#so many of the comments on this are all about men feeling pressured by women to keep it all inside btw. lmfao

[samwinchesterstan]

this is unique to men. only men do this

men are so funny. and so are women who bravely stand up for them

[danny-doodles]

Steve’s Hobby

This is a short 2k blurb about one of my Steve hcs, I am only really good at critical analysis writing so I’m sorry if this is bad!! Creative writing isn’t my strong suit but I felt like I couldn’t really explain this hc in a drawing as well as writing it could.

Growing up Steve was often taught the importance of words from his father, thinking it would be useful for his son’s future in the business. Steve was never the best reader, letters jumping around the page made it too difficult, so instead he listened to everyone around him. Teachers, his parent’s coworkers, older kids, all of them taught him the importance of the meaning of words.

How certain words would make someone a town pariah yet others a god among men. Steve was a more quiet kid but as he grew up he also grew confident in his words. He could tear someone down with one sentence, ensuring they knew he was not to be messed with. That’s why he was so confused when he struggled in his english class, he knew the power of words and the many meanings, but his teacher never understood. Sure he made grammar errors, how no one else struggled with the dancing letters he didn’t get, but how could the teachers not understand his connections? Steve shouldn’t have to explain why the red of the handmaid’s cloaks represented the ripping of humanity from the women, it was so clear to him. Obviously the boar head could be comparable to the church, how could his teachers not make the connection?

Even Nancy didn’t understand, someone he considered smarter than him. He knew she was trying to be nice when she critiqued his college paper but it still left him in the fog. Basketball was war to him, a fight that was pointless with one but possible with many. A challenge that called for leadership and a strict order. Everyone had the roles, knew where and when to shoot, needed the ability to think quickly on their feet and not struggle under the pressure. Uniforms to not only separate from the enemy but to show they are a unit reaching for a common goal. It was so clear leaving no need to explain, especially to Nancy.

But she didn’t get it, no one got it.

Maybe he wasn’t as good with words as he thought.

Steve from then on fumbled his words when he got nervous, scared he would say something that made him sound dumb and point out his weakness with words. The concussions didn’t help either, making him take longer to grasp concepts. Reading felt nearly impossible, the headaches were unbearable. Not to mention the kids' comments, judgmental and brutal as if Steve didn’t have a reason to struggle in the first place.

Everyone around him loved to put him in a sudden spotlight and when he didn’t say the right line he was booed off stage and dealt with the looks of disappointment from his co stars for messing up. So Steve stuck to what he knew, his quick remarks. Were they bitchy? Yes, but not coated in malice like they used to be. Piggybacking off others points with sarcastic comments so the other person kept talking, anything to get the attention off him.

But Steve had a secret hobby that he shared with no one, not even with his platonic soulmate with a capital P Robin.

Steve wrote poetry.

Years of horrors that by law he couldn’t share that caused vicious nightmares and a clammy grasp on reality at times tended to keep Steve up. Another gift bestowed by his father though was a feeling of shame when sharing his emotions. Didn’t help that those emotions were typically down played or outright ignored by others. Therefore a bottle filled with his emotions rested in Steve’s chest, which after Vecna he really realized probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do. So Steve took to writing them down, but he did it for himself.

No need to explain everything, he knew what he meant, he knew every context of every word. He wrote on his experiences, his emotions. He wrote when he was happy, he wrote when he was sad. Steve wrote and wrote and found his love for words again. And god did it feel good, it felt like taking back his voice from a world that underappreciated it. In a weird way it felt like revisiting a relative he had last seen as a child, that sense of freedom and the loss of expectation because in their eyes he was still that little kid. All they wanted was to see someone they loved and to Steve the words welcomed him back with a hug that rivaled his Nonna Maria’s.

Steve would ponder over lines at random intervals of the day, biting his pencil between his teeth during the quiet hours at work or simply jotting down a line right before picking the kids up. Steve wrote so often he kept his small little notebook on him at all times, usually accompanied by a pencil bound to it with a rubber band. (Turns out having hearing aids and glasses made it really difficult to put pencils behind one's ears). At this point everyone had seen his notebook, pale blue with some star stickers because he never had a shortage of them. Everyone assumed it was for something different. Some thought it was grocery lists, to-do lists, something productive. Others thought it was like a pocket calendar with all his plans listed so he didn’t forget. Dustin insisted it was meant to hold the definitions of anything D&D related so Steve never forgot, meanwhile Robin argued it was to hold all the wonderfully obscure movie recommendations she loved to give. All of them were wrong though and Steve kind of adored it that way. He didn’t have to explain himself that way, he could continue to hide under the blankets. Steve no longer held his tongue out of fear of others but because he had an outlet he much rather prefer.

Listening now felt less like a pop quiz, waiting for him to mess up his response, it felt like an actual conversation. Steve may not speak up as much as he would have before the Upside Down but he fell back in love with his own voice and maybe one day he would feel confident enough to share it with the Party, but for now it was all his.

No matter how much they wanted to prove who was right, the kids and older teenagers never touched the book when it was rarely separated from Steve. Well...after someone tried to grab it and they learned they really shouldn’t touch it.

While at the Harrington house the Party were preparing for a campaign session when the argument about the pale binded pages was brought up again. Steve had left it on the kitchen counter while he went to the bathroom, and Mike decided he was done with the bickering. He shot up and went to retrieve and open the book but before he could grab it the book flew through the air.

All the heads turned and landed on El holding it in her hand, “We are not Steve, this is his. It is rude to invade his privacy, would you like me to watch you without telling you,” everyone quietly shook their heads, “Then we do not watch Steve without him knowing.”

That’s exactly when Steve walked back in, it takes one look across the room at all the embarrassed faces and El holding his book with frustration painting her eyes to know what had occurred while he was gone. He walks up, kisses El on her head and softly thanks her while taking back his little literature.

After that incident no one dared touch the book or face the wrath of their favorite mage. They would find out when Steve was ready for them to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That damn little book haunted Eddie’s thoughts. He knew Steve was not what he assumed him to be so anything was on the table, he had been wrong about the guy before who's to say he won’t be this time?

Of course Eddie wanted to respect Steve’s privacy because Eddie personally would be mortified if Steve had seen any of his notebooks, mainly because of the pages of lyrics that not so subtly hinted at an itsy bitsy affection for the badass babysitter. If that didn’t give Eddie away the random ‘Eddie Harrington’ and ‘Steve Munson’ with hearts all over would finish the job. So yeah, Eddie was not crazy to offer up any of his notebooks to venture into Steve’s book. He just had no idea the universe would present him with a much more favorable offer.

Steve and Eddie started hanging out a lot more after Vecna, no shocker considering they shared a hospital room, and soon the bat buddies would spend their time together outside of the hospital. That’s why it wasn’t surprising for Steve to let Eddie venture into Steve’s room while he went to pick up their lunch.

Eddie was somewhat of a curious cat, so when he spotted the notebook and some papers scattered on Steve’s desk he was like a moth to a flame. He softly glided his fingers over the blue cover and exhaled some breath in a soft laugh over the star stickers Steve oh so loved. It was the paper though that caught his eye when he finished observing the book. It looked like lyrics at first but then he realized some of the lines were too short to be lines, if anything they looked more like stanzas from a poem. Steve had poetry on his desk, did Steve read poetry? Thee Steve Harrington likes poetry? God his whole doctrine was garbage huh. Eddie moved the paper towards him and started to read.

Watchful gaze

Setules on the glass.

Wishful gaze

Silent pleas of escaping rolling in the mouth

Fingertips slipping through the veil,

Grasping for warm hands,

Receiving lukewarm.

Hesitant to grab.

Dependency clasping the palms

Such a feverish feeling

Poking at the appendages,

A coldness that numbs.

Gently gripping for the heat,

The balmy yields.

Smoke and simmers,

Arms rushing to sides

Frozen.

Yearning for ardor,

Turn not yet given,

Waiting for the impossible,

Waiting for the unobtainable,

So understanding.

So relieving.

So desperate.

So alone.

Standing for the calling.

So patient.

So pathetic.

Empty Hands by Steve H.

Eddie was staring at the very last line on the paper, utterly flabbergasted. Steve wrote this? Steve writes poetry?! Is that what resides in the little book? Before Eddie could even find the power to turn to the book to look, Steve walked into his room. Again a quick look is all Steve needed to take before he knew what happened in his absence.

“Oh! Uh..I’m guessing you read it.”

Eddie slowly looked back up while caressing the paper, “Yeah, you..um..you really wrote this? Is that…uh..what’s in your notebook? Cause I will admit I never would have guessed that.”

