#he's the antithesis of Nick...

[rachalixie]

a/n: you've read you when minho gets hurt but get ready for a fun new concept of minho when you get hurt!!!!

if you thought that you turned into a mother hen when minho got hurt, the antithesis lives in the way minho would react when you were the one in pain. he’s calm and he teases but he somehow always knows exactly what to do, even before you yourself know what you want.

you weren’t particularly a clumsy person, but everyone has times where their feet refuse to work or they nick themselves in the neck with their hair straightener - or in your case now, when you take the biggest sip of your tea, forgetting that you had just made it and it was a near-boiling temperature. you have to resist the urge to spit it out, and it feels like fire working it’s way down your throat when your muscles finally cooperate enough for you to swallow the burning sip. 

you must make a noise, because minho’s attention - which was previously trained on the way your cat was licking his paw - flips to you so fast you’re surprised you didn’t hear his neck crack. his eyes flicker all over your body, from your head to your fingers and down to your legs like he was looking for blood to be gushing out of you. he must see something in your expression because he melts a bit when he meets your eyes, scooting himself closer to you and letting you lean into his body.

“what happened, mine?” he says, words curled up with fondness. 

“i burnt my tongue,” your say with a wince, the shape of the letters sending pings of pain across your tongue. you glare heatedly at the cup of steaming tea you left on the table, sitting there in it’s false innocence. you stick your tongue out at him like a petulant child, the cold air from the room soothing the ache a little bit.

“let me see,” he cups your face in his hand, pulling you closer to him so he could get a look - you’re sure your tongue is ridiculously red, and the look on your face even more so. he peers down, his eyes crossing a bit and he looks so cute that you want to bite him. he smiles a bit, leaning up to press a kiss to your tongue, a quick thing that catches you off guard. 

an unintelligible sound leaves your mouth, muffled by the way his fingers are still squeezing your cheeks and your tongue is still peeking out of your mouth. 

“did i fix it?” he looks so pleased, like he truly believed that his kiss would heal your physical wounds. you don’t have the heart to tell him that your tongue is still stinging when you put it back into your mouth, but he has healed any distress you were feeling on the inside, so you just nod and snuggle into him, tea forgotten.

it was so silly, such a simple thing, but something about it made your heart want to burst out of your chest. god, you love him, with every fiber in your being. you love him for knowing you, love him for knowing that while coddling is what he needs, a distraction was the cure that would sooth your hurt in any circumstance. 

later, you’d be pouty all day until he caved to your wide shiny eyes and went to buy you ice cream to soothe your tongue. later, he would spoon feed you and babble at you like you’re one of his kittens, later he would flutter kisses all over your face and tell you that you’re never allowed to be hurt when he’s around. 

right now, you’re content to sit in his arms with a burning tongue as long as he’s there.

—

soft hours

[sometimesoliloquy]

"They're monsters!" "No, not him. Not him."

I was thinking some more about Holly's intense gut reaction to hearing about Nick. And it struck me that somewhat ironically, Nick is essentially the antithesis of the initial concerns we saw Holly voice in flashbacks when June started her relationship with Luke. June is not that young, complacent and somewhat naive person anymore. She's grown into a tenacious woman who's lived through a ton of shit and knows what she wants (well, mostly, she just has to finally figure it out--or at least finally admit it--where it comes to Luke). But one thing we know is she's found herself, her strength and her fight, like her mom always wanted her to. And while Nick may not be responsible for first sparking that rebellion in her--his overarching constant desire being to keep her (and Nichole) safe, of course--he has consistently been there, supporting and giving her agency, keeping her safe and sane and hopeful with his steady unfailing love. He's never acted as a distraction or hindrance keeping her complacent or "smaller", but as a loyal sounding board and accomplice, enabling June to be her best and truest and freest self (and wanting that for her, even if it means he doesn't get to have her). In fact he effectively acts as her knight, not in the sense to "save" her, but rather to serve her as his "queen" and highest purpose, to empower her to save herself--the most eloquently manifest example of this perhaps being his deliverance of Fred in the woods. And in all this, if not the spark, he has always been precious fuel to her fire.

And the sad irony is that Holly may not ever have a chance to see this and be heartened in the knowledge of the love her daughter found--the kind that builds you up, never down--because he's "on the wrong side" and so to her can't possibly be anything but the enemy. (GIVE NICK A CHANCE, MAMA HOLLY)

[nerdraging4point0]

Said and Done (Noah Sebastian and reader) Part Two

Tropes and Tags: friends to lovers, third person female POV, multiple POV, angst, 18+ content, voyerism, exhibitionism, public sex, public adjacent sex, oral: female recieving, oral: male recieving, infidelity, PinV.

Fanclub: @lma1986 @friedchildblaze @skulliecadaver-blog @rumoured-whispers @missduffsblog @ladyveronikawrites @tearfallpixie @alwaysfightforwhoyouare @mysticdoodlez @beaker1636

As she tossed her phone carelessly onto the passenger seat, the device slipped down between the seat and the door with a muffled clatter. She let out an exasperated sigh, already feeling the familiar tension building inside her. Noah had been relentlessly trying to get her to come back to him, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Their relationship was a tumultuous rollercoaster, filled with equal parts passion and drama, and she was simply exhausted by the whole thing. At that moment, as she drove towards town to pick up her dinner, she just wanted a break from the chaos.

Suddenly, a notification pinged through the car's speakers, and a robotic voice announced that a new text message had arrived on her phone. Against her better judgment, she pressed the "Read" button, and Noah's words filled the vehicle. Despite the artificial tone of the AI assistant, she could practically hear Noah's trademark sass and charm in the message. She rolled her eyes, torn between the allure of his charismatic personality and the nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her that this cycle of drama would only continue if she gave in.

The pull between them was inexplicable, an undeniable magnetic force that defied all logic and reason. From the moment she first encountered his captivating presence, she was utterly spellbound. There was an effortless charm and allure to him that was simply impossible to resist - his striking good looks, his soulful eyes, the way he carried himself with a natural, almost vulnerable grace. And what made it all the more maddening was her own willingness, even eagerness, to surrender to his pull. Despite their relationship being nothing more than a casual physical entanglement, there was an undeniable, almost primal connection between them that went far deeper.

Their story had begun innocuously enough, three years prior at a party where his standoffish, reclusive nature had been a stark contrast to her bubbly, outgoing personality. She was friends with his bandmate Nick long before she'd even met Noah, their families' histories intertwined in a way that had once led everyone to assume the two of them would end up together. But the bond that blossomed between Noah was entirely unpredictable, defying those expectations.

It was that chance encounter in Noah's room, when she'd gone to coax him out of his solitary confinement during the party, that truly set the stage. Mesmerized by the raw emotion and talent in his voice as he sang, she found herself utterly captivated in a way she'd never experienced before. From that moment on, the die was cast - an undeniable, almost primal attraction that would ensnare them both, no matter how much logic and reason tried to fight against it.

When she first met him, he was a lanky, uncoordinated mess - all long, gangly limbs and a mop of shaggy hair that framed his endearingly goofy, boyish face. He was the antithesis of the confident, assertive men she typically found herself attracted to, the ones who exuded an almost aggressive masculinity. At first glance, this awkward, gangly creature didn't seem like her type at all. And yet, there was something undeniably charming and adorable about him that she found herself inexplicably drawn to.

That night they spent together, with him hunched over his guitar, scribbling down inconsistent lyrics and half-formed melodies, she found herself captivated. There was a raw, vulnerable authenticity to the way he poured himself into his music, oblivious to her presence as he got lost in his own creative reverie. And when their eyes finally met, and he shyly invited her to listen more closely, something shifted between them. The tension built until finally, almost without realizing how it happened, they found themselves tangled together in his bed, bodies intertwined in a blur of heated kisses and desperate caresses.

Afterwards, she told herself it was a one-time thing, that she wouldn't let herself get caught up in this gawky, endearing young man. But then he reached out, asking to see her again, and against her better judgment, she found herself agreeing. As they spent more time together, learning each other's stories, their casual flirtation deepened into something more substantial. And when they finally fell into bed again, it was with a newfound intimacy, a deeper understanding of one another that made the experience all the more profoundly satisfying.

Over the course of the next year, their relationship continued in this delicate, "casual" dance, punctuated by stolen moments of passion - like the night he snuck her into his room while his friends were occupied, when she'd become so utterly lost in him that she'd found herself whispering the affectionate nickname "Sweet boy" as she rode him, feeling him melt beneath her touch. That endearment, born in the heat of their embrace, became a touchstone, a way for her to draw him out of his shell or soothe him when he retreated too far into his own introspective thoughts, his beautiful mind.

Pulling into the crowded parking lot of the bustling outlet shopping center, her mind was in turmoil. She had come here with a specific purpose - to pick up her favorite Indian takeout - but now another matter was weighing heavily on her thoughts. Should she text him or not?

The question kept circling in her mind, a frustrating loop she couldn't seem to break free from. For months she had avoided him. And now, inexplicably, she found herself drawn back, her fingers poised to reach out once more. She sat there, the food growing cold in the passenger seat, she couldn't help but wonder - was it worth it? They had gone months before without talking, of course he had been on tour while she started a new job. He called her the second he came home, and of course, she raced to him.

As she stepped through the doorway, she was immediately struck by the dramatic transformation in Noah's appearance. Gone were the long, flowing locks she had grown accustomed to - instead, his hair had been shorn into a much shorter, more tightly cropped style. And his physique had undergone an equally dramatic shift, with significantly more defined musculature rippling beneath the skin of his arms. The new tautness of his frame only served to make the intricate tattoos that adorned his body stand out in even sharper relief. Overcome with a surge of desire, she wasted no time in launching herself into his embrace, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist as he carried her up the stairs and into the bedroom.

The moment the bedroom door clicked shut behind them, their lips crashed together in a passionate, feverish kiss. She cradled his face between her hands, desperate to pull him in closer, to feel the warmth of his skin and the firmness of his body against her own. His strong hands began to explore the curves of her figure, squeezing and caressing the soft flesh of her backside and thighs. Whenever he found that particularly sensitive spot that elicited a soft, contented sigh from deep within her, he would linger there, teasing the area until she melted into his touch. Spinning them around, he used his free arm to swipe a clear space on his desk, then gently lowered her onto the smooth surface.

He broke away to start working on the fastenings of her jeans, she eagerly shed her shirt and bra, tossing the lacy garment aside. Lifting and shimmying her hips, she assisted him in peeling away the denim and her underwear, which he haphazardly tossed over his shoulder. But just as he moved to close the distance between them once more, she stopped him with a firm push of her foot against his chest, a seductive grin spreading across her face. "You're next," she purred, and he returned the expression before swiftly divesting himself of his own clothing. Freed from the constraints of his sweatpants, his arousal stood proudly, throbbing with anticipation. But she had other plans first. "Come here, sweet boy," she beckoned, crooking a finger to summon him to her. Without hesitation, he sank to his knees, grasping her thighs and pulling her to the edge of the desk. And as his talented tongue set to work, she surrendered herself to the waves of ecstasy that soon overtook her. Their passionate tryst left the desk in disarray, but in that moment, nothing else mattered but the two of them, lost in the throes of their desire.

This is how shevspent the weeks after his birthday. Reminiscing about each time they were together, and why after each time did he never ask her to be his. With a pint of ice cream in hand and the occasional takeout carton by her side, she allowed herself to indulge in a much-needed respite from the stresses of the outside world. Clad in her softest pajamas and wrapped in a cozy blanket, she scrolled mindlessly through her Instagram feed, her heart swelling with a mix of pride and wistfulness as she stumbled upon a new post from the band. The image was a sleek tour poster, announcing a slew of upcoming concert dates, with some crossed out as they made their way on their US tour.

She had managed to avoid Noah for longer than she anticipated, her resolve strengthening with each passing day. With the band now two weeks into their tour, Noah seemed to have become preoccupied, his attempts to reach out growing increasingly sparse. She took solace in this, double-tapping each new photo and video, leaving enthusiastic comments about the energy of the shows and how thrilled she was for their success.

Yet, the pull of witnessing their performances live in person remained, and she found herself contemplating the idea of attending the final show on their tour schedule. Just as she was lost in these musings, her phone suddenly chimed with a new message from Nick. "Noah told me to tell you there is another show he'd like you to see," the text read, piquing her curiosity. Intrigued, she clicked open the accompanying video file, her eyes widening in surprise at what unfolded before her.

The scene unfolding before her eyes was unmistakable, even in the shadows cast by the towering tour bus. As the dim light from the nearby streetlamps flickered and danced, she could make out the distinct silhouettes - Noah, his back pressed against the cool metal surface and a woman kneeling at Noah's feet. The girl's identity was obscured, her head buried in Noah's lap as she moved rhythmically, her ash-blonde hair falling in disheveled strings across her face from the exertion. Noah's arms were folded above his head, his mouth parted in obvious ecstasy as soft, guttural moans escaped his lips.

