#Free products redemption

[pointsplus]

Introducing POINTS PLUS: Revolutionizing Retail Loyalty Programs

In an era where customer loyalty can make or break a business, innovative approaches to incentivize and reward consumers are paramount. Enter POINTS PLUS, a pioneering loyalty program designed to elevate the retail experience for both retailers and shoppers alike. More than just a points system, POINTS PLUS represents a paradigm shift in how businesses engage with their customers, fostering lasting relationships built on mutual benefit and satisfaction.

At its core, POINTS PLUS is a comprehensive platform that seamlessly integrates into retailers' existing operations, offering a range of features tailored to meet the evolving needs of today's marketplace. Whether it's a brick-and-mortar store or an online e-commerce platform, POINTS PLUS provides retailers with the tools they need to drive customer engagement, increase sales, and cultivate brand loyalty.

For consumers, POINTS PLUS promises a rewarding shopping experience like no other. Gone are the days of fragmented loyalty programs with limited benefits. With POINTS PLUS, shoppers have access to a unified rewards ecosystem that spans across multiple retailers, allowing them to earn and redeem points seamlessly across their favorite brands. From exclusive discounts and promotions to personalized offers based on purchasing behavior, POINTS PLUS empowers consumers to maximize the value of their shopping experience.

One of the key differentiators of POINTS PLUS is its emphasis on customization and flexibility. Unlike traditional loyalty programs that follow a one-size-fits-all approach, POINTS PLUS enables retailers to tailor rewards and incentives to suit the unique preferences and behaviors of their customer base. Whether it's offering bonus points on specific products, organizing member-only events, or providing personalized recommendations, POINTS PLUS empowers retailers to deliver a personalized shopping experience that resonates with their customers on a deeper level.

Moreover, POINTS PLUS leverages cutting-edge technology, including artificial intelligence and data analytics, to optimize performance and drive results. By harnessing the power of data, retailers can gain valuable insights into consumer behavior, preferences, and trends, allowing them to make informed decisions that drive business growth. From identifying emerging market opportunities to refining marketing strategies, POINTS PLUS provides retailers with the tools they need to stay ahead of the curve in today's competitive landscape.

But perhaps the most compelling aspect of POINTS PLUS is its focus on building genuine relationships between retailers and consumers. In an age where trust and authenticity are paramount, POINTS PLUS fosters a sense of community and belonging, where customers feel valued and appreciated for their loyalty. By rewarding repeat purchases and incentivizing engagement, POINTS PLUS creates a virtuous cycle of loyalty that benefits both retailers and consumers alike.

[charliemwrites]

Part 4 of Nikto’s commandments

Content: Sexual Desire, Dissociation, Depersonalization, Codependency, Acts of Service, Masturbation

You moan his name sometimes in your sleep.

Usually just before you wake up, panting and overheated, shooting wide-eyed glances his way. Lying to you would be a sin beyond redemption so he always lets you know that he’s awake. You often apologize, sometimes you assure him you’re alright. It takes him a while to identify the look in your eyes those nights — he was unfamiliar with it even before: guilt.

You feel guilty.

Puzzling out the why of that takes longer still. You’re a mystery to him, ineffable. The way god is supposed to be. Unlike the Christian one, you almost always have a purpose behind what you do, and you’ll answer Nikto whenever he dares to ask. (He’s not going to ask about this.)

He first thought that you were calling for his help in dreamt pain. That your blown out pupils, trembling hands, and flushed face were products of fear and imagined torture.

But then you started to lean into his neck in your sleep, making soft, high noises. Would press your ass into the cradle of his hips, grind against his thigh. Alien as his body is to him now, he can recognize emotion in others. Lust, desire.

Coming to terms that you feel these things for him has been another challenge altogether. (But you are a loving god, a compassionate keeper. The sweetness and mercy and nobility found in the viscera of his world. If there is anything of him worth wanting, you would find it.) If you are attracted to this… vessel he inhabits, who is he to question you?

The guilt, though. That he is still puzzling out.

If anyone should feel guilt, it is him (though he doesn’t, isn’t even sure if he can). Now that you’ve made him more aware of his body, of his desires, there’s a constant buzz of arousal in his blood. For you. He craves you constantly. Your touch, your voice, your scent in his nose. He could suffocate on you.

It’s selfish, it’s sinful. To desire anything of you when you have given him everything and asked for nothing in return. Not even his loyalty, freely given. It is why he could not say yes when you offered to slake his desire; it would have been akin to blasphemy.

Unless.

Unless you have asked something of him.

“Whoa!” A giggle as you tilt your head back to him, amused and curious. “What was that for?”

He feels wooden as he glances down at you. His arm is around your waist, nearly crushing you to him. Hadn’t even realized he moved. You don’t seem to mind, palms light on his forearm. Still looking to him.

He does not answer. Can’t find the words past the panic clawing at his throat. Lets you go slowly, finger by finger. You don’t step away once free.

You say something else. Something about rain maybe? He’s too busy staring at the deft hands you cup around your mouth.

How soft and gentle they are on his skin, skipping over the worst scars. The first thing you always do is touch him. When he’s out of a shower, just changed, climbing into bed, waking up. You reach for him, as if you can’t bear to be parted with the same intensity he feels.

Do you crave to touch him in other ways? Has he denied you, unwitting as it may have been?

It would be one thing to ask anything of you, especially for his own sake. But to give you something… even if it’s such an unworthy offering as himself…

“Nikto?”

His eyes flick down to yours. You smile at him, point at your own temple.

“Busy up there today, huh?” It’s not even a tease, but he feels as if he’s made another misstep.

“Sorry.”

You shake your head, bump your shoulder into his arm. “I’m just checking that you’re alright.”

“Alright” being relative. He objectively understands that he is broken and damaged. That he does not operate at full capacity all — or even most — of the time.

But with your help he’s established a baseline, a “normal.” Something to measure his body, and more importantly his damaged mind by.

“I am… alright,” he decides finally. “Just thinking.”

“Okay,” you answer, easy as that. “If you want to talk, I’ll listen — but you don’t have to.”

You don’t have to is your favorite thing to say to him. He would laugh if he remembered how.

He grunts an affirmative and follows you to wherever you’re headed next.

—

That night, your ankle is hurting. Nothing serious, you assure Nikto. Just rolled it a bit. You promise it just needs rest, low level painkillers, and a bit of elevation.

Nikto is unpracticed at care. For all he practically lives in your pocket, medical care is unusual for you. He spends so much time keeping you safe, protected, alive and unharmed. He has little direction when it comes to your discomfort.

Luckily, you provide direction in spades.

“Two pills from the bottle with the red cap and a glass of water please.”

His cock twitches hard. Fills out almost dizzyingly fast in the confines of his tac pants.

He fetches both for you, holding each in turn as you pluck the pills from his hand and sip the water. You sigh gratefully and tell him to set the glass on the nightstand. Another bolt of pleasure to obey, while you like droplets from your bottom lip.

“Can you grab my computer and the charger? I want to watch something before bed.”

He brings them, stands waiting while you fiddle with it. Waiting for another request. He’s achingly hard now. Throbbing in his underwear.

“Oh! Hairbrush too, please?”

When he hands it to you this time, hand almost to the point of shaking, you give him a sheepish smile.

“I’m sorry, I keep making you run around.”

“Don’t be.” His voice is gruff, but it so often is that you don’t seem to find anything amiss. “More?”

“Ah… well, if it’s not too much trouble, could you grab the extra blanket? It’s cold tonight.”

He tries to pace himself. To balance the pleasure of obeying against the speed of completing the task. You hum in delight as he drapes it over you — a fluffy monstrosity of a thing. Utterly decadent, he’d never even entertain the idea of having one. But you deserve a dozen of them if you wanted them. He’d retrieve them now for you if only you asked.

(He wishes you would ask.)

He is harder than he ever remembers being. (Granted, there are many gaps in his memory, even now. But there is enough there to know this is true.)

“Okay that should be the last thing for a bit.” You’re looking away and don’t see the minute deflation of his shoulders. He’s nearly panting. “Come snuggle in?”

“In a moment,” he says, surprising himself. You seem a bit (pleasantly) surprised too. He’s never denied you anything for even a moment. But if he sits next to you now…

“Ah, gotcha,” you say when he turns for the bathroom.

You start playing whatever tv show you have queued up to offer him privacy. He closes the door after himself and for the first time since regaining his freedom, takes himself in hand.

