#AN UNREFINED WOMAN

[viktoriakomova]

im a broke bitch with no peacock i was just watching on allgymnastics.tv with a vpn and it sounds like i had a much more pleasant experience than you folx

[theostrophywife]

baby, won't you be my girl?

pairing: theodore nott x reader. song inspiration: only girl by stephen sanchez. author’s note: theodore nott, the man that you are. please enjoy my favorite flirty yummy slytherin boy 🐍 part two: stop the world i wanna get off with you.

Theodore Nott was not the jealous type. 

Jealousy required emotions, which Theo found so terribly unrefined. He was a Slytherin, for Salazar’s sake. Not some hotheaded Gryffindor incapable of keeping his anger in check. But as he glared daggers at the back of some pathetic little beater who was currently flirting with you across the common room, Theo couldn’t help but feel downright murderous. 

The worst part was that he could’ve prevented all of this. If he had just manned the fuck up, Theo would’ve been the one pressed close against you, whispering his signature suggestive comments in your ear and making you smile. 

But Theo—absolute tosser that he was—didn’t realize his blunder until it was too late. 

Earlier that week, the two of you had been studying in his room. Well, you were studying. Theo, on the other hand, was smoking enough pot to sedate a hippogriff. He inhaled deeply, watching with a slight smirk on his face as you frowned into your Charms textbook. You were laying on your stomach at the edge of his bed with notes strewn all around you. The combination of your slightly unbuttoned white blouse, dangerously short black pleated skirt, and green and silver high knee socks affected him more than the drugs he was currently inhaling. 

There was something incredibly sexy about a beautiful woman laying in his bed and completely ignoring him in favor of a dusty old tome. Or maybe it was just you. To be fair, Theo found everything about you quite sexy. Even your infamous lectures regarding his drug habits, which you were due to give him in three…two…one….

You huffed indignantly, the action ruffling the feathers on your quill. “I will never understand why you voluntarily choose to put that rubbish into your body.” 

Theo shrugged, blowing a puff of smoke towards the ceiling. “It’s relaxing.” 

“What could you possibly be stressed about, Teddy?” 

He smiled at the nickname. If anyone else called him that, Theo would’ve hexed the life out of them, but he liked the way it sounded when you said it. Especially when you were a little bit annoyed at him. 

“I’ve got a lot on my shoulders, love.” He took another drag and sighed dramatically. “Being rich and handsome is incredibly tiring work.” 

You snorted. “You’re an absolute twat, you know that?” 

Theo held the blunt between his slender fingers and plopped down next to you. “A rich and handsome twat.” 

“A rich, handsome, and dead twat if you don’t get that blunt away from my textbook.” Theo smiled sheepishly before putting out the cigarette on the ashtray by his bedside table. You rolled your eyes and tapped the end of your quill against his chest. “You should really quit. That shit’s terrible for your lungs.” 

Theo turned, cocking his head at you. His watercolor eyes bored into yours as a smirk curved against his lips. “What will you give me if I do?” 

“Theodore Aurelius Nott,” you chided. Despite the blush creeping into your cheeks, you managed to keep your voice steady as you glared at the perfectly coiffed prick. “Do not make me stab you with my quill.” 

He grinned. There was nothing Theo enjoyed more than making his best friend flustered. “I’ll take a light stabbing if it means that you’ll start paying attention to me again.” You laughed at his childish pout. “What are you studying so hard for anyways?” 

“We have a Charms exam on Friday and you know how brutal Flitwick is.”

“Scheduling an exam on the same day as a quidditch game should be a crime punishable by wizarding law.” Theo complained with a groan. “A game against Gryffindor, no less.” 

“Not everything revolves around quidditch, Theo.” 

“Try telling that to Malfoy,” he said with a sigh. “The bloody git’s been running the whole team ragged. For the past three weeks, Draco’s been forcing all of us to wake up before sunrise. I’m losing my precious beauty sleep, Y/N.” 

You pouted, pinching his cheeks. “Poor Teddy bear. How will you ever recover?” 

"Smartass," Theo said with a smirk.

"Top of the class, baby." You rolled over and winked at him. "I really am that witch."

"I think I'm rubbing off on you, love."

"In your dreams, Nott."

He chuckled. "Oh, I'm definitely rubbing off on you." Theo snatched the quill out of your hands. "Enough studying. I'd rather talk about how I'm going to crush those Gryffindor brutes, which I can only do with you cheering me on from the stands."

You took the quill back, tapping its feathery edge against Theo's nose. “You know that watching all that flying makes me nauseous. Plus, I can’t even enjoy myself because I’m too worried about you taking a bludger to the head.” 

“I promise not to let anything ruin my pretty face. I know how much you enjoy the view, after all,” Theo said with a wink. “If you promise to come.” 

“I don’t know, Teddy…”

He pouted, giving you his best puppy dog eyes. “Please, Y/N. I need my good luck charm. Plus, you look cute in my jersey.” 

“My eyes are closed half of the time from sheer terror,” you pointed out. Theo watched as you fiddled with the end of your quill. “Besides, wouldn’t it be weird to wear your jersey and cheer you on?” 

Theo’s brows furrowed. “Why would it be weird?” 

“Because,” you said matter-of-factly. “Those are things a girlfriend would normally do.” 

“Well, yes, traditionally. But you’re my best friend,” Theo explained. “It’s not like that between us.” 

The minute the words came out of his mouth, Theo knew it was the wrong thing to say. You stiffened beside him, your body language turning as tense as a bowstring. 

“Right,” you said in a tight tone. “It’s definitely not like that between us.” 

“No, that’s not what I meant. I just—I mean you’re not like the other guy’s girlfriends. We’ve known each other for ages. We just don’t see each other that way.” 

Theodore Nott, idiot extraordinaire. If looks could kill, he’d be at the bottom of the Black Lake waiting to become a delicious feast for the merpeople. 

“Of course not,” you said with humorless laughter. “We’re just friends. It would be mental for anyone to think that we’d ever be in a relationship, right?” 

There was a challenge behind those words. Despite the fact that his dorm was deep within the dungeons, Theo could hear a slight ringing in his ears, like the howl of the wind as he raced past on his Nimbus, heart beating against his chest as he prepared to hurl the quaffle with all his might. Only now his target wasn’t a goal hoop.

It was you. His best friend. The girl he had been head over heels in love with since the moment you pushed Adrian Pucey into a bush at Malfoy Manor for making fun of five year old Theo’s lisp. 

He should say something, anything, but for once in his life, Theodore Nott had no witty comeback in his arsenal. Stupid, pathetic coward that he was, all he could manage was a nod. 

“Right,” he licked his lips nervously. “Just friends.” 

The disappointment in your eyes felt like a punch to the gut. Worse than when he’d broken his arm in third year. Worse than when Mattheo dragged him into a brawl with those brawny Durmstrang guys in fourth year. He would have gladly taken another meaty Bulgarian fist to the face rather than face you right now.

Theo watched helplessly as you rolled off the bed and stuffed your studying materials into your leather satchel. “Wait, Y/N. Are you leaving? I thought you wanted to study?” 

You slipped your shoes on, averting his gaze. “I do, which is why I’m gonna head to the library. I’m more focused there, anyways.” 

Theo was still utterly confused as he scrambled after you. “Let me at least walk you to—”

“That’s really not necessary,” you said, cutting him off. “I’ll see you later, Theo.” 

Theo, did not, in fact, see you later. 

If avoiding him was a sport, you would’ve won the bloody Triwizard cup. The fact that you memorized his schedule for him since he couldn’t be trusted to actually remember to show up to class probably helped. Theo didn’t realize how accustomed he had grown to having you around until you weren’t there. 

When Enzo obliviously rebuffed a Hufflepuff’s attempt to flirt with him at breakfast, Theo turned to your usual spot beside him to nudge you only to find the space empty. When Potter & Co. prattled on about whatever martyr cause they’d picked up that week, Theo found himself searching for you across the Potions classroom to share an eyeroll, but caught a glimpse of your retrieving back instead. The last straw had been when Elizabeth Burke’s portrait refused to let him into his own dorms because Theo couldn’t remember the passcode. He never had to since you always came in together.

In other words, Theo was absolutely fucking miserable. Even the team’s win against Gryffindor failed to lift his spirits. He knew that it had only been a week, but he missed you so fucking much that it actually hurt. 

The sight of you walking into the common room filled him with instant relief. For about half a second. Until he saw that you weren’t alone. 

Then, Theo had reverted back to his sulky self, choosing a shady spot amidst the raging party to drown his sorrows with a bottle of firewhisky. He had gone through at least half of the Ogden’s while chain smoking like a Hungarian Horntail. 

“Oi, what’s got your wand in a twist?” Mattheo asked while snatching the cigarette out of Theo’s mouth. He took a deep inhale and blew a puff of smoke directly into Theo’s face. “Aren’t you supposed to be celebrating our victory? Why’d you look like someone pissed in your soup?” 

“Fuck off, Riddle,” Theo muttered in response as he took back his cigarette. The smoke made the room hazy, but not enough to block you from view. 

