#slight lgbt relationship

[someonetooksendnoodles]

i had a much larger thought dump drafted, but as we approach pride month this year, this is your friendly reminder to not forget about small town queers, queers in deep red conservative areas, queers actively fighting legislation against our existence, and all of the queers who continue to exist and create spaces for us by simply existing.

our options for living in a safe community shouldn’t be limited to major cities.

sincerely,

a queer from a deep red area of the US

[narbevoguel]

I've always wondered why Aroace peeps feel excluded, when there's lots of cool friendships in media out there. But the more I interact with people across communities, I realize why they feel excluded, especially among their own LGBT peers. Two male characters are really good friends? They must be gay and kissing and doing naughty things! Two women spending time together? Must be lesbians! Two or more characters of any gender getting along just fine? Nope, must be all dating!

Like, I understand shipping characters is fun, I myself do it from time to time, but exploring characters' friendships I find much more appealing cause there's a charm to friendships that I believe romantic relationships ain't got. We gotta learn to appreciate the friends we have, for their unconditional platonic love is as strong as any romantic love, if not stronger.

That's why I will propose to myself a slight challenge: Aroaceptember. Sadly, I can't promise I will be able to draw something daily under this theme because I still gotta work to survive, but I'll try my best to, and in the days I can't, I can talk about my favorite friendship dynamics I've seen in media I've partaken in, or share fanfics/fanart of friendships that I've liked.

If you're interested in that, feel free to stick around, and if you wanna do it yourself, please, by all means. We gotta let our aroace folk know that they're also appreciated.

[watchingblsnowandforever]

Hello.

Listen, I'm still not over ep 11 yet. AND THEN THEY GIVE ME THIS I- *muffled screaming*

Anyways, welcome to my crack posts. =D

Warning: long post 😊😅 (I somehow took even more screenshots than last time 😭)

I knew something like this would happen hehe

Also-

Don't lie, Peem, he'd already won your heart the moment he said "Na, krab" with those puppy eyes

I love how despite thinking they're enemies up till this point, Tan immediately jumps on the ship the moment he learns it exists.

Fang: cute. <3

Q: cutee. <33

Shy babygirl Peem has my whole heart 🥺🫶🏼

Yeah? Anyone specific you want to draw a portrait of, Peem? Someone from Engineering, maybe? Someone who confessed to you in front of all your combined friends just last night? No? 👀

This smile. This goddamn smile. I get you, Peem, I totally get you.

Q peeking in small into the bag is so accurate 😭

As I'd said in my previous post: "Right in front of my salad?!" and "Something very LGBT just happened to me o.o"

NOSE BOOP

I love nose boops hehe

[Phum: I have to go to class.]

You actually go to class?! *pikachu meme face*

Q's face perfectly expresses my feeling, and I'm definitely saving these as meme pics

Peem's plan to be hit on backfired so fast so hard 😭

Poor boy went into shock 😭

Peem is never hearing the end of this from Q. Never.

I love their friendship though. Besties forever. <3

Toey looks so excited here 😭🫶🏼

He's definitely over the moon that his two beloved hias finally realized they like each other (and of course he manifested this wdyem)

Throwing stones from inside a glass house, huh Q?

You're just as bad as, if not worse than Peem.

*shaking my head fondly* these boys are so whipped for their baes

This ep gave me a lot of meme pic ehehe

Why so surprised, Peem? You were the one telling Phum to flirt on you, why so shy now huh?

Oh, Aunt Pui knows. She's just trying to help her nephew get a nice boyfriend hehe

Also- learning the family business early on? Nice move, Phum.

I'm pretty sure Aunt Pui will accept Phum as family the very instant they start dating.

Actually- she probably already has.

What will you be tying next? The knot?? (I am so so happy I can make that joke and actually mean it now.)

Oh, and I love love love their dynamics. I'm always looking for verse because I don't like active power dynamics, but this show really delivered on it. There's always a push and pull, but throughout, they're equals. Yes, even through that slave era (remember how exactly Peem came to be his slave?). It did start off with a slight imbalance, but it evened out pretty fast (because Phum is incapable of not being the cutest clingy little puppy for more than ten minutes and Peem is weak for it).

PhumPeem/PeemPhum is giving me so much that I'd thought I'd almost never get from BLs (there are a few other examples, I think, but this is probably my topmost).

I don't know if y'all have noticed, but Phum is deliberately soft and is often using polite pronouns for the last two episodes.

It's just... they're so pretty 😭

This scene is just >>>

He-

HE LEARNED LATTE ART JUST TO USE THIS LINE WITH PEEM I'M DYING OH GODS

Phum is 200% committed. Other upcoming BL romantic interests, please take notes.

Jokes aside, what started out as a potential red flag (even two years ago, this relationship would have been very very different) turned into the greenest flag (with a side of childhood trauma).

Did he just-

He almost confessed!!! So close!!

Also- please give me them as boyfriends already, I'm on my hands and knees. But can you imagine what they'll be like when they actually start dating...?

...

I CAN'T WAIT. GIMME NOW. *grabby hands*

This scene made me speechless. Ep 12 was full of beautiful, absolutely stunning scenes, but this was what took my breath - his cute smile that lights up his whole face, his "Pai, krab" and the sheer relief when Peem asks him if he wants to go.

For a moment there, he thought Peem would leave, just like all the people in his life. He knows it wouldn't be permanent, but it's hard to get rid of such an old, deep-rooted fear.

But Peem, unknowingly, immediately waves it away by asking him if he wanted to come with. The only thing is... I don't think it was that unknowing.

I'll end part 1 on this note. Part 2 will be posted soon!

If you've reached this far, thank you so much for reading! 😊

Here, have a doughnut 🍩

And here are my previous We Are posts.

[zenless-zideblog-zero]

ZZZ sexuality headcanons

Because everyone else seems to do it.

~Phaethon Sibs~

Wise: Biromantic (slight preference for women) Pansexual, but like Theater Kid Bi/Pan. He IS LGBT+, but he's so dramatic about it the only people he ends up falling in love with are those with big dramatic reveals and backstories (Lycaon, Caesar, ETC.)

Belle: Demi on both accounts. She finds herself falling for girls more often but to be fair, an inordinate amount of the people she's around are Girls.

She has some Trans Vibes™ to me, but also just as likely to be cis.

~The Cunning Hares~

Nicole: Likes Women, and Certain men. Aromantic, but willing to be in a romantic relationship.

Anby: Sex positive Asexual, Panromantic. She only recently figured this out since she escaped her mysterious past.

Billy: Okay, him being a Robot, even a sapient one, makes the whole Sexuality/Romanticism thing weird to consider, but given the fact he has some kind of attraction to Monica that seems to be deeper than an emotional infatuation, so like. Straight? But also I reserve the right to change this in the Future.

