#hiding yourself away is more often than not not healthy behavior.

[just-jordie-things]

28 and 16 w yuta!!! its such a sweet concept and by the way, i love the way you write everyone >.< 🤍

16: New Year's Kiss 28: First Kiss ___

yuuta had planned for weeks to kiss you at midnight on new year's eve. and the closer the day grew, the more antsy he'd begun to feel thinking about it. he'd had feelings for you for quite some time now, but hadn't quite figured out when the right time would be to confess.

it was safe to say they were eating him up inside. and the week leading up to new year's had been dreadful. whenever he was around you, his hands would shake, he'd find himself at a loss for words, and more often than normal he'd be rushing away from you with burning cheeks and butterflies in his stomach.

you'd been quite bewildered by this behavior. yuuta was a good friend, so to see him making more and more excuses to leave conversation with you was starting to hurt your feelings a little bit.

so by the time your little new year's party rolled around, you'd been distancing yourself from him, just a little bit. you very much still wanted to be around him- he was one of your closest friends and you couldn't deny there was always a flutter in your heart when he was around- but you just couldn't handle the awkward exits he was making.

you'd been a bit of a wallflower for most of the gathering. yuuji, toge, nobara, and panda were entertained by their beer pong competition, and you and maki were hiding out by the table of alcohol and snacks together.

"you could always just tell him how you feel, you know"

you look up at your friend, a little confused because you had been standing in silence for the last five minutes so this advice came out of nowhere, but you knew exactly what she was referring to.

maki grinned when your cheeks flooded with pink, and you ducked your head down to stare at the remnants of a vodka cran you'd slammed not ten minutes ago.

"i dunno" you sigh, and she shrugs back at you.

"you got a better new year's resolution?"

no, you think bitterly. this year, just like many years prior, you failed to come up with a resolution good enough to stick to. anything you'd come up with seemed lame, or too obvious. working on being a better person? you already strived to do that every day. go on a diet? in your line of work as a sorcerer healthy habits were already a must.

"you still got five minutes to come up with something better," maki says, pushing her hair behind her ear. it looked pretty when she left it down, you think. "never known you to lack courage"

"it's not that i don't have courage" you defend, but your voice is weak, and your hand grips your cup a little tighter. maki gives you a comforting smile before laying her hand on your arm.

"it's your choice," she reminds you, and you you give her a wobbly smile back. "but you should seriously reflect on what's stopping you"

you let out a sigh as you nod back at her. shortly after, she leaves your side to go watch the end of the beer pong tournament. you're a bit curious yourself- yuuji and toge were starting to get very rowdy, probably due to all the beer they'd consumed in the last twenty minutes alone- but the idea of hanging out in the noisy crowd makes you feel a little overwhelmed.

so instead you're wandering into the other room, out of sight, and just far enough that the chants and hollers are a bit muffled. enough so that you can start to clear your head.

reflect on what's holding you back, maki's words ring in your ears. yeah right, easier said than done. you knew exactly what was holding you back- your pride. if you confessed to yuuta and he didn't feel the same, you don't know what you'd do. he was a good friend, and even if he had pulled away from you a bit, you couldn't stand to not have him in your life.

plenty of people harbored crushes and never confessed, right?

you hit your head to the wall behind you as you huffed. as much as you wanted to bury these feelings deep, deep down, you weren't sure you could manage such a thing. you think they might swallow you whole.

"trying to come up with a resolution last minute?"

you startle at the voice, your eyes shooting open and your head swiveling in the direction of yuuta, who's smiling sheepishly as he apologizes for sneaking up on you.

"it's alright, i just didn't hear you," you laugh nervously, breathlessly. "and no, i don't think i'll have one this year. again"

yuuta walks further in the room, leaning his shoulder into the wall as he faces you. he's close- enough so you can smell his musky cologne and you almost take a step back.

but maki's voice is in your head now, and instead you mirror him.

"that's alright. new year's resolutions are overrated anyways, right?" he asks, and you give him a warm smile.

"my thoughts exactly, okkotsu," you say, raising your cup for him to tap his into. you take a small sip from your drink before tilting your head at him. "i take it you didn't come up with anything either, then?"

"oh," he smiles, and you can tell it's awkward and shy, and it has your eyes falling to his lips because it was so cute to catch him in a bashful state.

when you met, he used to be like this all the time. easy to fluster, easy to mess with. you used to love pushing his buttons until he was stammering and blushing. but over the last few years he'd gained a confidence that more often had you reduced to warm cheeks and nervous butterflies.

it was adorable nostalgic to see that familiar expression on him now.

"no, i- i have a resolution" he says, raising a hand to the back of his neck. the nervous habit makes you smile a little wider.

"yeah?" you ask. "whatcha got?"

he's opening his mouth to answer, but then he's shutting it again and averting his eyes, catching sight of his watch. two and a half minutes until midnight.

he didn't want to chicken out, he really, really didn't want to. but now that he's standing in front of you, and you look so pretty in your new year's outfit, with a glittery pink gloss on your lips and an even more glittery eyeshadow, he's starting to panic. he doesn't know if he has it in him to seal the deal- as yuuji had affectionately coined it- and he's worried that he's going to miss this perfect opportunity because he let his nerves get the best of him.

"wait wait, let me guess," you giggle when yuuta flusters too much to properly answer you. "you're gonna be better with using your words?"

he laughs, some of the tension in his chest easing at your friendly teasing, and it makes you laugh, too. until you're both standing there giggling, just the two of you, away from everyone else, away from the whole party.

"yeah, i guess something like that" he mumbles.

and he's rubbing the back of his neck again, because your eyes gleam as they look up into his, and the butterflies in his stomach are brutally unleashed.

the moment breaks as there's loud screams and woops from the next room over, and the both of you flinch just a little as you're brought back down to earth.

"sounds like there's a minute left," you hum as you hear your friends scrambling to find the remote to turn on the tv. you share a smile with yuuta. "should we go back in there for the countdown?"

as you lean off the wall, yuuta's eyes widen and anxiety bubbles up inside of him. he almost- almost agrees, because he's a bit of a people pleaser, and that nervous voice in the back of his head is telling him that this is an easy out, if he wants it.

but before you can move, he squashes that voice.

"actually," he speaks, his hand reaching out and touching your wrist gently, effectively halting you. "i... i was hoping we could stay here,"

you look up t him curiously, and he's not sure if you're happy about this idea, but you don't seem to reject it right away, either.

"for- for the countdown," he continues to babble out words when you don't immediately say anything to stop him. "like, just us, if you want. you- you can go, if you want, of course, to watch it with everyone-"

"no, i'll stay,"

your voice is soft as you finally relieve him of his nervous misery, and yuuta's shoulders relax with relief. you smile as you notice this, before turning your attention back up to his face.

"how much time is left?" you ask, eyes flickering to the watch on his wrist.

yuuta raises his arm quickly to read the time. his heart starts pounding so hard in his ears, all noise in the next room over is drowned out completely.

"thirty seconds" he breathes out.

your brows pinch together as you regard him with concern. you don't know what has him so anxious, but you hope that the excitement of the new year kicks for him soon.

"worried about the new year?" you ask softly.

"no- no, nothing like that," he laughs breathlessly, and he can see some of your worry melt away. "just...you know..."

he trails off, but you don't know, and he can see it on your face, you have no clue what he's talking about, what he's antsy about. it's almost cute, your obliviousness to what he considered to be obvious signs of getting you alone for the countdown to midnight.

"what?" you hum, raising a brow at him.

yuuta doesn't say anything, but he takes your cup out of your hand, placing both his and yours on a shelf a few feet away before coming back to you. you're looking at him curiously, but you're smiling with amusement, which helps his nervous.

"ten!"

your eyes light up with delight as your friends in the other room begin screeching through the countdown.

"nine!"

yuuta's palms are sweaty, and it's getting harder to hold eye contact with you.

"eight!"

you can't help but hear maki's advice ringing in your ears again as midnight draws nearer. a new year calls for new things, right?

"seven!"

"yuuta," you call his name softly.

"six!"

he hums back at you, and your face blossoms with a warm, noticeable blush as you ask.

"five!"

your eyes are round and your pupils are dilated as they stare into his. yuuta thinks he could get lost in them, and lost in time if your friends weren't so loudly counting the very seconds.

"four!"

"would you want to kiss me when it hits midnight?" your words are rushed, slurred as you hope to get them out before it's even a second too late.

"three!"

his lips split into a wide grin at your maybe perfect, maybe terrible timing. he doesn't need to give you audible confirmation, his smile is enough.

"two!"

yuuta's hands find purchase on your hips, standing closer to you, his face inches away from yours. your eyes flutter shut as you tilt your chin back, leaning your lips in closer to his.

"one!"

just as you reach your hands up to nervously rest them against his chest, he's filling the rest of the space between you and slotting his lips over yours.

the cheers and declarations of 'happy new year!' drown out and fade away along with the rest of the world around you. all you hear is your heartbeat drumming in your chest. all you taste is the sweet vanilla flavored liqueur on his lips. all you smell is that damn cologne. for the length of your kiss, all you know is yuuta.

and you could recklessly fall backwards into oblivion if he'd follow you, just to have your kiss last a little longer. ___

xoxo ~ jordie

[sanchoi21]

Irresistable Sins

Toji Zenin x Reader

Warning: It contains mentions of familiar and social pressure for perfection, mentions of sex and sins.

Have you ever felt like sinning with someone?? Have you ever felt like to commit the worst possible sin, in fact all kinds of sins, just for the person your heart desires?! You never thought that you would ever feel this way about someone. Until just a few days ago, you were a perfect girl, a ever parent wished for being their daughter. You had perfect grades, perfect performance in extracurricular activities, on top of that, you were adored by everyone, especially your teachers, though there were many peers who would be jealous of you and still talk to you because they didn't hve the courage to go against you. But you were tired if all this. You didn't like the fake friends that surrounded you, nor did you like the unwanted attention which didn't let you have alone time, neither did you liked being praised for small trivial accomplishments. You were a perfect girl in everyone's vision but you didn't want to be so perfect. So perfect that it might keep you from creating deep bonds.

Toji was the typical brat, or you could also say, a bully in your high school. He was someone with perfect performance and perfect grades but his behavior ruined it. Initially you had thought that he was a jerk but when you were grouped together for a project, your thoughts about him instantly changed. He was good at heart, just he kept it locked away in the fear of being hurt or tampered on, something you that you found quote similar to you. You were used to putting on facades. Smiling through the pain when someone hurted you and taking thousand times the revenge on them, was something you did often.

Toji was the first genuine friend you had, who didn't tried to drag you down, instead he helped you rise in your hard times. You both had a healthy rivalry for grades but it was fun. Many a times, people would give you looks of disgust and jealousy when they saw you with Toji, but you didn't bother as his company was much more appreciated than all the fake ones that surrounded you.

From dropping you off at your home when it got late, to bringing you your favorite black coffee in the times you couldn't get a proper break, giving you his jacket when it was too cold outside, till just talking with for hours on end on nothing in particular, he did alm of that. Then how would you blame yourself for falling head over hills for him?? His actions spoke louder than his words when he choose to stay by your side when you were being blamed for something you never did. And just like that as each day passed, you falling more and more in love with Toji.

Today you and Toji decided to hangout in the evening as Christmas break had just begun and the town looked pretty in this tome of the year. He was the one to ask you out to which you had gladly agreed. The chilly weather of winter hit your nose as you walked beside Toji. The shimmering lights of the city looked even more wonderful to you, now that you were sharing this view with him, instead of mindlessly staring into distance when you were alone here.

Toji: Ice cream??

Y/n: Sure, why not??

Toji: What if ya catch cold or something??

Y/n; We would catch it together don't worry!!

Your remarks made Toji laugh heartily. He looked so beautiful under the shimmering lights, smiling so sweetly, that for a moment you got lost in those forest hues.

Toji: What happened?? Something caught your eye?!

Y/n: N-nothing, let's go get ice cream.

Toji: Ok.

You tried to hide your blushing face in your scarf as you strode forward, trying to leave Toji a bit behind, but he caught up soon. You didn't know that your blush didn't went unnoticed by him, making his ears turn red.

That night you went to different food stalls, shops, games, rides and did many more things together with him. Your trip was cut short when it suddenly started to rain, in the middle of winter. You both were surprised as winter rains weren't that common, but not that rare either. There was an ancient legend which said that rains in winter occur only when moon meets the sun, or in other language, when two forbidden lovers finally meet once in their lifetimes. You both got soaked in the rain as you couldn't find any shelter. The rain was getting worse, so you both decided to stay at the nearby hotel.

When you entered the room with Toji, the atmosphere was very awkward, as the room was somehow made for couples. Being tired from your outing, Toji removed his jacket and sat on the bed. He was soaked from head to toe, and his white shirt did a very little in hiding his well toned abs. You couldn't help but stare at his messy form, raven hair falling on his face as droplets of water trickled down. You didn't notice that by now, Toji was staring intensely at you. He slowly extended his palm towards you, a gesture subtly asking you to join him. At that moment, you finally lost the last thread of sanity that you were holding onto, at this point you didn't care about what sins you might commit with him, you didn't care if your parents will never forgive you for it, nor did you care about the shitty opinion of others about you and Toji, all you cared about was Toji and your feelings for him. At this point you couldn't control yourself, you just couldn't refuse him. As if you were a marionette to your own desires and his captivating gaze, you took his extended hand as he pulled you into his lap. You hugged him tightly and held you close to his body, warming you up and shielding you from the cold outside.

Toji: Y/n I love you... Sorry I couldn't say it before.

Y/n: Don't apologize, we are similar in that regard. All this time I tried to deny my feelings for you, thinking that what others would think, but I don't care anymore, I love you Toji and I want you to be mine forever. Will you marry me??

Toji turned red at your response, as he wasn't expecting a straight up marriage proposal, but he was even more happy now.

Toji: Yes, only if you are ready to be my wife, forever.

Saying this he gently pecked your lips. Before he could pull away, you pulled him closer, smacking your lips urgently on his, as if, if you didn't do it now, he would disappear, before you can ever reach him again. The kiss soon got heated as Toji struggled to remove his and yours wet clothes. You helped him and soon your clothes were piled up on the floor. This night you didn't care about anything else, all you needed was right before you.

That night you commited a kinds of sins with Toji like, fucking him even though you both weren't married or approved by your families yet, being intoxicated by him and worshipping him like he is your only Lord, exactly all the things you were forbidden from doing so.

The next morning when you saw Toji sleeping right beside you, you sighed in relief. You were scared that he might just disappear from your life, but you were glad when you soon came to know that he has come to stay forever.

You kept this your little secret till you both graduated and eventually got married to each other. Others didn't need to know that all your study tours to his apartment, were not just that. You were glad to have finally found someone who loved you from his heart and was always ready to commit all types of sins for you, since the first time you met.

[farfromstrange]

Chaos Theory | Michael Kinsella x Reader

Chapter 5: Designed To Deceive

Masterlist ° Chapter List

Pairing: Michael Kinsella x Reader

Summary: Something isn't quite right with you and Michael starts growing suspicious. Meanwhile, you try to convince your boss to give him a job and Sarah to give him a chance. If it weren't for the worry about your sister and the strange customer who seems to look right through you, you would have almost considered the day a success. Almost.

Warnings: Some angst, mentions of death/grief, mentions of child abuse, sex jokes

A/n: Michael is a big teddy bear in the beginning, and then it gets a bit... messy. Everyone say: Fuck Amanda, Jimmy, and Frank!

Michael doesn’t know how to read you. Just last night, you were crying in his arms, but as soon as your alarm goes off, it’s as if nothing ever happened. You put on a smile, brew some coffee for the both of you and get ready for work. 

He’s not sure if it’s a good sign that you seem so positive, but he doubts that your behavior is healthy. You’re hiding, not just from him but from yourself. He knows what that’s like.

