#this isn't compatible with my personal morals and ideals

[charulein]

gods, I have five more days of sub left, maybe i can muscle my way through shadowbringers...?

[skyclan-funny-name-squad]

Im going to explain my au starclan now.

There is no Dark Forest in this version of Starclan, only the Seasonal Borders. For instance both Tigerstar and Bluestar are Starclan cats, but they would be different kinds of Starclan cats.

Starclan is divided by the four seasons, and how you performed in life determines which season you are assigned too. The season is determined both your own opinions of yourself and personal reasonings for why you did things, along with the actual actions.

Each area is a perfect encapsulation of the season, Newleaf is BEAUTIFUL with flowers, Leaf-Fall has so many colorful leaves, and Leafbare is picturesque with frozen lakes and glistening snowbanks.

Greenleaf is the closest to Starclan as we know it. All year long it is warm and the prey runs very well. It's also very much the default tier, you were a background cat your whole life and did nothing but be a background cat? Congrats you're getting into Greenleaf. Kits are also automatically placed into Greenleaf.

Newleaf is a lot like Greenleaf but not as perfect, you're more likely to get rain and colder days. These are the cats that tried to do what's right, but fell short in very reasonable ways. This is for cat's like Blackstar or Mudclaw who really did good things and did try very hard and genuinely believed they were doing the right thing, but still had some black stains on them they couldn't wash away. Comfortable, but not perfect.

Leaf-fall is more on the brisk side. Lots of rain, and while prey isn't the easiest to find, there is prey, a cat can be mostly comfortable here, even if it's not the nicest life. This is for the cats that had negative intentions, but didn't do enough harm to be considered irredeemable or had reasonings that are sympathetic enough. Cat's like Ashfur or Mapleshade who did a lot bad, and maybe can't be forgiven, but weren't the worst ever and honestly didn't even do more damage then an intense battle between clans could possibly have done.

Leafbare is covered in snow, it's actually quite beautiful. Prey is very scarce but not completely missing, it's hard to keep warm but cats wont suffer from things like frostbite or anything, so they're just cold. It snows often, and many Leafbare cats will stick together if they're compatible enough to keep warm. Rarely there will be a more warm day as well, it's livable. A cat won't be the most happy here, but they have enough to be content, especially once they get more used to the cold. This is cat's like Brokenstar and Tigerstar who knew full well they were doing immense amounts of war crimes and didn't even have a good reason for them.

Depending on your season will also show how easy it is to dream walk, a Greenleaf cat can do so with ease, but a Leafbare cat will have to work hard for a long time to slip into a dream even once.

Cats can cross the borders, but only going down and up to the original season. A Newleaf cat can never enter Greenleaf but both a Newleaf and Greenleaf cat can visit Leaf-fall. To prevent trouble though, kits can only cross borders going down further then Newleaf if accompanied by a Greenleaf cat. So cat's are constantly crossing the borders, perhaps a Newleaf cat misses snow and so they spend a few hours frolicking in Leafbare. Or maybe some kits want to see their morally questionable Leaf-fall parent so a Greenleaf cat supervises the meeting. This keeps cats from being permanently separated from each other, but also keeps it so cats who may be more fond of other seasons can actually still experience those seasons.

This establishes Starclan as less like heaven and more like a genuine place where dead cats can rest and explore. Sure it's not ideal to be in Leafbare, but there's still things to do and prey to hunt. Even cats in Leafbare have a say in things if all of Starclan is pulled into a meeting, after all sometimes to best understand how to tackle a threat is the observations from a previous threat.

Along with that cats will often bring gifts as they cross borders, like yeah if you're in Leafbare most cats might not like you but sometimes someone from another season will come with a huge mouse and give it to you so you make sure no one bothers them while they roll in snow. Or your mom brings you a thrush because even though you did bad things she's still your mom and she loves you. If anything, it encourages Leafbare cats to make connections and friends after death, helping them become more well rounded and less aggressive.

[dracomort]

Hi, hope you're having a nice day <3 I'm really curious about your fave taco headcanons!!! Would you mind sharing any ????

Thank you! And sorry for the late reply. I'm not really that much of a headcanon person because I change my mind on every fic lol, but here are a few:

I see Narcissa as a woman who doesn't care what Lucius gets up to so long as it isn't brought into her home. She'll happily accept the status, gifts and power that comes with their relationship, while turning a blind eye to the skeletons in the closet. Like many children, Draco unconsciously models his idea of the ideal relationship on his parents. Thus a relationship with Tom, where he ignores his moral discomfort for material and social benefit, feels safe and perfectly natural to him.

It always amuses me to headcanon Tom as having Disney Princess charm, ie. adored by cute little animals and small children (to their detriment). In contrast, kids are better at sensing the likelihood of Draco putting them in a wheelie bin and pushing it down a hill, so they steer clear of him. Draco is the type who would immediately lay down his own life for his flesh and blood but couldn't give less of a shit about anyone else's kid. He's a child hater except for his own spawn, whom he considers exceptional and brilliant regardless of reality. Meanwhile, Tom would only pay attention to his child if they demonstrated exceptional talent. Yeah, I don't want to consider the complexes that parenting combo would produce.

I see Tom and Draco as both extremely difficult people to get along with, but in compatible ways. They're both dramatic, demanding, nasty and self-absorbed but Draco's really someone who stresses the little things, not the big things, whereas Tom's the opposite. Draco grew up in an environment where he was spoilt rotten but had an authoritarian father who never particularly encouraged his independence, so was used to deferring to others for big decisions. Whereas Tom grew up in a group home where he would've been used to not getting his preference for most things, but also was hyper-independent and powerful and consequently capable of getting the things he really wanted. So, while Draco will kick up a fuss about the colour of their new bedsheets or what restaurant they're going to for dinner, Tom doesn't give a shit about that stuff at all. And while Tom expects to make the critical decisions that actually affect the trajectory of their lives, Draco is (generally) happy to defer to him on those things, because he doesn't want to take responsibility for any consequences.

I hc Tom as preferring to date younger, while Draco prefers to date older, so my ideal Taco has at least a few years age gap. Reason for this is that I see Draco as someone who is attracted to power and authority, while Tom is attracted to being seen as powerful and an authority. You only have to look at Tom's preferred Death Eaters to see that he surrounds himself with people far younger than himself.

[ralphlanyon]

For the TC ask game: 2, 6, 10, 15, 17, 22, and 24!

2. Scene that lives in your head rent free.

So many! But I'll go with "Come and say goodbye to me," which speaks for itself.

6. Wackiest (but hilarious) Laurie opinion™.

Laurie trying to convince himself that Ralph and Bunny are happily in love despite all evidence to the contrary and that he isn't incredibly jealous and resentful of Bunny!

10. Laurie/Andrew and Laurie/Ralph: discuss.

Obviously I'm a Ralph Lanyon and Ralph/Laurie girlie through and through! I think they are just extremely similar and compatible, in terms of their personalities, their idealism, their values, their sense of humor, their beliefs and attitudes towards queerness and towards the war, their past trauma, their need to be needed, their intense loneliness and desire for intimacy and affection (and of course Renault makes it clear that they are very sexually compatible). They also both understand what it's like to be abandoned by a parent, to become permanently and visibly disabled by war injury, and to not feel a sense of belonging or attachment to anywhere. So many themes and parallels with their relationship - it makes the literature nerd in me happy. 🤩

Laurie/Andrew doesn't have nearly the same emotional pull for me, although intellectually I get its place in the novel and Laurie's development. Part of it is that for most of the book Laurie seems to be unconsciously projecting his fantasy of school-age Ralph onto Andrew (as well as various moral ideals), so I never felt like I got to truly know Andrew as a person (or that Laurie did, for that matter), just what Laurie thinks he is, or ought to be. It's not an accident I think that Andrew is the same age as Ralph when we first meet him (and when Laurie last sees him at school) and that he often feels less a fully fleshed out character than an ideal Laurie carries in his head.

15. At which point did you know TC was going to be One Of Those Books for you?

Haha, I will have you know that the first time I read the book, I was being perfectly normal about it up until the party chapter, and then Ralph showed up again and ruined my life and now I'm here eight years later still totally obsessed! If it had ended unhappily with Ralph dying or Laurie and Ralph not getting back together (which would have been the conventional Queer Novel ending back then), I probably would have just moved on, but it had the temerity to actually end on a hopeful/happy note so I guess I'm just going to be invested forever.

