#this general conversation is giving me life

[fanaticsnail]

An Acquired Taste

Masterlist Here

Word Count: 2,000+

Synopsis: After battle and witnessing how much you care and respect all life, including that of his subordinate Koby outside of his pirate facade, Drake offers to buy you a drink. What starts as flirty conversation and playful banter hastily leads to Drake tugging you into his lap and placing sweet kisses against your lips. It has been so long since he got anything he wants, and he was not willing to let you pass him by.

Themes: X-Drake x afab!reader, NSFW, 18+, smut, mdni, drinking, penetration (reader receiving), Zoan fruit differences, half-shifting, fluff, Drake has two. Two.

Notes: First time writing for Drake, so please excuse any mischaracterisations. The idea of two stems a conversation with a beautiful friend on discord - to which this fic is dedicated. Happy New Year, @autumnnjoy, I hope you like where the initial idea took us to 🖤

Whether it was the fact that you were a Straw Hat hovering over Koby in a large flurrying skirmish between pirates and marines, or the fact you went so far as to buy him a drink and check Koby over at the end of your victory, X-Drake had never wanted anyone so much in his life. Long since disregarding his own wants and needs as he served the world government undercover, he truly felt himself overcome with impulsive desires.

Drake couldn't give away the fact he was an undercover marine to one of the worst generation, but he needed you to know how much he appreciated your efforts to save his would-be subordinate. So, without losing such a facade as his thick cloak of piracy, he decided to lean into that same impulse that burned in his chest and swelled in his heart. He was a pirate, he should start behaving as a pirate should when enjoying the spoils of battle.

Approaching you and your crew was easy enough for him, giving curt nods to your crew and laughing at something the skeleton-man said, he finally found you amongst the crowd of rowdy pirates.

“I see you're enjoying the spoils of war,” he nodded to you with a half-drunk tankard placed in your hands, “May I offer to buy you another?” You tilt your head to the side and narrow your eyes up at the partially masked captain before you.

“And to what do I owe the pleasure of your company, and your wallet, captain?” you quip back, darting your eyes between his, “I've done nothing to warrant such a gift.”

“You've done far from nothing, my dear,” he smiled back while gesturing with his head to indicate for you to follow behind him. He brushed off the top of a stool with the back of his hand before giving it two pats to usher you atop. “You're an incredible fighter, and achieving so much with minimal bloodshed. You not only served your crew, but stood for one that most would deem your enemy.”

“You're buying me a drink because I got the least amount of kills?” you scoff, arching your brow while you slowly take your place atop the stool, "And 'my dear', is rather cheesy, don't you know?" Drake rolled his eyes and gestured to the barkeep for two drinks at the counter.

“I'm getting you a drink because you managed to respect the lives you took and defended the innocent,” he scoffed at you, “But, sure. If that also means the least amount of slaughters, then I'm buying you drinks due to your low kill count, my dear. Would you prefer 'my darling', or is that also 'too cheesy'?" That comment managed to break a small amount of laughter from your lips, especially when witnessing the smile draw up to decorate his cheeks.

As his attention had turned away from you, you took a moment to map a trail against his body with your eyes. He was a little different than your usual type, but no less striking. Ginger hair, mask over his eyes, and those hands that hold such power, X-Drake held such mystery in his devil-fruit and how it altered him. Reptilian, horrifying, and strong was his draconic Zoan fruit alter ego, but his nature seemed kind to you.

He passed you your drink once it arrived and gently tapped the side of his tankard against yours before raising it to his lips. Your eyes continued to follow those hands as you swore his fingernails became jagged and small divots of raised scales were produced. His eyes focussed on the position yours were fixed on before he drew up a small frown donning his brow.

“Does… Am I… making you uncomfortable?” he asked, shrugging his shoulders and recalling his scales back beneath his human skin. Unsure as to whether it was the drink calling your boldness to you, or whether you felt to comfort him with his appearance, you placed your hand over his and gently squeezed over his knuckles.

“On the contrary,” you beam fondly up at him, “I was rather marvelling at you. You're an… interesting pirate, Drake. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.”

His warm chuckle christened the air for the first time between you, and you found yourself marvelling at the melodic interlude it drew your conversation to. The longer you spoke, the more enchanted you found yourself becoming by this reptilian man. Praises fell freely of your prowess on the battlefield. Drake found himself going so far as to buy you and himself several more drinks, and a rather inviting hot meal at the tavern with the celebrating companies of your crews.

After the meals and water between ales, you found yourself in his lap and pressing soft kisses against his lips while his voice continued to decorate the air with exclamations of your greatness. Praise and gratitude was not uncommon to you as a straw hat, but witnessing it fall from the lips of a captain you had grown to respect was something completely different. Greatness moved on to how attractive he found you, quickly finding your lips beneath his and muffling his need for you in every mouthed motion. When you expressed a similar desire, it took him no longer than that simple whisper to shepherd you in his arms towards the booked inn he purchased for his crew.

You knew you liked the captain, but you truly didn't think much more on the differences in Zoan users until the band of his waistline moved to reveal twin, excessively ribbed cocks in varying lengths. The top was smaller in size, the bottom thick and girthy. Both of them had several triangular barbs darting along where many former partners had a thick vein. Aside from the claw earlier, you assumed the only reptilian part of him was scales as he half shifted - not two cocks sitting beneath his Adonis belt and growing in size the longer you spent kissing him.

