#when you make a joke at somebody’s expense there is a person on the other side of the screen being made fun of!

[scholarhect]

i will never outgrow responding to people in confusing ways but it will be ok because people are patient :)

[thisoneblackjacket]

Another example of Eddie's potential role in Welcome home

First of all: SUPER excited for the Barn Makeship plush!! I gotta save up for it really soon

But second of all: I can't help but point out that even in the advertisement, the theme of Eddie being "unwanted" or only there as the butt of the joke is still present

Now there have been instances (especially after the new update) of Eddie being snubbed/dismissed/isolated, here are a few good posts getting into some specific instances (and what it can mean) and we can see that in the new Makeship video too:

When Howdy is trying to explain how the plush can help "Keep your home safe from even the PESKIEST of UNWANTED guests!", who is the example that he uses here? Eddie.

Pretty harsh words to direct towards somebody just trying to do his job, right? Might even make a fella feel less like a welcomed neighbor than ever...

And as Barnaby is getting into his stand up routine, he mentions how he hadn't seen that many lemons (talking about the Wallys, very cute actually) ever since he had "chased Eddie up the lemon tree!"

Which seems a bit more of a rude thing to do to someone rather than funny. Poor Eddie was probably trying to not get hurt again

Not that the audience is really concerned though- they still readily laugh at it

The only person really tried to somewhat stand up for Eddie was Frank, (which might hint at them being more involved with each other than the others know (heck ye protect ur man)).

But the problem with that is that he's literally being labelled as a "Comedy Sourpuss™️", both here, and probably other instances. So while Frank might be giving a legitimate criticism of it not being funny (likely because it was at Eddie's expense), that itself can be easily be dismissed as him being only that. A Sourpuss that doesn't get Comedy and is just trying to ruin the fun for everyone else

It's certainly tough to say at this stage, but I have a hunch that as the story continues on, we might run into an instance of Frank trying to protect Eddie from this treatment in some way (here's a post I saw that gets into that a lil bit via the gelatin and pea dish symbolism).

However, I think he won't be successful in doing so, as the other neighbors (and on a greater scale - the show and its producers themselves) are just as easily ready to dismiss his arguments as him being "too uptight" rather than that of a legitimate concern, leading them to continue on

And while in usual circumstances it would be relatively fine for a show to have a character purely dedicated to being the butt of the joke, it might not so fun when that character has possibly become AWARE of being just a character for a tv show, because they might soon realize that they were only written/designed/wanted as the butt of the joke for that tv show, and nothing more.

This all to say - Eddie is really going through it right now, and there might not really be a way for anyone to help him out, even if they wanted to.

Who knows how and if he can continue to handle all that?

....

(tl:dr - The new Makeship video shows more instances of Eddie being labeled as unwanted/only useful as the butt of the joke, which might be a running theme/future conflict for him as a character in the WH story. If so, it will be difficult for him to escape that predetermined role in the show, which would put him in even more turmoil)

....

But anyways, thank you for reading yet another unwarranted, overanalyzing ramble based on like three new lines✨

[skipper1331]

Wide Awake// Alessia Russo

it was late at night, early in the morning, the neighborhood seemed to be asleep but not you. You were wide awake, lying in bed with your lover who had her arm protectively around your torso. she could only sleep when she had you near, preferably when she could touch or hold you and usually you would always fall asleep in her embrace but not today. You didn‘t know why. The night was beautiful, quiet; peacefully yet you didn‘t find rest.

After hours of trying to fall asleep, tossing and turning, you decided to go to the ensuite balcony to look at the stars. "Amore?" a groggy voice asked "why are you up?" her arms found their way around your waist, her hands resting on your stomach, hugging you from behind. Alessia loved to touch you. She would always find a way to touch you somehow. "I can‘t sleep" you whispered, leaning your head on her shoulder looking at the sky. "Do you ever think about us?" your fingers started to play with hers. You didn't mean the question in a negative way, but in a thoughtful one. Lessi and you have been a couple for many years and sometimes your younger self was afraid that she would fall out of love with you but she never did. As a teenager you shared your concerns with her, told her about your fears which she immediately shut down. Since then Alessia showed you every day how much she loved you, that she couldn‘t spend a day without you. "I always think about you" she kissed your neck before she continued "i miss you so much when you‘re not around me and even when you’re next to me you‘re always on my mind." she pressed more kisses to your neck while you melted in her grasp.

While Alessias love language was touch yours was Words of Affirmation. Lessi knew that. "You make me the happiest girl in the world by just looking at me. I love you so much, baby" a final kiss was pressed to your neck. You turned in Alessias embrace, your arms around her neck while she held you close. "I love you too" one of the softest kisses was shared between the two of you. "but that‘s not what i meant. Do you ever think about us as a couple?"

"I do" her fingers stroked your cheek. "I often think about our first kiss" her eyes lit up like the stars just thinking about it. "I was so nervous"

"May I take you on a date? like a real one" Alessia asked you one day after school as she walked you home. Things weren‘t official (you hadn’t kissed each other, only ever held hands and hugged) but both of you knew there was never going to be somebody else. But you hadn‘t had the guts to ask her. So it was up to her. Your stomach went crazy, your lips cruved into the biggest smile and your whole body was on fire "i would love to" was your reply.

The rest of the way to your house was quiet, the only thing you could hear was nature.

After you unlocked the door you turned to the blonde. She looked beautiful, the sun rays let her glow; she looked majestic. "Friday? I‘ll pick you at six?"

"It‘s a date" you agreed/ joked.

Friday came fast. Faster than you expected. The whole week you‘ve been nervous about the date (Lessi as well).

When the doorbell rang your older brother opened. "Hey" Alessia greeted him. Your brother knew the Italian of course, she was often at your house or ate dinner with your family. "Y/n" he shouted "your girl is here" Alessia blushed a deep crimson red. "Stop it" you chipped in as you greeted her. The both of you wore casual clothes, nothing special yet you two thought long about your choice of outfit. "I got you this " the blonde gave you a single rose.

You didn‘t like flower bouquets, you thought they‘re too expensive while they didn‘t last long. And it‘s sad to throw them away, but a single rose? you can see that the other person has thought about it and it’s a nice little gesture. you could see that Alessia thought about it because she knew what you liked and disliked. "Thank you" your stared love struck at Alessia, still in awe about the flower. "Go! I want the house to myself" you brother pushed you out the door "have her home at 10" was the last thing you heard as he shut the door.

The date was amazing. Alessia was the sweetest and treated you like a princess (she always did). Being young and in love was hard but not for you. It was easy for Alessia to like you and eventually love you. It all felt natural. It was nothing to rush or overstep, it came the way it did. But for tonight Alessia had a goal in mind. She wanted to kiss you. She wanted to share her very first kiss with you and it should be as well your first kiss in your upcoming relationship. Quarter to ten Alessia brought you home. She couldn‘t have you late, not when she wanted to take you out at least once a week. Too early is on time, on time is too late, she thought. "I had a great time, thank you Lessi" her eyes lit up at your confession. Since planing the date she was afraid that you wouldn‘t like something or wouldn‘t enjoy it at all so she was relieved when you told her the opposite. Seeing her smile increased the urge to press her a kiss to her cheek. So you did. Slowly you lent forwards, one of your hands resting on her the side of her face while your lips touched her cheek so softly. You felt Alessia tense up and melt at the same time. You loved that you had such an effect on her. Maybe you should do that more often. Now was her chance. All evening she wanted to kiss you. As you pulled your lips away, her arms went around your waist. Your bodies were touching and Alessia couldn‘t keep her gaze off of your lips. She wanted to feel them, wanted to know what they taste like. (Spoiler: for her they tasted like heaven). It was like in the movies. As Alessia lent down, stopping inches before your lips touched. it was you who made the final move to close the distance. Everything seemed to fade away. Your lips fitted perfectly. It was a kiss so soft that people could only imagine. A kiss that was the start of an endless line of kisses. A kiss that was a new beginning.

"That kiss knocked me out, babygirl" she giggled. Playfully, you smacked her chest, giggling along with her "do you ever think about us?" she asked you the same question in return. "I do. I think about our future" you started, Alessia tensed "together". When the word was added she calmed down. "I think about how our wedding would look like" you admitted sheepishly.

"How would it look like?"

"That‘s for me to know and for you to find out" winking at her, you grabbed her hand and pulled into the bedroom "let‘s go to bed. I‘m tired" you laid down next to your lover, curling into her side as you feel her arms around you again. Soon enough you were sound asleep while it was Alessias turn now to be wide awake. Your comment about a wedding winded her up. How would her perfect wedding would look like? How would you combine your ideas? But in all honesty Alessia was just happy that you said that you would marry her. Even if you hadn‘t said it exactly, you still admitted it. Her fingers combed through your hair as your snores filled the room. "I promise you, one day you‘ll be my wife" you curled more into her. You hadn‘t heard her but in a magical way you felt it despite sleeping.

It was a promise, she would definitely keep.

—————————

[nekropsii]

thank you for carrying the torch of hemoanarchists with the posts that detailed how shitty/racist hussie was. feels like people nowadays enjoy flattening their personality into either "theyre a saint <3" or "theyre the worst person ever to live" when like. theyre not perfect. they were just somebody

Thank you, and I’m glad you like my posts, but I will put it on record now that I’m not really carrying the torch of any specific blogger. I’m speaking up on behalf of all of the Homestucks of Color that the fandom has brutally harassed out of the community for the crime of saying the truth. I loathe the fandom’s blindness to racism, especially racism in their own corner, and their black and white mentality with regards to the notion of Bad People.