17. Most ??? passage (ambiguous/unclear/etc)

"As Laurie got up he found he was levering himself on a pile of hymn books; some almost submerged tactile memory remarked, Ancient and Modern, not Songs of Praise." I was not Raised In A Christian Home and still do not get why that distinction is at all relevant, lol.

22. What was the soldier at the party about to reveal about Alec/Ralph?

Hmm, I actually didn't interpret it as being about Alec/Ralph specifically, just about Ralph! I thought he was going to drop some salacious gossip about Ralph's sex life or kinks - like "The man acts all uptight and strait-laced, disapproving of everything going on here, but I hear this is how he really behaves when he's in bed..." And then Laurie cuts him off with, "I've known him for years," which the soldier interprets as, "I've slept with him," prompting him to ask Laurie for confirmation if the sex gossip about Ralph is true.

24. Most surprisingly modern aspect of TC.

I guess actually acknowledging that bisexuality exists, even briefly? Ralph rattling off the historical figures he considers bisexuals and Ralph and Laurie talking about Shakespeare being "normal plus, not minus" amusingly remind me of how queer people nowadays discuss their favorite queer historical icons.

[starlit-hopes-and-dreams]

Writer Q&A

Thanks for the tag, @clairelsonao3 <3

Template below the cut.

I don't know who's already been tagged in this one, so uh, Open Tag? 😅

What is your absolute all-time favorite idea you’ve ever had?

Writing a book and having the balls to send it out for beta reads (well, I mean, the alcohol helped, a lot, but same difference, right? lol)

Is there a question you’ve been asked in the past that really stands out to you, and you still think about sometimes?

About writing? Uhhh. No, I really can't think of anything. I've had opinions on my writing re: they didn't agree with my choices, but I don't really consider that a question.

What is your favorite part of being a writer? What parts could you take or leave?

Fav: Plucking my little ideas from my head, throwing them on page, and then having people actually enjoy them :D

Not fav: plots. editing plots. plots are evil. why they gotta make sense and shit? unfair. 😂

What is your greatest motivation to write/create?

There's a certain catharsis to beating the shit out of someone. I don't know what, but uh. yeah lol. I'm sure there's something else, but it's been a week, and this is what I've got right now.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or been given as a writer?

Write for YOU.

What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out writing?

☝ Also, not to worry so much about "craft". I'm not a technical writer, I'm an intuitive one. I spent a lot of time dithering about bc I felt like bc I didn't know "craft", what I wrote wasn't valid. I bought craft books and couldn't make myself read them.

What is your favorite story you’ve written to completion? Link it if you’d like and can!

I haven't written very much 😅 I like shattered soul more than shattered dreams (wip intro), but it isn't finished yet.

And I really like my hidden depths AU, but does that even count? XD

What is your favorite out-of-the-box quote?

My... what? Like, a think outside the box thing? I don't really do quotes, tbh.

Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so, and how do you personally feel about their ideals?

Okay, but controversial in what way? XD

Guess I'll go with the morally gray oc's, Carr and Nykim. I guess irl (and technically their world, too), it would be frowned upon to kill people, let alone play with their prey before doing so. Even if they've done bad things and "deserve it" lol

Personally, I can't really say. These are fictional people in a world that doesn't exist. Their behavior is not compatible with IRL scenarios, so I can't and won't pass judgement on them.

If you, when you first started writing, met you now, what would younger you think?

Younger me was three years ago, so uh. lol. I suppose younger me would be impressed I actually managed to stick to a plot line and finish the book I was struggling so much with.

What is your absolute all-time favorite idea you’ve ever had?

Is there a question you’ve been asked in the past that really stands out to you, and you still think about sometimes?

What is your favorite part of being a writer? What parts could you take or leave?

What is your greatest motivation to write/create?

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or been given as a writer?

What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out writing?

What is your favorite story you’ve written to completion? Link it if you’d like and can!

What is your favorite out-of-the-box quote?

Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so, and how do you personally feel about their ideals?

If you, when you first started writing, met you now, what would younger you think?

[oiblackestsheep]

Thoughts on INFP 4 INFP relationship? Cause that’s what’s happening in my life right now 🌟

Hopefully this isn't TOO late of a response. Work was crazy and I crashed last night.

First off, CONGRATS. Hope the relationship is going well!! Ultimately, ANY two types can be in a relationship and have it work out, but all the different type combinations (and individual people, of course lmao) can have their own unique experiences that can be inferred by their types.

INFP & INFP is pretty interesting. Double the day-dreaming, double the moral debates. This kind of pairing has advantages and disadvantages that you would see with a lot of same-type pairings, but they will be specific to the INFP strengths and weaknesses.

The advantages would be that you guys understand each other through and through. You perceive things and make decisions the same way, so there is a massive potential for deep connection and feeling validated and seen by each other when it comes to the choices you make and values you hold.

You can spend endless nights brainstorming new ideas (Ne) about how you would personally like reality to be (Fi) (Just a simple example, all judging functions can apply to any topic, really). Not to mention that if you are similar in age/upbringing, you may even be nostalgic for the same things (tertiary/comfort Si), which can be a lot of fun!

You can also provide very meaningful support to each other in areas in life that you struggle with because you can 100% relate when the other is struggling. Where some types might grow frustrated with your weaknesses, you two have the potential to give each other the grace and patience when it comes handling the strict, objective, cold, hard facts of life that demand you use that inferior Te and set aside that trademark INFP idealism (which I'm sure can be uncomfortable!)

Now, the downsides of this pairing (and many other same type pairings) I think should be pretty obvious to the people in the relationship when they pop up.

The thing is that if you both use Fi to come to your conclusions about something, but you happen to disagree on the actual verdict, then that can cause some tension. It can be hard to accept someone else's explanation as to why they think something when they somehow think the same way as you. There can be very little variation between how you each reach your conclusions, and therefore, not really all that much to talk about other than the fact that you simply just disagree and cannot find a way to be compatible on the matter. This is the benefit of different types being together is that different opinions can often be explained by using different functions (or combinations of the same functions) to reach different conclusions. But the INFP x INFP couple doesn't have that luxury, sadly.

Alternatively, double Ne can make it difficult for the couple to focus. If you are both thinking about different hypothetical possibilities, it is unlikely that either of you will reign each other (or yourselves) in to decide what components of the subject are the most important to consider and choose to act on.

Similarly, tertiary Si can potentially cause both of you ruminate on your pasts (in general, or in your relationship), and increases the likelihood of the two of you isolating at home to spend time living in the past. You might benefit from getting out of the house to shake off this tendency to overthink.

And lastly, inferior Te can be difficult if both of you are uncomfortable making hard and direct decisions based on data. Both of you will be more inclined to search your internal/personal feelings and values to make decisions rather than facing the facts in front of you that might lead to difficult/not ideal choices that are not as comfortable for you, and that can make for a slow and arduous process.

All in all, it really boils down to how healthy you two are and how willing you are to work together to have a safe and constructive relationship and develop yourselves/confront your weaknesses. If both people are healthy, you two can be a super empathetic, imaginative and moralistic power-couple!

Hope this was helpful and/or resonates with you. Let me know if you'd like to add anything else!

[einsteinsugly]

I'm sending this to three T70s blogs! What are your very most controversial/unpopular That 70s Show opinions? To get the ball rolling, I'll confess a few of mine since I'm on anon and can't be attacked :) 1. I always shipped Jackie/Eric to the point where they're a true OTP of mine. I have no idea why. Usually when I ship non-canon couples, it's because they're very close friends whose personalities seem incredibly compatible to me...but Jackie and Eric aren't especially close (despite being in the same general group), and they don't seem very compatible or even to care about and respect each other that much. (Though Jackie's "hero" line melts me!) Tbh, it probably just comes down to the fact that Jackie and Eric are by far my two favorite characters. I love analyzing, writing about them, and envisioning how they might have worked if I conveniently ignore 97% of canon. I'm pathetic :) 2. I wouldn't really like Hyde in real life and don't think he was a particularly good romantic partner at all. (*ducks*) I mean, he was an improvement over Kelso, but who isn't?! I just think fandom idealizes him a bit too much. It's a matter of taste, though---the super 'edgy, rebel, proudly rude, 'duuude, I shoplift and smoke a lot of weed and would rather set myself on fire than eat in a mainstream chain restaurant' kind of guys just aren't my personal type :) 3. Sort of related to the first two confessions: I don't think Jackie and Hyde would make each other happy long term. They had some wonderful moments on the show, but I really just don't think they'd give each other what they want. 4. I don't really get how some newer fans turn Laurie into this root-worthy 'girlboss' who's just misunderstood- she's supposed to be unrepentantly, hilariously terrible, and she is! Sometimes it really is as simple as that :) 5. (*whispers*) More often than not, I enjoy Kelso. Obviously as a boyfriend to Jackie, but as a character who - for me - really does add a lot of humor and energy to the show. i can't wait to read yours, and please don't hate me for mine!

