#and truly a genuine trust exercise

[abirddogmoment]

A little bit about CKC pointing field trials (puppy stakes) in general for those who are interested in how they run.

CKC has its hunting dog events broken out pretty specifically. CKC is restrictive in which breeds can run which events (e.g., only CKC registered approved pointing breeds can run pointing tests, other breeds are excluded even if they technically could complete the exercises. Rory can only run pointing events, she couldn't do a retriever test or a spaniel test).

We also have a distinction in trials vs tests, as most other venues do.

Trials - you are competing against other people and being judged against a standard. You run in pairs. Top 4 dogs get placements, once you get enough points you get a field championship.

Tests - you are running alone and being judged against a standard for a qualifying/non-qualifying runs. 3 qualifying runs gets you a title.

We are currently running CKC pointing field trials.

CKC pointing trials have two main distinctions within them - puppy stakes and senior stakes. You can enter whichever stake you're ready for, with some exceptions (like age) - you don't have to run puppy stakes before running senior stakes.

Puppy stakes are a little lower pressure because they judge puppies' potential. Within puppy stakes, there are two main types of runs.

Open puppy stakes: any puppy *of eligible breed* between 6 and 18 months old. No birds hidden in the field, no gunshots on the course, 15-20 minutes running.

Derby stakes: any puppy of eligible breed between 6 and 27 months old. At least two birds hidden in the field, puppy needs to point birds if encountered, gunshots, 20-30 minutes.

We run open puppy for now. Here's how this goes:

We are randomly paired with another puppy and handler (this pairing is called a brace, the other handler and dog are our bracemates). We walk up to the start line together (usually the entrance to a big pasture) with our puppies on leash. Two judges (on ATV or horseback) give us a quick overview of the course we have to walk. The course is usually through a big open field with medium cover (think knee high grasses and shrubs, some wetlands, some hills but no forest) and typically avoids fencelines or roads. They tell us to release our dogs at the same time, so we let the dogs off leash and start walking (very fast, and I'm a fast walker to begin with). The course is usually huge, much bigger than we could possibly walk in 20 mins.

Usually the puppies play a little bit and then get to work. The judges are looking for puppies who can ignore the other dog and handler, judges, ATV, horses, and spectators, hunt independently, cover lots of ground (move fast and steady across the terrain while still sniffing), use the wind to follow scent, and respond to their handlers' directions. If the puppies want to play too much, the judges will ask the handlers to split up a little bit to encourage the puppies to work independently. Usually you stick within about 10m (25ft) of your bracemate. Puppies can range anywhere as long as they stay visible and ahead of their handlers. (Puppies are often about several hundred metres/yards away from their handlers depending on breed. Rory ranges about 50-100m in real life and about 75-300m in field trials. It is an exhilarating exercise in trust in my training.)

The judges follow behind us and then spectators can follow behind the judges, if they want. We have to keep up a very fast pace to encourage the puppies to cover as much ground as possible, not at a jog but pretty close.

In puppy stakes, you want to keep as quiet as you can. The judges are looking for instinct and basic potential, so you don't want to ruin that by giving your dog tons of directions. If your puppy follows directions, that suggests they need directions to function. If your dog ignores directions, that's unresponsive and also bad. Ideally you shouldn't say much during your run unless there's danger (if a deer runs out, you would recall your puppy) or evils (if your puppy is eating poop, you could recall or redirect). You are allowed to chat with your bracemate but you have to hustle fast so it's usually friendly but minimal.

One important piece of open puppy stakes is that there are no planted birds in the field! There may be wild birds, but it's unlikely. Many people "over train" their bird dog puppies on live birds, and then the puppies get really frustrated that there are no birds in the field after they search so hard. This causes puppies to slow down or give up entirely during their run, so this is something that judges look for. In real life hunting, there's no guarantee of birds so it's important that puppies can work through frustration without losing enthusiasm.

The judges kind of shout directions (go left, head for those trees) from behind to keep us on course. In the best courses, the judges make you walk a loop, but sometimes your time ends in the middle of a field. When your time is up, the judges will thank you and tell you to leash your dog. We recall our puppies and put them on leash and walk them back to our cars for water and snacks.

That's the whole run for open puppy! It's very low pressure. The puppies basically just follow their hearts and do what they were made to do.

Derby is extremely similar, except there are birds planted in the field. The puppies don't HAVE to find birds but obviously its preferable that they do. If they find birds, they must point (stop moving and stand still staring at the bird). They don't have to be steady to flush or shot (they can chase when the bird flies or when the gun goes off), and only blanks are shot in derby. The course is a little longer but everything else is the same.

In open puppy and derby stakes, the judges are just looking for potential. They want to know if your dog would be competitive in the senior stakes, so they're looking for lots of independence, lots of bird drive, lots of stamina, things like that. Because they're judging potential, younger puppies may be judged a little easier than older puppies.

I think that's the gist of puppy stakes in CKC pointing field trials! Send me a message if you have questions about our experience so far!

[prettyflyforawhitelie]

Hazbin Hotel x Sick!Reader

A/N: Hey guys! I wanted to do some more x reader headcanons just because they’re so fun! I love the idea of the characters caring for you when you’re sick, it’s just so cute. I hope you enjoy it!

Pairing: Hazbin Hotel x Reader

Warnings: None (if you don't count tooth-rotting fluff) 

Characters: Alastor, Charlie, Vaggie, Angel Dust, Husk, Sir Pentious, Lucifer

🦌📻Alastor📻🦌:

Essentially hides you away in his room: wants more than anything to take care of you, but refuses to expose this “softer��� side of him to anyone else. If anybody knew that you were the Radio Demon’s only weakness, not only would that put him in danger, but you as well.

Will prepare any food that your heart desires - his mother brought him up to be an excellent cook! His recommended feel-good food is his mother’s jambalaya, but you absolutely love when he makes etouffee!

If anybody dares to try and disturb your well-needed sleep, he broadcasts their screams to remind them just why the hotel has a radio tower… 

Will suggest that you take advantage of the bayou-side of his room for the fresh air, but of course will not force you to do anything against your complete comfort.

The best thing that he knows to do is what his mother did to him whenever he was sick: Sit in bed with him and tell him Creole folk tales. They always enamored him, and just the fact that he was allowing you to see this personal side of him made you feel better. 

At the end of the day, Alastor would take advantage of the beautiful setting that the dark bayou side of his room provided and conjure up a lovely scene of fireflies, all while softly playing his piano and singing his favorite songs to guide you to sleep (You are the only person he will let hear his singing). While Alastor may seem heartless from afar, you wouldn’t trade this demon for all of the money in the world.

🗝️😈Charlie😈🗝️:

Would definitely notice that you were sick before you did and insisted that you get plenty of bedrest. When you refused, insisting that you were ok, she would monitor you until you finally accepted that you were sick and let her take care of you. She would say, “I’m not saying I told you so, buuuuuut…”

Takes care of you to the point where some tasks of the hotel were neglected, but to be honest, it was a win-win for everyone in the hotel. She was happy that you were being taken care of, and everyone else was happy that they didn’t have to participate in trust exercises. 

She would crack open her book of the story of Hell - it always calms her down during an extermination, so hopefully it could calm you down as you try to sleep. 

If she absolutely had to leave the hotel to do/get something, she would most definitely buy a little keepsake and bring it back for you.

She would use her love for singing to lull you to sleep, singing sweet lullabies that her mother used to sing to her as a child.

You have to constantly remind her to take care of herself as well, as she will literally remain at your bedside, not caring to eat or sleep, until you get better. She often gets so caught up in caring for others that she forgets to care for herself! You tell her that it would genuinely make you feel better to see her taking care of herself as well.

🪽⚔️Vaggie⚔️🪽:

Gets more defensive over you than usual, which honestly scares everyone. Nobody wants to so much as speak to you wrong in fear of Vaggie literally attacking them. Having Vaggie around is the definition of scary dog privileges. 

She’s honestly extremely dramatic when it comes to you getting sick, which may seem ridiculous, but think about it: she was thrown away by her “family” in heaven, and now you’re the only person that she truly has. You confide in her, you allow her to let her guard down. If she lost you, she doesn’t know how she could even exist. So whether you have a cold or something more serious, she will automatically jump to the worst conclusions and get worried as Hell.

As tough as she seems, Vaggie loves to cuddle. She will literally lay in bed with you all day, not caring if she gets sick as well. You’re the only person that she can be vulnerable with, and if you have to be in bed all day, you better bet she’ll be right there next to you. 

Her love language is absolutely telling you about all the things that she would do to defend you. She will go into immense detail about the things that she would do for you, and you will always listen in awe. She has been through so much, and this is the only way that she knows how to express her true love for you. 

The last thing she wants is for somebody to feel abandoned in their struggle like she did when she fell from Heaven, especially you. She will make sure that you know how much you are valued and loved, not just by her, but by everyone at the hotel.

When you’re finally ready to get out of bed and start participating in hotel duties again, she monitors you the whole time to make sure that you’re not over-exerting yourself.

🕷️💖Angel Dust💖🕷️:

Is very upset and on edge - Valentino forces him to work everyday, no matter the circumstances, and not being at the hotel to care for you or at least watch over you makes him feel horrible. 

Basically forces you to sleep as much as you can, even better if it’s in his room so he can see that you’re okay immediately when he gets home.

Encourages you to cuddle with Fat Nuggets - he’s essentially a cute and cuddly heating pad. (He actually gives Fat Nuggets this adorable pep talk about how he needs to take good care of you while “dad” is at work)

He wholeheartedly believes in the power of comedy, so he essentially treats your bedrest as a stand-up comedy show for him to perform in order to make you laugh. He’ll tell stupid jokes, put together horrible dances, or even just hide in places and scare you in hopes that making you laugh will help you forget how bad you feel. 

Loves talking to you after work. You’re essentially the only person that he takes off his hypersexual mask around, and he knows that he can be himself around you, that you would never judge him. So, sometimes he will get home to find you already asleep and get in bed with you, holding you tight, whispering all of the things that he wanted to tell you about today, hoping that at least some of his words wiggle their way into your dreams. 

Loves sappy rom com movies and will 100% force you to watch them with him. He claims it’s because the “good vibes” of the romance will make you feel better, but to be honest, he just wants someone to watch his dumb movies with.

♦️🥃Husk🥃♥️:

Will blame himself for your sickness, claiming that he shouldn’t have let you drink so much over the past couple of days (He literally cannot comprehend the idea that people can be sick NOT from being hungover lol).

When you insist that it’s not his fault, he’ll ease up. He’ll use some of his bartending skills to make some sort of juice mocktail for you and will definitely sneak in some vitamin C to heal you faster.

Everyone - specifically Angel - will wonder why the fuck the bar hasn’t been stocked in days (It’s because Husk has been chilling in bed/taking care of you nonstop).

This is the only time that he will completely surrender to the idea of being one big stuffed animal to cuddle with. I mean, he’s warm, soft, and he purrs! What’s more therapeutic than that?

This is also a great time to get uninterrupted talking time with Husk. He’s a great listener, so you’ve always opened up to him, but it took him a while to open up to you too. He had told you that you were one of the only people that he trusted enough to confide in, but always seemed to air on the side of caution when sharing his personal struggles because it always seemed that someone would just pop up at the bar asking for a drink whenever it happened. This was one of the few times that the two of you could be completely open and vulnerable with each other without the risk of outside judgment. 

Given the fact that he was such a gambler, Husk has a knack for all sorts of card games. If you get too bored, just give him a deck of cards and the possibilities for entertainment are endless. Want him to teach you how to play poker or rummy? Done. Want him to embarrass himself while he tries to relearn some card tricks that he used to flaunt? Done and done.

🐍⚙️Sir Pentious⚙️🐍:

The second you told him you were sick, he would waste no time in finding one of his many inventions that could help you in some way. He definitely has some complex medical screening device hidden somewhere that he could use… he just has to remember where he put it. 

