#where I really want to help. and I might be able to! but if I am wrong about how much I can help

[chaoskirin]

It's been long enough that I think I can talk about this now.

I work for a utility. We get people calling us all the time because they can't pay their bill and they don't want to be shut off.

We WANT them to be able to pay their bill. When we need to, we'll break the bill up for them into reasonable chunks. We'll inspect areas where loss might occur. We'll give saving tips and numbers to assistance so they can have the county just pay their whole bill. MOST people who need this qualify.

This one time, this guy got SO ANGRY at me for even suggesting he needed help. I don't remember the exact amount of his bill, but it was somewhere in the realm of $1500. He was on a fixed income and had been in the hospital. During the first call, he hung up on me.

But he called back later because he did have a notice, and he wanted to know what we were going to do about it.

I didn't want to get yelled at again, so I was like, "I'm going to suggest something, and you're not going to like it, but I want you to hear me out before you respond. And then if you still don't like it, we can think of something else."

And he wasn't happy, but he was like "okay fine."

So I told him. The county specifically had a grant for people in his situation. And the reason they got THAT grant was because the previous grant was used up. And the new one was more, so it could help more people.

At this point he was more engaged in the conversation and not angry anymore, and he asked how it would be fair if he took money from someone who really needed it.

I don't know people's political affiliations when they call. I don't ask. But he had a very "pull yourself up" attitude. I feel like they have this very specific image of people who deserve help in their head, and this image is probably different for everyone. This image they conjure probably has something to do with the poor/hungry described in the bible. (Sidenote, that's why Christians don't like poor people to have phones. Because it doesn't fit the biblical image of a filthy, crying vagabond wearing rags and reading the bible.)

I asked him what kind of person really needed help? He didn't answer.

So I said "Look, you are exactly the kind of person I want to help. I don't know if you qualify, but right now, the only way I can possibly eliminate this bill for you is if you take this number from me and ask for help."

At this point, he argued with me just a bit about how he was asking ME for help. I don't remember how I explained it, but it was something along the lines of me being the utility, and that was my job. But someone at the county had a lot of money, and giving it away to people who needed it was THEIR job.

I ended up giving him a whole one month extension with the caveat that he would call me back when he applied for assistance.

I didn't ever hear back from him, but the county paid his whole bill two weeks later.

It's OK to seek assistance. I think some people hate those programs so much because THEY want the money. THEY worked hard and paid their own way, and how is it fair that other people don't do that? But if you get into trouble and you need help, then YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THAT SAFETY NET.

Clean water and heat are essential for survival. Air conditioning/electricity is becoming more necessary for survival, too. You need these things, and the utility needs to be able to pay their workers for providing these services to you. We would all love it if the county or state would just pay US so the utility could be free to all residents, but unfortunately, they don't do that. They want to dole it out in little chunks instead.

The good news is, a lot of assistance programs will jump through hoops and find loopholes to help you. But you have to reach out to them. Don't be embarrassed. You don't need to make excuses.

We all want to help you survive.

I think it's important to remember, as a rule of thumb, if you take advantage of a social service, it actually makes it easier for other people who need that service to access it. Most of the time, when these services get cut, it's because politicians will look at usage and say "see, no one is really using this thing, we can afford to trim the budget for food stamps by at least half". Whereas if you decide to step up and use these programs, even if you feel like you "don't really need it", at bare minimum it's another data point advocates can use to say "hey, look, people are using this thing, this is an important service we are providing, do not cut our funding".

[wonderjanga]

Guys… Marvel Might Need Some Help

Captain Marvel talks to himself. It’s a well known fact. The normally cheery and friendly man is a little crazy, but aren’t we all? And you see, the thing is, they know he’s talking to himself because not only did they get Zatanna to check if he was talking to a ghost of some kind, but he’s personally confirmed it:

Marvel: “Oh uhm… I guess I’m talking to myself.”

Batman: “Talking to yourself…?” *blinks rapidly as if Billy can see that under his cowl* “Captain, do we need to schedule an appointment with Black Canary?”

Marvel: “What?! No! I’m perfectly fine! Everyone talks to themselves!”

That’s what Billy thinks anyways. See, Billy developed the habit of talking to himself because he was usually alone most of the time before he met Freddy and reunited with Mary. Talking out loud made himself feel less lonely. Freddy also talks to himself, but he keeps it mostly to mumbles, and as for Mary, she does the same thing as Billy. So, with the only two people he converses with on the daily as the standard, he’d say talking to yourself is normal.

By the way, Batman got a little more concerned at his reasoning, but couldn’t really deny it because he’s talked to himself before, after going 45 straight with no sleep on. He had been hallucinating talking to Tim. Speaking of Tim, the boy often mutters to himself when going over cases so… Bruce supposed he would let it go. He’d still have Dinah on speed dial though if Cap seemed to get worse.

Billy didn’t get worse, he just didn’t change his normal talking to himself.

Billy: *in Marvel form, talking to Marvel in the reflection of one of the Watchtower’s windows* “What a stupid idiot.”

Reflection!Marvel: “I know, right? Who does that?”

Billy: “I couldn’t tell yo…” *trails off and looks to the side to see Bruce staring at him* “…Hey Mr. Batman. You need something?”

Batman: “No.” *continued staring*

Billy: *has no choice but to stare back*

Batman: *walks away staring at Billy the entire time until he turns a corner*

Later, Bruce reviewed the footage. What he didn’t know was that people can’t see Marvel’s reflection talking back. Cameras couldn’t pick it up either. So sure enough, he saw Cap having a full blown conversation with a mirror. Strike one for Marvel.

Then, there was a time after a battle against the usual alien invaders where Marvel was genuinely just staring at either the ground or his shadow and talking.

Billy: *in Marvel form talking to Marvel (Thavma?) as a shadow* “That’s what I was saying. What if he doesn’t…”

Shadow!Marvel: “He’ll definitely let you. And if he doesn’t, you could always just break his kneecaps.”

Billy: “I’m not doing that.”

Shadow!Marvel: “I’m just saying. It’s just if that old man is that pressed about you getting some food, it seems a change is needed.”

Batman: *watching this entire interaction and not being able to hear Shadow Marvel*

Strike two for Marvel.

Then, there are the times Marvel will just blankly stare ahead in meetings, mumbling to himself.

Marvel: *mumbling under his breath* “Mercury, you’re being loud.”

Batman: *sitting next to him, slowly looks over*

Supes: *presenting and looks over to Marvel for a second before shaking off what he said*

Marvel: “No, I’m not smashing a window and letting everyone fly out. I’m not insane.”

That was strike three for Bruce. Which was himself too many strikes in his opinion. That one sentence also gained an extremely concerned look from Clark who literally paused his presentation to stare at Marvel with a dumbfounded expression for a moment.

