#Resources Control Board

[makingcontact]

East Orosi's Struggle for Clean Drinking Water

A person holding a “Justicia para East Orosi” sign. Credit: Sandra Tsang East Orosi hasn’t had safe drinking water in over 20 years. The water is full of nitrates, runoff from industrial agriculture, which is harmful to human health. The community has taken action to find a solution, from lobbying at the state capital to working with neighboring towns.  And they may finally have one. New…

[pinglet]

Objects Reimagined

[reasonsforhope]

By the way, you can improve your executive function. You can literally build it like a muscle.

Yes, even if you're neurodivergent. I don't have ADHD, but it is allegedly a thing with ADHD as well. And I am autistic, and after a bunch of nerve damage (severe enough that I was basically housebound for 6 months), I had to completely rebuild my ability to get my brain to Do Things from what felt like nearly scratch.

This is specifically from ADDitude magazine, so written specifically for ADHD (and while focused in large part on kids, also definitely includes adults and adult activities):

Here's a link on this for autism (though as an editor wow did that title need an editor lol):

Resources on this aren't great because they're mainly aimed at neurotypical therapists or parents of neurdivergent children. There's worksheets you can do that help a lot too or thought work you can do to sort of build the neuro-infrastructure for tasks.

But a lot of the stuff is just like. fun. Pulling from both the first article and my own experience:

Play games or video games where you have to make a lot of decisions. Literally go make a ton of picrews or do online dress-up dolls if you like. It helped me.

Art, especially forms of art that require patience, planning ahead, or in contrast improvisation

Listening to longform storytelling without visuals, e.g. just listening regularly to audiobooks or narrative podcasts, etc.

Meditation

Martial arts

Sports in general

Board games like chess or Catan (I actually found a big list of what board games are good for building what executive functioning skills here)

Woodworking

Cooking

If you're bad at time management play games or video games with a bunch of timers

Things can be easier. You might always have a disability around this (I certainly always will), but it can be easier. You do not have to be this stuck forever.

[specialagentartemis]

Some good things happening at the local level: Land Back edition

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians purchased back 2,000 acres of deeply historically significant land in Oregon, the site of both a massacre of Native people at the hands of the US army, and the site of a treaty signing that established a temporary truce and reservation. (Posted Jan 21, 2025)

The property was purchased directly from the previous landowner. The Nature Conservancy preserves a conservation easement on the land. The Siletz will continue to work closely with the Nature Conservancy and the BLM across the properties in the region to emphasize conservation and restoration. “To me, land back means, in its purest form, its return of lands to a tribe,” Kentta [citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and the tribal council treasurer] said. “This is through purchase, and a significant amount paid out for the purchase. So for us, that is regaining of land back, but it's not a settlement or apology for things that happened in the past.”

The Tule River Tribe in California is moving forward with a plan to buy back 14,673 acres of rivers, forests, ranchland, and wetland in a conservation project partnering with The Conservation Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Board, and various California conservation organizations. It's set to move into Tule River control (or at least co-management? unclear to me) sometime this year. (Posted January 8, updated January 10, 2025)

Charmaine McDarment, chairwoman of the Tule River Tribal Council, said in a press release that the tribe appreciates help in restoring ancestral homelands. “As the climate crisis brings new pressures to address the effects of environmental mismanagement and resource degradation, the Tribe’s partnership with WCB is an important example of building relationships based in collaboration and trust. “The tribe remains committed to supporting co-stewardship efforts and fighting to ensure that disproportionate harms to Native American lands, culture, and resources are resolved in a manner that centers and honors Native American connections to ancestral lands.”

Illinois lawmakers voted to move Shabbona Lake State Park to the management of The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.  The Illinois governor has a lot on his plate right now, but is expected to sign the bill into law. (Posted January 14, 2025)

The state House approved SB 867, which would transfer Shabbona Lake State Park to the Prairie Band Potawatomi. The bill now heads to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.  The land transfer hinges on an agreement that the tribe continue to operate the property as a park, still open to the public. Final details will be established in a forthcoming land management agreement between the state and tribe.  Prairie Band Potawatomi Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick said the bill’s passage was a “meaningful step” toward righting a historic old wrong. The land was originally part of the tribe's 1,280-acre reservation in northern Illinois. During Chief Shab-eh-nay's visit to family in Kansas, the land was unlawfully auctioned off, violating federal requirements for Congressional approval of tribal land sales. The tribe has sought to reclaim the land for nearly two centuries.

A Wabanaki food sovereignty group secured a no-strings-attached land deal to buy 245 acres of farm and forest in Maine, to focus on local, traditional, and sustainable foods. (Posted January 19, 2025)

What sets this purchase apart is that the land transfer comes without conservation easements. These easements, which frequently accompany land returns or transfers, are often well-meaning. However, they can inhibit Indigenous stewardship by preventing practices such as prescribed burning, subdivision, or particular kinds of zoning for buildings or infrastructure.  A coalition of 12 organizations and several private donors helped secure the land for Niweskok [a nonprofit collective of Wabanaki farmers, health professionals, and educators] without easements, giving the Wabanaki nonprofit sovereignty over the property, according to Heather Rogers, Land Protection Program director for Coastal Mountain Land Trust. Her organization has helped finance the Goose River purchase through fundraising and advocacy efforts.  “The land trusts had to approach it with humility - there are other ways to care for land that can end up with better outcomes, and I think we have all come to that realization,” Rogers said. “I think now that we've done it once, I think we would be open to doing it again that way.” 

Conservation, food sovereignty, water management - a few hundred acres here, a thousand acres there, there is movement to put lands back in tribal control, which is a human rights win as well as an ecology/conservation one.  This is mostly happening at state and even private levels, and is something to continue advocating for, pushing for, donating to, and finding out if you have any local movements advocating for this kind of thing near you and calling state-level lawmakers and representatives about.

[aysrin]

Needle Felt Siffrin Build Log: (oct 6 - nov 20, 2024)

Credits goes wholely to @insertdisc5 for creating ISAT and siffrin's design! I am just here to attempt to make cool fanart (and get more people to play isat.. my devious plans are going great so far :3) As always, this isn't a tutorial- it is just a log about how i go about approaching a sculpture and I hope this collection of resources can help others make their own sifs!!

PSA: this has some spoilers for endgame CGs/sprites on my references image board ( also might see it in the backgrounds of my process pics). And bc this is needle felting, you will see some sharp needles! beware!

my inspiration was the intro cutscene where Sif eats the star, so my main goal was to adhere to the style of ISAT as closely as possible while transfering it to 3D space. And I knew i also wanted to try making the cloak for stopmotion purposes, so my process was tailored towards having control over the fabric with wire inlaid within the cloak (more on that later).

