#this was an interesting mental exercise to finally go through

[thegreatstoryteller]

The Great Shift: Awkward Tales - Vignette 2: Athletics Run in the Family

“Hey dad! Ready for that workout? I think this football jersey is getting a bit tight. Might need a new one later.” Kyle boomed as he bounded across the hall. The sound loud enough to cause his dad, Bill to jump!

“Oh uh… yeah sure Kyle. Maybe we skip the workout today. We could go shopping and get you new clothes.” Bill offered, gulping as he walked over to his towering son.

“Haha! Very funny dad. I know how you always said that every workout skipped, is a day wasted. I finally get it now! I just beat my PR for bench presses last week! Pretty sure I could do it again this week too if we keep at it! Now let’s go!” Kyle smiled and carried his dad to the car.

Bill sighed. Kyle wasn’t wrong. Before the great shift Bill was a retired amateur athlete. He never could quite go pro, but his passion for working out and fitness was always there. It was something he tried to inspire in his son Kyle, but it never took. Kyle was always more artsy. More sensitive. Less in the physical space and more in the mental. Bill didn’t even care that his son was interested in men, only that he tried some kind of athletic activity. Even as he was making his way through college Bill held on to hope that Kyle would find some athletic spark in his son. Something for them to bond over, but it never came… despite how many times he tried to force sports on to Kyle.

It turns out he should’ve been careful what he wished for. After the great shift, Kyle had landed into the body of a professional athlete, Dallas Turner. Now his one shrimpy son was a 6’5, 250lb titan of athleticism.  Suddenly, Kyle finally understood what his dad was talking about. Running around, lifting weights, hell even playing football. Kyle was in love! The consistent amount of fitness planning that Kyle had done in the 1 year since the great shift was more than he’d ever done in his entire life! And the results had shown! Kyle had gained over 10lbs of muscle since he’d got that body!

NFL scouts had even come around and asked him if he’d consider joining the league after he finished college! After all, a majority of former athletes were now in much smaller bodies that couldn’t play anymore. Kyle was considered a top prospect!

Meanwhile Bill was experiencing the opposite end. Where as Kyle had gotten huge from the shift, Bill was on the smaller end. Previously Bill was a proud 6’3, and now as a modest 5’0 he was seeing the world from a whole new perspective. Not only had he gotten significantly younger, now around the same age as his son, but he was not blessed with the same athletic disposition. Somehow most of his body was much smaller everywhere, but he maintained a bit of pudge around the belly, almost like a reminder of the beer belly he had once before. Only now smooth with no hair. 

Needless to say, it was clear that Bill’s new body was not built for physical activity. That didn’t stop Kyle from dragging his dad to every possible gym that was open post shift. Kyle loved testing the limits of his new strength. At first, Bill liked it too. Helping Kyle reach his physical potential is what he’d been waiting for ever since he had a son. However, the longer they worked out, the more tired Bill became. Not only from the actual exercise, but also from discovering his new sexuality at the gym with all the hot guys in the area.

Bill had gone from a sternly athletic father, to a nervous gay nerd quite quickly. His behavior became more shy and reserved. He began to understand more and more why Kyle liked things like music, art, and games compared to football. Most importantly he even understood why Kyle could never focus around his athletic peers. Every time Bill and Kyle went to the gym, Bill would get distracted after a new hunk began their workout! Kyle was too, but more so happy to show off his incredible new bod!

These thoughts raced through Bill’s mind as Kyle drove them to the gym! Bill could only hope that his secret crush was there. The handsome bearded bodybuilder was a large Arab man who was some sort of janitor in his previous life. Now this guy was second only to Kyle in the gym the more he worked out and showed of his manly body. Bill had already rubbed one out in the gym locker room thinking of him.

By the time they arrived Kyle got to working out as Bill went to refill their water bottles. Then as he joined the gym floor he was stunned to see Kyle talking to the big bearded gym crush!

“Hey dad! This is Amir! I said he could workout with us. It’ll be nice lifting with another huge guy who could keep up with my lifts. Maybe if I play my cards right with him I could invite him over for dinner.” Kyle gave his dad a confident wink.

“W-what?! I mean. Are you sure? You just met him and-” Bill sputtered as the large man came over and shook his hand. The young father was mortified. The guy he’d been obsessed with at the gym. Here? Now!? Talking to Kyle!?

Amir didn’t seem very interested talking to Bill. His banter was mostly with Kyle as they worked out. The two of them matching their routines and flexing at one another. Bill was practically seething with jealousy as Kyle and Amir tossed their sweaty workout towels at him. They were so lost in their workout and getting to know one another they'd completely forgotten about Bill.

“Hey it’s pretty nice of you to bring your little brother to workout.” Amir smiled as he spotted Kyle.

“Oh that’s my dad. He taught me everything I know about working out.” Kyle corrected, as Bill blushed.

“That so? I’ll have to thank him, because he sure made a handsome son. I hope he won’t mind seeing more of me. Especially if I’m gonna be seeing more of you.” Amir arched an eyebrow and smirked.

Bill’s hands were over his face. His son was gonna start dating his gym crush. It couldn’t get more awkward than this!

[swampstew-stories]

You Picked Dare

Summary: Why the hell would you play truth or dare with a bunch of pirates?

Inspired by the mega awesome @magnuspirate who did this delighful tease of two hunky hunks hunking around

Warnings: nsfw but mostly language and suggestive content, no actual smut, Kid Pirates being the Kid Pirates. Killer x Female reader x Kid

Dare.

Dare. 

Dare.

Your bold statement had come out smug and confident, echoing in your head with a twinge of regret.

The Dare was to go into the hot springs and take a photo – of Killer and your Captain. Damn the others for knowing your kryptonite.

There was an opt-out option – to clean the communal bathrooms for a month. No fucking way.

As you walked through the island you took nervous hits of your blunt to ease the butterflies in your stomach. All you had to do was take a picture. There were no restrictions, you could be seen or hidden, as long as you got a photo of them that was all you needed to escape this torturous dare disguised as a group bonding activity.

Fuck the crew! You loved them but also fuck them. You were gonna get them back.

About a hundred yards away from the hot spring you took a final drag and snuffed out the remaining blunt. Giving yourself an internal pep talk as you took each step.

‘Position self behind a bush. Snap a picture. Sneak away and then run like the devil’s on my heels.’

Picturing your devil of a captain, your stomach coiled with anxiousness. Oh how you wished you could light up the roach.

Creeping between the foliage, you could hear Kid and Killer talking to each other in relaxed conversation. They didn’t appear to notice you, silently cursing as you realized they were still too far to take a photo.

Tip toeing on the patches of grass, you could make out their conversation more clearly.

“Ya ever think about sleeping with someone on the crew?” Kid suddenly asked Killer. You nearly fell over yourself when you heard the statement.

“Once in a while, rarely act on it though. You?” Killer mused.

“All the time.”

“Horn dog,” Killer scoffed.

“Can ya blame me? All our girls are hot as fuck.”

“Yeah, but I also see most of them as sisters…”

“You’re so pure,” Kid laughed. “Yeah they’re family, but they’re also not. I’m not saying I’d do anything about it either but it’s tempting some times.”

You felt as if you weren’t breathing, skillfully crawling around the shrubs eager to hear and see more, as silent as the dead. One breath and they were sure to discover you.

“Ahh is this about Y/N again?”

Time stopped. Your heart stopped. You didn’t dare move.

“Could be,” there was a tilt in Kid’s voice. “Don’t pretend you don’t think about her and what it could be like.”

“You’re being vulgar, which isn’t surprising, but what do you expect me to say? ‘Sure Kid I’ll bow out from another person of interest to give you the advantage as your friend.’” Killer legitimately sounded a little mad. Well like, personal hurt mad, not crazy mad which he was every single second.

“I’m a man with needs too. And I LIKE her.”

You wished to be a small lizard so you could watch them argue about you. Maybe the blunt was laced with something – wouldn’t put it past your crew to be honest.

Low growling preceded a laugh, and you could hear the sound of water splashing. Oh to the gods to be a fish in that spring.

“Alright fair enough. Would it make you feel better if we do it together? It’d be her choice who she’d choose no matter what, no hurt fee fees over it. Maybe if we come at her with a multi-partner thing, 50/50 she agrees?”

“Kid!”

“60/40?”

“Stop it.”

“Damn 10/90?”

More splashing of water, waves of it crashing over your coverage and wetting your clothes. Practicing your breathing exercises, you mentally pumped yourself up to get it over with. One snap and bam, you’re gone.

“What if we show her our dicks first?”

“KID!”

“Whadd’ya say Y/N? Wanna check the goods before you sample them?” Kid couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Gods be damned. They all sucked.

Gathering the last ounce of dignity and lighting your roach, you jumped out from behind the foliage with your camera, looking to the side as you snapped the picture. Whether is was worthy enough to pass was no longer your priority.

“IT WAS A DARE!!!!” you screeched as your turned on your heel and bolted. You poor thing, you didn’t make it past 1 yard.

“Oh you’re not going anywhere, Y/N,” Kid taunted as Killer wrapped his arms around you and picked you up. His towel becoming loose and distressed from your struggling. Bringing you back to the hot spring.

Taking the camera, Kid tossed it in the water with the smuggest face a motherfucker could make.

“We showed you ours, now we dare you to show yours.”