The beater—the fucking twat—leaned in to whisper into your ear. Whatever he said made you burst into laughter, which once again filled Theo with pure, unadulterated rage. 

“Someone’s in a mood,” Enzo remarked, plopping down on the sofa beside Theo. A circle of third years hovered at the edge of their group, but as usual, Berkshire remained utterly oblivious to their presence. Bloody hell, he was even worse than Theo. 

“I bet ten galleons that Nott bashes Murdock’s head in before the end of the night,” Draco said.

“Murdock, is it?” Theo grunted. “What do we know about the prick?”

Blaise rolled his eyes. “Absolutely nothing. He’s not even worth gossiping about,” he announced dismissively while sipping his drink. Imported French wine, probably. Zabini would never partake in something as common as beer. 

Mattheo’s lips curled in amusement. “Besides the fact that he’s making a move on Theo’s girl.” 

“She’s not my girl,” Theo said defensively. 

“Really?” Malfoy drawled, raising a pale blonde brow. “So you wouldn’t mind if I asked Y/N to dance?”

“Don’t even fucking think about it, Malfoy.” 

The Slytherin boys laughed. For them, the week had been amusing as all hell. They had never seen Theo this wound up before. A few days without Y/N and their usual sassy, sarcastic mate had turned into a complete basket case. 

Pansy sighed. “For Salazar’s sake, Theo. Either man the fuck up or stand down. Y/N deserves to have a good night, too. Who she has it with is entirely up to you.” 

Pansy Parkinson was a pain in the arse, but she was also right. 

With that, Theo put his cigarette out on the ashtray and stood from his place on the sofa. It only took three strides for Theo to get to you. Four for you to startle as he casually put his arm around your shoulders. 

“There you are,” he whispered into your ear. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

You froze in place as Theo pulled you close. The scent of expensive cologne and cigarette smoke enveloped you, drawing you in like a moth to a flame. 

Under normal circumstances, you would’ve flown straight into the fire that was Theodore Nott, but tonight you were in no mood to get burned. You’ve already endured enough pain and humiliation from your last conversation. 

Just friends kept replaying over and over in your head like a broken record. You felt like an absolute pillock. For years, it felt like the two of you had been teetering towards…something. All that shameless flirting, the lingering touches, the late night conversations. You had been stupid enough to believe in the possibility that Theo felt for you what you felt for him. 

But maybe it was all in your imagination. 

“Theo,” you said, slinking out of his reach. Hurt flashed in his eyes as you faced him. “Congrats on the win. Christoph said it was a good game.” 

“It would’ve been better if you were in the stands,” Theo said softly. 

“I was busy.” 

“Yeah, I can see that,” he eyed Christoph with disdain. “Listen, can we go somewhere and talk? I haven’t seen you all week.” 

You crossed your arms. “We just got here.” 

Theo was not well pleased by your use of ‘we’ as if you and Murdock were suddenly now a thing. He barely spared the sodding prick a glance. You couldn’t actually be attracted to this prat, could you? He was all wrong for you. Murdock had a stocky beater build and short blonde cropped hair. You hated beefy guys and you were definitely not a fan of blondes. Case in point: Draco.

No, you liked tall sarcastic brunettes with messy hair and a slight nicotine addiction. 

You liked him. 

So Theo stayed put, meeting your gaze with equal intensity. There was no way in hell he was backing down. 

For good measure, he pouted slightly and fixed his eyes on you. “Please, Y/N.” 

He saw the exact moment when your resolve broke. Your expression softened and your shoulders relaxed, slumping in defeat. You sighed before turning over to Murdock. “Do you mind giving us a moment?” 

Christoph nodded. “I’ll fetch us some more drinks.” 

Theo watched him walk away, or rather, he glared at his back until Murdock was out of sight. 

“Really, Y/N?” Theo asked incredulously. “You're slumming it with that benchwarmer?” 

You wheeled towards him, eyes blazing with fire. Oh, he was truly in for it now. “First of all, I’m not ‘slumming it’ with anyone and even if I were, it’s none of your bloody business. Second of all, Christoph is actually a really nice guy.” 

Theo scoffed. “Yeah, because you’re suddenly into really nice guys now.” 

“Well maybe I got tired of hanging around pricks.” 

Ouch. That one definitely hurt. Even if it was well deserved. 

“Is that why you’ve been avoiding me all week?” Theo asked, stepping closer. “You’ve been busy with Murdock?” 

Merlin’s beard, Theo was ridiculously tall. He towered a good foot over you, cornering you against the wall. His eyes were stormy and dark like a predator watching its prey. 

“Careful, Theo,” you warned, meeting his gaze. “You almost sound jealous.” 

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Neither one of you were backing down from this little standoff. Theo braced himself against the wall, his face inches away from yours. 

“What if I am?” He challenged, his eyes dipping to your mouth. “What if I told you that it’s taking every ounce of self control I have not to rip Murdock to shreds?” 

A shiver skittered down your spine. Theo wasn’t a violent person. Sure, he’d been in a fight or two, but that was mostly Mattheo’s doing. Your best friend wasn’t the aggressive type, so to hear him threaten Christoph took you by surprise. 

“You have no reason to be jealous, Theo.” You countered. “After all, we’re just friends.” 

“No, we’re not,” he said. “We’ve never been just friends, Y/N.” 

“Then why did you—”

“Because I’m an idiot and a coward,” Theo said with a sigh. “Because I had a beautiful girl in my bed and I had no idea how to tell her that I’ve been in love with her since I was five.” 

All the anger and hurt you’ve been carrying around for the past week instantly dissolved. A little smile tugged at the corner of your mouth. “You’re in love with me?” 

“I thought that much was obvious, love.” 

“Hmm,” you hummed in response. “Theodore Nott, infamous playboy and shameless flirt, is in love with me. What an interesting development.” 

Theo groaned. “Now is not the time to be a smartass, Y/N.” 

“I think it’s the perfect time—” 

You didn’t get the chance to finish your sentence. Suddenly, Theo’s lips were on yours. He tasted like peppermint and whiskey, and he kissed you like his life depended on it. You sighed into his mouth, melting against his touch as he cupped the side of your cheek. This was definitely not a just friends kiss. It was a butterfly inducing, head in the clouds, sweep you off your feet kind of kiss. 

Theo's hands snaked around your waist as your fingers found purchase in his shaggy brown hair. He pulled you flush against him like he couldn't get enough. Merlin's pants, Theo really knew how to kiss. His lips were soft against yours, but there was a roughness in his actions that told you that his restraint was hanging on by a thread.

Like he'd been waiting for this for far too long.

You knew the feeling all too well.

"Darling, if you keep kissing me like that then this party will receive a show they didn't ask for."

You stuck your tongue out at him. "You started it."

"Shall I end it too, love?"

"You're an absolute twat, Theodore Nott." You rolled your eyes, kissing the tip of his nose affectionately. “A rich, handsome twat that I'm in love with."

Somewhere across the room, the hoots and hollers of your friends ignited a deafening cheer. Mattheo and Enzo clapped Theo on the back. Blaise raised his glass in approval. Draco smirked and exchanged galleons with Pansy. You didn’t even want to know what that was about.

“Fucking finally,” Mattheo remarked. “Notty boy here has been impossible to deal with this entire week. I never noticed how much of a wanker he can be when you aren’t there to balance him out, Y/N.” 

You chuckled. “It couldn’t have been that bad.” 

Enzo grimaced. “You weren’t on the receiving end of his quaffles,” he said, eyeing Theo. “He nearly took my head off.” 

That only made you laugh more. “Teddy bear wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“No, it’s true. Nott went absolutely mental.” Draco confirmed, draping an arm around your shoulder. “I’ve never seen him play like that. He wiped the floor with those pathetic Gryffindors. You should ignore him more often, Y/N." 

Pansy wrinkled her nose. “Please don’t. Looking at his miserable face put me off my meals for an entire week. I couldn’t even bear to eat any of my special Belgian chocolates. I missed out on Belgian chocolates, Y/N!” 

“You lot are overexaggerating,” Theo said, pulling you in by the waist. “I wasn’t that bad.” 

“Please, you were an absolute mess without Y/N,” Blaise added. 

“More like an absolute wanker,” Mattheo supplied. 

“An absolute supreme mega wanker,” Draco agreed. “Even by my standards.”

“It was pretty brutal,” said Enzo. 

Theo glared at all of them before taking your hand. “Let’s go, Y/N. I’d rather not stand around and get insulted all night.” 

“Sure thing. But I should probably tell Christoph that I’m…indisposed.” 

Mattheo grinned mischievously. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about Murdock.” 

You narrowed your eyes at him. “What did you do, Riddle?” 

“I didn’t do anything,” he said innocently. “The boys and I just let him know that he should set his sights elsewhere.” 

“We also might have implied that we’d turn him into a horned bullfrog if he ever hit on you again,” Enzo said with a smile.

“The audacity he even had approaching you is frankly insulting,” Malfoy remarked. “Everyone knows you’re off limits.” He smirked. “Unfortunately.” 

