowly dying. As he brought out his phone to play games, he felt a presence loom in front of him as they sat across from the table he was seated at.

On the table was Seonghwa's birth flower.

A small bouquet of daises.

"I'm sorry I'm late. Traffic was bad and I had to retrieve my motorcycle from the shop."

A woman's voice wasn't supposed to sound deep...

Seonghwa looked up and he swore it was love at first sight when he saw this god-like man stand in front of him.

Black hair that was swept back, soft brown eyes, and the kindest smile that would make anyone fall in love.

"Oh! I-It's no problem. I'm just glad you m-made it."

Seonghwa cringed at the way he stuttered and the man laughed slightly.

'Oh God... even his laugh is dreamy. Stop it, Hwa!'

Seonghwa practically drooled when the man took off his leather jacket, leaving him in a black dressed shirt that had the sleeves folded up to reveal muscular forearms.

One of them had a half sleeve.

Seonghwa didn't mean to stare at the intricacy of the inked art for too long but apparently, he did since the man decided to tease him.

"What? Got a thing for tats or something?"

Seonghwa blushed and looked away in embarrassment. It was already bad enough that he was caught.

The man would, for sure, freak out if he ever caught a glimpse of the boner that Seonghwa shamefully tried to readjust under the table.

"Well... I certainly do now."

The man laughed and stuck his hand out.

"I'm Ajax. Nice to meet you."

Seonghwa will definitely remember that name for as long as he shall live.

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PRESENT TIME

Ajax was sitting on the edge of the bed, head in his hands as he carded his fingers through his hair. He was deep in thought about everything when he felt slender arms wrap around his shoulders and a pair of plush lips kiss his nape softly.

The same plush lips that screamed his name over and over as they were tangled in the sheets.

"Everything ok, J?"

Ajax's heart fluttered in his chest at the nickname Seonghwa gave him. He sighed and turned around to face his boyfriend before caressing his face.

"Yeah I'm ok. I'm just... lost in thought."

"What are you thinking about?"

"Everything. I don't want to pressure you into revealing our relationship, but at the same time, I don't want you hanging around those girls and allowing them to push me away!"

"I don't do that though -"

"You know what I mean, Hwa."

Seonghwa sighed and brought Ajax back to bed before straddling him and kissing him deeply. As he pulled away, he was satisfied with the way Ajax's lips were swollen from the heated kisses they shared together.

"After this week passes, I will make sure to tell everyone, including my stupid fan club in the Slytherin house, that I am taken. I am so in love with you, Ajax. I will not let this go on any longer. If anyone has a problem with it, too bad. Because you are mine. And I am yours."

Ajax saw the fire and determination in Seonghwa's eyes and smirked before leaning in to kiss along the side of Seonghwa's slender neck. The man moaned loudly as he felt his boyfriend leave hickies on the smooth skin. He retracted his head and smirked before pulling out his wand and waving it over his tatted forearm to reveal the one sign that is an indication of his love for him.

A tattoo with his initials.

Decked out in black and green ink, Seonghwa traced that tat with his fingertips.

PSH

Seonghwa felt tears come to his eyes and Ajax noticed his trembling form before he brought him into a hug.

"They say you're untouchable. Well... wait until you see their reaction when they realize that this 'scary' Hufflepuff bagged the prettiest Slytherin in all of Hogwarts." Ajax stated proudly.

"We'll show them, my darling. We'll show them." Seonghwa stated proudly before he fell back into the arms of his beloved Hufflepuff.

#mirohsaurorasociety #ateez #ateez imagines #ateez fanfic #my ocs #original character

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briankang · 11 days ago

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Hiiii, canon comp skz fic anon here, thank you so much for answering my question over with chanrizard :) Coming off anon because I have more questions if I may, please. Do we know if chris/felix/jisung/jeongin shared a room in the dorm too, or were they more evenly distributed across those three rooms that skz ended up taking over completely in ep 2 of the show? My understanding was that Changbin, Hyunjin, and Seungmin were also already around (basing this on how long they said they were trainees for from ep 1), tho presumably in a different dorm I guess? And that Minho joined as a trainee last... Sorry, just trying to get my timelines straight here before I write too much more fic *sweatdrop*

omg no problem of course!!!

