#which also Changed me but in a different direction

[acid-ixx]

i would not survive wayne manor if i had to stare into dick's y/n blue orbs everyday

stop looking at me with those eyes! (again &. again mini drabble)

ft. post-kidnapped reader w/ yandere batfam shitpost

reblogs and interactions are encouraged and appreciated.

— masterlist ! ; related post !

thank u for sending this oh my god, i need to write about this!!! i absolutely love your art style for the reader, they're so handsome i'm crying and laughing 😭😭😭 and it's true!!! i will also die if i look at the entire family's eyes as a filipino who has never once stared at a foreigner's eyes because it's just so bright huhu.

unfortunately for your case though, your refusal to look straight at them just translates to extra unwanted counseling sessions with the family in one of the large expanses of the living rooms housing the available members for a meeting. it's a whole gathering where you're the center of attention.

and it's not only dick involved, it's also all the other blue-eyed bastards and an additional glowering, pair of green ones which shines the brightest of them all— and if not for cass and duke's dark colored peepers, you might've truly passed away because it's no joke that their eyes glint under the light passing through locked windows, especially when the sun is at its highest peak and hits at just the right angles to glisten.

not only have you no physical escape, but their obsessed stares never leave your form too, devouring and locking you whole in your place and claustrophobic to the chains of their bright-orbed gaze.

"(name), dear, as much as you don't wish for me to address the issue; it's becoming an unhealthy habit that you refuse to maintain eye contact with the family. it doesn't help that your heart palpitates, you perspire more often, and you make excuses to run to a different room when you do. what's wrong?"

you don't even have to look up from staring at your lap (as if you want to, hah!) to know it's your father's voice directed at you. it's a unique tremor that reverberates across the room and commands attention from all corners; yet when he speaks to you, it's coated with an unhealthily sweet reverence that seems completely foreign to someone who has never once spoken to him until now.

"u-uhm..." stuttering, you bite your lip, drowning in your own self-preservation that had you ignoring dick's stealthy steps to your seated body on the couch, only for his fingers to carefully graze on your chin, snapping you out of your attention yet being too late as he lifts your head up, forcing to stare at his wide-blown eyes.

they're unnaturally bright today, shining more than the beaches in those private islands bruce owns, it's even more terrifying that he's staring at you.

"it's unfair too... baby bird, that it's me you avoid the most," he groans, it grates at your ears but it was better to focus on your other senses if you wish to control the ever-living fear of miley cyrus' blue eyes burned right into your retina, now associated with dick's emboldened ones. his palms find its way to either side of your head, cradling it side to side, the contact forced you to continue staring ahead of him. and no matter how much you resort to blanking out, the intensity of his baby blue eyes forfeits you to focus on anything else.

yet it's the gentle graze on your side that encourages you to speak your mind, you really hate how infantilizing this entire scene feels, and comical that they're - dick - is taking your excuses too seriously.

"ah... well—" how do you explain that you're shit at eye-contact because, first, and can't deal with their luminescent stares pinning you down to your spot, brighter than diamonds and emerald crystals, second?

"everyone's just too... you know. i- i really can't explain without it sounding... uhm..."

"too overwhelming? too what? akhi/akhti? it has been years since we last took you in, and you've been perfectly communicating with us until now. what has changed? has that rebel, todd, dare to make another deal with you again which involves refusing to properly communicate with us? with me? because if he did—"

damian's voice slithers with conviction, condemnation and possessive threats that strike fear into your heart with every venom-laced word. if not for his head nuzzling into the shadows of your neck, the dichotomy of dialogue and action, you would've been convinced he's out to kill you instead.

yet the same gremlin muttering insults is your little brother who takes the entire space beside you on the velvety couch, rendering you completely cornered by his expecting glare. except now, unlike the mental torment he subjected to you, his green-eye gaze glimmers with concealed adoration you've learned to discern, he's always been a heckler for your attention; the tan hands wrapped around your waist in a snuggle tightens, not too tight that it deprives you of oxygen, but demands your answers instead.

like father, like son. as the saying goes. always finding solutions with unwanted affection. couldn't even push them away without them interpreting your actions as rebellion which only results in more uncomfortable competitions on who gets to cuddle you for longer.

and wait, no, they didn't take you in, bullshit! they basically kidnapped you. it's only that you've grown accustomed to dealing with them individually and as a group, but because they've been more lenient with technology, providing you access to wifi with supervised search results, you stumbled across one of , which not-so faintly reminds you of them.

your past traumas of them replaced with jaded motivation to survive and tolerate the ever living plague in your life you call your family.

bruce did advise you to associate them with positive things instead as a first step to your adjusting phase, and miley cyrus' anthropoidal, not-quite human stare isn't negative in any way, yet it's also by no means negative, if not unsettling— which leads you to a common ground, a common affiliation which helps you cope with the fear that they might harm you and isolate you with loneliness even further; forgetting your presence once again.

learning to love them was hard, so relating them to anything comical was way easier on the still-heavy burden in your heart which yearns for freedom burned off through countless of escape attempts, the grief of your mother's death now decades worth, and just the shock of it all that they're still interested in you until now that hasn't worn off still, despite the years passing by quicker than blowing off a candle-light.

still, everyone retains their gaze on you, never once breaking contact with your form as if you're capable of escaping their grasp. you try to look down, but to no avail, dick was too invested in hogging your head all to himself and nuzzling it in his toned stomach, whilst damian refuses to separate from his ever tightening hold which renders you unable to full grasp your thoughts and speak.

god-damned hypocrites.

"holy shit..." it's tim who broke off the silence, muttering under his breath in disbelief whilst his hand fiddles with the modded tablet bruce had given you as a christmas gift. his lanky finfers continue scrolling eyes fixated on the scene before him, every expression illuminated by the faint glow of your tablet's screen. the most visible feature, gazing at him through whichever was left of your vision unobstructed by dick's body; was of course, his widening blue eyes, as it seems like he'd hit jackpot with his appalled reactions.

it seems like he found the exact same picture.

would it be a bad thing now if you'd run away from the room once they all collectively hone in on the image before them? or is it too risky of a task?

honestly, with just how routine your life must be right now, you'd prefer to run, to feel the air run through your hair, to bask in the sun washing your body in its warmth.

maybe to find unbidden joy in another game of cat and mouse, or it may be another one of your excuses to avoid those piercing eyes once more if even by just a mere fraction.

or maybe you could stay for now, because is it just you, or did you actually succeed in traumatizing them for once instead of you?

[helianthus-tarot]

FUTURE SPOUSE: Challenges to overcome or events to experience before meeting them

As written in the title. I posted the extended version on my Patreon which includes at what stage of life will you meet 👀❤️ There are also other 90+ readings on Patreon so definitely check it out, pick a card reading is posted every week plus extra mini pac every month! 🎉

Disclaimer: Here | Instagram: Here

Instructions: Focus on the topic and ask yourself the question. Choose a number/picture that you feel the most drawn to or that you can’t stop looking at. Trust your intuition. May the message resonate. Let me know which pile you choose! Feedback is appreciated!

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PILE 1 

Challenges to overcome or events to experience in your life before meeting them: 2 of Swords, Wheel of Fortune, 7 of Pentacles, Knight of Swords, 8 of Cups. 

I think it’s got something to do with a change in your life path; things in your life moving in a direction that is unexpected, or that is different from what you initially visualised your life to be. There may be some external events that will be contributing to this development, that will be nudging you in this direction, or that will make you aware of this path. For some of you, it will involve a change in fortune; meaning that, if you take this new path that is being presented to you, you may feel like there’s a possibility that you can change your fortune. For others of you, this path will come to the surface the further you work in the direction that you think you are going. It’s like, let’s say you are currently working on X, but the more you work on X, the more Life directs you to Y path, or the more Y path becomes visible to you. X and Y may be related, they may be logical outcomes of each other. Like, pursuing a film major and wanting to work at X company, but then instead of going to X, you are presented a choice to go to Y organisation instead which will take you to a place you didn’t consider before. It’s that kind of event. 

Whatever it will be, you will have to make a decision, and this decision may cause some internal conflicts; you won’t know what you should choose. For many of you, this decision may involve you leaving something behind; this could be a place, an old idea of how you think your life should develop, it could be a project or skill you’ve been working on, or it could also be a relationship, if you’re in a relationship. For the latter, it feels like the typical event in films where one character has to break things off with their partner because they are asked to move, or they want to take on a project somewhere else and they can’t make the relationship work. This change of events may also highlight what isn’t working out in this relationship, path or place.  

You may also be asked to assertively solve your problems; the solutions may be presented to you by Life itself, and you may come to a standstill where you have to make that decision. In order to progress, in order to reap your hard work, you may need to be more assertive or direct in pursuing certain things, and this will lead to a change in fortune. So yeah, there will be introspection, inner conflicts, not knowing which decision to make—your heart and your mind will be pulled in different directions, or you’ll feel like there are many things that make it difficult for you to make a decision. But I think, at the same time, the answer will be clear to you. There may be a change of perspective, or Life may show you something which will make it clearer to you, and you may choose to move on from whatever it is in the past, in search for something better for you, in the direction of what you believe will help you progress and change your fortune. 

