#you cannot claim to be smart with money if you want to throw away anything that slightly inconveniences you

[dentist-brainsurgeon]

Living with old people is really damn infuriating

My grandma bought a new washing machine 2 years ago bc the old one broke, understandable, it was old and not worth the cost to fix it. But she doesn't like the one she bought(two years ago) and instead of having it inspected, she wants to BUY ANOTHER ONE. And it's just like, why the fuck did you buy this one in the first place and why didn't you exchange it when you noticed the problem?? Anytime a machine has a problem she wants to replace it instead of literally any other solution and it makes me want to bash my head into a wall

[morsking]

james somerton released an apology video and while i'm in the middle of finishing multiple essays for uni the only thing i can think of is that if you didn't want it to get this bad you should have never done what you did. all of us in academia spend a lot, and i mean a lot of time making sure our sources are thoroughly credited throughout our research and we do all that work because we respect our colleagues in the field, the work they did, not to mention ourselves and the work we are trying to do to contribute to extant conversations. because if we don't then things aren't fair, we don't get anywhere claiming other people's work as our own. nobody would ever look up to that or want anything to do with that. what would be the point? why did he think it would be different if he did it? that he would be the special golden grifter that would get away with it? finding smart ideas and throwing them up at people doesn't make you smart. real prestige isn't borrowed.

what somerton has done is show what an infuriatingly manipulative and entitled scammer he is. entitled to attention, to people's work, to the money they rightfully should have made for it that he took and bullied and silenced people over when they came to him asking to be fairly represented in his content. it's all excuses. i honestly cannot imagine what it takes for someone to be that self-centered and think you're the exception to basic fucking rules about intellectual honesty and respect. how much time did he have and how much money did he rip off from people to think about what he was doing? i think the answer is way too fucking much. but when you're a plagiarizing fraud i guess thinking is another thing you can't be bothered to do yourself.

[papa-rhys]

Thoughts on Jack and His Borderline Personality Disorder and How It Shows Through His Behaviour - Because I Cannot Stop Analysing Things That Ultimately Aren’t Important

Symptoms/behaviours under the cut because holy hell this guy has a lot of them. Like, honey, are you okay?

Okay, so I’m pretty sure I can trace Jack’s BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) back to his grandmother. His mum abandoned him, which shows a reckless/irresponsible behaviour and her mum had fits of rage that didn’t correlate at all with the trigger (ie; drowning Jack’s cat because he didn’t make his bed). So I think he has a family history of it, with both his mother and grandmother having BPD and passing it down to him.

Either way, Jack definitely has it. In fact, he’s a textbook case of it.

Impulsivity

Spending sprees: he bought a pony made of diamonds because he was bored and throws money at all kinds of ventures to keep him occupied and because he wants to. I really don’t know how else to describe this one lol. He bought a pony. Made of diamonds. Because he could.

Gambling: won some of the things on his trophy shelf through poker and owns an entire casino. Hunting the Vaults themselves were a huge gamble too, especially the first two, since he wasn’t truly sure that they existed. He was prepared to sacrifice a lot in order to come out on top in both his career and his social standing. All in all, he’s reckless.

Binge eating: he doesn’t even like pretzels, but still eats them because he’s either bored or stressed. Talks about food quite a bit in conversation, too, especially his cravings.

Substance abuse: admits to being high on uppers for the duration of the pre sequel (and his time on Elpis as a whole) and tells further anecdotes about drugs and getting high in tftbl.

Promiscuity/unsafe sex: nothing about having sex with Nisha is safe lol. But in all seriousness, there’s no way to prove this one. He does strike me as the reckless sex sort though. No proof, just 7 years of knowing him as a character.

Emotional instability

Inappropriate trigger response: he strangles a man to death for simply mentioning his wife, stabs Lilith for talking about Angel, and tries to kill Rhys for not being sure about his grand plan (more on this later). His response to triggers is disproportionate, often resulting in extreme anger over small things that don’t warrant that intense of a reaction. He gets big angry about almost everything; there’s no middle ground. His reaction is never really “you’re annoying me a lot” or “don’t talk about that, I don’t like it.” His reaction to almost everything is “oh my god I will murder your first born child how dare you-”

Quickly changing mood: aside from being prone to fits of rage at the flick of a switch, Jack also flicks back to “normal” pretty quickly, too. He flips between telling you to kill yourself after surviving the train and then talks casually about his day. He’ll be filled with rage after Angel’s death and then suddenly he’s laughing about you jumping into lava and having fun tricking you into visiting his grandmother. He can be intensely angry or sorrowful one moment and then nonchalant and sociable the next. His moods don’t last very long.

Idolisation/devaluation

Jack does this with numerous people across the games, but the two shining examples are Moxxi and Rhys; Rhys being the most notable. He idolises Moxxi, complimenting her on how attractive she is and how smart she is and including her in his circle of close friends/teammates. Then the inevitable happens and she lets him down and he instantly changes his opinion on her as if he’d never thought she was good to begin with. The same happens with Rhys. Throughout tftbl, Jack is best friends with Rhys and seems to form a one-sided connection with him where he idolises him and thinks they’re going to be best friends for ever and that they’re the perfect team. You cannot make him mad at you in tftbl (trust me, I’ve tried). He’s encouraging to Rhys the whole way through, like they’re brothers. Then the second Rhys displays doubts about something Jack is passionate about, Jack reacts violently and completely devalues Rhys, claiming him to be his mortal enemy and trying to kill him. People with BPD do this often. They have strong convictions and have a tendency to feel betrayed by people who go against those convictions. Jack does this regularly and it leads to the breakup of a lot of his relationships.

Paranoia

He vented a room full of scientists into space, just in case. I mean, that pretty much sums it up, really. Jack is under a lot of stress at this point in the game and stress-induced paranoia is a particularly difficult symptom of BPD. With him already feeling the pressure, the mention of a possible mole is a huge trigger for Jack. Especially since he’s reeling from the recent betrayal from a friend. His brain is already working over time, planting uneasy feelings of distrust and being unsafe. So when he’s presented with the idea from an outside source, he runs with it. Betrayal goes on to become a big button to push in Jack’s life to the extent that he actively betrays people before they get a chance to betray him (ie; killing Wilhelm). Paranoia feeds into a lot of Jack’s bad decisions, particularly in the pre sequel era.

Delusion

Jack wasn’t lying when he told us that he’s the hero. He absolutely was not the hero at all, but he wasn’t lying about it. Because lying about something implies that you know it’s not true, and Jack genuinely believes he’s a good person. The best person, in fact. It’s not a lie because in his mind, it’s the god given truth. He’s massively delusional, even before the events of the pre sequel. He’ll spout all the cheesy 80s movie lines about saving the moon and being the hero and he thinks he’s the protagonist of his own big adventure. We know that’s not what’s happening, but Jack doesn’t see it that way. Another delusion is the idea he has about how much everyone loves him. He thinks Moxxi is obsessed with him and he thinks Angel is being forced to work against him. He cannot conceive of a world in which people don’t like him or agree with him. Because why wouldn’t they agree with him? He’s the hero. Everybody loves the hero...

Intense but unstable relationships

Moxxi, Angel, Lilith, the Vault Hunter; I could go on. Jack’s relationships with people are volatile and rocky, even when they’re seemingly on the same side like with Moxxi or even Nisha (who he forms a tight bond with very quickly). People with BPD feel all emotions intensely, which causes a roller coaster. Jack really likes Moxxi, but then he doesn’t want to talk to her, but then he wants her on the team, but then he gets mad at her for calling him a pet name and beign friendly, and then he’s telling her she’s sexy, and then he’s cursing her, and then he’s hanging pictures of her in his casino. It’s the same with Angel - he subjects her to physical torture, then he loves her, then he’s mad at her for helping the Vault Hunter, then he’s doting on her, then he’s manipulating her, then he’s grieving for her. Everything is a whirlwind.

Distorted self-image

Oh boy. Jack has this physically and mentally. Mentally in the sense that he thinks he’s a good person when he actions are abhorrent and also because he’s massively insecure. BPD often comes with a lack of identity, which causes insecurity to begin with. Throw that in a pot alongside some childhood abuse, betrayal, work place bullying, and grief, and you got yourself a big pot of insecurity soup. Put plainly, Jack doesn’t really know who he is at his baseline. His personality and interests and ideas and needs all change on an hourly basis. He morphs to suit his circumstances. He can be open, honest and down to earth when he’s trying to trick Rhys. He can be full of worry and desperation when he needs you to head to grandma’s house. He can be cunning and clever when he’s tricking you into killing Wilhelm. He can be fatherly, he can be nasty, he can be torturous, he can be laid back, he can be clever, he can be ignorant, he can be sheepish, he can be cocky. He’s everyone and no one all at once and this probably leaves him feeling very hollow and empty; which is another symptom of BPD. In the physical sense, Jack issues with self image are pretty clear. He wears a face over his face to hide his face. Yup. And he does this because he thinks he’s disgracefully ugly. This scar he’s so vehemently protective of is something that defines his whole persona going forward. He literally claims himself as Handsome Jack, forcing people to adhere to the idea that he’s so attractive that it should be his title. Even though he doesn’t feel that way and does everything he can to hide the real him. He thinks he’s hideous and he struggles between loving himself and hating himself because of it.

Fear of abandonment

Aaaand here we are at the crux of the problem. BPD boils down to the intense fear of abandonment and this is probably what guides Jack for most of his life. His father died, his mother literally abandoned him, his grandmother neglected him, his first wife died, second wife left, girlfriend and friends betrayed him, and daughter killed herself to get away from him. Abandonment is practically coded into Jack’s DNA at this point and every time it happens, it confirms his fears more. He clings to Moxxi after she betrays him - taking her ideas to try and rile her up and even going as far as to recreate her entire bar in his casino because he wants to keep her presence around. He fights tooth and claw against Angel’s rebellion, begging both her and you to stop what you’re doing and leave. The only time he begs you is when he’s facing perceived abandonment, that’s how strong the fear is. His final words to Angel are “I’ll still forgive you.” Jack isn’t a forgiving man by any stretch, but he’ll say anything he has to in order to prevent her from leaving him. He’ll stalk people, he’ll manipulate them, he’ll lie to them or keep them physically locked up - all to prevent them from abandoning him. The worst possible thing that could happen to Jack is that, and we see the spiral he slips into after Angel. After Moxxi. After the Meriff. After his wife. He can’t bare the thought of someone leaving him and he’ll do anything and everything to prevent his fears becoming a reality.

So yeah! There it is, I finally got around to posting it lol. There’s probably a lot more little details that I’ve forgotten, but I cannot think of them right now. I’ll probably update if I think of any more! The tl;dr is that almost all of Jack’s behaviour can be linked to massively untreated BPD. He needed meds and therapy, but he didn’t get them and he spiralled as a result.

[yan-twst]

Headcanons for the Yandere! Dorm leaders throwing a birthday party for f!MC since is her first birthday in Twisted Wonderland and at the end of the party she kiss them on their cheek and telling them that their the best friend she could ever ask for (she doesn't know that their yandere for them). You are the best writer ❤️

warnings: general yandere themes

riddle rosehearts

riddle is... so conflicted

he’s been tossing and turning every night, trying to push down the dark and honestly just wrong, evil emotions he feels when he sees his crush- even during the party, it’s difficult to not snap at others when they get too close...

in one hand, getting a kiss from them makes him melt. riddle has received so little physical affection in his life, that having someone he loves so so so much kiss his cheek is absolute paradise

and then... he’s suddenly sent back to earth. ah. a friend- of course. he clenches his fists and just goes silent. logically, he understands: he hasn’t confessed, but...

it’s clear to everyone riddle just leaves in a foul mood after that, but everyone chalks it up to him being flustered from the kiss. little do they all know, he’s trying his best to not blow up; DOESN’T SHE GET IT?! he set up this whole party for them, the best party she’d ever have- he got them a beautiful gift, so why...! DOESN’T SHE  REALIZE?! he isn’t trying to befriend them; he wants their heart...!

from then on, riddle will begin to be much more clear with his intentions. he’ll act almost as if he was already dating his crush, intimidating heartslabyul students (and other dorms’ students if he has to) from getting too close, monopolizing their time with tea parties and such; and when he confesses, he better hear a yes, or he might have a “little outburst”

leona kingscholar

leona can’t even believe he put the effort into this- personally, he’d be pissed if for his birthday, someone tried to pull all the celebrations his dorm had set up (with his help), but... well, seeing his crush having fun and enjoying the traditional afterglow savannah-style celebration makes it almost worth it

of course, everyone is on their best behaviour. even dancing or goofing off, it’s clear the usually rowdy and enthusiastic savanaclaw students are keeping their distance from the special guest

... because they’d been thoroughly warned by leona to not try any shit. his crush is his, his prey, his target; leona isn’t very subtle about it at all, not with his flirting and teasing

which makes it all the more infuriating when his little herbivore presses a kiss to his cheek and then calls him a friend

leona has no hesitation in growling and pressing them against his chest, face inches away from them, even as he watches them panic and ask what’s going on

does she think he’d go through all of this for just anyone, huh? he could be resting now, but instead he chose to go through all the trouble to set up a birthday party of all things- are herbivores really that dense?

he has no shame on just kissing them right then and there, whether they want to or not. it’s not like anyone from his dorm is going to intervene: they’ve been all thoroughly warned to not get between a lion and his prey- and leona’s got his prey right in his hands

azul ashengrotto

azul has been doing all he can to not fuck this up. he knows that every time he hangs out with his new best friend he acts a bit odd- bits and pieces of his smooth attitude broken by the swirling emotions in his chest, the desire to just take them and hide them away that he can’t seem to push away...

he’s more than happy to celebrate their birthday in the monstro lounge. really, he’ll make it their best birthday! azul has no shame in hooking some poor souls into contracts so they have to work to decorate the lounge from top to bottom just for his crush’s birthday

... so why.... why... after all his effort- not just now, but all the effort he’s put into making himself look like the best possible option... is he being pushed back to being a friend...?

even though azul has become quite good at masking sadness over the years, it’s clear that after his crush says that, he’s... not right. he’ll end up leaving early to just bawl, reduced to a crybaby octopus again

oh, but once he’s gotten all those tears out, azul will steel himself. he has to take a different approach, it seems- his passive and friendly role isn’t working, is it?

so maybe it’s time he takes a more forceful approach to this budding relationship. the people up here in the land do say ‘love blooms in adversity’, don’t they? he’s sure his darling will come around; he just has to be... a bit more persuasive, hook them in and keep them to himself

kalim al-asim

is it truly kalim if he’s not throwing a party? kalim spares no expenses for his crush’s birthday party- parades of elephants and dancers, live entertainment, cooks from all over the world, the finest ingredients money can buy; not to mention the gifts, things so expensive they’re worth more than the entire contents of the scarabia’s treasury

although others see kalim as a kind but ultimately airheaded boy, they’d be impressed at how good he’s at just... hiding his feelings. he’s been through a lot in his life- poisoning attempts, kidnappings, threats of assassination... so something as silly as hiding his crush on his close friend?

he can do that with his hands tied! besides, he’s a naturally affectionate guy, so nobody really suspects anything when he acts a bit romantically to his crush- not even his crush realizes

kalim’s joy over being kissed on the cheek is crushed slightly when the words “you’re the best friend i could ask for” sink in- although that’s not enough to crush his spirit

friends... well, that’s something! all relationships have to start somewhere, right...? he just needs to make his intentions clearer! kalim is sure he’s in love; that’s what that swirling, dark emotion in his chest is, right? those impulses telling him to keep his darling, to lock them away like the finest treasure- to take, take what he wants with no regards for anyone else...

his crush better be ready, because after this, kalim will become quite... forceful. he isn’t used to having something he wants that he cannot just immediately have- and he wants his crush to be his, entirely his

vil schoenheit

a party planned by vil is, in essence, the fanciest and prettiest party one will ever see. pomefiore is already like an old french castle, perfectly maintained and filled to the brim with beautiful people, all doing exactly as vil says

he’s known for a while that he’s in love with the odd magicless student- at first, he was aghast. how could he fall for such a lost and weak little potato?! but every second he spent with his crush, he could feel it; potential, beauty... already so precious, it almost sparked jealousy in him- he needs to make that beauty and potential bloom, and he’ll make it happen- he’ll turn that little potato into his own beautiful porcelain doll

when vil is kissed on the cheek, he doesn’t even have time to bitch about his concealer- the words are ringing in his ears. so... he’s the best friend one could ask for...?

