#she’s thriving! and we love that for her!

[quantumfrail]

As a portrayal of a scientist (biologist, I believe) on humanity's most crucial mission, Brand's argument is a jarring departure from scientific thinking. The film leans into a mystical, unscientific framing that makes Brand feel less like a scientist and more like a romanticized emotional foil to Cooper’s rationalism. Let me explain.

Cooper: You're a scientist, Brand. Brand: So listen to me when I say that love isn't something that we invented. It's... observable, powerful. It has to mean something. Cooper: Love has meaning, yes. Social utility, social bonding, child rearing...

The concept we have as "love" evolved as an adaptation that serves clear evolutionary benefits through social bonding and parental investment (example: increased survival and reproductive success), as Cooper correctly notes. Love is not a physical force like gravity, but it is observable in neurobiology. It involves chemical and neurological processes (oxytocin, dopamine, etc.) that facilitate bonding and cooperation.

Brand: We love people who have died. Where's the social utility in that? Cooper: None.

This is likely a residual effect of our broader capacity for emotional attachment - the grief response doesn't simply switch off when someone dies, as that would be maladaptive for a social species. The scientific problems compound when examining her dismissal of love's evolutionary origins. Not all creatures who survive show love or any emotional attachment -take tardigrades who have survived all mass extinctions and can survive in the vacuum of space (or other extremophiles who thrive in harsher conditions). Even among social species, love is just one of many survival strategies, not a universal requirement. Many species rely on hierarchical dominance, symbiosis, or sheer reproductive numbers rather than deep emotional bonds. This is strong evidence that love is just one of many possible evolutionary strategies, not some fundamental force of the universe.

Brand: Maybe it means something more - something we can't yet understand. Maybe it's some evidence, some artefact of a higher dimension that we can't consciously perceive. I'm drawn across the universe to someone I haven't seen in a decade, who I know is probably dead. Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space. Maybe we should trust that, even if we can't understand it. All right Cooper. Yes. The tiniest possibility of seeing Wolf again excites me. That doesn't mean I'm wrong. Cooper: Honestly, Amelia... it might.

While she correctly notes that love is "observable," she then makes an enormous unsupported leap to claiming it "transcends dimensions of time and space" - a statement that conflates a neurobiological phenomenon with fundamental physical forces like gravity. Brand is cherry-picking one emotional capacity and attributing cosmic significance to it while ignoring the more negative sides of the human emotional spectrum. Her argument goes beyond biological utility, implying love has cosmic or extra-dimensional significance, which is not supported by evidence.

The same emotional attachments that make us care for our in-group can fuel hostility toward out-groups. She singles out love while ignoring its darker counterparts like hate and greed - the very emotional drives currently fueling environmental destruction and potentially leading to human extinction (see: "Holocene Extinction" or "Anthropocene Extinction"). The irony is particularly sharp given that humanity's tendency to prioritize emotional decision-making over rational analysis contributed significantly to Earth's crisis in the first place.

The scene's gender dynamics are especially disappointing. Having the female scientist advocate for emotional intuition while the male character maintains rational skepticism plays into tired stereotypes about women in science. This undermines Brand's credibility as a scientist- instead of showcasing her scientific expertise, the scene reduces her to a romantic idealist making mystical arguments about love transcending spacetime. It makes her look less competent in a mission that's for the survival of our species.

While the scene clearly aims to explore the tension between empirical reasoning and human experience, it does so by sacrificing the scientific credibility of one of its lead characters and falling into gendered tropes. For a film that (mostly) strives for scientific accuracy (thank you Kip Thorne), this represents a significant misstep in both its portrayal of science and its character development. It falls into the tired trope of the emotional woman vs. rational man, making Brand seem less competent in the most important mission in human history.

TLDR; The scene pushes a sentimental, one-sided argument that ignores the full picture of human emotions, their evolutionary roles, and the very basics of physics. The scene leans into the tired rational-man vs. emotional-woman trope, making Brand feel more like a romanticized emotional foil to Cooper’s rationalism than a competent scientist. In a film that (mostly) aims for realism in its scientific principles, reducing its female scientist to the role of an intuitive idealist mystic weakens both her character and the credibility of the argument. This scene also undermines its own scientific credibility by framing love as a cosmic force while ignoring its evolutionary and biological roots.

INTERSTELLAR (2014) dir. Christopher Nolan

[thegreatstoryteller]

Female to Male Fridays!

The Great Shift: Meeting the Parents

“Are you sure you’re ok with this? We can still head home.” Jenny muttered. Clearly a bit nervous staring down at her boyfriend.

“Babe. It’s been almost a year since the Great Shift. I told you. Just because I’m unshifted, doesn’t mean I don’t want to meet your parents.” Youseff said smiling.

Jen and Youseff had met in their freshman year of college and immediately became close. They joined similar clubs, volunteered at the same food banks, and eventually friendship blossomed into romance one fateful summer night! The couple knew nothing could get between them and the love that they found… and a few years later that included the Great Shift. While Youseff remained unshifted, Jen Shale wasn’t so lucky.

They had agreed to meet at her sorority when the craziness of the Shift happened. Youseff was more than a bit surprised to find a larger older man in his 40s sitting nervously on Jen’s bed waiting for him! Since then many revelations have been shared with the couple. The first was Youseff coming out to his girlfriend as bi! He never had the courage to say it before and didn’t know how to share that part of his life with his girlfriend, but the shift offered a unique chance that worked out well with the couple. Two. Jen realized she was in a sports medicine professor who was quite in shape! He apparently was father to three student athletes on campus… and luckily her feelings for her boyfriend hadn’t wavered from the shift. A fact that they both enjoyed learning the first week of the Great Shift. Eventually the two became more comfortable with each other even buying a pair of matching pajamas!

It took quite some time for the world to get back in order. During that entire time communications were able to be set up with most families. Youseff’s family had many linear shifts, a term used by most of the world when your shift put you into someone very similar to your original body. His dad was a man his own age. His mother was a woman a few years younger than her. The only difference was his younger brother who now keeps telling Youseff to call him the bigger brother when he shifted into a former professional athlete. 

Jen’s family… was another story.

“And that brings us to today. Jen. I’m serious. I want to meet them. I know you’ve talked to them, but I haven’t. And when they invited us over for the holidays I thought it’d be the best chance to get to know them.” Youseff said hopefully, placing a hand against Jen’s cheek and training the thick salt and pepper stubble that was ever present no matter how close she shaved.

“I know- I know… but I told you before the shift that they were a bit much… and, well, now since the shift… they are still that! I guess… just… more…” Jen muttered nervously. A feat she seemed to still master despite her new commanding baritone. 

“They can’t be that bad.” Youseff said before knocking. And that’s when they heard heavy steps approaching the door.  