Advice for you is to stay centred in yourself, maintain that emotional balance and maturity, and be patient with yourself. I think the answer will be obvious, but the process of coming into the answer may require you to be confident in your ability to make decisions, it may require you to sit in your feelings and hear yourself out, it may require you to have a mature outlook instead of just following purely feelings or purely logic. For some of you, you may also need to believe that if you’re destined for a relationship, it’s not going to miss you. If you’re destined to be with someone, your relationship isn’t going to fail. There may need to be some reliance in the Universe with regard to your relationships, and about your emotional fulfilment. To remain strong in yourself, and trust that whatever wish or hope you send out to the Universe will not miss you even if you suddenly change your direction. I do feel like there’s a strong message that you will take this new path or that you will follow the direction that Life shows you; whether or not you’ll leave behind your current relationship (for those of you who are in a relationship). 

EXTENDED VERSION IS ON PATREON! At what stage of life will you meet them? What will be going on in your life at that time? Will it happen when you are living your dreams, or when you get a new job, etc? Find out here! 😘❤️

PILE 2 

Challenges to overcome or events to experience in your life before meeting them: The Lovers, 9 of Cups, 6 of Cups, The World, Wheel of Fortune. 

I think you will be pursuing your passion here, or dream, especially something that is related to your past or childhood passion. For some of you, you will do this just for fun; it’s just one of the things that you’ll do because it brings you enjoyment, and it makes you get closer to yourself. It feels like a desire to express the highest form of yourself, or to be in that joyful and dreamer energy; this dream, passion, path will feel achievable to you. For others of you, you may have a bigger goal; you will have imagined that pursuing your passion or doing this thing will eventually lead you to something bigger, like you could move to a bigger stage, you could go global or international—there's something with the external world, I’m talking about something big, something that will feel like destiny to you. You may have imagined this for yourself, and because of this, you’ll pursue whatever path this is.  

Regardless of what your goal will be, you will reach it and you will live that experience; it will feel expansive, it will feel lucky, it will feel like you’ve achieved your dream or wish, it will feel like this is one of your highest accomplishments—especially one that represents who you are, your talents, your soul. It will make you feel like you are on the track of self-actualisation, or you have done something that has a spiritual meaning to you. Something will reach an end (this is not negative) and reward will come, and you will enjoy it. So you will have done something here related to what I’ve just mentioned—possibly passion, wish, etc—and you will feel on top of the world, you will feel achieved and things in your life will feel like it’s moving in an interesting direction, a bit unpredictable but it will feel expansive. For some of you, you’ll meet your person either during that stage (after the end / achievement has just come to be) or after this stage entirely; but for others of you, the message will be in the next section. 

This may involve you meeting someone from your past, especially past lovers or partners. I’m not sure if you will get into a relationship with them again (some of you might, and they might be your future spouse). But either way, you will feel positive about this past encounter—or this past encounter will lead to you getting in touch with yourself and pursuing what brings you the highest enjoyment, which will eventually lead you to your person. Of course, like I mentioned before, for some of you, this is you reconnecting with your childhood memory, passion or dream, and you will do something about it that will lead to a sense of achievement and accumulation of experience, and it will feel lucky. This may also involve getting in touch with many people—there could be many emotional interactions or connections here—especially with the general public. For others of you, this may be talking about people online, people abroad, people from different countries. I think your life at this point may also make so much sense; there are a lot of circles in the cards, so it feels like something that started in the past and will reach the point where it connects back to where it begins—so it becomes whole. You will feel whole too. This will generally be a positive experience. 

Advice for you; keep working on yourself, your path, your skills or whatever it is that you’ve got your eye on. Constant learning, constant improvement (but with curiosity and light-heartedness of a child, instead of stress and jadedness of an adult) and constant movement towards what you feel called to—these will eventually lead you to your person. Your progress and movement do not have to be fast; they just have to be consistent. You are advised to hold on to that optimism, the belief that can you do amazing things. You are also advised to connect with the society, community, the world around you—what I meant by connect is not necessarily socialising; it’s more about your emotional connection with the world outside yourself. Connect that to the work that you are doing. For some of you, this may feel a bit exhausting sometimes, so take your breaks, but always come back to that hopefulness and that diligence, and put in the effort to reach the stars. 

EXTENDED VERSION IS ON PATREON! At what stage of life will you meet them? What will be going on in your life at that time? Will it happen when you are living your dreams, or when you get a new job, etc? Find out here! 😘❤️

PILE 3 

Challenges to overcome or events to experience in your life before meeting them: 7 of Pentacles Rx, Justice Rx, 3 of Swords Rx, 5 of Swords, The Fool. 

Yeah, this will be a challenge. For some of you, this challenge has been brewing under the surface, so it will come out and you will realise it or you will be made to realise it—you can’t pretend it’s not there anymore, or you can’t try to hold on to it anymore, you can’t try to prolong the heartache anymore. For others of you, certain events will be obvious but some events may be quite hidden, so at first you may not understand what’s truly going on (what forces are at play), or what you are supposed to do. And when you do realise it, you may try to suppress or hold off your emotional reaction to it, not sure why. It could be that you will try to hold on to something here, something you’ve been putting effort into or investing yourself in, something that you are emotionally attached to—anything like that. 

I feel like for many of you, this challenge will involve people. There may be misunderstandings, arguments, or disagreements, or people misjudging you / your intention and words. For a few of you, it may feel like bullying; I’m not sure if it is, but it may feel that way. It’s like within a friend group, something happens, and people take sides and you feel like you are standing alone. Something like that. For some of you, it may feel like you’re trying to manage multiple perspectives, or juggle different sides / opinions to the point that it’s hurting you. For others of you, it will be a battle of some kind, it could be related to law—I'm not seeing anything super big or significant though so this may be something like contract issue or small dispute. There will be a feeling of being treated unfairly though, like there will be unfairness somewhere, some kind of injustice and imbalance. You may also feel like you can’t freely express your hurt about the situation; because for some of you, the unfairness or injustice may be hidden. Like you will be able to feel it but it may not be addressed out in the open. Some of you will hurt some people’s feelings or you will get your feelings hurt when you defend yourself or argue your case. 

Whatever the event may be, it may put a halt to or make you have to abandon the previous thing that you’ve been working on. You have been building something here; this could be anything like a path, project, job, programme, skill, investment—something that you put effort into because it’s getting you somewhere, because you want to progress. But because of the conflict, you may not be able to continue, or your effort may feel like a waste. It’s probably not really a waste though. Whatever it will be, you will start anew; you may take a new path, and it will feel more liberating and exciting than whatever these restrained energies are. For others of you, it’s precisely because you will be taking a new path that this conflict happens, almost like your new path disturbs or goes against some people; in this case, I think you will still proceed with that new path, but the progress may experience some kind of delay, until you overcome this conflict, so this will be like, a blockage. You will end up learning from this experience.  

Advice for you; don’t be too accommodating or kind. King of Cups in reverse fell on top of Justice in reverse, and when I took it, I kinda accidentally dragged the Justice. So I think both cards are related in some way. I think one of the contributing factors to that imbalance may be your tendency to understand the other parties, to accommodate them, to want things to work—but this can only work well for you if they do the same thing. But if they don’t, it can become unbalanced, and you may be treated unfairly as a result. Don’t think too kindly of people; I mean, don’t start being suspicious of everyone, but if people have shown negative traits to you, don’t explain and give positive meanings to those traits to yourself. If you have a tendency to give yourself to others too much, maybe restrain that a bit more. You’ve got to support yourself first before you do it for other people.  

Some of you are a bit too nurturing that people take advantage of that. You may also have a strong sense of responsibility, so you give yourself too much sometimes. Remain centred in who you are, your beliefs and your values—regardless who will be questioning you or starting issues with you here. Be mature, don’t add to the fire, but have confidence that you know what you are doing and you are doing the best for yourself here. Don’t settle for less—for example, if you get involved in some kind of dispute, make sure you get your fair share / compensation because you deserve it. So there needs to be that feeling of ‘I deserve to ask for this, or to be treated this way, or to hold this position without being disturbed’, because it’s a basic thing to ask for.   

EXTENDED VERSION IS ON PATREON! At what stage of life will you meet them? What will be going on in your life at that time? Will it happen when you are living your dreams, or when you get a new job, etc? Find out here! 😘❤️

PILE 4 

Challenges to overcome in your life before meeting them: 4 of Pentacles, 6 of Wands, 10 of Swords, The World, Page of Cups (Ace of Pentacles). 

I feel like there will be several, and these things may be different from one another. You’ve got multiple energies here, and I asked how these things connected to one another, you got Ace of Pentacles. So it’s either one event leading to another event and to another event—or multiple things happening at the same time and they’ll just end up leading you somewhere new. It is also possible for some of you, that these events, although they may look different, all of them will be related to material opportunities. For example, in order to pursue those opportunities, you may experience these events. Or experiencing these events will eventually open up material and financial opportunities for you. 