If you complain about being sore, he will insist that you snuggle up next to him. Because he’s a cold-blooded reptile, his body is one big ice pack! On the other end, if you feel yourself coming down with some feverish chills, he has you covered! His bedroom ceiling is essentially one huge heat lamp, so feel free to chill under there, too!

Has assigned himself as your personal nurse and will provide anything that your heart desires. If it for some reason cannot be found within the hotel, he will travel to any ring of Hell necessary to make sure that you are well taken care of. This man is DETERMINED.

You can tell that he’s taking this seriously because he actually neglects his “evil duties” for a couple of days. The airship isn’t even mentioned until you heal (unless, of course, you feel that taking a ride on the airship would make you feel better. Then, of course he will set it up for you!).

Despite literally voicing his complete and utter devotion to your every flight of fancy, this man is still as awkward as ever. He will still struggle to ask you if you want to cuddle, quite literally fluttering around the subject until you bring it up for him. 

At the end of the day, though, Sir Pentious is probably the sweetest sinner you could’ve ended up with as your caretaker. He may be awkward, but boy, does he love you!

👹👼Lucifer👼👹:

While you are resting in bed, he will conjure up the most delightful images of anything you request (his favorite, though, is a group of ducklings waddling through a golden lake together 🫶)

Being the King of Hell, he has so many interesting stories to tell you if you’re willing to listen. He will gladly tell you stories as you lay in bed with him, slowly lulling you to sleep. (His daughter clearly got her love of storytelling from him).

He loves that you trust him enough to let him take care of you - he doesn’t often have people around, let alone people that he truly loves. Just your presence in his room truly fills him with so much joy.

He didn’t want to annoy you with his ramblings about his many rubber ducks so he was ecstatic when you asked him to give you a tour of all of them. This man was telling you each and every duck’s name, backstory, etc. and honestly, it was adorable. When he quickly glazed over one of the ducks anxiously, you asked why. He then shyly revealed that it was, in fact, a rubber duck that looked just like you. 

His love language is definitely gift-giving. This rubber duck would lead to him showing the many, MANY gifts he has created for you in his free time. He always has a ton of downtime, so making gifts for people is his favorite hobby. These gifts include, but aren’t limited to: various duck items, binded storybooks, music boxes, paintings, etc. This man is TALENTED, to say the least. He just hopes that looking at these will distract you enough from being sick. 

Also, his room is by far the comfiest to sleep in while you’re sick… the mood lighting that is naturally provided from his glowing light shows is simply unmatched.

[loki-us]

The exact same scene, and yet an entire lifetime apart. There is no better illustration of the profoundly transformative impact Mobius had on Loki’s character from the beginning to the end of his show.

In the first episode, Loki’s posture is stiff, cold, abrasive, unyielding. His arms are crossed to shield his body and distance himself from everyone around him. He neither trusts nor is trusted by anyone. He sees every interaction as a game to be won, an exercise only in manipulation and deceit. In the final episode, Loki’s posture is open, genuine, relaxed, attentive. He faces Mobius fully, leans forward to give his full attention. The scenes are brilliantly shot to put distance between Loki and everyone else in 1x1 and changes to close-ups in 2x6 to illustrate that personal connection, to show how much more open and intimate and sincere they are with each other. Mobius has taught him to trust and be trustworthy, to value the advice and wisdom of his dearest friend. He no longer deflects, attacks, or hides himself, he seeks Mobius’ comfort and opinion and thanks him for everything Mobius has done for him.

Loki returns to the beginning a truly changed person and that is what gave him the strength to accept his burden in the end.

[ghoulfuckersincorporated]

your ghoul fics have me in a fuckin chokehold 😭😩 there's nothing i love more in life than a scary sexy man w questionable morals

not to be horny in anon but like... imagine the reader, after having been traveling together for a while, being an insufferable brat for a couple days, just tap dancing on coop's last nerve- but he's not gonna get rid of you, he's seen you in action, despite his lone-ranger status, you're too useful. too skilled. too good at surviving in the wasteland as a vaultie for this not to have been destined. at least that's what he tells himself to avoid facing the fact that, well, poor bastard caught feelings. basically this is a long winded way of me saying boot riding as punishment, cause the man deserves a free polish 😶

Grunt Work

Pairing: Cooper Howard/The Ghoul x Female Vault Dweller Reader

Word Count: 3,920

Warnings: smut (18+), BDSM-style dynamics, boot riding, masturbation (male), begging, mild hair pulling, mild cum play, Cooper is a softie (but a pissed off softie).

Notes: Anon, I wish you would've been here to see me read this request for the first time. I think a small part of my brain exploded. How did this become 4,000 words? It may have turned out softer than you envisioned (not the first time I've given that preface/apology and it certainly won't be the last; The Ghoul is soft deep inside and you cannot tell me otherwise!), and if so, I hope you still enjoy. Thank you for reading!

Every day with this girl was an exercise in self-restraint.

Granted, the type of self-restraint varied greatly from day to day, hour to hour. From the moment he had agreed to do business with the vaultie, she'd been testing his patience, his boundaries, his sense of what was normal.

Generally, he quite liked it. It was actually endlessly refreshing, he found, to spend time with someone who treated him like he was human, who he felt comfortable enough to actually relax a bit around. Someone who still had some sunshine left in them. Slowly, agonizingly so, they'd developed a bit of a rapport, then a genuine trust, which had eventually (and somewhat recently, given the scope of all the months they'd been traveling together) bloomed into more. What you'd call that "more", he wasn't really certain.

It had been the first time he'd allowed himself any sort of dalliance in that area since he'd divorced Barb all those years ago, and it had been both amazing and heartbreaking. Establishing that new attachment with his little vaultie had been the first time in lifetimes that he truly felt connected to his humanity, the way she'd kissed him and clung to him and sighed his name just like one would with any normal man.

He really had forgotten how wonderful it could be to be with someone, to let them get as close as they possibly could, even though he looked the way he did, acted the way he did, and refused to take off anything besides his duster, his gloves, and his hat.

He knew, deep down somewhere, that she wouldn't reject him simply for what his body looked like. Not at this point. Unfortunately, her feelings about his body didn't really change his feelings about his body. Still, getting to feel her and hold her close had been even better than he'd imagined.

But that new moment of connection, that next and first step, also meant he was fully closing the door on his time with Barb; he'd always been faithful to her, even after they'd split, since he'd really had no interest in dating again in the time after the paperwork was finalized. Then the world had ended and wasn't even a thought in his mind for ages. It had taken him months to even see the advances the girl had been making towards him, months more to reciprocate them.

As asinine as it would seem, becoming this close, actually giving himself to someone else physically and emotionally, made his two-centuries old divorce finally feel real. His ex-wife could still well be out there somewhere, as far as he knew, but they'd never be together again, even if by some wild chance they were reunited. Those special feelings he'd once held so deeply for her were no more.

When his companion had finally fallen asleep that night, tucked naked and warm against his side and wrapped in the tail of his duster, he had shed a few tears, something he genuinely didn't believe he was still capable of.

She didn't seem to be sleeping as deeply as she typically did that night, but if she'd overheard his incredibly vulnerable moment, she never let on or brought it up, and he was endlessly grateful for it.

Maybe he was just growing soft with old age.

She was also quite the burgeoning Wastelander, a shockingly good scavenger with a sharp eye for value and utility, small enough to fit in places that he couldn't, her little hands quick at hacking terminals and picking locks. But, despite her small size, she was quite strong, able to handle herself far better in most fights than he'd ever expected a vault-dweller to be capable of. He didn't necessarily need to watch over her every single second, but the urge persisted, nevertheless. Seeing her safe, seeing her happy, those things gave him a strange sense of inner peace that he hadn't felt in ages. It had become second nature to hover around her.

Besides, as of late, keeping an eye on her every second seemed to be his best bet to stay alive. He was genuinely unsure if his girl (Was that what she was?) had been dealing with an especially bad streak of luck over the last week, or what, but she was rapidly grating on his nerves much more usual.

First, she had managed to nose her way into a yao guai den and set the thing off chasing her, resulting in him taking a pretty nasty swipe to the side before they could put it down, several foot-long tears in his already worse-for-wear coat. However, she'd apologized profusely, spent a few hours that night mending and patching up his coat. He found it impossible to stay mad at her through either.

Then, she'd done the exact same thing a few days later, but with a pack of nightstalkers. He'd nearly lost a finger helping her fight them off, the shitty little things infinitely more tough than one might expect. After that, she was officially no longer in charge of picking where they slept, an arrangement he hadn't been fully aware he'd entered into until he'd had to put his foot down about it. Whatever, she'd pouted a bit and insisted it wasn't her fault. He didn't love how little she spoke to him when she was pouting, and her resolve for keeping at such things was irritatingly strong, but what bothered him more was how well it worked.

Eventually, he'd apologized for snapping at her. That night, she chose where they slept. He tried to not think too long on why he'd let her.

He didn't fully understand why he found himself acting this way around her, and only her. All he knew for sure was that he'd be devastated to lose her, as chagrined as the admission made him, and so he did his best to make things pleasant to keep her around.

What she'd pulled today, however, had managed to officially piss him off.

After a long week of iffy sleep and more scrapes with wildlife and fiends than usual, they had both been a tad testy by the time they'd reached the shabby little trading outpost at the edge of the Wastes, one of the last places you could reliably stop for clean water and supplies in this section of the desert going the way they'd come from. It was also a reliable place for him to obtain vials, and had come in handy to a life-saving degree more than once.

The girl had gotten slick-mouthed with the proprietor over the price of some fancy machine parts she'd scrounged up, insisting that they were worth far more than he was offering her. Granted, she was right; the man was attempting to swindle her, to some degree, but frankly, the damn things were cumbersome and heavy and he wouldn't even call the price she could theoretically get for them worth hauling them around in the heat. If it were him, he wouldn't have dragged them all this way, and would certainly ditch them now.

For reasons he couldn't fathom, though, her solution to the man offhandedly threatening to just keep the damn things had been to pull her pistol on him, which, of course, had set off an entire chain of unnecessary events. The owner's gun had come out, as well, then Cooper's, despite him actually trying to talk the situation down for once.

The man wouldn't relent, however, and he had been forced to shoot his hand off to end the conflict without her blood being spilled. Well, maybe not completely forced, but it certainly felt that way at the time. That particular trading outpost had been incredibly useful to him for well over a decade, and now he wouldn't be able to return.

If it had been anyone else, he probably would have shot them.

Not probably. He would have shot them.

But instead, here he was, tucked into a creaky old UV-eaten lawn chair, smoking and trying to disguise how unsettlingly happy he was to finally have some safe alone time with her beneath his annoyance at being inconvenienced. If there was one thing he hated, it was being inconvenienced. But, if there was one thing he greatly enjoyed, it was her company, so he was at a bit of an impasse.

It was moments like this where he wondered if he'd finally poisoned his brain with too much Jet or any other number of substances, the haze that consumed him every moment around her thick. Even now, when he was angrier with her than he'd ever been at any point in their travels, he couldn't focus on his legitimate grievance because he wanted her so badly. It was the single most irksome thing he'd ever experienced.

She was quickly sniffing out this weakness of his, perceptive little minx that she was. Increasingly, she was quick to soothe his bad moods with little touches and kisses, and it made him melt embarrassingly every single time. He'd been livid and silent as they'd trudged away from the building, both of them covered in rapidly-cooling blood spatter, when she'd brushed her hand along his back softly; a sort of apology, he supposed. Since then, his main source of anger had been himself and his lack of resolve when it came to this particular woman.

The old cowboy was determined to teach her a lesson today, though.

He'd spent the better part of an hour checking their perimeter once they'd come across this place, and the little sniper's nest where they were holed up had a great view of the area. It certainly wasn't much, little more than a rusty metal panel jammed between some rocks, a mattress, a chair, and a radio. But for the first time in a few weeks, things were safe, quiet, and calm. They had plenty of rations between the two of them, and water wasn't as much of a concern as it had been on their way in. She was so comfortable that she'd actually shed her boots and socks, her dainty little feet curled up underneath her as she nibbled away at something under the ramshackle "roof".

