#the burdens of having to learn something instead of being able to just Do It

[bloodanddiscoballs]

I was going to keep this in the tags but thought better.

What these parents don't understand is that their children do feel this hatred towards them. They might not be able to identify what exactly it is yet, but kids absolutely feel when you don't like them or when you just want them to shut up. And, sometimes, especially when they're younger, they double down on what these parents see as pestering them because they are feeling like they're being withdrawn from. All they feel is that insecurity in the relationship with the parent who really doesn't want to talk to them when this is supposed to be their safest place.

So then these parents leave a wound on these children when they're always made to feel that their existence is only acceptable when they're medicated or when they're only speaking the correct amount or silent altogether. These children then try and seek validation in other areas, which can lead to accidentally ending up in abusive relationships, either on a friendship level or a romantic one. They pull away from these parents who should have just loved them but instead act as though their very existence is a burden. That foundation of safety was never really given to them, and thus, they will have to learn how to repair that when they're older, instead of being given the adequate tools and support early on.

And, worst of all, this public page on Reddit will be something for these kids to stumble upon that will confirm their worst fears; that their parents really don't like them. That they're "annoying" and "an exhaustion to be around". For the child in the above, she gets to quite literally see her name (Sof) and know INSTANTLY what her mother thinks of her – that she is the reason to drink.

Parenting is difficult. I'm not going to deny that. But being kind really isn't. If you're struggling that badly, you need to get counciling so that you do not make your frustrations your child's problem. They didn't ask to be brought into the world. They deserve to know and feel that they're wanted and loved as they are, not as a concept.

I ended up on r/ADHDparenting (a subreddit about parenting kids with ADHD, not about being a parent with ADHD) and Jesus fuck.

[lunar-wandering]

yet another day where i wish i could draw,,,,

[tame-the-lion-writes]

Okay, so here I go. (I’m sorry if words are misspelled or if I used the wrong words; I’m dyslexic but thank goodness for autocorrect. Sometimes it corrects it for me and at others it puts a completely different word then what I meant; so fair warning.)

So, I was wondering if it will be Ghost that cat reader opens up to about her fear of deep water. It was pretty obvious that she has trauma from it from that one time Ghost tried to give her a bath after she was done for the day doing her “mouse killing” duty; it is most likely a deep fear developed from trauma from being held under by an abusive old owner/partner.

Like yes, it’s obvious she irritates Ghost out of “spite” (and probably does it for shits & giggles on her end) but HE was the one she clung onto when it was made clear of her fear of deep water. She may have been terrified but she felt safe enough to hold onto him & allowed him to comfort her during that event; she cuddled herself under his head and tapped her head against his chest which are signs of trust for a cat.

Yes, she’s definitely more friendly & open to Gaz (first to earn that with her), Soap (second) and Price (third to earn the right to be comfortable with her) but what if it actually came down to core issues/serious concerns it’s actually Ghost she goes to. Mostly because she can tell that although they annoyed each other (not really but more just for loving fun) that they DO understand each other on a level that the others just can’t.

The other three are there for basically nap time together, to play with and being cute with; but it is only with him will she be THAT open with serious things/issues. For her, he becomes her special & only companion for those kinds of matters. (Which once he realizes that she views ONLY him as special/worthy enough to be open with stuff does he feel honored instead of annoyed about it. After all he was trying to make a connection with her and now he has a strong one that only he has access to; she won’t open up about serious stuff with the others in a way that she will only do with him.)

Basically is will be the bases/beginning for her to start accepting him as a comfort source/companion. Of course, she’ll still be a little brat/little shit towards him; but it will be out of good fun/love intentions behind it, no malice or hatred behind her annoyance towards him anymore.

Hope this helps you come up with an idea. ☺️

Oh, babe, you got my vision perfectly LMAO. (And no worries about your dyslexia, I understood you perfectly!)

CW: mentions of past abuse (and technically attempted murder)

I won't go so far as to say that she would never go to the other boys, but yes, she has an extra special bond w/ Ghost because they both understand what it's like to survive abuse--especially abuse at the hands of someone they should've been able to trust. It's also very much an "I hate you" relationship in that they only "hate" each other because of that similarity/understanding. We tend to be more critical towards people like us because of how we perceive ourselves; we are our best critics, after all.

In short, "canonically," reader got tossed over a bridge into a river when her past owner tried to get rid of her. Something along the lines of--she became too big of a burden. Being a birthday/Christmas gift, they didn't expect the true responsibility of raising a pet. The reason doesn't really matter, though; either way, she scratched her way out of the soggy cardboard box and dragged herself to shore, then made her way to the old abandoned farm nearby. Hence why she doesn't like deep water--especially not when someone is carrying her towards it.

But next time Ghost tries to clean her, he's learned his lesson. Fills a small tub just 2-3 inches high, and instead of casually tossing her in, is surprisingly patient as he places her back paws in first--letting her wade a few seconds before plopping her front feet in. She's still whiny, of course, used to washing herself, but with Ghost's help, he get's the places she can't reach. Not to mention that the shampoo he's using smells pretty good.

"Not so mean when your buttons ain't pushed, huh?" he sighs, only to add-- "Sorry 'bout last time. Should've respected your boundaries."

You're quiet for a little before bumping your head into his hand, as if in acceptance of his apology.

"'Sides, you've got your reasons," he goes on, moving to scratch under your chin as well. "And fear ain't your fault."

You meow in understanding, then blink slow.

"Ha--" He copies the blink back. "Think this is the nicest you've been to me."

The rest of bath time is quiet, save for the sound of you shuffling around in the tub in response to Ghost's ministrations. But just as he finishes rinsing you clean of suds, Gaz comes around the corner, ready to kick off his boots after a long day.

"See you're gettin' close with the kit there," he smiles, dusting his hands off in mid-air. And while you half-expect Ghost to respond with acceptance, instead, he mutters--

"What else am I supposed to do? She stinks."

Well, there goes the moment.

You swipe at his hand with a hiss, only to be met with his scowl and a towel that swallows you whole.

When you do eventually tell him--the reason for your fear, that is--it's after another bath, and when you're snuggled close under the weight of his arm. His hand cups the back of your neck, callouses almost silky from how he handles you oh-so gently. A tempered practice he's forced himself to learn since you met. Because though kindness doesn't come naturally to him, it doesn't unnerve you; sometimes you wonder if kindness, as a choice, is better.

"You know I--" he clears his throat-- "we'd never. Right?" Simon whispers, his voice as deep as the purr that eventually rumbles through your chest.

Your fingers dance through the fine blonde of his hair, illuminated only by thin streaks of moonlight filtering through the blinds. Then you draw your palms down, so instead, you're holding the sides of his face, the scars and marks of his beautifully imperfect skin like stories untold beneath your thumb. And you press your nose to his.

"I know."

(He may or may not run into your former owner eventually, and he may or may not threaten to kill him or worse. But that's a story for another day :D)

[akutasoda]

hold my hand, lean on me

synopsis - jiaoqiu adjusting to domestic life with you

includes - jiaoqiu

warnings - gn!reader, spoilers for 2.5, angst w/ some comfort, fluff, maybe ooc, wc - 1.3k

a/n: i actually cannot get this darn foxian out my mind :( shouts to @thelightofmylife for some vv helpful pointers and information ^^ tbh i feel like this is just 1.3k words of word vomit HAHA

the healers finished informing you of the situation, thanking them you then closed the door to the shared abode. a sigh you didn't know you were holding back escaped alongside a glance down to the papers the healer's handed over. you could read them later, the news followed by the details of it wasn't exactly a pleasant thought, if anything it might be a final push for the tears to start falling.

your thoughts were distracted by the sound of hesitant, shuffling footsteps. turning around, you were met with the sight of jiaoqiu standing idly not too far from you - almost as if he was taking in the surroundings, although now it was more him trying to piece together the memories of what it looked like.

jiaoqiu had arrived back at the yaoqing not too long ago, admittedly rather late, but the luofu's alchemy commission had kept him for a while. he'd been forced immediately to the yaoqing’s alchemy commission as they were now the ones responsible for his treatment plan for the future. a short talk with them had then led to him being escorted back home. to you.

upon arrival, some of the alchemy commission healers explained to you about the entire situation. they kept it short but soon handed you a full document containing everything from “patient’s injuries” to “doctor’s post-charge advice” - each and every sentence pained you more and more, you refused to acknowledge what would've happened if moze hadn't found him, you would have to thank him later.

the healers had asked you to take upon the responsibility of looking after him at home, and in most day to day life scenarios - at least until he adjusted properly. they asked you to keep strict to the “post-charge advice” as otherwise it probably would cause more harm to him, making his healing process longer and maybe even worsening it beyond healing.

“jiao-ge” you called out, to let him know that you were still near. it pained to see the somber look on his face. the last thing jiaoqiu saw wasn't anyone, anywhere or anything he loved. no. it was something he hated, someone he loathed in unfamiliar territory surrounded by no-one he knew.

now he stood in familiar territory, with the person he loved the most. but he couldn't bask in the sights or even see you. all he had was memories to cast images in his mind, to help pretend that nothing was wrong and that he could see what he remembered.

you knew that he wouldn't want you doting on him. jiaoqiu needed to adjust, to learn how to go about his life as usual and you overly fussing over him would only probably annoy him and prolong that.

it had been a long day, any proper conversations could be held tomorrow. to no surprise, jiaoqiu insisted he could get ready and do everything by himself. you granted him that independence. eventually, admittedly with some help, you two were ready for sleep. and even though you were right there beside him, jiaoqiu never felt further from you.

