#this wouldn't be possible without all of you!

[dailymanners]

I am about going to gripe about something that's been really annoying me lately.

First let me start with a disclaimer that I am speaking generally here. Of course both the U.S. and Europe are both massive and diverse places containing hundreds of millions of people, and a lot of regional differences. Neither the U.S. or Europe are a monolith (although a lot of people on the internet speak of both places as a monolith, which I wish people would stop doing, since neither are).

I could be wrong about this, since I don't live in the U.S., and haven't visited everywhere in Europe. But between where I have visited in the U.S., and where I have visited / lived in Europe, and from what I know from my friends in the U.S. and friends in other European countries, I get the feeling that overall the U.S. has stricter disability access laws than a lot of places in Europe do, especially in regard to building codes.

Of course there are exceptions, I know New York city is abhorrently hostile in its design towards anyone elderly and/or disabled. Although when I visited New York city it really just felt on par with a lot of major European cities with how abhorrently inaccessible it was.

One example of this is that recently I saw a Reddit discussion where a USAmerican vacationing in France was surprised at how many staircases didn't have handrails, because according to this man handrails are required by law in the U.S.

The comments were all Europeans having an absolute field day with this. Pretty much all of the comments were some variation of "I can't believe Americans are too stupid and lazy to use the stairs without a handrail 🤣🤣🤣 what's wrong with you fat lazy stupid Americans that you can't even use stairs without a handrail 🤣🤣🤣 thank GOD I was born in Europe where I was just taught how to walk up and down the stairs on my own and don't need a handrail like a lazy fat stupid American 🤣🤣🤣"

A few people tried to gently point out that this was about accessibility for elderly and disabled people, and it's not cool to laugh at building codes that are about accessibility, but those commenters were usually shut down with some variation of "yeah well in MY European country if someone is disabled or becomes elderly we either move to a more accessible building or we modify our home to be more accessible, we don't sit around whining like a bunch of Americans that our building isn't already accessible 🙄"

Which is, such a cruel way to talk about accessibility. Why wouldn't disabled and elderly people deserve the same access to a building as anyone else? Are elderly and disabled people not allowed to visit friends and family? Anyone could get hit by a car today, and after that struggle with going up and down stairs without the use of a handrail for the next several months, years, possibly the rest of your life. It's so easy to feel smug when you can easily trot up and down the stairs without a handrail, but so cruel to be unwilling to consider anyone who struggles with stairs should maybe be allowed access to the same places as you.

Honestly when I go on vacation abroad with my elderly + disabled mother, it's often easier to go to the U.S. with her than other places in Europe, because the U.S. does tend to be more accessible (in my experience, and except for New York city ofc) making going around to different public places with my mom generally a lot easier than somewhere like France or the Netherlands.

It's also part of the reason a lot of retired people in Iceland end up having to move abroad to live out their retirement. Of course the main reason for that is usually that the cost of living here is so ridiculously high most people can't afford the cost of living on a pension. However for some the fact that Iceland is just not very accessible is part of that.

Out of all the things you could clown on the U.S. about, why you gotta go for accessibility of all things? It's disgustingly ableist and ageist, and I have to wonder if these people actually just hate disabled people / accessible design, and are using the U.S. as an excuse to hate on disabled people and accessible design.

[creepykuroneko]

Not attacking Op or anything negative like that. Back in the 2010s when various marginalized people were demanding more inclusion in Media, and white cishet Christian men were crying "that wouldn't be historically inaccurate!" a lot of people were quick to shut down those ignorant responses with historic facts. Like the fact that we know polynesian, asian, african, and Viking sailors did trade with the indigenous people all across the Americas long before the European colonizer showed up. Which brings to mind my favorite quote from the TV series psych.

Then of course there's the fact that if it's in a fantasy setting, why can't there be more diversity? Again this is not an attack on op, just general observation. White people have no problem with sci-fi and fantasy until people of color want to be included. Then suddenly that's not "realistic" or "relatable". The same people who would go to see every single Marvel movie in theater, were complaining when Crazy Rich Asians came out that they didn't want to see it because "I can't relate to that" 🙃

It's your world building. Have all the inclusion there without feeling the need to over explain why the people at the bar are all speaking a dozen different languages. Or you can take elements of the real world and combine it with au fantasy writing. I've met a lot of bad DMs who have no problem with the fantasy creatures speaking their native language besides whatever the common language is but when I bring up real indigenous languages they are confused about how that could be possible. It's fantasy! It can be whatever we want it to be.

For the longest time I opted on the side of "no coffee, potatoes, etc" in fantasy writing, on the argument that if I was writing a pseudo-european medieval story, featuring elements brought to Europe by colonialism would imply the existence of colonialism, and if I was going to include that kind of elements, I could not just mention them casually, it would have to be a major theme of the story.

Then I scrolled past a post on tumblr specifically about "can you have potatoes in a fantasy setting for no reason" that had pics of Peruvian potato farmers and asked "are you really too much of a coward to not write these people into your stories?" (the tone was probably not that accusative, I paraphrase from my own perspective of this), and something clicked in my head, and this epiphany manifested in my head as Gordon Ramsay yelling

"IT WAS NOT THE FUCKING COLONIALISM THAT INVENTED THE FUCKING POTATO."

[golden-redhead]

Squid Game's Final Season & The Suspension of Disbelief Baby Problem

The more I think about it, the clearer it gets that the whole Baby Thing in Squid Game s3 was... maybe not the best idea. I can understand where the writers came from and I actually genuinely think that on paper it was a pretty interesting idea. I also realize that it was definitely meant to be largely symbolic and we shouldn't expect it to be 100% realistic. Squid Game never tried to act like it's about realism, it was always about the message and the commentary on human nature and the system we live in.

The thing is... Well, there's symbolism and then there's expecting the audience to ignore very obvious flaws that need to be overlooked for said symbolism to work.

First of all, this whole subplot reeks of being written by someone who never had to deal with a newborn. Which, on its own, is fine. The idea that you should only write about things you are familiar with is, frankly, quite silly. Truth be told, I don't have any experience with dealing with newborns either. However, even if you don't have any first hand experience or knowledge about how newborns operate, common sense still makes it very difficult to buy the way everything played out in the story.

The birth scene itself was honestly silly if you know anything about how it works. And I assume it was even more silly for people who have actual experience giving birth or assissting someone during the process. Like, I can accept that it happened fast, even if it is a little unbeliavable, it is still within the realm of possibility. Some births are easier and faster than others, that's true, but even then, birth is messy regardless of how long it takes. There's blood, sweat, poop and all kinds of nasty stuff. And all that applies to a 'normal' birth, you know, in the hospital and with medical professionals around! Then, there's the pain and panic that would have only been made worse by the reality of being in the middle of a killing game. Not to mention how it was a non-sterile environment full of blood and dirt with no way to properly care for a baby that's born too early and to a first-time mother who's in a lot of pain from additional injuries and trauma. And speaking of the mother, even after giving birth, most people are too exhausted to keep going. Jun-hee didn't look even half as bad as she should have, considering everything her body went through in a small amount of time. She should be still actively bleeding and honestly, it's surprising that a potential infection or excessive bleeding didn't kill her first.

Even when you account for things like adrenaline and accept that some things had to be simplified in order to work on screen, there are just way too many elements other than the things related to the birth itself that don't make any sense. And that's all without even getting to the obvious issue of a newborn baby's needs, such as frequent feeding and diaper changes. Or the crying which would for sure drive everyone crazy, especially at night when the adrenaline of the games wears off and people are trying to rest. Or, you know, the serious risk of the hungry and dehydrated baby getting an infection, especially since it has basically no immune system to speak of.

And then there's the jumping rope game... Have you ever heard about SBS? The Shaken Baby Syndrome? Much older children are at risk of serious injury and even death from being shaken. I find it very hard to believe that that baby wouldn't suffer after being shaken, jostled and moved around like that. Oh, and then there's also SIDS. It's short for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. We don't exactly know what causes it, but some babies die despite being perfectly healthy and taken care of. It's just one of these things that seem to be out of our control. If it can happen to children who have all of their needs met, imagine how much higher the risk was for Jun-hee's baby.

Honestly, I could keep going, but... No matter how you slice it, the creators expected A LOT from the audience by demanding that we overlook all of these issues. And that's assuming that you are even willing to overlook it in the first place. Which, frankly, I think is quite hard, considering how many lovable, actually well-developed characters had to die for the sake of that baby. The baby that not only very clearly didn't look only a few days old but also required some pretty bad use of CGI at some points.

Again, I realize that it's less about the baby and more about what the baby symbolizes, especially in Korean culture. It's pure, it's innocent, it's a representation of what could be a better future. I just think that all these things I mentioned above, along with a shockingly defeatist ending for Gi-hun, make it very hard to accept the way the final season ended. This sudden lack of realism taken to such an extreme doesn't help either.

In fiction, we often talk about suspension of disbelief. All fiction requires that to some extent, with some genres or kinds of media expecting more of it than others. The problem is, despite some of pretty unbelievable elements, Squid Game was always pretty deeply rooted in reality, especially when it comes to its characters. I think it's the reason why it resonated with people as much as it did. It's taken to the extreme, yes, but we all can understand the idea of being betrayed by the system. We know how it feels to be constantly beaten down and how one mistake can spiral out of control and ruin our whole life. We realize that life is unfair and that the uber wealthy prey on the poor and uphold a system that's designed to keep us in check.

