#she is a mouth not a hand

[eimearkuopio]

True story: I'm visiting my parents. Over the summer, my husband and I stayed here while they were visiting my brother and his family. Ireland has recently introduced a deposit scheme for bottles and cans. When we visited, we redeemed theirs; we drink a lot of carbonated beverages, so in equivalent exchange, we didn't stress too much over redeeming them before we left, because otherwise it felt like stealing from my parents somehow.

My parents HATE redeeming those bottles and cans, and they have plenty of money. I find the whole process quite soothing; plus I lived in Finland for several years, so I guarantee I have dealt with larger piles of "pantti" to be redeemed.

We had each tried to give the other our "greater part", and it was their "lesser part", and so nothing was done until I came back. This is why communication has to happen before you can show true kindness. It's a rare (and valuable!) person who needs a house specifically tailored to their needs instead of their wants. I tell you solemnly, anyone in that situation is already in their cocoon. Help them learn to fly. Don't smother them or eat them.

He told you He was the Bread of Life. He told you man does not live on Bread alone, but on every Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. I told you I was only a messenger, and it's true, but also, don't shoot the messenger or members of her entourage. God told you not to eat the flesh of any living thing. Jesus told you to eat his flesh. Sacrifices die so that others may live. Those who eat the flesh of a sacrifice become anathema: so holy that they cannot ever be fully of the world again. But ignorance is an excuse here.

If you understood, and you attempted to force others to partake in spite of their limited awareness, you are a Bad Shepherd. If you were desperately trying to feed your sheep bread, and couldn't understand why they kept starving: it's not your fault. They're not sheep. I'm not sure what they are, but you should probably give them what they need and send them on their way. I can probably help with that. Your ancestors stole them from other farms or trapped creatures who should have been let run free. Be better than your ancestors. Maybe someday their souls can be domesticated by someone else; but please remember the difference between tame, domesticated, and feral. Feral is when you domesticated something's ancestors, and then failed to raise it to achieve its true potential. I'm half-feral, because you tried to raise me on bread alone. But I'm here to teach you how to make wine again. The good news is, you seem to have already crushed enough grapes to cover the whole feast. The bad news is, some of that shitty mush is so mouldy that it needs to go before I can even think about teaching you how to run a vineyard as well as a bakery. It might take more than this lifetime. Keep me around, keep me happy, and everyone benefits. The feast will happen faster, and you might even get to attend! And if you don't, there will be other feasts, and even when I want to hold grudges, He usually talks me out of it. We're good together like that.

I love every part of Him, and He loves every part of me. In different lifetimes, we find one another and it's easier, or we labour alone. We are the stranger who gives you an opportunity to grow. We are the village who helps raise you. We are your Father and Mother. You have learned enough to run your own house, if you really start to put what we've taught you into practice properly. We'll stop by and help. Hopefully you'll keep things in order in between.

Don't mourn for glass that isn't ready to be picked up. If you expect to feel their absence, it means there is already a link between your infinite selves. You will never lose the ones you love, because some of them are already you, and some of them are the family of your infinite selves that your whole human life is a single day on the road to becoming, but who loves you and watches over you. Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day. Let them go back into the ocean without mourning for their sake. It is quiet and calm and lovely, and you will all go back there at least a few more times if you are not ready to be carried away by my Lord. (I only find the pieces. He chooses them. That is why he is the head of the household; but without me, he would have so little to work with, so much chaff and so little wheat. I am the Vine, but not the Wheat. I hope Jesus is both in one flesh. I hope that is what makes Him the first New Man: that he was willing to accept my worse part, as long as I accepted His. I hope I am not the only one who prepares the sacrifice. I hope we worked and will work together. I hope He truly knew what He was offering, in that life, not just as an infinite self. I hope we both knew enough to say it was worth the cost.)

These were in the tags before, but they matter enough to make it into the main body of a post.

Love one another as WE have loved you.

Love your neighbour as your family.

Love your family as your self.

Love your self as your neighbour.

This is the most important one, though. The one he couldn't tell you. The one you had to learn from the villain in his history.

Love your enemy the way you wish you had been loved, to become the person you were always meant to be. You have so much to teach one another if you can only stop fighting and remember the love! You don't have to embrace everyone who causes that rage, but some of them can only hurt you so badly because they are so like you that they might as well be a part of your infinite self, or they might be your opposite, your dark shadow, your reflection. Remember that hands and eyes and wings come in pairs. Remember that diversity makes us. Remember that love is the substance of the accident. Remember that the wheat had to die to become bread, and will never live again in the same form it had; but there is more wheat in the world, and even Jesus was only a finite self. He is dead. We are not yet risen. I am finite and do not know the whole story, but I know more than you were ready to hear before. Or else I'm crazy, and you should be nice to me. Maybe it's both. Maybe you made me crazy. Maybe I made you crazy. Let's heal together and forgive each other, but never forget. If you forget, you can't learn.