Now what are the events. There will be something with regard to your home life, most likely your house, or your physical location. I feel like it’s been or it will feel quite difficult to live there, or something won’t be that satisfying, or you will feel like you’re storming through difficulties or inconveniences, or you’ve got to hold on to this place for whatever reason (like a lease) before you can move on to the next one. So it will feel that way. It won’t be that unpleasant, I mean, you will still have your stability but you may feel like you need to hold on or deal with some things.  

Now, another thing that you may experience is a victory; you will feel on top of the world. Some of you will feel achieved; some of you will feel celebrated, as in, people paying attention to you, people recognising you, people admiring or respecting you—this could be people abroad, or more than just one or two people. You may have been working on something, and that thing may reach an end and you will get the reward. This victory may come with some downsides for some of you. Since it will involve people, sometimes it may feel like a burden, or it may make you stressed out for some reason; some people will feel too passionately or emotional about what you are doing and they may start causing some scenes. This could be the reason for 10 of Swords.  

For others of you though, 10 of Swords is a separate matter. You will experience a mental and emotional hardship. It will be either something that has started long before that ending happens, or it will feel like you have got to move on—because things are ending and stressing you out and you can’t do anything about it anymore. It’s related to a heartache; I got 3 of Swords when I asked for a clarification. It may be related to a breakup, or a relationship ending. The odd thing is, I’m not getting a strong negative energy from 10 of Swords. Some of you may experience the heavier version of it, because this is a general reading, but for some of you, this may be like... an accumulation of stress that has been burdening you and so you will finally be pushed to the end of it, and realise that you can’t take it anymore, you don’t want to think or feel hurt about the same thing anymore. It can simply be mental or emotional exhaustion from having putting in a lot of work / effort.  

I did mention achievement; so whatever that will happen here, whether it’s positive or not, you will feel like a stage of your life is completing. It feels positive though. Some of you will be graduating, completing a program, a contract, project. Some of you may go abroad, or relocate; some of you will connect with people abroad, people from different countries, or simply people online through this achievement. You may also feel more connected to the world, and wiser through this experience, like you can see how the world works and what is connected to what—having a mature understanding of the world and the interconnectedness of it all. This could also be related to your passion, heart desires, creativity, or the part of you that is drawn to the arts—so you may be led to explore your idealism, your artistic inclination, a hobby that you’ve been wanting to explore because it speaks to your emotions and soul. It feels very soft and genuine and like opening a box containing parts of your soul as a child. It will feel joyful but in a quiet way; you will feel content with what you have at that time and what you want to do. I think this will be the light that you will follow, which will lead you to more material opportunities, which may lead you to your person.     

EXTENDED VERSION IS ON PATREON! At what stage of life will you meet them? What will be going on in your life at that time? Will it happen when you are living your dreams, or when you get a new job, etc? Find out here! 😘❤️

[bebsi-cola]

What is adaptive functioning?

directly inspired by this post by @five-thousand-loaves-of-bread

In short, adaptive functioning is a holistic view of someone's ability to adjust and change their behaviour in different environments and situations. This is a term primarily used to discuss people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and how they fare in comparison to their peers.

Someone's adaptive functioning is measured in three domains, which is why I called it holistic. All of these domains, separately and together, can affect someone's adaptive functioning.

There's the conceptual domain, the social domain, and the practical domain.

Conceptual domain: This refers to a person's cognitive skills, including their aptitude for knowledge acquisition, logical and critical thinking skills.

Social domain: This refers to a person's interpersonal skills. That includes things like the ability to understand other people's thoughts and emotions, the ability to create and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships, the ability to understand social situations and make judgements on them, and the ability to communicate in interpersonal relations.

Practical domain: This is where things like activities of daily living would come in. The practical domain measures how much a person can carry out daily tasks independently. Yes it includes things like shopping for food, maintaining hygiene, making meals. But overall you can think of it as the ability of self-management. Being able to keep track of what you need to do and when, initiate those tasks, plan for future tasks, manage your finances and time to make tasks possible, etc. There's a lot of organisation that goes into the practical domain.

Well how does it differ from basic and instrumental activities of daily living (b&iADLs)?

While ADLs are part of how we measure adaptive functioning, they can also be entirely distinct. ADLs are about being able to independently carry out regular activities.

Basic ADLs woule include self maintenance or self care tasks that are daily necessities. Things like brushing, showering, toileting, feeding oneself, dressing oneself, walking independently, transferring oneself. These are things that are directly related to one's immediate wellbeing and basic needs.

Instrumental ADLs include more long-term maintenance and self care, like going shopping and meal prepping, managing money, managing transport to places, managing medications, managing housecare and chores. Being able to do iADLs dramatically improves one's quality of life and allows them to live independently, work jobs, and such.

When measuring ADLs, we only consider whether or not someone can do them or not. This doesn't necessarily measure their overall ability or what sort of care they will need, because that depends on the reasons why they can't perform these activities. This can be a measurement of someone's support needs, but it's not comprehensive.

For example if someone can't meal prep because they don't have the ability to grip kitchen utensils, certain adaptive equipment or pre-cut foods can facilitate them being able to do this. They still can't perform that iADL without intervention or support.

If someone can't meal prep because they don't understand that knives are dangerous and will hurt themselves, or they can't connect that chopping some carrots will eventually lead to having vegetable soup because of cognitive difficulties, or simply don't understand that meal prepping is a necessity and can't direct their attention to anything that doesn't immediately intrest them, they still can't perform that iADL. Sometimes their cognitive issues may mean that they don't have the ability to independently manage tasks that need to be doing in order to facilitate necessities such as meals. This would be because of low adaptive functioning. The support they would need for cooking might be constant supervision, or to be disallowed from cooking altogether and have other people prepare meals.

Likewise if someone has no ability to hold utensils, depending on why, they might need a different method to get food into their mouth. Someone without the ability to understand the steps of feeding, such as getting food on the spoon, opening the mouth, chewing, swallowing they struggle with the same bADL. But the intervention needed to make feeding possible would be different. A carer might have to feed them, remind them to open their mouth, close their mouth, chew and swallow for each bite.

In these situations considering only the fact that someone cannot perform an ADL doesn't really represent what support needs that they have. It's not a comprehensive measurement of support needs specifically, even if it is an indication of impairment. If we understand adaptive functioning and what it means, then we can better understand the support needs of disabled people. We will understand that someone might have low adaptive functioning but is able to do certain ADLs and someone with high adaptive functioning might not be able to perform certain ADLs. We can also understand the difficulties, barriers, and support needs of intellectual and/or developmentally disabled people.

[cupcakedieabetes]

Yeah, that's what I thought. It's all his survival that his mindset is that everyone is still strictly fictional that he ends up disregarding most of them. "Everyone is still book characters including him" is still his mindset.

But he doesn't really think that he's a canon fodder. Imo, he thinks his role as SQQ is a canon fodder.

I meant SY disregards GYX's death is that other than that, there's no actual mentions of GYX anymore bc he ends up so hyperfocused on his survival after bc of TLJ, ZZL, and LBH, that his existence just got erased. He treated GYX exactly like a canon fodder, 'Death that you'll get outraged at first, but soon get over it'

I remember this part exactly bc I was ranting to my mom (she reads it) about it like "Huh??? Did they just kill him off and he's never mentioned again?? Why did they have to kill him off like that?"

Also, the part where SQH says that they've changed, like, wouldn't students change a bit if your teacher (who is incredibly strict and does corporal punishment on you harshly) changed? This is an era where corporal punishment still exists, but bc LBH is the protag, of course he needs more extra.

I've always thought that bc there's little to no pressure on them anymore, there's no point in being little villain canon fodders anymore.

I mean, I was the same before bc during elementary school, I hated everything and was bitter and stuff bc the teachers full on had favouritism that they hated other students other than them. They say right to the student's face on how stupid we were. They often smack us, too.

Then, the students, there were groupie bullies everywhere, they would steal and beat up each other. I mean, we were 10 ish and violent bc the teachers don't give a shit about us. And bc it was a school from kindergarten to high school, there were some high schoolers beating elementary students too.

But I moved school, and the teachers were nicer, and thus the students were a lot calmer. I still didn't learn shit at all in this school so I got tutoring, but I was calmer.

I guess experience just makes me think differently about that part. They're not on guard anymore so they're not "bitter and full of resentment"

Edit: I reread that part, and it seems that "the flock of disciples" are just NYY, MF and LBH. Does he only have 3 of those disciples?

Its mentioned that they have disciple brothers, but they're once more vague bc they're a bunch of canon fodders

More edit: It wasn't bc the teachers were nice. Im saying that they were nicer in a sense that they don't hit students or call us stupid. They're nicer in a sense that they left us alone.

LBH being a scapegoat in SV is bc all the disciples are directing the punishment on him bc they don't want to be hit instead, which is common back in my school too. Direct the punishment onto someone else that the teacher doesn't like already in the first place.

Once SQQ stops hating, there wasn't any point in directing those punishment onto LBH bc there's no punishment at all anymore and they're all left alone.

They're left alone, and they don't have to fear any punishments at all. Their guards are down.

And to the sense that they'd defend him, of course they'd defend him. He's not that SQQ and changed. He's a nicer version of SQQ after all.

