#this guy shouldn't be president ever again

[catboytitty]

I think she's doing pretty well already

[hyunniesgirl]

Can I be your favorite?

Pairing: Lee know x reader

Genre: smut, fluff

Summary: Lee Minho is unreachable, someone you can only just dream of being with. Until one day, you enter the wrong door at a party and ends up with him inviting you to sit on his lap.

Part 2

THIS CONTENT IS +18 ONLY, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Warnings: corruption kink, protected piv, fingering, Minho is kinda possessive.

You're okay with not being popular, it's not like you'll be like that forever, it's just college and in a few years everything will be forgotten so you just keep living your life, going to your classes and hanging out with your best friend.

The only time you ever wish you were popular, though, is when you see him. Lee Minho. The guy of your dreams. He's vice president of the greatest fraternity on campus, so everyone knows him.

Lee Minho is someone mysterious, no one knows much about him other than that he changes girlfriends faster than he changes clothes. So more than half of the girls in this university already had their heart broken by him.

That doesn't make you like him less though, it's not like something will ever happen between you two so a little crush on him is not something to worry about, even more so when he doesn't even know about your existence.

Your best friend, Jihyo is the opposite of you, she likes partying and she always tries to drag you to one of her nights out. That's how you ended up in the situation you're in right now. Alone in the kitchen of a frat house, listening to a drunk guy teaching you about your own major, while sipping on a drink you're not even sure about the contents.

You watch as a group of people play beer pong on the counter in the middle of the kitchen, everyone is sweating and there's alcohol being spilled all over the place. You're at a safe distance but you pity the person who's going to clean this up later on.

You have no idea where Jihyo went, she told you she was going to the bathroom half an hour ago and never came back. You're tired of hearing this guy too, he's talking about first year contents when you're already in your third year.

“That's so interesting”, you smile at him, “but I have to go find my friend now”, you don't let him say a word, quickly sneaking away from the kitchen.

You look around, trying to find your best friend, but she's nowhere to be seen. Maybe she's on the second floor, you ask people and they tell you exactly where the bathroom is. However, you shouldn't be so quick as to trust drunk people.

Because when you open the door people pointed out as the bathroom, you find a room with red lights brightening the dark space.

There's a bed in the middle of the room and in that bed there's a couple and that couple happens to be Lee Minho and someone you have no idea who it is. They are luckily not in a compromising position, not making out or something worse. She's just sitting on his lap, having her giggles stopped by the bright light that comes from the door when you open it.

Your eyes grow wide when Minho looks at you with his fierce unfriendly eyes.

“Hm- I'm- sorry, I thought this was the bathroom”, you smile sheepishly, fidgeting on your feet.

Minho looks at you up and down and you swear you can see a smirk forming on his lips, but you're not sure since the light is not great.

“I guess the sign with my name on the wall is not very visible”, he points out dryly, making your face turn red. Great, that's great. Nice way to be humiliated by your crush, y/n.

“I apologize, I really didn't see it”, you say again. You should already have gotten out of there but for some reason it seems that your feet are stuck on the ground.

“Honey, why don't you go downstairs, I'll talk to you later”, Minho says to the girl on his lap, making her groan in frustration. She gets up, angrily walking past you. “You should close the door if you're going to stay”, he tells you and your feet finally move just enough to be able to close the door with you still inside.

“Do you know where the bathroom is?” You ask like an idiot.

“I live here”, he says obviously, “but I don't think you're still looking for the bathroom”, he grins, seeing you lick your lips. “Why don't you come and take a seat?”

Your legs move on it's own once more, giving slow unsure steps in his direction. You sit on the edge of the bed, watching him carefully as he leans back, supporting his upper body on his hands, arms spread on the mattress.

He stares at you, surprised. Minho chuckles, shaking his head.

“That's not what I was talking about”, he tells you, landing his hand on his thigh and tapping there. “Why don't you try sitting here?” He asks.

You feel your whole body turning hot, why is he asking for you to sit on his lap?

“I-I should get going”, you stand up fast, but before you can walk away he takes a deep breath.

“Are you sure that's what you want?” Minho tilts his head, waiting for your answer.

No, that's not what you want. You really, really want to sit on his lap and let him do anything he wants with you. So you give in to your desires, stepping closer to him and bending down to sit on his thigh.

He bites on his bottom lip, watching you fidgeting and trying to get comfortable. By the way you're stiff, it's obvious you have never done this before and that gets him excited.

He corrects his posture, sitting with his chest close to you. One of his hands lands on your left thigh and the other goes to your waist.

Minho doesn't need to waste another second to find out that he likes you. You're just his type, shy and reserved, someone who he can corrupt. Someone who can make him go absolutely crazy.

“You see, I see the way you look at me”, he says, caressing your back with the hand he had on your waist. “Jihyo is not very quiet and every time she catches my attention you're there and every time I look at you, you're looking at me”, he says, like he's saying something you don't know. “After some time I just came to the conclusion that you may like me. Am I right about that?”

You nod automatically, like you're obligated to tell him the truth. Maybe your brain just doesn't work when you're near him.

“Hmm”, Minho hums, “tell me then, what can you do for me?”

“W-what do you mean?” You manage to ask, getting goosebumps with every touch of his.

“I mean to say, why should I choose you? I have a great number of options”, he smirks. He's teasing now, even though he's already set on making you his, he just wants to hear your answer.

You have so many things to use at your advantage, pretty lips that he wants to kiss, soft skin that he wants to leave marks all over and the sweetest voice that he wants to hear crying his name while he fucks you so deeply you'll beg him to keep going.

“Anything”, you gulp, “you can do anything you want with me, I'm entirely yours”, and that is better than anything else he could hear. That is the last straw.

Minho puts his hand behind your neck, pulling you to him and kissing you in a hungry, hot kiss. He grabs your hair with the other hand, pulling a handful and making you groan with the sudden pain but it's still so good. His tongue brushes on your lips, entering your mouth and slightly caressing yours. The way he's grabbing you is just too much, you feel like you're going to explode at any moment.

Minho lets go of you for a moment just to take his shirt off, showing you his bare chest. He gets back on grabbing you, pressing you against his body. You're not sure if this is right but it definitely doesn't feel wrong.

You take your crop top off, throw it on the floor and pray that Jihyo will forgive you for doing that with her clothes. Wrapping your arms around Minho's neck, you kiss him again, feeling his bulge beneath you.

He sneaks a hand down your stomach, unbuttoning your jeans and pushing your panties to the side as soon as he manages to reach your soaking cunt.

Minho presses a finger on your clit, you stop the kiss just to gasp and he pulls away, staring at you while he inserts a finger between your folds.

“Has anyone ever fingered you?” He whispers, listening to your low moans, you're cute trying to hold back.

You open your eyes to look at him, shaking your head. That's beautiful, he gets even more excited to know he's the first one giving you pleasure like that.

“And what about sex, have you had it before?” He asks one more question, pushing his finger in and out of you.

“A-a few times”, you struggle to say, feeling your cheeks hot.

“That's good, virgins aren't really my thing”, he smirks, “then, you can handle one more finger, right?” He asks, not waiting for your answer and pushing in another finger inside of you.

“Oh”, it's the only sound you can make. You hold him harder, with your mind dizzy. “It's too much”, you sob, feeling the stretch, it burns a bit but it's so good.

“Oh, Kitten”, he pouts. “How are you supposed to handle my cock if you can't handle two fingers? I'm bigger than that”, he smirks while saying that.

“I can do it, I can”, you nod frantically, too drunk on the pleasure of his fingers inside you to think straight.

“I'm glad you're confident”, he takes his fingers out of you and takes them to his mouth, liking every drop of your juice. “Your taste might be my new favorite”

He helps you get up, your legs are weak even though you didn't cum. Minho helps you lie on the bed, pulling your jeans down, trailing kisses down your legs while dragging out the fabric.

“You are pretty”, he mutters, taking off his pants and underwear, crawling back to stay on top of you, kissing your chest and your collarbone, biting on the skin and leaving a couple of hickeys there. Minho goes down your breasts, sucking and licking your nipples, kneading at the other with his hand. He's humping on your leg, rubbing his hard cock on your thigh.

His touch makes you feel like you're on fire, tingling sensations spreading all over your body. His kisses leave you so turned on, you don't think you ever felt this horny.

“Kitten”, he calls you, making you blush. It's crazy to think that even though you two are naked in front of each other, him calling you a pet name is what makes you flustered.

Minho gives you a peck on the lips, leaning over to the bedside table to look for a condom. He opens the package with his teeth, spitting the piece of plastic and stroking his cock on hand.

He looks so good, standing on his knees in between your legs, eyes closed feeling his fist caressing him.

“Let me do it”, you take the courage to say, sitting and taking the package out of his mouth into your hands. Minho watches you attentively as you grab the base of his cock, sliding the condom down his length.

“Fuck”, he murmurs, grabbing your face on his hands and kissing you so hard you can taste blood, not sure from which of you.

Minho positions himself in your entrance, looking at you to wait for your consent and when you nod he pushes in. You wrap your legs around his hips, trying to bring him closer even though it hurts a bit, it's so good you think you will go crazy.

“M-minho”, you moan, throwing your arms around his waist, digging your nails on his skin.

“Shit, you're perfect”, he starts moving, each trust making you moan louder. Your walls are squeezing him so deliciously that he can cum at any moment. His cock feels so good, reaching all the places you didn't even know existed.

Minho kisses you, fucking into you so fast you can barely breath. You never thought he could be even more beautiful, hair stuck on his sweaty forehead, eyes staring intensely at yours, bottom lip stuck between his teeth while he fucks you senseless. He leans closer, kissing your neck, leaving a long and a bit painful mark there.

“You're mine now”, he smiles shakily, clearly close to his release. You can feel your orgasm approaching too, cumming and tightening your legs around his hips, making his release follow yours.

Minho gives you a kiss before falling to your side, breathing heavily accompanied by you. You don't know what to say and you're scared he'll pretend this was nothing so you get up, collecting your things, not waiting for him to kick you out.

“What are you doing?” He asks, scowling.

“Getting dressed so I can get out”, you explain naively, being watched by him like you're the prey and he is the predator.

“What part of “you're mine now”, you didn't understand?” He asks, laying down with an arm beneath his head and the other stretched to the side of the bed, waiting for you to lie there. “Come back here, I'm not even nearly done with you”, he smirks, watching you blush again.

You drop the clothes you have collected, crawling back on the bed and snuggling close to him. Minho pulls you closer, turning to you and wrapping his free arm around your waist.

“I'll tell you what we're gonna do”, he explains and you nod, “I'm going to fuck you until the only thing you can remember is my name and after that I'll take you out to dinner”

Lee Know presses his body on yours, showing you that his cock is already hardening again and you giggle, blushing once more.