based on what we see in the show, those 4 are already at the dorm space they seemed to keep until 2022-ish. this is what it looks like when we first see it:

they all end up moving their things around so i don't think they shared rooms necessarily, but definitely the dorm itself! i know for sure chris used to room with young k of day6 (and roomed with him the longest, i think they said abt 5 years), and if memory serves i believe bambam also shared with them (fun fact, they used to steal young k's mattress off of his bed and drag it around to eat fast food on)

i don't think it's ever really said by anyone, but i personally have always assumed people that live in seoul sort of used the dorms as needed if they're staying late (which was...a lot), but those who had come from overseas or other parts of korea that were too far had more permanent spots in the dorms (of course), or maybe had separate ones even based on that distinction.

i think they also tried to keep them pretty close to each "debut group", but not necessarily stuck to it, but for reference the original debut group for skz was chan, allen (now in cravity), jisung, changbin, steven (now in luminous/ahof), hyunjin, jeongin, yao chen (former r1se member now a soloist), seungmin, felix,🤢woojin, and minho at the very tail end. cute pic of (most) of them all here (p sure thats minho in the very bottom lmao)!

which if u want a brief history lesson for some backstory:

yao chen ended up going to a chinese boy group called r1se (that...no longer exists but he's v successful solo now! i do wonder if he was actually meant to be in boy story but was perhaps a bit too old/concepts were changed? their oldest are 04 liners LMAO) and allen was actually meant to be in it as well but apparently didnt like the idea so he ended up going to starship and minho ended up taking allen's spot in the group and show despite being there like barely two months (p sure allen had been in there for a WHILE). steven's never said anything about why he left jyp, but he was on produce 101 and i'm p sure left sometime after that (common).

there was an additional almost member named john aquino who ended up moving back to america, but he's met up with them before on tour and also put up one of the funniest instagram stories i've ever seen of him putting bottoms up by trey songz to the my house cover chris did calling him mr.stealyourgirl because he "has that kind of vibe about him" (also realized getting this tweet the Youth™️ do not know abt this song and have proceeded to make a big deal abt it and taking it as like....Fact and serious bc they didn't live through the swag era like some of us). here's another funny ass tweet w/ some posts. i think this is the funniest way i've ever seen somebody refer to him as being sexy by saying he could take anyone because he's so hot and charismatic (it's also soooooo late millennial/early gen z of him sLKSDJGLKSD john reminds me of young k's old friend from toronto terry actually)

other boys who were considered i believe at some point: yuchan and byeongkwan, who both left in abt 2016 to go to beat interactive and debuted in a.c.e (yuchan and chris were the treadmill zombies in the twice mv for like ooh-ahh!) and daehwi and woojin from ab6ix!

all that to say i have to assume all these boys were in these dorms at one point given they were all overseas trainees (yao chen from china, steven from sydney, and allen and john from the us), so if anyone was bunking there it was them, which would also explain why those beds were empty now since they were no longer part of the debut project. i wanna say maybe allen and chris shared a room at some point but i can't put fact to that, but allen has a lot of stories about chris's mom so they were close! if you want the order of who joined:

chris (2010), jisung (2014-2015-ish), jeongin, hyunjin, changbin, woojin (2015-2016), felix, seungmin (2016/2017, seungmin passed an open audition, felix finished out his school year), minho (2017)

lmk if this helps any!!! old jyp lore is my favorite topic 😊

#slothy-girl #asks #omg this got so long. i'm so sorry.

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cassandra-knows · 25 days ago

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As a Millennial I was scarred by having my formative political years coincide with the rise of Dubya.

I didn't think anyone could possibly be thick enough to vote him in. And they didn't-! But he was escorted over the line by others in power, went on to miss a devastating attack on home soil and used it to start a war for oil, THEN GOT ELECTED FOR REAL ON THAT RECORD. All while coming across as a total nitwit.

Since I was in middle school I have been dumbfounded by what Republicans will steal in broad daylight and browbeat everyone into shifting the overton window to accept. No one called foul on them. No one EVER calls foul on them.

You can go all the way back to America's Original Sin and see the exact same pattern that has repeated over and over and over again. A small group of wealthy people pitch a fit about a policy that would hamper their acquisition of more wealth and power, cloaking their greed in the language of religious righteousness or patrotism or paternalism or fearmongering, and the rest of the people with wealth and power may talk a good game about equity and justice but at the end of the day they have far more in common with their fellow parasites so they agree to carve out an exception for them. But the wealth addicts have no concept of 'enough', only 'more' so they spend a few decades learning to exploit the status quo and when they hit that ceiling that bust through it increasingly brazen audacity and act like they're the victims, or they're entitled to it, or God promised it to them, or just WHAT'RE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT, HUH? Actually ousting and defanging these leeches would risk the whole country coming undone. (WOULD IT THOUGH?! Maybe now, but that's because it's been left to fester for so long!!!) So we'll pretend this coup/ethnic cleansing/fraud on the people doesn't actually count. But just this once! Just the one time. We'll definitely get serious and punish the next person who tries something really bad.