He catches you cursing at your phone after glancing at it all morning. And then, when you’re desperately searching for your workplace identification for the cash register on the small desk that you consider your office, and he offers to help you find it, your answer comes fast and almost in a state of panic. “No!” you say. You notice how harsh you sound, so you add a forced smile. “I mean, you don’t have to do that. I can find it on my own.”

You twist the small key that keeps the upper drawer locked and stuff it into your pocket before finding the card you’re searching for under a pile of literary agent listings you printed out a while back.

“Got it!” you declare. 

You sound so cheery, but Michael has a hard time believing that you’re okay, even though you assured him a million times after waking up. You took a pill of Ibuprofen to get rid of the headache, and then you were yourself again. Caring, kind, and overly optimistic. 

“Okay,” you grab your bag, “I’m going to talk to my boss because she’s set to come over and do her usual run-down today. But I don’t see why she shouldn’t hear you out.” 

He walks around the couch, smiling softly. “You know ya don’t have to do all that,” says Michael. “If it’s too much of a bother, I can find somethin’ else. I–”

You shush him with your index finger against his lips. His brown eyes widen slightly, and then he pouts. 

“You’re cute,” you say, smiling back at him. “But I promised I’d do everything in my power to get you that job. Just let me handle it, Mikey, okay?”

“I trust ya, but I’d understand if your attempts don’t work. That’s what I meant.”

“You underestimate my power of persuasion, Mister Kinsella.”

“I would never do tha’. I know yer persuasive.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Then just trust me on this,” you say. 

He nods slowly before pursing his lips and pressing a gentle kiss to your finger. You pull away and offer him your mouth instead, and he eagerly leans in to kiss you. You taste like mint toothpaste and cherry chapstick. Your perfume smells unique; it’s a scent he can’t explain because it’s one hundred percent you. And your skin, as so often, feels like silk under his fingers.  

“Have you ever filled out an application form before?” you ask him then.

“Yeah,” he answers. “One or two. My solicitor made me do it. I have a CV, but there’s nothin’ great on it.”

“Do you have it with you?”

“No, it’s–” Michael sighs. “It’s at my house.” 

He left so suddenly the day before, he didn’t think to take more than just a few clothes. He didn’t even bring toiletries, so he stole your shampoo and your toothpaste; you kept his toothbrush from your first night together, which still warms his heart when he thinks about how carefully you placed it out for him as if he already belongs there. 

You nod. “That’s no problem. If you don’t want to go back there, which I’d understand,” you say, “I can pick it up for you after work.”

“No,” he answers without missing a beat. 

If you go to his house, Birdy will surely see you from across the street, and if Birdy sees you, it won’t take long for Frank to find out. Jimmy and Amanda already know, the latter even saw you kissing, and they don’t approve. He understands, partly because you are so normal, you have no place in the life the Kinsellas are leading, but he’s looking for a proper job now and he knows he can protect you from the threats his family is facing and might as well knock on his door, too. What he doesn’t know is if he can protect you from is his own family. 

“Why?” You frown. 

He doesn’t even know where to start. 

“I’ll do it,” he says. “It’s not your responsibility.”

“Do you not want me in your home?”

“That’s not…” Michael can only shake his head. He wishes it were that easy. But it’s not just his family, it’s the memories the house holds, the bullet holes in the wall above the fireplace he has so often traced with his fingers ever since he first set foot back into it. 

It would be too much. You’d understand, you already do, but you are a very empathetic person and his four walls are dark. They hold darkness, the same one he harbors inside, and he doesn’t want you near that, not on your own, at least. It’s shame, it’s guilt and it’s a desperate need to protect you from his past. 

“I understand,” you say softly, cupping his cheek. “You’re scared that your family will see me, aren’t you?”

You catch on quickly. 

“Yeah,” he says, “among other things.”

“Okay, I won’t go there then. Do you still need me to take you?”

He smiles and shakes his head, kissing your forehead. “I’ll take the bus.”

“Call a taxi. Who knows what psychopath is walking these streets today. Don’t want you getting hurt.”

“Fine, taxi then.” 

“Thank you.”

His breath is hot against your forehead. You wrap your arms around his waist, burying your face in his chest. He’s quick to hug you back. His hands travel all over your back; this is not him seeking comfort, this is all you. It’s another piece of evidence that you’re just pretending to be okay. Inside, you must be burning. But he doesn’t know how to help you.

“You worry too much,” he says. “I can take care of myself, ya know?”

“I know,” you answer. “I just can’t help it.”

He rubs your back until time tells you that you have to leave, and you reluctantly pull away from the hug. You glimpse down at your phone again, but something tells him you’re not checking the time. 

“Anyway, you call me if you need me to pick you up or drive you somewhere, yeah?” You look at him with eyes that leave no room for arguing. 

Michael nods, pulling you in for another gentle kiss. “Have fun at work,” he says. “Don’t let anyone drag ya down.”

“I’ll try,” you say, your smile almost reaching your eyes, but it doesn’t elicit the usual glow he could get lost in. You kiss him again as if to deflect from his concern. “Bye. And don’t forget to close the door when you leave!”

“Will do.”

The door falls shut behind you, and his eyes instantly flick to the drawer you locked. You probably think he didn’t see you, but he’s always vigilant, even more so after the day before. Why you locked that drawer, he doesn’t know. The Kinsella in him tells him to check in case there is danger lurking inside, but you’re not like that, you can’t be. You’re keeping something else from him, and you took the key with you to make sure he wouldn’t disturb it. 

He can’t break your trust like that, even though staring at it and not knowing what could be so important to lock it away bugs him to the point he’s ruffling his hair. 

What are you hiding from him?

And suddenly, he’s not the only one with secrets anymore; it’s the both of you. 

•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•

The truth is, you’re not okay. The few hours you slept weren’t restful. You dreamt about the darkness inside of you in many shapes, not able to wake up from the nightmare, and it dulled your spirit when you woke up. 

But Michael doesn’t need to know that you’re struggling. You cried your heart out to him and he held you, and you don’t want him to be any more worried than he already is. He has enough on his plate with Anna and his family. You don’t want to be a bother to him. 

The thoughts are harmful and your common sense belittles you for being so stupid and not just talking about what’s bothering you, but it’s not your common sense that is in control over you. It’s a trauma response, your therapist once said, trying to take care of everyone and fix them, put on a mask and pretend you’re okay because that’s what you have been doing from the start to protect your fragile heart. You internalized that behavior and now you can’t put it down. 

It’s been a while since you have been to therapy. You went the first year after moving, but that was it. You changed your attitude and decided to live in your bubble, and it worked for the most part. Until Michael came around. 

You don’t blame him. He’s not the one ruining your life. Meeting him was an unrelated event, but it caused your life to spiral out of control and fall victim to chaos. He’s the butterfly that flapped his wings and caused a series of totally unrelated events to tear you down, and he is not to blame for that. 

If you wanted someone to blame, all you had to do was look no further than the rearview mirror and into your own eyes. 

Maya hasn’t texted or called ever since you talked over the phone. You transferred her the money for the field trip and a little more, hoping it would be enough for her to get away for a few days. The chat between you has been silent since. 

She said that he took her phone, which means every call and every text goes through him. She snuck out to call you the day before, but you know she is smart enough to erase any trace of you. She hasn’t even saved your number under your name. In her phone, you’re called Sierra and you’re one of her high school friends. It made conversation between you so much easier after you moved, but then you fell into the rabbit hole and you drove apart. 

After something traumatic happens and you decide to leave the past behind, there comes a time when you don’t want to be confronted with reality anymore and you decide to shut everyone out. It’s better to avoid the truth than let it ruin your new life. It’s human nature, and you went through the same process. 

There are five stages of grief, and denial was by far the stage at which you stayed the longest, and you still are inevitably stuck there. Of course, you went through all five stages, but then you returned to the first one and you haven’t recovered since. Denial is nice to live in when you make yourself believe that the past can’t haunt you if you simply push it away. But it’s a lie that depression and trauma tell you; these voices are not to be trusted. 

Maya is all you have left, you realize that now. Your anxiety is higher than ever, and you find yourself glancing at your phone even as you’re driving. Car accidents can be deadly. They kill people. One second is all it takes. Humans are breakable, and cars are not built to save someone. If anything, they can turn into deadly weapons. You should know better than to switch your concentration from the road to the phone that is lying on the passenger seat. But this is your sister, and you need her to be safe. 

You fix your makeup before stepping into the café. If you put on a smile, no one will ask you if you’re okay. They will see your smile and move on with their lives. If you’re nice enough, they will leave you alone. You can’t let anyone get to you today or you might not make it ten minutes without crying. 

Your boss greets you. She is in a much better mood than the last time you saw her. She’s in charge of many cafés all over the country, all part of the small ‘Butterfly Effect’ franchise she created for herself. She does regular check-ins with you because she’s from Dublin, but she does drive to different towns in Ireland to check those stores, too. She’s strict, but she’s a woman with a good heart and that’s all that matters to you. 

“Ma’am,” you find the courage to ask her, “Could we talk for a second?”

You reached the café a bit earlier, giving you enough time to have a proper conversation with her before your shift. Sarah is already behind the counter, so you can use the moment of privacy to mention Michael without her catching wind of it before you can tell her personally. She is not going to be thrilled, you can guarantee that. 

Your boss tells you time and time again that you can address her as Ava, but you don’t feel comfortable treating her like a friend when she’s the one responsible for your job. Apparently, in the American coffee shops she used to work at, everyone acted like they were close friends, the lines between customer and service provider blurring. That’s not the kind of atmosphere you are used to from your previous jobs. 

“Of course,” she says and follows you into the backroom. “What can I help you with? I hope it’s not about how I yelled at you the other day. If so, I apologize. I had a rough day.”

“No, no, it’s not about that,” you assure her. “I had a rough day too, believe me. I get it. I actually need to ask you something. Two things. One’s a favor and the other… the other is very important to me.” You fidget with your hands. 

“What, you need some time off?”

“No, I– Okay, this might sound very weird, but I need you to give me more work.”

Ava frowns. “You want to do overtime?”

“If it’s possible, I’d be okay with working a seven-day week without a day off,” you say. 

“You know that means you’re going to overwork yourself, right?”

“I won’t overwork myself.”

“There is a reason you get a day or two off every week. If I make you work any more hours, I’ll risk a lawsuit.”

“But I need the money, ma’am. I really, really do.”

“Money? Sweetheart, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” you lie. 

You’re not begging for overtime because of yourself. Giving Maya most of the money you saved is one thing, but your bank account is nearly empty and you might not be able to make rent on time if you work at the pace you’re going now. And if your sister ever needs something else, or you end up having to fly her out of the country and to you, you need more money. 

This is not about you, this is about family. 

“Are you sure?” Ava asks. “A seven-day week is not something I can legally make happen for you, and you know that.”

“Then make me work more during the days I’m already on the job,” your breath hitches as the words come out high-pitched. You don’t like to whine, but you need her to listen to you. 

She contemplates, her chest heaving with a sigh. “I can add a few more hours to the schedule,” she caves, “but I’m not going to let you work double shifts.”

“Thank you!” You want to hug her, but that would be inappropriate.

She smiles. “You’re welcome. But if there’s anything you need–”

“There’s one more thing,” you say. 

“And what’s that? Please don’t tell me you want me to strike your vacation time, too.”

“No, it’s not about my holidays. I have a possible candidate that would love to work for us.”

“Oh?” Her eyes light up. Being understaffed is a pain not only for the staff but also for the ones responsible. You have been lacking applicants, and Ava is barely holding up the workload. “Tell me more,” she says. 

“Well, he doesn’t have any experience,” you begin, “but he is willing to learn. He’s calm, compassionate, and patient. And he’s in desperate need of a job.”

“Part-time or full-time?”

“I figure part-time.”

“Why?”

You grind your teeth. “What if I told you he needs it to regain visitation rights for his daughter? But he’s very passionate about taking it seriously,” you quickly add, knowing the initial answer sounded like it was the only reason he wanted to work there. “I can assure you that,” you say. 

Her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline. “Visitation rights? What did he do to lose them?” she asks. 

“He, uh… went to prison for eight years.”

“Pri–” She crosses her arms. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, but that’s why he needs a job. He wants to be better.”

“Eight years is a lot. Why… what did he do?”

“I can’t tell you that. It’s not my place.”

Ava says your name in a rather condescending way. 

You sigh. “He was convicted for playing a huge part in the wrongful death of his wife, but he is a good guy, I–”

“No,” her answer comes short, but it feels like her voice echoes in your ears. 

“But you hired Oliver,” you argue. 

You promised Michael she would give him a chance, and you won’t let her judge him without having ever met him. 

“I have a serious business here and I don’t let just any convict in,” Ava responds. “This is nothing personal, but–”

“No, he deserves a second chance!” You stand your ground. For Michael. For Anna. For all of you. “Please, you haven’t met him.”

She purses her lips. “Are you involved with him?”

“I know him,” you go around the question, “and he is willing to change.”

The silence that follows is deafening. She thinks about your words, the wheels in her head turning rather obviously. You don’t know how long she’s quiet, but it can’t be a good sign. 

She lets out a prolonged exhale, her eyes switching to the watch on her wrist. “Wednesday, eight o’clock,” she says then. “I want to see him and his application in person.”

“Wait,” you stammer. 

“What?”

“So that’s a yes?”

“Yeah, I’ll hear him out,” – relief washes over you – “But that doesn’t mean I’ll hire him. That’s a decision I’ll make after I meet with him.”

Your face breaks out into a bright smile, and this time, it is real. There is still good left in some people, and Ava proved it to you again. 

“Thank you so much,” you say, your voice a grateful whisper. “You won’t regret it.”

“I better not,” she says. With another look at her watch, she pushes herself off the counter she was leaning against. “I have to take a look at the books now, and your shift is about to start, so I suggest you do that.”

“Copy that, ma’am.”

“Oh, and–” She turns around halfway through the doorway, “Tell your boyfriend that he needs to really impress me.”

She saw right through you, but in that case, you don’t care. You nod, overjoyed with the feeling of relief and the fact that Michael might get a chance to work someplace that is far away from his family. And knowing your boss, she would even write a letter to the judge to prove to them that the ‘Butterfly Effect’ is a good place to work for someone in need of redemption. But you will get to that once she made her decision. 

You pull out your phone. Still no messages from Maya. If the radio silence keeps persisting, you might as well call her and hang up if one of your parents decides to pick up, but then at least you’ll know her phone isn’t in a ditch somewhere – and you just need to know if she’s doing okay. 

You tear your eyes away from the chat with your sister and switch to another number. 

‘Wednesday, 8 o’clock. My boss will hear u out. We just need to work on ur documents xo’

You send the text to Michael before storing your phone in your backpocket. Perhaps some good might come out of this day. 

Sarah smiles at you when you join her behind the counter. “What did ya and Ava talk about?” she asks. 

You smile, the expression a little strained. “I will tell you later, this is no conversation for here,” you say. 

If she reacts even remotely the way she did after she saw you kissing Michael, you need to be someplace that doesn’t have mugs or sharp weapons she could throw at you. You don’t even want to imagine her reaction, and you’re a little scared, but she deserves to know the truth before anyone else does. 

“You’re my friend, right?”

“Of course,” Sarah says. 

“Okay, good.”

“Why?”

“Just asking,” you say. 

“Okay…” But her eyes hold some suspicion as she turns away to finish drying the dishes. 

The next few hours pass by without mishaps. Your mind often slips to your sister and Michael, and you catch yourself checking your phone more often than usual, but at least with work, nothing goes wrong. You forget the whirlwind of emotions inside of you for a moment, focusing on her friend and whatever wild dating story she can come up with, and you actually find yourself laughing again. 

You turn to face forward when the bell dings. There is no line right now, so he walks right up to you. His hair is graying and he’s wearing glasses. The suit tells you he must have an important job. Your lack of sleep makes it harder to judge the kind of person he is, but you get a shady vibe from him. You’re not sure how you know, but something about him seems not right.

He stands before you for a moment, eyeing you and not the menu. Sarah catches sight of that too, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she refills the toppings that have gone out.