Never have you felt so happy to trust drunk people's instructions.

A/N: If you like what I write please reblog or let me know in the comments, feedback gives me motivation to keep writing.

[astonmartinii]

big time rush | lando norris social media au

pairing: lando norris x albon!reader so how is alex albon and sorority rush connected? how is lando involved? and will the grid ever understand the greek system? [so, it's rush season, also known as my favourite time to be judgemental on social media (after the met gala of course), but like i have been bombarded with so much rush content and made a couple friends in the summer who go to alabama that my english ass needed to write something about it]

masterlist tips x

yourusername

liked by landonorris, alexalbon and 301,774 others

yourusername: it's the most wonderful time of the year !!! first year as president of theta 🩷

view all comments

user1: i get whiplash every time she posts back in america

user2: like??? how is that alex albon's sister

yourusername: we have the same mum and dad, hope this helps 👍

user3: okay yeah her and alex are the same people

alexalbon: posting this like you didn't BALL UR EYES OUT AT THE AIRPORT AGAIN

yourusername: i didn't cry because i was gonna miss ur ugly ass, i miss horsey and otto :(

albon_pets: we miss you too 🐈

user4: i personally love watching y/n's two personalities usa v uk she's like my batman

lilymunhe: don't have too much fun babe, remember to study too

yourusername: have some faith in me PLEASE

lilymunhe: i sat with you for a whole week individually rhinestoning shirts for work week i think i understand your priorities

yourusername: work week is very important lily and at least i know we'll all slay the diamonds are a girls best friend theme !!!!!

alexalbon: i'm still finding gems in all of my shoes and bags so they better

user5: i don't really understand sororities but you can bet i CHECK IN when it's y/n

user6: the way her brother is a whole ass f1 driver but she's more famous to me being the fucking PRESIDENT of theta at ALABAMA the girlies just don't get how big a deal that is

georgerussel63: any way we can get this rhinestone treatment for some merc merch

yourusername: if you wanted rhinestone merch you shouldn't have jumped ship from williams but thanks for the seat xoxo

georgerussell63: crikey can't a guy ask for sequins without being attacked these days

yourusername: all jokes georgie, but if you want rhinestones you'll have to rep theta

alexalbon

liked by landonorris, yourusername and 603,450 others

tagged: yourusername

alexalbon: enjoy your semester president, you're lucky i didn't get any photos of you ugly crying with horsey before you left. always love summer with you, even if you kept ditching us for your super secret boyfriend you thought we didn't know about ;)

view all comments

user7: the albons are so insane i love them

lilymunhe: you said we weren't gonna tell her to see how far she goes to cover it up !!!

alexalbon: this is so much more fun though i heard her scream from the other side of departures

yourusername: so i could've just used the front door rather than doing parkour out my window?

alexalbon: you going to fess up to who it is yet?

yourusername: no i don't think i will

lilymunhe: not even to me :(

yourusername: clearly you can't be trusted

lilymunhe: no babe it's not like that i swear

yourusername: i can't hear you i have a 12 hour flight

user8: the state of this comment section

user9: wait so y/n has a bf? i think i just heard the entirety of greek row fall to their knees

user10: like they had a chance babe

liked by yourusername and landonorris

landonorris: i've seen you cry your eyes out on face time to your cat

alexalbon: his name is horsey and it was a very emotional day

yourusername: you also face timed me crying with the pets that you missed me

alexalbon: stop ganging up on me this is my post and LANDO THIS IS FAMILY BUSINESS

landonorris: hmmmmm 🤨

f1wagsupdates

liked by user13, user14 and 3,205 others

f1wagsupdates: lando norris has flown into america a week early for the austin grand prix. lando flew into alabama and was reportedly picked up by a girl. is he off the market?

view all comments

user15: i’m sorry my little heart can’t take y/n and lando getting into relationships this year

user16: call me crazy but maybe lando and y/n are together?

user17: how did you come to this conclusion?

user16: so like when alex revealed he knew about y/n’s bf lando was weirdly all up in that comment section and now he's early to austin but flew into alabama where y/n goes to college and a brunette girl picked him up (also a healthy dose of delusion)

user18: no but why does this make sense though

user19: i once again implore you guys to understand that men and women can be friends, not all women in a 5 miles radius of a man is in love with him

user20: i would love for this to be y/n simply for the alex meltdown that'll follow

user21: he already said he's not overprotective just annoyed that he couldn't figure out who it is, so if it's one of his best friends i think he'll lose his mind

user22: imagine being a pledge and walking into the house to see LANDO NORRIS?

user23: trying to imagine lando of all people in sweet home alabama is killing me someone save my guy

yourusername

liked by landonorris, alexalbon and 359,0344 others

yourusername: first week of classes and i'm missing my cats

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user24: A MAN? i knew she had a man but that's. A MAN

albon_pets: we miss you too big sis, can't wait for thanksgiving

yourusername: have a nandos on me tonight babes xx

albon_pets: this is why you're our favourite sibling

alexalbon: i'm right here guys

user25: we've lost her to the soft launch

user26: literally like show me his face so i can stalk him

alexalbon: agreed

lilymunhe: pretty girl, we miss youuuuuu !! can't wait to see you in austin

yourusername: literally counting down the days

lilymunhe: will the mystery man be there?

yourusername: he may ...

alexalbon: i hope he's ready for the interrogation

landonorris: alex mate you're about as intimidating as a tumbleweed

alexalbon: you're in albon business an awful lot lately norris 🤨

user27: the alex meltdown is starting

landonorris

liked by alexalbon, yourusername and 1,302,778 others

tagged: yourusername

view all comments

landonorris: two dummies, one car, and an attempt to get into the cota paddock

view all comments

user28: OMFG

yourusername: i can only drive stick, this is known. and so many fans, i didn't want to run anyone over

user29: it was a close call but you did nearly hit me, i appreciate the swerve

yourusername: MY BAD OMG as you can all tell, alex got all of the good driving genes in the family

landonorris: don't worry babe, i won't make you drive again

yourusername: thank you baby, i was born to be a passenger princess

alexalbon: BABE? BABY? PASSENGER PRINCESS? WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?

yourusername: surprise?

alexalbon: you were doing parkour to see LANDO?

landonorris: i don't appreciate your tone alex i am a catch

yourusername: you are a catch

alexalbon: can a man not have a breakdown in peace anymore without you people flirting underneath it

lilymunhe: you guys are kinda cute, i'm seeing the vision

alexalbon: am i joke to you?

yourusername: alex please be happy for me, i'm so so happy with lando, he's the best for me

landonorris: i promise i love y/n, i won't hurt her

alexalbon: i know, but give me three business days to process and NO MCLAREN MERCH

yourusername

liked by alexalbon, landonorris and 502,300 others

tagged: landonorris, alexalbon

yourusername: lando on the podium and alex in the points, you know what that means? took my best boys to their first frat party (they didn't fare well)

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user32: the grid at a frat party is something i thought i'd never see

user33: waiting for old men to say that americans are ruining the sport

landonorris: why were people on the roof? why was i on the roof?

yourusername: lets not announce that baby, i don't want zak brown to sue me

landonorris: i'm never drinking again... you do this every weekend?

yourusername: you are literally an f1 driver, you have much harder weekends

landonorris: well at least after this i got cuddles

lilymunhe: based on how late you were to brunch, i guess it was a lot of cuddles

landonorris: i am clingy, let me live

yourusername: i like clingy lando don't worry baby

alexalbon: you need to drop out immediatelt that was terrifying

yourusername: LOL

alexalbon: why were they all so loud and why did they all insist on drinking upside down? this place is so unserious

yourusername: just say you miss me alex

alexalbon: fine, i miss you (also now we know about you and lando, he did nothing but complain about missing you the whole flight home)

user34: alex already sick of lando's shit they crack me up

landonorris

liked by georgerussell63, yourusername and 1,023,400 others

tagged: yourusername

landonorris: cosplayed as a theta sister for the week with the love of my life

view all comments

user35: this is the cross over i could never see coming but am not angry about

user36: so does someone on the grid finally get the greek system?

landonorris: no ❤️

yourusername: the prettiest sister ever (anyone from the house ready this, he doesn't count don't worry)

landonorris: i am the prettiest sister regardless sorry not sorry

yourusername: they just warmed up to you :(

landonorris: they warmed up to me the minute i doordashed chipotle for the whole house

yourusername: true

landonorris: also miss president, why is that a full time job? i really don't get greek life

user37: the image of a whole house of sorority sisters and then just lando is so funny to me

user38: he's the president's bf so i doubt anyone had a real problem

yourusername: he's also unbelievable levels of girlypop

landonorris: it's my greatest asset

yourusername: i can think of another one ;)

alexalbon: HAVE SOME SHAME PEOPLE

yourusername: HIS PERSONALITY

landonorris: and something else ;)

alexalbon: STOP PLEASE OR I'LL REVOKE MY APPROVAL

user38: i need a relationship like this stat

user39: omg when y/n graduates i can't wait for her to be back with alex and lando full time ... the chaos will be crazy

note: please enjoy this little one!! gonna start going through any requests now xx

[gunpowderdtim]

i wonder what me and @miralines rpverse ouatisblr would look like

10 notes

🌅 atypicalarielien follow 🔁 antiroyalribbons follow

🤡 normalpeopleonly follow

dni if you think that freckles luck should in ANY way be involved in goverment. i mean she's a rose red why should we ever trust that? theyre all monsters i thought this was well established when they FUCKING KILLED US FOR 30 YEARS??? wtf

🥀 antiroyalribbons follow

uh freckles luck did NOT spend 30 fucking years fighting for the rebels for you to call her a rose red. she's made it clear she's just a normal person dozens of times what is WRONG with you

🤡 normalpeopleonly follow

she's still a fucking clone. they put chips in their brains, did you know that? theyre all mind controlled and shit why should we ever fucking trust one. with fucking government programs. i dont care if she 'seems' 'normal' she's just a rose red. i dont get why they didn't kill them all anyway

🥀 antiroyalribbons follow

SHE'S A WAR VETERAN?????? BRUH. you owe your freedom to her she helped kill the fucking king?????

⚫ zanti-deactivated02334432

I think mentioning she assisted the new regime is unnecessary. RR-11678 betrayed the crown in 4395. I think either way she should be shot. Rose Reds, especially defective ones are a hazard. She betrayed the king once. If the new "president" Marion Belle were any sort of intelligent she would have her killed. She betrayed once. She could do it again.

🥀 antiroyalribbons follow

oh now the crown loyalists are here. @normalpeopleonly look what you attracted. this is why we shouldn't give people like op energy

🌅 atypicalarielien follow

bros stop reblogging this it has captain luck fucking id in it she's said like twice to stop spreading that information further...