---✩

the process was slow. nobody would've said that it was going to be anything other than that. jiaoqiu very clearly wanted independence. he didn't want to seen as a burden, he chose to do this, and knowing that people were constantly doting on him instead of continuing with their lives made him feel awful.

one of the first things you did was help make your shared abode more compatible with his needs. an easy step was making sure that everywhere was clean and free of obstruction, normally moze always

showed up and helped with cleaning as well. another step was helping jiaoqiu become able to navigate the home on his own, mainly he acted on memory but you needed to make sure that where he frequented was always obstruction free.

occasionally you could hear a bump or hurried shuffling from the room over, each and every time you dropped what you were doing and checked up on him. it was never anything major and if anything it always resulted in jiaoqiu silently cursing at the piece of furniture he walked into.

you two always adopted a verbal calling system at home. should you need to leave the room he was in, you would tell him exactly where you were going and what you were doing - that way he knew where you were. jiaoqiu would also inform you of where he planned on going just in case something happened or he got lost.

although, admittedly, for the first couple of weeks jiaoqiu stuck to you like glue. to him, it was a way to quickly adjust and therefore he wouldn't have to be a burden for long. however jiaoqiu subsequently had developed a rather interesting habit, one neither of you addressed - you because you thought it was sweet and didn't want to embarrass him, him because he didn't want to admit it.

and that was him using his tail as a guidance. at home, it was either curled around your waist, wrist or leg. in public, it lingered around your wrist, so much so that it constantly tickled you. it was a way of him making sure you were there with him, you hadn't left him and he was okay.

although most admittedly it was worse at night. he would hold you close, an ironclad grip that usually you would ask for him to let up but you knew he needed this. tail curled around your waist, preventing you from escaping. in his opinion, you helped him sleep easier, much easier than any fragrances he was prescribed.

however, this always came with a risk. due to residual lupitoxin still in his body, jiaoqiu became frequently prone to nightmares which plagued him constantly. everytime his mind was tricked into believing that the borisin were waiting, patiently looking for an opening to get revenge.

he wakes up because of them, drenched in fear and swear, and because he's so fearful the lupitoxin can take hold easier. suddenly he's tricked into believing that the borisin have found him. unbeknownst to the fact that it's you. so you sometimes take the liberty of sleeping away from him, but then he wakes up to an empty bead but he can hear someone in the room over and when he finds out it was you, sleeping away from him, he becomes consumed with guilt.

a major change for him was his inability to cook anymore. jiaoqiu was determined to do so with his impairment but he needed to learn. nowadays you cook with him. instead of being hushed out of the kitchen, you stood closely beside him, handing him the tools he needed, telling him where you put them so he could find them again on his own.

gently reminding him to lay off the spices when he requested more, he was to avoid spicy foods at all costs for the time being. a hard change, one that he absolutely despised but he knew better than to go against a doctor's order. helping him go out and buy ingredients, listening to what he told you and carrying out the tasks diligently.

---✩

and that was a shortlist of changes. you were very happy to accommodate anything for him, so long as he felt comfortable and loved. it wasn't uncommon for jiaoqiu to experience major lows, it was only natural and you needed to be there for him.

to listen to him, to show him that the support he needed was always a simple ask away - you didn't want to push to dote on him for many reasons. but that was different to showing genuine care and love to him when he started seeing himself as a useless, dependent person.

life would be different. for a while or maybe even forever, perhaps feixiao would strike lucky in her search for a healer that knew how to help. but for now, you two would have to learn how to adjust. to be there for eachother.

taglist - @little-miss-chaoss, @frankiesteinn

[lale-txt]

✱ confessing to you w/ Gojo, Nanami, Higuruma & gn!reader

@snailor-bee asked: LALEEEEE!!! (o゜▽゜)o♥ WHAT'S THIS I HEAR?? REQUESTS ARE OPEN?? FOR MORE FANDOMS?? You just know I just gotta... May I please request Gojo, Higuruma, and Nanami trying to confess to reader? (*/ω＼*) Like headcanons/drabbles whichever. I just think it's real cute. And you're real cute. It just works out perfectly, hehe. Hoping you're doing well!! ;3; Sending you hugs and kisses!!

a/n: BEE my sweet (´⌣`ʃƪ) it feels like forever since i for around writing something for you, so i was super excited when you sent something in for me! i had a lot of fun writing these small drabbles, i hope they're to your liking! ps: i think YOU are super cute love you ok bye

➸ 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐: Geto, Toji & Shiu

❦ 𝐆𝐎𝐉𝐎

Gojo is used to being fawned on. He has the good looks and he knows. Keeps running his mouth without any consequences because there simply are none when you’re Gojo Satoru. The strongest. The balance of the world depends on him. He’s untouchable.

And then there’s you, who is tearing his whole act down with such ease, it makes his heart stop.

You don’t fuss over him and you don’t bow before him. His name doesn’t fall out of your mouth as if he was a deity, someone holy; and still it’s the sweetest sound he has ever heard. When you call out for him, Gojo wants to be there in an instant. There’s this unknown calmth whenever he’s with you, his heart feeling lightweight somehow. He’s drawn to you like the tide to the moon.

For someone as grand as Gojo, he loves so quietly. 

He can’t bring himself to say those words out loud, as if they carried a weight that threatened what you two have. Still, he doesn’t know what to do with all this love; he never learned where to put it down. You can handle it, can you? The burden and the curse of being loved? You wouldn’t be scared to love him back, right?

So Gojo makes sure to show you his love in the most mundane things, so there’s no room for doubt just how tight he holds you in his heart. Midnight strolls to the candy aisle at the supermarket. I love you. A hand on the small of your back when you’re moving through a large crowd. I love you. Your fingertips brushing over his long white lashes while he rests his weary head in your lap under the cherry blossoms. I love you. 

It’s only when you kiss him one night, in the middle of the parking lot, that those big words get caught in his throat. Six eyes aren’t enough to comprehend the feeling in his chest when his big hands cup your face, as if he wants to hinder you from ever pulling away from him. It would be so easy to mumble his confession against your lips, but you already know. So instead he simply kisses you back, sweeping you off your feet when you lose your balance from being on your tiptoes. 

He smiles when you shush him with another kiss. He doesn’t need to say it out loud; you know, you’ve always known.

❦ 𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐈

Nanami’s confession is apologetic.

The words have been weighing on his heart until one night, they just fall out of his mouth. Maybe he had one drink too many, not enough to be drunk, but enough to loosen his tongue. His thumb rubbing over the rim of his glass, his shirt slightly unbuttoned, his tie not so accurate anymore. He isn’t looking at you; it’s easier if his gaze doesn’t catch yours, if his eyes can’t wander to your lips. Your hands are next to each other on the bar counter, almost touching. He could close the distance so easily, but he’s aware that he wouldn’t be able to let go of your hand anymore.

“I’m in love with you.”

His voice is low, whisky-raspy. The silence that follows isn’t uncomfortable; it’s a warmth that’s surrounding you like a veil. At this moment, it’s just you and him. In another life, this could have been so easy, couldn’t it? In a life where he doesn't have to worry about fighting curses, and the horrors humans are capable of, and about the day he might not come back home to you from work. He wouldn’t have to break your heart like that.

“So deeply, utterly in love with you.”

In another life, you could have had it all. The shared books on the nightstand, the matching rings on your fingers, the messy blankets in the morning. Maybe he was being greedy, yearning for this. He couldn’t help himself when you tugged on his heartstrings like that. He tried to fight it, this attraction to you; but the more he tried to keep his distance, the more he yearned for a glimpse of your attention. Your bright smile from the other side of the room–it should have been enough. And still…

“I hope you can forgive me.”

Was it really greed that made him cradle your face in his palms, gazing into your eyes before leaning in for a kiss? No… no. But he knows he can never let go of you now, not when he tasted the sweetness of your lips. Not when you kiss him back with such hunger, years of yearning unraveling in this very moment. Not when forgiveness lies on the tip of your tongue, asking to be devoured. All he can do is hope that when his time comes, you’ll let him pick up the pieces of your broken heart and that the light of your love will guide him somewhere south; back to the warmth the two of you feel in this very moment with his lips on yours. 

❦ 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐔𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐀

Higuruma has no doubt in his heart regarding his feelings for you. They’re clear as day to him. His heart leaps in his chest when you enter a room and your laughter washes away all of his exhaustion for a bit. 

He studied you from afar for a long time; he can read all of your small gestures and expressions like a language only you and him know. The way your tongue pokes out between your lips when you’re in deep focus, reading over a file from a case you’re working on with him. Your fingertips picking up a tiny piece of lint from his suit before you enter the courtroom together and the small smile playing on your lips when he looks over his shoulder to catch what you’re doing. That one strand of hair that seems to be loose no matter how often you try to tuck it away, much to your annoyance and his adoration. 

“I’d like to ask you out.”

His words are as clear as his intentions. Higuruma is a straightforward man, not brash but gentle in his own way. With him, you don’t have to wonder what's between you two, he’ll tell you what’s on his mind and he’ll expect the same from you. Never pushy, but longing for connection, for mutual understanding. He sees no point in hiding his feelings and he knows you’re clever, you’ve probably had them figured out anyway. 

Higuruma and you have to face them daily, the abysses of the human mind. It’s easy to let your heart go cold over them, to lose a bit of your own humanity. And yet, when your eyes meet, it’s all forgotten. It’s like he can see the essence of your soul and you can see his and it’s all golden; so golden.

You don’t pull away when his fingers weave between yours one night when you leave the office together. He feels a sense of relief wash over him in this moment, not because he was afraid that you wouldn’t reciprocate his feelings, but because his world got a bit brighter in this moment, a bit warmer. He missed this for much longer than he’d admit.

To Higuruma, loving you comes easy. It feels as natural as breathing. It calms him, as if you’re the eye of a storm. And so he doesn’t even hesitate to say those words out loud, almost stating them like a matter of fact, and sealing them with a kiss. Guilty of loving you.

[jaysgirlx]

Hey sweetie, I’m feeling like I need a Jason fic where reader doesn’t like to be touched but he makes her feel safe enough that she gets used to him. Would that be something you’d write? I hope you’re having a wonderful day/night 😘😘

jason wasn't exactly a touchy man himself, he'd set a lot of boundaries as he grew older but he felt different when that came to you. he had the urge to want to hold you constantly but he quickly learned you weren't fond of that. there were too many mental scars that had yet to heal.

the two of you had been sitting side by side on his couch and he slyly tried to put his arm around you. you flinched and moved away quickly, and then came the word vomit.

"i'm sorry! it's really not cause of you- It's hard for me to- i just cant- it's okay if you don't want to hang out again after this, i just- i'm sorry!"

you were panting and trying to explain yourself because this wasn't his fault, this was a boundary you probably should've said earlier but you didn't. you were scared of losing jason too quickly because of your own issues but you were an idiot for thinking he'd leave like that. he was much better than that and he showed you exactly how.

when jason first realized that you weren't yet comfortable with him touching you he tried his best to make your dates and hangouts still romantic. instead of cuddling, he'd put pillows in between the two of you and you'd lay on them almost as if you were on him.

or when you two went out for walks he learned to wear long-sleeved shirts so you could hold onto his sleeve rather than his hand. it did take time to get used to but jason didn't see it as a burden he saw it as another way for him to show his love for you.

he found you the cutest when he'd be kissing you and you didn't know where to put your hands so you'd panic and grab onto his clothes. he knew you wanted to touch him but he wanted you to feel safe enough to make that first move and you eventually did.

"i swear it's not you or anything i just not comfortable being touched yet…i've had things happen to me and i just need time to feel a bit safer"

jason understood how you felt and respected it. he'd wait years if he had to, as long as you were with him, he didn't need much more. though your comfortability came much sooner than he thought.

it started off small like when you began to slyly slip your fingers into his and hold his hand. he won't deny that he actually blushed a little especially when you kissed him on the cheek goodnight. he knew he was probably touch-starved but he didn't realize how much he was missing without your touch.

you even started cuddling him during your movie nights and laying your body on his. and it was then that jason knew you felt comfortable with him. you finally felt safe.

things moved on a bit fast after that, your very gentle make-out sessions with jason became rough and needy. you'd dig your nails into his back while deepening each kiss more. your hands are roaming his back, trying to figure out what feels good, or what feels right but jason doesn't care. that fact that you're touching him is all that matters. that fact that you're comfortable is all that matters.

did jason dream of touching you constantly? absolutely! but would he have waited centuries to do so? only for you.

jason was in love with who you were and being able to touch you had nothing to do with that. this man fell in love with your personality and the love you were willing to give him and that was all he wanted.