Originally posted - soon to be archived from main

[gold-onthe-inside]

blind date

who? spencer reid (s8) x blake!reader summary: you finally give into your godmother's insistence on going on a date with her colleague, if only to get her off your back, and find yourself having to break the heart of someone who could have been the love of your life. content warnings: not a happy ending (i warned you, you don't get to yell at me), reader is blake's goddaughter and a therapist. word count: 2.1k

You let out a slow breath before entering the restaurant, smoothing down your dress, still second-guessing your outfit - a purple dress matched with a dark velvet jacket and a black purse with a gold chain belt - as if you hadn’t spent your day looking up what women in their 30s wore on first dates. Not like it matters, you told yourself. You’d get through the date, politely tell the guy that he was great but you weren’t interested, and hopefully be home by 10pm. You turn your gaze to the maitre’d, telling him the table was under Reid’s name.

You had told yourself on the way that you couldn’t hold it against him if he was late — you still remember the coffee meetings your own godmother never turned up to — but it turned out he was earlier than you. Where you showed up to everything ten minutes in advance, he showed up twenty-five minutes.

You saw him first, looking into the silver ware and flattening down his hair and adjusting his tie, clearly nervous, looking up when he heard you thank the maitre’d. Spencer almost stumbled over himself as he stood up to pull your chair out for you and you feel an overwhelming urge to reassure him. “H-Hi,” he said, matching your awkward smile. “You look really nice.”

“Thanks,” you said softly, taking the seat and watching him take his, his hand splayed against his chest to keep his tie back. “You’re taller than I thought you’d be.”

His laugh is nervous, God help him, and he corrects the displaced silverware so they align perfectly before he looked at you again. “I, uh, I get that a lot.”

“Go on a lot of blind dates then?” you asked, sipping the water within reach, and you can see panic flash across his face.

“No! I mean, I’ve-I’ve been on dates before. Just um—” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “I meant I get the-the height thing, quite a bit. Not that there’s been a lot—”

“Breathe, Spencer,” you feel compelled to say as his face flushes. You’d meant to tease, not give the man a heart attack.

“Sorry,” he murmured, trying to get a grip on himself. God, how did Derek do this? “Um… Blake, sorry, Alex, told me that you’re a therapist,” he said, focusing on something concrete.

“Uh, yeah,” you answered, not sure how much information you wanted to tell him. Though, to be fair, he was a federal agent. He could have it found out anyway. “I work at a clinic in Georgetown,” you said, folding your hands in front of you and overthinking whether you should be crossing your legs or not. This was usually the point where the guy would ask if you could read his mind, or attempt to educate you on how mental health was a sham and everyone just needs to get some exercise, and that would be your cue to fake an emergency exit. Maybe you’d get home in time to watch some decent TV.

“Is it hard?” he asked, taking a sip of water before he leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with genuine interest. It was endearing, and surprising.

“It can be,” you answered, leaning in slightly. “Some days you get really, really good sessions, you know? And other days it’s…”

“Hell?” he offered and you let out a small huff.

“Try having a seven year old drawing on furniture with chalk,” you told him, watching him wince.

“I, uh… have a confession,” he said, leaning even closer, his voice a dramatic whisper. “I did that as a kid.”

"Understimulated in class, huh?" you asked, smiling at him a little more.

“A lot,” he admitted. “I learned to read very young, and… well, then everyone wanted me to read, and it wasn’t as fun anymore, you know?”

“Mm,” you say in agreement, but before you continue, the waiter comes, and you both order a glass of wine, and appetizers to split. “So, you must be dealing with a lot worse than pre-pubescent vandalism, right?” you asked, pulling apart the fried mozzarella balls with delicate precision, and you watch him think for a moment.

“I’m just trying to decide if the last case we worked would be preferable to handling a toddler, and I honestly think I’d prefer the serial killer,” he said thoughtfully and you couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of you.

"Yeah, no, I don't blame you," you replied, sipping your wine.

“What about you?” he asked between bites. “Did you know you wanted to be a psychologist from day one?”

"Uh... No, I actually thought I would go into linguistics, like Alex, but somewhere around my first year into undergrad, I realised that psychology was my calling," you said.

“What changed your mind?” he asked, tilting his head to the side and leaning his elbow on the table. You liked the way he gave you his full attention; his eyes hadn’t strayed from you since you’d gotten there.

“Uh, we used to have to do these case studies and we’d do these role plays where everyone had a presenting concern to work with, and I used to get this… high whenever I’d figured the client out. Like that moment where everything just… clicks into place. And I got addicted to it,” you said, your words and love for your job captivating.

“I know exactly what you mean,” he said, his smile widening. “I’m sure Alex’s told you that I have an… impressive memory. The cases we work on-the ones they don’t put in our files on purpose-I remember every single piece of information. It’s like the details don’t leave me. So when we finally catch the unsubs, the-the serial killers…” His voice lowers, leaning further over the table to you and he’s so close, you can almost smell his cologne. “That’s when it clicks.”

You stared at him for a beat, like everything else in the world had gone still, his soft hazel eyes looking affectionately into yours, and then the waiter comes over and the bubble between you two pops, springing apart like two teenagers being walked in on. You can see the flush come over his skin, just as the waiter places his plates in front of him, and focus on ordering your dinner, Spencer agreeing to whatever you ordered.

“So,” you started as the waiter left, and you could see the hint of a smile cross his lips. “Spencer, what do you do for fun?”

He hums a little, thinking. “I read, obviously, and I play poker, although I think half the team suspects I’m counting cards.” He leans forward. “Don't tell them, but I am.”

“You can count cards?” you asked, looking at him in disbelief.

He tilts his head to the side, and he looks like some kind of adorable dog, and your cheeks flush a little darker. “Is it that surprising?” Spencer asks. “I mean, if you know the math, it’s-“ He seems to stumble a little, like he’s worried he’ll bore you with the explanation.

“Keep going,” you prompt him, interested.

“I mean, it’s not foolproof,” he starts, the words flowing quickly from him. “You can’t really predict probability with any certainty. It’s just… really good guessing.” He smiles proudly. “I’m actually banned from a few casinos in Vegas.”

You sipped your wine, shaking your head. "You've gotta teach me how, cause I swear, Alex beats me every time."

“You play poker?” Spencer asked, and you nodded, taking another sip of wine. “Of course, you do,” he added, smiling. “You’re perfect,” he blurted, then started, his face flushing a deep colour.

You could fall in love with this man if you let yourself, and it’s a scary thought. Alex hadn’t been kidding when she said that Spencer was perfect for you. Then why was there this horrible pit in your stomach, like an anvil hovering over you?

The rest of the dinner went perfectly, Spencer pulling out your chair for you as you both prepared to leave. The air was crisp, just a little chilly — spring wasn’t quite ready to fully come out of hiding yet. There was a certain energy between you both; a sense of hope you had long forgotten, and as he walked you to your car, you couldn’t stop yourself from looking up and meeting his eyes.

You'd felt this way before... four years ago when you met the man you thought you'd spend the rest of your life with, and suddenly, the idea of going through that again... It scared the living daylights out of you. "This was really nice," you managed, looking at him.

“It was,” he agreed, his hands shoving into his pockets. “I’d like to see you again.” He said it casually, but his eyes betrayed him, like he was afraid you were going to refuse.

You swallowed, reminding yourself to take a breath. "Spencer, you're... really great. I mean, seriously, any girl would be lucky to go out with you," you said slowly. "But if I'm honest... I only came out tonight to get Alex off my back."

You can see the way it crushes him; the light in his eyes dimming. His shoulders drop and his head lowers, and you feel a wave of guilt overcome you, but your feet stay rooted to the ground.

“I’m sorry,” he said, but you know his words are meant more for his own failings than for you - you can see it in his body language, how he’s withdrawing into himself. What you expect is for him to walk away; instead, he looks back up at you, and you feel your heart break as your eyes meet his pained ones.

"I'm the one who should be sorry," you said softly. "I should never have..." You took a sharp breath. "I like you, Spencer. A lot, probably more than I'm ready for. But I just got out of a long-term relationship. I'm not ready to jump into another one, especially with someone who... who deserves a lot more."

“I-I don’t mind taking things slow,” he said, his voice soft as his eyes searched your face, and you knew he was telling you the truth. But he doesn’t deserve to be some kind of… emotional training wheels for you, as you work through a bad breakup. He deserves more than you’ve got to offer.

"Of course you don't," you said, with a tinge of fondness. "You're perfect."

"I think I'm far from perfect," he says, with a self-deprecating grin. "But I'd be happy to be, um... whatever it is you're ready for."

You don't want to say it, but he's really, really, really hard to say 'No' to, and the fact he was so genuine in wanting to be around you made your heart clench. You wanted to say 'yes' so desperately.

Maybe you should say 'yes'. Just to see what happens.

"It's a bad idea," you said reluctantly, your resolve crumbling.

"But it might be just what you need," Spencer said, and he's right - you hate it but you can feel the way he's pulling you in. The way those hazel eyes hold you; the way you just want to spend more time with him.

A mistake, you think to yourself, just as his hand slides down, his fingers slotting with yours. A glorious mistake.

"I don't want to do that to you," you murmured, even though all you wanted to do was kiss him and take him home and ruin him.

"Please," he murmured, stepping just a little closer, as if you had any resolve left at this point. "I'm a big boy. I can make that decision for myself."

The way he stepped so close to you made your skin tingle, and something deep within you tightened, and you were sure that Spencer could see it in your eyes. Your free hand lifted, sliding along his cheek. "I can't," you said, thumb gliding against his cheekbone. "I'm sorry."