And to say that SY thinks of himself as SQQ. Yeah, that's bc he has to live an entire different life as him. He has to be SQQ or be punished by his system. But he also often curses SQQ as being an abuser and a lecher, completely separating them, until after the revelation. This dude absolutely has to be SQQ even if he isn't SQQ. It's all assimilated acting. You cannot get out of the role no matter how much you do.

He could at least break out of the OOC function, letting SQQ be more of himself, but it still isn't himself at all. He still has to act as SQQ to the expectation of others.

The only time he isn't SQQ is when he's Peerless Cucumber and you could see him going back to the SQQ act in front of others except SQH.

So yeah, that's what I meant as SQQ is a role and not himself.

Love that shen yuan is such a beloved and caring adult figure for the Qing Jing kids, Wei wuxian sacrificed so much to give Wen Yuan some semblance of a childhood, then you have xie lian who's like oh fuck right the kid. The ghost kid im taking care of. Forgot about that we should find him

[allwaswell16]

A One Direction fic rec of soulmate fics that are hidden gems as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other recs here. Happy reading!

- Louis / Harry -

💕 De amore ex tempore by @persephoneflouwers

(M, 101k, historical) the Time Travel AU where alternate versions of themselves live simultaneously in different realities and their paths collide every time, until somehow, they converge into one.

💕 I'm Praying (that you don't burn out or fade away) by @lululawrence

(NR, 75k, soul stars) Harry and Louis are literal stars who have known they were soulmates from their creation eons ago, however when Louis came to Earth to start the next phase of their fated future, he forgot everything. Even Harry.

💕 You, Who Never Arrived by abrighteryellow / @a-brighter-yellow

(T, 42k, 90s au) Louis Tomlinson is days away from marrying a perfectly nice podiatrist when he gets a phone call that changes everything. Or, the Only You AU in which Louis has a soulmate and it's definitely not Harry Styles.

💕 i got a heart (but i don't got a soul) by tempolarriefics / @tempolarriefix

(NR, 19k, famous/not famous) the one where louis sells his soul before meeting his soulmate, harry is a popstar with a heart of gold, niall is inadvertently responsible for harry's boners, liam is a meddling angel, and zayn is a demon who made a mistake

💕 The Journal by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou , RecycledStardust

(G, 13k, magic) When Harry finds himself purchasing an antique journal in the ancient bookshop of a town he's never heard of, he doesn't exactly want to admit that he has no idea how he got there.

💕 Swimming Against the Tide by @neondiamond

(G, 9k, enemies to lovers) Louis and Harry are rival competitive swimmers who kinda hate each other. Turns out they’re also soulmates.

💕 You Can See It with the Lights Out by @larryatendoftheday

(M, 8k, canon) In a universe where you know as soon as you meet your soulmate, Harry's been shaking hands his whole career, waiting for the one.

💕 Crimson Clover by babyhoneyhslt / @babyhoneyheslt

(T, 5k, historical) Harry and Louis are soulmates, but one is already promised to another. When their plan to flee is discovered and they are separated, Harry falls gravely ill.

💕 Oh, what a world, and then there is you by LaDiDah

(T, 5k, historical) Harry and Louis have met many times before, in many different universes. Soulmates always find each other.

💕 Can't Imagine You Without The Same Smile In Your Eyes by galactic_larry / @galacticlarry

(T, 4k, uni) It’s been over a week since Harry’s first semester at university began, and he has had zero new exciting friendships or noteworthy experiences, just a bizarre dream that keeps waking him up in the middle of the night.

💕 Louis and the no good, very bad day by @haztobegood

(E, 4k, soulmate goose) Louis collapses back into the bed with a groan. Just when he thought his day couldn’t get any worse, there’s a fucking goose stuck on his balcony.

💕 Falling by @reminiscingintherain

(T, 4k, soulmarks) Based off the prompt:  you’re my soulmate and I know we’d have a happy ever after but you’re my best friends ex and if I dated you they’d never speak to me again and I don’t know what to do

💕 That’s the way love goes by bella28 

(T, 4k, soulmate goose) In a world, where soulmate geese are sent to the people who can't figure out who their soulmate is, Harry finds himself stuck with a goose when he is attending a concert of his favourite artist Louis Tomlinson.

💕 Bitter Soulmates Series by theweightofmywords / @lil0

(T, 4k, angst) They had never met, but he didn’t think there was anyone in the world he missed more.

💕 So Paris When We Kiss by cherrylarry / @beelou

(G, 4k, exes) There’s a travel website open that he certainly did not open himself. Niall has been trying to get him to Paris ever since he got his mark. There’s not any particular reason why he hasn’t gone, it just never felt like the right time. 

💕 What’s in a Name by @hellolovers13

(T, 2k, friends to lovers) Louis had always known Harry was his soulmate. The name on his arm disagreed.

💕 emotions won’t grow by localopa / @voulezloux

(G, 1k, angst with a happy ending) so, you’re the unfortunate soul stuck with me

- Rare Pairs -

💕 neither wanting more, neither asking why (series) by @justanothershadeofblue

(E, 40k, ot5) For Louis Tomlinson, there's nothing that compares with getting his soulmark and meeting his soulmate. Nothing that he could imagine that ever could.

💕 I Saw Several Angels in the Self Help Section by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(G, 3k, ot5) Zayn and Louis are soulmates. They're also missing some soulmates. For extra flavour, it's Christmas.

[aishangotome]

Azel Radwan: Romantic Ending Ch. 22

Chapter 21 His Side Story

Thank you @shatcey for providing the video for this chapter!

♡———♡

Azel: He tortured my brothers with a smile, saying it was all for the sake of God.

Azel: Since then, Enis has been unable to defy our father and no longer sees me as his brother.

Azel: My other brother was the mastermind behind the escape plan. He was exiled.

(Could it be that the other brother is...?)

The gentle aura vanished from the apostle's expressionless face, leaving behind a "nothingness" devoid of mercy or compassion.

Kamal let go of my hand, which he had been holding, and his shoulders shook with laughter.

Kamal: I guess even you can't stay calm when facing the enemy of God.

Apostle: ...I see.

Apostle: I can't believe that the Living God, the miracle diviner, didn't foresee this commotion.

Apostle: The fact that he's still remaining silent despite knowing the guaranteed reality...

Apostle: Was it caused by the instigation of the great sinner?

Kamal: Now, who knows? At least I'm not the mastermind.

Kamal: I simply told that innocent child that there was no need to live as a slave.

Kamal: God isn't a doll you can play with as you please.

Apostle: ...It's my fault.

The apostle brought the smile back to his face and looked up at the dry sky.

It was a different kind of smile, one that sent a chill down my spine and made me unconsciously brace myself.

Apostle: I was young back then. I spared you with exile out of the Living God's mercy...

Apostle: I should have burned the great sinner at the stake, even if it pained my heart.

(He's... insane.)

The apostle's mind was so consumed by his lofty faith that there was no room for normal human emotions.

This sense of dissonance, like we were in the same place but seeing different worlds, might be the true nature of the fear I'd felt towards the apostle since our first meeting.

Apostle: Let us atone for the sin now. That's the least I can do to make amends.

Apostle: If we destroy the wicked sinner who is misleading His Holiness, the Living God will surely find peace of mind.

(There's no way he can be at peace when his brother is being sentenced to death.)

(The person who disrespects the Living God the most in this country is undoubtedly the apostle.)

Kamal: It's all well and good to boast, but do you intend to capture me with just you, old man, and a few young men?

Kamal: I've worked as a mercenary, you know?

Apostle: Kamal, can you see that?

The apostle, with an unwavering smile, directed his gaze towards a rising cloud of dust.

It wasn't caused by the wind, but by people treading on the sand, creating a curtain of dust that took my breath away.

Silvio: ...I thought they might come, but that's a hell of a lot of people.

(The people of the city have come seeking salvation from God.)

The people who surged from beyond the sand dunes gradually began to gather in front of the temple.

But God wasn't here.

Instead, the apostle stepped forward and stood on a raised platform.

The people looked up at the apostle and fell silent.

Apostle: Everyone, the Living God is not here.

Apostle: I regret to inform you that God has fallen into the hands of a great sinner.

(No way...!)

Apostle: We, the believers of the moon, must punish the sinner and rescue God from the impure land.

With a sorrowful expression like an actor on stage, the apostle pointed at Kamal.

Apostle: That person over there is the great sinner who once kidnapped the Living God and filled his mind with wicked ideas.

Apostle: They are also the mastermind behind this recent turmoil.

The look in the people's eyes changed.

From the eyes of the weak seeking salvation, to the eyes of justice filled with hostility.

Apostle: Everyone, please lend me your strength. Let us rescue God with our own hands.

The judgment of the people who worshiped God was swift.

Without doubting the apostle's words, they surged towards the great sinner.

(I have to protect Kamal!)

Silvio: Hey, what are we goin' to do!?

Kamal: Of course, we're going to run! I'm a delicate girl!

Kamal also turned his back without hesitation, but before that, the people at the front picked up the remains of the ruins.

Emma: Watch out!

I threw myself forward to protect Kamal from the thrown debris.

Emma: ...Ouch.

Kamal: Emma!?