When I was a teen I was appalled by everything about the War On Terror. I couldn't understand why my fellow youths weren't marching in the streets. Our parents were former hippies, what happened to that spark?! The apathy was deafening. It broke something in me: I felt so helpless.

Now I know why they didn't march. Because the hippies were always a minority counter culture, and the rest bought into Greed Is Good, this is how the world works so you better learn to play the game. Even my former hippie dad was adamant that I needed to learn the game in order to look after myself. As a generation Millennials were told a lie about how to secure our futures, and certainly older Millennials bought it. If the global economy hadn't crashed in 2008, it we'd been allowed the same advantages as our parents, we would be just as insufferable as the worst Boomers.

I worry that the decades of zero options, zero hope, zero money, have fostered that apathy. We literally couldn't go anywhere or do anything because that requires money. Many of us still live hand to mouth. I've half-joked for years that our generation's retirement plan is going to have to be to dismantle capitalism, but it becomes truer every day.

The system is working as designed. We are all too tired, too poor, too anxious, too sick, or too scared to take any risks. We're all one car failure or health incident away from penury. We keep hoping someone will go marching in on our behalf and sort things out, clean up the mess, provide some relief, be the adult in the room.

There are no adults here but us.

Do we deserve to call ourselves adults if we won't take a stand for something that really matters?

Adulting didn't have to be hard. America didn't have to be hard. Other people made them hard and convinced us that was the right and proper way to do things.

We're burned out and barely hanging on for whose benefit? The gerontocracy that refuses to let go of power, but WILL die sooner than they want to accept? The shareholders who are addicted to making money, even though they could never spend it all in a human lifespan?

I don't think I'm the immature one here. I'm not the snowflake who has a tantrum when someone suggests I share the toys I stole. If I'm sent to the corner I don't call the other kids liars who are out to get me. I don't crap myself in public or fall asleep at my own trial. And I'm not dumb enough to believe it when a kid covered in chocolate tells me he's never taken any pudding but if he did that would be fine because he deserves pudding and he should definitely be given more pudding now.

America is being held hostage by squalling toddlers.

No one is coming to save us but us.

We are the adults in the room, if we act like it.

#Note: real grown ups do not recklessly resort to violence #Note 2: real grown ups understand there are many ways to make change in the world #Note 3: real grown ups lead from compassion #Note 4: real grown ups do something smart before others resort to violence #us politics #Somethingiswrong2025 #Fucking do something #fuck maga #maga cult #democracy #millennials #boomers #war on terror

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themoonandtheprincess · 9 months ago

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More Chase/Kaz headcanons

•Kaz is very much into alternative music, albeit more popular bands like Fall Out Boy and Rise Against. Spike is into it too but leaning more metalcore and screamo.

°It freaks Adam the fuck out when he goes down to the lab and finds Spike jamming out to some Ice Nine Kills while training.

°Although Adam and Kaz do find it funny because in "Communion of the Cursed" one of their lyrics is literally "Get on your knees and prove your worth."

°Speaking of Spike, Chase learns to control him a lot better when they're older so he doesn't come out as much anymore, but that leaves the times Spike does come out into full blown tantrums.

°Chase would never admit it out loud but that part of him does need attention too and really only comes out when Spike doesn't feel like he's getting enough.

°Kaz has learned that the only way to get through to Spike is to talk calmly to him and as he would to Chase. Which he just sees Spike as a part of his boyfriend, no different.

•Adam is big into country music but he's not elitist about it. In fact, he would love the "This ain't Texas" Beyoncé song.

•There isn't an Elite Force for long. Mighty Med eventually gets rebuilt and Kaz realizes he can't save the heroes if he's being one.

°It might stem from insecurity about not being sure he can 100 percent control his powers or that he's just more comfortable doing the background work.

°Either way, it's all a group decision to split the Elite Force, although Skylar with join Bree on missions sometimes.

°Kaz would be lying if he didn't admit he missed being a part of a team, but being part of Mighty Med soon became a team to him and even a family.