Theo fell right into Draco’s bait. “Don’t hit on my girl, Malfoy.” 

Blaise raised an amused brow. “Oh, she’s your girl now, is she?

“Of course she is,” Theo said. He linked his fingers with yours and flashed those pretty eyes at you. The perfect mixture of blue and green, just like the ocean during a storm. “If she’ll have me.” 

You smiled, wide and bright. “Come on, Teddy. Your girl wants to dance.” 

[reality-detective]

Intimidated and Censored

This amazing woman has been on the receiving end of many media attacks, and even got banned from treating people.

Before you start buying castor oil, it's of utmost importance to look for:

* organic (it never goes rancid)

* cold-pressed

* without hexane

* free of preservatives

* free of additives/ fragrances

* unrefined

AND try to find it in a dark glass bottle, if you can't find it in glass, then go for the plastic but make sure you pour it in a glass container, you don't want plastic leeching into it. 🤔

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

The Arcana HCs: M6 and Kisses

~ enjoy :3 ~

Julian

Kissing him is never unemotional

Heated moments aside, Julian gives you both planned and unplanned kisses. Depending on the mood and context, how that feels and how that progresses can change drastically

He loves "occasion" kisses, tiny little pauses of the day's etiquette where he gets to swoop in and leave a peck on your cheek. Hello kisses, goodbye kisses, thanks-for-checking-on-me-at-2-AM-because-I'm-still-awake-from-thinking-too-much kisses ...

... though that last kind is less likely to be on the cheek, and more likely to be the most tired, grateful "thank you" you've ever heard, whispered against your lips as he trails after your touch

Unplanned kisses happen whenever someone says or does something that reminds him of what you mean to him. Between his scholar's brain and bleeding heart is a vast sea of sentiment

Maybe it's seeing one of the South End vendors, stooped with age, quietly lighting up as their equally weathered partner walks by on the other side of the canal and blows them a cheeky smooch

He never thought he'd live long enough to look like that, but now all he can think about is how he can't wait to be that with you

Then he's making good use of that massive coat of his, catching up to you in two long strides, pulling you into one of those all-encompassing hugs before he swoops the cape of it between you and prying eyes so he can pour his soul into a heartfelt kiss

Asra

Never the same and always the same, somehow

They don't care to be publicly vulnerable, so you're not going to get any lingering kisses in the street, or the market, or the tavern

But considering the extent to which his love for you has completely consumed him, he can't not express affection for you

And besides, they've never been conventional. Why limit themself to your face when you've got a whole body?

Unexpected kisses peppered across your knuckles when you hold hands. A subtle peck to the pulse point below your ear when he leans in to whisper something to you. The briefest brush of his lips against the back of your shoulder as you stand and wait together

All this without ever expecting anything in return - doing anything similarly sweet and subtle back will result in a blushing, stumbling, zoned-out magician and a laughing snake

Privately, kisses aren't about a heated moment (though they have been known to play into them, when you were interested ...)

They're about savoring you, lingering on the gift of your warm, living presence, delighting in their chance to luxuriate in finally expressing every ounce of devoted adoration for you

For someone as playful and creative as he is, every moment your mouths meet is a little different, a little new, that childlike curiosity excited to find yet another way to feel you

All while that loyal, bone-deep love feels like coming home

Nadia

Kissing her feels like you're being blessed

Getting kissed in public is almost always a statement of some kind. Each brush of her lips against your skin carries the weight of an important message

Anything from a kiss to your wrist, telling you that you handled a tricky situation well, to a firm kiss on your mouth, telling everyone around you that you are her most important person

It could be easy to feel you're just another face orbiting her, with how naturally she commands the attention of a room and takes charge of any situation and brings it into line

But when every moment of contact is designed to honor you, to credit you with the leader she's become, you may find that not sharing the spotlight with her is almost impossible

In private, kisses are raw and unrefined

They're still purposeful, but there's no grand painting to be a part of. The woman next to you is not the Countess, but the person who trusts you wholeheartedly and expects no less in return

Dizzying intensity, feeling every emotion freely expressed against your lips, watching her thoughts flit across her open, unguarded face. She desires vulnerability and abandons ceremony in her rush to be close to you. If there's no walls between you, why hold back?

Being the sole focus of such a powerful, regal person feels a bit like taking the concentrated power of the sun. Except it's Nadia, and her neverending need to saturate you with her love

Muriel

Kisses with him are tender

Halting and awkward, at first, and a little lost as he gets his practice, and much more involved and intense as time goes on, but never lacking in gentleness and consideration

You can count the amount of times he's kissed you in public on one hand. He is not into PDA by a long shot

Luckily for you, you two live in the woods. Being in public requires planning ahead. Being in private is another normal day

Casual kisses take time. They're never thoughtless, instead being something you receive in a split second after about ten minutes of intense mental planning and preparation on his part

Over time, you find it's easier for him to give you casual kisses with his fingertips - brushing your cheek gently, pressing one finger to his own lips before lightly tapping it to your nose

He has accidentally kissed your nose when he was aiming for your mouth multiple times now. The only way to convince him to get past it and keep initiating kisses was to make it an inside joke

Kisses for him are a way to reaffirm every silent promise he's made you. Whether it be his commitment to sticking life out with you, to healing, to growing, to protecting, to nurturing with you

To him, it's the weighty comfort of building a new home and family with you. To you, it's safety and trust and security and gentleness beyond imagining. Not the most heated, but always warm

Portia

Kissing her is like bubbling over

She loves fiercely and without restraint. If you're hers and she's yours, there is no reason to hold back

Kisses are her extension of general physical affection. She'll stand with her arm around you, nuzzling into your cheek as she teases you in conversation and planting a kiss there while she's at it

She's also so openly affectionate towards anyone she cares about that there's next to no room for anybody to feel awkward

If it's in reach and she's happy you're with her for the hundredth time that day, she's kissing it. Shoulders, arms, hands, elbows, nose, cheeks, hair - there are very few limits

Kisses in private don't get outrageously creative, but they take on a whole host of meanings for someone as expressive as she is

Frustrated kisses when she feels like she's failed, excited kisses when she's got a new idea, flirtatious kisses that make you feel those new couple butterflies after decades of life together

"You're irresistible with flour in your hair" kisses, scattered all across your face in her sunlit kitchen before she pulls you in for something longer and deeper and sweeter

"You make life feel like a storybook" kisses, full of suspended disbelief and excited giggles and romantic embraces

"You make me the main character of my story" kisses, lingering long as she holds you to her chest and savors your companionship

Lucio

Kissing him is an adventure

He wasn't used to kisses meaning much more than a good time. At least, not before you. By the time he met you, the ability to feel warmth and basic touch was overwhelmingly precious

As easy at it is for casual affection to be simply casual for him, it's never unappreciated, and certainly not taken for granted

Has no issues with PDA. If he wants a kiss, and you want a kiss, then it's time to enjoy a kiss. Anybody who has a problem with it is free to look in any other direction (though he's not thinking that far)

From moment to moment, they're the added spice to a good life. Sudden, rushed, sloppy kisses on the road just because he can, and because he's about to disregard that "no trespassing" sign

In quieter moments, kisses become so precious that each one feels like a polished gemstone falling into your lap

He's been starving all his life for a true connection, for a reliable affection that tells him it's safe to believe you when you tell him that you love him. He may act entitled, but he's not oblivious

Holding such a rollercoaster of a man while he loses both himself and all of his emotions in the safety of your kisses is enough to get you a little lost too, if you let yourself get drawn in

As much as he might grandstand and monologue as he puts all that leadership charisma into charming you, the moment you hold his face in your hands, he's clinging to your soul and offering his own in return. Through his mouth. Into your mouth. Again, please -

[tsumuus]

Katsuki Bakugou had always been terrible with words. They always seemed to explode out of his mouth, harsh and unrefined, never quite capturing the depth of what he felt inside. So, when he realized in first year that his feelings for you were more than just friendship, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

He tried to show you in other ways- the lingering touches, the way he would always look out for you during training, and the way he would make sure you always had an extra water bottle. But those actions never seemed to be enough, not to you, and certainly not to him.

Now, as he stood at the altar, the best man at the wedding of his best friend and the woman he loved, his heart ached with a pain that felt like an old, familiar friend.

You looked stunning in your wedding dress, your smile bright and genuine as you gazed at Eijiro Kirishima, the groom. Kirishima, with his broad grin and eyes full of love, was everything Bakugou couldn't be- open, warm, and kind. He was happy for you, truly, but the bitterness of unspoken words and missed chances lingered.

Bakugou stood stiffly, hands clenched at his sides as he watched the ceremony unfold. Every vow exchanged felt like a blow, each promise a reminder of what he couldn't give you. His eyes never left your face, memorizing every detail, every emotion that flickered across your features.

Kirishima and you exchanged rings, and Bakugou felt a sharp pang in his chest. He forced himself to keep his expression neutral, swallowing the lump in his throat. He should be happy for you both- his best friends, the two people who meant the world to him.