You wait for him to speak, but he’s entirely focused on you. “Welcome to the Butterfly Effect,” you speak up, putting on a smile. “What can I do for you today?”  

He’s really strange, you think. Only after glancing at the menu, he smiles back. “I’ll have a tall Irish Coffee to go and one of those cinnamon biscuits ya’ve got in the display,” he says. 

You nod, typing his order into the register. “Your name, sir?” you ask.

He smirks. “Frank.”

“Okay.” You write his name on the paper cup. “Anything else I can help you with?”

“Actually,” his eyes flick to Sarah who has started brewing the espresso for his drink, “Would you mind makin’ the coffee fer me?” 

Your blood runs cold when he says your name, but then you remember it is written on your name tag and you calm down. 

You look at your friend, then back at the man. He’s not flirting or he would go about this differently. 

“Um, I mean, sure?” 

Sarah shrugs and hands you the cup back. 

“Is that all?” you ask.

He nods. “Thanks, love.”

You don’t like that he calls you that. With Michael, it’s different. Now you’re just creeped out. 

You take his money and turn to quickly finish his Irish Coffee. His eyes are on you the entire time, and you feel slightly violated. You’re used to being watched by customers, but there is something dark in his eyes. He’s like shadows in a dark alleyway that you walk around because you’re scared of what might be hiding in the darkness.

“Irish Coffee for Frank,” you say, trying not to let the uneasiness show. 

He smiles when you hand him the cup. Opening the lid, he takes a good whiff of the liquid inside. He hums.

“I’m sure ya make an excellent Irish Coffee,” he says. “Fer a Brit, I mean.”

“Thanks.” You’re not sure how to respond, you just want him gone.

Don’t let anyone drag ya down, Michael’s voice sounds in your head. 

You straighten your shoulders and smile a little wider. “You live and you learn, right?” you say. 

He nods. “That’s true.”

“Well, if that’s all–“

“Do ya always write notes on yer customers’ cups?” 

“I’m sorry, what?” 

The question catches you by surprise. You blink wildly, trying to find a reason as to why he would ask that. Goosebumps form on your skin. You don’t like the look he has in his eyes, and you can’t even describe it.

“It’s just a question,” he says. 

You swallow. “Sometimes, I do. Why? Is there something wrong, sir?” 

“Oh, no reason. I was just askin’.” He grips his biscuit and his coffee tighter. “Take care of yerself,” he tells you, “Ya never know what might happen out there, right?”  

He heads back out the door before you can find a way to answer him. 

Sarah appears beside you, watching the stranger disappear down the street. “Was that a threat?” she asks.

You flinch a little at the sound of her voice so close to your ear. “I don’t know,” you admit. 

“Sounded like one.”

“That guy was creepy.”

“Yeah, he is. I was about to give that bastard a piece of my mind.”

“That’s not always the answer,” you say. 

But in this case, you wish Sarah would have unleashed her anger before he could have freaked you out further.

His words did sound like a threat, but what bothers you most is the look in his eyes when he eyed you top to bottom, and his knowing smirk when he left.

You’ve never met this guy but he acted as if he knew you, and that’s a feeling that drives the stake of fear deeper into your heart. 

“So anyway,” Sarah leans back against the counter, “Ya wanted to tell me somethin’?”

The café is quiet. Most of the customers have cleared out. You look around, a little on edge still, then turn back to her. “Yeah, there is something you need to know,” you say. You place the towel in your hand down, absentmindedly wiping the non-existent stains off the surface. 

“What?” she asks. 

Taking a deep breath, you gather your thoughts before speaking. "I've been trying to get Michael a job here." The second the words leave your mouth, you brace yourself for her reaction. 

Sarah's jaw drops. “Are you fuckin' kidding me?!”

“No, I’m serious, but hear me out–”

“No, nope, nu-uh.”

“Sarah–”

“Fuckin’ Michael?” She growls your name through gritted teeth. “The wife-murderer who just happens to be your boyfriend now? Which, by the way, I still haven’t fully wrapped my head around. I have been trying to understand, but now ya want this… this criminal to work here? With us? Are you out of your goddamn mind?”

You lift your hand, trying to calm her down. You expected as much when you asked Ava to give him a chance. Sarah is your closest friend and she cares with a passion that can often turn into rage. You love her, but you also care about Michael and her rage makes you angry, too. She makes it hard not to lose your mind. 

“Seriously,” she says, “Did someone shit in your brain or somethin’? I don’t get it!”

You take a step back, a mixture of hurt and frustration etched across your face. Her words sting. You never thought it would be easy to convince her, but you hoped she would at least try to understand. You hoped she would think about you giving Michael a chance after finding out about you and that it would be easier for her to accept him now. But she’s not even trying, it seems, no matter how many times she tells you she is. 

"Sarah, I know it's hard to grasp, and I'm not asking you to accept everything all at once," you say. "I know it sounds like he's the worst man alive, but that's not true. He's a human being who made mistakes. I'm trying to get you to see that he's a good guy. He'll show you that if he gets the job, I promise. Michael has paid his dues, and he's trying to make amends for his past. He lost what he loved; he lost his wife and he's trying to get his daughter back now. He's genuinely remorseful. I see him try to be better every day."

“Why do you always have to be so goddamn good-hearted? Do you understand that all this trying to fix him could actually backfire?”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Not do it?”

“Well, I like him!”

“Don’t like him then.”

“I can’t!”

“What, yer gonna tell me next that yer in love with him?”

“I–” You pause. Your eyes flick to the ground. 

“Oh no,” Sarah whispers. “Don’t tell me I hit the nail on its fuckin’ head.”

“You didn’t!” You’re not sure why you paused or why you sound so defensive now. “I… I don’t know what I feel for him.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

The confusion is the worst part about feeling like this, whatever it is. “I’m not lying,” you insist. “It’s not just me being kindhearted. I genuinely like him.” That much, you know. 

She crosses her arms and glares at you. "I don't care if he's sorry or not. People like him don't change overnight, if at all. How can ya trust him? How can you trust your judgment?"

“I just can, okay?” you sound exasperated. “Don’t ask me how, I just know.”

"Yer risking everything for him, aren't ya? Your friendship, your safety, and now even your own emotions. This isn't like you. You've always been cautious and level-headed."

You clench your fist. Her skepticism hits deep, causing a flicker of doubt to cross your mind. But Michael makes you feel alive and understood; he was the first man to see you, and you can’t deny that you need someone like him. You need him. 

You know the connection between you and Michael defies your principles and logic and it isn’t like you, Sarah is right, but people change. You’ve changed. 

“I understand your concerns, Sarah. I do. But love and relationships aren't always simple. Sometimes they defy logic and reasoning,” you explain. “I never planned for any of this to happen, but it did. And I can't just turn off my feelings for him. It's not that easy.”

Sarah's gaze softens, and she takes a step closer to you. “I know ya can't control your emotions,” she says, “but ya can control your actions.”

“You told me I should run at the slightest whiff of danger, and I promise that I will, but there is no danger–” Lie. “It’s just him needing a helping hand, and I really, really like this guy, Sarah. So please, if he ever starts working here, can you at least try to get along instead of wishing death and destruction upon his head? He has been through enough, and once you meet him, you will understand what I’m talking about when I say that he’s actually a good guy.”

You’re persuasive. You have a way with words that leaves many people breathless, and you seem to tickle something in your friend’s mind. 

Sarah's eyes search yours. She takes a deep breath and nods slowly, her initial anger dissipating. "Fine," she says with a hint of reluctance. "I'll try to give him a chance. But only because it's you."

You grasp her hand, sighing a breath of relief. “Thank you,” you say. 

“Just promise me one thing,” she tightens her grip, “Promise me again that if anything feels off, you'll trust your instincts and prioritize your own safety.”

“I promise.”

“Good. I mean it. I care about ya, and I don't want to see ya hurt. Just be careful, okay?”

“Yeah, I will.”

She nods. “My door is always open,” she adds. “Don’t hesitate to come to me. I’m here for you. And if he breaks your heart–” Sarah lets go of your hand and grabs one of the bananas from the display, followed by a knife. 

Your eyes widen when she takes the knife, beheading the banana in an instant. She grins. You don’t find it particularly funny because she just threatened to take away one of his best assets, but her protectiveness warms your heart nonetheless. 

“Can you leave that part of him out of it?” you ask. 

She takes what’s left of the fruit and bites into it. “Why?”

“Well…”

“How good can it be?”

You purse your lips, looking away from her. 

“How good?” she questions again. 

The taste of your leftover caramel Frappuccino explodes on your tongue. You smirk around the straw. 

“Yer blushin’. Why are you blushin’?” 

The air in the cup makes a loud gurgling sound as you suck it out through the straw. 

“Can I get some details?” Sarah continues poking you. 

“Why?” you ask innocently. “There’s nothing to tell.”

“Yer lying.”

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not.”

“The way yer sucking that straw tells me that you are,” she retorts. 

“I haven’t done that yet,” you clarify, but then your smirk grows and you turn around. “He did though.” And with a happy giggle, you skip over to the garbage can and toss your now-empty cup inside. 

“Wait, so Mister I-Went-To-Prison-For-Eight-Years-Fer-Murder gives you head?”

You nod. “Mhm.”

“Good head?”

“Fantastically good head,” you say. “And he loves it.”

Sarah lowers her banana. “Damn!”

“And that banana,” you say, “Doesn’t even come close.”

“What?”

She can hear you laugh to yourself as you move on to the seating area to clean the empty tables. With one last look at the half-eaten banana, she decides the picture in her head is not worth it and she throws it into the trash. 

She calls your name. You turn around. “Ya best believe yer gonna get more questions from me,” she says. 

You wink. “Oh, I’m counting on it.”

Amidst the sex jokes, you can’t help but hope that, in practice, Sarah can put her differences aside just as easily as in theory and give Michael a chance. Because he deserves more than one person that believes in him. And if he sees that someone else accepts him and cares enough to give him a second chance, he might not feel so useless anymore. 

But that is all you can do–hope for the best. 

Tagging: @bellaxgiornata @shouldbestudying41 @your-not-invisible-to-me @glowstick-lesbian @ms-murdockswift @acharliecoxedfan @loveroftoomanyfandoms @mattmurdocksscars @roseallisonparker @1988-fiend @norestfortheshelbywicked

[noroi1000]

hello! Can I get a jjk match up? With boys please and romantic

My hobbies or activities are writing, drawing, gaming, watching and being a fan of medias (either songs, books, movies, anime and etc) I enjoy. Also I am crushing to fictional characters.

While my personality is I am lazy in many times (like doing chores and etc) but also responsible in responsibilities I need to do (like school assignments or activities and another important things). I am the person who can't decide anything, if person will ask me 'what do u want?' I reply 'ur decision' . I am also a person who always said that I don't love you but tell them 'hey don't do that' when they will do something dangerous and when they said 'you love me didn't you' I just reply 'it's because we have no money to get you in hospital and it's you fault if you have injury' to hide my real feeling. My another personality is I am introvert but can be extrovert in important things however I am not safe from being nervous. I am not that friendly but when I am close to someone, I can be sweet to them. I am also the person that have neutral views about things like when somebody asks me 'hey is this dress good to me' in my mind I am neutral I don't have sure answers but I let it out with 'yes'. Connecting to that previous ones, I am not the person who tell what's inside in my mind, people will kinda call me out for being neutral in all times. Contradicting to that, I am the person who is kinda childish but I can be mature in important times. I don't know too how to deal in problems and emotions in healthy way. Lastly these are the remaining personalities I didn't mention hardworking and good in cooperating in group projects despite being introvert I can talk to them.

for my likes are vegetables and fruits, sweets, fictional characters, and medias.

My Dislikes are rude people, Lady finger and Eggplant (the only vegetables I can't eat), and people who wants me to

I think your Jujutsu kaisen matchup is

Choso

Given that he has many younger siblings, he seems exhausted already. As if he didn't care anymore. Life is wearing him out.

He is very responsible, and he will take care of everything for his siblings right away. He would like the best for them. He will do what he has to do so that he does not disturb others. He wants to take care of loved ones even if his emotions do not show it.

His behavior often shows that he does not care. He is just stoic and calm. As if nothing bothered him. But this is wrong. Even though he is so cold to the people around him and wants nothing to do with them, he actually cares a lot for his loved ones. Even so much that he doesn't care about himself.

Even the saying "take care of yourself" can be said without emotion. However, his words hide a deep concern. He would never want anything to happen to anyone if he was around.

Only his relatives who experience it on their own skin know that he loves them more than life and will care for them. But he just can't talk differently. That's the tone of his voice.

The same applies to smiling less frequently. He will not often send someone a smile so joyful that it can light up an entire room. His smile is soft but happy.

He wouldn't like to hide his love for his family and partner, but sometimes he can't show it over and over again. He's just the way he is. Even when he wants to. He comes out as if he was depressed and didn't want to know people. And also as if he were saying nice words just to comfort someone and let no one think that he was sad.

That is why his relatives know that he loves them, even if he does not show it.

He is more stoic and calm in frequent situations. But he also gets irritated and furious. If he fails, he'll just get irritated and either let go or keep on trying. He will only get mad when someone makes him feel the danger of his family. Of course, he wouldn't want you to see him in a crazy state, so as not to scare you away from him. In this state, he can do absolutely anything for the safety of others, and he certainly wouldn't want someone who shouldn't run away from him to be afraid of him. If that had happened, she would have given up…

He smiles and thinks extroverted only in the presence of loved ones. Usually in public places he would be something that would not show a single emotion, thus putting pressure on the people around them and they would start to fear him. Only with everyone who is not strangers to him and likes them is he really real. He smiles, laughs and even plays.

Has opinions on advising people. And surely if someone asks him about it, it would be difficult to answer. But he's honest. In order not to offend anyone close to her, he will say it kindly. But when he does not like this person, he will be almost mean (even if this is not what he meant and whether this person will interpret it good or wrong is not his business).

I think he can be considered neutral. He's not smiling and he's not pissed off. He doesn't show a lot of emotion at once. He thinks about many things, and shows it differently, or does not do it at all. Depends on what person is next to him.

He's acting like an adult, but he's got a bit of a kid, deep down. He is the oldest of all the brothers and tries to be as responsible as possible, to be a role model for them and someone they can rely on immeasurably on. But if he could find a person to whom he can entrust his life, all his emotions and feelings, and give him his own and provide warmth and security, he will be at your mercy. He will act like a child who refuses to leave her mother's love. Because he needs someone to love and support him. That someone would help him deal with his problems without saying he couldn't do it. Because it's really not healthy. After all, someone can help do this.

He only talks to the group he wants to be in. Then he will be his real self. Nice and gentle guy. But he can also cooperate with others, but his emotions will not be so nice. It will just do what he has to do.

Surely he would like to laze in bed right after finishing everything, to rest and stop being like that. Without pretending. He would like to show her emotions whenever she wanted to. But he really wants to protect loved ones and make them think that he is their older and stronger brother who will take care of everything.

Headcanon:

• He softens the most when he hears one of the brothers call you Sister. Then he knows that just as you accept him, the rest accept you even more. And you make everyone smile more and more. Especially him.

• Especially he'll keep telling you that you don't have to worry about him, and he really is. When you don't try to help him, he feels he can do everything by himself. Protect others, protect you, and even make sure he is okay. That's when he feels strong and you trust him.

He keeps saying he's worried about you. He tells you to be careful and not to do anything dangerous. Looks after you as best he can. He knows that even when you don't show him your appreciation, he really is. Then he knows that you need him in some way. He will take care of you like nobody. From the beginning, he considered you a member of his family. And there is a rule there - „Everyone lives for everyone” And they don't turn anyone away. Everyone cares about each other, but Choso does it most of all.

• After all the chores he has with his siblings, he feels like he can lock himself in the basement or in the wardrobe to sleep and not go out… bezSo that no light reaches him and no sound. To relax after difficult times without peace for him.

• He can be found in strange places. Even in his own home, he would hide in a room or sit on the floor to hide from the world.

