#she was giving autism eyes so much for the first chapter

[illybean]

That moment when a manga with two chapters has you hooked… gotta get some sketches out.

[jamethinks]

Preliminary thoughts on 106

I've only read it once so i may have missed a few details so bare with me sexy

Donovan is such a well designed character. A menacing presence every time he's on a panel. I had to hold my phone at a healthy distance to get through this chapter. Beyond his signature bulging eyes, he has such a zombie like appearance to him that just leaves a horrible taste in your mouth

Damian's dynamic with his family is interesting. He's oddly optimistic, determined to have a bond with them despite their distance and coldness. He doesn't seem that interested in Melinda and I will give Endo the benefit of the doubt and say it's because they're already close (ignoring that she wanted him to die)

Demetrius is wonderful as always. Nonchalant king. He had not a concern about anything but his food and his work. Autism wants his number

Melinda was the stand out character. She was oddly quiet and timid in this chapter. Damian had no direct interaction her and she had few lines. Still there was something so unusual about her demeanor. She is normally very cheerful and bright, the only time we saw her this dull(?) was when Damian brought up his dad at the end the bus hijacking arc. At first I thought she was mad but looking at screencaps she seemed sad and uneasy but still a bit irritated.

Love how this chapter expanded on fucking nothing btw. A filler indeed. But a good kind, shows that when he's ready but the man cook.

Anya's absence in the chapter resulted in little to no thought bubbles. This further added to the tense environment. A lot of the tension in the story is subdued by Anya's (and to an extent Twilight's) perception. You're never fully lost or confused. This chapter however, you feel their absence as you're forced to watch these characters silently interact and only rely on what the author is willing to share.

Anya and Donovan have never interacted and his brief interaction with Twilight showed he has an intense amount of self control, hiding his intentions and responses cleverly. I will omit my tangent on the parallels between the two patriarchs for now but it's obvious they're good liars and manipulators. The same way Anya is Twilight's kryptonite (a person who cannot be lied to or manipulated) it's obvious she has the same dynamic with Donovan hence why the two of them have been kept apart for so long

Donovan's final comment about the dinner being worthwhile (man can someone compare the orig japanese version please) is the most captivating line. Two possible interpretations are: a, he genuinely didn't pick up on the terrible vibes in the room (touch of the tism, consequences of the lobotomy, who knows) or b. He did that shit on purpose

I like the second one more. The idea of him coming home and having dinner with his family fully aware of how awful they will feel the entire time is just peak villain shit. Choosing a random week in December to just make everyone miserable is the kind of evil I need.

I think of it as his way of reaffirming his dominance in the family. A cruel reminder of everyone's position in the family. As he sits at the head of the table gazing off coldly at his family while they all desperately avoid his gaze. The scene where he scans the room but his eyes barely move, oh what a wicked man.

Damian seems to still be learning his place in the family. He is again still trying to have a normal family life but he will soon fall in line I suppose much like his brother and learn how to stay quiet and work.

Donovan is clearly aware of his son's adoration of him and is using that to help "train" him. The moment where Damian was talking and he just sighs (vol 6) or his parting comment to slow down (indicating that he had been fully aware of his son the entire time, including his attempts to start a conversation).

tldr i love Donovan Desmond. They'll make me hate you, you ugly decrypted zombie man. 100000+ aura indeed. terrible terrible man

[gaypastabake]

Edge Rebella (W.Wolf AU)

[WARNING: gore, implied non-sexual nudity, discussions of PTSD and child abuse, past the first image]

[This is important because Tumblr wouldnt display this post in tags because I initially put TW's in the tags of this post]

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

-Edge Rebella, 26

-Last name taken from the sick ass name the German translation for sparks of hope gave her

-A werewolf

-Was born in Milan but taken into captivity by Cursa for most of her life, like many werewolf children before her. Was freed when Cursa was taken to prison. Left for Beacon Beach when she was old enough

-Goes to therapy for the physical and psychological abuse she suffered at the hands of Cursa. Her therapist is also currently the only person who knows that she is a werewolf, and also helps her with her feelings of being a danger to others because of her curse

-Transforming into a werewolf is extremely stressful, painful and disorientating. Your eyes struggle to focus on any one thing, the stress of the process aswell as a sudden rush of violent animal instincts often manifests itself into violent thrashing from those affected from lycanthrope. Werewolves are easily startled by foreign objects and bright lights coming into view, loud noises and moving figures, and not knowing where they are, causing them to become violent in terror. Often times the werewolf wont remember much of the night prior. Edge struggles with those sensory issues in human form aswell- she doesn't cope well with flashing lights and shrill, sudden loud noises- and is absolutely terrified of large, dark empty spaces from when Cursa would lock her away as punishment.

-Her muscular physique, sharp teeth and hair covering most of her body are from her being a werewolf. Also because she works out and prefers not to shave

-Suffers from extreme muscle pain and emotional fatigue after returning to human form, please give her a heat-pad and a massage and look after her, she needs the comfort :(

-The choker she wears is both fashionable and for comfort, she enjoys the feeling of compression around her neck because it makes her feel like shes in a more controlled environment

-She enjoys chewing things as a sensory stim, and would often take those free offcuts they have at hardware stores just to chew on them, as it alleviates the pain she gets in her jaws which comes with being a werewolf, that and mmmm cronchy

-Edge probably also has autism, even though she swears that her sensory issues and stims come from her being a werewolf

-Not used to being so close to other people because of her own insecurities with her being a werewolf and not being socialised as a child

-Works a day-job as a guard/bouncer inside of a bar because of her intimidating presence and overall tough physique. The reason she doesnt work the night shift is because its difficult to explain to your boss why you cant turn up every night theres a full moon

-Lives in a campervan because its easier to drive herself to a secluded area to transform then potentially wreak havoc upon an apartment complex

-Likes Beacon Beach because of the long-held superstition around werewolves in the woods, she figures that people would be wary around going into the woods during the full moon so to minimise the risk of hurting someone

-A bit nervous around receiving fuss and attention, but when warmed up to someone she adores receiving affection, and would definitely love to cuddle with you

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Currently midway through chapter 2 of the fic, planning on dropping them soon once im done info dumping. also im currently sick rn

[lej222]

Hi!! I'm a big fan of your blog and I want to ask if you can share more scenes of Jisu displaying autistic behaviour? After reading your analysis about him I felt like I finally understood his character!😃

Hello! Thank you so much for your question, and of course I can! First, I want to mention that if Jisu is truly on the spectrum, Soonkki has done a spectacular job with his character. I don't know if she has someone close to her with ASD or she has done an excellent research, either way Jisu feels like a realistic person and it's something really hard to achieve, not just narratively but visually as well.

Episode 124 is the best example of Jisu being neurodivergent. Let's take a closer look:

Poor Jisu was not simply angry, he was livid. Not only he suffered an almost concussion because of Cheol, he was also humiliated in front of the whole school after being bullied his whole life. So Jisu's anger was justified, but it was still a big contrast to his usual calm behaviour. He was so furious he didn't even realize bumping into that post. To understand his actions, I have to talk about children with autism spectrum disorder.

If you've ever met a child with ASD, you probably know that they are different from their peers. It's NOT a bad thing, but it can easily make them feel like outsiders and a target of bullying. Autistic children have a hard time understanding and managing their emotions. In most cases, the child appears to be happy, sad, indifferent or angry. It doesn't mean they are not capable of experiencing other emotions or feeling empathy. For educators and parents it's important to teach them how to express more complicated and complex emotions and how to deal with negative feelings in other ways than getting angry.

Here, what we can see is Jisu not being able to regulate his emotions, almost like an outburst. Outbursts can happen when an individidual on the spectrum is overwhelmed with intense, often negative emotions. In this case, frustration and anger. Jisu loses his temper to the point he's not even aware of his surroundings. Even to the characters of the story, his actions are unusual.

This is my absolute favourite scene of Jisu displaying neurodivergent behaviour. Miae is asking him a question about his feelings, more specifically what he thinks of her. As I said before, most autistic people have a really hard time understanding and expressing their emotions. It's the same with recognizing and understanding the emotions of others - known as cognitive empathy. However, affective empathy for individuals with ASD is similar to neurotypical people, or might be even stronger - the ability to feel the emotions of others. So they might see that someone is sad not understanding why, but still feel the other person's pain.

Here, however, Jisu needs cognitive empathy - he needs to understand why Miae is asking him this question and decide how he feels. And my boy is simply malfunctioning and freezes on the spot, he even double checks the question with a confused expression.

Like in many other scenes, Jisu avoids eye contact when he has to react emotionally. He starts fidgeting, not knowing what to do with his hands and doesn't give a coherent response. Putting a neurodivergent person on the spot like this can make them feel very uncomfortable because they might need a moment to manage their thoughts and feelings.

