#classes and something else is kind of a lot rn

[raintemper]

Another scug oc featuring a pangolin

They are just spiky. Many defensive/offensive mechanisms but actually they just curl into a ball and cry 90% of the time

[jetblack4realz]

the sweetest of loves - jacaerys velaryon

i'm living for fluffy modern jace rn honestly you're gonna love me for this

low key same au as my last one, just a few years later - more will come of this as well, i'm loving it haha

word count: 5.2k

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when you talked with jace about transferring to the essos school of literature instead of attending king's landing university with him again he was entirely supportive.

"you have to do it," he insisted, glancing between you and the 'accept' button at the bottom of the email. his smile was wide as he nodded at you, hand covering yours on the table. "you have to. you've been dreaming about going here for years."

"but, i already have a life here, jace, with you," you objected, brows furrowed as you leaned back in your chair. "i have friends and i like what i'm studying. i've only got two years left."

"it's just a study abroad year," he told you with a light smile. "you'll still graduate from KLU, you'll just have all this new experience to go along with it. it'll be okay."

"are you sure?" you asked.

"positive. you'll never forgive yourself if you don't go," he said, squeezing your hand comfortingly. "i think you should go."

and so you'd clicked that 'accept' button and shipped off to northern italy a month later.

you sent pictures of everything when you arrived, and a video of you and your roommate lisy who was studying in america at nyu originally. she was the most bubbly person you'd ever met and you loved her instantly.

jace responded in kind with his own pictures; the boys on the football pitch, 0.5's of cregan and aegon and benji, pouting selfies of him in the kitchen pointing at a burnt plate of who know's what? you got a voice memo each morning of him mumbling "i love you, have a great day," which you answered with a wide smile.

lisy teased you relentlessly, wondering after each picture, "is that going to the boy?" which you always had to reply honestly and say it was. she met him over facetime several times and he told you he was glad that you had her in italy, even though he wished he was there instead.

"she seems excitable," he laughed once she left your bedroom. you giggled, falling on your bed with the phone to your face.

"the most excitable," you told him. "i love her. she's made the transition a lot easier. but, i still miss you like hell."

"i miss you too," he hummed with a half smile. "even cregan misses you. we don't eat nearly as well with you gone."

"well be sure to stock up before i come home and i'll make you something," you told him, smiling at the compliment of your cooking.

"deal," he said with a grin. the screen shook as he moved on his bed, a yawn escaping his lips.

"when do you have class tomorrow?" you asked.

"eight," he sighed.

you gasped. "jace! you need to go to bed, it's like one in the morning."

"i'm fine, love. i'd rather talk to you," he said, but the daze in his eyes as he resisted another yawn said something else.

"go to bed, jacaerys," you told him sternly, smiling at the boy.

"it's like two in the morning over there, why aren't you going to bed?" he asked lazily.

"me and lisy are going sightseeing tomorrow and we don't have a wake up time," you said, a smirk on your lips as his eyes widened. he groaned dramatically.

"that's so not fair. i have to go to class and you're touring italy," he whined.

"should've come with me," you hummed.

"we both know i never would've gotten in. i'm terrible in english, i'll stick to history," he answered.

"then go to bed," you said, a smile still on your lips as he sighed heavily.

"fine," he droned. he looked more intently at the screen to you, smiling softly. "i love you."

"i love you too, j," you said, reciprocating his sweet smile. "sweet dreams, love."

"you too. goodnight."

"goodnight."

"i've never seen a place like this before," lisy gasped, looking all around the sweet little market you'd found yourself in. you giggled, beginning to file through a few of the notecards sitting on an antique table.

"jace's mom used to take me places like this all the time," you told her. "she doesn't have a daughter and is a serious shopaholic, so i got dragged to all sorts of places."

"ugh, i would've loved that!" she said.

"i did," you answered, following her to the home decor section. "i reckon as soon as i go home for the holidays she'll have all sorts of markets and boutiques for us to go to. are you going home? maybe you could come with!"

"i can't afford the fare to america to spend only a week home," she answered. "but, i guess england's only a few hours from here, huh?"

"you should come! if we buy the tickets now they'll be cheap," you said eagerly. "i have an apartment back home that i'm sharing with my two best friends, though one of them moved into my room. you could stay with us! you'd love them, we'd have loads of fun."

"okay," she agreed with a smile. "it's a plan. now, can we please buy these pillows?"

she held up two blue and cream pillows with little floral designs on them. you reached for the tag hanging off one corner and flipped it over, gasping when you spotted the number printed on it.

"forty euros!"

"that's not that bad," she said, waving you away.

"each!" you reemphasized, but she shrugged, carrying them with her as she continued to the baking section.

"worth it!" she called over her shoulder, earning a laugh from you as you followed her.

you had jace on speaker as you worked your way around the kitchen.

"i mean, if he'd just get a grip he'd realize that she likes him too," you said louder than normal for it to reach the phone. you heard jace sigh dramatically as you began mixing the cream cheese icing you were going to put on the cinnamon rolls as soon as they came out of the oven.

"that's what i've been saying!" he said. "but luke is so stuck in his own head. i mean, he's a weird bloke, sure, but she's into that apparently."

"luke is a cute kid, don't say that," you told him.

"well, he does look like me, he is my brother."

"oh, shut up jace," you laughed.

"oh, you're talking to jace?" lisy asked as she entered the kitchen, sticking a finger into your icing to lick off as she turned back to where your phone was charging. "HELLO JACAERYS!"

"wow, hello to you too lisy!" he chuckled. "nearly broke my ear there."

"i try," she said with a shrug, eyes on your phone. "you've been on the phone for three hours?"

"don't judge," you told her. "it's boring baking by myself."

"it took you three hours to make your cinnamon rolls?" she asked.

"and cake pops," you answered.

"ooh, where?" she asked with an eager smile.

"setting in the fridge, don't touch them yet," you laughed. she looked back at your phone as jace apparently moved his, the sound crunching through your speakers.

suddenly, her eyes widened and her face paled. she clicked your phone as jace started talking again.

"gods, do i miss cake pops. what flavor, love? strawberry?"

"uh, yeah," you said slowly, crossing the small kitchen to grab your phone from your roommate, brows knitted in a silent question. she flashed your phone screen at you, brows raised high as she pointed at a little green text.

-what r u doing tonight?

"who the hell is that?" she whispered.

"who is who?"

"nothing, jace. just some guy in my creative writing class who's asking me what i'm doing tonight," you said. you grabbed your phone, beginning to type out a response.

"and what are you doing tonight?" jace asked slowly.

"certainly nothing to do with him," you laughed. "probably watch a movie or something. maybe we can do the group watch thing on disney plus and watch the princess bride."

"i'm always down to watch princess bride with my future princess bride." you could hear the laugh on his tongue as he teased you and you giggled, lisy making a face of disgust.

"you two are gross," she said. "anyways, is the guy cute? i'm not doing anything tonight."

"his name is liam and he's kind of a jerk," you told her, scrunching your nose. "kept interrupting class with his stupid, slightly offensive jokes about our professor's teaching methods and then when we had to write a short narrative as a group he did no work."

"you didn't answer my question; is he cute?" she emphasized, a grin on her lips.

"i think you'd think he was cute," you finally told her, your grimace still on your lips. "i can tell him you'll go if you want."

"yes please," she said dramatically. "i'll go get ready."

"you don't even know what you're doing!" you called as she sprinted to her room.

"whatever!"

"she is a hoot," jace laughed through the phone.

"yes, yes she is," you answered with a giggle. you returned to your device, quickly telling the boy that your roommate was interested and copying her number. but, you hadn't sent it when he answered.

-i want to go with you. are you busy?

"the fuck?" you muttered, narrowing your brows.

"what?" jace asked quickly.

"this is just weird. he's being weird," you mumbled.

i'm hanging out with my boyfriend.

like i said, my roommate is free. this is her number if you want to text her about it

you waited for a response, getting increasingly annoyed that his texts were green and you couldn't watch him type.

"what'd he say?"

"that he wants to go with me. but, i said i was hanging out with my boyfriend and gave him her number, so hopefully he'll bugger off," you answered.

-do you and your boy wanna come?

you sighed. "guess not. he asked if we wanna go, and i really don't want to say that you don't exactly live in italy."

"then don't, just say no," jacaerys told you.

"alright," you mumbled.

can't sorry.

-next time for sure

you didn't answer that, instead returning to your icing. "i'm about done with my rolls if you want to send me the disney request."

"on it, love."

"who did you tell that my boyfriend doesn't live here?" you asked lisy quickly, brows raised. "liam will not leave me alone."

"what's he saying?" the girl asked with knitted brows.

"that jace doesn't need to know," you said before widening your eyes and throwing your hands in the air dramatically. "he's asking me to hook up!"

she gasped. "no way."

"yes way!" you groaned, falling on the couch.

"have you told jace?" she asked, sitting next to you.

"well, sure," you said. "he was on the phone when i got the text. and then when he started passing me notes in class i sent pictures to him."

"what'd he say?"

"that he'd fly down to punch him in the mouth if he tried anything," you answered with a sigh. "i can't wait to go home in a few days. i miss him."

"you've missed him since you got here," she laughed.

"i know," you laughed with her. "it sucks."

a knock on your door caught both your attentions.

"did you invite anyone over?" lisy asked you, brows furrowed.

"no. you didn't?"

"nope."

you stared at each other for a few moments before lisy shrieked, "nose goes!" and pressed her pointer finger to her nose before you even had the chance to do the same.

"cheater!" you cried.

"you have to get it!" she yelled with a laugh.

"shh," you said, holding a finger up as you stood and approached the door.

your face fell when you opened it and saw who it was. "liam."

"hi," the boy said with a cocky grin, hands tucked in the pockets of his hoodie jacket. "how are you?"

"fine..." you said slowly, brows scrunching in confusion. "how did you get my address?"

"oh, don't worry about it," he said, shrugging casually. "do you want to go get some food?"

"i have a boyfriend, you know this," you said strictly.

"doesn't mean you can't have a little fun," he said with a gross smile. "who knows what he's getting up to while you're gone? don't you think you should be able to do the same?"

"i actually do know what he's doing while i'm gone and it's nothing close to this. no thank you, liam," you told him, hand on the door as you went to push it closed. he caught it, eyes softening as he peered at you.

"please? i promise not to do anything," he tried. you furrowed your brows.

"no," you said, your response the most obvious thing to both you and lisy who was watching behind you protectively. "i still don't trust you and i still have a boyfriend. go home."

"oh come on-"

"go home!" lisy yelled, pushing the door shut. you locked it before turning to her gratefully. she settled back on one foot, brows furrowed as she stared at the door for a few moments. "he really wasn't that cute."

you laughed lightly before walking towards your room.

"where are you going?"

"i have to tell jace, he'll never believe this!"

jacaerys didn't know you were coming home for the holidays. you'd told him some ridiculous lie about having finals too close to christmas and that there was a big new years party that you didn't want to miss and he believed you. he said he wasn't mad, that you should live up your life in italy.

little did he know you were absolutely tired of italy and more than ready to jump back in his arms.

baela and alysanne picked you up from the airport with excited screams, hugging you tightly as you laughed joyously.

"my girls!" you cheered. "how are you?!"

"fantastic now that you're here," alys said with a smile. she scrunched her brows. "where's your friend?"

"she decided she did have enough money to go home," you answered with a shrug and a smile. "it's all the same - i get to be home with you guys!"

"ugh, i'm so glad you're back," baela said. "so much has happened."

"since i talked to you last week?"

"oh, you don't know the half of it," she sighed dramatically, grabbing your arm as she and alysanne dragged you out to your car. "so addam..."

you saw rhaenyra before you saw jace, the woman capturing you in a warm, tight hug as soon as she laid eyes on you. baela slipped in behind you with a laugh and made her way upstairs to her room.

"look at you!" rhaenyra said with a gasp. "you look so beautiful! i'm so glad you're here."

"me too," you said with a laugh light on your breath. "thank you for letting me over."

"anytime, my dear, anytime," she insisted, smiling widely as she led you further into the house. she left your side to begin pulling chicken from the fridge, allowing space for her children to spot you.

soon enough, you had viserys and aegon clinging to your sides and joffrey patiently waiting his turn at the entrance to the kitchen. you laughed, kneeling down to hug them all properly, waving joff over once you finished with aegon.

"how are you all?" you asked excitedly.

"good!" the three cheered.

"i made a gingerbread house out of graham crackers," joffrey said proudly. "do you want to see it?"

"of course i do," you told him, your smile widening. "but, i think i have to go see jace first. do you know where he is?"

as the littles shook their heads, rhaenyra said, "he just left to his room."

"awesome," you said, standing and taking a step towards the staircase. you pointed at joffrey. "me and jace will be down in a few minutes to see your gingerbread house, okay?"

"okay!" he said happily.

you turned and quickly made your way up the carpeted steps, heading down the hallway you knew like the back of you hand. you approached his door slowly, hand resting on the handle as you raised your knuckles to rap gently on the wood.

"come in," he called from inside, causing your heart to jump and a smile to pull at your lips. you pushed the door open, seeing him seated at his desk with a notebook in front of him, though his attention was on his phone.

"hey," you said gently.

he looked up quickly, his eyes widening as he abandoned his phone and flew from his seat. he wrapped his arms around your torso, you barely managing to get your arms out to wrap around his neck before he squeezed you tightly, his momentum sending you both into the wall. you laughed loudly, hugging him back with one hand raking through his curls as he nuzzled into your neck, pressing a few kisses there before he mumbled into your skin.

"what are you doing here? why didn't you tell me?"

"i wanted to surprise you," you told him, pulling him back enough to see his beautiful coffee brown eyes. his smile was the widest you'd seen it as he leaned in and captured you for a quick, but deep kiss. he pulled away, hugging you tightly to him once more, kissing your cheek, jaw, and neck in quick little pecks, his energy vivid and sporadic as he held you close.

"this is the best surprise, love," he told you, pulling away to kiss you again. "i love you so much. i missed you so much." he kissed you again, not giving you a chance to respond as you giggled lightly. he pulled back, eyes raking over your face and then your form, drinking you in for only a few seconds before he muttered, "gods, you're beautiful." his mouth returned to your own when you heard a door open.

you pulled back, tucking yourself in jace's side as you turned to see luke standing in his doorway with an unimpressed quirk of his brow and baela standing in hers with her phone up.

