#online classes for older adults

[nohkalikai]

if one of the first things i learn abt a person irl is that they're either a swiftie or an army, my opinion of them cannot be saved

[froody]

I saw a frankly terminally online argument on whether a high school senior being friends with a sophomore was grooming and I hope it was mostly facetious. I know there are teens with bad intentions in this world who prey on younger kids but in all honesty I wouldn’t have survived school if I didn’t have friends. When I was in 8th grade I got sent to boarding school. I was 13 or 14, suffering from undiagnosed but worsening mental illness, my parents were in an abusive marriage. I did not have older siblings or close cousins. Adults did not give a fuck. Kids my own age could not understand but neither could I. I befriended a group of kids who were about 17. Bisexual, lesbian, gay and trans masc kids. They were like my older siblings. They were the ones who told me the world wasn’t over just because I stated failing my classes for the first time. They taught me what to say when a guy was being creepy. They taught me how to deal with difficult scenarios that my parents wouldn’t. They were so good to me out of the goodness of their hearts and in a way that nobody else has ever been. They didn’t have to be but they were. I think that while yes, kids are vulnerable in their early and mid teens, having friends who are slightly older and can be mentors is very important for growth and development.

[dear-ao3]

Question for the mods....

HOW IN THE FUCK DID YOU MEET???

Like what???

How??

I am so god damn curious about you two. I wanna study yall under a microscope lol

Also ngl kinda envious of how close of friends you two seem to be. (Being an introverted shy af mofo sucks lmao)

I would actually probably read a whole ass book or watch a sitcom or something of the seemingly ever present weird-ass shit that seems to happen on a day-by-day basis.

/gen /lh /nf /pos

2018 newsies fandom. we weren't overly close but we bonded over race and albert a little and then katya dropped off the face of the earth for about a year.

during 2020 lockdown we both independently got into the witcher fandom and somehow ran into eachother again and had the fingers pointing OH MY GOD Y O U !!! moment in our dms. we bonded over hating jaskier. during this time we realized we were both dancers and katya was looking at dance colleges, i was already in college for dance and since it was lockdown and we couldn't go anywhere i told katya my experience auditioning at places to give him a good idea of places. and then i broke every internet safety rule known to man and said hey what if you had applied to my college but didnt know it?? and then one thing led to another and i dished out all the tea on my school. (only After that did we face reveal and give eachother our names lol) and then katya applied. mostly as a joke. until it wasnt a joke because that school gave katya a shit load of money and actually had stuff katya wanted to do. katya ended up coming to one of my zoom ballet classes and it took everything we had to not loose our shit on camera.

during this time we mostly kept eachother sane in lockdown writing witcher fanfic, and sending eachother awful thirst traps on instagram to pitbull music. one of our awful bits was using the dilf filter to make bad frat boy edits.

come august of 2021 we both moved into college. the same college. in the same building. it was wild. i pinched myself several times in shock. we went on a walk around campus with some worms on strings and were like what the hell how did we get here.

we continued to hang out and did weird insane things together. we took a class on the french revolution together where i had to put up with katya and fennec awkwardly flirting (read: making finger guns at eachother).

and then, since i was 2 years older, i was graduating and was going to stay in the area for a job and was like hey. what if we got an apartment together? and then we did. several adults agreed to this. idk why they let us. but now we live together in a real life apartment and we haven't even killed eachother yet. neither of our parents know that we met online. each of them have a different fake story as to how we know eachother and we really just hope they are never in the same room long enough to ask eachother about it. but its insane. 12/10 would recommend.

katya wanted me to include old tumblr screenshots of us talking, heres what i found from circa 2020:

we've always been like this lol

and heres some ancient greatest hits from instagram, i dont have context and trust me you dont want it:

every now and then the two of us look at eachother and go. how the fuck did we end up here??? (we have no idea)

[crimeronan]

STORYTIME TO UNBURDEN MY DEMONS. I HAVE NEVER TOLD ANYONE THIS SO IT'S TIME FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ONLINE TO HEAR IT:

when i was 14 years old and in eighth grade, i got cast in the importance of being earnest as cecily, a main character who is 18. this was a mainstage show, so the rest of the cast were adults. it was an insanely huge honor and i was extremely proud of making the cut!! there was just one problem-

cecily shares a single very boring kiss with her love interest.

and my scene partner was 24.

PREEMPTIVELY, i Promise this is not going anywhere horrifying. my mom supervised all of the rehearsals and i was honestly excited to kiss an older man because i have problems. my scene partner had excellent boundaries and was very respectful. none of this was traumatic; if the environment had been toxic, i would've dropped out.

HOWEVER. my scene partner was VISCERALLY uncomfortable with kissing a 14-year-old. as pretty much any chill 24-year-old man would be.

so. i got it into my head that he'd be less uncomfortable if he was kissing a high schooler than a middle schooler. (this distinction seems very prominent when you're in eighth grade and much less prominent when you are 24.)

so when the other cast members asked me what grade i was in. i told them i was a freshman in high school.

.....and one of the other cast had worked at my district's high school before.

so i had to, um. continually make up information about my classes and classmates and teachers.

for months.

.......and i got away with it.

...............until.

the cast party.

at which point my mom casually mentioned that i'd been cast as a lead in my middle school's show for that year.

and so the former teacher was like, "oh, you're dropping down from high school to do it??"

and my mom, so blankly, unaware that she was about to Ruin My Entire Shit Forever, was like, ".....no??? kitkat's in middle school??"

and he went, ".......oh!"

DEAD FUCKING SILENCE.

FROM EVERYONE.

DEAD SILENCE REIGNED.

NO ONE SAID A WORD.