It's not enough time for Jisu to form an answer or to really sort out his emotions, so he runs away saying he needs time to think about it. He even rubs his head, visibly contemplating about it. And we know some chapters later he indeed gives an answer - that it looks good. Jisu was not joking that he needed a moment, he thought about it and decided to share his opinion, which is btw super difficult for someone like him, that's why he again freezes up after his answer😃

I hope that in the future Miae will realize that Jisu means no harm and tries to understand him🙂 episode 148 shows us she's on the right track. Also, every individual with ASD is different so obviously I cannot generalize Jisu's actions, but at this point I think we have enough clues to suspect he's neurodivergent just like how Miae likely has ADHD.

Edit: if we look at the childhood interactions of Miae and Jisu, the difference between how they interact with others is very different. Miae was hyperactive, always running around and wanting to play while Jisu preferred being alone and didn't enjoy the games Miae and his peers played. You can see how he always walked the same way, with his hands on the straps of his backpack which could be a nice detail for repetitive behavior.

For anyone interested, I will put some good infographics here that sum up some of the differences between Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD.

[garfeildfanpage]

Aoi & Akane - how not to be a healthy relationship

I’m going to go ahead and get my preemptive bias out of the way: I do not like Aoiaoi, in any shape or form, but this isn’t about that. If you like AoiAoi, this isn’t an attack on your personal feelings on their dynamic, all relationships in tbhk are flawed in some way or another, that’s like the whole point. In the best way I can I’m going to try to dissect their relationship, and maybe give a different perspective on why they behave the way they do.

Pre-canon

Aoi and Akane’s relationship has been, and has always been, incredibly codependent. Both of them perpetuate unhealthy behavior, and ignoring one or the other completely nullifies the point of their dynamic in the first place.

Aoi is implied to have a bad home life, along with a bad social life. Outcasted by everyone including her own father, lied to, and “treated like she’s a different species”. While I have a few personal interpretations of why that is, (autism*) the main point is that no one seems to really “get” her, she has difficulty connecting with people, and difficulty understanding relationships in general. To infer that Akane deals with similar problems isn’t far fetched, but he obviously goes about this differently. Akane is respected, looked up to, and is generally treated well by everyone around him, unlike Aoi. Aoi is treated like an object, a thing without feelings, constantly having her boundaries stepped on to the point where it’s just how life is around her. People see the unfair treatment, yet no one bats an eye as she doesn’t outwardly complain about anything. (Yashiro being a main point, though blame can’t really be put on her fully since she has no reason to think that Aoi is unhappy)

Akane doesn’t fully understand Aoi, and I don’t think with his current approach, he ever will. Aoi is a mystery, but it’s not his job to solve it. He imposes himself into Aoi’s business, with good intention, but because of how closed she keeps herself, he will never be able to help. But he doesn’t believe he is the one at fault, because all he wanted was to help her, and that can’t be bad right? But she doesn’t want people to help her, and unless she can learn to accept help, there’s no way to force entry. And it upsets him, as it would for most people. “Why won’t you just let me in?!” They’re an unstoppable force and an unmovable object, and unless they learn to communicate like normal people, it will stay that way.

Canon

The Clock-Keeper arc is a huge example of a lack of communication. Akane not telling Aoi about something so substantial can be a huge trust breaker, wether or not he thinks it’s important to tell or not. So many people take Akane’s side on this and it’s really unfair, it’s not just the fact he didn’t tell her, it’s the fact that he kept lying to her face about it. Of course, Akane is allowed to keep secrets, especially when he doesn’t even want to be a Keeper in the first place, “why tell someone about something when you don’t even want to be a part of it anyway?” But in tandem to that Aoi is allowed to feel betrayed, that Akane could just keep such a large factor of his life from her is obviously an upsetting thing to know. They both have grounds for reason, but they don’t ever communicate, ever. Akane thinks he knows what’s best for Aoi, and that’s not a just thing to believe. Aoi is a hypocrite, never being open about anything to anyone yet she expects the opposite from others. They’re both unbelievably stubborn, and both refuse to change their behavior even if it would be beneficial. Akane is selfish, Aoi in selfish, they’re both selfish, and that’s the whole point.

As much as I abhor the Akane & Aoi chapters, they are fundamental in seeing how bad the state of their relationship is. They both refuse to let up on their main flaws, and with Akane is specific it is infuriating to watch. Aoi never stands by boundaries, and so Akane pushes them without seeing how gross it is. They’re both at fault, but Akane’s behavior is at its worst. Aoi’s disappearance after probably knocked a few screws back in place for him, which I think really proves another point.

Better apart

When separated, Akane’s attitude changes. Losing his weird sense of childish entitlement, and returning back to a more childlike sense of justice. Wanting to save Aoi, not have Aoi for himself. The severance acted as a slap in the face to Akane, basically telling him to get his shit together. Comparatively making his confrontation with Aoi seem like two children fighting over something stupid. He regrets his actions, and wants to make them right. This development shows that Aoi is an inhibitor to Akane’s growth, this goes both ways. But the moment they reconnect, they start to fall back into bad habits, Aoi not telling Nene about her paralyzed hand, and Akane jumping back into the “will you go out with me!” attitude. Obviously not as hard, (and it really depends on how AidaIro decide how they want them to go forward.) but unless they really put the effort into it, it’ll just go back to the way it was before, having the cycle continue.

Akane needs someone who trusts him with their personal life, someone who gives him meaning without having him be forced to dedicate his life fully to that person.

Aoi needs someone who will listen to her and ask her if she’s okay, someone who accepts her without putting her on a pedestal.

And unless they can both learn to understand what the other needs, they’ll always never be able to be with one another comfortably.

final thoughts

Moral of the story: if two mentally unwell individuals wish to date, they both have to put in the effort to change themselves for the better.

I believe that if they were to fix their underlying problems, they could definitely be happy with one another. But because they don’t seem to be doing that at the moment, the belief that their relationship is healthy is completely false. And that’s not to say they can’t be together and if you like them you’re a bad person, flawed relationships can be explored in interesting ways, that is quite literally what they already are. But to their core, they are unhealthy, and misunderstanding their relationship defeats the whole point of their characters in the first place.

Harkening back to a previous post. I personally think that Akane’s specific attachment to Aoi is a trauma-bonding behavior rather than something he just does with people he likes. I don’t believe he would act like that with anyone else, since his relationship with Aoi runs so deep they obviously have behaviors exclusive to one another. That doesn’t mean Akane is totes peaches and cream with everyone else, he obviously has other underlying problems but I don’t think he’d ever do what he does with Aoi for anyone else. They’re very attuned to one another, positively or not, certain aspects of their personality are definitely specific to one another.

(*I personally view Aoi as autistic as I believe that a lot of her character can be viewed as a non-diagnosed autistic girl who is never able to fully grasp herself let alone other people, and is thusly turned into an outcast because she’s “different”. Akane not so much, but I can see the vision)

This was long sorry if it makes no sense or there’s some grammar mistakes I’m very very tired atm

[ma-lark-ey]

Lark Liveblogs Literature: THE SUNSHINE COURT BABYYYYY LETS GO JEAN

to begin: THE COVER???

The fucking NARCISSUS/DAFFODIL. Stop stop stop. Nora stop. She said it wouldn’t be a sun but I WASNT READY.

RESILIENCE. FIRST BLOOM AT THE END OF WINTER. NEW BEGINNINGS AND REBIRTH.

warning in advance for how many reaction images will be in this post. Miss Nora Sakavic has a way of making me unable to verbalise how devistated I am so I turn to goofy photos.

Also, just so we’re all on the same page:

it’s 1:20 AM. My roommate IS asleep. I am fighting the demons (downloading this book) but i am winning (it is queued on my kindle)

ITS DOWNLOADED LETS GO

Okay so context is that my Kindle is at 10%

I tried to go to bed and read this in the morning but I am

SO NOW I HAVE FRANTICALLY FOUGHT A WAR (figured out how to get this book) AND I AM READY FOR BATTLE (to cry over Jean)

ONE, TWO, THREE, LETS GO BITCH!!

Also my kindle cord is too small for me to properly lay in bed so im literally about to lay on my stomach kicking my feet like a middle schooler WISH. ME. LUCK.

CHAPTER ONE:

oh we’re jumping right in okay. god. hi baby :((

OH. I am just adding onto my #1 Riko hater agenda right now.

“The golden rule— not where the public can see” DIE. LITERALLY DIE TETSUJI

“The lack of broken fingers this time” THIS TIME??? JEAN. JEAN.

im so.

RENEE!!!

“and he had wasted them texting Renee a heads-up.” Nora please we’re only four pages in bro

Renee i love you im marrying you please give me a kiss. Mwah Mwah Mwah. She said “Bitch. Lay back down.”

currently also reading a batshit raven!neil fic and just. on the ground. about all of this.

stop the way I literally went “who the fuck is Nathaniel” Im too transgender for this.

