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grifffins · 9 days ago

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🔮 The Fool’s Journey (Into Trouble)🔮

Lilia Calderu x fem!reader

tags: Older Woman/Younger Woman, Slow Burn, Alternative Universe, No Magic AU, Age Gap, Oblivious Lilia Calderu, Yearning, Fluff

summary: I was just looking for a job, not an existential crisis—or a crush on my eccentric, older boss who calls me ‘baby’ like it’s nothing. Now I’m working at her tarot shop, falling harder by the day, and she has no idea I’m flirting. Desperate, I turn to my chaotic friends for help. What could possibly go wrong?

wc: 3.5k (Chapter 1/?)

a/n: this is like the first time posting in forever and I’m kinda scared, but Lilia&aaa really got me writing again. I’m so gay. No magic, just chaotic friends. Also, I aged Billy up because I can’t write kids.

also on ao3

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I’d been looking for a job for what felt like forever. The kind of soul-sucking search that made me wonder if I was doomed to an eternity of scrolling through online postings, drowning in rejection emails, and contemplating whether selling my soul to a demon might be a viable career option. But then, one rainy afternoon, tucked away in the classified section of an old newspaper, an actual newspaper, for God’s sake I found it.

"Seeking shop assistant. Must be comfortable with the mystical and the eccentric. Call: 555-3827."

Did people even put ads in newspapers anymore? And who still had a landline in this century? Curiosity got the better of me, and before I knew it, I was dialing the number, half-expecting it to connect me to a dusty relic of a shop run by someone who spoke only in riddles.

Instead, a smooth, lightly accented voice answered. “Yes, hello?”

And that was the first time I heard Lilia Calderu.

The shop smelled like old books and incense, and the air had that thick, mystical quality that made you feel like you’d stepped into another world. The walls were lined with shelves stacked haphazardly with tarot decks, worn-out copies of books, and shelves of delicate crystal spheres that seemed to hum with some unseen energy.

And then I saw her .

Lilia Calderu stood behind the counter like she’d stepped right out of an old eccentric novel. Her dark curly hair, streaked with grey, was pinned up in a loose bun, with wild tendrils escaping to frame her sharp face. Those deep brown eyes, sharp as a blade, met mine with an amused glint. She had the air of someone who had seen it all and was quietly entertained by it.

“You must be y/n.” She smiled, and something in my chest tightened. “I must say, I wasn’t sure anyone read the paper anymore. Yet, here you are.”

I nodded, feeling far too awkward in her presence. “Yeah. Thought it was a joke at first, honestly.”

She laughed softly, an elegant sound that sent shivers down my spine. “Many people do, but this shop has its ways of finding the right people.” She extended her hand. “Welcome to your new obsession.”

And boy, was she right.

Lilia mostly handled the tarot readings, slipping into that almost trance-like focus as she read fortunes with an effortless grace that made me want to sit there and watch her forever. My job was…well, everything else. Cleaning, organising, taking inventory, manning the register when she was busy. The shop wasn’t exactly bustling, but it had its steady flow of customers mostly the kind who came in with wide eyes and a quiet reverence, seeking answers in the cards.

Lilia and I quickly fell into a rhythm. We’d talk about everything and nothing in between customers, and though she had a dry wit and a quiet confidence, there was a warmth to her that made me feel at ease.

Unfortunately, I also had an embarrassing, all-consuming crush on her.

And Lilia, bless her oblivious heart, did not pick up on my subtle flirting. At all.

I’d linger a little longer when we brushed past each other. I’d compliment her hair, her outfit, the way she shuffled cards like it was second nature. I even tried playful teasing, asking if she’d ever read my cards and tell me if I had a shot with someone older and devastatingly charming.

Nothing. Just a soft smile and a gentle, “Ah, love is such a mysterious thing, isn’t it?”

I should’ve given up.

But instead, I called in reinforcements.

Agatha, Jen, Billy, and Alice had been hearing about Lilia this and Lilia that for weeks. It had gotten so bad that the last time I brought her up over drinks, Agatha groaned and banged her forehead against the table. “y/n, I swear to all the gods, if you don’t make a move, I will.”

Jen sipped her wine, nodding. “I feel like I know this woman better than my own mother at this point.”

Billy leaned in, far too intrigued. “She’s hot, though, right?”

“Billy. ”

“What? I’m just asking.”

Alice, ever the voice of reason, gave me a sympathetic smile. “Alright, we need a plan. Operation ‘Get y/n Laid’ is a go.”

I choked on my drink, while Jen rolled her eyes. “Or, you know, date. ”

Agatha smirked. “I vote chaos.”

And so, it began.

The plan was simple.

Step one: The coven (as my friends liked to call themselves, despite having zero magical abilities) would ‘accidentally’ drop by the shop to scope out Lilia. Subtlety was not their strong suit, but I’d given them a strict list of rules— no embarrassing me, no obvious flirting on my behalf, and under no circumstances could Agatha challenge her to a tarot reading battle.

Step two: Once they confirmed Lilia was, in fact, into women (something I was still trying to figure out without outright asking), they’d casually encourage me to ask her out.

Step three: Success. Or mortifying failure.

I should’ve known better.

The day of the plan, they arrived with the grace of a train wreck. The bell above the shop door chimed, and in they strolled. Agatha with her signature overconfidence, Jen trying to look composed, and Billy and Alice whispering conspiratorially behind them.

Lilia, who had been arranging a set of tarot decks, looked up with mild interest. “New customers?” she mused.

I winced. “Uh, yeah. Friends.”

Agatha stepped forward, extending a hand with a grin that was far too wolfish for my liking. “Agatha. Nice shop you have here.”

Lilia took her hand with that calm, effortless grace. “Thank you. I do my best.” She glanced over at me with a raised brow. “I see y/n has been spreading the word.”

Alice beamed. “Oh, you have no idea.”

Kill me.

Lilia was polite but wary, and I could tell she picked up on something , whether it was the fact that they were clearly vetting her or just the general chaos my friends brought with them. But she handled it like she handled everything else: with quiet amusement and a touch of suspicion.

I could also see the way she lingered on me when she thought I wasn’t looking, the way she’d glance over when Agatha not-so-subtly hinted at my interest in “older, experienced women.”

And when Billy, in all his chaotic energy, ‘accidentally’ knocked over a shelf, Lilia just sighed and gave me a look that said, this is your problem now.

God, I was so gone for her.

I didn’t know if the plan was working, but when I caught Lilia watching me across the shop, her expression softer, more contemplative than usual, I had a feeling things were shifting.

I just had to make sure I didn’t screw it up.

The coven’s “casual” visit stretched far longer than I’d anticipated, and Lilia, ever the picture of grace and patience entertained their probing questions with a wry amusement that had me both sweating and swooning.

“So,” Agatha drawled, leaning casually on the counter, “how long have you been in town? A woman like you must have quite the stories.”

Lilia smiled knowingly, her dark eyes glinting. “Oh, I’ve been here longer than most would guess. The shop’s been in my family for generations, though I suppose I’ve... modernised it in my own way.”

Jen, ever the detective, sipped her overpriced coffee and murmured, “Modernised? You still have a landline.”

Lilia shot her a look that could cut glass. “It has a certain charm.”

I stifled a laugh behind my hand.

Billy, who’d been poking around the shelves, suddenly perked up. “So, Lilia, do you do, like, love spells?”

I nearly choked on air.

Lilia tilted her head, tapping a perfectly manicured finger on the counter. “Love spells are tricky,” she mused, her voice low and velvety. “You can’t make someone fall in love, you know. Only... reveal what’s already there.”

My face burned so hot I thought I might spontaneously combust. Agatha shot me a smug grin, and I swore I’d kill her later.

Lilia, however, seemed unbothered. If anything, she was watching me with a knowing glint, as if she’d caught the edge of something in my expression.