IF ANY OF YOU THINK YOU'VE EVER BEEN EMBARRASSED-

[josnhoes]

Platonic!Yan batfam with young adult reader. Part 2

[Part one]

Note: Reader is 18-22 years old. Gn reader

Content warning: being treated like a child, being looked down on, stalking, obsessions, soft yandere but still a yandere, reader has memory issues and it's ambiguous as to why, drugging, mentioned abduction, delusional batfam, batfam as a whole basically view you as a child younger then Damien despite you being older

Focuses on Tim Drake

---

For the following week you'd noticed one or a few of the bat brood following you in the evenings. You weren't sure *why*, but it did make you feel a bit safer so you didn't complain. It was Gotham, any sense of safety was welcome.

The small book shop and coffee place you worked at didn't get a ton of customers. It was a hole in the wall style place, sometimes it got new customers but a majority we're regulars. There were also a few college students who used the late hours to buy a single coffee, then use the free wifi to do class work. Today's shift had you on coffee duty.

The bell chimed, signaling a customer or what you *hoped* was a customer. You looked up and were flabbergasted to see Timothy Drake, the co-ceo of Wayne enterprises. Normally you didn't pay much attention to CEOs of anything, but the Waynes were like the poster family for Gotham. One way or another you learned their faces and the names.

As he approached the counter you did your best to smile and not seem nervous. "Hello sir can I help you today?"

The look he gave you almost seemed to be taking you apart peice by peice; assessing you down to your soul. "I'll take a large coffee and as many shots of espresso as you can legally give me. For here."

You supposed today was going to be one of those™️ days. "Of course sir. Feel free to sit where ever you like. Would you like something to eat too?"

"No thanks." He seemed to soften now and once you gave the total he paid with a nice tip. Though he chose the spot closest to you to work. Probably because that was the best area for wifi signal you supposed.

You got his order out fast since it looked like he needed caffeine more then oxygen at this point. As you placed the drink down you had the urge to talk to him but decided against it.

Tim had been having a trying week. He could balance his nightlife and the company fairly well; but the addition of you had been a problem. He didn't know what it was about you that pulled him and his family in. He'd gone over your entire life that he could find multiple times now, and nothing ever changed. No secret identity, no shady acts, aside from some strange tumblr activity you were clear. Mind you all activity on tumblr was weird as he came to see. The entire batfam either made accounts just to follow you, the ones had them already followed you too.

The family adored you and he...was no exception. He tried to be, the way his family was spiraling and for one civilian was alarming. But he couldn't fight it. You were special. You *needed* them to keep you safe. You obviously couldn't be trusted to do it on your own, just today you forgot to lock your home.

While yes it made putting the cameras in your home easier, it also meant that you could have gotten robbed or worse. You'd admitted to being spacey at times online, made a joke of it but it was dangerous.

He finally took the time to sip on the coffee. It was good, better than most places he had. You clearly knew your way around the machine. Would you make him coffee in the mornings? Tell him to have a good day as you called him your favorite big brother? He needed to know.

The more he watched you, the more he worried for you. What if you got hurt? Not even in a rogue attack but in general. You obviously cooked for yourself, and cleaned. Knives and chemicals? Too dangerous for his baby sibling, and he hated knowing if something *did* happen you might be alone.

He'd speed up the family's preparations for you. You'd fight them at first so they had to prepare a special room. But you'd see how well they cared for you, how much they all loved you, and everything they could provide. Hopefully the room will be ready soon.

[sevenrenny]

Recently a relative asked me why I'm 'suddenly' always sick and that I was so healthy as a kid.

I was never a healthy kid. I was always in pain, but nobody believed me. I complained I had moments of dizziness, momentary visual blurriness and blindness, moments where I couldn't balance myself, and intense migraines so bad I fantasized popping a hole in my skull hoping that would get whatever was hurting me out of my head. I had days where it was just brain fog, but I was too young to know the word 'brain fog'. I'd have days where I was in so much pain I'd vomit.

But I got scolded for 'faking it' for attention or to get out of school. I got punished for 'being lazy'. So little by little, I learned complaining about constant pain that made me suicidal would make things worse for me. People punished me for telling them I was hurting, so I shut up.

Even when I became quiet about it, there were things I couldn't hide and my family rug-swept them: I passed out at school a few times from intense pain. I had multiple intestinal issues my family told me were normal, that 'it happens to everyone', telling me that 'Your dad had that happen so many times' while chuckling like it was funny. Every time, they waited for me to 'stop being dramatic' until I started screaming and writhing on the floor and they finally got me to the ER, scolding me the whole time for 'not saying anything sooner'.

During one of those visits, a doctor found a large tumor I was choking on. He found it by accident when he was putting a tube down my throat. I'd been having trouble breathing, but my family accused me of lying, and I'd started to think I was imagining it. Upon discovering the tumor, my mom's reaction was to scold me for giving myself a tumor.

After the tumor removal, the doctor had told her something seemed odd, and he talked with my mom for a bit but I can't remember what they said. We never went back to this doctor. When I asked my mom about it later, she told me the doctor was stupid and he had no idea what he was doing. (It was in my 20s when I went to check on my intestinal issue that the doctor told me he suspected I had gastroparesis, which he later confirmed it was.)

I struggled with classes because of the combination of undiagnosed medical issues, undiagnosed ADHD, undiagnosed dyscalculia, and having panic attacks (later got diagnosed with c-PTSD). My mom threatened to marry me off or kick me out of the house for almost failing math. I was sworn at, told horrific things that still stick with me (and the rest of the family blamed me for 'being lazy' and making her angry with me). I was a kid and couldn't understand why existing hurt, why, if it was so 'normal' to be in consent agony, everyone else seemed to not be struggling like me. I couldn't wrap my head around why everything that seemed so easy for everyone else was almost impossible for me.

It wasn't until an online friend asked me if I had some sort of disease because I was constantly in the hospital. I told her, "No, not really. What's the average number of times someone's in the hospital?" She said, "Renny, I've never once been to the ER." She was older than me. It was then that it clicked for me. I'd been so convinced that all of this was normal, that I was behind everyone else in life because I must be just a weak person because I was so behind even when I gave it my hardest.

I wasn't behind because I was weak. I was behind because I was never given the assistance I needed.

