#still stepped on somebody’s foot etc etc

[knittedquails]

last rambles hopefully

[shadybiotics]

R e d d e r d a y s

× pairing: venture x reader

× words: 1588

× content : afab!reader, cozy, comfort, fluff, period talk, sfw

× summary: You are on your period, not feeling well at all and thus missing from todays training. Venture noticed your absence and decided to check up on you.

[ A/N ] : I was on my period when i started writing this and needed some comfort. Also, for clarity, imagine this is a 2016 ow situation where everyone shares one base with their own rooms etc got it? cool.

You were currently at the shared Overwatch base. Todays agenda included some basic training and an annual rundown of the safety protocol during combat. These were both some of the lighter activities you had the chance to be a part of but even still, you wouldn't be able to attend as you felt like death walking.

You were on your period and you felt awful. In every way imaginable. Your skin tingled with hot and cold flashes, your insides felt funny and you weren't sure if you were going to vomit or faint first.

So you had to skip out on todays activities and stayed in your bunk instead, wrapped in your favourite blankets in your bed. And it turns out that somebody else had similar plans for today.

knock! knock! knock!

A quick succession of sturdy knocks at your door took your attention off of your phone that you've been scrolling on for the past hour or so.

"Who is it?" You tried to groan loud enough for the other person to hear with the little energy you had.

"Its Sloane! I heard you weren't coming to training today and wanted to come by and check up on you! If that's okay I mean."

So it was just Sloane, but why weren't they at training, you wondered. Not giving it much more thought than that you let them in.

The metallic door opened with a click and slid with a heavy swoosh and in entered Venture, wearing their comfiest sweater and some slacks.

"Oh, whats up with you?"

"Not feeling well" You answered shortly, still laying limp in your bed.

"I can tell that" Venture said with a soft chuckle.

"Im on my period" You said a little quieter as they walked over and carefully sat on the bed beside your legs.

"Ooooh yeah you don't look too good" That comment left their lips faster than they could think. You squinted and stared daggers in their direction the moment your brain registered what they said.

"Oops, sorry, didn't mean it like that" they said with a laugh. Venture had a quick glance around your room, mainly noticing the mess on your bedside table. An empty water bottle and a mug, some candy wrappers and a pack of pills. Painkillers, they assumed.

Embarrassment and shame shot through the layers of your discomfort when you noticed them analyzing your room. It was a mess, yes, there were clothes hanging about and a general mess on your desk as well that you didn't feel like cleaning. You swore you would get to it soon.

Venture gently rested their hand on your leg as they said in their most empathetic voice possible, "Im sorry, I cant imagine what it must feel like".

"Well, don't you... too...?" You questioned carefully.

You didn't want to prod too much, asking felt intrusive and intimate. You didn't want to step on any footing Venture felt uncomfortable with but you also couldn't deny your curiosity. It's only human to wonder.

"Oh, yeah! I do get my periods as well but they're usually not as intense... as yours. Never been actually, guess im lucky"

"Guess you are..." You replied a little gloomier while shifting deeper into your bed, wishing you had the same luxury as them.

"But why aren't you at training then?" You got up slightly, a headache warning to hit at the sudden movement, and scooted further into your bed to give them more room to sit. They followed and sat next to you.

"Honestly? I just wanted to catch up on some reading. There's this book on ancient archeology that -turns out- has some errors printed into it, and the writer shared a new edition, highlighting its previous mistakes and . . . " They went on and on but you couldn't help but zone out soon, concentrating only on the pounding in your head.

Reading. Of course the history nerd skips out on training just so they could read some more. How typical of them, you thought, smiling softly to yourself. Your head flopped onto their shoulder, your neck too lazy to support itself.

"-and i wanted to check up on you." That part caught your attention and made your stomach tense, in a pleasant way.

"Well, you did check up on me..." You whispered, still in a low mood, not feeling any better with time. Venture noticed.

"Aww come on, don't be like that!" They grabbed your sides through your shield of blankets, shaking and prodding you playfully. You only groaned at their attempts to make you feel better.

"Ughhh stop it!" You laughed. As groggy and moody as you were, that did lift your mood a bit. It was cute, you thought, how Venture would try to make you feel better despite your sour attitude.

"Come on, let me help you!" They moved to the edge of the bed, as if they were about to leave, one hand on your thigh. "I know, I'll go to the kitchen and grab you something, hm?"

"I don't have anything stored there right now..." Even though there was a cafeteria, everyone usually brought or made their own food and stored it in the shared kitchen and because of your current state you didn't meal prep anything for today.

"Eh, im sure i can find something we can borrow~" They threw you a wink and wide grin. You chuckled at their mischief. It was clear they were willing to go to great lengths to make you feel even slightly better, a blush crept up your cheeks at the thought. It was so sweet of them.

"So, any special requests?"

You thought for a moment. " Ice cream. Please. Im begging." You dramatically added. "Bring me ice cream, anything else might make me actually vomit..."

They lightly pat your thigh before sliding their hand off. "Alright, one order for ice cream! Be back soon!" they sung before hopping off the bed. They glanced your way with warm eyes before walking out the door, as if to tell you not to go anywhere while they were gone.

They didn't dare to say anything, but you looked so cute like this. You could clearly use some help or support, yet you wouldn't dare to bother anybody for it. They could think of several agents who would come running at your word if need be. It was like trying to help a stubborn sick cat, Venture thought as they left.

And so, you waited.

. . .

Your door slid open again and you saw Sloane hunched over, hurrying inside with a goofy smile, checking behind them as the door slid close. You immediately smiled upon seeing them. Their hand slid under their sweater and you watched as they clumsily pulled out a tub of ice cream that they were hiding. "Ah-cold-cold-cold!" they hissed. You laughed at the scene in front of you.

"Did anybody see you??" You questioned, still in awe.

"Psh! I hope not!" They hopped back on your bed next to you with other things in hand.

"Here is your ice cream" they wiggled their brows at you with a cheeky smile, clearly proud of the little thievery they just accomplished.

"Aaaand, since you have no other plans for today, i brought my book with me! I thought we could go over the errors together." They said excitedly as they pulled out a brand new beige book with golden rims. "It will help pass the time and keep your mind off of that uh, tornado inside you." They flashed their signature smile.

They were really sweet, just so so sweet. The care and consideration they showed for you made you feel so fuzzy inside and you couldn't stop smiling. It was an unusual feeling, but you enjoyed it. You smiled back at them.

"But before then, here, drink some tea, careful! Its hot." They handed you a hot mug of what smelled like... chamomile tea? You weren't entirely sure. "I forgot to ask which one you liked, but i heard this one is meant to soothe and relax... or something like that". They watched intently as you took a careful sip.

"Aah! Hot!" You hissed.

"Told you so" They chuckled at the funny face you made.

You put the mug aside to let it cool off a bit first. Instead, you gladly took the tub of ice cream off of Ventures hands. As you began digging in Venture scooted closer to you again and cozied up next to you in bed and you shared your blanket with them.

. . .

In between Sloanes reading, you would spoon feed them some of the ice cream. Their eyes remained glued to the pages and their voice now a little muffled with their mouth full of the cold sweets.

Sloanes warm voice and the sound of flipping pages proved to be much more relaxing than that tea. Their voice soon melted into the background and you focused on the sound of your own slow, steady breathing as your eyelids began to feel heavy. Soon your eyes fell closed. Still mindful of their presence next to you, you appreciated this moment and cozied up even closer as you shifted more of your weight onto Ventures arm. A soft blush tinted their cheeks as you let out a content sigh.

In turn, Venture lifted their arm, letting you rest on their chest instead. Their arm snaked around you, keeping you close and secure. The rumbling of their voice in their chest soon turned into a lullaby as Sloane continued their reading.

[dunmeshi-darlings]

Can I request something for Marcille, Chilchuck, Mickbell and Holm with a half-foot reader who is not someone to avoid a fight like most half-foots would because they are a duellist/dagger wielding rogue? They even seem a little reckless because they trust so much in their own skill of avoiding hits so they dare come in close when fighting something.

Oh now that is a delightful image! i love when a character subverts the expectations of the race they are in fantasy. Dwarf Mages, Elf barbarians, etc etc. this sounds delightful.

Marcille looked at you the same way as she looked at chilchuck, she couldnt help but view you as a child like she did with chilchuck. she giggled seeing you with your daggers and even asked if you were old enough to be using those, worrying that you might cut yourself.

So imagine her reaction when during the first fight you charge in with your daggers, slashing and stabbing and dashing all over the monster. your size and speed making you damn near impossible to hit . marcille was shocked, you had told her time and time again you werent a kid and were good in a fight but she just attributed that to you being embarrassed.

She apologizes to you for assuming you were young and that you couldnt look out for yourself. she let her biased views influence how she viewed you and she felt bad about it, you accept her apology and you two become good friends. Your speed lets you duck in and out of range of her explosions to deal damage with your knives. you two make a great team.

Chilchuck absolutely knows about you, he had heard about you through the grapevine. He had thought about getting you in the union to make sure nobody took advantage of you, but all things considered he figured you were more than capable of handling yourself.

When you joined the party he assured everyone of your skills, that if even half the stories he had heard of you were true then you would be an excellent addition to the party. And sure enough when the first first starts and your zipping in and out of combat slashing and stabbing the enemy chilchuck just smiles smugly at everyones wonder. He comments how not all half foots are squishy and bad at fighting.