"I... I hope you are not regretting your decision to couple with me," he whispered as his eyes darted between yours from his position beneath you. "I would not blame you if you no longer desired. I know... I know I'm an acquired taste, if a taste at all-."

“-I have no regrets about this,” You immediately pushed on his chest to throw him back against the mattress and moved to straddle his lap, “As I would've appreciated the heads up, I have no idea how you would've incorporated that into our conversation.” Your smile drew one of his own up his cheeks as he felt his cocks throb in need. You felt the twitch against your heat and laughed a little at the touch before it swelled into a soft moan.

The ridges, divots, and barbs overwhelmed your clit by hitting it at an angle that drew an uprising amount of essence to pool at your entrance. While you couldn't take both right now, you were determined to take one of his cocks.

As you leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips, you angled yourself to seek out his bottom cock with your dripping slit. He had worked you up so much with kissing alone that the sight of his ridged members made your eyes blacken with feral lust and arousal seep out over his cocks. You could barely believe it yourself at the haste your cunt sucked in his cock, forcing both of you to moan info one another's mouths. Your clit brushed with the ribs of his top cock once more, which was now pressed flush against his belly, and the motion caused a wanton moan to erupt from your chest. Bobbing on his bottom cock had his top cock grinding in a way against it to have you cry out in heavenly torment. This bliss was unexpected, but you found your edge rising with a quickened haste.

"Oh, fuck," Drake sighed, his eyes rolling back in bliss. "Oh, fuck, you're perfect. In every way, you're so, damn perfect." More praises flew from his lips as his hands morphed into claws and pressed against your hips. His scaled hands gripped hard as he aided you to bounce and grind on his lap. His top cock leaked on his lap with pearly drops of precum. It had been so long since he'd taken a lover that this was quickly pushing him over the edge. His need came out in rough pants of breath and desperate exhales with a small rasp within as his balls swelled up against his abdomen in need.

"K-Keep grinding like that on the top one," he begged as he shifted you to and fro against his top cock while the ribs brushed against your clit and bottom cock pulsed within your cunt, “Don't f-focus on the other. I need to feel you against me. Come on, my darling. Let me feel you against me.”

“Drake!” Your voice cracked as your edge drew ever nearer. Keeping the entirety of his lengthy sheathed within you, you focussed on rocking and grinding on the bulbs of his top cock. “Nghhh-, shit. This-, I-, Drake-!” Words and cohesion was lost on you the longer he made your pleasure draw up to the pinicle.

"Oh fuck, you're gonna make me cum! Sh-Shit!! I-I'm cumming, mnnnghhh, fuck-!" He quickly caged you atop him by pulling you into his chest. Planting his heels, he bucked into you in heavy, violent pulses. Every barb pulsed within you as he flooded your insides and the space between you with hot ropes of his sticky cum.

This new feral wave of this unbridled captain pushed you over the edge and oblivion flooded your body as lightning struck behind your eyes. White split your vision as waves of ecstasy crashed against your body. Your lips parted as a soundless moan choked deep within your throat. Cumming hard like this was not an easily achievable feat, but with Drake's twin cocks touching every sensitive part of you so carefully, you found yourself keening and crying out for him with a resounding ease.

"Sh-Shit," he whispered, slowing down his movements to languid and gentle thrusts as your cunt milked his cock in rhythmic pulses. "I... You... Are you alright, my dear? My darling?" You nodded dumbly as words failed to find you, simply ragdoll in the captain's arms. He pressed several kisses against your temple while he simply rocked you on his lap for comfort - both coming down from your encumbering highs in unison.

"All this simply because you liked how I looked all feral while in battle, and my low kill count?" You questioned him, smiling as you caught your breath in heaped gulps of air. Gently tilting your head, you darted your eyes between his while you waited for his answer.

"No, my darling," he whispered in response while using one of his large, reptilian hands to brush against your lower back, "All this because you cared enough about all sides to minimise the damage.” As you cocked your head to the side in puzzlement, Drake clarified while hushing his voice ever quieter, “Not all strengths rise from ferocity, and the way you protected the pink-haired marine moved me."

"Ah,” you clicked your tongue with a playful smile hiding the sincerity beneath it, “So you like it when I protect my friends." You leaned up on your forearm against his chest, gently flicking his nose with your index finger. He playfully scrunched up his nose at you while darting his eyes between your own.

"That I do," he smiled in response, moving his lips up to press a kiss to the pad of your index finger. You carefully eyed him to judge his next thoughts while he continued to place gentle and delicate kisses over more of your fingertips.

"You want to be my friend, Drake?" You ask as you lean down with a purposeful roll of your hips on his lap. He groaned as he answered you with a flutter of his ginger eyelashes.

"So long as I get to do all this again, I'm prepared for you to call me anything."