Steve started scratching his neck, “I don’t blame you,” he huffs, “But yeah I write poetry, helps to let some of the thoughts out considering our lives y'know?”

“I totally get it dude! Lord knows my lyrics are infected with the whole spring break bullhonkey. So..totally cool if you don’t want to tell me but, why is this one out of the book? Were you gonna write it into the book?” Eddie picked up the paper to place it next to the notebook and turned to face Steve.

“Actually I copied it from the notebook, I’m gonna, okay wait, you can’t tell anyone this-”

“Even Robin?” Eddie exaggerated his smile to look wild.

“Even Robin.” Steve nodded with his eyes shut.

Eddie put his hands together and swayed while standing, “Wowww look at me, lil old Eddie Munson getting to learn the secrets of the mysterious writer Steve Harrington.”

“Eddie, you want to know or not?” Steve sighed as he put his hands on his hips.

“Yes. Yes please,” Eddie eagerly replied, barely letting Steve finish his sentence.

“The last time I went to Indy with Robin to go shopping at their mall we went to a cafe. The bulletin board had a flier for a poetry night and I got curious I guess.”

“You gonna perform the poem there?”

“That’s the plan.”

Eddie could understand wanting a fresh slate when it came to having a reputation. “Craving anonymity? Must be tough considering you are Hawkin’s golden boy.”

Steve smiles brightly and Eddie sees his shoulders lose tension, tension Eddie didn’t even notice because he was so distracted by the fact that holy shit Steve is a poet. “Exactly.”

Honestly Eddie would give anything to hear more of Steve's hidden works, he grabs some of his hair and brings it to cover his mouth, “I know you don’t intend to tell the rest of the bunch, but uh..would you allow a humble bard to observe your lyrical performance?”

Eddie looks at Steve’s face for any hint of annoyance and finds none, instead he finds a look that he could hope to be correct in his guess is excitement.

“Really? You’d want to hear more, it's not confusing or stupid to you?” Steve softly smiled at Eddie, making him swoon inside.

“It's art! It doesn’t need to make sense, it just needs to make you feel good, who cares if others are confused. And for what its worth even if I’m not right on the money that poem made me feel Steve, I mean as the expert in self-expression it felt real and vulnerable, y’know.” Eddie had to shut himself up before he himself waxed poetry about just how much he is dying to hear more from Steve to learn more about him.

“Thanks Eddie.” Steve gazed at Eddie as if no one had ever told him that before. Which now that hes thinking about it that’s probably the truth. Guess Eddie needed to constantly remind him then.

Eddie smiled, mirroring Steves while bending at his waist, “Oh but of course my liege.”

“Oh my god okay Eddie cmon the food’s gonna get cold.”

Steve started to leave his room and Eddie rushed to follow him, “Now that I know what the book is filled with may I pretty please read it?” Rapidly blinking his eyelashes in an attempt to look innocent and pure but instead looking like a piece of dust got in his eyes.

“Nope.”

“Ugghhh c'mon Steve! Just imagine the look on the little hellions when they see me opening the book! God the jealousy! The feeling of betrayal when they see me reading Steve Harringtons’s treasure trove of text and they are none the wiser to what is inside. And the best part, I have permission! The power I would hold Steve! The possibility, I could use them like little puppets to do my bidding while they crave information I alone hold!”

“Eddie that sounds like a headache for me waiting to happen, they’re just gonna badger me to tell them because they would claim it’s unfair you know and they don’t.”

“Eh, their egos could take a little hit don’t you think?” Eddie was now resting his head on Steve’s shoulder as the younger started to bring the food out of the carry out bag.

“Can I read your lyric notebook?”

Eddie’s eyes went wide as his brain proceeded to remind him of every lyric he had written around his devotion to Steve. Red in the face Eddie responded quickly, “Nope! Mmm you smell that Stevie I’m so hungry, aren’t you?”

“Subtle Munson.”

“Tis my middle name.”

Steve fondly rolled his eyes, “Sure.”

As they settled down on the couch Eddie tracked Steve grabbing the remote, “So I can really watch you?”

Steve turned and looked at Eddie with a calmness on his face. “Yeah Eddie.”

Eddie grabbed his hair as Steve stared at him, “Cool, cool, it’s a date.” Eddie froze about to panic silently as he tried to fix his slip up.

“Yeah, it's a date.” The two looked at each other, neither wanting to look away. After a minute or so Steve turned on the TV and if the two fell asleep together it was their business.

[theartofcollapse]

Swipe Right for Sarcasm - Casey Novak

a/n: i'm taking requests, so feel free to dm me :) summary: Olivia convinces Casey to download Tinder and start dating. pairing: Casey Novak x female reader warnings: none word count: 1.9K

masterlist

Casey Novak wasn’t entirely sure why she had downloaded Tinder but she fully blamed Olivia Benson for it. “You need to get out there, Casey,” Olivia had said while sipping wine and looking entirely too smug about her stable relationship with a certain medical examiner.

So here Casey was. Scrolling through profiles of men holding fish. Swiping left on women with bios like “Live, Laugh, Love” and “Here for a good time, not a long time.” Just when she was about to delete the app entirely, she stopped on one profile.

Y/N, 30. Bio: I’m here for three things: sarcasm, snacks, and possibly to steal your dog. Let’s see how this goes.

Casey couldn’t stop herself. She swiped right.

A moment later, a notification popped up on her screen: It’s a match!

Casey: Well, this is awkward. Y/N: Is this where we start pretending we didn’t spend hours carefully choosing our photos? Casey: I don’t have that kind of time. Mine were picked in five minutes, maximum effort. Y/N: That explains the photo of you staring at your coffee cup like it betrayed you. Casey: That’s just my face. Y/N: Sure it is. But really, what did the coffee do to you? Casey: It was burnt. A betrayal of the highest order. Y/N: Tragic. Should I unmatch now, or wait until you commit a food-related crime in real life? Casey: Bold of you to assume I’d share food on the first date. Y/N: Oh, you’re one of those. Let me guess, you won’t share fries either? Casey: Correct. Fries are sacred. Y/N: This might not work out. I’m a fry thief. Casey: Noted. I’ll bring decoy fries. Y/N: You’re already planning ahead. I’m impressed. Casey: I’m a lawyer. I must anticipate the worst-case scenario. Y/N: Worst case? Me stealing fries? Casey: Worst case is you stealing fries and not being funny. Y/N: Good thing I’m hilarious, then. Casey: That remains to be seen. Y/N: Oh, you’re a “prove it” kind of person? Casey: Guilty. Y/N: A lawyer joke already? Bold. Casey: If you’re not bold, you won’t survive Tinder. Y/N: True. Speaking of bold, how many boring icebreakers did you survive before we matched? Casey: Three. I had a guy ask me if I “come here often.” Y/N: What is this, a 2003 rom-com? Casey: Exactly. I also had someone tell me I look like I “read a lot.” Y/N: Do you not? Casey: That’s not the point. Y/N: Sure it isn’t, bookworm. Casey: You’re really toeing the line here. Y/N: Oh, is there a line? I didn’t see it. Casey: Keep this up, and you’ll be crossing it. Y/N: Would that be such a bad thing? Casey: No comment. Y/N: Interesting. Casey: You’re trouble, aren’t you? Y/N: Absolutely. Casey: And yet I haven’t unmatched you yet. Curious. Y/N: Face it, Casey. You like me already. Casey: Shut up. Y/N: I’ll take that as a yes.

Casey stared at her screen for a moment, lips twitching despite herself. She hated how smug this Y/N was. But also? She kind of liked it. Swiping right might not have been such a bad idea after all.

Over the next week, their messages became a daily occurrence. Casey found herself checking her phone during breaks at work, a slight smile tugging at her lips whenever she saw Y/N’s name pop up. It was infuriating. And kind of addictive.

Y/N: So, Counselor Novak, tell me, how does a hotshot lawyer like you end up on Tinder? Casey: I could ask you the same question, fry thief. Y/N: I asked first. Casey: Fine. Peer pressure. Y/N: Oh no, did someone force you to download a dating app? Tragic. Who do I sue? Casey: You can take it up with my friend Detective Olivia Benson. Y/N: Detective Olivia Benson, huh? Should I be worried about competition? Casey: She’s very happily in a relationship. But she does like to meddle. Y/N: Sounds like a good friend. Casey: Debatable. Y/N: Okay, my turn. I joined Tinder because my best friend told me my “sarcasm doesn’t count as a personality.” Casey: They’re wrong. Y/N: Oh, I know. But now I have to prove it does count. Casey: To them? Y/N: To everyone. Especially you. Casey: Consider me unconvinced. Y/N: Wow. Brutal. Casey: You’ll live. Y/N: Careful, Casey. You’re starting to sound like me. Casey: Don’t flatter yourself. Y/N: Too late.