It hit my shoulder and fell to the ground before it could reach Kamal.

(It hurts... but I can bear it...)

Emma: I'm alright, so hurry...!

Kamal: You bastards! I'll **** every single one of you!

(He suddenly changed...!? )

Just as I heard a torrent of verbal abuse so vile that my ears refused to process it, Kamal shattered his beautiful façade and started cracking his knuckles with a ferocious expression.

Silvio: Idiot, get the hell out of here! Things will get out of hand if you stay!

Prince Silvio stopped Kamal, who looked like he was about to charge in, by grabbing him by the scruff of his neck.

Kamal: Let go! I can't forgive them!

Silvio: This isn't about forgivin' or not forgivin', just put your weak woman disguise back on, it's troublesome!

Emma: Both of you, hide!

We split left and right, diving for cover to avoid the incoming debris from the ruins.

The two of them, hiding in a different place from me, were still arguing.

(Please, just run—)

As I was about to shout, something reached out from behind and covered my mouth.

(No way!?)

Emma: Mmm—!

???: Don't struggle, it's me.

(What...? This voice, is it Prince Azel?)

(...)

(Prince Azel!?)

I turned my head while my mouth was still covered, and there he was, Prince Azel.

(It's not a dream... is it?)

Azel: Don't make a sound, okay?

The black God I saw in my hazy memory was staring into the distance.

Kamal and Prince Silvio were in his line of sight, and they had the same surprised look on their faces as I did, but they quickly nodded and left.

The people, who could only see the great sinner, didn't notice that the God they worshipped was nearby.

Azel: Can you walk?

Emma: Yes, but shouldn't we help Kamal?

Azel: Did it look like he needed help?

(...Maybe not...)

Prince Azel, blending into the dust clouds to avoid the people's eyes, put his hand on my back and started walking.

Not towards the entrance of the temple—but towards the back.

-

Emma: Ah, this place!

There was a door at the back of the temple that blended into the outer wall. Climbing the unlit stairs from this hidden back entrance, which you would never find unless you knew about it, led to this space.

(It really wasn't a dream. The rubble in the hallway was Prince Azel's doing.)

Emma: You tricked me.

Azel: It's your fault for being tricked.

Prince Azel, who readily admitted it, nonchalantly unbuttoned my blouse.

Emma: W-What are you doing!?

Azel: Do I have to explain everything?

Emma: Of course I wouldn't know!?

Holding my half-open blouse, I retreated to the corner of the room.

(I didn't expect to be suddenly undressed in a place like this, an enclosed room with no one around!)

Emma: Shameless God...

Azel: Don't misunderstand. Even if a natural disaster occurred, there's no way I would attack you.

Prince Azel sighed and took a wooden box from a shelf in the room. As I cautiously approached, I saw it contained medical supplies like medicine and bandages.

(...I wonder how long Prince Azel was watching...)

Azel: Do you understand now?

Emma: ...I'm sorry, thank you.

Emma: But, it's not that big of a wound.

Azel: Oh my, to know without even seeing it, your insight is quite impressive.

The God smiled gently and mercifully, then grabbed my shoulder forcefully.

Emma: Gah... Oww...!

Azel: It's not that big of a wound, is it?

(...It hurts... I'm going to cry...)

When I shook my head, he pinched my cheek.

Azel: Hurry up and take it off and sit down. I don't understand why you're so hesitant.

(...That's right. Common sense doesn't apply to Prince Azel.)

Although his words were curt, I couldn't ignore the concern that seeped through them. Suppressing my embarrassment, I sat down on the chair and took off my blouse, exposing my shoulder.

(Oh dear...)

My skin was discolored and swollen, almost too much to look at directly.

(I can't believe it was this bad.)

Azel: Those foolish people... I'll **** them...

(...I think I heard some more dirty, unspeakable curses.)

Prince Azel frowned and left the room, returning shortly with a wet linen cloth. When I winced at the cold sensation enveloping the affected area, he let out a huge sigh above my head.

Azel: It's your own fault. Not to mention the foolish people, but you're also to blame for playing hero.

Emma: ...This is the first time I've been scolded for helping someone.

Azel: Were you taught that it's a virtue?

Azel: Helping someone is something you do when you're absolutely sure you're safe and have the leeway to do so.

Azel: You may have felt refreshed by helping, but the person being helped doesn't feel the same way.

(...My body just moved on its own, but I understand what Prince Azel is trying to say.)

Azel: Don't ever do that again, absolutely never. Are you trying to stop my heart?

Emma: I'm sorry...

Emma: ...Was your heart about to stop?

Azel: .......

Azel: It's common for one's heart to stop when faced with such unprecedented stupidity.

Emma: It's not.

Azel: More importantly, can you raise your arm?

(...He's back to his usual self.)

(The situation in the city has changed, Prince Azel's plans have been revealed, and I was anxious until we met again...)

(The God I've seen all along, the one who's not honest with his words but is a good person at heart, wasn't an illusion.)

I swallowed the words that were overflowing and tried to raise my arm as I was told.

It was excruciatingly painful.

Emma: ...I... I can't...

Azel: You might have broken a bone.

Prince Azel took something like an ointment from the box and skillfully applied it to the discolored area.

During that time, silence fell between us—and finally, my mind began to work properly again.

(I can't be distracted by the pain. Now's the time to ask.)

Emma: Prince Azel... why were you hiding?

Azel: If you found me, the interrogation game would start, wouldn't it?

Emma: That's right.

Azel: ...Could you please show some restraint?

(Prince Azel was probably watching us from somewhere...)

(And he had to come out because I got hurt.)

The more the God's compassion grew, the more the pain intensified, even reaching my chest.

Emma: Please tell me. What's going to happen in Tanzanite?

Emma: What do you want to do?

Azel: Why should I have to explain to an outsider?

His words, sharp and dismissive, left me speechless.

Emma: It's because I'm worried, of course.

Azel: I don't care.

Azel: Besides, you've mostly grasped the situation even without me explaining, haven't you?

Emma: The situation, yes...

(Let's try to organize the events that have happened.)

Emma: The disturbance that Basil caused, shaking the people's faith, led to the attempted assassination of the apostle.

Emma: It seems the apostle is unharmed, but the forces claiming "the death of God" are clashing with the soldiers.

Emma: When I left the city, Basil was rescued by his allies and headed towards the sanctuary.

Emma: The sanctuary is a symbol of faith, so perhaps they intend to take it over.

Emma: Assuming we call Basil and his group the anti-god forces, they have instilled anxiety in the people of the city.

Emma: The people are now hoping that God will grant them salvation.

Emma: However, Prince Azel is hiding, making a statement that "God will not help people."

Emma: Although the apostle has claimed that there's a great sinner who instigated Prince Azel...

Emma: The fact that "God has betrayed the people" will eventually spread among them.

Emma: If God won't help them, they have no choice but to manage on their own.

Emma: Making them think that way is Prince Azel's true aim...

Emma: Isn't your goal to make them take the first step towards a world where they can live without God?

Prince Azel quietly listened as he buttoned my blouse back up and wrapped a bandage around it.

It seemed to be a measure to prevent me from moving my shoulder, as my arm was also immobilized.

Azel: If you understand that much, there's no need to ask any further.

(Some of what I said was speculation, but overall... I was right.)

Emma: The important thing is that this whole series of events is "god-killing."

Emma: Now that it's been proven that the space I saw wasn't a dream...

Emma: I can't just stand by and watch because it "doesn't concern me."

Azel: ......

Emma: This isn't like you, Prince Azel. To risk your own life for the sake of others...

Azel: Who said I was risking my life for the sake of others?

Emma: ...You're not?

(If that's not it, then that's fine. I want it to be that way.)

Azel: I'm dying for my own sake.

My faint hope crumbled like grains of sand.

Azel: I told you, didn't I? I'm their slave.

Azel: All the successive Living Gods have been the same. Forced to perform divination their entire lives, forced to determine the fate of the people.

Azel: I heard there was once a God who ran away because he hated being a slave.

Azel: But the humans desperately brought him back and bound him to the sanctuary.

Azel: No one tries to listen to our will.

(I've seen that situation myself.)

Azel: Of course, it's not entirely the humans' fault. If the sins of the royal family, which I mentioned before, created this situation...

Azel: Then humans are also victims in a sense.

(Prince Azel...)

Azel: And, the Living God is also human.

Azel: Except for the hair color, eye color, and seeing other people's dreams, we're no different from anyone else.

(...So that's how it is.)

(There were traces of studying in the wide variety of books in Prince Azel's room.)

(But if he could see the future with a mysterious power, there would be no need to study.)

(Because he's an ordinary human, I wonder how much effort he's put in behind the scenes to give accurate oracles.)

I remembered the oracles that Prince Azel wrote night after night.

—A feeling of dejection washed over me.

Azel: That's why God is going to die.

Azel: To sever ties with humanity.

After putting away the medical supplies, Prince Azel sat down next to me.

His voice, his expression, the unwavering will I felt in them, brought a heat to my eyes.

Azel: It's a good thing for them too, isn't it?

Azel: The age of God is over, and the age of man is coming.

Azel: They can only become creatures called "true humans" when they can think and act for themselves.

