#so while i understand frustration with individual changes being made

[thesixthstar]

I agree that tumblr should try to get growth from artists not just whomever wants to try the trendy things (aka users who will get an account, try for 5 mins, abandon when they realize it isn't like their preferred site) but literally. tumblr isn't looking for new users because more users is the end-goal. Tumblr. Does. Not. Make. Money. Tumblr spends a LOT of money hosting all our fuckin content, and running a website about it, and so far, thats been """subsidized""" by investors who sank money into a pit hoping that one day it would give something back to them. Tumblr TRIED monetizing the existing userbase, without being total sellouts. The reason none of your ads are relevant to you most of the time is bc they dont sell your data to advertisers for targeting. They tried blaze, and ad-free, and crabs, and a merch store, and check-marks. And those are all used by a *portion* of the userbase, but not a *large* one. So tumblr still doesn't break even. They need to find some way to make enough money that the website can keep going once the game of money-pit hot-potato comes to an end. One day, if tumblr continues to be a money pit, tumblr's current owners will have to make a choice. Sell it, or shut it down. Selling it would only be possible if someone is willing to pay for it. Someone would only pay for it if it seemed like it could make anyone any money, ever. So tumblr has to make money. Or at least convince someone that it COULD make money. And having users makes it easier to convince someone you can make money off those users.

i get the point of the polls informally showing that the vast majority of tumblr users have been here for years and barely anyone is new. the problem is that the suits don't look at that kind of data and go "ah, we understand. the majority of our users are oldheads who want things to stay the same. we misunderstood our audience." they absolutely have hard numbers on these things. they surely know most active users have been here forever. but they look at these stats and go "wow, our growth rate really IS shit. we're still relying on an ever-dwindling pool of users who have been here since they were teenagers in the early 2010s. we need to be working even harder to make this place appeal to new users"

the higher ups and investors on sites like this want infinite growth forever. this is why they keep changing the layout to make it look like other, more popular sites, even though we hate it. this is why they try out shit like tumblr live that doesn't appeal to the established core userbase in the slightest. it's not for us. it's also not for the ~5% of active users (if the poll going around is to be believed) who signed up within the last year. no, they're chasing after the hundreds of millions of people who use twitter and the BILLIONS of people who use tiktok, hoping to appeal to them and make tumblr more popular again

this is, of course, deeply stupid. nobody is leaving tiktok to hop on tumblr live. they already have tiktok. and we're on tumblr because we like tumblr, not because we want it to morph into something else. but i'm sure automattic's got venture capital investors breathing down their necks going "why isn't tumblr more like twitter or tiktok or facebook or instagram or" etc. etc., and so here we are

[wonjns]

discourse — j.ww

⌗ pairing. . . jeon wonwoo x male reader

⌗ genre. . . smut

⌗ summary. . . when you and wonwoo argue, you have sex. it just works. but everybody knows thats not the best method for a couple to find resolve. you want to try doing things the healthy way for once. its just so hard.

⌗ includes. . . established relationship, bttm!reader, mentions of angry sex, marking, slight choking, dry humping, rimming/oral, size kink, bigdick!wonu, unprotected sex (be safe irl!!), these two wanna do the right thing but are just so horny

⌗ wc. 5.7k (...)

°A/N. . . hiya you guys!! this one acc wasn't requested but based off a dream i had lol. this is my first seventeen fic in a while (which is funny bc my first ever fic was about wonwoo) so i hope you guys like it :'-)

being wonwoo’s boyfriend meant passion and dedication were the new central traits of your life.

if there was one thing jeong wonwoo did, it was love deeply. he also held himself to high standards and had extensive expectations - as any self respecting individual would. however, holding you to those same standards as his lover did have a tendency to be overbearing from time to time. long story short, it inevitably lead to arguments becoming less than foreign within your relationship.

he was constantly trying to be his best for you, and expected 200% from you in return. it wasn't unreasonable whatsoever, but it became pretty clear that each of your views on just how putting forth that much effort looked were different, leading to inevitable frustration bubbling inside both of you.

and of course, in some semi-toxic way, that very frustration lead to fucking.

the last thing wonwoo could ever bring himself to do was hurt you, neither physically or verbally, despite how upset he would get. same could be said for you - so it was only natural when the flames of anger that ignited in you were transformed into embers of pure, raw sex in heated attempts to release the tension.

it quickly became your go to method.

countless times has wonwoo come home in the middle of week old arguments, and you don’t even speak as much as a word to one another before his lips are on yours. not much has to be said before those ridiculously soft lips of his are passionately sucking the life- and any fight you had left- out of you. both of your frustrations were palpable in the way you’d bite his lips, the way his enormous hands would bruise your hips— the way he'd tossed you around like you deserved the dull pain that came with being slammed against the wall or folded over a solid surface.

at some point, you had come to terms that this was not the proper way to settle your disagreements; realizing you were both just bottling up the negativity that would surely explode one day. but shit, it was hard to change your ways when your boyfriend was so fucking hot and dealt with you in a way that left you so physically satisfied.

you’d be lying if you said the thought of wonwoo’s indignant demeanor didn’t make your cheeks warm, his tongue always putting in extra effort to turn your mind into mush. you know he'd never harm you, but you actually liked when he made it hurt a little during sex - as if you were being punished.

something you would never admit is that there were a few times you had pissed him off on purpose, just so he would strip you down and have his way with you right then and there. there was one time where his unnaturally talented mouth toyed with you damn near all day by denying your climax, despite pushing you to the edge several times. cloud 9 was hardly an accurate description of how you felt when wonwoo finally let you release in his mouth, or over his naked chest, or even in his big hands— you get the point.

but, it was time for change. healthy change.

you were pleasantly surprised when wonwoo joined you in your research of couple therapy-esque exercises to practice. you were dedicated to finding a way to help two of you actually resolve things and understand each other instead of just fucking them away. you could have actually attended a couple's therapist, but who seriously had the time for that when you could find all of the tips they’d tell you online for free anyways?

after a few days of web browsing, you came across a method that seemed reasonable and had a decently high success rate. all it entailed was simply having a quick, 10-minute discussion whenever one of you came home for the day. the trendy blogger who posted the article coined this routine as the "at home unwind". the key of the conversation was to offer both of you time to decompress and actually hear about the other's day and emotions before discussing anything negative... or doing anything physical.

the cyber therapist explicitly mentioned that was the most important thing to avoid.

oddly enough, it reassured you that this issue was common enough for others to experience, feeling like this method of practice nailed you and wonwoo’s biggest issue directly on the head. however, as pitiful as it sounded, you weren’t sure how confident you were in either of your abilities to talk for 10 minutes straight while keeping your hands to yourself.

these days, it felt like arguing and fucking were the only channels of communication for you two. it was terrible, you know, but wonwoo had a slick mouth and a huge cock - pair those with your stubborn attitude and the equation practically works itself out. during especially argumentative days, it was only a matter of time before one of you pounced on the other. still, wonwoo was fully on board to take on this new challenge and you were thankful for that.

the first four or so sessions went magnificently. you had actually begun to talk to wonwoo every evening and started to get a better look on his daily work life, and the kinds of things he dealt with and how certain things lifted his mood or took a toll on him. it made you remember how much you loved talking to your boyfriend. he was deep, sentimental, and had some of the most intriguing insight you’ve ever heard from anybody.

maybe the internet wasn't always full of shit, since this diy therapy was clearly helping steer your relationship towards a better place. you were starting to get a really good feeling about this whole thing.

and then the next argument came.

god, you could hardly remember what even sparked the fight this time. perhaps it was something about house chores, or you staying out too late with your friends – all you could confidently remember was getting pissed off from the accusatory tone in his voice.

before you knew it, you were exchanging petty back and forths throughout the day, and slamming doors just a little too loudly. admittedly, you did want to fuck him as you fell back into your old habits. hearing wonwoo's rude remarks would make your ears steam with annoyance, but you also recognized the familiar look in his eyes that would only show face when he wanted to stuff you full with that fat cock of his until you were whimpering apologies for being an asshole. deep down, you wanted him to make you.

but alas, you kept to yourselves. you tried to rely on your new little therapeutic routine, but even those talks would end in exasperation and headaches. within a day or two, you started to ween off the unwinding technique, cutting the conversation short as soon as one of you caught an attitude. something inside you couldn't have cared in the slightest, and you were sure he didn't either. it wasn't until things escalated a bit further than they usually did one night that caused wonwoo to worry.

the screaming match was your fault, knowing full well that you were the hypocrite for fussing at him the minute he came home from a late night out with his buddies. you were the usual culprit when it came to staying out well into the hours of the night without so much as a text to wonwoo. but you were already irritated and irrational, so you decided to take it out on him.

"you're a fucking asshole, y/n." was the last thing wonwoo had muttered before going into your shared room and forcing the door shut, the wooden echo sounding throughout the apartment.

you barely managed a half-hearted "fuck you" in return, feeling a pang of guilt in your stomach from the aggravation you heard in his voice. still, you stubbornly held your ground, taking to sleep on the couch that night.

you were still asleep, sprawled on the cushions as wonwoo went to work the next morning. he had glanced at your sleeping figure on the way out, debating whether to wake you up or not. he ultimately decided against it as he wordlessly left and let his bitchy boyfriend sleep.

when you did awake, you had resulted to brooding under the blankets all day. you sighed, annoyed at your heavy conscious stirring within you as you knew it should you who apologizes first.

as thick skulled as you were, you did manage to pick up your phone in order to text wonwoo. but before you got the chance to get typing, you were met with a familiar ping.

wonu 🐈‍⬛: make sure you're home when i get off. we haven't done our 10 in a couple days.

you knew he was talking about the at home unwind, which you two had been skipping due to the heat of the atmosphere in said home.

despite how it may seem through your eyes, wonwoo couldn't stand arguing with you - especially to this extent. all he could think about during his busy workday was how you were most definitely sulking at home, alone.

and of course, he was right. he was always right when it came to you. you never reached out to others when you were frustrated, not even him, which only bothered him more. on the other hand, he also couldn't shake the image of you bundled up in his clothes.

you always loved to borrow and wear his things, no matter how mad at him you got, with those gut-wrenchingly attractive lips of yours plumped up into a pout. the things he wanted that mouth of yours, so attitudinal but so supple, to do him during times like this.

wonwoo released a hushed, deep groan as he pinched the bridge of his nose, realizing he was straining his office pants.

you sighed, reading the text over once more but not bothering to respond. everything you had to say you might as well save for the exercise.

you felt wonwoo's presence before you heard it. he walked through the door quietly, causing your head to peak around the corner from your room as he shrugged off his jacket and set his things down.

he had went to the gym after work, as he usually does, his attire changed from his plain button up and slacks to loose sweats and that one white tee that tightly hugged his chiseled torso.

one look up to you had your breath catching in your throat, his eye contact intense as he held it while slipping his shoes off. you had no clue what to say when his long legs carried himself over to the couch you had spent most of the day grumbling to yourself on. taking a seat, wonwoo spread his legs comfortably while patting his thigh, keeping his gaze downcast.

you felt small, as if you were a child being beckoned over. nonetheless you obeyed, walking over to him and shyly climbing into his lap.

the air was stiff as you awkwardly tried to get comfortable, wonwoo's hands taking over to shift your legs so that you straddled him. you avoided looking at his gorgeous, clearly vexed face as your knees caged around his waist. you sat like that in silence for what felt like eternity, the warmth of his body taking over yours as you watched his buff chest rise and fall under the constraints of his t-shirt. you were suddenly painfully aware of how long it had been since you'd been this close within his proximity.

on the days you didn't fight, you were always all over your massive boyfriend. you were addicted to the feeling of his larger form and smooth skin against yours. even now, despite the tension in the air, you could physically feel yourself relaxing from being atop of him like this.

"you know you really pissed me off last night."

of course that's the first thing that comes out of his mouth. you felt your blood spike immediately, eyes shooting up to him as he stared at you with such a lack of expression it seemed almost smug.

"but you-" you started, ready to fire back, but caught yourself. "forget it. i thought you wanted to do the unwind."

"i do." he responded calmly, slowly sliding his hands up your thighs and meeting behind your back. you ignored the motion, sporting that exact pout that he loved so fucking much.

"then we need to follow the steps." you chided back, trying to remember the order of the prompts. the first one was simple. "so... how was work? anything weigh you down at all?"

it was awkward trying to ask the questions with a genuine tone, knowing how pissed you both still were.

"honestly, i couldn't stop thinking about how much i wanted to fuck you all day."

your gasp was involuntary, eyes shooting back to his in disbelief. this time that signature smirk of his stretched loosely on his face, signaling that you gave him the exact reaction he was looking for. before you could interject he kept going, that deep voice of his dropping an octave.

"had me thinking about how much of a bitch you were last night, and how i should've just stayed home today to make sure i knocked it right out of you." you felt his grip on your ass tighten with his words.

"w-wonwoo..." you tried to speak up, your fidgeting giving away your growing nerves. "whatever you're doing-"

"god, you had me bricked up in the middle of a fucking meeting, y/n. you like doing that to me don't you? you just have to go and get me so riled up so that the only thing i can think about the next few days is feeling you shaking under me, hm?"

there were very few times you've been rendered speechless, yet this was undoubtedly one of them. your skin had managed to catch on fire in the matter of seconds from the way he was speaking to you alone, your body instinctually reacting to him. you now understood in full wonwoo's aforementioned struggle of straining his pants at work, since you were feeling the very same thing happen to your boxers now.

your own erection started to grow while you envisioned wonwoo's words, and you suddenly felt a twitch under you. a quiet moan escaped you when you looked down to see wonwoo's familiar bulge for yourself, proudly prodding through his sweats.

his smirk had grown even wider when you looked back up to him, lust pooling in your eyes as he ran his tongue lazily over his pristine teeth. that grin was so teasing that you didn't know if you wanted to punch or kiss it off.

you decided on the latter.

everything moved so quickly as your frustration boiled past your breaking point, causing you to lurch forward and claim wonwoo's mouth against your own. you held back a mewl feeling his plush lips against yours for the first time in what felt like years. it had only been a couple days, but with wonwoo sometimes hours felt like a lifetime.

you allow your head to grow fuzzy as your boyfriend presses deeper against you, scooting your body further up his thighs so that he can taste even more of you in one go. this time a pathetic moan did fall from you as wonwoo's hot tongue slipped into your mouth, and he eagerly swallowed the sound. your hands grew a mind of their own as they tangled in his soft, jet black strands.

wonwoo greedily ground your hips against his, making sure you felt his hardened length glide against yours before he sat you directly on top of it, causing you to instinctively clench around nothing. the sound of wonwoo's plump lips smacking against yours caused him to groan, a chilling shock shooting down your spine once he started sucking on your tongue.

when you were running out of air, wonwoo pulled away to hear you whimper aloud while his hungry lips attached to your jaw, slowly kissing his way down your neck.