Don't you mean, obviously not as a boyfriend to Jackie?

To your points.

1. Jackie and Hyde can work long term, to me. They're stubborn, but they give eachother what they want. Love and stability.

2. I do think Laurie was mistreated by her mother and was unrightfully slut shamed. However, she goes beyond this, and willingly home wrecks. Ultimately, she falls back into her old patterns whenever things get hard. She has potential to be better, but she is morally grey, if you will. She is willing to do almost anything to get what she wants.

*****

Okay, now mine.

1. I've said this before, but I think T9S is worse than season 8. If only because season 8 is way easier to fix.

2. I tend to regard season 8 as canon, if only because it logistically meshes (unfortunately). Both post-season 8 and post-season 7 verses are canon. T9S is not, since it logistically clashes with both, in a huge way (*cough* sixteen year old Jay *cough*).

3. I do not think Jackie can truly overcome all of her conservative biases via Hyde. She would really struggle to accept a child that seriously strays from the norm. It sucks. It's one of those things where she outwardly accepts it, to be politically correct, but it's obvious that it's not how she really feels. She'd ultimately accept a gay or bi kid, but it would take her years to accept a trans/gender non-conforming kid. And even then, she still wouldn't get it/understand it.

4. Okay, T7S takes place in the past. Blatant historical anachronisms, to adhere to modern standards, do way more harm than good. It leads some readers to believe things were better than they actually were, which is a fucking disservice. I strive to be historically accurate, not just in material things, but in attitudes too. It varies from character to character, but still.

5. Jackie, for the most part, would be awful irl. I've met good Jackies in the past, but a lot of bad ones, too (*cough* family members *cough*).

6. Only Jackie, and maybe Fez, would be a Swiftie.

[didnt-hear-idsb-live-again]

Hey so to explain why the no ghosting app is bad- it’s okay to talk to more than one person at once, if you’re not in a relationship there’s nothing wrong with that and you should’nt ever have to justify not liking someone sometimes you just don’t think they are attractive interesting or funny, speaking as someone who’s been ghosted and been told why it’s better for someone to disappear than to tell you they think you’re annoying. If you develop insecurities from being ghosted that’s something to go to therapy for not force people to explain to you on an app. It’s just very pushy.

I mean like, sure! it's not morally wrong to see multiple people in the early stages of dating! I never said it was! However. If you are actually looking for something serious, these dating apps are like a game to people. people swipe through because they're bored, people look for matches just to see who will match them, people will be looking for a fun night out in a new city and message 7468375967 people who will waste their time talking and never meet up because they were one of 7468375967. it is completely ineffective for finding a partner almost all of the time, and you inevitably get ghosted the second someone is swiping out of boredom and someone hotter gives them a like or whatever. The entire thing is a Petri dish of fuckboy behavior that leads to mindgames, being in competition with your entire city (unlike in the days before dating apps because you have access to literally everyone), etc. And it's fine if you don't want something serious and want to date around!!! but it's total garbage for the people who are looking to find a genuine companion and not fuck around that they'll have to talk to a shitload of people who are in it for the thrill or whatever and who will inevitably leave them hanging, and always get caught in an endless cycle of exposure to the kind of people who either aren't transparent about what they're looking for or who are just lying, and keep on getting damaged by it over and over and over. it's just nice that there's a dating app that isn't an ideal environment for fuckboys - not saying all people who date around are assholes like that, but this environment caters, specifically, to fuckboys.

and no, you shouldn't have to justify not liking someone in that no one should have a gun to your head making you do it. but it is, objectively, shitty, to stop talking to someone cold turkey with 0 explanation. it's also shitty if that explanation is "you're annoying", but, idk, call me stupid or naive but I don't think many people would actually just say that. it'd just be a "this isn't working out", "I don't think we're compatible", etc - just some basic form of communication and human decency. and btw - our insecurities are just different. I'd way rather be told someone thinks I'm annoying, because before they say it my brain is telling me I'm annoying and they don't like the shape of my nose and they ran back to their ex they told me they were over and they slept around when I thought we were exclusive and they don't like my hair and they hate that I love Taylor Swift and they wish my boobs were bigger and and and and. I'd rather it be confirmed to be one of those things and know than spend months picking every facet of my being apart trying to figure out which is most likely, and hating myself for all of them over just one.

it's not for everyone and you don't have to be on it! but all the comments calling it a hellscape are literally sooooo over the top. dating apps gave me panic attacks and this app sounds like a fix to every single one of my problems with them.

[couldntbedamned]

Goodbye Grey Sky, Hello Blue - 28

Summary: In an alternate universe where trains and zeppelins are still common forms of travel and the internet and cell phones exist, nineteen year old Peter Parker has few options left after he’s swindled out of his inheritance. Unable to pay for college, let alone keep the house left to him by his deceased aunt, he’s running out of time before he’s out on the streets. Desperate, Peter signs his life over to the Bureau of Civic Spousal Selections to take his chances as the selected husband of a complete stranger. After all, he only has to make it through a year and then he can choose to annul.

Dr. Stephen Strange has little interest in marriage, preferring to focus on his career. When his career is threatened by what a nosy board of directors considers a “lack of personal fulfillment and settling down,” he opts to select a spouse through the BCSS and chooses Peter Parker. The young man’s profile he’d briefly skimmed suggests intelligence and compatibility. It’s not ideal, but if after a year it’s not working out, he can always annul the marriage and send Peter on his way.

It’s a marriage neither truly wants, with sharp learning curves for both. It’s either going to be forever or it’s going to go down in flames.

Warnings/AO3 Tags: 18+ MINORS DNI, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1950s/Modern Fusion, Doctor Stephen Strange, Jewish Peter Parker, Peter Parker is an Adult, Marriage of Convenience, Marriage Contracts, Government Sanctioned Marriages, Domestic Discipline, Dubiously Consensual Spanking, Spanking, Aftercare, Mildly Dubious Consent, Dubious Morals, Dubious Ethics, Asshole Stephen Strange, Smartass Peter Parker, Passive Aggressive Canned Soup, Two Morons Trying to Try Their Best, Borrowing Characters

_______

Chapter 28

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The dinner party he dreaded most finally arrived.

He and Peter were cordially invited to dinner at the home of Dr. Reed Richards and his wife Dr. Susan Storm. As the man had been coy about who the other guests would be, Stephen could only brace himself for sharing a table with Dr. Peggy Carter and probably Ms. Rambeau.

They probably wouldn't be able to leave early for dietary reasons, either, since Sue Storm had mentioned on the invitation that she would be cooking a kosher meal. He could only hope that his mobile went off and he'd have to go to the hospital. He could pull the Selecting Spouse card and insist Peter leave with him.

"It'll be okay," Peter said. "It's just a few hours for one night. Then we're done."

"Peter-" he stopped.

"What?" Peter asked as he tied his bow tie.

"If I am less than pleasant this evening, I want you to know that it isn't because of you. I am going to do my best to be polite and civil, but if I am not, I apologize."

"This is really hard for you," Peter said.

"Yes." He motioned helplessly. "I don't want to talk about it; not tonight."

"We don't have to talk about it at all," Peter said. "You're entitled to your privacy, even if legally speaking I'm not."

"No, I think... You deserve to know. Just... just not tonight."