1,312 notes

🌅 atypicalarielien follow 🔁 zanti2 follow

🌅 atypicalarielien follow

you guys ever think about how hot rose reds are 😳🏳️‍🌈

🪙 zanti2 follow

they are not people.

🌅 atypicalarielien follow

motherfucker you made an alt just to harass me i get it you're a crown loyalist why dont you go suck coles dick. oh wait. he's dead. maybe you should join him

5 notes

🥀 antiroyalribbons follow

everyone should read Althea Black's new book: The Army With a Single Face: Firsthand Accounts of Rose Reds in the Crown War. it really puts the whole war from the perspective of a rose red into mind. really fucked up.

123 notes

🟥 realredhood follow 🔁 antiroyalribbons follow

🪫 ravenousrebeliousraven follow

crazy how president marion belle and her husband are getting divorced... guess that's what the war ending does do a relationship

🟥 realredhood follow ☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️

its because belle sucks ass lmafo

🪫 ravenousrebeliousraven follow

RED HOOD?????

🥀 antiroyalribbons follow

only on sptumblr do we get war veterans gossiping about divorses. i guess. also is this government secrets or

🟥 realredhood follow ☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️

:3

5,678 notes

🌅 atypicalarielien follow

can't believe that people threw rocks at fucking Rose Prince on the beach like. what. she's not a giant literally look at her stature..... this was like 3 miles from my house hell world can i move to fucking mulberry or some shit

1 note

🟥 realredhood follow ☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️☑️

if i get 100k notes ill leak crown and rebel documents on my sptwitch

[beatrice-otter]

Statement on a 78-Year-Old Criminal's Appearance on Fox News

Harris is taking a decidedly sharp tack when battling Trump, and I am all for it. Trump was on Fox News this morning, and Harris released the following:

Statement on a 78-Year-Old Criminal's Appearance on Fox News After watching Fox News this morning we only have one question, is Donald Trump ok? Main takeaways Trump gave to the American people: Trump praised his Project 2025 Trump is flustered and lashing out When Trump wasn't lying, he was making threats Abortion bans are good, mail-in voting is bad Praised dictators because he wants to be one Trump is clearly worried he made the wrong pick in J.D. Vance Trump is old and quite weird? This guy shouldn't be president ever again If anyone wants an alternative, Kamala Harris is offering one

[strawberryamanita]

Y'all I'm sorry but this is making me freak the fuck out

I know this is gonna probably cause people to call me a terrible person, but I'm just gonna risk it anyhow because this is getting really scary.

If you are a USAmerican,

Please vote for Biden this year.

I am 1000% aware that the genocide in Gaza is being perpetuated by Biden's administration. It's not good at all. I don't like the guy either, and like every President the US has ever had, he will burn in Hell, guaranteed.

But if we don't vote, then Trump is gonna win. This sounds rhetorical, but I ask genuinely: do you think Trump is gonna stop the genocide?

Has Trump ever shown that he cares about a single human being besides himself? The level of misanthropy that idiot is on is remarkable. I personally cannot see him slowing the flow of genocide in any direction; if anything, he might redouble the effort.

I think it was Warren who is tryna warn people that if Trump gets elected again, he'll never leave. I think back to a time during his first term where he said there might one day be a "forever President", and that makes me sick to my fucking stomach. That's not a presidency, that's a monarchy or a dictatorship. That would be the de-facto end of having a say in who's in control until he finally fucking dies -- and not even then, because then the mantle will be passed down to one of his children.

I know the US shouldn't exist in the first place. I am 100% aware of that. They say that empires fall after 250 years, and the US is gonna be 248 years old in July. But unfortunately, it exists right now, and it's full of people who will not survive another four years of Trump.

Again -- I will say it as many times as I need to -- I don't like Biden. I don't like him. He's done some beneficial things, but using his executive powers to speed up a genocide tips the scale completely over back towards hating him.

But Biden will step down when his term is done. I know the bar is in the fucking Mariana Trench, but for the love of God I do not wanna be under Trump for even a minute more. I hate Biden, but I hate Trump more, and that is fueling me, personally, to show up to vote.

At the end of the day, the problem is systemic. Every single authority over the US, since even before Washington, has only cared about hurting people of color and churning up the earth to make money. Our taxes could help improve the lives of US civilians, but instead they are funneled into the trillion-dollar War Machine aimed in every direction, including the US itself. The US commonwealth doesn't matter to the US government. We are human livestock who generate revenue; no matter how many changes of hands our money makes for hopes of a better cause inside the US, every last penny will find its way back into the War Machine or under the dirty ass of a billionaire who should be tarred and feathered in oil and their own paper money.

With all that said. There are US citizens who are enthusiastically pro-Biden right now, and siding with them might just keep us from living in Trump Hell all over again. The bigots have gotten too proud around here, and it makes my blood run cold. My mother doesn't show enthusiasm for ANYTHING the way she shows it for her freedom to hate people loudly and proudly. It makes her come ALIVE. And I know I'm not the only one who's been subjected to this kind of horror show for the last 9 years. Every state of mind curated by the US is a cult, and there is no escape outside of moving away.

Please. Vote. For Biden.

[codenamesazanka]

Initial 426 thoughts

Endeavor stole the scene here. I feel it's not so much Family-Shouto/Dabi reconciliation as Endeavor's atonement arc conclusion. Shouto nearly felt like a sideshow. Supportive younger brother asking the cute line about soba, then going back to school with a shonen 'I'm chasing my dream!' line.

Don't get me wrong, that moment was so good. Dabi during the battle swore that their lines/path would never intersect, that Shouto's was too straight and narrow, while his was warped. That was the memory Dabi's recalling as he cries. That he said they would run in parallel, remaining apart—but then here was Shouto, asking him about his favorite food, wanting to intersect. And they do - they have the same favorite food.

But I wanted more. And because we can't have more because of Endeavor, I want Endeavor to at least get yelled at for this. I imagine it already happened before this visit, when the family received the diagnosis. This is after that, this after those feelings had run its course and they're resigned to this, what's left to do.

And so Endeavor gets to have his one final cool line, which is infuriating because it is a good line, responding back to Dabi's invitation to dance. It's such a good line that wonder if Natsuo saying that line was cool isn't Horikoshi patting himself on the back. But it shouldn't have been delivered here on the epilogue. It should've been immediately post Jaku, and Endeavor had been prepared to truly taste the hell of dealing with his son directly.

Fuyumi says she quit but I wonder if she wasn't asked to resign, or felt she had to quit due to her being from a perpetrator's family. Especially since she has to say she's already got another job lined up, referred by a student's mother.

Hawks becoming HPSC head makes me livid. Toga should've killed him. He goes on TV and admits he killed a guy without following proper procedure, and he's HPSC president, who will be in charge of making sure Heroes follow proper procedure. I guess things at least are more transparent!

You know Hawks still doesn't think killing Twice was wrong. So if something threatening comes up in the future, he might well think 'KILL THEM' yet again, and being HPSC president, give the order to do so.

Get Nagant out of jail. If she's afraid of being used, give her a vacation in Bali. Why stay in jail????

Feels like Horikoshi is keeping her in prison because she'll be too troublesome to handle if she's out. She'll bring up questions like "Can she function in society after 15 years? (Answer tends towards no, she said the world outside prison is scary) What will she do now, after all that? WILL THE TRUTH OF THE ASSASSINATIONS EVER COME TO LIGHT?" And we can't have that.

I hate this cutesy-ness with Mr. Optimism Hawks. Jail is a joke now, because meals are provided at taxpayer's expense and Nagant has been moved to a lower security prison (but prob not anyone else). Call her Villain 😋 as if that's not a label that's gotten people unfairly judged, or justified their killing.

The facility Dabi is in is probably a Villain Hospital. Those exist - they've been referred to a couple of times in the manga and vigilantes. Probably a combination of prison and hospital. So of course the guard's uniforms look a bit like Tartarus uniform. But white.

Which makes it interesting, because SPINNER is still at Central Hospital. Too weak to be a threat?

SPINNER.

SPINNER. 😭😭😭 If you look closely, his eyes are open. You can see his pupils. He's looking over at the door opening.

I'm so scared. SPINNER.

SPINNER.

[boyrobott]

i had the best day with you today

"You guys—?" Astro stares around the penthouse kitchen in total disbelief, turning slowly on the spot to try and take in everything at once — colorful streamers draped haphazardly over every available surface, and a paper banner clumsily tacked up over the arched entryway, one side noticeably lower than the other, and a cake on the table, topped with white icing and blue sprinkles and flickering candles, a handful of presents wrapped in bright yellow gift paper beside it. "You guys threw me a birthday party?"

Read on AO3.

Astro knows it's been a year since his fight with the Peacekeeper, because everybody is talking about it again, and the reminders are everywhere he goes — President Logan wants him to make a speech about the whole thing, for crying out loud, and he knows the guy means well, but he really wants to say no, except he's not sure if he can do that politely, and he's not sure if he can do it at all, actually, because this is the president he's talking about, and the last time he said no to the president, he died twice in as many hours, and he'd prefer not to repeat that experience, please and thank you.

On top of that, every reporter in the entire city is trying to corner him for an impromptu interview about the year-old battle, armed with cameras and microphones and notepads, and he doesn't want to be rude to them when he knows they're just doing their job, but he doesn't want to relive that day again, either, so lately he's been taking every backroad and byway he knows to avoid them.

Things aren't much better at school, either, where it's an even fifty-fifty split between the classmates who pepper him with way more invasive, uncomfortable questions about the Peacekeeper than the reporters ever have, and the classmates who never wanted a robot around in the first place, and now they're seething about all the renewed interest in the fight, which means they're being twice as nasty as usual — TJ Porter, the unofficial ringleader of that second group, had a "conversation" with his friends in the school cafeteria yesterday about Astro's "future career" as a worthless pile of rusted, used-up metal in the junkyard.

(Astro tried his hardest to pretend he didn't hear TJ at all, and tried even harder than that to not think about this time last year, when he actually was facing a future as a worthless pile of rusted, used-up scrap metal in the junkyard.)

The HRA just recently published a brand-new and characteristically scathing article about the upcoming anniversary, too, and Astro knows he probably shouldn't have read it, but morbid curiosity can be very persuasive when it wants to be, so he knows exactly what they said about him, and he knows it went like this: A year has gone by since the combat robot known as Astro Boy caused all manner of property damage, supposedly in the name of "helping" the city, and still, the wider community continues to passively accept its presence in our skies and streets, even allowing it to attend public junior high school with our children. When will the proud people of this great nation come to their senses, and realize how deceiving appearances can truly be? This "Astro Boy" is no more a child than your local bank-teller, and it experiences no more emotion than the average vacuum cleaner.