"wonu," you groaned, grabbing onto his wide shoulders while bucking your hips forwards again. you swore you could feel his abs through his shirt. you called his name a second time, trying to stabilize your voice to get his attention.

he hummed in acknowledgment without stopping his ministrations, sucking leisurely just above your weak spot. you whimpered once more and reluctantly push against his shoulders to detach him from your neck, breathing heavily as his blown out eyes assessed you.

you felt like prey under his narrow glare, desire and anger somehow coexisting his dark eyes. you wanted nothing more than to let him devour you, but you could hear that faint voice of reason in the back of your head telling you not to resort to your old ways. you wanted to listen while you could at least still recognize it.

"the exercise..." you sighed, "we have to finish."

your hands wander all over each other as you try to pace your breathing and calm down, the tension in the room palpable. wonwoo nods at your suggestion, closing his eyes to stretch his neck side to side. something only jeon wonwoo could make look that sexy.

"okay, so how was your day?" he mutters before leaning back in, lips gently pressing directly on your neck's soft spot. its a much gentler kiss, him showing attention to each patch of skin he came across.

you allow your eyes to flutter shut and let out a breath as you felt him pamper you, tenderly running his large hands up and down your back.

"it was- good... i mean, it was okay." you concentrated on speaking, twirling a bit of wonwoo's hair betwixt your fingers.

"just okay?" wonwoo spoke against your neck, knowing how you loved the vibration of his voice.

"well... i spent most of it moping." you sunk a bit further down on his lap at the admission.

"really? what's got you down, no plans today?" he feigned curiosity between kisses, knowing good and well exactly why you spent all day upset.

"no i— oh my god," you trailed off, feeling wonwoo's tongue drag flatly along your collarbone. when did his hands find their way under your shirt?

when you felt a mark forming at the base of your throat your head tilted back, sending a moan into the open air as you wrapped your arms around wonwoo's shoulders.

"w-wonu, the exercise..." the words carried no authority coming from you, but wonwoo relented and pulled away from your neck.

"right, right." he responded. he blinked a few times while caressing your hips, visibly trying to snap out of the trance he'd fallen into.

"i just feel bad about last night..." you went on. "its kind of all i've been thinking about."

wonwoo sighed, catching his bottom lip between his teeth as he studied you.

"i feel like shit too, baby. as soon you went to bed i regretted everything. i shouldn't have reacted to you that way when i'd just stepped through the door."

you felt the smallest flurry of butterflies from his softened demeanor, his original lustful gaze of fire sizzling for just a moment as he stared directly in your eyes with a gentleness you could tell was genuine. the pang of love that you felt conjure out of no where you was impossible to ignore, but so was the hint of desire that came along with it as he kept speaking.

"i've been wrong about a lot without even realizing it, which only makes things worse when we're frustrated."

the look of shy longing that now overtook his eyes felt incomprehensibly magnetic, and while the aggravation of the other day still burned underneath your skin, you suddenly found yourself wanting to do anything in order to make wonwoo feel better.

you couldn't remember a time where wonwoo had taken responsibility like this before, admitting fault without a hint of backlash. even though he knew you were both in the wrong a majority of the time, he was humbling himself to make amends with you– and you couldn't believe how much it was turning you on.

"i don't like going to bed angry at you," wonwoo continued his rambling, stuttering only a bit when you decided it was your turn to start kissing down his neck.

as terrible as it was, his words were starting to fade into background noise as you glide your lips along his supple skin, embracing his warm and brawny scent. you started feeling up his biceps, gently squeezing the muscle in your palms. you let yourself bask in how even more defined they felt from his gym session, which you were left to assume was less than an hour ago.

"i..." he slightly trembled, clearly losing himself to your actions. "i think theres a lot more that we could do to help fix us... you know what i mean?" he spoke in a low tone, and you caught on to how his sentences started slurring into groans when you suckled just below his sharp jaw.

much like he did earlier, you only offered wonwoo a hum of acknowledgment and nothing more.

in hindsight, you should be fully attentive to everything he's saying. especially because this was a rare moment where he was actively trying to solve things. but you just couldn't help yourself - the gentle and guilty tone of his voice was causing your mind to melt, let alone how good his body felt under yours again after so long. what was really sealing your coffin was the taste of his skin as you nipped at it, causing you to stir downstairs.

"are you even listening to me, y/n?" wonwoo asked, a large hand tugging the back of your neck so he could look into your eyes. your glossed over, lovestruck eyes. "all i'm trying to say is i'm sor-"

wonwoo's apology didn't even get to leave his lips in entirety before you were pressing them against yours, trapping the unfinished sentence back into the void. your boyfriend's eyes widened slightly at the desperation in the act, before slowly closing them and allowing you to take over.

you moaned quietly, the kiss immediately picking up intensity while you had your way in absolutely ravaging wonwoo, your thighs tightening around his waist as you tasted him more. you could feel wonwoo's resolve melting the longer you played with his hair, keeping his head firmly in place to keep feeding him the long winded kiss. he pulled away right before you could drain him of his very last drop of sanity, groaning at how your teeth latched on to his bottom lip for just a second longer.

"shouldn't we be talking, babe? you were the one who wanted to do the therapy..." wonwoo spoke, his words opposing his actions as he dragged your hips over his.

"i know, i know... just, fuck... later, please." you exhaled out, feeling overcome with pure want as one of your hands instinctively dropped down to palm your bulge.

wonwoo didn't bother hiding his smirk as he peered between your bodies at your shameless action, feeling overwhelmingly smug that he could get you acting this way with such little effort. he knew exactly how fervidly your body reacted to him, and it only inflated his ego more.

he couldn't deny your adorable pleading voice, the usual spiteful tone of yours completely replaced by begs for him. wonwoo could see how you wanted nothing more than to just feel him on top of you, overwhelming you, and he was losing his self control much faster than he'd like to admit.

fuck it, you guys could figure out the sappy stuff later.

there was no hesitation when wonwoo's long fingers encased your face and pulled you back to him, completely taking over your mouth with a searing kiss. you pitifully attempted to match his pace while you processed the heat of the moment. less than a beat later your hips were back to bucking at the feeling of that tongue of his forcing its way past your lips, slipping into your cavern and running dauntlessly over your teeth before pressing flat against your own wet muscle.

your hands were clinging to his shirt, bunching it up near his chest before you realized how in the way it was of you having true access to all of him. you started tugging at the hems of his shirt, whimpering when wonwoo's relentless tongue traced patterns on the roof of your mouth.

he immediately got the hint, pulling away to chuckle against your face while helping you yank the snug material over his head. you released a deep sigh of relief you once his body was revealed, hands shaky as you finally danced them across his perfect skin.

wonwoo was so built so fucking disrespectfully.

his chiseled muscles and bare chest were on full display to your hungry eyes. those same proportions that drove you crazy just from looking at him in fitted clothes now had your mind racing faster than you could comprehend.

his exposed, broad shoulders grew wider each time you saw them, and those perked nipples and sculpted abs stared directly back at you - you had no idea if you could ever get used to him.

he pulled your mouth back to his immediately, gifting you the sloppiest open mouth kisses imaginable as all of the words you had planned to say melted into moans. you couldn’t stop yourself from grinding into him again through all the layers of your shorts, your quickly throbbing erection deliciously dragging along his much larger one. you dared break apart from wonwoo’s addictive lips just to glance down at the enormous tent in his pants, wanting to watch yourself drag your clothed cock against his again.

wonwoo chuckled, knowing you were slipping into that headspace that caused you to act like a starved maniac - you were his favorite when you acted like this.

before you knew it, you were being tossed, your back molding with the couch cushions. you looked up to see wonwoo smirking down at you, looking nothing short of divine from above you. a blush rose to your cheeks from how the soft light of your living room was cast agains the grooves of his physique.

"you want me?" he teased.

the words were caught in your throat, but you didn't even need them as wonwoo was quick to pull your own shirt clean off, covering your body with his own frame. your coo's of approval made wonwoo's dick twitch again, knowing how much you loved feeling the delicious pressure of his weight on you.

your fingertips roamed the vast expanse of wonwoo's back as he starting kissing you dizzy again, your hands just as hungry as your mouth was to feel him.

your eyes remained closed as he started kissing down your body, making sure to leave a teasing kitten lick to an exposed nipple on his way down. you shuddered at the sensation, a hand flying back to his hair as you felt his hands smooth both your shorts and underwear down your legs all in one go.

neither of you could handle much teasing when you were worked up like this. however, your back still arched against the cushions when wonwoo placed a chaste kiss to your cock, groaning as he felt streaks of precum that managed to leak through and decorate your member. he did you a quick favor, greedily licking at the underside of your cock and loving how you tugged at his hair.

wonwoo said nothing as he ventured lower, allowing his eager tongue to lap a stripe around your hole, rimming you to his content. you gasped loudly, a string of curses and disorganized begs falling from your lips while he used both palms to hold you still.

you felt tears begin to prickle at your eyes, both from desperation and satisfaction although he'd barely done anything yet. it wasn't until you felt his pink tongue finally push into entrance that a tear cascaded down your cheek, feeling the vibrations of his moans reverberate through your entire body.

it felt like as soon as wonwoo got started he had finished, withdrawing from playing with your ass as if he had only wanted a quick taste.

"so good for me, baby. not feeling like a bitch anymore, are we?" he taunted as he settled himself back over you, his cockiness making you try to avoid ogling over the sight of his chain dangling above his burly chest.

you don't bother tossing a sarcastic comment back, instead choosing to yank his neck down to sink your teeth into it. you felt a rush of pleasure from the sound that you pulled out of him, taking your time to lave your tongue over the same spot to soothe it.

wonwoo allows himself to enjoy your rough actions for a second before bringing a hand up to wrap around your neck, forcing your head back down against the couch. he makes direct eye contact with you, noting how your eyes are darkened with the same aura that swirled within his, his signature smirk stretching back across his face as he tightened his grip.

your eyes roll to the back of your head, wonwoo's long fingers keeping any sound you could have made from escaping. you bring your hands around his forearm and hike your legs back around his slender waist, obsessed with feeling as much of him at once as you can. your mind was just about to go fully blank, reaching that dangerous zone of euphoria right as wonwoo stole yet another tantalizing kiss from you, completely overriding your senses.

and you just let him have it all, whatever he wanted. it felt so good letting him take it like this however he saw fit.

he ground his hips against yours, letting you feel your bare bottom half rub against the soft material of his sweats - just to push you that extra step further into desperation. eventually, you could tell wonwoo was proud enough of himself to move on, seeing as he'd gotten you to the peak of submission that he aimed for.

he released your neck and freed your lips for just a moment as he leaned up to his knees, urgently dragging his pants down. he locked eyes with you just to watch the expression on your face when your gaze dropped down to his cock, stood at full attention and throbbing with the need of friction. no matter how many times you'd seen and taken his cock, his girth would shock you every single time.

"still not used to it, are you, baby boy?" wonwoo teased, reaching out to leave a gentle but degrading flick against your own cock.

he often made jokes about the drastic difference your sizes to piss you off, and while you did get defensive it was impossible to deny the truth to the statements - he was packing a monster under those slacks, and you wanted it more than ever right now.

the ever-so-attentive boyfriend that he was, wonwoo read your mind. with a speed that you were eternally grateful for, the now naked man grabbed a bottle of lube conveniently from the drawer beside the couch. he made sure to lathe your fluttering hole in however much he felt necessary before finally giving you his torso's warmth once more, leaning over you while hiking your leg up and over his shoulder.

you moaned feeling the stretch in your leg combined with wonwoo's dick prodding against your hole, his lips smothering your face with wet kisses as a warning before he began pushing into you.

bliss always came so quickly with wonwoo, especially when the atmosphere was heated with the pretense of aggravated lust as it was now. the deep rolls of his hips had you clamping your hand over your mouth to keep any obnoxious mewls in, although the action was practically useless with how they were slipping out anyways. not that wonwoo minded, his head just growing bigger with how good he knew he was fucking you.

"oh my god, i think i'm already close, wonu-" you groaned, holding onto his goosebumped skin like a vice.

"already?" he teased, leaning down to nibble along your collarbone. "you must've really fucking missed me, i knew you did."

you simply dug your blunt nails into his shoulder blade in response, him returning the favor by gripping your thigh with bruising strength. the grinding of his hips doubled in speed, bottoming out in you repeatedly until beads of sweat began tracing both of your foreheads.

wonwoo sucked one more mark onto your chest for good measure, and left another loud smooch on your cheek before dipping his tongue back into your whiny mouth. the barrage of sensations was enough for you to be hurdled towards your climax. you couldn't get a singular word out as white overtook your vision, ejaculating all over wonwoo's perfect porcelain chest.

he groaned loudly in pleasure. the feeling of your arousal dripping down to his abs caused his hips to stutter before he sheathed fully inside you, shooting his cum into you as well.

both of your hips slowed into a rhythmic pace, still chasing the highs of your orgasms until all limbs went weak and wonwoo was pulling out. you simply laid still in the sticky bliss, running your hands along his glistening skin while he nuzzled his face into the crook of your neck.

"i love you," is what he muttered while basking in your scent.

"i love you too, woo."

your mouth remained ajar to speak more on your predicament, but refrained. if you were being honest, you knew that neither of you gave a damn right now. you could just start over tomorrow.

so, you hadn't quite listened to the therapist's advice... your body was buzzing with thanks that you didn't.

© 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐣𝐧𝐬 — all rights reserved

[improbable-outset]

📄 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐭

Kenji Sato x Fem!Reader

𝐀𝐎𝟑 | 𝐌𝐲 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬 | 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 5.3k (FUUUUUUU)

𝐓𝐖 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐖: One sided pinning (or that’s what Kenji believes), Reader is a daddy’s girl (me) and Kenji has daddy issues :,) brief harassment from a drunkie, Kenji saves your ass though, insecurities from Ken, Friends to More (?)

𝐀/𝐍: First Kenji fic I’m posting. If this does flop uhhh no one saw that 🫣🫣

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Kenji tells himself that he only frequents the local restaurant because their food is always the best, made with the freshest ingredients. Definitely not because he enjoys finding excuses to chat with the owner’s attractive daughter, who often helps out as an unofficial waiter.

Kenji rarely found a place to eat without being overwhelmed by baseball fans who knew nothing about personal space. While he appreciated the admiration, it was increasingly frustrating having to sit down for a meal and being disrupted.

But that wasn’t his main concern. He knew that if fans saw him dining at a certain restaurant, it would soon be flooded, limiting space in the establishment.

Fortunately, he found Kokochi Tei, a small family-owned restaurant run by a widower and occasionally his daughter, who helped as a waitress. The place quickly became his sanctuary, offering both privacy and delicious food.

Initially, Kenji frequented Kokochi Tei for its food and respect for privacy. But everything changed when you started helping out at the restaurant.