Hussie was indisputably racist during the time of writing Homestuck. That much is fact, denying so is abject stupidity and spitting in the eyes of reason. I don’t care what your minority status is, I don’t care who or what you are, if you say Hussie wasn’t antiblack during Homestuck’s serialization, you are an idiot. Demonstrably so. White people do not not casually throw the N-Word around as a joke for non-racist reasons. White people do not draw and write racial caricatures as a joke for non-racist reasons. Bigoted jokes made at the expense of a minority are still bigoted.

Hussie was not a saint. This is true. Again, the racism. But they aren’t the devil, either - some of the things people accuse Hussie of… They’re just not true. Even I’ve fallen victim to that mentality before. Years upon years of getting told, starting at about age 13, that Hussie’s Avatar is indicative of Hussie, and therefore Hussie was actually sexually attracted to Vriska… Will get that ingrained in your head, even if it’s not true. Years upon years of discourse saying Hussie is superhuman levels of terrible with nobody contesting it will get you thinking Hussie is completely terrible, and that every little accusation made at their expense is true. After all, when you start accepting one bad thing about someone being true, it’s easy to start accepting all those other things, too.

Hussie is not a saint. Never was. Hussie has flaws, some of which were… Very appropriate for the era, and the demographic she belonged to. Again. The racism. But, sincerely, a lot of the Hussie Hate is majorly overblown and founded on nothing in particular. A lot of it is commonly believed just because it’s never really been challenged before. Just because a guy was racist in the 2000s does not mean they were also a pedophile. What the fuck?

Hussie was just some guy. A flawed guy, yeah. Racist guy. But genuinely just some guy. Not a child predator, not a superbigot, absolutely not comparable to fucking J.K. Rowling, Jesus Christ. Some guy. Regular dude on the internet. Did some bad things. So did you. Forgive them or don’t. But maybe get a source for all those claims you make.

[mika-no-sekai-blog]

The ravishing type

Azriel's week: Day 5

Hosted by: @azrielappreciationweek

Word count: 1200+

From that day Azriel took you out every other day, showing you his favourite cafes, bakeries, shops and parks. You had a lot of fun with him, loving every place he took you to.

Azriel seemed to enjoy himself, too, and you often saw him smiling sincerely and laughing at the various stories and jokes you told each other. Rhysand and Cassian certainly knew this side of him well, but for you it was new and very rare sight. And you loved it.

If you were honest you would admit that you fell for him. However, afraid of a great pain and unrequited feelings, you didn't want to admit it. Males like him would never consider you more than just a friend. He was one of the most powerful persons of this court, possibly in the whole word and who were you. Nobody. Unimportant, useless bookworm.

One day you were walking with Mor to the dining room in the House of Wind, talking about different girl's things when Mor suddenly changed topic.

"So you and Az are dating?" she asked innocently grinning wide.

You stiffed and panicked. What should you say? If it was another male, somebody less significant, less flawless, somebody on the same level like you, you could easily call it dating.

But with Azriel, you couldn't possibly even think about it as about dates even though you'd really like to. More over he had never implied it was supposed to mean more than ordinary outing with friend. Your heart clenched with pain at the thought.

You cleared your throat. "I don't think it's dating," you said nervously. "We are just friends." Quickly you opened the door and stepped to the dining room just to be met with piercing gaze of hazel eyes. You flinched, eyes widening. Azriel certainly heard every single word you said and he seemed to be angry. You swallowed hard, unable to move or say anything.

"Hi, dear," Mor greeted him as if nothing happened and you two weren't talking about him. But Azriel didn't give her a single glance and stormed out of the room.

You hadn't seen him for the rest of the day. You didn't understand why he got so mad, but still you felt a need to apologize for whatever you had done. Sad you returned to your room to rest for a while before the dinner and found a big box and a bouquet of deep red roses on your bed. You picked up the note attached to the box.

Wear this and meet me on the roof top. It wasn't signed. Excitement rose in your chest. Who could leave it here. Azriel was the only one who came to your mind, but this wasn't his style at all and right now he was pissed.

Curiousity was eating you up alive. You opened the box and gasped. There was a simple, but elegant dark blue satin gown that looked like almost black. You carefully caressed the fabric with tips of your fingers and bit down on you lower lip. You needed to try it on immediately.

The gown fitted you like a glove. The tiny straps held it on the place while most of your back was exposed. The skirt reaching to you ankles had a deep cut on one side exposing your leg. You'd never even dreamed about trying on something so beautiful and sexy.

You put the roses in the vase and placed it on the dresser. You stopped just enough long to smell their sweet scent. Then you took out makeup that Mor gave you some time ago and started to prepare.

Your heart beated fast with excitement as you reached the roof top and looked around. But nobody was waiting there. Did you make a mistake or someone was just making fun of you? Your shoulders slumped in disappointment. You were about to return back inside when the air swirled behind you. You turned around expectantly and forgot how to breathe.

Azriel stood in front of you dressed in an expensive looking tailored suit and looked like an angel of darkness. Too sexy angel of darkness. His lips slightly parted as his eyes slid down your body.

"You are beautiful," he whispered, hazel eyes shining. You blushed fiercely and your heart stuttered at his words.

"You look good too," you said shyly.

"I'm so happy you came. I wasn't sure if you would accept my invitation."

"So it was from you."

"Did you expect somebody else?" One of his brows kicked up.

"No," you said quickly. "No, I actually had no idea who could send it to me. You don't seem to be the type of male who does romantic things like this and there's nobody else I could think of."

Azriel huffed. "Why did you do it anyway?"

"Today I heard you when you said to Mor that we are just friends. And it hurt more than I'd like to admit. I was hoping that you would consider our meetings as something more than just casual outings. But I myself wasn't clear enough about it. Tonight I want to fix my mistake. Of course, only if you let me."

You nodded enthusiastically, tears stinging your eyes. It felt like dream coming true. This perfect male in front of you who could have anybody he'd like, had feelings for you. You wanted to pinch yourself to make sure it was real.

Azriel offered you hand and you gladly accepted it. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," you smiled. Azriel lifted you up and shot to the night sky.

He took you to the one of the best restaurants in Velaris. He even reserved entire place so you could enjoy the dinner.

The whole time Shadowsinger was charming companion, holding your hand while you waited for the next course. Anytime you looked up at him, he was already watching you, flickering candlelight reflecting in his eyes. You had never experienced anything so romantic. It was like the scene from your favourite novels.

After dinner Azriel took you to one of the hidden gardens.

"Whoa.." you breathed out, not believing your own eye. There was a blanket spread out on the grass, bottle of wine and two glasses prepared on it. The atmosphere was complemented by fairy lights scattered in the branches of trees and shrubs, and full moon accompanied by shiny stars above your heads.

"Do you like it?" Azriel searched your face.

"I love it. It's perfect," you smiled widely. "Thank you." You hesitantly approached him and wrapped arms around his waist. Shadowsinger stiffened for a moment, but then he hugged you and tugging you closer he rested his chin on top of your head.

"I'm glad," he hummed.

You sat on the blanket, nested between Azriel's long legs, his arms wrapped around your waist. You were watching the moon. Feeling his gaze on you, you looked back at him. Your eyes met and he swallowed hard. Azriel watched you for a while and then leaned in and kissed you.

The world turned with you and your heart leaped up to your throat. You kissed him back and in that moment you felt it. You gasped when the bond snapped for you.

Azriel broke the kiss, worry in his eyes. Realising what just happened, he smiled brightly. "Finally," he whispered and leaned in for another kiss.

[scarletwinterxx]

let me take you to the place of your dreams - Jeno imagine

hiiiii honestly this had been on my drafts for so long, i finally finished it😭😂 hope you like it!

if you have a request or scenario you want me to do, just send me a message I'll see what I can do😊💌

For my other works you can check them out here, and for my other story series’ you can check them out here.

All works are copyrighted ©scarletwinterxx 2023 . Do not repost, re-write without the permission of author.

"So I just put in anything?"

"Yea basically anything you want to try, to do with your prospect partner. If somebody thinks it's interesting, then they pick it. Totally anonymous. If you don't like the person who picked your note then you can just pass" Ryujin explains while she hands you a piece of paper and a pen

"But what if somebody said the same thing as me" you ask

"Hasn't happened before, believe me you're about to hear the weirdest shit tonight"

"So what do I put?"

"I don't know, your dream place to do it" she jokes

"And I don't have to say it's from me right?"

"Yep, totally anonymous"

Do it in an expensive car.

You wrote it down as a joke, no one will know it was you and you didn't really mean it. Pinning the note on the board, taking one last look at it before walking to the refreshments table.

College parties are like Friday night staple. It would be weirder if you stay home instead of going out and potentially die alcohol poisoning. The funny thing is everyone's schedule intersects with one another, meaning if it's exam season you won't hear a single stereo blasting at any of the usual party dorms. But best believe once exams are over, you'll see atleast one or two passed out student at some random doorstep.

"Did you write yours?" Ryujin asks, appearing again beside you

"Yep"

She looks at you with a smirk, not expecting you to actually do it. "Didn't know you had it in you"

"You say it like it's a scary cult initiation" you mumble

"No no no totally not, I mean look at Minjeong and Jaemin. They met through that"

"They did not"

"They did"

"What did she write?"

"Some very cute cliche scene only Na Jaemin can pull off. She kinda did write it with him in mind so in a way it worked out for them" she shrugs, pointing the beer can she was holding towards Minjeong and Jaemin who looked like they were lost in their own world.

"And you? Have you every tried?"

"Yep, landed a few dates with Jung Sungchan last semester"

"That's how that happened? I thought you met at the gym or something"

"Definitely not, said I wanted to make out in the radio booth. He was the university radio DJ at the time" she laughs at your reaction, "How about you, what did you write?"

