#but the execution just isn’t there. Especially with time

[whitmore]

really actually kind of enjoy how the big lore moments are sort of quiet on a singular stream (or a small group!) instead of the events solely being the lore; i think there would be this hesitation to develop anything solo if the server reinforced this idea that Big Lore could only happen during scheduled events and days. instead the more narrative-progressing moments (take the baghera hybrid experiments revelation or the philza birdnapping for recent example) are very low-key and almost unhyped up— there’s no expectation for that kind of lore necessarily at the time which makes it more rewarding to experience as a viewer. big fan of how they do the events as player bonding time rather than serious narrative progression because it allows all the players (especially the ones who don’t engage in the rp side that much) to participate and get to know each another more; it’s very neat it’s really smart it’s nicely executed

[veal-exe]

I saw a post earlier, I will not be appending my response to that post to the post itself, but I did want to touch upon it.

The post was about how trans men and transmasculine people afab don't have any media tropes that are, we'll say, problematic for them, the way that the 'funny man in a dress' trope is trans-misogynistic, I wanted to discuss that and lay that claim to rest.

Below I will be discussing some tropes in media that affect trans masculine people afab. Some may be worse than others, some accidental, some maybe on purpose, but I've compiled them because I think it's important to understand that just how the harmful tropes aimed at masculine people afab do exist, they just differ in their execution.

DISCLAIMER: If I have worded anything poorly in this post please tolerate it, English is my fourth language and it can be overwhelming to attempt linguistic perfection or the performance of it for native English Speaker.

EDIT: tumblr really messed my layout and formatting up, sorry for that but I'm not fixing it unless I really need to.

1. “Tomboy Gets a Makeover” = Suddenly She’s Worth Something (AKA: Now She’s Fuckable)

This one’s everywhere. You’ve got a character who’s rough around the edges, usually wears hoodies, maybe doesn’t shave, maybe doesn’t even care what people think. And the story punishes her for that. Until someone (usually a fairy godmother or mean girl turned ally) shoves her into a dress, puts some gloss on her lips, straightens her hair...

and then she’s finally seen as beautiful, desirable, and valid.

The core message? Your masculinity is temporary, and your value doesn’t actually exist until you conform to traditional femininity. You weren’t lovable, datable, or even visible until you softened up and got pretty.

This trope tells young people AFAB:

You're not enough unless you perform femininity

Your gender nonconformity is a flaw to fix

If you're not seen as sexy in the "right" way, you're invisible

And this sticks. Especially for transmascs, who grew up seeing their natural instincts or styles treated like a before picture.

Examples:

The Princess Diaries – Mia goes from “invisible frizzy nerd” to prom-queen level once her hair is flat and her legs are waxed.

A Cinderella Story – Sam’s baggy clothes are treated like a shield for her insecurity, until she shows up in a dress and suddenly earns male attention.

The Breakfast Club – Allison is artsy and weird and quietly masc... until she’s quite literally pink-washed and given a makeover so she can be datable.

She's All That – Laney is cool and self-possessed in her own way, but the movie waits until she’s in a red dress and contacts to take her seriously.

Meteor Garden – Shan Cai’s toughness is tolerable, but she’s still only framed as truly “lovable” after being softened through male attention.

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2. “She Pretended to Be a Boy” = She’s a Lying Snake Whore

When characters AFAB dress or live as boys, it’s almost always framed as deception. Not survival. Not autonomy. Not self-expression. Just trickery. There’s a dramatic “reveal” scene where everyone suddenly feels betrayed, like the character has been scheming the whole time instead of just…

living. Sound familiar?

This isn’t just about fiction. It directly echoes how transmasc people are treated in reality, as liars, as fake men, as threats to those around them just by existing. The idea that someone AFAB could be masculine, or just a guy, is treated like a trap set for unsuspecting cis people.

The underlying message:

You can’t be trusted if you present as masculine

Your gender is a mask, a trick, a crime

If people liked you before, they were duped

it’s the same logic used to justify violence and exclusion towards Transmasculine people AFAB in reality.

Examples:

She’s the Man – Viola pretends to be her brother to play soccer, but it’s all “uh-oh she has boobs” humor. Her gender presentation is the punchline.

The King’s Affection – She lives as the crown prince and does a damn good job, but the tension constantly hinges on whether she’s tricking people by being there at all. Masculinity is okay only if it’s secret and painful.

Coffee Prince – Go Eun-chan presents as male to get a job, and instead of critiquing the system that forces her to do it, the narrative focuses on her guilt and “the reveal.” Masculinity is tolerated, but never fully respected.

Victor/Victoria – Gender is treated as a clever disguise. The moment someone finds out “the truth,” it’s all shock, betrayal, and drama. Queerness framed as a con.

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3. “It’s Just a Phase” = You’ll Be a Real Girl™️ Eventually

You can be a tomboy for now. Run around, get messy, be loud. It’s even kind of cute! As a little kid who needs to grow up. Then suddenly, your masculinity isn’t just childish! it’s a problem. Something to “grow out of.” Something to fix!

This trope trains audiences to see AFAB masculinity as:

Immature

A quirk of childhood

A stepping stone to real femininity

And what does “real girlhood” mean in this context? Dresses. Lip gloss. Boys. The implication is that your value kicks in when you start performing the kind of femininity that makes you palatable and desirable. You were allowed to be wild for a minute, but only if you clean up nice later.

It reinforces the same tired message: Girlhood = destination, not a choice. Masculinity is just the wrong stop on the way. If you are Transmasculine AFAB, you are a child who should grow up, immature, being treated as much younger than they are is a huge issue with transmasculine people AFAB.

I would like to add that this is also a misogynistic trope, but misogyny intersects with transandrophobia in ways that are valid to talk about.

Examples:

The Parent Trap – Annie and Hallie are opposites, but Hallie (tomboy-coded) only really “settles down” and softens once she’s back with her mom. Her rougher edge is charming but temporary.

Now and Then – Roberta is the tomboy of the group, and her Big Moment of Growth™ comes when she puts on a dress. Not solving childhood trauma. Not emotional healing. The dress.

Boys Over Flowers – Jan-di is scrappy, resilient, athletic! and then she falls for the male lead and gradually loses every bit of that fire. By the end, she’s quiet, deferential, and soft. like that’s her natural arc.

Hi My Sweetheart– Rainie Yang’s character starts out masc-presenting and bold. She’s mocked, corrected, and eventually “fixed” into a soft, pink, cutesy girl. Her makeover isn’t for her. it’s the narrative giving her permission to be “dateable.”

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5. “One of the Boys” But Never Really One of the Boys

She’s tough. She’s cool. She fights. She hangs with the guys. She might even burp. But make no mistake! she’s never actually allowed to be one. This trope gives characters AFAB just enough masculinity to seem "interesting," then punishes them if they go too far with it.

Again, this is also a misogynistic trope, but the intersectionality here is important even in the ones that don't seem obvious, some people will poke fun at me putting Natasha here for example, but if you do that you're misunderstanding my intent and I do not care for it.

I am not saying ANY of these characters are coded transmasculine, I am discussing how masculinity is treated in regards to characters AFAB.

The message is clear: You can borrow masculinity, but don’t get comfortable in it.

These characters:

Get constant reminders that they're different

Are sexualized, softened, or sidelined the moment they get too close to “boyish”

Exist to complement the boys, not compete with them

Examples:

Avengers – Natasha Romanoff is deadly, competent, cool under pressure, but also constantly shoved into the “team mom” or “sexy redhead with feelings” role. Her backstory centers around forced sterilization, and her arc in Age of Ultron literally says she’s a “monster” for not being able to have kids. Tell me again how she’s treated like “one of the guys.”

How to Train Your Dragon – Astrid starts out as the alpha fighter, but as soon as Hiccup grows up, she becomes a background girlfriend with no arc of her own. Her sharp edge gets smoothed into supportiveness.

My Hero Academia – Nearly every tough AFAB character gets undercut. Mirko is badass but exists on the fringes. Jirou gets development, but only as support. Bakugo’s mom is comic relief. Meanwhile, male characters are allowed complex, messy, powerful arcs without ever needing to "soften" for the audience.

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“AFAB Character Learns to Embrace Womanhood” = Moral Victory!

You start with a tough, scrappy, masculine-coded person AFAB, maybe she fights, maybe she’s emotionally shut down, maybe she just doesn’t want to be like other girls. It doesn't matter, this is how it ends:

She softens. She submits. She “grows” by becoming a wife, a mom, a love interest, a Real Girl™️.

This isn’t healing. It’s containment. The message is: your rebellion was cute, but it’s time to settle down and accept the role assigned to you.

“Growth” = compliance. “Strength” = giving it up. “Maturity” = pink, dresses, and a baby carriage.

Examples:

The Hunger Games – Katniss Everdeen is trauma-coded, masc-leaning, and uncomfortable with romance or traditional femininity. So what’s her ending? A baby epilogue where she’s in a dress, quietly settled into nuclear family life. Is she happy about it? No, but there's no denying that this is her ending.

Mulan II– In the original, she challenges gender roles and becomes a literal war hero. In the sequel? The plot revolves around her needing to prove she can still be soft, feminine, and wife-material. Her masculinity is not allowed to just exist.

Jojo Rabbit – Rosie (the mother) is framed as the ideal woman: warm, loving, feminine. Meanwhile, Elsa (a girl in hiding) starts out guarded and hard-edged, but only becomes “redeemed” once she softens and embraces traditional femininity.

A Silent Voice / Koe no Katachi – The narrative constantly punishes her for not being “nice enough,” and her arc only begins to shift once she becomes more demure and apologetic. She cannot be both a good person and brash or hotheaded, submit or be branded evil.

Inuyasha – Sango is introduced as a demon-slaying warrior. But her story ends in the most vanilla way possible: marriage, motherhood, and sidelining. She loses her edge completely. I hate the end of Inuyasha so much it is borderline a meme in my circles.

Fruits Basket - Uotani is tall, tomboyish, and used to be in a girl gang. She has strength, history, and depth. And then her “big growth moment”? Realizing she wants to be softer and more ladylike, because femininity is treated as the finish line within the story.

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“Masculine Presentation” = Joke Costume or Moral Failure

When characters AFAB wear suits, cut their hair short, or pass as masc in any way, media rarely lets it land without a laugh track, or a moral consequence.

Masculine presentation is treated as:

A silly costume

A failed experiment

A sign of monstrosity

Or something to be shamed out of.

The story makes sure you feel embarrassed for them. It invites the audience to laugh, cringe, or judge, because “girl in boy clothes” is still a punchline in mainstream media. Just like 'Boy in girl clothes' is.

And yes, this hurts trans women, but it also absolutely targets butch, GNC, and transmasc folks. Masculinity is marked as wrong on AFAB bodies, funny if temporary, disgusting if permanent.

Examples:

Scooby-Doo – Velma’s masc coding (short hair, flat clothes, practical shoes) constantly becomes the joke. If she dresses even more masc? She’s “mistaken” for a man and ridiculed. Her queerness and presentation are treated like a quirk at best, a problem at worst.

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody – London Tipton wears a single masc outfit and the laugh track explodes. The outfit itself isn’t weird, but the show acts like the sight of her in anything non-feminine is a cosmic-level joke.

Friends – Rachel and Monica wear tuxedos in one episode, and the joke is entirely that it looks “wrong.” Chandler mocks them, the camera lingers on how “awkward” they look.

iCarly – Sam dresses masc semi-regularly, and is constantly mocked for acting “like a guy.” In interviews, actress Jennette McCurdy has said this ongoing joke contributed directly to her eating disorder relapse. This is not harmless.

Matilda - Miss Trunchbull is heavily masc-coded: big build, short hair, no makeup, harsh voice. She’s a literal villain, and her appearance is meant to be scary. Her masculinity is associated directly with her monstrosity.

Aikatsu! – Girls in suits are used as performance shock value. “Omg, a girl in a tuxedo??” is the whole joke.

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IN CLOSING.

These tropes don’t exist in a vacuum.

they shape how people see us, and how we see ourselves.

When characters AFAB exploring masculinity are only ever jokes, villains, phases, or tragedies, it sends a message: You don’t get to be this. You’re only allowed to visit. And when you're done, you better come back “correct.”

But we’re not punchlines. We’re not broken girls. Some of us are boys.

Some of us are neither.

Some of us are just butch as hell and happy about it.

We deserve stories where we aren’t corrected. Where masculinity on AFAB people isn’t a phase, a disguise, or a joke. But our lives, and the truth of them.

[meowdei]

“What’s got you so grumpy?”

Sukuna dodges your finger. It fails to meet its destination of his cheek as he tilts his head to the side, earning a frown from you before you huff and try again.

He looks up from his phone with an irritated glance when your fingertip digs into his face.

“What are you talking about?” He grunts.

He knows exactly what you’re talking about. Normal Sukuna is irritable enough—grumpy Sukuna is about as bad tempered as a hornet who’s had its nest kicked. (Which is to say: he’s pretty fucking unfriendly at the moment.)

