#this is terrifying because it's reasonable

[badgerbaggage]

Look, unfortunately, Santa is actually right.

And I think it's a means of our survival.

We need to entrench ourselves in our communities, fortify our bonds, recruit sympathizers. We start where it's safe, but we start exposing these people to the fact that we're not disposable, that we're not some scapegoat.

So let's reframe "disagreeing yet remaining friends."

You don't need to agree, nor "be friends" with bigoted ideologues to practice what the Santa account is saying.

Treating them as a friend is a performance (as many human social customs are). Be polite and be interested in their personal lives, what matters to them, what they're excited for, what they're afraid of. be known in your community, whether it's as a flashy character that's a staple of the local alternative bar, or as someone who walks their dog around the neighborhood. Find ways to display your artwork somewhere in town. Do favors for people.

You can refuse to engage with the horrible bigotry.

Rejection is a subtle means of advertising "this is intolerable and I will not engage with you if you continue." If somebody brings up something volatile, simply excuse yourself to get some water. You can leave outright, or you can return and try to shift the conversation. It is very difficult to do this when the current climate is about LIFE AND DEATH to us, but it is possible. This is a means of survival. Tread carefully and keep yourself safe. Let people understand you as a being before they know you as an extension of your identity.

On a wider scale, people NEED to be exposed to these larger topics other than through rightwing propaganda.

Experiencing queer people is far better if it's firsthand. "The supreme leader hath given us a new Scapegoat" works because they have completely MONOPOLIZED the narrative of who we are to our communities. They listen to the Heritage Foundation propaganda because that's the only depiction they've seen. Yes, some of this is out of their own ignorance and malice, but you DO have the power to change minds.

People also need to experience WEIRD SHIT that isn't hurting ANYONE.

There are unironically people who hate us just because their entire perception of us is manufactured by third parties. We all have the power to change perceptions in little ways. For example, I dress up like a punk werewolf and walk to a local alternative bar through a park and bustling downtown, even past an ice cream shop. It paints a massive target on me that says "IM WEIRD, LOOK AT ME." It is terrifying and I am incredibly uncomfortable the entire walk, but I'm exposing people to my gender queer ass in the periphery (I have the privilege to do this for many reasons; I'm not exactly living in my old, conservative, shitty hometown. Your mileage may vary). I am become Exposure Therapy.

You don't have to save the world, you just have to save yourself.

Again, we must ENTRENCH ourselves in our communities. We must forge bonds that our communities don't want to sever. Take root and prepare for the storm. Your efforts alone won't save the world, but if we can all just become a valued part of the life of 1 single detractor, that would have drastic effects on the national perspective of our movement.

Isolation is the end-bringer.

Just find one thing to agree with someone on. If they're deplorable, you can just agree that the weather is shitty, but through careful conversation and creative framing, you can easily get a hardcore MAGA fanatic to agree on culture and policy issues. We often want the same things, like freedom and prosperity. Find the NUGGET under the fascist shit and say, "we both want to be safe and with our families. We're not so different afterall."

LEGITIMIZE YOURSELF!!!

[tlbodine]

So, Things Are Terrible and You Want to DO SOMETHING

The election is over and, ah...did not go well. While a lot of folks are doing a post mortem of the campaigns and trying to understand what happened with the vote and fighting over who shoulders the blame, we've gotta turn an eye toward the future and figure out, okay fam, where the fuck do we go from here.

I don't have all the answers on this, and I'm not an authority by any means, I'm just a horror author with a blog. But I've been thinking a lot about it and I wanted to share my thought process with others who might want to DO SOMETHING but feel they're spinning their wheels.

Buckle in. This will be a long one.

Step One: Understand the actual risks and stakes.

I think it is very easy to start panicking now about the worst possible case scenario -- jackbooted military busting into the door to disappear everyone who ever said something mean about Trump or bought a banned book or something -- and let fear turn into inaction.

I'm not saying things can't get that bad, and I'm not saying that it won't be absolutely terrifying right out the gate for some particularly at-risk groups -- but the distance between "now" and "V for Vendetta" is long and filled with a lot of intermediary steps. There will be so many opportunities to prevent the worst case scenario.

I say this because, if your mental image of "Bad Things Happening" is The Purge, it will be easy to wake up on inauguration day, look outside to see that the world is not on fire, think, hey, maybe things will be okay after all, and then completely disengage. Alternatively, you might feel so frozen with terror at the possibility of persecution that you do nothing. This is why people are saying: don't obey in advance.

It is essential for those of us with more privilege to use it to take care of those who are more vulnerable.

So. Who is most vulnerable? What does that vulnerability actually mean? What are the most likely risks of Trump's presidency? Here's a Guardian article that I think does a good job of summarizing some of the main issues. Go read that, then come back here.

Step Two: Take steps to protect yourself

You've gotta put your oxygen mask on first, right? So before you start getting involved in other causes, figure out what risks YOU are at, immediately, and do as much as you can to secure yourself. Some potential action steps depending on your circumstance may include:

Renewing your passport (helpful for leaving the country, but also for gender/name change purposes)

Getting vaccines / boosters

Securing birth control

Ensuring your necessary papers (birth certificates etc.) are where you have access to them.

Drawing up legal paperwork for spouses/partners (always a good idea, a helpful safety measure in case you lose marriage rights)

Bolstering your data privacy and online security. Here's a step-by-step guide I found that could help with that.

The specific steps you need to take here depend on what risks you, personally, face. You'll want to do some more research into this for your particular scenario.

No matter who you are, though, it's probably a good idea to start saving money and being a little more conservative with your spending and/or pay down debts to free up some cash. You don't know what kind of emergency may befall you, and having spare money for an emergency is never a bad idea.

There is a possibility that the cost of many things you rely on might go up, if Trump goes through with his tariffs plan. You will want to plan for that.

Food costs may also rise due to tariffs (we import a lot of food from Mexico and Latin America for example) as well as a loss of immigrant labor. There is also a possibility that food safety standards could fall due to overturning regulations. Now would be a good time to look into local food resources like farm share/CSA, community farms, etc., and to stock up on a few key staples like rice and beans.

Okay. Now that YOU are reasonably safe...what can you do to protect your community?

Step Three: Get Involved

Here is your mission: You need to stay engaged enough to know what's going on, without burning yourself out or exhausting yourself, and to take actual decisive actions instead of wasting your energy arguing on the internet.

Got that? Okay. Good. Here are some action steps:

Support independent journalism. Subscribe to local papers, donate to and watch public broadcast programming. I signed up for news from ProPublica, for example, as well as the news-roundup service What The Fuck Just Happened Today. The goal is to stay informed without falling down an endless rabbit hole of upsetting information.

Share news and resources with others in your circle. This can be a good use of social media. It's what I am doing right now!

If it is safe for you to do so, challenge and educate your friends/family members/neighbors/coworkers. Only if it is safe for you to do so. Do not put yourself at risk doing this. And do not waste your time arguing with people who are unlikely to change. But if you have well-meaning people in your life who you think could be won over, look for opportunities to do this - the right way. I've had some success with this, I will probably write a guide about it in the future. In the meantime, here's a good article that can help.

Join local grassroots activism groups. You'll have to do some work to decide what groups to join and which causes you want to support, because you cannot do everything. But there are tons of organizations taking direct action in all kinds of causes. Search "grassroots [cause] activists in [where you live]" to start finding things. Once you get involved in one group, you might meet people who can introduce you to other groups and causes. Yes, this means you will have to go outside and meet people. I'm sorry.