(Astro turned off his phone for the next forty-eight hours after that, and tried not to think about this time last year, when the HRA was publishing articles about him in the immediate aftermath of the Peacekeeper fiasco, saying perhaps the former President Stone was correct in his opinions, if not his execution, of what to do about this blatant misuse of Ministry technology and we must hope that Dr. Tenma intends to eliminate this danger to the public before it can do any further damage to our city.)

Astro knows it's been a year since his fight with the Peacekeeper.

That doesn't mean he wants to think about it.

But the reminders are everywhere he goes, and everyone is talking about it, and everyone wants to hear him talk about it, too, and President Logan wants him to stand up in front of the city and make a whole speech about it, talk about the week when the whole world wanted him dead, and he was all alone and nobody wanted him and he didn't know who he was, and he barely even knew what he was, really, except that he wasn't human and he wasn't Tobi so he wasn't good enough and nobody wanted him and he was all alone and Dr. Elefun had lied when he said there's a place for you, you just have to find it, and he can't stop waking up in the middle of the night with panicked apologies spilling from his lips, saying I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry Dad I'm so sorry I'm so sorry Dad please I'm sorry I'm sorry I swear I swear I'll do better I swear I'll do everything right I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm so sorry please Dad please don't kill me—

Yeah, Astro knows it's been a year since the Peacekeeper.

How could he forget?

But he's so busy thinking about it, and trying not to, that he actually does forget something else that also happened in the same week — something that isn't the Peacekeeper, something that isn't the ice-cold grief and crushing loneliness of waking up on his own in the junkyard, in a pile of robots that were just as unwanted as him, or the burning fury of the Robot Games, the bone-deep humiliation as Hamegg treated him like a monkey in a circus, the iron-heavy guilt of murdering all those other robots, the choking sorrow of knowing he'd just lost the best and only friends he'd ever had, and the devastation and despair of realizing he was going to die when he'd barely begun to live, the devastation and despair of realizing he had nothing left to live for.

Something else also happened in the same week.

But he's so busy trying not to think about anything from that week he completely forgets all about it.

Everyone else remembers, though.

"You guys—?" Astro stares around the penthouse kitchen in total disbelief, turning slowly on the spot to try and take in everything at once — colorful streamers draped haphazardly over every available surface, and a paper banner clumsily tacked up over the arched entryway, one side noticeably lower than the other, and a cake on the table, topped with white icing and blue sprinkles and flickering candles, a handful of presents wrapped in bright yellow gift paper beside it. "You guys threw me a birthday party?"

He's been so wrapped up in everything, trying to come up with a polite way to decline President Logan's request without accidentally alienating another elected official so soon after the last one, and trying to avoid the overzealous journalists around every corner, and trying not to think about this time last year, trying not to get lost in the memories, crystal-clear like it all happened just yesterday, that he didn't remember or even really know it was his birthday today, but it is, isn't it?

On this day last year, he wasn't waking up on his own in the junkyard — he was waking up in his father's lab at the Ministry of Science in the dead of night, his systems coming online and the cameras behind his eyes pulling the world into sharper and sharper and sharper focus until all the pixels suddenly coalesced together, and he saw his dad and Dr. Elefun for the first time. On this day last year, his artificial lungs were expanding with his first breath, and the synthetic vocal cords in his throat were vibrating with his first words, and the joints in his knees were whirring with his first steps.

On this day last year, he wasn't dying on a cold metal table with his father's grief-stricken apologies still ringing in his ears — he was coming alive.

He can't believe he forgot.

But everyone else remembered, and they're throwing him a whole party for it, even though it's technically an activation day, and not a birthday, and robots don't actually celebrate their activation days, anyway.

He wants to thank them. He wants to tell them they didn't have to do all this just for him, and he wants to tell them he can't believe they did do all this just for him, and he wants to tell them it's totally amazing, and he loves it, and he's sorry he's being so weird about it but as soon as he can wrap his mind around it, he's going to be really, really happy.

But his brain is frozen, and he's not sure he could push everything he wants to say past the lump in his throat, anyway.

"You really don't have to pretend you didn't see this coming, Astro," Cora shakes her head, but she's laughing as she does. "Widget and Sludge gave it away, like, a thousand times all week. It's okay. We know you already knew."

"Everyone expects a surprise party on their birthday, Cora!" Widget counters immediately, with the air of somebody who's already had this argument on several previous occasions. "And if they expect it, then it's not really a surprise! So you've got to make it super-duper clear to them that you are throwing them a party, because then they think it's going to be something totally different, and then it's not! Which means it really is a surprise! And! Look at him! He is very obviously surprised! Check and mate!"

Sludge nods proudly, standing up as tall as he can and puffing out his chest. "It was a double submersion!"

Dr. Elefun chuckles. "That's called a double subversion, Sludge."

"Same difference," Sludge rolls his eyes.

"It's really not," Orrin says.

"I-I didn't even know you guys knew my birthday," Astro stammers, awkward and uncertain, because it's honestly the only thing he can think to say. "Did I tell you, and then just… forget?" Come to think of it, he's not actually sure if that's even possible — with such an advanced artificial intelligence installed in his system, he can easily remember everything that's ever happened to him in precise, pin-sharp detail — but it also sounds exactly like the kind of thing he'd do.

"Oh, no, your dad gave us a heads-up, actually," Widget tells him. "He… what did you call it, Zane? 'Came through in the clutch'?"

Zane gives her a thumbs-up. "You got it."

I didn't know my dad knew my birthday, either, Astro thinks, but he catches himself a second before he actually says it out loud, biting his tongue against the instinctive response. "Oh."

"Yeah, four days ago," Cora huffs, rolling her eyes and folding her arms over her chest. "We had four days to get everything together for this. And your dad totally sucks at parties, by the way, so he was zero help. He was just like—" she pushes her voice down to a much deeper octave, in an obvious imitation of his dad's low, gruff tone, "—oh, yeah, it's Astro's birthday on Sunday, haha, isn't it crazy how time flies! And then he was gone!"

"Guilty as charged," Dad says mildly, without so much as a trace of said guilt in his voice, and a small twitch at the corner of his mouth, like he's trying his best not to laugh. "I've been persona non grata with everyone since then."

"Anyway," Cora jumps in again, pulling the conversation back on-track, "that's why this isn't as awesome as the birthday party you guys put together for me in February. We just didn't have enough time to do everything we wanted — we'll do something way cooler next year, though, trust me. It'll blow this one right out of the water, you'll see."

Astro can't believe she honestly thinks there could ever be anything better than this — the people he loves more than anything in the world all gathered together in the same room, safe and smiling and happy, and here just for him. He can't believe they did all of this just for him. He can't even begin to imagine what Cora thinks could top this.

"No, no, this is—this is perfect," he chokes out, his vision getting suspiciously blurry all of a sudden, but he's also smiling so wide it's hurting his face. "Seriously, guys, I love this. It's perfect. Thank you so much for doing this for me."

"Of course!" Orrin chirps cheerfully, like it's totally unthinkable that they wouldn't do all this just for him, and he rolls forward a little to wrap Astro in a hug. "We love you! You're such a wonderful person, and a great friend, and we're so excited to celebrate your birthday with oh my god the cake is on fire!"

"What?!"

Everybody immediately abandons their positions to scramble over to the table and stare down at the confection — which is, in fact, very much on fire, a bright orange-gold flame about the size of a grown man's hand dancing wildly atop the buttercream frosting.

"Holy crap!" Zane screeches. "What the heck kinda birthday candles do that?! Birthday candles should not do that!"

"You lit them too early!" Dad turns on him a little too quickly for this to be a brand-new argument. "I told you that we should have waited for him to get here before we lit the candles! Why didn't you just listen to me?!"

"Who cares why it happened?! The cake is on fire!" Cora yells at the pair of them as she dashes over to the sink, fills a glass with water straight from the faucet, and races back to the table with the cup clutched in her hand, clear fluid spilling out the sides and splashing over her fingers. Of course she's already three steps ahead of the rest of them — she always is, even in situations as unexpected as this.

But before she can douse the flame, Orrin throws himself in front of the cake with his arms spread wide in the universal pose of Fearless Action Hero Taking A Bullet For Another Character. "No, no, wait! Don't do that! The cake will get soggy! And then it'll be ruined!"

Cora grinds to a dead halt, the water still swirling violently around inside the glass, and gapes at Orrin like she's never properly seen him before. "Are you being for real?! Are you actually being for real right now?! The cake is on fire!"

"I know, but I worked so hard on it!" Orrin wails miserably. "And it's perfect! Astro is going to love it!"

"I-It's fine, Orrin," Astro rushes to reassure him, but he's way more focused on the miniature bonfire in the center of the table than the cake beneath it. "Seriously, it's totally okay. Let's just—"

"Salt!" Sludge hollers, waving his arms around in the air like a traffic controller. "Salt won't make the cake soggy, and it'll put out the fire, too, right? We can use some salt!"

Poor Orrin looks like he's about to cry. "But that'll ruin it, too!"

"We don't have a whole lot of other options here, Orrin!" Dad barks at him. "We have to take care of that fire now! It's going to get out of control!"

"This is not my fault!" Zane declares, despite the fact that no one is directly accusing him anymore. "You know what? It's your fault!" He jabs an accusatory finger at Tenma. "Yeah! It's your fault for having such crappy birthday candles that they can't even burn for—!"

"The birthday candles were perfectly fine!"

"Then why the heck are they burning so quickly?! Answer me that, Science Man!"

"Because they're birthday candles! They're not supposed to burn for long periods of time! That's why I told you not to light them until Astro actually got here, but—"

"Orrin," Cora seethes, in that dangerous voice she always uses when she's about to explode with sheer rage. "If you don't get out of my way in the next ten seconds, I swear I'm going to—"

"Oh, for the love of God!" Apparently, even Dr. Elefun has lost all patience. "Somebody just blow it out!"

Everyone goes dead silent and statue-still for a long, loaded second, gawking at Dr. Elefun like they've never even considered the concept of blowing out birthday candles before. Honestly, Astro is kind of embarrassed no one else came up with it first.

"…Huh," Zane says finally. "Probably should have thought of that one sooner, yeah."

"No, no, wait! Astro has to do it!" Widget pipes up, as Cora skirts around Orrin and bends down over the cake to follow Dr. Elefun's orders. "It's his birthday! He has to blow out the candles, doesn't he?"

"Guys, I think the fire might be kind of a bigger problem than who blows out the—okay, okay," Astro gives up the fight barely a second later, because Cora has backed off again to clear a path for him, and Sludge is trying to physically haul him over to the table with a hand on his leg, tugging on the excess denim at the knee of his jeans. He quickly steps around Cora and Orrin, leaning in close (somewhere in the background, he hears his dad mutter a quick be careful, son, like he doesn't face off against mad scientists and evil robots and convicted murderers and god only knows what else on a daily basis) to extinguish the fire in a single breath.