•Somehow, I'm not sure how, they are connected to the Henry Danger universe.

•Kaz "proposed" to Chase with a RingPop like all cringe babygays.

•Their actual wedding had A-list superheroes and company owners, much to Chase chagrin who wanted a small wedding.

•But Kaz made it up to him by flying him across the city and to the Bionic Island.

°Which, it was the thought that counts because Chase is terrified of heights.

•So I don't know if this is obvious, buy the Davenport kids aren't robots. They're humans just with bionic abilities. So I'm guessing in the way I'm seeing things their chips are sorta like a prosthetic if that make sense. I don't know. Feel free to correct me.

°If we're going by that sense of logic, then having bionic chips for super speed or what have you would become more common in the future, albeit for rich people.

°It definitely would make Chase insecure that there are more bionic people but also feel more welcomed into the world then standing on the outside. As for Adam and Bree too.

°But these newer bionics have upgraded systems and overall better functioning for them. They don't glitch as often, rarely with this new tech rolling out, and it embrasses all three of them when they glitch in public because of how old their chips are getting.

°Speaking of glitching, although Kaz isn't an engineer, anytime any one of the glitches he will take them back to the mansion to help Davenport and combine engineering with his medical knowledge. And as they get older it only gets worse.

°Once on a mission, all three of them simultaneously glitched and Kaz could hear it on his radio to them. He immediately called an ambulance to Mighty Med. Although Skylar yelled at him for not just flying over there.

•Kaz is CONVINCED Tony Stark once came in for his reactor messing up.

•When they're in their early 20's, Kaz shoots up taller than Chase to around Adam's height but he likes to joke he's secretly Elastic-Man and be any height he wants.

•Kaz refuses to take a side on the DC/Marvel debate although he will talk for HOURS about how the MCU is deteriorating.

•Skylar and Bree have some pretty sick cosplays of Vision and Wanda though while Kaz goes as Captain America and Chase goes as Bucky Barnes.

°Leo goes as Loki and tries to convince Adam to go as Thor but he goes as Groot instead. And of course, Donald goes a millionaire Playboy Tony Stark.

•Kaz is, of course, everyone's personal heater but he can not stand any of the eighty blankets Chase keeps around him to sleep.

°So they made a deal, only, like, two blankets but to keep them on Chase's side, that way Kaz can still be his personal heater.

•Kaz hates summer but he loves the pool... just not what it does to his powers. (Not to mention it takes an hour or two to come back.)

•Once, to piss Kaz off on his birthday, Chase individually wrapped each page of a comic book.

°But it was better than the time he used actual comic book pages as wrapping paper.

•Chase and Adam have autism while Kaz has ADHD.

•All three of the Davenkids can NOT sleep in darkness. Probably because they grew up sleeping in capsule, but neither can Kaz or Skylar. Kaz because obviously his powers are fire ability and it would scare him shitless if he woke up randomly in the middle of the night and couldn't summon a flame. And Skylar because it's just how she grew up on her planet.

°Chase figured out a way he wouldn't need to sleep in his capsule anymore but still sometimes does one for familiarity, two for when he's mad at Kaz.

•Also, all Davenkids have done animal therapy at least once (including Leo) and actually got it integrated into Mighty Med. That's how most of the superheroes ended up with their animal sidekicks.

•As he gets older Kaz accepts he's not going to be on the frontlines as a superhero but begins to get comfortable with that as he becomes more concerned with being a doctor.

•Kaz sometimes gets full on Will Solace from Percy Jackson mode. "Doctor's orders" and literally having to drag Chase away from his projects to go to sleep.

Let me know if you guys want more of these!

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doomedwarlock · 8 months ago

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#DOOMEDWARLOCK: " I'm a nasty piece of work , chief . Ask anybody . "

Lev's non selective JOHN CONSTANTINE from Vertigo Comics, DC Comics and the Sandman Universe. Exclusively comic influenced.

promo template - character playlist

RULES & INFO UNDER THE CUT -

RULES -

Basic etiquette is expected: no godmodding, ic is not ooc, etc.

I don't consider all of hellblazer canon to my portrayal, I might make a list at some point, but most notably I am choosing to ignore Brian Azzarello's Hellblazer and the final 50 issues of the original Hellblazer. Also Hellblazer: Rebirth and any comic that takes place in a different universe. If you wish to rp with specific versions of John (like DKoS or Injustice verse) feel free to come plot!

