#one of the main types of open source communities

[honeydippedfiction]

Joe x Angel General #30 “why is arson always your first answer.” With # 7 “ Is that blood?” “Yes but that doesn’t matter right now, what does matter is-” “You are literally bleeding.”

One thing Angel is going to do? Crash out over her man. The one time she does, she goes viral for it.

1k & Birthday Bash nav | main navigation | reqs | table of contents

#30 “why is arson always your first answer.” & # 7 “ Is that blood?” “Yes but that doesn’t matter right now, what does matter is-” “You are literally bleeding.”

Joe Burrow x Angel

• you DO NOT have my permission to copy my work, upload as your own, translate, or repost on any other website •

It was a Wednesday. The kind of midweek day where nothing felt right—gray skies, sticky air, and a mood clinging to Joe Burrow like the defensive linemen who kept finding a way past the Bengals’ O-line.

Practice had been brutal. Spirits in the locker room were low. And while Joe wasn’t the type to spiral, the weight of the season—the missed blocks, the broken plays, the endless postgame blame—was heavy.

So when he slid into the car after practice, hoodie half-zipped and hair still wet from the showers, he barely had time to exhale before Angel launched into a full-on rant from the driver’s seat.

Zariyah, their two-and-a-half-month-old daughter, was buckled into her car seat behind them, a pacifier bobbing rhythmically in her mouth as she blinked up at the roof, totally unbothered.

Angel didn’t even wait for the door to close before she launched in.

“You mean to tell me,” she began, one hand on the wheel and the other flying like it was directing traffic in a Beyoncé music video, “that Coach McFlop over there really said you need to play smarter? You? The same Joe who’s been dragging this team like a Costco cart with three busted wheels?”

Joe leaned back against the headrest, watching her with an amused, exhausted smirk.

“And don’t even get me started on the defense. They couldn’t stop a nosebleed if they had a bucket and a plan,” Angel continued. “And the media? The media can kiss my—”

Joe leaned his head back, let out a long, exhausted exhale, and closed his eyes. “Hey, babe.”

“No, no. Don’t ‘hey babe’ me. Because I know exactly what went down at practice today. You think I don’t have sources? You think that equipment manager didn’t DM me the second y’all wrapped?”

Joe cracked one eye open. “You’re texting the equipment guy again?”

“I told you,” she said, eyes on the road, tone deadly serious. “I have a network.”

He let out a slow laugh and shook his head.

Angel wasn’t done.

“I swear, if one more idiot in a headset points the finger at you instead of owning up to that fourth quarter disaster, I will drive down to the stadium with a blowtorch and a Spotify playlist titled ‘Rage, Volume 1. And AGAIN, don’t even get me started on that defense,” she continued, gesturing wildly with one hand while the other stayed on the wheel. “Giving up 380 passing yards and you’re the problem? Please. If I see the D-coordinator in a grocery store, I’m slapping the clipboard out his hand and filing it under ‘community service.’”

“Angel,” Joe interrupted gently, smiling. “Why is arson always your first answer?”

“Because it’s efficient, Joseph,” she snapped. “And these fools have clearly never seen a woman unhinged for her man.”

From the backseat, Zariyah let out a soft coo like she, too, was ride or die.

Angel’s face softened just a little at the sound. “See? She gets it.”

Their destination appeared around the corner: Swirl Up, their go-to frozen yogurt spot. Tucked between a nail salon and a sleepy pet store, it was the kind of small, unassuming place where they could just be a regular couple with a baby and a shared craving for dessert.

It was their spot—lowkey, simple, and always playing early 2000s R&B.

Joe unbuckled and stepped out first, scooping Zariyah from her seat with the kind of practiced gentleness that made Angel’s chest ache every time. He cradled her against his chest, one big hand supporting her head like she was made of glass.

Angel watched them for a beat, then exhaled the last of her rage and followed them into the shop.

It smelled like sweet cream and waffle cones inside, the air cool and clean. Early 2000s R&B hummed low from the speakers—Usher, pre-confessions. A soft smile ghosted over Joe’s lips. For once, it felt like a moment they could breathe.

Joe held Zariyah against his chest as they stepped inside. He rocked her gently, his hand protectively cupped over her tiny back, while Angel scanned the place like a lioness clocking threats in the Serengeti.

They stood in line. Zariyah snuggled into Joe’s hoodie, her small fingers curling against the drawstrings. Joe bounced her lightly on his arm, more out of habit than effort. Angel stood close, their bodies brushing with that familiar, magnetic ease that came from years of being each other’s gravity.

Angel leaned against Joe’s arm while he bounced Zariyah, who was blinking up at the ceiling like it was the Sistine Chapel. That’s when Angel noticed a group of teenagers whispering near the toppings bar, eyes darting toward them like they were witnessing a celebrity Bigfoot sighting.

Three of them huddled near the toppings bar, eyes wide, whispering and nudging each other like middle schoolers at a school dance. One of them—a tall boy with shaggy hair and braces—gathered the courage to walk up, holding his phone like a peace offering.

“Uh… Mr. Burrow?” he asked, voice cracking slightly. “Could I maybe get a picture with you? If that’s okay?”

Joe turned slightly to Angel. Not for permission—he didn’t need that—but to make sure she was comfortable, out of instinct. Just to check in.

She nodded, lips lifting into a small, proud smile, and reached out for Zariyah. “Go ahead, superstar.”

The photo was quick, polite. The kid was beaming like he’d just won the lottery, and when the group left, Angel could hear him whisper-shouting, “Bro! He’s so cool, and his wife is lowkey scary but hot!”

She smirked. “Damn right.”

They ordered—Joe got vanilla with crushed Oreos, Angel picked salted caramel with fresh strawberries—and made their way to their usual booth in the back. Joe sat with Zariyah nestled in the crook of his arm, carefully letting her tiny fingers brush against his spoon, even though she wasn’t eating solids yet. While Angel draped her arm over the back of the seat, finally relaxing.

For a minute, everything was perfect.

Then they heard it.

Two voices—one male, one female—sitting in the booth behind them. The woman sounded like she was just trying to get through the date. The man, unfortunately, had chosen Joe as his topic of the day.

“I’m just saying,” he said, clearly trying to sound like he had authority on the matter, “Burrow’s not that guy anymore. Dude peaked at LSU. He’s a system quarterback. Always has been.”

The girlfriend tried to hush him. “Can you not—he’s right there.”

“I don’t care. Someone’s gotta say it. He ain’t the future. He's fucking Cinderella except his knee is the glass slipper. Broken and worthless.”

Angel’s spoon stopped mid-air.

She hadn’t even looked up yet, but Joe knew—felt—that something had shifted. He didn’t need to hear what had set her off. He already knew what it was.

The booth behind them. A man and his date, talking just a little too loud. Loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. Loud enough for someone who was already riding the edge of protective fury to tip right over.

Joe didn’t look back. He kept his focus on Angel, his instincts sharpened by three years of knowing exactly what her stillness meant.

He reached under the table and placed a firm but gentle hand on her knee. “Babe,” he said low, calm, practiced. “Don’t.”

But the rage had already arrived. She was past the warning stage, beyond talking down.

Angel stood slowly, not with sudden violence, but with the deliberate grace of someone who knew they were about to make a scene. Every line in her body was relaxed—but only in that dangerous, feline way. The calm before the clap of thunder.

Zariyah, now cradled safely in Joe’s arms, blinked up at the shop lights, completely unaware that her mother was about to throw hands over froyo.

Angel’s sneakers barely made a sound as she walked toward the booth.

“Hi,” she said sweetly to the man who’d been running his mouth. Her tone was polite, disarming—but the slight upward curl of her lip made the woman sitting with him stiffen in her seat.

“You wanna repeat what you just said a little louder?” Angel tilted her head, her eyes dancing with fire. “I didn’t quite catch it.”

The guy blinked at her, surprised, then offered a smirk. That kind of smug, performative confidence that only ever came from someone who’d never been punched in the face.

“Look, lady, I’m just calling it like I see it,” he shrugged, half-laughing.

Angel didn’t even blink. “Funny,” she said, “because I don’t remember anyone asking you to call a damn thing. What I do remember is my husband putting in more work before breakfast than you’ve done in your whole life.”

Joe rose from the booth behind her, voice steady but concerned. “Alright, let’s—”

“Let me,” Angel cut in, her back still to him. Her tone brooked no interference. “Handle this.”

The guy’s smirk faltered, but he still stood. Poor fool.

He squared his shoulders like someone trying to remember how testosterone worked. “It’s just my opinion.”

“You’re entitled to your opinion,” Angel said, taking a small step forward, “but here’s the thing. You don’t get to disrespect my husband. Not in front of me. And definitely not in front of my daughter.”

The man scoffed and leaned back in his seat, arms folded like he was settling in for a show. “Please, it’s a free country.” he said with a smirk, “your husband’s just another overhyped quarterback with glass bones and a padded contract. Man’s spent more time in rehab than on the field. Honestly, I don’t know what’s softer—his knee, or his ego.”

His mouth curled upward in smug satisfaction.

Joe’s expression didn’t change—but his eyes flicked down for just a second, that old familiar wound reopening in his chest.

Angel, however, blinked once. Just once.

Then her entire expression dropped into something flat. Focused. Final.

The man barely had time to register the shift.

His mouth opened again—maybe to double down, maybe to gloat—but he didn’t get the chance to finish.

Angel’s fist moved so fast it barely registered.

Crack.

The sound echoed through the frozen yogurt shop like a firecracker. It wasn’t a slap, it was a full-force, knuckles-first right hook—years of boxing classes, weight training, and protective rage behind it. The man’s head snapped to the side violently. He reeled backward, crashing into his own table, a hand flying up to his face as blood immediately began to stream from his nose.

Gasps rang out from every corner of the shop. A spoon clattered to the floor. A child started crying.

Joe was already up and moving, Zariyah still nestled in the crook of his arm.

In one smooth, efficient move, he secured Zariyah against his chest, snatched both frozen yogurt cups from the table with a practiced football grip, and hooked an arm around a very pissed-off Angel practically over his shoulder as he made for the exit.

Angel wasn’t making it easy. She was still craning her neck over his shoulder, arms flailing, as if she had just one more thing to say—or throw.

“Let me just—one more shot!” she hissed, twisting in Joe’s grasp. “He said you weren’t the future, Joe! He said it in front of our child!”

Outside, the dusk had cooled the air. Joe all but wedged her between himself and the SUV, using the car as a barrier and his body as a shield.

His voice dropped low, heavy with command. “Angel. Enough.”

The words hung between them. Her chest heaved with adrenaline and fury, but she stilled.

A beat later, a small whimper floated from behind him.

Zariyah.

Joe glanced down. Their daughter’s little face was starting to scrunch with confusion, her lips puckering like she was gearing up for a cry.

Angel’s focus snapped back.

The fire in her eyes faltered, then dimmed as her gaze locked on her daughter.

Her shoulders dropped. “I wasn’t about to let him disrespect you like that,” she said softly, her voice rough with emotion. “Not when I’ve seen the work. Not when I know the weight you carry. Not in front of her.”

Joe didn’t speak right away. He studied her—his firebrand of a wife, breathing hard and bleeding, her knuckles red and raw but her pride intact.

“I get it,” he said finally, gently. “I do. But you can’t fight the whole world.”

Angel’s lip twitched upward. “You just watch me, Joe Burrow. I will burn the whole fucking thing down about you and Zariyah.”

He was about to respond when his gaze dropped to her right hand. His expression shifted instantly.

“Wait… is that blood?”

Angel looked down casually, flexing her fingers. Her knuckle was angry and red, the skin cracked and beginning to swell.

“Yeah,” she said, brushing it off. “But that’s not important right now. What is important—”

“You are literally bleeding, Angel.”

“I’ve had worse.”

“That is not the flex you think it is.”

She sighed as Joe gently took her injured hand in his, inspecting it with furrowed brows like it belonged to someone precious. His fingers were careful, tender as he examined the bandage, the concern in his eyes impossible to hide. He stepped back, moving toward the car door. With a subtle tilt of his head, he motioned for her to follow him.

Angel slid into the back seat, her hand cradling her yogurt cup, now a sad soup of caramel and strawberry. Zariyah was in her car seat, hiccup-laughing softly, blissfully unaware that her mother had just broken at least one social rule—and possibly a man’s face.

Joe stood in the doorway of the car, one arm resting against the frame. He reached in, effortlessly buckling Zariyah in with practiced ease, checking every strap, every latch with precision. Once satisfied, he turned and handed Angel her yogurt, the cup warm in her hands.

“I told you not to let me go in there alone,” she muttered, blowing on her knuckle like it might cool the pain. Her voice was quieter now, the fire from earlier finally fading into a mixture of frustration and regret.

Joe gave her a dry smile, his gaze still intense as he leaned slightly into the car. “You walked over,” he replied, his tone even. “I didn’t let anything happen. I witnessed it.”

He stood there a moment longer, eyes roaming over her, the silent tension between them mixing with a faint undercurrent of amusement. He let out a long breath before leaning his head against the top of the car door, looking at her sideways. His expression was equal parts exasperated and awed.

“God help me, Angel,” he muttered, more to himself than to her.

“You’re gonna give our daughter a complex,” he said, half-laughing.

Angel winced as she took a spoonful of yogurt. “Good. Let her know early—Mama don’t play about Daddy.”

Joe dipped his spoon into the mushy swirl of vanilla and Oreo, feeding Zariyah a finger to distract her from the discomfort of her hiccups.

She gurgled, eyes wide and trusting.

They sat in the SUV with the doors closed and the windows cracked just enough to let the early evening breeze snake through. The adrenaline from the frozen yogurt fiasco had finally begun to taper off, replaced by a still, buzzing quiet that hung between them like smoke after a fire.

The interior smelled like caramel swirl and sugar cones, mingling faintly with the hot pavement outside and the distant scent of lavender from Zariyah’s baby lotion. It was that strange moment after chaos—where everything settled, but nothing quite felt normal yet.

In the back seat, Zariyah had finally calmed down again. Her tiny fists were curled tight, her lips parted in soft sleep-breaths, cheeks flushed a gentle pink from all the commotion. One little sock had slipped halfway off her foot, her pacifier loosely clinging to the corner of her mouth like she’d lost interest mid-suck.

Angel, now tucked into the passenger seat with her legs pulled up, cradled her freshly bandaged right hand in her lap. Her yogurt cup was still in her other hand, the once-firm swirl now a melted, soupy mess. She stirred it absently, the spoon clinking against the sides in soft, slow circles. Her shoulders, tight for the last hour, had finally started to sink back down.

Joe sat beside her, stretched out in the driver’s seat with one arm over the steering wheel and the other resting on the center console. His helmet hair was a little tousled from earlier practice, his shirt still faintly damp at the collar. He hadn’t said much since they’d gotten in the car, but he didn’t need to. He just watched her—calm, steady, his expression unreadable in that unique way only Joe Burrow could pull off. A mix of concern, amusement, and the bone-deep fatigue that only came from trying to wrangle an NFL season and a two-month-old baby in the same lifetime.

The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable, though. It was laced with familiarity—like two people who didn’t need to fill the quiet to feel heard.

Angel finally exhaled, a slow, cleansing breath. Then she rolled her head lazily against the headrest, turned her face toward him, and smirked.

“You know,” she said, her voice hoarse from yelling and full of mischief, “you’re really hot when you go all papa bear/Big dick daddy and drop the bass in your voice like that.”

Joe blinked, caught just enough off guard to smile despite himself.

Angel arched a brow. “No, seriously. That whole ‘Angel. Enough’ thing?” She mimicked his deep, commanding tone with a playful rasp. “Whew. If I hadn’t been in the middle of trying to rearrange that man’s face, I’d have dragged you into the back seat so you could rearrange something else.”

Joe flushed immediately, the tips of his ears turning a warm, familiar pink. It traveled quickly down his neck, his expression somewhere between bashful and charmed.

He laughed, soft and low, shaking his head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe. But I’m right.”

He glanced at her sideways, then down at her bandaged hand. “You’re also not off the hook.”

Angel pouted dramatically. “Oh, come on. I only hit him once. That’s growth.”

“You hit him hard enough to make the toppings bar go silent,” Joe said, voice deadpan. “Pretty sure the sprinkles jumped off the counter.”

Angel shrugged, not the least bit sorry. “He called you soft.”

Her tone shifted then—less teasing, more matter-of-fact. She turned her body slightly to face him fully, eyes narrowing like she was daring him to disagree.

“And you’re not. You’re the strongest man I know, Joe. On and off the field. I don’t care how many injuries you’ve had, or what the media says when the team struggles. I’ve watched you drag your body out of bed when you could barely stand, still showing up for practice, for press, for us. You get knocked down and you get back up every damn time. That’s what makes you dangerous. That’s what makes you, you.”

Joe’s expression softened. He didn’t say anything right away—just reached across the console, brushing a thumb along her cheek. The touch was feather-light, but it carried weight. His fingers lingered there, like he needed that physical contact to anchor everything she’d just said.

Angel leaned into it, her eyes half-lidded now, that fire inside her dimmed to something slow-burning and intimate. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The world outside—the whispers, the chaos, the headlines waiting to happen—faded into nothing.

Joe leaned in, just a little, and Angel met him halfway.

Their lips touched—slow, unhurried, but full of knowing. It wasn’t a kiss of apology or passion. It was something steadier. Reassuring. A quiet promise between two people who’d seen each other at their rawest and still chose each other, over and over again.

When they pulled apart, their foreheads brushed briefly before Angel settled back into her seat, a small, satisfied smile tugging at her lips.

Joe exhaled, a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

“You’re trouble,” he murmured, eyes crinkling at the corners.

“And you love it,” she shot back, grinning now.

He sighed with a chuckle, the sound settling low in his chest. “Yeah,” he admitted quietly, glancing toward the back seat where their daughter slept on, undisturbed. “Yeah, I do.”

Angel followed his gaze. Her features softened too, the fight finally draining from her in full. Whatever flame had been burning earlier was now just a warm glow in her chest, resting somewhere between devotion and exhaustion.

She leaned back against her seat, her tone lighter now. “Next time someone disrespects you,” she mused, “I’ll use my left hand. Balance things out.”

Joe gave her a long look, one brow lifting. “I need to start carrying bail money when we leave the house, don’t I?”

“Absolutely,” she said with a satisfied nod. “Better safe than sorry.”

She dipped her spoon into her yogurt again, finally taking a bite. The melted mess didn’t seem to bother her anymore. Joe reached for his too, both of them eating in companionable silence.

