#ALSO i use the short chairs in the build because the person i share this area with is a moth so its one block tall :)

[pyrriax]

no shaders for these screenshots because my poor laptop was having a terrible time just trying to play on the server today (i think part of it was because because there were people out exploring the end, since that just opened up yesterday) but there's the mostly finished bedroom and the beginnings of the actual house! i have it divided into two sections: the main "cozy" house part and the library tower which i'm still trying to decide how i want to look. dont mind the chests and crafting stations those are just There because i didn't want to take them down yet lol

bonus screenshots of whatever the hell happened to me. because i think i got cursed for going to the end to help somebody

the grey particles are kind of hard to see but i have. actually no idea where they came from?? i don't usually have particle effects unless i just healed myself/another player. soooo...... server lore things :)

[lackadaisycats]

I love everything of your work, every page is a piece of art, textures, lights, perspective, characters and the script, with perfect balance of hilarious and engaging lore.... It keeps me inspired everyday and gives me the energies to continue my projects. I can't describe the extreme joy your works gives me and I couldn't be more grateful, because it keeps me dreaming and helped me to understand what I want to do in the near future. Thank you so so much \(^ヮ^)/.

I have one question : Do you have any advices for making comics and put them in the world? For some time I had the urge to share my works, but idk what to do :/.

That's exceedingly kind. I'm touched to hear you've enjoyed my work, and if it helped you to understand what creative things you want to do, well, that makes my heart glad. Thanks for sharing that.

Very wordy response to the making and sharing comics question below....

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

Making comics is a Whole Big Thing as topics go. It's a little difficult to provide salient advice on something so broad. So much of it depends on what you're specifically trying to achieve, and what your preferences are as an individual. Here are a few bulletpoints, though:

-- Make the comic about things you love unabashedly so that it's fun and engaging to work on. It will still be difficult - it's always difficult - but you're more likely to keep doing the work it if you're in love with it.

-- Don't put off starting until you're 'good enough'. Good Enough is a fantasy place, and Perfect is a big lie. You'll never find either and pursuing them easily turns into eternal procrastination. Get started while the fire is burning, because getting good at something happens while you're actually doing the thing, and less so while you're thinking about maybe doing it. Try to be at peace with the idea that your work will be flawed. All art is. That's what makes it interesting.

-- Try to work with your strengths, not against them. Comic making is already immensely challenging. I'd suggest not making it extra impossible by demanding an entire personality change of yourself in order to do it. For example, if you tend to have intense but short-lived interest in things, don't torture yourself by embarking on a project that is going to take years-long, single-minded devotion. Do an anthology of shorter stories instead of a sprawling epic. Do one-off joke comics, or thoughtful vignettes. Or even break up something longer into short bursts of contained chapters.

-- Don't hurt yourself. Eat right, sleep, get a comfortable chair that's good for your back, get out of that chair and move around at intervals. If something starts aching, stop and rest. If it's aching chronically, see a medical professional. Career ending injuries and health troubles for artists are insidious - they creep up all quiet and mundane while you're busy patting yourself on the back for pulling another all-nighter.

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

About sharing online - also a tricky topic! The internet has changed a lot since I began Lackadaisy. The advice I could give derived from my personal experiences in publishing and audience building is a relic of a bygone era at this point…but here are some more bulletpoints (er, paragraphs) that I think are generally pertinent:

-- If publishing publicly sounds daunting and a bit scary, dip your toes in the water before plunging in. Do a publishing test run. If there's a Discord community you're comfortable with or a social media platform you use where you can post for mutuals only, maybe try that first. Or just share directly with a handful of people and ask them for feedback. When I'm unsure about something I'm preparing to post, I usually run it by some creator friends of mine because I trust them to be honest with me. Even if they have some criticisms, it's often reassuring that I can proceed to show it to others without dying inside.

-- Places with a big, built in audience can be great for getting eyeballs on your work, but it’s a mixed bag. Webtoon is the obvious example right now. Just be wary of anyone showing a little too much interest, or coming at you with paperwork to sign. Don't rush into putting your name on something that 1) commits you to unreasonable amounts of output for barely livable wages 2) relinquishes your ownership of your IP, or grants anyone any license to your work without clearly defined boundaries (like a limited term and agreement-ending conditions) -- Contract agreements warrant lots of consideration. Involve a lawyer of your own if you can. At the very least, have friends or family read over anything you might sign. And if it sounds too good to be true, it is. Scams are unfortunately abundant, so do your research/due diligence on whoever you're in discussions with.

-- Make yourself easy to find. Use social media to your advantage. Don't feel like you have to be in every single place, though. Some platforms might not be a good fit for your work, and some might be too much of a hassle or a mental drain to do battle with. -- Scrape out your own space online if you're able - a personal web page, a little WordPress/ComicPress site, or even just a link hub so that people can relocate your work if they lose track. The point is to avoid putting your eggs all in single basket that you have no control over. You never know when the social network growth you've been nurturing for the past several years will just succumb to a billionaire rampaging around like a sociopathic kaiju in the midst of the world's most public midlife crisis.

-- Don't worry about being an immediate sensation. Seeing people respond to your work is a wonderful and immensely gratifying feeling at times, but be patient if all hear are crickets chirping for a while. Longform storytelling in particular takes time to catch its momentum, and readers take time to get invested. Meteoric rises and virality do happen now and then, but honestly, slow and steady audience buildup is probably the more sustainable and less psychologically bewildering way to experience the fun of sharing your stuff with the world.

-- Consistently put your identifier (name/watermark, URL, copyright info, or all of these things) on everything you post online.

---------------------- I hope something here is useful, and if you decide to start making and publishing comics, I hope you find much success and happiness in it!

[consanguinitatum]

DT and His Appendicitis Scar: So When Did That Happen, Anyway?

I think I've mentioned in previous posts that I come across quite a few personal tidbits about a young DT while doing research for my sloooowly developing podcast. I think - well, I certainly hope! - I've also mentioned those sorts of tidbits are not going to be in the podcast? Well, if I haven't mentioned it before, I'm mentioning it now.

I see no reason to include these sorts of things because the podcast won't be about David's personal life (either then or now) but about his professional life. But while I tend to consider most of the theatre work he did between the time he entered the RSAMD Junior School at age 11 (and then got his Equity card and went on to drama school) and prior to his move to London in 1994 part of his professional life, technically they're really not -- because up until he took his first job in the 7:84 in 1991 for The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, he hadn't been earning a wage. And he's said in interviews Arturo was his first professional gig.

But I'm choosing to split hairs here. For the purposes of my podcast, I plan to treat his drama school years as if they were part of his professional career. I do this because I want to give them the same consideration and respect as the rest of his career, and feature them as the seminal experiences they were. They helped build the foundation of his professional life. Besides, he himself has said that attending drama school was essential for him to become the actor he wanted to be.

Because I consider them professional experiences (and because I'm acutely aware of his desire for privacy) the podcast will stay as much in the professional arena as I can possibly make it. He's talked quite a bit about this period of his life before, and I don't feel uncomfortable highlighting anything he's mentioned which happens to coincide with information I've discovered. Anything of a more personal nature which gets included in the podcast will have been measured against all of these factors before it gets added in. So all of that said, we come to an interesting bit of information about something David has definitely talked about and shared about it before - but which has no place in my podcast. So let's talk about it!

The lovely mizgnomer did a great little post a few years back which featured a photo set of David chatting about the near-death experience with appendicitis he had when he was a child (see below):

David's mentioned his appendix scar a few other times as well, and each time he speaks about it, the range of his age at the time of the attack varies by a few years - usually from age 8 to about 10. That's not surprising at all, of course, because for most of us, trying to narrow down some of the events in our childhood to specific time ranges can get a bit fuzzy. But I'm pretty sure I know when it happened.

Back in 1980, a society/organizational newspaper column entitled "Church News" appeared regularly in the Paisley Daily Express. This column often featured prominent figures in churches all over the community and were often framed as "One Week in the Working Life Of" these certain figures to debunk the myth that ministers only work on Sundays. One of these columns, published on 1 May 1980, featured a certain Rev. Sandy McDonald, the minister of St. Marks Oldhall.

That week, Sandy was busy recording a series of short services at his church which would later go out on STV. These were likely part of one of two religious television broadcasts he was a part of at the time: Late Call or That's The Spirit (both programs David has mentioned over the years).

The article goes on to document Sandy's busy week, speaking about his duties chairing festivals of praise and being principal speaker at church rallies and charity events. In between these duties, the article mentions, Sandy has to attend to all his pastoral duties, including meetings with his own church groups, and - and here is the important part - "visits to hospital patients (including his own son)."

The time at which this article was written implies one of Sandy's children was in the hospital in late April to early May of 1980. It's probably a safe bet to assume it was David: while it could have been either his elder brother or his elder sister, this does happen to fall pretty splendidly into the age range of "9 or 10" for his appendicitis scare which David has given in the past. David would have just turned 9 years old in mid-April of that year.

So there you have it. David was 9 years old when he suffered the bout of appendicitis - which burst, and brought him near death.

Thank goodness he made it!

[ririya-translates]

Mitsuki Shirota's Short Story

On the official Japanese Jack Jeanne website, there's a page of full of concept art and short stories for each major character (as well as stories for every character + Kisa). They were written by Shin Towada (primary writer of the game and Ishida's sister) and the art is by Ronin (also did concept art for Nier, Pokemon, Fire Emblem).

I thought it would be cute to post translations on each character's birthday. Since they were written as promo material, spoilers are quite minimal (mostly around the first performance). I tried to keep the original notebook aesthetic and dialogue colour-coding to post on Twitter, but I'm posting a regular text version here for better accessibility.