So, by suddenly going out of its way to make a pretty unbelievable situation work against all odds and have that baby survive when no one else did, the creators demanded a lot from its audience. I think this is where a lot of disappointment and disbelief comes from.

[eveningcherryblossoms]

It's A Beta Life, Not A Better Life | Part 1

A platonic yandere Batfam x neglected beta reader story

In a pack that's already complete without another person, you just had to be added.

In a world where betas are considered inferior to the majority, you just had to present as a beta.

You were born the sole child of Bruce Wayne, the prime alpha billionaire and Prince of Gotham, with your mother, at a time known as the most beautiful omega in Gotham. The public knew nothing about your birth, however–in fact, not even your father knew of your existence until you turned seven and your mother suddenly passed away and he was approached concerning your guardianship.

For what it was worth, you acknowledged that it was decent of Bruce to take you in. Oh, sure, it would've damaged his reputation a little should it be known that Bruce Wayne–a rich alpha with two adopted pups he clearly doted on–refused to take responsibility of his biological child. And all he did was detail his butler to pick you up and put you in the nursery wing of his manor, away from him and his actual children. Still, it could've been worse. Even at age seven, you didn't need the omega CPS worker's cautiously murmured platitude and badly-concealed disappointed look to know that.

So when the butler Mr Pennyworth left you at the nursery after saying "Master Bruce will see you tomorrow at breakfast, Young Mx", though your pack bond ached without your mother's presence to the point tears sprang on your eyes, you quietly went to bed and buried your sobs and whimpers into your pillow.

You had no reason to think so yet, nevertheless you had the premonition there would be no use asking anyone here for their company.

When morning came and you saw Bru–your fa–Bruce Wayne cheerfully told Mr Pennyworth he would be driving Jason to school and get their breakfast on the way, only to freeze upon seeing you, you didn't cry or pitch a fit about having been obviously forgotten. You ate your breakfast alone at a table that could easily seat twenty-two, politely thanked Mr Pennyworth for the food, just as politely listened to his halting explanation "Young Master Jason has only presented recently and is still uncertain about his position within the pack, Young Mx. Pray don't take offense to Master Bruce", and even more politely refrained from pointing out how you were just as uncertain of your position here.

It wasn't true, after all. You knew already where your position here was: Down at the bottom.

When Dick came across you at the manor and immediately began asking who you were and what you were doing here, you answered him as succinctly as possible, concealed how you felt choked by his scent spiking when you told him your parentage, then–as soon as Dick gave you a lovely, charming, fake smile and an equally fake excuse to leave–dashed to the nursery, where you proceeded to crumple and cough until you teared up. The anger and pain were so clear in his scent it hurt you too. Somehow, however, it hurt even more the next time you saw Dick and he gave you the same charming fake smile and a promise to hang out with you next time.

You could tell it was a lie. No one here would willingly hang out with you.

When several years later Jason–your second omega big brother, in theory–unexpectedly died due to terrorist attack in Ethiopia, you spared a moment remembering him. Him burying his nose into a book, coming from and going to various school activities, cuddling with the pack, stiffening then anxiously smiling at six-years-younger you whenever you two met. The way Bruce stared at you when Mr Pennyworth all but pushed you to stand next him at the funeral made you look down at the closed casket and not lift your head until the funeral ended.

Had you been the one who died, Bruce wouldn't have stared at his children like that. Had you been the one who died, would Bruce even be there?

When Tim appeared seemingly out of nowhere and started fussing over Bruce, you said nothing. When he wildly gesticulated and rambled about how he had no intention of intruding in the pack, that it was all professional relationship, etcetera etcetera–you nodded and joined him pretending that Bruce's hurt-sad-angry scent didn't mellow down drastically around him, that Dick scenting his wrists and playfully stealing his hoodie for his nest was a joke, that the room Mr Pennyworth set up for him in the family wing was purely for convenience's sake, that during his rut he didn't make a den in said room and the whole pack (not including you. You weren't pack) didn't happily join him there.

Pretending with Tim was the only time you ever did something together. It was pathetic how you enjoyed it while it lasted.

When more years passed and Jason came back to life–having been, apparently, abducted by a secret organization that turned him to an alpha for reasons unknown–bringing Damian with him, both of them so obviously strange alphas who should have triggered the pack but were instead accepted with open arms, you returned to the nursery and firmly didn't wonder whether they would've accepted you into the pack once you presented. Later on, when Damian entered the nursery and decreed "You are my only sibling by blood, even though you are clearly inferior by birth I shall still accept you in my pack once you present", you smiled as though indulging a pup, thanked him and saw him to the nursery door.

See, here you go, after six years intruding upon this pack one of them actually said he'd accept you! Wasn't this what you wanted? What did you want to scream and hurt someone for, it would be so ungrateful of you, you know?

When it was the eve of your sixteenth birthday–the last time it was considered normal to present a secondary gender–and everybody was out of the manor, you didn't fuss. You made sure to stock up on water and electrolyte drinks in non-spill bottles, easy-to-eat food on a platter and in the mini fridge, standard medical supplies and wet wipes within reach, clothes both unwashed and freshly laundered, bedding ditto, everything necessary to den or nest. You had the email notifying the school for your absence drafted and ready to post when the rut or heat began, and the nearest good clinic specializing on secondary gender presentation ready to dial should anything out of ordinary occur. You went to sleep, then woke up to a living nightmare that was presenting as a beta.

In the future you might just wonder, was your being a would-be beta the reason you weren't accepted into the pack? Was it a respite from whatever higher beings were up there, from the future you were to face? Was it just your fate to be neglected when you needed help the most, then suddenly coveted and hunted when you wanted nothing more than to live quietly by yourself?

In the present, you just cursed that you had to deal with being a beta.

It's a beta life, not a better life.

A/N: Holy shit what am I doing... I write non-x-reader romcom for a totally different fandom on AO3, why am I trying my hand at writing a platonic yandere Batfam x neglected reader 😭 Please be gentle, not only is this my first time writing like this but English is also not my first language 😔🙏 Also please tell me if I missed a tag or something, I dunno what else I might have overlooked 🙏

[cursedbycrossovers]

Help Wanted ≠ Send Sacrifices (Pt. 4)

"SOS MC"

That was the message Babs had received from Tim fifteen minutes ago.

Steph didn't have all the codes memorized, there were a truly ridiculous number of them, but she did know that one.

"SOS: Mind Control"

For once, Steph found herself longing for one of the complex, overly-specific codes, because what did that mean?!

Was it Tim being mind controlled? Civilians? An ally? What were they being mind controlled to do? Was it magic? Aliens? Tech?

There were way too many possibilities, none of them were good, and Steph suddenly felt almost-bad for every time she'd run off without a word and nearly given Tim a heart attack.

"Spoiler? Do you copy?"

"Yeah, O," Steph panted, "Almost there."

The warehouse- and of course it was a warehouse- where Tim's tracker had last pinged was coming into view, and Steph was not slowing down. Tim hardly pinged for help, ever. He wasn't as bad about it as some of the other Bats, but still—

"Spoiler," Barbara began slowly, as if knowing she were entering a losing battle, "When you get there, do not engage. Wait for backup. Nightwing and Batman—"

"Nope," Steph answered easily as she swept toward the conveniently-open window. Depending on what kind of danger Tim was in, they might not have time to wait for backup.

She swung in easily, landing in almost perfect silence on the concrete floor. The shadows covered her entrance, clinging to the walls like mold. The air was stagnant and chilled, like a morgue, but something about it itched at her nose. Even Babs was oddly soundless over the comms.

The room was empty. Not even standard Gotham warehouse empty, the kind with rusty shelves and cardboard boxes full of nothing, but completely empty. Only Steph and the dust occupying the space. She felt the pit in her stomach grow deeper.

Tim wasn't here, and that meant he'd been moved to a secondary location. His chances of survival dropped dramatically.

Steph grit her teeth and rose to her full height, squinting across the barren room. There had to be some sort of clue here– and she was going to find it.

— — —

"B, N, you're going to want to hurry up. Spoiler just went in by herself, and there's some kind of interference on the comms." Oracle's voice kept mostly even, but there was a firmness indicative of stress to it.

Batman made an upset grunt-growl, and Nightwing a wounded noise. They should've known she wouldn't wait for them, but they'd been so caught up in Tim disappearing that they hadn't thought about it. At least Batman and Nightwing weren't going to be too far behind.

Nightwing arrived first, diving in through the window and landing in a roll. He had expected to see all kinds of horrific things, so seeing Spoiler crouching, unharmed, to gently trace something on the floor was a shocking relief.

"There's some kind of marks here, on the stone." Spoiler started without preamble or looking over her shoulder, "It looks like… acid burns? I think they're making some kind of pattern."

Nightwing rose to his feet, pressing a hand to his chest as he came down from the hear-hyperventilation. "Don't scare us like that."

Spoiler glanced slightly back at him with an eyebrow raised. "What? You guys knew I was fine. I left my comms on, despite the risk of lecture."

Nightwing breathlessly shook his head. "We couldn't hear you. Babs said there's some kind of interference."

