#“Planet of Festivities” my ass

[bitchesgetriches]

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Repairing Our Busted-Ass World

On poverty:

Starting from nothing

How To Start at Rock Bottom: Welfare Programs and the Social Safety Net 

How to Save for Retirement When You Make Less Than $30,000 a Year

Ask the Bitches: “Is It Too Late to Get My Financial Shit Together?“

Understanding why people are poor

It’s More Expensive to Be Poor Than to Be Rich

Why Are Poor People Poor and Rich People Rich?

On Financial Discipline, Generational Poverty, and Marshmallows

Bitchtastic Book Review: Hand to Mouth by Linda Tirado

Is Gentrification Just Artisanal, Small-Batch Displacement of the Poor?

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 1: Healthcare, Housing, and Labor Rights

Developing compassion for poor people

The Latte Factor, Poor Shaming, and Economic Compassion

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Stop Myself from Judging Homeless People?“

The Subjectivity of Wealth, Or: Don’t Tell Me What’s Expensive

A Little Princess: Intersectional Feminist Masterpiece?

If You Can’t Afford to Tip 20%, You Can’t Afford to Dine Out

Correcting income inequality

1 Easy Way All Allies Can Help Close the Gender and Racial Pay Gap

One Reason Women Make Less Money? They’re Afraid of Being Raped and Killed.

Raising the Minimum Wage Would Make All Our Lives Better

Are Unions Good or Bad?

On intersectional social issues:

Reproductive rights

On Pulling Weeds and Fighting Back: How (and Why) to Protect Abortion Rights

How To Get an Abortion 

Blood Money: Menstrual Products for Surviving Your Period While Poor

You Don’t Have to Have Kids

Gender equality

1 Easy Way All Allies Can Help Close the Gender and Racial Pay Gap 

The Pink Tax, Or: How I Learned to Love Smelling Like “Bearglove”

Our Single Best Piece of Advice for Women (and Men) on International Women’s Day

Bitchtastic Book Review: The Feminist Financial Handbook by Brynne Conroy

Sexual Harassment: How to Identify and Fight It in the Workplace 

Queer issues

Queer Finance 101: Ten Ways That Sexual and Gender Identity Affect Finances

Leaving Home before 18: A Practical Guide for Cast-Offs, Runaways, and Everybody in Between

Racial justice

The Financial Advantages of Being White

Woke at Work: How to Inject Your Values into Your Boring, Lame-Ass Job

The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander: A Bitchtastic Book Review

Something Is Wrong in Personal Finance. Here’s How To Make It More Inclusive.

The Biggest Threat to Black Wealth Is White Terrorism

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 2: Racial and Gender Inequality 

10 Rad Black Money Experts to Follow Right the Hell Now 

Youth issues

What We Talk About When We Talk About Student Loans

The Ugly Truth About Unpaid Internships

Ask the Bitches: “I Just Turned 18 and My Parents Are Kicking Me Out. How Do I Brace Myself?”

Identifying and combatting abuse

When Money is the Weapon: Understanding Intimate Partner Financial Abuse

Are You Working on the Next Fyre Festival?: Identifying a Toxic Workplace

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Say ‘No’ When a Loved One Asks for Money… Again?”

Ask the Bitches: I Was Guilted Into Caring for a Sick, Abusive Parent. Now What?

On mental health:

Understanding mental health issues

How Mental Health Affects Your Finances

Stop Recommending Therapy Like It’s a Magic Bean That’ll Grow Me a Beanstalk to Neurotypicaltown

Bitchtastic Book Review: Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos and Your Big Brain

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Protect My Own Mental Health While Still Helping Others?”

Coping with mental health issues

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Self-Care

My 25 Secrets to Successfully Working from Home with ADHD 

Our Master List of 100% Free Mental Health Self-Care Tactics 

On saving the planet:

Changing the system

Don’t Boo, Vote: If You Don’t Vote, No One Can Hear You Scream

Ethical Consumption: How to Pollute the Planet and Exploit Labor Slightly Less

The Anti-Consumerist Gift Guide: I Have No Gift to Bring, Pa Rum Pa Pum Pum

Season 1, Episode 4: “Capitalism Is Working for Me. So How Could I Hate It?”

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 1: Healthcare, Housing, and Labor Rights 

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 2: Racial and Gender Inequality 

Shopping smarter

You Deserve Cheap Toilet Paper, You Beautiful Fucking Moon Goddess

You Are above Bottled Water, You Elegant Land Mermaid

Fast Fashion: Why It’s Fucking up the World and How To Avoid It

You Deserve Cheap, Fake Jewelry… Just Like Coco Chanel

6 Proven Tactics for Avoiding Emotional Impulse Spending

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[akutasoda]

Single parent reader x Argenti pls save me single parent reader x Argenti...

Just like, a retired command/general reader that has just the tiniest most cute little sunshine for a kid.

The reader is this imposing, scary, and striking strong-ass person (bonus points if they have scars) who is nothing but a gentle cat after they retire, especially around their kid...

Argenti had heard of you before, the stories that people told with your name.

"I've heard they took down a whole army alone!"

"My brother was one of their soldiers! He told me (reader) was nothing but ruthless..."

Since he had stepped onto that planet, Argenti already heard and seen many things, captured and admired the beauty of the life it adorned, but, there was always one thing that kept gnawing the back of his mind.

"Who is (reader)?"

It wasn't until the day the city hosted its yearly celebration for winning the war that the question would be answered.

Standing by the side of the crowd Argenti watched, his heart filling with cherish as he watched the smiles of the people as they enjoyed their day. Ah, the beauty of commemoration.

His thoughts were quickly interrupted by the sound of laughter, a child's giggle that was so pure it could cleanse even the darkest of minds. Turning around to catch a glimpse of the little angel who had such joyfully blessed his ears, The knight was met not only by the sight of one— if not THE cutest little bean of sunshine he had ever seen, but also by the striking gorgeousness of their parent. Suddenly all he could feel was a tightness in his heart.

"Falling in love at first sight is an unexpected experience, it is as if your heart learns how to beat for the first time since your existence.

You were just... magnificent in his eyes, and he shamefully stared at you, even forgetting to blink at times. Your face, your body, your everything made him feel as if he was looking at the personification of beauty itself once more.

The way you stood tall but not towering, how the wrinkles around your eyes only framed them, and especially how gentle you were with the kid in front of you. The way you held their hand and twirled them around filled Argenti's heart with nothing but pure adoration.

Were you really the ruthless person everyone gossips about? How could someone who looked so delicately at their kid could have such a brutal past to carry in their back? He didn't doubt that you were strong, not at all! But, he couldn't help to be so curious about you. He wanted to know more, to get to talk to you and hear the dozens of stories you held inside your heart.

I give up here LMAO

My exams are over!! (For now) it's been sooooooo long since I've written something I feel strange lol

Hope yours have been good! :3

(you're brain is absolutely beautiful)

i absolutely adore this idea! the way argenti would become absolutely infatuated with everything about you..

it would probably take you quite off guard at the fact that this (rather gorgeous) stranger was so open with compliments, especially after being so used to the fact that people spread rumours behind your back. fortunately for you both, your over excitable child would become so intrigued about argenti that they would eagerly ask you to bring this stranger to a 'tea party' - and how could you say no to them? your child would become an unknowing wingman as they would drag you both from stall to stall at the festival to gather preparations, all the while it became much easier for you and argenti to talk. sometimes argenti couldn't help but be at a loss for words at the fact that someone as beaitiful as you was talking to him right now...

and if you did have scars, oh how argenti would want to trace each individual one and praise them for adding to your ever growing beauty. how they told stories of your brutish past yet made so beautiful on the canvas that was your skin.

i could also imagine how completely baffled the locals would be at this visitor shamelessly complimenting and talking to the general and witnessing you talk back in such a calm way-

congrats on the exams!!! im still suffering my way through mine but i only have ten left and i absolutely can't wait to finish :')

[swarvey]

untitled | shane x f!reader

a/n: snippet of the upcoming shane fic i’ll be posting after paper rings! currently untitled and doesn’t have any song inspo. just purely my thoughts lol

-

Shane never really paid attention to Pelican Town all that much, not anymore. After all those crappy years living there, could you really blame him, though? Everything was the same with each passing season — all the people, the stores, the fucking festivals. He hated those damn clown shows, but he forced himself to go to every single one of them so Marnie would stay off his ass and, more importantly, so Jas wouldn’t be disappointed in him.