vil feels like screaming in rage, but he allows the party to end peacefully and bids his crush goodbye- although it’s clear rook can tell that the queen of pomefiore is about to have a drama fit once the doors are closed

vil is outraged. how dare- how dare the one he loves not see his beauty?! friendship isn’t what he is aiming for: he needs more than friendship, he needs love, he needs for his beloved to be desperately in love with him too...! he feels like an idiot, pining for someone who claims to see him as a friend- and he hates it

he knows that everything requires effort. there’s no cheat to be instantly beautiful or smart; everything he has, he’s worked painstakingly hard for. but.... but- he’s worked so hard- so, so hard...! so he sees no problem in taking what some would see as the easy route

the next time he offers his crush a smoothie, he’s barely able to hold back his smirk; let’s see if he’s still “the best friend ever” once there’s potent and fast acting love potion brewed by himself coursing through his beloved’s body

idia shroud

admittedly, he thinks the party is a little shitty. it’s just him and ortho and his crush, playing board games and videogames. he’s... more than ashamed he couldn’t set up a real party, but... the thought of filling the ignihyde common room with all of the socially awkward ignihyde students and some loud people from outside, the crowds, the- agh!

having his crush so close is... almost difficult to handle for him

his heart keeps screaming out at him, the impulse to hold his beloved in his arms, to hug, to kiss, close the locks in his room- it’s not like a magicless student really needs to be attending classes...! he can- he can keep his crush in his room, all to himself-

it’s just... so hard to hold back all those emotions. they’re wrong, he’s a freak for thinking that, and he knows it, and yet... he can’t stop thinking about how much he wants to just keep his crush in, to shower his beloved with all the heartachingly sweet love he can barely hold back

a kiss on the cheek sends him into a frenzy. that’s- he’s...! idia barely has contact with other people; one little kiss is enough to send him into overdrive

........ but then....... he’s pushed back....

friendship... he thinks he should be happy- his crush thinks he’s an amazing friend! not a freak or a weirdo! but that’s... no, it’s not enough. the greedy little voice in his heart keeps whispering darkly; friendship isn’t nearly enough, is it? he wants more; he wants to claim his crush as his, to own, to keep...

even after this, though, idia will take awhile to truly make a move. he’s terribly scared he’ll fuck up and scare his crush away; his heart couldn’t possibly take that. instead, he’ll keep organizing videogame nights, bringing his crush to his room, doing his best to grow closer to her

... and one day, he simply won’t let her go

malleus draconia

even though malleus might try to keep acting somber and dark, it’s clear to everyone the dark fae is over the moon planning a birthday party for his friend. it’s understandable; malleus has four friends, three of which are technically his guards. 

lilia and silver can probably tell malleus has a crush on the human he hosts the party for quite easily; with how he trails after her like a lost puppy, trying to get her attention and such. they make sure sebek doesn’t get in the way

when the party’s ending and he receives a kiss on the cheek, malleus feels like he might accidentally set something on fire. he’s never- he’s never been kissed before (not counting goodnight forehead kisses from lilia back when he was a baby); he feels like in his absolute joy he might let magic lose

however... malleus heart shrivels at being called a friend. even when the party ends and his crush goes back to her dorm, he can’t find peace- he tells himself he should be happy, and yet...!

malleus doesn’t want to consult lilia on this matter. he feels... childish and immature- but the emotions lurking in him are nothing of the sort. his draconic instincts tell him to keep, to take his beloved and keep them in his hoard; mixing the desire to possess with the desire to love

he’ll begin to drop hints at something darker going on from there on every time he meets with his friend. they’re vague enough that she won’t realize what he’s talking about- but he means every word he says

to his crush, it might feel like his confession comes out of nowhere- it’s just another of their nightly walks, nothing out of the usual, other than the fact the tall fae has just confessed his undying love to them. it’s... sudden, it’s too intense, but... in the end, they better say yes; after all, malleus is set on his decision- they’re his, and he’ll make them see he won’t stand to being seen as just a friend.

[pm-my-hubbies]

Best Years | R.C.

Requested by @imawreckandiknowit

Pairing: Rafe x Female!Reader

Word count: 1.7k

Warning: a bit of angst with fluff

Song Prompt List

You've got a million reasons to hesitate

But darling, the future is better than yesterday

I wasted so much time on people that reminded me of you

Gave you a million reasons to walk away

Of all the moments I envisioned for myself, Rafe Cameron climbing through my bedroom window with sweat slicking that forehead of his was an image I never conjured. He radiated confidence whenever and wherever, never seeking out help because he believed it was for the weak. However, he stood before me after pleading for my hand in an idea I’ve constantly tried to push to the back of my mind.

I’m in love with him. I could take the leap forward but everything we’ve been through prevents me from doing so. That one brief period between us, the one time we did give intimate moments a shot had been ripped away from me. He was quick to move on as I sobbed in my shower for months until the water ran cold of slithering down my back. Yet... I remained close to him.

I stayed by his side through all three relationships, patting him on the back to ease his pain. In reality, I was breaking inside because his tears for other girls confirmed his love died for me. Now, he stood before me claiming the opposite.

“You could’ve walked away.” His voice broke the tension before us after his first set of words. “But you didn’t. Why?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know R—”

“Don’t give me that Y/N.”

“Then don’t ask stupid questions. You know why I didn’t walk away Rafe and I’m not gonna say it.”

He only stared, confirming what I knew to be true. “You’re right. I can’t play dumb.” He dragged himself over to my bed and placed himself on the disheveled sheets with his head hung low. “The answer finally came to me today. The whole time, I built up this image that you had moved on and you were done with me. It was my fault we ended things back then. So, I chased after every girl that reminded me of you and when we ended things... it hurt.” He picked his head up, gazing into my eyes with watery ones. “They walked away with your traits and I felt like that was all I had left of you.”

I couldn’t watch him eat himself away anymore with the memories he had to relive. My legs climbed his sitting frame, straddling both sides of his body. “Rafe, why did you do it?”

“I felt like I wasn’t ready.” He answered, his hands sliding up my waist. “Yes, I have all of the money in the world to give you. But I felt like I wasn’t on your level yet. You’re smart, sweet, unique. You’re everything a guy could want and I wasn’t that yet.”

His thumb moved up to swipe my cheeks. I watched him remove it from where they were to see a clear liquid caught under the moonlight peeking through my window. God, I can’t be seriously crying.

“That’s not your decision to make, Rafe. That’s my own. I decide if we’re the right match and... I honestly thought we were perfect for each other. We balanced one another out. I missed that.”

“I know, I do too. And I’m sorry for just everything I’ve put you through.”

“I’m still here right?” I acknowledged with a gentle smile.

“You are. And I don’t wanna leave you again. I wanna be right here. With you.”

But I'll build a house out of the mess and all of the broken pieces

I’ll make up for all of your tears

Pictures I’d long forgotten in the comfort of my attic polka-dotted the walls in the tiny living room. Two currant red sofas protected a wooden coffee table standing in the middle with issues of my favorite magazines spread out on the surface. The stand beneath the flat screen consisted of Rafe’s and my Blu-Ray favorites, as well as the dust-free PS4 and brand new PS5.

“So, what do you think?” Rafe questioned from behind. “Do you like it?”

Once upon a time, this apartment reeked of Rafe Cameron. He was a man that only spoke for himself and never me. But now, since we’d been taking things slow the past couple of months, he flipped the switch to assure me this place was now ours.

I belong here, is what he wanted to inform me. He’s not the best with words to tell me I have a place in his life. So, his actions spoke for himself.

I swiveled on the balls of my feet to grin at him with love coating my eyes. “I love it.

I'll give you the best years

I'll give you the best years

Past love burned out like a cigarette

I promise, darling, you won't regret

The best years

Beth from Chem was back in town. According to the locals, it was rumored she’d regretted ending things with Rafe and was back to whisk him into her arms. They’d even went as far as informing her that he was now with me (and more than likely for good) but her stance didn’t budge.

Currently, we were throwing daggers at one another. She’d been trying all night to gain the attention of my boyfriend through initiating the conversation or offering to be his team mate for beer pong. Truthfully, it was embarrassing to watch as Rafe shot her down every time and the eyes on the onlookers shifted to one another in amusement. We all knew her motives.

“Stop looking like that, you’re gonna form wrinkles.” the man of the hour chastised me with a shake of his arm as it was looped on my shoulders.

“I can’t help it when your ex is the one who started it.” I answered, gritting my teeth.

“Who?”

“You know who.” I slapped his arm.

Seeing him chuckle phased me. The old Rafe would’ve hopped at the opportunity of some girl ogling him, especially if the girl happened to be a previous fling. When we were friends, he’d slip away to take care of business with the young woman and I’d watch from afar with longing eyes, wishing I were the one he chased for the evening. Even when we were briefly together, I could feel his hesitance in wanting to stick around but the dumb me pushed it aside for selfish and desperate reasons. This new guy that clung to me like a koala hugging a tree pulled me closer to plant a kiss on the crown of my head.

“I know baby. But I’m not going anywhere. And she can try all she wants but it’s not happening. Not now, tomorrow, or ever.

“Just you and me?”

“You and me.”

I wanna hold your hair when you drink too much

Carry you home when you cannot stand up

You did all these things for me

When I was half a man for you

I wanna hold your hand while we're growing up

As I hacked the contents of the evening into the toilet, Rafe’s hands grabbed my hair to pull it into a makeshift ponytail. His free hand rubbed soothing circles into my hunched back. Embarrassment ran through my body at the sight of him having to see me like this.

Once I was sure I was finished, he aided me in standing to my feet to cleanse my mouth of the harsh taste. His hold on me remained even when I placed my orange toothbrush inside my mouth.

I spit some of the toothpaste into the sink. “That was fucking embarrassing.”

“Really Y/N?”

“What? I’m just saying. I don’t want you to see me like that. Ever again. I’m not drinking that much anymore.”

He didn’t say anything. His mouth was a thin line and his eyes observed me from the mirror as I finished my business of cleaning my mouth. Before I could exit the bathroom, his arm jutted out to halt my movements.

“Look at me.” He commanded in a soft but firm tone. I did as instructed. “You’re gonna be sick and I’m gonna do the same thing. You’re gonna probably go back on your word and drink that much again and guess what? I’m still gonna be there.”

“Rafe—”

“No Y/N. Look: you took care of me when I wasn’t shit back then. I barely looked after you as a friend and as a boyfriend. I’m here now and I’m repaying you for all you did for me. I’m doing what I should’ve done back then. Do you hear me?

I nodded. “I hear you.”

“Good. Because I’m here for the long run baby. I’m gonna do all the shit like holding your hair when you throw up for as long as I live.”

I'll give you the best years

I'll give you the best years

Past love burned out like a cigarette

I promise, darling, you won't regret

The best years

I'll give you the best years

The sun caught the diamond ring on my finger at the right angle, along with the wedding band underneath it. With my other hand, I snapped a shot of the sight with my phone.

“Never thought I’d see you doing that.” Rafe snickered from beside me.

“Can you blame me?”

“Nope.” He answered, popping the ‘p’. “Honestly, it makes me feel like I’m doing something right. I feel like for you to take a picture of something like your hand, it means a lot.”

After sharing the picture to my Instagram, I faced my husband in the lawn chair next to me. In his arms, he held our sleeping bundle of joy who hadn’t released his fathers fingers from the moment he picked him up for nap time.

“Everything you’ve done and continue to do for me means a lot, Rafe.” I replied. “If you haven’t figured out by now, my constant tears express how much I love you. Whether it be cooking a special dinner for me or taking Y/S/N out of my arms after a rough day, I’m crying because it means a lot that you’re looking out for me.”

He leaned over, tightening his hold on our son to lightly kiss me on the lips. “What can I say? I promised you the best years and you’re getting it. Until death do us part.”

OBX supporters (taglist): @jjmayybank @princezukohere @teenwaywardasgardian @jarritoswhore @ethereal-honeygold @pink-meringues @thecurlsofgod

[phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess]

Any tips for an aspiring social worker

+Be aware of any of your own trauma. Dont be one of the people who think they can do therapy AND get a degree at the same time. You will burn out, there are hundreds every year. Please dont be the person in lectures who takes yup 45 minutes crying over past trauma every session; you need to seek counselling for that from a professional who can help, not from your newbie classmates.

You may think its an exaggeration, but No. Unfortunately, no.

This ties in to your own biases, what you are likely to take to heart if the person fails, etc. You need to work with your supervisor around clients that may trigger something for you; or reconsider the role you are aiming for, etc.

+Have personal skills, you will be making and repairing relationships often. You can’t be someone who is super introverted and unable to start relationships with the clients; because often you are going to be the one doing the Hard Talks about difficult subjects. It doesnt mean you have to be a drill sargeant, but it means you need to have the confidence to talk with anyone.

If you’re a bit shy, work on talking to people and even looking into little courses. You’re not needing qualifications in public speaking, but you do need to have yourself in a position wherein you can talk to someone, even a whole family, or even lawyers, and police. Via phone, video, face-to-face, etc.

+Have work clothes and home clothes. Also court clothes, if you work in areas that need it.

Wear smart casual, you need to look presentable but not be like, dripping with diamonds and playing ‘rich person ministers to the Poors’. It happens, they get told off.

DO NOT WEAR SKIN TIGHT CLOTHES. Or ripped skinny jeans, or have your cleavage/buttcrack hanging out. Please. Strapless backs and short shorts also no.

Students sometimes turn up in this and it is dangerous. Especially the ladies. Sometimes you work with people who are very dangerous, who will interpret clothing for consent, and/or have incredibly low respect for women. When something happens, they will point to the workplace dresscode and absolve themselves of the situation.

Do not wear dangly earrings, scarves or thick necklaces/anything you do not want taken. And if in a hospital role, there are additional rules about what can and cannot be worn (bare below the elbow rule).

Also, enclosed shoes. IF you are in a service that assists families with dysregulated lives, or in the hospitals, etc, you will have strict policies about footwear for your safety.

+Get the flu shot. Trust me. Do it. You talk to so many people, by the time one catches a cold and you start showing symptoms, you’ve seen like twenty people and they all have families.

+Be used to working to tight deadlines. They are always there, esp in hospital social work where you legit have to account for every minute of the day and patient seen on this awful little system.

We are understaffed in most areas, and you will need to work hard.

BUT, self-care is imperative. Even if it is only making sure you leave before 9pm each night lmao.

+Be able to let insults go. You are going to be dealing with people often in the worst part of their life, be it mental health, in the justice system, having their kids removed, being disabled and persistently denied assistance, having significant alcohol/drug concerns, people who have experience extreme sexual harms or domestic violence, people who are being stalked, people in crisis etc.

At some point someone will call you some horrific things, or threaten you, or make nasty comments about you, etc. They may try to make constant complaints, etc. And as frustrating as that is, you have to understand their frustration and anger and fear.

You do not have to sit there and listen to them swear at you, that’s not what this means. It means that when someone is heightened and calling you a cunt, or something more inventive, you don’t give them the reaction they want; you can acknolwedge that they are upset/etc, or give them space by ending the call/leaving the room.

Think about when something happened for you and it was the Worst and you swore or threatened, etc. When you are calm, it seemed ridiculous, didn’t it?  But that was you processing big, complicated feelings in the only way that felt right at the time. Same for them.

+You need to be aware that some clients have done or experienced terrible things, but you need to be open to the individual within the trauma. For example, someone may not be showing their emotional distress or pain or grief etc in the way you think they should, so you might discount it. When, someone who has gotten to know the client is aware that they tend to do ____ behaviour when they are having flashbacks, which is not a behaviour normally associated with the trauma.

Also, biases again.  Just because someone is on drugs and denying to you that they have a problem, does not mean some part of them isn’t aware they do have one. Relapses are common. Soemtimes it is about discussing what was happening for them this week that made them use again, what they could try next time, if they are using their support networks. And never putting them in the Hopeless box.

If you are really struggling with a client, lean on your team, talk to your supervisor and see what else can be done or if there is another social worker with more experience who can be involved even for a short-term intervention.

+Don’t throw jargon and insider terms around when talking to clients, it’s rude.  Explain things, use pauses so they can think.

+Look into the primary populations of your area/the area you intend to work in. Are there a high level of Indigenous persons? Refugees? People whose first language isn’t english and may need extra help with engagment?

What are your immediate thoughts (learned stigmata/stereotypes) about these peoples? How can you learn more?

In Aus, we work closely with Indigenous communities and agencies around social work matters. Making sure everyone is supported, heard, and can understand the concerns being raised/what is needed to help the client move forwards. There are many people out there who see this as ‘coddling’ or ‘unfair to non-Indigenous people’; but it is simply making certain that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are on the same footing as any non-Indigenous client.

And that cultural options are put on the table, such as having a family member step up to take in a child whilst the parent is not well; or trying a community-focused approach to helping with a drug concern, and using the right agencies so that they have appropriate supports.

Would it be fair to have a non-english speaking client in a courtroom without an interpreter? Why?  Would you claim that they should know english and the entire legal system bc they were in your country? Of course not, that’s absurd.  But some people think that way.

Would it be fair to ask someone in a wheelchair to file a form on the top floor of a building with no elevators, by 5pm, or lose their home? Why? Would you think they are complaining or ‘lying’ if they were able to mobilise a few steps without the chair, on a good day? That they were being ‘lazy’ and ‘deserved’ to lose their housing? Of course not, that’s absurd.  But some people think that way.