“You’re sulking,” you point out—and that statement earns a sharp glare from him as you seat yourself on his lap. (Still, he makes room easily for you, leaning back on the couch and putting his phone down to the side so his hands can rest on your hips. Grumpy Sukuna is never grumpy enough to push your body away—if anything, it’s the one way to get him less agitated).

“I’m not fucking sulking,” he says. It’s almost petulant, but you have enough grace to spare his dignity and not point it out. “I don’t sulk.”

“Are you sure?” You raise a disbelieving brow—he clicks his teeth at the way you choose to question him, but it softens considerably when your lips peck his jaw delicately. “You look pretty sulky to me.”

“Get your eyes checked.”

“Can’t. Then I might see you for all your ugliness. We wouldn’t want to throw years down the drain once I come to my senses do we?”

It’s his turn to raise a brow, sarcastically snorting as you give him a cheeky wink. “If you wanna try ‘n be a smart ass, at least be realistic about it. Saw you checking me out just this morning through the mirror.”

“Maybe you need your eyes checked,” you huff, “I was not checking you out.”

“Pretty sure you were,” he smirks, lips pulling into a haughty grin. Getting under your skin with his smugness is about the only way to cheer him up, it seems, because he looks rather pleased when he adds, “it’s okay. Don’t blame ya for bein’ possessed by my impressive physique.”

“Too bad your personality isn’t as dazzling,” you quip back easily.

It’s meant to be lighthearted, of course—but it seems to be the wrong thing to say. Quite wrong, in fact, because as soon as the words escape you, he tenses before locking his jaw.

There’s a flash of something in his eyes. Something you don’t think you’ve ever seen in Sukuna’s face—doubt. It’s a little odd, in all realness. Sukuna is not a doubtful person. He’s confident, and he’s confident enough that it’s almost to a fault. He’s cocky and smug and sometimes a little too self-assured for it to be considered good for his health.

It’s a bit unsettling to see his face almost fall at something you say, especially when you just say it for the sake of light banter.

“Yeah?” He chuckles dryly. It sounds dangerously self-deprecating—enough that it makes you frown. “Good thing I have my abs to keep you glued to my side then, huh?”

“Well, it’s not just your abs,” you hum, one hand smoothing over his shirt to feel the ridges of his muscles through the shirt. “Your boobs are pretty great, too.”

To prove your point, you give his left pectoral a gentle squeeze. He scowls before shoving your hand away as blush creeps along the back of his neck.

“You fucking freak,” he mutters.

Something is bothering him. You know you can’t directly ask it out of him, otherwise he’ll deny it left and right, but something is bothering him. Sukuna is not good with words or emotions. In fact, he’s pretty awful at anything that has to do with anyone’s feelings. (He’s better about yours more than other’s, but he’s pretty far from good.)

You don’t mind. There’s something oddly charming about witnessing the way he navigates softening up for you—it’s like watching a baby take their first steps. Wobbly. Slow. Unsure. Pretty badly executed, but endearingly rewarding all at the same.

Except, this time, it’s not your emotions he’s navigating. For some reason, yours are easy than his own. Navigating yours means he doesn’t have to try. He knows you better than he knows himself. Knows when your feelings are hurt by the twitch of your brows alone. Knows you’re sad by the dimness in your eyes. Knows you’re pretending joy when your laugh is quieter than usual. Knows you’re faking it when your smile is a much more tight lipped and a less bright version.

But his own feelings are complicated. A lot more than he cares to try and understand them for. In true Sukuna fashion, he always aims to ignore his problems until they seemingly disappear.

But you’re too difficult to let that slide. He brushes things under the rug, and you pull the rug from under his feet and make him fall face first into his problems.

“Hey,” you nudge him, cupping his face with your hand gently, “what’s gotten into you? It’s weird when you’re not pissing me off a couple of times every hour.”

“And that’s supposed to be a good thing?” He challenges, like your words seem to tick him off more, “what are you sittin’ here for if I’m always pissing you off?”

Oh, you think. So that’s what it is.

You smile, humming before you gently tilt his face up. Something vulnerable is attached to that frown of his. Like he’s waiting for your answer because he needs something to hold onto. Some metaphorical lifeline where your feelings are attached to his own, just to keep you chained together. Where you’re always somewhere that he also is. Where he doesn’t have to care about his emotions because what you feel is what he feels, too, and as long as you’re okay, so is he.

But you care. You seem to care a pretty great deal because you lean in and brush your nose against his as you kiss his lips softly.

“Who cares if you piss me off?” You snort, “I piss you off better. I’m pretty good at it.”

“You are,” he agrees instantly.

You give him a fleeting huff against his mouth as you mumble, “you don’t have to agree so fast.”

It pulls a small laugh from him, making his arms snake around your waist and tug your body closer. Chest to chest, heartbeat thumping in two, synchronized rhythms.

“What happens when I’m all old and expiring and my abs are gone?” He raises a brow. You hum, stroking a thumb along his cheek as you smile and admire him.

“We’ll still be pissing each other off, I bet.”

“That’s supposed to be good?” He repeats, this time much more unsure. Anyone else could hardly catch the air of hesitance in his words, but you catch it instantly.

“Why not?” You shrug, “it always worked for us, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah,” he scoffs, “that’s until it doesn’t.” He spits the words out, not meeting your eyes. It’s like they taste acrid is mouth and he can’t bring himself swallow them down.

You don’t say anything. Instead, you lean in and just press a line of kisses from his chin to the corner of his lips, purposely dodging his mouth and littering small, delicate pecks along his cheek. And then his forehead. And then the bridge of his nose.

Never his lips, though. And he gets increasingly frustrated by it.

“What are you waiting for?” He grumbles, eyeing you with a look that screams: quit fucking around.

You fight back an amused smile. “Does it piss you off?”

“Course it does. Kiss me properly or back off my face—”

“Cause you love me right?” You ask cheekily. He pauses, thinking on it for a moment before slumping wearily.

“And if I do?”

“You piss me off too. Because I love you too,” you whisper, forehead against his as your hands cradle his cheeks. Because you do.

When he texts late, and makes your blood boil, it’s only because you love him. When he’s brutally honest and doesn’t say what you want to hear, you’re only mad because you care what he thinks so much. When he’s stubborn and refuses to meet you halfway, you’re only angry because there’s no one else you’d rather cross the bridge with than him.

He pisses you off. You care enough to be pissed because it’s him. And when you piss him off too, he cares enough to deal with it because it’s you.

It’s a funny, twisted little way to love and be loved, but it works. For some odd reason, it does. It’s a seamless, smooth, crackless road.

You don’t ever fix something that’s not broken.

“That doesn’t make sense,” he sighs, resigning himself to your weird, roundabout explanation. You laugh, pinching his cheek as you grin brightly.

“That’s because you’re a bit dim.”

“Yeah,” he rolls his eyes, “okay. Anything else?”

“Yeah, actually. I love you.”

He pauses. Swallows for a moment before his arms tighten their grip on your hips just a smidge before burying his face into your neck and mumbling, “me too. Love you so much, it pisses me off.”

“I like to get under your skin like that,” you stroke his hair, beaming as you add, “guess you’ll just have to deal with it.”

His lips stretch into a small grin before a low, rumbling chuckle breathes itself against your skin. “Guess so.”

————————

a/n: insecure modern! au sukuna who doesn’t admit it and refuses to acknowledge that he’s aware he’s difficult to love and can’t understand why you love him but he also doesn’t want to question it for fear of scaring you away is very near and dear to me and i’ll be talking about it from my grave still. you’ll just hear my ghostly voice spooking you through the night talking about how he’s a softie deep down under all the layers. like an ogre okay? ogres have LAYERS.

[erwinsvow]

𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞

summary: jack abbot thinks he's too broken to fix. you just want to take care of him the way he takes care of you.

author's note: here it is! the first longer night shift reader and jack fic ♡ i hope everyone enjoys!

word count: 3.7k

tags: night shift reader x attending jack, comfort and angst, people are making bets (guess who wins!), patient death/loss, age gap relationship (implied but no ages specified!), idk i went a little crazy for two hours

it’s not an easy thing to take care of him. 

he knows that. there haven’t been that many people in his life who have been able to manage it. his wife was one, robby’s sort of another. jack has this thing—he has to at least try to take care of those around him before he can accept any of their help for himself. it’s almost a test of worth, to determine that it’s not a burden he’s placing unduly on anyone. it’s an exchange, he decides, a fair exchange. that way he’s not forcing anyone, because he knows how hard it is, how hard it can be. robby sees a side of it. his wife saw another.

and out of the black, heading into the blue, you are beginning to see it. he doesn’t know how it happened this way, just knows that the sweet resident who had come onto his night-shift because the day shift was beginning to be too much, was now the very reason he doesn’t head straight up to the roof after a very, very long night. 

he knows it’s not easy, that every time he loses a patient, he glances at the clock. the moment someone’s life was over, and the very moment that is going to ruin the lives of all the people who loved them. before he’d start the countdown—how many hours left on this shift? how many until he can go to the roof and breathe, scream and yell and sit in silence and watch the city wake up beneath him. 

it’s selfish. he momentarily checks out after time of death is called. robby does moments of reflections. maybe that’s how he’s able to manage it sometimes, break up the grief into little pieces throughout the day. 

jack isn’t like that. he’s always been the kind to bury, nestle it somewhere deep inside and keep adding, adding, adding. add until it’s about to burst, and then go to the roof and let some of it out. maybe if he tried robby’s way, he wouldn’t have felt like this for so long.

where can so much grief go? there’s no outlet for it, not the way jack does it. some of the things he buries are lost inside him forever, no escape, no exit.

and then you come along. 

jack’s prided himself in the fact that he’s good to the residents. they get more confident under his tutelage, make decisions more firmly, make them quickly and execute them correctly. that’s why robby had sent you over to him, hadn’t it? because you doubted yourself too much. because you felt like you weren’t making the right call.

from seven in the morning to seven at night, the place is crowded. it’s all hands on deck but there’s just a smidge too many hands, especially when there’s students. you were able to blend into the background for a couple months, but it’s just plainly wrong to let it hinder your education.

that’s why robby had sent you to him, right? for your education. to make you a better doctor, better than you already were, which was saying something. 

because jack abbot thinks that you’re incredibly gifted. gifted in the things that he can’t teach someone, in ways that he can’t explain. you have a special touch. patient-care is your forte. if he had to pick the nicest resident, it would be you. but you don’t believe in yourself. 

and he had sent himself to the task of fixing that. it’s what jack does, what he’s always done. patch it up and send it out.

(you’re a little different—he wants to make you believe in yourself more. he wants you to prove it to yourself. make yourself say it and mean it, not just because he’s telling you. that you are capable, that you were meant for this. that this is where you belong. that you have a safety net in the form of your attending—that he’ll be there with an outstretched arm, waiting incase you need him. you won’t, he knows. but you still need to feel him there. it’s working, he knows it is.)

it had been working perfectly fine so far. you build your routine, get yourself settled, start answering trauma calls with a run. 

one time he has you and ellis start the incoming together. tells parker to ask you questions, justify all of your decisions to her, but let you call the shots. when the charge nurse tells you the details, you head straight outside. you pull a yellow gown for yourself and the gloves in your size—those ones are baby blue. and then you pull another gown and the black gloves—the ones in his size. he watches from the nurse’s station, watches ellis take them and watches you look around, like you’re waiting for him to show up. he doesn’t, not this time.

you handle the case perfectly. oddly enough, he can’t seem to remember any of the specifics about it, even though he’s the one who signed off on your detailed note. 

jack watches from the door. you’ve got your back to him, and ellis looks up and sees him, but he shakes his head. he wants to see how you do without him, after so many with him. and you’re perfect—just like he knew you would be. the nurses move in tandem around you, listening closely to your orders. ellis asks questions and you answer, and you don’t sound like your answers are questions themselves—though you had at one point, not too long ago. 

that’s something he’d worked you out of, he thinks, a certain smugness seeping into his veins, satisfaction rolling through every muscle. 

you look out the other door, the opposite of where he’s standing. you stretch your neck like you’re trying to see what’s out there, and then you turn your attention back to your patient right away.

and once the patient is stable, that’s when he comes in. you’re doing it again, looking out the wrong door and as much as he wants to deny it, as wrong as it is, he knows you’re looking for him.

“good work, doctor,” he says, and you jump a little. you turn to look at him, but he’s looking at your senior resident for the assessment.

“dr. abbot, i-” 

“she did great,” parker comments, and you stop to beam at her.

“thank you.” ellis peels off her gloves and gown, black gloves that had been meant for him going into the bin. she gives you further instructions and you nod, and when it’s just the two of you, he finally turns to meet your eyes.

and the way you smile at him blows him away. it’s all over your face—from your gleaming eyes to the cheeks that must hurt, the lips that he can’t stop thinking about. there’s something else there too. neither of you want to say it, though you try.