Join direct action groups. Same concept as above. You'll have to search in your area but once you know people it'll be easier to find more opportunities. Some of these groups may overlap. You might find direct action opportunities by engaging politically and vice versa. GO OUTSIDE AND TALK TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THINGS TO HELP.

Get involved in local politics. Here are some quick tips. A lot of things are affected at the city level - stuff like book bans and bathroom bills are often battled first at local libraries and schools, and you can be part of those conversations! Sheriffs are elected and can have a big influence on local policing. Local elections affect how tax dollars are spent, how homeless populations are treated, and lots more. Don't snooze on local elections. Get involved and stay involved.

Look up your representatives. Get in the habit of calling, emailing, and writing letters. Figure out what legislature is being passed and then call your reps and harangue them about it - both to support bills you approve of and shoot down ones you don't. Sign petitions. Join email campaigns. Here's one you can go sign right now from the ACLU. See? Not that scary.

I think a lot of people figure that getting involved in politics doesn't matter or that it's all small potatoes but...man. The president is not god, no matter what he thinks. The sitting administration is not the sole power in the universe. There is an entire machine of government we can lean upon and act upon.

Finally, some general safety notes:

Some forms of direct action are not legal. Take steps to be safe if you choose to partake. Follow the lead of more seasoned activists for what forms of communication to use and so forth.

If you're not willing or able to put yourself at legal risk to act, you can help others by donating to bail funds and legal defense funds.

We've already seen this in some areas, and it will only get uglier - some bad actors are feeling emboldened by the change in regime and will misbehave. It's a good idea to learn some self-defense skills, in whatever way is comfortable to you, and brush up on some tenets of victimology that can help you stay safe. I'll write more about that in the future.

All right. That's all for now. It's by no means comprehensive...but should hopefully help you get started taking the next step. Stay safe out there.

[massharp1971]

Oh look I found why I'm getting anon harassment in my inbox - back from the depths of one of my shittiest years - and also note my explanations have been edited out. How very intellectual of you all to prove I'm very very stupid via the medium of memes. I give a more lengthy explanation of where I was coming from here although I'm pretty sure I did so at the time.

But also, some context: At the time of writing I was a part-time academic researcher in HUGE study related to a marginalised group. There are reasons I can't specify. The tenured professors in charge of the project had no academic background in this very niche field nor lived experience (I did and so did other junior researchers). And through the duration of the project they failed to engage with the existing research on this marginalised group, which meant by the time we came to write up they were embarassingly ignorant about the field. They also did really poor work - writing stuff up on the fly that was academically weak, poorly analysed, and poorly cited. If an undergrad had turned in what they did, they'd likely have failed. But they were professors - in UK, that means the top echelons of academia, and they could get away with any old shit. The professors were also heavily politically influenced by existing powers within the clinical field to water down what could have been incendiary findings about existing practices. I.e. the people who did not have lived experience but studied our community like bugs under a microscope were the people who called the shots. And they were also a boys club who got where they got via recommendation rather than training or academic engagement. There was no real evidence or academia underpinning much of their practice, which was part of what our research showed, and they were trying to cover up. So when I wrote this (and the more that has been cropped) I was an exhausted, burnt out academic working ridiculous hours to catch the worst of what these truly incompetent and self-serving professors were trying to put out into the world, all the while knowing that the very clinicians who were being exposed for basically abusing marginalised patients had more influence over the project than the people of lived experience (and more considerable collective academic knowledge of this particular niche) being tokenised and exploited as workers in the research, but also being silenced and ignored when convenient in the interests of power.

And the thing was, that there is such a complete lack of engagement with this community's embedded knowledge and our academic output that piss-poor academia passes muster in the field IF it props up existing biases and oppressive practice.

So I was, and continue to be, very jaded about how marginalised folks fare in academia. I'm also terrified of the way money and power dictate what research tells us and which research findings get heard and which buried. As for peer review? The "peers" reviewing are rarely embedded or of lived experience themselves, so peer review is sometimes little more than a pale stale male back slapping exercise. It vastly depends on the field, of course. But go read about the replication crisis in psychology - all that shit was peer reviewed and a whole field was built on it. You don't need to be an academic or be able to read books to tell whether academic research on marginalised people is good or not, you just need to listen to a few sensible, moderately smart people from the marginalised group, and check that they are reasonably well thought of by the group at large. Whether or not they're academics - personally, I'd pick both, because there was A LOT of pressure on those of us who were marginalised in academia to eat our words and not challenge stuff for the sake of career progression, and I came rapidly to the conclusion you cannot be a marginalised person in academia without having to make choices that may well betray your principles and your community.

Which is why I'm no longer an academic. There are other sources of learning than influencers OR academia and sometimes the best way to learn is to listen to a bunch of people who have the right experience rather blinkeredly trusting letters after their name. I got into academia through an atypical route and had written very well thought of, well researched and well cited materials including a published book before I was (briefly) an academic.

So, don't you come at me telling me I can't read. I wonder which line of this people will cherrypick to "prove" that anyone who doesn't swallow whole every last thing academics say is stupid?

(including Andrew Wakefield, presumably, because he was very much peer reviewed, but when your research feeds a moral panic about a marginalised group, peer review isn't the all-powerful catch of bad research people think it is) Will you screenshot me again so I don't get a chance to explain myself or right of reply? So I don't know why I'm suddenly having to turn my inbox off anon asks?

signed an anti-intellectual, apparently. Or maybe someone who doesn't think it's safe to go round the internet saying "believe everything academics say, peer review means you can trust each and every word of it, always, and the neoliberal and political forces that blight influencer culture are repelled entirely by red brick" I fucking wish.

[wasyago]

Please more Trail's gone cold au I'm begging you I need it just pour out every thought in your brain I want to hear it

hgdhhfbd i mean, sure why not

everything plot related is in the main post, there's nothing else really to tell. but i could share random details that didn't really fit into the lore drop. again tho, it's a small au and mostly an exploration of the concept, so there's not a lot.

❄️ gem and etho are siblings, i don't think it was mentioned anywhere? blood related and all that, they both have black hair, gem just dyes hers.

❄️ behind the scenes reasons for the order of deaths. generally i picked these three to be the main cast because i suddenly realized pet crew were just dungeon master and his two winners, and that was too crazy of a concept to not do anything with? so, tango as the main guy and actual master of the dungeon had to die first, seeing how he's the cave's favorite. pearl as the main explorer and as the one to unlock all the secrets had to die second, because she had to return to the dungeon / the cave to find out the truth, and she conquered it but never actually got out. and etho had to survive, because he's the "proper" winner and the one who actually escaped the dungeon with treasures.

