#( something something i don't have to be afraid of commitment if we can't commit in the first place )

[hadesknockedupintheunderworld]

Hey, I don't normally make my own posts about this, but.

Do not argue with an anti on their own terms.

Don't get me wrong, I get it. You see the hypocrisy. You see the way they take aim at your favorite ships or characters or tropes while enjoying something similar. And you think "if I can point out to them just how hypocritical and idiotic they look right now, everyone will see our argument, they'll see that the anti is wrong and a hypocrite, and then maybe more people will stop harassing the people who like my thing. Maybe the anti will see the light and stop being a hypocrite."

But it will not work. It will not work.

There is an extremely high chance one of two things will occur:

They will double down on their argument, and ignore what you've said. (Ex. They might say "This relationship has an age gap. That's p3dophi1ia. That's dangerous." And you might say "well you ship something with the same age gap. Is it not p3dophi1ia and dangerous when you do it?" And they will just double down and say "This ship is dangerous. The shippers are grasping at straws to make their p3d0 ship normal.")

They will agree with you, but in the worst way possible. (Ex. Someone says "Ew your ship are basically siblings because they're childhood friends and grew up together. 1nc3st apologist." And you might respond "And yet we allow our most popular ship in this fandom to be popular? They grew up together as childhood friends and were inseparable. Why is that not inc3st?" because you think they'll gain a sense of perspective here. But then that person responds "People who ship that popular ship are freaks too then." Maybe they believed that before the convo or maybe they didn't, but the point now is that (while not your intention or fault by any means) some people have gone on to harass shippers of a ship that aren't doing anything wrong. What you think will bring clarity ends up raising tensions between shippers instead)

Do not meet them where they're at on their preconceived notions. You will not make them believe that they are wrong or hypocrites. Do not concede to their heavy assertions of abuse, p3dophi1ia, 1nc3st, etc levied against the thing you like for the sake of arguing that they are a hypocrite, or with intent to make them feel dumb for inadvertently labeling 80% of a fandom with said labels. They will not "see the light". The best thing you can do, if you have to say anything, is double down with "I'm not hurting anyone and it's fiction. I can do whatever I want" or "I don't give a shit what harmless things people like as long as it's tagged and I can filter out what I dislike" (especially if this is your stance). Then block and move on.

Antis, like trolls, thrive on engagement. They want you to argue so they can continue to point at you or lie about you or make you look bad.

It is in your best interest to pick your battles, and to try to sus out the difference between a friendly argument or standing up for yourself versus feeding the trolls. You won't make the right choice every time, all of us are human after all, but I promise you that ignoring and blocking bad faith actors, deleting their hate anons, etc, is not the coward's way out. Sometimes you don't need to fight. Sometimes keeping yourself from platforming bad faith actors and giving them nothing to go on will do the job (because there are more antis that are just small blogs with little power to do anything than you think, the kinds of people whose inflammatory posts will die if no one touches them).

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[kindacreepy-kindaugly]

haven't been sad like this in a long time

[downs1de-has-moved]

Gregory House and his unhealthy attachment to people who are emotionally unavailable or already in relationships <3

[hyperlexichypatia]

I'm not, generally speaking, a fan of punishment as a solution to social problems. Punishment is often overly harsh, ineffective as a deterrent, and doesn't solve the actual problem. The punitive mentality is more focused on making sure the "bad guys" "don't get away with it" than on actually solving the problem.

But I get a lot more worried when people talk about "alternatives to punishment", or when they support their proposed solutions because "it's not punishment."

Because what that means, in practice, is "I'm conceptualizing this form of coercive control as 'not punishment,' and therefore not subjecting it to the rigor, due process, or evidentiary standards of punishment."

The U.S. loves punishment. It's one of our favorite national pastimes. But we do have, both legally and culturally, some limitations on punishment, at least in theory. Punishment isn't supposed to be "cruel and unusual." It's not supposed to be inflicted without "due process of law." You're supposed to be convicted by a jury of your peers.

But if you call it "not punishment," none of that matters!

You can force people to register under a law that didn't exist when they committed their crimes, because it's "administrative," not punitive.

You can subject disabled people to shocks similar to a cattle prod -- which would surely be cruel and unusual punishment -- but it's okay, because it's not "punishment," it's a "treatment" called an "aversive" (that's therapist for "punishment").

You can have people locked up and forcibly drugged solely because they can't afford housing, but it's okay, because it's "help," not "punishment."

Police can kill people in cold blood -- judge, jury, and executioner -- and it's fine, because it's "self-defense," not "punishment," even if they argue after the fact that the victim "deserved it."

It's also a matter of cultural attitudes. If you said "The punishment for trespassing should be life in prison," or "The punishment for loitering should be permanent loss of the right to control one's body, money, or living space," or "The punishment for turnstile-jumping should be lifelong forced ingestion of drugs that numb basic cognitive functions," most people would think this was horrific, much too harsh a punishment for a relatively minor crime.

But if you change it to "Instead of jailing and punishing unhoused people with mental health issues, we should respond to their minor crimes by Getting Them Help, like institutionalization, conservatorship, or outpatient commitment," people now think this is completely reasonable.

Even being the victim of a crime can get someone not-punished far more severely than the perpetrators are "punished." People might serve jail time for financial fraud, but not usually a life sentence. Being the victim of financial fraud, however, can lead to a life sentence of institutionalization -- which fraud investigators have cited as a barrier to getting victims to report fraud. I personally know of multiple disabled young adults who were afraid to report being the victim of sexual assault or other kinds of assault because they knew that if they reported it, the perpetrator might or might not face some kind of punishment, but they would definitely face some type of "not-punishment" coercive control, like forced therapy, forced drugging, supervision, or having to leave school.

You want a society with less punishment? Me too. But only if you acknowledge that "punishment" includes all forms of coercive control. If you do something to someone against their will, if you restrict someone from their right to live as they choose, that's a punishment, regardless of whether you call it that.

[beauty-funny-trippy]

Reasons why we know there's something wrong with Grandpa:

• believes immigrants are eating their neighbors pets because he heard someone say it on TV (without any evidence) • thinks injecting disinfectant into our veins might be a good idea. (It's definitely not, don't try it.) • claims America's F35 fighter jet is completely invisible, even if you're right next to it (like Wonder Woman's plane)

• praises white supremacists and KKK members who were chanting antisemitic hate speech, calling them "very fine people" • focuses on imaginary issues like preventing children from changing gender while at school, but ignores real problems like school shootings • thought it was a good idea to give away our desperately needed Covid test machines to our adversary ("Grandpa, what have you done?" — he can't be left alone for a minute) • decided to believe Putin's lies, but dismiss findings from America's intelligence agencies • claims America had airplanes during the Revolutionary War

• believes in the Nazi ideology that immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country," and says some migrants are actually subhuman "animals" • insisted that the U.S. would have fewer coronavirus cases if it conducted less testing (yes, a U.S. president in charge of controlling the crisis, actually said something this inept, repeatedly) • due to his incompetence and lies during the Covid crisis, the U.S. had one of the highest rates of Covid deaths in the world • thinks windmills cause cancer and kill whales • speaks endlessly about his concerns re: dying by electrocution from a boat battery or being eaten by a shark

• thinks he's above the law and, as president, should be able to commit as many crimes as he wants • is a billionaire who whines about how badly he's been treated, then he's chauffeured to his private jet • likes to discuss Arnold Palmer's penis • after NINE years of repeatedly promising to unveil his Healthcare Plan "very soon," he admits he still has no real plan —only "concepts of a plan" • has a bizarre attraction to the fictional cannibal and serial killer, Hannibal Lector (why? no one knows —and everyone's afraid to ask)

• advocates dangerous plots, like using the military against Americans who disagree with him, or using the DOJ to arrest them, or just telling people to "beat the crap out of them" and he'll pay their legal fees • thinks having a national day of violence is a good idea (we should never have let Grandpa watch "The Purge") • wants to be the "law and order president," yet this 34 time convicted felon incites people to riot and to commit criminal acts of violence • unable to take the loss of an election like a man, he had a temper tantrum like a toddler, that culminated in a treasonous insurrection

⠀This guy is so delusional, he claims he's a genius because he often speaks incoherently in something he calls "the Weave." Here are two examples: • "How disgusted were all when we see all of us are when we see three days ago when we viewed their parade." Asheboro, NC, 8/21/24 • When asked, "What specific legislation will you commit to, to make child care affordable?" He responded, “Well, I would do that, and we’re sitting down, you know; I was, somebody, we had Senator Marco Rubio and my daughter, Ivanka, who was so impactful on that issue. ...But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I’m talking about that because the childcare is childcare, couldn’t, you know, there’s something you have to have it, in this country you have to have it.” New York, NY, 9/5/24 ⠀If this was anybody else's Grandpa, the family would be having discussions about who's going to go with Grandpa to the doctor to find out what's wrong with him, and who's going to be in charge of finding him a nice convalescent home to live in. ⠀My suggestion is that it might be a good idea to elect a president who has no cognitive impairment and can tell the difference between reality and delusions. Personally, I think that's a rather important quality in a president.