Casey groaned softly, dropping her phone onto her desk. She wasn’t used to this. Someone who could match her wit, her sarcasm, and still leave her wanting more. It was unnerving.

She picked up her phone again, typing quickly.

Casey: So, when do you plan to prove this sarcasm-is-a-personality theory of yours? Y/N: I don’t know. Are you asking me out, Novak? Casey: I was thinking more along the lines of letting you try to impress me in person. Y/N: Sounds like a date to me. Casey: Technically, it’s an interview. Y/N: Oh, right, because I’m auditioning to steal your fries. Casey: You’re not stealing anything. Y/N: Not with that attitude. Casey: You’re impossible. Y/N: And yet, here you are, texting me back. Casey: Don’t remind me. Y/N: So, what’s your availability, Counselor? Or should I call your assistant to book something? Casey: I don’t need an assistant. Y/N: Fancy. Do you schedule your own dates, too? Casey: I schedule everything. Efficiency is important. Y/N: I’m swooning over your time management skills. Casey: Try to contain yourself.

By the time they settled on a date (Friday night, 7 p.m., some hole-in-the-wall pizza place Casey pretended not to secretly love), Casey felt equal parts excited and annoyed. Y/N was under her skin in a way no one had been in years.

She wasn’t sure what to expect when she walked into the restaurant. But when she spotted Y/N, leaning casually against the counter, a mischievous smirk already plastered across her face, Casey couldn’t fight the smile tugging at her lips.

“You’re late,” Y/N said as Casey approached.

“I’m not late,” the ADA replied. “You’re just early.”

“Sure, Novak. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

Casey rolled her eyes. “Are you always this infuriating?”

“Only when I like someone.”

That shut her up for about two seconds. “Cute. Don’t push your luck.”

Y/N just grinned. 

The pizza place was small, with dim lighting and mismatched chairs that somehow added to its charm. Casey chose a table near the window, and Y/N followed, sliding into the seat across from her with that same maddening grin.

“You’re awfully smug for someone who’s about to lose an argument,” Casey said, picking up the menu.

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Lose? I didn’t realize we were already arguing.”

“We will be. I take my pizza choices very seriously.”

Y/N leaned back in her chair, smirking. “Let me guess, classic cheese, no toppings, and a side of self-righteousness?”

Casey’s lips twitched. “Wrong. I’m a Margherita girl. But nice try.”

“Margherita,” Y/N repeated, mock solemn. “How… traditional.”

“Oh, and you’re going to tell me you order something ridiculous like pineapple, aren’t you?”

“I wouldn’t dare. Pineapple on pizza is a crime against humanity.”

Casey pretended to study her closely. “Huh. I was worried I’d have to call Olivia to arrest you tonight, but it seems you have some standards.”

Y/N grinned. “I’m a woman of mystery. You’ll learn that in time.”

“Bold assumption, considering we haven’t even ordered yet.”

“Speaking of which,” Y/N said, leaning forward slightly, “what’s your go-to pizza place lawyer pickup line? Because I’m still waiting for you to impress me.”

Casey arched a brow. “You’re the one who agreed to this. Shouldn’t you be impressing me?”

Y/N shrugged. “That depends. Are you the type who’s impressed by bad jokes?”

“No.”

“Great, because I’m about to tell one anyway. Why did the tomato turn red?”

Casey sighed, already regretting this. “Why?”

“Because it saw the salad dressing.”

There was a beat of silence. Then Casey blinked, leaning back in her chair with a slow shake of her head.

“Absolutely not,” she said, though she couldn’t hide the faint smile tugging at her lips.

Y/N looked triumphant. “You smiled.”

“I did no such thing.”

“You’re literally smiling right now, Casey.”

Casey schooled her features into a look of mock disdain. “I think we need to establish some ground rules for this… whatever this is.”

“Oh, I love rules,” Y/N said, leaning her chin on her hand. “Go on.”

“First rule: no more bad jokes.”

“Bold of you to assume that’s possible.”

“Second rule,” Casey continued, ignoring her, “you don’t get to steal my fries or my pizza. We order separate portions like civilized people.”

Y/N gasped, clutching her chest dramatically. “Separate? Casey, I thought we were building something real here.”

“Rule three,” Casey added sharply, “no sarcasm while I’m eating.”

“Now, that’s just cruel. What am I supposed to do? Compliment you sincerely?”

“I’d like to see you try.”

“Fine.” Y/N leaned forward, meeting Casey’s eyes with mock seriousness. “Your time management skills are impeccable. And your taste in pizza? Absolutely average, but I can work with it.”

Casey burst out laughing before she could stop herself. She covered her mouth, glaring at Y/N, who looked far too pleased with herself.

By the time the pizza arrived, they’d gone through two rounds of drinks and an unspoken competition to see who could come up with the most ridiculous lawyer joke. (Y/N’s submission—Why don’t sharks attack lawyers? Professional courtesy. —had earned an eye-roll so dramatic Casey almost got whiplash.)

“You know,” Y/N said as they both reached for their slices, “I had a backup plan in case this date went horribly wrong.”

“Backup plan?”

“Yep. I was going to fake a phone call and claim my cat was on fire or something.”

Casey paused mid-bite, giving her a skeptical look. “Your cat? On fire?”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“And yet, here you are,” Casey said, mimicking her words from earlier.

Y/N smiled, pointing at her. “Touché, Counselor. Looks like you’re starting to keep up.”

“Starting to?”

Y/N shrugged. “You’re almost at my level.”

Casey let out a low laugh, shaking her head. “I don’t know how anyone puts up with you.”

“They don’t,” Y/N said cheerfully. “But I’m glad you’re willing to try.”

For a moment, Casey just looked at her, her expression softening despite herself. There was something disarming about Y/N’s confidence, her relentless humor, the way she didn’t back down no matter how many sarcastic comments Casey threw her way. It was kind of wonderful.

After splitting the check (over Y/N’s loud protest of, “Let me pay, Novak, or I’ll tell the waiter you’re a fry thief!”), they stepped outside into the crisp night air.

“So,” Y/N said, shoving her hands into her coat pockets. “Did I pass your interview, or should I expect a rejection email in the morning?”

Casey smirked. “I’ll have to review my notes, but you might be safe for now.”

Y/N tilted her head, a teasing glint in her eye. “Safe enough for a second date?”

Casey considered her for a long moment. “We’ll see,” she said lightly, though the corner of her mouth twitched in a way that betrayed her amusement.

Y/N grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Of course you will.”

They lingered for a moment, the playful banter fading into something softer as their eyes met.

“Well,” Y/N said finally, her voice quieter, “I guess this is where I let you get back to your very busy, lawyer-y life.”

Casey hesitated for just a second before stepping closer, her lips curving into a small, genuine smile. “Text me when you get home.”

Y/N’s smile widened. “Whatever you say, Counselor.”

And as Casey turned to walk away, she realized she was already looking forward to seeing that smirk again.

[immediatebreakfast]

Mina, and Jonathan experiencing the actual social expectations of married victorian couples by the cultural pressure of having four different men who are well comfortable in their position within the cultural/social victorian hierarchy, is truly the lowest point in their relationship so far.

Mina is getting desperate to have even a single crumble of information after compiling what is basically their holy manuscript about vampires while going "This is absolutely fine :)" only to stop herself from pushing further because she doesn't know what to do without actual support.

It is strange to me to be kept in the dark as I am to-day; after Jonathan's full confidence for so many years, to see him manifestly avoid certain matters, and those the most vital of all. 

Mina knows that this is wrong, she knows that Jonathan not speaking at all to her about what he is doing in these missions is not the kind of dynamic they thrived in before joining forces with the others. This is not their solemn duty to one another, but what can Mina do exactly when she is currently residing in an asylum? She calls herself a silly fool for expressing what might as well be grief because of the loss of their communication. Mina still expresses that maybe someday Jonathan will tell her fully all of the information again (implied how in that future some day they are away from the others), so she has to keep her journal going. Moreover, Mina being utterly alone with her self deprecating thoughts made her spiral more because now she thinks she has to bottle up her feelings as to not worry Jonathan.

Meanwhile, Jonathan got invited to what I can only describes as a "good ol' lads only" mission where he almost had a panic attack in three different instances because being there in the Count's territory again activated his ptsd almost instantly.

I daresay it will be difficult to begin to keep silence after such confidence as ours; but I must be resolute, and to-morrow I shall keep dark over to-night's doings, and shall refuse to speak of anything that has happened. I rest on the sofa, so as not to disturb her.