Me, seeing the Abby content we need in this world:

Jean dont call that hellscape home bbg

Renee beating self worth into this man. ily

“Jean couldnt remember the last time he was allowed to wear color” LITERALLY KILL ME

Nora I need you to be less good at describing pain please and thanks

NOT THE BITING

DADMACK DADMACK DADMACK DADMACK!!

he fr be moving this man like a doll. love you wymack

tied him up with racquet laces I. h. lays on floor softly crying.

NOT THE DADDY ISSUES

Jean fr out here plotting 50 ways to kill his brother. he fr though Neil was the problem. no girl Neil just has no tact and autism rizz. Kevins the fucking snitch

no one:

Jean @ the Moriyamas;

“that man is years overdue for a head-on high-speed collision” YOU TELL EM DADMACK

CHAPTER TWO:

Jean please just sleep like a normal human man. God.

Even Jean be out here like “Kevins a little Chihuahua ass drama queen. Bitchboy. Wet cat man.”

Kevin: look, bro, if the 5’3 twink with enough daddy issues to make riko blush and chugs ‘fuck around and find out’ juice for breakfast can escape the moriyamas and not die, so can you.

Testuji. Testuji when I catch you. Tetsuji

Jean what the fuck makes you think anyone but Andrew Minyard will ever tell Neil what to do. Girl.

“If I am not a Raven, who am I?” A MOTHERCUCKING TROJAN BABYYYY

“I have to go to my next class.” I forgot they were in college deadass. Neil is straight up my age im gonna throw up.

Okay. It is. *checks time* 3 AM. I cannot keep my eyes open, which means i must put Jean away for sleep.

ITS IS NOON THE FOLLOWING DAY. I HAVE SLEPT. I HAVE TAKEN MY MEDICATIONS. TIME TO HYPERFOCUS BABY.

KINDLE SAYS WE HAVE 8 hrs 27 mins LEFT IN THIS BOOK. IM SAYING GOODBYE TO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. I’LL SEE Y’ALL AT DINNEE TIME. ITS JEAN TIME.

Hiiiiiii Thea….

“Good morning, Paris.” Now, the average man will see this as a reference to his frenchness. but real ones know Paris is prince of Troy, the man who married Helen of Troy & started the Trojan war.

do y’all think Jean has a french accent wait wait wait. obviously itd be very slight at this point but is it there. necessary question.

Assessing Thea like a fucking state exam right now. Neil could not have cared less about your ass I am gaining so much information

Hate of my life Riko moriyama.

CHAPTER THREE:

JEREMY FUCKING KNOW HI BAYYYBY

the way I literally got up and had to pace and stim for a moment even though I fully expected this. autism. my roommate is concerned. not really. she’s used to this she watched me read TKM and dramatically reenact the Ichirou Car Talk.

wow??? AFTG team actually seems happy and well-adjusted and friendly with each other??

Random Note: I’m currently watching Blue Exorcist & one of the main characters is a girl name Moriyama and I’m literally just sitting here like “This girl is way to nice and innocent to have that name.” Because she literally is the nicest girl to ever exist. Why is she cursed with the same name as my mortal enemy (Testuji)

“Tonight’s experiment was the icing on the cake, an invaluable experience no matter how it ended.” Jeremy, my love.

He has empathy… Never before seen footage. Y’all get the cameras!!

He’s so shaken about Jean,,, holding you so gently Jeremy. Here as a guy who knows nothing at all about Jeremy since I’m. so new here. but god.

Jeremy: are you sure a Raven can abide by Troja—

Kevin: Bro Jean is so pathetic he’s a bottom fr. He never disobeys an order

Jeremy: I. Okay you didnt have to say it like that, bro.

I will literally never stop respecting the Trojans strat in the final they really said. “If these fucks can win the championships with nine players, surely we can.” and then willingly got their asses handed to them.

“Xavier stumbled when he got the next serve off, and the Fox guarding him gamely hauled him back upright before running for the ball. It was a simple gesture, but it endeared Jeremy to them” I dont remember if this bit was described in tkm so i’m going to guess that’s Nicky or Matt. Aaron would fucking never.

Nah because like. Yes this proved to the Trojans how resilient the Foxes were, but it was also a message to the audience, yk? Like we know the Foxes were getting shit for their quick rise to the top after they pulled their shit together, but I personally think that the Trojans did this both for their improvement & for Foxes’ publicity. This game proved to the public at large how devastatingly *good* the Foxes were, because of their small size. The second best team in the league crumbled playing the same conditions the Foxes did *every game* and got to championships with. They proved that Foxes were, in fact, a D1 team who earned their keep.

oh hes got daddy’s money. Well. not. officially. yo what I mean.

“it was always best to have a paper trail” Neil Josten would have an anuerysm hearing those words.

Bye Jeremy I’m. Love you so much. Why do you feel like a sixty year old man in your early twenties.

“between seven and twelve students.” yikes.

“unfamiliar and accented voice.” I WAS RIGHT I FUCKING CALLED IY HES GOT AN ACCENT BABY FUCK YEAH

“you ever feel like— like you’re making a choice you cant come back from? But even knowing everything could go completely sideways, you’d make that choice every time?” okay so coming out allegories i could make aside, Jeremy is so… where to start with him. He reminds me of Percy Jackson. Endlessly loyal and selfless to the point its a bit stupid but endearingly stupid.

CHAPTER FOUR:

Okay so we’re alresdy hateflirting. noted.

Its also extremely sunny today in Podunk Hicksville where I live so it feels very On Brand.

“Jean had seen that smile in a half-dozen broadcast… He could picture it too easily, and he dug his fingernails into his own face in vicious warning.” Awww you think you can best the gay worms in your brain. goodluck with that Johnny.

“isn’t that reason enough to keep living? To rediscover simple delight one moment at a time,” keeping this quote for eternity

“enough sunlight to chase away Evermore’s shadows. They are willing to take a chance on you. Aren’t you?”

Kevin Day autistic king. taking this hesdcannon to my grave .

“the conspiracy theorists were working overtime” no girl they just aint stupid.

THEY DESTROYED HIS POSTCARDS…

CHAPTER FIVE:

I want to start keeping record of all the times Jean is like “[name] wasn’t decent enough to [thing]” because its SO funny. We LOVE a petty king.

also keeping track of all the insults he throws at Neil.

Neil likes to think he’s SUUUUCH a loner boy no friends angsty “dont speak to me” resting bitch face ass motherfucker. In reality he is a jack russell terrier — ceritifed jack russell owner who’s dog thinks hes soooo big and bad but said dog literally cries when you dont let him in the bed or say hi to people on the street

Jean is SOOOOOO dramatic ��😭

Jean: Why would you let Kevin do this.

Neil: let him?? He did that on his own.

Jean: you’re proud of him for being a problem, arent you?

Neil: oh you fucking know I am, bitchass

“but other than his outstanding murder charge there was nothing interesting about that Fox.” i’d consider that very interesting information, Jean. Youre just deranged

“with milk, juice, and vodka dominating one shelf” that’s Aaron, Nicky, Andrew/Kevin in order. Im correct.

“There was an entire drawer dedicated to cheese.” Yeah that sounds like Nicky.

“Half the drawer was full of mini candy bars. Jean threw them all into the trash” bro Andrew is going to kill you in cold blood and not even Neil can save you.

Jean is SO dramatic. Give him Kevin’s crown.

Jean @ Neil during the final: ARE YOU WITHOUT INTELLIGENCE????? ARE YOU STUPID??? DO YOU WANT TO DIE??

Seeing the media coverage of the championship is the food I needed thank you Nora for this. I am eating it up. om nom nom

The sportscasters referring to athletes with their first name is batshit. What. why. huh. Absolutely not.

CHAPTER SIX:

Renee protecting Jean from discovering Riko’s death through media & not through them…

Everytime boys start fistfighting in this series I hear Roxanne from Megamind. “Ladies, ladies, you’re BOTH pretty.”

a) Jeans reaction to finding out was exaclty what I expected

b) I’m FASCINATED to know who called campus security. Jeremy?? Renee?? Someone in Fox tower???

Neil was gentle with someone other than Andrew? I didnt know he knew how to do that…

NEIL. NEIL JOSTEN. YEAH BABY

HES ROOMING WITH CAT AND LAILA??? YES YEA YES YESY

the Jean-Renee dynamic is so fucking important to me. MLM/WLW solidarity. theyre besties.

THEYRE SO IMPORTANT TO ME BRO.

Literally snuggling Jeremy

Oh he’s got Fox potential. Hiiii Jeremy. Give me the traumadump bbg

THEY/THEM??? DO MY EYES DECEIVE ME OR IS THIS AN HONEST TO GOD THEY/THEM PLAYER OH ILL CRY. ILL CRU RIGHT NOW

CHAPTER SEVEN:

Oh Jean. you’re about to have such a gay awakening babe i can feel it in my bones.

A FUCKING YOYO??? I LOVE HIM

“A mite bit hecked up” PLEEEASE JUST SAY FUCK /ref

OH HE WAS IN LOVE WITH KEVIN. INTERESTING INTERESTING INTERESTING.

autism coded lookingg motherfucker (stares at Jean.)