❄️ lore reasons for the order of infection. tango you already know, but pearl and etho went in at the same time so in theory they had to start experiencing the effects together. but because etho was wearing a mask it did lessen the amount of sculk he inhaled, slowing down the process. wear masks kids!

and, well, you did say you wanted to hear every thought so. i really like the plot point of them leaving tango to die, so im gonna ramble a little about it. even just, the difference in their views on the situation is so satisfying to me. because tango had no idea something scary was happening to him! and for pearl and etho it was a life or death situation. and just-- they were talking about leaving tango and tango obviously, obviously, protested, because what the actual hell??? yes okay he's ill and a burden, but don't leave an ill guy to freeze to death in a cave, what is wrong with them????? or, okay, what is wrong with etho, pearl was against the idea. but, straight up tango did not plan for it to end this way, he had his whole life ahead of him and so many things ha still wanted to do! of course he cried when they left, what else was he supposed to do? thank etho for his awesome decision? be all cool and stoic and sacrifice himself? hell no, he didn't want to die, he never asked for this.

he did die tho, so. whomp whomp 🎺... i imagine he passed before pearl and etho even reached the stairs, so at least he didn't suffer for long. if he had a breakdown about being left alone he probably hyperventilated and inhaled like a ton more sculk, so that killed him even faster. must've sucked tho...

and then pearl, god, pearl.... she didn't encounter any dangers on the way back, since she wasn't trying to escape and the cave had no reason to be hostile towards her. but seeing how she was at the last stage before turning... she probably didn't get to tango before collapsing... not dying just yet, but too feverish and too weak to walk. but if tango was already back, he could very much go and find her. can you imagine the pure horror of drowning in your regrets as you slowly die and then having your supposedly already dead friend appear in front of you all cheery and oh so wrong. i dont know how much of tango is left in that thing, but the image of him sitting by pearl and holding her until she dies is so-- its haunting but it's sweet. and then there's still enough time to catch up with etho.

actually, gahhhh, all three pet povs are their own unique horror story and it's so good.

the horror of having to go through this terrifying experience, and then being the only survivor, knowing full well that the only reason you lived is because you left your friends to die, and there's no way of fixing it now.

the horror of everything falling apart around you because of miscommunication, and then the one time you decide to do it right you end up regretting every single decision and witnessing the direct result of your mistakes come for you.

the horror of being stupid... the horror of losing all control over your life and being betrayed in the moment of your most vulnerability, dying fully and utterly helpless.

this au is so sad but i love it so much...

okay wow that's enough for one post, ask more if you want tho!

[albaskies]

‘You didn’t have to do that, you know.’

His voice lingers in the air like a sweet scent of honey, and pulls her to a halt just before she reaches the stairs leading up to the dormitories. 

Ginny turns, drawn by the ever-familiar sound that still makes her heart sing despite herself, and finds Harry slumped in a solitary chair at the far end of the common room. His head rests in his hands, his shoulders seem stiff under the weight of his own exhaustion. And yet, his voice is soft - so soft that she wonders if she’s imagined it. It’s only when she notices his gaze fixed upon her that she has the confirmation that it was not just a trick of her mind.

The quiet in the room is mitigated by the gentle crackle of the fire, its warm glow flickering across the walls, and by the occasional whispers of a few lingering Gryffindors, not yet ready for sleep.

She smiles gingerly and draws closer to where Harry is sitting, the air around them feeling somehow thicker and thicker at every step she takes towards him. She is sure, quite sure, to notice his posture relax, his muscles loosen, and for a fleeting, desperately terrifying moment, she just knows — he feels it, too. 

She stops right in front of him, her knees slightly brushing his, and she realises she’s been holding her breath.

‘Do what?’

She knows what, of course, but her throat has suddenly gone dry under the weight of his unwavering gaze, never once leaving her.

He smiles tentatively, and it still feels unreal that she can make him do that, that she can be the reason for it.

‘Well.’ He shrugs. ‘Telling people off on my behalf.’

She hums, then winks at him. ‘You looked like you needed saving, and I do have a debt to settle.’

He snorts, the glimpse of a short-lived moment of lightheartedness brightening his eyes, then quickly shakes his head, coming back to reality.

‘Everyone is right to be disappointed, especially you’, he says, then pauses, staring at her intently, struggling to find the right words. ‘Because I-’.

What he did remains hanging in the air, his voice breaking right in the middle of it. She tries to contain the urge to sit on the armrest of his chair and to throw her hands around his neck, holding him tight, telling him it’s OK, he’s OK, and they’ll be just fine. 

Instead, she looks at him, faking a shrug to dissimulate a shiver.

‘You took orders from something someone wrote in a book.’

There’s another pause, a beat, and the air around them suddenly feels unbreathable.

‘Yeah.’ His eyes flash before her, and she feels them burning on her skin, like the scariest and yet most beautiful thing she’s ever seen. ‘I’m very sorry, Ginny.’

How do you tell someone, you know, I think I’m in love with you. I think I’ve been for the longest of times and damn you, damn you, for looking at me like that right now. Just when I had almost moved on, just when I had almost let you go. Damn you for having those eyes, that face, those hands. I’ve spent so many sleepless nights over the years, but your smile is the most beautiful sunrise I’ve ever seen. I want to spend my days telling you about it, laughing with you, crying with you. I want to kiss that sad frown away from your face and make all this disappear. I want to take your pain away, I want to make you smile like you do until the air in my lungs runs out. I want the good, I want the bad, I want it fucking all.

I’m so screwed, she concludes. She gives in, stops resisting. I’m so fucking screwed.

[reneesghostinthelivingroom]

Poly!plastics x powerlifter!reader

Reader always wears baggy clothes and under that a very muscular gal and for some reason the plastics never put two together, so one day reader has to join in dodgeball in gym and their hoodie is making it hard to move so they take it off revealing their arms sculpted by Zues himself.

Heracles or Something

|| poly!plastics x powerlifter!nonbinary!reader

|| Warnings; hints at later sex, plastics simping over reader, short drabble

|| Summary; when the plastics see reader in a t shirt for the first time, they lose their minds.

Requests open!