“thank you, dr. abbot. i-” the words falter and die on your tongue. but in your joy, how pleased you are with yourself for once, you find the confidence he’s been wanting you to have all along. “i was looking for you.”

and jack swallows hard. it’s one thing to have a flirtation, to teach you, to mentor you. to make you cups of coffee and tea and buy a box of those protein bars that you like the best, because the other ones taste weird. to defend your yellow cup with his best glare, to stop in the aisle at costco and buy a duplicate pair just incase he ever needs to replace it. you love that yellow mug, and well, he loves—

“dr. abbot? you okay?” 

and it’s normally him asking you that.

“i’m fine, kid. you did great.” 

“so did you.” 

-

when jack walks by dana at around seven-ten, her and the other nurses go remarkably silent. 

“yes?” he asks, grabbing the black thermos from the counter where he’d been finishing his notes. it’s also from costco—chipped and bent all over the place, little flecks of silver making an appearance around the bottom. you’d made a joke about it once—even your cup is salt and pepper. and now he thinks about it every time he picks it up.

“what? i didn’t say anything,” dana replies, settling an ipad back in the charging port, moving around papers at the station. “but just so you know, the pool’s up to three hundred.”

jack sets his cup down a little harder than he means to, forearms resting on the sterile counter.

“what pool?” he demands, and dana shrugs. if he didn’t love her so much he would kill her.

“i’m just saying. if you’d like to help your favorite nurse contribute to her retirement fund, then you can—”

“oh? i can what?” 

it’s just not this easy for him anymore. you are full of all the good things that he so clearly lacks, made of so much sunshine it’s pouring out of you. you have love in stores, ready to be doled out at any time, to anyone. patients, coworkers, even the medical students you just met a couple minutes ago. he hears you—offering the flashcards you made for boards and the interview tips that got you to match at your top choice. 

he is entirely unworthy of your love. he knows it, deep down. loving him would break you. trying to piece him back together would drain you dry. and he doesn’t want to do that to you, you deserve better. maybe he can take care of you at work, but outside of these four walls, if you saw what he was like with idle hands and an empty apartment, or if you saw him up on that roof-

“dr. abbot?” 

your voice seems to always be enough to snap him out of it. 

“goodbye, dana,” he says, walking up next to you, thermos in hand. your eyes briefly glance down at it, smiling. “what’s going on, kid?” 

“remember what you had said? about breakfast?” and you smile at him like getting breakfast with jack abbot sounds like the great thing in the world right now. it’s almost seven-thirty and you probably haven’t slept in fifteen hours, and yet you keep smiling, big eyes blinking at him while you wait patiently for an answer.

“yeah.” he clears his throat, looking back at dana momentarily. she’s smiling at him, and then she turns to smack the side of robby’s arm, pointing him the direction of you two. “that sounds great. after you.” 

he shouldn’t have said yes. he knows what’ll happen if you start thinking that you can fix whatever is wrong with jack abbot, and he would like to avoid that entirely. but you beam at him again like you had earlier with ellis, and jack is a lot of things, but one thing is he is not, is a jerk. he won’t disappoint you about this, not when he’s secretly relieved you’re eating after shift. he’s seen you with sugary granola bars and pastries when you should be filling up on protein after a shift like this.

so he follows you out, ignoring the exchange of money behind him. 

breakfast is nice. you get chocolate-chip pancakes and he makes you get eggs too, and then hands you strips of bacon from his plate too. he hasn’t seen you like this before, and he tries to soak it into his memory. 

(something deep inside says that he should cut the tether before you get too attached. it’ll only hurt more to prolong it, to let it linger. the possibility of something between the two of you. and then you offer him a bite of a pancake drenched in syrup and everything in his head goes silent.)

breakfast becomes a weekly recurrence. there’s a twenty-four seven diner he loves just up the road from the hospital, and he’s been before with shen once, robby a couple times if their schedules lined up. it’s not particularly unusual to see him there with you, though he feels like he’s committing some sort of a crime.

you wear pullovers from your alma mater. the backpack you bring to work is the same one you used all four years of college and medical school, a fact you are very proud of. when he looks at it—his chest hurts. it’s hardly worn, looks like it’s in great condition—a couple of pins tacked on the side where your water bottle sits and a pocket for your badge and wallet in the front. he has to force himself to remember that you’re younger than any woman he’s seriously talked to before. his wife had been two months older than him, something he used to tease her about all the time. 

would you do that? would you tease him about the age difference? or would you prefer to ignore it, set it aside and try to forget about it? it’s a heavy question for breakfast after twelve hours on. 

you take him to another place that you like, too, closer to your apartment. you both eat bagels and sip on juice—orange for him, apple for you—and that’s where you learn more about his time as a medic. the breakfast burrito place near the park is where you tell him about how you’ve wanted to be a doctor since you were twelve, that you thought you’d had a calling for pediatrics and you’d even been the president of the peds club in medical school. and then you’d rotated through the emergency department third year and completely changed your plan.

you share a stack of waffles—chocolate chip with strawberries and whipped cream, at your insistence. he doesn’t know how he’s supposed to say no to you, not when you ask him so sweetly. he learns about your kitten and how you’ve always been scared that you’re going to do the wrong thing and until very recently, that you’ve just been playing pretend and you’ll get caught one day. 

and back at the diner is where he tells you about his wife. and you listen intently and nod and hold his hands when his voice breaks and run your fingers over his knuckles. you don’t let go of his hand the entire walk back to your apartment, and outside the door, you give him a hug. and the two of you stay like that for a while. that’s when you and jack kiss for the first time. slow, steady, a kiss that you’ve been dreaming of for months. it takes all the air out of your lungs and when you finally go inside, you realize your shoulder is a little wet and your lips are swollen. 

even hours later, jack can still taste apple juice on his tongue.

another week after that, you both answer the incoming trauma together. it’s six-thirty, so someone might come and take over, but it doesn’t work out that way. it’s a man who got t-boned at an intersection on the way to school drop-off. his wife and daughter are getting their cuts stitched, you think, and the patient had been slurring at you when he came in. thank god i put her behind her mom today. thank god, thank god- and jack does something he doesn’t always do. 

“get the mom, get the kid. let-let them talk.” 

and while you do the ultrasound and the e-fast and order for type and cross-match, you hear his daughter crying and a wife telling her husband how much she loves him. 

and you and jack try everything, everything you can think of, but sometimes, there’s just no coming back. he doesn’t even make it to surgery. jack walks out first, and then you, and you see his daughter turn away from the medical student that’s tending to her wound, standing up with hopeful eyes like you and jack have good news for her.

and you feel incredibly broken. your day hasn’t even started yet. and you lock eyes with jack for a second—just a second, and he stares back at you, hardened, in a way you haven’t seen before. you’ve both lost patients, lost patients together. sometimes it’s just different, in a way that you can’t explain. 

it must have been an hour, an hour and a half you spent in the trauma room. the entire day shift is there now. 

“head home, kid,” jack says. “i’ll talk to the family.” 

you bring your hand to his shoulder, pulling back until he turns to face you. 

“i’ll talk to the family.” 

it’s not an easy thing to take care of. he tries to tell you something but you shake your head at him, the hand on his shoulder lingering. people are looking, he thinks. but then again, he’s never cared that much. and in this moment, neither do you. 

you head over to the family, excuse the nurses and the student doing the stitches. you pull the curtains, and all he hears is sobbing. 

and when you come back out, he know you held it together in front of them, but your shoulders are shaking, your chin is wobbling. and in front of all those people, he brings you in for a hug. 

a real hug—like the one you had in front of your apartment. jack’s grip is tight on you, his arms caging you in, covering everything so you can’t see anything, can’t think about anything else but him. he rests his chin on your head, and closes his eyes, and then the two of you walk back to the lockers together. 

it’s not an easy thing to take care of him. and somehow, without ever telling you, you know all about how to do it. you know a lot of things about him. you know what this job does to him and that if he had gone to tell that family they lost their father and husband, that he would’ve ended up on the roof this morning. you know that jack abbot doesn’t halve any of his burdens, that he’s been afraid to rely on you like how you rely on him. to need you in the way that you need him. and you know that he won’t tell you what he needs, but you’ve gotten somewhat adept at figuring him out, just like how he has with you.

that day you leave holding hands. neither of you are in the right mood to go out for breakfast, so he elects to take you back to his apartment, an arm swung around your shoulder the entire walk there. you’re still a little teary-eyed, wiping them away at his front door while you head inside with him. 

you’ve never seen the inside of jack’s apartment, but he’s mentioned it in one of your many conversations. the record collection, his wife’s plants that he takes care of, the kitchen that’s too big for one person. 

the morning light hits the place beautifully. you stare out of his window while he heads to the kitchen, and you look around. first the records, then the plants, just like he’d described. there’s pothos and peace lily and little succulents along the windowsill. you look at the rest of it—incredibly fitting. a brown leather couch and a bookshelf with medical textbooks and a couple of mystery thrillers. you laugh to yourself, imagining jack curling up with one of those books at night.

when you turn back, he’s cracking eggs and laying out strips of bacon on the pan. you head over to the other side of the island, taking a seat on one of the stools. 

“no pancakes?”

“you’re gonna get cavities, y’know,” jack says, and you smile at him. 

“it’s worth it.”

“i love your smile the way it is right now. don’t go changing it on me.” and that does make you smile, staring at jack making breakfast for the two of you. it all feels so domestic. like you’re just walking into the life that was meant for you all along.

you’ve only been on the night shift for a couple of months. 

how could he have been so stupid? trying to fight what you did to him when it was like gravity, like the tide, like every other force in this world that he knows about and cannot control. you’re exactly where you’re meant to be, and so is he.

“mel texted me. she won the bet,” you say, setting your phone down. you lean against your hand, inhaling the smell of the first of many home-cooked meals you’ll eat, made by jack abbot.

“that so? i thought dana was a shoo-in.” 

“dana got the timing wrong. thought it’d happen during the night shift. but technically, you hugged me at eight-thirty, so..” 

“and what was the winning combo?” he stares at you, probably for the millionth time since you met him. and still, somehow, it’s enough that you feel it in your bones. you want to look away but you don’t. “you want toast, kid?” 

“yes please. she didn’t say, but i’ll ask. later.” 

you and jack settle at his wooden dining table ten minutes later, a plate full of protein and a promise that he’ll get you something sweet when you wake up later. jack lifts up his pant leg and takes off his prosthetic, setting it against the chair and relaxing a little bit more. you can see his shoulders loosen up. when he catches you staring, he smiles back.

“what?”

“nothing. do you have juice?”

“i think there’s some apple in there. i can-”

“no, i got it.” you get up, walking towards to the fridge. “i thought you didn’t like apple.” you know he doesn’t—he prefers orange. 

“i changed my mind.” you smile back at him, finding the apple juice and setting it on the counter. 

“cups?” 

“the cabinet on your right. no, your other right.”

you laugh and open it up, your laugh dying in your throat as you stare at two yellow mugs sitting front and center in the cupboard. you pick them up, bringing them over to the table with jack, and stare at him.

“oh,” he says. “i can explain. it’s incase-” but you don’t want to listen for another second, so you sit on his lap, pressing your lips together and forgetting all about breakfast and apple juice.

♡ thanks for reading!

[deesseshesca]

PAC: What does my life look like once I hit my full potential?

Hope I make it out of here.

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PILE 1

Oh, bestie, I feel you on this. Balancing hustle and chill vibes is so important when you’re in that “level-up” era, especially with the Lovers card as your overall energy—it’s giving alignment and divine choices. Here’s the tea:

First, trust that this new career opportunity isn’t just a job; it’s a gateway to something magical. Your next lover is literally waiting for you on the other side of this. Like, how iconic is that? The universe is basically screaming, “This is part of your glow-up!”

But let’s keep it real: grinding too hard can mess with your flow. So, schedule your downtime like it’s a business meeting—whether that’s journaling, bingeing your fave show, or vibing out with a playlist that makes you feel main character energy. Chill time isn’t lazy; it’s necessary. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

When it comes to hustle, think of it like this: show up and give your best, but don’t overthink it. Be intentional, not overwhelmed. Remember, the Lovers card is also about harmony—so treat your hustle like a love story. Be passionate, but know when to step back and breathe.

And here’s the real plot twist: this opportunity isn’t just about meeting them. It’s about meeting the next, more evolved version of you. They’ll love that version of you, and so will you. So take the leap, but keep your soul soft. You’ve got this. ❤️

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PILE 2

Okay, imagine this: when you hit your full potential, your life looks like the perfect balance of confidence and rest. You’ve worked hard to know your worth and never settle, and now you’re living in a way that matches that energy. Think quiet mornings in a space that feels so you, reflecting on your growth while sipping your favorite coffee—unbothered and untouchable.

But here’s the thing: getting there doesn’t mean you’re grinding 24/7. You’ll learn that slowing down is the power move. For example, instead of saying yes to everything, you’ll get super intentional about what aligns with your long-term goals. If an opportunity feels off or doesn’t match your vision, you’ll confidently pass, knowing that better things are waiting.