"really? i don't even get a hello before i'm subjected to you making out?" he asked. you laughed, slipping from jace's grasp to give his little brother a hug.

"hi luke," you told him.

"hello y/n," he hummed, laughing lightly when you pulled back and rolled your eyes. you turned your attention to baela, who's phone was still pointed at you.

"i got that whole thing on camera," she said with a giggle. "super cute, it's gonna go viral."

"you can't post it!" you cried, laughing as you reached for the device. she pulled it out of your reach, stepping back into her room and beginning to push the door closed.

"it's my video!" she laughed. "go back to your boyfriend!"

when her door shut and lucerys snuck between you two to descend the stairs, you did go back to your boyfriend. you snuggled into his grasp, sighing contentedly as he pressed a kiss to the top of your head.

"i missed you."

"i missed you too."

"let's go out tonight," he suggested, his chin settling comfortable on the top of your head as you leaned into him.

"where are you thinking?"

"just some food and a drive. i'll drive if we can take your car." you could hear the smile and you sighed, grinning yourself.

"i guess..."

"alright, where should we go?"

"italy doesn't have nando's."

"well, then we have to get you some nando's."

by the time that you'd escaped his house - having to stop for joffrey's graham cracker gingerbread house, a brief coaching session with luke on how to flirt with the girl he likes over text, and to attempt to convince daemon that the italians did in fact think you had a good accent when you spoke italian even though he thought otherwise - it was well past dark.

you giggled as jace held your door open and shut it after you, crossing to the other side to slip into the driver's side. he started up the crappy old ford with a wide grin, handing you the aux cable immediately.

"we need to get you a bluetooth adapter," he hummed as he pulled out of the neighborhood. "my phone doesn't even plug into that one anymore."

"you got a new phone?" you asked, clicking on the same album you always played when you were with jace. you listened to it a lot when you were alone in italy, lights out and lisy off with friends, just missing your boy.

"yeah. i'm still on mum's family plan and everyone got an upgrade for some promotional. i don't know if i like it yet," he admitted with a shrug. "it did make facetiming you easier. my battery didn't die as fast, and for that i love it."

"that's nice. i was always plugged in while talking to you," you told him with a laugh. he grabbed your hand over the middle console, shooting you a smile. "it was worth it, though."

"i'm just so glad you're actually here now. i was certain this was going to be the worst holiday i've had yet, but now you're here with me, so it'll be the best," he said. "are you coming over for christmas or will you be with your family?"

"no, dad's off with his witch girl and my siblings are at my grandparents'. your mum offered for me to stay here with you guys for the whole holiday," you answered. he grinned, squeezing your hand.

"are you going to? or do you want to be with alysanne?" he asked.

"i mean, if you don't mind seeing me literally 24/7 i would actually love to stay with you guys," you replied with a small smile. "i love your family."

"and they love you," he said. "stay. i'm pretty sure everyone would be ecstatic if you did."

"alright, i will," you agreed, your heart fluttering a bit at the thought of it. you were always welcomed at the targaryen household, but to be spending christmas with them? that was a new level of love.

after he parked, he leaned over the console to kiss you again, earning a slight giggle as you kissed him back. he pulled back just enough to grin at you before kissing you again, his free hand brushing over your cheek gently. you pulled away finally, staring at him with an incredulous sort of love.

"let's get food," you insisted, turning to get out. he pulled on your hand, making you to turn back to him. he shook his head and quickly exited the vehicle, coming to your side in a moment and opening your door. you hopped out with a wide smile, accepting his hand again when you came chest to chest with the boy. "you're the perfect gentleman."

"only for you," he said, wiggling his brows as he shut the door and pulled you towards nando's.

as you stood in line, talking about how aemond started posting the same girl on his stories recently, you people watched. you always liked to see who was out to get chicken at nine o'clock at night. nando's seemed to have the wildest people, from a man wearing a tshirt that read 'danny dorito' with danny davito's face on a dorito, to a chick waiting by the doors with a chihuahua in a stroller. and then there was the weirdest one -

liam.

"shit, what?" you said quickly, brows furrowing as you stepped behind jace. he looked up from your phone where you'd previously been viewing aemond's story highlights, immediately scanning the room for what could've incited such a reaction from you.

"what is it?" he asked, his hold on your hand tightening. the line moved up and you stayed behind him, the man understanding your attempts and keeping you out of sight of whatever it was you were nervous about. "love, what is it?"

"remember that liam guy i kept telling you about? that came to my house and kept hitting on me in class? he's here," you told him, peeking around his arm to see if he was still sat with the three boys you saw him with.

"what the hell?" he muttered, eyes narrowing on the kid. "we'll just get our food to go. i'd rather not risk meeting him."

"i thought you said you'd beat him up for me?" you asked with a light giggle.

"if he comes us and starts something then of course. but, i don't start fights, darling, i finish them," he told you. you grinned as you pulled him further up the line, ordering once you reached the register.

as jace began paying, you glanced back at where liam had been, your curiosity getting the best of you. your brows furrowed when you didn't spot the boy - he'd just been there a moment before.

"thank you," jacaerys told the cashier with a charming smile before stepping back next to you, hand grabbing yours as he pulled you to fill your drinks. the nando's workers were speedy tonight, holding your bag out as jace rushed by, the boy grabbing it with a thanks. he eyed you carefully. "what's wrong?"

"nothing, i just-"

"y/n!"

you both turned quickly, brows knitted tightly at the call of your name.

of course, it was liam.

"liam," you said slowly, nodding as you eyed him. "hi."

liam approached with a wide grin, a strange swagger in his step. you pursed your lips as you watched him. jace pulled you closer to him, his grip tightening slightly.

"crazy to see you here," liam drawled, his grin making your skin crawl. his eyes flashed to jacaerys. "is this the boyfriend you've been talking about?"

"yes. this is jacaerys," you said shortly, not bothering to introduce your classmate.

"pleasure to meet you jacaerys," liam hummed, holding a hand out to him. jace clasped it securely, a straight look on his face as he eyed him with a steel gaze. "i'm liam."

"alright," jace said.

"me and y/n go to school in italy together," he continued.

"alright," jace said again, releasing his hand with a slight shove. "good to meet you, mate. if you'll excuse us, we've got to get going."

"why don't you join me and my friend bobby? we're heading to a party later tonight with some college friends, you should come," liam offered.

"no thanks," you said quickly, glancing at jace with an unintelligible look in your eyes. "we've got plans."

"you've always got plans, don't you sweetheart," liam sighed, turning your attention back to him. your furrowed your brows again.

"sorry?"

"every time i invite you out, you refuse. i'm just being friendly."

"and i'm perfectly friendly when i say no. it's alright for you to accept that i don't want to hang out with you, liam."

"ouch," he said, a grin still slipping off the side of his lips as he held a hand to his heart. "you don't want to hang out with me?"

"i think she's made that clear," jace told him, stepping towards him. "now, like i said before; we've got to get going."

he didn't wait for a response before dragging you away to the drinks station, filling both your cups quickly, and pulling you back to the car. "i see what you mean," he muttered as he helped you in your side.

"he's kinda pushy," you answered, accepting the bag of steaming food before he shut your door and crossed to his side. he sat down with a sigh, starting the car up.

"just a bit."

"let's get out of here."

you sung along to the playlist you were used to, the one you'd curated with jace when you first started dating and began these drives, and the one you listened to the most while in italy and missing him desperately. a mix between enthusiastic songs you weren't afraid to belt out and slow, sweet songs that varied from taylor swift and old american country artists, your playlist had everything.

eventually, he pulled off to the side of the peak of the Rim, a mountain range not too far out from his parents' house and one you frequented over the last almost two years of dating. he pulled you out of the old ford and onto the roof, the bag of nando's in your hand.

you chatted while you ate, random nonsense and updates of luke's love life that he'd failed to mention in your regular facetimes.

"joffrey's even got a girlfriend now," he hummed with a cheeky grin, laughing as you gasped and pushed his shoulder.

"he does not!" you cried, eyes wide. "but, he's so little!"

"he's twelve," jace shrugged. "we all had girlfriends and boyfriends at that age. you 'go out' for a day or two and be done with it."

"and is he done with it?" you asked.

"no," he admitted, laughing loudly before he continued. "he bought her a peppermint teddy for christmas. she told him she was jewish and he was mortified, but she said she'd take it for hanukkah. he spent all week trying to convince mum and daemon to let him buy her six more presents to go along."

"i thought there were eight?" you asked.

"either way," he said with a shrug. "mum said no. he'd already spent his whole allowance on the teddy and we still had to draw for family secret santa."

"who'd you get?" you asked with a soft smile.

"actually, i was hoping for your help on that. i got baela."

"oh, i can definitely help with that," you said, a giggle following your words.

you sat in contented silence for another few moments, finishing the rest of your meals before jace spoke again.

"i didn't like the way he was looking at you."

you looked at him quickly, eyes softening in realization of what he meant. you leaned into his side, holding his arm gently. "me neither. but, i doubt it'll happen again - i think you intimidated him."

"it won't happen again," he said, the words so sure, so definite that it made you furrow your brows.

"i'm sure," you agreed, determining to say nothing more on the matter.

another silence passed over you as jace considered his words, looking down on you with a soft smile and a certain resolve.

"i'm studying with you next semester."

"what?" you asked quickly, pulling away to look at him with a wide smile. "you are? you're coming to italy?"

"well, now that the football season is over i can. i spoke with admissions and they agreed it'd be a good experience. i start next term with you," he said, smiling at you so sweetly. "and well, i couldn't leave you with the likes of liam for another semester. i don't think i could handle that."

"thank you," you sighed, tucking into his side with a neverending smile. "i love you."

"i love you too."

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thanks for reading! leave a request in the comments or message me privately! i love writing, so if you've got an idea you need fleshed out on paper i'd love to be the one to do that for you

masterlist!!

[radioactive-mouse]

chewing and growling and throwing up. thinking abt how monoma is So Jealous of midoriya bc he seems to have hitoshi’s attention LOCKED on him at all times and neito does not Understand because midoriya’s not Like Them, what the fuck, and like. ugh. UGH.

the way neito tries to connect with hitoshi initially is yes, about having a non combative quirk, but more than that it’s about how in order to stay in the ring with heroes and villains who are always going to have more raw power than them they have to be willing to fight dirty, and to be a hero sometimes they can’t always afford to act like one;

but also hitoshi. doesn’t fucking believe that ???? don’t get me wrong he knows he’s not going to win a Fair Fight with someone who can set him on fire with their mind or some shit and he IS willing to throw sand in a motherfuckers eyes to make that a fight he can win but. he is also a guy with an Extremely strong moral compass and stubborn dedication to the things he believes, and literally all he’s seen from neito up until this point is his vitriolic hatred towards class A and him generally being a jackass (apart from when he’s being like ✨oh shinsou you’re so cool im so glad we get to fight together let’s destroy these class A assholes together ok? :)✨ but also hitoshi doesn’t know how to deal with That either) and so hitoshi is like ? i’m not fucking like you at all? hello?

contrast this with how izuku talks about hitoshi before/after their match

(i’m struggling to find other screenshots bc i can’t fully pull up the manga rn but TRUST ME) a lot more of izuku’s praise and connection to hitoshi does lies with the fact that hitoshi is a very determined and dedicated person who IS a hero all the way down to his core, because izuku is ALSO obsessed with this mf. and i think that tether between them resonates with him a lot more than the way neito tried to reach out to him, because as much as hitoshi DOES still have a level of deep insecurity about being seen as evil or villainous, i think he sees acceptance of the shit that neito is spouting as giving in to that notion of like. well maybe i’m always going to be kind of a bad person but i’m doing good where i can. and that is Not what he wants. yknow what i mean.

neito and hitoshi were both already predisposed to starting “behind” their classmates due to their quirks, and are both desperately trying to prove (to themselves and to everyone else) that they can do this, that they deserve to be here, but the DIFFERENCE is that what hitoshi wants is to prove that he can be good and that people are wrong about him, neito wants to prove that he’s important. that he’s worth something, and worth something more than what he takes on from other people. and i think he’s made the mistake of assuming their motivations are identical when they simply Are Not.

anyway. naturally neito copes with this disconnect EXTREMELY WELL

[yyokkki]

Hiiii~ any headcannons on how we meet/court/rizz/woo malleus or kalim? Or even trey?

Hii!! You're my first writing request!! I'm sorry it took this long though, this trio in particular are hard to write for me,, 100000 character analyseseses later and I'm finally done TT Trey's is kinda mid cuz I'm actually so blank rn but I hope you don't mind!

---

Your mere existence is enough-

Jk jk, to be totally honest with you, even though I love the Malleus Otome Game allegations I don’t think he’s even considered you like that-

For one, you are first friend and rather than romance he’s more focused on the platonic bond you have.

It’ll take some time for him to see you as a romantic interest, most likely after he manages to befriend others at NRC.

Once that hurdle is passed, we can get to the wooing phase >]

He’s someone who has a very limited knowledge on human customs beyond what he’s learned in Biology class so you’d have to make a trip to the library to read up on fae courting rituals.

Offerings. Lots and lots of offerings. Ice cream, precious jewels, pretty rocks, basically anything you think is nice.

He’ll be quick to catch on.

I do think it’ll take some time for him to accept your feelings. He doesn’t know what it’s like to be in love and he can’t tell if his heartbeat speeding up whenever you’re around is because you’re his best friend or the love of his life.

That’s where peepaw Lilia comes in!

The self-proclaimed master of love himself!

He probably got impatient and decided to just speed things up by having the love talk with Malleus 50 years ahead of the schedule.

(Lilia is really cheering you two on. He’s grown on you as an individual and sees the genuine care you two have for each other.)

Malleus dates to marry, (It was straight up marriage before so thank Lilia) so he brings up the topic of royalty and its duties and dangers. 

He understands if you back out but if you stay? Prepare yourself, for when a Draconia falls, they never climb back out.

Now, making Kalim Al-Asim fall for you is no easy feat. It’s easy to have him like you, sure! But love?

He’s accepted that his future marriage will be arranged by his parents, and he plans to make the best out of it!