Nekomata: Okay, as a bisexual it's hard not to make everyone like both men and woman as a form of projection, but also. Shooting her with the Bisexual Beam™.

~Belobog Heavy industries~

Koleda: Pansexual Demiromantic.

Grace & Anton: I am putting these two together because I cannot begin to fathom what is going on inside these People's heads. Should either of them have a sexual and/or romantic partner, they won't care what their partner is, in a way that is impossible to distinguish between Bi/Pan/Omni/Etc and Asexuality.

Simultaneously, I can also see them both being DEEPLY Homosexual, OR in the vein of "HRT Hit me like Freight Train" trans, but not both gay and trans.

Ben: Either the straightest man ever or the least flamboyant gay man in history, because on one hand he's a Bear (Heavyset Hairy Man) and a Bear (Furry) but also he's the accountant, which means he likely was in Business classes in college. I have never met a gay person good at math.

~Victoria Housekeeping~

Lycaon: I think he is like, pan/Omni/etc, but he's so deeply uncomfortable with being open to those he doesn't know he seems like he's demi.

Rina: Again, as a bisexual it's hard not to make everyone like both men and woman as a form of projection. But also, *Bisexuality Beam*

Corin: She really hasn't put much thought into it, but to seem 'normal' her kneejerk reaction to such a question is to claim that she's straight, even though she's still very much figuring herself out.

Sapphic, with unclear feelings towards men.

Ellen: (BisexualProjection.TXT) Sapphic, but Demi with guys, sort of like how Nicole is described.

~Criminal Investigation Special Response Team~

Zhu-Yuan: Comfortably Pan, terribly single.

Qingyi: Same thing with Billy where it's different because she doesn't have "Organic" Impulses, but also she's lesbian.

Jane Doe: She's so deep into the "Flirty Femme Fatale" Persona that she's forgotten what her actual preferences are. When is the flirting real, and when is it a ploy? If it was real would it actually be for this Guy/Girl?

She lands somewhere between Lycaon and Corin's deals in this way. I don't Think it's that clear to her, let alone to anyone else. She just needs to be allowed to be honest with others to be true to herself, and figure it out again.

Seth: Sex-Neutral Ace, Panromantic. He WILL Cuddle you after and he WILL Make you breakfast in the morning.

~Sons of Calydon~

Caesar: Bi, heavily leaning towards men because that's mostly what she can find in her romance stories.

Lucy: (BisexualProjection.TXT) As a revolution against her dad, she went HARD into being a lesbian, but the freedom and kindness provided by the Sons have let her really consider her options. She does like women a LOT, but sometimes ... she wouldn't mind a guy treating her like the princess she wants to be.

BUT TO BE CLEAR. She is a Disaster Lesbian for Caesar specifically. Caesar is basically the pinnacle of Sexual Attraction to which she bases all other potential partners against. She does not realize this and it is part of the reason she fights Caesar so much because of the Weird Feelings™ She gets.

Burnice: Literal Flaming Homosexual. The MOST Lesbian. If the bad word for gay (F**) didn't already have the hitorical context for it's existence, Burnice would be the origin of it.

Piper: Also a lesbian. She had a wife ten years ago, but they've divorced. This cannot be surprising to anyone.

Lighter: GAY GAY HOMOSEXUAL GAY-

~Misc.~

Soukaku: A Child. Do not bother.

Soldier 11: A Good Soldier's only love is for their country, and their only marriage is to the code by which they live!

The amount of Psycho-sexual issues this Woman will have if she ever uncovers her own personhood will be Deep and Troubling. and HOT.

[candy8448]

Lu lgbt headcanons Because im feeling very gender today:

Legend:

Genderfluid, any pronouns

Bisexual and demiromantic

Used to be in a relationship with Marin

In a relationship currently with Ravio but they haven't decided exactly how far their relationship goes just yet

Never wears trousers, even on a masculine day, just never. Nope. Wears a ton of jewlery

Probably has some magic ring or something with a gem that he can change the colour of to represent what pronouns they want to use

Wild

Also uses any pronouns

Decided to not use a name or label for gender

Before the shrine was probably not given any opportunity to explore any gender identities or sexual orientation, so went as a cis man

In a queer platonic relationship with Flora

Ace

Sky

Bigender, i saw this headcanon once and im stealing it for self projection reasons

She/he pronouns with a slight preference to he

Bisexual, polyamory

He, Zelda and Groose are all in a relationship together (Zelda is mostly straight and Groose hasn't decided yet)

Hyrule

Seen hcs that fairies aren't born with a gender and get to choose theirs

Intersex (though was treated more femininly by most of his sisters and mothers)

Nonbinary and trans male

Uses he/they/fae pronouns

Time

Saw hcs that the kokiri dont really pay attention to gender

Agender

Uses he/him pronouns for simplicity as that was what people used when he first left kokiri forest

Will not mind if someone uses whatever pronouns, will not correct since he doesnt really have a connection to any gender

Pan, again since he doesnt really recognise gender he doesnt have a preference to what he is romantically intrested in but he is married to Malon

Seen hcs that he used to have a crush on Sheik and sure, i like it when its written as a goofy childhood crush thing

Four

Cis male, ik most ppl hc them as the most gnc but i like this

They/them pronouns, they use them as plural pronouns but not many people actually know that

The colours themselves and mostly cis male though as individuals

Not sure their sexual orientation

They are at least 1/4 gay (looking at you, Vio)

Warriors

Trans male

Aroace, did not have a fun experience with that whole Cia thing and has just sworn off any kind of romantic or sexual relationships

Wind

Demiboy

He/they pronouns (is experimenting with the they/them pronouns and mostly prefers the he/him ones)

Straight as far as he is aware for now, might have a slight crush on Tetra but will deny it with his entire being

Twilight

Nonbinary, He/they pronouns

Had/has a big crush on Midna

In situations or aus where they are able to be with Midna, he is dating Midna and Midna is dating Dusk, but Twi and Dusk are not dating

Ive had this post in my drafts and completely forgot about it lol

[ferventrapture]

All this time, I kept seeing... 'Veilguard Sucks! I don't recommend it!' and I was like damn that's just like every other game that had lgbt characters, some slight differences from past games, etcetera. At least let it come out and judge it on its own merits as a game.

Then the reviews from people who actually played it all seemed to say the same thing. I was like 'okay, so it's a bad bioware game like andromeda was but it might be an okay game in general' because I had faith I didn't know I had. I was trying to be fair.

And then I watched as much of it as I could on youtube and I realized, OH! it's just THAT BAD.

Veilguard Spoilers Below:

There are so many things about it I want to go on at length about, but number one?

