#Social Studies Mock Questions and Answers

[littlelovelunette]

age gap relationship reader x sevika, whereas reader is at her parents and they would never approve her relationship so they sneak off to each others houses and just fuck. it’s more sexy when sevika goes to readers house secretly and even tho reader doesn’t wanna admit it and she’s scared they might get caught by her parents lol

Only If They Knew

Contains smut, mentions of parental abuse, gambling, nipple play, fingering, gagging, implications of getting caught

As you walk into your room, you call Sevika. You had just finished your class and you were exhausted but wanted to check up on your girlfriend.

When she picked up, due to the dimmed lights around her, you could tell she was probably at a bar, gambling and effortlessly winning.

"Hey, babydoll, how was class?" Sevika asked, propping her phone so she could continue playing her game, she didn't mind talking to you over the phone while she was doing anything really.

Even if her social image was super important to her and always had been, she could never deny the thought of spending time with you even if it was through a measly screen and WiFi.

"Not too well, my mocks are coming up and I'm barely done with the whole syllabus," you said, letting your hair down from your claw clip ponytail, the silky locks cascading down your face, framing it and giving you a much softer look now.

"Mhm? Is that so?" Sevika hummed as she used her hand to pull the chips towards her already stacking pile of chips, "Hmmm, well, maybe you should study now then."

You sighed and shook your head, "Not so easy, Sev," You propped your head up using one hand and sighed, "It's almost impossible with all the sexual frustration pent up in my body."

"Is it now?" Sevika asked, her voice now an octave lower, she didn't care if the men playing Poker with her heard. She took a sip of her drink and glanced at the phone screen.

"Mhm, last time I touched myself was like... Weeks ago and you punished me for it at your place so I won't really, y'know, repeat," you said, sighing and tilting your head a little.

You watched her play in comfortable silence before reaching out and turning the switch off so the only light illuminating your face was the table lamp and your phone's screen brightness.

"You should sleep, love. Have you eaten?" Sevika asked.

"Yeah, I ate out with a few friends," you answered before questioning back, "Have you eaten?"

"Nah, how can I? You're all the way there at your parents'," she let that sink in for a while before chuckling and shaking her head, "I did, don't worry, bunny, go sleep now."

"I wish you were here so we could spoon and all," you sighed a little, pouting your bottom lip out like an offended child.

Sevika found you absolutely adorable and a little annoying but not in a negative way. You were 21 and she was 41, not the most ideal age gap, but it was definitely something your parents would slap you silly for.

But oh would it be so cozy being curled up in those juicy biceps of Sevika's and being awoken with kisses to the forehead, tender and loving as ever. Someone as experienced as Sevika would do anything to please you. Just thinking of it made you all giddy.

"I wish that too, doll," she exhaled the smoke from her nostrils, "Wanna come to mine tomorrow after your class ends?"

"I wish, I can't, I need to use the break to get some revision in," you said with a shake of your head in pure disappointment, pulling your fuzzy blankets over your head, "I'll just sleep now then, I guess."

You seemed sad and Sevika didn't let that just slide past her.

She noticed.

With the amount of women she'd dated before she knew how to understand when women masked their true feelings and knew better than to blatantly ask "What's wrong? You seem upset." When she was clearly aware of what made you upset.

"Goodnight, love," Sevika said letting you hang up first after you both exchanged I love you's and she finished her game.

By the time she finished it was 1 AM, she started walking towards your house, nothing really going through her mind.

Despite the more rational part of hers telling her to turn and walk back to her own house, she didn't let herself act on logic, only instinct.

Climbing the wall with ease, she reached your window, which was a bit open already for ventilation. Sevika climbed in, her feet landing on the floor with a soft thud.

Sevika inched closer to your floral duvet, grabbing the edge slowly and lifting it to see your sleeping figure. "My princess," she whispered under her breath and slowly clicked the lock of your room so your parents couldn't barge inside.

Sevika pulled the duvet down so she could see your figure properly, feeling the wetness dripping and soaking her shorts.

She leaned in, lips slowly grazing yours as her hands held your boobs in her big palms, squeezing them and rolling your nipples over your thin nightdress.

"M-mmmph..." As you stirred and slowly woke up, Sevika let out a little grin followed by a soft chuckle.

"Stay quiet, yeah?" Sevika whispered and you nodded before letting out a shuddering breath.

"Oh, Sevika, I can't, it feels too good," you whimpered and she sighed, letting your panties slip down your legs slowly, she clumped it in a ball and stuffed it in your mouth.

"Mm.." you whimpered lowly, trembling as her expert hands trailed down your body, stopping you squeeze at your curves.

Her hands trailed back up so she could pinch and pull at your nipples, rolling them, your nipples felt swollen after being pinched so hard. Your hips thrusted up in a gesture of getting more friction down there, too but Sevika dismissed it.

The need for having something lodged deep in your hole grew with passing time, much to Sevika's dismay anyway, she liked playing with you and pushing you to the edge before she absolutely destroyed your body.

However, today she was being surprisingly gentle, maybe simply because she didn't want you letting out filthy pornographical screams and moans for your parents to hear.

Sevika lined two thick fingers over your slit, arousal dropping out from anticipation, "You ready for the fun, bunny?"

You could only nod as you moaned loudly into the makeshift gag, digits sinking deep into your cunt as wetness gushed out coating them.

Her fingers felt so thick, stretching your hole out after weeks of punishment for touching yourself without her punishment.

You loved this woman unconditionally and endlessly, she was good at whatever she did. Especially good at sex from her history of daily brothel visits.

Your hole clenched almost desperately at the feel of her thick fingers so deep in you, it felt like reality and pleasure blurred into a thin line but you had to ground yourself or your parents would hear the sounds.

If only they knew their good, obedient daughter who they wished would become either a doctor or a lawyer some day was here, in their house, under their roof, getting roughed up and fucked up by a woman just about twice her age.

You lolled your head to the side, drooling all over the fabric in your mouth, almost tasting yourself faintly due to your vaginal discharge still sticking onto the cotton, as Sevika rubbed tight circles around your clit, making you see stars.

Eyes rolled back into your head as she gave one final thrust, twisting her fingers at a blissful angle and you squirted all over the sheets, blankets and her hand.

"Oopsie daisy," Sevika raised a brow, rubbing your pussy up and down slowly, "You wet the bed, love," her soft voice made you flush in shame and you let out a muffled whine.

Sevika took your soiled panties out of your mouth tutting a little at how jelly-like your legs had gotten from one measly orgasm.

Despite all that and her mocking, she helped you get changed into fresh clothes after washing your body tenderly.

While you were in the bathroom peeing, Sevika had taken it upon herself to change the sheets of her bed and replace the duvet. You loved this woman to all your heart's content and beyond.