As the officiant pronounced you husband and wife, the crowd erupted into applause. Bakugou managed a tight smile, clapping along, though his heart felt heavy. Kirishima pulled you into a passionate kiss, and Bakugou looked away, unable to bear the sight.

The reception was a blur of congratulations and laughter. Bakugou moved through the crowd, his facade firmly in place. He caught glimpses of you and Kirishima, the two of you glowing with happiness, and he forced himself to stay composed.

When it was time for his speech, Bakugou took a deep breath and stepped forward. He had written and rewritten his words countless times, trying to find the right balance between sincerity and restraint.

"Congratulations, you idiots," he began, earning a laugh from the guests. "I've known you both since we were kids. Kirishima, you've always been the best friend anyone could ask for. And you," he paused, looking directly at you, "you've always been amazing."

He cleared his throat, trying to steady his voice. "I'm glad you found each other. I know you'll make each other happy. So, here's to a lifetime of love and happiness."

The applause was thunderous, and Bakugou quickly returned to his seat, his emotions swirling. He watched as you and Kirishima shared a dance, the love between you evident in every movement.

As the night wore on, Bakugou found himself standing alone on the balcony, the cool night air a welcome relief. He stared out into the darkness, his mind filled with memories and what-ifs.

He had always been terrible with words, but in that moment, he wished he had found the courage to speak up, to tell you how he truly felt. But now, it was too late. You were married, starting a new life with Kirishima, and all Bakugou could do was wish you well from the sidelines.

He took a deep breath and turned back to the celebration, determined to be the friend you needed, even if it meant hiding his own feelings. Because despite everything, he loved you too much to let his own pain overshadow your happiness.

masterlist

[2-dsimp]

*Jumping in complete excitement after the revelation of Soma* Even if I should be crying for that angst, I can't blame you for giving me so much motivation to ask.

What if Soma's darling finds him some day, now peer up with a survivors group, but she is unable to killed his infected boyfriend and tries to convince his teammates not to kill him. Even making a whole damn argument while helping the team with blowing up the hard of zombies. (Summing up, an stubborn and silly darling)

Don't know, maybe suggesting silly ways to keep him up with her and avoiding him to attack the others, like making him use a muzzle and kid leash wrapped around her wrist.

A/n: if only things could work out like that. Not in this scenario unfortunately.ヽ(´o｀；

•:•.•:•.••:•:•:•:•☾☼☽•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:

𝕋𝔸𝔾 𝕃𝕀𝕊𝕋: @apeiceoflump @fruk-you-usuk-fans @avalordream @manunkan @twinklingbeautifulstars (anyone else who’d like to be tagged for future parts lmk~)

•:•.•:•.••:•:•:•:•☾☼☽•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:

Cw: blood/gore, betrayal (?), obsessive tendencies, angst, possessive tendencies, jealousy/envy, Soma losing his mind like a woman scorned.

Synopsis 3: Soma, your yandere undead boyfriend, finally reached the promised land and finally found you. But at the sight of someone else at your side he quickly became a frenzied beast of green envy.

•:•.•:•.••:•:•:•:•☾☼☽•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:

You could barely register the sheer chaos that ensued from having the wall to the safe haven you’ve found in a fellow survival camp caved in by a mass of sharpened spikes. As the wall crumbled down, the other survivors screamed. Scrambling like chickens in utter confusion, fear, and dread.

But all you felt was joy, as you saw the one you’ve been mourning over for the few days. You guys were split apart, your boyfriend soma, in the flesh. His infected eyes were hyper transfixed on you, the target of his unrefined love. That was about to overflow and burst his heart from how he fell for you again. Hard.

You were all scuffed up, like an adorable kitten. Hair was a disaster, your body carried dirt and minor wounds from squabbles you had encountered on your own from trying to survive. You were an utter mess but to him you were a perfect achievement that he wanted to unlock once more.

Soma’s mouth opened, there was so much he wanted to say to you. But most importantly he wanted to call you out by your name. Tell you that you’re truly is here to come pick up his player 2. But he clamped down his jaw so hard so hard out of having the jitters. that he accidentally bit his own tongue off like a brain dead idiot.

Blood spurted from his severed tongue which happened to stain your face. You were in utter shock not believing that you were witnessing your undead boyfriend try to kill him self even when he’s technically already dead. Naturally you screamed as you saw his severed tongue wriggle around like a fish out of water.

“We must leave, now miss.”

A eerily calm voice seeped into your head, there was hands, albeit cold encircled around your wrist. As you were elevated to your feet and the scenery ran past your mind in a disillusioned blur. Your heart was pounding out of your chest, your breathing heavy and uneven.

You couldn’t make sense of it.

Why did the man say that you must leave? There’s no need to run! Your loving boyfriend has come to pick you up just like he promised. Away from this infected shithole. He wouldn’t hurt you, he definitely wouldn’t harm anybody else right? Sure he karated the hell out of this zombies in the store but that was self defense.

He said he’d come back to you. And he did, so why? Why were you running away from him? Your valiant boyfriend who sacrificed himself to keep his precious babe, you, alive.

Your feet carried you faster than you could think, with the captain of the survivor camp taking you by the hand. You were too frazzled to register the screams of terror and the frenzied clicking of other parasitic zombies who had found their way to the source of all the noise. Every single variation digging their claws and teeth into the survivors who were unable to get a grip.

But most importantly you missed the sheer look of rage that twisted Soma’s face into something unrecognizable. His tentacles were tore out of his flesh, turning a dark hue and snapping into deadly spikes. His mind was running field goals with the sight of you running away hand in hand with another man.

A man that wasn’t him.

Did you forget that he told you he was coming back? Who the hell was this bitch clinging onto your hand like a pest. Your boyfriend didn’t like it. Not one bit his tongue had regenerated in wisps of steamy smoke. Allowing him to rip out an unearthly screech that made everyone weak from racking their brains with his pitch frequency.

His eyes darted every which way studying how the captains fingers were touching you on too many areas of skin. He clawed at his face practically tearing off the mask that kept him human from pure agitation. His eyes bulging at the sight with veins a showing as he repeatedly gashed his teeth.

‘‘F̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞l̨͓̠̹̿̔̋̈́͝i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠h̨̟͔̣̣͊̄̇̏̿y̦̲̩̪̺͋̀͐̏̋,͓̾̌ f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞l̨͓̠̹̿̔̋̈́͝i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠h̨̟͔̣̣͊̄̇̏̿y̦̲̩̪̺͋̀͐̏̋,͓̾̌ f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞l̨͓̠̹̿̔̋̈́͝i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠h̨̟͔̣̣͊̄̇̏̿y̦̲̩̪̺͋̀͐̏̋!̳̆͋̈̾ G̢͚̙̣̬̎͋̊͐̽e͖̖̤͙̅̈́̏͌ͅţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ o̳̘̗̗͒̽͑̚͝f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞.̪̍̉ G̢͚̙̣̬̎͋̊͐̽e͖̖̤͙̅̈́̏͌ͅţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ o̳̘̗̗͒̽͑̚͝f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞.̪̍̉ G̢͚̙̣̬̎͋̊͐̽e͖̖̤͙̅̈́̏͌ͅţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ o̳̘̗̗͒̽͑̚͝f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞.̪̍̉ G̢͚̙̣̬̎͋̊͐̽e͖̖̤͙̅̈́̏͌ͅţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ o̳̘̗̗͒̽͑̚͝f̞̃̍̋̚͞��͚̱̜f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞.̪̍̉ G̢͚̙̣̬̎͋̊͐̽e͖̖̤͙̅̈́̏͌ͅţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ o̳̘̗̗͒̽͑̚͝f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞.̪̍̉ G̢͚̙̣̬̎͋̊͐̽e͖̖̤͙̅̈́̏͌ͅţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ o̳̘̗̗͒̽͑̚͝f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞.̪̍̉ G̢͚̙̣̬̎͋̊͐̽e͖̖̤͙̅̈́̏͌ͅţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ o̳̘̗̗͒̽͑̚͝f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞.̪̍̉ G̢͚̙̣̬̎͋̊͐̽e͖̖̤͙̅̈́̏͌ͅţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ o̳̘̗̗͒̽͑̚͝f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞.̪̍̉ G̢͚̙̣̬̎͋̊͐̽e͖̖̤͙̅̈́̏͌ͅţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ o̳̘̗̗͒̽͑̚͝f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞.̪̍̉ G̢͚̙̣̬̎͋̊͐̽e͖̖̤͙̅̈́̏͌ͅţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ i̡̫̭̮̅̔̇̚͠ţ̨̞̲̎͆͘̕͠ o̳̘̗̗͒̽͑̚͝f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞f̞͓͚̱̜̃̍̋̚͞.̪̍̉’

Soma’s parasite took the reins, taking advantage of how their host wasn’t able to maintain stability. Zombie, humans, and other unaffected variants alike were skewered. In his fit of manic fury, his tentacles striking towards your location like a viper. The tip of death missing the chance to stab through your clasped hands by a hair thanks to the captains diligent reflexes.