After the meeting…

Batman: “Marvel, I’d like to talk with you.”

Marvel: “Oh uhm… Okay! What’s up, Mr. Batman?”

Batman: “What’s up is that I’ve spoken with Black Canary and we want to schedule an appointment between you and her.”

Marvel: “Mr. Batman, we’ve already talking about this. I’m perfectly fine. I don’t need therapy.”

Batman: “You might think you’re fine, but I’ve grown concerned over recent behaviors you’ve exhibited.” *hands him Canary’s business card* “At least consider it.”

Marvel: *looks at the card* “Uh… Will do.”

Batman: “Good.” *walks off*

Marvel: *as soon as Bruce is out of sight, chucks it into his pocket dimension to forget about it*

Nope, nope, nope. He’s not touching therapy with a ten foot pole. He’s heard that stuff costs like thousands of dollars! He does not have that kind of money. Not that he doubts the League would cover it. He also just doesn’t want his behavior to be psychoanalyzed. No thank you. He really doesn’t need to be told something is wrong with him when he is perfectly fine. Marvelous in fact!

[justwonder113]

Sharing bed with Seungmin

Chan; Lee Know ; Changbin; Hyunjin; Han; Felix; Seungmin; IN;

My Masterlist

Summary: After facing the horrible and vile beast and hurting your leg in the fight, your best friend offers to let you stay in his house. Where one thing might lead to another. Warning: cursing as always, there's no surprise there. Not proofread. Both Seungmin and Reader are quite goofy. Reader is gender neutral. Mentions of kissing.

A/N- Hey babies! I'mglad to say I'm back and well. I hope you'll like this fic. Reblogs and cooments are greatly appreciated. Feel free to request and send your thoughts if you have any❤️ Word count- 1.8k

Having your own house is a beautiful experience. It’s like an adventure of having your own kingdom and being a monarch. You have all the privacy and personal space one can dream of; you have peace and quiet; you have freedom to do whatever you want be it walking around butt naked or cooking up a three course meal at  3am; you can have random 3 am dance concerts and so on and so on. Most importantly you could do whatever you wanted to decorate and style it which is what you were busy doing right now.

Lately your Pinterest feed was full of various versions of colorful archways. People came up with so many interesting ways to add a pop of color to their house and it seemed quite easy to do so. So here you were perched on the stool unleashing your inner artist on your archway. Well at least that was the plan. Everything went to gutter when you saw a movement in the corner of your eye. You turned around made eye contact with probably the most disgusting and vile looking grasshopper ever. The horrific appearance of the beast made you scream so hard the beast also got startled and fucking jumped on you! Obviously you lost your shit at that too, your already shaky and unstable stool just couldn’t take it anymore. One second you were screaming your lungs out the next second you were on the floor with your leg hurting like a bitch.

You must have made quite a lot of noise because almost immediately the front door of your house basically burst open and Seungmin rushed towards your hunching figure. You had almost forgotten he was supposed to come over. You had even left your door open for him. Quite convenient, because no way in hell would you be able to stand up and walk towards the door in this state. You sure as hell hoped you didn’t break it.

“Are you okay? What happened?” Seungmin looked frantic as he nervously examined you. You wanted to keep your cool, you really did. But the pain and the shock took over your senses and the next thing you knew you were bawling your eyes out as Seungmin, confused and unsure of what to do, cradled your body close to his frame and tried to calm you down.

You were unsure of what happened next. You were pretty out of it. Maybe out of shock maybe because of the painkillers, who knows. Seungmin did most of… Well basically everything. He helped you get ready, took you to the hospital, did basically all the talking with the doctors, stayed with you through every procedure… He even took care of all the paperwork, bought all the meds and not once did he complain about anything! Even more, he bought you to his house! Well he said because you couldn’t be trusted to be alone but you knew it was because he was worried, also you did complain quite a lot about being afraid of the beast lurking in your house. With your foot strained like this there wasn’t even a possibility for you to run away from the hideous creature.

If you thought that he wasn’t husband material before (oh no you were totally not crushing on your best friend, not at all!), he even made you dinner, which was just finger licking good! He made sure to step away to his room to make a call, but you could still hear how he asked Minho for tips. How could you not love him? He even called Minho! He hated asking him for help. He looked so good doing everything too, all you could think about was how you wanted to kiss him.

“You’re the best Minnie.” You cheered as he helped you get to bed. He insisted that you take his bed, refusing to hear you protest. You loved how he always acted like everything was such a bother and then went out of his way to do it.

“Shut it, I’m only letting you sleep on my bed because knowing your clumsy ass you’ll fall of the sofa and further injure yourself!” He grumbled as he tucked you in like you were a literal child.

“Aww you do care about me.�� You couldn’t help but tease.

Seungmin only scoffed – “Don’t push it!”

“I love you too!”- You mused, he rolled hie eyes at that but you could have sworn the corner of his lips lifted up. He was about to leave but you reached in just in time to grab his hand. Seungmin looked taken aback for a second but quickly gathered himself. “Please stay?” You made sure to do your best puppy eyes and it worked! Seungmin immediately caved, but being a stubborn ass, he is he just plopped on you. Careful to not touch your leg but still with enough force to squish you.

Honestly, jokes on him because you only saw this as an opportunity to wrap your hands around him and tightly hug him. He “tried” to get free but you knew that this softie enjoyed the hug, the big ass smile on his face confirmed it. In mere sounds he stopped resisting and continued to just flop on you.

“What are you doing?” He huffed out while his face was adorned with the prettiest smile ever. God you couldn’t understand how could he say anything bad about his smile or even think of hiding it. It was always so innocent and pure. It never failed to put a smile on your face, to light up your whole world.

“Showing how thankful I am?!” – To further prove your point you leaned in and gave him the fastest smooch on his cheek. Seungmin made sure to grimace as dramatically as possible, but as always, his arms wrapping around your waist told whole another story about how he felt.

“Oh really? By kissing my cheek?” What a little shit. Now it was your time to roll your eyes. “Are you insinuating I should kiss you elsewhere?” You tried to not sound as hopeful as you actually felt.

Seungmin barked out a teasing laugh-“As if you could, you don’t have the guts for it!”

You quickly let go of him and crossed your arms to show your disdain, with equally matching scowl adorning your face. That didn’t stop him from hugging your frame, in fact he tightened his hold around your waist. “How dare you sir!”

Seungmin looked at you with challenging look, his eyes full of amusement. “What? Are you going to kiss me then?” His voice was teasing, you couldn’t tell if he was actually for real or not. You couldn’t’ tell if you should challenge him or not.