[yesimwriting]

something about bestfriend!felix who's so used to the world bending over backwards to please him that he seems entirely separated from the concept of boundaries.

it's one of the few things about him that remains unspoken because it reminds those in his social circle that no matter how much influence or money they might have, someone has more. and that someone is felix catton.

he's never weird about it, there's just this rule that everyone learns to pick up on and never mention. if felix wants to go out for the night or do anything socially with someone, it's customary for that person to cancel any other plans.

it might be more of an issue if felix's proximity didn't feel like sunbathing on an early summer day, but it does. so he's used to not having to work to get someone where he wants them.

until you.

despite your friendship still being relatively new, the two of you have bonded enough for you to accept his presence instantly.

felix didn't call before coming over. you answered the door after two knocks, grinning as soon as you saw him standing there. you didn't even think to ask about the lack of notice, you just invited him in and made some comment about how you were just studying.

he told you he didn't mind if you wanted to keep studying, that he brought over his own textbooks just in case. even though you were set up at your desk, you moved your supplies over to your bed so that you could sit with him.

it started off as separated as the two of you ever are, just your bent knee pressing gently into his lower thigh. your shared restraint dissolved quickly.

you're practically laying down, back partially supported by a wall and two pillows, felix's head resting on your stomach as you comb your fingers through his hair. he's holding up a textbook for you with one arm, fingertips absentmindedly brushing against your bare leg.

he breaks the silence with a sigh. when you don't respond, he turns his head and presses his lips against your thigh. your nails freeze against his scalp. "felix."

"lovie," he replies, tone as scandalized as yours. you sigh, and he can practically feel your eye roll.

felix grins, turning his head look up at you. he knows he should be good about this, about you, but he's not accustomed to practicing this kind of restraint. he's preoccupied with terribly soft thoughts of closer when he blurts out the question, "come out with me tonight?"

it's only a question by technicality, his eyes bright as if you've already agreed.

you press your lips together, and the hesitance in the look jabs at him. he brushes his knuckles against the side of your leg like that might tip the decision. "i have an econ test on monday."

the excuse deflates him. it's only friday, and even if it wasn't, you don't need to worry about your grades. there's a naturalness to your schooling, you grasp everything almost immediately. any personal selfishness aside, you don't need a weekend of studying. it's objective fact.

you're still watching him, expression unsure. "y'know too much studying's bad for you." your lips part, but before you can say anything, felix is shutting the book he'd been holding up for you.

he extends his arm, his palm covering the upper half of your face with the palm of his hand. you laugh out his name. "what? your eyes need the rest." you shift, still giggling as you halfheartedly try to push him off. "you'll get a headache."

your fingers wrap around his wrist. "you're my headache."

he lets out a mock gasp before pulling away entirely. felix doesn't miss your slight pout as he sits up. "actually?"

you're chasing after him, sitting up and attempting to grab his arm. felix lets you. "no." you squeeze his arm to you. "i meant it in a you're my best friend way."

"that so?" you nod innocently, all wide eyes as if to say see? i have no intentions of being anything other than a perfect angel.

felix pretends to contemplate forgiveness, then, with no warning lays down. you're not given a chance to deliberate what that means before he's tugging on your arm. he mumbles a brief, explanatory, "c'mere," as he pulls you into his chest.

you listen, moving to rest your chin against the side of his chest. your arm's across him. felix's shirt has ridden up right where your fingertips naturally rest. the bare contact makes goosebumps break out across your arms.

"go out with me tonight," he tries, voice soft. you have to drop your gaze to keep from immediately melting and agreeing to whatever he wants. "c'mon, think it's good for you to take a break every now and then."

you lift your head up just enough to glare at him. felix shifts his leg, pressing it against yours. you push back gently, just enough to reciprocate the gesture. "so you're saying i'm a friendless loser that only ever goes out when you make me?"

"i'm saying," he extends the syllables to buy himself some time to think, "i have to go, and i won't have any fun without you."

you find it hard to imagine that felix catton ever has to do anything he doesn't want to. you're also confident in his ability to find fun at a party. "you have farleigh, and oliver, and annabel--you'll be fine without me."

his hand is on your back, fingers tracing lazy patterns against the fabric of your t-shirt. "i don't want anyone else." the soft whine in his tone paired with his slight pout makes him seem smaller, like a little kid that just needs to be wrapped up. "i want you."

"you have me."

felix frowns, "doesn't feel like it."

you're losing. "do you really want me to go that badly?"

he smiles, feeling the crack in your resolve. "we'll just go for a little. have a drink or two, then y'can sleepover if you want." you do like sleeping over in felix's dorm. "and then tomorrow we can do whatever you want--study, watch a movie, dinner."

a sleepover and a saturday. this no longer feels like a loss. you smile, "deal."

felix's available hand finds your hip. "that's my girl."

the comment makes your face feel warm, you drop your head to rest on his stomach to hide any potential signs of being flustered. he'd tease you to no end about it. "i should get up, start getting ready."

he runs his hand down your back, "it's not until later." he moves his hand back up slowly. his thumb starts traces circles against your shoulder. "we've got time."

----

omg bestfriend!felix blurbs are everything to me,, if you have any thoughts about bestfriend-verse pls lmk,,

also?? might have to write a full fic for bestfriend-verse

taglist; @vader-is-hot @spiritofbuddha @getosangie @freyafriggafrey

[salt-clangen]

How the codekeeper role works exactly? Sorry if it was already answered it, but i had searched and couldn't find it.

No worries! So codekeepers were created by @rippleclan but they’re comfortable letting others use the concept. You can read their description of it here.

In simple terms codekeepers are the justice system of the clans, they spend majority of the time as standard warriors; hunting, patrolling, skirmishes etc. They don’t differ from regular warriors much until a possible crime- or ‘code break’- occurs, then they are instructed by the Leader/Deputy/Clerics to investigate the allegations. These crimes are basically anything that goes against the warrior code- I also have a different warrior code than canon srry. Examples can be anything from murder to treason to trespassing and more. It can be very nuanced, the code keepers (also called ‘keepers or ‘guards’ in my story) are supposed to look for evidence and witnesses to the crime, once that’s completed there’s a trial. Codekeepers are allowed to cross clan borders and question other clan’s cats to complete this task (within reason).

Depending on the crime, the evidence, and the leaders involved the time between allegations and a trial could be anywhere between a few days to a moon. A trial must be done in a timely manner but the codes are a lil loose with the definition of ‘timely’ so some leaders will prolong the investigatory period to multiple moons but this isn’t common.

During the trial there are two key code keepers, one argues against the accused cat and the other argues for the accused. Similar to American courts of law and lawyers (I’m from America I don’t really know how courts work in other countries just to clarify). These codekeepers take turn calling witnesses, presenting evidence, and making arguments. This all takes place before the leader and the clan (who must remain orderly and quiet). Once both sides have made their arguments and all the evidence is presented the leader will confer with their deputy and cleric (usually the lead cleric but not always) before they make a ruling. Punishments can be varied and are usually tied to the crime in some way, the more severe the crime the more severe the punishment. Punishment can be restriction of leaving camp, doing unwanted jobs, social exile (shunning), dishonor titles (like Burnpaw’s). Severe punishments include exile (either temporary or permanent) and even execution in the most extreme cases.