You tumbled trying to look back only to be swept off your feet and carried off into the arms of the ever so calm and collected Survivor Captain. Who by human standards looked flawless, not a blemish on his skin nor any sign of imperfections. But you didn’t miss how alienated it made him his whole reaction to the camp being decimated was lackluster. His eyes were like pearls without any shine, it was as if he was just a wearing a humans skin for show.

Gaining a sense of clarity at how fast you were retreating from the scene you took a moment to properly look at your boyfriend’s rampaging. And the way his eyes seared into your flesh and bone made you freeze up like a petrified goat.

You’ve never seen this side of him, could the infection truly take away the man you loved? You heavily denied it but the way he was aggressively targeting you his dangerous spiked tentacles indenting themselves just one step behind from impaling the captains body.

For the first time you felt afraid of him. He has clearly lost control to differentiate between who the true target of his ire. As he was under the impression that he was being betrayed/abandoned by you.

•:•.•:•.••:•:•:•:•☾☼☽•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:

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[pureastrologywisdom]

The beauty of earth signs

Pt.1 Taurus

Flowers, spring in full bloom, a woman laying in a meadow in a long flowy white dress. Her hair is long and wavy gently tousled by the wind. A woman of the Earth. She is greens browns pastels, creams and all the colours of mother nature. She is a piece of art. A sculpture from the Renaissance era. She is a pure beauty, unrefined. Timeless and undeniably precious. She is peaceful and serene, yet she is powerful. The softness of a delicate flower petal, and the sharpness of thorn. She is the scent of flowers and the freshness of spring. The representation of a renewal of life. 

This will be a new series - I will be going through all the signs, starting with earth signs

Pureastrowisdom x

[kedreeva]

There is no purer delight in my life than watching children nervously hold out their hands, waiting for me to place a gentle mouse in them, and then watching their entire face light up in unrefined joy upon suddenly holding a small, soft, warm critter in their hands. There is no number of three year olds nervously petting a mouse for the first time with a single finger, then realizing how soft the mouse is and eagerly continuing with their whole hand that will ever cause me to tire of it.

And my tricolor boy was an absolute star today. He figured out what was going on after about 2 seconds and started laying down in hands and sitting perfectly still for people to gently stroke. Big ears forward and ready. I watched one small child maybe 4 or 5, pick him up the way small children pick up cats with their arms all squished up by their face and he let her. He fell asleep for a bit while snuggled against one girl's chest, while she told me about her pet rats.

One girl confidently told her friends that she was an expert at holding mice because she had 4 of them. One teen boy just made a teakettle noise of joy the entire time the mice I let him hold were in his hands. One older woman, at least 70s, came back several times before she was brave enough to hold one. Dozens of people told me they didn't know mice were so soft. One family stood at the table and played 20 questions with me, and the dad just saying "that's amazing that's just amazing, I had no idea" in a low, soft voice and I hope he comes out of whatever crisis of paradigm he was having okay.

One little boy kept returning and grabbing the youngest of the mice. I told him a couple of times to stop, but he kept appearing while I was talking to others and sneaking in. She eventually got fed up with him being purposefully obnoxious and gave him a warning nip, which scared the daylights out of him- she didn't break skin or anything, but she was very done with his behavior. He asked me what was wrong with my mouse and I told him absolutely nothing, I told you not to do what you were doing. Now she told you, too, and I suggest you listen. You have to respect animals if you want them to respect you, and you've been very rude to her. He stood to the side and thought about that for a bit and he was much better behaved with her after that.

Anyway, it was a decent expo. I think the other one was still better, and I'm looking forward to going back at the end of the month.

[no1heyyyyyyyy]

Sevika's tastes

Sevika is an old lady and she just wants to be left alone. She likes to look good but when it comes to clothes, Miss thing just doesn’t care that much. She always has practicality in mind. So, no dresses, nothing flowy, has to have natural fabrics so that her skin can breathe, and she requires that things are comfortable. Her shoes are always made for hardware with a strong sole and often reinforced. In the modern world, I see her working in metal working (specifically welding), so she has to have clothes that are multipurpose. Though, if she was forced to wear anything really nice, it would be a simple well-cut blazer and a button down with jeans or slacks that conform to her legs nicely. She prefers earthy colors, nothing too flashy. I think she’d really appreciate a nice dark green, or perhaps brown. I also feel that she would enjoy a nice flannel regularly.

With food, I’m afraid her palette is as unrefined as her clothing choices. She genuinely does not care what she eats, though she really likes chicken- loves hot wings, spicy food is her love. But, her comfort food will always be the food native to what part of India her family is from. I don’t think she’s the best cook, but she has a few family recipes that she knows so well (aloo gobi, chai, samosa, tikka masala, saag paneer). And, I think that on nights where she’s feeling really sad or lonely she always craves those foods. She’d love to cook with or for her partner, it’d be the best way to get to know her honestly. Because it allows for her to show vulnerability through actions and without words. She loves to take care of people and I think in modern times she’d mother her friends just a bit, always making sure they’re eating well, drinking their water, and sleeping right (if not she’ll give them some chai). She doesn’t eat beef or dark meats in general, and she isn’t the biggest fan of seafood or turkey. So, she sticks with her chicken and her paneer. She’ll eat tofu but it needs to be in curry or something similar.

This woman would love 80s hair metal, music is something that I genuinely believe she’d love so much. She’d play drums as a teenager, dead set on becoming the drummer of the next Metallica. She’d also love the old school heavy metal bands, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Pantera. She’d love them all. I think she’d like some old school 90s rap too, but none of the new-age mumble rap that’s going on. She wouldn’t really like Taylor Swift’s music, just because it didn’t vibe with her, but she respected Taylor’s ability to get a bag. She has had a huge crush on Adele ever since she heard the album 25 when it came out. She liked some of her music, but thought Adele was drop dead gorgeous and all mature and soulful and shit, hit her in the feels and made her whipped for this woman she didn’t even know.

For movies she loves shitty 80s slasher horror, nothing that makes her think. She’d sit back in her old recliner in her pajamas and house slippers whilst watching Slumber Party Massacre for the third time, and then put on Golden Girls because she feels that Dorothy Zbornak is her spirit animal. She likes a good sitcom too and a ridiculous drama (she loves Desperate Housewives), she likes the camp, the over the top acting and dumb plots, it makes her laugh and feel care free in a way she hasn’t been in a long time. She just wants to curl up with her pets (she would have many) and watch teen-based tv shows that revolve around crime or secrets (Pretty Little Liars, Riverdale, Vampire Diaries, even Buffy etc.). She likes how bad they are, but she gets so invested it’s ridiculous.

For personal scents she’d like more woody, alluring scents that are also kind of sweet. Think Amber by Rag n’ Bone (it smells so good), she doesn’t spray much, just a spritz, it wafts around her just slightly, just enough for women to fall at her feet. Her individual smell wouldn't be overpowering but it would definitely be clear. It’s grounding and soothing. Her sweat stinks though, every time she comes back from the gym, she goes straight to the showers because her own dogs don’t want to come near her b.o.

In general, Sevika is an old woman who couldn’t give less of a shit. She wants to be left alone with her life and her people and chill. Which is why, I feel like she isn’t that opinionated on much unless it’s boundaries or causes she cares about. She just doesn’t have the energy to be bothered with trivial things like which movie to choose for the night, or which restaurant to go to. She is tired and all she wants to do is eat good food with her partner and her pets in a little cottage in the middle of nowhere. She doesn’t like neighbors and she doesn’t like people in her business. She doesn’t need a perfect life, just one that’s hers.

for whatever reason the letters are being weird, it is killing me. Please ignore it.

[ghoulisheous]

I love OP eldritch horror Danny as much as anyone. But I gotta say, in over his head Danny who's absolutely batshit feral in a fight and wins his battles by the skin of his teeth holds a special place in my heart.

Cause he didn't ask for any of this. He didn't ask for powers that have backfired on him almost as much as anyone else. And at this point in his life he's been beaten down, only to get back up and spit in someone's eye so many times he could write three autobiographies about it. And he did it all as a scrawny highschooler. No team of heroes with funding and training to rely on. No mentor to tell him how to do things.

Danny and co are the ultimate McGuyver squad/ductape saves the day type of superheroes.

And he's been blindsided and attacked at every turn almost since day one. In his school. In his home. Any second a seemingly average day could go south. He never really knows when it'll happen next. He maintains any kind of leverage only through constant vigilance and a stubborn refusal to stay down when he's knocked down. Not to mention very painful first hand experience.

And that there's Emotional Damage.

I wanna see a fic where Danny's paranoia and talent for DlY are his greatest achievements and most devastating weaknesses. I wanna read all the fics where Danny is a distrusting gremlin who will absolutely bite a motherfucker and latch on long after he tastes the blood before he ever admits defeat. Because for god's sake the one and only time this kid ever saw an actual therapist who isn't his unlicensed teenage sister the woman turned out to be a soul-sucking demon who manipulates the worst out of her clients because she literally feeds off misery.