A handsome muscular man answered the door! He wore long pink dishwashing gloves and an apron! Aside from that he seemed to be wearing nothing else. The small potted flower he held seemed to be thriving!

“You must be Youseff! Jen has told us so much about you! Come in! Come in! I was just washing some dishes and watering the kitchen plants! We’re so glad to meet you. You can call me Margot! I’m Jen’s mother, or rather her second father!” Margot laughed. The man before them had a deep voice and almost a bro like tone. The motherly introduction he gave at odds with his gym bro form. 

“You must be hungry! I’ve been making lots of food these days. This young man I became had quite the appetite. And who could blame him. I’ve felt the urge to go to the gym almost every day of the week! Anyway, I just keep blabbering away! Have a mini quiche!” Margot led them to the living room where a small plate of appetizers awaited them.

“Wow, these are amazing Margot!” Youseff said digging in. I always wondered where Jen got her amazing cooking skills from.

“Awww! Jen! You didn’t mention your man was a little charmer.” Margot giggled as Jen blushed. 

“Mooom! Stop! You’re embarrassing me!” Jen complained burying her fuzzy face in her large hands. Her mom was always like this. If it wasn’t telling embarrassing stories about Jen, it was finding an excuse to show off her body. Ever since Margot got her new body she had been more than happy to show it off. She would say, “Well this young man clearly wanted to show off his muscles, who am I to cover them up!”. So bouncing around the house in her classic apron was just the way she dressed these days.

“Shush Jen. My little girl will never be too old for a little humor. Just because you have more grays on that head of yours than your father did pre shift, doesn’t mean you can’t laugh a little.” Margot teased.

“Speaking of where is Mr. Shale? Youseff asked.

“Well he’s always in the garage these days. When he got that 20 year old gymnast’s body, he’d become obsessed with the sport! I’ve got some biscuits to take out of the oven. You two should check on him.” Margot offered.

“Anything to get out of this conversation.” Jen groaned pulling Youseff towards the side of their home. As they opened the door to the garage they could see a handsome black man flexing in the mirror, wearing a tight singlet. The chalk on his hands implying a recent gymnastics routine.

“Jen! There’s my little girl turned big man!” Her dad said cutting his flexing short and heading towards Jen. Mr. Shale now was the shortest one in the family at 5’1. With his daughter at 6’0 and his wife at 5’10, the household tended to tower over him. However, he was more than happy with his new body.

“Hey dad, enjoying your gymnastics or whatever?” Jen half heartedly asked.

“Yes I am! I tell ya, being a few decades younger is great! Sure beats my beer belly and sore ankles. A 20 year old body like this is flexible. You can ask your mother if you don’t believe me.” Mr. Shale winked.

“Dad! Oh my gosh! NO! I brought Youseff here! Please don’t gross him out.” Jen screamed.

“Oh so this is the young man that’s caught my daughter’s eye. You can address me as Mr. Shale or sir. DO I make myself clear?”  Mr. Shale looked up at Youseff who just nodded. Despite the size difference between them Youseff was clearly intimidated by his dad-like tone. 

“Yes sir!”

“Good man. I guess I have you to thank for helping our dear Jen finally get some more manly clothes? For some reason she didn’t want my help with a new wardrobe.” Mr. Shale shook his head disappointed.

“Yeah! We actually had a lot of fun going to the store and finding clothes that fit. The toughest part was finding shoes in her new size.” Youseff conceded.

“Youseff!” Jen blushed. She knew it was true. With her larger feet, she realized just how difficult it was to find footwear that fit. The largest most places went up to was size 15. Her now size 18 feet were tough to find anywhere!

“Sorry babe, but it’s true. Plus you said you had a great time shopping. Like old times, remember? You said that you weren’t sure we’d find a single pair, but when we went to the Big and Tall store, they had a few shoes your size! Even sandals!” Youseff explained.

Jen just shook as her dad applauded Youseff’s resourcefulness!

Before long the family was finally all together to share a meal! Jen’s parents were loving her boyfriend, though he could see that she was clearly embarrassed throughout the whole dinner.

By the time they left Youseff was driving them back to their apartment, where he asked. “Jen? Are you alright? I… I’m guessing that night wasn’t the most pleasant for you?”

Jen just nodded and hugged her boyfriend. Her broad frame embracing him with a tight squeeze. “My parents just take a lot out of me. Before the shift they were overbearing in a different way and now… well now they are always just so comfortable in their new bodies! My mom started going to the gym almost every day with her old book club. Each of them became some kind of fitness influencer. And my dad! He won’t stop telling me how proud he is to have a son now and that I need to start acting more manly. I don’t get how they can be so well adjusted to all this! I… I thought I was getting there. With you… being this kind of man feels easy. Even more exciting at times too.”

“I do love your mustache.” Youseff noted, causing Jen to giggle.

“See. It’s stuff like that. You always make me feel like your partner… and… I guess I need more time before I start feeling like a member of my own family again and not some older hairy guy.” Jen admitted.

Youseff kissed her cheek. “I’m sorry I insisted we meet them so soon. I was so ready to take our relationship further and I was so nervous to meet them. But I forgot to consider how you were feeling about your parents. From now on, we can just focus on us.”

“I like that plan.” Jen smiled kissing back.

“Good. Maybe we can start with a pedicure tomorrow. I know you’ve been itching to try that out with your big new feet.” Youseff teased.

“Ha! These big new feet would love to get a pedicure. Maybe a foot massage later too!” Jen smiled, wiggling her big toes. When she was with Youseff she realized, maybe she could get used to this big body.

[curiousaur]

some people are predicting that gretchen will eventually be more into innie dylan because his outie counterpart is a 'fuck up' (source: innie dylan, 2025), and jfc that would be devastating. not just to outie dylan, but to innie dylan too.

we don't know why outie dylan has such a hard time keeping a job, but my reading right now is executive dysfunction, or maybe depression. in fact, por que no los dos. it's hard for outie dylan to thrive in a less structured environment, so naturally he's demotivated.

at lumon, innie dylan's life revolves around achievable ~perks. they dropped a video game powered off vibes on his lap and told him that being good at it is his entire life's purpose. lumon concocted tasks and goals that are within his reach. they also mythologized the meager tokens he gets for doing their bidding.

then one day, he meets his outie's wife who says she loves him. it stuns him because—well, he literally just met her. but more importantly, he has no idea why she'd love him. either version of him. like, 'what has either version of me done in order to merit your love?'

and if gretchen were to fall more in love with innie dylan, it would send a clear message to both innie and outie dylan. they'd take it as confirmation that he needs to be productive to be worthy of love.

[multi-fandom-imagine]

To go with the latest Fred fic you wrote - them finding out they’re having triplets?