The chaos of Cat and Laila’s house is so fucking cute. Its about to be two lesbians and their distrustful pitbull rescue in this bitch and im ready for it.

CHAPTER EIGHT:

watching normal people discover the cult that is Evermore. Finally someone having a normal response to that madness. What the FUCK.

wait theres actually a cardboard dog i thought it was fanon joke.

oh my god there is actually a fucking cardboard dog. i.

jeans brain just got actually shattered by this living room. he cannot comprehend this.

Cat & Jeremy, realizing the cult rumors are real: I THOUGHT YOU WERE KIDDING! I thought it was joke! I even wrote it down in my diary! “Kevin made a very funny joke today!” I laughed at it later that night!

Okay, last night; I went to bed at 2:30 AM 45% through (college my beloathed). we’re back in business.

Jeremy is so disturbed all of the time. goofy ass.

“Loving something is not enough,”

“When was the last time you enjoyed playing?”

“ Irrelevant.”

Whats his shirt look like Jeremy. Jeremy whats the shirt look like. Jeremy. Whats the shirt look like.

Okay so I’ve reached my image limit for this post and I dont have fun reaction images on my laptop. so now I will post this & reblog with the rest of this book.

[possum-quesadilla]

Chapter eight of Lonely Remnants, “Hey, would it be so bad if I stayed? I'm just a ghost out of his grave”, is here! :)

Here are the extras for this chapter and the previous chapter!

Chapter Seven:

- The lyrics for this chapter’s title are from “My Body’s Made of Crushed Little Stars” by Mitski! It’s meant to be from the Shoggoth’s perspective, but it also really sounds like something Lawrence would’ve sang when he was part of a band, haha.

- “The Shoggoth sat like a kid outside the principal’s office, shoulders hunched and head hung low, waiting for a harsh punishment.” - The Shoggoth did genuinely expect them to hit it.

- “The Shoggoth let out a strange low whine, looking towards Adam and Barbara with pleading eyes.” - “It then looked to Lydia, as if for approval.” - “The Shoggoth lifted his head, staring up at her with big, dark, hopeful eyes.” - THE SHOGGOTH CARES SOOO MUCH ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT IT GUYS. AHHH.

- “Lydia forced down the bitter taste of sarcastic irony building in her as she thought of all of the horror flicks and dramatic paintings depicting demons as fearsome monsters without remorse or pity.” - the last part is a reference to a line from “Aliens”! Also, Lydia is specifically thinking about the Deadites from “Evil Dead” and the one painting of Dante and Virgil.

- “I don’t… I can’t find it in me to forgive you yet.” - I DID NOT MEAN FOR MY FICS TO LINE UP LIKE THIS. WHOOPS!

- “… it’s no problem, Bug.” - this is the first time Lydia called the Shoggoth by it’s preferred name!

- I wonder if that dream is thematically relevant? ;)

Chapter Eight:

- The lyrics for this chapter’s title are from “Ghosting” by Mother Mother! Very literal, haha.

- Thank you to @ten-chocolate-sundaes for Adam’s nerdy autism rants about Klingon culture and such from Star Trek, I have no clue about most of Adam’s interests haha <3

- “The Shoggoth briefly bit his lip as it thought, it’s tail softly thumping against it’s seat. “… I guess. Sure.” Lydia raised an eyebrow. “‘Sure’?” “I, uh… spent a lotta time alone in the woods. But I’m sure it’ll be fun with you guys!” ” - The Shoggoth spent a grueling year wandering the woods up north. It sucked ass.

- “Mrs. D used ‘em only once.” - this is what Lawrence used to call Emily. The Shoggoth doesn’t even know her last name.

- “The demon suddenly seemed rather invested in staring at his arm, tugging the sleeve of it’s cotton sweater. (Funny, she could’ve sworn it was Adam’s.)” - It is Adam’s! :)

- “ “That’s.. from Lawrence’s favorite movie.” A bittersweet smile tugged at Adam’s lips. “‘Rule #32: Enjoy the little things’.” The Shoggoth’s head whipped up in his direction. “Oh! From… the zombie movie?” ” - This tattoo is referencing “Zombieland”. It is a sweet little reminder Lawrence wanted to give himself.

- “Lydia hadn’t seen any being look so starstruck before. The Shoggoth sat, eyes wide and full of wonder, mouth hung agape with the hint of a smile. It’s tail kept thumping against the seat as it wagged.” - Average reaction to listening to Chappell Roan for the first time.

- “She’s a damn visionary!” - Hm! What oddly familiar phrasing.

- “Who knew a demon would be such big fans of Chappell Roan?” - thank you again @ten-chocolate-sundaes for helping me figure out Barbara’s music taste!

- “Lydia let out a little laugh as she turned her attention back to the minute-mystery she and Adam were solving together.” - These are phenomenal to do on road trips. Murdles are too. Adam loves his Murdles.

- “… I like… ‘they’. And ‘it’, still.” - The Shoggoth’s pronouns are now it and they! They were just it/its until this point. When I use ‘his’ while referring to a body part for the Shoggoth, it’s because the body part doesn’t belong to them.

Tag list: @raineisinkless @c0zmo-writes @musical-fiend @katslitterbox

(Want to be tagged in future updates for CorpseJuice / LoopJuice? Let me know!)

[saturnine-saturneight]

OC deep dive tag!

Thank you to @fortunatetragedy for the tag!!! [here]

I need a little jumpstart for Matcha's voice for this next chapter, so I'm digging this two week old tag out of my drafts x)

Phobias: She pretends that it's spiders, because she figures that screaming at those and making other people get them for her makes her look more harmelss. She honestly doesn't mind them that much. Her actual fear is trypophobia.

Other fears: Being taken too seriously. Tripping over her words.

Pet peeves: Recalcitrant people who won't let her pry into their business. Open up. C'monnnn. It's just her! :)

3 items you can find in her bedroom: Romance novel, eyeliner, burner phone.

First thing she notices in a person: Approachableness, even before attractiveness. She's generally good at gauging how open somebody is to friendly interaction.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how high is her pain tolerance? 2 or 3. She doesn't like getting hurt.

Does she go into fight or flight mode when under pressure? Fawning first, then flight mode, and only when those two don't work, fight, but more like a cornered mouse trying to bite.

Does she come from a big family/is she a family person? She has two older brothers, one older sister, and a sprawling web of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. She liked the family get togethers and misses them, but she doesn't miss everybody getting into her business. She has her own family now and sometimes wishes these two parts of her life could meet, but knows this can never happen.

What animal represents her best? Opossum :V She, too, likes to play dead dramatically, panic and hiss at everything, and dig through other people's trash / dirty laundry.

What is a smell that she dislikes? She's pretty tolerant to bad smells. A good trait to have in her former line of work.

Has she broken any bones? She broke her ankle running a few years ago. It still bothers her.

How would a stranger likely describe her? I'll let Nat do us the honors:

"On the other side of her face, a thick curtain of her hair is falling into her brown, cat-like face. It’s thick, pin straight, and dull looking, and where it hits her waist, split ends are starting to form. Nat eyes her thin wrists. She looks straight up malnourished, or perhaps like she hasn’t done physical labor a day in her life."

Is she a night owl or a morning bird? Night owl, though she's often forced to wake up early.

What is a flavor she hates and a flavor she loves? She loves the taste of coffee and hates fermented things like sauerkraut or kimchi, though she likes pickled mangoes.

Does she have any hobbies? Matcha no longer has a lot of time for hobbies. She doodles in the margins of notes often, though.

Boom, surprise birthday party! How does she react to surprises? Freeze with shock. Then: Squeal with joy. You thought of her? That's so sweet!!

Does she like to wear jewelry? Her ears are pierced in multiple places, though she's taken the majority of her ear jewelry out. She likes the look of chokers, usually simple and black, and wears bracelets sometimes.

Does she have neat or messy handwriting? Curly and pretty when she knows others will see it, jagged and quick in her own private notes.

What are the two emotions she feels the most? Dread and longing.

Does she have a favorite fabric? She likes velvet, silk, and mohair :)

What kind of accent does she have? She has a pretty standard North American accent. She's a second generation immigrant, her parents immigrated from Mumbai to the former US during the second bio engineering boom in the mid 2170s, ten years before she was born, give or take. So she grew up speaking Marathi at home and American English and Hindi in school and with peers.

Tagging:

@paeliae-occasionally @rotting-moon-writes @marlowethelibrarian @fortunatetragedy (get retagged >:) ) @fairytaleinagem

@writingrosesonneptune @davycoquette @the-golden-comet @gioiaalbanoart @chauceryfairytales

@autism-purgatory @lychhiker-writes @marquis-of-writeblr @cowboybrunch

[jackie-gremlin-ghost]

It took the finale freaking breaking me to finally make OCs for this series 😅 And it also kinda counts for a continuation idea I have.