Normally he would discourage you from a fellow half foot getting into an immediate melee brawl but your skills make him think that isnt an issue. He does still care about you, your a fellow half foot so of course he is going to look out for you. He cant help looking out for his fellow half foots.

Like chilchuck mickbell had heard of you before, that you were supposedly some half foot that was great in a fight? sounded like a loud of bullshit to him, he thought you were just somebody talking alot of game and having no real skill to back it up. that you likely were just lying to people.

Mickbell nearly faints when he finally sees you in action, As he hid behind some rocks he watches as you and kruo charge in slashing and stabbing at the monster. The two of you fighting with such savagery and speed, he wasnt sure who was more animalistic in their assault. The monster eventually slayed he steps out of his hiding spot.

He looks at you with wide eyes, saying how cool you were and how your so awesome! the way you were just running circles around the monster was the coolest thing he had ever seen! that you had to teach him how to do stuff like that.

(apologies i couldnt find a proper gif of holm)

When you joined the party and told him about your skills he belived you, his intuition told him that you were much more skilled than you let on so when you told him your fighting style it made sense to him. And when mickbell said you were likely lying holm said he didnt believe it for a second.

When the first fight with a monster happened you noticed his Undine Marillier by your side. Its way of attacking complimenting your fighting style, as you attacked and dodged the monsters attacks it would snipe at the monster each time you opened up its weakness. the two of you really were a dangerous pair in combat. Of course you also were quick to draw the monsters aggro back onto you to keep marillier safe.

After the fight holm gently pet at the undine and resealed it, thanking you for helping it in the fight. "thanks for watching her back, your one of the few people that tries to not let her get hurt." he says with a smile thanking you. You tell him its no problem, after all your team mates.

[tower-girl-anon]

Asteroid Memoria (1247) in the sign and houses

Hello everyone! I apologize for the long absence along with the on and off vibe given these last couple of months. As a little resume, this year hasn't been the easiest in terms of emotions and health, but, after a period of struggle, a kind of balanced footing has been found these days so there is hope to get back on track with sharing more astrological posts. It won't be the same as it was at the beggining of the year or the last one, but I will try to keep it moving.

After saying this, now I have come with another asteroid post that could be interesting to know and that is Memoria (1247), which, in english, means memory.

This asteroid in the natal chart could represent on how does our memory work and what things our memory tend to keep so, in this post, I will describe how does our memory work based on sign and house placement.

As always, take what resonates, enjoy it, and don't copy this post without giving proper credits to the owner. So let's get into it.

Aries/1st house These natives have a very quick mind. Depending on other aspects such as the house or aspects of the planet ruler in the natal chart, this sign and/or placement could grant the native with the ability to memorize everything quickly and with ease, so much so that they could be known for their amazing ability of retaining information. This could describe perfectly of those people who only study a few ours before an exam and still get an excellent grade despite the lack of prior study. Despite this, the retain of information can dissapear from their minds as quickly as it came. Remembering past actions, violent episodes, and peoples faces or bodies could be some of the things that they tend to remember the most. They don't usually shy away of sharing the things they remember.

Taurus/2nd house Depending on other aspects such as the house or aspects of the planet ruler in the natal chart, this sign and/or placement could indicate a person who needs time and hard work to retain information on their memory. Despite this, once they learn, live some experiences, or study hard, they don't tend to forget what they learned. They don't tend to make the same mistake twice and their ability is not usually shared with others if this asteroid falls in the second house. Mathematics, finances, hard-work experiences, fashion, cooking recipes, and art could be some of the topics they tend to remember the most.

Gemini/3rd house Depending on other aspects such as the house or aspects of the planet ruler in the natal chart, this asteroid under the sign and/or house of the communicative Gemini could signal a person who has a strong and quick memory. This person can remember almost everything, especially things that has been writen or said out loud, that is why they never, or almost never, have a problem with school grades. Maybe they can grasp conversations or situations that are happening in another part of the room. For example, they could be studying but, a few steps away, there is a couple who are talking and they can remember both the information of what they are reading and the conversation that is taking place a few metres away. Goosip, texts, and knowledge are some of the things they tend to remember the most.

Cancer/4th house This individual has a very selective memory; they prefer to keep on their head or mind the memories which created some emotional impact in their lifes. Of course, the strength of this memory depends on other aspects such as the house or aspects of the planet ruler in the natal chart, but, in general, these natives they tend to keep on their memory everything related to their emotions such as family, their home, chilhood, friends, etc., and every emotional reaction that came from those memories. If they formed an emotional connection with somebody, then they will never forget them. For better or for worse, every pain and joy in their lives will be safely kept in their memories.

Leo/5th house The memories of these natives are very selective; they don't tend to retail especific details, but are very good on remembering the general or most important information of a situation. Of course, as I've said on every other sign and placement, the strength of this memory depends on other aspects such as the house or aspects of the planet ruler in the natal chart. What they tend to remember the most are not only the most important information of every subject, but also things related to their childhood, their creativity, and the things that make them feel important. For example, if they have a hobbie or a topic that they really love, they would remember most things they learn from those things rather than from other topics that they are not interested. If they date, maybe they will be able to remember all the details of their exes. The same can apply to the celebrities they follow.

Virgo/6th house The memory of these natives are very unique. When it comes to remember things, this natives can remember almost everything that has been said and done, no matter the topic, or, in case there are some conflicting energies between this asteroid or its ruler to other planets in the chart, there are capable to recount conversations and facts so detailed about them or others that many could feel surprised. It is like, if they remind you of something you said and, in return, you ask them of when did you say that, they could tell you with almost every detail of the place, hour, date, or situation along with the almost the same words you used. This ability is really helpfull in careers that need especific or careful procedures such as medicine or engineer.

Libra/7th house These natives are very good at remembering things related to other people. No matter if the people they met were good or bad; if they had good intentions towards them or not; if they stayed for long or not; no matter what circumstances, these natives will remember them. Of course, it will depend on other aspects if their memory is strong or not, but, if you impressed them, then they will remember you. These natives are more prone to remember the actions of other people and their appearence rather than words. No matter if they are family, romantic partners, friends, or whatever, if those people were bad or unjust towards them or towards other, they will remember it and take note of who to trust or consider a good person. The same applies to those people who treated them better.

Scorpio/8th house For those who have this asteroid under the intense sign of Scorpio, your memory could either be very good or very bad. It will depend on many things, including aspects of the ruler of the sign or house to the rest of the chart, but since Scorpio or the eight house rules the intense place of the underworld, the taboo, the sexual side, among many things, these individuals could have a detailed memory when it comes to these topics. Maybe they can even remember past lives or bring back hidden traumas from other lifetimes. If they experienced trauma in this lifetime, they could either remember the experience very well or they could shut it down completly in a way that they may forgot about it. In any case, these natives will prefer to keep their memories private. Intense experiences (be it physical, love, sexual, spiritual, or related to money) could be the main thing they remember.

Sagittarius/9th house A very good placement for students, travellers, explorers, or people who likes to learn new lenguages. This placement is ideal, unless there are some other aspects in the chart that block this energy, because it allows these natives to gain more information and keep it in their minds with ease. It doesn't seem to be a limit on the capacity to retain things in their memories but, despite this, they could be prone to remember knowledge better than other things like familiar or romantic stuff. Along with that, they could be prone to learn more general details rather than detailed ones since their excitement for knowledge could make them impatient when it comes to spend more time knowing extra details

Capricorn/10th house The life lessons are the most important element to keep in the memory for those individuals who have this asteroid under this sign or placement. Rather than knowledge, they prefer to remember their career or path through life; their lessons and achievements; the obstacles and setbacks they had to face in order to reach the state or placement in which they are now; all that has to do with life experiences. They could be prone to remember old family stories or stories that elder people tell them. History could be a subject in whic their memories work better or, at least, feel more enthusiastic abut it. A downside of this aspect or placement could be a complication of their memory once they start growing older. Somehow, their memory could be a huge element that could affect their career path.

Aquarius/11th house This is an interesting placement for sure. It is not about these natives of being fixed on certain memories or not having a good memory. On the contrary, if there is something that captures their attention and is important to preserve it in their memory, then they can remember it with a huge ammount of detail. This group of people could be the type, in the case that they have bad aspects that could create problems to their memory, to remember something out of the sudden and then forget it the next second. The things they could remember the most are friends, things that happens in their social circle, things they see or learn through internet, or news related to things that affects others in general.

Pisces/12th house These individuals have a curious memory, but full of potential when it comes about reaching or recieving downloads of memories through spiritualism, tarot, and dreams. At some points, their memory can get foggy since it may look as if they are unable to remember what others told them or to remember a lot of details. In a way, they could remember the things they needed to do at night, when they are about to go to sleep, or just at random times. Despite this difficulties, that others may refer to as lack of concentration, they have a strong intuition. They may remember things from past lives, being that memories or abilities, but they may not always know it. Sometimes, it is just an intuitive feeling rather than a conscious recollection. Dreams, art, and spiritualism could be some of the topics that they remember the most.

[harzilla]

I keep thinking of dungeon monster AU, except the MC is an orphaned child with Grim as their "familiar" and the Twst cast are all some flavor of monster. The MC joins a group of people exploring the dungeons in hopes of earning enough money to put food in their and Grim's belly. They end up getting separated/lost/abandoned and whichever floor/level of the dungeon they are on, is which group of monsters they meet. 1st floor Heartslabyul, 2nd floor Savannaclaw, etc....