“I just might!” – You challenged, thinking that you just might as well go with it. You could always play as if you were joking. You hated hiding your true feelings but anything was better than possibly losing him as a friend.

“What are you waiting for then?”? You thought you knew him the best but you couldn’t really decipher what his face meant. Was he actually for real? Were you two about to cross the line that could possibly ruin your friendship either for the best or for the worst?

“Don’t you dare regret it!” You whispered against his lips. When did Seungmin’s face get so close? With every breath your lips slightly brushed against each other. You could smell the minty smell of his toothpaste. God you were really about to do it!

“Wouldn’t dream of it love.” His voice was low, almost like a whisper. God, you couldn’t resist him anymore. Here went nothing. Bringing him closer with his face you finally connected your lips together.

His lips were a bit cold and chapped but nonetheless you loved how they felt against yours. Your whole heart was bursting with joy. Every drag of your lips against each other felt like heaven, you couldn’t help but lean in for more. Seungmin must have also felt that way because he also kissed you like a starved man, like you were oxygen he needed to breathe. His hands had shifted from around your waist, one hand held your hip tightly while the other migrated to your neck and softly rested there. You also couldn’t keep your hands to yourself, your one arm was wrapped around his shoulders as the other still held his cheek to have him as close as possible. His lips were almost addictive like a drug you didn’t know needed in your life you just couldn’t get enough.

Unfortunately for you, you had to lean back to get some air. You always thought that oxygen was overrated anyway but biology or whatever. Seungmin also seemed unimpressed to be away from your lips but that still didn’t stop him from covering your whole face and neck with sweet kisses.

“I thought I was the one supposed to be the one saying thanks?” You couldn’t help but giggle as he kissed the ticklish spot on your neck. Seungmin looked up to you for a second then quickly got up. Your heart clenched at the idea that you might’ve done something wrong but he immediately washed away those worries by walking around the bed and laying down on the bed next to you, under the same queen size cover.

You looked at him with wide eyes as he got more comfortable laying on his back and opened his arms for you almost like an invitation. “All done!”

“What are you doing Min?” A smile crept up your face as you examined his mischievous smile.

“I just got more comfortable, you can thank me as much as you want now.” Seungmin answered proudly with the prettiest smirk adorning his face.

 You couldn’t help but mirror the expression. “You’re such a brat sometimes. What should I do with you?”

As if seriously thinking things over Seungmin furrowed his eyebrows and to be extra dramatic crossed his arms. You loved how giddy he felt after your kiss. It felt nice knowing you weren’t the only one losing your shit on the inside.

Seungmin smiled, and you knew immediately he was about to smartass you. You tried to turn away from him to not give him the satisfaction but he was quicker. He wrapped his arms around you and brought you closer to his body, his forehead gently resting on yours. “You love me!” After rolling your eyes at his goofyness you sighed in defeat and relaxed into the hug.

“You know what? I do.” You leaned in and sealed your lips again to further confirm your feelings. You would have hurt your leg a long time ago if you knew it things would end up like this.

Reblogs and comments are highly appreciated^^

Taglist (feel free to either comment or massage me if you want to be added to my taglist ❤️) : @velvetmoonlght

[incandescentflower]

You can always tell when the writing for two characters and their conflict is compelling because you start to see continuous fights break out about which character is "right."

But in the case of Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo in particular, it really feels like the entire point of this drama is being missed by a mile to engage in that kind of thinking.

It does remind me of that quote from Blueming that my mind comes back to from time to time.

About pain, it's an absolute thing for a person. It's not something you can compare. If I feel pain, then it is pain. No body can judge you.

Some very wise words about how pain is not something that can truly be compared. And I do think those ideas continue through this narrative as well, but with the nuance of what if it's the person who you love that hurts you because you are both trying to manage that pain.

I know for many people it comes down to how one person treats the other - either directly (Dohoe pushing on Juyoung, challenging him, trying to make it seem like he can cut off Juyoung because it doesn't matter) and indirectly (Juyoung keeping a relationship with Dohoe's father who was both their abuser, pushing him to confront things he isn't ready to confront, thinking he needs to protect Dohoe from himself by keeping the gym even when that is the opposite of what Dohoe says very directly).

It's interesting because I identify with Juyoung's way of dealing with this trauma more, but it doesn't make it the correct way. And I do feel like the story is trying to say that. The 12 year separation really emphasizes that you can't make someone else deal with their trauma on your timeline no matter how much you love them. Love isn't this magic balm. You can't save someone else. But love can be a brightness in the dark, love can be hope. It's a really beautifully nuanced message.

And when you love someone you can hurt them and be hurt by them. You have to be able to see outside yourself and listen to the other person's needs to be in a relationship. And sometimes you have to decide that loving that person is too harmful to you.

It's Dohoe we see struggling with this, thinking loving Juyoung might be too harmful to him, thinking him loving Juyoung is harmful to Juyoung.

Juyoung is not thinking of that harm so people want to protect him, but that is about his own issues he also needs to deal with. He is just as responsible for figuring out his boundaries and deciding what he can manage and what he can't. He has to communicate his truths to Dohoe. There is still so much that he has held back.

And we see him start to do it. We see Juyoung calling Dohoe out on not saying how he feels and retreating so quickly. We see Juyoung saying what he needs. We see them starting to communicate, starting to smooth some of those edges and we can only hope they keep doing that.

Juyoung apologizes to Dohoe, but it seems like it's for trying to push Dohoe too hard too fast. Dohoe is being very clear about what he needs and Juyoung is now finally listening.

It's like a quote from To My Star (another Hwang Da Seul drama) I think of often:

I really like people like you. People who have their walls up. They seem really strong.

Dohoe's shutting things out is what has helped him survive. You can't just open the flood gates up all at once. Dohoe's avoidance is his protection and you can't just bulldoze it down.

This is a dance of loving someone where their needs are in direct conflict with yours and trying to manage that and figure out how much you can accept a little less of them or give a little more of yourself and hopefully bit by bit you come to some place in the middle together.

[certifiedsexed]

bahh hi this might be the right place to send this it might not be. so like, im the most average female you can imagine. cis woman with the by-the-books cis woman junk. but i literally cannot receive pleasure or climax through any means except clitoral, while imagining it's a penis being pleasured in ways typical for penises. if i think of it as being a clitoris, it doesnt ruin the pleasure but it does remove the nonphysical aspect of it (if that makes sense? the difference between "this feels good" and "i like this, it feels good.") is this a kink, or is this an early sign im trans (or similar)? im very new to the conversation of sexuality and gender and sex and all the things alike, being a recently ex-christian, so im really not sure how to go about this information.

Hi! This is a fine place, thanks for trusting me to answer!

That's absolutely a type of kink. I don't think that falls directly into genderplay but it's something similar. It could absolutely be because you're trans and/or something similar but it could also just be that you have a very specific kink.