This is Ginevra "Ginny" Wolfe and her daughter, Francez, but she prefers to go by "Fran".

Spoilers for the finale ahead (I know it’s been a couple weeks, but better safe than sorry)

Ginny is a feisty Italian-American single mom and Todd’s paternal cousin, and she’s the one who bought his old house after the finale. He actually called her as soon as his house went on the market because he couldn’t think of anyone better to have it.

Over the years, Ginny had wanted so badly to reach out to him… but had so much to deal with on her own, especially after the loss of her husband Garrett. So when her favorite cousin (who she heard through the grapevine had become somewhat of a recluse years back) just up and called her out of the blue one day, telling her that he was selling his house to go travel the world with his best friend like he’d always wanted when they were kids, to say she was relieved would’ve been an understatement.

Fran, meanwhile, has what she refers to as the “Neurodivergence Triple A Plan”; Autism, ADHD and Anxiety. That doubled with her over-enthusiastic love for all things mythical, cryptid and occult, it naturally made her a bit of social outlier. And the loss of her dad didn’t make things easier. She retreated into herself for a long time, sleeping most days and barely even speaking unless spoken to. Her mother was terrified for her health at this rate. She’d already lost the love of her life, like hell she was losing her baby. It was a rough road and took some time, but she was able to get her to agree to therapy and begin to heal. It was a while after this that Fran was made aware that her “Uncle Todd” was coming for a visit, and she was about to take a big step in the next chapter of her family’s life.

A few months later, the three of them met up in Chicago to catch up and finalize everything on buying the house. While she was elated at seeing her cousin the happiest he’d been in years, Ginny was a bit apprehensive a first; uprooting from everything they’ve known and moving to another state, let alone a new town? She wasn’t afraid to admit it scared her. Todd was quick to reassure her two things; 1) A change of scenery and a clean slate might be just what Fran needs, and 2) Taking big risks are a part of life and what makes it worth living. And in a town like Brighton, Fran was sure to make some great friends and make a lot of memories.

So not long after Todd headed off on his next big adventure, Ginny and Fran started their own by moving to Brighton, not yet knowing that as their moving truck was pulling into town, it caught the eye of a young girl.

————

So yeah, I kinda have a story in the planning stages for this, so I can’t give away TOO much, but I can show you one thing: Ghost!Fran (No, she doesn’t die, but she’s also NOT a Wraith. So, have fun with that little tidbit 😉)

[zorosmalewife]

Chain Reaction Notes Chapter 15

Please remember that this is an unposted chapter! The sixth one, in fact. Missed the other notes? Find them here: 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14.

Structure:

Theme of the chapter

List of scenes, each of which contain:

scene number as depicted in the outlines from my update posts on this tumblr - POV character - one line summary of the concept - (time left until they return to Sabaody) (how long Ace and Zoro have been together) - list of relevant variables, details, etc

Title of chapter

Theme: mutual understanding. finally understanding how the dynamic works and how to operate inside it. things becoming whole.

18 - ACE - charades w/ humandrills - (about 10.5 months left) (1 day before their 1 year anniversary) [all scenes in this chapter happen on the same day, so I won't repeat the counts!] - Ace 'loves Perona', 'she's basically his best friend' - he doesn't let her talk to him about it tho - Ace doomspiral about Zoro's eye - it's still Zoro's room despite them sharing it for months now - Ace's thoughts all over the place. overwhelmed + lost. swinging mostly b/t feeling bereft and fucking Angry

20.5 [scene was moved to here, hence nonconsecutive numbers] - ZORO - Zoro Autism Meltdown (tm) + Mihawk talking sense into him - first time Mihawk calls him 'Zoro' - Zoro's internal monologue calling Mihawk 'his father' w/o commentary - Mihawk: "I will not allow you to keep hurting one another. It's killing Perona."

19 - ACE - ostensibly a spar but they're just wrasslin' in earnest - Ace lashing out while lamenting the fact that he is the type to lash out - but Ace loves Zoro. despite everything, he doesn't want to give up - Ace finally gets thru to Zoro. Zoro tells him everything. <- Ace calls him 'baby' - Ace feels like he Gets Zoro now. FR this time. But... Ace still hasn't told him... - "Zoro deserves better, that much is obvious, but he's already chosen to be with Ace, and thus his mind won't be changed. All Ace can do is become a man worthy of this." - Zoro and Perona hug when they get back to the castle. He whispers to her. Perona says she loves him. Tells him to tap out next time - Zoro calls Ace 'babe' but it's mostly joking. Calls Perona 'P'. She shoots negative ghosts at them - Zoro's - their - room - Ace feels small and needy and cracked open. Needs to feel held and covered and safe - epic Zoro topping dot png - the ^ exemplifies the change in their relationship. the easy understanding, the reciprocity, the boundless + overt love. it's about trust w/o being shy abt it. - "Ace has never cried during sex before, but he's not humiliated, nor does he try to hide it." - Zoro calls him 'baby' in the heat of the moment - Ace says he loves Zoro + Zoro says "I know" and Ace is 100% okay with that

Title: reciprocity

[cowboybrunch]

:3 soooo I have this sudden burning need to know everything you can tell me about Rosalie before your wrists give out. Can I trouble you for an infodump? Her tagged posts are great but I want to crack her open like a coconut.

i would LOVE to infodump about her!!! thank you for the ask!!! <3

let's start with some fun facts:

she's actually my oldest oc! in the original ORIGINAL draft of botrd (which was never completed and 80% of it was scrapped) the entire thing was in her pov! the story was more focused on her journey through grief

of all of the women in the story, she is the least violent and most soft-spoken (though she does have her moments) but this doesn't make her weak. i love a "badass female mc" as much as the next person but i really wanted her to highlight a quieter form of strength

her backstory:

her mother died in a freak accident car crash while she was in the car on their way to her grandparents' house. she was around 10 years old at this point. in the original draft, she has recurring nightmares about this moment (a defunct excerpt):

Goosebumps raised on her arms, and she opened her eyes to see dark clouds rolling towards them. She tried to speak, but the sound caught in her throat. Despite the windows being down, she couldn’t get enough air. Suddenly, it was pouring rain, the water soaking her clothes and the space on the seat that her body didn’t cover. Her mom kept driving, kept singing as if nothing had changed.

fast forwarding to the events of the current draft (switched to first person present tense), we begin with another death: her best friend Andrew

“Do you believe in ghosts?” I would ask him. “Do you believe in God? Do you think we’ll be okay?” Yes, no, maybe. He would never hesitate to answer, never tell me that I was being silly or that I should worry less. He would ask me, “Do you believe in parallel universes? Do you believe in aliens? Do you ever want to run away?” No, yes, maybe.

since she's been so "involved with death," she has the unique ability to sense Mortae when others can't— meaning she can see them when she shouldn't be able to, and her ears ring when they're communicating telepathically

“I don’t know why you can see me. You’re not meant to. I didn’t do anything to the camera. It caught what was visible, and I was not— am not visible."

That awful high-pitched noise sounds in my ears, louder this time, and it’s all I can do not to throw my hands over them. I do not want to add tinnitus to my growing list of unsolvable problems.

aaaand some rapid fire info about her

callsign "sacrificial lamb"

loves rom-coms

has debilitating insomnia

inquisitive, kind (most of the time, she tries her best), stubborn

first chapter in her pov is called "It's not a superstition if it's true"

her self-doubt puts her in many sticky situations. she needs to trust her gut!!!

favorite flower is daffodils (even tho they're technically a weed) because she likes knowing what people would wish for

biggest fear: being a stranger to the people she loves

she really is just a girl trying to heal and learn to live with grief, and she gets roped into this eternal war between Death and Theodore and becomes a catalyst for his ascension... justice for Rosalie!!!

taglist! (ask to be +/-)

@vyuntspakhkite-l-darling @fortunatetragedy @autism-purgatory @rosesonneptune @cartoonghosts

@dyrewrites @whoevenknowswhatimwriting

[bharv]

So, I’d love to hear some commentary about ‘Even If Love,’ specifically regarding Lae’zel’s chapter.

One day she calls her Darling in front of the others, and they laugh at her. The Blade in his cloying softness explains that the word is a form of endearment, not usually a name, but the creature tells them all that it is as good as anything else. That she doesn't know what else she is, or could be. Astarion proposes more; Red Reckoning, Freckles, a game that amuses the others to no end as they wander through this endless, dull rock, but nothing is proposed that stays.

She hates the dawn that brings the day here. She hates the muted browns of the earth, the rolling hills, the leaves on the trees and the constant sounds of chittering. She hates the rules of this place, the look the Cleric Shadowheart gives her of disgust, she hates the way things are not-said in the places between, she hates the lack of discipline, the children expected to frolic with no training, the sad face of the Blade of Frontiers when he says they should just be allowed to be children. Children, indeed. Darling looks on them with a similar confusion, and she asks her why as they leave the grove with their new ally on their heels.