Codekeepers aren’t enforcers of the code, every clan member is expected to uphold the warrior code and hold others to that standard, keepers are just the ones who help keep it fair if an allegation is made and let the leader remain as unbiased as possible to make a decision.

Now this is where the similarities end with me and rippleclan’s use of codekeepers, I really liked the concept of this being an official role but I wanted to kinda push it a little further.

In my clangen, codekeepers are the warriors that want to be the most warriors that ever warriored. Basically these are the cats that want to not just study the code and defend it, they want to excel in every aspect of the warrior role. These cats are like Warriors Plus, y’know.

To be a codekeeper isn’t easy, you have to have a great memory, critical thinking skills, strong morals, objectivity, endurance, public speaking, and debating. A lot of cats can’t perform in this role, the leader and mentors will hold small mock trials to see if a codekeeper apprentice can graduate into a full warrior. If they fail, they may try again in a moon or, if they passed their other assessments, they can graduate as a regular warrior.

Codekeepers have a lot in common with other roles that are non combative, such as mediators and historians. While historians and mediators often hunt and patrol with regular warriors to provide for the clan, they aren’t used in fights or wars (Ashenstep being a notable exception and is an excellent fighter). Like mediators they have to maintain a level of objectivity and demonstrate emotional intelligence, these are their clan mates and loved ones they might be investigating. Though the leader will usually pick keepers who aren’t related or too close to the accused. And like historians they have to memorize and understand the code on many levels, this is without a formal writing system too.

Codekeepers are also called Guards because they are often sent with patrols made up of non combative cats/clerics as a sort of security. In Honeyclan keepers are also in charge of watching the fields while patrols are out of camp bc the land is so flat and so close to the boating place, sometimes humans go out into the fields to see the flowers or dogs get loose and can cross the territory quickly. There’s very few places to hide in the fields.

Duskclan has the most keepers, Oakclan the second most, and Honeyclan the third. Saltclan obv has none (technically Wolfstar, but she never actually took the bar exam lol)

Sorry this was long but I encourage you to check out the rippleclan post about codekeepers as well.

[da-janela-lateral]

Extrasensorial Powers Genetics and Why Most Espers are Men

by Dr. Konishi Haruka

A classic question brought up by people who are just starting to learn about basic parapsychology is: “why are most espers male?”. While this phenomenon is partially caused by research bias and poor media coverage, specialists affirm that it has a concrete answer in one of the largest subsections of the paranormal studies field: psychogenetics.

The manifestation of ESP (extrasensorial powers) is influenced by several factors, which are divided into external (trauma, stress, background, culture, etc.) and internal factors (genetics, brain chemistry, personality, etc.). Although genetic inheritance is only a part of what determines if an individual is an esper, it plays an important role in making the development of ESP possible in the first place.

The genetic portion of ESP is polygenic - that is, controlled by several genetic variants, each one with its own small effect. The main genes that interfere in the presence or absence of psychic powers are commonly referred to as E gene (or expressor gene) and K gene (or key gene). The E gene is responsible for a major part of the development of ESP, by linking the nervous system with excess soul energy stored near the telencephalon. On the other hand, the K gene stimulates an abnormal cerebral development, which in turn allows the organism to awaken and control ESP.

Even though these genes are directly related, they have different inheritance modes. The E gene is located on the x chromosome and follows a X-linked recessive inheritance; this means that the mutation will only affect people who have it on all of their X chromosomes. As a consequence, it happens much more often to men, as most of them have only one X chromosome that can be affected. In turn, the K gene has an autosomal dominant inheritance, which means that any person with an active K gene will express it and pass the mutation to their children. Because these genes are only activated through a mutation and depend on each other to work, most of humankind never develops ESP.

All of this makes it harder for women to meet the biological criteria for ‘awakening’, as not only they would have to have an active E gene on both of their X chromosomes, but also an active K gene somewhere. Thus, a greater proportion of natural espers are men, while many women acquire psychic powers as a consequence of prolonged stress and social pressure.

Examples

XY inheritance

XX inheritance

-------- A test for my "Matsumoto Parapsychological Research Collection" series!

This is a small project of mine in which I'll get all the data on the ESP and spiritual worldbuilding in MP100 I possibly can, then create mock articles and infographics that both explain details of canon and make hypothesis about everything that wasn't elaborated on. This piece in particular is more of a headcanon-y explanation for the pattern of family members having psychic powers, so expect the next installations of this series to be more based on canonical information. I hope I can get to the more interesting parts soon!

[twstfanblog]

about your manwha AU before you had my curiosity now you have my attention, how will the three act now that they realized that Yuu was really important to them, will they try to become friends again, and will Yuu continue to ignore them? it would be funny if she ended up getting even closer to other characters like Vil, Idia and Leona and making the three jealous, because it's like that saying goes "you only value something when you lose it"

@iamsoconfusedallofthetime

Marina, you nearly got the three new playmates that Yuu gains once she's fully detached from the boys.

The first was Leona. His brother had brought him along for some type of fitting he was doing with Crewel, and he's left to wonder the estate. He finds Yuu reading in the home library. For a second, he didn't even realize who she was because, at this point, everyone thinks Yuu is deathly ill or already dead since she refuses to leave the house or accept visitors.

Leona feels connection with this fellow sad child and he offers his hand in friendship. They spend the rest of his visit reading together in the library (Leona told his brother he met a ghost once they were back in the carriage)

Mallues, hearing Yuu's befriended KINGSCHOLAR of all people, summons Leona to the palace to intimidate ask him questions about Yuu.

Leona, loving being superior to anyone and everyone is mocking Malleus through most of the visit.

Leona: Why should I stop spending time with my friend?

Malleus: Don't put yourself on the same level as her.

Leona: Why not? You don't even like her.

Malleus: Yes I do! We're friends!

Leona: Oh? I wasn't aware friends call each other 'aggravating pests'...

Malleus:

Idia is asked to be Yuu's study partner, and the Shrouds agree at lightning speed because they've been trying to socialize Idia more. Yuu is still kinda a bully, but she's more subdued than she normally would be, so Idia doesn't mind her so much. They even become pretty good friends.

Azul is also one of Idia’s playmates and loses his damn mind hearing that Idia is now friends with Yuu. He starts yelling, saying that Idia can't be friends with Yuu. Idia yells back, because he's actually MET Yuu now and she isn't this roaming figure of maliciousness that Azul made he out to be. Idia straight just says that Azul is a bad friend and he'd be sick of him too at this point.

Idia does apologize the next time they meet, he didn't mean to make him cry but he meant every word he said.

Since Yuu isn't answering Kalim's requests for playdates, his family sets him up with a new playmate in RIDDLE. (They're praying Riddle's attitude will rub off on Kalim. It does not). But while Riddle and Kalim have their playdates. Jamil listens to Riddle's attendants Ace and Deuce talk about how Riddle wasn't such a hardass at Yuu's house. So he drafts a letter and asks them to deliver it to Yuu next time they're at her house. It was literally just a simple letter apologizing and inviting Yuu back to the Asim house. He'll cook for her and Kalim, they can play restaurant.