You don't have to "go" about it in any specific way. Think of it less as "part of the conversation" and more as a journey.

You get to decide where you want to go, how you want to get there. Do you want to explore actually having a partner pretend you have a penis? Do you want a penis? Have you considered trying a strap?

Questions like that could be good to ask yourself. But don't push yourself. You don't have to do anything-You could even just not think about it at all right now, let yourself get more familiar with the gender/sex and sexuality conversation that you weren't able to before you get further into this!

It's all absolutely your choice and goes at no one's pace but your own.

Hope this helps, Anon! Let me know if you have any other questions. <33

[coldercreation]

Life update (GOOD)<3

Heyy all! Just quickly dropping in with a lil note because I feel like I’ve been less focused on the writing-front as of recent, and more inactive here in general :’)

Thank you to everyone who’s been commenting on my writing and/or left me messages and prompts this year and recently, I absolutely adore you all. I have started many a draft based on the prompts I’ve gotten, and there’s plenty more I still want to get to. Thank you for sharing your ideas with me, they genuinely help me with motivation and writing (even though I haven’t managed to finish anything substantial in a while…)

I always say it but I really just appreciate you all a lot<3

As to why I have been more inactive responding or writing/updating in general, well…

Life has just been really, really good lately? Consistently. All the time.

I’m starting to tentatively trust that the worst is well over with my health stuff/treatment, and I’m feeling so much better compared to where I started that it baffles me daily?? I kinda feel like I have a new brain - and a new life. As in, I feel fully Alive for the first time since I was a kid, pretty much.

I have so much energy. / I just go and do things now. / I might actually be an extrovert??? (I’m having a culture shock rediscovering my own damn post-chronic health issue personality lol) / Anxiety and depression, who are they? Turns out I can feel a healthy amount of sad or upset, and it’s not all consuming. / I feel anger now! And it's great lmao! / Even bad days feel like decent days compared to my past days / I have always been interested in other people, but now I have the energy to show it better and engage, without burning out before I even open my yapper. / I feel like I’m connecting with people so much easier and better, and I’m having such a good time!!! / I’m actively trying to come up with new things to do with all the time and energy I now have. I’m still figuring this one out, because yeah, it’s a culture shock, after spending my whole adult life actively avoiding things just because I didn’t have the energy for anything (Tell me your hobbies and interests!! Indoor-outdoor-solo-social??) / I feel grounded in my own body and feel present / I finally feel a sense of ‘Future’ and I'm able look forward to things, instead of being in a constant survival mode and feeling stuck in it. / I’ve started to truly FEEL things, not just think things. I’ve started to want things. And not want things. And like things. And dislike things. Anything but the mild-indifference I am/was used to. / I can get through a work day without falling a sleep. Hell, I did a 13 hour shift the other week and still had the want and the energy to go for a run, after?! I felt possessed and a bit feral with power that day lmao! / AND SO MUCH MORE and BETTER and AAAAAAA 

I tear up regularly because I suddenly out of nowhere realise ‘wow, what the fuck, I feel so great??’

I really thought ‘better’ wasn’t in the cards for me after living literal decades feeling ‘not-good-at-all’. 

But mann, I think this is already better than the better I thought I’d never get to feel xx

[biohorror-human]

Trans people may or may not have popped off with the "block every radfem you see" idea because holy shit. You are all some of the most pessimistic and spiteful fuckers on earth. You all claim not to be bio-essentialist, and then turn around and say shit that is, at its core bio-essentialist. All of your ideas, in some way, revolve around hurting someone else. Want to destroy the gender binary? Certainly attacking trans people will help. Want to destroy child marriage? Tell people not to marry brown people, just, ever. Want to destroy the patriarchy? (This is the best one) Never organize, never protest, never coordinate, just sit around and cultivate a nightmarishly toxic environment and then have the GALL to ask "why are people so open about their disdain for radical feminism?"

Because all your ideas are rooted in hate. The last time I've had discussions this fucking bleak with people is when I got into an argument with an actual self-described Nazi. Btw, I know you radfems are super exclusionary and refuse to cooperate with any other social group, but maybe Nazis would be up your alley? Considering they also have an affinity for eugenics and wanting to eliminate general swathes of the population, I think you'd be great for each other.

I mean, just to list some of the bullshit you people constantly say which doesn't line up with any of the other shit you say: "trans and GNC people destroying the gender binary (which is good because we radfems don't like the gender binary) is actually BAD now because we were using that gender binary to call all men oppressors, and now we have to actually confront what specific societal issues enable someone to be an oppressor, instead of just saying that being a man makes you an oppressor (which is bio-essentialism, which we disagree with, unless you're amab, in which case then bio-essentialism is actually something we super-agree with)

And that's just one of the ones that I actually went into the effort of tracking down. In terms of shit that I've just seen on a whim: you say you hate bio-essentialism, but also people born male are naturally more oppressive. You say women should have the freedom to do whatever they want, unless that "want" is dating men, because even if they're happy in their relationship, they're actually secretly sad and lying. Because since when did feminists hold the belief that women could understand their own emotions? Pretty clothes are also bad, because men like to look at clothes. Nevermind what the woman behind those clothes thinks, you shouldn't be able to enjoy anything for any reason because a man might look at it and also enjoy it for a split fucking second.

You know what that last one makes me think of? How abusive husbands tell their wives that they can't wear revealing clothes because it will attract the gaze of other men. But history is obviously not your forte, because if it was you'd understand that the only way social movements like feminism prosper is if they cooperate with other social movements, a concept you could really stand to learn a thing or two about. Another cool historical fact is that segregation is, historically, frowned upon. But I still see you talking about how white women shouldn't date brown men, and how asian women shouldn't date white men.

You know, they actually made a haven for people like you. And no, this isn't going to lead to a "Nazi Germany" bait and switch. It was a place where women could only marry into their own race. Where police were around every corner. Where women actively ratted out people betraying that law. Where women were literally not allowed outside past a certain time. It was South Africa under fucking apartheid. You believe, on a fundamental level, the same shit that traditionalists (nazis) and conservatives believe in. You make yourselves miserable as a form of protest, but because your circles are so exclusive, the only people there to witness your misery are other radical feminists. You're creating a hyper-dense misery sphere that doesn't even take that pain out on the patriarchy, only on other women. You have absolutely, undoubtedly got to be the worst rebels in the history of rebellion. You're literally making the patriarchy's job easier by pre-misery-ifying women. You're streamlining the misery process. I've never seen another social movement do that.