A/n: Fred deserved this life 👏

Fred Weasley had never known a love so consuming until he became a father. Hell he never thought he would even get a chance of this life after the Battle of Hogwarts.

But.

Standing over the cribs, watching his three tiny miracles sleep soundly, he still couldn’t believe it.

Three.

Three beautiful, perfect, red-haired babies.

His triplets.

His and your triplets.

Fred exhaled softly, his chest tightening with overwhelming love and awe. Their little faces were peaceful, their tiny hands occasionally twitching in sleep, their chests rising and falling in the most delicate rhythm.

As he reached down, gently brushing his knuckle over one of their soft little cheeks, a flood of memories came rushing back.

The day they found out had been—well—chaotic.

Fred had walked into St. Mungo’s with you, excited but nervous, absolutely ready to hear about his future child. His arm wrapped protectively around your waist. He watched as you sat down on the examination chair, watched as she applied jelly to your belly.

One child.

That’s what he’d been expecting. One. Singular. A baby.

Then, the Healer had smiled far too brightly as they examined the scan.

“Congratulations, you two! You’re having—”

A Pause.

Fred had felt his stomach drop at the pause. Why was there a pause? His smile faltering on his lips as he squeezed your hand.

The Healer had turned to you both, beaming.

“Triplets!”

Then Silence.

Fred’s brain short-circuited. A strangled sound escaping his lips.

You, who had been clutching his hand, froze completely.

Then....

“Sorry—what?” Fred had asked, blinking rapidly.

“Triplets!” the Healer repeated cheerfully, pointing at the image. “See? Three little heartbeats, all strong and healthy!” Her fingers pointing to each little blob on the screen.

Fred had made another strangled noise, his grip tightening on your hand. He could feel his knees almost buckle out from under him.

You, on the other hand, had just stared at the screen, your eyes comically wide.

“Fred,” you had whispered, your voice shockingly calm.

“Yes, love?”

“We are having three babies.”

Fred had nodded dumbly a little "hmmh" leaving his lips.

You had continued staring.

Then, suddenly, had burst into tears.

Fred had panicked instantly.

“Oh, bloody hell! love—are you okay?”

You had just nodded between sobs, gripping his hand so tightly his fingers had turned white.

“There’s three of them, Fred!” You had wailed, shaking slightly.

Fred had absolutely no idea if you were crying because you were happy, overwhelmed, or just spiraling into hormonal shock.

So naturally, he had done what any loving, supportive husband would do.

He had fainted.

Right there.

In the bloody Healer’s office.

Fred smirked to himself, watching the babies twitch in their sleep.

When he had woken up, flat on the Healer’s floor, you had been hovering over him, still crying but also laughing hysterically.

“You—you fainted?” she had choked out between sniffles.

Fred had blinked up at you, still woozy. “You cried first!”

You had snorted, wiping your eyes. “I was emotional!”

Fred had groaned, covering his face. “We are so doomed.”

And yet—here they were.

Surviving.

Thriving.

And most important of all.

Raising their three little miracles together.

Fred smiled softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the forehead of his daughter, then his two sons.

He turned, glancing at you, who was curled up on the nearby chair, dozing lightly.

His heart swelled.

Reaching over, he brushed a stray curl from your face, his thumb tracing your cheek lovingly.

Then, looking back at their sleeping babies, he whispered, so softly it was barely audible—

“Best surprise of my life.”

[cfierce116]

No Sleep Part Three

A/N: Woooowwwwww. It took me an entire six months but I finally decided to pop up once again. I never intended to take this long of a break but I was not in a good place mentally and needed a break. But I couldn't let this story go just yet so here we are. Thank you for all the love Part One and Part Two received. I believe there's one more part remaining but it's still a work in progress. Promise it won't take me another six-ish months to complete. Enjoy.

*Pairings: Jey Uso/OC (black fem)

*Warnings: 18+

*Word Count: Approximately 3900 words.

Jon placed the two dumbbells he was using on the rack and turned to face his brothers. “So yall got anything else to do before we head to the arena?”  

Sefa sat up on the bench he was laying on and shook his head. He bent over to grab his bottle of water and took a large gulp. “Just take a quick shower. What about you Uce?” 

Silence followed Sefa’s question causing him and Jon to look over towards Josh. They snickered quietly as they watched him staring at the scene before him.

Jon shook his head while he walked towards his twin before he stood directly next to him. He snapped his fingers in his face. “Yo Uce!” 

Josh snapped back to reality at the sound of Jon’s voice. He glanced over his shoulders to his brothers. “What’s up?” 

“We tryna see if you had anything else to do before we left for the arena,” Sefa explained. “But you ain’t hear us because you’re too busy starin at Imani. Again.”  

Josh smacked his lips. “I ain’t staring at Imani.”  He grabbed the dumbbells he was using and started walking towards the rack to place the weights back. 

“You definitely starin at her like a love sick puppy Uce. Like you’ve been doing since she got called up to the main roster,” Jon countered with a chuckle. “Just go talk to her. You know you want to.” 

Josh glanced over his shoulders towards the area where Imani stood talking to Krystle. He studied her as she laughed at something Krystle said, her hands twisting her hair in a sloppy bun revealing her sweat drenched neck and chest. Jon was right - he did want to talk to Imani. Had been wanting to talk to her since it was revealed she was the newest member of the Smackdown commentary team. But he just couldn’t force himself to make the first move.

It had been a little over three months since the night they shared in Sefa and Krystle’s living room and things had not progressed the way he hoped. One moment they’re falling asleep together in Sefa and Krystle’s guest room, sharing kisses. Then the next morning he woke up alone, all traces of Imani gone. If it wasn’t for Sefa mean mugging him for hooking up with his girlfriend’s best friend on his “fuckin couch” and Krystle constantly teasing him about it as they rode to the airport, Josh would’ve thought that night was a dream. But it did happen and what he thought would be a step forward into getting to know Imani on a deeper level didn’t pan out the way he hoped. Josh couldn’t help but feel disappointed that he didn’t at least exchange numbers with her so he could keep in touch with her and link up with one another the next time he was in town. Hell he even tried a few times to reach out to her on Instagram. But his messages went unanswered and it became clear to him that despite the connection he thought they formed Imani didn’t want anything to do with him.

Nonetheless Josh didn’t have time to mope. For the first time in his career he was on top of the WWE landscape as a singles competitor, garnering deafening reactions from fans on a weekly basis.  He was one of the company’s top merch sellers and was constantly booked and busy with various meet and greets and interviews. His career was thriving and he was so thankful to be in the position he was in. He quickly saw his free time dwindling away between handling his job duties and raising his sons while his popularity quickly skyrocketed.  