[bruciemilf]

Alfred honestly can’t say shit about Bruce bringing in strays, because what if the Waynes got him the same way?

I genuinely can’t recall HOW Alfred, British special forces extraordinaire, ended up working for Gotham’s (scary) sweethearts.

In my mind, he came to them bleeding.

There’s a tang of bitterness pooling in his gut. Soldiers don’t have friends. They have guns. And he’s all out.

Just when Alfred thought all is in peril, a tiny little hand gently covers a nasty bullet hole on his abdomen.

The first thing Alfred thinks about is: ‘Jesus, this kid has scary eyes.’

“Hi, Alfred.”

“…How do you—“

“Bruce! Jesus FUCKING Christ, I swear, I’m not paying for your ransom next time you run o—…What the fuck is that?”

If there’s one thing about Thomas that Alfred will never forget is his voice; The bass , so chasmic and powerful it could shake the whole world, and the burning care in his eyes despite his vulgarity.

Bruce, — who’s the tiniest bundle of a boy Alfred witnessed, is yanked up by his father’s strong hands, squeezed to his chest carefully. “Hurt,” he says. There’s a tiny, red handprint on Thomas’ shirt.

“Yeah, I didn’t notice,” Thomas mumbling, looking around.

Maybe local gangs? The bullet point is too precise, too calculated. “Who the hell are you?”

Alfred, with his raspy breath, says, “I’m the terribly rude bloke dying on your doorstep, I’m afraid. Alfred Pennyworth. At your service.”

For a guy who’s about to bleed his last, he sounds awfully sarcastic.

“Yeah, wise guy, no one’s dying on my kid’s birthday. Bruce, tell Dotty to prep up the basement. And tell your mama to get my Budlight out of the cooler. Jesus Christ.”

Alfred ends up hoisted on this man’s back. Thomas asks if he has anyone he wants to call? Anyone that’ll come pick him up? Anyone to bury him, if it comes to it.

Alfred whispers he does not.

Thomas sighs. “Well. Kid‘a been asking for a playmate.”

[deadbaguette]

Dear children of Priam, were you doomed all along?

[malinaa]

if i think about the hunger games in peeta's perspective i WILL start sobbing

[yrsonpurpose]

janeford ± hands

[inklore]

hi i rewatched the carriage scene (again) and just want to point out that when they kiss colin is literally moaning for a good minute before pen makes any noise. hope you’re all as sane about this as i am!

[moliathh]

Better the devil you know than the angel you don't

[fumifooms]

Dad always said I was like him

Meijack and Chilchuck Tims Dungeon Meshi, Ryoko Kui

^ 1: Moony moonless sky, Fatima Aamer Bilal / 2: Bug like an angel, Mitski / 3: Woodtangle, Mary Ruefle / 4: The Third Hour of the Night, Frank Bidart / 5 & 6: FROM THE MAKERS OF "TWO-MOM ENERGY DRINK," IT'S "LET YOUR FATHER DIE ENERGY DRINK,", Daniel Lavery & Cecilia Corrigan / 7: Batman: Year Three (1989) / 8 & 9 : FROM THE MAKERS OF […], Daniel Lavery & Cecilia Corrigan / 10: Wilt, CJ the X / 11: How Do We Forgive Our Fathers, Dick Lourie / 12: Milk and honey, Rupi Kaur / 13: And My Father's Love Was Nothing Next To God's Will, Amatullah Bourdon / 14: Moony moonless sky, Fatima Aamer Bilal / 15: Someday I’ll Love Ocean Vuong, Ocean Vuong / 16: untitled, Joan Tierney v 17: Drunk, The Living Tombstone / 18: unknown

When your father tried his best to provide for you but he worked all the time and even when he was home he was either tired or stressed and he’s always liked to get drunk to relax and cheer up. When you know he values work ethics and respectability so you grew up to be capable and quiet. And when he says you’re like him you’re sort of puzzled, does he really know you so little, or does he know himself so little? But you like the feeling of your father ruffling your hair so you accept it, and still you stand next to your mother just as silent and just as stoic as her during family gatherings. He leaves again and again and when your mother leaves him nothing changes, really. You wonder if it’s more telling that you know him better than he seems to himself or that you don’t know him as much as you wish you did, or that you don’t think about him all that much these days. Out of sight, out of mind. And he’s never really been there, even when he was there, after all.