Tag list: @mfreedomstuff @daydreamer-in-training @since-im-already-here @gingernut1314 @writingmysanity @i-am-vita @indydonuts @feral-artistry @the-light-of-star @empirenowmp3 @racfoam @sunflowersatori @carrotsunshine @skullfacedlady @jintaka-hane @thenotsofantasticlifestory @ane5e

[hl-obsessed]

✨💎 a yuzu grows in brooklyn by @stylinsoncity

(M, 67k) harry is a recent implant in new york and a young chef opening a restaurant called yuzu. louis, a music teacher and broadway lover, has been around the block for a while. in a city that's so fast-paced, they're slow to catch on to each other.

✨ You Took My Heart By Surprise by @loveislarryislove

(T, 39k) There is reason to believe Prince Harry’s life is in danger. After a failed kidnapping attempt, Louis is assigned to guard Harry around the clock. He is the best at what he does, but he has a tendency to not get along with clients. Louis and Harry start off on the wrong foot, but it soon becomes clear that neither is at all what the other expected.

~*~*~

Queen Anne met Louis’ eyes. “While your file documents many remarkable accomplishments, it also contains a number of early terminations. Why is that?”

“It all depends on what your priorities are,” he said slowly. “If your primary concern is protection, I’m your guy. If you’re looking for someone polite…” He shrugged. “I don’t generally try to be rude, but social graces aren’t what I’m being paid for. If someone values being sucked up to over being protected, that’s their problem.”

“You seem quite well-mannered,” Anne said, frowning.

Both Nick and Louis snorted at that. “You’ve only known me for ten minutes,” Louis said. “Give it time.”

✨ Put It On Me by @stylinsoncity

(M, 15k) Harry's bachelor party doesn't go as planned.

✨ so many birthdays (that I missed) by @tofiveohfive

(NR, 11k) Louis doesn’t know nearly enough about science and the cosmos to explain how every atom in his being stands to attention; how his body immediately knows who he’s bumped into.

It’s somewhat underwhelming when the first word he hears out of Harry’s mouth after twelve months is, “Oh.”

AU inspired by Julia Michaels’ Into You

✨ No Place I'd Rather Be by @iamasphodelknox

(E, 39k) Harry's had a crush on his stepfather's friend for six years. A small crush. A tiny crush.

Honestly, if you don't look at Harry's dozens of poems about Louis Tomlinson, the crush is practically infinitesimal. They haven't even had a conversation.

But then a car wreck prompts them to finally have a conversation.

Christmas works its magic, Harry pines, Louis fonds, and they just might make it.

✨ The Places I Share With You by @iamasphodelknox

(M, 7k) Five times Louis comes home to Harry and one time he's ready to welcome Harry home.

The process of Louis and Harry finding home in each other.

Sequel/Coda/Epilogue to No Place I'd Rather Be.

Primal and Divine by WordsInBloom28

(E, 33k) Embarking on a mission to save his pack, Louis is pushed to the brink after his friend is killed in a dangerous forest. Awaiting the graces of death, Louis is saved by a peculiar healer who lives alone in the woods.

Throughout his healing process, Louis forms an unlikely bond with the healer and, with it, a life of serenity. His body grows stronger and his heart grows fonder, allowing love to take root.

In order to protect his new found peace, Louis and his companion work together to fight against the evil that threatens to take it all away.

It was always you by @defences-down

(T, 1,3k) It's their first Christmas living together, and Harry has been trying to figure out how to talk to Louis about his feelings for weeks.

He could never have expected what would happen next.

Ideal: An Advent Fic by @iamasphodelknox

(M, 40k) All Louis wanted was some god-damned time to write his novel. He didn’t expect to move his and Liam’s entire production of a Christmas variety show to a small inn in Vermont just before the holidays. He didn’t expect to save Niall’s inn. He didn’t expect Liam to fall in love. He definitely didn’t expect to fall in love himself. And he certainly didn’t expect it all to feel so much like a Christmas movie.

Oh hell. There’s a lot of things Louis didn’t expect.

A White Christmas au, complete with drama, fluff, choreographed dance numbers, and idiotic boys falling in love. Just your typical Christmas fun.

Frankincense-ational by @londonfoginacup

(T, 31k) Harry Styles works at the Hillsyde Library with his friend Zayn and best mate Niall. It’s December, which means Christmas, which should be the happiest month of the year…

Except Niall just broke up with his boyfriend, Zayn needs to let up on the rules a little, and the library is getting their fire alarm system replaced, which means that for the next few weeks there are going to be firemen patrolling the library ‘looking for fires’ while the system is down.

Harry almost hits one of them with his car right off the bat - and of course he’s the hot one.

Happy Christmas, here’s to many more.

Is that a candy cane in your pocket? by @kingsofeverything

(E, 4,8k) Louis accuses Harry of shoplifting. Harry was definitely not shoplifting.

They work it out.

Close To You by yourgorgeouscolors

(E, 5,7k) “You’re lovely,” Louis rasps out. He feels so close to Harry in a way that's different from the other intimate sex positions they’ve tried. He can see Harry, feel him all over. Feel the way he’s clenching down on his cock as he adjusts. He can feel Harry’s hot breath prickling his skin, and can feel his body everywhere. Each point of contact feels like a zap of electricity.'

Or, Harry and Louis try a new sex position.

Listen To Your Heart by @chloehl10

(E, 35k) Are you kidding me right now?

I… No? Louis frowned, feeling angry now. It wasn’t fair, he knew that, but at the same time, he couldn’t help his feelings. It felt like this had been brewing for weeks, and this was it. Give it a rest, Harry.