First | Previous | Next

Masterlist

[calicoheartz]

helloooo i love your work and i can’t stop thinking about paige x uconnwbbp and reader gets in an argument with a ref and is taken off the court (and obvs there’s videos all over the internet about reader cussing out the ref) and paige pulling her away 💗

𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 ; 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐆𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐒

꣑୧ — summary | basically the prompt 🪩🌊

wc ; 752

— warnings | tiiiiny bit of angst , cussing , mainly fluff / normal

my master list ㇀♡

a/n : yayaya this prompt was so fun to write !! deff need to do more fiesty!reader x paige sometime 🥴 but for now , enjoy !

Our team was in the midst of a nail-biting game against their biggest rival. The arena was electric, fans on the edge of their seats as the clock ticked down. I was fully immersed in the intensity of the match, adrenaline pumping through my veins.

As the final minutes approached, a questionable call by the referee sent our opponents to the free-throw line. My frustration boiled over, and before I knew it, I was arguing with the ref, my voice rising above the noise of the crowd.

“That was a ridiculous call!” I shouted, my hands gesticulating wildly. “Are you blind?”

The ref’s face hardened. “Watch your mouth, or you’re out of here.”

“Make a fair call for once!” I retorted, my anger getting the better of me.

Suddenly, I felt a firm hand on my arm. I turned to see Paige, her expression a mix of concern and determination. “Hey, calm down,” she urged, trying to pull me away from the escalating situation.

But I wasn’t ready to back down. “No, this is unfair, Paige! We’re getting robbed!”

The ref blew the whistle, signaling a technical foul. “You’re out of the game. Leave the court now.”

The locker room was a sanctuary of silence compared to the chaos outside. I sat on the bench, head in my hands, the weight of my actions crashing down on me. The door creaked open, and I looked up to see Paige walking in, her face etched with concern.

“Hey,” she said softly, sitting down next to me. “You okay?”

I sighed, feeling a mix of shame and frustration. “I screwed up. I let my temper get the best of me.”

Paige wrapped her arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. “Everyone gets frustrated. It’s a high-pressure game. But we have to keep our cool, especially with all those cameras around.”

I groaned, remembering the countless smartphones pointed in my direction during the argument. “There are probably videos all over the internet of me cussing out the ref.”

Paige chuckled softly. “Yeah, you’re trending. But it’s okay. We’ll handle it.”

By the next morning, the videos had indeed gone viral. Social media was buzzing with clips of my outburst, complete with hashtags and memes. I scrolled through the comments, feeling a mix of embarrassment and anger.

“Hey, stop torturing yourself,” Paige said, taking my phone away. “What’s done is done. Let’s focus on moving forward.”

I nodded, grateful for her steady presence. “You’re right. I just hate that I lost my cool like that.”

Paige smiled, her eyes filled with understanding. “You’re passionate. It’s one of the things I love about you. But maybe channel that passion into something more productive next time.”

I laughed, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. “I’ll try. Thanks for pulling me away last night. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

Paige leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. “I’ve got your back, always. We’re a team, on and off the court.”

The next game was our chance for redemption. I was determined to keep my composure, no matter what happened. Paige and I had spent the days leading up to the match focusing on mental preparation, reminding each other of our goals and the importance of staying calm.

As we stepped onto the court, the support from our teammates and fans was overwhelming. The game was tough, but I kept my cool, channeling my energy into every play. Paige’s presence was a constant source of strength, her encouragement pushing me to give my best.

When the final buzzer sounded, we had won by a narrow margin. The crowd erupted in cheers, and I felt a surge of pride and relief. Paige ran over to me, her face glowing with joy.

“You did it!” she exclaimed, wrapping me in a tight hug.

“We did it,” I corrected, pulling her close. “Thank you for believing in me.”

Paige smiled, her eyes shining. “Always. Now, let’s go celebrate.”

The viral videos eventually faded from memory, replaced by clips of our triumphant victory. Paige and I continued to grow stronger, both as teammates and as partners. The incident with the ref had taught me a valuable lesson about keeping my emotions in check, but it had also shown me the depth of Paige’s love and support.

Together, we faced every challenge head-on, knowing that no matter what happened on the court, we had each other’s backs. And that was the greatest victory of all.

it feels good to write more for paige now! hope yall liked this one and tysm for reading !

[izzyshandz]

I swear if i see one more mf say izzy has been 'redeemed' or needed a 'redemption arc' im literally going to scream into my pillow until i lose my voice.

redeem is such a black and white way of looking at his entire character and dismisses everything hes gone through and yall (izzy haters and others) are just so fucking snob nosed and ignorant to sit there and think hes a villain because of how he acted. theyre fucking pirates. theyre not perfect, none of them are. eds a villain, stedes a villain, if youre doing it like that. ed has killed so many people, stede literally left his wife and kids and also had a hand in killing people; it may be easier for them to change because of the perspective the show gives them and they had love but izzy did not. everyone hated him, ed, his own crew, stedes crew.

normalizing peoples reactions to things as something other than villainy and heroism is so god damn important in a show that's trying to accurately involve our perspectives in this day and age. its a tale as old as time, making someone 'completely in the wrong' because their perspective isnt the one you aligned with as much.

like the rest of the crew izzy had his own bad things hes done, he didnt need this 'redemption' everyones blabbering on about. he needed to be fucking heard, to be seen, and acknowledged-- not thrown aside and abandoned because of a whim. you all can ride up blackbeards ass because oh hes so hot, hes so pretty omg wow; but that wont ever change the fact his character is a fucked up person... youre allowed to love him anyways, why not izzy? we didnt see blackbeard before screen but how hes mentioned it shows he was a shit awful person, the only reason no one cares is because on hes fuckin gay for stede or whatever so the main characters get a free ride. ( i agree they all get a free ride, im just tired of this izzy isolation man )

why does he need to be redeemed in your eyes? just because youve seen what hes done? he was literally a product of his environment in season one he was a product of blackbeard's leadership. only with the loyalty and solidarity of the crew did he really begin to find himself, thats fucking hard to do that late in life. instead of calling it some bullshit black and white redemption arc, lets just celebrate izzy being himself and being fucking loved for once in his god damn life.

hes also way more fucking mature and put together than people give him credit for. love you izzy.

edit: thank you all for the reblogs and insights in every single one, i read them i promise i do. im just so mf heartbroken we have to tag things as discourse when its really just about people not being compassionate. (as a couple people have pointed out) i will said id reblog and comment on every single tag but this is my side </3 EVERYONE PLEASE READ THE REBLOGGED TAGS TOO / / theyre so real ! ive also opened up that ask box thingy i havent been on tumblr in yrs and have 0 clue how any of that works if anyone wants my perspective on anything izzy related. *or otherwise ofmd related

[ilikekidsshows]

@aaghht honestly, after seeing more of the show and now the Paris special, my opinion abt Chloe's writing writing has turned from "the writers hate her specifically bc they're out of ideas" into "did Astruc make her based off some1 he hated irl?" cuz it's very ridiculous how s1-3 gave us a different picture of her than we got later. Thomas saw how the fans thought she should grow into redemption as a char,and very strongly disagreed.

Astruc's inability to take criticism is a part of a bigger issue he has as a creator where he is unable to deal with fans interpreting his work differently from what he intended. If his seasons 4-5 treatment of Chloé is backlash at people who saw her as redeemable, it does raise the question why he's so vested in the interpretation that Chloé specifically is irredeemable when the likes of Gabriel and Félix (people whose evil schemes have actually succeeded) got to go scot free. Does he just hate mean teenage girls that much?

I’ve seen this "Chloé is a stand-in for someone Astruc used to know" theory around, and it would explain why he gets so emotional about Chloé online and why he insists a character he created is irredeemable instead of just saying he wrote her to be irredeemable, acting like she has some kind of agency when he's the one who made her and has the power to put her on any character development path he chooses.

My only criticism of this idea is this: I don’t think Astruc is that subtle. I don’t think he’d have the self-control to hold himself back for three seasons and a special when it comes to having a fictional manifestation of his hatred he could do anything with, even though he's made some comments about there being more corporate control over the story during seasons 1-3. Like, the instant they decided to make Adrien a Sentimonster Gabriel started twirling his ring like it was a merry-go-round and he was working at an amusement park. This is why I also don’t believe SentiAdrien was a thing before season 4, and why I call season 4 a retooling. Astruc seems to have very little subtlety as a creator, we can see what he thinks in what he writes, and season 4 marks a clear difference in how he writes Adrien and Chloé specifically.