Lae’zel literally so autism creature to me ❤️. My wife with poor social understanding. Also, she and Manva are incredibly similar. Objectified as weapons, violence is power, etc.

Is Manva Lae’zel’s darling from beginning to end of BG3? Does Manva care about her at all? Does it mean anything to Manva that she is the source of Lae’zel’s bruises? And finally, I’m curious about this stanza:

She will betray you too, you know that, don’t you? Shadowheart tells her before she leaves. The Nightsong is with Ketheric, and the Cleric will never fulfil her destiny. She is the last to leave them, and was not the first. She places her forehead against hers with a sharp grip on her neck, an intimacy not earned that she squirms against, but is held fast to. Do not let her, Lae’zel. You will ride a dragon one day. I believe it.

She had almost forgotten.

She will not forget.

Explain!

- 🫀

Weee I get to talk about my fave! I love this fic honestly.

Answering this director's cut question... about my fics!

I'm probably going to jump straight under the cut as this ask is quite long!

So the first thing to say about this fic is that these little things are short, typed-into-the-browser character studies so they're very much vibes led. I just have a thought, take a moment to sit down and just type away with no real edits!

With Lae'zel I had been thinking about names and what she knows and doesn't know. I had, as I often do lmao, been thinking about a line in @popiellart's seminal, beautiful, masterful The dark urge sleeps alone which is my favourite bit (hard to choose but it just about wins) when Wormwood and Lae'zel are fucking nasty and this exchange suddenly happens:

"You remind me of my sister." "What's a sister?" Lae'zel demands breathily, and drops her hips down, spearing herself on him without hesitation, drawing a desirous, possessive growl from his draconic muzzle. His eyes, half-lidded with hunger, have that foggy, far-away look that vexes others, but she doesn't mind. He is living, yawning death on the battlefield, his scales turning regal crimson whenever he's bathed in blood, and when he violently grips her and slams her down on the crumbling altar, bruising her back and cracking this font of worship to some dusty, dead god with the roaring fire of their living, he is a dragon red enough for her. "I don't know," he admits, finally. "Something sharp, I think."

(God what a FIC.)

It got me thinking a lot about what words probably don't have a direct translation in Tir'su, and forms of affection was something I came back to a lot. Lae'zel has no real choice but to take things as they are presented to her, and I thought it was odd and kind of sweet that she might take a term of endearment to be a name and, without anything better to give her, Manva allows it.

I think Lae'zel is a tremendous love interest for a Durge on the middle to relapsing path. Astarion, Wyll, Gale, Karlach and Shadowheart offer so much for a resist!Durge, and of course Minthara and a full evil run is sublime. But there's something so beautiful and sad in the fact that Durge and Lae'zel meet each other in a similar space, both understanding violence, passion, a calling to something potentially. But as Lae'zel has the potential to grow into a new part of herself, Durge kind of either goes far away from what made their love beautiful or hurtles so far into the violence that it leaves her broken. It's just...!

With Manva specifically, post-Kressa she's a very reduced version of herself. She's not completely different, but there are gaps, uncertainties, and she falls back very much on relying that the energies given to her will guide her right. You're right, they are SO similar, especially in the tentative steps into the world in act 1. Again, they're both very much taking the world as they see it at the beginning of the game. Lae'zel is so forward with her affections, but when it comes down to it, although she cares for her very much, I don't think Manva loves her in the way Lae'zel needs her to. She's also dazzled by Minthara, and she reserves a lot of (eventually non sexual) intimacy for her friendship with Astarion. It doesn't end technically, but it doesn't grow into something deeper because Manva just craves more and more blood and passion, and it ultimately will destroy them both if Lae'zel doesn't stop (she'll never love anybody as she loves her father, anyway.)

As for this final bit! I thought it might need a bit more set up but I left it as it was. Manva's relationship to Shadowheart was always very much "You can stay, but you stay for your oath." and Shadowheart follows because she thinks that Manva understands the importance of a higher call. It's a very tense relationship. Then Manva doesn't take her to the Nightsong and instead gives her to Balthazar, a decision that I don't even think Manva understands at that point (she doesn't really understand her relationship to Ketheric, but there's something left that makes her decide to hand her over.) That's the betrayal. Manva promises them all something; that Astarion and Minthara will have their revenge and take their power, and that Lae'zel will ride a red dragon, but Shadowheart sees her for who she truly is. She will never do right by them, and they must not be drawn into her web. And she's right.

(I also can't resist a little Shadowzel moment. Poor Lae'zel should have gone with her when she had the chance!)

[revoleotion]

Baldurs Gate 3 headcanons?

SO SO MANY

Most of which will be revealed in my newest chapter of "alliance", so [eye emoji] look forward to this!

But here are a few more:

Gale is aroace. He doesn't realize it until he is asked to do "classic" romance activities and wishes he could just disappear

The others once (led by Wyll) plotted to secretly cook so that Gale doesn't have to do it. Gale took it very personally ("it seems like I am not needed here, then"), so they apologized and instead offer to help now

The crew unanimously decided to try and find an artist to commission a portrait of Astarion. The problem is that they all don't talk about it, so Astarion received a never-ending supply of portraits with varying styles (and of various quality)

Wyll has his nipples pierced. He did it to spite his father but now he actually likes them?

Omeluum's special brain wiring that caused it to be independent? Autism.

Balduran used to wear skirts on a regular basis

Shadowheart will get into the hair dye business again post game but this time it will be so many fun colors. I think she will also reunite with her friend (hint hint) and they might even date (if she's not dating anyone else at this point)

Ansur had a human kink and I will not elaborate on this one

Barcus had a crush on Wulbren (ok this is canon, I guess) and he asked him out once. Wulbren pretended not to get it – he's always thought of Barcus of someone lesser than him so it can't possibly have been serious, right?

Funnily enough, once Barcus finally puts his foot down, this might be the first time Wulbren was actually attracted to him. Too bad he had to keep up the facade and threaten him

I will talk more about this in my fanfic but Omeluum and Blurg have a support system that might inspire any other mind flayers who have broken free

Once the heroes leave the city, the dye business is in real danger because they were pretty much the only ones bulk buying that stuff

Balduran played a few instruments as a child but only kept those he could take with him

He once played a song on the piano together with Ansur (four-handedly? Is that the term?). The theme switched back and forth between both of their parts, and every time it happened, Ansur shot him a look and smiled. Balduran only missed a key once.

Ansur is a big fan of forehead kisses. Both giving and receiving them

Wyll sucked at fencing lessons as a kid. It was only when he realized why they were important that he improved... but he got his ass kicked in his early lessons and tournaments

(If he decides to break the pact), Wyll is together with Karlach when it finally happens. He wakes up, an empty hole in his chest where his powers used to be. Karlach knocks against her mechanical heart, just once, and says, "find something to fill it with, then". Wyll smiles a sad little smile. "I think I did. If you want to have me, that is"

[uefb]

Author’s Note on Autism & Fantastic Beasts for “Head Full of Fairies”

SUMMARY: Newt misses a MACUSA policy meeting on revisions to a creature trafficking bill, and Tina is beyond frustrated until she returns to their brownstone to find it utterly silent, Newt himself nowhere to be found. (A story about autism in the Wizarding World and the intricacies of Newt and Tina's relationship, with gratuitous worldbuilding and a side of Theseus.)

I originally had this as a discouragingly long author's note on the first chapter, but after some consideration I decided to put it on tumblr and link to it on AO3, instead, in the hope that those who are interested will read it, and those with questions might have a place to start:

One of my favorite things about Newt Scamander as a character and FB as a story, is that Newt is an autistic character within a rollicking fantasy plot that has absolutely nothing to do--at least explicitly--with autism. (Here are two links on Eddie Redmayne's choice to play Newt as autistic. Redmayne's language is a bit off, but that's ok. Fans have additionally reported they've brought up Newt's autism to him at signings, and he's repeatedly confirmed.) Anyway, so much popular media featuring autistic characters focuses on the character's autism--explicitly highlighting their struggles or cute quirks--while ignoring the rest of their character, or the story's plot: their autism is the plot. However, FB gives many autistic fans a story they can love because they see themselves in Newt (a hero!) and they see how his autistic traits make him successful. (Just go to the "autistic Newt Scamander" hashtag on tumblr to see what I mean.) But! autistic fans can also appreciate the larger plot of FB without being constantly hit in the face with producers' reductive beliefs about how disabling autism can be. (Even if it is. And those bits that are included in FB--struggles at school & socially, issues with expressive language, special interest-related societal exclusion, etc--are so relatable to most autistics it would be, frankly, offensively bizarre if they weren't included.)