The more he was featured, the more women started to desire him. Whether he was walking through the concourse and the crowd during his entrance, trying to check into his hotel after shows, or just trying to get a bite to eat when he was home women were constantly making a move on him in hopes of hooking up with the newest company heartthrob. And sure getting attention from so many women was an enormous ego boost and if he was younger he would’ve indulged in the perks of his newfound fame. 

However, the man he was now simply didn’t find that enjoyable. 

Josh attempted to use his packed schedule to distract him but there were times when he found himself thinking about how he had reached a point in his life where he craved something deeper than a meaningless hook up. Watching Jon and Sefa settle down with women they adored forced him to realize he wanted the same thing. He wanted somebody that he could be himself with. A woman that could relax him and take his mind off of work whenever they spent time together. Somebody that adored Joshua Fatu instead of being infatuated with Jey Uso. And although he did everything he could to ignore the nagging voice in the back of his mind he knew there was only one woman that fit that role. 

Josh glanced back towards the area Imani and Krystle were to see that they were no longer there. With a sigh, he turned to face Jon and Sefa who by now were gathering their belongings to leave. He grabbed his own bag and slung the strap over his shoulder and followed his brothers out of the gym and to Sefa’s rental car. Once they were all inside Sefa pulled out of the parking lot to head to the hotel. 

The car stopped at a red light and Josh sighed. “I’on even know what to say to her.” 

Jon laughed as he focused on the text he was typing on his phone while he sat in the passenger seat. “So you mean to tell me you eat her pussy-”  

“On my fuckin couch,” Sefa interjected with a scowl. 

“And now you don’t know how to talk to her? Uce you turning shy on us?” 

Josh rolled his eyes. “I ain’t say I’on know how to talk to her. I said I’on know what to say to her. It’s just…she’s just…like…” He trailed off and sighed again. “Like y’all know I fuckin like her. And after what happened that night I thought she was feelin’ me too. But now I’on know. It’s been months Uce and she ain’t respond to any of my messages. Hell she ain’t even approached me backstage since she came up. Maybe she don’t want shit to do with me,” Josh conceeded with a defeated shrug of his shoulders. 

“Nah she likes you Uce,” Sefa replied from his seat. “Krys says it takes a lot for Imani to let somebody in. So if she went that far with you she’s definitely feelin you.” 

“And have you even thought that maybe she don’t know what to say to you either Uce?” Jon added. “One moment you’re her best friend’s boyfriend's older brother. The next you’re face deep in her pussy. That’s a sharp ass turnaround.” 

Josh hummed softly as the car pulled away from the stoplight. When he showed up to the restaurant that night the most he imagined was he would finally reveal the crush he had on Imani for the past year, a crush that formed the night he met her at Krys and Sefa’s housewarming party. Hell he didn’t even think he would’ve been lucky enough to get a kiss.  But what occurred between the two of them that night was much better than what he imagined. The way Imani responded to their kisses and the way her body reacted as he feasted on her made him believe she liked him as much as he liked her. While the lack of communication from her made his confidence falter a bit he knew both of his brothers had a point. 

“So any ideas on what I should do?” Josh asked, quickly glancing towards his brothers. This was unknown territory for him and he would be grateful for any advice they would have.

“Well I would suggest you stop being a bitch first off,” Jon stated. He chuckled as Josh leaned forward and punched him in the arm. “Seriously Uce. Just talk to Imani. The whole staring at her like a stalker isn’t going to help your case.”

“Don’t be too pushy and shit but let her know exactly what you want,” Sefa added.  “But be sure she’s actually who you want and don’t play games with her. Because if you hurt her Krys will hurt you and I ain’t tryna get in the middle of that shit.” 

Josh nodded as Sefa finally pulled into the hotel parking lot and parked in the first free space he saw. As the trio made their way towards their rooms to shower, Josh realized in order for him to get the one person he wanted, he was going to have to take matters into his own hands.

*

“You know Mani I have to commend you. You’re very talented.” 

Imani stopped fluffing her curled hair and stared at Krystle’s reflection in the mirror.

“What do you mean by that?” 

“Like I don’t know how you managed to avoid the man that gave you the best orgasm of your life despite working in the same company as him but somehow you’ve managed to do it. That’s real talent.” 

“Shhhhh,” Imani hissed, her widened eyes darting around to see if anybody heard Krystle. “Keep your voice down!” 

“Oh girl first of all ain’t nobody around to hear us. Secondly if they are they wouldn’t care. Everybody hook up with everybody in this company like it’s a season of Love Island. Hell look at me.” 

“I don’t care if that’s a common occurrence Krys. I just don’t want nobody knowing my business. After all the hell you’ve given me these past few months I’m regretting that you know my business.” 

Krystle laughed as she hopped off the stool she was sitting on. She crossed her arms over her chest. “You mad that I know your business but you had my boyfriend’s big brother eating your pussy in my living room on my fuckin couch? Do you know how insane that sounds?” 

Imani groaned as she covered her face with her hands, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red. “I still can’t believe that happened. I don’t know what got into me.” 

“Well if you mix liquor loosening you up plus being alone with your crush plus the fact that you had been celibate for the past year it was inevitable you were gonna combust both literally and figuratively,” Krystle explained with a wide grin. 

Imani flipped Krystle the middle finger making the younger woman giggle again. “If anything I have you to blame for this shit even happening Krystle Washington.” 

Krystle placed her hand on her chest and gasped. “What? Me?!”

“Yes you. Why the hell didn’t you tell me Josh liked me? And that he begged you to let him come to the dinner?”

Krystle’s lips curled into another sheepish grin. “I didn’t tell you because I knew if you heard it from me you would’ve thought I was making shit up or you would’ve tried to back out of the dinner. I’m just glad he finally told you so I could stop keeping the fuckin’ secret.  Although you would’ve known if you were able to take a hint.” 

Imani placed a hand on her hip and raised a brow. “Excuse me? What does that mean?”

“It means you’re so fuckin book smart but are oblivious to the most obvious signs when it comes to men. For some reason you’ve convinced yourself that you’re this basic forgettable plain jane and you’re not. You’re beautiful and charming and smart. Men ogle you all the time but when Josh sees you he’s damn near salivating. He’s always gawking at you when you talk. That night he made sure to always be near you at the restaurant and when we went back to our house,” Krystle explained. “And you would’ve remained clueless if he didn’t shove his tongue down your throat and up your pussy. But he finally grew some balls and made a move that I thought would at least lead y’all to the next step. Instead you’re avoiding him and refusing to talk to him.” 

“I’m not avoi-”

“The moment you saw him at the gym today you sprinted out of there Mani. Quit playing.” Krystle walked in front of Imani and placed her hands on her shoulders. “C’mon now it’s me. Krys. Your best friend. Stop faking like I don’t know you and tell me what’s your problem.” 