He found himself looking for you the moment he entered, hoping you were working that day. He didn’t understand what it was about you that piqued his interest.

But he knew that the hidden gem of the establishment seemed even brighter when you were there—or maybe that was just the sun reflecting on the window.

At first, he thought at all stemmed from his envy of your relationship with your father, as self-projecting as it sounded.

It never crossed his mind that he might actually be interested in you as an individual until you started interacting with him more one-on-one while serving the other patrons.

His brows creased from carrying the day's weight as he sat behind the shoji screen, though he was hopeful that coming to Kokochi Tei would turn things around.

He noticed your figure behind the screen getting closer as you headed to his table, menu in hand. Your strides always seemed to carry some grace.

“Are you sure you don’t want the menu this time?” You asked, clutching onto the menu against your chest.

“Yeah, no.” Kenji shook his head, his lips tugging up in a small smirk. “Your father is like a maestro in the kitchen, I think I’d rather take the chance,” he leaned back in his seat with his broad arms crossed over his chest.

Eating at Kokochi Tei meant expecting the unexpected, especially when it came to your father’s cooking. He was always experimenting with different dishes and Kenji would accept it, even if it was something he never had. “So, what’s special for tonight?”

“Well…Dad’s been experimenting with some Vietnamese dishes, and he nailed a chicken pho ga recipe,”

“Pho, really now?” He arched his brow, interest piqued. “How can I pass up on some chicken pho? Sounds good.”

“Alright, one bowl of pho it is,” you said.

“You’d dad was practically busting his ass in the kitchen before I got here. Is he…doing okay?” The question lingered for a moment, Kenji’s gaze drifted towards the kitchen at the far back.

“Ah…he will be once I run him a bath after,”

“Oh is that so?” He responded, his lips curled to a full grin. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full then, huh?”

“Mhmm I think he’s trying to keep himself distracted after Mom’s not around anymore…” your voice trailed off at the end. It was a sensitive topic that you wouldn’t elaborate on. You blinked and spoke again, “So…pho ga?”

“Yeah. Oh, and a glass of your dad’s homemade green tea if he’s got any,”

“Of course…should be ready in 15.” You turned your heels to leave.

“Oh…and by the way,” Kenji called out, making you halt in your tracks before you turned back to look at him. There was something about the way you perked up when he called after you that sent a flutter through him. “Did you happen to catch the game today?”

“You know I always do. Dad’s always a fan.” You responded. He held his gaze at you, watching your every expression as you spoke.

“So, I assumed you saw my little fight with the catcher, too.”

“Yeah…what’s with that?”

He sighed, ranking a hand through his hair as he recalled the event. “Long story short: the guy had a smartass comment he just needed to say.” He said, a hint of irritation evident in his voice. “And, I’m sure you know me. I don’t tend to stay quiet when I get riled up,”

He wondered what you were thinking when you watched him tussle with the catcher live on television.

Shifting in his seat at the thought, he continued, “You uh…probably saw how the coach pulled from the game after that…”

“Heh—” you stifled a laugh before covering your mouth, clearly amused by his compromising anecdote.

“What’s that sweet giggle for, huh?” He said with a tease before adding on “Don’t you have tables to wait,” he pointed out with a huff, though he couldn’t hold back his smile that gave away his unseriousness. You always found a way for him to bring out his more relaxed side.

“Uh huh,” You managed to compose yourself before you left his table to attend to the other patrons.

“Yeah…that’s what I thought,” he watched you walk away with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. A few silent moments passed by, his eyes darted around the restaurant, observing anything that could keep his attention.

There were a few paintings hung on the wall with contemporary art pieces and a few plants dotting the space. He leaned over to look past the shoji screen, trying to get a quick glance of you.

He couldn’t help but take note of you as you walked around and served the other patrons. The restaurant wasn’t busy tonight, so your movements were more fluid, with a smoother flow, rather than rushed and on your toes when the restaurant was packed.

It was enticing, even though he knew he could never be in that position— but you always made it look so easy with your welcoming demeanor.

Eventually, you headed over to his table at the back with a tray in hand.

“Here’s your pho go. I got dad to add extra chili just how you like it.” you placed the bowl of hot, steaming pho on the table in front of him. The delicious aroma was irresistible.

“And tea!” You placed a teapot with a cup next to the bowl, along with some cutlery and napkins.

“Thank you,” he said, glancing up at you with a smile. He knew the tea would be divine as always. “Pass along my compliments to your dad, yeah?”

“Always,”

“Perfect,” he started taking a spoonful of the pho, blowing the steam away before he brought it up to his lips and took a sip. He let the pho sit on his tongue to savour the flavour; it was definitely something different but still incredible. “You’re a damn good waitress, you know that.”

“I’m just…doing my job when I can,” you said meekly.

“Well, you do it damn well, if anything,” a thought erupted in his mind, wondering about your love life. He never saw you with a partner, even if he saw a glimpse of your life.

Even if it felt a little invasive, he was conflicted on whether he should ask you or not, especially with the small relationship you’ve built over the months of talking.

He knew he should hold his tongue about it, but he took the risk and asked anyway, before his doubts overtook him. “You got a boyfriend or anything,”

“Sorry?”

Oh God, don’t make him repeat himself.

“Come on, a boyfriend? Any guy at all that you’re seeing?” He always imagined asking the question with a better, more smooth delivery— not like this. Nevertheless, he was glad the question was out of the way now.

“Nope,” you said. Despite the newfound revelation, a part of him made him doubt that you would even give him a chance, given his status.

You probably only saw him as the famous baseball star who was a regular at your father’s restaurant with a big ego. Although the latter wasn’t completely wrong, he knew he was more than that but he was unsure if you were curious to explore more, like he was.

“Ah, single then, are you?” Even with his lingering doubts, there was still a sense of satisfaction with your answer, maybe some underlying hope now that he knew you weren’t seeing anyone. “I was starting to believe you’d have line of guys at your feet,”

Whether it was true or not— and he really hoped it was the latter— he didn’t want to further broach the thought of other men trying to flirt with you. He was aware of how selfish that must’ve sounded, hence why he tried to keep his feelings in check.

“Yeah…heard of that one before,”

“Heh, just trying to compliment you,” he quipped. “No need to shoot down every word that comes out of my mouth,”

He caught a playful eye roll from you as he resumed eating, taking another spoonful of the pho and relishing its taste.

He could taste the slight kick from the chili just the way he liked it. It made him wonder if you remembered other small details about him, but he quickly brushed it off before he started speculating other scenarios.

After another spoonful, he asked, “So, when do you close?”

“We’re not closing until another hour,”

“Right, right. Just another hour,” he said with a hum, continuing on the pho in front of him. “And I’m guessing you’re aren’t gonna sit down and keep me company,”

“Yeah, probably not…”

“Ouch, you’re breaking my heart here.” He teased, clenching his chest to add emphasis to his feigned hurt. “You’d rather run around catering to other people than keep this baseball player company.”

“Well you've got your tea to keep you busy,” you shot back, your teasing words matching his wittiness.

He chuckled at that, giving the tea that was sitting besides his bowl a pointed gaze. “Yeah, ‘cause it’s a great listener,” he said sarcastically.

“Oh, for sure. Totally silent and won’t interrupt you and such.”

He let out a scoff, but his amused smile was still present on his face. “Yeah, smartass. Keep it up and I might decide to stay here all night.”

You arched a brow at that. “We’ll see what dad has to say about that.”

“Please,” his lips curled into a smirk. “If anything, he’ll probably beg me to stay. The tips I give are probably the only reason this place is still in business.” He knew full well how much your dad loved serving him and having him around, and not just because of the hefty tips he gave everytime.

It’s not often that Kenji let his insecurities get the best of him. Matter of fact, it was so rare, the feeling was almost foreign to him.

He wouldn’t let them overshadow his confidence, especially when he needed it the most on the field when there were hundreds and hundreds of eyes on him in real-time or when he’s doing his Ultraman duties with the citizens relying on him to keep them safe.

But being in a situation like this felt like navigating a complex maze where he has no sense of direction. Whenever he was with you, Kenji felt like the doubts in his head were a little louder than usual, and he was worried that one day, his blasé mask would slip away.

“You know, he was on my case last time when I was hanging around your table.” You commented.

“Oh really? You think he’s afraid of losing his regular customer to a pretty waitress? I won’t ditch him anytime soon. Gotta show my appreciation to these heavenly meals, you know,”

“I think he’s more concerned about me hitting on you,”

Kenji froze momentarily, the spoonful of the noodles halfway to his mouth, before he looked up at you with genuine surprise. “Wait wait wait— he seriously thinks you’d try making a move on me?” The thought alone seemed too baffling for him to comprehend.

“Yes, he does,”

A small chuckle escaped him before it morphed into a full blown laughter. He noticed through his teary eyes that you still held your serious expression. “That’s-” he began, taking a deep breath to compose himself. “Oh wow…your old man actually thinks you’re after me?”

Although the claim sounded comical hearing it out loud, Kenji hoped that there was some truth to it—even if he did disguise his hope with his laugh just now.

Just the thought of him catching your eye like that made something in him stir with a spark of excitement and nervousness.

“Unfortunately, and that’s all he talks about,” you finished your sentence with a groan. Kenji wondered how you really felt about the situation. Were you truly denying any interest, or was there something you’re holding back?

“He’s been talking to you about me, then, has he? About how you’re all falling for my charms and such?”

“Urgh, I don’t even want to feed that idea into his head,”

“But why not?” He leaned forward on his chair with his arms resting against the table. “I’m sure this whole thing is giving him a good laugh,” It was quite charming seeing the dynamic between you and your father and how your father felt about your interaction. Though he really hoped that he wasn’t temperamental about it.

“More like another reason to be on my case…I’ve already stressed him out for giving the wrong order to a few customers this week alone,”

He recalled one incident that had been going around the dining area. “Right…didn’t you give a guy beef noodles when he was supposed to get pork instead?”

You pressed your lips together in mild annoyance at the reminder, and he chuckled at your quiet response.

“Yeah. Poor fella probably had a fit once he realised what happened. I’m sure you had an earful from your dad after that,” he add

Just at that moment, another customer entered the restaurant, and you were already on your toes to serve them a table.

There was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes at the interruption; he was really enjoying your conversation, but of course, your job comes first.

“Duty calls, huh?” You nodded in silent response. “Go on then, go play nice and serve your customers.”

The male customer trotted over to an empty table, trying to hide the clumsiness in his steps. Kenji was never superstitious, but something about that man just at first glance rang all alarm bells in him.

He couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but his instincts were telling him to keep a close eye on the interaction and stay on high alert.

The longer he watched the the conversation between you and the newcomer, the more he could pick up on his behaviour.

His crooked smile, his relaxed yet provocative body language, and his slight slurred speech all pointed to him being intoxicated.

The man’s presence disrupted the calm atmosphere in the room, and Kenji couldn’t help but find himself on edge.

As you left for the kitchen to fetch his order, Kenji didn’t miss the man staring at your backside. It was obvious that he was eyeing your body like a shark sizing up it’s prey.

Kenji’s protective instinct kicked into overdrive, making him clutch the spoon in his hand hard enough to leave a dent on his palm.

He continued to watch as you returned from the kitchen, only to be met with the obnoxious patron who was getting more unruly by the minute. Kenji couldn’t hear the conversation from where he was sitting, but he could tell that you were uncomfortable.

You maintained your forced smile through your nervousness, and he could only seethe from his seat.

It took every ounce of willpower not to step in and cause a scene.

But something in him snapped the moment the man reached out and tried stroking her leg. All the tension he had held back boiled over.

In a swift motion, he stood up from his seat, the chair scraping against the wooden floor with a loud screech. He strode over towards the table, each step fueled with purpose and irritation.

He placed a hand on your shoulder and felt you jolt from the sudden contact.

“Come here,” he muttered, his voice gentle yet firm.

“What?”

“Just come closer,” he urged, the grip on your shoulder growing slightly tighter. Despite his calm exterior, his eyes betrayed his irritation.

You did as you was told and moved towards him. Immediately, he pulled you close and wrapped a protective arm around your waist, making sure you were behind him, shielding you from the man’s lecherous gaze with his athletic frame.

In the deepest pit of his gut, he felt a tinge of nervousness having been this close to you and having his arm around you. He always imagined what it would be like to be in this position but not in a situation like this.

But he brushed that thought aside as he looked down at the man, his eyes narrowed into slits. His voice instantly dropped to a dangerous tone, dripping with menace. “You got a problem?”

The man didn’t seemed fazed, still maintaining his lopsided grin, which only fueled his irritation further. “Nah, just having fun with the waitress here,”

Kenji felt his gut twist as the man’s spoke. ‘Fun.’ The word echoed in his head “Well, your fun ends here.”

“What, you got a problem with a guy just having a good time? Look at her, she loves the attention.” The man tried to lean to the side so he could take a look at you, but Kenji immediately blocked his view.

“She clearly doesn’t want anything to do with you,”

“You her boyfriend or something?” The customer sneered.

Kenji felt you tense behind him at that question. A part of him wanted to claim that title— not only to get the man to back off, but also to finally say it out loud, just to see how it felt like on his tongue.

But feeling how you tensed up made him second guess, so he kept his answer vague. “It doesn’t matter if I am her boyfriend or not, you’re going to leave her alone now.”

The man was completely oblivious to Kenji’s mounted annoyance. Kenji was surprised he didn’t recognise him, but that could be the alcohol completely skewing his judgment. Kenji leaned in so he was forced to focus on him.

“Eyes on me,” his voice sharpened, a hot razor blade. “She's not for you to touch or ogle, do you understand?”

The drunk man’s bravado evaporated under Kenji’s intense glare. He realised that continuing to provoke him would only lead to more trouble. He shifted in his seat before standing up unsteadily.

“Fine, fine I get it. She’s yours. No need to get all territorial, man.” The man muttered before staggering out of the restaurant, his balance wavering as he walked.

Once he was out of sight, the restaurant slowly resumed to its usual buzz and the patrons turned their attention back to their food. Though there was still a lingering awkwardness in the room that was hard to ignore.

Kenji’s attention shifted back to you, his fury melting into concern. You still look shaken and he could feel your muscles still taunt from the encounter.

His voice lowered to a softer tone, a mix of concern and protectiveness. “You alright?”

It took a moment before you could respond, your voice barely above a whisper but still audible enough for him to hear. “Y-yeah…I think so,”

Kenji could still send the remnants of fear lingering in your eyes and notice the slight tremor in your frame. The shock of the incident was still fresh and you were still trying to process what had just happened to you.

“I think I might close up early for the night,” you said, and he nodded in understanding. The whole ordeal must’ve taken a toll on you and you probably weren’t in the right state of mind to continue serving.

“Let me help you,” he offered.