I think the only thing you guys actually accomplished was making men who cared or were curious about your movement equally miserable. You know what I got when I tried to join the radfem discussion? When I made the MISTAKE of trying to learn about your cause to better support it? I got fucking berated. you people finally had a man WILLINGLY come up to you to internalize your ideas. And you know what you chose to say to me? When I had a question, you mocked my voice. You compared me to an ogre, or a giant. You said women SHOULD be scared of me because of the way I was born. You said I was a natural-born rapist. You spoke about how my androgens made me develop into a beast- made me resent my own body, on top of how I already dissociated with it. You demonized any thought of sexuality, shot down any idea of body-positivity. And even then, even after all that I thought it may have been positive. I thought maybe it made me stronger, that maybe I was more like you because I was able to see the flaws in my own biology. Nah. You just wanted me to be miserable, like you. I was your willing punching bag for all of your anger and resentment. You're the femme-fascist matriarchs of self loathing. The only boiling bucket of crabs who not just drags the crabs trying to escape back in, but actively coaxes new crabs to join. You want a revenge story in a world where revenge only leads to more suffering. Your definition of equal is only met when every man is twice as miserable as you. That's not a world anyone, man or woman or anything else deserves to live in.

I have a bunch more shit to say but even thinking about you miserable fucks is starting to rub off on me. Fuck the patriarchy. Trans pride rules.

[tinygamertris]

Okay, so like, as someone who's had some serious depression over the years... I really like this. Really like it.

Vivi was so depressed. I'm still not sure he realises just how bad it was, that he was at the point of 'I don't care if this kills me as long as it stops' ideation where a lot of people do end it, but he's being honest about it. And being honest about it is a HUGE part of being able to heal.

It's fascinating to me that G'raha's having all these realisations of 'oh I helped him, oh he might actually like me because I unintentionally made his life better' and he's still perfectly willing to throw himself away. Catboy has his own ideation going on that's just as painful and self-harming as what Vivi has been dealing with.

I want to hug them both and get them the best therapy in the world, goddamn.

✧✦✧ "Fragments" - episode 53 ✧✦✧

Mirage.

New reader? episode list on tumblr | webtoon Read 4 more episodes: patreon | kofi

[livesworthlivingau]

Behind the Vale Chapter 34

You know the drill, Spoilers for all of ISAT, etc. CW: Confused Pining? Sparring Scene/Consensual Violence. I SHOULD NOTE THAT THE PINING AND CONSENSUAL VIOLENCE ARE NOT RELATED!!!

"So, how was your little chat with Eclipse last night~?"

"It went well actually," [Blind it!] "how was sharing a tent with Nille for the first time~?" [STARS BLINDING CRAB!!! You immediately feel your face begin to burn.]

"You could at least humor me when I try to tease you, you know!"

"Hah! Not so fun on the other end, is it~?" [You cross your arms and pout. It wasn't fair how difficult they were to fluster now.]

"... Wait... what do you mean it went 'well'?"

"Well... I talked about what I was going to talk about back then... a-and uhh... they weren't... against it." [His face begins to darken instead. Hah! It's working!... Wait what is he talking about?]

"Against, what exactly?"

"Uhm... M-Maybe we shouldn't really talk about this! Th-That was a whole loop ago, it never really happened technically, j-just forget about it!"

"Hah~! I haven't seen you this flustered in a long time~. If I didn't know any better I'd think you were falling for me, Stardust~." [His face burns darker as he falls silent.] "... This is the part where you refute that, Stardust."

"... W-Well... the thing is... uhhh..." [Your own face grows just as dark.]

"... Truce to never speak of this again?"

"Y-Yup! Truce!" [You both stop acknowledging each other as you break off. Stardust heads off towards Eclipse and the Housemaiden, while you head towards Nille, Flare, and, ugh, the Researcher... Fantastic. Nille perks up at your approach.]

"Hey Vay, what were you and Sif talking about?"

"Absolutely nothing~! Next question~!"

"That bad, huh? Alright, I won't pry. Though speaking of, Dile here was hoping to get some info out of you." [Of course she is...]

"Yes, Petronille has informed me that you're a paper type now. I've never heard of someone changing their craft type before, but there's a lot of topics that would apply to in the last few months. I was hoping you might like to spar sometime." [Wonderful, here comes the interro-wait what did she just say?]

"You... want to spar with me?"

"Yes. In Ka Bue, it is believed that there's no better way to understand someone than by the way they Craft. I may not believe in all the sentimentality behind it, but watching someone Craft can make for quite an impression. Perhaps it could even answer some questions you have about yourself."

"... I don't think that would be for the best. I'd rather not hurt any of you."

"I don't doubt your time in the loops has given you an advantage when it comes to experience, but I'm sure I could hold my own long enough to get what I'd need. Besides, Mirabelle can help ensure nothing goes too far." [Your expression does very little to hide your hesitance about the idea.] "So you don't want to prove how different you are from Siffrin now?"

"What?"

"I've seen how Siffrin Crafts for months now, I'd be able to spot it in a moment. So why don't you show me just how different you are now?" [You know exactly what she's trying to do... yet her goading still succeeds in spite of that.]

"Fine, then spar we shall~."

"DILE'S GONNA KICK VALE'S CRABBING BUTT!" [Flare shouts as Nille chuckles with a shake of her head.]

"Can't say I'm not excited to see how this plays out."

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

[You stand at one end of a clearing, the Researcher at the opposite end. Everyone else eagerly gathered into a little group nearby to watch. You perk up as Nille calls out.]

"Go easy on them, Dile! They've only been in a fight or two since the Change!" [Excuse us?!]

"Thanks for the vote of confidence?!"

"Hah! Well it's true!"

"Vale seemed rather worried about hurting me earlier, so I don't intend to hold back. Besides, if they do then this whole research project would be null and void. I need to see you at your best, so don't pull any punches!" [The Researcher calls out in a demanding tone, one similar to a teacher encouraging a student. You're unsure why, but it starts to light a fire within you.]

"Alright." [You draw your whip and hold out a paper sign with your other hand.] "Ready when you are, Researcher!"

"Would you mind counting us down, Boniface?" [Flare jumps to their feet eagerly. A very excited grin across their face.]

"One!" [Wait...]

"Two!" [We just remembered...]

"Three!" [WE DON'T HAVE ANY CRAFT SKILLS OF OUR OWN!]

[You begin to panic as the Researcher starts to rush towards you. You see her hands move in a familiar way, and without thinking to go to copy it. You need every advantage you can get as you both SLOW IV each other with the exact same method. She raises a brow as she realized what happened.]

"Huh. No, no that would make sense. You must have seen me use that craft countless times, of course you'd learn how to emulate it. This still isn't exactly helping this experiment though, show me your craft, Vale!"

"I... don't really have any yet..."