“Love is a delicate thing,” she continued, her gaze still on me. “It’s best handled with care.”

Jen snorted. “Tell that to y/n.”

I groaned. “Alright, you guys have had your fun. Let’s not traumatise my boss any further.”

Lilia’s lips quirked up. “Oh, y/n, it takes much more than this to rattle me.”

And with that, my brain short-circuited.

Once I’d finally wrangled my friends out the door—after no less than three separate goodbyes and a thinly veiled attempt by Agatha to invite Lilia to a “casual” group outing—I collapsed against the counter with a groan.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled into my hands. “They’re... a lot.”

Lilia chuckled softly, arranging a set of tarot cards in a neat pile. “They’re delightful.” She paused, her voice quieter. “They care about you.”

I peeked up at her through my fingers. “They do. Sometimes too much.”

She gave me that soft, unreadable smile that made my stomach twist in knots. “That’s never a bad thing.”

There was a moment of silence, comfortable yet charged. I watched her work, her fingers deft and graceful, and I couldn’t help but imagine what they’d feel like trailing over my skin.

Which, of course, led to me blurting out the world’s most humiliating sentence.

“So, uh... are you single?”

Lilia’s hands stilled. She looked up at me, one perfectly arched brow lifting.

Oh. Oh no.

I swallowed thickly. “I—I mean, just curious. You know, for... um... business reasons?”

She stared at me for a long beat before a slow, knowing smile spread across her face. “Business reasons?”

I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. “I’ll shut up now.”

To my absolute horror, she looked amused . “No, I don’t mind the question,” she said, voice smooth and far too indulgent. “Yes, y/n, I am single.”

My brain froze. “Oh. Cool.”

I was going to die. Right here. In this shop.

Lilia leaned on the counter, eyes twinkling with mischief. “And you?”

Me? Functioning? Unlikely.

“Uh, yeah,” I stammered. “Very single. Like... aggressively single.”

She laughed, a low, rich sound that made my knees weak. “Aggressively?”

I groaned. “I have a lot of free time.”

She gave me a long, thoughtful look, and for the first time, I saw something flicker in her expression, curiosity? Interest? God, I hoped so.

“Well,” she said finally, “perhaps we should do something about that.”

I blinked. “Do something?”

Lilia just smiled. “You’ll see, baby.”

I was definitely going to die.

I called Agatha that night in full-blown panic.

“She called me baby, Agatha. She called me baby. ”

On the other end of the line, Agatha groaned. “And you didn’t throw yourself at her feet?”

“I panicked!” I hissed. “I just stood there like an idiot and nodded!”

Jen’s voice chimed in. “Classic y/n.”

Billy snorted. “You need to make a move before someone else does.”

Alice, ever the gentle voice of reason, hummed. “Maybe she’s interested in you, y/n. She wouldn’t call you ‘baby’ if she wasn’t, right?”

“I don’t know,” I whined. “She’s so cool, and she’s older, and I feel like a dumb kid around her.”

Agatha clicked her tongue. “You’re not a dumb kid. You’re a hot, chaotic disaster, and that’s charming. Now, listen, next time you see her, flirt intentionally. Make it obvious.”

“Oh yeah, because that’s gone so well before.”

“No more subtlety,” Agatha said firmly. “You need to show her you’re serious. Flirt, y/n. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“She could laugh in my face?”

“She won’t,” Alice assured me. “She hired you, didn’t she? That means she likes you.”

I sighed, flopping onto my bed.

The next morning, I walked into the shop, determined. Lilia glanced up from where she was rearranging the display, her smile soft.

"Good morning, y/n."

I swallowed hard, shoving down the nervous energy bubbling in my chest. "Morning, Lilia."

She tilted her head, observing me for a moment. "You look... focused today. A special occasion?"

"Oh, uh... just trying to be more productive," I said quickly, forcing a smile and internally cursing myself. I had one job: flirt. Be charming. Sweep her off her feet. Instead, I was standing there like a starstruck teenager.

Lilia gave me an amused glance, completely unaware of the internal screaming happening inside my head. "Well, productivity is always admirable," she said, turning back to her tarot deck. "Let me know if you need something to do, baby."

Baby. There it was again.

I nearly tripped over my own feet on the way to the back room.

Later that evening, I flopped onto Agatha's couch with a dramatic groan. "It's hopeless."

Billy, sitting cross-legged on the floor with a bowl of popcorn, rolled his eyes. "You're hopeless. There's a difference."

Alice patted my knee reassuringly. "Tell us what happened this time."

I sat up, rubbing my hands over my face. "She called me baby again."

Jen raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And?" I repeated incredulously. "I blacked out! Just stood there like a moron and stammered something about productivity!"

Agatha groaned, sipping her wine. "You are acting like the least seductive person I have ever met, and I have literally watched you seduce people before. What happened to that y/n?"

I threw my hands in the air. "That y/n wasn't crushing on someone three times my age who also happens to be the most sophisticated, intimidating woman I've ever met!"

Billy snickered. "You're acting like she's some kind of ancient vampire."

I glared. "She might be, okay? I don't know her life."

Jen smirked. "You could get to know it. Y'know, if you asked her out."

"That's not how this works!" I groaned, leaning back against the couch. "I need subtlety. "

Agatha rolled her eyes so hard I was worried they'd get stuck. "y/n. Sweetheart. You've been subtle for weeks, and she hasn't picked up on a damn thing."

"She has to know," I insisted. "She’s too smart not to have figured it out."

Alice smiled kindly. "Or maybe she’s just... not looking for it? You said she’s wary of the age gap, right?"

I sighed. "Yeah. I get the feeling she’s aware of it, but she doesn’t say anything. It’s just little things, like, if I compliment her, she brushes it off like I’m just being nice. She never takes it seriously."

Jen hummed thoughtfully. "Sounds like she's putting up a little barrier. Maybe she's worried it's inappropriate?"

Agatha smirked. "So we need to show her it's very appropriate."

Billy nodded eagerly. "Okay, Get y/n Laid 101 is officially back in session."

"Can we call it something else?" I muttered.

"No," Agatha said flatly. "This is what we're calling it." She leaned forward, her eyes gleaming. "Here's the new plan. We need to escalate. No more lingering looks and awkward compliments. We go big. We're talking bold flirting, unmistakable signals. She won't be able to ignore it."

I groaned. "Agatha, I don't do bold. I trip over air when she looks at me for too long."

Jen smirked. "Then it's time to fake it till you make it."

Billy grinned. "You know what would help? A little jealousy."

I groaned again. "No."

"Yes," Agatha said, pointing at Billy. "Yes. We make her jealous."

"Guys, this isn't a teen drama," I whined. "What am I supposed to do? Flirt with some random customer in front of her?"

Agatha snapped her fingers. "Exactly!"

Alice frowned. "That seems a little childish."

Jen shrugged. "It could work."

I buried my face in my hands. "You’re all terrible."

Billy patted my arm. "We're terrible, but we're effective."

The next day at the shop, I was feeling good. Confident, even. The plan was simple, escalate my flirting game, but not with Lilia just yet. No, I needed to show her what she was missing. And I was good at flirting. Really good. Just… not with her. Lilia was an enigma, a walking temptation wrapped in decades of experience and elegance, and I turned into an absolute idiot in her presence.

But with other women? That was easy.

The bell above the door chimed, and I looked up to see a gorgeous customer stepping in, tall, blonde, and effortlessly stylish. She glanced around the shop with interest, her gaze landing on me, and I caught the faintest flicker of a smile. I could work with that.

I straightened my posture, strolling over with a relaxed smile. “Welcome in,” I said smoothly, letting my voice drop just enough to be inviting. “Looking for anything in particular? Or just... browsing?”

She smiled, intrigued. “A little of both, I think.”

“Oh, mystery.” I leaned lightly on the counter, letting my fingers trace the edge of a crystal display. “I like that. Means you might need a guide.”

