#do people hear themselves when they talk?

[drdemonprince]

any advice for coping with being on the receiving end of a public callout ?

Oh yes:

Do not acknowledge the callout publicly. It will only further its spread, lend it legitimacy, cause you to be interpreted as guilty, and convey to anyone who bears you ill will that you are rattled and feeling socially threatened.

Do not act out of urgency. One of the ways that cancelled people get themselves in far worse trouble is by spiraling due to anxiety and rushing to issue a statement about what has happened, or to attempt to socially manage public impressions about what has happened. Do not do this. Anything that you say will be picked apart and used against you. The situation is truly not as urgent as it might feel. A lot of times, doing nothing and being quiet is the best way to proceed, and the dust will settle better if you do.

Do not issue a public apology. If you truly feel that you have wronged someone, that conflict should be worked out in private with the people you have directly affected. You do not owe the anonymous public audience a damn thing. Do not apologize for something you don't honestly believe that you have done wrong. Take time and really think about what happened, and seek the counsel of people whom you trust in PRIVATE.

Do not attempt to disprove the callout unless you have crystal clear, smoking gun evidence that the person who accused you is actually victimizing you. And even then, probably don't do it. I have only seen a disproof of a callout work ONCE, and that was when Juniper Abernathy revealed the person cancelling her had been abusing her. Even if the facts are on your side, acknowledging the accusations will only make more people aware of them, give your detractors ground to criticize your every word, and will muddy the waters and make people find the situation confusing and troubling rather than clear.

GET THE FUCK OFFLINE. Delete your social media apps for the time being. Turn off notifications. Turn off DMs requests. Change your settings so that you only ever hear from people you already follow (I do this, on the advice of Philosophy Tube). Get away from the computer.

Connect with IRL friends. When you're wrapped up in a cancellation, the negative opinions of a handful of foaming at the mouth freaks loom way larger than they actually are. And social media dramatically skews our sense of social priorities such that the approval rating of complete strangers starts to seem more important than people we actually know, and trust, and who actually know us. Go get a meal with a buddy. Watch a dumb movie. Talk to your grandma about her plans for her garden. Surround yourself with real people you care about and focus on their life and problems, to help put things in perspective.

Find distracting, active, rewarding activities that bring you out of the digital space and into physical reality. Not everyone is talking about you, not everybody hates you, most people have no fucking clue what has been said about you, and most people do not give a fuck about you (that's good). There are so many areas of life that are completely fucking untouched by what a bunch of social media power users have to say online. Go volunteer to clean up a park, run some errands, take an exercise class, foster a dog, regrout your bathroom, knit a hat. Even if the worst case scenario happens and a cancellation sticks, it's really only among a certain very vocal group of miserable fucking people. There is a whole world around you that will not ever care, and you will have a life outside of this.

Good luck!!

[cashmoneyyysstuff]

what you’ve come to find out about the outside world is that there are people everywhere and that everywhere is loud.

people are walking quickly, some of them are talking loudly on the phone. others are walking more slowly, or in groups. they’re even louder.

you’ve been walking around outside for a while now, there’s more noise than when you’re back home. back home, everyone mutters to themselves or are completely silent. the people in the white coats are always behind glass when they look at you and you cannot hear them.

the people here look at you too, but it feel different. they don’t write on clipboards when they do. some eyebrows furrow while others raise. they look at you curiously. you don’t think you like it much. an older woman stops you and asks you where ‘yourmother’ is. you’ve never heard that name before, so you walk away.

you somehow find yourself at a place with people that look like you. they are also in groups. and they are also loud. they play on weird constructions you’ve never seen, you think they might be strange, new training devices.

you feel something cold and wet touch your forehead. you know you’re not bleeding so it must be something else. you look up and another wet drop falls right on top of your cheek.

oh. rain.

the people that look like you are nowhere to be seen now, all running away somewhere else. some of them still scream and smile, running around in the rain. you don’t understand how that could be enjoyable at all.

you’ve managed to find a spot to hide from the rain, it still feels cold. you wonder when it’ll stop. you wonder if father and the others are already on their way to come catch you. it scares you, you’ll probably have to move soon.

“what anime is that from ?”

you jump when you hear someone speak, you look at them and they look at you, so you know they were talking to you and when you’re talked to you always have to respond.

except you don’t know what to say.

your mouth opens and closes, you make a noise of confusion. the person, a boy who also looks like you also looks confused.

“your outfit, what show is that from ?”

huh ?

“you a cosplayer ?”

huh ??

you know he speaks your language, you understand some words. except the last one.

“coz..player..?” you ask. the boy who has red eyes frowns at you. you don’t think you’ve ever seen that color before. you like it.

“yeah..you don’t know what that is ?” the boy with the red eyes looks at you strangely, you don’t like how long he’s been looking. you don’t like not being able to do something right. because that’s bad.

you shake your head, because you don’t know. “what’s with that get up then ?”

you understand that he means you’re clothes. you don’t think there’s anything wrong with them, they’re best for practice missions and training. you simply shrug.

the boy moves around a bit, he clicks his teeth. his red eyes are squinted. he has a bag in his hand and it crinkles as he moves to hold it better. the thing he has above his head is stopping the rain from touching him and casts a shadow over his eyes.

“you’re uber weird.”

you have no idea what that means. but you don’t think you like the tone of his voice very much. you stay quiet.

“you’re parents not here to pick you up ?”

you shrug again, because you don’t know.

“…you got somewhere to go ?”

you look up at him, he’s still looking at you strangely, you realize them you’re shivering because he’s brought his device a bit closer to you.

you don’t know where to go, so you shake your head. his eyes widen just a bit before any surprise is gone once again.

“we can stop by my house, you’re soaked.”

you take too long to answer, because he squints at you and starts pulling your hand and along with him somewhere only he knows the way to.

his hand is very warm, you notice.

[themasterofo]

To My Readers

Please bear with me while I take a somewhat more serious tone today. I've been wanting to write something like this for a while now, and finally got to putting my thoughts down.

I have always kept an eye on you readers who like and reblog my stories, and it has not gone unnoticed that, in addition to girls who more-or-less match the submissive female character I write, many of my readers are lesbian, or trans, or even sub men. Some of you I've chatted with in the past, even to the point of giving permission to rewrite my stories, altering some preferred biology and/or gender details.

I dislike virtue signaling for its own sake. I find a lot of it distasteful and self-serving, but I also know that statements of support can mean a lot to people who may not be sure that they are welcome. So it's in that spirit that I did decide to write this.

Assuming you are an adult, and that you are not a predator, you are welcome here.

Whether Dom(me) or sub, whether male, female, or anything else, and whatever genitals or body you were born with or have managed to make for yourself, you are welcome here.

I write about denial from my particular perspective, which includes my own sexuality, orientation, and gender. In my mind, the man in my stories is me, and the girl is an afab girl. Because of this, you'll hear talk about his cock, her cunt, and things like this. But, if that doesn't match you, and you still want to read, and if you identify with any part of my writing, you have my absolute blessing to take whatever liberties you wish in your own mind. Not that you needed my permission, but maybe for some it might help.

To be clear, for my own part, I'm not really interested in interacting sexually with sub men, or with girls who don't match the physical type of person that I'm attracted to (girls with a cunt). I don't mean any offense here and I hope that none is taken. For me, life is too short to do anything other than follow what makes you feel authentically happy, and that's part of what does. But it costs me nothing to accept the gender or sexuality that someone identifies with themselves, and I consider it a matter of kindness and decency to do so.

But I am also happy to chat with anyone in about denial and so forth, as long as there is respect and if I have the time (the latter being a larger issue these days!)