A giant quest onto itself- I haven't consumed every media John has appeared in. For reference I have read/watched (in no particular order):

the entire original Hellblazer run and its special

Constantine: The Hellblazer

Hellblazer: City of Demons

Hellblazer: All His Engines

Hellblazer: Chas the Knowledge

sandman #3

Swamp Thing 1982

The Horrorist

That one action comics issue he appeared in

Sandman Universe: Hellblazer,

Hellblazer: Dead in America

Hellblazer: Rise and Fall

The Trenchcoat Brigade

Dark Knights of Steel

injustice year 3

Batman: Urban Legends

Batman: Damned

Zatanna and the Ripper

Spirit World

both dark justice league movies

Pre established connections and plotting is encouraged. Especially if your muse is from DC or the Sandman universe.

Hellblazer is a british political satire horror comic about a queer man in the 80s, this means trigger warnings for canon typical gore, a general pessimism about the world, politics and Britishness. Smoking and alcohol abuse will also be present. I will tag these triggers and any other common ones that may arise.

if you decide to unfollow me please (soft)block me

rp memes are the best way to start interacting with me, they are always accepted no matter how long ago I reblogged it.

INFO -

A foul-mouthed, disillusioned, chain smoking British cinic, John Constantine has had an affinity for magic since his youth. After running away from home as a teenager after a botched curse caused his father to become withered and frail, John eventually made his home in London. Quickly becoming involved in the city's occult circles. From there he made a name for himself for being a powerful sorcerer, one who can solve most problems with only his wit, but also a weirdness magnet. Becoming inevitably linked with forces truly out of his depth.

Though John's age varies across media, for simplicity's sake I will keep it at 43. His usual stomping ground is London, but he travels around very often for various reasons so he can easily be put wherever he needs to be. He's a very easy character to add to other universes (just ask DC).

He is also a relentless flirt, please don't mistake this as me trying to force a ship. If you / your character don't like his advances, feel free to let me / him know ic / ooc. Characters under 25 are too young for him.

Mun is 23 and Belgian

#ooc.#threads.#rp memes.#self.#musings.

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auckie · 6 months ago

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waiting for the beta fish post to drop ill wait however long it takes idc 🦦

Okay. I’m ready. Nothing demotivates me more than losing progress on like. A game, or word document or whatever. A lost ask is like a grain of sand dropped into the ocean.

Anyways!

So betas are often sold in little cups, right? And the people at say, pet smart tell you, ‘yeah a bowl will do’. WRONG! While betas are somewhat low maintenance fish compared to many— a cheap but beautiful option that seemingly needs no filter or heater and very minimal space, it is now widely accepted that this is flat out untrue. Everyone knows males cannot be kept together, but even having just one fish I would highly recommend a ten gallon. May seem excessive but considering that betas do well in high tannin naturalistic setups, you’re going to want to fill this space with plants and hides. What’s more is if you don’t want to do a self filtering tank (which will still require moving water and regular changes/cleanings or refills), it is still generally recommended that you do invest in a filter and heater. I’ve seen some people go about this by using natural sunlight or heat lamps but 1) harder to regulate 2) risks overheating.

I used to keep fish. Betas and a warm fresh water 1 gallon with a few species together. I don’t anymore for a few reasons. Mostly the upkeep, and because for me personally. I just don’t like keeping fish. Any animal that’s bigger than your thumb, if it lives in a cage or tank and spends most of its time in there. This isn’t to say it’s wrong by any means, but like birds…I’ve just come to think ‘yeah we probably shouldn’t be keeping them outside of their natural habitat esp if they’re highly social or mobile creatures. Moreover with long life spans and high social/mating needs.’ Again! Not condemning the practice for others. It can certainly be done right! But it’s often a lot more time consuming and costly than people realize. Now if you’re willing to invest in what it takes to keep the animal comfortable by all means! Aquarium keeping can be super rewarding, and making naturalistic setups makes for beautiful and calming decor. It’s an amazing hobby. Even if you can’t keep something as simple as duckweed alive for whatever reason, artificial hardscapes with plastic plants and such can still look okay. And a ten gallon + tank vacuum + simple filter and heater really won’t cost you much! I highly recommend looking to YouTubers for tank inspiration, and tips!

