#spite will drive me to places you wouldn't believe

[darkdragon768]

My Brain: "Look, look! I've thought of a new co-"

Me: "Not now Brain. There's something more important we have to focus on."

My Brain: "There's literally nothing more important than the tr-"

Me: "We need to fight A.I."

My Brain: "What."

Me: "My school's haunted."

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hello, Kifaji! How are you doing? I hope Leona-sama isn't causing you any trouble. I know how tough it is to deal with him, but he does have some good qualities, even though he doesn't show them often. Anyway, I wish you the best.

I don't know how common of a take this is, but I get a little sad when I see Kifaji being depicted as a relentless hater or someone who doesn't acknowledge any of Leona's strengths 😅 He's stern with Leona, yes! But Kifaji doesn't insult him or talk down to him. if anything, he reminds me a lot of Trein, who is austere too--but it comes from a place of genuine caring. I hope that this interaction, however brief it is, can be a positive showing of Kifaji's character.

Family means Nobody is Left Behind or Forgotten.

"Ah, you are one of Leona-sama's guests from school. How good of you to pay respects to your elders.” Kifaji’s gnarled face yielded for a smile. “It's been quite some time since the Bead Brawl. I hope that you've been well since then."

"Yessir! All good on my end," you replied, tilting your head forward in a slight bow, "and happy to report that Leona-senpai's been in a pretty good mood lately!"

"A good mood..." The bird beastman sighed. He knew--in spite of your attempt to word your praise carefully--that it didn't necessarily mean his prince was being attentive. "If I may ask... Has Leona-sama been on his best behavior since his return to campus? He's been avoiding my messages and calls again, and it's troublesome not being able to check in with him."

"I wouldn't call it his best behavior," you admitted sheepishly, "but he's attending class every now and then, getting assignments done. I heard from Ruggie and Epel that he's also driving the Magift Club pretty hard during practice. Leona-senpai is definitely putting forth more of an effort than he was before."

"Hmmm." After a long pause, Kifaji sighed. "Well, I suppose that's an improvement. It sounds as though he has started to find a place for himself here at Night Raven College. That's wonderful. I'm happy for him."

"Kifaji..." You scrunched your brows. "Was this really about his behavior?"

"But of course. Being a member of the royal family, Leona-sama is expected to maintain a certain level of decorum. However, if you will lend this old bird an ear..." He held his breath, then released the secret upon it. "I worry for Leona-sama. That young man has such a bright mind, and yet he has been lost in the dark for so long, squandering that light within him.

"You understand, don't you? Despite how difficult he can be, he is overflowing with so much potential and love for Sunset Savanna. My only wish--Grand Chamberlain or no--is that Leona-sama is able to recognize his worth."

Stricken by the earnest in his words, you found yourself nodding. "Yeah, that's what I'm hoping too."

"Then it appears that we are in agreement." Again, Kifaji smiled, warm as the sun upon the plains. "I do believe he is in good hands here--and that I can trust his peers, such as yourself, to keep an eye on him."

[mecchantheotaku]

Slay The Princess: The Damsel and Simplicity

SPOILER WARNING - This is my personal take on the Damsel. Enjoy. Or not.

i see a lot of people criticising or backhandedly complimenting the damsel's route because they looked very heavily into it, but in my opinion i think the fact that they looked so heavily into it is what caused these criticisms in the first place. and that's likely intentional.

the route is a lot less weird if you rescue her without asking questions and don't listen to the narrator, the only really weird bit being right at the end where her simple and joyful nature clashes harshly with the complicated nature of the story as a whole.

because the damsel's character, as a whole, is... simple. a dainty princess waiting to be rescued by her heroic knight in shining armour. if it wasn't for the shifting mound taking her at the end, this would have been a simple "hero saved princess and they lived happily ever after" tale.

however, if you ask her too many questions, that's when it gets weird. you ask her all these questions because you want more than what her character is and it feels weird that she really is as simple as she appears. continuously asking her what she wants causes her to deconstruct even when there's nothing left to see.

and if you kill her, the idealised fairytale takes a dark turn, but even as the grey, her motives are still simple. she's convinced that the cabin drives you to kill her, so she sets it ablaze, taking you with it so you can join her in death. all still with a simple smile on her face.

both of these more unnerving possibilities are the result of you being unsatisfied with her simplicity. and for a lot of people, that's understandable. but for those that embrace her simplicity, it's a heartwarming tale of rescuing a princess (up until the very end that is, which is fitting for the game as a whole, especially if this is your first path).

don't believe me? ask the shifting mound during the fight regarding the two different versions of the damsel vessel.

here's what she says about the deconstructed damsel:

"Love melted into skepticism, and you pulled back layer after layer after layer until all you were left with was the knowledge that you did not know me. You sought the truth then. Will you hide from it now that it is within your grasp?"

now here's what she says about the regular damsel:

"But the stakes meant nothing to you. You had a desire, and you set that desire free, you lifting me and me lifting you, forever and ever and ever. Consumed by true belief, there was nothing that could hold us back."

it can be that simple and heartwarming... if you want it to be. if you don't want that, you get a shell or a shadow of what it could have been.

the voice of the smitten reflects this as well. he is also a simple character. he is motivated by one thing and one thing alone: love. even when presented with the weird parts of the damsel should you choose to explore, he loves her in spite of that. warts and all.

and should you kill her and intentionally make the story dark, he has nothing left to live for and goes mad with grief, putting his simple desires under a dark light. (i will admit the burned grey was painful to go through because of this, seeing such a simple and optimistic character transform like that from sheer sorrow)

in a way, i would say that the damsel and the voice of the smitten are perfect for each other. a bit weird to everyone else, but to each other, nothing but pure and simple happiness.

and if you don't like that? of course you wouldn't like either of those characters. because you want more than that. most people want more than that. i'm personally fine either way.

but yeah, that's my take on the damsel (and by extension the voice of the smitten). a simple character. nothing more. will you embrace her simplicity, try to tear her down to the bone, or twist it into something horrifying?

either way, there are no wrong answers. and that's why i like this route. and this game.

[onlyseokmins]

idiot • h.j.s.

Pairing: joshua hong x afab!reader

Genres: mentions of smut (minors dni!), fwb!au, swearing but fluff and comfort basically

Warnings: menstrual cramps, food, swearing, and beloved idiots haha

WC: tumblr mobile idrk haha just a blurb

A/N: Sorry randomly thought of this while leaving work - in the middle of a Hoshi fic lmaooo okay I wanted to do smth angsty but I need love rn and haven't finished smth this fast in months and not really smut but anyways, imagine a fwb!relationship with Joshua but not quite...

↪ 7/14/23 update: loosely based prequel

It's like you're not really friends but you do have the benefits of fucking the hot man that drifts to and from different social circles among the large friend groups you mingle about and share.

You know his favorite color of lingerie that he'll rip off immediately, shoving your panties in his pocket ("for later," he winks and promises to buy you a new pair every time - he doesn't). But you are sure he doesn't even know your favorite color (it's baby blue, the same color of the shirt he wore when you first met - coincidentally the same one he wore when he seduced and ended up fingering you against the wall of the club's bathroom and then propositioned this arrangement - and like a fool, who are you to say no?).

He's always been nice - too nice. So nice, he's aloof at most times. Never letting anyone too close. And you really try not to yearn to be the first one he opens his heart to.

Definitely not.

It's why you're crying in bed one late afternoon, chalking it up to the hormones and cramps that come with mother nature's wrath. There's a gentle knock on your door before the key code is punched in. You think it's Seungkwan, the kind soul who always stops by to bring goodies and solid words of wisdom you never dare act on but no - it's fucking Joshua Hong.

"What are you doing here, I'm on my period."

You're grouchy and while it's not his fault that it's that time of the month, it is his fault that you're even more irritable than normal. Oh, and maybe those stupid feelings or whatever.

"I know."

All he does is simply nod and set down the bags he's carrying, taking stuff out that you realize are pain meds, compresses, ice packs - your cheeks heat up - even a stash of various pads and tampons.

"Seungkwan, that lil bitch."