Unlike everyone else Peter had met since moving to Sanctum Heights, Dr. Richards and his family lived in what could only be described as a penthouse. They were on the top floor of the tallest building in the town. He'd seen the Baxter Building, of course, but never gave much thought to the fact that it was first and foremost a living facility. There were seven floors of housing and the first three floors were dedicated to a learning center and daycare for children. Earlier that day when they'd met for their usual tea, cookies, and Winding Road Whispers date, Ava had told him that Dr. Sue Storm both founded and ran the Baxter Foundation's learning center.

"She's an impressive woman," Ava had said. "Absolutely remarkable and very kind."

"I just know that Stephen doesn't like her husband."

"It's complicated," Ava had finally said. "And it's not for me to explain."

Other than that, Ava had given him a run-down on the family and, reluctantly, Dr. Margaret Carter, who Stephen was positive would be there.

"Just breathe," Peter urged Stephen as the lift attendant took them to the top floor.

Whatever he'd been expecting, the Richards-Storm penthouse was not it.

It was light and open with one of the salmon-pink walls dedicated to showcasing a multitude of children's drawings. The teal carpeting was low-piled and in some cases, well-worn from what Peter knew from his time at his Shul's daycare were tracks from tricycles and toy trucks.

The living area featured charcoal grey sofas and armchairs, the backs of all draped with a thick quilt or knitted throw. The corner closest to the living area had a table set up for blocks, coloring, and others activities a curious child might like. Several toys were still on the floor, mere feet away from the trio of toy bins next to the table.

On the opposite side there was a dining area with a table set for six, and further back, Peter could see the kitchen which was open to the rest of the space.

"Welcome!" Sue greeted, striding towards Peter and Stephen with her arms outreached. "I'm so happy to have the two of you here in our home!"

She was a beautiful woman, Peter thought. Her blue eyes were gentle and kind and her blonde hair was styled into an elegant knot at the nape of her neck.

"Thank you for having us," Peter said. It seemed Stephen wasn't quite ready for words just yet.

"You're the first to arrive, even before Richard," Sue told them. "He got pulled into a consultation at work. I'm glad, however, as I'd like to have you look at the kitchen, Peter."

He nodded, surprised. "Okay."

"I hope I haven't made a mess of it, but if I have, please tell me, so I don't make the mistake again."

Much like he'd once done for Ben Grimm and his wife Alicia, Sue showed him how she'd gone about preparing the meal, complete with the kosher certifications on food packaging and pictures of the vegetables she'd selected before she'd prepared them. She even had a receipt from Fleishman's.

"And nothing that's dairy or used for dairy has touched the steak?" Peter asked.

"Nope! And there's no dairy in the meal, either," she assured him. "If anyone wants butter for their bread, I have individually wrapped packets and margarine for you."

Peter grinned, pleased. "Toda al hahavana. Thank you."

"You're so very welcome," Sue said. She looked both happy and relieved. "I've gained a lot of respect for the rules you and Dr. Grimm follow now that I've learned more." She looked back at where Stephen stood. "Would you like a cocktail, Dr. Strange?"

He seemed to shake himself out of some trance. "An old fashioned?"

"Coming right up!"

"And please, call me Stephen," he said.

"Peter? Cocktail?"

"Oh! Oh, no thank you. I'm nineteen," he said.

"Ah. A Shirley Temple, then," Sue said with wink.

"But I-"

"It's a lemon-lime soda spritz with grenadine and a cherry," Stephen said with the closest thing to a smile he'd worn since the invitation had arrived. "There's no alcohol and I think you'll enjoy it."

"Great!"

"Reed was evasive when I asked who else would be joining us," Stephen said to Sue when she brought both he and Peter their drinks. "Am I correct in assuming he's invited her?"

Sue sighed. "I told him to just tell you! Yes, Dr. Carter will be attending, along with my younger brother, Johnny. Reed wanted to ask one of the others as well but I said if he tried to pull something like that I'd find myself mysteriously unavailable to host." She arched a brow at Stephen. "You medical doctors are too stubborn for your own good."

He couldn't exactly argue that point.

"So, Peter, how are you liking Sanctum Heights?"

"I like it here," Peter said. "It's a lot quieter than Midtown, and using a car service took some getting used to, but I like it." Peter, knowing his role, picked up the conversation. "Will you tell me about the Baxter Foundation?"

Judging by Sue's megawatt smile, it had been exactly the right question to ask.

Sue launched into a detailed but engaging explanation of the foundation and its purpose. Peter was fascinated to learn about the educational classes for adults along with programs for those at risk or with special needs in addition to accelerated academic programs.

"And some of the people enrolled in the program live in this building?"

"They do! It helps encourage the building of life skills and community."

"And what classes do you teach?"

"She teaches how to be a wet rag," came a new voice.

Sue sighed and rolled her eyes as the newcomer joined them. "Johnny, these are my guests, Dr. Stephen Strange and his husband Peter. Stephen, Peter, this is my younger brother Johnny Storm."

Sue's brother was tall, blonde, and very handsome. He was maybe only three or four years older than Peter himself.

"Ah, the BCSS couple of the year, to hear others talk of it," Johnny said with an easy smile. "You're pretty young for a selected spouse."

Peter wasn't sure what to say to that so he just sipped more of his Shirley Temple.

"You had a paper in the Van Dyne School of Science Journal around a year ago," Johnny continued, plopping down next to Sue and making himself at home. "I'd have thought someone who was gifted enough to be selected to write for them would be busy with college, not married." He cocked his head and eyed Peter up and down. "Nothing?"

"Was there a question in there?" Peter asked.

Johnny laughed. "Not bad. I think you'll manage dealing with dear old Reed well-enough." He turned his gaze to Sue. "And you thought I'd be the last arrival!"

"How's school?" Stephen asked after Johnny had made himself a drink and brought over another Shirley Temple. "You're attending Metro University, are you not?"

"I am. I'm studying engineering," he said. "It passes the time."

He didn't even feel a pang of envy at Johnny's easy and casual dismissal of something so important as higher education, which surprised him. This time last year college had been his goal but now? Now he didn't know if he'd be able to tolerate it.

The four of them made small talk as Sue put some finishing touches on dinner. Peter's offer to assist were waved away. "You're a guest in my home; absolutely not!"

Johnny wasn't pleasant company, exactly, but he wasn't intolerable. Peter had his suspicions for why the man behaved the way he did but seeing if he was right would have to wait until their host arrived, presumably with the other guest. Peter could deal with it for a few more hours and then he'd be a good little selected spouse and maybe suck on Stephen's cock when they arrived home.

Sue had just encouraged them to all sit down and start dinner when Dr. Richards and Dr. Carter finally arrived.

Stephen quickly went through the proper introductions and Peter could tell how much strain he was under, even if the others couldn't. Deciding he'd be a model guest, he shook hands with Richards ("Call me Reed, please.") and nodded politely at Dr. Carter.

"It's so lovely to meet you, Mr. Strange," she said with a smile. "I was so happy to hear that Stephen found someone."

He was surprised at her accent; he hadn't realized she was English. He assumed she'd be from East Virginia, like Sharon. There was an air of self-importance about her that he didn't care for, but that could have been his bias rearing up on behalf of how much he liked Sharon.

"Thank you."

"You're late," Sue scolded.

Reed winced. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart, it was a pediatric case I was called to consult on and I can't just dash in and out on those."

"I know, Reed. Maybe send a message to my mobile next time, so I can make sure the food is warm."

He smiled sheepishly. "I'll do my best."

The six of them sat to eat and while conversation wasn't stilted, it wasn't exactly easy, either. Peter was proud to note that it wasn't due to Stephen; his selecting spouse had been nothing short of a proper gentleman.

"So Peter," Reed started. "How are you finding married life?"

Stephen ever so slightly stiffened beside him. "I like it," Peter answered. And honestly, at that! "I know some people like to look down on BCSS marriages but I think Stephen and I have been lucky with ours."

"No blow-out arguments?" Johnny asked skeptically.

"No, we communicate like adults," Peter said. "I can't speak for every marriage but we value honesty and respect in ours." He smiled over at Stephen. "If we have a problem we talk through it."

"And Peter has no qualms at all about letting me know when he's displeased with me," Stephen added, returning Peter's smile in a moment that despite the company felt private. "He's more than a match for my sparkling personality."