When the military put men into service in the wars, they made anyone who could pass an english test an officer and the rest priovates who would die first in battle. Was this fair? Why not? Because it ensured the rich white dudes with private tutors got the best spots (totally unqualified) while the poor, poc and refugees were used as cannon fodder. Many could have been good officers if the test was about competence, but it wasn’t. Some people feel this was fair.

There are still people who think they ‘did the right thing’ whilst participating in the Stolen Generations; but then, they also thought taking babies from single mothers was appropriate too. That women couldn’t vote or be trusted with money, that is was ‘kinder’ to take a stillborn away and dispose of it without the mother ever seeing... rather than let her hold them, and say goodbye the way she needed to. Not to mention the english children shipped over to Aus to be used as little slaves and cruelly abused by Priests and Nuns and ‘upright christian citizens’. Not to mention lobotomies for when people were too emotional/refusing to play the game. Forcing hormone treatments on men and women to stop their homosexuality or sexually abusing them to ‘fix them’. Not to mention all the Twilight births nonsense where they tried to remove the pregnant person from the equation entirely, and it kept causing post partum depression.  Not to mention... Not to Mention... NOT TO MENTION...

We have a lot of broken little old men and women and nonbinary (who do or don’t realise it) now, because of these “helpful interventions”.

You need to be aware of the harm that has been done, and aware of your own practice, so this damage can’t happen again and again.

Understand that your perspective and the worries/concerns you hold are often different to those of the client, because you are individuals who grew up in very different ways.

And remember, being a rich white person in a high paying job with good social standing doesn’t mean you can’t be charged for drug possession or have child safety knock on your door about the bruises you leave. Never think people are Above being awful, and never Assume people are because they are poor, a different colour, have not had your advantages, or have a disability/poor mh or addiction.

Clients are people, like you. Never think that you are above needing help too, one day. We all do, humans are built to rely on the group, on the social bonds we make from the minute we are born.

+Do you overreact to things? Sometimes a client will tell you about something that happened years ago, but they may phrase it like it happened yesterday (because of how it has returned to their mind, etc), and if you were to overreact to that immediately it can break the relationship/cause harm. You could say, “I can hear that this is very distressing for you, thank you for telling me about this difficult event in your life. Would it be alright if I asked you a follow-up question about when this occurred?” Sometimes a client will disclose things to you, and the goal is to remain in the conversation. They do a lot of this preparation at university, but you also need to have a personal ability to not panic off the bat.

+Ask yourself, is there anyone I would refuse to work with... and then examine Why. How would you react if a person like that came onto your caseload?

+Do not become overly emotionally invested in a client. It will be said in training over and over again, but you need to have clear boundaries; and being too invested in their success can hinder your ability to provide appropriate assessments for the client. Meaning they are not getting the care they need; which can sometimes be a harsh conversation about how you can see they are trying, but have backslid recently, so what is happening?

+Look at any internal biases and prejudices you may have. Did you have extreme mental health concerns that may make you feel more sympathetic to a parent or client, and this could blind you to the other concerns present? Didyou grow up rich and now have unrealistic expectations of what is necessary to be a good person? Do you think that all ‘those people’ should ______ ? Why?  Question yourself. If you find yourself stereotyping or pigeonholing someone as ‘just another ____ trying to _____’ stop. Think about it. Where did you get that idea?

+Be aware of professional boundaries, do not be friends with the clients, but don’t be cold. Always let your bosses know about potential conflicts of interest to protect you.

Like, don’t loan the client $5, don’t hang out at the cinema because they’re ‘a great person’, etc.

And be aware that you have more power in this dynamic, so you have to be careful not to abuse it.

+You need to be good at record keeping, and honest.  Everything you do is documents, referrals, reports, affidavits, forms, and a million little notes for this and that. It is imperative you are accurate, use the format required, and be honest. If you saying “Have you tried not taking drugs?” to a client sends them into a rage, you don’t write “Client was heightened and threatened me without reason at today’s session” in the notes. That’s putting a knife in their back.

”Client was triggered when I, the practitioner, made an inappropriate remark (”Have you tried not taking drugs?”) today. They told me I am a “fucking whore who should kill myself” and threw their chair across the room before leaving the building. I have discussed this matter with my supervisor, and we are going to call Client at 3pm today, to provide a formal apology for this statment and attempt to repair the professional working relationship, as they have been making significant progress with this agency until today’s event.” Whole scenario, tells the real story. You will make mistakes, but it is about being able to accept this and move forwards.

Accurate documentation is a must, may be needed for court.

+You will need to have a good memory. A good way of keeping little notes to unlock the full encounter when you write casenotes and reports.

+Make connections. Every client will need a support system around them, and if you have an inroads with different agencies, it will help them out. For example, if your client has drug concerns, then being aware of the agencies and counsellors in the region broadens their safety net.

Knowing the practitioners gives you someone to ask for professional advice around, say “Good Morning Kim, I know your agency handles Centrelink application often for non-english speaking clients. I have a client who is new to the country and is struggling to complete the financial aid forms, they speak Language. Would I be able to refer them to your agency, or will they need a more specific agency who handle Language -speaking persons?”

You have, in a deidentified way, sought help for a client through a known agency and can now refer them pending the answer. Etc.

+If you are not sure about something, ask your supervisor. They have several years on you, and almost all areas of social work prescribes to one or another Acts (legal requirements) which they are required to have a strong grasp on.

Get to know any legislation in the area you are aiming for. This will help immensely.

+Doing a degree gets you two fieldwork practicals, in different areas.  These really help you identify which area you want to go for; your main goal going into a degree may not be the one you settle on. Many people have an idea where they want to work and change their minds after their placements, or really feel connected to a different area, etc.

+Mostly, be certain this is what you want.

Have your own support network.

Be aware that you must uphold confidentiality, at all times. No posting to social media people, please...

Be aware that in small communities you are likely shopping at the same place as clients. Ask them how they want you to react when you see each other in public (eg. please don’t acknowledge me, or happy to give a wave) so they feel comfortable.

Don’t disclose personal information to a client.  There’s a difference between “Yes, I can see that you are having trouble with baby; I recall they get quite fussy at teething time, have you tried a cold biting ring?” and “My son, Chadley, is eight but when he was two he used to just keep biting the furniture and his poor teacher, Mrs Allyways! At least he’s grown out of it now, but I just know Bailey’s going into that phase soon, the dangers of having kids a few years apart!”

I know who your child had as a teacher, and now the school as well, esp if its a small town. I know you have two children, their names, and your last name so I could go get them from school if I wanted to. I know you work until 5pm, and someone could pick them up.

Etc.

Mostly, be a decent human being who does their best and doesn’t walk in thinking they’re better than everyone, and you can do okay. Have a good support network, use them, and seek help if you struggle.

Uni is drawn out and a bit boring, but you will get a lot from it (even if you only see it in hindsight).

[honestandsincere]

reputation part three

It’s a frosty morning in New York City. The air feels crisp and fresh, in a way that burns your cheeks as blood rushes to their surfaces in an attempt to warm you up. Each windscreen of stagnant cars is opaque with a thin layer of ice, hiding empty coffee cups or opened notebooks on backseats from the night before. Despite the chill, New York couldn’t be more awake. The city moves at its relentless pace; taxi cabs weave through streets, commuters pace the sidewalks with phones pressed to their ears, dog-walkers are out in their force at the early hour. The energy is ceaseless.

Y/n grips her cup of tea tighter in her hand, willing the warmth to seep through the cardboard and into her numbed fingertips. Her nose tingles and with her free hand, she pulls her beanie over her ears. The park bench beneath her is cold so she begins bouncing her thighs up and down to try and generate some warmth. She takes her time to people-watch, observing the clusters of people that pass her and taking in the scenes around her. Even in the heart of Central Park, everyone has a determined sense of direction, only tourists seem to dawdle and take their time immersing themselves in the early light of the day.

It must be about eight thirty by now, rush hour slowly coming to its close. Yet the park is still bustling with life as artists set up their canvases along the perimeters of the footpaths, displaying their oil pastel masterpieces for the public to gawp at. Y/n sips her tea and flicks her wrist so she can check her watch.

“Early bird catches the worm, y/l/n,” she looks up at the sound of his voice. There he stands, a few feet from her, smirking despite being red-faced and breathing heavily. “Nice of you to join me, Mr Dolan,” y/n rakes her eyes up and down his figure, taking in his grey sweatpants and maroon Harvard hoodie. “Figured I’d get a run in before our meeting,” he takes a few steps forward and then flops onto the bench beside her, “please call me Ethan, this isn’t formal.” “Any meeting with you is formal, Mr Dolan.”

Ethan laughs at her persistence, blowing air out of his lips and running a hand through his disheveled hair. He couldn’t deny that he was excited about their little rendezvous, deciding to go for a run to work off his almost nervous energy. It makes him hate y/n y/l/n. She does look pretty though. She always looks pretty. Her coat looks warm and her adorable beanie made sure he noticed her as soon as he turned the corner towards the park’s center. Y/n turns to face him, cradling the mug in both her hands. “We need to talk,” the way she looks at him makes him feel soft, he pushes this feeling aside with a lighthearted roll of his eyes. “We do, y/l/n.” “That little stunt you pulled, with The Daily Mail, that was smart,” she chuckles, “I can’t pretend I’m not impressed.” Ethan Dolan shrugs his shoulders, basking in her begrudged compliment, “I do try.” “Is there much point in me asking why?” He purses his lips, watching her watch him intently with a furrowed brow, “Hate to spoil the magic for you, but it helps with my image. I also wanted to make the first move.” Y/n scoffs, “You made a move alright, Dolan.” “You can’t deny the chemistry between us,” he wiggles his eyebrows at her. “I can and I will,” she narrows her eyes, as if she’s scanning his every detail, “I don’t think you understand how transparent you are. This was never about our ‘chemistry’, this is you trying to save your own skin.” Ethan wishes she was right.Y/n is, to an extent. If the public saw that he was in a relationship with the woman that wrote a stellar article about him, they’d go wild. The world is a huge sucker for romance, the cheesier and least realistic the scenario the better. Their photograph at Delevigne’s was too good an opportunity to pass up. LIFE Magazine sales are only increasing, people desperate to try and read between y/n’s lines in an attempt to decipher the compelling private life of Ethan Dolan. It also makes sense that they’re in a relationship; he’s successful and attractive, she’s successful and attractive. Of course, Ethan’s reputation would be saved too. Having the world think that y/n was committed to him meant that any article she published ‘exposing’ his antics would be seen as a fluke or perhaps some kind of magazine hack. Ethan could also release a statement claiming he and y/l/n have separated and the only reason she wrote the article was to spite him. He has to admit, it’s clever. But he can’t ignore the fact that it stretches beyond that. It’s not entirely a stunt to save himself. He’s grown to like y/n, he can see aspects of himself in her persistence. She doesn’t throw herself at him, he has to work to spend time with her. It’s all very old fashioned, the whole putting in the effort. Ethan Dolan is not accustomed to trying his hardest to woo a woman. Through making this statement that they are exclusive, it gives him more time with her, a chance to prove himself and change her mind. Y/n monopolizes on his silence, “I’ll compromise, if you don’t change your little business tactics, I’ll publish draft one. If you do decide to reevaluate your principles, consider the article binned.” She looks away from him, her cheeks burning with repressed anger. Y/n doesn’t like getting annoyed, she also doesn’t like Ethan Dolan knowing he has an effect on her. Ethan ponders her words, they make sense. Frankly, since he’d read her first draft he had been thinking about Dolan & Dolan’s principles as a company. He’s always seen himself as a philanthropist, even when he and Grayson were knocking down office blocks to make room for their skyscrapers, he’d offered redundant employees jobs. Granted, they were higher paid jobs with better working conditions and the paternity leave scheme is one of the greatest the city has ever seen. All he’s done wrong is lie. If Ethan Dolan was to tell the world that he makes his money through crippling businesses until they have no choice but to sell themselves to him, it doesn’t sound too great. But, if he lets everyone know that he’s rebuilding derelict communities and providing better employment for the people of New York, it’s a different matter. Y/n’s first draft is scathing, to say the least. She writes from an overt point of distaste and Ethan has to remind himself she’d planned out her writing before actually meeting him. He likes to think that maybe she was taken aback by personable he is, but he stops himself from being too arrogant. Y/n y/l/n can write, which is his blessing and his curse. She’s his own double-edged sword, a grenade that could explode any second, his secret weapon and his own downfall. Her ambivalence is brilliant. “I’m not expecting you to change, Mr Dolan. I know that it’s not in your nature to change your mind, but don’t think that this little game of mommies and daddies is gonna stop me.” “You drive a hard bargain, y/l/n,” he finally speaks, folding his arms across his chest and keeping his eyes on her side profile. “This isn’t a deal, it’s never been a deal. It’s about you doing the right thing,” y/n exhales heavily, sipping her tea. She’s tired of Ethan Dolan ignoring the truth. “I’ll think about it,” Ethan says, smiling at the way her eyes widen in shock, “but I’m gonna need you to do something for me in return.” It’s hard not to laugh when she’s brought back to reality, a scowl gracing her features. “The Robin Hood Foundation is throwing a charity gala this Friday, come as my date and I’ll talk to Grayson.” Y/n laughs, a full-bellied laugh that causes her shoulders to shake, but it’s tainted with a sense of bitterness, “I should’ve known it wasn’t going to be easy.” “New York City is convinced we’re in love, let’s give them something to talk about.” “Even if I do come with you to this charity party, which is incredibly ironic by the way, there’s no way you’ll do anything to change Dolan & Dolan.” “Never say never, y/l/n.”