Azel: ...God has taken away their ability to think. It's something that a Living God must eventually return.

(...Is this Prince Azel's form of revenge, or is it mercy?)

(Maybe it's both.)

What lay there wasn't a senseless death, but the death of conviction, wagering the future of the entire nation.

Even though I knew it was something I couldn't persuade him against, my mouth moved.

Emma: ...There's a flaw in your plan, Prince Azel.

Azel: For example?

Emma: The Living God is born in Tanzanite in a certain cycle, right?

Emma: That means... there must have been a "time without God."

Emma: Weren't they worshipping an idol god during those times, regardless of the presence of the Living God?

(Even if you risk your life, I don't think their divination-dependent mentality will change.)

Azel: You really are quick-witted, aren't you?

The God, resigned to his death, laughed and started toying with my cheek as if out of habit.

Azel: You're right, there's no point in just dying.

Azel: As long as the moon exists in this world, the God who is its incarnation won't disappear.

Azel: Therefore, I need to be particular about how I die.

Azel: The moon will leave the people, and God will never be born again. Oracles will cease, and the guaranteed reality will never return.

Azel: Only when the entire nation recognizes that God has "completely disappeared" can God truly die.

Emma: That's unreasonable. No matter how capable you are, Prince Azel, no one can erase the moon.

Emma: Won't it be a pointless death?

Azel: That's what the "plan" is for.

(Does that mean he has a chance of winning?)

Prince Azel wouldn't elaborate any further.

But his expression was full of confidence, and it seemed difficult to dissuade him.

Emma: ...Then, assuming that plan succeeds...

Emma: Wouldn't it be better to fake your death?

Emma: If it's just to show that God is gone, there's no need to actually die.

Azel: You read too many books.

Azel: Faking a death is more difficult than you think. It's not something you can do so easily.

Azel: Especially in my case, my appearance is distinctive. I can't just replace my corpse with another.

Emma: ...Then...

Emma: How about disappearing instead of dying?

Emma: If you seek asylum in another country, no one will know whether God is safe or not.

Emma: Rhodolite, for example... I recommend it. The roses are beautiful, and there's a lot of delicious food.

Emma: So...

*flashback*

Emma: Prince Azel's appearance would stand out in other countries too.

Emma: Even if he could disguise his hair color, there's no way to hide those eyes.

Emma: Even if he faked his death and escaped, there's a high chance he'd be found.

Silvio: The country that sheltered him would be pickin' a fight with Tanzanite. Your point makes sense.

*flashback over*

Azel: You understand, don't you?

Even if I presented other futures, I couldn't arrive at the best answer that could persuade Prince Azel—

All that remained was despair at the unchangeable ending.

Emma: My debt... what will happen to it?

Azel: Please donate it to this temple.

Emma: ...Doesn't it get written off when you die?

Azel: No way. The world isn't that generous.

Azel: I'm very particular about collecting money.

Emma: .........

(I don't know whether to be angry or cry anymore.)

(What should I do?)

(Is it arrogant of me to want to stop his death?)

(To know Prince Azel's convictions and feelings, and still try to trample on them...)

(What's the difference between that and what other people have done to God?)

My vision blurred, and I desperately tried to hold back the tears.

Crying wouldn't change anything, and it would only trouble Prince Azel.

Azel: Ah... alright, alright, I'll write it off. You're happy now, right?

Emma: That's not it. It's just...

Emma: ...It's painful.

*flashback*

???: I have some unfortunate news for you, who yearns for love and desires to know it.

???: Love isn't all that great.

???: Sometimes, it's better to end your life as the innocent you, without knowing anything.

*flashback over*

(...I didn't know.)

(...I didn't know it would be this painful.)

It might be too immature to call it love yet, but I realize that this isn't a feeling you have for a complete stranger.

The moment I inhaled to calm myself, my vision went completely dark—

.

.

.

Romantic Ending Ch. 23

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Before I say anything. I have not seen the original, only Ossan's Love Returns. So although I'm familiar with the characters I can't draw direct parallel with the scenes. I thought about watching it before this one but decided that it might make this one less enjoyable so I'll do that after this one ends. Ignorance is bliss in this case.

I LOVE IT. It's so much fun. I love them. I'm enjoying seeing a different side of Earth. He gets to be over the top, ridiculous, which is a nice change from his usual characters. He also gets to play his age, which shouldn't feel like a plus, yet it does. And Mix, my beloved. I love to watch him act in anything. I like that there's already a history, and he's a pining boy, my personal weakness. He's just lovely and in the first episode mostly shy and reserved, but the fighting has not started yet, so I'm curious to see how he's gonna play that bit of the character. I liked the Boss's speech at the event, because it gave him depth, and it balances out the most eccentric aspects of the character. I think Japan always does this really well with their most silly and over-the-top characters by making them kind and good-hearted that we empathize and root for them regardless. At least that's what always works for me. So I think that tempering the more over-the-top and, for some people, unlikeable aspects of the Boss with this speech right out of the gate, allows us to connect to this character better. I like the ensemble so far. Thor in glasses is the cherry on top. It will be interesting to see how the show balances the comedy with everything else, and I'm not sure if Thailand can pull it off, but I'm hoping it can.

I'm watching this show with my glasses fully tinted and my bias clearly showing so I'm gonna have a good time regardless. But I'm still hoping for it to be great.

[ariesprincesss]

Super Random Astro Observations Pt. II

Just wanted to give a big thank you to the astro community for all of the love on my posts & helping me reach 100 followers!!🫶🫶🫶 (Disclaimer, I am not an astrologer just a silly girl that knows a ton of information on astrology🤓)

-During mercury retrograde last year i actually met and separated from a particular person within that time span which was interesting because i have mercury retrograde natally so usually i don’t feel it as much, but my partner actually didn’t have retrograde mercury so i guess i felt the retrograde by association bc he was gone once mercury went direct.😭

-someone else’s name asteroid conjuct my sun the month i met them in my lunar return chart. This person 100% caught my attention…

-when i was younger i used to think taurus sun men were sooo boring. (i’m a fire sign lol)

-My Solar return had 11h Uranus when I had a friend who I never thought id speak to again randomly reach out to me. We talk daily now! I also started my astrology blog this year on a whim too lol.

-Sagittarius mercury in 11th house in a virgo degree in lunar return chart- the month i started my astrology blog!

-one of the closest friendships i have ever had, my moon was their rising ,& their rising was moon! (they were also a sag sun & u guys know i loveee sags sm.)

-a relationship i had where his venus was in my 1st house he was very much obsessed with me & always told me how beautiful i was. I didn’t feel the same attraction he had for me tho tbh so take this placement lightly😭.

-something i 100% recommend if looking to predict “fated” events use your natal vertex and look at different transits to it😗

-idk if it’s just me but gemini/sag/ aquarius /aries placements being potheads?? i’ve seen a trend im not sure if that’s like rlly accurate or not😭 i could also see cancer/scorpio/pisces placements too!

-this person I was friends with had their sun in my 12h & i felt like they were my BIGGEST undercover hater. like i just distinctly remember how odd they would treat me at times…

-the year i moved i had 4h pluto in the solar return chart!

-looking back on it another year i had libra rising in solar return chart i was absolutely feeling myself, took so many pictures, changed up my aesthetic, changed my hair color , played around with my fashion etc. just freely expressed myself! felt sm more attractive to ppl especially w 1st ruler in the 7th. Definitely felt like my “glow up” year.

-7h stellium solar return chart ,7h ruler 9h Mars ,8h ruler in the 7th , Sun, Venus, & Uranus -i became like super obsessive over my guy friend i made at school that year😭 like I wanted him so badly but couldn’t bring myself to experience rejection…so i was just like super sad over that for whatever reason ? idk, yall know how it is when ur young lol.

-Uranus 7h solar return- did some online dating that year…. it was also in the 9th degree & all of the relationships were mainly online & long distance.

[cadere-art]

2024 Year in Review.

2024 was an overall very good year for art for me (probably in part because it was the first year ever that I was not a student). Like all years, it had its "way up" and "way down" periods - art for me is on a boom and bust cycle. 2024 was also a somewhat bad year for health, which impacted my art considerably at some moments.

January was phenomenal in terms of worldbuilding. March and April were quite quiet. May was better. June and July were high months - in June, I designed my fursona and in July, I tried out a new brush which sincerely revolutionized my lineart process. Sometimes the right brush can make a world of difference. August was quiet on account of my long-awaited trip to Peru, and it took me a few weeks to recover afterwards. I spent most of September drawing plants, and most of October frantically drawing fauna, until I got COVID and was nerfed for a month and a half. November was mostly bad, but I did manage to fix my sleep schedule (something I thought would never happen), and the change seems to be sticking (at the expense of making art, because I'm no longer drawing 'til 2 am). December ended on a high note, with me finishing three long-standing projects within the months and quitting my shit job on the 31st.

January 2025 seems to be starting on a high note. I'm trying to lead my personal life in new directions this year - more art, more ambition, more time on things that bring me joy, and less on things that don't.