Started; November 9th

Finished; November 9th

~~~

It hasn't been too long since you started the plastics; so their reaction to your muscles makes absolute sense. Considering they've yet to see you without hoodies and sweats on. It was second period gym and Coach Carr decided that the class would play a game of dodgeball. Which was one of your favourites, you always went all out for this.

By sheer luck, you and your girlfriends all managed to be on the same team. Regina was absolutely demolishing everyone. She's terrifying to go up against in dodgeball. Gretchen was mostly either using you or Regina as a shield. While Karen kind of just stood there, making herself the easiest target in the world. You defended her though. Not wanting her to be one of the first ones out.

About half way through the game, you were finding it increasingly difficult to play with your hoodie on. It was getting beyond tiring having to move around in all that sweaty fabric. So you tossed it off, throwing it against the wall and doing a little arm stretch before returning to the game.

All three of your girlfriends got out in that same moment. Why? Their jaws were dropped and they couldn't pull their eyes away from you. Since when did their Y/N have insane muscles? Honestly, you looked as though Zeus himself made your body. It was Godly.

They weren't even mad they got out, just accepting their defeat. Because it gave them more time to admire you from the sidelines.

When the game was over, Regina was the first one to you in the locker room. Immediately pulling you into a kiss before you could sneak off to change in the bathroom. Because oh my God. You were even hotter now. Your lips moved against Regina's, she was being rough enough to get a moan out of you. Especially with how her nails had trailed along your arms. Practically tracing the tone outlines.

As the kiss broke, she cupped your cheeks and made you look into her eyes. With a desire you'd never seen in them before," my place. After school. I don't care if you have stuff to do." She stated, not leaving any room for an argument. You swallowed and nodded just as Gretchen and Karen joined the two of you.

"When were you gonna tell us?!" Gretchen exclaimed, leaving you pretty dumbfounded. Tell them what?

"Uh-?" You'd started to ask what she meant when Gretchen just rolled her eyes. Realizing you had no idea what she was talking about.

"Your muscles! You look like- I don't know, Heracles or something!" You burst out laughing at her explanation, cheeks flushed as you shook your head. Grinning from her flustered compliment.

"I try." You joked with a wink, meanwhile Karen. Had been completely distracted by your arms this entire time, eyes wide and mouth open.

When you noticed you gently closed her mouth for her, wiping away the drool with your thumb and kissing her cheek. "Hey, Earth to Karen."

She blinked when she heard her name," huh? Oh, yeah totally." You had no idea what she was responding to, even Gretchen just kinda shrugged at it.

Regina wrapped her arms around your waist, pulling you against her and resting her head to your shoulder. "God... you're so hot." She couldn't get over your muscles, making you blush again as you leaned into her touch.

Definitely looking forward to tonight.

[ilovemosss]

YOU GET IT!!!! my tags were def looking more at like. specifically the much more surface level physical aspects of each character but yes. wade IS body horror from the perspective of his regenerative healing and functional immortality. that rapid healing and ability to regrow from everything absolutely is horrifying when viewed from that perspective. the idea of being able to regrow entire limbs, to come back from being just a head, and if you follow some lines of comic lore, wade wilson can regenerate from a single cell, whatever part of him his soul clings to. and that's the most interesting part, to me. the fact that he can regenerate that way in part because his soul can never untether itself from his body sweetens that horror pot. elevates it to something eldritch and Wrong. he can't ever die because his soul clings on, defying death, defying the laws of life and nature. i imagine that after a while, the average human can practically smell it, the sheer unnaturalness of his existence, and the same with logan. the pair of them together giving off this faint aura of Wrongess that nobody who doesn't know the truth can quite place. even their friends sometimes feel a cold shiver run up their spines if they look for too long. these are two beings that will outlive us all, whose bodies stubbornly refuse to be parted from their souls, and whose souls refuse to be parted from each other. combine that with the unnatural sharpness to logan's canines, and animalistic way he sometimes behaves. the way wade sometimes looks at the people he loves like he's already seen their corpses (and in vanessa's case, he has). that haunted look clings to people's minds, refuses to release them from its grip. wade and logan are terrifying, but not perhaps for the reasons people think. at first glance, perhaps wade's scars are offputting. maybe it's true that when he aims it at you, logan's glare is enough to make a grown man whimper and slink away. you're sure you imagined that predatory growl, except...did you? but the true horror lies marrow deep within them both. crouching in wait for the next time you stare deep into their eyes, and feel- just for a moment- the heavy weight of all their lifetimes settling on top of your lungs, suffocating.

Scars? Not body horror. Limb differences? Not body horror. Facial differences? Not body horror. Feeding tubes, colostomy bags, etc? Not body horror. Movement disorders? Not body horror. Visibly disabled people just existing is not horror.

[stwrrybwrry]

I wonder what Megumi is like after a rough mission...💭

⊹　 ︶︶　 𖹭᪲　 ︶︶　 ⊹

Megumi! Who watches you from a distance after the mission, his eyes filled with a storm of emotions he doesn’t understand himself. The images of his failure—of the people he couldn’t protect—haunt him, and when he looks at you, all he can feel is guilt. The fear of losing you, of becoming the very person who hurts you, keeps him away. He doesn’t know how to fix what’s broken, so he isolates himself, convincing himself that pushing you away is the only way to keep you safe.

Megumi! Who walks past you like you’re invisible, the weight of his failure heavy on his shoulders. He can’t look at you, not when every time he does, he’s reminded of how he couldn’t keep his promise to protect those he cares about. He tells himself it’s for the best, that he’s keeping you at a distance to shield you from the darkness within him, but all it does is make the silence between you grow unbearable. He watches as you begin to laugh with others, each smile a dagger to his heart, reminding him that he’s the one who pushed you away.

Megumi! Who can’t shake the image of your face when he snapped at you in anger and fear, the hurt in your eyes etched into his mind. In that moment, he was overwhelmed—by the guilt of his failure, the anger at himself for not doing more, and the fear of losing you. That fear consumed him, making him lash out, but now it’s suffocating him. He can’t bear the thought that he’s the one who caused the pain he’s seeing in your eyes, and it eats at him every second of every day.

Megumi! Who stands alone in the dark, remembering the screams of those who suffered because he wasn’t fast enough, wasn’t strong enough to protect them. He thinks of you, of your kindness and warmth, and the thought that he might have ruined that forever sends a chill down his spine. The more he tries to push you away, the more it feels like he’s losing you completely, but he doesn’t know how to stop. He’s terrified that if he lets you in again, he’ll only end up hurting you, just like the others.

Megumi! Who sees the distance growing between you, the way your once-friendly smiles have faded into something more reserved, more distant. He’s the reason for this coldness, and the guilt crushes him. He remembers your tears, the way you’d hide your pain, and he curses himself for not being able to shield you from his own self-doubt and turmoil. He wants to apologize, wants to beg for your forgiveness, but he’s too afraid that the damage is irreparable, that he’s already lost you.

Megumi! Who is haunted by the memory of your last conversation—the one where he pushed you away in a moment of panic and fear, certain that it was the only way to protect you. The words still echo in his mind, and each time he sees you, that same terror rises in his chest. He wants to fix things, to show you that he cares, but he’s too afraid that he’s too broken, that there’s no coming back from what he’s done.

Megumi! Who stays up at night, torn between his regret and his fear of losing you. The emotional weight is unbearable. He feels your absence like a hollow ache in his chest, knowing he’s the one who caused it. He watches as you pack up your things, and something inside him shatters. He realizes, too late, that he’s pushed you to the brink of leaving, and that the walls he’s built around himself might be the very thing that costs him your love. The thought that you might walk away for good is too much to bear, and it breaks him to know that, in his attempt to protect you, he might have destroyed everything that mattered.

≿————-　ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🌷་༘࿐　————-≾

[lilybug-02]

bug!Dewi :]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