I ended up not sticking eyebrows on top of siffrin's bangs lol but anyways, first order of business is Gather Reference! v important. pureref is free and an awesome program. I also do some sketches to visualize the pose and important details i wanted to include in the sculpt.

behold the isat wiki gallery page! tawnysoup wrote an awesome ISAT style guide that absolutely rings true in 3d space too!! adrienne made a sif hair guide here!! (sorry i couldnt find the original link, but it's on the wiki). It says ref komaeda hair so that's what i looked at, along with other adjacent hairstyles! I also like doing drawovers on in progress photos to previs shapes n stuff to get a better idea of the end result.

Also if you're like me and struggle with translating stuff into 3D space, take a look at how people make 3d models and figurines! sketchfab is also a great resource! I looked at the link botw model by Christoph Schoch here for hair ref. (I used Maya, but there's a blender version too ! you can pose characters too if your model has been rigged!)

Face:

Started off blocking out the main shapes of eyelids and iris, and then filling in the colour details in the iris and the star highlights before moving onto adding thin black outlines and eyelashes. I didn't take many in-progress photos cause i kept ripping stuff out to redo them many many times, sorry!! This eye took about 3 hrs bc i just wasn't happy with it!! Sometimes it do be the vibe to give up, go to bed and see how it looks in the morning (more often than naught, it looks fine and it was the "dont trust yourself after 9pm" speaking)

The Mouth:

Couldn't decide if i even wanted to add a mouth as per usual with all my humanoid sculptures.. but i did some drawover tests first to see what expression i liked and to try to visualize it from multiple angles. (I was also testing the placement of stars on the hat brim here)

And then I redid the mouth like 3 times cause the angle just wasn't right (this went on for about the course of a week yay!)

Hair: woe baldfrin be upon ye

I made the hair strands individually first, and then since Sif has some of the hair at the back dyed black, i covered some of the tips with black wool (manually) (I think it would go much faster if i just took a marker to it, but hahaha i love pain and detailing!! )

And then the rest of it was positioning strands with sewing pins layer by layer, always looking at it from different multiple angles- sometimes tailoring the angle or swoop of individual hair flippies. At one point I thought the back looked too cluttered, but the hat covers a lot of it anyways!! yay for hiding mistakes! (imo this is a similar process to how cosplayers style wigs, but on a smaller scale and the same level of time consuming)

As always, look to your reference for guides, and I always do a whole bunch of drawovers over in progress photos to ascertain what was working and what wasn't.

Hat:

A trick to get a super pointy tip, make another tip seperately while keeping the connection point unfelted, and then combine the two to make super pointy hat!! (this also helps if you made the hat too short and need it to be taller. ask me how i know)

The embroidery on the hat brim was done in a hoop and then invisible stitched to the felted top portion. Technically you don't need a hoop but it helps keep the fabric tension, so you avoid puckers in your embroidery. You can also use iron-on stabilizer if your fabric is loose weave or particularly thin. this is the tutorial i used for the stars embroidery! particularly the fly stitch one, french knots, and the criss-cross stitches. highly recommend needlenthread for embroidery stitches and techniques! i learned all my embroidery from this single site alone.

For fabric, I think I used a polycotton i had in my stash,, unsure of the actual fiber content bc i bought it a long time ago. I used DMC Satin floss which was nice and subtle shiny but frayed a lot so it was kind of a pain to stitch with... but keep a short thread length and perservere through it!! After the embroidery was done, I folded up the raw edges and invisible sewed it to the top portion of the hat.

General shape:

Ok general structure of the body is this: wire armature body covered with black wool -> cloak lining & wire cage -> edge of lining is invisibly sewn to the main cloak at the hem -> head

Don't be afraid to mess around with the pattern, it's essentially a pizza with a slice taken out of it to form a steep cone shape!! Use draft paper before cutting into felt to save material! (i think i made like 3 cloaks before i was happy with the shape lol).

You can also hide the seam of the cloak and collars by gently messing up the fibers of the felt with your fingers or a felting needle btw! you can also sandpaper the seams according to Sarah Spaceman in this vid (highly recommend them for their in depth cosplay/crafting builds holy smokes), though since sif cloak is at such a smol scale, I just blended the seam with my felting needle.

For the lining wire cage section, I sewed in wire around the cloak, so the main rotation point is at the top neck area under the collar. These paddles are used to keep whatever pose I need the cloak to be in for stopmotion purposes. Then after the wire is done, I invisibly sewed the lining to the cloak at the hem (same technique as the hat brim to the lining there).

In hindsight, I should've used a thinner fabric for the lining, but i only had sheer white in my stash so had to go with double felt, thus resulting in a really bulky lining but oh well!

Heels:

started with the general boot shape, then tacking on the diamond shape heel stack and also diamond shape sole bc we're committed to the bit here. I skewer the boot onto the armature which also conveniently hides the connection point into the base to keep the whole thing upright and also I can rotate the boot to tweak the angle if needed.

Pins:

I kinda just trial and error'd jewellery wire with pliers into the pin shapes. They're itty bitty!! had a whole bunch of fails before i got two nice ones. A hot tip is to use needle nose pliers and wrap the wire around the tip to get a smooth circle shape!

Base:

I smoothed out the edge of a circular wood base with a dremel, and then used wood stainer to get the black colour. It ended up kinda looking like I took a sharpie to it, but whatever.... now i have a whole ass can of black wood stainer........ I then made a rough mountain of black wool and stuck the feet armature in. And now he's standing!!

Normally at this point when I'm done felting everything, to get a smooth finish, I'd take a small pair of scissors and carefully snip away any flyaway fibers, but this time, I just left them fluffy cause i think that's what sif would do :3c

Photoshoot:

Normally I do shoots using daylight but it was winter so the sun was nonexistent. So I broke out the home lighting setup aka dollarstore posterboard for a nice smooth background, and then hit it with the overhead Fill, side Fill 2, and Rim light, and use white paper/posterboard for bounce light if one side feels too dark. But if things are overexposed, you can move the light sources away until the harshness dims down. I'm using a Olympus mirrorless camera (handed down to me by my sibling so i dont remember the model exactly), which can connect to my phone as a remote so I can avoid shaking the camera when i take photos. Pretty nifty for stopmotion purposes! (yes my camera stand is a stack of notebooks, a tissuebox and some eva foam under the lens, don't judge me)

Stopmotion animation:

I'm still figuring stopmo out on my part, but my process was straight ahead animation ... move the cloak a cm, take a pic.... move another cm, click.... and repeat until i get a version I was happy with. My ref was the cloak animation from Gris (beautiful game btw). The 2d star animation was also done straight ahead using procreate, exported in png with a transparent background, and finally stitched together with the stopmotion footage in photoshop.

My turnarounds are also stopmotion! also secret hack, the turntable is a fidget spinner sticky tacked to a cake platter.

And i think that's all! i mainly wanted to share how I go about thinking about taking a 2d concept and moving it to 3D. I also didn't go in depth into how to actually do the needle felting bc I don't think I''d be very helpful I'm a very good teacher by telling yall to just keep stabbing until it looks right (i'm self taught for this hobby),,, if anyone wants it though, i can share a bunch of tutorials and other felters' process that helped me learn more needle felting!