Tiny human child MC ends up on friendly terms with whichever group they meet until they end up bonding into a found family situation.

Some ideas floating around in my head.

Riddle is a plant based monster. Something like the Flora beasts from Disgaea. The entire dungeon floor is a rose labyrinth that are all connected by the same root system with Riddle being the source. Riddle root network allows him to keep eyes on all parts of his dungeon floor. You may also notice an odd assortment of creatures here, perhaps you could explore here, if you follow the rules that is.

Leona would be something like a manticore or a sphinx. He's massive and powerful, but he also likes a challenge. Whether it be hunting or through strategy. Perhaps he'll let you live if you can prove your wits? His floor is home to many beast type monsters with a hierarchy. Those who refuse to respect the pecking order will end up banished or killed. Survival of the fittest.

Azul would be on a much more massive scale(on kraken scale). A fully grown adult could easily be crushed in his palm or tentacles. His floor is a labyrinth of underwater tunnels, which means the majority of monsters on the floor are either fully or partially aquatic. It's incredibly hard to fully map out this floor. Only the bravest(or stupidest) explorers dare to make deals with him, often falling fate to his terms or the ravenous jaws of his subordinates. Hope you have something good to offer.

Kalim would be some kind of Naga. His species is the kind who live in a type of colony(have you ever seen a nest of garter snakes? kind of like that). Family units often living in multiple generation communities. While Kalim is warm and kind, Jamil however will not hesitate to dispose of a threat to the colony.

Vil is a type of Siren(the flying kind) his alluring face and abilities are a deadly combination that can leave even the strongest to ruin. Even one of his feathers could net you a profit. Not that anybody has ever managed to succeed in taking one, especially with the keen eye of Rook watching. Nobody knows when he first partnered with the harpy, and has yet to find out which of the two is the more dangerous.

Idia would be a drider(I saw this one from another Tumblr and I love it.) his floor is covered in a network of web traps. Idia isn't fond of dealing with others, especially explorers(too much energy). He uses his traps to loot the explorers of their gear. His species is often solitary, but it's not unusual for a drider to adopt a smaller creature as a type of companion(or to guard their nests) Idia used his abilities and the enchanted armor and weapons he's looted to build an army of Ortho golems. You may find a palm sized Ortho cleaning up somewhere in the dungeon while the primary Ortho keeps Idia company.

And of course Malleus would be a full on dragon. Nobody's actually made it that far down the dungeon, or if they did they never came back alive. It's been so long that people believe the dragon is a myth. The last time somebody actually made it out alive, they were left broken and babbling about "thousands of beady little red eyes" this floor is home to nocturnal creatures. Perhaps the next person who steps foot can confirm if the dragon still exists?

[canonsinthehead]

Jujutsu Kaisen/JJK - Parenting Headcanons

(i wrote this fast please dont mind the grammar....)

Kento Nanami (w/ Itadori-chan)

Contolling mom

Way of the Househusband

Single parent by choice (things are easier if managed alone)

Itadori is his adoptive son

he makes fancy lunchs for yuji filled with veggies he cant stand BUT coming home with leftovers is assuring him a serment from Nanami.

Talking about lunches, Itadori loves the large 1-foot sandwiches the blonde man makes for him. At school, he loves to share half of it with Juunpei (when his friend doesn't have lunch or just for fun.)

Itadori always begs Megumi to make his dogs eat his leftovers veggies regardless of how much the black-haired boy tells him why it will not work. Nobara force feeds all Yuji's leftovers back to him (she thinks it's hilarious) because everytime he tossed them in trash Nanami somehow found out and pinched his ears into a coma.

unplugs wifi during the night

type of parent to catch you when you try to cook yourself a midnight snack

bad grades, skipping training = no roblox & PS5

likes to see his adopted son having friends but these gremlins better remove their shoes before stepping on freshly vacuumed and conditioned carpet (expect Megumi & Juunpei)

Nanami wakes up every morning to iron his clothes. to Itadori his ability to perfectly iron a shirt is pure witchcraft (he tried to exorcise it and failed)

he often comes off as harsh but Nanami sincerely cares about anyone under his care hence why he can be hard on certain things for the sake of that person's well being and success.

a bitter truth is better than a sweet lies

(in a regular non-sorcerer high school) he would on his official 1498538th visit to the school principal's office for his son getting into fights

would pat your head

early bird (4-5am)

love language: act of service and quality time

nanami is not the "physical touch" type of person but doesn't resist itadori's hugs.

Toji Fushiguro (w/ Megumi)

if you pull a "is that you?" or mention anything related to the Zenin clan, it's an AUTOMATIC beat down.

Megumi is embarrassed of him whenever they hang out since he is preserving his "broke man habits" especially how obnoxiously Toji eats inhales food. Megumi will never admit it but when it relates to food/table manners he prefers Gojo's conduct in public over his dad's by a millimeter.

showers at the 24/7 gym when he can. would sleep in the lockers when one of his sugar mama/"girlfriend" gets tired of him

bring his ladies home after-hour for a back-breaking session whether Megumi is there or not (YIKES)

type to get a job and get fired superrr fast (no more than a month or even as short as 2 weeks). he gets kicked out for various reasons: getting into fights, stealing, seducing or smashing somebody's gf/wife, bad customer service, etc. his longest-standing job was at a strip club (nobody knows what position he had).

own 2 pairs of shoes and one is falling apart

always late or absent to Megumi's event

DONT ASK!!! all his "girlfriends" think they can change like his wife did for him

talks loud on speaker phone (not for shady business tho)

goes to night clubs to antagonize people

night owl

love language (with his gfs): physical touch & receiving gifts. btw the gifts are for him and he takes the "physical" side VERY seriously. he always make sure the send his partner into pure ecstasy but dont get it twisted he still thinks about his wife.

love language (with Megumi): hey i'm here so... maybe act of service.

[inquisitornocturn]

≪─ ᴀ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍɪᴅɴɪɢʜᴛ: ᴄʜ. 15 - ɢʜᴏꜱᴛ ─≫

⋟ ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: Sebastian LaCroix/f!reader the Ventrue neonate

⋟ ᴛᴀɢꜱ: y/n etc is not used, overall story rating - E, none for this chapter.

⋟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: Needing to pursue the Nosferatu, you travel to Hollywood. You seek out Velvet Velour because of the tip from Bertram, but you find more than just information.

⋟ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 3,240

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: This chapter was intended to deal with more, but it came to a natural end and I decided to leave the rest for a following chapter. It's a little shorter but hopefully not disappointing. Sebastian will return in the next chapter as well. Enjoy~

⋟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ʟɪꜱᴛ: [link] | on AO3 [link]

You slam the door behind you and don’t even look back when the taxi driver wishes you a good night and drives off. Looking in front of you, first you see a convenience store, then when your eyes sweep to both sides of the building you notice other businesses, most of them having dark windows and locked doors. Only makes sense at this hour, especially at Hollywood.

Hollywood. You’ve been here before, many times, just not exactly… here. Your visits consisted of skyscrapers, elaborate mansions that cost millions of dollars, expensive parties where one bottle of champagne or wine cost almost a yearly salary of a middle-class worker and the rest that comes from being rich, powerful and young: sex, drugs and political games.

Yet that past seems so distant to you now, like it happened not months but centuries ago. A life that belonged to someone else. Someone who is not a kindred or a so called Ventrue. Who is not a plaything to a spoiled vampire Prince or a pawn to those sitting in the Ivory Tower. Someone who was somebody before. Is that woman still alive, somewhere? In memories or in wills, in documents that you signed and contracts that you made. In deals that you shook hands over and fucked for, selling if not your soul then your body for more profit, for more power, for more influence. Do you still exist, as you were, or is that all gone? Forgotten, swept away like a pile of dirt by the corporate broom that has neither mercy or empathy for those who fall, disappear, vanish.

Are you any more free now than you were before? You had shackles before, you do have them now, just of a different kind. The shackles of hunger, the Beast, the Camarilla and… the shackles of your own, still very human, desires.

With a sigh you lower your head for a moment, feeling the hunger gnawing at you somewhere deep inside and far away despite the fact that you fed before leaving your apartment at Skylines. That hunger is always lingering, always just a whistle call away, like a monstrous animal ready to pounce upon you the moment you don’t pay enough attention. No, you can’t focus on that now. Neither the blood or the fact that you had an unpleasantly long time to ponder your strange, twisted existence while on the way here. Someone busted the tires of your car, again, and the taxi driver, for some reason, refused to turn on a radio, one thing that would’ve helped you drown out your thoughts.

“Watch it!” A man in semi-expensive sportswear runs his shoulder into yours, forcing you backwards and off the cerb where you almost lose your step. He doesn’t even look back at you while you try to momentarily find your balance and when you find your footing, the middle finger rises on its own.

“Fucker!” You yell, but the stranger doesn’t react even to that. Someone else passing by snickers and you lower your hand, feeling foolish and too emotional once again. Maybe Sebastian is right, maybe you’re not too far from a damned Gangrel with your temper.

Looking around once again, trying not to think what exactly is it that allows you to show your temper like this when before, in your mortal life, you were never so hotheaded or so angry, you try to remember what Tung’s text message said. Something about a strip club, so you pull out your phone and after few clicks on silicone buttons you bring up the singular sentence that the nosferatu deemed you worthy enough of receiving last night:

“Vesuvius, meet VV, she might know something.”