• He is very grateful to you if you want to spend this quieter time with him without doing anything. And that you will silence his brothers for a moment. Eso and Kechizu are loud, and it doesn't matter that Eso is younger than Choso less than the rest. They all get along so well and are energetic. He loves them with all of himself, but sometimes he wants to be alone after a day and sleep. Be cuddled to you with a smile.

• In his family you will not be sad. Most of them will make you happy and make you laugh at what's going on there. Besides, most of them can be perfect friends. No matter how long it takes or how long she will be together with Choso, they will accept you into their large family right away. And this is a nice and joyful life.

• Counseling can be difficult. And the overprotective Choso who tells Eso to dress appropriately is worse. Even though the brothers listen to him, sometimes they fail. You can then only watch what is happening.

• I never want you to fear him. His technique is related to blood. With his own blood. And he will tell you to leave as soon as possible so you don't have to watch it. He will protect you from everything, even the cost of his health or life. Same with brothers.

He never wanted you to be scared of him. His true nature, and you would not experience his wrath. That's why I don't want you to be there.

He wants to be so gentle and loved for you. Because he knows your true feelings, even if you don't want to show them.

• If you don't want to be among these crowds, just go with him and lock yourself in another room. Or go for a walk. It's peaceful there, and you can be what you want to be. Without unnecessary pretending in front of others. A smile, gentle words and kind gestures. Act together as you like. Then you can do everything together. No matter what you decide to do, it is something that will help you relax. A book, a few memes, or listening to music or a movie. Or just sleeping together as if nothing happened.

He loves lying idle holding you protectively in his arms and just feeling like you are next to him.

He likes to put his head on your stomach or knees when you are alone. He can then relax and calm down when he says something to you calmly and smiling.

Just as he loves to hug you. He will hold you close to his chest just as he likes to cuddle against your chest and feel your heartbeat. He is a banal romantic who will show his love with his actions.

"My brothers call you sister. I like that they took you in right away. If they love you as much as I do, I would be very happy. I know that you love me. You are an important person to me."

[akaraboonline]

6 Ways On How To Deal With Someone Who Wants To Destroy You

Because they are quite skilled at passing for someone else, people can be much eviler than you often assume. You may need some time to break through their facade.6 Ways On How To Deal With Someone Who Wants To Destroy You You shouldn't feel guilty for falling into their trap, though. After all, they're a master manipulator hiding in plain sight who has a variety of strategies at their disposal to entice you and exploit your gullible nature. They are widely distributed. And who knows, maybe the guy you're conversing with right now is evil and you were mistaken to think they were simply a jerk. They may be far more than that, it appears. In this article, you'll learn the causes of their behavior, warning indications of someone who wants to injure you, and strategies for dealing with someone who wants to ruin you. Stay calm and composed: It is essential to remain calm and composed in such situations. If you react emotionally and impulsively, it can only worsen the situation. Stay in control of your emotions, take deep breaths, and try to maintain a level head. Stay away from the person: One way to protect yourself is to limit your contact with the person. Try to avoid being alone with them or engaging in conversations with them. Keep a safe distance, both physically and emotionally. Document any evidence: If the person is engaging in any threatening or harmful behavior, document the evidence. Keep a record of any messages, emails, or phone calls that are harassing or threatening. This evidence can be used in any legal proceedings that may arise. Seek help: If you feel that the situation is escalating and you cannot handle it on your own, seek help from a professional. This could be a therapist, counselor, or law enforcement. Don't hesitate to ask for help when you need it. Don't engage in retaliation: It can be tempting to want to retaliate against the person who is trying to destroy you. However, this will only escalate the situation and cause more harm. Instead, focus on protecting yourself and let the appropriate authorities handle the situation. Practice self-care: Dealing with someone who wants to destroy you can be emotionally draining and stressful. Take care of yourself by practicing self-care. This could include getting enough rest, eating healthy, exercising, and engaging in activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Remember that dealing with someone who wants to destroy you can be a challenging situation, but it is essential to prioritize your safety and well-being. Don't hesitate to seek help and support when you need it.   Read the full article

[jimenezschmidt5]

Racking Your Brain About Cat Care? These Tips Will help!

cat food bowls Your feline friend may be an element of your lifetime with regard to a long moment. That's why it is advisable to stay vigilant about her care and make sure you are carrying out everything to aid her stay fit and healthy. Right here are some tips that may give you some tricke to keeping your cat well. If you have a male cat, it is important in order to have him neutered before he moves into heat. Whenever male cats commence maturing, they can set out to spray close to the house. It smells like freezing mixture and is hard to remove. Getting your natural male cat neutered can easily help to stop this from happening. Have a pet drinking water fountain. Cats can be at risk of dehydration, and electricity entices them to ingest. It is the evolutionary habit that will developed because throughout the wild, running water is less likely to be contaminated compared to a stagnant pool area. Your pet will enjoy the extra, and will drink more often. Spray electric powered cords with many bitter apple to prevent cats from getting electrocuted. In case this does certainly not work, ensure you protect the cords. Stick loose cords in to old toilet papers or paper cloth rolls. Set aside gadgets that have appealing, thin cords giving up cigarettes not using these people. If your cat can take every one of the ornaments away from the Christmas shrub, don't fight it. Begin collecting appealing cat toys and unbreakable ornaments in order to decorate the woods next year. Become sure to never enhance with potentially risky items like decorations and garlands. Tinsel is a choking hazard for pet cats and garlands could cause strangulation. Is usually your cat constantly munching on your house plants? If so there is definitely a fix intended for this. Growing oat grass or catnip yourself can support entice your pet cats far from your plants. Providing them with plants of which they can eat and like can help draw them to be able to those plants more than and over again. Monitor early caution signs of well being issues in cats. Cats usually show warning signs when they are struggling with health issues. Some common signs to be able to look out regarding include diet changes, sleeping habit changes, not being ready to groom effectively, changes in eating routines, changes in slumbering habits, depression, sneezing, increased thirst, watery eyes, changes throughout behavior, hiding, and even vomiting. If they display signs, get them to some sort of vet right away from. The sooner an individual take, them the better. If your cat is overweight, generally there are 2 things a person need to do. First, you have to modify the amount of food you offer them, plus the additional is that a person have to get them doing exercises. Have them cat toys and games, or play using them yourself, to make sure they will are receiving the exercise they need in order to get slimmer. Attend cat shows for suggestions about your cat. A cat demonstrate only costs a few dollars to enroll in. But when you attend one particular, the thing is vendors selling cat items, and even show dog owners of which give their felines the best associated with everything. You may get suggestions for best brand names to feed the cat, as effectively as delete word combing and caring for your cat. Cats are pretty low maintenance domestic pets. They do certainly not need as much attention and one on one time as pups do. Cleaning the particular litter box is one of the most dreaded duties in the home. Investing in the good self-cleaning litter box box can help lessen the amount of times you have to clean it out. When you acquire a cat regarding your kids, make sure that your kids know the rules in progress. Make sure your own children know exactly what rooms the cat can go straight into and what areas it can't. Is actually also important in order to let them know that exterior doors must end up being kept closed consequently that the cat doesn't escape. Establishing rules in improvements ensures understanding. In the event that your cat dirties the space close to his litter package, don't punish all of them. Most of the time when this specific happens, it is definitely because you are not taking proper care with the box. Punishment could make your cat anxious in your presence. Have patience with your cat. Do not forget that your cat is just not some sort of dog, and may not get as effortlessly trainable as 1. However, should you be getting clear in the directions and gently pushing them, viewers your cat responds typically the way you desire him to. Simply be patient. Buy your cat the fountain to consume from. This may make things even more comfortable and homey for your cat. Streaming water is your best bet. Cats will even drink from the tap should they can! A fountain will offer them the same result, and it is more environmentally helpful. If you believe your cat has sprayed in your home but can easily not find the area, there will be hope. Purchasing the inexpensive black lighting can save you from the need to copy up your carpets. Your cats urine will glow within the black light, demonstrating exactly where to clean. If you are including a kitten to be able to a household of which already contains the dog, it is definitely important to mingle the kitten in order to the dog with an early age group. At first, regular supervision is necessary. Let the kitten and even dog spend time together as you maintain the kitten, allowing them to explore and find used to each other's smells. When socialized early, cats and dogs can live happily and quietly together. Ensure that your new cat is spayed or neutered. This is very important perhaps if your cat will not become outdoors or around cats of the opposite gender. Studies show that spayed cats and kittens are much less vulnerable to be able to uterine, mammary, plus ovarian cancer. Neutering your male cat decreases his danger of developing prostate cancer. Another benefit of neutering is definitely that your cat will not experience compelled to indicate his territory simply by spraying. Hopefully might gotten some terrific tips from this post about how to be able to make sure the cat is healthy and fit. Your cat can be a dear, trusted good friend, and you desire her to keep well. Just put the tips below into practice, and you should see that your current cat stays joyful.

[seriouslysnape]

One and Only

__

Severus Snape x Fem! Reader

Warnings: None.

Request: Hi! Could you write something about jealous reader with Snape? I wonder how would he react if he find out she got jealous even though they have healthy relationship and trust each other (〃°ω°〃) (fluff, smut whatever you feel like to write) Thanks! 🐍💚

Word Count: 1,632

“Really? So, you’re just being short with me for no reason?”

__

The early days of summer had brought sun warmed days and moon cooled nights with each rotation of the Earth. The joyous season had brought beautiful weather this year, and you had been in high spirits since the season had arrived. Summer always filled you with such merriment and thrill that it was no doubt that it was your favorite time of year.

Which was why Severus couldn’t figure out why you were in such a bad mood.

A sour scowl had been plastered on your face all afternoon, robbing your demeanor of its usual glee and pep. To put it in simplest terms, you were pouting. 

It didn’t take Severus long to notice that something was bugging you. You refused to look him in the eye and you were only responding with short sentences with a flat tone. He felt a twinge of hurt when you brushed him off every time his hands were on you. You were upset with him, which was why he wanted to get through to you. 

“What do you want for dinner, love?” Severus called sweetly from the kitchen. 

You were curled up on the sofa in the living room with a book in hand. You heard him loud and clear, but ignored him. Your eyes continued to scan the pages from line to line, but you weren’t really sure how much you were actually comprehending. 

When he didn’t get a reply, Severus appeared in the doorway. He could feel the tension from all the way where he stood which sent a shiver down his back.

“Did you hear me, angel?” He asked in the same light voice he had used before.

You didn’t look up from your novel, only raising a brow to subtly let him know that you were acknowledging his presence. He spoke again.

“I asked what you want for dinner tonight.” He repeated.

You looked up from the words on the pages, annoyance clear on your face with pursed lips and dim eyes. 

“I don’t know. Whatever is fine.” You said almost in a growl.

You went back to your book, avoiding the concerned look on his face. You felt a little bad for making him feel guilty. Maybe you were being a bit childish, but your stubborn nature almost always seemed to win out. 

“I’ll cook whatever you want. Vegetables are always so fresh this time of year so I-”

“Severus, I really don’t care what we have.” You cut him off, closing your book in defeat and putting it on the coffee table in front of you.

“Okay...well, how about we go to the park and watch the sunset after we eat? It’s been clear skies all day.” He offered gently.

Normally, you’d perk up at the sound of a summer evening walk in the park, but you remained unchanged. Something had really pissed you off.

“Fine with me.” You replied curtly.

Severus was rather fed up with your snarky behavior, but he was more worried that he had done something wrong. He discarded the thought of dinner and your evening plans for now, taking his place in the living room to join you.

“[Y/N], have I done something to upset you?” He queried, taking a seat on the adjacent sofa cushion.

Your irritated frown was still prevalent as ever, the slight roll of your pretty eyes telling him that he had indeed ruffled your feathers. 

“No.” You lied.

Severus hummed.

“Really? So, you’re just being short with me for no reason?” He acquired.

“I’m not being short.” You huffed, crossing your arms over your chest. 

Severus looked doubtful at that, because you were definitely aggravated. 

“I know I haven’t missed your birthday. It’s not your time of the month. You were fine this morning so it’s something that happened earlier this afternoon.” Severus rattled off.

You went silent, because he was right. Every summer, Headmaster Dumbledore would host a summer luncheon type event for all the Hogwarts professors and their significant others. It was a party of sorts to celebrate another successful year of teaching that was always a hit.

“It wasn’t the lunch party, was it? You had such a nice time.” He wondered.

“Yeah, so did you and McGonagall.” You snapped.

The words left your mouth before you could even process them. Severus’ head twitched in surprise at the sudden confession. He was confused only for a moment before his puzzlement melted into realization. He couldn’t even hide the smirk in his face.

Severus was usually the one to get jealous. You were a strikingly gorgeous woman with a lot to offer. Men ogled over you often, and Severus found himself fighting off desperate suitors. You had a wonderful relationship with him, one that had changed him in the best of ways. You always reminded him of that whenever he grew jealous over someone else, which offered him comfort.

It was interesting to him now that the shoe was on the other foot.

“Are you jealous of Minerva?” He asked.

Your answer wasn’t immediate. Your hesitation gave you away.

“No...” You lied again.

“Oh, you so are.” Severus said lowly.

You continued to refuse to look at him, not giving into him. You weren’t necessarily jealous of Minerva herself. She had always been super kind to you and was a wonderful friend. You sometimes felt a little insecure about the relationship she held with Severus. The term “work wife” had flown into your ears a couple of times from various people, and while you knew that Severus’ friendship with Minerva was strictly platonic, it still bothered you sometimes.

Severus had chatted with Minerva throughout the afternoon, and it seemed that every time you looked over they were laughing or immensely enjoying each other’s company. It put a twist in your gut that you hated the feeling of, and it had landed you in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

“What did Minerva do that has you so uptight?” He questioned.

It felt silly and even a little humiliating to admit that she hadn’t done anything more than speak to him to get you so fired up.

“I’m not telling you.” You mused. 

Severus quirked a brow, and shrugged.

“Fine. If you won’t tell me, then I suppose I’ll have to force it out of you.” He remarked, suddenly creeping closer to you.

Before you could stop him, his hands were at your sides, tickling your sensitive skin and areas that he knew could have you sputtering for air. You broke out into loud giggles and shrieks, a smile plastered on your cheeks. You wriggled underneath him, trying to get away from his attack of kisses and tickles. It wasn’t long before your lungs were painfully constricting and gasping for oxygen, your face going red hot as you pleaded.

“Okay! I’ll tell you!” You screeched.

Heavy breaths of relief sounded out when he stopped. He watched in slight amusement as you regained yourself, your body now sprawled out against the couch cushions. Your laughter dwindled out, the tone in the room changing. You lazily dragged your fingertips along his forearm as he looked down at you from where he straddled you. 

Insecurity was a difficult thing to grasp, and even harder to deal with. You had coaxed Severus through his bouts of it before, but you were now seeing firsthand how kicking it is easier said than done.

The annoyance was gone from your face, but it was replaced with perturbation and even a little sadness. He cradled your face in his hand, running the pad of his thumb along your cheek.

“What is it, sweetheart?” He persuaded you to speak.

“You love me, right?” You pondered, eyes wide and puppy like.

The pang in Severus’ heart was overwhelming. It was such a simple question, but with such heartbreaking implications. Feeling neglected or unloved was the last thing that he ever wanted for you. Severus had plenty of experience with feeling alone in a world of people who always seemed to have their lives figured out. Hearts are meant to provide life and spend their best energy on loving others.

It was a damn hard feeling when your heart didn’t have anyone to love...or when your heart didn’t feel loved.

“Darling, what’s all this? Of course I do,” He hushed; “I love you more than anything. You’re my wife.” 

“I know.” You said shortly, but not in the same way you had earlier.

“I mean it, [Y/N]. Every time I’ve ever told you that I love you, I meant it. You’re my world and my reason for breathing,” He proclaimed, thick with sincerity; “If I made you feel unloved or unworthy, I assure you that wasn’t my intent.”

You shook your head.