Hopefully this was helpful to someone! Feel free to send asks if ya got any questions or if anything needs clarification! Or show me your works! I love seeing other people's crafts :3

here have a cookie for making it this far 🥐

[celestialspritz]

⭐ THE NINTENDO STORE - CC SET ⭐

Holy shit i dont think i ever worked on something this long

anyways. im sure you're all bored to death of my WIP posts, it's finally here!!! a big clutter set full of things to make a nintendo store with. or... just clutter for your sims bedrooms hehe. excuse my lack of fancy preview for this i just reused pics from my build LMAO

these items are DECO ONLY!!! they dont function unfortunately

What's inside? From left to right:

Nintendo Ads on Beos' Backlit Poster - 18 swatches

Nintendo Ads on NL Cantankerous Splatter - 26 swatches

Nintendo Logos on Keoni's OFB Bag Addons - 6 swatches

Wii Fit Board, Wiimote, Wii Motion Plus Remote and Wii Consoles - 2 swatches each for the console and wii mote (original functional by Blackgarden on TSR here, rest from Models Resource)

Gamecube Console + Controller - (original functional by Blackgarden on TSR here. There is also a game boxes clutter here too that is by Kardofe but textured/remapped by me, I forgot to get a photo but you can view it here)

Gameboy Advance + Advance SP - 4t2 from Lightningbolt @ MTS. Be warned that these are sort of on the high poly side (around 1-2k poly) but texture sizes are quite small. Screens are their own subset so you can recolour the screens without changing the console colour.

Nintendo DS Game Boxes and Cartridges - Has a shelf version, a single game box version and another single game box that is upside down so you can see the back. Cartridge is the same. These are original meshes by me, very low poly and smallish textures :)

Mohd's DS Lite replacement turned into deco - Featuring a closed version that is repo'd to the open version. Screens unfortunately not recolourable due to how the mesh is structured, but comes in a variety of colours. Original at MTS here.

Same as the above I don't know why I didn't put em in one pic

RetailSims Wii Boxes - Recoloured and addons created by me and repo'd to the single box.

DS Lite Boxes - Meshed and textured by me, addons repo'd to the upright single box. Low poly.

Gamecube Boxes - Meshed and textured by me, 5 recolours. Low poly.

Jesus christ this post is gigantic. But I hope u guys like what i made :)

dl @ google drive

credits - Beos, Keoni, Blackgarden, Lightningbolt, rippers @ modelsresource, Mohd, Retailsims, Rudhira for providing the best pics for the texturing of the DS game boxes :))

[demilypyro]

Ok so as someone who knows very little about sonic characters that aren't the main cast. Can you explain to me who Surge is? (I am asking you to infodump. I understand I could just check the wiki but then you wouldn't get to talk about a character you like)

Alright you asked for it. Long post attack.

So Eggman had this protege named Doctor Starline, who had a falling out with his mentor and hatched a plan to kill Sonic and replace him with a new hero, one who would take Sonic's place in the eyes of the people but be under his control.

So he kidnapped a random girl off the street (no name or history known at this point), filled her with a bunch of cybernetics to give her superpowers, and slowly brainwashed and trained her into becoming essentially Sonic's equivalent of Wario.

This was Surge the Tenrec.

As Sonic's so-called "imposter," Surge is like an exaggerated version of Sonic. She has his heroic heart, but also his temper, his pride, his irresponsibility, his rudeness, all turned up to 11. She's got the standard super speed, as well as electrokinesis - lightning powers. She's accompanied by Kitsunami, or just Kit, a blue fennec with water powers and a similar background, but who was based on Tails instead.

As part of their brainwashing, Surge was conditioned to hate Sonic. As Surge's backup, Kit was conditioned to want to support Surge in any way he can.

Surge and Kit eventually found out what had happened to them, how Starline had kidnapped and brainwashed them, and were planning to betray him. Before they could, however, Starline was killed, after being thoroughly trounced by Eggman, leaving Surge and Kit free to do whatever they want.

When Surge finally encountered Sonic, she blamed him for what had happened to her. She holds him responsible for always letting Eggman survive to come back another day, leading to ever-escalating conflict. While before she had no real reason to hate him beyond her brainwashing, all that baseless animosity now had a foundation, and she's wanted to take him down since. Surge and Kit have had several fights with Sonic and Tails already, and while they were defeated each time, it's clear they pose a real threat.

Left with only each other, and having no real goals beyond taking down Sonic and Tails, and no hints to their past, Surge and Kit became a neutral force of chaos, not affiliated with either Sonic or Eggman. While Surge has the desire to be a hero, she can't let go of her grudge toward Sonic, and Kit's obsession with helping Surge regularly shows itself to be unhealthy, which may lead to a falling out between them in the future.

Since their first appearance in the Impostor Syndrome mini-series, they've made regular appearances in the main comic starting with issue #50. They've been making waves, establishing new rivalries and inciting new conflicts. Sonic wants to believe there's good in Surge, but she's a tough nut for him to crack.

Surge is one of the series' best original characters. Surge is cool, has an interesting origin, and she contrasts Sonic in a way that gives ample opportunities for new stories. She's got a good heart, but she's carrying around a ton of trauma and animosity she doesn't know what to do with. She's scrappy, resourceful, and more introspective than you might expect. And by often being positioned as the underdog, she's very easy to root for.

I was always a bit uninterested in the Sonic series at large, but Surge really got me on board. She really made me a fan.

She's my favorite Sonic character.

If you're interested, look into the Imposter Syndrome mini-series, which leads right into Sonic IDW issue #50, or you can just read Sonic IDW from the start.

Okay bye

[nemo-writes]

𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 I chapter five

(dr. jack abbot x nurse!reader)

⤿ chapter summary: a plan finally takes shape—strategic shifts, safer hours, and unexpected sanctuary. but even with allies circling close, doubt lingers like a shadow. control is slipping, and routine has fractured.

⤿ warning(s): none

⟡ story masterlist ; previous I next

✦ word count: 2.3k

Gloria’s office had always felt more like a boardroom than a refuge—glass‑topped side tables, perfectly aligned diplomas, and an ever‑present scent of cedar polish that warned staff not to leave coffee rings. Tonight, crowded onto the plush leather couch with your face buried in your hands, the room felt suffocating, its walls too close, the air too heavy.

You rubbed your temples, eyes closed, trying desperately to block out the whirl of voices and tension surrounding you. Too many people, too many opinions, too many variables. Your head was throbbing, exhaustion and anxiety pressing down heavily on your chest. You didn’t have the strength or energy left to speak up and say anything—let alone make a decision.

Kiara perched on your right, her shoulder barely touching yours in a silent promise: I’m here, you’re not alone.

Margot had taken a seat on one of the chairs opposite the couch, one leg crossed tightly over the other, her posture tense and anxious. She shifted restlessly every few seconds, dark eyes flashing as she glanced repeatedly at Gloria, who was pacing the floor behind her desk. The charge nurse's impatience was evident—she was a woman of action, someone who didn’t like to sit idle when trouble loomed.