As soon as I became an adult and financially independent, I started seeking medical help. Got diagnosed with severe chronic migraines and other illnesses typically comorbid with chronic migraines and gastroparesis. (There are some issues I can't get medical help for in my country, so those will have to wait). I'm on medications now. Because of gastroparesis, pills didn't work for me too well, so a friend taught me how to use autoinjectors. I have friends who actually help me, give me advice, drive me to my appointments, and just be there for me emotionally.

Being medicated has made being alive so much more bearable. I can actually live my life now. Yes, I still have days where I'm in pain (not just migraines, but my other conditions, most of which don't have any treatments to manage them) but it's such a massive improvement from where I was before. I'm happier. I go to therapy. I found people I can talk about my pains and conditions freely to without being told I'm faking it or lazy. I don't work myself to the bone anymore; I shouldn't be giving my 100% to a job that refuses me accommodations when I'd need most of that to manage my health.

I'm back to complaining about pain because, before my family trained me to shut up about it, I was doing it right from the beginning. I'm supposed to complain about pain. Just because I can talk about it freely now, doesn't mean I was never sick before. Just because I'm on medications now, doesn't mean I didn't need them years ago.

I'm happier now as an adult. You just don't like that I'm visible about my illnesses now. It makes you uncomfortable that I self-administer injections, that I talk about my health the way that I want to. The thought of chronic illness makes you uncomfortable; you liked it better when I was quiet. You'd rather I don't find diagnoses for my illnesses, because, in your logic, if I don't go get the diagnosis then I'm not sick.

I was never a healthy kid. You just don't want to admit you went along with the rest of the family to abuse a disabled kid for being disabled.

[aloeverified]

au where marinette's parents own a small, struggling, but community-loved bakery outside of paris. she works after school and on weekends since her parents can't currently afford to hire any other employees, but she enjoys getting to know everyone in her neighborhood and uses her tip money to fund her sewing projects.

as the end of her junior high days approach, marinette is encouraged by her parents to apply to her dream high school, françoise dupont lycée of the arts, as a fashion student. she doesn't expect to actually get accepted, but knows her parents are right when they say there's no hurt in trying. after submitting her online store portfolio, where she does commissions and launches small projects like accessories, she receives feedback that the school board was beyond impressed with her work and would like to offer her a full-ride scholarship.

although it's hard for her to part from her parents for the first time in her life, they refuse to let her turn down the opportunity and practically pack her bags for her. after a very long and painful goodbye with lots of promises to call every single day, marinette leaves for paris.

she meets alya, her roommate and first friend at her new school. she's the daughter of a successful chef and is a promising journalist and creative writing student, she and marinette share many of their core subjects not relating to their majors.

marinette also meets chloé, the daughter of the mayor of france and alya's life-long enemy. the two go way back, with alya's mother being an old friend of chloe's father and having worked at his hotel restaurant before. the hate each other, and by association, chloé hates marinette — especially after finding out marinette is a fellow fashion major whose work scored much higher than her own.

then she meets adrien. adrien is a fellow fashion and modeling student who was eagerly accepted into the school despite his very late application. however, the principal was thrilled at the idea of having such a beloved model joining the student body, and didn't want to deal with chloé's threats of action if adrien was denied, so he was accepted with open arms.

adrien didn't exactly choose his majors, but rather just went along with what was expected of him. he already had a successful modeling career, so he took the classes despite there being little he didn't already know and have mastered. he was encouraged to join fashion classes as well, both by adults who assumed he was going to take after his father and by his best friend who wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.

adrien is easily impressed with just about every design marinette crafts and marinette admits it's a bit endearing the way adrien struggles to figure out where the sewing machine's on switch is. his father is equally impressed, if not even more so, and marinette is asked to become a paid intern upon winning a contest judged by gabriel agreste.

not to mention the kind old man she befriends, an older chinese man who owns a tea shop in petite asie. marinette admits to feeling a bit alienated without her mother, worried her classmates will look at her funny for cooking guangxi rice in the dorm kitchen or having late night gossip sessions on the phone in mandarin. he tells marinette she will always have a friend while in paris and that she's more connected to the city than she thinks.

eventually, marinette even finds herself befriending almost all of her classmates, and even one of her classmate's brothers. juleka couffaine is a modeling major and a fellow scholarship student, something she and marinette bond over. luka is just as sweet as his sister, and almost as quiet if you ignore his constant humming and guitar strumming.

he also applied to be a music major at françoise dupont, but was rejected. after a year of struggling and being bullied in public school, he dropped out to focus on working and supporting his family — taking some of the burden away from his single mother and making sure juleka never has to go without. throughout the course of their relationship, marinette is eventually able to discover the ridiculous reasons why luka wasn't accepted and encourages him to go back to school, as well as accept that he can't support his family if he doesn't let them support him as well (a lesson she also had to learn).

[d3adbr3inc3lls]

Hi!! Could you maybe write performer reader x amethio?

Amethio x Preformer!Reader | HCs & Drabbles

Note-- some of this is written at unholy hours of the morning(/lh) so some parts may not make sense, but I edited this in the morning again, so hopefully that balances it out.

Amethio was usually too focused on his work to look at work to watch anything really,

Conia was the one who showed him the pokémon performers, and you instantly stood out to him.

No matter what pokémon you had with you, you always brought out their full potential,

For crying out loud, you could be using Giratina and you'd be able to make the deity look graceful and like it doesn't have some twisted backstory

You were able to ace most, if not all, challenges that came your way.

Sure you may have struggled with some, but you kept going. You never backed down and that's what he loved about you.

The two of you probably met through Conia, she was a close friend of yours who was always there to support you, and even though you hesitated slightly at meeting Amethio, her superior, who wouldn't? You expected him to be a serious adult and not someone your own age, but she later convinced you that it was a good idea.

When you two finally met, you were in Sinnoh to relax and train your 'mons, and Conia, alongside Zir and Amethio were there because they heard of Kleavor and wanted to get to it before the RVT did.