Astruc is incredibly invested in Marinette's character. She's his baby OC, she was the first idea he created for the Miraculous concept and he worked on the idea for years before a company decided to catch his pitch. Chloé was created as a nemesis to Marinette, a character he calls his imaginary daughter. Does Astruc want the audience to hate Chloé because she's mean to his "daughter" or because she's some spectre of a past school bully he never got over? Considering only school bullying is treated with proper gravitas on the show, while terrorism, domestic abuse and slavery are just everyday stuff everybody is cool with, it could very well be the latter. But if that's the case, seasons' 1-3 production must have really stifled what he wanted to do with her character originally.

[showtoonzfan]

I really try to understand and reread the Ken document to see where Viv’s supporters are coming from, but I’m sorry, all I thought when I was done reading it is that Vivienne is just mentally unstable to the point where she can’t carry a normal and steady conversation without either being petty or freaking out. I think that’s why so many of her peeps and fans excuse her because they see her in a vulnerable state and see her say she’s “shaking” and that she can’t handle this, so everyone coddles her and thinks that Ken must have said something to warrant a reaction like this out of Vivzie…….expect….they didn’t.

Ken never harassed or poked Vivzie, they never got angry and forceful, but when they reasonably give Viv VALID constructive criticism about how she should be crediting her artists since she’s leading an INDIE team (and can’t figure that out apparently since she compared herself to fucking Disney) apparently that was enough to send Vivzie off the edge immediately and think that Ken was attacking her, when Ken said it themselves, they were just talking to her. To have fans paint Ken out to be this needy person who demanded credit in unwarranted aspects is disgusting, because what they said in their document was true. They HAD been responsible for writing MAIN plot points, jokes, and ideas that all made their away into the final product, and the fact that they only got an “additional writing” credit rather than having their name up with Viv, Dave, and Raymond is bullshit.

Viv’s point she had made of Ken’s writing only being in the “early stages” is literally a lie because what they wrote ended up in the final product, not only writing main jokes but Alastor being in the pilot and investing in the hotel, Angel being there for free rent and being the first hotel patron, Charlie trying to convince those of redemption ect. And then when the two brushed it aside, good ol’ perfect Vivzie called Ken an abuser to others, saying false things behind their back while ALSO pretending to be nice to them upfront. That’s my biggest issue. Tell me one instance where Ken was “abusing” Vivzie. They weren’t, Viv is just so fucking emotionally sensitive with zero thick skin and sees anyone daring to criticize her as an attack, and she’s STILL like that to this day. I really don’t see how people can read a document of her not only tracing and not crediting someone, but talking lies behind someone’s back while also being nice..and STILL support her, I really can’t. And it’s funny when some of y’all think that we want Hazbin to cease to exist or Helluva to stop running….no….we don’t give a shit about the shows, we want Viv to get the consequences of her actions and her victims to get justice. We want her to own up to what she’s done, especially the recent drama, and yet she never does cause in her eyes she can do no wrong. She always fucking acts like she did nothing wrong, or blames her behavior on everyone but herself. She’s a 30 year old woman, she acts like a child and needs to be kicked down a notch. She never learns from her experiences or gets better and it really is tiring to see people side with her EVERY single time, despite their being countless evidence clear as day that she’s an entitled brat, with even ANOTHER spindle-member coming out and revealing that they were mistreated as well:

All I can say is that I hope more members are inspired to come out, and not afraid, especially since there are ex members who came out that we haven’t heard a word from, like Salem Squidder, the person above, even Ashley Nichols. People need to realize that wether you like Viv or not, people were HURT by her, and she needs to come forward and confront it, not vague tweet and hide behind her fanbase, leaving everyone to fight her battles instead of herself.

[likealittleheartbeat]

One of my most reblogged posts says, “ ATLA asks whether you can actually be friends across these lines if society refuses to be equitable. Friendships and romance depend not on conflict to deepen them but an active peacefulness.” I think a lot of people relate to the post’s critique of the kyriarchy (all those damn interwoven -isms!) and the ways it limits the formation of relationships. It describes how violence shortens lifespans, squashes nuance, and forces people together into exploitative rather than mutual dynamics. It’s easy to read my post as condemning the possibility of real connection across lines of oppression. I think that’s what I believed when I wrote it even. I’ve always had a certain gifted grace when I reread my writing, however, to discover that I’ve left a window of opportunity open. In this case, the window is within a few words in those sentences: “ATLA asks whether you can,” and that word, “active.”

The show doesn’t merely ask, but it answers its questions with that concept of active peacefulness. Wtf does that mean, tho??? Our boi Aang is so notably avoidant as to be a stereotype of his culture within universe. If it were up to him alone at the start of the show, peace would be a completely passive state. But if that were the case, he’d still be in the big ol’ ice cube. It’s Katara and Sokka’s dynamic and conflicted communalism that frees the avatar unto the world again. Katara demonstrates how disagreement and rage need have nadda to do with assault or abandonment. They can be the features of closeness and trust within a healthy growing relationship, peaceful even as they exact major shifts in the world. Sokka’s misogyny isn’t anything to imitate, but its the first instance we see in the series of a relationship strong enough to accept critique, discourse, and change. Just in this first episode, Sokka illustrates receptivity, Katara models productive and honest emotion, and, soon enough, Aang is introduced to spur on the expansion of these healthy communal practices beyond imposed borders, with all of them learning and growing in relation to one another.

This has profound implications for what comes in the finale regarding Azula and Ozai. These two powerhouses depended on order to stabilize their relationships rather than the bitchy discursiveness that constitutes real friendships or the meaningful arguments and compromises that make for a healthy romance. Importantly, neither gets the comeuppance they’d prefer: domination. Instead, they’re forced into relational dynamics. Azula is frozen alongside Katara, while Ozai’s energy is melded with Aang’s. If they are bested, it’s not in the arena of power; it’s in mutuality. They’re forced to be closer to the people they’ve oppressed and abused, held together rather than apart, and they come out of that encounter cowed but uninjured, the way a friend’s censure pains a soul so much worse than an enemy’s assault that cripples or kills. And the show’s not idealistic about the consequences of these symbolic gestures. It imprisons the antagonists, who are still not friends or even allies--only horrific equals who have a long way to go before any kind of trust is possible.

One person knows that long road, though. Zuko. His relationship to the gaang, and most of all Aang, reveals best that friendships across the constructed lines of oppression are possible and, in fact, a model for the most transformative relational dynamics. I’ve gotta block quote Ramzi Fawaz’s shit on friendship in Queer Forms, cuz it’s game-changing in concepts of friendship, and subsequently, why we feel so delightfully charged by Zuko’s ‘redemption,’ as its been called. 

Friendships of the kind I am describing, then, ones that carry the spirit of inventiveness and experimentation described by [Audre] Lorde and [Michel] Foucault, are exceptionally capable of handling conflict, because a genuine equality between the parties (that is nothing like sameness but has to do with two people equally valuing one another) means that both are actively engaged in the construction of the bond. This is why friendship can never function as the application of a rule (you must care for me in this predetermined way as a condition of our speaking) but rather takes shape in the doing of it, as the mutual creation, and continual renegotiation, of shared criteria for dialogue (we will speak, again and again, in order to figure out what conditions best enable our mutual growth). This model of sociality leaves far less space for victims and perpetrators, accusers and accused, because of a sense of mutual involvement, a complicity of the best kind not unlike Lorde’s conception of ‘the erotic’ as a force that animates a shared creation or ‘invention’ of new social forms between two people. It is also a description of the kind of interaction that incites people to change, to relase destructive or oppressive logics like homophobia, sexism, transphobia, and racism, not under ideological duress, shame, or demand, but in the surprising encounter with others who shift the ground beneath one’s feet.

We can see these kind of steadfast and contentious dynamics with lots of pairings as they develop on the show : Toph and Katara, Suki and Sokka, Aang and Teo, Katara and Aang, Mai and Zuko. These relationships go beyond simple alliance. While the empire’s violence might force these people together or apart, its their own abilities to face their differences, stick it out, and build something mutually beneficial (rather than the easier option of antagonistic) that connotes these relationships, even as it forces them to vacate the ideologies they held at the beginning of each episode in order to create more expansive visions of understanding. Zuko’s arc, of course, is the clearest answer atla offers: he goes from a villanous relationship, to a stance of confusion, toward a final state of loyalty and dedicated friendship. 