But if one day he discovered his smile got a tad brighter around you than anyone else?

Kalim is full of hope but he isn’t innocent or dumb. He knows how he feels and he knows what would happen if he were to act on said feelings. 

Your life would be in constant danger to the point that one day you might come to hate him and he dreaded that possibility.

So instead of running into your arms, he keeps his distance. It’s not obvious enough for you to notice but he keeps himself steadily behind a line.

To earn his love is to earn his trust.

Trust that you’d never make yourself unhappy just for him.

Trust that you won’t be burdened by his emotions.

Trust that you’d always appreciate his existence.

Trust that he doesn’t need to do anything grand to keep your love.

Trust that no matter what, you’d never be able to hate him.

Trey hates conflict. So much of his life is based around avoiding it.

But after Riddle’s incident he’s come to realise that letting something stew for too long will make the pot boil over.

Thus, someone who balances him out, knowing when to act to stop a problem in its tracks would be a godsend.

Someone who despite his ‘normalcy’ loves him for him. Not the completely average student, the kind and caring vice dormleader of Heartslabyul or the dental obsessed freak. Just Trey Clover. For all that he is.

Besides that, he’s always had a longing for domestic bliss. Icing wiped onto noses, matching aprons and the like.

If you were willing to live that out with him it would be all he needed.

While he does enjoy the occasional flirt, wooing him is as simple as that. Calling him out, loving every part of him and savouring the treats he’d made with you in mind.

Next thing you know, you’re receiving ulterior motive cupcakes every week!

[dumplingsfordays]

tutoring sessions

Dan Heng x fem!reader

genre - smut

summary - your tutor (and friend) gets a little hot under the collar after you tease him, and things escalate a little (by a little I mean a lot).

cw!: nsfw (sexual themes), friends to (implied) partners, oral (dan heng receiving), praise, virgin!reader, virgin!dan heng, all characters 18+, kinda subby dan heng (he's also very vocal hehe), voyeurism kinda, reader is referred to as 'good/pretty girl' but that's really it for gendered language, implied that dan heng's still v thirsty for reader once the fic ends 👀

note - this is my first smut fic so I'm sorry if this is badly written 😭😭 dan heng might be a little ooc but I'll just roll w it... I was working on a fluff version of this but I accidentally posted the draft and I couldn't un-post it so I'm crying rn it was so long too-

and as always, thank you for reading :)

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

"And today's topic..." the raven-haired man flips to a page in the calculus textbook that he's holding, "is mathematical induction."

"That sounds super hard!" you sigh playfully. "Can we please do something else?"

"Sum and product identities?"

"No!"

"How about-" he flips further, "-sigma notation?"

"Also sounds super hard."

"But it isn't."

"You say that everytime!"

"We do have to start somewhere, though," he remarks with a small smile.

For a split second, you remember where this whole thing actually started. Ah yes, your room, six months ago... when your parents hired him and you came downstairs to find a complete stranger your age sitting at the dinner table. You remember being confused about what classes you shared with him - he did seem familiar in a way, so you just assumed that you had some shared classes. Back then, he was very quiet, very low-profile, and look at him now! Talkative, compassionate, cheeky (only sometimes), kind... if you really excelled in English class, then you might've called him a bloomed flower or something else of the sort. He looks so different now, though - you don't know if it's the chill of the night air that's trickling through the open window by your desk, or the soft, mellow glow of the fairy lights strung up around your room, or if it's just your stupidly big crush on him... it's probably the latter, now that you think about it.

"Well, I don't want to start anything." You lean back in your chair and close your eyes, relishing in the way that you can practically feel his mock-disappointed gaze on you.

"I guess we'll end the sessions here then," he sighs. You weren't sure if he was kidding or not - something about his tone hinted that he wasn't, so, not really thinking it through, you spring back forward to the table and cup your face in your hands with your elbows on your desk. You look up at him in desperation.

"There's no need to do that," you pout, "I just don't feel like doing anything, you know?"

"Come on, let's just finish at least one lesson today," Dan Heng urges, leaning in a little as he does. He smiles encouragingly and pats your back, but you're still not planning on giving in to the agony of work.

"Why do we have to do that, though?" you whine, now folding your arms on your desk and laying your head down on them. It's now his turn to lean back in his chair.

"Okay, so what are you lacking in right now?" he asks, running a hand through his hair to get some wild strands out of his eyes. "Why don't you want to do anything today?" You hate yourself for the fact that you felt your face redden at his action.

"Lack motivation, probably," you bury your face in your arms now, trying to hide the prominent blush on your cheeks.

You hear him hum - a low, pleasant sound. "Motivation..."

As you hear seconds tick by on the clock across the room, your heartbeat calms down and just as you're sure that the redness covering your face and the tips of your ears has faded-

"Just be a good girl and if we get through at least one topic tonight, you'll get a reward. Is that good enough motivation for you?"

You tremble at his voice. It's persuasive and smooth and deep and makes something deep inside of your stomach flutter - was he messing with you? Did he know about you having a crush on him and was teasing you?

You tilt your head to look at him and instantly regret it. He's leaning in so much that you can feel small breaths of air escaping him as he breathes, his eyes trained on yours.

Then he leans back again and smiles, still keeping eye contact, while you, wide-eyed, bewildered, gawk at him.

"Just kidding." The audacity to say that! After you thought that he was flirting and actually took it seriously! Oh, you just had to get revenge.

"No, no, I'll do it," you raise your brows in defiance, a cheeky smile dancing on your lips. "I'll be a good girl."

This does him in. Now he's the blubbering fool, mouth opening and closing like a fish's, trying to process what you said. The fact that you could make Dan Heng, the least expressive person you've ever met, turn into a tomato from just a simple sentence was extremely satisfying.

"You don't have to," he stammers. In a few quick movements he's back at the table, arms folded in his lap. You notice that they're not relaxed, no, his hands are balled up into white-knuckled fists - should you really keep on teasing?

Immediately, you decide that yes, you should.

"But I want to."

For a split second you think that you heard something, maybe a faint meow from a stray cat or a little creak of the walls, but then you realize that the sound came from a much closer origin. Dan Heng, at this point, is tense all over - you can see his jaw clench and his fists growing tighter, nails probably leaving small white crescents in his skin. He's doubled over, too, like he has a stomachache. At this, you immediately feel regret, and all the seductiveness and sass from your voice vanishes in an instant, replaced with concern.

"You okay?"

"Yes," he says, still avoiding eye contact, "Yes, I'm good- can I just go to the bathroom for a sec?"

"Are you..?" You trail off, scared to finish your sentence at the possible implications. He swallows thickly and stands up, trying his best to cover his problem with his shirt, and just as he's about to exit your room-

"You can stay, if you want to..."

He slowly turns his head around, totally stunned at your words.

"I mean," you babble nervously, "my parents are still home, and there's a chance that they'll see your- um, friend, and..."

Before you can internally slap yourself for letting your mouth run like a river, he swivels around fully and his hand leaves the doorknob.

"You're sure?" he whispers.

"Only if you are," you reply, looking directly into his eyes, and Dan Heng awkwardly trudges back over to sit beside you on your bed, a blush dusting his face.

"I don't really know how to start," he admits, "I've never really... you know."

"Me neither," you reply with a nervous chuckle, trying to make light of the situation. "I mean, if you're up to it, I guess we can start with, um, kissing, or something..."

As if on cue, he leans towards you, cupping your cheek in his hand, and your eyes close as your lips touch.

It's your first kiss, too, so you don't really have anything to go off of, but this kiss makes your knees weak and you press your hands against his broad chest, seeking stability. He wraps his other hand around your waist at this action and as the kiss deepens, his lips travel down your jaw and to your neck, eventually coming to rest on your collarbone, where he plants another kiss and leans further into your touch.

You, meanwhile, reach for the tent in his sweatpants and start to rub it though the fabric, eliciting a whine from the larger man. He bucks up into your palm, desperate for more friction, and raises his lips to the shell of your ear, whimpering and quietly gasping in overwhelming pleasure. His large hands finally settle on your waist and his fingers dig into your skin as you continue your ministrations and smile into his shoulder.

"Please," he begs softly, "need to feel you 'round me."

He didn't need to tell you twice as you immediately get the hint and drop down to your knees in front of him. You hook a finger over the band of his sweatpants, tugging at it while looking up at Dan Heng with pleading, wide eyes.

He mutters an expletive when he lifts his hips up, cheeks reddening every second that passes, and as the clothes pool around his ankles, you can see the outline of his thick cock through the material of his boxers.

You decide to tease him (again, and you will never get tired of it because his reactions are way too cute to stop) and glide your fingers over the bulge, at which he squirms, but doesn't dare to take his eyes off of yours.

His hips rise again, and another article of clothing is shed, but this time his lower half is completely naked, so you finally get to see what he's been packing in there.

It's gorgeous compared to the ones that you've seen online. It's standing at attention, slightly twitching whenever your hot breath meets the tip. Dan Heng sees your eyes widen and swallows nervously as you subconsciously lick your lips.

"Is it not...?" he trails off, eyebrows furrowed.

You shake your head, still mesmerized. "No, no, it's very pretty."

He whines when you lean closer to it, eventually bringing it to rest against your cheek. You look up at the man as your hand wraps around its base and you hum at how warm it is.

"You ready?" you ask. You're rubbing your thighs together at this point - his half-lidded eyes, red, swollen lips parted in a sigh, and cheeks dusted with pink elicit a reaction from you like no erotic content ever could.

"Yes- yes, (y/n), please, need you so much, please," he gasps desperately, hands reaching to his sides and grabbing the blanket underneath him. You fulfill his request with a light kiss to the red tip of his now-leaking cock (at which a whimper escapes his lips and he almost bucks up) and take it into your mouth.

His long fingers weave through your hair at the back of your head in an attempt to feel more of you - you then moan, sending delicious vibrations to his cock which throbs in appreciation.

"You're s'warm," Dan Heng hisses through his teeth above you, tears about to fall from his watery eyes, "so, so tight, fuck! Such a good girl f'me, yeah-"

You take more of him into your mouth, hollowing your cheeks as his tip hits the back of your throat. Your gag reflex activates and your throat constricts - the raven-haired man above you nearly chokes at the feeling while you drag your lips off of his cock.

"'M sorry," you whisper as you slowly stroke it, feeling it pulse in your soft hands.

"Don't be, that was - ah - felt so good," he pants. "You okay, though?"

"Yeah, 'm all right... can we continue, though?"

"Please."

You stop stroking it and attempt to fit it all in once more, sharp gasps coming from the man above you. You almost reach the base, but his tip prods against the back of your throat so you have no choice but to suck it, bobbing your head up and down on his cock. Rogue specks of your saliva land on it just to pool on your lips as they hungrily come back down his shaft.

He's arching his back from the pleasure, applying a little pressure to your head to guide it in a steady rhythm. His hips start bucking up faster and faster as he gets close to his orgasm - he's shaking his head, screwing shut his eyes as deep, throaty groans are ripped from his chest.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck... doin' so well, pretty girl - ah! - makin' me feel s'good, yeah? 'M gonna cum, baby, just keep - fuck - suckin' me off like that like a good girl, please, fuck, please-"

Eventually he can't take it anymore. His hips are now wildly thrusting up into your mouth, lower abs flexing at the movements, he's panting, drooling, and crying all at the same time - it's so overwhelming and it feels so amazing that he cums with a single, broken moan.

Dan Heng's chest is heaving up and down as he comes down from his high, soothing hand petting your head gently. You attempt to stand, but fail as you topple back onto the ground, laughing.

"Cock so good you can't stand back up?" he teases jokingly, and lends you his hand so he can pull you back up onto the bed.

"Hah, you wish," you smirk back and giggle again. "So, what are we then? Are we still friends, or have we been demoted to student and tutor again?"

His eyes narrow and cloud with lust as an idea pops into his head - you swallow nervously when you meet his darkened gaze. He grabs your wrist and pushes you back, his other hand now greedily kneading your thigh.

"We'll see after I repay you."

[alexxncl]

‼️NIGHTBRINGER LESSON 53 SPOILERS‼️

masterlist | all lessons | season 3 | lesson 52 | lesson 53.2 | lesson 54

now i knew we were gonna get some kind of lore drop given the "waking up from a dream" title card at the beginning of the lesson

can someone explain to me what the FUCK is going on ???? like it's obvious we're not supposed to be there, but where is there?

for context, all we saw was a black screen with the characters in front of it. like what is happening

the way that lucifer was so adamant about mammon not using his card in meowcao only to let him use it anyways 😭

he can't resist his favorite baby brother ig

HELP 😭 not he told levi to touch grass

but on a less joking note i think this is sweet bc it's clear that he's worried about levi's physical/mental wellbeing

if only he worried this much about his own wellbeing

also is it canon that levi sometimes takes virtual classes bc of lucifer's intervention or is that something i/someone else headcanoned ??? bc it's canon to me

maybe i'm having war flashbacks from meowcao but this isn't sitting right with me. idk. maybe this is where the "dream" (?) mc had comes to fruition

but back to the dream, was that like a vision ??? was it actually happening in real time ???? maybe i'm just dumb and sleepy idk (it's midnight in china rn)

ngl i completely forgot about mc's whole magic sickness thingy (i'm so tired forgive me)

what happened when someone gets magic sickness ?? do they die ???? don't leave me in the dark

okay but WHY is this a thing ??? like i feel like we're back in season 2-3 of the 1st game when mc did that whole quest to become a sorcerer 😭 ik solomon taught them better than that like c'mon gworl get it together

but i GUESS it can be explained bc they have pacts with 2 sets of demons from different timelines, and that's a lot of magic for a mortal to be able to tap into. given all the emotional strain they've been put through, i get it

#obeymegivemcabreakchallenge2k24

the way that literally NOBODY answered mc 😭 but why are they talking within earshot of literally everyone at the fire. i wanna be nosey. let me in.

the next part of the lesson having the title card "devildom flowers, celestial realm memories" is scaring me a little bit ngl. what is this is the "dream" mc had earlier

:((((

ik i said i wanted a lore drop but this hurt. now i get why raphael's been mopey since coming back to the devildom. not only has simeon lost his wings, but he's turning into a demon on top of that, drifting further away from the celestial realm and raphael by proxy

more on this here

but also why would they end of a cliffhanger ??? raphael opens up and then they bith get attacked by god knows what

can diavolo just...kill whoever's trying to attack the brothers. like is that illegal here. can it be legal just this once

[heliosoll]

hello!! i wanted to know more about your winx dr (that's where ill be shifting).

did the constant battles ever annoy you?

what kind of food was served at alfea?? did you join a club or elective while there? if not, can you still tell me what clubs/electives they have??

how far in canon did your dr go? and if you went thru s4, what was opening love and pet like? what was the day-to day like while you were on earth? did you ever get sad that you werent in the magic dimension for so long??

also if your dr takes the comics into account, which version of events did your dr follow? im reading the comics rn and the first few days for bloom at alfea are pretty different from the show. also im aware of a lot of silly transformations from the comics. did you gain those?? (foodix, sportix etc)

can you tell me anything about flora and layla/aisha that wasnt in the show??

does magix use the same calendar system as us?

i saw that you bonded to a pixie. what is it like to hold something that small?? do you experience cuteness aggression lol? what exactly does it feel like to bond with one?

do you still shift here? if so, what do you do now? if you teach at alfea, what's your subject? is your pixie still bonded?

have you done any traveling for fun? what was the most beautiful place you visited?

did the novelty of being in the magic dimension/being a fairy ever wear off, or is every day still exciting?

and lastly, what is your backstory here? are you a princess or from earth or something?

thank you in advance. sorry if this is a lot. this is just my most anticipated dr!!