You two meeting was a complete coincidence and it was unplanned, (Conia originally planned on having the two of you meeting up after their current mission which was to track down Kleavor), so it was a suprise when you heard your best friend yelling your name.

Hearing your name being yelled you quickly spun around to meet a familiar greyish-blue haired woman running over to you.

The two of you have been friends since highschool, and thinking back on it, she was like an older sister to you, always helping you get to class and was the main reason you passed calculus.

Crashing into your arms she gave you a tight hug, clearly missing someone who she views as a younger sibling. Your beloved partner pokémon quickly glances up at the two of you before letting out a happy cry and glancing at Conia, waiting for her to release her Psyduck.

You could see a taller man -who you assumed is Zir- somewhat behind her covering with a shorter man as they approached the two of you rather slowly.

"Your last performance was great, even Amethio and Zir watched you,"

A smile of pride paints Conia's face before she releases her Psyduck -now Golduck- to play with your 'mons.

"Really,?"

You would've never believed it yourself if it weren't for Zir nodding behind her, you wouldn't have believed her. Zir was never interested in anything related to performances, and as far as you've heard, Amethio would probably find it not worthy of his time as he's often training to get better.

But you were suprised to see that you were so wrong with assuming Amethio wouldn't watch you perform,

He enjoyed every moment of your performance, even the challenges that happened before.

The 'challenge' that happened before you had a performance against the Kalos Queen, Serena, involved a pokémon battle.

Not just any regular battle- well, it was a regular battle but it had a spin- you had to show off your partner's moves, and the way they phrased it was a bit off, but it was like a performance whilst battling,

If the two of you ever began to date, expect him to be at every performance. He loves watching you and your pokémon preform, even if you don't win and get to compete in the next rounds, he still is proud of you, knowing how hard it must be to perform not only infront of hundreds of people in person but probably thousands if you concider those watching online.

With that being said, if you ever struggle oe need help, he's the last person you should ask.

Amethio only knows pokémon moves in a literal battling sense, not a performance sense, so he won't be able to help you.

He barely even understands how you manage to turn any move into one for show instead of damage.

But expect him to be there for every performance (he will try his best to go to them, even if it means sneaking out and doing dumb teenager things, he doesn't mind it as much),

Quickly scanning the area, you look for the familiar ravenhead, he's always there to greet you after your performances, -but he did say that he might not be able to meet you because of something to do with summoning a legandary pokémon or something similar that you didn't understand-

You've changed into your regular clothes after the performance for comfort and possible safety issues as you've heard many rumours and horror stories of performers -especially female performers- being harassed by crazed fans.

Feeling a tap on your shoulder, you quickly spin around, anxious to see who may have recognised you, until you heard the familiar voice that put your mind at ease.

"I apologise, I had to get something, that's why I'm late," the familiar ravenhead told you as he handed over a bouquet of flowers, he had always bought you something after your performances without fail, and it truly makes you appreciate him more than you currently do if that's even possible.

In all honesty, you probably wouldn't be aware of Amethio's occupation and role with the Explorers, he doesn't want you to talk to the other admins as he doesn't want either of you to be targets of their comments.

If he does see any of them when the two of you are out, he'd try and avoid them,

If he can't avoid them, he'd definitely deal with them, excusing himself politely, saying that he sees one of colleagues and it is in your best intrest to not interact with them.

Amethio's worst nightmare would be Sango or Spinel finding out you're dating him.

Sango would make her usual Sango remarks whilst Spinel would tell him how shallow he is, spoiler alert- he isn't, he genuinely cares for you, and how it's a typical teenager relationship that probably won't last long

Jokes on him, Amethio never planned for the relationship to be short and genuinely wants it to work out, but if you ever want to leave, he won't stop you.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for not giving my brother my old gaming consoles?

So I (28m) love video games. Nintendo's handheld consoles in particular (I also own my parents old '98 computer and some of the PC games). They were a crucial part of my childhood and I strived to save every console and game that I could, and still keep them now for sentimental value and the sake of preserving them. My brother (30m) was never really into video games, but because we came from a lower class family, the gaming consoles and all subsequent games were typically gifted to "the whole family" and by extention, my brother, as he was the older child, but they all ended up becoming mine in the end, as I was the only one who would use them beyond the first week of owning them.

As we got older, my brother lost all interest in video games, so games started to get gifted to me directly, while the consoles remained "for the family". None of them were ever "officially" handed over to me, except for my father handing me his old grey Gameboy and going "here, you like this more than me" (that Gameboy and the Metroid game in it are my ultimate treasure). But again, I was the only one who cared about them, so everything I could beg my parents to not sell got added to my collection.

Now that we're all adults and my brother has kids and said kids are now old enough for video games (both are 6yo) they both have taken an interest. Which is awesome! I let my niece and nephew play on my Switch when they come over, and sometimes they watch me play games on my PC. They also have tablets that they play games on too, so there's no shortage of access, and my SIL is thinking about getting a Switch for at home (they love Kirby).

Just a month ago though, my brother randomly asked me for "his consoles back". When I asked why, he told me it was because he wanted to give them to his kids. When I asked which ones, he wanted them all. From the grey Gameboy up to the Gamecube.

I flat out told him no. First off, the Gamecube was sold in a yard sale after my parents "persuaded" me to let them sell it. The Gamecube I own now was gifted by a friend, so that one is 100% mine. My brother doesn't believe me on that. Second, none of these handheld consoles are being made anymore, they can be hard to find depending on where you are, and the price of the games for them are even higher. I love my niece and nephew, but they are little kids, and it would be devestating to see or hear that one of those old consoles got snapped in half or crushed. Also, again, these consoles are my entire childhood. These are the ones I held in my hands as a kid, and those games are the ones I had for years, and contained my save files on them. They mean way too much to me.

My brother got mad at me, claiming that I'm being selfish and that I can just "buy another one online" and that "they sit in a storage bin all the time", and got even angrier when I asked him why HE couldn't just buy them online. We apparently are on the same page that these consoles hold sentimental value to us, but I'm having a hard time seeing his side of it when he barely touched them.