He got his start in heroics with no training, with his friends by his side. And you could argue that Maddie could train Danny in martial arts cause she definitely has that skill set. But... Danny is her youngest. And while I haven't seen the show for a while. I do remember her babying him a whole hell of a lot. So there is a part of me that believes that would be a significant hurdle for her to overcome before she would actually train her youngest in anything. Not that she believes she has a reason to train him in the first place. The next hurdle.

Ergo, Danny who learned to fight by being beaten down with no mercy. So he fights dirty and unrefined and bloody when he can't manage to keep his distance and fight long-range. He bites, yanks at hair, shoves his thumbs in eye sockets if he can't grab a fistful of dirt. And then throws an ectoblast just to make sure he got his point across.

I wanna see a Danny who's only survived his own recklessness out of sheer will power and SPITE.

And then shove him into the DC universe.

[yandere-writer-momo]

Being Jack then childhood friend now wife and supporting him through his journey and dose her best to help

Even traveling to Japan as she did told him she have one living grandparent who she still in contact, and imagine thinking Kaoru sees Jack wife who she is genuine kind and not leaving her husband for anyone

Google translate is our enemy but I think I picked up what you were putting down.

I also love how we all believe Kaoru is the definition of “Mister Steal Your Girl.” He’d be so smitten with a partner who is so loyal, he’d be pulling out the stops. Kaoru hates being rejected too

This is more of a take on angst because I think Canon Jack would be a horrible (neglectful) partner

Baki Short Stories: Wake Up

Jack Hanma x fem reader x Hanayama Kaoru

…………………………………………………

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m not interested for you to understand?” A young woman crosses her arms over her chest as she glared at Kaoru. The yakuza boss would not leave her alone no matter how many times she rejected him. “I’m married.”

Kaoru simply grunted and pushed the bouquet of roses towards her again in an attempt for her to accept them. Kaoru didn’t understand what she saw in Jack.

Jack was more of an unrefined animal rather than a man. He was primal and unhinged. Jack was terrifying and he seemed like a loose canon. What on earth did a dime like you see in a creature like that?

Kaoru truly believed with all his heart that he was the proper choice. He was rich and he was refined. He could give you a life of pleasure and luxury… maybe just as dangerous but he was sure he could keep you safe. Safer than Jack ever could. What did Jack have to offer you that made you cling so faithfully to his side?

(Your name) could almost read Kaoru’s thoughts just from the emotions he held in his dark eyes. There was a storm brewing under them. This oaf has probably never been rejected before so he saw her as a challenge rather than anything romantically. Which is why she adored Jack. Jack was honest with his intentions.

She knew she was second to Jack’s goal in defeating his father but she was okay with it. Jack and her had a close bond and a lot of trust. She also acknowledged that Jack would always be too busy to cheat on her since he hardly made time for her as well. And she was okay with it. She was pretty low maintenance anyways.

“Please leave.” She then shut the door on Kaoru’s face before he could speak. A sigh slipping from her lips as she ran a hand through her hair. How troublesome.

She pranced over to the couch and sat down to turn on the tv. She drowned out Kaoru’s incessant knocking. Hopefully he’d give up soon.

A part of her was flattered by his attention since she didn’t get much in her relationship but she was fine with the way things were. (Your name) had fully convinced herself that she didn’t need to constantly be doted on. She was fine with being alone for long periods of time so long as Jack came back to her.

Sure she never received flowers or was complimented on her appearance but it was okay. (Your name) was happily married to Jack and he was a man of few words. She was fine just being his companion. She didn’t need to be taken on dates or to be wined and dined. (Your name) was low maintenance. She wasn’t a hindrance to Jack and his goals.

(Your name) would follow Jack to the ends of the earth so long as she was the only one he’d hold at night. The only one he trusted.

Once Kaoru had finally left, she turned off the tv with a frown. Was it okay that Jack didn’t pay much attention to her? Was that really a relationship?

(Your name) smiled sadly as she glanced at the wedding pictures that lined the tv stand. Jack wasn’t even smiling in those pictures…

She shook her head. She couldn’t let Kaoru’s doting get to her head. She was a married woman now, it’s not like she could run away whenever she wanted. (Your name) swore to love Jack through sickness and health and she would.

Even if she was simply an afterthought to him, she wouldn’t give up on him.

(Your name) hasn’t even told Jack about this whole situation that’s been going on for the last few months. She knew Jack couldn’t be bothered with it. It’s not like he’d care.

Jack has always been the only person in her life so she felt an obligation to him. Even if…

(Your name) froze when she felt a dampness on her cheeks. Her fingers tentatively touching the salty streams in shock. When’s the last time she cried?

Perhaps she’s been so numb to her neglect that she finally was breaking down? The realization was setting in and a feeling of hopelessness consumed her.

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. She was fine. She was okay. (Your name) did this to herself. She was a big girl and she could live with the consequences of her actions.

(Your name) quickly recollected herself and stood up from the couch to head to bed. Perhaps some sleep would make her feel better?

She settled herself into the plush sheets with a dreamy sigh. If she pretended long enough, maybe, just maybe she could imagine the warmth she felt was from the one her heart craved so dearly. That it was Jack laying beside her with his arms wrapped around her waist instead of a heated blanket. That Jack was whispering compliments in her ears after buying her a bouquet of roses.

Who was she kidding? She was totally and utterly alone.

And she was finally waking up from her dream…

[growingstories]

Taste of his own medicine

Once upon a time in the bustling city of San Francisco, there lived a handsome and privileged young doctor named Dr Jeremy Dinah. With his muscular body and chiseled features, he had always been the "golden boy" of his wealthy family. However, his upbringing had made him quite the spoiled brat, carrying a sense of entitlement that extended even into his professional life.

After completing medical school, Dr. Dinah decided to join a prestigious private hospital. Unbeknownst to his colleagues and patients, he was a health freak. His locker filled was with protein powders, creatine, and an array of supplements. He meticulously prepped his meals and never ate in the hospital restaurant, deeming the food unworthy of his refined taste.

Dr. Dinah had a particular disdain for overweight individuals, and he never let an opportunity pass to remind fat patients and even his colleagues about their weight issues. His harsh and condescending remarks would leave lasting wounds on the self-esteem of those on the receiving end.

Two nurses, Lucy and Sarah, had borne the brunt of his fat-shaming remarks one too many times. Determined to put an end to his toxic behavior, they devised a plan. They decided to start throwing away his prepped meals so that he had no choice but to eat at the hospital restaurant.

At first, Dr. Dinah complained about the quality of the food, but people around him stayed silent, pretending not to notice. Too busy with his professional commitments, he couldn't find the time to investigate further. He begrudgingly started consuming the hospital food, which was far from his meticulously crafted meals.

Weeks passed, and Dr. Dinah’s strict diet began to fall apart. Craving a change, he gradually started adding French fries to his meals, relaxing his formerly stringent eating habits. As a result, his weight began to climb up. He started complaining about his love handles, puzzled as to how they had appeared despite his efforts in the gym.

Dr. Dinah’s gym routine became more frequent, desperately attempting to work off the stubborn fat. However, his colleagues, restricted by their professional uniforms, couldn't discern any significant change in his appearance.

Lucy and Sarah saw the opportunity to strike again. They swapped Dr. Dinah's protein powder with a mass gainer that went unnoticed by his unrefined taste buds. As the weeks went by, a visible bulge started forming in Dr. Dinah's belly, which protruded even through his uniform.

Confronted by his growing belly, Dr. Dinah realized that his sit-ups were becoming increasingly challenging. It dawned on him that something was amiss. However, the once arrogant and rude doctor had evolved into a friendlier and more approachable person after the change in his eating habits. The plan had worked, as he was no longer "hangry" all the time, making it much more pleasant to work with him.

The last phase of the plan involved changing Dr. Dinah's schedule. With the help of a woman from HR, who had also experienced fat-shaming incidents with him, they made his days longer and more filled with on-call duties. This meant less time for him to spend at the gym on his free days. Initially, he despised the change, but the newfound leisure time allowed him to reconnect with friends and family, whom he had neglected in favor of his fitness obsession.

People began to notice Dr. Dinah's expanding belly, and playfully poked at it whenever they saw him. Surprisingly, he didn't seem to mind it anymore. Rather, he relished in the attention, finding joy in the fact that he was now seen more positively by those around him.

Completely giving up on his meticulously prepped meals, Dr. Dinah grew fond of the hospital restaurant. He even developed a friendly relationship with the staff. Furthermore, the girls informed the restaurant's boss of their plan, who then started providing Dr. Dinah with bigger personalized portions during night shifts. The once health-conscious doctor unknowingly indulged in the abundance of food, growing bigger and bigger.

Unexpectedly, his increased size brought about positive changes in his life. His weight had plateaued, and he now had more time for dating. Dr. Dinah's newfound openness and humor made him more attractive to others.

In the end, Dr. Dinah realized the error of his ways. He had learned a valuable lesson about the consequences of fat-shaming and the importance of treating others with kindness and respect. And so, Dr. Jeremy Dinah embraced his new shape with newfound confidence and humility. He became a more compassionate and understanding doctor, forever changed by the lessons he had learned through his own self-inflicted transformation.