"m'sorry for making you wait so long jaybird" you whispered while jason lips were busy kissing and biting your neck. he left a train of hickeys, hoping you wouldn't be too mad once you'd seen them, since you were quite focused on your current conversation "i know i'm a lot of work"

"good thing i'm a hard worker sweetheart," he said, while placing a hand on his hip and gently caressing your waist with his thumb. jason had started doing this,whenever he could tell you were overthinking or maybe overwhelmed. he was good with words but he knew how to soothe you "as long as you comfortable baby, then that's all i need"

you were all jason todd needed, he’d never admit it but he could love you from afar and still be happy because you'd be his and to jason that was all that was he really wanted.

for you to happy and safe with him.

[demigod-shenanigans]

Re: Reyna joining the Hunters and why I think it’s actually really depressing

So for a variety of reasons I’m not a huge fan of Reyna’s arc ending with her joining the Hunters of Artemis. Part of that is rrverse characters should be allowed to be single without joining the eternal celibacy club, but that’s not a problem exclusive to Reyna. I also think handling asexuality in the context of celibacy by choice is… messy by default, especially if it’s your one confirmed ace character.

Beyond that, though, there’s a bunch of context surrounding Reyna’s life and personality that just make that choice seem really sad to me?

I’ll split this into three thematic subsections and put the second and third one under the cut because this got pretty long

Reyna and her sense of duty:

I highly suspect Reyna’s fatal flaw is her sense of duty. This is never explicitly confirmed (because no one except Percy and Annabeth has confirmed fatal flaws), but duty is the theme her entire character revolves around. Basically from birth she’s raised to believe the fate of New Rome lies on her shoulders. A lot of her actions in the books explicitly link back to her sense of duty.

She runs herself ragged trying to find Jason and trying to manage a job made for two people on her own before Son of Neptune.

A lot of her conflict stems from the fact that what is necessary to protect her home (leaving her post and following Jason) inherently clashes with the rules of that home.

Reyna also actively chides others (like Lavinia in ToA) for leaving their posts and not sharing that same sense of duty.

Because of this, like Jason, Reyna is never really able to be a kid.

Joining the Hunters sort of does a good thing in that it allows Reyna to gain some distance specifically from New Rome, which her fate and also a lot of her trauma regarding her upbringing revolves around.

But it doesn’t allow her to be a kid any more than being a praetor at Camp Jupiter did. Potentially less so, actually, seeing as the Hunters are basically always on the move doing something important while at Camp Jupiter you probably have regular days off and a city to visit and relax in always right around the corner.

Reyna lays down one duty and immediately commits herself to the next one. She doesn’t grow and learn that she doesn’t have to carry the fate of the world on her shoulders. She just trades one burden for another.

—————————

Reyna and her emotions:

The timing of Reyna’s choice to join the Hunters seems really off. New Rome is mostly destroyed and just suffered a catastrophic amount of losses. Reyna absolutely has a right to step down as a leader, but this seems like an odd time for her to do it, especially considering she just completely up and leaves instead of at least sticking around to help rebuild her home and then join the Hunters after. As someone so fundamentally defined by her duties and her loyalty to New Rome, why does she spend half a day off-screen and then suddenly decide actually she’ll leave her destroyed home and all those grieving people for someone else to deal with? It just seems really out of character for her.

This begs the question: is Reyna really making that choice because she figured out it’s what she wants, or is it because she can’t deal with what happened? Because looking at all the destruction and attending all the funerals—deaths that happened while she was technically in charge but unable to be present, people she was supposed to protect—reminds her of every way she’s failed her home?

Also, Jason just died.

Jason was Reyna’s best friend for years. He was the first person she allowed herself to grow close to after her sister left her, and very possibly the first person she ever fell in love with. She never properly got to make up with Jason. Very likely they were both afraid to be hurt again. They both thought there’d be time for it later. But there wasn’t. There isn’t. She only got her best friend back in a coffin, and even in death, returning to New Rome (to her) wasn’t Jason’s choice.

Reyna leaves the place where they grew up together, the duties they used to share and all the memories—memories that were just hers, no longer his, since he never properly got them back—two days after she watched his pyre burn.

How much of that is her leaving because she wants to, and how much of it is the fact that she can’t keep her walls up and keep herself going in the place that used to be theirs, where Jason’s ghost is staring back at her at every corner? How much of her leaving is her unwillingness to deal with her grief?

Reyna running away from her feelings is an ongoing theme. It makes sense from a lot of different angles why she’d do it.

She was raised by an abusive father who often turned his feelings (what child Reyna would have seen as “love”, but was primarily paranoia/anger) against her and Hylla.

It’s also addressed directly that Reyna worries if she feels nervous or scared, her emotions will cause the camp to worry as well—her power is quite literally to project her own emotions outward, so if she does that with negative emotions (intentionally or unintentionally), it would cause problems. Suppressing them feels safer. On top of that, in her role as a leader, she has to provide a certain sense of confidence and assurance even when she herself doesn’t feel it.

Joining the Hunters instead of facing those feelings is not exactly a great way to heal in that regard.

————————

Reyna and the weight of Bellona’s prophecy:

As far as we’re aware, Camp Jupiter has faced more threats in the few years Reyna was in charge than it has in centuries. First the Titan war (which Reyna must have arrived partway through, depending on how early the Romans even knew about and were involved in what was happening there), then the war with Gaia, then the Emperors.

And obviously that’s not actually Reyna’s fault—Reyna is, in fact, a huge contributing factor to why these disasters weren’t a lot worse and didn’t claim even more lives. But this is all put on the shoulders of a girl who knows her fate is intricately linked to the legacy of Rome.

A girl who is already convinced that her love is fundamentally destructive and keeps other people from being happy. Her father spent her entire childhood suspicious of Reyna potentially betraying him—and, because she ended up killing him in self-defense, it’s very easy for a traumatized ten year old to internalize that maybe that suspicion was totally warranted. Then Circe’s Island gets destroyed. Then Hylla finds her happiness with the Amazons by leaving Reyna. Then Jason leaves her, seeming so much happier with Piper and Leo than he ever was with her.

Everyone she loves always seems to be happier without her.

So maybe the best thing she can do for New Rome—a home that she loves and that has faced so much destruction in the short time she’s spent there—is to leave.

Maybe the best way to keep New Rome safe (because New Rome’s survival is linked to Hylla and Reyna’s bloodline continuing to exist) is to make herself immortal and preserve it that way. Because, unless Reyna dies in battle, she could live centuries—potentially thousands of years—as a Hunter. She can’t ever properly go back to the home she loved, because that’s not how the Hunters work. But she’s still bound to her fate by her blood. She’s still doing her duty to New Rome by living as long as she can.

It’s not something she can ever be free of.

The worst thing about this is I think Reyna choosing to find a fate for herself outside of New Rome could have actually been a great way to conclude her arc, but god do I wish it was executed differently and actually given proper exploration/space to breathe instead of just resolved by taking her off-screen for a few hours and then sticking her with the group of female warriors that barely gets to have any plot relevance outside of conveniently coming to people’s rescue.

[codenamesazanka]

My prediction on what was Scissors-kun's deal ended up being pretty correct: he was indeed abused - horrifically so, being tied up and locked away - and then abandoned by his family during the war because of his quirk. Except Horikoshi actually exceeded my expectations and revealed that it wasn't because of behavioral issues (not that it would've justified it! Never. but I was imagining a parallel to Toga), it was only because his quirk was a random mutation, and also his family sewn his mouth shut.

Because thing is. The set up for something like this was here all along. I predicted it based on things that were already happening in the story. Continued fear of 'abnormal' quirks; horrific domestic violence enacted due to this; Heroes never catching wind of this because this was from a family that weren't consider 'Villains', so this was Scissors-kun's normal. And this normal broke and the dark secret got revealed only because something extraordinary happened - the country collapsed. Scissors-kun family left him, so he was able to escape.

But... none of this is apparently going to be addressed. The happy ending is Scissors-kun being found and helped, instead of any widespread, far-reaching, systemic change that would prevent shit like this. No, 'but it's obviously going to be addressed off-screen' doesn't count. The story brought up on-page and explicitly that quirk discrimination is a thing, that abusive quirk counseling/treatment is a thing, that abuse and abandonment of children is a thing. I expect the solutions to be on-page and explicit as well, and not just 'if I reach out when it's not my business, then...!'

(Also. it is their fucking business. They're government employees. Their job is to save people and guarantee the welfare of all citizens. it is very much their business.)

I'm not upset that Scissors-kun isn't Shigaraki; never really expected that in the first place. Shigaraki died. Deku fucking failed. I've come to terms with it. I'm not upset that Shigaraki wasn't saved, but this kid was; not even in the meta-, story-, character-sense, because, fine, he's replacement goldfish Tenko, but I'll take the 'we'll do better next time', it's a good thing this kid gets saved, it's what Shigaraki would've wanted, it's what the League fought to destroy for. It's even good that The Old Lady has become a better person.

What baffles me is that this save occurs pretty much because of nothing except the purported 'What Deku Showed The World That Day (When He Killed A Man)'. This save isn't because Heroes and civilians have more awareness of victims. This save isn't because society is promising to stop quirk discrimination. This save isn't because Ochako learns of Toga's abusive parents and so sets out to tackle this issue of quirk-related domestic violence. This save isn't because Deku has lead a new movement to stop bystander inaction. (Moreover, about 'bystander inaction' - Scissors-kun lists 5 other people outside his immediate family of Dad/Mom/Sis who knew about him... and did nothing. His uncle, his aunt, his grandparents, his great-grandfather - if they didn't directly help sew Scissors-kun mouth shut, they still turned a blind eye and never alerted authorities. (Tenko explicitly states this as one of the factors that led to him lashing out, but I guess the story forgot about it long ago, so. Even with the memories sharing of Chapter 417 and 418, Deku never sees this.))

As I said above, none of the issues that lead to Scissors-kun being in the circumstances he was in has been addressed.

This save isn't because any random civilian has decided to help - because any rando can and should help! This isn't even because Old Lady came to the guilt-ridden conclusion herself to do better.

This save is because Old Lady, carrying the burden of guilt, watched Deku kill the kid she didn't save all those years ago (tho she doesn't know it) and is apparently inspired by this act of "I can't help but do something" to finally take action (as helpfully narrated by Hawks). It's not because civilians have done any deep thinking about the rot that permeates their culture; it's because Deku was a hard-working murderer on TV. There were dozens of other people on the street. Real change should've been a whole crowd of people seeing Scissors-kun and wanting to help - someone giving him a blanket or offering him shoes while another calls for an ambulance???

But whatever. I just want to state this: the first thing that truly saved Scissors-kun was Shigaraki's destruction. Without it, his family would've stayed in that house and kept him locked up. It's really only because of Shigaraki's destruction that Scissors-kun even got the opportunity to find freedom and get his hand held.