"Probably will never happen"

"Why? What did you write, tell me" she pulls on your arm dramatically

"Because we're a bunch of college students and I doubt someone here drives an expensive car"

"Why? What do you need the car for?" it takes her a second before she squeals and hit you on the arm a couple of times

"You little minx! You did not!"

"It's a joke, like I said as if someone drives an expensive car around here and if by some miracle they do I don't have to reveal who I am"

As the night went on, you kind of forgot about that whole thing. Ryujin kept on passing shots to you, by the end of the night you're sure you won't make it past the front steps but you tried anyways. It's getting to stuffy for you inside. As expected, you took exactly two steps from the door when you tripped on your feet, landing on the floor with a loud thug.

Too drunk, you just giggled instead of standing up. Not noticing someone was standing behind you.

"Are you just going to sit there?" someone spoke from behind you

"I'm just waiting for the world to stop spinning for a second"

"Sweetheart, if the world stopped spinning for a second we'll all be fucked"

"At least some of us will be" you laughed, looking up behind you to see who it was. "Holy shit, you're hot"

The mystery dude lets out a laugh, "thank you, but can you move aside first then we can talk angel"

"Jeno, quit flirting for a second. We need to drive Minjeong back" someone behind the hot dude, whose name you think is Jeno, said

"What are you doing there anyways, who- wait I know you. Y/N?" at the mention of your name, Minjeong's head popped up from the back. Now you notice was Jaemin speaking,

"You know each other?" Jeno asks, Minjeong immediately stepping forward to help you up and Jaemin following his girlfriend

"Yes, she's my friend. Hey are you okay? Where's Ryujin"

"Sucking faces with Sungchan, I think. I'm not sure" you answer, leaning sideways making you stumble a bit. This time Jeno catches you before you dive down the floor again.

"I can't just leave here here, I need to find Ryujin"

"I think she's busy, didn't you hear what she just said. Hate to ruin somebody's night" Jeno said, looking down at you

"And she's three seconds away from completely passing out. Do you where she lives?" Jeno asks Minjeong "Yea"

"Okay, we can drop her off first then we'll drive you back"

Jeno had other plans for tonight but it looks like it has to wait. It will eat him alive if he leaves a drunk girl alone at a party like this. He knows a lot of the guys in the frat house but of course he can't vouch for the rest of the campus, that's not a risk he's willing to take.

The trio helped you get back to your dorm, Minjeong getting the keys in your pocket and tucking you in bed while the two boys wait in the living room.

"You met someone tonight?" Jaemin asks his bestfriend

"Nope"

"Why not just give the note wall a try? Who know you might find a girl for you there" Jaemin says, for a second his eyes looking where Minjeong disappeared with you

"You're one of the lucky ones, most of those you even try that game ends up with a one night stand or find themselves in an arrangement of some kind" Jeno counters

"And?"

"Not what I'm looking for. Just here to be the chauffer for the night. Don't know why you're grilling me about my lovelife" Jeno answers sarcastically, making Jaemin laugh.

"Sorry, didn't know it was a touchy subject"

"You don't look sorry" Jeno snarks back

"Nope, can't say I can relate"

Another week has passed and you've completely forgotten about the note you wrote. Not until Ryujin came bursting through the study halls doors looking for you. When she spotted you, she made a dash for it.

"Girl I think someone got your note!"

"Huh? What note?"

"At the party!"

You needed a few seconds to understanded what she was saying before it clicked.

"Wait what? how did you know?"

"I saw a very expensive looking car drive by when I was walking out the gym"

You rolled your eyes at her statement, "And it didn't occur to you it might have been a professor or someone's parent?"

"Oh"

"Yeah oh, besides we're not even sure if someone took my note" you tell her

"Someone did" "Say what?"

"Someone did take your note, at the party. I left later than you, and a lot less drunk. I went to read some of the other notes but the one mentioning an expensive car wasn't there" she tells you

A few outcomes already playing in your head but you shrug them off. Remembering you don't have to reveal yourself.

"Also Lee Jeno is looking over here"

"Who?"

"Lee Jeno, Jaemin's bestfriend. Anyways I need to go, I'm running late for my next class. Guess I got excited over nothing. See you later, bye" then she was off again.

Looking behind to check who was looking, there's only one person looking at your direction. He made eye contact with you, tilting his head a bit to the side like he was waiting for something but you just looked forward again returning to your original position.

Jeno chuckles to himself, you probably don't remember him. So he packed his stuff, walking towards your table before taking the vacant seat infront of you.

Surprise written all over your face, because one you've never met this guy and number two he's probably one of the most attractive dude you've ever seen.

"Uh can I help you?" you ask him

"You can start with a thank you" he answers

"Excuse me? Why?"

"Ah so you don't remember. Well sweetheart, I was the one who drove you home last Friday. Not that I expect you to remember" he chuckles

"Minjeong said she took me home"

"Yea, with Jaemin. Using my car. Technically I drove all of you home"

"Oh"

Again he just stared at you, raising a brow at you

"Oh right, thank you" you mumble

"No worries. Just glad to see you alive after that, I bet the hangover wasn't as fun"

"I was begging all the gods to take the headache away or atleast blow my brains off, that would've been an easier way to take me out"

He let out a laugh, you're not so different sober. You're still as funny as he remembers from the only interaction he had with you.

"I didn't say anything embarrassing right?" you asked, eyes suddenly opening a bit wider. You don't fully trust yourself sober, much less when you're drunk.

"No, you were knocked out the whole ride back"

"Oh thank god"

"But you did call me hot, thanks for that again" suddenly you feel all of the blood rush to your cheeks and your hands suddenly got clammy. Did the room suddenly dropped a few degrees colder but also the air feels hotter.

"I didn't, tell me I didn't" you let your head fall on the table while Jeno just smiles down at you, enjoying every second of this.

"I did say we can continue that conversation later, how about we get some lunch or coffee after your last class?" he ask

"You're having too much fun with this conversation" you mumbled, not really giving him an answer

"I enjoy looking at pretty things" he answered without missing a beat, taking note of the way his gaze never left the side of your face.

"You wouldn't be here if Minjeong didn't make you drive me home"

"False. I was the one who found you sitting by the door, I wasn't going to leave a drunk girl alone like that"

"What, you bring them home instead?" you ask, this time looking straight at him

"I'm sensing very judgmental vibes from you right now, all I was asking was if you wanted to grab lunch"

"That was a no, bet you never heard of that before" you mumbled under your breath but he heard you anyways. You gather your stuff, ready to leave and finish this interaction.

"Dinner then?"

"So you're that type of guy who can't take no for an answer, good to know"

He lets out a chuckle, standing up from his seat too. This time he's towering over you, "I was being courteous, I'll take my leave now before you psychoanalyze me. Guess I'll see you around" he smiles then walks away.

Another week passed by, another Friday party to attend. If you're being honest, most of the time you come to these parties against your will. Like tonight, Ryujin wouldn't let you go home after your last class. Insisting you can get ready over at her place before the party. So here you are.

"If you want to spy on Sungchan, you can just say so" you tell her, finding it a bit funny how she keeps on looking around for him

"I'm not looking for him"

"Oh really, cause he just walked in" that made Ryujin look behind her, scowling back at you when she didn't see the aforementioned guy

"Just kidding, he's outside. I just saw him like five minutes ago being dragged by Dery so if I were you, I'd go there before he gets too drunk" she shoots you a smile before walking towards the back door, leaving you alone by yourself.

You followed short after, it was getting a bit crowded inside so you decided to get some fresh air. You're enjoying you're drink by yourself when suddenly someone whispers by your ear

"I know your secret"

That made you whirl around, ready to slam the dude. Only to find Jeno laughing to himself, eyes disappearing as he smile

"Dude what the fuck is wrong with you"

"Sorry, you looked too serious and too alone" holding his hands up before standing beside you. Resting his hip on the fence, facing you instead of facing forward like you were doing

"What are you doing here?" you ask him

"It's a party" he shrugs

"No, I mean here Jeno. What are you doing here" you gesture between the two of you

"Oh, well like I said I saw you alone so I here I am. And didn't you hear what I said?" he tilts his head, a smirk playing on his lips. You didn't like how much you find him attractive doing just that.

"What? What did you say?" you ask back

He chuckles before leaning closer, totally crossing your personal bubble to whisper to you again. "I know your secret. Your note"

At the mention of that note, your blood runs cold. You totally forgot about that until this moment.

"What note?" you ask, pretending you didn't know what he was talking about. He smirks at you while getting something from his pocket, when you saw what it was a mixture of horror and shock shows on your face.

"This is your note, right"

"No, I don't know what you're talking about" you deny, suddenly you can't look straight at him

He chuckles, opening the note and reading it a few times over. "You know how I know? we've had a few classes together over the years, sometimes you let Minjeong borrow your notes which she then lets Jaemin borrow then I borrow it too, you have a distinct way of writing A"

"Are you calling my handwriting ugly?"

"So this is yours?"

You scowl at him, snatching the piece of paper from his hand. "I was just kidding when I wrote that"

Do it in an expensive car. Cursing yourself for even writing it. And also cursing the universe for letting Jeno be the one to find it.

"It'll be our little secret" he says, sipping on his drink while looking at you.

You took the risk of looking at him, catching his gaze on your lips by a split second before he's looking straight in your eyes again

"What?" you ask

"Never though you'd be the type that wants to try out exhibitionism"

"Okay first, that was not what I was thinking when I wrote that and two you're stereotyping me now?"

"Oh just like you did with me?" he raises a brow at you "So why did you write it?" he adds

"As a joke, plus what are the chances someone on campus owns an expensive car when half of the people here are neck deep in student loan debt" you explain

Again he chuckles, downing the rest of his drink before setting it down.

"What? You look like you're planning something devious" you tell him, for the second time tonight he comes a little too close to you. Enough to leave goosebumps on your skin just from his proximity.