"I'm glad to hear it," Reed said. The man was sincere about it, too. Peter wasn't sure just what exactly had happened a couple of years ago to set Stephen and Reed at odds, but he had the feeling that it pained Reed.

"Marriage does seem to suite you," Dr. Carter said to Stephen. "I'm happy for you both."

"Thank you," Peter said again before Stephen could speak.

Reed turned his questioning onto Johnny and ah. Peter could see where some of Stephen's annoyance came from. The man probably wasn't trying to be condescending, Peter was sure, but if he'd been in Johnny's spot, he'd want to act out, too. Sue and Peggy spoke about some of the new classes Sue was preparing to offer in the fall and Peter took the opportunity to squeeze Stephen's hand under the table. He didn't like knowing that he was so uncomfortable.

"How are Franklin and Valeria?" Peggy asked.

"Well, their nanny from downstairs hasn't rang inform me they've set the building on fire, so I take that as a sign that they're doing well. They love overnight trips away from the castle tower," Sue said.

"They're the artists, right?" Peter asked, motioning to the wall of children's drawings.

"They are," Sue said warmly. "And they're the race car drivers you see the tracks from," she added with a laugh. "The floor below us is a dedicated play area for all of the children in the building, but Franklin and Val prefer to make their marks on the carpet up here."

"I recognized the tracks in the carpet from when I'd attend after school daycare at Shul," Peter said, grinning.

"That was what, a year ago for you?" Johnny quipped.

"Give or take nine years," Peter said evenly. Below the table Stephen squeezed his hand in warning.

"If you stay together, he'll be like fifty by the time you're thirty," Johnny said, unwilling to let the subject drop. "Doesn't that bother you? You're basically just a kid!"

"Johnny, that's enough!" Sue snapped.

"He's only a few years younger than me," Johnny exclaimed, looking at Sue. "How does this not bother you? If told you I was getting married you'd throw a fit!"

"We're not talking about you," Stephen said sharply. "As for Peter's age I assure you he's far more mature at nineteen than you are at twenty two."

Reed sighed. "Johnny, I can appreciate your concern but it's not our place to question our guests' marriage."

It took everything he had, but Peter bit back the comment he wanted to make.

"So, Stephen," Dr. Carter said in the following silence. "I saw that you put in for time off next month. Do you have anything exciting planned?"

"A trip," Stephen answered.

"We're going to California," Peter added. "I'm really looking forward to it; I've never been to the beach before."

"Where in California?" Sue asked.

"Malibu! Tony and Sharon asked for Stephen to be there when the baby is born," Peter said cheerfully. "I'm exited to finally see a beach but I'm more excited for the baby, obviously."

Silence descended over the dining table. Dr. Carter, previously so relaxed, looked as though she'd just swallowed rocks.

"I thought I'd detected a glow in her that night we ran into the four of you at the restaurant," Sue said cheerfully. "That's wonderful!"

"You're still in contact with her?" Carter asked Stephen.

Was the woman... jealous?

"Considering she's married to my best friend, yes," Stephen said reasonably. "I've known Tony since we were in college. I stood for him in their wedding."

"And you don't think that blurs the line between patient and doctor?" She pressed.

"I've never found it a challenge to keep those boundaries in place" Stephen said pleasantly. "But I do understand that maintaining ethics and a professional code of conduct might prove difficult for others."

Her cheeks went red as she sipped her drink.

Reed was frowning at her, but didn't reprimand Stephen for the set down.

"If you're going to California, you should definitely try surfing," Johnny said, garnering Peter's attention in what was frankly a blatant but effective subject change. "Malibu is great for surfing."

Peter looked to see Stephen's reaction.

"Not a chance," Stephen said. "You'll break your neck."

"Actually my balance is really good. I do well on skateboards."

Stephen sighed in that way that told Peter he was praying for patience.

Peter did his best to keep the conversation light and pleasant after that; Stephen was stressed enough even if his demeanor gave nothing away. Peter knew his husband. Fortunately Sue was happy to talk and Johnny seemed to settle down. Peter still wasn't sure about Reed but he felt a deep dislike for Dr. Carter.

"Have you given any thought about going back to school?" Reed asked him after dinner. They were seated in the living area. Johnny and Dr. Carter had left after dinner, Johnny to return to his dorm before curfew and Dr. Carter for an alleged work meeting.

"Not really," he said. "Some of the classes here sound interesting but as far as college, I don't think so."

"That's a shame," Reed said. "I read your paper in the Van Dyne Science Journal. It showed a lot of promise. How did you get the idea?"

"I read a book on pre-modern medicine and remedies," Peter said. "It talked about poultices, and how various insects were used depending on the condition, like maggots. It wasn't much of a stretch to research more on arachnids."

They talked for nearly half and hour; Peter was amazed that Stephen hadn't dragged him away and made their excuses to leave. But Reed was brilliant and the man seemed delighted to have someone willing and able to keep up with his science talk.

When the clock chimed nine, however, they did take it as a sign to wrap things up.

"Thank you for coming tonight, Stephen," Reed said solemnly. "I apologize for Johnny; he's having a rough time of things at the moment. I know that's not an excuse, but I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologize for him. I was far more insufferable at his age," Stephen said.

"And thank you for your patience with Peggy; I know it wasn't how you wanted to spend an evening."

Stephen merely nodded.

Reed shook Stephen's hand, then Peter's and after Sue shoved a cookie tin in Peter's hand with a warm "Thank you for a lovely evening! It was so nice getting to know you better." they left.

Stephen said nothing as they drove home. His mind was a twisted bundle of thoughts and though he could tell Peter was working himself up into an anxious mess by the way his knee was bouncing, words of comfort or reassurance failed him.

Peter made for the stairs as soon as the door closed behind them.

"Bed already?" Stephen asked.

Peter turned. "I figured you'd want to head up."

"Actually I want to decompress for a bit," he admitted.

"Alone?"

"I wouldn't say no to your company."

"Are you sure?" Peter asked. "I know blabbed at the dinner party and kept talking with Dr. Richards when I know you don't like him. Then I nearly got into an argument with Johnny and I promise, I was trying not to be a brat and ignore Dr. Carter, but Stephen I really don't like her!"

"I'm not angry with you," he assured him. "My problems with Dr. Richards. Dr. Carter, and every other member of the board are mine, not yours. As for Mr. Storm, he's always been something of a hot head. He's gotten better."

Peter stared at him and Stephen could almost see the pieces slotting into place in his mind.

"You were friends," he said as it clicked. "They used to be your friends and that's why it's so hard, isn't it?"

The best of friends, he thought.

"Yes."

_______

[alternianative]

🧱 💍 💛 For your peach darling also?

[ 🧱 ] how would you describe your muses’ morality? what are their core values?

=> invisible narrator takes over, as Percya cannot accurately answer this question...

=> Percya's morals are fairly flexible in that he will almost always defer to the highest blooded troll in the room. even if it makes him uncomfortable. even if it might mean hurting a friend. it would be very, very difficult to make him defy a highblood, and would cause him a lot of stress! percya values harmony immensely, which is partially why he so readily defers to others - but he does also value community. he believes lowbloods should stick together, but not in order to defy the hemospectrum.

[ 💍 ] does your muse have a “type” of people that they prefer to enter relationships with? is their type generally compatible with them, or does the dynamic tend to be toxic?

=> Percya sighs wistfully

i knoooow it's kind ♡f shall♡w but i really like str♡ng tr♡lls... y♡u kn♡w, ♡nes that can sweep y♡u ♡ff y♡ur feet, literally! y♡u kn♡w, like a real knight fr♡m ♡ne ♡f my st♡ryb♡♡ks. ehehehehe but passi♡n!! passi♡n is the m♡st imp♡rtant thing!! c♡mplete and utter dev♡ti♡n! AH! i get butterflies just thinking ab♡ut it!

=> Narrator again....... Percya is prone to unhealthy relationships - he's naturally drawn to possessive personalities, and thinks that having a partner try to monopolize his time/life is a Good Thing, Actually. (Percya unironically thinks Twilight is a True Romance.....) The thing is though, he is not likely to try and usurp his partner's time/life... unless they're of similar hues. Percya believes in the concept of finding a lover that can fill All Quadrants as being the ultimate show of dedication- that being said, he isn't closed off to having individual quadrants filled.