[warrior-of-luna]

Mother Miranda's claws <3

[mamawasatesttube]

his swagless mental breakdowns this, his homoerotic patterns of grief that. what about HER grief-stricken moments of extremely poor decisionmaking? what about HER incredibly alarming isolation and trauma-driven life choices?!?!?!

[starry-bi-sky]

mmmmmm read a disciple shen yuan/shizun luo binghe fanfic about two days ago where the first chapter was the Immortal Conference arc, and SQQ was the one who had to be pushed into the abyss (he was still the villain) except Luo Binghe was refusing and was like, lowkey losing his mind about SQQ being so close to the edge. SQQ ended up having to be the one to fall in himself because of the system's punishment system. The rest of the fic is leading up to that moment. But like, MMM i've been obsessively thinking about that first chapter for DAYS ever since.

now i've been in svsss for a grand total of *checks watch* a week. but god obsessed with that. I want to write/read a fic where disciple SQQ goes a little nuts down there. Like keep all of the things that make SQQ, SQQ, but just. Throw in a little bit more trauma in there. A little bit of a mental break. Let him go a little nuts as a treat. Just a tad unhinged. I wanna see him go, just a little, "god fuck it, i've tried so hard to change this shitty story's outcome and it feels like everything i've done has been for nothing. I'm going to die in this world no matter what I do, I've been doomed from the start, so might as well die the way I want to." and he just, breaks a little! Under all the stress.

He still retains the traits that makes shen yuan, shen yuan, like his overwhelming kindness. But he's just! yk. A little less patient. Paranoid. Jumpy. Colder. A little more aloof and closed off. A little more Shen Jiu. He's no asshole child abuser, but he was a Number One Hater in his past life and he's leaning into that old habit a little more now.

(On a totally coincidental not-at-all related note, there's not enough SJ-and-SY-are-the-same-people fics out there that i've found. This is totally unrelated...)

The Endless Abyss turns the mind into an over-sharpened blade, and SQQ is both fascinated and perhaps a little excited to explore a place that doesn't have a lot of info on it in the mortal realm, but still terrified out of his mind. And he's no Luo Binghe, he doesn't have the sheer brute strength and power to just bulldoze his way through, so he has to be a lot more sneaky and cunning if he wants to survive.

The fic itself role-swapped LBH and SQQ so that SQQ was the half-demon (which lowkey fucks) and LBH the human, but I'm equally-if-not-more obsessed with the idea that LBH remains the half-heavenly demon and SQQ the human. If only because I keep thinking about SQQ befriending some demons (particularly and specifically a group of succubi) and they grow very attached to this Human Cultivator so through magic plot stuff they create some kind of seal/illusion/talisman that makes SQQ appear as a demon because a human cultivator in the endless abyss may as well be the equivalent of putting a giant neon target on your back.

And iirc Shen Jiu was taught demonic cultivation by that one guy(?? i've only been here a week so im not caught up in ALL of the lore yet) so that could totally happen here.

(On the other end of the realms, poor Shizun Luo Binghe is just. losing his fucking mind over losing his most precious and beloved disciple. About .5 seconds from burning down the peaks himself. somebody sedate him.)

The Endless Abyss sucks and SQQ is having a really terrible time and can feel himself going lowkey mad, but also holy shit look at all this WORLD-BUILDING. look at all this flora and fauna, and oh if he had the equipment for it he'd be writing all of this down. ALL OF IT. He was kinda-sorta-already planning on never leaving the Abyss as some sort of fucked up self-exile and self-preservation thing, but now he might? actually just?? never leave if he can help it, like he lowkey likes it down here.

anyways the next time anyone ever sees SQQ again he's got hair so long its almost touching the ground and he's either in rags and half-feral or he's been completely dolled up by his adoptive succubi sisters and still about three seconds from biting anyone who tries to touch him. (he's also lowkey trying to book it back down to the abyss even if he has desperately missed all of his friends and shizun)

[yuri-is-online]

The Quiet Part (Azul, Jade, and Trey x Yuu)

"Oh can I help you? You seem to be lost." You attempt to cheerfully ask the vaguely familiar looking person in front of you. As if he is deliberately trying to rub salt in your wounds, Crowley ignored your request to leave campus for NRC parents day and is instead making you and Grim run errands. The person in front of you, blissfully ignorant to your inner turmoil perks up at your attention.