[residentwordsofaffirmationdealer]

bruce + dick on "you always hurt the ones you love"

"i won't let him throw away his future -- i love him too much. why do we always hurt the ones we love, alfred? why do they -- always hurt us?" batman (1940) #340

"so you figured the best thing to do was drive me out of your life, right? that's exactly what you do to anyone who gets too close to you, bruce! always hurt them, before they get the chance to hurt you! it didn't matter to you that i didn't have any life other than the one we shared." batman (1940) #416

"it's not right." "not our department, grayson. there's nothing more we can do. you always hurt the one you love. no law against that yet." nightwing (1996) #54

"wait a moment, silver, don't be like that..." "that there'll always be something more important to you than i am!" "it's really too bad, too, bruce... because we could be something really special." "i... i can't selina. it's just bad timing." "it always is." "c'mon bruce, aren't you even going to say goodbye? it's not like hudson u is that far, but still, a guy doesnt leave home every day..." "you'll have to forgive him, master dick, you know how he gets..." batman (1940) #600

"i'm going to leave now. and i think you'd all better stay away from me for the foreseeable future." batman (1940) #600

"is that why you've never really committed to one woman? or maybe you're just afraid -- that if you care -- you might be hurt." detective comics (1937) #526

"anyway, batman knew i wanted to leave. and i think he began fighting with me to make my leaving easier. that way, he could reject me before i rejected him." action comics (1938) #613

"this, this is why batman keeps... kept everyone at a distance. better to be removed than to get hurt over and over and over again!" titans (2008) #23

[glowettee]

🦢 you don't need more tips, you need to trust yourself

hey lovelies!! mindy here, back with another "no aesthetics post". so i've been thinking about this a lot lately (like, literally in the middle of the night when i should be sleeping but my brain won't shut up??) and i realized something that honestly changed everything for me. we're all obsessed with consuming advice, tips, strategies… but at some point we need to ask: is all this "help" actually helping?

i used to be that girl with 27 self-help books on her nightstand, 14 productivity podcasts in my queue, and approximately 10000 saved posts about "how to live your best life." i was drowning in good advice. and yet? i wasn't actually doing anything with it all.

here's the uncomfortable truth that i personally learned: collecting self-help is often just another form of procrastination. we trick ourselves into thinking we're making progress because we're "learning," but we're actually just avoiding the scary part, taking action when we don't feel ready.

✧ when you know it's become a problem:

you feel like you need to read "just one more" article before starting

you have notebooks filled with advice you've never implemented

you follow dozens of gurus but haven't committed to any single approach

you constantly switch systems hoping to find the "perfect" one

you know what to do but still feel paralyzed

you use phrases like "once i learn enough about x, then i'll start"

you feel overwhelmed by conflicting advice but keep seeking more

the most painful realization? all this consumption is actually making you less confident. every new piece of advice makes you question your instincts more. every contradicting tip makes you doubt your judgment. every perfect "before and after" makes you wonder what's wrong with you.

✧ why we get stuck in the advice loop:

consuming feels safe. implementing feels risky. reading about someone else's success story gives us the emotional satisfaction of achievement without any of the messy work or potential failure. it's like emotional junk food, momentarily satisfying but ultimately empty.

plus, there's something so alluring about the promise that the next book, the next course, the next system will finally be THE ONE that changes everything. we become collectors of solutions rather than solvers of problems.

✧ how to break free (ironic, i know… more advice):

declare an information fast. seriously. no new self-help for at least 30 days. it will feel uncomfortable, like an itch you can't scratch. that's how you know you need it.

pick ONE system or approach you've already learned and commit to it fully. not perfectly, just consistently. the magic isn't in finding the perfect system, it's in the consistent application of any decent one.

start before you feel ready. that knot in your stomach when you think about taking action? that's your growth edge. the discomfort isn't a sign to seek more knowledge, it's the signal that you're about to grow.

recognize that implementation creates wisdom that consumption never will. you'll learn more from a week of messy action than a year of perfect theory.

identify your "consumption triggers" do you reach for advice when you're afraid? uncertain? compare yourself to others? notice the emotional patterns.

create an "already know" document. write down everything you already know about your goal. you'll be shocked at how much wisdom you already possess.

trust that you are the expert on your own life. external advice can inform you, but it can never know the nuances of your specific situation like you do.

the truth is, you already know enough. you've probably known enough for a while now. the answers you're seeking outside yourself are usually already within you, buried under layers of doubt and other people's opinions.

what if the most radical act of self-improvement isn't finding new advice, but trusting the wisdom you already have? what if you already have everything you need?

so this is my gentle nudge to put down the self-help, close the tabs, unfollow the gurus (yes, even me if you need to), and start the messy, imperfect process of actually living instead of just learning about living.

because honestly, the world doesn't need more people who know all the right theories. it needs people brave enough to take imperfect action on what they already know.

xoxo, mindy 🤍

p.s. if you're wondering "but how will i know what to do without guidance?", that's exactly the point. you won't know for certain. and that uncertainty is where the real growth happens. trust yourself anyway.

[11cupids-tarot11]

★ What they would text you right now + Channeled song and Quote ♡

1-3

Cupid's Master-List

Cupid's Services ATM

˚₊‧꒰ა . ——— ˗ˏˋ ✮ ˎˊ˗ ——— ˖ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Pile 1 🥀

Oracle cards- "Surrender: At times we must surrender the old before something new can enter our lives. Let go and all will work out."

"Romance: Cupid's arrow strikes!"

"Reflection: Give each other some space at the moment. Trust and have faith that all will work out for the best.

You are so different from everyone around me.

I can't stop thinking about you.

I can't make a decision.

Please do what is best for your heart.

I need to hold back my true feelings for you.

These feelings are eating me alive.

I'm afraid I lost you forever.

I want to apologize I need your forgiveness.

I underestimated how important you are in my life.

I want to hold you.

I want a future with you.

˚₊‧꒰ა . ——— ˗ˏˋ ✮ ˎˊ˗ ——— ˖ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Pile 2 ❄️

Oracle cards- "Beware of what qualities you are projecting for the qualities you admire in one another are qualities you both possess. Equally so, the qualities you don't like are also your own reflection."

"Soul Mate: Your soul mate is already with you in spirit. Believe this and they will manifest physically."

"My Beloved: Though we may be physically apart, spiritually we are always united, for love transcends space and time. Nothing is missing."

I know that we have a soul connection.

I want to hold you.

I'm afraid of commitment.

I've been working on myself and I'm not the same as before.

I don't want to be toxic anymore.

I keep hoping to bump into you everywhere I go.

It hurts so much.

I don't know where to start.

These feelings are eating me alive.

I don't know why I can't tell you the truth?

It all hurts so much.

You deserve better.

˚₊‧꒰ა . ——— ˗ˏˋ ✮ ˎˊ˗ ——— ˖ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Pile 3 💚

Oracle cards- "Twin Flame: Your passion ignites!"

"Balance: Love is not always about agreeing just for the sake of it. A great relationship is one that both support and challenges."

"New Beginnings: A new adventure awaits. Embrace it and live your dreams passionately."

Don't wait for me please.

The passion I feel is over whelming. I don't know how to handle this.

Is it over?

I am better with my mind than my heart.

I can't stop thinking about you.

I can't express myself.

These feelings are eating me alive.

I should have fought for you.

I realize all the mistakes I've made.

I've been working on myself and I'm not the same as before.

We're meant to be together. I will wait as long as it takes for a chance with you.

I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't realize what I had until it was gone.

I've been watching your socials and admiring your pictures.

[societyfolklore]

Oh my God you're so talented !!!

Would you maybe also do an imagine, based on the song 'This Is The Last Time' by The Offspring, where Bucky and the reader somehow have an affair but every time they're in bed, they tell themselves it's the last time because they don't wanna ruin their friendship. But of course they're both always on each other's mind and neither of them can't stop thinking about the other one. So after another time sleeping together, it's enough for Bucky and he keeps pushing her back into his arms as she tries to leave before anyone notices, and he asks her to stop hiding and finally be his girl, and of course she says yes ? Smut and fluff please if you like ♥️

Awww Anon! your too kind... I wasn't acutally going to tackle this till later in the month, but I start brainstorming and this all started flowing...

Title: This Is The Last Time Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: Every time, you swear it’s the last time. Every time, you promise yourself you won’t do this again. But neither of you can stop. And this time? Bucky’s done pretending. Word Count: 3k

Warnings:  / Explicit Content /18+, Minors DNI, Reader is being unfaithful (with Bucky), Smut, Agnst, kinda Fluff, Unprotected Sex, Little possessive, little rough.