As if he were observing the ever-fluctuating world through a pane of glass, he always kept his distance. "It's already been a year since we were on stage at the Newcomer's Performance, huh?" He heard those words while in class at the beginning of lunch period. It wasn't that big a deal. The topic should have ended with that one disruptive statement, but it captured the attention of the Univeil Drama School second-year students. Voices of shared nostalgia all piled on top of each other.

"A lot has changed since then, huh? For us and for the ones in other classes too." "I didn't think Sugachi would become the Al Jeanne of Onyx. He's so reserved." "And in Rhodonite, Minorikawa is likely their Jack Ace yeah? It's probably tough being a Jack Ace over there." People always brought up the same names to represent the second-year class.

"Shirota became a tresor like we all expected too." The moment that name was said, the Quartz second years turned their eyes to him. They're so annoying.

Sitting in a chair, chin in his hands, Mitsuki Shirota looked over his sheet music. He remembered something even more clamorous than the noisy stares of a crowd. Shirota was a second-year Quartz student, same as them. The term 'tresor' was reserved only for Jeannes with strong vocal talent. Combined with his unmistakably Jeanne-like facial features, he drew notice from people around him. But their unrestrained gaze was not something he enjoyed.

Shirota raised his head and looked directly at them to catch their stares. His calm expression suddenly turned sharp. Crumbling under the impact, the students hurriedly averted their eyes. "W-well, our grade sure has a lot of talented people, huh?" Avoiding the topic of this interaction, they resumed their conversation. But Shirota knew this discussion would be pointless. He took his sheet music in hand and stood up.

"But y'know… it's because 'that guy' is here." The end of these conversations was always the same. "The moment I saw that guy on stage at last year's Newcomer's Performance, I lost all hope." The cheery atmosphere immediately turned and a heavy air permeated the classroom. "As long as that guy is here, us in the 77th class are…" Shirota and the other second-years were part of the 77th class year in the history of Univeil Drama School. And in that 77th class, everyone had been cursed by the existence of just one person. This doesn't just apply to our class though, does it? It affected the third-years in the 76th class and the first-years in the 78th class too.

Leaving the classroom, he closed the door as if to shut out everything. It's pointless

He fled the group's vortex and went to the terrace next to the Univeil school building. This place, covered in vibrant plants mixed with the smell of flowers, enveloped him in a peaceful atmosphere Siiigh Shirota released a big breath from deep in his lungs, sat on the bench, and opened his sheet music. The Newcomer's Performance vocal section. It was a performance for the newly enrolled first-years to be in lead roles, but Shirota and the other older students would be on stage as well. The duty to support the first-years seemed burdensome to him. Staring at his music sheet, he began to play the song in his head to see the shape of it. Huh?

Suddenly the song was scrambled by noisy footsteps in the distance. Going this way and that, the sound started moving towards Shirota. "Oh, it's Shirota! Working hard today!" Echoing even louder than the footsteps, that clear voice penetrated the ears he was trying to cover. The one who came to greet him with the sunny face to match his personality was the brand new Jack of Quartz, Suzu Orimaki. He had barely just enrolled and was in Shirota's class. "Shut up." "O-oh! My bad!" After being smacked with this unreasonable anger, Suzu sincerely apologized. He didn't avert his eyes the way the students in Shirota's grade did. Shirota's eyes relaxed. "What are you looking around for? The other ones in your grade?" "Whoa, how did you know bro?!" "You're being too loud." "Oh, my bad!" Seeing Suzu quickly cover his mouth, Shirota let out a breath. "I knew because you were wandering all over the place. You're probably looking for Yonaga." Suzu nodded and opened his mouth, "I promised to run lines with those guys on the terrace." He took care to lower his tone of voice a bit, although strangely his voice still reverberated. "…You're with the other first-years a lot huh?" In competition for the good roles with others in their grade, there was often a lot of friction early in the school year. A friction that continued all the way up until graduation in some cases. Images of students in his year flashed in the back of Shirota's mind. "Yeah, they're great guys," Suzu answered with a smile that showed no trace of conflict. "Hmm," Shirota responded vaguely. "Well, sorry for bugging you! I'll be going now!" Suzu gave a short nod and ran off.

As his footsteps faded into the distance, the quiet returned. "…He sure is an energetic one eh?" As if waiting for the right moment, another presence appeared. "Fumi." "Yo." How long had he been there? Without disturbing the quiet, Sarafumi Takashina, the Al Jeanne of Quartz, showed himself. As Shirota was a Jeanne himself, this was the person directly above him. "Kuro would get so excited seeing you talking to the younger students." "Please stop…" The person Fumi called 'Kuro' was the leader of Quartz, Kokuto Neji. He fit in with the rest of those prodigy guys, but to Shirota he was just a bothersome senior. Seeing Shirota make an upset face from deep in his heart, Fumi chuckled. He stood next to Shirota and looked in the direction where Suzu ran off. "Orimaki seems like the type to be friendly with everybody huh?" "No matter what I say, he doesn't back down." "Wherever he goes, the place becomes brighter." "Even just his presence is loud." As soon as Shirota said this, in the distance he could hear, "There you guys are!" It seemed like Suzu had rejoined his classmates. Even with him not present, he was such a loud man. It would probably get even noisier as they started running lines. Or so he thought. Miraculously, Suzu's voice faded and he could no longer hear it. Maybe they changed locations. "Orimaki isn't the only one you've talked to right?" "Hmm, well…" Shirota had an unapproachable energy. While many of his juniors kept their distance to avoid upsetting him, there was one other first-year who approached him like Suzu did. There was this first year with a gentle face whose name kept coming up over and over, from the time he enrolled until being nominated as a Jeanne. This student was always hanging out with Suzu and Yonaga, even the other first-years too sometimes. Maybe those guys changed locations because Orimaki told them I'm here. When he had unpleasant thoughts towards others, all he had to do was reject them. But, if he wasn't like this, how should he be instead? Thinking about it made him a bit tired.

"…Well, Mitsu, it's good to take baby steps," Fumi said in a slow relaxed voice. He spoke as if seeing a future not visible to Shirota himself.

As if surrendering himself to the idea, he quietly replied, "Yeah, we'll see."

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

good evening sex witch!

once upon a time i think i remember seeing you talk about asexual folks who are into kink, either in passing or because someone else asked? i can't find the ask anymore but also i'm on mobile which is famously difficult for tumblr searches. so.

i've been IDing as (and quite comfortable in) what i thought was sex repulsed asexuality for several years. lately i've started wondering if maybe that reservation was rooted in an expectation of "conventional" sex and how much i can't stand mouth action, which - thanks to you in part - i have been reminded there's totally other ways to sex that don't involve mouth acts, etc etc... long story short i have probably had some secret kinks for a while and am just realising now that that's what they are. (this isn't particularly necessary information, but it's more of a grand revelation than i thought it would be and it's not something i can tell any of my friends.)

anyway, while i'm still in this state of tentative figuring things out re. what Sex could mean to me in the future, would you happen to know of any good books/articles/readings regarding asexuality & the kink scene? i think i've heard somewhere about participation without sex, which intrigues me somewhat, but i'll take pretty much anything i can get. information gathering and all of that. if you're willing to share!

(i really appreciate all you do with your sex adventures. i've been following you for a long time and have learned a lot about my body, sex culture, and also the general strength of communication and boundary setting. so. thanks!)

hi anon,

you may have a good time exploring the back catalogs of Evie Lupine, Morgan Thorn, and PupAmp (cohost of Watts The Safeword) who are all youtubers who talk about kink and are on the ace spectrum!

in general, any halfway competent resource on BDSM should be perfectly applicable to you as an asexual person. kink is all about deconstructing expectations around intimacy and building it back up to be a highly personal experience with all the stuff you like and none of the stuff you don't; there are tons of people, ace and otherwise, who are doing kink in ways that have nothing to do with sex. as always, you can do whatever you want forever. if you want to watch other people have sex or get flogged or get used as a chair because you enjoy that in a way that may or may not be sexual, that's completely fine and there's probably a thriving community of people who would love to play that out with you. tl;dr: do whatever you want forever.

(source: my asexual wife and our asexual housemate, who are freaks.)

if you have two hours to kill, Evie Lupine talks a lot about how asexuality fits into the kink scene on this episode of the Ace Couple:

[croik]

what do you dislike about Kayne/the butcher in terms of writing?

Everything 😌

No but really I'll share my thoughts under the cut.

I could probably write an essay about how the introduction of Kayne has already irreparably damaged the show's narrative, but the short version is that by existing, he has erased virtually all stakes, imo. He appeared basically out of nowhere, deflated all tension leading up to the final confrontation with the King in Yellow (who was the main antagonist at the time), and following that confrontation removed all the consequences of it. By undoing Arthur's broken bones and returning John, everything about Arthur's and John's choices on the plateu were invalidated, as well as the choice we the Patrons had made, despite it being billed as a very significant vote. He replaced them with entirely new and completely arbitrary consequences (the memory loss, whatever John's deal is).

His motives may or may not become clear later on, but in the meantime, we're left with a villain who seems to be reshaping the story just for his own amusement, with no regard for the characters' agency or consequences. If Kayne can bring Arthur back from literal death whenever he wants, why should I ever be worried for his safety? Why should I care if John is losing his memory again, when Kayne has full control over his mind and existence? There's no point even wondering what he's after or what the conditions of his deal are until he reveals them himself, and even then, it might just get undone again.

It's contrived, imo. It's lazy. It's a get out of jail free card when you snap a character's femur and then realize you don't want spend time on healing, or come up with some other explanation to get rid of the injury so the plot can barrel forward. He's too powerful, and until he tips his hand, we can't trust that anything else will stick or matter.