The sun had nearly dipped below the horizon, casting the parking lot in that hazy golden-purple light that made everything look softer than it was. The street lamp flickered on with a hum overhead. Somewhere across the lot, a couple of teenagers whispered and pointed in their direction—but this time, Angel just leaned her head on Joe’s shoulder and let it go.

And there, in that quiet moment, with their daughter breathing softly in the back seat, frozen yogurt half-melted in their hands, and Angel’s bruised knuckles cradled in Joe’s large palm, they sat.

A quarterback and the chaos he married.

Wrapped in love, defiance, and melted frozen yogurt.

Joe looked between the two of them—his fierce, loyal wife and their wide-eyed little girl—and despite the bruises, the blood, the chaos of the season, he felt something settle inside him.

No press conference, no critical sports anchor, no bad call from the sideline could touch what he had right here.

Chaos and all.

He shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips, and finally closed the car door with a quiet thud. The engine roared to life as he turned the key, the sound a small comfort in the silence that surrounded them. As the car hummed, Joe adjusted the rearview mirror, making sure everything was in place, before giving Angel a sideways glance.

“Alright, Muhammad Ali," he said with a smirk, "let's get you home before you become a hit on WorldStar.”

Angel's lips twitched into a grin, a quiet giggle bubbling up from her chest. Her laughter was light, the tension from earlier slowly melting away. She shook her head, looking at him with a playful gleam in her eye.

"You’re lucky I didn’t knock you out, too," she teased, the warmth returning to her voice.

Joe chuckled, shaking his head as he pulled out of the parking lot. The world outside may have been swirling with its usual noise, but in this little SUV, it was just them—two imperfectly perfect people with a baby who was probably going to grow up knowing that her mom could throw hands if needed.

And that, in the end, was enough.

Joe smirked, keeping his eyes on the road, but his voice dropped into a more teasing tone. “Save those moves for the bedroom, baby.”

Angel gasped, her hand shooting out to smack his arm. "Joe! Our daughter is right there!" she said, her voice a mixture of playful shock and mock indignation.

Joe laughed, the deep sound vibrating through the car. “Hey, just saying, that right hook? Kinda got me thinking… you’d be dangerous in the bedroom.”

She shot him a glare, though it was softened by the corners of her mouth, which were still curled in amusement. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Unbelievably lucky,” he quipped, winking at her.

Angel rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress her smile. She glanced in the rearview mirror at Zariyah, who had drifted off to sleep again, blissfully unaware of the banter between her parents.

“Just wait until she starts talking,” Angel muttered, "she’s going to be repeating everything.”

Joe laughed again, but it was the kind of laugh that felt like home—easy, full of affection, and just a little bit mischievous.

And as they pulled out onto the quiet street, heading home, Joe knew that no matter how crazy things got, this was exactly where he needed to be.

.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·..·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.

The Next Day – Bengals Practice Facility

The sun blazed over the practice field, casting long shadows as the team jogged through warm-ups. Cleats scraped against turf, and coaches barked instructions from the sidelines. Joe wiped sweat from his brow with the edge of his sleeve as they hit a water break, making his way toward the benches where Tee and Ja'Marr were already half-slouched, guzzling water like it was life support.

“Yo,” Tee said, eyeing Joe with narrowed suspicion, “why you walking like your back’s tight? You sleep on the couch or something?”

Joe gave a dry laugh, twisting the cap off his Gatorade. “Nah. Just trying to recover from last night’s chaos.”

Ja'Marr glanced over. “What happened?”

Joe took a beat. He sipped his drink, then leaned against the bench like someone preparing to drop a bomb.

“You know how Angel is,” he started, voice low but amused. “We went to get frozen yogurt. Just a chill night, right? Me, her, and Zariyah.”

Tee raised a brow. “Sounds harmless so far.”

“Yeah… until some dude at the shop starts talking loud trash about me. Like loud-loud.”

Ja'Marr tilted his head. “You say something to him?”

Joe shook his head. “Didn’t get the chance.”

Both Tee and Ja'Marr stared, blinking. “…Nah,” Tee said slowly. “You don’t mean—”

Joe nodded. “Angel handled it.”

“Handled it?” Ja'Marr repeated, leaning forward. “Bro. Define ‘handled.’”

Joe tried to fight the grin creeping across his face, but failed. “She walked up to the dude, said something smooth and threatening, he said some reckless stuff about my past injuries—like, ‘washed up,’ ‘not the future,’ the usual loudmouth nonsense—and she just… clocked him. One hit. Boom.”

There was a pause. A long one.

Then: “She hit him?” Tee yelled, nearly choking on his water.

Joe held up his hands. “Square in the face. I barely had time to react. Man flew back like someone hit ‘rewind’ on him.”

Ja'Marr started laughing so hard he nearly dropped his bottle. “Naaaah! Not Angel! Wait—how bad?”

“Busted his nose,” Joe said casually. “She messed up her knuckle. I had to carry her, the baby, and our yogurt to the car like we were fleeing a crime scene.”

Tee stood there with his mouth wide open. “Your wife turned a froyo run into a Mortal Kombat match.”

“I told her she was gonna end up on WorldStar,” Joe muttered, shaking his head with a smirk.

“Did she at least feel bad?” Ja'Marr asked, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

“She flirted with me in the car,” Joe said, deadpan. “Said I was hot when I get all ‘papa bear.’ Then told me next time, she’ll use her left hand to ‘balance it out.’”

Tee just stared. “You married a superhero and a menace.”

Joe shrugged, grinning now. “Chaos and all.”

Ja'Marr let out another laugh. “I swear, if I see this on Twitter later…”

“Oh, it’s coming,” Tee said, pulling out his phone. “Matter of time before someone posts security footage or a witness comes forward.”

Joe sighed, running a hand down his face. “Please don’t let this hit ESPN.”

Ja'Marr leaned in, still grinning. “Nah, man. If it does? I’m sending Angel a ‘thank you’ bouquet.”

Joe rolled his eyes. “Y’all are the worst.”

“We’re not the ones handing out haymakers at dessert shops,” Tee said, already laughing again.

.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·..·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.

Later That Evening – The Burrow Household

The house was calm—finally.

Zariyah was asleep in her bassinet, arms raised above her head like she was dreaming about leading a revolution. Joe was curled up on the couch, feet propped on the coffee table, baby monitor balanced on one knee. Angel padded in from the kitchen with a bag of frozen peas over her wrapped hand and dropped beside him with a groan.

“Remind me to stop punching people who have weak noses,” she muttered.

Joe didn’t look up from his phone. “That’s oddly specific.”

“Because I’m oddly injured,” she replied, lifting the peas to her temple with a dramatic sigh. “He had the bone density of a graham cracker.”

Joe grinned. “I still can’t believe you actually hit him.”

Angel smirked. “I warned him.”

Just then, Joe’s phone buzzed. And then again. And again. And again.

He glanced at the screen.

Then blinked.

Then sat up a little straighter.

“…Uhh. Angel?”

“What?” she asked, head resting on the back of the couch.

“Did you… see this?”

He turned his screen toward her. A Twitter/X video was playing on loop. Grainy footage—clearly a phone recording—captured every second. The frozen yogurt shop. Angel walking up to the man. The exchange. The punch. The gasp. Joe scooping up the baby. Angel being dragged out like a gremlin with unfinished business.

The caption read: “JOE BURROW’S WIFE KNOCKS DUDE OUT FOR TALKING SMACK 😭🔥 #.RideOrDie #.QueenEnergy #.ProtectJoeAtAllCosts”

Angel’s jaw dropped. “Oh my God. Who filmed that?!”

The video had over 4.2 million views. In four hours.

“Babe,” Joe said, scrolling through the replies. “You are trending.”

Angel whipped around to snatch the phone. “No. Nuh-uh. No way I’m—”

She froze.

The top tweet:

“I need someone to love me the way Angel Burrow loves Joe. I’d commit war crimes for this kind of loyalty.”

The next:

“Joe Burrow has a 2-month-old and a wife who throws hands like she’s in a Marvel movie. Bengals might be 2-5 but he already won at life.”

Then another:

“We don’t talk enough about the fact that a man disrespected Joe Burrow once and caught a knuckle sandwich with extra sprinkles.”

Angel’s eyes widened. “Why is this actually hilarious?”

Joe leaned back into the couch, biting back a grin. “Tee sent me the video and just wrote: ‘AYO. SHE REAL.’”

Angel couldn’t help it—she laughed. Loud, belly-deep, head-thrown-back kind of laugh. “Oh, this is insane.”

“Yeah,” Joe said. “But also kinda flattering.”

“I mean,” she said, smirking at him, “you saw me in action. That was love and upper body strength.”

“And great footwork,” Joe added, nodding seriously. “You stepped into the punch.”

“I did, didn’t I?” she grinned proudly.

Another buzz. Joe checked his phone again and started reading: “‘She said “Not in front of my daughter” like she was in a superhero origin story.’”

Angel blinked, then looked at him sideways. “I did say that, didn’t I?”

“You did. And then you punched a guy.”

Angel exhaled. “Okay, so now the entire internet knows I’m a menace. Perfect.”

Joe turned to her, resting his arm along the back of the couch. “No. Now the entire internet knows you love your husband so much, you’re willing to commit a minor misdemeanor in public. That’s soulmate stuff.”

Angel squinted. “You better hope this doesn’t end up on First Take. If Stephen A. Smith calls me a thug, I swear to God—”

“I’ll call him myself,” Joe replied dryly. “And ask if he wants the smoke too.”

They both burst into laughter again.

Angel curled into his side, careful not to bump her hand. “Guess I should work on my media apology voice.”

Joe kissed her temple. “We’ll script it after Zariyah’s next nap.”

The baby stirred lightly in the monitor, then fell back asleep.

Angel sighed. “At least she didn’t see it.”

Joe reached for the remote and turned on the TV. “You know what this means, right?”

“What?”

“You’re officially the scariest Burrow in the house.”

Angel smirked, settling deeper into his arms. “Took them long enough to figure that out.”

.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·..·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.

The living room was dimly lit, the soft flicker of the TV casting shadows across the walls as Zariyah cooed from her bouncer in the corner. Angel sat cross-legged on the couch, Joe sprawled beside her with one arm draped over the back cushions. Her phone was practically glued to her hand as she scrolled through the endless stream of tweets, memes, and tags lighting up her notifications like fireworks.

“Yo, people are fast,” she muttered, eyes widening slightly as she came across yet another viral remix of the incident—this one set to DMX’s “Party Up.” “This one has theme music. Like, actual sound editing.”

Joe chuckled beside her, his gaze flicking to her bandaged hand as she used it to swipe.

“You good?” he asked, not for the first time.

Angel just gave a dramatic sigh and kept scrolling. “It’s sore, but my pride is thriving.”

Joe smirked, but before he could respond, his phone buzzed loudly on the coffee table. The screen lit up with a FaceTime call.

Ja’Marr.

Joe grinned knowingly. “Here we go.”

He answered and propped the phone up on a throw pillow between them, hitting speaker.

Ja'Marr’s face filled the screen, already mid-laugh. “YO! Angel ‘Hands of Justice’ Burrow! What’s good, champ?”

Angel groaned but couldn’t fight the smile. “Goodnight, Ja’Marr.”

“Nah, nah, you don’t get to go quiet now. Sis, you really hit that man like he insulted your whole bloodline. I thought it was a prank at first. I had to rewatch it like four times.”

“Only four?” Joe teased. “I think Tee’s on his seventh. He said he’s studying her form for when the team fights back at pressers.”

“I’m just saying!” Ja’Marr laughed. “She squared up like she had a fight song playing in her head.”

Angel held up her bandaged hand. “And now I got a busted knuckle and a trending hashtag.”

“#AngelBurrowSaidBingBong is everywhere,” Ja’Marr said, wheezing. “You might be more famous than Joe now.”

Joe leaned into the frame. “I can live with that.”

“You don’t have a choice, bro. Y’all got Black Twitter and suburban moms on your side now. That’s the double threat.”

Angel tilted her head. “You’re enjoying this too much.”

Ja’Marr grinned. “Oh, 100%. And guess who else is loving it?”

Angel’s brow quirked. “Please don’t say who I think you’re about to say.”

“Your mother-in-law,” Ja’Marr confirmed gleefully.

Angel sat up straighter. “Wait. Robin saw it?”

Joe raised a brow. “My mom?”

Ja’Marr laughed harder. “Bro, she texted me before I even saw the video. Said—and I quote—‘Well… she did warn him.’”

Angel stared at Joe, stunned. “Your mom saw it?”

“And she’s unbothered, clearly,” Joe chuckled.

“Your dad?” she asked slowly.

Joe’s phone buzzed again. He checked the screen. “And there’s a text from him now. Hold on…”

He tapped it open and held the screen up for her to see. It was a photo of Jimmy Burrow sitting comfortably on the back porch, holding a "#1 Dad" coffee mug, beside a printed-out freeze frame of Angel’s punch mid-arc like a Renaissance painting.

Underneath it was a caption: “Angel’s got a mean right hook. Proud to have her in the family.”

Angel threw her head back into the couch cushions and groaned. “Oh my God.”

Ja’Marr howled. “You’ve made it, sis. Y’all are officially a dynasty.”

Joe leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to Angel’s temple, the warmth in his voice unmistakable. “You’re a legend, babe. Chaos and all.”

She peeked out from behind her hands, barely suppressing a smile. “You think Zariyah’s gonna see this one day?”

Ja’Marr answered without missing a beat. “She’s gonna brag about it in kindergarten. ‘My mommy hit a man for talking trash about my daddy.’”

Joe laughed. “We’ll teach her to use her words first.”

Angel smirked. “Unless someone talks trash about her daddy.”

Ja'Marr gave a full salute through the screen. “Can’t wait for her TED Talk: Defending Joe Burrow With These Hands.”

Angel narrowed her eyes. “Okay, I’m hanging up now.”

“Love y’all!” Ja'Marr called out as the screen went black.

Angel dropped the phone into Joe’s lap and shook her head, a mixture of exasperation and reluctant amusement on her face.

“I just wanted frozen yogurt,” she muttered.

Joe slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, whispering with a grin, “And you got internet immortality instead.”

Angel sighed, leaning into him, the bandage on her hand cool against his side. “Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

“No more public dessert spots for the next month.”

Joe chuckled, kissing her temple again. “Deal. We’ll go underground with our ice cream runs.”

And as Zariyah snored softly in the background, the three of them tucked into the kind of peace that could only come after complete and utter chaos—with trending hashtags, family group chats, and a love fierce enough to throw a punch when it counted.

[thydungeongal]

What are some good RPGs that would say are good examples of being queer?

Sorry it took me a while to reply to this!

Anyway, my favorite capital Q Queer RPGs are Monsterhearts and Dungeon Bitches. Monsterhearts is the subtler of the two, being basically a game about playing a CW style teen drama with monsters that is basically a genre mashup of Vampire Diaries, Ginger Snaps, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Jennifer's Body. The queerness is very much textual but it's more so thematic and symbolic. The game's themes are queerness and adolescence and growing up, the vehicle it uses to explore those themes is monsters, because queer teens often get made to feel monstrous for having feelings and desires that fall outside of the norm.

Dungeon Bitches by @cavegirlpoems on the other hand is much more explicit about its queerness, in the sense that the queerness is also explicitly and unambiguously written into the fiction of the game. It is a game that is very much grounded in the dungeon-crawling genre of fantasy but that asks the question of "what kind of people would actually get into the dungeon-crawling life" and answers that with "people who are otherwise marginalized in so-called civilized society, especially queer women." It's very much a game that uses the dungeon crawling lifestyle to present a dialectic between the "safety" offered by the closet and normative society, and the precariousness and danger and the undeniable thrill of living as your true self. It's a game that is resonant to me not only as a fan of dungeon crawl type games but also as a trans woman making her first small steps towards transition. It's a fucked up game for fucked up dolls.

There are plenty of other queer games too, including Thirsty Sword Lesbians, Queerz, Girl by Moonlight, Dream Askew, and many many more. I think Thirsty Sword Lesbians is the most well-known and I do own it and at the end of the day it kind of leaves me cold. It feels like it's trying to play things a bit too safe and at the same time I feel its politics of identity are just messy.

Anyway, this is something I've been thinking of for a while, but since I've been thinking a lot about queer games not only in terms of "does it have the Gay" but also in terms of "does it thematically intersect with questions of queerness," I have to mention Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy by @anim-ttrpgs.

So okay having been involved in the community surrounding Eureka for a while there is something about that game that appeals to LGBTQ folks, especially trans women. Now, Eureka has of course been written primarily from the point of view of disability: the main writer is disabled and the game makes it explicit that many of the supernatural elements, including the monster investigator types, are symbolic of the experiences of the disabled. But because the experiences of marginalized groups tend to intersect a lot, many queer folks also end up seeing themselves there. Vampires in Eureka are written very much from a Christian folkloric point of view so that many Christians may see them as inherently anathema even while they may still maintain their faith; something that many queer Christians may resonate with. Similarly, one of the monster types, the Thing from Beyond, is all about being an alien shape shifter trying to navigate a society that is ultimately scary and alien to them. There's also Living Dolls up in that thang!!!

There is more to Eureka that makes it appeal to many queer readers, but the main thing is this: it is written from a point of view that is ultimately empathetic of the "freaks" and outcasts. And while it does approach these topics from the point of view of disability, it is also very open to queer readings.

And this is sort of a source of gentle ribbing within the Eureka community: that the lead writer ends up writing stuff that resonates deeply with his friends and fans of the game, a significant number of whom happen to be trans women, and that this has to be pointed out to him constantly. It's really sweet and funny. (Fun anecdote: when I first came out as a trans woman he approached me in my DMs asking "So you're a chick now?" followed by a 👍 emoji.)

And I think that's a fun contrast. Many games that ultimately do not touch upon queerness in any meaningful way in their themes or gameplay will still get lauded as queer because they will use identity as a coat of paint or a part of their marketing. And at the same time someone writing candidly about their experiences of living with disability via metaphor may end up accidentally writing something that actually resonates with the lived experiences of queer people.

[mamayan]

🎃 Happy Halloween 🎃

Shigaraki Tomura x Fem! Reader

Good girls should just stay home, lest something goes bump in the night.

cw: NSFW • Implied Murder • Implied Serial Killer • Consensual Non-Consent turned Non-Consensual • Noncon • Dubcon • Abuse • Fingering (F) • Oral (M) • Deep Throating • Rough Sex • Attempted Murder • Hair Pulling • Degradation/Slight Humiliation • Dacryphilia • Yandere Themes • Kidnapping • a little OOC • This story possessed me and basically wrote itself • Barely proof read tbh

wc: 7k+

Something must be wrong with you.