A/N: This got WAY more angsty then intended, not really fluff…I just couldn’t imagine this being all ‘cute couple’ when their 'in the wrong'

Your back hits the mattress with a quiet gasp, Bucky’s weight pressing into you before you can catch your breath. His lips are already trailing fire down your throat, hands gripping your hips like he can’t stand to let go- like he can hold you here forever if he just holds tight enough.

You don’t stop him.

You never stop him.

Even though you should.

Even though your heart pounds against your ribs with a different kind of ache as your nails rake down his back, as your lips part to let his name slip past them in a breathless moan.

Even though the moment you walk out that door, you’ll have to face the fact that you’ve done it again.

That you’ve ruined yourself for anyone else.

That you’ve ruined him, too.

This has made you both liars, dishonest traitors. Selfish. Indulgent.

And yet, neither of you ever stop.

Bucky’s hands move over your body like he owns it, like he’s memorizing every curve, every shiver, every breathless sound you make. He always does this- traces your skin like he’s afraid it’ll be the last time, like he’s committing you to memory even though you both know you’ll be back here again.

Because no matter how much you tell yourself you shouldn’t, you will.

His name leaves your lips like a plea, but you don’t know what you’re begging for. More? Less? A reprieve from the inevitable pain that comes with this? Or the agony of being without him?

He groans against your throat, fingers tightening on your hips as he grinds against you, and you feel the desperation in him, the same unbearable longing that burns through your own veins. This isn’t just need- it’s something more, something dangerous.

"You feel so good," he rasps, and you bite your lip because you shouldn’t want to hear it. But you do. God, you do.

You clutch at his shoulders, dragging him closer, and he goes willingly, burying his face against your neck like he can’t bear even an inch of space between you. His body is hot, solid, and familiar in ways that terrify you. You shouldn't know him like this. You shouldn’t crave him like this.

But you do.

Every. Single. Time.

And when it’s over, when you’re breathless and boneless and still tangled in him, you tell yourself this was it. The last time.

And yet, even as the thought crosses your mind, you already know it’s a lie.

You'd never wanted to be 'that person.' You swore that Bucky was just your friend. 'Oh Bucky, don't worry about him'... the same way he'd told you that the girl at the bar was 'just someone from back home' or 'Mandy, the new office intern, just wanted a mentor.' Like that was justification for letting yourself... God, you were so awful.

You told yourself this was the last time.

You tell yourself that every time.

But you think about him all the time- more than you should, more than is safe. At work, at home, in the quiet spaces between conversation. It’s not just the nights tangled up in him that haunt you- it’s the way his touch lingers long after he’s gone. The way your skin remembers where his hands have been, the phantom press of his fingers burning into you like a brand.

It’s in the way your pulse spikes when he brushes past you, the way your breath catches when he says your name. The way you feel his presence in a room before you even see him. How the weight of his gaze makes you hot under the collar, makes you shift in your seat, makes you question why you ever tried to resist this in the first place.

The way your friends don’t notice the stolen glances, the way the team doesn’t question the casual brushes of fingers, the way his eyes find yours across the room and hold, unspoken words thick between you. It’s in the laughter that lasts too long, in the way he lingers just a second too close. And you let it happen. You always let it happen.

You tell yourself it’s harmless. That no one notices. That the way your fingers graze his isn’t suspicious, that the way he straightens when you walk into a room isn’t obvious. That the way his voice drops just for you isn’t a sign. That you aren’t obvious. That you aren’t this person.

But then there are the nights.

The moments when the weight of it all is too much, when the need is unbearable, when logic doesn’t win. When you meet him in the shadows of the city, when his hands are on you before the door even closes. When your lips crash together in a kiss that is too desperate, too familiar, too needed.

And every time, you find yourself back in his bed. Back in his arms. Back in his sheets that still smell like him- like sweat and cedarwood, like the cologne he swears he doesn’t wear but that clings to your skin long after you’ve left.

And Bucky?

He never asks you to stay - how could he?

Never asks you to leave.

But he looks at you like he wants to.

He just watches you go with that same unreadable expression- like he’s memorizing every step you take, like he’s forcing himself to let you walk away even though everything in him screams not to.

Because this was never supposed to happen.

Because you’re supposed to be with someone else.

Because you both swore you wouldn’t ruin this.

Wouldn’t ruin each other.

But you already have.

"This is the last time," you whisper against his lips when he kisses you again, desperate and hungry, like he can’t hear the lie laced in your voice.

His fingers thread through your hair, tugging just enough to make you gasp. "No, it’s not."

Your stomach clenches. It has to be.

But then his mouth is on yours again, and the thought disappears in the haze of whiskey and warmth, in the way his body presses against yours like he belongs there.

Like you belong to him.

A low growl rumbles from Bucky’s chest as his lips crash against yours, his fingers skimming down your sides before gripping your hips with an insistence that sends a jolt of heat straight to your core. His movements are rough, his need palpable, his touch possessive in a way that tells you he’s tired of this push and pull. He’s done pretending, done holding back, and every deliberate press of his body against yours is a reminder of that.

"Sick of this shit, doll," he mutters, lips brushing the corner of your mouth before trailing down your jaw, your throat. "Sick of watching you walk away like I ain't already under your fuckin' skin."

You gasp as his teeth scrape against your pulse point, his tongue soothing over the bite before his lips claim your skin again. "Bucky- "

"Nah, don't start with that Doll," he cuts you off, voice thick with heat and irritation. "Don't tell me this is the last time. Don’t feed me another lie while you're shaking for me, while you're soaking for me. You think I don’t know you by now?"

Your head tips back, surrendering to the way his fingers dig into your flesh, the way his thigh presses between your legs, coaxing a whimper from your lips. "I- "

"Yeah? You what?" He grinds his hips against yours, his cock heavy and hard between you, and it steals the breath from your lungs. "You need me to fuck the denial out of you? That it, sweetheart? Need me to remind you who it is you're always thinkin’ about when you're lying next to him?"

You let out a broken sound, caught between resistance and the inevitable, your breath stuttering as the last of your hesitation crumbles. His grip tightens, his body pressing against yours, grounding you in the moment, in him. He watches the war in your eyes, sees the fleeting flicker of doubt before it vanishes, replaced by something raw and desperate. And that’s all it takes. The moment you stop fighting, the moment you give in- Bucky takes over.

Bucky flips you onto your stomach in one swift motion, his weight pressing into you, keeping you exactly where he wants you. His palm slides down your spine, slow and possessive, before gripping your ass and yanking you back against him.

"You feel that?" His cock grinds against your ass through the thin fabric of your underwear. "That’s all for you, baby. It always is. And you’re gonna take every inch of me like a good girl, aren’t you?"

You moan, arching back against him, craving more, craving him.

"That's what I fuckin' thought," he rasps, fingers hooking into the waistband of your panties before tearing them down your thighs. He groans at the sight of you, at the way you're already dripping for him. "You’re gonna let me ruin you, doll. Like I do every damn time. But this time- " He nudges your legs wider, dragging the head of his cock through your slick folds, teasing, taunting. "- this time, you're going to forget about him, and just feel me."  He pushes inside you in one smooth, deep stroke, tearing a desperate cry from your throat. Your fingers clutch at the sheets, your body arching, trying to take more, take everything.

"Bucky- oh, fuck- "

He sets a punishing pace, his grip on your hips bruising as he pulls you back to meet every thrust, as he forces you to feel him, to know him in the way you’ve both been denying for far too long.

"That’s it, baby, take me," he growls, one hand sliding around to press against your stomach, feeling himself move inside you. "You feel that? That’s how deep I am inside you. That’s how deep you are in me."

You’re falling apart beneath him, but it’s not enough- not for him. He reaches forward, gripping your jaw and tilting your face to the side, forcing your dazed, pleasure-drunk eyes to meet his.

"Say it," he demands, his pace never slowing. "Say you want me. Say you're mine."

Your lips part, a strangled sound escaping as pleasure crashes through you, but you don’t say it.

Not yet.

Later, when it’s over- when your body is still trembling from the way he ruined you yet again, when his fingers are still tracing lazy circles against your bare skin-

"I keep thinking about you."

The words punch the air from your lungs, a confession and a curse all at once.

"Even when I don’t want to. Even when I try not to. You’re just... there." His voice is quiet, but there’s something shattered in it, something that makes your stomach twist into knots. "I can’t fucking stop, doll. And I know you can’t, either."

You sit up, reaching for your clothes, but his hand catches yours, his grip firm but not forceful the sheet draped over his lap shifting as he pulled you back. 

"Don’t."

His voice is thick with sleep and emotion, raw and pleading.

You freeze, trying to steel yourself. This has to stop.

But does it? The thought slips unbidden into your mind, unwanted but persistent. Because if it had to stop, wouldn’t it have already?

"I can’t do it anymore if you’re going to keep being like this."

You exhale, shaky and unsure, hands resting over his where they’re wrapped around you. His thumb moves, stroking slow circles over your wrist, grounding you in the moment, in him.

"You don’t mean that," you whisper, but the words feel empty even as you say them.

Bucky is tired of pretending. Tired of watching you walk away. Tired of watching himself let you.