He hasn't brought it up since, but apparently my brother's been complaining to our parents because my mother called me a few days ago to tell me that I am being selfish and to "just give him the games already". She hates seeing us fight and tends to pick the side of the kid that complains to her first, so IDK if I believe her. My dad doesn't care, and my SIL thinks spending the money on a Switch would be money better spent.

I do feel a little bad, I know I would be steaming mad if the roles were reversed, but I just do not see how he suddenly cares so much about these consoles all of a sudden, and I absolutely do not trust that he would make sure his kids are careful with them.

So, AITA? Am I being selfish? I already was thinking about letting my niece and nephew try out the old consoles when they're older and I get them all set up in a proper display case, I just do not want to lose ownership of these consoles. I already lost the Gamecube, Wii, and so many games (including PC games) to my parents "convicining me" to sell them. I don't want to lose any more.

What are these acronyms?

[yandere-paramour]

Alright, questions about Noelle. What does she look like? Who is she attracted to? Does she have any hobbies? Does she enjoy animals?

Meet Noelle!

Noelle is a no-nonsense lesbian assistant to the Montclair heir, Atalanta, meaning she spends her days dealing with Atalanta's bullshit 24/7.

She can be called at any time, any day of the year, and will have to respond to whatever foolishness Atalanta wants. She'll even pick up and work when she's sick or injured.

Noelle is one of the only people Atalanta considers a true friend, and as a result, can speak informally and give advice to Atalanta when they are in private.

Because of this, she is also called upon to sometimes babysit/accompany Atalanta's Darling or even accompany Jamie places (if his manservant is busy).

Noelle knows all the intricate details of Atalanta's life and relationships. If Atalanta needs a new strap because the current one isn't "ribbed for her pleasure," Noelle is going to research the best brands, buy it, and have it delivered to the penthouse. And probably ask Atalanta how it went and if she should get one too.

Noelle's favorite color is ice blue.

Her apartment is decorated with ice blue and grey, and she keeps it spotless. She gets really agitated if her apartment is dirty.

Noelle is 25 years old.

She is 5'4" and hates it.

Noelle is a virgin.

Ever since she was a child, she has always had the drive to go FAST. So, nobody knows this about her, but on her days off, she likes to ride her motorcycle (her one vice) recreationally.

Because she works so much, she is pretty bad at taking care of herself. She doesn't sleep much, and only eats microwaved/frozen foods, what she can order in, or just outright skips a meal and sleeps. Because of this, she is extremely small, almost underweight, and gets cold very easily.

She grew up very poor and worked hard enough to send herself to college and get this job. She has crawled up from the bottom rung of society and will die before she gives up her 6 figure salary.

School was everything to her as a child. It was a place with heat, food, and no little sisters to take care of. Noelle was always a few years ahead of her grade in school because she did homework with her older sister, but they never skipped her grade because it wasn't that kind of school. So she occupied herself with other pursuits, like computers at the public library and reading. She eventually got a full ride to college and broke the cycle.

When she made it to college, she took more classes in both business and computer science and further refined her already impressive hacking and online skills that she uses a lot at her job.

Noelle has a mother, one older sister, and three younger sisters. She has no father and never needed one. She is estranged from her mother but still speaks and sometimes helps out her younger sisters who are teenagers. Her favorite sister is Odette, the oldest who is 28.

Odette also pierced her ears for her.

She hates cigarettes because her mother smokes. She doesn't drink either.

Because of her pale and delicate skin, Noelle is a skincare enthusiast. There is always sunscreen and moisturizer in her purse. She had sunburns constantly when she was young and she's tired of it.

Her hair is another luxury for her. She had to have short hair as a child because it was difficult to take care of, but now that she's an adult, she can grow it as long as she wants. It is currently halfway down her back, but she keeps it in a bun at work. Touch her hair and she might punch you.

With her lover, Noelle is extremely manipulative. She will do anything to improve your perception of her, including drugging you, threatening the people around you, and digitally changing online records.

She starts with stalking you. With Atalanta's connections and her own computer skills, she can easily follow you using street cameras and the ones in your home. She'll move your things around, make you worried someone is following you so you'll run right to your girlfriend's arms. She's the only one you can turn to, the only one you can trust.

When you're around her, she's always rubbing and caressing you, praising you, getting you to associate her with good feelings so when you're away, it always feels like something's missing.

In her small bits of free time, Noelle likes to do yoga, indulge in computer science, and do number puzzles.

Noelle only likes one animal: her Russian blue cat, Sasha. She generally associates animals with filthiness because of her childhood, but she found Sasha alone in a dumpster, starving and dirty, as a kitten, and it reminded her of herself, so she took pity on him and took him in.

Noelle does not want kids. She's raised enough little bastards for one life.

Noelle is practical, logical, and sensible, and what she says, goes. There is no arguing with Noelle, and sometimes her analytical sense of reasoning can feel callous and mean, but she doesn't always mean it that way.

Although she is usually physically in the office with Atalanta, she is sometimes permitted to work from home, provided she stays on call and keeps her phone nearby and charged at all times.

She gets along okay with coworkers, but she does not consider them friends. Except Ata. She considers her a friend.

Noells's job is mainly composed of her keeping blackmail on file, scheduling meetings, planning Atalanta's weekly and daily schedules, prepping and scheduling travel plans, itineraries, and agendas when needed, filing paperwork, doing background checks and compiling resumes for new hires, composing and preparing confidential correspondence (contacting the crime boss Ata uses), and delegating tasks given to her by Ata.

She likes to take relaxing baths, would inject iced coffee into her veins, and prefers fresh and clean scents.

What would make her soft is when she gets home from work and she's tired and stressed and burnt out, but you made her a relaxing dinner, and then you try to release her tension with orgasm after orgasm. Someone taking care of her and showing her that level of concern makes her want to cry, and she never cries.

Noelle has participated in street fights. There is a scar on her stomach that looks suspiciously like a knife would but she doesn't talk about it.

Noelle will do whatever it takes to survive. Don't ever forget that.