Or at least, that’s what you imagine the world would think if anyone knew what you were doing.

The room was dark aside from the blue glow of your computer screen. The black web browser with red lettering almost ominous as your eyes scanned the consent form again. It was a consent form just to access the full website, on the surface serving only as a dating type of situation for the BDSM community. Beneath it though were layers deeper than what the simple description actually provided. You only found out about it through a deep dive into multiple sub-threads of Reddit. It was a basket case of crazy, the majority of information or advice, but you managed to dig up one reliable looking source.

This website you were currently on. L@ce&R0pe.com happened to provide a wide variety of goodies, from sex toys to actual published books on shibari, there wasn’t much you couldn’t find. Except like all websites not swallowed up by the deep web, there was never any section like the one you wanted so desperately.

Except this one, because your mouse didn’t hesitate to shift and hover over the drop down section for MEET, where you could link up with real people for whatever your heart desired really. You trailed down to NEW FRIEND, and clicked. A new tab opened, this one themed differently than the main website. It was light blue and pink, almost like a baby shower, except the only thing on the page was a single drop down menu, and clicking it made your head ache. There were thousands of options, but thankfully it was organized alphabetically, so you could easily scroll mindlessly until you hit the C section.

You found what you wanted, clicking it as your chosen option and hitting GO.

The screen changed, this time it looked similar to a dating profile fillable. You worked quickly, efficiently even, as you typed all your information in.

Not your name or address, nothing silly like that. Just your measurements, your favorite foods or beverages, the color of your eyes, your hair color, your height, and even the style of your nails. It asked if you liked to brush your hair everyday, how often you showered, what shampoo or body wash you like. You answered them all, as invasive as they soon became, you never wavered. What brand of deodorant do you use? How often do you clip or file your nails? To what length? Do you shave your pubic area? How often? What style? How many sexual partners have you had? Where have you had sex? Which hole do you prefer? Are you a crier or a screamer? Does blood turn you on? Do you like physical or mental pain more? Have you ever been raped before?

They got more personal and physiological as you answered. You felt hot and stuffy despite the window being open and the cool autumn air blowing in. You kept answering even as your throat got tighter and unease nestled into your clavicle.

Do you want to know who your new friend will be?

This time you do hesitate. Knowing would make it feel safer. Knowing would give you some semblance of control. Knowing would be the smart choice.

You clicked “no” and submitted the form, sealing your fate as your hands shook and adrenaline pumped through your veins.

You set the date for October 31st. Now all you had to do was wait and show up.

A notification hit his phone, lighting up the screen as cigarette smoke billowed around him in the back alley. A quick glance was all he needed to unlock and fully see the entire screen. The leather of his jacket rubbed against the brick he leaned against.

Halloween was probably the best time for such fun, crime rates skyrocketing and parties being loud and wild really left a big gaping hole for any type of heinous activity to occur. He grinned as the information poured onto his screen. His dick already becoming painfully hard as he read all your supplied information. You liked breath play, having someone spit in your mouth, even being slapped around. He was always amazed by the lack of shortage for sick freaks like you, but then again, he was one of them too. Licking his top lip, tongue piercing flicking out to rub against his cupid’s bow, he clicked “ACCEPT” on the notification. He had all your information, the when and where, and your adorable little comment of “Please don’t degrade me.” What more could he ask for? His smile is sinister in the low light off the neon sign of the bar, casting a purplish hue on his skin as he chuckles and shoves his phone away. Flicking his cigarette butt onto the dirty ground, he cracked his neck and knuckles before going back inside to finish his beer and round of pool with his friends.

He’ll see you on Halloween. He might even dress up a little for the occasion.

It’s cold.

It’s nearly November so you hadn’t expected warm weather necessarily, but it seemed chillier than usual despite your fairly insulated dress.

You dressed up as an angel, the irony not lost on you at all but it felt fitting almost for the occasion. The pristine white looked off in your surroundings. It was nearly midnight, but despite that the sidewalk of the park was filled with a fairly regular crowd of people passing through, on to the next party or home to sleep off all the alcohol. Really, you weren’t too out of place, in your white stockings and black heeled boots, the fluffy ruffled white babydoll dress that barely covered your ass or tits and the wings which were strapped around your shoulders and jutted out behind you. On your head was a slim clip which was attached to a white shiny halo that seemed to float above you, only a thin wire keeping it up. You’d at first felt a little exposed passing children going home for the night after trick or treating, eyes of judgemental families which you ignored boring into you, but now it was time for the adults to have fun. You’d already passed a plethora of college students or older dressed even more scantily than you, making you feel better, safer, out in the park you’d chosen. You’d chosen 0300 as your designated meetup time, but specified you’d be early in case they wanted to start sooner. So here you stood, under a streetlamp that illuminated you in a yellow glow, making you seem even more angelic despite the ominous darkness surrounding you. You were busy playing on your phone, scrolling mindlessly and trying not to appear too excited. Or scared. You figured it was a combination of both, the arousal and fear bleeding into one very specific but unnamed emotion. Tapping your boot to a rhythm only you could hear, the night drew on and another hour passed. The droves of people passing didn’t dwindle, but it was always a group, never a single individual which you hoped was your new friend. It was almost 0130 when you felt watched, goosebumps rising on your skin as you realized someone must be looking at you. A quick glance around showed no one though, and after ten minutes your hope dissolved into disappointment. It seemed your friend wasn’t an early bird.

“Hey,” a raspy, deep voice speaking almost directly into your ear, startling you enough to elicit a yelp. You turned, eyes landing on a dark clothed chest and trailing up to a hooded face you could barely make out through a mess of blue hair. His lips look a bit chapped, a small scar decorating a corner, but his teeth are white and straight as he smiles a grin that causes shivers to shoot down your spine.

…maybe your friend was an early bird, just not as much as you.

You take a step back, stuttering stupidly due to your overactive nerves and the earlier shock of his sudden appearance. “H-hi…um,” the stranger tilts his head, eyes still not visible, dark hoodie baggy on his frame. He looks a bit thin, like he wouldn’t have a lot of strength, his jeans having some strange splattering of fake blood or something on them. You lick your lips, heart ready to leap from your chest but not quite ready for the events to unfold.

Or maybe you were very ready.

“You’ve been standing here for hours,” he comments nonchalantly, hands moving to shove inside the large inner pocket on his hoodie, “Aren’t ya tired of waiting for your boyfriend?” His question is a bit confusing, and when you glance around you, it dawns that there’s no one out right now. When had the crowds dwindled to nothing? “I don’t… have a boyfriend…” you had clearly stated that online too, so he already knew the answer to your relationship status. Was he just teasing? Keeping this as realistic as possible? It made you a bit pleased. You fiddled with the ends of your cute frilly dress, exposing a small portion of your skin and garter belt which kept your thigh high socks up. His eyes tracked the motion, lips pulling up even higher making his smile menacing. Dangerous. “That so?” He asks, but it doesn’t seem like he’s too interested in a reply as he steps closer, his beat up sneakers so silent on the ground it’s a little unnerving. Since he’s playing along so much, it feels wrong for you to not reciprocate.

“What do you think you’re doing, creep? Stay back,” You hope he���s not offended by the name, figuring it wasn’t too mean or odd of a thing to call him. Your firm stance and defiant gaze make him pause, head tilting again but he’s quick to recover and laugh. It’s less of a sexy and deep chuckle like you expected, and more pitched and giggly. It’s almost creepy to hear from a grown man. Like a child from a horror movie laughing. “Creep? Yeah? Guess I am, but you know what?” His head lifts, and since he’s more centered under the tall street lamp, when he looks straight at you, two red eyes flash. “I’m a lot fucking worse than your average dumbass creep,” you jolt when he lunges at you, hand outstretched to grab you. It’s instinctive how quickly you turn and run, adrenaline helping you shoot off into the park where no light but the moon shined down. This is what you wanted, you chant to yourself to stay level headed enough to not truly panic. This was staged and as safe as possible. He’s not actually going to hurt you. You’d be fine, albeit maybe a little sore tomorrow morning. You shut your mind off and focus on running, though your speed wasn’t great in such cheap and unstable boots, roots and random objects on the ground constantly tripping you up.

You looked like the dumb girl in the horror movies, tits practically out of your low cut revealing white dress, strapless white bra damn useless and more for show than any real support or push-up. You huffed, digging in your heels when you heard a few twigs snap behind you, feet carrying you faster as you realized he was gaining on you quickly. He didn’t shout and you didn’t scream. The chase was exhilarating, your mind becoming fuzzy as your lungs burned for more oxygen. You hadn’t planned a chase, really leaving it all up to fate and your new friend, but this was perfect.

Until fingers tangled tight in your hair and yanked you completely off your feet, your shoes and legs going out in front of you as you landed gracelessly on your ass. Then an intense burning in your scalp erupts, a hiss of pain and a whine escaping as you slide over cool damp foliage, senseless grumbling coming from the stranger as he drags you into a deeper more secluded section of the park, away from any and all prying eyes. Not like anyone gave a damn. “I-it hurts!” You feel childish for crying, tears pricking your eyes but the burn was worse than you imagined truly, soft hands coming up to try and pry his fingers off.

He has a grip of iron apparently, not the least bit phased as he sighs, hauling you up and tossing you in front of him. You land weirdly on your left shoulder, a shock of pain numbing your mind as you heave for air and roll over. When you open your eyes, you’re face to face with him. His hood pulled off, shoulder length blue hair now tied back and up into a little bun while some stray pieces frame his face and forehead. Your eyes adjust to the darkness as they take him in.

He’s young, maybe early twenties, with pale skin and dark bags hugging beneath his scarlet eyes. He’s got a beauty mark just below his lip on the right side, the scar you saw earlier on the other. He’s not hard on the eyes, cute even, but the strange air around him makes the close proximity fill you with anxiety. His eyebrows are thin and sparse, but he cocks one with a smirk. “Not gonna scream for help, crybaby?” The nickname makes you realize tears are streaming down your cheeks, you blink them away quickly, shaking your head and trying to find your words again. “I—uh, do you want me to?” Wouldn't screaming just make it more likely for someone to call the police? You figured a little noise was fine, but screaming seemed counter productive.

His eyes widened a bit, confusion painting his features as he crouched down more comfortably on his haunches to get a better look at you.

He’d been watching you since you got to the park. A single party in this sort of place always sticks out like a sore thumb. You looked more ready for a porno than a costume party, from behind the view of your ass indescribably arousing in your short little dress. It was both a slutty and innocent look you pulled off well, at least enough to make him riled up, cock twitching in agreement within his pants. He shamelessly rubbed it through his jeans, caressing the hardening length and letting you watch with glee. Your face made him snort, amusement evident as he chuckles and squints. “You like this, little freak?” You looked like you did, he notes. Your wide pretty eyes, still a little teary and red at the ends, showed your blown out pupils. You looked to be more star struck, not terrified like any normal girl chased through a park and dragged into a little corner between some trees to be out of sight. He watches you swallow hard, lips parting before closing as if you aren’t sure what to say to that question. “Fuck, you’re cute,” he grins, “a cute little slut who stood out at night all alone as if begging for someone to come along and do something nasty.” You release a tiny yelp as he meanly shoves you back, straddling your upper chest with his thighs as he hunches over you, looming ominously above with wild eyes screaming for chaos. “Good thing that I came along, huh? Make all your nasty little fantasies come true.” He watches you gasp as he presses his fingers against your lips, confusion evident on your face but you aren’t really putting up much of a fight as you open and let him slide two in. “Nasty fucking girl, look at you, when you don’t even fucking know me.” He chuckles, and while he’s teasing you mostly, he is amazed. You looked erotic as hell right now, little angel costume all wrinkled and a bit dirty from the earth below, pretty face a bit stained with mascara that had run a little from your earlier tears. You weren’t wearing the waterproof kind it seemed. Lips bitten and chewed on, plump and glossy from whatever glittery shit you swiped on them earlier now wrapped around his digits as he dug around in your warm wet mouth. “Suck on them, slut,” he orders, his smile dropping and face becoming more serious as you hurry to obey, a strange trepidation building in your gut. He groans as he feels your tongue wiggle and swirl, pumping his fingers a bit now and enjoying the little bleats you release when he chokes you a bit with them. “Wonder if you’re soaked down here~” he hums, leaning back a bit and yanking his fingers from your lips, wiping the excess saliva across your cheek and huffing a laugh as your features wrinkle in distaste. His hand moves behind him, easy access to your cunt due to the frilly dress hiked up almost around your waist, revealing cute soaked white cotton panties he growls at the sight of. “You really suck at putting up a fight, crybaby, but I think I heard somewhere that girls get wet when scared too…” those red eyes flick back to your own, "You scared?” He asks, almost softly. He watches you breathe, chest struggling a bit under his weight but your hands curled into the fabric of his hoodie, not pushing him away. “A little…?” Is your shaky response, and he wonders silently if you’re an idiot or just a pervert. You might be both, because when he lets his thumb dig into where your pussy lay poorly hidden, you moan for him and spread your legs wider. You make it even easier to search for his desired location, your swollen bundle of nerves. “O-oh—!” Your head falls back, little halo becoming a bit misshapen as it gets flattened to the ground, he tsks, fixing it with his free hand as he thumbs your little clit and watches you mewl and writhe beneath him, pleasure clearly visible on your face. Your hips buck and wiggle, body pinned beneath his and unable to get away or closer like you desperately want for more friction than he’s providing. “P-please,” you can’t help but beg, hoping your new friend is merciful enough to make you cum and not simply edge you all night.

It’s the pouty expression which makes him nearly feral, his grin spreading wide again as he keeps working his finger on your clit but his face closes the distance between your own. His lips just barely graze yours, and you are all too happy to part your lips and give him a sloppy kiss back, his own tongue finally slipping into your mouth where you suck. The smooth muscle in your mouth and the saliva dripping from it drive you wild, hands now dragging him closer and trying to make him do more for you. The heat spreads slowly however, his pace not changing, and despite his slim build he’s much stronger than you. You aren’t able to take any more than what is given, huffing in exasperation and groaning when he places more force before easing off. “S-stop teasing…” you whine against his lips, which were much softer than they look. He smirks, airy chuckle felt more than heard as he shakes with a silent laugh, “how can I not, you’re such a rare find, I plan to take my time with you.” He kisses you hard to silence whatever whines you planned to release to make him give you more. Instead he forces you into a slow building orgasm that leaves him having to pin your wrists above your head lest your clawing rip his skin open. He works you gently and cruelly into it, loving how you gasp and choke for him, eyes rolling back while you shake almost like you’re possessed and soak through your panties. “There you go, heh, normally I wouldn’t bother to take my time with whiny bitches, but you’re more obedient and sweet than I first assumed.” He whispers into your ear as you come down from the mind blowing high, body limp and pliant like dough now. The insult from him brings out a little whine of protest, teary eyes looking at him with almost something akin to betrayal.

“I-I don’t like being called mean names…I said so online too,” he pulls up finally, the chill of the night attacking full force on your now exposed cunt as he brings your panties up to his nose to inhale. His eyes narrow, almost into slits as he pulls them back and shoves them into his hoodie pocket. “Oh yeah? You post that shit on your social media or something? Sorry, I don’t really use those trash platforms. I have a Twitch stream though,” he acts like this is the time for a regular conversation, even as he unbuttons and unzips his jeans, yanking them down his hips to pull his cock free. Your eyes go wide, mind a bit blank and missing something, in favor of looking at him pump his length lazily. A trail of blue curls like on his head travel from his navel to his groin where it spreads out a little, the color a bit darker as it goes lower. He’s not one to shave it seems, but your eyes focus on his cock, average in length but girthy with a tip that curves up almost perfectly. It looks like a cock someone would sell as a dildo at a sex store. It was pretty, admittedly, as a few pearls of pre-cum dotted the tip and spilled over as he slowly worked it above you. “Hungry?” He jokes, but when you nod he grits his teeth and bites back a moan, the night truly more unexpected than he thought. “Open up then, crybaby.” He thankfully didn’t call you a bitch again, crybaby the less of the evils and more acceptable of a petname for your preference as you open your lips and awkwardly lean your head forward. “No need to lean up,” he mumbles, shifting until his knees now rested by your shoulders, tip just in your mouth and his forearms on the earth above your head. He’s looking down at you, and you lay back down as he works his cock in your mouth. He’s going to fuck your mouth, you realize a bit late, the position so easy for him to hit balls deep in your throat and prevent you from running just from his weight alone. You’re pinned to earth, the scent of crisp autumn becoming mingled with the musky masculine odor the stranger had clinging to him. Something smelled of iron too, but it was fainter and didn’t bother you too much, not when he seemed determined to suffocate you with his cock. You jerk a little, teeth accidentally grazing his cock and his hiss of pain alerts you that you’ve hurt him. He pulls up and out of your mouth, glaring ferociously as he looks down at you with contemplation. “Sorry—! I’m not used—,” the words leaving you mouth go unfinished as you’re suddenly looking away and down, confusion wracking your mind before white hot pain erupts across your face and you cry out in agony.

He watches with a cool nonchalance as you whimper and cry, holding your inflamed cheek and looking at him with teary eyes filled with questions. The sight doesn’t help his hardness, your face swelling a bit from the force of the blow already, but it was still arousing how you cried for him so easily. “Don’t bite my fucking dick and I won’t hit you, clear?” He’s grabbing you roughly by the hair again, yanking you up and no longer in the mood for that awkward position as he stands and pulls you to your knees. This position at least gives him a good eye full of your tits, shaking from your little trembling as you’re made to look up at him. His angry reddened cock next to your injured cheek is a sight for him, his hand gripping his shaft and slapping you lightly on the cheek with it, his hand in your hair preventing you from turning away even as you whimper in pain. “Okay, we’ll try this again, crybaby. Open.” You do, even as tears run like waterfalls down your face, mascara smeared and making a pathetic sight for sore eyes of you, you let his cock enter your mouth once more.

Because you’ve never been more aroused.