That kid was the only thing — the only person — he really cared about. Shane couldn’t think of a single thing in his mundane routine that wasn’t for her. He still thought about that night in the hospital from time to time; still woke up in a cold sweat at the memory of the doctors’ faces as they broke the news to him, even though he hadn’t really been paying attention. No, he could only watch as the nurses pulled white sheets over the two people on the planet who’d understood him the most.

It was an easy decision to adopt Jas. She needed him, and, quite frankly, he needed her, too. He needed a reason to get up in the morning, something to look forward to other than his lackluster job at the JojaMart and grabbing a drink at the Stardrop.

So no, he didn’t care about some stupid book that probably wouldn’t sell or a makeshift band that was practically scraped together. He kind of cared about why Marnie kept leaving the house at night after Jas fell asleep, but decided he’d really rather not give a fuck. If she wanted to go and play house with Mayor Lewis, by all means — it was her life she was wasting.

The day he started to care about the town’s happenings was when the new farmer moved in, and no, he didn’t mean that in an endearing way at all. He meant it in the way that stuff started to get freaky real fast with her arrival, and he seemed to be the only one who noticed.

[ectomoog]

How to Get Your Friends into Doctor Who (2005) - A Guide

Ok I really like Doctor Who, and of course I like introducing people to it, but oh my god do you forget how randomly terrible and/or cringy and/or uncomfortably Moffat-esque some of the episodes are, *especially* when you're watching it with someone who has no idea what to expect.

SO I made a list of ten episodes that I think would be the best loose sequence of episodes for a causal introduction to the show...

But first, some requirements:

It has to be a one-off (NO TWO-PARTERS), low commitment, etc

It can't require watching previous OR following episodes to be enjoyable

It needs to actually be good

It needs to represent Doctor Who well

In a social setting where you're showing a group of people an episode, most of these would be fine. Watching consistently with one person however, loosely follow this order, and if your person decides at any point that they want to commit to actually watching the show, skip straight back to The End of The World and watch Series 1. Ok list time...

1. Rose (S1, E01)

I think Rose is the perfect episode of Doctor Who to start on. It's campy, it's fun and weird and it sets up almost everything you need to know for the Revival Era. You get the companion, the Doctor, regular Doctor Who tropes and themes, etc. Plus, if they can't get past the Mickey bin scene, this show probably isn't for them anyway.

2. Dalek (S1, E06)

Skipping a few episodes into Series 1, Dalek is a great way to get a feel for the format of the show, and also a great and intentional introduction to the Daleks. The Doctor and the companion turn up in a mysterious place and have to battle an alien force and really unlikeable one-off side characters, the works basically. It's a fun monster-movie of an episode.

3. Vincent and The Doctor (S5,E10)

Jumping a whole five series forward, Vincent and The Doctor is a notoriously heart-wrenching historical that I think is a classic (if a little indulgent) example of Doctor-meets-famous-historical-figure. It's nice to jump to a different Doctor and a different era of the show, to get a feel for its' diversity. Although there's a few moments relevant to the greater series plot, it's contained, very pretty, very sweet, and easy to understand.

4. Midnight (S4, E10)

Midnight just feels like an essential episode to be honest. A fantastic one-off sci-fi horror/thriller, with one of David Tennant's best performances, a great introduction to the 10th Doctor. It's a shame you don't get more Donna, but I think this one would be my go-to if someone asked for the best episode to watch stand-alone, just based on how genuinely great it is.

5. Heaven Sent (S9, E11)

Jumping to Series 9 with another critically-acclaimed episode, but also one that I think is an amazing introduction to the 12th Doctor. Heaven Sent is a little unconventional, and I'm not 100% sure it should be here, but it does give Capaldi a whole episode to just act his ass off, and he completely delivers. It's artsy, mysterious and dramatic, very much the high concept sci-fi style of Moffat's later scripts, so I think an appropriate watch.

6. The Voyage of The Damned (2007 Special)

If you're not in a festive mood, try The Lodger or Demons of the Punjab instead

The Christmas episodes are too iconic not to show, and as far as Christmassy vibes, celebrity cameos and whimsical concepts go, this one is a fun one. This is David Tennant in his prime, with Kylie Minogue, a massive budget and a romp of a script.

6. Blink (S3, E10)

I mean, duh, but genuinely I think Blink is just *too good* not to include. A tense, creepy, tightly-written piece of horror TV with twists and turns and drama, it's considered the best episode of Doctor Who for a reason, and along with Midnight is an amazing stand-alone episode. It's not super conventional, but all the timey-wimey stuff is very Doctor Who.

6. The Mummy on The Orient Express (S8, E08)

If you're a Tennant stan you could swap this out for The Planet of the Dead

This one is just a fun one really. The Mummy on The Orient Express is stylish and fun, with a cool concept and a little peek into a more complex Doctor-companion relationship. With a short explanation you can get the context pretty easily, and it's a good example of your typical episode anyway.

HOWEVER if you have time, there's a bunch of two-parters you should watch instead, like The Family of Blood, The Empty Child, Silence in the Library, even Extremis.

9. The Haunting of Villa Diodati (S12, E10)

Finally some 13th Doctor rep! This one has some of the strongest writing in the Chibnall era, and is a fun horror mystery that serves as a fun introduction to Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor. It has a little bit of series-wide arc, but that's okay.

10. The Church on Ruby Road (2023 Special 4)

If your person liked all those episodes but still doesn't want to watch 13 seasons of TV, just abandon ship and watch the 2023 Christmas special in preparation for Series 14 (or Season 1) in Spring 2024. The Church on Ruby Road is the beginning of the latest soft reboot of the show and has been explicitly created as a jumping on point for new fans. Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson absolutely shine in this special, it's fun and silly and in my opinion bodes very well for the next season of Doctor Who...

"in 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important" - Bannakaffalatta

I hope that was a success! After all those episodes hopefully you either had a good time with whoever you were watching it with, or you've already moved onto Series 1! I'll be trying this out the best I can with my girlfriend this year, so look out, because I may be back with adjustments later...

[the-sprog]

I think a Batman/DetCo crossover would be perfect especially in the context of how fucking insane Shinichi's parents are.

I was thinking and I realized they're a mix of the Drakes (neglectful in the "never being home" kinda way, rich but it doesn't seem like their child sees a lot of that money) and Bruce ("how'd you learn how to shoot a gun" "my father spent a summer with me in Hawaii to teach me" what an insane scene that was. Not to mention the "yeah. It's a good idea to traumatize our child via fake kidnapping to teach him a lesson about stranger danger :)" and "Shinichi, dear, I know you're 6yo but come investigate this suicide with me sweetie") but they're also above worse (willing to falsify police and government documents for son).

Would Bruce love the Kudos or hate them? On one hand, Yusako definitely has them figured out. He's kinda like Alfred that way.

The Kudos get invited to an event, something like an award ceremony or some kind of cinema festival. They decide to bring Conan as a decoy for Shinichi related questions (usually they'd just use school as an examination why he wasn't there but they've been saying Shinichi is traveling for a case nowadays and it wouldn't do well to contradict that).

Bruce is the one that organized whatever event this is. I wanted the Drakes alive but I also want Damien to meet Conan. So. Sorry Janet and Jack. I'm going full Batfam for this.

Clark Kent is there, though he's technically a plus one. Cat is doing a piece for the event, specifically she wants to interview the Kudos, which is a feat as of late, and needed a last minute plus one (the Kudos are volatile and no one knew if they'd actually show up. When they did, Cat had to rush to get to Gotham before they decide they got bored and fucked off).

Of course, Cat immediately latches onto Conan's existence and assumes that he is why the Kudos have been out of the public eye. But not in the actual real way. She starts by asking general questions about them, their careers, and the event they're at at the moment.

And then she hits them with: "so. I see you've expanded the family. How does Shinichi feel about having a little brother?"

Which breaks just about everyone involved in the conversation.

Immediately Yukiko goes into actress gear. "Oh no he's- this is Conan, Conan Edogawa. He's our nephew. He's been staying with a friend of ours in Japan, but we thought he'd like coming back to the States for a bit!" All while smiling. Meanwhile Conan goes through all the stages of grief and is already building up the script for when he's gonna have to kiss ass to Ai for ending up in the Daily Planet.

Yusako senses this and tries to mitigate the situation a bit. "I'd appreciate if you didn't put him in your article. He's just a kid. And the focus is supposed to be on the event and our achievements, not a gossip piece about our private life"

But then Clark speaks up. Unfortunately he's been listening to the conversation and keeping track of everyone's reactions to everything. And he has a good memory. He has also listened to enough rants from Batman about the KID Thief to know more details than the average person.

"Aren't you the KID killer?" Everyone blanches. "I mean, that child from the KID Thief heists?"