Spencer stepped back, and you watch the way his face falls, your hand falling away to your side, but he nods, and the part of you that wasn't ready for this, was happy you'd made that decision. That he would stay safe and away from you - but then he leaned down, and before you can process what it was, he presses a warm kiss to your cheek. "I had a really nice time, tonight," Spencer murmured, and you can hear the sound of his footsteps leave before you can get your mouth to work again.

"Me too," you murmured into the air, sinking against your car, wondering if you'd just made the biggest mistake of your life, letting him slip through your fingers.

[swampstew]

You Picked Dare

Summary: Why the hell would you play truth or dare with a bunch of pirates? Warnings: nsfw but mostly language and suggestive content, no actual smut, Kid Pirates being the Kid Pirates. Killer x Female reader x Kid

Inspired by the mega awesome @magnuspirate who did this delighful tease of two hunky hunks hunking around

Dare.

Dare. 

Dare.

Your bold statement had come out smug and confident, echoing in your head with a twinge of regret.

The Dare was to go into the hot springs and take a photo – of Killer and your Captain. Damn the others for knowing your kryptonite.

There was an opt-out option – to clean the communal bathrooms for a month. No fucking way.

As you walked through the island you took nervous hits of your blunt to ease the butterflies in your stomach. All you had to do was take a picture. There were no restrictions, you could be seen or hidden, as long as you got a photo of them that was all you needed to escape this torturous dare disguised as a group bonding activity.

Fuck the crew! You loved them but also fuck them. You were gonna get them back.

About a hundred yards away from the hot spring you took a final drag and snuffed out the remaining blunt. Giving yourself an internal pep talk as you took each step.

‘Position self behind a bush. Snap a picture. Sneak away and then run like the devil’s on my heels.’

Picturing your devil of a captain, your stomach coiled with anxiousness. Oh how you wished you could light up the roach.

Creeping between the foliage, you could hear Kid and Killer talking to each other in relaxed conversation. They didn’t appear to notice you, silently cursing as you realized they were still too far to take a photo.

Tip toeing on the patches of grass, you could make out their conversation more clearly.

“Ya ever think about sleeping with someone on the crew?” Kid suddenly asked Killer. You nearly fell over yourself when you heard the statement.

“Once in a while, rarely act on it though. You?” Killer mused.

“All the time.”

“Horn dog,” Killer scoffed.

“Can ya blame me? All our girls are hot as fuck.”

“Yeah, but I also see most of them as sisters…”

“You’re so pure,” Kid laughed. “Yeah they’re family, but they’re also not. I’m not saying I’d do anything about it either but it’s tempting some times.”

You felt as if you weren’t breathing, skillfully crawling around the shrubs eager to hear and see more, as silent as the dead. One breath and they were sure to discover you.

“Ahh is this about Y/N again?”

Time stopped. Your heart stopped. You didn’t dare move.

“Could be,” there was a tilt in Kid’s voice. “Don’t pretend you don’t think about her and what it could be like.”

“You’re being vulgar, which isn’t surprising, but what do you expect me to say? ‘Sure Kid I’ll bow out from another person of interest to give you the advantage as your friend.’” Killer legitimately sounded a little mad. Well like, personal hurt mad, not crazy mad which he was every single second.

“I’m a man with needs too. And I LIKE her.”

You wished to be a small lizard so you could watch them argue about you. Maybe the blunt was laced with something – wouldn’t put it past your crew to be honest.

Low growling preceded a laugh, and you could hear the sound of water splashing. Oh to the gods to be a fish in that spring.

“Alright fair enough. Would it make you feel better if we do it together? It’d be her choice who she’d choose no matter what, no hurt fee fees over it. Maybe if we come at her with a multi-partner thing, 50/50 she agrees?”

“Kid!”

“60/40?”

“Stop it.”

“Damn 10/90?”

More splashing of water, waves of it crashing over your coverage and wetting your clothes. Practicing your breathing exercises, you mentally pumped yourself up to get it over with. One snap and bam, you’re gone.

“What if we show her our dicks first?”

“KID!”

“Whadd’ya say Y/N? Wanna check the goods before you sample them?” Kid couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Gods be damned. They all sucked.

Gathering the last ounce of dignity and lighting your roach, you jumped out from behind the foliage with your camera, looking to the side as you snapped the picture. Whether is was worthy enough to pass was no longer your priority.

“IT WAS A DARE!!!!” you screeched as your turned on your heel and bolted. You poor thing, you didn’t make it past 1 yard.

“Oh you’re not going anywhere, Y/N,” Kid taunted as Killer wrapped his arms around you and picked you up. His towel becoming loose and distressed from your struggling. Bringing you back to the hot spring.

Taking the camera, Kid tossed it in the water with the smuggest face a motherfucker could make.

“We showed you ours, now we dare you to show yours.”

[bullet-prooflove]

Ms Independent: John Frost x Reader

Tagging: @kmc1989 @itsspelledbyannca @alittlefuckingdisaster @forensicgirl99 @cosmic-psychickitty

Summary: Your history causes you to struggle when John asks to take care of you.

Companion piece to:

Bloody - John meets his soulmate during a bloody day in the ED.

All Work, No Play - You're suprised when John asks you out on a date.

Flowers - John leaves you a birthday gift.

Prequel to:

Such a Good Boy - John is confronted with a face from his past.

Our Little Secret - Ainsley traps John in a position he really doesn't want to be in.

On The Roof - John opens up to you about what happened.

Working Oncology, it’s not for the faint of heart. The position takes an emotional toll that other doctors don’t experience when they’re working in their respective fields because you live that journey with your patient, celebrating their triumphs, mourning their lows.

Today has been a bad day, he can tell from the fact you haven’t been returning his texts.

Sometimes you shut down when shitty things happen, it’s the way that you survive when the bad days outweigh the good.

When he takes the elevator up to your office he finds you lying on the small couch with your eyes closed, doing those deep breathing exercises therapy has taught you to practise for mindfulness.

Before him you had a Work Hard and nothing else mentality. It makes you an excellent doctor, top of your field but it also leads to burn out and that’s where you’d been headed. Since him the balance has shifted, you laugh a lot more, go out on dates. The two of you have fun together and that defuses the overriding desire to work yourself into the ground.

He sets his rucksack on the floor before approaching the couch, his eyes fixed on the raise and fall of your chest as you inhale for five seconds and release for five seconds. He kneels down alongside you, his palm smoothing over your hair as your eyes flicker open meeting his. He can see the turmoil in you, he can feel it viscerally as if it’s his own.

“Let me take care of you tonight.” He whispers, his thumb chasing over the blush of your cheek. “I’ll run you a bath, cook dinner while you soak-”

“I can’t ask you to do that.” You say softly and John’s heart, it hurts.

The thing about you…

You’ve been on your own for a very long time, ever since you’re parents dumped you into the foster system because they couldn’t deal with your own childhood cancer. The money, the care regime it was too much for a couple who were already overworked with three other kids under five. Your brothers and sister, don’t even know you exist because they were too young to remember you. Dealing with that, it’s made you fiercely independent but it’s hard for you to accept help, to trust those that offer it.

“You are not asking anything of me.” He tells you, the left side of his mouth quirking up into a tender smile. “I want to be with you tonight, to hold you, to love you, to give you whatever you need to help you work through this.”

Silence hangs in the air for a minute, John never takes his eyes off your face, he doesn’t stop running this fingers through your hair. He can tell you’re studying him right now, trying to gauge his sincerity.

“Chocolate.” You say finally and the tension in his shoulders relaxs. “If we’re going to your place. I need chocolate and a weighted blanket.”

“Well luckily I have both.” John says raising to his feet and holding out his hand. “You ready to come home with me?”

“Yeah.” You say reaching out and taking his hand. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

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[yanderedrabbles]

I just came across your blog and just wanted to say hi, so...hi, hello :) How are you? Hope you're taking care of yourself and hydrating properly!

If you don't mind me asking, is there any advice you can give me as someone who struggles with writer's block and wants to get into the yandere community by writing fics/ocs and stuff?

~ 🐇 (I didn't see that this bunny emoji was taken, but if it is, I'll change it ^^)

Got writer's block? The yanderedrabbles literary agency is here to help - whether you want us to or not.

ooh, writer's block is the worst. Over the years, I've assembled a kit to help me get through it. It includes advice I've picked up from fellow authors, from books on writing, and things I've generally figured out. Specifically catered to my particular brand of procrastination and keyboard related head banging.

Not every step will work for you, but I'd say they're all worth trying!

Step 1: Figure out what's causing the block. Tricky, I know. But there's definitely a reason behind it, and solving the issue means finding the root. Do you feel paralysed by perfection, not wanting to write because you don't want to fail? Is your idea bank running on empty? Do you feel like your work just isn't good enough? Are you tired or burnt out? For most, it's usually a combination of factors. Identify and address issue accordingly.

Step 2: Write badly. No, seriously. Give yourself permission to sit down and write the worst piece of literature to ever grace this good, green earth. Because you know what? You can always fix it later. And at least you'll have something to improve upon, rather than yet another blank document that stares at you like an accusation. This goes for my perfectionists especially. Your first draft is supposed to be awful! That's why it's the first! Just get those words down and fix them later. Will you have to delete huge swathes? Probably. But the stuff you're left with will be worth the effort, I promise you.

Step 3: Randomness as Genesis. This is my go to when the mental treasury cuts funding and my idea bank is on the verge of bankruptcy. There are soooo many ways to go about it.