“You don’t have to. Your pho…” you started, but he waved off your concern. His only focus was to make sure you were comfortable.

“Forget about that, it’s cold anyways. I’m helping you, no arguments.” He insisted firmly, leaving no room for debate in his tone.

Without waiting for a response from you, he reluctantly let go of you, wishing he could hold you a bit longer.

Fortunately, the place was quiet tonight and there were only a few customers scattered around finishing off their meals. He approached them one by one and politely asked them to finish up and head out, explaining the place was closing early.

As he waited for the place to clear out, his gaze lingered back on you as you started cleaning up the counter and counting the tip jar. You were uncharacteristically stiff and mechanical. Seeing you like this made his chest ache.

He wondered how often these things happened to you while you were on the clock. This was the first time he had witnessed anything like that, and he hated that some jackass ruined your night after seeing how relaxed you were earlier.

A few minutes later, once the last customer had walked out, Kenji returned to you, vigilant. “They’re all gone now.”

You didn’t meet his eyes, too stunned to focus on anything other than the floor. His chest tightened at the sight. “My dad’s gonna be pissed,”

“Why would he be pissed? It’s not your fault some drunk guy was harassing you.” He took a step closer, trying to study your expression.

You let out a solemn sigh, enough for him to feel the weight of your worry. He wanted to reach out and comfort you, but he knew you probably didn’t want to be touched right now.

“Hey, look at me.”

You glanced up at him briefly, then quickly interjected before he could speak, “You should uhm…finish off your pho. Don’t want it to get wasted, huh?” You quickly added, “Do you like dorayaki?”

He paused, surprised by your sudden change of topic. He couldn’t tell if it was a coping mechanism from your distress, but he appreciated your attempt to lighten the mood. “Dorayaki? Yeah, I love them,”

“Let me give you one…it’s on the house for helping me.” Before he could respond, you were already heading to the front counter where the dorayaki were displayed.

You wrapped one in a napkin and handed it to him. He accepted it gracefully, wrapping his large hand around the treat. “You sure your dad won’t get mad at you for giving away free food,”

“I don’t think he’ll notice anyway,” you said. “Plus, he’ll probably do the same, being his favourite baseball player and all.”

“Oh, so I’m the favourite, huh?” He unwrapped the dorayaki and took a bite. “Well, I had to admit, your dad’s got good taste in baseball,”

“Yeah…don’t see why he’d have an issue with me hitting on you, if that was the case, considering how much he admires your game play and such.”

“Can't blame him for being protective of you. I wouldn’t want some cocky bastard hitting on you either,”

“Oh, so you admit that you’re a bastard,”

“Guilty as charged, but I’m the kind of bastard that knows how to treat a girl right. Unlike those idiots that only see you as a piece of meat,”

He paused, recalling the incidents from earlier. He didn’t want to mull over what could’ve happened if things turned out differently. “I’m just glad I was here tonight. I wasn’t going to let some asswipe take advantage of you.”

A sudden outburst could be heard from the kitchen before the back door slammed open, revealing your father’s hardened face.

You stood upright, preparing for the confrontation. “Baba…”

You dad eyed both of you and he could almost feel the suspicion rising from him. His voice was gruff with a protective anger, “What is going on here?”

“It’s not what it looks like. I had to close the shop half an hour early,” you said quickly.

“And what’s the reason for that?”

Kenji took this opportunity to step in before things escalated further, not wanting you to revisit the story again. “Because some drunkard was harassing her. She felt uncomfortable and decided to close up early for safety reasons.”

Your dad’s attention darted at Kenji, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. He was used to people recognising him along with the shocked and awestruck look on their faces when they see him. But the way you dad was looking at him was something new, and he didn’t know how to react in the situation.

He quickly looked back at you and asked, “Is it true? Someone was messing with you?”

“Yeah…he touched me,” you said before gesturing to Kenji, “but Kenji stopped it from escalating,”

Your father still seemed guarded as he asked, “You stepped in?”

“Yeah, I did. I wasn’t going to stand by and watch her get harassed,”

You father’s gaze flickered between the two of you, his earlier suspension giving way to grudging respect. He was aware of Kenji’s reputation, both on and off the field. If the pro-baseball player had intervened, it must’ve meant the situation was serious enough to warrant it.

You picked up on your dad’s hesitation. “Baba, I was never trying to make a move on Kenji. You can even ask him,”

For some odd reason, Kenji felt his heart quicken at your words. Hearing you actually mentioning it to your father felt almost cathartic.

Kenji felt his eyes on him again, almost looking for confirmation from him. Kenji nodded, keeping his voice level, despite his senses going haywire right now, “She’s telling the truth, nothing inappropriate is going on between us,”

The room seemed to relax as your father’s tense demeanor faded. Perhaps after hearing it from Kenji himself was enough to convince him.

“Alright, I just wanted to make sure that nothing is going on behind my back,” he said. “Looks like I have to pack everything away in the kitchen,”

“I’m sorry, Baba.”

“It’s not your fault, don’t apologise. I’m just glad you’re okay,”

Your father looked back at Kenji, his expression more sincere now. “And I guess I owe you a thanks for stepping in and saving the day,”

“I gave him free dorayaki,” you chimed in.

“Ah, rewarding him with food, huh? That’s my girl.” He turned back to Kenji and stuck his hand out.

“I appreciate you looking out for her, son. Thank you.” He gave Kenji a firm handshake, though the word ‘son’ had struck him more than he let on, sending an odd feeling through his body. He didn’t think hearing another father calling him that would affect him.

Though he simply nodded, his expression was sincere, “No problem. I wouldn’t have let anything bad happen to her,”

He was still taken back by the unexpected term of endearment from your dad, cutting through his usual confidence. Memories of his own strained relationship with his father flickered in his mind, something he hadn’t confronted with for a while.

Your father gave you both a final nod before he headed back to the kitchen to finish off the last bits of closing.

Kenji maintained his gaze on the back door where you dad just exited, his mind now racing. He started speculating on how different things would be now, and more importantly, how you felt about the situation.

“What’s with that face?” You voiced snapped him out of his deep trance. He didn’t realise how silent he had been until you spoke up.

He turned back to look at you, “I just can't get over the fact that you dad seems to consider me a hero for saving you today,” he said jokingly, though there was some truth to it.

It was refreshing to be seen as more than just a star player; your father saw him for his character and actions. Even if it was just a brief glimpse, gaining your father’s trust and respect felt like a significant accomplishment— something he hadn’t achieved with his own father.

“I can’t believe he called you son, eugh.” Kenji couldn’t believe it either, still hung up on that moment. The gratification still felt fresh, and he hoped that feeling would last.

“Yeah, that too. Seems like he’s accepted me into the family,” he smiled.

“Oh God…” you groaned, massaging your temple to emphasise your feigned exasperation.

“Don’t worry, I won’t take offense to it. I actually find it entertaining.”

“Yeah, that’s one way of putting it,” you said.

It was definitely more than that to him, given the gravity of the situation with his own father.

But he wasn’t going to admit that to you. Maybe one day he’d share more of his family life with you, now that he seemed to be more than just a customer here.

“You know, it’s actually kind of amusing how you’re so bothered by this,” he mused.

“I think you got on his good side, so good for you.”

“Oh, I think I’ve got more that just his good side,”

“What do you mean?”

His smile morphed into a full grin, “Well I just saved his daughter from being harassed. He’s probably thinking of seeing me as a potential son-in-law.”

Shit, why did he say that. Did he sound weird?

You grumbled. “Don’t get excited now,”

Seeing your grumpy expression gave him some relief. It was better than seeing you disturbed. Then again, you were probably used to his teasing by now, so he couldn’t be too surprised.

“Relax, I’m not getting my hopes up…”

Lies.

“…I know you’re not swooning over me like your dad thinks,”

“But I’m pretty sure he’s noticed the way you freeze everytime I look at you when you come into the restaurant,”

He almost choked on his own saliva when you said that. He didn’t think that you’d notice, but now that you had, he wondered how obvious he was.

“I…don’t do that. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he mentally cursed himself for stuttering. No one had this much of an effect on him, and he didn’t know how to act.

“Just the other day, a man scolded at you for holding the queue,” you commented. Of course you would remember that.

“Alright, fine. I admit it. Maybe I do get a bit distracted sometimes when you look at me. But can you blame me?”

You covered your mouth to hide your snickering, holding back from laughing too hard. “Wow…I didn’t think you were that whipped,”

He huffed at that but he wasn’t going to deny it, even if it did hurt his pride. He knew he was more than just whipped; with those pretty eyes and beautiful smile, you could make him do just about anything.

“Yeah, okay. Laugh it all you want,” he muttered. He didn’t expect you to lean in towards him, invading his line of sight.

Oh no…you were more breathtaking up close.

“Hmm, I might be tempted to drag this out a little, just to see how far you’ll go.” You said, a small smile hinting a tease.

He swallowed thickly before he spoke, mirroring your tone, “Oh, really? You’re gonna make me work for it?”

He wouldn’t mind that if it meant spending more time with you. Every interaction with you was exhilarating and he would take the chance if it meant taking things further with you outside of your work.

The positive interaction with your father gave him a much-needed boost of confidence. If your father trusted him, maybe you would, too.

“Well…what if we start things slow and I asked you to dinner then? I’ll do you good and take you somewhere fancy since you have good taste in food,”

Seeing the way your eyes light before you answered made his chest warm with gratitude. “That sounds nice actually….yeah, I’d like that,”

𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐬: @lovingyeet @aise-30 @moonjellyfishie @dear-detested @nommingonfood

@luneariaa @ittomain1 @slushycoookie @roserfz27 @starriestarlight

@lily-337

[beardedmrbean]

The pediatrician who claimed the Texas flood victims were Trump supporters who got “what they voted for” has issued a groveling apology after being canceled and fired.

Dr. Christina B. Propst said she is taking “full responsibility” for her now-viral post — while blaming it in part on her not knowing that “so many precious lives were lost to the terrible tragedy” that killed more than 100 people, including dozens of kids.

“I speak to you as a mother, a neighbor, a pediatrician, and a human being who is deeply sorry,” the Houston-based children’s doc wrote in a statement shared by KPRC.

“I understand my comment caused immense pain to those suffering indescribable grief and for that I am truly sorry.”

While insisting she wrote her post before knowing anyone had died, she acknowledged: “The words written were mine and regardless of how they are being presented, that is a fact that I deeply regret.

“I want to apologize to each and every individual suffering through terrible loss in this difficult time.” Blaming the backlash on her post “being shared with the false impression that I made it after the devastating loss of life was known,” she again conceded: “The comment was mine and mine alone.”

Propst sparked widespread outrage from the since-deleted post, posted under her old Facebook username, Chris Tina.

“May all visitors, children, non-MAGA voters and pets be safe and dry. Kerr County MAGA voted to gut FEMA,” she had written.

“They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for. Bless their hearts.”

Propst’s employer, Blue Fish Pediatrics, announced she was “no longer employed” in a statement on Monday after she was initially suspended.

“We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family, regardless of background or beliefs,” the medical provider said.

Propst said in her apology that politics have never impacted her judgment or actions as a medical provider, adding that she is “tirelessly committed to children’s medical care and would never be so callous as to make such a remark about lives cut so terribly short.”

She said her harsh words came from “a place of frustration” amid her belief that better support is needed to prepare and respond to disasters like last weekend’s floods.

More than 160 people are still missing in the wake of the devastating floods, and at least 118 have died — with that number expected to rise, officials said.

[meanbossart]

You are an amazing artist, but I also wanted to compliment your character-building skills! The amount of thought and care you put into their thoughts, actions, and feelings really shows that you have a deep understanding of who they are as complex individuals. I'm a tarot reader and got to thinking- which of the major arcana archetypes do you think represents DU Drow best?

Thank you so much! This seems like a question you can probably answer better than myself, seeing as I don't know much about Tarot 😅but after a quick overview I am (perhaps unsurprisingly) very tempted by The Lovers card.

Every single major life decision DU drow has made (or, uh, had imposed upon him) has been pretty directly connected to people he fell in love with. Orin, Shadowheart, Astarion - he was or is bound to their whims because he's decided they're special, and the importance that he gives to their presence and thoughts is almost irrational, while simultaneously being so infuriatingly quick to dismiss everyone else in the world before even giving them a chance.

DU drow can only understand himself through others, so he picks specific people and gives them the honor of telling him who he is, mostly because he trusts them to give him the answers he wants to hear... Until they don't. And because they've already been assigned this role, he's left cracking his skull as to why things would change - as a Bhaalist, this led to anger and frustration, but as a redemned DU he can actually ponder and practice some insight to the best of his (limited) abilities, given that the party involved pushes him hard enough towards it.

I understand this is also a card about self discovery, so yeah, it seems pretty much on the money to me! But I'm open to discussion ;)

[ordinaryschmuck]

Win or Lose is Pixar Perfection

If we ranked Win or Lose in the same level as Pixar's film line-up, it would be in my top ten. Actually, make it top five. Maybe even top THREE. In fact, it might just be my absolute favorite thing that the studio has made in YEARS. And that is NO exaggeration.

The premise is simple, yet perfect. It's about a team of softball trying to...well, live life. Yes, there's a championship and a game to win, but only three characters really care about that. Everyone else is focused on the struggles they're going through as individuals, facing the trials and tribulations of being a child, a teenager, and even an adult. This is a series that's perfectly made for everyone of any age, with themes and stories that are simple enough for anyone to understand and even relate to. And it accomplishes that feat by having every episode focus on the perspective of a different character.

The concept of changing perspectives for each episode is brilliant and something that can ONLY work for a TV show. If this was a movie (And thank goodness it's not), the story wouldn't have worked as well. Not only would certain bits and scenes feel more repetitive than they are, but we either wouldn't get to see much of everyone's perspective to fit that hour in a half time limit Pixar's forced into, or we would have a mish-mash of everyone's perspectives switching out from one to the other. And the finale, while still very good, shows how chaotic the ladder option would be. So by making it a series, it allows the writers to really FOCUS on each character and VISUALLY tell us what they're experiencing. This plays into the show's theme of acknowledging the importance of others' perspective on things, getting to see how one character viewed an event in the story vs how someone else did. Like how Frank saw himself fully in control of his classroom while Kai and Rochelle saw him as a bit of an awkward doof. Or how Laurie saw Yuwen as completely dismissive over Rochelle claim that he liked her, only for Yuwen's episode to reveal that he panicked in saying he liked Taylor. Heck, even Ira's episode showed how in control and cocky Yuwen was in this situation, despite how panicked and nervous he really was. Everyone's perspective tells a different version of the same story, sometimes revealing stuff we wouldn't know just from one character's point of view. Frank's episode made it seem like Kai and Rochelle were the ones cheating, with Kai's anger seeming unjustified given the circumstances that she was caught doing something she shouldn't. But after seeing who Rochelle was REALLY trying to help, it makes Kai's frustration all the more understandable as she wasn't trying to cheat, she was just literally caught in the middle of Rochelle's scheme. Speaking of, I love how Rochelle's episode perfectly compliments her mother's, despite it actually contradicting. Rochelle believes she's the adult of the family, thinking Vanessa does nothing but goof off and focus on her phone and followers. Meanwhile, Vanessa views herself as the ultimate girlboss, doing her best job to take care of her kids and make sure they do a better job than she did in life, actually going as above and beyond as she can for them while keeping a self-image of confidence and positivity. And their perceptions of themselves only shatter when they start to see the truth in the other person and how serious the current situation became. It's very true to life in that regard. How WE experience things is vastly different to how everyone else does, and Win or Lose captures that idea MASTERFULLY, showing us how each character sees the world, the people around them, and, more importantly, how they see themselves.