Your stranger isn’t nice, pushing hard and deep into your throat immediately and gagging you. You’re careful with your teeth, jaw already burning and aching as he locks his arm and hand, strands of hair tearing out as he works his hips into your face at an uneven pace. “Stop fucking moving,” he growls, stepping even closer, blocking any and all exits and forcing you to take it. His cock didn’t seem so scary when he’d pulled it out, but in your throat it was a plug to your oxygen and felt too big for your poor mouth. It hurt, feeling him go too deep and leaving you coughing and sputtering and even still he wouldn’t pull out, groaning and pressing impossibly deep like he truly means to suffocate you. “You got a good little mouth pussy, crybaby. Fuck—take my cock, just like that.” He moans, watching as you struggle on his dick to breathe or swallow, slobber and tears coating his cock as he makes a mess of your pretty face. He doesn’t care that your eyes are starting to roll back, hands which had previously been clawing at his legs going limp at your sides. You acted more like a hole for him to fuck when you were limp like this, and it drove him wild as he grunted like an animal and rutted into your mouth like he held a grudge against you. Both hands dug into your hair, hands pulling you back onto his cock when his hips bucked you away. “Never fucked a—holy shit—ah, mouth so damn good before—, ah fuck, fuck,” he’s getting breathier as time ticks by, his own eyes rolling back as his balls draw up tight. “I’m going to cum, ready for me crybaby? Want it in your tummy or on your face?” He’s being condescending on purpose, but it’s a bit useless considering he’s rendered you nearly unconscious on his dick. He shrugs your lack of response off, pumping his cock down your throat until he sees stars and yanks himself free just before the first spurt misses and hits the grass below, he grips the base, pumping and shooting his next shot right onto your face. He yanks your head against his thigh, delirious face dazed and coughing softly as he finishes on your glitter and mascara run cheeks, using the tip to smear it well into your ruined makeup as he sneers at you from above.

“Hah…” he catches his breath, sucking in oxygen along with you as his gaze turns calculated.

“Wake up, I’m not done with you yet.” He’s more gentle now that he's cum at least once, tapping your uninjured cheek with two fingers as your eyes roll around before opening and looking at him.

He swears, your face making him hard again instantly, blood pooling to his groin at the messy sight of you in your white ruined angel costume. “You really are unlucky I was out tonight, I don’t think I’m gonna let you go.” His dead serious comment caused something cold to hit your veins, chills running through you as you gape in shock.

“W-what…?” He reaches into his hoodie pocket, pulling out what looked like a foot long serrated hunting blade. He snickers at the blank look of shock on your features.

“What’s wrong, crybaby? No tears for me right now?” You’re shaking, getting paler by the second as you realize no, it’s not a costume, and yes, there is still dried blood on the blade. There’s dried blood all over him, his spree tonight ridiculously fruitful and his body still high on the thrill. Imagine his luck finding you. “T-this wasn’t in my profile, wh-what are you doing?” Now you look alert, now you act like a regular civilian, he notes cooly. “I only con-consented to the sex and stuff, I said I didn’t like—like blades or blood play.” Your eyes are wide as saucers and you have a cold sweat now forming and dotting your skin, shaky like on too much caffeine as your body dumped chemicals to help you run.

His head tilts, a few more strands of hair coming loose from his tie as those red eyes watch you without any emotion in their depths.

“Ah~ I get it now. Are you some kind of freak who links up with people online for this kind of shit?” He laughs, eyes not matching the manic toothy grin. “Sorry to disappoint slut, I ain’t your tinder or whatever match. Did you do it anonymously?” He’s beyond amused, thrilled by the horror dawning on your face as reality sets in. “You’re a fucking idiot.” He sneers, but he’s joyful when you book it, heeled boots caked in mud as they dig into the ground and you take off for real. True intent to get away now because he’s not your new friend, he’s a real stranger and his energy is nothing but malevolent.

You’re going to die.

It’s a sick thought that twists inside you as you push the hardest you’ve ever, scream bubbling up and out as you cry for help now. “HELP! Please! Someone! Anyone!” It’s more broken and hoarse than you want, his earlier abuse to your throat having taken a number on your ability to vocalize.

It’s empty. This damn park is empty.

Not a soul around and you can’t hear him coming for you anymore, and it only makes the tears fall harder as you drive your body to a breaking point. If no one is around you can at least aim for your car, your phone will take too much time to look at and dial the police, you’d be too open and that would mean—

Something—someone—smashes into you, your body thrown sideways by the brute force and flung roughly to the ground where you roll several feet.

It hurts—!

Your body and mind scream as pain lights up your shoulder, a previously dull ache now hounding for your attention so much it left you lightheaded. You twisted your ankle too or maybe broke it, already so regretful for the evening and your life choices that your shoes hardly broke the bank. It all hurt, and yet you still tried to crawl to get away, still eager for another deep breath of air in your lungs even if it hurt to do that too.

“Hck, please, please—help—!,” you’re a sobbing pathetic mess, and he couldn’t be more turned on by the sight. He dusts himself off like he hadn’t tackled you like a linebacker for a major league football team, his lanky form sinewy with muscle and his agility nothing to scoff at. He swirls the enormous daunting blade with a whistle, smiling more genuinely as he strolls towards your shaking form crawling away.

“Where do you think you’re going, crybaby? I said I wasn’t done with you,” he lands a solid hit to your middle, dirty sneaker smearing mud on your cute little dress, looking less and less white as the night wears on. The blow is not hard enough to damage anything, he’s sure, but you act as if you’ve been disemboweled by how you howl and heave. He rolls his eyes at the dramatics, settling one foot between your shoulder blades and pressing down until you’re left immobilized.

Your vision is blurry, going in and out of focus as you try, and try, and try to get away, cute nail polish chipped and ruined as you claw at the dirt floor for leverage.

He admires your tenacity. “You think you can get away? That anyone is coming to save you?” He brushes a few stray hairs out of his face as he laughs, the urge to gut you strong as he savors your useless little struggle. “Crybaby, look around! No one is coming! I said look,” he grinds out, dropping to one knee while his other leg remains planted on your back, his hand gripping your hair and yanking your head up to see what he meant.

There’s a fence. A metal chain link fence, and it had a sign your vision was too blurry to read through your tears.

“You ran yourself straight into the worst possible area, this is sort of your game over,” He leans down to look at you, yanking your head back and forcing you into an uncomfortable arch. He raises up the blade, fully intending to slit your pretty throat and watch your eyes as the light fades, but you blubber out a sentence which halts him.

“Y-you didn’t finish! E-earlier, hck, earlier you didn’t finish—!” Your eyes squeeze closed in pain as he yanks your head to the side. Confusion burned in him, and curiosity kept you breathing for now.

“Didn’t finish what, crybaby? Fairly certain I finished all over your face, if I remember correctly.” He has a sharp edge in his tone, something metallic fills your mouth and you realize you’ve bitten through your tongue in your panic. A few drops spill past your lips, catching his attention.

“S-shouldn’t you also f-fuck me too? I-it’s why I came out tonight, wh-why I, ah, d-did this,” it’s a long shot by any means, and he’s no fool, but you did make a good point.

He was still hard.

“Smart little crybaby, aren’t you?” He mutters darkly, setting aside his blade in favor of smashing your face into the dirt, keeping your head down as he presses against your back and yanks your hips up. Your knees are skinned from the rough handling, socks torn open and stained with blood and dirt while his calloused hands slip beneath your dress. Your breath hitches. You needed to think of some way out of this, some kind of plan to escape or incapacitate him.

He’s busied himself with your still dripping cunt. Two fingers roughly filling your hole and uncaringly stretching your tight entrance. “You really are a freak, wet even though you’re going to die, crybaby.” He felt a bit strange as you whimper and mewl below, hand slowing as he tried to place the feeling.

He shrugs it off, instead easily yanking down his jeans which were still unbuttoned and pulling out his cock once more, stroking his shaft a few times before he lined himself up with your puffy lips. “Fuck—,” he swears, eyes seeing stars as he pushes just his tip past the tight ring of muscle at your entrance, mouth opening as licks his lips and stares down at you. “Never had pussy so good…” he giggles darkly, cracking his neck as he pushes each inch inside of you, stretching you out deliciously until you’re speared on his cock with his hips flush with your ass. “Who knew you’d be the best, crybaby.” He muses, fingers digging into the fat of your hips, your little dress flipped up and over your ass so he can watch it bounce as he leans back on his knees to fuck you deeper. You need to think straight but it’s difficult with how good your body feels, the pain from earlier seeming to go away with a numb buzz as he fills your pussy, hitting perfectly against a spot that has you arching harder for more.

You really are a freak like he says.

You can’t help relaxing further, eyes dumbly looking to the side where your head rests as he pounds into you from behind, the coil in your gut growing tighter by the minute.

The clouds blocking the moon seem to part just for you, the full moon’s light no longer blocked and illuminating the little patch of grass he’d tackled you into. Something gleams, in perfect reach too as your eyes widen.

His knife.

He’d already proven you can’t outrun him, but what if he was injured? There’s a major artery in the thigh, if you hit that, wouldn’t you be able to get away?

He yanks back roughly, moaning as he feels you squeeze even tighter around him, velvet walls massaging his dick while he tries to fuck himself as deep as possible inside of you.

It hit you despite all your intentions not to, because this wasn’t safe and he wants to end your life and everything is wrong, but your body doesn’t listen. You cum with a shaky cry, and with an awkward turn of your head you watch as his head goes back and he moans, eyes closed in bliss as you coat his cock in even more slick.

You’re louder than you intended to be, but your fingers close around the hilt nonetheless, trembling with the heavy weight in your grasp, you use every ounce of energy inside you to swing it back into his thigh.

“Cute,” you scream as he catches your wrist, hand clenching so tight you feel your bones grind together as the knife falls from your grip. He twists your arm around and pins your wrist behind your back, holding it in place while his other hand remains at your hip.

“So fucking cute, crybaby. Did you cum just to distract me or was that because you couldn’t help yourself?” He’s getting a high from this, from fucking you and turning you into nothing but a toy as he bounces you on his cock, hips still but arms pulling you back and forth with ease. Scarlet eyes drink you in with undisguised sick glee, and he’s finally able to place the feeling from earlier.

“A pretty little slut trying to get her rocks off and getting shown why she should’ve been a good girl and stayed home,” he grunts, releasing you and leaning over, pinning you with his weight and nearly knocking the air from your lungs how deeply he hits you inside from this angle. Dirt fills the underbelly of your nails, your fingers digging into the earth just for some semblance of stability.

You had none. It was a sick and horrifying realization. You have no control. You can do nothing to stop this. As deeply as it made your gut sink, another odd emotion rose to the surface.

A bubbly sensation that tore through you as your tears became less from fear and more from overstimulation.

His hips piston in and out of you, bullying your cervix in this position as he ruts into you like a hound, tongue hanging out of his mouth as he moans and grunts.

You break again, spasm and cinch down on his cock like a vice while you wail as if in mourning. Maybe you are, for yourself at least. “Oh fuck—! s’too much—, please, I can’t—, f-feels good, hah,” your nearly incoherent babbling sends him over the edge along with you, his own dull nails finally drawing blood as he holds you for dear life as he releases deep inside you, tip kissing right up against you womb as he cums. You can feel it too, his cock twitching inside as the night seems to still for a moment.

He holds you for a while. Breathing you in, nuzzling his face into your neck and licking you. He holds you until his cock fully softens and it hurt to be gripped so tightly inside your wet heat, regrettably pulling away.

He stands, putting his sticky limp cock away inside his underwear and pulling up his pants, looking down at your ruined figure that had slumped over to the side.

“Y’know, crybaby… you really resemble an angel now,” he smiles, red eyes almost glowing as the moon blankets his back and shadows his face. His hair seems almost white like this, your tired eyes note. You don’t move or even flinch as he grabs his knife and yanks your limp figure up by your hair. Even now you’re still crying, face lax despite the rivers flowing down your dirty swollen cheeks. You make no effort to stop him, having given up completely.

He crouches down again, mostly eye level now as he makes you look at him.

“You got any last words?” He’s being dead serious. He feels strange looking at the almost glazed over look in your eyes.

“W-what…” your voice is barely a whisper, but the night is so quiet he catches it, “what’s your…name?”

An unexpected question.

His eyes gleam, smile ravenous as he puts his lips against your ear and whispers it.

“Tomura, what’s your name, crybaby?” He asks, gently, almost like he’s actually interested.

You hoarsely whisper it, your last time ever saying it after tonight. He hums, like it pleases him, before he brings down the knife swiftly.

Your vision goes dark, the strike mercifully painless. Your last thoughts blur as you drift into soft nothingness.

He releases your hair, grabbing your limp figure up in his arms as he chuckles and sheaths his knife properly on his hip. “Dumb crybaby” his voice almost singing the words as he whistles and walks away, the park dead silent but even if someone had seen you in his arms, he could just play the good boyfriend taking his sweetheart home safely. It’s not entirely a lie either, his eyes glancing down at your unconscious form, pretty neck unmarred but a bruise would likely form on the back where he struck you tomorrow. Tomura had never felt compelled to allow a victim to live, but then again he’s never fucked a victim either, so you’re the first for a lot. He supposed it made you quite special, his legs carrying him in the direction of his car in the parking lot about a mile south. Obsession and possessiveness swirled in those red depths as they looked at your figure.

“Good girls should just stay home…” he continues his sardonic little tune, his smile gruesome and foreboding.

Vibrant blue orbs check his surroundings again, noting once again his friend was a no show. Rolling his eyes, he knew it was too good to be true. Your profile screamed inexperienced and cautious, despite you clicking that you’d like him to remain anonymous beforehand. It didn’t matter, he’d just go enjoy some sorority girl pussy instead, figuring at 0330 that most parties would be winding down. Drunk girls dressed like sluts were his second favorite.

Dabi clicks the notify option on his app, letting the website staff know you never showed up.

Though, he muses if something did happen, the police wouldn’t be notified until it was too late. Halloween weekend after all meant you could be missing for quite a while before anyone noticed.

Not his problem though.

Post dividers/@cafekitsune

[urfavrib]

IM GIVING YOU WILD WEST KREW AND YOU CANT STOP ME

I’m currently obsessed with @ledetlore ‘s HBHB and so now you all have to enjoy this

Gideon

Livestock farmer, growing up in Yona he watched his pa do it so he absolutely could to

Definitely well respected in the community cause he’ll just jump in with the bulls and wrangle em

He holds parties in his spare barn

These parties are usually a cesspool for debauchery and sin

Him and Kremy definitely do highway robbery and bank heists on the side

Known to be a flirt but never has taken a life partner other than Kremy

Hat style: Brick Cattleman

Kremy

Gideon’s bookkeeper and chef

Less well liked but everyone desperately needs to stay in Gideon’s good graces

Runs an underground gambling ring

Highway Robbery and Heists are his main source of income that he launders through Gid’s farm and Gricko’s Saloon

A quick shot and one of the best duelers in 50 miles easy

Definitely does drag and is an untouchable at the local brothel

Hat style: deadman’s gambler

Gricko

Tavern/Brothel owner

He’s very protective of his staff

Definitely just pretty normal guy with a little mischief laced in

Definitely launders money for Kremy and Gideon

Lives pretty nicely and takes care of his community

Been seen taking care of all matter of folks healing and handling debts

Hat Style: Pinched Front Cattleman

Frost

Bar keep and mayor

handles disputes

uses his bar keep job to keep an ear open to possible harm

very aware of the cons and issues that kremy and co bring but they keep the town mostly peaceful

Frost is so good at pretending he has no clue

He does a good job for a corrupt government official

His Sheriff and Deputy are decent and listen to orders (as much as twig and torbek can)

Hat style: Gus Top Cool Hand Luke

Twig

Town Sheriff

She’s a little crazy but does her job well

has an open door policy - walk in anytime for gossip and a snack

She’s almost as good of a shot as Kremy but a little slow on the draw

Is very aware of all the Shenanigans and gets a cut to say nothing

Very good at commanding respect

absolutely no nonsense type of sheriff

Hat style: Fedora

Torbek

Deputy Sheriff

Definitely more anxious than Twig but very good under pressure

quick reflexes

good with horses (he can ride bareback)

Kind

town mediator

Knows how to get information from people

Good with kids

Hat style: Stetson

Bonus Hootsie

Southern Belle

She’s very good at protecting herself from unwanted attention

If you’ve never seen a Owlbear hold a pistol keep it that way

Hat style: Outback Diamond

[sleepwithgiggli]

An Important message from Reddit

Hey loves,

I just wanna drop something real here, because I know a lot of us are out here surviving conversations with people who say they support us, but then hit us with the emotional equivalent of a wet sock to the face. You know the type:

“I support you… but you’ll always be my [deadname/brother/sister/whatever].”

“I’m here if you want to talk… but I just can’t call you that name.”

“It’s just hard for me to see you like this.”

Babes, let me be real: support without respect is just noise. And we’re not here for noise; we’re here for truth, joy, power, healing, and absolutely zero tolerance for soft bigotry wrapped in family dinner smiles.

Let me be even more real: You are valid. You are real. You are becoming. And it is fking beautiful.

So, how do we deal with this mess?

Let’s talk boundaries. That sexy, magical spell that protects your peace without you having to explain your existence for the 900th time.

Setting boundaries doesn’t mean you’re mean. It means you’re a damn adult who values your mental health.

Here are some easy lines that say “I love myself” without starting a war:

“I’m not having this conversation again. Either you respect me or we don’t talk about it.”

“You don’t have to understand me to treat me with basic decency.”

“If you keep misgendering me, I’m leaving this conversation. Every time.”

“You don’t get to ‘support’ me halfway. This isn’t a build-your-own sandwich.”

Boundaries are hot. Boundaries are queer. Boundaries are survival.

But what if they’re “family”?

Cool. And? Blood doesn’t mean unlimited access to your life. You’re allowed to choose distance over disrespect. You’re allowed to say, “I love you, but I won’t tolerate this.” You’re allowed to walk away. And if that feels heavy? Baby, community will catch you.

Okay, now give me the goods. Where can I go for help, freebies, or just a damn break?

Here’s a mini treasure chest of resources (US-focused with some global):

Therapy & Mental Health • Open Path Collective – low-cost therapy: https://openpathcollective.org/ • Inclusive Therapists – find therapists who get it: https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/ • Trans Lifeline – call or text for peer support: https://translifeline.org/ • 7 Cups – free support chats when you need to talk: https://www.7cups.com/

Freebies & Essentials • Point of Pride – free binders, gaffs, electrolysis, HRT support, and surgery grants: https://www.pointofpride.org/ • Transgender Map – literally a guide for everything from ID changes to coming out: https://www.transgendermap.com/ • FLAVNT Streetwear Binder Program – get help paying for your binder: https://flavnt.com/ • Local LGBTQ+ centers often have clothing swaps, hygiene kits, and community support. Check CenterLink to find one near you. https://www.lgbtqcenters.org/LGBTCenters

Legal Help • TLDEF Name Change Project – legal name change help in several states: https://transequality.org/name-change-project • GLAD – for legal rights info and help across New England and beyond: https://www.gladlaw.org/ • Lambda Legal – national legal organization for LGBTQIA+ rights: https://lambdalegal.org/

Finally, to anyone struggling:

You are not “too much.” You’re not a burden. You’re not asking for too much by wanting to be respected as who you are. You’re asking for bare minimum humanity—and you deserve so much more than the bare minimum.