“No, no. It wasn’t you,” You replied; “I just care about and love you so much that if I ever lost you to someone else...” 

It was too hurtful of a thought to even finish saying out loud. Severus was glad you didn’t, because he wasn’t sure he could’ve handled it. He had committed to a life of love with you, a commitment that he was determined to stick with. 

“You’re the love of my life, my one and only. I’ll love you forever and beyond.” He professed.

You leaned upwards, catching his lips in a reassuring kiss. They felt like the warmth of the summer sun and the sweetness of your favorite summer fruit. A comforting feeling that you’d go running back to every time. It could always feel like your favorite time of year with Severus.

“So...dinner?” You asked once he had pulled away and was looking into you again.

He shrugged, a devious grin beaming on his chiseled face.

“I say we skip to dessert.”

[shoutogepi]

Catboy!Shouto

Todoroki Shouto

word count : ~2K (blurb!)

[ ☀︎ ]  fluff!! 

bio : general catboy!sho hc’s. initial meeting all the way to relationship.

author’s note : a midnight hc that got WAY out of hand. fair warning idk what the fUCK this is, whatever it is is all astrid’s fault. i decided to make this bc i suck at finding fics and i rly wanted to read something about a snuggly catboy!sho.

   ─── ・°* ﾟ✧:* • ｡ﾟ:*･☽･*: ｡ﾟ•*:✧ ﾟ*°・ ───

in my opinion, shouto is already very catlike in certain respects.

he’s aloof and likes to watch rather than engage. he’s very intelligent and he’s driven when he wants to be. and not to mention he’s very loyal to those few that have melted through his ice-protected heart. he’ll probably also only allow physical interaction if he’s the one initiating it... 

you didn’t adopt him in human form. at some point you got a cat and you thought that was it— that it was merely a cat. a cute one at that, split down the middle like a patched together hand-me-down. he reminded you of a ragdoll because of his peculiar colors, even though his coat was sleek and shiny. he also had a very prominent air of elegance... overall, a very pretty cat.

however, he wasn’t the nicest animal at first. he was skittish and guarded. he really only interacted with you in order to get food and water, and he didn’t allow you to touch him all too much. any time you had friends over there was no chance he’d be spotted, always hiding in the shadows of your closet or the safe space underneath your bed. when your company would leave, he would slowly crawl out, watching you from a respectable distance as you tidied up before heading to bed.

even though he was kind of a dick, you spoiled him silly. you bought him his own bed since he refused to even go near you. he had his own cat tree and everything, and ample toys too. that was how he first began warming up to you. 

you had managed to pique his interest by dragging a ribbon toy across the floor and disappearing around the doorframe. you had been over the moon when he had poked his little head into the room, pupils wide as he eyed the ribbon with intense curiosity.

the morning after that, you had awoken to find him sitting on the very far corner of your bed. it was as far as he could possibly be from you while staying on the mattress, but you were elated nonetheless.

— - —

from then on, your relationship was a little steadier with the feline. he would follow you around your place, always in the same room as you but forever out of reach. occasionally he would allow you to give him a little scratch behind the ear or under the chin, but he would get up and leave after a few seconds of affection.

it wasn’t until he came down with a minor kitty cold that your relationship changed. you took him to the vet. he hated it. he was such a misbehaved boy, but when you had nearly cried as you frantically apologized for his behavior, he strangely became limp, a disgruntled expression on his cute little face.

you took him home and attempted to administer the medicine, even if he hissed and growled at you when you approached him with the distinct vial. you tried to give it to him, and he lashed out and scratched you for the very first time.

it was just a little cut, but it was enough to draw blood. you left the medicine with him and closed yourself away in the bathroom as you tended to your wound, irritated that after all you’d done for him he still treated you like shit. but he was a cat, you reckoned, and so you instantly dropped any malice that had come forth in those few minutes. when you opened the door again, he was sitting at the doorway, ears flat to his head and head lowered, the medicine vial resting before his paws.

after that he allowed you to administer the medicine without complaint. he just layed there and would blink lazily at you while you moved him accordingly, never fussing at all. it was clear that he was sick initially, but each time you gave him that medicine he became more and more like himself. he looked strong and healthy once again. you were relieved.

your relationship kept improving. he would now let you pet him from time to time. sometimes he would even jump up and settle himself into a little loaf next to you as you watched TV or typed away at your laptop. he began sleeping closer to you, sometimes on your feet, sometimes on the vacant side of your bed. the sound of his low purrs lulled you to sleep.

things started getting strange when you started going out with someone you had met. you’d given your number to them when they’d asked for it out of the blue. it was all very innocent, nothing too crazy. just a coffee here and there, really.

that was when shouto started becoming more affectionate with you. he would let out a loud meow in greeting when you came home, running to the door to meet you and promptly sticking his head into the shoes you slipped off your feet. he would sit with you as you went through the work you brought home, even nuzzle your ankles while you made yourself dinner. he would start to sit on your lap when you were watching the television.

he would even let you kiss his head , and he’d slowly blink at you when you praised him for all his handsomeness, for how good of a boy he was. he even started slipping into the sheets with you, allowing you to hold him close as you drifted off into slumber, and kneading at your blankets as the two of you fell asleep together.

but coffees turned into lunches. and lunches to dinners. you started spending less and less time at your place, and he would find himself watching the clock on the wall as he waited for your return. though when you finally would, later and later with each passing date, he was not pleased to find your scent mixed with another’s.

he had stayed in cat form for a very long time. perhaps he shifted into human form when you weren’t home, you didn’t know. you thought he was your cat, and that was the end of it. all you knew was that one morning, you woke up, expecting to have your snuggly companion curled up into your side as usual.

instead, there’s a whole ass MAN tucked into the sheets beside you, long leg slung over yours and his arm wound round your waist. what’s even wilder is that two cat ears stick out of the silky hair on his head, colored the distinct red and white of the fur you have become so accustomed to. a long, furry tail also rests on your thigh, brushing against your skin.

he’s also butt ass naked.

to say you’re shook is an understatement. thankfully he’s laying on his stomach, so you don’t see anything indecent. you weigh your options here— this man is so obviously your cat, there’s no way he’s not. but you have a cat, and this is a man!! man-cat? you can’t care to know the correct terminology.

you decide not to scream, but you shuffle backwards. it’s enough to disturb the creature, and his heterochromatic eyes peel open slowly. he sees you looking at him, and still weighed down by sleep, a mild, content smile curls his lips and a loud purr rumbles out of him. then his eyes move down and he catches sight of his own arm around you, and he scrambles off the bed, ears tucked back and tail bristling as he trips over the sheets.

after you find some clothes for him to wear, you have a rather awkward conversation over breakfast. turns out that he’s been capable of turning into this human form the whole time, but he had become accustomed to life as a cat and preferred it to being a human, as he had a hard time fitting in with his big ears and long tail. you reckoned you, too, would live as a cat if you had the option... especially with such a doting and caring owner as yourself.

now though, you can’t really refer to yourself as his owner. he’s a person, just like you— he just harbors many of his cat-like qualities.

initially it’s hard to adjust, knowing he’s also a man (and a very handsome one, at that). you buy him some clothes and start to cook meals for the both of you. what else are you gonna do, throw him out onto the street?

your interactions become a little forced... you’re just really confused as to how you’re supposed to act around him. he seems to sense your unease, and he shifts back into a cat in order to comfort you. he walks right up to you and hops into your lap, standing up to put his front paws onto your chest, and leaning in to rub his cheek across yours, finishing off with a quick lick of affection.

apparently, he has missed the attention the both of you had become so accustomed to giving/receiving. so, the moment you hesitantly begin to rub his ears, he starts to purr loudly, settling on your lap/chest. he’s really warm and soft, so you end up wrapping your other arm around him and continuing to pet his head.

it becomes routine for you to have this nightly cuddle before bed, but after you’re finished with pretending to pay attention to the tv, you tell him goodnight and shut yourself into your bedroom for the night.

no longer does he receive your praise nor your kisses, and it’s taking a toll on him. he’s needy!! you’ve conditioned him to soak up all your love and now you just stop?

so eventually he’ll sack up and knock on your door, asking why you won’t let him sleep with you anymore. he knows you’re intimidated by his human form, but he thinks the reason is because you’re scared of him. you hesitantly let him know it’s really just because you’re attracted to him. and what do ya know, he feels the same.

another reason why you’d been avoiding him that you’d rather die than tell him is that you’re embarrassed that you just straight stared at him in shock when he used your toilet like a human. eye contact and everything. this was back when you’d first gotten him but now you’re just overwhelmed with residual embarrassment LOLLLLL anyways...

from there your love blossoms !! yay!

now he will walk around your place in his human form more often than cat form. though sometimes he does like to be in kitty form so he can sit on your lap while you’re working at your desk.

snuggles become a norm. he’s very affectionate. absolute cuddle bug. 

stressed? cuddles.

happy? cuddles.

bored? cuddles.

i cannot emphasize this enough!!! hold him!! he lives for it! he is baby.

he still loves playing with all the toys you buy him. and what’s hilarious is that he can’t seem to help himself from fixating on those little aluminum twist ties that you keep in the kitchen. he doesn’t know why, but when you toss them across the room he’ll just run for it. nyoom!!

makes sure to bring it back like a good boy every time.

a really good investment is a laser pointer. human or cat, once that little red dot is spotted, you can bet he’s chasing it. this has resulted in broken furniture more than once LOL. at the end of your little play session you guide the laser over to you and he’ll pounce on you!! cue more cuddles. 

as if all the snuggles he gives you through the day aren’t enough, falling asleep is complete bliss.

he’ll slip into your covers and wrap his long limbs around you. lithe fingers will caress your skin and your hair, and if you return the favor, he’ll start to purr softly for you. he’s totally into nuzzling you, too. he’ll just nestle his face right into your neck and breathe your scent in, completely at peace. and he can’t help it when his purrs grow louder, an indication of his complete content.

more rarely he’ll come out into public with you, provided he wear a beanie or something to cover those cute perky ears of his. the tail he can tuck into his pants just fine. when he’s out and about with you, he’ll likely stay right by your side, an arm over your shoulder, around your waist, or your hand held hostage by his.

when you’re out on these rare excursions, he will often ask for a boba or a latte—he loves to indulge in those sweet milky drinks every now and then. plus it makes him happy when you’re happy, and you always get excited when you get one for yourself too.

overall 10/10 would recommend adopting catboy!sho. he will give you all the love and snuggles necessary and he’ll be more than happy to accept your affections too. 

   ─── ・°* ﾟ✧:* • ｡ﾟ:*･☽･*: ｡ﾟ•*:✧ ﾟ*°・ ───

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so... can you guys tell i’m a cat person? 

(づ ｡◠ ‿ ◠｡ )づ <3 <3 <3

➥ masterlist  thanks for reading!! hope u enjoyed whatever... this was LOL 

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 © 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐩𝐢 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝.

[spacegirlapollo]

Staying Away [Nanami Kento x Reader] [nsfw]

Title: Staying Away 

Genre :  A little fluff, implied smut, nanami’s inner tourmoil about loving you. 

word count: 1500

Nanami Kento had tried his best to stay away from you. But how could he ? The world of jujutsu sorcerers was too small. And the fact that you were very good friends with Gojo Sataru didn’t help things either. He saw you more often than he’d like, you had a knack for showing up when he least expected it.Almost every run in with you ended with him going home and rubbing one out, your name hanging from his lips like a prayer.

He knew to much now to be naive and deny that he was in love. In his very typical Nanami way, he’d come to the conclusion and accepted it. He was in love with you. Butthat didn’t change anything did it? The line of work you were both in was dangerous, put simply. One day he was not going to return to his home at the end of the day, because he would have been killed by some powerful curse or the other. This too was a fact that he’d understood and accepted.The thought of being happy with you was so tempting it made his heart ache, but the thought of one day not returning home toyou tainted the picture. Worse yet, the thought of you being the one to not return paralyzed him.

So he didn’t act on his feelings. Not even when you’d be excited to see him, and chat with him about all his favorite things, because he hadn’t been able to deny you a conversation since the day you’d meet. You knew things about him that he’d never really spoken out loud to anyone else.It was as if your smile and kind words put a spell on him and he couldn’t help sharing.

As you often accompanied Gojo, Nanami would feel overwhelming relief when you weren’t trailing behind, but crushing disappointment all at once. It was frankly quite annoying the hold you had on his thoughts. Nanami knew Gojo quite well, and was afraid that Gojo was the second person who’d understood him a little too well.He’d never spoken it out loud but Nanami knew that Gojo was aware of the feelings he shared for you. Which is why he started to bring you around more often.

Nanami was trying his best to stay away from you. He didn’t know you would be at the bar, that night. He guessed that maybe some part of him did. He hadn’t seen you in almost a month now. He’d been to busy as it was the start of the winter months and curses seemed to multiply in number during that time. Gojo had invited him, a few drinks for someone’s birthday that they knew. Why else would he have gone if not to see you.

And he drank. Nervous, at the thought of seeing you, wondering if he should head home. But he caught sight of you before long. Gorgeous. Flashing him that disarming smile. And Dammit he was already a bit drunk. You’d teased his flushed appearance, which only served to make him more flushed.You mumbled something about catching up with him and had a few drinks yourself.

Flirting? He thinks that’s what the conversation had lead to. You were so close that your hips were touching now. Talking just below the music so you both had to lean in. He could smell that pretty scent that wafted from you confusing his senses. When had he learned to flirt ? His brain was screaming at him to be anywhere but here.

He could hear your words echoing around in his head.

“So whys a handsome guy like you single?”

“ The lifespan of people in our line of work is not very long.”

You raised an eyebrow. Your head resting on arm leaning around the bar.

“So you fear death?”

“not death exactly , but the hole it’ll leave behind.”

You were quiet for the first time that night. Maybe he’d said something wrong.

“What about you?” He heard himself asking. You smiled again. 

“Do I fear death?” “ no, why are you single?”

Your flirtatious face broke in shock for split second before you were smiling again turning away to say. 

“there is someone I like, but he’s got a healthy fear of death.”

Nanami’s heart was racing. Maybe he knew your feelings, but it was different hearing you say them. He’d opened his mouth to say sosomething else but was interrupted but Gojo, of course.

“Don’t you leave nearby Y/N’s place Nanami? You should take a taxi back together.”

And you two were being stuffed in a taxi and whisked across Tokyo. Through drunk eyes Tokyo was washed out lights, and he stared out the window to avoid seeing you.

“Nanami.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t want to be alone, tonight.”

Nanami was trying his hardest to stay away from you. But maybe he was kidding himself. He’d kissed you. In the back of that taxi. Trying to remember every second of it. And when the taxi stopped outside his apartment, he’d helped you out of the car. His thoughts where screaming at him. To call you a new taxi. Send you home. But he didn’t.You stumbled into his apartment, and he couldn’t keep his hands off you. He was on fire and your skin was so cool. He’d stopped trying to fool himself that night as he fucked you into the mattress your breathy moans of his name egging him deeper. And fuck if it didn’t feel good.

Fuck If he didn’t love seeing your face in the morning, even if he had a slight headache. And he’d taken you again, slower this time, the sun lazily coming down over the bed, the covers half way down his back and he pressed some of his weight on you to be close as possible. As deep as possible.He doesn’t think he’ll get over the feeling of your hands in his hair, now messy from sleep. Or the way your hips arch to meet his as you take him. He doesn’t want to forget the sounds escaping your mouth or your face as you cum again.

He makes breakfast, while you shower. And the sounds of life in the apartment make him feel.... something.... safe ? His brain was starting to run again, and he was aware that this was something he shouldn’t get used to. Even though he was feeling .... content.

He took a deep sigh when you’d come out in one of his shirts, your own clothes in a wash cycle. He’d have taken you again there, wet hair and legs showing, your breast not very covered by his too large shirt. But the food would get cold. And he was going to be on his best behavior now. You began to eat. And almost like you were reading his mind you spoke before he could.