"Yeah, I do," he murmurs against your skin. "I’m done pretending this is nothing. I’m done pretending you don’t mean everything to me."

Your heart is in your throat, hammering so hard it might break you apart.

"Stay," he says softly. "Just stay, sweetheart."

You shake your head, voice barely audible. "This is wrong. We’re gonna hurt each other- "

"We’re already hurting," Bucky cuts you off, pulling you back against his chest. His hands tighten, strong and certain. "Just tell him it's over. You're not happy."

Bucky’s breath is warm against your skin, his words leaving no room for doubt. His hold on you is possessive, but not cruel. Not desperate. Just real. Just him.

And you know he’s right. You haven’t been happy for a long time, not in the way you should be, not in the way you are when you’re with him. And the worst part? You don’t even know if you were ever truly happy before him.

"You don’t want to stop, and neither do I."

His lips brush your ear, sending a shiver down your spine.

His hands tighten just enough to remind you that you’re still his, even if you won’t admit it yet.

"I think about you when I wake up, and when I close my eyes at night," he confesses, voice rough and aching. "I think about you when I’m in the middle of a mission, when I’m halfway across the world, when I should be focused on anything else. But I can’t. Because it’s you. It’s always you."

His voice drops lower, the rawness in it making your breath hitch.

"So stop hiding from me, sweetheart. Let me love you."

You fight it for half a second-

Then you break, collapsing into him, letting yourself fall into the inevitable.

Your hands curl over his shoulders your body pressing against his, and his mouth crashes against yours in a kiss that is as much surrender as it is possession. His fingers tangle in your hair, his lips moving over yours with a desperation that speaks of months- years- of wanting and waiting and finally having.

But this time, something shifts. The urgency is still there, but it’s not just lust, not just stolen moments between shadows and secrets. This time, it’s something more. It’s Bucky refusing to let you slip through his fingers again. It’s his hands sliding over your skin with reverence, his kisses softer, slower- like a promise.

His lips press to your forehead before trailing down your temple, his breath warm as he whispers,

"Not letting you go this time Doll."

You shudder beneath him, overwhelmed by the raw honesty in his voice, the way he holds you like you’re something precious, something worth keeping. His body settles against yours, and when he moves, when he fills you, there’s no rush- only the deep, aching need to feel.

Bucky rocks into you, deliberate and unhurried. His fingers lace through yours, pinning them above your head, his weight grounding you, keeping you with him, for him.

"No more sneaking around," he murmurs, lips brushing the shell of your ear. "No more pretending. I want you, all of you. I don’t care what it takes. I’m not losing you."

Your breath hitches, and you want to argue, to tell him that it’s complicated, that it’s dangerous- but you can’t. Not when he’s looking at you like that, like you’re his whole damn world. Not when he’s touching you like he’s been starving for you, like this is the only thing that’s ever made sense.

He thrusts deeper, his forehead pressing to yours, and your fingers tighten in his grasp as a moan escapes your lips. "Say you want this," he pleads, voice thick with emotion. "Say you want me- not just for tonight, not just until morning. Say you’re mine."

Tears burn the back of your eyes, not from sadness, but from the sheer weight of it- the gravity of what he’s asking, of what you already know to be true.

"I want you, Bucky," you whisper, voice shaking as your body trembles beneath him. "I’m yours."

A sound escapes him, something almost like relief, and then his lips are on yours again, claiming you, owning you in a way that feels nothing like possession and everything like home.

And this time, when he pulls you closer, when his thrusts grow slow and deep, when he groans your name, it’s not about proving a point, not about taking or reminding or demanding. It’s about being- about having.

[ficretus]

Best enemies

*Vacuo dorm room*

Jaune: Well that's that. Just announced my new rivalry to the world.

*Cinder crashes through his window*

Jaune: Come on Nora, you can't keep doing th... Cinder?!

Cinder: *shoves her scroll to Jaune's face* Would you explain what the hell is this Arc?

Jaune: *confused* Cat photo? Cute one I'll give you that, but...

Cinder: Not that. THIS, you moron!

Jaune: My Huntbook profile. Jaune Arc, 19 years old, in rivalry with Gillian Asturias. What part is confusing to you?

Cinder: What do you mean in rivalry with Gillian Asturias? Are you cheating on me?

Jaune: I'm cheating? You dumped me for Winter.

Cinder: Oh please, are you really that possessive? It was a small fight.

Jaune: You were using all kinds of cool moves with her. You never use them against me.

Cinder: Maybe you don't push me hard enough.

Jaune: So you don't even hide it. I'm not good enough for you.

Cinder: I didn't say that.

Jaune: Oh now you are just lying. You know what, go have your stupid rivalry with Winter. I don't need you, I have Gillian. We compliment each other so well with our Aura abilities.

Cinder: You don't even know each other!

Jaune: I don't even know you!

Cinder: What?

Jaune: I thought we had something back in Haven. But you don't even try anymore. Just grunts and petty insults.

Cinder: What do you want me to do? Narrate you my story?

Jaune: I want to know what makes you tick.

Cinder: That's personal.

Jaune: So is being my rival. Maybe I'll ask Gillian instead.

Cinder: You are acting like a kid.

Jaune: No, I'm the only one acting like an adult here.

Cinder: Fine. But if you tell a word to anyone I will make you regret ever being born.

*one traumatic backstory later*

Cinder: So that's that Arc, that's what makes me tick.

Jaune: *silent*

Cinder: Nothing to say?

Jaune: Why didn't you tell me this earlier?

Cinder: What?

Jaune: We are perfect for each other. We were both frustrated with our powerlessness, isolated, angry. You are dark reflection of what I could have became without support of my friends.

Cinder: *turns away* Don't flatter yourself.

Jaune: *chuckles*

Cinder: I thought you'd think less of me if I told you that. I thought you wanted me to be tough and domineering.

Jaune: I like that about you. But I also like you are human beneath that mask.

Cinder: So you don't think I'm lame?

Jaune: You are bit lame... but so am I. We compliment each other.

Cinder: You were right. We should have talked earlier.

Jaune: It's fine. If it fell apart because of one argument then it wasn't a strong rivalry to begin with.

Cinder: *shifts closer* Do you wanna take our rivalry bit further?

Jaune: You mean?

Cinder: Yes.

Jaune: I've never done it with anyone.

Cinder: Neither did I. I never got that personal with Winter.

Jaune: *takes off his shirt*

*outside of Jaune's room*

Nora: Are they doing it?

Ren: Yeah. Glad they patched things out.

Ruby: What's going on?

Ren: Jaune and Cinder are rivals again. Now they are biting each other.

Ruby: Excuse me?!

*Ruby bursts into the room*

Ruby: You are cheating on me with Jaune?!

Cinder: Oh please, you barely even care about our rivalry.

Ruby: Maybe because you are afraid of commitment.

Jaune: Ruby you are making things awkward.

Ruby: Oh shut up homewrecker.

Ren: Sigh... rivalries.

Nora: They are overcomplicating things. Rivalries are about dumb fun and one fight stands.

Ren: Some people see it differently Nora. *pulls out a photo* I've never moved on after my rivalry with Nucklavee.

Nora: Meh, I'm joining in. Cinder! I wanna fight you as well!

[itsnesss]

could you possibly write a jun hi x reader with like angst and fluff but mostly fluff?? The plot can be up to you :))

𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 | hwang jun-ho × fem!reader

summary | you struggle with self-doubt and fear of losing jun-ho, but as he reassures you of his feelings and commitment, you begin to find solace in his presence. under the stars, you both face your fears together, growing closer despite the uncertainties

warnings | fluff, angst, emotional distress, light references to past trauma

word count | 1.8 k

author's note | it would help me a lot if you liked, commented and reposted so that more people read what I write and don't forget to follow me, thanks ᡣ𐭩

The city lights flicker in the distance while the cold wind brushes against your face. Everything feels strange, as if the world has lost its color. You wonder, for the umpteenth time, if you made the right choice trusting him.

Jun-ho is by your side, but he seems to be in another place. His face, illuminated by the full moon, is marked by a sadness you can't decipher. He, too, is broken. You know it because you are, too.

"Are you okay?" he suddenly asks, his voice low and cautious.

"Because I don't think this is going to work." The words leave your lips before you can stop them.

Jun-ho looks at you, surprised, as if your words have physically struck him. His expression hardens for a moment before softening.

"Why would you say that?"

You look away, unable to face the intensity in his gaze. Your chest feels heavy, as if something is crushing you from within.

"Because I'm not strong like you, Jun-ho. I'm not someone who can move on after everything we've been through."

He falls silent, but you can feel his eyes fixed on you. Finally, he steps toward you.

"Don't say that." His voice is firm now, though still gentle. "You’re stronger than you think."

"I’m not." Your voice trembles, and the tears you’ve been holding back begin to fall. "I’ve been thinking of giving up, of just... disappearing."