She laughed softly, tilting her head in a way that told me she was enjoying this. “And I suppose you’re volunteering?”

I grinned. “I’m more than qualified.”

We slipped into an easy banter, her eyes bright with interest as I smoothly navigated between flirtation and shop talk. She leaned in a little closer, and I let my gaze linger, deliberate and playful.

And then I felt it.

That unmistakable presence.

I glanced up and yep. Lilia was watching from across the room, her dark eyes focused, her expression unreadable. She was leaning against the shelf, book in hand, but I could tell she hadn’t turned a page in a while.

I ignored the way my pulse jumped and turned my attention back to the blonde, offering her a charming smile. “So,” I said, handing her a small charm, “this one’s for luck. Not that you look like you need it.”

She laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re good at this.”

“I try.”

Lilia’s voice cut through the moment like a blade, smooth, unhurried, but somehow commanding all the same. “y/n.”

I turned, heart skipping a beat. “Yeah?”

She strolled over, eyes flicking between me and the blonde. “Everything alright here?”

The blonde woman, oblivious, smiled. “Just getting some expert advice.”

Lilia hummed, arching a brow at me. “I see.” There was nothing in her tone that hinted at jealousy, but something lingered beneath it, something sharp and assessing. “Why don’t you help me with something in the back when you’re done?”

It wasn’t a request.

I swallowed. “Sure, just a sec.”

The blonde handed me the charm with a wink. “I think I’ll take this. Lucky, right?”

I rang her up, feeling Lilia’s presence like a shadow at my back the entire time. When the customer finally left with a lingering glance over her shoulder, I turned to Lilia with what I hoped was a nonchalant smile. “What’s up?”

She studied me for a moment, then gestured toward the back room. “Come on.”

I followed her, nerves prickling under my skin. Was she... mad? Intrigued? God, I couldn’t tell. She closed the door behind us and crossed her arms, regarding me with that maddeningly unreadable expression.

“Flirting with customers now?” she asked, tone light but with an edge I couldn’t quite place.

I shrugged, leaning against the wall. “It’s good for business.”

Lilia’s lips twitched, but she didn’t quite smile. “Mm. I suppose it is.”

Silence stretched between us, heavy with something unsaid. She tilted her head, studying me like she was piecing together a puzzle. And then, just as quickly as she’d pulled me aside, she turned back toward the shelf, and pointed at the boxes to unpack, business as usual. “Well,” she said, voice as smooth as ever, “let’s try to keep things professional, baby.”

And there it was again. Baby. The way she said it effortless, affectionate, and utterly devastating.

I cleared my throat. “Got it. Professional.”

But as I left the back room, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Lilia wasn’t quite as unaffected as she seemed.

That night, I sat at Agatha’s with my head in my hands. “She pulled me into the back room.”

Jen perked up. “Wait, what? ”

Billy nearly dropped his drink. “Define ‘pulled into the back room.’”

“Not like that,” I groaned. “She just... I don’t know, it felt like she was calling me out for flirting, but it wasn’t clear if she was mad or—”

“Jealous,” Agatha supplied smugly. “She was jealous. ”

Alice, ever the voice of reason, frowned. “Or she thought you were being unprofessional.”

Agatha waved a hand. “Unprofessional, please. y/n’s been working there for weeks with no complaints. She definitely noticed.”

Billy grinned. “What did she say exactly?”

I sighed. “She told me to keep things professional. Baby. ”

Jen’s eyes widened. “She called you baby again? ”

I nodded miserably. “I’m losing my mind.”

Agatha leaned in with a smirk. “Then we escalate. She’s watching now.”

I groaned, burying my face in a pillow. “Why is this so hard?”

“Because you actually like her,” Alice said gently. “And that makes everything ten times scarier.”

I peeked out from the pillow. “So what do I do?”

Agatha smirked. “You keep flirting, y/n. But this time, aim it at the right woman.”

#lilia calderu x reader #lilia calderu #patti lupone #agatha all along #agatha all along fanfic

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oh-no-its-bird · 19 hours ago

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Gonna ramble a bit here, sorry in advance for that

With the rise in worry about the permanence of online media (books / music / video content / art / online chat history / etc.) I've been thinking about wanting to print out some of my favorite fics, or catologue some of my longer (months and years long tbh) conversations about ocs. Or maybe try and learn how to burn cds so I can save my music and favorite shows / videos n stuff

Mm,, download a show online and burn it into a cd so I never have to look for it again,, easily accessible physical copy,, I love pirating things

Obviously, with printing out fics I'd want to ask for explicit permission from the author and then keep the printed volume to myself. Gotta be careful to be respectful ab that sort of thing.

I'd also be interested in printing out some of my own shit too, just for fun. Those old conversations about ocs won't last forever, discord will eventually fail and when it does I know I for one will be crushed to lose all that chat history.

Obviously, I'm an American, and like the current political state in America is uhhh. Deeply worrying for all of us over here. So I won't lie, that's also adding a layer of worry from that angle. Things are already looking ugly, and if they get uglier, you know, I for one don't want my information to be completley ripped away from me

Turning back to the fic thing again, there's also a good amount of American fic writers who have / are planning to / are thinking about taking down some of their fics, due to fear of potential laws that threaten to make pornography illegal, and alao laws that classify anything homosexual as pornography.

Now, to be clear, I don't think they'll really do this. I think that even if they try, there're literally no fucking way it would pass. The backlash alone would be insane. But that doesn't change the fact that people are scared— that people got scared, and some have already taken things down

So there's another layer of just, shit man, I don't wanna lose my fics. There's always a risk that even if you download it, you could one day lose it too.

Also printed and bound fics are just cool as hell. What do you mean I have a copy of my very favorite fics, right there on my shelf in physical form, which I can open any time to any page I want without fear of ao3 one day crashing?

The ideal world tbh

Besides that, there's also a sort of time capsule aspect to it.

The other day, my dad whipped out his old tape recordings he made when he was a kid, just of him rambling about shit to mail to a cousin. He put them in to a record player he apparently just had, and I lost my fucking mind seeing it.

Both of my parents were laughing at how excited I was to see both the tapes and the boom box— and to listen to my dad's tinny, muffled voice sounding just like the vintage tapes might be portrayed on TV. Faint static and old timey tv lilt in his voice and all.

To them, it was just a small, slightly nostalgic thing. To me, it was cool as hell and totally retro

The things I save today, that I print, that I burn into cds; Stories I'm scared might get deleted, conversations I dont want to lose, tv shows I could never afford to maintain a subscription to see, playlists of music I worried I'd lose; They may someday be some day be a real relic of the past, however many years in the future. If not for other people, than yeah, for me

So just, I dunno. It's important to save things in a way that they can't be taken away from you.

It's supposed to be the "age of information," isn't it? Well then, let me keep my goddamn information

#birds rambles #us politics #in a way #ao3

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unetherian · 5 months ago

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I recently discovered I'm a red fox therian!! I'm so happy but I don't know what I can do like day to day to express my identity minus yk like gear and quads and stuff

I'm so excited to be part of the community!!!

𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼✿𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼

Hi!

I'm so happy for you, it must be so euphoric to find your theriotype and join the community at the same time! [Unfortunately I didn't find mine TvT]

So, let’s get to the tips!

Making red fox art! It can be drawing, painting, but also music (by creating a soundtrack on the theme of your natural habitat or a song about foxes), writing, photography (photos of your habitat and/or your theriotype, if possible), some beings create by drawing shapes in the earth/sand, and adding stones, I find that very beautiful! You don't need to be a talented artist to create! Find a technique you like, then go for it!

Watch some red fox art! You don't have to make art to enjoy the wonders of this concept! You can also make art requests to beings who create drawings, moodboards, stimboards, and even poems! You can also read books and watch series/movies with foxes!