That self-love you’ve mastered? It’ll make you a magnet for respect. People will see how deeply you value yourself and will match that energy—or they’ll fall off, and honestly, you won’t care. It’s like you’ll finally be surrounded by relationships, jobs, and opportunities that deserve you because you’ve set the bar so high.

Here’s the practical advice: stay open to adjusting your plans, even when it’s uncomfortable. Sometimes, what looks like a setback is actually setting you up for something bigger. For example, if one path feels blocked, don’t fight it—pivot. Trust that your ability to choose yourself will always lead you to the right place.

And don’t forget to rest without guilt. It’s okay to take breaks to recharge because that’s when your best ideas will come to you. Picture yourself booking a solo trip, splurging on the nicest accommodations, and using that time to dream even bigger while staying grounded in gratitude. You’re leveling up and protecting your peace, and that’s the ultimate glow-up. 🌱✨

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PILE 3

Alright, picture this: once you hit your full potential, your life is like a perfectly designed blueprint, executed flawlessly. You’re running the show—waking up early, knocking out your goals, and moving through life like you own it. Your schedule is tight but purposeful, and everything you do feels like a step toward something even bigger.

You’ll probably have this fire inside you to keep starting new projects—like launching that dream business or taking on leadership roles that actually challenge you. People will look at you and think, Wow, they’ve really got it together. But behind the scenes, you’ll know it’s because you’ve built systems for yourself that work. For example, you might have a weekly ritual where you plan every detail, from career moves to self-care, so nothing feels chaotic.

That being said, you’ll need to make space for the unknown too. Life won’t always go exactly as planned, and that’s okay. Think of it like this: when things feel uncertain, don’t freeze up. Instead, take a moment, check in with yourself, and adjust. For example, if a big opportunity comes up and doesn’t look like what you expected, lean into it—it might just be the thing that pushes you further than you imagined.

And here’s a practical tip: track your progress. Maybe it’s a journal where you write down your wins every day, no matter how small, or a calendar where you block out “me time” just as seriously as work tasks. The key is staying grounded while keeping your eyes on the horizon.

Your focus on success will still fuel you, but it’ll feel balanced. Imagine being so confident in what you’ve built that you can finally relax a little, knowing that your foundation is unshakable. You’re not just surviving anymore; you’re thriving. And it’s all because you created the structure to let your ambition flow without burning out. 💡

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PILE 4

Okay, so here’s the vibe: when you hit your full potential, your life is gonna feel like this beautiful balance of self-love and success. But here’s the thing—you’ve been carrying a lot, especially with your sibling’s struggles. It’s tough because you want to help, but you have to realize that in order to become the best version of yourself, you have to put yourself first. And I know that’s easier said than done, especially when you love someone so much and want to see them thrive.

You’ve been trying to fix things, trying to heal others, but you can’t keep pouring from an empty cup. You’ve been holding onto a lot of emotional weight, and that’s been draining you. It’s okay to step back and focus on your own growth. I promise, you’re not abandoning anyone by taking care of yourself. In fact, the more you work on you, the more you’ll be able to help them from a place of peace.

But it’s gonna hurt a bit—letting go of that guilt is a process. You’ll have moments where you feel torn, but trust me, your potential and your future are calling you to take care of you. Your dreams, your goals—they matter, and they deserve your attention. It’s about putting boundaries in place, even if it feels hard at first.

You might not have all the answers right now, and that’s fine. You don’t have to have it all figured out, but you’ll get there. Things will come into focus when you start giving yourself permission to live your life without guilt. It’s gonna feel so freeing once you realize that your own peace and happiness are the foundation for everything else to fall into place.

So take it slow. Focus on your journey, even if it means you need to step away from the chaos a little. You deserve to put yourself first, because the version of you that is fully healed, confident, and at peace is going to be the one that thrives and makes all those big dreams come true. Your success starts with you, and you’re worthy of every bit of it. ❤️

PREVIOUS READING

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[lemonlover1110]

𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬

Pairing: Trueform!Sukuna x f!Reader

Summary: You want to catch your husband in the act.

Warnings: Pure Fluff

Discord +18 - Twitter - Ko-Fi

You always wake up to a fresh bouquet of flowers by your side, no matter the day. It’s a sweet gesture that always starts your day off on the right note. It’s been happening since you got married, though Sukuna claims he’s not doing it.

But who else would give you flowers if not Sukuna? He’d kill anyone just for looking at you, anyone leaving flowers next to you each morning is asking for a death sentence. What truly makes you curious is if Sukuna handpicks the flowers himself or if he orders someone to do it. You giggle at the mere thought of your giant husband hand picking flowers for you. 

You have the perfect plan, and you execute it. You wake up just as Sukuna does, sneakily following behind him as he starts off his day. 

He wakes up just as the sun rises, and immediately goes to eat the breakfast that’s hot and fresh for him. Sukuna loves to eat his meals with you so much so that in the beginning of your relationship he’d force you to wake up to eat with him. Now, he gives you the grace to wake up at whatever time you want.

After a long fulfilling breakfast, he stands up and heads outside which makes your excitement grow. You try to be like his shadow, and even though you make some noise it appears to be working. He hasn’t noticed you yet at least, and Sukuna seems to notice everything. 

He’s walking to the garden, and you’re grinning. He really does pick the flowers for you, a sweet gesture that he wouldn’t do for anybody else. You want to watch him pick them, decide which flowers are the most suitable for his wife but you know you have to go back before he catches you. You think you’re safe– Until he stops in his tracks, and glares at you. 

“I heard an annoying bug flying around.” He comments, and you purse your lips together. He has such a way with words, it’s definitely why you got married. He steps toward you, looking down at you in disappointment, “I told you I don’t pick the damn flowers.”

“Because you certainly would allow someone else to give flowers to your wife.” You point out, and he sighs. He can’t argue with that… Well he can, he’ll decide not to. “Guess I’ll go back to bed and wait for my secret admirer to show up then. I’ll wait for him, then ask him to marry me because he loves me so–”

“I’ll kill him.” He can’t even listen to the end of the sentence. “Fine, it’s me. I wake you up with flowers, happy?”

“Very.” You smile at him, wrapping your arms around him. He hugs you back, kissing the top of your head.

“You better not brag about this. Can’t have anyone think less of me.” He tells you, picking you up and bringing you with him so you can pick your own bouquet this time around. 

You have to admit, it’s hilarious to watch him pick something so small with his giant hands, but your heart mostly flutters. Sukuna loves you enough to personally pick up flowers for you each and every morning.

“Stop staring at me.” He orders, but that goes one ear in, out the other.

“You’re so cute.” He hates that word, especially when it’s referring to him, but he can’t really argue with you.

“Call me cute one more time, and I’ll stop.” He warns you, and you chuckle. He rolls his eyes hearing your laugh, since it isn’t a joke to him. He knows it isn’t true, and you know too which is why you don’t protest at his warning.

No matter what you do, he won’t change his morning routine.

[itgetsbetter]

I grew up in Dublin, Ohio in the 1980s.

If you weren’t there, let me paint you a picture. It was quiet, conservative and isolating, especially if you were a closeted gay teenager. Back then, you didn’t need to come out to be labeled. People decided for you. And once they did, you had two options: shrink or suffer.

I tried both.

Recently, I received a message from someone I went to high school with. He wrote:

“I read your coming out story on Facebook and was struck by the similarity of our experiences at Dublin in the '80s and '90s. I was called a f*g on a nearly daily basis... I never used the bathroom for fear of harassment… I also know that I kept others who were perceived as or were gay at arm’s length for fear of association and further bullying… I regret that we lived in a time and existed in a place that prevented us from finding community with each other.”

That message wrecked me. Even though we were walking the same hallways, enduring the same cruelty and doing the same emotional math every day to survive, we didn’t find each other. We didn’t know we could.

The cost of community felt too high, so we settled for isolation.

That’s the great irony of so many queer people’s early lives. Our stories are eerily similar, yet we often live them apart. But I also believe that’s where our strength lies.

Once you’ve known what it feels like to be alone, you never want anyone else to feel that way again.

You understand how vital community is — not just for survival, but for joy, for truth, for becoming who you were always meant to be. Loneliness is a brutal teacher. It convinces you connection is dangerous, that being seen will cost you everything. But here’s the truth: someone almost always understands.

I didn’t realize that until I was an adult and free to move about the world. I found community in my 20s. For the first time in my life, I felt seen and safe. I realized I wasn’t broken.

I had simply been alone in a place that didn’t yet know how to hold space for people like me.

Today, I have the honor of leading It Gets Better, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting, empowering and connecting LGBTQ+ youth around the globe. We help to ensure that young people don’t have to wait until adulthood to find belonging.

We meet them where they are, be it online, at Pride events or at a school in a Columbus suburb. Our message is clear. They are not alone, and they never will be.

It Gets Better shouldn’t need to exist. No one should have to rely on a nonprofit to feel safe being who they are. And yet, many LGBTQ+ youth are fighting silent battles in hostile environments.

Some argue that recent legislation targeting LGBTQ+ identities — book bans, bathroom bills, restrictions on curriculum — is about protecting children. But what it does is isolate them. It legislates loneliness. It tells young queer people that they are unwelcome.

We can’t let that happen.

We owe it to today’s LGBTQ+ youth to create the kind of world we didn’t have — a world where community isn’t something you stumble into years later, but something that finds you early, holds you close and tells you there is nothing wrong with who you are.

To the classmate who reached out: thank you. I see you. We both deserved better. And to the young people out there feeling like no one understands: You are not invisible. We see you.

We are you.

And we’re here, waiting to welcome you home.

A message from Brian Wenke, our Executive Director at It Gets Better, for the Columbus Dispatch.

[chuellas]

Evictions on Your Door | E is for Exhibitionism

⤷ Ft. Nakahara Chuuya

V. A. L. E. N. T. I. N. E.

Warnings | Fem!Reader, N.SFW, 18+ only, use of the names “Doll” and “Baby”, exhibitionism, fingering with/out gloves on, spanking, finger sucking, gagging, unprotected sex, creampie, plugging, not edited like at all ajdjsjdjsjjds WC: 2.4k

A/N | Ik I’ve said it a million times today but Happy Valentine’s Day. This one i had to cut short bc I went way over my self allotted limit 🤡 Hope you all thoroughly enjoy <3

You should have known better than to tease Chuuya before a three hour long meeting. Normally, you wouldn’t sit next to him in the meeting, being Verlaine’s representative. The absent man’s seat was always across the table from Chuuya while Kouyou’s was next to the ginger. Outside of executive meetings you and Chuuya rarely interact while working, especially after Akutagawa took the position of overseeing the Black Lizard instead of Hirotsu reporting directly to Chuuya.

You had brazenly tossed your panties at him in the privacy of his office earlier in the morning, a pair of royal blue silk and lace high-cut underwear. You’d caught him eyeing you in the rare pencil skirt, something you only wear on days you know for certain you won’t be going into the field. You know that Chuuya’s favorite feature of yours is your legs. So, you thought you would pay him a visit — tease him a little. You were not disappointed by his reaction.

But now you’re paying for it as you sit right next to Chuuya at this crowded meeting table with not only the executives but with their second in command and even third in command. Mori isn’t here, doing some sort of damage control within the Armed Detective Agency’s President and the government. It was up to the executives to lead this meeting to figure out how to rebuild Yokohama after the devastation that Ame-no-Gozen brought onto the city. 

You’re almost two hours into the meeting and Chuuya’s gloved fingers are snuggly nestled in your drooling cunt. It started off as teasing of his own, leather gliding up and down the expanse of your inner thighs. You slapped his hand away a few times, trying desperately to pay attention to what Kouyou was saying but your self-control wilted at an alarming rate. 

Chuuya easily hides the flexing of his arm underneath his coat that hangs over his shoulders. Every time he opens his mouth to add to the conversation your stomach twists is both excitement and fear. You try your best to keep your composure but Chuuya is relentless.

The ginger bullies his middle and ring finger into your cunt, stopping every time you even hint at fluttering around you. 

You’re hunched over the table, the lower half of your face being concealed by your folded hands, hoping to god that you just appear to be really intrigued by whatever it is being discussed, when in reality you’re just crumbling under the touch of the man sitting beside you. Your concentration is fluctuating, you’re only getting bits and pieces of the solutions being shared and the opinions being bounced around. You’ve barely given any input yourself, which was a shame considering you had planned on contributing to this meeting at least once. 

You can hear the faint sound of his fingers sliding in and out of you and you hope once again that Akutagawa, who is sitting on your other side, can’t hear it. The way his body is stiffer than normal, jaw so taught it looks painful, tells you otherwise. Your thighs involuntarily squeeze in desperation to quiet the noise and you have to work double time to suppress a gasp when Chuuya slots his leg between yours and pries your legs back open.

You’re close again, eyes burning with unshed tears you’re desperately trying to hold back. Everything is buzzing, your chest is heaving, your stomach is in knots and your head is vibrating. You can’t tell if it’s hot in this room or if the dampness you feel underneath you on the seat is your slick pooling in the chair. 

You subtly move your index finger between your teeth to keep your mouth occupied with something so you don’t make any noise. 