Mythal was obviously supposed to be set up as a mothering figure to Solas, maybe even a sinister one! And yet she's possibly a past lover? And don't kid yourselves, they put it so you could imagine what you wanted, which they shouldn't have.

With those stories about Ghilan'nain and Andruil, it made more sense for Solas to have been in relationships with THEM in the past, honestly. I was even counting on a 'I was in love with Ghilan'nain once' kind of thing because of how important she seemed to be in that cutscene and how they talked to each other.

Not to mention the cheap Varric twist that totally COULD'VE been good and done well but was done so cheaply it makes me grind my teeth.

[cruelsister-moved2]

like we are on our nine billionth positivity post for cis men with beards and masculine trans men and feminine lesbians and bi people in m/f relationships and nb people who are comfortable passing as their agab etc.... do we need more? is straight people not being able to tell you're gay/trans really the biggest issue facing lgbt people right now?

there seems to be this undiminishable reservoir of care and sympathy for the very idea of having ur queerness slighted in any context. meanwhile people who never get the choice whether or not to hide it are routinely dehumanised, othered, and ignored. if the issues facing these groups do get discussed it's almost never with much concern for their feelings. invalidation and erasure may be one of the issues facing lgbt people and it deserves attention too but I really don't think you can claim at this point that it isn't getting its fair share already.

for what it's worth, even your hypothetical most flaming butch lesbian/fem gay man/androgynous nb person etc still meets people who assume they're cishet, who even actively refuse to acknowledge that they're not. the false equivalence between erasure and overt prejudice alleged exclusively by those who largely experience only the former is in fact erasing the reality of people who experience both

[ukrainianfellow]

The story of a Ukrainian gay sniper couple

When Russian aggression began, almost all Ukrainian citizens stood up for their country regardless of age, gender, political beliefs or sexual orientation. There are a lot of LGBT representatives in the AFU. The rainbow flag has spread much wider across Ukraine.

Homophobia was a traditional value among Ukrainians before Russian aggression. However, it is widespread among only a part of the population now. Moreover, it is associated with soviet totalitarianism, and the homophobia-tolerant stratum of the population is actively expanding.

It is noted that the number of LGBT servicemen and homosexual couples in the ranks of the AFU has increased significantly.

Pavel Legoyda, an anti-aircraft gunner in the 112th separate brigade of the AFU, is an open representative of the LGBT community. He does not hide his orientation and has a love partner. Unfortunately, he has not escaped abuse from his comrades. Not everyone in the Ukrainian army shows tolerance to people of non-traditional orientation. Pavel felt it by himself when he was almost stabbed to death by a soldier returning from the front line.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting that in 2023 the LGBT Military group claimed that around 50,000 LGBT people were fighting Russian occupants.

We've checked some journalists, that are in Ukraine, and had a talk with a gay couple and find out what is it like to defend the Motherland and fight together with a loved one.

Interviewer: “Could you tell a little bit about yourself and how did you realize your orientation? “.

“Anderson“: "My call sign is “Anderson”, I am a former sniper of the 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade. Since the beginning of the Russian aggression, I decided to join the ranks of recruits to defend my homeland. At first, I served as a gunner in a motorized infantry platoon. I confess, that even before the service, I had a slight interest in guys. In the army, I made a final decision about my orientation, but I had to hide it from my comrades."

“Heretic”: “Yes, actually he hid it for about six months, maybe a little more. My call sign is "Heretic." I served as a sniper for more than four years. in AFU”

“Anderson”: “Well, I don't deny it – it was hard to hide my identity. It's a very sensitive issue because you have to worry about how your comrades will react on this."

Interviewer: “Yes, indeed, it's a very brave step. Many people still struggles about it. How did you meet each other?”

“Anderson”: “Well, I was quite good at marksmanship and combat actions. Even before the service, I attended individual courses of shooting, and when I had to use my gun in real battle, I immediately realized that not only could I shoot, but kill occupants. The commander noticed my talent and recommended me to snipers. From that on, I became Heretic’s sniper pair.”

“Heretic”: “At first, I thought he was a newbie who had recklessly joined the snipers. That’s why the relationship between us was quite dry and even cold. Of course, over time, the ice began to melt between us. The daily routine and the constant threat to our lives made me realize that I had misjudged him. I thought: “Damn, he's a good guy!.” Training together, escaping artillery fire, resting and living together in the trenches strengthened our bond. One day, I admitted that I was ready to trust my back to my comrade.”

Interviewer: “And how did you realize there something more than simple sympathy or trust?”

“Anderson”: “Well, I don't know exactly when, where or by what circumstances, but one day I suddenly realized that I felt something more than simple sympathy towards “Heretic”. Maybe it was when we wiped out another Russian orcs, maybe it was when we ate in the trenches. I worried that my feelings would be rejected by my comrade, so I didn’t tell him what I felt.”

“Heretic”: "Well, I was in a similar situation. I just realized that was terrified of losing him. And the constant threat to one of us just made feeling worse."

Interviewer: “And how did you decide to confess?”

“Anderson”: “While we were on another combat mission, and stuck under heavy artillery fire. It was so close that there was no chance of survival. Then we revealed our feelings towards each other.”

“Heretic”: “God bless that we had similar feelings!”

“Anderson”: “Unfortunately, we lost our legs and the ability to fight.”

“Heretic”: “At least we survived. We were found by comrades after the bombing was over.”

Interviewer: “Do your comrades know about your relations? What can you say about their reaction?”

“Anderson”: “Yes, they already know about it. After all we’ve been through we decided to reveal our relations to comrades. We talked with brothers after out hospitalization. We didn't care about anyone’s thoughts.”

“Heretic”: “We didn’t even think that our comrades will support our sights. It turned out that we are not the only ones who have such a relationship.”

[gabessquishytum]

Hoi, just dropping by so tell you that I have a slight obsession with you block and just love everybody's horny enthusiasm here. Very charming, very attractive.

You mentioned in one of your last answers your personal Trans Hob HCs. Would you be amenable to share those treasures with us?

If it isn't already taken, then I'll be 🦈 , it that's alright

Awww thank you so much 🦈 anon! We're so happy to have you here!

I am such a big fan of trans Hob!!! I just think he's so neat!

In terms of his body, I think he probably got his top surgery done sometime between 1389 and 1489. My fave idea is that Destruction did it for him but either way, he got it done. He's had additional surgery on his chest since then to improve how it looks and he's very happy with it in modern times. He can't even remember what it was like before the surgery tbh. I think he's definitely experimented with a lot of different treatments over the years but he's very very happy to be on T and thriving with how his body looks these days.