Dewi felt himself wake, but did not move immediately. He wanted to get as much rest as he could before his alarm went off and he wasn't ready to get up yet. He stayed still for awhile until something felt off. It felt as though the alarm should've already gone off by now. Did he forget to set it? That was a worrying thought. Why was it so cold, why were his blankets missing, and why did his bed feel so stiff?

He decided it was time to open his eyes to check what was wrong, only to see that he wasn't in his bed at all. He was in a blue stone city, with spiked roofs and no sky. It didn't take long to figure out he was underground, but how did he get here? This looked a lot like the cave his bug friends lived in, but surely they would have no reason to kidnap him... Right?

He looked around the place but everything appeard to be abandoned. It was all pretty, but he wanted to go home. His dad would be worried sick and the thought of never going back was terrifying. He looked down at himself and froze. Those weren't his arms, those weren't even human arms. He wasn't wearing his pajamas but he was covered in black and yellow fuzz. Struggling to breathe, he ran to a nearby puddle to look at his reflection. What he saw couldn't possibly be him, and yet was. He looked like one of his bug friends and he had wings visible on his back. He couldn't hold back a scream any longer and started to cry. Was this a dream? How did this happen? Did a magic bug get angry at him last time he was in Hollownest and curse him?!

He wanted his dad.

(Is this ooc? please tell me if it is. Also, who do you think should find him first? Ghost or The Collector? If Ghost didn't already fight The Collector that is.)

I mean. I don't see it that out of character. Dewi got Isekaid into the BUG world. Also I love the mini fanfic you've written. Have some fanart of a fanart.

I like to think Ghost travels through Hallownest a lot of the time (because I def do in game). Ghost would probably find Dewi and get tackled by said 'stranger' hugging them.

[blueboybot]

Lovestruck!

Billy didn't mean to follow Danny...

That was a lie, he totally did mean to follow him BUT he didn't intentionally make himself show up all the other times. It was just that Danny had a habit of being in the area whenever disaster struck in Fawcett City and Billy has picked up the habit of having Danny in his arms more times than not.

......

The first time he met Danny it was a Captain Marvel. A building down town had caught on fire after some faulty wiring and he managed to get everyone in the building out safely with the help of a few firefighters. He thought he did until his super hearing caught the sound of a sudden heart beat, slower than a regular human but definitely still alive. He wasted no time flying back into the building and reaching the fifth floor with relative ease where he saw him.

Now Billy could admit that this was not the time or place but as soon as his eyes landed on him his heart felt as if it was struck by lightning. There in a room was one of the prettiest boys he's ever seen with dark locks and sky blue eyes rushing to grab papers before the flames of the ongoing fire could consume them. It took Billy and embarassing amount of time to snap out of it and grab the boy before flying out of the building.

As Billy floated in the air he couldn't help but to stare at the other.Travelling his eyes down from the other's face he noticed that the boy was wearing and all black outfit, the shirt being cropped and having the design of a purple seedling, his pants were a little baggy and adorned with chains and zips all while sporting black combat boots.

"Uhh you can put me down now," A voice said pulling him out his thoughts. The other boy looked at him with a raised eyebrow, still clutching the papers close to his chest.

Against his will his cheeks started to heat up "My bad."

He quickly descended and placed the boy next to the nearest firefighter before flying off once the fire was put out.

The second time he met Danny and got his name was as Billy Batson. Billy was doing a run in the park as part of his daily exercise, because Captain Marvel shouldn't be the only strong one with muscles, when he turned his face for a few seconds to enjoy the scenery and collided with another body, sending the person backwards and onto the ground.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see where I was going and–" As he was reaching out his hand to help a pair of familiar blue eyes halted any further actions. This time he was dressed in a red bucket hat, a yellow vest with a white long sleeved undershirt and a long green pants with brown shoes.

"No worries you apologised so that counts for something," He held out his hand and Billy quickly took it, pulling him up onto his feet "The name's Danny."

"Billy."

Before another word could be said a loud explosion shook the earth followed by the terrified screams and frantic running of people around them. Billy opened his mouth to say something to Danny but when he looked all he saw was air in the place Danny was supposed to be standing. He had no time to dwell on that so sped off to more secretive place before transforming and flying off to where the trouble resided.

When he got there Billy was absolutely dumbfounded because in the villain's hands was none other Danny himself in all of his annoyed and squirming glory. The villain finally noticed him and started their monologue while holding Danny in the air, displaying him like the helpless and slightly angry captive he was.

It took a total of five minutes for Billy to knock the villain down and catch Danny before he hit the ground.

"Nice to catch you again Danny," He teased.

Danny narrowed his eyes at him "How do you know my name?"

"Uhh super hearing," He nervously replied.

"Are you stalking me?"

"Nonono it was really super hearing, I promise."

.....

After a while it sort of became a routine for them but Danny only ever seemed to be willing to talk to him as Billy rather than Captain Marvel for some reason he's not sure why. In all honesty Danny was much nicer to him as Billy, he would always be close and open to him as possible to the point where it leaves Billy's cheeks heated. While as Captain Marvel Danny is quick to shut down any conversation and leave as quickly as possible after thanking him for the rescue. Billy's not sure what he did as Captain Marvel to offend Danny but he hopes to figure it out soon.

Deviating from his regular patrol route to follow his crush was probably not the best option but he's working on it. As soon as Danny gets home safely he'll go back to his regular program.

Just as Danny turned the corner a nearby pillar from a building under construction started to crumble and just before the giant chunk of stone could harm Danny Billy swooped in and saved him from becoming one with the ground.

"I'm sensing a pattern here Captain." From within his arms he saw that Danny wore a teal headband, a black long sleeved shirt, teal pants and black shoes. Despite his scowl Danny really did look good in anything.

"Just doing my job," Billy smiled back.

......

This was supposed to be Danny's vacation from fighting ghost and he was not enjoying it to his fullest like he hoped. You would think that after a reveal gone extremely well with his parents and being given some promised time off by Clockwork he wouldn't find himself in no more trouble but here he is, constantly being saved by a man who refers to himself as 'The Big Red Cheese'.

On the plus side he got to meet a cute boy named Billy who he definitely is crushing hard on and will be in his thoughts for the rest of his stay here. Now back to Captain Marvel. Danny found the superhero to be weird in a creep kinda sense, sure the man is constantly saving him but that's because Danny is on strict vacation time and will not be using his powers while there is a well established hero in the area. What he means is he's caught the man multiple times staring at him and raking his eyes over his body and it makes the ecto-infused hair on his body stand up when he does it.

He hasn't done anything to him yet and despite Danny's best efforts to follow the man he can't. For someone who wears such bold colors he does manage to slip away from him very easily. If the man does try anything with him Danny will take pleasure in showing him why he picked the wrong one.

[magical-awesome-kid]

I’m gonna date myself.

Not a universal experience, but one that too many students know: Your civics/history/ethics/whatever teacher assigns you to a Socratic seminar session where you debate the two sides of a current event. Something like “here is something trying to be passed in congress. Should we vote for or against it and why.” You often times got assigned a side, so, even if you disagreed, you had to find reason to defend it.

Ladies, gents, and nonbinary tenants, we were debating if Gay Marriage should be a thing. Gay marriage was only legal across all 50 states once I was in the later years of high school, and I still remember ever so vividly stories of gay couples getting denied equal treatment because of their orientation.

I recently fell at work and got injured. I was terrified of losing my job because I was hurt, and it took a coworker telling me that it was my right to get better, we have legal protections, for me to finally get a second opinion and take time off to seek medical care. Back when my parents were my age, this wouldn’t have flown at all.

There are still many ways we need to improve, and, in some areas, we do threaten to backslide every day. I know it’s exhausting to keep fighting. We all want to lay down and accept defeat if only to rest.

Take your breaks, protect yourself, and ask for help. We can only do this together.