"Oh." Steph said, feeling a little embarrassed. That made a lot more sense than Babs just giving up on dissuading Steph of her plan.

Nightwing strolled forward, craning his neck down to get a view of what Steph was looking at. A curved, pale line ran under her fingertips, continuing outward in either direction to ultimately form a perfect circle. It was large, hard to see the entirety of it in the dark, and from edge to edge ran these lines, connected to each other by spiky, starlike shapes. The marks themselves had a texture as though whatever made them had been bubbling, yet somehow stayed contained enough to not completely obscure the image.

A feeling of dread began to press down on Nightwing's chest like a stone.

Only years of practice alerted Nightwing when Batman arrived, gliding forward silently as though made of shadow. He glanced down at the symbols on the stone, silent for a long moment as his lips pursed into displeasure.

"I'll call Justice League Dark." He eventually acquiesced.

— — —

Pt. 1 | Pt. 2 | Pt. 3

[morcez]

content: makeout, mutual cheating, language, Nanami x reader. (inspired by the nicolandria kiss iykyk)

"This is so wrong." You pull away from the kiss. Nanami's glasses crooked on his confused face. "Did I do something wrong?" He was out of breath. His pupils were dilated, focused on your beautiful face. He looks at you with an expression more powerful than lust, pure yearning. His face flushed from his lack of air. He looks so fucking good. "No, god. You didn't do anything wrong." You say. "I have a boyfriend, we really shouldn't be doing this." Nanami lets out a loud groan at your words. "I don't know what you see in that asshole."

He's right, your boyfriend is a complete asshole. You wouldn't be surprised if he were cheating on you this very moment as well, without an inkling of guilt. Your boyfriend was no man, he was lustful, throwing himself at the first piece of ass he see's. He only takes your relationship seriously when it benefits him. Nanami, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Nanami is a gentleman. The type of guy who would buy you 'just because' flowers, and remember the little things. Nanami is the type of guy to listen to you vent for hours and still be attentive. Not to mention, he's extremely easy on the eyes.

"You're one of the most beautiful girls I've seen in my lifetime," He says, looking at you with stars in his eyes "and yet that man dares to treat you any less than a queen." Nanami looks so cute like this. Completely drunk off a kiss. Your makeup is all over his face, and you couldn't help but chuckle. You cup his face, using your thumb to wipe the makeup off. "No, keep it, I love it." he demands, making your stomach do the thing. His eyes glance down at your lips, then back at your eyes, a smirk planted on his face. His hands cup your face softly, yet full of intent. He leans in, leaving passionate kisses on your lips. He's been fantasizing about this exact moment for ages, for the moment your boyfriend slips, so he can show you what a real man is like. "But- mm- I'm cheating on my-" You say breathily in between kisses. Nanami's hands travel down to your waist, pulling you as close as possible. "Shhh, pretty baby." He mumbles into your mouth, as if pulling away from this kiss will kill him. "Don't worry about him. You got me now."

authors note: It is currently 6:10 am (I haven't slept yet) so I'm sorry if this is butt

dividers:  cafekitsune

[yeiwo7]

Do I wanna know?

Summary: Training is fine, if it wasn't with the one guy you wanted the most. Yet, he? Would barely care about you, just awkwardly stoic and slightly distant. Almost everyone, but him, knows you love him.

Pairings: Fushiguro Megumi x Reader

Word Count: 4k

Genre: Fluff, one-sided love, foolish Megumi, Silly Gojo, training with the awkward boy, slight injuries, nothing serious, his doggos love you.

.................................................................................................................

Perhaps it was a terrible idea to sleep through an uncanny amount of alarms only to wake up a solid TEN minutes before morning training.

The schedules here were fuckass, students sort of had a clue on what will happen, although much of the activities mattered on the teacher's—*cough cough* Gojo's—mood. On this refined morning, where even the Sin decided to sleep in behind greying blankets of plush, cloud warmth with the silky wind gently fanning his face.

Freshening up as much as you could, more like lamenting and dreading this day's possible events as you brushed your teeth, gazing into your own tored eyes.

It hasn't even been long since you enrolled here, yet the people are suprisingly easy to get along with—I mean, after a few rounds of life-or-death missions—who wouldn't feel close to their comrades? After sharing blood, sweat and intresting insults towards botched faced curses.

At first, they were all pretty intimidating. All except for that pink headed guy who bears odd reseblence to Togepi.

Took a while longer to fully warm up to the rest of them, it was quite the challenge especially with that D1 yapper Mr.Onigiriismywholepersonality upperclassmen.

However, the most challenging individual out of them all was none other than that supposed pretty prodigé.

Leaving your room, to down a quick glass of chilled water before having to deal with everyone. Procrastinating till the very end, not that it would mstter bring a few minutes late anyways, what's the worst that could happen?

Peaking your head over the side, spying on the training grounds to check if anyone was there, although the steady bickering had given that away long before you even had to reach the mere dreadful vicinity of the training grounds—which weren't even bad—you just were not the most athletic person, so obviously one would not be fond of such a  sweaty places.

Humming in confirmation to yourself that that beloved teacher isn't there, yet. Ready to tirn on your heel, to walk back into the kitchen for another glass of water, or to grab your phone from your room, although by then you would be terribly late, a certain stern sisterly voice called out to you.

Groaning in defeat, as your legs automatically U-turn and head down the steps to greet the rest. Posture slouched and still rubbing your eyes awake to better see their bullshit in HD quality.

The first to greet you was the overly friendly Itadori Yuuji, without his help you'd still be a reclusive hermit. Tackling you into a hug, as the two of you almost tumbme over fron the sleed of which he ran to hug you.

Then peeling this boy off of you was none other than your shining knight in pearl armour; Kugisaki Nobara. An older sister figure alongside Maki, they doted on you in their own ways. Nobara always dragged you out of your room to socialise, while Maki helped tremendously with your training and physique. She taught you most of the moves you could probably pull off.

Almost obsorbing you into their arguement, slipping out you stood listlessly beside the two, awkwardly positioning yourself next to the king of nonchalance, which is a huge ass fucking LIE, Megumi Fushiguro.

It was the only safe spot truly. Not that he would protect you from the other two or anything, no, nah, not at alll. He's rather awkward, the air is always stiff when the two of you are near each other. It's unbareable.

He always stands so tall, with his head helf high, oddly sharp jaw which goes into contrast with his soft cheeks that one would simply have to resist taking a bite out of. Although that would be impossible, it's like Eve taking the apple. His eyes trail after the rather reckless bodies which were currently having their own pre-spar showdown, throwing words around haphazardly. Such pleasant blue eyes, not as intense as Sensei's, but lulling enough to have you swim for longer than necesssry.

There it is. That deep voice of his. At first, it sounded fake. So fake infact you had asked the others about it and they replied it's just how he is...and yes, that's his real voice. He had muttered a "Good morning" under his breath and shuffled a little further away from you.

To you? It had ways been like that, for the past six? seven? months you had known him he's always been so distant and quick to pull away. Not one to speak to you in group, let alone single settings. He would rather the abyssal silence deafen both of your ears than to ask a simple question or to engage in useless small talk. Never maintaining eye contact. What's worse is he wouldn't even look at you when you speak. Just gazes in the opposite direction, as if anything else could be more intresting than what you have to say.

To him? His life is on the line right now. If he stood statue-esq, still as a tree on a windless day his cover would have blown. It's a miracle how the other teo have yet to figure it out, although he would rather "WITH HIS TREASURE, I SUMMON" than to actually tell his closest friends that the blush that shamelessly spreads across his cheeks are not from the running, or sparring. That when he looses his breath, or words, it's not because he's tired, but because he is distracted. All too caught up in the way his brain slowly processes the way you stare at him.

It has him short-circuit. He is done for.

The last thing he needs is to be put on the same missions as you, or to be in your general space for longer than a minute without an escape route—because trust me when I say—he will combust.

The first few days he was iffy and weirded out by you. Why did you demand this almost foreign feeling from him? He felt worried, yet the more he was able to diagnose his cause, the worse his syptoms became.

Then the beloved teacher spawned out of no-where. He wore casual clothes, ditching that crusty, sweaty blindfold for some crisp vision. "GOOD MORNING CHILDREN!" He beamed, appearing right behind Fushiguro, who seemed to have been dozing off. Scaring his own son a little in the morning.

"GOOD MORNING, GOJO SENSEI!" Only one person had the mental capacity to match this beaming teacher's morning energy. Pretty sure they both had less than three hours of sleep, collectively.

The rest of us groaned a greeting with a pleasant smile. He stood next to the pretty guy, so of course he was in your line of sight. Not your fault that while muting out whatever Gojo sensei was saying, observing the boy infront of you.

If only you noticed that someone else seemed to have taken note of this one-sided affair.

Clapping his hands, the teacher announced. "Alright kids, now as for your morning training you will have to spar with the person I assign you too!" He grinned, heavily emphasizing that I.

Meguni felt this growing dread blooming in his chest. Huffing to himself, already aware that his fate has been sealed.

Gojo did a beautiful pirouette pointing both  hands to Yuuji's direction, who was jumling and popping off the ground. Then, his hands panned from the kid who's probably high on some drug to...

Megumi's heart dropped, Nobara chuckled and the next you felt was the ground swallowing you whole with an extra added weight burying you.