You only heard about VV, the Toreador that found her place here in Hollywood. Some suspect she’s Abrams’ childe, but the truth is that she has been adopted by him, just like you are going to be adopted by Sebastian. You wonder if the news spread here too, in the Anarch territory, but you can worry about that later. Only if you are confronted with such information, but if not, you are not going to be the one presenting the facts to the people who might as well become your enemies at the turn of heart.

Soft clicks of your heels on the concrete begin to give you more confidence the further you walk and thankfully you don’t need to wander the streets of Hollywood forever because the green, neon sign of Vesuvius appears quite quickly before you. The closer you draw to it, the louder music inside appears, yet when you push open the door – it’s not as deafening as you thought it will be.

At your entrance, the woman at the counter just glances at you and says nothing else, returning to read the pop culture magazine that you recognize only by name. Maybe because you’re not a man she sees no reason to accost you, shake you down for anything suspicious, or maybe she’s one of VV’s girls and knows a kindred when she sees one. Whichever the case is, you are glad not be forced into yapping needlessly. You have a suspicion that you will do this plenty while here.

Entering the main floor you see the usual. Countless strip clubs looks the same: scantily dressed young things, swinging their goods for the patrons that either haven’t seen a clean shirt in a week or have so much spare cash they don’t even see these girls as people. You also easily notice how Vesuvius is trying to look more high-class than what it actually is. The paint is peeling in places, the seats look worn from the scrubbing of cleaners and the stages look dull. You don’t feel good here.

Making your way through the club that you don’t expect to be any fuller than what it is on a Wednesday night, you try to find anyone who looks like they stand out. Or rather, you are looking for VV and if you know anything about Toreadors, which is not much, she should be the prettiest flower in this garden.

Approaching the main bar, you ignore couple patrons who are trying to cheese the bartender out of cheaper drinks and then stop in your tracks. Out of the doorway to the right of the bar a figure emerges. Voluptuous and alluring like a sin wrapped in silken ribbons. Woman’s hair is bright red and her lips match the color. The lingerie she’s wearing leaves almost nothing to the imagination, the top pushing her breasts up like two pale mounds that countless people, you are sure, wish to climb. Her thong strings are hiked up high over her hip bones and stockings only add to the sensuality of her visage, all topped off with tasteful heels and a choker.

This must be VV.

You walk towards her and the woman does not seem surprised to see you. In fact, she smiles with the most welcoming yet seductive smile you’ve seen, and you’ve seen some high-class escorts in your previous life.

“Ah, you must be the famous fledgling, are you not? I knew you will find your way to my club.” VV begins and you smile to her in return.

“VV, I presume? Yes, it is me. Mind if we speak somewhere private?” Your eyes involuntarily turn to the closest patron, a man in black shirt on a bar stool. He doesn’t look like he’s paying attention, but you don’t want to take any chances. Any risk of breaking the Masquerade makes your muscles tense.

“So eager to have me all to yourself, sweet thing?” With a chuckle VV draws your attention back to her and you can clearly envision just how many mortals she enchants exactly like this. “Very well, I have been meaning to talk to you as well. Follow me.”

Turning on her silver heel, the Toreador walks back through where she emerged and you are having a hard time trying not to stare at her pale, round ass, swinging seductively right in front of your face, as if VV is climbing the stairs as slow as possible on purpose. You clear your throat, your cheeks begin to burn if not with a real blush then at least with the memory of being so flustered, and you try to keep your eyes to the ground, but it’s almost impossible.

Where Velvet leads you appear to be her private ‘dancing’ room. There’s a small tub, a pole, comfortable couch that looks much better than the ones downstairs. She gestures for you to sit, but you just shake your head.

“I’ll pass.”

“If you prefer to do it standing, I can fulfill that wish. And… many others.” She smiles and puts hands on her hips, pushing her chest out. “So, little Camarilla snack, what can I do for you?” VV gives your figure a long, slow one-over and you swallow dryly.

“I heard that you might have information where nosferatu have tucked themselves away?” You fight yourself to keep your eyes on VV’s, but her breasts keep enticing you like a siren call. VV herself seems not to mind your staring one bit. Instead she chuckles and steps a little closer, her slender finger adorned with crimson painted nail, pushes your chin up and forces you to meet her heavy-lidded gaze.

“Did you now? And who exactly told you this, hm?” She speaks in a voice as rich and smooth as velour. How fitting. You wonder if she truly is trying to seduce you or is it just how she is.

“Doesn’t matter.” You politely push her hand away and VV pretends to pout for a little bit, then she chuckles.

“Unfair. How about this, honey buns, you give me information, I give you information.”

“Does that mean you do actually know where nosferatu are?”

“Maybe. But…” She sighs and for a moment the act drops, Velvet’s smile disappears and she crosses arms under her heavy chest, pushing her breasts up even more. You swallow again. “Seems you have come here knowing who I am and knowing what I might know. If you do me a favor, I will share with you what I know.”

“A favor.” You echo and frown, seductive charms dissipating like cigarette smoke in the night air. “You want me to do some dirty job for you and I don’t even know if you are not bluffing.” You mirror VV subconsciously, folding your arms as well and she smirks at you.

“Let’s speak plainly then.” Velvet begins and you see the apex predator in her at last. Beneath the charms, the undress, the words, there she is – the vampire, huntress of the night and much more experienced than you are. “I don’t know where nosferatu are, but Isaac does. Help him, he will help you.” The woman pauses and taps one perfectly lacquered finger against her painted lips. “It is most curious that you didn’t go to him first though, I’m sure those have been your orders?”

You can’t mistake the taunting in the Toreador’s voice and try to keep yourself cool, relaxed, at ease. Being honest with yourself, you didn’t expect her to taunt you, try to provoke you, but you probably should have.

“Yes, those have been my orders. However, I would prefer not to deal with him.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

“I don’t believe he would be very much willing to share what he knows without, just like you, sending me on million errands first.” Your smile is bitter and VV’s eyes narrow at that, but she keeps the smirk on her lips.

“So you’re trying to cut corners with me. Clever, little morsel, very clever.” At last Velour seems to relax a little bit and waves her hand as if trying to make a point. “Unfortunately, you will still have to talk to Isaac. But I have other information that could serve you and your dear, dear Camarilla. Only if you do that one, little, teensy, tiny thing I asked of you.” The seductress returns and you slowly exhale, your shoulders slump and you accept defeat. It’s always like that. Anyone with one rung on the ladder above you feel like they can send you around doing their dirty work.

“Just tell me.”

You only half-listen to VV detailing and lamenting some sort of amateur script writer and how he is most likely working with a kindred to write his latest horror flick or something. You nod and agree to help her, if not for Velvet’s own benefit, then for one of the Camarilla. You’re about to turn away and head out, when something snaps you out of your thoughts that already drifted to how you are going to deal with Abrams.

“You know, I went through adoption myself.” She says and you stop, then turn halfway to her, your eyes fixating on VV’s and you see mischievous sparks in them. “Very much like yourself, don’t you think?”

“And what exactly do you mean?” You’re aware that your voice sounds harsher than you intend, but that doesn’t appear to perturb VV in the slightest. She just chuckles and taps her bottom lip just like she did earlier.

“Oh the entanglements with Sires, or would-be-Sires.” Leaning slightly in your direction, Velvet narrows her eyes in an expression that is full of smugness. “Do you think Prince really wants you?”

You try your best to school your emotions, not to show that her question caught you off-guard and poked a sensitive spot, but you know that she noticed. You know that she’s aware just how much this little probe rattled you. Clearing your throat, you turn to her fully once again and rise an eyebrow, tapping into your defiant nature like it’s your sword and armor.

“Why would he suggest adopting me if he didn’t.”

“Maybe he just likes putting reigns on the fiery ones. Or shutting them up. In more ways than one.”

Good Lord, you wish you could wipe that smug smirk off her face, but you just momentarily clench your jaw and offer a smirk in return.

“Just like you have been by Abrams?” You think this will hit the sensitive spot in VV as well, but you clearly are wrong because she just laughs.

“Yes, exactly like that. Don’t be ashamed, sugar plum, we all want power. If we don’t have our own, we borrow it from others, by any means necessary. But-“ She straightens her back and looks away, to the stripping poll, then back at you. “I do not judge you, just so you know. Let’s stay good, good friends, okay?” Biting her bottom lip, VV appears like she’s undressing you with her eyes alone and you can’t help but chuckle.

“Take care, VV. I will come back with that script you wish for.” When your back is turned to her, you hear her parting words, but don’t look at the Toreador again.

“Your adoption is big news, you know. Be careful out there, you don’t know on who’s toes you might be stepping, my love.”

You walk out.

With your thoughts reeling like a hamster’s wheel, you barely notice how you make it down the stairs, across the club and outside, into the not-so-fresh Hollywood’s night air. Paranoia gnaws at you for a moment, VV’s words haunting you like shadows of the past and you quickly look around, almost expecting to see a glow of vampiric eyes or a barrel of a gun aimed at you. Maybe even a stake launched in your direction. But there’s nothing. Some late night strollers and hookers is all you see around.

You need a break, you know it.