Hi! It's lovely to see another winx club shifter <3

did the constant battles ever annoy you?

Yes hahah To be fair, in our first two years we actually didn't go through a lot of fighting. It really amped up when we were dealing with Valtor and the Wizards.

I was really annoyed with the Trix specifically though. Seeing their faces after years of fighting them and years of basically no one else doing anything about them started to really piss me off hahah

what kind of food was served at alfea?? did you join a club or elective while there? if not, can you still tell me what clubs/electives they have??

Well, there was a mix of fairly normal food like fruits and veggies and more fantastical foods like flying cakes. It actually looked a lot like the banquet scenes in Harry Potter!

I really wanted to maximize my exploring time so I didn't join any clubs! It was like any other college though - some clubs were set up by the school (mostly the really popular ones), while others are set up by the students. Most clubs are activities (gardening, flying, cooking, etc) but some were gatherings for certain groups (like the Melodian Students Association). For clubs that are really specific to this DR, there were two flying clubs (one for fast flying and one for "puzzle flying" which is going through changing obstacle courses), a potions club, and the experimental convergence club are some off the top of my head.

As for electives, you could choose from other magical classes or an activity :)

how far in canon did your dr go? and if you went thru s4, what was opening love and pet like? what was the day-to day like while you were on earth? did you ever get sad that you werent in the magic dimension for so long??

I've been in my Specialists DR for about 12 years now! I've been in my Winx Club DR for about 7 years :)

Honestly, "season 4" was probably my least favorite time in both DRs hahah It's a little ironic since it's one of my favorite seasons here, but I haaated being away from all the magic and having to hide it on Earth.

Love and Pet was probably the best part of it though! I loved all the fairy pets so much! Starting it was a little chaotic and honestly the chaos never really stopped since it was so popular, but it was still really fun and completely worth it.

Our day-to-day life was honestly just like a normal Earth day interspersed with fighting the Wizards hahah

also if your dr takes the comics into account, which version of events did your dr follow? im reading the comics rn and the first few days for bloom at alfea are pretty different from the show. also im aware of a lot of silly transformations from the comics. did you gain those?? (foodix, sportix etc)

Yes, both of my Winx Club DRs were a mix of the show, comics, and movies! It mostly follows the show so the "canon" of that is what I experienced with the occasional story line from the comics! For example, the Magical Tournament, Musa starting a practice space for musicians, and some of the various missions.

And yes, hahah I gained the silly ones too (though I did cheat a little and change the look of some of them in my DR so they didn't look silly hahah). Magic of Sports, Magic Rock, and Trendix all looked majorly different!

can you tell me anything about flora and layla/aisha that wasnt in the show??

Hm... Since Andros has more ocean than land, there aren't as many land animals that Androsians eat. Because of this, Aisha cannot eat animal meat, especially red meat. It makes her stomach hurt really bad :(

In my DRs, Flora is really spiritual and superstitious! She doesn't believe in any deities per se, but she does believe in the concept of a shared energy between all living things so she's very careful with how she goes about living. She also regularly talks to non-living things like furniture and her house because she believes that everything has energy to it.

does magix use the same calendar system as us?

Magix had a seasonal calendar system! Other planets also had different systems based on how long it takes to revolve around their star (Solaria and Eraklyon), the rotation of the planet (Melody), or their seasons (Magix, Zenith, and Lynphea).

i saw that you bonded to a pixie. what is it like to hold something that small?? do you experience cuteness aggression lol? what exactly does it feel like to bond with one?

Yes hahah Cherie, my pixie, loves cuddling and physical affection so she was always resting on my shoulder too. I'm definitely more careful and gentle with my movements when she's close to me!

Bonding feels... hm, it's a little hard to explain. It feels like something "clicks" in you. You meet them and you just know that you have a bond! It feels a bit warm and kind of spreads throughout you. Actually, and this is kind of a weird comparison, it's similar to the warm feeling you get when you drink alcohol.

do you still shift here? if so, what do you do now? if you teach at alfea, what's your subject? is your pixie still bonded?

Yes! I've actually been shifting to all of my Winx Club DRs a lot more recently since I've been re-energized because of the reboot (though I'm not sure I'll like it hahah).

In my Winx Club DR, we're basically in season 7! The story and stakes are a bit different, but we're dealing with Kalshara right now. We are still working at Alfea - I'm specifically teaching magical combat and flying strategy with Aisha and Tecna.

And yes, Cherie and I are still bonded :) Bonds last a lifetime!

have you done any traveling for fun? what was the most beautiful place you visited?

Of course! Oh gosh... it's hard to pick just one, and my answer may be a little boring hahah, but if I have to choose, the Elven Kingdom! It reminds me so much of Rivendell from the Lord of the Rings movies!

did the novelty of being in the magic dimension/being a fairy ever wear off, or is every day still exciting?

Yes and no hahah There are definitely things that you just get used to (even using magic), but every now and then I would learn or experience something new and that excitement would bubble up again!

and lastly, what is your backstory here? are you a princess or from earth or something?

Oh, I'm not sure if I've ever shared this here!

I'm from Earth in my Winx Club DR; during the first Fairies vs Wizards War, my ancestor cast a spell on her bloodline to stop magic awakenings until it was safe. So, my magic awakened at the same time Bloom's did! The spell broke with me because it could sense the Dragon.

And no worries about all the questions! I love talking about my Winx Club DRs! I hope you have fun there <3

[yesimwriting]

Without Faith

a/n giggling and kicking my feet rn btw, this is meant to be a set up for something longer! lmk if you're interested in part 2 :)

Summary: After a news story that was only meant to be an internship assignment spirals into a crime story that earns national attention, you feel conflicted enough about your involvement to join a criminal psychology class despite being a journalism major. Despite your good intentions, the universe seems to have it out for you considering your slightly older professor is extremely attractive and the only person that seems to understand what you're going through.

Warnings/info: age gap (reader is of consenting age tho!!), future student-professor relationship, slow burn, slight changes to how college works for the sake of plot, a surprising amount of lore (i got carried away), me writing for a character for a first time on here so be kind 😭

----

It's not often one finds their enemy crumpled up and lying helplessly next to an overflowing garbage can. It's even rarer to see that and still feel the bitter sting of defeat.

"He didn't text me back, which is weird because when I ran into him on Friday--" Carlie, who might know you better than you know yourself, pauses.

You turn your head away from the trash in an attempt to abandon the newspaper as completely as the person who had thrown it away. "You saw James last week? You didn't tell me."

She watches you for a moment, her eyebrows pulling together in a way that tells you she won't accept your lie just because you're offering her an opportunity to re-dissect her most recent interaction with her latest target. "You know I did."

Carlie shifts her weigh from one foot to the other, her eyes drifting towards the ground. "It's there because it's old--it's over."

It's over. The words crack themselves against your skull. More than a sentence, more than a promise. The only consolation the state's attorney could offer grieving families. The sound ringing in your ears as a mother gave into her agony, a choked sob ripping its way out of her throat.

It's over--the catalyst that sent the mother to you in a parking lot illuminated by stale, synthetic lighting. They're the reason for her confession, that in some off-kilter way she thought the verdict would make her feel better.

It's over--the syllables that accompany the sound of the needle leaving Josh Robinson's lifeless body. Killed by the justice system or the media?

"You didn't do anything wrong." Carlie's voice is careful in its unflinchingness. "He was a serial killer. You--you wrote the truth."

And while this awareness has bound itself to your bones, it is rarely enough to make you forget what you did wrong. Journalists are impartial, they don't--they're supposed to understand, they're supposed to be careful. You took it a step further.

"I know."

You don't need to look up to know that you haven't convinced her. However, you must have sounded okay enough for Carlie to accept moving on. "And you're doing more than anyone else would do to make your true crime even better."

It's an exaggeration. Journalists have done a lot more for their careers than request to join a class that belongs to a department unrelated to their degree. But Carlie seems so happy to be able to compliment you, you decide to go with a less sentimental correction, "Not true crime."

"I know, journalism." She sighs, but continues to walk forward in a way that feels oddly optimistic. Maybe even relieved. "Make sure you point out the difference to the professor. I'm sure he'll love that."

You roll your eyes at her sarcasm, but follow her lead anyway. You've already perfected the elevator pitch you're planning to present to Dr. Spencer Reid. A brief but genuine description of the importance of ethical journalism, especially when it comes to writing about serial killers.

You're well practiced and far from worried about winning him over. Academic authority figures have always taken well to you...it also doesn't hurt that you spent all night googling him just to be safe.

"Actually," she begins, pulling open the door to the psychology building, "I bet there's no room for original material in the interaction that you've already imagined, planned, and mentally rehearsed."

You scoff as you step past the door's threshold. "No," the word is dismissive and entirely unconvincing. You instinctually move past it. "Go talk to your advisor about your thesis, I'll meet with Dr. Reid, and then we can order food or something."

The reminder of her own meeting seems to kill the mood, her smile morphing into something more focused. Carlie lets out a small breath. "Right. We got this." And with one final assuring nod, Carlie turns towards the stairwell.

----

The thought is a dull ache that wedges itself into your chest before you can bring yourself to knock against the door. It'll follow you forever.

When you step into the room, Dr. Reid will inevitably ask why you want to join his class. And then you'll have to answer.

You exhale as you extend your arm, knuckles rapping against the wooden surface before overthinking can hurt you any further. After a brief silence, you hear a slightly muffled, "Come in."

You reach for the brass handle, pulling the door open before stepping past the doorway's threshold.

The office is comfortable, a large desk and two plush chairs manage to share the space without seeming cramped. There's a pencil holder and several stacks of papers on the desk's surface. If one ignores the degrees--and the age of the recipient when he received them--on the walls, the office seems normal. Almost suspiciously so. There's even a partially wilted plant sitting on the windowsill.

After taking in the room, you let your attention fall to the individual behind the desk. He's--he--while you've read enough about Dr. Reid to already respect him, and are fully aware that he is far from your peer, you're also now looking at him.

Last night, you did stumble onto a few pictures of him that forced you to reluctantly make a mental note of the fact that he's aesthetically pleasing, but those occasionally blurry snapshots did him and his sharp features little justice.

"Hello," the word is an instinct, slipping past your lips before you're ready to speak.

"Hi," his response is as sudden and lacking in context as your own--a fact that immediately eases you.

Dr. Reid shifts, back straightening against his seat. "You're here for your appointment." You barely have the chance to nod in confirmation before he's continuing, "Come in, take a seat."

In all honesty, you're more glad for the direction than the excuse to sit. You enter his office fully, approaching the plush chair in front of his desk. You sit down, lips parting before you're ready to speak. All structured thoughts have abandoned you.

"Hi." You realize your mistake immediately. You blink, a sound between a self deprecating laugh and a sigh escaping you. "I already said that."

If Dr. Reid thinks anything of your mistake, he gives no indication of it. His expression remains steady, with the exception of the corner of his mouth briefly tugging itself upwards.

Your hands come together on your lap, one of your nails pressing into the nail bed of the thumb on your opposite hand before forcing yourself to relax. You've read enough about his work with the FBI to know that he's so adept at analyzing behavior, you don't need to make it easy for him by giving into obvious signs of nervousness.

"Like I mentioned in my email, I'm interested in joining your class even though it's not an elective and in an entirely different department than my degree." This part is easy, a perfunctory explanation of what he already knows. "However, there is enough overlap that my advisor is supportive of the idea and has already signed off on it."

He shifts again, his pointer finger tapping against the surface of his desk. "Right, she mentioned that, but she didn't mention why."

Okay. This is the part that matters. "I'm a journalism major, and I've recently completed an internship with The Washing Sun." In an act of total self betrayal, you study his expression for any hint of recognition. Finding absolutely none makes it easier to breathe. "And spending time in such an active, journalistic environment has made me fully aware of the way that morals and personal views can complicate ethics."

You pause, pressing your lips together. "I'd like the opportunity to learn about certain behaviors in order to develop a perspective separate from my own.

Though still politely neutral, something behind Dr. Reid's eyes implies an uncertainty that has the rest of your pitch jamming itself down your throat. Whatever's changed doesn't feel like disbelief, and you're far from worried about being accused of lying. You were careful to comb through your mess of emotions before you had even pitched the idea to your advisor--you do feel those things, they're just not the only things you feel.

How delusional had you been to assume the same answers that hid their vagueness behind a heavy layer of altruism that worked on Mrs. Carol would work on a FBI profiler?

"I um--" The sound of your own voice surprises you. "I know what it's like to write something when you can't feel anything for the person everyone's already rooting against, and I'd like to not feel that again." Another glimmer of honesty, barer than your curated story, but still not exactly everything.

Dr. Reid is quiet for a moment, studying you with an openness that should make your skin crawl. "What did it feel like?"

The question throws you. Friends, family, strangers--they've all asked you things about the case, about your article, about hundreds of other things so barely connected you couldn't fathom an answer. No one has ever asked you about that feeling.