Butcher is different, but the problem I have with him is the writing trying too hard to convince us that he's smart/good at this. Him clocking Arthur as blind after a few minutes, after personally watching him READ THE NOTE he himself gave him, and despite none of the other people who spent longer with Arthur noticing, is a desperate bid for us to think he's smart. Him climbing on top of the moving train, where he can't see or hear his quarry, and dropping in exactly when Arthur is next to the specific window, is very dramatic but nonsensical. He chats on and on with the officers, basically shouting at the audience how scary and important he is for far too long.

And he just happened to chase Arthur into an apartment building with a chair and rope set up in the basement. Again it's all a little too convenient. There's a lot about the current scenario that doesn't make much sense logistically, but it doesn't matter because we're just supposed to take the Butcher at his word that he's very good at this.

And hey, I'm not looking for realism. That's not my issue. I just don't like a story telling me that the villain is the best in his field, and then showing him rely on happenstance and luck while he prattles on and on, and sometimes magically intuits something unearned.

(I'm also not a fan of his "oo I'm in love with my victims" shtick, but someone else explained that better already)

Disclaimer these are all my personal feelings and I'm not trying to convince anyone or say you shouldn't like these characters, I fully admit I also have strong personal reasons for disliking them unrelated to the writing so I can't be 100% objective. But who even can be, amirite?

[bloodsalted]

𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐓 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐄𝐑. REPOST DO NOT REBLOG !!

NAME : dixon. been going by it for too long to change it. thought about it a couple times but it's stuck with me for a handful of years now. oop! also not my real name.

PRONOUNS : she/her/numbnuts/idc!

PREFERENCE OF COMMUNICATION : i lose track of tumblr ims very easily. discord is preferred and i will give it to any mutual that might want it!

NAME OF MUSE(S) : dean winchester is my main. i have jack kline @lasthymn and a human oc that gets demon possessed kinda dual muse at @unscriptured . my multi is low activity atm and i'm just replying to what i got at the moment. my spn brainrot is very real.

BEST EXPERIENCE : meeting all the people i have here and enjoying our time together. hanging out with @hostiae / @devourcr at eccc. generally, just the experience of meeting such lovely, awesome partners that become friends and people i cherish. even if we don't speak often. i really do adore the people who i get to share this lil orbit with.

RP PET PEEVES / DEALBREAKERS : not reading my rules. becomes obvious when you don't. especially with a couple character or plot types i list that i don't feel comfortable writing and they get pushed on me. always read rules so you start out on a good page. it's so important! using roleplay to make yourself seem better than others. whether that be that you're more virtuous than them (as my buddy ava said) because they write things you don't like (rant to a bud, get your feelers out, block and move on??) or way more hip, progressive or whatever for plots you do or won't do or fcs or graphics you use. we're all just here writing. it's not that serious. have fun with it. curate your experience. screw anon button on. you'll be way less stressed. and a tiny one. refollowing on repeat. but that just gets a block eventually. and super easy to handle.

MUSE PREFERENCES : flawed heroes, burdened souls that are good people deep down, the distant person that has walls because of self-preservation, kind souls that've been burned too many times that they are cautious to warm up to others. misunderstood, thoughtful types. characters that still need to learn themselves and grow. on the complete opposite side? completely unhinged psychopaths, sociopaths, whatever else that falls under that line.

PLOTS OR MEMES : ava said this really well. memes are the easiest way to get my attention. i don't mind sending them in. or having them sent (though rn my inbox is a little big but i'm working on it, might just take me some time!). and then from there as we build up, if we match well, plotting is something i LOVE to do. i get that some don't though and i'm always more than fine winging it to see what happens. pretty flexible. but i really do love things that stick between muses.

LONG OR SHORT REPLIES : i write a lot most of the time. usually on accident. sometimes i get carried away and am enjoying myself. i, in no way, expect replies to match length and i mean it. i just need smth to work with. i've been keeping some posts purposefully shorter. especially meme replies as i work through my inbox. we can expand or shrink as needed!

BEST TIME TO WRITE : usually really late at night. i'm a night owl with insomnia and, as much as sarah threatens to beat me with a chair? i find sleep difficult. writing helps that!

ARE YOU LIKE YOUR MUSE(S) : i don't know? i'm probably more like dean than i am any of them. but i try to make better choices that won't end up with me getting hurt. though there are people i'd let the apocalypse happen to save. some people are just that important. sorry world. if we're going down. we're going down together at least? dean and i have very very similar music tastes. though some of my stuff would be thrown out the window. we both have stupid humor. we're loyal. i do like my jeans, t-shirts and flannels. but we are VERY different in many ways. or it'd be boring to write someone just like me.

TAGGED BY: @murderdeals TAGGING: anyone who follows me! i'd love to know more about you! tag me so i can read! and this means...YOU'RE IT!

[worm-in-a-trenchcoat]

PSA for those seeing Black Panther 2- Clean up your trash

-

Just because the staff are required to clean the theatres after your movie, doesn’t mean you get to be a slob.

If you buy snacks and drinks, please at least throw away the cups and containers. Don’t leave your extra large drink cup and extra buttered popcorn buckets sitting in your chair, or discarded spilling out onto the floor just because you know you can.

Spilling popcorn or nachos is one thing, but purposely leaving your big trash because you know someone is going to clean up after you, is gross.

Throw your big trash away, there’s like ten trash cans on the way out of the building. You carried it in there you can carry it out 🤷🏾‍♀️.

-

Empty popcorn containers isn’t even close to the worse part of what we have to deal with when cleaning theatres.

We’ve found large drink cups full of piss, condoms (yes, condoms), and this is a used pamper I found last night.

I just started making 12.50 an hour at this job, I do NOT paid paid enough to be your personal maid.

-

Also, at my theatre we have gotten over a thousand people each night for this movie just this weekend. Most theatres, like most places, are understaffed right now and are so short on supplies to the point where some theatres have to share stock with each other.

Please, try to be nice to the staff.

[theteej]

We have to talk about white (and nonBlack) people posting August 5/chair memes

Sigh. Here we are again.

In December 2020, I wrote about why it was a problem, and so uncomfortable for white people sharing Twisted Tea memes.

For those who may not recall, the Twisted Tea memes were created in response to a Black person using the TT to push back forcefully against white racist violence. The images became particularly powerful because they represented a break from the normative lines of racist violence, as in white violence on Black bodies--this time it felt like rooting for the underdog. Black people, because we're clever and awesome, immediately made memes about it. Unfortunately, then white people began sharing them, and it was a profoundly uncomfortable experience. Here's why, again, briefly: Black people were sharing the memes as a cathartic experience about living under a daily lived racial terror that white people cannot ever understand or truly experience in the United States. On August 5 2023, something similar happened again, this time in Montgomery, Alabama, where a Black employee was quickly assaulted by a group of inebriated white boaters. This script is common and familiar to us as Black folks. What was different, however, was the subsequent response--a show of force from Black observers that overwhelmed and viscerally punished the white perpetrators. In many ways it functioned like a revenge fantasy, a cathartic release for people to watch the harm they regular endured or were threatened with daily, reversed in the faces of those who always felt safe. For more on the casual entitlement and innocence of whiteness, see my earlier piece here.

In the midst of the melee, a Black man wielded a folding chair and hit several white attackers. This became a moment of amusement and meme-ification, especially among Black viewers. When Black people share these, it is from a variety of perspectives: First, these are cathartic responses to the visceral, daily violences we suffer as dehumanized people in U.S. society. This disrupts the way we know it 'always goes' for us, and it is a powerful release. Second, the jokey retelling of it, also plays on Black creativity and reminds us of our truth, our stories, and our shared history of struggle and resistance. The problem is, that white (and generally non-Black) internet viewers, then also wanted to share these memes. This is a problem for a few reasons: First, these memes are generated SPECIFICALLY as a response to a type of day-to-day oppressive violence that white people (and to an extent non-Black folk, in other ways) do NOT experience. There is a reversing of racial terror that is meaningful for Black people that is not present for white users.

Second, what is also frustrating, is that this builds on a LONG history of white appropriation of Black cultural productions. Ever since slavery, white people have felt deeply entitled to the art, the work, the creativity of Black people and think that it is communal property. It is not. We are no longer legal property, and our works, our responses, our ways of being are also not communal. Third, what is also so tiresome about this is that white people sharing these images then participate in a messed up process where the white perpetrators-turned-victims in the video become 'ultimate racists,' the obvious type of bad that the white sharer of the video can psychically and performatively distance themselves from. "I'm not like THESE white people," the person can say, as they share the memes, investing in the insidious lie that racism is individual acts, rather than a vast and powerful superstructure that benefits ALL white people, albeit unequally, but at the expense of ALL Black people. In short, stop fucking sharing these memes, white people. They're not for you, and when you do, you both participate in a history of entitled theft AND you also do a shitty thing where you pretend that you don't benefit from daily white racist power. You do. Of course, after writing about this, I've already had multiple white people tell me I'm just being mean and 'reverse racist.' I don't even have time to respond to that any more, because I've already given enough of my free energy out of some misplaced goodness of my heart (and an equally misplaced hope that good faith can help us understand where we're going here.) DO better. Don't share those memes if you're not Black.

[karla-the-elemental-dreamer]

Terra Week 2023 - Day 6 Package

@terrakhweek

Prompts Addressed: Free Day!

Pieces: 1. Drawing of if Terra was a 'teddy' (the race of my creatures you see). 2. Dream recap on questioning Eraqus.

Requires mod/re-share on Twitter (written pieces)?: No - published via Twitlonger.

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

Drawing of if Terra was a 'teddy':

Terra (now): "Why have you given me such a big arm on one side in that picture? Is it to replace using my keyblade? Like that amount of stuffing's gonna knock someone over".

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

Dream recap from SUN 19 MAR - 2023.