The first method is to use a random word generator and build off that. It's tricky at first, but as you train yourself to think like a writer, you'll find ideas coming from even the most mundane things. Here are some examples:

"Hairdresser?" Ooh, a small town mystery where the local stylist notices something strange about her latest client. "Scissors?" A goodwill employee comes across a pair of vintage garden sheers that contain a strange power. "Heater?" It's winter and your shoddy old heater has finally given up. There's a blizzard blowing in and no one to turn to for help besides your mysterious and reclusive neighbour.

In the same vein, use a random title generator and base your story off that. [Or as it's more commonly known, the Val Lewton method].

The third option is a template. I usually create about three to five categories - character type, conflict, setting, genre - and list as many things I can think of. And then, I use a number generator to randomly choose one or two ideas from each category.

In practice, I end up with prompts like "captain of the guard, age gap, fantasy, revenge." It's up to me to come up with a story based off that. And in this case, I did! Those prompts were the basis of my upcoming Yandere Captain of the Guard x Princess Reader fic.

I got this idea from the James Scott Bell Start-A-Plot machine. I can drop both the JSB method and mine if you guys are interested.

Step 4: Freeflow. One of my fave methods. Sit down and write the longest sentence you can manage. Ramble. No punctuation. Let your character monologue as much as they want. It's a writing exercise that I'm particularly fond of to get into a flow state and warm up. Also! It's a great way to get into your character's head and really nail down that sense of voice.

Step 5: Multimedia inspiration. Pinterest boards. Playlists. Your favourite books. Your favourite movies. Fairytales. Take something you love and add a modifier onto it. In the case of yandere cyberpunk fairytales, I decided to take classic fairytales and reinterpret them through a cyberpunk and pulp noir style. But that's barely scratching the surface. Change the time period, change the character types, change the genre. There's no shortage of ideas when you know where to look.

Step 6: Sleep on it! Or better yet, walk it out. Y'know those tiktoks where someone is talking about smashing their daily step count because they were day dreaming? Yep, that's about to be you. We all daydream, and we do it all the time. On commutes, during boring meetings, waiting in line. The key is to note down all those day dreams and turn them into stories. No matter how over the top or self indulgent, they're worth keeping.

Writers obsess over their work. I cannot tell you how many times I read over a fic before I even think of publishing it. That's great for editing, but when you've been over the same piece of media half a dozen times, it starts to loose its magic. When your work feels like the ugliest piece of text to ever exist, more often than not it's the fatigue talking. I suggest letting your work sit for a little while before reviewing/editing. Coming in with fresh eyes changes so much. You'll be surprised by how different your work feels once you've let it breathe a little.

Step 7: Do something light to push through it. This right here is the real secret sauce. I think a lot of writer's block comes from the fear of failure. What if I suck? What if I'm the worst author since the guy who wrote about space zebras with lazer guns?

Especially when you're working on something that you've already put a ton of effort into. There's this innate desire to succeed that becomes paralysing.

The solution to that is to step away and work on something fun and easy and low stakes. Something you're not afraid of messing up. In my case, the yandere movie week reviews are a fun, lighthearted shift away from my regular posting styles. In addition, short drabbles like this and this almost always break me out of my slumps.

Fun and low stakes. It's gets those writing muscles flexing again and before you know it, you're ready to dive back into your magnum opus.

There you have it! The methods I use to break through the writer's block. And just remember, if its your calling, then it will keep calling. Don't beat yourself up for taking time off from writing. That time away might be what finally inspires you and sets all the right pieces clicking into place.

Writer's block is a reality for just about everyone who's ever put pen to paper or gorgeous, manicured fingers to keyboard. You aren't alone in wanting to punch the screen until sentences start forming. But we all get through it eventually. Take care of yourself, read what you love and hammer at those keys until they give in. That's all there is to it. Love ya, and happy writing 😘

[istoleyoursk1n]

I’d love a take on like mental health disabilities. Where it isn’t physical, but your mental health issues are severe enough that they impact your life. Like panic disorder or mood disorders (e.g bipolar disorder type 1 or 2). These often do have physical symptoms but differ from physical disabilities. Also MH issues can be massively triggered by poor sleep, I think the companions would make the connection. Perhaps that’s what clues them in? I’m up for anything! I am most interested in: Gale, Wyll, and Astarion in that order! Blessings to you in this season!🤍

•❅───────────✧❅✦❅✧───────────❅•

How would the boys react to a Tav with mental health issues?

.

.

: ̗̀➛ GALE

He’s been concerned for you the moment he awoke to you still wandering about the camp in the late hours of the morning. You would insist that you’d head right back to sleep but you never seem to do so.

Not just that, but the fact that you hardly eat as much as the others concerns him. He assumed it was due to your self proclaimed ‘small-appetite’ but this was getting too far.

It was difficult at first to work his way around your constant mood swings. You were unpredictable but he didn't want to come off as overbearing.

Over time, he’d come to learn and soon enough understand whatever’s troubling you. He simply couldn't leave you to your own devices, not when there's something clearly bothering you beyond the stress of the absolute and whatnot.

Discovering your mental issues was a situation he handled as gently as possible, trying to figure out where these issues could have stemmed from.

For once he's not rambling, allowing you to speak aloud and vent out all your frustrations and sorrows as he sits there, attentively listening to each one.

It was heartbreaking for him to hear about everything that's been on your mind but he’ll figure out a way to make it better with you. Having you trust him enough to say all this was just the push he needed for him to give you his unyielding support.

From then on, he planned out ways to help out. Whether that be casting a sleep spell on you (with your consent) or eating beside you to monitor your food intake, he suddenly becomes the perfect caretaker. If you didn't have the energy to take care of yourself, he was there to tend to you.

He’ll constantly encourage you to voice or write down your concerns whenever it all gets too much, staying there right by your side to provide whatever comfort he can. He could even cast a spell or two to alleviate some of the stress that had lingered into your mind.

And if you ever get a sudden panic attack? Don't worry, he’ll be right there to guide you through it, implementing breathing exercises he had learned and love-filled words of reassurance to get you to calm down.

Through thick and thin, he's by your side, handling each problem you face step by step.

: ̗̀➛ WYLL

Your lack of energy during battles was something he immediately noticed. It was nothing something that could be knocked down by inexperience at all, this was something very different and he could sense it.

Even the way you walked and talked at times sounded oddly… tired and while this entire journey was quite exhausting, this was beyond that.

At first, he confronted you about it, asking if there was something troubling you and whatnot but you never seemed to give him the honest answer.

It was upsetting him, even frustrating at times but he knew better than to lash out at someone who was clearly going through something. He just had to understand you better.

It took him a while to get there, especially with your mood swings and defensive behavior but that didn't deter him one bit. What would usually lead to heated arguments for most was instead him atempting to soothe you.

His heart practically shattered the first time you finally broke down in front of him, pouring your own heart out for him to hold in the hopes that it would be in good hands.

Thankfully, he handled it with care, cradling you gently in his embrace the moment tears began to fall. Every plea, whisper, and cry was another reason for him to shower you with an endless amount of love.

You came to him shattered, but he would be more than willing to pick up and kiss every piece, being there for you in the moments when it felt as though the world was simply getting too much.

He would be the one to encourage you both to talk, allowing you to express your concerns and all your troubles whilst you both try to figure out a way to tend to each other.

He’d do whatever he could to keep you happy, going out of his way to bring you your favorite flowers to make you feel better. He truly cares for you and he’d gift you the world if he could.

: ̗̀➛ ASTARION

The bully 2.0

Had little regard for you at first, your obvious signs of exhaustion and stress only made him want to poke at you more. A jab here, a jab there, he was being as snarky as always without realizing its effects.

However, somewhere along the line, you snapped at him in a way that almost made him cower. It reminded him too much of certain memories he dared not discuss so openly.

You were angry but also pained, a fury of emotions he couldn't help but feel saddened by. Such sorrow was being directed straight at him and the petty remarks that would usually come from him after such an outburst were gone.

He can see your pain, your suffering, that something was going on… and that perhaps this time, he shouldn't be pushing you even further.

Was it guilt that he felt? Maybe. However, the aching feeling gnawing at his chest made him want to treat you better.

It was difficult at first, he had no idea how to predict or go about it all without you lashing at him but he was persistent.

He had put his false facade away just to apologize, to help understand you at a level where he could finally see what’s been troubling that mind of yours. It was certainly something he’d never find himself doing but for you? He’ll try.

Suddenly, he's talking to you in a softer tone, treating you as gently as he could without being too pushy or forward. He’d do what he could to help you vent out everything you've kept inside, piecing the pieces of the elaborate puzzle that is you.

He’d be there to calm you when the storm in your head gets too hard to control, a storm he would make the effort to weather in hopes that in the end, it would bring you both peace.

On those cold nights when you can't bring yourself to sleep, he’d be there to stay up with you, staying by your side until you both fall fast asleep or to listen to every concern you may have.

And if it helps, perhaps slaying a goblin or two would reduce the stress. However, if violence is quite your forte, allow him to stitch up a small little plush for you in his free time. Something to keep you happy (as he curses for pricking himself with the needle.)

For you have grown to be someone he deeply cares for, someone who he wants to protect and treasure, flaws and all. He knows what it's like to carry such a heavy mental toll on yourself, and he hopes that you and him can get through these issues together.

•❅───────────✧❅✦❅✧───────────❅•

[thatgentlewife]

Living a Slow and Purposeful Life in a Busy World 🐚🍄‍🟫🌞✨

In a culture that celebrates busyness and productivity, it’s easy to feel like you’re always running out of time. Social media can make this worse by constantly showing us others’ achievements, travels, and seemingly perfect lives. But life doesn’t have to feel like a race. Choosing to slow down and live more intentionally can lead to greater fulfillment, deeper relationships, and a clearer sense of purpose.