Gloria, meanwhile, had been pacing for several minutes, heels clicking rhythmically across the polished wooden floor. Her short hair swayed with each sharp, deliberate step, her expression drawn tight with administrative worry. It was clear she felt cornered, stuck between the pressure of maintaining order—keeping the board and investors placated—and her genuine concern for your wellbeing. She might have been a strict bureaucrat, known for holding firm lines and pushing staff to their limits, but when it came to a crisis, you knew from experience there was nobody better in your corner.

“We need to do something,” Margot finally said, breaking the tense silence. Her voice was tight, strained with barely-contained urgency. “We can’t just sit here doing nothing.”

Gloria finally stopped pacing abruptly, turning to face her with frustration clearly etched into her features. “And what exactly do you suggest?” she challenged, voice clipped. “We don’t have enough evidence, we don’t even have a solid lead on who this stalker could be. If we move recklessly, we risk tipping them off or escalating the situation.”

Margot shook her head stubbornly, jaw tight. “But doing nothing—”

Kiara intervened gently, as if afraid to break you out of whatever fragile calm you’d managed to maintain. “Gloria’s right, Margot. If we rush this, we might miss something crucial. Or worse, put her in danger. We have to proceed carefully.”

Margot let out an exasperated breath, fingers drumming sharply on the arm of her chair as her gaze cut to Kiara and then to Gloria. “Carefully hasn’t worked so far,” she said, frustration surfacing like a crack in granite. “We can’t just keep waiting for something else to happen before we act. She’s not safe.”

“And this isn’t the first time, Gloria,” she went on, voice pitching higher with anger she’d kept corked for weeks. “Remember the break‑in scare last quarter? The suspicious vehicles that kept circling the staff lot? Robby’s been screaming about beefing up security at the ER annex and at The Pitt for ages—he’s practically blue in the face—and you keep telling him it’s ‘not the right budget cycle.’”

Gloria’s jaw twitched. “That is not what I said,” she replied, tone clipped. “I said resources had to be prioritized—”

“Prioritized?” Margot scoffed, leaning forward. “Prioritized until someone ends up hurt again? We’re flirting with that line right now, and you know it.”

Kiara, sensing the escalation, curled a gentle hand over your shoulder, grounding you with a light squeeze. “Exactly,” she soothed, voice calm but firm as she addressed both of them. “Let’s find a balanced approach. Her safety and peace of mind are the priority. Moving too aggressively could backfire, yes—but moving too slowly already has.”

“I know,” Gloria said, cutting through the tension with a commanding steadiness. “Believe me, I know. But we have to think about the big picture. Any action we take needs to be deliberate—thought‑out, not just emotionally driven. A half‑measure that blows up in our faces will leave her even more exposed.”

The discussion swirled intensely around you, a storm of conflicting opinions, but it felt distant, muffled behind your internal wall of exhaustion. Their voices felt like they were echoing from somewhere far away, bouncing off the walls of your weary mind.

Your shoulders tightened further, a painful knot settling into your chest. The urge to say something, anything, clawed at your throat, but it felt impossible. You were caught between gratitude and frustration, overwhelmed by their intensity, by their well-meaning concern that only heightened your anxiety.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, you spoke up, voice raw and thin. “Please…just stop.”

All three women went silent immediately, their gazes snapping toward you, startled.

“I appreciate that you’re all trying to help,” you said slowly, voice trembling despite your effort at control. “But it’s all… too much. Too many voices, too many ideas, too many ways things could go wrong”

Kiara pressed closer, her expression compassionate and understanding. Margot sat back slightly, the urgency fading into quiet concern as she listened intently. Gloria stepped forward carefully, resting a hand lightly on the edge of her desk, her eyes softened with genuine sympathy.

“I just need a starting point,” Gloria finally said, half to herself, half to the room, as she skimmed a printed roster of staff schedules. “Something besides blind guesses.”

You inhaled, feeling the dry office air scrape your lungs, then set your phone on the glass coffee table with an almost ceremonial clink.

“I do have something.” Your voice sounded frayed to your own ears, but at least it held. You unlocked the screen, scrolling to a document filled with color‑coded lines. “Every unlisted call, every text from numbers I didn’t recognize—time stamps, where I was when I got it, screenshots… everything since the first message.”

Margot leaned forward, eyes wide. “You logged it all?” Her tone balanced exasperation with reluctant admiration. “Only you would catalog harassment like it’s a quarterly audit.”

You lifted a shoulder, half‑shrugging. “Control helps me breathe.”

Kiara gave your wrist a gentle squeeze. “It was smart,” she murmured. “It might be the pattern we need.”

Gloria stopped pacing, reaching out to draw the phone toward her, scrolling. “This is good. Very good.”

“But not enough,” Margot countered, her heel tapping a jittery rhythm. “We still don’t know who’s behind it.”

Gloria nodded, already switching from admiration to strategy. “Which is why we alter the equation. We move her to nights—”

Margot’s chair legs scraped the floor. “Gloria—”

“Let me finish.” Her voice cut clean. “Night shift means badge‑access points only, two roaming guards every hour, CCTV covering every blind corner. More eyes, fewer random visitors, tighter perimeter.”

Kiara’s frown deepened. “Night also means fewer coworkers around if something goes wrong.”

“Which is why she won’t be alone,” Gloria said. “First, we’re moving her out of Trauma entirely—she’ll work the overnight ER roster where security coverage is heaviest.” She glanced at you to be sure the change registered, then continued, “And once the paperwork’s filed, I’ll call Bridget and Dr. Abbott tonight to put them fully in the loop.”

Jack’s name stirred a complicated flutter in your chest. Relief tugged one way—precise and unflappable, could steady chaos with a look. But anxiety tugged the other—he would hear every tremor in your voice, read the exhaustion in your eyes, and remind you how seldom you lean on anyone. The idea soothed and stung all at once.

Kiara noticed the shift in your expression. “It’s all right,” she murmured. “Dr. Abbot will want to help—and Bridget, too.”

You nodded, though your stomach flipped as your voice shrunk. “I know. It’s just… he’ll see how bad it’s gotten.”

“Exactly why he needs to be called,” Gloria replied, her tone softening. “You shouldn’t shoulder this on your own.”

Margot cleared her throat, still bristling with protective energy. “And you’re not going back to your apartment.” She lifted a hand when you started to protest. “No argument. You’ll stay with me and Ben. We'll help you move your stuff into our spare room—you’ll be safe with us until this is over.”

The word safe settled over you like an unfamiliar quilt—soft, warm, yet almost too heavy, as though you’d forgotten how security felt on your skin. It draped across the restless parts of your mind, muffling the constant thrum of what‑ifs, though not silencing them entirely.