Joshua turns with a raised eyebrow, holding what you recognize is a takeout container from your favorite restaurant. One that's all the way across town so you rarely go.

"What does this have to do with Seungkwan?"

You sigh. "Look, if he forced you to bring this stuff or somehow blackmailed you, don't worry. I'll chew him out on your behalf later."

He laughs, opening up the food and unwrapping the utensils, waving them in your face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie."

"I'm not!"

"You're saying you drove all the way to Seokmin's place to buy that - mind you it's even further of a drive there for you than it is for me - and bought hygienic products?"

"Yeah. I didn't know exactly what to get so I just grabbed everything on the shelf."

"What the fuck, Joshua. Why? I'm not fucking you, I feel like shit. I also look like shit."

He flinches but gives you a glance-over that has you frowning even harder. "I'll admit you do look very pretty with my cock inside of you or when you get all dolled up..."

You roll your eyes and flop back on your bed, rolling over so your back faces him out of spite.

"But you do look hella sweet right now. Even if you're pissed off."

"Don't placate me, I'm not fucking you. I won't suck you off either."

Joshua's soft laugh makes your heart flip-flop. "I'm not here for that. How hard is it for you to believe that I came to really take care of you?"

"If the sun rises in the west tomorrow, I wouldn't be surprised. Clearly you're just a hallucination."

"Did you know hallucinations are our true desires?"

"Where'd you hear such bull crap? Jeonghan?"

"No," he snorts, "but I know you like me."

"I'm not fucking you the next time you want to either. Actually, I might not fuck you ever again."

It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth honestly, especially when he touches your shoulder with a gentleness that shouldn't exist. You glare at him. He smiles.

"That's fine. I mean, I'd like to fuck again sometime in the future but just hanging out is cool too. Maybe even for dates?"

"Maybe you're right. You're nothing but a figment of my imagination."

"Then I'm also right that you like me."

"Do not!" You throw the covers over your head. "Remember, we fuck without feelings, Joshua. And remember who set that rule, Mr. Hong?"

"An idiot did. So what if that idiot changed his mind?"

"He'd still be an idiot."

"... Correct, but may I clarify - an idiot with feelings."

When you emerge and peek out from the blankets, he's fiddling with his fingers nervously.

"Would still be an idiot."

"An idiot that likes you."

"Whatever," you huff but he sees the smile on your lips before you're diving away from sight again.

Relief floods him, knowing he's not wrong - you like him too. Laying gently over your prone body, he hums in content.

"When you feel better let's go on a date." All you do is wiggle beneath him and he smirks. "I'll wear that shirt you like. You know, the blue one."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure, not like you jump me every time I wear it."

"I do not!"

"It's okay, I know a lot more than you can guess but I still think you're cute anyways."

And maybe you realize it's you that doesn't know Joshua all that well. But he seems to think he knows an awfully lot about you. And maybe he does. But you want to prove him wrong.

"Alright, let's go on a date," you peek back out, the blankets a shield between you and him as they're pulled high under your nose. But he's still looking at where your mouth (he's never kissed - yet) would be. Bastard. "Wear that stupid shirt and I'll prove I won't jump you."

His warm brown eyes crinkle playfully. "Sure, let's, I'll buy you a couple of pretty sets like I promised since I ripped so many."

"About time."

He shrugs. "Don't worry, I'll make up for it. I was worried about what you would think it meant but now I don't have to care. I want it to be official."

You take the food from him when he brings it back over. "I guess I do too if you're going to drive so far just to get Seok's delicious food."

"So I'm just an errand boy to you? That's all it took to get to your heart? Seokmin's food?"

Looking at him under your lashes, you bite your lip. "You know it's much more than that..."

Joshua laughs, big and bright - just like the moment he first caught your attention. "And just so you know, I like you much more than you think."

And he'll spend all of his time proving it.

[jerzwriter]

Choices Fandom Acts of Kindness - April 2024

Hello @moominofthevalley ! I am your secret pal for the @choicesfandomappreciation Acts of Kindness event. After driving relatives around to see the cherry blossoms last week, I thought this would be the perfect spring day for Trystan and Emily. But it's not all hearts and flowers; it comes with a bit of sarcasm, too. I truly hope you enjoy this, I always get nervous writing other characters, but I hope it fits! (This is some serious fluff! lol) Thanks so much for being such a kind and supportive member of the fandom—I'm so glad you're here! 🩷🩷

Spring's Eternal

Book: Crimes of Passion

Pairing: m!Trystan Thorne x f!MC (Emily Rose)

Rating: Teen

Words: 700

Emily attempted to hide the grimace on her face as she looked at her watch. It was 6:35, and she was more than ready to go home. Her aching feet would provide the perfect excuse, but that would require admitting Trystan was right about wearing more comfortable shoes, and she was not about to give him that.

"Trystan!" she hollered, but he had already taken off. Bolting ahead with the excitement of a child who had just spotted a candy display.

In some ways, he had. The city was coming to life after its long winter slumber. Flowers seemed to pop up everywhere, dotting the cityscape with vibrant bursts of yellow, purple, pink, and blue. New York was nature's canvas, and even the most jaded native had to admit... this artist had created a masterpiece.

Its crown jewels were the cherry blossoms in Central Park, and that's where Emily thought they were heading when they headed out at the crack of dawn. But, no. Trystan insisted on starting on the Lower West Side and meandering the length of Manhattan Island until they reached the crowning glory.

Emily walked as fast as her sore legs could take her; her enthusiasm for the beautiful blossoms had diminished somewhere around Rockefeller Center, but not Trystan. Trystan spun around, camera hung around his neck, taking shot after shot after shot. She couldn't help but roll her eyes as she approached him; the goofy grin on his face was priceless. No matter how much she wanted to go home, she wasn't about to deny him this, but that didn't mean she wouldn't tease him.

"Trystan Thorne," she huffed upon approach. "Do you understand that we live here? You're not a tourist; you don't have to take a million pictures to ensure you remember this all."

"Ah, but I do," he grinned. "We live in New York all year round, but these delightful pink treasures are here for a very short time, and I want to remember them."

Emily chuckled in spite of herself. She had to admit that Trystan's zeal and enthusiasm were softening this tough detective's edges, even if she didn't fully understand why.

"I don't get it. You've lived in New York for how many years? Yet you're acting like you're seeing spring in the city for the very first time."

"I am," he said, looping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her near. "After all, it's the first time I'm seeing it with you, and that makes everything immeasurably more beautiful than it was before."

Emily wrapped her arms around his waist, nuzzling her face against his body as she held him close. The moment was precious, and she craved the closeness, but there was more: she didn't want him to see the full effect of his words.

"Trystan, you need to stop this. I have a reputation to uphold, and you're doing all you can to erase it. I won't have it."

"Don't worry," he laughed, stopping to place a kiss upon her head. "You're reputation will still be firmly intact, and I'll defend it to the fullest. People will believe it too because the softer side of Emily Rose... that's something reserved for those closest to you, and this year, I'm so happy that includes me."

He let out a breath as her hand smacked his chest. "Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it! You're going to give me diabetes with all this sweetness."

"Fine," he smiled. "I'll dial it back. Besides, I know you're tired. Would you like to head back home?"

"I did," she said, watching the blue sky melt into a palette of purple and pink. Once more, nature put on a show for free. The air was beginning to take on a bit of a chill, but Trystans's embrace kept her warm. The truth was, she wished the moment could linger forever. "I did. But now... I don't want this to end. You're right; spring is entirely too short, and we should enjoy it."

"It is, but it's going to be a little longer this year."

"It is?"