Cute kid, right? Don't be fooled, she'll charm you out of your rent money in a second.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

How do I talk to a fourth grader about sex Ed? Are there books or an online resource for parents you recommend?

hi there, thank you for asking!

the book that I use to teach OWL classes is Robie Harris' It's Perfectly Normal; I strongly recommend getting ahold of the revised & updated edition from 2021, which is more inclusive and queer-friendly, but even the older edition is a pretty good starting place.

it can be a great way to start the conversation if the fourth grader in question hasn't approached you with their own questions about sex and bodies, which can be daunting for a lot of kids, especially if that hasn't historically been the vibe when you interact! they may not know a lot at that point, but most kids have definitely absorbed that sex is something that they're not supposed to talk about.

if they're feeling up to having a chat beyond the basics (anatomy, reproduction 101, changes that come with puberty, squiggly crush feelings, consent and no means no, etc), that's awesome! I find most kids in the 4th-6th grade range already have a lot more information about sex than most people expect; they just have it jumbled up and out of order and lack the tools to make sense of it. ie, I've had students who know about periods but are under the impression that they come out of the butt, understand that a baby grows inside of a person but have no clue how it gets out, and make jokes about someone getting ejaculated on because they know it's Inappropriate and therefore funny but don't actually have any idea what ejaculation actually is or why it happens.

so, you know. much to work on there!

honestly I think the #1 most important thing for any adult trying to be a good ally and educator to young people is to kill the urge to cringe literally ever at all about anything, because the second you make a kid feel weird for asking a question is the second they start hesitating to confide in you with their questions. I've had to poker face kids asking me why someone would ever put someone else's penis in their mouth, what a harem is, and kids very earnestly describing their first wet dreams without having any idea that they were describing wet dreams. there cannot be any "no," it's "yes, and" from here on it. "yes that sounds weird to you, and it's completely fine to do that with people you trust if and when you feel ready to have sex" has got to be the constant refrain. be as rigorously open-minded and non-judgmental as possible establishes that you are a safe person to talk to honestly, and encourages your kiddo to be similarly curious and accepting.

if you ever find yourself really flustered by a question, or you genuinely don't have an answer, it's okay to pull a "I don't know! let me find out more information and get back to you." (also great behavior to model for kids, btw.) if you're ever stumped trying to figure out how to break something down into 4th grader-sized chunks, I recommend Scarleteen as a starting place - it's a sex ed forum run by volunteers for teens, some of them pretty young, so the answers are written very accessibly.

easing into the topic by discussing things like feelings and puberty can be a great way to ease in. have they talked about puberty at school? are their friends having any bodily changes? how do people talk about bodies? do kids get made fun of for developing breasts or growing body hair? does anyone at school date? how does the kid you're talking with feel about all of that? I might just be blessed with unusually gossipy kids, but they LOVE dishing about how other kids act. I learn so so much about my students by asking them to tell me how their peers behave at school; they love to narc.

also: it can be a huge bummer if YOU were really ready to rumble being sex positive and a source of info, but sometimes kids just aren't ready to engage with that. I've know 4th graders who are extremely at eases talking about the ins and outs of vaginal anatomy and 6th graders who would rather run away than even acknowledge genitals exist; there's no predicting when anyone will be comfortable with this. to a certain degree you might need to encourage a kid through initial awkwardness, but if they're reaching a point of serious distress and discomfort we've got to let it go. unfortunately I've taught kids who reacted to their parents' enthusiasm for sex positivity by wilting in exactly the opposite direction, getting anxious and confrontational whenever the topic came up. the majority of kids will become curious in their own time, especially as puberty and sexuality becomes more pressing to them and their peers, and sometimes the best thing you can do is leave that door open for them to return to in their own time.

also, hey! if you're ever really really stuck, I'm here on tumblr dot com :) I'm by now means an expert, but I've taught a LOT of fourth graders what a condom is.

[drdemonprince]

it's not super related, but since you mentioned ageism in the dating scene in the transmisandry essay on substack it reminded me how a couple of my friends have started posting online how they're disgusted about gay men being predatory to younger guys........ and when asking about it turns out we're talking about 35yo people flirting with like, 23 year olds, *both being adults with jobs* and it's just so frustrating to misunderstand relationships of power like that and thinking that power just materializes with age (among other things). I'm not sure how to tackle this conversation with my friends because they're super defensive about it (both are transmascs who got groomed online by older men when they were pre-transition teens). I understand why it's a touchy subject for them, but I feel like they're just spreading around that old trope of gay men being more likely to abuse teens than straight men.

man i am so sick of the homophobia that's considered acceptable in """""queer""""" (ready theyfab and friends) circles, and the fucking age gap hysteria. I just saw a couple on the Grey Furs (old furries) facebook made by a couple where one partner is 36 years old and the other is 61. When they met well over a decade ago, their age difference would have been something that a lot of the freaks on this webbed site would consider to have been predatory, and now they're *both* people that that crowd would treat like creepy old people.

it's always people who had a ton of privilege and isolation as kids and went away to college right after high school who foam at the mouth about age gaps being inherently predatory and younger adults being incapable of consent. meanwhile if you have ever worked in a retail space or a kitchen or any other number of regular degular working-class jobs you learn really fucking quick how little of an indicator age is of a person's maturity and whom they can be friends with. you'll routinely see 27-year-old-managers in charge of both 19 year-olds and 58 year-olds and yeah, sometimes the 58 yo and the 19 yo are friends! It turns out when you share in daily activities and labor with someone you can really respect them as a fellow person and have a ton in common with them and that what unites us is not our age demographic but our class position!

not to mention the rank hypocrisy of "be gay do crimes" types suddenly acting like the state is the ultimate moral arbiter when it comes to the ages of people in relationships and begging for the carceral justice system to intervene the moment they find someone else's relationship "creepy."