They agree but the next time they come Riddle has to keep them both pulled back from causing a damn scene, they're trying to get at Jamil to punch him. Kalim asks why they're so mad and Riddle recounts that they tried to deliver a letter to Yuu from Jamil only for her to tell them to get out.

Jamil: I…I just wanted to talk to her… Riddle: Well, it's probably for the best you didn't.

Yuu ends up meeting Vil because during her break from society, Yuu actually does get pretty ill. In an effort to give her some at-home entertainment, they hire actors to perform in their home. And Vil is STRUGGLING to keep his character because a fever-delirious Yuu is yelling about how cool the villain is and cheering every time he does anything. He can't hold in his blush when he's 'defeated' and Yuu starts booing and saying how the villain should have won. Their relationship in this AU isn't so snippy as it is 'two sassy bitches giving you side eyes.' Vil says Yuu is his #1 Fan and he sends her free tickets to his shows in an effort to get her out of the house but she never goes.

Literally...for ten years, the trio only has second-hand info about Yuu because she hasn't been in the public. Unfortunately, the events of the OG timeline start fading. So when she does make the bold choice to re-enter society it's around the time the FL shows up.

[sophieinwonderland]

The hatesub r/systemscringe are being full-on transphobes again!

Reminder: a huge number of systems have alters and headmates with completely different genders and sexes from the body.

Anyone who has ever studied any type of multiplicity is aware of this fact.

And not-so-shockingly, this makes gender complicated.

Let's just see the screenshots they're angry at today.

So the body has transitioned to male but this one headmate identifies as female and identifies as a trans woman.

In another screenshot, the system says they aren't "invading trans spaces." Which is such an absurd thing to have to defend yourselves from accusations of when you're a part of a trans system.

Even if you do take the position that spaces for transwomen should be exclusionary AFAB people, one would at least expect the male headmates to be able to feel safe in the trans community without being made to feel like they're "invaders."

Unfortunately, many pluralphobes and queer exclusionists have decided the gender identity of headmates in systems is less valid than that of singlets.

This is another pretty common thing. Especially with introjects who have source memories. It's common to have memories of lives you may not have actually lived but still feel pretty real.

I did a Tumblr poll last year. About half of systems responding had at least one trans headmate with the same gender as the body's AGAB. Nearly all had cis headmates with the opposite gender of the body.

Of course, if you heard it from r/systemscringe, they must be faking being trans entirely!

And takes like this throw not just systems under the bus, but also people who are genderfluid or otherwise nonbinary as well.

And if you're thinking, "wow, that comment sounds like something truscum would say," you aren't wrong!

Here are some unrelated posts this same user has authored:

Back to r/systemscringe, most of the comments were more of the same, stopping just short of calling them transtrenders but clearly very much wanting to!

By the way, all the censors on the names of the system and alters were mine. u/superthrowawayEEE censored nothing. When a user points this out, moderator u/DizkoLites says they considered taking it down but chose not to, saying their name was common enough that it wouldn't matter.

To be fair, the mods did end up taking it down... after the system got harassed for their gender and contacted the subreddit directly.

So congrats on waiting until after the harassment to enforce your own rules!

But don't worry, you're free to make a brand new post mocking someone for their gender identity! r/systemscringe's mod team is totally cool with that! Just gotta hide the name because that's apparently the only problem here!🙄

(You know, unless they're on the mod-approved hit list. Then you can name them too no matter how much harassment they get.)

The other day, someone asked this question on the hatesub:

Here's the answer:

Stop being bigots.

Stop being ableists.

Stop spreading misinformation.

Stop mocking people for their genders.

Stop harboring truscum and parroting transphobic talking points!

Try to be decent human beings for once in your lives!

And then... well, I guess that wouldn't leave much of a subreddit would it? There's no r/systemscringe without ableism, transphobia and queer exclusionism. It's baked into the DNA of these groups.

But maybe that would be for the best.

Nothing from these cringe communities is salvageable. And nothing should be socially acceptable about groups founded on cyberbullying.

[rivetgoth]

What did you think about Audrey’s ending? Hers is what stuck out the most to me since I finished the series. Also have you read The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer? Would love to hear your thoughts on that as well.

I have not read Secret Diary but I'm curious to!!

I loved Audrey's ending, though I get why people were disappointed initially since she's one of my favorite characters in the original show and I definitely wanted to see more of her lol. But I ultimately really really liked how it was handled.

I think, first of all, it was just done in such a way that was really scary and existential and I just enjoy that sort of genre. It reminded me in plot structure of a Harold Pinter play (a major writer of early modern existentialism if you don't know him, lots of his works surround a small cast of characters in a limited space going back and forth with this sort of mundane but off-kilter dialogue full of non sequiturs, often building up to a kind of shocking, dreamlike twist or moment, with lots of themes about digging deep into psychology and social/power structures; I really liked his work in college and spent some time studying him), and the "twist" at the end just felt so scary in a really unique way. The plain bright white room she finds herself in and the simple grey mirror she's looking into just feels so sickeningly sterile and medical, it makes my skin crawl. So like, A+ presentation imo.

I think narratively it works too, including in the context of what I was saying in my last post, especially re: "It's not 1990 anymore" and the question of what Twin Peaks the show really is, or what shows in general really are, on a meta level. I think The Return is very anti-nostalgia, not in a necessarily condescending way (that is, I don't get the sense that Lynch is mocking or insulting the viewer for desiring or having nostalgia, more that he is just very much trying to engage in what exactly nostalgia is and its pitfalls in a constantly, rapidly changing society and medium, what it means to have a sequel to a show decades after its cancellation, etc), but you know... stuff like the fact that he chooses to keep Cooper as Dougie until the last 3 episodes and then rug pulls 1 episode after he returns and has him end the series as this strange, much darker version of himself also speaks to Lynch kind of intentionally avoiding just recreating the show the viewers remember. I think to keep Audrey separated from everyone else and instead trapped within her own mind, regardless of what that means on a literal, textual level (ie. theories of if she's in the Black Lodge, in a coma, in a psych ward, etc) feels very apt for the type of story Lynch is trying to tell. Like, when she's first introduced SO LATE into the show in a scene that answers absolutely zero questions and makes almost no sense upon first watch I was kind of frustrated at first, but the more I sat with it I actually found it kind of hilarious. And the fact that we never learn who "Billy" is! It's just dripping with this sort of sarcastic existential irony that I kind of adore.

All that said, I will also say I'm actually a big proponent of the belief that Audrey's ending is NOT an entirely pessimistic one. I actually think the fact that she sees herself/her reflection laid bare for the first time instead of "Charlie" is actually an almost objectively positive thing. I believe truly that confronting yourself and being able to acknowledge that you're in a hell of your own making is always a net positive. Some of the most painful but rewarding growth I've ever personally faced in my own life was doing exactly that. So I think Audrey actually making it to the Roadhouse like she wanted, dancing, feeling that freedom and joy and getting back in touch with herself, and then realizing that all along the obstacles she was facing were her own demons reflected back at her is genuinely an ending with a lot of hope buried within it. Like, she's taken the first and perhaps hardest step, and very much could from here escape and find her happiness.