Collect things! I collect feathers that I usually find on the ground, and it gives me a kind of "predatory pleasure" to have a piece of prey as a trophy, even though I have never hunted birds for real. You can also collect objects from nature, like small stones, sticks, etc. ⚠️Be careful if you want to buy taxidermy or vulture culture, because it can come from cruel farms where the animals are unfortunately exploited in a horrible way...please do a lot of research.

“Claim” a territory! If you are territorial, this activity is for you! Select a place in your garden, in a park, in a forest, (your territory can be in a public place, but in this case don't forget that this place does not officially belong to you) You can draw a map of this place, and maybe build a den outside.

Make a scent marker! It's a small potion where there are natural elements mixed with your scent, you can use it to mark your territory. I highly recommend it! Thorn from "therian territory" on youtube made a tutorial for this!

Learn fox body language! This is something very interesting, it will surely help you connect with your species. Maybe you'll find that you use the same body language?

Create a therian/alterhuman/nonhuman journal ! It's a notebook, or a small notepad, where you write things related to your alter/nonhuman identity. You can write about your therian journey, the animal experiences you have, for example. To make it, I reused my old half-empty scrapbook, cut out the used pages and then rebuilt a cover page. (I didn't have an empty notebook)

Create a place dedicated to your theriantropy! Place elements that remind you of nature, place gears if you have any, images or drawings of your theriotype, etc. on a shelf, a piece of furniture, or elsewhere. You can make it aesthetic if you want :3.

Eat a snack that looks like a red fox's diet! Foxes eat a wide variety of things! Keep in mind that your body can't eat certain things that foxes can, so be careful, okay?

Make yourself some less common gears! Gears are not necessarily tails, masks and collars, a gear is anything that an alterhuman/nonhuman can connect to his alter/nonhumanity, there are many other things like bracelets, phone cases, arm/legwarmers, etc. You will certainly find inspiration while browsing tumblr.

Try to do some vocal exercises! I don't know if you classify this as a common way to express one's theriantropy, but hey, why not?¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Connect with the community! Share your experiences, your feelings, your questions, your points of view in the online community (I advise you not to use Tiktok and YouTube shorts, unless your goal is to educate this part of the community). The Tumblr community is mostly welcoming and caring! [Do not share your personal information, stay safe].

There you go, I hope I helped you :3 I already posted a something where I gave some tips for young/new therians:

https://www.tumblr.com/unetherian/760241665074233344/things-to-do-when-youre-a-newly-awakened?source=share

maybe it could be useful to you.

Have a good alter/nonhuman journey, take care of yourself(drink water!!!!), don't forget that you are valid, have a purrrrfect day!

Bye !

𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼✿𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼

#alterhuman #nonhuman #therian #therianthropy #therian safe space #therian community #alterhuman community #nonhuman community #therian help #therian tips #red fox therian #red fox #fox therian tips #fox therian help #theriotype #fox theriotype #foxkin tips #caninekin tips #foxlink

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fangdokja · 2 months ago

Text

Male Yandere / Dark Romance Library {Complete Edition}

Welcome to the “Zero-Triggers Library“!

Read the FULL + UPDATED version here: “Zero-Triggers Library”: Male Yandere / Dark Romance Library {Complete Edition}

Last Updated: December 6, 2024

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The following info are important notices in regards to this personal library of mine:

This library is more than 6 years old, and I only started adding the Yandere information and tiers from July to August 2024. So, some works may be outdated because I have to rely on memory to remember my experiences in past works. So, I apologize for possible inaccuracies. And, tastes can also change over time.

My preferred type: Dominant + Black Flag + Sadistic + Daddy please choke me vibes. Bonus if they're willing to torture and kill the darling.

Why did I put this?

Simple. Because I don’t read submissive males in general. So, don’t expect subby puppy yandere or any sub male recommendations at all here. Sorry. Not my type.

Also, obsessive blushing males kinda vibes, just any sub male in general (including crossdressing males). Also include strong hardcore fem dom MC’s as well. I used to read, but not since I got married. So, submissive MC all the way nowadays.

There are recommendations for ‘wholesome’, ‘fluffy’, and not fudged up books (a number of strong female protagonist recommendations as well) here, actually, I think a number of them are. Why? So difficult to find actual fudged up shiz haha. Either way, feel free to read what you want.

I don’t like age gap with younger males and older females. Huge turn off for me. Ironic since I don’t mind older age gap male haha.

All of these are my personal opinions! Not necessarily factual or ‘formally objective’!

My own research and journaling is still subject to change! It's a work-in-progress and an ongoing process of continuous development.

The actual content in the library is organized by the following categories:

Reading Progress – Ascending

Yandere! ML Tier – Ascending

Last Read Date – Ascending

Title – Ascending

Last Chapter Number Read – Ascending

This library is classified using this fun research tool I made: How a Yandere Says, “I love you.” [GENERAL Library Classifications]. Feel free to use it if you want, but please credit me appropriately. Thank you! And, please enjoy!

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Optional Links:

How a Yandere Says, “I love you.” [GENERAL Library Classifications]

How a Yandere Says, “I love you.” [GENERAL Library Classifications] (official website)

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Male Yandere Recommendations [Incomplete Version]

Official Website

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Male Yandere / Dark Romance Library {Complete Edition}

Official Website

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Legend

⭐ : All-time Favorites

🏴 : Black Flag

🏁 : Checkered Flag

🚩 : Red Flag

💀 : What the fudge.

🎨 : Art Inspiration

No Mark : Anything below red flag or just green flag / or crazy.

Note: The percentages are just for show, an example. It is not statistically proven nor accurate. This graph is meant to just show the tier levels of the male yandere classifications.

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✅ Green Grass / Just Crazy

Tier Number: 0

Yandere! ML Tier: ✅ Green Grass / Just Crazy

Name: Not Yandere, Just Crazy.

Main Type: Shackling

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Completely Read:

⭐ Kill The Hero (Manhwa)

⭐ Kill The Hero (Web Novel)

Juvenile Justice (K-Drama)

Last Game (Manga)

Yoru ni Naru to Boku wa (At Night I Move) (Manga)

Death Note (Manga)

MONSTER (Manga)

Madam, Your Sockpuppet is Lost Again! (Web Novel)

⭐ Reverend Insanity (Web Novel)

I’m Dating A Psychopath (Manhwa)

Can a Scholar Be Called a Villain (Web Novel)

Incompetent Villain (Manhwa)

Currently Reading:

How To Live as an Illegal Healer (Manhwa)

Simmering Food:

⭐ Konoha Hypocrite (Web Novel / Fanfiction)

⭐ I’m Not That Kind Of Talent (Manhwa)

Dog Act (Manhwa)

The Earth’s Chosen Savior (Manhwa)

⭐ Blue Lock (Manga)

⭐ Brutal: Satsujin Keisatsukan no Kokuhaku (Manga)

Genocide Online Playtime Diary of an Evil Young Girl (Web Novel)

Hero Killer (Manhwa)

One Punch Man (Manga)

Start hunting the main character from One Piece (Web Novel / Fanfiction)

I’m Lazy to finish RN:

⭐ Jujutsu Kaisen (Manga)

Sweet Plunder (Manhwa)

Yukoku No Moriarty (Manga)

Hierarchy (K-Drama)

Need Translation:

I’m Not That Kind of Talent (Web Novel)

Extreme Eternal Demon (Web Novel)

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🏁 Protects You

Tier Number: 1

Yandere! ML Tier: 🏁 Protects You

Name: Morally Gray-Vanilla Ice Cream (Green Flags)

Main Type: Possessive

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Completely Read:

Business Proposal (Manhwa)

Pampered by the Escape Boss (Web Novel)

National School Prince Is A Girl (Web Novel)

Phoenix Destiny (Web Novel)

Tsuiraku Jk To Haijin Kyoushi (Manga)

Abe-kun’s Got Me Now! (Manga)