The brief video clip, just forty seconds long, was all the evidence she needed to piece together the sordid scene. A twinge of jealousy and betrayal twisted in her chest as she watched, unable to tear her eyes away. She had always believed Noah to be the responsible one, the member of the band who steadfastly refused to indulge in the temptations of groupies and casual flings while on the road. But here he was, caught in the throes of passion with some nameless, faceless admirer, completely abandoning his usual restraint.

As soon as she read the text, her phone started ringing, the familiar face of Nicholas flashing on the screen. Although she was hesitant to answer, fearing her frustration would come through in her voice, she ultimately clicked the green phone icon, bracing herself for the conversation.

"What's up?" she answered, her tone neutral. Nicholas explained apologetically that he was just following through on a previous comment she had made - a confession she had shared at Noah's birthday party.

"I had made a comment about it before. Didn't think he'd actually do it," she responded, her voice cracking slightly as she picked at the blanket in her lap. Nicholas then asked if he should intervene, but she told him to let Noah continue, knowing the other woman was likely enjoying herself immensely. As the call went on, the sounds of heavy breathing and muffled moans began to filter through the line, and soon Noah's unmistakable voice rang out, calling out her name in the throes of ecstasy. Caught off guard, she quickly ended the call before Nicholas could say anything more, tossing her phone aside and clasping her hand over her mouth in surprise.

When the phone started ringing again, she felt her heart pounding, afraid to answer and hear more. She let it ring, over and over, until finally the calls stopped. But then a text came through from Noah, pleading with her to talk to him, confused about what he had done wrong.

Overwhelmed by the situation, she continued to stare at the phone, her breathing rapid, unsure of how to respond or what to do next.

Noah: Please talk to me. U said U wanted it. I don’t know what I did wrong.

As she stared down at the messages on her phone, a complex mix of emotions swirled within her. The sting of tears in her eyes and the tightening of her thighs betrayed the inner turmoil she was experiencing. Her body was reacting physically to the jumble of feelings coursing through her brain - a confusing combination of desire, guilt, longing, and self-reproach.

“Nothing, my sweet boy. You enjoyed yourself, that’s all that matters.” She typed out the message, clicking send before she could overthink it. She shook her head slightly, silently berating herself for continuing down this path, for allowing herself to become entangled in this messy situation once again.

Yet, there was an undeniable allure, a pull she couldn't fully resist. He responded instantly begging for her to call so he could hear her voice. The rapid response from him, almost as if he had been waiting with bated breath for her message, sent a shiver down her spine. Part of her craved that connection, that validation, even as another part of her mind chastised her for indulging in it. She knew it would be so easy to give in, to hear his voice, to make plans to see him again when he returned.

With a heavy sigh, she typed out her final message, hoping to strike a balance between her warring impulses. She couldn't deny the part of her that yearned for him, but she also knew she needed to maintain boundaries and prioritize her own well-being. As she hit send, she steeled herself, bracing for the inevitable internal battle that would rage on long after the conversation had ended.

….

The endless days on the road had taken their toll on Noah. What had started as an exciting adventure - two months of touring the country, playing shows, and exploring new places - had slowly morphed into a longing for the familiarity and comfort of home. As he sat at the dinner table, surrounded by Nick's boisterous family, the sushi spread before him felt like a poor substitute for the traditional home-cooked feast he'd grown accustomed to. And the hastily planned Christmas stop in Virginia, rather than the lavish holiday celebrations he'd envisioned back in LA, only served to dampen his spirits further. Try as he might to remain enthusiastic, Noah couldn't shake the growing sense of melancholy that had settled over him.

It wasn't until he caught a whiff of a familiar fragrance - the same citrusy shampoo she used - as one of Nick's cousins brushed past him in the kitchen, that Noah realized the true source of his discontent. It wasn't LA he was pining for, but her. The distance between them, exacerbated by their conflicting schedules, had become a physical and emotional chasm that threatened to swallow him whole. He'd texted her constantly, called her whenever he could, but the connections were fleeting, like ships passing in the night. When he was awake and available, she was asleep; when she was free, he was occupied with work. Despite being on the same continent, it might as well have been a different planet, for all the meaningful interaction they were able to share. Noah's chest tightened with the realization, a bittersweet ache that reminded him of just how much he missed the comforting presence of the woman he craved.

As the holidays came to an end and the band's tour was winding down, Nick couldn't help but notice that Noah was looking increasingly exhausted during their VIP meet-and-greet sessions with fans. Noah tried to brush it off, blaming the grueling schedule of the long tour, but Nick knew there was more to it. He could see the strain and fatigue weighing heavily on his best friend, and it was starting to affect his performance on stage as well. During each show, Noah's once-powerful rendition of their hit song "Death of Peace of Mind" was becoming more and more strained, with the crowd often having to take the lead when Noah's voice faltered.

After one particularly draining show, the two friends found themselves alone on the tour bus, the rest of the band sound asleep in their bunks. Nick seized the opportunity to address the unspoken issue head-on. Leaning forward in his chair, elbow resting on the armrest, he fixed Noah with a knowing gaze.

"Alright, spill. I know you, and I know something's up." Noah, eyes glued to the phone in his hands, where a photo of the two of them at the pier, her frame drowning in his hoodie as she sat in his lap served as his screensaver, hesitated before responding.

"About what?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"Man, I know you," Nick pressed. "I know what's going on." Noah finally relented, clicking his phone off and letting it fall to his chest as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Then why ask?" he muttered.

Nick didn't mince words. "Because if I don't get you to say it out loud, you're going to brood about it." Noah remained silent, and Nick took a deep breath before continuing.

"Alright, I'll say it. You have feelings for her, don't you? You miss her. But you're too afraid to admit it to her, afraid she'll run away." Noah felt his heart sink as Nick's words struck a chord, his mind racing with the agonizing thought of the woman he cared for being with someone else. "She's been texting us less and less," Nick added solemnly. "I wouldn't be surprised if she's seeing someone else now." Noah remained speechless, the weight of the situation bearing down on him. Nick leaned back in his chair, his expression serious. "I can't tell you what to do, man. But if you want this, you better make a move before you lose your chance.”

…

After the grueling months spent on tour, Noah had finally returned home, his mind consumed by thoughts of the woman waiting for him. Though his place would have been the logical destination, he couldn't bring himself to go there first. The anticipation had been building for weeks, a simmering desire that threatened to consume him. He knew exactly what he wanted to do to her, the images playing in his mind on an endless loop as he had pleasured himself, desperate for her touch. Yet, as he gathered the courage to drive to her apartment, he found himself uncertain of what to say when she opened the door. Would she welcome him, or would she be surprised by his unexpected arrival?

His feet carried him to the door, the worn soles of his shoes scuffing against the weathered concrete as he approached. His hand lifted, hesitating for a moment, before finally rapping against the solid surface with a series of hollow knocks. He'd hoped - no, prayed - that she wouldn't be home, that he could avoid the confrontation entirely. The half-hearted apology he'd rehearsed a thousand times in his mind felt woefully inadequate, the words sticking in his throat as he envisioned having to explain himself, to lay bare the tangled mess of emotions that had brought him here. It would be so much easier to turn and walk away, to spare them both the discomfort of this encounter. But the car parked in the driveway and the warm glow of light spilling from the living room windows told a different story - she was home, waiting, unaware of the internal turmoil raging within him. With a resigned sigh, he steeled himself, preparing to face the music, to finally confess the feelings he'd been too afraid to share. There was no turning back now.

She answered, both of them standing there as if they were strangers. The moment she uttered his name, Noah could see the genuine shock in her eyes, the way her brow furrowed ever so slightly. But before she could say another word, he was sweeping past the threshold, his long strides carrying him into her space. She instinctively moved aside, allowing him entry and shutting the door behind them, sealing them in their own private world. And there she stood, radiant in her oversized sweater that grazed the tops of her thighs, her socks obscuring all but the barest hint of her legs. When she crossed her arms over her chest, Noah's gaze was immediately drawn to the tantalizing glimpse of her thighs, the primal urges within him igniting like a raging fire. All thoughts of what he might say fled his mind as he drank in the sight of her, his body thrumming with the need to touch, to feel, to possess. Her soft sweet voice asked him something about the tour, but blood in his ears drowned out her words.

Noah was consumed by a primal desire, his hands gripping tightly onto her hips as he spun her around and pushed her forcefully up against the front door of her own home. He pressed his muscular body firmly into hers, letting his leg slide between her thighs and forcing them apart so he could get closer. Noah's right hand slowly trailed down the soft curve of her hip, the calloused pads of his fingers caressing the delicate skin over the thin cotton of her socks until he could feel the warmth of her bare flesh. Giving her supple thigh a firm squeeze, he relished the way she jumped and rose up on her tiptoes, her hands bracing against his chest.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Noah registered that this type of bold, uninhibited behavior was uncharacteristic, but in his current state of overwhelming lust, he simply didn't care. All that mattered in that moment was feeling her body against his, exploring the intimate places that her scanty shorts barely concealed. When his questing fingers reached the juncture of her thighs, he was pleasantly surprised to discover that the thin fabric was already damp - she wasn't wearing any underwear. A guttural growl rumbled in his chest as he bent his head to capture her lips in a searing kiss, only to have her turn her face away at the last moment.

Noah halted his advances immediately, confusion and concern etched across his features as he tried to understand what was happening. Her voice was breathy and needy, yet tinged with unmistakable sadness as she uttered his name. "Noah, we can't do this. I've been seeing someone. It wouldn't be right." Even as she spoke the words, she made no move to push him away, her body still trembling beneath his touch. Noah's hand remained poised intimately between her thighs, his fingers lightly caressing the increasingly damp fabric as he leaned in to nuzzle her hair, inhaling the sweet fragrance of her shampoo. He was determined not to let her go without a fight - not when he could feel the undeniable desire radiating from her very core.

“Never stopped us before.” He gave a little pressure and she moaned for him. He recalled nights that he’d been on the phone, said goodnight to his girlfriend at the time, rolling over in his bed to see her lying next to him. Times where she’d sent him photos of her outfit while she was out with her dates, they’d be sexting all night until she eventually came to his house, and he fucked her senseless.

“Maybe it should.” Her hands gripped his shirt as he ran his fingers over her again, but she still didn’t push him away.

“Then tell me no. Say the word and I’ll stop.” He pushed his fingers into her harder, she mewled keeping her head turned away from him.

“I-I-I..” she struggled to speak, her hips speaking for her as she rolled into his touch. He let the smug smile turn his lips. “His name. Zach, he moved here from Washington. He’s been nice to me.” She was rambling. He didn’t give a shit what the guy’s name was, he didn’t care where he came from, it was great he’d been treating her so nicely. His girl deserved to be treated nicely.

The way his thoughts rolled the phrase ‘his girl’ around made his chest feel tight. She was his, even if she didn’t know it. All those nights they spent with each other, the last two months while he was on tour, she’d been the only thing he focused on. Sometimes even his music couldn’t distract him from her.

“That’s nice.” He hummed pushing her hair out of the way with his nose so he could kiss her cheek.

“Noah.” His name left her lips with a sigh, and he felt himself twitch. He rolled his hips into her thigh; the shock turned her face to him, and he took the moment to kiss her. She tasted just as good as he remembered, the mint from her toothpaste evident, he wanted more. Sliding his tongue out of his mouth he licked her lips and she parted for him. Their tongues curled over one another dancing in a tango that they had become so comfortable with, his hands slid up under her sweater to grab the top of her shorts bringing them down so he could feel her himself.

The air was thick with tension and passion as she trembled beneath his touch, her body soaked with desire. Noah's skilled fingers glided effortlessly between her slick folds, coaxing delicate whimpers from her parted lips. With the pads of his fingertips, he circled her sensitive bundle of nerves, feeling her shake and tremble as jolts of pleasure radiated through her. His free hand clasped her throat, pulling her in close until their breath mingled and there was barely an inch separating them.

"Does he make you feel this good?" Noah murmured, pressing firmly into her throbbing clit. She whined and tried to capture his lips in a desperate kiss, craving the connection. But Noah held her at bay, his gaze intense and unwavering. He knew the answer already, could feel it in the way her body reacted to his touch, but he wanted to hear her say it - to admit that no one else could make her fall apart like this. Determined to push her over the edge, he continued rubbing her clit with just the right amount of pressure, coaxing her closer to the precipice.

"N-Noah," she breathed, her hips rolling in time with the movement of his hand. "Does he...does he have you panting his name like this? Does he make you wet just by looking at you?" Noah growled, increasing the pace of his strokes as her body tensed and trembled. Her eyes fluttered closed, her hands gripping his shirt so tightly her knuckles turned white. Whimpers and whines spilled from her lips as the pressure built, her thighs squeezing together more frequently. Noah was the only one who could reduce her to this quivering, desperate mess, and the knowledge sent a thrill coursing through him.