Beside you, Kiara’s hand slipped from your wrist to entwine gently with your fingers, her touch feather‑light yet steady. The small press of her thumb against your knuckle was a quiet reminder that standing still didn’t mean standing alone. You drew a breath—slow, unhurried for the first time in hours—and felt your shoulders melt downward, the tension loosening by inches as you squeezed back. Doubt lingered, a shadow in the corner of the room, but you didn’t push the comfort away. Not today.

“Okay,” you said, voice thin but resolute. 

Margot’s posture eased, a small, victorious smile tugging at her mouth. Gloria straightened, back to business—but with a newly visible softness.

“I’ll draft the shift change tonight,” she said, tapping her tablet. “ER overnight starts next Monday. Then I’ll make the calls.” She glanced up, holding your gaze. “You focus on resting. We’ll handle the rest.”

The room settled into a quieter rhythm—plans noted, roles assigned. Your phone vibrated once on the table: an innocuous calendar reminder that still made your heart jolt. Kiara caught your glance and reached over, silencing it before it could add to the noise.

You inhaled again, steadier this time, and the cedar‑polished air seemed just a hint easier to breathe.

. . .

The change came faster than you’d expected—yet not so fast that anyone outside your tight circle could trace the seams you'd stitched.

In just a few days, and as promised, Gloria reshuffled schedules, pulled strings with HR, approved overtime for a skeleton night‑staff surge, and filed every authorization under bland, bureaucratic codes that wouldn’t raise a single board‑member eyebrow. By the time the rumour mill caught wind of something moving on graveyard, the paperwork was already signed and the rotating rosters locked.

And Ben, of course—because Ben was now part of your daily geography.

Margot’s townhouse sat on a quiet street two neighborhoods over, a tidy brick façade with a postage‑stamp lawn and wind chimes that clinked restlessly whenever the evening storms rolled off the hills. The spare room smelled faintly of lemon detergent and paperback pages; Ben no only had personally picked up everything you wrote down from your apartment, but also cleared a whole dresser for you, laid out towels, even installed a sturdier deadbolt after Margot’s terse text: Extra security. Don’t ask, just do.

You were grateful—deeply—but still off balance.

The bed creaked differently than your own. The curtains filtered dawn light in a way that felt both soothing and wrong. You caught yourself half‑reaching for things that weren’t there: your bedside scissors, the blinking camera console you’d rigged in your apartment windows, the precise order of mugs in your cabinet. Control had slipped its leash, and you spent the first two nights drifting around the room like a ghost trying to memorize new walls.

The third morning of the new loop—a weary Friday edging toward pink sunrise—found you alone in Margot’s spare room, slippers kicked under the bed. The house was silent except for Ben’s coffeemaker sputtering two floors down and the faint tick of the hallway clock. You sat on the edge of the mattress, phone heavy in your hand. Messages with Jack were threaded there—quick roof‑top updates, clipped assurances—but never a call. Not once. Until now.

One breath. Another. Just do it.

You pressed his name.

It rang once—twice—

“Hey.” His voice was low, tentative, instantly familiar in a way that tightened your throat. You had to pinch the bridge of your nose to keep sudden tears at bay.

“Hi,” you croaked, then cleared your throat. Silence crackled; he seemed to sense you didn’t have words yet.

“Gloria briefed me,” Jack said, filling the quiet so you didn’t have to. “Bridget too. We know about the shift change, the new security plan, Ben’s shuttle service—most of it, anyway.”

You exhaled shakily. “I’m… sorry,” you whispered. “Didn’t want to add more to your load. I swear I’ll keep The Pitt running like nothing’s wrong.”

“Stop,” he murmured—not sharp, but unarguable. “You’re not a burden, and pretending nothing’s wrong is the last thing you should do. You deserve to be looked after, and I intend to do just that.”

The words hit like warm water over ice, equal parts comfort and ache. You scrubbed at your eyes. “Jack, I—I don't want you to see me like this,” you admitted, voice small.

“That’s the point,” he replied, gentle steel beneath the calm. “We treat what we see, remember?”

A fragile laugh escaped you. “Doctor logic.”

“The best kind,” he said, softer. “Tell Ben I’ll meet you ten minutes before every shift—right at the main ER doors. From tonight on, I walk you in and I walk you back out. Non‑negotiable.”

You closed your eyes, letting the promise settle like a weighted blanket. The wind chimes tinkled outside Margot’s front window, a quiet counterpoint to the thump of your heart.

“Okay,” you breathed. “Thank you.”

“Get some sleep,” Jack said. You could almost picture the measured concern on his face, the way his brow pinched when he worried. “Text me when you wake up.”

The call ended, leaving the room hushed but somehow steadier. You set the phone on the nightstand, the lemon‑clean sheets rustling as you finally slid under. Change had stolen your routines, but it had also delivered a new one—and for now, that fragile lattice was enough to rest on.

Outside, the wind shifted, carrying dusk’s chill through the chimes, but inside, you let your eyes close, the echo of Jack’s vow lingering like a quiet heartbeat in the half‑lit room.

divider credit

[astrolovecosmos]

How to Get in Touch with Your North Node

Aries NN: Play more games or join more competitions. Make a list of YOUR wants and needs. Go see a movie alone or do more errands alone to exercise independence. Allow yourself to experience anger and passion. Work on healthy anger management tools and skills. Embrace change and the new. Take action more. Don't be afraid to be a little more impulsive. Make a vision board. Focus on your interests from when you were much younger.

Taurus NN: Do some spring cleaning - and even more so, throwing away. Sit or lay on the ground more. How can you enjoy or incorporate nature into your life more? Forgive yourself from times you were tricked, betrayed, or made an ignorant decision. Practice routine. Take time to disconnect from social media. Address your insecurities in a direct or even tangible way. Remember to see the beauty and strengths in yourself. Lean into resourcefulness.

Gemini NN: Try journaling. Read - read - read. Appreciate or accept your inner child, your flaws, your insecurities. If you can't be honest with a friend, partner, or family member reconsider your boundaries with them. Speak your mind more often. Be open to changing your opinions. Take technology breaks. Yet a meditation or self-care app may be useful. Explore different methods of self-expression. Speak as much as you listen and vice versa. Try something new often.

Cancer NN: Take your mental health seriously. Self-care is worth it. Cook a new recipe or learn how to cook. Practice self-awareness/introspection more often. Consider therapy or self-help books and media. Appreciating and finding strength in your soft side will be a needed challenge. Taking care of something even if it is a plant or pet can be fulfilling. Listen to your intuition. Practicing gratitude and giving can be helpful. Go where you feel safe!

Leo NN: Always schedule time for enjoyment, pleasure, hobbies, indulgence. Hike. Spoil yourself but be sure to spoil others too. Go out to more parties and events. Channel your passion and anger into productivity. Stretch and practice yoga. Do breathing exercises. Get up early more often. Make art - create something. Be open minded to romance and/or affection. Take pride in yourself and life.