Why are you such a brat? Why can’t you just be happy for me for once?

You think I want to hear about you kissing James? Really, H? There’s things I just don’t need to know, okay? I’m your best mate, not your fucking relationship advisor…

***

Louis has always been comfortable being Harry’s one and only. When Harry starts to branch out, Louis has a hard time letting him go.

Harry is very lucky to have someone who listens to what he has to say, despite the fact that he’s deaf. He’s finally feeling like he’s coming into himself, but Louis seems bothered by his newfound confidence.

(do you think it's easy) being of the jealous kind by @the-larry-way

(T, 0,8k) Harry is mad and Louis isn't exactly sure why.

(or Louis comes home smelling of another omega and Harry is near heat and jealous)

Make a Dime Go One Hundred by screwstyles

(E, 18k) “Hey, Haz,” he says, encouraged in equal parts by the weed and the cocoon they seem to have created around themselves. “Do you think you could trust anyone enough to have full control over you?” he asks into the night, hoping his sentence won’t break their bubble. It doesn’t, if the way Harry’s eyes meet his is any indication.

“What do you mean?” Harry’s voice is barely above a whisper, rough from the singing they had done earlier. Louis wants to keep this memory forever.

“You know, if someone wanted to, uhm,” he coughs, “to tie you up, or blindfold you.”

-

Friends to Lovers AU: Harry volunteers to help Louis experiment with bondage. Things don’t go exactly to plan.

✨ Chestnuts Roasting... And All That by @elsi-bee

(M, 47k) Louis is apparently the only person at his new job who is single as can be. It’s not a big deal to just tell his new colleagues that he has a boyfriend, right? Until he has to make this imaginary boyfriend magically appear at the office holiday party. Cue fake relationship antics with a certain someone who is more than willing to play along.

Linger by @yourpricelessadvice

(E, 136k) Louis has a truckload of painful memories and a custody arrangement where a family could’ve been. The last thing he’s looking for is a new relationship.

Harry has accepted that he’s not made for relationships and isn’t interested in getting burnt again.

It’s a good job they’ve both got meddling friends.

° ✨ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ✨ °

more recs | recs masterpost

° ✨ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ✨ °

[lucygraysboy]

“oh, don’t you worry. you can keep tellin’ me how sorry you are. i don’t get tired of hearin’ that,” billy playfully teases, hoping to coax some sort of a reaction out of lucy gray — have her throw a pillow at his head, smack his arm or pinch his thigh. he has to breathe some life into her, and if it takes making a fool of himself, that’s not a high price to pay at all. “that’s very kind of you,” his heart skips a beat when her warm hand touches his, peeling his fingertips away from the bruise, and he just has to say something stupid to hide it, “almost as kind as last night’s offer. though, not much can top that.” laughing, cheeks growing hot, he’s still gets embarrassed when he thinks about it but at the same time thinks it’s quite hilarious and refuses to miss the opportunity to torment her. “blueberry pie. that’s a good one. what else do you like?” probably anything that doesn’t taste like squirrel and swamp potato stew, the voice in the back of his head counters.

“i don’t think there will be any consequences for you, lucy gray. we’ll have this conversation when you feel better, but… i’m serious. it’s not like they’ll send you back to twelve or straight to the capitol. they’re rebels. they’re welcoming to refugees. we could spend the winter there, and then try to come back here for another summer?” he shyly offers, his demeanor changing from playful to serious in a matter of seconds. they won’t survive the winter here. not without provisions and with her so malnourished, the infection in her leg threatening to return and spread. “i don’t know you all that well yet, but reva blue did tell me you’re the feistiest of all rainbow songbirds. her words, not mine.” his features soften every time she lets out a laugh, a wave of warmth spreading throughout his chest. she’s so beautiful when she laughs. 

“oh, that’s very generous of you but i don’t need it. i’m fine with just the stew.” he shakes his head, figuring he can go a day or two without bread. he’s a strong, well-fed man. his biceps alone seem to weigh more than her entire body. it would be unfair to share that loaf. he won’t take a crumb from her. “that actually wouldn’t make me feel better.” even if it’s only playful, it feels wrong to put another human being on a leash. “it’s not that i don’t trust you and think you might wander off to die in some bear’s den, alright? i just think you should give your body a chance to recover and regain some strength. let me do somethin’ nice for you. i promise, i’ll bring you a lot of different sticks to choose from.”

“i know i said it already. but i’m sorry,” i just thought you were the more … terrible version of yourself, she’d like to say but bites her tongue. if he’s really his twin, then she has to respect that he’s his own person. she can be cautious, extremely so, but she can’t just judge and deem him as such. “if i had some ice i’d put it on you and mend you.” since he’s been doing all this mending on her and she feels bad at the noise he makes when he reaches up to touch it. instinctively, lucy gray reaches out of her cocoon to pull his hand away from it so he doesn’t disturb it and cause himself more pain. “mhm.” smiling in amusement at her mama having to wrestle her in getting her out of the blueberry pie. “oh, that so?” nodding in interest, thinking that’s sweet of him to offer her to come to thirteen and bake a pie with her— her favorite kind, too. feeling bad fear has her feeling like she has to say no, to stay behind here and rot away. “well, maybe i’ll have to stop in after i think about all the consequences i might face.” about being caught, but at least she’s being honest with him. “feisty? …i’m not that feisty, am i.” lucy gray speaks in playful offense as shock raises her brows, another soft laugh sounding from her letting him know she doesn’t mean it. “but i don’t want to eat the whole thing, i want to save some for you.” telling him the reasoning why, watching him wrap reva blue up in her own cocoon. glad he doesn’t notice it’s because she feels horrible lookin’ with her hair. and smiling at the way he takes care of her teddies like they’re real people, that’s a tender side she hasn’t seen from anyone. and in return, she’s just staring and watching him in awe. “i won’t go far, i’ll even let you put me on a long cord if that’ll make you feel better.” or he could simply just pick out a few sticks, but she’s too stubborn to let him.