(I wrote a similar post for Christian’s if you’re interest that as well)

Here’s how you can embrace a slower, more meaningful life:

1. Start Each Day with Intention

Instead of jumping into the day with your phone or to-do list, take a few minutes to reflect on what truly matters. Journaling, meditating, or simply sitting quietly can help you set the tone for the day.

Tip: Write down three things you’re grateful for each morning. Gratitude can shift your focus from what you need to do to what you already have.

2. Put People First

Rushing through life often means we miss out on meaningful connections. Prioritize quality time with friends and family, and be fully present when you’re with them. Listening, sharing, and laughing together can bring more joy than any achievement.

Tip: Schedule time for loved ones the way you would for important meetings or tasks.

3. Simplify Your Commitments

Overcommitting is a major source of stress and overwhelm. Take a closer look at your schedule and identify what truly adds value to your life. It’s okay to say no to things that don’t align with your priorities.

Tip: Ask yourself, Does this activity energize me or drain me? Let that guide your decisions.

4. Be Mindful of Social Media

Social media can make us feel like we’re not doing enough, as we compare ourselves to the highlight reels of others. Limiting your time online can free up mental space and help you focus on your own path.

Tip: Turn off notifications and set time limits for apps that cause stress or comparison. Consider unfollowing accounts that make you feel inadequate.

5. Embrace Rest and Leisure

Rest is essential, not a luxury. Taking breaks to relax, daydream, or engage in hobbies helps you recharge and approach life with more creativity and patience.

Tip: Plan downtime into your week, whether it’s reading a book, taking a walk, or simply doing nothing.

6. Practice Living in the Moment

It’s easy to get caught up in planning for the future or dwelling on the past. Slowing down means focusing on the present, whether you’re sharing a meal, working on a project, or simply breathing deeply.

Tip: Try mindfulness exercises like paying attention to your senses or taking a few deep breaths to anchor yourself in the here and now.

7. Redefine Success

Success doesn’t have to mean being the busiest or most accomplished. Consider what truly makes you happy and fulfilled. For many, success is about meaningful relationships, personal growth, and enjoying life—not checking off endless tasks.

Tip: Define your own version of success. What brings you joy and purpose? Focus on that instead of chasing society’s expectations.

8. Let Go of Perfectionism

Striving for perfection can leave you feeling burned out and anxious. Instead, embrace progress over perfection. Mistakes and imperfections are a natural part of life and often lead to growth.

Tip: Give yourself permission to do things “good enough” rather than aiming for an unattainable ideal.

9. Celebrate Small Wins

Slowing down doesn’t mean giving up on your goals—it means appreciating the journey. Take time to acknowledge your progress and celebrate small accomplishments along the way.

Tip: Keep a journal of your wins, no matter how small, to remind yourself of how far you’ve come.

Final Thought

Living a slower, more purposeful life is about finding balance and focusing on what truly matters. It’s not about doing less but about doing what adds value to your life and makes you feel connected to yourself and others. By stepping back from the rush, you can create space to breathe, grow, and enjoy the beauty of the present moment.

“Life isn’t about the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away.”

With love,

Thatgentlewife

[quitealotofsodapop]

I can see in the event of an au where Wukong and Luzhen had hat he's together being interesting.

Wukong would probably still be the older twin and the one to become the Monkey King, I imagine it'd be a difference of Wukong hatching and his lazer eyes, instead of hitting the Jade Palace, accidentally opens a hole in the ground where Luzhen's egg was and Shitougushi recognizing the petrified monkey as the Consort and therefore the egg is Shihou's sibling.

I can see Wukong still becoming the Monkey King and eventually the Great Sage, but with a bit of a difference personality since he has his twin there won't feel as much pressure to be perfect. Meaning his quieter and more wallflower tendencies are easier to see. People misunderstand that for aloofness or arrogance.

He still ends up under the mountain eventually tho, Luzhen hadn't been a part of the Brotherhood and had been on his own Journey of Self Discovery when he learns his big brother was imprisoned. He will never let his sweet, shy older twin forget it. It's too funny for him to think of since they all had thought Luzhen would be the one to end up in a bad crowd, not Wukong!

Adult Luzhen, to me, feels a bit like Porty. A bit of a party animal, bit of a playboy, all Rockstar energy. The difference is that he isn't so over the top. This is only in the hypothetical au where he grew up as the Great Sage's twin brother and not where he hatches later and is adopted by his brother as another child. Again, this is because they didn't have much of a proper parental figure outside of the Elder, who died when they were both young.

Since Luzhen is there, you can BET Macaque had to go through HURDLES to get his blessing to court Wukong. Don't get them wrong, Luzhen had been teasing his twin for centuries about his crush on the Lotus Ear, but he sure as heck isn't gonna let that stop him from exercising his sibling rights. When he learns about the fight under the mountain he outright banished Macaque from the island until Wukong is allowed to return home (so not until after the Journey since every time he returned home he had to leave again). The Brotherhood recieve similar treatment, which may contribute to their belief that Wukong is a traitor. He doesn't play play games, especially when it comes to his considerably stronger but more shy twin and the people who put him in that position to begin with.

Zu Baije, who had not known Wukong was a twin since Luzhen was gone throughout the entire time Wukong was dealing with Heaven, was outraged to discover there were TWO of them and the one they got was actually the SHY one!

Prev.

The Super Monkey Bros.

I love the mental imagery of Luzhen being like Wukong's version of Porty MK - the blue-eyed monkey being so much more active and bombastic than his older brother.

I feel like Luzhen's personality is a lot like Netflix's Monkey King in a way; far more immature and reckless, but ultimately just seeking purpose and affection.

(Which now is making me think of a Wukongverse au where All the monkeys are brothers/surviving Stone Eggs who got mistaken for the same figure over time)

And poor Macaque XD he thought the Stalwarts, DBK, and Guanyin aere bad enough, wait till he reaches the final boss that is Wukong's Protective Little Brother.

I like the idea of Luzhen going on his own Journey during the 500 years Wukong is imprisoned. Perhaps occassionally coming home to FFM to govern and beat up hunters threatening their people. And the make sure Macaque knows he's still banned from speaking to his big brother for hurting his feelings so badly.

Luzhen spreads the story of Sun Wukong in his own way through song, strumming on a Qinqin or tapping on a drum about his big brother's exploits.

And of course even in trying to keep hinself out of trouble, Luzhen still causes trademark monkey mischief, causing people to wonder if Sun Wukong has already been released.

Zhu Bajie, learning that the Monkey King is a travel buddy: "Oh hell yeah! This is gonna be fun!" Only to learn to his horror and disappointment that there's two monkeys considered king, and he's stuck with the studious lightweight nerd one. XD

Dont think Tripitaka would be able to put a circlet on Luzhen if the little brother monkey was there for the Journey, but Wukong would be able to keep him on good behavior.

Its an interesting au to consider

[justanotherwriter140]

Kung Fu Panda 2 Scene Analysis + Discussion Post

Hey, all! Here's a KFP2 scene analysis because I felt like it. 🤷‍♀️

I have an itch to scratch and I'm going to make all of you read about it. I've been revisiting KFP2's remarkable storytelling methods—namely for conveying strong emotions without relying on dialogue and putting more faith in the narrative—and when I got to the harbor scene, I couldn't help but write something up on it. In general, writing short essays on scenes/sequences is a great writing exercise that I would recommend for fellow writers because it's a big help when you're trying to emulate a certain style or feel in your work. KFP2 is a great movie and I love it, so I often refer back to it when I'm struggling.

In short, this is me gushing. I know as a fandom we've talked this part of the movie to death a hundred times over, but it's a scene that deserves it. I'm going to be focusing on the aspects of it that interest me most, but the final battle following this scene is just as worthy of being fawned over. I am a KFP fan through-and-through and every scene (in this film especially) deserves its own discussion post. Unfortunately, I'm employed.

I've never done a dedicated sequence analysis before, but I've been delving back into studying animation and that paired with my long-time love for storytelling is more than enough to make me want to do a Tumblr deep dive on this 20~ second master-class in storytelling.

To begin, let's take a look at what's happening here:

Po swims to Tigress to make sure that she's okay. He holds her hand and gets close to her, which is something we can assume he would never do otherwise. I'll cite the attack-hug; we witnessed his (albeit completely understandable) reaction to Tigress initiating physical contact, and his instinct was to freeze in place. It tells us that physical contact is uncommon and maybe even a little awkward for them, and yet, he grabs her hand without hesitation.

My heart...ugh. I was little when this came out and I was STUPEFIED. I also realized I wanted to make movies, though, so I guess it worked out. 🤷‍♀️

Plus the little thumb-hold from Tigress. I'm nauseous. Kill me.

It's also worth mentioning that despite the fact that Po audibly says her name, she doesn't respond to hearing him. She responds to feeling him. She doesn't start to lift her head until he touches her.

Earlier in the film, it had been made a point that she "feels nothing," which was intended to refer to both her hands and her emotions. She physically and mentally beat herself up for 20 years until she couldn't feel the hurt anymore.

Even so, it only takes Po to unravel that. This is the movie further cementing the franchise-long theme of Po bringing inner peace to the valley. On a more personal note, it's also the movie telling us that Tigress's jadedness only goes as far as she lets it. She is capable of recovery, capable of feeling—it only matters that she allows herself to have those moments.