THAT BEING SAID, because of this focus on plot, there are parts of the autistic experience understandably missing from the tale. (And the human experience more generally--these movies are largely an adventure story, a genre in which painstaking character building often gets pushed to the wayside anyway.) IMO, mainstream representations tend to tap into those autistic traits most easily recognised by the general public--e.g.,discomfort with eye contact, difficulty reading social situations, obsessive interests, etc.--skimming over those that might be less relatable (e.g., sensory sensitivity, emotional overwhelm and meltdowns, an inconsistent ability to access skills, language, etc. depending on stress and context). As a late-identified autistic person, these other parts of the varied autistic experience are something I'm quite interested in exploring. I build out autism within the Wizarding World a bit in my ongoing historical-based fic, With Its Head Under One Wing, but exploring what it means for Newt in a wizarding and relational context is better done elsewhere, given the focus of my longer story's plot.

All that to say -- I started writing this as a distraction while experiencing some major overwhelm myself, riding the edge of a shutdown/meltdown for days. (Yes, adults can and do experience shutdowns and meltdowns. Learn more about them at these four links here. Autistic concepts will continue to be footnoted, as appropriate.) I ask that you be patient with the characters in this first chapter--Tina is at the end of her rope due to Grindelwald, work, and pre-WWII-related stress; and Newt (though not actually present) is operating under the haze of a meltdown rumbling. Characters--just like all of us--are complex and imperfect. (And I can say from experience that, when you've been with someone for nearly a decade, accessing unconditional kindness under pressure is not as automatic as it perhaps was in year one. And even the most well-meaning and truly loving partner can snap under an autistic loved one's stress.)

Finally, it is not at all my intent to infantalize Newt, as so often happens when people write autistic characters--I am only using my own experience (and my wife's experience with me) to write about his (and Tina's) experience. Typical caveat: "If you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person". Every autistic person is different, every neurodivergent relationship is different, etc etc etc.

Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

[geminiamethyst]

Skyline Gang. Chapter 21

Prologue: click HERE

Chapter 20: click HERE

Chapter 22: click HERE

Pip had the right idea to offer those headphones.

Even if Bud was playing alone, the other games still had loud music and sound effects. Yes, he had been around the area during his investigations, but that was only for a minute. He was staying here longer than that. When he started to feel overwhelmed by the sound, he chased down Pip to request the headphones. Once he had them, he synced it up with his phone via Bluetooth. Instead of blearing music and obnoxious sounds effects, he was peacefully listening to classical music to keep him calm. It did the job perfectly. It allowed Bud to focus on the games he played without any problems. Dude offered to stay close in case anything happened and he needed help. Rainbow was pretty much glued to Bud’s hip, remaining as loyal as ever. He was ready to step up if Bud had another meltdown. So far, everything was okay.

After Bud started a different game, Mimi found Dude just a few ft away from him. She hadn’t heard from either of them for a while, so she felt the need to check up on things. 

“How’s he doing?” She asked, giving a small smile.

“Better than earlier.” Dude smiled back. He broke into a small grin. “Don’t tell Pip this, but he’s beaten all of her high scores.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t.” Mimi grinned back. She observed a little more, taking note of how peaceful the air seemed. “Rainbow hasn’t left him either.”

“I think he’s appointed himself as a support dog.” Dude agreed, crossing his arms a little.

“Well, who wouldn’t want a fabulous dog like Rainbow as a support dog? He’s a natural at it.” Mimi agreed. Her smile faded a little as she started to get curious. “How did you know that Rainbow would help?”

“There’s this kid at school who is also on the spectrum.” Dude explained. He recalled the days in class that the student in question would be somewhat open about his autism. It was his own way in ensuring that people would understand, both teachers and students alike. “He’d often talk about his own support dog and even brought it to school on occasion. I witnessed him having a meltdown similar to Bud and his dog helped him calm down immediately.”

“Lucky thing you’re here, otherwise we might never have figured it out.” Mimi muttered, glancing back over at Bud and Rainbow.

“It’s lucky that Rainbow is here too.” Dude added. In all honesty, if Rainbow wasn’t here, there probably wouldn’t be as much emotional and mental support for everyone here. Bud absolutely benefitted the most from it all. A part of Dude wondered if Rainbow was trained in being an assistance dog before he came here. It would make sense of some things.

“Are you okay?” Mimi suddenly asked.

“Me?” Dude spoke with wide eyes.

“Yes.” Mimi insisted.

“I’m fine.” Dude shrugged, directing his eyes away from her. First Bud. Now Mimi. Was he being that obvious with his troubles? “Why are you asking?”

“You just seemed a bit worried.” Mimi answered, not fully convinced. Dude continued to not look at her. Just act like nothing is wrong. Try to keep everything together. Don’t start crumbling now, or else they’ll see every crack on the surface. Thankfully, Mimi was done asking questions. Not because Dude was denying his troubles, but because Bud had finished his game and made his way over.

“I believe that I have beaten Pip yet again.” He smiled triumphantly as he slipped off the headphones.

“She is probably going to get competitive once she finds out.” Mimi grinned, washing away her previous concerns.

“Is that a bad thing?” Bud asked, his voice quiet.

“No, not at all.” Dude smiled reassuringly. “Maybe a little competition but that’s somewhat normal among friends.”

“Friends?” Bud echoed, his voice almost drowned out by the arcade. The word felt foreign for him to say. He wasn’t comprehending anything. He just didn’t know how to process the words that was said to him. “Do you really consider me a friend? Especially after finding out about my disability.”

“Bud, what did you think that we were?” Mimi asked with a raised eyebrow. “Of course you’re our friend, silly.”

Bud didn’t react to that. At least externally. Internally, he’s probably been put into a spin to Dude and Mimi. Rainbow could feel the distress, and gently prodded Bud’s hand. The boy responded by a small pat on the head to help calm him down. It was like that for a while, making the air thick with tension. Bud opened his mouth to speak. However, his voice came out as a shaky scream. Rainbow started growling. Dude turned his head, looking out of the corner of his eye. He immediately grabbed Mimi, pushing her behind him. He held his arms out, acting as a shield. Standing before them was Dawn. She loomed over them, making the arcade cold. Even the lights from the games dimmed a little in response to her appearance.

“What do you want?” Dude demanded.

“Another challenge is being set.” Dawn sighed, rolling her eyes.

“Wait! Now?! But Candi had already-“ Mimi exclaimed, eyes popping out of her skull. Dawn disappeared before Mimi could say anymore. The three teenagers stood still, drinking in what just happened. Dawn was taking things in a drastic direction. She was becoming impatient. She was starting to get desperate because she was losing. She was at a huge disadvantage. Even if this challenge was won by her, she won’t be able to win. Her chances were impossible at this point. She could just let everyone go home. Why can’t she just do that already?

“It’s all wrong again…” Bud muttered, his hands shaking. Rainbow nudged his hand, already sensing a meltdown that was erupting.

“Are you going to be okay?” Dude asked calmly, forgetting his previous anger. Bud only patted Rainbow’s head to calm down. He appeared pale among the various lighting in the arcade. He looked like he was ready to go to his safe space. However, he had a feeling that even if Dawn was aware about his autism, she wouldn’t allow him to do so.

“Don’t worry, Bud!” Mimi smiled encouragingly. Bud looked up at her, still looking anxious. “If you need calming down and such, Rainbow will be right there. Right, Rainbow?” Rainbow wagged his tail and barked in response to that. Bud patted Rainbow again, becoming more relaxed. This was unavoidable now, but at least there was going to be someone to help with his meltdown.

“I suppose you’re right.” He muttered again. Dude smiled a little and gestured for Bud and Rainbow to walk in the front. They slowly started to head out of the arcade, the tension and anxiety looming over Bud like a dark cloud. However, he tried to think of how he can calm down on the way there. Einstein, Pi, chemical formulas came to mind which helped a little. Rainbow was the biggest source of comfort out of all of that. As he calmed down, only one more distressing thought entered his mind.

Time for another round.

[missmeikakuna]

Let Me Speak to the Manager! Ch. 5- Karen x Manager

The fifth chapter of my new story, a Karen x Manager yuri romcom. Yes, you read that right.

Fandom: Original (unless Karen memes count as a fandom)

Rated: T (some swearing and mature themes)

Pairing: F/F

Description: After being denied a discount at a supermarket, single mother Karen demands to see the manager. Much to her horror, the manager is hot enough to be her first woman crush. But Karen would rather join a pyramid scheme than deal with her feelings, much less admit them.

Potential Content Warning: Religious homophobia

Cover art by Galdsy- Tumblr: www.tumblr.com/galdsy Twitter: twitter.com/galdsy Instagram: www.instagram.com/galdles/?hl=…

The fifth chapter of my new story, a Karen x Manager yuri romcom. Yes, you read that right.

Fandom: Original (unless Karen memes count as a fandom)

Rated: T (some swearing and mature themes)

Pairing: F/F

Description: After being denied a discount at a supermarket, single mother Karen demands to see the manager. Much to her horror, the manager is hot enough to be her first woman crush. But Karen would rather join a pyramid scheme than deal with her feelings, much less admit them.