The sudden ring off her phone cut through the air its shrill tone piercing the silence. Her eyes flew open, the beautiful hazel irises nearly consumed by the expanding pupils. Noah held her gazr, as if trying to lay claim to her very soul. He watched, transfixed, as her pupils dilated and contracted, a mesmerizing dance that had him utterly captivated.

The ringing phone seemed to fade into the background as the two were lost in each other's intense stare. Noah could sense the internal conflict raging within her.

"Is that him?" he asked, his eyes never leaving hers, searching for any sign of wavering. With a quick nod, the answer was clear. Noah pressed his forehead to hers, taking a deep, steadying breath. He was about to make a decision that would irrevocably alter the course of their relationship. "You can push me away; I'll stop and leave you alone," he offered, his voice low and heavy with emotion. The anguished sound that escaped her lips was almost enough to break his resolve.

But Noah was determined. "Or," he continued, taking another breath, "you can come for me right now. And be mine." She gasped, her thighs tightening around his hand as he caressed her most sensitive spot. Noah could feel her body responding, physically surrendering to his touch. But he needed more - he needed her heart, her soul, her complete and utter devotion. "Please," he begged, "I'm asking you. Be mine."

The way she whimpered "Noah" sent a shiver down his spine, and he increased the rhythm of his caress, coaxing her closer to the edge. "Yes, baby?" he encouraged, his voice dripping with a possessive hunger. As her body shook and clenched, her cries of ecstasy filled the room, and Noah reveled in the knowledge that he had claimed her, if only in this moment. "That's right," he praised, "Feels good, doesn't it, baby?”

As she lay back, basking in the afterglow, he seized the opportunity to tenderly remove the soft, cozy sweater that clung to her body. Just as he had discarded her shorts moments before, revealing her delicate, bare form, he now gently peeled away the last remaining article of clothing, exposing her completely to his admiring gaze. Hooking his strong hands behind her knees, he lifted her up, her legs instinctively wrapping around his trim waist as her arms encircled his broad shoulders. With a primal hunger in his eyes, he carried his beloved to the sanctuary of her bedroom, laying her reverently upon the sheets.

Shedding his own shirt, he hovered over her, his lips trailing passionate kisses along the sensitive skin of her neck and collarbone. She shivered with delight as his tongue flicked and teased, working its way down to lavish attention on the pert, rosy peaks of her breasts. Her fingers threaded through his hair, urging him onward, her voice thick with desire as she begged for him. Unwilling to deny her any longer, he sat back on his heels, tugging impatiently at the drawstring of his sweatpants until his throbbing cock was freed.

As she stretched her arms overhead, arching her back and revealing the full, tantalizing length of her body, she looked absolutely breathtaking laid out before him. He drank in the sight of her, the primal desire within him ignited as he slid his length into her waiting warmth. The sudden, delicious stretch of him filling her made her lean up to capture his lips in a needy, passionate kiss, her legs wrapping around him and pulling him deeper. His hands caressed the soft curves of her sides and hips as he began to move, savoring the exquisite sensation of being sheathed within her. She felt so unbelievably good, so perfect for him, and a fervent prayer of gratitude to any higher power that would listen passed his lips, for blessing him with this woman who was so clearly made for him.

He watched her eyes roll back and her back arch in ecstasy, her hips rolling to meet his every thrust and create new, electrifying sensations, the primal beast within him roared to life. She was his, and his alone - of that he had no doubt. His fingers gripped the sheets with such force that the corners popped free from the bed, her mind lost in the haze of bliss as she mumbled and rambled words he could only partially make out. But he cared only for her, for the feeling of her clenching and pulsing around him, for the knowledge that she was his in this moment.

"Noah, my sweet boy.” her words rolling of her lips with each pant of air. A flicker of doubt crept into his mind, but he swiftly pushed it away, unwilling to let it disrupt the primal rhythm they had found. "That's right, baby. Yours," he growled, the brutal pace he set belying the intimate tenderness of the moment as his hand gripped the back of her thigh, bending her leg back to allow him to sink even deeper.

“Baby, please.” He whimpered “Come for me please.” The coiling tension within him reached its peak, and as she cried out his name in ecstasy, her walls clenching around him in a rapturous release, he followed her over the edge, shuddering and panting as the last of his release pulsed within her. Spent, he pulled her close, caressing her damp skin as they lay together in blissful silence, neither daring to move or speak, lest this perfect moment be shattered.

In that dimly lit room, the tears cascading down her cheeks were a testament to the turmoil within her heart. "Why now?” she sobbed. He couldn't pinpoint a single moment, a definitive realization that made him long for her constant presence. Rather, it was the culmination of all their shared experiences that had gradually, inexorably drawn him to this point.

The times they had spent together, nestled on the couch watching movies, their bodies intertwined in comfortable familiarity, had forged an unbreakable bond. The way her slow, steady breaths had lulled him to sleep, her claw clips finding their way into the nooks and crannies of his life, had woven her inextricably into the fabric of his world. The way their tastes aligned, him reaching for a hoodie only to realize it was hers, too small for his frame, had blurred the lines between their individual identities. The goodbyes before his tours, when he'd hold her just a little tighter, reluctant to let go, had etched her presence indelibly into his heart. And in the aftermath of a roaring performance, high on adrenaline, it was her face he yearned to see, her embrace he craved.

"I don't know," he confessed, the words barely above a whisper as he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. "It's always been there, I suppose." The silence that followed was weighted, pregnant with unspoken emotions, and he continued to caress her face, his thumb tracing the delicate contours. As they dressed and slid beneath the blankets, her body molding to his, he couldn't help but smile, pulling her closer and burying his face in her soft, fragrant hair.

"That's my girl," he murmured, his fingers intertwining with hers, a perfect fit.

[hexie-mountain]

im always tired of the trope of queer kid dates bully who’s a closet case but with heartstopper its done so smartly

the emphasis that ben does not get a redemption arc is so important and that he’s capable of mending his ways and becoming a better person but thats not charlie’s responsibility to help him off load his guilt while still dealing with the pain of his actions

ben really is the antithesis of nick who called charlie his best friend instead of pretending he didn’t exist and took ‘am i gay?’ quizzes and bi panicked of pirates of the carribean all while being kind and loving to charlie who was more than willing to hold his hand through his coming out

i’ve always loved the classic fizzy graphics but the sea of rainbow flowing out towards ben from the art show doors sort of urging him to take a step in towards other people like him and begin that journey of self discovery and love and instead he just walks away from it is some top tier imagery

[nicnak20]

You don't have to grow up:

*You and Nicholas's daughter is a preteen now, and it's something that Nick has a hard time adjusting to.*

Suzzanne adjusted the strap of her backpack, the worn leather creaking softly. Her dark brown hair, usually a cascade down her back, was today pulled into a high ponytail that bounced with each step. At thirteen, she felt a subtle shift within herself, an awareness of the world beyond her family’s cozy bubble, a world that whispered of friendships forged in hallways and secrets shared after school. She was still Suzzanne, the girl who volunteered at the local animal shelter and baked cookies for her neighbors, but now there was a flicker of something new – a curiosity about fashion, a fascination with music that resonated with her own burgeoning emotions.

Her father, Nicholas, watched her from the doorway, a familiar ache tightening in his chest. His little girl was blossoming, and while intellectually he knew it was natural, viscerally it felt like a piece of him was slipping away. Those bright brown eyes, so like his own, were starting to look outwards, their focus shifting beyond the familiar comfort of their home. He remembered the days when Suzzanne’s small hand would fit perfectly in his, when her biggest worry was a scraped knee and her most fervent desire was for him to read her “The Little Bear” one more time.

Now, the scraped knees were bandaged independently, the desire for bedtime stories replaced with hushed phone calls with friends. Nicholas, a man whose kindness radiated like warmth from a hearth, found himself clinging to those fading memories, almost as if holding them tight could somehow slow the inevitable. He tried to be supportive, genuinely wanting Suzzanne to be happy, but a knot of anxiety twisted within him. He feared the day she’d prioritize whispered secrets with girlfriends over his silly dad jokes, the day her heart would flutter for someone other than her parents.

This fear manifested in small, often clumsy ways. He would still insist on walking her the entire way to school, even though it was just two blocks, lingering until she disappeared through the gates, much to Suzzanne’s quiet mortification. He’d quiz her relentlessly about her classmates, his questions disguised as casual interest but laced with an undercurrent of protective scrutiny.

One Saturday, Suzzanne was excited. Her friend, Maya, was having a small birthday gathering at the park. It was the first time she was going to an event without a parent chaperone, a milestone she’d anticipated with a mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation. She’d carefully chosen her outfit – a denim jacket, a comfortable pair of jeans, and her favorite sneakers. She’d even experimented with a touch of lip gloss, a recent birthday gift from her mother, Yn.

As she was about to leave, Nicholas cleared his throat. "Wait a second, sweet pea," he said, rummaging in a drawer. He pulled out a bright pink backpack with cartoon kittens plastered all over it. “Here,” he said, beaming. “This is much more suitable for a fun day at the park.”

Suzzanne froze, her smile faltering. Her stomach dropped. The backpack was a relic from her elementary school days, a symbol of a time she was now actively trying to navigate away from. It was childish, embarrassing, the antithesis of the image she was trying to project to her friends.

“Dad,” she started, her voice barely a whisper, a blush creeping up her neck. “I… I have my own bag.” She gestured to her sleek, black backpack leaning against the wall.

Nicholas, oblivious to the storm brewing within his daughter, chuckled. “Oh, this old thing is still good! It can carry more snacks, and look how cute the kittens are!” He even made a meowing sound, a playful gesture that usually elicited a giggle from Suzzanne.

Today, it felt like a betrayal. The warmth she usually felt for her father curdled into a sharp sting of humiliation. She could practically hear Maya’s sophisticated older sister, Chloe, laughing.

“Dad, no,” she said, her voice gaining strength, laced with a hint of desperation. “I’m not taking that. It’s…it’s old.”

Nicholas’s smile faltered, a flicker of hurt crossing his features. “But honey, it’s perfectly fine. What’s wrong with it?”

“Everything!” The words burst out before she could stop them. “It’s babyish! I’m not a baby anymore!” Tears pricked at her eyes, fueled by the injustice of the situation. She grabbed her black backpack, slinging it over her shoulder. “I’m going to be late,” she mumbled, and practically ran out the door, leaving Nicholas standing in stunned silence, the pink kitten backpack dangling limply from his hand.

Yn, who had been in the kitchen, quietly observing the exchange, sighed. She understood Nicholas’s anxieties, the fierce protectiveness that sometimes veered into overbearing territory. But she also saw the raw hurt in Suzzanne’s eyes, the painful realization that her father wasn’t seeing her for who she was becoming.

Later that evening, after Suzzanne had returned, still radiating a faint aura of residual embarrassment, Yn sat down with Nicholas. She placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Nick,” she began softly, her voice a soothing balm. “You know Suzzanne loves you, right?”

Nicholas nodded, his brow furrowed. “Of course, I know that. But…” He trailed off, the unspoken “but” hanging heavy in the air.

“But you’re worried she’s growing up,” Yn finished for him, her gaze understanding. “That she won’t need you as much anymore.”

He sighed, running a hand through his dark brown hair. “It sounds silly when I say it out loud, but yes. She’s changing, Yn. And I… I just want to hold on to her, to keep her safe and happy.”

Yn smiled gently. “And she knows that, sweetheart. But loving her doesn’t mean keeping her in a box. It means allowing her to explore, to grow, even if it means a few bumps along the way.”

“But the pink backpack…” Nicholas said, a hint of defensiveness in his voice. “It was just a backpack.”

“To you, it was a backpack filled with good intentions,” Yn countered, her tone still soft but firm. “To Suzzanne, it was a symbol. A symbol of being seen as someone she’s not anymore. She’s thirteen, Nick. She’s finding her own identity, her own style. Those little things matter to her right now.”

Later, Yn found Suzzanne in her room, sketching in her notebook. She sat beside her on the bed. “Hey, sweetie,” she said.

Suzzanne looked up, her expression guarded.

“Your dad feels bad about the backpack,” Yn said gently. “He didn’t mean to upset you.”

Suzzanne shrugged, tracing a line in her drawing. “I know. He just… he doesn’t get it.”

“He does, in his own way,” Yn said. “He loves you so much, Suzzanne. Sometimes, that love gets a little… clumsy. He’s scared of losing that little girl who used to hold his hand at the park.”

Suzzanne’s gaze softened slightly. “But I’m still his little girl,” she said quietly. “Just… a bigger one.”