[redxx95]

How Cherry Magic avoids romanticising self-sacrifice

Alright strap in boys, this is gonna be a long one.

Spoilers for the manga (mostly the english volumes but I will include a bit from vol 12. I'll mark it tho so yall may skip it if you don't want to be spoilered).

So in this one I want to examine how cherry magic does a great job at portraying self-sacrifice in a relationship as an actual flaw rather than a romantic ideal to aspire to. Very often you'll see characters in media putting their own needs aside for their lover. A lot of people will swoon at that because it is usually presented as proof of how dedicated they are to their partner and their wellbeing. (See... well the thai adaptation actually).

But what has pleasantly surprised me is how Toyota handles this in her manga.

Starting from the beginning, we all know the millions of things Kurosawa did for Adachi to get closer to him. After all, that is what's usually expected of him if we talk traditional gender roles. But one of the reasons Adachi even starts falling for Kurosawa is because of how he was for once able to do something for him.

For someone with very low self-esteem, being able to help this super-capable perfect man is a big boost in confidence and also raises his own selfworth.

So now let's look at a few instances of selfless action and the consequences resulting from them.

First one is the disaster-date in volume 4

Kurosawa does his very best to choose activities that he thinks Adachi will enjoy. That is his primary concern.

The effect this has on Adachi though is that the gap between them feels impossibly wide, only worsening his already low opinion of himself.

Whenever Kurosawa does something big, it makes Adachi feel that much smaller. That's why he'd rather them be equals in everything instead of one giving more than the other.

Next is the argument they have in volume 8

Kurosawa attempts to, very selflessly, protect Adachi from his lowkey homophobic parents. He doesn't want them and their opinions to hurt Adachi personally, so he ends up lying to him to keep the peace. The effect this has on Adachi though is disastrous. At first he's just generally worried about why Kurosawa would even lie to him in the first place, but then they have that fight in their living room and you really get a good look at how negatively this affects Adachi.

The very first conclusion he jumps to is that he's not doing good enough for Kurosawa to feel secure with him.

The next one is even worse, where he thinks he's not good enough in general. Both of these show how when pressed, he will default to blaming himself, believing that he is the problem first and foremost.

And then, if all of that wasn't bad enough, this happens next:

He's actually being self-deprecating again, something he hadn't done ever since Kurosawa told him not to in volume 5. And yes you can actually go back and check for yourself. Whenever he has negative thoughts after this point he's always pushing back.

So there's an escalation happening here, one that is entirely caused by Kurosawa not sharing his burdens with him, by making their relationship unequal.

I think it also hurts him extra bad because they've had this argument before, just with their roles switched.

So to him it must feel like Kurosawa is betraying the important lesson Adachi learned from that argument, which is that communicating with your partner is important, even when you feel like it might hurt them.

There's also something to be said about how most people would've probably stopped prodding when someone says "it's something I can't tell you", but Adachi knows that Kurosawa has a pattern of hiding his issues from him thanks to the mind reading, which is the whole reason they had that argument in vol 6 in the first place.

So, to summarize: Whenever Kurosawa acts selfless it takes a toll on Adachi's mental health. Because of his low self-esteem he needs to feel on equal terms with Kurosawa to be able to see himself as worthwhile. (And obviously he also loves Kurosawa and doesn't want to see him in pain just in general.)

So after all that, surely Kurosawa would have learned his lesson, right? Surely he wouldn't just do it again, right?

... Spoilers for volume 12 start here ✨

So volume 12 is all about Kurosawa overworking himself because he's been assigned this big project by their chief to oversee their company's spot at a stationery convention. (I didn't look up whether or not that's a real thing but it is in the manga universe I guess lmao.)

Adachi tries to help alleviate his burdens with mixed success.

(On the left he feeds Kurosawa because he needs to finish his work and doesn't have time to eat. On the right he tries to take a phonecall for Kurosawa but gets told that Kurosawa needs to hear it personally so relaying a message won't do.)

Then Adachi muses to himself how Kurosawa was always helping him out in the past and how Adachi can't do anything for him in return, especially since they're in different departments. He feels very useless, which is once again bad for his mental health.

Later at home, he offers to at least take over the chores for the time being, but gets told that Kurosawa actually enjoys doing chores so there's no need for him to help.

Kurosawa tells him that all he needs is Adachi to be close to him, while making out with him on the sofa. And right here we see how he only got half the lesson he was supposed to have learned in volume 8: In their fight Adachi told him that they should both be happy and he should share "all the hurt" with him, too. Well, the simple solution to that is not to see all his burdens as burdens, then he's not hurting and Adachi doesn't need to bother fussing over him! Win-win. Epic mind gymnastics 😎 (To be honest, I feel like this is actually very relatable to people that tend to give more than they take. We get so used to the weight of the burden that we don't notice it slowly pulling us down.)

So Adachi obviously notices what's going on and berates him about not having understood anything he said from that fight.

Throughout the volume Kurosawa gets more and more overworked, makes mistakes and is confronted with unexpected complications. He's very adamant about not asking anyone for help though, stating that he "can't be bothering his senpais any more than he already has" and that he's "doing this all for the sake of his future with Adachi".

He also still has some hangups about people seeing him as just a pretty face, as you can see in that flashback in the second page. He constantly feels the need to prove himself to others, which prevents him from ever seeking out help.

So when he inevitably reaches his limit, Adachi is finally able to be there for him, being the only one that sees through his facade.

(That hand kiss is so precious 😭)

Also, on that first page Adachi asks him whether or not he's fine, which reminds me of this panel from volume 6:

He really knows him so well.

Emboldened by his husband, Kurosawa finally does ask for help and is, of course, met with understanding and sympathy.

.

Spoilers for volume 12 end here ✨

So all this to say: Sometimes, when we try our best to be selfless and to protect the people close to us, we do more harm than good. Sometimes we cause harm to others (see volumes 4 and 8) and sometimes we cause harm to ourselves (see volume 12). It is of course a noble cause but it's not something to strive for at all times and can sometimes be actually counterproductive to what we wanted to achieve in the first place.

As someone who breaks themselves apart to help all the people around them, this aspect of the manga resonated very strongly with me and is probably the biggest reason I got so obsessed with this silly little BL romcom.

I know that this manga is not like, the best in quality. I know it's super niche and silly and cannot compare to the big popular mainstream manga with lots of depth and thought put into it, BUT.

A piece of art doesn't need to be "good" in order to resonate with people. You don't need to paint the mona lisa to reach someone and make them feel seen. You just need some sort of medium and a will to communicate something to the observer. (Something an AI could never replicate but that is a whole other discussion.)

This manga reached me when I needed it and it communicated a message that resonated with me and that is all it needed to do for me to love it to the point of obsession. 💖

Finally I'm done with this essay it is so long oh my god. If you reached the end of this, I'm so sorry. I hope you enjoyed it tho.

[plutoasteroids]

In Another Life- PAC

PILE 1 PILE 2 PILE 3

This reading is allegedly for entertainment purposes only. I am not responsible for any choices made in accordance to my readings!

TW: MENTIONS OF DEATH, G@MBLING AND G@NG AFFILIATON READ AT YOUR OWN RISK YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

This reading is to find out who your past life lover was

PILE 1

Your past life lover was someone very in control, they had a desire to always protect and be the one to bear all the burdens regardless of if they were male or female. This person felt like home to you they may be coming back as your lover again in this past life there is a soul tie between you both. Anyways, they have a lot of inner strength nothing really tore them down they constantly thrived to be better and honestly most of the time things never worked out for them but they never gave up they kept going, they were always so confident and held themselves with high regard no one could point anything out that could be remotely awful about your person, they were quite likable and attractive and was always the leader never the follower. In this lifetime they are bound to continue striving to be the leader and keep doing the best they can while also balancing being human as in letting themselves feel their emotions instead of living life like they are a robot.

For some of you it could be in the 1800's, In this lifetime they are born in the 90's or you were born in the 90's but 90's holds significance. England, Paris, Germany specifically Berlin, Japan, Switzerland

PILE 2

Your past life lover was very resourceful they could always turn a situation good or bad in their favour. they are quite smart and cunning, they were the type to run circles around you without you realising until the very end that they tricked you. Because of their ability to be able to talk themselves out of a situation they felt like they didn't need to work for anything. They could just trick anyone into doing whatever. They could have used any means necessary to get their way like their appearance and words which honestly may have led to a lot of issues for them down the line especially financially because eventually people caught up to what they were doing and in a way they were shunned and they needed to find a way to turn things around and change and I don't think they managed to do that in that last lifetime so in this new lifetime they will have to learn to be more humble and hard working instead of using deception to get their way. For some of you there is a chance that you will be with them again this lifetime but for the majority it's very unlikely.

(Bonnie and Clyde as well as Elvis Presly could point to just time eras not that they were affiliated with them but who knows maybe they could have)

England, early to mid 1900's, Elvis Presley, Bonnie and Clyde, France, Germany, World War 1, Cambridge, G@mbling, g@ng affiliation.

PILE 3

Your past life lover was constantly burdened by one thing or another mostly relating to not having enough money to do something else. Your past life lover may have been a sailor or fisherman and passed away quite young. Whatever they tried to do to make ends meet never seemed to work for them it was just loss after loss. They worked so hard with absolutely nothing to show for it after all that hard work and it was such a frustrating situation for everyone involved because they were always plagued by poverty and never having enough. At the end of the day when all that hard work was over their only source of happiness or peace was YOU. Things never seemed as awful with you around. Things did eventually get better, but it was a long and treacherous battle to getting to that stability and unfortunately, they didn't live long enough to enjoy it. They were plagued by illness at a young age and passed. Unfortunately, in this lifetime I don't see them being your future spouse.

Ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome, Papyrus, boats, tan skin, white, gold

[hwnglx]

𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘦 - 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧?

hi loves. i've been feeling this urge to spread some positive energy to some of you who might be struggling a little these days. so, i figured i could make my very first pac. one that will (hopefully) make you feel a little bit more peaceful. breathe slowly, take your time and use your intuition to go with the pile that speaks to you the most. take what resonates and leave what doesn't. 𓆩♡𓆪

pile 1-3 (left till right)

pile 4-6 (left till right)

✧ pile 1 ✧ queofp, moon, knofw, 5ofprx, temp, highpr, emper

hi lovely pile 1 person.

so, you're likely to be an earth sign or have dominant earth placements, and some water influences (your moon?). it makes you someone who appreciates hard work and groundedness a lot. however, there might be a tendency for you to lose yourself in your thoughts, and let insecurity take over you sometimes. i can see you blaming yourself for it a lot, and not liking that fact. especially because you have so much ambition and enthusiasm for the things you desire, you hate how your own mind can sometimes stand in the way of you fulfilling it in a way that you wish you could.

but, don't beat yourself up over this. i can see a lot of power in you, especially your intellect can do such amazing things. you're probably very intuitive, but maybe not fully aware of it yet. once you learn how to balance out your deep thoughts and see them as your asset instead of a weakness, you will be able to go so much further in life.

this might take some time, so don't rush and trust the proccess. maybe you still are in need of some more maturing. but believe me when i tell you, you have everything you need within you already. you're an extremely powerful and special individual, who's destined for so many amazing things. i can see you surprising yourself with how much you can achieve, if you just believe in yourself and your capabilites more. the world can be so vast and overwhelming, and this can get too much for you sometimes. but i'm telling you right now, that you were made for this. there's nothing in this world that you can not achieve, the universe put so much potential in you.

you will have your time to be your best self. once you get to a stronger and more stable place, you will be able look back at the times you doubted yourself fondly. stay strong, trust yourself, don't let the unknown make you insecure. you got this. i believe in you 🤍

✧ pile 2 ✧ 7ofp, 6ofw, 10ofw, herm, 10ofsw, fool

hello there, pile 2 person.

my god, i can feel the heavy weight on your back right away. are you very tired and exhausted? i know, you've persevered through so many burdens and draining periods in your life. i know that, eventhough to the outside it might look like you're successful, you're achieving many things and get praised a lot. but deep inside, you feel lonely. i know that constantly being seen as the "hard working, dilligent and persistent person" can be so much pressure, that sometimes you wish you could just give up.

is constantly wanting to look perfect to the outside world draining you? do you sometimes wish you could just let loose, not care about a thing in the world and allow yourself to be free? i know it must be so hard to feel like you can't let anyone in on these thoughts. i know you don't like people looking at you as weak, insecure, lazy or easily tired. but i am here to tell you, that i understand and support you. i am here to tell you, you are not alone in this journey. and there is someone who, even if they can't fully relate, will accept you with all your weaknesses and flaws. who knows, maybe they aren't even weaknesses in anyone else's eyes.

you're so incredibly hard on yourself, and should allow yourself to rest more. you've earned the rest, even by just being you. you don't have to constantly be productive, do or achieve something in order to let yourself relax. you deserve to be at peace at all times, even on days when you didn't do anything.

go outside, let yourself feel the freeing breeze or the beautiful sunshine, allow yourself to just feel life flowing through your veins sometimes. realize how precious you are, by just existing and being you. there is nothing in the world more valuable than the life and soul you were given. don't let yourself be persuaded into having to be anything more than you already are, you and your raw existence are good enough.

i am so proud of you. for enduring through so many burdenful moments in your life. please, tell yourself that it's okay to sit back and enjoy peace sometimes. you are doing an incredible job. celebrate yourself for the beautiful person you are, not only the things you can do.

✧ pile 3 ✧ queofc, 7ofp, pagofw, emper, kingofc, 7ofsw, 9ofp, moon, judg, wheel

hi sweet person who picked pile 3.

wow, there's definitely many things going on in you, hm? you might have some strong water placements (i'm feeling cancer strongly..) which makes you a very emotionally intelligent person. i'm aware of how that can impact you and your practical life sometimes. there is this very unique intertwine between being very mature, but on the other hand still getting humbled from time to time, when it comes to certain experiences like.. "wow. i guess i'm not that far in life yet. i didn't think i'd still have so much to learn." i think it's a beautiful thing for you to be able to take those moments and learn from them. adding them to your life experience and turning into an even better person who's more in control, more self-aware. you're truly an incredible human being. so hardworking indeed.

are you struggling to trust people sometimes? i know, it's a lot easier trusting yourself before anyone else. people are so easy to deceive you, take advantage of your trust and use it for their own selfish good. you're such a strong human being for still going through life just doing your own thing, and it's awe-inspiring to watch. i can see people almost being envious of that trait of yours, and maybe even intimidated.

are there some people who tell you you're too independent sometimes? i know, that can be slightly annoying sometimes. it's almost like.. yeah, there's a reason for that. when i needed any of you, no one was by my side. and now that i'm relying on myself, i'm too self-reliant? it can feel ridiculous and, trust me. i understand you incredibly well. but, could be there be moments where you can tell how this security you keep showing others, is slipping from you.. and you all of a sudden feel lonely? can that feeling of loneliness even surprise you from time to time, like.. you usually are so content being on your own, what the hell happened.. maybe you should realize that, sometimes it's okay to need some guidance from others.

time is an interesting thing, and sometimes it can slip by us quicker than we realize. i can strongly feel, that the universe has a very exact and special plan for you. i know, life in general can just get too much, things can confuse you, not knowing where life is leading you can make you feel so so insecure and unsure.

but i'm telling you, trust divine's timing. and realize you're in good hands. everything that is happening to you, is happening for your highest good. i know these moments of feeling so drained and not knowing where to go or what to look forward to, can be scary sometimes. but, even those moments can be so precious for you and your experience in life. i can see you looking back at your low moments and acknowledging how they were just another part of your journey, that the universe is taking you on. you're never being put through anything that you can not handle. have trust in the universe and divine's timing, and you will realize you're here for a reason. i trust and believe in you, i will cheer you on always. you're much more amazing than you know 💕

✧ pile 4 ✧ 5ofsw&kingofsw, devil&death, knofc, magic, 8ofw, wheel&10ofsw, 4ofsw&4ofc

hi there, welcome to pile 4.

so far, you might have the most demanding energy out of everyone. wow. you're definitely a force to be reckoned with.

do you sometimes struggle with always wanting to win, be the best at everything, maybe have a bit of an ego.. i can tell that you felt defeated by it a lot, thinking it makes you extremely selfish and egocentric. in a "am i going too far? is it really that serious?" type of way.

you should know that, using your charming powers to get what you want isn't always a bad thing. even the fact that you're aware of your toxic traits, already makes you much more mature and admirable than some others out there! i do believe it's incredible how you can recognize what is bad and what is good about this side of you. you're extremely powerful, being able to just transform your unhealthy habits into something more beneficial, is so impressive in my opinion. it's like, you are overly competitive? yes you might be, but that's what makes you stand out. that driven nature of yours makes you work on your skills and talents even more than others. so, don't listen to people telling you you're "too much". as long as you're not hurting anybody, you're doing absolutely amazing.

do you love to talk? i can see you being such a great communicator, you most likely are great at persuading people into things. honestly, i see you as such an endearing and charismatic person.. anyone who says otherwise is most likely just envious of your unique character. they're probably a little too boring themselves, which is why your outstanding personality makes them insecure. don't listen.

i think, you might be going through a period of powerful change, that might be scaring you right now. things might be going a little too quick and you're worried you'll lose control.. time can be a terrifying thing, and i understand you're trying your best to just stay calm. maybe you're even bluntly ignoring some signs the universe is showing you. maybe you're just too exhausted to put your mind to certain things, that could be very important for you to recognize. i know it can be tiring to constantly keep up, trying to stay so self-aware all the time isn't easy. but don't let any of these scary experiences discourage you. you have so much potential in you, and the universe has a higher plan for you right now.

whatever ending you had to go through, whatever changed for you so abruptly, was something the universe had planned for you for a long time now. don't exhaust yourself by trying to understand everything all the time, but also don't get discouraged and give up on your journey or your plans. you're an incredibly talented, magical and beautiful human being. life has a lot of amazing things in stock for you. continue devoting yourself to your plans, there will be so many fulfilling things coming for you. you're more powerful than you know, beautiful soul ❣️

✧ pile 5 ✧ kingofsw&tower, queofp, pagofsw, 9ofc, death, 5ofc, strength

hello, dear pile 5 person.

how are you doing? has something unexpected or sudden happened recently, that caught you off guard? i understand you really hate things falling out of balance, and feel like the universe is testing you right now. you feel like a lot of sharp thinking is asked of you right now, and might feel like even worse news could be coming. i have to say, i admire your ability to remain calm and collected, even during uncomfortable times like these.

do you feel like things were perfect just a moment ago, and there was this crucial and fatal moment of loss, that brought you a lot of sorrow? are you disappointed? do you miss someone? i get, that these sudden transformations must be hard to deal with.. like, i can truly feel your sadness. it's absolutely impressive for you to stay so strong. are you aware of how strong you are? you might feel like you took some things in life for granted before, and are now receiving your "pay-back" for that. were things too good to be true? but i'm asking of you, to not think about over what is lost too much. there are so many amazing and beautiful things awaiting you.

sometimes, it's okay to let your feelings loose and just cry everything out. but don't let yourself stay stuck at that point, and learn to move on. i remember when someone once told me "it's okay to cry. but once you're done, make sure you never cry for the same reason again." as hurtful as this might sound, what is gone is gone. you're so unbelievably precious and special, don't let your beautiful heart suffer too much. let some things go, embrace change, as uncomfortable as it might get. i promise, you will only gain strength from it.

i understand that you're getting wary, like every type of news you get makes you nervous. you're scared of things constantly changing, you not having any control over it. you might feel like you got too comfortable before, and are now realizing how difficult it is to deal with changes. but trust me when i tell you, changes are inevitable, and the earlier you practice the acceptance over that, the easier life will get for you.

i can tell you, one day you'll think back to this, and realize the changes were needed. i'm truly wishing you all the best in the world, and hope that your soul will get everything it deserves. you're an immensely strong soul. and not only i am proud of you.. but the universe is too. stay powerful, dear reader 🖤

✧ pile 6 ✧ hangm, 8ofp, queofc&3ofw, moon, 4ofc, 3ofc&5ofp

hi, pile 6 person. i hope you're doing okay.

have you been feeling like things have been very stagnant lately? perhaps your work has been very monotone. you're so hardworking and put so much effort into your craft or career. do you feel worried over it not paying off in the end? are you still waiting for the results, and scared that all the effort will go to waste? are you still waiting for things to finally change for the better?

i understand, that you might've even neglected your social life to an extent, where you're feeling the loneliness now.. it must be hard to feel so isolated and alone sometimes. you put so much of your heart and soul into working on things, that you can easily forget to sit back and let yourself enjoy life a little more. is it always "work hard" but never "play hard" for you? why are you so dissatisfied still? are the results not reflective of the effort you put into your work?

my god, you must be thinking so so much these days. i can just see all the question marks in your head, all these thoughts in your mind just racing.. all the confusion. i wholeheartedly understand how insecure it might be making you. it's actually crazy for me to think you're still so dissatisfied, despite probably being the most hardworking person in your circle. do you ever allow yourself to look back, and not just beat yourself up over how you're never enough, but realize how incredibly ambitious and dilligent you actually are? why do you always see the bad things about yourself so clearly.. but never pat yourself on the back?

you must miss this feeling of someone telling you, you did well. you're doing such a great job.. you must be missing the feeling of just having fun and being happy in the moment. not overthinking about everything all the time. but i will be the one telling you, you're doing so insanely well. and you deserve to be told that all the time, no matter what you might think yourself.. you're amazing.

i know, you're scared to feel guilty if you get back to having more fun in life.. you're worried things will take a turn for the worse. but i can tell you right now, no amount of work is worth sacrificing your happiness and wellbeing for. you're such a beautiful and deserving human being, tell yourself you're doing well, regardless of the results. have patience and trust in the universe working things out for you. i know, practicing patience must be so draining for you at this point. but i can promise you, hard work will never betray you. you can be extremely proud of yourself.

still, i'm asking you to put yourself first. put your health first, put your joy first. the happier you are outside your work-life, the easier it will be for you to not get stressed over everything. allow yourself more rest, allow yourself to socialize more. trust me when i tell you, you will finally get the emotional fulfillment you're craving so bad, if you prioritize your happiness, first and foremost.

i'm so proud of you, dear reader! and i hope you can let yourself have a day filled with fun times today, away from all the responsibilites. remember, you're doing amazing sweetie. *kris jenner voice* 👏🏻🥰

[jjkamochoso]

Maybe gojo comforting the reader after a bad day, i have a really rough class in college this year, so some gojo cuddling would save me :3

I’m soooo sorry that you’re dealing with a hard class this year, I remember what that’s like and it’s definitely no fun!! I hope this makes you feel a bit better and I’m wishing you lots of luck and success in that and your other classes too!! Thank you very much for the request!!!!🫶❤️

College Comfort

Fluff

Gojo x gn!reader

Warnings: none

Thank god that’s over.