[queeranarchism]

hi! loved your post about not giving up on learning new things as an adult. do you have any resources you could share about making your own clothes? thanks 💞

Hmmm.. I don't really have specific links and I've only been doing this for like.. a month? I made three pieces of clothing so far that I actually wear in public. But my starting pointers would be:

You need a sowing pattern and you need to follow the instructions. You can not just trace your favorite t-shirt and expect it to look good. (which is what I did when I started). New patterns can be expensive but if you have a printer, you can find free sowing patterns online. If not, thrift stores and online markets will have cheap old patterns and pattern-magazines. One magazine often has over a dozens of patterns.

Youtube is amazing for tutorials.

For me, half the trouble of learning how to sow was learning how to handle a sowing machine, getting the right tension on the threads so it doesn't break or get stuck, etc. I'm still getting the hang of all the things that can go wrong when handling a sowing machine. Again: Youtube is great.

If you don't have a sowing machine: ask older relatives before spending money on a new one. A lot of people have an old machine lying around and those old heavy machines are really good. And bonus: you might get a free class in how to use that damn machine.

In my experience, slightly thicker fabrics and unpredictable patterns help camouflage beginners mistakes. Loose baggy clothing is also easier because the fit doesn't have to be perfect. My first project that I actually wear in public is tartan dungarees (yay, punk). Do consider: cheap modern sowing machines aren't always capable of handling thick fabrics.

You can make your own clothes for many reasons but honestly: don't expect to save a lot of money. Nice fabrics are quite expensive and then there's all the tools. Of course you can recycle your old curtains, get fabrics from thrift stores, etc. But in my experience the cheapest of disposable fashion is so ridiculously cheap that most home made clothing can not compete.

If you wanna save money, reduce your impact on the environment and/or start easy: try fixing and resizing clothes you already own! @wastelesscrafts has a lot of tutorials, like this post full of ideas about how to upsize your clothes: https://www.tumblr.com/wastelesscrafts/700971177595830272/upsizing-clothes-there-are-a-million-upcycling/

That's my starting points for now, maybe more experienced people can leave more advice in the comments?

[tzifron]

“It feels like shit. It feels like community care is not a thing. The world is so self-centered right now. If something doesn’t immediately affect you personally, then it’s not something to be concerned about,” she said. “I live with severe PTSD. I already lost a child. I’m not willing to lose another child.”  

Hannah Neely, 42, lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two children, ages 10 and 12. She had cancer of the immune system, and between the disease and treatment, her immune system was severely weakened. Before, Neely was a teacher, but she is now too disabled to work. Her husband is a software engineer, although he was recently laid off. 

Neely, her husband and her children wear masks. They do not socialize or eat indoors at restaurants. For a while, her children took classes online through the public school system, but eventually she sent them back to school masked. 

“We go to the store, we go to doctor’s appointments, we go to our kids’ school, but that’s kind of it. And we mask everywhere,” Neely told The 19th. 

In a strange way, Neely feels “lucky” to be a cancer survivor, because it means she doesn’t need to justify her concern about COVID to others. Most people she interacts with do not think she is being unreasonable. 

“I am disabled in a way that is invisible, but sympathetic. I haven’t faced the medical gaslighting people with [chronic fatigue syndrome] have faced. … No medical professionals have ever told me I’m overreacting,” she said. 

Some family and friends have engaged in a sort of wishful thinking. 

“People sometimes say, ‘It’ll be fine. Hannah, I’m sure you’ll be fine. You can’t actually say that with any certainty,” Neely said.

[viktheviking1]

The scariest people are never the ones who immediately creep you out. They are the ones who are expert at seeming trustworthy. You may already know someone like this, and not realize it yet.

Be it on the Internet or in real life, it is important to be cautious around anyone who starts suggesting things you aren't comfortable with or asking for information that is none of their business.

Things no one taught you about the Internet!

Starting with minors (17 and under in the US)

DON'T POST YOUR AGE! Or age rage. Or birth year. Do not write 'minor' in your bio. This is probably the most common and most dangerous mistake! You will be actively targeted.

Don't pretend you're an adult!!! If a creep sees that you wrote 18 or older but act like a minor, they will do all the same tricks to become your friend, and know they have a legal loophole because they can always claim they didn't know! This is almost more dangerous than just saying "I'm a kid, come hurt me"

Instead just don't say anything! Don't post it anywhere, and don't add it to your bio. If someone asks you for your age, just block them.

Don't share your name or nickname! Even if you don't share your last name, they can pick up enough details about you over time that even a first name is enough to find you.

Instead, use a totally different name! Something like Eli_Bloodsucker is way more fun, just don't use it if your real name or even a real life nickname is Eli, Eliza, Ellie, or anything else even remotely similar!

Don't talk to anyone directly! Be it in comments or asks or in direct messages, they're all dangerous. It doesn't matter if they say they are a minor or an adult. If you can't see their face, don't talk to them. If you find a real life friend you didn't know had an account, don't talk to them. That might not be your friend. You can text your friend directly or talk to them in real life about it later.

Instead, just spread positivity purely form likes and reblogs. Pretend the comment and chat buttons are lava or acid or something. Don't touch them.

Don't share ANYTHING about where you live. Not even country. Don't tell someone about how it's always humid where you live or that there's a storm where you are.

Instead, you can share about weather vaguely later. For example, "a few months ago it snowed and I slipped on ice."

Don't, talk about an activity that would even hint that you are a minor. Don't talk about school, don't talk about piano lessons, don't talk about martial arts class, or football practice. Don't mention growing out of your clothes. Don't mention how your mom grounded you. Don't talk about your little brother barging into your room.

Instead, before posting any stories from your real life, ask yourself if this could also easily apply to someone in their 20s living with roommates instead of family members and working a full-time job. If the answer is yes, then post it, if not, don't. (Good example: I burnt my eggs but I didn't want to waste it so I still ate it. Bad example: My dad made me eggs this morning even though I hate them, and made me eat them.)

Don't post or share pictures or videos of yourself online. Someone can either use it to find you or steal them to lure your friends or other people your age into trusting them.