He slips something in your hands while whispering something in your ear, "Hold on to this for me? I'll go find Jaemin and say bye" he smile then walks away without saying another word.

You look down at your hand to see a key fob, the logo all too familiar to you. Your mouth agape as you look towards where Jeno disappeared to but you can't see him anymore. You leave your drink and made your way outside, surely he'll find you. He did just leave the keys to his VERY expensive car with you.

While waiting for him on the front porch, you walk back and forth looking towards the row of cars parked on the side of the road.

"My car's a bit further down, don't want to scratch her with everyone walking by" someone says from behind you, already recognizing the voice

"Are you sure this is yours? This is not stolen right?" you ask him, meanwhile Jeno just laughs as he walks ahead of you. You follow behind him.

"It's mine, birthday gift before I left for college"

"Oh so from your rich parents then"

"You didn't specify on your note who had to buy the car" he jokes, halting his steps to let you catch up so this time you're walking side by side

"I'm not having sex with you, I don't care how expensive your Benz is" you tell him seriously. Unconsciously hugging your self with your arms across your chest.

Jeno holds his hands up, his mother did raise him to be a gentleman. And contrary to your initial impression of him, he does take no for an answer.

"We don't have to do anything, you can go back to the party if you want to. I'm going now since it's getting a bit boring, I'll go grab something to eat though if you want to come with"

You weigh your options, is it smart to leave with a guy you barely know? most people your age would do the same, hell some leave parties with complete strangers.

"I'm not gonna end up in your trunk right?" you ask him, this made Jeno laugh. Holding his hand against his chest, "Not unless you ask me to, but I prefer the backseat it's more spacious"

"I don't want to know how you're so sure of that, I'm just hoping the seats are clean and I won't contract anything" you mumble, following his lead. He stops beside a sleek black car, holding his hand out for the key. You let it fall back in his palm, he press the unlock button before opening the door for you.

"And they say chivalry is dead" you mumble, earning another chuckle from the guy before he jogs over the driver's side.

"I'm really hoping I won't end up in a ditch somewhere"

"I'm not gonna murder you" he says as he starts the engine, looking over at you to check if you're all buckled up before he start to drive away

"That's exactly what a killer would say"

He just laughs at your statement, pressing something in the dashboard before passing his phone to you "Play some music, please. Your pick"

Just like that the two of you settle, you keep the small talk going. It surprised you just how easy it was to keep a conversation with Jeno going, the two of you talked about anything and everything. When you got to the restaurant he was talking about, he told you to wait while he jogs over to your side. Opening the door for you, not missing how his hand stayed on top of the doorframe just in case you hit your head.

"A breakfast diner? It's 1am?"

"So? It's never too late for pancakes" he smiles at you, letting you walk in first. When the two of you ordered, he insisted he'll pay since he technically did invite you. After a few protest from you, you let him tap his card.

"Now I owe you" you mumble as you slide in the booth, him sitting infront of you. He notices you look at the seat beside you before looking at him, "What?" he asks

"I just.. it's silly but can you seat here?"

He didn't say anything else, standing back up to take the seat beside you.

"Better?" he asks, looking at you. You nod at him, this time you're not glaring or scowling at him. Instead a small smile is on your lips, Jeno thinks he likes it better that way.

"Can I ask why?"

"Huh? why what?"

"You want me to seat here?" he asks

"Oh uhm one time before I was seating alone in a cafe and this dude suddenly sat beside me. It got real weird real quick I had to call for help" you frown, recalling the bad memory.

Jeno sits straight when he heard your story, like suddenly he was on fight mode. "Is he from campus?"

Already thinking if he can track down the guy and have a talk with him, but you shake your head. "Some random dude I thankfully never saw again"

The food arrives as you finish talking, again the two of you made small talk while you ate. The time passing by, the two of you paid no mind to the clock on wall. You were having a great time.

"It's pretty late, I should drive you home" he says, looking at his watch before sliding out of the booth. Again he waits for you, holding the door open for you.

You watch the street lights pass by, the rest of the neighborhood lost in dreamland while you're in your own moment.

Jeno stops infront of your apartment complex, then turning off the engine. This time he didn't move to open the door for, so you look over at him to find him already looking at you.

"What?" you chuckle

"If I ask you out on a date, will you say yes or no?"

"Are you asking now or..."

"Depends, do you kiss after the first date only?" you roll your eyes at his question, unbuckling your seatbelt before leaning over the center console to pull him by the jackets towards you.

"Depends, are you not going to stuff me in your trunk?"

Jeno chuckles, tilting his head sideways. This way his lips are closer to yours, one move and they're touching but he made no move to close the gap. He lets you decide what the next move would be.

Then you do. You close the distance between the two of you, feeling his lips against yours. His lips still taste a bit sweet, like the syrup on the pancakes you just had. This thought made you smile.

Jeno pulls away enough but still close to you, like he's scared to let you go too far from his grasp. "What's funny?" he asks, thumb on your cheek

"Nothing, you taste sweet" you says before diving right back in. This time you feel him pull you even closer until you're climbing over and settling on top of him. Sitting squarely on his lap.

Jeno pulls the seat back to make more room between you and the steering wheel. Your arms locked around his shoulder while his are around your waist. He didn't do anything to take it further, he was contented kissing you like you're his last breath of air.

You don't know how much time has passed, loving every second his lips are on yours. Eventually you had to pull away, Jeno then moves down to kiss your jaw then down the hollow of your neck.

"I should go now" you breath out but didn't really make any effort to move, instead you tilt yout head to the side to give him more room to continue whatever magic he was doing.

"Mhm, sure" Jeno mumbles against your skin, he nips at your neck for a while before he kisses his way back up to your lips. Smiling again against his lips.

"Does this count as doing it in an expensive car?" he jokes when the two of you broke apart. You hit him on the chest playfully, Jeno catches your hand before kissing your knuckles.

"Go on a date with me?" he asks, his expression completely different from how it was just moments ago. You roll your eyes but the smile on your lips told him otherwise.

His arms are still around you, and yours still hugging him. You might not be attached at the lips anymore but the space between your bodies still nonexistent. He could definitely get used to this, he thought.

"Okay fine, next time we'll try the backseat though"

[xxchthonicreaturexx]

Heyyy, I'm here for the Black Butler, romantic matchup!!<3 I already sent you the pictures.

To start of I'm a bisexual(?), but leaning more into hetero, female and I go by she/her. My mbti type is ENTJ, I'm an Aries with my moon in Leo and a Gemini rising.

I'm 168cm so 5'6ish and I have very long brown hair, I have an athletic/curvy body type. My usual style is a mix of "clean girl" and streetwear, but I do enjoy a more chic and feminine styles too. I follow certain trends and I have an interest for fashion. I wear glasses and I like expensive things.

I'm Russian/Iraqi and my heritage is very important to me, so I'd look for a partner that would be willing to put at least some effort into learning my native language for me, as I sometimes find it hard to express myself in English, having said that, I speak 3 languages fluently Russian, German and English and I'm currently learning French and trying to better my Arabic.

I'm finishing school right now and my grades are high, because I want to go to med or law school. I put a lot of effort into things and relationships that are important to me, I'd say that I am very loyal and I'm willing to do anything to protect people that are close to me.

For my hobbies I play the piano, game, paint and read (occasionally). I like any sort of physical activity but I mostly run and do CrossFit. I'm interested in basically everything that has do to with history and I love watching movies or series. (my current favs r the Witcher and suits). I like going to concerts and listening to music, I listen to everything but my favs r Nicki Minaj, Riri, Asap Rocky, Tyler, the creator, (old) Eminem, Kendrick, Ayesha Erotica, M.I.A, German rap and Russian pop, HEAVY on Nicki Minaj. I like lots of cute things like Sanrio, Hello Kitty, funko pops, cats.

I'm extroverted and I like talking, but it takes a lot for me to be 100% comfortable with a person and and fully trust them, as I don't like making myself vulnerable and I'm very independent. I'm pretty loud and I have very strong rules and beliefs. I like debating about things like religion or politics and I will absolutely argue with someone who disagrees with me if I have the chance to. I enjoy playful banter and bully/insult friends in a joking manner, but only if they reciprocate. I have a strong sense of justice and being fair is very important to me.

I will do anything to help my friends and family as they are very important to me, I would describe myself as a problem solver and a "natural leader" and I hate being ordered to do something, for me there's a difference between being asked and ordered to do something and I'm very sensitive to said difference. That said the next thing I say might make me seem like a bad person, but I often feel "superior" than other people, not in general but when it comes to certain topics like languages, hobbies or school. I trust myself more and I would rather do the whole project myself and get an A than have equal work as everyone and get a B or C, as I have high standards for myself and others. That being said, I would never outwardly act like I'm better than someone else. I'd say that I'm a mix of logical and controlled by my emotions. I always strive to be the best at things I care about, I stress a lot because of school grades, but except for that I'm very chill about everything else.

I used to be VERY insecure, so I do care about my looks and how I'm perceived, so I do try and appear "perfect" in a way, I'm very particular about the order of things or how I clean. I'm very neat, chaos and dirt annoy me a lot. I wouldn't say that I'm very forgiving, if the person has apologized I will respect them for that and won't act hostile towards them, but I will forever be wary of them and never let them close into my circle again. I'm also an all or nothing friend and will cut somebody off if they've wronged me or my friends.

I have been told by people that they where intimidated by me, having heard things like "I wanted to be friends with you but I was scared to talk to you.", I'd say that there are a lot of people who are jealous or mad at me, especially in my Arab side of the family, because I stand my ground now and stopped being an insecure, people pleaser.