The whole group instantly clusters around him to inspect the huge black scorch mark on top of the cake. Poor Orrin looks absolutely devastated.

"I'm sure it still tastes okay," Astro pats him on the shoulder. "We can just cut that piece off, or something. It's really no big deal." He reaches to pull out a couple of the burnt candles — the lingering heat will sting, of course, but not as badly as it would if he had human skin — but he freezes halfway there, because the burnt candles… are not candles, actually. "Uh… Zane… w-why did you use… matchsticks?"

"You did what?" Dad wheels around to fix Zane with the Minister of Science Death Glare that has left lesser men (including Astro) fleeing the room in terror.

"Oh, man, that's what those things were?" Zane pushes past Cora and the twins to get a closer look. "I thought they were just really crappy candles! Sorry, Science Man, that's my bad." He even has the guts to reach up and pat Dad on the back, despite the fact that Tenma looks two seconds away from picking him up and bodily throwing him out of the penthouse.

"How did you even light these?" Astro asks, to defuse the impending argument (and also because, now that he's thinking about it, he actually really wants to know) as he hastily plucks the smoldering sticks out of the cake. "I mean, since you thought the matches were birthday candles…"

Zane puts a hand in the pocket of his shabby brown jacket and pulls it back out again a minute later to show off a silver cigarette lighter. "Duh. How do you think?"

"Oh, my god!" Tenma snatches it straight out of Zane's open palm before anyone else can react. "Why on earth do you have a lighter?! Who gave you a lighter?!"

"Hey!" Zane makes a wild grab for it, but Dad has at least six inches on him, and easily holds it out of his reach. "Oh, come on, don't tell me you guys don't carry them around, too! I mean, you never know when you need to set something on fire, am I right?"

"Um," Dr. Elefun says. "How many times have you needed to set something on fire, exactly?"

There's a suspiciously long second of silence after that, wherein Dad looks like he's having a few dozen heart attacks right there in the middle of the kitchen, and Zane wrinkles his brow in an expression of deep concentration. Astro has a terrible feeling that he's counting the various occasions in his head.

"You know what!" Orrin says, all of a sudden, and very loudly, in an excruciatingly obvious effort to break the tension, and redirect the conversation. "Why don't we have some cake! Who wants cake? Everyone wants cake, right? Everyone loves cake! Can't go wrong with cake!"

"Uh, yeah, let me help you with that," Astro gratefully latches onto the excuse to escape whatever kind of chaos is inevitably going to happen next, hurrying after Orrin into the kitchen proper. He grabs a handful of forks from the cutlery drawer, and pulls down a stack of plates from the cupboard, piling it all together to make it easier to carry before he heads back over to the dining table.

Orrin is already there, patiently removing a few of the matchsticks he missed in his shock over Zane's cigarette lighter, and carefully cutting the blackened section away from the rest with a large knife, while Cora and Zane are arguing vehemently over whether arson can really be considered a hobby or not. Widget and Sludge are arguing even more vehemently about which one of them did a better job of keeping the surprise party under wraps all week, while Tenma and Elefun are talking with their heads together, probably trying to decide how to tell Zane's foster parents that their twelve-year-old charge has a lighter.

(Astro really can't believe Cora thinks there's anything that could be better than this — the people he loves more than anything in the world all gathered together in the same room, even if they're all a little frazzled from the fire, and the cuff of Widget's sleeve looks a bit singed.)

Right at that moment, Dad glances up and locks eyes with Astro, still lingering on the edge of the group with the plates in his hands, and waves him over. Astro quickly deposits the dishes on the table and makes his way over to his dad — who, to his intense surprise, puts an arm around his shoulders and pulls him close in a kind of side-hug.

Astro thinks about this time last year — waking up on his own in the junkyard, standing in the arena under the blinding sun as the Robot Games raged on and on, realizing he had nothing left to live for, realizing the whole world would be better and happier if he wasn't in it anymore, dying on a cold metal table with his father's grief-stricken apologies still ringing in his ears — and he realizes, with a funny kind of jolt in the pit of his stomach, that his life really could not be any more different now: he's alive, making a tangible positive difference in the city, surrounded by people who love him just as much as he loves them, and he's so happy he feels like he must be overflowing with it.

(He's not alone anymore.)

"I'm sorry about all this," his dad murmurs, pulling him suddenly out of his thoughts. "I know this has gotten off to a… rough start."

Astro thinks about this time last year, and shrugs it off, his mind finally calm for the first time in a week. "That's okay. The best things usually do."

[andieperrie18]

champagne problems

A/n: I'm a horrible writer, I know. I just deleted the original one again cause its far from the plot that I had intended. I'm really sorry. I just love hurting myself with my own writing. I don't dislike Ada, I just needed plot and basically vent the pain I put myself though while reading some angsty Leon fics. But here it is chapter one, the official chapter one of i don't know how many. Pray for me guys. Please bear with my english and grammar, I'm no English proficiency professor. For now feel my pain.

Warnings: Angst, Confrontation, Hurt no Comfort, just pain I guess, I don't know if its really angsty

Pairing: Leon Kennedy x Reader (post re 6)

Series: that vacation you're looking for

Y/n could only watch her fiance run through chaos and debris just to get to the woman red. The woman she's been competing with ever since she first found out her with Leon, even though she shouldn't. But when you're significant, others aren't really doing a great job of reassuring their fiance for their constant interaction with the woman in red. It didn't help that Y/n and Leon were partners therefore encounters with Ada were prone to happen at a few missions. 

-------------------------------------------------

Y/n's fingertips glide deeply over her forehead, her lips releasing a rather long sigh as if she's carrying a rather heavy weight over her back. It didn't help that the skies decided to darken outside the coffee shop as she nervously waited for him. Her hands join together until her fingers begin fiddling, the cold metal band on her ring finger pulling her back to awareness as to why she is sitting in an almost empty coffee shop. The ring felt cold on her skin despite it being in that same finger for a long while now. Seeing it reminded her of that scene back in Lanshiang a few weeks ago.

Y/n did her best to not let the radiating chemistry and playful banter between the two get to her. Because as far as she know, Leon's marrying her, he had promised his future with her and hers alone that he has tied the knot for almost few years of working together since their first mission to save the president's daughter from the cult of Los Illuminados in Spain.

And yet, there she was, a crowd in the commotion that precedes. Leon leaping into action as he cradles Ada close to him as the mutated Simmons sends a barrage of debris towards them. She guessed Leon was so caught up with the chaos that he didn't notice his comm pick up his exchange with Ada.

"Ada? Can you hear me?"

"Don't let it end like this…"

"If you're Ada, you can pull through this… we both can…"

Y/n could have retaliated then and there. But she just heaved one big puff of air and released it slowly. Her eyes fall and soften as she listens to Leon. His tone was soft, sweet and loose.

It wasn't like he didn't speak to her that way when they are together and intimate. But the way he was bare and unguarded with her hammered larger cracks in Y/n hear. The patches that she had placed on those openings, the distrusts, all tore open like a poorly stitched wound. This scene is tearing every little band aid, tape, and thread that held the large pieces of her heart together.

As if it was a shattered piece of mirror, bare hands keeping each piece together. Like every bit of her remaining hope for him was clutching each piece together like a broken embrace.  

"Hey babe…"

Y/n barely heard his voice, it was only when he placed a nuzzled kiss on the side of her head that broke her from her heartbreaking trip down memory lane.

"Sorry, I got caught up with Hunnigan, did the wedding planner need something?" He asked as he took his seat on the chair across her, but like before she only stared at him.

"Hey…" Leon called, his tone soften in worry as his veiny and calloused hands took her smaller yet rough ones in his, his fingers gliding over the ring on her finger. She still didn't answer him, it raised an alarm in him, maybe it was the mission a few weeks ago. It might have taken a bit of a toll on her.

"Y/n, I'm here. Do you need something? Let take you home, let's talk–"

"I'm tired," she finally replied.

He sighed and smiled small, "I guess muscles are still sore. Come on, let me take you–" he shifts of his chair.

"I'm tired of you Lee…"

A cold chill ran through his hand that's holding hers as he looked dead set on her. Confused and hurt. 

But her eyes were blank. Devoid of the usual spark it usually has when she's with him. When did it lose it?

"What do you mean–"

Her hands slipped away from his as he slumped back in his chair in distaste at the sudden confession. Was she seeing someone other than him? Did she find someone else? 

"I'm tired of fighting for you," she continues, gaze dead set on his troubled one.

But Leon wasn't dumbfounded for too long as he finally put the pieces together. This reaction might have something to do with the mission in Lanshiang and the encounter with Ada. He gave out an annoyed sigh leaned forward on the table across from her.

"Look, Y/n, you know how Ada means to me but you don't need to overthink about her. I'm marrying y–"

"I saw you. I heard you." She went on, yet her voice cracks in every syllable that Leon picked up immediately. His fiance was breaking apart in front of him. It was only at that moment that he finally took in her state.

Dark bags under eyes, lips slightly chapped, skin pale, her that was tied in a loose ponytail nearly looked neat. She was as gray as the darkening sky outside the cafe.

"Y/n, I–"

Leon paused as Y/n finally moved in her seat, leaning forward against the table. Her gaze went to the metal band on her hand, staring at it. The male across from her wished that what he was thinking she was gonna was not what was actually going to happen. But her other hand's finger pinched the ring and began to twist and turn it off her.

Leon's hand went to stop her but she had already had it off and took his hand. Y/n opened his palm, and placed the ring inside. The cold metal almost felt prickly on his rough and calloused hands.

"I think this ring isn't for me at all," she whispered, yet loud enough for him. Leon was too stunned to speak as he could only stare at her. Like his world just crumbled down as he felt the metal on his palm. But he was pulled back from the trance when he felt Y/n familiar warm palm on his cheek, thumb rubbing his rough stubble.

"I didn't mean to go this way but… Leon I'm falling apart… everything is just too much and I don't feel like myself anymore," like a dam, tears spilled her eyes, Y/n tried not to break into an all out sob.

"I'm sorry Leon, I'm sorry," she continued before leaving her seat

----------------------------------------------------------------

Y/n ended up in a random train ride to who knows where it will go to. She just needed to be in a place where she could cry and guilt trip herself. She will be reminded of Leon's back on her as he faced her empty seat across from him, hands fiddling with the silver band that was once on her fingers. That scene will forever be etched to her mind as she buries her face in her hands.

Leon was still at the cafe. Still fiddling over the silver band as his mind went over how much Y/n apologized over and over to him as she shakingly handed the ring back to his hand after telling him that they can't be together. But what hurt was that he knew that she was not the only one at fault. He knows it. He ran away again. Instead of assuring her that it was not all her. It was his action that led to his fiance's distrust and anxiety. But he didn't say anything as she broke down before him, he was clouded by the anger of her decision.