You grabbed your bag and basically ran out of the classroom as fast as your legs could take you, not wanting to spend another second thinking about that dreaded class you just attended. Between all of the projects and homework you’d been assigned, finding time to do practically anything outside of that class was near impossible. Not to mention, the subject was definitely not an easy one to learn.

Safe to say, you desperately needed a break.

Your annoyance continued to grow as you felt your cellphone ring incessantly from inside your bag. You didn’t even bother checking the caller ID before clicking the small green phone icon.

“Yes?” you answered with an aggressive tone, wondering who needed to contact you so urgently that they were calling every five seconds.

“How’s my favorite student doing?” came a cheerful response from the other end, clearly unbothered by your irritation.

“Oh! It’s you, Satoru,” you breathed out, your mood already starting to lift at the sound of your boyfriend’s voice. “I’ve been better. This class is exhausting me.”

“I can tell with the way you were ready to jump through the phone and murder me,” he said, making you laugh for the first time all day.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Everything gets on my nerves easily after sitting through those lectures.”

“I have just the thing to make you feel better,” he told you. “Come over to my apartment as soon as you can and I’ll meet you there.”

“Are you sure? I know you’re busy teaching today.”

“Eh, I’ll let the kids out early. Give ‘em a group project to work on, I know how much you scholarly types love those.”

“You’re evil, but I’m grateful you would burden your loving pupils with something like that for me.”

“Anything for you, y/n,” said Gojo. “See you soon, okay?”

“Okay,” you nodded, hanging up and letting out a long sigh of relief. On your way over to Gojo’s place, you decided to surprise him with something sweet to show your appreciation for him. You stopped by your favorite bakery and ordered a few of their pastries, making sure to get plenty of the super sweet ones for Satoru. Satisfied with the results of your shopping, you made your way to Gojo’s with an extra pep in your step that definitely wasn’t present earlier.

You rang the doorbell to Gojo’s apartment, brimming with excitement. Yours and Gojo’s schedules had been hectic lately and finally being able to spend time with him was making you giddy. When the door opened, you were surprised by the appearance of his bright blue eyes that met your own.

“No blindfold today?” you questioned, stepping inside as he closed the door behind you.

“I wanted to see you with all of my eyes,” he said, a lazy grin on his face as you leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss.

“Have you always been such a hopeless romantic or is it because we’ve been apart for too long that it’s messing with your head?” you teased, placing the pastry box on his kitchen counter.

“It’s been too long since you’ve been here, I’ve missed you,” he declared. You would’ve found the sentiment to be swoon worthy if he was actually talking to you instead of the pastries.

“Should I leave and give you two some alone time?”

“No, don’t leave, I was joking,” Gojo whined, powdered sugar from the desserts covering his lips. You couldn’t help the laugh that slipped through, filling his apartment with the sound of your joy. Gojo’s eyes softened as he watched your face crinkle in delight; he had missed this lighthearted side of you. Your happiness had been affected by bad days and hard classes for much too long and it bothered him that there was nothing he could do to help you. However, he would never stop trying to keep a smile on your face, even if only for an afternoon.

“So what was it that you had for me?” you questioned, referring to what he said during your phone call.

“Right! Are you ready? Close your eyes,” he said, and you did so. “Okay. Open!”

You opened your eyes and saw… him standing in the exact same spot with the exact large smile he had before you closed your eyes.

“It’s me!” he said excitedly. You were confused for a split second until you realized what he said.

“You’re all I could ever hope for,” you said earnestly, throwing yourself into his tall frame and wrapping your arms tightly around him. Gojo was taken aback by your sudden movement but he wasn’t anything less than ecstatic; he was just happy you weren’t frustrated with his lack of an actual surprise.

“C’mon, let’s go comfortable.”

Gojo felt you pull away from him and he knelt down. “Hop on.”

You looked at him with a cocked eyebrow.

“For a piggy back ride! It’ll be fun!” he said, trying to convince you.

“I will literally hit my head on the ceiling if I hop on your back.”

He brought his lips into a pout. “I promise I’ll duck as low as I can.”

“Fine. But if you knock me out on one of the doorframes, please let me sleep because I need the rest.”

He gave you a thumbs up. “Will do!”

You rolled your eyes playfully and climbed onto his back. The journey to his bedroom was short lived but plenty of fun, just as he said it would be, and little by little your stress was melting away. You landed on the bed from Gojo’s back with a soft thud and you eagerly began to snuggle in the warm sheets. Gojo climbed in the bed as well and pulled you in close to him, your head resting perfectly under his chin as he pressed his chest against your back. The steady rhythm of his heart was having a calming effect on you and you relished in the peaceful atmosphere.

“You wanna talk about everything that’s bothering you?” he wondered, sounding surprisingly serious for once. “It’s not good to hold it in.”

You agreed and began to vent all of your pent up frustrations about your difficult class and life in general. The whole time, Gojo was intently listening and the feeling of his chest vibrating with every “hm” and “mhm” of acknowledgement was helping you stay grounded and not become overwhelmed by your emotions. When you said things he found particularly sad, his hold on you became subconsciously tighter.

“I’m sorry you’re dealing with all of that,” he murmured when you were done talking, pressing a kiss onto the top of your head. “I hate seeing you having to go through difficult things and knowing I can’t stop any of them.”

You turned around to face Gojo, taking hold of his hands in yours. “It’s the same feeling I have toward you, Satoru. You go through impossible situations and I feel bad that I can only offer advice instead of actively doing something about it.”

Silence permeated the air for a little bit as you two got lost in thought.

“We make quite the pair, don’t we?” Gojo eventually said.

“We do.” You brought a hand up and lovingly ran it through his fluffy white hair. “Thank you for inviting me over. This is exactly what I needed to feel better.”

“I could get your professor fired if you want. That might make you feel even better.”

You immediately halted. “What? No, please don’t do that.”

He shrugged. “Why not? Throw enough money at a school and even their most tenured teacher can disappear by the next week. It doesn’t seem like you’re learning anything anyway.”

You shook your head and chuckled in disbelief. “You’re seriously crazy, Gojo.”

“Just crazy in love,” he replied, cheekily winking at you.

“You’re talking to me this time, right? There’s not a pastry box behind me?”

“I’m never gonna be able to live that down, am I?” he groaned.

“Nope,” you said, cuddling into his body once more, “but you’re lucky because I’m crazy in love with you too.”

[alittlebitofloveliness]

idk if your requests for the numbered ficlets are closed but could you do #4 for ponyboy? Only if you have the time, don't wanna be a burden.

Outsiders Prompt Fic #10- No it ain't! It ain't ok!

HI hon! Not a burden at all, I had so much fun writing this one and I hope you enjoy reading it as much and I enjoyed writing it. (For those of you paying attention, yes, I know this is not the order I said I would write these in in but what can I say, inspiration struck.)

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

Something is wrong with Ponyboy.

He’s doing his best to hide it- talking with Johnny, goading Steve, laughing with Soda-  and if Darry was still just his big brother instead of his guardian he probably wouldn’t have noticed, but he’s been the kid’s primary caregiver for almost a year now and he’s learned Pony’s tells.

His brother’s face is a bit pale, and he’s leaning into Johnny's side a bit more than he usually would. He’d eaten a decent amount of dinner, so Darry’s hoping he isn’t coming down with the stomach flu, but at this point in time he isn’t ruling anything out. He also isn’t about to make any rash decisions. Keeping a cool head had taken some practice after first becoming Pony and Soda’s guardian. At first, the barest hint of a sniffle had left him panicking, all too aware that mom and dad were gone and his little brothers being sick was his problem to deal with. The free clinic must have been sick of him calling those first few months, he’s sure of it. Now though, he’s learned to calm down some, and take things as they come. 

He’s supposed to be going out this weekend. Tim Shepard of all people had talked him into it, mentioning he was heading down to Texas of all places and invited him along. He’d been hesitant at first, unwilling to get involved in any of the Shepard gang’s shenanigans, but Tim had assured him none of his gang was coming along and it didn’t have anything to do with his business, so Darry had eventually caved. Strange as it was to admit, he and Shepard had grown remarkably close over the past year. If you’d told him back in high school that in three years time his closest friend outside of the gang would be jailbird Tim Shepard, he’d have laughed in your face. Now though, now that he’s gotten to know Tim better, it makes sense. They’re two sides of the same coin, and Tim had been remarkably helpful when he was figuring out the whole parenting thing. Anyone who could keep Curly Shepard alive for fifteen years was someone Darry wasn’t ashamed to ask parenting advice from.

So he’d been looking forward to this weekend. Tim had sworn it would be a good chance for the two of them to relax and get away from their kids, and as anxious as he was to leave Soda andPpony by their lonesome, he also couldn’t deny the lure of a holiday with no responsibilities was incredibly appealing. So he’d agreed, and Tim was supposed to come by in the morning to pick him up.

If Ponyboy gets any paler though, Darry knows he’s gonna have to call and cancel. He’d never be able to relax if he knew Ponyboy was sick, and the last thing he’d wanna do is stress Tim out on his holiday. God knows Tim deserves a break even more than he does. 

Besides, Pony gets clingy when he’s sick, always has, and Darry knows it’s been hard for him since mom and dad died. He himself notices their absence the most when he’s sitting at the table, filling out bills, or when one of his brothers has a problem he doesn’t immediately know how to solve; but Pony and Soda miss them most when they’re sick. Pony wakes up from dreams calling out for dad, and Soda still cries for mom when he’s delirious from fever. He can’t leave if Pony’s getting sick, he just can’t. He’s no substitute for mom and dad, he knows it, but it’s his job to look out for him now that they aren’t here and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t do his very best- and that includes being around for Pony to cling to when he isn’t feeling well.