Relationships are possible within the sphere of violence and across the hierarchical lines the violence has implemented and enforces. Those people in positions of power, upheld by the violence and neglect of others, are actually equals (in the existential sense) to the most marginalized individual, and are therefore capable of all those tenets of humanity--embarrassment, sensitivity, loneliness, evil, empathy, etc. It’s only that the domain of oppressive conflict makes the tensions, betrayals, and metamorphoses that are a necessary part of the best kinds of friendships terrifying because those experiences feel so similar to abuse. In abuse, though, only one person is forced to change. In a reciprocal relationship, everyone is surprised to find they’re not entirely offended that someone else finds them imperfect--and somehow that’s endearing and engenders changes that neither person necessarily even demands. This is active peace: joking, judging, hugging, arguing, confessing, bitching, breaking rules, trusting, dancing, loving within a deeply imperfect world with deeply imperfect people for whom you, nevertheless, still want the best and who seem to want the best for you (which is why you wanted the world to change for the better in the first place).

[kazoosandfannypacks]

Why are we always pitting Captain Hooks against each other anyways??? J.M. Barrie's Captain Hook gave us over a century now of inspiration! Disney's animated Captain Hook set a precedent! Hook's Hook was iconic! Once Upon A Time's Hook was a multi-layered character with a beautiful redemption arc! Jake and the Neverland Pirates' Hook kept an entire shelf of extra hooks that served a variety of purposes! The Pirate Fairy's Hook was a unique spin on the tale and told a side of his story we don't frequently explore! Studio C's Hook was a witty parody! The Captain Hook at the stage production I saw was so good at ad-libbing whenever Peter Pan intentionally changed the lines to mess with him! Captain Hook is such a great character, so let's just celebrate him in every form we get!

this is now a captain hook appreciation post! feel free to add on any i missed (i only included ones i've seen but i know there's more!) but please do not respond with hate toward any one or more iterations of the character!

[keikakudom]

I wonder if Angel recognized vox? It must be a little awkward to be staying at a resort sponsored by your boss's former partner, to avoid your boss. Speaking of which, is the resort still free? (Weird attention point I know) bc it seems like lots of people would take advantage of its facilities without bothering w redemption if it were free, so how do they deal with it?

Omg, these are two things I've actually thought about. A LOT.

Okay, so for Angel's situation(I'm fine with explaining it briefly, because it might be /awhile/ until I get to posting about his design):

Yes, he recognizes Vox, but he's also in sort of a sweet deal right now, also thanks to Vox; Angel lives at the resort, but it's also his workplace. Charlie knew vaguely about Vox's association with the Vees, she's not blind to Hell politics in this AU. When Vox negotiated with Valentino to recruit Angel Dust to be an entertainer/stripper for the resort(since Angel's a celebrity and having a permanent show there for him would definitely bring in an audience), Charlie made sure that any contracted souls would have a place for refuge at the resort.

So in this AU, Angel isn't a pornstar anymore(cough hint hint: this also means that Valentino shifted away from porn. Crazy? I will go more into this later). I imagine this like an additional, temp clause to Angel's contract; as long as he brings in an audience/revenue and keeps up numbers at the resort, he gets to keep a better QoL. Is he grateful to Vox? No, cause Vox could've easily done this throughout the years he'd known Angel + made the margins of his newfangled freedom more than the bare minimum to appease Charlie and benefit Vox's interests. Charlie hasn't been around their circle nearly enough to figure that out, nor is very keen on all the details surrounding this; she only thinks that Vox barely managed to snag a deal from Valentino for Angel's new conditions.

And for your second question-- yep, the resort is still "free!"

Anyone can check in and partake in their general services(redemption, blah blah blah). That doesn't mean it's not profitable. Just like public malls, or other types of casual resorts and casinos, they make revenue from the very environment. Advertisements, upgraded amenities, exclusive entertainment and shows-- the very fact that the CEO of Voxtek, PLUS the Royal Family of Hell are sponsoring this resort? Oh, now it sounds like hot shit. Sinners might not even be /too/ interested in redemption, but it's a spectacle of entertainment that's so unique to the rest of Hell. The visit is sweetened by the idea that Sinners have a place to be "safe" from their contracts. Obviously, this isn't exactly true but it's the brand, the image, that Vox has designed for the resort to project. A certain Radio Demon has a lot to say about that.

And you're right! Does this mean that they'll stay there forever, if they lack any redemption efforts to leave? Whooo knows. Vox has his own ideas on "dead product". I have a comic script written about this, so I'll leave that there.

Thank you for the questions, it gave me a chance to spill the beans somehow!! I know there are a lot of unanswered questions here too, but hopefully it gave a bit more understanding to how the resort functions :"D

[ghostlyarchaeologist]

Hello everybody! Just to let you all know that I have uploaded a few new designs to my redbubble shop - mostly Eliot Spencer's t-shirt designs from Redemption season 2, but there's also the team building camp logo from The Librarians and the Disenchanted Forest.

Feel free to check it out!

[trlvsn]

ace attorney makes most of us notice the impact of the people in our lives and how relationships influence the ones in them but the meaning of it all makes me think about the way it's all coincidence and uncontrollable circumstances. what were the odds of larry stealing that lunch money and phoenix even being in the same class as miles and larry, what were the odds of him later meeting dahlia and mia and maya and trucy and literally everyone. what were the odds of him getting all of these correct influences in his life that made him a better person, helped him countless times. what were the odds of him getting that and why is it that others didn't?

the universe is cruel in it's indifference and the theory of probability is it's harshest weapon: why didn't dahlia get a better mother and father? why did she meet terry the creep fawles and why did she have to be alone all this time, why was there not a savior for her? why is it that she gets no redemption and no sympathy in her final moments, "this is who you are and there is no changing that" and all that; how do two girls with identical faces end up so different. what if dahlia, at one point, got to grow, what if she got the chance to abandon her protective selfishness and pretend innocence and run free and explore who she can be. honestly, why didn't manfred von karma get a good influence in his life and career? he is quite literally the product of the system, he is what he is because that's what gets him a win and money. every time i look at an ace attorney character i see less choice and more chance, no matter how much they do on their own, how many decisions they make, life always has it's ways to twist things around (for the plot, most of the time, but still, a guy can't help but cry about the biggest life's injustice that is everything being coincidental)

[carelessflower]

top 10 atrocious shtv plotline

let me preface by saying i do not hate shadowhunters. it camp demon fighting hot people in leather with not enough lighting and candles as regular guest stars. this list is my personal opinion, a little something something rage filled silly little rants of my favorite show and its clown moment. picture this as the inner monologue of the lead in an indie romcom who speaks in metaphors and has a letterbox account. so sit back, grab your set and stele because you will need so much iratze for your sanity.

content warning: this rant will touch upon topics such as mental health, addiction, attempted suicide and incest.

10. magnus lost his magic

magnus is magnificent in everything, so that is why this plotline disappointed me. it has so much potential and they end up doing the bare minimum. there's no way magnus fricking bane has no one to rely on when he lost his magic besides alec. no fricking way. we should have gotten magnus to work out alec's deal with asmodeus by himself. i'm also of the opinion that magnus should be the one to figure out a way to get his magic back (there are lots of good fics exploring this, i recommend you check it out) it end up in this position cause overall it a good and interesting premise and magnus outsmarting his father and using his portal (something that magnus invented) to defeat him is a good conclusion

9. heidi took over dumort and planned to dominate the shadoworld

i mean this happened in the book, but it was given way way more screen time than necessary in the show. please dont tell me a newly born vampire is suddenly a master manipulator and leader and makes every vampire bend to her will. you're trying to be serious not comedy shtv. and how about we give all of heidi screen time to flesh out clary and magnus plotline in S3B more?? or idk, give the lightwood trio A PLOTLINE this season besides being the supporting partner

8. jordan redemption arc

he's an abuser. he's an abuser. HE IS AN ABUSER. we don't need him sobbing and crying and then ‘dying’ in front of maia. i loathe how for a second i thought they gonna make maia go back together with jordan again. the only good thing come out of it is maia getting somewhat closure, and i used that term loosely