Imani bit the corner of her bottom lip as she fidgeted under Krystle’s watchful gaze, bouncing her weight from one leg and then the other. She shrugged. “I just figured it was a one night type of thing you know? Like we were both caught up in the moment and did what felt right at that time. But I didn’t want to delude myself into thinking it actually meant something. Not when he can get any woman he wants.” 

Krystle shook her head with a laugh. “Like I said you are fuckin clueless. The way that man used to talk Sefa’s ear off about you before Sefa finally told me the truth proves he likes you past a one night stand. Do you know how long I tried to convince him to make a move on you? He constantly told me he would but would chicken out every fuckin time.” 

Imani’s brow furrowed in confusion. “But why? He’s Jey Uso. He can have any woman he wants.” 

“Yes Jey Uso can get any woman he wants. But Joshua Fatu wants you Imani,” Krystle said,  emphasizing her statement with a poke to Imani’s chest.  “Jey Uso is this outgoing life of the party type of character. But Josh is more reserved. He may not be a loner like Sefa but it takes a lot to warm up to people kinda like you. Y’all have similar temperaments and I think that’s why he is drawn to you. ” 

“Really?”

Krystle nodded. “Also you kinda intimidate him. Sefa says for some reason Josh thinks he has to be this perfect guy to get your attention so he never felt he was in your league. By the time your birthday dinner came around I was so tired of him telling me he was gonna make a move and not do a damn thing. I almost didn’t let him come. But of course Sefa had to stick up for his brother and we know I can barely say no to him.” 

“Oh trust me I know,” Imani said with a playful roll of her eyes making Krystle smack her lips.

“So I let him come to the dinner and like I predicted you two hit it off once you finally let your guard down. Now if only I can get you two to stop avoiding one another and talk some shit out.” 

Imani shook her head. “Krys I don’t know. Like I hear what you’re saying but maybe too much time has passed. I’ve ignored all his DMs. I basically ignore him whenever we both are backstage. I wouldn’t be surprised if he decided I wasn’t worth the trouble and moved on.”

“How about you ask me instead of assumin’ shit?” 

Imani's body stiffened at the sound of the familiar deep voice. She turned on her heel to see Josh standing behind her and Krystle. Imani’s eyes inadvertently dragged over his frame, his upper half covered in a cropped version of his newest merch shirt and grey sweatpants covering his lower body. Her gaze snapped back to his face and she felt her pulse quicken when she found him ogling her body as well, his tongue licking his bottom lip. 

Krystle glanced between Imani and Josh and pursed her lips together to stifle the smile from breaking free. She grabbed her fanny pack she wore while running around preparing for the show from the table. “Wow would you look at the time? Lemme start getting ready for the show. Mani I’ll talk to you later.” 

Before Imani could protest Krystle hastily made her exit leaving her alone with Josh. A shaky hand pushed an errant curl behind her ear as she silently tried to instruct her heartbeat to return to its normal beating rhythm. This was the first time they were face to face since that night at Krystle and Sefa’s house. And somehow he managed to look even sexier than he did that night.

It just wasn’t fuckin fair. 

Imani parted her lips to speak when Josh reached forward and gently grabbed her wrist. Goosebumps pricked her skin as he silently led her away from the corridor that was now filling up with other WWE personnel and crew. The two eventually stepped inside an empty room. Josh flicked on the light as he closed the door and locked it. Imani subconsciously wrapped her arms around herself as she stood a great distance away from him, her mind screaming at her that it was not a good idea to be in such close proximity with him while her feet refused to move.

“Is that what you want?”

The question interrupted Imani’s thoughts. Her head jerked towards Josh. “Huh?”

“You want me to forget about that night and move onto the next woman? Is that what you want me to do Imani?”

Imani parted her lips to respond before closing them again. The question lingered in the air between the two before she exhaled softly and shook her head. “I wouldn’t blame you if you did. But no, that’s not what I want.” 

Relief flickered over Josh’s face as his shoulders fully relaxed. “So why you disappear the way you did? And why ain’t you replied to any of my DMs? And why you been avoidin me since you got called up?” 

Imani’s head dropped in response to Josh’s questions. He had every right to ask them but that would mean she had to finally admit what she had tried to bury. 

“I guess once I came back down to reality I realized how out of character that moment between us was for me. I'm not usually in those type of situations so I didn’t know how to behave afterwards. And I truly did want to stay until you woke up but I was worried how you would react. Part of me was hoping we could build off of that moment. But my logic told me that I shouldn’t get my hopes up. That what happened the night before didn't truly mean anything.” 

Josh stepped closer to Imani. “It meant something to me. And I know it meant something to you too. Didn't it?"

Imani nodded. "It did."

"You know you coulda just talked to me ya know. Instead of letting yo'self second guess everything we coulda talked things out Mani."

“I know. But I fuckin panicked. I'm used to being the logical one. Calm. Collected. But with you I just short circuit and forget how to think," Imani said with a tense laugh. 

“Ay I get it. I ain’t think it was gonna go as far as it did either. But there’s nothing to be ashamed about.  We grown as hell and are attracted to each other. I don’t regret a fuckin thing that happened that night. Do you?” 

Memories flooded Imani’s brain of that night: The way Josh’s lips perfectly molded with hers. How his touch set her skin aflame and plucked her in all the right places. The way his tongue made her back arch with desire before she was bombarded with the best orgasm she ever experienced. The way his doe like eyes glistened with adoration and desire when he looked at her afterwards. How perfect it felt to fall asleep in his arms. 

Imani slowly shook her head. “No.” 

Her eyes instinctively lifted to meet his and she inhaled a sudden breath when she saw how close Josh was to her, his chest pressing against hers lightly. Her body was barricaded between his muscular frame and the wall.  His intense and unwavering gaze studied her face and his thumb gently traced her jawline causing a stuttered breath to flow from her mouth.

“I missed you.”

Without another word, Josh captured Imani’s lips in a heated kiss. She felt her resolve crumble like a pile of bricks on a demolished building  as her arms immediately wrapped around his neck to pull him closer to her. Their lips moved together in tandem as Josh’s large hands grabbed Imani’s hips to hold her in place. Imani’s soft moan flowed through her parted lips allowing Josh’s tongue to slide into her mouth. The moment their tongues touched Josh’s deep groan filled the room, the sound making Imani dizzy with lust as she felt a familiar throb between her legs that was covered in the pink and white floral dress she wore.

The jarring sound of Imani’s phone alarm interrupted the moment.  Imani begrudgingly sighed at the noise and detached her lips from Josh’s. “I have to go get my makeup done for the show tonight,” she stated quietly, silently wishing she had the courage to say fuck her responsibilities so she could continue making out with Josh. 