She looks up. She's relieved. She couldn't save China, but she saved Po. She didn't fail in protecting him this time. She did her job. There's a beautiful contrast between what she's feeling and what he's feeling but they share a point—kind of like a venn diagram. Both feel some kind of relief, however brief. As for their differences, Tigress's defiance is weakened and Po's is ignited. He takes on that weight for her.

The way her head slowly falls back down makes me think she's too exhausted to keep her head up any longer. She had used all of her strength to hold onto Po and look fully at him, face to face, to be sure he was alright. Tigress is the most capable member of the group, but where her most important strength lies is revealed here as well as in the rest of KFP2: in her compassion and care for others.

Po looks at Shen with scathing, genuine contempt. He's taken away too many people Po loves, and Po won't let him take away another. He's thinking about the valley, about his friends, Mr. Ping, and his duty to defend China and bring evil-doers to justice. We see the resolve in his eyes. He'll do what he has to.

The angle of the image is also worth mentioning. With the way the "camera" is tilted—now at a direct eye-level as opposed to a few shots before when Po was almost slouching below mid-frame—Po looks bigger in this shot. He's being framed as a protector. Defender of China. The Dragon Warrior. He's really, truly stepping into this role.

Tigress bows her head and Po takes on the weight, which is a huge contrast to the rest of the film. Before this scene, Tigress is the one being strong, being smart, taking charge, and leading the group. Throughout the mission, Po was consistently reckless, stubborn, and distracted. We know why. This bit is his amendment. This is him saying and meaning, "I've got this."

And then he pushes Tigress away. The little look I caught in this screenshot lingers for only two~ seconds, but what I love about animation is that everything is intentional. He watches her float away for an extra few seconds because it meant something to someone that he did.

AND THEN SHE REACHES FOR HIM. Whose idea was this? We need to have some words. You guys were evil and I love it.

She's exhausted, hurt, and is likely carrying the crushing weight of China's defeat on her shoulders, and yet, she reaches for him. It wouldn't even be for her own comfort, either, but because she still has the urge to save him. Even in her state of being borderline unconscious, she still has that instinct—that care. She can't watch her friend be killed.

I pause on this whenever I watch this scene over. To me, this frame perfectly encapsulates Po as a character. We see him facing impending doom in the form of a massive ship with a monstrous-looking cannon strapped to the front, harboring a psychotic peacock fully intending to kill him—just like he killed Po's mother—when he gets the shot.

Despite this, Po only pushes Tigress—a loved one, and while it's far more impactful to the story that it was her, it could have been anyone and the point still stands—out of the way. He moves her out of the line of fire and lures the danger away. That simple action of pushing her away is the epitome of "show, don't tell" used correctly and tells the audience everything we need to know.

And then he goes and stands on a floating chunk of fallen ship (not even solid ground!) and fights solo against an entire fleet of weaponized ships. And then he wins in what's arguably the coolest, most badass way possible.

This—this frame, not the fight itself—is easily his most heroic and selfless moment and it's my favorite frame in the KFP trilogy.

Thanks to all who read this through for indulging my intense love for this specific sequence! This analysis isn't objective, obviously, so if there are any disagreements, I'd really like to talk about them! I'm always looking for different perspectives and ideas, and I'm sure there's a fan somewhere who interpreted this scene wildly differently. I'd also just really love to hear any additional thoughts if there's something I missed. And if another scene gets you super excited like this one does for me, tell me all about it!

An update for my readers: Chapter 6 of The Days is well on its way and I can't wait to share it with you—there's some fun stuff in there and I'm really excited to post it. Thanks for reading, guys! :)

[writeastormsblog]

Show Me My Silver Lining (TFTBL Rhys/Fiona Fanfiction) - Chapter 9

SUMMARY: A fan-written continuation of the lives of the Atlas CEO and Pandoran Vault Hunter. Canon-aligned with TFTBL, but not with game 3. What happened after the vault? How does the beloved duo continue growing together? Rhyiona ship including slow burn, fluff, and banter. Enjoy!

(art made by using Canva)

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CHAPTER NINE: Through the Books She Read

After she finished her call with Sasha, Fiona laid in bed reading a book. She comfortably lounged in a burnt sienna camisole and dark grey leggings, hatless on the occasion. With an apple in one hand, since she was too lazy to make food or go out and buy an actual meal, Fiona settled chomping away as she happily flipped through a crime thriller. 

Though Fiona didn’t exactly have a normal public school life growing up, she had the adequate amount of homeschooling from Felix in between thievery lessons. There was no good in being illiterate when raised into a life of crime considering the importance of knowing the price wanted posters deemed on her head. It ultimately encouraged her to lay low and be very aware of the potential consequences at hand.

Learning how to read was a basic skill anyways, regardless of what life path one chose. When she wasn’t actively practicing how to act and get away with crime, Fiona still learned through the books she read. Even if they were fictional stories, she became more cunning and clever in her teenage years as she began to think like the ways her favorite characters did, or perhaps even better. Her favorite characters always had the upper hand and didn’t lose control. Well, until they’d get caught later for their wrongdoings, but Fiona would be determined to succeed in ways they failed. Noting the holes in their lies, their carelessness in elaborate detail, when really if someone wanted to act without getting caught, opting for more vague answers at times really helped. Or if someone caught how one lie contradicted another, play it off as seemingly contradictory, or diagnose it as merely bad wording. Shoot, even talking long enough on some tangent can make a person forget his point. More often than not, from a lot of the times she mentally exercised all the what-ifs, it really helped her act fast on the spot. Fiona loved those stories even more so because of it. All the entertaining conflict-solution type of thought provoking narratives. 

However, at some point Felix told her she should try to read other genres. He spieled on about how she should expand her taste palette and try to appreciate what other books had to offer. Honestly, it was just an elaborate scheme to try to get Fiona to read the science fiction books he liked.

She tried, but quickly lost interest. Sci-fi and historical fiction just didn’t reach her the same way. And the one time she tried to sit through a romance novel, a scowl firmly resided on her face the whole way through. How could these characters be so dense? Fiona would think. Why would anyone want romance if it makes them think less with their brain and act more irrationally from their feelings? In short, Fiona favored and decided to stick to her crime thrillers.

A couple hours later, there was a sudden knock at the door. Fiona jumped at the noise. Frowning, she tucked the open book under her arm, chucked the apple core in the trash, and grabbed her roshambo. She squinted through the peephole only to see a familiar lanky dork sporting a white short-sleeved button up and tan khakis, and set the gun aside.

She opened the door to his goofy grin.

“Hi.” Rhys scratched the back of his head. His other arm was awkwardly tucked behind his back as he eyed her in her lounge wear. “Caught you at your leisure, eh?”

Smiling, she raised a brow and leaned on the door frame. “Yeah. I was kind of having some me-time before someone came over unannounced.”

“Oh, uh— right. Sorry, heh. I finally sorted out my schedule to have a free weekend. I usually spend time outside of work overplanning stuff in advance, but I’m trying to pull away from that. Loosen up a bit. So, uh, I guess I skipped a step in coming to see you. Letting you know I’m free, I mean.”

“No, it’s alright.” Fiona shrugged. “You’re lucky you caught me at home when I could’ve been elsewhere, though. You might want to call next time to check.”

“True. I’ll keep that in mind.” Rhys nodded while Fiona glanced over her shoulder. The place was clean other than her unmade bed and the coffee mug in the sink.

“Anyways, you’re welcome to come in,” she decided. “I don’t really have food in here, though. I should’ve gone for groceries today.” Then, Fiona spotted the plastic bag silhouetting takeout boxes he held behind his back. “Hold on, is that some sort of surprise peace offering?”

Rhys chuckled. “For showing up unannounced, I guess. Philly cheesesteak and fries.”

“Get in the caravan right now.” Fiona dragged him in by the wrist, and he laughed.

As they ate and chatted, Rhys peered at the book set aside on the table. “Bullymong Blood.” He raised a brow at Fiona. “I didn’t know you were into reading.”

“Always have, growing up,” she answered between mouthfuls. “Loved thrillers. I liked the way they made me think.”

“Heh, that’s cool. I’ve always been more into sci-fi.”

“That’s not surprising, given your nerdy disposition.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Rhys rolled his eyes but smiled. “So what’s it about?”

Fiona’s eyes lit up. She quickly swallowed her food. “It follows a thief who struggles with kleptomania. As a cry for help, he’d mark the places he robbed with bullymong blood, actually hoping to get caught, while at the same time seeing how long he could lie his way out of it.”

“Woah.” Rhys looked at her warmly as she rambled with enthusiasm. His brow quirked up. “That sounds like a cool book.”

Fiona grinned. “It is. I highly recommend it.”

“Heh, you’ll have to let me borrow it sometime.”

“I was rereading it, so you could go ahead if you want. Though, it comes with a fry tax.”

Rhys chuckled. “You say that as if you haven’t been stealing my fries. I’ve noticed. I hate to break it to you, but you’ve lost touch with your sneaky ways.”

“Wasn’t trying to hide it,” she countered, plucking another fry. “I know you see it. You just didn’t stop me so I kept going.”

“I figured you might’ve wanted a reaction out of me, so I wasn’t gonna give you that satisfaction.” Rhys smirked. “Although, I wasn’t going to let you go without payback either.”

“Pff, yeah? So what are you gonna do about it?”

“This.” He swiftly grabbed a handful of her fries and shoved it in his mouth.

“Wh– hey!” Fiona started batting at his arms. “Thief!”

“Look who’s talking!" His words were muffled. “Hah– ah, ow! Fiona–!”