Letting out a tired sigh, you rub the bridge of your nose, trying to regain your composure. Trying to regain the sense of self. Focus on your tasks, you remind yourself, focus on your goals. But then, a familiar voice calls your name and your head snaps up in attention. You glance around and immediately notice a figure rushing towards you. The closer it gets, the more your unbeating heart sinks. It’s one face you were hoping to never see again.

Samantha.

“Oh my God, it is you!” She rushes from the restaurant entrance and you nearly reel back from the woman, but stand your ground. You knew this day might come, one where someone from your past runs into you, yet you are not sure just how ready you are to deal with this. “Everyone’s so worried about you! What happened? You just vanished after that last party! You know what, nevermind, let’s just go, I will call the others, we have been looking for you for so long!” Samantha reaches to take your elbow but you step aside and avoid her touch, making the woman look at you with concern. “What… happened to you?” She asks again but this time her voice sounds sad.

“I cannot talk. Whatever it is you thought you knew about me – forget it.” With a frown you look at her and Samantha gives you an even more worried look.

“What do you mean, forget it?” She then changes her mind and tries to get a hold of your arm again. “Let’s go, whatever happened, we will help.”

You avoid the touch again and noticing some people walking in your direction, begin to feel the rising panic. You need to shut her up, before she causes the scene and possibly gets you both killed.

“Samantha, look at me.” You demand and the woman is clearly about to take out her cellphone, but now she rises her dark eyes which show nothing but concern and confusion. “You will walk away and forget seeing me. You will never come here looking for me again. You won’t let others to look for me either.”

The fount of your power increases your hunger when you tap into it, but you can worry about it later. Kine are getting closer and you are not sure if your attempt even worked, but at last Samantha’s shoulders relax and she looks dazed, like she’s experiencing a dream.

“I won’t ever… come… looking for you…” With a slow drawl the woman replies and you sigh slightly with relief. So it did work. Glancing around you at last see that it’s just a prostitute with some John and then look back at Samantha.

“Go now, leave. Don’t ever come back.”

Samantha’s head bobs on her shoulders for a moment, then she nods, even her actions betraying her dream-like state, and at last this shadow of your past departs. Slowly, step by step, the woman you once called a friend walks away and out of your life. For her sake you hope permanently. The couple pass you without even giving you a second glance and you exhale with relief. Crisis averted, Masquerade protected. For now.

Yet as you watch Samantha disappear into some side street, the reality of what just happened threatens to come crushing down. Your past, your present, the hunger, the vampires, the fragile balance between your world and hers. No, you can’t allow yourself to sink into these musings, you know they will only make you miserable. So you shake your head, roll your shoulders and exhale in a self-soothing attempt.

Focus. Proceed. Seek.

Abrams. You need to see Abrams after all.

And you still have enough time to do just that tonight.

[vrisrezis]

Oooo I have an interesting idea! So, Rocket Raccoon as a Yandere? I’m really curious how he would be as one

Btw I love your writing and headcanons ^^ 💛

Only hcs !

Rocket is very possessive. Animalistic instincts kick in and he growls at anyone that aren’t the guardians who dare to come near you, or even step foot into the Milano. He will know if somebody’s been near you too, since he’s a very clingy guy when it comes to you. He’d be able to sniff anyone off of you. He’s very demanding about knowing where you are at all times, knowing who you’re seeing, etc. he becomes a bit controlling to the point he doesn’t let you see anyone other than the guardians out of a need to protect you. And it’s hard for you to sneak behind his back when he can easily sniff you. There are instances where he doesn’t fully trust the guardians, but that’s really drax, mantis and quill which can be understandable given their lack of intelligence at most times. Still, they’re family and he should trust them to take care of you if you need it. Rocket hates being told what to do, and to be controlled, as it’s something that’s had to be his life for so long. If you ever tell him he’s being controlling, he will actually cut it out. He can be an overbearing yandere, definitely willing to murder for the sake of keeping you safe, but he also listens to you and he’s pretty sane for a yandere. The only instance this won’t work however is if you break up, he simply won’t allow you to leave his life.

[11-eyed-rook]

Accessible doesn't mean "for lazy people".

I can't express how frustrating it is that, so many times on so many platforms I've seen various posts, especially videos, which showcase an item that makes a random task easier (or possible at all) to do (such as onion/garlic dicers of all sorts, or items that can be used with one hand, or even the tools that make it easier to put socks on), and every time the comments section is filled with angry boomers (mostly boomers), who don't see past the concept of "if only people stopped being lazy" or "this is useless, we already have [less accessible tool/item], who needs this?!".

Just because something isn't needed/useful to you, doesn't mean somebody else doesn't benefit from the accessibility (or even just the convenience itself).

To give a few examples of what I mean:

The sock tools can help a lot of people with mobility limitations, and that can also include anybody going through pregnancy as well, to put on socks AT ALL. You don't even "need to be disabled" to benefit from stuff like this, ffs.

Onion/garlic dicers make it possible to quickly cut up food items that otherwise may be difficult (or even impossible) for people with certain disabilities or other difficulties (I've always found it a bit hard to dice/cut certain food items (ESPECIALLY smaller ones), so tools like this are very helpful and achieve a consistent result).

Noise-cancelling headphones help me, by blocking out the noise of traffic, which is very overwhelming to me, not just because I experience sensory overloads, but because I have tinnitus and extremely loud noises are very overwhelming to me. Regular headphones don't accomplish the same thing for me, not to the level my noise-cancelling ones do anyway, and I can still listen to music along the way (my headphones also have a mode that allow for me to still hear peoples' voices relatively well, whilst muffling traffic, engine noises, etc.).

I wear a backpack instead of using a pretty shoulder bag for carrying heavier items, because one of my shoulders is slightly deformed since birth, and because both my shoulders get some of the worst of my joint pain (whenever it does happen, which is often enough), whereas the backpack I have, is nicely padded and easy to organize too. I've seen people online mock adults using backpacks, I still don't understand why though??? I didn't even know people made fun of adults who use backpacks. I still want to hope those weren't meant to be real takes...

I may not look like I "need one", but I do sometimes use a cane to help myself move up/down stairs especially, since I have issues with joint pain, and especially since my foot injury from earlier this year (the pain of which still pops up now and then, and it's not great). People look at me weird when I randomly take out my foldable cane and then put it away after a while. My joint pain comes and goes, and when I don't need my cane, I don't use it. My own father keeps commenting on how I'm "too young to be using a cane". I'm 28, I've been using it for a handful of years now, disability doesn't know age.

Let me repeat myself. DISABILITY DOES NOT KNOW AGE.

Just because you might not use a wheelchair-accessible ramp, doesn't mean it's not needed/useful for anybody without a wheelchair. Even people with bicycles/scooters/baby strollers etc. can benefit from them, and for me, it's easier to walk up the ramps rather than using stairs, as using stairs tends to put additional stress on my already-injured foot, whereas a ramp doesn't require me to put that stress on my foot, so walking is easier for me, even if it is just those 'few handfuls of steps" or whatever.

In a separate post, I touched upon the kind of ableism I've witnessed in certain crafting communities, and how gatekeeping can very quickly become synonymous with ableism, and how that can affect something like a hobby. Everything I said there, applies to this post, too. If you're interested, feel free to read. If not - it's much of what I said here, but specifically regarding crafting communities and how ignorant/ableist people can be at times, and how that can affect people.

So many tools exist to help with certain tasks, to make some stuff doable at all, to add accessibility to an otherwise difficult task for any particular person, and so much of it is just seen as "useless" or "for the lazy people", or there's some aspect of aggressive gatekeeping fueled with "if you don't do it THIS way only, then you're not doing it at all/it's not valid enough" attitudes. If anything, people with disabilities often have to put in EXTRA effort to do what able-bodied people can do effortlessly, even WITH the extra accessibility whenever it IS available (and by available I also mean affordable, because not everything IS, and not all options are available for everybody; price/cost accessibility is something many people don't even consider in some cases!!!). Not all of it is because of difficulty, necessarily, but it's a fact of reality.

Accessibility isn't laziness. For the able-bodied, it can be convenience. For the disabled, it's a matter of getting that extra helpful boost, or the ability to do a task at all, without having to find somebody to do it for you (if that's even an option to begin with).

I know I really can't speak for most groups directly, nor can I relay the experience of every kind of disability besides my own experiences over the years, but I'm genuinely troubled by the "trend" of people STILL (even increasingly) dismissing accessibility tools, disabled people themselves, and anything that makes it easier to do something, to function, especially since there's absolutely nothing that could ever excuse such awful behavior towards people who deal with enough shit as is.

I don't just think of myself when I bring up accessibility and its benefits.

Because the fact of the matter is - even those who have no disabilities could benefit from the accessibility options for those that do, even if it is simply a convenience for most. It takes effort to make something inaccessible, and it would take so little to make a big difference even for some.

And on that note.

It's not laziness. It never was.

[threshie]

Bye-Bye Bras

It took decades, but I have finally officially decided to ditch bras for good. It sounds like a little thing, but it's SO freeing to be this comfortable while out and about, instead of shoving myself into the sensory discomfort that is a bra every time I step out of the house. I think it took discovering the autism to give myself permission to just not care if somebody may see the outline of nipples.

I don't really have anywhere else to ramble about this to the world, so my Tumblr gets to hear about it instead, LOL. I would literally make myself put a bra on if I set foot out of the house, even just to check the mail, and realized it had become part of masking. So far the only people who have seemed to care are a bunch of little old ladies giving me side-eye while grocery shopping, and I'm gonna prioritize my day to day comfort, not their two minutes of perceiving me ever.