The dream recap will take you through in a logical manner; no prior explanations needed.

- START RECAP -

The dream started off with me walking around a slightly distorted version of my high school. I went into the chapel as that’s where I felt Master Eraqus would be situated. In this dream, my high school was rather a campus I owned, and each Kingdom Hearts and Jak&Daxter character lived in amongst different buildings with each other. Upon walking into the chapel, I saw Eraqus (KH3) kneeling and praying at the front table (not an alter).

The reason I went to see Eraqus is because I stated that I actually wanted to ask him some questions for Terra-Week. However, I then stopped myself as I realised I was seeing a deceased person but did not have a dream guide with me. Eraqus said that I didn’t need to worry as he was on my campus and so he was living under my rules. Though that’s when I heard the door opening, I turned around and noticed that Riku (KH3) had come in to accompany me. He went and sat in one the seats, letting Eraqus and I continue talking.

I forgot how I said it exactly, but I started asking Eraqus why he allowed to happen to Terra what had happened in KH-BBS. To begin with, Eraqus gave off an energy like he was sheepish and embarrassed. I think I then asked Eraqus why he didn’t offer help to Terra instead of choosing to believe and side with his old friend. Once again, I have forgotten what Eraqus’ response was. Though eventually, I remember Eraqus saying that darkness was a form of temptation.

He emphasised this by using the example of why Terra ran into nothing but villains on his journey (or at least more villains than good guys). He said that on every turn, he finally admits that Terra was manipulated by merely unfortunate circumstances, and that each encounter was more and more of a temptation. He said that the darkness that Xehanort introduced into Terra during the exam is likely what attracted the villains to him, and how they knew where he was when he arrived in each world.

There was a sub-scene that now played where Terra (KH3) was shown coming down the back Year 11 stairs that led into the chapel. Terra stood as close to the opening as he could without being spotted by anyone else in the room. Terra decided that he was going to eavesdrop on our conversation as he attempted to keep his balance and put his head next to the wall, giving a tiny smile.

Back to the main scene, I then asked why Eraqus decided to seemingly pick favourites (being with Aqua) rather than to actually see through Terra’s hurt and help him, being the father figure that Terra looked up to. And that if Eraqus had perhaps thought he was using Aqua to unintentionally divide the group. Eraqus looked down and sighed in sorrow, I also noticed him sitting on a chair now. He sighed as he said “forgive me”, with a subtle tear rolling down one of his cheeks. I answered Eraqus, “You know that I forgive you Eraqus, this was mentioned in a past dream”. Then from the back chairs, Riku gave a short burst of laughter and piped in, “You just want Terra-Week to think that you haven’t forgiven him”.

With the mention of Terra-Week from Riku, Eraqus then went on to say to me that he wanted them to know that he supports me in anything I post. I have forgotten Eraqus’ final words, but I then noticed Terra peeking from behind the wall to the stairs, so he wasn’t too hidden after all. I asked Terra what he was doing there, but I forgot his answer… Riku was also humoured and intrigued and asked the question in his own way. With the meeting with Eraqus seemingly over, both Riku and Terra walked me out of the chapel, and as were walking towards the front office, the dream ended.

- END RECAP -

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

I already mentioned this; but get ready for the Day 7 finale. I have a surprise in-store which is known neither by the audience or even Terra himself 😉 Only Riku and Ventus have been in on it, with Aqua allowed in the loop.

I expect Terra to be in tears; or am I asking for too much lol?

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

Thank you and see you on Day 7! 28/29 MAR (TZ dependent).

[saraswatitutorials]

How Home Tuition Can Be Your Anchor

Introduction:

Hey there, champs! 🚀 Today, we're going to talk about something we all face – exam stress. But don't worry, because we have a superhero ready to help us navigate through it – home tuition! 📚✨ Get ready for "Sailing Through Exam Stress: How Home Tuition Can Be Your Anchor." Let's dive in and discover how learning at home can make exams a breeze.

Understanding Exam Jitters:Exams can feel like riding a rollercoaster, right? 🎢 The butterflies in the stomach, the racing heart – that's exam stress. But guess what? It's normal, and everyone feels it. Home tuition is here to be your anchor, providing support and helping you ride the exam rollercoaster with confidence.

Comfort of Home Learning:Imagine studying in your comfy pajamas, surrounded by familiar things. 🏡 Home tuition brings the classroom right to your cozy space. No need to stress about strange places or uncomfortable chairs. You get to learn in the comfort of your home, making studying a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Personalized Attention:Have you ever felt lost in a sea of questions? 🌊 Home tuition gives you a lifeguard – your tutor! They offer personalized attention, focusing on your unique needs. No question is too small or too big. With your tutor by your side, every concept becomes clear, and you feel more confident.

Flexible Learning Hours:Exam times can be a whirlwind of schedules, right? ⏰ Home tuition is like a magic wand that lets you choose when to study. You and your tutor can decide the best times that suit you. No more rushing or stressing about fixed hours. Learning becomes flexible and stress-free.

Stress-Busting Techniques:Dealing with stress is like learning a new skill. 🎭 Home tutors aren't just about textbooks; they're also your stress-busting guides. They can share cool techniques like deep breathing or short breaks to help you stay calm and focused during your study sessions.

Building Confidence Brick by Brick:Ever seen a builder construct a strong building brick by brick? 🧱 That's how your tutor helps build your confidence. They start with small concepts, making sure each one is strong before moving to the next. As your confidence grows, exams start feeling like conquerable challenges.

Fun Learning Games:Learning can be as fun as playing your favorite game! 🎲 Your tutor can turn study sessions into exciting games. Whether it's a quiz, a crossword, or a memory game, learning becomes a playful adventure. No more dull moments – just pure fun while you prepare for exams.

Breaking Down Big Topics:Big topics can be like mountains, right? 🏔️ Your tutor is like a mountain guide, breaking down those big topics into manageable steps. They help you climb one step at a time, making the journey less overwhelming. Before you know it, you've conquered the mountain of knowledge.

Regular Check-Ins:Imagine having a study buddy who checks in on you regularly. 👋 Your tutor does just that! They make sure you're on track, understand the lessons, and don't feel lost. It's like having a friend who cares about your success and is there to guide you through the study seas.

Celebrating Small Victories:In the midst of exams, it's essential to celebrate the small wins. 🎉 Your tutor becomes your cheerleader, celebrating every correct answer, every solved problem. It's not just about the big exam day; it's about acknowledging your efforts and progress every step of the way.

if you need home tuition for you and your children then i suggest you Saraswati tutorials because it is the best home tuition in Dehradun because they provide best home tutor in Dehradun if you want more information then type Best home tuition near me or Best home tutor near me in your Google search browser and you will get more information ABOUT SARASWATI TUTORIALS.

[reasoningdaily]

GREENWOOD Dist.--Kimberly Jones remembers watching her grandpa build his own home back when white realtors would largely refuse to sell homes to Black people. As a science teacher in Lawton, Oklahoma, Jones taught her students to recreate the self-reliance that birthed Black Wall Street through the construction of 3-D models of the most prosperous Black neighborhood in U.S. history.

As a science teacher for Lawton Public Schools and the Science Department Chair at MacArthur High School, Jones wanted to teach the engineering component of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) in a creative way. So, during the summer of 2022, she and her students went to work.

On Monday, May 22, the teacher will showcase the project at the Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa.

“Once it was completed the community loved it, and the kids loved it,” Jones said. “Not only did they talk about the structure and the landscape prior to the massacre, I made them study different individuals. So, the kids held up the posters, and the people could ask about the individuals who owned the businesses.”

Remembering Dr. A.C. Jackson

One of the notable figures the students learned about included Dr. Andrew Chesteen Jackson. Recognized as the most capable Black surgeon at the time, Dr. A.C. Jackson was a specialist in treating infectious diseases and served patients of all races. At 42 years old, as he raised his arms to surrender to the white mob on May 31, 1921, Dr. A.C. Jackson was shot dead in cold blood.

Yet during his short life, he proved the potential for any person to become successful regardless of skin color.

“He was the foremost colored physician in the southwest and was held in high regard not only by members of his own race, but also by many prominent whites,” The Tulsa Daily World wrote days after the massacre, according to archives shared with the National Institutes of Health.

The National Medical Association, which has represented African American physicians since the late 1800s, recognized the huge loss Dr. Jackson’s death represented to the community. The NMA established a Tulsa Doctor’s Relief Fund immediately after the massacre.

Reclaiming the narrative of the brilliance of Black Wall Street

Today, the Greenwood Rising Museum sits on the land that once housed Dr. Jackson’s medical practice on Black Wall Street.

“My family, myself, we take umbrage at the fact that folks who are not related to us are trying to prevent us from protecting the legacy of our great relative,” Dr. Jackson’s great-great nephew John Adams said in March after a court hearing in which lawyers for the museum and the Hille Foundation argued that Adams didn’t have a right to oversee the land.

Determined to show the prowess of Black Wall Street’s leaders, Jones said she’s excited to showcase the project at the Greenwood Cultural Center on Monday.

“It was important to me because, being from Oklahoma, there was so much history that was not in our history books,” Jones told The Black Wall Street Times. With Republicans in Oklahoma and nationwide launching attacks on Black history and diversity programs, Jones thought it was the perfect time.

“It’s a good way to teach our kids from a different perspective. Because to me the courage and wisdom of those who were on Black Wall Street, that needs to be taught to our kids,” Jones said.

Honoring “Magic City”

Moving forward, Jones is working on a screenplay titled “The Doctor’s Letters” about Dr. Jackson and the many Black doctors that were prominent in the state before the massacre.

Photos taken in May 1920 show dozens of Black medical, dental and pharmaceutical professionals at a meeting of the State Medical, Dental and Pharmaceutical Association in front of Williams Dreamland Theatre on Black Wall Street.