Still, there's no need to catastrophize yet. Maybe Pony’s just tired from track practice and needs a good night’s sleep. He keeps an eye on his youngest brother as he passes back and forth through the living room, packing his bag. Pony seems to be holding his own. At the very least he doesn’t seem to be getting worse. 

He finishes packing around 9:30, and parks himself in the recliner, watching as Johnny continues to trounce his brothers and Steve at poker, despite Soda’s many attempts to cheat. Pony yawns more and more the longer they play and gives up around quarter past ten, using Johnny for support as he shakily climbs to his feet.

“Think I’m gonna’ turn in before Johnny steals all the smokes I have.”

“You might have the right idea kid,” Steve glowers, always a sore loser, “we’re gettin’ cleaned out.”

Johnny’s ever so slightly smug grin doesn’t quite fit behind his hands of cards. 

“What’s the matter Steve? Scared you’ll lose again?”

Steve lunges at him and they start tussling, knocking into Ponyboy as they do so. Pony stumbles a bit- more than he should, considering the boys' play fighting isn’t anywhere near properly rough.

Catching Soda’s eye, Darry can tell he isn’t the only one who noticed.

“Pony c’mere a minute.”

If he couldn’t tell something was up with Pony before, the kid’s badly disguised deer in headlights look would have given it away right now.

Beckoning him closer, Darry brushes his baby brother's mop of hair out of his eyes, pressing the back of his hand to his forehead.

Hm. Warm, but not as bad as he’d expected. 

“You feelin’ ok?”

Pony bats his hand away, “I’m fine Dar.”

“Let’s get a thermometer to prove that, huh?” Darry shook his head, “C’mon little buddy.”

He wraps an arm around his youngest brother’s shoulders, answering Soda’s concerned look with a reassuring smile as he carefully sidesteps Steve and Johnny’s wrestling match.

“I’m fine Dar, I mean it, just a little tired is all.” 

The heavy way he’s leaning against him tells a different story, as did the thermometer a minute later when he pulled it out of Pony’s mouth.

“You’re runnin’ a fever,” Darry tells him, like he hadn’t seen the result himself, “what else is up? You’re dead pale. Is your stomach hurting?”

“No.” Pony crosses his arms mulishly. “I told you, I’m fine.”

Oh so he’s going to be stubborn. That’s fine. Two can play at that game, and Darry always wins.

“You got a headache?” 

“No.”

“Are you lyin’ to me?”

“...yes.”

He looks so young, all lost and grumpy sitting on the edge of the bathtub where Darry had pressed him when he was taking his temperature. Darry can feel himself soften, is sure it must show in his eyes. His eyes have always betrayed him when it comes to emotions.

“What else kid? You gotta let me help you.”

“Just my head,” Pony mumbles, “and I’m a little dizzy but I think it’s just ‘cause I’m tired.”

“I’ll get you some water and some aspirin,” Darry promises, “you get ready for bed ok? I’ll bring it to ya.” 

He ruffles his hair, wincing at the heat radiating off his forehead, and goes to get a glass from the kitchen.

“Ponyboy alright?” Soda asks as soon as he steps into the living room, eyes bright with a specific kind of worry only their baby brother can draw out of him, and Darry claps a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Just has a bit of a headache is all. You keep playin’ your game, I got him.”

Soda only hesitates a moment before nodding, dropping back down beside Steve. He’s gotten a lot better about that lately, about letting Darry and Ponyboy figure out how to get along better, and letting Darry do some of the more nurturing stuff Ponyboy needs. Darry knows it isn’t easy for him- Soda doesn’t like to share, especially when it comes to Ponyboy, even more so when it comes to taking care of him- and he appreciates it more than he can say. It’s far easier for him and Pony to get along and settle into their not-just-brothers-but-not-quite-a-parent dynamic, when Darry doesn’t always have to be the bad cop.

He fills a glass with water and makes his way to Pony’s room, where his brother is asleep already, auburn hair mussed and cheek smushed into his pillow. Darry smiles a moment, a strange feeling he’s had since becoming Pony’s guardian swelling in his chest, that isn’t quite parental but is somewhat stronger than simply brotherly swelling in his chest. Pony looks so sweet like this, so soft and young. He’s getting mighty big now, but it’s at times like this that Darry remembers how young fourteen really is.

“Hey baby,” he hates to wake him, but the kid needs meds, “up you get, I got you some aspirin.”

Ponyboy’s eyes blink open before he can shake him.

 “I wasn’t asleep” he says, a note of petulance in his tone, ”I was just resting my eyes.”

“Ok.” Darry isn’t gonna fight him on that, just cradles his head while he swallows the pills and gulps down his water.

“There,” Darry takes the empty glass from Pony’s hand and sets it on the nightstand, “get some sleep alright? I’ll check on you before I go to bed, and if you’re not better in the morning I’ll call the clinic.”

“You’n Tim are leaving in the morning.”

“Ponyboy I ain’t goin’ anywhere if you’re sick,” he ignores the slight disappointment curdling in his stomach. He knew what he was doing when he signed those guardianship papers, knew what he was giving up. Doesn’t regret it either. “I’ll call Tim in the morning and cancel.”

Tim would understand. He’d never admit it, but Darry know’s he’d do the same if Angela or Curly got real sick last minute,

“No!” Ponyboy sits up so fast he nearly headbuts Darry in the nose. “No, you can't!”

“It’s ok Ponyboy-” he starts, reaching to try and soothe him, but Ponyboy squirms away, tears welling in his eyes.

“No it ain’t! It ain’t ok!”

“Hey, hey,” he reaches for him again, and this time Pony allows himself to get tucked into Darry’s side, “what’s goin’ on? Where’s this comin’ from? How come you don’t want me to stay with you?”

“It ain’t that!” Ponyboy gives him a wounded look, and Darry has never been so confused and worried in his life, “You just- you never go anywhere anymore and I know you were looking forward to this weekend away. More than that you deserve it, you’re always workin’ so hard and keeping track of me and Soda-”

“Pony, I don't care about all that. If you’re sick-”

“I ain’t gonna be the reason you miss your holiday.” Ponyboy crosses his arms, his face back in that godforsaken stubborn pout Darry loved and hated in equal measure, “I ain’t.”

“Ponyboy, listen to me,” he takes him by the shoulders, forcing him to make eye contact, “I am your guardian. More than that, I’m your big brother. It’s my job to make sure you're alright, and that’s gonna mean missing some things sometimes. I’m okay with that. It's part of the whole bein’ responsible thing.”

Ponyboy finally meets his gaze, stubborn expression melting away as his lip wobbles and his eyes fill with tears, the water a gloss over such a deep well of pain Darry feels his heart break before Pony even opens his mouth.

“I’m ruining your life,” his brother whispers, sounding so broken Darry can’t stand it, “You could’ve gone to college if it weren’t for me. You coulda gone somewhere and done something, and now you can’t even have a social life without me getting sick and fucking everything up.”

“Ponyboy,” he doesn't know what else to do but pull him into a hug, rocking him gently, “You aren’t ruining my life at all. You are my life, don’t you get that? You and Soda. I’d be miserable if I went to college or did any of those things because it would mean I’d have lost you guys, and I can’t even think about that, ok? And I still got a social life, I’m just lucky enough now to have a buddy who knows what it’s like to have to reschedule stuff and not get all pissy about it.”

“Tim gets pissy at everyone.” Pony mutters into his shoulder, but Darry can feel him grinning and knows he must've gotten through to him. 

“Not at me.”

“That right?” Ponyboy pulls away, familiar sass returning, “you must be pretty special then, huh?”

Darry feels his cheeks flushing.

“Ok, y’know what little buddy? You’re sick, go to bed, sleepy time now.”

He ruffles his brother’s hair and flees the room, waiting in the hallway until the telltale rustling of Pony getting settled ceases, then peeks back in.

Ponyboy is curled peacefully on his side, eyes closed, chest rising and falling slowly. 

Sure he’ll be ok, Darry creeps back to the living room. He’ll call Tim in the morning, but for now he’ll wait up a little longer so he can check on Pony once more before he goes to bed.

After all, this is what he signed up for, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

[qs63]

FMA 03 appreciation post.

Aside from the fact that FMA Brotherhood outright assumes you have watched FMA 03 — and skips a lot of the early events and world building — everyone should watch 03 because the manga/BH resolution also takes it into consideration.

FMA 03 is in many ways a mirror image to the Manga/BH story. It's a bit of a “what if these characters turned left instead of right” situation, and that makes 03 more significant if you want to understand how and why the manga ends up like that. I already talked in another post about Basque Grand and how much he changes from 03 to manga, but he's not the only one nor the most important character to do so.

Ed's core beliefs is that every life is precious and shouldn't be taken. He repeats this again and again throughout the story, and manga Ed manages to uphold that belief to the very end when he refuses to kill Pride. 03 Ed is no different, he too holds this belief dearly, but since FMA 03 makes the characters take a different turn, 03!Ed ends up accidentally killing Greed, effectively shattering his ideals. This single event marks the end of 03!Ed's innocence and childlike idealism/positivism. It pushes him into a more adult cynical and practical outlook of life.

This new outlook is what leads him to kill sloth (when manga Ed wouldn't kill Pride) and then sacrifice himself to get Al back despite knowing this decision would hurt Al, and so many others.

The Manga ending is very aware of the 03’s ending and outright references it when Mustang says Ed would never sacrifice himself as he knows the pain of being left behind. But the truth is that manga Ed is only able to reach a different conclusion to 03!Ed because he was able to maintain his stubborn idealism to the very end and find a solution his jaded practical self could've never reached.

Mustang's 03 ending is also another excellent example of what would happen if the character didn't uphold their beliefs and — somewhat naive— idealism to the end.

There are two key differences between 03!Roy and manga Roy. The first is Ishval. 03!Roy is all alone in Ishval and that makes a world of difference, 03!Roy doesn't get Hawkeye to question the value of alchemy/power, he doesn't have Hughes to support him every time he's facing the abyss, he doesn't have his squad to thank him for keeping them alive. The lesson 03!Roy takes from Ishval it’s not “We need each other to succeed” it is “I need to be stronger to succeed”, because 03!Roy was alone and never learned to share his burden, or the value of having someone to lean on.

It's no surprise then that 03!Roy ends up facing Pride ALONE, which is the second difference. The 03 ending where Roy turns his back to everyone and everything is exactly what would've happened to manga Roy if he too had been alone in Ishval, if he hadn't learned that he needed people at his side to keep him on the right path, if he hadn't had someone to stop him from making the same mistakes as 03!Roy when he faced Envy and almost embraced revenge over his values. Just like 03!Ed, that forceful break from his ideals (the core belief that you need the help of others to succeed and to work for something beyond yourself) is what makes 03!Roy ends up as a mirror image of his manga self.

So really go watch FMA 03 if you haven't because both endings become so much better when you understand they're a juxtaposition of each other, one that showcases the importance of hope, ideals, and companionship.