"Sure is, spring's eternal now. I have it whenever I'm with you."

~~~~~

(I imagine about a week later, on a cold, rainy day, Trystan gave Emily the collage he created (above). She hung it on the wall in her bedroom, and though the skies were grey outside, spring was eternal... it lived in their hearts.)

[dearloonies]

Do you believe in the "Road is Katerina" theory? Personally I don't... It just, doesn't click well?

- 🤷❓

Tbh I also don't think the same way, in fact I have a whole ass argument up on my sleeves on why the theory just straight up confuses me. My friend also agrees with me and kinda brought up some things about it as well.

Considering how the theory seemed to be somewhat popular and resolute with others, I will just say that the first time I read it. I fucking hated it and I'm (not) sorry about it. If you guys have some things to say to me about it then click off this post since this entire post is about why this theory does not make sense and why people like me don't like it that much.

Here's the reasons why I do not agree to the "Road is Katerina" theory:

1. Character Contradiction:

The most obvious and prominent one that I placed focused on, Road and Katerina have distinct, well-established personalities and roles throughout the series. And while Katerina barely appeared, her very few appearances actually gave us a good grasp of her character that obviously contradicts Road. Road has been portrayed as a playful yet dangerous character with a very complex relationship and backstory, we don't know much about her but her character reveals so far much of her playful and erratic personality who also cares deeply for her family, in spite of her sadism. Katerina, on the other hand, seemed more reserved and and relatively different kind of character, both in terms of demeanor and emotional connections. The personalities don't align well, and forcing them to be the same person feels like a disservice...

2. Narrative Consistency:

There’s no substantial narrative or hint in the story that supports that Road is secretly Katerina/Katerina is Road's body. As far as I am concerned, Road does care deeply for Mana and Nea and so does Katerina but that's it. Also the close relationship with Road and Earl is actually something that I may have an idea about (I promise guys I'll make a separate post about this). If Katerina were Road in disguise, it would undermine the carefully crafted tension and mystery around Road's motives and identity. The reveal would feel abrupt and out of place without any buildup or subtle foreshadowing. If anything, I support that Road's real body is in the Campbell Residence but I don't think that she and Katerina are the same.

3. Unclear Motivations:

Road is motivated by loyalty to Earl and her family and is willing to embrace destruction for their sake, while Katerina's are entirely unknown and so far have not been revealed. If they were the same person, it would be hard to reconcile these differing motivations and character drives, especially since Katerina has been shown zero hints of any hidden agenda, which is a stark contrast to Road.

4. Emotional Disconnect:

Ok first of all, I agree that Yes! Road cares deeply for Mana and Nea and that Katerina does as well (she's literally their mom guys). But, the bond between them feels... Different, at least to me. Katerina has this motherly affection and love for Mana and Nea, and her relationship with Adam is close yet it does remains a mystery (avid believer that they were very very close). Road also love Mana and Nea but her relationship with them felt different, idk how to put into words but her familial love for them feels different but they're family so that's all I'm gonna say. The theory would make Katerina’s feelings for Adam difficult to explain if she were secretly Road and vise verse. The emotional investment and connections wouldn't make sense if the character were hiding such a major secret.

5. Logical Issues:

From a purely logistical standpoint, the theory heavily leans on speculation and identical relationships three key characters (Adam, Mana and Nea). How could Katerina possibly be Road when we know absolutely very little of her? The distinct differences in mannerisms, and background makes it incredibly hard for me to believe the theory. Plus, Katerina’s interactions with other characters — like with Adam, Mana and Nea, and even her possible connection with Cross (Dgm ch. 245) — would be inconsistent if she were Road.

And finally my last reason is that — Hoshino's writing. Listen, there's so many things that I love about Dgm. like from the art-style, storyline, gut-wreaching backstories and also Allen 💖💕. But I would absolutely be livid if Katerina and Road turned out to be the same person.

To summarize, as you said: it doesn't click well (AKA does not make logistical sense to you). I don't agree with the theory because it feels like a forced connection that doesn’t line up with the characters' established identities and motivations. The personalities are different, the narrative doesn’t hint at such a twist, and the emotional stakes would fall apart. It doesn’t mesh with the world-building or the relationships we've seen so far.

This post should provide a solid basis on why the theory doesn't resonate with you. And honestly guys, you can believe whatever you want but some people just don't really like/understand it so...

[paracosmicparadox]

Mario Kart

So, I know Mario Kart is probably an Absolutely Not at Fox Tower, but I can't stop thinking about how it would play out, so I have compiled a neat little list of my thoughts on the matter.

Kevin:

He's god-awful at it.

He's a faithful Luigi player (don't ask me why, I just feel it in my gut)

Gets ramped up over it like you wouldn't believe and has on more than one occasion locked himself in the bathroom to sulk over it (the same goes for when the Foxes play Monopoly---the man gets so competitive but he's so bad at it)

Manages to catch Every. Single. Red shell.

Neil:

This boy's never played in his life prior to meeting the Foxes, but manages to land in first, second, or third place every time

Orange Yoshi for the win

Always choses a motorcycle over a kart, typically the Comet

Actually pays attention to the stats of certain combos (so does Kevin, but Neil's better at it when it comes to Mario Kart)

Andrew:

Plays solely Black Yoshi

Targets Kevin exclusively bc it's fun to watch him get mad

Has a specific kart-combo glaringly reminiscent of the Mas

Acts like he doesn't care, but gets perturbed when he doesn't land above 5th place, bc he'll be damned if he lets Aaron or Kevin outdo him

Aaron:

Bounces around between characters, but typically opts for Shy Guy

Almost worse at it than Kevin

Says the most scathing things when playing---the worst things that come out of this boy's mouth are said during Mario Kart

He and Kevin are Last Place Buddies ™ and they have occasionally gone out to drink cheap alcohol together after Mario Kart nights to soothe their bruised egos.

Allison:

An absolute goddess at Baby Peach

Can hit someone across the track with power-ups; it doesn't matter; her aim only gets better the more frustrated she is

Her kart runs on Pure, Undiluted Spite

Knows the Electrodrome track inside and out and Cannot Be Beaten on it

Nicky:

Always opts for Pink Gold Peach

Best friends with the dude who fishes you up from oblivion to deposit you back onto the track (it happens frequently bc he Refuses to turn on smart steering)

Actually pretty decent at it bc he and Erik used to play a lot back in Germany

Swears like a sailor whenever someone passes him

Renee:

Usually plays either Rosalina or Tanooki Mario

Literally the only non-hostile Fox when things get competitive, though she drives like a demon and can out-compete just about anyone when she wants to

The Ruler of Rainbow Road

Steals 1st place from Neil 50% of the time

Matt:

Irrevocably attached to playing Daisy

The king of drifting through corners

Plays to have fun, but not immune to the shouting matches when Kevin or the twinyards are involved

Seems to be permanently stuck in 5th place, regardless of who he's up against

Dan:

Absolutely vicious at Toad

Her kart is always orange; stats don't matter so long as the Fox Aesthetic is on point

She and Matt play so often that she's gotten godlike at most of the tracks, but it's still a fight to outcompete Neil and Renee

Will carry Mario Kart Rage™ for hours; she occasionally has to remove herself from the room so she doesn't say something caustic

Seth:

Instigator of many of the shouting matches

Will play as Bowser until the day he dies

Motorcycle user until the bitter end

Never lands in first place and will die mad about it

[idontunderstandchemistry]

Uncomfortable - Tim Drake (1/3)

Summary: [...] "Are you saying you are afraid of me?" "I wouldn't say afraid" Dick said, trying to sound casual "It's just the way you've been talking about everything these days. It makes everyone feel..." "Uncomfortable?" Tim asked, with a bitter grin, finally turning towards Dick "The probable consequences of what you all say and do to me make you uncomfortable, Dick?" [...] Extremely hurt Tim Drake living out of coffee and spite.

Wordcount: 1.5K

Content Warnings: Angst; suicide idealization, mentions of self harm, etc.

Notes: Finally dropping this here, posted the first chapter on Ao3 a couple days ago. Hope you guys enjoy it! Reblogs and likes are very much appreciated ❣️

Part 2 - Part 3

CHAPTER 1 - COFFEE.

Red Robin stared at the screen with sleepy eyes. He'd already found the solution to this case half an hour ago, but pretending he didn't was the only way to avoid being requested at the post patrol circus going on upstairs.