Josh silently cursed as he quickly remembered they were indeed at work. He quickly pecked Imani’s lips before reluctantly pulling away. He grabbed her hand as he started walking her towards the door. “I would say we can continue this after the show but I gotta head straight to the airport after the show tonight. But I’ll be in Florida in a couple of weeks after I get back from this overseas tour. So lemme take you out.”

“Like out on a date?” Imani asked with a slight stutter. 

Josh nodded. “Yeah like a date.”

“When? And where? And what time? And how should I-” Imani trailed off as Josh chuckled softly. She folded her arms over her chest and pouted. “What’s so damn funny?”

“You are bae. Krys was right - you do like to be in control of everything don’t you?” 

Imani rolled her eyes. “I’m not trying to be in control. I just need to know more details so I can be better prepared. That’s all.”

Josh turned to face Imani and leaned against the door. Amusement twinkled in his stare as he looked at Imani before he reached forward and grabbed her arm gently to pull her body into his. A soft whimper fell from her full lips as her groin collided with his before he grabbed a handful of her ass and kissed her again. Imani’s smaller hands pressed against his chest to hold herself steady as she returned the kiss with as much intensity as she could muster. By the time they pulled away both of their lips were swollen and Josh’s eyes held a glazed over gleam while Imani’s chest heaved up and down with every breath she took.

“Just let me take charge this time bae. So what you say?” 

Imani’s brain screeched at her that she needed more information and leaving all of the decision making to Josh would not bode well. However, her remaining thoughts quickly disappeared as she watched his eyes drag over her frame again as he simultaneously squeezed her ass. 

“Ok. I’ll go out with you,” she agreed.

Josh smiled. “See how easy that was?” he asked. He laughed again when Imani playfully sucked her teeth.

Josh opened the door and glanced around the hallway. Once he determined the coast was clear, he pulled Imani out of the room. He wrapped her up in a tight hug and pecked her temple, inhaling the familiar citrusy floral perfume permeating in her hair. 

“Just trust me. You won't regret it," Josh whispered into her hair. He pulled away and with one last look turned to sprint down the hallway towards the locker room while Imani stared at his retreating form, her fingers softly caressing her lips.

*

Tag List: @krysxtotheo @lisayourworries @whatdoeseverybodywant @vebner37 @amandairene88

[nerdishpursuits]

I need Marta to tell Joaquin she doesn't work with liars, manipulators and traitors. That the very foundations of such a team, built on shaky ground, won't and cannot hold. So I find myself hoping she turns down the position he offered, mostly because it's nothing but a strategy to send her into exile. Just like upon the ascension of a new emperor, the generals of the previous dynasty would be sent to the furthermost reaches of the empire? That's what Joaquin is trying to achieve with Marta. Neutralize the threat she poses. And let's not forget he only offers this position at Digna's behest. After all, she's the one who silently leads from the shadows. Honestly, the audacity of this man. Just two days ago he was questioning Marta's judgement, unjustly accusing her of mismanagement and using deceit to gain the upper hand. Now he sits her down to gaslight her with empty words and an even emptier heart. At least, I wasn't convinced by his spiel. It's hypocritical and disingenuous and sounds hollow, especially after everything he put her through. So no, I don't think he is trustworthy. Funny how the tables have turned and we find ourselves rooting for the de la Reina instead of the Merino. Remains to be seen how Marta chooses to respond. She loves the company and wants it to thrive. But she's also hurt and, I think, learning that her trust in certain people was misplaced. Therefore, I find myself wishing she would call him out on his bullshit, more than she already has. Leave him scrambling to fill the void he'd have on his hands were she to decline. Because I can totally see them requiring she clean up their mess in the future, only to claim her accomplishments as their own. We'll see what business strategy Marta will opt for. But the Merino are already making bad decisions and I want that front-row seat to their demise. For all their talk of fairness and morality, the beginning of their era is marked by treason and deceit. I'd wager those aren't good omens. Ultimately, they will become the very thing they claim to hate and their downfall will be celebrated. It also amuses me how Joaquin acts like his family is entitled to the entire company and treats the directorship as his birthright and not something that is earned. The delusions are strong with this one. After all ... it's MeriNO, not MeriSI.

I can totally see Marta being the bigger person though, yet again. As opposed to these people, she's always been fair, just and kind to boot. Truly, no one but Fina deserves her.

[thatbitchery]

When it comes to society and hierarchy the most important thing to remember is hierarchy is completely dependent on behavior and is reinforced by rejection and seperation.

DO NOT BE FRIENDS WITH LOW LEVEL PEOPLE.

Storytime- to make up for the overabundance of time I suddenly have I decided to join an exclusive gym and do activities and all that plus gym is a great place to network especially with the local Pilates WAGS. I'm new so we do that thing where we sniff each other out to test for hierarchy and obviously I am smiling and acquainted with everyone for the first few days- leaving the door open to be friends and then taking a step back and letting them fall to me if they so wish. So today I decide to go swimming in the indoor pool and this G that I know is dating a pretty high level man and has a thriving business is changing, as we all are in the lockers, and suddenly she tenses up and its like huh. They play petty stupid kindergarten power games in the new rich and I thought by now I'd be used to it and then I turn and this CLEANER is throwing miss thriving dating a millionaire a stink eye and the girl is shivering under it. Not just her- a couple of them. I'm like huh. Drama. GOD I LOVE DRAMA so I lay back watch the scene unfold. It's a work of art this one and I'm fully invested. And it's so obvious what happened. With my eyes closed I could tell you exactly what happened, the girls were too friendly with her at the beginning making all sorts of allowances for her and leaving space for her to exist peacefully while pushing their desires away (Like you know when someone is cleaning the floor and you do that thing where you walk through like you're walking on lava? EW) and now she's being passive aggressive and it's unsafe for them. So you have the one paying top dollar for an exclusive experience shying from a medium wage underpaid overworked nobody from God knows where. & I've seen this dynamic play out for so long where the children of Oligarchs and literal royalty gets harrassed and pushed around by the children of mistresses and middle class people. I've done my fair share of bullying and harassing I know hoe to pick em, and I can tell you from the onset who is the omega and who is the sigma (alspha is always open space) and the desire to be liked by the low levels sits very high in the lists of indicators.

When someone with a safety marker (Power, beauty, money or status) plays nice with or even engages on a same level with the lower classes they become untrustworthy and immediately weak. The safety in these things in the unattainability of them, how removed they are- so when they become accessible they become weak and lose meaning and they punsih you for degrading yourself. Men can get away with it but women could never. The Serena Van Der Woodsen fantasy of a pretty rich girl is a lie. When people lower than you see you being friendly with them and sacrificing etc they try to steal your power by degrading you and sometimes they succeed. Candace Owens X Taylor Swift X Beyonce are a great example of this. Beyonce and Taylor did not establish their boundaries early in their careers and tried to be relatable and not Divas and vampires like Candace saw the opportunity and took it. Women like Rihanna and Nicki Minaj are the exact opposite of what Candace Owens preach but do you see her try her? While Beyonce and Taylor are so close to the christian Southern dystopian reality she wants so bad. Why? they made it very clear from day one they will run you up do not even try. They don't try to be relatable or cute or nice they throw it in your face yes I actually did say I'm better than you what about it? In the same way when pretty girls date broke ugly men they get run over becuase the men are punishing them for being weak and steal their power bc power can not be created, only transferred.