So in summary, welcome. If you're a sub, I hope you find inspiration here, and I hope you can learn to edge more and cum less, if you agree with me that this is what's probably best for you. If you're a Dom(me), I hope you enjoy the stories and maybe get some inspiration and ideas to take responsibly to the sub(s) in your life. I tell sub girls they don't have my permission to cum when reading my blog, but if that doesn't resonate with you - you do you. And if you want to imagine that my Dom character is a woman, or that the sub character has a cock, or whatever else will make bring you some happiness, just do it.

[hwnglx]

one of my longest readings so far; reading for him was very pleasant for me! enjoy 🖤

ni-ki's ideal type

based on tarot. i do not know these idols personally. energies are always changing. what i say is NOT straight fact. pls take it with a grain of salt!

physical traits

intimidating, powerful and strong presence. stands out in the crowd. more cold and detached look. doesn't always show much emotion on their face. unapproachable aura. the type to just sit there and distantly gaze into the air, as if they were in a different world. pale skin. rounder features (face-shapes, noses, eyes,..). well put together, takes good care of themselves. neat and clean style. nicely built, slim with curves. he can feel drawn to anyone attractive, doesn't matter if foreigner or non-foreigner.

personality traits

so, ni-ki is a very multi-faceted guy. in my spread here, he came out as; on the one hand, the passionate, fiery and impulsive knight of wands, but also the slow-moving knight of pentacles. these two sides of him represents his personality in general, and his approach to love. both very different, but evidently present in his life.

in general, ni-ki is a freedom-loving and independent person. he enjoys not being closely tied to anyone, mostly doing what he himself wants to do and not having to match and adjust himself to another person. therefore, he needs someone who doesn't get immensely attached to him, especially emotionally. if you want an extremely consistent and obsessive boyfriend; ni-ki probably isn't the guy for you. he'd want someone who is understanding of his special circumstances (busy schedule) and personal needs (freedom), which both require there to be a certain detachment to him. if you're so deeply invested in the relationship to the point where you keep clinging to him, relying on him too much and being emotionally dependent on his availability.. you're likely to get heartbroken.

having that said, ni-ki is much more emotional and sensitive than what meets the eye. with that sun square moon, his personality and inner emotional world differ majorly. he might not showcase it openly, but he'd enjoy the existence of a nurturing and loving person by his side, who will provide him with the emotional understanding and affection he needs.

ni-ki seems to have a tendency to hide a lot of his more complex and intense sides, out of worry that people won't understand, or perceive him a certain type of way. i'm in his energy, and i keep feeling this discomfort when it comes to showcasing and talking about some inner feelings in an open manner. he doesn't like people viewing him as dramatic, or overly emotional (is he a virgo rising..) and often just feels more comfortable keeping his feelings to himself.

therefore, he needs someone who can have enough patience, and understanding towards his habit of opening up slowly. someone who can cultivate a comfortable and empathetic atmosphere, that makes him feel welcomed and understood for everything that he is; including his insecurities. he needs someone who won't take it personally, or misunderstand him for sometimes detaching himself when he has a difficult time.

he seems to be quite drawn to beautiful people, like he gets all 🥰✨ mesmerized when he spots someone he finds attractive. especially femininity is something that attracts him a lot. someone who displays this aura of elegance, kindness, gentleness and softness. he likes people who are intuitive and courteous when it comes to looking after their loved ones, almost like it comes naturally to them. i keep hearing and thinking of this cancer-archetype.

ni-ki is also attracted to talented people. he likes it when someone is skilled in a certain field, has their own passions which they go after in this ambitious manner. like a person who's just amazing at what they do. he likes how that'd match him in his own strong ambition, so they could bond over it. instead of being these overly clingy lovers, he likes the thought of almost being like these close best friends, who support each other in their individual pursuits and interests, but at the same; know each other better than anyone else, and are there for each other in times of difficulty.

i remember anon telling me he mentioned choosing love at first sight as his preference, but i honestly just think that's his dreamy and idealistic pisces moon hoping and speaking 🥹 he seems to get these little crushes and infatuated with people at first glance, and loves the idea of love at first sight; but actual love rarely works that way for a slow cap venus

him as a boyfriend

+ he has such excited energy here, it's cute. it seems like he truly enjoys the idea of being in a relationship that brings a sense of happiness and warmth into his life. it's interesting because in the spread before, he appeared as the knight, but in this one, he appeared as the king. he feels like being in a relationship with someone, taking on the role as a boyfriend, would make him evolve and mature mentally and emotionally. i think this task of having to match yourself to another person and actively considering them, their needs, their perspectives, will be a relatively new experience to him. he'll feel like he needs to step up, and take on more of a leading role.

i can see him being a boyfriend who reflects a lot behind the scenes. he really wants to do his best. it's giving this seemingly detached, but actually much more invested than you think, type of boyfriend. although he won't be as direct in his expression, he'll put a lot of consideration and thought into what he'd like to do with you, what he'd like the future to look like together. there is a tsundere vibe here haha. like a boyfriend who seems kinda cold, but actually takes care of you in this subtle manner, is much more attuned to your personal needs than you thought.

it'll showcase itself more in the way he acts.. like wordlessly giving you his jacket to wear if you were cold, or having chosen your favourite movie to watch at the cinema. like, not even having to ask, of course he remembered because you mentioned it once before. or taking you to this specific place you once talked about connecting a lot of special memories with; you being surprised he even considered or remembered it that exactly. little things like that that'd prove his interest and liking towards you and take you by surprise. he'd plan a lot of things, i can see him loving the thought of planning fun dates. going on various trips together, and finding out each other's interests through new activities.

ni-ki is very responsible in general (i mentioned before that his awareness of responsibility is impressive for his age) so, there is this energy of him just truly feeling responsible to make his lover feel considered, and cared about. like “now that i got this beautiful person by my side, i better put all my effort into this.” he's not someone who puts importance into any power-dynamics though, and likes the relationship to feel balanced. both parties will have a say in it. he'll love to find out about his lovers interests and desires, and work on finding a middle ground to make special memories together.

- this is something i've mentioned above, but ni-ki can just get very avoidant when it comes to confronting his negative emotions. he's very sensitive and pretty soft-hearted, but doesn't want to burden anyone with the weight of his feelings. so if you two ever get into a hurtful argument; he can be prone to shutting himself off to process his emotions, essentially give you the cold shoulder.

as much as he appreciates the existence of his partners; he's still an independent and free spirit at heart. he won't like his lover clutching on him too tightly, or sticking their nose into his business too much. he will want them to respect and consider his need for freedom. ni-ki can be quick to feeling suffocated and restricted, he doesn't want to feel like him being in a relationship would mean he'd have to sacrifice any of his own values or priorities, which include his work and career. i can sense him just being extra-sensitive and defensive when it comes to this topic, and it displaying a potential source of conflict.

ni-ki is very “i know how to take care of myself, so please don't tell me what to do.” he doesn't want anyone commanding him around, or thinking they're more aware of what's good for him. he needs his lover to trust him, and allow him to have his space and freedom to move in his own pace, and according to his own will.

[annoyinglandmagazine]

You know that whole scene with Klaus reuniting with Punch and Judy/ Adam and Lilith? That already gives me so many emotions but I ended up accidentally making it worse with headcanons about their previous relationship that I hope at some point will make it into a fic:

Bill and Barry never really grasped the way constructs were treated outside of Mechanicsburg. They don’t really get the concept that something like that could matter so much to people, that they would actively view people as less than human for a few stitches or an extra limb. That the insanity of Mechanicsburg could actually be an improvement on the rest of the world that supposedly cared about morals in this one thing that they’d never even questioned before.