Now was the time. He just had to wait for the opportunity.

"You've been quiet since we left the traders." she said after a while of companionable, though mildly terse, silence. It wasn't a question, but at the same time very much was, and the casual, roundabout way she was addressing what was her own actions made him scowl slightly.

"You've been a pain in my ass these last few days, sugar." he said flatly, glaring at her as best as he could from under the brim of his hat. "Should be happy I've just been quiet now."

She actually rolled her eyes slightly, but clearly didn't think he'd seen it, keeping silent as she continued to eat. Increasingly bold for someone within grabbing distance. Cooper let a few seconds pass, studying her.

"Y'know, when I was in the marines, if you were a little shitheel, they'd make you do grunt work." he said eventually, voice matter-of-fact.

She pursed her lips at that, finishing up the can of beans she'd been steadily tucking into.

"I don't think I know what that is." she replied almost absentmindedly.

"It's the shit work no one ever wanted to do, so being assigned to it was intended as a punishment. Scrubbin' floors, toilets. Peelin' potatoes. Polishin' boots."

She chuckled at his anecdote as if it were meant to be entertaining, but the way he let her laugh hang in the silence, staring her down as she sat there curled up beside him, said otherwise. After a moment, she sort of narrowed her eyes at him, her tone low, almost conspiratory, when she asked:

"What're you playing at, cowboy?"

"I'm sayin' you're in trouble, cowgirl." he replied, reaching out to hold her chin solidly in his grip and watching her pout. "I'm sayin' that I think a little grunt work would do you and that attitude of yours some good, and I'm sayin' that I think you should polish my boots."

"Polish your boots?" she repeated, wrapping her tongue around each of the words like they were foreign to her.

"Pretty sure there ain't a functioning toilet within a hundred miles of where we're sitting, and I ain't got any potatoes. So…"

"You can't be serious." she said, her eyes full of curious suspicion as she looked him up and down.

Releasing her chin, the old ghoul set to removing his gloves, tugging his second hand free and using his naked pointer finger to draw a little 'x' over his heart.

"Serious as the grave, darlin'."

There were a few pregnant seconds of them staring one another down, waiting for the other to bend, to flinch. She even lifted her chin towards him, just enough for him to pick up on, an unspoken challenge. God, she was so like him.

"Now…be good and take your clothes off." he smirked, brows raising when she made to argue in response. Her lips worked their way between her teeth as she hesitated before slowly dropping all her armor from her arms and torso, then drawing the dirty shirt underneath over her head.

"Is that better, Coop?" she asked, letting her hair down out of the knot she'd tied it up into on top of her head, the strands framing her face as she worked him over again with those eyes of hers. Pulling herself up into a standing position, he did his best to ignore the way her bare breasts moved and dipped with gravity.

"Mmm. I think it would be more fittin' if you called me 'sir', frankly."

"You cannot be serious!" she insisted again, indignant as she slid the zipper on her trousers down, her tone making him chuckle despite himself. She just didn't know when to quit, and it was fucking adorable.

"Am I ever unserious?" he asked, ignoring the look she shot him back in favor of watching her slowly work the worn pants down over the curve of her ass, dropping them into a pile around her feet and leaving her standing there as naked as the day she was born. He felt his already-stiffening cock twitch slightly, resisting the urge to rub himself through the faded pinstripes of his pants. This was supposed to be a punishment for her, and doing that would give her too much opportunity to distract him.

"Aww, c'mon, boss." she sighed, pressing at a hidden button of his, cocking her head and sending that silky curtain around her face glinting in the light.

"I mean it, missy. You fucked up pretty bad today, and you need to be punished for it. And what did I just say?" he responded, fighting hard to keep his voice even and body still.

"Well…what else would you have in mind as a punishment, sir?" she purred as she stepped back towards him, batting those long, dark lashes his way. He managed to keep his eyes on hers and off of her body, a task that felt herculean as the ache in his gut grew more intense. For a split second, he wanted to give in to her, to pin her to the ground and fuck the attitude out of her like he'd wanted to for days. But there would be plenty of time for that later.

"I promise you that if you knew your other options, darlin', you'd choose this." he replied, finishing his smoke and tossing the butt away. Digging his inhaler out for a quick puff, he finally removed his hat and set it aside, reclining just enough to allow his feet to stick out a few inches in front of him.

She huffed at her little ploy failing to work, crossing her arms and cocking her hip slightly. Cooper's teeth dug into the inside of his cheek to keep back a grin.

"Well, are you gonna take them off?" she demanded.

He couldn't hold back his smirk at that, his head cocking as he continued to stare her down.

"Just how long are you gonna keep playin' dumb? You know it's gonna get cold when it gets dark."

Studying her face, he could see the faint lines of confusion there, and wondered if maybe she really didn't know what he meant.

"There's a reason I wanted you naked, honey, and it ain't just the view."

Though it certainly didn't hurt.

It took a few long, long seconds of her looking him up and down, wondering, but eventually the glow of realization lit up her face, followed by more brow furrowed confusion.

"How would that even work?" she asked, though her tone was more curious than argumentative.

"I suppose you'll figure it out, huh? Askin' an awful lot of questions for someone who's about to be freezin' their twat off in about half an hour." he said, watching with apparent glee as she fidgeted in place, pulling another cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it.

Still attempting to make a stand, she didn't move, chewing away at that bottom lip as she hesitated there. He could smell that she was already turned on.

"Go on. Get to work." he ordered softly, exhaling smoke through his nose, staring into her eyes.

After a heartbeat, she seemed to accept her fate and slowly lowered herself down onto her knees in front of him. That, too, made his cock jump. Her cheeks had a visible rosy hue as she clearly struggled to arch herself at the right angle to make proper contact; after a few long seconds of her huffy sighs, he took mercy on her and tilted the toe of his boot more skyward, allowing her to begin to rub herself back and forth across the dusty leather in earnest.

He watched as her face slowly morphed from mildly confused concentration to blossoming arousal, the tint in her cheeks growing until it consumed her entire face.

"How does it feel?" he asked quietly, taking another long drag off of his smoke.

"It feels good." she huffed, a light sheen of sweat glinting on her soft skin.

He reached out and grabbed a fistful of her hair at that, squeezing just enough to make her gasp, her eyes flying open to gaze up at him, wide and wet.

"Feels good what?" he demanded. "Given you an awful lot of chances on that, kid. Y'know, insubordination usually calls for more severe punishment."

"It feels good, sir." she replied, her hips stuttering slightly as she struggled to move them with her head fixed in place, her eyes falling shut again. He found it a little surprising that the mild pain hadn't stopped her or made her complain more. If anything, she'd seemed to like it. He took note of that for later.

"Tsk. Well, it's supposed to be a punishment, but I guess I can't help it if a little freak like you gets off on polishin' my boots. Guess I did know a guy in the service who really liked bein' made to scrub the floor, but, between you and me, I think he might've had a little thing for bein' pushed around and told what to do." Cooper's voice fell to a secretive murmur as he spoke to her, watching her eyes dart away as he teased her.

However, as he watched her slide herself back and forth across his foot, he found it more and more difficult to resist the urge to touch himself. When her eyes didn't open for several minutes, focused entirely on the sensation, it would seem, he took the opportunity to palm his cock, his hips eventually beginning to rock against his hand. That movement caught her attention, her gaze burning into him as she watched; this was a button of hers for whatever reason. Feeling emboldened and somewhat sure that she was too distracted to cause trouble, he quickly undid his belt and fly and tugged his erection free, a shiver running down his spine as he gave himself a few experimental pumps in the cooling air.

Unfortunately, he'd underestimated how coherent she still was, her head remaining low, but her right hand creeping up his leg towards his hand. He jerked his chin towards her, sending her jumping back a bit. However, she didn't look fearful, more chastened.

"Don't. You. Fuckin'. Dare." he growled, his hand not stilling for a moment. "If you touch me, I'm gonna put you over my knee and spank your little ass until you can't sit right for a week."

His threats only seemed to make her hotter, a throaty moan leaving her as she began to hump his boot with increased speed, all attempts at preserving any semblance of her dignity abandoned in the pursuit of her orgasm. The grip he was maintaining on himself tightened, and a growl ripped out of his chest in response as he fought to keep his eyes open and on her. If he could still sweat, he'd be pouring it just like her.

Cooper's leg jerked involuntarily as a particularly strong wave of pleasure shot up his spine, digging the toe of his boot harder into her weeping little slit, and she keened in response, her body beginning to twitch all over like it did when she was nearing her end.

"You close, honey? You wanna cum?" he asked feverishly, rapidly sprinting towards his own finish line.

She nodded rapidly, her breasts heaving with her strained breath as her nails dug into his thigh.

"Please, please, please..." she breathed over and over.

"Look at you, just cleaned the thing and you're about to make a mess all over it because you're such a needy little slut." he chastised, breaking down into a harsh whisper as he seized her by her hair once more, his cig hanging loosely from his lips. "Go on, baby. Cum all over my boot."

The labored whine she let out as she lost herself all over him, and the blissful way her face contorted as she cried out, was more than enough to finish him off, his release spurting all over his hand and stomach. They both growled and groaned their way through their shared release, her collapsing against the inside of his leg as she panted heavily. Working to control his own breathing, he let his head fall completely back with a blunted "thud" against the frame of the chair, releasing his grip on her head.

After a few quiet moments, they both rather sheepishly peeked at one another. He held his spend-covered hand up in front of her face, the mess catching the fading light as he reached out towards her.

"You're gonna have to clean that up, too." he said softly, rubbing some of the slickness across her lips, barely holding back a groan when the little pink tip of her tongue darted out to lap at his fingers as they passed by.

"Mmm. Yes, sir." she responded, gently laying her temple against the side of his knee, those big, round eyes slowly slipping shut. Cooper reached out and laid his palm against her head, petting her now-rumpled hair with more affection than he'd like to admit, admiring her in the golden-red hue of the evening sun.

"Don't get too comfy there, sweetheart." he said after a few quiet moments, his cock beginning to stir again. "Don't forget, I've got another boot."

[confessioncassette]

𝐀 𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭 - 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝟏𝟖+. 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭.

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 : 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐦, 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐧.

𝐭𝐰 : 𝐧𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 : 𝟏.𝟖𝐤

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 : 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤. 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧.

"Dear listeners, we have a special guest this evening. It's quite rare now-a-days that I invite others on my show, but you're in for a special treat! Please give it up for this lovely lady..."

Turning his attention towards you, Alastor gestures that you have the floor. 

Shifting uncomfortably in your seat, you nod to the radio demon.

"You'd be perfect for this!" Charlie's voice rings through your memory. "No better way to rep the hotel than with our best resident! You really mean it, Alastor? She can guest star on your broadcast?" 

"I couldn't think of anyone more fitting, Charlie dear. What do you say? Would you give me the honor of interviewing you tonight?"

You're sure that the look on your face alerts Charlie to come by your side. "It'll be short, right Alastor? Just talk about your experience and what we do here. I know you can do it!" 

Crimson eyes slither to yours. The radio demon's hands curl around the microphone head of his cane, nails clicking against the metal as he does. 

"I can guarantee that it'll be short and sweet. Nothing more."

Clearing your throat and leaning into the microphone resting on the table in front of you, you introduce yourself to his listeners. 

"I've been here at the Hazbin Hotel for 6 months now..." Your eyes flicker nervously to Alastor, but all he gives in return is a soft smile. "And I've really enjoyed my time here. Everyday we have a group session where we practice good conduct, trust exercises and bond with the other residents here at the hotel. I've made lifelong friendships here." 

"This little darling came here a wayward sinner not too long ago, but she has made remarkable progress! Dear, can you tell the listeners what you have learned so far?"