It was always like this, at least it has been since he came back to live in the mansion. There was the patrol, and after, Alfred would prepare a table with many treats for the family to eat while he patched them up. 

What a perfect, happy family, bonding after some quality time kicking criminal ass.

A herd of hypocrites.

Two of them tried to kill him and most of them didn't seem to give a single fuck about the matter.

But what was he expecting, anyway? He was the unwanted child. He crawled his way into this family when Bruce was too vulnerable to deny it, grieving, he was Jason's replacement, after all. The only reason why he was still allowed among the bats of Gotham was his hypercompetence. Or perhaps it was because of how dangerous it would be for them all if he decided to play for the  other team.

If you didn't fear the man who at the age of nine deduced the identity of the world's best detective, you were a fool. Yeah Bruce was a bad, emotionally distant parental figure, but he was no fool, and Tim had to give him the credit for that.

— Drake — Robin said.

Tim felt the ferrous taste of blood filling his mouth. The demon. He pretended not to hear. He wanted nothing with this damn child. This Demoniac being that had tried to kill him multiple times in the last few years. The kid who had never done anything to deserve being Robin, the title for whom Tim has worked so hard for years.

— Alfred asked if you plan on joining the rest of the family anytime soon — The little boy said with his entitled filled tone. Fucking psychopath.

— I am working — Red Robin simply said.

— You're not fooling anyone, Drake — He said, stepping closer to his brother — Staring at a screen isn't working.

— You say like you know anything about working — Tim answered, after a deep sigh — Please, leave me alone. Tell them whatever you want, say that I threatened you with a knife, that I pushed you towards a wall, whatever you want. Just leave me alone.

— You say like they would believe it.

Damian said nothing else, simply left without any other response from Tim, that sighed deeply and continued staring at the screen.

His eyes felt heavier.

“Funny” thing about feeling down: usually, the brain cannot understand the emotional distress and the body intentionally does things to justificate that distress to its brain. 

Some people cut themselves – Tim couldn't do that, Alfred would ask too many questions –; others refused to eat – Tim tried it, but it didn't really fit his lifestyle –; some people drank 'til they tripped and fall — He could do this, but the posterior headaches weren't worth it, even though this is Gotham City and he could easily find a place that sells alcohol to minors – ; some people over exercised until they couldn't stand anymore, hoping the soreness of their muscles would be enough to feel like their pain is valid; some people took dangerous car drives or tried to equilibrate themselves on the edges of rooftops – These were Dick's things –; some people numb themselves with smoke on his lungs – Tim could do this, but refused. This was Jason's thing, and he didn't want to have anything in common with Jason.

So, to try to justify his pain to himself, Tim never slept. Well, of course he slept, he had to, but he always avoided it. This was his way of self punishment. He could almost hear his brain.

“What do you mean your emotions are shit? No, this is not a good reason for all this distress. Here, have a unusual way of self harm and then I'll consider if it is enough or not”

Tim hasn't really slept in the last four days, not more than an hour or two. There were occasional long blinks, but whenever Alfred decided to try to drug his coffee – His best ally in his attempts of making the pain make sense – and sent him to his bedroom, he would only stare at the ceiling. Tim already had it memorised. Then he would close his eyes when he could hear footsteps approaching his door and pretend to be asleep until whoever Alfred sent to spy on him finally left.

A solitary life, it was, but he didn't mind. Since his childhood, loneliness was mostly everything Timothy Jackson Drake knew. His most loyal companion.

— Hey, buddy — Nightwing's voice echoed in Tim's ears.

Fucking traitor. 

The man with the kind smile that was responsible for half of the mud in which Tim found himself stuck. The man who took away from Tim the only thing that kept him standing, the only thing that mattered for him in a long time. This was the Dick Grayson, the “good fella”, Bruce's golden child, “The clearer version of what Batman was meant to be”. Dick Fucking Grayson.

Again, Tim pretended not to hear.

— Dames said you were still working. Don't you think it is time for a break?

— I'm not tired — Tim said, though Dick wasn't dumb enough to believe it. Anyone that looked into Tim's face would see how fucking tired he was. Deep and dark eyebags, hollowed expressions in his eyes, cheeks slightly inwards like the corpse of a very thin woman. Dick sighed.

— I know, but B misses you. We all miss you. And we are worried.

— There's nothing to worry about — Tim said, simply.

Dick sighed again and pulled his chair closer to Tim.

Fuck . He had to lecture Tim right now, of course. He simply couldn't deny the urge of being the reasonable older brother, the inspirational hero, the right one, the mediator of the family.

— Let's be honest, Little Wing...

— Don't call me little wing.

— Tim, we are worried about you — Dick said, Tim never looked at his face, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself from rolling his eyes if he did. He couldn't stand Dick Grayson's hypocrite smile and kind eyes anymore. He could barely stand his voice — What you said today during patrol... That joke....

— Joke? — Tim asked, furrowing his brows. He didn't remember telling a joke.

— You know, buddy. That one about the metro-narrows bridge.

Oh . That.

It wasn't a joke. More likely a loud thought.

Tim remembered that. He said that if Damian called him “unworthy” again, he would simply throw himself from the top of metro-narrows bridge, towards the cars. 

Tim has been "telling these jokes" for weeks now.

— Even Dames stepped back. Everyone did, actually. The family...

— Are you saying you are afraid of me?

— I wouldn't say afraid — Dick said, trying to sound casual — It's just the way you've been talking about everything these days. It makes everyone feel...

— Uncomfortable? — Tim asked, with a bitter grin, finally turning towards Dick. He could see the surprise in his brother's eyes. Or was it something else? Tim's guts were absolutely soaked in rage now — The probable consequences of what you all say and do to me make you uncomfortable, Dick? You can't bear the guilt? Or you're just worried your Robin will have to deal with the responsibility of the death of his predecessor?

Dick said nothing. Just sighed. Dick Grayson knew the battles he couldn't win. Dick put a mug in front of Tim. His favourite mug, filled with the dark liquid in which Tim loved to drown himself.

— We can talk later — The elder said — Jason made you coffee. He said you wouldn't want to have a break. Guess he knows you better than the rest of us.

— The perks of trying to slit someone's throat — Tim said completely out of spite, just to see Dick flinch in discomfort.

— Just drink before it gets cold, okay?

Dick left and Tim decided to not make another comment.

Red Robin stared at the mug in front of him, wondering if Jason poured poison into the liquid or Alfred poured the sleep drugs. Either way, there was no chance Tim would let it get into his system. He turned off the screen and grabbed the mug, walking towards his bedroom. In his room already, Tim locked the door and poured the coffee into his bathroom sink.

After taking a shower – He wasn't that bad that he would deny himself a simple shower, although he doubted it would take long to reach this point – He verified all the hidden spots in his room. Behind the curtains, his closet, under his bed. After making sure Jason wasn't there hidden with a knife, he slid between his sheets, soft and smooth.

Red Robin stared at the ceiling of the room where some years ago, lived Timothy Jackson Drake.

[marveltaughtmetoread]

I think the crux of the disconnect between Prequels era fans is that the Jedi supporters believe the Jedi are good and right, and it is on this that we should support, and the Jedi critical fans are like no one in this era is good and right, including the Jedi, and the fact that you won't admit the Jedi are wrong is driving us insane

Because frequently when Jedi supporters are arguing with me, they are dismissing the notion that the Jedi could ever do anything wrong and then bring up how awful Anakin is as a way to say I am wrong, because I support Anakin

Which I don't support Anakin????

I like him, he is an incredibly compelling character especially as someone who knows what it is like to repress your feelings and want so badly to hold onto the ones who care for you

But I don't support him, it's actually because I relate to him that I don't, I wish I could save him, I have compassion for him, but he killed people, he committed genocide, twice??? In the Prequels??? He is exactly the type of person who terrifies me in real life, I don't support him

My love of his character writing does not mean that I am overlooking his clear moral failings or even that agree with him, because I don't, I actually love his character more because he is written to be so flawed morally, he is an exploration of emotional repression and how wanting power, even if it is to save someone else can still make you a bad person, it is this complexity that drew me to him as a character

I am drawn to morally complex characters in spite of the fact that their actions go against my morals, because I personally find morally complex characters to be more compelling