"Uh..." You're not even sure you have an answer. "Weird." Your blankness feels like such a cop out, you feel the need to try again. What did it feel like? A hybrid beast made of a festering not-quite-guilt, an over awareness of your every action, all held together by an uneasy pride...that only served to further aggravate the not guilt. "Like I was doing something right and wrong, with no way of knowing what it was more of."

You squeeze your hands together, allowing yourself to focus on the action instead of him. "I'm sorry, that probably doesn't make much sense."

When you finally lift your head, Dr. Reid is already looking at you. A moment passes, the somberness of his features growing heavier in the silence. Maybe he's looking at something past you. "It does."

The affirmation is a small, fragile thing, so faint and far away it almost feels like an intrusion to have heard it. Some selfish part of you latches onto that, his unexpected understanding a lifeline you can't let go of.

You almost thank him before realizing that you have no idea what you'd be thanking him for. "I'm glad," you settle on, fingers carefully coming apart on your lap. "The writing thing's no good if I don't make sense."

The attempt at humor seems to pull him back from wherever he had gone. "Then you have nothing to worry about." He doesn't exactly smile, but there's something easy about the way he's looking at you. "I'll approve your enrollment request."

Relief floods through you immediately. "Really?"

"Maybe it'll help you feel less...weird." From him, your too plain adjective feels a lot more fitting.

You nod once, the motion quick and polite. "Hopefully." The beat of silence that follows comes closer to kinship than anything you've ever felt in someone's office. You're also fully aware of the fact that you've gotten what you came for and that Dr. Reid is likely a very busy man. "I shouldn't take up anymore of your time."

His fingers tap against his desk. "Right. I'll see you in class."

You smile as you stand. "See you then."

The walk towards the door is a lot less intimidating now. Still, once you reach it, you can't bring yourself to immediately reach for the handle. You pause, letting out a breath before turning around. "Dr. Reid?"

He looks up, nodding once in a way that's meant to prompt you. Maybe it's overkill, but it feels necessary and it's too late to back out now. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He doesn't look away from you after responding.

There's nothing left to expect, there are no words or anything else meant to be said. That's not enough to stop some unknown feeling from wedging itself between your ribs, urging you to something, to say anything that might come close to offering him the same kind of understanding he's given you.

"I hope you find a less weird, too."

He doesn't respond, but something about the look behind his eyes and his slight nod makes you feel okay about leaving him.

----

There are few ideologies that have clung to him, and even fewer that have managed to bind themselves to some integral part of his being that exists beneath his skin.

The pursuit of knowledge is one of the few constants Spencer Reid allows himself to rely on, one of the only things he allows himself to consider a saving grace. However, circumstance has prevented his views on the subject from skewing. The irony of the fact that some things are better left unknown is not lost on him.

For example, the girl that walked into his office and immediately saw through him, is better left a mystery. He'd see her in class, he'd answer her questions, he'd grade her work and offer her necessary feedback--but he will not know her.

It's a mantra, a promise that he repeats in his head again and again as his attention falls to the desktop in front of him. He attempts to grasp onto this lack of knowledge, to transform it into a tangible entity to keep him from typing your name into the search engine.

----

a/n spencer entering his garcia era while googling reader 💻🧑‍💻

anyways in ur interested in part 2 or would like to be tagged let me know!!

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

For some time I thought about if I should post anything, but I decided to do so in case anyone else needs it (because I have been a tiny bit burnt out for the past year or so):

Your hobbies are supposed to bring you joy. Don't let it become a job; a "responsibility". You don't have to be "on" every day

Chances are that there will be someone who keeps bugging you even after politely telling them that you're not interested or that "you might consider it" or something along those lines. (This is how I ended up doing some role-playing for a fandom I was not interested in, in my dms) Some people will keep expecting things from you, while ignoring your boundaries. Don't let them (aka block; they might call you "mean" or "rude", but you're not)

You can't cater to everyone, so it's better to have your group of friends, along with some friendly acquaintances with whom you can make the best of your fandom experience

A block isn't a reflection of morality or "badness", especially on algorithm based mediums or Discord (tip: if you're in a larger public server with someone who overwhelms you or annoys you, blocking them will hide their messages from you. It's like being able to be in the same club house without forcing yourself to engage with someone) Yes on Tumblr you can always unfollow, but you can still see their posts in the tags. Cater to your experience. A block isn't a big deal (I know I have been blocked by people who don't like seeing reader insert fics in their feed/tags, and that is completely fine. And I have probably been blocked for other reasons as well. It's not a big deal)

Promote things you want to see, create things you want to see, and enjoy the process

Publishing that Work/Art/Fic is scary, but that is the only way to get it out there (and if you're worried about "not being 'good enough'" whatever that might mean, remember that you have to start somewhere. I started with sentences that were all over the place, and just last year got a comment about having good grammar; after 3-4 years of writing in a foreign language)

Be cringe. Be free. Do things you enjoy! Pet a dog, go for a walk, draw that oc or blorbo or both or daydream about them. The world is bleak rn, but you have to try and find enjoyment from little things. You can't give from an empty basket, so if you're spent all the time, being there for those you care about becomes impossible somewhere down the line. "You have to take care of yourself, in order to care for others." Stop to breathe

More often than not, you just existing and enjoying life brings a kind of stability and enjoyment to others. I think about this one time in high school chemistry class, where I was knitting (yes Chemistry, don't ask), and this one girl came up to me afterwards and said something along the lines of "I was feeling a lot of anxiety in class, and then I saw you knitting, and I went 'okay, [she]'s knitting, it's going to be okay'". I still to this day don't really know why that was, but it did tell me a thing: people around you, especially those who seek you out, follow you on social media, ask you out just to hang, they like having you around. And to these people, you existing as you are, including taking a step back when you need it, you are valuable as you are

[myokk]

✨WIP tag✨

Thank you so much @anto-pops for the tag🥹🫶🫶🫶 I already know that dark Ominis would destroy me and I would let him😌😌😌 AND IM EXCITED TO READ THE FULL ONESHOT‼️

Here we have: ANOTHER excerpt from the oneshot im writing🫠 (at this point I will just post the whole thing in these wip snippets)

And a paragraph from chapter 27 of my fic that I am still working on♥️ (yes ik I already posted this but I really really love this paragraph ALL OF MY PLANS ARE COMING TOGETHER🙏)

He’s so different from the exasperating boy she thought he was. Before, he was mischievous and charming and annoying and always getting into trouble with his sister. But now…now, he’s angry in a way she isn’t used to: his fists clenched so hard his knuckles turn white, his dark brow always furrowed in displeasure.

She finds she wants to smooth it away with the pad of her thumb.

At the end of the class, they get a rare ‘well done’ from their professor, and then before she can blink Sebastian is striding out of the classroom just as quickly as he has been for the past month. She hurries to shove everything into her bag and stumbles out after him, almost sprinting to catch up as he’s already at the end of the hall.

“W-wait,” she gasps, reaching out a hand that grazes his sleeve. He slows down a bit but keeps walking, not acknowledging her presence otherwise. “Sebastian.”

He stops at the sound of his name, the fury in his glare makes her pause - maybe she shouldn’t be addressing him like this, but they were friends before, weren’t they? And now he continues walking, much slower this time, but still with purpose.

She takes this as an invitation.

She doesn’t let go of her grip on his robes, not wanting him to disappear on her again.

The truth is, although everyone knows she hates Sebastian Sallow, she always kind of liked the attention he gave her. Out of all of the girls he could have pursued - almost any of them - she was the only one he ever had eyes for. As much as she was exasperated by him in previous years, there had been a few moments last year when…

She shakes her head to get rid of the thoughts. Clearly, that Sebastian lives in the past, and the one she is following now is someone else entirely.

Sebastian pulls her into an empty classroom and whirls around to look at her after the door slams shut, his cheeks colored and more ruddy than usual, and her heart is pounding as she stares up at him. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to follow him, and she curses herself for her damn curiosity. But…she can’t deny that a thrill runs through her body, heat pooling in her stomach as she sees him glower at her. Maybe she’s missed having Sebastian’s undivided attention, and now she has it.

And here she was, feeling a strange twinge in her chest as she stared up into the handsome face of her betrothed. Augustus opened his mouth as if to say something, but the amused expression on his face turned to one of puzzlement as he slowly brought a hand to her hair. She didn’t dare take a breath until he had moved his hand away, and even then she wasn’t sure if she could breathe. In his hands was a rotted flower, its delicate pink petals mottled and wilting, and Eloise watched in horror as it finished decaying in his large hand. Black petals fell to the floor, followed by a shriveled stem.

A lot of these WIPs are Lioise @starry-slithers & I have MORE but it’s late and I don’t want to take pictures rn😆♥️

I will tag ANYONE WHO WANTS TO DO THIS PLEASE I LOOOOVEEEEEEEE SEEING WIPS🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 @holdmymallowsweet @poison-erica-art @hara-matsuura @tricarti @starry-slithers

[girlboypersonthingy]

can I request a list of like green flags and red flags for each of the characters in voltron? btw I love your writing:)

Hello friendo, thank you sm! Thanks for the request, I adore this idea. Also…Sorry y’all, I was posting like every other day for two weeks and then I hopped off for like two months. Oof life is really life-ing rn. I honestly chose to write this prompt before a lot of other requests bc it seems like an easy and short thing to bust out quickly. I swear, I will get to the rest eventually 🩵 keep sending in requests if you’d like! And as always… ENJOY~

KEITH ❤️

Red Flags 🚩

TERRIBLE AT COMMUNICATING. We all know Keith is stubborn and easily overwhelmed with a short temper. He doesn’t really know how to talk to people without getting angry. He feels that bc he has a hard time explaining exactly what he means, people never understand him and that makes him mad.

Bro isn’t scared of anything…and that low key scares everyone else. Like…who isn’t afraid of anything? The whole team has tried sooooo hard to figure out what will get Keith to jump out of his skin and scream like a child but to no avail… Boy just doesn’t flinch, doesn’t care, couldn’t care less about bugs and rodents and clowns and heights or anything like that.

Wears his gloves in the shower sometimes. Like wtf ???

Green Flags ✅

Also bc he is not afraid of anything, boy will protect his friends/family/partner SO HARD. He will verbally AND physically tear someone apart just for looking at you the wrong way. Very protective and caring but in a good way ya know?

Actually very selfless and not self-centered in the slightest. Keith is very giving and helpful, despite his tough exterior, he’s very caring, observant and considerate. He’ll give the shirt off his back to someone in need. He’s always down to help others. Ugh Sweet heart ❤️‍🔥

Has a sick ass space wolf that will also protect you like COSMO IS A MAJOR PLUS OKAY BIG GREEN FLAG DOGGO

LANCE 💙

Red Flags 🚩

Obvi his biggest red flag is how flirty he is. Boy will flirt with anything that breaths and that can get really annoying sometimes and affect the rest of the team.

Jealous AS FUCK. Like the petty jealous type. Lance is the kind of guy to pretend he has a partner back home just bc some alien girl he was flirting with said she had a partner already. He’s like “OH YEAH? Wow cool me too, same same, yeah….” But homie’s ego is a bit sore now…

Lies a lot. Lance just panics sometimes and tells a lie. He knows it’s wrong and he always feels guilty after lying to someone but it always just slips out. His mouth moves faster than his brain most the time.

Green Flags ✅

THE BEST HUGGER/CUDDLER OMFGGGGGG. Lance is the best hugger and cuddle buddy ever, period, end of story, try to change my mind. His long arms always stretch fully around the recipient’s torso and he squeezes tight enough to make you feel warm but not smothered. Usually will rest his chin on the other person’s head if they’re short enough (so Pidge obvi).

Very aware of other’s moods/body language/tone of voice. Everyone thinks Lance is “the dumb one” but he’s actually very in tune with what’s going on in the moment, what’s going on around him. I think he can tell how others feel the second he sees them. Good intuition kinda thing. An empath for sure.

Very considerate and often remembers the little things about people. Does he remember what he learned in class just a couple days ago? Pffft heck no! Does he remember everyone’s birthday, every year and get them a very thoughtful gift? HELL YEAHH I LOVE THIS SWEET BOY OMFG 🩵

SHIRO 🖤

Red Flags 🚩

Honestly…idfk Shiro is so perf. Perfect baby boy all the way

Maybe he could seem too nice at first…? Like when someone is nice but ur like “are you for real? Or are you fake and evil and you’re hiding something?” I think Shiro could be perceived as being fake nice at first.

Omg I feel like Shiro is one of those “ oh no, that looks delicious but I can’t. I’m watching my carbs.” YOU KNOW SHIRO IS A GYM DUDE WHO COUNTS HIS CALORIES PLZ

Green Flags ✅

ALSO AN A+ HUGGER. Imagine those big ass arms holding you so softly and so close to his big, warm body. Omg so comforting, so relaxing. Often gives a gently squeeze just before letting go and pulling away. Ugh 😩❤️‍🔥

Literally the most trustworthy man in the universe. Will defend his friends, loved ones, and planet until the end of time. Shiro would die before revealing any secrets you’ve asked him to keep. The best person to vent to bc he’ll never tell another soul about it. He’s like a personal diary

Shiro is sooooo patient. Definitely the most patient one on the team. He really does take his own advice…ya know, patience yields focus 😌 very sweet, calm man. We love Shiro

PIDGE 💚

Red Flags 🚩

GIRL WILL WORK HERSELF TO DEATH PLZ GO CHECK UP ON HER, BRING HER FOOD AND WATER, GENTLY FORCE HER INTO BED SHE NEEDS SLEEP.

Lowkey kinda moody and can get snappy very easily. Pidge is a sweet heart and very smart and a good team player but she’s also stubborn and will yell to get her point across or make herself heard (she’s an Aries…what’d you expect?)

Sometimes very conceited and braggy about how smart she is. Like yeah Pidge, we know you’re a genius and you could code in your sleep. WE GET IT. UR SMART. GEEZ 😒

Green Flags ✅

Pidge is so baby. Yeah, she can get snappy and braggy sometimes but…SHES SO BABY PLZ FORGIVE HER. She’s just young and stressed okay? Give her a break. She’ll apologize eventually with puppy dog eyes and a soft voice and while she looks adorable, she is being sincere and really wants to resolve this.