While you lay, pushing and bickering with Yuuji on the ground, Gojo and Nobara shared a knowing look then glanced towards Fushiguro. Who seemed awfully stiff, jaw clenched and eyes spilling more emotion than normal.

Walking up to him, Nobara patted gis shoulder. "Don't worry, bro, I feel ya."

He shot her a rather confused look. To which she remarked. "Oh, shut up-"

"I haven't even said anything."

"Doesn't matter. I wanted to be paired with heeerrrr." She whined. An oscar winning actress.

Meanwhile, Yuuji pushed himself off of you, offering a hand to help you up. Glaring him down. Standing up on your own and crossing your arms had him shaking your shoulders, apologies spilling from his mouth, until he promised something he would inevitably regret later.

Now his shoulders slouched, as he stood a few feet away, facing you. "No, wait! I take that back-"

"No take backs! You PROMISED that you'll sing and dance to any song I choose." You stood triumphantly, hands on your hips, grinning at his forseen demise.

All the while Yuuji groaned, long and drawn out in a drained sing song voice. "There goes my dignityyy~" Then the teacher clapped again, commencing the training session.

After an hour of getting your ass handed to you by Yuuji, who just giggled everytime you threw an insult at him. "WHAT THE HELL-" He shrieked.

Oh, how the turns have tabled. You chased him down. Tackling him onto the ground and perching yourself onto his back. Now it was your body weight burying him face first into

the dirt.

"Oh, c'mooonnn! I'm dying down here! You're kinda heav-AH! M'SORRY" Yuuji screamed, begging for his life after you slapped his ass really hard.

"Aww, what's that? Can't hear you." You chuckled, feeling content with this session. Between the two of you, it was obvious that Yuuji was stronger physically with his freakish inhumae strength, yet he always held a soft spot training with you. Not with Nobara or Maki though, he won't ever admit it, but he's scared to shit from them. He's afraid of you too, just can't help being nicer. He sees you like a younger sister, someone to protect. Unlike Maki and Nobara, who are strictly older sisters.

Now, by routine there would be a thrity minute break then partner swap. Chugging some water and doing streches with Nobara, while arguing with Yuuji in the shade is a comforting dream.

Yuuji, sparked up. "OH! Speaking of breakfasts," he giggled devilishly, nudging Megumi's side. "Me and Fushiguro, here, were discussing what I should eat this morning and he said that I should eat some of that blue box cereal-"

Pondering out loud, you muttered. "Blue boxed cereal...Wait, isn't that Nobara's favourite-"

She lunged at him, pulling his left ear. "SO, YOU'RE THE REASON WHY MY CEREAL'S BEEN FINISHING QUICKER, HUH?" She reprimanded, veins popping.

"WHAT? ME?" He pitched his voice higher, clearly offended by this accusation. Soon, that defense dissolved unto whining. "I literally tried it todaaayyyy, it was Fushiguro who reccomended it to me!"

She sent a glare his way, to which Fushiguro raised both hands feigning innocence. "Before you rip my ears off, it wasn't me." His smoother voice was laced with an underlying of mischief. Then, he pointed his left index towards you. "Saw her on multiple occasions, though."

Your heart rate increased by an unnatural speed when he loomed at you with that mean look swirling in his eyes. 'Why's he doing this?' You thought, as blush brushed upon the plump of your cheeks as you sheepishly smile at Nobara.

Trying your best to play it off by adopting a sarcastic tone. "Oh no~ The scheme's up." Extending your hands towards Nobara, wrists facing up ready to be cuffed.

She turned to look you up and down before concluding to lay onto your lap. "She can, you two can't-"

"THAT'S UNFAAIRR!"

"Oh, shut it you whiny baby. You're just jealous of me, Itadori. I have won the favour of our Queen Nobara."

"She's right."

"Oh c'moonn, not you too Fushiguro!"

"Since you kids seem to be getting along so well, time for round 2! However, it'll be boring if we just throw some fists around, so how about this? There'll be two teams so~ Nobara and Megumi are the hunters, or seekers I guess, and you two will be the prey." Mr.crustyblindfold spawned out of no where, like a sudden announcement.

He ruffled my hair and handed me a slip of paper. Then he walked over to Yuuji and handed him a slip of paper. Although it looked more like a talisman of sorts, imbued with cursed energy.  "Hunters have to destroy the paper slip before the end of round one, which will last an hour. You kids have the whole of jujutsu tech to run around in. Prey have a head start of one minute..." Drawing his voice out, he checked the time and the phone flashed 9.30AM. "Timer starts NOW!"

Your steps faltered, watching Yuuji take off you made booked it. Sprinting after him, although you had started with a delay, somehow you have surpassed him to the point that you have no fucking clue where you are. The woods surrounding this school aren't nightmare-ish, just dense.

Deciding that you've run enough, it was time to rest up. Too tired to climb a tree, you decided it was best to just hide behind a thick trunk of wood in some bushes and wait it out. The aim was to last an hour, there's still time right? Besides, it felt like you'd been running for atleast five minutes, so a little rest wouldn't hurt.

Crouching down, you made sure to be well hidden. Feeling your pockets for your phone to check the time. "Fuck, it's in charging." Groaning, you rolled your eyes and slumped against this hunk of wood. Muttering to yourself, since a yapper never rests. "They'll probably agree on sending Nobara after me anyways...heh, she'd have a hard-time finding me." You dozed off.

Thirty minutes ago, Gojo had let the hunters free shortly after the two of you. "Alright, Fushiguro, here's the plan: I'll go after Yuuji, since she'd probably expect me to go and look for her, so strategically it would be great to have the element of surprise." Nobara pitched the idea as the two were jogging into the woods.

"Alright, but, uh..."

"Something wrong?"

"I, uh...no, not really. He didn't say anything about not using our cursed techniques, right? I'll have the demon dogs search with us." The two dogs emerged from the shadows and ran off in roughly the same, straight direction.

"Right! Ha, this'll be easy."

The two jog in some more awkward silence. Mainly both were scanning the area around for any trace of clue pointing to a certain direction.

Nobara thought the timing would be right. "Y'know, I've been meaning to ask you, why are you so cold with her? Well, not exactly cold—don't give me that look—more like distant? You like her or something?"

The answer he had prepared as rebuttal sank deep back into his throat. Suddenly, he felt naked, embarresment creeping up his neck.

His silence was enough an answer.

"Hmm, some advice on how to win her over, talk to her and behave like you want her, but not in a creepy way."

He just stared at her in disbelief. Did she think he was an alien or someone that's never been inlove before? "It's not my first time, y'know? I've seen enough examples in movies, documentaries and stuff."

In full earnesty, she gawked. "Really? You?" Laughing, before noticing that the black dog headed left, while the white one seemed to have dissapeared into some bushes.

The two hunters parted ways.

Trailing after his divine dog, mind wandering to that enchanting smile that graced those, slightly dry, plush lips. Such lively joy in your eyes, your voice was a dangerous weapon to his solidarity. What bothered him lots, was how he wasn't the one to make you smile or laugh.

He never could.

Anytime he would try to start a conversation or just simply greet you his voice would crack and the scentences would die mid talking.

He hated it.

Hated how incapable he was.

He wanted to jump onto you and embrace you like that. To practise training and spar with you for an hour would be a blessing.

Gojo sensei had sent the two of you on missions before, but each time you would talk to him, all he could muster were short answers. Because Megumi knew himself enough to not give away his dignity. Make a fool out of himself, by stammering at the mere mention of his name through hour lips.

He could barely make eye contact with you because Megumi knew that you would see just how much he yearns for your love.

Yet he feels so sour when Yuuji ends up being the one to make you laugh. Goofs off with you, gets tk talk to you without stammering or getting shy.

Why isn't Yuuji affevted by yoir sheer besuty?

Megumi would never understand amd doesnt want Yuuji to ever understand the idea of being yoir boyfriend.

That was Megumi's dekusion, and his alone.

An odd stirring of leaves and breathing could be heard from beside.

You felt a cold tip nudging into your cheek, stirring you awake. Ready to scream, your fight of flight response kicking in jumping up from out of the bushes, only to catch a glimpse of the creature that woke you up. It was one of Fushiguro's shikigami.

Leaning a little forward to observe the wolf? a bit more. Watching as it approaches you, licks your hand and circles around your feet happily.

A childish, giddy joy bubbled within your heart...until the bubbles popped as you heard footsteps approaching. You cursed yourself out internally. 'Nobara? No...if the shikigami are here then that means...fuck.'

Ready to break into another sprint, it was as if the puppy had read your mind it halted your movements, slowing you down. That smart doggo was swirling between your legs and circling you too many times, worrying you about stepping on its paw.

The footsteps drew nearer and nearer and you were ready to accept fate as is, until an idea sparked. 'What if I attack first?' Waiting for the right moment of him nearing you.

You threw a jab at him, which he dodged with ease. He threw punches and tried kicking you just as many times as you kicked him. Everytime he stepped closer you took three steps back.

After one successful dodge, your shoe got stuck on a protruding root, causing you to fall onto your back banging your head against the ground and accidentally scraping your hand against some really harsh terrain which made them hurt and bruised.

Megumi sat himself down onto your thighs, to restrict movement. Leaning himself forward he extended a hand, palm facing up.