They try, they really do, they get righteously furious about it every other week, but they never really get it. They’re more confused than anything when Klaus and Judy tell them they should be the ones to ask for boarding while travelling anonymously because they���re less likely to be turned away.

They don’t notice that Punch and Judy take certain adventures more personally than the rest of them do, the way they went all still when hearing a monologue about constructs taken as ‘spare parts’ by Sparks that insist it doesn’t count because they’re not people anyway. Even worse the supposed ‘heroes’ they work with to take down rogue Sparks and then turn around and insist that the job isn’t finished until they purge the area of the Spark’s creations as well.

They’re complaining about their professors and Klaus explains why he dislikes one of them by casually bringing up that he had a pet theory of a ‘sliding scale of humanity’ and he once derailed a lecture by trying to place Klaus on it. They are horrified and murderous and Klaus becomes the first person to marvel at how sheltered someone was growing up in Mechanicsburg.

So there is always a certain connection between Punch, Judy and Klaus over this in particular because they know that Bill and Barry can’t possibly understand. Not like they do. And it’s important, to Punch and Judy entering an outside world for the first time and having it reject them even as it grows used to and even welcomes the Heterodynes but not them, never fully. Heterodynes can redeem themselves with enough determination but how can you redeem yourself when your only crime to begin with was existing?

It’s important to Klaus who knew relatives and friends who looked like they had to force themselves to say his name without flinching because they didn’t really believe it was him they were talking to. University was a fresh start but it took years for him to break the nervous habit of adjusting his cuffs and collar to cover his skin because it was just exhausting to watch the way people changed once they noticed.

Sometimes they talked about it but most of the time they’re just there for each other and that’s enough. Also they’re all way more willing to get into a fight on someone else’s behalf than their own so it gives them a nice opening to beat the shit out of bigots.

On an unrelated and slightly less angsty note I also think that Punch and Judy were sort of the mom friends of the Heterodyne adventures. They got into the habit of spending a considerable amount of their lives trying to make these insane twenty somethings get some rest every now again and the rest of it complaining (Punch naturally had a sign language that the Boys may have invented specifically for him but communicated perfectly adequately through Looks as well) the constant, stupid risks they took to their own lives.

When it became clear that they couldn’t have children Bill and Barry couldn’t feel more terrible about it, they spent ages trying to come up with a solution but couldn’t imagine one where there was an ironclad guarantee of no amnesia. Klaus suggested adoption since they were so good with the orphans they came across but, though it wasn’t ruled out, Judy half jokingly made comments about how she was busy enough with ‘her boys’ anyway so she didn’t need children for now.

Klaus finds it easiest to talk to Punch sometimes because he really listens and waits until he’s finished speaking to offer input when it’s wanted (it usually isn’t). He’s also exceptionally good at reading non verbal cues which is helpful because Klaus always had some kind of allergy to talking about anything personal.

Judy knows about Lucrezia and Klaus. She’s fairly certain Bill is the only one of them who doesn’t. She personally thinks both of them would be a lot better off with someone else, anyone else really. She distrusts something in Lucrezia’s eyes when she’s around them, calculating and almost predatory, but then both of them had unusual ideas of what constituted romance. She doesn’t like it but she doesn’t say anything. Years later she’ll wish she had.

When Punch and Judy hear that Klaus is back from the dead and annihilating all the warring nobility’s armies that cross his path they think ‘Well something else is clearly going on there but that does sound a little like what Klaus would do if he went off the deep end to be perfectly honest.’

They find out he’s conquering an empire and that sounds a lot less like Klaus. Then Barry returns in a complete panic, holding his niece like a lifeline and talking about how Klaus is working for the Other.

It’s a struggle to even contemplate it, the same Other that killed Bill’s infant son and most likely Bill as well, the Other that destroyed the Wulfenbach barony and massacred its people, including Klaus’ own parents, the Other that ravaged Europa sending it into a state of utter chaos. They know Klaus. They’ve known him since he was reckless eighteen year old who just wanted to make the world a better place. They know him.

But…… A few months ago they would have said the thought of subjugating the continent would never cross Klaus’ mind, that he’d never do something like that. He wasn’t that kind of Spark. On their bad days the boys used to talk about what would happen if either of them ever crossed ‘the line’ and though they’d all reassured them that they never would Klaus had promised in complete sincerity that he wouldn’t let them.

No one had ever thought that Klaus might need to have a line. He never even properly lost control of a fugue, he didn’t forget morals in the heat of the moment, every decision he made he’d stand by years later as the right one. He took things further than the boys sometimes but that was because he’d concluded it was for the best and he didn’t need a strict code the way they, still wrestling and redirecting those Heterodyne urges inside them, did.

They also knew Barry and he wouldn’t ever be able to believe something like that if there’d been any other explanation. Barry had known Klaus too.

Basically I’m never going to get over the tragedy that is this group of people because they were friends! They were probably the first real friends any of them had had! They were so young and optimistic and they decided they were going to start fixing things because no one else would. They thought the world could get better and people deserved second chances and for a while it actually worked and it meant something and then it blew up in their faces.

Everything falls apart worse than it was when they started, they lose everyone close to them and they wonder if the world was ever really going to change at all. When the era of the Heterodyne Boys comes to an end they don’t face it together the way they always thought they would if they failed. It ends with all of them are separated and so disillusioned that they’ll believe that even their closest friends would betray them and humanity in the worst way possible.

[ladykailitha]

Of Butterflies and Backstrokes Part 5

Hey guys!! Things are finally starting to move in this story, I'm not sure how much longer we have, but I just started Eddie's training, so whooo!!

In this we have Eddie being dumb, fixing it, and then apologizing properly! He can be taught!

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

~

Robin smacked the back of Steve’s head as she walked past. “No staring. It’s creepy!”

Steve ducked his head and blushed. He had been caught staring so many times today that, yeah, it was starting to be a little creepy now. But in all fairness, Eddie was staring right back. A thought that sent Steve spiraling. But like in a ‘oh shit, that’s hot!’ way.

Which he really, really needed to tamp down on, because yes, the guy was eighteen, but like barely.

“You should just go talk to him,” Robin encouraged gently. Because for all her teasing, she knew how important it was for Steve to talk to him about his swimming.

Steve nodded. He had time until his next class. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He walked up to Eddie and flashed him his patented Harrington smile.

“Hey, you’re Eddie, right?” he said warmly. “Robin tells me you like to swim on Saturdays, yeah?”

Eddie blinked at him for a moment. “Um, hi. Yup! That’s me. My mom used to call me her little fish.”

Steve grinned. He liked that. He wished his mom had taken that kind of interest in his swimming. “I saw you swimming when I was helping Joyce set up for the party last weekend and you were really good! Did you compete in high school?”

“Nah,” Eddie said with a shrug. “I wanted to, but I couldn’t get someone to take me that early in the morning so I stopped. Competed in middle school, though. I was decent enough, I guess.”

Steve was shocked. To have to stop just when you hit your stride must have been quite the blow.

“That fucking sucks, man,” Steve said with a grimace. He scratched his cheek thoughtfully. “You ever think about competing on the national level? Because I really think you could.”

Eddie rolled his eyes with a scoff. “Yeah, right. I couldn’t afford the coach let alone all the traveling I’d have to do to make it to meets. I’m going to have to pass on that one.”

“There’s actually a program here for people who can’t afford it,” Steve hedged. “Robin used it when we both first started out.” He was fighting back the urge to start biting his nails.

Eddie’s eyes narrowed and Steve gulped. “Is that so?” He nodded. “Well ain’t that nice. Still not interested.”