“If your going to say sorry- don’t.”Nanami froze. You looked up at him from your food, swallowing before continuing.

“ I like you- a lot- well actually I. “ your cheeks were burning and he thinks this the first time he’s seen you flustered.“Actually I’m in love with you, Nanami Kento.”

Even though the food smelled delicious, Nanami couldn’t bring himself to eat a bite. Your words were too much. His thoughts were swirling a Mile a minute , his heart racing. This feeling was even better than any feeling he’d ever had. And it was so scary.

You pressed on determined.“ and ... and I think maybe you have feelings for me to, so... so you should take me on a date.”

Nanami was floored. Out of all the things he’d expected you to say this was not it. He opened his mouth to speak but you kept going, seeming unable to stop your word vomit now that you started.“ Yes, our jobs are dangerous but like you said our life is to short to deny ourselves each other right? So... so you should take me on a date....”

You opened your mouth to speak again after your pause, but Nanami reached out and put a hand over yours. You stopped , and he saw just how vulnerable you were being now, nervous even. It was adorable. “ Do you like coffee ?” He asked you nodded silently and Nanami smiled.“Okay then, how about tomorrow, I’ll pick you up.”You nodded again. Nanami leaned forward now, bringing you closer a finger tucked under your chin. He kissed you again. This time he isn’t thinking it will be the last. When he finally pulls away you start eating again shyly unable to hide your grin.

Nanami thinks The hum of the washing machine and the sounds of a occupied apartment were something he didn’t want to give up. There might be a day where he won’t be able to see it anymore but all he could do was enjoy the days he could.

[ymiwritesstuff]

Hi! May i request a fic or a headcanon for DIO in wich the reader is living near his mansion in Egypt and she starts to give petshop pieces of meat that the reader buys for her cat and after some time she just comes there to watch the falcon. When DIO notices her just sitting on a sidewalk talking to petshop while feeding him, he gets curious about her and thinks to himself that he could find out more about who she is (because if petshop isnt clawing her eyes out she must have intrigued him) as an activity to pass time while he's still adjusting to his new body and in the end he ends up liking the reader?

Sorry that this is so long😅 hope you safe and healthy 🥰

And thank you💞

Heyy thanks so much for the request, I’m incredibly sorry that this took so long :( I really loved the idea and I hope the finished product is to your liking, wishing you the best!!

Desire For Knowledge

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 3: Stardust Crusaders

Dio x Female!Reader

Summary: The strange behavior of Pet Shop leaves Dio desiring to learn more about the person who the falcon had allowed to interact with him.

A soft smile pulls the corners of your lips upwards as the falcon takes the piece of meat from between your fingers as gently as a bird of prey ever could. To think that something as threatening as a falcon, would be so tame, as if he belonged to someone who called him their pet. It had been a similar day to this one when you first came across the falcon. The sun was about to set and he had been standing atop of a gate, guarding an impressive-looking mansion, which you assumed belonged to his owner. You couldn’t help but admire the bird, the way he valiantly protected his home, and just how majestic he looked, the sun shining on his brown feathers.

Over time you found yourself staying near the mansion, just so you could admire him further. It took a few days for you to get comfortable feeding him, but he eventually noticed the bag of meat you often bought for your cat and seemingly wanted a piece for himself. Since then, your visits had become more frequent and your curiosity about the falcon and his owner you never saw grew by the day.

Your eyes looked at the mansion, as they often did, your thoughts wandering. What kind of a person lived in such an expensive structure? The windows were covered with thick curtains that didn’t allow any sunlight through them. Never had you seen these curtains move away from the windows, nor had you seen anyone leave or enter the building. This made you wonder if it was abandoned, but then why would it be so fearlessly protected by a potentially dangerous animal? All this made little sense to you, yet you found yourself drawn to it.

Dio had noticed you feeding Pet Shop on multiple occasions, whether it was through a careful peek behind the curtains during daytime, or a look through the exposed windows at night. The fact that the ruthless falcon had not eliminated or shown any signs of hostility towards you despite the fact that you were dangerously close to his hiding place was something he couldn’t quite understand and led him to believe that Pet Shop didn’t see you as a threat for some unknown reason. This was strange and yet, it awakened a strange sense of intrigue in him. What caused Pet Shop to behave so differently with you?

A quiet caw from the bird snaps you out of your thoughts and makes you look at him. The day had gone by a lot faster than you anticipated. This often happened when you interacted with him and was a sign that it was time to head back home. You stood up and wiped the dust from the ground off your pants, before turning your gaze towards the animal once again. 

“See you around, I have to get back home and save some of these for my cat,” you said, lifting the bag of food slightly.

The falcon glanced at it briefly before flying back to its post. You smiled once more before heading towards your home as the sun finally disappeared, oblivious to a pair of sharp eyes watching with curiosity as you left the mansion behind.

His desire to know more about you grew the more he saw you looking or feeding the bird. It somewhat plagued him, yet he saw it as an opportunity to pass his time while he adjusted to his new body he so often admired through the mirror. Something about the way you gazed at Pet Shop with admiration in your (E/C) eyes made Dio wonder if you held something special within you. Were you a stand user? Or was the warmth in your expression that felt so alluring to him something else entirely?

Whatever the case, due to everything he had witnessed, he craved knowledge.

~

The sun had long set, coating the streets of Egypt in darkness. Today’s shift had been long, but you still wished to go past the familiar mansion to hopefully catch a glimpse of the beautiful falcon you had befriended. Even watching him brings you joy, though you aren’t sure yourself why he is so friendly with you. Perhaps you have a way with animals, considering how often your cat would snuggle up next to you. The thought makes you smile as you walk.

As the building comes into view your eyes immediately search for the bird and once they spot him, a smile makes its way to your face. With his sharp eyes, the bird notices you and immediately flies towards you, landing on the ground. You squat down to get a better look at him. 

“Hi there handsome."

Your voice is soft as you admire him, noticing how he is looking at you as if he is expecting something. You frown slightly. “I’m sorry, I don’t have any food on me this time. But I promise to bring you some tomorrow.”

To your surprise, he takes off and flies towards... a person standing in front of the entrance to the mansion. The bird lands on his large arm, his sharp talons holding on with the utmost carefulness. You immediately stand up, realizing that the man must be the owner of both the mansion and the falcon. His amber eyes look at the animal and then you before he speaks: 

“Quite interesting. Pet Shop usually isn’t too fond of humans.” The blond takes a few steps forward, allowing you to see him more clearly in all his glory; His light hair shines under the moon, his sculpted muscles frame him perfectly and his fiery amber eyes look into yours with such fire, you are not sure if they belong to a human.

“No need to apologize, dear. He is a lot smarter than he looks, though, I’m sure a sharp woman like yourself already figured it out,” He says, voice deep and fruity, accompanied by a smirk that stretches his lips upward that immediately makes your cheeks fill with warmth you failed to notice. “What is your name, my darling?” He asks.

“O-oh, I was just looking at him. He is just... Such a beautiful falcon.” You briefly glance at the bird before returning your gaze to the man who holds an intense yet warm flame in his own eyes. Their sharpness remind you of the falcon’s own eyes.

“I’ve never seen anything like him. Sorry if I’ve been trouble, I know I’m kind of taking him away from his protection duties.”

You bring your hand to the back of your neck sheepishly, laughing slightly but feeling a tad anxious about the owner’s expression you cannot quite read.

“I’m (Name). I live nearby.”

A smile of your own coats your features as you introduce yourself to the person you had been curious about for a long time. 

“Ah yes, that would explain why you are here so often.” His smirk grew as he noticed your eyes widening. 

“You’ve seen me?”

“I suppose so. Tell me, Mr-”

Pet Shop then left his arm and flew back to his post, leaving you with this unknown yet strangely alluring man. 

“I have indeed. I must say that a beauty such as yourself is rather difficult to ignore.”

His honeyed words are followed by a deep chuckle, his amber eyes locked onto you. You are taken aback by his words, but maintain your smile and let out a small laugh as well.

“Dio. There is no need for formalities or titles,” he says, keeping that charming tone in his voice. His demeanor is intriguing and you are not sure what you were expecting from the lord of the impressive mansion, but this was certainly... Something. 

“It’s very lovely to finally meet you, Dio.” You find yourself subconsciously taking a few steps closer to him, as if something about him is slowly pulling you in. 

With one final chuckle, he extended his hand towards you, his claws not going unnoticed by you as he spoke:

“Likewise, dear.”

His charming smirk is more and more apparent the more you look at him. Dio also notes just how stunning you look under the moonlight, how your pleasant smile decorates your features perfectly, and how your (E/C) orbs shine like gems. His curiosity has reached new heights as you seem to be far more than he expected. He now felt the same way as his falcon had and realized why you had interested Pet Shop so.

“Wonderful. There is a lot I wish to ask of you.”

“I would like to learn more about you, (Name). Would you join me for a glass of wine?” You looked at him, processing his question that came rather out of the blue.

The night was still young, and you would be lying if you said that this seemingly otherworldly man hadn’t piqued your interest. With yet another warm smile that strangely hits Dio, you accept his request and place your hand in the palm of his cold one:

“I’d love to.”

His grin grew at this as he slowly led you inside, leaving behind the darkness of the night he lived in.

[mbti-notes]

Anon wrote: Hey there. I’m an ENFP and there’s a friendship I want to officially end, but I’m struggling immensely with doing it. For some context, I’ve had very bad problems with boundaries for most of my life (I am a very young adult now). If I ever tried to enforce a boundary, or even say no, it would often not be respected/people would react badly to it. I became a bit of a people pleaser because of this and would suppress my feelings or thoughts because I don’t want to upset people.

One of my friends who I believe is an ISFJ, would often use this against me to conform to what he liked. I know this for a fact, because I have pointed out to him that when he does convince me to share my feelings, he then tries to make me think differently to suit his needs. He admitted that he does this intentionally because “it is the best for both of us, and we can be truly happy”. I started to hide my true feelings from him because of this which ended up with him being more aggressive to find them out. Naturally, this built up to a huge fight.

We reconciled a little while after and I tried to be more protective of my feelings and boundaries this time but the same things started again. So I decided that we should stop talking for a long time because it just wasn’t healthy for me. And now, after a few months, I realize just how much relief I feel being away from him. I have people that respect me and like me for who I am, not who they can make me be. But I originally told him that I just wanted time away…not that I wanted to end the relationship completely.

I’m very scared of how he will react to this, because I know exactly how he will react; he’ll ask me to elaborate, tell me that this goes against my original saying of “needing time away from you”, and then try to change my mind. And I just know that I’ll cave and draw this out even longer. I’m not a healthy ENFP, and I feel like I can’t completely focus without dealing with this. What are some ways I can encourage myself to say goodbye without feeling anxious or wrong for doing so?

-----------------

In close relationships, people often hurt each other, both intentionally and unintentionally, especially when they care more about control than love. People aren't all good or all bad, which is what makes it hard to decide whether to stay or go. Give people a chance to grow and change, sure, but not too many chances. Some people have enough negative traits to make them unsuited for relationships. When you encounter someone like that, boundary setting becomes very important, otherwise, their problems become your problems.

You say that you have fulfilling relationships in your life at present, which means that you are capable of having healthy relationships. You should feel confident about your skills in that regard because the proof is there. Do you want to put yourself in a position where you shoulder his problems and, as a result, become less able to have healthy relationships, as the problems spill over into your other relationships? It wouldn't be good for you. And it's also not good for him. You might think you're doing him a favor, but he won't learn anything about why his behavior is problematic and thus have no reason to change. Worse, you staying in the relationship might only prove to him that his behavior is acceptable, "not that bad", or "not my problem".

Of course, when you break off a relationship, you don't have to be unnecessarily mean or nasty about it. If you want to lessen the harm done, you have to take full responsibility for your decision, as opposed to laying the blame on him. You talk about your needs and how the relationship doesn't meet your needs, and leave it at that.

How is this problem related to poor Fi aux development?

Do you understand that you have a right to make your own decisions? This is a key concept in boundary setting. You have a right to live your life the way that you need to. You don't owe anyone an "explanation" for your decisions when it comes to your health and well-being. No one is entitled to you, your time, or your friendship, especially if they just shamelessly abuse the privilege. If you give them your friendship, it is a choice that YOU make, and the only person who answers for that choice is YOU. The only person you owe an explanation to is yourself. This brings me to the next point.

One reason ENFPs cannot be resolute is that they don't want to be responsible. They don't like the idea of "the buck stops with me", so they shift blame to others for forcing their hand, etc. Remember that blame is often a defense mechanism, a refusal to acknowledge one's own hand in the problem. The typical F likes to pride themselves on being "the good guy" and doesn't like to see themselves as "the bad guy". Sacrificing oneself to make others feel good allows Fs to feel like "the good guy" even though the end result is that they feel like shit about themselves. This is often an ego image problem:

You're not able to be fully honest about what kind of person you are. Specifically, you're not able to admit that you're human, that you have your own needs, and that your needs are equally important. Admitting your vulnerability makes you feel like less of a good person, especially when "good" is equated with "perfect" or "worthy".

You're not able to evaluate yourself and your worth realistically because your idea of "a good guy" is illogical, shallow, or misguided. Standing up for yourself doesn't make you "the bad guy", does it? As far as I know, someone who puts a stop to unethical, hurtful, or exploitative behavior should be called a HERO. Where is the logic here? You're willing to be a good guy to stick up for others but you're suddenly a bad guy when you stick up for yourself?

As ENFP, being resolute means having full confidence in your moral compass - this is where the power of Fi comes from. If your moral values are illogical, shallow, or misguided due to lack of attention to Fi development, then how can you stand by them and, by extension, stand up for yourself?

[peppermintbee]

OMORI’s poor writing (Part 2)

Once again, if you are a big fan of OMORI, this review is not for you. Treasure this game, love it, recommend it, make fan art, buy the merch, do what you will with it. I am not here to take OMORI away from anyone. Based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam, I know that my opinion is in the minority.

However, just as the fans have the right to praise the game, I have the right to examine it, criticize it, and explain why it failed to provide a compelling experience. This is second part of my review where I will tackle OMORI’s problematic themes and disrespectful appropriation of mental health.

[ See Part 1: Plot Writing Lies ]

(Note: I use “OMORI” in all-caps for the game title, and “Omori” in title case for the character name.)

Spoilers and criticism below.

Part 2: OMORI’s message is mishandled and distasteful

OMORI provides a warning that it depicts scenes of depression, anxiety, and suicide. Because the game includes these scenes, I assumed these mental health issues are presented in a way that is meaningful and respectful.

However, that is not the case. 

Despite having depictions of such, this game is not really about depression, anxiety, or even suicide. It’s about committing a horrible crime, lying about it, and getting over the guilt.

1. Suicide as a game mechanic

Suicidal thoughts are intrusive, terrifying, and painful. As well as ending the victim's life, suicide wreaks havoc on the lives of those who once knew them. It is often a taboo topic, but discussing such matters is an important step to understanding and preventing it. Video games are a medium well suited to approaching such dark topics.

Unfortunately, OMORI does not handle the topic of suicide well at all.

First, suicide is written as a unavoidable game mechanic that seems to have been included for shallow reasons such as aesthetic and shock value. To leave Sunny’s headspace and wake up, you--as a player--must direct him to stab himself in the stomach. 

But why? It’s not like waking up involves some sort of major sacrifice. In fact, waking up is something that is more or less unavoidable. Reality should be something that snatches Sunny away from his headspace against his will, perhaps as an encroaching darkness that Sunny can run from, but never truly escape. But instead, facing reality is something you are forced to opt into in the most needlessly violent way possible.

Forcing you--as a player--to literally commit suicide just to wake up from a dream is a pointless, distasteful, and disrespectful action that sets a precedent for suicide not being taken seriously in this game. (And it isn’t.)

In the black space, Omori is pressured to kill a cat. In that scene, regardless of your choice, you are forced to kill yourself. However, the act of stabbing yourself has been seen so many times at that point that it has completely lost any impact. Who cares about suicide when it’s been reduced to just a means of travel?