Jun-ho looks like the wind has been knocked out of him. His hand reaches out toward you but stops halfway, as if afraid to break you with his touch.

"Don’t say that." His voice cracks this time, and for the first time, you see tears in his eyes. "I can’t lose you. Not after everything we've been through."

Your knees threaten to give out under the weight of his words. How can someone like him see something valuable in someone like you?

"Jun-ho... this isn’t fair to you. I dragged you into something that was never meant to be your problem."

"No, don’t say that." His voice rises, unusual for him. He steps closer to you, grabbing your shoulders gently but urgently. "Being with you has never been a problem."

You can’t breathe properly, the intensity of his words taking all the air from your lungs. You’re drowning in the weight of his feelings, yet you can't help but feel small beneath them.

"You’re the only reason I keep fighting."

Your heart aches seeing the fear in his eyes. The same fear that you're feeling. He, who always seems so confident, now looks just as vulnerable as you.

"I don’t deserve this... I don’t deserve you."

"Of course you do!" His voice is louder, breaking with emotion. "Don’t ever say that again, okay?"

His proximity overwhelms you, but it’s also comforting. You can feel the desperation in his grip, the urgency in his words.

"You’re the best thing that’s happened to me. And I don’t care what we have to face, I want to do it with you."

Tears fall freely down your cheeks as you try to process his words. You hate yourself for doubting him, for doubting yourself.

"I’m sorry," you whisper, your voice broken. "It’s just that... I’m scared."

Jun-ho pulls you toward him in a firm but tender embrace. You bury your face in his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

"I’m scared too," he admits, his voice barely audible. "But I’d rather face that fear with you than lose you."

His words wrap around you like a warm blanket in the middle of the cold. For the first time in weeks, you feel that the weight in your chest is starting to ease, even if just a little.

You lift your gaze to meet his eyes. There’s something in his expression— a mix of love and pain—that takes your breath away.

"I don’t know how to do this, Jun-ho. I don’t know how to stop feeling this way."

"You don’t have to do it alone." His hand gently caresses your cheek, wiping away a lingering tear. "I’ll be with you every step of the way."

His lips curl into a small smile, and that simple expression gives you more strength than you thought possible.

"Promise me you won’t leave," you whisper, almost without realizing it.

"I promise." His voice is low but firm, like he’s making an unbreakable vow.

And in that moment, you decide that maybe, just maybe, you can believe in him. That you can believe in the two of you.

The kiss that follows is gentle, full of silent promises. It’s not a happy ending, but it’s a beginning. A small spark of hope in the darkness.

When you finally pull away, his eyes are still fixed on yours.

"I think we can make it, together," he says with confidence.

You nod, because for the first time in a long time, you think that might actually be true.

And as you rest your head on his shoulder, staring up at the stars in the night sky, you let hope bloom inside of you, even if tentatively. Because, after all, you have Jun-ho. And that’s enough for now.

[yandere-sins]

Yan-Poll #36

Today, we don't have a story, just a question, and I look forward to hearing what you will choose and why!

Good Cop/Bad Cop Yandere Duo.

However you managed to do it, you landed not one terrible freak, but two.

In this whole triangle relationship, the two arrange themselves with each other, but clearly, they are not friends, and they rarely work together unless it's about you. You try your best not to get in their way as they fight or show a clear preference towards one of them as the other will get jealous, but it's easier said than done as any bit of attention you give one of them, the other is going to be mad about.

Interestingly, however, there is a silent agreement. If one of them gets jealous about the attention you give to the other, they can't punish you or take you away from that yandere right that moment. It appears to be an unspoken rule that your choice has to be honored as long as you are with the other yandere. The second you step away, want to go to the toilet or sleep? You are fair game to be punished and taken away by the not chosen one.

So it seems you have to stick to one of them.

Naturally, you could choose to change who you stick to each day, but it would still cause you to be punished whenever you change sides.

One of your yandere is rather moody and aggressive around their fellow captor and you. They swear, throw things, abuse you two verbally and physically, drag you around if they must, and pick you up as they please. They don't care about your autonomy; everything has to go their way. Punishments are physically painful as they will use their hands and fists to strangle and hit you. They aren't afraid to use restraints on you or embarrass you if they see this punishment fit for the crime you committed. Your tears mean little to them. They expect you to worship their every step; your knees should be bruised before your mouth opens.

However, when you choose to cling to them, they'll just ask you to sit on their lap while they game or chill with them, watching movies or taking drives through the night. They even have long, late-night talks with you about God and the world, hugging you tightly as they grumble into your skin, how they'll never let anything happen to you and that you're the best thing in their life. They are mad jealous of the other yandere, and you will be their punching bag if they get their hands on you. But when you play along, they are relatively calm and let you play games with or without them, buy you things for your hobbies, and don't force you to do chores around the house if that means you spend more time with them.

Then you have the softer yandere. Gentle, always smiling. They are the one to wipe away the tears and tend to your injuries, kissing the bandages after applying them. They cook for you, do your laundry, wash you, make sure the blanket is over you at night, cuddle, and try to make you laugh. They are so fixated on you that they'd do everything to make you happy, even if the other yandere forbids them from giving you something like sweets and presents. In a way, they are a spark of kindness in the scary place you are, and you can always come to them for comfort, crying your eyes out and complaining whenever you want or need to.

But they always feel a bit... off. They take too long to put your laundry into the washer, and your clothes keep getting lost, so you have to wear what they buy you. They apply ointment and wrap your wounds in bandages, but their fingers almost pinch your skin, rubbing over the wounds and pressing on the bruises. It makes them chuckle when you flinch or whine. Their food doesn't taste good, and as much as they give, they'll take away from you whenever they feel your attention is slipping from them. Even when you are sleepy, they always want to cuddle and kiss, touching you in uncomfortable places. And they never take you outside. Why would they? You've got everything you need right in this home—food, water, them. Well, unless you choose the other yan. Then you can say goodbye to all the necessities, your food will be non-existent, and your showers will be ice cold. They'll keep pushing you to your limits until you run right back into their arms.

Who would you choose to cling to between this "bad" yandere and "good" yandere?

(Reasoning and discussions welcome! ♥)

[ladymrf]

"Ma asked me what the wedding date is."

Tim finds Kon on the roof of the barn, the night sky of the farm is always breathtaking, tonight is no different, Tim sits next to his boyfriend and Kon raises an eyebrow at him in confusion, not understanding the information.

"I showed her the ring." the promise ring Kon gave him when he asked Tim to be his boyfriend "She asked me if we had chosen the wedding date yet."

"Not that I won't propose to you, but a little early don't you think?"

"I told her it was a promise ring, because of our dating, she laughed and apologized, said you didn't tell her you decided to take the long way around."

Kon looks away to the sky and his ears turn a little red, Tim stays silent waiting, he knows his boyfriend well enough to just wait for him to speak, Kon has always been very honest, even with the things he didn't want to say.

"I may have talked to her about it." Kon confessed "Marriage."

"I got a proposal to date, not to marry you…"

"I didn't think it would be fair." Kon turned to look at him, and there came the sincerity that Tim had learned to appreciate over the years. Kon rarely spared him from difficult conversations. Tim took a long time to get used to the ease with which his boyfriend entered into deep and sentimental conversations. "I thought it would scare you."

Tim laughed at the absurdity. It took more than that to make him uncomfortable.

"Kon…"

"No, everything that happened since I died wasn't easy to digest. Tim, when everything ended and you came back to Gotham, Cassie, Bart and I were about to put you under constant surveillance, afraid that something would happen or that you would do something…"

Tim managed to laugh. It made sense. His friends had always been very extremist. It made sense that they were so worried.

"Look, I know I wasn't the picture of mental health, but wasn't that a bit too much…"

"You didn't see yourself, we saw." Kon cut him off, very seriously. "The point is, we only didn't kidnap you because you started to get better and we made a deal to only take you out of there if something extreme happened, because we know how much you consider that hell of a city and the vigilantes."

My home and my family, Tim mentally corrects, but it's been years since he's tried to make his friends absorb Gotham and the bat vigilantes of their sins.

"I was about to explode, waiting for you to stabilize so I could confess to you, my God Tim, I thought I was going to die choking on everything I wanted to say." Kon almost sounds in pain as he speaks. "I told Ma I'd ask you to marry me if you said yes, because fuck everything else, we'd already wasted too much time and dating wasn't necessary when I already knew I'd be yours for the rest of my life."

Tim blinks, partly paralyzed by the force of Kon's words, partly because his entire brain stopped as soon as he heard the confession that yes, Kon wanted to marry him.

"But it wouldn't be fair. Not with you still rebuilding from the hell that was last year, I couldn't put that kind of weight on you just because I want you so much that I can't help but have the most serious form of commitment known to mankind and…"

Tim kisses him. Kisses him so hard that Kon leans back and Tim straddles his thighs, he holds his boyfriend's face and kisses him hard until his lips go numb, when he pulls back smiling, Kon is red and blinking like a confused fish.

"Ask me."