Steve wished the floor would swallow him or that pool would suddenly flood or that he’d get a brain aneurysm and die, right there on the spot. He pursed his lips together and nodded with his whole upper body. He turned on his heel and walked away.

When he was about to the other side of the pool, Eddie called out, “Who would even want to coach me?”

Steve turned around with a grin. “I would.” Then he spun on his toes and walked out of the pool area to the cool fresh air of the hallway.

~

Once Steve was out of the pool area and into the hall, he had a full on panic attack. He sank to the floor and held his head in his hands. Why the fuck did he offer to coach Eddie? He didn’t know Eddie, he was afraid of deep water, and he hadn’t even talked to Joyce yet.

It was a real mess now, but the words just forced themselves from him and now he wants to gobble them back up. Well maybe they’ll just avoid each other from now on. They had done a pretty good job up to this point, they could just continue as normal and forget all about how Steve made a fool of his himself.

Then slowly he began to come out of his panic attack to the sounds of soft words and the gentle rubbing of his wrists with their thumbs. His breathing evened, his heart rate dropped, and his eyes fluttered open.

The eyes looking back at him were warm chocolate brown and deeply concerned. The angel in front of him said something but Steve couldn’t hear. Then all at once all the sounds came rushing back into the hall. And suddenly there were more people in the hall with him than he thought. In addition to Eddie who was the one holding his hands, Robin and Joyce were there too.

“I think he’s coming around,” Joyce said gently as Steve’s eyes focused on her. “Hey, there, Steve. Are you okay now?”

Steve gulped, nodding. He was feeling better. In fact he didn’t have a pounding headache like he usually had after an episode. “My head doesn’t hurt.” He looked over at Robin in confusion. “Why doesn’t it hurt?”

“Uh...” Eddie said hesitantly. “I might have something to do with that. I used some calming techniques my friend’s dad showed me.”

Steve turned to him, mouth open in awe. “Oh. Thank you.” He didn’t know what to do with that because technically it was his conversation with Eddie which caused the panic attack in the first place. But maybe that’s why Eddie helped, because he knew he’d caused it. That was a nice thought, Steve supposed.

Eddie smiled and stood back up. “I have to get back to work. You take care of yourself, okay Stevie?”

Steve nodded and Eddie slapped his hands on his knees, standing up. He muttered goodbye to the two women and then wandered off.

As Robin helped him to his feet, she said dryly, “I take it the conversation didn’t go well.”

He barked out a laugh causing Joyce to look back and forth between them in confusion. So Steve put her out of her misery. “I was telling him that he was good enough of a swimmer to compete, but I think he thought I was mocking him or something, because he kinda blew me off.”

He rubbed his temples for a moment before adding. “I even offered to coach him.”

Joyce blinked at him for a moment. “You offered what now?”

When he looked up both Robin and Joyce were looking at him with large, wide eyes and slack jaws. “Yeah, that’s kinda what started the panic attack if I’m honest. I know I am like the worst person for the job with all my...” he waved his hand helplessly. Then he snapped his fingers. “Issues. Anyway. It was nice of him to help me out after all that.”

“Dingus...” Robin said with a heavy sigh. “What were you going to do if he accepted?”

Steve grimaced and ducked his head. “Have you help me?” He looked up at her through his eyelashes and batted them, pouting.

Robin pushed his shoulder. “Disgusting!” Then she gave him a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. “Of course I’d help you.”

“I think it would be perfect,” Joyce blurted out. They both turned and looked at her. “This place could use the publicity if I’m honest. There are other pools in Indy that have been bringing in the bigger names. So if Eddie accepts and starts training under five time gold medal champion Steve Harrington...”

“Then this place could start bringing in the big names again,” Robin said. “Not to say that Steve isn’t a big name of his own,” she added when Steve’s face twisted into something like offense.

Steve shook his head. “Which isn’t going to happen because he said no.”

Joyce and Robin sighed. There was that. But they knew they shouldn’t go trying to pressure Eddie into it. Plus, despite how good he was there was no telling he’d be on par or better than his younger peers.

Steve and Robin left Joyce standing there, pondering her dilemma.

~

Eddie chewed on the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. He was grateful that the technique worked, but he was pretty sure that he had caused the attack in the first place. Which was... not good. He could have handled the offer to have him trained to compete a little better. Steve was paying him a compliment and he threw it back in his face as charity. He didn’t need charity not from no one.

There was no two ways about it. He was going to have to apologize. Which was never his strong suit. But he’d do it. He just wasn’t going to take Steve up on his offer. He would see about staying on here as paid help because then he could still have access to his beloved pool.

It took him a couple of days but finally their schedules matched up and Eddie was on his break and Steve had time between classes again.

“Um, hey,” he said timidly, sauntering up to Steve. “I just wanted to apologize for being a bitch on Monday. I was rude and that wasn’t fair.”

A slow smile spread out over Steve’s face. “Thanks. I did just spring it on you without an preamble, so...”

Eddie laughed. “Yeah, there was that. But it still was mean and I should have been nicer.”

“Well, you made up for it by helping me with the panic attack afterwards,” Steve said. “I’d say that makes us even.”

“A panic attack I’m pretty sure I caused.”

Steve winced, confirming the worst of Eddie’s suspicion on that one. Steve rubbed his chin thoughtful. “I’ll tell you what, if you teach Robin and Joyce that technique you used to pull me out of my panic attack, then we’ll be even.”

Eddie smiled that sweet closed mouth smile that melted Steve’s insides when he saw it. “Sure thing I can do that. On Saturday before the crew swim. I’ll teach them both.”

Steve’s shoulders relaxed. That was going to be so useful, having multiple people know how to get him out of an attack would make it easier for him to go out in public. Something that was very limited after the incident in Beijing.

“That’ll be great, thanks.”

“You should come too,” Eddie suggested. “I know you don’t like being in the pool, but you could come hang out and have a little fun for a change.”

Steve gasped dramatically. “What do you mean? Isn’t teaching beginning classes meant to be fun?”

Eddie’s eyes went wide. It took him two seconds long than it should have to realize that Steve was joking him. He pushed Steve’s shoulder playfully.

“At least with us,” he teased, “we won’t try and drown you, deliberately or otherwise.”

Steve tilted his head to side and looked at him in confusion. Where the urge to bite those cheeks came from, Eddie will deny knowing until his last breath. “I saw that snotty teenaged little shit try to pull you into the pool. That’s fucked up at hell.”

Steve’s smile was blinding. “Fair enough. I like getting to sleep in on Saturdays, but we’ll see.”

Eddie grinned back. “I never used to get up this early for school. But ya know, keeping out of jail is pretty inspiring.”

“I could see that, yeah,” Steve agreed. “It was the one downside being on the swim team in high school.”

“You went to a regular high school?” Eddie asked tilting his head. “I would have thought after getting fifth in your first Olympics you would have gone to a special school for kids that are huge in sports or whatever?”

Steve blinked at him for a moment. “Do they have schools like that?”

“They do for like actors and shit,” Eddie said with a shrug. “So I assumed they would have something similar for the jocks.”

Steve laughed. “Yeah, no. That would have been preferable.” He shook his head. “But no, it’s much more cut throat that than that. Pretty much, schools try and poach students from other schools to make the best sports teams.”

Eddie’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait, really?”

“Yep!” Steve said beaming at him. He looked up at the clock on the wall. “Look, my next class is about to start. So I really should get going. Especially with Joyce’s son in the class, I don’t want to be late.”

“Why is he starting so late?” Eddie asked. “I would have thought with Joyce being in charge of the rec center and his older brother literally being a trainer too, he would have been in the tots class.”