Potential Content Warning: Religious homophobia

Cover art by Galdsy- Tumblr: www.tumblr.com/galdsy Twitter: twitter.com/galdsy Instagram: www.instagram.com/galdles/?hl=…

Chapter 5: Karen vs Nature

Friendful was a powerful app. It could connect mothers from all over the world, allow them to give advice and, most importantly, distract Karen from memories of a particular wavy-haired temptress.

She wrote a post about her children’s angry behaviour and received a wide array of suggestions, from herbal tea to fresh pee. One mother believed Karen’s children had autism and that she should try calming essential oils. That option certainly seemed more beneficial than drinking human waste, so Karen asked for details. The mother sent a link to her work Friendful page, where she advertised the essential oils from a company called WonderLiving.

Karen grinned. Wow, a person with her own business was going out of her way to help a stranger like her! 

The page included many posts with the hashtag #girlpharaoh accompanying essential oils, which the page claimed to be based on Ancient Egyptian medicine and made with “all-natural ingredients”. The oil blends all had strange names like Ankh, for healing, and Scribe, for increased intelligence. The calming oil Karen wanted was called Amulet, a little turquoise bottle filled with honey and frankincense, among other ingredients. Karen bought a dozen bottles immediately.

The words #girlpharaoh stuck with her, so she read more posts even after buying what she wanted, trying to understand the meaning. Over half of the posts were not about the actual oils but about working for the business. The mother claimed to be making bank with this side hustle and encouraged other women to join her downline. During the following weekend, there was going to be a seminar for people who wanted to join the business.

Seeing this opportunity, one thought entered Karen’s head. 

No more worrying about the price of bananas.

On the day of the seminar, Karen found herself in a conference room full of middle-aged women with similar haircuts to hers, mixed in with some college-aged women and one lone man. The walls were covered with shiny gold curtains, possibly to make the business look prestigious. The neatly-placed rows of fifty chairs were almost full and filling fast. At the end of the room was a slightly-raised stage, flanked by two standing posters showing a smiling thirty-something woman.

Karen took a cookie from the craft table and scanned the room for a free chair. Finding none, she stood against the left wall and began taking little bites out of her cookie.

The same woman from the posters walked up onto the stage with a cordless microphone. After testing the mic, she gazed at the audience with glimmering eyes.

‘You know, I was a lot like all of you when I was younger.’ Her voice was commanding but soothing. ‘So eager to do something with my life. I could have just done a 9 to 5 job and tried to make a living out of that. How many of you work those kinds of jobs? Raise your hand.’

Most of the room raised their hand. The woman continued. ‘I wanted something more, and I knew I had to do it the right way. I was determined not only to make a little cash but also to empower women. That’s what WonderLiving is all about. How do we do this?’

The projector screen behind the woman lit up and displayed a business structure chart. ‘This is network marketing. Now, I know it looks like a pyramid…’ the audience laughed, Karen included. ‘...But if you look closer, it’s a tier system, and anyone can rise through the ranks. You’ll start off in the Farmer Tier and, if you make enough commission, you can become a Craftswoman, then a Warrior, a Noble and finally a Pharaoh. We at WonderLiving are all about lifting women up and letting them be their own bosses. You choose the hours, how much product you sell and who you sell to. You can even choose to make this a side hustle to make a little passive income while you work elsewhere. It’s all up to you.’

Karen beamed at this idea. The slide changed to a stock photo of a smiling group of women. ‘In joining WonderLiving, you also get to become a member of a welcoming community of women who treat each other like family. These are your fellow Girl Pharaohs.’

Before the woman could finish her speech, Karen had already taken her pen out to sign up.

She bought 99 dollars’ worth of products and headed home. The items arrived a week later. She set up a Friendful page for her business and waited for customers to start pouring in. 

They did no such thing.

She started recommending her products to people on the mum groups and got a couple of people interested, though not enough to pay back the startup cost. She expanded the scope of people she contacted to her friends on Friendful, most of whom didn’t reply.

Over the next few weeks, Karen didn’t speak to Frema when she shopped, even when Frema waved at her. It didn’t take long for Frema to give up. An idea popped into Karen’s head when she heard a shopper complain to another about having trouble sleeping.

‘Oh, have you tried the Sarcophagus oil from WonderLiving? It’s perfect for that kind of thing.’ A blush adorned Karen’s cheeks. ‘Sorry, I overheard you and wanted to help someone struggling. We women have to stick together, you know?’

The shopper smiled with a raised eyebrow. ‘I’ll look it up.’

Karen’s heart jumped up and down at this little victory. She was so excited she forgot to tell her about her Friendful business page.

Every weekend she went shopping, she brought a few bottles of essential oils to the supermarket to conveniently have on hand whenever a shopper had a problem.

‘Oh, you have trouble concentrating? You should try Scribe. I’ve got a couple of Scribe oils if you want to buy a couple from me. They’re real cheap.’

‘Oh, your husband’s struggling with indigestion? That’s awful! Has he tried the essential oil Oasis? It has peppermint in it, which aids with digestion.’

‘Oh, I’m so sorry your son has cancer. I hear the Ankh essential oil is great for that.’

By the time she uttered that last suggestion, Frema had noticed what she was doing and took her aside.

‘What are you doing in my supermarket?’

It took a while for Karen to gather her thoughts when faced with Frema’s beauty. ‘I-I-It’s not your supermarket. You don’t own your own business like me.’

‘Good for you. You still can’t sell things here.’

Karen held the oil bottle in her hand close to her chest. ‘Why not? I’m helping people who need me.’

‘If you try and shill your products here, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.’ Frema crossed her arms and stared down at Karen.

‘But I’m a customer! I have every right to be here!’ To demonstrate this, Karen took a packet of chips from the shelf and plopped it into her almost empty trolley. She had been in the shopping centre for more than an hour.

‘Not if you’re bothering the other customers.’

‘At least I’m not trying to date them!’

Frema blinked. ‘What does that have to do with… Look, I’m sorry about that day. I got caught up in the fun of the day and I thought you liked me too. I shouldn’t have assumed that and I should have been more careful not to misread the situation. Can we at least stay friends? I’m content with that so long as you don’t try to sell things in this store.’

‘Why would I want to stay friends with a lesbian?’ Karen asked that question a little too loud. As customers turned their heads, Frema and Karen shared a blush. Frema’s eyebrows met up high and her lips parted ever so slightly as she took in Karen’s words. She then looked down.

‘Well, if that’s how you really feel, I’ll leave you alone.’ Her voice was deep and quiet. ‘Just leave my customers alone.’

Karen shoved her oil bottles back in her handbag and stomped away with a huff, until she realised she still had shopping to do. She gingerly walked back to her trolley and pushed it down the aisle with her nose turned up.

Anger brewed within her gut, slowly rising as she thought of Frema and her stupid gorgeous face and her dumb adorable laugh and her infuriatingly endearing spontaneity. She then remembered the hurt look on Frema’s face from moments before. She wondered if she herself would have that face if someone found out about her own attraction.

Heads turned again when Karen held her arm out on the shelf as she walked forward, knocking everything to the floor.

‘Out!’ Frema shouted.

Upon her arrival home, Kyle asked Karen if she could get him a game he wanted for his birthday, which would take place in two weeks. Karen didn’t answer, storming off to her room and slamming the door shut.

On the WonderLiving website, she bought more inventory. She was going to afford that game for Kyle. She made a habit of buying more items every day. Her fellow Girl Pharaohs on Friendful always emphasised the importance of buying lots of products. According to them, if someone didn’t make money from this business opportunity, they simply hadn’t worked hard enough.

The day she planned on buying Kyle’s present, a week before his birthday, she checked her bank account and saw she didn’t have enough to buy a single game. A labyrinth of dark thoughts weaved into her mind as she held her phone with trembling hands.

She asked the WonderLiving page on Friendful if anyone was also struggling to make back the money they spent on products. The Girl Pharaohs on the page told her to network with more people.

As desperation ate at her, Karen searched Friendful for Frema and read through her public posts. She had posted a picture the previous day with a thermometer in her mouth. The caption read, ‘The flu’s a bitch.’

Karen didn’t send a friend request but did send a message.

Hey girl!

I saw you’re feeling a little under the weather. I know just the thing to help with your symptoms. You should try the Ankh essential oil from WonderLiving! It’s made of all-natural ingredients and it has incredible healing properties!

I also have a great business opportunity for you. I don’t know how much you make managing the supermarket, but I’m sure it’s not much. I know you and you deserve more. You’re so smart and I would love to have you as part of my team. 

At first, Frema left Karen on read. By the end of the day, however, Frema made her thoughts known.

You must have nerves of steel if you think you can try to sell me the crap that got you kicked out. I thought maybe you were going to message an apology but no, you had to turn it into a money-making opportunity for you. Screw you. I’ve been so patient with you but now I’ve given up. No more trying to reason with you or keep any friendship with you. I’m done.

Karen dropped the phone on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She was stuck in a frustrating limbo, miserable enough to want to cry but not enough to actually do it.