Dreaming Freedom (Manhwa)

Evil Wang Pampers His Ghost Doctor Fei (Web Novel)

AntiSTALKER (Manhwa)

Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss (Web Novel)

Koi to yobu ni wa kimochi warui (Manga)

Space and Rebirth: The Favored Genius Doctor and Businesswoman (Web Novel)

The Anarchic Consort (Web Novel)

The Good for Nothing Seventh Young Lady (Web Novel)

Currently Reading:

Villainess Maker (Manhwa)

Stigma Effect (Manhwa)

Quiet In The Office! (Manhwa)

Simmering Food:

The Knight Captain Wants to Monopolize the Girl Who Had Glasses (Manga)

I Was Summoned to Be a Saint, but Was Robbed of the Position (Manga)

⭐ Men of the Harem (Manhwa)

Give a Heart to the Emperor (Manhwa)

The Perks of Being a Villainess (Manhwa)

I’m Lazy to finish RN:

Beware of the Red Thread (Manhwa)

Sensei To, Watashi Wa (Manga)

Isn’t Being A Wicked Woman Much Better? (Web Novel)

The Best is Saved for Last / Nokori Mono niha Fuku ga Aru (Manga)

Love Between Fairy and Devil (C-Drama)

The Real Daughter is Back (Manhwa)

Aidin (Manhwa)

Both the Kills and You Are Mine (Web Novel)

Father, I Don’t Want to Get Married! (Manhwa)

I Became The Sole Perfumer of A Tyrant (Web Novel)

I Was Admitted To The Villain School (Web Novel)

My Master Disconnected Yet Again (Web Novel)

Of Course, I’ll Claim Palimony! (Manga)

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💛 Respect Wife Juice

Tier Number: 2

Yandere! ML Tier: 💛 Respect Wife Juice

Name: Can And Will Stalk You / Overprotective Yanderes (Yellow Flags)

Main Type: Intoxicated

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Completely Read:

Jinsei 2-Shuume wa Yandere Kareshi wo Amayakashite Happy End ni Narimasu!! (Manga)

Even if I were to die, I wouldn’t choose you (Manga)

Simmering Food:

Today the Villainess Has Fun Again / The Villainess is Happy Today (Manhwa)

I Made a Deal With The Devil (Manhwa)

Assassin X Cinderella / Chotto kiken na amaama Onii-san (Manga)

He’s Always So Kind and Caring. Truly the Ideal Boyfriend (Manga)

I’ll Become a Villainess That Will Go Down in History (Web Novel)

I’m Lazy to finish RN:

I’ll Just Live On As A Villainess (Manhwa)

Hello, Wife! (Web Novel)

The Frog Prince and the Witch (Web Novel)

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💛💛 Wholesome Creep

Tier Number: 3

Yandere! ML Tier: 💛💛 Wholesome Creep

Name: Can And Will Manipulate Circumstances (Yellow Flags)

Main Type: Possessive

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Completely Read:

100% Perfect Girl (Manga)

You, My Devil / The Devil and His Sacrifice (Manhwa)

BAD GUY| Yandere Mafia Boss x Reader by masochist_brat (Fanfiction)

Ikemen Kadouka to Seiryaku Kekkon Shitara, Ishiki ga Tobuma de Mederaremashita (Manga)

Special Class with Teacher on the Train (Manga)

You’ve Got The Wrong House, Villain (Web Novel)

It Seems Like I Got Reincarnated Into The World Of A Yandere Otome Game (Web Novel)

The Epic Revenge ( Marshal Your Wife Run Away ) (Manhwa)

Currently Reading:

My Body Has Been Possessed By Someone (Web Novel)

A Heart Devoured: A Dark Yandere Anthology (Original Book / Reader Insert)

Yandere Psychology: A Comprehensive Taxonomy of Obsessive and Possessive Love {Complete Edition} (Original Research / Analysis)

Simmering Food:

Leylin of Turin (Manhwa)

Please Don’t Eat Me (Manhwa)

⭐ I’m a Fake Saintess but the Constellations are Obsessed (Manhwa)

Taram Taram Taram (Manhwa)

Predatory Marriage (Manhwa)

⭐ I Was Reincarnated as the Villainess in an Otome Game but the Boys Love Me Anyway (Manga)

High Society (Manhwa)

Post Possession Damage Control (Manhwa)

Destined To Love You (Web Novel)

I’m Lazy to finish RN:

This Song Only for You (Web Novel)

The Elegant Sea of Savagery (Manhwa)

I’m The Ex-Girlfriend of a Soldier (Manga)

Koroshi Ai (Manga)

The Villain Discovered My Identity (Manhwa)

Need Translation:

The Hero Suddenly Proposed to Me, but . . . (Web Novel)

The Villain Went Crazy Over Me (Web Novel)

You, My Devil (Web Novel)

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💛💛💛 Tempted To Kill

Tier Number: 4

Yandere! ML Tier: 💛💛💛 Tempted To Kill

Name: Can and Will Attempt To Murder (Yellow Flags)

Main Type: Possessive

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Completely Read:

Death Is The Only Ending For The Villainess / Villains are Destined to Die (Web Novel)

You Need Me ( Manipulator Yandere x Reader ) by Xxxx (Fanfiction)

TEENAGERS (YANDERE HIGH) (Fanfiction)

Gratitude (Yandere x Reader, Quotev) (Fanfiction)

Simmering Food:

Death Is The Only Ending For The Villainess / Villains are Destined to Die (Manhwa)

Reminiscence Adonis (Manhwa)

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🍊 Jealous Like Jelly

Tier Number: 5

Yandere! ML Tier: 🍊 Jealous Like Jelly

Name: Congrats! Serial Killer In The Making (Orange Flags)

Main Type: Shackling

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Simmering Food:

Sensei no Yasashii Koroshikata (Manga)

I’m Lazy to finish RN:

Chongfei Manual (Web Novel)

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🚩 “I love you.”

Tier Number: 6

Yandere! ML Tier: 🚩 “I love you.”

Name: Can And Will Kill Kidnap You

Main Type: Shackling

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Completely Read:

⭐🚩 Limerence [Yandere! x Chara!Reader] by Monochromatically (Fanfiction)

🚩 Winter Rabbit in Wonderland (Web Novel)

🚩 Dying Days (Dark Reader One Shots) (Fanfiction)

🚩 Infected (Yandere Harem x Reader) (Fanfiction)

🚩 The Sacrificial Maiden Corrupted by Coupling With an Oni (Manga)

🚩 They Who Shouldn’t Have Loved, The Story of their Cursed Love (Manga)

Tracking Updates:

🚩 Betrayal of Dignity (Manhwa)

⭐🚩 One Husband Is Enough (Manhwa)

Simmering Food:

🚩 Run Away, From Me (Manhwa)

🚩 Odalisque (Manhwa)

🚩 The Blackened Male King Always Wants To Set A Routine For Me (Web Novel)

I’m Lazy to finish RN:

🚩 Failed to Abandon the Villain (Manhwa)

🚩 Reminiscence Adonis (Web Novel)

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🚩🚩 Non-con Borders

Tier Number: 7

Yandere! ML Tier: 🚩🚩 Non-con Borders

Name: Can And Will Rape You

Main Type: Delusional

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Completely Read:

🚩 The Innkeeper’s Daughter That Was Doted On By The S-Rank Adventurer (Manga)

🚩 Yaba Ai Instructor (Manga)

🚩 The Love-Interest Prince Completely Change When I Made A Meta Comment About My Reincarnation! (Manga)

🚩 The Spy Who Ravished Me ~Reborn As a Mafia Princess in a Deadly Game~ (Manga)

⭐🚩🎨 I Reincarnated into the Otome Game “KURODORA,” but it’s IMPOSSIBLE to clear. (Manga)

🚩 Will You Like Me if I’m Nice to you? lol (Manhwa)

🚩 The Tainted Half (Manhwa)

🚩 Former Villainess and the Fallen Prince (Manga)

🚩 I Can’t Escape From Mr. Naughty Red Riding Hood 2 (Manga)

🚩 Mellis Maleficarum~ usotuki akuma no saiin tyoukyou (Manga)

🚩 Muttsuri Akazukin-kun kara wa nige rarenai” / I Can’t Escape From Mr. Naughty Red Riding Hood (Manga)

🚩 The reincarnated villainess cannot escape from the demon king’s obsession ~Part 1~ (Manga)

🚩 The Strongest Knightess Cannot Escape An Obsessive Prince! (Manga)

🚩 When You Are Reincarnated As The villain NPC’s Girl And Be Loved By The Strongest Prince Who Is Not A Capture Target (Manga)

Currently Reading:

🔞Forbidden Fruits: Intimate Obsessions, Unhinged Desires. (original book / reader-insert)

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🚩🚩🚩 “You’re mine.”