[siderealscribblings]

This beastie is 13k words; here's an appetizer until I get it properly portioned

_____________

“A-Apologies, Madam; I-I think the bell is stuck somehow.” 

Yae Miko wasn’t terribly upset that she had been locked out on the surface while taking a break from the claustrophobic ballroom, but like all kitsune she had an insatiable urge to mess with mortals. And so as the attendant scrambled to get the bell working, she continued to glare at him as though every second she spent outside was the most insulting thing she had experienced in her entire life. 

“I am going to give you until the count of three to summon that wretched contraption and then-” Miko trailed off as a familiar figure came  hustling down the dock flanked by two gardes. “Oh, here comes M. Neuvillette now. What did you say your name was again? I’d like to be thorough in my report.” 

“Lady Yae?” Neuvillette asked, dismissing his escort with a nod as the panicked bell attendant jumped headfirst in the water to avoid the Iudex’s wrath unstick the diving bell from the bottom of the lake. “Why aren’t you downstairs with the rest of the party?” 

“You first,” Miko said, leaning against the railing as she watched the diving bell rise from the depths below. 

Can this woman not give a straight answer? Neuvillette thought. “I was…attending to some business at the Opera.” 

“Oh, that business with the archer?” Miko asked. “I thought you would have handed that off to someone else.” 

“No…I thought I would ensure it was properly investigated,” Neuvillette said, narrowing his eyes at Miko. “How do you know about that?” 

“People talk, I listen,” Miko said with a toothy smile. “People also say that a very large pack of gardes escorted an adeptus to the Opera. I hope you were ensuring Miss Cloud Retainer got to her opera box unharmed.” 

I swear this bloody nation is populated entirely by gossips, Neuvillette thought. “Madam Cloud Retainer was invited to tour the Opera’s private chambers by the Archon herself. I think she left in high spirits, though a bit disappointed that her request to examine the Oratrice was declined.” 

“Wise move; I know her to be one of Rex Lapis’ little gems and I shudder to think what would happen if he thought you were imprisoning her,” Miko said, hand over her heart in a gesture of mock indignation. 

“Thankfully, we will not have an opportunity to find out,” Neuvillette said. At least not for what happened to Cloud Retainer.

Neuvillette had spent the better part of an hour studying the men’s bodies as much as he could without disturbing their corpses, scanning them with Hydro for any clues to what killed them. As he feared, their organs had ruptured and melted into slurry as the Primordial water pulsed through them. They weren’t Fontish, so they were still in one piece, though Neuvillette worried the slightest prick would burst them like balloons. 

“So if you were not interrogating our friend from Liyue, what were you doing?” Miko asked. “Your Archon seemed very anxious about your whereabouts during dinner. I’m afraid we ate without you, but in Lady Furina’s defense she was locked underwater with a few hundred people who have never missed so much as a tea time in their lives.” 

“I don’t mind,” Neuvillette shrugged. “Work took a little longer than usual; I wouldn’t want anyone to starve on my account.” 

“You don’t mind eating scraps after everyone else has eaten their fill?” Miko clucked. “You are a good servant, aren’t you?” 

“...thank you?” Neuvillette said, though her compliment sounded almost like an insult. “Social gatherings are more Lady Furina’s speed so I’m happy to let her handle them.” 

“Quite the pair you make,” Miko said. “I’m sure she adequately rewards you for your diligent service, doesn’t she?” 

There was a barb to each question that hooked itself in Neuvillette on the way out, each probing remark irritating him more than the last as she seemed to be driving at something. “I’m comfortable.” 

“Comfortable spending your immortal existence catering to an Archon’s whims?” Miko said, studying his face carefully. “...I believe you are. Life under an Archon’s wing is a comfortable existence, isn’t it? Lacking certain freedoms but such is the life of a god’s favorite pet.” 

Pet? Neuvillette’s lip curled at this, the gesture seemingly amusing Miko. “I have heard the Inazuman dialect is an indirect one…in Fontaine we value forthrightness.” 

“Liar; there isn’t a nation in the world that values directness as much as it claims to,” Miko said as the panicked diving bell attendant resurfaced riding the bell to the dock. 

“S-Sorry to keep you waiting, ma’am,” the attendant stammered, opening the door to the padded diving bell. “P-Please enjoy yourselves!” 

“Thank you,” Neuvillette said, watching as the attendant flinched away from him as he entered the bell. The tight brass elevator was big enough for two people and soon Miko’s cloying sakura scent filled the cramped cell as the attendant sealed them in and launched the bell back into the lake. 

“Then let me be forthright since you insist so fiercely,” Miko said, watching Neuvillette’s back as he deliberately stared out the window. “As someone who wasted too much of her life devoted to an Archon, you should take care that your devotion doesn't consume you. You might wake up one day and find that the love between gods and their subjects flows one way.” 

“It sounds like you have had a bad experience,” Neuvillette grumbled. “I am sorry for your misfortune, but please do not presume to know of my relationship with Lady Furina.” 

“I don’t need to presume,” Miko sniffed. “Anyone who gets close to a star inevitably gets pulled into its orbit. It’s natural to be drawn to great power and beauty…I’d be surprised if you weren’t devoted to her. But- ”

“But what?” Neuvillette snapped, finally turning to face her. “Did it ever occur to you that Lady Furina and I have similar goals? That we might want the same thing regardless of any devotion?” 

“Your goal is to help her rule the country that used to be yours?” Miko asked. “Do you really have no pride?” 

“Plenty; I just choose to spend it wisely,” Neuvillette sniffed. “She aims to save this country from its prophesied doom; I aim to do the same.” 

“The last I saw your lady, she was aiming herself at the snack table and enjoying the company of diplomats from Snezhnaya while you were attending to her business,” Miko sighed as the bell slid into the ballroom’s underwater port. “But perhaps I don’t know what I’m talking about…after all, I’m sure you're nothing like Dvalin. Or that troublesome dragon Rex Lapis locked away once he became too much of an inconvenience.” 

“Dragon?” Neuvillette asked. “What-” 

The bell lurched to a stop, the door popping open and letting the warm light of the ballroom in. 

“Your Archon hasn’t told you?” Miko said with an infuriatingly placid smile as she climbed out of the diving bell into the warm, buzzing lights that laced the roof of the glass dome. “How unusual…well, enjoy what’s left of the party.” 

Just as quickly as she arrived, Miko disappeared, dissolving into the throng of onlookers and leaving Neuvillette stewing in impotent irritation. 

[studyandsteep]

subject-specific study tips: history

check out my post masterlist here!