Lastly, if you fail to defeat the final boss, Sunny commits suicide in the real world. However, this is not a cutscene, it is once again something that you--as a player--are forced to do to progress. Putting these actions in the hands of a player is not as meaningful as the writer seems to believe, because there are no other options to progress. Any weight in making that decision is lost to resignation; a frustrated sigh of “Well, okay, fine. I guess I have to click Z here.” You are then rewarded with a SLAPPING pop song and a psychedelic cutscene of Sunny falling to his death. It’s tasteless to its core and appropriates the deaths of every suicidal person as a quirky, shallow “bad end.”

(Seriously, this is how the writer decided to depict a child taking his own life.)

2. Sunny/Omori is a poor presentation of depression

Sunny/Omori does not smile. Even in past photographs before The Incident, he still is not smiling. The contrast between Sunny and his friends stands out like a sore thumb, so I assumed this was the writer’s attempt to show that Sunny is dealing with depression, where he can’t be happy even in happy situations.

Of course, if that were the case it would be inaccurate since depressed people do smile and do hide their true feelings. They are often dismissed with, “You can’t be depressed, I saw you smiling once.” However, I was willing to let Sunny’s chronic frown slide because sometimes you have to oversimplify an idea to get your point across.

Much to my surprise, there is NO evidence of Sunny having depression before The Incident and there is very little indication of him having depression throughout the game either. The evidence of this is that while looking at a family portrait, Sunny comments that he's never liked to smile. Since he's a a baby in this portrait, this goes to show that his not smiling is simply a preference -- a quirky character trait that makes him stand out so that you feel an emotion during the true ending when he finally smiles. 

Everything in the game seems to point to him being pretty happy and well adjusted up until he killed Mari. Then, even after he killed Mari, he pretty much looks and behaves the same way. Wouldn’t it be more jarring and tragic if you saw Sunny was happy in the past, but depressed now?

Which leads me to my next point...

3. Sunny and Basil are not depressed, they’re guilty (and for good reason)

In the book I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t), Brené Brown explains the difference between feeling guilt and shame.

Guilt means: “I did something bad.” Shame means: “I am something bad.”

Guilt, when attributed to bad behavior, is actually a healthy emotion. It means that you have a sense of right and wrong, that you empathize with those you’ve hurt, and it motivates you to make things right.

Shame is an unhealthy emotion. It arrests growth, destroys self-esteem, causes poor decision making, isolates you from your loved ones, and is directly correlated with anxiety and depression.

OMORI should be a game about overcoming shame. All the right set pieces are there. Sunny’s walled himself off, his sister (allegedly) committed suicide, and he seems to be struggling with lifelong depression. However, this all falls apart, when it’s revealed that he killed his sister and staged her death as a suicide to escape blame (with Basil’s help). He DID do something bad. It’s not shame, it’s literally guilt.

All at once, OMORI stops being a game about recovering from grief and depression and becomes a game that demands the player to sympathize with a killer and liar who is hiding from his crimes. Because he and Basil feel bad about what they did, Sunny and Basil are presented as greater victims than their actual victim.

4. OMORI asks you empathize with villains (with ZERO self awareness)

Games where you are playing a character with a guilty conscience has been told before, but where OMORI really fails is that Sunny is not truly held accountable for what he did to others. Instead, the game focuses on HIS pain: since killing his sister he’s been isolated, he’s having nightmares, and he’s suicidal. 

The plot of the game is focused on helping Sunny forgive himself for ruining other people’s lives. The writing barely acknowledges how his friends/family feel about what he did. When his victims’ pain IS addressed, it’s either used to further victimize Sunny (ie: isn’t it sad for him that he made his friends so sad?) or it’s used to reassure the player that Sunny’s victims have forgiven him (or will forgive him). 

In fact, the game holds Mari responsible for her own death, citing that her "perfectionism" must have been what pushed Sunny to attack her. OMORI presents Mari, through headspace, as someone who accepted death gracefully and wants Sunny to live a happy life. She is never given her own voice and nothing in the game suggests she is capable of feeling bitter over her death and postmortem desecration. She plays the role of the Madonna archetype--and the perfect victim--allowing the player to empathize entirely with Sunny while accepting that Mari brought everything on herself.

[Mari suggesting that Sunny acting out his aggression on her was her fault.]

The climax of this game is NOT Sunny telling the truth to his friends. The climax is Sunny defeating his guilt and forgiving himself. We know this because the story does not even show how his friends respond to his confession, because-- once again-- what’s most important thing is resolving Sunny’s pain, not the pain he has caused others. (Though the game does heavily imply that his friends will forgive him.)

[Pictured: the boys shedding their guilt is the true happy ending ]

Imagine, for a moment, if this game was about an abuser, who caused immense pain to someone and got away with it. Then, the whole game was about how they felt bad for the abuse they caused, and-- as a player-- you help them forgive THEMSELF for their past abuse. Then, in the last few seconds of the game, they either apologize to their victim or kill themself. The victim’s response is not shown because it is not important.

This is the plot of OMORI, except with a bunch of excuses thrown on top to make it more palatable. Sunny and Basil are just soooo cute and sad. Killing Mari was an accident. Stringing her body up like a piñata was a juvenile mistake. The boys feel SO BAD that they want to kill themselves. And because suicide is so tragic, you-- as an audience-- are manipulated into empathizing them.

5. In OMORI, suicide is used as a cheap ploy for sympathy

As I mentioned before, suicide is horrible and tragic. People struggling with suicidal ideation need help, support, and respect. That said, let’s make one thing clear: being suicidal does not automatically make someone a good person. There are plenty of examples of criminals who kill themselves to escape the penalty or guilt for something they did. It is so common in the news that I don’t think I have to list out examples.

In bad endings, Sunny and Basil’s suicides are 100% motivated by guilt for their very real crimes. Now, it should be stated, Sunny and Basil do not deserve to die. And because suicide is such an extreme, permanent end for those two boys, we-- as players-- are invested in preventing that tragic end at all costs.

However, the looming threat of suicide is used as leverage to force the audience to dismiss the severity of what Sunny and Basil did. As I’ve said before, the plot of the game is about soothing and alleviating Sunny’s guilt and stopping him from killing himself as opposed to making things right. 

The worst thing is, this tactic actually works. The threat of suicide is so strong, it has distracted many players from the truth that this story is about sympathizing with a boy who has killed his sister, with little regard for those his actions have affected (see point #4).

It’s terrible because suicide is such a serious topic worthy of discussion, but when used as little more than pity-bait, it twists your perception of what the characters did and silences those who try to criticize how this game handles such topics.

6. Mari's suicide being fake is a terrible twist

Lastly, by revealing Mari’s “suicide” as an accidental death, OMORI misses an opportunity to tell a much more powerful story. In the first half of this game, when Mari is thought to have committed suicide at the young age of 15, is a sobering moment. That tragedy is something very real.

If Mari had killed herself as opposed to being killed, Sunny isolating himself after his sister takes her own life is realistic. Mari’s death coming as a surprise is also realistic; how often have we heard people saying that they never knew someone was suffering? That they seemed like such a happy person?

Losing a loved one to suicide does not just cause horrible grief, but crippling shame as well. Those left behind will blame themselves, tormented by thoughts of how they could have saved them, how they would do anything to get them back. That shame can follow you forever, haunting you like a ghost, threatening you with the same fate. Overcoming that grief and shame is no simple task, and I truly thought OMORI was going to be about grappling with grief and letting go of survivor guilt.

Instead, Mari didn’t commit suicide, her life was cut short by her brother. Then, her body was staged as a suicide, forever changing how her family and friends perceived her. Her hanging body did not represent a devastating loss of life and horror of teen depression, but instead is a cheap twist that represents Sunny’s guilt for killing her and tampering with her corpse.

Conclusion:

As I’ve mentioned before OMORI has a lot of potential. The set pieces of a depressed kid who escapes to a dream world to cope with his unresolved trauma is one that had the makings to be very meaningful. However, it fumbles these issues, creating a sloppy plot that results in a problematic message. It’s baffling that this even happened, especially considering the length of time this was in development.

[theredsuzuran]

Muzan x reader ~ Lily

This is a song fanfiction on the song Lily by Alan Walker, k-391 and Emelie hollow. This story is inspired by the Japanese legend of yamato no orochi. I might do a second part as well. It's my first ever fanfiction so please excuse my mistakes.

Warning : mention of slight gore and blood

Enjoy

Lily was a little girl

Every decade on the night of full moon the first born female child of (L/n) clan are sent as bride to a powerful demon named Akai lurking on the mountain of Akakura which was believed to be inhabited by oni from ancient times. Your great grandfather and his then pregnant wife was attacked by that demon although on their constant begging and vows of servicing to the demon he spared their lives but on one condition that was they needed to send him one girl from their household every decade on this very full moon night. Your sisters and aunts, who you never get to see were presented to that oni. You being the oldest daughter of your family was nominated as the bride this year.

Afraid of the big wide world

When you first get to know about this, you were absolutely terrified and angry of the idea to be separated from your parents and siblings in order to serve your duty as a bride to that potentially harmful demon who you knew would devour you as you never saw any of your elder sisters or aunts come back therefore it was nothing but a human sacrifice in your judgment and being a child it horrified you, often causing nightmares of the said demon. From a very tender age you were brainwashed that the outside world was a dangerous place and it consists of unknown creatures lurking around the earth's surface with the sole purpose of causing grave harm to people. Being a child you were easily convinced but as you grew older your curiosity got the best of you as well as the urge for understanding the outside world became a necessity.

She grew up within her castle walls

Now and then she tried to run

And then on the night with the setting sun

She went in the woods away

So afraid, all alone.

As a child most of the time you were confined inside the four walls of your room, you were not allowed to go out unless required. There were servants who tended you day and night. It was necessary because the child for the sacrifice should be flawless in every aspect and most importantly healthy or else great catastrophe would fell upon your family. Sometimes you wish you were a sick person. That doesn't mean you didn't try to run away from home. Every now and then you tried escaping from your residence and one time during sunset you were successful in escaping, that was for the first time you went out from your house, you ran miles and miles away, bare foot. For the first time in life you were so far away from home you never imagined this day might come. The softness of the green grass beneath your feet, the fresh air lingering in the atmosphere made your heart giddy. As you stopped running for a while you encountered the sight of a city in which there were lots of people gathering around the street, both men, women and children of your age wearing lavish clothing and accessories, you have zero social interaction skills, servents being an exception even your parents also were not available all the time, on top of that you were timid and young, this overwhelming crowd of unknown people startled you which was honestly frightening but you were determined. Therefore you brush off your worries in order to explore the city, you were happened to be in the middle of a festival, which you seem to know since your servants who served under (L/n) family often talk about such festivals obviously they are not allowed to discuss such things infront of you but somehow you managed to eavesdrop and acquire information. Festivals are truly majestic, it was way better than the stories you have heard from the maids at your residence. It was colourful, lively, cheerful, loud nothing like the world you are used to see. There were various stalls consisting of items like jewelry, cloths that are being displayed on the street, on both sides of the road. The the smell of hot dishes like yakisoba, Takoyaki and ikayaki from different stalls hitting your nostrils making your mouth watery. As you were wandering around aimlessly, admiring the lighting and beauty of the festival, you bumped into a bunch of drunk men, you quickly turned away to apologize but a man with rough demeanor pulled your arm and started throwing curses at your way which definitely made you uncomfortable as you looked around to ask for help but none of them responded or came to your aid.

"look where you walking, brat!"

"I am sorry, please forgive me" you were not accustomed to such rude behavior as your maids and servants and even your family members were gentle towards you which was likely because you came from a very wealthy family. Which was quite visible by those men by the way you dressed, expensive (f/c) kimono wrapped around your figure made with the finest silk in the country and the gold hair pin tucked in your smooth (h/c) hair.

They warned her, don't go there

There's creatures who are hiding in the dark.

"What's with the hurry miss, join us for a bit?" With that said from the other guy, your eyes widened, you tried your best not to cry, they warned me your mind started to race with the worst case scenario as you started to remind your parents word about the outside world but you came back to your senses as they yanked you down the alley. Your heartbeat increasing rapidly, sweat covering your (s/c) countenance, your mind was going blank but you snapped out from your thoughts as you noticed the man's arm closed to your face without wasting any time you bit the man harshly causing him to drop your hand, taking advantage of that situation you ran towards the opposite direction earning screams and curses from behind. You didn't try looking back but you knew they were chasing you from behind. You stumble across the way as never in your life you ran so fast and somehow manage to get into the wood. Being exhausted and breathless you collapsed onto the ground. The sound of footsteps growing lounder as they were approaching you, tears stared to form up in your face am I going to die?

"Found you kitten" one of the drunkards chasing you commented, grabbing a handful of your (h/l)(h/c) hair roughly, lifting you up from the ground, then he took out a knife from his pocket and brought that near your neck in order to create a minor cut which begun bleeding instantly. You screamed in pain but no words came out from your mouth, you felt completely defeated and tired. There was no hope. You felt as if you were going to die but you didn't want to. Yet.

Then something came creeping

It told her, don't you worry just-

Suddenly rustling of leaves and bushes were heard from afar which caught you and the rest suprised.

"Who's there?" The man holding you shouted but complete silence was observed. This pissed off the man even more and he shouted angrily this time with more intensity.

"Come out or I will kill this girl in this instance" no sooner did the words left the man's mouth than he saw you were out of his sight and standing before him was a slender pale man in his late twenties having remarkable dark curly hair and plum red eyes contrasting his features sharply. He was holding you firmly but gently in his arm.

"How did you-"

You saw his eyes glowing under the moonlight pointing directly towards those men, his glare was deadly and menacing which could make anyone fall on their knees. One of the men began to charge towards you but his attempt went futile because the man holding you kicked the man with such immense strength that he went flying over the air and died a painful death crashing loudly against the ground snapping his neck in the process. The other man in feat of pure rage tried to punch that mysterious man but his head exploded due to the pressure of that raven hair blocking his attack. The other man who watched all of that fainted. It was a gruesome scene for you to witness but you tried your best not to cry because the man infront of you just saved your life.

"Thank you mister for saving my life, I thought I was going to die if it were not you I'd be dead, I appreciate your help" your voice still shaking, you lowered your head and then look up for the first time his red orbs met your (e/c) ones. The moonlight reflected through the branches of the trees made you see his face clearly, you have not interacted with men before except your father, siblings and uncles so being closed with a man this handsome made you a little nervous. You could feel your blood rush through your cheeks. Seeing you nervous made him chuckle slightly, he gently put you down on the ground from his arm.

Follow everywhere I go

"A young girl like you should not be roaming around in the woods late at night, there are a lot of people and creatures having full intent to hurt fragile beings like yourself" he spoke to you with his calm, monotonous voice.

"Yes you are right mister and I apologize for causing you trouble but I really needed to come out" you replied with a soft hum. Which made that man curious.

"Is that so? What's your name child?"

"My name is (y/n)(l/n), and yours?"

"Muzan kibutsuji"

A perfect chance for him to devour this girl which was driving him crazy because of the aroma she was emitting, he can take full advantage of this situation, there was no way in hell this girl could protect herself as minutes ago she was cowering with fear and misery, how pathetic he thought.

"I was meaning to say this for a long time now kibutsuji san you have the most beautiful pair of eyes, it's very unique, I am glad to meet you" the sudden compliment coming from you widened his eyes. He have been living for a thousand years now both humans and his underlings alike are scared of him even his demons admire and respect him out of fear. All of them knew how ruthless, manipulative, egoistic and deceitful this man is but this girl shows her genuine gratitude towards him even though she is vulnerable and exposed. What a clueless human he thought letting her guard down to none other but the dangerous Muzan kibutsuji. There was pure innocence in her voice and glowing admiration in her eyes, gleaming with positive energy which evoked strong emotions in all his seven hearts that were stoned ever since he abandoned his humanity.

"Its dangerous for you to go back alone let me escort you home" the demon replied which you gladly accepted. For now.