You’re going to get caught in a room full of the Port Mafia’s most important members getting finger fucked by a man who is not supposed to be touching you, per Verlaine’s personal request. Just as you’re about to let the taut cord in your lower abdomen snap, Chuuya removes his hand completely, causing you to shiver from the sudden loss of his warmth. You bite down on your finger harder, just barely catching the whimper clawing at your throat. 

Chuuya loudly clears his throat and it catches everyone’s attention. “It’s been over three hours now, Kouyou. Don’t you think we should give everyone a break? Maybe we can revisit this tomorrow with less people, now that we’ve come up with a solid foundation of how we’re gonna fix this damn mess.”

Kuoyou stares at the other ginger for a moment before curtly nodding her head. “Fine, we’ll bring what we have to the Executives table tomorrow and finalize it with Mori.”

Chuuya slyly shoves his now ungloved hand in his pocket and rises to his feet, his head tilted as a way to point at you. “You can head out, she offered to help me clean up.”

Verlaine narrows his eyes at that statement, scrutinizing the two of you before letting it go and turning on his heel, probably going back to whatever hole he was allowed to crawl out of. You watch silently as everyone shuffles out in a hurry. You’re thankful for that, not wanting anyone to linger so you can finally compose yourself and actually clean up the mess Chuuya made. 

Akutagawa lingers and you give him a puzzled expression but he’s not looking at you, his gaze set on the remaining executive. “You don’t have to stay, Chuuya-san. I can help clean up in your stead.”

Chuuya lets out an easy chuckle, completely unbothered by Akutagawa’s offer. “Nah, don’t worry about it and how many times do I gotta tell you? Drop the damn formalities, it’s just Chuuya. Now go, I’m sure Gin is waiting for you.”

At the mention of his sister, the Port Mafia’s Black-Fanged Hellhound no longer hesitates to round the table and walk out the double doors, pushing them to swing shut behind him. Despite the flimsy effort, the door doesn’t quite latch closed all the way, you can still see out into the now empty hallway from the slivered gap between the doors. This boardroom is in a far corner that people rarely visit. You know for a fact that no one will be coming by for at least an hour, maybe more, because this room was booked for five and a half hours. 

Even so, when Chuuya bends you over the table and lifts your skirt up to bunch at your hips you let out a whine. “Chuuya- Wait…What if someone catches us?”

“Let them, not like they can do anything about it. Did you forget that I’m an executive?”

The gravity manipulator emphasizes his words by landing a harsh slap to your ass — immediately followed by him kneading and massaging the sore flesh. He repeats his actions on your other cheek and you finally let out a loud moan, losing all capability to hold them in any longer. Chuuya looms over you, leaning in and gingerly moving your hair to the side, his breath hot as it tickles the tip of your ear.

He grazes his teeth against the shell of your ear and you let out another noise, this one far more pathetic than the last as he simultaneously inserts his fingers back into your cunt. “That teach you to not tease me like that ever again, Doll? How’d it feel, huh? Knowing Akutagawa was aware of everything that was happening under this table? Could see how tight his pants were when he got up. Y’know, he has a little crush on you? It was cute how he tried to stop this from happening. Shoulda kept him here and let him watch as I fuck you dumb into this table.”

“Chuuya-” You let out a sharp gasp when his fingertips graze that sensitive spot, making your walls flutter around him already. 

You spent hours pent up thanks to him and now that you were finally alone you pray he finally lets you cum. Luckily for you, your prayers are heard. Chuuya quickens his ministrations and brushes his index finger against your clit messily.

Your mouth falls open and a string of moans flow out as your walls tighten around  Chuuya. The taut cord in your abdomen finally snaps and you’re seeing stars before your vision goes completely white. Your ears feel plugged, everything sounding like you're inside of a long tunnel. You feel something wet running down your chin and you distantly think it might be your own drool. You collapse onto the table, but you don’t get much time to think because you’re being yanked up by a pair of strong arms. 

“We’re not done yet, you still got at least one more in you, yeah?” Chuuya litters kisses across your jawline and brings his hand up to your mouth. “Suck.”

You’re barely lucid enough to understand what he’s saying but you get the gist when he impatiently taps his fingers against your mouth. Pink and swollen lips warp around his middle and ring finger, then you peer back at him as you suck and twirl your tongue around the digits. You hum around his fingers in appreciation and the vibrations go straight to his dick that is now free from his pants and nestled between your thighs. 

Chuuya removes his hands from your mouth when he’s sure you’ve cleaned all of your own juices off. When he takes his hand away he’s almost immediately bringing it back and stuffing something in your mouth you look down and your eyes widen — Your panties. He had kept them with him all day. Your eyes flutter at the thought and you can’t help but to press your ass into his hips.

The executive lets out a hum. “Since you’re so worried about getting caught. Can’t have anyone else hearing you now, can we, Baby?”

To keep you from removing the fabric from your mouth, he takes both your arms and holds them securely behind your back with one hand.

You moan but the noise gets lost in the fabric stuffed in your mouth. Chuuya smirks at your response and finally guides his cock to your entrance, bending you over the table again. When he sinks into your slick cunt, you both sigh out moans, his noises louder than yours since he can let them out freely. His hips stutter on their own and his free hand takes purchase on your hip so he can give himself a moment to ground his eager body.

“Shit, you’re s’fuckin’ warm and soft. God damn- Feel like ’m gonna cum already, the fuck are you doin’ to me, Doll?” The ginger’s head lolls back and he starts languidly thrusting in and out of you.

You whimper, trying to respond but resigned to simply look back at him with pleading eyes.

“Hah…Ok, ok. Don’t gimme that look, I got you.”

Chuuya’s pace picks up and it’s not long until his hips are slamming into you. The whole table rocks, loudly scraping against the marbled floors. You desperately try to keep yourself upright but one particularly harsh jostle has your core muscles loosening, giving out on you and you sink into the cold surface of the tabletop.

Muffled noises catch in your panties and Chuuya is letting out a string of curses. Your hips are twitching and thighs trembling from the oversensitivity and you’re embarrassingly close to cumming already. Though, from the way Chuuya’s hips are stuttering and losing their rhythm, you’d say he isn’t too far off either. 

As if he can read your mind, Chuuya voices your suspicions. “Fuck, fuck, Doll.  Gonna- shit- ‘m gonna cum, you close? Gonna cum with me, yeah? C’mon, Baby, cum with me.”

His hand sneaks around your hips and his fingers find your clit with ease. Just a few passes and pumps of his cock and your clamping down on him while wailing into the material stuffed into your mouth. Your vision goes white again, black creeping in at the edges, and your ears start to ring. You distantly hear Chuuya’s moans and his hips still as he spills into you, cumming just as hard as you.

You try to catch your breath and after a few moments your vision returns and the ringing turns into a slight buzzing. Still disoriented, your head becomes dizzy again when Chuuya flips you around so your back is now resting on the table. You don’t know how much time has passed nor do you remember where you even are at this very moment

All you know is Chuuya.

The man in question regains himself faster than you and removes the makeshift gag from your mouth. He carefully pulls his now softened cock out of your hole and quickly plugs you up with the very same panties that were in your mouth just seconds ago. The loss of him filling you up hits you and that’s when all your senses finally come flooding back and you return to the boardroom finally.

“What are you doing?” You croak out and you wince at the hoarseness of your voice. 

The ginger doesn’t respond. Instead he leans back down to rest his head on your chest. A grunt leaves your throat at the sudden weight and the pressure he puts on your stomach makes it hard to keep anything from spilling out of you.

You can’t believe you still have to tidy up when all you want to do is get into bed with him and sleep. After the stunt he pulled, you should be furious with him, but he was right in his confidence earlier. There would have been no repercussions because Chuuya is invaluable to the Port Mafia. 

That doesn’t stop you from feeling bitter.

“Chuuya-” You’re about to scold him, tell him to get off of you because he volunteered you both to clean up and all you’ve done so far is make a bigger mess, when he cuts you off.

“I know, I know. Just- Gimme a second, ok?” And how are you supposed to say no when he nudges his nose against your chin and rubs his fingers into your hips so soothingly?

[jyoongim]

Heyyy, it’s me again, the singer anon. Can I request an Alastor x Reader where she is sent by as a spy by Vox after our fav slithery boy failed? She’s really bubbly and friendly, but she eventually grows to care for everyone in the hotel but Vox owns her soul. She torn in between getting herself killed by him and not betraying anyone anymore, or continuing the job. She goes and confesses to Alastor, breaking down and thinking he’ll kill her, which she thinks would be best so she doesn’t have to betray anyone anymore. Just breaking down in tears telling him she doesn’t want to hurt anyone but Vox has her under a contract, begging him to kill her so she doesn’t have to. Just for Alastor to call her a good girl and ughhhh some possessive smut if you don’t mind? Sorry brain rots in my head and I’m in love with him, lol. Thank you! <3 also the three requests story set off the trigger in my head, loved it! Thanks again! <3!

This been in my inbox for weeks and i finally got a plot for it!

⚠️warning: 18+! Smut smut smut! Plot if you look hard enough!

—————————————————————————————

No one suspected a thing.

You were sent to the Hazbin Hotel after Sir Pentious miserable attempt.

Your orders were simple: ”Keep an eye out on that old fossil. I want to know why that fucker is sucking up the Lucifer’s daughter”

And you did just that…you were executing your mission flawlessly.

Until you began to care about those who stayed at the hotel.

Until you began to grow closer to the Radio Demon.

————————————————————————————

You had been staying at the hotel for a few months now and its been great!

Charlie was always finding new ways to help the residents build bonds and encouraging everyone to do their best.

At first, you were arrogant, playing along until you actually saw the the demons there were actually changing even if they didn’t admit it

But now, you thought of the princess as a friend, along with everyone else.

Especially Alastor.

Now that you’ve been around him, you’re not sure why Vox hate the demon so much.

Alastor was funny, kind (in his own twisted way), and truly looked after the hotel.

A soft smile curled on your lips as you thought about the demon, but the ringing of your phone interrupted such thoughts.

Vox.

You took a deep breath and answered “H-Hello?”

”Tonight’s your chance to take out that prick and after that come home” he demanded.

You blinked “what? B-but Vox…” you bit your lips “But it’s actually nice here. The hotel isn’t a scam…a-and everyone is a lot nicer than we thought ” Vox laughed “Oh baby please! Nice? You actually believe in that redemption crap? You think that they’ll let you stay if they knew why you truly were there? Hahaha! Oh my dumb little girl, how naive you are. ” 

You pouted, a frown on your face “I want to stay”

Vox growled through the phone “ah ah baby you don’t make demands remember?” 

Electrical shocks ran through your body from the collar you wore.

You gasped in pain “I OWN you. Did you forget that? You do whatever I say when I say it. Now I expect you home before morning or I will kill you.”

The phone call ended and you were in tears.

You didn’t want to go back. 

You liked being at the hotel and able to be yourself. 

You liked the friends you had made here.

You would do anything for them, even if you had to die to make your wrongs right.

————————————————————————

“Come in” the voice answered after you knocked on the door. You were sweating as you stood outside of Alastor’s door.

You had decided that if you were going to tell anyone why you were at the hotel, it would be Alastor.

You opened the door and walked into his radio studio.

”Hey Al” you said weakly as the demon spun around and smiled at you “Hello darlin! What do I owe the pleasure?”

You fiddled with your hands.

”I want to tell you why I came to the hotel”

Alastor quirked a eyebrow, smile widening as he gestured for you to take a seat on the couch.

”Do entertain me of your tale my dear”

You were in tears by the time you finished telling Alastor everything.

Of Vox and his plan.

The deal between you and Vox.

The reason you came to the hotel.

Everything.

”I-I’m sorry! So so sorry! I-I just didn’t know what to do!

Kill me! I deserve it! J-Just let me say my goodbyes first. I would rather you kill me than Vox! Please!” You cried, hands covering your face as you sobbed.

Alastor had been quiet for the entirety of your confession. He had half a mind to kill you when you told him of your deal with Vox.

The pesky television didn’t know when to mind his business.

His eyes focused on the collar around your neck.

 You were Vox’s and by contract, he wasn’t allowed to kill you.

And he wasn’t. No he had grown accustom to the pretty demon who seemed to light the hotel’s halls.

However…he could override Vox’s ownership of your soul.

You flinched when you felt a large hand pat the top of your head. You looked up through teary eyes ay Alastor, who just sported a soft smile.

”Now now my dear don’t you worry. I appreciate that you came to and confided in me. What a good girl you are.” His smile stretched as you sniffled, looking at him with glossy eyes.

”Y-Youre not g-gonna k-kill me?” You asked looking down.

He chuckled as he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, claws finding their way under your chin to make you look at him

He rolled his eyes ”Oooh my dear of course not…” His fingers trailed down your neck, toying with your collar. “But I am in a bit of predicament”

You wiped at your eyes “how so?”

“Under normal circumstances, I would rip you to shreds and broadcast your screams for all of Hell to hear” his pupils turned to dials and his smiled turned wicked. You felt your heart stop a little.