"What?"

"Ask me, ask me now."

"Tim, I don't…"

"Kon." Tim struggles, God knows he struggles to express the next sentence with all the love he has inside him, feelings have never been his strong point, but for Kon he would write a thousand love poems "It's not a burden. Not when all I think about when I hear the word love is your name."

Kon pulls him back for another kiss and after what seems like hours he says against Tim's lips "Wait, I'm going to ask you in the most blatant way I can imagine."

And Tim? My God, Tim was anxious.

...

(If something is written wrong, ignore it, I'm not in the mood to care about grammar.)

[oldsoul007]

FwB

nicholas chavez x childhood bestfriend!reader

warning: kissing

Me and Nicholas had been inseparable since we were kids. Growing up in the same neighborhood, we shared countless adventures, secrets, and dreams. Our bond was unbreakable, and as we grew older, our friendship evolved into something deeper.

One summer evening, after a long day of reminiscing and laughter, we found themselves in a moment of vulnerability. The lines between friendship and something more began to blur, and we became friends with benefits. It was an unspoken agreement, a way to explore our feelings without risking their cherished friendship. No strings attached.

Nicholas, however, began to realize that his feelings for y/n were far more profound than he had ever admitted to himself.

One night as I finally finished up some work I get a text from Nicholas saying he’s coming over. Which initially means he needs to blow off some steam. I hear the knock at the door and open it up to Nicholas pulling me in for a heated kiss. He pushes me farther into my apartment kicking the door closed. We continue walking back him taking my shirt off as we reach my room. He kisses down my neck sending shivers down my spine. “God I love you” Nicholas groans as he continues kissing down my neck.

I blank for a moment checking if I just heard what I think I did. “What” “I love you” he repeats. “Nicholas” I say trying to get him to stop even though I didn’t want to. “Nicholas stop” he stops immediately looking up at me. “What’s wrong?” “We promised…we promised no strings attached Nic…” I say not daring to look him in the eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Nicholas confessed, "I love you, y/n. You can’t deny you don’t feel the same way. I know we've always been best friends, and I cherish that more than anything. But my feelings have grown into something much deeper. I can't keep pretending that I'm okay with just being friends with benefits. I want more. I want us to be together, truly together. I can't keep pretending that this is just casual for me."

My eyes widened, and i shook my head. "Nicholas, we agreed this was just for fun. I can't—"

"Why not?" Nicholas interrupted, frustration evident in his tone. "Why can't you let me love you? Why are you so afraid of this?"

I looked away, struggling to find the right words. "It's not that simple. I'm just not ready for that kind of commitment."

Nicholas stood up, pacing the room. "I don't understand, y/n. We've been so close, shared so much. Why can't you see that we could be amazing together?"

Tears welled up in my eyes. "I'm scared, Nicholas. I'm scared of getting hurt, of losing what we have."

Nicholas stopped and faced me, his expression a mix of anger and pain. "So you'd rather keep me at arm's length than take a chance on something real?"

My silence spoke volumes. Nicholas sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I just want you to know that my feelings are real. And I can't keep doing this if you don't feel the same."

With that, he turned and walked out, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the heavy weight of my own fears.

As sat on my bed, staring at my phone. Nicholas's words from our heated last conversation echoed in my mind.

I had been taken aback by his confession, unsure of how to respond at the moment. But now, as I replayed our moments together—the laughter, the support, the way he looked at me with genuine affection—I realized my feelings had grown deeper too.

Determined, I grabbed my coat and headed to Nicholas's apartment. When he opened the door, surprise flashed across his face.

"Y/n, what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. "Nicholas, I've been thinking a lot about what you said. And I realize now that I want more too. I don't want to just be friends with benefits anymore. I want to be with you."

Nicholas's eyes softened, and a smile slowly spread across his face. "Are you sure, y/n?"

I nodded, stepping closer. "I've never been more sure of anything. You've always been there for me, and I can't imagine my life without you."

He pulled me into a soft kiss and embrace, holding me tightly. "I've waited so long to hear you say that."



[luciaintheskyainthi]

Hey I was re-reading ECM and I noticed how awesome your the writing style was and wanted to know if you'd be willing to share how you write like that?

(I've got exams and have to really work on my english lmao)

Thank-you very much! I'm glad you've enjoyed my writing so much!

(I want to preface any notes here by saying I started seriously writing when I was 12 and I am now... not that. So I have almost 20 years of writing under my belt)

I've actually done a post about writing that gives a few pointers so I won't re-hash those points, but will add a few extras about crafting 💖💖

I know I said I wouldn't re-hash things, but this point always bears merit in saying: the first thing you write is the worst thing you write. It's called a first draft for a reason and you shouldn't be precious about it. That means don't go stressing about getting your phrasing perfect. Rewriting your draft can do wonders (and that doesn't mean you have to completely change things on the rewrite!), especially if you're not a confident writer.

Vary the start of your sentences. It's a very easy habit to fall into (I still do it all the dang time); you write sentence after sentence starting the the subject ('It was...'; 'Peter did...'; 'She saw...' etc). It makes your writing feel repetitive. We fall into patterns in our writing and forcing yourself to think about how you can change up the way your sentences begin within a paragraph is an invaluable challenge. Consider your paragraphs too: when I'm on my first edit, I pay close attention to how they start to ensure they don't all begin the same way. That doesn't mean every sentence has to start differently, but keeping things mixed up adds variety.

Avoid info-dumping. Exposition (where you give relevant background information) is a useful feature but it slows the pace of your story significantly. What I see a lot of fanfic writers do is freeze time (quite often at the very start of the story) to give us 500+ words of information that could have been drip fed over the chapter (or several chapters). I'm absolutely not saying I'm innocent of this - I do it all the time, including the opening to ECM! - but something that I find can help is to a) make it interesting by setting up a mystery that the exposition doesn't answer, b) intersperse exposition with description to keep up the pace or c) try to make your exposition feel as authentic as possible to your narrator.

Be decisive: avoid phrases like 'seemed to' and 'felt like' etc. Instead of, "She seemed to glow with happiness' make it 'She glowed with happiness'. Simple changes like this just make you seem more sure of yourself as a writer because you're committing to the image. Again, this kind of indefinite phrasing is an easy habit to fall into but it's a very easy fix! Very often, the sentence will still make perfect sense if you simply delete these phrases (although sometimes it will need a few minor tweaks).

Metaphors, not similes. Honestly this is just a continuation of the previous rule! Rather than, 'It looked like an ocean of silver', 'An ocean of silver swelled before them' is much more interesting and committed to the bit! Again, that's not to say you can't use similes at all! They're great, but you should ask yourself if a metaphor would be better.

Don't be afraid to extend your metaphors. Extended metaphors are such fun. Consider my earlier example : 'An ocean of silver swelled before them'. If I was to extend this, I'd think about other images associated with the ocean. Waves, tides, sea creatures, the scent and sound of the water. And since I've compared it to silver, I'd also consider things that are semantically connected: gold, copper, jewels like emeralds, sapphires, pearls etc. Then I'd start crafting additional clauses/sentences to build upon that original metaphor.

Brush up on a wider range of writer methods. Honestly, teaching English helped me out a bunch here, but here are a few of my faves: polysyndeton: this is where you list with the same coordinating conjunctions (and, but, so, for etc) rather than commas. If you look at my writing you'd see I do this all the damn time. Anaphora: in the typical form I use it, it's where the start of successive clauses begin with the same opening word/phrase (think like MLK's 'I have a dream speech). Best used in a group of three in my experience. Again I use this all the time. The opposite of this (where successive clauses end in the same word/phrase) is called epistrophe. Oxymoron: a fun one. It's a paradoxical phrase (e.g. burning cold, loving hate etc) Hyperbole: an over-exaggeration (e.g. It's boiling hot. I walked a million miles to get here!). Very fun to use with an unreliable narrator or you want to get across just how unbearable/significant something is (but the key here is that it's got to be obvious you're over-exaggerating!) Synaesthesia: where you mix different senses together (e.g. The lights sang in harmony; the room smelled cold).

Planning does wonders for your story structure. For the longest time I was a 'pantster' and would just throw myself in writing on vibes only, but now I find that knowing where I want to take my story makes it much easier to place critical themes and the much loved foreshadowing.

I hope at least some of these can be helpful to you! These are methods that have helped me over the years, but the beauty of writing is of course that all of us over time develop our own 'voice'! Just because I say these are things I do doesn't mean that's what everyone has to do!

Good luck on your exams too!! 💖

[widow-tarot]

PAC: Your Situationship

divider by @kodaswrld

Okay, my bastards, this reading is all about your situationship. We will examine the current energy of the connection, their feelings/thoughts, and the potential future of the connection.

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Groups: 1-2-3 4-5-6

Instruction: Pick a maximum of 2 groups for one person. If the reading doesn't resonate or you don't feel drawn to any group, maybe this reading is not for you.

Disclaimer: Energy changes all the time. This is only for entertainment purposes.