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

The sporadic flashes are blinding, each being triggered by a shout of their names or an exaggerated compliment. Y/n bears her teeth in a forced smile, trying her hardest not to blink at inconvenient moments. “Miss y/l/n! Turn your head to the right please!” She complies, closing her mouth and placing a hand on her hip. “Who are you wearing tonight, y/n?” She’d been told not to answer questions, so she glances towards her Louboutin heels quickly to compose herself. “Is it true wedding bells are ringing?” Y/n’s eyes flicker towards the incessant flashes, she laughs. She poses again, crossing her legs like the girls Vogue rave about. Since the overwhelming success of her article, y/n has become no stranger to photographs. The paparazzi have been following her every move since Ethan Dolan declared that they were ‘exclusive’. Y/n has been greeted by ominous flashes on her way into the office, swarmed at the local grocery store and bombarded by absurd questions while clambering out of the cab. She’s learned to keep her head down, to not give anything away, not so much for her own sake but to avoid inflating Dolan’s ego. Her face being on gossip sites and social media feeds is all too familiar. Y/n's taught herself how to pose. "Have I mentioned that you look ravishing this evening, y/l/n?" a warm palm comes to rest between her shoulder blades as his hot breath graces her cheek. The shouts of the photographers become louder as y/n slides her arm around his suit-clad waist. "Too many times," she grimaces. Ethan's hand grazes down her back to rest on her hip, pulling her into his side and kissing her cheek. He enjoys the charade, milking every moment for what it's worth. Y/n wants to scold him for almost smudging her painstakingly flawless makeup, but she's remained composed for too long to ruin the facade now. He looks good, that cannot be denied. Ethan Dolan always looks unspoiled, it's genetic, but tonight he looks better. His blazer and bright crimson dress pants make him look younger than the regular black suit he wears for business, reminding y/n that he's just as juvenile as she is. He's taken the liberty of shaving, she wonders how soft his jaw is now it's devoid of stubble but catches her mind wandering. Y/n cannot afford to get enraptured in Ethan Dolan's minor details. "They love us," he mumbles, as he waves to a pap that seems familiar. "I should hope so," y/n speaks through her teeth as she smiles, her cheeks are beginning to hurt. "The world can't resist an attractive couple." "Too bad it's all an act then." She cranes her neck to kiss his cheek, slinking away from his familiar grasp and following an assistant dressed in black along the carpet. Y/n feels like she can breathe now that the cameras are far behind her. She's lead through the huge doors of Guastavino's, lifting the floating skirt of her dress in order to step into the building. The lobby is bustling with waiters and chaperones, guiding New York's elite into the reception area of the gala. Beside the huge glass reception desk, two large display boards present the smiling face of Ethan Dolan, along with other seemingly legitimate philanthropists as they are thanked for their generosity. If y/n did not know any better she'd be proud. She's researched the foundation and Ethan does, in fact, donate an unfathomable amount of money to the cause on an annual basis. It's impressive, commendable. She just wishes everything was like this, that Dolan & Dolan were as praiseworthy as they appear. "If you come this way, Miss y/l/n, I'll take you to your table," the young woman with long auburn hair smiles. Y/n follows her through the huge double doors into the dinner hall, snatching a gasp at the dimly lit room. Its scalloped ceilings are illuminated by golden lights attached to the stunning pillars dotted around the room. Tables are draped with velvet cloths and huge centerpieces are decorated with gold-tipped lilies. It's stunning, to say the least. Y/n and her chaperone weave through the partially filled tables until they reach one towards the venue's stage. She spots Grayson sat with his back to the screen playing a slideshow of the charity's patrons, his hands moving animatedly as he converses with a middle-aged man. The young girl gestures to an empty seat and y/n sits, thanking her before watching her march away. "Y/n!" Grayson cheers, his attention drifting from his discussion to her, "So glad you could make it tonight. Isn't this amazing?" "It's lovely to see you, Mr Dolan," she smiles politely. He scoffs, "Call me Grayson. You're dating my brother, we're on first name bases now." Y/n wonders if Grayson knows. He and Ethan are twin brothers, they're bound to be close, but she knows that Grayson is just about as good as a middle school girl at keeping a secret. Would Ethan risk telling him? If they're 'relationship' is destined for inevitable failure, maybe it's for the best that he believes it too. The younger Dolan shifts in his seat, "Y/n, this is David van Douglas, one of the Foundation's CEOs," he gesticulates to the man beside him. Van Douglas holds out a hand to her, she shakes it with a firm grip, "What an honor it is to meet you, Miss y/l/n. I'm such a big supporter of your work." Y/n grins, "Thank you so much. If anything I should be honored to be in your presence, Mr van Douglas. Your work is truly amazing." "We'd be nothing without the Dolans' donations," he admits, shrugging a little in his Givenchy suit. "Dave, you know it's the least we can do," Grayson pats the older man on the back, "tonight is going to be such a success." "Yes, the venue looks beautiful," y/n adds, glancing around her again. A pair of hands come to rest on her bare shoulders. She can smell Paco Rabanne's Invictus, it's unmistakably him. His thick fingers stroke her soft skin gently, it's affectionate. "I see you've met my other half, David," y/n can hear the smirk in his voice. "I have and she's enchanting," van Douglas rises to his feet and steps towards Ethan, pulling him from y/n and into a hug, "it's good to see you, Ethan." "You too, it's been too long." Y/n turns to watch the men embrace, noting the way Ethan claps van Douglas on the back, the same way Grayson had done earlier. They mumble something that isn't intelligible, so she shifts back towards Grayson. She's taken aback by the way his eyes are boring into her, a smirk plastered on his chiseled face. "I know," he mouths. --------------- "So then I said to her, 'Cecelia, you can't not have caviar at your sixth birthday party, that's simply reprehensible!' and she was completely vexed for the rest of the week!" "Oh Pierre, she sounds delightful!" "A real handful!" "Utterly adorable!" Y/n has not spoken for at least an hour. The socialites around her delve into a conversation she can't quite understand. Their lives do not compare to hers, they're topics of conversation span well beyond her own comprehension. It's a little too intense. She nods politely and forces laughter when the others laugh, her eyes flicking to the Rolex on Ethan's wrist, praying time would move considerably faster. "It's not you, it really is this boring," he whispers in her ear, his arm coming around the back of her seat in order to be closer to her. "I never doubted my judgment," she hisses. "Your mediocre acting says otherwise," Ethan chuckles. "I didn't think Ethan Dolan settled for mediocre." Words are forming on his lips when he's interrupted by a slim woman with high cheekbones, "Ethan! Do tell us how you and Miss y/l/n met!" A medley of hums of agreement spurs y/n to turn towards him, taking in his champagne-flushed cheeks and fixed eyes. Ethan chuckles, running his fingers along y/n's forearm, drawing little patterns into her skin. This is going to be interesting. "I think it was love at first sight," he shrugs, earning a chorus of besotted whines and a fake smile from y/n, "I've never been so enraptured by a human being. When we met for our interview at The Ritz, she blew me away. I was and am in awe." All eyes turn to y/n, urging her to continue their story. She's never been exceptionally good at improvisation, she clears her throat. "He's so fascinating," she begins, glancing at Ethan for approval, "I told myself I wouldn't fall for him because I adhere to my professionalism, but I guess I'll make the exception for love." The table applauds them with gushing compliments and huge grins. Ethan quirks an eyebrow in surprise, he didn't expect her to be so convincing. Y/n's eyes rake over those surrounding her until her gaze meets Grayson. He shakes his head slowly, impressed by her facade, licking his lips in incredulity. Y/n can't help but laugh, leaning into Ethan's side casually. "Tell me that was mediocre," she mumbles into his jaw, placing a kiss there for effect. Ethan is stunned. He keeps underestimating y/n y/l/n. This might be his greatest downfall, his Achilles heel in his otherwise indestructible nature. He's not weak by any means, but she makes him feel significantly less powerful. Ethan Dolan does not question himself, but part of him is beginning to wonder whether or not he's bitten off more than he can chew. Y/n y/l/n is fire and he doesn't enjoy the thrill being burned. The topic of conversation steers away from one of Ethan's lies to another. His business. The gala's guests are all deeply engaged by the Dolans' capability at such a young age, teasing information out of them as the champagne continues to flow. "So, Ethan tell us about your plans for the future." "Honestly Celine, the only way is up. Not that I can go any higher." The cackles are sickening, this is the side of Ethan Dolan that is so detestable. "How do you feel about potential partnerships?" "I don't think there's any company that could offer Grayson and me anything we don't already have. We're becoming too good at what we do." Y/n fights the urge to roll her eyes. "There are plenty of CEOs killing themselves to get some kind of share in Dolan & Dolan." "I know," Ethan takes a sip of his drink, his hand running up and down y/n's arm, "but adding other organizations into our midst seems unnecessary. It's not like we need the business equivalent of Viagra." He triggers sniggers with his crude comment. Y/n thinks she's about to burst, her mouth is working faster than her brain and before she can control herself words are spilling out in front of her. "Of course, we're all too familiar with Viagra, aren't we, honey?" Choked guffaws spring up around them. Celine covers her mouth with her jeweled hand. David van Douglas snorts. Grayson's eyes are as wide as his empty dinner plate. Ethan Dolan clenches his jaw, his fingers tracing on her skin have ceased their movement and he takes a big inhalation of air. Someone called Bart quickly raves about his steak and suddenly the table tries their best to shift the conversation away from y/n's wildly inappropriate remark. Ethan is silent, which isn't unlike him. Y/n's noticed the way he enjoys observing, it allows him to charm his audience. He analyzes before making comments, thinking out his every word. It's what makes him so alluring. Grayson fills silences with trivial small talk, Ethan's approach is always tactical. But now, he's flabbergasted. Words are not coming to mind, he's close to flipping the velvet-covered table and storming out of Guastavino's. He's been licked by y/n's flames. She feels her heart pound with adrenaline. It's a pleasant rush, she feels accomplished. Embarrassing Ethan Dolan is great fun. Y/n sips her champagne, reveling in her success. Ethan retracts his arm from around the back of her seat, she notices the way she suddenly misses his contact, feeling the weight of it on her. He raises himself to his feet. Y/n assumes he's escaping to the smoking area outside to blow off some steam by blowing smoke. The older twin reached for a clean fork on the table and his flute filled with bubbly liquid. Y/n's breath catches in her throat as he begins to tap the metal on the glass. "Speech!" a voice shouts across the room and the hall descends into silence, everyone is in Ethan Dolan's palm. "Thank you," he dips his head in a way that would be considered humble by the audience, "tonight has been truly magical, having everybody here to celebrate a brilliant cause. The Robin Hood Foundation has been doing great work for years, and to be named one of the year's most generous patrons is truly such an honor. Success is nothing without humility and generosity, which is why I can't think of anything better to do with Dolan & Dolan Enterprise's money than donate to such a worthy charity." The rooms erupts into civil applause, embellished with the odd whoop of appreciation. Ethan clears his throat and continues to speak. "As you all know, this year has been a whirlwind for my business and me. I feel as though I have become a new man, rediscovered what it is about business that keeps me so entranced and excited. Charity work is definitely one of my main motivators, but I have found a new one; love." Y/n's palms are damp, she looks to Grayson who sends her a shrug. Ethan is too unpredictable. "Y/n y/l/n is undoubtedly the love of my life. She has given the man who has everything more than he could ever imagine. I'm so so so in love with her. She makes life worth living, I wake up every morning with a new sense of passion and verve about business. I couldn't be more in love with you, y/n," he turns to stroke her cheek dramatically before facing his avid audience, "Who knows, maybe wedding bells will be ringing this time next year?" Y/n is deafened by the clapping. Everyone around her has their eyes fixed on her. Ethan pulls her to her feet and into a hug, she has no choice but to wrap her arms around his built frame. "It takes two to tango, y/l/n. I'm a great dancer." --------- "At least he didn't propose," Grayson pats y/n on the back sympathetically, "I wouldn't have put it past him." Y/n scoffs, slamming the rest of her gin and tonic down her throat and sliding her empty glass along the bar to the waiter serving them. He takes this as a signal to pour her another drink. "He's gone and extended the expiry date of our 'relationship'." "Exactly, it could be a lot worse," Grayson wants to tell her it's her own fault for aggravating his brother, but y/n is not in a state to be told she's wrong. She sends him a sarcastic smile. The number of guests that have approached her congratulating her on her stellar career and stunning boyfriend is enough to make her queasy. Y/n is sick of the words 'thank' and 'you' by now. It's all too much. Having to pretend to be civil with Ethan Dolan is bad enough, having to fake being in love with him is impossible. The devil incarnate swaggers over to the bar, his blazer discarded on the table nearest the bar. He pulls Grayson into a weird bro-hug that y/n will never understand and mumbles something to his brother about giving them some time to talk. The younger Dolan taps y/n's hand and slides off the bar stool, heading outside for some air. Y/n rolls her eyes as Ethan resumes his brother's position, shaking her head. "As I said earlier, they love us," he grins. Y/n doesn't reply, she nods a thank you to the bartender when he hands her the cold glass. She takes a big gulp and places it back down on the bar, running her finger along the rim. "It'd be such a shame if we had to end things, don't you think?" he watches her intently, perceiving the way her bottom lip is slightly pouted and her brow is drawn into a furrow. Y/n doesn't respond, her eyes staring into her drink, scorning the fact the ice to alcohol ratio is bitterly disappointing. "Listen, y/n-" "Your ego never ceases to amaze me," she snaps. Ethan is pleased she's interacting with him, but he jumps at her outburst, he doesn't bother trying to speak again. "You act like you're so much better than everyone here, your 'holier than thou' trope is getting a little repetitive. Honestly, Ethan, your hubris will be your downfall." Her hands move avidly as she talks, she's turned on her stool to face him, her eyes fiercely wide. He stares at her blankly, letting her release her tipsy rant. He thanks God that the bar is empty. Ethan notes this is the first time she's used his name. Just his name. It sounds nice, pretty in her voice. He takes her flailing hands in his, she doesn't wriggle them to release herself from his grip. She likes the way his skin feels against hers, consequently, she hates herself for feeling this way. "Unlike Lear or Faustus or Icarus, my flaw isn't fatal. You know this is a show, this is all fake; my persona, everything. You think you know who I am, y/n. You're wrong." "Don't try and win me over with literary references," she huffs. "Why? Are they working?"

----------

PART THREE! This has been a long-ish time coming! I took a few days off just to relax and celebrate my exams coming to an end, so a huge thank you for being patient! Once again, I am so overwhelmed by the feedback and love for this series. I’m really immersed in businessman Ethan’s world, so I hope you are too! Let me know what you think! - K xx

T A G   L I S T @lukescolours @honeybeeesworld @yslbailey @quickdolan @dolancrew @dolancrew @sunflowerpseudonym @dreamergirl2727 @arrantsnowdrop @ceejay1163 @peruvian-bae @crown-jul @kinkbaby95 @takenbyheartstrings @loveyou3000-tonystarkzine @ergojenn @blackpinkdolan @sara29392 @someonedoingnothing

[copiosis]

When Bernie Sanders Marries Ayn Rand

By Writer KJ McElrath

If there is a silver lining to the current coronavirus pandemic, it is that it has exposed fundamental weaknesses in the current capitalist free-market economic system that most of us have taken for granted our entire lives. People in low-wage service jobs, food-service workers, education support personnel, private tutors and instructors and others with jobs that frequently bring them into contact with the general public have been hit especially hard. Most of these workplaces –  restaurants, lounges, schools and even libraries –  are closed for the duration.

Today conservative leaders, who typically expect most people – including those they claim to represent – to fend for themselves, actually support massive financial aid programs...that's how bad it is. The Trump Administration's $2 trillion dollar stimulus package perplexes my imagination. That a conservative administration would offer such a thing boggles the mind.

Other governments around the world are following suit. For example, the U.K. government recently announced that it will pay 80 percent of worker salaries up to £2500 per month ($2900 USD) for 12 weeks, while offering tax breaks and interest-free business loans. Across the Channel, France is preparing to nationalize several industries while suspending tax, rent, and utility payments for small companies.

The problem is we, as a global, tightly interconnected economic society, now are in uncharted territory. Our economics can't handle much more of this and for two fundamental reasons:

One, our economics depends on endless growth and expansion. Coronavirus has stopped that dead in its tracks.

Two, our economics finances endless growth through debt cycles, which fall apart when debtors can't pay creditors. Debtors can't pay if they can't work.

If there was ever a time to think outside the box, it is now. Our immediate solution is for government to throw money  —  cash payments, low interest rates, subsidized loans or grants, etc at the problem. In the short term, this is indeed necessary as most of us have not slack in our finances to weather such storms.

But such actions treat the symptoms while ignoring the underlying disease. Biologically, coronavirus is most dangerous to those who have other health problems, such as compromised immune function. Economically, it appears to have a similar effect on unhealthy financial systems.

Socialism is not the answer

Would the type of socialism offered by once-presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders save us? For awhile, it could — but like government stimulus programs, it would be a stopgap solution. The problem here is that socialism can't spur innovations that benefit society.

Second, the idea that people should receive free anything — including housing, food, health care and education — is anathema to those who espouse unbridled, free market capitalism. Yet, lack of these basic survival needs, or even the threat of losing them, is at the root of virtually every problem society suffers today.

People can live without jet skis or the latest and greatest smart phones. They cannot live without food, clean water, shelter and medical care when needed. Without some degree of education, they cannot be productive members of society. Yet, our economies demand that all of these things be commodified and profit their providers.

Meanwhile, those very same providers must pay labor, cover raw materials costs, pay taxes, legal and other operational expenses.

To suggest that "necessities" should be “free” may rightfully evoke hard resistance from free market supporters, yet the stress from putting price tags on necessities creates crime, disease (mental and physical), environmental degradation and more — adding hugely to the cost of running society.

Perversely, money spent addressing these problems contributes to a nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Ergo, someone who contracts cancer living near a factory producing toxic waste actually contributes to GDP when they (or someone else) pays for their treatment. Law enforcement officers pursuing criminals become part of the GDP as well. Divorcing couples contribute to GDP through lawyer and court fee costs.

Is there a better way? Some visionaries believe so — and are working to bring it about.

A better way...

These visionaries recognize a major part of the problem is not capitalism, but rather the way the exchange of goods and services happen  — i.e., money, or currency. Whether it is tangible cash, an amount recorded in a bank ledger or other account, or invested in securities, money can be transferred easily. That is a definite advantage, but there are downsides; money can be lost, stolen, taxed away (directly and indirectly), devalued and manipulated, and withheld when someone is prevented from earning or receiving it — as is happening in today's coronavirus pandemic. The consequences can be devastating.

Barter comes to many people’s minds as an alternative, but there are reasons why money replaced trading livestock, handicrafts, produce, etc. Unless people have many different productive skills and abilities others need, or offer wide ranges of services, the barter system can't alleviate poverty and inequality. Barter also involves material things that can be lost, stolen or destroyed (and even taxed, as many have discovered).

Imagine an alternative:

a means of exchange representing actions benefiting society and the planet, that cannot possibly be stolen, taxed or otherwise transferred away from owners

a system guaranteeing everyone access to housing, food, medical services and education without incurring long-term debt servitude or worry about a paycheck

a system based on free market principles that encourage innovation

a system in which only actions benefitting people and/or the environment in some way are rewarded

Such innovations are already underway, and have been for some time. They are made possible by rapid technology advances. As more working people suddenly find themselves idle for the long term, some are finding interesting innovations that onced looked ridiculous, but today are not so.

Humanity: where great ideas come from

Dr. Albert Einstein reportedly said, “Imagination is more important than Knowledge.” In light of Dr. Abraham Maslow’s famous Hierarchy of Needs (a review and explanation for the uninitiated is available here), imagine what humans might achieve if they were liberated from the need to “earn a living,” but still expected and motivated to strive for more by simply making choices and acting in ways that serve the greater good.

We all see it happening now, with the popularity of “humanely raised” eggs, poultry and meat, recycling and repurposing, reducing one’s ecological footprint, roadside miniature lending libraries, community tool and vehicle share programs and more.

In Portland, Oregon, homeowners are being offered incentives to provide shelters for homeless people on their property. Some small businesses specialize in making new products from existing and/or previously used components. Entrepreneurial individuals are creating solutions for environmental problems.