On top of being utterly baffling to see him express these hards notions of misogyny for the first time in the whole book after it. This is not to say that Jonathan is not sexist because that would not align with his comments on the Weird Sisters; his line of thinking is more focused on the sexist idea that women are noble, nurturing people as a default despite him looking up to them. So, to see Jonathan repeat the whole "women are fragile beings made of glass which any kind of fright can shatter" in this robotic manner reads more as if he is repeating this to convice himself that leaving Mina out of the investigation was a good idea, and that he needs to push any discomfort with this new arragement "for them" because he is The Husband now.

All of this is the perfect opportunity for the Count to strike, and take down Mina specifically. Which he did not waste any time in doing for what we read on the entry.

[sehodreams]

ofc character toxification is fine! 💣

TW and Tags: toxic!conservative!riize, sexist behaviors and thoughts, don't know what else to put.

Thank you, this was interesting hahaha, it kind of became in a list of sexist ideas and behaviors, but still hope you like it.

From this question:

Most

Eunseok

Wonbin

Sungchan

Seunghan

Shotaro

Sohee

Anton

Least

Eunseok is definitely the kind of guy who wants his girl to be 24/7 for him, you have to be his good little doll waiting at home all the time, you have to look pretty, nod to everything he says and be dumb all the time, smart girls talk too much and he doesn't like that at all. Don't even think about working outside either, your place is right there cleaning his house and in the kitchen cooking for him. It wouldn't be a surprise that he's one of the guys who would actually talk to people about how they have to keep their girls in check, making sure they're not acting like little sluts out there and do their only job in this world, stay at home satisfying their needs, and he'd even preach about it in front of your face, you nodding after he brainwashed you.

Wonbin is such an asshole with all the female population, he thinks they all have to meet society beauty standards to deserve his attention and respect as human beings, and wouldn't say much in front of them, but behind their backs he'd talk about how disgusting they look if they don't shave, wore makeup or kept a neat look. Also, I don't know why, but if you were his wife he wouldn't care that you're in an important point of your career (he doesn't mind you working), if he wants you to stop and have his children, you will.

Sungchan feels like the bro that wants children from you yes or yes, he'd practically see you as his own incubator instead of his wife, and would also always talk about it, how many BOYS he wants to play with, and how a little girl would be perfect to complete the team (but just one, not more), he wants children so much that would forget that you're a person with feelings and that you should be the one deciding how many you want too. On top of that, he'd really complain about how low the birth rate is, saying how sad is that women have lost the desire of fulfilling their role in the world as mothers.

Seunghan is the kind of guy who wants his girl pure, and that means, virgin. Just the idea of you opening your legs for someone that's not him makes his blood boil, like, where's your respect to yourself? Oh, and don't even dare to tell him that he has to be a virgin too, he'd firmly affirm that it's not the same, even trash talking about divorced women because they're already "used". He'd also convince you, to not say gaslight you, into thinking men can't only be with one woman since it's in their nature to cheat.

Shotaro has this artsy vibe, he's a dancer, he's grown up in this free of judgment space, I just don't think he'd ever judge a woman about her career goals and her choices about family, unless she's his girlfriend. He'd pressure to look pretty and skinny, making you lose weight with sutil but hurtful comments like "uhmm, are you sure about dessert?", making you always judge how you look and compare yourself with the girls he works with. Also, like I said, he wouldn't mind if you worked, however, he'd totally hate that you didn't take care enough of the house if you worked too much, he doesn't care that the two of you have exhausting jobs, when he arrives he wants his dinner hot and his bath ready.

Sohee wouldn't have any problem with you working and not having children, but he'd support the idea of women taking care of the household, he'd wash the dishes and leave everything else to you (from buying the ingredients, cooking, to serving the meal), and he'd affirm to everyone that he's always helping around the house. It's not that he doesn't how to survive on his own, but if you were his wife, he'd just leave most of the work to you, and would probably choose to marry you with that in mind too (the idea of having practically a servant). Also, he'd hate if you earned more money than him, probably making you quit or convincing you to have an "easier" job that paid you less just to not feel his position as the house head in danger.

I don't feel nothing from Anton, he'd love a bad bitch with thick makeup, a different style, that felt passion for her career and never cooked. He's still dumb with household chores, he wouldn't be able to survive on his own, but he'd never pressure you into doing everything on your own, and he do wants children, but if you don't then there's no pressure neither, your body your choice.

[gacha-incels]

relegating the project moon/limbus ongoing situation as simply “drama” is incredibly reductive. perhaps it could have stayed this way had KJH not capitulated to the DCinside misogynists’ “femi” witch hunt. by firing her (let’s be real, they’ve been coy about it because they’ve lawyered up but we all saw it happen) for deleted tweets expressing support for pretty standard women’s rights issues in korea, PM has inserted themselves into the ongoing national conversation regarding female worker’s rights. This is why there have been multiple news articles surrounding this and unions have commented on it. These people aren’t trying to take potshots at PM from the peanut gallery, they have a vested interest in making sure this situation cannot happen in the future. This isn’t only about vellmori, her case doesn’t exist in a vacuum. As I said, it’s more like her case has been added to the overall conversation rather than the unions adding themselves into her sole conversation. This is one of the reasons they’re trying to pressure PM directly.

It’s ridiculous to compare the current protests to what the DCinside males did. It’s easy to do so you don’t have to think about it of course. For women in korea, it’s not just something they can pretend isn’t happening, it’s part of their reality. This isn’t just “drama” it’s something that effects them directly. In regards to thinking “both sides are bad” I’ll repost a reblogged reply I made here.

Sadly the reality of horrific and often times fatal misogyny in south korea that this situation is now a part of is ignored by many, downplayed or brushed off again by “both sides are bad”. In a lot of “explanations” of the situation for example the writer will try to explain megalia & korean feminism in detail but more vaguely reference why these women are trying to push back. So the reader will emotionally react to some harsh sounding statements or actions from women but feel less for the more vague or flat statistics presented of misogyny in the country. I also believe people are desensitized to misogyny in the west so when they read these “extreme” sounding statements from women they see it as a “both sides are bad” situation instead of an oppressed group fighting their oppressor. If the things men actually wrote about women, the femicides, molka, extreme rates of domestic abuse and cases like the Nth room were described in detail to give westerners a fuller picture of what Korean women are dealing with I think there could possibly be less western centrist opinions. Well this is what I’ve been seeing at least, it’s frustrating to see some women’s extremely harsh words for example compared to the physical and sexual violence epidemic there by men as “both sides are wrong” so I wanted to say something. What woman has done anything on par with Nth room? I’m not going to judge their activism tactics as I don’t live there, but it’s frustrating to see the two “sides” compared like they’re both the same in terms of extreme actions.

[dreamonminecraft]

I mean, George’s been showing an attraction for men (fictional and real) for ages, not just Dream. Those thirst traps he used to watch.. his fascination (not just jokes) with dicks over the years. Also he went from being very awkward/careful about any gay mention (remember how upset he got over the ’bottom’ comment?) to fully embracing that now. He even got upset when the sidemen thought he would be bad at head like? For me, in the past two years, he (seemed to at least) fully accept himself. That obviously doesn’t mean you’re ready to be out about it. But going out to gay clubs with Larray, being in their ’twink’ tiktok thing they did and all other moments.. they bonded over *something* surely. So yeah, I was shocked about this whole thing, not gonna lie. It’s the first time ever we’ve heard about him in connection with women, in a non-platonic way. Like remember when he went on that girl trip with the Botez sisters in 2022? Just him and the girls and them talking about that ’Zaddy’ waitress or whatever it was 😂 And all the moments of him seeming uncomfortable about talking of girlfriends and boobs and yeah, I don’t know. He’s always been just gay in my eyes (based on the things he’s done/said and not stereotypes or looks just to be clear.) Or even about just dnf either. Like take Dream out of the equation and I would still think that. Now sexuality can be fluid of course. Maybe he realised he could feel something for women too? Maybe it was an exception to the rule? Or maybe, he experimented a bit and what do we know what he really felt about it? People try things sometimes, for many different reasons. Maybe he had a little crisis or something. Maybe he was heartbroken over Dream flirting with someone else in the same room like? Or maybe he is bi/pan ( not trying to deny the possibility, I’m bi myself so.) But yeah, just my opinion, not some actual truth here ofc ❤️

I think that's a really fair assessment. From what we knew of his private life (up until a few weeks ago) he was attracted to men (real and fictional) and never shared details of any prior real life experiences with anybody (women or otherwise - first kiss, past partners, etc)

He's fine with the perception that people have of him being gay (obviously it doesn't hurt his career. not saying he's queer baiting) but Dream was very 'im straight. I kiss girls. I date girls' before he knew he wasn't straight, and when he started to realize that he wasn't, he still acknowledged that he liked girls while recognizing his changing feelings. George is just very private in general.