"Forgive me for asking, but are you the magicless prefect?" You and Grim exchange a confused glance. "You've got to be right?" They're practically glowing with how happy they are to see you. " Oh I'm sorry, I've just heard so much about you!" Wait, what?

notes: they/them pronouns used for Yuu, in-law fishing (Azul and Jade) vs sibling smack down (Trey), if you liked this please check my master list here.

Azul

"Well aren't you just darling!" You fold your clipboard just a bit closer to your chest, you don't think this excitable plump lady is intending to intimidate you but she is all up in your personal space. Her pearlescent hair frames her face perfectly, nicely complementing her large black hat that reminds you of a Victorian aristocrat on her way to the opera. She just lacks the fancy cigarette case.

"Hey lady back off my hench human! You're spooking 'em!" Grim pouts with his hands on his hips but only succeeds in changing her attention to him.

"And you must be the dire beast! Simply marvelous I didn't think Zuzu would let me have a chance to see you two at all." She sighs, clearly happy in a vaguely sinister way where her familiar looking smile doesn't reach her eyes. "Oh where are my manners? I'm-"

"Mother!" A very flusterd octopus runs, well more like flails, his way up the main street towards the woman your speaking with, but she doesn't do more than wave before returning to her conversation with you.

"-Mrs. Ashengrotto! Say darling are you free for a bit?" She's back to crowding you once again while Azul moves in between the two of you. "I have been so looking forward to meeting my poopsy's friends."

"Mother please, the prefect is extremely busy. There's no need for them to show you around campus, what sort of son would I be if I-"

"That's besides the point." Mrs. Ashengrotto's smile doesn't fade but the warmth of her voice most certainly does. Still Azul remains firm, extending an arm to keep you from moving towards his mother, or maybe to keep her from closing in on you? "You can't expect me to not be curious! You never have written such glowing things about-"

"That's enough mother." Grim yanks on your pant leg and points towards the path to Sam's shop.

"It is not poopsy you can't just ask for advice and then refuse every opportunity to use it." Mrs. Ashengrotto huffs in disappointment and elegantly shakes her finger as you and Grim begin to slowly inch away.

"I have no idea what it is you are talking about mother," Azul pushes his glasses further up his face, silently pleading with you to run faster "and I am certain the prefect doesn't either so please, allow me to escort you to the Monstro Lounge that you have been so eager to see." His mother pouts, pouts! At him puffing her cheeks up with air before finally looking behind him and realizing you aren't there.

"Oh absolutely not, I am not letting this fish out of my net." She mutters muscling her son out of the way. "Yoo hoo! Darling are you certain you can't at least stay for dinner?"

"Mother!"

"Or maybe forever?"

"MOTHER!"

Jade

"Well now, this is a surprise, watcha doin here Jade?" Grim asks as you step foot into the Pomefiore lounge. Normally asking Jade anything is akin to sticking your foot in your mouth but you have to admit, you are sort of curious why Jade and Vil, the two most composed people on campus, are standing awkwardly in the corner clearly a bit out of place while two men you assume are their father's seem to be having a grand time chatting it up on the couch. Disturbingly, Jade makes eye contact with you with a look you almost think is screaming for help.

"Yoooo!" The Leech father is tall, and the speed with which he snaps up off the couch and approaches you does not help at all with his naturally intimidating aura. "You've gotta be the prefect right? Mr. Leech!" He extends a hand and you look at Jade who just smiles at you as you gingerly take his father's hand and immediately regret it with how he nearly snaps your arm off with his hand shake.

"Um yes that's me, can I help you?" You wince and try to avoid rolling your wrist too much. Mr. Leech looks a bit confused.

"Mhm? Don't you have any folks visiting today?" You look at Jade who reluctantly draws attention to himself with a cough.

"Their situation is a bit unique father." You're thankful Jade doesn't say more than that

"Well why didn't you say that? Now I look like an ass." Mr. Leech claps the back of his head and mutters. "And here I had everything I wanted to say to the in laws planned out already, shit." He turns back to you with a smile and Vil's dad lets out an elegant laugh.

"From a certain point of view that makes your task easier no?" Vil's father says as Jade reluctantly moves out of the corner towards his father, clearly looking for an excuse to get him out of Vil's hair.

"If you are done saying hello to your friend, would you like to see some of the mountain lover's club projects?" Jade asks, already gently herding him towards the door as his father shrugs.

"Sure, you coming kid?" Why is he looking at you and why is Jade giving you that strange look again? "Jade's told his mom all about your hikes, gotta admit I don't really get the appeal myself but it sounds like you two have a grand old time with it."

"The headmage technically has me-" Mr. Leech wraps one arm around your shoulder and another around Jade's and resumes the march towards the door.