She play-tackled him, wrestling him down on the couch with her on top.

“I already swallowed it! It’s gone!” He laughed. “You’ll have to wait a few hours if you want them ba–”

She spat right in his face.

“AGH! Fiona, whyyy–” He wriggled to wipe his cheek on his shoulder.

She smirked. “You know why. Now we’re even.”

“How is that even?” Rhys pouted. “I didn’t drool on you this time! And if anything, I was the one getting even. Fries for fries!”

Fiona laughed. “You took way more than I did. This is justice.” Suddenly, Fiona very much realized how she was on top of him. This again; her hands pinning him down, that tattoo at his open collar. She got off of him. His face was as red as hers as they shifted back to sitting.

Okay, fine… To say the least, I’m very much attracted to him. She gripped the edge of her seat as she allowed that truth to finally sit in her mind. But that’s not enough to conclude I like him romantically, right? I could find a lot of people attractive. It’s outta be more than just attraction to actually want someone like that. To want someone in the I-gotta-spend-my-life-with-you, more-than-with-anyone-else, kind of way. Fiona frowned. How does this work exactly? There’s no way I’m gonna read some romance novel to help me figure it out. Even if I do, what do they know? The characters are idiots, in my opinion… Fiona shook her head. She should take it one day at a time.

Fiona looked at him again and grinned as he was trying to finger-comb his hair back down. “Hah. Your hair’s all messed up.”

Rhys scoffed. “I have no idea how you were able to mess up my hair like this. Seriously, was ‘wanted for bad hair styling’ a reason listed on your wanted posters? Before you paid to take them down and all.”

“Nope. It wasn’t on my resume.” She smirked. “I’m actually kinda impressed with myself. You could stick pencils in all that hair gel. Hah, wait, I should’ve done that. Made your head a pencil cup when we stayed up. Guess that’s an idea for next time.”

Rhys huffed, trying to suppress a smile. “I’m glad you find this amusing.”

“Very. I like this look a lot better. It distracts from your annoying face.”

“But you missed seeing this annoying face, remember?” He smirked.

“Emphasis on ‘annoying.’ Anyways, the rest of your fries are mine—“

An ECHO call rang from the counter, startling the two.

"What?" Fiona mumbled as she got up. “Hm, interesting.” She showed Rhys the screen as she answered.

“Hey, Fiona!” Vaughn said. “Oh cool, Rhys you’re there! Great— Now I don’t have to call you afterwards to reexplain a bit of a situation. Uh, I’m gonna need your guys’s help.”

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

writer's note: you didn't think I'd never write in our favorite abs-packing, gloriously bearded bro, did you?

also— choosing to expand on Fiona’s character with a hobby in reading? Inspired by the amazing artwork of @sanzosin !!!

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Up Close & Personal Book Review 🦇

❓ What's your favorite form of exercise? 🦇 As one of spin’s hottest instructors, Jo De La Cruz's workouts stream into thousands of living rooms. Her waiting list is harder to access than Area 51, and even her hair has its own social media page. But Jo’s struggling from a decade in the spotlight—which is when she meets the annoyingly handsome journalist who claims her job is just yelling at people from a bike. Converting a hater is a challenge Jo can’t resist. Silas throws himself into her classes, he’s genuinely interested in Jo’s hobbies, and he knows what it’s like to struggle with mental health. Jo might even be catching feelings. But as buzz for the article skyrockets, Jo discovers that the man she’s been falling for may, in fact, be the one scamming her. Will trusting him break her heart—or lead to a love worth riding for?

💜 This story took me by surprise in all the best ways. Let's break it down.

✨ Characters (4/5): The characterization was strong, the development natural, the dialogue fun and playful yet heartfelt. I would have appreciated a little more "get to know you" dialogue from our main characters before they fell in love with one another, since so much of their discovery is rooted in the article Silas is writing, but the slow burn build really works. The mental health rep, though--Jo working through her anxiety using different methods (journaling, having new experiences, cathartic workouts)--was absolutely perfect. It's real, raw, and yes, strong enough that it brought me to tears upon reading Silas' final draft.

✨ Plot and Pacing (3/5): There are a few moments when the pacing drags, namely at the beginning.

✨ World-Building (4/5): So many writers make the mistake of assuming readers know New York that they don't bother with setting descriptions, and thankfully, this book is an exception. The few places we visit outside of Haven feel real enough that you're stepping through the doors, through which I'm grateful.

✨ Romance (4/5): It's been a while since I've read a slow burn that worked quite as well as this one--without forcing readers to work all the way to the end for a tiny payout. Seeing Silas fall hard and fast first, as he's working passed Jo's armor and getting to know her as his subject, was absolutely beautiful. Jo's willingness to let those shields down didn't feel rushed or forced, and you root for this couple every step of the way.

✨ Mystery/Suspense (3/5): The source of conflict is obvious from the start, even though I don't think it's a big deal that Silas found a way to meet Jo in-person without going through media channels. As a former journalist, I see the messy ethics there, but it just felt like an excuse to put conflict between him and Jo. The fact that Silas repeatedly returns to his problematic first draft was another obvious red flag -- you know exactly what the third act fight is going to look like long before you finish act one.

✨ Tone/Prose (3/5): The prose left a little to be desired for me, but every moment shared between Jo and Silas shines.

🦇 Recommended to fans of Mazey Eddings.

✨ The Vibes ✨ 🚲 Dual POV 🚲 (Slight) Celebrity Romance 🚲 Mental Health Rep / Anxiety 🚲 Fitness Instructor / Journalist 🚲 Slow Burn 🚲 BIPOC Rep 🚲 Miscommunication

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #UpCloseandPersonal

💬 Quotes "Your fellow monster fighter." "I want more of her laugh, her touch, her full attention as she tells me a story. Just for me." "I want to be the woman beyond the bike." "Leave it to us literary types to use words as both armor and a weapon for our own self-destruction." "But what happens when the monsters aren’t invisible anymore?"

[kbenvs3000f24]

The final blog post

I have spent my life interpreting nature even before I realized it. I seek nature’s interpretation to expand knowledge, interest and enthusiasm (Beck et al. 2018, p.12). I have often found myself interpreting through museums, campgrounds, hikes, and visitors centres. Over the years, as my knowledge of the connections and interactions within nature expands, my interpretations become more applicable to my education, allowing me to exercise and expand my learned knowledge. When I am interpreting, there are several things I look to achieve and take away from the experience. This course specifically has taught me to allow my interpretations to be more open-minded, allowing me to see the connections when I reflect on my past experiences interpreting the world (Beck et al. 2018, pg. 13). These connections help me understand why something made me feel a certain way, or why a specific event might be so clear in my memory. This course has taught me to feel and connect my emotions through interpretation, whether it be art, nature, or music. In terms of my personal ethics regarding interpretation, I will never be the person to push boundaries within interpretation for the amusement of my own fascination. Pushing these boundaries offers risk of losing opportunities for anyone else which is not ethical. When at a museum if they say don’t touch something, regardless of if touching it will impact it’s quality I will not touch it. Or if on a hike and there’s a sign stating that these rocks are sensitive don’t step on them I would not push the boundaries for the security of knowing that others will get the same experience when they visit. I feel these are ethics and morals that should go without said, especially for people who often visit nature and might be seen as a role model. I am so strict within these rules for myself because I can recall one time my family was viewing these rocks on a hike in northern Ontario that were so impressively balanced on each other for hundreds of years, and just days before we visited, one of them had been pushed over by people who ignored the boundaries and it was so disappointing for us. 

In terms of my personal beliefs regarding interpretation, I am often fascinated by observing and thinking or discussing with others. Especially in natures surroundings like hikes, I do not feel the need to interact or disturb nature’s processes, rather observe with fascination and apply my knowledge. I feel this allows for a more successful interpretation because you are watching experiences that would occur if you were or were not there. When watching nature, it is so interesting to wonder. When watching the squirrels, I love wondering what their mental processes are at the moment of our interaction. This goes hand in hand with the ethics of respecting boundaries. As someone who is in school for zoology, people are starting to come to me for questions about certain animals or situations within nature. People are starting to look towards me to feel comfortable within nature and that tells me I need to work even harder to be the best role model possible.

As someone who is very passionate and becoming educated about the contexts of natures and its interactions, there are several things I am responsible for when it comes to interpreting nature. I am a part of a group of people who are responsible for the quality of our nature and its future. Although I do not work or display myself in public opportunities for interpretation, I do have goals for my future. In whatever I might enroll myself in I have the responsibility to maintain accuracy of information, ethical information, and I will never share a belief for the point of pleasing others, I will always spread information that I also believe in and feel passion towards (Beck et al., 2018 p. 37). In my personal life, my responsibilities include the maintenance of stewardship to stay connected with the goals, beliefs, and cultural morals that portray themselves within whatever I might be interpreting (Beck et al., 2018 p. 37). This will allow for the stories, connections and history expression to stay present (Beck et al., 2018, p. 37).

I work at a dog boarding and daycare facility and I always love answering peoples questions about dog behaviour, why they do certain things, and further informing people on how their dogs might thrive better. All of my answers to peoples questions come from experience, and knowledge. My enjoyment of answering these questions tells me I would thrive in a position where this situation can be applied to nature. I have considered working at trailer parks, or volunteering to do nature lessons with rescued animals, and as someone who might have this future role, there are many responsibilities. These include but are not limited to, the promotion of knowledge towards conservation, educating people on how they can improve themselves or just educating to make more people aware of an issue, engaging people within my lessons without creating disruption, and applying the knowledge to other scenarios like cultures, beliefs, or background information. All this would be present while demonstrating ethical behaviour myself. I can be successful in an advocacy educational role by applying knowledge learned from this course, like different learning behaviours, understanding how to grasp the attention of diverse audiences, and understanding where I would fit in best to educate my audience.