"Uhm..." Conan is stumped. He's really bad at this. Of all the things his parents did, they never left him to deal with the vultures alone. But that also means that in his entire High School Detective career he had more of a "avoid at all costs" kinda mentality when it came to talking to the press directly. Sure they've made articles about him, but he's never met anyone interview him directly.

But again, Yukiko to the rescue. "I think that's enough. I hope you can respect our wishes." She puts her hands on Conan's shoulders as she redirects him away from them.

Clark is a little worried, a little suspicious. But he stops Cat from following them by reiterating that he's a kid and the Planet is not a tabloid newspaper.

Of course pt2, things go as things go when Conan is around a respectable amount of people and someone dies. Immediately Conan is on high alert, but so is Bruce who's worried about how someone could've managed to successfully commit a murder under his nose.

So, the investigation begins. On technically 4 sides. Yusako is doing his own detective work, but he's staying on the sidelines and letting the others be at the center of it all. Conan's special interest has been activated so he's in full inspection mode and putting himself in everyone's business. Bruce immediately contacts Commissioner Gordon, and starts distracting the people at the event while sussing out anyone who might have had a motive and/or opportunity. Clark has engaged his investigative journalism side and is already gathering evidence.

Meanwhile Damien is trying to convince Bruce to let him threaten people with unimaginable violence to make them comply and confess. But then he gets distracted by Conan and starts trying to babysit him but in a "I'm better than you tsk you're so immature" kinda way. Keeping him out of the way by yelling at him and dragging him away physically. Conan is not deterred.

All in all, it's a regular day for Conan, a particularly interesting day for the Kudos, a surprisingly weird day for Bruce, and a very annoying day for Damien.

[anime-grimmy]

Guess who got their ass up and actually wrote a fanfic. No, Im not a writer, this is a stream of conciousness which I cannot promise doesn't have obvious flaws, but I wanted to write one of my prompts from here. (it's the "Vash has soft hair" one)

Based in the '98 anime, Vashmeryl-centric.

______

As triste and unforgiving the land of planet Gunsmoke was, the festive atmosphere in the many saloons showed the bright sides of the hard lives of its populace. Meryl and Milly found themselves in one of the most joyful saloons they have been in a while.

The town they were in was barely on the map, just a small cluster of buildings that held maybe a few dozen residents. But as Meryl had gathered from fleeting conversations, despite all odds the small settlement was experiencing a small economic boom. She could have guessed as much, considering all the construction sites they’ve passed just at the outskirts of the town, or the fact the number of thomas in the stables and the cars blocking half the streets seemed out of the ordinary for such a small residency.

So it was no surprise how lively the people were. The saloon was basically glowing, the small lamplights reflecting off the many risen pints of beer. The atmosphere was so joyful with all the shouting, laughing and singing.

Meryl could not care for any of it.

Milly and her were cramped at a small table in the corner of the room, Meryl slumped back in her chair, hands idly turning her whiskey glass in circles without taking a sip. She was just so, so tired, the exhaustion weighing heavy in her bones.

Their few days long travel through the desert felt like it had taken weeks. From encountering sandstorms and bandits, to one of their thomas running off, everything that could have gone wrong, had gone wrong. When Milly and her had arrived at the inn and finally taken a much deserved shower, Meryl had been ready to flop into bed and not open her eyes for at least 11 hours.

To her dismay, the warm water had seemingly energized Milly to the point where she acted like they hadn’t just spent days full of sandy torture. Meryl really had wanted to decline, maybe even let Milly go by herself, but she just knew that the nagging feeling she’d get wouldn’t let her get a wink of sleep.

So, 30 minutes later found them in the brightest saloon for iles, Milly already downing her third drink while Meryl just stared off into space.

It really wasn’t too bad, actually. Milly was having a blast and Meryl was too tired to care for even the rowdier patrons. She just kept on watching the people with mild interest.

Maybe then it was her exhaustion that didn’t make her instantly panic when a very familiar broomhead made his way towards their table. Milly immediately waved Vash over when she spotted him, patting the stool next to her in invitation. Vash was all grins and drunken blush, probably having a big deal to do with the busty brunette slung under one of his arms.

Usually by now, Meryl would be filled with dread, disgust and a lot of other harmful words, but she found her mind was a bit too zoned to get riled up. Instead, she was honestly surprised Vash had managed to land such a woman, knowing how terrible he was at flirting.

It didn’t take too long for her to figure out how though.

The way the brunette was totally playing into his schtick, clanking drinks with him and even complimenting him, yet also keeping him at a physical distance, screamed gold digger to Meryl. She opted not to comment, it was weirdly enjoyable watching Vash dig his own grave.

A little flirty whispering here, some more coins clanking on the table there and a well-manicured hand brushing through the straw hair of his with barely disguised disdain over the woman’s face, Meryl was quite enjoying the show.

Ah, but then Vash got greedy, or too drunk to understand his companion’s signals.

His hand kept sliding too close to areas the brunette didn’t see fit, and after his third attempt, there was palm on his face and a second later, the seat next to him was vacant.

Meryl pulled her glass to her mouth, if only the hide the smile on her lips. The absolutely shocked and longing look he threw after the brunette was so sad that it was hilarious.

Milly, in comparison, didn’t have Meryl’s filter, especially not four pints in. Milly’s laughter was both sweet and boisterous which made Vash turn his hurt gaze onto her. With a loud whine he slid onto the tabletop, crying dramatic tears as usual. Milly slapped his back in comfort (a bit too hard if Vash’ wince was anything to go by) and shouted for another round of drinks.

Half a glass in and the whole escapade seemed to have been forgotten.

With her immediate show now over, Meryl let her eyes slide back over the crowd. Milly, despite being way too deep into her glass, seemingly had Vash under control. As long as the two of them just kept drinking together they’d stay out of trouble, probably, hopefully.

Meryl sighed. She was honestly too exhausted to care much.

The moments ticked by without anything really catching Meryl’s attention. She tuned into some conversations she could overhear or watched people lose at poker, but most patrons seemed to just drink and enjoy each other’s company. With nothing interesting to focus on, Meryl felt her eyelids grow heavy. She really didn’t want to fall asleep in the saloon, not when Milly was too drunk to find her way back to the inn, but the shouts and laughs soon turned into a low buzz in Meryl’s mind.

She was sure she was about to lose her fight against sleep when something blonde popped into her vision.

Meryl jerked back slightly, quickly blinking the drowsiness from her eyes, and turned to look at Vash.

He was leaning forward in his chair, closer to her, staring at her with squinted eyes. Meryl rose her brow at his…accusing? No, maybe puzzled look? She couldn’t quite describe his expression, but he sure was concentrating hard on her.

They spent a few moments like this, Vash just staring intently and Meryl waiting for him to speak what was on his mind. His head cocked to the side and Meryl swore she could see his eyes adjusting. A second later, they flew wide open.

“Holy crap, insurance girl, were you here the whole time?!”

Meryl pinched the bridge of her nose. He couldn’t be serious.

Vash laughed loudly, his chair scraping on the floor as he scooted closer to her. Meryl couldn’t help but lean back a bit when his beer breath hit her nose.

“Wow, you were so quiet, I didn’t even notice you! Wait, is that a new technique so you can watch me from the shadows?!”

Oh boy, he was being so serious about this. This time Meryl was sure his squinted eyes were supposed to be accusatory. She shook her head with a sigh.

“No, Vash, I just really don’t have the nerves today to pity you for being a terrible flirt.”

Vash gasped in offense, his hand flying to cover his heart. Meryl only rolled her eyes.

“Excuse you, that girl was all over me.”

Meryl gave him a deadpan look.

“More like all over your wallet.”

Vash’ hand slid from his chest to his pocket, protectively cradling the bag inside as if Meryl was the one trying to steal it. He held her gaze for a moment, before he cleared his throat and rebutted with way less confidence.

“I might have tried to appeal to her with some of my funds, but I know that my good looks sparked her interest.”

Meryl scoffed. The way the brunette had tried to cuddle up to him with as little touching as possible spoke more of aversion than attraction, which, if Meryl was being honest, was kind of surprising. She may call Vash a lecherous creep sometimes, but he was relatively harmless and not to mention far more handsome than most drunken patrons. Not that she’d tell him that.

“Really now, Vash? You really think that girl was into you? She bolted the moment you tried to make a move on her.”

Meryl was pretty proud of herself how little contempt and judgement clouded her voice as she said this. Still, Vash dramatically recoiled.

“She was just intimidated by my handsome-ness!”

Meryl sighed.

“Yeah, sure.”