If the people around you can’t rise to meet you? Baby, step over them in your cutest boots and keep walking. Chosen family is real. We are out here. And we see you.

You are a masterpiece in motion. You are the main character. And anyone who refuses to get with the program can choke on their pronouns.

Stay soft. Stay fierce. Drink water. Block transphobes.

Love, Alessia

A loud trans babe who’s done shrinking

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

Since there's been some confusion, I didn't write this - it just spoke to me and I wanted to share it. The writer was Alessia on reddit, there should be a link to the source below.

[queenquinzel715]

3.1 Halforc Rothwell

Wrd count 2,469

Princess (Y/n) P.O.V.

When I turned fourteen I knew things were going to change in the worst possible way. I saw the royal doctors leaving my mother's chambers, and her ladies in waiting looking down so upset. I had just turned sixteen when I got woken by my mother's closest lady in waiting telling me to come quickly. I sat with my mother for an hour when she finally let go. My father stood by the door silently crying to himself. They did actually love each other.

That night my life became hectic. I took over Queen duties for the kingdom. Which is no problem, however my father's advisors are like the devil in his ear. My father is so poor minded that the lies they tell him he believes them. I do feel bad for my father. He was just a guard when he and my mother, the princess, fell for each other. He does care for our people, he just doesn't understand how to communicate with them, so he leaves it to William. William is the head guard that is supposed to help my people when they need it, but he's just a tyrant.

Like today, William and Henry, the main advisor, are telling my father that the creatures that are coming to do trade are tricking my father. They are telling him that these creatures are raiding savages. I've heard enough from these two.

"Alright that's enough. What are your sources for all this?" I stop them just as they walk to the maps to map out an attack on the incoming ships. "My sources tell me the reason for any attacks was that the Tearings Kingdom enslaved them." I look at my father's indecisive face.

"I have insiders in the Silentdew Kingdom, Sire." Henry boosts with a mocking smile.

"I don't remember a ship leaving for that long of a voyage, so when was this?"

I'm completely ignored.

"These creatures are here simply for land. I myself have sent letters with their King, so I will not have these stories to be spread. If no problems are caused then no problems will occur. They should be docking in just three days, and we must greet them accordingly." My father takes over. He turns to me. "(Y/n) I need you to be there for their reassurance that we give faith into our new arrangements." I give my father a reassuring smile.

"I was hoping to meet them at dinner." I try to sound proper, not too obvious.

"I know, I know. I just need them to know even with your own… legacy, we are here united for good reasons." I laugh at his pausing for the right words.

What he had difficulty with is my true title. Queen General (full name). At fourteen my mother insisted my father train me in some sort of defense. What she didn't expect was for me to get completely infatuated with fighting, and well I became General after my eighteenth birthday. No one argued the title placement, because they knew I actually worked for it. Sadly I had to give that title to William last year when I turned twenty. My father told me it was time for me to settle down, so he's been finding suitors for me. Most of them did seem good on paper, so I don't fault my father on that point. It's just when they open their mouths nothing intelligent comes out just pompous showboating, or their egos get destroyed from my legacy. At least my father doesn't fight me when I tell him I won't marry them.

Besides, my biggest problem is dealing with an overly cocky William. He's been following me around assuming I'm turning the suitors away for him, because we've known each other since childhood. Granted as a child he was better to tolerate. Over the years I've learned just the type of man he's become, and the amount of female servants I've helped from his whole group. My mother taught me very early that I can't stop men like that, so that's why the only females that work in my castle are my own close ladies. I have made an example of what happens when I catch you in certain acts which helped the women in the town as well. Sadly mother was right. That's why I pray to her that I'm right with these creatures that come here, they docked yesterday. Tomorrow I will actually meet their leader, and have dinner.

This morning I'm woken up by my ladies to get ready for the creature's arrival. They should be here by midday, and by then I should have my nerves somewhat controlled. Which doesn't seem fruitful when the laces of my dress are being pulled back to cut my breathing off. I wasn't used to these formal dresses, and hair styling anymore. I mostly stayed in work dresses, and kept my hair braided to the side. I look like my mother with my hair like this, and she'd love this.

I walked down the main steps as the gates opened for three mountainous horses carrying orcs. I come to a stop in the only open place next to my father. Of course it's next to William. I keep myself looking at the gorgeous horses, but I'm stuck on the short haired one with a scruff-like beard. His yellow eyes scan the crowd, they seem to shine with curiosity as he sees something new.

"I like your hair this way, Princess." William takes me away from the orc. "I wanted to surprise you, but Friday I'm telling your father about us." I feel his hand move along my arm. "I can't let you keep this charade of the suitors." The entire feeling from him makes me nervous, causing me to move away immediately.

I hear him chuckling as I step to my father as he steps closer with the orcs following. Once I take a deep breath I realize I didn't hold my composure when my face relaxes. My father introduces me to Lord Rothwell and his guards. I look up at him in amazement as I outstretch my hand.

"Welcome Sir Rothwell." I offer him my hand.

"I'm very happy to be here, My Lady." His smile brings his tusk to a better view as he brings my hand to meet his lips, letting me feel just how smooth his tusks are.

Throughout the day, we are in the meeting hall going over the maps showing them their lands, and discussing laws. I was surprised when we have similar laws, granted they had more for the different creatures, which they gave us their law books.

Once dinner is served, it's like we have all known each other for years with the laughter coming from the dining hall. I sit left of my father as Rothwell sits across from me. I could listen to him talk about his people all night. He talks with such passion, the way his eyes light up when he speaks of certain people, well creatures.

"I'm glad we are on the same page about this settlement." I'm father raises his cup to cheer.

"Yes, I like how we are using the river as a boundary. It is very clever. That way no one can say they don't know where they are going." He cheers with my father.

"That was (y/n)'s idea. I swear if you spend a day with her you'd be amazed with what she comes up with." Father laughs as he shakes my shoulder making my food fall off my spoon.

"I'd love to spend a day with you." Rothwell looks me in the eyes as he says this, his voice makes my ankles lock together on their own.

"Sir Rothwell, do you hope this is a permanent settlement or just for the resources?" I generally want to know for my own knowledge and my kingdom's.

"Completely permanent, Princess." He smirks once responded.

My father grabs Rothwell's attention for some battle stories, but William decides now will be best to slide into the seat next to mine. I roll my eyes at his drunken smile.

"Father?" I try to properly get his attention.

"I was thinking about sunset for our ceremony." William begins. "The windows in the church shine perfectly at that time." He reaches for my piece of hair, but I move back.

I look back to my father to see him still talking, but Rothwell is eyeing William with hard eyes. William leans closer to continue his wedding talk, trying to touch me, making me grip my eating knife. He goes to reach for me again, and I snap. I push him back with my knife pointed at his lower rib. He drops his cup, leaving the wine to puddle the floor, and raises his hands. I slightly lean forward with my eyes locked on his terror filled ones.

"I've tolerated you all day, with your wedding bullshit talk, and you trying to touch me." He goes to speak, but me pushing the knife slightly further makes him stop. "If you so much as think of coming near me in the next couple of days. I swear the moment my eyes land on you I will cut your ribs out right there. Am I understood?" I sternly finish with a last push of the knife.

"Yes, Princess. I'm terribly sorry I won't bother you again." He rushes out his apologies as he nods quickly.

I raise my knife to the side for him to shakily run to the doors of the dining hall. Everyone is still silent as I turn back to my food. As I bite into my food I look up to Rothwell slightly biting his lower lip. I can feel my neck up to my face get hot as I look back down to my plate. Everyone starts to mumble about me as they get back to dinner.

"Daughter, must you embarrass the poor boy." Father laughs as he fills my cup with wine.

"Yes I must. Animals like him don't listen to normal talk, so I must get straight to the point." I take a big gulp of my wine as I stand. "Well goodnight father, enjoy your night." I kiss my father on the forehead. "Please don't get him completely gone. I'd like him to be somewhat functional." I laugh with Rothwell as the others raise their cups to me.

I walk to my chambers with an orc on my mind, and how my mother would be shocked that this is who I'm thinking about. Once in my chambers I change into my night dress getting comfortable as the night bonfire is lit in town Square. I lean against the balcony door crossing my arms at William's nonsense. I'm brought out of my thoughts as a crowd forms, and William steps through along with Rothwell. I could finally see that Rothwell is three feet taller than William, and is much bigger as well. The small group that came with Rothwell cheers for Rothwell as the fight starts. I watch as Rothwell practically throws William like a child around the circle. William slides along the ground making me laugh, and Rothwell raises his arms as he roars in celebration with his men. One of the creature men point up toward me, making him look up at me. I give him a sarcastic clap, but inside I want to scream for him. His roar was much louder as his men crowd him like he won something. William steps back to him in a drunken like sway, maybe it's a painful sway. Rothwell swats the air telling him he's done, but William says something that's obviously antagonizing. Rothwell actually throws him this time, but I feel that still wasn't his full strength. I watch William use his horse to stand. Rothwell walks away with his group of men as my men get back to work on the weapons. William however takes his sword from the sheath he keeps on his horse, and runs toward Rothwell with the sword high in the air. I grab a book that I left on the balcony, and throw it at Rothwell. It hits one of his men, making him turn to me. I just point at William. I quickly run down the stairs as the yelling echoes off the walls. They grow louder as I get to the Town Square. I signal to the cannon gunners to shoot a cannon. My men stop, and stand to attention. The creatures slowly stand to their feet. I step calmly through the sea of men to the ones that are still gripping onto each other. I take the sword of one of the closest men.

"Enough!" I use the sword to push William back.

Once he sees it's me he falls to his knees.

"Meeting hall, NOW!" My voice booms off the walls.

As I follow the two men into the hall my father is standing there with an angry expression. As I walk around them I throw the sword into a table. I look at the marks William somehow got on Rothwell with worry, but when I look at how William looks I couldn't hold my smirk.

"I don't mind when you men fight for show or for your own amusement. However I will not tolerate you having war IN THE MIDDLE OF MY KINGDOM!" My father yells out like he never has before. "Not only did you want to spar with an orc, you tried to strike an unarmed man in the back." My father speaks in shame at William. "Lets not begin to discuss what happened at dinner with my daughter." He turns to me. "Why was he threatened anyway?"

"Well throughout the day he has tried grabbing me, telling me that I am to marry him, and how the suitors I've declined were for his benefit." I tell my father honestly.

While I explain to my father Rothwell snaps his head to William like he actually wants to kill him.

"Guards!" Father suddenly yells, making me jump in surprise. "Lock William in the tunnels until I can deal with him in the morning." William is pleading as he is being pulled out once he's gone father sits with a deep sigh. "I should've done that years ago." He looks up at me as he rests his head on his fingertips looking between me and Rothwell. "Hmm well. Should we start the courting process?" He asks Rothwell with a no tolerance voice.

"Yes." Is all Rothwell says with a last look at me before storming out.

"Courting process?" I question my father.

He just dismisses me to bed, and tells me to enjoy the gifts.

[snowwhite-andtheknight]

Announcing: Obiyuki Winter Challenge 2025!

For our second ever winter challenge, we hosted a visual challenge, wherein we had a long-time community member assemble some visual prompts instead of simply words. We've been meaning to come back to that concept for a while-- and when we polled the community to see what kind of winter challenge they would like to see, there was an overwhelming interest in trying it again.

However this year we decided to go with a theme we think all of the obiyuki fandom has been feeling after Chapter 136: How It Started vs. How It's Going. Our prompts this year are a mix of manga panels and aesthetics, any one of which creators are allowed to run with!

Day 1, December 31st: How It Started

Day 2, January 1st: How It's Going

Dates: December 31, 2024 & January 1, 2025 Tag: #obiyukiwinter25  Media: Open to all media types

[Guidelines beneath cut]

Guidelines:

All work must be your own (eg. no plagiarizing other sources, tracing, pose stealing, AI art/writing etc)

The main pairing is Obi x Shirayuki

Must follow the day’s prompt, however loosely

Must be tagged #obiyukiwinter25 within the first five tags

With Tumblr’s tagging system on the fritz, please also @ snowwhite-andtheknight in your entry

Please label with the day’s number!

All NSFWcontent must be tagged and under a Read More!

You may submit multiple entries for each day!

Be nice

Play hard

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Some Roman Art Vocabulary

for your next poem/story

Acanthus - a kind of Mediterranean plant with large spreading leaves. It was used as a decorative element on Corinthian capitals and also was a symbol of death.

Amphitheater - an elliptical structure with a central arena for the staging of gladiatorial contests and animal combats.

Apse - a semicircular space within a Roman building. Typically a basilica would have an apse at one end.

Arch - a curved architectural member that spans an opening.

Atrium - the central room of a Roman house. It had a hole in the ceiling and a pool in the center of the floor to catch rainwater.

Aureus - the most valuable Roman coin, made of gold.

Barrel vault - a semicircular ceiling over parallel walls.

Basilica - a building type used for law courts and conducting business, which usually stood in the town forum. It consisted of a long rectangular hall with an apse at one end and three aisles separated by columns. The central aisle had a raised ceiling and clerestory windows. Often the exterior of the building was colonnaded.

Cameo - a relief carved from a stone that has layers of different colors, such as sardonyx.

Capitolium - the main temple for civic worship in Rome and other cities. It was dedicated to the three chief gods, Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.

Cardo - the name of the north-south street in a Roman town laid out on the grid system.

Cavea - the rounded space of a theater containing seats for the spectators.

Colonnade - a row of columns.

Columbarium - a type of communal building to hold ash urns of the cremated. The name comes from the structure’s resemblance to a dovecote, since the urns, as well as portrait busts, were placed in niches in the walls similar to the nesting spaces in such a birdhouse.

Column - a weight-bearing architectural member that has a base, a cylindrical shaft, and a capital (ornamental top).

Concrete - a building material made of small stones or rubble (aggregate), lime mortar, water, and volcanic sand (pozzolana).

Consuls - the two chief magistrates of the Roman state, elected annually.

Cubiculum - the bedroom of a Roman house.

Damnatio memoriae - a decree by the senate that condemned an emperor and ordered that all images of him and references to him be obliterated.

Decumanus - the principal east-west street of a Roman town laid out on the grid system.

Source ⚜ More: Word Lists

[matty-bear]

Curing Dysphoria [N.S]

type: fic !

pairing: nick sturniolo x trans ftm!reader

warnings: SFW, fluff, angst (???), mentions and talk of dysphoria, going on testosterone

summary: you have always struggled heavily with dysphoria ever since you came out as trans. You tried your best to cure it but nothing seemed to work, despite all of your efforts. When you're having another spiral about your dysphoria, nick decides to call up a friend of his who ends up giving you advice that would eventually rid all of your dysphoria and help you pass. 

notes: decided we needed more nick x trans ftm fics in this community so i cooked smth up ;3 dont be shy to send in requests that include a trans reader for nick fics ! i am a trans guy myself so writing some will most likely help me feel better abt myself .  also its so over for you mfs when i go on t 

WC: 4151

previous events will be in italics !

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　 ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊ ＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　 ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊ ＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　 ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊ ＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　 ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊ ＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

Your journey with being a trans male was always difficult for you. It was never easy for anyone, so why would you expect it to be easy for you? You constantly struggled with gender expression and dysphoria ever since you came to terms with your gender in your early years of middle school. You often spent hours upon hours sobbing on the floor of your bathroom because you didn’t feel like you were passing enough or simply didn’t like how you looked in general. 

Ever since you started dating Nick, who knew of you being trans way before you guys started dating due to you coming out to him when you two became very close friends, he always gave you constant support when you felt shitty about yourself. He often held you close to him when you were having an episode and whispered sweet words that consisted of “You’re such a pretty boy,” “My precious boy,” and “You're so handsome, baby.” 

His reassurance never failed to calm you down for the time being. However as you continued to date Nick and your dysphoria grew worse, you knew you had to do something about it. However, since you weren’t friends or aware of other trans people in the community, you didn’t know who to turn to for help. 

The most you were doing to try to help with your dysphoria was cutting your hair short, binding with either a binder or tape, and dressing yourself in the most masculine way possible. (This was the least you could do or rather think of to try to make yourself pass as a guy) If you wanted to try extra hard to pass, you would put some makeup on to make certain features pop out more, like your sideburns and cheekbones.

However, you felt that this wasn’t doing enough for you and didn’t feel like you were passing enough despite the constant reassurance from Nick, his brothers, and your friends. You still hated your voice, (which seemed too high for your liking) the thinness of your limbs, and just how feminine you felt and looked as a whole. 

When you were spiraling and sobbing profusely in the bathroom one afternoon with Nick holding you tightly against him, the boy knew he had to figure out a way to help you. 

After a while, your cries eventually subside to soft sniffles. Even though your eyes seemingly ran out of tears to shed, you still felt the need to cry more. You slowly open your eyes and take in the minimal light in the bathroom, the main light source being Nick’s single candle resting on the counter in front of you. Simply looking at the light causes your eyes to strain and you soon find yourself shutting them again with a soft hiss.

As you rest your head back on Nick’s chest with a heavy exhale and gaze down at your body, you feel the male shift underneath you. You quickly lift your head at the small move and watch as your boyfriend takes his phone out of his pocket and pulls it to his face, a focused expression clear on his face. 

“What are you doing?” You ask, your voice coming out hoarse due to all the crying you just did. 

“Trying to call a friend of mine,” Nick replies, his gaze staying fixed on his cell as his eyes scan the screen. 

Your eyebrows furrow in confusion as you continue to gaze at the male. “Can I ask for what?” 

“I’m asking them for advice on your behalf.” 

“Advice? Like for being trans?” 

“Yup.” 

Your eyebrows kit together even more at Nick’s statement. A few beats of silence flow between the two of you, the only sound being the soft tapping Nick draws from his cell as he taps on his screen. After a moment, you speak up again, “You know someone that’s trans?” 

“Yeah, he’s the coolest mother fucker I know. After you of course. You have to meet him sometime.” Nick momentarily looks down at you to send you a warm smile before diverting his eyes back to his phone. “Anyways, he came out as trans about six years ago and I'm sure he’ll know how to help you with your dysphoria and stuff. I would give you advice on this myself but I'm not trans and don’t want to misguide you or anything.” 

You softly nod your head and sit up a little to peer down at Nick’s phone, your eyes intently watching his fingers flex as they diligently work on tapping and scrolling on his screen. After a few moments, Nick pulls up a contact and hits the call button. 

“Would you like to talk to him yourself?” Nick asks gently, the hand that’s resting on your side gently caressing your clothed skin. “I can put it on speaker if you’d like. If not, that’s perfectly fine and I can do the speaking for you.” 