When I argue with someone I tend to get loud and sometimes scream first and then distance myself. I still try to be empathetic even if I don't always know how to comfort people. Having said that my love languages are gift giving and quality time, mostly.

I'm scared of insects that aren't spiders or moths, being forgotten forever and dark places at night. I'm mentally pretty stable except for sometimes being an over thinker, a habit that I can't seem to fully get rid of and my ed, I have recovered but it never fully went away so I sometimes have reoccurring episodes of body dysmorphia and disordered thoughts, this is a thing that I basically only share with the most trusted people in my life, so I would like some reassurance from my partner sometimes. That's also why I'm sometimes weird with food.

I could be seen as a bit materialistic, because money is very important to me, but as a 2nd gen immigrant with one of my parents having lived in the Soviet Union that's just something that I've been raised to care about a lot.

I like receiving compliments and also like giving them, I also enjoy hanging out with friends and while I need alone time I also need a good amount of social interactions to feel good, I want my partner to be my most trusted person and someone I can always rely on, just like I want to be that for my partner.

Random fun facts: I want a snake and a cat, I like acting dramatic out of a joke, I'm told that I have a lethal resting bitch face and side eye 😔, I like love plushies and I have learned English from watching old cassette movies and I'm the mom friend

Thank you for reading this and drink some water:)

Hello hello! Thank you for doing the trade with me! <3 Sorry it took so long!

Edward Midford

I match you with Edward! Where to start...

In the school arc, Edward is placed in Green house, which is the house for all the athletic students. Edward is a good athlete and definitely could keep up with you when it comes to physical activity. He might have a hard time with JUST running, as he's used to fencing and cricket, but he'll get the hang of it quickly. He is an active man of course.

Edward may seem a bit bland. He's not a character that gets a lot of attention as opposed to his sister, Lizzie. But, from what I have seen he is a family man and adores his sister. That being said, once he finds someone he loves, he puts in a lot of effort. Just like you, he gives his all for his family, loved ones, and even schooling. I mean he got into the college he's gotta be smart-

He comes from a well off family. Money will never be an issue with him, and it's a given that he has to learn of other cultures for his status either way, so he'd be more than happy to learn about your heritage and even try learning your native language! He probably will struggle, as I'm sure he'll have plenty of other work to do ontop of studying a new language for you, but he definitely will give it the best shot he can.

You both are pretty extroverted people, and i think that goes well together! He isn't afraid to speak his mind, and neither are you. You two may argue a bit, Edward may say something a bit insensitive, or he might be spending too much attention on Lizzie other than you, and fights may leave you two distant for a few days, but he'll always come apologize with a bouqet and probably a kitten if it was bad. He knows you want a cat, and what better way to a woman's heart than a kitten?

Med or Law school would probably make his parents even more excited to meet you. They want a good match for Edward. They would've betrothed him to someone else had he not fallen for you, but you having a good head on your shoulders and the determination to have a good career really catches their attention. They're family people. They want the best match for their children, and want to think of you as a second daughter.

I feel like you two would overall just be a really good couple. Even when it comes to relaxing together. You could be playing the piano while he practices fencing moves. Just a good pair that is similar enough to get along well, and when you do fight, both care enough to drive their point until one apologizes. You two care a lot about your priorities, and theres nothing wrong with that!

Overall score: 8/10 Sometimes you may seem too similar, or he may not realize that he's not making time for you. But otherwise you two seem very good together :)

Runner ups: Joker (Book of Circus), Claude Faustus

Hope you enjoyed and thank you again for being patient!

[prideraiised]

@ofheartandsoul asked: 🧡💌👗(for Gold!) | Meme here!

Clothing, Friendship and Romance themed headcanons for Gold undercut!

👗for a clothes-themed headcanon: We're starting with this one because its fastest teehee.

Little bro is a fashion disaster. Gold is a lot of things, but savvy in the ways of looking like he hasn't crawled out of a fucking dumpster? Boy he sure isn't that. Its no secret that Gold is short as all hell. He's capped out at 5'2" and making it your problem. This also means that the hasn't had to buy new clothes since he was like...fourteen? , and Gold rarely spends money if he doesn't have to...so he hasnt! Which means that red hoodie with the little flaps he wore during (HGSS)? , he's STILL wearing that fucking thing and let me tell you. It's seen better days. Most of Golds clothes are torn to shreds, worn down or generally covered in so much dirt blood and grime that no amount of washing them will salvage what was once, allegedly, clothing. (This does mean that his goddamn eight pack is hard to miss though. The undershirt is torn to a point where it reveals more than it covers). We call this 'hobo drip'

🧡for a friendship-themed headcanon

This is a headcanon derived partly from my experience writing Gold in multifandom discord roleplay: Despite the fact Gold was always bad at making friends when he was young he now, somehow, knows literally everybody. It's an ongoing joke in some behind the scenes circles that whenever a new pokemon character is introduced to a wider group, Gold is the guy who will know who that person is and have a pre-existing relationship with them. He's just generally not afraid to but his head into conversation , even when it doesn't involve him. It's jarring, but he's somebody more willing to engage with other people on a deeper level than most. Even villains tend to like him at least a little bit, because even when he actively disagrees with their monologue, he had least shows a willingness to try and understand them.

💌for a romance-themed headcanon

Alright lets get to what we're here for- Ahem.

When Gold was a kid up until after he left on his journey, he never knew his father. He lived alone with his (deathly sick) mother. He didn't have many friends growing up but he loved his mom more than anything else in the world, and because she was so sick often spent a lot of his time taking care of her (much to her shagrin). His mother was demur, wore a lot of pink pastelles, was generally pleasant and a total angel of a woman. The exact opposite of Gold, but she was very much dying. They were too poor for surgery, so they were pretty much on borrowed time.

For this reason Gold hates his father. He considers him a walk out who left without saying a word at the expense of his mothers health and happiness, and he resents his father for it. However, Gold is acutely aware of the fact that he's nothing like his mother, which fostered a deep rooted anxiety that he may have taken after his father instead. There are very very few things that put him on edge like that concept. This extends to his views on romance. More specifically, his fear over it. Gold is an individual who is afraid of almost nothing, but romance is the exception. It's an outright phobia that genuinely terrifies him. The possibility that somehow, someway, he will have all his anxiety over the chance he takes after his father confirmed to him by causing harm to somebody he was in a relationship with, either directly or indirectly, is something he just cannot cope with. He flusters easily, but he avoids any further discussion of the matter like the plague.

[ivpapaemeritusiv]

Chapter 3: Summoned For a Divine Cause

Summary: Although Sister feels great about the decision she has made, the decision is not welcomed in the same way by everyone. Other members of the Clergy feel it is too dangerous to keep one frontman for too long while Papa Emeritus struggles to connect with anyone on the road. Meet the ghouls in this chapter and find out how they help their leader out.

Word Count: 1,422

Sister felt very good about her decision. She spoke to the rest of The Clergy, and everything was finalized. Mr. Psaltarian, the eldest member of The Clergy and the one responsible for scheduling the band’s shows, didn't like it. He did not dislike Papa Emeritus IV, but the elder Clergymen were afraid to keep one person as the frontman for too long. They felt people would begin to worship the man and forget about the purpose of the band. He also felt Papa was dense, uninformed and clueless. However, they could not deny his success. When the band succeeded, they too succeeded. Papa Emeritus IV had won over the hearts of millions all of which dreaded to see him suffer the same fate as his predecessors.

Sister always believed that Psaltarian was plotting to replace Copia from the minute she announced that he would now take the lead. These were the people in which she had to protect her darling boy from. She herself knew how easy it was to get rid of somebody. After all, she did the same thing, convincing Papa Nihil to kill his own sons in order to appoint the Cardinal as the new frontman. This is why securing the blood line was so important. With a new bloodline and Sister at the head, her place along with Copia’s would be sealed forever.

*

Papa Emeritus couldn't believe he was being forced to choose a significant other. A wife? he kept repeating in his head. He never thought about settling down at any point in his life, much less having children. The ghouls, of course, enjoyed teasing him about it.

“Who is going to be the lucky lady to land you, huh?” Rain laughed, sarcastically.

“I’m already sick of you and we just started touring,” Swiss, another ghoul, added.

“If I had to wake up to your face every day, I’d permanently blind myself,” Aether cackled.

Ghost just began their U.S.A Re-Imperatour—27 shows in two months. It was going to be hard work. It was going to be stressful. The nameless ghouls Aether, Fire, Rain, Mountain, Swiss, Cirrus and Cumulus of course adored Papa Emeritus. They appreciated the situation that he was in but couldn’t help making jokes at his expense for their own entertainment. One had to find ways to amuse themselves on the road.

“Ha ha, that’s funny. That is very funny,” Papa said unamused, “You know what it isn’t? Helpful. It isn’t helpful.”

Everyone laughed, “We’re sorry, Papa. It’s all in good fun.”

“Yes, Papa, we’ll help you find a woman. God knows you need all the help you can get,” they weren’t quite done poking fun at their leader.

“Alright, alright, well HELP! Quit giving me shit.”

Papa truly adored his ghouls and ghoulettes. They were carefully chosen by him and the clergy, considering both their exceptional talent and personal connections. It was a special bond that made their performances even more extraordinary.

Cirrus, standing at a towering 6'2", earned the nickname "Cloud" from her fans due to her sky-high altitude. As the lead keyboardist, she wowed the audience with her mesmerizing keytar solo in Papa's song, "Mummy Dust." Known for her affectionate nature, Cirrus would often distribute roses to the crowd, adding a touch of romance to the electrifying performances.

Sodo was definitely one of the liveliest ghouls in the group. He had a knack for engaging with the crowd and always left a lasting impression. His on-stage antics pushed boundaries, with x-rated gestures like caressing and playfully choking or licking the other ghouls. His guitar skills were second to nobody. Sodo would shred on his guitar with such fiery passion that it seemed like the instrument could barely handle the intensity.