Anyway, wheee, I've given myself permission to go braless and kicked the idea that that is inappropriate to the curb. I'm so comfy in my clothes while outside now that it feels like I'm still in my pajamas. Cripes.

I tried wearing double layers at first with a tank top as an undershirt. Overheated really bad, though. Then I got the guts to go out in only the tank top, and you know, the world did not end. Just this morning I realized, hey, my entire wardrobe is allowed to be worn braless, actually! I suppose the next big step will be shopping for clothes sans bra and buying things that look nice on me without a bra there at all, then not caring if I show up in photos with no bra, etc, etc.

I think I've got more sensory issues than I previously thought. When I tried to force myself to get back to wearing a bra daily, I just couldn't stand it. So this sounds silly, and like a small thing, but it's a big deal for me to allow myself to be this comfortable and be seen without the stupid bra, which I literally only wore as part of masking.

I'm lucky to have a small chest and find bra-free so comfy. I don't need support, and I don't need nipple covering, so I don't need the bra at all. Whoohoo!

I've been struggling with this for years, by the way. I tried wearing only yoga bras (made me sweat.) I tried sports bras (gave me killer neck and shoulder pain.) I tried stick-on nipple covers (looked worse under the shirt than the shape of my actual nipples.) Finally, I realized that I didn't want or need any of that stuff, I was just trying to accommodate my desire to not wear a bra at all in a way that was acceptable to others. And wearing no bra IS acceptable, actually. ♥

[ann1e-on-earth]

My school went on lockdown today during period 4 (11:10- 12:05, I think) because there was a huge “BOOM!” noise by a school that’s close to mine and the district was like “Well, shit, that could be a gun” and put all the schools in the area on lockdown.

My class was having gym class outside on the field when we went into lockdown, so the principal came outside and screamed from the door to the field “EVERYONE INSIDE!!”

So we all went inside the school and were led into the gym by an EA. We’ve done a bunch of lockdown drills before, so even though some of the kids did NOT know what was happening, they saw the others run into the gym closet (which is where we're meant to hide if there's a lockdown and we're inside the gym) and followed them inside the closet, which is actually pretty big because it holds a lot of gym equipment, even though there were like, 10 kids piled into there.

We were all inside the closet with the gym teacher and by then everyone understood what was happening, and I was just saying "Welp, we're fucked" because nobody knew why we're in lockdown. Some kids thought that there was somebody with a gun close to our school and were worried, bug then we were informed that there wasn't anybody super close/inside the school and everyone calmed down.

Everybody then started goofing off, like laughing, doing other stuff, etc, and the gym teacher was like "SHHHHHHHH"

Then a couple of kids started arming themselves with hockey sticks and water bottles (even though we weren’t being threatened) and standing by the door. I was armed with a sharp pencil and my metal water bottle

I kept trying to sleep but I couldn't because some girl's foot was in my face, a guy was pressed up against my legs, and my "pillow" was a plastic stepping stone 😭

A couple of kids started complaining about being hungry and having to go to the washroom because by then it was around lunchtime, so everyone was whining (but we were still a bit energetic)

A few kids were worried because they have family at nearby schools and were worried about them getting hurt or killed (Nobody died, btw)

I eventually gave up trying to sleep and just sat in a circle and told stories to some other girls and a guy (one of the girls being the kid who had her foot in my face, the guy being the dude who was pressed up against my legs

After an hour and a half somebody knocked on the closet door and everyone just started screaming their heads off, but then a voice said "It's Mr *(principal's name)*!" and the gym teacher opened the door and it was the principal and a police officer, who told us to get our binders and return to our homeroom to eat

We actually got Free Freezies and lollipops though bc the teachers felt bad for us 😍😍😍

My amazing ELA teacher filled us in on what happened a little afterwards

It turns out that some kind of electrical thing at another school EXPLODED and made a big ahh "BANG!" noise which happened to sound like an explosive or a gun, and since my school is just across a lake from that school, we were put into lockdown.

We were all okay but some of the younger kids were traumatized

[arachnicas]

I love your DT!Miles au! That is something Miles could and would do, I mean that's literally the reason he wanted to going to Princeton in the first place. I have a ton of questions, like did Miles just make himself a portal gun and bracelet or did he make his new dimensional buddies some too? And if so did he personalize them for each of them? Like some maybe need or prefer a different type of accessory or equipment like a necklace, belt, hairpiece etc because of their fighting style and Miles takes it as a challenge and does it so well that each device matches them and their dimensions. Would Miles have met Hobie before he got recruited into the Spider-Society? Maybe Miles makes Hobie a dimensional guitar pick attached to a little chain to do with what he wants just because thinks he's cool, and doesn't lord it over him or make him join a spider cult for it. What kinda affect would Hobie never joining the Spider-Society have on Gwen since she likely would have never met Hobie? Cause I've noticed that in the movies either time simply flows differently in each dimension or the dimensional devices allow the user to actually somewhat choose the point in time they enter a dimension. There are just so many ideas and questions flooding my head like crazy!

!!!!!

Thank you for your kind words, and I have so much to say about each and every single one of your questions! I have so many ideas they're just bouncing around in my brain, and I need an outlet!

-) Did Miles just make himself a portal gun and bracelet or did he make his new dimensional buddies some too? And if so did he personalize them for each of them?: Miles hadn't really planned on making any more portal guns or bracelets because both are difficult to make, and he would have to constantly put them through a test run to ensure that they don't break apart or malfunction. However, after meeting alternate versions of himself, Miles made the ultimate decision to create little gizmos for his Morales Siblings. Instead of portal guns, the gizmos are made into jewelry, hair accessories, instruments, and even a tiny spider bot dedicated to the cyberpunk version of himself. Miles even went so far as to TEACH them all how to make their own dimension-hopping goober!

-) . Would Miles have met Hobie before he got recruited into the Spider-Society?: Oh, definitely! The two met when Miles began his first steps as a dimension traveler, and it was by pure accident when he crash-landed on top of Hobie when the portal practically spat him out. The pair took one look at each other, their spider senses tingling, and that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Hobie still "joins" the Society to look after Gwen and Pav, but he acts as both eyes and ears for Miles, informing him of the Society's shifting politics, Miguel's plans, etc. It's not spying; he's just keeping Miles up to date on everything that's going on because somebody's gotta' keep Miles in the loop, and plus, Miles swore to never step foot in that place. Spider Society doesn't even accept or respect him, so why should he make himself known to these people?

-) What kinda affect would Hobie never joining the Spider-Society have on Gwen since she likely would have never met Hobie?: It took a long while for Miles to realize that Gwen just needed help and that the adults in her life were letting her down repeatedly. A part of him is still hurt that she never visited, but he takes it upon himself to teach her how to create her own gizmo so that she'll always have a safe place to run to in case things in her dimension go sideways. It would take time, patience, and understanding, but their friendship would slowly repair, and Gwen would finally have a healthy support system outside of Spider Society.

@its-just-a-glitch

[intersex-questions]

Just wanted to say as somebody just now figuring out that I (as somebody assigned female at birth) have very high testosterone and clitoromegaly that’s most likely explained by PCOS (although I’m still looking to rule out everything first with my doctor just in case) this blog is very helpful! being able to ask questions, read through other people’s questions and especially other people with similar experiences to me, links to accurate information, etc… has made the process a lot less like jumping into a pool of ice cold water and more like taking steps into the ocean one foot at a time. I’m still unsure of whether the label of intersex fits, but it’s been very nice to see that most of the community is very welcoming, and I think no matter how I’ll choose to identify in the future or publicly, I find a lot of affinity with y’all so yeah tldr: you’re great, thank you (:

Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm really glad I could be of some help. I made this blog because I felt like there weren't places that people were able to readily get their questions answered completely judgement free and very inclusive of those who are questioning or those who are perisex and have questions but might fumble about when trying to ask them. I really hope I can continue to help more people. If you ever have any questions or just things you want to say, feel free to send them in the inbox! And again, thank you for your kind words.

[super-ion]

Ion & Emily

How it All Started: chapter 2.5

New Friends

I flip the big switch and it makes a satisfying clunk. The lights come on in stages very dramatically, bringing light to the cavernous space.

Holy shit! This is all mine, my very own secret evil lair.

After my success with the bank and Jackass Jackrabbit, I realized I needed a space that wasn't the unused spare room in my condo. So what does an aspiring supervillain do when they need a lair? They just go down to the waterfront and lease an abandoned warehouse with a big secret basement. There's like a whole frickin' grey market industry for that sort of thing. And it's all allowed, because superheros gotta fight somebody, right?

The lights finish coming on and…

It's empty.

I mean, no shit, it's empty. They cleared it out after the last guy got busted for human trafficking. But it's like… bad empty?

Maybe a quarter of the lights are broken, either flickering badly or not working at all. The space is huge and dingy and there's loose trash scattered everywhere. It'll take forever to get everything set up.

That old familiar one two punch of anxiety and depression hits me in the gut.

What the hell am I doing??

I don't know the first thing about being a supervillain? Why on earth did I think I could do this?

My ruminations are mercifully cut short by a knock on the door.

I stand there in shock for a moment. I thought this lair was supposed to be secret. Why would somebody be knocking on the door.