Virgo NN: Practice more realism and/or humility. Take part in puzzles, riddles, and anything that uses logic or critical thinking. Tap into your society's common sense and norms that can be most helpful to you. Volunteer or take part in charities. Be part of a team somehow. Reexamine your relationship with work. Surprise someone you care about with a gift, favor, trip, etc. Recognize your talents and skills. Learn a new skill or work on improving a craft. Practice healthy eating and exercise habits!

Libra NN: Be more mindful and selective of who you befriend and date. Practicing self-love is a must. Return favors often. Spend more quality time with that person you haven't seen lately. Be open to frequent date nights, couples counseling, couple events, and double dates if you have a partner. Balance alone time with social time. Get in touch with your romantic and artistic side. Practice objectivity when you can. Don't compare yourself to others. Embrace independence but don't forget to also embrace giving and receiving in relationships.

Scorpio NN: INTROSPECTION NEEDED. Distance yourself from media or people that cause anger, frustration, or heavy sadness or doubt. Self-control is important to practice. Don't lie to yourself! Journal, maybe try a dream journal. Don't underestimate your intuition. Go out in nature. Try something new based on your hunches. Examine yours and others intentions closely. Celebrate the small wins. Get out of your head and get out of your own way. Focus on your goals. Practice and enforce self-respect.

Sagittarius NN: Don't be afraid to explore beliefs and ideals that are very different from yours. Practice independence. Take a few more risks. Give yourself a pep talk. Try power poses. Stick to your morals and your gut. Be honest. Look at the big picture more often. Knowledge is power should be your motto. Learn something new. Speak confidently. Practice authenticity. Try to be present. Make a plan to accomplish small goals and eventually move onto larger goals.

Capricorn NN: Speak up more in meetings! Try going for that promotion or position. Understand the power and importance of money and materialism. Practice self-control and self-discipline. Be more patient. Study or look into history, economics, investments, politics, or business. Work on your boundaries actively. Practice decisiveness when you can. Put yourself first responsibly. Question authority often. Make moves that are more thoughtful or strategic. Pay attention to who supports you and who doesn't. Avoid rushing. Work on trusting yourself.

Aquarius NN: Understand and accept other's intentions. Let go of unhealthy attachments. Practice independence often. Explore themes of rebellion and empowerment. Practice cooperation. Don't resist change. Materialism is not your friend. Try to find what inspires you and be around it often. Cultivating healthy friendships is important. Explore unconventional ideas. Face the unknown when you can. Look at the big picture. Laugh when you can. Practice more tolerance.

Pisces NN: Tapping into your beliefs and exploring spirituality or religion is a major theme. Embrace sensitivity, empathy, and kindness. Give when you can. Don't just relate to others - see yourself in them. Find beauty in yours and others' flaws. Take the scenic route. Practice self-reflection. Practice flexibility and leave behind energy-draining goals or pursuits that don't offer personal fulfillment. Idealism and positive thinking can be helpful at times. Honestly... get lost in yourself or even another sometimes, just remember to come back up to the surface.

[memecucker]

“This latest bill is part of a continued effort by the [California] Legislative Jewish Caucus to impose ideological constraints upon ethnic studies as a field to disallow the critical teaching of Palestine within K-12 education in California,” Christine Hong, a professor of critical race and ethnic studies at the University of California (UC) Santa Cruz and co-chair of the UC Ethnic Studies Faculty Council (UCESFC) told Truthout.

While AB 1468’s authors are Democrats who have condemned the Trump administration’s attacks on public education, Lara Kiswani, executive director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC), said the proposed bill would have similar effects as efforts in Republican-controlled states and on the federal level seeking to whitewash K-12 and college curricula and turn back the clock on civil rights progress.

“The Democrats and others who are championing these bills may not explicitly say themselves or even identify as part of the far right MAGA agenda, but it’s indisputable that what they are doing is in alignment with the broader attack on public education and the attack on anti-racist education, in particular,” Kiswani told Truthout.

AB 1468’s lead sponsor is the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC), one pillar of whose policy framework is to “maintain a strong California-Israel relationship,” including through “combat[ing] campaigns to delegitimize and demonize Israel.” JPAC lists the Anti-Defamation League and other Zionist organizations among its members.

Last year, members of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus proposed a raft of bills meant to stifle Palestine-related speech in public schools and on college campuses. Among those was AB 2918, a predecessor to AB 1468. When a diverse coalition of educators and advocates mounted a pressure campaign and succeeded in having it shelved, sponsors vowed to reintroduce it this year. “AB 1468 is AB 2918, but on steroids,” Guadalupe Cardona, a high school educator and member of the Liberated Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Consortium, told Truthout.

The new bill would require all ethnic studies curricula, instruction and instructional materials to undergo public hearings, be vetted by the state, and be posted on the Department of Education’s website. AB 1468 also outlines standards according to which ethnic studies materials should be reviewed, including mandating that instruction focus on “domestic experience and stories” and not cover “abstract ideological theories, causes, or pedagogies.”

In the proposed legislation, “there are so many layers of policing and surveillance that no other academic area has,” Tricia Gallagher-Geurtsen, co-chair of the San Diego Unified School District Ethnic Studies Advisory Committee and a lecturer in critical race and ethnic studies at UC Santa Cruz, told Truthout. “It’s absolutely unprecedented overreach, and it’s an arm of the state trying to censor what our children are learning [and] censor the truth of our students’ realities.”

Under AB 1468, the body responsible for vetting ethnic studies materials would be the California State Board of Education’s Instructional Quality Commission, whose current members include Sen. Ben Allen and Anita Friedman. Friedman is a board trustee of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and executive director of Jewish Family and Children’s Services, an organization known for its efforts to silence discussions of Palestine and anti-Zionism in schools.

[lullabyes22-blog]

Real talk because you are THE resident Silco expert and all your headcanons are 100% correct: why does fandom think Silco would be good in bed? (Or good at sex at all?)

I've seen headcanons about him being a giver, and about his dick game being fire, and while he's a sexy, charismatic man, I feel like he's too... selfish, insecure, and just not a romantic guy. He's also a very bitter, lonely, and angry dude. Idk, it makes sense he would have some kinks but I feel like he'd be too much of a bitch to care for anyone else in bed. I guess he'd want it rough, and I've read some fics where he's a sadist, but I feel like it'd just be a quick fuck to satisfy himself, not a slow, passionate, sensual thing.

idk, do with this what you will.

I agree - with nuance 💗

Silco - at least as I write him in FNF - is principally a headfuck. If he's demonstrating an interest in you, then he wants something from you. If he's nice to you, there's a bottom line. No act of generosity comes without strings attached, and every small kindness comes at a terrible price. That aspect of cold-blooded calculus is never far away from his base nature, which splits the world into assets and liabilities, and his own actions into a transaction of cost versus reward.

With that in mind, he excels, not at sex, but at getting his partners to do what he wants them to do. For him, it's one of the many fluid ways of expressing power, and demonstrating his mastery over the subtleties of the human body and mind.