Yn smiled, pulling Suzzanne into a hug. “Exactly. And that’s okay. It’s more than okay. It’s wonderful.”

That night, after dinner, Suzzanne found her father in the living room, reading. She hesitated for a moment, then sat down beside him on the sofa.

“Dad?” she said softly.

Nicholas looked up, his eyes filled with a mixture of apprehension and hope.

“I’m sorry I ran out like that,” Suzzanne said, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. “The backpack… it just wasn’t right for today.”

Nicholas nodded slowly. “I understand, honey. I… I wasn’t thinking. I just… I miss those days sometimes.”

Suzzanne looked at him, really looked at him, and saw the vulnerability in his eyes. She understood, in that moment, that his actions weren't meant to embarrass or belittle her. They came from a place of love, a deep-seated fear of change.

“I still love spending time with you, Dad,” she said, her voice clear and sincere. “Just… maybe we can choose the activities together now. Less tea parties with stuffed animals, more… movie nights?”

A genuine smile spread across Nicholas’s face. “Movie nights sound perfect,” he said, putting his arm around her. “And maybe… you can give me some fashion advice? So I don’t pick out embarrassing backpacks anymore?”

Suzzanne giggled, leaning her head against his shoulder. The space between them felt warm, familiar, yet also subtly different. They were both learning, growing, navigating the uncharted territory of adolescence and fatherhood. The pink kitten backpack, tucked away in a closet, remained a symbol, not of embarrassment, but of a love that was learning to adapt, a love that would continue to grow, just like Suzzanne herself.

[tokiro07]

Toki Reads Shonen Jump 2025, Issue #27: Impending Doom Week

One Piece: Imu forcefully makes a satanic contract with the Giant Warrior Pirates, turning them into demons that can spread the condition through Othello-like positioning. / [Whether Imu has a Devil Fruit or is literally a devil remains to be seen, but the ability to turn people into loyal, immortal monsters against their will pretty starkly establishes Imu as the antithesis to Nika, the God of Liberation; fortunately, the Othello imagery strongly suggests that the all-white Luffy should be able to reverse the process, perhaps by teaming up with Bonney?]

Roboco: Through various absurd and completely inapt coincidences in the form of Jump references, Gorilla survives every single attempt on his life by the alternate Robocos; Gag Roboco explains that Gorilla is actually immortal, and one of the alternate Motsuos reveals that Gag Gorilla has in fact already died previously and come back, and therefore the conditions for the canon event have already been fulfilled. / [What'd I tell ya? Though admittedly I forgot that he died once, if I remembered I would have sad that; with all of the Jump references, I'm amazed they didn't draw an explicit parallel to EluSam's Takauji]

Sakamoto: Shin attempts to keep Takamura!Uzuki's attention away from bystanders, but a bunch of Slur henchmen show up with bloodlust directed at Shin - only for Uzuki to blindly slaughter them, filling up an exhibit tunnel with corpses and blood; Shin tries to hijack Uzuki, but seems to have been just too slow... / [I'm not worried about Shin, it's definitely gonna turn out that he made it in the nick of time, but damn if that's not a hair-raising panel - speech bubbles getting cut is always a great touch]

EluSam: Takauji receives word of Moronao's death and is hardly phased, and instead is relieved that his legacy will not be overtaken by the Kono clan; Tokiyuki goes to Takauji to deliver Moronao's final message, and though lacking divine protection, similarly manages to survive the ensuing onslaught of arrows; Shizuku discovers that the frustration Takauji feels when faced with Tokiyuki disrupts his divine power and makes him vulnerable, and devises a plan to take advantage of that weakness. / [I really enjoy the juxtaposition of how Takauji and Tokiyuki survive having arrows shot at them here - Takauji passively has everything go his way without lifting a finger, including arrows simply disintegrating as they approach him, while Tokiyuki has to actively dodge, block, or even catch the arrows himself in an amazing feat of dexterity; this comparison of Luck and Pluck makes for an excellent demonstration of EluSam's Effort]

Witch Watch: Kanshi asks Morihito to once again go on a double date with him and some girls that he had previously tried to impress with magic (to disastrous results); having failed to learn anything from the previous attempt, Kanshi once again enlists Nico's help, but accidentally offsets everything he says by one sentence and once again humiliating himself. / [As with many Witch Watch chapters, I skimmed through this one at lightning pace out of sheer secondhand embarrassment; better luck next time, Kanshi]

Akane: Akane's performance in the preliminary round of the Zuiun Prize begins, and though some members of the audience begin to nod off from the lack of laughs, her sheer stage presence snaps them back to attention; Akane has realized that in changing her once selfish style of Rakugo to be able to adapt to her audience, she actually lost the ability to tell stories how she wanted, but now has the skill to have her cake and eat it too. / [As I said recently in regards to Otr, I'm a big fan of overcorrecting character arcs - Akane learned everything she needed to know about Rakugo by denying her base nature, and in the process lost that part of herself; now that she's mastered doing it "the right way," she can bend the artform around her to fit "her way"]

Kill Blue: The Home-Ec Club and Student Council discover that there are better guns hidden through the arena, and the StuCo gets a better pickup that turns the tides in their favor; however, Noren comes up with a plan that turns them right back, demonstrating that she may have a hidden talent for assassination. / [Chalk another one up for the Adult Noren Theory, though I never anticipated she'd be a hitman - I always figured she was a scientist based on that picture they found on the island]

Nue: For the sake of Ishu's love, Suzaku's clone body threatens to execute not only Gakuro's harem, but everyone present at the festival; to protect everyone, Gakuro levels up once again, combining Yodama and Yokaku, and fends off her attack, but ends up with an icy timebomb implanted in his heart via a kiss - if he wants to remove it, he'll need to make a contract with the real Suzaku when she resurrects. / [I don't think I get what Yodama and Yokaku are or what they're actually capable of, which I think illustrates this series' main weakness for me - it doesn't convey the action in a way that's particularly easy to understand visually or explain it in a way that's easy to understand conceptually; meanwhile, the relationships of the characters are quite easy for me to understand and get invested in, so I get the feeling Kawae isn't actually interested in telling a battle story but didn't think that the romance would carry very well without it]

Kagurabachi: The Kamunabi realize that there are moles among them and order that all members stay away from Hakuri so as not to impede his escape; when some members fight over whether to protect or avoid Hakuri, some of the moles reveal themselves and begin killing everyone else; as the Hishaku descend upon Hakuri, an old friend reappears - Uruha, back from the dead!!! Though Hakuri assumes it's another trick at first, Uruha shares a codeword he heard Chihiro and Hakuri share in his first encounter with them, proving he's the real deal. / [Apparently there were folks in the fandom who had been theorizing that Samura healed Uruha after killing him the same way he did for Chihiro, but I'm not active in this fandom, so I never heard that theory; it makes enough sense, but I kind of figured at the time that Samura's motivation was to kill the Swordbearers because they were war criminals, so that's probably why I never considered the possibility]

Chojo: Rewinding a little bit to the stakeout chapter, a disguised Ippongi and Inukai discuss why Chojo was assigned to Chinjuku; Inukai reveals that Chojo had once read the mind of a drug addict and mistook his delusions of violence for a real threat, leading him to order Inukai to shoot an unarmed man; Inukai's obsession with Chojo comes not from missing their glory days, but from a desire to remind Chojo that he's not solely responsible for their downfall and in the hopes that someday he'll be punished for allowing Chojo to take the fall; Ippongi realizes that their goofy outfits detract from the weight of the conversation. / [Knowing that Chojo is ending with its next chapter, I can't help but wonder if maybe getting this chapter earlier might have established a stronger emotional core to resonate with its audience]

Kiyoshi: Thinking back on the day when Sakaki nominated him to become a Cross Paladin, Tsurugi finds the strength to use his greatest weapon, Arthur's Excalibur, allowing him to beat Tonjinchi, though seemingly at some great cost. / [This definitely fleshed out Tsurugi a bit, but not quite enough to really endear me to him; honestly I'm a lot more interested in his brother Utsugi, whose hair looks suspiciously similar to Asuta Roth's...]

Hima-Ten: Mikoto comes to the Culture Festival to support Kanna's feelings for Tenichi and to scope out the other girls she knows are interested in him; Kanna is informed that her part in the fashion show was accidentally listed as being part of the couples' division, so she asks Tenichi to be her partner. / [An extremely cute chapter for Kanna - seeing her pouting about Tenichi seemingly forgetting his promise to celebrate with her after winning her competition, then seeing her jumping at the chance to pretend to be a couple in the fashion show both gave her a big boost, though she was already my best girl]

Ichi: Raging against Bakugami's sorrow, Gokuraku's body breaks, revealing that the enhancements to his body went much further than we were originally led to believe; remembering his conversation with Ichi about leaning on family, Gokuraku manages to regain his senses and proudly declare himself as the prince of Kagami who will liberate his people from Bakugami. / [I like the idea that Gokuraku's interpretation of family isn't meant to be the be-all-end-all, and instead is presented as just one perspective of the theme; Ichi will likely internalize that perspective while still searching for his own]

Shinobi: The Ninja Arts Battle begins, and Squad 9 quickly takes the lead, though Squad 6 is right on their heels; to slow down the widening gap, Hayabusa decides to take the fight straight to Yodaka. / [Squad 9's early lead initially makes Squad 6 feel like less of a threat, but Hayabusa's casual response to it makes it clear that he has the power to make up the difference and shouldn't be underestimated...that said, I could've sworn they said other single digit squads would be here, but I guess not if only 6 and 9 are making any headway]

Syd Craft: We learn that when they were children, Syd helped Souffle's parents arrest Toby's parents for drug traficking, leading Toby to frame Elio for the murder of Souffle's parents and subsequently hypnotize Syd into forgetting that he solved both cases so he could make Syd feel the same sense of loss he did someday; back in the present, Souffle pieces together that she never actually committed any crimes and is being framed as Zero by Toby, though he insists that she is still responsible for stabbing Syd; Syd returns, however, revealing that Souffle had the will to resist the hypnotism; Lulu, Elio, Hakua and the police arrive to back Syd up, and the final confrontation begins. / [I can tell that I'd be really invested in this if it was paced as intended, probably across a handful of chapters or even drip-fed a few pages at a time here and there over the course of the series, it's really such a shame that it's certainly coming to an end so abruptly]

Embers: As Haitani gets fired up to overcome Nerima, Nerima mistakes his spirit for having resigned to "just have fun;" however, Haitani repeatedly surpasses Nerima's expectations, inspiring Takami to get his head back in the game and abandon "something" he's been clinging to. / [Haitani's ability to inspire both his teammates and his rivals into giving it their all makes him a great Effort protagonist, I really hope that this won't be the last game we see from him]

Beethoven: Yaso and Beethoven have a heart-to-heart about what playing piano means to them, and Yaso realizes that he wants to surpass Beethoven, a feat that no pianist can be said to have done in the last 200 years. / [...Why did Lexi and Marsha leave? Because they couldn't find the ring? Or maybe now that they know where Beethoven is, they know they can come get him whenever? That's clearly not what this is about, but it feels like the entire plotline just got dropped, which is as clear a sign of cancellation as any, I fear...]

Nice Prison: Nailro challenges Mitsuboshi to a game of tennis, if one can call it that; when Mitsuboshi wins, Nailro summons the Super Death Row Prisoner through...some seemingly magical means. / [Does it count as a return if you hit the ball with a Tetsuzanko? Whatever, at least that panel gave me something to smile about]

Otr: Seeing Otr setting himself on fire, Sixten concludes that Otr is the type to sacrifice himself for his goal, and refuses to teach him; Otr denies this interpretation, and insists that he has no intention of dying in his crusade - in reality, he set himself on fire instead of using Fylgja because he wanted her to set up a bath for Sixten to help warm him up and demonstrate that his flames aren't solely meant to be weapons; Sixten acknowledges Otr's resolve and offers to teach him to use Heroic Vigor. / [I figured we were doing a Life Energy power system after Alajoki claimed that one's breath carries a part of their soul with it, but outright using the term in the explanation puts a weird taste in my mouth; I do like that the name dictates the type of person who can harness the ability, I just hope that it's not just for generically "strengthening the body;" if it is, then I hope it has a better interplay with Spirits and Magic than Demon Slayer's Breath did with Demons]

Siiigh...I try not to point out when things are looking grim for a series, but with the writing on the wall for so many simultaneously? It's hard to ignore, especially when they're all ones that I'm enjoying. Honestly, I thought we had until September before the next round, so it's hitting me even harder. I thought we'd get a little bit more time to flesh out the conclusions, but nope, looks like we're jumping right off the deep end...I just hope they can stick their landings at least...