"Then you best come up with something fast!" [She threatens and makes a scissors sign, slicing a streak of SCISSORS III towards you. You barely manage to dive out of the way thanks to that heavy feeling slowing you down, leaving you wide open for the next attack.]

[She swings her open palm down towards you just as a PAPER III blast slams down onto your back.] "GAH!" [It stings, but no where near as much as that earlier strike would have. You shake off the craft weighing you down and quickly get back to your feet. You notice she still has the SLOW on her, you have an opening!]

[You crack your whip a few times, sending waves of Paper Craft towards her. She only manages to block one, taking the full brunt of the other two. She slides back across the dirt and falls to a knee. Despite this, a grin crosses her face as she looks back up at you.]

"Now we're getting somewhere, keep it up Vale. Show me what you're capable of." [She commands yet again, getting back up and flashing another scissors sign. The Craft comes flying at you quickly, slamming into your stomach and causing you to fly back, slamming into a tree.]

"Ugh... Oh you'll pay for that one Researcher!" [You're injured now, but it only strengthens the fire within you. You focus your intent into the tip of your whip before lashing it out, sending an intense wave of pure Creative Craft towards her. Even as she blocks it, it manages to deal a good amount of damage. You don't let up, you snap your whip again and again, sending smaller blasts but trying to overwhelm her. She evades the first few only to stop in her tracks and SLOW IV you yet again, taking a couple hits to do so.]

"You're getting desperate, good! You're showing your true self now!" [You grumble as you feel that same weight again, like your whole body was moving through sludge. You can't take another big hit, you look around to find some sort of advantage... You crack your whip once more, and as she goes to defend, it swings upwards and blasts the tree behind her, sending an explosion of leaves to surround and distract her. You move as quick as you can in this addled state to hide behind a tree until it wears off.]

"Clever. You fight like a cornered animal, yet you still manage to find and use any advantage you can." [Why do we feel like a book being read right now?...] "I haven't had a good fight since Dormont, I appreciate you indulging me with this." [You take a few breaths to help shake the craft off of you.]

"My pleasure, I just can't wait to wipe that grin off of your face~!" [You call out, whip ready as you focus your craft into it again. Just as expected you feel a heavy blast of Craft slam against the tree you hid behind. You tuck and roll back out into the open and prepare to strike!... Wait, where did she go?]

WHACK [You're suddenly smacked upside the head with another PAPER III, knocking you over as you grip your head.] "OW! CHEAP SHOT!"

"You think you're the only one who can use tactics?" [She smirks, stepping out from behind a very different tree than you expected. She holds her free hand in a paper sign.] "Now time to finish this."

[You prepare to defend, you're weak but you could take another hit of PAPER III if you're ready for it... until you notice her hand moving different than usual. You glance over at her hand holding her book, which was hiding the Scissors sign she was actually using to power the craft! By the time you realize her trick, the piercing energy was already heading directly towards you.]

[You panic, without thinking you act, a wave of Craft flowing out of you and into your whip. LION TAMER! You lash out your whip, coiling around the attack itself. You guide it off course, and hold on tightly as it spins around your form, releasing it as it flies directly back at the Researcher. She was too surprised by what you did to even try blocking it, landing a direct hit with her own attack and leaving her K.O.ed across the grass... You blink a few times as you still aren't even sure what you just did.]

"M'dame!" [The Housemaiden quickly hops up and rushes over to her side, starting to pump healing craft into the downed Researcher. Flare is close behind with the pack of tonics in case it's needed. You look down at your hands and whip, still just lost in the shock and adrenaline of what you'd just done. You stumble as a heavy pat hits your back.]

"Holy crab! Where have you been hiding that one, Vay?!"

"I... I have no idea... Is... Is she okay?" [You look back over to her, Flare and the Housemaiden are helping her up to a sitting position. She looks spent but otherwise awake and aware. You hesitate before walking over.] "I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize I could even do that, are you-" [You're interrupted as she raises a hand to stop you.]

"That was exactly what I asked for, thank you for assisting me with this experiment. I think we've both learned a lot from it, Vale." [She has a satisfied smile painted across her face.]

"Yes, that was... certainly an experience, thank you for helping me find myself like this, Comet." [She raises a brow at the end of your statement.] "A nickname, if you don't mind me using it..." [She shares a look with you, understanding the importance you give to these silly nicknames. She smiles and nods.]

"Of course, now go enjoy your victory, I need to rest and gather my thoughts properly." [She says with a huff, trying to play off the feelings much like you do.]

"Of course, rest well~." [You head back to Nille as you hear Flare begin shouting behind you.]

"Diiiile! I can't believe you let Vale beat you! What the crab!"

Huge thank you to @itstheval for inspiring the fight scene and coming up with Craft Skills for Vale!! His fan chapters are wonderful and the skills he came up with are so goooood!

[crow2222]

A quick Pid-bit drabble as I'm falling asleep myself

"I feel just about ready to sleep." Darry hummed, his eyes already had been closed for around ten minutes. Everyone had assumed he had fallen asleep already.

"Then get off your rear and go to bed." Tim laughed from the couch, currently resting his head in Paul's lap. "I might even join you, hm?"

"Wait I don't wanna go home, can I stay over too?" Paul looked up from Tim and stopped playing with the loose curl from his greased back hair. Darry didn't even have to open his eyes to know that Paul was putting on his kicked-puppy-eyes act, he always did that when he wanted something.

"Yeah, yeah stay over, let's all go then. Right now."

Nobody moves.

"Fair play. I wasn't gonna get up anyways." Darry crossed his arms, ready to call it a night right then and there on his recliner - but then the screendoor slammed opened.

"Woah hey you guys havin' a date and not invite me?"

Two-bit gave the room a playful frown before realising the mood they were all in. Utterly silent, with exhaustion written all over his boyfriends' faces.

"Not all at once fellas, not all at once.." He strolled over to Darry, and waved his hand infront of his face. Darry didn't even acknowledge he was there, the only movement coming from him was his chest rising and falling with soft breaths.

"Did he actually fall asleep?"

"No. I wish I did." He mumbled, finally opening his eyes, albeit barely.

"Come on Superman, let's get you to bed. Your mattress is real comfy I hear?"

He wrapped a hand around his boyfriend's bicep and tried to pull him up, but let go the moment he realised Darry really wasn't budging.

"You guys are a real help, hope you know that."

"We're tired too Two-bit, we were gonna head to bed but.."

"But?"

"Too tired to move."

"Oh come on! It's not even half past eleven yet, why in the world would either of you be tired? Picked up a job I ain't heard of yet?"

Paul stood up swiftly at that, leaving Tim to groan at the loss of his pillow. He got right into Two-bit's face. "You ain't one to talk, you never had a job as far as I'm aware! And so what if I don't have one? I can still be tired - from waking up at a reasonable hour. When did you wake up? 5pm?"