Aether was another guitarist like Sodo, although much bigger. Sodo was very tall and thin while Aether was of average height and more muscular. When they performed, their chemistry was off the charts. They would entice the audience with their seductive interactions and gestures towards each other. It was so intense that if one didn't know any better, they might think they were more than just bandmates.

Rain, the water ghoul played the bass guitar. Despite being one of the shorter ghouls, he still stood taller than Sodo when they played side by side. Rain had a quiet and shy demeanor that added a mysterious charm to his presence.

Cumulus, the curvy ghoulette, like Cirrus, also played the keyboard but she was known for her powerful voice. Her melodic sounds were simply breathtaking. Fans couldn't get enough of her mesmerizing performances. Standing on her own platform, Cumulus belted out tunes that touched the hearts of everyone lucky enough to hear her.

Mountain, the band's drummer, had a unique presence on stage. Unfortunately, due to being hidden behind his massive drum set, he didn't receive as much recognition from fans as the other band members. Being more of an introvert, he didn't interact much with the rest of the group during performances. He refused to wear shoes on stage, which added to his individuality. Despite his quiet nature, his drumming skills spoke volumes and contributed to the band's incredible sound.

Then there was Swiss, the multi-ghoul. He was a true jack-of-all-trades! He could do everything from strumming the acoustic guitar to striking the tambourine. He stood out as one of the most outgoing and daring members of the group. During their shows, he would bust out some epic shimmies, adding an extra dose of excitement to the performances. Plus, he had an absolutely beautiful voice and provided backing vocals for every song.

While Swiss could be quite seductive on stage like Sodo, he had a heart of gold and was incredibly sweet. He had a unique fashion sense and rocked high-waisted pants, setting him apart from the rest of the ghouls. Fans affectionately called him "the smiling ghoul" because he always flashed a big, white smile underneath his mask. Swiss truly was a one-of-a-kind character in the band—one of Papa’s favorites.

Their first stop was Concord California at the Concord Pavilion. Every tour began the same, of course, with Papa running out onto the stage to sing three songs before introducing himself. He scanned the audience closely looking for anybody that stood out to him. The faces all seemed to mesh. To him, there was nobody distinguishable.

After every tour came the meet and greet. He would meet countless fans, share a laugh or two and snap a picture with them. They were all wonderful people. He loved his fans, and he loved connecting with them but there was no one he could connect with on an intimate level outside of the music.

He called Sister Imperator about the matter one night, feeling desperate about the situation.

The phone rang a few times before a warm voice greeted him, “How is my little Cardi?”

“Oh, well how kind of you to ask,” he spoke in his strange accent. The question to him was a rhetorical one, “Actually, Sister things are not going well.”

“Really?” she was surprised to hear this, “I’ve been keeping up with social media and reading the headlines and it seems the tour is a great success. Not to mention the proceeds you’re bringing in. The Clergy is very pleased.”

“Yes, I know that” Copia acknowledged the band’s achievements.

There was a small pause before Sister realized, “Oh. You mean—?”

The silence on the other end of the phone confirmed her suspicions.

“Yes, I can’t find anyone I like out here on the road.”

“Oh Cardi, nonsense, ‘you’ can’t find a lady? Why, any woman on this planet would be utterly fortunate to have you. You’re a rock star for God sakes and you’re rich. You’re charismatic and you’re beautiful and kind. Unlike your fool of a father,” she stopped herself.

“My what?”

“Nothing,” she quickly changed the subject.

Sister instilled confidence in the Cardinal with her words. She was always able to make her son feel better.

“Yes. You are right about that. I am all of those things—I suppose I’m just having trouble picking one of these ‘utterly fortunate’ ladies.”

“Just be yourself, C. You will find someone.”

The popestar grumbled a bit before bidding Sister goodbye. He felt relieved to have been off the phone. The whole thing to him was very embarrassing and he couldn’t wait for it to be over. He usually enjoyed his tours very much but this time the added pressure made him enjoy it a little less.

[forbidding-souda]

Hey hey mod Souda! How are you today? I hope you have a good day!

I always thought about doing this request, oh the day finally has come!

Also, may I say that I took a long fucking time to get used to my gender... And now people are constantly asking my pronouns-- I'm not used to it--- 😭 where am I, I'm scared mom come pick me up😭😭

Anyways! For the request! Could you do Teruteru × Genderfluid reader? 😳

Also also... Happy valentines!

Bye bye!

— 🐭🌙

Teruteru Hanamura with a genderfluid S/O

Why the hell did this take me so long to do hello. Hello my love this one goes out to you. I miss you dearly. Mwah mwah

currently listening: love like blood by killing joke

-Mod Souda

❤ Ever since the two of you first met, you found yourself wondering his opinion on things. Not in the sense of apples vs. oranges, but more in relation to open-mindedness. He doesn't seem too bigoted. Maybe that sexualness he portrudes has no weight on his idea of sexuality and gender.

❤ Which, your theory was only proven the more you stuck around him in class. He was obviously very queer and god did it satisfy you.

❤ You liked him a lot, and the thought of being with somebody who would only label themselves attracted to one side of you is not a preferable situation. So, he seems like your match.

❤ It would be hypocritical if he was anti-gender-fluidity since he partook in multiple 'feminine' things (hair care, eyeliner, basic skincare whenever his sister is around for his birthday with those expensive little passive-aggresive gifts).

❤ He was attracted to you no matter what clothes you wore.

❤ He has always thought you were HELLA attractive.

❤ Other than bluntly flirting with you, he also tried to make you notice that you were different from his interactions with everyone else by trying to loosen his perverted nature towards other people whenever you were around. He didn't want you to think that you don't have his attention.

❤ You have his full attention and all of the time.

❤ Gives you cute little pet-names (some of which have the capability of annoying you) while pinching your cheeks.

❤ No one second guesses him being with somebody genderfluid because, in general, he can appear to be a fluid person as well.

❤ All of his friends will automatically be your friends so you don't have to worry about being unaccepted. His friends are generally very welcoming.

❤ If you do makeup, he will always request you do some on him.

❤ ^ He'll go on basking about it.

❤ He likes keeping multi-colored things in the house. He'll use a pink bathrobe else wear a cute pink apron (kiss the cook?) now that he fully understands that he is with somebody who can welcome the idea.

❤ He has always wanted his nails painted.

❤ And heart pancakes every morning ofc. Unless you don't like pancakes then wowww how dare you.

❤ Genderfluidity is something that he can adapt to easily. If you are still figuring things out then that's perfectly fine, it won't bother him or do anything negative in that sense at all.

❤ And ofc he'll refer to you as whatever you want to be called.

❤ Likes calling you sugar either way.

❤ When the two of you cuddle he loves moving around in his sleep and just claiming certain snuggle positions.

❤ ^ Snuggle is such an embarrassing word I am so sorry.

❤ If you kiss his forehead while he's sleeping he'll let out a cute little half-awake whine.

❤ I'll just say that you can not even explain the concept of genderfluidity to him and he'd just get it.

❤ ^ Like someone would ask him your gender and he'd be like "you know what... I never asked".

❤ Hey man if you're the type of person who likes buying their S/O clothing just know that he'll wear literally whatever you buy him.

❤ Omg cute couple matching onesies or something.

❤ OR CUTE MATCHING NECKLACES IF YOU WEAR NECKLACES.

❤ I think he'd absolutely love matching jewelery.

❤ I'm 100% his immediate family would like you too. His mama will love you no matter WHAT and I am so sure his siblings would at the very least respect you and comprehend your identity.

❤ If he ever is in the situation where he has to describe your identity to people he will do so in the most I-am-in-love-with-them-oh-my-god-why-are-they-so-perfect voice and the most dramatical facial expressions and a blush over his cheeks at the mere thought of you.

❤ "Omg I get to talk about them omg omg" ^

[relevant-url-incoming]

all i know is how to make vaguely shippy story snippets. anyway. spoilers-ish for the companion quests with Corso, right off the bat, though honestly if you don't know it won't make much sense anyway I think? it's super minor. anyway have Corso and my smuggler totally not being gay for each other or anything, along with hints of said smuggler's very concerning past

Corso thought he'd be alone out here, but that didn't mean it was a surprise when he heard footsteps. It was the captain, of course.

“Can’t sleep?” the captain asked.

“Can’t stop thinking about those Balmorrans,” Corso said. “I guess you put it out of your mind.”

“No,” the captain said. “No, I don’t think I can.”

He settled into the seat on the other side of the cockpit. For a crazy second, Corso wished he was closer.

“It happens,” the captain said at length. “We all put on somebody else’s uniform, and just hope our allies will be smart enough to ask questions before they shoot. Wish Magar had thought to say anything, but I know how living like that warps your head. All you ever see is the blaster in front of you.”

“You’re never gonna tell me where you grew up, living like that. Are you?”

He smiled faintly, looking over his shoulder at Corso.

“We travelled,” he said. “Look, Corso – don’t let it go. Learn from it. But don’t let it eat you alive, either. That’s the best way to get yourself killed before you ever meet the wrong end of a weapon, the slow death of guilt. No way to live. No way to die, either.”

“What about you?” Corso blurted before he could think better of it. “You have any guilt to live with?”

“Too much,” the captain said. “And I’m the kind of idiot who borrows other people’s guilt, too. Don’t do it, all right? One moron on this crew is enough.”

Corso couldn’t help but laugh.

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand you, captain,” he said.

“Yeah, well,” he said. “It’s better that way. You know I’ve got a name, right?”

The sudden belligerence didn’t fool Corso one bit.

“Sure,” he said. “You finally gonna tell me it?”