This Week's Top 3:

Ichi the Witch for Gokuraku's force of will and development of the Family theme

One Piece for establishing just how much of a threat Imu truly is

Otr of the Flame for developing its theme of Living for a Purpose

[adhdbisexualramblings]

I’m likely going to regret posting this after an actual rewatch of season ten, but-

Chloe was a wonderful foil to Timmy. They should have shared fairies. They’re perfect for each other friendship-wise.

Timmy’s conflicts are mainly external - neglectful parents, abusive babysitter, sucky school life - and despite his rowdiness and forgetful nature, he’s genuinely a very sweet boy who just gets caught up in whatever rash wish he’s made. Sure, he only has two friends (excluding his godparents), but that’s because he’s unpopular.

Chloe…has the exact opposite problem. All of her problems are purely internal. She does good everywhere she goes and strives to help everyone, which makes her a good person by nature, but it’s because of that giving nature why she has no real friends. She’s elevated immediately upon going somewhere to a celebrity status - it happened in Dimmsdale, and though she didn’t seem particularly upset about it, she still hasn’t stopped getting praise for her actions even months after moving there. Her life is the antithesis of Timmy’s to a T - wonderful, caring (if not overprotective) parents, a lot of people around her all the time, and a genuine love for everything that would theoretically make her the ‘perfect godchild’.

But, she has no real friends. No one she can count on for a cry or to lean back on if she needs help. Because she’s Chloe Carmichael, perfect girl, she shouldn’t have problems when everything in her life is great. Unlike Timmy, who is seen again and again clearly needing assistance, mainly assumed by characters and not explicitly said aloud by him. Chloe doesn’t have that specific ‘normal child’ status he has (no I am not projecting my survivor’s guilt onto a fictional character be quiet) because her life looks so good from the outside.

Despite what many reviewers, angry YouTubers in 2017, and a look at the first episode may tell you, Chloe does have flaws. Sure, she does actually like doing all this good stuff, but she’s…well, not far from, but you get it. She’s not totally perfect. She’s very protective about things she values (her DVD box set (which I totally get because those things are pricey, especially in this economy)) and tends to blow up if there’s any chance they’re threatened (yelling at Timmy to never lay a hand on said box set). She can be selfish (that episode where she had to share Timmy’s birthday and tried to one-up him) and a bit of a control freak (ideas likely coming from her parents’ want for perfection). She’s overly ambitious and her desire to find good in everyone blinds her to their bad parts (Foop may be a baby, but he’s not exactly as innocent as Chloe thinks). She can be easily-impressionable, as shown when she took to a brief life of crime in one episode. And, as Timmy puts it, she’s a little nuts.

Back to Chloe having no friends because she can’t be vulnerable with people who see her as a celebrity. She has a lot of traits that people might not like (see above) and can put them off on being an actual friend. Timmy has never seen Chloe as this popular untouchable mini-goddess - he hated her from the moment he saw her. Him having to share his fairies and subsequently be around her more often allows her to show those ‘worse’ (read: naturally human) traits off, and he won’t mind because those aren’t new to him, or weird. Timmy becomes, because of this, her first actual friend.

So while Timmy is rambunctious, mischievous, and has trouble paying attention but is still a sweet child in the moments where we see it, Chloe is a kind, generous, potentially self-sacrificing, overflowing-with-love girl who can get obsessed at times and lets her kindness be her downfall (sometimes). In the end, they’re both kids who have flaws.

Chloe and Timmy prove that misery is in the eye of the beholder. What’s miserable to Chloe may just be a normal day for Timmy, and we don’t know what fairy council grounds are for distributing godparents.

Additionally, Nick ruined Chloe as a character by breaking the show, don’t tell rule (telling us why she needed fairies instead of showing it through body language or actions) and sweeping her other bad traits under the rug. I despise the bright colors and neat lines of the new Flash animation they used, I hate it immensely, and Timmy’s character was botched within the first two seconds he was onscreen, but those are all their own posts.

[typosandtea]

from the Fallout OC asks: 21, 32, 58, 64 for Murphy, Tango, and Nathan... or just Murphy if that's too much :o)

HELL YEAH DO I WANT TO WRITE ALL OF THEM!!!

@charliesvarietyhour

Bloody hell this got very long.. Thanks for the ask this has been so great to write! :D

Important things of note or some of this may not make any sense:

Murphy and Nathan and on the same timeline / story, my mutant 111 Au where it was a dual experiment in conjunction with west-tek to create super soldiers by gene editing and splicing. everyone survived the experimentation and subsequent stasis, though by the time Murphy hatches? is born? emerges from chrysalis? some have been killed in stasis by an unknown killer (not Kellogg, though Kellogg still has his role basically unchanged)

Tango is on a different Au timeline also centered around 4, though Tango is NOT sole, Sole in this one is evil institute bastard by the name of Thorn, who did fallout 4 selfish route until fort hagen and then convinced Kellogg to take her to the institute (leaving nick in the dust with scathing words and gunshots, poor nick), she also joins Kellogg as partners / romance / killers and they rule the institute together more aggressively than Father ever did, though Father is very proud of her.

In Tango's timeline there is no one sole as such, Thorn does parts of the institute route but worse. Tango does some brotherhood stuff though they nope out consequences be damned after BB (there are actual consequences unlike in game for disappearing), Preston is the general along with Libby and Slick take some of the minuteman quests, Libby is ~100yo ghoul with a love of explosives and shotguns, and slick is a young ex-gunner with a big mouth they 'recruit' after he sees how awful the gunners are when he is treated better as a MM captive than as an active gunner. Tango occasionally helps minuteman, more so after BB. Railroad is Fixer though he has to be a bit more creative without sole's foot in the door.

Both timelines take place over years rather than the few weeks that 4 does.

21. Do they travel alone or with a companion?

MURPHY

Murphy has the -trauma- privilege of being a fallout 4 'sole' survivor so despite being an obvious mutant, she ends up meeting most of the companions at one point or another! she much prefers to travel with friends since she pretty social and her time in various military groups has cemented the idea that 'alone = less people to spot danger'. though this is kind of an antithesis to her very design as a flying night stealth operative, so what companions she actually travels with is far less than the ones she befriends. she has actively traveled with codsworth in the beginning, and now travels with Nick, Preston and Danse. Though she ends up alone a lot more than she would like as Preston is busy being the general (she does work for them as both normal quests but also as the unwillingly elected 111 mutant ambassador, helping with any 111mutant related drama like finding homes, or dissuading/knocking some sense into/fighting the more aggressive ones) , Danse is #1 bos enemy so it is dangerous for both of them after that happens (she remains bos /minutemen aligned, somehow.. she does have 3 int but also can see that there are good people in the bos.. a real 'i can fix them' mentality -she can't-, its a long while before she realizes just how trapped she is) she still travels with nick frequently but he is often on cases so its usually her helping him not the other way around. the only upside to traveling alone for Murphy is that she is much quicker and stealthy on her own (especially compared to traveling with Danse rip). special mention for Piper since they butt heads a lot until Murphy gets piper to see that how she writes her paper is part of the problem, and that its a style that Murphy has seen before prewar, and shes seen how it ends. Piper doesn't take this perceived slight to her and her paper easily and it takes time and some deadly consequences for Piper to realize that her scare tactics may be having unintended consequences.

TANGO

Before they got unwillingly turned into Tango, they were a tech scavver who would scour old factories and military facilities for parts, components or even whole robots to hack and sell. they always preferred working alone believing that others slowed them down or could be a threat. They had no friends by choice and very few people they sold to, so when then disappeared back then very few people even knew they were gone. They remain of this prickly mindset even after becoming Tango, and its not until many years later when they reach the commonwealth looking for the secret scientists that 'make clones of people', that they are befriended by Preston and they realized that he really is that genuine and that maybe not everyone is Out To Get Them All Of The Time. After rescuing Preston and gang (since Thorn didn't) Tango has a bit of a crisis in realizing that people actually do care about others and that maybe all those people they pushed away in suspicion might have being genuine. The feeling bad about it doesn't stick around for long though, as many of the people they meet shortly after are raiders, scammers or just as suspicious about others as Tango is. For actual companions they befriend Preston (mostly Preston trying to recruit this hot mess of power armored person, friends after tango has the temporary 'I am a suspicious ass' crisis), Piper surprisingly with how secretive Tango is, this was inevitable as Piper spots someone in unique power armor entering DC and they don't do any of the normal merc things? that's a story for sure! Tango doesn't.. have a lot of patience for Pipers questions and will just. leave. Hit da bricks if the conversation goes where Tango doesn't want it to go (about them). Piper never gets her story (Tango doesn't trust her enough to keep her trap shut) But they do become friends and Tango even travels with her for other stories! For someone so secretive Tango is a nosy bastard. Nick as Tango hires him to help them find a way into the institute, Nick is still a bit stung from Thorn's abandonment and attempted murder of him, he wisely encourages -beats some sense into- Tango that contacting the institute for whatever secret purpose will end poorly for them. though Nick is briefly tempted to help for revenge opportunities against Thorn. Nick is also one of the very few people that gets to see Tango unarmored after a case goes bad and the armor is badly damaged in a partial building collapse thanks to a raider with a missile launcher. After they are dissuaded from institute contact, they wander aimlessly and run into Danse at Cambridge, they become wary acquaintances after Tango joins the bos (without realizing how badly they fucked up until the prydwen arrives, they though Danse and co was the 'bos'). They drive each other bonkers, Tango struggles to adjust to structure and having other people rely on them and not being able to do their own thing at any moment, which frustrates both immensely. (so many arguments over rosters.. "But why are we on night patrol? I would rather be sleeping wouldn't you?""It doesn't matter what you want to do knight that's what we have been assigned so that's what we are doing" both internally screaming. also "Where have you been knight!? Its been two days!!!" "Oh I wanted to upgrade my armors shielding :)" "You were suppose to be helping Proctor Quinlan!!"). Danse also takes Tangos refusal to never leave the armor in anyone's presence as a sign they Tango doesn't trust him at all, and Danse has many theories to why (Ghoul? Synth? ashamed of being seen for some reason? hiding from someone? bad BO?) It doesn't occur to him that Tango Can't leave the armor. Tango befriends Curie immediately with an unconscious mindset of half "I also want a human body again" solidarity and half wow she really is just that genuine and trusting, better help her. Tango often lowers their guard (eventually) around genuine people.

NATHAN

(is 111mutant timelines Nate) Nathan is a bit of a weird one since he is a 111mutant like Murphy, but got many more negative effects. While Murphy lost some intelligence and gained even more anxiety, Nathan lost nearly his whole self, and the bit that remains is so smothered under all of the mutant parts that he is not the same as he was. He wanders the wastes alone and out of his mind, hunting and killing as his mutations have left him with nothing but conflicting half-thoughts, feelings and instincts. Unfortunately for Murphy his love for her is turned into animalistic obsession that his now mutant brain translates as kill. So no Nathan doesn't have any companions post war. though pre war he and Murphy were nearly inseparable, and they both enjoyed the company of the squad they were put in when Aus joined the US. (they were both soldiers for the Republic of Aus before it got captured by The Reds, and then US forcefully took the territory with aussie help and willingly absorbed any remaining Aussies, as the land was war-torn . (Note: if you saw one previous posts that I have done that the aussies were treated poorly by the americans, I have since changed my mind)

32. What is their go-to weapon or weapon class?

MURPHY

Her excellent eyesight and aerial capabilities make her a prime sniper! though she isn't able to snipe till she gets some advice on how to modify a certain laser rifle to be lighter and long range, she struggles to use normal firearms because of her extra sensitive hearing so she was limited to a silenced pistol she 'found' (was sneakily given by deacon, she doesn't like taking gifts that she doesn't think she has earned) + earplugs until she was gifted a laser rifle out of pity for helping Danse at arcjet. She requires help for modifications since she is 3 int. She is below average strength and has an extremely limited carry capacity for flying so ultralight mods are essential. no heavy guns for you. prewar she was one of the first power armor 'willing' testers that survived (not unscathed) and their squad became one of the first to be power armored. so she got used to being able to wield very big guns with ease. misses it immensely. (wings mean no power armor). Always has a combat knife on her person, was caught defenseless while sleeping once prewar in anchorage and will never let that happen again, she only was saved by her squad noticing the camp intruder before they could kill her.

TANGO

Is not above using the armor itself as a weapon. has done so multiple times in the past with very gory results, doesn't do it often though as they dislike bloodying the armor cause they are a quite vain about it, as its basically their body now. likes the effectiveness of combat shotguns but doesn't use them often cause of the chance of splatter. so often settles for rifles. has a terrible habit of breaking or losing weapons so tend to pick up and horde them. along with ammo. You go into their secret workshop and its just full of weapons in all stages of repair and enough ammo for each to last a lifetime, scavver habits die hard. Doesn't mind heavy guns but finds carrying them around inconvenient enough to rarely use them. Its pretty hard to holster a minigun, even in power armor. Even though they don't have eyes as such anymore still is not great with pistols, prefers the looking down sights of longarms. Despite living in the armor for many a year by this point, they still get their ass handed to them by Danse in power-armored unarmed combat training, is VERY salty about it.