He calmed down slightly “however I have another idea to break your deal with Vox” 

He smiled at you as you tilted your head in confusion.

”I know just the thing hehehe”

————————————————————————————

You whimpered as you tried to hold yourself up against the force of Alastor’s thrusts. “A-Al!�� You whined as the demon tugged your hair to pull your body into his. A deep growl vibrated through you as Alastor sunk into your weeping heat, his cock hitting that soft spot inside you.

“Fuuuucckk!” You hissed, eyes rolling into your skull as your body buzzed with pleasure.

Alastor pulled your body til your back was flushed against his chest, his sharp teeth nipped at your skin before latching on and marking you. You winced as his tongue lapped at the blood, he purred as trailed his tongue up your neck.

”To think Vox had such a sweet cunt all to himself. Ooh darlin you’re wasted on him. But you’ll be a good girl for me wont you? You seem to love having a real cock fucking you” he chortled, giving you a harsh thrust. His hips grinded up into your ass, coaxing your cunt to take every inch over and over.

Your gummy walls tightened around him as you whined at his words. You could barely focus on what he was saying, not giving two shits either as he bullied your insides.

”I-I can be a good girl please please oh fuck! Aah! Aah!” You whined. Alastor’s large hands trailed up your body; kneading, pawing, and squeezing at your supple flesh. Pausing at your bouncing tits to tweak your hardened nipples, sending currents to your abandoned clit.

“I know you will baby” 

He nudges his head into yours, to gain your attention and capture your lips with his, swallowing your moans as one of his hands moves down to toy with your puffy clit.

Your body jerked as he rubbed tight circles on the bud; your cunt fluttering as slick dripped down your thighs.

”Ill make a deal with you darlin” he whispered against your lips, lidded eyes staring into yours, as you mewled, wanting his tongue back down your throat. 

“I keep this little mishap under wraps and in return you belong to me. Youre free to do whatever your heart but im no pushover m,a cherie.”

His thrusts sped up as he pinched your clit.

You keened, pushing your hips back into his, trying to follow the motion of his fingers, seeking to reach your orgasm.

”Do we have a deal?” He purred never breaking his pace.

Your collar let out blue sparks, Vox’s way of ‘reinforcing’ his control over you. You whimpered as the shocks edged you, but Alastor let out a deep growl as he wrapped his claws around the collar.

”Do we have a deal?” A snap of his hips pulled a moan from your throat.

”oh! Yes! Yes! F-fuuuc-cckk”

Static ran through your body causing you to jerk as your orgasm washed over you, your collar fizzled out as Alastor’s cock pounded your cunt, riding your orgasm out.

The wet SQUELCH! Of your cunt echoed as high pitched whines left your throat. 

“That’s a good girl. Cummin all over my cock. Feels better than that robot huh? Yeeesss fuck! Take my cum darlin take it”

Your eyes crossed as your mouth opened in a scream. Alastor crashed his lips on yours, tongue pushing through your lips and pulling you into a heated kiss as he pumped you full of his cum.

Alastor let out a sigh as he slipped out of you, cock coated in creamy essence and smiling as he watched your cunt clench around nothing and dripping cum.

In your dazed state, you faintly heard a snap and a cool sensation coated your neck.

Instead of the sapphire jeweled collar, a gold chained ruby hung from your neck.

Alastor hummed as he rubbed your tired body, smiling wickedly as he slotted back into your soppy heat. You moaned softly as he rolled his hips against you.

”now lets send that mediocre podcast a proper video”

[kngrose]

can we get some bully headcanons for sevika? Please 😫🥵

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐊𝐀 𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐘

WARNINGS: bullying, harassment, implied degradation, implied dehumanization, implied power dynamics, abuse of power/position, abuse, violence. be safe, heed warnings!

from roselí. ᡣ𐭩 : anon………… you might be onto something…

When it comes to bullying you, Sevika takes it to a different, almost sadistic level. There’s something particularly unsettling about the way Sevika derives enjoyment from your discomfort and pain, especially because she perceives you as weak and vulnerable.

It’s not enough that she’s already double your size, her sheer height that towers yours, and her mass— inclined top to bottom with muscle. Or that she could easily snap you in two if she so pleased.

She’ll be testing the waters at first; bumping your shoulders harshly when she passed you, hard enough to make you stumble back. Or tripping you occasionally, watching your arms flail fruitlessly to catch yourself.

Because bullying isn't simply about asserting dominance; it’s about relishing in the power she holds over the situation. It’s about drawing a reaction out of you, it fufills her in a way nothing else does.

She’ll step up her game once she realizes a little bump on your shoulders just isn’t enough. Now, she’s spewing insults and making harsh threats. Talking poorly of you amongst others in your presence; all to make you acutely aware of the hierarchy. The dynamic. She’s the one in control, you don’t get to ignore her.

And there’s never a sense of empathy or remorse in her actions—only a dark satisfaction that feeds her ego and solidifies her position of power over you.

She’s harsh, she’s cold. She incredibly insensitive. What really makes Sevika stand out is the fact that she takes her time, patience is a virtue. She’s calculated with what she says and does; makes sure its always something that’ll hit the nail on the head.

When she speaks, it’s laced with a cold, condescending tone. She finds content in making you feel small, belittling your every attempt to stand up for yourself. Her words are like ice, cutting through any bravado you might try to muster.

She’ll give you orders, ones that are humiliating and degrading. Ones that almost dehumanize you. Dont walk towards her, crawl. What reason do you have to walk anyways? Not like you’re going anywhere she isn’t. And in addition to that, there’s no need to take a chair either, you’ll be just fine on your knees at her feet. She doesn't need to raise her voice; the venom in her tone is enough to make your stomach turn.

She makes it very clear that you’d better do what she says.

And if you hesitate? That’s when Sevika leans in, her proximity a reminder that she’s always in control. The heavy threat of physical violence is there, lurking in her body language, and that’s usually all it takes to make you pliant. You have no idea what she’s capable of.

“You’re lucky I’m not in the mood to break something."

When she does decide to escalate, it’s a careful and well thought out move. She might corner you in a quiet, isolated spot, where your fear is palpable, and she can enjoy the way your breath hitches when you realize there’s nowhere to run.

She’ll impose her massive size on you, blocking you in. Trapping you. It’s maddening, not know what her next move is.

And if you try to fight her, she’ll be elated. She couldn’t miss that small fire erupting in your eyes. A look nothing short of sadistic etching it’s way onto her face. It’s thrilling, she thinks. It’s almost cute, watching you aim poorly executed blows at her face and chest; your form is horrible, you’re doing more damage to yourself than anything. She’ll snicker, because it’s funny, and because she knows it’ll discourage you.

She’ll relish in this moment, she loves to watch the fire dim.

“Feeling brave, puppy?” She’ll sneer, and she’ll push you. Hard. It’s sends you backwards, just barely keeping your balance. Its the first time shes used her full force on you. “Fight me, then.” She’ll follow up with another shove, this one knocking you off your feet.

And she’ll bend down, gripping the collar of your shirt to reel you back up. “On your feet. Fight.” She doesn’t even have to hit you, she realizes. She’s just tossing you around, pushing and shoving and pushing and shoving. Watching you hit every corner in the room. “Fight back.” She’ll bark, but she knows that you won’t.

She can see it manifesting on you, clear as day. You’re tired; you can hardly keep your balance up. There’s small bruises forming on your shoulders and arms; from being shoved into different surfaces.

But there’s something else she notices as she grabs you off the floor again, your scared, tired eyes meeting hers.

That fire, it’s gone.

please let me know if you’d like to be added to my taglist to be notified whenever i post, xx

taglist: @opropheticsoul @randomperson291 @arevik2345 @gravegoer @d3eathnotes @nikaachuuuu

[hrrtshape]

hi emma!!!! i loved reading all your historical drs, have you ever considered being a writer omg!!! i was wondering if you could do one of ancient china or ancient korea! i’ve been setting up a nobility dr for each!

also, i started burning incense while i take baths, and omg if that’s even kind of like what it was in babylon im so thrilled for you. i feel like a princess.

a guide on how to survive in ancient china.

hello, intrepid time traveler. i’m emma, your self-appointed shifting guidée and general lifeline as you hurl yourself into the vast, intricate, and utterly fascinating world of ancient china. this is not for the faint of heart, OK??? you are stepping into a civilisation spanning thousands of years, shifting (pun not intended) dynasties, and mind-bending customs. you need to be prepared. the great wall won’t save you, and confucius won’t be there to give you a pep talk. so i will.

your survival depends on understanding the nuances of daily life, from the silk-clad heights of imperial courts to the dusty roads of peasant villages. let’s get into it. how to dress, eat, navigate society, and, most importantly, how to not offend the wrong noble and end up in a very unfortunate situation (and by that, i mean executed).

꒰ 𝐝ynastic context . . .where are you in time?

ancient china isn’t just a single moment in history. it’s thousands of years of shifting rulers, laws, and customs. each period has its own political and cultural landscape, so research where you’re landing. here’s a quick guide to some of the major time periods you might find yourself in.

shang dynasty ( 1600 – 1046 bce ) : the bronze age, oracle bones, and human sacrifices. if you’re here, be careful. early china was intense.

zhou dynasty ( 1046 – 256 bce ) : the age of confucius, the mandate of heaven, and the rise of philosophy.

qin dynasty ( 221 – 206 bce ) : the first emperor, legalist rule, and the construction of the great wall. harsh punishments, so keep your head down.

han dynasty ( 206 bce – 220 ) : the golden age of china. silk road trade, confucian ideals, and thriving arts and sciences.

tang dynasty ( 618 – 907 ) : the height of chinese cultural brilliance. poetry, tea, and flourishing trade. if you’re here, congratulations. you’ve landed in one of the best times.

song dynasty ( 960 – 1279 ) : economic prosperity, gunpowder, and great advancements in technology. just watch out for the mongols.

 　　　　　 　　　　　 　　　　　┊

꒰ 𝐰hat to wear.

fabric and style : if you’re nobility, you’ll be wearing silk robes with intricate embroidery. if you’re a commoner, it’s hemp or cotton tunics and pants. men and women both wear hanfu, the traditional robe-like attire with wide sleeves and layered skirts. hair : hair is a BIG deal. long, neatly styled hair is a sign of respectability. women will have their hair pinned up with elaborate ornaments, while men tie theirs in a topknot or wear hats. colours : certain colours indicate status. yellow is reserved for the emperor, so do not wear it unless you want serious trouble. shoes : cloth or leather shoes for commoners, embroidered silk shoes for the wealthy. lotus shoes (for bound feet) exist but are not universal.

❛ pro tip from your travel guide ! clothes often reflect rank, so don’t dress above your station unless you want to get called out.

 　　　　　 　　　　　 　　　　　┊

꒰ 𝐡ygiene and personal care.

bathing : hot baths were a thing, especially for the wealthy, but commoners bathed in rivers or public bathhouses. soap existed, but herbal infusions were more common.

teeth cleaning : chew sticks made of aromatic wood or herbal pastes.

perfume and skincare : scented powders and oils made from flowers and herbs were common, especially among noblewomen.

toilets : public latrines existed, often near marketplaces. rich households had chamber pots.

 　　　　　 　　　　　 　　　　　┊

꒰ 𝐟ood and what you'll be eating.

staple foods : rice (southern china), millet and wheat (northern china), vegetables, and tofu.

meat or fish : pork was the most common, followed by chicken and duck. beef was rare due to buddhist influence.

street food : dumplings, noodles, and grilled skewers were available in bustling markets.

tea : a must-have, especially in later dynasties. if you’re in tang or song china, tea culture is booming.

chopsticks : learn how to use them. forks are not an option.

 　　　　　 　　　　　 　　　　　┊

꒰ 𝐦oney and shopping.

ancient china used copper coins with square holes in the centre, strung together for convenience. paper money appears in the song dynasty.

everything from silk to fresh produce to exotic spices can be found in bustling markets. bargaining is expected, so don’t accept the first price.

trade : silk, porcelain, and tea are major commodities. if you want to make money, consider trading luxury goods.

 　　　　　 　　　　　 　　　　　┊

꒰ 𝐬ocial class.

emperors or nobility : untouchable. bow deeply, avoid direct eye contact, and NEVER question them. scholars and officials : the ruling class of confucian-trained bureaucrats. respect them. merchants : despite their wealth, merchants were looked down upon as lower-class (confucian ideals valued scholars over businessmen). peasants and labourers : the majority of the population, hardworking and tied to their land. if you're asking what were women’s roles, it varies by dynasty, but generally, women are expected to be modest, obedient, and skilled in household arts.

❛ pro tip from your travel guide ! bowing is essential. use honourifics, speak respectfully, and never address a superior informally.

 　　　　　 　　　　　 　　　　　┊

꒰ 𝐩ersonal safety.

crime and punishment : punishments are often brutal, especially under legalist rule (think qin dynasty). avoid breaking the law.

superstitions : witchcraft accusations or defying social norms can be dangerous, especially for women.

if you're travelling, roads are dangerous, with bandits common in rural areas. if possible, travel with an armed escort.

military : avoid battles unless you’re a trained warrior. war is frequent between dynasties and neighbouring states.