Decks used: The Literary Witches Oracle, Dark Mirror Oracle, The Mystic Dreamer Tarot + shuffled songs.

GROUP 1

Current Energy: The Lovers, The World, 8 of Cups rx,6 of Pentacles rx, I Won't Cry For You, Colorless Angel, Joy Harjo(Bravery) rx, Agatha Christie(Trickery) rx.

There's this energy of emotional co-dependency, you're very much drawn to each other and hooked on each other's energy. If you guys stopped talking, it would feel like the end of the world. It's very much an obsession or something akin to that, intense and all-consuming. I think you know it's not healthy, and eventually it will hurt as hell, but for now, you can't even imagine letting go of that person. You're inseparable, or at least one of you can't function without the other. If it's not physical intimacy, it's texting or calling, but for most of you, there's lots of cuddles involved. I don't think there are any mental games involved; there's a lot of fear and treading lightly. I do think you are in denial of the future because you know if it ends, it's gonna hurt like a motherfucker but you keep going, just to have your person even if it's for a little bit. It's almost as if you expect the ending and start preparing for it.

Their Feelings/Thoughts: Wheel of Fortune, 10 of Pentacles rx, The World, The Emperor rx, Revenge, Is This Me?, Alejandra Pizarnik (Solitude), Bride rx.

They feel very content and happy with how things are at the moment, but are prepared for the fallout or even expect it. They've seen it all before; it's not the first casual connection they've gotten into. I don't think they are ready for any sort of commitment, or at least they don't think they're capable of it. It's not even about them not wanting commitment, but them just feeling like they're too broken for any sort of serious relationship. They know they're a coward, maybe a relationship from the past destroyed the possibility of anything serious for them. They don't want to be alone; they need companionship, and yet they're afraid of commitment. They don't like this version of themselves because they know they can love long-term. One day, they believe they will overcome this fear, but for now they're still learning.

The Potential Future Of The Connection: The Hanged Man rx, Knight of Wands, Justice, The Moon, Colorless Angel, I Won't Cry For You, Snail, Anais Nin (The Subconscious).

Everything depends on you and what you are willing to do. Are you ready to give it time and wait, not stressing about it or pressuring your person? Are you ready to go with the flow and match your person's energy? Can you be chill and still in contact, even if you know they aren't ready for any sort of commitment? Can you withstand seeing them with other people and still be there (not in a romantic way but in a friendship way)? It can take a long time, but they will come around if you'll stay. Even if you break contact, they will come around, but it's going to be your call if you want to enter a relationship. You don't need to pretend you're emotionless and that you don't care; you won't scare them away. But you need to see where your boundaries are and what exactly you can tolerate.

SONGS:

Glimpse of Us by Joji (Why then, if she's so perfect, do I still wish that it was you?; Perfect don't mean that it's working, so what can I do?; Maybe one day, you'll feel lonely; And in his eyes, you'll get a glimpse; Maybe you'll start slipping slowly and find me again)

Chihiro by Billie Eilish (To take my love away; When I come back around, will I know what to say?; Said I need to be alone now, I'm takin' a break; How come, when I returned, you were gone away?)

Falling Down by Lil Peep, XXXTENTACION (Sunlight on your skin when I'm not around; Shit don't feel the same when you're out of town; Darlin', your love is like walking a bed of nails; And I just can't keep on fighting)

See You Again by Tyler The Creator, Kali Uchis (Cupid hit me with precision; I wonder if you look both ways when you cross my mind; Can I get a kiss?; And can you make it last forever?)

GROUP 2

Current Energy: 8 of Wands rx, 4 of Cups, Knight of Swords, Queen of Cups, Bride in a Cage, Black Flower Fragrance, Alejandra Pizarnik (Solitude), Eye rx.

I feel like it's either no contact at the moment or you both just need some time alone to process your feelings and what you want from each other. I see some drama happened, words were said, as well as accusations, big and angry feelings that burned down everything around you. Now there's regret because what can you do now? I don't know how long you haven't seen or talked to each other, but I don't think it's a long time, a week at worst. The important thing at the moment is to take a deep breath and calm down so the words won't flow on their own to destroy everything again. It's okay to take some time apart, just give each other a heads up. I see fury and blowing up as someone's toxic pattern or coping mechanism, and they might feel beat up about it or even embarrassed. It's okay, though, as long as you're working on it and communicating that to the other person.

Their Feelings/Thoughts: 4 of Cups, 2 of Swords rx, 7 of Wands, 9 of Cups, Sacrifice, Bride in a Cage, Toad, Emily Bronte (Fantasy) rx.

They are unsure of what to do at the moment. Honestly, I feel like you were the one to blow up, and they are the people pleaser, so now, they feel immense guilt and they're ready to sacrifice their dignity and apologize (even though it might not have been their fault). They're at a crossroads because one part of them (the healed one) knows they didn't do anything catastrophically, but another part tells them they're worthless and should save whatever is left of the connection. They're indecisive, going back and forth. They were happy with you and how things were going, so this drama/fight hit them pretty hard.

The Potential Future Of The Connection: 2 of Wands rx, The Emperor rx, Page of Wands rx, 4 of Wands rx, Is This Me?, Revenge, Naked Before The Stars, Eye rx, Forugh Farrokhzard (Rebellion).

I think you guys should split up and move on. There's so much bitterness and conflict, including a lack of trust and anger. At some point you will only hate fuck or hurt each other on purpose, just to get an upper hand. Playing mental games, manipulation, and arguing. I see that this dynamic could go for a long time before you decide to end it. There is a comfort here because even if you fight, you do it together. The feelings didn't fade; they just turned into the worst type of intense emotions, and even if you destroy each other little by little, you're still by each other's side. This dynamic won't even teach you anything useful; it's just gonna fill the emotional emptiness inside of you. You won't see eye to eye on anything, and every little thing will be a cause for conflict.

SONGS:

Gimme Love by Joji (Those pictures so clear, the fade in my mind; You leavin' me here with ashes and fire; When I'm far too gone, can you show me love?)

I Didn't Change My Number by Billie Eilish (Don't take it out on me; I'm out of sympathy for you; Maybe you should leave; Before I get too mean;  I didn't change my number; I only changed who I believe in; You were easy on the eyes)

Ugly by XXXTENTACION (I seem out of it; The dream I had about her in my head; It seems I won't forget; Am I insecure? I'm not really sure)

JUGGERNAUT by Tyler The Creator, Lil Uzi Vert, Pharrell Williams (Say the money comin' in, yeah, that's true; The more money I get, I don't wan' sex you; Can't think about the last time that I text you)

GROUP 3

Current Energy: 3 of Swords rx, Ace of Cups, 10 of Swords rx, Devil rx, The Child I Was Meant To Be, Black Flower Fragrance, Wall, Apple rx.

You are healing each other. There might be factors blocking commitment, but if you're afraid your person is talking to others behind your back, you're wrong. They're loyal to you even if you aren't together. Every minute you spend together, you heal wounds you didn't inflict. It's quite a beautiful and pure connection. I do see some of the people here have baggage, and so this might be one of the obstacles. You guys have your walls up nd they are slowly coming down. You are afraid that this connection will destroy you just like those before, but you can be at peace. You are learning acceptance and trust.

Their Feelings/Thoughts: Page of Swords, The Star, 5 of Swords rx, Ace of Swords, Black Flower Fragrance, Perchance To Dream, Spider, Sandra Cisneros (Body).

They are very hopeful and want this connection to work out. They enjoy spending time with you and talking, even just sitting there in silence is one of their favourite things. They're trying to leave their past behind them, untangle themselves from its influence, and start anew. They fantasize about the future with you (cards don't mention if it's platonic or romantic). You give them hope, make them think everything will be okay eventually. I think they're trying to verbalize their feelings and what exactly they feel about this connection, but the words are stuck in their throat. If you have sexual experience with this person, I hear that the sex is very healing as well.

Potential Future Of The Connection: 5 of Pentacles, King of Wands rx, 2 of Pentacles rx, 10 of Wands, Anger And Chains, Is This Me?, Lantern, Book rx.

This connection is meant to heal you both, but remember that it's built on pain and suffering. Something brought you together because you needed each other, but you're not meant to stay in each other's lives in the long run. If you remained together, it would just remind you of the past and all you went through, causing you to go back into the spiral of sadness once again. This person seems like a light at the end of a tunnel, and they are somewhat of a guide now, but you will see with time that your time together is limited and will run its course eventually. One of you can also grow out of this connection and want to move on, but the other person cannot follow.

SONGS:

Ew by Joji (Teach me to love just to let me go; I can't believe that I'm not enough; What does love mean when the end is rolling in?; Oh, let it go, let it stay, can we love one another?)