Y/n curled in her seat breaking into quiet sobs. She cried and cried and yet somehow the weight that rested on her shoulder a few hours ago slowly fluttered away.

-------------------------------------------------

She'll patch up the tapestry that I shread

[copperweave]

Btw logging off today. I don't need the stress from election day. Go vote. Vote for the one that isn't an open fascist. Shit's fucked, Kamala has extremely bad stances, but there will be a next president of the USA, and it shouldn't be the guy that has explicitly said he would very much like to be a dictator.

If you ever wondered what you would do in 1930s Germany, this is your chance to test that. Unfortunately we don't have a viable option against the genocide in Gaza. You do have a viable option against the genocides that will start in America. And third parties will never win with our current climate.

There are record numbers of young voters coming out this election season. That means even if you don't think your state or district has a chance of flipping, you might be wrong. Go vote, go now, go before the crowds get too long, go before it's too late. The greater enemy explicitly wants to make it so that you can't do it again. You do it now, or you may not get the chance to do it again.

[smol-grey-tea]

Secret Ending Three - Chapter Eight: Two Steps Forward

I'm getting really bored of this chapter..and I accidentally posted it instead of saving it as a draft so it's really annoying me to find it under all my posts. So I'll just write it so it's out my way -3- if I do it poorly, I can always edit it in AO3

I don't remember the last time I left the house this early. Rubbing our eyes, stomachs full on Yeonho's million course breakfast, it's still surreal to be out while the streets are so empty and the sun has barely even risen yet.

I do hate this sensation... I can't help but be reminded of when I was trapped in that world with my bear, without anyone else. The eerie quiet sends chills up and down my spine. I'm not sure who I'm trying to comfort when I instinctively grab his hand as we step out of the limo, huddling together for warmth.

After we all were standing on the pavement, waving goodbye to Yuri and Tei, I heard a sudden crunch, and then a loud gasp, and, "Nooooooooooooo!!"

I quickly turned around. "Yeonho?? Is everything alright??" I'm sure that must have been the loudest thing I've ever heard come from his mouth. Is he okay??

"What's wrong, Yeonho??" Red exclaimed, rushing over to him.

He's frozen, crouched onto the ground. It does remind me of when he found John the cat, but there isn't a cat, or even a creature in sight. "Noooooo!!" he cried again, and he reached out towards something on the ground. "I crushed a snail..!"

Oh... I hadn't noticed, nor do I think anyone else did at all, but if you look close enough, there lies the crushed shell of a snail next to his foot...

"Oh..! That's...um." Snails are a bit gross. I guess I'm glad it's not a spider.

"Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry..." I hear Yeonho whispering to himself.

"Oh, it's just a snail. I thought you were hurt," Lance said coldly. "Then come on, let's keep going." With that, he turned back around and marched on towards the academy.

"It wasn't doing anything! Just because it's small doesn't mean we can just step on it!" Yeonho argued. He picks up the broken corpse gently and breathes in and out.

I never considered something like this before, but...I guess it is a bit sad, isn't it? Just because a snail is gross or you can go your whole day without even thinking about one, does that really mean that it's death is meaningless? I don't know... I've never thought about it before.

"That's really thoughtful, Yeonho. You didn't mean to do it though, you shouldn't feel too bad about it," I said, patting his shoulder as a way to comfort him.

"Thank you, Eri," he replied, trying to smile. But he frowned sadly again as he walked towards, but not through, the school gate. I watched him kneel down at the grass, whispering "ashes to ashes, dust to dust," apparently giving the snail a tiny funeral. He, Red and I all bowed our heads in respect. My bear followed suit afterwards.

Once ready, Yeonho led the way to catch up with Lance, and my bear nudged me and whispered, "that was weird."

"Yeah. It was, wasn't it? But it was a bit cute that we did it together," I giggled, taking Red's hand and walking through the school gates. My bear just nodded in response.

The halls are so empty this early and the clouds outside so grey, it's hard to believe it's even a school day. But the five of us all make our way to freshman class N to start the day.

"Are you excited to start school?" Red asked my bear. "I won't be able to be with you guys all day, since I go to a different classroom, but see you again at lunchtime!"

"I guess," my bear responds, clinging to my side. I think he's a bit shy, but he'll warm up to everything eventually, I'm sure.

"Then I'll see you later, okay? I gotta go speak to the drama club president quickly, so I'll let you guys get on with your tour of the school," said Red, waving. I worry slightly about him leaving my side, but I won't be alone.

"Please familiarise yourself with your surroundings," Lance says to my bear, dumping his schoolbag under his seat and putting on his teacher voice. "This is the classroom you will be spending the most time in. If you get lost or forget where to go, do not worry. You can always ask the students around you or any teachers about where you're meant to be. Shall we give you a tour of the rest of the building?"

My teddy was about to respond, hopefully a yes, but we were interrupted by a hesitant knock at the classroom door. We all turned to see a senior shyly open it and stare at us with wide eyes. We're the only ones in the classroom yet. What's she doing here?

"Um. Excuse me." Her voice is quiet and her eyes only focus on the floor. "Um. You're Lance, right?"

He gave an exhausted sigh at the question. "Correct. And I am not interested if you are asking me out on a date. No exceptions."

"Um. No. It-it's not that," the girl stuttered, twisting a strand of hair around her fingers. "It's nothing like that. It's something else. I need to speak to you about something...important."

Maybe it's about his student government duties? He rolls his eyes, clearly annoyed, and says finally, "alright. But make it quick."

"I- um- I... I'll try?" she stammered and followed him quickly out of the classroom.

I looked between my bear and Yeonho after he left and asked, "Yeonho, have you seen that girl anywhere before?" But he doesn't respond... "Yeonho?"

"Hm? Oh, uh no," he replied, startled, after turning away from the window. "Sorry. I was still thinking about that snail."

"Aw, I'm sure it's happy in snail heaven."

"I don't know if I believe in a heaven, but I do believe in a hell," my bear says.

Papers and posters decorate the four walls around him and he's especially captivated by a painting of a dandelion at the back of the classroom. "Don't we have this one at home?"

"Huh! Oh yeah, we do!" I replied. I don’t really look at the classroom that much so I hadn't noticed until he'd pointed it out. I follow him to the back and take a look myself.

The majority of the decorations are maths formulas, which would probably have helped me if I knew they were there. Eh, never mind.

But when I look closer at them... "Isn't that actually Lance's handwriting?" Am I wrong? All of the maths posters are written by Lance. I'm sure that's his handwriting.

"Oh yes, it is! I never noticed that before!" exclaimed Yeonho. "I'm sure in my world it was different. Wow, Lance... He did all of this?

"Hey, Lance!" Yeonho beamed, rushing out of the classroom to call him. He stuck his head out the door to look left and right. "... Lance?" But from what I could hear, there was no one there, not even the girl that called for him.

"Lance..?" I called into the void behind Yeonho. He said he'd be quick... "I guess he's gone."

"Hm," my bear mumbled and tugged at my sleeve. He looks all cute and bashful like that.

"You okay?"

"Eh... Are we still going to do that tour?" he asked without making eye contact. He keeps fiddling with my blazer like a little kid.

"Oh, um. I hope so. I have no idea when he might be back though, so I'm not sure. I'll text him-"

"You can't."

"Why not?"

"There," he said. His finger pointed towards Lance's seat. On it, Lance's phone.

"Oh... Um, he'll be back for it soon, right?"

"I don't know," Yeonho commented. "He might be going to a student government meeting. And plus, he has to do his discipline guide duties, so he probably won't be back in time."

Lance... What are we gonna do?

"Then...we'll look after his things for him while he's gone," I sighed. Sadly, I watched my bear's expression turn to a dejected frown. "Are you okay with that..?" Mute, he shrugged at me and kicked at the floor. Is he disappointed?

"Hey," called Yeonho, "don't be sad. We can still do it without him."

"... We can?"

"Yeah, of course! Lance knows the school like the back of his hand, but we know some stuff too! What do you think? Why don't the three of us go and show you around together?"

Offering a hand, Yeonho stood like a big brother above my bear with a kind smile on his face. Hesitantly, he looked to me for reassurance and slowly took the hand given to him... Since when did my dolls get so cute??

And just like that, the day went just as smoothly as planned. The tour went just fine, but although we searched most of the classrooms, we still couldn't find Lance... Will he be okay wherever he is?

By the time all the other students had started filing in, we're already finished touring and are sat chatting in the classroom, waiting for everyone else. I check my phone but when I look at Lance's desk, his phone is still sitting there, exactly where we left it.

The bell rings. It's the start of our first class of the day and the start of my bear's first class ever. But I start to worry when the teacher begins the lesson and there are still people who are missing...

Where are Soi and Shinbi?

I send them a text on our new group chat: "Hey guys! Lesson's already started and there's someone I want you to meet. Are you not in today?"

"Do you- Uh...um," I start to my bear on my right, about to ask him about Soi and Shinbi, but I don't know what to say when I look at him trying to write the date in his notebook. Does he know how to hold a pen properly?

"Hey," I say, and I take the pen from him. "You should hold it like this. See?" I explain, modelling the grip with his pen. "It's easier to control it like this, where you put it between your thumb and forefinger like that. You try."

"Okay..." he said, looking a bit annoyed, but he obeyed anyway and tried holding it how I showed him...awkwardly. He frowns at the page and sticks his tongue out, pen shaking in his hand. Has he broken a sweat? Oh dear... I think the handwriting was better before.

"You know what, if its hard for you, you don't have to do it that way. I just thought it would help, but you should just do it whatever way you feel comfortable with." Would Lance have dealt with this situation better? Whoops.

Snatching my attention away comes the vibrating desk from the notification on my phone. A message on the group chat from Soi: "sick".

Hmm... Well that's sad! I wonder why she didn't tell me. But the chat is showing that Shinbi's read the message as well, does that mean she's sick too, since they live together?

I write back: "Oh no! Hope you get better soon, want me to take notes for you?" The light to show that the message was read displays brightly and instantly, but I don't get another message on the chat, not for the rest of the entire day...

The bell rings for lunch, and, "Eri," I hear. Caught up in my thoughts about Soi and Shinbi, Yeonho calls me.

"I've got a surprise," he beams, the biggest smile on his face I think I've ever seen him show. He opens his bag. "You looked a little down for some reason. I hope this can cheer you up."

Two cute bento boxes are revealed and set out onto our desks before he pushes our desks together so that we can all eat right next to each other. He also pulls from his bag two little flatware sets decorated with cute characters - mine pink, my bear's purple. Adorable!