 　　　　　 　　　　　 　　　　　┊

꒰ 𝐟inal tips for a successful integration.

please.....learn basic mandarin (or classical chinese). speaking the language is key. written chinese changes over time, so be aware of your era.

adopt confucian values, such as respect for elders, duty, and harmony are essential cultural pillars.

stay in your lane, because blending in is survival. don’t attract unnecessary attention.

rituals, festivals, and ancestral worship are vital parts of daily life. follow traditions.

if all else fails, claim to be a wandering scholar or lost noble (but tread carefully).

congratulations!!!! you now have the basic knowledge needed to navigate ancient china without causing a diplomatic incident. or worse, getting yourself executed. step lightly, speak wisely, and drink your tea politely. happy shifting, time traveler!!!!!

( p.s., the pretty dividers were inspired by the ever-so-lovely @solanasreality and i think @elysian-fawn 's beautiful creativity possessed as i edited this. so. )

[partoffantasy]

FOURTH WING MASTERLIST

angst = ❤️‍🩹 | fluff = 💕 | smut = 💥 | none = 😇

Liam Mairi

❤️‍🩹 Nightmares | reader wakes in the night to find Liam trapped in the nightmare that is his past, haunted by the execution of his parents.

❤️‍🩹💕 Fool's Heart Part 1 ❤️‍🩹 | reader has always brushed off Liam’s flirting, knowing he never stays with one girl for long—but when she finally admits to herself that she wants more, she finds him with someone else. Heartbroken, she avoids him until he confronts her. Part 2 ❤️‍🩹💕 | Liam, overwhelmed with guilt for using other girls to distract himself from his feelings for reader, desperately seeks her out after she walks away from him in class to make everything right.

💥 Massage | after days of grueling extra training under Xaden’s command, Liam is sore and aching all over. When he complains about his back pain, reader takes matters into her own hands.

💕 Love Letters | while Liam is away on a mission, he leaves behind a series of handwritten notes for reader. As she finds them hidden in her daily routine, they become her anchor, a reminder that no distance can truly separate them.

💕 Dancing in the Rain | caught in a downpour, reader drags Liam into the rain, fulfilling a childhood dream of dancing with someone she loves.

💥 Playing Dirty | when their latest round of flirtation turns into something more, reader finds herself on the losing end for the first time. Because Liam isn’t just playing anymore. And when he finally makes his move, she realizes—maybe she never stood a chance to begin with.

❤️‍🩹 Between Heartbeats | reader has always had Liam by her side, but it takes almost losing him for her to realize what he truly means to her. As she fights to keep him alive, she’s forced to face her own feelings—before time runs out for both of them.

Garrick Tavis

💥 A Bet Well Lost | What started as a playful bet between Garrick and Y/N quickly turns into an intense game of desire, neither willing to break first—until the tension becomes unbearable.

❤️‍🩹 Broken | Garrick finds himself frantic when reader is taken for the brutal Rider Survival Course (RSC), and after four agonizing days, he finally sees her again—bruised, battered, and barely conscious.

😇💥 Tension and Takedowns Part 1 😇 | when her friends suggest she find someone to release her tension, reader finds herself watching Garrick spar, and her friends waste no time teasing her about it. But when she’s forced to face Garrick in the ring, the heat between them intensifies. Part 2 💥 | Y/N, unable to sleep, trains in the gym late at night, trying to push thoughts of Garrick from her mind. Frustrated and overheated, she decides to use the men’s showers for their stronger water pressure, thinking no one will be there. However, Garrick walks in, and the tension between them becomes unbearable.

Aaric Graycastle / Cam Tauri

💥 No Strings Attached | Y/N and Aaric share a complicated, no-strings-attached arrangement that mostly works—until it doesn't.

💕 Drunk on Trouble | Aaric finds himself unwillingly roped into reader’s drunken antics—especially when she decides he’s the perfect person to cling to for the night.

💕 Hold Me Closer | Aaric casually pulls Y/N away from Sloane, masking his need for affection behind indifference. But as he holds her close, she knows the truth—his father never taught him warmth, and now he craves it more than he’ll ever admit.

💕 Accidental Sleepover Part 1 💕 | After an exhausting late-night study session, Y/N accidentally falls asleep on Aaric, only to wake up tangled in his arms, much to his smug amusement. Part 2 💕 | reader tries to pretend nothing happened after that night in the archives, but Aaric is determined to keep reminding her of their intimate "study session," pushing her buttons every chance he gets.

😇 Echoes of the Inevitable | during tense negotiations on the Isles, reader witnesses a side of Aaric she never expected—commanding, brilliant, and dangerously compelling.

❤️‍🩹 When the Dawn Fades | Aaric’s signet has always warned him of the inevitable, but when the time comes, saying goodbye to the love of his life proves to be the hardest part.

Bodhi Durran

❤️‍🩹 When Words Hurt | after a heated argument shatters their year-long relationship, Y/N isolates herself in guilt and confusion, while Bodhi struggles with the depth of the pain she caused.

😇 Self Control | reader relentlessly tests Bodhi’s self-control, teasing him with subtle touches and close encounters, determined to make him break.

Dain Aetos

❤️‍🩹 A Chance Too Late | Dain Aetos spent years convincing himself that pushing Y/N away was the right thing to do—until he saw her moving on with someone else and realized too late that he was losing the only person who had ever truly mattered.

[gi4hao]

some vernon x acts of service fluff for you ♡

vernon dyed his hair black this morning. he kind of loves it, and he hopes you will too. obviously the execution isn’t perfect; there are some dark stains on his ears and his forehead and he ruined two t-shirts in the process. but he knows how much you love that color on him.

this afternoon, vernon did some shopping. he needed a new shirt and he remembered the pretty bracelet that had caught your eye last time you were in town. he hopes you’ll be happy when he gifts it to you.

and this evening, vernon cooked dinner. it’s not done yet, but it will be in about thirty minutes. mingyu sent him an easy yet sophisticated recipe which he followed to the letter, and it turned out pretty well, at least on the outside. he hopes you’ll like it.

it’s past 7pm when he hears your key turn in the front door’s lock. the oven is a bit greasy, there’s oregano spilled on the counter, the wrapping of your gift is a little messy, and his ears are red from his attempts to remove the dye from his skin. perhaps from stress too.

and suddenly it hits him. he feels stupid. what if he’s doing too much? it is too much, isn’t it?

“hi handsome” your voice pulls him out of his panic as he exits the kitchen, his hands a little moist. you’re ready to lean in for a kiss, it’s almost muscle memory at this point, but the sight of his hair makes you pause.

“love it. and love the new shirt”, you reply, letting your hand brush against the strands of hair on his forehead before finally going in for the kiss. “what’s that smell? did you cook something?”

his ears turn a new shade of red as he grabs your arm to lead you to his living room. “i did, but you don’t wanna go in there right now”, he warns you, grabbing your arm to lead you to the living room instead.

it’s rather unusual for vernon to look so agitated, especially around you. you look at your surroundings, trying to notice anything different.

“is everything okay?”

he nods, a bit faster than usual, before digging his hand in his pocket and pulling out a small gift with a wonky ribbon on top.

“got you a little something today. but you can return it if you don’t like it, or even if you change your mind in a few days. or weeks. or even months, really.”

you’re only now noticing the dye stains on his skin, which draws a chuckle out of you. he looks so frantic it’s almost comical. without a word, you put the gift aside and stand up, pretty sure to know what this is all about.

“i already know i love that gift. i’ll love it forever and i would not trade it for any other. ever. because it comes from you, and that’s all i want.”

completely unfazed by how easily you saw right through him, he looks down at the hand you’re still holding, the one with a brand new silver ring on his fourth finger.

your words were heard and understood, but you can feel him internally tiptoeing around what’s really on his mind. his eyes, however, carry the same sweetness they always do when he looks at you.

“this is gonna sound really dumb but, i just want to make sure you don’t feel pressured to love… my gift. or to commit to it. i promise i won’t be mad if you tell me you don’t want it”, he tells you, grabbing your other hand to get a look at your own ring, the exact same as him.

it’s now 7:25pm, meaning that it’s been almost 24 hours since vernon has gotten down on one knee to ask the most nerve-wracking question of his entire life. 24 hours since you were legally allowed to call him your fiancé, a much awaited upgrade from the ‘boyfriend’ status.

last night had been a dream come true. but this morning, an uneasy feeling had started crawling into vernon’s mind, making him feel like maybe that dream of his would never come true after all.

dyeing his hair, making dinner, buying gifts, he had really thought about doing anything in his power to keep you from second-guessing your answer from yesterday.

still, nothing would calm his mind except maybe hearing the words from your mouth.

“i’ll love your gift because i love you. and because i spent the last 24 hours on cloud nine, thinking about how lucky i am that you proposed”, you told him in your calmest voice. “i’ll be honest, i even spent my entire day practicing saying “my husband” instead of “boyfriend”… and it sounds really, really nice.”

and that is the exact moment when the crushing weight of doubt and insecurity is lifted from vernon’s shoulders.

he still feels a bit stupid, but in a way that feels great, warm and almost comforting. for the second night in a row, he’s overwhelmed by the pure yet simple feeling of knowing his love is perfectly reciprocated.

“so… does that mean you still want me to be your husband?” he asks with a relieved smile as you trap him in the tightest hug, one hand running in his freshly dyed locks.

he loves you and you love him, that’s the one thing he doesn’t need to hope for. he knows it, and oh how he loves knowing it.

[contemplatingoutlander]

It has fallen to me, the humor columnist, to endorse Harris for president

Isn’t this what a newspaper is supposed to do?

I love that The Washington Post satirist Alexandra Petri took it upon herself to endorse Harris for her paper after Bezos pulled the plug on the editorial board doing so. This is a gift🎁link, so feel free to read the entire article. Below are some excerpts:

The Washington Post is not bothering to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election. (Jeff Bezos, the founder of Blue Origin and the founder and executive chairman of Amazon and Amazon Web Services, also owns The Post.) We as a newspaper suddenly remembered, less than two weeks before the election, that we had a robust tradition 50 years ago of not telling anyone what to do with their vote for president. It is time we got back to those “roots,” I’m told! Roots are important, of course. As recently as the 1970s, The Post did not endorse a candidate for president. As recently as centuries ago, there was no Post and the country had a king! [...] But if I were the paper, I would be a little embarrassed that it has fallen to me, the humor columnist, to make our presidential endorsement. I will spare you the suspense: I am endorsing Kamala Harris for president, because I like elections and want to keep having them. Let me tell you something. I am having a baby (It’s a boy!), and he is expected on Jan. 6, 2025 (It’s a … Proud Boy?). This is either slightly funny or not at all funny.  [...] Well, that world [the baby will be born into] will look very different, depending on the outcome of November’s election, and I care which world my kid gets born into. I also live here myself. And I happen to care about the people who are already here, in this world. Come to think of it, I have a lot of reasons for caring how the election goes. I think it should be obvious that this is not an election for sitting out. The case for Donald Trump is “I erroneously think the economy used to be better? I know that he has made many ominous-sounding threats about mass deportations, going after his political enemies, shutting down the speech of those who disagree with him (especially media outlets), and that he wants to make things worse for almost every category of person — people with wombs, immigrants, transgender people, journalists, protesters, people of color — but … maybe he’ll forget.” “But maybe he’ll forget” is not enough to hang a country on! [...] I’m just a humor columnist. I only know what’s happening because our actual journalists are out there reporting, knowing that their editors have their backs, that there’s no one too powerful to report on, that we would never pull a punch out of fear. That’s what our readers deserve and expect: that we are saying what we really think, reporting what we really see; that if we think Trump should not return to the White House and Harris would make a fine president, we’re going to be able to say so. That’s why I, the humor columnist, am endorsing Kamala Harris by myself! [color/ emphasis added]

How far The Washington Post has fallen into the "darkness" it used to work so hard to ward off to help keep our democracy alive.