In the olden days if anyone ever found out that he was trans they were generally fairly accepting. His soldier buddies would occasionally find out but no one really cared. Eleanor knew (even before they were married) and they managed to conceive Robyn with the help of a friend. The worst time was when Hob was living on the streets because he couldn't hide things as well as he used to, and if people found out they treated him even worse than before.

He's always sought out other trans and gnc individuals as friends or lovers. For example Jim from the Hob’s Leviathan story - I like to think that Hob helped them on their journey and they developed a very close and loving relationship as time passed. They understood each other and Jim admired Hob greatly for everything he's achieved.

In modern times Hob is a massive trans rights activist in the academic community. People never guess that he's trans so he often has people assume that he's mtf when he comes out to them. He has to laugh and explain that actually he's ftm and he likes being a man very much, thanks. He writes articles for LGBT publications and sometimes gets invited to speak at events, and he's a great point of contact for trans+ students because he knows SO many people and resources. The New Inn is a dedicated safe space for everyone and he WILL beat bigots up with a cricket bat.

He's very into safe binding practices and making sure that the kids are being safe with their bodies. He spent so long strapping his chest up before his first surgery and he remembers how shitty it was for his body - sometimes his ribs still ache, 600 years later. He has stacks of leaflets in his office about 'taking care of your trans body'. He's determined that the world can and will be a better place, and he's going to be part of making that happen.

Coming out to Dream is among the scariest things he's ever done. But Dream just tilts his head and explains that he's known since the very beginning, and that there's nothing to be afraid of. Nothing will ever ever change how he feels about Hob, and he's just honoured to have been told. It's the sweetest response Hob has ever had, and it's very hard not to kiss Dream after that <3

[sophiesbookishthings]

September Reads

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

I love this little magical family. They're so sweet. I really enjoyed the addition of David in this book. He was super fun and I liked the way he challenged Arthur's perception of the word monster. I thought that was a really interesting point to make both within the context of this book and in the way that the fictional magical community is a metaphor for the real life lgbt community. In that same vein I loved that this book was very very blatantly anti-JKR. It did make the book a bit harder for me to read personally, since it's so upsetting to see what JKR and other terfs are doing irl, I don't always love to see such hatred depicted in fiction as I use it as a bit of an escape from the horrors of reality. That being said, I don't think it should have been done any differently because I do also believe stories like this are necessary and that TJ Klune told exactly the kind of story that he wanted to and needed to. My only slight critique of this book was that with the themes present and the dedication in particular, I was hoping there would be a more central trans character in the book. There was a nonbinary side character (which was great!), but they weren't there very long and I think the anti-terf message of this book could have benefitted from a more prominent trans character. All in all though, a very sweet book. I love the Baker-Parnassus's and want only good things for them forever.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Foxglove by Adalyn Grace

The sequel to Belladonna. I liked that this book set up not only 1 but 2 more supernatural beings. I'm very interested to see what exactly Life is in the next book. I also liked that this book let us get to know Blythe more since she was dying for most of the last book. I enjoyed Signa getting to settle into her own at Foxglove as well, even though it wasn't in the vest of circumstances.

4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️

Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan

Woo-hoo! Percy Jackson book!!! Look, I am 25 and have been reading these books since I was like 10. As long as there's books being released, I will be reading and loving them. This book was literally just Percy, Annabeth, and Grover pet sitting. Like idk but it's such a fun concept to me. And the fact that they bond with said pets by the end? I love it. Also, Hecate's cool af. Idc that she was supposed to be kinda scary, I think she's neat. My main complaint about this book, though, was that when they knew they were having to deal with ghosts, they should've called Nico. At least for like a consultation or something! Like c'mon. Y'all have a friend that's called The Ghost King, and none of you think to call him??? But anyway... This series is just little (relatively) low stakes mini quests, and I'm having a great time.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

This is probably a top 5 John Green book for me, but I don't know that I can really articulate why. This book made me pretty anxious. The main character has OCD and the way her intrusive thoughts were written (while very well done) was a lot for me to read. And yet, I still really liked this book. I also actually enjoyed the romance arc in this book because it doesn't always go where you'd expect, and the male love interest is really sweet and respectful and actually kinda interesting. I appreciated that while there was a romance arc, the main characters friendship with her best friend was equally important to the story. And I'm sure it probably wasn't intentional, but the whole book felt very ace-coded to me. Although what read as ace-coded to me was probably definitely mostly due to the main characters difficulty in her relationship due to her OCD. But two things can be true I guess.

4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️

[houseoftheanimefreak]

HAIKYUU SEXUALITY HEADCANONS

🐦‍⬛ Karasuno Editon 🐦‍⬛

Sawamura Daichi: Bisexual with the slightest female preference. Obviously he somewhat likes girls already in canon (The Kiyoko hand holding scene anyone???) And he just seems like the kind of man who could fall in love with another man if he found the right one. (cough*KUROO*cough). I could also see him being a straight but supportive ally as well.

Sugawara Koushi: Pansexual. He just gives off the vibe of not caring at all about the gender of his partner. He just wants to give love and receive just as much love right back.

Azumane Asahi: Pansexual. I am honestly not quite sure why I headcanon him as such, it just feels RIGHT for some reason.

Nishinoya Yuu: Pansexual. Similarly to Sugawara, I feel like Nishinoya cares little about the gender of his partner, my man just trying to be in a relationship without blowing a fuse from embarrassment every five seconds.

Tanaka Ryuunosuke: Bisexual with a heavy female preference. Obviously Tanaka likes girls, crush and eventual relationship with Kiyoko notwithstanding, he'll take any girl that gives him the time of day. But Tanaka/Noya and Ennoshita/Tanaka have my heart in a headlock so yeah self explanatory.

Ennoshita Chikara: Bisexual with no preference. He's definitely had crushes on girls, hell he's had a tiny puppy crush on Kiyoko at one point. But then he sees Kinoshita Hisashi for the first time and goes "huh so this is what going to heaven feels like–"

Kinoshita Hisashi: Gay. Look my Kinoshita Hisashi profile picture in the eyes and tell me you think he would like anything but men. Narita unintentionally has his heart in a death grip.

Narita Kazuhito: Bisexual with a slight male preference. I feel like Narita has had crushes on and even dated girls when he was younger. Then he met Ennoshita and Kinoshita in his first year and his brain took a swan dive into LGBT territory. He's had a small crush on Ennoshita that lasted like a week, then he saw Kinoshita laughing without restraint for the first time, and he hasn't had another crush since.

Kageyama Tobio: Bisexual with no preference. Contrary to popular belief, I think that Kageyama has the capacity to crush on girls. Not even his "volleyball is life" brain can deny Kiyoko's beauty. But his relationship with Hinata is where the capacity to love boys come from.

Hinata Shoyo: Pansexual. Loves anyone and anything that gives him the time of day. His heart is very big.