There's a clip from one of the very first dsmp streams where Dream calls George gay "he's like that one closeted friend who doesn't say I love you because he doesn't want to out himself" (my least favorite Dream joke ever, thanks) and you know how he justifies it to the (rightfully) uncomfortable chat? "I wouldn't say that if I wasn't 100% sure George was straight."

George's response: "Straight outta Compton"

I mean this guy has been actively denying any sort of public labeling of his sexuality by anyone for almost four years. Maybe he's in the same position as Dream and he just doesn't want a label (doesn't know/doesn't like the pressure/whatever) or maybe the public perception is something that he doesn't want. Whatever he is, I think it's pretty clear he's some sort of queer.

[whatudowhennooneseesyou]

What is with the people’s comments on the late bloomer stuff? Like Google the term maybe? Late bloomer is also used for people who start puberty later than most. It just means reaching a certain milestone or event a little later than the majority. It’s not bad. It 1000% varies by culture and social norms if it pertains to sex and/or relationships.

So for me I’d call late bloomers 25+ in America. Many experience these as teens and in college, but some don’t have relationships until after college too. So I’d say most people have had sex or a relationship by 25. And if you haven’t you may feel pressure or judgement(usually amplified by one’s own anxiety and overthinking). There’s nothing wrong with it. In many cultures people aren’t starting these experiences until after college.

To the people being assholes in your ask box: The point of “late bloomer bf” is someone who is kind and guiding you on your first time. If you’re in your late 20s and you’re dating someone also in their late 20s. In my country as well as Australia it seems, that partner is VERY likely to have had significant experience. And the fantasy in late bloomer bf’s is someone who will go slow and take their time with you and guide you and be lovely. No, many men do not want to put in the time or effort, just part of the hook up culture a lot of western countries experience among Millennial/Gen Z. This goes hand in hand with them not wanting to wait too long into dating before you have sex.

Anyways, these things vary depending on culture/social norms/religion and so on. Hope this helps.

Hey anon, thank you for your comment!

Yeah, I didn't realize that 'late bloomer' was not a term many ppl knew about? Maybe it's just a very 'western' term but you hear it all the time in Australia.

I agree, it's not a bad thing- it's just a rlly simple way of defining milestones that happen later than the average norm wherever you're from.

Same as the phrase 'tall, dark and handsome' was popping off on tiktok recently b/c ppl thought it meant something bad when the phrase legitimately just refers to having dark hair- nothing more.

I genuinely thought it was a phrase used everywhere.

I'd agree that 25+ in most western countries will consider you a 'late bloomer' if you've never had a bf or being in a serious relationship before- or are a virgin.

In Australia, I'd say it's younger- like around 20.

And that is the whole point of 'late bloomer bf' series for sure, particularly b/c I put a lot of my insecurities and the common insecurities I see for women like me into that series.

A big insecurity I see is there's been neurological studies in how most ppl (mainly men) never forget their 'first love' and there'll always be a torch for the person they ever loved romantically- which I think is accurate b/c most ppl around me who are in happy relationships do admit they've never forgotten the first person they loved seriously.

And so how do you be someone's first love when you've surpassed the average time period where ppl experience that?

And that's why I mention this idea of 'firsts' so much in my series b/c there is that fear of you experiencing all these things for the first time (like valentines, Xmas, bdays) with someone who's (most likely) experienced them all before so it's not as significant for them as it would be for you.

I was watching this tiktok of this girl who got into her first relationship ever at 32 and the bf had been in 4 long-term relationships before her and he bought her a giant bouquet of flowers (forgot the reason why) and she mentioned how she burst into tears at the time b/c he was the first man to have bought her flowers.

And she mentioned how he rlly struggled to understand the significance of this for her b/c he's bought flowers for his gf's in the past.

And it's things like that just made me realize how personal these experiences are for us late bloomers when the same experience probably wouldn't be as significant someone who's been through it before.

It just sucks honestly being a late bloomer, it's just emotionally-such an isolating and heartaching experience to go through for such a long time.

[fang-toothed]

I’m going to talk about “passing” (as the opposite sex), because it feels like there are not many neutral and comprehensive explanations of the truth of it.

During my 3 years of identifying as trans, I was told that I could pass completely as male with hormones and top surgery (mastectomy). I looked through a subreddit where trans-identified people posted pics of themselves to see if they “passed” and I gave the most affirmative answers I could. The trans women, I noticed, even back then, always got much more positive comments than trans men, and also seemed much more confident that they themselves “passed,” even though the visible evidence seemed to show the opposite.

2 out of 3 of the trans women I know I “clocked” (could tell they were male) at first glance. Both had long or longish hair, wore (what is considered to be) women’s clothing, and both seemed to be on HRT (had breast development). The 3rd took me about 15 minutes to figure out. I clocked one TIF straight away, though this person wasn’t on artificial hormones and had an obviously female voice. The other had a beard, was obviously on testosterone, and had the “camp” voice gay men (and straight TIFs) tend to have. It took me five class periods to clock the latter, mainly because I never saw this person standing up through the crowded room. The moment I saw this classmate walking outside of the classroom it was very obvious this person was female. Their hips would be considered wide even for a woman, and the other TIF had nearly the exact same height (5’4”ish) and hip width. It didn’t matter how male either seemed; their hips will give them away every time.

I am not saying this out of spite. I genuinely want to help trans people realise what it took me years to realise: that they are being lied to. Sure, you’ll get shown a picture of Buck Angel or Blaire White as “proof” trans women are women and trans men are men fuck yeah, but the former is an outlier and the latter does not pass at all without makeup and strategic lighting, and even they still do not pass naked. You are being sold a lie, and people are making a lot of profit from it.

Trans women, you need to realise that having no one straight-up say “hey, you’re not a woman!” to you does not mean you pass. In real life, you probably never will. Women are instinctively scared of you and will very rarely confront you, especially since you keep making death and rape threats towards “TERFs”. HRT will make you look less masculine, but you will never experience a female level of hormones, simply because you are not female. Ovaries make most estrogen for females, which you can see below, and your hormones will never cycle the way female hormones do because you lack the uterus that controls them. You will never experience menopause. Your body never stops being male. If you are told contrary, you are being lied to.

Trans men, you need to realise that while you do have a chance of passing with hormones, surgery, and clothing on, your health will ALWAYS suffer if you do so. Testosterone HRT causes vaginal dryness, atrophy, and pelvic/clitoral pain directly from the overabundance of testosterone. You will likely gain weight, potentially even developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart problems from a rise in cholesterol. You will go into early menopause after 12 months of no periods, and have the negative health effects that come with it. Healthy levels of estrogen and testosterone (yes, it is present in all female bodies) do a lot for the body; just look at the source above. There is no possible way for you to pass as male without your body suffering as a result.

Hate me and call me a TERF all you like, but I am telling you the truth. You HAVE to stop relying on word of mouth for information about transitioning medically. I would honestly prefer you to keep identifying as trans and keep doing TRA activism and NOT take HRT/get unnecessary surgery than readily admit you are not the gender you identify as and still take/get them. I am a sympathetic person and I hate unnecessary pain, even from my political “rivals” (I do not consider you rivals). I do not and will never hate trans people. Please just ask yourselves why looking at the other side’s materials is fine for Conservative, Nazi, whatever movement, because their arguments are ridiculous and based on selfish interests that are easy to see, EXCEPT gender-critical material, which is supposedly just as foolish. It is never a sin to educate yourself, despite what certain movements and religions will tell you.

[2manythoughtz]

Barbie has been deeply misunderstood?

The movie Barbie is still topic of many discussions among viewers and their different points of view. The Golden Globes have proved just why this movie was needed in the first place.

Recently some comments have been made during The Golden Globes that have left people thinking. For those who don’t know, The Golden Globes is an annual ceremony that takes place in the US and awards movies, TV series, actors and so on based on their categories and the votes are made by approximately 300 entertainment journalists from various parts of the world. As with all ceremonies, they must have a host who most of the time is someone famous in the entertainment industry and who is meant to make the night funny and unforgettable, sadly this year was not the case.

Jo Koy, who is a famous stand-up comedian and actor, was the host of this year’s edition and some of his jokes left people speechless. While most VIPs in the audience looked somehow confused and uncomfortable as he tried to get a few laughs from everyone. Of course, hosting is not an easy task, there’s a lot of pressure on the person and I’m sure they need a lot of time to prepare their jokes. That doesn’t excuse what has been said and, while no one in the audience said anything about it, the fans at home were not so silent on the matter.