I cautiously return to the antechamber and climb the stairs to the main warehouse area. I open the door and… and…

Now, I'm not a short girl. I'm 6'2". It can be dysphoria inducing, but for the most part I've made peace with it. Worry about the things you can change etc etc. Also, now that I'm officially supervillaining, I should totally embrace it.

Sorry, got a little off topic there. The point is, I'm tall by most standards. This guy makes me feel short. And on top of being 7 foot something he's built like a tank.

He's incongruously holding a tray of cookies that's completely dwarfed by his hand.

He looks familiar. Why does he look familiar?

"Can I… help you?" I ask, slipping a little into my meek Jen persona.

He extends a hand.

"I'm Arturo," he says in a rumbly voice. He hooks a thumb over his shoulder. "I'm in the warehouse next door. I take it you're my new neighbor?"

"I… uh… yeah."

Neighbor? Why would anybody…?

Wait, why am I leasing an abandoned warehouse? He must be…

Oh… my… god…

He's Arachnid. I'm neighbors with freakin' Arachnid.

He watches the realization play out on my face with sly satisfaction.

"Oh! I… wow…" I reply a little stupidly. What the hell am I supposed to say to a fellow supervillain who happens to be my neighbor??

"I'm Jen," I say.

I extend a hand, realize realize it's sweaty, wipe said hand on my pants, cringe as I realize I just did that in front of one of my inspirations, and extend it again.

He takes it graciously.

"So, you new in town? Or just new to the business?"

"Uh… second one," I reply. "Did the whole… industrial accident thing and got tech powers. Figured I'd give… uh… this a try."

Recognition dawns on his face.

"Oh damn! You're the girl from the Jackrabbit video!"

I flush with embarrassment.

"Yeah… that's me."

The video had 137k views before it got taken down.

He opens his mouth to respond, but is interrupted by a faint sort of tearing shriek. A hole just kinda opens up in the air and there's a sulfurous ozone smell.

A woman steps out and I forget to breathe. I'm standing there like an idiot with my mouth hanging open and my eyes bugging out.

She's wearing street clothes: jeans, t-shirt and cardigan. Not her iconic costume, but there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that I'm standing in the presence of Lady Lacuna.

Don't get me wrong, meeting Arachnid is cool… but this is a whole other level. I had Princess Portal action figures when I was twelve. I still have Lady Lacuna figures on a shelf in my bedroom right now. I've written fanfiction about her. Hell, I've been a fangirl since before I even figured out I was a girl.

"Hey Art!" she says cheerfully. "Got the repairs done on the pauldron, should be better than new."

She hands a brown paper bag to Arachnid and seems to notice me for the first time.

"Oh!" she says. "New neighbor?

I'm still staring in awe.

"Yeah," Arachnid replied. "New girl on the block."

"Oh! You're the one who posted that video! Ion, right?"

"Y-yeah," I reply.

"God, that was fan-fucking-tastic how you took Jackrabbit down. Nice to see that prick get taken down a peg. I'm Sarah!"

My brain is still short circuiting.

"Uh… Jen," I reply. "I'm… I'm a huge fan… I'm sorry about your dad."

She cocks her head in confusion.

"Oh!" she says after a moment. "Oh no, he's very much alive. Just threw his back out one too many times and decided to retire. He teaches geology at the community college now."

"Oh…" I reply. "Good…"

"You wanna meet him?" she asks and whips out her phone.

Do… I want to meet… Doctor Magma?

"What??" I ask breathlessly.

"Got any dinner plans?"

I shake my head, still struggling to comprehend what's going on.

"Awesome!" she replies. "Art?"

"I would never pass up your father's cooking. I'll bring the wine."

She flashes a thumbs up and brings her phone to her ear.

"Hey Dad? Yeah… well, how do you feel about dinner for four? Got a new coworker who's a big fan of your work."

***

You ever meet your heroes and they're just like... normal people? Granted, they're the sort of people who would trigger a volcanic eruption and/or release mutant spiders on the populace downtown, which is fucking awesome... Okay, maybe they're not normal at all, but they are really cool.

We're just like around the table, drinking wine after dinner.

(Holy. Shit. Doctor Magma can cook. Note to self: get cooking tips from Doctor Magma)

Doctor Magma himself is telling us about the time he and Cobalt Blade (who sounds like a huge asshole) got caught in a shrink ray together and had to team up.

They've all done this before, just B-list supervillains hanging out, having a good time. I just met these people two hours ago, and I feel like I belong here. I've lived my entire life never really feeling like I belong, hell, I haven't spoken to my family in like 6 years. But here, with these villains-

"Okay, okay," Doctor Magma says, after wrapping up his story. "The real reason we're here is to welcome Ion to the family. May she have a long and nefarious career!"

Oh god, he said the quiet part out loud. I think I'm going to cry.

They all raise their glasses to me.

Yeah, I'm crying now.

"Dad, I think you broke her," Lady Lacuna says.

"Sorry," I mumble. "This is… a lot. I just met you… and you're all so nice. And…"

"We all look out for each other," Doctor Magma says.

"Do you have a tailor?" Arachnid asks. "It's cool if you want to do your own thing, but a professional costumer is going to think of stuff you never will and it takes off a lot of pressure. We can hook you up with our guy if you want."

"I do super tech gadgets as a side gig!" Lady Lacuna announces. "Wait, you have tech powers, don't you?"

"I… yeah"

"Would you mind taking a look at my computer some time?"

"Here we go," Arachnid mutters with a wink in my direction. "The transdimensional vortex simulator…"

"I will have you know that simulator has taken years of my life," Lady Lacuna huffs.

"What can you do with your powers?" Doctor Magma asks.

My mouth goes dry. They're all looking at me expectantly.

"I… uh… I guess I've got a party trick I've been working on."

The thing about modern houses is they're full of tech. You've got like wifi connected fridges and coffee makers and everything. I can hear the hum of it all the time. All I need to do is reach out and…

Everything in the house starts beeping and coming to life, the TV, the stereo, the microwave, everything. I even make the lights flicker ominously.

"Okay, that's really cool," Lady Lacuna says. "We should totally do a team up some time."

[sitp-recs]

I recently read the excellent “Harry Potter and the Future He Doesn’t Really Want, Thanks,” part of which is about Draco and Harry actually dating - going out to places, etc. I wondered if you had any recs for other fics that have them dating somewhat traditionally? Thanks!

Love that fic anon, excellent pick! I think you might enjoy these - some are more on the lines of sightseeing / pre-get together dates, but they’re still fun and quite romantic IMO :)

Gravity Centered by carpemermaid (2019, E, 7k)

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy are two of the best flyers in the International Professional Broom Racing League. To fans, they’re a pair of competitive rivals that trade skillful wins back and forth, but after they finish each grueling race around the world is that all there is between them? Or: Harry tastes the wind on Malfoy’s tongue.

Bridges by @cavendishbutterfly (2021, E, 16k)

Harry and Draco are on a trip to Budapest to help with Kingsley's re-election, but that's the boring bit. More interesting: Harry Potter is changing his Tinder preferences to include men.

Reparatio by astolat (2016, E, 17k) - fake dating but still fun!

Draco snorted. “I’m not reduced to penury. I want something considerably beyond money, and I rather think you’re the only one can give it to me.”

The Oceans They Did Rise by disapparater (2016, M, 18k)

Finding post-war life more difficult than he'd imagined, Harry travels halfway around the world to find some peace. He also finds Malfoy, art, adventure, the ocean, and himself. (Not necessarily in that order.)

Highly (in)Compatible by daisymondays (2018, T, 36k)

Draco’s been shagging The Prat Who Lived on and off for a few months when his soul mark starts to change. Draco’s had to accept a lot of adjustments to his life, but accepting that Harry Potter could be his soulmate is one step too far. It can’t be true? Can it?

(We'll Call This Fixer-Upper) Home by @phd-mama (2018, E, 52k)

Draco Malfoy hasn’t set foot on English soil in ten years. After the war, he fled to America, where he found himself in a community, and healed himself through following his heart into music. He’s now the lead singer and songwriter for an internationally known band, who have come back to headline the Wiltshire Music Festival. But as Draco is about to learn, his past isn’t as far away as he might have believed, and his future may hold more than he ever could have dreamed.

Against All Odds by momatu (2015, E, 54k)

Beauxbatons is hosting the first ever Quidditch Summer School for children from all over Europe, and Harry has promised to enroll Teddy as his birthday present. Meanwhile, Draco is stuck in his office, putting together the first ever Quidditch Summer School for children from all over Europe during, when he should be enjoying summer holidays.

Modern Love by @tackytigerfic (2020, E, 61k)

Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is.

Little Deaths and How to Avoid Them (or Draco Malfoy's Guide to Stop Dying and Start Living Instead) by nerakrose & dustmouth (2018, T, 96k)

Malfoy is way too interested in coroner reports for somebody who's definitely not looking for ways to die, Harry wants to be friends with him, and Ginny wants to break up with Harry.

All Our Secrets Laid Bare by firethesound (2014, E, 149k)

Over the six years Draco Malfoy has been an Auror, four of his partners have turned up dead. Harry Potter is assigned as his newest partner to investigate just what is going on.