Tsukishima Kei: Aromantic Asexual. I just don't see him liking anyone at all. He just wants to survive high school and play volleyball that's literally it. The only person on the team who is immune to Kiyoko's beauty.

Yamaguchi Tadashi: Pansexual. Similarly to Hinata, I see him as having a lot of love to give.

Shimizu Kiyoko: Straight Asexual. Eheh. I'm definitely getting canceled for this... But I just don't see her as being interested in girls at all. Her and Tanaka have a special place in my heart. As for the asexual part, purely vibes.

[thewarnerbrothers]

alright i gotta say something

you really cant do anything when you have a moderately popular blog huh

look. im a lurker at heart. i just happen to have one issue: not being able to shut up when im interested in something. thats the only reaaon this blog exists. i didnt come here to make friends, though i ended up doing that along the way

i dont want or need your pity. what i need is for people i dont know at all to stop putting me under a microscope

newsflash: i dont matter. follower count doesnt matter. at all. do you know what its like having thousands of eyes on you all the time? it sucks

i literally cant do anything

if i block literal strangers, they get mad and try to publicly shame me for it. if i try to settle disputes amicably in private, its seen as bad. if i attempt to be open and transparent with modding decisions, its bad. if i ask people to actually talk to me, they dont. instead they kick up a frenzy in private to coordinate a stupid mass hissy fit disproportionate to any perceived slight they may have endured. if i make friends, people take it personally. people see that as some sort of insult. i cannot be friends with everyone. i wont. this hurts strangers feelings, dspite me not existing for their pleasure.

some of you feel very entitled to my time. you dont own me. i dont owe you anything. ive tried to not lose the few molecules of my mind left on a regular basis because of some people who are no longer in this fandom, and some who still are. and man. i am just. tired. of everyone. all the time.

i think even more than the fact that this series was released (mainly) as a bingewatch fest, what killed this fandom was you

not necessarily you, whoever is reading this. i mean the fans. in general. some of you are so annoying, rude, inappropriate, and willfully lacking in social skills. youre over dramatic. youre moody. youre dramamongering. youre liars. youre bullies. youre self-ascribed victims. you dont care about other human beings.

youre repulsive, frankly

you are part of the reason people have been leaving the fandom in droves. the homophobia. the transphobia. the ship hate. the inability to treat other people with basic human decency. the manufactured scandals. shut up and grow up

you know why i barely interact with larger fandom anymore? ill tell you

waves of harassment to varying degrees ad nauseam

creeps who refuse to even try to keep their fetishes to themselves in private groups that include minors

abusers (most of whom are thankfully now gone)

people befriending me only to reveal that they dont actually like or care about me as a person

the most willfully socially inept people to ever exist

nosy jerks who literally cannot stand not sticking their nose in personal problems that have nothing to do with them

people treating me and my blog like im google adsense. im not a billboard guys

people deciding i am evil for no apparent reason? sdkjfalsdjfa

thinly veiled anythingphobia pretending to be socially just (hi homophobes who imply that being lgbt by nature is 'adult')

people who just make things up. all the time. just make up a lie, say it passionately enough. if you try to defend yourself, youre seen as guilty/suspicious. if you try to resolve things quietly with only those involved, you're seen as guilty/suspicious. cant win

wankers who need to learn why parasocial relationships arent actually meant to be embraced wholeheartedly

really lame one-off trolls tbh

the most fandom discourse-poisoned takes i have seen since su hatedom was at its peak

im just tired of being nice all the time? i think you guys just like taking advantage of people you imagine to be good targets

listen. i am allowed to do whatever i want, regardless of how you feel about it. the same thing goes for you. i tend to try to resolve things reasonably and rationally, but i wont pretend ive never gotten mad or overreacted or made a decision i regret. ive made that pretty known. i like to think i've grown, and ive gone out of my way to apologize to people.

however.

some of yall do not understand that just because your feelings got hurt, it doesnt mean you are deserve an apology or an explanation. sometimes it literally is just a you problem. a skill issue. you need to grow thicker skin. learn how to curate your online experience. get. over it.

lets talk about blocking, shall we?

blocking is great. i block people all the time. i block bots, i block tag spammers, i block people who make posts with rancid vibes, i block people who ive personally interacted with and no longer wish to, i block because i get tired of seeing someones posts, i block people who post things that trigger me, i block blogs with icons i dont like. there's usually no grand reason for it, aside from egregious cases where i've been harassed. its also usually not personal. i will block people who ive followed for years. i dont care. i dont know most of yall. i know i've been blocked by tons of people and that's okay! i would rather people who don't want to interact with me do that.

if you get blocked, thats it. dont attempt to contact me again unless i reach out. im not the only blog in this fandom. youll live without my posts. i am not the arbiter of all things animaney.

im just some guy

i know that the people who need to hear this most will not care nor will they actually absorb what i'm saying. ive gotten a lot of hate over the dumbest crap. im done. i think i need to stop trying to be so friendly, because some of you think being a little pissbaby is the only way to interact with others online.

cant wait til i finally explode one day and just delete everything

tldr shut up leave me alone oh my god its not that big a deal jesus christ

[ghostsontelevision]

sorry the gaylor stuff is fascinating to me so i wrote a whole damn essay abt it under the cut

something i find personally really interesting about gaylor stuff is like - i see the sentiment expressed often in gaylor circles that taylor swift's queerness needs to exist to justify her art. like, if taylor swift isn't queer, why does she write so much about hidden romances? about feeling like she needs to protect her lover from the public? how come she writes about these big dramatic whirlwind affairs when in real life she just dates boring white guys?

there's a few answers:

writing about normal dating stuff isn't as fun as writing about big dramatic whirlwind affairs. yes, love can be stored in going to the grocery store together and cuddling and movie nights - but it's hard to get multiple albums worth of material out of the bliss of domestic mundanity

she is a woman in the public eye. her dating life has been heavily scrutinized by a million strangers since she was sixteen. publicly being seen with someone is in fact a big thing for her, even though she is a cishet white woman who historically has only dated cishet white guys

as much as she hypes up her work as autobiographical - she is capable of writing fiction and has done so before. to assume that every song is ripped straight from her diary seems like it's discrediting her own creativity (and, see point one)

and i think its fair to say that these themes she returns to of forbidden love and having to hide your feelings can absolutely resonate with queer audiences. yeah, i do think a lot of her songs probably hit harder if you imagine they're about a queer person. but relatability and identity are not the same thing, and i think it's important to both not assume that everyone with x identity has experienced y, but also to not assume that experiencing y means someone must have x identity.