"Oh, Yeonho! I didn't know you did this, that's so nice!" I cry, witnessing the arrangement in the boxes of vegetable, fish and rice. My favourite bibimbap. "Yes, I didn't want the first day back to be too stressful with dealing with the cafeteria so I made this for you guys," he smiled, clearly proud of himself in his own little adorable way.

"That's really kind of you," I said, taking out my chopsticks. "Oh, it's fine, you don't have to worry about it. I can do it every day if you like?" "Every day? Really, Yeonho??" My eyes widened. "Yeah." But Yeonho's face remained the same, calm and unfazed. "Yeonho, that's so..."

A little voice on my right. "... Thank you." I see my bear, spoon clutched in his right hand and the little lunchbox in his left. Already, grains of rice sticking to his lower lip, his face, eyes wider than the headlights, reminds me of a baby deer.

Yeonho reaches back into his bag and hands him a napkin with another sweet smile, and says, "you're welcome."

We continued the rest of the break, and the rest of the day, just perfectly. But I was surprised to see a text on our group chat from Lance...on Red's phone?

[wrecking-sequels]

[Wreck-It Star]

"Nine feet tall, weighs 643 pounds, with freakishly huge hands and spiky hair, saved the whole arcade once.. That Ralph?" The president of Sugar Rush sat there, on one of the square trees, dangling her legs like the innocent angel she was supposed to be.

"Yes, that Ralph." Replied the blonde warrior as she rolled her eyes. "Nah, never heard of him." That definitely wasn't an innocent angel. Cammy just raised a brow, clearly not amused, and the candy girl apparently surrendered. "Uff.. Bigfoot's not here, I'm waiting for him myself. Say, whatcya need him for, anyway?" The muscular woman mimicked a few blows in the air, as if a player was controlling her. "I like to train after-hours and Ralph's a great sparring partner, no one can take a hit like he does!"

Vanellope couldn't deny it made sense. "Sooo basically you need a punching bag, I see. Listen, he's surely at Tapper's, I'd follow ya but they're baking pies." She pointed at the building behind them. "Bring him back in one piece, 'kay?" White gave a thumbs up, and in no time she was on the exit cart thanks to one of her epic jumps. It seemed she couldn't stand still for long. "Off to find my target! See you around."

About a minute since the train disappeared into the wire for Game Central Station, Ralph's head popped out the front door of Felix' apartment. "She gone?" Vanellope sneered and glicthed her way down to the grass, hands in her kangaroo pocket as usual. "Yeah yeah, coast is clear, Captain Scaredy Pants. But now you owe me one."

It wasn't until after taking a couple more looks towards the exit of the game, that Wreck-It came out of hiding and focused on his answer. "You wouldn't make fun of me if you had a round with her." True. "Really Ralph? A beast like you is scared of some Street Fighter chick?" Countered Von Schweetz, seriously amused by all this.

"Well DUH, you have no idea what her legs can do!" Man, just the memory had his neck hurt. "Your fault, you shouldn't have-" He didn't even let her finish. "Oh no! No no no! I agreed to block her moves ONCE, and she took the liberty to unleash combos on me ever since!" Poor guy. "Eh, maybe it's Cammy's way to say I like ya big boy." Winked the candy girl, only to see in response a gigantic hand waving dismissively.

"Almost forgot, on my way here I met the folks of Dance Dance Revolution kinda begging for us to join their saturday night party yet again." She then added with a lower enthusiasm. Her interest was lost weeks prior, upon beating all possible scores. "Oh and the hedgehog says he lost the ring you signed him, wants a new one.."

"It's hysterical, maybe I liked it better when everyone avoided me." Chuckled the goliath, even tho of course he didn't mean it, no one would miss days of loneliness and rejection. There, his tiny bff showed a genuine grin. "Quit whinin. You are on top of the world like a true hero, Ralphie. "

She wasn't wrong. A lot had changed for Ralph since that fateful day of near apocalypse, four years earlier. The guy was now quite a renowned personality. He could still remember the thrill down his spine when those same eyes that had passed over him for thirty decades finally gave him a curious glance. "Don't get me wrong, I like the attention, but there's this thing called 'me time', you know?" Celebrity life..

"Ay, enough chit-chat, my dear hobo. Let's go check out that new game they plugged in!" Van interrupted. "Sorry kid, I'm not moving." Oh he didn't just say such a thing in front of her. "What?? You wanna hide from blondie until the end of time?" His answer came quick. "I told you yesterday, some of the guys from bad-anon are coming over."

"Aww come on!! I wanna see what it's like!" Her best buddy simply shrugged before heading to the courtyard where he would set the table for the meeting. "Go for it." The little girl hesitated, but after a heavy snort, she followed good old Stinkbrain. "Is that Satan guy gonna come?" Of course that was her favorite of the bunch. "It's Satèn."

[theink-stainedfolk]

Trouble (Close To Him)

Everyone said... "He would bring you trouble" he was someone who I shouldn't be close with.

He entered the school on the day I wasn't present. On the day I had attempted to get rid of myself and my pains. The next day, I saw people staring at the boy seated in front of me, with his head down as his arms shielded it from the curious glares from the whole class. He had bandages on his arms and fingers.

"So similar yet so different" I thought as I gripped on my sleeve that hid my scars and walked to my desk quietly.

The teacher entered the class with a scowl on his face.

"Crazy wife, crazy kids and now I have to go through this crazy class!" I went through his mind. Guess he didn't have a good day at home. After a few minutes of teaching he noticed something.... Me..? Or so I thought... It was the boy in front of me.

"Mr. Rioz.... Mr. Rioz!..... ORION WINTRINGHAM RIOZ!!" even the people who weren't sleeping jolted from his loud voice. The boy... Tarquin, I suppose, lifted his head very slowly in a very relaxed manner.

"what?" he groggily asked.

"I suppose you were too busy with your 'business' yesterday. However, this doesn't mean that you will sleep in class... That is also mine! If you want to sleep, please get out and arrange another place for yourself, for this class is the place for people who wish to succeed in their life! " he said.

Orion got up with some books and a pen in his hand " Aight.... " and left the class leaving the students and the teacher speechless. The teacher took a deep breath and calmed his anger.

" At least, the problem is gone from here. " he said and continued teaching, but I couldn't focus ever since he left.

I suppose I shouldn't be getting close to him... Because he brings trouble....

He got detention 2 times a week since the first day I saw him. He talked back to Mrs. Mcgee. Which in my opinion he shouldn't have. And the second time was because he fought with the higher class student named Edmund Houston. He is the class vice president. But Orion claimed that Edmund insulted his family. But why would anyone even bother listening to the school's bad boy?

The school principal called me on a chilly Tuesday morning.

"Miss Raven Nunez. How are you?"

"G.. Good morning... S.. Sir... Wh... What have you.... You called me... Me here for?"

"I believe that mister Rioz is in your class?"

"Ye... Yes"

He intertwined his fingers together and sighed. "You must be very aware of his shenanigans. That boy is out of control."

"yo... You must be thi.... Thinking of me to gui... Guide him... Am I.... Am I right sir?"

"... Absolutely right..... But Raven dear... I'm not pressuring you into doing this. But please consider this. I can't think of anyone else other than you. You have good grades and you are really sweet and you don't get angry quickly. You even tamed Vania Dunn. And I know that you can do this too. "

But I can't speak.... I can't speak like a normal person and I have continuous break downs and suicidal tendencies.... How can I help someone when I can't help myself?

" I will think..... Will think about it.... "

" Thank you so much Raven. "

I walked out of the room. I bit my lips and dug my nails into the skin of my hand. I probably need to go to the washroom again.

I looked at my wrist, it had a fading scar. I took out the blade from my pocket with trembling hands. I gulped as I tried to calm myself down. "One last..... last time..... One last time." I whispered to myself as I pressed the cold blade on my skin and watched the warm blood dripping down my wrist. I sighed. But the loud bang of the washroom door opening caught me off guard and I hid my hands behind my back.

"Va.... Vania..." I smiled at her "I was searching for.... For you".

"And I knew that I'd find you here Ven." she said as she strode towards me.

"Why we.... Were you looking for... For me?" I nervously spoke.

"Show me." she said.

"Sh... Show what?"

"The blade...." I widened my eyes. How could she know that?

"What... Do you mean?"

"Cut it out Raven! I know what you were doing! Pull it out!"

I dropped the blade in front of her and showed her my hand. 'This girl..... I fucking swear to god I'll kill her before she does more harm to her body.' I went through her mind. She had her eyes closed and she tucked her bright red locks behind her ear. As her green eyes bore a hole on my head, I quickly looked away.

"Sit on the sink.." she said. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out bandages and medicines as I sat on the sink.

"God dammit...." she grumbled while applying the medicine on my hand "if it weren't for you I wouldn't have carried this extra load in my bag"

I stared at the floor. "So..... Sorry."

"For what exactly?"

"Fo... For making you wo.... worried..."

"Yes! You should apologize for making me worried! You should apologize for doing this to yourself and you should also apologize for thinking that you deserve all of this? What the hell makes you think that you do not deserve love like any other people?"

"But I do.... I don't.. Dad says that no.... Nobody would love a stuttering fool like..... Like me... And that I should be.... Be more like Jocelyn...."

"That bitch should be more like you! That s$#&!! Walking around the campus like she owns the school! And stupid boys following her around! Such dumb f#c&$!!"

"You shouldn't.... Shouldn't curse so much Vania.... It is no.... Not good for your health!"

"And bathing in one's blood is good for health?!"

She may be right..... Maybe I am the stupid one.... Maybe I am dangerous for myself. Suddenly, Vania gripped my shoulders tightly and sighed.

"Raven, you just need to be yourself. You don't need to live on other people's opinions and expectations. You know what's the best for you. Even if he doesn't love you, there are many people who do. I am your best friend for a reason. And it is because I found you amazing. And not the version that wants to be the best, but your real version. Your true self. I want you to realize how important you are. It doesn't matter how long it takes for you to realize it but one day..... I hope you do. Raven I can guarantee you that I can not find anyone better than you. I will never choose that Jocelyn bitch over you. "

I smiled at her. " Th... Thanks Vania.... It will... Will really help me.. "

'I hope it does.' she thought and helped me get down.

" Why did you come out of Mr. Castro's office? Did something happen? "

" It's nothing, He asked.... Asked me if I could help him gui..... Guide Orion. A classmate. Because he is.... Is a troublemaker and I technically ta... Tamed yo-"

"You did Not tame me! I just began seeing you as my best soulmate and I'm an untamed dragon flying freely in the sky nobody dares to-"

I chuckled at her words.

"Alright... How about you try and see.... If he is really out of control then you just drop him.. It's not like he will resent you for it." she said and stopped in front of my classroom. 