Steve nodded. “She didn’t get the manager position until five years ago and Will was afraid of the water by then. So they just waited until he was ready.”

“So he’s ready now?” Eddie asked curiously.

“Mhmm,” Steve hummed. “All his friends are going to be in the class with him, so he ready to hop in the pool with them.”

Eddie smiled. “That’s cute.”

That surprised a huff of laughter out him. “Sure is. But don’t tell him that. He’s at the age where cute is akin to baby and well...”

“He’s too old for that?” Eddie finished.

“Yeah.”

“I feel that,” Eddie agreed. “Have fun in your class, and remember you can always make it look like an accident.”

Steve laughed out right at that and waved goodbye. Eddie watched him go feeling better about the whole panic attack thing. Now all he had to do was make sure it never happened again. Or at least not by his own big fucking mouth.

~

1-@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @cryptid-system

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @justforthedead89 @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman

7- @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lingeringmirth

8- @gutterflower77 @a-lovely-craziness @just-a-tiny-void @w1ll0wtr33 @beelze-the-bubkiss

9- @chameleonhair @sadisticaltarts @dreamercec @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @mac-attack19

10- @aol19 @eriquin @tartarusknight @gloomysoup @morallyundefined

[year2000electronics]

Ayoo! A question for your monster falls au. Did the twins' parents know about the monstrous aspects of the town prior to sending the twins there?

And, before Tourist Trapped with the kids turning into monsters, did Stan & the gang disguise themselves magically in anyway? Same for when the agents arrived; is the monster-aspect of the town a well-kept secret or do only a few people know?

their parents did not!

so i imagine the town of gravity falls in monster falls is kind of, like, an open secret to the rest of the world? yknow, since gravity falls in canon has LITERALLY a bunch of anomalies, unicorns, gremloblins, GHOSTS, SCANDALS ABOUT PRESIDENTS, MULTI-BEARS, and yet somehow nobody really talks about that much weirdness contained in one town? yeah, that applies to monster falls too.

heres what people will usually tell you about the town.

theyve never heard of it (doesnt matter if there would be amazing things happening in town, if they havent heard of it in canon, why would they hear about it here?

anyone who passes by the town assumes that the monster curse is a local myth, and that anyone who looks like monsters is dressing up and being gung-ho about the myth. usually to drum up tourism. (think like how point pleasant in west virginia has a mothman statue and mothman musem, and salem massacheussets is pretty much only thought of as 'the town where the witch trials were'). the agents dont believe dipper that he is "LITERALLY A DEER-TAUR YOU GUYS DO YOU NOT HAVE EYES???".

see, i like purposely keeping this vague, much like gravity falls the show likes to keep gravity falls' barrier/natural law of weirdness magnetism purposely vague (they never answer their "chicken or the egg" question with regard to the UFO crash!) but i definitely have been implying that the curse is almost "sentient" in a way, and works in a specific manner to keep people it thinks are staying in town in town, and will actively work to keep tourists as tourists if theyre not "cursed" enough. so there's almost a SUPERNATURAL amount of plausible deniability. remember too in boss mabel where dipper showed tourists a gremloblin and they went "honey you can see the strings" while pointing to the gremloblin hair. THATS THE VIBE! its ridiculous how little the outside world notices whats going on here.. BUT THATS THE POINT!!

[imaginesbymonika]

Futile Devices | Part 2

Pairing: Noel Gallagher x childhood-best friend!reader

Plot: There's nothing quite like realizing your feelings once it's too late. But what would life be without a speck of hope?

Previous part

(1990)

You always loathed clubbing. There was just something about the combination of a crowded space with loud music and the heinous smell of alcohol mixed with puke that sickened you to the bone. And you didn’t understand why it didn’t disgust most people. Your best friend Noel, happened to be one of those.

“Well, you do like going to concerts.”, he argued, observing your every move while getting dressed. You had no idea when this ritual of getting ready together started, but you didn’t really mind it. A soft sigh left your lips:” That’s just different. I go to concerts where I enjoy the music. I get what I paid for.” He only nodded.

You swallow (more than) thickly, while you make your way through the crowd towards the club toilet. The impulse to vomit just got too much. Not because you’re intoxicated, but because someone who stood very close to you puked right in front of your feet. The light at the end of the tunnel (which in this case happened to be pink and purple) came into sight and you let out a relieved sigh. However when someone grasps you by your upper arm you almost fall to your knees.

You instantly turn your head after managing to stabilize yourself and make eye contact with a very, very drunk man. Fear builds itself up in your stomach while you realize that his head is coming closer. You desperately want to take a step back, however, when your bare back comes into contact with the stony wall your eyes widen. You’re trapped, while his fingers dig themselves into the flesh of your arm.

“Oi. Sweetheart.”

For a second you consider vomiting into his face, however, before you can do anything there’s a fist colliding with his cheekbone. A small shriek escapes your lips while Noel steps into view. “You twat!”, he shouts over the unbelievably loud music:” I am going to kill you.” There’s something in his eyes that implies, that he might actually do it, considering the smell of alcohol that envelops him like an aura field.

„Noel!“, you say, clearly your throat before repeating it louder. He stares down at the man, who is sitting on the floor holding a tooth in between his fingers:“ If you touch her again, I swear to God I will kill ya.“ Whenever he got angry, his accent came out. And right now his accent has never been denser. „Let’s leave, Noel.“, your hand moves up to softly shake his shoulder and it’s only when you two finally make eye contact that his gaze softens. He nods. You quickly take his hand before guiding him through the mass towards the exit.

As soon as the big metal door falls shut behind you, you can hear his soft and husky voice:” Are you okay?” His hand is still in yours, holding on to it tightly, while his gaze roams your features - revealing nothing but genuine concern layered with something more. You can only nod before you let go of him to take your pack of cigarettes out of your purse. Out of the corner of your eye, you can catch a glimpse of how he looks down at his now empty hand.

With slightly shaky hands you place one cigarette in between your lips. “Y/N.”, he suddenly lets out:” I’m sorry. I should’ve been there to protect you.”

“But you did.” “Not quick enough.”

A sigh leaves your lips. “You know, I am always-.”, he stops talking and his eyes anxiously roam the street, it’s almost as if he’s attempting to figure out what he wants to say:” I’m always looking out for you, I just want you to know that.”

You nod and he mirrors it. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Want to go home?”

“Yes, please.”

[mayapapaya33]

I'm rewatching Exu: Calamity and I think they made a mistake with the name. The real title should be Exu: Actually, Vasselheim has good reasons for how it operates, even if they're dicks about it sometimes. Maybe it was too long, so they went with the snappier CALAMITY! Instead lol.

The end of the Calamity was only 840 something years ago. With Elves and dragons running around, some of them are definitely old enough where, if they didn't live during the Age of Arcanum themselves, their parents or grandparents would have and they would have been told a thousand stories of the fuck heads in flying cities who destroyed the world and were super annoying and dangerous long before they did that. Many more would be born during the latter part of the Calamity or raised by people who survived the Calamity who passes on those stories. Depending on the race we are talking anywhere from direct witnesses (Like the Bright Queen and Ludinus) to like 2-5 generations removed. Even humans with our short lifespans, it's really not THAT long, especially if you've got a bunch of old ass elves around teaching history class from a first person pov for like 500 years lol.