Two-bit clicked his tongue, "Right on the dot, too. But now that you're standin', surely you won't mind helping?"

The blondes face grew red at the realisation of Two-bit's cunning trick. "You sly fox.." He grinned, not being able to help himself from giving him a quick peck on the lips. "Fine. I'll help."

"Thought so."

Both of them grabbed one of Darry's arms, his eyes widening as he started to comprehend what was happening.

They pulled, managing to grab Darry as he stumbled foward, tripping over his own feet.

"I would've gotten up myself.."

"I've seen you asleep in that recliner more times than I can count, Darry." Two-bit got an arm around Darry and started to lead him to his room, listening to how Paul was trying to tell Tim to get up.

Two dropped Darry into his bed as they neared it, and jumped in right after him. He hooked a leg over Darry's, and buried his head into the crook of Darry's neck, who then shivered as Two-bit's cold hand found itself on his stomach.

But other than the cold hand (which quickly warmed up) Darry was so comfortable he was seconds away from falling asleep.

Until he was bounced up from his bed, that is.

He took a deep breath before opening his eyes again, and looking over to his left where Paul and Tim had appeared. Paul got an arm under Darry's head and held him close, his other arm holding Tim so he wouldn't fall off the bed. Four men in a queen sized bed wouldn't be fitting quite comfortably, but they were making it do.

Darry let out a whoosh of air, a weary smile widening on his face. He had never felt so comfortable before, even if we was squished like hell between all of his boyfriends.

"I love you."

He didn't get a verbal reply to his sleepy murmur, but he noticed that the hold both Paul and Two-bit had on him, increased. That, and another hand found itself on Darry's chest, Tim's no doubt.

Darry closed his eyes, and promptly fell asleep.

[natashaslesbian]

Healing Is Never Linear | SJ

Summary: Your mom is there for you in your lowest moments

Request: Can you do scar x daughter reader is 15-16 and has manic depression and is currently in a depression episode and has a sh relapse

Word Count: 774

Warnings/Content: Self Harm / Depressed Reader / Manic Depression / Depressive Episode

—————————————————————————

You felt guilty as soon as you did it. As soon as you saw the red seeping through your skin you knew you’d failed. You’d tried everything to avoid this but your mind was just too loud. You needed it to be quiet. You felt the tears well up behind your eyes as you tucked the blade into your palm, squeezing it tightly. You wanted to hurt. You wanted to hurt so that you couldn’t feel what had come before. You only released your grip when you heard the front door close.

Scarlett knew that you were at home today, it was obvious following the weekend that you wouldn’t be able to handle school this week. So your mom cut all her work days in half in order to be there for you. She knew that you struggled but her heart ached at the knowledge that there was nothing she could do to fix it, apart from be there. You were 12 when Scarlett first noticed your wild change in behaviour. At first she thought it was just you becoming a teenager. Your sluggish movements and constant moodiness fit the examples her mom fiends had given about puberty. Little did she know this was something much bigger.

When you heard the familiar sound of your mom downstairs, your guilt only grew. You craved her affection yet you knew you’d let her down. “Y/n I’m home” Scarlett repeated when you didn’t answer. You inhaled a large breath before exiting your bedroom. “Oh there you are” your mom smiled when you appeared at the top of the staircase. Scarlett’s grin instantly faded when she saw your tear stained cheeks. She climbed the stairs slowly as to not alert you to her panic. You had your arm held tightly against your chest as she approached, terrified that she would be angry with you.

She didn’t say anything, but deep down she knew. You slowly pulled your arm down to reveal the littering of cuts across your skin and eventually opened your palm to reveal the blade. “Please take it” you whimpered. Scarlett kept her actions calm “I’ve got it” she said as she gently unfolded your fingers and removed the blade from your hold. “I’m sorry mama” you sobbed as you fell into her arms. “It’s okay, it’s okay I promise. Thank you for telling me, I’m always proud of you no matter what” the blonde said as she rocked you slowly to and throw. “Let’s get you cleaned up okay” she said softly.

You sat in silence as Scarlett gently bandaged your wounds, she was light in her touch attempting to reduce the sting of the antiseptic wipes. You leant all of your weight against your mom’s frame, tucking your ashamed face into her neck. She hummed softly to distract your mind although it didn’t really work. “You’re alright” Scarlett cooed quietly, placing a small kiss over every wrapped cut. You felt the tears well up behind your eyes again and used all of your might to keep them back. Your mom gently took a hold of your cheeks “it’s okay, let it out, it’s okay” she said as she pressed lightly onto your soft skin, helping to ground you.

You let out a sigh as you finally allowed your tears to fall. “I thought I was getting better mama” you cried. “You are baby, you are getting better” Scarlett said as she lifted you up into her arms, carrying you back through to your bedroom. Your mom’s affection was often infantile, but you adored it. As soon as the blonde set you down on the bed you pulled her to join you. The two of you settled bellow the duvet “you have to remember that getting better isn’t always about going forward” Scarlett whispered as she began braiding your hair. “There are bumps and twists in the road sweetheart and that is ok. Just think about where you were 2 years ago, you’ve come so far baby. I am so proud of you” she said as she pulled you tighter.

You craved the feeling of your mothers bare skin so began clawing at her shirt. She understood immediately and removed the clothing restricting you from enveloping in her comfort. “I love you mommy” you sniffled, still not meeting her gaze. “I love you more y/n. Always and forever” Scarlett said as she gently forced your gaze towards her. You finally looked into her emerald eyes and saw nothing but love and pure adoration. You knew then, though deep down you’d always known, that your mom would be there for you even on your darkest days.

—————————————————————————

A/N: Thank you sm for reading! I decided to keep this one short as it’s a little close to home for me<3

- Astara Bell

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@saraaahsstuff / @dannipotatoo / @tobiaslut / @nevaeh-daughterofvalcarol / @marvelnatasha12346 / @yelenasdiary / @mousetheorist / @ashadash0904 / @strange-night-owl / @kkreader78o ?? / @hatergirl-69 / @asv-xx ??

[starcurtain]

My favorite brand of Ratiorine is definitely:

"They both experienced immediate attraction upon seeing the other and are (silently) interested in the possibility of pursuing a relationship, regardless of their differences and the difficulties of their situations."

But also:

"Despite being two of the most hyper-competent people in the universe, they are absolutely idiot4idiot when it comes to romance or discussing their feelings, and they are about to make their complete inability to express themselves and court like normal people into everybody's problem."