Vash gave her the stink eye before leaning in close. Meryl wasn’t entirely sure what he was going for, but any seriousness was off the table with the way his lips pulled into a childish pout.

“She said my eyes were pretty.”

“Aha.”

“She also said my smile was nice.”

“Oh, how original.”

“She ALSO said my hair was great.”

At that, Meryl laughed.

“Vash, that girl barely dared to touch your hair! Not to blame her, I wouldn’t want to stick my hand in a haystack either.”

Vash’ jaw actually dropped at that. Meryl was taken aback how the look on his face wasn’t his usual theatrical performance but looked actually offended. A disapproving noise came from Vash’ throat as he jabbed a finger at her.

“How dare you! My hair is perfectly fluffy and stylish to boot! I will not allow you to insult my soft locks!”

Wait, fluffy?

“Fluffy? You can’t be serious.”

Vash slid the palms of his hands along his hair and then went to frame his face with a hand under his chin. He gave her a dazzling smile.

“Why yes, my dear insurance girl, my wonderful hair is the smoothest silk known to man.”

Meryl’s brow twitched. There was no way. No way in heaven and hell was that broomhead of his anything but dried grass. She’s seen it in action, it never lost form, and even when drenched to the bone his hair managed to look somehow spikey.

“There’s no way.”

“Yes way.”

“I don’t believe you.”

With a huff, Meryl fell back against her chair, crossing her arms in the process. She glared up at Vash, who was only staring back with just as much stubbornness.

Ugh, why was she arguing with him. Her body was almost melting into the chair from how drained her muscles felt, and here she was spending energy bickering with this idiot. And by the way his eyes shone with a challenging glint, she knew their argument was going to go on for hours at this rate.

Even while mulling over how to easily diffuse the situation, Meryl herself didn’t drop her gaze, therefore keeping the tension between the two alight. Vash’ own eyes flitted about, seemingly also analysing the situation, when he suddenly bent forward.

Meryl jerked back at the sudden movement and watched him angle beneath her eyelevel and then turn his face downward.

“Try it.”

Meryl stared at him for a moment.

“Excuse me?”

“Touch my hair.”

Again, Meryl recoiled, thrown off kilter by the sudden demand.

“What, no!”

Vash turned his head to pout up at her.

“Hey, you said you don’t believe it! This is the easiest way to prove it!”

Meryl held his gaze, seeing the dangerous mix out stubbornness and determination written all over his face. She really did not want to touch him, but at the same time, she was just so over this argument.

So, with a defeated sigh, she gave him a small nod.

“Fine, fine, I’ll do it.”

A big grin broke out on Vash’ face before he bend downwards again, presenting her the crown of his head.

Meryl was still hesitant. Somehow, this felt way out of bounds of their relationship, not that she was even sure where the two of them stood on an intimacy basis. But getting a bit flustered being so close to him beat bickering with him for another hour or so.

Swallowing another sigh, Meryl slowly raised her hand to the top of Vash’s spikes and gently took a strand between her fingertips. She rubbed them together slowly to properly feel the texture of his hair, and felt her eyes widen.

There was no way.

Meryl brushed a few more strands between her fingers, still doubting what she was feeling.

The hair felt soft.

Too stunned to accept this fact just yet, Meryl turned her palm towards Vash, gingerly pressing the hair down atop his head. It gave way immediately, bending down with the pressure she put on it and bouncing back up straight once she removed her hand.

Meryl could not believe what she was seeing, could not believe what she was feeling. Of all the impossible things she’s seen Vash do, this somehow felt like the most implausible. It just seemed so out of the laws of physics. After all, she had seen how his hair behaves. Once it was spiked up, his hair never seemed to stray out of its shape. While moving or being caught in the wind, his strands always seemed to move as one form.

But this, this looked and felt like something that should not be happening. Meryl bunched a bit of his hair in a fist, again evaluating how it felt. It wasn’t exactly silk like, how Vash had claimed, it reminded her more of finer, more strand-like thomas down.

Meryl released his hair and pulled her hand back slightly. Eyes still glued to the blonde mess in front of her, Meryl could hear a small voice in the back of her head screaming at her not to do what she had in mind, but her curiosity was too strong to not overrule her logic.

So, tentatively, she let her fingers comb through his hair. She let them slide from atop his forehead into his hairline until all her fingers were submerged in a sea of blonde. Meryl cringed slightly as she could feel some sand and grit in between his strands, but she kept kneading through his locks, untangling some knots she came across.

Meryl hated to admit how fascinating this was. She had always assumed such a dry and rough texture from Vash’ gravity defying hair, and yet, her fingers glided through even smoother than through Milly’s hair after a fresh wash. This blew all of her expectations out of the water, so she couldn’t help but marvel at the experience.

Meryl was only dragged out of her little trance when Milly’s giggling caught her attention. She turned her head towards her colleague, raising a brow in question.

Milly was trying to hide her highly audible laughs with a hand to her mouth, but Meryl couldn’t judge her as the poor girl was swaying in her seat from her buzz. The tall girl was also struggling to get a sentence out between her uncontrollable giggles.

“Aww, Mr. Vash looks like a kitten getting pats!”

Milly burst out into more laughter at her own quip, but Meryl immediately froze as reality caught up to her. With a hammering heart, she looked down towards the man whose hair she’s been toying with for the last few minutes.

Vash, for his part, looked to be in absolute bliss. There was a big, content smile on his face, body laying on the table with his arms serving as a pillow for his head. He had his eyes closed and was humming a sigh every few moments, bright cheeks getting even rosier as his smile grew.

Meryl only noticed now her hand was still scratching at the back of his head.

Flustered, Meryl jerked back her hand, instead opting to press it against her pounding heart. Vash wailed in protest, looking as if he had been ripped out of a cozy dream. Milly only laughed harder.

Oh god, what had she been doing? Was she really that zoned out that she was giving Vash, the absolutely insufferable Stampede, head scratches? This exhaustion must be making her delirious. Yes, that’s what it must have been, the exhaustion.

With a resolute slap on the tabletop, she rose from her seat.

“Ok, that’s it, party over. C’mon Milly, we’re going.”

Twin whines met her ears, but Meryl only glared at the other two.

“No, enough is enough. It’s late, we’re exhausted, and the table is filled with almost a dozen pints. It’s time to turn in.”

Now having her resolve back, Meryl whirled on Vash and flicked him against the nose.

“This also counts for you, Mr. Fluffybuns.”

Resolute on finally getting her well-deserved sleep, Meryl slapped some double dollars onto the table, grabbed Milly by the arm and Vash by the ear, and headed out the saloon.

Sweet bed, here she comes.

______

That was easier said than done, however.

As fate and circumstances would have it, the small size of the town only provided one inn for the whole town, so Meryl found herself dragging two drunken giants along with her.

The inn was a mere five minute walk from the saloon, but the sheer difference in size, mass and drunkenness made it an ordeal for Meryl to keep her two friends on track. She felt like she was running after children that tried their hardest to run off. Only the kids were over a head taller than her and probably could throw her around as easily as a sack of potatoes.

So, it took them a good twenty minutes to finally arrive at their five-minute-away inn, and Meryl all but slumped against the counter. She was just about to ask for their keys when two heavy weights barrelled against hair, squashing her against the table and knocking the air out of her lungs. With a loud groan, she pushed them off of her, shoving them in the direction of the stairs.

“Off with you two! Let me get our keys in peace, geeze.”

Meryl turned with a huff, trying not to look too disgruntled at the man at the counter. Thankfully, if anything it was amusement crossing his features. He offered her a laugh.

“Rough night out?”

“You don’t even know. The keys to room 104 and…”

Meryl noticed she had never asked Vash for his room number. As she turned to yell after the two drunks, a small jingle caught her attention.

“And 107.”

Two pairs of keys were dangling before her eyes. She met eyes with innkeeper who only smiled at her.

“Your buddy came in just a few hours ago, and I wouldn’t forget such a gaudy get up for a while.”

A nervous laugh made its way out of Meryl’s throat. So far no one in town seemed to even have an inkling that Vash was, well, THE Vash the Stampede. Still, comments like these unnerved her just a bit.

“Oh, yeah, he just really tries to stand out, you know. Thinks it’s going to land him some points with the ladies.”

Meryl bit the inside of her cheek. Even to her that explanation sounded kind of fake, but to her relief, the innkeeper’s chuckle seemed sincere.

“Well, just make sure that he doesn’t do anything stupid. The women here are vicious. If he makes the wrong move, they gonna put a bounty on him and come for his head!”