Intellectually people know that Critical Role, the world of Exandria is a post apocalypse story. Exandria is a scarred landscape that is just beginning to bounce back from the brink. But because it is recovering, it's easy to forget sometimes that it IS POST APOCALYPTIC. So people looking at Vasselheim in the modern day are like, 'bro, you really need to chill, everything's fine.' And Vasselheim is like... 'Chill? I do not understand the meaning of this word. And everything is fine... for now. We will be a bastion of civilization when the end times come once more. Fare thee well traveler.'

Then everyone rolls their eyes and moves on with their day. But if you really think about Vasselheim's isolationism and strength and distain for arcane magic in historical context, you can't really blame them. Are they over the top about their dislike of arcane magic? Sure. Is it quite possibly the most understandable over reaction in the history of over reactions? Also yes! They haven't made it illegal, they are just going to keep an eye on you, so you don't pull a Vespin Chloras and doom the planet to another few centuries of choked skies and sundered landscapes, that's all. Vespin was IN Vasselheim! Of COURSE they have strong feelings about it. The (Almost) End of the World began in Vasselheim due to arcane magic. If they had been stricter, maybe it wouldn't have happened at all!

And it really does paint their actions in Campaign 1 in a different light as well. Their isolationism can come across as shortsighted and selfish, until you view it from their point of view. Which is that they are constantly under threat, they know for a fact that Asmodeus wants their city destroyed, they are a bastion for the Prime Deities in a world filled with many heathens (lol that's where the dickishness comes in) and the Betrayer Gods would take any sign of weakness in their defenses and attack with glee. Hearing it in C1 it sounds like an excuse not to help against the Chroma Conclave, but it is literally just the truth from what I can tell. In BOTH Calamity and Downfall they have mentioned destroying Vasselheim being on the Betrayer God's to do list lol. If I was on a Betrayer God's to do list specifically, by name, I too would be somewhat paranoid and would not really want to disarm any portion of the city to go do something else. No matter how important the something else might be.

Vasselheim was basically like; Look, I'm very sorry to hear about your Dragon problem, that sucks, truly, but if we go out all willy nilly and leave this city undefended, it'll be fucked when we get back. When you have a real plan, come back and get us and we'll join you for the big fight. Until then, it's up to you, here you can have Kima as well, she's been desperate to get out of here anyway, and here's some supplies. We have larger concerns than one continent being attacked by four ancient Dragons. We are the seed bank for civilization for when shit inevitably hits the fan. We are the doomsday bunker for the Apocalypse, four Ancient Dragons are terrible, but they are not the Apocalypse. And they are right. Looking at it all in context, The Chroma Conclave are small potatoes. Horrific, monstrous, life destroying, but compared to the threat Vasselheim is preparing for, nothing.

They are the doomsday preppers of Exandria, except the threat is real and they are only letting their collective trauma and ptsd inform their decisions a little bit. They are actually fairly rational all things considered. This city withstood the entire Calamity. The stewards of the city must feel an enormous weight and responsibility to keep it safe going into the future. Imagine the pressure. Are you going to be the one to fuck it all up, after thousands of years? Sounds like a nightmare to me. The level of devotion and conviction required to keep something like that going is incredible.

[cyberclouddream]

Mercury Signs in the 12th House

PART ONE

Based on signs for Mercury in the twelfth house. Mostly represents behaviors that are unrealized by the native because they’re subconscious or unaware they’re used to mask insecurities.

Aries get lost or debilitated by their tendency to make their desires super-cede.

- frequently rush to interrupt other people or share their own thoughts, like cutting off others mid-sentence, talking over others, or steering conversations back towards themselves, often out of a un acknowledged fear of being ignored

- they may repress their frustrations or anger in a way that leads to passive-aggression later on, like smiling and nodding in a disagreement but later making sarcastic remarks that confuse others about their true feelings

- may ghost friends or colleagues instead of addressing issues directly, like choosing to avoid someone entirely rather than have a difficult conversation

- since their mind races between different thoughts rapidly, they can go into tangents in conversations quickly and often in a way that may seem ignorant or confusing to others

- frequently zone out in conversations or meetings because they fantasize about their own aspirations or desires, which can lead to others feeling like they’re talking to a wall

- good at generating ideas enthusiastically but not following through with them or leaving them half-finished that make the point of them questionable

- often choose to observe rather than participate in conversations, convincing themselves that others wouldn’t be interested in what they have to say

- can procrastinate to the point of paralysis out of fear of making the wrong choices out of the attempts

- their versions of events can change every time they tell it, leaving others confused or doubtful about their credibility

- can secretly measure their success compared to others in a way that leads to envy and make them act distant instead of support, often without realizing what they’re actually doing

- they can bottle up their anger so much that it can lead to explosive reactions over seemingly minor inconveniences, since they avoided confrontation

- often defy things just for the hell of it, whether it’s by challenging authority figured or established norms because of their drive for self-expression and individuality

- often rely heavily in jokes or sarcasm to deflect serious conversations, which can make it hard for others to take them seriously

- often jump into relationships or friendships without considering compatibility

- may make calls, texts, or proclamations in the heat of the moment rather than reflecting in the bigger picture of why things occurred

Taurus can get debilitated by their desire to stick to what makes them feel safe at the moment.

- may not realize how much they argue just to prove that they’re right, often digging their heels further when facing disagreement

- often overanalyze details and replay them in their head, which not only paralyzes them but drives others insane because of their stubbornness and nitpicking

- may act like they didn’t hear something or change the subject when it comes to tough conversations, making others wonder why they didn’t just address how the feel when they finally exploded

- can take forever to respond and when they do it can feel half-hearted to others, making them feel neglected though they’re just struggling to deal with emotional discomfort

- secretly hoard thoughts and opinions about people or situations

- romanticize the past in way that make them unable to appreciate the present or make new memories

- can prefer solitude over interacting with others, fearing judgment; may focus on predictable preferences in interactions

- may have a slow and deliberate way of speaking, often pausing to weigh the potential impact of their words, which may be seen as thoughtfulness at times when it’s overthinking; awkward silence

- seems to have a firm tone or repeats phrases often when they discuss their beliefs or values

- prone to avoid eye contact and use closed body language when it comes to confrontation or anything that makes them feel overwhelmed mentally

- often steer focus on their pride in their possessions or material stability without realizing how often

- frequently gloss over subjects that are characterized by negative affirmations, like avoiding talking about uncomfortable perceptions or resorting to toxic positivity

- often use hesitant language to seek validation from others, like saying “i think” or “maybe”

Gemini can be illusioned by their need to see how they’re connected to everything.

- often end up rambling and not getting to the point because they struggle to articulate their thoughts clearly

- tend to dissect every word and interactions, worrying about whats said and how it was received; may rehearse conversations in their head which can drain their energy and leave no room for the unexpected

- may start multiple projects or conversations but leave them unfinished because something more enticing has their attention

- can switch from being highly engaged to completely disengaged in unexpected ways

- they like intellectual sparring so much that it can lead to mind games and other manipulative behaviors

- they tend to zone in conversations that lead to isolation or detachment in connections

- they constantly shift their views in order to defend their vulnerabilities, avoiding forming solid opinions to prevent conflict or commitment

- use humor as deflection from facing or processing their true feelings, like cracking jokes or using sarcasm in emotional discussions

- tend to be obsessed with communicating and learning, but rarely invest dedicated time to truly digest or apply anything they learn

- can get overwhelmed when there’s too many conversations happening at once, or when they obsessively overanalyze comments by trying to find hidden meanings, which can lead to unnecessary drama or conflict

- they might try to overcompensate for feelings of isolation by trying to engage in every social opportunity, which can leave them drained and realize that they don’t connect with anyone meaningfully

- may rely on using social media to communicate their emotions indirectly, which can further distance in real-life relationships

- tend to speak faster than they think, since their speech outpaces their thought process

- get impatient with people who take too long to grasp concepts or respond in conversation

- tend to blurt out secrets that they meant to keep private

- get uncomfortable with silence, whether it’s in conversation or in their own head

Cancers get lost in their biased perceptions rather than what’s actually going on.