Very loyal and determined. I mean look how hard she searched and fought for her dad and brother. She won’t stop for anything or anyone once she has her mind set. Pidge Will never leave you behind and will always turn back to help someone in need.

Androgynous royalty. Pidge is soooo chill about her gender and identity. We love a confident babe 🏳️‍🌈💚

HUNK 💛

Red Flags 🚩

Boy is too scared sometimes. I think Hunk has really bad anxiety and it’s not the anxiety that is the red flag, it’s how he copes with it…which he doesn’t. Hunk let’s his anxiety get the best if him sometimes…but he’s trying.

Honestly…does Hunk really have any other red flags??? Baby boy is so sweet idk 🤷🏻

Over eats to the point of getting sick sometimes…and never learns his lesson. (Me asf)

Green Flags ✅

THE SWEETEST MOST CONSIDERATE AND THOUGHTFUL MAN IN THE UNIVERSE OMFG WHAT A SWEET HEART 😩💛 honestly just a very good guy. We love Hunk.

Obvi his cooking skills!!! Can cook for any occasion, on any cooking surface, in any conditions. Can cook so many different dishes from so many rich cultures around the world! So talented. His food always hits.

THE ABSOLUTE BEST at cheering others up. Soooo funny and silly and kind and relatable. He tries so hard to brighten others’ days when they need it. Will stop what he’s doing just to go cheer up a friend or loved one and watch them smile again.

MATT 🧡

Red Flags 🚩

Interrupts A LOT. In any given conversation, he will interrupt and talk over someone else at least once every minute. Can get really annoying sometimes but in his defense, if he waits too long to speak up, he’ll just totally forget what he was gonna say.

Like Lance, I think Matt would be overly flirty and act like a Fuck boy sometimes. Like bro sit your nerd ass down, that person is SOOO out of your league plz chill.

Can not take anything seriously (unless it comes to his family or his or anyone else’s safety) but day to day, Matt makes so many dumb and inappropriate jokes at the worst times. Ugh 😒

Green Flags ✅

Very brotherly to everyone he considers a friend or family. Protective, constantly checking up on others, making sure they have eaten, asking if they need anything from him. He cares a lot. Bonus points bc he’s a very good brother to his actual sibling too. Aww Pidge and Matt are sibling goals. 🥹

HOT AS FUCK NO MATTER HIS HAIR STYLE/LENGTH. You can fight me on this. Matt is gorg and so is his hair at every single moment throughout the show.

Extremely accepting and open minded. Matt treats everyone he meets equally and never seems phased when he meets others so different from himself. He may ask some questions for the sake of his own curiosity, but would never pass judgment on another person.

[ghostboy512]

Get to know your mutuals: tag game

thank you for @mapofyourstars and @ashestxr for tagging me 😊😊

What's the origin of your blog title?

when i was a teenager being a closeted pre-transition trans guy i felt really invisible and like i didnt fit in anywhere, a "ghost". and 512 is the name of a song i listened to a lot at the time. nowadays i find the url a bit cringy but im too lazy to change it lol

OTP(s) + Shipname:

honestly at the moment i only care about cherik haha but i appreciate raven x emma and logan x ororo as well :)

Favourite colour:

black for clothes, pink for literally anything else i own

Favourite game:

i have 1500 hours of stardew valley on steam lol. its an absolute obsession. it comes in waves tho, like twice a year ill get hooked on it again and create a new farm to achieve perfection on. other than that, i really loved playing undertale and graveyard keeper.

Song stuck in your head:

this is kind of embarrassing but atm im a bit obsessed with daisy by ashnikko (the ft. hatsune miku version).... I LIKE BETTER MUSIC TOO I SWEAR

Weirdest habit/trait?

pacing around my apartment thinking abt my current obsessions... i used to be so embarrassed but ive come to find out lots of people do this too so thats fine i guess

Hobbies:

reading and playing games, mostly. ive been trying to write more lately too

If you work, what's your profession?

ESL teacher. its not the coolest thing in the world but i really enjoy it

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be? Realistically?

literature professor in uni/published author

Something you're good at:

(literally the same thing ashe, who tagged me, said) i believe im a pretty good writer despite being slow and not doing it that often lol

also i know im a very good teacher (i know its my job so duh but youd be surprised with some of my coworkers...)

Something you're bad at:

keeping secrets, especially my own 😭😭😭

Something you love:

cats, wine and contemporary brazilian literature

Something you could talk about for hours off the cuff:

why i love charles xavier so much and queer/feminist theory.

Something you hate:

uhhhhhh idk my ex i guess (happy valentines day!)

Something you collect:

hello kitty merch 😌😌😌

Something you forget:

dates and appointments, its so fucking bad i put everything on a calender above my desk and i still manage to forget them sometimes

What's your love language?

im very touchy and affectionate but i also love acts of service, like surprising people with small gifts (i believe thats part of acts of service?)

Favourite movie/show:

my favorite movies are xmen fc, dofp and xmen II (obviously) but also amelie poulain and fried green tomatoes

my favorite series are breaking bad and the office, ive watched them both multiple times

Favourite food:

chicken!!!! fried chicken, roasted chicken, chicken with pasta, chicken with rice and beans, chicken with mashed potatoes, give me!!!!!!

Favourite animal:

i was OBSESSED with cheetahs as a child, still love them but in general rn id say cats. also love monkeys

What were you like as a child?

a very idealistic dreamer with a bit of a savior complex (hello charles xavier). not the sharpest social skills.

Favourite subject at school?

in high school it was english just because it was so fucking easy bc i was fluent lol

in uni any of my literature classes

Least favourite subject:

hated physics in hs i was so fucking bad at it. and in uni i'd had ENOUGH of pedagogy classes they were soooo boring and repetitive

What's your best character trait?

im very honest and if i love you i will do anything for you

What's your worst character trait?

probably snapping at ppl sometimes. i know its terrible but i really try not to and i always apologize. up until last year also i always let ppl treat me like shit and didnt set boundaries. im unlearning that now.

If you could change any detail of your life right now, what would it be?

have enough money to only focus on my studies and not have to work lol

If you could travel in time, who would you like to meet?

maybe kim jonghyun. he was my favorite singer when i was younger and he passed away in 2017 :( he was such a great person :(

im not sure who has already been tagged in this but ill tag @caramelc0rgi , @foxherder , @disasterhals , @eriknocherikyes , @stinkrat-aleks , @mooniel, @eriksdefender and any other moots who'd like to do this!

[sinnabarmoth]

Chasing Your Shooting Star (10/19)

(A/N: Hoo! Sorry about such a long stretch between chapters. If you saw my previous posts you know that I'm in the midst of studying for finals and it doesn't leave me a lot of free time rn. Hopefully will be more open once the semester ends in the next like 2 weeks! Thanks for your patience!! Love ya!)

Pairing: Uni Student|Xavier x Uni Student|Reader (fem)

Summary: You decide to tease Xavier by wearing a short skirt to class, but he isn't the only one eyeing you up.

Content warnings: Adult language. Jealous/possessive Xavier. Exhibition kink. Rough sex. P in V. Creampie.

Length: 4800

Chapters: (First) (Previous) (Next)

Read on AO3

Xavier is aware of how uncommonly lucky he is.

He grew up in a loving house with a master swordsman as a father who taught him how to fight from an early age. That advantage led him to being so talented in swordsmanship that it eventually earned him a scholarship to finish his schooling at the prestigious Philos University. A year ago he would have never thought such a thing would have been possible.

And a month ago Xavier had thought the idea of you being his girlfriend was a nice fantasy. You had tolerated him at first, keeping your distance when all he wanted to do was get closer to you. Unraveling the mystery as to why everyone in class regarded you as nothing but an unfeeling and elitist jerk was part of the reason he kept pursuing a friendship with you. Mostly though, the reason he dogged your heels and stayed by your side when everyone, you included, tried to keep him back was because he admired you.

What wasn’t there to admire? You were intelligent, fierce, gorgeous, and kind. Sure, you didn’t radiate sunshine every moment of the day--you were actually rather grumpy--but you weren’t mean. You treated Xavier nicely even when you didn’t particularly like him. The only time you got mean was when he had tried handing you a win instead of letting you earn it. Even then he saw that you were more hurt and annoyed rather than outright angry.

From the moment you kicked the back of his chair to wake him up during the welcoming ceremony he had felt something twist in his chest, like his heart had suddenly started to beat after remaining inert for years. Getting to know you in the weeks after only cemented what he had known in that instant. He liked you, he really liked you and he’d do damn near anything to be in your life. He wanted to be your boyfriend but he had contented himself with being your friend because he thought that was all he would get.

Then that night in the woods you surprised him. He had maybe thought that you liked him too before that but he figured it was his hopes influencing his thoughts. But then you kissed him. You kissed him and let him pull you onto his lap and hold you and touch you in ways he only dreamed of.

Now, you had said you wanted to date him. You were his girlfriend! He was lucky indeed.

For over a week he had been able to call you his. He didn’t entirely understand why you didn’t want anyone to know but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He’d be able to brag about having you as his girlfriend one day, but for now there was something nice about this relationship only belonging to you two. It wasn’t tainted by anyone else’s opinions or expectations or knowing looks.

He spent his days barely resisting the urge to reach over and take your hand or pull you in against his side or kiss you silly. Then in the evenings he’d come to your dorm and make love to you, watching the way you writhed and moaned for him as he drove you into ecstasy. He would kill to stay in your room all night, fucking you into the mattress and holding you through the night so he could wake to your face in the morning. But since this relationship was a secret he had to sneak out of the dorm during the night when he was least likely to get caught, leaving the warmth of your bed and body behind as he ventured back into the cold for his own dorm room.

He loved most the days where you got out of class and could sneak out to a secluded spot no one knew about. You’d relax together and just talk, eat snacks, maybe study, there was always some kissing.

There was something almost shy in your affection. You leaned against him and would pull him in for a quick kiss like you were a pair of teenagers experiencing the sweetness of a relationship for the first time. In some ways, he supposed you were. You had confided in him that you had never had a real relationship before and he was determined to make this the best that it could be. If all went well he dreamed that maybe this would be your only relationship.

It was too early to be scaring you with that kind of talk though. Not when you were still jumpy and nervous about anyone finding out about the relationship. He didn’t quite understand why you wanted to keep it a secret but he knew it had something to do with your mother. You had been rather tightlipped about your family and he figured that if you ever felt like sharing you would.

It was another day, the brisk autumn air hinted at winter on the horizon. People were digging out thicker jackets and warm cups of coffee painted the air with steam. Yet, despite the cold you had decided to walk into class that morning wearing a rather short skirt.

Now, Xavier found it hard to focus when you showed off your legs. That being said, even the skirts you wore when the semester was still clinging to the warm days of summer weren’t as short as this, leaving much of your thigh exposed. Maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad if you had worn leggings or even stockings but no, bare skin is what greeted him.

Xavier remembered you telling him the other day that the doctor had cleared you to walk around without the crutches anymore, though it was still too weak for combat training. The other thing you had mentioned was that you had gotten on birth control at that same appointment. Xavier had tucked that information away to come back to at a later time when it was more appropriate. But, judging by the choice of apparel and the satisfied smirk on your face you were enjoying making him squirm at a very inappropriate time.

“Aren’t you a little cold?” he asked, trying to keep his voice level despite the deep want that planted in his chest.

“No, I tend to run hot.” you shrugged with faux innocence. “Why? Something wrong?”

“Nope. Nothing wrong at all.” he cleared his throat and turned back to his work.

He heard your throaty little giggle and damn near snapped his pencil in half. It was a good thing he was in the back and there was a desk in the way or else he feared that everyone would see what was straining against his pants.

He tried to look away, still his thoughts and focus on the lesson but then you’d cross your legs and your skirt would ride up a little more and he had a terrible time pulling his attention away from you.

You were doing this on purpose. He knew you were. You knew how much he liked your legs, squeezing your thigh while you sat together, laying his head on your lap, watching them shake while he’s between them…

He took in a deep breath. Control. He is in control of his own body. You will not break him.

The class finally ended and Xavier relaxed. Then, as if to punish him for relaxing and thinking he was safe for even a second you had “accidentally” dropped your pencil, sending it skittering across the floor. He watched transfixed as you stood up, walked in front of him, and bent over at the waist to pick it up, making sure he even got a peek at the panties you wore underneath the ludicrously short skirt.

For the briefest moment Xavier was hit with the sudden urge to say to hell with it and slam you down onto the nearest desk, witnesses be damned. He’d almost prefer it that way, let everyone know in one fell swoop that you were his and only his.

The thought was batted away instantly by rationality but the image wasn’t going to leave his head for a long time. Neither was the erection that he had just gotten rid of before that dirty move!

Xavier sat at the desk, pretending to organize his stuff. You both had a couple hours of break before your next class today. You had disappeared after flashing him, maybe off to the library as you usually did after this class, maybe somewhere else. He wasn’t sure. All he was focused on was calming down enough so he could get up from this seat. Maybe if he tied his cardigan around his waist?

“Did you see the ice queen today?” one of the students still milling about the classroom said, catching Xavier’s attention.

He really could not understate how much he hated that name. Ice queen. It was a testament to how little everyone actually knew about you that they would call you such a thing. You were the furthest thing from cold.

You were fire. Warm and comforting as a sunbeam one moment and then blazing and fierce as a wildfire the next. You were passion and heat and exuberance. You never did things part way, and when you entered a room it felt brighter with your presence.

“You mean how she’s wearing a stupid short skirt when it’s this cold out? Is she an ice queen because she doesn’t feel the cold?” the other guy said, interrupting Xavier’s happy thought.

“No, no. You haven’t had a class with her before but those of us that have know exactly what it means when she walks around in something like that.” the first guy said, Xavier was trying to remember his name. Chuck? Charlie? Chace? Something like that.

“What?”

“It means that the ice queen has thawed.”

“I don’t get it.”

“For the love of--” a third piped in with a sigh, “She’s horny, idiot. When she dresses provocatively it means she wants to have sex.”

Xavier almost snapped the desk in half. What the hell were they talking about?

“Really? Isn’t that just assuming stuff based on how she’s dressed?” the first guy asked, having the good sense to look uncomfortable with the conversation.