[the-paper-apricot]

John, Paul & the Shangri-Las

Whatever happened to The life that we once knew?

It's fairly well known that these lines from the bridge of 'Free as a Bird' are adapted from the lyric of 'Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)', written & produced by Shadow Morton and performed by the Shangri-Las. Where the Beatles, in lyrics begun but not completed by John, call up shared memories, Mary Weiss sang of "the boy that I once knew". That John reused these lines to voice his own preoccupation with an unresolved past adds much tenderness to 'Free as a Bird'. Being a Shangs fan, there are a couple of other connections that I just wanted to write about.

The Shangs looking dangerous.

Today I love you more than yesterday

'I Know (I Know)' from Mind Games (1973).

Although the melodies are completely different, the Shangri-Las song 'Love You More Than Yesterday' seems to find an echo in the most emotive lines in the bridge of John Lennon's 'I Know (I Know)'. The song was a B-side to their 1966 spoken-word ballad 'Past, Present & Future' (which, incidentally, took Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' as its theme, like the Beatles' song 'Because' after it). Quite rightly the nod to 'Yesterday' is what strikes us most, but I'm not at all sure that the similarity to the Shangri-Las title is pure coincidence. We saw in Get Back how easily song titles and lyrics were used by John and Paul in the current of their talk.

It proved difficult to find John speaking about the Shangri-Las, despite the Beatles' enjoyment of records by other girl groups like the Shirelles, and they're not among the artists on John's famous 40-disc mobile juke box that he brought when the Beatles went out on tour. (Only one woman, Fontella Bass, appears among the discs. The juke box doesn't even include 'Angel Baby' by Rosie and the Originals, whose fresh, unrefined first-love sentimentality appealed to him so much he covered it.) It's a little easier to find something from Paul on the subject however.

Mary and Betty Weiss from the Shangri-Las, photographed by Jini Dellaccio in 1966 (left: screenshot by @ohhellno on tumblr*; right, my screenshot, both from the documentary Her Aim is True, about the photographer).

Of course he calls out "Shangri-Las versus The Village People!" at the beginning of 'Mr. H. Atom'. But glorious as that is, perhaps more informative are the occasions where Paul has spoken of his enjoyment of the Shangri-Las' style, and the way he appreciated Linda's voice in this mode.

If she’s a singer, she’s very much a Shangri-Las type singer; I don’t think any of them could get into opera, but I prefer them to opera. Linda wouldn’t put herself up as a great vocalist, but she’s got a great style. I think anyway.

'McCartney Gets Hungry Again', Musician, Feb. 1988

I've always maintained that she has a kind of Shangri-Las type of appeal.

'Can Paul McCartney Get Back?' Rolling Stone, June 1989

When you know how warmly Paul regarded their style, you can't miss the similarity of Linda's spoken intro and closing of 'Wide Prairie' ("I was in Paris, waiting for a flight..."), answered by Paul, to the chat in Shangri-Las songs like 'Give Him a Great Big Kiss', where the other girls ask Mary Weiss whether her guy is tall ("Well, I gotta look up!") or if he's a good dancer.

Did they meet?

On the 20th September 1964, the Shangri-Las performed on the same bill as the Beatles, at a benefit concert in New York for a cerebral palsy charity. Mary Weiss explained that Mary Ann Ganser was jostled backstage as one of the Beatles sought them out:

“She turned around and it was Ringo. So that was some contact, anyway. I almost wanted her to take his drumsticks.”

'Weiss Leads Again', the New York Sun, September 2007.

This seems to be the only documented contact between the groups, although if you know of others, or further instances where John or Paul spoke about the Shangs, I'd love to hear about them. The music that the Beatles listened to has been written about extensively, and there's almost a canon of influences that's become pretty standard. Given their admiration of their performance, and seemingly in John's case, of Shadow Morton's words**, I hope for some recognition of both Lennon and McCartney's creative responses to the Shangri-Las.

(* Many thanks to @ohhellno for letting me use this great screenshot.)

(** The interest was of course mutual, as Morton produced the Beattle-ettes single 'Only Seventeen', supposedly a response to the Beatles from the girl's perspective, with hand claps and cries of "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" The single, by an untraced group, was released in 1964. In summer the same year his first songwriting hit, 'Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)' was the breakout success for the Shangri-Las. It was racing up the Billboard Hot 100 as the Beatles toured the States in the second half of August. By the time they had a day off in Key West, on the tenth of September, it had reached the top ten, one place below 'A Hard Day's Night'. If John or Paul tuned to a pop radio station, they'd have heard it. The song peaked at number five.)

from the Billboard Hot 100, week ending 12th September, 1964.

[infoglitch]

"JUST WHO THE HELL ARE YOU, CINDER?!"

Jaunes body.. ached as he stood amongst the corpses of grimm, crocea mors laid on the ground broken along with his shield. He wanted to just lay down.. lay down and wake up to something else, before he felt a hand softly glide up and down his back as he grumbled softly. It was her.

"looks like I finally caught up to you roach~" the woman spoke slyly as her human hand soon stopped at the center of his back.

Jaune could have turned around and hit her, atleast get in one good shot, but he was so.. exhausted. He then heard footsteps as he looked up to see.. Pyrrha.

Jaune went wide eyed as he looked at her. The same smile on her face as her emerald eyes seemed to shine.

"I.. can't keep going. I'm sorry pyr's" jaune muttered as Pyrrha simply raised a hand. Before she did a thumbs up. Before she pointed.. as jaune saw ruby rushing in before she stopped looking on with horror.

Jaune felt something click as he realized something.. something that made jaune scowl at. She's going to be stuck in this cycle.. shes gonna get herself killed. But then jaune decided to speak to Ruby as his body started to burn.

"Ruby.. you got this from here" jaune spoke with a sweet smile as Ruby rushed towards him before finally-

A burst of flames erupted from Jaune's body as Ruby went pale. Her eyes went wide as she stopped running.. more accurately stumbled. Falling onto her side as she felt her eyes begin to water.

"JAUNE!" Ruby screamed as cinder just simply grinned from ear to ear. Before she heard Ruby release Another scream.

"just who the hell are you, CINDER?!"

Cinder turned look at the girl as the sadistic grin was still plastered on cinders face.

"NO NEED TO SCREAM RUBY! I CAN HEAR YOU JUST FINE!" cinder responded as she could see something in Ruby's eyes. Hate. Pure. Unrefined. Hatred.

(hot take: If jaune should die, I firmly stand that his death should be important to Ruby's character.)

[physalian]

Segway Characters (Or when your protagonist knows jack about the story)

This is the protagonist of a sci-fi or fantasy world, generally a nobody who gets dragged in either by circumstance or by being the long-lost-something prophesied to save the realm. They know absolutely nothing about the plot, the other characters, the magic system, or the new world, the audience proxy that asks all the questions on the audience’s behalf.

I call them Segways (read; not segue) because they look dumb and you ride their ass through the narrative.

This is a very, very broad concept for a protagonist, everybody from a superhero origin story to Harry Potter, as opposed to a character like James Bond, an expert in their craft and a *seasoned protagonist*.

Segways usually aren’t a problem… until it becomes rather painfully obvious that they only exist to be the audience proxy to ask those questions, when another character could and should be the protagonist because they’re far more interesting, usually because the protagonist is way less cool and active in the plot than their constituents. Or, they’re a perfectly fine character, but the exposition dumping to them is sloppy and unrefined.

The difference between just a protagonist and a Segway is how smoothly they integrate into that story.

So.

—

Inception

I love this movie. It has inspired so much of my writing.

Ariadne is a poster child of Segway characters. Aside from the villain, Mal, she’s the only woman in the cast, and though Dom (DiCaprio) is the hero, Ariadne is his protege, the audience vector through which all the world mechanics and important backstory stuff is told. Every other character already knows how dream heists work and who Mal is, so explaining redundant information between experts would look weird—enter the Segway, Ariadne.

For what it’s worth, she’s not useless otherwise. She’s the new ‘architect,’ she builds the mazes the rest of the team runs through and is the innocent cinnamon roll dragged into problems that Dom created. Her name could not be a more heavy-handed symbol.

She’s active in the story and her perspective foils against Dom’s well enough, but Inception is a movie with layers and an infamous amount of necessary exposition to understand the story. Someone has to be there to ask all the questions the audience has. Ariadne unfortunately gets the lion’s share, instead of the script figuring out how to weave more of it into the interactions of the other characters. They spent so much time on the complex narrative it’s like they forgot about a layman audience and threw her in too late for a seamless integration.

—

Netflix’s The Old Guard is better than it should be, given its budget. I didn’t read the comic it was based on and have no idea if Nile’s character is the same in the original, but she’s another Segway with only one reason for existing in the plot otherwise: Andy’s got to pass the torch to someone.

Yes she comes to save them in the end and yes, her advantage in the story is being unknown to the villains, but she’s there, in this version of the story, so the other four heroes can info-dump to her about all manner of things from how immortality works to their backstories to the setup for the sequel the movie never got.