A few readers have noticed that he comes across as very detached and controlled during FnF's sex scenes - and that they read as weirdly voyeuristic. That always delights me, because it's an intentional choice. He doesn't really see his partner as anything beyond a medium to his goals, so his focus is entirely on their physical responses and his own actions. His narration is distant, observational and impersonal, because he doesn't experience sex as something that involves an emotional or empathetic connection. Rather, he's gauging how his target's responses play out on a physical plane, and he's calibrating his own actions to maximise their impact.

To give credit where credit is due, he's very intelligent, patient and observant. There is also some realistic backing to the running gag that Good D is invariably attached to Bad Men. More specifically, Bad Broke Men. Silco has not grown up in a position of privilege or wealth. He has been forced to make use of every available resource. He has survived by the skin of his teeth on a constant knife edge of deprivation, hunger and fear.

He's a scrapper. He's a survivor. He's an opportunist.

And to be any of those things, you need to know your way around people: their wants and weaknesses. That's the foundation for the idea that he's good in bed - that he can anticipate his partner's desires, and respond accordingly. The difference is, his actions have no romantic underpinning. It's a matter of pure pragmatism and self-interest.

In terms of technical skill, he's likely very good at finding his partner's pressure points, both literal and figurative, and exploiting them. But if it were up to him, he'd find a way to turn the thumbscrews with nothing more than a well-chosen word and a cold look. The sex is just a generality, and his enjoyment a function of their compliance.

When it comes to actual intimacy?

My friends, he'd be spectacularly bad.

Not just bad, but skittish, hostile and hopelessly inept. He'd feel like an accomplished stage actor who has to step out onto the boards for an improv class. He hasn't got the right lines, he isn't dressed for the part, and he isn't even sure what role he's supposed to be playing. He'd be so awkward, he'd actually have trouble looking his partner in the eyes. The sum total of his sexual ouvre would devolve into the following comedy of errors:

"What the fuck is this?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Don't touch me there."

"This is going well, right?"

"Why can't I get it up?"

"I can't do this."

"Leave me alone."

"Where are you going?"

"Don't leave me."

"They always leave me."

"Why does everyone leave me?"

And he'd only spiral deeper into self-loathing and isolation. To submit to intimacy is to open oneself up to the mortifying ordeal of being known, and the constant risk of rejection. To Silco, it is anathema. Actual emotional vulnerability during sex would be not unlike attending his own public execution.

But.

Silco is not a one-note villain, much less a one-trick pony. He has a human history riven in deprivation, bloodshed and betrayal. He's remade himself from a 'weak' man into the premier kingpin of Zaun, but that predatory bracing still hides remnants of the soft-natured idealist he once was. In fact, he's the product of a deeply embedded internal conflict between two distinct versions of himself. The one who seeks to burn his enemies, and the one who seeks to save his city. He's also, as demonstrated by his love for Jinx, capable of profound devotion, loyalty, and a deep-seated longing for companionship.

That means the potential for romance exists. It's just buried deep, deep, deep down beneath years of abuse, neglect, trauma, and self-imposed barriers. If he meets someone who can dismantle those barriers, or bypass them altogether and earn his trust, there is a ray of hope.

Sex would still be frightening and uncomfortable, and it'd involve a lot of trial and error. But it'd also have the potential to be deeply healing. Not because Silco would become a better man, but because his partner would make him want to try. He'd also bring the same intense focus, intelligence, and determination to the task that he applies to his criminal empire - which means that, once he does have his sea legs, Silco would have the potential to become a truly giving lover.

It's all about context.

And the context is always: will he take the gamble when he has nothing to lose, and everything to gain?

[thewertsearch]

GG: Why not just turn it off then? TT: Keeps them both on their toes. GG: Who? TT: Jake and the responder. TT: Jake needs to be more skeptical. Rather than take a Pollyanna jackknife ass-first off whatever turnip truck is blowing through town that day, he's got to apply more critical reasoning to shit. TT: I keep telling him. TT: I keep telling him, dude, you got to be more like Jane. GG: These lectures I presume are roughly similar in complexion to those I'm familiar with? GG: Those wherein I have, and I quote, "got to be more like Jake?"

So, here's my initial read on Lil' Bro:

In simple terms, he's the kind of person that Rose thinks she is.

Skim Rose's conversations, and you'll get the impression of a cool-headed, impartial leader. She directs John's activities in the early Acts, 'coerces' Consorts and Sprites to do her bidding, and generally behaves as though she's in possession of all the facts, holds all the cards, and has the nerve to make the tough decisions.

All of this is false.

Rose Lalonde spends her entire session in an escalating state of barely-repressed terror. She has no idea what's happening, and spends most of her time backed completely into a corner, forced to rely on increasingly dubious sources of intel to stay abreast of events.

After her 'informants' run her around the Medium like a headless chicken, Rose finally snaps, sacrificing herself in a desperate last stand against Perfect Jack - and once her Dream Self wakes up, the first thing she tries to do is sacrifice herself again. Lalonde likes to talk a big game, but it's abundantly clear that she was never in control of the situation.

Lil' Bro, though?

This dude has robots monitoring his co-players. He's trained an AI secretary to manage his conversations, who apparently doubles as a tool to train psychological weaknesses out of his friends. He's even got an automated alert set up for Jane's own protection, and I'd bet Boondollars to donuts that Jake and Roxy have 'em too.

This guy actually is in control. He's deploying his forces, consolidating his resources and shoring up any perceived weaknesses in his allies. This is a type of Player I don't think we've ever seen before, and I'm very interested in what Sburb might have in store for him.

The closest analogue I can think of, really, is Vriska, who also captures and deploys her resources carefully. But while Vriska may take an occasional pawn, Lil' Bro is the first Player we've seen who's building an entire board.

[drdemonprince]

hi, i was wondering if you’d heard of/listened to the podcast the Telepathy Tapes? it’s got me feeling all kinds of ways i cant parse yet as a speaking autistic person.

the telepathy tapes is supremely fucked up unscientific nonsense that relies upon the use of a widely discredited communication method called Facilitated Communication, which has been widely disproven numerous times for DECADES and has literally been used to justify the sexual abuse of Autistic people by their care providers numerous times in the past.

FACILITATED COMMUNICATION IS NOT REAL.

it has been disproven many times including in double-blinded experiments. The responses given via facilitated communication reflect information that the *facilitator* knows, not information the Autistic client knows. The American Speech-Language Hearing Association says that facilitated communication should never be used because it is so heavily discredited and prevents Autistic people from actually communicating on their own.

there are many legitimate ways for nonspeaking Autistics to communicate, but FC is not one of them. it quite literally relies upon the exact same effect that makes Ouija boards "work"-- small twitches and unconscious moves on the facilitator's part cause them to pick out words and letters, and makes it seem like the Autistic person is communicating, but all the messages come from the facilitator themselves.

From a systematic review of dozens of studies on FC conducted from the 1990s until 2014:

"Results indicated unequivocal evidence for facilitator control: messages generated through FC are authored by the facilitators rather than the individuals with disabilities. Hence, FC is a technique that has no validity."