[tj-crochets]

Crafting forecast has changed! Some local organizations are looking for, well, a lot of things for disaster relief, but the one I can help with is the request for baby blankets so I am switching into baby blanket mode for I don't know how long

[obsob]

do you make enough money from selling prints in etsy to sustain your life? how are you able to afford this beautiful house and time to crochet and go on walks and all of that? i’m not asking for nosiness but because i’m trying to figure out what i would need to do in order to make my life financially sustainable… is art an option… etc

short answer i mooch off my bf <333333333333333

[crimsononiarataki]

A lot of people he knew chalked his having taken courses in stone work up to him being Geo aligned, but he'd been interested in that kind of thing since before he'd gotten his Vision. Same for working with metal, which is why he'd taken the time to talk to the blacksmith about how to tend to his own claymore without needing to bother the always busy smith. He wanted to be self-reliant while also being somewhat creative.

"I did mix a bit of Mondstadt soil into the ground, but not a lot, that might have helped, too,"

Other than whatever pointers had been in the letter his friend had sent him with the young plants the Oni had just gone with what he knew due to having an extensive garden himself. While he'd never grown grapes before, the ones he'd been gifted had taken well to the climate in Inazuma. He'd also used some knowledge about growing plants from other nations in Inazuma when he planted them initially. He'd grown some flowers from Liyue using a mix of the soil he'd been given with the seeds, as well as Inazuman soil. He thought a lot about how best to grow various things in his garden, especially when it came to things that weren't native to Inazuma.

"Showin' ya the location tomorrow is good, since ya just got here, and I know how tired travelin' by ship can make anyone. I think you'll like it though. It needs some fixin' up but that also makes it more affordable than havin' a whole new place built. I can easily fix up any old floorin', the roof, and get the warehouses ready, too."

With the right workers helping, the place would be in working order fairly quickly. He could focus on redoing the windows and doors, the warehouses, the cellar doors, a covered entry leading to the doors, and the roof. Not to mention the floors, he wanted to add a layer of protection, and knowing that the floors in the house were likely damaged would make tearing them out and placing new ones easier. He could make a protection layer utilizing stonework, metal, and the local wood, while also designing a floor that reflected a mix of both Inazuman and Mondstadtian aesthetics without looking strange, or odd in any way.

"I can even do a combination on the redone floors on the inside, do a design that reflects both Inazuman and Mondstadtian aesthetics without it lookin' strange to anyone who visits ya."

He would likely do a semi-thick layer of tempered iron or white iron over the dirt that lay beneath the old flooring in the home, atop that he'd do some bamboo, since it wasn't a wood that suffered from rot, and was good at insulating when utilized properly. He knew how to handle it to ensure that it would do what he wanted it to, and what Diluc needed it to do. As the other mentioned that his unique twist would be able to show that the estate didn't just feel like a business but also a home the Yokai would smile. It was nice to know that the other liked the prospect of having a mix of aesthetics that would represent both Inazuma and Mondstadt without appearing odd.

"So, the floorin' inside is likely really old and quite damaged. So tearin' it out and redoin' it would be for the best. It'd also allow me to be able to set a layer of tempered iron or white iron atop it, which would get covered in stonework, then bamboo, the layers would help to keep the temperature within the warehouses controlled, and bamboo is versatile in itself."

He could also make whatever things Diluc needed for his grape vines to grow on, where he had them with specially made trellises made from bamboo, he wasn't sure what the other would need. Of course, the redhead could likely just have whatever he used back in Mondstadt crafted and placed on the new property, he wasn't sure if that's what the other would do or not.

"It's got a decent bit of land with it, more than enough for some fruit trees, and a lot of grape vines, too. If needed a perimeter fence can be erected around the majority of it to keep people out if it's necessary."

The only wild animals in the surrounding area were foxes and they didn't do anything to the plants or the people. They just walked around, or sat in places. Some slept in the sun like cats. As the other mentioned that he'd like to go inside, he'd nod and head toward the small gate he crafted for his garden.

"Alright, it won't take me long to grab my sketchbook, we can easily start talkin' about aesthetic designs in terms of how ya want the stonework to look visually, as well as the doors both to the estate itself, the cellar doors."

Diluc listened attentively, nodding as Itto laid out his thoughts on the construction materials and methods they could use. The Oni’s knowledge of stonework, combined with his experience in Liyue, provided a unique perspective that Diluc found refreshing. He appreciated that Itto was not only resourceful but also genuinely invested in ensuring the success of his venture in Inazuma.

“The grapevines adapting well is a good sign,” he said, his brow furrowing slightly in thought. “If they thrive here, it suggests the soil conditions might be more favorable than I anticipated."

The mention of the estate being close to both Ritou and the city further piqued Diluc's interest. Proximity to trade routes would be advantageous for the winery’s logistics, especially in a region still adjusting to the reopening of borders and trade after the Sakoku Decree. “The spot you mentioned—it sounds like exactly what I’d been envisioning. It’s accessible yet distinct, close enough to the port for practical shipping but shielded by the forest. I imagine the tree cover would create a natural windbreak, too, protecting the grapes during storms. This sounds perfect, really."

He appreciated Itto’s commitment to creating a safe environment for his wines. The idea of using bamboo for reinforcement struck him as clever, combining strength with the flexibility needed to withstand Inazuma’s storms. “That combination sounds perfect. It will give the estate character, too, melding the essence of both Mondstadt and Inazuma. I trust your judgment on the materials, especially since you’ve done such impressive work with the Gang’s Headquarters.” He looks around emphasizing what he meant. The headquarters was indeed a splendid creation of Itto's. Cosy, inviting and self sufficient for most parts.

Diluc took a moment to envision what their collaboration could yield. The blending of architectural styles—it was an exciting prospect, one that could create a space that felt both welcoming and uniquely representative of their efforts. “I appreciate your desire to incorporate a twist that only you can provide. It’s important to me that the estate feels like a home, not just a business. Your personal touch will make all the difference.”

He met Itto's gaze, sensing the enthusiasm radiating from his friend. “Let’s plan to head over to that property tomorrow. I’d like to see it in person, and we can discuss the designs then. I’m confident that your creativity will yield something special.”

Diluc shifted slightly, contemplating the next steps. “We’ll work on the design together—your sketches will be a great start. And I’d like to discuss how we can cultivate the land around the estate. The more we can integrate the surrounding environment into our plans, the better.”

Diluc felt a sense of purpose ignite within him, a familiar drive that had often guided him through challenges in the past. The thought of collaborating with Itto brought a sense of optimism he hadn’t expected. “I look forward to seeing your ideas in action. For now, let’s head inside and grab your sketchbook. There’s plenty to discuss, and I’m eager to hear your thoughts.”

[princess-of-the-corner]

Amnesia!Dabi: "So, did I get on okay with my dad?" / Everyone else: *sweats nervously* "UHHHHHH-"

YEAH ABOUT THAT