So why then, if I like morally flawed characters do I have such an issue with the Jedi and their morals in particular

Quite simply, it's the way they aren't written (especially in the Clone Wars) with that same moral complexity, they are written as if they are moral good

And it is this framing of them that a lot of Jedi supporters have clearly sided with and made their reason to support the Jedi, they believe the Jedi are good and believe that fans should support morally good characters so they can't understand why I wouldn't support them

But the Jedi aren't morally good and I find the inability to acknowledge that alarming

The Prequels movies do a much better job of showing how their inaction leads to bad things, but even in the Prequels there isn't a full of acknowledgement of how far they have fallen

Whereas the Clone Wars just doesn't acknowledge it, at all, they flatten the story down so it has no moral complexity, they have clear cut good guys and bad guys, the Jedi are the good guys, no matter what, the bad guys are the Sith, their is the occasional attempt at making the morality of the Clone Wars more grey but it is inconsistent, and overall the approach is a binary

The issue is, in painting the Jedi as morally good, the Prequels era glosses over how they aren't, they aren't objectively good, no one in the Prequels era but in pretending that they are, you make the meta around the canon morally complex

You have people defending the Jedi's use of the clones, choice to ignore slaves and chain themselves to the Repiy, handling of Anakin and the Padawans in general, involvement in the war and everything else because the Jedi are framed as good guys

I have yet to meet anyone defending Anakin's actions because he is so clearly framed as the guy falling to the Dark Side, we are meant to mourn his fall but we aren't meant to think he was in the right

Not everything the Jedi did is bad, but enough is that placing them on a pedestal and calling them the heroes, acting like they don't deserve this slander when Jedi critical fans are just pointing out how the Jedi are morally compromised, is messed up

There is no moral high ground when it comes to the Prequels, everyone compromises themselves (including Padme, she stayed with Anakin,), but some fans want to act like there is and so we have a disconnect

[glittter-vamp]

CHAPTER 6

Joe Burrow x Bisexual OC.

Warnings: Angsty. Mentions of homophobia.

Word Count: 3.1k

Driving to Joe's felt like the longest drive in the entire world for Val, despite it being only a 15 minute drive. She had no clue what she was going to say to him, her emotions were all over the place. They both fucked up and hurt one another. She knew she had to mentally and emotionally prepare for the worst. Its been two days since all of this and even though Joe immediately wanted too see Val, she just wasn't ready to face things so they decided to give some time to each other before taking to one another and gather their thoughts.

Val pulled up to the familiar house and took a deep breath before shutting the engine of her car off and getting out of it. Usually she would use her key to let herself in but after everything, she felt weird to do so, so she just rang the doorbell instead. She waited nervously at the door for a moment before the door opens revealing Joe. He looked as sleepless as she felt, in his infamous colorful sweats he always wore.

"You could of used your key." Joe gives Val a small smile.

"Would of felt weird at the moment." She awkwardly shrugs as Joe lets her in the house.

"I uh...do you want something to drink?" Joe asks, Val could tell he was nervous about the conversation that needed to take place.

"I'm fine, we should just talk about everything and rip it off like a bandaid at this point." Val shakes her head.

"I...don't even know where to start here. I fucked up badly and I know you must hate me for it." Joe shakes his head running his fingers through his hair.

"Well I wasn't innocent either here and I don't hate you." Val sighs the conversation starting already in a manner that she didn't like.

"Yeah but you wouldn't have done what you did if I wasn't such a piece of shit." Joe shakes his head with regret written all over his face.

"I didn't know about the model until the morning after Joe, I got too drunk and let Summer dance like that with me." Val admits.

"So, you didn't get with her out of spite because of what I did?" Joe asks and Valeria shakes her head no.

"I bumped into Summer at the club, after we went back to my place, I guess we made out and I passed out before anything else happened. I then woke up the next morning in bed with her... mostly naked, freaked out but Summer told me that we didn't have sex and that's when I found out about you and the model leaving the club together in Miami." Val bites her lip.

"Do you have feelings for her?" Joe asks which caught her off completely guard. She didn't think that would be the next thing to come out of his mouth.

"No! Of course not?! Joe...why would I have feelings for her when I haven't seen her in years and I'm in love with you?" Val scoffs annoyed that he would ask that.

"I'm just trying to understand what's happening to us." Joe sighs shaking his head.

"I...think we might have move on from each other." Val bites her lip not even wanting to admit that herself, but she knew Joe wouldn't make this type of move.

"No." Joe says sternly crossing his arms and Val snorts sarcastically.

"No? What do you mean no? Joe, our relationship has gone no where these past few years and then all of a sudden it just plummeted because we both cheated!? So no isn't really an option." Val scoffs not believing that Joe would straight out just say no the way he did.

"It's not that bad! We can still fix this, You didn't even sleep with Summer and I...technically didn't really sleep with Sofia..." He says making Valeria confused hearing the last part.

"What does that even mean and don't piss me off, just be honest" Val rolls her eyes at Joe.

"She left my hotel room pissed cause...I couldn't... perform." Joe says embarrassed which almost made Val laugh but she managed to keep her cool.

"So, having erectile disfunction is the only reason why you didn't fuck her? That's not making me me feel any better cause the only reason you didn't fuck her was because you had limp dick & not because you didn't want to." Val snorts shaking her head in disbelief on what she was currently hearing. She couldn't believe this conversation right now.

"I couldn't have sex with her because I was thinking of you! You know I've never had that issue with you in bed but I just couldn't stop thinking of you. I know I was making a huge mistake and my anger towards myself was driving me to do what I was intending! " Joe snaps back clearly getting angry now at Val's reaction to what he was saying.

"You were thinking of me so much & mad at yourself that you brought a famous drop dead gorgeous model back to your hotel your room to fuck her. Thank you so much, that's exactly what every girl just dreams of!" Val says sarcastically.

"Val...I'm trying here. I'm being as honest and transparent as I can. We both fucked up, and I truly believe we can still work on this, we love each other to much not to." Joe practically pleads.

"Work on what Joe? Before this whole cheating thing, we both didn't talk to each other for 10 days and before that--our relationship was basically us being each others booty call cause we live separately and hang out in public once every 4 months to keep the 'we're just friends' narrative going...what could we do to fix this at this point? We've both have been on different pages this whole time on our relationship...what is there to fix or work on?" Val says exhaustedly, she was tired of repeating herself to Joe and reminding him of how fucked yo their relationship truly was.

"So that's it, you're going to just throw all these years together away? Just like that?" Joe scoffs which annoyed Val.

"I think we owe it to ourselves to put ourselves first right now. We both need time and to figure things out." She shakes her head.

"So you want a break?" Joe sighs.

"It seems right, we need to think about what we want and come back." Val nods.

"What if we end up wanting different things? Or you simply want to break up for good and I don't?" Joe asks.

"I don't think either of us deserve to be in a relationship where either one is in it for the wrong reasons Joe." Val sniffles feeling the emotions start to her. They both look at each other with sad heartbroken looks but Joe nods in agreement.

"Do you...want your apartment key back?" He says holding his emotions in as best as he could.

"We can deal with that later unless you want yours--No. It's okay, I'm...not ready for that. I can only handle so much right now..." Joe stops her as Val reaches for his house key on her keys.

"Well if you want it back, just uh, let me know." Val nods.

"Can I still...text you from time to time? I really hated not talking to you everyday and want to at least make sure you're alive and stuff." Joe asks seeming nervous to even ask the question.

"Sure, I don't mind." Val nods as they stand there awkwardly for a moment looking at each other and seeing each other trying not to break down in this moment.

"I should...get going." Val nods knowing Joe wouldn't dare ask her to leave.

"Wait um...does this mean we're suppose to be dating other people? I just ask cause I don't want to be surprised like I was this past weekend with what I saw online." Joe says. It was a valid question so Val couldn't even be mad at it.

"If that's what you feel like you need to do...go for it." Val shrugs pretending saying those words weren't hurting her.