Every episode feels like a mini-movie, with concepts and themes that feel like they could have made up for a feature film if Pixar wanted to. I mean, the first episode tackled the idea of anxiety, something Pixar JUST DID with their box office smash Inside Out 2. Yet they do it in a way that's different and compelling enough to make it stand out on its own. Anxiety is a complex emotion that can be told in a variety of ways, and Laurie's anxiety being represented by a giant sweat blob that encompasses most of her body and weighs her down to the point where she can barely function. It's good that Inside Out 2 showed that Anxiety is a necessary emotion in life, but I don't knock Win or Lose down for showing the emotional turmoil one faces when anxiety becomes too big of a burden to bear. They show off that idea perfectly, the same going for other characters and their anxieties. Like how Frank visualizes himself in a suit of armor to deflect criticism during the game, only for that same trick to pop up and get in the way of his own happiness because he put up too much of an emotional safeguard. Or how Yuwen's real self living in a heart that's literally as fragile as cardboard or Dan keeping all his rage and big emotions inside himself until he becomes a balloon about ready to burst.

But my personal favorite is Kai, who looks lighter than air when she feels happy and content, only to be dragged down to Earth when facing criticism from her father. And when the feeling of failure encompasses her, she literally sinks into the Earth to the point where it's hard for her to so much as take a step. That scene where she sinks into the field because something became too much for her...I felt that. I think MOST of us have felt that feeling at least ONCE in our lives. And the visual representation of such a feeling can ONLY be perfectly shown through animation.

Win or Lose is a typical slice of life story, and those don't necessarily NEED to be animated. You're showing the successes and struggles of someone's life, and it can just as easily be done in live action if needed to. But Win or Lose, with the themes it tries to tell and the emotions it had to convey, NEEDED to be animated. Having Rochelle act mature for her age is simple enough to do, but by having her physically GROW into an adult sells the idea better and makes it cuter as we see more about how she sees herself. Or how Ira is shown to be an imaginative kid is further emphasized by showing how often sees the world in crude, cutesy, hand drawn animation. By being animated, the stories, themes, and emotions in Win or Lose are made stronger, even through something as simple as showing Rochelle suddenly screaming on an island when she realized she forgot her phone. I feel like we've ALL been there at one point in our lives and the animation captured it perfectly.

Speaking of perfect, Win or Lose has the Pixar standard of PHENOMENAL animation. It's not as heavily detailed as some of Pixar's films, but it doesn't need to be. It's a TV show and that means a shorter budget and simplified designs. And while the character designs can sometimes look TOO simple (Looking at YOU, Coffee Girl), the show looks great in the way it makes 3D characters look almost 2D. I made a mini-post once about how such a feat isn't easy, and you can see the love and effort that went into making every character move and act as if they're from a 2D cartoon, making this one of the most fluid and expressive Pixar productions to date. And that's not getting into how it frequently mixes mediums like with Yuwen's inner self and Ira's imagination. Just the sight of seeing something 2D interact with something 3D is nothing short of impressive.

What's also impressive is the central theme of the show. Yes, there's the idea that you need to acknowledge everyone's perspective on things, but there's the one that the show explicitly stated in the beginning: Sometimes, winning is how you look at it. Everyone in this show is looking to be the best that they can be. Either it's having the best relationship, being the star player, or simply being the best person, perfection is what everyone strives for. And, unfortunately for them, it's what leads to their downfall, both in how they react to things not being perfect and how their strive is what led to them getting hurt. Like how Yuwen's anger at his relationship with Taylor reaching a bump in a road lead to his heart getting broken or Kai's constant training and disregard for herself led to getting a sprained ankle. These constant strives for success and victory led to more turmoil, when in reality, life isn't about being better than the rest. You just need to try your personal best. If you fail, that's fine. You gave it your all, and that's all that should matter. That and learning from your mistakes, of course. Which I think almost everyone does by the end, making better choices for their lives and being better for the ones they care for.

Now, with all this PRAISE that I have towards Win or Lose, are there any problems? Well, there's only ONE huge issue I have, and it's nothing against the show itself.

Yes, I'm talking about the infamous censorship that Kai's character gotten in the show's early stages, where they went ALL IN on her being trans and struggling with gender dysphoria. Disney went ahead and said "FUCK THAT" and forced the writers to make Kai as straight and cis as possible. To which the writers and animators said, "Fine, we won't EXPLICITLY make Kai trans...We'll just use a ton of symbolic subtext to the point where it's very obvious that she IS trans so that fans and audiences can tell what we wanted from the start." And they got away with it like a bunch of CHAMPIONS! Still, it hurts that the original plotline got cut because there is so much MORE to have done with that part of Kai. It's obvious from the get-go that she didn't want to be the best softball player, she just wanted acceptance from friends who see her from HER. That works best if the character is as explicitly trans as possible, and, now more than ever, kids like her deserve to see themselves represented like that. Pixar did the best with what they could, but there's no getting past the Mouse when he says no. Just ask The Owl House and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.

As for the actual SHOW, I've got nothing aside from a few nitpicks. Like, it feels weird that Laurie never really faced any consequences for cheating at the game and purposefully hurting herself to get on base. She sees it as a personal victory and no one really catches her or brings her down for it. I also don't like the idea of Frank getting with Vanessa. Yes, it was the obvious choice the second they both talked, revealed they were close to the same age, and talk about how Rochelle likes Frank and Frank likes her as a student, but they have NOTHING compatible with each other. Though, to be fair, the show seems quickly acknowledge that in the short time it made them canon as Frank seems awkward around her and she seems...too much for him, but I'm still not sure if that's INTENTIONAL or not. Maybe if it was revealed that it was Vanessa Frank was talking to on the dating app or something I MIGHT be more leniant as it shows there's more to Vanessa than it appears, but as is, it's still messy. Same going for Yuwen and Dan's stories and how rushed they feel. I can give Dan SLIGHTLY more of a pass because it is the finale and most of the climax DOES circle around him. We just breeze by events to get to the championship and it feels like there's less buildup to his big blowup in comparison to the others. And given what happened with Yuwen, I feel like they rushed through a LOT with him. Both the events that led to him getting his heartbroken and then getting over it felt like we skipped important events because we have more going on with everyone else. His arc doesn't get the proper attention it deserves, which is a shame because I think what they do with it is GOOD. I still like his arc all the same, despite the poor pacing, with my favorite bit being his inner self yelling at Yuwen for making this big mistake, asking him "What are you doing?!" That still hurts and is incredibly effective, but I just feel like everything else could have been BETTER.

Aside from all that, it's next to perfection. I can count the amount of complaints with Win or Lose on one hand, and that's an impressive feat for anything, be it a show or movie. I can't find any major issue with it other than MAYBE the art style isn't your thing, and, even then, that's more subjective. I love the HELL out of this series, it made me cry FOUR times when watching it, and I hope the team that worked on it got all they praise they deserve for watching. And while it may be a show about softball players, I'm still going to mix metaphors and say it's another HOME RUN from Pixar.

[liz-goodbot]

I saw that "Willy Wonka as the commander of the Terran Cosmic Navy in the war against the Affini" post you made a while back and got really excited because it sounded right up my alley but I'm having trouble understanding the fic. Can you help me out?

That is an excellent question, anon!

So I was talking about Their Barbarous Wastes, a Glowfic set in the world of Human Domestication Guide. This requires a lot of context, and I'll assume you're going in with no background knowledge.

Human Domestication Guide is a shared-universe setting for kink erotica. The basic premise is that a dystopian interstellar human civilization, the "Terran Accord", is being conquered by a vastly technologically superior species of mommy-domme plant-people called the Affini Compact, whose deal is that they conquer the universe and turn every sentient species they encounter into their mind-controlled pets. Common HDG kink tropes include pet-owner dynamics, institutionalization, body horror, mind control, nonconsensual drug use, coercive-but-ultimately-for-your-own-good forced feminization, etc. The Affini are nominally "anti-capitalist" and HDG authors often treat them as being the good guys in a (nominally) leftist way, but also their defining political policy is that they're a racially-stratified expansionist empire that uses prisoners of war as sex slaves. So there's some tension in the setting that most authors in that community aren't interrogating because it's not super relevant to its purpose as a setup for kink erotica.

Unless your kink is good worldbuilding that takes the economic and political implications of its setting seriously! I know mine is.

Their Barbarous Wastes (named after the "Our Blessed Homeland / Their Barbarous Wastes" meme ) is a fic that does get into that stuff, and as someone who's both unhealthily fascinated and deeply frustrated by HDG as a setting and shared-universe project, I really loved its version of the setting.

Their Barbarous Wastes depicts an alternative version of the HDG setting where everyone's motivations make sense. The "corporations" of the Terran Accord aren't just cartoonish punching-bags for leftists' frustrations - TBW portrays a dystopia run by off-the-rails LLM AI agents larping the idea of cartoonish capitalist villains to the benefit of nobody. The Cosmic Navy aren't idiot fascists blinded by nationalism, they're just trying to do the best thing for human wellbeing while forced between uncaring AI overlords on one side and rapist invaders on the other side. And the Affini aren't just motivated by biological urges, they're just trying to do the best thing for humanity while coming from an alien perspective that doesn't value things like individual rights or informed consent. (It also breaks from the HDG shared-universe canon in ways that make the Affini's strategy and end-goal a lot more sympathetic than just "all humans are our pets/slaves forever")

The other thing is that Their Barbarous Wastes is a glowfic, a type of collaborative roleplay fiction. It's written mainly by two authors, þeremin (playing the role of the protagonist Amethyst) and aurelia (playing the role of the HDG universe and most of its inhabitants), plus leyline who plays the Willy Wonka character. How To Read Glowfic is a good guide to understanding the formatting that's used to indicate the change in authors and viewpoint characters.

Glowfics are often fanfiction containing a very high degree of multi-universe crossover. The series that started the whole genre, Effulgence, began as "what if Rationalist Bella Swan went to high school with a teenage pre-supervillain version of The Joker and they got magic powers...", introduced more and more alternate universes with the same characters (what if Joker and Bella were at Battle School? What if Tony Stark and transfem!Sherlock Holmes were siblings who both won the Hunger Games and Bella was a starving kid from District 4 who spends half her childhood in the bar between universes hearing stories about her alternate-universe selves being the empresses of their respective universes?) and crossing them over with each other, with all these "alts" of the same character templates sharing their powers and technology to improve (and often rule) their respective worlds. So cross-universe travel and the world-optimizing potential of outside-context superpowers are also common tropes in Glowfic.

Their Barbarous Wastes is the third thread in a continuity called All Active Accounts of Amethyst. TBW starts with a character named Amethyst arriving in the HDG setting from some other universe. The first thread in that continuity, Assembling Amethyst, explains where she comes from. But it's 37k words and I haven't actually read it yet; with Glowfic you sort of just learn to go into a setting and character with zero context and figure out the important parts as you go. The TL;DR is that Amethyst was empowered with magical abilities (including the ability to travel between alternate universes) by The Spirit Of Femininity Unleashed (i.e. the Mary Sue CYOA, a magic force that turns characters into overpowered Mary Sues in order to get the self-awarely-tropey fanfic plot rolling). More specifically, she's a "fork" (i.e. a clone) of the person who was empowered. She's sending out versions of herself on adventures across the multiverse, and this is just one such adventure.

Amethyst comes from Fixipelago, an extremely high-tech sci-fi society where everyone has access to universe-rearranging "fixity" technology. The Affini have total technological superiority over the Terrans, but Amethyst and her forks have overwhelmingly superior firepower over both of them. She also comes from a liberal utopia and she places a decent amount of importance on legal rights and a lot of importance on consent, so she's not going to bulldoze their entire universe if she can avoid it. Thus we get a setup for the Terrans, the Affini, and Amethyst to hash out their differences and try to come to an agreement in spite of enormous inferential distance. Regrettably like most Glowfic, this thread went on hiatus before it could actually finish, but I still very much think it's worth the read if you're at all interested. I hope that this explanation helps, and that it contains a sufficiently excessive number of links. Writing this explanation was a lot of fun; I'd be happy to say more about this if you want to talk more, on or off anon.

[burningcheese-merchant]

"Hair Care" - BurningCheese Short #6

I promised a "Burning Spice is snuck into the Golden Cheese Kingdom" story, and I've come to deliver. I also promised wholesomeness, which... I mean, I hope it comes across that way. These two have their own brand of "wholesome", I think lol.

Special shout-out to @cheesecakemermaid1048 for coming up with the original concept of "bonding w/ Burning Spice via brushing his hair" (although I did go an extra mile in my interpretation here lol). Thanks so much again for letting me use this as a writing prompt! I hope you enjoy it especially!

"Grrrr..."

"I already told you that giving me attitude won't change anything, Burning Spice."

"Would razing your palace to the ground change anything?"

"Leave behind even a single scratch on a single one of my walls or columns, and I shall impale you with a thousand earthen spears on the spot."

"Do you promise?"

"It's inevitable."

"Even better, then."

Golden Cheese quickly shot him a pointed glare over her shoulder before turning her attention back to the hallway ahead of them. Completely empty, thank goodness; no one traversed this particular one at this hour of the day, she remembered. Or... they didn't tend to. Usually.

... It was a gamble she knows Mozzarella would've taken, had she been in her place. Calling for the palace to be temporarily emptied and closed would have been too easy, too simple. Daring to challenge one's own understanding of time and people's habits was a far greater risk, with a far more satisfying reward. Guaranteed victories are boring, after all.

Mozzarella wasn't there with them then, but Golden Cheese nevertheless found herself smiling and thanking her old friend for inspiring her in such a way.

Burning Spice, meanwhile, was currently the most miserable man on the face of the earth, and has been since Golden Cheese had the nerve to dictate where she would be taking him today (and instead of having their scheduled duel, as well, to add insult to injury). His petulant stomps left charred imprints all throughout the desert sands where they reunited - she demanded he control himself when they made it to her kingdom, so as not to draw attention and to not ruin her precious walkways - and echoed through the glittering halls and corridors as she dragged him along. How they haven't been spotted by any of her countless little subjects until now, he did not know, nor did he really care. He was frustrated enough that he almost preferred them being caught then whatever fresh hell she had in store for him in the rapidly approaching future.