“The visitors to the State Medical, Dental and Pharmaceutical which met in Tulsa last week will not soon forget the generous hospitality extended to them by the citizens of the “Magic City” in the real Tulsa way,” the description on the 1920 photo reads.

[realfactsnlogic]

on apologizing, grovelling and sympathy-fishing

This is a bit of a trauma-dump. But this is my blog and I do what I want with it. And I also want to share my story to the world.

In this post I will talk about my uneasy history and strained relationship with apologies and forgiveness.

Note to self: Share this with the therapist. This is a juicy topic.

CW: I will be talking about abuse I went through as a child (physical, emotional, emotional neglect). Please love and care for yourselves and don’t read if you feel this will bother you.

Then

I was probably 3 or 4 years old. I don’t remember doing this--I don’t have the photographic memory of it burned into my brain, but apparently I hit some kid. My mom took me home, stood me on a chair so that I could reach her height--

And she slapped me. I was in tears, in that ‘child sobbing’ voice, trying to repeat what she tells me.

Something like, “(name), I am sorry.”

Of course, when you’re talking to a child, you need to break the sentence down into pieces. 

So it was more like, “(name) -- I am -- sorry.”

Between those dashes, I would repeat what she said.

The day after that, I literally forgot what she told me.

So when I went back to school, she took me to a rug where the kid was and got me to recite what she told me. I couldn’t remember, so I repeated what was prompted.

I don’t have this memory unless I’m in a certain state. Sometimes I don’t think it’s mine. I still need to accept that regardless of anything, I did it. I did it in this body, so this memory should be considered mine.

There was another incident like this:

In Kindergarten, one end of recess, I followed my friend group back to the building. I did not know that they hid some kid--one that was way older than us, but very sensitive. He might have been of a protected classification, I think. But that’s none of my business. Anyways, my friends had to line up and shake his hand, saying “I’m sorry, Aaron” (was that his name?)--but I, stubborn I, would refuse to. I remained on the couch and shook my head because I did not hit this kid. Still, I walked with these friends and so I pay their consequences.

I actually wrote about this incident in high school. I’ll see if I can dig up the full story to post about it here.

There’s more to this. About how I got M-RTU’d in 2016 because I couldn’t handle too much collective punishment, about how I fucked up real bad with a small fandom in 2018, so on and so forth.

From what I learned in therapy, childhood memories are factors in tendencies in adulthood.

Now

So as I grew up, these memories and other factors made a ‘person’ (more like a dead man walking) who has the reputation of being hard on himself. Yet, he remains to be a hard worker. He’s all about that Sigma Male Grindset, all about that T Guy Swag...but something about him is always missing. Always off. And we wouldn’t know until the bad things happen, and then we start calling him selfish.

All of these are true. Almost. They’re only true if you refuse to hear his side of the story.

“WAH WAH! I DON’T WANNA HEAR IT!”(Or: The Part Where I Look Like I’m Self-Victimizing)

I’m almost always the first one who’s apologizing (which is fine, if I know I started it). When people come to me to apologize, what apologies do I get back? Short sentences when I deserve paragraphs. Okay, that’s a little entitled, but I’d rather get an insight on their feelings in the moment and their intentions than...whatever the hell I got.

I don’t do “short and sweet”. I do “long and bitter”. I was taught that to apologize, you have to name your wrongdoings and either offer a way to rectify it (if appropriate, otherwise make a small promise of stopping a habit and how). No asking for anything, not even for forgiveness itself, not even for the deletion of things you made for each other.

The fact that my values don’t align with some people says and said a lot about how I conducted myself around people I once considered a friend until they didn’t want me to anymore.

Then again, they don’t owe me anything. They don’t need to walk me through the whole process of their wrong doing like I did (albeit without their consent. I have a habit of over-explaining.)

People who really don’t like you aren’t worth your time trying to please. I had to learn that the hard way. I also had to learn that I have to accept people’s opinions of me, regardless of the negativity--not to wallow in the negative ones, but to either move on from them (if destructive) or learn from them (if constructive.)

And in this case? It feels like the middle. I know I can’t change those opinions. That’s fine. I don’t need or have to do the work to convince that change. Change is a choice and it’s their choice as to change their opinion of me.

What Craving External Validation Does to MFs (Or: The Part Where I Attempt to Get Introspective)

Let’s not get started on how I have difficulty forgiving myself. Especially when I knew I was at fault for an occasion. Even if other people forgave me, I couldn’t forgive myself.

That’s what craving external validation does to mfs.

Just as how I’d have unusual methods of self-harm, I had an unusual method of sympathy-fishing via self-victimization. Before I go into that, however, I will say I have engaged in classical self-victimization ala “i’m gonna tell everyone i know what happened so i can get their sympathy!” or “i’m gonna put passive-aggro lyrics in my Discord status to show these mfs how i feel!” and whatever else I can’t think of in the moment.

The “going around telling everyone” thing is really done with the intention of getting different opinions, actually. Still, two things can be true at the same time. So I can understand where outsiders come from when they say I look like I’m self-victimizing. And they’re right. It does appear like that regardless of intent. Also, nobody likes a broken record.

This time, however, the way I went about self-victimization/sympathy-fishing was different. I’m still trying to wrap my head around how self-demonization counts. I think I have an idea, where it’s like: “Wah, it’s all my fault! You should pity me now.”

I acted like I was the villain for everything. I acted like everything was my fault, whether I really did anything or not. In my mind, inaction is action. I let my guilt and shame take over whenever I start craving that sympathy fix.

Hell, I wasn’t even thinking that the kind of attention I wanted was sympathy. Then again, how would you know when you’re at an unstable state?

Conclusion

If any readers stumble upon this, and feels it is familiar: maybe it is--for you.

And if you read this and know (almost) exactly what I’m talking about: What are you doing on my page, and I will once again apologize. Perhaps a thousand times.

I can wait 1000 years to be apologized to and much more to be forgiven, no matter how severe the damage. But some people can’t and that’s okay.

Fuck this shit, I’m gonna play a different game now.

[aimless-imagines-for-fun]

Heat Up

Pairing :: Rick Flag x short/petite fem!Reader

Warnings :: 18+ Content, NSFW/SMUT, Size Kink

Word Count :: 2,439

Summary :: Rick isn’t too happy Digger tries to tease you

A/N :: I was gonna make a fic about someone else, but then I saw The Suicide Squad trailor and goddamn Joel Kinnaman. I love that tall beautiful bastard. Also, I’m not super happy about the title, but it was all I could come up with, meh

As Amanda Waller’s assistant, you had to deal with a lot daily. It wasn’t just about making sure she got her black coffee right when she walked into the building and managing her scheduled meetings. You had to ensure everything, and one, was in order for her. If someone told you they were running late, you forced them to be on time. You carefully inspected each report and corrected them before turning them into Waller. You got her any top-secret document she needed and kept it hidden. Hell, you even helped her with Task Force X, going through the list of criminals and writing down a thorough analysis of each potential member’s abilities.

Despite working for a woman who was heartless and calculating, you were as timid as a mouse. You rarely spoke to others unless you needed to. After working for Waller for several years, you found it best not to make any personal relationships with the people you met. She warned you most didn’t last very long and very few could be trusted.

One person who had stuck around though and  Waller seemed to even trust Colonel Rick Flag. You two started working for her around the same time, and yet, you could barely hold a conversation with the man. 

When you first met him, you constantly felt overwhelmed whenever you were left alone with him. It didn’t help that he appeared rather intimidating, with a serious expression almost always on his face, and towered over you. He was 6’2’’, and even in your favorite pumps, which added a good three inches to your height, you were still, smaller than him in frame.

However, regardless of your inability to speak around him, he continuously tried to start conversations with you and be friendly towards you. His constant attempts helped you grow used to him, but your face always heated up and you grew ridged when he got too close when you were alone. You didn’t understand the feeling, nor did you didn’t hate the feeling. It confused you.

-

Rick was absolutely perplexed by your meek behavior, especially since he’d witness before how assertive you could get when it came to getting something done for your shared boss. 

So it was no wonder he worried about you whenever Waller brought you along to see the Task Force X members. They were psychotic criminals, and you were like a slab of meat to some of them. You almost always wore a skirt or dress with a pair of pumps or oxford flats. Rick would be lying if he said you didn’t look perfect every hour of the day. 

He used to wonder if you were actually as innocent as you acted outside of work. Then, he saw you run as fast as you possibly could when Harley tried to give you what she called ‘wholesome safe dating advice’.

Since then, Rick did his best to make sure you were at least arm’s length away from any psycho. He even went as far as stepping right in front of you when someone got too close. Somehow, standing either beside you or a bit in front of you had become a habit of his when he noticed you were uncomfortable. 

Like now.

-

Waller sent you and Rick to a hidden ARGUS base hidden in the woods. Rick was obviously there to lead the team. You were there to give them their mission and an extensive overview.

There was a row of chairs for each Task Force X member to sit in. You stood in front of them with a large screen behind you, displaying various diagrams and photos for the mission. Rick stood off to the side, just behind all the seated members.

You looked away from your presentation, the projector turning off and the lights on. “So, are there any questions?”

Harley’s hand shot up. “Did you want me to continue giving you dating advice now or would you prefer I write it all down and give it to you later?”

Your eyes squinted and your lips curved downward just a bit. “What- no. That has nothing to do with the missions and I don’t need your advice…” Your voice trailed off, at a loss on how to deal with Harley.

Rick took a step forward. “Harley, stop it,” He warned her.

The blonde rolled her eyes. “Fine, but only because I think someone has a major crush on you (Y/N) and I wanna see if he makes a move.”