His face had redened insanely. He pointed his index up first. "We can take this the easy way," blush crept onto his cheeks. "or the hard way."

"Try me." You smirked, leaning in closer to him, while gripping that paper in your hands. He scooched further up your body, freeing your legs. Now he wasn't using your body like some cushion.

He simply leaned in so close you could feel his breath fanning your face. He tickled you a little on the sides, which was enough to let go of your hands as upright supports, allowing him to push you into the ground, hands pinned above your head. "You love playing with me, don'tcha?" Megumi whispered.

You were stunned beyond belief. Was this really the Fushiguro you knew? Stammering a confused. "W-What?" The air felt so warm all of a sudden.

"I-uhm, fuck, erm...could you give me the paper, please?"

"This slip? No." You smiled at his bashful face, even on top of you, he looked graceful. His voice was so soft you would squish his cheeks.

He freed one of his own hands, holding you down with his left, while poking around inside your little fist with his right. "C'mon~ open up."

"Were you always this talkative?" The silence felt odd.

"Yeah"

"Why do you always avoid me?"

This question caught him off guard, glancing down at your adoring face he felt himself shrink, his dignity shrivel up into a paper ball to be thrown into the trash. "I..."

Taking this as the perfect opportunity, you swiftly wrapped you legs around his waist and tumbled to the side.

He let out a gasp, watching you sit on top of him, positioning yourself on his lap.

He sat up.

Finally freeing you hands, you were about to get up, until you felt his arms hold onto your waist. It was a soft grab, a caress, nothing forceful and harsh, he just held onto you

It would be a lie if he said he was fine.

A lie if his heart wasn't about to combust on site.

A lie, if he said that he didn't want to kiss you, hold your cheeks dearly, wake up in your embrace, and lull you to sleep.

He has dreamed of such impossibilities since the day he learned of your name. He's been taking literal notes about your interests, your habits, things you want in a partner, everything.

"Fuuckkk, I don't know what's wrong with me these days, I just know that you're the cause."

"...so you think I'm your problem?" Serving a judgmental side-eye.

"Pretty much." His blue eyes bore into your soul with an underlying yearnful look that had you weak in the knees.

"Elaborate, would you?"

"Huh? Sure, i mean uhm..." He wondered, for a bit, on whether he should or not, but at this point he is desperate and whipped. "I feel extra warm and bothered on the inside, makes me feel jealous of the most random shit and you're like a mind infection."

You giggle, tilting your head to question him. He was blushing hard. "Mind infection? Hm, I guess you're also a mind infection to me. All I can think about is you and what I could talk to you about that wouldn't bore you, what your preferences are and stuff."

"Well..."Fushiguro got flustered. Gasping from shock, you teased him. He hid his bashful face in the crook of your neck, embracing. "I like listening to rock and reading non-fiction."

"Oh, I like reading, too! And besides, I love listening to you talk about those stupid games and nerdy stuff you read. You could never bore me, for all I care, you can talk about those silly idols and I would still listen."

You sat there, amazed at his beautiful voice. "This is probably the most you've ever spoken to me! Wow, you're finally being kind again."

"Damn it, m'sorry if I've been a douchebag. I have a hard tine trying to express myself and you are quite the threat to my mind and heart."

"I can tell, it's alright. I'm not good at it either." With the paper in your left hand, caressing his face with your right.

Megumi started gently kissing the skin of your neck, occasionally slipping a few praises and softly exhaling.

A distraction tactic.

As he slid his long, slender fingers into your fisted right hand, prying them apart and tearing that piece of paper with a little bit of force.

You gasped in shock as he smiled against your neck, lifting his head up leaning in so close that the tip of your noses touch.

"I win. You loose."

"Back to short sentences, are we?-Ow! My hands hurt because of you."

"I'll take you to Shoko-san then. First, get off of me."

"Yeah, I would, if you'd let go of me first."

He gasped a little 'oh' and murmured an "Ah, oopsie~" before letting you get up to pet his divine dog. He stood up and leisurely started walking back towards the school, hands in his pockets, with you in tow. 

After a few minutes of peaceful quiet walking it finally fucking clicked for you.

"Holy shit, did we just confess?"

"I guess, yeah...I don't know if I wanna know your answer yet."You felt your heart shatter a bit. "How about we get to know each other first, hm?" He continued reasoning. Hearing the footsteps gallop behind him, he turned to face you. "Then again, I'll probably still be too busy being enamoured by you, so you shouldn't worry much." He pinched your cheek and walked off, leaving you in a whirlwind of confused emotions.

[witchy-scribblings]

in honor of getting my tubes removed (woohoo!), i present to you childfree gojo satoru who can finally act out his breeding kink without consequences (mdni)...

❀ childfree gojo who cherishes megumi, yuuji and nobara from the bottom of his heart (and expresses it by being the biggest pain in the ass known to man), but has no desire of having children of his own. the thought definitely didn't appeal to him when he was younger, and as he grew older he realised that parenting was too binding a role for his lifestyle, and he already had his beloved students to care for anyways.

❀ childfree gojo who brought up that he wasn't interested in having kids as soon as he felt his relationship with you become something more tangible, more serious; he figured that if you did want children it was better to come clean now rather than not be on the same page later on when the heartbreak will be more painful.

❀ childfree gojo who was incredibly relieved when you told him in turn that you didn't want to have children either. you argued that pregnancy was nothing short of nightmare fuel in your opinion, and much like him you weren't willing to sacrifice your time and freedom to commit to a baby.

❀ childfree gojo who notices that sometimes you become too anxious about the possibility of being pregnant to actually enjoy having sex, which is why he takes every preventive measure under the sun to avoid an unwanted pregnancy; always uses condoms and even insists on paying for your birth control if you decide to take it (no, he's not taking no for an answer).

❀ childfree gojo who still can't help but be surprised when, years into your relationship, you bring up that you're considering getting your tubes removed. initially, he responds by offering to get a vasectomy instead, to save you the ordeal of going through a surgery and the consequent recovery, but you assure him that this is something you want for yourself, and that he can get sterilized as well if that's what he wants, but that will not change the fact that you've made up your mind.

❀ childfree gojo who stands behind you menacingly throughout all of your consultations, scoffing every time a doctor tries to make an excuse why you shouldn't go through with the procedure. he knows you can defend yourself and that you have solid arguments, but he wants to be there every step of the way and provide support and backup whenever necessary.

❀ childfree gojo who offers to pay for the procedure (apparently it's not covered by insurance in japan?), but eventually accepts covering a smaller percentage of the bill because you wouldn't have gone places as his girlfriend without being stubborn as fuck.

❀ childfree gojo who checks into the hospital with you, makes the wait until you're ready to go under the knife go by smoothly, and never stops praising you for being so brave and perfect for him.

❀ childfree gojo who wouldn't let you move a finger during your two-week recovery; forget about doing chores (he has the kids do them under the guise of training - they're not dumb tho, they only accept because they care for you) or showering on your own (not that he had needed any excuses to slip into the shower with you before). to be fair, he mainly enjoys babying you excessively because it ruffles your feathers.

❀ childfree gojo who does not suffer quietly throughout the two months you need to abstain from sex to ensure a healthy recovery. fucking hell, he didn't even make it halfway through one no nut november, but now he has to make it through twice as long? "just kill me now, won't you?"

❀ childfree gojo who accuses you of nothing short of treason when you told him three weeks into your recovery that you had tried touching yourself to see if the pelvic contractions of an orgasm would hurt at that point. "you nutted WITHOUT ME??"

❀ childfree gojo who gets shut up quickly when he realises that he may still need to wait for over a month to wet the churro in your glorious pussy (his words not mine) but if he reeeeeeally has to, mutual masturbation and giving/receiving head will have to do until then.

❀ childfree gojo who gives immaculate head after nearly a month of pussy withdrawal; he'll have you testing the limits of how many orgasms are still too much for your recovering body, and you will be too fucked out to complain about it (and him too pussydrunk to care even if you did).

❀ childfree gojo who has the day he gets to fuck you again marked on his calendar with lil hearts and dicks around it. yes, laugh now, but trust me when i say you're going to write it down on your calendar because that day is the day you are born anew (if you were wondering if sex can be a life-changing, religious experience just put gojo through two months of abstinence and try to come back to tell the tale).

❀ childfree gojo who had never really mentioned his breeding kink. it didn't make sense if you thought about it, but what appeals to him the most about it is the sense of ownership that comes with fucking you raw and pretending you will always belong to him because you let him put a baby in you... without the actual baby, of course.

❀ childfree gojo who begins by testing you with his long fingers, opening up your cunt to get you used to his big cock after months of separation. he doesn't even free his throbbing dick until he's wringed at least three orgasms out of you, or until the sheets and mattress under your ass are drenched beyond salvation, whichever one comes first. "fucking hell, all this time you loved my tongue, but it was never enough to get to that little spot inside you that has you making such. a. fucking. mess, huh?"

❀ childfree gojo who gets to ditch the condom for the first time in all your years of relationship, and he would be lying if he said that the thought of railing you raw and unprotected hadn't starred in his wet dreams before.

❀ if childfree gojo was addicted to your cunt before, good luck getting him off of you now that he has felt how snug, warm and slick your pussy is without any restrictions around his throbbing cock. "oh my f-fucking god, i've been missing out. been missing out on the most- fuuuck, the most perfect pussy in existence... how are you so hot, holy fucking shit, i'm gonna lose my mind-!"