You force your lips together as you ponder for a moment. “I can talk to him.” You reply with a small head nod. “Can you help me through? Like, talk to him?” 

“Of course.” Just as Nick lands a soft peck on your temple, the muffled sound of shuffling runs through your ears. You quickly whip your head around at the sudden sound, your eyes soon landing on Nick’s phone. At the sight of the ongoing call screen, you relax a little and gaze up at Nick, waiting for him to make the first move. 

“Kit?” Nick calls after a few moments. Immediately, the muffling sounds come to a quick halt and silence can be heard on the other line. 

“Nick?” Kit calls back, the deep and smoothness of his voice causing your eyes to widen ever so slightly. 

The male simply uttered a reply and you’re already intimidated. 

“Are you busy right now?” Nick asks. 

“No?..” Kit’s voice trails off, pure and utter confusion laced in his tone. “Wait, did I call you or did you call me?” 

“I called you. Did you think it was the other way around?” 

“To be honest, yeah.” Kit chuckles softly, “What’s up though?” 

“You know y/n right?” 

“Yeah, of course I do. You won’t shut the fuck up about him.” Your jaw slacks at the comment and you slowly turn your head to look over at Nick, the sight of the red tint dusting over his cheeks and tips of his ears causing you to smile cheekily. When Nick doesn’t reply after a few seconds, the sound of Kit laughing softly sounds in your ears. “Sorry, had to. But what about him? Is everything alright?” 

“Not necessarily. His dysphoria has been getting bad lately and I have no idea how to help him.” 

“Oh, I see. Is he with you right now? I want to ask him some stuff if that’s alright with you.” 

“He’s right here with me actually.” 

“Oh, sweet. Hey, y/n!” Kit greets, his tone nothing but friendly. You could sense that the boy was smiling on the other end just by how cheerful he sounded. “I wasn’t lying about Nick yapping about you. I swear to God that kid does not have an off button when it comes to you.” 

“Kit, I swear to God. Shut the hell up. I called you for help not to be called out.” Nick grumbles through gritted teeth. 

“Sorry, I’m stopping. Anyways, y/n do you mind telling me what you’re struggling with the most right now? You could tell me everything. I just want to know what’s going on in that head of yours right now so I can give you the best advice.” 

After glancing over at Nick with an anxious expression and gaining an encouraging kiss on the lips from him, you begin to open up to Kit about everything. During your small rant, Kit listened intently and only hummed here and there to let you know he was listening. When you’re finished, you exhale heavily and wipe away the few tears that managed to escape your irises with the back of your hand. 

“I think I know what you need,” Kit says, the soft and quick pattering of footsteps sounding from his end. 

“You do?” You ask, your eyebrows knitting together as you gaze down at Nick’s phone. 

“Yup. There’s this thing that the majority of trans people use called Testosterone. Or better known as ‘T.’ It helps our body go get rid of the feminine traits that we have and practically replace them with masculine ones. I’ve been taking ‘T’ for about five years now and it’s helped cure all of my dysphoria. Shits a life changer I'm telling you.” 

“What are the effects of it? Like what are the changes exactly?” 

“Well for starters, they vary between trans guys but it makes them taller, helps with hair and public hair growth, muscle gain, voice changes, and they develop a higher…” Kit's voice trails off at the end of his sentence, tension suddenly filling the air as silence sounds from his end. 

“Higher what?” You ask, worry and panic filling your veins as your hand raises to your mouth. Just as you begin to bite your nails out of anxiousness, Kit clears his throat before he continues. 

“Sex drive. You have a higher sex drive. I would go into more depth about it but I assume you haven’t gone through a bottom surgery and still have your area so I won't get into it. Also, a very important thing, if you continue to take ‘T,’ your period will eventually stop.” 

“Are you serious?” Your mouth opens slightly in shock at Kit’s last statement. “Like the period thing.” 

“Dead serious. I'm telling you this shit is a fucking live saver. Anyways, you think you're up to taking it?” 

“It sounds heavenly so absolutely. How do I get it?” 

“Well, you need to get it prescribed to you by a doctor. I can send you to mine so you won’t have to be as anxious going to the office. I promise you, they’re the sweetest person ever and will be so patient with you during the first few weeks or so of you taking it.” 

“I’d appreciate that, actually. I have a lot of anxiety when it comes to doctors and shit so going to see someone that you are accustomed to seeing will help ease me a bit.” 

“Word. I’ll text them here in a minute to let them know I'm sending you their way before I text Nick the office’s number.”

“Alright, thank you, Kit. I really appreciate it.” 

“Don’t sweat it! If you ever need help, don’t be shy to tell Nick. Hell, he can even send you my number so we can chat one-on-one if you’re up to it. All your call though! Don’t want to push you out of your comfort zone or anything.” 

“I’ll have Nick send me your number. I think it’d be easier texting you myself than talking to you through Nick.” 

“Sounds good. Well, if that’s all I'm going to dip now. Text or call me if anything comes up! Nice talking to you, y/n! Oh, and Nick too I guess.” 

Nick rolls his eyes, an unamused expression clear on his face as his thumb hovers over the end call button. “Goodbye Kit,” Nick states, his monotone voice drawing a small chuckle from the male on the other line. 

“Goodbye Nick.” The moment Kit voices his reply,  Nick ends the call and stuffs his phone back in the planet of his pants. After he huffs softly and gazes down at you, he watches as a small smile creeps onto your lips. Feeling his eyes on you, you pick your head up and lock eyes with Nick, a soft red hue immediately taking over the tips of your ears and cheeks. 

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” You ask, a hand coming up to cover your flushed face. 

“You look so happy it’s so cute,” Nick replies with a small chuckle. Before you get to add to the conversation, Nick cups your face with both his hands and begins peppering your face with small pecks. The action immediately draws soft laughter from your lips, your eyes shutting and the blush on your cheeks deepening a shade or two. 

“Nick!” You exclaim through giggles. You set both your hands on Nick’s shoulders and begin to softly shove him away. After a few moments, the male finally pulls away and gives you the largest and cheesiest smile. 

“I love you so much, you know that?” Nick gushes as he sets his forehead against yours. 

“I love you more.” You reply softly, a shy chuckle escaping your lips. The moment Nick lands another tender kiss on your cheek, the sound of his phone dinging alerts the both of you. 

“God, that’s kids fast as hell,” Nick mumbles. You pull back from Nick’s grasp to allow him to grab his phone out of his pocket again. After turning the device on and scanning his eyes over the screen for a few seconds, he flips the phone towards you. You blink a few times to get your eyes to adjust to the bright light drawing from Nick’s phone and when you’re finally able to see his screen properly, your eyes skim over the single message resting on the lock screen. 

KIT

Just texted Remi. Here’s their number xxx-xxx-xxxx txt them when you want! 

Your eyes light up at the text and you quickly lift your head to meet Nick’s gaze. “Text them!” You exclaim as you latch onto the boy’s shoulders. As you begin to shake him, Nick chuckles softly and rests his hands on your arms. 

“Alright, alright. I won’t be able to text them if you keep shaking me.” Nick says through soft laughter. You immediately stop your actions and drop your hands onto your lap at the male’s statement.

“My bad.” As you rub your nape and gaze down at the floor, Nick smiles softly and sets a hand in your hair to ruffle it. The action draws a small surprised exclamation from you however you don’t lean away and rather you simply smile widely. 

“You gotta stop apologizing kid” Nick scolds gently with a small shake of the head. You smile innocently at the boy and lean into his palm when he begins to card his fingers through your hair. “I'm gonna give Remi a text, alright?”

You eagerly nod your head and look up at Nick through your lashes, the large smile on your lips not faltering. As you quietly watch the male type away on his phone, you begin to feel the excitement build up inside you. If ‘T’ was just as good as Kit said it'd be, you could kiss all of your dysphoria away and finally live a worry-free life. You would finally be happy if everything worked out like you hoped it would.

You wouldn't have to spend hours upon hours on the bathroom floor spiraling and sobbing about your appearance and wouldn't have to feel the need to hide out in your and Nick’s place. You'd be content with your life and God knew you were in desperate need of some happiness in your life. 

_______

TIME SKIP

It's been about three and a half months since you've been taking testosterone. It took about a week to see results but when you started to see some bodily changes, you were over the moon. The first change you took notice of was your skin texture. Your skin started to become very oily and thick and you had to make a few changes in your skincare routine to help fix it. Nothing too major.

The next change was your odor. Now, you were plenty aware of males carrying a natural and unpleasant scent but you weren't quite prepared to develop it yourself. When you noticed this, you made sure to change your cologne to a stronger smelling one in hopes of making your newfound ‘stench.’

The next change, which was the one you were looking forward to the most, was your voice. You slowly but surely started to develop a deeper voice as you continued to take your dosages. When this change started occurring, you felt as though you were going through puberty again. (Which was fine by you. If it took you going through puberty a hundred more times just to pass and get rid of your dysphoria, you were more than willing to do it.)

As your voice started to change, the number of voice cracks you developed was embarrassing, to say the least. When Nick took notice of this, the usual teasing he did seemed to increase significantly. 

EXHIBIT A

You silently watched some supernatural series you stumbled upon on your TikTok feed as you lay down on the sofa at Nick’s place. The Sturniolo household was awfully quiet with both Matt and Chris being out with their friends. This ultimately left you and Nick to do whatever y'all want without being interrupted by the two males, You were so absorbed in the show that played rather loudly on your phone that you failed to notice Nick walk downstairs and enter the living room.

Noticing that you weren't aware of his presence yet, the male quietly made his way over to you. Upon arriving at the sofa where your frame lay comfortably, he peered over the back of the sofa to make sure he wasn't in your line of sight before loudly shouting and grabbing both of your arms. At the sudden exclamation, you scream loudly, your voice cracking in the progress, and you soon find yourself stumbling off the sofa and falling to the floor. 

The moment your back collides with the floorboards with a soft thud, the sound of Nick’s loud laughter runs through your ears. 

“You sound like a fucking elementary school boy!” Nick exclaims through hard laughter. As you boost yourself up into a sitting position, you roll your eyes. The moment you shift your gaze up, you watch Nick stumble around the sofa and walk up to you, soft giggles still escaping his lips. The moment he takes in the harsh glare you're sending him, he begins laughing hard again. 

“Nick.. It's never that funny.” You grumble, your voice low as you try to bite back the smile threatening to creep onto your lips. 

“It's so funny!” As you sigh heavily, Nick falls to the floor as more laughs rack his body. 

“I can't with you.” You boost yourself up to your feet and leave the living room to go to the kitchen, leaving Nick laughing his heart out on the floor in the living room. 

You were hoping that these voice cracks of yours would decrease the more that took testosterone but that was the least of your concerns at this point. The final change you took notice of (as of right now) was the muscle building up on your arms. Your once-thin limbs started to gain quite a few muscles as you continued to take the medication and you didn't have to do very much to keep it up.

You were quite happy with the sleeper build you had going on considering how you always wanted one but you wanted to attempt to build more muscle. When you began to work on your physique, Nick immediately took notice of it. 

A cold shiver ran down your spine as you stood in front of Nick’s front door. The winter wind was harshly hitting your face and the only thing that covered your body and provided you with a little warmth was the hoodie loosely hugging your frame. You would let yourself in the house however you left the spare key Nick gave you in his room. As you shut your eyes and heavily exhale, the sound of the door unlocking rings through your ears. Upon the door opening with a soft creek, you open your eyes and you’re immediately greeted by Nick who has a large blanket tucked around him. 

“What the hell are you doing in sweatpants and a hoodie?” Nick asks as he narrows his eyes at you. 

“This is all I had in my closet. Everything else was in the washer or dryer.” You reply with a frown. Nick huffs softly and grabs your bicep to pull you inside, the warm air filling the house immediately drawing a content sigh from your lips. “God, it feels amazing in here.” 

As you turn around to face Nick, a bewildered expression paints your features at the sight of the male intently staring at your arm, specifically the area he is currently grasping. 

“You good? Do I have something on me?” 

“No, no, you don't have anything on you.” 

“Then what's wrong?”

Silence drifts between the two of you as Nick continues to wordlessly stare at your arm. Feeling rather uneasy with the silence, you open your mouth to say something however are interrupted by Nick saying, “Did you start working out?” 

 Your face immediately flushes as Nick finally shifts his gaze up to you. After locking eyes with the boy, you slowly nod your head and reply, “Yeah.”

“SINCE WHEN?? LOOK AT YOUR FUCKING ARMS!”

You hold back a chuckle when Nick begins to feel your bicep, his eyes wide in pure shock. “Since like last week. As much as I liked my sleeper build I had to work on my physique a little more.”

“Holy fuck y/n…” Nick mutters under his breath as he takes his other hand and begins to squeeze your other arm. As the male continues his actions, you can't help but notice the subtle shade of blush dusting over the tips of his ears and cheeks. Your eyebrows furrow slightly at the sight and a mischievous smile soon overtakes your lips as you continue to gaze at the boy. 

“You know what else I've been working on?

“What?” When you gently grasp Nick’s wrist and remove it from your bicep, he silently watches as you rest his palm on your stomach. The moment you set his hand against your clothed torso, his face flushes a deep red color, followed by his eyes widening. You can't help but laugh at the sight of the hard blushing boy in front of you and you pull his hand away as you double over in laughter.

“You want me dead, don't you?” Nick mumbles, his free hand quickly coming up to cover his face. 

“Maybe.” As you stand upright again, you send Nick a teasing smile before you grab the back of his neck and pull him in for a kiss, the feeling of the male melting into the affection bringing a small smile to your lips. 

Since you were only a few months into taking testosterone, you knew that you would experience more changes. Remi, the doctor that Kit suggested you see, filled you in on what those changes would be and when you would most likely experience each of them. They were very supportive on your entire journey of being on ‘T’ and didn’t hesitate to answer any questions that you have regarding it.

When you were beginning to run out of gel, (they suggested you take this type of testosterone considering your great fear of needles. You tried to take it through the injections but even with Nick’s help, it never went well.) you immediately notified them and they sent you another dosage.

Kit was also very supportive and encouraging during this whole process. He often texted you every week or so to ask how you were holding up and such. When you told him about the changes you were experiencing or if he caught onto them himself, he showed a lot of excitement for you. 

The most encouraging person however was obviously Nick. He always reminded you to apply your gel if it slipped your mind and often suggested that he put it on you himself. Every time you notice a subtle change in your body, you don’t hesitate to call the boy and inform him of it. At times, you felt as though he was more excited by your accomplishments than you were.

Every time you came over and your voice had gone through a slight change or you were starting to gain a little more height, he would be smiling widely and devouring you in pecks all over your face. (This would often lead to a small make-out session in his room but no one’s gotta know that) He was always so happy for you and showed you nothing but love and support and you would be forever grateful for him. 

You were plenty aware of the fact that your journey as a trans male was far from over however you knew that Nick would be by your side every step of the way. 

·:¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨:· TagList ·:¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨:·

@freshloveforthefit @thenickgirl @patscorner @frankdelreyy @sturnsann @kileybankzz @robins-scoop @miloisdone1 @rootbeerworshiper @rubyperic-09 @teenagetrash00 @maryx2xx

[seasaltmemories]

Top AMVs of 2024 - 30 - 21

A more in-depth breakdown of what I am doing can be found here, but if you just want to get to the main entries then:

30. Cuff It by uv catastrophe (fray-adjacent)

Audio: Cuff It by Beyoncé

Visuals: Reunion: The Sound of the Providence

There are two words that best sum up this vid: fun and flirty. The source material seems concerned with a grand adventure of some kind, but this vid is more focused on the journey and small bits in between the action set-pieces.

Each member of the trio gets loving focus for a verse. Lots of attention is given to hitting all the sexual innuendos of the song, with my fave moment being the intense close ups of a hand tracing the outlines of a wall for a more innocent type of opening. The editing is similarly loose and relaxed while keeping the pacing engaging and energized. This is one of my favorite types of tribute because it is so easy just to see what individual moments and expressions the editor themselves loves. By the end, I was just as charmed with this polycule as I expect the fans are.

29. Pink Friday by FallChild42

Audio: Friday Night from The Yakuza 0 Soundtrack

Visuals: Revolutionary Girl Utena

I participated in an MMV exchange this summer, and there were so many cool and creative vids made for it, so beware this is just the first off the list. I know FallChild42/Dr. Dinosaur for his comedy vids and only heard a few stray comments about what he had planned for his giftee, so I didn’t know what to expect. But it certainly wasn’t for him to go all out for a motions graphics lyric video.

Utena and Yakuza are two series I love, but I never thought to cross them like this until he pulled it off. Suddenly I was like, “yes Utena deserves all the fun friday night parties, yes please.” The editing is both professional and slick, yet expressive and charming (especially with her little dance). A lot of the fun from exchanges is watching friends go the extra mile for each other. With such impressive tech work and clear joy and affection for his frequent collaborator/friend Ileia, it is difficult to walk away form this vid without a smile.

28. Bonnie & Clara by Camichan19

Audio: Runaway by Against the Current

Visuals: Princess Jellyfish

I came up in amv fandom from the side focused on making their paper dolls kiss (regardless if they interacted in canon or not), so I a sucker for just a good romance amv that knows what it is doing. And what do you know, Camichan19 is an expert in exactly that.

Pacing is one of those rarely spoken about, pretty vague elements of editing. You can use a metronome file or the waveform but when it comes down to choosing when and where to cut, especially on a scene by scene level, there’s only so much guidance anyone can give. Yet Camichan19 always seems like she knows exact the perfect place to make the cleanest cuts. Her smart and subtle scene selection in this vid specifically shines in how she is able to use Princess Jellyfish’s comedic moments for actually romantic development. This vid doesn’t make me laugh out loud, but it does make me smile in how it show that even these goofy slapstick moments do build something real and important between our two leads.

27. Transcend-Dandy Cha Cha Cha by Aqua Sky Productions

Audio: Transcendental Cha Cha Cha by Tom Cardy

Visuals: Space Dandy

Tom Cardy has been supplying a good portion of the amv community’s comedy audio for the past few years now. Honestly, you could make a panel purely of Tom Cardy amvs, and a part of me is worried the bubble is gonna burst before I can get my own ideas out. When his new album dropped with its own animated music video for this song, a part of me imagined it was some sort of challenge on his part to see how a inter-dimension dance party could get reinterpreted as anything else. But Aqua Sky Productions rose up to that challenge and knocked it out of the park. Of all the lyric sync I expected in this vid, I was not expecting the “french dandy” line to get something.