The man cracked up at his own joke, Meryl laughing only to hide how much this unsettled her. She knew it was meant as a joke, but from experience, things always liked to end badly.

So, as not to spill something she didn’t mean to, Meryl yanked the keys from the man’s hand with as much restraint as possible and hurried after her friends.

Milly and Vash were struggling up the stairs as she approached. For a moment, her heart almost jumped out of her throat when the two of them bent backwards at an alarming angle, but they managed to readjust themselves with a loud thud on the stairs, breaking out in drunken giggles.  Meryl moved to shove them up the stairs, trying not to hurry them too much as to prevent them from falling over.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Meryl, they arrived at their room door. Meryl had to grab onto Milly and Vash so they wouldn’t mindlessly keep wandering down the hallway. She spun them to face her and thankfully caught their attention. Dangling the key in front of Vash’ face, she placed it in his palm, turned him around and pointed down the corridor.

“Just three doors down from here, alright?”

Vash blinked slowly, moving his eyes from the empty hallway to the key in his hand, down to Meryl and back again. Meryl waited with waning patience as his fuzzy mind processed her order, but not too long and he gave her a lazy smile and an even lazier salute and went to trudge down the corridor.

Sighing in relief, Meryl turned to her own door and unlocked it with a swift movement. The door was barely open a fraction when Milly squeezed through, making a straight beeline for her bed. Meryl could only smile, Milly really had the right idea. Collapsing in bed seemed like the best course of action right now.

However, just as Meryl moved to close the door, a nagging little voice in her mind made her hesitate. With apprehension, Meryl leaned back to see beyond the door and down the hallway.

Vash had, thankfully, found the correct room and was currently trying to push his key in the lock. Emphasis on trying.

With Vash’ glasses on, she couldn’t really read his expression but by the way his brows furrowed and he kept missing the keylock entirely, she was pretty sure his eyes refused to focus. Meryl watched him miss the hole sometimes by an inch, other times barely even striking the metal of the doorhandle. When one miss sent the key clattering to the floor but Vash kept repeating the hand motion still, Meryl groaned in resignation.

She threw a quick glance into her and Milly’s room, only to find her colleague passed out on the bed. Meryl closed the door and locked it, just to play things safe, then quickly crossed the small distance between her and Vash’ room.

Vash, for his part, had finally caught up with the fact that the key was not in his hand anymore. The way he flexed his fingers and frowned down at them were enough to clue Meryl in. When she came up to his side, she gently pushed him back a little.

“Move a bit, will you?”

Meryl noticed him startle, but as soon as recognition settled in he smiled and took a step aside. Meryl bent down to retrieve the fallen key and smoothly unlocked the door. Just like with Milly, the moment the door was open just a slit, Vash pushed his way inside. Meryl threw a glare after him but ultimately let her shoulders slump with a sigh. At least he was safely in his room.

Sticking the key on the inside of the door, Meryl turned to Vash to remind him to lock it after she left, when he suddenly stunned her into a pause.

Instead of flopping into bed, Vash had his duffle bag over his shoulder and was currently pushing open the window. Meryl only managed to startle herself out of her stupor when Vash swung a leg outside the window. With a few quick steps, Meryl bound across the room, grabbed him by the bag and dragged him back into the room. Vash fell flat on his ass, the momentum bringing his feet up in the air, and Meryl used the short moment to slam the window shut.

She whirled on him with an incredulous look on her face.

“What the hell are you doing, Vash?!”

Vash sat up with lighting speed, eyes so big they peaked out from behind his glasses.

“What does it look like, I’m bailing! They’re already after me!”

Meryl felt her heart drop down to her knees. Vash was being pursued? Why hadn’t he said anything until now? Wait, if he was being followed why had he even stopped here? And how could he let himself get this plastered knowing there was danger?

Shaking her head wildly, Meryl quickly dispelled the mounting questions from her mind. Now was not the time to fall into panic.

“Vash, what are you talking about? Who is after you and since when?”

Vash was back on his feet again, trying to edge closer to the window, but Meryl planted herself as a barricade, not allowing him to leave before she got the answers. With an indigent whine, he met her eyes.

“Didn’t you hear the innkeeper? They’re already out for my head! There’s no telling how long it will take ‘til they get me!”

Air tight in her lungs, Meryl’s eyes widened as realisation hit her.

Then she smacked Vash upside the head.

Meryl rubbed her face tiredly as irritation burnt through even her strongest haze.

“Vash, you idiot, the guy was JOKING. Now stop acting stupid and get your drunk ass in bed.”

When Vash still looked resistant, Meryl’s patience was worn too thin to talk him into doing anything. Instead, she just yanked the bag from his shoulders, grabbed him be the suspenders at his back and dragged him over to the bed. With a strong shove, she pushed him onto the bed. Vash landed with a pained grunt, but the moment he realised the softness he found himself in, his body went lax with a content sigh.

Feeling a headache come on, Meryl rubbed her temples as she thought about what to do next. With a longing look at the door, she debated whether to just leave and finally get the sleep she so desired, but Vash was hanging halfway off the bed, still fully clothed and with a gun strapped to his leg. Against her better judgement, Meryl went to close the still wide-open door and go help Vash properly get into bed.

She returned to him no 10 seconds later, and his hip was already sliding off the mattress. With a result huff, Meryl grabbed him by the belt of his coat and dragged his body fully onto the bed. She made quick work of the clasps of his boots, sliding them off and arranging them next to the bed. Next followed the knee protectors and his gun, which she decided to keep on the nightstand to still be in quick reach for him. Once again, Meryl pulled him up by the suspenders that connected to the back part of his coat, and settled him against the wall to more easily open the buttons of his coat.

She took a moment to read his expression, mostly to see if he was still awake. The reflection of his glasses didn’t give her any insight on what he might be thinking, but when his lips slowly stretched into a smug grin, she was at least sure he wasn’t asleep.

“Oh my, insurance girl, didn’t peg you for the handsy type.”

Meryl just rolled her eyes at the overly suave tone and slapped him against the chest.

“Oh, shut up, you. Don’t spout such nonsense, rather help me get this off.”

At her comment, Vash’ grin only grew but he did as he was told. With practice ease the last few buckles and buttons popped open and he slid out the form fitting coat like it was no problem. With a little shift of his hip, he tugged it out from under him and let it crumple to the floor. Apparently satisfied to be freed from excess weight, Vash let himself fall back onto the bed with his hands behind his head.

Meryl just shook her head at his antics and retrieved the coat from the floor. She was honestly surprised his coat was in such good condition with how little care he seemed to handle it. She hung the coat up on a chair and took the time to right the discarded duffle bag as well. Stepping back to Vash’ bedside, Meryl reached down to eventually pluck the glasses from his nose.

To her surprise, an arm snaked around her waist and pulled her down. With a startled gasp, Meryl tried to retrieve her balance but ultimately found herself sat down the edge of Vash’ bed. He was grinning up at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes, but Meryl only graced him with a huffed sigh. She placed his glasses by his gun before trying to peel off his hold on her.

“Come on, Vash, let go, I wanna get to bed as well.”

Meryl bit her lip, believing she might have given him just another sentence to easily turn into a tease, but Vash only laughed softly and secured his grip on her waist.

“Aww, come on, insurance girl, just until I’m asleep? Don’t wanna get nightmares. It will be real quick, I promise.”

Now, that was an unusually honest sounding request. Meryl peered down at him. Vash’ looked and sounded rather sincere, which perplexed Meryl a great deal. Even if drunk, since when did he act like this in front of her?

Still somewhat taken aback, Meryl gave a slow nod and let herself relax against the bedside. Vash looked content, small smile turning gracious, and closed his eyes with a sigh.

As he promised, he slipped off into sleep only a few moments after. Meryl couldn’t help but watch him. His little smile soon turned lax, his jaw even hanging open slightly. The arm around her loosened its grip until Vash’ hand lay slack on her lap. She could easily unwind herself from him now, leave and finally get to her own bed, but something in the carefree, calm and dare she say, vulnerable expression on Vash’ face made her so mesmerized she couldn’t get herself to move.

Then, a little twitch of the hand in her lap. Muscles tensing in his arms up to his shoulders. His jaw clamped shut and his brows furrowed. His dreams seemed to turn sour.

Meryl watched him still, apprehensive on what to do. Had he actually known he’d experience a nightmare? Was it something that had happened, or was it the alcohol that made his mind turn dark?

Either way, he seemed to have anticipated it even in his drunken stupor, and he had asked Meryl to stay.