If you do decide to go for a 3-5 gallon, or some nontraditional choice of habitats, like a large vase. Well I can’t stop you, and that doesn’t t mean your fish will die. It was a common myth not to long ago that fish couldn’t feel pain, and that their memory spans only lasted for 3 seconds. This is false, and luckily not as widely believed thankfully— but it’s a great example of how people will assume that non mammalian animals have simpler needs due to misunderstanding how their bodies operate, simply because of how different they are than say a cat or dog. Not accusing you of this by any means— you may very well be waaay more informed and aware of this than I am. But it’s a necessary disclaimer.

Other easy to keep fish include neon tetra, fantail guppies (but do not mix them with fish who will nip their tails), and the classic goldfish. another disclaimer about the latter: flushing goldfish thought to be dead, or simply tossing unwanted ones into local water ways has caused them to become a highly invasive species in many areas across North America. Do NOT do this. They’re outcompeting native species due to how fucking hardy they are, and growing to insane sizes. The lack of natural predators and peoples unwillingness to fish for them makes for a particularly nasty pest :/

These aforementioned fish save the goldfish will need the same basic things as a beta, but can be kept in mixed sexed groups, and tetras are often kept with great danio, mollies, and even tiger barbs (who are cute but can be a little aggressive for smaller beginner fish). All of these are available at big chain pet stores for very cheap.

If you’re hellbent on forgoing heaters and filters you could try triops (they don’t require much space but love to dig so have some specific substrate needs, and don’t live very long but can be multigenerational and sustained if done correctly. They’re also insanely cute and entertaining to watch), shrimp (so many different kinds!), snails, or even a mixture of these!

There’s also ecojars. Very cheap to make, and very educational! I love microfauna and follow a lot of YouTubers who’ve had great success making both aquatic and terrestrial ecojars from the local environments around them. If you live by the coast, brackish and saltwater jars are a lot harder, but freshwater ones are very simple! Terrestrial ones are basically just vivariums/terrariums you can even stock by going out to forage for things like snails, slugs, isopods, millipedes, etc. Clean up crew critters do well, but larger predatory insects are a bit harder to keep in an enclosed/self sustaining habitat. That brings us to our next options!

If I can sell you out of aquariums for an easier and possibly cheaper or equal price with a lot less upkeep! But. It involves insects so I’m going to put it under a cut in case that is not something you’re looking for. It’s long too, so feel free to ignore it. BUT! If I’m able to wet your whistle please feel free to ask for more info 🤠

Bugs! Well, arthropods. Such as: isopods (I have rubber duckies and they are doing exceptionally well eating nothing but leaves with the occasional fruit or veggie and calcium sources! They cohabitate with spring tails, harmless soil mites, and terrestrial amphipods. There are many much cheaper and hardier species that are easier to find such as dwarf whites, dairy cows, or even local wild caught ones! Another warning is to NOT dump these outside. And be careful foraging for things from outside for them to eat because you never know what’s been treated with pesticides or beneficial nematodes, or is infested with fungus, mold, or harmful pest species like parasites or mites).

Really all you need for any given species is a little container with a few air holes, substrate such as coco fiber, reptisoil, jungle mix, or your own backyard topsoil which ideally has been baked to sterilize. You can also bake pinecones and oak or magnolia leaves for them to feed on. Crush them up and mix them into the substrate, and add either crushed oyster shells or maybe bits of limestone or coral if you have them available. You can buy cuttlefish bone online as well. They love cork bark, but again, I’m sure if you find and bake bark or bits of drift wood, you can make that work too. They loooove to eat moss, and some species will readily gobble up fish food and bee pollen. Josh’s frogs (as well as other brands) make some specific powder blends that I feed mind. I think it’s called bug burger. The general practice is to create a ‘moist side’ and ‘dry side’ gradient so the isopods have a choice of where to go. They have gills but that doesn’t mean they want to always be drowning in 90% humidity. There’s a lot of beautiful exotic species but they get expensive fast, and are often fond of burrowing or hiding in sphagnum moss so you won’t always see them, and well. They’re usually tiny.

Millipedes are very similar— some are huge and beautiful, some even look like giant isopods (pill millipedes), but burrow, so…you won’t get the most visual bang for your buck.

A lot of people are very fond of finding and keeping jumping spiders. They’re cute to look at and fun to feed, but this requires buying feeders (crickets, meal worms, roaches, or fruit flies depending on size and what’s available near you), but that’s not always everyone’s speed. Plus they don’t live very long once they’re adult size and sexually mature. You can buy them as well but, I prefer to just enjoy them outside. Why take a solid guy out of his environment if he’s not gonna live much longer and is doing his part in ridding your yard of gross bitches? They do a NUMBER on mosquitos.