- often resort to subtle hints or nonverbal cues to convey their feelings, like saying cryptically that they they’re “just fine” or “just tired” but expect others to read between the lines

- tend to whisper or speak in soft tones, which can make others ask them to repeat themselves often

- may out of the blue come to emotional realizations, like the truth about why something happened

- may do things like talk about their day and veer off into how it connects to their childhood

- may take criticism as someone doesn’t understand them, their struggles, or their efforts

- often talk about past experiences or memories in a way that makes their current life appear dull or unsatisfying

- even when asked to give objective advice their answers are tainted by emotional biases or personal fears

- may holding back sharing intuitive information or advice because they don’t know how to explain where it comes from

- tend to internalize the emotions others, like mentally replaying the suffering of others as if it’s there own problem to solve

- tend to resort to fantasizing about past memories, future worries, or a future where they feel more emotionally satisfied

- may pretend to be agreeable or lack rebuttals to avoid being criticized for speaking up, like “protective lies”

- can resort to emotional manipulation, like guilt-tripping instead of addressing issues directly; like saying “i guess some people don’t care enough to ask me how my day was”

- may delay making decisions for long periods of time because they have trouble separating what they feel from what makes rational say

- can hold onto the past in a way like avoiding making new friends because someone hurt them long ago and they subconsciously expect the same behavior

- can be unintentionally passive-aggressive through silence, like not responding to texts or giving one-worded responses

- tend to focus on the worst-case scenarios when it comes to whether they should commit to a person or activity

- tend to give overly cautious or vague advice, like “well, i think you should just follow your heart”

- may have emotional outbursts only at home

- tend to distrust evidence, like trusting how they perceive someone’s behavior than the truth

Leos get lost or debilitated for the constant need for validating the worth of the projections of their ego.

- can retreat into alternative identities or personas, like adopting a fictional identity or idealized version of themselves, even online

- often vanish from their social circles or withdraw without explanation, hoping their presence will be missed or noticed

- can prioritize getting recognized or praised for the idea of them being great rather than trusting their own significance

- often assume what they believe about themselves or what they deserve is more significant than the hard truth of their intentions, since they fear not being seen as perfect

- may speak to impress others with the idea of their specialness but this may not align with how they actually perceive their own self-esteem

- often offer guidance or mentor others in secret, feeling more comfortable influencing others in the background

- gravitate towards speaking or thinking about what’s connected to what they’re proud or not so proud of about themselves

- may heavily rely on music or art to express what they can’t put into words

- may talk in a way that seems like they’re playing victim or blaming external factors more often than not without realizing it

- take negative forms of affirmations from circumstances or people too personally, tying it to their sense of worth or perception, maybe without fully realizing how deep or subconscious these tendencies are

- may have secret mental competitions with others, which can reaffirm negative feelings when they feel like they “lose”

- often hold back expressing their ideas or feelings because they fear being misunderstood or not appreciated by others

- may convince themselves that they just move carefully and don’t care about what others think when deep down they do crave validation and fear rejection or judgment

- may get lost in imagining what they can accomplish or being admired so vividly that they lose touch with actually taking practical steps, so when come back to reality it can be a harsh reminder

- can keep hidden talents, accomplishments, or specialness hidden, waiting for the “right moment” to reveal it but get upset when others don’t realize their potential

Virgos can get lost or debilitated by their constant need to perfect what they can’t always control, or need to.

- often express their emotions or thoughts through complex analogies or metaphors, trying to craft comparisons that help comprehend their inner world

- use dry or self-deprecating humor to mask their feelings

- likes to use nature or introspective activities to retreat or refresh themselves

- may write or organize their thoughts, feelings, or experiences in a way that seems like a manual for themselves

- ask a lot of questions to full understand and convey what they want to say accurately, though it can seem like they’re overanalyzing to others

- tend to say things like “i think” or “maybe” very often because they second-guess themselves before speaking, and may say things like “i’m not an expert but”

- tend to use words that make them feel more competent but may alienate others who don’t share the same knowledge

- often steer conversations towards introspection which can lead be thoughtful but make lengthy replies that seem like overthinking

- when they write or speak they tend to mentally or literally edit words as they go, like correcting themselves frequently or rephrasing their thoughts

- tend to steer conversations to be more structured or focused on a certain agenda or topic, especially when subjects or ideas start branching off

- they find casual conversations challenging because they prefer discussing about topics they’re passionate or knowledgeable about, which can make socializing feel awkward

- often hold back how they think or feel until they feel confident in their understanding or articulation

- instead of asking about someone’s feelings or opinions directly they may ask hypothetical questions, mostly to invite deeper discussions without putting pressure on others

- likes to role play conversations or scenarios to process their feelings or gain perspective about meanings in interactions or situations

- retreats into intellectual discussions or research that convince then that they’re being productive while they could just be avoiding emotional engagement

- may unfairly compare themselves to others based on distorted perceptions rather than realistically assessing their own strengths

- prefer solving their problems on their own rather than seeking help from friends or family

- may have unusual ways of keeping themselves grounded, like self-soothing sensory or mental rituals

- often turn to obscure or esoteric texts because they believe that the answers can help with their inner turmoil

- may do a lot of extensive research or studying but keep their findings private instead of sharing with others

[halfblood-princes-crown]

Updating yall early so I don’t forget this

Ok so, I brought Lupin into the mix and the responses were hilarious

Ofc i already told them Snapes backstory, so they already know about Lupin and his Lycanthropy (The Prank)

So, initially they were talking about Snape and Lupin working together

My Boss: Well, he handled it professionally. I mean, to take time out of your day to make medicine to help him with his condition is mature enough. I understand his initial upset about it though, this man is clearly traumatized

My fav coworker: professional my ass, I wouldn’t work with someone who almost killed me. Involuntarily or not, that’s traumatic. So, obviously I’m childish, I would’ve quite on the spot HAHAHA

Then that’s when I brought up Lupin forgetting to take his potion

My boss: He almost killed 3 students and the teacher…again? What do you mean he forgot? What kind of bullshit haha oh my god. This is a fucking joke

My fav coworker: *Didnt know what to say*

Then I bring in Snape outing Lupin and the Marauders stans interpretation of that (comparing it to outing a gay person) and I also told them Rowling’s intended interpretation of Lycanthropy (AIDS)

My boss: So I’m supposed to believe he’s in the wrong for telling everyone there’s a werewolf in a school full of children? He already proved he can’t fucking be trusted! What?

My fav Coworker: Wait, so the fans are comparing this to being gay? In what world is being gay a danger to children? That says a lot. Either they like to hear themselves talk or they made that comparison on purpose

My boss: At least I can see what it would mean with the AIDS comparison. It’s not pretty, but it makes a lot more sense. A grown man with an HIV can’t control himself and yadda yadda. The gay argument was cognitive dissonance at this point, because didn’t you say this side of the books fanbase is very LGBTQ centered? My ass

Ngl…I never thought of that shit💀 I still hate the aids comparison but good points boys

I gave them the counter argument that he ruined Lupins life and that he could’ve been killed or denied any future jobs

My boss: Well, shit, he almost killed 3 children because he couldn’t drink a damn potion! Hang him for all I care. And that’s typically what happens in real life when things like this happen. Maybe he wouldn’t get death row, but he’d definitely be locked up, and if he gets out, he’s gonna have a hard time in society. Womp womp

My fav coworkers: You guys cancel people for less, are they defending him for almost killing children? And almost killing Severus AGAIN, oh my goodness. We’re doomed as a society HAHA

Then I brought up the curse on the DADA position

My fav coworker: SO SEVERUS TECHNICALLY SAVED HIS DUMB ASS? Oh my gooodddd!