Slowly, with her own hand trembling, she laid her thumb on the crease of his brow. With gentle strokes, she tried to ease the tension, staying attentive on how his body reacted to her touch. His muscles relaxed just a bit, the arm around her not clutching at the fabric of her shirt anymore. But the furrow in his brow and the downturn of his lips wouldn’t leave his face.

The image of a goofy smile and feeling of feather-light texture beneath her fingertips rushed through her mind.

Ever so slowly, her fingertips glid across his forehead until they met the base of his hairline again. With one smooth motion, Meryl buried her fingers in his hair. She let her nails lightly scrub against his scalp and once again carefully loosened any tangles she could find.

The effect was instant. She had not brushed her fingers through his hair three times when a heavy sigh left him, and so did the tension. The knit of his brow immediately evened out and his mouth popped back open in tiny breaths. His body basically melted into the bed after only few moments of her combing through his hair.

Vash was doing fine, he was fine. She could leave.

Meryl really didn’t want to leave.

A humourless laugh left her. She felt so selfish, enjoying an intimate moment like this even though Vash was so vulnerable underneath her hands. Meryl couldn’t deny the happy buzz beneath her skin to see him so content, so at ease. She also couldn’t deny the thrill it sent through her as smooth locks glid in between her fingers.

She wanted this, she wanted this so badly, but she also knew she couldn’t for so many reasons.

She knew Vash. No matter how big a flirt he was, intimacy was just something he seemed to deny himself at any cost, be that physical or emotional. Not that she was any better. Meryl had to bitterly admit that she was not ready to act truthful to her emotions either, she was too prideful and scared to do that.

So, sharing such a calm moment together, while one half was in drunken, sleepy daze, felt both exhilarating and awful at the same time.

But still, Vash had let her close, had requested her presence, even if he was drunk. So even if it was egocentric of her, if only for a few moments more, she wanted to be self-indulgent and enjoy the quietness and intimacy she could only dream of.

Vash was drunk out of his mind, he wouldn’t remember this.

He would never have to know.

______

Except when opening her eyes the next morning, an aquamarine gaze was staring right back at her. There was surprise, confusion, realisation and some kind of excitement sparkling back at her, and Meryl couldn’t stop the thrum that went through her body.

Oh, she was not ready to face these feelings just yet.

So a scream, a slap and a flustered march back to her own room would have to do for now.

[fairlybeloved]

@origami-assassin

The hell was even going on??

It had been the noise down below that woke him from their makeshift, half assed, sort of just laying on the ground campsite.

Looking down over the town of Kalm revealed a great well of people in various states of dress [or undress], heading into the city proper. Granted every town picked some ambiguous celebration or another as an excuse to invite crowds, and gil [and often trouble], one glance told Zack that that may not be the exact case in that particular instance. Something just stunk about the whole thing.

It didn't look like any festival he knew of....

Honestly, it looked like a recruitment fair. ShinRa often ran things like that when the source of their 'amusement' was running low [like Soldiers, for example, a load of which they themselves had finished off with various degrees of violence]. Boy, oh boy, if only all those people down below knew that they too would likely become a statistic if they stuck around.

The men and ladies from all over the planet come bearing the weight of their dreams upon their shoulders as hefty as the bags they dragged forth. Most of which they were commanded to leave behind at the gates by someone in uniform.

“This way, this way. Come on, don’t dally now.” A trooper stood projecting his voices high above the din to settle over the crowd, the normal chatter of people who didn’t know any better yet. Excited voices of minor introductions and stories of where they had come from and where they hoped to be in a year. It was a swift exchange of information not quite extensive enough to recall an hour later, but it kept their minds busied against the nerves of what was to come.

"It's decision tim-----" Zack turned around to face Jezzy, expression going suddenly blanket. "Uhh." He recognized that shirt. "That's.... sort of a integral part of my ensemble. Otherwise, I'd look like a failed wrestler from the Gold Saucer...." What, with only the leather piece to protect him.

... though, he had to say, maybe that would be an impressive outfit to challenge all those around him into carefully considering his sanity [what, with all those supple, fleshy parts that would be left exposed with such a fashion choice].

"It has my armpit sweat on it. Just saying. I mean, that's akin to me licking it."

[tobyfoxmademeascaly]

Dawntrail Part 6

Llama captured, time for birds.

doing the quests as GNB so I don't vastly overlevel on WAR

ooooh very pretty

... okay, given how much this storm is coming up, it was deffo not a normal weather event, was it. There's Fuckery afoot, isn't there.

CAT (green)

her mood soured. her day ruined.

... you realize that in a contest of Might Makes Right, then i win, yes? Like. There's no real competition here.

I mean, he's also a silicon valley sort of cat. He may think bitcoin is the answer to this conundrum somehow.

yeah I'd bet you would much rather be fighting giant crocodiles or something

little Butchling knows her limits

...once again. I am SO glad to be playing a video game and not doing this for real. my knees are aching just looking at those stairs.

something wrong with this cat.

my man she's an adventurer-in-training. common lackey errands are an essential part of that. They build character.

ooooh the nighttime rain makes kozama'uka SO pretty its unreal

yeah that's a... polite way to put it.

very practical concerns, ms kitty

that's my girl, killing more tigers!

(selected "I half-expected a flying whale") ma'am I have not once but TWICE beaten up a flying whale with spiritual importance. It's not off the table

ITS BEEN TOO LONG SINCE I COULD BREAK OUT THE CIRCUS MUSIC!

Calling security on his lizard ass

oh TERRIBLE choice of words

YEAAAAH GO KITTY GO!

GET HIS ASS

Yeah, and NOT on the side you want. Did you forget that I just got done killing every god on the planet?

YAAAY BIRD PARADE!

You know, with all the aether motes flying everywhere, I feel it was a bit obvious that the festival was magical...

archon allies- THANCRED.

Koana is by far the least irritating of the other contestants, since he's actually trying to be helpful and not bullying animals or other contestants. He's just a sharlayan weeaboo.

... hey. what's Bakool Ja Ja doing with that vial. Sir are you intending to use that fertilizer as a performance enhancer. sir.

[theflagscene]

That is easily the most annoyed looking cat on the planet lol

Oh lord, what is Jinta doing? How bad is my second hand embarrassment going to get? - Oh, okay, not bad at all.

Rock is such an obnoxious ass and I love him for that, the little jerk ball makes me laugh so much. I love Sing, he’s such a great character actor. At least when he doesn’t get his tits out lol! Then he’s just a sexy bad guy.

Lmao, Jin and Achi having psychic arguments! Ngl, I would do the exact same thing if me and my bestie were in that situation.

See, Karan, this is why Jin wore a rain cover. You don’t go walking the streets during Songkran unless you’re okay getting caught in the festivities.

Ah, Nivea, the face cleanser of teh gays for five years running now lol.

[bitchesgetriches]

On poverty:

Starting from nothing

How To Start at Rock Bottom: Welfare Programs and the Social Safety Net

How to Save for Retirement When You Make Less Than $30,000 a Year

Ask the Bitches: “Is It Too Late to Get My Financial Shit Together?“

Understanding why people are poor

It’s More Expensive to Be Poor Than to Be Rich

Why Are Poor People Poor and Rich People Rich?

On Financial Discipline, Generational Poverty, and Marshmallows

Bitchtastic Book Review: Hand to Mouth by Linda Tirado

Is Gentrification Just Artisanal, Small-Batch Displacement of the Poor?

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 1: Healthcare, Housing, and Labor Rights

Developing compassion for poor people

The Latte Factor, Poor Shaming, and Economic Compassion

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Stop Myself from Judging Homeless People?“

The Subjectivity of Wealth, Or: Don’t Tell Me What’s Expensive

A Little Princess: Intersectional Feminist Masterpiece?

If You Can’t Afford to Tip 20%, You Can’t Afford to Dine Out

Correcting income inequality

1 Easy Way All Allies Can Help Close the Gender and Racial Pay Gap

One Reason Women Make Less Money? They’re Afraid of Being Raped and Killed.

Raising the Minimum Wage Would Make All Our Lives Better

Are Unions Good or Bad?

On intersectional social issues:

Reproductive rights

On Pulling Weeds and Fighting Back: How (and Why) to Protect Abortion Rights

How To Get an Abortion

Blood Money: Menstrual Products for Surviving Your Period While Poor

You Don’t Have to Have Kids

Gender equality

1 Easy Way All Allies Can Help Close the Gender and Racial Pay Gap

The Pink Tax, Or: How I Learned to Love Smelling Like “Bearglove”

Our Single Best Piece of Advice for Women (and Men) on International Women’s Day

Bitchtastic Book Review: The Feminist Financial Handbook by Brynne Conroy

Sexual Harassment: How to Identify and Fight It in the Workplace

Queer issues

Queer Finance 101: Ten Ways That Sexual and Gender Identity Affect Finances

Leaving Home before 18: A Practical Guide for Cast-Offs, Runaways, and Everybody in Between

Racial justice

The Financial Advantages of Being White

Woke at Work: How to Inject Your Values into Your Boring, Lame-Ass Job

The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander: A Bitchtastic Book Review

Something Is Wrong in Personal Finance. Here’s How To Make It More Inclusive.