"I'm not planning on it." Joe says but Val doesn't buy it. At the end of the day he's a famous football player with the looks and body of a god, a break means free game. She knew Joe was going to take advantage one way or another. Val just nods not commenting on what he said and she heads for the front door, Joe following behind.

"I'm real sorry Val. I still love you & whatever you need, I'll be here." Joe sighs once she opens the door and steps out.

"Me too."

**********************************

A Few Days Later:

Val was at her store a few hours before regular hours because Kade and Elsa wanted to brainstorm some ideas with her. She got them their coffee orders & some bagels before coming in, trying to care for her employees with even the little things. They stood at the front register talking a bit about personal stuff a little bit before they started on the store conversations.

"Okay, so can we start with the idea's now?" Elsa smiles excitedly.

"Yes! Please." Val nods in agreement.

"Okay, so...I'm not trying to over step here or disrespect you at all but... I think you should use what happened in the tabloids this past weekend, to your own advantage." Elsa says confidently. Val raises an eyebrow at her wondering where she was going with this.

"Pride month is next month, two and a half weeks away exactly and though we always have a section with all of the proceeds donated to LGBTQIA+ causes on certain items...this is now officially a LGBTQIA+ owned business and you should market to the community and go all out for Pride month." Kade suggests.

"How would we get merchandise orders in time, other than what we ordered a few months ago for Pride? Two weeks isn't nearly enough time and before you'll know it the month will be over." Val shakes her head before sipping her coffee.

"I made a few calls and if you tell me by noon today...all this will be here by today, next week. Kade helped me with the budget, it's doable and you'd make record profit if you jump on that attention wave you're receiving right now. Online orders will boom!" Elsa smirks showing Val all the Pride items printed out on a few pieces of paper.

"This would also mean breaking donation records." Kade nods adding his two cents. Val looks over everything they had both gotten together, it had seemed like they had both done their homework on this in the short period they had.

"Fuck it. Might as well!" Val agrees making Kade and Elsa high five each other.

"Great! Next year we can talk designing actual pieces for pride but for now this is a great way to use something bad to your advantage and get some good out of it." Elsa smiles.

"We do however... need to be prepared for any Karen's or Ken's, I've deleted a lot of mean comments on our store instagram page." Kade reminds everyone. That part made Valeria nervous a bit, she was still getting very homophobic hate comments from people, all to which don't even follow her and never had. It was tough to see but she was blocking people like crazy and limiting comments on most posts especially on the store ones. Her group of friends were also not holding back with defending her which she appreciated. They talk a bit more about the Pride collection and how the display should now work with the extra stuff that will be ordered along with marketing strategies on social media.

The day then goes on and since Dani was out for the week Val had her hands full with restocking and cleaning around the store while Kade stayed on the register and Elsa did shipment orders in the back. Val didn't mind though, she was happy that she had something to try and keep her mind busy and off Joe, though it wasn't working like she wanted too. She hadn't talked to him since she went to his house to talk about the dumpster fire that was their relationship. She still had mixed feelings about everything, she adored Joe & cared for him in ways she couldn't even describe but they both cheated on one another. She also couldn't leave out the fact that she spent years hiding the fact that Joe was her boyfriend and him doing the same to her. As much as she loved Joe, she knew she couldn't do that for however many more years. Val gets pulled out from her thoughts when she hears Kade call for her and she turns around to see two very unexpected guests in her store at the moment.

"Hey...what are you two doing here?" Val asks awkwardly at the two men in front of her.

"Uh, just wanted to know if you've heard anything from Joe. We've been trying to reach him cause he hasn't made it to last practices and that's not really like him. Even if they're not mandatory. We decided to see if you could help us out here." Ja'Marr says.

"Yeah, we know you two are really close friends so we thought you might of heard something or known something." Tee says awkwardly making Val snort. Ja'Marr and Tee both knew about you and Joe. They were the only guys on the team other than the head coach that did so seeing Tee trying to make it not obvious was quite funny.

"I uh, I'm sorry but can't help you here boys. Maybe he's in Athens or feeling under the weather lately, I haven't talked to him in a few days myself. I know just as much as you do. " Val shrugs trying to play it as cool as she could but Ja'Marr eyes her suspiciously.

"Y'all break up?' He blurts out and Tee sucks his teeth in annoyance smacking him in the arm. They both look around and notice that thankfully no one was around to hear what he just said.

"We might be...going through some troubles but I still don't know where he is. It's been days since I've last heard of him. " Val shakes her head telling them the truth.

"Are you doing alright though? We saw... the thing on TMZ, you good?" Tee asks.

"Yeah, for the most part. But uh, I should really get back to this, I have lost to do afterwards. I hope you guys are able to track him down though, he shouldn't be ignoring you like that." Val says pushing a smile on her face.

"Yeah, I'll uh, see you later." Ja'Marr nods.

"Thanks anyway." Tee smiles.

They both say goodbye to Val and walk out of the store. Val lets out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in and then took another deep breath getting back to her work, pushing whatever just happened out of her mind. Though she tried hard, she couldn't help but wonder what was going on with Joe. He never was the type to mope around, miss practice and ignore his teammates due to personal life troubles. Val fought her own thoughts on reaching out to him, they agreed on being on a break and giving each other space. She also thought about what if he actually just used the guys too spy on her & see how she was doing. They were acting a bit odd but she knew overall she had to just leave it alone and focus on her.

**************** It was late in the evening now and Val was making herself some dinner. Shrimp Alfredo to be exact. As she was adding the sauce to the noodles & shrimp there was a random knock on her door. She checked the time on her Apple Watch and it was too late for anyone to be delivering packages so she walked to her door checked the peep hole wondering who it could be. She was very shocked to see it was Summer. She opens the door and Summer immediately greets her with a warm smile. She was holding a bouquet of flowers. Pink Roses to be exact.

"Hey! I hope you don't mind me dropping by like this... I uh, wanted to talk to you." Summer bites her hip.

"Uh, yeah sure come in. Sorry if it smells like food, I'm making dinner at the moment." Val says letting her in.

"Smells great actually!" Summer smiles.

"Thanks, I'm making shrimp Alfredo if you want some! There's plenty, I always over make food for myself." Val nods going back to her stove and mixing it up to make sure all the sauce was spread out evenly.

"I could eat!" Summer nods.

"It'll be ready in a few." Val smiles.

"Great! Um, I wanted to come by and apologize for the way I acted the day after we went to the club & how I acted in the store that day in front of you and Joe. I wouldn't have done any of that if I knew you weren't a single woman." Summer says handing you the beautiful flowers which made you blush.

"Well, I appreciate that a lot but it's really not your fault. I fucked up and wasn't honest but these flowers are so amazing. Thank you." Val gives her a warm smile and she then smells the flowers before making room for them on her breakfast bar.

"I hope things are okay between you two now... I know he probably doesn't like me very much after that video." Summer chuckles awkwardly.

"Um, we're sort of... taking a break at the moment. He wasn't so faithful either and our relationship hasn't ever been perfect. So we're both taking time away from each other to figure things out." Val nods.

"Oh.. I'm sorry to hear that." Summer responds giving Val a reassuring smile.

"Thanks. But uh, why don't you go sit down. I'll make you a plate." Val smiles.

"I wish I would of known you were cooking, I would of brought dessert... or wine." Summer says taking a seat at the dinner table.

"I have cookies and cream ice cream in the freezer & also a bottle of white or red, choose your poison." Val respond back as she gets some plates out from the cupboard.

"Definitely the red & we can never go wrong with cookies cream." Summer smirks.

A/N: Joe and Val have a Ross Geller and Rachel Green moment happening, how do you think this is gonna go for them?

[bullet-prooflove]

Thursday ‘Tinted Windows’ Radio Prompt List

Please check the updated character list on my pinned post to see who I am writing for before submitting a prompt!

Also read the rules and do not forget to put the entire prompt into your ask!

Maybe it's the way you say my name

And spite's as good a reason to take his power

And I've heard of a love that comes once in a lifetime And I'm pretty sure that you are that love of mine

Dancing in heels, her eyes on me

It felt like it was Heaven, just you, me and nobody else

And the silence haunts our bed chamber