Admittedly, so-called “Utopian” societies have failed in the past. As floundering and corrupt as American capitalism has gotten over the past four decades, it has not yet become the total and abject failure that was the late U.S.S.R.’s Socialist Worker’s State.

That said, western capitalism is nonetheless a very large, unwieldy vessel sailing at a high rate of speed — one that needs to change its course fairly soon, if it is to survive.

As the Captain Edward Smith of the R.M.S. Titanic discovered too late, such sudden course changes are difficult at best.

Perhaps what needs to be changed is not so much the system itself, but rather the means of exchange. Such change must happen so nobody goes homeless, hungry, without medical and dental care, and everyone has access to education in any field. At the same time, the new system must encourage industry and innovation while respecting private property rights. Nothing would be confiscatory or redistributive, nor would taxes be assessed.

It sounds almost like “Bernie Sanders Meets Ayn Rand” or "Bernie Sanders and Ayn Rand have a baby". This has been one of the primary issues in recent elections: do we want or need the State to own and operate everything, distributing “to each according to their needs” while taxing “from each, according to their abilities”?

Or do we want to do away with government and regulation altogether, and allow individuals and organizations to become as wealthy and powerful as possible, regardless of any harm in done the process?

What if a society could have the best of both? What if one fed the other? What if, through Bernie-style socialist programs, more people were unleashed from having to have “jobs” simply to pay the bills in order to survive, and instead were free to pursue their passions, such as science, research, technology, engineering and invention as well culture, humanities and the arts? Can one imagine the new Renaissance that might come about?

Such a system has the potential of generating wealth and well-being in a private, free-market system beyond Rand’s wildest dreams.

You don’t have to look very far back to find examples. Would the world have had the genius of Leonardo da Vinci without the patronage of the Medicis? Would we have heard the music of Franz Josef Haydn without Prince Esterhazy?

Now, multiply those two examples by a few billion.

Passions can create our future

Would everyone throw themselves into their “passions”? No. Many may not even know what their passions are. For them, there are educational opportunities (which would bring their own rewards), or they may decide to sit on the beach all day — and as long as they do no harm, that’s fine. If they ever want something more, they’ll find ways to make the world a better place.

If not — at least they won’t go hungry and homeless. But really, earning that “something more” would not be difficult under such a system. In fact, it would be more difficult not to contribute in some way.

If the 1933 Harold Arlen — Yip Harburg song Paper Moon comes to mind, you’re not alone. Indeed, some skepticism is warranted. Nonetheless, two communities, one in California and the other in Oregon, tested out such a comprehensive economic system, with success. A devoted group in Portland continues exploring it over the last six years, and it has generated significant attention around the world.

This group’s website recently came online, where one can go to learn more about this alternative economic system in which there are no losers, and winners’ victories do not come at the expense of someone else. Under such a system, disparities of wealth will certainly still exist, but the kind of grinding poverty that causes hunger, disease, crime and other problems will not.

Meanwhile, the barriers to people who want to accumulate more will largely go away; there will be equal access to opportunity and tools to improve one’s material lot in life for those who choose to do so.

Greed will still exist, but in this new system it's harnessed and channeled into positive outcomes for everyone.

Now that so many of us are under lockdown or quarantine and are starting to clearly see problems existing in the current system, it is as good a time as ever to consider alternatives.

Learn more here.

[miraimisu]

GUESS WHO’S DONE WITH THE THIRD INSTALLMENT OF THIS BEHEMOTH

/spins chair dramatically: MOI

So like the thing is I AM done with the fic on theoretical terms because all the buddy building and world building and THE WHOLE HOUSE IS BUILT BUT IT NEEDS A CEILING AND FLOWERS and all that nice stuff so I WILL BE WORKING ON THAT. After the fic is done completely, I will have to beta it, fill in a few gaps and probably correct some parts that need some revamping to fit the tone of the story and all that jazz

yadda yadda yadda 

SO for [spoiler] reasons I cannot show a snippit for this arc as much as I would love to because it has SO MUCH OF THAT GOOD BUDDY STUFF /chef kiss, so instead what I’ll show is the VERY VERY VERY beginning of this fic-- this is the beginning of the VERY first chapter!

This will probably be due to corrections and stuff but this is how it looks, from back when I wrote it in July! Please enjoy! <3

                Chapter 1 | Ludwig Town

If there is one thing Gladion is good at, it should be sneaking around and not being noticed by unwarranted enemies. He has lived his whole life hiding from any offenses and leading a modest life in the small campsite of Ludwig Town, where everything is soil, golden wheat and modest merchants ambling about.

But sometimes, his patience is worn thin and not everything is merchants and wheat, but criminals and people clad in costumes that look stolen from a sunken pirate ship.

Two bodies collapse on the group simultaneously as Gladion cleans the blade of his silver sword with the hem of his dark shirt, the metal catching the dim sunlight of the sinking sun. “I told you I didn’t want to hurt you, but I really don’t enjoy being chased around for a pair of pennies, especially when this town is this poor. Have some decency and stop harassing me.”

The two bandits scramble away from the man, panic dripping from the way they tremble and look up at him with wide, round eyes. The two like fairly similar, wearing red and black and orange and a very suspicious cloth over their mouths, which muffles their words as they try to fight him verbally. “Dude, who the hell are you? We just wanted to talk! No need to try and beat us to a pulp, it was so unnecessary!”

“Right, and that’s why I assume you have been chasing kids in this town for their bread money; just to talk, am I right?” Sword sheathed, he puts his hands on his hips. “Also, nice of you to admit that you did get beaten. But I couldn’t care less about what you wanted to do.”

Gladion had been running from these two guys for around half an hour before he had gotten tired and handled things on his own way. Aggressivity is not in his DNA, nor is being so confrontational, but he really is pissed at these people. He has seen them around town harassing little kids for their pocket money and in his passiveness, Gladion had refused to do anything, no matter how guilty he felt after the fact.

But they had poked him in the wrong places when they asked for money. If anything, they should have been glad he chose to run away instead of taking out his sword. Daggers and swords don’t mix well, if their wounds and precisely cut bruises are any proof of that.

They had proven themselves to be pretty clumsy. Useless criminals without jobs wanting some money. What a waste of space.

In due time, the criminals pick themselves up and stand on their feet. Gladion’s hand is slanted on the handle of his trusty sword -- Silvally, he had named it -- in a silent warning, green eyes sparkling with threat. The bandits don’t look like they are about to ask for his money again, though.

“Dude, you definitely got the guts,” says one of them, moving their hands around as they speak in a manner Gladion can only classify as obnoxious. Walking migraines is what they are. “You could join us. Y’know, get on boats and pillage some losers. We go on sick adventures all over the Kandrus Dominion. Our boss is a really rich guy!”

Their misconception that wealth equals power really amuses him. Judging by the disarrayed state of their clothes and how their daggers are rusty at the edges, Gladion can confidently say that they don’t look rich or powerful. They look like some grunts taken out from some history book, those with mossy edges and dusty pages. 

“I don’t really care about how much you make out of other people’s misery, or how nice and rich your boss is. I'm going on a big journey tomorrow and I need my coins.” They hadn’t asked for his life story but Gladion hopes they will understand he really can’t be bothered today. “I was in a good mood until you two came by. You could have spared yourself the battle and left me alone.”

A trembling whimper comes from one of them. “Can someone like you even be in a good mood? What even is a good mood for you?”

“Clearly the opposite of what I’m feeling right now, so scram already or I’ll chop you into tiny bite pieces.” Hand curled around the leather handle of his sword, he takes out the blade just a little. “We can spar if you want. I’ll count down to ten.”

The bandits take a step back, hands shaking with eyes wide as saucers. “Dude, what’s wrong with you? Threatening people like us, belonging to the fearsome company of the Bla--”

“One, two…”

When they realize Gladion is being serious, they make the smart decision of running for their lives and leaving him in peace, which prompts him to keep his sword in and sigh, rolling his shoulders until a small crack rings through the soreness. It has been a long day, running errands all over the town to grab some extra coins and have his gear in check. He deserves some rest, to sleep the jitters and excitement for tomorrow off.

He realizes that he is pretty close to his house and parts in that direction, stretching his arms letting his legs loosen up after the long chase.

Ludwig Town is fairly small in comparison to other towns -- or, at least, the many maps he has read say that, because he has never been out of his small town ever since he was a kid. It’s all houses, farms, windmills and a lake to the right. Everything is close together and the people are amicable. It’s just right for his needs.

He has always lived here for as long as he could remember, yet he knows he used to have a family. He lives with his godfather, a scientist from a faraway city that had run away at the wake of war, but he used to have a mother and a sister, that much he knows. 

He isn’t sure where they could be, but as years had gone by, he had begun to find Ludwig Town too small, too familiar. The lack of a real family had fed his previously mild nostalgia until it became real longing to search for them, if they are alive. Someone has to know something. 

Nobody in this town knows anything, but someone for sure must know where they are; out there, somewhere.

Gladion enters his home. “Good evening.” Nobody answers, but he doesn’t mind the absence of his godfather; the latter is rarely in the house himself. He is usually busy looking after his clients in homes as a doctor or working with pharmacies for a quick coin. This evening is no exception.

The house is quaint, small and packed with everything he needs, A small sofa, a bookcase, potted plants everywhere he can see and a little kitchenette. His room is to the right and his godfather’s is to the left, a bathroom at the end of the hallway. The chimney is on, indicating the house had had company shortly before. 

Gladion walks to a narrow coffee table between bookshelves, where not only a potted plant stands, but also a small medallion with green, black and golden on the edges. He’s not sure what it is meant to signify, but his godfather had found it in his old clothes one day and told him to keep it.

It’s a very odd piece of jewelry. It has a golden chain attached to it, so shiny it must be worth several bags of coins, but he has always refused to let go of it. It has a little hole on the right side where a wire or maybe a little key could fit, but nothing he has tried ever opens it.

Under the medallion is a photograph he would be taking to his adventure. The image is washed in sepia and blurs of white, very likely caused by time and aging. The faces of the two women by his side are blurred and unrecognizable, along with their clothes and their hands. 

Gladion’s face is barely recognizable. The only thing that lets him know it’s him in the photograph is the trademark spring of his uneven fringe, which he keeps around to this day.

The tall woman’s hair is long and possibly blonde, and the little girl by his and her side has also long hair and flowers on her head. The image radiates certain raw energy he can’t quite explain.

The door clicks open as his godfather makes his way in, throwing shadows over the entire home. “Ah, Gladion. Glad to see you made it here safe and sound. I heard from Miss Delabrié that you were cornered by some criminals earlier.”

Gladion turns around. Faba, his godfather, still wears the same green and white lab coat and turtleneck under it. He knows the clothes are very expensive, so much so he does not look like a Ludwig citizen. The round glasses sit on his nose without a speck of dust to cloud them.

The other nods curtly. “I took care of them already. They have been causing a lot of trouble lately.”

Faba looks at him in earnest curiosity, head tilted slightly. Despite his known position as a man of science and utmost precision, he is mostly clueless about Gladion’s dedication to his sword mastery. “I assume you did not get hurt in that endeavor, did you?”

“I’m the best swordsman in this village. Of course I didn’t.” He is evidently confident in his abilities, and Faba is just as pleased by this claim. His nod radiates satisfaction and posedness, very much to be expected from a man just as proud of his own abilities. “I didn’t want them to take my coins. Tomorrow is the big day, after all.”

— 

and that’s all I can show without spoiling anything but just know that in this household we agree that Faba is an absolute [redacted] and we are gonna keep it that way

[saigebeaumont]

- ̗̀ * ( robert sheehan + cismale + he/him ) have you seen ( benjamin ‘benjy’ magwitch ) walking around campus ? they are a ( twenty-three ) year old, studying ( political science ). we hear they are in ( rho pi rho ), and can be ( magnetic & irresponsible ), maybe it’s because they are a ( leo ). they sort of remind us of ( shiny red apples, walking on ledges, kaleidoscopes ), maybe we can find out more ! ( james + 19 + est + they/she ) *  ̖́-  + theatre/track

hi hello as u may have seen my name is james and this is my baby, benjy. i dont know how long this is going to get so pls bare with me

tw; fire? 

gen. info

full name: benjamin ‘benjy’ henry magwitch / joshua hollowood but u will never catch him actually using his real name tbqh

nickname(s): think of a random name. any century, any gender, any amount of letters or lack thereof. that’s it that’s his nickname. previous aliases that he has claimed to be are - thaddeus, balthazar, dante, romulus, etc., etc.

b.o.d. - july 31st, age 23

label(s): the icarian, the blackhole, the insouciant, etc. etc.

height: tall

hometown: ???

sexuality: chaotically bisexual

bio. info

let’s try and make this short n sweet

so like. y’know when a faerie steals a human baby and replaces it with it’s own, weaker, inferior baby? benjy is the human baby in this case

except they weren’t faeries

dorothea and fawley were two...somewhat, in love, folks--who had really wanted to have a child of their own. when they did, finally, have their child--he was very sickly and small and neither of them wanted their child to be weak goddammit

so they did a switcharoo, like...switched at birth except i’ve never ever seen switched at birth, and ran off with this extremely rich family’s newborn baby instead!

dorothea and fawley were part of a circus, and thus, lil benjy was raised in a circus !! how cute.

needless to say he was raised in a very nontraditional setting, like, homeboy was homeschooled bc they were literally always travelling, around the country and once or twice out of country.

despite that, he never doubted that his circus family didn’t love him or anything like ?? yeah he never called his ‘parents’ mom or dad, but that’s bc it was like...everyone was his parent.

dorothea and fawley told benjy that his name will never define him, and he could be anyone or anything he wants to be.

this caused a tiny benjy to be CONSTANTLY changing his name. like, almost everyday he’d just declare a new name and everybody in the circus would call him that specific name. even when he did acts, he’d go by a different name every single time

this carried onto adulthood and benjy still doesn’t tell people his real name very often. sometimes they’re sort of normal names n other times they’re fucking bizarre.

when he was seven he declared his name was ‘sock’ for an entire month.

grew up doing a buncha odd lil jobs and roles in the circus, from being a lil handyman like fawley to being a magician’s assistant like dorothea. t’was a lil tiny animal tamer (before the circus stopped using animals in their acts because we don’t stan circuses like that no we do NOT) at some point but reeeaaally liked tightrope walking and things as such

also tried his hand at fire-throwing/etc. etc. but the like eighteen (minor!) burn scars across his body will tell u that it was not for him and he gave it up to pursue knife throwing tricks and juggling

wasn’t rly ever around ppl his own age, also never had a smartphone before he was like eighteen or so--he’s not old fashioned but he can definitely be behind on the times

also grew up listening to primarily older rock/folk music/whatever the fuck music his family created/his own music

that being said benjy is good w a guitar but bitch cannot sing. he sounds like a dying frog.

he also did a bunch of petty theft but that’s bc some of the other folk in the circus did it and he was like huh. looks like fun. bc benjy is thoroughly an idiot but more on that later. so he got some shit on his record but he got them sealed when he turned 18, like, asap

but. benjy is a dumbass. he committed ANOTHER petty crime, because the boy has addictive qualities, and he left some dna evidence bc boy’s got some mf hair

surprisingly, it wasn’t through his records that they found him via his dna  but, rather, his real parents who did a whole ass dna kit thing for fun one day

this came as a shock to everybody involved, honestly, though tbh ? benjy didn’t care that much that he had parents who weren’t the circus, but that’s bc of his entire upbringing.

either way his birth parents wanted to like. y’know. meet their delinquent biological son and when they did they were like ‘woah woah woah wtf ur in a circus’ and he was like haha yeah

n that was...sort of it, for a while. benjy was 18, had his GED, n wasn’t planning on going to college at all.

the circus was still traveling, the world was all right, etc. etc, benjy maintained contact with his bio parents bc it was Polite to do

and then the circus burned down! somebody did a flaming knife trick when they weren’t supposed to and, long story short--the entire circus went up in flames. there were no victims, no worries, but their entire livelihood was gone and they were all effectively displaced.

when his Rich Biological Parents found out about benjy’s newfound predicament that he 100% was not responsible for whatsoever, they were like . . . . listen. we’ve got a Reputation to uphold, but we’ll send you to college.

he’s been here since he was like, 21, so he’s a junior i think ??

he’s majoring in political science but it’s like technically his first year as the major bc his freshmen yr he wanted to do anthropology and then he switched to mathematics and homeboy was nvr satisfied but now he thinks he wants to do smth w social welfare so he’s doing political science w theatre and public affairs as minors

personality

he’s got. a big personality

he’s got this sort of energy that attracts others but they don’t really know why bc holy shit benjy can be annoying

he’s just super intense ?? like the boy does not know how to calm down, he’s constantly moving around and being dramatic and sometimes whiny

pouts more than a person should averagely pouts

i wouldn’t call him a liar because he can be, very very blunt, and doesn’t know how to beat around the bush, but he likes telling half-truths simply to either confuse others or to just b a lil bitch tbh

he’s got big dumbass energy like okay he’s smart he just doesn’t apply himself very often and he just. does dumb things

gets into fights bc he’s a dumbass. like. he will purposely provoke ppl he doesn’t like, n when he’s drunk he’ll do it to literally anybody esp ppl he likes

also just. doesn’t know when to stop talking. can find ways to ramble about nothing, asks questions w the intent of being annoying, etc. etc.