Resources:

Facilitated Communication Denies People with Disabilities Their Voice

Facilitated Communication: The Resurgence of a Disproven Treatment for Individuals With Autism

Facilitated Communication and Authorship: A Systematic Review

[elenauaurs]

TWISTED WONDERLAND OC

Diaval bio again hehehhee

Name: Diaval Corvo

Grade: Junior

Age: 180

Height: 1,73

Homeland: Briar Valley

Club: Board game

Best subject: Mathematics/History of magic

Hobbie: Studies on ancient writings

Pet Peeves: DOGS.

Favorite Food: Soup

Least Favorite Food: N/A

Birthday: November 3rd

Talent: Mapping (Before Book 7) - Drawing (after Book 7)

Personality

By his peers, Diaval is often considered a reserved and mysterious person, especially because of the circumstance of being one of the closest people to the Housewarden of Diasomnia. Despite this reputation, Diaval proves himself to be a caring individual and a good person to talk to, should the subject interest him.

In his own way, he has a habit of guiding people when necessary and, lately, he has been gaining a better reputation and maintaining a good relationship with his classmates. However, despite maintaining a calm and helpful demeanor towards others, Diaval can be quite proud if mocked or challenged, as well as having confidence in his own abilities.

Diaval is a good strategist, preferring to analyze a situation behind the scenes first before taking action. With this in mind, it's not too surprising that he often prefers to analyze the people around him before deciding whether or not an interaction would be beneficial for him, as well as he can also be considered a great resource to find 🫣gossip🫣 about NRC.

He can be quite vengeful, as well as quick to return a just favor. Very remorseful with people he doesn't like or who have done him wrong, but also do everything for those he holds dear. In fact, despite appearing to be logical most of the time, Diaval can be really emotional, especially with people he loves or when he feels vulnerable…

and REALLY restless when something he does goes wrong

Overall, Diaval is observant, introvert and sometimes reserved. However, he also has an ease in communicating with the people around him and is being seen interacting much more with his colleagues lately. Diaval also has difficulty talking about things that affect him, but he can show himself to be a good person to talk to and a great friend, even assuming a responsible attitude for those who need.

And he's also a big worrier for his friends.

Trivia

• He's twisted from Diablo and Diaval (Sleeping beauty and Maleficent)

• Diaval is a personal servant of Malleus, acquiring the title of The Princes’ wings in Briar Valley.

• What's the story behind his eyepatch? Ask him all you want, but the only guarantee you'll get is that he'll make up a new story every time.

• He’s a crow/raven fae

• Diaval's eyes are very sharp, being the sense he most rely on. As they say, nothing escapes his gaze.

• He’s always very well informed about what’s happening around Campus, definitely a great investigator who loves gossip.

• He doesn't like participating in swimming lessons. According to him, his wings are too heavy to swim properly.

• When it comes to food, Diaval eats absolutely everything. Lilia's food included.

• Diaval LOVES shiny things, and also enjoys giving gifts to make up for favors he has received.

• He doesn't lacks self-control, but depending on the situation, Diaval can be REALLY quite competitive.

@cyanide-latte @oya-oya-okay @theleechyskrunkly @thehollowwriter @distant-velleity @boopshoops @br3adtoasty @casp1an-sea @heyhellohihowareyou @tixdixl @sillyslipperybananapeel @cheerleaderman @revolllutionary @nyx-of-night @lumdays @skriblee-ksk @nemisisnemi @althea-and-alcestris @miyanaranagikenmal-intp @the-necromancer-wife @twistedwonderlandshenanigans

[jessaerys]

im way too high to put this into a coherent theory but:

battle of cold harbor: 1864 confederate victory over the union >

the clear homage/nod to get out with natalie and milchik, a movie about the ruling class preserving themselves by using (black) bodies as a resource to be harvested >

"fetid moppet", a particularly old timey insult >

> the halfway sterile environment of the goatroom like something out of a weirdcore/liminal pinterest search: the harsh contrast of corporate blank states and the primeval, muddy, terribly physical task of raising warm blooded animals turning the goatroom employees into a kind of prehistoric tribe >

> for how sterile it appears to be, severance makes a point of crossing the mind-body dualism event horizon: the focus on the visceral transformation of their faces when they ride the elevator; helly threatening helena's body as her only bargaining chip, irving worrying about the forbidden nature of his burgeoning love for burt in s1 discouraged not because they're gay but because it's against the rules to have relationships at all (and what is the key crux of a cult if not the control of their member's bodies via sexuality and reproductive beliefs). mark identified gemma's body but she's very much alive, the wax figures, the sexual nature of dylan's reward in s1, how we made a point of /seeing/ peteys dead body being desecrated to reach the severance chip; mind, body.

>the board is an unembodied preservation of all past ruling eagans, including kier egan OR working towards bringing kier egan back. either way, they will eventually need bodies.

> this is how markpetey can still win

[fulfillpurpose]

I hate the thought of having a baby I can’t think of anything worse. I’m 20 and at university and see this bright future ahead of me. But my boyfriend is a bit older (30) and desperately wants me to be pregnant. But apart from the fact that I really don’t want children, I don’t want to drop out of uni and I love the way my body and life is.

My boyfriend is threatening to breakup with me if I don’t at least try, and I really can’t lose him I love him so much. But I don’t know if he loves me as much as I love him because why would he ask me to do this? I’m so confused and don’t know what to do. He says if I’m actually serious about him and love him as much as I say I do then I should give him my contraception pills to look after

I'm going to answer this seriously, because it seems like you're looking for actual advice.

Your boyfriend is abusive. This will be glaringly obvious to everyone who reads what you've just written. You should break up with him as soon as you safely can, and you should be extremely careful about your birth control in the meantime.

You're completely correct: this is not the way someone who loves and cares about their partner would act. "If you loved me you would" and "I'll break up with you if you don't" are well-worn tactics of abuse, and he's trying to use them to override your most important needs in an irreversible way. Deliberately having children is not something you should ever do unless both partners are fully on board, and this is the nightmare scenario: one partner not wanting it at all and the other one trying to pressure them into it.

This is also a very familiar pattern: he's 30, you're 20, he's trying to force you to get pregnant so that you're dependent on him and isolated from all your current support networks, with no way to get out. Age gaps like this are concerning precisely because of the possibility of abuse, and the abuse looks exactly like this.

One more thing I want to address:

I really can't lose him I love him so much

Someday you're going to look back on this and say "I can't believe I ever thought that was love." You're 20, and if this isn't your very first relationship as an adult, it's surely one of the first; you have so much ahead of you. You're going to find someone who genuinely loves and cares for you, and when you do, you're going to realize that this relationship was like a cigarette, not a campfire: it could burn you, and poison you, but it couldn't keep you warm.

Take care, anon. Tell some people you trust about this, and look for domestic abuse counseling resources at your university. You're in a very dangerous place right now, and you need to focus on making it through safely.