Tier Number: 8

Yandere! ML Tier: 🚩🚩🚩 “You’re mine.”

Name: Can And Will Isolate You

Main Type: Possessive

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Completely Read:

🚩 Is this a BAD END? (Manga)

Tracking Updates:

⭐🚩🎨 The Beast Within (Manhwa)

🚩 To Your Moralless (Manhwa)

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🏁 Actual Psychopath

Tier Number: 9

Yandere! ML Tier: 🏁 Actual Psychopath

Name: Generic Vanilla Black Flags / The Cookies and Cream Flag

Main Type: Possessive

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Completely Read:

⭐🏁 Who Is The Prey (Manhwa)

🏁 BORDER LINE ~My Fiendish Chinese Classmate’s Psychotic Infatuation~ (Manga)

🏁 Kneel Before Me (Manhwa)

Currently Reading:

🏁 Haunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse #1) by H.D. Carlton (Novel)

Tracking Updates:

⭐🏁🎨 Chaotic Nights (Manhwa) / Tempest Night (JYL) (Manhwa)

Simmering Food:

⭐🏁 The Fallen Fruit Under the Paradise (Web Novel)

I’m Lazy to finish RN:

🏁 Break Her by BG Harlen (Novel)

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🏴 Rapes Your Soul

Tier Number: 10

Yandere! ML Tier: 🏴 Rapes Your Soul

Name: Excessive Non Con + Sexual Torture . [”Until you learn to love me, I’ll continue raping you. Your body is already mine. And soon, your very soul.”]

Main Type: Possessive

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Completely Read:

⭐ 🏴 Who Is The Prey? (Web Novel)

Currently Reading:

⭐🏴💀 If I Cant Have You by Deathsdoll (Ao3) (Fanfiction)

Tracking Updates:

⭐🏴 How To Break Up Well (Manhwa)

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🏴 Predator + Prey

Tier Number: 11

Yandere! ML Tier: 🏴 Predator + Prey

Name: Escape While You Can!

Main Type: Shackling

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List of Recommendations:

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🏴🏴 Mind Broken

Tier Number: 12

Yandere! ML Tier: 🏴🏴 Mind Broken

Name: Brainwashing + Gaslighting + Stockholm Syndrome = Psychological Torture . [”I want to break you. Only then will you truly be mine. My broken doll.”]

Main Type: Shackling

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List of Recommendations:

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🏴🏴 Torture + Body Horror

Tier Number: 13

Yandere! ML Tier: 🏴🏴 Torture + Body Horror

Name: Can And Will Mutilate You . [“I want to cut open your insides, eat your flesh, sink my teeth straight to your heart, and become a part of you.”]

Main Type: Delusional

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List of Recommendations:

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🏴🏴🏴 RUN NOW

Tier Number: 14

Yandere! ML Tier: 🏴🏴🏴 RUN NOW

Name: Can And Will Kill You . [“Even in death, you’ll always be mine.”]

Main Type: Possessive

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Currently Reading:

⭐🏴 God’s Protagonist (ongoing Original Novel)

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To Check, Dark Romance (Post-Backlog)

God’s Eye by ANSA Reads

His Dark Mercy by Amethyst Moonn

Beautiful Evil by Eris Belmont

Malevolent King by Mila Kane

Bad Intentions by Mila Kane

The King by Eris Belmont

Lemonade by Nina Pennacchi

Stolen by Jay Marie

even if it hurts – sam marrino (dare)

bitter heat singed series – mia knight (roth)

decent – sam marrino (calvin)

Rules of Bennet by Ember Michaels

Fearscape by Nenia Campbell

Gaslight her by Quinn Blackford

GODLY OBSESSION by ANSA Reads

Obsession by Gemma Weir

Mansions by Whitney Bianca

Stolen series by Jay Marie

Deadly vows by Haley Stuart

I know what love is by Whitney Bianca

Surrender by Sam Mariano

Wicked Games by Zoe Blake

Devil’s Kiss series by Gemma James

love is strange by Whitney Bianca

Better Run by Alina May

24690 by A.A Dark

Nocticadia by Keri Lake

Torment by Dylan Page

Dead of summer by AJ Merlin

all your pain by hannah meadows

Comfort Food by Kitty Thomas

The Witness by AN Boyden

Brutal Conquest by Lilith Vincent

The edge of darkness by leigh rivers

The dare by Harley LaRoux

Losers Duet by Harley Laroux

The Key to Waking Up by Runa Nelson

Captured by Lauren Biel

Miranda Grant- Madness Behind the Mask

Sick Fux by Tillie Cole

Obsession by Harleigh Beck

Stolen by Jay Marie

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

Slaughter by Shantel Tessier

Pet: Genesis by Haley Inez

My Killer by Amrose

Clive Barker Damnation Game

Come Let Us Prey

Corrupt Idol by Dinah Harper

debt by Nina g jones

Heat by R lee smith

Dovetail by Whipperwill

contempt by Sam Mariano

Untouchable by Sam Mariano

Take Me With You by Nina G. Jones

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14 notes · View notes

contemplatingoutlander · 1 year ago

Text

Our true feelings about race and identity are revealed in six words

This is a poignant article about a project that Michele Norris started that tapped into people's thoughts about race in a profound way--using only six words. This is a gift🎁link, so anyone can read the full interactive article, even if they don't subscribe to The Washington Post. Below are some excerpts from the article:

I have always cringed when the accusations fly about someone allegedly “playing the race card.” It’s usually a proxy for “You’re making me uncomfortable, so please stop talking.” Or a diversionary tactic used to avoid having to speak about race with any kind of precision or specificity. A shorthand for “Just shut up.” And so, in 2010, I flipped the script, turning that accusatory phrase into a prompt to spark conversation. I printed 200 black postcards at my local FedEx Kinko’s on upper Wisconsin Avenue asking people to condense their thoughts on race or cultural identity into one sentence of six words. The front of the cards simply read:

Race. Your thoughts. 6 words. Please send.

I left the cards everywhere I traveled: in bookstores, in restaurants, at the information kiosks in airports, on the writing desks at all my hotels. Sometimes I snuck them inside airline in-flight magazines or left them at the sugar station at Starbucks. I hoped a few of those postcards would come back, thinking it would be worth the trouble if even a dozen people responded. Much to my surprise, strangers who stumbled on the cards would follow the instructions and use postage stamps to mail their six-word stories back to me in D.C. Since my parents were both postal workers, this gave me an extra thrill. Here I was, doing my part to support the Postal Service. Who says snail mail is dead? Half a dozen cards arrived within a week, then 12, then 20. Over time, that trickle became a tide. I have received more than 500,000 of these stories — and more arrive every day, though the vast majority of submissions now arrive through a website portal online. They have come from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Though limited to six words, the stories are often shocking in their candor and intimacy. They reveal fear, disappointment, regret and resentment. Some are kissed by grace or triumph. A surprising number arrive in the form of a question, which suggests that many people hunger not just for answers but for permission to speak their truths. It was amazing what people could pack into such a small package:

Reason I ended a sweet relationship

Too Black for Black men’s love

Urban living has made me racist

Took 21 years to be Latina

Was considered White until after 9/11

Gay, but at least I’m White

I’m only Asian when it’s convenient

To keep the conversation going, I created a complementary website for the Race Card Project, where people could submit their six-word stories online. Over time we added two words to the submission form: “Anything else?” That changed everything. People sent in poems, essays, memos and historical documents to explain why they chose their six words. The archive came alive. It became an international forum where people could share their own stories but also learn much about life, as if it were lived by someone else.