So irritated was he, that he couldn't even bring himself to enjoy the fact that they were holding hands.

She eventually led him through some fancy doorway - past sky blue curtains and an archway and columns decorated with intricate carvings - and waiting for them beyond it was their promised destination: a fairly large and airy room with a great pool at the very center, with gold and white lilies dotting its calm surface and reeds sprouting in its corners. Surrounding it was an array of ornate stone and wooden tables, towel racks, smaller pools and individual baths, as well as beautifully carved shelves that seemed to be stocked with soaps, oils and incense. The afternoon sun shone through a massive hole in the ceiling, bathing much of the room in a warm, bright, golden light.

Burning Spice observed it all with a look of cranky disinterest. "A bath, huh?" His mouth twisted into a wry smile. "If you wanted to see me naked, little bird, all you had to do was ask."

"A spa, Burning Spice," Golden Cheese retorted. "This is the primary room for rest and relaxation here within my palace. My attendants are free to come in and put their minds and bodies at ease while they're on break, or after they've been relieved of their duties. They're also welcome to bring their friends and families, so long as they ask for permission first."

"'Ask for permission?' Pfft." A low chuckle rumbled deep within his throat. "How generous. How... soft. Of you AND them."

"It's civilized. That is what civilized behavior is like, Burning Spice. As we both know you've long since forgotten."

"'Civilized behavior'... heh. You think I care about such a pretentious, meaningless thing?"

"No, and it's evident by your appearance. Moreso than even the sun shining in the sky on a desert morning, in fact."

"Oh, don't pretend you don't enjoy seeing me- huh?!"

She didn't wait for him to finish his flirty diatribe and began dragging him over to one of those little baths, tightening her grip on his hand enough to earn an honest wince. When they reached it, she used her spear to nudge a nearby chair over, then whipped around, grabbed Burning Spice by the shoulders, and forced him down onto it before he could protest.

"Wait here a moment," she told him. "Let me go grab what we need."

"Who's 'we'?" he called after her indignantly as she walked off. No use; she moved along as if he'd never spoken in the first place.

To tide himself over and pass the time - that one minute that bore the weight and ache of an eternity - he made a game of letting his eyes go back and forth between scanning the room more closely and drinking in the sight of Golden Cheese's alluring backside as she gathered supplies from a shelf.

She seemed to sense his enamored gaze right away, though, and bristled accordingly. "Keep your eyes to yourself," she snapped at him without turning around.

"Or else what?" he fired back with a smirk, still raking his eyes up and down her body without remorse. "I'm already being punished, am I not? Now you can punish me with all this nonsense for a REAL reason."

"Clearly you aren't," she said as she made her way back to him, a towel hanging from one arm, and a bottle and hairbrush in each hand, "if you still feel bold enough to behave like this."

"But of course I do. How can I not, with such a pretty bird perched in front of me? Only the blind would ignore such beauty, do you not agree?"

She set the supplies down with a huff, her cheeks flushing pink at his words. "Well then, let's see if you still feel that way after we're done."

His flirtatious smile evaporated as she gathered all of his long, wild hair into her arms and narrowed her eyes at it. "Honestly, Burning Spice," she said, "how do you tolerate this... this mess?"

"By ignoring it," he said flatly. "So long as it isn't cut off, then I don't give a damn what happens to it otherwise."

"Well, I'm not tolerating this barbarism any longer. If you won't do anything about it, then I will."

"I could just get up and sit in the bath myself, you know." That suggestive look made a brief return. "And you could join me, if you wanted."

"I'd sooner join you in Hell," she said.

With that, she tossed his hair into the bath, watching as it floated and waved along the water's clear surface. She reached for the bottle, stowed away underneath the chair for safekeeping; the smell of eucalyptus wafted through the air as she popped it open and poured its contents into the water, turning it a pale green.

"What the hell is that?" Burning Spice asked, making a face as he sniffed at the air.

"Soap, you filthy animal," she snapped. "Shampoo and conditioner mixed into one solution. This particular bottle is from a very high-quality brand that is well-liked in my kingdom. I suggest you act grateful."

"Me, grateful? For what? For you kidnapping me and forcing me to endure a... a spa day that I wouldn't ask for in a million years?"

"Precisely," she said, staring down at him with a confident smile.

...So enchanting did Burning Spice find that smile of hers, that he softened just enough to let her work without further resistance.

She worked slowly but deliberately, the calm focus written on her features and the deft movement of her hands betraying her years of experience. His hair was thick and unkempt, practically an untamed jungle; so desperate for love and care that it almost seemed to seek her out on purpose, jet black tendrils creeping and coiling around her fingers and wrists as soon as her hands touched the water.

"When was the last time you even brushed your hair? These knots are atrocious."

He didn't answer her right away, instead scowling and shifting uncomfortably in his seat as she tugged on the strands closer to his scalp. "What does that matter?" he eventually scoffed. "Fussing over one's appearance is a complete waste of time, anyway."

"One's appearance is a cornerstone of one's overall well-being," she countered. "In my kingdom, cleanliness is seen as a form of godliness. It's all a matter of pride, of confidence, of proper self-esteem. Always look your best, always put your best foot forward, and others will be encouraged to see the best in you."

"You think taking a bath makes you a god? HA! Such foolish arrogance- OW!"

"Oh, stop it," Golden Cheese chided him as she pulled on and unraveled a particularly terrible knot. "To think you'd be such a big baby about something so trivial! If I'd known this while we were still enemies, I would've gone ahead and acted like a baby myself, and spent all of our battles pulling on your hair to make you cry."

He grunted in frustration, staring daggers at her as she freed the last remaining strands from that dreaded knot. She ignored him and continued on undeterred.

When she finished the first lather and rinse, working her way up to the top of his head and back down again, she shook her head. "Honestly, Burning Spice," she sighed. "I'm disappointed in you. Even a brute ought to take proper care of himself. How have you allowed this to stand for so long?"

"Because it doesn't matter to me at all," he muttered. "I'll give you that answer as many times as I need to, to get it through your pretty head."

"Of course it matters," she said, her eyes narrowing in annoyance again. "How can you even say that? Do you not hold yourself in any high esteem at all?"

"No."

She stopped, the wad of hair she'd been tending to now sitting limp in her hands. She looked at him in genuine shock - and he returned her look with one of... not quite anger, no. He was not angry. What she saw on his face, in his eyes, was... resignation, tinged with bitterness.

An awkward silence hung over them both before Golden Cheese cleared her throat. "Well, then," she said slowly, "If you can't be bothered to take care of yourself... then I shall do it for you. Alright?"

He softened again, a glimmer of pleasant surprise shining in his eyes. The silence quickly returned, right after Golden Cheese herself returned to her work... but it felt lighter this time.

Soon enough, she was quietly tapping on his shoulder. He understood what she wanted, no explanation necessary, and he slowly lifted his head up, sitting up straight once again. She gathered his hair in her arms and wrung it all out the best she could, then lifted it out of the bath, letting it fall and cling to his back. The soft pitter-patter of water droplets dripping from rogue strands of hair onto the floor filled their ears.

The silence otherwise persisted as Golden Cheese dried Burning Spice's hair with the towel she'd tucked away beneath the chair. He sat still, arms crossed, and neither said nor did anything to disturb her efforts, much to her continued surprise.

Soon enough, she traded the towel in for the hairbrush and quickly set about combing through those still-unruly locks. "It really is a shame, you know," she murmured. "You have gorgeous hair. You shouldn't treat it so poorly."

"Hmph..." He shrugged. "Whatever."

"I mean it, Burning Spice." She combed through another knot - more carefully than she'd done to the others in the bath, out of a newfound sense of concern for his comfort. "Even animals groom themselves better than you. I know you care enough to at least bathe, but there's more to self-care than just that."

"I bathe. I eat. I sleep. Those things are enough to keep me alive, are they not? I don't need anything else."

"They're enough to survive, yes..." She paused. "But... not to live, I don't think."

"You think bathing makes you a god," he muttered. "Of course you would say that."

She set the hairbrush aside for a moment and placed her hands on his shoulders, giving them a light squeeze. Instantly - perhaps instinctively - he leaned back, further into her grasp. Silently reveling in her touch.

"Burning Spice..." She sighed softly. "I have long since vanquished you. You're no longer a threat to this world." She hesitated, searching her mind for the right words to say next. "You... you can't hurt anyone anymore. Not on my watch. Perhaps... it's time you included yourself there, as well."

At that, he tensed, but still said nothing. She pulled her hands away (did she sense... disappointment from him when she did so?) and grabbed the hairbrush again, once more returning to grooming the man in front of her. She tried her best to be efficient, but still gentle; combing through each and every lock, more eager than ever to leave them looking better than they did before.

She took longer than she probably should have. (Perhaps she'd started allowing herself to enjoy how... soft and luxurious his hair was.) But even so, when she was finally done, she set the hairbrush down again and circled around to the front.

"There," she said. "What do you think?"

Burning Spice ran a quick hand through his hair and gave her a nod. "More pleasant than before."

"Wonderful." She beamed at him. "I'm glad."

His breath caught in his throat at the sight of that bright, warm smile. It stole all of the light in the room. It outshined the sun itself.

If this was what it took get her to look at him like that, then Burning Spice would gladly let her fuss over his appearance every single day for the rest of his life.

"Now, then..." She clapped her hands together, her eyes now glinting with mischief. "How about we take care of your wardrobe next?"

"My what?!"

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

What GC said about cleanliness was something Ancient Egyptians actually believed. They were very, very fussy about hygiene and legitimately thought that cleanliness was godliness. They didn't have spas or bathhouses or the like, though (not before the Greeks and Romans stopped by), they usually just bathed in the Nile. They used something called natron (it's like a salt mixture you get from dry lake beds, tastes like baking soda) as soap and shampoo. There's your history lesson for the day. You're welcome. I have more if you're interested.

And... well. I'm sure it's common knowledge that depressed people can start really letting themselves go if it gets bad enough. I don't really get the impression that Burning Spice is happy, even with that Joker smile he's got on and how much he enjoys trashing everything... I think all the Beasts are plagued with a certain melancholy, really. They're handling it entirely incorrectly, but even so. (And I think the Ancients can and should be the ones to help them overcome that. They're just the right ones for the job, in my opinion. But that's probably just me trying to bait you all into asking me about my Reformed Beasts AU again lol)

[lizzy019]

𝒩𝑒𝓍𝓉 𝒲𝑒𝑒𝓀𝑒𝓃𝒹.

Steve Randle x GN!Reader

cw -> fluff, aggression, rude language, soft kiss!!, this is after Johnny n Dally die, ENEMIES TO LOVERS TROPE, NO SMUT BECAUSE UNDERAGE!, steve is silly and shyyyy, literally just one kiss...

Word count -> 2.2K

Hehehe started writing this because I had sooo many ideas >:3 ALSO HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANON!!

The books you had carried were heavy in your palms, and the walk through a ratty neighbourhood was a little eerie.

You had to admit, seeing fights with knives or other weaponry was... new. It seemed a little frightening knowing you had to keep eyes behind you, in front of you, and at your sides too. But for a struggling teenager who’d apparently been dealing with a lot of issues at home that caused him to fall behind in school, you figured this journey was worth it.

After passing through one of the dirt roads to the house you’ve been to a couple of times before, you find yourself at the similar house in which you were paid minimum wage to tutor a struggling teenage boy. The stairs creaked under your shoes as you made your way to the door.

Exhaustion rattled your spine; you had already dealt with a couple of students beforehand due to being a part-time tutor. But you found your job to be nice; you were helping kids and teenagers who needed help, and that was a gratifying feeling.

By the time the door was swung open, an unfamiliar face was on display in front of you. A rugged face, a big nose with soft cheeks, a scowlish expression that seemed to be permanent, and the most crooked teeth you’d ever seen. There was something charming about it; you thought he looked rather handsome.

“Ponyboy?” The pitch in his voice shocked you. For such a big guy, his voice was quite comical.

“Yeah, I’m tutoring him tonight. Is he here?” You questioned, adjusting the heavy books in your arms. You were a little frustrated. Normally if Darry or Soda were at the door, you’d be inside already and would be able to set the damned books down. “Can I come in?”

Your injury seemed to irk the man in front of you, and with a kiss of his teeth, he shuffled aside to let you in. This individual seemed to have some heavy attitude. Regardless of it, you found your way to the dining room table. Darry made it clear that he didn’t want you in Ponyboy’s room, and it was understandable.

It’d be creepy to have an older teenager in a room with a younger teenager.

You took your time setting up as you usually did. Just a couple of textbooks to refer to and old work from your previous classes to use as example pages—nothing too extravagant. Ponyboy was taking a little longer than expected, but you were a guest, so you waited without complaint.

The man who’d greeted you kept giving you backhanded looks as he came to and fro the kitchen to grab beer. Despite your initial confusion as to why he was giving you attitude, you decided to reciprocate it. Shared glares were given even as you had begun to tutor Ponyboy.

“Linear relations aren’t all that difficult when you understand them. The rate of change...” You peacefully explained, but caught a glimpse of the same damned guy. Your curiosity got the best of you. “Who is that guy?”

Ponyboy looked up from his books and focused his gaze on you, a look of temporary confusion on his face. Maybe you really didn’t know. He mumbled out an answer for you. “Steve. His dad don’t let him stay at home all the time.”

The revelation of his identity had the softest grimace crossing your face. You didn’t understand; you came here consistently every Friday to give Ponyboy a work summary and review... so why didn’t you see him? Regardless, he was still a bitch around you, so you just brushed it off.

“Okay, whatever. Here, try one of the review questions. It’s okay if you mess up; I’ll guide you,” You murmured, tone hushed as you watched him scribble down what he knew.

This would take a while...

Last week with Ponyboy wasn’t great. It was clear that he struggled with his work, and it was obvious that whatever was bugging him was really taking a toll on him. You didn’t know what it was, but you didn’t try and inquire about it; private information was rightfully private.

You were back at their home again, with the same hefty books in your arms and obvious exhaustion in the way you walked. You swore to the heavens that you didn't get paid enough to lug around pounds' worth of books and papers.

By the time Darry had come to greet you at the door and had taken some of the books to ease the weight you carried, it was quite odd to see Sodapop and Steve arm wrestling at the table you normally sat at with Ponyboy. You just stared for a moment.

Great heavens, why did Steve look so grubby and dirty? But damn... he had nice arms. The way that one vein along his forearm seemed to jump out...

You shuddered yourself out of your own thoughts. This man was disgusting, coated in a gross layer of sweat and... oil? It was black, like car oil. You didn’t inquire too much about it; you just set the books down on the table and sighed.