Beetles! Some species stay grubs for the majority of their lives and will be buried until they’re ready to go out and find love, so as much as I love larger species that are fun to interact with, I’m going to lean towards what I own: the blue feigning death beetle

Very silly little beasts. Very low maintenance! They live in American deserts and are covered by a powdery residue that helps them retain moisture. You can make a mix of sand and coco fiber and keep them in an open top tank (I keep mine in a huge fish bowl), and provide them with hides such as cholla wood or cork bark, rocks and even plastic decor. They will eat almost anything and get most of their moisture from their diet. I feed mine cut up fruits and veggies, the occasional roach, beetle jellies, bug burger, chicken feed, cat food (wet or dry), sugar water in little bottle caps with a sea sponge, moss, or cotton ball in them, fish flakes, freeze dried peas, bee pollen, and even like. Leftover bread or popcorn so long as it’s unseasoned. They can go a while without food or water too, so handle neglect well. But so long as you give them a ‘wet sweet food’ and protein at least once a week you should be Gucci. They’re diurnal afaik and will begin moving about when it’s light out. They don’t need heat lamps or anything of the sort.

They rarely bite and when they do it’s because you have food on your hand, and it doesn’t hurt. They can’t climb or fly, and play dead when threatened. Very cute to watch, and hold, and they’re constantly fucking. Sometimes a male will see another male trying to feel up a larger female, and will climb atop them both and start trying to have sex with the male. I’ve seen two males feeling up and trying to go at it with a rock. They’re so funny. But it’s very difficult to breed them in captivity. They live a while tho so hey, you got a while to research and experiment! Because of this, however, most available for purchase are wild caught. And I personally am not crazy about that.

Scorpions! There’s a good amount of largely harmless species that make for great pets! Asian forest and emperor are the first two that pop into my head. They glow under UV light, making them easy to find, and don’t have to eat super often. The one I own loves to run up to the side of its enclosure whenever I walk by, throwing its claws up to show me it means business. I’ve never been stung but I hear it’s like a bee sting. The two species listed are cheap and prefer it moist, and afaik don’t really sting once they’re mature. They prefer to use their claws to do the talking. Below is a random species under UV light:

And finally, the most visually pleasing, long living, and low maintenance yet entertaining things I own: tarantulas. Given that I work at a tarantula breeder and am incredibly biased feel free to ignore this next bit, but also hear me out. I’ve never been afraid of tarantulas, but used to be a bit wigged out by spiders as a kid. T’s, at least the new world species I own, are so. Much more stationary, slow, and just. Nonchalant than most true spiders I’ve kept. You will usually know if and when they’re about to strike.

Orb weavers have never done well for me, but I’ve had some luck with cobweb weavers (they don’t tend to remake their webs every fucking day which helps with setting up a habitat), but they just don’t live very long— and when something has such a short lifespan I feel guilty for keeping it from its primary goal of breeding. Tarantulas, however, can live for up to 20+ years. And you can make money breeding them! But a lot of discords or Facebook groups dedicated to this are. Like full of the most obnoxious people you’ve ever met. Males don’t live as long, they usually croak after sexually maturing and then molting again. If they’re lucky they might make it one more. And they don’t have a great chance when it comes to breeding and surviving. Depends on the breeder controlling the situation. I’ve read that the longest lived one on record was a female Goliath bird eater* clocking in at over 30 years old. That’s a fucking cat. Not all get huge either! There’s dwarf species, and many are arboreal meaning you’re likely to see it often!

The shop I work at, along with most tarantula breeders recommend a GBB as a first time spider. I fucking Do Not. They’re aggressive, cute as spiderlings but less cute as adults, gross (web and bolases and shit everywhere), kick urticating hairs* that drive me nuts. And they just suck.

I have two coworkers who follow me and will strongly disagree but I don’t care because I know I’m right on this one: my top beginner picks are the caribena (formerly avicularia) versicolor.

As slings they are bright blue and so fucking funny. They walk like a cat with mittens on and their urticating hairs are so fucking mild that you won’t even notice them. Their red mouths stick out like a shitty lipstick on their stupid blue bodies and they love to shake their butts before they jump, like a cat but way worse. They’re not terribly fast and their bite is nothing. It’s worthless. They’re…somewhat sensitive and do like to randomly die, but so long as you keep them in an arboreal enclosure with ventilation and a weekly misting? You’re golden baby. They eat well, are arboreal so you’ll always see them, and can be kept in fairly small enclosures for quite some time! Here’s what they look like as adults:

Still pretty! And not scarily massive.