Lunch by Billie Eilish (Baby, I think you were made for me; Somebody write down the recipe; Been tryin' hard not to overeat; You're just so sweet)

love yourself (interlude) by XXXTENTACION (love yourself; Take no chances, fuck that ni**a)

Trashwang by Tyler The Creator, Na-Kel Smith, Jasper Dolphin, Lucas, L-Boy, Taco, Left Brain, Lee Spielman - this song is meant to hype you up, not really relevant to the reading (These clothes they free though; Straight from the back of the Supreme store; Don't let the skateboards fool you; Know ni**as that pull triggers)

GROUP 4

Current Energy: 3 of Pentacles, 5 of Swords rx, The Fool, King of Cups, Triumph Of Lies, Forgetting Oneself, Sylvia Plath(The Dark), Emily Bronte(Fantasy) rx, Snail.

It might be a new connection that you're already very emotionally invested in. It's a type of connection that's very slow-moving, however, there is a purpose. You need time being in a situationship with this person because the fantasy has to wear off, leaving space for reality. It won't progress fast, especially if you got hooked on this person pretty early and suddenly. I do think you guys will see each other's worst sides, you will confide in each other about your traumas, but it takes time (especially since someone is pretty much avoiding telling the truth out of fear/has problems with vulnerability). Also, there's no actual progress into a relationship because you have to detach a little, otherwise you're risking being devoured. Have some distance and perspective.

Their Feelings/Thoughts: Ace of Cups, 3 of Swords rx, 2 of Pentacles, Devil rx, Black Flower Fragrance, The Child I Was Meant To Be, Maria Sabina (Healing), Doll rx.

They are grateful for your presence. You're healing something you didn't cause, and they appreciate you greatly. Their heart is currently blocked, but you're giving them a brief respite. They're trying to regain their footing in life, have some balance. You might think sometimes that you're doomed to be hurt by them, but they truly do everything they can not to hurt you. They could see a romantic future with you, but for now, it's far away. They also don't want to heal and discard you; even if you will separate one day, they will have nothing but love for you. They can also think of themselves as a broken doll; broken beyond repair, unfit for any relationship. You're their safe space, or at least beginning to be.

Potential Future Of The Connection: Emperor rx, The World, 4 of Pentacles rx, Hermit, Colorless Angel, Addicted, Creature's Paw, Alejandra Pizarnik(Solitude) rx.

There is so much potential here. You can give each other so much happiness if both of you are willing to do the work. They will be powerless when it comes to you, loyal to a fault, and devoted. They can be possessive, though; I keep hearing one person wants to be alone and the other doesn't want to be apart, so either you or they can become clingy. One person can become very co-dependent emotionally. This connection can quickly become obsessive if not managed properly, so look out for that (unless you're into that). I don't see any toxicity or abuse, though.

SONGS:

Yeah Right by Joji (Yeah, I bet you won't cry; Yeah, I bet you won't try; But you know I don't mind; Yeah, you bet she know that we ain't; Never gonna be together, I see)

ocean eyes by Billie Eilish (You really know how to make me cry; When you gimme those ocean eyes; Careful creature made friends with time; He left her lonely with a diamond mind)

Infinity by XXXTENTACION, Joey Bada$$ (I'm as real as they come, they feel it, get numb; You think you got a little buzz, so now you can't get stung; I keep a razor blade tucked on me, under my tongue)

Her by Tyler The Creator (We talk every night, she cry to me about her guy; And if we text, I get pissed when I get no reply; I know that she's the key to love; 'Cause it's like she is inviting me to her world full of privacy; I'm getting gassed up, I think she's liking me)

GROUP 5

Current Energy: Ace of Cups, The Hermit, 5 of Cups rx, Death, Wings, Boar rx, Anne Carson(The Intellect) rx, Black Flower Fragrance, Colorless Angel.

So this either is a very fresh connection, you've never felt like this before/never encountered such a connection before, or both. This is a very transformative energy, but I see that you don't spend much time together. I keep hearing "freedom" so you shouldn't be forcing anything out of it, just go with the flow and enjoy it. You don't have to fight anyone or anything. I keep losing words I want to write, so despite both of you or one person being intelligent, overthinking doesn't help the emotional state. There is a focus on reflecting on the past or just sitting with your emotions alone and processing them.

Their Thoughts/Feelings: 6 of Swords, Page of Swords, Knight of Cups rx, Devil rx, Sylvia Plath(The Dark), Emily Bronte(Fantasy) rx, Doll rx, Hiding Your True Self, Blinded To Pain.

I keep wanting to cry while doing this group.

I do see them wanting to reach out to you and talk; they want to make that move towards you, but something is blocking them. I feel like they're emotionally confused or they don't feel worthy/brave enough to put themselves in such a vulnerable position. They don't want to start something that will ultimately lead to both of your demises. They don't want the fantasy to devour and blind them. They don't want to get played. They have their walls up pretty high. They might have been hurt badly in the past, and they expect you to do the same to them.

The Potential Future Of The Connection: 4 of Pentacles, 7 of Cups, 7 of Pentacles rx, Ace of Swords, Praying Mantis, Wildflowers rx, Today For Tomorrow, Peaceful Among Thorns.

First of all, yall need communication. Don't leave things unsaid or up to interpretation. I think both of you have a tendency to pay attention to the wrong things and get stuck in your head about them for a long ass time. You overthink to the point of not even having a conversation about something, but already having a conclusion about what the other person thinks. You have to plant a seed of cooperation and teamwork first, so you can actually resolve any problems/doubts that arise. Don't let Billie Eilish's song "Wildflower" be about you! Be present in the moment with each other and try to make the present work; don't pay so much attention to the future! Don't get stuck in the fantasy/"what if" world.

SONGS:

Plastic Taste by Joji (I can't do this face-to-face; But I'll admit that I'm afraid; Let these moments go to waste; Excuse me for my plastic taste)

8 by Billie Eilish (Wait a minute, let me finish; I know you don't care; But can you listen?; I came committed, guess I overdid it; Wore my heart out on a chain; You said, "Don't treat me badly"; But you said it so sadly)

Butthole Girl by XXXTENTACION, Tank Head, Robb Banks, Craig Xen (I can guarantee that this ain't what you want; She just wanna suck on my energy; But the bitch gotta do it under oath)

interlude by Tyler The Creator (Imma do a slow song but its really cool; Cause I get all artsy and shit)

GROUP 6

Current Energy: 3 of Wands, Ace of Cups, 8 of Wands, Hanged Man rx, Skull, Anais Nin(The Subconscious) rx, Addicted, Fragmentation.

Do you feel like it's one-sided? This situationship might have progressed too fast, and now you find yourself thinking about what to do next, but at the same time, you feel bitter. It's like you want to be patient and wait for the other person's move, but you cannot just sit and watch this connection slip through your fingers. You might feel like you're giving parts of yourself to that person, but you get nothing in return. Is it worth waiting for? You've waited so much, and you have this emotional attachment to this person; it's killing you not to be in control of your own feelings. There's inner conflict here; your intuition tells you one thing, but you block it out.

Their Thoughts/Feelings: Page of Swords rx, 4 of Wands, High Priestess, 6 of Swords rx, Tree rx, Spider rx, Queen Of My World, Atonement.

They're confused, trying to navigate their feelings but coming up short. They're happy with how things are, though. They don't communicate as well as they should. They think you belong in their life, but aren't sure in what capacity/role yet. They have their own inner stuff to figure out, still trying to heal or find out who they are. They don't want to get entangled in your web. They don't want to take root in what will not stay or be good for them. They're waiting for the other shoe to drop. They like touching you. Their walls are high up. They might seem confident, but deep inside is a deeply hurt person.

Potential Future Of The Connection: Hanged Man rx, Justice rx, 5 of Cups rx, 7 of Wands rx, Glove, Praying Mantis, Triumph Of Lies, The Child I Was Meant To Be.

Whatever will happen, it's not gonna be fair. Someone will not deserve it. Yes, the waiting is over, but maybe waiting was better than whatever the resolution will be. It will allow someone to stop looking at what they lost, but what they have in their life. The fight is over. Someone will give up. Someone will lie, even if it wasn't their purpose. Your prayers were answered, just not in the way you hoped. It was supposed to be different, and you expected a different resolution, but there is nothing here to stay for.

SONGS:

No Fun by Joji (Fuck my friends, they're gone; They all left one by one; Don't check no mail, no phone; And I tell them I'm not home; And I know it's my fault but I don't care; And I keep to myself; Who are you to pretend?)

bellyache by Billie Eilish (Maybe it's in the gutter; Where I left my lover; What an expensive fake; My V is for Vendetta; Thought that I'd feel better; But now I got a bellyache)

It's all fading to black by XXXTENTACION, blink-182 (Now I'm just a ghost in my own life; So make the most of this goodbye; Do you still dream about me late at night; You know it's killin' me to let go; I see your face, but it's someone I don't know; Everything was perfect just an hour ago)

WOLF by Tyler The Creator (I know, fuck you, I hate you so fucking much; I know you think I'm crazy; Whatever the fuck your name is; We don't fuck with you or anybody else here, alright?; You stay the fuck out of our way and we'll stay out of yours)