These blog posts have forced me to interpret my life experiences through a new lens. They have allowed me to explore my emotional connections and understand my memories. In an ideal world where I have more time, I would enjoy beginning to journal because connecting my blog posts with my thoughts is something I have enjoyed doing. Starting a journal as inspiration from these blog posts would allow me to deeply understand myself and I also enjoy going back and reading my initial interpretations of the blog prompts to see how I would change my answer now. Finally, this course has taught me that I have unknowingly been interpreting nature this whole time. 

 Reference

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Publishing LLC.                   https://sagamore.vitalsource.com/books/9781571678669

[dyke-quixote]

It almost feels you could partially equate blood to medications for depression and stuff like that. Dadqui breaking through and assuming the others could do the same is like those people who go "Just exercise more! It worked for me!" Yeah, it can help, but not the same way for everyone.

Of course there's also the general addiction themeing too and the fact that drinking blood in a satisfying way inherently harms humans, so it's not as harmless as antidepressants are to society IRL. And I don't think there's an anti-medication message or anything, maybe more than idea that these things have to work in tandem and maybe one day you'll be in a good position in life to wean off them. Going cold turkey on any kind of drug is not fun.

Exactly!!!

Quixote's dream worked for him and Sancho ONLY because it was specific to their interests. While finding a dream would help for others, it would need to be something they found and curated themselves. It's while none of Quixote's previous interests stuck and why the family is surprised that this one did.

Quixote just couldn't wrap his dumbass head around why HIS dream wouldn't help others. Sancho already had interest in Bari's tales and I feel like Quixote took this as proof it would work with anyone even though it only worked for Sancho because she was interested even if she tried to hide it.

I really like the comparison to mental illness and medication, yes. Recovery as a whole takes effort, and usually medication and therapy. And even when you finally get into a good headspace, you may still need medication which is where nonhuman blood or hemobars could come in with this comparison.

I think depression and mental illness is definitely the image PM is trying to conjure since Bloodfiends seem to parallel the disease of the mind Carmen discovered which also mirrors depression.

[my-castles-crumbling]

Hey it’s midnights anon! I’m feeling really good about my body (I’ve been exercising more, and I feel REALLY strong :D) and my gender and sexuality (I’m a gay demiboy, or maybe bi with a preference for guys) and I have a few quotations about life and stuff.

1: do neurotypical people feel the need to intensely schedule every moment of everyday? Am I supposed to schedule my weekends and just do whatever I want? What happens if my depression just prevents me from doing anything?

2: Am I still valid as a trans person if I don’t want bottom surgery and don’t really want top surgery?

3: how do I live the “teenage experience”? Meet people outside of school (I’m probably gonna get more freedom when my parents FINALLY teach me how to buy a bike when they finally buy it) and find someone who likes the same things I like? I want to go to forests and recite plays and poetry and stuff with someone. How do I live deliberately with other people? My parents kinda keep me trapped in a way, they ignore me a lot of times and don’t let me exist away from them very often (like in my room alone), and I never see another person my age out and about (no seriously, the last time I saw a group of teenagers my age was in July)

-(also sorry for rambling)-

4:how do I get more mental stamina? Like with going outside, hanging out with people, being out of my home, etc.

How does one exist?

Thank you for reading! Have a lovely new year! <3

Hi my love! I'm so glad you're feeling good about yourself.

I....am not neurotypical so I'm not sure. I mean I think a lot of people use schedules, but probably not to the intensity of some neurospicy people. I think it's good to remember that it's okay to have do-nothing days, though. Like it's okay to have a day with no schedule, because even though that feels like it's not productive, it IS productive to take care of yourself by allowing yourself a break. If it becomes the ONLY thing you can do, then yeah, that might be something to think about, but it's okay to have a do-nothing day <3

You are a THOUSAND percent valid as a trans person no matter what you do or do not do to your body.

Could you start by joining a club? A lot of times parents are better about kids joining clubs because they're through school, and when you meet people in clubs, you know you have at least one common interest

Give yourself breaks. I now it sounds counterintuitive but if you give yourself little breaks during social time (go to the bathroom and scroll on your phone, go outside and pretend to take a phone call) it allows you to be able to recharge even a tiny bit and last longer.

Good luck!

[bumblingbabooshka]

(anon from before) ok that is genuinely so hilarious to me but what I meant was what do you think of it as a meditation tool/nugget of Tuvok and Vulcan lore? It reminds me a lot of your fic about Vulcan bonds being like a house. (<- a horrible summary of your beautiful fic I do apologize but I hope you know what I mean) in that the final form/shape is ever changing depending on a persons mental state. The imagery of the (silly little) structure that Tuvok was building in that episode toppling over with him saying “I am in control” and because he was mentally unwell (with the telepathic std lmao) gives me like,,,, “the structure of your home/the metaphorical rug being pulled out from under you after u got transported 70,000 light years away from your bondmate and entire world and network of bonds” vibes.

Side note I think that it has great potential as a physical representation of a failing Vulcan marriage/betrothal in a hypothetical SNW T’pring/Spock episode. <- if I had my way in the SNW writers room, all hell would break loose lmao

Is there a real connection? Am I just fangirling over your fics? We shall never know (one of those is certainly the case)

Original Ask: Thoughts on the Keethera? (Tuvok’s block puzzle thing from s3 ep2) <- At the time I had no thoughts as I didn't understand what anon was asking. The Keethera is very interesting. I've said this before but it's interesting and indicative of his character that the two games/meditation exercises we see Tuvok partaking in are the Keethera and Kal-Toh, both of which do not have a hard and fast ideal or win-state and are meant to show the person or people building them something about themselves. It's very much unlike chess, which is Spock's game of choice. The Keethera is more a diagnostic tool and Kal-Toh speaks to the core of Vulcan emotional control - that is, the ability to find harmony where there is seemingly only random chaos. Tuvok's not doing well mentally. I don't think Tuvok's been doing well mentally since vanishing into the delta quadrant, much like everyone else, however unlike everyone else he doesn't seem to have any sort of....safety net? Anyone to confide in? Nor does he seem to WANT to or know how to confide in others - how to be open about his pain or need for help.

I like this interaction in which instead of having to say that he's struggling, Kes can simply look at the Keethera and see that he is. Tuvok's inability to effectively share his pain with others makes sense - they're all aliens to him and he isn't close with any of the Vulcans on the crew. He's also a person who prides himself on being solitary and strong and Vulcan. As seen in 'Alter Ego' he intentionally cultivates an air of being utterly separate from others even when ostensibly participating in a group activity and is shown several times in the series to think himself above others. [Ex: Neelix, Chakotay, B'Elanna, Humans in general] However, the image he has of himself makes reaching out for help incredibly difficult. He has cultivated an image in which he is utterly unlike the others, in which he is better, less prone to being hurt, and because he stakes his pride on this image he now cannot ask for help without it going against his image and damaging the reputation he enjoys holding. I think this is a relatable problem. Personally, when I was a teenager, I had cultivated an image of being a jokester and bubbly person which I struggled valiantly to maintain even when I was going through severe bouts of depression. The idea of myself as someone who was a jokester and happy all the time was very important to me and losing that felt like it would be 'giving in' to my depression and losing my identity when in reality my refusal to actually address my depression was causing my depression to worsen. In Tuvok's case, his identity pre-delta quad is perhaps the only thing he has left of his old life. It's stated and implied multiple times by the narrative that Tuvok is lonely and misses his family and that that loneliness is beginning to cause him to act in ways he normally wouldn't (Compare him to Marayna in 'Alter Ego'). The fact that he misses his family and is lonely is also relevant due to the fact that family ties are INCREDIBLY important in Vulcan culture. Tuvok's family is obviously very close but more relevant to this, family ties are stated across several episodes to be crucial in dealing with trauma or mental stress. Personal information seems to be [across multiple series] very private to Vulcans. Personal information is sensitive and intimate and not something you share with just anyone. To me it's natural to assume that this is also a contributing factor in Tuvok's resistance towards reaching out for help. He feels it's something private that he should only share with other Vulcans who are close to him or a healer - but no such person exists on Voyager and his closest friend is the captain, whom he doesn't want to 'burden' with his problems when he can handle them alone [or so he thinks] and so he endures and endures and endures in silence. The Keethera showcases Tuvok's mental state not only in its structure but in Tuvok's persistent mantra that he is fine despite the clear signs to the contrary. "I am in control," he says, as the Keethera falls apart. It is also telling that Tuvok has no separate course of action. After the Keethera crumbles and Kes leaves, Tuvok just starts building the Keethera again. It's a meditational aid and helps focus the mind but something strikes me as incomplete or wishful about him continually building it, alone, and only to watch it crumble. What else can he do but continually punch the numbers and watch as he's told over and over again that he's not okay?

Tuvok's conversation with Kes at the end of 'Warlord' is something I love. I think it's very good advice on dealing with trauma that he struggles to follow himself. We never see the completed Keethera at the end of 'Flashback' - there is no assurance that his mind is completely healed from the trauma he's endured. [Even if the memory was not strictly 'real', his reactions to it were and thus we can say he DID have a repressed traumatic memory] Instead we see him talking with Janeway, with a friend, and we perhaps know that even if it isn't - he's not alone.