[pawpunkao3]

Yknow what since we're doing discourse on Irredeemable Teens I wanna share with yall some thoughts on Penelope Everpetal

Penelope is a wild magic sorcerer. It seems so random. With a name like Everpetal, wouldn't you expect her to have something more elegant, like divine soul sorcery? Storm sorcery, like her best friend Sam? Hell, even draconic sorcery has a certain villainous finesse to it, especially considering that she's working with a dragon. But instead, she gets wild magic. The subclass that new players get told to avoid because half of its features nerf your character. The subclass that has a 0.1% chance of killing you and everyone in a 20ft radius every time you cast a spell.

People like to joke that sorcerers don't work for their magic---I mean, they call the sorcery teacher "just a guy who hangs out with students and talks about how cool their powers are". But that's ignoring the other side of magic---not power, but control. While wizards and bards fought to learn to cast even basic spells, Penelope struggled to reel in her magic. It was a battle that nobody saw, and when she lost it, it would end up humiliating at best, and devastating at worst. Combine that with the fact that she seems spoiled and entitled---maybe the type of person to believe being born with magic made her better than other casters---and it's easy to see the conflict. Her sorcery should have made her glamorous, desirable. Instead, it only burdened her.

Maybe that's why Kalvaxus picked her as his future prom queen.

I imagine he found her in her freshman year. She'd had a surge in class and grown a big beard of blue feathers---not cute. Not pretty. Humiliating. So there she was, behind the school, sobbing and tearing them out in big bloody fistfuls and muttering about how she was going to kill everyone who ever laughed at her because she was the best most powerful sorceress ever, and, well. Kalvaxus normally wouldn't care about some idiot student being sad, but something about her fury intrigued him. It seemed...exploitable.

So he blew a puff of smoke her way and made her sneeze the rest of the feathers out. Told her she was right---she WAS better for being a sorceress, and it wasn't fair that people made fun of her for something she couldn't control. Penelope wouldn't have noticed the contradiction. She was only fourteen, and more than a little dehydrated. All she wanted was for someone to hear her problems and not laugh, and he did just that.

And so Vice Principal Goldenhoard became her special friend (don't tell mom and dad---they wouldn't understand that he really was just her friend, you know SOME teachers would be using her confidence for nefarious purposes. Not him, though. Never him). If she had a bad surge and Sam was busy, he would even let her eat lunch in his office. He made a confession: he wasn't a dragonborn. He was a true dragon, kept in this form by a wicked curse. She agreed that Aguefort was evil for trapping him. He should be principal, really. Maybe (when he suggested it) he should even rule the world.

As Penelope grew older, she and Kalvaxus made an agreement---she would help him rise to power, and he would make sure nobody mocked her and her friends ever again. He introduced her to some new friends---one of the paladin students, a party girl from Hudol, a warlock with a cool car. She started campaigning for prom queen. But there was one little thing: for the plan to work, he needed sacrifices. Nobody important---that stuck-up nerd from the library, the cringy horse girl who made everyone so embarrassed (she forgot how bad it felt to be in her place whenever she surged), a bossy jock. Kalvaxus had her pick out the next one---an annoying activist type, someone nobody really liked, someone who she might even be able to convince to give up her life for the "greater good". Kalvaxus was so proud. They took that brash cleric without a hitch, but it was harder to get her to budge on her best friend. Suddenly her good friend Kalvaxus turned scary---she couldn't back out now. She'd already helped kidnap five girls. Did she want him to turn her in? Besides, when she was queen, everyone would want to be her friend. Who is she to question him when he tells her to sacrifice this one?

Penelope didn't protest when Kalvaxus picked a random freshman as the last sacrifice. She'd already done the worst thing anyone could do.

By the time the Bad Kids charged into that gym, she was too far gone. She'd steeped too long in Kalvaxus's lies for the stain to come out. She genuinely believed that being herself gave her the right to be queen. She'd sacrificed so much for it, after all. Maybe eventually she realized she wasn't going to win. But hey, she came this far. Might as well go down swinging.

[josiesullysblog]

Like the Ocean

~Neteyam x Deaf Metkayina reader

~Fluff

~Proofread?-no

~Summary-You are Tonowari’s youngest daughter, you were a kind soul, always doing what’s right, and we're deaf. This never stopped you from enjoying the world, and one day a certain family came.

Note: This is my first time writing about the Metkayina! I hope everyone enjoys!

Your eyes sparkled as you watched the ocean. This was always your escape no matter what, it was always so beautiful and still. You smiled as you dipped your feet in, feeling the vibrations all around you. Being deaf enhanced your life in a way. Honestly, just by the way your eyes looked at everything, you’d think it was your first time seeing it. Your family never made you feel like a burden, your older siblings, Tsireya and Aonung, stopped any bullying that would be your way. Your mother, Ronal treated you as a baby, even though you were of age.

Anyways, you wouldn’t trade your life for anything. As you continued to play around you noticed people surrounding something. You assumed it might be someone hurt, so you rushed over there. Instead, you were met with a group of forest people. Your eyes widen in amazement as you began trying to get closer. Their bodies were much different, and if they trying to live here it would take them a while to learn the way of the water, you thought. You noticed two boys and two girls, but one stood out the most. His eyes had already been placed on you causing you to smile. You waved at the boy, who seemed shocked you waved and quickly returned the wave.

Aonung took notice before sending a glare toward the boy and grabbing you and pushing you slightly behind him. You frowned a bit till you noticed your father come out. Without being able to fully see him, you weren't able to keep up with what he was saying. You saw Tsireya and went her way and signed to her, “what is going on?”

She sent you a smile, “they want to stay here,” your smile widen at the thought of new friends. You clapped, something you did often to show you were happy. Tsireya laughed a little, till your mother made her way to the group. You adored your mother, constantly wanting to be with her and learn. She hadn't noticed you in the group and began speaking, she grabbed the oldest girl’s hand showing off the extra finger that you thought was cool. You slightly tapped Tsireya, “they have extra fingers! They must be very special!” She nodded slightly bringing her attention back to the conversation. Without being able to understand your eyes began wondering and fell back to the boy. His eyes were very pretty you thought as you examined the jewels he wore on his body.

You could tell the conversation had gone well by the smile laced on your sister's face. She stepped forward a bit dragging you with her. You waved at the family, causing your mother to finally notice you, “My Son, Aonung, and daughters, Tsireya and Raya will show you where you will stay.” You read his lips before smiling, “no, not my Raya!” Your mother grabbed your forearm lightly, “she will be coming with me,” and just like that you left the group, but not without waving to the new family bye.

You sat next to your mother as she softly braided your hair, you enjoyed the sensation it gave you. You softly tapped her leg turning to face the woman, “why was I not allowed to help the new family?” Her smile faltered at the mention of the forest people, “they have sky people's blood in them! They are from the forest and soon will realize they are useless in the water!” you frowned at your mother's words, “but they can still try! I bet they will prove us all wrong mom!” you smiled brightly at the older woman. One thing she loved about you, you always found the good in everything no matter what.

Neteyam's eyes could not lift from you the minute he saw you. You had these big blue eyes and even though everyone else was looking at him and his family as “demon blood” you looked more amazed. Once you noticed his stare, it didn't shy you away at all you smiled back showing off your dimples. He was going to speak with you before Aonung pulled you back. As the conversation with his fathers and the chief continued his mind kept wandering to you. Lo’ak took notice and nudged him, “we’ve literally been here for five seconds,” Neteyam rolled his eyes before looking else where.

“My Son, Aonung, and daughters, Tsireya and Raya will show you where you will stay.” His eyes followed you as you stepped out with your siblings. His smile deepened before being knocked off, “no, not my Raya,” your mother grabbed you and dragged you off, but you still sent a happy wave as you walked off, “follow me!” your sister directed him, and his family to their new home.

He didn't see you for the rest of the day. Assuming you probably had more important things than helping teach him and his siblings. But the next day as he and his siblings made their way down the beach with Tsireya, Aonoung, and Rotox your figure was already there. “I will go get Raya she can help you guys a lot with learning our ways!” Tsireya ran down the beach to get the girl's attention. You sat on the sand as you continued to feel the way it moved, you were at peace till you felt a pull. You turned your head and faced your sister.

You smiled big, “good morning!” you signed as you stood up, “will you be able to help us teach the Sullys sign language?” You clapped lightly, “I would love to!” Yesterday your mother made you stay by her side, which you had no problem with only that you wanted to see the pretty boy again.

You and your sister walked to the group who had already sat in a circle, “hello, Raya I’m Tuk!” The little girl waved at you while speaking. You waved back, “you are very pretty Raya!” this time you were unable to read her lips due to her speaking so fast, so you smiled at her before looking at your sister, “she spoke too fast, what did she say?” Tsireya sighed, “Oh, guys Raya is deaf!” The four children let out a small “o” as you simply sighed heavily, “what did she say?” you signed again. Tsireya laughed, “she said you were pretty!” you smiled before signing, “thank you!”

“She said thank you!” Tsireya translated for you. As the group continued with lessons the only person you helped was Neteyam. You and he seemed to be having a conversation without words but with eyes. He understood everything you said, taking it in like a sponge. Your smile made his heart beat fast, and his eyes to you seemed a lot like the ocean. They were not the same color but they held the exact feeling you got when you were at the beach. You two had gotten so carried away that you hadn't noticed everyone else at all. You certainly had a frown as Aonung tapped you and told you it was time to leave.

“Will you teach me tomorrow?” Neteyam questioned as you got up, “yes, I will try!” Aonung sighed heavily dragging you away from the blue boy. You had a smile the rest of the day, doing everything with a little pep in your step. As nighttime rolled around you and your sister often stayed up late, talking. “Do you like anyone?” she questioned you. You were always a happy person, but you had a different energy today. You nodded while clapping, “I do!” your heart swelled thinking of the blue boy. Tsireya let out a small squeal, “who is it?” she pressed you. You smiled so hard it felt like your cheeks were to fall off, “Neteyam!” you smiled as you signed causing the girl to go into a giggling frenzy, “I knew it!” you stopped smiling and looked at the girl, “was I that obvious?” she nodded, “do you think he knows?” she shook her head, “men are stupid, there is no way he knows,” you took her words in before heading to sleep.

Neteyam stayed up all night trying to practice his sign language. He yawned as he walked close to the spot you were at. He began walking closer till you noticed him, already smiling at him you ushered for him to come closer. Neteyam sat before facing you, “you pretty,” he looked so proud of himself that you didn't have the heart to say he did it wrong. “Thank you!” you said as he smiled. You noticed him yawn before looking at him, “did you stay up practicing?” you at first didn't know if he understood, but the boy quickly nodded. You felt so loved you clapped, “that was so sweet!” you laid back signaling for him to do the same, “you pretty!” you signed to the boy. But he was already fast asleep. You smiled before kissing his forehead and going into the boy's embrace.

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Sorry if the ends seem rushed! I have school in the morning and have no time to fix it up today! But hope you all enjoyed it!