“Oh, you’re here! I’ll go call Pony, he just finished in the shower,” Sodapop hollered, practically jumping out of his seat and stomping through their home to get Ponyboy. Now it was just you, Steve, and a nearby Darry.

You accidentally looked him in the eyes, and fuck, a jolt of embarrassment and nervousness jittered your existence.

“The hell are you lookin’ at, smart shit?” Steve questioned, his tone noticeably angry as the words jabbed at you.

“What do you think I’m looking at?” You retorted. It may have been a weak comeback, but you really just wanted to egg him on. What would he even do to you if Darry was in the next room?

“You talkin’ back to me? Who do you think you is?” Steve replies, his tone far firmer than it was before. It worried you a little.

This time, you didn’t say anything. You simply crossed your arms, looking at him with disapproving eyes. Thankfully for you, Sodapop and Ponyboy were heard trekking down the halls together. Great, you could busy yourself with tutoring rather than Steve. A pain in the ass anyways.

Despite the table obviously being set up for Ponyboy, Steve still sat at the far end of the table as you graciously tutored the teenager. You didn’t know how to feel with his eyes on you; it felt uncomfortable, for sure. But there was something gratifying about it... he was looking at you!

“Okay, show me what you remember from last week’s lesson,” You gently encouraged Ponyboy. Though, as he did it, you found yourself stealing little glances over at Steve. Lost in thought, happily sipping at his beer.

Really, it was gross. Picturing Steve with a beer belly had a shiver tickling your spine. He’d look nasty, like a pregnant old man. Regardless, your eyes glazed over the soft, raised muscle of his bicep, the length of his forearm before hastily looking at Ponyboy’s work.

“You’re getting there. You forgot a step,” You murmured, pointing to his line of equations and gesturing a small circle. “You’re meant to do something here, do you remember?”

Steve couldn’t lie; there was something so graceful about you. Maybe it was the way you guided Ponyboy with tender care or had such a gentle tone as he expressed his confusion. Steve wanted some gentle care too; he wanted what you were giving Ponyboy. But he had to stay firm. He couldn’t let you make his walls go soft.

As you started packing up after tutoring Ponyboy, and Darry being in the shower, you were left to clean up your hefty books and materials with little help. It wasn’t hard, but it was difficult trying to grip three heavy books without someone holding one.

With a soft grunt, you lifted up the two lightest books and stuffed them into your arms. But the third book lay on the table, and you struggled a bit. Now, what you didn’t expect was for a familiar hand to grab the book for you and set it in your arm. Curiosity got the best of you, and looking up to see Steve with a disgruntled expression had your cheeks going pink. Fuck!

“Strong brain... guess you can’t have a strong brain and a strong body,” His voice is surprisingly gentle as it teases you. You give him a playful scowl.

“I guess not. Guess that’s why you’re a little stupid,” You chuckled, shifting the books in your arms and sighing. Your words earn a scoff from the burly man.

But Steve looked you over once again. For such an annoying individual, you were quite a stunner. Maybe it was your legs? The face? He didn’t know, but fuck, he was confused, and he wanted to know. He hated the poor start-up he gave you; he was just grumpy after work one day and...

“Say... do you live nearby? I could walk you home? Nights like this can be a little unsettling,” Steve offered, his voice soft and shaky. It was a really sharp contrast to how he used to talk—all angry and upset like he held some grudge over you.

Your head tilted a little, but you gave him the gentlest smile and shrugged. “Why not? I mean, it’s a bit of a walk, but... I wouldn’t mind the company.”

Steve almost jumped in joy. Okay, so maybe you weren’t all that upset with him? Or maybe you were giving him another chance? He didn’t know, but he gladly took it without a second thought.

The walk back to your house was actually quite pleasant. There wasn’t an awkward stop in your conversation; rather, it kept flowing seamlessly! Things were enjoyable to talk about around him, and you learned a lot about him. He worked on cars, had some issues at home, and was a morally sweet guy.

Why did you even hate him? You couldn’t remember.

Regardless, you found yourself dreading the thought of your conversation ending as your house neared in vision. You gave a sigh, loud enough for him to hear, but not loud enough to seem like you were out of breath.

“What’s buggin’ ya? Am I talkin’ too much?” Steve inquired, his big, doe eyes looking as if you kicked him.

“No, it’s not that. Just... we should do this more often,” You flashed him a grin as you stepped onto the stairs leading to your door.

Your words had stunned him into silence. No way you were offering to hang out again. His face was in utter shock, eyes all wide as he stared at you in confusion. But then he grinned, big and sweet, as he nodded his head in agreement to your offer.

“Yeah! I... I’d like that. Maybe I can come pick you up next weekend?” His voice was so soft, so worried about your rejection even when you so obviously showed him how you were feeling. He was far too shy for his appearance.

“Haha! That works; I’ll make time,” You chuckled, adjusting the books in your arms before smiling.

The beat of silence that passed between you two wasn’t at all awkward, but there was definitely room for conversation. Thankfully, Steve noticed this and interjected with an odd request.

“Uhh... mind if I take a kiss before I leave?” A hand came up to scratch the back of his neck, his tone a bit nervous as he looked up at you before at his shoes. Maybe that was too quick of a move? Maybe he needed to slow things down?

You laughed, and Steve’s first instinct was that you were laughing at him and were planning on shutting down the idea. However, when he looked back up at you, he wasn’t expecting to see the fondest expression adorning your face, as his request seemed to make you giddy.

“Is that your request? C’mere, boy!” You grinned, shifting the books aside into one arm to gently loop your hand around his head.

With a soft tug, you found yourselves in the most childish kiss. Steve’s mouth tasted faintly of beer. It was chaste, maybe a little too forward, but you both pulled away with blushing cheeks and giggly smiles. You hoped he liked it as much as you did.

“Alright, I’ll see you next weekend. I mean, you better show up!” You waved your sweet goodbye before entering your home. The door shut gently in front of his face, but damn, he didn’t regret a thing.

With cheeks all pink and his heart nearly exploding, he happily walked back to the Curtis’ house with a new vigour in his step. Steve liked the thought of being with you like this, just his idiotic ass and a smart partner.

Next weekend was going to be a lot more exciting than he was prepared for.

[yuurei20]

Interview with Twst Music Composer Ozawa Takumi from the Soundtrack:

Q: How were the individual tracks for the Overblot battles created? (pt2)

"The story of Chapter 4 was filled with Jamil's hatred, and I found myself really able to relate to him, thinking- ‘Yes, I totally understand that feeling!,’ which made me like him even more.

I set out to make ‘Showdown in Scarabia’ (Disc 2-26)- the most ominous of all the overblot battle music."

"While I sang the choruses of the other six Overblot battle songs on my own, for this one I added male and female voices to create the atmosphere of frightening incantations infused with envy.

I received instructions to make Vil's ‘Showdown in Pomefiore’ (Disc 3-06) majestic and dramatic. I included tragic-sounding blocks that bordered on cliché. Then there comes a key change, and I remember feeling so happy when Toboso-sensei listened to this track and said, ‘I am able to feel the sadness of not being able to become number one. The oppressive scariness is very characteristic of Vil.’"

"Out of all the overblot battle tracks, Idia and Ortho's 'Showdown in Ignihyde' (Disc 3-11) took the most time to produce.

Similar to the dorm's theme song it goes in the direction of digital Eurobeat, so every instrument (except the guitar) was recreated digitally and it features a lot of different sounds. I believe that the chaotic noises effectively convey the brothers' anger, frustration, anguish, and woe."

"Malleus's 'Showdown in Diasomnia' (Disc 3-14) was designed to be full-on goth rock, which I really enjoyed creating as I am a fan of goth metal.

While the choruses of the overblot battle songs are mostly gibberish, there is a part in this track where Malleus is explicitly mentioned by name. It might be interesting to listen for that detail."

[novankenn]

Digital Dalliance?

Pyrrha was frustrated and bored. The life of a Combat Tournament Champion was nothing like the movies and reality shows made it out to be. She felt like a prisoner in her own life. Having earned two major titles back to back meant she was now more that just a pretty face. She was now becoming a hero, and to some an idol worthy of worpship.

Gone now were the late night trips, to dance clubs. Gone were the peaceful walks in the park. Everywhere she went she was mobbed by adoring fans if she happened to be not surrounded by private security.

So she retreated from public life. Threw herself into training for future matches and in her downtime retreated to the expansive worlds of VR. In the digital domain she was a nobody. Her face was different, as was her body. Gone was the athletic amazon, replaced with a girl-next-door vibe. In these artificial realms she was free.

Late one night she had donned her VR suit. She had a free weekend, and to burn off the frustration of a bad week or poor training results she entered the clubs worlds... and became bored. She knew when she created her avatar that being so plain would cause her to be overlooked. But tonight she wanted to interact. To have fun and escape the real world.

She found herself in a rather low-key dance club. Nothing special. Just booming music and an at capacity dance floor. Hugging the fringes she watched the writhing forms while trying to screw up the nerve to wade into the sea of bodies. It was during that time she saw him. He was average, but had a mystery about him. She followed his vibrant, sun-kissed blond hair as he moved through the crowd.

He had an air of complete peace as he danced and prowled. Pyrrha gasped when his head turned in her direction and their eyes met. His vibrant blues peering deep into her deep emeralds. He smiled, and then vanished. Her eyes darted about trying to catch sight of him.

????: Hi

Pyrrha: EEP!

She snapped her head about noticing that he was now leaning against the wall beside her.

????: Noticed you looking lonely. Did you want some friendly company? Maybe a dance partner?

Pyrrha: Umm, I... ah...

He moved to stand before her his disarming smile making her heart flutter VR suit. He cocked his head, and still smiling.

????: Maybe I'm not what you're looking for?

Pyrrha: What?

The young man closed his eyes, and shook his head. Suddenly his short messy mop of blond hair, became a shoulder length waterfall. His rather boyish features softening and become enticingly feminine.

????: Is this better?

Pyrrha was shocked. She had heard the rumors of individuals that had the ability to instantly change, or modify their virtual avatars. It wasn't allowed. It wasn't supposedly possible. Yet she just witnessed it first hand.

Pyrrha: Um... no... yes?

????: Where are my manners. I'm Jaune or in this case... Joan. And you are?

Pyrrha: I go by Pyr.

Joan(Jaune): Well Pyr why are you hugging the wall? You should be out there having some fun.

Pyrrha: Well... um... I had a rough week, and I wanted... to let loose but... I...

Joan(Jaune): Not feeling it? Were hoping to find some friendly company to share a VR session with?

Pyrrha: Yeah. I guess you could say that. Could you?

Joan(Jaune) nodded and with the same motion as before, her/his body morphed. Once again male, he moved to lean against the wall next to Pyrrha.

Jaune(Joan): So is this the type of place you wanted to let loose in?

Pyrrha: I wanted too... but...

Jaune(Joan): It is a little crowded, here. I know of another place. Bit different of a vibe, but I think you would really have some fun there.

Pyrrha: Um...

Jaune(Joan): It's okay to turn me down. I won't be insulted or upset.

Pyrrha: Could we just stay here and talk for a bit? I mean thank you but... I don't think...

Jaune(Joan): Totally understand. And I'm more than happy to have a chat.

Jaune(Joan) shot Pyrrha that disarming smile, that made her heart flutter in the real world.

[hiiragi7]

I often see people saying things like "DID fakers have made it impossible to get professionally diagnosed with DID" or "endogenic systems have made it harder for DID systems to be believed by mental health professionals" and while I understand how frustrating it is to not be believed (especially if you are seeking accomodations or a therapist willing to work with DID patients) this blame is entirely misplaced.

Endogenic plurals and "DID fakers" are not the issue. What truly needs to be asked is:

How can people receive appropriate mental health care when care providers go into their work with a biased view on who can and cannot have certain mental disorders? What does it mean for the psychiatric field as a whole that care providers are far more interested in diagnostic labels and "spotting fakers" than in withholding their own bias and working with their clients' lived experiences to help them regardless?

How did we get to a place where diagnostic labels are treated as more important than individual experience? Why is so much emphasis placed on diagnosis in mental health care to the point it is more important than the clients themselves?

As far as accomodations, why is a diagnostic label even required to get basic disability accomodations in the first place? Why are accomodations not free for everyone from the start? Why do you have to jump through all these hurdles just to prove you're disabled and need accomodations?

If health care professionals are refusing to treat clients with histories of severe trauma based on the narrative that "DID is becoming a trend", what does that say about the field's fixation on diagnosis and clinical symptomology over helping survivors of trauma regardless of what language they use or how they see themselves?

If endogenic plurals and "DID fakers" have truly changed how medical professionals view DID and have severely impacted their ability to treat people with DID or "take them seriously", is it not reasonable to assume there were already major issues in the way disorders are approached in mental health care and in clinical awareness (or unawareness) of DID that are way bigger than whatever this is?

And why the fuck are we blaming all these big systemic issues on endogenic plurals and "fakers" when it's clear that these issues and ableism have existed in the field of mental health care and psychiatry for a very long time, and exists across all disorders and areas of mental health care, not just DID?

And lastly, if someone needs mental health care, surely they should be able to access it without issue, regardless of whether they are endogenic, have a non-typical presentation of DID, or are truly faking? Surely there are real issues there which need care and appropriate treatment like any other client, regardless of what the diagnostic label is or isn't? Why is anyone being denied mental health care based on diagnostic controversy?

What the issues actually are and what we need to improve things is a far larger conversation than any individual group, and it's more complicated than the questions I've touched on here. And it's fine if you are not in a place to think about these things or engage in these conversations, but blaming endogenic plurals or "fakers" or what have you does not help anyone, and in fact only feeds into ableism, bullying, and harassment.

If mental health care professionals are throwing a tantrum about the legitimacy of DID, it is due to ableism, not individuals like endogenic plurals or "fakers". DID has always been a controversial diagnosis within the mental health field and professionals in that field have always been a dick about people with DID, regardless of whether they perfectly fit a stereotype or not. It's not new and people have got to quit acting like it is.

[originalthornsky]

If I could I would sell my organ to retcon DickBabs out of DC's Comic history. This ship should never happened in the first place. I don’t mind other Nightwing love interests but I think what makes me hate DickBabs so much is what this ship did to DickKory und especially Starfire as individual. I’ve never seen a ship that’s so petty that it needed to call even someone like Helena Bertinelli "ugly" in comparison to Barbara in Grayson (2015) Issue #20

That’s also the issue in which someone says that Barbara is the only woman Dick ever loved in his life and that she is prettier than Helena 🤮

DickBabs is responsible for the "Playboy" Nightwing characterization. They made Dick a cheater twice and a homewrecker three times to prop DickBabs up. He has gone after Babs three times when she was in a relationship and he cheated on Kory two times with Babs (the infamous Nightwing Annual 2 and in Nightwing Year One)

Nightwing is one of my favorite characters and it makes me furious that there is this huge misconception about him in the comic community that he is "Cheater" and "Player"

Screw DickBabs for making Dick pursue her when she had a boyfriend. Three times they did that.