While many lines were not appreciated, such as Jo Koy’s comment about Taylor Swift that left her fans bitter about it, one in particular really struck a nerve and everyone started talking about it on social media. “Oppenheimer is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is on a plastic doll with big boobies.” And if that wasn’t bad enough, he then added. “I don’t want you guys to think that I’m a creep. It was kind of weird being attracted to a plastic doll, just something about your eyes, Ryan…it’s not all about you Margot.” And finally. "The key moment in Barbie is when she goes from perfect beauty to bad breath, cellulite, and flat feet. Or what casting directors call character actor!"

As you can imagine, the Barbie cast was not too enthusiastic about these comments as they looked embarrassed rather than amused. People all over social media are criticizing Jo Koy for proving the movie’s point, just because the movie is about a “doll with big boobies” doesn’t mean that it’s something he can comment about so lightly. This misogynistic behavior is exactly why Barbie was made in the first place, to show people that in a world dominated by men, women will always be looked down upon, whether they’re real or just dolls.

But what is the Barbie movie about? Whether you love it or hate it, I think everyone agrees on the fact that the Barbie movie is a way to show people, mostly young women, that it’s hard to fit in today’s society. Women have been fighting for their rights for years, trying to become men’s equals while also feeling the pressure that has been put on them to be perfect no matter what. Barbie is about a doll, yes, but the story revolves around something deeper. The way Barbie slowly realizes that being imperfect is not a bad thing, it’s just a human thing, and the way she manages to understand her feelings as she evolves from feeling perfect to slowly wondering if there’s more to life is just eye-opening.

The movie discusses many topics and, while some of them may be a bit controversial, the main topic is womanhood. What is it to be a woman, what if feels to be a woman and how women are portrayed. So joking about Barbie’s body in a sexual way and the struggles she encounters is not only sickening but also embarrassing.

Greta Gerwig, the movie’s director, remained professional on her end and when asked to comment on Jo Koy’s words, she simply said. “Well, he’s not wrong,” she continued. “She’s the first doll that was mass-produced with breasts, so he was right on. And you know, I think that so much of the project of the movie was unlikely because it is about a plastic doll. Barbie by her very construction has no character, no story, she’s there to be projected upon.”

Even so, the Barbie movie won an award for best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.

Speaking of awards, there’s something else we must address. Another misconception that shows just how everyone has misunderstood how deep the movie’s message is. In fact, most of the movie’s soundtracks were nominated as Best Song at the Critics Choice Awards and, as everyone expected What Was I Made For by Billie Eilish to be the winner, I’m Just Ken ended up winning that title. Yet again, it’s almost laughable as this song is basically a joke about the Kens feeling misunderstood and ignored by Barbie, while What Was I Made For is a song about womanhood and the hard feelings and fears that women live with. The award went to the only song made by a man that was up against the other 2 songs made by women for the same movie.

Ryan Gosling’s reaction has become viral online as you can see him confused and unamused by this unexpected victory. Yes, I’m Just Ken maybe became more popular because of the memes but to put it above a meaningful song such as What Was I Made For felt unreal. I’m not sure which was worse, Jo Koy’s jokes or this award.

What are you thoughts? Let me know!

[lovelywriters]

So Thestandard had an interview with Cooheart about the difficulties for LGBTQIA+ performers in the industry. And about his fashion. I used google trans to post parts of the interview here.

In the early days of working in the industry Earth was framed with the word 'don't go out with girls' because of the belief that If straight men fall in love with each other, it will sell. It's pretty cruel. And it's a very bad feeling. At that time I felt down.

Earth said that the chances of a multi-gender actor being cast in a Y-series is pretty tough.

The Y Industry is a media that is constantly being talked about and controversial. One of those issues is The industry's inability to support the LGBTQIA+ community enough, and many times, it creates misunderstandings and hurts both LGBTQ people and industry insiders.

Getting hate comments for his lead role in My Only 12%. Crossing the line to our identity. About dressing about our lifestyle which is not very good, hate speech.

EDIT: ENG TRANS HERE

Besides work What are some of the pressures Earth faces as a multi-gender actor?

As I said, in the era when Earth started to work around 2018, the industry still had a lot of frameworks. Although society in general has begun to accept and understand us more. But the entertainment industry still separates male and female actors quite clearly. It's not that wide open yet. It made our positioning very difficult. You have to question yourself every day whether what you are doing is right or not. At that time it was very confusing. Do you feel that people won't love or like me if I'm like this?

How difficult are the chances of LGBTQIA+ actors getting lead roles today?

Earth was fortunate to come in for a while and started to pick up. have a clear character The organizer saw enough to pick us up to use. but for the new generation in the industry These opportunities are very rare for you to come out as LGBTQIA+ and take the leading role. It's quite difficult. Earth really wants everyone to understand that acting and artist identity are separate. LGBTQIA+ can play all roles like men and women if they have done homework, workshops or understand the script. He can play leading roles equally well. Earth doesn't want anyone to judge anyone based on their gender or sexuality. I want to look deeper into the potential of that person.

'The Y series doesn't support the LGBTQIA+ community enough', what does Earth think about it?

I agree that it's not encouraging enough. because he hasn't really revealed it yet What is diversity? Seriously, LGBTQIA+ has many characters. But you're still only exposing the G or the L. It's missing a lot of dimensions, really, in many ways it's done really well. But there are still many stories that still create some images or misunderstandings.

[bredslut]

I found your blog back when you were about 17 or 18 weeks pregnant (so not long) and since then your comments and updates have been really inspiring to me.

Pregnancy is beautiful, and I want to share that one day with a loving wife of my own carrying our children in her womb. Realistically doing that though means being able to provide and support for a pregnant wife to ensure that she and the baby (or babies) are healthy and comfortable. I started looking up tips and advice, keeping a pregnant woman off her feet by taking care of chores, good maternity wear and clothing hacks, things like that.

I look forward to your updates because they give me an idea as to what I can expect for an expecting mother. How much heavier you feel, how nursing bras are the only bras that fit now, how active the baby is, etc. (That, and you're hot gonna be honest. Seeing you in a robe or a nightie is pretty damn hot lol). So any advice you can give me on how to help make a pregnancy easier or pregnant changes I should be aware of, I want to know so that I can be prepared. Thank you, and here's to a smooth pregnancy the rest of the way.

Every woman is different so it can be hard to give advice for what to expect. For example, I never had morning sickness, but my friend did with all 5 of hers. Be ready for anything. Mood swings, exhaustion, sickness, food aversions and cravings (and that's just the first trimester!)

The best advice is to listen to your partner for what they need. Maybe she needs you to cook because raw meat makes her sick. Maybe she needs you to clean up at night so she can go to bed at 8pm. Just be there for her through the ups and downs.

Also, it's very likely her sex drive will take a dip. It's not true for all women but many experience a big drop in desire to have sex. Be prepared for that and don't pressure her, ever. I read so many posts in due date groups of women asking how to force yourself to want to have sex so their partners won't leave them. It's gross that men can't chill out while their partners create a whole other human being.

I hope this answers your question! Let me know if you're curious about anything else.

[newlyy]

That's how I feel towards the "uwu men w soft tummy silly little guys" pastel mras on this site who each and every time they are met with news of yet another atrocity committed towards women (recently the things in france, south korea etc..) respond with "but women do this too"