You were silent for a moment, processing what she had said before your eyes widened upon realization. Surprised, you couldn’t stop yourself from confirming what you had heard. “What did you say?”

“Nothing!” She sang, springing up from her seat.

“Hold on, now I’m interested too,” Floyd chimed in. “Now just who do you think it is that has a crush on lil ol’ (Y/N). I mean, no offense,” He glanced at you before turning his head back to Harley, “but she’s too skittery.”

Digger hopped up from his seat, shaking his head. “Nah mate, that adds on to her appeal.”

He started walking towards you and instinctively you started to back away until your back was against the wall. As he was getting closer, Digger’s hand started to extend, reaching out for you.

“See, it makes it fun to try and catch her.”

You shut your eyes, ready to scream the second he dared touching you. Instead of feeling what you thought would be cold dirty fingers, you heard Digger begin to plead.

“Woah! I was only joking around! Let me go!”

Eyes now wide, you saw Rick hoisting the Aussie up in the air by the collar of his shirt. If looks could kill, Digger’s head would be gone. 

“What are the rules?” He asked in a cold tone.

“No escaping and no disobeying,” Digger said quickly.

“Oh! Also no annoying or vexing you!” Harley added.

Rick still held Digger up. “And?”

Confused, Digger looked at Floyd for help who nodded his head towards you. “And-and no touching or teasing (Y/N)?”

Rick released Digger, throwing him towards the door. “Everyone out. We leave at zero one hundred hours.”

All of the criminals walked out of the room. Rick followed to make sure the door was closed once they were out, and locked the door.

You stepped away from the wall, straightening out your black pencil skirt. “Thank you for earlier Colonel Flag.”

“Rick. We’re alone,” He corrected you.

Around others at work, you addressed each other professionally: Colonel Flag and Ms. (L/N). Alone, Rick had started trying to get you used to calling him his name to be more comfortable around him.

“Right, thank you, Rick.”

You were about to clean up and reorganize your notes when you noticed Rick still seemed upset. He had the same annoyed expression he had when the criminals were around and his arms were crossed over his chest.

You cocked your head to the side. “Is something wrong?”

“What were you going to do?” He started walking forward.

“Pardon?”

“What were you going to do if he touched you?”

Your brows furrowed. Why was he asking this?  “Most likely yell at him and push him away.”

“And then?”

“And then what?” Now, you were starting to get annoyed.

Rick stopped a foot away from you, eyes piercing down at you. “What if he didn’t stop?”

“He wouldn’t dare continue.”

“How do you know?”

“Because you’ll keep me safe.”

Quickly, you realized what you said and turned your head to avoid his gaze. With a blush creeping onto your cheeks, your heart started to beat faster when he took one step closer to you.

Rick gently grabbed your chin with his thumb and index, turning your head to face him. You looked up at him with your large (E/C) eyes and that odd tingling feeling started up.

“What if I’m not there to keep you safe?”

“You always are.”

Like a flip was switched, Rick suddenly knew why he constantly wanted to make sure you were always alright. You worked for a harsh realist like Waller, but still naively believed good always prevailed. He wanted to make sure you never lost the blissful joy most did when they faced the harsh reality of the world.

His head lowered towards yours until his lips were pressed softly against yours. It was a simple kiss at first. Rick was unsure of how far he could go until you gently returned the kiss. Your hands went up to his chest and he lowered to your waist to pull you closer.

Wrapped in his arms, the odd tingling feeling turned into a warm little flame. You wanted to stay held like this forever. 

When he pulled away, you lightly gripped his shirt and tugged. “Rick, I want more.”

“Are you sure, because it might be sweet now, but if we keep going-”

Without letting him finish, you pressed another kiss against his lips. Again, you two sweetly kissed for a few minutes. Then, you felt one of his hands lower down to the round of your ass. A small gasp escaped you upon being lifted, your legs wrapped around him for support. Your skirt bunched up revealing your thighs as a result.

Rick pulled away from your lips, begging to trail down kisses to your neck.

You knew what you two were doing, more importantly, where, was inappropriate. Though with your mind clouded, you didn’t care. You only wanted to make sure you two wouldn’t be disrupted.

“The-the door,” Your murmured,

“Already taken care of,” He said, lips pressed against your neck.

Rick started walking slowly, carrying you over to the row of chairs. Before he took a seat, he put you back down on your feet.

Suddenly, the world spun and you were now seated on his lap, back pressed firmly against his chest. His arms hugged you close to him while he continued to kiss your neck.

Due to your skirt bunched up, you could feel his denim jeans below you. With heat growing in you, without thinking, you started to move your hips in his lap.

A small chuckle left him. One of his arms released its hold on you to start trailing up and down the side of your thigh. “Is this why you’re always so tense when we’re alone?” His hand moved to your inner thigh, coming closer to your core.

Your hands shot up to cover your blushing face. Was this why? You never quite understood why before, but it was starting to make sense now.

Rick’s other hand pulled your hands down. When he wrapped his arm around you again, he made sure to keep your arms down as well so you couldn’t hide your face.

“Come on now, don’t be shy. It’s just us.”

“Mmm!”

You bit your lip feeling him begin to rub your clit through your damp panties. You started to squirm a bit, a clear bulge forming and pressing up against you. He pushed the fabric to the side, inserting only one finger. You moaned softly, your legs spreading open and welcoming him. 

Rick pushed in his one finger as deep as he could before pulling it completely out and sticking it back in. This time, his finger curved in you and you felt your cunt tighten. When it did, he stuck a second finger in you. His fingers pumped at a consistent pace, and you kept your moans at a low volume. 

You could feel his hardened erection through his jeans pressing firmly against you now. With his fingers still pumping, you started moving your hips along to feel his covered length.

Rick let out a quiet curse, the tightness of his jeans too much. He let go of his hold on you to unbuckle his pants and release his cock.

“I tried to get you ready, but,” He pulled his fingers out completely, both hands now gripping your hips and lifting you up, “this might still hurt a bit.”

He started lowering you down on him and your eyes widened once he had gotten just the head of his dick in. The further he pushed in, the more pain you felt, your eyes growing glossy as a result. He lowered you until you were seated on him again and he was fully filling you up.

You could feel your pussy aching and tightening around him, never being filled up this much before.

“Christ you have a tight little cunt,” Rick gritted out.

Honestly, he surprised himself you managed to take all of him in, but he knew you were in pain. He wanted to give you time to adjust to his length, even if your clenching walls were driving him mad. Though, you could tell by his tight grip on your hips, staying still was driving him mad.

To distract yourself from the pain, you turned your head back to look up at him and pulled him down for another kiss. This time, his tongue slipped into your mouth, exploring the wet space.

During the kiss, you finally started bouncing up and down in his lap. He helped guide you, keeping you at a steady pace. 

With your tight pussy squeezing around him, Rick couldn’t keep the pace you had set. He started thrusting his pelvis up and moved you down on him faster. Eventually, you were no longer in any control while he fucked you. Then, he pulled you out completely and rammed back into you, slamming you down.

“Rick!” You screamed, a sensitive spot now hit.

He did it again and again, your screams growing louder each time he hit your sweet spot. 

Each of your breaths was growing heavier, and his fast pace was now ragged. He hit you once more and your head fell back against his chest, a loud moan leaving your lips. Your cunt clenching and finally releasing around him.

With just a few more thrusts, Rick’s hips bucked into you and he held you still for one moment so he could cum inside you. You felt his cock pulse with each hot spurt in you, causing a shiver. 

After, he moved you only a few more times slowly for you each to ride out your climaxes. Once done, he pulled you off of him and stood up.

Rick wrapped an arm around your shoulder, holding you close to him as you each steadied your breathing.

“So, I take it you’ll start acting normal now when we’re alone?” He asked you.

“I’ll probably heat up thinking about this.”

“I’m fine with that too.”

[watchmegetobsessed]

Mine Again - Harry Styles

a/n: this is something i just thought about after my nap today lol, so enjoy this treat, a classic exlovers to lovers fic!

pairing: Harry x Famous!Reader

word count: 3.4k

masterlist

Seeing an ex is never easy. Whether it’s by your choice or not. Working together with an ex is even harder and now you brought a situation on yourself where this is your reality.

Arriving to the studio of The Late Late show you immediately get escorted to your designated dressing room where a hair and makeup artist are already waiting for you. Today you are here to promote your new movie, Don’t Worry Darling with your onscreen lover, Harry Styles, however, what no one else in the building knows is that once the two of you were real life lovers.

Your romance blossomed during filming, having spent so much time together on set, it didn’t take long for a relationship to form between you and him, the chemistry you shared was immense and undeniable, anyone could see that and you felt like you were burning in a bonfire of the most intense feelings you’ve felt for any man. It was passionate and intoxicating, it felt like something that could only happen in movies, but it was your reality.

However filming ended and you were forced to go your separate ways, you both tried hard to keep what you had and though your feelings never changed, distance brought the worst out of the both of you. Six months after you became an item, you mutually agreed to break it off.

You haven’t seen him since then, meaning that it’s been five torturous months without having any contact with him and now that promo has officially kicked in, you are forced to travel around and make appearances with the man you love, yes, still love more than anyone on this Earth. Not even five months and absolutely no contact could change your feelings for him, however he might already be over you at this point, having forgotten about feelings and memories you still hold close to your heart.

How has he been doing? What is he like now? Has he been thinking about you? Does he miss you? What is it going to be like to see him for the first time?

The questions flood your mind as you sit in the chair and let the professionals work their magic on you, covering up the dark circles under your eyes that formed due to the sleepless night you had the day before, nonstop thinking about Harry and what it’ll be like to see him for the first time again.