however, there's another layer to this. if i were to tell a straight girl about my personal experiences with homophobia, and she responded by saying "i absolutely understand - my dad wouldn't let me date anyone until i was eighteen, i had to sneak boys in and out of the house" - i would understand this as well intentioned, but i might feel slighted or misunderstood by the fact that she considered society-wide discrimination equivalent to having to worry about getting in a fight with her dad. similarly, i've seen many gaylors express that taylor being an ally would make her absolutely unpalatable to them - if she's straight, that means she centered herself every time she talked about lgbt activism despite being heterosexual, that means all the lyrics about hidden relationships are actually about her public boring white boyfriends, that means she didn't ramp up her gay activism because she was planning on coming out and she just did it to promote her new album, that means there really aren't any more secrets to decode and she might actually be dating a football player. for a lot of gaylors, the gay subtext is in fact the entire reason they like taylor swift, and if she's a heterosexual woman, that means they have to find a new favorite artist

in case it's unclear: this is an outsiders perspective. i find gaylor stuff interesting in the same way i find paul is dead stuff interesting - the concept of this long running conspiracy theory surrounding celebrities is really fun for me. paul mccartney is alive, though, and taylor swift is, at least to my knowledge, heterosexual. i'm actually not really a taylor swift fan - i won't change the station if she comes on the radio, but i'm only familiar with her hits and also steadfastly believe that her being gay wouldn't outweigh the damage her jet has done to the environment. i don't have any investment in taylor's sexuality at all - if she's been secretly dating whatever woman she was most recently photographed with, ok cool. if she's actually for reals dating the football guy - cool. but i think a lot of gaylor stuff leans on starting from the assumption that she's queer and works back from that, which makes for poor theorycrafting. additionally, i think it's fuckin goofy to pretend the biggest pop star in the world would face career-ruining backlash for being gay, especially when she's made her stance on gay rights known. i can't imagine someone going "i thought the gay rights song was good and tasteful but knowing she herself is queer has ruined her for me". if she could come back from the kanye scandal, the jet thing, the dating a right-wing asshole thing - she will literally be fine, and to pretend otherwise is to ignore the plethora of other queer pop stars who are far less famous than her and still maintained their careers.

however, i do find that theory that she and harry styles committed vehicular manslaughter and had it covered up pretty funny. i will incorporate that one into my belief system.

[j-graysonlibrary]

Heartbeats; Paradise Chapter 1

Title: Heartbeats; Paradise

Author: Jay Grayson

Word Count: 112K

Genres: Psychological thriller, drama, sci-fi, LGBT+

Available on: Kobo and my website

Synopsis: Melvin Hardy and Kade Axel appear to be a match made in heaven. After a meet-cute in the rain, the two quickly find themselves in a burgeoning, wholesome relationship.

Yet, things feel…off. It isn’t the ghosts of their pasts that resurface to test the strength of their partnership—no—it’s something nebulous. Something indescribable. Melvin can’t put his finger on it but, the more time he spends with Kade, the more he starts to wonder what’s real and what’s pure fiction.  

Full chapter 1 under the cut:

Chapter One:

The sun sets.

I adjust the rod of my umbrella, cursing under my breath at the stiffness of the thing due to a long period of inactivity. It hardly ever rains here but I always carry the umbrella with me. Just in case.

Many of my colleagues rush past me, braving the drizzle before the storm really hits. They can have fun getting wet but I’m wearing one of my more expensive jackets. Probably not the best idea, in retrospect, to wear my designer suit on an overcast Thursday but I had needed some sort of pick-me-up this morning. And that just so happened to be dressing nicer to motivate myself to get to work.

My umbrella finally releases and the fabric pops open before me. I raise it above my head and step out from beneath the overhang.

With my apartment a few blocks away, I have time to think about what I’ll make for dinner as I walk. I wouldn’t say I’m a good cook but I have some staples under my belt—a necessity born from living on one’s own. A large portion of my meals may come premade but I still add a pinch of seasoning or a twist here and there. There are definitely some microwave dinners in my freezer which, at the rate this day is going, will probably be my answer.

After that, I think I’ll pour myself a glass of wine and relax some. It’s not the end of the week yet but it is close so letting loose, or, as loose as I allow myself to get, isn’t a bad idea. I’ll avoid the news stations and search for something more relaxing on the TV and, if not relaxing then at least mind numbing.

I could check my personal e-mail as well, I consider as the clouds darken and the rain pours down in sheets. The thumping against my umbrella lets me know they are big droplets and I’m even gladder that I always carry the thing with me. My mind quickly bounces back to my after-work agenda and I think of the possibility that my mother might have sent me something. It was my twenty-sixth birthday not too long ago and I have not checked my e-mail for a time.

I sigh instinctively when the woman comes to mind. She would probably have sent something vague and/or generic if she sent anything at all. With, perhaps, a slight passive-aggressive note on the state of my love life.

There is a far off rumble of thunder as the rain rages even harder and I’m forced to slow down next to a bus stop. My glasses are fogging and I have to either take them off or wipe them clean. I attempt to hold my umbrella in the crook of my elbow while I fish out my glasses case from my pocket.

I whip out the small cloth and run it quickly over the glass—it isn’t perfect but at least I can see in front of me again. I’ll clean them more thoroughly once I get home.

I check the road, finding little traffic between me and the pavement across the street where my path continues. There aren’t a lot of cars in town or, at least, there aren’t a lot of reasons to drive them. I, myself, have a car but it’s more out of want than need. My commute to work can easily be done on foot and more places in town can be reached by a bus or on bike.

Though I am sure the poor soul across the street wishes they hadn’t taken their bike out today. They have no coverage and the rain beats down on them without mercy.

As I rush over the crosswalk I notice something even more unfortunate. Their front wheel is loose and there is no way the bike is useable anymore unless the rider is less than fifty pounds. And, while they may seem petite, I doubt they’re that light.

I step onto the sidewalk and my presence alerts them. Their head rises, facing the rain, to look up at me and the world at large freezes.

Even if we aren’t the only two people on the sidewalk, it certainly does feel that way.

It’s hard to tell what gender they are but I do know one thing for certain—they are beautiful. Their hair, wet and heavy, falls past their shoulders and their eyes shine with the light of the nearby streetlamp. A pair of gorgeous blue-green irises, like the Mediterranean Sea, stares into me and I am struck by a feeling foreign to me.

“I could fix that,” I say without meaning to. While it might be true that I can fix their bike, I usually wouldn’t approach a stranger in such a way. Normally, I would think on how unlucky they were and continue my trip home but I am mesmerized by their face and I can’t seem to control myself any longer.

“You can?” They ask with a lower, almost boyish voice. Their eyes, somehow, get bigger at the prospect and their lips curl into a smile. Their pink, full lips that compliment the shape of their face as if they were created with the intent to ensnare me…

I nod eagerly. “I have a model similar to that so I have some spare parts.” I then realize what helping them entails and I worry they will be frightened by the idea. “I…it’s all at my apartment though. Are you okay with that?”