So last night I saw a tiktok of footage of a man (presumably Muslim) in some restaurant in England and a waitress delivers his food to his table, she sets down the plate, and immediately for seemingly no reason, the guy just reaches out and slaps her across the face. So ok, he’s a piece of shit and a misogynist. Fine, we all agree. But what got me is he was sitting at the table with a woman, presumably his wife, who was wearing a hijab. And he slapped this waitress and the woman doesn’t do anything but just immediately stand up, grab her toddler-aged kid that’s probably the man’s kid, and they all three leave. And it made me so mad, it felt like such a betrayal from this woman who’s out here wearing this sexist ass, male-religion-ass head covering, having children with this man and going quietly along with him after he assaults another woman out of the blue. It enraged me and I came to tumblr, as is my MO, to complain about it and I had a post typed up that was basically the one I posted this morning, but I didn’t post it, I actually fell asleep not long after. And then I woke up this morning, opened tumblr, saw the saved draft and was like yeah, I’m calm, I don’t need to post about this, so I deleted it. And then I took my ass to tiktok, naturally, and almost immediately saw a tiktok from a young beautiful woman who is a “spicy” model, saying that “ok, but don’t YOU also sell your body at your 9 to 5? 😏” and the tiktok had over 300k likes and soooo many comments from other women like “get your bread!” “Yea girl!” “I’d do it if I could!” (No you wouldn’t, because you CAN do it. There’s nothing stopping you save for you not wanting to do it). And I got pissed off again (a pattern develops) and came to tumblr to complain. And yeah I’m an asshole we can give all these women the fucking benefit of the doubt and be like well maybe the original woman was being abused by that man!!! Well this OF model still suffers under patriarchy even if she has to lie to herself! Our fight is the same!!! Yeah, fine. But I don’t care sometimes. It’s fucking annoying to constantly having to be pushing back against other women who are hell bent on ceding any gains we’ve made. “Yay plastic surgery! Yay sex positivity! Beating your partner is ok if it’s safe, sane, and consensual! Some women choose to wear the hijab! Makeup is empowering! Sex work is real work!” Like I’m fucking tired of this grandpa. It’s kind of how I feel about like the trans shit where im like ok, it’s understandable that people are pressured to go along with this, they’re getting all this bad info from all of these sources. But at the same time like, I was also pressured. I also received that bad info. And I realized it was bullshit. I’m not an extraordinary person in any sense and I realized it was bad. I questioned it. There are so many of us that push back against it. How can we excuse these women as just products of their environment when we live in that same environment and are doing the hard work, fighting the good fight. Anyway.

[little-tyrant-gortash]

Oathbreaker

Pairing: fem!Tav x Enver Gortash, fem!Tav/Astarion

Tags: Emotional Manipulation, Manipulation, Manipulative Relationship, Paladin Tav (Baldur's Gate), Vaginal Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Drunk Sex, Unrequited Love, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Scars, Blood and Injury, Injury, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Torture, Psychological Torture, Implied/Referenced Torture

Desc.: ...............I had to. Look away. 🤣

Word count: 2,276

Ao3 here.

Chapter 1.

Chapter 2. ⬇

Chapter 3.

Chapter 2: For duty. For the alliance. For Orin's death.

She was miserable, lost, and she was tipsy enough - on top of that, her walls had enough cracks for him to find a way inside.

He expected her to tell him to stop; he thought she'd realise she was making a mistake - but that realisation never came. He could calmly navigate to his enormous bed he had been visiting alone in the past few months, and he could place her down on it without so much as a word.

He simply loved it when his plans went down without a hitch.

She still had her fingers entangled in his raven locks. Her lips felt hungry, needy, desperate for affection, and Gortash provided. This wasn't the first time he would bed someone to get closer to them, to form a bond in order to have a powerful ally. It mattered not if he truly wanted it or not; the greater good was always more important than his personal specifics or thoughts on the other participant. He'd bedded handsome men and beautiful women, but also other powerful figures he wouldn't even look at otherwise.

Tonight, it was different.

When he was finally able to pull away from her to look in her eyes - no easy task, she didn't want to let him go -, and saw her laying under him, her hair spread around her face like a halo, her eyes glistening with the remainder of her tears and awakening lust... there it was again. That stirring. The one he hadn't felt for years. Not since he'd attended that funeral. It was a feeling he thought he'd lost that day, forever. And he wasn't sure he was ready to risk losing it again. An unlikely alliance, born in times of need, leading down a path he couldn't foresee, not for long enough for him to be aware of it's consequences.

He put his trust in her that she would not betray him. He put his trust in her to deal with Orin, to strike where he couldn't. He put his trust in her that once she had two of the three stones, she wouldn't come for his head when she finally understood the immense power they beheld.

There were too many ifs and too much doubt for his liking. Was there guarantee she wouldn't turn on him when the time came? He needed to make sure she would never…

Tav's hands moved to cup his face. Enver closed his eyes, his inner turmoil carefully hidden.

For the greater good.

For duty. For the alliance. For Orin's death.

Do not fail.

Do. Not. Fall.

"Are you alright?"

Her question was met with a small smile. He looked down on her, admiring the way she looked like in his bed again.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Tav looked suddenly confused.

"I... don't know. You looked… detached…"

The situation reminded her of the nights she'd spent with Astarion. When they agreed to try sex again, only for him to shut down. She never, ever made him feel like it wasn't alright; that she didn't understand what he was going through. Knowing his past, she understood. To her, sex wasn't even important with him. She loved him dearly for who he was; his theatrical motions and jokes and the sound of his voice. His little teases and comments about others that were always on point. The shenanigans. The trust and deep level of understanding. At least... from her side. She gladly threw her needs out the window to make him feel safe. She did not care. Her own needs did not matter to her.

Looking back… she couldn't decide if she meant anything to Astarion, after all that happened between them.

He still requested to try it from time to time. Under no pressure from her, of course. And there were a few occasions when it worked between them, and when it did, it was mind blowing. But it was more likely that he'd detach in the early stages of foreplay, and they always stopped right then and there.

She was completely used to her needs rarely being met with a partner. And Enver had no idea of that. He couldn't know any of the sacrifices she'd made for another. So, when he rolled his hips against her and she blushed at the speed of light, he smirked; unknowing what was going on in her head.

"I apologize, my dear. That sherry, coupled with your beauty, confuses me a little." Once he was sure his explanation was sort of satisfactory – at least, he managed to make her blush a deeper red –, he locked her with a more serious look. "So, what will tonight be? One occasion? Or perhaps the first of many more?"

His question was met with confusion written on her face. She contemplated every option she had; trusting Gortash was stupid, foolish, probably a death sentence, too – but she'd been miserable enough to forget everything for a night. Just for once… this once… she wanted to have fun. To not to care about the future. To see where this would lead, not caring about the consequences.

And thus, she decided.

"One night, nothing more, nothing less."

Gortash hummed; visibly liking the concept right now, but hoping against his wish that it won't be just one night for them. In any case, he was ready to make her squirm tonight. And he knew he would; he learned all the tricks over the years, and he was determined to try each and every one of them. So even if she left – even if she found another partner out there, they would be wretched in comparison to him.

"I can't wait to see your face when I make you cum."

Oh. Oh? Suddenly flustered, she looked away.

"Do you like to embarrass people?" She mewled and stirred under him, making him chuckle.

"Embarrass? My dear, there's nothing embarrassing about someone wanting to please you."

"I'm- that's- I'm not really used to that", she confessed.

If he played his role well tonight, he'd reconstruct her ideas about partnership. If he did it well, he could bind her to himself in more than one way; their alliance could be just the start. She'd hand him the stones willingly, and she wouldn't leave his side if he didn't want her to. Also… if she proved useless for him in the long run, he could get rid of her much more easily if he gained her trust.

He just had to take one step at a time. And he just had to be very careful not to slip up himself.

"Well then", he leaned down to kiss her softly, and he smiled during it when he felt her eagerness to respond to his advances. "Let me have you – my way."

Who knew men were capable of showing so much care and dedication to a mere one night stand? Her nervousness built as he undressed her – shushing her when she acted uncertain, guiding her on the path he wanted to take –, and it just grew when he busied himself between her thighs with his mouth. His hot, wet tongue, those silky lips… locking around her button of nerves and gently giving it a suck.

Tav's mind went blank as Gortash worshiped that spot on her body – in a way no one has ever did so, and she had quite a lot experience under her belt by the time they've met. She'd laid with pirates and assassins (who were sent to kill her, no less), nobles and dragon slayers but by the gods, Enver had experience unmatched. He definitely rivaled Astarion's expertise, and given the fact the vampire had nearly two hundred years to perfect his skills, that was something. The pleasure was indescribable. Tav tensed – in a different way –, and he kept his dark eyes on her all along, watching for reactions, learning quickly what she enjoyed, carefully pushing her to the edge, then over it, without hesitation, giving her everything she wanted in that moment. Ecstasy, written on her face as she writhed and slammed her hands on his bed to grab the sheets, brought him immense pleasure. He was gripping her waist to keep her in place, in order to let her ride her high. His golden claws left soft marks in her skin as they dipped against it.

He won. He had his claws, buried deep inside of her, and she didn't even know. Now, it was time to claim his prize.

"Mm…" She hummed as her breathing was still shallow and quick, her heart beating hard and fast against her ribcage. She couldn't even open her eyes; a part of her wanted to go to sleep immediately, after such an earth shattering orgasm. "By Selûne…"

"Selûne?"