Has anything actually gotten better, for all the work you talk about doing? Or is it just treading water in misery forever?

Anon, ten years ago gay people couldn't get married in large parts of the US. AIDS was an almost certain death sentence when I was in high school. I was looking at job boards the other day and found a part time gas station job that had health insurance as a benefit, which NEVER would have happened 15 years ago. When I was a kid, hitting your child was extremely normalized in the US and my parents were the weird ones for not doing it. There is a vaccine for chicken pox. I didn't meet anyone who had transitioned until my 20s because it was so uncommon to transition in the aughts, and now there are some states that protect your right to have gender affirming care provided by your health insurance. It's not all states, but it's better than the number of states that had it in 2010, which was zero. THERE ARE TENANTS UNIONS NOW. WE HAVE A VACCINE AGAINST CERVICAL CANCER.

And all of that has been the work of a lot of individuals and organizations and research teams and activists.

[forgetyoursingalongsandlullabies]

I don’t think we talk enough about what a big gesture it was for Martin to give Jon the ashes of Jane Prentiss.

Jane initially targeted Martin and had him trapped and isolated for 2 weeks (and we know the kind of effect isolation has on Martin) eventually forcing him to move into the institute for his safety. Everyone who was involved in the attack on the institute has every right to be terrified and traumatized by Jane Prentiss’ memory but Martin does especially. If Martin had wanted her ashes for himself as a reminder that she is dead he would be completely justified but I think even if Martin had wanted them for himself he wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of getting them, even if he thought they’d be a comfort. He would only go through the trouble for Jon.

Martin approached Jordan Kennedy, a man whom he had no prior interaction with, who is not just an exterminator but who works for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and somehow convinces him to give him the ashes of a well known and well recorded hazardous figure. Jordan even admits to Jon that he should not have given Martin the ashes at all. Martin takes these literal human remains of his own stalker and torturer and gifts them to Jon so that he can be comforted in the knowledge that she is dead. Because more than Martin wants to be comforted himself, he wants Jon to feel safe.

Even when Jon was suspicious that Martin was literally trying to sabotage him by being too sweet and thought the ashes were probably fake he still believed for some reason that this one gesture from Martin was genuinely to make him feel better.

Tbh Jon getting confirmation from Jordan that the ashes are in fact real in MAG 55 followed by Martin telling him that his CV is fake only one episode later in MAG 56 is such a strong combination for making sure Jon was subconsciously smitten before going on the lam in season 3.

[archiveikemen]

"Dark If" Story Event: Chapter 1

Ellis Twilight

This is a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes with no guaranteed perfection; expect mistakes, grammatical errors, and some creative liberties. All original content and media used belongs to Cybird. Please support the game by buying their stories and playing their games. Reblogs appreciated.

Read this before interacting

Victor: Miss Kate. The ability to create the ultimate happy ending lies in your hands. — Now, off into the twisted fairytale world you go. 

…

When I woke up, I found myself in a room inside a lavish castle. 

(Uhh… right, I’m the “princess” of this country.)

(... Huh? Why do I have memories of that?) 

Memories of being raised as the princess of this kingdom slowly came back to me. 

(It feels as though I have two sets of memories. One from living in this world, and one from another world.) 

Yet, strangely, both felt like they were indeed “mine”. 

King: … Are you awake, Kate?

Kate: Good morning, Father. 

After a knock, my father entered the room looking concerned. 

King: With only a few months left until that wicked fairy’s prophecy is set to come true… I can’t be at peace without personally ascertaining your safety every morning. 

I was born as the princess of this country and spent my life living a sheltered life within the castle’s walls.

The reason for that was— a curse. 

The fairy who placed the curse on me said, “in 10 years time, the curse will take effect when she pricks her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel”. 

— Without any explanation, he returned to his castle hidden deep in the mountains. 

In response, my parents gathered every last spinning wheel in the country and destroyed them. They relocated those working in the textile industry to state-run factories, and I wasn't allowed anywhere near them. 

Kate: If the curse takes effect, I’ll fall into a deep slumber for 100 years… right?

I muttered based on my memories, and my father nodded with tears welling up in his eyes once more. 

(A cursed spinning wheel… the world I strayed into must be the story of “The Thorn Princess��”.)

¹ “The Thorn Princess” is also commonly known as “Sleeping Beauty”. 

(If I go along with the original plot, it’d probably be better to fall into a deep sleep because of the curse, but…)

The man who introduced himself as Victor said that there was “something missing” in this twisted fairytale world.

If I fall asleep before I find it— I won’t be able to look for it for the next 100 years.

(First things first, I need to break this curse to give myself more time to find it!)

Kate: I’m going to ask that fairy to break the curse. 

King: W-what!? Absolutely not!! 

Kate: You can assign a few guards to escort me. 

King: Even the royal guards fear him! I’ve sent people to assassinate him several times, and all of them returned in a dreadful state…! 

Kate: Then I’ll go alone. Don’t worry, I can sniff out dangerous places from my experience as a mail carrier. 

King: Mail carrier? H-hey, hold on—! 

…

(While I did say I’d go alone… it’s still better to be as well-prepared as possible.)

After dodging my panicking father and the royal guards, I made my way to a mercenary recruitment place in the castle town. 

Kate: I’d like to hire a bodyguard for my journey… 

Since there was a real chance of encountering wild beasts or bandits on my way to the fairy’s castle, I decided to use part of my allowance I had been secretly saving and hire someone to protect me. 

However—

Long-Faced Mercenary: Go to the fairy’s castle!? You’d need more than one life to make it there alive! 

One-Eyed Mercenary: No way, not doing it! I’ll never go anywhere near that terrifying guy ever again! 

— The last person I spoke to fainted the moment the word “fairy” left my mouth, his eyes rolling back in fear. 

(It’s just as Father said, the fairy is greatly feared…)

(Looks like it can’t be helped… I’ll just go alone.)

???: Is it true that you want to go to the fairy’s castle? 

???: If that’s what you wish for… I’ll be your bodyguard. 

I looked up when I heard the voice making the timely offer and saw a young man standing there. 

Receptionist: You’re in luck, miss. That guy’s a skilled assassin. 

Receptionist: Once he’s targeted someone, he latches onto them like thorny vines, that's why he’s called “Ellis the Briar”. 

The receptionist, a young man with mint-coloured eyes, politely introduced him. 

The fee he quoted in a low voice was an amount I could afford with my savings. 

Ellis the Briar: I only take on jobs from here every now and then, so I didn't know I had a nickname. 

Kate: Umm, mister… Ellis the Briar?

Ellis the Briar: Just “Ellis” will do. 

After being rejected by many people, Ellis’ offer to be my bodyguard made him look like a knight in shining armour. 

Kate: Thank you so much for accepting my request. 

Kate: But… are you not afraid of the fairy, Ellis?

Unlike the other mercenaries who fled at the mention of the fairy, this relaxed young man seemed unfazed. 

I was a little worried that he might not understand the weight of the situation he volunteered to be involved in. 

Ellis: I’ve been burned, frozen, stabbed, and slashed countless times by that fairy.

Ellis: If there’s anyone here who knows exactly how dangerous he is, that’d be me. 

Kate: What!? You were burnt— are you alright?

Ellis: Yeah. I can't die, and I’m not afraid, so I’m okay. 

(In a strange world where even fairies exist, not dying might be possible too… I guess?) 

Ellis: If the journey will lead to your happiness, I’ll go with you.

Kate: A-alright. I’ll be counting on you, Ellis! 

Ellis: Fufu… you don’t need to be formal with me.

Ellis: You can relax and speak casually. We’re friends, after all.

(Friends!? Since when…?)

I was a little confused, but the young man’s smile carried not a single hint of malice. 

(He’s probably just the kind of person to want to close up the distance between himself and others quickly…) 

Kate: Okay… got it. 

…

— And so, I embarked on my journey with Ellis, who had a mysterious presence. 

There were two paths leading to the fairy’s ancient castle.

One was a horrible half-day route, while the other was a three-day walk on flat ground. 

Ellis suggested the easier route, taking into consideration my limited stamina as someone who lived a sheltered life. 

— On the second night. 

Our journey was progressing smoothly, but I found myself having trouble sleeping. 

Ellis: Can’t sleep?

Kate: Yeah… I know I should rest, especially since we’ll arrive at the castle tomorrow. But…