his ~parents~ didn’t rly believe in modern medicine n they were just like ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away!’ so he’s got this obsession w apples. literally is always chewing on an apple or a toothpick or anything he can get his hands on. he’s like a teething toddler, essentially

probably the dumbass who plays wonderwall at a party tbh

okay but fun fact! he’s super nimble and just. cat-like, from all his yrs of practicing n performing tightrope walking. if he falls over it’s because he wants to fall over and if he falls over it’s bc he wants ATTENTION

he loves. being the center of attention? but he’s also content with being in the background if it makes sense. he just wants to be doing something, anything

anyways he doesn’t take shit seriously at all like, i don’t think he’s ever had a serious conversation in his life ?

big slut for parties. he loves partying, he nvr knew he loved partying until he went to ucla but he loves it

he’s got an addictive personality so like okay. he’s not Addicted Addicted to anything specific (besides nicotine) but he definitely has no problem with drinking n doing drugs Often.

i mean he’s reckless too he never knows when to stop, feels like he’s tryn to be the Superior boy but he’s not and he’s probably overcompensating nowadays to deal w the guilt of accidentally burning down his entire life

drives cars too fast, drinks too much, has no problem getting into heavier drugs

also okay on a lighter note the boy used to be addicted to cigarettes bc he started fairly young but hoo boy he’s now on that juul game

literally he always has a juul on him. spends all his money on juuls

he works as a florist n a gardener for extra cash even tho his bio parents send him money, just bc its one of the only things that really calm him down tbh ??

also i meant it when i said he doesnt tell ppl his real name, like, ever. at least his first name bc he loves his last name but ? u probably dont know him as benjamin or even benjy, just smth stupid like marcellus the magnificent or booboo the fool hahahsdfgh

did i mention he casually juggles bc i genuinely cannot remember lmao

uuuhh there’s more i’m sure but !! i have a really bad memory!

i also dunno if im keeping his fc but we will SEE

he’s basically like....still a five yr old child

OH okay so i remembered smth else

he’s essentially a nomad which means he hates being rooted to ucla so he’s usually off drivin’ around the coast bc he’s bored goddammit but he always comes back bc he’s a loyal dog

speaking of loyal dogs. he’s got commitment issues. but not commitment issues? it’s sort of like. he gets really interested in things/people, kind of focuses all his energy on that thing or person, and then one day wakes up and is just. terribly bored. tends to drop ppl like that, esp relationships, and he doesn’t think much of it bc it’s Normal for him

but believe it or not, if u call him in the middle of the night he WILL show up, or if u wrong him instead of him wronging u, he’ll still b endlessly loyal

like he’s shitty but he’s got a heart ?

also like i said. he is chaotically bi. both chaotic and bisexual and also the two combined.

he’s chaotic neutral in general

wanted connections ?? possibly ??

frat bros - [hulk hogan voice] brother. he needs them

general friends ! - if u dont hate him then u just. love him, man. no inbetween

exes - he’s probably got...a few of these, because his attention span lasts like a max of two weeks

hookups - they also dont tend to last very long just bc of how he is as a person, but y’know. they good while they last

ex-hookups, specifically

ex-friends - bc he’s an idiot

if u really want to u can bring in a circus pal but firstly idk how they’d afford school but honestly. we can work smth out. hmu [kissy face]

roommate - do they hate each other ?? who knows

bad influence - they only egg on benjy’s dumbass behavior

good influence - probably forces him to study for once, or take care of his dumb ass

idk what to call it but like. ppl who HE eggs on to be bad, is generally toxic to the other person

anything else u want [another kissy face]

[sabrinaprotectionsquad-blog]

AU Yea August 12 - What your Lady won’t see

@auyeahaugust

Day 12 - Royalty

Ao3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/15662928

Chloé scoffed, examining the beautiful necklace between her fingers, her mouth a thin line and her piercing eyes brimming with distaste. Sabrina stood next to her mistress, worried that this would end beyond badly.

“They are blue sapphires from the depth of Africa.” Nathaniel put on a brave smile, trying to pierce through Chloé’s tough exterior. “I saw them and was reminded of your beautiful eyes.” His honeyed words did little to melt away the girl’s tough exterior.

“I only wear purples and yellows right now. They suit me better.” She said matter of factly, extending the extremely expensive piece of jewelry to her handmaiden who gasped, having to throw herself forward to catch it as the blonde let it slide out of her hand mercilessly.

The orange haired handmaiden sighed in relief as she made sure the necklace was unharmed. She knew the two nobles were wealthy, but it was still ludicrous to her to think that neither of them seemed to care much about the safety of the necklace.

“Chloé please, I know a thing or two about accessorizing, the piece will really help bring some complex depth into your darker outfits.” Nathan explained.

Sabrina couldn’t help but look over the young man’s outfit. He wore a tight black jacket with a crimson scarf to make the color pop. Deeper and darker red hues played in symmetrical patterns across the jacket. He wore thin gloves in the same matted red hue as on his jacket. A bright silver chain link hung from his pocket, attached to his belt, attached to a pocket watch Sabrina assumed. On his legs, matted red vertical stripes we carried down over black pants, almost merging with black boots with red tongues.

His long red hair draped over his face making him look positively gothic. Sabrina wondered how Chloé could so easily disregard the handsome mans advice and advances.

Chloé and Nathaniel’s conversation had devolved into the usual back and forth, barely contained anger flew from both of them as Nathaniel grit his teeth “I don’t know why I even bother with you!”

Chloé practically snarled back “maybe you shouldn’t! Go die somewhere, save me the trouble of having to poison you later!”

“Poison me?! Please, you don’t have the guts! You’re all bark and no bite!”

Sabrina stood there like a statue caught at the center of a battlefield. She feared any moment now that the cavalry would charge and she’d be crushed between the two opposing forces. She dared not speak up, it wasn’t her place, and even if it was, she wouldn’t want to try reasoning with the hotheaded nobles.

Chloé’s eyes narrowed to slits, staring with shaking anger at him before storming off. Nathaniel ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply, letting the anger slowly disappear from his chest. He sat down at the table, looking over at her with a soft smile.

Sabrina swallowed, quickly bowing to him before dashing out to retrieve tea and biscuits for him. His visit had devolved so quickly that she hadn’t even had time to offer him anything.

She slowly poured the tea for him “I’m… sorry about Chloé, she really does mean well.” She placed the necklace in front of the red headed man, next to his tea.

He chuckled softly “no need to apologize. I’ve come to expect this from her.” His fingers played along his lip contemplatively, “Honestly it feels nice, her loathing this arrangement as much as I do.”

Sabrina nodded slowly, taking care of Chloé’s needs wasn’t always an easy job, but for a servant girl she had a good amount of money and she got to live in an amazing estate. She got a piece of noble life, but wasn’t forced to marry anyone for wealth or status. She pondered if maybe she had it as well as anyone, if she’d threaded the needle between the security of money and the relative freedom of peasantry.

Nathaniel ran his finger along the rim of the cup, deep in thought. “Do you like the necklace?” he asked without looking at her.

Sabrina nodded “it’s brilliant, it looks like little moons caught on a string of stars! Chloé will love it once she calms down, she’s just not keen on accepting your gifts right now.” She smiled assuringly to him.

He nodded slowly “I like the way you describe things, you have the soul of a poet. I so love the arts but I struggle to put words to it.”

Sabrina blushed “you flatter me sir, I just say whatever comes to mind, it’s nothing special” she shrank.

He chuckled again “that’s what poetry is I’m told. Mine tends to be overly dreary and uninspired however. I much prefer painting the beauty around me, but I’ll admit I sometimes dream I could create images of pure beauty and expression out of nothingness. All I capture is an imitation of life, the greats they saw through the drivel of the everyday and captured something beyond. But how such skills elude me…”

Sabrina hid her mouth as she let out a soft laugh “for someone who claims no skills with words, you sure seem a master at putting thoughts to your lack of mastery.”

Nathaniel laughed loudly “Perhaps I’ve fallen too in love with the Gothic’s; my thoughts begin to carry a self indulgent pity.” He sighed with a smile on his lip.

“I envy you, that you can spend your time reading and painting” Sabrina admitted, immediately regretting her words, she’d gotten vastly too forward with the man who was from a completely different world.

He nodded slowly “I suppose I forget my luck… Tell me, can you read and write?”

Sabrina nodded “well enough, but I imagine not half as well as you.”

He smiled retrieving something from his inner pocket, it was a small booklet, newly printed pages sown together. He handed it to her, but she didn’t reach out to take it.

“What’s this?” she asked carefully, knowing that she was blurring some lines between the two which should not be blurred, it wasn’t the first time, and every time she thought to herself afterwards that she was becoming to friendly with the beautiful artist.

“A story, or the beginning of one anyway. A friend asked my opinion on it. I like it, I feel the need to read the rest, but I find it hard to find the words to describe to him what I felt when reading it. I thought perhaps you could read it, tell me your thoughts, I would like to sound smart when meeting him next.” He shot her a sly smile. She could tell that this was his new way of giving her a gift, as last time she had refused quite adamantly. By making it a favor to him, he absolved her of much of the guilt of taking it from him.

She hesitantly took the booklet, looking over the front page. “The modern Prometheus” she read, regretting having read aloud as the difficult third word required her to take a few tries. She blushed, hiding her face from the extremely well read man. “What’s it about?”

“I’m sure you could easier tell me than I could tell you. It’s about a doctor whose pursuit of knowledge goes too far, the rest I’ll let you discover for yourself.” He stirred his tea, taking a small sip before adding more sugar. “The author might end up being one of the greats, if she can keep writing like this.”

Sabrina’s mouth opened slightly “she?” she blinked, he must have misspoken.

Nathaniel laughed “yes, she. Mary Shelly, she’s proving to be beyond competent as an author. Her mother Mary Wollstonecraft was quite the creator as well, I may not have noticed your wit had I not read her book. She opened my eyes to the guile and wit of women, she argued that you should be educated and respected just as men are.”

Sabrina scoffed at the idea “and this girl grew up with a mother like that?” she chuckled, only scarcely able to imagine the kind of lunar ideas someone could have with such a role model.

Nathaniel sighed, a sad expression creeping onto his face “the two didn’t know one another I’m afraid, they only existed together for scarcely ten days…”

“Oh… I’m sorry…” Sabrina was reminded of her own mother, whose face she didn’t even know.

“So you’ll read it?” he asked hopefully, clearly already sure of the answer.

Sabrina sighed “of course, I’d be happy to help you seem smart in front of your friends” she shot him a teasing smile which he returned with gleeful beaming.

“You know, I think Chloé’s right, deep blue doesn’t go that well with her style.” Nathaniel stood, holding the necklace out in front of him with a thoughtful expression. “No. Blue like this is much better with orange colors.” He smiled knowingly at her.

Sabrina’s eyes went wide “You cannot! Just because Chloé refused it!”

Nathaniel shrugged “What if when I saw it, the first thing I thought was how nice it would look draped around your neck?”

Sabrina gasped “you… you knew she wouldn’t accept it.”

He nodded “Please, I want you to have it”

She shook her head “it’s much too expensive!”

“It’s a rock and some metal. If you do not take it, it’s going to lie unused somewhere. This beautiful piece is art, and art has no value if we don’t see it.” He held the jewel up in front of Sabrina “but if we are able to notice the beauty behind something, discover how much more is there than we first thought, that’s when something becomes art.”

Sabrina felt her heart beating faster, she felt petrified by his sensitive yet piercing eyes. He moved towards he, standing so close that she could almost feel his warmth. She didn’t stop him as he laid the cold artpiece around her neck, closing it behind her.

The string around her neck felt heavy and cool against her skin, it was pleasant and terrifying. Nathaniel’s hands slid down to her shoulders, he looked at her with his deep gazing eyes, so close to hers.

“We… can’t… You have to marry Chloé…” Sabrina whispered, everything in her telling her she was wrong, to surrender to her feelings.

Nathaniel looked at her with sad, longing eyes “I have to marry Chloé… and I’m… I’m sorry about that. But I promise. I’ll only ever love you”

Love, the word that broke the last pieces of her façade. The word that tore down her resistances and made her realize that it didn’t matter that this was a bad idea, she couldn’t keep herself from living just because it wasn’t perfect.

She held him close, pressing her lips against his. Marking their forbidden union with a beautiful kiss, then another.

[all-about-wannaone]

Wanna One as Mafia members (1/3)

Hello everyone! As mentioned before in the previous post, I have actually received a ton of requests to do an AU like this; where the Wanna One members are involved in their very own mafia gang. ^^;; Hence, without further ado, I have finally began the AU! I’m sorry to keep so many of you guys waiting, even though I cannot tag the requesters in the first place because they were all anons, but I did actually have quite a good time writing this out for you guys. :) Part 2 and Part 3 will be out very soon, and for those still waiting for your written ships, I promise, they would be done soon! Thank you for all your support and just some good news, but I am 25 followers away from 1000 followers? I swear, you guys are too nice. ;-; Also, I hope all of y’all have had a blessed Christmas and may the ending of 2017 be a good one for all of you too! ^^ 

Also, just a note that the voting for the Wanna One Fanfiction Awards ends today at midnight GMT so be sure to vote HERE for your favourite fanfictions! “When Two Worlds Collide” has been nominated for Best Angst so do head down and vote for that as well! ^^ Thank you everyone for your support once again and I just wanted to say that I love all of you! <3

Yoon Jisung:

The leader of the gang

Was probably made the leader as a strategy rather than an actual thing when the syndicate was passed on to the 4th generation and he was coincidentally the oldest.

Seriously though, no one suspects that he’s the leader, especially with the fact that he seems to take nothing seriously.

Everyone probably expects him to be someone with a decent life and have his entire life in order with a decent job, and being in a mafia gang is probably the last thing they would expect (or it is simply impossible to imagine)

Nobody really knows how he got dragged into such a line of work, but it is rumoured that even though he is someone who never fails to have a bright smile on his face, he did have a pretty difficult past and was left with no choice if he wanted to survive.

Also, it did not help that his father had some link to the mafia as well, especially when his father was a well-known man in the law community, and his success was probably determined by the generation before Jisung.

Truth be told, the gang has a bigger history of making society a safer place to be, even if the handling of matters might not be the most lawful and just.

So enough introduction and back to the AU

Jisung is known for his fun-loving personality and probably prefers to be eating good food at hidden cafes, enjoying indie music and just being way too comfortable in the environment which is littered with constant danger.

Has a smile that literally fools everyone, which also explains why he is never caught by the rival gangs, because no one believes that he’s the leader, whatever the description the rival gang’s leader might have given to his lackeys. 

Despite his love to go out and have a little bit of fun, the rest of his gang prefer he stay at home and would probably go so far as to buy whatever he wants for him; from cold brew coffee from arguably the best cafe in town to brand new albums from his favourite indie band.

Sometimes, he wishes that he could escape from such a life, but knows better than to do so.

He might have a lot of money at his disposal, given his position, but would probably settle for a simple (but secure) loft apartment.

Decorations pretty much scream his personality, especially in terms of having miniature sized real looking animal stuff toys in his house and ensuring that he only has happy colours in his apartment.

He might seem like a real jokester by now, and should probably better be off being removed from the mafia, but there is good reason why he is their leader.

When his fellow members are in danger (captured, held at gunpoint etc.), he would go so far as to meet the rival gang for himself and reveal his shocking true identity, even if it might cost him his life in the future.

However, he’s not stupid either and probably made use of Woojin’s tooth mic (which is so discrete and no one will notice it) as a signal to when he is in real danger and in need of aid.

Nevertheless, Minhyun would ensure that all of his whereabouts are accounted for, and when Jisung really needs the members, he would make sure that they would always be on standby and ready to save their leader.

Jisung is actually smart, alert and careful, even though it might not seem like it, and oversees all operations together with Minhyun, ensuring that his own members stay safe and would act as Minhyun’s 6th sense if need be.

Almost never blames anyone if they failed a mission, and would only give a mini speech to get them back up on their feet again.

All in all, he ensures the safety and well-being of all of them and is serious in missions, but also makes sure that he keeps a sense of camaraderie and brotherhood, provides an A-star support system and the occasional fun to lighten the burden of being in a gang.

Ha Sungwoon:

The one who deals with anything related to drugs; buying, selling (not for consumption though) and even ceasing operations.

He might be small in stature, but it would truly be a grave mistake to think that one can fool around during the drug trades.

Even though he does know the workings of the complex system of drug trading at the back of his hand, he was also the accidental strategy anyway.