[pshbites]

🎐 𓍼ֶָ֢⊹ ࣪ ˖ : MY 2O25 SEASON’S GREETINGS ‹𝟹

to pshbites nation : thank you for always supporting my works :( , i love each and every reblog, comment, ask, or follow i get on my posts and i love seeing them. truly it makes my day to see all of the silly comments on my posts and im so glad you guys are here to support me. i am so grateful for how far i’ve gotten with you guys and i hope we can stick it out together 🫶

i hope to put out so many more things for you guys in this coming year so i hope you guys are excited to read it as much as im excited to share it with you guys. never did i think i would open this account this year but im glad i did because in doing so ive met so many great people ive gotten close with and i get to interact with you guys !

to nunu : thank you for it all truly. thank you for pushing me to make this account when i came to you with the love on air plot and even before that thank you for reading any snippets of writing i sent you even tho it was the buttfuck middle of the night for you you still made sure to give me proper feedback and i can’t thank you more. i miss you bad habibti and i know we’re both busy people but im glad i get to talk to you even if it is for little bits of the day. i love you and #nununana4Eva @haedgaf @lqfiles

to my best friends : mars, @chobunz words cannot express how much i love and care for you. i love our stupid texts about anything and i love our deeper conversations even more. i love staying up until 4 in the morning just talking about anything and i love our bond so much. i wouldn’t trade it for the world. lee , @leeechin i love you, so so much. i know i tell you this often but truly i love you. i know sometimes life gets busy but even without talking to you everyday i feel so much closer to you. i love when you pop in just to talk to us and even though we still talk often ill still miss you because im forever attached to the both of you. meeting the two of you has made life on here and in general so much better and im glad we get to start the new year together with one another 🫂🫂 #InDaClerbWeAllFam ☹️

to my close moots : liz @cupidhoons , i didn’t think i would meet someone so similar to me in such a short amount of time but i did and im so glad we’ve met and crossed paths. truly, you’re like a little sister to me and i wont drone on but i love you so much. truly i care for you a lot and i didn’t think i would connect so fast with you but we did and im so happy for that fact. lils @suneng , i love you bad my twinem :((( i enjoy our stupid conversations about whatever the fuck and our convos abt life and i’m so happy we’ve gotten a bit closer this year and i hope we can talk some more. sav @ourhees , i adore you so much, i think you are the sweetest thing ever and i love our conversations even if it does get a bit emotional sometimes. i’m glad im one of the people you can call a friend. i care about you so much and i think you are genuinely so smart and talented, it’s been rough but im glad we met each other and i can sometimes give you peace of mind, i hope we get closer later on. mims @kiss4noo , where to even begin 🫠.. i love and care for you so much. i love our occasional conversations but even then some days i strive to talk to you. we’re both busy people and i respect that so much. i’m glad we can go days without talking and still be as close as ever, you may not think it but i do enjoy being here for you and im glad you’re here for me as well i love you so so much and i wont ever stop. emer @coqhee , i know we don’t talk as often anymore but i hold so much love for you in my heart even if its talking about stupid things or talking about writing or just ourselves. i love hearing about your day you smartie pants so i hope we can talk even more about silly things or just ourselves as always.

to my moots : i’m glad to have met each of you and i’m so happy to see that i am so loved on this app, truly i admire each and every one of you in your own way shape and forms and i wouldn’t trade it for the world. i love you all so so much and im so happy we’re starting the new year as moots and hopefully as closer friends 🫂

some moots i want to get closer with : @flwrstqr @junislqve @tzyunaes @okwonyo @bywons @silquids @mygnolia @jaysng @fairqves @leaderwon

[solarflicker-ao3]

Christianity teaches people that clipping wings is good. Bear with me, this is about homophobia and transphobia.

I have two pet doves of my own and I have very strong opinions about wing clipping. The usual reasons people give let them feel that they are doing something good.

1. I don’t want to lose them, so this actually means that clipping makes me a responsible pet owner.

2. They will get hurt if they are allowed to free fly indoors. Some will tell an example of a very young bird they had crashing into a wall to back this up.

3. It doesn’t actually hurt them, feathers don’t have nerve endings.

All of these can be refuted.

Many clipped birds do not try to fly, but they can when they are clipped “properly.” just not as easily or as far. The best analogy I can think of is trying to walk without using your toes. They often discover this when they are panicked, and can go very far if they get caught in a draft. When this happens they are in immediate danger to any predator.