The Biggest Threat to Black Wealth Is White Terrorism

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 2: Racial and Gender Inequality

10 Rad Black Money Experts to Follow Right the Hell Now

Youth issues

What We Talk About When We Talk About Student Loans

The Ugly Truth About Unpaid Internships

Ask the Bitches: “I Just Turned 18 and My Parents Are Kicking Me Out. How Do I Brace Myself?”

Identifying and combatting abuse

When Money is the Weapon: Understanding Intimate Partner Financial Abuse

Are You Working on the Next Fyre Festival?: Identifying a Toxic Workplace

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Say ‘No’ When a Loved One Asks for Money… Again?”

Ask the Bitches: I Was Guilted Into Caring for a Sick, Abusive Parent. Now What?

On mental health:

Understanding mental health issues

How Mental Health Affects Your Finances

Stop Recommending Therapy Like It’s a Magic Bean That’ll Grow Me a Beanstalk to Neurotypicaltown

Bitchtastic Book Review: Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos and Your Big Brain

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Protect My Own Mental Health While Still Helping Others?”

Coping with mental health issues

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Self-Care

My 25 Secrets to Successfully Working from Home with ADHD

Our Master List of 100% Free Mental Health Self-Care Tactics

On saving the planet:

Changing the system

Don’t Boo, Vote: If You Don’t Vote, No One Can Hear You Scream

Ethical Consumption: How to Pollute the Planet and Exploit Labor Slightly Less

The Anti-Consumerist Gift Guide: I Have No Gift to Bring, Pa Rum Pa Pum Pum

Season 1, Episode 4: “Capitalism Is Working for Me. So How Could I Hate It?”

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 1: Healthcare, Housing, and Labor Rights

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 2: Racial and Gender Inequality

Shopping smarter

You Deserve Cheap Toilet Paper, You Beautiful Fucking Moon Goddess

You Are above Bottled Water, You Elegant Land Mermaid

Fast Fashion: Why It’s Fucking up the World and How To Avoid It

You Deserve Cheap, Fake Jewelry… Just Like Coco Chanel

6 Proven Tactics for Avoiding Emotional Impulse Spending

[hylia-r0se]

I submitted a time off request for a personal holiday in November and then for my birthday.

Then it hit me…

I can’t believe that I’m about to be 31 in 3 months!

*FAINTS*

Where has the time gone?

For my 30th year on this planet I went to Puerto Rico, Disney World, Ultra Music Festival and Elements Music & Arts Festival. I’m going to Colorado in November to experience a show at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater.

Now…let’s go back.

I remember meeting Deadmau5 and getting his autograph after his BK show when I was 26, right before the pandemic put our lives on hold.

I remember my first music festival, EDC New York in 2014 when I was 20. It’s also the first time I got to see Tiesto, Carl Cox and Bassnectar live and it blew my mind.

I remember going to my first rave when I was 17. That same year I started college. I was clubbing every weekend.

I remember having pink hair when I was 15 and having my quinceañera. I had a dark purple cake with black roses. So on brand.

I remember sneaking into my first nightclub in DR when I was 13. That’s also the first time I had a “Sex on the Beach” drink. 2 of them.

I remember my first sip of beer when I was 9. My crazy ass uncle pulled a prank on me and told me that it was Sprite.

I remember my 1st or 2nd birthday party and what I was wearing along with the clown. All of these random ass people picking me up all day.

Now I’m about to be freaking 31. Wow.

[guardian-rocket]

🦊💞🦝

Fox McCloud x Rocket Raccoon Send me ships!

Who would be the big spoon? They switch because it depends on the mood of things. Rocket will often lay either across Fox or use his chest as a pillow too. There's no consistency here.

Who would wake up first? Rocket, usually. He's a light sleeper and he doesn't tend to sleep very long even on a good night, but there are times Fox somehow beats him to it.

Do they have nicknames for each other? Rocket tends to call him 'Foxxy', or 'Pretty Boy', 'Gorgeous,' and pretty much any ship with Rocket is subjected to getting called 'Baby' on occasion. As for Fox's nicknames for Rocket, he seems to give Rocket more the general pet-name treatment. (I tend to know Rocket's side a bit better)

What happened when they met each other’s parents? This won't happen but Rocket listens as Fox tells him anything about his family with fascination. He did tell Fox early on he didn't know his parents and was pretty sure they were dead. Rocket also won't talk about his creators much at all.

How do they apologize after an argument? Arguing with Rocket takes fineness, he's stubborn and has some trouble admitting fault even though he can do it if he really is obviously the one in the wrong. Rocket doesn't want to drag things out though, so it's just a matter of getting started. Even if it seems like he's just being an ass (and maybe he is) he may also just be brooding on how to open the conversation without sounding stupid. If Fox apologized first, he'd feel much easier about apologizing in return and admitting he was stupid about whatever caused the argument.

What would they be like as parents? Rocket already has Groot to raise, and he's very stereotypical in the dad role. Fox does get to play as a parental figure to Groot and honestly I think Groot sees him as more motherly. Probably cuts the crusts off his bread and would pack him a snack before he runs off to go get himself into trouble.

Who is the better cook? Fox, Rocket doesn't spend much time doing anything in the kitchen outside of grabbing quick meals or drinks UNLESS he's doing something special. Fox seems to know at least the basics of culinary.

Who is more romantic? Fox is more traditionally romantic but Rocket will try his best to make sure he's showing affection in his own way. He can be very sweet when he wants to be.

What sort of gifts do they get for each other? Rocket is the type to grab something for Fox on a far off planet, they'll probably be snacks or little trinkets that are ultimately useless as a small token to let Fox know he's always on Rocket's mind. Fox probably gets Rocket more practical things for Rocket to use that are from Corneria designed for furry-bodied people like themselves, or just things he knows Rocket's gonna love.

Who gets jealous easiest? Jealousy is rooted in insecurity and unfortunately that's where Rocket resides. He's a bit territorial. (Okay... very territorial.)

Who gets more excited for events e.g.. Birthdays, Christmas? I'd earnestly say neither of them are too big on that, but between them, Rocket is a bit more festive. I think when he gets to share what this Christmas thing is about he's gonna be pretty dorky telling him about it. Just remember the song 'I Don't Know What Christmas Is' is from the description from Rocket's interpretation, so it probably will not very traditional.

Who is the most adventurous? Rocket can be adventurous when he wants something but this one goes to Fox. Rocket often needs to be coaxed to go do something dangerous.

Who is the most protective? I'll go with Rocket for this, as he's more paranoid about losing people now. I think they'd both be protective though.

What would they have been like as childhood sweethearts? I see Rocket as the type to try and lure Fox into trouble, doing dumb kid stuff like making bottle rockets and sneaking into the movies without paying.

*BONUS: Song to sum them up?*

The Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way

Do I ship it?

Yes <3

[fat-hedonistic-hogs]

Space Bulma finds a planet of really primitive monkey people and in like a week they make her queen.

Her big bum being a main point of worship

"They've been using our asses as drums for an hour now... and the food just doesn't stop coming... why didn't we just stay in the ship???" Ochako whined as another leg of reptile meat was forced down her gullet. Her space suit gone replaced with nothing but a fur pelt for her bottom half and jewelry adorning her mountainous flabby body.

"They're still painting my gut... We gotta get out of here! OUCH! watch what you're doing you perver those are my tits!" Bulma yelped as suddenly she found her swollen teats pierced by golden chains adorned with orange crystal balls with stars on them.

"BWOOOOOOOOORP! Forgive us but you must look perfect for the festival. We were starting to think the elders were wrong about your arrival, but you're just in time for the full moon! The harvest and breeding season will be bountiful this year."

[housano]

Housano's Live-A-Half Assed Summaries Presents: Welcome to the Black Masquerade Parts 5 and 6: ACAB= All Chassards are Bastards

CW: Live a Hero Spoilers, Suicide Mention

I lost the cord that connects my phone to the laptop so I'm afraid no pictures on this recap. That and I'm tired.

For Part 4 Click Here

Part 5- What's your function, corruption?