“Sure!” That brightness doesn’t fade and they look even more excited about the situation.

I lean my umbrella over their head and shield them from any more rain though they are already quite soaked. I keep my eyes on their face rather than the white shirt that clings to their body.

“Oh…thank you,” they remark cutely and inch closer. “I don’t want to get your nice coat wet though…”

“It’s alright,” I let them know, “I can get it dry cleaned over the weekend if needed.”

I keep the umbrella over us though my right arm is left out to get wet as well as some of my right side in general. My new companion drags their bike along and the rain becomes our soundtrack as we walk to my apartment, alone on the sidewalk. Even the volume of cars slows to nearly none as we get closer.

“So…” my company speaks up as if to fill the silence but maybe they are uncomfortable about long pauses. “Can I ask your name? I don’t want to keep having to refer to you as ‘handsome stranger’ in my head.”

We share a chuckle but I do feel my cheeks grow warm. This beautiful person finds me attractive as well? The odds maybe aren’t that bad since many people have commented on my looks before but still…it is a wonderful feeling.

“I’m Melvin Hardy.” I glance away, unbelievably shy at the exchange but I hope to hide it well. My heart is beating as if to leave my chest and my head is spinning just from this little bit of interaction. Just as I am ready to hear who it is I’ve become enamored with, I remember. While I feel it is obvious with one look that I am a man, I still say out of politeness, “Oh, and my pronouns are he/him.”

“Mine too!” he replies with a bounce in his step. “My name’s Kade. Kade Axel.”

So perfection has a name and it’s Kade Axel, I think. Somehow, I feel I already knew it but I’m happy to be told.

We come upon my apartment complex and I quickly lead Kade to the stairs where I can finally remove the umbrella. I shake it off and fold it back into it’s compact form while, at my side, Kade props his bike against the bricks under the stairs.

“My apartment is upstairs,” I tell him, “I hope I have a spare part…if not, you can just borrow my bike.” I add the last part and point to the bike nearby.

“Oh, no, I couldn’t.” Kade shakes his head and raises his hands in protest.

“Only if I can’t fix yours.” I offer a smile. Plus, I add mentally, if he borrows something of mine, he’ll have to come back to see me.

“Well…okay.” He bites his lip, pulling both the skin and my attention.

I have to snap myself out of it and lead the way up. I’m relieved, momentarily, that I cleaned not too long ago. Though, to be honest (and a little proud) my place never gets too dirty anyway.

I allow Kade inside first and I shut the door after us, turning only the deadbolt lock. My part of town isn’t dangerous though I can’t say any part of town really is. People truly keep to themselves here.

“I have a hair dryer if you need it,” I say when I notice Kade fussing with his wet hair. He looks genuinely upset to have tracked so much water into my home. And, if it were anyone else, I might be irritated but it also isn’t his fault he’s soaked. “…And dry clothes too…though they might be a bit big.”

A pink blush rises to his pale cheeks and my heart swells at the sight. Kade brings his hands together in front of his chest and asks, “Are you sure that’s okay? I feel like I—”

I don’t let him finish. “It’s alright. Really.”

He still looks a bit bashful but he agrees to take some of my old sweats and dry out his hair. Before he shuts himself away in the hall bathroom, I ask,

“Do you have any food allergies? I’ll make dinner while you’re in here.”

“Y-you really don’t have to.” He flushes even more and part of me wants to continuously offer him things to see just how flustered he can get.

But, I restrain myself. “Well, if you’re getting dry then you don’t need to go out in the rain until it’s slowed down at least. And, if that takes a while, you shouldn’t go hungry. I was going to make myself dinner anyway…what’s an extra serving?”

His stunning eyes blink a few times and his brow furrows together, forming only one, small crease between them. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

Well that’s a loaded question. I can’t even be sure myself and saying ‘you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen’ already sounds creepy in my head—I can’t even imagine how it’ll sound coming out of my mouth. But if I say that he was in need and I help those in need I’ll be lying.

I open and close my mouth a few times before still, sort of, lying, “I’m not sure.”

Kade clearly isn’t expecting that as his eyes bulge and he steps back. “You…you don’t know?”

“It was an impulse,” that is a little more truthful at least, “Once I saw you there, I couldn’t leave you.”

This response brings his blush back and he avoids my eyes. Such a shame as I’ve found my new hobby in staring into his lovely irises.

“Well…t-thanks. I don’t have any food allergies, by the way. I’ll eat whatever you make.”

I leave him to head to the kitchen, worrying that I still, maybe, laid things on a bit thick. I adjust my glasses and then take them off entirely. My vision is a little blurry without them but I know my kitchen and pantry well enough to navigate it partly blind.

I settle on a simple rice dish and, while everything is cooking, I take the time to properly clean my glasses. In a way, I’m almost scared to see Kade without the streaks and water droplets in the way. How could he possibly be more gorgeous? And will I be able to handle it?

As I worry about possibly making a fool of myself even more than I already have, I check my hall closet to see if I have the parts Kade needs for his bike. I do, thankfully, but that also takes away his reason for coming back. Though, if I let him leave with my old clothes then that could be something?

I grumble to myself at how desperate I am. If Kade doesn’t want to see me again, it’s within his rights to. Just because I’m completely taken with him doesn’t mean he’s obligated to hang around. I’d be no better than a love struck teenager if I think otherwise.

Dinner is ready so I turn my focus to setting the table and making the meal look as presentable as possible. I’m slightly frustrated at myself for not asking what Kade wants to drink but I hope he’ll be alright with a glass of water.

I sit at the small table that straddles both the kitchen and the living room and I wait for a few more minutes. Maybe his hair takes some time to dry? It is quite long after all. I think on it and begin to feel anxious. There is no direction or cue so I simply wait a bit longer.

Finally, Kade emerges from the hall. He’s all but lost in my sweats but that makes him, painfully, even more adorable. His hair is shorter and blonder now that it’s dried, though it still brushes against his shoulders and looks so soft to the touch. He pulls the sleeves up on the shirt and his pace picks up when he sees the table. “Sorry I took a while—I had to call my sister.”

“Oh…no problem.” I swallow the nerves down and glance from him to the food as my mind whirls with questions and prompts. “…Do you live with your sister?” I settle on.

“I do,” he responds quickly and gets comfortable in his chair. “She’s letting me stay with her while I finish college and I help out at her café as payment.”

Finish college…he’s at least twenty-two in that case. Unless he graduated high school early, of course. He could also be older if he took a gap year or simply waited to go. It is hard to tell his age by his face as it’s so smooth and young looking—unlike me who has always looked like a grown man since middle school.