"I've learned that... even stranded souls can have genuine hearts. I don't think even when I was mortal that I found good people who cared. We all care about each other here and watch each other's backs."

"Ahh," the radio demon coos, his crimson eyes fixated softly on you, "truly a heartwarming statement. Almost makes one sentimental, doesn't it my dear listeners? Any last words, darling?"

You shift, warmth fills your chest as the faces of your friends flash before your eyes. Their smiles are genuine, their laughs are comforting... the memory of Angel's boisterous laugh and hand resting upon your shoulder after you blew out the candles of your 'happy 1 month' cake floods your memory. Charlies songs gently caress your brain, Nifty's antics never failing to make you laugh, Husk's comforting and approving smile after you make strides in a group exercise, the smell of Sir Pentious's homemade cookies ghost your nostrils, Vaggie's unwavering loyalty to you all... 

It's all a warm hug. Who knew that months ago when you were rock bottom you'd eventually find this new place to call home. 

"This Hotel has been a true blessing. People laugh at the idea of redemption, but we are proof that souls can change. Charlie truly cares for her people, and you might think it's funny, but I whole-heartedly believe in her cause. Just look at how she protected Pride during the most recent extermination. We were on the front lines protecting YOU. I think that says a lot about what we do here..." You trail off. 

Your eyes meet Alastors unwavering gaze.

"Well, you heard it here first, folks. If you want to give redemption a shot, come on down to the Hazbin Hotel! After the recent extermination, our beloved hotel was destroyed. But I am happy to announce that we have re-built the hotel from the foundation up - thanks to our residents and the Princess of Hell! New bedrooms, bathrooms, bar, dining room, furniture- you'd have it all here!" 

A staticy recording of applause fills the radio room, followed up by jaunty jazz music as Alastor begins again in a smooth low voice, "Thank you for joining me tonight. I am your humble host, Alastor, signing off for the night...."

With a flick of a switch, the show was off the air. 

"Not so bad for your first interview, my dear. How do you feel after being in the spotlight?" Alastor's shoulders relax as he leans back in his chair. 

"I was pretty nervous at first, I won't lie."

"Naw, deary, everyone gets a bit of stage fright the first time." 

Your brows furrow in confusion, "did you?"

"HA! No. I'd like to think that I was born to be on the air. As a mortal, it was a dream that I was living in. I got lucky," he shrugs, "but whenever I had guests, they always shared that same look. Fidgety, uncomfortable... they got used to it if I invited them back often enough." Alastor rests his chin over his knuckles as his eyes pass you over thoughtfully.

"Things take time, darling. You did exceptionally well."

"Thanks, Al." You give a soft smile. 

Alastor was quiet for a few moments before slicing the stillness with his upbeat voice.

"I do have something else for you tonight." 

You perk up, sitting straight in your chair. Curiosity swirls in your stomach- or is it anxiety? 

"Oh?" You cock your head to the side as you watch Alastor stand. Grabbing his microphone cane and sticking it to the floor with a metal thud. 

The expression that paints his face is unreadable. 

"If I recall correctly, you have a fond fascination with space, am I correct?" 

You still, eyeing the radio demon up and down. His red eyes glow, glazed over with mischief. 

"You remembered that? I was drunk... talking to Angel about what life was like as a mortal." You rack your memory. It's hazy, but you remember.

"Darling, I'm pretty good at listening. I deemed this piece of information worth keeping."

You tap your finger on the table, waiting for him to continue. 

"I want to show you the stars tonight, if you'll let me. There's a rare celestial phenomenon happening tonight."

"The stars? But, how? Hell has no way of viewing the stars."

Alastor stalks towards you, cane behind his back. Looking down at you he extends a hand. 

An invitation. 

And you take it. His fingers curl around your palm gently, a thumb swipes over the back of your hand. Pulling you out of your seat, his body still towers over yours. 

"I pulled a few strings, my darling." Letting go of your hand, his warmth faded as quickly as it came. Your first instinct is to pull him back in, but before you finish the thought, he pulls the most beautiful crystal out of his coat pocket and presents it to you. 

Dazzling pink and purples swirl under the surface of the rock and beautifully gleams under the lights in his radio tower. 

Your mouth slacks open, in awe of the sparkles that hypnotize you. 

"It's beautiful." You whisper. 

"Not only is it beautiful, but it's a useful tool. Come," and you follow his strides to the center of his radio tower. 

Holding out his hand with the crystal in the center of his palm, the rock begins to glow. Streams of purples and pinks swirl from the bottom of your feet, up your body and close over the both of you. Scents of fresh spring flowers and crisp morning air flood your nostrils as your hair wisps in the crystal's wake of wind. The last thing you see before a fog of pink, was Alastors glowing red eyes staring back at you.

In an instant, the wall of pink dissipates and you're left standing in... you look around.... A forest? 

You stand on top of a mountain peak overlooking mountains littered with pine trees. 

Crisp air pricks at your skin as you hear the gentle whirl of wind dancing through the leaves of the trees around you. A sound that you never thought you'd hear again is music to your ears - birds singing their songs for all the world to hear. 

It's lighter here, wherever this is. The air is clear. The landscape is serene. 

"It's... light out. What time is it?" You spin around to face the radio demon whose hands are folded behind his back. 

The relaxed smile he holds widens to a sincere and toothy grin. 

"Just past 3 o'clock in the mortal realm, my dear."

With how beautiful the landscape is, you couldn't help but notice that the sky isn't freckled with stars. 

"This is where we will see the stars?" You ask, whirling your head to take in the mountains once more. 

"That will come later. But for now..." The heels of Alastor's shoes click louder as he strides up behind you. 

His gloved hand takes yours, his gaze flashes with excitement before turning his attention to the north. You lift your chin to where he looks. 

The sun rests high in the sky, shining brightly. Strangely, staring at the sun after you’ve died and went to hell doesn’t hurt like you remember it did when you were mortal. You’re able to take it all in without squinting. 

“Any moment now, darling.” Alastor coos, his thumb swiping over your knuckles. 

And just like he said, the sky dims and there’s a sudden drop in temperature. To the right of the sun, the moon slowly engulfed its warmth. Your hands tighten around Alastors.

The moon is full, and now completely black as it finds its place in front of the sun. A beautiful ring glows behind the moon, in such a way that it’s enchanting. 

An eerie but marvelous sight.

You’ve never seen something like this. 

“What is this?” You ask breathlessly. 

“A solar eclipse, darling. They’re very rare, but very powerful.” He turns to you with a soft smile. “You know, some mortals believe this phenomenon brings bad luck. But others, like myself, see it more of… good luck.” 

“What do you mean?” You examine his face.

“The sun rules the day, and the sleepy moon rules the night. Seeking companionship, the moon is drawn to his bride and they come together to create an eclipse. Lovers, others believe. Lovers that get lost in the moment and create stars to light their return to normalcy.” The hold on your hand drops, “I think it's fitting.”

“I never knew. This is.. I don’t even know what to say, Alastor. Thank you for showing me this.” At a loss of words, you take in the eclipse one last time before the moon slowly glides away. As it does, the sun shines once more, brightening up the sky and warming the landscape. 

“We’re not done yet, darling. I have more planned!” Alastors grin widens as he twirls his cane and lands it with a sharp metal click on the mountain. 

“We get to stay?” Excitement wells in your chest. You’d love nothing more than to spend more time alone with the demon. You do wonder though, why he even brought you here in the first place. 

“We get to stay as long as you wish, my dear. Tonight was planned for you.” 

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: How To Cultivate Self-Discipline

Know Your Why: Always Keep The End In Mind 

Keep Small Promises To Yourself. Make Them Non-Negotiable. 

Create And Consistently Log Your Progress 

Take Temptations Out Of Sight 

Find Indulgences To Help You Focus On Your Goals 

Know Your Why: Always Keep The End In Mind 

Decisiveness drives discipline. You need to clarify and define your goals. State them clearly with their authentic purpose in mind. If you seduce this end goal into your life, what desire are you truly fulfilling? Ex. If you want to lose 10 pounds: Is it to feel healthier? Look better in a bikini? Fit into a certain pair of jeans? No matter how superficial, identify the genuine reason why you want to achieve a certain goal. Whatever reason elicits a visceral and emotional reaction. Sometimes, especially during a busy work day, your reason could be as simple as wanting to lessen your anxiety and ease into a more relaxed state. Any purpose that resonates. Once you have an emotional response tied to a goal, it becomes infinitely easier to motivate yourself to take small steps towards achieving it. Where energy goes, energy flow. Simon Sinek goes more in-depth with this concept in Start With Why.

Keep Small Promises To Yourself. Make Them Non-Negotiable.

Think of performing self-discipline rituals as confidence-building exercises. This action helps you trust yourself, establishes a sense of integrity, and builds self-confidence. For example, if you stick to your meal and workout plan for 5 days a week, you build trust in knowing you're more powerful than your cravings and are capable of taking good care of your body. If you complete a project on schedule (personal or professional), you prove to yourself that you’re efficient, build confidence in your ability to finish tasks you start, and self-affirm that you follow through on your ideas. Finishing that book this month reflects confirms that you value yourself enough to expand your mind, learn, and expand your knowledge base. Eventually, through enough consistent repetition, these rituals into unconscious habits that you do effortlessly in daily life. 

Create And Consistently Log Your Progress 

You can’t manage what you don’t measure – your finances, calorie and step counts, workouts, productivity, etc. Tracking data related to your habits – such as your spending habits, eating or workout patterns, writing word count, and task completion – on a given day or week – allows you to understand and analyze your current behavior. What habit cues, environmental or other situational factors are keeping you from sticking to the current task at hand? Do you leave your running shoes stuffed in the back of the closet? Junk food in the house? Work from bed or with your phone by your side? Are you avoiding certain emotions? Does this data change when you’re stressed or tired?  

Awareness is the first step towards redirected action. Analyze these data points to see your pitfalls and strategize how to help yourself. 

Take Temptations Out Of Sight

Set yourself up to win. Get the phone away from your workspace, remove any junk food or soda from the house, delete apps, or silence notifications from people who distract you from your goals. Self-discipline becomes significantly easier when you have to take additional steps to indulge in your vices. Replace these temptations with helpful cues to help you build healthier habits that lead to self-discipline. Give yourself visual cues to move you toward your goals. Keep a journal with a pen next to your bed. Leave your workout clothes and shoes out near your bed. Write a quick to-do list right before finishing work for the following day, so it’s easier to jump into the first task right away the next morning. Cut up some produce or do a 30-60 minute meal prep once a week to eat more healthful meals. Find ways to make it easier to stay on track than give in to temptation. 

Find Indulgences To Help You Focus On Your Goals 

Self-discipline shouldn’t feel like deprivation – of certain foods, pastimes, or activities you enjoy. Buy cute workout clothes you feel confident in. Create the most dance-worthy playlist. Make it a priority to buy your favorite fruits and vegetables every week. Rotate a selection of your favorite healthy meals. Leave your sunscreen out – front and center – on your bathroom counter. Find a big, beautiful water bottle to keep on your desk. Purchase aesthetic notebooks, pens, planners, journals, and other office organization items. To make self-discipline feel like second nature, you need to marry indulgences and your desire to meet your goals. Discover the habits that work for you and find small ways to make these tasks more enjoyable. 

Go easy on yourself. Build one habit at a time. Self-discipline is like a muscle. It requires time to build and grows in increments. Try to stay on track and more focused than yesterday. Your only competition is your former self. Find pleasure in the process. Focus on the immediate task in front of you while also keeping your future self in mind. 

[theflyindutchwoman]

Can you better explain how Isabel factored into Tim and Lucy's fight? I've rewatched the scene multiple times trying to understand, but I'm just not making the connection, and I know I'm missing something. I thought the fight was about Lucy making detective, but then she brought up Tim's trauma with Isabel, and I'm just not seeing how they connect.

I can certainly try - whether I'll succeed, however, is another matter… Make yourself comfortable, it's going to be a long post. As always, this is merely my interpretation.