❀ childfree gojo who cannot even feel ashamed of how fast and hard he cums, nor how whiny and breathy his moans sound against your ear, because the combination of your addictive cunt and the notion that he now gets to claim you from the inside out has him cumming.

❀ childfree gojo who is going to overstimulate himself (and you in the process) because he cannot fucking stop. he immediately puts you into a mating press because he needs to see his hard cock pumping his semen in and out of your abused hole, needs to see it dripping down the crack of your ass and in thick globs onto the ruined bed until he's adding another load to the mixture.

❀ childfree gojo whose voice cracks and eyes tear up because it's too much, it's too fucking much and yet he won't stop until you're throroughly "breeded", until he's lost count of all the loads he's squirted inside of you, until he sees white.

❀ childfree gojo who literally passes out on top of you after hours and eventually wakes up to the most painful case of sore balls to ever make it into a medical report, but fuck, if he isn't a fulfilled man. and no matter how much his prick hurts, he will still be the biggest little shit when he sees you crawling to the bathroom when you finally return to the mortal plane the next afternoon.

[flawlesslogic5]

It's all a matter of circumstance. Stan could probably avoid being tricked in the same way as the others were, but he has his own weaknesses that Bill could exploit.

With Ford, Bill isolated him and fed him pretty lies about greatness, all the while building up his distrust and feelings of being different.

With Dipper, Bill backed him into a corner with the laptop and tricked him with words that Dipper had thought were safe.

With Mabel, Bill took the form of someone she trusted and asked her for something she thought was completely harmless.

Stan probably wouldn't fall for being told he's a one-in-a-million genius. Stan probably wouldn't take kindly to being on a time crunch and having someone force his hand. Stan could, potentially, be tricked by the face of someone he trusts, but he probably wouldn't accept the offer of his dreams in exchange for something he doesn't understand without at least some pause.

Stan is just as distrustful of Ford, if not moreso. He's a professional conman who always looks for another angle. If you try to pick his pocket, he will have picked yours first and stolen your car while he was at it. That doesn't mean he can't be manipulated.

Stan had the benefit of hindsight and experience. He'd read the journals and seen Ford's decline, he'd been through the wringer with Rico and Jorge and the rest, he knew what Bill was peddling and knew to avoid it.

Their only real interaction was when Bill was at his weakest, offering anything he could to cheat death, and Stan knew it. Stan knew that nothing Bill could possibly do for him was remotely worth risking his family. Stan didn't learn that firsthand, he knew it from what happened to the ones Bill successfully manipulated.

That doesn't mean Bill couldn't have manipulated Stan. If he'd thought Stan had something worthwhile, if he'd been at his normal power level, if he hadn't been utterly desperate and staring down death, Bill almost certainly would have found a way to do it. He's a master manipulator with millennia of experience. He could have appealed to Stan's greed, his vanity, his pride, his desperation, anything. It was a matter of time and circumstances that spared Stan.

It takes a conman to out con another conman, yes, but that statement goes both ways.

The "Stan wouldn't be tricked by Bill" thing tends to really irk me because it's like

Ford was tricked by Bill

Dipper was tricked by Bill

Mabel was tricked by Bill

Isnt it the whole point to say like "anyone can be misled and taken advantage of"?

Stan not being actively tricked by him in the series I don't mind, but to come around and be like "Oh well actually he wouldn't ever have been, even if Bill had tried". It just feels unnecessary

And despite Dipper and Mabel also having been part of this, it will always feel like a jab at Ford specifically when people try to claim that.

[bright-side20]

I don't understand why people take quotes from Acofas to say that Elain is hiding her sadness and still wants to be human, while completely ignoring the huge development in Acosf ,where it's clearly shown that she has friends, a job, and is no longer mourning her relationship with Grayson. It also shows very clearly that she has feelings for Az.

Elain had her life planned out as a human and was stripped of that against her will. She had a stranger tell her she was his mate while she was just out of the void. And the man she loved chose his hatred for the Fae over his love for her, which hurt her even more. Of course she wouldn't get over that over a night. Of course she'd struggle a lot. But eventually she chose to heal and took real steps toward that. Azriel was there with her during that journey along with Nuala and Cerridwen who became her besties.

Elain is very different from Nesta. She's been presented since the beginning as someone who looks at the hardness of life and still chooses love and kindness. And that's exactly what was reflected ,she was devastated, she was hurt but she eventually chose to learn a new hobby, make new friends, build gardens, fall in love again, and explore her powers. She managed to accept the change and what she went through at her own pace.

Elain's arc is not about self-harm. It's about finding her voice, being able to make her own choices regardless of what others think is best for her, and confronting people instead of constantly trying to please them just to avoid conflict. And that was clearly shown in Acosf when she confronted Nesta for the first time. It was emphasized even more in Feysand's bonus chapter, where Feyre said she had never seen Elain be confrontational and Rhys literally summed up Elain's arc in:

“I wonder if everyone has spent so long assuming Elain is sweet and innocent that she felt she had to be that way or else she’d disappoint you all.” He sighed toward the ceiling. “With time and safety, perhaps we’ll see a different side of her emerge.”

(This is one of the reasons I think Rhys will end up being Elain's bestie, he understood what she was going through when even her sisters didn't.)

Elain's arc is about reclaiming her agency. It's about making her own choices and expressing herself without being afraid of how others will perceive her, something she struggled with her whole life. It's about no longer being a people pleaser. And Feysand mentioning that they'll help her next was literally about this not about self-harm or pretending to be healed.

She's definitely not running to Koschei to bargain with him to become human again. She'll take a trove and fuck him up.

It really baffles me how people would rather say she's acting or self-harming to explain why she's indifferent toward Lucien, instead of just accepting the simple fact that she's not attracted to him and doesn't want him. And no one has the right to force her to give him a chance even if he's her mate.

Elain rejecting the bond is a major moment in her arc. Who else could say fuck you to the Cauldron's fate if not a seer, someone who was groomed her entire life for an arranged marriage meant to serve her family's advantage? Like I genuinely don't understand how her accepting Lucien, just because it's expected due to the bond and her securing political advantages for the Night Court, is any different from what her mother tried to do to her. How would that be growth? How would that be development in her character? It would just be another version of her being used, her choices erased for the sake of others.

It's a powerful thing for Elain to say no, I don't want this bond and to refuse to surrender to the expectations of others. It's absolutely not easy for her to choose the one her heart wants, over the mate fate tied her to. The real development is her choosing herself, choosing what feels right in her heart even if it means carrying the guilt of possibly disturbing the fragile peace and putting her family at risk. Especially when she knows all too well what war looks like.

[f-imaginings]

A million word fanfic doesn't happen without this.

Knowing Me Knowing You's first chapter was posted on the 31st Jan 2017, and now on 30th July 2025, 8 years, 4 months and 30 days later we've reached the last chapter.

This is first fanfiction I've ever finished all the way through and I wouldn't have got this far without the kind words, encouragement and support of you, the readers.

So this post is a thank you to the readers and a testament to the power of commenting, engaging with, reviewing and celebrating the labour of love that is fanfiction, this freely given expression of shared joy that flourishes within fandoms.

I've collected a cross section of the kind words and reviews that kept me going (and tried to keep them as spoiler free as possible but that was hard, if you didn't see your beautiful essays here it was only bc it was juicy with spoilers haha) because each and every one of these kind words directly impacted me.

I just wanted you all to know how much I valued each and every one, how many times I reread these. how they cheered me up through hard times, built my self esteem up when I needed it most, and how each of you helped me write the fic through the virtue of your spectacular comments.

I thought I'd post them as a sort of fun 'tag yourself' lmao but also to show you that I've seen, cherished and reread every remark and comment, even the ones outside of ao3.

I have appreciated every bit of fanart too, (and the playlists and animations!) but I wanted to showcase how even the smallest comments can have the biggest impact. (I've enjoyed the big comments too! You get what I mean.)

Thank you for engaging with the story, for telling your friends, for gnawing at the bars of your enclosure because this idiot scientist and his evil triangle boyfriend make you froth at the mouth with every divorce, for telling me about said enclosure gnawing haha.

Thank you for crying, thank you for laughing, thank you for feeling as you've read this fic and thank you for sharing your experience.

I feel connected to everyone who's read this, which might be mildly parasocial but I've enjoyed it too much to care. I hope you've enjoyed it too.

If this post reaches any prospective new readers who have a thirst for billford and lots of time on their hands (haha) and this cross section of reviews make you want to read it, please do! Have fun with it, tell your friends, and come back for a reread whenever you want.

It'll always be there for you!

This is where the story ends, but it isn't goodbye! For those unwilling to let KMKY go, there is always the sequel!