He scowled, looking away.

“It’s Nalyan,” he mumbled. “Guess I ought to – I mean, you people all seem to want to stick around. Can’t have you just calling me ‘captain’ all the time. I don’t actually have that big an ego.”

“No, it just helps keep people at arm’s length,” Corso said. At Nalyan’s glare, he held up his hands. “Look, I’ve had a long time to pick apart your act!”

Nalyan snorted.

“Whatever.”

“Nalyan,” Corso said, testing it out on his tongue. “Suits you.”

“Yeah, well,” he said. “If I knew who named me that, I’d pass it along.”

“It wasn’t your dad?” Corso asked, turning his body fully to face him. He was surprised. Nalyan’s dad was all he ever talked about, practically. The dad, the sister, the cousins. Never any specifics about Nalyan outside how he was with them.

“Nah,” Nalyan said. “I’m adopted. Didn’t I say that sometime? One of my cousins is Pantoran. Shiny’s Nautolan. Dad went nuts when she was about eight because he found out she was supposed to be swimming regularly but we all lived on a spaceship. Now there was a man who never expected to have kids.”

Corso nodded along, unable to stop looking at Nalyan. It was like he was a different person all of a sudden – there was the surly captain making jokes at everyone’s expense, refusing to even give his name to people he worked with and trusted, and then there was Nalyan. He lit up talking about his family, telling Corso about something he and his kid sister had gotten up to when their dad and uncle left them alone with the ship.

“And I mean, in my defence, I never said we should blow the place up,” Nalyan continued, waving his hands animatedly. “I mean, I made sure we cleared the place out first, so if anything, I was the good guy in that scenario. And she’s always been good with explosives, so it’s not like we were at risk.”

“Your dad chewed you out pretty good for that one, huh?” Corso asked.

“My uncle,” Nalyan said glumly. “Three hours of shouting. It wasn’t a big deal, but then Dad swoops in when he’s done with the litany of rules we broke – not mad, just disappointed, he says, but he’s practically shaking with it – and then Dad tells Uncle Fives he’s in charge of discipline. You ever had to clean an entire ship with a Rodian toothbrush?”

“Your family loves a nickname, huh?” Corso asked. Nalyan’s face shuttered. Corso shouldn’t have felt as disappointed as he did. He knew the captain wasn’t going to stay open and happy forever. Wasn’t in his nature.

“Yeah, they do,” Nalyan said.

Corso had wanted to ask if Nalyan had one, but he didn’t think the captain would be forthcoming if he did. He settled back in his seat, trying to think of something else he could say. He didn’t want Nalyan to disappear again.

“I’m gonna tell Risha my name tomorrow,” Nalyan mumbled, startling Corso. “But you don’t have to, I don’t know, keep quiet about it or anything. With the rest of the crew.”

“Captain,” Corso said, trying not to laugh. “Are you asking me to make the introductions for you?”

“No,” he said defensively. “No, just – You can call me that! Whenever. I don’t know, I thought you’d appreciate that.”

“Well, it works pretty well for you keeping it quiet around other people,” Corso said. He couldn’t say why, but it felt strange to think that just anybody could call him Nalyan now. Like that was something Corso had to earn, so maybe he wanted to hang onto it just for himself and the rest of the crew a while.

“Yeah, fewer questions,” Nalyan murmured. “What, you don’t mind keeping a stupid little secret like that?”

Corso would keep any stupid secret his captain asked of him. He knew the captain would keep all of his.

“Hey, you know I got your back,” he said, trying to sound easy about it. It was hard to tell how successful he was, but at least the captain smiled.

[thelonesomequeen]

I think it’s the shocked part that’s off to me. Like you’re so shocked you said those things? When you did it more than once? I think it rides the weird line of people need to be mean to others or make someone else a punchline in order to appear as funny. If your joke comes at the expense of another person it’s not really a good joke to begin with then 🤷‍♀️//

This is my take too. How are you 'shocked' by a story that you memorized well enough to tell during more than one appearance not that long ago?

A better apology would have been for her to say something like "I was short on material and desperate for a story to make myself seem funny, and I missed the mark. It wasn't funny, and I probably hurt someone's feelings for no good reason. People's appearance should never be a punchline. I'm embarrassed that I aimed so low. I'll do better."

Instead, she's "shocked", as if she'd stepped away from her body during that period and somebody else was operating her mouth at that time, and this is the first time she's hearing about this?

But, as you said, at least she addressed it.

I definitely think this could have been a better approach. I think you nailed it with the “shocked” part because that’s where the statement felt off to me. The rest was fine, but something about that specifically had me like “really Emily?”🦎

[thatseventiesbitch]

If you were a writer of That 70s Show, how would you have done it. Let me show you how I would’ve done it:

If I was a writer for this show, I would have written two episodes that showed how Red and Laurie’s bullying of Eric went too far.

One episode would’ve had Laurie throwing a huge party and inviting all of her friends from college. Then Eric drops in and Laurie, being the awful person that he is, deliberately spills a drink on him and tells him that everybody hates him. This causes Eric to run away, sobbing. Most of Laurie’s peers decide to stop being friends with her because, who would want to be friends with somebody who picks on her brother? Not me!

The second episode would’ve involved Eric running away to live with Jackie, causing everyone to look for him. After they found him, Kitty would’ve made Red and Laurie promise to never pick on Eric again.

And did I mention that Eric would’ve tried to end his life in both episodes, because what’s the point of living if your dad and your sister will never be kind to you?

Hi lmusicalmelodyl,

Thanks for the ask! If I were a writer on T70S, I would have changed Eric and Donna's arc in the second half of the series so it wasn't so repetitive, and so that they actually addressed the issues that drove them apart in season 4. I outline what I would've done differently in the second half of this essay.

I hear what you are saying about Red and Laurie's treatment of Eric. Laurie can be pretty mean to him, and Red was prone to take her side. We're certainly all entitled to our own interpretations of the characters and their motives, but I think mine differs from yours.

Eric can dish it out just as much as he can take it from Laurie. Personally, I didn't view the relationship Laurie and Eric had as a bullying dynamic, enabled by Red. I saw it as an (often antagonistic) sibling relationship where they each teased and burned each other, but both Eric and Laurie seemed to know the 'line' and didn't cross over into causing actual harm to one another. It was just sibling stuff. Often not very nice sibling stuff, mind you. But I found it realistic, and I wouldn't call it bullying.

The meanest stuff that comes to mind is actually stuff Eric has said to or about Laurie, not the other way around. He goes after her intelligence a lot, and her reputation for having a lot of sex to call her names. Names that Kitty often lets him call her or seems to agree with.

But at the end of the day, I don't think either Eric or Laurie are truly trying to cause harm to the other. I think they both actually care about the other deep down.

Eric, for example, in S2xE4 "Laurie and the Professor", has the chance to finally bring Laurie down in front of Red and expose her for dating her much older professor, but when the moment comes he hems and haws, tells Hyde "maybe I should let her off with a warning this time", etc. He doesn't really want to hurt his sister. He's having a hard time with it, now that he's presented with the perfect opportunity.

Eric also stands up for her in S2xE11 "Laurie Moves Out", when Red is upset to find her living with a guy. At first he is eager to join on the dog-pile, and makes a lot of jokes at Laurie's expense at dinner. But when he realizes Red is serious and sees that Laurie is really upset, he stops and says,

Eric: You know Dad it's not like she's hooking... or some other less... she's just living with a guy. And it is the '70s now.

Red: What are you babbling about?

Eric: Well, maybe, maybe I just think you're being a little hard on her.

And when Laurie returns in S5xE23 "Nobody's Fault But Mine", she's emotional and seems to have done some reflection. She tells Eric she's sorry for taking him for granted all those years and that she wants to help him. She's truly being kind in this scene. Granted, Eric has a hard time believing her, but she seems sincere - and she ends up giving Eric and Donna really good advice, to just leave town/move to Madison if Red and Kitty are harassing them about their marriage plans.

Sadly, shortly after that episode Lisa Robin Kelly (the actress who played OG Laurie) had to be written off the show, and the show chose to drop Laurie's storylines after trying to awkwardly wrap up the Fez/Laurie marriage story in early season 6 with the Laurie recast. So we never got to see Eric and Laurie's relationship as siblings continue to develop. I wonder how it might've changed, once Laurie was married to one of Eric's good friends?

[lucysweatslove]

Incoming med-Ed rant:

Okay to preface, I generally like my classmates. I think we are all trying and I know that racism is really hard to combat and some of the more “casual” or implicit biases are trickier to even see in yourself. The student I’ll be calling out is usually a very kind and supportive person to all races and I think she legitimately didn’t realize this was kinda racist.

My class does well on exams compared to other cohorts. We are usually the top of all 6 campuses and about 4-5% higher than the school-wide average. This only comes out (typically) to 2 questions more than the average. This isn’t great discriminatory power- but it’s a trend.

I’m all for celebrating success, but today it got to the point where it felt more like pushing down the other cohorts/campuses rather than recognizing the factors that help us succeed. One thing I feel strongly: my success ideally should never come at the expense of another’s. There are times where success is based on comparison, but I want to see us ALL reach goals and do our best and learn etc etc. It is one reason I hate applications (eg the process of applying) so much- I don’t see myself as any more (OR LESS) worthy than anybody else.

Anyway my class was talking about how well we do in comparison and why other cohorts don’t match us? And so I reminded them of two things: one, my cohort studies a lot and it’s p/f so other cohorts may have different priorities, and two, we have ESL students. I know one in in a large city campus, pretty sure another is in another smaller campus, but I don’t know them all nor do I expect to. I just know they’re there.

Anyway after I mentioned ESL students, somebody then said “maybe in the larger campuses but not like, [smaller campuses].”