=> If confronted about his romantic ideals, he denies that it's unhealthy or unrealistic. It takes something drastic for him to realize when things have gone sour. So far, he's been lucky in life to dodge any major toxic relationships.

[ 💛 ] how empathetic is your muse? how compassionate are they? is this something people expect from them, or are people surprised when they find out how compassionate or empathetic they actually are?

i like t♡ think i'm very empathetic! ♡h i just hate t♡ see some♡ne struggling...

=> Percya frowns... then shakes his head to clear his thoughts

y♡u see a l♡t of it in the c♡untryside where i live. but we all try t♡ l♡♡k ♡ut f♡r each ♡ther! at least in my little area, ehehe.

[skaldish]

Tonight's topic is apparently, "How do I describe my morality?" Because even though there's no such thing as "good" and "evil" in my worldview, I do have some kind of definitive benchmark for my values. Let's see if I can hash it out:

Basically, I believe the highest authority on all things in the universe is the universe itself. If I don't understand something, I go gather data about that thing; the more I gather, the more I understand, and the more I understand, the more accurate my observations become. Accuracy is what I use to govern my character, not "being right."

So of course, this begs the question of what I use to determine my moral compass, because there's no "being accurate" about something as subjective as morality. Morality is a philosophy, and philosophies are made of opinions and ideas, which don't exist as physical objects that need to adhere to relativity.

See, here's the thing about opinions and ideas: They need to be compatible with existence in order to exist in a physical way. Those that aren't will have to adapt or they'll eventually deteriorate once the contradictions become too great. I can't have accurate morals, but my morals can be informed by how things work, and while I don't know (and can't know) how everything works, I do know the baseline for how everything works:

Relativity.

"Relativity" is how we describe the phenomenon of "this thing" and "that thing" and the "space in between." It's particles and empty space. However, the existence of particles alone didn't create things. Heck, things aren't created even because they move and bounce off each other.

Nah, life happened because particles clump.

They clump to form atoms, which clump to form molecules, which form DNA, which form cells, which form organisms, which then evolve big brains because they clumped to form societies. And they also clump in certain specific ways, which is why we have different things and not just one Really Big Thing.

Last I checked, we don't have a damn clue what drives this, or why particles clump with certain others, only that this clumping process makes things more and is why we have life.

Regardless if it's a positive or negative relationship, all things in the universe are social. And because life and its processes are things I value and cherish, my ideas of whether something is "good" or "bad" (or, rather, agreeable or disagreeable) revolve around determining if it's built on "social" or "antisocial" principles.

For example: Making it easy to form a business is built on a social principle; Prioritizing businesses over people is built on an antisocial principle. Teaching kids in accordance to how they learn best is built on a social principle; teaching kids in accordance to what's most efficient for a system is built on an antisocial principle.

In my mind, anything has merit so long as its core priority is the wellbeing of things immediately alive. I may disagree with technicalities or application, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth general consideration.

The only things I will never agree with, no matter how flashy or positive or wonderful they sound, is anything, anything, anything that puts anything other than life-wellbeing at its core. If your idea of bettering society is centered upon an ideal as opposed to people, then your model of society is garbage. I'm not even tempted by the personal benefit I might get because it's a temptation that speaks to cowardice (and "courage"—the real thing, chosen at the expense of dignity, pride, and reputation—is my second highest value).

Though I'm open to the possibility, I have yet to see any benefit from operating out of an antisocial principle. It can't even be sustained. It also tends to have the very ugly consequence of bringing a lot of people down to maintain itself, and even more when once it fails, so it's best to avoid it altogether.

(As a note: The "Antisocial principle" is different than "destruction" or "death", because these are byproducts of the circle of life. With tectonic activity comes earthquakes, with carnivores comes the killing and eating of other animals, with pack animals comes the defending of territory, etc. While certain things aren't great for other things, all things happen as part of life, not in opposition of it.

The only force that does this is people, but that's not because people are evil; it's because we're intelligent. Every living thing can be selfish, but people can make long-term plans that maximize the reward for it. We can also be very sneaky about we do this. But if this continually builds up in a system—like it often does because greed is a gamble and gambling is addictive—it'll eventually grow large enough to out-prioritize wellbeing in favor of an agenda, and will eventually implode.)

I slept for something like 18 hours and now my brain is going places.

[datingadviceonreddit]

These are my own, subjective views as a 32 year old man who has dated a fair number of women that I met online and offline. I am not an expert. These are merely my own subjective and flawed thoughts. If I am lucky 20% of this will be correct and 80% will be bullshit. However, I am a realist, so it is likely that less than 20% will be correct.First and most important, men of Reddit, learn how to take rejection well. Taking rejection well means learn how to take rejection politely and graciously. It does not mean yelling or insulting the woman for saying she isn't interested in you, ghosting you, or if she stops talking. Relationships and conversations are a voluntary activity between 2 people. Either one has the right to end the conversation at any time for any reason whatsoever. The person you are speaking to doesn't owe you a reason why they won't talk to you, stopped talking to you, or are not longer interested.People are complicated and have multiple concerns and anxieties on their minds other than your conversation. Men, in the same way that you may complain if your significant other is constantly calling or texting at work so that you cannot get your work done, guess what? It is 2020 women have jobs, rent, mortgages, kids, pets, family, and their own friends to worry about. That says nothing of the fact that there is a literal plague going on. We all have a million problems and responsibilities to care for. And when the shit hits the fan, people have to care for their priorities first before getting to you. When there are Zombies at the door, your priority isn't your Tinder profile, it is brace the door, board up the windows and get everyone to a safe position, not why hasn't that girl texted me back? Women are dealing with the same problems as you and likely others you don't know about. Therefore, many times when a woman stops talking to you, it has nothing to do with you personally, assume she is just overwhelmed with her version of Zombies at her door and give her a break. She already has enough to deal with besides your fragile ego.Even if she sincerely isn't interested, be polite, shake hands, and move on. With the endless options on social media and dating apps, we all have plenty of people to talk to and date. Dating is a numbers game. There are roughly 3.5 billion women on the planet. Just because one particular girl doesn't find you attractive does not mean ALL WOMEN find you unattractive. You are wasting time yelling at or insulting a woman who isn't interested in you. She has a right not to like you. Move on and find someone who does. The ability to take rejection well says a lot about your character and will make you stand out.Both women and men, coffee isn't a marriage proposal. Another piece of what will seem like obvious advice. There is no "the One." There is merely the "One" right now.I have had 3 serious romantic relationships. One lasted 6 months, and 2 lasted 4 years each. With all three at one time I was convinced I would spend the rest of my life with them. It didn't work out. None of them were bad people. No one cheated. Our priorities changed. First one we broke up because she got a job after graduating college in another state and didn't want to do long distance. Second one, I got into graduate school in another state and tried to continue the relationship long distance. It died a slow death as our lives drifted apart. The third just ended. My most recent ex and I broke up because after getting paid minimum wage and taking shit for 5 years as a nurse's aid, taking the MCAT multiple times, volunteering for Americorps, and working for the Health Department, she finally got into medical school. My most recent ex girlfriend has wanted to be a doctor since she was 8 years old. I learned my lesson from graduate school. Relationships are very challenging to maintain in graduate, medical, or law school. I didn't want to stand in her way, so we agreed to break up before she starts classes this summer.There are no wasted experiences. I do not regret dating my ex girlfriends. Each one made me a better person in one way or another. This is why I find the "One" myth so problematic that there is a single perfect person for each of us. I had my three serious relationships from ages 22-32. At the time I dated each one of the 3, I thought she was the "One." All three women are entirely different in terms of values, ideals, lifestyle, interests, looks, and personality. Why is that? Because from 22-32 my personal values, goals, and beliefs changed. That is normal.Each relationship taught me something about myself and what truly mattered to me in a life partner. Each relationship taught me how to communicate better with a romantic partner and balance her needs with my own responsibilities. I became less stubborn and irritable and more patient aa I learned what things really mattered and which things it was ok to compromise or agree to disagree.I truly feel this is not valued enough in our world of endless options via dating apps and social media, the value of dating multiple kinds of people. The accessibility of the internet along with the idea that each person has a "one" who will meet all the needs in our heart of hearts gives us the illusion that all we have to do is fill out a dating profile of our likes and dislikes and wait for that perfect person to come along while eliminating those that don't fit all of our criteria.Here is what I have found. People are pretty awful at knowing what they want deciding what they need. First of all the odds of finding a person that perfectly fits your list of likes and dislikes is dismal. Second, just because you think you want those traits in a partner does not mean that if you find a person with those traits that you will actually be compatible. How many times has a friend or a family member talked you into trying a restaurant you thought you would hate or watch a movie or TV show you thought you would despise only for you to be surprised and realise that the thing you thought you would hate you actually love?In my experience, people tend to work the same way. More times than I can count, I have randomly met someone who if I saw them on Tinder I would have dismissed without a second thought only for them to turn out to be a great friend with benefits, life long friend, or a significant other. Everyone has their own values, and I do not advocate compromising your ethics, religion, morals, or safety for the sake of keeping an open mind. You need to stay true to yourself. However, the older I have gotten the more I have realised that it is often the people you would LEAST expect that become people who will support you or stick by you for your entire life and won't abandon you when things get hard. Likewise, oftentimes the people who seem fantastic on paper when I finally meet them, I cannot stand them.I can think of one person in particular, an anacquaintance, who shares all of my ideals, values, and interests. We hate each other.What is my point? I have watched my friends talk to multiple people on dating apps and social media for months or years and never go on a single date in person. When I ask them why they never go out with any of these people they tell me either that they don't meet all of their requirements or they are lousy at chatting online. Plenty of people prefer meeting someone in person or over Skype to endless text chats. Just because they don't like to text doesn't mean they are bad people. Also as I have said, we each have our personal likes and dislikes. Some are dealbreakers some are not. The only way to know which are dealbreakers is to meet people in real life. That is how you determine your true priorities in a romantic partner.Waiting around for the perfect person is self defeating since you will likely never find someone that checks every single one of your boxes. Therefore, you have to decide which are most important. You can only learn that by dating many many different types of people.What is the solution? Date more casually and don't take rejection personally. A date isn't a marriage proposal. Stop worrying about whether someone is your life partner based on their chat, text, or online dating profile. Go out there and meet all different kinds of people. You will never regret the experiences you have and the things you can learn if you out yourself out there. Each of those experiences will make you a more interesting' confident stronger and more compassionate romantic partner. If they meet your minimum requirements, take a chance and have coffee. It's just coffee. Not marriage. You can leave at any time. If it doesn't work out, be polite, say thank you, and you still learned something. All you lost was an hour of your time. via /r/dating_advice