For the same reason, clipped birds are not safer in the house. Young birds may crash into a wall but this is because all baby animals are clumsy. The occasional crash is part of the learning curve.

It is mostly true that clipping feathers doesn’t hurt. However, new feathers have blood vessels in the shaft, and for a very little bird the blood loss can be catastrophic.

We also have plenty of studies that show clipping to be harmful to their health. Birds with clipped wings are more likely to engage in self harm and exhibit other signs of depression and frustration. When very young birds are clipped before learning to fly, they sometimes learn to fly incorrectly. Other birds stop flying entirely. The lack of exercise leads to fatty liver disease (an early and unpleasant death) and muscle atrophy.

Most importantly, clipping a bird’s wings does absolutely nothing to benefit a healthy bird. It is not natural and it is cruel.

Do you see where I am going with this?

Generally Christians have moved beyond waving hateful slogans and outright saying “hate the sin love the sinner”. The goalpost has moved to celibacy. In the world of debating affirming queerness “Side A” argues that queerness can be engaged and “Side B” argues that one can be queer but should not embrace it.

In “Side B” thought, a “Christian who experiences same sex attraction” (calling yourself gay implies that you do not hold your identity in Christ) is celibate. No intimacy. Yearning is your cross to bear. This is good for you because it drives you to seek support from the church community and God. The church community full of married heterosexuals. (Or even bisexuals married to the opposite sex if they have a progressive enough veneer.) The gay person is lonely but chooses to make the most of it because that’s what their god wants them to do. The trans person lives their life in discomfort and the distress is a sacrifice to please a god.

Do you see how this is unnatural? Do you see how holding back from natural, intimate human connection stunts people? Do you see how it is an act of devotion and mutilation?

I have many thoughts and a lot of information about the current state of conversion therapy if anyone is interested.

[aprill-99]

I’m in a cafe sitting next to two girls talking about a TV show and I know you’re not supposed to eavesdrop but good goddamn I am Invested now.

Update:

Have discovered it’s called the Legend of Vox Machina. Anyone know what this is?

[lilithofpenandbook]

Sometimes Severus comes up to Minerva. Right up behind her when she's busy. He'll stand there for a good minute as she works on marking assignments and cursing the boy's youthful energy and brilliant eyes- both of which directly responsible for his finishing his work in half the time it takes her.

"What is it, Severus?" Minerva sighs. Might as well get the obligatory nonsense over and done with, she was due a dose of Severus's antics by now (Merlin forbid he go more than three days without bothering her with nonsensical questions or infuriating wit).

"Am I ugly, Minerva?" he asked. Never there was a being with such innocence in their voice.

Minerva took a moment to take in a breath and silently call on all her patience and all her strength. "Yes, very." Her tone was blunter than the knives used to decorate at Halloween- an incident with some particularly idiotic third years had them ban anything sharper than the corners of a book during the Halloween celebrations.

Severus gasped as if stabbed. "What? Minerva, I thought we were friends!"

Minerva snorted. "Any time we interact, it's completely against my will."

"Minerva! you lie so shamelessly it shocks me." Severus made as if to swoon, a hand clutching the right of his chest.

"You must be shocked; your heart isn't where it should be."

Honestly, Minerva had to admire the fact that the insolent little kitten did not falter in his dramatics with her pointing out the key flaw in his act. If anything, he seemed to be encouraged.

"Ay! The pain of the shock, it has spread throughout my chest! Ah, I cannot breathe!" Severus swayed on his feet, leaning against the chair that Minerva was sitting in. "Oh, how your lie shocks me!"

"Well, then, you had better tell me what exactly I lied about," Minerva said briskly, "before you gasp all the air out of your skinny little lungs, laddie."

"You said," the boy said, a sudden glint in his eye and none of the apparent weakness, standing to face her and one of those long, delicate fingers pointed straight at her, "you said, that our interactions are without your will."

"That is no lie, what part of this looks like it's my will?" Minerva replied, knowing full well she wasn't going to appreciate the cheeky answer Severus had prepared for her.

"Why, the part where you remain for my company, mother," Severus replied, his voice light. "Surely, if you didn't want this, you would have, in your infinite wisdom, simply have employed your great power and assumed your famous feline form and just walked away from me."

Minerva fought her smile. His cheek was infuriating while his logic impeccable. "Perhaps I am simply conversing my energy, you arrogant wee rascal."

"You? Too lazy to avoid a nuisance?" Severus scoffed. "Minerva, you wound me. Don't you know how I know you? You've done much more to avoid the mildest of annoyances, do you truly think I believe that you are here against your will merely to converse your energy?"

Minerva let him see the flicker of a smile disgusted as a smirk, letting the bothersome raven have a little treat for his cleverness, hinting to him that he had essentially won this particular argument. "At my age you no longer have the patience to waste on annoyances. You learn to value your peace. You will understand that some day, I hope, little one."

"And if I die, my hair still black and my skin still smooth?"

Merlin, did the child have a turn towards the morbid. Minerva ignored the voice in her that told her that this would have been a retort of her own had she been in a similar conversation.

"Then you'll die a fool."