The fight was initially about Lucy making detective and escalated from there. That's because the issue goes beyond just this test : all of this is intrinsically connected to the whole undercover work storyline. This is the reason why she is taking this exam in the first place : so she can become a UC. And that is the crux of the matter. This is the topic they have yet to fully discuss : how Tim truly feels about her becoming a full UC officer considering his past traumatic experience. It has been bubbling for the last five episodes… And this time, it blew over.

In my opinion, you can see the progression of their argument in these 3 key scenes.

/ 1st - First scene in the shop (Lucy's spiraling) Here, Lucy is entirely focused on the detective exam. This is about the pressure she is feeling. Taking an exam is already stressful enough, but add the fact that one of the higher-ups is gunning for her, and her anxiety is understandable. I believe that up to this point, she has been trying not to let it get to her. We saw a bit of her distress when she found out about Primm potentially blocking her in 5.19, but that was it. Now that the date is approaching though, the cracks are starting to show. As someone else mentioned, she asked for TO/Sergeant Bradford to help her when really, she wanted (and needed) Boyfriend Tim. You can already see how she is second-guessing herself when she says she should have asked Nyla or Angela for help. And after that, well… She starts spiraling. Part of the reason why she cracks here is that she feels safe : she's in the shop, riding with Tim. This is an environment she is familiar with. So she starts unloading. Only, once she starts, she can't stop. She overthinks everything in a way we haven't seen her do before, not even when she was still a rookie. And Tim in that moment is completely caught off-guard, not knowing what to do. And to be frank, I don't think he realises how bad it is yet. Now, speaking from experience, I'm not entirely sure there was anything he could have said that would have made a difference. I've been on both sides of the equation and you usually feel powerless. What could have possibly helped was doing some breathing exercises with her, making her focus on the here and now, or simply taking a small walk… Like in that scene with Barnes and the ladybug in 3.11. Anything really to take her mind off that exam. But I'm afraid that would have only been helpful in the short term since the issue at heart goes far deeper than the exam.

/ 2nd - The fight in the shop (stake out) This is where the conversation starts to (slowly) shift away from the exam itself. At this point, Lucy is on a downward spiral and is second-guessing everything, including taking the exam. It's clear by the tears in her eyes that she is barely holding it together. Tim's immediate reaction is to protest and reassure her that she is ready. And when she argues that it would be better for her to wait, he tries to reassure her again that there's nothing wrong that. He even makes sure to emphasise that she can still do some undercover assignments while in patrol. Because he knows this is why she wants to become a detective. There is no malice in his words. He is genuinely trying to be supportive and help her deescalate. He trusts her to know what's best for her and if she says it is to wait, then he will support her. Just like he trusted her when she wanted to stay undercover after finding out Rosalind had escaped. Unfortunately, Lucy understands something entirely different. What she hears is that he doesn't believe she can pass the exam. Otherwise he would have insisted. And from there, she spirals even more. Her mind is projecting and creating a whole new scenario. Remember when I said she is second-guessing everything? Well, now it includes Tim. When you spiral, your mind tends to jump to the worst case-scenario. And before they can clarify this, the suspect shows up.

/ 3rd - The final scene And this is when it all comes crashing down. Tim is still trying to figure out what happened while Lucy's mind is already somewhere else. He's playing catch up here. When you think about it, it's not that different from the 'unless it is' scene : when they met outside the station back then, Tim was trying to understand why she didn't want to break up with Chris while Lucy was one step ahead of him and blurted her confession out. When they meet here in the parking garage (a few steps away from where they were in 5.08 by the way), she looks completely defeated. She solved the case but it doesn't feel like a victory. Now, her doubts go far beyond Primm and the exam. Doubts poison everything. And make you question everything. And in that moment, the thing she is questioning is why Tim doesn't believe she can pass the exam.

So why does she jump to Tim's trauma with Isabel? Because, in her mind, that's the reason why he is scared of her becoming a detective. If she passes the exam, she will be an undercover cop. Her words are : "Did you undermine me today because you're scared that I'm gonna make detective?". "Scared" being the operative word here. Like I said earlier, this is where I think the context helps. Ever since she told him about taking the detective exam in 5.19, she has tried on numerous occasion to broach the topic of undercover - to no avail. He has either deflected or walked away. Like in that couch scene at the end of 5.20 : "I'm worried that you won't [be able to handle me going deep undercover] - I'll be fine". Or that scene in the laundry room : "Look, it's not my first time - I know. It's probably what makes it worse - All right, now's not the time to talk about this". Before it finally blew over a little at the end : "If this is gonna work between us, I need to know that you can see the difference - Of course I can". And there's something to be said in the mirroring in the language here : "if this is gonna work between us" in 5.21 / "this isn't gonna work if you're gonna lie to me" in 6.01.

She knows about his trauma and like he said, he has acknowledged it with her since day one. But that was then. That was before they became a couple. Since their relationship changed, with the exception of that final scene in 5.21, he has yet to open up on how he truly feels about her doing undercover work. And because she knows him and his past, she can sense that he's hiding something. She can sense he is scared. He all but admitted it in 5.21 after all. But that conversation just scratched the surface.

The other reason she brings up his past and trauma is because the one time they did talk about this was when he jumped to the conclusion that she was hiding things while undercover, the way Isabel did. But they didn't go deeper, they were too raw back then. Still, this part of the conversation probably stuck with her. She has internalised everything for so long, has bottled up all those feelings, those things left unsaid until she couldn't contain them anymore. And she blurted everything out at the worst time. That's the issue when you don't talk about things : your intentions can get misconstrued. And watching your partner walk away from the difficult conversation, before you can actually talk things through, takes its toll on you. It creates a doubt. Now add all that spiraling, all that second-guessing she has done all day long and you got a recipe for disaster. She arrives at this crashing point where she second-guesses him. Because she is afraid too. She is afraid that the other shoe is about to drop.

Now from Tim's perspective, I believe he is sincere in his support. And I don't think that in this episode, his past even crossed his mind. He genuinely wants her to succeed, to have the career that she wants and deserves. When he says that she's different, that they're going to figure out, he means it. When he said they were worth the risk, he meant it. He already knew she was going to do undercover work. But he's also scared. The most obvious time was in 5.20 where they were sitting on the couch. The fear was written all over his face. That said, I get where he's coming from too : after his reaction in 3.06, I can understand why he is more guarded. That he doesn't want his fears to influence her in any way. "You don't let anyone ever tell you you can't do something. Not even me." I can imagine that he is afraid that should he be entirely honest, it would put Lucy in a situation where she feels that she has to choose between him and UC. And that's the last thing he wants. He doesn't want to be the one to hold her back in any form. Like he said in 5.02. He wants the best for her so he will be supportive, no matter what her decision is.

And here's the irony for you : he wants to be so supportive that he doesn't see that what she needs even more is honesty from him and that without that honesty, it is creating a doubt in her mind. It's a loop they are stuck in. At least, for now. All it takes to break that loop is to talk.

I hope this helped shed some light on the connection and answered your question :)

[latenightreadingpdf]

Stepping Forward - Spencer Reid

Summary: Spencer Reid, recovering from a knee injury, finds strength and support in his physical therapist, Y/N, as they forge a deep bond through his rehabilitation journey.

The sterile white walls of the rehabilitation center seemed to close in on Spencer Reid as he adjusted his glasses nervously. The scent of disinfectant was overpowering, but it was the constant reminder of his own vulnerability that made him uneasy. His knee ached, the phantom pain a cruel reminder of the bullet that had shattered his dreams and left him fighting to regain mobility.

"Dr. Reid, your physical therapist will be with you shortly," the receptionist said, her voice brimming with practiced cheerfulness as she left the room.

As he waited, Spencer's thoughts drifted to the countless unsolved cases and the ever-growing pile of books he had wanted to read. Would he ever return to the field? Would he ever walk without the aid of crutches or, even worse, a wheelchair?

Just then, the door opened, and in walked Y/N, the physical therapist assigned to him. She had a calming presence, her eyes warm and compassionate, her smile genuine and reassuring.

"Dr. Reid, I'm Y/N. I'll be assisting you with your rehabilitation," she said softly, her voice as soothing as a gentle breeze.

Spencer blushed slightly, his heart rate increasing at her presence. He was used to being the one with all the answers, the one who could rattle off facts and statistics without hesitation. But now, as Emily had said, he felt as though his IQ of 187 had been slashed to 60.

"Nice to meet you, Y/N," he replied, his voice portraying a hint of nervousness.

Y/N smiled warmly, sensing his discomfort and anxiety. "Don't worry, Dr. Reid. We'll take this one step at a time," she reassured him, her voice filled with empathy and understanding.

Over the next hour, Y/N conducted a thorough assessment of Spencer's knee, carefully examining its range of motion, strength, and stability. She explained each test and procedure in detail, answering all of Spencer's questions and addressing his concerns with patience and compassion.

As she guided him through a series of gentle exercises, Y/N's gentle touch and encouraging words helped to alleviate Spencer's anxiety, making him feel more at ease and confident in his ability to recover.

Over the next few weeks, Y/N worked tirelessly with Spencer, guiding him through a series of exercises designed to strengthen his knee and improve his mobility. But it wasn't just her professional expertise that made a difference; it was her unwavering support and encouragement that truly set her apart.

"Alright, Spencer, let's try taking a few steps without the crutches today," Y/N suggested one day, her eyes filled with determination and confidence.

Spencer hesitated, uncertainty clouding his features. But Y/N was there, her hand gently resting on his arm, her presence a source of strength and reassurance.

"Trust me, you can do this," she whispered, her voice filled with unwavering belief.

With a deep breath, Spencer took his first tentative steps, his knee protesting with each movement. But with Y/N by his side, offering encouragement and support, he pushed through the pain, his determination unwavering.

"See, I told you could do it," Y/N said, her eyes sparkling with pride as she wrapped her arm around his waist, helping him maintain his balance.

Spencer blushed, a warm feeling spreading through his chest at her praise. He had always been fiercely independent, reluctant to ask for help or admit his vulnerabilities. But Y/N's unwavering support and caring nature made him feel safe and valued, allowing him to open up and embrace his recovery journey.

As the weeks turned into months, Spencer and Y/N celebrated countless small victories together. From completing challenging exercises to taking his first steps without assistance, each milestone was a testament to his determination and resilience.

"You're doing amazing, Spencer," Y/N would often say, her eyes filled with admiration and pride.

And Spencer couldn't help but blush, his heart swelling with gratitude and affection. He had never met anyone like Y/N, someone who cared so deeply and selflessly, someone who believed in him even when he struggled to believe in himself.

One evening, after a particularly grueling session, Y/N surprised Spencer with a small treat, a chocolate-frosted doughnut with rainbow sprinkles.

"Today marks six months since your surgery, Spencer," Y/N said, her eyes shining with pride as she handed him the doughnut.

Spencer blushed, a warm feeling spreading through his chest at her thoughtful gesture. He had come a long way since that fateful day, and he knew that he owed it all to Y/N's unwavering support and caring nature.

"Thank you, Y/N," Spencer said, his voice filled with gratitude and affection.

As he savored the treat, Spencer realized that his journey was far from over. There were still challenges ahead, still hurdles to overcome. But with Y/N by his side, he knew that he could face anything, his determination unwavering, his spirit unbroken.

And as he looked into Y/N's eyes, her presence a source of strength and reassurance, Spencer knew that he had found something truly special, a connection that transcended words, a bond that would endure the test of time.

For in Y/N, Spencer had found not only a physical therapist but also a friend, a confidant, a source of inspiration and support. And as they continued on their journey together, celebrating each small victory, each milestone achieved, Spencer realized that sometimes, the most profound connections are forged in the face of adversity, proving that love, in all its forms, has the power to heal, to inspire, to transform.

And as they stepped forward, hand in hand, their hearts intertwined, Spencer knew that he had found his anchor, his guiding light, his reason to believe.