But most of all, I admire she was able to capture the over-the-top party attitude without simply recreating the original mv. In contrast to its existential horror, Aqua has most of the characters role with the punches as long as they have a place to rave. It’s more tongue-in-cheek in comparison to most dance vids, but the more lowkey humor makes it a fun party anyone feels like they could join.

26. MEDUSA by JAKEH (CW: Sexual Assault)

Audio: Follow You Into the Dark from Alan Wake II Soundtrack

Visuals: Heavenly Delusion + Multisource

I say this not to disparage any of the many dedicated coordinators we have in our community, but I feel like we’re still in the figuring out stage of grappling with amvs focused on more heavy and sensitive topics. Considering the public nature of much of the con circuit it is understandable to limit showings to all ages material, and I understand staff that does not feel equipped or does not want to engage with such topics for personal reasons. Still even in NFSW spaces, sexual assault tends to be the one line drawn (probably because going from horny hentai shenanigans to that and back is a hell of a tone whiplash). I like to emphasize that the con circuit is not the end all be all of amvs, and several people involved in the space (including myself) have taken the time to tackle the subject. However, it feels like many vids that want to seriously grapple with it are forced to live in the dark.

All this to say, if you care about grounded depictions of sexual violence, then MEDUSA is one of the best amvs tackling the subject around. Where it shines is not just communicating the literal events, but representing the feelings of our protagonist. After the drop we get gorgeous composition and composition filled with rage, grief, and profound bodily alienation. I don’t believe the most sensitive depictions are the ones that are the least explicit like some folks, but there is a lot more power and creative control for JAKEH by going this abstract route in a visual medium like amvs.

The ending itself also really gets at the reality of the subject for most victims. While our protagonist does get relief and release in the comfort and support of their loved one, there is also the harsh reality of having to live with the knowledge their assailant is likely simply living their life without any comparable consequences. It’s a harsh truth too many survivors have to face, but in the end, it is this vid’s unflinching stare head on at the subject that gives its dignity and weight.

25. Welcome to the Glam Dungeon🔥👄 by Abyssbreaking Studios

Audio: The Glam Kitchen 🔥👄 Sopita de coditos by Shiadanni

Visuals: Dungeon Meshi

Who’s hungry for a bite? This amv is not my first encounter with the glam kitchen, but I was nervous about the audio would translate for a vid, as most of the humor comes from the delivery of a dramatic Mexican diva.

The solution, make the delivery of the audio through the text part of the joke. While Kia doesn’t skimp out on adding jokes in through Marcille’s funniest moments, her subtitles are the star of the show. There legible and easy to read while having plenty of cute and charming flourishes (my fave is the custom Falin emoji). Overall it recreates the fun of many viral cooking videos, basking in the vibes and energy as the real work goes on in the background, in a way I didn’t imagine possible in the form of an amv. Kia’s enthusiasm and energy overall cooks up a tasty treat for us viewers.

24. a heart’s a heavy burden by Biotic

Audio: Medusa by Kailee Morgue

Visuals: Fruits Basket 2019

Rin is one of my faves of Fruits Basket and I’ve adored this particular song for years. The only way a vid with this combo could be more up my alley is if a creative editor like the BioticAMVS was the one to edit with it. Really no matter what source she works with, Biotic always adds her own unique compositions and visual flair to create amvs with very particular singular visions.

And as a fan of the sources, I really love the extra meaning created here. It is telling that the positive memories are layered in a mosaic-like haze, once good ones are shattered, broken, and ruined while the only thing Rin sees clearly is her own pain. Casting Tohru as “Medusa,” the figure that turns her to stone, is such an interesting choice that demonstrates just how much what it is that paralyzes her is something internal as much as her external circumstances. It is a nice treat for fans, but wrapped up in tight sync that can be enjoyed by anyone.

23. Curtain Call - by BanjoKazooie64Fan (James Blond)

Audio: When the Curtain Falls by Tessa Violet

Visuals: Perfect Blue

Perfect Blue is one of those intensely iconic pieces of art the imagery takes a life of its own. But rather than focus on stalkers and doppelgangers, James took the time to focus in on Perfect Blue lady’s quiet loneliness.

It is a unique and creative take on the source, as most Perfect Blue amvs aren’t all that character focused, (and even after watching the movie less than 3 years ago, she is still “Perfect Blue lady” in my head) but it is one that works wonders. By cutting out most of the thriller elements, it really emphasizes how even before the bodies started piling up, this was a young vulnerable woman getting eaten up by the industry with seemingly no support system at all. The scene of her fantasizing about talking with friends over near silence at 0:56 is so powerful in its dissonance, emphasizing how it really is a fantasy since it “breaks” most amv rules. I also like the cut of her staring blankly in the middle of directing the night club scene at 1:56. There is this running theme of almost watching life happen to other people around her, pulling so much depth and emotion I am not used to feeling about a character at all.

22. Retro Never Ends by Roseclipse AMV (Ophelia)

Audio: World on Wheels by Duckwrth

Visuals: Yu Yu Hakusho

Last year, a studio by the name AMV Clamp (since then renamed Roseclipse AMV) came on to the scene with killer taste in anime and a strong editing voice/style. They were my rookies of the year for 2023, with Ophelia being a particular prevalent member. I loved her mmv work last year, so when she participated in the summer mmv exchange I mentioned earlier, I was excited to see what she would pull together.

With its bright color palette and paper edge borders, Retro Never Ends oozes style. For a medium where ever inch of movement is costing you loads of time and effort, the vid is so energetic, lively, and slick. There are so many great standout motions, such as the flying animation at 0:31 and the Botan mask at 0:47, but a more subtle element I admire is how Ophelia is not afraid to play with the aspect ratio. At moments like 0:16 and 0:42, you can clear see the edges of the original manga panels. But the brisk pace and smart scene composition turns the negative space from a distraction and into another nice visual flourish. Frankly when it comes to amount of polished tech work per a frame, this vid might get you some of the best bang for your buck on this list.

21. First Measure by Xophilarus

Audio: Magik Mike - Shake If Off but Taylor Swift stays up WAY too late (Shake Off Those Notes), Shittyflute - Love Story, Tom Wallace's arrangement of Shake It Off.

Visuals: Hibike Euphorium

I don’t know when “Shake It Off” became the default Taylor Swift meme song, but I’ll never get tired of “nothing in my brain,” as a punchline. Xophilarus’ commitment to the bit here is to be admired. They are dedicated to syncing every off note, using ever zoom, speed ramp, or flourish to accentuate some truly awful musical moments.

And while for some folks, two and a half minutes of that might be more grating than entertaining, what really ties it together for me is the underlining story-line of these kids trying to put on a half decent performance. I’m not used to getting emotionally invested in comedy amvs, but it is funnier and more compelling to highlight these smiling cheerful faces thinking they absolutely nailed it while the crowd looks on in horror. While their eventual triumph is still tongue in cheek, I genuinely felt proud of them.

[spacenutspod]

In a quiet part of Northern California, where pine trees brush the sky and the hum of giant satellite dishes fills the air, something big is happening in science education. A new wave of college students is getting the chance to explore the universe — not through textbooks, but with real data from a world-class observatory. Thanks to a growing program called ARISE Lab, students and teachers from community colleges are diving deep into the science of space, radio signals, and the search for alien life. The SETI Institute, which focuses on the scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence, has expanded this groundbreaking effort. With new support from a grant by the Amateur Radio and Digital Communication Foundation, the ARISE Lab (Access to Radio Astronomy for Inclusion in Science Education) is now reaching even more classrooms across the country. Making Space Science Hands-On The main idea behind ARISE is simple: when students get to do science themselves, they understand it better and stay interested longer. “Hands-on experiences are proven to improve student engagement and retention,” said Dr. Vishal Gajjar, a radio astronomer who leads the project at the SETI Institute. That’s why ARISE puts real scientific tools directly into students’ hands. The Allen Telescope Array at Hat Creek Radio Observatory. (CREDIT: Luigi Cruz) The program uses GNU Radio, a free and open-source software that lets users process radio signals. This gives students a way to study actual data from the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array (ATA). The ATA is the first and only radio telescope in the world built just for detecting signs of advanced life beyond Earth — also called technosignatures. With these tools, students don’t just read about pulsars, spacecraft, or distant stars. They study them. They learn to sort signals, find patterns, and understand how astronomers listen to the sky. What the ARISE Curriculum Offers Dr. Gajjar and his team built the ARISE curriculum using something called experiential learning technique, or ELT. This method focuses on learning by doing. Students start with pre-lab reading, move through guided lab work, and then reflect on what they discover. Related Stories How podcasts are revolutionizing health education and behavior Groundbreaking discovery promotes verbal learning and fights memory loss New AI-based learning system provides personalized math instruction for students ARISE includes two types of content: modules and labs. Modules are more complete packages that come with slides, notes, reading materials, lab manuals, and instructor guides. They are designed to be added directly into a science class. Labs, on the other hand, are shorter, standalone activities that can be used by themselves or as part of a larger lesson. The labs cover a wide range of topics. Students might explore signal modulation — the way information travels through radio waves — or learn how data science applies to astronomy. Each lab has step-by-step instructions that make it easy for both students and teachers to follow. By linking lessons to the search for extraterrestrial life, ARISE grabs students’ attention. Research shows that this subject sparks more interest than almost any other topic in science. “With ARISE, we’re combining cost-effective tools like GNU Radio with one of the most captivating topics in science — the search for life beyond Earth — to spark curiosity and build skills across STEM disciplines,” Gajjar said. Vishal Gajjar, SETI Institute. (CREDIT: SETI Institute) Real Tools, Real Signals, Real Skills The ARISE team doesn’t just give students data and walk away. They create chances for them to experience what it’s like to work in space science. “Whether it’s detecting a signal from a Mars orbiter or analyzing pulsar data, students are gaining real experience with tools used in both professional astronomy and industries,” said Joel Earwicker, the project’s lead research assistant. “It’s about making science feel real, relevant, and achievable.” That real-world feeling is what sets ARISE apart. It connects students with data from the Allen Telescope Array, a set of 42 dish antennas located at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory. This array scans the sky daily, looking for faint radio waves that might come from intelligent life in space. Students learn how to filter out “noise” from human-made signals, track moving sources across the sky, and identify natural phenomena like pulsars — stars that blink like cosmic lighthouses. These skills mirror what professionals do in both astronomy and tech careers, building a direct path from the classroom to the workforce. Students examine live radio signals from deep space, learning to decode real astronomical data using modern tools and guided scientific methods. (CREDIT: SETI Institute) Growing the Program in 2025 After the program’s first pilot workshop at Hat Creek in 2024, the results spoke for themselves. Teachers loved it. Students stayed engaged. The SETI Institute decided to grow the effort. In 2025, ARISE will offer: 15 new labs on topics like astronomy, digital communications, and data analysis 2 hands-on workshops at Hat Creek to train instructors from community colleges On-site lab support at 10 schools to help teachers roll out the new content The team will also host an in-person workshop for six selected community college teachers from June 25 to June 27, 2025, at Hat Creek. These instructors will get travel and lodging covered. At the workshop, they will visit the telescope site, watch live observations, test out lab activities, and collaborate with other science educators. SETI efforts around the world. (CREDIT: SETI Institute) This expanded effort aims to bring advanced science training to places that often get left out of big research programs — local community colleges. These schools educate nearly half of all undergraduates in the U.S., and their students often come from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM fields. By targeting these schools, ARISE gives more people a chance to be part of space science. It also helps instructors bring fresh energy to their classes. Looking Up, Reaching Out When students see real data from space scrolling across their screens, something clicks. Science becomes more than just facts in a book. It becomes a search — one they can be part of. With ARISE, the SETI Institute is changing how students learn science. Instead of memorizing equations, they explore the universe. Instead of just hoping to understand radio signals, they decode them. By giving students the tools, data, and support to study space firsthand, ARISE opens doors — to science, to careers, and maybe even to the stars. Research findings are available online on the SETI Institute website. Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News. Like these kind of feel good stories? Get The Brighter Side of News’ newsletter. The post New SETI program helps students detect signs of advanced life beyond Earth appeared first on The Brighter Side of News.

[merfolkmagic]

Sea Fetches and their Symbolic Meaning

mer interruption: the following text is from one of my favourite books. a part II will follow on, but do consider buying the book for yourself to get more interesting lore!

Animals can act as messengers as well as sources of inspiration, healing, and guidance. Those associated with the sea are generally considered wise and powerful. A totem animal or sea fetch can remain with you for your entire life, or it may come briefly into your life to guide you through a particular phase or turning point. Some are merely messengers that have one brief communication or idea to relay. You may also encounter one that may be difficult to deal with at first. This type of fetch usually appears to draw out a side of you that has been ignored. At first this fetch may seem fearsome or contrary, but in the long run what it helps bring to your surface level of consciousness can be very important. According to Caitlin Matthews, "the appearance of talking beasts in folk story denotes a shift of emphasis to a deeper level of awareness; such beasts are not an- thropomorphic animals, but archetypal forms." Animals that present themselves to you may symbolize who you are, or they may possess qualities that you would like to express in your life. Let's take a brief overview of qualities associated with several potential sea fetches. We'll look at them in more detail over the following pages.

Twelve Sea Fetches and Their Associated Qualities Albatross: Solitude, survival, the ability to wonder. Crab: Adaptability, clarity of vision, creativity, growth, renewal, rebirth. Dolphin: Communication, community, intuition, joy, serenity, strength. Manatee: Gentleness, ability to nurture, relaxation. Otter: Companionship, duty, friendship, loyalty, transformation. Penguin: Balance, independence, inner strength, wisdom. Polar Bear: Ability to nurture, protection, power, spiritual guidance, strength. Salmon: Cycles, determination, healer, progress. Sea Gull: Communication, freedom, responsibility, simplicity. Seal: Balance, creativity, curiosity, playfulness. Turtle: Fertility, immortality, longevity, opportunity, perseverance. Whale: Communication, community, creativity, cycles, harmony.

Some of the animals' qualities, such as the crab's, may surprise you. However, the crab is associated with health and vision (mental and psychic), and its energy is useful for protection from negativity. Perhaps the inclusion of the polar bear surprised you, too. While all of its relatives are clearly earthbound creatures, the polar bear is also known as the water bear and the ice bear. It is very much at home in the waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

A fetch can make itself known in various ways. In fact, its image may continually appear to you until you realize and acknowledge it. Thereafter, an appearance may indicate a need for contact or reassurance or it may be a signal that only you and your fetch will understand.

One way that birds communicate their presence and intent is through the gifting of a feather. I have been drawn to seagulls since I was a child and I have felt comforted by their calls. When I moved into my house in Maine and stepped out onto the back porch for the first time, I was greeted with the cry of gulls and a snowy white feather on my steps. I felt that I had truly come home. Still, as with the "signs" communicated by seashells, I believe that a touch of skepticism is healthy. The difference between a message and an ordinary experience is the timing and the undeniable feeling that it holds meaning. Keep your senses open, ask questions of yourself and the fetch, then trust your intuition. If you are still unsure, ask for further signs. If a fetch was communicating with you, you will receive them. The sea journey presented here* will help you find your sea fetch. Of course, there is the possibility that a mythical creature may present itself to you. Don't reject it out of hand. Go with the flow if your intuition tells you that there is something to be learned. Examine why you might be drawn to it and then research as much as you can about it. Our feelings and inner experiences are valid and do not require a stamp of approval from other people. Stay truthful to yourself. * mer interruption: i will post the sea journey separately! Below the cut are the 12 fetches in detail.

Twelve Fetches in Detail Let's look at these fetches more closely. But remember, this is by no means a complete list of potential candidates. Any animal connected with the ocean can act as your sea fetch. Sea birds-see the albatross and sea gull- have a special spiritual energy that crosses the realms of heaven, sea, and land, energetically linking the three permanent elements of air, water, and earth. But every creature has its own totemic power. Which one speaks to you?

Albatross This rare oceanic wanderer can show us the ethereal realms beyond this world and within our hearts. At one time the albatross was seen as the "restless spirits of drowned sailors" because of its cry and its endless soaring. With a wingspan greater than other sea birds', albatross can shepherd us on our journey and steer us in the direction we are meant to travel. Albatross teaches us the value of nurturing even the male sits on the nest as well as the skills to survive any turbulence we may encounter. With albatross as a guide we can learn to see the magnificence in the world around us and the worlds within us. Associations: Solitude, survival, the ability to wonder.

Crab The crab may seem an unlikely guide; however, it has a place in legend and is associated with magical powers. Crabs are found in all oceans. They shed their shells as they grow, which symbolizes renewal and rebirth. As a result, crab can instruct us not to be afraid to change and grow. Crab is adaptable and sensitive, with a clarity of vision that can teach us to keep an eye on our goals and unfold to our own potential. Although crab is shy by nature and stays near shore, we can learn how to come out of our shell and explore the spiritual depths that await our discovery. Crabs may walk sideways but from this we can learn how to sidestep trouble when necessary yet still meet important issues head-on. As a zodiacal sign, crab is associated with the moon and brings creative energies into play as a spirit guide. Associations: Adaptability, clarity of vision, creativity, growth, renewal, rebirth.

Dolphin The dolphin is an ancient symbol of love goddesses: its name comes from the Greek delphinos, meaning "womb." The Celts believed that dolphins carried departed souls to the Isle of the Blessed. To early Christians the dolphin symbolized the resurrection and salvation of Christ. Fond of people and music, dolphin helps us value communication, community, and play. Strength, joy, and serenity are qualities that dolphin can help us cultivate. Ancient mariners believed that dolphins could warn them about approaching storms. Their oracular ability can help us find the way to our individual enlightenment. Dolphin offers support in finding our unique path through life. Associations: Communication, community, intuition, joy, serenity, strength. Manatee In 1493 Christopher Columbus noted in his logbook that his ship encountered sea maidens, which contributed to the scientific order's name of Sirenia. Today, our best guess is that Columbus and his crew had spot- ted manatees. These graceful, slow-moving swimmers have a gentle demeanor and a great deal to teach us. Manatee is shy but curious, teaching us the importance of remaining open to experiences even if they seem frightening. A strong bond develops between a mother manatee and her calf, teaching us that nurturing and gentleness are of utmost importance in relationships. Manatee's lovely, relaxed pace beckons us to take our time and slow down. In rushing, we miss so much of the flavor of life. Associations: Gentleness, ability to nurture, relaxation.