[edited]

[autisticlenaluthor]

symptoms of malnutrition the yellowjackets would’ve suffered from

as a reference for writing, headcanons, etc

hair loss. it would be coming out in clumps, all over their pillows when they sleep & especially when they brush it. the texture would also change: it would become oily and stringy

brain fog and impaired cognition. their ability to process things would be slower, they’d become forgetful, have trouble holding conversations, and so on.

in the same realm - they’d have a harder time creating & executing plans, reading, and writing. essentially anything that requires complex thought

extreme and irrational irritability/aggression

other mood swings such as intense sadness & anxiety

fatigue. but not just being tired- physical disabling muscle aches to the point where it feels like their bodies are too heavy and difficult to move. fatigue so bad it takes all their energy to sit up and keep themselves upright - let alone put clothes on

orthostatic tachycardia, dizziness, blackouts, fainting

nausea and acid reflux from empty stomachs. their organs quite literally trying to eat themselves - it isn’t painless

acne & skin that’s simultaneously dry and oily

nail breakage, blue fingernails, and no nail/hair growth

anemia: pale skin, dark under eye bags, dead looking eyes, chapped/broken lips

reoccurring dreams about food and debilitating cravings

and even more than just this - so i might make a pt 2 if anyone’s interested

[wordsofwhimsy]

❀ꗥ～𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧 ～ꗥ❀

❀ꗥ～ Part Four ～ꗥ❀

Pairing: Main!Mark Grayson x Southern Belle!Reader

Warnings: None

Tags: Fluff, slice-of-life, Mark’s just down bad okay – bro’s never gonna be okay again

Word Count: 2,253

Synopsis: By some grace of God, Mark’s found that he’s fallen into a lunch routine with the most beautifully sweet woman he’s ever known – you. When you bump into each other at the grocery store, you take pity on his tragic shopping cart and decide to cook for him. Mark is absolutely floored (and possibly already planning your wedding). He gets ready for the night like it’s the most important event of his life. And for him, it really is. This isn’t just dinner—it’s destiny.

a/n: Rrrr probably gonna do a time skip after this to them being in a relationship – thoughts?

read part three ❀ꗥ～Here! ～ꗥ❀

It’d been a few weeks since that first muffin under the tree.

And somehow—miraculously—you were still sitting with him.

Not just once. Not just out of politeness. Every day.

Sometimes William was there, sometimes not (Mark couldn’t decide which was worse), but no matter what, by the time lunch rolled around, you were always in your usual spot beneath that wide old tree, pastel lunchbox in hand, blanket smoothed out like something out of a storybook.

And every time, Mark tried to play it cool. Tried not to act like his entire day revolved around that thirty-minute window. Tried not to count the seconds until you looked up and smiled at him with that sunbeam expression, like he was the one brightening your day.

(And he failed. Every single time.)

He even tried to contribute one day—showing up with a Tupperware container of his own, full of something vaguely resembling “lunch.”

That had been… an experience.

“Oh, you cooked this?” you’d asked, looking at the charred, unevenly-seasoned spaghetti with genuine interest.

Mark had puffed up, weirdly proud despite the fact that it looked like it had come from a gas station vending machine.

“Yeah,” he said. “I mean—I tried. Figured I’d return the favor. You’ve been making all this great stuff for weeks…”

You’d taken one bite.

Chewed.

Paused.

Then looked at him with nothing but gentle pity in your eyes.

“Oh, honey,” you said, all sweetness, not a trace of judgment. “Thank you. That’s real thoughtful of you.”

A beat.

“But don’t you ever do that again.”

And Mark just sat there, blinking.

He should’ve been mortified. Was mortified, technically. But also?

God.

You were just… so sweet. Even when you were delivering a culinary execution, you sounded like you were singing him a lullaby. Like you couldn’t stand to hurt his feelings—even if his food had just assaulted your taste buds.

Mark stared at you, heart fluttering with something dangerously close to full-blown infatuation.

She’s so nice, he thought, nearly dazed. She is literally the best.

And then, like it was nothing, you reached into your tote and started assembling an entire plate from a spread that could feed a small family. A mini Tupperware of mac and cheese. A warm biscuit wrapped in wax paper. Two slices of honey ham that smelled like love.

You set the whole thing in front of him, added a folded napkin like the final touch on a gift, and smiled like this was just what people did.

“Here,” you said, like it was the simplest thing in the world. “No use lettin’ you starve on account’a your pride.”

Mark looked down at the plate. Then up at you. Then back at the plate.

Yep. That was it. That was the exact moment he fell in love.

—

Mark didn’t expect to see you at the grocery store.

He especially didn’t expect to see you in full southern regalia, standing in front of a pile of bruised tomatoes like you were about to write a formal complaint to the produce manager.

He stopped dead in his tracks, cereal box halfway to his cart, and just stared.

Because there you were—ruffled dress in soft, fluttery layers, tiny pink ribbon in your hair, pastel tote slung over your shoulder like you had to be at a picnic in five minutes. You looked like the opening scene of an old western that took place entirely on a wraparound porch with lemonade in crystal glasses.

And Mark?

Mark’s brain blue screened instantly.

It was like seeing a butterfly at a gas station. You didn’t belong here, under this soul-sucking lighting and mind numbingly dull music. You belonged in a meadow. Or a painting. Or maybe just his life, permanently.

You looked up, eyes lighting up as soon as you saw him.

“Well, if it ain’t my favorite lunch date!” you called, waving him over with that same sunshiney smile that had been haunting his dreams for weeks.

He stumbled forward like he was being summoned.

“I didn’t know you shopped here,” he said, already mentally kicking himself because—of course you shopped here. People ate food. You were a person. He was a moron.

You tilted your head, amused. “Well I gotta eat outside’a school too, darlin’. I’m not a cartoon character.”

Mark laughed too hard. The cereal box actually fell out of his hand. He pretended it didn’t happen.

You turned back to the tomatoes, frowning delicately.

“Everything in here’s so sad,” you sighed, poking one with a careful fingertip. “Not a lick’a freshness to be found. Back home we had roadside stands, you know? Where the vegetables still smelled like dirt and sunshine. These…” You wrinkled your nose. “These look like they’ve been sittin’ in the back of a truck since last week.”

Mark just blinked at you, dazed. Sunshine. Dirt. Truck beds. It was poetry. You were poetry.

Then came the kill shot.

“There was this one farm near my granny’s,” you went on, adjusting your little purse like you weren’t saying the most devastating sentence of Mark’s life. “This farmboy worked there every summer—Lord, he could haul a crate’a cantaloupes like nobody’s business. Always smelled like hay and honeysuckle.”

Mark, who had never smelled like anything other than deodorant and despair, felt his soul ascend.

Farmboy??

Cantaloupes???

HAY AND HONEYSUCKLE???

Mark’s entire life plan reshuffled in real time.

“…I could do that,” he mumbled.

You blinked. “Hm?”

“What? Oh—nothing. Just. Farming’s… neat.”

You gave him a strange little smile. “You alright, sugar? You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“No,” he said quickly. “Nope. Just the produce. Lot of… vibes in this aisle.”

You narrowed your eyes at a zucchini. “They sure ain’t good ones.”

You glanced down into Mark’s cart.

It was… bleak.

Frozen taquitos, an alarming amount of microwaveable mac and cheese, two different brands of soda, and a box of cereal so sugary it could be classified as a biohazard. The only vegetable in sight was a sad little plastic bag of pre-cut carrots, and even they looked ashamed to be there.

Your hand went to your chest like you were catching your breath. “Oh, baby,” you murmured. “No.”

Mark looked down at the cart like he was seeing it for the first time. “What? It’s not that bad…”

You turned to him slowly. “Mark Grayson, I know for a fact your mama didn’t raise you to eat like a raccoon in a vending machine.”

Mark, whose mom had actually tried very hard to teach him to cook, looked appropriately shamed.

You tsked under your breath and gave the mac and cheese box a little pat, like you were comforting it before it got yeeted from the cart.

“This won’t do,” you said, already steering your own cart toward a nearby aisle. “You need somethin’ fresh. Somethin’ made with love. You need…” You turned over your shoulder, all glimmering eyes and righteous purpose. “…me to cook for you?”

Mark forgot how to breathe.

“I—yes? I mean. Sure. If—if that’s a thing. That could happen.”

You just smiled, slow and sweet. “Well good. ‘Cause you’re one sad lasagna away from a medical emergency.”

Mark once again found himself desperately trying to play it cool, and once again failed horribly. If he’d had a ring, he would’ve proposed right there between the canned beans and the chicken stock.

You didn’t even hesitate. You just pushed your cart onward with purpose, ruffles swaying as you marched back toward the good aisles.

“Come on, then,” you called over your shoulder, motioning for him to follow like he was a lost duckling. “If I’m gonna feed you, I gotta make sure you don’t go bringin’ home the wrong flour.”

Mark blinked. “Wait—you’re serious? Like, you’re really gonna cook for me?”

You gave him a look like he’d just asked if rain was wet. “Of course I’m serious. Someone’s gotta save your arteries, sugar.”

He trailed behind you, still not entirely convinced this wasn’t a hallucination. “I mean—just so I’m clear—you mean like, actually cook? For me?”

You rolled your eyes, but it was all fondness. “Yes, Mark. I’m not gonna throw a TV dinner at your head and call it a day.”

Mark’s brain: She’s making me dinner. I’m meeting her family. We’re naming our kids after her great-aunt Magnolia. This is happening.

Meanwhile, you were already tossing things into his cart.

“Self-risin’ flour,” you said, dropping the bag in with a practiced hand. “None’a that all-purpose nonsense, y’hear?”

Mark nodded dumbly. “Yes ma’am.”

“Buttermilk. Real buttermilk—not that watered-down junk. You don’t got a cast iron skillet, do you?”

“Uh—no?”

You clicked your tongue. “We’ll fix that.”

He watched as you built a grocery list out of pure instinct—cornmeal, baking soda, bacon grease (which you somehow had in a tiny mason jar in your own cart???), and a bunch of other ingredients he could barely pronounce but would now kill for.

“And I hope you like greens,” you added, eyeing a bundle of collards like you were evaluating a prize hog. “’Cause I make a mean mess’a 'em.”

Mark had officially stopped blinking. “You’re incredible,” he blurted.

You just laughed, breezy and sweet. “Lord, you city boys really don’t know what to do with a hot meal, do you?”

To you, it was simple. Southern courtesy. Feed the boy, show him a little kindness, make sure he doesn’t keel over before midterms.

To Mark?

This was courtship.

This was destiny.

This was love.

—

Some hours later Mark was lingering awkwardly near the kitchen counter, freshly showered and suspiciously well-groomed.

Debbie didn’t even look up from the cutting board. “So… who is she?”

Mark froze. “What? Who?”

Now she looked up, a single eyebrow raised in that mother knows all way.

“I gave birth to you, Mark. You think I don’t notice when my son suddenly starts brushing his hair before dinner?”

He tugged at his collar. “Okay, first of all—rude. Second of all… I mean, yeah. There’s a girl.”

Debbie leaned on the counter, full of quiet, smug mom joy. “Mhm. And?”

“She—uh. She invited me over. Tonight.”

A pause.

“...For dinner?”

Mark nodded.

And Debbie, knife still in hand, gasped like he just announced his engagement. “Oh my god, she’s cooking for you?”

Mark blinked. “Is that—like, a big deal?”

“Mark!” She set the knife down like she needed both hands to fully express the moment. “Do you know how rare that is? In high school?”

Mark shrugged, clearly trying to play it off. “She’s just… like that. Super sweet. Southern. Real southern. She called my cooking a crime but somehow made it sound like a compliment.”

Debbie tilted her head, heart full. “She sounds lovely.”

“She’s kind of… amazing.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I feel like I’m meeting her soul every time she opens a Tupperware.”

Debbie smiled. “You better be polite. You offer to do dishes. And you tell her thank you like you mean it.”

Mark nodded solemnly. “I already mean it.” Then, after a beat, he breathes, “…What do I wear?”

Debbie chuckled, soft and knowing. “Something clean. Something nice. You’re not just eating dinner, sweetheart. You’re being fed. That’s love.”

—

Mark stood at the bottom of the porch steps, staring up at the house like it had materialized from a daydream.

It was all soft wood and warm light. A pale blue door. White trim, slightly worn in the corners. There were flower boxes under the windows, each one blooming with cheerful, slightly unruly color like even the plants had a drawl.

The front porch was deep and wide, with a swing swaying lazily in the breeze and a pair of boots tucked beside the welcome mat. Wind chimes clinked gently above the door, and somewhere in the distance, a dog barked like it was guarding the edge of the world.

Mark swallowed hard.

Of course this is where you lived. Of course.

It wasn’t just a house. It was a setting. A vibe. He could already picture it: summer afternoons, mason jars full of lemonade, the sound of water trickling from a backyard creek where hypothetical children with wild curls and big imaginations would go looking for frogs.

He checked his shirt—button-down, navy blue, not too fancy but definitely not casual. Slacks. Actual slacks. He hadn’t worn slacks since the last funeral he attended, and somehow this felt just as intense.

And in his hand?

Flowers.

Just a small bouquet from the nicer section of the grocery store. Pale yellow daisies and soft pink something-or-others. He wasn’t a botanist. He just hoped they looked like he tried.

Mark stared at the door.

Then the flowers.

Then back at the door.

“Okay,” he muttered, shifting from foot to foot. “Not a date. Not a date. It’s just… dinner. With a girl. Who invited you to her actual home. And is cooking for you. Who you think about constantly. Who may or may not be your entire future. Not a date.”

He closed his eyes. Took a deep breath.

Then climbed the steps and knocked.

A second passed. Then two.

And then the door opened, and there you were.

Ribbons in your hair. Apron tied around your waist. That same slow, sweet smile that knocked the wind out of him every single time.

“Well hey, sugar,” you beamed. “Right on time.”

Mark forgot every word he’d ever known.

“…Hi.”

read part five ❀ꗥ～Here! ～ꗥ❀