NATHAN

He is the weapon, a very large semi-aquatic stealthy monster. Though prewar he was a mechanic in the same squad as Murphy, and liked pistols as a backup, particularly .44 caliber. Wasn't ever in the thick of it like Murphy and the other PA operators were, though they came close to when one of the camps in anchorage was nearly invaded! Enjoyed time at the range whether it be hanging out with others, letting off some rage, or genuinely practicing

58. Do they believe in luck? Do they have a good luck charm?

MURPHY

If you ask her, she will say she doesn't believe in such nonsense, or perhaps she will crack a joke about her name and Murphy's law, but deep down she is surely becoming convinced that she has been cursed. she keeps surviving situations that she shouldn't have and every time with terrible prices to pay, how long until the price is too great she wonders, does lady luck treat debtors with kindness? she hopes so. Says she doesn't have a good luck charm, but has a chain separate from her bos holotags she wears under her shirt / suit with a growing collection of things from the 'prices shes had to pay': What was left of her Australian dogtags, Nathans wedding ring along with the empty casing of a .44 bullet, A small painted piece of Danse's t60 armor that was removed in repair for preparation of giving it to another paladin after BB, a warped and burnt piece of ornate metal of some kind, and a miniature plastic white chess pawn.

TANGO

Tango is very suspicious by nature, but also quite prideful thus doesn't believe in good luck as that would detract from their abilities. That mr gutsy in near mint condition they stumbled across before becoming Tango years ago? The many fusion cores they they just seem to trip over everywhere? Always having just enough ammo? all a result of their scavver skills not stupid luck! paradoxically they do believe in bad luck, especially that they became Tango. Though they do somewhat subconsciously know that they have lived far longer as tango that they ever would have if they hadn't stumbled into that particular branch of general atomics .. they weren't making many friends as a scavver but they sure had enemies. has conflicting thoughts on the matter. Doesn't have a good luck charm. doesn't really own much of anything at all tbh. other than scrap hoarding that is.

NATHAN

Believed in luck pre war. prime source of 'murphy's law' jokes. Despite believing in luck doesn't carry a charm of any sort, has a sort of relaxed view on the matter. acknowledges that Murphy has bad luck regularly when she trips over or is the only one splashed by a car on the rainy days. attributes a lot of his own small such occurrences to himself rather than luck though, ie he should have known better than to walk so close to the road on a rainy day, or that was stupid wearing a hat on a windy day even when nobody else lost theirs.

64. How / where do they generally sleep?

i should be asleep lol

MURPHY

Murphy sleeps during the day now, daytime is too bright for her sensitive eyes. so she only ventures outside in the day when absolutely necessary. She didn't really get a choice in the matter, the mutations completely rewired her internal clock ready for night combat operations. an incredibly nervous and anxious person by nature even prewar, she has always struggled with sleeping, she needs to feel safe before she can catch more than a fitful nap. the first few weeks in the new commonwealth are a bit blurry in her memory from lack of sleep haha. She only needs to feel safe, not actually be safe, some of the best sleep of her adult life was in active war zones prewar surrounded by her squad, the one day she stayed in the institute was the most nightmarish ordinary sleep shes ever had, outside of trauma nightmares.

TANGO

Tango doesn't really have a body that needs sleep anymore, though they still require some sleep to give their brain recovery and processing time like normal sleep provides. they will find a out of the way corner in friendly territory and will lock the armor in place so they don't inadvertently fall over. They have definitely gotten what constitutes quiet corners wrong though and have put themselves squarely in the way for hours haha. If they are not somewhere safe they will find somewhere defensible and will catnap until they feel awake enough to continue onward. Tango has been alone for so long that it hadn't occurred to them that when traveling with others that they can take turns keeping watch and sleeping! score another point towards Tango's 'oh shit maybe this whole 'friends' isn't so bad after all' tally.

NATHAN

Deep sleeper, snoring machine. 'who tf brought a chainsaw into the barracks???' type zzzzzz. Can and often used to fall asleep in unlikely places. At the pub. On the 'bird to the drop zone. Waiting for sleep deprived Murphy to figure out how to get baby Shaun into the new car seat that one time ("why are there so many buckles???"). Now as a mutant will camouflage in some mud somewhere secluded, or will find a damp hidey-hole somewhere to curl up. Needs so much sleep postwar, spends most of his time sleeping, which is great for everyone else since when he is not sleeping he is hunting at night.

[capableism]

Audience Reactions to Disability and LGBTQIA+ Storylines

Audience Perception of Character Traits In narratives with disability compared to sexual orientation, both pick traits that make others seen as selfless. The diagnosis of Charlie's eating disorder occurs after the audience sees how concerned Nick and Charlie's sister Tori are. One part of the concern is Charlie's actions; the other is how to approach the topic.

Charlie's Eating Disorder Diagnosis

Photo by Elena Mozhvilo from Unsplash

Balancing Actions and Approach Nick researches to find out what's going on with Charlie. This step of struggling is part of the process of being diagnosed, and how scary it can be to talk about the possible relief of treatment for the diagnosis there is.

According to Henderson, "Stigma is thus a product of social interaction between 'the normal' and 'the stigmatized.' During the process of stigmatization, people with mental illness are distinguished and labeled.

The Struggle and Fear of Diagnosis

Individuals who display certain characteristics that are culturally defined as 'deviant' thus become linked to undesirable features ('labeled') and are open to discrimination." Finding a letter in the LGBTQIA+ community in Heartstopper is loving and liberating. That's how it is for Nick and Charlie.

Stigmatization and Social Interaction

Contrasting Experiences: Nick/Charlie vs. Ben

However, another boy named Ben is meant to be the villain and an antithesis to Nick.

"Ultimately, Ben is alone. He doesn't have queer friends or gay relationships like what Charlie and Nick have. Ben doesn't have accepting friends or accepting family members like Charlie and Nick have. Boys like Ben are suffocated by the closet and erased by homophobia." (Telvin)

Disability as a Punishment Trope

This phenomenon of making villains queer can be seen in Disney's Ursula or Captain Hook. Scar and Darth Vader are well-known villains who have disabilities.

Disabled villains are a writer's way of using a disability to be the reason they are evil. They are "paying for their sins" with disabling consequences.

Casting Choices and Representation Disabled actors playing disabled characters are not often seen on screen. Casting an LGBTQIA+ actor for those parts is more expected in the social media age, where stars are placed to share personal details of their life.

Social Media's Impact on Casting Expectations

In the case of minority characters, fans quickly judge actors outside the character's demographic. As wholesome as Heartstopper is, when fans started harassing Kit Connor, claiming he was queerbaiting it forced him to come out. Nick Nelson is a heartthrob.

Source List Henderson, L. (2017). Popular television and public mental health: creating media entertainment from mental distress. Critical Public Health, 28(1), 106–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2017.1309007 Tevin, JD. "The Wholesome Facade of Heartstopper." Medium, 7 Sept. 2023, medium.com/@jdtevin/the-wholesome-facade-of-heartstopper-8c7170931c98. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Cancel Culture Is Real - Andrew Doyle

"Cancel culture doesn't exist!" is a mantra we often hear from its most obstinate practitioners.

In October 2022, the comedian and BBC presenter Graeme Norton suggested that a better term for cancel culture would be "accountability." But is it really fair to harass, defame and ruin people's lives simply for expressing commonly held opinions? What exactly are they being held accountable for? A much better synonym for cancel culture was coined by the singer Nick Cave. He said it was "mercy's antithesis."

Given that the very existence of cancel culture is so often denied, I thought I'd take this opportunity to outline precisely what is meant by cancel culture, and why it matters so much for those of us who still care about liberal values.

But let's begin with that thorny question of definitions. Now, most of us understand what cancel culture means. But perhaps it might be more instructive to consider what it isn't.

If someone criticizes you for something you've said or done, that's not cancel culture, that's free speech. If someone blocks you on social media, that's not cancel culture; someone has just decided you're not worth listening to and is exercising his or her freedom to ignore you. If you've not been invited to speak at a certain event, that's not cancel culture either; no one's entitled to a platform.

No, what cancel culture actually means is a form of public shaming or harassment, often for relatively minor mistakes or unfashionable opinions. It's the difference between criticizing someone for something they've said or done, or systematically attempting to see their reputation and livelihood obliterated. Cancel culture is not criticism, it's denunciation. it's contacting employers and demanding that people are fired because you don't agree with what they've said. It's spreading lies about them online so their future work prospects are diminished. In other words it's a hugely disproportionate and vindictive form of revenge, dressed up in the guise of virtue.

Here's a way to think about it: let's say a colleague has attempted a joke via email and maybe you feel a bit offended by it. Do you have a conversation with them in private and say, "look I think that was a bit misjudged, but I know that wasn't the intention so let's just move on and go for a pint." Or do you screenshot the offending email, post it online, invite all your followers to pile on to the person who wrote it, and denounce them publicly and then demand that the employer fires them for hateful conduct?

Now if you're opting for the latter, I've got some bad news for you. You you're not the good guy here.

"But free speech has consequences," the cancel culture skeptics cry. Well look, I'm inclined to agree. If a person says something stupid or offensive, they can expect criticism, ridicule, counterarguments, even protest. But if the consequences of free speech are that someone becomes the target of a campaign of public shaming and personal ruination, or worse still, that they're arrested for so-called "hate speech," then that's surely unjustifiable.

A common misconception is that cancel culture is simply a matter of holding the powerful to account. The failure of activists to cancel JK Rowling is often cited as evidence that cancel culture is a myth. But as one of the most successful authors of all time, Rowling cannot be cancelled, much to the irritation of those who sender abuse and threats on a daily basis. The vast majority of targets are those with limited means, who don't have the public profile or financial resources to protect themselves from such attacks. This is why the Free Speech Union has been invaluable, offering support to so many people who found themselves at the center of witch hunts.

Perhaps the most sinister aspect of cancel culture is that it has successfully generated a climate of fear, in which many are afraid to express even their most cherished convictions. Once a few high-profile individuals have been cancelled, this can be sufficient to discourage others from speaking out. The relentless and cruel attacks on JK Rowling are driven not by any serious belief that she'll suddenly become impoverished and unemployable. But rather by the desire to send a message to others who share her point of view. After all, who would want to be on the receiving end of such malicious and continual harassment.

And so, the full impact of cancel culture is pretty difficult to quantify. Like "no platforming," which is the practice carried out by universities of denying platforms to individuals with controversial views, most of the targets of cancel culture are pre-emptive. Just as speakers with heterodox views will never know that they've been deprived of an opportunity to speak on campus, many of us will have been passed over for promotions, or not hired at all, simply for the opinions we've expressed in conversation or on social media. We will never know who has been cancelled, because we can only ever be aware of those handful of instances that have been publicized.

So, while the press will report on pop singer Róisín Murphy's cancelled shows, a consequence of her entirely reasonable comments about the dangers of puberty blockers, the supermarket employee who loses his job for an offensive joke on Twitter is unlikely to garner the same attention.

For all that, there have been numerous examples of cancellations that have made the national news. And the evidence of cancel culture is there for anyone who wishes to see it. And although these examples represent a fraction of the problem, they should be sufficient to disabuse those who cling to the comforting misapprehension that cancel culture is just a fabrication of right- wingers. Not least because so many of its victims have been on the left.

And so, to counter the pervasive and false narrative that cancel culture doesn't exist, I thought it might be helpful to provide an overview of just some of its victims. And now, needless to say, this list is by no means exhaustive.

So, in June 2015, the Nobel prizewinning biochemist Tim Hunt was forced to resign from his honorary position at University College London after a journalist misrepresented jokes he'd made at a conference in Seoul in South Korea.

In August 2019, school teacher Christian Webb lost his job when it emerged that he'd been performing viral comedy rap videos under the pseudonym MC Devo in the mid 2000s.

In December 2021, choreographer Rosie Kay was compelled to resign from her own dance company after investigation processes began because she expressed her gender-critical views at a gathering with dancers in her own home. And although she had cooked them a meal and invited the company to her house, some of those present took it upon themselves to report her to the board.

In December 2018, tax expert Maya Forstater lost her job for saying that women are female and human beings cannot change sex. The decision of the tribunal was initially upheld, so she was forced to take the case to the High Court, which eventually ruled that gender-critical beliefs are protected by law.

The comedy writer Graham Linehan has been unable to work in the comedy industry for six years due to his gender-critical beliefs. His musical adaptation of his hit sitcom "Father Ted" has been halted by the rights owners, Hat Trick Productions, who had offered Linehan a substantial sum of money to have his name removed from the project.