[rinainshadows]

𝔞𝔫 𝔢𝔫𝔩𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔢𝔫𝔪𝔢𝔫𝔱 𝔬𝔫 𝟑𝕯 𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔣𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫

"ℑ 𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔢, 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝟑𝕯 𝔭𝔯𝔬𝔡𝔲𝔠𝔢𝔰."

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

TLDR: Manifestation bridges the 4D and 3D realms, where all desires are already fulfilled in the 4D. Your task is to choose your desires, and trust the 3D will align to bring them to you, though it may take time. Be patient and trust that the 3D will manifest your desires in its own way. You need only to know that your desire is already yours and avoid stressing over how it will appear. Affirmations are unnecessary if you truly believe. Focus on trusting yourself and allowing the process to unfold naturally.

๋ ࣭ ⭑

Manifestation serves as a bridge, as it were, between the 4D and the 3D realms. In the 4D, all things have already transpired; one merely chooses one's desires from it. The 3D, however, operates under different principles, sometimes requiring time for one's manifestations to materialize. This delay does not negate the truth of your desires. One's task is simply to decide what is desired, and the 3D will align accordingly. Patience with the 3D is paramount. The passage of days, weeks, or even months does not diminish the reality of your manifestation. Mountains will, quite literally, move, and reality itself will shift to bring your desires to fruition. Trust in this process and in the creative collaboration between your 4D self and the 3D realm.

The manner in which it manifests is not your concern. Though you may exercise the power to dictate its manifestation, why burden yourself when your subconscious knows precisely how to bring your desires into reality? Why limit the arrival of your desires to a singular outcome when there are infinite possibilities, and your subconscious will select the most suitable one? This is the essence of letting go. It does not mean relinquishing your desire or the aspiration to experience it in the 3D. After all, the purpose of manifesting is to experience one's desires and the intensity of your longing is a testament to the truth that you are meant to experience it.

Concern yourself not with how it will materialize in your life. Your sole responsibility is to acknowledge that your desire is already yours. Affirmations serve merely as reminders and, in truth, are unnecessary if you truly believe your desire is fulfilled. Reflect upon your affirmations. Do you repeat them incessantly out of a sense of desperation, as though you lack your desire? This was once my predicament. Certainly it is possible to be conditioned thus: there are infinite methods of manifestation, and I shall not claim any to be ineffective. If you believe your desire is already yours, it matters not how vehemently you assert it.

Instead, I encourage to adopt a more discerning approach. Meditate and introspect. What do you genuinely believe? What inhibits your progress? For me, seeking validation in the 3D caused wavering. I did not trust myself. Trust yourself. Allow the 3D to take its course. That is all that remains after creating something so perfect. Do not rush it, do not doubt it. Silence your doubts. Cease seeking answers. This is the appropriate moment for affirmation: when doubts or uncertainties, spurred by your ego, arise. You are not these doubts; you are divine.

Happy manifesting,

ℜ𝔦𝔫𝔞

I am well aware that this may be a regurgitation of information frequently reiterated, yet I wish to present my own perspective and have it duly recorded for my personal encouragement and motivation.

[blamemma]

miss blamemma, please could you detail what you think happened between michael and daniel for the rest of us that are obsessed with the drama?!

i truly wish i could just upload the voicenotes i've sent to the besties today about this because that would be SO much easier but ok here we go....

i don't think there is one cataclysmic event that led them to fall out, i think it's an amalgamation of a couple of things.

privacy and money; michael loves popularity, loves money, loves business, loves social media, montesises his drivers (he's doing that now with his reels of yuki as well). there has to come a point, for me, where that crosses the boundaries of your role as a trainer. as a trainer, you have to be there for your driver, your driver is your number one priority. if that driver no longer feels they can trust you, then you are not doing your job. michael going on multiple podcasts and dropping tidbits about daniel's life and training and difficulties here and there is not a good look, and i think of the most telling is that testosterone article. michael worked with daniel for the last 5 years so people are going to presume that it is about daniel and on the back of that i saw multiple articles that were headlined something along the fucked up lines of "daniel ricciardo's trainer reveals he broke sex ban with hot young girlfriend heidi berger" (here & here and there are definitely more examples!) and daniel is a relatively private guy about his relationship so having that blasted everywhere cause ur ex-trainer talked about male hormones?? and then yeah u have that podcast thing today....

i have no proof, but i truly believe that michael wanted daniel to take the haas or williams seat so that he (michael) could stay in f1 because again, being in this prestigious sports gets him followers and engagement = money. therefore, when daniel went to him for advice michael may not have been open and willing to daniel's idea of a sabbatical, because it didn't really mean employment for michael (to caveat here, not having job security is a very daunting thing, and i am not saying michael is wrong for worrying about this, however, michael is paid and contracted by daniel and i dont think daniel would have been paying him a cheap wage these past 5 years)

i think daniel has had the time to step away from mclaren, process what happened there, enter red bull again and see how they manage their drivers, move to alpha tauri and see how they manage and speak about their drivers and then truly assess and process the year that last year was. whether you believe michael was foundational in daniel's issues last year or not, he was in control of his diet and exercise regime and his general health and we can all clearly see that deteriorated over the mclaren period and it may be daniel has now stepped away, assessed, talked to some fellow drivers like max (who then stuck up for him in that press conference when michael was brought up, hence why i think he spoke to max about) and how they get on with their trainers and thought hmmmm michael wasn't like that

other factors include michael being very close and friendly with mclaren engineers and social media people (again, valid, you want to get on with the people you work with, but again, your priority should be daniel especially in a tumultuous team like that!) & michael constantly saying he wanted to bigger than daniel, even to the point he started training his neck so that he could say he had a bigger neck than daniel....weird behaviour when you're meant to be motivating ur driver, not ultimately trying to beat them when they're already down in the dumps???

this is genuinely all conjecture and theories and i have no evidence for any of the shit i am spouting here but i am just going on the info we have and the things we have seen and trying to connect dots....

[thescreaminghat]

so i watched suzume. . .

And it was good—the animators, vas, musicians, and other talented people who worked on this film deserve so much praise for their work.

On the other hand (and this is a purely personal exercise that isn't meant to detract from Makoto Shinkai's vision for the piece), I think the overall theme of the film might have been better served if the story centered on the ups and downs of Suzume's relationship with her aunt Tamaki, rather than Souta.

Suzume is very much a story about grief—set against the tragedy of the 2011 tohoku earthquake, Suzume's personal struggle with the loss of her mother is arguably our entryway into understanding how this tragedy continues to shape the relationship between Japan’s very geography, its history, and its people.  

I believe that central to this narrative focus is Suzume’s complicated relationship with Tamaki, her mother’s sister, who raised Suzume for much of her life after the loss of Suzume's mother. For me, one of the most important moments of Suzume and Tamaki’s relationship is shown at the climax of their disagreements with each other. After being Suzume's sudden departure from their small town (partially out of that rebellious teenage desire to not be "suffocated" by Tamaki's presence; we'll get to Souta’s role in this later) and Tamaki's understandable worry about Suzume's wellbeing (which leads her to embark on a wild goose chase after Suzume, though we’re not shown much of Tamaki’s personal journey), Tamaki yells at Suzume while the two are at a rest stop with Souta’s friend Serizawa. Tamaki bitterly states that raising Suzume after her sister's death had been a suffocating burden on her as well, as she couldn't find love and live the life that she had wanted because of her responsibility. This leads Suzume to shrink back in disbelief, as she recalls a pivotal memory where, after wandering in a snowstorm in search of her mother (and encountering the Ever After), she is found by Tamaki, who cries and affirms that Suzume will always be her daughter. It's a heartbreaking scene. We can empathize with both characters—Suzume is closer in age to most viewers, and we know that she doesn’t really hate her aunt’s presence, as the stress of her chase after Daijin and Souta’s temporary “demise” has whittled away at her emotions. Similarly, we can imagine that Tamaki herself likely hasn't overcome her grief at losing her sister, and that her outburst wasn’t truly genuine—she does love Suzume, but she wants her adoptive daughter to understand the sacrifices she had made, because she had no one else to confide in or rely on. We anticipate that this is the emotional crux of the movie, showing the relationship of a surrogate mother to a child who has gone through deep, unresolved trauma, now burdened with the consequences arising from the "imbalances" of the spirit world, itself a metaphor for the turbulence of living and of losing.

. . .and then the movie doesn't do anything with this scene. It's suddenly cut short with the random appearance of the keystone Sadaijin, and any lingering tension from that scene is resolved offscreen, with Tamaki and Suzume regaining each other's trust in the next scene. It feels unearned and deeply unsatisfying, especially when the emotional core of the film then gets transplanted onto Suzume's emotional relationship with Souta, a college-aged man whom she has known for less than a week (Suzume, by the way, is in high school, and even if they don’t “get together” in the movie, it makes me a bit uncomfortable seeing someone who is implied to be in their twenties being the implied romantic interest for a seventeen-year-old).

So, I thought, what if the movie kept its cast of characters, and the general sequence of events, but instead of Souta being the one cursed by Daijin to be the keystone (an act that initiates the film's events), it was Tamaki? This is going to be broken up into a few reblogs since it's too long for one post, but here's how I would structure it. (Part 1 of 2, and with a lot of my own hc interactions)

The beginning of the film can stay the same, including Souta's appearance. however, the driving force for Suzume to go to the isolated spot where the first door is located is an argument with Tamaki, rather than her implied curiosity regarding Souta. Perhaps, in this fight, we see bits of Tamaki's personality that may come across as "suffocating" to a teenager, even if she meant well.

Suzume, bothered by Tamaki's presence and the dream that she had of wandering through the Ever After, goes to this isolated spot to get away from everything, which is where she encounters the door and Daijin. Perhaps she's sulking a bit, and makes some sarcastic remark about someone like Souta being able to travel (something that would show her interest in leaving the small town she currently lives in). She then opens the door, Daijin escapes, and she goes about her day as in the film, until the worm appears above the skyline.

She then runs back to the door, where she encounters Souta again. They close the door, and Souta explains what he does and what the door represents. She brings Souta back to their house for medical treatment (except without any of the weird romantic tension between them), and they begin talking about Suzume’s life (perhaps about her room, the chair, and her dreams, as Suzume imagines the kinds of dangers—and thrills—that come with Souta’s position as a Closer).

This is where Tamaki comes back into the story. Tamaki, returning early to check on Suzume and encountering Suzume and Souta together, thinks the worst and begins to berate Suzume. They get into another argument, with Souta trying to calm the two down. Suzume, already stressed from the day's events, wishes that she can be "free" of Tamaki.

This is when Daijin appears on the windowsill, shit-eating grin and all, and says something along the lines of "Ok, Suzume. I can do that—because you're just like me." And then Tamaki is suddenly turned into a chair.

The same chaos ensues, with Tamaki, Souta, and Suzume chasing after Daijin until they get on the ferry. This is where Souta can give some more exposition, saying that he's never encountered this before, while encouraging Tamaki and Suzume to try and come together as he figures the whole thing out. Perhaps this is also the time where we get more information about Souta's personal life (in this version, it is information about his desire to become a teacher, as well as info about his relationship with his own mother, who was killed during a dangerous mission she took on as a Closer.)

The trio continue chasing after Daijin, with the group splitting up by necessity (thus allowing Tamaki and Suzume to have more screentime together). Specifically, Souta finds out that another door is opening off the path of travel they are taking after Daijin, and he instructs Tamaki and Suzume to continue their journey while he takes care of the other door. Before he leaves, he gives Suzume another key he keeps in his possession, which he reveals belonged to his mother.

Suzume and Tamaki continue onwards and meet Chika, the girl on the motorcycle. Suzume and Tamaki then cooperate in closing the door opened by Daijin. In this version, I think it would be interesting if Daijin is actually actively opening doors, not simply leading the pair to doors that are about to open. This serves as a huge bonding moment for Suzume and Tamaki, as they previously couldn’t go a day without arguing over the best way to do things.