Gortash echoed quietly as he was silently unbuckling his belt. The unmistakable sound of it clicking open had Tav crack her eyes open, too, and the way she sucked her lower lip between her teeth to bite down on it in anticipation was worth every second of scheming that led here. He smirked, because he knew what would come next, while she had no idea. His belt hit the floor before his coat followed. Tav visibly tensed on the bed again, her eyes sized him up with a newfound curiosity. She'd been wondering what he was hiding under that coat and she finally saw it. His coat made him look bigger, sure, but without it he still looked massive. How could he maintain such a form if he was neck deep in politics? She couldn't imagine him going for training. Then how did he look so strong?

She felt the bed dip near her feet when he knelt up on it, and her heart suddenly was up in her throat. Tav tensed with anticipation again. Warmth. She was looking forward to feel his warmth. Around her, and inside of her.

It's been so long. So. Long.

"Are you a Selûnite, Tav?"

His quiet question rumbled deep in his chest as he was taking his shirt off. Fuck. He was shredded. The dark hair that ran down to his belly button – and below it – couldn't hide the toned muscles. He was definitely doing something when he wasn't in the court, but what could that be? Heavy lifting? Why on Faerûn would he do that? Didn't he have people to do that for him?

"Tav?" Gortash tutted when he saw how her eyes widened at the sight of his chest. "Concentrate, darling. I asked you a question."

"I'm-" She furrowed her brows, her hands gripping the sheets again. "No, I'm not a Selûnite. At least… I feel sort of… drawn to her, but I'm not worshiping her."

"You never had to align yourself to a specific god as a Paladin?"

His question stung. She averted her eyes; she didn't want to think about her failure, not now, not here.

"Don't call me that", she whispered.

"But that's what you are", Gortash leaned down to gently wrap his right hand's fingers on her jaw. He pecked her lips. She didn't look at him. "You are a Paladin."

"I'm an Oathbreaker."

Her voice sounded off, as her emotions formed a lump in her throat.

"Still the same. You did not lose all of your powers; they've just changed. Look in my eyes." Enver waited, but she did not comply. Watching as her eyes welled up with sadness again, he placed gentle, soft kisses on her cheeks; his lips inevitably kissing away her tears. "Tav", he added when he pulled away a little again. "Look in my eyes." When she reluctantly did so, he fixed her with a stern look. "You are just as powerful as you were. You can do whatever you want to do, and more."

"How?"

"My dear, I'm sure you are aware that you have more special powers at your fingertips now", Enver slid his hands down on her body, squeezing her hips ever so gently before he pulled her legs up. She complied; it was so easy to manipulate her mind and body to his taste. "Raise those who wronged you, use them to crush those who turn against you. It's all there now, aiding you in your quests."

"To kill Orin, you mean", she murmured, her hands resting on his gold clad upper arms as she felt him move his last garments out of the way.

"Just imagine yourself, raising her allies to aid you when you're fighting her. She'd feel real horror gripping her heart at last, after making all of us feel terror she inflicted… wouldn't that feel glorious?"

He kissed her cheek, then travelled down her jaw and neck, making her shiver.

"You make it sound so… appealing", she admitted softly, then moaned as he penetrated her. Her hands gripped his arms tighter, and she shut her eyes as she adjusted to his girth. "Oh gods-", she gasped, making him smirk in her neck.

"Be my Paladin", he whispered in her ear, making goosebumps raise all over her body as he rolled his hips against hers, filling her up with his length.

She shivered and moaned deliciously, and his arms wrapped around her to keep her still when she squirmed. After what he did to her, she felt overstimulated, but Enver wasn't about to let her get away now. He picked up the pace. Every time his hips slammed against hers, she moaned with pleasure, and as he was watching her, he ignored his own racing heart with one thought ringing in his mind.

Do not make the same mistake.

[ang3lwithapen]

Hey so first of i wanna say that i really enjoy the setting you've got going on here, not many IFs where you are with nobles, but are not a noble yourself.

Also really liked meeting the sibs.

There is just one thing that i am kind of curious about gameplay wise, and that would be if there is the chance, for you to implement that we maybe be able to choose the genders of the ros in the beginnig of the story?

Reason subjectiv: Cause there is one ro that i personally really like, but i can't imagine them beeing a different gender which i imagine them as(of course depends on the readers preference), but i also don't like having only one gender for all ros, if i want to get this one specifically. That kinda feels wrong...i mean there would be a lack of diversity, like we have in rl.

Of course this is only my opinion and you are not in any means obligated to change or implement anything. So please don't feel pressured or anything.

P.s on a side note, maybe turn anon on so that people who would like to comment/send asks, but want to stay anonymous, can do just that, if you want to of course.

Hello!! Glad you enjoy the setting, and I’m happy you’ve had an overall pleasant experience thus far.

I think letting the reader choose each gender individually might give me some trouble down the line, I’d rather have them fixed to make things easier on myself. I don’t know if it can help in your specific case, but if you play as bisexual (like both men and women option) it will mean that:

if your gender is female or non-binary, the siblings will be: Arlen, Rowan, Sabrina and Helena.

If your gender is male, the siblings will be: Alice, Rose, Sebastian and Hector.

I will turn on anon now! I hadn’t realised I needed to turn that on myself lol.

Thank you! 💕

[youremyheaven]

I don’t think all venusians are bad but I also had a share of bad experiences with them. I don’t know if I should drag the women or the men first. I’d talk about the women first because they’re in my family and it’s a more neutral point of view than hate or a one time experience. My purva ashada stellium grandmother used to starve her children too and is extremely cheap. Tbh I don’t think she has a bad relationship with her daughters. She seems to get along with them pretty well. However my mom who’s purva phalguni moon has similar behavior as the previous ano. She’s very jealous and envious of other women constantly comparing herself to other women and she needs to be the “best looking” among others. Otherwise she lose her mind. She’s very image conscious and she’s a complete different person with strangers or my friends. She wants to be seen as the cool mom. She also assumes every single man she interacts with has some sort of romantic interest in her. She also says phrases like “you’ll never be as attractive as used to be” like even if It was true and I was a walking troll she shouldn’t be saying this to her daughter ? I also find it weird how every single Venusian woman I talk to is extremely fake ? Like they’re obsessed with status and want to be seen as higher or richer than what they actually are. They love to see people beneath them. They strive to be the best in that way. They’re very superficial and they would definitely befriend someone or be around someone for the aesthetic or for what they could get from them. They would take shamelessly from people without giving back and when you called them out they be like “I didn’t ask you to” when they truly did pressure you into it. I think for men, most Venusian men I met, they would be very polite, kind helpful and try to please me as much as possible. Like they would get interested in my hobbies and try to get close to me with some hidden intention or purpose to it. When I don’t get fooled by their act, it’s almost as their mask drops and I see another version of them that is much cruel and mean ? It’s like they want to “punish” you. They would paint themselves as the victim because you didn’t give them what they wanted or desired from you. Whatever that is. They would tarnish your reputation or come for you in settings. Now, I don’t think I had many Venusian friends (only 2 ) that are woman but they both would lie and act as if they’re “rich” even if they’re not and I already know they’re not and I don’t even care because I never bring such things up.

💀💀💀u have described so many people i know, its crazyyy,, one girl i went to college with who had Saturn in Bharani atmakaraka was just like u described. she was upper middle class at best but she wanted to be seen as rich so bad?? she'd insert random details to make herself sound 🤑🤑she spoke about how much she spent on clothes even tho she always wore the same stuff on repetition?? (im not being a hater, her comments always just made no sense??) she'd talk about how her family only fed their dog specially bought meat and it was just ??? i hated the way she spoke about money and same goes for another Venusian girlie i know, she wont shut up about money and always exaggerates for good effect?? its so cringe to me ngl. theyre also the type of people who want to put others down to feel better about themselves. I think Venusians in general don't like it when someone tries to imply that they're on the same "level" so they always put others down to establish superiority. every Venusian woman I know is arrogant and conceited in some ways. one time the atmakaraka chick told me that her dad bought her a new car and i was like ok good for you? and she always spoke about how its her car when it was actually just a new car for the fam after they disposed off the old one?? lol?

one time my friends and i were eating out and a really cute kid (5-6 yr old girl) and her mom came in, all my friends said that the kid resembled me quite a bit and the Bharani ak girl said "yeah she's chubby like you" 🤡🤡🤡first of all the kid wasn't "chubby" by a long shot, and even if she was who tf says that about a 5yr old??? she just wanted to establish dominance? and did not like the fact that others thought we resembled each other lmao?? what a complete asshole, imagine insulting a literal child and your friend?? Venusian women do not like it when other women seem to have the upper hand in any way. They are not girls girls, i have said this before and i'll say it again Venusians are the OG "im not like other girls" girl.

im so sorry you went through all that anon. i wish you healing and peace<3