“No. We’ve been in school with her for years and believe me when I say this, that skirt means that if some brave soul wants to try this is their chance to fuck her. She’s honestly such a bitch but by god is she a good lay.” the third guy sighed dreamily.

“Wait, you slept with her?” the others gaped at the third asshole.

“Like three semesters ago but you don’t soon forget bedding the ice queen, even if it is a one night stand. For someone usually so stoic and cold, she makes the cutest little noises in bed. I’d be tempted to try my luck again but it’s common courtesy to let someone who hasn’t taken a ride go for it. She usually only gets like this once, maybe twice a semester if you’re lucky. Take advantage while you can.”

“Huh, maybe I’ll give it a go then.” Chuck or Charlie said.

And then something in Xavier snapped. He had snapped up from the desk, his chair falling back behind him with the force of it. The loud clatter drew the attention of the three students at the front. Xavier’s fists stayed clenched at his side.

How dare they talk about you like that. That was his girlfriend! His! The fact that one of them was bragging about sleeping with you right now boiled his blood.

Xavier knew you weren’t an innocent virgin. You had proven that over the many nights. But he hated hearing these pigs talk about you like that. Did you know they talked about you like this? No. If you had you would have made sure none of them could speak again.

“Ooh Xavie, you hear that? Thinking about trying your hand at prying her legs apart--” They stopped talking when they caught the look on his face. One of them even stumbled back.

“Keep talking about her so disrespectfully and see what happens.” It was the most calm response he could give. He collected his bag and left the classroom. He was seething mad. Xavier liked to think he was a very level headed person. He didn’t get angry a lot but when he did, his whole body itched with the urge to expel the energy. He needed this out of his body before he did something reckless.

He caught sight of you down the hall waiting by the stairs. You perked up upon seeing him. “Hey, took you long enough. Did I leave you with a little problem?” you asked cheekily.

That’ll do.

“Come with me.” Xavier grabbed you by the arm and tugged you down the hall.

“What? Xavier, where are we going?” you asked, stumbling to keep up with him. He remembered you were still tender on your one foot and slowed down.

“Somewhere private.” he pulled you into an empty classroom, locking the door behind him. There were no classes in this wing of the building during this time of the day. Xavier had come across it while trying to find his classroom during his first week. He sometimes came this way to study or read in quiet.

That wasn’t his intention today though.

He pulled you against him, smashing his lips to yours. You stumbled back a bit until you hit a table. “Xav--” you tried to speak but it was cut off by a squeak as he picked you up by the hips and put you on the table.

“This is what you wanted, right?” he said, muttering the words against your skin as he kissed along your neck. “You kept teasing me during class so this must be what you wanted.”

“Ah Xavier…” you moaned quietly, highly aware that you were still in a public building and not the privacy of your dorm.

“You don’t have to tease me, sunshine. All you have to do is ask. Wherever and whenever you want, you can have me.” He wanted so much more than to just please you. He wanted to claim you. He wanted you not to leave this room until you reeked of him, your throat sore from crying out his name. He wanted to banish the thought of any other man from your memory.

He wanted to leave every mark he could on you then carry you in his arms back into the crowd so they could all see you were his. You were not something to be passed around, only desired when they wanted someone to bed. You were so much more. They had not seen your true worth and they were idiots for it. He wanted to show them all that they were wrong about you. He wanted to show them that he had known what you were worth from the start and he wasn’t going to let you go now that he had.

None of them had ever deserved you. Even if you were only using them, it was more than they deserved.

“Xavier, wait,” you pushed against his chest, “We’re in public. We can’t--”

“No one comes here at this time of day and I locked the door.” Xavier didn’t like the distance between you, even if it was only a couple inches. “And I assumed that this is what you wanted considering that you decided to tease me. Did you think I was going to be able to wait till we got to your dorm or did you expect to keep torturing me until I slipped into your room tonight?”

Your face heated under his gaze. He had caught you.

“I adore you, sunshine. I really do. But if you’re not prepared to face the consequences you shouldn’t prod a bear.” he dug his fingers into the flesh of your thighs. “Last chance, if you don’t want this tell me now because I won’t hold back after.”

“You’re sure no one is going to come here?” you asked.

Xavier smiled. “Positive.” he pulled your hips closer to him. “So?”

You took a deep breath, the exhale was shaky and Xavier could feel goosebumps erupt along your thighs. “Okay. As long as it’s quick.”

“I can do quick.” he kissed you again before pulling you off the table. The question waited on your tongue but was cut off as he then turned you around and bent you over it. Bent over like this he only had give a little flip to your skirt to expose your ass. He shuffled his pants down far enough to free his cock and pulled your panties to the side, far too impatient to take the time to even pull them down.

He plunged deep inside you and couldn’t help the deep guttural moan that came out of his mouth when he felt you wrapped around him. There was no barrier this time. Bare flesh against each other, the heat of your cunt melting his brain and his dick. He could have came right then but he wasn’t about to forget you.

There was no patience or teasing. Xavier pulled back and slammed back into you, the sound of flesh slapping together echoing in the empty classroom. If anyone were to walk by they’d be able to ascertain exactly what was going on in here. It only proved to excite him more. The idea that someone would hear you, hear you calling his name as he pounded into you from behind again and again and again.

Your arms stretched out to either side of you, gripping the sides of the table as Xavier fucked you. He kept his hands on your hips, holding you in place. Gods above you felt amazing! Everytime he pushed into you it felt incredible. The way your cunt clamped down around him, how wet you were. Had you been just as excited as he was during class? You had to be considering how drenched you were when he shoved in.

Any other time he would have liked to have prepared you more. He would have cushioned his head between your sweet exposed thighs and lapped up your arousal until you were squirming against his face. There were fewer things more divine than getting drunk off your pussy, fucking you raw was one of them.

“Fuck!” he hissed, the reminder slamming into his brain. This was raw. This all started because you had told him you got on birth control and could ditch the condoms. He figured the first time you did this would be in your dorm and he’d be able to take his time. But then those assholes had started saying all that stuff about you and he knew he couldn’t wait any longer to have you.

“Has anyone else ever had you like this?” he muttered, the information suddenly far too important for him to know.

“Xavier…” you moaned again, your brain turning to mush in his embrace.

“Answer the question, sunshine. Did you ever let any of those idiots fuck you like this? Did they fuck you raw?” he turned your head so you could look at him.

“No! Never!” you bit your lip hard, trying to quiet your cries as Xavier hit some deep pleasurable part inside you. “Never raw…”

Good. “So, does that make me special?” he snaked a hand around your waist, shoving his hands down your panties and finding your clit. “You going to let me come in you?”

“Yes.” you squeaked.

“Yes what?”

“Yes, it’s special!” you pushed to your toes as more waves of pleasure rolled through your body with the insistent swipe of his finger on your clit.

“And where can I come?”

“Inside me. You can--I want you to come inside me.” you admitted, hot tears of ecstasy rolling down your cheeks. “Please! Please Xavier! Come inside me!”

“Who do you want to come inside you?” Xavier was close, words started to lose meaning and his hips pistoned in and out of you like a jackhammer on the highest setting.

“You! I want you to come inside me!” you wailed, your body was twitching and shaking underneath him. “Come inside me! Fill me up! Please!”

“Yes! I’m gonna--I’m gonna fill you up!” he was practically drooling with the thought of it. And he was so close to combusting it was a wonder he hadn’t yet. “Come for me! Come for me and I’ll fill you up! Come for me please!”

“Xav--” you broke off, your body seizing and hips trying to push back against him to draw out your orgasm longer. Your pussy tightened, choking the life out of his cock and it was the last little push he needed to let go completely and come with you. He could feel the relief of his balls emptying inside you, soaking into your walls.

The manic and desperate energy that had been fueling him fizzled out. He bent over you, taking in deep breaths as he came back to his senses. Oh gods above…he came in you. He really came inside you. Fuck! He never wanted to leave.

He pulled out reluctantly and a whine built in his throat as he saw his cum spill out of your pussy. He took his hand and collected the cum, shoving it back inside you. It wouldn’t help hide the obvious mess between your legs but at least it wouldn’t leak all over the floor when you walked. It was an erotic image but he had already taken many liberties today and he wasn’t going to push his luck any more by demanding you walk around campus with his cum dripping down your thighs.

He grabbed a couple of tissues off the teacher’s desk and cleaned up his dick before composing himself again. You were still catching your breath, eyes closed as you stayed slumped over the table. He eyed the box of tissues and surreptitiously hid the tissues behind a book on the desk.

“Xav…” you muttered, pushing yourself back up to standing. You were leaning heavily on the table still and Xavier noticed you were favoring one foot more than the other. Right. Your ankle was still weak.

“You did so well, sunshine.” he pulled you back with him onto a chair so you were sat in his lap. “Sorry if it was harsh, I couldn’t help it.”

You chuckled, leaning heavily against him. “Was that really all just because I teased you?”

Xavier didn’t want to admit that it was also fueled by his anger at those other guys bragging about sleeping with you or wanting to sleep with you. Instead he held you tighter, pressing a kiss to the back of your neck.

“You know, it’s far too cold for you to be wearing a skirt this short.” he mumbled, “We still have time before our afternoon class, you should go change.”

“I’m going to have to.” you sighed. “Are there any tissues or paper towels in here so I can clean up a bit?”

“Not that I saw.” he lied.

“Damn it.” you glanced down at your thighs.

“Don’t worry,” he pushed you to standing and took off his cardigan. He tied it around your waist so it hid the evidence of what you had been up to. “Better?”

“Yes.” you cinched the cardigan tighter around you. “I’m going to go first. I’ll see you later.” you kissed him again before gingerly walking to the door and slipping out.

Now that the wave of possessiveness had passed Xavier was able to calm down. It felt amazing fucking you like that but seeing you limp your way out of the room did make him feel bad. He’d think of a way to make it up to you for suddenly cornering you like that. Maybe he could plan a nice date for you this evening. He liked that idea.

By the time your afternoon class rolled around Xavier was relieved to see you had replaced the skirt with a pair of pants. The other guys in the class looked visibly upset to see you weren’t showing any more skin. Good.

He heard some of the guys whispering together as he passed them to sit next to you. “Did someone already get to her?” “Did she change her mind?” “Damn it, I was hoping I could take her back to my place.”

Xavier smiled to himself. A smile that only grew wider when he saw that you had replaced the jacket you were wearing with the cardigan he had lent you. You could keep it for all he cared. You looked positively adorable in it. And if anyone else noticed that it was Xavier’s they didn’t say anything.

After classes wrapped up Xavier sidled up next to you as you left the building. He wanted to reach across and take your hand but remained hyper aware of the eyes around you. Instead he passed a note into your pocket. You looked at him confused but before you could ask any questions he made his excuses and took off.

He had a lot to do before tonight. He grabbed a bag and went to the dining hall, loading it with sandwiches, some fruit and veggies, a couple bottles of soda, and even a slice of cake. He then ran back to his room and grabbed some blankets and pillows.

Once everything was together he hiked up to the roof of the sciences building where they had a rooftop garden. He made sure to tilt the camera that watched over the garden up slightly so it wouldn’t catch him as he set everything up. And for the last detail, he channeled his evol and created little balls of light that floated like fireflies around the garden, illuminating it with a soft warm glow.

You came by later after the sun had set, wrapped in your pajamas and still wearing his cardigan. You stopped as you opened the roof door. “What’s all this?” you asked, taking in the picnic and the softly glowing light.

“Our date. I told you in the note.” he said, gesturing for you to sit down with him. “I also wanted to do something sweet for you since I kinda took my frustration out on you earlier.”

“I meant to frustrate you.” you teased, sliding next to him. “I didn’t realize it would make you that feral but I kinda liked it.”

“It…it wasn’t just because you were teasing me.” he admitted, unable to keep the truth from you for more than an afternoon. “I was also jealous.”

“Jealous of what?” you asked.

“I didn’t like the way that everyone was staring at you.” he muttered, feeling every bit as insecure he must have looked. “They were talking about having slept with you once or wanting to sleep with you and it pissed me off. It wasn’t just because I’m your boyfriend that it angered me. It was the way they said it, like you were nothing but a piece of meat for them to bite into. It was disgusting.”

“I see.” you tilted his head back to you. “They were only ever one night stands. I don’t even really remember sleeping with them it happened so infrequently. All it means is that I was more memorable than they were, which is nothing new. It took someone exceptional to come in and leave an impression on me.”

Xavier’s residual jealousy and embarrassment melted away with the touch of your hand and the sound of your voice. He pulled you onto his lap, cocooning you in the blanket around his shoulders. You relaxed against him, your head resting on his shoulder. “The only guy I’ve cared about enough to call my boyfriend is you. Don’t forget that.”

“How could I?” he pressed a kiss to your cheek.

You passed the evening sitting together enveloped in warmth of each other and the blankets. He fed you little bites of food and you teased him by pulling the food back when he tried to take a bite. You’d laugh then erase his frown with another kiss. He could have stayed out there with you all night, cuddled together under the stars, just like that night in the wilderness. But it was cold and he wouldn’t have you getting sick or deprive you of sleeping on a proper mattress. You were also starting to nod off and he couldn’t have that.

“Sunshine, wake up.” he said, coaxing you back from the edge. “You need to go inside now.”

You grumbled, burying your face in his chest. “Don’t wanna get up.”

Xavier sighed. “Ten more minutes, then we go back.”

Ten minutes turned to twenty then thirty and before Xavier knew it, you had both fallen asleep, curled together on the rooftop.

[free-luigi-mangione]

https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/big-corporations-are-trying-to-control-the-narrative-around-luigi

There is also this article

this is a fantastic article!! they talked about so much that mainstream media won't talk about and also pointed out exactly why. go give it a read!!

my favourite bits:

the headline!! it's exactly what's in the url!! and it's straight to the point!!