My boss: wow, I’m done. Work time

So that’s the conversation on Lupin so far. Obviously there’s a lot more stuff to cover

[mswyrr]

thinking about how the sex scenes in The Handmaiden are about a sexual abuse survivor claiming consensual sex and pleasure for herself for the first time in her life and they’re important to her journey and the romance. and there are a lot of people who are like: NO. eeewwwww. grrrooossss. rip it up by the roots! ~bad representation~

[lottieurl]

will absolutely never cease to amaze me that people can watch yellowjackets and go. well it just sucks that jackie is much less interesting than shauna. and then proceed to list everything that we see of shauna After Jackie Dies. like can you please use your brain for a second the literal tragedy of it all is that jackie dies so young. that jackie dies before so much of the narrative happens that gives all those characters all their layers. like what are you even saying here

[feroluce]

When Al Haitham dreams, it's in shades of sandy blonde and red, metallic gold and feather-blue. His nightmares are colored much the same.

Kaveh leisurely strolls ahead of him, shoes leaving deep treads in the soft desert sand. He keeps a careful distance, arms length, and in return Al Haitham keeps an eye on him, the other man's back dead center in his sights.

He curses the sand in his boots and the long line of footprints he steps into, already the exact shape of the soles of his shoes.

They aren't lost. Al Haitham knows where they are. They've been here before. They are still here.

Kaveh doesn't watch their feet. His head is constantly tipped back with his eyes on the stars and their constellations (of which Al Haitham only knows two, Vultur Volans and Paradisaea). He'll walk right into a cactus like that. Al Haitham yells ahead for him to watch where he's going.

Kaveh reaches up to touch the side of his head in a strange motion, but otherwise there's no acknowledgement. They press on into the dark of night.

Something squelches beneath Al Haitham's boot.

It stops him short, pulls his attention like a magnet and as much as he wants to, he can't ignore it. He doesn't want to lose any more ground. But something won't let him move on. Al Haitham watches as red seeps into the golden sand, spills beyond the border of his bootprint until he slides his foot aside.

It's an ear.

It's a human ear, and there's a heavy earring attached, metallic gold, gems red and green, a familiar shape, a familiar shade-

Al Haitham opens his mouth to yell. Chokes. Swallows the lump in his throat as he quickly restarts his pace. Tries again.

"Hey!"

Another squelch under a hurried footstep. He doesn't stop to look. Al Haitham is pretty sure he knows what it is.

"Kaveh, hey!"

The path becomes littered, little slices and small pieces, fingertips and knuckles, Kaveh's arms once held casually behind his back now strewn along the sands. Every time Al Haitham extends his hand to him, reality warps and bends like the twisted image in a broken mirror, lines mismatched and edges jagged. Kaveh flits just beyond his grasp, fleeting fae, no longer able to hear him or to reach out to him. Al Haitham can only grit his teeth and follow.

His right foot marches forward. His left follows. His right again. His left suddenly doesn't follow, and Al Haitham is thrown off balance and pitches forward, swinging his arms outward to land on his palms and keep his face off the ground, because he's been in the desert enough times to know what a foot suddenly being stuck can mean.

Quicksand.

Al Haitham curses and swears in just about every language he knows as he tries to spread his weight as evenly as possible, stay afloat at the top of it because if he sinks, he knows he'll be done for, and shit, Kaveh.

His neck cranes uncomfortably in his search, Kaveh had only been a few feet in front of him, he can't be sunk much further, and he's in the desert much more often than Al Haitham anyway, he'll be familiar with what to do-

Kaveh stands in front of him, empty sleeves fluttering loose. Still just out of his grasp, still watching the stars. The quicksand is already up to his calves.

"Say, Al Haitham..." It's the first he's spoken this whole time. His voice resonates somewhere deeply nostalgic in Al Haitham's chest, produces a ripple that momentarily stuns his heart.

Kaveh is sinking.

Al Haitham stretches out on his belly as far as he's able, it's quickly up to his knees, Kaveh isn't even trying to redistribute his weight or pull himself out, it's at his thighs, Al Haitham sucks in a breath and yells for him, his hips, yells louder, his waist, Al Haitham's trembling fingertips can almost reach, his chest, Kaveh drops level with him, quicksand about his neck like a noose.

Kaveh's head tips back, back, impossibly far back, until it hangs, angle awkward, and he's looking right past Al Haitham with his tired smile and gouged, blinded sockets full of starlight.

"Do you believe in karma?"

The quicksand swallows him entirely and Al Haitham dives, shoves his arms deep and pushes off with the one foot he'd had left on safe ground, because he can't, he can't, it's not the same without Kaveh, not anymore, he needs him, no one else keeps him sharp, no one else challenges him like Kaveh, if he can just grab him, if he can just pull him back up-

Al Haitham thrashes, against the sands, against gravity, against the hardwood of his bedroom floor. Clumsily scrubs the back of his hand across his face to rub the grit of quicksand and sleep out of his eyes.

Sometimes he thinks he preferred it when the Akasha was still harvesting his dreams.

He pops his head out from under his weighted blanket and lays where he'd fallen out of bed for a moment, blinking blearily against the lamplight shining from his desk in the corner. Deep breaths. His consciousness shifts along the blurred line of nightmare and reality, crosses over the slow transition into wakeful awareness.

He's home, Kaveh is home. It's dark out. The house is dead silent.

He's just going to go check, he tells himself as he peels himself out of his sweat-soaked shirt and roots around for a replacement. He's already losing memories of his nightmare, the details spilling away from him like wet ink, but he knows he needs to see Kaveh. It'll feel better to do something, anything, than try to go straight back to sleep.

He's quiet when he slips out of his bedroom door, because they both keep late hours but their bedrooms are right next to each other, and Al Haitham will never hear the end of it if he wakes his roommate up.

Lights off, door shut. Nothing conclusive. He moves out to the main room.

Kaveh sits on one of those ridiculous sofas he'd ordered three of for some reason, back to him as he tucks a lock of hair behind his ear. A mostly-empty wine bottle stands tall on the table, next to the cobbled-together remains of an architectural model that's been picked and fussed over for four days straight now.

"Kaveh? What are you doing?"

This earns him an exaggerated startle, but Kaveh doesn't turn to look at him, preoccupied with whatever new sketch or blueprint he probably has in his hands. "Ohhh, nothing," he slurs cheerfully. "Just working. Just thinking."

Kaveh has always been the world's chattiest drinker. Al Haitham waits for the rest of it.

"Say, I think...I think I asked you this years ago, back then, but you never answered me." Al Haitham feels all the blood drain from his face in ominous familiarity, drip cold down the length of his spine. Kaveh sinks into the couch until he can tip his head over the back of it, looking up at him with a tired smile and exhausted eyes.

"Do you believe in karma?"

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

really wish my one friend would quit flirting with me. and trying to goad me into hanging out more. and assigning us fictional characters that are oh-so-coincidently either couples or with romantic tension. and then interrupting our gameplay to ask me repeatedly if I think they’re “like us” (which they rarely are…). and matching my icon on discord without asking (again, usually by insinuating a couple connection). and giving me random things I do not want and did not ask to receive (and then forcing me to take them???).

[royalberryriku]

Thinking about how "self defence" is considered okay until a country the west is not allied with does it.