Screw DickBabs for making Dick obsessed with Barbara while he was dating Clancy. Remember when she found this big as photo of him and Barbara at the beach hanging on his wall? The framed Photo was next to a picture of Dick and Clancy. She ran out crying and I’ve seen so many DickBabs shippers adoring this moment because they thought it’s cute that Dick has a framed picture of him and Barbara at the wall. DickBabs shippers don’t care if Dick is made to look like an asshole for their ship, they don’t even care if Dick hurts any other women for Barbara. As long as he is loyal to Babs, their shippers will be happy.

They ruined Donna being his best friend since childhood because they made Babs into his childhood best friend and it’s the only ship that ruins all the characters around it. They made Bruce say something xenophobic and out of character even though he would logically never hate Kory and they made the Titans into DickBabs shippers. The Titans were originally DickKory shippers and it doesn’t make sense to me that Donna would ship DickBabs. Yeah, she is also Dick's close friend and would want to see him happy but you know what? She is also like a sister to Kory!!! And the titans are KORY'S FRIENDS!!!! HER TEAMMATES!!! They are way closer to her than they are to Barbara. Also Vic characters like Wally, Garth or Victor shipping DickBabs doesn’t make sense. Out of all the guys in the team I would definitely say Vic is Kory’s best friend. They are close. Again, I hate how they erased DickKory's history for DickBabs and reduced Kory to "just a sex fling"

Everything had to get changed and ruined to make a shitty retcon couple work. DickBabs shippers say that Barbara wasn’t deaged for Dick but she was! They forget that she was deaged twice. The first time she was deaged wasn’t for Dick but the second time definitely to make her his love interest. All of Barbara’s achievements as congress woman gone for DickBabs.

That’s why I want from the bottom of my heart for this ship to get retconned from history and never get mentioned or even acknowledged by the characters ever again.

I completely understand you, anon! This is my same frustration. And yes, I also don't mind seeing Dick with other people, even though I don't know much about these other relationships. (I've only read a few Nightwing comics). But the issue for me has always gone beyond DK. And I've mentioned this before, but I know very well that Kory wasn't the only victim, besides Clancy, we also had Bea and Helena. What a dirty couple.

I have a theory about this, as I've mentioned before, DB is getting space in DC not necessarily because DC loves her (apart from some writers) but to keep the two characters in the Batfamily. So, DC doesn't know what to do with them. They don't have a strong dramatic charge, which can attract some people, but when we talk about a larger audience, it's a couple that goes unnoticed. What is DC going to do to create a story for them, and what is better than humiliating other women in a sexist society?

DC needs to prove that they love each other, but they can't do that just by showing it in the panels, so they use other characters to show it. I also don't think the Titans would be so approving lol, obviously they wouldn't be against it, but who is Barbara Gordon to them? Tom Taylor is a Barbara fanboy and used the Titans to show it lol.

Getting back to the point, another thing that becomes clear when reading other opinions is that DB's chemistry is very weak compared to Dick's other relationships. It's quite common to see people saying that they think they bring more of an air of young love, or even of two brothers. So, to escape this argument, nothing better than to portray Dick as a playboy and pervert who only loves Barbara Gordon. It's okay to destroy his character, the important thing is for science people that his soulmate is Barbara.

[spilltheteawithme]

hey, I recently got a psychic/tarot reading. This woman is honestly the best, always spot on with so many details that I'd never share with anyone and things she sees in the future (i usually ask what to look forward to or for guidance, shes become an intuitive life coach) these events or things she sees actually happen and come to fruition. Anywho, I had a free question as a valued return customer and I only had one, so I used my second to ask a fun question...

Will Sebastian & Annabelle split soon? They just seem awkward to me, others think they're the sweetest in the world and so in love. (I wanted to include that I thought he seemed unhappy and has changed for the worst since being with her or at least seemingly so changed but I didnt want to push her thoughts in any specific direction. Whether you choose to believe Tarot/psychic readings, this is quite entertaining)

---

Energetically, there is a strong sense of disconnection between Annabelle and Sebastian, but they are tied by mutual obligations and a shared understanding of what this relationship represents.

Sebastian feels increasingly misaligned with the industry’s demands, and his resistance to inauthenticity is growing. However, he also has a stubborn streak, which might keep him in the arrangement longer than expected, especially if external pressures or loyalty to commitments come into play.

A separation is likely, but it may take time and careful navigation.

The cards you drew—The Chariot, Seven of Swords, and Eight of Pentacles—provide a detailed and layered view of the dynamics between Annabelle and Sebastian, particularly in relation to their potential split.

The Chariot This card represents control, determination, and forward movement. It suggests that both Annabelle and Sebastian are navigating a highly structured and goal-oriented phase. Their actions are calculated, possibly tied to a PR contract and its objectives. The Chariot implies that any decisions regarding their relationship will be driven by external circumstances (such as professional or public image concerns) and their individual desires to stay in control of their own narratives.

Insight: While a split could occur, it will likely depend on how the narrative surrounding them continues to unfold. The energy here indicates a deliberate and strategic approach to their next steps, rather than an emotional or impulsive decision.

Seven of Swords This card points to secrecy, strategy, and perhaps deception. It reflects the underlying nature of their PR relationship—where calculated moves and a façade of authenticity dominate. The Seven of Swords also suggests that there may be private dissatisfaction or hidden intentions at play, particularly on Sebastian's part. If he feels trapped or disingenuous about his role in this arrangement, he might be looking for an exit strategy.

Insight: Sebastian’s feelings of mistrust toward the industry and his frustration with superficiality may play a significant role in any decision to end the relationship. However, this decision may not be made openly; it could unfold subtly, with both parties protecting their individual reputations.

Eight of Pentacles This card represents hard work, effort, and refining one’s craft. It reflects the ongoing work and adjustments both Annabelle and Sebastian have invested in maintaining their public image. The Eight of Pentacles highlights their commitment to fulfilling the PR contract and ensuring their appearances align with their professional goals.

Insight: For now, the focus remains on completing their obligations. However, the card also indicates that once the contractual obligations are fulfilled (possibly after the award season), they may reassess their arrangement. If the relationship no longer serves their individual aspirations, they might part ways to focus on their separate careers.

The combination of these cards suggests that the relationship is heavily influenced by external pressures and contractual commitments. While there may be underlying dissatisfaction (particularly from Sebastian), their professional obligations and public image goals are keeping them together for now. A split after award season seems plausible, but it will likely be handled discreetly and strategically, ensuring minimal damage to both parties' reputations.

🤔

I see a lot of points we've discussed and others have seen or spoken of on other pages. As well as her saying PR and award season, Sebastians stubbornness, his struggle with maintaining his true self and just needing to escape 🤭 Hopefully it ends, I'd like something more explosive, but it seems itll be quiet to fit his his past splits. He doesnt like painting anyone in a bad light.

This same anon, followed up with asking if she knew of these people prior to their question and she said no. She has been a clairaudient/clairvoyant since she was a young child. Anon also says shes often asked third party questions, including for siblings -- the reader saw a pregnancy and breakups/reconciliations though one toxic and rocky in 2024 that will disrupt her life. Two brothers had breakups but found their way back to their S.O's and a third brother announced they'd be expecting their second baby.

[sphacelating]

As someone who loves Andrew as a character and doesn’t hate on Ashley and recognize both of their flaws unlike most people, I feel like the fandom coddles and sympathizes Andrew even more after Chapter 3 because of his backstory.

Ashley’s behavior is largely a result of her parents’ neglect and lack of effort in raising her. They never made her go to therapy or address her issues, instead enabling her behavior and shifting the blame onto her brother. She never had birthdays celebrated, and her fake friends only used her to get closer to Andy. As a result, no one really supports her, and she never learned how to behave in a healthy way. So, it makes sense why she’d become so dependent on Andy when he’s the only one who’s actually tried to care for her and make her happy.

What people often overlook is that Ashley grew up in the same toxic, abusive environment as Andrew, but instead of being labeled as “evil” or “manipulative,” she’s simply a product of the neglect and lack of guidance she experienced. She craves unconditional love, doesn’t understand relationships, and wears her emotions on her sleeve. Meanwhile, Andrew sees through it, lets her behavior slide, and ends up blaming her for his own actions.

There’s a lot of sympathy for Andrew, to the point where people overlook some of his less admirable qualities—like how he treats Ashley, Julia, Nina, and others. But when it comes to Ashley, she’s dismissed just because her personality is harder for people to like. She grew up in the same neglectful and abusive environment as Andrew, but their personalities turned out differently because she was completely neglected, while Andrew was suppressed. This explains why Ashley tends to act out and demand attention, while Andrew keeps things bottled up. Yet people forget this, and only see Ashley as a product of the same toxic environment that worsened Andrew, without considering that there was nothing in that environment that could’ve helped her improve. She doesn’t know how to initiate positive, prosocial behavior because she wasn’t taught how to.

In many ways, Andrew’s behavior is just as problematic—he rarely does anything genuinely prosocial and sometimes behaves horribly toward people who care about him, like Julia. But because he’s more inward in his attitude and has a more fleshed-out backstory, people tend to accept him more easily. Ashley, on the other hand, hasn’t been given the same explanation or “justification” for her actions.

Ashley is clearly wrong for abusing and raping Andrew, and it's understandable that people sympathize with him because of it. However, let’s not pretend Andrew is some “innocent” person. He’s spied on his sister while she was changing, emotionally manipulated others, used Julia to vent his sexual frustrations about Ashley, cared more about the consequences of his actions than the lives he took, faked nightmares to sleep next to his sister, and continues to engage in inappropriate touching or flirting with her.

In the Shots and Such ending, Andrew wanted Ashley to get drunk with him so they could have "accidental" sex, and he ended up assaulting her while she was intoxicated, trying to repeat what he considered the best sex he ever had. In the Cliffhanger ending, it is implied that Andrew intended to assault his imaginary sister.

In the story, Andrew makes many sexual comments to Ashley but later takes back his consent. Despite this, Ashley continues to press him, which leads to the conclusion that this is rape.

Then Andrew has sex with a wasted Ashley. When she finds out, she has a breakdown. Andrew argues that she "wanted it," suggesting it wasn't rape?

Andrew violently beats Ashley and then becomes drunk. Ashley forces him to have sex with her. Later, Andrew admits he likes to get Ashley drunk to have sex with her and has been trying to recreate it over and over again.

Both individuals are terrible, but it frustrates me that Andrew is not held accountable for anything.

Ashley and Andrew both have difficult personalities shaped by their neglectful upbringing. Ashley seeks attention and is often criticized for her behavior, while Andrew is more reserved and people overlook his flaws. The key point is that both are shaped by their environment and should not be labeled as simply a "monster" or a "victim. "

If you feel sympathy for one sibling, you should show the same sympathy to the other. Similarly, if you dislike one sibling, you should also have the same feelings toward the other.

i don’t know what world you live in where people are sympathizing with andrew after decay and refusing to hold him accountable, nor why you’re dropping all these paragraphs in my inbox to tell me how much andrew sucks and ashley should be coddled more like i’m one of those people.

not a fan of anything you said on the topic of rape, either. mentioning it in passing only to bring up examples of andrew disregarding ashley’s lack of genuine consent after he was raped by ashley and she forced him into a sexual relationship as if to show that andrew is a worse rapist, even comparing his deeply repressed thoughts in cliffhanger to the act of rape by claiming thoughts = intent to act, all of that strongly comes off as trying to justify what was done to him and i am not here for it.

and making sexual comments does not in any way equal consent to sex, so andrew didn’t withdraw consent that he’s never given when ashley raped him. you’re definitely in “andrew wanted it so the rape wasn’t that bad” territory here and it’s extremely uncomfortable.

[superm4ks]

charles didn’t have drs after overtaking 4 cars, it was lap 1. you’re entitled to your opinions, and i don’t even particularly disagree with it, but i find it odd that you don’t acknowledge that max getting 20 sec gap to p2 wasn’t also due to the safety car & red flag while charles’ lap 1 is being justified on the track change. idk just food for thoughts, i don’t think minimizing how good charles was in abu dhabi—not even his best race of the year—and saying it’s not comparable to max’s one when they gained the same number of place, even if under different circumstances, is particularly justified and incomparable

again, it’s not to fight with u, max’s drive in brazil was generational, no one is denying it

😐 Friend. U do understand ur fighting wid me on this. Ur on the defensive here and I have no idea why. I never said sharl gained his initial positions thru DRS no clue where u pulled that 1 from. I described that 1st lap as prolly sharls best of his career. Unsure why this isnt enough of an acknowledgment to u like I gotta prove something here. Thats the trend wid some of yall that ann0ys me. This weird ass insecurity when it comes to somebody like Leclerc, whose record is anything but. I made a reference to a reply from that same user, that Yas Marina doesnt favor overtaking from the back like Interlagos, which imo is untrue. I kinda live for circuit trivia so it was a nice chance to mention that '((in 2021)) Chicanes 5 and 6 were turned into a single wider hairpin, specifically to promote more overtaking, where interestingly enough sharl went outside 4 cars before entering DRS.' BEFORE entering the DRS literally means BEFORE entering the DRS straight. Thats it. I assumed people understood DRS wasnt enabled atp and I was just referring to the track characteristics.

Plenty of sharls charge to the podium during this race was made wid DRS bro believe it or not I think it takes absolutely nothing away from his performance. DRS seen as a clutch but some tracks like this 1 its a wobbly one. A driver has to be able to beat an opponent to a specific detection point not just thru the straight line sections but technical corners as well. There were plenty of other drivers who unlike sharl cud not make use of it like he did because they didnt manage their laps as well. Idk how u can read what I wrote before and say I 'minimized' Sharls Abu Dhabi drive. The op I addressed claimed Sharl 'stole' the best drive of the season from Max's Brazil. Thats not saying shit is 'comparable' and its not 'justifiable' no matter how u wanna look at it. Its laughable even. I wont hold back on that sorry. I think its a bonkers thing to say. Sharls Abu Dhabi was a great drive from an ever growing future threat to the standings, and u wanna etch his 1st lap into the fabric of history like sure. I think he taught some lessons in terms of managing the chaos around him to immediately execute a series of flawless overtakes and reestablish control of the pecking order wid sheer pace and ability in a single lap. But Max's drive in Brazil is not comparable to Abu Dhabi in any way shape or form because its not comparable to anything anybody else has ever done wid cold tires under pouring rain in this era of Formula 1. It exists outside of the average realm of racing. I feel like I'm repeating myself and its getting frustrating. Interlagos wasnt a good career drive, it was an historical individual effort by an all time great who turned unprecedented circumstances into an advantaged he carried to a title. We agree thats generational correct. So lets leave it at that.