I highly recommend reading the entire article, using the above gift link. As an olive-skinned Italian American, with curly hair, I have often felt like I am a walking Rorschach test for race. Even though I'm classified as "white" in the U.S., I've had people ask me if I'm a Latina, a Native American, Black, Egyptian, Jewish, and even a South Pacific Islander. Given my history, here are my six words on race.

A book is not it's cover.

I welcome people adding to this post their own 6 words on race.

#race #six words #feelings about race and identity #martin luther king day #michele norris #the washington post #gift link

39 notes · View notes

pronouncingitwang · 14 days ago

Note

hey, i saw your post on how to make asian american ocs without adding stereotypical shit and it was very helpful. but im not sure if you can help me make ocs of other cultures like a hispanic oc without being racist?

also, how do i make a fanfiction of my chinese american oc celebrating lunar new year without being racist? do i include the dancing dragons and things, and the rice as well, but some people might say that rice is a stereotype...?

short answers first:

i haven't made any posts like that as far as i remember. did you send this ask to the wrong person?

no, i can't. asian americans and hispanics aren't interchangeable.

i would not classify "the rice" (by which you mean eating rice?) as a stereotype

long answer:

I may sound annoyed at points in the following paragraphs. If you need to prepare yourself emotionally for that, please do so before continuing.

I think a lot of people come into online spaces that discuss racism in writing before they develop within themselves a solid understanding of discrimination, how creative works can reflect and perpetuate prejudice, and what their own beliefs and responsibilities regarding that are. In reading posts, they just pick up "racism is what bad people do" and "I don't want to be a bad person because then strangers will yell at me on the internet." This is my advice for these kinds of people.

Get in the right mindset:

Wanting to learn is a good thing, but your intentions need to be in order so you can receive and use the information you receive most effectively. Think about the actual material harm people face in the world because of systemic and interpersonal racism. Be open to criticism. Don't shut down as soon as you think someone's calling you racist. Don't expect PoC to have the time and patience to answer your questions unless they explicitly say they do. Don't wallow in guilt. Don't beg PoC to absolve you.

Your ultimate goal should never be "how do I make an X OC without being racist"? Characters who are different from you aren't walking landmines ready to go off as soon as you attach a slightly stereotypical trait to them, nor are they a great moral burden to bear. You should instead ask, "how do I see X people as people?"

Consume articles, videos, posts, and books about the everyday lives of real people with identities your OCs have. Talk to people in real life. Connect with them like the fellow human beings they are rather than research subjects. Don't assume that their lifestyle or opinions are shared by every person of their ethnicity.

Regarding writing specifically, there are many easily-accessible articles, videos, posts, and books out there that can answer your questions. I may not agree with everything that's out there, but I'm just one person. Read a lot of different sources. You can find common ideas between different thinkers, exercise your own judgment when two disagree, and develop a better understanding on this topic in general.

You can also read existing books or watch existing shows/movies that feature characters of color. Make sure some of them have writers who share that character's identity, though that's not a prerequisite for greatness.

I would also advise you to do all of this reading before sending anyone else an ask. I'm generally open to answering questions, but this answer took me hours to think over and write, but your questions read as slapdash and naive. You're asking people to put in a lot of work for some queries that could instead be answered or illuminated through a combination of web searches and your own judgment. If you still have concerns after a lot of independent research, try a resource like the writingwithcolor tumblr (also a good - but not the definite - source for reading material).

Base reality:

Do research to ensure you're 1. being factually correct and 2. accurate to your setting.

For your Lunar New Year fanfiction (assuming it's set in the present day), instead of wondering if rice is stereotypical, look at some recipe blogs written by Chinese people and describe the ingredients and flavor profile during a meal scene. Think about where your character realistically would've first eaten this food or learned to make it. If your OC would think about certain aspects of the holiday in Chinese instead of English, check if you have the correct Chinese characters/pinyin for lion dancers, red envelopes, or anything else they'd partake in. What city does your OC live in? Look up what kinds of Lunar New Year events get put on there each year. Would they go there, do something more intimate at home, or not give a shit about LNY at all? Is there a parade/restaurant/variety show/etc. in another city they would go to instead?

Race-blind casting has been more popular of late, which isn't a bad thing. It gives actors of color more career opportunities and allows kids to see more people who "look like them" on screen. However, some characters of color who were cast race-blind come across as repainted white people, and that's often because the writers are ignoring base reality. For example, in the Doctor Who episode "Rogue," set in 1813 England, alien characters refer to wanting to "cosplay" the ongoing British colonization of the time. At the same time, there's an Asian woman at the ball and the Doctor, a Black man, dances with a white woman without facing ire. The established setting of racist 1813 England is in conflict with how characters of color are treated in the episode, and it makes for a jarring watch.

Of course, being accurate to your setting looks different based on factors like genre, time period, and location. If you're in a fantasy world or writing a children's book with a certain tone, race-blind casting might be appropriate, or discrimination could be drawn along different lines. If you're writing realistic fiction, a character's race/ethnicity likely affects their barriers to education, income, immigration status, neighborhood of residence, food, etc. Check out laws and attitudes of that time to understand the various kinds of treatment and lifestyles your OC could be experiencing.

Your character doesn't have to conform to expectations, but you - and they - should be aware of them. If your character doesn't face period-typical racism, think about why. Do they have a lot of money or the right friends? Are they in an exceptionally accepting area, and if so, why is that area that way? What are the precautions your character takes if they go somewhere else? If your Chinese-American character doesn't eat Chinese food, why? Did their parents prefer cooking something else? Do the grocery stores in their area cater to a different audience?

Add to, don't subtract from:

Chinese-Americans aren't a monolith. For pretty much every stereotype, trope, or piece of racist propaganda, there will be a person for whom that is true. There are Chinese people whose parents forced them to be doctors, a la Tiger Mom stereotype. There are Chinese men who have raped white women, a la Yellow Peril sexual fears. However, these people are still people. They have pasts that they lived and thoughts and motivations that they act on now. The issue with stereotypes is that they flatten and dehumanize. If you make a character 3D, you can worry about "being racist" a lot less.

There's not just one approach to writing an Asian character. Jason Mendoza (The Good Place) is set up as a direct subversion of Asian stereotypes while Joan Watson (Elementary) is a former surgeon who can speak some Mandarin, knows a bit about Chinese medicine, and goes to dim sum with her mom. Both of them are fleshed-out characters who have a lot more going on than Being An Asian Character.

Why did those "tiger parents" want their kid to be a doctor? If it's prestige so they can brag to their friends, why does that matter to them and what do they find respectable about doctors? If it's for their kid's financial security, what was their experience with poverty growing up and when raising their child? Outside of their parenting style, what are their hobbies? How is their marriage? What's the kid's relationship to medicine? to their parents? How do their parents' communication and discipline styles affect how they navigate relationships today? Who are their friends at school? What's their favorite childhood memory? What's their favorite career memory? Can they ride a bike? What's their go-to karaoke song? What does their dream house look like?

That being said, some stereotypes - such as my Yellow Peril example - carry much more weight than others because of how they've been used historically to suppress civil rights or stir up sentiment against a group. In those cases, it's important to avoid phrasing or framing that plays into these narratives. Your Asian rapist should not be fueled by ~dangerous, exotic sexual desires~ or seek to ~despoil white purity.~ Also, in these cases, get some second opinions from a sensitivity reader.