7. the owl

jace spent S3A being mind controlled by lilith, struggling, begging to be killed, being mind control again, then free. he doesn't have a single moment after all that bullshit to process because oh we need the plot to move along and another fresh trauma has arrived at the jace station. and oh remember the soul sword thing??? when there's an attempt to write the payoff of jace unintentionally killing a bunch of people? i dont know about you but the show writers sure do not. the rules and influence of lilith over jace is so confusing it is ridiculously hilarious

6. alec and jace's parabatai bond

i've already done a recap of all the wonderful moments of jace parabatai career so i will keep this really simple. picture the parabatai bond as group final assessment. alec is pulling all-nighter, groupchat urging to finish tasks on time, one on one meetings with professor for feedback, two hours finalizing and fixing the final product. jace is "why do i have to do so much" and submitting work late two hours that don't pass the plagiarize check

5. team evil (evil clary + S3B jonathan)

i would like to remind you she turns fully evil in episode 18 and is cured of it in episode 20. they build this evil plotline up through clary burning her hand, snapping at simon once and losing it at aline (who btw i believe is justified in her rage how many people sebastian/jonathan/ginger incest bread have killed) clary turning evil means she now will sexily whisper her line, wear tighter/revealing dress and stare at people with smoldering eyes. because of course, evil female characters are like that. i also need writers for that clace scene in the club when jace's on seelie drug to answer for their crime against my sanity

jonathan S3B is bad. and not even the fun kind. when you compare this character to the one in S2B, he got clear on every possible aspect i almost shed a tear. he, like evil clary, has so much potential. but the way the writing goes makes him just hilariously pathetic. yes i am in fact referring to him yelling 'YOU WILL NEVER LOVE ME' at clary and then flying away in his devil cosplay

4. merlion getting taken to the silent brothers

alec is shit for blindly following the clave's order, jace betrays his parabatai and along with izzy and clary conducts a stupid plan that can create an all-out war and involves two of the downworlder leaders in all that. also, magnus steal alec stele aka the acting head stele…because bad decision is infectious in this episode. considering how serious they’re trying to make the political aspect of the show to be, the fact that this exists. literally insane. this whole plotline is to highlight how clary is the hero who stands up for justice and morals and all of that when she the one contributing the least. she just stands around lets everyone do stuff for her and they're trying to convince us she's the hero. then she and jace fuck off to another dimension after roping people into their mess because that is what a good hero does.

that screencap. she said that surrounding by downworlders. her kendall jenner pepsi world peace era

3. alec's mental health

alec try to jump off that balcony and the only person they show having any concern over it is magnus in the next episode. oh no no, not even in that lightwood family talk in the same episode of the balcony thing, with you know, his mom and his parabatai, not a word. and the only one who says anything related to it is clary of all people. im convinced the whole alec killing off jocelyn is for alec to feel guilty and then ease him into a friendship with clary because this is no way to handle this type of story there is no way. and it is not like they say oh well, here's the end of this. because they include shots of alec pinching his hands at that hospital scene. what was the reason? has alec not had enough on his plate already? friendly reminder, iris's spell at that party caused people to project their insecurities and everyone was fighting each other. and who does alec blame? who does he fight? who he thinks is worthless of living and no one will miss? himself. do they drop this storyline faster than clace romance? yes!

2. clace

ah, instant love that makes no sense because we are supposed to believe it is the way it is. the writers keep telling us there is nothing compared to their love but doesn't show us SHIT when it comes to that. don't believe me? oh, okay, the number of dates that they have before crusty lord of the lifetime valentine morgenshit breaks the fake sibling news is that time when jace stands and watches clary get encanto and tough inappropriately by a vampire and their rendezvous with fake dad. then in S2A they mostly interact when clary is in trouble and needs jace help. clary dates the first person she knows already has feeling for her, jace goes around very around. they don't bond or try to talk or interact besides jace constantly looking sulkily at clary and simon. then 2x14 it all reveals she loves jace she desires jace no one for her but jace. and i totally forgot jace's confession via the soul sword about loving clary, not the way you would love a sister and all that. their first date as an again couple is 3x02…the love confession is ridiculous because he's saying all these things despite us literally never seeing that on screen. they bonk when clary still links with her psychopath brother, that whole scene alone should pay for my therapy. we kept being told they are in love, but we are never shown that. hey, maybe some advice. slapping romantic music over a scene will not make the scene romantic, you actually need to write it too. this relationship goes nowhere because itself and the two characters inside it doesn't change. it's always clary wants something so jace push everyone and everything under the solar system out of the way to give it to her. this wouldn't be a problem if, yk, it is only in the first season and they have character development. but let me remind you S3B they summon lilith back to earth despite magnus losing his magic to help defeat her (didn't make it to this list but a very strong honorary mention) with the worst possible plan. relying on a guy simon knew for less than the time clary and jace spent thinking through their plan. it like you are asking for him to betray you

aldetree izzy raphael and yinfen 

one of the only major plotlines izzy has. and it's this. because of course this addict seeks a provider then both fall in love and the provider becomes addict again is super duper appropriate to happen to these two. two of the poc characters who are prominent in the show. one of the few female characters. of course very splendid decisions right there. and at the end of the series izzy gets together with someone who can make her relapse again. all because this storyline that could have been cut off and replaced with something more decent. but nope! sexily blood drinking time!

tag list: @dustandducks @cityofdownwardspirals @magnus-the-maqnificent @onetimetwotimesthreetimess @wildesummerchild @cam-ryt @khaleesiofalicante @idk-i-just-really-like-tsc

[sio-writes]

Botanist's Guide: Chapter 14

<<Chapter 13

<<<Chapter 1

Summary: Cassandra Rowland, PhD, finally has the chance to work on an experiment that really matters: growing Earth crops on another planet. But too many overdue reports and marked failures have put her in hot water with the board, and this is her last chance at redemption. So when she finds herself railroaded by a seven foot tall, glowing alien named Kri, it won’t be as easy as sticking some seeds in the soil and running them under the tap. Tack on the looming repossession of her lab contingent on her success in Kri’s reports, and Cassie realizes she may have her work cut out for her.

Tags: past death and unhealthy grieving mentioned

Kri

I wake up feeling troubled and anxious, from the moment I open my eyes, the memories of the day before come rushing in. Cassie had lost the most important thing in her life less than thirty hours ago, and I gently nudged her towards my home only because I know how it feels to wake up alone after a major life event. I'd fully intended to stay respectful and sleep on the couch, but the temptation to guard over my beautiful human was too great. I can hardly refuse Cassie on any normal day, let alone one where her watering eyes threatened to spill over if I didn’t sleep beside her.

So this morning I wake up on my back with her draped over my side, her arm across my chest and a leg thrown possessively over my hips. Her limbs are a weight over my body that centers me, grounds me in the present and relaxes my muscles. I could stay here for hours. 

She’s a quiet sleeper, only the rise and fall of her back indicates her breathing. Her other hand is tangled in the pillows behind me, and her free leg is sticking out of the basket, which tells me that she likes to spread out like a flower when she sleeps. Hanging nests are meant to act as a cocoon, providing safety in an enclosed space; they're not meant for much else outside of sleeping, unlike human beds that seem to act as a second living room. Cassie wouldn't be comfortable here in the long term, and I briefly wonder if I could handle sleeping on a mattress for the rest of my life. 

I think I could, for her.

It's tempting to remain in the nest all day. My body certainly agrees. Even buckled under the stress of not knowing what today will bring, I find it hard to see past the fact that Cassie is sleeping on top of me. The bottom of her thigh is pressing deliciously against my groin plates, her whole body is against mine and I'm washed in the smell of her lavender-scented hair products, my favorite of Earth's smells, floral and light. As I take a deep inhale of her hair, I consider what to do next. 

I enjoy her presence here, and I want to keep her with me as long as she can stand. I’ll need to get her a change of clothes, provide food, and think of distractions she can pick from instead of trodding back to an empty greenhouse.

That's when I realize that it's early, too early for the day to start, but I know what woke me up. Sleeping on my back has cut the circulation to my wings, and an uncomfortable numbness has started to spread from the tips and stretch its fingers all the way down my spine. Usually I can ignore it, but it's begun to hinge on painful, and it’s probably that encroaching pain that woke me up. But I won't move with my Cassie laying on top of me.