Suzume and Tamaki stay at Chika's place (and have the downtime with Chika that is shown in the movie), except Suzume's dialogue with Tamaki consists of her confessing that she is jealous of Chika's independence and the bustling atmosphere at Chika's home. Tamaki is initially angered by this, but gradually calms down in her “chair corner” as she sees Suzume and Chika having fun, perhaps even reminding Tamaki of her own childhood with her sister.

When Tamaki falls asleep, she sees visions of her sister, which both frightens and immobilizes her (i.e. literally her survivor’s guilt “anchoring” her in place). This is meant to replace how Souta gradually descends into his “death” when he sleeps.

Suzume and Tamaki head off and are picked up by Rumi, the mother who works at the hostess bar. Initially, Tamaki whispers to Suzume that she doesn’t want Suzume hitchhiking with a stranger, but Suzume tells her that sometimes they need to rely on others to get by. The same comedy shenanigans with Rumi’s children can be kept in—I think it’s more fitting that Tamaki plays the role of the “toy chair that can speak” in order to keep the children entertained, because she probably, after all, raised Suzume on similar silly stories.

Suzume and Tamaki run to the abandoned fairgrounds to close the other door when the worm appears. I think this scene becomes more impactful when Tamaki is the chair and not Souta, as her decision to save Suzume from falling from the Ferris wheel and letting Daijin go would highlight her parental worry for Suzume, though perhaps this isn’t fully realized by Suzume in the midst of her adrenaline rush. Suzume, however, does look upon the fairground as a place that she wants to go to with Tamaki, when all of this is over, though she keeps this to herself.

Suzume, watching Rumi work her shift as a hostess, comes to appreciate the struggles of being a mother more. Similarly, Tamaki wants to connect with Rumi as a peer, but is limited by her chair form. Seeing Suzume bond with Rumi makes Tamaki want to be there for Suzume, as she sees Suzume slowly maturing into her own person. However, neither Suzume nor Tamaki feel ready to fully open up about these nuanced feelings, as they fall instead into a comical back-and-forth when they’re alone.

Suzume and Tamaki manage to get to Tokyo, where they meet up with Souta. He tells them that he’s been doing whatever research he can to try and figure out how to break Tamaki’s curse. This is where he can explain the keystone lore to Suzume and Tamaki.

The giant worm starts appearing over the city. Tamaki insists that Suzume get out of Tokyo. Souta agrees, and tells Suzume and Tamaki to leave, stating that he can handle the worm himself. Suzume refuses, stating that she’s not going to let anyone else die—the “else” implying that she too still feels survivor’s guilt over her mother’s death.

Despite Souta’s attempts at reasoning with her, Suzume is adamant on staying—Daijin appears and mocks her, telling her that she only knows how to let her aunt dictate how she lives. Suzume rushes ahead without Souta and Tamaki. Tamaki and Souta chase after Suzume, with Tamaki yelling at Suzume again, calling her “rash”, "always making her worry and chase after her," and “thinking and behaving like a child”.

Perhaps Suzume covers her ears, as Tamaki’s words begin to blend into Daijin’s laughter as he scrambles towards the worm. Perhaps Suzume screams out loud, screaming that she felt as though Tamaki had never believed in her, that even when an entire city is threatened, Tamaki cares only about herself, and knows only how to chastise and suffocate Suzume. This shocks Tamaki, but before she can respond, the trio are shot up to the worm’s back, and Souta attempts to seal the worm. However, Daijin interferes and Souta is injured. Suzume then tries to grab Daijin, only for Daijin to purr contentedly and state that he understands what Suzume is feeling—that is why Tamaki will now be the keystone, and both of them can be free.

Suzume turns to Tamaki, only to find that she is unresponsive. Ice is forming around her, as Suzume’s words echo over and over in her mind. Perhaps Tamaki then screams in grief as she sinks deeper into her regret and memories of her sister—that is when we get her screams about how much she had sacrificed for Suzume, and how much happiness Suzume took from her (basically what she said during the rest stop confrontation).

(pt 1 end)

[angelsanarchy]

Tangerine Skies: Possum x Y/N Series CH 9 -> END

Tagging: @svgarcaine @icarus-star @romanroyapoligist @madamemaximoff06 @shady-the-simp @liquidsmoothdomme @auggiethecreator @ethical-cain-vinnel @blacksoul-27 @tempt-ress

Possum had finally taken his tent down and packed up his travel stuff. Y/n told him there was no point in him having it still set up out there when he was spending every night in the RV with her. They fell into a comfortable day to day of waking up, fucking eachothers brains out, having meals, fucking eachothers brains out some more, smoking some weed before falling back into bed for a little more fucking.

"I think this is the most exercise I've ever gotten. My 7th grade gym teacher would be amazed." Possum said as he took a drag from the blunt, opening the window for the smoke to roll out of it.

"I didn't even attend gym class. I hated sweating at school." Y/n took the blunt from his hands and pulled on it. Possum looked at her and smiled.

"You barely sweat when we fuck...wait...am I not doing it right?" Possum asked making Y/n laugh out loud.

"No no you're doing everything right..perfect even. Best sex I've ever had." Possum's face lit up.

"Yeah?" He asked as he turned his body towards her wanting to go for another round.

"Yes, I wouldn't lie to you." She let him cop a feel before holding the blunt out of the way so he didn't light them both on fire.

"I like that about you. Everyone stays so caught up in trying to fool one another. No one lives in their truth anymore." Possum sat up and started to pull on his sweatpants without underwear, like he had every morning.

"You want to know what I like about you?" Y/n teased with a smirk.

"If you say my huge cock, I will only be slightly disappointed." Possum said from the bathroom. She could hear him peeing and laughed.

"That's top 3 but I like how different you are. You are truly the most uniquely free person I've ever met." Possum turned the water on and washed his hands before returning to the bed.

"Most people just think I'm weird...or high...mostly high but a lot of the time just plain weird. Do you think I'm weird?" Possum asked tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"I think when you say weird you mean it in a bad way. When I think of you as weird I think of it as fun and exciting. You aren't boring and you're smart as hell. I could honestly just listen to you talk about governmental evil doing and extraterrestrial theories for hours." Possum smiled at her.

Y/n let Possum drive her car to the grocery store. They drove past the diner and the window she had blown out was covered with ply wood and the manager with yelling at someone on the phone out in the parking lot. The made a quick stop at the convenience store that Possum frequented and the manager looked thrilled to see him.

"I thought you died! We haven't seen you in so long! How you eat?" He asked Possum turned and pointed to Y/n who waved.

"She feeds me many times a day." Y/n hit him in the side and he rolled his eyes at her.

"We miss you. We're sorry we banned you for being stinky. We're glad you aren't stinky anymore." The manager said.

"Trust me, that makes two of us." Y/n ribbed.

"I just wanted to stop by and let you know I was taking off and probably wouldn't be back. I wanted to thank you for putting up with me for all this time." Possum held out his hand to shake and she could see he had at least $300 in his gloved hand. The manager's eyes lit up and he hugged Possum. Y/n thought it was the sweetest exchange between two acquainted strangers. She watched Possum carefully the rest of the day. How he treated strangers, how polite and present he was with people no matter how they looked at him.

Possum was such a genuinely sweet person in such a chaotic world. The two of them sat by the fire, eating dinner, playing with his little brother and talking about random places that they've both traveled to.

"You really ready to take off soon?" Y/n asked making Possum look up.

"Well I'm certainly done in this town. I think it's time I head back East. I know my mom is worried about me...I miss her." Possum explained. She nodded at his response. She had no doubts about him being a momma's boy.

"What about you? Ever been to the East coast?" Possum asked curiously.

"I've been to a few places on the East coast but never really stayed long enough to enjoy it." Y/n watched Possum's face drop.

"Oh you should come and see me when I get to my mom's! She would love you! Plus she can cook way better eggs than me." Possum said with excitement.

"You want me to meet your mom?" Y/n asked surprised.

"Of course! Two of my favorite women should know eachother." Possum said like it was so casual. Y/n didn't know she was consider in such high regard in Possum's book.

"I mean you'll have to wait like two months. I think it's going to take me a bit longer to get back there with the train and bus tickets." Possum explained.

"Or I could just take you...there's nothing keeping me here now that I quit my job. I hadn't really picked my next destination so-"

"Wait...you want me to like...live in the RV with you? Me and little one?" He held up his little brother and she laughed.

"Why not? We're living together in here now anyway. I like having you with me and I love hearing little ones little snores." She reached out and ruffled behind his ears and Possum sat him down carefully in his bag.

"Y/n...are you being serious right now? You really want us to come with you?" Possum plopped down next to her and took her hands into his own.

"Why does that surprise you so much?" She laughed and he licked his lips.

"No one has ever wanted to be with me like that." Possum's confession made Y/n lean forward and kiss him. He sighed into the kiss and placed a hand on her throat.

"Have you ever been in love before?" Possum pulled out of the kiss and asked bluntly.

"Um...maybe? Why do you ask?" She chuckled.

"I'm just trying to put a name on this feeling I have and I just think that's what it is. I've never been in love before so I just thought-" Y/n cut him off with another kiss, deepening it this time and allowing her hands to get tangled in the back of his hair.

"Maybe you're just higher than usual?" She joked but he nodded.

"Oh I'm absolutely out of this world high but I'm also pretty in love with you." Possum smiled resuming the kiss and running his tongue along hers. She felt him put his hands on her tits and squeeze.

"Yeah definitely love." Possum mumbled letting Y/n push him onto his back right next to the camp fire. They fucked like animals in the dirt and made sure to mark the coordinates of where they met for an eventual trip back. This would be their spot. It would be where they fell in love while getting high and watching the tangerine skies turn into tomorrows.

~END

[bloomingdayswithyou]

Hey can you maybe write the Om! Brothers (any you want) with a transmasc reader who is really dysphoric? If not that's fine!! Have a nice day :3

Beel, Mammon and Lucifer with a transmasc reader

Pairing: Beelzebub, Mammon and Lucifer x trans m!reader (separated)

Topics: gender dysphoria, kinda fluff??

Warning: I used he/him pronouns, if you want me to change them please let me know!! Also I made it more as a platonic/friendship but I think it can also be interpreted as a romantic relationship<3

Author’s note: hi!! I just picked my top 3 brothers, if you want anyone else you can request anytime🩷

Beelzebub:

I feel like Beel has a naturally caring and empathetic personality. When he notices that m/n is feeling dysphoric, he becomes determined to uplift his spirits.

He would go out of his way to create a comforting environment, where m/n can feel safe and understood.

Beel might gently offer to cook his favorite meals, knowing that food can bring comfort during difficult times.

While sharing a meal together, he’d listen to m/n’s thoughts and emotions, offering a sympathetic ear without judgment.

When m/n expresses his struggles with dysphoria, Beel would assure him that he is valid and deserving of love and acceptance.

With a warm smile, Beel would remind m/n of the positive aspects of his identity, highlighting the unique qualities that make him special.

He might share anecdotes of his own self-discovery and acceptance, assuring them that it’s okay to have ups and downs during the journey.

Beel’s genuine support would offer m/n a sense of belonging and a reminder that he is valued for who he is.

Mammon:

His reaction to m/n’s dysphoria might be uncertain.

However, once he understands the depth of their struggle, he would make a determined effort to show his unwavering support.

Mammon might stumble over his words at first, but he would want to let m/n know that he sees them as who they truly are, regardless of dysphoria. He’d use his preferred name and pronouns consistently, even correcting himself if he makes mistakes.

To help m/n feel more at ease, Mammon might plan fun outgoing or activities where he can temporarily escape his worries.

He’d encourage him to participate in games, laughing and enjoying themselves to distract from dysphoric thoughts.

Whenever he needs a boost, Mammon would shower him with compliments and reassurance, telling him how much he matters and how proud he is of his resilience.