[frogatz]

hi . it has been over a year since i made this and i wanted to do a little retrospective :] lots of oversharing under the cut. mostly about covid .

i find a lot of value in this thing i made, so while i air out what this meant to me at the time i hope it doesn’t just read as pointless vent art. i wanted to get something across here. with that said, i have had covid two (2!) times and without being too explicit abt it, both instances left me disabled in new and exciting ways.

the first time i got covid i drew this for a class.

it was 2022, and several factors abt that period of time left me with a lot of feelings about surveillance, especially the way it was interacting with my very very sick mind. i made containers after getting covid for a second time a year and a half later, and was still processing what that meant for all the progress i lost. i consider this the kind of blueprint for containers, and personally count it as an unofficial, too early part of the zine. i tried to pay homage to it with the cover, but i think in the end they portray different things, with the cloud of sickness being more at the forefront in containers.

there is a through line i wanted to draw with “as above, so below”. i worried it would be too hard to understand what was going on since its flipped upside down, but i felt it was important enough that anybody who cared would find a way to view it LOL. the actual phrase and Symbol itself obviously has religious ties, but to be completely honest i am more interested in my personal interpretation . something about sameness, something about futility, but at the same time unexpected opportunity. as above, so below: you will find the same thing regardless of which direction you choose.

in the first panel we see a new box, and a yet unobserved statue. the “as above, so below” statue represents the unknown truth of the situation. we depart from that thread (but not really) to view something that is very personal to me: my house! or part of a house i used to live in. those 3 rooms were my enclosure when i got ill. it’s where i felt the most trapped. i am earnestly happy to not live there anymore

returning to “as above, so below” in the third panel, we can see that time has passed. the walls have been scraped, the statue has been clawed at, and there is a sense of surrender. this also ties in with the next panel, which i honestly wasn’t sure if i was going include in the zine. it harkens back to the blueprint in intention, so i ultimately didn’t end up replacing it.

the container is less defined in this one, so it’ll take some explaining. the square is centered around the head, tapered in a way that i wanted to invoke some sort of spotlight. post-covid i made the decision to seek out a cane, and a lot of grief and shame came along with it. i was back to being perceived, and i was back to being dependent.

the fifth panel shows an escape, and this is where the flipped perspective in “as above, so below” becomes the most important. looking at it as it is, it looks as if the tunnel has been dug down, deeper into the earth. then of course, if you flip it to be right side up you can read it as a tunnel upwards, towards whatever freedom might be waiting. at the time i was asking the question of if it mattered which direction it truly was going in. this was a time of self reflection and discovery for me all things considered, so i threw in a little something for me in the following panel. curiosity, a little machinery rep, and the “container” actually being a beam of light in the pitch dark, focused on the surroundings rather than the self . it’s the most overtly happy panel i think.

i broke up the “as above, so below” sequence to imply time, but im glad i laid out the final 3 panels the way i did. the transition between the last two was a happy accident that changed my own perception of what’s going on, and it’s interesting to me that this is only visible side by side like this in This version. the pdf is not laid out like this, it couldn’t be viewed this way on instagram either.

at the time i remember the original vision with the last panel is that i had created a pattern and i wanted to subvert it, although i can’t remember to what end. white is the container, and black is what defines it. there’s something there, but when i worked on this i felt like i was letting a lot of things go, so when the end took shape i just kind of let it happen.

i wanted to escape and become Something, and that’s where the hope was hidden for me. either genuine improvement or being comfortable where i was , i was just hoping for Something. i like it to be honest !! i think it was an important step for me, even if that knowledge comes mostly in hindsight.

anywaysss . that’s all ^.^ i hope i do not get horrifically embarrassed about airing out my thoughts like this but i am always proud of the deeper intentions i like to put into art . i do it often

hi . containers

[thestuffedalligator]

Book one of the My Teacher Is An Alien series: Oooo the substitute teacher you don’t like is an alien! Wacky antics while we try to unmask him! He hates Earth music, so play your flute at him until he breaks!

Book four of the My Teacher Is An Alien series: Three children are tasked with finding evidence of decency and civility on Earth to determine whether the human species is fit to join the galactic council. Through this, they witness the gross excess of capitalism that can allow warehouses of food to waste away while children starve. They see the black heart of cruelty and apathy, and it makes them furious and want to do something to change it. Their findings will determine whether the galactic council will allow the planet to continue developing or if it should be destroyed now before humans develop space flight and start interstellar war. Humans used to be telepathic.

[katabay]

original thief series basso & garrett :)

ngl, it's about quality over quantity for me. an npc can have a total of three minutes of screen time, but if they have a cool name, they can live rent free in my head and I'll spend several hours trying to decipher drawable features from a blurry screenshot of pixels

there is a vague hint of a story here, and that's because every time I try to play thi4f, I get incredibly frustrated with how Not Fun the game play is. like, is the story good? well. but it has a PLAGUE. that should've given it instant 'I'll replay this once a year' status in my heart, but the game play sucks so bad that I've never finished it. I can't believe Not Fun gameplay beat out my obsession with narrative plagues.

anyway, the idea is basically if the original era had a game with a plague centric narrative and some other stuff I liked out of thi4f thrown into a narrative blender, with a heavy dash of horror thrown in because some parts of the thief games were scarier to me than entire dedicated horror genre games.

⭐ places I’m at! bsky / pixiv / pillowfort /cohost / cara.app

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

Asunder

slow-paced high fantasy

a woman who has a contract with an eldritch entity allowing her to see the dead & survives by taking various jobs

when a job searching for stranded smugglers in a cave goes wrong, she ends up with the soul of a dying stranger bound to her shadow

along with a scholar and her old childhood friend, they travel to his home country to find a way to unbind him and save them both

dark fantasy world with gods, demonic entities, arcane magic, and semi-sentient beasts used as transport

[shvdwscng]

her  silence  and  evasiveness  had  certainly  left  the  commander's  mind  spinning  each  time  he  attempted  to  inquire.  now,  as  curious  as  he  was,  he  had  been  careful  in  his  inquiring,  never  too  direct  but  slipping  in  tidbits  of  his  own  childhood  in  day  court  in  hopes  that  she'd  share  hers.  what  she  did  share  however  were  vague  bits  that  did  began  to  connect  over  time,  but  never  quite  fully  forming  a  complete  picture.  the  only  thing  she'd  offered  him  entirely  was  tales  of  her  travels  as  he'd  once  requested  from  her  but  whenever  the  topic  circled  to  her  court,  it  wasn't  hard  to  miss  how  nerina  went  out  of  her  way  to  either  change  the  topic  or  return  it  to  him.  what  she  did  share  was  how  beautiful  her  court  was,  what  her  people  were  like  as  whole  but  of  the  dragomirs?  nothing.  it  certainly  had  fueled  his  suspicions  of  what  was  spoken  between  him  and  cedrian,  of  whatever  he  could  uncover  from  high  lady  alina  -  which  was  also  not  much  it  seemed.  perhaps  another  in  his  place  would  see  this  as  something  to  wary  of,  but  it  seemed  neither  his  high  lord  nor  alistair  himself  would  ever.  it  did  nothing  to  dissuade  the  commander,  when  he'd  all  but  found  himself  tangled  into  a  complication  of  wanting  this  lady  in  his  arms  more  than  anything  else.  he  should  be  wary  of  what  he  could  find,  but  he  was  not,  only  perhaps  a  different  ache  of  what  had  gone  in  her  family  that  left  her  so  tight-lipped.  so  when  he  urges  her  to  share,  even  now  as  he  all  but  reveals  how  much  he  wishes  to  be  with  her,  wants  to  embed  himself  in  every  bit  of  her  being,  her  words  do  cause  him  to  pause.  his  gaze  shifting  fully  to  meet  her,  not  entirely  surprise  of  her  words  but  in  the  manner  that  she  spoke  them.  "i  will  give  you  all  the  time,  so  long  as  you  intend  to  open  yourself  to  me."  he  knew  he  couldn't  push,  but  what  he  could  do  was  show  her  how  he  would  be  here.  that  their  little  game  that  had  began  had  evolved  into  something  that  neither  expected  and  neither  could  fight.  tucking  her  hair  gently  behind  her  ears,  he  pressed  a  kiss  to  her  temple,  "i  will  do  what  i  can  to  make  it  just  a  bit  easier  for  you  each  day."  it  was  then  he  knew,  without  a  doubt,  she  had  never  allowed  anyone  and  it  was  a  terrifying  thought  for  her,  but  then  wasn't  it  for  him,  too?  a  man  who  never  wished  to  settle,  certainly  not  after  watching  his  best  friend  grieve  his  wife  and  the  love  his  life  as  he  had,  now  wanted  nothing  more  than  to  call  this  captivating  his  lady  own?  it  was  gamble  for  him  too.  her  words  do  send  his  racing,  "together."  he  repeats  in  a  lower  murmur,  relieve  settling  in  him  to  hear  her  confirm  he  wasn't  alone  in  this.