In 2018, barrister Allison Bailey, a lesbian with a long history of gay activism, raised concerns about her chamber's decision to join Stonewall's "Diversity Champions" program due to its uncritical stance on gender self-identification. For raising these concerns, she was labeled as "transphobic" by Garden Court Chambers, who publicly announced that Bailey was under investigation. Bailey later won a court case for discrimination.

In 2018, the children's author Rachel Rooney published a book called "My Body is Me," which challenged sexist stereotypes and promoted a positive self-image for children. It was branded as "transphobic" and Rooney was subjected to a campaign of harassment by figures in the publishing industry. Some bookshops capitulated to activists and stopped stalking her work, and her publisher told her to stop expressing her opinions on the subject of gender.

In June 2023, it was reported that Sibyl Ruth, an editor at Cornerstones literary consultancy, was dropped because of her gender-critical views. Following an employment tribunal she received an apology and substantial damages.

In October 2023, Newcastle United fan Lindsay Smith was banned from the football club stadium for three seasons for her belief that sex is immutable, and that men shouldn't have access to women's changing rooms or compete in women's sports. In addition to her ban, she was investigated by a secret unit at the Premier League, who created a dossier on what they described as their "target." They attempted to find a home address, they assessed photographs from her social media accounts, and they even downloaded images in which Smith could be seen walking a dog.

Dr. Neil Thin experienced what he described as a devastating couple of years when he was falsely accused of racism by student activists. Thin is a senior lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh, and he had criticized a conference called "Resisting Whiteness" because it offered racially segregated spaces. He also objected to the renaming of the David Hume Tower as 40 George Square. It had been renamed on the grounds that Hume had written some passages in an essay in 1753 that would today be deemed offensive. Thin stepped back from teaching while an investigation was underway and was eventually exonerated in September 2021.

Also in 2021, the actor James Dreyfus was dropped from the audio range of Doctor Who stories for signing a letter to Stonewall calling for an open and respectful debate on the subject of gender identity ideology and its impact on the rights of women and gay people. The company not only dropped him but erased his episodes from a compilation in which he was meant to be featured.

In July 2020, the children's author Gillian Philip was dropped by her publisher for tweeting in support of JK Rowling. She's since retrained as a trucker and has written that the haulage industry is far more supportive and inclusive, and a lot less misogynistic, than the world of children's writing.

Criminology Professor Jo Phoenix was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after a campaign of harassment by colleagues after she co-founded a gender-critical research network. In early 2024, she won her constructive dismissal case against the Open University.

In November 2021, social worker Rachel Meade was sanctioned by her employer Social Work England because of gender-critical posts she had shared and liked on Facebook. This led to her being suspended on charges of gross misconduct by Westminster City Council. Meade later won her claim for discrimination against her employer and the judge ruled that the disciplinary procedure amounted to harassment.

In June 2020, Nick Buckley, the founder of charity organization Mancunian Way, was ousted for criticizing the radical politics of the Black Lives Matter movement, most notably its calls to defund the police and abolish capitalism.

In August 2020, Sasha White, an assistant at the Tobias Literary Agency in New York, was fired after a campaign by trans activists who took offense at statements posted on her Twitter account expressing her view that gender neutral pronouns were unhelpful to the feminist cause.

In January 2020, veteran television presenter Alastair Stewart was forced to resign after tweeting a quotation from Shakespeare which included the phrase, "an angry ape." This was misinterpreted as racist because he was replying to a black Twitter, user even though it was a phrase he had used previously in conversation with white people.

In April 2019, philosopher Roger Scrutin was sacked as housing adviser to the Conservative government as part of the "Building Better, Building Beautiful" commission. And this was after a journalist at the New Statesman doctored his statement in an interview in order to make them appear racist.

In June 2019, Asda Supermarket worker Brian Leech was fired after sharing a video online by the comedian Billy Connelly which mocked Islamic suicide bombers, even though the source of the offending excerpt was from a DVD sold by the company that employed him. He was later reinstated following an outcry.

In June 2019, BBC Books removed the writer Gareth Roberts from a Doctor Who short story anthology because he expressed his view that the trans activist movement reinforces outdated gender stereotypes.

In June 2021, the textile artist Jess de Wahls had her artwork removed from sale in the Royal Academy gift shop, having already been driven out of her hairdressing salon in the Soho theater. Simply for her gender-critical opinions. She was bombarded on Twitter with vitriolic messages and calls for her to commit suicide.

In June 2021, it was reported that the Reverend Dr Bernard Randall, a school chaplain at Trent College in Derbyshire had been reported to Prevent, that's the government's anti-terrorism program, and this was because he delivered a sermon on why it was reasonable to challenge ideological viewpoints. And this was in response to a training session that he'd been obliged to attend in which school staff were told to chant "smash heteronormativity."

In June 2021, the cricketer Ollie Robinson was banned from playing for eight months due to offensive tweets that he posted as a teenager. In addition to the ban from the Cricket Discipline Commission, he was fined £3,200 and was compelled to participate in anti-discrimination training.

In June 2021, it was reported that law student Lisa Keogh had been investigated by authorities at Abertay University in Scotland for saying that "women have vaginas." Although she was cleared, she described the two-month investigation as needlessly cruel given that it coincided with her final examination period.

In October 2021, the philosopher Kathleen Stock resigned from the University of Sussex following a campaign of abuse and harassment from student activists who claimed that her very presence excludes and endangers trans people.

Ann Henderson, rector of Edinburg University until February 2021, was falsely smeared by activists as "transphobic" and antisemitic and not fit to hold office simply for tweeting about a meeting at the House of Commons on proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act. She experienced a vicious campaign in which the University refused to tackle her abusers.

So that's just a sample of some of the victims of cancel culture.

And if it's true that cancel culture isn't real, it's got a hell of a lot of casualties.

==

They know it's real, because they think it's good.

Until it comes for them.

[natequarter]

[Points enthusiastically but not aggressively so] ROBBING HOOD PLEASE!

NYEHEHEHEHEH.

Dealt with the notion that legendary heroes might, in reality, have been the antithesis of the way history would ultimately portray them. Apparently, the specific example planned was to have the Doctor and Romana encounter Robin Hood in their search for the fourth segment of the Key To Time, only to discover that the alleged hero was actually a blackhearted villain.

so, first of all, the idea is freely nicked from an ultimately abandoned idea for a season 16 serial in which four + romana i face off robin hood. second of all, robot of sherwood is a work of art and forms much of the inspiration for this fic. anyway, it's unfinished and i'm stalling, but the premise is as such: the doctor is bored. romana, fed up with him, sends them both on an adventure. they choose the twelfth century, and run into the delightful robin hood... BUT EVIL!!! this causes problems for them. dun dun dun.

“Deconstruct your own damn shower!” Romana shouted, after she found what was supposed to be her en suite in pieces. Literally. For the third time this week. “Didn’t they teach you manners at the Academy? Or did you skip that lesson, too?”

Fiddling with a now thoroughly broken shower head, sonic screwdriver firmly in his mouth (why?), he said—“K9 neesh new pieshesh.”

neither of them are enjoying this. do not try this at home. a sort of comedic pseudohistorical romp in the vein of gatiss' historicals/season 16's whimsical humour.

(link)

[mongeese]

Truly the horror and violence of the Jodie Foster and Nick Close become Nicholas Foster thing cannot be overstated. What if a decision was made 100s of miles away and you become a fully different person that is the literal antithesis of who you are? What if you couldn't remember it? Nick Close died and Nicholas Foster took his place and no one knows except the 4 dads and there's no way to get him back. And a man was created with a whole history out of nothing. He lived a real life, but also he didn't because he was formed when Glenn made the decision to accept not being Nick's dad anymore. What the fuck is going on. This is so much worse than the death penalty

[theubb]

Part 4 and somehow i got even lower effort! I have been sitting at my computer everyday since september making Sonic Fanart; i have finally reached my breaking point.

As you people can clearly see i couldnt be bothered to pose the Kinto Mech''s hands, Nine's Tails and the entiretys of Terios, Anti-Sonic and Anti-Tails, the latter two who are barely visable on top of that. Even more so the ground is just one big blob of 1 color and the Elevator for Kintobor's ship is just copy pasted from the miniature i used in Part 1 but scaled up, it has very little detail and im not happy with the colors.

BUT as to what be hip happening here! As we saw previosly after Kintobor convinced Nine to come with him on the run back to Kintobor's ship they caught up with Terios and continuing onwards they got to the elevator where they met with Anti-Metal Sonic and quickly ascended upwards. In the nick of time aswell since shortly after getting up Anti-Sonic and Anti-Tails Caught up! and thats where im leaving it for now.

As said previosly; i am exhausted, i need a break before working on Part 5 where i will do my best to put in the extra effort that has been severely lacking in part 1-4. It will almost certianly be a month or 2 (maybe more) until Part 5 is ready but it should be out before the year.

But for now lets talk abit more abou thtis AU yea? I like talking

Here we gots my take on a Bad Guy Sonic!

As i said before for this AU the main Bad guy is King Acorn, Sally Acorn's father. Why? one may be asking, well is real simple; Despite the premise of Morality and Backstory's being Flipped and/or jumbled around resulting in Eggman being the good guy here and Sonic the bad guy i dont think Sonic works as the main big bad.

Sonic is a guy who loves adventure, an enjoyer of exitement; someone who likes it when stuff is happening, we can all agree on atleast that right? If we were to go with the idea of a bad guy Sonic wanting to rule the world (Mainline Eggy's Whole Deal) would his motivation not be to just bog himself down with work? Cuz ruling the world is alot of work and whilst that would certianly be quite different from mainline Sonic i personally think its too different. He is a guy who loves adventure, why should his motivation be no more adventures?

So instead i decided to keep him quite close to normal Sonic but instead elevate some of his imperfections even further. This Sonk is a right and proper Daredevil, a true adrenaline Junkie. He wants fun and exitement above all. He is all for throwing himself into danger just for the thrill of it all.

He doesnt really care for how his actions affect others, he is here to have fun above all. He thinks messing with Kintobor & crew is some of the most fun there is.

But the story still needs a bad guy, Kintobor and crew still needs someone to fight, someone to save the world from, Just like how in mainline Sonic Saves the world from Eggman, but who? Well with Sonic not being a good fit in my opinion after lots of thinking and pondering i settled on King Acorn and for Sonic and friends to be his lackeys.

But what is Anti-Sonic's reason for Joining King Acorn's conquest of the world? well he thinks the tasks the King has him do and the missions he sends him on are a ton of fun. This is a Sonic whose love of adventure and exitement have been elevated to even further levels, a right and proper adrenaline junkie as said.

But its not a perfect dynamic between Sonk and the King. Sonk does not much care for Maximillian Acorn's cause, he does not care for the end he is there for the journey. This naturally makes him a loose cannon But a cannon nonetheless which is why the King tolerates his antics. He has the fastest thing alive on his side, why squander that oppertunity?

But then there is the question of Anti-Tails.

First thing i want to make clear; whilst worsening these two's relationship would certianly be the antithesis of their usual dynamic fact of the matter is i have no intentions of ever seperating these 2.

I am not super satisfied with the design i put toghether here, it is subject to change. Without the Jacket he looks like a coal miner.

Back when me and my close confidant/2nd opinon discussed what a bad guy Tails would be like we came up with something that only after our talk did i realize was incredibly Close to Kitsunami.

I am abit split on this, the idea we came up with was neat; that he would be very cold and rude to everyone exept Sonic BUT with it being so close to another character i am unsure wether or not to stick with it. A sort of "them against the world" mentality could be neat, like the only reason he is helping the King is cuz Sonic is. But then again this makes him highly based around Sonic, not as mcuh of his own character y'know? But then again for the Bad guy versions of these characters i want to take some of their imperfections and ampilfy them even further and for Tails one of those could be making him more depandant on Sonic than ever before.

And there is the similarity to Kitsunami to take into account. Truth is whilst Dr Starline is certianly around in this AU i cant say the same for Surge and Kitsunami as quite frankly i do not know what to do with them. And if i were to do something with them in this AU how would that relate to Anti-Tails and Anti-Sonic?

I have not been able to find the time to discuss this predicament with my 2nd opinion/Close Confidant as she has been quite unavailable all Summer so Anti-Tails is in a sort of Limbo state right now; im not sure where i want to take his character.

So lets move onto Anti-Metal Sonic!

Like with Terios Anti-Metal's design is very unfinnished and like with Terios i Plan to address this in Part 5. I plan to get them proper designs in Part 5 and if i have worked out Anti-Tails by then then he too shall more than likely recieve a makeover.

The basic idea i got for Anti-Metal is to make him more of a nature lover in contrast to Mainline Metal Sonic who does not much care for it. Thus when i eventually get around to it i want to try and make him kinda dirty, not from misuse or lack of repairs but instead from spending so much time outside.