[bitofanupsidedowner]

i was thinking about el in season four and how the monologue shows mike doesn't understand her as a person, and what he could've said to make it more romantic or just more effective in general 'cause i was kind of like, "wow, it's amazing how effortlessly mike said all the wrong things. it would have been so easy to just tell her he loves her and leave out the things that would hurt her!" but i don't even think that's true tbh??

like, he did royally fuck up in what he chose to say in that moment, but the whole thing was doomed already. idk why i was giving it the benefit of the doubt. their storylines this season were specifically crafted to make sure neither of them could give each other what they need (but that they could both find what they need!!) so that the scene in surfer boy pizza would be the precursor to the final nail in the coffin (season five breakup)

every single interaction they have in season four assures that the monologue won't work. every single interaction between mike and will assures it too, because every time mike tries to communicate with el in the same way he communicates with will, there's a problem, and will doesn't understand that mike makes el feel unloved.

it's all set up so there's no version that would've worked. not by that point in the story, anyway. the second mike said "you're a superhero" in the bedroom...the second she needed to ask him to say it... mike was right, that's a fight you can't come back from.

telling her at that exact moment where she once again had to save the world would just never have been enough because it wasn't a moment where she was just being el and being loved for it. it was a moment specifically about her superpowers. her personhood was relegated at the pinnacle of her "romantic arc."

mike fucked up bigtime with his word choice but i mean... it's very, very hard to sell i love you regardless of your superpowers when you're only saying it to activate those powers. and she knows that. the rest of it is just the cherry on top. the lighting, the lightning, the vines, will's kicked puppy dog look, jonathan's death glare, mike's miserable face, el crying, the lying and the peer pressuring, the fact that even under those circumstances where he is trying to save el's life he is still so reluctant to do it. all of that is terrible but honestly i don't think it would have gone differently without those things.

even if he had figured out how to cut the superhero worship out of it, her abilities (and will) would still be the only reason it would be happening. the context would always ruin it.

if mike was going to say i love you and have it be romantic, it would have been the most impactful when she didn't have them, but if she had to have them, it should've been somewhere, sometime, someplace that had nothing to do with her saving anyone.

they specifically wrote in that mike had multiple opportunities to say i love you and couldn't make himself do it. in the bedroom, when they reunite, at the gas station, in the pizza place. there was potential to give the characters time alone, but they made the choice not to. mike and will had a moment in a tiny van with two other guys and it still felt intimate. they coulda figured something out, but even when they had the perfect opportunity at the pizza place (pre-argyle interrupting) mike couldn't make himself do it, and if you look at her face you can tell she already knew he wouldn't.

we've been conditioned to think that the romantic lead stepping in at the last possible minute and saying what we thought they needed to say the whole time is all that love needs to thrive, like, we're sort of taught to ignore the rest of the picture if they end up where we think they're supposed to at some big, last minute grand gesture and i think that's why milkvans are so ready to accept the monologue as something genuine because theoretically, when we usually see this trope, it tends to work. who cares if they fight all the time? who cares if they can't communicate, have nothing in common, if he gaslights her, if he triggers her, if they both make each other feel worthless? they said i love you! that means it's okay!

anyway idk i'm rambling i just think el deserves so much better than this. and i need to stop giving milkvan the benefit of the doubt for no reason.

✨please free her✨

[sunarots]

guys my age ━━━ sakusa kiyoomi

22. do you… ♡

"The game's finished," Akaashi warns, checking his phone's notifications. "Jackals won. I need to go in and see Koutarou. Do you want to wait here, or come with me?"

Without saying anything, you double check your appearance in the mirror before climbing out of his car. You tuck your phone into your back pocket, trudging alongside Akaashi. "I'm sorry I made you miss the game," you whisper, keeping your head down as you re-enter the arena.

He shakes his head despite you being unable to see, eyebrows knitted together. "Don't be sorry. You would've felt worse standing where everyone can see you."

Part of you wants to laugh at yourself, the position you're in. One year ago, you'd be repelled if a one night stand left you his number with a smiley face. If only you could see yourself now, ugly crying in someone you barely know's car over a fake boyfriend... Past you would be so ashamed of present you. And yet, you don't hate it. The crying part you could do without, but your feelings for Sakusa? You wouldn't change that for anything. Maybe at the end of the contract, you'll be able to hold a steady relationship with someone.

"Keiji! Y/n!"

You lift your head, eyes resting on the man running over to the pair of you. Both hands in the air, you and Akaashi lifting your arms for a high ten. You let them drop to your sides as Bokuto engulfs Keiji in a hug, rambling about how he scored the winning point. Your gaze drifts, taking in all the faces of the team wandering towards the changing rooms. With no sign of Sakusa, your heart begins to drop.

"Omi-san's having a shower. He said to wait out here for him," Bokuto announces as he struts past, walking for one himself. He swings the door open and his voice raises, excitedly yelling to his changing teammates.

"Do you want me to wait with you?"

You're quick to shake your head in response, waving a hand in dismissal. "No, I'm okay. I'll take a seat and wait." You smile as a goodbye to Akaashi, before turning your full attention on finding somewhere to sit. Thankfully, there's a bench just to the side of the door that you perch yourself on in wait.

Every couple minutes someone exits the changing room, until you've said goodbye to everyone except one. You wait an extra ten minutes, the amount of time it takes for the arena to become near empty.

With a heavy sigh and after a long debate, you rise onto your feet and knock on the door to the changing room. You call out for Sakusa and get no response, shaking your head in frustration and shoving the door open. "Kiyoomi? Are you actually in here?" You can hear a shower coming from afar, having an internal debate whether or not you should step fully inside. "I'm coming in!"

You take a few cautious steps forward and peer around the corner, relieved to see that only one bag remained: Sakusa's. You call his name a couple times, slowly approaching the running shower. No one stands beneath it as far as you can see, and your anxiety kicks in. Has he passed out again? Did he slip and fall?

"If you're in the shower, please put your penis away." You take a final step forward, letting your eyes fall upon him.

Sakusa sits on the floor of the shower with his legs hugged to his chest, staring down at the floor. He still wears his shorts but has removed his jersey, flashing his toned arms to you. He doesn't react to the water dripping down his face or the irritating feeling of the shorts around his waist.

"Kiyoomi, what's wrong?" You kneel before him, getting as close as possible whilst avoiding getting damp from the water. "I know this is a shower, but the floor will be filthy."

He lets out a soft chuckle, gaze staying firm on the floor. "Don't remind me."

You hesitate before riding to your feet, reaching through the water and turning the water off. "What happened?"

"I can't believe I messed up," he whispers, almost missed by you.

"Messed up?" He nods, lifting his eyes to meet yours. "How did you mess up? You passed out. These things happen. It might even happen again, but hopefully it doesn't because that was scary to see."

Sakusa tries to read your expression, rests his chin on his knees. "Have you been crying?" Feeling the heat rushing to your cheeks, you hum in response. With a sigh, Sakusa mumbles an apology. "I didn't think about how you felt."

"No, you didn't." Your attempt to make him laugh fails, but you can see a smile trying to creep through the concern. "Now, are you going to actually take a shower? Or are we going to keep sitting in the filth?"

This time, Sakusa lets out a soft laugh. "I'm going to shower. Your shirts wet, I have one in my bag you can wear."

You begin to walk over to where his bag is sat on a bench, calling his name before he can put the water back on. "Can I wear your jersey?"

Sakusa stops with his hand on the shower handle, leaning out to take a look and see if you're being serious. "You want to wear my sweaty jersey?" He watches you try to bite back a smile, his face contorting in disgust. "Oh my god. It's filthy."

"And? It's your jersey," you repeat, picking it up from where he left it. "Can I?"

He scrunches his nose and shakes his head. "You're really weird." Watching you laugh at his reaction, Sakusa hesitates before returning to the shower. He calls your name, grabbing your attention once more. "Do you..."

You straighten up, feeling your amusement subside and anxiety return. The few seconds drag on, feeling as though time was passing through you. Your grip on his jersey tightens, knuckles turning white.

"Never mind."

masterlist. previous | next

summary. sakusa kiyoomi, middle blocker for the famous msby black jackals, is known for his clean reputation, never drawing attention to himself through scandals. ever since joining the jackals, he's kept himself out of the headlines unless over something good. that is until he drinks a little too much and finds himself in the news for going home with someone he doesn't know.

taglist (49/50). @kawoala @kozu-chan @mayyhaps @jayathelostdragon @vi0let-writes @lavender-pink-socks @kodzumicyy @alcyneus @fi-chanwrites @mdmraz @uhsakusa @sophiahearttss @jnfectedz @ascebel @glads-stuff @freakypickle @anonymity-222 @aldebrana @shozuken @writing-for-the-hell-of-it @followingmysunsposts @v3nusplanetofluv @wakashudou @sexylexy12 @nanasrkives @cloudtato @yuminako @soobinsbreadscrumbs @lover-no-lover61 @bloodb3nders @meikstv @sugacor3 @darling-eos @iheartamora @xerophyides @xiaoquanquans @oneanabillion @kitasricefarm @pookalicious-hq @idexmids @hantas-left-elbow @mo072806 @satanscornchip @faesix @lerrainesstuff @i7ghoul @goonforgeto @moonshoon @neuviloved

[luigisbambinaaa]

hi everyone,

it feels extremely ridiculous to have to write all this out. i was sent this video of luigi speaking in a group chat with zero context, meaning i was unaware that this was a widely gatekept video. personally, i did not choose to gatekeep it because i wanted to share the video with ALL my girls on tumblr, hence all the hashtags. i did not post this for likes, comments, or reblogs--i posted this simply because i knew all my girls on here would GREATLY appreciate hearing his voice.