[couldntbedamned]

Goodbye Grey Sky, Hello Blue - 9

Summary:  In an alternate universe where trains and zeppelins are still common forms of travel and the internet and cell phones exist, nineteen year old Peter Parker has few options left after he’s swindled out of his inheritance. Unable to pay for college, let alone keep the house left to him by his deceased aunt, he’s running out of time before he’s out on the streets. Desperate, Peter signs his life over to the Bureau of Civic Spousal Selections to take his chances as the selected husband of a complete stranger. After all, he only has to make it through a year and then he can choose to annul.

Dr. Stephen Strange has little interest in marriage, preferring to focus on his career. When his career is threatened by what a nosy board of directors considers a “lack of personal fulfillment and settling down,” he opts to select a spouse through the BCSS and chooses Peter Parker. The young man’s profile he’d briefly skimmed suggests intelligence and compatibility. It’s not ideal, but if after a year it’s not working out, he can always annul the marriage and send Peter on his way.

It’s a marriage neither truly wants, with sharp learning curves for both. It’s either going to be forever or it’s going to go down in flames.

Warnings/AO3 Tags:  18+ MINORS DNI, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1950s/Modern Fusion, Doctor Stephen Strange, Jewish Peter Parker, Peter Parker is of Legal Age, Marriage of Convenience, Marriage Contracts, Government Sanctioned Marriages, Domestic Discipline, Dubiously Consensual Spanking, Spanking, Aftercare, Mildly Dubious Consent, Dubious Morals, Dubious Ethics, Asshole Stephen Strange, Smartass Peter Parker

<<<>>>

Chapter 9

<<<>>>

With Peter out of the house, presumably running, Stephen collapsed into his armchair in the den. His book with its space travels and fantastic adventures held little appeal to him at the moment. Nothing appealed to him, save maybe putting Peter over his knee and disciplining some respect into the young man.

He'd expected better of Peter, honestly. Sure, he was a smartass. But he didn't seem duplicitous. Still, why would he have had some random woman in the house, been alone with her?

Had one of the bored housewives watching him do yard work decided to see if he was as bored? Or had Peter sought someone out? It was hard to say.

When the doorbell rang, roughly one long, brooding hour later, Stephen frowned. Another tryst so soon?

He didn't expect to see... Peter was sneaking around with Clea's wife?

It didn't make sense. He knew Ava Starr and Clea Faltine both and from all appearances, they were devoted to each other, often disgustingly so.

"Hello, Stephen!" Ava said cheerfully, as if she wasn't stepping out on her wife, one of the finest women Stephen had ever met.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Peter isn't here," he added, watching her expression carefully.

"Oh, that's fine!" she said, unconcerned. "I was actually just popping over to see if I left my gloves here yesterday?"

"Ah. They're yours, then?" he asked. "Just a moment."

He didn't invite her in, couldn't invite her in. He stalked back to his den where the offending gloves, lacy and white, resided. He wished he'd tossed them in the garbage.

She took the gloves from him gratefully. "Thank you so much! I completely forgot about them once we got started," she said. "And they didn't even cross my mind until this morning when I was getting ready to run errands." Ave gave him a conspiratorial smile. "You should tell him he did a good job, if you haven't already. He was so worried he was going to mess up and ruin your shirts."

"I'm sorry, what?" He should thank Peter for having a fling? And what on earth did his shirts have to do with anything?

"The ironing," Ava said. "He'd never ironed before, so he asked me if I'd teach him. He said you had such nice shirts and he didn't want to risk burning them." She smiled fondly. "I don't know where you found him, Stephen. He's so sweet."

"You were over here, with Peter... because you were teaching him how to iron clothing?" He clarified, dumbstruck.

"Yes. After the shirts, I showed him how to iron slacks and then we had tea while I did my best to get him hooked on NPR's Winding Road Whispers, which just started its second season." At his blank look she added, "It's a radio drama, runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

"I see," he said.

Peter hadn't been sneaking around, or trying to get involved with their next-door neighbor. He'd shown tremendous character and asked a stranger for help simply because he didn't want to risk ruining something of Stephen's. Realistically, it would have been all too easy to scorch a shirt or two, claim he didn't know how.

"I'm glad he asked me instead of risking one of the Desperate Dahlias," Ava said. "It's a real shame they have nothing better to do than to ogle the poor guy when he's just trying to do yard work!" She smirked. "Clea and I had something of a laugh over it the other night."

"Indeed," he said. What else could he say? That he was far more jealous of his young husband than he'd thought he'd be? That he'd been hurt by the possibility of Peter being unfaithful? Wild horses couldn't drag that out of him.

"I spoke with the Missus and we're planning on inviting you two over for dinner some evening, when you're both settled. She's curious to meet him."

"We'll look forward to it," Stephen said as graciously as he was able.

"Well, have a good day! The vegetable patch isn't going to tend itself!" Ava went back home next door and Stephen retreated to his den. He felt curiously numb.

And he felt like a fool.

Peter, smartass and essentially unwilling spouse that he was, clearly wasn't the unfaithful type.

I chose the one least likely to get me killed.

No, he was just a young man trying to stay alive and make the most of his situation.

Peter hadn't complained about cooking or cleaning, and had even gone out of his way to learn a new skill so he wouldn't ruin belongings that weren't his.

And Stephen, jealous to a fault, had taken one look at a pair of gloves and immediately seized upon the most devastating possibility. He'd been horrible, and for a brief moment, had considered breaking his promise to Peter to never punish him when he was angry.

He was going to have to apologize, probably.

His lips curled in distaste at the prospect.

He hadn’t wanted any of this. He hadn’t wanted a spouse, selected or otherwise. He hadn’t wanted the responsibility, the commitment.

Neither had Peter, who’d apparently had plans for his life that included college and a career and nothing even remotely close to marriage with an admittedly arrogant, impatient surgeon who just wanted to be able to go to work, cut people open, fix them, stitch them up, and return home.