Ellis: Kate, can you come over here? 

Kate: …?

I had come to trust Ellis after all the countless times he had helped me during this short journey, and so I unhesitatingly moved closer. 

Suddenly, he pulled me by my arm and I fell on top of him. 

Ellis: It’s hard to fall asleep on the hard ground, isn't it? You can rest on me instead. 

Kate: B-but, then you wouldn't be able to sleep with me weighing down on you… 

Ellis: You’re light as a feather, so it’s okay. Go on, you can sleep. 

I tried moving away, but Ellis held me close and wouldn't let go. 

Kate: You’re being so kind to me because I hired you… 

Ellis: Am I? Maybe I’m being this kind only because it's you, Kate. 

Kate: …

Thump. Thump. My heart was pounding loudly, but…

As I leaned my head against Ellis’ chest, I realised that I didn’t hear his heart pounding. 

(... Am I the only one who feels this way?) 

A strange unease crept up to me, but I started feeling drowsy as Ellis gently rubbed my back in a soothing manner.

Ellis: … Why do you want to meet the fairy? 

Kate: I want him… to break my curse…

Ellis: I see… 

Hearing Ellis’ tender voice, my eyelids slowly grew heavy. 

(Ellis took care of everything for me throughout this journey…) 

(I must give him a big reward and properly thank him once this is over…)

(Oh. But… I feel lonely thinking we’ll be parting ways.)  

While such thoughts crossed my mind, making me doze off… I drifted off to sleep on Ellis.

And because I was asleep, I didn’t hear the words Ellis spoke as he watched me. 

Ellis: So you want the fairy to break the curse…

Ellis: That means your feelings haven't changed since “back then”. … I’m so glad. 

Even as Ellis slowly wrapped his hand around my neck, I didn't wake. 

Ellis: … I want to kill you as soon as possible. 

…

I was able to get a good night’s rest thanks to Ellis, and we finally arrived in front of the fairy’s castle. 

However, the path leading up to its doors was overgrown with briar, as though rejecting all visitors coming from the outside. 

Ellis: We can’t pass here, let’s go around. 

Kate: Yeah… oh, can you wait for a quick moment? 

Ellis: What’s the matter? 

Kate: There’s a little bird trapped in the briar and can’t get out… 

I crouched down next to the briar and while being careful not to get pricked, created an opening for the little bird. 

It then quickly escaped and flew away. 

Kate: Had it stayed trapped in there, it might've died. I’m glad I could save it…

Ellis: … Indeed. 

Ellis: Giving even a little bird the choice of where and when it wants to die must make it feel happier, doesn't it? 

Ellis: You’re very kind for allowing it to choose how to die, Kate. 

(That wasn’t why I saved the bird, but…)

(... Ellis certainly has a strange way of thinking about things.) 

I felt a little uncomfortable, but decided not to dwell on it and continue our detour towards the fairy’s castle. 

…

Kate: E-excuse me… I’m here to seek help with breaking a curse.

Kate: Is the fairy home…? 

???: I am, but I ain't breakin' the curse.

The man who appeared was much younger than I had expected. 

Ellis: Jude, I’m back. 

Ellis: Let me introduce you, Kate. This is Jude, the fairy.

Kate: …? Hang on a second…

Kate: Why did you say that you're “back”? What's the relationship between you two…? 

Ellis: I’ve been working as Jude’s assistant for many years now. 

Ellis: When Jude isn’t busy, I sometimes find work at the mercenary recruitment place to keep my skills sharp. 

Kate: What… did you say…

Kate: Ellis. You offered to protect me on this journey, helped me so much throughout, and I trusted you… 

Kate: Now you’re telling me that you’re an underling of the fairy who cursed me…!? 

Ellis: Rather than an “underling”, I’d say we have more of a contractual relationship. 

Ellis confirmed it like it was no big deal.

(Ellis had ties with the fairy way before I did…) 

(We travelled together and I thought of him as a reliable companion… were those all one-sided on my part?) 

Ellis: What’s wrong, Kate? You don’t look so good…

Ellis extended a hand towards me in concern, which I reflexively brushed away. 

Kate: … I-I’m sorry. 

Kate: I… need to go outside to cool my head. 

Overwhelmed by all that just happened within moments, my heart felt like it was on the verge of shattering. 

I excused myself and wanted to leave the castle, but the fairy didn’t allow me to. 

Jude the Fairy: Ya had a reason for comin' here, didn't ya? Guests oughta stay in the guest room.

Kate: What.

— Jude grabbed my arm and roughly shoved me into the guest without further discussion.

Now that Kate was locked away, the hall went silent once more.

By now, Kate was most likely being served warm tea and snacks in the magical guest room. 

Jude: … Ellis. Ya don’t understand human feelings at all, do ya? 

Jude: If she finds out that her bodyguard, whom she saw as a friend, actually has a contract with the exact fairy who cursed her, she’ll feel betrayed. 

Ellis: Is that so…

Ellis: It’s been five years since I became human, and yet there’s still so much I don’t know. 

Jude: It’s “only” been five years.

Ellis: For us, it’s “already” been five years.

Ellis: All I want is to make Kate happy… human emotions are so hard to understand. 

Jude: … 

Jude clicked his tongue in annoyance, not bothering to hide his irritation with Ellis’ non-human mindset. 

He then picked up a sword and slashed at Ellis without hesitation.

— However, Ellis didn't even flinch. Despite being cut, he didn't bleed and was perfectly calm. 

Ellis: … It’s pointless no matter how many times you try, Jude. 

The wound Jude inflicted on Ellis healed on its own, returning his body to how it was before. 

Ellis: As long as Kate doesn't find happiness, I won’t die.

Ellis: Regardless of whether I’m burned, frozen, stabbed, or slashed…

[revelboo]

hey, realtalk? these past few months have been genuinely butt And ass for reasons i wont get into, but reading your stuff has helped more than im able to put to words. thank you- and take care, okay?

Nah, I get it. Sometimes you just need something just for you, a break from reality and stress.

Where I Belong Pt 6

IDW Bluestreak x Reader

• One hand anxiously hovering against your legs where you’re perched on his shoulder, he tries to walk slowly so you can’t possibly fall. Not that it’s helping with his worries, his spark stuttering in his chest when you lean out to look around, wishing you were safely in his hands. But you’d asked and he hadn’t been able to tell you no. Door wings stiffly out, he steps into the rec room and you lean into his neck at the sudden noise and press of Autobots milling about. Rocking to a stop, he presses his servos against you. “This okay? We can go back.”

• His servos are warm against your upper thighs, head tilting but you know he probably can’t see you where you are. “Yeah. I’m good,” you manage, slightly unnerved by the loud chatter. Knowing there were others, you just hadn’t imagined how many. How in the world had they managed to stay hidden so far? Laying a palm on his chin, you catch a distant glimpse of another human walking along the top of a table, bending to lay their palms on the arm of another Autobot with flickering blue panels on the sides of his helm. It feels almost like trespassing when he reaches with his other hand to brush the back of a servo against the human’s cheek in an openly affectionate touch. You almost pitch backwards off of Bluestreak’s shoulder when he starts walking again. Away from those two even though you turn slightly to try to watch out of curiosity. Because that hadn’t looked like an interaction between a captor and a captive at all.

• Heading toward his usual table, he lifts a hand in greeting to Hound, Cliffjumper, and Bumblebee. Reaching up to coax you from his shoulder, he rumbles softly as you slide into his hands willingly so he can lower you into the table. “You brought your human out?” Bumblebee asks, leaning his arms on the table to peer at you and Bluestreak has the almost irrational urge to reach for you again and pull you to him. He forces a cheerful smile instead. “I wasn’t sure if mine was ready for so many Autobots,” Bee adds with a sheepish grin as he stretches out a servo in greeting. “Hi.”

• “Hi,” you mutter, uncomfortably aware of their curious stares as you reach out to awkwardly pat the tip of his servo and just catch Bluestreak’s door wings twitch up at the contact from the corner of your eye. And instead of going to fetch one of the weird glowing cubes the others have, he sits abruptly. Hadn’t the whole point of this trip been for him to refuel? Or had he just said that to get you to agree to be shown off to his buddies like a new puppy? Somehow you doubt that, especially when he lays his hand on the table so his knuckles are almost brushing your leg. Is he worried about leaving you with his friends? He’s still smiling, but his expression doesn’t look quite right. Giving up, you use a palm to push at his servos until he opens them and then sit in his hand, leaning into his warmth and he relaxes, door wings dropping some. So he was worried.

• Servos curling slightly around you as you sprawl in his open hand, his anxious tension fades away. Because you chose him over Bee and the others. Wanted to be near him. “How’d I get the broken one?” Cliffjumper grumbles, running a hand over his face. “Mine just cries.” That’s right. Not all of the humans living in the Ark are happy to be around Autobots. He’d heard whispers about Cliff’s and Prowl’s not coping well, but he understands. If their roles were reversed and he was your captive against his will? Would he be as adaptable as you are? Able to smile for you? That would be terrifying, wouldn’t it? To have no say and no freedom suddenly? His servos flex and you lay a hand on him, head tipping to offer him a smile he doesn’t deserve at all, but that still soothes away his unease for the moment.