Instead, find a picture of a duck with a mustache online, and make that you're profile picture. Find a map of Australia and post that as your "outfit check". Way more fun.

Do not trust the person who reblogged this. Do not trust the original poster. Creeps will sometimes post about Internet safety as part of their plan to make you trust them.

So how can you tell who to trust, and who not to? You can't! That's the Internet. Better to play it safe than to risk your actual life over a post or a trend

Adult Internet safety:

Idk, it's your life. You know the consequences you might face. Make your own damn decisions. If your dad can't tell you what to do, then I sure can't.

Oh, and don't interact with people you know, or think, are kids. There is help available for those who are tempted to do this. Don't go down that path. There are resources, there are other ways. Having thoughts isn't a crime, acting on them is. PLEASE talk to a licensed professional.

[moonbeam-dragon]

Rescue Bots: Swap AU

The 'bots are humans and the humans are 'bots. This is just the main four Rescue Bots and the Burns family. I might add other characters if this gets popular. But Optimus stays a Bot.

---

Human Heatwave:

Heath Wayne - Mixed: Cuban/Black - 23 - He/him - Bisexual

Born and raised in Griffin Rock. Only child. His parents were killed by burglars when he was twelve. Wound up being rescued. He was taken in by the Burnses, who were retired rescuers and childless. He got to do Teen Pioneers on the island. Just after he turned 18, he inherited the firehouse and trained to be a firefighter.

There was more of a rescue team before. They all either died, retired, or left. They thought "Heath Wayne" sounded like "Heatwave" so they started calling him that. He mentioned it one time around Blockade. Then he started using that since it was easier to remember. Gradually everyone started calling him Heatwave.

Human Chase:

Chase Dean - Mixed: White/Japanese- 23 - He/him - Homosexual

Born in Griffin Rock. Grew up an only child. Moved away as a toddler and didn't return until high school. He spent all of his years of school homeschooled. He went to real class in high school. Did Lad Pioneers on the mainland. Super autistic. Social cues? Never heard of her. He went to the police academy and quickly ranked up. When the running police cheif died on duty, he got the position.

The only one who uses his given name.

Human Boulder:

Pōhaku Akana - Hawiian - 22 - He/it - Panromantic/Ace spectrum

Born on the mainland. He was always huge into nature. Only child so he read and drew a lot. Was fascinated by plants. Did Lad Pioneers on the mainland. Moved to Griffin Rock when he was a high school junior. Then everyone kinda just did. He did online classes for college and has a degree in botany. Is going to Grimskey Tech as well. Passionate about everything. Joined the rescue team as an engineer but has gotten training to handle emergencies and stressful situations.

Nobody in school could pronounce his real name. The art teacher asked to call him Boulder and he agreed.

Human Blades:

Blaise Nuage - French - 21 - He/they - Panromantic/Demisexual

Grew up the middle child of five. The older sisters were Claudia (26, she/her) and Camille (24, she/they). The younger siblings were Olive (17, they/them) and Andre (15, he/she). He was babied by the older ones and he babies the younger ones. Their parents weren't that involved so Claudia was the responsible one. The siblings were all really close, growing up on the mainland. They moved to Griffin Rock when he was in middle school. Did Lad and Teen Pioneers on the island. He stayed when he graduated but the rest of the family moved back.

Blaise did pretty well in school and trained as a doctor for a short time. He hated flying but becoming an EMT helped him out in the field. He got familiar with one helicopter and got his pilot's license. Moved into the firehouse to join the team. They were content until the Bots showed up. Then things got weird.

Dartswift misheard his name as "Blades" so she called him that. It caught on with the team and soon all of Griffin Rock just knew him as Blades.

Bot Chief:

Strongshield - Blue - He/him - Straight Ally

The oldest of the team by a lot. His creators were Rescue Bots as well. They gave their Energon to a ship full of people and saved countless lives. He vowed to join the Rescue Bots in their honor. Strongshield used to have a different team but they all died on separate occasions. When he was done mourning he was put in charge of a group of young adults. He formed a close bond with each of them. He becomes a "father" figure to them all.

Chase told him about an officer he used to know named Charleston. He was the chief before he was shot. Strongshield decided he rather liked that name, so chase started calling him Charlie.

Bot Kade:

Blockade - Yellow - He/it - Bisexual

Trained to handle explosions and fires on Cybertron. His life-givers were both killed when he was a sparkling. He was raised in the Rescue Bots' base. He always admired Strongshield. He always blocked people out but made an exception when he met his team.

When he started calling Heath "Heatwave," Heath started calling him "Kade" for short. It was easier for both to remember.

Bot Dani:

Dartswift - Gray/Orange - She/her - Bisexual

Had a decent childhood on Cybertron. She played lots of sports. Was always into flying and had a flight mode before. Her carrier taught her about health so she learned medical procedures. She joined the Rescue Bots to put her talents to good use. Never had siblings and her relationship with her life givers wasn't good. They died when she was young and she spent the rest of her youth with the Rescue Bots.

Blaise started calling her Dani, after a character in a show they both liked.

Bot Graham:

Spectrogram- Blue-green - He/him - Bisexual

He grew up picked on a lot. He spent more time studying and experimenting than socializing. He never enjoyed nature. His creators never exactly cared for him. He found support and comfort in Strongshield. He joined the Rescue Bots as an engineer but almost failed the actual rescue training. Spectrogram ended up getting into Sigma 17 because Strongshield favored him among a group.

Boulder, and eventually everyone, start calling him "Gram" for short. Somehow it got spelled "Graham" and they went with it.

Bot Cody:

Codebreaker - Brown/Green - He/him - Polysexual

Spent his first years on Cybertron. When he was a sparkling his creators took him on a trip to another solar system while working. They died during this and codebreaker wound up safe in stasis. The Rescue Bots found and kept him. They never got him back to Cybertron.

He was kept with the team. Optimus found a small buggy for him to scan. He wants to be a racecar. Optimus and Strongshield won't let him. Boulder just kinda started calling him Cody because it sounded right. It caught on pretty quick.