So ofc I said no, actually, I think there is an ESL student in [smaller campus].

Here is why I’m so annoyed by this: the implication when you don’t know the other campuses is that a smaller more rural campus couldn’t have an ESL student. 10% of the population in the area this campus serves is Spanish-speaking, idk what percent of that is Spanish primary but it’s a good amount that speaks Spanish. It just seems a little racist to assume that these people wouldn’t be going to our med school at all.

I get not knowing and expecting, given demographics, that it’s more likely to have ESL students in the “big city” cohorts. But don’t assume. “Do you know if there are ESL students in the smaller cohorts?” Is a more appropriate way of asking. Because it an ask, not an assumption. I joke that my assumptions are “usually correct,” but that’s because I DONT MAKE THEM. Statistics may tell us who is more or less likely to have a given characteristic, but it doesn’t tell us anything definitive about any single person or even sample. You can make a hypothesis, but the key to a hypothesis is that you stay entirely open to other ideas if the evidence fits.

Honestly, it’s more than just the language assumption made here, too. It’s the association of the marginally higher test scores with intrinsic factors and this kinda refusal to acknowledge that it doesn’t make us somehow “better.” The point of p/f is to give us room to make mistakes and use mistakes as learning tools, reduce the stress of comparison, reduce the stress of medical school in general… and to remind us that’s it’s okay to not be perfect right now. But my cohort‘s success so far- which I love for them in principle- seems to be inflating their ego.

I’d also like to say: I like that we are thinking about WHY we do better, and I think that even if it’s a marginal “better,” it’s a good idea for faculty who design curriculum to ask, is there a reason for this? Because if there is and it’s actionable, we could implement it on other campuses. Eg, if the adjusted slides our block lead makes really are more effective, then the entire school should get them. If we consistently, even if subtly, outperform with certain subjects, maybe our lecturer who gives those talks could record their lecture and that could be the basis for others, or the main points and pedagogy could help us teach our faculty to better teach. If it’s just something like we study more, meh, that’s also doesn’t matter. But I HIGHLY doubt our class is just blanketly like, more intelligent. 🙃

[misssakuramochi]

hi!! can i please get a matchup for one piece? i’m bisexual & use she/her pronouns :)

for my personality, id say im pretty bubbly and excitable. i’m an esfp & cancer, & i try to look on the bright side and try to cheer up people when they’re sad. im very affectionate with the people im close to, and i kinda cling onto my friends arms and hug them a lot. i love anything soft or cute, especially animals!! im kinda scared of bugs though, but i still always try to take them outside, even if i have to go kicking and screaming. i get distracted pretty easily, and have a hard time dealing with change. i tend to be a bit bossy and unreasonable when it comes to something i’m interested in. i also really like going for walks, shopping, yoga, baking, and reading. i like complimenting strangers, and i try to see the best in everything & everyone! though i can’t really tolerate it if somebody is overly cruel or rude to the people i care about, and i won’t hesitate to stand up for someone or myself. i have very much of a do no harm, take no shit mindset ahsjwjjd.

please & thank you!! i hope you have a nice day <3

I match you with...

BROOK

○ Your gentle nature and kindness is what makes Brook love you. From the way you radiate and spread your joy and positivity, to the way you save innocent bugs at your own expense, Brook is irrevocably drawn to you

○ Brook loves physical affection; especially from you! He's a little old fashioned and isn't too clingy publicly, but he lowkey adores it when you show off your love for him in front of others. He's blushing red as a tomato! Oh! But he has no skin to blush with! Skull joke!

○ While your intentions are always good you can be a bit... pushy. While Brook is easy going enough to make you happy and go along with most plans, he's not spineless (he's actually mostly spine technically--) and isn't afraid to put his foot down when you're being TOO bossy. He's always so gentle about it though. Hasn't hurt your feelings this way once.

○ Brook, for better or worse, always wants to protect your positivity and optimism. He'll go out of his way to make your dreams reality without question.

HEADCANONS

○ Brook is not very soft. He loves cuddle time but hesitates sometimes because he's... boney (YOHOHO--) there are two solutions to this. One, he buys you a shit ton of stuffed animals; two, he wears a shit ton of sweaters and soft clothes to smooth out the edges. He's adorable when he's bundled up like a kid in the winter.

○ You both love to make others laugh and will often tag team jokes to cheer up your friends. Brook also doubles down on the skull jokes when you're around, especially if the beginning of your relationship, hoping to impress you. (Lots of you saying you'd die for something and Brook chiming in with a he ready did sorta sotuations)

○ Brook is always your shopping buddy, and insists on carrying all of your bags. He's always the gentleman, and will take any opportunity to prove it to you.

○ Did someone say romantic night walks? Oh right, I did. Because they're a near nightly occurrence when you're stopped on an island, but still just as magical every time. Brook loves to bring out new songs he's written for or about you on those nights, just to make them extra special.

[amrv-5]

sorry this is out of curiousity and you totally can not answer it but what is the long fic you’re writing about

ahh hello!! no problem I’m happy to answer (i love.... talking about writing....i will ALWAYS love talking about writing. it fills me with absolute joy to talk at length about themes ideas motifs etc in my writing. even if they’re just ‘what in god’s name were you thinking’ i will ALWAYS love questions!!)! 

in general terms, the as-yet untitled Long Fic is just another post-war fic about Hawk and Beej trying to adjust back to life in the States on their own, and eventually finding their way back to each other again. extremely down-the-line, absolutely no supernatural twists, high realism. It’s only stupid long because I’m trying to give that the space it needs to feel real to me, and that amount of space is turning out to be: A Lot.

a broader series of themes & questions (so far lol) are below the cut for mild thematic spoilers, length, and (sorry) minimizing exposure to pretentiousness purposes:

So You Want to Know What the Long Fic is About: A Condensed Thematic Overview of 158K (For Now) of Straight-Up Realist Historical Fiction Where, No Joke, a Significant Portion of That Length is Dedicated Solely to Guys Thinkin’ Real Hard About Stuff, Guaranteed to Make You Say ‘Holy Fuck, I’m Sorry I Asked, Please Just Shut Up’ With Parker, Your Resident Guy Who is Normal About TV

1. Mis- and non-communication.

What happens when you go from sleeping three feet away from your best friend in the world to living so far away a letter takes two weeks on a round trip? How do your methods of understanding each other (and misunderstanding each other…) change? How does or can one maintain closeness when literal proximity is denied? How does somebody handle abandonment when the abandonment in question was unavoidable (i.e. nobody to blame--the death of a mother, maybe, or the end of a shared living situation)?

2. Justice, suffering, and recompense.

This is where the pretentiousness comes in, I know this makes me sound like an asshole I just care about American case law a lot and it infects all of my writing, etc. etc. Anyway. How do we approach ideas of suffering and justice when they fall outside the jurisdiction of an American view of legal culpability? How does one go about trying to seek justice when they are provably, demonstrably hurt, but there is nowhere to direct the blame? These questions are kind of slippery and weird, so I’ll try to frame it more directly: somebody in this story is going to struggle (as they always do in my work) with despair. It is a serious and life-long struggle. How does a person in that situation move beyond ideas like fairness, justice, and being owed relief, to accepting that ‘fairness’ doesn’t really exist in terms of things like personal neurochemistry? And how, then, does that acceptance hold itself in relation to larger forms of human injustice--how does somebody accept their own ‘unfair’ situation as a reality they must bear while continuing to maintain ideological opposition to injustices that can be changed?

3. Empathy and invisible strife.

A little bit of an overlap with the previous set of ideas, but this one flows out of one of my favorite poems in the world, “Musee des Beaux Arts” by Auden (check it out, if you haven’t read it!). The narrator states:

About suffering they were never wrong, The old Masters: how well they understood Its human position: how it takes place While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;

And then, later: 

In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry, But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky, Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

I am compelled by how frequently awareness of strife is set aside in day to day life, especially in American life, and that comes through big time in the Long Fic. 

At a psychological level, there’s a certain idea, I think, that it is very evident when people are doing badly; that you will always be able to tell; that the solution is as simple as reaching out, or asking for help. Unfortunately, that is often not the case. Somebody can be having the worst day of their life, be absolutely at the end of their rope, be seconds away from losing it completely, and five feet to the left there could be somebody else making a ham sandwich. So that comes through a lot in the work--this borderline absurdist, tragicomic idea that nobody’s ever really going to know exactly how you feel, and even if they did, they might be too busy doing the crossword to notice.

And at a less granular level, you can apply this (and will see it applied) to the American cultural response to the Korean War, which was incredibly muted. Even though millions of people died, even though the daily suffering of people, especially local civilians, involved was immense, because it was so (to an American domestic point of view) far-off, most people just went on with their lives. People celebrated birthdays, TV shows were produced, city council meetings dragged gaily on.

These things seem inevitable, and the ideas behind them kind of obvious: of course the world keeps turning when bad things happen. People just aren’t built to maintain ceaseless fear, anger, outrage, etc. at tragedy that is not directly affecting them, because they are concerned with the business of being alive. The people that do manage to maintain constant attention to large-scale but abstract or not immediately visible tragedies tend to go crazy, self-immolate, and/or quit their fancy math professorships at Berkeley in order to start direct mail marketing campaigns. Everybody else tends to feel bad about an issue, maybe they’ll see if they can do something small to help, and then they forget about it and keep managing the minutiae of their own lives. Yes, of course this or that issue is tragic--but I’ve got to do my taxes, or I’ve got to hit a deadline, or I’ve got to go to the store. The ploughman keeps working, too busy to investigate the splash. The ship sails on with somewhere to get to. 

But then again, even if the logic is sound, from Icarus’s point of view the world has got to seem awfully cold and mean.