"A fool, perhaps, but my funeral will be the biggest," he replied, moving to sit on her desk and grabbing the biscuit jar. Minerva intercepted, lifting it from his grip and replacing it with a towel. His protests died in his confusion at the towel, and Minerva huffed and began to wipe his hands as if he was a child. She did not trust him to correctly clean his hands after handling goodness knows what when experimenting with his potions and she didn't care if he knew it.

"Aye, and how did you figure that?" she asked.

"Surely if I die young, I shall be the first. Therefore you all will be part of the funeral-"

"What makes you think I would want to attend your funeral, you little rascal?" She let go of his hands, almost satisfied that they weren't contaminated.

Severus ignored her and instead took a biscuit from the jar. "You will all be there, therefore I will have the biggest funeral. If I die old, you all shall be gone, so my funeral will be the smallest."

Minerva tried not to think of how depressing that sounded, how lonely it seemed. For a brief moment she felt guilty for being so old and he so young. She involuntarily could see him in her mind's eye, going through their funerals until he stood alone. She and the others- Rolanda, Pomona, Poppy, even Fillus and Hagrid- they were all of an age, weren't they? They could expect their lives to reach the end around the same time, surely? Severus was but a child next to them, he'd stand alone one day.

Minerva tried to ignore the ache in her chest at the thought of him standing alone. Merlin, no. He was far too young. No.

"You truly are besotted with the morbid and the miserable, you melanchonic masochist," she said, her tone just a trifle too sharp to be a simple retort.

Severus paused, swallowing the biscuit. Then he answered. "Ah, but the morbid is much more fascinating, the forbidden has a certain thrill, dear mother." His voice was a little softer, and his fingers, slightly coated in crumbs, were gentle when he tapped her forehead. He was sorry he upset her.

"You and your thrills," Minerva scolded, "yet you cannot even eat a biscuit without making a mess of yourself." Yet even as she spoke, the hand that she used to swipe the crumbs away, was gentle, almost tender, in its movement. She had quite forgiven him.

How could she remain angry? At this boy who looked at her with a scowl of indignation yet whose deep, dark eyes twinkled with mischief and cleverness and brilliance, who stood taller than her, yes, yet was far more delicate in his build than she had ever been, whose hair was as dark as hers had been in her youth, carelessly falling across his forehead. No, she could not remain angry.

If only he had been in Gryffindor, perhaps then she would have noticed him sooner. Or rather, if only her eyes didn't only open for her Gryffindors. How this boy could ever look at her without resentment and anger, she didn't know. Then again, he had been so incredibly isolated and lonely, was it any wonder he let go of his rightful grudges and instead accepted her friendship?

Minerva blinked as if soot from the fireplace got in her eyes. She didn't want him to notice the tears that almost inevitably formed whenever she thought about him. Who would have thought that she'd cry so much for the little devil?

"I'll leave you to your work, dear mother," Severus said cheerfully, hopping off her desk.

"Aye, after you've cleared out my biscuit jar, you villain" Minerva grumbled, looking into the empty jar. Severus shrugged.

"You ought to see it as a compliment towards your taste, really," Severus said. "But I see I have taken the last of your patience"- for indeed, Minerva looked ready to strangle him- "so I shall take my leave. Good night, my good Headmistress, and may you have peace in the silver embrace of the moon!"

And with a laughing twinkle in his eye and a boyish bow, Severus Snape left the room.

Minerva sighed. She wasn't sure if it was out of relief, or because she may have felt some sorrow at his departure.

The door opened again, and a rather meek Severus poked his head in.

"Er, Minerva?" he asked.

"Yes, Severus?"

"Er." Severus stepped in, looking away from her, walking with the awkward gait of a newborn foal, and the nervousness of a deer. "Er, Minerva?"

"Yes, Severus?"

"Am I really ugly, mother?" His voice was a whisper. His raven hair curtained his face, hiding his shame at asking such a pathetic question, and his fingers picked at one of the cuticles of a nail.

Minerva smiled, and walked to him. Softly she brushed the boy's hair out of his face and gently tucked it behind his ear.

"Only as long as you let yourself believe it, dear heart."

[doodlejoltik]

my favourite writing device is having an un-Rei-liable narrator

[wanderingaldecaldo]

Happy Pride!

Just a couple of bisexuals in a bisexual relationship

Val's shirt | shoes | glasses + hat + Mitch's shirt (for V) + trees | poses

Pride means a lot to me. As a bisexual, female-presenting individual married to a cis, straight man, my queerness is often overlooked. A friend recently asked what characteristics of mine that I gave Val, and gender/sexuality are a big part of that. Streetkid Val is THE GENDER as my friend Bunny would (will) say, and so is Corpo Val, to be honest.

I've always had a complicated relationship with gender. I hated dresses and clothes shopping; loved sports and GI Joe and He-Man. I kinda liked Barbie though, but mostly for storytelling, not dress up. I never hated being a girl; I was just... different. I'm still different. I never developed a habit for makeup. I stopped shaving ages ago. Sometimes I embrace my femme side and wear florals and show off my curves (and hairy legs); sometimes it's the opposite. It depends on the day. Some days I have no gender and plan an amorphous blob wearing sweats and a hoodie if I have to leave the house.

Despite this, I always held claim to the word "woman". I'd fought to make a space for myself, someone who defied the physical gender expectations, and didn't want to give that up. But now, after playing with both versions of Val and getting to express myself through her, I know I'm not just a woman, but more. And more.