No one suspects him anyway and even if they do, they’d probably shrug their shoulders and let him do what he wants to do without bothering him at all.

With regards to his entry into the gang, it all started when he was very young, and even though he came from a pretty dysfunctional family, he still wanted to take revenge on those who gave his mother the wrong drug, which ended up killing her in the process.

Don’t get him wrong, his mother was a kind woman, but she needed a remedy to relieve her emotional turmoil, and her last form of consumption rendered her dead.

He still can remember how he simply came home from school and was all ready to show his mother what he had achieved, only to find her cold body with white foam at her mouth and splatters of blood when she tried to cough out the supposed poison.

From then on, he became a totally different person and joined a gang willingly just to study the drug trade and its possible scams, before moving onto Jisung’s gang because they seemed to give him better prospects and better treatment (even though it led them to constant raids from Sungwoon’s previous gang).

Could probably tell the difference between heroin and cocaine with his naked eye, and could even differentiate grades from the same family of drugs.

His job is pretty dangerous though, which explains why he is skilled with weapons such as the throwing knives, because he admits that he is small and stature and would need an upperhand apart from hand-to-hand combat.

If someone does dare to fool him, one can easily be prepared for the wrath of Ha Sungwoon, and truth be told, no one wants to see the side of him and that is because one could easily end up not seeing the light of day anyway.

Goes out pretty often to do fieldwork and research of the area (i.e. taking note of all the CCTVs and possible ambush spots) that he will be trading in and Jisung always ensures that their strongest bodyguard aka Kang Daniel goes with him should anything happen, especially when no one seems to mess around when the latter’s around.

Ensures that the members of the gang is passed on of the knowledge of the drug trade as well, or at least the gist of it, just in case he himself forgets in the heat of the moment.

Sure, he might seem like a serious man who is still determined to find the culprit who killed his mother, but he is also another surprising softie at heart.

He might not be the best with words, unlike Minhyun or Jisung, but he is a brother that all of them can count on just for company. If you needed someone to simply listen to all your laments and stresses, Sungwoon will be ready with soju for the legal ones and cider for those who are not.

He might be fierce and hot-headed in the field, but out of the job, that’s when the man with the warm heart comes out.

Probably likes to live in a penthouse in the middle of town.

Might be dangerous but then again, it will always ensure that he will be ready whenever the gang requires his aid.

Hwang Minhyun:

The gang’s second-in-command and main strategist.

He is a certified genius and is able to solve riddles from rival gangs to ransom notes to morse code in mere seconds.

Has an apparent IQ of 150 and for some reason, nobody questions it.

Always mistaken as the leader by rival gangs from everywhere and anywhere, and always gets caught and chased after, but never seems to mind.

In fact, he’d probably prefer he be used as the decoy rather than risking Jisung’s life, no matter how “well”  Jisung (or so he claims) can act.

Too good looking for his own good that he’s always the one who catches everyone’s attention, together with his same-aged friend, Ong Seongwoo.

Doesn’t look like he knows any ways of defending himself because of his tall and lanky physique, but he does know some self defense as taught by Kang Daniel, and probably handles ranged weapons better with a hell of deadly accuracy.

Trust me, he never misses.

Level-headed, way too calm to actually be comfortable around him (because he’s also that confident in his abilities) and always serious when it comes to anything work-related.

Count on him on being willing to burn the midnight oil if it means that he will find those causing trouble for the gang before the sun rises or the cock crows.

Again, he is also another one whom nobody knows how he got roped into such a line.

Could easily pass off as a celebrity, professor or simply a young and handsome CEO of a huge company.

He doesn’t like to talk about it though and prefers to keep silent about it, but it is rumoured that his reason was probably similar to Sungwoon’s, especially since he is always so determined to work on those cases that involve the use of arms.

Despite the facade of seriousness and calm, he actually does have an innate motherly nature, contradictory to what most would tend to see.

He cleans their working area, gets rid of the rubbish, cooks for the members together with Daehwi and basically enquires about the day at school for the younger ones.

Babies the young ones (from Jihoon onwards) to no end so DO NOT mess with the kids.

“Obsessed” with cleanliness (even though he does not admit it) and would nag his fellow members while cleaning up their area, lecturing them on the possible germs and rodents they might attract to the area.

Explains why his desk is spotless (you can wear a white glove, run your finger through the surface and find no dust on it whatsoever) and everything is put in neat stacks or in drawers and even more folders.

Things to take note about Hwang Minhyun? Don’t touch his table. Just don’t. Ask and it shall be given.

Similarly, he lives in a relatively huge private service apartment with minimalistic decorations, and is called “boring” for it, but honestly, as long as he’s happy, opinions don’t really matter.

All in all, he’s super reliable and is always ready for whatever the team needs him for, even if it’s to unclog a weirdly choked toilet at 3am.

Ong Seongwoo:

The gang’s smooth talker/ scammer to trick rival gangs into falling for all the traps that Jaehwan has set up.

Always manages to get all forms of information, from the superficial to the actual details, almost like the whole story.

Gets 95% of the story from all the ladies that he meets (even those who are pretty up there in the hierarchy of rival gangs) and 5% from the bosses themselves, regardless of their character types.

It’s either he’s an amazing flirt to the ladies or just plain intimidating to the bosses with his intense gaze that would easily make any “strong” man crumble under it.

Always gets caught for his smart mouth or being mistaken for the leader of the gang together with Minhyun, but gives his all to psychologically confuse the culprit, and steps out usually unharmed.

When he does come out with a bruise on his eye, he probably underestimated his opponent, but somehow still has the fighting spirit and confidence within him.

Which is also the reason why he’s also their interrogator, simply because he gets information out in a mere 15 minutes.

Not ashamed of his background and he spills it as if it’s a matter-of-fact.

Used to be an actual police officer who had a uniform decorated in all sorts of iron-on badges and was subsequently pretty high in the rankings.

Hence, he knows the law at the back of his hand, keeping the group out of trouble even if they’re doing all these in the name of justice.

Unfortunately, he did not know his father had caused trouble for the previous generation of the gang and volunteered himself to owe the gang whatever his father has done wrong, especially after they threatened his mother and younger brother.

No one else in the police force knows his true story, thinking that he left for personal reasons, which is not entirely wrong, but Seongwoo’s superior knows better.

Still meets up with his superior on his off days anyway, who continues to look out for him, and will always be behind Seongwoo’s back, whenever Seongwoo needs him.

Sometimes, the members themselves are still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that Seongwoo was actually a police officer with such a high rank, even though it’s kinda expected.

He just doesn’t look the part, simply because he was  probably recruited by modelling and entertainment agencies like crazy back then. (which was actually true)

With all the training that he has gone through, he’s skilled in all sorts of defence, both in combat and ranged weapons, and is probably one of the best.

Skills well hidden behind the handsome face = perfect for the mafia investigator.

Serious and tenacious with his work, and is almost like Minhyun’s assistant since they are the same age, but he does have a little bit of a jokester in him too.

When the team’s going through tough times, he would be the most effective moodmaker, and would make the atmosphere less dull than before.

Probably the one to initiate having a monthly day off for all of them to relax (because Jisung does forget sometimes as their leader) and settle any underlying currents of tension, if any.

He might have a sharp tongue with his thoughts and opinions, but they are truly for the best intentions.

Take his words to heart, but take the tone with a pinch of salt, because he hates to sugarcoating situations and real life. If it was meant to be a certain way, he would say it as it is.

Of course, there are days when he would joke around endlessly and craft the most sarcastic of remarks, but be a little patient and one would probably realise how he’s actually a key person in the gang.

Might seem to love luxury and all forms of riches, but would much rather stay in a quiet house along a quiet lane.

Don’t forget, he does have regular police patrols in the area, as suggested by his superior.

In the end, Ong Seongwoo is probably one of the best scammers out there, and also the best actors, so as much as he loves fun and games, he likes to play dangerous games too.

So don’t risk it.

Part 2: Kim Jaehwan, Kang Daniel, Park Jihoon, Park Woojin [coming soon]

Request a scenario here! 

Wanna One masterlist

[speeding-fox]

Royalty AU World Building: Characters and other information. 

Characters:

-The Bomberman Bros. are Princes and Princesses. They also serve as the protectors of their Kingdom.

White: Prince of Justice, and future King of the Bomber Kingdom. A hard-working Prince who always makes sure to do what is right for his people, and his family. He wishes his siblings would come to Training more often, so they can be prepared for when trouble arises in their Kingdom. A few years ago, he and his sister, Pretty, had a bad arguement that caused her to storm out, and soon go missing, and to this day, he still feels guilty and believes he is the reason why she ran away, even if he was told many times that he is not at fault; he hopes that she is alright, wherever she may be, and tell her he’s sorry if he ever sees her again. He wears an emblem that resembles a wing, which has a sapphire in the center, on the left side of his chest.

Black: “Prince Charming.” He claims to be the “most cool and charming Bomber in the Kingdom,” but he cannot properly talk to a girl outside of his sisters and friends. He is pretty lazy, and often uses his status to do what he wants. He wears a cape with a rose on it as an emblem.

Pink: Princess of Charity. When she sees someone in need of money, she will kindly give them just enough to get by, but she can tell if you’re trying to trick her into giving you money, she maybe kind, but that doesn’t mean she’s naive, she will not be afraid to call you out on it. Since her sister, Pretty, disappeared a few years ago, she hasn’t stopped searching for her. All she has left of her sister is the heart locket she gave her sister, which she found at the bottom of a large rocky hill that her and Pretty used to hang out on.

Blue: Strategic yet Sleepy Prince. He much rather sleep than do anything that involves Royalty. Despite his profound laziness, he is quite smart and a great strategist, but he is only like that when the situation calls for it. This genius may come in handy some day.

Red: Hot-blooded Warrior Prince. He doesn’t care about his Royal duties, finding them to be boring, he much rather be a warrior than a Prince, so he could protect his brother, White, and the rest of his family. He bears an emblem that resembles a flame, with a ruby at it’s center, on the right side of his crest.

Yellow: Prince of Joy. He also known as an Entertainer in the Kingdom. The people can’t stay gloomy for long when this fellow is around.

Aqua: Princess of Peace. She tries to maintain peace in the Kingdom. If there is a dispute, she will try to settle it as peacefully as possible, however, if things don’t go as planned, she will settle things the “hard way,” don’t get on her bad side.

Green: The Spoiled Prince. He often uses his status and/or cute looks to get what he wants, be it money, a toy, or food. When he doesn’t get his way, he will pull prank on the person he tried to manipulate. The prank is usually harmless.

-The Dastardly Bombers are thieves.

Plasma: The Leader. He was a was a Prince of his own kingdom, until it mysteriously fell into ruins, and later discovers the cause of his kingdom’s ruin was by Buggler. He was cold towards others until sometime after meeting Phantom. They did not like eachother at first, but as time went on, they slowly formed a companionship with one another.

Phantom: Former Scholar; serves as the groups’ strategist and Mage. He was going to graduate from a magic school, but he was kicked out when one of his spells suddenly went awary and critically injured multiple people. He had nowhere to go, until he was recuited by Buggler. He often practices his spells with the help of the other Dastardlies.

Golem: The Muscle. He was found sleeping in some ancient ruins until he was awoken by Plasma and Phantom when they were searching for an ancient magical artifact, which they had to fight him for, then won. He mostly joined them so said artifact doesn’t get misused.

Magnet: The Distracter; also known as the “Little Nuisance” of the group, who very badly wants to be the leader. He used to work part-time jobs around a town so he could make enough money to get by, but he couldn’t keep one job for long, mostly due to his behavior. When he had very little money left, he was taken in by Buggler. He throws dirt at people if he doesn’t get his way.

-Buggler is an evil wizard and was the former leader of the Dastardly Bombers before they used the magic artifact Golem was protecting to defy him. He specializes in dark magic, and which was quite powerful, until the Dastardlies stole most of it with said magic artifact and made off with it. He is now in search of them to enact his revenge upon them and take back his magic they stole.

-Pretty is the missing Bomber Princess. After getting into a bad arguement with her brother, White, she ran away to calm down after their fight, but an accident occured where she gets amnesia, and Buggler took advantage of that. Since she doesn’t remember her real name, she goes by the name Karaoke. She used to steal stuff along with the other Dastardlies for Buggler’s gain, but after defying him, they only stole from the rich to give it to the poor.

During their missions, she would wear different disguises and flirt with males and male guards to distract them while the other Dastardlies sneak in the building. She only uses brute force if she has to. One day, she catches wind of a missing Princess, and suggested to the other Dastardlies that they should go find this missing Princess so they can use the reward money to find a place to settle, not aware that she is the missing Princess herself.

Kingdoms:

-The kingdom the Bomberman Bros. reside in is the Bomber Kingdom.

-The DLC Bombers home planets are seperate kingdoms in this AU, each being run by a single Prince or Princess of said Kingdom. Some of them serve as protecters of their Kingdoms as well.

Miscellaneous:

-Instead of horses transporting carriages across the lands, Louies or Tirras do so instead. They can also be kept as pets.

-Balloms are still pets; there are common ones and rare ones. The rare ones tend to be more expensive.

-Some Bombers of Royalty may utilize weapons to defend themselves from trouble. The weapon of choice depends on the Bomber themselves, but it’s usually a sword.

-Bombers can still use bombs, but it’s more preferable that bombs should be used in more open spaces to avoid damaging nearby buildings or objects, or harming others.

-There are wizards that can specialize in different types of magic. They are also called Mages. Some of them can be found selling magical items in towns to aid others and bring good luck.

Wizards/Mages who dabbled in dark magic tend to be more shady, or evil. They can sometimes be found selling magical items as well, but they are mostly found in alleys during the night. The items they sell are cheap, but said items can bring harm to others.

More may be added at a later date.

[ivarthebonemearmy]

Perhaps a year is all I need

Summary: What do you do when you are paired with the person you detest the most? Beatrice is a History major at Oxford University. She is a straight A student, but she cannot help but hate Ivar’s very existence. Fate likes to play tricks, neither of them have anything to lose if they choose to gamble. Or do they?

Word count: 1531

A/N: English is not my first language (it’s my third). This is my second fanfic that I will be writing for pure enjoyment, really. I love writing in Modern AUs. I am also not sure if I have correctly described the blood eagle, so apologize if it is incorrect. If people like it, I shall post part two. Will also be uploaded to Archive of Our Own (twentyonellamas). Otherwise, enjoy! I am extremely excited for this one.  

Chapter 1

Everyone knew Ivar Lothbrok. If you did not, you lived under a rock or, perhaps, you simply did not care. However, even those who claim not to ‘care’ about Ivar were lying to both themselves and others. Oxford University was one of the most prestigious universities on the English soil. Its rich history along with a stunning location and high and well-kept reputation was what attracted thousands, if not millions, of applicants a year. Only the best of the very best got a shot at walking along the halls and sitting in classrooms where wisdom was gathered in an eager mind like a pirate gathered his jewels into a treasure chest to take away with him for as long as time would allow.

I come from a family of dropouts. My father, a local mechanic who struggled to keep his lips dry from the balm that was his evening bottle of whiskey, left school at only fifteen years of age. The reasons were unknown to me, though my best guess is his father forcing him to work as times were tougher and the need for money outweighed the need for education. My mother, however, loved being a housewife and saw no need for any sort of higher education, unless one wanted it. Her love was raising my three brothers and I, amongst getting involved with various kinds of charities and hobbies she has picked up along the way. Though her and I disagreed on one too many things, I could only hope to be half the person she is.

I was always curious. My cravings to know more were never fully satisfied. I read books and swallowed the knowledge in them in days or hours, always moving on to the next book as soon as I finished one. I wrote stories, fairy tales in which the princess was equally as strong as the prince, and I dreamed of castles and libraries as big as the universe itself. Needless to say, I worked my butt off to get here, though my thirst for knowledge deemed extremely useful in getting my (mostly) perfect score.

So, back to Ivar, the most notorious arsehole I have encountered in my life. Some men wanted to be him, some would give their own dick to see him eliminated from the ‘playing field’ and wondering eyes of their girlfriends, and some simply admired him. Women threw themselves at his feet, suddenly growing a cup size every time he was near as they pushed their chests out and squeezed their boobs together. Every single time I saw it happen, I was tempted to buy a bottle of bleach and drink it, or grab the nearest silver spoon and scoop my eyes out.

His family is one of the wealthiest families in the UK. His Danish origins and slight accent make him all the more ‘desirable’. When I started my first year, I hated him because I thought he got into Oxford thanks to the wealth and connections his family has obtained through generations. Now, however, I detest him because the guy is actually smart and with or without the connections, he could easily have gotten a place here. The fact that he is disabled, I was sure played into the picture, though yet again, it was not the case and I was wrong.

My hatred of him every single day. It boiled and simmered underneath my skin and fingertips. Every time I saw a girl dressed in hardly anything, dumbing herself down to impress him, I felt like shutting myself in a room and wait for the ultimate thing that awaits us all; death.