I just rewatched it recently and if the script just had two or three passes to tackle the exposition problem, it could have off-loaded some of the burden onto other characters, or better told it through action, and not just info-dumpy monologues. When the movie came out I remember a critic I like commenting that it could have been a more interesting story if it had been told from the sympathetic villain’s perspective (Not Dudley’s). As in, if he was on a mission with all his conspiracy-level research and dedication to track these people down, throwing out his own theories for them to then correct or something.

Like this, the story is just waiting for Nile to ask the right questions. Nothing is volunteered freely without Nile directly asking for it, because it runs into the same problem as Inception: Every other character already knows everything, and they wouldn’t exposit to each other.

—

A lot of isekai anime also do this. I’ve tried getting into older, tentpole shows like Sailor Moon and Bleach and Yu Yu Hakusho and I don’t know what it is about anime pilot episodes, even modern ones but particularly the old ones, the exposition dumping is atrocious. To the point where it feels like they all know it and are like “listen just bear with us and we’ll get this done fast and sloppy and get to the good stuff later”.

I just can’t. I think I made it 15 minutes into Bleach before noping out of there years ago.

—

Obviously all these movies and shows have their fans, but if you’re a writer struggling with exposition or noticed this trend like me, here’s some suggestions to avoid the need to info-dump, assuming you do want to keep your Segway.

Try not to give all the exposition questions to one character, and don’t wait for that character to ask, out-of-character on behalf of the audience, what’s going on in the story. Instead, let it flow more naturally in conversation and let the more experienced characters brainstorm with each other, or let the protagonist uncover some of this information actively on their own through other means, for variety’s sake.

Figure out a reason why these questions are necessary to the story in this moment. Why is the hero asking now, as opposed to any other time? You can also let the hero draw their own conclusions and have the other characters correct their misassumptions, feeding that information in a more natural way.

Give the hero more to do in the story beyond being the exposition vehicle right from the start. I don’t care if they’re the chosen one and the plot just falls into their lap, why are they the chosen one?

Spread out the exposition to come only when it’s necessary. Front-loading it can tarnish the immersion and overwhelm the audience, especially if it’s complex, or if there’s a lot of it. You can pepper it all the way through the story if you want.

If you really want to front-load it, you can go to the extremes and slap in a prologue or meta-narrative dump that’s fun and entertaining from a third person omniscient perspective. First thing that comes to mind is the opening 2D scene from Kung Fu Panda that covers a lot of ground. Go ham.

None of these characters are bad, I just think with a few more rounds of revisions and forethought, they could have been integrated better into their stories.

[youremyheaven]

vedic astro observations pt 3

in my previous post i had mentioned how some of the most famous mistresses/concubines/courtesans/women involved in adultery in real life or played such roles on screen often have Pushya or Punarvasu placements. here i'll be providing more example<3

Meena Kumari often played the "Other Woman" in her movies and here she is in her most famous role, playing a courtesan. She has Pushya sun and mercury

Elisabeth Moss plays a concubine in her most well known role in The Handmaiden. she has Pushya sun & mercury

Nicole Kidman played a courtesan in the iconic movie Moulin Rouge. She has punarvasu mercury atmakaraka and Pushya jupiter

Zhang Ziyi's most well known roles involve her playing a courtesan (Memoirs of a Geisha, House of Flying Daggers etc). She has Punarvasu moon

Bina Rai played the legendary courtesan Anarkali in the film of the same name in her most well known role. She has Punarvasu sun, Pushya mercury and jupiter

Hema Malini, Pushya rising was the real life mistress of her now husband Dharmendra. She also played a courtesan in the movie Sharafat

Rani Mukerji had an affair with the much married film producer Aditya Chopra which led to him separating from his wife. Rani has Mars in Punarvasu as her atmakaraka. She also has mercury and venus in Revati, which according to Claire Nakti is a nakshatra that features prominently in the charts of many "home wreckers".

Zeenat Aman had an affair with Sanjay Khan while he was married. The two even got married but things ended really poorly for Zeenat

(i dont want to mention it but you can google it). Zeenat is Punarvasu moon.

Lara Dutta and tennis icon, Mahesh Bhupathi started seeing each other when he was still married to his now ex-wife. Lara has Pushya moon and mars.

Sarika and Kamal Hassan had an affair while he was still married to Vani Ganapathy, leading to their split. Sarika has Mars in Punarvasu as her amatyakaraka. Her birth time is unconfirmed so she's either Ardra or Punarvasu moon

in a similar vein, Shilpa Shetty first started seeing Raj Kundra when he was still married to his first wife. She has Venus in Pushya darakaraka and Saturn in Punarvasu as her atmakaraka. She's also Rohini sun, another nakshatra that crops up often in the charts of women who are considered "home wreckers"

Pushya rising, Julia Roberts met her now husband when he was still married to someone else. Her most famous role to this date is that of a sex worker.

Lauren Bacall has Pushya venus & rising and met her husband Humphrey Bogart while he was still married to another woman

this is more of a speculation but JLo and Marc Anthony got married 5 months after he divorced his first wife, which implies that JLo and Marc probably started seeing each other when he was still married. Jennifer Lopez has Pushya moon

in an older post, i had mentioned how prostitutes in cinema are often played by Ketu natives and i think its interesting how different types of sex worker esque roles are played by different actors. prostitution is a very unglamorous, unrefined and morally frowned upon profession; Ketu is a shadow planet entirely separate from the material world where "morality" is created and enforced, thus it makes sense why these natives are chosen to play these roles, especially in gritty thrillers set in the underbelly of a big city (very Ketuvian). Ketu is in itself a malefic and associated with paradoxical concepts of apathy, impermanence but also liberation and salvation.

however, when courtesans or concubines are portrayed on screen, they are presented as extremely refined, polished and feminine creatures. historically, they were always educated, cultured, diversely talented and enjoyed a good position in the king's court.

they often acted as counsels, and were known for their refinement. such roles in cinema often seem to be played by Pushya or Punarvasu natives in cinema. i had already observed how cancer is the most feminine sign and how cancer women often play the "dream girl" or "trophy wife" in cinema and i would say this is an extension of that; their hyperfeminine mannerisms and persona make them highly desirable to men and courtesans and concubines are required to maintain themselves to a high degree of femininity in manner, appearance and conduct. it only makes sense that cancer girls, specifically Pushya (the height of femininity) and Punarvasu girls are chosen, repeatedly for these roles.

in most movies where a sex worker plays the protagonist, the main theme often tends to be about salvation/redemption. she's perhaps the whore with a heart of gold , the dichotomy between her character and her "immoral" life is explored. the Ketuvian roles explore these themes in the context of a dark, grungy, seedy brothel set in the underbelly of a big bad city whereas the Cancerian ones explore these in the context of a palace or a highly refined upper class setting where manners & conduct are subject to refinement. Ketu represents the shadow and Cancer ruled by the moon shows the light, although like yin and yang, there's good in the bad and bad in the good thoroughly interwoven into each other and impossible to separate.

2. in my personal observation, pisces rashi (0-3 degrees purvabhadrapada, uttarabhadrapada and revati) and bharani nakshatra endows a native with acting ability. these placements are present in the charts of some of the most talented actors in the history of cinema. obviously, one could have other placements and still be good actors.

Meryl Goddamn Streep is a Bharani moon

Saoirse Ronan is Revati sun, Bharani moon & venus with mercury and mars in UBP

Timothee Chalamet has Purvabhadrapada moon (2 degrees pisces) and Ketu in Revati. love him or hate him, gotta admit that the boy can act 🤷🏼‍♀️

Smita Patil, the iconic and prolific indian actress had Revati rising

Shabana Azmi is also Revati rising

again, love her or hate her, you have to admit Rani Mukerji is a terrific actor. She has UBP sun & ketu with mercury and venus in Revati

Heath Ledger is Revati sun & rising with mercury conjunct mars in Purvabhadrapada (2 degrees pisces)

Gary Oldman is UBP sun with moon and mercury in Revati

Robert Downey Jr is Revati stellium (sun, mercury and venus) with Bharani moon

Rooney Mara has UBP stellium (moon, mercury and venus)

Charlie Chaplin had venus in bharani atmakaraka, revati mercury amatyakaraka and mars in bharani

Spencer Tracy, Revati sun, UBP mercury conjunct mars

Buster Keaton, the screen legend and absolute GOAT had Revati moon

Clint Eastwood has mercury and venus in Bharani

Marlon Brando had Revati sun & moon

2 time Oscar winner and 10 time nominee, Bette Davis had Revati sun

pisces rashi, being a water sign gives the natives a certain emotional depth that gives them the ability to completely embody a character in the most convincing manner. being the final rashi, it encapsulates all the lessons of all the previous rashis and makes these natives possess an innate and inexplicable wisdom without first hand experience, thereby enabling them to portray a diverse range of characters convincingly.

bharani nakshatra's deity is lord yama and the nakshatra itself is associated with death. to be a good actor is to both subject your own self to a metaphorical death in order to birth the character within you and project it externally.