So we are almost caught up to the present situation with briefly before where the Chassard agent is trying to provoke and accuse us of stealing the Pauderna. During the body check, they find a piece of the Pauderna in our suit/dress (!) which means somebody slipped it in there and that's proof enough it was either us or the villains. Giasal speaks ups and says he doesn't give a flying fuck about a dress, he just wanted to fight...okay I know I made a Genshin joke about him, but he is the Live a Hero equivalent of Childe. Still we are suspect #1 in the eyes of the Chassard. However, Astosis works his magic and convinces them to release Nessen and Yohack as: Nessen was not part of the original group and came to join by happenstance, and Yohack was not the original contracted operator and had to fill it so even if there was a plan, he would not be privy to that.

Which brings us back to the present where it seems any justification or evidence is insignificant, as the Chassard are hellbent on accusing us of the theft because their beliefs are the law of the land. In other words, Cloges is Twitter. So we are paraded out and it's announced that we are the culprit that has stolen the Pauderna and have been found guilty (technically we are supposed to get a trial, but it's more for the motions than actually proving our innocence). But hark! Our locksmith and dummy thiccums have returned to free us and have proof we were set up. Giasal even gets freed and starts going to town on that smug bastard. Giasal, you are no longer on my shit list for having a name that starts with Gia-, you are my motherfucking ride or die now. Anywho we go back to the ballroom where Yohack and Nessen reveal a hidden passage.

Part 6- I wanna see the receipts

In the sewers that look similar to one we would fine a certain king avoiding his duties we get updated on what they have discovered. In the streets shortly after being released, Yohack is depressed and Nessen asks him what's wrong. Yohack comments how our beloved protagonist's sitation is eerily similar to what happened when him and his parents were banished from Cloges. He said his parents ran a very popular clothing store where they brought in a lot of outsiders and incorporated various technologies along with Cloges traditions. However, an odd request came to their studio during the last Waning Festival, where they were requested to repair Pauderna, but were arrested with the accusation of trying to damage Pauderna. Evidence was produced such as scissors with their fingerprints on it, and they were immediately stripped of their citizenship and banished from the planet. Nessen inquired if it's painful to be back, which Yohack said not really. As thanks to leaving, he met a master locksmith and learned his craft and that Astosis and a lot of the townsfolk still believed them even after the evidence was produced.

This reminds Yohack that Asostis was the one who oversaw his parent's trial and remembered the words Astosis said about how he hasn't forgotten his parents and that the memories are still in "that place". Yohack immediately takes Nessen to Astosis' office. He mentions how he used to sneak in through the window when he was a kid. Astosis gave him a spare key after his father changed the locks, and told him to break in anytime. Though he has a tad more gut than back then, he's able to get through and let Nessen in. We learn that shortly after the trial of his parents, Astosis father committed suicide due the public stigma from it and Astosis worked his way to become an extremely prominent lawyer.

They conclude that the proof must be tied to Yohack's parent's trial and try to look for the court records. They search everywhere but couldn't find anything and conclude it must be in the safe. After several attempts at the pins, Yohack realizes that Astosis told him the code when he said "I haven't forgotten your parents": the date they were sentenced. They find a drawing of the venue which shows the hidden passage which was near where Pauderna was displayed. Yohack then discovers the safe has a false back and in it his parents case records with several notes and receipts that to the surprise of no one, the evidence was fraudulent. However, what is even more interesting is that the fraudulent evidence goes back several generations. With this they rusk back to save our protagonist from the show trial.

Now that we are caught up and in the hidden passage, Nessen theorizes that the real culprit must have snagged it when the lights went out and brought it into the secret passage. Yohack theorizes that they are doing to this purge anyone who isn't born of Cloges, such as his parents and rig the evidence as a means to justify removing them. Yohack said that Chassard originally represented the will of all people but has progressively radicalized to be only those born on Cloges and remove any "undesirables". Yohack goes on to say some sage wisdom in that it's fine if you feel that way and keep it to yourself, but when you take it out on people who have done nothing wrong and suppress anyone who opposses you, that's where he draws the line and wants to put an end to their tyranny.

We then go out to be prepared for battle only to find Giasal having the time of his life. He comments how pathetic the Chassard are and how they hope to win with numbers rather than skill or strength. Astosis tries to stop everything but the Chassard Bastard from earlier demands that Pauderna be produced. Suddenly Maculata reappears holding Pauderna and says it's time to reveal the truth....in Part 7.

Welcome to the Black Masquerade Parts 5+6- All Chassards are Bastards- END

For Part 7, click here

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

How exactly is BKG "intelligent»????

Firstly, he thought that Izuku had this superiority complex when he tried to help him out of an undoubtedly freezing pond after he fell like seven+ feet.

He thought Izuku would take years of abuse, belittlement, and straight up torture just to get one over BKG. "Hah, I kept my quirk a secret all along just to make you look stupid even though it cost me being broken down by society!"

He launched a massive attack and nearly killed Izuku with it for daring to write his own story. If BKG didn't have plot armor, the entire building should've collapsed onto everyone instead of it because the foundations were destroyed.

He jumped in front of Thirteen while she was in the middle of using her quirk during the USj. Not only did he prevent her from launching an attack, he could've been killed and would have no one to blame but his dumbassery.

He is such a tone deaf idiot, that he announced that he would win the sports festival and didn't once consider that this would just isolate Class 1-A even more.

He attacked a classmate on live television (Shotou) in broad daylight, which further ruined his reputation. He should have been expelled for that.

He somehow thought that he could take on the Number one hero even with a handicap and was so enraged at Izuku pointing out that an adult in his forties with the strongest quirk known to man and years of heroic experience under his belt that he hit him across the face. If this were a real battle, this would be seen as BKG actively choosing the stupidest course of action instead of biding time and learning that retreat is necessary. He really isn't serious about being a hero.

Instead of running away from danger, he ran straight towards the villains that were trying to kill him because he's a blood thirsty pig who is incapable of rational thought. He'd have been killed by monkfish had Shouto (bless this king) not step in.

Instead of trying to fly away from the villains via explosion way before Izuku and cohorts arrived, he stayed and fought the villains even though he was grossly out numbered.

The are more examples of his stupidity but these are what I'm the most pissed about. Like how are BKG claiming that Bakugo is «3»» smart'» even though there is more evidence pointing to the contrary.

You raise very good points. My thought process though is that Bakugou is smart in a way. He’s got an ego the size of the planet though so he assumes things like he can kick any ass without a sweat which has him acting like an idiot. He is very self centered with a protagonist centered mentality in that he’s right and everyone else is wrong. It’s all about him and because the guy he’s been abusing for years suddenly got a Quirk is has to do with him!

Basically, Bakugou is a budding Narcissist. Trust me, I’ve heard wilder things from my ex-uncle and in stories from school who have Narcs for parents.

But anyway back to my thoughts: Bakugou is the kind of guy whose very book smart along with being battle smart. He’s highly placed in 1A canonly (I will forever argue he should be lower ranked compared to Todoroki but whatever) and he is shown to be studious. He is smart that way. It’s just in practise he’s a bruiser with a loose grasp on strategy and has a giant sized blind spot when it comes to himself, in that he’s convinced again he’s the protagonist and the world revolves around him.

[anotherfauxredhead]

30 Reasons Why I'm Childfree: #26

Rising Misogyny.

In my 200 30-something years on this damn planet, I've never seen misogyny become more blatant and--dare I say it--normalized. Did the Heard-Depp trial (yes, I'm saying it) and the fall of Roe v Wade from last year open the floodgates for sexist "men" to be more open with their shit behaviors? Just as ugly are those who enable and coddle their disgusting asses.

You got the male youths idolizing egotistic assholes like Andrew Tate, as well as one-note rappers that spew out sexist drivel in their laughable lyrics that's so tired these days, it's a real surprise when a rapper talks about respecting women. Disturbing porn with male porn guys degrading the girl by face-slapping, nose-pinching, and choking her is now fap-worthy. (FTR, I enjoy my porn, I'm not anti-porn/anti-sex at all, and I still side-eye Tumblr for their useless porn ban. But I would never get off to something so abusive. If that's someone else's thing, bless them.) Out-of-touch politicians are trying to pass laws to further reduce women to mere baby-making chattel. Abusive entertainers that got called out during #metoo's peak in 2018 are now back in business, doing sold-out shows, collabbing with rising female musicians, and even getting standing ovations at film festivals.

And WHY do you want me to bring a kid into this world again? So that they'll see that all this misogyny is becoming more the norm? So that they'll see it's OK to harass or hit a woman and praise the men that do so? GTFO. No matter if I have a daughter or son or non-binary, to expose a child to that can be damaging.