"blurting" (linked here). this is an incredibly helpful memorization technique that minimizes time as much as possible.

create flashcards for terms you're unfamiliar with. flashcards don't work as well as blurting for overall concepts but are perfect for memorizing dates and historical figures! You can use apps and websites like Anki, Quizlet and Knowt to help.

begin studying early, doing small chunks at a time. don't cram the night before- you'll never remember anything. instead, focus on learning the material in small bursts of maximum focus- 45 minutes every day will cover more ground than 5 hours the night before, esp. using the pomodoro method.

focus on the big picture. most of the time, you aren't expected to remember tiny, insignificant details- these are just meant to help you remember the big picture. ex: rather than remembering how big the Mughal empire army was, use that as a way to remember how powerful the Mughals were in the 1600s.

join a study group! these are super fun and allow you to identify gaps in your knowledge. go through your material in chronological order and discuss the material, making sure to check your notes for the correct answer! don't have more than 4 people in your study group- more than will make it a party rather than a study session XD

review the homework. what you do in your homework will most likely be on the test, esp. if your teacher assigns reading questions.

⊹˚₊‧───────────────‧₊˚⊹

these next tips are from my previous post, subject-specific study tips for social studies.

explain the material to someone else.

practice with past tests if you can. create the same conditions of testing you'll have on test day- try taking the mock test during the same time of day as the real test! do this 3-5 days before the actual test.

understand the themes and patterns. since social studies covers the economics, politics, geography, and culture of a country, find patterns between these themes across different periods. example:

ancient egypt was very fertile due to the Nile river. this allows us to deduce that the Nile impacted trade positively by allowing for long-distance trade with other countries. thus, we know that ancient egypt was a wealthy and powerful ancient civilization.

⊹˚₊‧───────────────‧₊˚⊹

test-taking

make sure to check out my other series on test-taking strategies and good luck!

-studyandsteep

[ramayantika]

She's my roommate and if she were absent for days or were having a medical problem, I would have gladly sent the answers to her and helped her

But the thing is nobody is sick and she has attended all the classes. I made my notes in question answer form, sat hours on the laptop to make flashcards and mock questions for practice and even answered it. Now she wants them all because I am done with all the material.

Like it would actually just take the same time as me to make your own answers instead of copying it of me. If I wouldn't have done it, she wouldn't have bothered with me at all for it.

The thing is I feel annoyed when people do, because I sacrifice outings and many social activities just so I can study, and prepare for classes because I have dance classes and practice to attend too

And then see another person who will spend classes talking to every other person, getting up late etc. She studies yes and can even score better than me sure.

But I hate to see my hardwork be used when you were in perfect health and were present all the time, but chose to spend the remaining time roaming around after class.

And the material is really easy, like just make answers from the damn slides.

[thesecrethistori-an]

I am having a hard time finding good study methods, do you mind sharing how you study? T_T

Hiii anon, thanks for the question ☺️🤍

I think it really depends on two factors: what works for you / what suits each type of content. For ref I do humanities/social sciences and have no experience with economic courses (other than economic history) or anything stem

For me the fundamental thing is to go to class and take notes. It forces me to pay attention. Even if you'll be handed notes (never happened to me in my uni) take your own notes.

With time you'll learn to be efficient and only write down what works for you. I personally prefer to make extensive notes that include more than I need (the logic I follow is making notes that I could use and get an A with if I hit my head and got amnesia and forgot everything I know but this is obviously the extreme and so unnecessary 🤭). But even if you follow a very extensive model, be strategic. Some classes only require bullet points.

I use the same template every time and use different techniques, but all my uni notes look the same since 2018 (😅 feeling old now)

If the course is hard I do the reading previously and take very detailed notes: parts that are relevant, following the structure of the text rather than very schematic and I don't really add my own reflections in the notes other than on footnotes (not the most efficient for most but works for me ). For me this guarantees that I can participate in the class and be active and also that I have good materials to study.

For me, note taking does 70% of the work and then I only need to highlight and read with attention and take notes (I use my iPad) by hand clarifying anything necessary.

If I feel insecure about how much I know I try to take notes of the weakest parts by hand (schematic, do not copy all your notes by hand except for maybe something you really really need) trying to fit the most information in one page (like summarising all my notes from the course in a very crammed and chaotic sheet).

Then read out loud, try to explain it to yourself. Use reasoning and if you don't understand something try to put it in simpler words, then increase complexity.

Think about what the test will require and prepare accordingly. My tests have rarely been very memory based (more like requiring you to explain big concepts such as "does the state predate the nation or vice-versa"/"traveling in the middle ages"/"the use of primordialism as a myth of nationhood in central Eurasia"/etc with no ready-made answer but rather requiring an understanding of broader literature. I never did mock tests but I thought about possible challenges I'd finding.

Last: write a list of key words you want to use 100% in your tests/essays. Things, events, methodologies, authors, technical terms that maybe have less concise synonyms so that they are in your "mental lexicon/toolkit" so that you explain yourself using complex and discipline-specific terms. This will make you sound more confident and will become a great tool for the future.

Connected to this: there will be some pieces of information that should become part of your "toolkit". Don't get used to forgetting things right after the exam. Of course, some details will fade but the "core" will become the foundation that will make your future study sessions/writing/tests/talking in an academic or personal context solid.

Hope this was slightly helpful ;)

[electronicclowncollector]

Chapter 3: Really bad news

Rogue arrived to dragon study class carrying his books close to his chest, he went to his desk at the back corner of the class, where nobody would bother him by trying to talk to him or peer pressure him into ‘being social’. It also came with the benefit of letting him daydream about killing dragons… and standing up to bullyslow… and impressing Sting. Speaking of the angel, sting entered the class, casual as ever, giving finger guns to the teacher before heading to his desk a few seats away from Rogue’s. But sting would never acknowledge Rogue, he was just too cool for him.

Rogues stalking was interrupted by the teachers voice. “Right everyone! I have all your mock exams marked and ready to be handed out.” The teacher said, before going about handing all the exams. Rogue got 100% on his exam with the words ‘See me after class’ written underlined by the teacher in red ink. Rogue gulped, was he in trouble? Had he not reached the pass mark?

 After the papers were handed out the teacher spoke with an exhasperated look to his face. “Class I’m very disappointed in your marks, the amount of fails were unacceptable and most people didn’t meet the class average. There were very few exceptions to this whose marks i’m not disappointed with”. The last part was said looking directly at Rogue, which made his fear skyrocket, the teacher was especially disappointed in him, he knew it. Why else would the teacher look at him? Why would the teacher want to see him after class? It all lined up.

The teacher spent the rest of the class going over the paper while rogue frantically looked for what might have disappointed the teacher, dreading after class when he would receive his inevitable lecture. After class, everyone slowly left, each talking about their marks as they left. The teacher had also left to get some coffee. Rogue thought he was the only one left until he looked slightly to the left and saw Sting at his desk, looking calm and chill as ever as he got up and headed to the teachers desk, clutching his paper enough to damage the paper. Standing next to Sting was difficult enough for Rogue, what if he broke down in front of him? What if Stings cat didn’t like him? Or worse, what if Sting laughed at him?! Rogue felt like fainting at the thought of it.

“Oh how the great Rogue has fallen” Sting said with a grin, “The teacher called me up because of how much better my mark is then usual, I just know it.”