"What if..... If he does? If I can't do a work pro..... Properly, such a minor task, then won't..... Won't he think I'm use..... Useless?" I looked at my feet..... That's what everyone does. That's what 'he' does. I'm useless to him, Jocelyn is everything to him. He might as well kill me for being useless. 

" No." I can sense her glaring at me. " If you can't then you can't. Nobody can force you to do something that you can't. He asked you to do this and if you can't then drop it. And even if he does hate you then I'll kick him out of the school for eternity. "

"Okay. Thank.... Thank you Vania. See you tomorrow." I said and went inside the class and waited for the class to finish. I knew that the teachers would never ask me the questions. They don't have time to waste on me.... A stuttering fool.

Finally the school finished. 

Orion sat on his seat waiting for the detention teacher to come. His deep blue eyes were dull, his brown hair tousled and his freckled nose and cheek had bandages. Even though my heart was thumping loudly against my chest, I walked up to him. 

"He.... Hello...."  a shiver went up my spine as his dull blue eyes gazed at me. "Sir Castro asked me-"

"I know" he cut me off. "Old man told me this morning" his gaze went back on the black board in front of him. After a few minutes of silence I spoke

"My name..... Name is Raven Nunez. Nice to.... To meet you."

"Orion Wintringham Rioz....." silence filled the class once more.

The teacher entered the class

"Miss Nunez.. What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I... I was just going out to see... See you later."

Before I went out, it went through his mind 'Mrs Mcgee was it.... I'll make sure she goes through hell along with me'

His words made me laugh.. I guess sometimes, the day gets better.

Weeks passed by, the scars on my hand increased. Vania tried to stop me. But I couldn't help it. Today I was at the library, with Orion. He was reading a poetry book. Which was very unlikely of him. And he asked me to tag along with him. Which was even more unlikely of him. Sir Castro said ever since I was assigned to him, he has changed. I don't know if he was saying this to motivate me or if he actually has changed. But come to think of it... He hasn't been going to detention lately. Nor has he been getting into fights, as the bandages that used to be on his face for like forever are nowhere to be seen now.

'It is so easy for me to love you that it frightens me. 

I've never been good at anything. 

But I've never wanted anything so much as 

I want to hold you' 

I get lost in the head of Orion . His voice was musical. With his brown hair and freckled face and when he puts his glasses on, he looks more like a sweet nerdy guy than the loner bad boy. Even though I admired him for being able to say no and being able to do whatever he wants regardless of the people's opinion, he would never like to be friend of a freak like me.

I tune back into his head and read along.

'every walking minute 

And every night while I sleep. 

The question has ceased to be 

"How do I love you?" ' 

Then he stops, looks me in the eye and finishes the last line. 

'and has become 

"How would I ever stop?"

Because the bond we hold is as unbreakable as the thoughts we share in the stubborn mind of ours.'

I stayed there in utter shock... My eyes widened as I tried to process what he just said to me. In my head I whisper. 

' Can you hear me?... '

He whispered back a faint 'yeah' with a small smile on his freckled face as if he was scared to answer. I don't know whether to feel embarrassed or to feel happy.... That I'm not alone in this world. All I could do was give him a smile and he smiled back. The silence around us was like a warm hug to me. I've never had a comforting silence in a while. 

I know I shouldn't be close to him because he brings trouble ..... But I can't help it..... I can't help but get close to him. I'd rather fight all my troubles along with him..... I'd rather be..... Close to him.... 

[salty-professor]

My eyes are up here

There has been a lot of talk recently at my university about adding a dress code. Keep in mind I work at a university, for adults, not a prep-school on the CW network. Still, apparently, the president, who always wears an ill-fitting suit, wishes we all took after him and “dressed the part.” I don’t know what part it is, but if it means swamp ass and pit stains in early September or late April when the buildings start to cook and the AC doesn’t work, then I guess I don’t want to look that part at all.

I’ve worked at this particular school for 12 years now and at no point have I ever seen any of my colleagues wear anything that was untoward. There was one guy who wore nothing but sweat pants and a sweatshirt for about a year, but that said more about his state of mind than his fashion sense. After he ended his toxic relationship, he started wearing jeans and button-down shirts again. In retrospect, it was a call for help. Sorry man. I thought you wanted to be with that person. Glad you didn’t though. She is awful.

Even if we were paid enough that we could all afford brand new suits and fancy pants, which we are not, none of it matters. We were not hired because of how we looked, we were hired because of what is in your heads AND most importantly, how well we help our students get that information in their heads. It doesn’t matter how we dress.

What matters is our creativity, our ingenuity, our mastery of the material, our ability to make something boring fun or to make something challenging, if not easy, easy enough to understand. What we say matters. What we do matters. What we look like, simply does not. Our clothes can, and should represent who we are. I’m a jeans and t-shirt guy. There are likely suit and tie people and tie-dyed dress people and wearing what makes us comfortable, affords us a level of comfort that passes on to the students. You know, the people who matter here.

Honestly, for the most part, we don’t pay any attention to what anyone at work with is wearing. I mean, the year of sweat pants thing was noticeable because it was different. If he showed up on day one dressed that way, we wouldn't have cared. Unless someone shows up dressed like a furry, no one should really pay it any mind. Although, that would be fucking amazing if someone started to teach dressed as a racoon. That would make people come to class, on time, and excited to learn about physics.

Really, though, and let’s be honest, this isn’t about men. It all comes down to the fact that the president is uncomfortable with the bodies of the women on campus. He didn’t care about sweatpants McGee nor would he care if I showed up in parachute pants and did a whole dance routine a ’la M.C. Hammer. This is not about the way we all look. It is about the way women look. It is my contention that his old white man conservative repression stresses him out when a woman shows some ankle, so a bra strap makes him have a fit. He says he doesn’t think “jeans are professional” but what he means is, “I can see a bit of your bare lower back above the waist of your jeans and that make want to leer.”

Dude. Get over yourself. You are not a hormonal 12-year-old. The Mike Pencification of women’s bodies has to stop. If you seriously can’t handle seeing an armpit, then maybe you shouldn't be in charge of higher education. People are not dressed a certain way for you. It isn't about you.

You don't seem to have any problem with the women on the volleyball team wearing skintight pants that are affectionately known as bun huggers. If you want to worry about a dress code maybe fix that one. Maybe get them in regular shorts and have them wear their underwear underneath their uniform.

Could it be you don't care about that because you actually love seeing those women's bodies are on display? Could it be that you don't see them as scholars and athletes but you see them as entertainment? The difference between them and the woman in the Math department with thigh high boots and a short skirt is that you can't openly ogle her without being called a creep but you can stare for hours at the women jumping up and down in tight shirts and pants.

Seriously. Ug. Grow up dude. Grow the fuck up.

[stevishabitat]

HARRIS for PRESIDENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 25, 2024

Statement on a 78-Year-Old Criminal's Fox News Appearance

After watching Fox News this morning we only have one question, is Donald Trump ok?

Main takeaways Trump gave to the American people:

Trump praised his Project 2025

Trump is flustered and lashing out

When Trump wasn't lying, he was making threats

Abortion bans are good, mail-in voting is bad

Praised dictators because he wants to be one

Trump is clearly worried he made the wrong pick in JD Vance

Trump is old and quite weird?

This guy shouldn't be president ever again

If anyone wants an alternative, Kamala Harris is offering one.

okay I don't post a lot of political stuff but this is sending me

[fizzingwizard]

pt 2

Continuing. So this idea of the "male provider" is still very ingrained despite societal shifts. The men in the video were able to identify the harm it does to them, while still considering it important (in the anti-feminists' case, vital), and not considering at all women who are providers like my mom. Even though my parents were traditional and my mom didn't even want to be a provider. For her it was circumstance. Meanwhile, my dad probably has undiagnosed conditions (that's what he says himself). Who knows - his mother was a drinker, though I don't know how much she did during pregnancy. I mention it to point out that, for someone like that to provide adequately for a family on his own would be really hard unless he was rich or something. The male as provider is inherently flawed because men are flawed. Men are flawed because humans are flawed. You can't as a man guarantee you'll be everything your wife needs because you're human. She can't guarantee you that either of course. But traditional roles don't allow for her filling the gap if her man struggles! And if circumstances turn out that way, like with my mom, she might be able to do it... but not with any credit! Not with any pride. I once asked my mom, when she was lecturing me about the female responsibility to protect male pride at all costs, where female pride fit in. She went quiet. She'd never even thought about "female pride."

That was the main difficulty I had with the video. None of the men could get past their "provider" identity. One of the feminist men spoke about his struggle to accept help from female family members after his brothers' death. I thought about my own dad and brother, freely accepting my mother's money, time, and emotional support. Once again, I believe men should have support in general, including from women - I just absolutely cannot with this praiseworthy "identity" that applies to all men and is somehow to women's benefit, while completely ignoring what women's lived experiences actually are. The men in my family are Not. The. Providers. Or the support - the women are doing BOTH.

The anti-feminists also attribute the majority of social problems to classism. They're not wrong about that, but they don't acknowledge the intersection of gender and class. (Race was occasionally mentioned, but was more of a footnote.) They say they think female-dominated jobs should earn more pay but don't see the value it's been given as related to gender because "if a man is a teacher he'd make the same salary." If a woman is a CEO she'll make a high salary same as a man, and she has more opportunity now to do that than ever before - therefore no need for feminism, and all those underpaid caretaking jobs that are part of the backbone of society are somehow all incidental, having nothing to do with the correlation with femininity.

I ranted about this before, but I gotta end with the amazing take on the anti-feminists' side that they are able to both "believe women are equal" and that "feminism is unnecessary" and ALSO that "women are unfit to be president." They do not believe misogyny is an issue in the modern world, yet they don't think women should be leaders, and they don't think that is misogynistic. It is absolutely no different than believing women shouldn't vote. If they lived in the 1910s-20s that's what they'd be arguing. "I think women are equal to men, I just don't think they should have an equal say in government because they're [insert sexist reason] and this isn't misogyny, it's just how it is!" Absolutely baffling. And terrifying. I really appreciated the one feminist guy who was like "So it seems to me that in this alleged matriarchal society I'm in, all I have to worry about as a man is feeling bad sometimes. But in a patriarchal society, women have their wealth, liberty, and freedom restricted..." Lol. I have no doubt that the anti-feminists consider getting accused of mansplaining an equal trauma to being denied your own vote.

It was nice to hear some of the arguments made and see a couple bright spots for a common ground. I didn't think any of the men in the video hated women. I do think the anti-feminists have decided on social values by themselves, regardless of what anyone else, let alone women, actually want, or how society actually functions, and don't see that for the authoritarian act of control it is - I'd even call it violence. I come away from this video thinking we most definitely DO still need feminism. Evidently very much so!