I own an even more sensitive species: the Brazilian jewel tarantula. It’s a dwarf species but stupid expensive and makes a shitty trapdoor so you don’t see it often which is a shame bc they’re beautiful and so adorable. Similar mannerisms and levels of ‘this piece of shit can’t hurt me’. Ideally you won’t be handling them but, well, I can’t blame you if you do bc it’s fun. I don’t own any species that care hurt me bc why would I want to?

For some. More common first time reccs tho, I would probably say the Arizona blonde (very chill and fuzzy. Somewhat more itchy), the Brazilian black (a little less stunning but also pretty chill and fun to watch because they will completely rearrange the furniture of their habitat for no reason), the Chilean rose hair (read previous)— basically any grammastola or brachypelma species. Hamorii (Mexican red knees) look cool. Another controversial pick are cyriocosmus. They have golden hearts on their butts! They’re pricier though, and again, other t keepers act as if they’re hard. They’re not. Most new world species are simple if you just research them— my boss often will balk and laugh when she hears people are buying 1/2 inch slings and putting them in like, 5 gallon tanks. But it’s literally fine. They def don’t need that much space but if they burrow. Look for the hole. Give them enough substrate, keep it moist but not sopping. Ventilation is key. Some people use empty, clear take out bins or medicine vials to keep these things in, and that’s fine so long as there’s air holes. You can use a soldering iron or small drill, or even a pin to poke some into the container, depending on how hard it is. Even larger spiders have been kept in big empty jars and such. You feed them once a week unless they’re in premolt (they get fat and shiny or lose their hair on their asses and may make a molt mat of web, or a little enclosed webbing bubble, or bury themselves and won’t eat during this time which, depending on species, could be a while), or whenever they look skinny!

If they’re arboreal give them a vertical climb, be it a real plant or plastic, cork bark, even aquarium decor. So long as it’s not sharp because tarantulas are surprisingly delicate.

Feed them something the size of their ass give or take, and disable it using little, sharp feeding tongs (grab the head and drop it in near them, or hold it to them at a distance and if it’s moving they’ll usually strike). Some super tiny slings will even eat springtails. Larger, adult T’s can take multiple dubia or even big ass roaches like hissers. It’s kind of sad feeding them off but, the spiders gotta eat 🤷‍♂️ if you’re interested and have any questions on other species, or the ones I listed, lemme know!

Okay. And by far. The least wanted or liked recommendation I have. Are roaches 😔 there’s some beautiful species out there man. Hissers are super fucking docile, but prolific. They hiss when scared, but never bite. They don’t even eat each other in times of duress! They do have spiky leg bits which can scare some people off. But take a look at emerald roaches (which are. Expensive 😶), don’t they look like cool beetles? They’re arboreal! Then there’s the table mountain roach, which SQUEAKS when scared! The domino roach! I’ve posted pics of molting roaches many times— they’re soft and white and have huge, mantid like eyes. It’s very disarming and cute. They’re so much more intelligent than we give them credit for. The roaches I keep at work know when I’m about to feed them and they all clamor at the tops of their bins, and once the feed is in they all grab a bit and run off with it in their mouths like dogs! Many tropical, burrowing species are basically little cows, and many are amazing parents which is a rarity in the insect world!

Most of these fellers can do well in a plastic bin with a top, with ventilation of course. And the usual substrate, hides like cork bark and rocks and moss, misting, and similar feed to isopods and the beetles I mentioned. As for price and availability, well, you’re probably only going to be able to find hissers and dubia unless you have a niche store near you or are willing to have them shipped. And while I love both of them. They are gross. They’re R strategists to a T and will multiply to the point that they require sell offs or regular culling. Which, if you own species that eat them, it can be a win win! But they also are hard to keep clean. So I probably, actually do not recommend them 😞 the less prolific, more beautiful species are cleaner, but more expensive. But hey, I had to shoot my shot, right?

Okay. Well. Thank you for listening if you got this far. Good luck either way and thanks for being patient!

*Goliath bird eaters and any similar named bird eating tarantula do not. I mean they *can* eat birds yeah but that’s just a shocking name that stuck. Don’t let that scare you. But also that species sucks so it doesn’t matter

*pretty sure I put another asterisk in here but I can’t find it and don’t remember what it was for sorry. Shoot me an ask if it was like. Killing you ig

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