Rogue blushed and stuttered as he tried to get a word out, but all he could say was “Yeah heheh…”

The teacher entered the classroom again and sat before them, setting his now empty mug of coffee with the 3 other empty mugs of coffee that were also at his desk. He adjusted his tie and turned to Rogue, who gulped again. “Rogue Cheney, your test was remarkable. I don’t believe I’ve seen an essay about air breathing dragons as thorough and detailed as yours in all my days of teaching, you truly understand the source material. Hence you got full marks on the mock exam, the real thing will be no problem for you.” Stings jaw dropped at the word that Rogue got full marks, Rogue blushed a lot at Sting’s awe and simply nodded. The teacher then turned to Sting. “Sting Eucliffe, do you know why I made you stay back?”

“Yeah, because I finally passed an exam!” Sting exclaims confidently, putting his hands on his hips and posing like a model. This practically turned Rogue’s eyes into hearts by itself.

“It does seem that your failing streak has come to an end…” the teacher grumbled and took Sting’s paper, before crossing out the ‘50%’ and writing a big 0. “And your cheating streak has begun.” The teacher stood up suddenly causing Rogue to yelp in surprise, “Sting Eucliffe you were very clearly looking at Heartfilia’s test as she answered the questions. You even tried to ask her for the answers. Why would you even do that? It’s a mock exam. This doesn’t count towards anything. You are useless Sting Eucliffe. Which brings me to the reason why I called both of you here today.”

Rogue blushes in confusion and looks up at sting then back at the teacher. Stings expression drops realising he was caught in the act and he stops posing, much to Rogue’s dismay. The teacher looked back to Rogue again

“Rogue, you’re a smart kid, which is why you are going to tutor Sting until he can reach a C+ in dragon studies. Every day during lunch, instead of reading books about dragons, Rogue. Your going to put that knowledge to good use and teach it to Sting. And before you ask, no, you don’t have a choice. The two of you will be locked in the classroom through lunch until it ends.”

Rogue blushes and gulps in fear, “O- o- o- o- okay… Mr… Strauss…” Rogue looks over to Sting, whos looking out the window while eating his exam paper because it was white. He looks back at Rogue and Mr Strauss and spits the paper out, “Oh sorry were you saying something?”

[ejzah]

A/N: We return for a brief sojourn into the FLETC saga.

***

Your Own Worst Enemy

Deeks rolled his head, stretching his neck as a fifteen-minute mock interrogation video ended. As the screen turned black, Instructor Reczick flipped on the lights, briefly blinding everyone, then walked back to the front of the class.

Three weeks into the advanced interrogation, they’d moved on from studying techniques and rules to more practical application. It was pretty much all review for Deeks, but he usually enjoyed the opportunity to role play. And pick apart the various videos.

“Alright, what is the first mistake the Agent made in this example?” Reczick asked, pacing to the left while he waited for a response. A female cadet, Dakota, raised her hand, successfully providing the answer. A few more questions later, Reczick pointed to Deeks.

“Our resident legal expert. Any glaring mistakes that would invalidate this interrogation?”

“Well, he did ignore the suspect’s request for a lawyer, but somehow I’m guessing that’s not what you’re going for,” Deeks replied. Around him, the room had gone quiet, most of the class’s attention glued to him, as had become increasingly frequent. At first, the attention seemed to come from a morbid curiosity, but now they seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say. “I’d also say that the prolonged amount of time the suspect sat in isolation, not to mention threatening the welfare of his family, would make a good case for coercion.”

“Excellent.” Reczick nodded to Deeks approvingly before moving on. Half an hour later after the video had been throughly dissected, Reczick announced a five minute break before they would break into small groups of two or three.

Deeks took the opportunity to send Kensi a quick text. Based on their phone call this morning, she’d be too busy to respond until later, but he liked to rest thought out the day when he could. It was a poor replacement, but the closest they could get to their usual banter.

God, he missed her.

“Well, look at you showing off again,” a scathing voice interrupted Deeks mid-text. He looked up slowly to find Alan standing next to his desk, shaking his head in apparent disgust.

“I beg your pardon?” Deeks said neutrally.

“You just had to showboat, didn’t you. Let everyone see the big lawyer on campus.”

“I’m not sure what you what from me here. Did you expect me to give the wrong answer?” Deeks asked. He was legitimately confused by the younger guy’s response. Since the day they met, Alan Porter seemed set on hating Deeks, no matter how much he kept to himself. Or tried to help when Alan was clearly flailing.

“You didn’t have to answer it so perfectly.”

Setting his pencil to the side, Deeks braced his arms forearms on the table, turning to face Alan directly. It occurred to him how young Alan looked despite his twenty six years.

“Alan, did it ever occur to you that I’m under a lot of scrutiny here? I have a history with NCIS and experience that the most of you don’t, which means the instructors are expecting me to perform at a higher level than the average cadet. I’m supposed to know how to perform an interrogation because I’ve been in law enforcement for a decade and a half. I’m not showing off or trying to one-up you or anyone else. I’m just trying to survive. Just like every other person in this cohort.”

Deeks pause to let the words sink in; Alan’s eyebrows furrowed briefly, and for a second, but then he snorted dismissively.

“Yeah, it’s easy for you to say when you’re a teacher’s pet. You run around everywhere with your little study group hanging onto your every word, idolizing you,” Alan sneered. Even though it wasn’t the first time he’d expressed his dislike, Deeks was a little taken aback by the pure vitriol Alan threw at him.

“Hey Porter, good to see you socializing for one,” Reczick said loudly, coming up behind Alan. “Why don’t you pair up with Deeks? It’ll be good practice for you.”

“Yeah right,” Alan muttered at the suggestion and walked away.

“I don’t think he’s a morning person,” Deeks commented glibly, drawing an almost-smirk out of Reczick.

“Hmm. Some people just don’t know how to help themselves,” he sighed. He patted Deeks on the shoulder. “C’mon, you can practice with me.”

Deeks took another look in Alan’s direction. He didn’t need the guy to love him, but it would certainly make life a lot easier.

[adhd-attention-deficit-dumbass]

This might be random and unrelated but I'm a high school senior taking my final exams which in my country determine the next 4 years of my life. it's now 4 days to the start of test season and Despite prepping well and feeling confident I woke up today to an empty mind. The mocks I took today were awful and I can't really speak to my parents about this as we aren't on speaking terms due to my grades seeing a drop before this. I'm consumed by brain fog and lack of motivation and feel completely lost on how to get back to the way I was yesterday, feeling equipped to handle this. My mind floods up with random details from ages ago?? I'm sorry...Kindly advise

Thank you for your question.

First of all, apologies that this reply is insanely late. Depression hit me like a brick wall this past year. I hope your exams went well and that you’re doing okay❤️

It sounds to me like all the pressure to perform is making you really anxious causing you to blank. Some general advice is to try and exercise or go for a walk as studies show it is a very efficient way to lessen anxiety. As well as mindfullness, meditation or any other generic anxiety reducing activity.