[rodr1cks]

Hi! I don't know if your request are open, but I'd like to know if you could write a rodrick x reader where the reader is Rowley's sister and discovers her talking on the phone with a friend saying she's in love with Rodrick and tells Greg and he tells her that Rodrick has been in love with her for a long time and they try to put them together?

cw: none it’s pure fluff

word count: 1.8k

“I know! And he didn’t even apologize!” Greg ranted into the receiver.

“I’m sorry, Greg,” Rowley frowned, sympathetic nature as present as always. “Anyways, mom says dinner is ready, see you tonight?” Rowley’s tone lifted at the end of his sentence, excitement brewing as he thought about the sleepover he was meant to have with Greg later that evening.

You slid into the kitchen on your socks, just as Rowley was concluding his conversation with Greg.

Rowley sat anxiously through dinner, quickly consuming everything on his plate, including the vegetables. You observed him from across the table, cocking your head as your younger brother inhaled his peas like he hadn’t eaten in days.

He took his last bite before exclaiming, “I’m going to pack my stuff for Greg’s!”

Not without clearing his dishes first, of course.

You rolled your eyes at his charisma and headed into the living room. You slumped over on the couch, limbs splayed every which way as you called your friend, Marissa. You had been needing to gush to somebody about your newest crush, Rodrick Heffley.

You had only interacted with the messy haired boy in passing: family dinners, picking up Greg, dropping off Rowley, etc.

“I don’t know what it is, he’s just so- so- captivating. God, Mar, I swear I could watch him play drums for hours on end!”

Unbeknownst to you, Rowley had entered the room and was about to speak. You were too caught up in drooling over Rodrick to notice. “Hey, y/n-” He cut himself off quickly, curiosity getting the best of him.

“And did you see what he was wearing at Matt’s party? Those jeans? And that eyeliner? God I could just tear them-”

Rowley cleared his throat, unwilling to hear the rest. “Y/n can you take me to Greg’s, please?” He stood awkwardly with his lips pursed.

Your head whipped around faster than the speed of light. “Marissa, I gotta go.”

“Rowley, how much of that did you hear?”

He lied, something he wasn’t really good at, “Not much! I promise!”

“Rowley Jefferson you had better keep your mouth shut, or I swear I’ll-”

You stopped yourself, closing your eyes and drawing in a deep breath. “Just get in the car.” You breathed out in a scarily calm tone. Your red headed sibling nodded frantically out of fear and darted to the garage.

Usually, you would make him walk, but ever since your infatuation with Rodrick began, you were more eager to give him rides over there. The mere prospect of getting the slightest glance sending excitement throughout your entire being.

When you pulled up to the Heffley home, you gave him a final glare. “Say nothing.” He gave you the same shaky nod he gave you only moments ago. With that, he was bounding towards the front door. You made sure he got inside safely and drove off.

“Rowley? Everything okay?” Greg asked his friend, concerned with his behavior. Rowley couldn’t handle keeping secrets. His hands grew clammy and a slight sweat broke out on his forehead. Rowley had an uncomfortably fake smile plastered on his face as he tried to assure Greg that everything was just peachy.

All it took was one knowing look from Greg and Rowley broke.

“Alright, fine! I heard my sister talking to her friend about how hot Rodrick is and how she wants to-”

“Okay, okay! I get the picture!”

Greg took a moment to proceed, his brows furrowed as he brought a contemplative fist up to support his chin.

“Lemme get this straight. Your sister likes my brother?”

Rowley nodded slowly.

“Y/n likes Rodrick?”

Rowley nodded again, confirming Greg’s exclamations.

“But y/n is smart a-and hot!”

“Greg! Don’t say that!” Rowley groaned, rolling his head back in disgust. Greg threw both of his hands up in defense, “I’m just stating facts.”

“Wait, I have an idea.” A pit of dread grew in Rowley’s stomach, Greg’s ideas never turned out well.

“What if we set up y/n with Rodrick? Just hear me out, this could be good for him.”

Rowley mulled the idea over in his head, thinking that maybe dating you could make Rodrick more… agreeable? Maybe you could be a good influence on the intimidating teenager. A happier Rodrick would make sleepovers at Greg’s a lot more pleasant.

“I think that could work,” Rowley said apprehensively. “But how do we do it?”

Greg shrugged, “Simple, we just tell Rodrick there’s a really hot Girl interested in him.”

The boys proceeded to draw up a plan.

Phase one: The approach. Greg and Rowley nervously ascended the wooden steps that led to Rodrick’s room. Rodrick was laying on his back, spinning a drumstick between his nimble fingers.

He shot up immediately when he noticed the boys’ presence. “What are your dweebs doing up here?”

Phase two: Delivery. “Calm down Rodrick, we have some information you might wanna know,” Greg reasoned cooly, easing Rodrick’s anger from a roaring ten to a mild six.

Greg nodded over at Rowley, signaling him to start talking.

“W-well,” Rowley stuttered, “I uhm- heard my sister talking about you and she- she likes you and she was talking about your jeans?”

Rodrick blinked in confusion, processing this intel.

“Your sister likes me? Are you sure she meant me?”

“That’s what I said!” Greg exclaimed and Rodrick shot him a terrifying glare, silently telling Greg to can it.

Rodrick was honestly shocked. He always observed you from afar, deciding himself that a chick as cool as you would never go for him. This news was absolutely world shattering for the boy, he completely admired you.

Phase three: Action. “We have a plan.” Greg said, a conniving grin creeping onto his face. “Rowley calls y/n, tells her that he’s feeling sick and blames it on Mom’s pot roast or something. Then when she rushes over all worried, you greet her at the door. And then you work your Rodrick magic!” Greg smiled, abundant pride for his plan evident in his stature.

“It’s a go.” Rodrick declared, scrambling around his room to put on deodorant, a new t-shirt, and cologne before pointing at Rowley. “Make the call.”

“Hey, y/n,” Rowley groaned into the phone, sounding as sick as he possibly could. “I- I think I ate something bad and I really need you ro come get me.”

You sighed, telling him you’d be there in ten minutes and to have his things ready to go. You departed for the Heffley house for the second time that night.

When Rowley didn’t come out to your car, you trudged up to the red door to go retrieve the sickly boy.

You gave the door three lazy knocks, expecting Rowley’s face to be the one behind it when it swung open. “Hey kid, are you feeling okay?” You asked, not yet making eye contact with the figure leering in the doorframe.

Your eyes widened as you came to realize who it was.

“Funny seeing you here,” Rodrick drawled out, a smirk tugging at his lips. Your cheeks burned with the heat of one thousand suns, you were not expecting this tonight.

“Y-yeah,” you smiled awkwardly, staring at your feet. “Rowley called, he uhm, he’s not feeling well. So if you could just get him for me I can leave. Immediately.” You cursed yourself for your blubbering idiocy as you twiddled your fingers.

“Actually, Rowley is feeling much, much better.” Suspicion grew as you studied Rodrick’s devious expression. “What’s going on?” You asked, genuinely puzzled as nothing was making any sense.

“I don’t know, y/n. Why don’t you come in and tell me?” Rodrick was surprisingly smooth in this situation, despite his nerves being at an all time high.

“Rowley is just up here,” Rodrick said while guiding you up the stairs to his room. In the meantime, Greg and Rowley peered out from the hallway, watching you follow Rodrick upstairs and giggling to themselves.

The overhead lights in Rodrick’s room were turned on, the glow from his string lights illuminating the area instead. “Mood lighting,” as he had called it. Rodrick had already instructed the boys to stay far away once you had arrived.

You were still lost, Rowley nowhere in sight. “So? Where is he?” You asked expectantly.

“Here’s the thing y/n. You know Rowley can’t keep secrets, right? I mean you have to know that, he is your brother”

Shit.

“That little shit stain! I’ll get him, I swear to god!” You turned to bound down the stairs, ready to tear the entire house apart in hunting for him. Rodrick grabbed your wrist before your foot could even reach the first step.

“Y/n, relax, relax!” His grip on your flesh made your breath hitch and stomach churn. “It’s okay, I feel the same way.” Rodrick’s cocky facade dissipated into nothing as he revealed his feelings.

You got a glimpse of a more vulnerable side of Rodrick that you were sure he didn’t typically share. “But girls like you don’t usually like stupid guys like me,” Rodrick was staring at the ground now, grasp on your arm softening.

You were too unsure of your words so you opted to move your free hand to hold his bicep, closing a considerable amount of distance between the two of you in the process.

“Rodrick, I’ve never liked anybody as much as I like you. And I don’t mean that in a weird or creepy way it’s just that-”

Now it was time for Rodrick’s own addition to the plan. Phase four: The kiss.

Your rambling was cut short by a pair of warm lips pressing against your own. He kissed you with just enough force to cause you to stumble back a bit, causing you to brace yourself against his torso.

He carded a gentle hand through your hair and tugged back on your soft locks. You moaned at the vibrations tendrilling at your scalp and kissed him with even more ferocity.

Somehow, you ended up on his bed, straddling him. The blankets strewn across his mattress melded against your knees and the fronts of your calves as you stabilized yourself on his lap.

He placed apprehensive hands on your hip bones, unsure of what was okay and what wasn’t. You placed your hand on top of his larger one, assuring him that you were comfortable. You even allowed a small whimper to leave your throat as he tightened his hold on you.

You only pulled away to catch your breath, looking into his eyes for the first time that night. You smiled warmly at him as you cupped his cheek. Suddenly, Rodrick’s signature smirk returned to his face.

“Now tell me what you were saying about my jeans.”