After careful elimination, you choose a dress for the appearance, it’s tight and short, the fabric is covered in glittering sequins down your body and the long sleeves as well and while the dress covers a lot up from the waist, it makes up in the lack of length on your legs as the end of it barely reaches the upper part of your thighs, ending it black feathers that tickle your freshly shaven legs. The nude heels add even more to them, making you appear like you could hit the runway any moment when in reality you are not high enough to be a model.

There’s still some time until the taping starts, James drops by to say hello and tell you how excited he is to have you and Harry on tonight and you chit-chat for a little before you go to take a quick business call outside. When you’re done with that, you head back to your dressing room to take a few quick photos to post later, but right as you near your destination, a door swings open down the hallway and Harry steps out, wearing a black suit, of course, head to toe Gucci. The crispy grey shirt’s first few buttons are left undone, allowing you a glimpse of his toned chest and his necklace with the tiny cross pendant on it.

He looks good. No, he looks absolutely stunning, just like he always does and just the sight of him takes your breath away, forcing you to stop in your tracks when you lay your eyes at him. He spots you as well, stopping to take a look at you before you see a small smile on his perfect pink lips.

“Y/N, hi! You look… gorgeous,” he speaks up lowly, his eyes raking your body up and down.

“I, uhh—Thanks!” you breathe out, feeling already flustered. How are you gonna survive the interview, sitting next to him, talking about what it was like to play a married couple?!

His hand moves a bit and there’s a moment of awkwardness, neither of you really knowing what to do, last time you saw each other you kissed as your hellos, but now it’s not an option, obviously. At last, he moves forward and goes for a hug.

He envelopes you in his arms as you wrap yours around his neck, the warmth of his body bringing you a sense of home and it hits you hard how much you’ve missed him in these five months.

You swear he holds you just a second longer than what would be appropriate before his arms fall from around your frame and you force yourself to let go of him, though every fiber in you is protesting against it.

“How—How have you been?” he asks, his beautiful green eyes finding yours.

“I’m good. I’m good,” you nod. “What about you?”

“Same. Just the… usual stuff.”

“Writing music?” you ask with a soft smile. You still vividly remember those nights you spent together after a long day of filming, crashing at either his or your place and you often found him strumming his guitar in a corner, scribbling words down into his notebook. Sometimes he sang you the songs he came up with, sometimes he kept them to himself.

“Yeah, I’ve been writing a lot lately,” he admits with a shy smile.

Someone calls his name down the hallway and his head snaps up before looking back at you.

“I gotta go, but I’ll see you soon, right?”

“Yeah,” you nod, stepping aside so he can walk past.

“And you really look amazing, Y/N,” he calls after you one last time before jogging down the hallway.

You walk into your dressing room and shutting the door you lean your back against it, huffing heavily as you try to recollect yourself. Somehow, this encounter went really well, because the two of you were civil and respectful, but it was also a painful shock to see him in the flesh again. It was one thing to see pictures of him here and there, but actually meeting him, hugging him, talking to him… you need time to process it all.

Unfortunately, you don’t have much of that. Twenty minutes later you are walked to your spot behind the curtains from where you’ll walk out when James calls your name. Just as you arrive Harry appears as well, casually talking with one of the camera guys, having a laugh and just as he sees you, his eyes fall down your body again and you swear you see him gulp hard before turning his attention back to the man.

“Ready?” he asks upon walking up to you, a hand coming to rest on your lower back. Glancing over your shoulder you look down at his hand, lips parted at the feeling of his welcoming touch. He sees your glance and pulls his hand back quickly. “Sorry, it’s a habit, I guess,” he mumbles, blushing softly.

“It’s fine,” you smile. Of course it’s fine, for what you care, he could throw you over his shoulder like a cave man and run out of the building, you wouldn’t say a word. You want his touch on your body, you’ve been craving it since the moment you last saw him, but are you even allowed to admit it? You have no idea what he is thinking or feeling, you can’t just come right at him like that.

Harry fixes the lapels of his suit jacket, but what he doesn’t see is that the collar of his shirt is kind of stuck under the jacket.

“Your shirt is… let me fix it,” you breathe out and he turns to face you, letting your delicate hands fix his outfit, perfecting the look to the tiniest bit. “There, you look great,” you smile, your hands sliding down his chest before they fall to your sides again.

“Thank you,” he nods smiling back at you before offering an arm that you take gladly. He knows how much you hate high heels and that you are always scared of tripping and falling and being the gentleman that he is, he’ll be the support you need.

The taping soon starts and the two of you stand patiently behind the curtain as James introduces you.

“And now, please welcome the stars of the upcoming hit movie, Don’t Worry Darling! Ladies and gentlemen, Y/N Y/L/N and Harry Styles!”

The crowd starts clapping and cheering as the curtain moves and the two of you walk in, arms linked and Harry makes sure to slow down when you walk down the few little stairs. James welcomes the both of you with two kisses before everyone takes their place, James behind his desk, you and Harry sitting on the couch.

“Thank you so much for dropping by tonight, guys!” James smiles at the two of you.

“Thank you for having us,” Harry nods with a soft smile.

“You both have been guests on the show separately, but tonight you are here as a pair, since your latest movie, Don’t Worry Darling is hitting the theaters this weekend. How are you feeling about that, excited to see the film finally?”

“Very excited,” you nod with a smile. “I can’t wait to see the final version, because obviously we only know the version we envisioned while filming, but the actual movie is going to be something else.”

“Y/N, your role in the movie was originally handed to Florence Pugh who had to step back because she broke her arm,” James points out and you nod.

“Yes, I stepped in her place just about a week before production started and if I’m being honest I was scared that people would prefer to see her in the role, but I had a talk with her actually and she said she helped Olivia, the director to pick out the person to take her place and she said she instantly knew I would be perfect for it, so I trust her.”

“That’s amazing to hear, that the two of you didn’t have any rivalry going on,” James enthuses.

“She actually visited set a few times,” Harry chimes in and you nod.

“Yeah, we had a great time together.”

“Sounds like a lot of fun, the three of you together,” James chuckles. “So, the two of you play a married couple in the film and if I’m not mistaken you didn’t know each other beforehand. Was it hard to get into the roles with not much background on each other?”

“We met up a few times before filming started to get to know each other more and I think we hit it off right away, so it wasn’t hard for me,” Harry speaks up and you nod along.

“It was obviously a little different situation than when you meet someone and become friends, because as we got to know each other more, we had to go through scenes that were meant for a couple that was already years into their relationship, but I think it strengthened our friendship,” you answer, hands laid flat on your bare thighs.

No lie has been told, everything you said was the truth. You just left out the part where you become real life lovers and started dating a month into production.

“Y/N, you’ve been acting for a while now, have quite a few roles under your belt, what did you think of Harry’s acting?”

“I think that he is a wonderful actor and I hope people will give him his much deserved credit for it. He is often still seen as just a silly singer from a former boy band and they don’t take him seriously when he really is a very talented man. You’ll see in the movie as well, his role was a tough one, needed a lot of work and a wide range of emotions, but I think he did an amazing job.”

You dare to glance at him at the end of your little speech and for a moment you forget about the audience, James and the cameras. He is looking at you with so much gratitude and thankfulness. You remember every talk you had where he opened up to you about wanting to be taken seriously in the acting business, that he is not trying to be just a joke and another failed attempt of a singer to try himself out in movies. He told you how scared he is of not being good enough when you saw him every day on set and you were blown by his eternal talent and special take on his role. He deserves to be praised, he deserves every bit of it.

“It was easy, I had a great partner to learn from,” he smiles softly and you feel the heat crawling up your neck.

“You two really have the chemistry we’ve heard so much about, I can’t wait to see it on the big screen!” James sighs. “Tell me a little about what it was like to film? You guys spent a lot of time together, must have made a lot of memories.”

You take a deep breath as all those memories mentioned flood your mind. You had the best time of your life not just with Harry, but with the whole crew. Leaving after production was wrapped really broke your heart.

“It didn’t even feel like working,” Harry starts. “We always joked around, had lunch or dinner together, we were like a big family. It was so nice to have so many amazing, talented and hard-working people around you all day.”

“The jokes never stopped,” you add chuckling.

“I wish I could have been on set!” James laughs wholeheartedly. “That didn’t happen, but we have a little something. The crew has put together a short BTS video of the filming, so let’s have a look at that,” he announces and the video starts playing on every screen in the studio.

It’s a short little montage, but it captures the vibes of filming just perfectly. Clips shown from set are not just of you and Harry, but all the other cast and crew members. Goofing around, having lots and lots of laughs, dancing on set, which happened quite often and just all of you having a great time. Some of the slips however pain your chest, the ones of you and Harry.

This was very early into your relationship, no one on set even knew you were together, but seeing yourself on the screen you can’t deny the sparkles in your eyes every time you were around him.

A clip shows the two of you between two takes, doing a goofy dance in the kitchen of the home that was used as the set of the house of your characters, you are both wearing your costumes, Harry looks great in his suit and your long retro dress is flowing around you with every movement you make. He grabs you by your waist and spins you before you end up in his arms laughing crazily, you were so happy, so carefree. You wish you could go back to that moment…

Another footage was taken in your trailer when Harry took the place of Clare, your makeup artist and tried to do your eyeliner but miserably failed. In the video, he is gently clasping your chin, angling your face for himself as his other hand is working on the line, but it’s wobbly and way too thick, so you both end up just laughing when you check yourself in the mirror.

And there are some small moments of the two of you, moving around on set, lying in bed between takes, sitting in your chairs while eating, just tiny memories you still cherish so much and wish to live through again, but it’s the past. And it wouldn’t hurt this much if you knew Harry from the video was still yours.

When the video ends you need to blink a few times as your eyes have watered a little. You catch Harry’s gaze and he looks worried, he clearly wants to ask if you’re okay, make sure it was just the sentimentality of the moment, but he doesn’t have the chance, the cameras are still rolling.