On a more specific note anxiety can really mess you up and for me taking walks just don’t cut it.

The most important ”technique” I’ve learned is called SOAS, and I learned it from a swedish book about ADHD. For translation reasons we’ll call it SOAR

It stands for

S-Stop

O-Observe

A-Accept

R-Release/Respond

It works kinda like this:

Whenever you have a strong overwhelming feeling (like anxiety) pause for a moment and stop. Take a couple deep breaths and take a moment to reflect.

Observe what is going on in your mind and body. What are you thinking/feeling? Maybe you feel scared, afraid to dissapoint yourself and/or others. Maybe your heart is racing or your jaw is clenched. Don’t try to stop or correct anything you’re doing just…observe.

Try your best to accept the way you’re feeling right now. Don’t judge yourself or your emotions by labeling them as ”good” or ”bad” emotions just, acknowledge and accept that they exist. ”I am stressed & anxious. Even if I don’t like it. That’s just how it is right now.”

Finally decide whether you’re going to respond to or release your emotions. This can be tricky. It’s not always clear which answer is ”right” in the moment but I’ll explain them both.

Responding to a feeling means we make a concious decision to act upon it. Our feelings exist to protect us and help us navigate the world. If you feel afraid upon seeing a lion about to pounce on you, then responding to the feeling by running away is probably the sensible thing to do.

By ”releasing” a feeling on the other hand we decide to let go of it and make a concious effort to not act upon that feeling. Sometimes this means taking a deep breath and moving on with your day but with particularily strong emotions it might feel impossible to just let it go. Sometimes to release the feeling you have to actively act against it.

If fear tells us to run away and avoid something, lets say a social interaction, with lots of new people (an introverts worst nightmare) then in order to release the feeling we have to the opposite of what it tells us. Go say hello, socialise, make that phone call, apologise to that friend you’re angry with that you really don’t want to apologise to. It’ll help you overcome the intensity of the feeling and with time and practice the feeling will lessen.

🌻Apologies about the wall of text. I hope this was at least somewhat helpful. If you made it this far, thank you for reading and have a nice day.🌻

[jiminjeonging]

himbo jm x nerd mj

himbo jm is dumb but smart at the same time in the same way dogs are very good learners but will still eat grass until they get sick and will run headfirst into glass doors. like she may be an idiot but shes not stupid have some respect for her name!!! shes a swimmer, carries herself with confidence in water but a big loser outside of it.

nerd mj is someone thats kinda done with everyones bullshit, stoic on the outside- imagine 240902 soundcheck mj with the cold demeanour of her dancing tiktok- and she is sooo "people be scared to say stuff BUT IM NOT that's why everybody want to kill me, or have sex with me" meme. she has about 3 friends maybe 3.5 and happy with it. she just wants to do well in classes and move on with her life. no interest in socializing whatsoever.

their meeting is classic. jm's coach ask mj to tutor jm so she can be eligible for swimming competitions coming up since she cant compete with a failing grade, promosing her extra credits from class' proff. mj is like 'whatever fine.' she heard about jm before— tall, a jock, charming enough to talk her way out of a ticket, supposedly gets around. but she wasnt someone that she gave too much thought about it. she figures the swimmer would be mildly annoying to deal with like most people are. so when they first meet mj is a little surprised because she doesnt seem like what ppl described at all.

she seems a little fidgety with the way shes shifting her weight from one foot to the other, hands stuffed to her jacket pockets, then pulled out again just to adjust her collar. when her gaze darts from her shoes to the library entrance and back, she finally notices mj approaching. she immediately stands up straight before wiping her hands to her jeans and offers mj a handshake. 'Thanks for doing this,'

mj waves a hand dismissively, “Don’t mention it.” but when jm just stares stares and stares, mj raises an eyebrow, feeling a bit weirded out. “What?” she finally asks, breaking the silence. jm’s ears redden almost instantly, and she clears her throat, looking anywhere but at her. “Nothing! Um, shall we…?” she stammers, gesturing toward the library entrance so mj just shrugs and leads the way.

once they start studying, mj quickly picks up on one thing: jm is clearly nervous as fuck. It’s in the way she fumbles with her pencil, twirling it between her fingers only to drop it more than once. she keeps adjusting her position, shifting in her chair like she can’t quite get comfortable. when mj asks her a question, she answers quickly, her voice a little higher than normal even cracks halfway through, and mj has to bite back a chuckle, pressing her lips together to keep from smiling. and those glances—jm keeps sneaking them mj’s way, only to look down at her notes the moment she catches her.

is she scared of me or something? mj wonders, starting to feel a little annoyed. she knows she has a reputation for being a little aloof, but she didn’t think it’d make the girl this on edge.

their study sessions go like this: mj explaining concepts while jm nods along, but she eventually realizes that the swimmer isn’t actually absorbing much of anything. jm never asks questions about the stuff she doesn’t understand, just scribbling down notes and offering stiff smiles. mj gets really fed up when she gives jm a mock test, and the girl gets more than half of the questions wrong.

“Okay, what the fuck is wrong with you?” mj blurts out, cleary frustrated and to be honest, she was starting to get offended a little bit. she’d been trying to be as patient and kind as possible, but it felt like all her efforts were going down the drain. “I’m not going to bite you, you know.”

jm’s ears redden again, like they always did when mj confronted her. she might have found how easily she blushed cute if the reason for it wasn’t so damn annoying. jm’s eyes dart everywhere but toward mj, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. after a few seconds of awkward silence, she finally mumbles, “I, um… wanted to… ask you out.”

“Oh.” mj blinks, the realization settling in, but it still doesn’t make much sense. she crosses her arms and says, “That’s a stupid reason for not listening to me.”

jm jumps in quickly, “I am listening! You always have my full attention, it’s just that sometimes...” her voice trails off, confidence crumbling. “...sometimes I don’t get what you’re saying.”

mj narrows her eyes. “Then why don’t you just ask about it?”

“I didn't want you to think I’m stupid,” jm mutters and mj finds her shyness adorable.

mj lets out a short, dry laugh. “Well, I wasn’t thinking that, but I am now. You’re dumb for wasting both of our time like this.”

jm’s cheeks flush red, and she fumbles to recover. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Let me make it up to you on our date.” she finally meets mj’s gaze, nervously chewing her lip as she waits for a response.

mj looks her over, considering for a moment before she says, “How about this. Pass your class, and I’ll let you take me out.” she doesn’t really know why she’s entertaining the idea. she could’ve just said no and walked away. maybe she figures this will be enough motivation for jm to finally take studying seriously. yeah, that’s it. and the determined look jm gives her, nodding eagerly, is proof that her plan just might work.

in the days that follow, jm isn't nearly as nervous as before, and mj is happy. finally she feels like she’s not talking to a brick wall. but those lingering glances don’t stop, and well mj is still annoyed. for all the wrong reasons tho. It’s not because she thinks jm is distracted no matter thats what she wanted to believe. it’s because of the way her own heartbeat speeds up every time she catches the girl looking at her like she’s peering right into her soul.

[vividlyghostlyentity]

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