i have NEVER entertained drama on this blog and have tried my best to keep this blog strictly luigi orientated, but this is childish. i posted this without any ill intent and the reactions were quite literally so fucking immature. i am very glad as time has passed and almost everyone has been able to calm down and take accountability for what was said in the heat of the moment. i have honestly been speechless for hours and my thumbs ache from all the back and forth ive been doing because of this. i TRULY appreciate everyone that has reached out to me, defended my character, and kept me up to date with what has been said in the last few hours.

i have tried my best to remain a friendly and respectful individual by ignoring certain things said time and time again fyi. this is probably unnecessary but i cannot bring myself to post without saying this. vers is a friend of almost all my good friends on here so i have always tried to give the benefit of the doubt but i am floored at this statement, "if we had fulfilling lives we wouldn't be so upset over any of this." every single friend i have made on here and talk to daily are employed, in school, or directly a part of the health care field, myself included. i did not see anyone else but her and her friends upset at this video being posted so im not sure who this shouldve been directed towards.

i saw the anon message saying that palmers was implying that i leaked the video and i want to say i appreciate palmers being able to take accountability and explain the situation to everyone. palmers was the very first friend i EVER made and she encouraged me to start writing and i have loved every minute of it. i love sharing my ideas with everyone and i am hoping i will be allowed to go back to that. really what kills me here is that without fail this shit is walked over and us smaller blogs forever deal with hate no matter how long time goes by. i have always voiced this frustration with my friends and i knew drama was inevitable, but i did not think it would come so soon.

i have unfollowed individuals that have said questionable things and have rubbed me the wrong way and if anything i say here has done the same to you i kindly ask you unfollow me, the hate and death threats i have gotten are so unnecessary, please touch grass! i have been long time fans even when i was a lurker of some of these accounts but i can no longer hide my disdain. i hope we can all move forward and STOP FUCKING LOSING THE PLOT.

thanks for reading, this is just me spilling my thoughts and not proof read or anything, i have tried to be as authentic as possible and i am not going to apologize for sharing this video because i do not see the point in it. i love you all and i hope i can get back to writing idk i feel in a very awkward position.

ITS FREE LUIGI MANGIONE !!!!!!!! DONATE TO HIS FUND, KEEP TALKING ABOUT HIM, WRITE TO HIM, SEND PHOTOS TO HIM !!!!!!

[m1ssunderstanding]

do you think that paul refused to initially drop acid with the beatles/john bc he was scared that he’d have a potentially bad trip in front of them? i meant with tara you get the safety of someone trustworthy that u know but without that person being of upmost importance to you. meanwhile there was so much paul could possibly worry about saying/seeing/confronting around john that he avoided it ?

(I'm assuming this is referencing my fic where, from John's POV, Paul won't do LSD with John because he doesn't love him and he's scared of bonding and connecting with him in that way and he does it with Tara because he's just obsessed with rich people)

Yes. 100% that's what was going on in Paul's head. John going, "wow it's amazing it stripped away all my defenses and I was just fully living in the present and I'll never be the same again it's just really stripped me down to my core" like it's a good thing and Paul's like "yeah that sounds terrifying no thank you I'm going to keep reinforcing my walls up until the day I die I want those things high and thick."

Meanwhile, John's not really being open about the fact that he wants Paul to trip with him for bonding purposes. Instead, he's calling him a conservative loser. So, I think Paul tried LSD with Tara, not out of any real desire of his own (I mean a little. He doesn't do things he doesn't want to do but you know what I mean.) so that he could go "no I've tried it. I'm not scared I'm just not into it. Wasn't for me." Because you're right. He was scared of ruining his most important relationships. So Tara was someone he was close enough to that he'd be safe but not someone he'd be heartbroken about losing. Very strategic.

And he wasn't wrong. There's that quote from George where he was like "you know why I don't trust Paul? Because one time when he was having a bad trip and he thought he was going to fall off this cliff I kept trying to offer him a hand to help him down and he wouldn't take it." Which is so indicative of Paul's issues that George would never understand. But anyway the point is, Paul's "bad" behavior while under the influence of LSD actually did have a serious negative impact on one of his closest relationships.

That's why, I think, he finally chose to trip with John when John was having a bad trip himself. Paul was terrified of being the problem but if John's already in a bad place he can't leave him there alone. Like George Martin said, something about "to be with him in his pain." Paul thinks it's his job to save John. And of course, with their soulmate psychic bond, they ended up melding minds and becoming one just like John had wanted and they deepened their bond and it was beautiful.

Sorry I'm up in the mtns and don't feel like looking up the actual quotes but thank you for this ask! It's so fun to get into why they did what they did and what was (I think) going on in their little messed up heads.

[old-fandom]

Do you think that Stanley suppresses his hard-won intellect once Ford comes back and they get their happily ever after?

Like, Stan understands that he had to learn and do this hard work in order to restart the portal, but he's got such bad imposter syndrome that he can't conceptualize what an accomplishment he achieved. Ford was too arrogant and angry at the time to recognize it, the kids are too young to fully comprehend it, pre-recovery Fiddleford would be too confused to really remember the effort it took to make it, and everyone else would simply be so out of the loop to even understand what happened. Stan can only see what he did through the lenses of "fixing my mistake". I wouldn't put it past Stan to think that he's still not smart because he "basically followed Ford's instructions" without adding in the context that a lot of the instructions were gone or nonexistent or that the physicality of the project was dangerous and volatile or that he was basically having the start from the bottom up in order to even understand Ford's "instructions". Stan thinks that the effort put into opening the portal was him, once again, "riding on his brothers coat tails."

But that doesn't stop Stan from now understanding. Things that were once complete and utter nonsense and gibberish, now make logical sense, to the point where he can even make his own sound and scientific conclusions.

And it scares him.

Because all that time was focused on opening the portal and only the portal. So to see it pop up as a skill, where he may actually be able to provide genuine input to a complex problem really messes with him. He's not the smart twin. That's not his role to play. He's not always the bad twin, but he knows that he'll always be the stupid twin.

So when Ford and Stan go sailing, Stan pushes down those skills. He may have a few complex's about losing his role as the "Brawn" between him and Ford, as he is aware that Ford had to become a fighter in order the survive (which Stan does not complain about. He's glad Ford can stick up for himself now, it's all he ever wanted. But that doesn't stop himself from feeling his heart break at the idea of not being needed.) But he knows that he has his happy ending and he doesn't want the ruin it.

He feels himself sometimes wanting to contribute to a conversation with Ford about one of his machines or about an experiment or hell, sometimes, even the portal, which Ford has never asked him about. But he fears that he's going to open his mouth and Ford is going to give him that look of pity, that "That was a good try" smile, a "Well, actually" speech. And he doesn't know if he could handle opening up about maybe, possibly, in a blue moon, being smart too only to proven again that he was never smart and he should leave that to the professionals.

I do have this idea of Stanley sneakily going behind Ford and going over his experiments and machines when they are giving Ford trouble to see if he could possibly figure it out. Not because he thinks he's smart, but because he hates seeing Ford so upset. And when he realizes a mistake or where Ford is hung up on, he'll fix it for him and then wait to see what happens afterwards. He only does it when he knows Ford is being particularly upset about something and has been worked up about it to the point where he's getting frustrated and awake for days on end. Usually this means that he's not as perceptive to changes. Stan will finally make Stanford take a break, eat something, take a shower, do some love making, go to bed, anything to make him calm down and away. And when Stanford is preoccupied, he'll take a look.

And it works. Ford doesn't realize his work has been tempered with and instead just thinks he got too into his head. Stan tells him that this is why he should take more breaks and listen to him when he says it's time for breakfast/lunch/dinner or bed. Ford always feels sheepish afterwards, believing that Stan is right and he should take more breaks. Stan feels accomplished when this happens, that he did something that Ford couldn't provide for himself. He was needed and wanted while still letting Ford remain the smart twin.

But it doesn't last forever. Stan puts Ford to bed after he was messing with a piece of machine for over a week, frustrated and cranky because it refused to work. Stan goes to review the machine, going over his equations and looking over the components. Slowly, he starts tinkering with the machine, fixing the equations and bringing the machine to life. What Stan doesn't know is that Ford woke up with renew vigor earlier than Stan thought he would and went down to his lab to work on it, only to stop dead in his tracks. Watching in the shadows as Stan works on the machine until it finally works. But, something strange happens. Right after Stan gets it to work, he "breaks" it in a way where it would take only a few moments to refix it. He fixes the work shop as it was when Ford left it.

Then it dawns on him. Stan was working on the machine just enough for Ford to come back and finish it, believing that he fixed it.

While Ford is so transfixed on what he just saw, he doesn't realize that Stan has caught Ford staring. And when Ford realizes he's been caught, he doesn't move. He stares at Stan and really looks at him. Wonders how long had he been doing this, what else has he been able to do, why is he hiding it, how long has he been able to help out? Why didn't he tell him. He didn't ask though because he already knew the answer. Ford takes Stan by the hand and brings him back to the work bench and sits them both down. He moves the machine back over to him while he looks over his equations. He's asking Stan to fix it for him, but Stan is scared. This isn't his role, but Ford is asking him to do this, Ford is trusting him to do this. So he does.

And Ford takes Stan's hand.

And Ford looks at Stan like it's the first time they've met and realizes that he has yet to know everything about him and falls in love all over again.