As m/n’s trust in him grows, Mammon would offer to accompany him when he wants to explore his gender identity further. He’d be there to lend a listening ear and provide emotional support, understanding that everyone’s journey is unique and dysphoria doesn’t define his worth.

Lucifer:

Lucifer’s initial approach to m/n’s dysphoria would be to offer understanding and guidance.

He would create a space where m/n can express his feelings openly and honestly, without judgment.

Lucifer would research and educate himself about transmasc experiences, wanting to be well-informed and supportive. When discussing dysphoria, he would be patient and empathetic, encouraging m/n to articulate his emotions without feeling rushed.

Understanding the sensitivity of the topic, Lucifer would choose his words carefully, always using m/n’s preferred name and pronouns.

He would validate his feelings and remind him that dysphoria is a natural part of the journey, emphasizing that it doesn’t diminish his identity.

To help m/n cope with dysphoria, Lucifer might suggest various grounding techniques or relaxing exercises. He’s offer his assistance in finding resources if m/n needs them.

In moments of vulnerability, Lucifer would be a pillar of support, offering a comforting presence and a listening ear. He’d remind m/n that he has the strength to overcome challenges and that he’s there to assist him in any way possible.

.

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[liaisun]

uhm... you're writing something from riko's pov? would you perchance like to share more details? it's okay if you don't, just curious.

hello anon!! i forgot i enabled anon asks again but i will keep it on so people arent scared away from asking abt these things LOL. i would absolutely love to share the details :3c

the fic is 2nd person pov, flashes of riko’s life through the years and the way he perceives the world, the development/degeneration of riko and kevin's relationship, riko becoming who he is, and his descent into madness

it all began with my most trusted confidant sending a msg abt “all the ways riko could have been different and all the ways his pathways were cut”, riko being ONLY 19 like he wasn’t even 20 when he died… augh what the hell . so i immediately started thinking abt riko’s thoughts and state of mind at the time of his death

do we think he didn’t see his kingdom crumbling? that he was holding on the tightest to the only thing he had, until it destroyed him? icarus to the sun? AHGH. and yet riko is such a clear case of a made monster.

riko’s convictions are fragile. that's why he constantly needs external validation of his superiority over others by exercising control over them; moriyama family status being the excuse provided to him, and it's what he clings onto when he sees behavior that doesn't fit into his worldview (like when he is with kevin and sees kayleigh/a loving parent.) you're a moriyama, you're different, you're not lonely, you aren't affected by things like that because you're better.

tbh i think riko doesn’t even conceptualize himself as a person. he’s a vessel for success, he calls himself king (a title rather than a name), he’s defined by the number on his face and is part of a set with kevin (his relationship w kevin is whole other can of worms lmfao). riko is simultaneously above everyone else and yet worth nothing, because he will never have the thing he truly wants— his father’s regard, a place in the main line

many of tetsuji's statments are translated as riko's own thoughts and he repeats them as children do. his behavior becomes more controlling but it isn't maliciously intentioned; riko genuinely believes he is protecting kevin by doing this, because he knows how the nest works and kevin doesn't yet. it's heartbreaking!!! it's also at this unstable time when kevin is taken in by tetsuji where you can see the dynamic between riko and kev take root and become twisted.

also, riko's thoughts on family and brotherhood are so contradictory— he sososo severely values the idea of a brother. yet he's seen how tetsuji's been treated by kengo as well, understands that brotherhood is conditional. so it's this thing to want and to fear, which leads to how kevin is simultaneously idolized and adored, while being objectified and diminished at the same time. kevin is his brother, but only when it's convenient. over time, it's less and less of kevin as a separate person, and more of seeing kevin as an extension of riko.

this became a meta LOL but that's what happens when u write a character study i suppose! most of the fic is written i just need to clean it up, hoping to post by the end of the year :-)

[bomberqueen17]

On the way home from work I was thinking about Rochr and Iorveth in your fic and remembered a question I had for you: there is this scene in which Roche gives an overtired and insomniac Iorveth a blowjob in a secluded room, there are knives involved, I think Breniriel is guarding the door? Anyway, Iorveth finally falls asleep and it is implied that Iorveth has been adapting poorly to feeling save and thus somehow feelt safe enough with Roche to fall asleep but not his friends /family?? I don't think they were even talking at this point in your fic, what did I miss?

Have a nice evening /day!

Well, so like, that's the premise of the fic. I'm not saying this to be an ass, this is a genuine response, because it is sort of an honor to have someone thinking about your work beyond even the time it takes to read it, but: That is the premise of the fic.

And either it works for you, or it doesn't. That's just... how fiction works. Do i think that in real life two traumatized people would actually hit it off just like that? Do I think it would work? Do I think it would be healthy? Do I think it would lead to long-term happiness for either or both of them?

I won't answer that, I will just leave that to sit for a moment. My answer is immaterial anyway, because the author's intent is only marginally relevant in some circumstances.

This is fantasy, critically, more broadly than fiction (is it a broader category? I think so). Like... one of them is an elf, and has a shapeshifting dragon as his leige and protector. Some other fantasy elements are even less realistic, but the idea is that they're plausible, for the purposes of fiction.

So this is kind of how fiction works, and fantasy in general. Do you accept the premise of this story? Do you find it plausible, for the purposes of this fictional exercise, that, to bring it specifically back to this story, two characters who have long been enemies, would find something in common like this? Two people who have been on opposite sides but were in the same conflict, who went through many of the same things, who, crucially, commanded others during this awful cataclysm of violence, who had to warp their own moral centers not only to survive but also to potentially damn others by their tragic, inevitable actions. Who have in the past bitterly fought, physically injured one another, murdered one another's comrades, and worse... but in this new peacetime, find, strangely, unexpectedly, compellingly (precedentedly, in reality!) that their former foe is the only one who truly understands what they've been through. And they can trust this former foe the way they can't trust others, because this foe gets it, because this foe knows what's at stake, fully understands what happened, has the same sense of both the fragility of society and the preciousness of its little contracts. Iorveth knows Roche would stab him in the face, not the back, and that is a kind of trust. The whole underpinning of this ship is that in the video game there's a scene where one can best the other, and in each decision tree the loser says unhinged shit about how if they have to die they're perversely glad that at least it was the other who is doing it. Because that other understands what it's worth, and is a worthy foe.

That's it, that's the ship manifesto, LOL.

So-- that's the exercise of the story, trying to draw the reader along to find this as plausible-- I did not say realistic! Plausible-- as possible. The art lies in underpinning it with realistic detail here and there-- including that after many wars in real life history, the veterans of the conflict have found more in common with their opposing veterans than with the civilians of the side they fought for-- and so on and so forth. To make it vivid, to make it relatable, to make the fantasy compelling.

And if the premise doesn't work, then the story doesn't work. That's fine, not all art is for everyone. But that's how it is. Either you accept the premise, and it works, or you don't, and you go find something else that works better for you. This is no judgement on anybody, you or me or anyone, that's just how fantasy works. A reader brings as much to it as the author, and takes as much away, and while there's an element of skill on the part of the author, a large part of it is just going to be the reader's response. Things will or won't work for you and there's nothing wrong with that, it's just another of the ways fantasy works.

(I don't know if you've missed anything, I haven't reread that scene in quite some time because I'm still working on sequels and that takes up a lot of my energy and time; same reason I rarely respond to comments, I just don't have time to both do that and make new works. I do think the blowjob with knives is a separate scene from the passing out with knives but I don't recall exactly either. It's kind of a long story. If you think you missed something, try rereading it? But if that doesn't compel you, then it's really no skin off my nose if you don't! It's fine! I'm not offended, I just don't know how else to answer that question. I don't remember the scene that well. I wrote it like a year ago or more. But I'm well aware the premise of it doesn't work for everyone, which is why there are so many people writing so many different stories.)

LOL I have more to say on this topic because I got a faintly ridiculous comment on a story recently on kind of a loosely related concept, but this is getting long and I should address it separately. Suffice to say, you got a long reply here because I have been spending some time thinking about fiction, what it is and isn't, and how it works.

[gothearts]

How does Charlie finding out Aggie is an angel go?

Aggie doesn't go to heaven with Charlie. She's presumed to be a sinner, and sinners cannot leave Pride Charlie is made to go and confront Heaven herself. But it still plays out how it does in canon, with different consequences. I never really got the whole "didn't know angels could be hurt" thing since.. her eye and wings. Rather, she didn't have the will to fight back and withheld the information from Charlie that the spear she's been carrying this whole time could have provided defense. That's what Charlie is most mad at. The lying was one thing, but Aggie, who's been by her side since the hotel opened, keeping her morale boosted... Willingly sat back and sheltered with her while sinners and hellborn were dying, saying nothing. It comes after the hotel's residents have just barely begun to get along. So for the sake of not jeopardizing progress, Charlie holds her tongue. Yes, I know Charlie's whole character so far has been her shoving the cast into difference therapy exercises, but it's one thing to preach it, let alone practice it. She gets a nasty wake up call on how sometimes "sorry" cannot fix everything. (You can't become a therapist by reading a few articles online. I think that's the level of naivete she went into this with.) She's never faced a conflict of this degree. And that causes her to begin questioning what she's even doing here. She thought a trust exercise was going to be enough to get through to an addict. She's in over her head.

Charlie's mental turmoil combined with the upcoming threat of another extermination causes tension in the hotel. Her and Aggie have been sleeping in separate rooms. Aggie is walking on eggshells, afraid to lose the one person who gave her any sense of true meaning.. And Husk, ever the intuitive one, knows there's something more here. He just wasn't expecting the breakdown induced confession of it all that Charlie spews at him. He can handle a lovers quarrel or two. But what does one do when the princess of hell is currently sobbing on your bar top because her sinner girlfriend is actually an angel and "oh yeah, btw, Heaven is still coming to kill you early this year". It crushes what little trust Angel had begun to form. The hotel was becoming a safe place for him. Like in canon, he only joined to avoid rent and save up enough to try and escape Val. Now there's a target that's been put on his head directly all because of Charlie. She was already on strike one after what she pulled in Val's studio. But that just ticked her up straight to strike three. And he's out of there. Husk and Nifty have to stay. In this au, Nifty and Aggie have formed a sister relationship. But I'd imagine Nifty would disavow their relationship. And Husk gives the cold shoulder. Pentious attempts to console Charlie the same way she had done for him when he first arrived, but it leads to her snapping at him and him leaving too. And that just leaves Charlie with Alastor "truly" in her corner. Al doesn't do this to help her, no, nope totally not. He just can't have her becoming broken when he still needs her. So he does offer up the information he overheard from Carmilla about having more angelic steel. He doesn't make a deal with her, rather he uses it to further this idea that he genuinely wants the best for her. They still end up going to see Rosie, while Aggie is made to go and speak to Carmilla if she wants to make things right. Carmilla and Aggie still have the whole "out for love" sequence, where Carmilla shows her that fighting doesn't have to be for the sake of keeping others in line. Fighting can come from a good place in the heart, and Aggie, in her heart, wants nothing more than to keep fighting for Charlie. To which Carmilla would tell her not to forget to fight for herself. Fight for her home, her friends, her right to be who she wants to be. That's why she's able to regain her wings, finding a new sense of purpose, not only seeing herself as an attachment to Charlie who's there to make her wish come true, but Charlie's partner. Her equal. Charlie will lift her up and stand by her side, even if she's not the perfect soldier. Charlie was angry with her, and rightfully so, but she didn't cast her out. And with Rosie, Charlie gets a lesson in perspective. She's been running off her point of view, not even for a second stopping to thing about where Aggie was coming from. Just like she's been running the hotel based off what she thinks should work, not taking into account the diverse backgrounds that causes a sinner to fall. It's through both revelations that the two are able to overcome it. I imagine that they have a heart to heart, with Aggie finally telling Charlie her true name and what heaven was like. And Charlie reaffirming that Aggie can stand on her own two feet, and though it'll be scary.. Charlie will never turn her back on her, no matter what the future holds.