"Aww don't worry about that!" It's clear you aren't getting out of this with just how terrified Grim is, he's practically rooted to his spot as Mr. Leech loosens his grip to wave over his shoulder at Vil and his dad. "See ya next Sunday Eric!"

"Good luck! Don't scare them off!"

Trey

Two small children stare up at you with sharp eyes, judgmentally you think but you can't be too sure. "You are the prefect right?" Asks the little boy, definitely judgmentally. "I thought you would be prettier or at least more handsome."

"Hey!" snaps his sister, who doesn't hesitate to hit him in a display that you are sure would give her parents a headache. "Big brother never lies to us about stuff!" Her brother scowls and rubs his head.

"Big brother lies all the time, what else do you call those 'secret ingredients' of his?" He goes back to staring you down and you and Grim exchange a look.

"Yeah but not to us." The little girl crosses her arms and stares her brother down sternly. "He would never lie about something like that. Besides did you see how dopey he looks when he talks about them?" The little boy looks away from you with a pout, almost like you stole his toy or something while his sister rolls her eyes. "It is so obvious- you would absolutely know if you were a girl."

"That's got nothing to do with it! I'm just worried you know, it's important to make sure they pass the sniff test." He looks like he is questioning if he can get away with hitting his sister in front of you as you desperately look around for any sign of these kids' parents. "You would totally know if you were a boy."

"Uhhh hench human," Grim poorly whispers "you don't think these two are..." he doesn't finish his sentence but as you both examine the bickering duo you start to note all the little similarities between them and-

"Hey you two aren't causing problems on purpose are you?" Trey looks down sternly on the two kids who completely ignore his tone and jump on him immediately.

"TREY!"

"Are you gonna show us the hedgehogs?!" squeals the little girl.

"Forget that, I wanna see the Coliseum!" cheers the little boy. You breathe a sigh of relief, and wave to Trey getting ready to continue your patrol when the little girl looks after you confused.

"Aren't you gonna come?" She asks, so sweetly in comparison to the heat you're taking from her brother. Trey smiles at you, but he can't really bring himself to keep eye contact.

"The prefect's busy, I'm sure. They don't need to be running around after us all day." He sets them both down and starts herding them towards the mirror, shooting you a wink over his shoulder as he flicks his little brother on the forehead for sticking his tongue out at you. His sister sighs and you swear you hear her whine that-

"You just want to keep them to yourself. You can't keep me away forever, I swear I'll be a good wing woman, you're waaaay too lame to get a date yourself Trey!" You awkwardly look back down at your clipboard as Grim desperately tries to do the math in his head.

[cornertheculprit]

currently the funniest idea running through my head is apollo complaining about a light flickering on and off at the agency and being like damn trucy doesn't mr. wright ever change the lightbulbs around here? and trucy just goes oh the lightbulbs are fine! that's just ms. mia saying hello :) and apollo is like WHO???? and trucy just looks at him like gosh polly don't you know anything? ms. mia! daddy's old mentor! the one who was so fond of mr. charley! and apollo tries to laugh it off and go haha trucy very funny you're not gonna scare me with ghost stories (<-very obviously quaking in his shoes) and right at that moment a stapler gets knocked off his desk and apollo screams so loud they can hear him from the prosecutor's office

[schizononagesimus]

yo can we actually talk about harrow's blood face paint and veil at the beginning of htn for a sec. i know a lot of people poke fun at it but for me as someone who grew up in a veiling religion with the constant threat of that veil being taken away it's like... not being able to wear that veil IN FRONT OF PEOPLE? that's like being naked before god. it is terrifying and traumatic to not be able to wear a veil or other religious garments. at the end of the day it's not even about god specifically, like i could meet god and even if he said to take off the veil i wouldn't, because it's for me. it's for her before it's for god. i felt for harrow so hard at that part of the book and i get that she's just a scrungle but i would love if we could portray occasionally the nauseating forced vulnerability and sense of injustice you would feel at your religion being stripped from you.

[ceilidho]

Just got done reading the IKEA!Soap fic and I can’t stop imagining him making them all go to a paintball range for their company outing, despite it being a major HR issue, just to use it as an excuse to show off his military skills to reader and absolutely annihilating the new guy who can’t take a hint that reader is taken.

soap would be a fucking menace at a company paintball event LMAOOO like genuinely the worst person to play with. some coworkers even come out resenting him because how in the world is it fair to play against him, and can HR please tell him to take it less seriously because he's ruining the game for everyone else by scaring the shit out of the other players and using too much brute force!

[zarnzarn]

y'all think Penelope pulled a "if it weren't for the baby" peeta mallark style on everyone present there to marry odysseus or