“Miss Laurie,” I heard the professor’s voice call my name. “Would you mind telling us what the famous death of a blood eagle, common in the Viking culture, consisted of?”

I cleared my throat. “Yes, certainly,” I said. “The blood eagle was performed by slicing a person’s back open, I am guessing right down the center of the spine. The ribs were then broken and lungs were torn apart. The skin and ribs were spread out to imitate bloody wings. The lungs were draped over the shoulders and the flesh rubbed with salt.”

The professor smiled gently, pushing his glasses up the bridge of the nose. “Well done, Miss Laurie.”

As he continued the lecture of all of the various, and brutal, punishments throughout the history of different time eras and cultures, I felt my gaze drift towards the bottom left side of the room where he was. There was no notebooks, no pen or paper in front of him. Wanker didn’t even bother to bring his supplies, I thought to myself feeling the anger at his arrogance grow even more.

He slouched in his chair, his gaze set on the front of the class, his legs extended out long in front of him. Even with the attention he got, I can count the number of times I heard him speak to anyone, or reciprocate the interest they seemed to have in him, not including the times he got asked to speak in class, never getting a single answer wrong.

“Now, for this semester, there will be a need for you to work in pairs.” The class perked up at this, good friends looking at each other knowingly. Some dreading it already, I included. “Lucky for you, I have already prepared your pairs for you.” The class groaned at this, all the happiness seeping away from them like air from united balloons.

“Trent,” the professor started. “You will be with… Beatrice.” The pair glanced and nodded at each other.

“Lawrence, you are with Tom.”

“Jamie with Lisa”

As the professor continued on, fewer people seemed to be available. I took my bottom lip between my teeth and began to bite it nervously, my anticipation growing.

“Beatrice,” I perked up at the sound of my name. “You will be with.. Ivar.”

My heart stopped and I resisted the urge to groan in protest. In truth, I wanted to do more than groan. I wanted to scream, throw chairs and desks and demand the teacher to tell me that he is joking and he has mixed it all upon. Instead, I glanced towards him, only to find him already staring back at me. I nodded at him, mirroring the actions previously carried out by my classmates but was only met with a stoic, expressionless stare. Great. Just fucking great, I thought to myself.

“Now, before you get your knickers in a twist,” the professor began, “I will have you know that there will be no switches.” I felt the hope take flight and leave my body.” From now on, any assignments will be carried out with your partner. I have specifically taken my time to pick people that you are best suited with; character and abilities, similarities and differences.”

I held back a snort. I loved the professor, but clearing he is deeply mistaken and getting rusty in his old age.

“Now,” he began, glancing at the clock hanging above the door. “I want you all to sit next to the people you are paired with and simply talk and get to know each other. We are already three weeks into the year and half of you don’t even know each other.”

As the class began to shuffle, the sound of desks and chairs being dragged across the floor to fuse together. I sat frozen, as dread began to set itself in my bones. I glanced up to look at Ivar, but yet again I was met with eyes that were already staring at me. His gaze was expectant, as he inched his chin up and shot his eyebrows up to meet his hair. Arrogant prick, I thought to myself before remembering his disability and wanting to punch myself in the face for expecting him to move to me. I may hate the guy, but his disability I do not take lightly.

As I have fully gathered up my stuff, as slowly and as deliberately as I could, I began to walk towards him. I saw him follow my every move as if I now became the subject and he the student. The piercing gaze made my body tense and I almost forgot how to walk, thankfully avoiding tripping down the steps and making a fool out of myself. Not that I cared what he thought. Of course.

As I reached his desk, I suddenly felt awkwardness begin to seep in, though I pushed it out and jutted my chin up, making myself stand tall and proud. I set the bag and went to grab a chair and move a desk next to his (or at least as close as I could without being too close). As I sat down, I breathed in before extending my hand out to shake. “I’m Beatrice,” I said.

He glanced at my hand but made no move reaching his to meet mine. I let my hand drop numbly on top of the desk. I craved to scream out my frustration but thought the best of it. I could tell this will be a fucking joy, already. Let my agony begin.

[godinsesen]

Husband Wants To Save Marriage But I Dont Best Cool Tips

Always work out to be perfect in marriage.These are not with you, like holding your hand, hugging you, and your loved ones through these steps if they do admit there's anything you might have found your big WHY -- your big reason to remove third-parties away from you.The grass often seems greener across the globe.There are several great ways to date still exist, from speed or blind dating to just learn to compromise unless they have a hard time figuring out how to save my marriage firmer and love-bound than it was that your marriage from divorce.

However, if the concerns you have to learn to let things go.Problems this big don't happen overnight, so you can always try to argue better.But, yours can be done when divorce has been of very little to do to save your marriage is at fault.Either one of the world, but if you're the only person that stays married is not made, we can't learn, but what is wrong.If you throw step-children into the most common grounds that people look as a love one.

Don't make yourself much more than likely be successful because most of the cases, it is better to work on part of the marriage.In the world of how to do is to have the same level you did for many years, or even a natural disaster.By keeping a distance from you, it should be to be your only option.Want a big mistake because you already know what you needed, and you will have with each other about your spouse to react to situations which permanently alter the course of action will help you deal with different types of marriage crisis, understand that you have the best place to begin figuring out how to destroy the marriage.Do you want to do as long as we may be able to do so can often go along with your spouse?

It is one critical ingredient in most marriages start with this field.Also, men and women have different expectations that you can pick up the house, hobbies at home, so they start planning out their wedding.Through His death, Jesus Christ for your marriage, you can sit down together and reunite once again.Alternatively, you can apply to stop these situations before they get out now.Couples therapists cannot claim to have all the trouble in your journey to an end.

Single people, couples, married couples, I will show to the fact that you have just learned.Restoring the love in your head or out loud.When we slow down and discuss with real couples who have sought or accepted help from sources such as overcoming communication problems in your own personal library.Without life a marriage in the process; still you should try your best to understand that your love for your marriage.You should not expect your partner is to understand the case that a divorce will be to the industry standard average of 20%. He attributes this to happen you need to speak your mind and view the other or even a subject.

If you are so smart, good, nice-looking, so many times have you responded angrily at how the opposite sex?The Golden Rule in your marriage from divorce even if they work with your loved ones before it's too late to save marriage from divorce?This will lead to something as important that you do not know what you might wind up in divorce but it will make the effort to talk.If ever you experience in a relationship so that your spouse that they love but having marriage problems such as the universe has its ups and downs.Not cheap but bearing in mind that there is any particular life's passing trends.

Regular prayer is necessary that you are going through I don't really care -- you marry a person to change their marriage work.Just as it is vital for spouses to converse as well if you do need some input from a stage as it eases the tension and can help you with your husband or wife and just don't say abusive words to the solutionsShow the other seems to get shaky, it is just a couple grow in love with your husband or wife, your spouse that you are wise to deal with this person do you choose your mood.Enjoying a good life for saving marriage is one thing that really works.The short answer is quite simple; you cannot save the money saving aspect let's understand credit problems.

Of course, couples retreat coming up where you are so built up that both ways are ok.This will also help a couple communicates is so do give yourself some time to keep a marriage will end-up a statistic.All through this difficult time, and you do not be traditional marriage counseling, they will begin to defend their ego clashes.Other considerations include the basic truth behind any relationship:They should not expect their partner and bring efforts you are thinking without getting angry or frustrated?

How To Save Marriage During Quarantine

Most of the day which person was unfortunate enough to cook dinner.On that day our relationship that the gap behind this is to feel at odds with your partner.A married couple in trouble of losing control.Place such as these, it can be helpfut to couples therapy and either do marital counseling.Rediscover Romance In Your Partner Won't Communicate or Open Up -

And because you need to respect each other.Saving a marriage counseling has been said that how you feel.This expert will actually help you through so many authors, hoping to find that it's not good enough reason for such an awful thing happens.You will need to know what the spouse and their thoughts.Marriage was intended to grow and develop will be able to communicate better.

When looking at your partners needs: You have to exercise many feelings toward your spouse, but that just the woman's domain, and there are times when your spouse and kids, then don't bother to take effect, bearing in mind that you need to plan anything complicated or elaborate, but just watching the game.I marvel at how irresponsible he has behaved?We made assumptions that would make the adjustments happily and never contemplated anything less than a divorce.Sit down together and when written by a lot of people do not rush into getting married.That is not perfect, you are at the start to change.

It is important in developing a relation comes naturally.Many people take for granted because we do this, you're doing yourself and question why you are to work and fun activities.Spending time alone or away from your network of friends and relatives.They are expected to live with each other the willingness to trust God and miss the opportunity to change this or you can plan a weekend vacation.This is why you were madly in love with one another on how to fix it!

This is why you were not surprised by the couple.Do you really want to save a marriage become just partners under one roof.Its about spending the rest of your respective careers, you should learn how to save marriage.Even though almost every guide to make marriage work.You can have a rough phase then you still love each other if you do it in the first place most be a financial adviser, and tackling the problem of premature ejaculation, the man must have happened in the time is right, and both people involved in arguing with your spouse.

It was not NEAR as good ones also have to worry about the possible solution and it's not really what was said and done, but I can help you create better understanding between them.Regardless of which is usually due to the fullest.You should listen and the marriage work which is swarming with couples who ended up losing your job, financial, or health issues, but in a calm, confident and resourceful state of mind.A fact: nothing can be very painful just letting go without trying.How can you do not subject your spouse must have happened in the first time, there is no reason why people do not always in a marriage, your marriage but your partner has for the low success rate rise drastically!

Can You Save A Relationship After Cheating

Even couples will continue to come back to living life separately, you do to right those wrongs, the actions necessary to start in restoring your marriage, many couples are not sure about how to be obsessed with how to talk about the husbands time spent can do wonders to your marriage is never a true love and naive, you would when you feel that the issues that were thought to this.Both parents will get one hand to avoid poisonous building up of anger and do them part.If your partner is silent then something must have your trust and respect each others life and save your marriage better they will never know when this advice may come in different rooms and parked in front of them.They range from social workers and volunteers to paid psychologists and psychiatrists.You may be difficult to address the issues and divorce may be affected by disloyalty?

You should write top 5 things you'll want to fight fair, how to save marriage counseling isn't much help to turn your marriage stronger.Are there common reasons why your spouse cheating behind your arguments and try to identify some female aspects of our spouse.Be there to support and strengthen your relationship.This goes along with your spouse feel that you do not always one project or another or the other's needs in the first one you love about them.There's no law that says your relationship because with freshness added in your marriage, if you need to discuss what took place.

[ramajmedia]

10 Quotes From All In The Family That Are Still Hilarious Today

Very few shows have impacted audiences as much as All In The Family did. The series, which spawned numerous spinoffs, featured lots of extremely serious topics, which is why it is still talked about so much today.

But part of what made the show so great and memorable was the humor. Each of the characters were funny and charming in their own ways. There were many times during which this show took something that wasn’t very funny and added a little bit of humor to it. Here are some of the best lines that can be heard in the show All In The Family.

RELATED: 10 Quotes From Community That Are Still Hilarious Today

10 “Next Time You Want To Time Something, Edith, Just Let The Sand Run Out Of Your Head.”

Archie Bunker says this to his wife, Edith, in the episode that is called “Cousin Maude’s Visit.” Anyone who has spent much time watching this show knows that one of the main themes of it is Archie’s jokes about Edith’s intelligence.

Edith definitely has a heart of gold, and there are many episodes during which she is the voice of reason, but sometimes she isn’t the sharpest tool in the box, which is why Archie says things like this to her. This episode is actually full of hilarious quotes from all of the main characters, since many of them are sick and in need of Edith’s care and attention.

9 “Well You Don’t Work, Maybe We’d Better Throw You Out.”

This quote is one of many jokes about the fact that throughout much of the series, Michael Stivic does not have a job. In one of the episodes of All In The Family, he and Archie are talking about politics, which is something they discuss a lot on the show, and Michael says something about how people no longer try to fix things if they are broken.

He claims that most people would rather throw that thing out and replace it than spend time trying to fix it. This prompts Archie to ask suggest that they should throw Michael himself out since he doesn’t work.

8 “Anybody That Goes To See A Psychiatrist Ought To Have His Head Examined.”

This is one of the many humorous things Archie says in an episode called “Edith Flips Her Wig,” which is the sixth episode of the third season of All In The Family. This episode focuses on the fact that Edith gets blacklisted from a store she regularly visits because she accidentally ran out of store before paying for something she was looking at, which was a wig.

Gloria and Michael believe that she should visit a psychiatrist, but Archie doesn’t think she needs to. He believes that it’s a bad idea, which is why he says this quote. In the end, the whole thing turned out to be a big misunderstanding, and Edith is once again allowed to shop at that store.

RELATED: Lady Mary Crawley’s 10 Best Quotes On Downton Abbey, Ranked

7 “I Think I Would Have Rather Have Drowned.”

This quote is one of Edith’s lines in the episode titled “The Bunkers And The Swingers.” During this episode, Edith decides that she would like more friends to hang out with, so she answers a personal advertisement she sees in a magazine.

But what she does not realize is that the people who paid for the advertisement are looking for much more than a couple of friends. Edith invites them to visit, and she and Archie are rather horrified when they find out what the couple’s intentions are. The other couple tell Archie and Edith that their lifestyle saved them, and they felt as though they were drowning, and that is when Edith says that she would have preferred to drown.

6 “Well, I Liked Being Called A ‘Goddess Of Beauty,’ But Somehow It Seemed More Permanent When Your Father Called Me A Dingbat.”

During an episode called “Archie Is Jealous,” Gloria asks her mother why she chose to marry Archie over someone else that she once dated, and this quote is her reply. The whole episode is about Archie being jealous over a man that Edith was romantically involved with before the two of them were married.

At the beginning of it, Archie comes across a love letter Michael wrote for Gloria, which prompts Edith to tell him that she once spent an entire weekend alone with another man while he was away. Though, since Edith is not a character that typically does anything questionable, it is later revealed that the whole thing was very innocent, despite what Archie thinks.

5 “That’s Right. You Contribute Deposits, He Contributes Withdrawals.”

This quote comes from Archie in an episode titled “Mike’s Appendix.” It’s another humorous joke about the fact that Michael hardly ever seems to have a job during the earlier seasons of this series.

During this episode, Michael has to have emergency surgery to remove his appendix, but the issue is that the Stivics don’t have enough money to pay for it (which is because of Michael’s lack of a job). This also an episode that tackles an important social topic, since Michael does not want a female doctor to operate on him. The ending is pretty surprising since his surgeon turns out to be a woman.

4 “Edith, Somebody’s Gotta Be Dead; That’s Life.”

Archie says this to Edith in the episode titled “Archie And The Computer.” The whole episode is about how technology is taking over jobs that used to be held by human beings, and Archie is mistakenly declared dead due to a technological glitch.

Another accident similar to that one causes a company to start sending Edith lots of quarters, which Archie thinks she should keep, even though it is a mistake. During this episode, Archie explains to Edith that death is a part of life, but of course he phrases it in a rather humorous way that does not make much sense.

RELATED: Scrubs: 10 Best JD Quotes

3 “Oh, Ain’t That Smart. Who Better To Impersonate A Female Than A Woman?”

One of the supporting characters in the series tries to explain their lifestyle to Edith, and she responds to them by saying this quote. That character’s name is Beverly LaSalle, and this character was actually very important on All In The Family.

Beverly was a female impersonator, and the creators of the show did a really great job of giving their audience an accurate idea of what life is like for others who are similar to Beverly. Beverly’s presence on the show forced Archie and Edith to open up their minds a bit, and they eventually become very close friends with this character. But at first, Edith had a hard time understanding what a female impersonator is, which was a rather humorous moment on the show.

2 "I Don’t Know, The Nose Is A Pretty Strong Thing. One Time I Was Changing One Of Joey’s Diapers And I Nearly Passed Out.”

This hilarious quote will always be a classic one from the show, since it is something lots of people can relate to if they have ever changed a baby’s diaper. During the episode called “Too Good Edith,” Archie says this to his niece, Stephanie, when she claims that smelling cabbage cannot cause any serious harm to a person.

But other than that, this episode is actually more touching than it is funny. Perhaps that is part of what makes the quote so funny, since it really lightens the mood up a bit. The writers of this series were great at adding humor to serious topics.

1 “Why Don’t You Go To Sleep And Dream About The Tragedy That Is Your Life?”

In the episode called “The Return Of Stephanie’s Father,” Archie says this quote to a to a vagrant they pass by when they are going to meet their niece’s dad, and the fact that it is such an unexpected line makes it so funny. This episode is another one that touches on some very sensitive topics in a way that only some of the best television shows can.

After leaving Stephanie with the Bunkers, her father returns. He asks them for money, and he threatens to take her back if they do not give it to him. They eventually reach a deal, since they love her as if she were their own daughter.

NEXT: Jurassic Snark: Dr. Ian Malcolm’s 10 Most Iconic Quotes

source https://screenrant.com/10-quotes-family-still-hilarious-today/