Otter The Celtic people believed otters to be magical animals because they inhabit the netherworld where land meets sea. In legends, otters were shown to be helpful to travelers. The Celts called them "water dogs" because of their appearance as well as their speed and skill. Otter symbolizes companionship and encouragement. Such traits make otter a wise and dutiful guide. As legend suggests, with loyalty, friendship, and playfulness, otter guides us on a quest where the unexpected can occur and deep transformation begins. Associated with the sea god Manannan, otter knows how to keep confidences in order to serve. Otter brings brightness and joy into our world and shows us how to find it on our own. Associations: Companionship, duty, friendship, loyalty, transformation. Penguin Portrayed as a little tuxedoed comic, penguin is anything but this inaccurate caricature. Penguin teaches us that we cannot make quick judgments about people because things are not always what they seem. Penguin gives us an example of how we can be true to ourselves and march to our own rhythm. As fathers, male penguins usually share in the egg incubation process and nursery duties, reminding us that males can be as nurturing as females and also serving as a model of balanced energy. Able to hunker down and weather the harsh Antarctic winter, penguin also teaches us about strength and survival. Emperor penguins in particular spend a lot of time in winter twilight; thus they are familiar with that Otherworldly betwixt-and-between state. With the moon providing the brightest light for several months, penguin gains the wisdom of Luna and passes it to those under its guidance. Associations: Balance, independence, inner strength, wisdom.

Polar Bear In general, bears are earthy and grounded, but then there's the polar bear. These indefatigable swimmers, whose massive paws serve as paddles, are equally at home in the water and on land. It has been said that polar bears "could be considered the link between sea and land in the Arctic". Polar bear is a solitary wanderer, spending much of the year on pack ice, going where the floe takes it. As a nomadic wanderer, polar bear is an excellent guide for inner journeys. Strength and protection (especially in Otherworld realms) are hallmarks of polar bear's mystical and spiritual significance. Polar bear has also mastered the art of survival in the physical realm, demonstrating the power of selfless nurturing better than anyone. All who travel are guided by polar bear through the constellation of Ursa Major-the great bear. Polaris, the North Star, the final star in her tail, was used for navigation by sailors for centuries. But polar bear has a playful side, too: the ethereal spirited movement of the Aurora Borealis is also called the "dance of the bears." While polar bear teaches us the joy of dance and play, her semi-hibernation habits also show us the importance of stillness: self-work begins in active stillness. Associations: Ability to nurture, protection, power, spiritual guidance, strength. Salmon Celtic people considered the salmon the oldest and wisest of all creatures. In some legends, salmons were the guardians of sacred pools and wells. Salmon teaches us about determination, fluidity, and cycles. With its exhausting journey home-upstream to its spawning grounds salmon reveals the importance of epic life-changing voyages, unstoppable progress, and the capacity to overcome great obstacles. A leap of faith can be exceedingly frightening and yet the most healing of experiences. Salmon can help us find focus for the soul, which can carry us through any turbulence. Follow salmon if you seek wisdom and inspiration, and you will be led on a journey through the depths of your soul. Associations: Cycles, determination, healing, progress. Sea Gull Sea gulls seem to come in all shapes and sizes, but the quintessential is the herring gull. Stately and large, with a fifty-eight-inch wingspan, this gull is indeed a master of the wind. For centuries mariners relied on the flight line of gulls to find land-so this bird reminds us that duty and responsibility are to be gladly assumed and never shirked. Sea gull also teaches the importance of clear communication. We can gain more nuanced un- derstanding by asking mindful questions. From sea gull we learn adaptability, helping us go with the flow when necessary, and we see how and when to clear things from our life. Through sea gull's lessons we can learn to soar to new heights, finding freedom of spirit as well as the beauty in simple things. Associations: Communication, freedom, responsibility, simplicity.

Seal Stories abound concerning these playful, active creatures. The legendary selkies of Scotland were said to live most of their lives as seals, but on certain nights they came ashore, shedding their skins and turning into beautiful women. In Iceland, seals were said to come on shore on St. John's night (Midsummer, June 23) to dance on the beach. Celtic people believed them to be guides for sailors and fishermen because of their link to the powers of the deep. As a guide, seal helps us center and find focus in our life. Seal's Otherworld associations aid us in maintaining the deep level of spirituality we need to keep in balance. The shy but curious nature of seal leads us to enlarge our own capacity to explore the world through our creativity. Associations: Balance, creativity, curiosity, playfulness. Turtle Sea turtles spend their lives at sea, most often as solitary wanderers of the deep. Traveling hundreds of miles to lay eggs on the beach where they themselves and their ancestors before them hatched, turtles have earned the name of "ancient mariners." Through this feat of navigation, turtle teaches us to pay attention and remain aware about the truly important matters in life. In Eastern mythology, turtle symbolized longevity and immortality, fertility and perseverance. Through these attributes, turtle teaches us how to awaken to opportunity those presented to us as well as those we create for ourselves. Associations: Fertility, immortality, longevity, opportunity, perseverance.

Whale The largest creature on earth derives its name from the Norwegian word hval, meaning "wheel." And "wheel-like" aptly describes whale's diving motion. It also implies cycles, which are inherent in whale's migratory and musical patterns. Through these habits, whale reveals the importance of freeing our creativity and remembering to sing. Like all marine mammals, whale's rugged and adaptable ancestors left the changing environment on land about 55 million years ago for life in the sea. Perhaps this fact can remind us that we can always change our lives around. Whale's sounding dive teaches us the value of exploring our inner depths. Communication and community are other areas where whale guides our focus for developing cooperation and harmony. Associations: Communication, community, creativity, cycles, harmony.

Text - Sea Magic - Connecting with the Ocean's Energy, Sandra Kynes Cute sea dividers - kaitsawamura

Intended for reference and educational purposes - please supplement with your own research and knowledge!

[twstgarden]

✦ ❝ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋'𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ❞

match-up bundle commission for @artemkissed

— a purchase of one carnation petal has arrived from our dearest customer. your romantic and platonic match has now been determined by the red carnation’s petals.

➻ a romance and platonic match-up bundle commission for twisted wonderland. bundle includes the main romantic & platonic match, voice lines with the main match and 4 other randomly picked characters, and a dormitory match for twisted wonderland. ➻ commissions are open, you may refer to this info post.

— TWISTED WONDERLAND — 

℘ your romantic match is…

━ 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 ━

➻ the carnation petal has revealed your match, who appears to be the ever-so strict and determined heartslabyul dormitory leader, riddle rosehearts!

➻ riddle is, as everyone knows, a law-abiding man— or better yet, the very picture of firmness and protector of rules. he has incredibly strong morals and enjoys discussing them, leading to meaningful dialogues so you can expect intellectual conversations with him.

➻ as he is quite inexperienced in terms of affection, he will try his very best to show you he cares. cuddles may take time for him to warm up to, but acts of service with little things such as pouring you tea himself or rearranging your bookshelf come naturally to him. he pays extra attention to you, after all.

➻ you love gardening. that's perfect! heartslabyul has a garden, so feel free to take care of it! he may take advantage of this and assign you to garden duty, but it's all in good wishes. he only wants you to enjoy after all. if you wish to plant some orchids, do tell and he might let you do so.

➻ magic is his forte, so if you wish to know anything about the topic, he's the perfect person to ask. he knows things to a tee and is a straight A student. what's there to doubt? he loves researching and reading too, so you do not have to worry about outdated sources and the like.

➻ when you start to self-isolate on your stressed days, he will notice, but he wouldn't know where to start on how to comfort you. after hesitantly seeking for an advice, he was told to take it slow— and so he did. he would start by bringing you beverages and asking you if you needed anything. if that doesn't work, he'll remind you that he's there when you need him.

➻ it might seem difficult, but with patience and open communication, your relationship will thrive.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

━ possible matches:

➻ jade leech (good conversationalist and incredibly smart, would make a great intellectually stimulating partner)

➻ vil schoenheit (has strong beliefs and morals, often stands up for what he believes is right, is also intelligent, strict and supportive)

➻ cater diamond (observant and does offer great deep insights, supportive type)

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

℘ your platonic match is…

━ 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 ━

➻ the carnation petal has revealed your platonic match, who appears to be the childhood friend of riddle rosehearts, the one and only vice dorm head of heartslabyul, trey clover!

➻ trey can be quite open-minded and sympathetic, oftentimes showing passion and kindness to his friends and acquaintances alike. he is also willing to extend a helping hand if need be, but don't think he is a nice guy just 'cause of that. he is much more.

➻ he's the type to stick with you through thick and thin and might even tolerate you and your mistakes — take it as positive or negative, that depends.

➻ he does have views of his own, so if you wish to engage in deep conversations, he can do so with you.

➻ since you enjoy baking, he wouldn't mind doing the activity with you. it would make great teamwork! he can do the measuring, you do the mixing. he does the icing, you do the piping. the outcome will depend, however. is it going to be a baking disaster? not really, but it will be a chaotic process.

➻ he likes that you can get along with people easily. that's what started the friendship, after all. you were not hard to befriend and you're kind, so what's there to dislike? plus you have shared interests and your personalities are not incompatible.

➻ trey would make an amazing best friend. he will have your back and protect you if need be, plus he can entertain you or bake you something if need be — though you do like to bake, so you might even build something like a secret code depending on the treat made.

➻ overall, a harmonious and amazing friendship will blossom with you two.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

℘ your soul belongs in…

❝ octavinelle ❞

➻ the dark mirror has sorted you to octavinelle, the dormitory founded on the compassion of the sea witch. students sorted to this dormitory are observant, intuitive, and take pleasure in helping those around them that need it most.

➻ your adaptability, great social skills, and moral compass might work well with this dormitory. it is a great fit for your ambivert nature and ability to form connections.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

℘ voice lines

【 riddle rosehearts 】

► card selected: ssr dormitory uniform 寮服

❚❚ || home idle 4

↪ “artie likes to collect gemstones and tends to visit the nearby mines just in case... i have some gems in store. perhaps hy will like it.”

【 jade leech 】

► card selected: ssr club wear クラブ・ウェア

❚❚ || home tap 6

↪ “ah, yes. artemio. i am well acquainted with hym. we hail from the same dorm and happened to stumble upon hym taking care of plants in the botanical garden... fufu, do you think hy will be interested in joining my club?”

【 trey clover 】

► card selected: sr apprentice chef 見習いシェフ

❚❚ || home tap 6

↪ “artie keeps telling me we should have a bake off and see who makes the best treats. i indulged and... long story short, we had enough pastries to last a week.”

【 jack howl 】

► card selected: sr lab wear 実験着

❚❚ || home tap 6

↪ “not a lot of people know but when taking care of an orchid, you must position them facing east or west in a bright windowsill. i found artemio doing this as part of the orchid care... my respect for hym just increased... n-not that i don't respect them! i was just saying that not a lot of people who take care of their chosen plants know how to properly take care of them!”

【 azul ashengrotto 】

► card selected: ssr platinum jacket プラチナジャケット

❚❚ || home tap 6

↪ “i found artemio observing some of these paintings in the museum. i must say, it feels great to know a person with a good eye on art is sorted to my dormitory... kufufu...”

© twstgarden 2025 || please do not steal, translate without my permission, or use this to train a.i.

[willtheweaver]

A writer’s guide to forests: woodlands made by man

Forests are for the most part, the realm of nature. But what about those with a less than natural origin? Here are some woodlands that are shaped artificially.

Parks and gardens- Trees look nice, there’s no denying it. As long as there have been people who admire trees, there have been gardens and parks. Grassy meadows, neatly trimmed hedges and flower beds may get all the attention, but an accenting grove, or a rambling woodland always adds to the aesthetic. Wealthy aristocrats would import trees from far away places, while more modest landowners and public spaces grow native species. Though the results do look quite natural, they are nonetheless human creations.

Orchard- Fruit and nut bearing trees have always been favored as a reliable source of food. And so people since nearly the beginning of agriculture have been planting orchards to provide for them. Trees are planted in rows, evenly spaced apart for the ease of harvesting. Smaller orchards, those catering to families who pick their own fruit, and those that grow fairly delicate fruits still do the harvesting by hand, while many more rely on machines to do the heavy lifting.

Tree farm/ plantation- Many trees types cultivated are deciduous species, but there are some instances when conifers are preferred. Being relatively fast growing, and usually possessing a single, straight trunk, they are the ideal tree type for use as lumber and paper products. Of course, one cannot forget the need every November and December for Christmas trees.

Palm plantation- The tropics are ideal for growing oil palms. Thousands of acres are devoted to the tree, as so much of our food and other products these days relies on palm oil. This is not a good thing as the demand means that vast areas of rainforest have had to be cleared. In Indonesia, the problem is particularly evident, as the growth of palm plantations is one of the main factors behind the decline of orangutan numbers.

Coconut grove- Almost anywhere you go in the tropics will have coconut palms. Buoyant, the nut floats easily on the currents, and where it is too isolated for a coconut to reach naturally (such as Hawaii), people have brought it with them. As well as the coconuts, the palms themsevles are also used; palm fronds can be used for roofing, and the fibers are used in weaving.

Bonsai forest- The art of growing miniature trees has been practiced for centuries. Some trees are collected in the wild, harsh natural conditions causing the trees to grow slowly and stay small, but many more are shaped over many years. While many bonsai are grown singularly, groves and forests are also popular choices. These can be either monospecific, or mixed, and can be part of a larger landscape creation that includes rocks, water, and figures.

There are plenty of examples of forest areas that are man-made. Don’t feel like you have to confine your story to a natural woodland. Use what you find around you to inspire the setting and drive your characters and the plot. What happens on the earth can easily be applied to science fiction or fantasy. Put your own spin on it (maybe your characters are small and live in a bonsai forest…of course they could also be normal sized people who happen to be in a giant sized bonsai planting).

Edit: As pointed out in the comments/reblogs, I seemed to have forgotten woodlots, so I am going to include those.

Woodlot- Common areas open to members of the community include a mixture of open pastureland and forested areas. People would have their flocks and herds forage here in spring and summer, whilst they managed and harvested the trees. Trees in woodlots would not be felled, instead the branches would be cut back and allowed to regrow. The resulting growth produces straight branches that are used in constructing walls, fences, as well as firewood and charcoal. (Communal pastures and woodlots are not really thought of these days, as many areas were lost over the years due to industrialization, urbanization, and the enclosure of land by the aristocracy)

[all-things-jily]

So glad I FINALLY found someone who agrees that Jegulus is THE most toxic fanon ship😭

I'll be honest, I don't even think that it's the most toxic fanon ship by itself, as a ship, because I have seen some ships with my own eyes, ships that even involve either James or Lily, that are so revolting, disgusting and downright criminal that I can't even bring myself to type out and none of the new Marauders ships even come close despite all the problems they do actually have. Ships that I have never said anything about, just like I wouldn't have said anything about these ships, because I'm not like that or about that, I don't judge fictional interests or hobbies, I just ship and let ship as long as everything is properly tagged and in their lane.

What is toxic is the community that's been built around it, the fandom that's completely incapable of staying in its lane and proper tagging despite almost FOUR YEARS of us practically begging daily for them to do so and explaining politely and in every humanly possible way why that shit doesn't belong in our tag, no matter what the incorrect tiktok videos or powerpoint presentations led them to believe. It's the erasure of main women that's been popularized in the fandom spaces as a whole, especially of Lily - THE main character, and replacing her with none other than her oppressor men. It's the misogyny in the fandom. It's spreading the inaccurate nonsensical information about canon and what we know/don't know about it, it's the endless dumb posts about what is "the point of the fandom" or the history of it - all of these always inaccurate. It's the unearned condescension and attitude and aggression. It's more than anything the complete lack of self-awareness of what they're doing, what they supposedly like and where they are, which is basically the reason they act like this and can't tag. It's the forcing us to see all that. It's pretty much a: someone writes original fiction using character names; those who have no idea about source material read it and believe it; others are enabling them and telling how source material doesn't even exist and the fandom is based on that fic; in the fic James is paired with Dobby and Lily with Hedwig and Jily is at most a mistake of the past and the whole fandom is based on this; so now we, who do love Jily for what it is - a couple of soulmates and true love - have to open the tag every day and see posts about how great James/Dobby and Lily/Hedwig love stories are and how this belongs in our tag because this is the fic's fandom, a group project and everything in that fic should be tagged together!!

No other fanon ship has brought these problems, but there seems to be something in the tiktok waters of this particular one that keeps causing this. Nobody would have anything to say about it (the ship has actually existed for decades without any problems) or tell them they don't have a right to ship what they want, if not for this annoying accompanying behavior.

It has literally always been about the tagging - we wouldn't even know they exist if they hadn't invaded our tag and made their home here.

[girlactionfigure]

🟠SYRIAN COLLAPSE ACCELERATES, TERROR ATTACKER TURNS HIMSELF IN - Real time from Israel  

ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

🔪update - TERROR - RAMMING - MT. HEBRON.. 1 soldier rammed, severely injured, 2-3 others injured moderately, terrorist escaped but later turned himself in.  Locals: Two weeks after the opening of the checkpoint at Al Fawar intersection and the opening of traffic in all directions, a drive-by attack took place this evening in which several soldiers were injured, one of them seriously. We call on the IDF to prevent entry to the main road from the surrounding Arab villages.

▪️A HERO SOLDIER HAS FALLEN.. in battle in Gaza: Abraham ben Pinchas, 23, from Harsha.  He suffered a serious head wound 2 months ago, recovered and returned to fighting. May his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem, and may G-d avenge his blood!

🔹SYRIAN COLLAPSE.. 

.. Observers report rebels near the Israeli Golan border.

.. IDF Chief of Staff: "We are monitoring to see that the local elements are not turning in our direction - there is a very strong offensive and defensive response.” (This contradicts the report above.)  "We need to conduct a situation assessment literally every few hours.”

.. ❗️President Assad was supposed to speak at 8 PM local time, he did not appear.  Various sources report he has either fled the country or gone into hiding.  Following an executive jet departure, suggestions are he fled to Abu Dhabi.

..  Al Jazeera reports  that the Syrian opposition factions are advancing in western Damascus while the Assad regime forces are retreating from villages and towns in the al-Routa area east of the capital.

.. City of Duma on the outskirts of Damascus captured by rebels.

.. The rebels publish a proclamation on their behalf regarding the chemical weapons of the Assad regime in which they announce that they are ready to fully cooperate with the international authorities on this issue. They promise that they will not allow this type of weapon to reach irresponsible hands (and had been previously used against their communities).

.. The political prison was captured and tens of thousands of prisoners released.  The prison is infamous for torture and executions of hundreds of thousands.

🔹IRAN SAYS.. Iranian Foreign Minister: Our approach to supporting Palestine and Lebanon against the Zionist occupation and attacks is principled and will continue in force.

♦️LEBANON - IDF attacked from the air a short time ago a building in the village of Beit Leaf in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah terrorists were identified and weapons were identified.

.. Artillery fire by the IDF towards A-Nakura in southern Lebanon.