The more you make allowances for people the more they despise you. The Blair Waldorfs and Alison DeLaurentis of the world and mean girls have an easy time despite everyone acting like they can't stand them because they are not weak. I'm not saying go out of your way to be terrible like some insecure little idiot I'm saying do not make allowances if it's not required and let people serve you. Stop smiling too much and stop trying to make space for people. And stoppp trying to be friends with people lower than you, let them know the option is open and show them a glimpse of what it could be, then step back and let them work for it. People lower than you are jealous of you. they want to be you. That cleaning hipoppotamus broke ugly girl wants to be in that sauna, but she cant. So she makes it the problem of the people that are that will let her. And in that way, she feels bigger than them. And they let that happen the second they started randomly smiling and saying hi and calling her 'girl'. If they just walked in, did the gym, networked smart with their own level and went home, they wouldn't freeze over someone they probably could buy.

[penguinlife]

There was no betrayal

It is upsetting to me how many people are lashing out at Luke or even the dancer. He did not betray anyone. We saw him with her after the London premiere. We knew there was something there. It is not a shock that they went to the Boss (I want to say show??) Thingy. It was very interesting to see him actually interacting with her in a way that looks like they are together. The handhold thing was actually him helping her step over the pavement. Ever the gentlemen. He was rubbing her back and smiling and talking, and she even did a butt grab. I know everyone is comparing it with the WT and how he is around Nic. And that is not really fair. Nic and he has a long friendship. Nic is warm and very affectionate. Everyone can see they love each other. And it is a jump from friends to lovers. It was a very scary jump. Like they said in that one interview, you risk losing your very best friend.

Has something happened with Nic and Luke. I still say yes. This is a hill I have planted my flag on. Do I believe the dancer has been a continuous thing. F@CK NO. I believe it is very much an on and off again situationship.

Do I believe feelings have been hurt. YES. I think on both sides, Nic and Luke. Do I think they are currently in a good place. No.

Is Nic dating Jake. I hope not. But considering the past 24hrs. Who knows. He might be the only straight man in the world who has mostly gay friends. Hangs out with them separately in date like situations. Kiss them on the cheek, be kissed on the cheek by them. Be called a loving endearment that means gay young attractive man. That saying, if it acts like a duck, quacks like a duck, it is probably a duck. Jake has grown on me. But more like someone whose career I want to follow. Not in a f@cking weird ass relationship with a woman 14 years older, wiser, and way more accomplished than him. I love Nic. But gross. Please find someone at least close to your age.

Both these relationships are doing damage to Luke and Nics careers. It is what it is. Luke looked so unbelievably hot yesterday. If he went to the event alone, it would've been so impactful. But all anyone is talking about is the presence of the dancer.

I don't know her, but I really don't like her. When they part ways, I will immediately forget she ever existed.

The only thing that is a positive is that now, for the love of everything that is sane, stop with the pregnancy rumours.

I want Luke's career to thrive. And separating his image from Nic and Bridgerton is not the way to go. But you do you boo.

Am I still hoping that they wake up and get together, yes. That will never change. But for now, I will wait and see.

I am dying to see if Luke actually includes pics of the dancer in his inevitable Boss post. I really hope his publisher stops him.

I just want to say something about PR relationships. They have to be mutually beneficial. Neither Luke and A nor Nic and Jake are beneficial. They received way more negative attention than positive. I can promise you Luke's camp was not happy to see A at his side. The long creepy video that was filmed and may I add edited to all the highlights was definitely from her camp.

[sincerely-sofie]

It’s Narilamb fankid hours.

[fromtheseventhhell]

George did not write Arya naming babies in Winterfell and taking care of a child in the middle of a WARZONE just for y'all to say she's not going to end up with kids/family because she's "not that type of character" 😒

[crimeronan]

my mom's true crime youtube channel is nearing 5k subscribers and she's already gotten monetized after three months and keeps getting dozens-to-hundreds of comments per video going "your perspective is so insightful and intelligent!! always excited to hear your analysis of a situation!!"

when we talk she keeps being like "i don't even care about the money, i'm just so excited that people want to listen to what i have to say" and i'm just like. SO proud of her. yes mom thank you GOD. get the recognition and love you deserve. fantastic to witness in real time!!

[messangerforthestars]

“We need more morally gray characters” you guys can barely handle topaz and jade.

[completeoveranalysis]

[8]

Ah there we go. The pain.

Heartbreaking sadness aside I think we can safely confirm Parents as the correct answer. And so was Body memory!

Now would be a pretty good time to be able to touch the skin of other men and give Watanuki a hug but we all know that’s not going to happen. 

Ok no yeah I like this too. Doumeki says his name but Watanuki is so distressed that he wrenches free and runs through the house yelling for Yuuko.

He is. Having a Time.

The paaaain.

[dailykugisaki]

Day 151 | id in alt

At least one first year is enjoying themselves as a sorcerer.

[incoherent-orca]

💭

🐳

a lot of the writing of malevolent chap. 43-44 irks me but particularly a lot of cool threads it could have gone down instead of john's s1-s4 sparknotes recap

we were robbed of the chance to see John taking over the body completely (like is implied will happen in s1 finale if Arthur dies) and him enjoying the experience, only to ultimately choose to resurrect Arthur at great cost to himself

bonus points of Arthur's body comes back,,,, changed, a marker of John's brief control

cause not only do you pull a character death fake-out but you also give them no consequences besides having to recover from injury. no missing limbs? no bodily functions that John has to supplement with eldritch magic? man got his stomach ripped out, is he forced to feed on fear and worship now?

time to find humanity in your own monstrosity bitch

how'd YOU like it if you were the eldritch being trying to prove that you're still human despite it all

it's about the parallels!!

also i think choosing to delay John projecting out of Arthur's corpse for the middle of the episode was ? weird choice

i just think it's an incredibly human thing to lose yourself and lose control when your loved ones are dying right in front of you, instead of having a heart-to-heart with their killer !

we could've had John manifest the moment Arthur got stabbed in the maze, to hammer in that it's an instinctual survival thing. maybe the strain of projecting even contributes to Arthur's actual death 👁️👁️

EDIT:

OR WHAT IF S5 COULD'VE FOCUSED ON JOHN PILOTING THE BODY BUT TRYING TO RESURRECT ARTHUR

not the whole season maybe, but come onnnn make it a quest for a bit

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

What's your opinion on malewife/house husband Adrien posts? I asked this to another blog, and like I said to them, I find them a guilty pleasure: The concept is cute, but I know that would be the last thing Adrien would ever wanna be after all his dad put him through.