Stephen couldn't just do that anymore, could he? No, now he had to make sure his husband was seen to, that they'd have a gracious home for guests they'd be expected to entertain because that was what people in his social class did. He didn't want to entertain self-important colleagues and donors any more than Peter, really. He positively dreaded the day Richards, Mordo, Xavier, Bolt, Rambeau, and that damned insufferable Carter woman swanned in, sure to have plenty of opinions on how he needed to run his own life.

And it was going to be even more difficult to deal with now, all because he'd seen something unexpected and assumed that Peter was just like Stephen's father, always stepping out to find pleasure where he had no business searching... and each time dulling the sparkle Stephen's mother had that much more.

It was a mess.

How was he even going to apologize? He could take Peter out to a nice meal, possibly. But Peter had funny ideas about food, to the point where Stephen could easily call him picky. Maybe he could buy Peter something, some trinket or book and hope that conveyed Stephen's regret appropriately. Peter had enjoyed the bookstore, at least. Or, he could always just drag Peter up to bed and fuck him thoroughly in lieu of words. But Peter would expect words, wouldn't he?

And Peter deserved to hear an actual apology, damn it all.

On a heavy sigh, Stephen went to the kitchen, figuring he may as well find something to eat for lunch, since it wasn't the weekend and he was on his own. The sandwich he cobbled together wasn't nearly as good as the one Peter had made him the other day. Better than he'd get in the cafeteria at work, but not as good as Peter's.

He decided to check the closet upstairs, curious to see the ironing work that Peter had been so proud of. Sure enough, his button-downs were immaculately crisp, with perfect lines. His slacks were perfectly done as well, with excellent creases where even Ms. Drew and the local dry-cleaner failed.

Peter had learned to do it for him.

Stephen really was an ass, he thought.

Two and half miles in and Peter was feeling it. He hadn't run in months and all the stretching in the world wouldn't keep him from being sore tomorrow. He slowed to a jog, then a steady walk, letting himself cool down before settling into another round of stretching.

He'd have to bring a bottle of water, next time, if his legs didn't fall off. Or if Stephen even let him out of the house. His husband hadn't wanted Peter to leave, he could tell.

It was still so ridiculous to him! How on earth could Stephen think Peter would cheat on him? Or that anyone would even want someone as gawky and awkward as him? After all, the women supposedly ogling him had been bored, Ava had said.

Ava. Of course Stephen would get upset the minute anyone showed any friendly interest in him. Because why would Peter be allowed friends? Clearly he should just be miserable and concerned with nothing other than making his husband happy.

He rolled his eyes in disgust.

He hadn't even been allowed to explain! And sure, it was embarrassing, that he'd had to ask for help to learn something as basic and simple as how to iron clothes. But he'd never done it before! May had enjoyed the chore so there'd never been a reason to bother.

He'd been so proud of his accomplishment, stupidly so. It wasn't as if Stephen would even notice. Hell, he'd probably take it as a given. An expectation.

Stretching done, muscles in his legs tingling, Peter made his way back to the addition and his new home.

The soreness in his legs? He was going to feel it tomorrow morning, that was for sure.

His foul mood? Oh, he didn’t see that dissipating any time soon.

Stephen heard Peter go up the stairs, presumably to shower.

He was, he reluctantly admitted to himself, relieved that Peter bothered coming home.

It wasn't as if Peter could run away any more than Stephen himself could. Incorporating tracking technology, the rings were issued by the Bureau and couldn't be replaced until after the year was up. Even throwing the ring away was a felony and if either selected or selecting spouse was reported missing, alerts were sent to the media as well as train stations and the airship hangars. Not to mention both spouses would end up in prison, since their marriage was also considered an agreement with the government, at least for the first year.

Thankfully Peter wasn't the spiteful sort. The young man had done everything he could to avoid the streets, which in many cases, led to prison for vagrancy. No, Peter seemed to type to face problems head-on.

On a sigh, he went upstairs to wait. He might as well get it over with. He’d apologize. Peter would accept. And they’d move on with their life.

When Peter came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel, Stephen had another moment of realization. Of course Peter wouldn’t have been able to do anything in the way of an affair! Peter’s pretty cock was neatly secured away in the cage he’d bought.

Was it an effective way of keeping his husband’s behavior respectful and appropriate? That remained to be seen. After all, Stephen had completely forgotten about it in his zeal to condemn the young man. He liked the notion, at least, that in something as basic as human pleasure Peter would be solely dependent on Stephen. (Yes, he had a kink. No, he had no intention of making Peter aware of that fact.)

Peter let out a little gasp when he saw Stephen and held the towel around his waist more securely. Then he seemed to regain his composure quickly. “Feel free to check the shower in case you’re worried I have someone in there.”

Well. That wasn’t going to do.

“I came up here to apologize but if you’re going to be a disrespectful little brat I can easily put you over my knee instead,” Stephen said.

“You were?” Hell, he didn’t look surprised, Stephen realized, irritated. Peter looked downright flabbergasted.

“Yes. Ms. Starr stopped by while you were out running to collect her gloves and explained why she was here yesterday.”

“So it's not because you believed me,” Peter muttered dully.

"I'm sorry." Damn the words were bitter on his tongue. He wasn't used to apologizing. Or being wrong.

"For?" Peter prompted.

Stephen did not grit his teeth. "I am sorry for accusing you of infidelity and for not allowing you the chance to explain yourself."

Peter nodded. "Thank you."

That wasn't a "you're forgiven." Well, Peter would either get over it, or have some very unfond memories of their marriage.

"I wouldn't do that to you," Peter said, strolling into the closet to retrieve his clothes from earlier. "Even if I wanted to, which I don't, it's not like I can actually do anything." He dropped the towel and began to dress.

Stephen was surprised. He'd thought Peter would scurry over to the dressing room.

"You couldn't penetrate," Stephen said. "There are other ways."

Peter shrugged, pulled his spring green tennis shirt on. "I still wouldn't do anything," he said. He tucked his shirt in. "My aunt and uncle raised me better than that."

"Not your parents?"

Peter glared at him. "No. You know that."

How the hell was Stephen supposed to know that?

"Right. I'm going to get started on dinner, if that's okay." He tone was far more snappy than Stephen cared for.

"We could go out to eat," Stephen offered. "Make an evening out of it."

Peter scoffed. "Right, and then I can get accused of flirting with any Theo, David, or Heather that happens to pass by." He made to move past Stephen. Stephen grabbed his arm.

"I said I was sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclu-"

"No, you shouldn't have," Peter interrupted. "I haven't done anything to deserve that kind of distrust."

Stephen's eyes narrowed. "I do recall informing you that I don't appreciate being interrupted."

"And I don't appreciate being accused of being a shuckster!" Peter snapped back.

Stephen dropped his arm, feeling his temper rise and not wanting to inadvertently squeeze too hard. “Stay as angry as you want, if it makes you feel better,” he said. “But talking back at me isn't going to do you any favors.”

“So what, I'm supposed to just go about my days knowing my husband thinks so lowly of me that a pair of stupid gloves is enough to condemn me as a cheater?”

“I said I was sorry,” Stephen repeated.

“And I don't believe you!” Peter said.

“Whatever,” Stephen finally said after long moments. “You have until our year is up to get over it or not. By all means, believe what you must.”

Peter looked as if he wanted to say something else, but wisely shut his mouth and stormed downstairs.

Equally annoyed, Stephen went into his office.

Peter’s mood was foul as he tore through the kitchen.

Did Stephen really think something as simple as an “I’m sorry” was going to cut it?

A small voice in his head that sounded an awfully lot like his Aunt May told him “at least he apologized” but he viciously shut that down. He didn’t want an apology. Or maybe he just didn’t want an apology right then. He wanted to stay mad.

It all felt so hopeless.

His anger wouldn't do anything, he knew. It would just result in him snapping at Stephen and increase his chances of another painful, humiliating spanking. It would just keep him from doing what his uncle Ben had taught him, protecting his peace.

But he could still let his annoyance show.

So dinner wouldn't be anything to write home about.

Simple sandwiches and canned soup. He'd keep the can on the counter, too. Maybe Stephen would be upset, but Peter had eaten much less for dinner many, many times in his life.