And you, you've got this wide-eyed gaze And a smile that you'll carry through your days

I'm not a man to walk away from a connection

So, I met you in the hotel, dim little lobby

Right from the second, your hands were on my body

When you held me tight, wish I hadn't let go

It's me and you until the grave

Come to me in the night hours

The kind of girl who won't apologize

Think I'm gonna miss these harbour lights But it's time to let it go

Some day when the future meets the past That's when we'll make up for all of the years that went so fast

She said, "I don't believe in love at first sight" But you can take me home if it feels alright,

Oh, how she sighed when she stubbed her cigarette

The morning sun caresses her skin

Well I don't think she knows How she changed all my plans

God, I loved you babe, did I tell you that?

'Cause I'm dyin' to know all the places you have been

I've been on the road since you last saw me

Kiss me like I'm the last man in the world

After all that we've been through There's nothing that I wouldn't do

But it's so good, I've never known anybody like you

And that last kiss, couldn't look at you

Oh love, you're acting just for him

But you still know all the right words to say, 

There was screaming down the hall

You said you don't want to end the night

Names on a headstone

You were driving fast, I was holding back And I loved you babe, but I bet you knew that

You said you never want to say goodbye

'Cause I'm in a field of dandelions Wishing on every one that you'd be mine

If our love died, would that be the worst thing?

I was yours so fast, I was scared so bad

Dirty love, all I want are your eyes on mine

When we said goodbye, wish I hadn't let go

The airport broke us in two A friend drove me 'cause you couldn't do

I hold your hair when you drink vodka

There was lying on your breath

When you're looking at me, I've never felt so alive and free

There was fire, there was death

[ilikereadingactually]

Quickly, While They Still Have Horses

Quickly, While They Still Have Horses: Stories by Jan Carson

i am really getting into this little microgenre of connected surreal short stories/vignettes/narratives. Craft was so excellent, and Rakesfall broke my brain in great ways, and Tauhou was so dreamlike and encompassing. Quickly falls right into this tiny category for me, more on the short story end of things than the others but still feeling like it's creating a world that looks like some part of ours, with just the smallest unreal quirks.

the connective tissue here is the political and social landscape of Northern Ireland, and the shadow of the Troubles across stories that span time, borders, boundaries, and peace lines. the emotional logic of the surreal elements—a severed hand that keeps reappearing in a fridge in Ulster, a Catholic ghost haunting a used car bought by Protestants, miracle healing offered and joked about and achieved—hits just right in a setting haunted by violence and division and getting on with life in spite of those things. if a bomb could go off anywhere, any moment, and a fenced wall divides that sort's neighborhood from this sort's, then why couldn't a pillar of heatless fire and smoke be a mental health support device? even the stories that aren't explicitly surreal deal little electric shocks of surprise, highlighting grief or numbness or resilience or love within the mundane everyday.

for half a minute i thought about picking a favorite story to highlight in this review, but looking through them i don't think i can! each one was so sparkling and funny and breathtaking like a punch in the chest. i have endearing love for a woman who admires her lesbian sisters-in-law and does her best to support her soft-spoken husband. i laughed so hard at the adolescent impulsivity and shitheadedness of kids who threw a burning baby doll over the peace wall. i can't stop thinking about the boy who chooses to believe his blind friend when he says he's been healed and wants to learn to drive, and the girl who spends all summer working for a space of her own and is denied by a father who must be recontextualized in that moment between childhood and growing up. what a treasure trove of jewels.

the deets

how i read it: another e-galley from NetGalley, i'm still playing catch-up! but i'm definitely going to buy this one when i have the chance.

try this if you: are delighted by dialects written out, are into surreality, enjoy stellar and quick character development, or dig getting dropped into the day-to-day culture of a place.

some lines i really liked: gosh the prose is just so beautiful

At high tide the seaweed swims with me. Its smooth tongues lap my arms and legs. I think about Jonah in the belly of the whale, all those slick intestines sliding against his skin. I feel small in myself and held.

___

In a way, it's good to be kept busy. It wears the howl out of her. She wonders if it is the same for Dad. By the day's end, there's no talk left in either of them.

___

After Rob, I lost the sea. I let Malcolm have it. I did not want it anymore.

___

The pair of them are always getting on like this. Smiling. Touching. Kissing each other in unusual places such as shoulders and earlobes. They are stupid happy. I wouldn't want to be a lesbian myself, but I envy Cathy all the same.

___

You start being honest with each other, and it's like opening what's-her-name's box. You never know what'll come slinking out.

pub date: July 9, 2024! go get it and read it!!

[heelsandhalos]

Good afternoon,

I apologize for the late devotional today. We had a very heavy and hard night in our household last night and if yall wouldn't mind praying for our peace and protection, I would greatly appreciate that.

I did want to ensure I delivered the good word to yall today in spite of that. Plus Scripture always heals me in the sore spots.

That being said, let's get into our Thursday devotional.

Devotional: The Promises of the Great "I AM".

Scripture:

"But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the Lord had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens."

1 Chronicles 27:23 KJV

Reflection:

This verse in Chronicles displays King David's unwavering faith and trust in the Lord. In Genesis 15:5, God promises Abraham to make the seed of Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.

"And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be."

David chose to believe that God would fulfill his promise and so, though logic would have told him to include folks under 20 for military service, he chose faith in God over his own understanding.

David’s decision reflects the powerful principle that trusting in God’s promises means letting go of our need to control and quantify every aspect of our lives. It means believing that God’s word is true and that He is faithful to fulfill what He has spoken, even when we may not see or comprehend the full picture.

Application:

1. Rely on the God's Word and Promise

Reflect on the promises God has made in His Word. Are there areas in your life where you need to trust Him more? Just as David relied on God’s promise to multiply Israel, we too can trust in the assurances found in Scripture.

2. Faith Over Fear and Understanding

Often, our human nature drives us to measure, count, and ensure everything is within our control. Yet, faith sometimes needs us to take a step back and trust that God is going to work everything out for our highest good. Think about places in your life where you may be over relying on your understanding instead of leaning on God’s word and wisdom.

3. God is Faithful

Remember the times God has been faithful in your life and in the lives of others around you. Let these testimonies build your faith. God’s track record of faithfulness provides a solid foundation for trust in His future promises.

Prayer:

God, thank you for your promises, your faithfulness to the righteous, and the fulfillment of those promises. Thank you for blessing us with the Holy Word that guides and assures us that you will be with us in our time of need and that you will not allow the righteous to fall. Thank you for all you do for us Lord and for constantly extending to us your grace and glory. Help us to continue to stand strong and become stronger in our faith each passing moment and to never believe the lies of the enemy. Help us to continue to trust in you Lord and know that you have a way even if we may not see it yet. In the name of Christ Jesus of Nazareth, Amen. 🤍🙏✨️

Conclusion:

1 Chronicles 27:23 is a reminds us that trusting God means believing in His promises, even when we can't see immediate evidence. It encourages us to let go of our need for control and instead, lean into God’s faithful and unchanging nature. As we navigate our daily lives, let’s hold fast to His promises, knowing that He is always working for our good and His glory.

Images by ️Heels and Halos

Tool: CoPilot Image Generator

[kindred-sims]

"I don't think I feel like going on a stroll today, Caleb, I'm sorry..."

Caleb had come into the parlor following the long work day to find his wife seated in the rocking chair he had built for her. He usually wouldn't think much of it, except she hadn't really moved from it from the entire day.

Which made him extremely worried.

"Are you feeling alright, Jo? Should I go get someone--"

"No. No, I'll be fine, I just--I think I just need to sit here for a while..."

Despite her assurances, it didn't ease Caleb's mind in the slightest. He ended up hitching the buggy and driving over to the O'Sullivan's home to fetch Maeve, in spite of Jo's continued protests that she was fine.

They both returned a few minutes later, Maeve looking appalled to find Jo still seated upright in the parlor.

"My goodness, you shouldn't be up right now!" she exclaimed. "Come along, love, we need to get you into bed."