For physical changes the direction i want to take is something abit more combat focused and the basic concept of "Werehog on rollerskates".

As you can see i solved the extendo arm problem but as you can also see he clearly lacks the rollerskates. This is becouse a decent way thru i realized that funnily enough Mainline Metal Sonic was not a good base to use when making a good guy version of him. instead i think for the redesign i want to use Mecha Sonic Mk2 as a base to turn into my dream of "werehog on rollerskates"

Like this guy is a much better starting of point for what i want. Just gotta change the head to something friendlier looking, get him extendo arms, elaborate on his tires for the rollerskates and get him a green bowtie. Only problem is i dont actually have a Mecha Sonic Mk2 Design.

BUT atleast i know what direction i want to take him in which is certianly more than i can say for Anti-Tails.

But with that i think its finally time for my break and i will get back to you people in a few months or so with Part 5 where i will talk ALOT about ALOT of things and hopefully make up for the lack of quality so far, hope to see you then!

[invisiblegarters]

Only Friends Ranking - EP 2

Genuinely didn't think that I would be doing this this week, but well. Things have changed. A bit. And I have a ton of thoughts that might turn out to be very wrong, lol.

Favorite Characters (Most to Least Fave atm)

Sand - Look, he isn't moving. I know this, you know this. He'd have to do some extremely heinous shit or be epically boring for me to move him from my top spot, and I don't foresee either of those things happening. I adore him, your honor. He's setting himself up to get his heart broken and a part of him seems to know that and yet he's still going straight for it. He's the moth, Ray is the bug zapper, and he'll be very lucky if he gets out of this mildly singed and not burnt to a crisp.

But. Just a mild observation here. Forthright as this dude is - and he is very forthright, he says what he thinks and how he feels - anyone else noticed that he doesn't tend to get personal? We got Ray here talking about his mom, Top talking about the fire, even Nick and Boston opening up about their dreams and Nick about his curly headed past (I bet he was adorable). But two characters have notably said not a fucking thing. Sand is one of them. All we know about this dude from his own mouth is that he's poor and that he's an equal opportunity kind of lover (and I love that last thing for him, I really do). I just get the sense that there's some capital I Issues happening with him.

And I know we love his big doe eyes, but anyone else seeing something a little calculating in there or am I just reaching (I am probably reaching, but I desperately need him to be about more than his unrequited feelings for Ray going forward)?

Mew - this dude. This dude. Speaking of calculating - and speaking of people we know next to nothing about. Look I don't think he's a Machiavellian mastermind - yet. I still hold true to my opinion that he's a game player who has never had to deal with actual feelings getting involved and that once they do it's gonna be bad, both in the protect him sense and in the sense that he's going to be taking a wrecking ball to every single person in his vicinity (and hopefully doing it with glee. And I'm back to thinking he's keeping Ray on the back burner, lol. This ep made me think no but the preview made me think yes (oh don't worry I know Boston is planting jealousy seeds in Top's ears that I'm not even sure he really believes - he knows about Ray's crush but well, I'm not getting anything from Mew. But there's just a certain way Mew treats Ray that just...makes me think he likes the attention. NO judgement, honestly. Ray's feelings are his own problem).

I said already that he has different personas with everyone he talks to. For Chueam he's the flustered, almost overwhelmed naive virgin. For Boston he's this weird mix of guarded and vulnerable. For Ray he's the oblivious and appreciative BFF. And for Top he's this sassy, smart, sexy but still innocent and slightly wary almost boyfriend. All those things are very probably facets of his true self, but I'm fascinated with how he puts them on and takes them off for people.

Boston - there's just something going on here. I don't even know if he wants Top at this point, but he very definitely doesn't want Mew to have Top. I think he feels like he and Mew are in a competition - not just for Top's affection or dick or whatever, but in general. Mew represents the antithesis of everything Boston is - he's the guy who wants the commitment, who wants the trappings. Boston is not. But I think deep down Boston knows that Mew is the guy that's gonna get the intrigue. Mew is the gold standard. He's the good one that you bring home, that you settle down with. And I think that Boston feels more threatened by that than he does by Top, specifically, wanting him.

I also feel like Boston wants to prove that in the end, all anyoen cares about is getting their dick wet. I'm not seeing finer feelings here, I'm seeing resentment of the way Mew chooses to live his life, and that is SO much more interesting to me than him being in love.

If anyone is our Brian Kinney, it's Boston. And honestly, this ep made me think that Nick might actually be his Justin and that is weird af to me.

Ray - by far the biggest surprise. I thought I'd go the other way with him. Khaotung strikes again, I guess. I don't actually like him, tbh, and I am very frustrated by the woobification happening in fandom, but oh is this one interesting.

Don't think that I didn't clock that liquor next to his mom. My first thought was sue of side, but well, drinking yourself to death is a form of that, isn't it? Just a slower one. And now her son is following in her footsteps, like he inherited her issues with alcohol the same way he did her records. And I think he knows it, and that's tragic af.

He's exactly as needy as I knew he would be, too. And frankly, I'm interested in his substance abuse problem - clearly he goes in and out of it, if Mew's comment about his flask was any indication. And that small sips line? Yeeeah, that's bad. That's really bad. I knew they'd give Khaotung meat to chew on.

Top - I KNOW. I never thought he'd get above number six either. But I kind of feel for him? It's not even about the fire trauma. It's that I think that he's actually struggling against himself to be what Mew says he wants, and that fascinates me a little. He's as bad as Ray in his own way, and that's so interesting to me.

I think he's gonna cave and do the easy thing because the easy thing is familiar and because Boston's gonna drip enough poison in his ear about Mew and Ray (and he's seen enough of the way Ray and Mew are with each other) to make him doubt, plus Mew's testing him is gonna grate. But do I think that inherently makes him evil? Nah, not really. I can't abide a cheater personally so I won't be sad if Mew just wrecks him and they don't wind up getting back together or whatever, but I'm not gonna pretend I can't see why it's happening, either.

Nick - sorry but he was boring this ep. I want to see him create some havoc or be a little messier. Right now he's just kinda making me sad and I want him to be more than crushed dreams, lol.

Chueam - look Lookjun hot and Nonnie adorable but I need more out of her please. Is she really just gonna be the mom friend/cheerleader, because if so I hate that for her. Jojo let the lesbians fuck at the very least, please.

Relationships (most to least fave)

This is basically the same as last week, really. Except this week I see way more potential in BostonNick actually turning into something and way less in SandRay.

Specifically, I feel like there's potential for Nick to blindside Boston. Boston isn't harboring feelings for someone else, I don't think. He just thinks that feelings are useless, that fucking is what's important, and I think that's how Nick might actually slide in. Boston doesn't know the danger he could be in because he doesn't even think to look for it.

And as for SandRay, well...I know that Khaotung and First's chemistry is amazing, okay. I'm not blind. But when it comes to these characters...Ray sees Sand as a possession, something he can control, if not with money (which he tries first, remember), then with sex. He is very much just using Sand to fill a gap. Things are gonna get very rough when Sand goes back to reasserting his own personhood, I think. Because while I do think that Sand's gonna be an idiot, I do see a core of steel in him which makes me think he will only bend for Ray for so long, and that's when Ray's gonna turn mean.

Look, I know people like Ray. I've been people like Ray. Trust me when I say that man knows what he wants from Sand and his heart has nothing to do with it. Ray will let go of his thing for Mew only if he's forced to, he's gonna cling to it against all odds, and until he stops there's never gonna be room for anyone else. He won't let there be. Sand's gonna get his heart trampled and it's gonna hurt a lot.

I will say this: if Ray stops being so forward with Sand, that's how you'll know real feelings are creeping in. He can afford to beg him and cajole him and pester him because his feelings aren't engaged and it doesn't matter if he looks stupid or if Sand thinks he's pathetic or turns him down. He ever gets to the point where that stops happening, then I'll believe things are changing.

Besides that, that man doesn't need a lover, he needs a therapist (very probably both of them do). But if he can't or won't do that, my honest to god hope is that when he and Sand implode they actually manage to salvage a real friendship out of it. That's currently my best case scenario for those two.

Also I want Top and Sand to smash. Give it to me in the present or in flashbacks don't care how I want it now.

In Conclusion

I thought this week's ep was better than last. Didn't think that it would come for me as hard as it did but there you go. I had way too many thoughts about everything and everyone and I'm not even sure I'm halfway correct but I've haven't had the urge to study every expression and write so many thoughts down about a drama since My Beautiful Man. So make of that what you will.

I am so excited to see what people come up with this week. So many of you are so much better at this than me and it's so fun to see what everyone comes up with. :D

[ice-sculptures]

#stucky#i'm putting them here even tho i never needed them to get together#bc endgame's existence is a loss all on its own

So real and true! I could not have phrased this better myself. there are quite a few ships that I actually prefer in fanfic (for worry that the canon writers would do them dirty) but endgame... that was a travesty. *insert that Nick Fury meme about electing to ignore canon*

-TWS anon

P.S. sorry if this sends multiple times. Tumblr was being a butt so I'm not sure if this came through the first few times.

oh don’t worry, it only sent once!!

and yeah…i love steve and bucky’s friendship in canon, and i never needed it to be romantic in the source material because it’s a marvel property, for starters, so hoping for that is totally out of the question (and bc i know a million fanfic writers who could do it better, lol) but i’d genuinely hoped for the writers and directors to respect the bond that They built themselves — like, it still fucking blows my mind that TWS and endgame were created by the same people….the downgrade, lol 💀

i feel like a lot of people think stucky shippers are mad about steve ending up with a woman, but imo that’s ridiculous. if steve had married a woman at the end of endgame, but had stayed in the future, and his relationships with bucky and sam had been treated with respect? i would have been overjoyed. my problem isn’t with the steve/peggy of it all, it’s with him going back in time and a) leaving behind everyone he knows, especially his best friends and b) living in a world where he knows about all of the atrocities happening, including bucky being tortured for 70+ years, and doesn’t do jack shit to stop them. however tired he is, however strong his desire for a peaceful life is, the steve rogers i know would never stand by and just let it all happen and i hate that endgame gave me a version of steve that is the total antithesis of the character i loved for so long.

[sparkiekong]

Nickie Catzenberg - Nick Gould

-A Lesson in Vampires 4/9

They’re an ancient race, stemming from a long line that goes back as far as the biblical Eden. They do require blood. Religious icons and holy places have zero effect. Silver is an annoyance at best. Holy water is hogwash unless magically imbued, Garlic is too strong for their noses but will not stop a determined vampire and most importantly they don’t glitter in the sunlight or “love you too much”. Your average media vampire is utterly unlike any actual vampire and that is by design to keep them secret. At their core is a soulless monster who wont think twice about draining you of every drop of blood."

"The only thing the media did get right is the reflection bit. They don't reflect in mirrors....There are two main branches of the evolutionary tree that are vampiric and the older the vampire, the more resistant they can be to all these things. Sunlight is only dangerous to the thin blooded vampires, those who are more than 5 generations separated from the First of each branch, the source vampire. There is much and more to speak of, but I will limit it to the important bits."

"The only things that work are beheading and wood in the heart. The life-force the wood represents is antithesis to the dead heart that lies within their chests. They can become quite obsessive at times due to the nature of their dietary constraints and cannot reproduce in the way humans do. Death cannot bring life… in most situations. They are manipulative predators and will not hesitate to kill or maim in the act self-preservation regardless of how much love or affection they claim to have for you."

"The vampire you are interviewing, this Jure Vulpe. If he is indeed the same one on my historical database, then you are going to be speaking to a very old soul. Perhaps a second or third generation vampire from the source, the First."

The couple sits there a bit dumbstruck at all the knowledge that was just thrown at them, RT sits there a bit uncomfortable for a moment, “Perhaps I’ve revealed too much…”

Nickie shakes her head, “No, RT. It’s fine... Thank you for the information and for trusting us with it. I’m just not sure what questions I should ask now. You’ve answered most of mine. Do you know anything of Jure Vulpe?”

“Unfortunately, there are some big gaps in my information regarding him. He was a very well renowned alchemist in Cairntyp, and his name is found several times throughout the various scrolls regarding many types of herbal concoctions. If he’d been human, we would probably know his name more as most of his remedies are the basis for many medical remedies today, but he disappeared, and others took his place and his recipes. He disappears shortly after a breakthrough in fermentation, it’s unknown why he disappeared at such an important time in a new branching science.”

Dream speaks again, "The private eye, Nick, had a few questions, too." Dream tries his best, gruff noire voice mimicking Nick, "'What do you mean two branches of an evolutionary tree? Does that mean there's more of these 'things' out there and they're all different? How can they date back to biblical times and more importantly, why keep it all a secret? What is this guy's deal?' A thousand and one questions, the private eye had, but this was his angel's show... and he'd hold his questions until he was sure that he couldn't answer them himself. "