To distract myself, I brush away a stray curl laying delicately over her brow, fascinated as it springs back to its original position the moment I let go. Human hair is endlessly fascinating, unique to the individual it grows on. Cassie's moves like she does, bouncy and energetic, begging my fingers to run through it even now in the dark. I know humans can put color in their hair, and I wonder if that's the case with her. It blends from a light yellow at the ends to nearly black as it reaches her head, and in the greenhouse in the afternoon, it catches the light and she turns into the sun. 

Cassie stirs but doesn’t wake, only rolls to her opposite side and blindly feels for a pillow that she holds to her chest.

Using the brief opportunity of freedom, I carefully and quietly get out of my nest and to my feet. It’s a balancing act of maintaining myself upright and keeping the rocking of the basket to a minimum, but the moment I’m up, I feel my circulation returning. I roll both my primary and secondary shoulders and shake the feeling back into my wings as I step around the nest and to the couch.

After Cassie received the news of her lab being shut down, I’d been working on instinct to keep her from collapsing so I could bring her back here. I couldn't let her fall into a depression, I needed to take care of her. But it’s the next morning now, she’s going to wake up soon, and I need a plan that extends beyond the bounds of this apartment. 

I rub my face with my primary hands as I sit on the couch, letting my head fall into my palms. Beside me, Cassie stirs again, but only to shift her weight and grab for another pillow. 

I don't know how she's going to react, and that troubles me. I'm not good at preparing for the unknown, the sudden. 

Unfortunately, I only have my own experience with tragedy to call upon. I believe the human term goes something like, “a trip down memory road," and it’s not a trip I particularly want to take, but if my own experience can help Cassie through hers, then I’ll weather through the murky waters of my memories.

The first week after Vles’ death is a haze. Between planning their funeral, moving to Outpost #3, and working around the rampant denial that they were gone, I was stretched in too many directions. Months before their death we'd planned the ceremony, but they'd only focused on where they’d be resting— at Outpost #7 or home in Lethien, as there was more paperwork to fill out for one than the other.

Afterwards, everything else was left to me - notifying family, arranging services, being physically and emotionally available for all the sympathy and heartfelt conversations. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't string together enough words to even be polite. I'd had to clear out the remnants of a life extinguished too soon, and all I’d wanted to do was break into that basement where the humans keep chilled remains so I could lay next to Vles for the next year and a half.

Cassie will likely be at a similar low. It hurts in my chest to think of the pain she's going to feel. The lab was her everything, her whole world. She based her self-worth in her work, and to be told it wasn't enough? I can’t imagine.

If it were up to me, I’d move Cassie here, keep her close so I could watch over her and be nearby in case anything happens. I’d feel much better if she did. But that’s a future conversation, so I put it on a back shelf in my mind, and dig into my brain for ways to care for her.

Ari came to my rescue. They’d tried to distract me when all I wanted to do was melt into the floor. They brought me food and kept me on a schedule and essentially made all my decisions for me when I was struggling just to stay conscious without the aid of alcohol. I can't do anything about the notifications or other people or whatever torrent of feeling she's going to experience on waking up, but there are certain things I can mitigate to make her life easier. Cassie’s situation is wholly different from mine, but I know she’s going to wake up disoriented, upset, and probably in denial. That, I can work with. 

Food, I should make her food. 

The past week following our coupling has given me more than enough time to research human habits and culture. I wanted to be knowledgeable to be a better partner, but maybe what I learned can help in this too. My research on meals brought up that certain foods are only consumed at certain times, which is incredibly strange, but I'll see what I can manage. It's approaching morning, so I believe it's break-fast time.

A quick search in my food-cooling box only tells me that I need to go out for more food. It's empty and pathetic looking. The same is said for the pantry, and the freezing-box. The humans were very nice for bringing us this technology alternative to store food, but I wish I had a replicator on-hand. It's much more convenient for quick meals instead of cooking-- ingredients are added and food comes out, whereas with this box food just goes in and stays cold. As much as I enjoy making food for Cassie, I need something quick and easy.

After another cursory glance in the cooling-box, I pull out a pink klen loaf and a container of sweet mixed berries. It's not ideal, but this will have to do. 

As quietly as possible I search through my bag and pull out my mobile device. It still has a bit of power remaining, so I message Ari to find Jillie so I can get Cassie a change of clothes. It’s likely that Ari isn’t awake yet, but they’ll see the message when they do wake up. I remember where Cassie’s apartment is, but I’m reluctant to leave her alone here. Not because I distrust her, but if she wakes up in a strange place on her own, it may send her into a panic.

Ari responds much faster than I’d thought they would. I’ll text Jillie :)

It takes me an embarrassing amount of time to realize that Ari is using the Earth slang for "message." Even typed in Universal it looks odd.

Thank you.

Keep me updated, yes?

Yes.

I need to brush up on my Earth-English dialect, if I’m to keep up with the humans, or perhaps just one in particular.

My device buzzes again, but I ignore it in favor of turning towards the kitchen. As I’m placing the berries into a bowl, Cassie stirs again, waking up with a long groan that I want to memorize for when I’m alone. Then I hear her inhale sharply and the basket jostles as she sits upright, and likely gathers her bearings, before she blows a relieved note through her lips. I can see her shock of pale yellow hair above the rim of the basket, a little off-kilter from sleep, and as she sits up I’m met with her pale brown forehead, and then her gorgeous blue eyes.

In Igrien, which feels so long ago, she had asked me my favorite color, and I’d answered honestly. The blue of a clear sky, or the ocean. It’s the color of her eyes, a lovely coincidence that only adds to my attraction to her.

And she’s happy to see me, I hope, because her eyes crinkle and she breathes out my name, “Kri!”

She easily tips herself out of the basket, a feat I’m surprised by but pleasantly so, and she shivers at the cold tile under her feet. She keeps her eyes on me, though, padding across the floor and into the kitchen to wrap her arms around my middle and bury her face into my shoulder.

“Please tell me yesterday was a horrible dream, and I’m here because we had mind-blowing sex.”

I smooth a hand over her hair. “I wouldn’t lie to you like that.”

“Yeah,” she breathes against my chest. “You only lie by omission.”

She’s coping with humor, but the statement still stings. I wouldn’t take back our time in the lab for anything, but I wish the circumstances had been better. At least, if she’s making jokes at my expense she’s not wallowing.

"I'm sorry, that was mean," she says quickly, looking up at me with her cheeks puffed out. Adorable. 

"Unforgivable," I tease, smoothing a primary hand over her poofy hair and pressing my lips to her forehead so she knows that I'm joking. 

Kissing is another import from Earth, and one I enjoy very much. Humans lack the humming vocalizations we use to express affection, they can't even hear half our speech patterns, but they make up for it with other physical touches. Hugging and kissing, casual touch or even just standing a bit too close to let the other know they’re there.

I’d asked Ari for advice on the subject when I was sorting through my feelings for Cassie, and after they'd stopped laughing at my expense, they'd directed me to the on-line Archive with human films and given me a list to watch. 

"Take these things with a grain of salt, 'Asxu," they'd said as if I understood the meaning of that phrase, sitting next to me on the couch as the first film started. They'd brought some corn-based Earth snack with them, claiming it to be a staple in watching films with someone else. It made my apartment smell of butter and salt, and it was very tasty. "Most Earth movies tend to exaggerate or misrepresent. Unless you're watching a documentary, and not even those are completely impartial."

"So why are we watching these instead of a documentary?" 

"The specific type of documentary you're looking for is considered pornography, and there's very little of that in The Archive. Also these are more entertaining. They tell stories!" 

We'd sat through several films, some good and others very confusing, and I took so many mental notes that my head began to throb. The headaches were worth it, though, when I finally got to kiss Cassie and she didn't push me away in disgust. 

I'm glad Cassie is so receptive to my touch. I enjoy being able to confirm her presence, to feel her under my fingers. 

"I don't have much," I say, stepping away from her embrace and into the kitchen. "But you should eat something." 

Her eyes spark with recognition when she spies the klen loaf, and again at the bowl of berries next to it. "You made me breakfast. We didn't even have sex last night." 

"'Make' is hardly the word I would use," I say, ignoring the other part of her comment. 

"Do you have any coffee?" 

"...Is that a food item?" 

Her smile is tired, making me feel like I've failed. "That's a no, then."

I push my failure aside and watch while she eats, although I don't know what I'm looking for. Abnormalities in behavior? Expressions of disgust? 