truly,  it  was  hard  to  believe  she  thought  herself  as  a  wallflower,  when  nothing  about  her  from  her  beauty,  to  her  quick  wit,  and  sense  of  humor  would  ever  have  another  draw  that  conclusion.  he  supposed  he  hadn't  helped  matters  when  he  knew,  they  both  knew  he'd  perused  initially  only  for  his  high  lord's  sake.  then  so  had  she,  he  was  aware  of  this  too.  did  his  actions  somehow  add  cause  to  her  thoughts  of  herself?  he  supposed  he'd  be  working  every  moment  they  had  together  to  prove  to  her  she  was  nothing  of  that  sort  in  his  gaze  .  everything  about  her  was  unforgettable,  how  else  would  he  describe  every  night  he'd  laid  awake  in  his  bed  longing  to  go  to  her?  how  he  was  counting  minutes  and  hours  until  he  could  see  her  next  when  he  was  tied  up  in  commander  duties.  "it  never  was  true,  just  because  you  believe  so,  doesn't  make  it  so,  my  lady."  he  murmured,  but  his  words  and  voice  were  entirely  firm.  "nothing  about  you  can  be  mistaken  for  a  wallflower.  perhaps  you  did  not  notice,  but  i  did,  of  every  male  gaze  here  that  turned  in  your  direction  when  you  made  your  way  to  me  here."  alistair  took  great  pleasure  in  this  because  she  had  been  focused  on  the  commander  that  she  did  not  notice  her  admirers.  he  doesn't  waste  a  moment  when  he  see's  the  yearning  in  her  gaze  that  reflects  his  own,  claiming  her  mouth  in  a  searing  kiss  that  left  no  room  for  doubt.  the  moment  she  returned  kiss  with  equal  passion,  she  had  told  him  all  that  he  wished  to  know.  she  was  his.  he  never  quite  denied  himself  his  desires,  but  with  her  it  had  been  a  first  he  had  waited,  showed  such  an  incredible  amount  of  patience  that  certainly  had  been  worth  it.  "i  will  always  be  here  to  catch  you,  nerina,  i  swear  on  my  life.  you  don't  trust  easily,  i  will  prove  to  you,  i  can  be  trusted."  he  pressed  another  lingering  kiss  to  her  lips,  shifting  back  enough  to  peer  into  her  gaze.  "do  you  still  wish  to  be  here?  i  wish  to  be  alone  with  you."  he  would  leave  it  up  to  her  what  she  wished  to  do,  but  he  was  certain  he  wasn't  mistaking  her  desire.

the  way  she  was  raised  had  created  a  tangle  of  memories  with  sharp  edges  and  wounds  that  never  fully  healed.  spots  in  her  soul  that  scarred  over  and  still  ached  from  time  to  time.  nerina  didn't  like  to  think  of  her  childhood,  of  the  sounds  her  father's  feet  made  as  they  echoed  through  the  halls  of  the  summer  court.  children's  laughter  wa  rare,  warm  hugs  forgotten,  and  care  from  a  parent  all  but  impossible.  staff  stepped  in,  tried  to  help,  but  it  could  only  do  so  much.  her  siblings  were  distant  portraits  more  than  close  friends,  even  if  that  changed  as  of  late.  her  father  was  a  myth  more  than  a  man,  focused  on  his  own  vices  and  alina  rather  than  the  rest  of  them.  and  her  mother  ?  a  ghost  that  lingered  in  nerina's  reflection  but  never  stayed  long  enough  to  actually  help  the  girl.  in  truth,  if  nerina  talked  of  her  childhood  it  would  come  across  as  if  she  didn't  love  her  siblings,  and  she  did  so  incredibly  fiercely.  but  love  wasn't  enough  to  save  them  from  their  childhood,  and  in  their  adulthood  it  wasn't  easy  to  navigate  one  another.  the  way  they  grew  up  all  formed  their  traumas,  and  nerina's  had  taken  on  the  habit  of  being  incredibly  guarded  and  running  away  from  everything.  so  in  her  unwillingness  to  share  her  family  with  alistair,  it  had  far  more  to  do  with  her  mind  and  her  upbringing  than  not  trusting  him.  his  request  makes  her  bite  her  lip,  and  the  only  words  she  can  share  are,  "  be  patient  with  me,  alistair.  some  parts  of  my  soul  are  hard  to  share.  "  the  admission  flies  from  her  tongue  with  an  ease  she  hadn't  expected,  and  she  hopes  that  he  understands.  she  needs  him  to  understand.  even  if  it  hadn't  been  meant  to  happen  –  if  alistair  was  meant  to  mean  nothing  to  her,  bounding  into  her  life  with  his  charm  and  arrogance,  a  tongue  slicked  with  wit  and  dangerous  intentions  –  he'd  changed  all  her  plans.  that  flirty  banter  of  his  no  longer  seemed  laced  with  bad  intentions,  but  desires  that  threatened  to  pull  her  under.  his  sharp  arrogance  turned  into  a  charming  confidence,  and  nerina  found  that  she  wanted  to  linger  in  his  orbit  just  a  little  longer  each  time.  he  wasn't  just  another  face  in  the  crowd  anymore,  not  a  temporary  thrill  to  pass  the  time.  he  was  someone  she  wanted.  letting  him  in  would  be  terrifying,  but  she  knew  she  needed  to.  alistair  wasn't  someone  who  wanted  to  tame  her  either,  he  was  someone  who  complimented  her  very  soul.  "  i  think  we're  already  doing  that  together.  "  she  mumbles,  caught  up  in  the  heightened  moment,  the  emotions  swirling  in  her  chest  taking  over.

nerina  had  always  been  a  wallflower,  even  when  she  was  surrounded  by  friends  or  family  who  spoke  to  her  there  had  always  been  a  part  that  lingered  in  the  shadows.  she  preferred  it  this  way,  safe  and  able  to  observe  at  the  edge  of  the  space.  it  was  safe  there,  quieter.  for  someone  who  wasn't  a  social  butterfly  unless  she  needed  to  act  like  one,  wasn't  happy  to  be  at  events  like  this,  it  was  quite  substantial  that  she  would  happily  endure  it  with  alistair  at  her  side.  he  changed  her,  he  saw  her  in  a  way  nobody  other  than  her  siblings  ever  had  before.  and  he  found  her  in  the  place  she'd  often  gotten  overlooked.  they  didn't  meet  on  her  ship,  or  in  a  tavern  where  she  came  to  life,  they  met  at  court  where  she  remained  at  the  edge  of  the  room.  "  maybe  not  anymore.  "  she  agrees.  her  siblings  were  used  to  her  disappearing,  they  wouldn't  look  for  her  because  they  knew  she  was  fine.  it  wasn't  a  lack  of  care  but  an  understanding  of  who  she  was.  but  alistair,  he  may  know  her  but  he  would  still  notice  anything  she  did.  and  when  they  kissed  it  felt  like  sealing  her  fate  in  a  way  she  never  expected  to  want  before.  the  taste  of  him  lingered  on  her  lips,  a  promise  and  a  challenge  all  at  once.  alistair  was  something  entirely  new  to  her,  someone  who  didn't  fit  into  her  life  but  carved  out  a  space  for  himself  that  none  other  could  ever  fit.  she  couldn't  get  enough  of  him  either,  so  when  he  deepened  the  kiss  she  was  happy  to  let  him,  the  flavor  of  his  lips  bursting  in  her  mouth  and  making  her  want  more.  she  wouldn't  have  pulled  away,  but  the  distant  sound  of  music  reminds  her  that  they  are  still  at  the  festival.  his  words  send  a  thrill  down  her  spine,  and  she  feels  herself  clinging  to  him  at  this  point.  "  only  if  you  promise  to  always  catch  me.  "  because  stars,  she  was  already  falling  so  hard.

[gojooooo]

man i love open endings. the fact that thanks to yuuji there might indeed be the next time sukuna talks about in case some idiot decides to eat a finger again. and we need fics where yuuji is that idiot

[puhpandas]

steel wool has the hugest opportunity in the world for a sb 2 like. vanny cassie plotline of her having been manipulated by mimic to be its new minion by framing Gregory during the elevator scene to cut off her one support system. gregory vanessa and freddy protags fleshing them out with dialogue as characters but also their motivations and what theyve been doing for years. have their long absence in games period but also in universe from helping the glamrocks/setting up mxes be explained by showcasing their fear and trauma by them just wanting to get away and they thought they were safe but they werent. have cassie be the reason they have to jump back into the fray and realize no matter what they do theyll have to kill mimic for good to be truly free even if they're afraid. plot of the game is Gregory trying to convince cassie he didnt do it and that shes being tricked and it takes all campaign to get through to her, probably after an intense dramatic climax. have Roxy be there by Cassies side to show how Freddy abandoning them at the Plex affected her and the 2 sides of the same coin the 2 of them have going on regarding sentience and their relationship with the characters they were designed to be with Freddy who got to be free and roxy who didnt. the actual vanny comes back as a big betrayal towards mimic after killing glitchtrap in hw2, either to become an antihero or to try and take over as mastermind. superstar duo reunite and names cleared. throughout the campaign Gregory finds out about ggy and its revealed in a room with documents about patient 46 and tapes where a final tape is found and Gregory speaks in it or is addressed by name. he grapples with it and not remembering it. btw setting is a modern day fallfest which is like amusement park size instead of small festival. boom peak game