When I started my job last year, I made the big step of adding "she/they" as my pronouns. One of the managers asked if I had a preference between the two, and I said that either was fine. Usually people default to "she", and I don't mind because of the reasons I mentioned previously.

More than anything, "they" is a flag shouting my queerness; that I'm a woman and. Especially now, as other people try to gatekeep womanhood; to decide who can call themselves a woman. Anyone who wants to join me in this misogynistic hellscape, I am glad to call you a sister. There is room for women of all shapes and sizes and bodies and

[lightblueminecraftorchid]

My roommate and I had a conversation last night and I keep rotating it in my brain and I Don’t Like It

[xoshepard]

fucking vindication man

my sister was just minding her business in the basement eating breakfast and my stepdad came down and asked "why do you have the light on" and she was like "so i can see?" and the thing about my stepdad is that he's incapable of softening his tone (and will pretend he doesnt understand that his tone is aggressive even though he can understand when YOUR tone is aggressive/rude) so even an innocuous question like that sounds like an attack, so my sister's response was also super subdued and irritated. this isn't the first time an exchange like that has happened but it was the first time that he kinda hesitated and was like "wait what did i just say that upset you?" and she started to speak like she was going to explain, then thought better of it and just said "it's nothing"

LIKE YEAH DUDE. WHEN YOU CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY CONSTANTLY HAVE TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES TO YOU AND AT THE SAME TIME THEY CAN'T BE COMFORTABLE BRINGING UP THINGS YOUVE DONE OR SAID TO UPSET THEM WITHOUT YOU JUST ARGUING WITH THEM TO JUSTIFY HOW THEYRE WRONG FOR BEING UPSET AND YOUVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONG, THEN PEOPLE ARENT GONNA FUCKIN TALK TO YOU. ITS SO SIMPLE.

[talentforlying]

ok constantine would sooner strangle me than be compared to roderick usher, but "the gates are always open but that doesn't mean you answer the phone" feels very close to how he operates with his friends and allies. you can always come to him for help, but it won't necessarily be the help you wanted. eventually people learn to just stop calling, because the silence is better than the disappointment.

[stoportotouch]

i require your brutal honestly regarding: hodgving.

OH honestly i love these two also. even though there is less like. on-screen pretext for it in the rich world of the backstory that exists only in my brain they have Plenty in common in that they are... i cannot explain this better than "they are the two different types of church choir lifer." irving knows everything and takes all of it deadly seriously hodgson knows everything mostly so that he can joke about it. they meet in the middle

hodge's dad was a vicar in real life (and was also the dean of carlisle cathedral), so young hodgson was probably like. picked up by the scruff of the neck and deposited in the choir, and found that he liked it (this is partly self-projection but he liked it because it gelled particularly with The Autism, Not That That Was Named In The 19th Century) and he stuck with it as an adult.

irving i am going to say got into All That a bit later than hodge, who could never escape really (irving when he moved to portsmouth to join the naval college). and while hodge is in a constant state of "just happy to be included" irving does not have much of a sense of identity. like he needs to be doing Something Tangible in order to exist and struggles to conceptualise himself outside of that. so that's another plate of armour over the big humming agitated cloud of ????? that makes up The Person That He Actually is.

so they do constantly make jokes that are hilarious Just To Them, from the Exclusive Book Of Church Choir Lifer Jokes which little, who cannot carry a tune, is not particularly party to. this surprisingly does not annoy little despite the fact that he usually gets a bit :< when he is left out of a joke. (but it does, on the other hand, piss crozier completely the fuck off.) and it does also give them a kind of extra Level of language to be able to communicate "this Thing is troubling me and i am not sure why but i am being gnawed" to each other.

[lulousims]

It's been officially longer than a year since I last posted gameplay pics...

For the most part of 2022, I couldn't play The Sims because I shared a computer and we couldn't agree on it. Then I played it for like, 2 months (in 2023!) on my bf's computer, but I couldn't take any screenshots 😭 And now, since October of 2023, I've been in England working as a volunteer, with no access to a personal computer. My friend was kind enough to lend me his laptop a few weeks ago so that I could finally play a bit, but it's not ideal because, well, it's his, and he needs it for work outside of the volunteering. I might be able to get my hands on a new laptop soon though (!!!!!!), and I'm really excited about finally being able to remove the "hiatus" from my bio! Or at least replace it with "semi hiatus", you know lol

I obviously won't be able to even remember what's gone on in my households, but at least I'll be back to playing once every few weeks and documenting my stuff. If everything works out, I should be here in one or two weeks, posting unedited screenshots of my game, like I used to, and getting 2 to 5 likes on each post <3 Just how I like it!

[llycaons]

It’s athleisure, but designed for someone who competes in professional napping.

oh hehe

“Nie Huaisang, nonbinary femme-leaning aromantic pansexual non-hierarchical polyamorous slut, at your service.”

oh...pansexuality 😨

[maburp]

I’m in my early 20s so sometimes I forget I don’t live in a vacuum. If I fail here, if I pause here, there is so shame or rush, there are people around me that can help break my fall and I’m so lucky for that. My only job is to explore and figure out what will leave me with a fulfilling life and how my friends and family fit into that.