Mostly I think of what needs to be done soon. The lab will need to be emptied and cleaned, the greenhouse as well. I can take several of the smaller plants to my apartment without worry, but Ari may have a tough time smuggling any out of the Outpost to place in their personal greenhouse. Perhaps I should ask if they plan to take any at all. 

The difficulty of the situation begins to bog me down, that is, until Cassie reaches for my hand and gives my fingers a reassuring squeeze. 

"You're clicking again." 

I frown in confusion. "Clicking?" 

"That noise you make," she says. "You do it when you're thinking, I think."

Ah, the plate shifting, that's what she means. It's been so frequent the past few weeks I hardly even hear it anymore. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asks, squeezing my hand again. She smiles when my frown deepens. "I'm asking what you're thinking about.

There's no point in keeping it a secret. "I'm worried about you." 

"I'm fine," she says casually, shrugging. "I just woke up, so nothing's hitting yet." 

I wait as finishes eating and hands me the bowl. I step to the sink and run the water to wash it off, trying to organize my thoughts once again. Behind me, Cassie takes a deep inhale and then makes a noise of disgust. 

"I should head out. I need a shower," she says, and I nearly drop the bowl in my hands. She can't go, not yet, not when she may collapse. I can't let that happen. 

"You're welcome to use mine," I offer quickly, nodding towards the bathroom.

She shifts from foot to foot as she regards each option, and I try not to smile when she steps towards my bathroom. She stops before entering, and as she opens her mouth to speak, there's a knock at the door.

Cassie and I are equally surprised to see both Jillie and Ari at the door. They were faster than I thought, and I'm glad I asked for extra clothes. After several polite minutes of assuring both that we are alright and making plans for dinner at a later date, they finally left us in peace.

Cassie only turns her back to the closed door, rests her weight on it, and slides downwards until she is sitting on the floor. Her eyes are closed, and her expression is tight and agitated, and I can see tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

I place myself next to her, unable to mimic her legs in their crossed positions and choosing to extend them out. Offering her my primary hand, I try to give her an encouraging smile, but by the expression she returns, I may as well be lying. She looks lost, hopeless, and afraid.

When I was lost, I found that direction from others helped calm the torrent. "Would you like to keep eating, or would you like to bathe now?" 

Her returning smile is small, but I can feel her gratitude through it. "I should wash up, but I don't want to be alone."

I've heard of this-- human pack bonding in times of grief. I'd read about it during a seminar on their behavior. She wants my company so she won't fall into a state of panic while alone in a strange place. 

I'm doing very well at this "boyfriend" thing, I think. 

She starts the water and reaches up to unbutton her shirt, but then hesitates.

“You need to wait.”

“Why?”

“So I can actually shower before we, uh,” she trails off, and it hits me. 

I raise my brow. "You want to have sex. Now."

Cassie makes an odd expression, like I'm a distant object and she's trying to determine how much time she has before impact. "Boy, what--" she starts, gathers herself, and flaps her arms. "I dunno! Maybe? I thought it would…distraction," she trails off and looks down at the floor. That awful, hopeless expression flickers over her face again, and I feel my resolve crumble.

A step forward, and I take one of her hands in mine. Her palm is round, just like the rest of her, slightly cool and light brown. I keep my voice very low so it won't echo off the tile and make me listen to what I'm about to say as I squeeze her hand. "Alright."

For the second time, Cassie smiles at me, and my heart leaps in my chest.

[roxannepolice]

hope I'm not late for the ship meme, may I suggest 12/simm 👀

You're absolutely not too late, this unironically helps me get around to write my thesis 😅

Who’s the cuddler? Twelve is very embrace averse in the canon, and I think so is Simmy. However, the Master is willing to make sacrifices to annoy the Doctor, so he keeps plopping himself on his lap like it's free real estate. Essentially, Twelve likes his personal space and Simm also likes Twelve's personal space 🙃

Who makes the bed? The Master is a bit pedantic in this area, but after he made the bed a couple of times Nardole thanked him for sparing him this work, so obviously the Master got very pissed and started going against his bed making instincts. Especially given that Twelve only now found out Nardole has been making the bed all this time rather than it spontaneously rearranging itself against the law of increasing entropy and was very happy the Master would do such a selflessly kind thing. So now the bed is a permanent mess and Bill got popcorn for the daily tense stand offs over it

Who wakes up first? Whenever the Master actually wastes his time on such a trivial activity he gets awoken by Beethoven blasting on a guitar. Needless to say, the TARDIS had to start producing a supply of guitars after each meets its gruesome end in a hydraulic press

Who has the weird taste in music? The Master took up the reverse of the Doctor playing classical music on an electric guitar, so now he's mostly into a string quartet cover of I can't decide and Carmina Burana version of Waterloo

Who is more protective? Twelve is not very happy about it, but still feels obliged to end up with a very pissed wet cat version of Simm fished out of Sea Devils' contraptions

Who sings in the shower? The Master, very loudly and purposefully wasting his actually good voice. Given the TARDIS is not very fond of this regeneration, she takes the opprtunity to turn on only hot or only cold water, which results in the Master singing even louder in definace of blisters and coldbite

Who cries during movies? The Doctor allows himself a few somber tears while watching highbrow gangster dramas that are actually cinematic poems about how an individual with every potential to be a decent person becomes a monster and loses everything, betrayals and broken childhood friendships, but also capactiy for last minute redemption (think The Godfather, Once upon a time in America or Angels with dirty faces). And then ruins everything including Nino Rota and Ennio Morricone soundtracks by commenting on them in a very passionate and grandiloquent way that all the same would fit well a sunday school sermon. The Master can later be found performatively bawling his eyes out at the episode in which teletubbies couldn't make the tubby custard machine work so they sang a special song (lyrics of tubby custard, tubby custard, tubby custard (...) tubby custard) to fix it

Who spends the most while out shopping? They're both absolute absolute disasters shopping, but mostly for cosmetics. Twelve spends hours browsing thorugh hair-floofing products while Simmy needs to scrutinize every beard trimming device and test them on other customers' dogs. The one time they went shopping together each made the other wait with the bags outside and started manipulating the timeflow so the torture can last longer

Who kisses more roughly? Again, Twelve isn't very touchable, so Simmy kisses him Bugs Bunny style whenever he drops his guard for a second

Who is more dominant? Twelve is a bit too tired for that, while Simmy flaunts every triumph like making him carry more bags from the disaster shopping trip or seeing his selection of pizza toppings placed on top of Twelve's

My rating of the ship from 1-10. I really wish we had more of their interactions, because I kind of see them turning every domestic detail into an intense battle of wills. Also, Twelve is just more fun to annoy than self-flagellating Ten. Solid 8 ❤️

[carmello-matcha]

Local dumbass roughly translates stuff

This person is an absolute dumbass don't take their translations as gospel

text in green are the op's aka dumbass comments

Dragon Wizard Festival

2024 Chinese New Year Edition Information Release Time: February 6, 17:00 open

In the last issue of "Little Snowy Owl Chattering Tea Party", we collected thousands of precious expectations and suggestions.

"What will be the theme of the next season?" "What events are planned for the Chinese New Year?" "Are there any free fashions? Will there be more Clockwork Gems?"

The little snowy owl has split into two owl compartments. As a supervisory owl, it pecks the designer's head! In the guise of an intelligence officer, he will reveal the contents of the New Year's Eve in advance!

====

Welfare Upgrade

New Year's Eve Gift Collection X6 Lucky Clockwork, x8888 Gold Coin, x888 Echo Crystals, Chinese New Year Furniture, Treasure Ticket

On February 9, Chinese New Year benefits will be delivered to all wizards' mailboxes on time!

Academy Treasure Chest Returns

"More" Increase rewards for currency drops such as "Gold" and "Gems". "Easier" Treasure Value Accumulate 1 treasure chests every 4 hours. You can accumulate up to 6 treasure chests at a time. No more worrying about the "treasure chest alarm clock".

(*After purchasing Gold Satin Gift Box, you can accumulate up to 6 treasure chests in a single time; other users can accumulate up to 4 treasure chests)

possibly for players with less time on their hands to play the game

====

Welfare Upgrade

Increased rewards for Passport Boxes Daily quests will be reorganized to the pass progress page, returning to daily/weekly quests and accelerating the level of the box.

Unlimited number of times, no cost of gold. Free refreshing of assignments helps you unlock rewards easily!