“That looked like so much fun! Next time make sure to invite me on set too!” James jokes and you force a laugh out of yourself.

A few questions are asked about future plans and just generally about your careers before the taping finally ends. You thank James for the invite again and a photo is taken of the three of you, you standing in the middle with the two men on your sides. When everything is settled, you head to your dressing room, using the chance to slip away silently while Harry is still chit-chatting on the set.

In the comfort and silence of the dressing room, you lean onto the vanity, staring at yourself in the mirror, finding it ironic that on the outside, you look perfectly fine, healthy and pretty, but on the inside… you could scream. You miss Harry so much, you hoped that your feelings for him have toned down a little over these five months, but it was just the same if not even worse.

A faint knock is heard on the door and you quickly fix yourself before calling out to the person outside. The door opens and for your surprise, Harry steps inside, closing the door behind him.

“Hey, you disappeared so fast,” he softly says.

“Yeah, I’m just… a little tired,” you lie, though you know exactly he can see right through you.

“Y/N, I saw that look in your eyes after the video…”

“What look?” you ask with a huff. “What do you want me to say, Harry?”

“The truth,” he answers. “I’m not James, don’t bullshit me.”

“You want the truth? I’ll give it to you, but don’t blame me if it’s uncomfortable for you,” you chuckle bitterly, throwing your hands into the air. “I’ve been miserable, Harry. I miss you so fucking much, seeing you today was like Hell. I really thought it would be easier, but now I’m stuck with going from one interview to the other with red carpet events all around the world, seeing you every day when I terribly miss you and it fucking sucks, because you might not even feel the sa—“

You don’t get to finish, because Harry crosses the distance between the two of you, his hands grab your face and pulls you into a hard and passionate kiss. His lips move perfectly against yours and it feels like he is trying to squeeze every missed moment from the past five months into the kiss, making you melt into his arms completely.

He is everywhere. He is all you can taste, you breathe him in, his hands are everywhere on your body and your chest is pressed tight against his as you wrap your arms around his neck, locking him into your embrace. Your tongues dance, teeth tugging and pulling on lips, it’s a whole mess, but it’s the most perfect mess you’ve ever been. He takes your breath away completely and you don’t even want it back if it means you can’t have him.

Harry pulls away first, both your chests heaving wildly from the heavy make-out session and he looks down at you with hooded eyes.

“If you think I haven’t missed you like crazy… you can’t be more wrong, baby. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, I wanted to call you a thousand times and beg for you to come back to me, but I thought you already moved on.”

“Moving on?!” you huff with a tired smile. “Harry, I could never…”

“Alright, then I’m not letting you go again. No way you are walking out of this building without being mine again.”

A shiver runs down your spine at his words as you pull him down for another kiss, needing to feel his lips on yours.

“I never stopped being yours,” you whisper against his lips and he moans weakly before crashing his lips against yours again. 

-

Thank you for reading, please like and reblog if you enjoyed it!

[bumbleklee]

Maybe a Childe x reader x Zhongli (poly) domestic fluff/parenting headcanons? (Fem pronouns preferred)

poly parenting is very rare but i feel like it’s going to become more common as we progress as a society :)) hope u enjoyed 

before reading: usual cut for baby/child/parenting lol, also there’s no mention of who the father is (could be whoever u want)

babies

you were married to your husbands for a little over a year before you surprised them with a pregnancy announcement

all of you were excited to start your family and were elated to find out you were having twins, a little girl and boy

though they both loved each child equally, zhongli tended to spend more time with your daughter and childe your son

your family was untraditional but you made it work

having three sets of hands around really helped alleviate the stress of being a mother (you had to feed your children and there was a special connection and bond you had with them that your husbands didn’t)

zhongli had no problem getting up at night to help with diaper changes or fussy dreams and childe liked to take your babies on walks through liyue during the day

when your babies grew old enough to start doing things on their own, it was a race to see whose name they were going to say first

your son blabbered out “mama” one day and childe pouted for a week straight

your daughter fell behind your son for a while, becoming the second to roll over or start crawling or talking so zhongli took extra time to sit with her at night and help her catch up

so it really wasn’t a surprise she said “dada” to him (childe was very upset again)

zhongli or you are in charge of dressing the babies since childe literally forgot to put on their onesies once

childe is the warmest though and sometimes when he falls asleep on the couch, you and zhongli will lay the babies on top of him because he’s like their personal heater (it’s also really cute)

lots of family cuddles in your big bed

your husbands on either side of you and your babies somewhere in the middle

children

cue childe running through the house with your son on his shoulders and your daughter nearly falling out of his arms

zhongli is the type of dad to scold his kids for sneaking snacks before dinner but absolutely cracking when they give him puppy-dog eyes (you and childe are the ones who sneak them the snacks)

sometimes zhongli is a little hard on the kids, making them do their homework as soon as they get home or making them read chapter books early

he just wants them to be smart and excel but you and childe often have to remind zhongli that they’re kids and they have their entire life to prepare for the future

your daughter is still infatuated with him and it’s nice to have intimate moments with her and zhongli when childe takes your son out for the day (you have intimate moments with childe too)

zhongli has tea parties with your daughter and childe teaches your son how to use a bow at a much too young age

you have family nights every weekend, whether it’s zhongli sharing a story from his past or childe giving the kids a new game to play together

you have a heart attack anytime your kids do something reckless and since childe is one of their fathers, they’re constantly doing reckless things

one time you came home to zhongli tied up to a chair and both of your kids circling him thrusting empty paper towel rolls into the air

their excuse was that daddy said dad was a dragon and we were the knights that needed to capture him

zhongli was not amused

this is obvious but these kids are SPOILED

you and zhongli definitely try to ration gifts and presents but if your kids really want something, they go to childe who they know will buy it for them instantly

your daughter becomes a bit of a diva because of this, demanding new cor lapis earrings everytime you all head down to the harbor (and childe always gets them for her)

the most important thing the three of you agree on is that your kids can be whoever they want - they’re allowed to wear any style of clothing that makes they comfortable, cut their hair or grow it out, experiment in their gender expression and sexuality

you know liyue is changing and your kids are going to be the future

you get very emotional the more milestones your kids reach because you know it means they’re growing up and they’re not your little babies anymore

The day your twins start their first day of school, you’re an emotional mess. You were an emotional mess the night before and no matter how much your husbands consoled you, the feelings carried over. 

You were helping your son put on his jacket when your eyes filled with tears again and you found yourself crushing the little boy in your arms. 

“Mama, I can’t breathe,” He said quietly. The five year old wiggled in your arms and you finally let him go, wiping your eyes. Childe was beside you the second he heard you sniffle and took over dressing your son. 

“Isn’t it too hot for a jacket?” Zhongli commented from across the room where he was tying your daughter’s sneakers. Her outfit was very cohesive (and very expensive). 

“What if it starts raining? Or what if it’s cold in the classroom! Or what if there’s a sudden snowstorm-”

Your ramblings are interrupted by Childe wrapping an arm around your kneeling body. “It’s going to be fine,” He says, “If you get too hot, you can take off the coat. Alright, bud?” 

“Okay, daddy.” 

Zhongli finishes stuffing the kid’s backpacks with their school supplies and helps each child slip their arms through the straps. He was hesitant to send your children to a school at first, wanting to homeschool them, but you insisted that it would be better for them. You had gone to school in Liyue and the people that taught you were the same people that would be teaching your children. 

“We’re going to be late,” Childe said, checking the time, “Everyone ready?”

There was a chorus of “yes” and Childe gathered your children at the front door. Your bottom lip was still quivering at the sight of the twins in their new clothes and little backpacks. Childe grabbed each of their hands and Zhongli trailed behind, opting to wrap an arm around your waist in case you started crying again. 

“Whose more excited?” Childe teased, starting the short walk to the school building. 

“I am!” Your daughter cheered.

“No, I am,” Your son said quieter. Childe only laughed and flexed his bicep, pulling both kids off the ground for a moment. They giggled. 

“They’re excited!” You blubbered to Zhongli, unable to control the tears. Zhongli wiped away your tears with a small smile.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” He asked. 

You nodded and repeated, “They’re excited.” 

“Daddy, are you and mama and dad going to go to school too?” Your daughter asked. Childe peered over his shoulder and shared a cheeky grin with you and Zhongli. 

“We’re too old for school,” Zhongli answered. 

“Oh,” She said, “Then what are you going to do?”

The question made you and your husbands freeze. What were you going to do? You had dedicated the last five years of your lives to spending every waking moment with your babies, what were you going to do now that they wouldn’t be with you for hours at a time?

“I think mama is going to miss you,” Childe answered cheekily, “And me and dad are going to practice sparring. Root for daddy, okay?” 

Zhongli rolled his eyes but was too tired to counter. The kids laughed again and cheered for Childe until all of you arrived at the school building. It blended right into the city of Liyue and you would have missed it if it wasn’t for the familiar woman standing outside. She greeted you, ecstatic to see a former student of hers now had children of their own. 

Childe and Zhongli said goodbye to the twins first, kissing their cheeks and ruffling their hair. They moved to the side and let you crouch down to their level. You bit your lip to hold back even more tears and wrapped your arms around your kids. You pulled them into your chest and they snuggled right in. 

“Be good to Madam Changyang, okay?” You whispered into their ears. 

“We will, mama,” Your daughter answered and your son agreed. Finally, you pulled away and Madam Changyang gave you a sympathetic smile before ushering your kids inside the building. 

“You did good,” Zhongli told you when you stood back up. “They’ll be back in your arms in no time.”

It was Childe’s turn to hold and kiss you. “Would a nice lunch at the Pavilion cheer you up? My treat.”