"Why must everyone keep overreacting? I said I was perfectly fine--"

Jo was shortly proven wrong as she stood from the rocking chair, as a terrible wave of pain shortly overtook her. She cried out, nearly crumpling to the ground. Caleb was quick to assist his wife, holding her close and leading her into the bedroom, just as Maeve had instructed.

It was clear now, that the baby was coming, whether anyone was ready or not.

Jo had mostly been in denial of it all evening, trying to brush aside her pain as more typical pregnancy discomforts. It didn't fully sink in that she might be having the baby until she'd settled into bed, and the pain she'd experienced in the parlor only increased as the hours went on.

Unbearable torture was the only way she could describe it, as all she could do was writhe and scream with each contraction that shot through her body. It didn't feel as if it would ever end, and she was beginning to feel diminished, weakened. As if she would pass out at any given second.

"I don't think I can do this, Maeve," she tearfully confessed to her friend. "It hurts so much, I just want it to end."

"I know, dear, believe me, I know," Maeve grasped Jo's hand, squeezing it gently. "But I promise, it will all be worth it. You just wait and see, you'll forget about the pain soon enough..."

Meanwhile, outside of their room, Caleb was a wreck. He hadn't been very thrilled when Maeve had shooed him out, it was absolutely tearing him apart to have to stand out here and listen to his wife's anguished screams and be powerless to do anything about them.

He couldn't help but let his mind wander back to all the stories his mother told him, of the siblings he had lost before he himself had been born. He thought of Jo, terrified and in agony, and it was enough to make him start anxiously pacing the halls.

By the time he'd finally settled himself in the parlor, the screaming had subsided. He held his breath, tense, and nearly broke down in relief at the sound of a newborn letting out its first cry.

Maeve had come to meet him with a wide smile on her face, and led him back to the room. Jo was resting in bed, and beside her, lay a tiny, wriggling bundle.

"Its a beautiful, healthy girl," Maeve told him, as she picked the bundle up, carefully placing the infant in his arms. "And your wife did amazing, bless her soul. Congratulations, Caleb, you should be very proud."

"A girl..."

Caleb couldn't tear his eyes away from his daughter as she cooed in his arms, all his doubts, all his worries, slowly but surely fading away. He held the child close, his heart so full of love, so full of adoration he'd never felt until this exact moment.

"Hi...hello there, Caroline. Its so nice to finally meet you..."

[majaloveschris]

So I'm on team PR. But I do get why so many people are thinking its real because of the photo dump the other day. It's like all the fans said they weren't together throughout the year and now here they are everywhere during 2022, they proved the team PR people wrong.

But....and this is the thing that people have to understand this is the whole point of a PR relationship, it's designed to get you to believe it's real and its with some people its working...HW does arrange PR marriages too even involving the couple have kids. To me looking at everything that's occurred since that Portuguese article was posted late 2021 about them dating (when we didn't even know about her) I had my suspicions, especially when she miraculously appeared in Mass over NYE 2022, that really raised a red flag, then all the breadcrumbs from Chris and her, his friends, family etc. That atrocious pap walk and disney trip, the cringe articles, the scare video and now the photos it's just too much in your face for such a private guy. I don't know what agreement was or is in place or who's driving this along but its possibly the worst PR relationship I have witnessed, its embarrassing and uncomfortable to watch play out

I don't have an ounce of doubt there is any genuine affection or love there, its all a business transaction and they're actors after all, they can act as a couple, it looks bad and I can see in his eyes he looks unhappy (not that I feel sorry for him).

Unfortunately, I see this playing out for a lot longer yet. We won't get a break up story, not yet, not after the lovebirds posted their album to the world on Tuesday. I wouldn't be surprised if he carries this on out of spite just to prove the fans wrong as he knows we're expecting the break up because it's his MO that his relationships don't last beyond 18 months.

Sorry for the long post,just wanted to put my views down, but just wait, they will be more I guarantee it, there will be more videos, photos and articles, this is not going away yet, I'm sorry to say

I mean, I also understand on some level why the general public thinks this is real, because if you don't analyze the pictures, the backgrounds, and this whole thing, you just see two people spending time together and they say they are a couple. However, I still think that even if a stranger looked at them, they could clearly see how uncomfortable they were around each other.

I've also heard about PR relationships and even googled pictures of those who were rumored to be in them, but I don't think I've ever seen such a bad one like this. They look uncomfortable and weird together. At least other couples looked like they were friends, or at least like they were okay with spending time together, but here...

You could definitely be right; maybe this won't end as soon as we would like it to. But I find it so hard to imagine that this whole relationship would still be going on during Comic Con and Ghosted. But it's only something we want, not something we will surely get.

[invisiblegarters]

Be My Favorite Ep 9

Dammit this is going to make me want sushi.

Guess I wasn't wrong that the face Pear made in last ep was about family issues and not missing out on Kawi time. Pear has totally not forgiven her mom, PIsaeng.

Pisaeng is never getting a kiss if he keeps trying to hint around to it. Also ultimatums this early? Come on we all knew Kawi would choose the band.

Oh no. Now I'm beginning to see why Pisaeng gets drunk.

No good deed and all that. I am not actually a fan of this.

Pear is breaking my heart. I'm beginning to see why she is so obsessed with creating a family of her own. Can I just say how much I love that the show is giving her motivations and desires outside of what is going on with Kawi? Because I really do. I love that all these characters clearly have their own internal lives happening in spite of Kawi.

I like drunk and belligerent Pisaeng. Although that kiss is totally a fake out and we all know it. We've seen the trailer, people!

Kawi you are going to need to kiss him sober if you're sure about this dating thing.

And oh no, not Not. Come the fuck on, show. Why Pear doesn't just ignore him is beyond me. NOT THIS IS NOT YOUR BUSINESS MY GOD. I really do not like this guy. And I am really really really hoping that this isn't the excuse the show needs to turn Pear awful, because I will riot. Pear is too good a character to suddenly swerve into the scorned faen.

pffft

Yes.

A ways back, babes. You (and Pear) are litterally the last to know.

Well good on Kawi for addressing the money issues immediately. I mean that. It's a worry for him that could easily breed resentment so I like that he's tackling it head on instead of ignoring it until it becomes a problem.

Okay no seriously what the everloving FUCK is wrong with these people. I hate Not you guys. If they try to redeem him I swear to god...

That whole bit with Pear was really good. We shall see what comes of it later I guess but it was realistic for the moment. I don't think that she's angry like she is with her mom, but I do think that she's upset, and that's okay. It's okay that she needs some time to think about this whole thing because frankly, finding out that the person you like likes someone else is upsetting, especially when you had cause to believe that he was into you.

Also I hope Pear is meeting Not to chew him out. I would hate it if what he did succeeded in driving Pear to him. Would hate. I say again, girl, love yourself more. Please.

I do think she's turning to Not now because she feels abandoned by both Pisaeng and Kawi, and she definitely is looking desperately for something to fulfill her but I really wish that she would take Not to task for his gross meddling. Because it's not his job to out those two, it's not his job to make sure Pear knows the truth. UGH he is such a slimeball I hate him.

And Kwan you can do so much better. Good god why do people like this guy? He's so slimy.

Oh, thank goodness. I was really worried she was actually going to turn to Not like in the worst future but no, she just wanted to help her friends. And I like that she was up front with him about not liking him in that way. My guess is that he preyed on her heartbreak in the worst future too. Because let's not pretend that that's not exactly what he was hoping to do here. He didn't tell her about Kawi and Pisaeng out of any real desire to help her or spare her further heartbreak. He told her because one, he wanted her to feel grateful to him and two, he was hoping that that gratefulness as well as her inevitable mix of emotions upon finding out abut them - confusion, anger, heartbreak, uncertainty, a metric fuckton of vulnerability - wouldn't make her turn to him as a new option. And that is gross.

I knew she was awesome. I love Pear, you guys. I want to pluck her out of this story and place her somewhere where she gets all the things she deserves.

Another solid episode. The only thing that really could have made it better would be if Max had been around. He better be there next week.