The same price, super value rebate Level up from 50 to 100, more than 28,600% rebate! Increase in level cap

Overflow rewards increased.

Overflow of experience after leveling up to full level of the gift box. can also be exchanged for more rewards.

60 Draw Lucky Roulette returns!

During the Bi-Monthly Season, the first half of the Lucky Roulette will be adjusted to: 60 draws clear + 3 prizes. For example… Feb 20th Lucky Wheel - 60 draws to clear 3 prizes. March 19th Roulette - 90 draws to clear 4 prizes

Welfare Upgrade

New Season Store with seasonal rewards Season quest rewards will be adjusted to the Season Store. Rewards will be unlocked in batches, and wizards can redeem them as needed! Participate in daily gameplay and pass the main storyline, you can get season tokens. Purchase the Gold Satin Gift Box to unlock additional store pages. Go to the Academy Lounge and find a senior to redeem your tokens!

Watch the preview and get rewards! The "Mysterious Chinese New Year Redemption Code" will be released with the next Chinese New Year event.] will be revealed in the next New Year's event!

===

A new outfit released. an unspeakable themed one at that.

"it is forbidden to disclose department information and work content"

"maintaining absolute"

"confidentiality is the responsibility of the ministry"

In the first issue of the new season, the Lucky Roulette fashion is revealed. Bubble Pod will be launched on February 20th.

The probability of getting it is UP ↑ Fashion breaking news, we have to talk about 4 sets at once.

In addition, some of the winning fashions from the design competition have been added to the production schedule.

(bubble pod, among others like the Knight bus were all winners of a design competition back in 2022)

====

A Ginny and Ron yule ball inspired outfit can be purchased in one of the new year gift packs (this is most likely the loyalty reward)

there's going to be 3 sets of epic costumes in the next season 1 set can be bought in the season store, the other two are achievement rewards

New Winds in the Dueling Arena

Echo Conversion Mechanism Adjustment

1 Before Conversions

The maximum number of reverberation conversions has been changed from 10 to 50. After 10 conversions.

You can use Echo exclusive enhancement items or gems to continue the conversion.

Finally, you don't need to spend crystals and gold coins for echo conversion!

2 When Converting

If you want to change spells in the middle of the conversion, you don't have to pay the high cost of reverberation. You don't have to pay high amount of Reverberation Crystals again!

Level +3 Reverberation! Come to the bowl!

3 After conversion--

You can choose whether or not to keep the conversion results.

You don't have to worry about the reverberation being wasted even if the conversion is ruined! - Cassandra

Hallelujah

====

Gringotts Treasure Hunt

Team up with 3 people and share the blessings.

Clockwork keys, gems and gold coins....

Time is limited, take as much as you can!

"Even the bank bosses are losing money and take the Knight Bus home!" - Elf

New year Challenge

An all-uniform dueling challenge is about to begin this Chinese New Year.

"A dueling challenge." "Compete for a seat" "For the grand prize."

====

New trend in the dueling arena

New Echoes

New Echoes are coming soon! A Flexible "shuffle" mechanism provides more possibilities for mid and late game period!

New Mythic Partner Card

Restore Magic Power + Ranged Damage + Single Output. Brave Little Harry

"Throwback" Harry Potter mythic partner card will be released soon

Season limited Card Pool

The Seasonal Card Pool is changing.

"Throwback" Dumbledore + "Throwback" Harry Potter The first Double Mythic Pool is coming soon! 100 draws to win a new card skin! "It's a double yolked egg!" - Lottie

...

Welp Dueling was fun while it lasted

A herbologist from St. Mungos

Crazy. Gloomy. Thriller? Frenzy.

Oh boy... not even gonna bet that people will be falling in love with the new season's character

a treacherous smoke

Seems to be taking over the herb classroom In the midst of the spectacle

Thorns, conspiracies, visitors, suspicions. And the clouds of suspicion are spreading to Hogwarts Castle.

"Advanced Herbology class is about to begin!" - Prof. Longbottom

====

More CNY events are on the way!

Exclusive Desktop Components

wizard rank display

set illustration display

duel ranking and score improvement

prompts for recovery progress of college treasure chest and other items

Muggle Communication equipment is a good help-

Exclusive IOS widget for HPMA will be launched soon!

Limited Edition Red Envelope Cover

WeChat Red Envelope Cover ready to go!

Contracted wizard's good luck to start the year

Hogwarts - Back in Time A copy of the Wizards 2023 Annual Report will be released soon. Share the H5 page and get your friends on the bus to get the epic fashion coupons!

(Post Translation note)

...eughhhhh

[davidtennantgenderenvy]

HERE IS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF PROBABLY MOST OF THE STUFF I LIKE! Feel free to ask me about any of it

PERSONALITY TYPING: INFP 4w3 (471)

BOOKS: Grishaverse, Lord of the Rings, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Song of Achilles, The Prince of Tides, The House in the Cerulean Sea, Harry Potter (unfortunately), Gone With the Wind, His Dark Materials, A Far Wilder Magic, The Hate U Give, The Outsiders, The Devil and the Dark Water, They Both Die At The End, Riordanverse, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Warriors

MOVIES: Titanic, Dead Poets Society, It’s A Wonderful Life, Little Women 2019, NOPE, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Sixth Sense, Terminator (especially 2), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Addams Family (1991) The Shawshank Redemption, Parasite, Knives Out/Glass Onion, Tar, Harriet, Romeo and Juliet (1968), Interstellar, Forrest Gump, Schindler’s List, The Princess Bride, Get Out, Lady Bird, Silence of the Lambs, The Truman Show, The Wall, 12 Angry Men, Recovery, so so many animated movies (especially WALL-E, The Prince of Egypt, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Howl’s Moving Castle!), SOME Marvel movies (mostly guardians and spidey)

TV SHOWS (live action): LOST, Breaking Bad, Doctor Who, Person of Interest, Good Omens, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Downton Abbey, Ted Lasso, My So Called Life, Stranger Things, Broadchurch, Alias, Sherlock, Maid, The Last of Us, Dark, Happy Valley, Takin’ Over The Asylum, The Sandman, Heartstopper, Jessica Jones, Andi Mack, The Queen’s Gambit, Derry Girls, The Office, A Series of Unfortunate Events, 1899, Mare of Easttown, Around the World in 80 Days

ANIME AND CARTOONS: Fullmetal Alchemist (both versions), Avatar, Steven Universe, Phineas and Ferb, Death Note, Assassination Classroom, Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, Monster, Spy X Family, Ouran High School Host Club, My Hero Academia, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Toradora, Gravity Falls, Bluey, The Owl House, Cowboy Bebop, Erased, Mob Psycho 100, Kotaro Lives Alone, Ducktales

MUSIC: Queen, Taylor Swift, My Chemical Romance, Adele, Jeff Buckley, Will Wood, Olivia Rodrigo, The Beatles, Billy Joel, Hozier, The Proclaimers, Mitski, Fiona Apple, Brandi Carlile, Janelle Monáe, Alanis Morrissette, Sinead O'Connor, Nina Simone, David Bowie, BTS, Stray Kids, Day-6, Kelly Clarkson; Guns N Roses, Muse, Beyonce, Lana Del Rey, Pink Floyd, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, George Michael, Heart, Radiohead…

MUSICALS: Les Miserables, Great Comet, Ragtime, Phantom of the Opera, Hadestown, Hamilton, Wicked, Come From Away, Matilda, Falsettos, Jesus Christ Superstar, Anastasia, Evita, The Last Five Years, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, The Clockmaker’s Daughter, Ride the Cyclone, Sweeney Todd, Parade, Little Shop of Horrors, Cats, In The Heights, Into the Woods, She Loves Me, Sunday in the Park with George, Lizzie, Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde, The Secret Garden, The Wild Party, Cabaret, Putnam County Spelling Bee…(I also love Shakespeare!)

VIDEO GAMES: basically just Super Mario Bros and Undertale but boy do I love Super Mario Bros and Undertale

YOUTUBERS: Schaffrillas Productions, Cinema Therapy, The Authentic Observer, Matt Rose, PMSeymour, Katherine Steele, The Swiftologist, FilmCooper, Sideways, Anthony Fantano and too many others to mention

FAVE ROLES I’VE PLAYED: Elsa in Frozen, Morticia in The Addams Family, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Iolanthe in Iolanthe, Juror #8 in 12 Angry Jurors