“It’s been almost four months since the assassination of Brian Thompson, the late and unlamented CEO of UnitedHealthcare.” the first sentence is itself a banger – ‘late and unlamented’ huh?? 😏

“So clearly, the problem isn’t violence. Rather, it’s expressions of sympathy for the one person in the country who is accused of directing violence at a rich healthcare executive, which is being treated as worse than violence against anyone else. That’s not moderation, it’s political censorship. The effect is to suppress popular anger and opposition to the for-profit healthcare system, with “violence” as a pretext.” 'nuff said, methinks

the breast cancer surgery story straight from the doctor with UHC denying coverage for the patient (this is in my list of favourites because it shows exactly how bad the insurance industry is and i'm glad it was reported here)

love how they showed how badly NYT is covering everything (NYT is actually famous everywhere, like everybody knows about NYT, so for NYT to become so unreliable is kinda symbolic of a lot of things happening in USA rn)

“Rather than simply providing the public with information, which is the job of any journalist, the [NYT] staff appointed themselves chaperones of what information the public should and should not have access to, and what conclusions they should draw from it.” this reminded me of another thing i read somewhere else where it said something like ‘mainstream media had to tell people how to react appropriately to the murder’

“in a pungent stinkpiece [in NYT]” this got added to my vocabulary from now onwards xD

“Witty emphasizes the fact that Thompson was born in Iowa and “worked farm jobs” growing up—which is irrelevant, since it’s not where we’re born but what we do in life that defines us.” this Witty guy doesn't seem witty at all tbh

this article pointed every thorn it could at the UHC people trying to brainwash the public and also pointed out exactly why UHC and a for-profit healthcare system shouldn't exist at all

“In fact, Thompson’s innovative AI denial system is alleged to have had a 90 percent error rate (meaning that 9 out of 10 denials would be reversed upon appeal) and is the subject of a huge class-action lawsuit. So he was making things worse, not better. But even without a shady AI involved, simply being a for-profit healthcare operator should be considered a crime of the worst kind.” 🔥🔥🔥

“In the United States, the Lancet medical journal estimated in 2020 that 68,000 people die every year because they can’t afford to buy healthcare.” love the usage of the word ‘buy’ here

“that Brian Thompson was a worse killer than Luigi Mangione could ever dream of being, that there’s no reason anybody should feel particularly sad that he’s left this mortal plane, and that the whole system he represented needs to be torn down.”

calling TMZ out for the name of their documentary (called ‘film’ and not documentary later in the article) for not giving Luigi the presumption of innocence

comparing Luigi to Bernie Sanders xD

“the real killers wear suits and ties to the shareholders’ meeting, and they’ve got to be stopped.” great last sentence 👏👏👏

[creatingblackcharacters]

Hi, white aspiring author here! I've been tinkering with a story for years (coming up on 10... Eek!) and the main characters have shifted around a lot. Currently the cast is a Black princess and a red-headed witch! I was reading through your hair posts and trying to think about how the princess's class and standing, especially relative to the other kingdoms, would impact what kind of hairstyles she would be most likely to have, and which she may not even have access to. A few context bits I have regarding her story:

- the setting is so post-modern it wraps around back into pre-electricity (so, no one probably has straightened hair unless they have magic...?)

- her kingdom is objectively the most important due to heavy contributions to continental agriculture access

- her kingdom is culturally snubbed due to bias against connections to nature (there was a Humans vs Nature vs Magic war - tentative peace rn but aftermath is still palpable)

- she is loved and trusted by the citizens of her kingdom, and she trusts the people who work in the castle and as her handmaidens

- she is frequently on the go, especially as a child, but in recent years she's had to focus more on royal diplomacy

- her parents are trying to set up an arranged marriage due to the cultural tensions, so she's getting dressed up a lot (unwillingly)

- the plot really starts when she leaves the castle to adventure with the witch

So I'm thinking about like... How her main hairstyle is probably going to change pre-plot versus mid-plot! Before leaving the castle she has the time, wealth, and help for something like microbraids, or even microbraids that make bigger braids. But I'd imagine that'd get very difficult to maintain after a week of hiking around the woods and up and down mountains, much less months of traversing the continent. Another thing I'm wondering about is if it'd be more reasonable to assume she has enough basic practice and skills to maintain her hair with a lower maintenance style on her own after leaving, or if that's something she's starting from near-scratch with, having her hair done by someone else her whole life thus far? As in, would it be more realistic for her to remember her childhood styles and try the twist out, or would she have self-braiding skills as a young adult? She has a great amount of dexterity in general, but I'm not sure if general dexterity translates to braiding dexterity (mostly because I've tried braiding my own hair and suck at it, despite being good with things like knitting). I'd imagine that's the kind of thing where practice goes a long way?

Anyway I apologize for the wall of text but thank you very much for that master post, I'm going to keep reading through it because it's really helping me conceptualize this character a lot more in-depth, and it's helping to give context to minor world building considerations too! Really developing the details like this is my favorite thing to do, because once I have enough everything just kinda clicks and springs to life on its own! So I hope this isn't too long ;;

Hot combs don't require electricity, so people could have straight hair! It's just gonna take longer.

This really depends on your character. If you give her the skill to do her own hair, she'll have it lol. If you're implying that she always had servants who did it, then she won't. So if what you're saying is she's doing it from scratch, then no, she won't know what to do. No one just has good braiding skills lmao, you have to practice on yourself and on others. There's a reason doing hair is such a community experience.

Microbraids is a hell of a style to get stuck with when you don't know how to do your own hair 😅 they'll be fine while having them, but getting them down by herself at some point is gonna be a BITCH. I'd rather cut my shit off fr 😭 but that's why I never got micros, I'm far too impatient. Can the witch do hair lmao? Is the witch trusted enough to help take it down or magic it out? Does she get to come back to the castle every now and then for new styles, or is she just out and about? And for how long? Because if she wants more flexibility, the braids are probably not it.

I think everyone struggling with this sort of question should have their characters practice doing four simple plaits or cornrows on their head 😅 like it's gonna suck the first time, but practice makes perfect.

[stansthemans]

Yall my fem stan brain rot is so bad rn. I just looked at my wips. 78k for fem Stan. 4k for dude Stan. lol oops anyway here’s some more

Sometimes it feels embarrassing to ask, like she really is still a child. But Ford never denies her, even when he’s really busy with some project or studying for some exam. Stan knows how important those things are to him, and even though she thinks he needs to relax about it—he’s miles ahead of everyone else at school, even the teachers—she doesn’t want to drag him away from it unless one of them really needs it.

Today, it’s her.

Nothing has gone right today. She actually tried her own homework, like really tried, not just half assed it or copied Ford’s. Predictably, she beefed it, and her teacher actually took the time to call her out in front of the entire class. She tripped on the way to English class, bruising her knee and sending all her shit flying. She hadn’t been fast enough gathering it all up, and she got a tardy. One of her gloves busted at boxing practice, and she hasn’t yet had the guts to tell Pa because she knows he’s going to blow a gasket at having to buy a new one. Dinner was an icy affair. Shermie had apparently called and he and Pa got into it about something. Then, cleaning up the kitchen, Ma had taken out her frustration on Stan.

Stan is glad it wasn’t Pa. She’s always glad when it isn’t him and not just because hiding the bruises has recently gotten much harder. But it still doesn’t make it nice when Ma locks a sharp, critical gaze onto Stan and picks apart everything that’s wrong with her. Too loud and opinionated. How is she ever supposed to catch a man if she’s got the crazy idea that she’s allowed to think anyone cares to hear what she has to say? Not to mention her waistline. The extra dough in the middle—she had pinched Stan’s side here—that Stan certainly didn’t inherit from her. And still with the boxing? It really was high time to stop that brutish, unladylike nonsense.

As if she doesn’t know exactly why Stan needs to keep it up, needs the easy excuse to hide behind.

As soon as she’s able, Stan retreats to the bathroom. It takes a good couple of minutes for the water to heat up, so while she waits, Stan strips down and stares at her reflection in the mirror. She isn’t vain, she doesn’t think. She doesn’t wear any makeup, doesn’t do much more to her hair than run a brush through the waves to manage any tangles. She doesn’t care about trendy clothes or the latest styles. A pair of jeans or shorts, depending on the season, a simple t-shirt, and some high tops. That suits her fine.

She isn’t stick skinny like her mother or a lot of girls at school. She isn’t fat either, not even really that chubby. She’s just kind of thicker. And she’s got muscles from boxing. Not much by way of hips.

How are these ever supposed to bear a child? Any nice boy at the temple, any potential mother-in-law worth their salt, they’ll be looking for that. Hips like these, bad figure elsewhere too. She doesn’t have the looks enough for any good husband to overlook all the other things wrong with her.

Stan steps under the stream of water, hoping that it’s warm enough to wash her mother’s words off her skin.

It isn’t. It never is.

Ford is deep into whatever assignment when she comes into their room, deep enough that he doesn’t look up and watch from the corner of his eye while she changes into pajamas. He’s been doing that for a really long time, but he’s been a little more obvious about it the past few months, and every time it sends a thrilling jolt down Stan’s spine. But he isn’t looking right now, and that makes her feel even worse, despite the fact that he doesn’t look every time and that he’s clearly fully immersed in his textbook.

Stan folds her arms over her stomach, leaning up against their dresser as she watches him. He isn’t hunched too badly, despite how into his work he is. She’s glad to see that at least. The way his spine will pop when he stretches out sometimes really isn’t right for a sixteen year old boy. He took a shower while she was still cleaning up after dinner, and his hair, much shorter than hers, looks so soft and puffy in its freshly cleaned state. His eyes are sharply focused on the textbook, even as his pen dances over his notebook in his neat, looping writing.

He’s so deep into his work, but Stan’s heart is aching too much to keep standing there or even to go curl up in her bunk alone. She steps over to the bookcase. Over the years it’s changed a lot. More and more space is taken up with Ford’s textbooks and scientific journals and less and less their treasures found while out exploring or their comics. Still, there is a small section of novels. Stan picks up one of the most worn down and shuffles over to the desk.

“Hey, Sixer,” she asks, and Ford hums in acknowledgment. “I know you’re real busy.”

“Yes,” Ford says, but not dismissively. “I’m writing that proposal to send in to the Rutgers field office. I told you about that, didn’t I?”

“Yeah,” Stan says, hugging the book to her chest. “Big deal if they take it, right? Maybe get this dump cleaned up some.”

“That’s the hope,” Ford says. “And it will make an excellent addition to my academic portfolio.”

“Yeah,” Stan says again. “Yeah, it’ll be real good.”

The pen stops moving on the paper, and Stan presses her lips together as Ford looks up. His eyes flash as he takes her in, and he opens his mouth. Stan can’t have him ask her what’s wrong because she just can’t, so quickly she blurts, “I know you’re busy but—“ And she shoves their battered old copy of The Hobbit in his direction.

Ford leans back in his seat, almost jumping a bit. She isn’t standing close enough that the book would have smacked him in the face, but it is a close thing. He blinks at it and then again up at her. Stan thinks she must cut a very pathetic figure, but she also doesn’t care in that moment.

Ford studies her with a furrowed brow for only a brief moment before he stands up. He takes the book with one hand and lightly touches her cheek with the other. “Sure,” he says. “I’m at a decent stopping point for the night.”

He absolutely isn’t. Stan wouldn’t understand anything about his proposal if she picked it up to read it, but she knows that he’s lying and going along with her, and she’s so grateful for that. Ford neatens up his work while Stan arranges the pillows and blankets on her bunk. He crawls in after her, and they find a comfortable way to lie tangled up together. Ford opens the book and begins to read aloud.

They both loved this book so much as kids. It wasn’t on the ocean, but it was fantastical adventures fill with daring fights and golden treasure. It was odd, out of place, little people who were still heroes in a big, big world. Sometimes, Stan would read too, picking a couple of the characters that she wanted to voice, often sillily to make Ford laugh. But usually, it would just be Ford reading, them lying together just like this, his voice low, breath ghosting over the top of her head.

It’s soothing. It is. The knots in Stan’s stomach are beginning to loosen, but she still feels heavy in an unpleasant way. As the party reaches Rivendell, Stan decides that she needs more than this, and she hopes Ford is willing to give it.

“Ford,” she asks, and he stops. Stan knows that he can tell she’s about to say something important. She really doesn’t use his name very often.

“Yes, Stanley?”

“Can you do me a favor,” she asks.

“Of course,” he says. “What do you need?”

Need. Because this isn’t a want. She needs this, or she thinks she might shake apart, and Ford doesn’t have to know any details to know that much.

Stan shifts against him just a bit, changes the way she’s lying against him just slightly. Then she reaches up for his hand that was scratching lightly at her scalp. She brings it down her body, under her shirt, and lies it over her breast. Despite being a bit bigger in her upper body, Stan really doesn’t have large breasts. Ford’s big hand covers it completely, and the feeling starts to unwind some of the tension that his voice couldn’t cut through.

Under her, Stan can feel his breath pick up a bit. They haven’t done this outside of her periods before. For the past several months, that’s been the excuse. Ford touching her like that is just him helping her through the very real discomfort of what that week puts her through. And if—when—they do other things, well, they’re hormonal teenagers. Hormones can be such crazy things, overwhelming sometimes. Overwhelming enough to forget the very important fact that they are siblings. Twins. And then when the cramps and aches are over, they go back to being normal.

This isn’t normal. This is outside of that very specific set of parameters where they have decided it’s ok for them to act in ways that they never should have even considered. But Ford’s hand is on her now, skin to skin, and it’s warm and it’s safe.

After a moment, Ford squeezes at her, something questioning, and Stan, her hand still over his, squeezes back and says lowly, “No. Just this.”

“You just want me to hold it,” Ford asks, his voice just as low.

Stan nods. “I just—it’s comforting,” she says.

In a whisper, against her hair, Ford says, “I can feel your heart beating. More than usual.”

He doesn’t need to touch her to feel that, just like she doesn’t have to touch him. It’s always there, right alongside hers, has been for their entire lives. Two hearts beating side by side.

Ford sets the book down in his lap. He doesn’t take his hand away from her, doesn’t move it at all, but his other reaches for her cheek, turning her gently to face him. And then he does something that they also have not done outside of her periods. He brings his lips to hers. Stan sighs against him, lightly dragging her fingers over all six of his before curling around his wrist.

Ford pulls back just slightly. “Whatever Ma said, she was wrong,” he says, and Stan could cry, but his hand is resting directly over her heart, and it keeps her grounded. He kisses her again, a sweet, gentle thing, and then he picks up the book and resumes their reading. Stan melts into her brother, and his voice and touch drives away everything bad in the world.