It's also nice to have multiple Asian-American characters in a story instead of just one, but don't treat it like a "if this Asian character is good at math, which is a stereotype, I'll balance them out with this Asian character who's bad at math" game. Asian-Americans are just likely to know other Asian-Americans, and having those peers can help you flesh out your main character and setting.

Panic less:

No matter what you do, you can still receive criticism. There's no amount of research that guarantees 100% factual accuracy, and there's no bulletproof list of rules that guarantees that every single person will be happy with your writing. What makes one person feel seen or empowered may deeply piss off another person. Learn to accept that.

#asks #rape mention #racism #okay to rb but no one send me more asks about this unless you're a poc who wants to add onto or critique something i've said #and an ask is more appropriate for the communication than a reply or rb #long post

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newspaper-advertisement · 2 years ago

Link

#classified ads #classified advertisement #mathrubhumi classified ad booking #book classified ad online #online classified ad booking #book ad in newspaper #newspaper ad booking

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releasemyad1 · 11 months ago

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Exploring the Impact and Effectiveness of Classified Advertisements in Newspapers

#book classified ad online #online classified ad booking #book classified ads #book classified ad #how to book classified ad #how to give classified ad in newspaper #newspaper classified ad #newspaper classified ad booking #newspaper classified ad booking online #online newspaper classified ad booking

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newspaper-advertisements · 9 months ago

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From Print to Partner: How Newspaper Matrimonial Ads Connect Hearts

#matrimonial advertisement #best newspaper for matrimonial ad #book matrimonial ads in newspaper #matrimonial ad #matrimonial ad in newspaper online #matrimonial advertisements #matrimonial classified ad #matrimonial classified ad booking #newspaper ad for matrimonial

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rhapsodybenny · 2 years ago

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Things I would do if I were rich:

* Subsidize a different artist's commissions every week, on the conditions that they 1) Prioritize people who've been supportive, but always lament not being able to throw money their way, and 2) Let me know the lowest price those people commonly throw out, so I can make sure it's within their reach.

* Pay more than fair taxes, and either don't request a refund, or put my refunds to charity - whichever seems better.

* Leave a $200 tip on every meal out with a note attached saying "pay it forward!"

* Leave $50 bills under boxes of ramen/really cheap food at grocery stores.

* Commission loads of stuff, from music to games to stories to art, and pour it *all* into the public domain.

* Buy the rights to various properties, also just to release them into the public domain.

* Buy WinRar.

* Put out huge bounties for different random ideas that occur to me - "Write this story/make this art/design this game, and I'll send you $500!"

* With permission, order printings of single copies of long stories online I like, and drop them into the "free bin" at used bookstores.

* Find books I like at independent bookstores, pay way too much for them at the counter, and either once again put them in the free bin, or tell the person working the register to offer them to someone else.

* Stuff tip jars.

* Give money to people I trust with different perspectives, and tell them to go crazy with it, as long as however they do makes the world a better place.

* Randomly order UberEats for friends (including online ones), and tip 40%.

* Give away Adobe Creative Cloud subscriptions.

* Get Patreon memberships at the highest tier from everyone I even mildly follow.

* Every year, buy tickets in the mosh pit for every concert in the tour of a different band. See if they notice the same face always being there every night. (Stolen from Tumblr; sadly can't find the post.)

* Instantly complete every single GoFundMe that I come across.

* Gift ALL the Twitch subs.

* Fund game preservation initiatives.

* Hire homeless people to do sidewalk chalk art wherever they like, of whatever they like, for $200/hour.

* Put the same cryptic message in the classifieds of every newspaper released in the country on a single day.

* Do the “Tip the worker every time the Karen starts yelling at them” thing.

* Pay to remove ads at every opportunity.

* Every day, give a random person a $20 bill.

* Preorder EVERYTHING (big help for small books and games!)

* Bail out local places that are failing.

* Offering to fund the building of small arcades (only a few games, Pizza Hut style) at random restaurants.

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open-hearth-rpg · 1 year ago

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Player-Facing: Great RPG Mechanics #RPGMechanics Week Five

I talked about letters and epistolary forms yesterday. They have a kind of immediacy to them– a direct communication from writer to reader, even if you aren’t the intended recipient. That feeling has made them a rich and useful tool in Good Society and in many solo rpgs.

The long time companion to the letter in ttrpgs has been the handout. These have been there since the earliest days– the first ones I recall came from early Call of Cthulhu modules and D&D tournament modules like The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan. They offered in-universe objects for players to peruse– often hand drawn. These things came before Desktop Publishing and so everything had to be laid out and replicated.

I especially love objects which weren’t just summaries or images, but instead tried to look like real things from the world. Business cards, classified ads, maps, etc. It’s something of a lost art in a world of quicker online play where we can mock up battle maps and find pictures in an instant. I don’t think I’ll ever do anything quite as ambitious as my notebook for Changeling the Lost and that’s too bad in some ways.

But some games have taken the concept of player-facing materials and really delved into them. I have two old favorites in this category. The first is the classic City of Lies boxed set for the first edition of Legend of the Five Rings. This is a city campaign made up of several booklets. The basic premise is that the PCs are a new party of magistrates arriving in the city following the murder of the previous magistrate. The players are given a document which is assembled from various records and scandalous publications. It is an unreliable narrator with some things out of date and others hidden by alternate names. It’s a great companion to the campaign, even if it is a little overwhelming.

The gem of this is a smaller player-facing booklet, the testimony of the murdered magistrate. It offers more insights and clues. Importantly it is brief enough all the players can reasonably be expected to skim through it and find some direction. As a whole, City of Lies is hard to beat– and would be an amazing thing for someone to update to the latest version of the rules and setting.

The other book which sticks with me has a technique I haven’t yet seen adopted by anyone else. Robin Laws’ Players Guide to Kaiin presents a single city for The Dying Earth rpg. But it is not a GM guide. It is a player's guide filled with neighborhoods, characters, details, secrets, and rumors. It is funny, revolting, and compelling in a splendid mix– filled with folks who might help you but might just as easily strip your boots off when you pass out.

The conceit Player’s Guide to Kaiin is that the players look through and find something which catches their eye, fits with their plots, or looks worth exploring. They then tell the GM that’s what they wish to interact with and go to town, literally and figuratively. Like serious, it is great. I wish more city books existed which took this approach. Frankly it shocks me that we don’t have a guide like this for Eversink from Swords of the Serpentine.

I’m pretty sure you can draw a line from Kaiin to another Robin Laws’ masterpiece, The Armitage Files. That offers an improvisational campaign structure built around a series of ten documents. All of these seem to come from a messed up future, written by the PCs patron apparently. They tell of terrible things to come. They offer hooks, names, and incidents which the players can choose how they wish to explore them.

There are several brilliant aspects to this approach. They feel like old-school handouts with different formats, handwriting, and voice. There’s a sense of a chronology to the dissolution of the author. That’s wonderfully complicated by the fact that these letters can be presented in any order– with that basic choice shaping the play.

Importantly the letters are tight– one or two pages iirc– which means that every player can look at a copy and work through it. I love the latter player-facing full document innovation of Dracula Dossier, but that’s an overwhelming text for all the players to work through. It requires full buy-in from the group– otherwise you get the same quarterbacking problem that plagues co-op board games. Armitage also provides a plain-text version of each document which really helps at the table.

I think there’s lots of room for interesting, rich, player-facing stuff today. It doesn’t have to be massive– in fact I think these things being smaller and/or easily broken into chunks for players to work through. The trick is to make these things actionable: presented in such a way that players can immediately find cool things they want to do on any page, rather than having to read through the whole of a book.

#ttrpg #rpg #rpg mechanics

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