Previous

[dogfishmonger]

ICWA was in fact not overturned, so you’re right on that. In fact, some states added ICWA into their state laws as well (my state of Montana being one of them, so wooh! there’s at least one good thing about Montana from these last few years).

the reason it was brought into question in the first place (this last time, because the law is only 45-ish years old and has been challenged multiple times) was because of one specific non-native couple trying to adopt one specific child with native heritage. the fact that such a thing could happen over the demands of one non-native couple—potentially overturning this protection and endangering countless native kids—was terrifying at the time, and the prospect that it could be so easily challenged again under an even less “sympathetic” administration is even more nauseating.

nothing that we view as codified law is ever truly “safe” from overturn. we saw that with RvW.

edit: https://narf.org/cases/brackeen-v-bernhardt/ added this link for further reading

/gen /nm

do not forget about reservations.

do not forget about the people on reservations.

when you are making and reading posts about dire predictions for quality of life, do not forget about reservations.

we already have issues accessing clean water. we already experience devastation from climate change. we are already going missing for our race. we are already being murdered for our culture.

it will only get worse.

it’s possible to live through. every single person indigenous to north america has a chance to live through this. i’m not trying to fear monger; i’m trying to remind you.

please do not forget about us when you assure people that “everything will be okay; people are living under far worse circumstances in other countries”.

people are living under far worse circumstances here. and it can get worse. and it will get worse. and we need you to remember that we’re here when it happens.

[dark-dragon-8]

A Supernatural × Batman crossover where the Batfam are actual cryptids and the brothers are sent to hunt them, only to find out that these guys are pretty much immortal, god like beings whose only weaknesses are each other, the sun and some weird sentient manifestation of their home city that they seem to care about, and most of them already grew out of the second one, since, apparently, the sun only affects them when they're newborns/newly transformed/changed.

The whole reason they ended up in Gotham in the first place was because of some online rumors saying that there is a demon cult in the city, as well as Blüdhaven [it's true, partially, the Bat clan has had several cults and/or religions painting them as godly beings/saviours of Gotham throughout the years, still do (imagine the colonies from F'ing Demon Bats, only this time the cryptid part of them is actually real)] along with shrines for human sacrifices.

At first they thought the locals sold themselves to a Pagan God in exchange for their safety, that the shrines and "holy grounds" spread throughout the city were for blood and human sacrifices and the creatures were feeding on the souls of their followers or something.

Turns out, that couldn't be further from the truth. Yes there were bloody sacrifices at the shrines, but most of the time those were just grieving kids bringing their dead pets to silence's holy grounds for them to be healed, or taken care of, by the spirit and have their souls at peace. But, again, that was rare, and only occurred at the holy grounds themselves rather than the shrines people attended to daily.

Majority of those shrines were filled with books, art supplies, music boxes with ballerinas and, sometimes, you could even find a few trinkets and computer parts, as well as the occasional plates and plastic boxes filled with home cooked meals, sometimes they even put pots and kettles filled to the brim with savory goods and nice tea. Nobody ever touched the food, not even the poor and desperate, when asked why all the brothers received were looks of horror and hushed whispers about how "The bats don't like thieves" and "They'll stop coming by the shrine, maybe even destroy it if we do that"

Dean didn't like it, neither did Sam, they didn't like how the locals, people who barely even bat an eye when they see a dead body on their way to work, get so scared and terrified as soon as they hear of something that might displease the Bats. They tried asking around, trying to figure out what is it that makes them so scared of their dearly beloved deities, after all, they talk about them like such a wonder, like they're the best thing that ever happened to them. Hell, one of them is named Mercy and was revered for its compassion and understanding of those around them.

They only got their answer when investigating a place called Crime Alley. They locals were all the same, if not even more reserved than their city's counterparts, but there was one person, a young girl who couldn't be older than ten that said she'll be willing to answer their questions in return for some money and stories from their time as hunters. They were reluctant at first, but seeing as they haven't had much of an option, they agreed.

"So, Masey" Dean started

"Missy" she corrected

"Right, sorry, Missy, you said that you could tell us what's up regarding those demons"

"Deities" she said sternly, the man simply nodded "And yes, I can do that, but you'll have to do something for me first"

"And what would that be?"

"You said you were a hunter, right?" He nodded "And you also said you have some money. So I want you to give me two hundred dollars, cash, and a written story containing at least three of your adventures with your partner. You can't use big fonts, lie or omit any details from the story, it needs to be one hundred percent real and legible and needs to be at least fifty pages, understood?"

Dean was confused, confused and worried. Why would this child need a story about them hunting monsters? And why did she need it to be so long and accurate? Was she trying to sell them out to the Bats or something? Why was this so important?

A million questions flooded his head and looking at Sammy, he could tell the feeling was very much mutual.

"Um Missy" it was Sam talking to her this time "Why would you want a story of us hunting like that? We could tell you about our time together on the field, if you want, but why do you need that written so meticulously?"

The little girl shook her head before he even finished speaking "No, no, I need it written"

"How so?"

"For Passion, of course"

"Passion?"

"Yeah, Passion, the component watching over Crime Alley, it loves reading stories but only when they're worth it. It doesn't like when people give them stories only to please it or for it to give them undeserved attention. It needs to be good and interesting, a story about two hunters will definitely do that"

The two hunters met each other's eyes, both their expressions filled with worry, apprehension and suspicion.

"And why all the other rules? Why does have to be so long and accurate?"

The girl tilted her head, looking at them as though they've said something stupid "Because you're introducing yourself, maybe"

"I can't just tell you guys all there is to know about the Bat without at least one of the components acknowledging you guys and giving me permission to share that information with outsiders"

"And what makes you think it won't just kill us as soon as it realizes what we do for a living?" They might've been desperate, but that doesn't mean they're going to give an essay about their weaknesses and hunting methods to a freaky, probably homicidal spirit on a silver platter

"Because they like people like you, people who put their lives on the line in order to help those around them. Also" she leveled her gaze with Dean's, which was pretty impressive considering she barely reached his hip "Had it wanted you dead, you wouldn't have been able to take two steps inside Crime Alley without having a heart attack, or your head magically disappearing"

The two brothers tensed, the taller's eyes rapidly scanning their surroundings, hands fishing out a weird cellular device, probably an EMF reader or maybe a bottle of holy water, as the shorter failed to keep up his confident facade in front of the (probably) ten year old (because Dean isn't going to be spooked by a kid that hasn't even reached the double digits yet, he's 𝘯𝘰𝘵)

The little girl laughed, completely ignoring their - very justified!!! - panic "Relax, would ya? Passion doesn't kill people unless they feel like it's necessary"

They didn't seem to be very relaxed, she didn't care, she just told them to meet her again on the border of Crime Alley and its neighbor city in a week, before leaving.

Two hours later, Carrie Kelley was skipping into the main living room of Wayne Manor, where several of her siblings played video games and with their father reading the newspaper on the side, the perfect illusion of a normal, happy, completely human family.

She walked up to Bruce, sitting on the arm of his sofa as the last of her illusion magic slipped away

"Did you do it?"

"I offered them the deal, still not sure if they'll end up actually agreeing to it"

"Mn. You did well"

The young teen preened under the praise, thanking her father before going off to boast and scheme with the rest of her siblings, they were up planning contingencies and devising plans until Sundown.