“That’s sweet of her,” I respond and urge him to eat with a simple hand gesture. After he takes a bite, I risk sounding like a creep to ask, “What café?”

Kade smiles and swallows before answering, “It’s actually the one right down the block from where we met today. Back the direction you came from.”

“Caramel café?” I question with doubt but Kade nods in confirmation. “I go there on my breaks all the time…I’ve never seen you.” If I had, I’d definitely remember.

But he laughs, covering his mouth and hiding his face. “I…it’s a new thing. I just started this past week.”

“Oh…I haven’t been this week.” I feel slightly embarrassed by my mini-outburst. I clear my throat and change topics, “So, what are you in school for?”

“Psychology,” Kade says as he drops his hand. He seems comfortable talking about this so I think it’s probably something he’s passionate about. After he takes another bite of dinner, he continues, “I want to be a grief counselor.”

“Wow.” I’m a bit taken aback. I had not expected something like that. “That’s a tough job.”

“But necessary,” he responds and, as swiftly as I had, he shifts the question onto me, “So what do you do, Melvin?”

“Nine to five office work. I got my degree in business so I went straight into the grind.” It’s boring to do and even more so to talk about.

Lucky for us, mother nature also wishes to move on from the topic. A loud crash of thunder shakes the building and a flash of lightning illuminates the room.

Kade jumps. “I guess I’m not heading out anytime soon…”

I shake my head. “You can crash on my couch if you want. I don’t mind.”

He smiles and pokes at the remainder of his food with his fork. “…You’re so nice. I’m almost waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

I raise one of my eyebrows. Does he think I’m hiding some horrible secret? Or that I’m really out to get him? I can’t exactly blame him with how odd the circumstances are and I truly do have no reason to be going out of my way to help.

“I’m not really a serial killer, I promise,” I say with a smirk, breaking some of the tension.

Kade laughs and shakes his head. “Well, I wasn’t thinking that…exactly. There just…there must be a downside to you. No way you can be so perfect. Handsome, nice, good cook, considerate, good and stable job…”

I’m thrown off guard. He had called me handsome before but I did not expecting to hear it again. “You like dinner then?” I decide to focus on that instead.

He chuckles again. “Yeah. It’s really good.”

Thunder crashes once more and I nearly jump myself this time. I use the shot of adrenaline to stand and collect our now empty plates. “Thank you,” I respond, “after I wash the dishes, I’ll grab you some blankets for the couch.”

I dip into the kitchen and quickly wash up, not wanting to leave Kade by himself for too long. My heart beats faster at the mere thought of him and I’m almost scared of how I’ll feel when he’s gone. This new cacophony of emotions can’t simply disappear, can it?

“Um…Melvin?”

His sweet voice spins me around and I take him all in. He truly is beautiful and more than a little cute bundled up in my clothes and nervously scratching at the side of his face.

“Yes?” I ask with a hitch in my voice.

He doesn’t notice or he doesn’t say anything about it at least. Instead, he starts to smile and he meets my eyes. “Thank you.”

It’s so honest and so warm that it fills my chest with a fuzzy, comforting sensation.

I don’t want him to leave.

[esotericfaery]

Astro-snippet: The Sun is opposite Black Moon Lilith on March 7th.

Major ego issues will happen between men and women. Women, watch your tongues with men & look for the deeper roots and how to heal. Men, watch your tongues with women & look for the deeper roots and how to heal.

This is for all types of relationships, including (in many cases especially) acquaintances and co-workers. I'm seeing a lot of people confronting and confronted by people they don't know well, on slights or perceived slights.

Seeing, as in seer, though without cards this time. As always, if you (only people I'm actual friends with, as in, we have chatted and connected on a personal level) are doing your own card readings and would like my help clarifying, let me know. A lot of people (couples especially) are still dealing with delayed outbursts, or the aftermath of the Pluto-Mars-Mercury-Sun conjunction string recently.

And now, the stellium of Saturn, the Sun, Mercury, & Neptune in Pisces is causing confusion about whether or not people are using illusion or intuition to think & communicate.

LGBT people are also susceptible to this tug-of-war between feminine and masculine energies of course, though possibly not as much. Maybe for some, part of why they were born that way is that they’ve surpassed, or are further along in integrating their inner feminine and masculine energies.

[honeyjars-sims]

Part of a series of flash stories intended as a supplement to my story Safe Harbor. Context for this post is here.

Solomon was feeling optimistic after he and David sat down with Cece to explain what all their jobs entailed. She did seem to understand more about how the family's financial status afforded them opportunities that others don't have. Of course, he knew it would take more than one conversation to help his daughter see the bigger picture, but at least he and David had a better idea of how to approach things.

Working at the LGBT Youth Center wasn't easy, but Solomon knew he was meant for his job. Everyday he was face to face with young people in the community who were experiencing things he also dealt with when he was their age. It was fulfilling to see them persevere through all of the challenges that had befallen them.

Solomon reflected on the day his dad Reginald found out he was gay. A friend of his father had seen Solomon entering the local gay bar and passed the information onto Solomon's dad. Solomon was finishing up his Bachelor degree and still living with his parents at the time. When he arrived home from class one day, he was confronted by an angry Reggie. What happened next was a blur, but he remembered snippets of what his dad told him: "not in my house," "I raised you better than that," and "you're not really like those people," were some of the phrases that came to his mind.

Reggie kicked Solomon out that night. He couchsurfed at some friends houses for a while, but the feeling of rejection and loneliness became too much to deal with. He returned to his father's house and promised to turn away from the gay "lifestyle." He tried for a while; he began dating women and focusing on his school work, suppressing his true feelings. When one girlfriend started talking about marriage, he knew he was in too deep. He couldn't fathom getting married to someone he didn't love and possibly having a family with them. So he told her the truth. She didn't take it well. Neither did his father when he officially came out and said he was done hiding.

Solomon and his father were once again on the outs. Throughout the years they came together and then fell back apart. Reggie did, at times, express regret for denouncing his son but still struggled with the reality that Solomon was in a relationship with another man. He grew to love Cece (he initially said she wasn't really his granddaughter since they weren't blood related). But when Solomon and David got legally married, Reggie retreated once more. A few years had passed since then, but they still hadn't spoken.

Later that evening Solomon received an unexpected text from his mother Simone. He initially feared the worst after their sporadic contact, but the text simply said: "Do you have anything planned for Cece's birthday? We would love to come and help you set up and celebrate!" He was at once filled with both hope and doubt. He wasn't sure if he would ever mend things with his father but he knew he would regret not trying. After a slight hesitation, Solomon told Simone that she and Reginald were more than welcome to come. He hoped he wouldn't come to regret that decision.