I don't think that it would be the last thing that Adrien would ever want. I actually think it suits his character in a lot of ways, you just have to handle the topic with care.

First let's talk about why it suits him.

Miraculous has totally failed to give Adrien any sort of career-based passion and - if we ignore the senti complication - I honestly love that for him! I want more characters with no major life ambitions to balance out the Marinettes of the world!

I think that society places way too much pressure and value on finding the perfect career that fulfills us in every way while also allowing us to put food on the table. Most people will never find that and that's okay. It doesn't mean that you've failed or that you're lesser. For most people, the goal is to find a career that pays the bills and that you enjoy enough that you don't hate doing it 40hrs/week. Along similar lines, for most people, your passion will be something that doesn't make money. It will be something like a hobby or spending time with those you love or analyzing badly written French TV shows.

This brings us back to Adrien.

Adrien seems to get a great deal of joy from being around his loved ones and making them happy, so I can absolutely picture him finding a lot of joy in running a home. This is extra true because Marinette is pretty clearly career driven and she's planning to go into a creative field, so she'll probably have a pretty crazy schedule and struggle to stay on top of it all. Having a loving husband to take things like cooking and cleaning off of her plate would be a blessing and a gift that she'd greatly appreciate, but that would feel unbalanced if Adrien was working, too. (Yes, they could hire staff, but that risks the secret identity thing, so I don't see them doing that.)

If they both have power careers, then they'd barely see each other and I hate that for them. I think that it would make Adrien incredibly sad and depressed. Plus, while Marinette thrives off of competition and staying busy, only needing occasional breaks before diving right back in, Adrien seems to hate busy schedules and heavy work loads.

Given all of that, I think that there's a lot to be said for Adrien stepping away from the working world. Especially since he's been in it for years and being a child celebrity is no joke! I think it would be nice for him to escape from strict schedules and expectations. Dinner fails? Order takeout!

While we're on the topic of food, I really like the idea of Adrien falling in love with cooking. Dude needs a creative outlet and that's honestly a great one (I hate it when people write characters as unable to figure out cooking like it's some cute quirk. While an initial struggle is believable, it's not a mystical art that takes years of practice. Between YouTube, the wider Internet, and maybe some classes if he wants to get fancy, I think that he'll be fine.) There's so much variety with what you can do in the kitchen and the end result gets to be shared and appreciated by those you love. It just seems like a perfect fit for him, but I would never make him a professional chef because the hours are insane and the pressure to be perfect is high. I only see him loving it as a hobby where he can go at his own pace, take days off, and make lazy meals when he's not feeling like being a show off.

The big concerns that come with making him a homemaker are a lack of financial independence and a lack of socialization. I don't see the first thing as an issue for Adrien since he comes from a wealthy family, so that one doesn't phase me.

The isolation could very easily be an issue, but it could just as easily be a problem if he started working, too. It's not as if a job is a sure way to have friends or even just consistent positive social interactions, which is another reason why I don't really see a need to give him a traditional job. You can get a vibrant social life in lots of other ways.

Here are the two big things that I keep in mind when writing an Adrien-as-a-homemaker or similar setup as it is where I tend to have Adrien land for all of the above reasons:

Adrien needs to be active in some organization or project. Volunteer work is a good fit as is being an active stay-at-home parent or some combination of the two. Voice acting is also on my radar, but my default is to have him act as the head of team miraculous' out-of-battle activities. Scheduling meet and greets. Going to see sick kids. Jetting around the world for humanitarian aid missions. Basically let Chat Noir be his "career" which gives him a lot of much needed flexibility for making his own schedule, especially if he's a stay-at-home parent to any eventual kids. I also like the poetic nature of Adrien finally being proud to be the face of a "brand" via his hero side while his civilian side becomes just some guy that people kind of remember from old ads.

Consider having a non-traditional living arrangement. I am a big fan of hero teams living together, so my default is to take the Agreste mansion and remodel it into a secret HQ for the team. Adrien and Marinette would have their own apartment/wing/whatever, but they'd still be surrounded by their found family on a near-daily basis, so that social isolation is the last thing on Adrien's mind. There's almost always someone to hang out with! You could also just have Alya and Nino or other friends live in the same apartment building so that they're over a lot/Adrien has a place to hang when Marinette is working late because you know that she'd do that.

Basically, Adrien's rich, so he doesn't need to make money and he doesn't seem to have any interest in a normal job, so I really like letting him having a unique life where he doesn't have a traditional job. He is a superhero, after all. Unique career paths are pretty par for the course. You just have to be careful to make sure that all of this feels like his fully informed and carefully considered choice and not like you forced it on him to make Marinette's life perfect (I only brought her up earlier because this is a story and it makes sense to design characters around each other). I usually do this by sending Adrien to therapy in his late teens or by giving him some other parth of self discovery.

Do note that all of the above is inspired by my read of Adrien which may be totally different from your read of him and that's fine! I just can't picture him as someone who thrives in a traditional career path based on knowing people who strike me as similar to him and from whom I draw my understanding of how to write that part of Adrien's character. I think that he'd be perfectly able to have a traditional career path, but I also think that he'd be pretty miserable for a lot of reasons.

I'll also note that I'm not sure what posts spawned this ask, so there may be elements of those that I'd have criticisms of. This post was about the general concept of Adrien being a homemaker. I tend to avoid the broader fandom for my own sanity and the use of the term "malewife" has me concerned that I'm implying support of something I wouldn't actually support because that's a new one for me and it sounds incredibly sexist.

I'm not a fan of implying that the default definition of "wife" is "submissive homemaker" so a man taking on a homemaking role is clearly submissive and acting like a woman does while his aggressive, domineering wife is acting like a man, which is the definition of this word that I'm finding online and yikes! Wife and husband are legal/social status in my book. They are not clearly defined jobs/roles/personality types, so I'm not a fan of using gendered terms to refer to stuff like this especially since I do actively try to use gender neutral words in my own writing whenever I can, though I'm certainly far from perfect on that front.

I also don't see homemaking as a submissive act. It certainly can be, but that's not how I picture Adrien at all! I picture him as relaxed and plesent, but 100% in charge of the home and all choices about how it's run. I also see him being in charge of their finances like homemakers often were in the "old days" since they were the ones in charge of things like scheduling cleaners, buying food, and other things that needed strong budgeting skills while the person who worked wasn't actually spending money or managing the home since they were at work. I like to think that Nathalie would prep Adrien to be a wealthy man and so he'd have strong skills in finance management.