Muzan held your hand tightly as the two of you began to walk out from the forest and enter the town again, talking on the way, learning about each other.

"How old are you (y/n) chan?"

"I am 13 years old, kibutsuji san"

"Muzan will be fine, (y/n)"

"Sure Muzan!" You smiled enthusiastically, you enjoyed his company as you were not allowed to have friends it made your heart flutter with an unexpected feeling of warmth. You wanted to clinge on it. Never in your life you felt so secure and content.

Top over the mountains or valley low

"Say (y/n), why did you ran away from home?" Muzan asked

"I don't want to get sacrificed to the oni" you replied with sudden drop to your voice. Muzan stopped walking and looked down at you with concern written over his face, he didn't know why he was acting this way but there was this sudden urge to keep you safe, the thought of seeing you suffer made him somewhat sick to his stomach.

"What oni?" He asked this time holding your shoulders gently, he could say you were scare to talk about this but somehow you felt at ease around him which you never felt towards anyone, you started to trust him even though you just met him.

"There has been an old tradition in my family for generations, every decade on the night of full moon the first born female child of our family is sacrificed to the oni living on the mountain of akakura for last 50 years, I am next in line that's why I was running away, I am not ready to die" you replied almost sobbing

Give you everything you've been dreaming of

Just let me in

"Once I attain the age 18, I will too be send to the oni as his bride" tears came rolling down your cheek, the demon lord can sense your terror which you were trying to hide. What a pitiful creature, I shall be your savior he thought to himself.

"You are a brave girl, I admire your inner strength (y/n)" he cupped your face with his arms, caressing your features softly brushing away the tear drop forming in your eyes.

"I don't know for how long" you replied smiling a bit. appreciating his effort to soothe your anxiety.

Everything you want in gold, I'll be the magic story you've been told

Everything was good until you heard your name coming across the other end of the street, it was two of your servants and your uncle approaching both you and Muzan. The look in your face suddenly changed to that of a drastic one, the slight flush which covered your countenance few seconds ago was gone and was replaced with a pale look similar to that of muzan's. It was evident to the demon from your expressions that it was rather unpleasant for you even though they seem to know you and by judging the looks of your uncle, he figured you two are related.

"Where have you gone milady?" One of your maid came rushing towards you, but you hid behind muzan's back averting your gaze from the maiden and your uncle. As you could feel an intense glare coming from him. Thanks to your uncle you are in great trouble now.

"My name is (u/n)(L/n), this girl's uncle, I apologize on behalf of my niece for causing you trouble" the (h/c) hair man said to muzan.

"I am Tsukihiko kibutsuji, Do not worry about that and (y/n) didn't create any disturbance" it would be a bit suspicious to you that why muzan lied to your uncle about his real name if he didn't mention he was a demon earlier when you two were conversing and he needs to hide his identity in order to survive.

"Thank you so much for your help, (L/n) family will owe you for this" he bowed to muzan showing his gratitude towards him while glancing at you with the corner of his eyes.

"You here young lady, I hope you won't run away like this you could have just asked our servants or me if you really wanted to go out that badly, you have made your mother worried sick" the man cooed directing towards you.

𝚕𝚒es you thought You'd never let me go out, you are only behaving nicely because of muzan.

"(Y/n)" the soothing voice hit your ears and you looked up to see muzan "you must go back home, as your uncle stated they must be really worried, right?"

You felt really defeated but you decided to let go of him, he already saved you from a great disaster. It would be selfish of you to ask for more but you really hoped he'd help. Before you headed back you asked turning your head back at his direction.

And you'll be safe under my control

"We will still be friends right?" Muzan was taken aback friends? He thought a genuine smile appearing on his face. He nodded at you which made you sigh with relief and then you waved goodbye to him in the hope of seeing him again someday, your first friend.

"Yes (y/n), we will meet again"

Just let me in, ooh.

[skellebonez]

I AM SORRY FOR THIS SKELLE BUT I MUST: 5 (kidnapping them was the only way I was going to get them here),6 (let's make a deal, shall we?) and 41 (can you teach me how to do that) with the demon bull fam and mk with a little hint of 64 (I may have eaten seven of them already). NOW GO HAM MY DUDE

Oh I had way too much fun with this one. I took S2E4 (spoilers mentioned for that!) and some tweets made by one of the show producers on the same day as fuel for a very silly idea I had. I don't write what can be considered "Crack treated seriously" (or at least semi-seriously, this is not a 100% serious fic) often but when I do I go hard. This is more focused on MK and others than SpicyNoodles so it's a bit more gen fic than a full on ship fic as well.

Kidnapping them was the only way I was going to get them here/Let's make a deal, shall we?/Can you teach me how to do that?/I may have eaten seven of them already.

"Red..." MK started off slowly, watching as his boyfriend's face flushed and twisted in embarrassment. "Can you tell me why your mother showed up at my apartment and used her wind vortex thing to teleport us here without an explanation? And then left us in your..." He looked around, noting that aside from the excessively large throne and two smaller thrones beside it this room looked like a... "Living room? On a couch?"

"I can-" Red Son started, raising a hand before pausing a frowning deeply. "Actually, no, I can't explain. This is just weird, even by my parent's standards. I have no idea what is going on, but since you're still here..." He shrugged with a hopeful smile, shaky through the uncertainty. "Maybe it's not bad? I mean, if Mother was truly upset or wanted to do something bad surely she would have not left us to our own devices. Maybe she’s... uh... happy I finally have a boyfriend?”

At the pointed raise of an eyebrow from MK that hopeful smile faltered a bit. Happy Red Son had a boyfriend for the first time in a couple centuries? Under different circumstances he wouldn't doubt that! Happy when that boyfriend was MK?

Oh he did doubt that.

He knew that they shouldn't have been sneaking around the way they had been. It had made sense at first, two people on opposite sides of a feud lasting centuries who discovered they actually enjoyed spending time together more than fighting each other. One who decided he very much would rather not follow through with any kind of domination and see his family hurt, who realized "actually my sworn nemesis isn't so bad", and another who decided "my life is already weird enough, why not give this befriending my enemy thing a shot".

And then one thing lead to another and before they knew it their secret friend meet up became a secret boyfriend meet up. They'd managed to keep everything under wraps for a while (except from Mei because, well... she was his best friend! He couldn't not tell someone and she would have found out fast if he wasn't obvious, and she had quickly become a mutual source of support for both of them), though MK knew Pigsy and the others knew something was up. They didn't question him, though, aside from the occasional good natured jab. "Wow MK, you seem happy today. Got any plans?" and that sort of thing. They seemed to trust him to make his own decisions, as long as he was happy and healthy and eventually told them. (Sun Wukong, however, may have caught in a little when he jokingly asked if MK had gotten a boyfriend and MK had choked on his drink. He never brought it up specifically after that but he was smart. Too smart.)

Red Son, on the other hand, was fantastic at keeping secrets when he tried. Or MK thought he was... the last few months gave no indication that either of his parents had discovered their little sneaky rendezvous. Then Princess Iron Fan broke into his apartment and, well, here they are. Clearly something had gone wrong somewhere along the line.

Before MK could follow through with any questions of whether or not there could be a fate worse than instant death that involved lulling him into a false sense of security, the two men froze at the sound of quickly approaching voices.

“Could this not have been done another way, my dear?”

“Kidnapping them was the only way I was going to get them here, you know that. Noodle Boy is not that gullible, contrary to what we first believed.”

Ah... shit... Red Son’s parents.

Mk quickly ran through all the possessions he had in his apartment and wondered if he had time to text Mei or Pigsy the world’s fastest will and testament and if that would be legally binding. He just hoped he had something for Pigsy to handle the Phantom Orderer they'd had for the last year.

They always ordered on the app and prepaid and managed to leave him a sizeable tip in his tuk-tuk after he dropped off the food at whatever random location they indicated.

"Good," PIF's voice rang clear, far faster than he could even attempt to pull out his phone, and MK turned to see that she was casually lounging on the shoulder of the Demon Bull King. She jumped down, her wind lightening her fall so much so that she barely made a sound when her feet touched ground. "You've made yourself comfortable."

MK couldn't bring himself to move, as much as he very dearly wanted to run away as quickly as possible. Yes, he was The Monkie Kid and had progressed far enough that he could probably escape without much problem. Yes, he and DBK had had an understanding after the White Bone Spirit and Lunar New Year Festival (though he still didn't know if PIF ever found out about that one). Yes, Princess Iron Fan had shown little interest in him before and had even worked beside him with no complaints (she didn't even care enough to attack during the Food Wars thing!). But that was all before she apparently found out he was dating her son behind her back while they were technically still enemies.

He was glad at that moment that she had grabbed them before they went to get lunch... his stomach was doing back flips that would make a gymnast jealous.

"Uh, yes Miss-Mrs-Muh-M- Princess Iron... Fan?" MK couldn't help but stutter awkwardly, holding onto the hem of his jacket and worrying it as he tried to keep his composure. He looked beside him, watching as Red sat straighter and kept an even expression on his face that he couldn't quite place. His hair seemed to spark softly.

Though she raised a brow at this, PIF didn't comment on that at all. Instead she made her way to the other couch across from them as opposed to what was clearly supposed to be her throne, leaning forward right her elbows on her knees and her fingers laced together in front of her. DBK stopped behind her, seemingly content to stay standing.

"Noodle Boy... you prefer to go by MK, is that correct?" She started, and he nodded slowly in confused response. "Hmn... so. You've been dating my son for quite some time. Many months... no, a bit over a year if I am not mistaken in how long his behavior has changed." 'Oh shit' went MK's brain. "You must be quite serious, if you're willing to go through so much just to see each other. Late night meetings. Secret hideaways. Sneaking onto Flower Fruit Mountain, even." 'Oh SHIT' it repeated in horror. "That's quite the dedication to show toward anyone... I hate to admit it, but I am quite impressed." 'OH SH-wait what?'

"Bw-huh?" Was what MK managed out, half a sound that was almost a word and half a squeak of confusion.

"The fact I myself remained oblivious until only a few weeks ago is quite something. Let's make a deal, shall we?" She continued, sitting back straight and looking like the proud Princess she was and not like a woman sitting on a couch that looked comically small in front of her enormous husband. "You and Red Son no longer have to hide your relationship from us and in exchange..." she paused, as if relishing the building tension between herself and the couple before her. "You will come over at least once a week so we can get to actually know you properly."

MK froze. Red Son froze even more.

Then his entire head lit ablaze as he jumped up and gestured at his mother with a gaping mouth. "Th-that's it!? I-I was... I was RIGHT!?"

PIF barely reacted to this, merely lounging sideways as she put her elbow on the arm of the couch and rested her cheek on her hand.

"Whatever you were right about, I suppose you were. But yes," she shrugged, honestly looking... kinda happy? "Has this been about a year ago I perhaps would not have understood what you saw in Nood-MK. But I can see how happy you have been lately, and there's something about him that is like... what did you say he was like, darling?" She turned to DBK, who shrugged himself with an unreadable expression.

"A ball of sunshine given human form."

... that was not what MK ever expected to hear from the Demon Bull King's mouth...

"Yes, that's it," she nodded as if this was completely normal and ignored how Red Son flopped back down onto the couch and stared at the ceiling. "I'd hate to admit it, but you've grown on us through out sparse interactions. Somehow. And we have been eagerly waiting for the day we could finally welcome someone into our son's life. So what do you say? Do we have a deal?"

She seemed... serious. MK may not know her that well, but it was clear to anyone when she wasn't being so.

"Uh... o-ok? Sure?" MK said softly, nodding in amazement as DBK and PIF actually smiled at this.

This was the strangest day of his life, beating our every single demon fight and even the day he got the Monkey King's staff. But he'd take this strangeness over the alternative 500 times over.

"Excellent," DBK nodded himself, there was a lot of that about. "That seems to have worked out n-"

Everyone paused at a loud grumble echoed the room, all turning to Red Son as he flared up in embarrassment this time.

"Don't look at me like that, we were supposed to eat half an hour ago and I am starving," Red Son grumbled as he sat up, not looking anyone in the eye. "I don't suppose we could. Eat now? Please?"

Despite the situation, MK couldn't help but smile at his pouting.

"I could bring us some food from Pigsy's?" MK offered in an attempt to contribute. Something. "I mean, I know Red likes it and you kinda seemed to like it the one time you tried it and... uh... yeah."

"Actually... I may have eaten seven of them already..." PIF admitted, looking away in embarrassment. "l've tried not to give into the temptation, but your father's noodles from the Food Wars were so... I just can't resist ordering some secretly after 5 or so weeks!"

"So you're the phantom orderer!" MK gasped out in shock, but after a moment he frowned and rubbed the back of his head. He had a bit of an idea. "Well... I could... make some for us instead?" He ammended his offered softly. "I may not make it exactly like Pigsy does, but I can get pretty close as long as you have the ingredients! And you wouldn't have to worry about me going there and coming back! We can eat like. Immediately!"

"I think that sounds acceptable," PIF said with a nod as she stood, but MK could see a bit of excitement sparkling in her usually cold eyes. "Come, Red Son. I need to discuss some upgrades the Bull Clones have been asking for with you. Your father can assist him in the kitchen until we are done."

Red looked over at MK and only stood to follow his mother once he nodded, giving his father a pointed look before exited the room. MK, in the meantime, looking up at DBK with a gulp and followed him as he lead the way toward their kitchen.

It was... well, bigger than he was used to. But pretty normal, regal size and decor aside. And it seemed, once he was given the nod of ok from his host (and wasn't that a bizarre thing, DBK and PIF being his hosts on a home visit to his boyfriend's parents... he was going to need to get used to that) he checked the fridge and counters and found he had just about everything he needed to make what he had in mind.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" DBK asked after a moment, startling MK into nearly dropping the sauce he needed for the broth. "Not the recipe itself, just..." He gestured to the counter. "Red Son has a bit of a proclivity toward cooking and he's been trying to get me involved, but we've never cooked anything like. That."

His words were awkward and stilted, but MK could tell he was trying. The same way he could tell PIF wasn't kidding with her offer. They just seemed to... want to get to know him as a potential... son-in-law... huh.

"Sure, but you're gonna want to shrink down a bit for this."

Lunch turned out amazing and, while awkward (much like most of the day)... it was nice not to have to hide their dating for once. And Red actually seemed pretty happy! Though he learned quickly that the Monkey King was still a bit of an (understandably) sore subject that was best avoided. For now.

Maybe not forever though.

(When PIF very not subtly dropped him and Red Son both off inside Pigsy's Noodles after their lunch, the only response he got was a "oh, so they finally found out huh? Looks like things went well" from Pigsy and Tang. Maybe he wasn't as sneaky as he thought he was...)

[13uswntimagines]

Everyone Needs a Little Help (Kellex x Reader)

This is a prequil within the Troublemaker universe (but you totally don’t have to read the first one to understand). Set in a world where people are classified as either dominant or submissive, the reader is unhappy with her results. Alex and Kelley show her everyone needs a little help sometimes. 

so a couple of things about this universe- 1) again people are classified as either dominant or submissive and there are several types (i.e Littles, subs, ect). 2) Every submissive is assigned a dominant (or two). I haven’t fleshed out the process by which this happens, but your paired based on personality traits, careers, preferences and other factors. 3) Being paired doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be in a romantic relationship. 4) There are physical impacts of one’s baring (i.e guilt literally weights on submissives. so if they do something wrong, there is literally a physical ailment that goes a long with it) (based on the universe of Anything that Bleeds by mypedia on AO3)

I think i’m going to continue this universe (we’ve already discussed parings and stuff) and i think i’m open to taking suggestions for things people would like to see (Just not Smut). I hope you enjoy!!!

Sweat poured down your forehead, dripping down your chin and off your nose onto the treadmill with every step. You ignored the burning in your lungs and the aches in your legs. You thrived on the pain. It eased the bubbling guilt in your stomach. 

Practice had been a shitshow. You couldn’t Connect with any passes, and every time your foot touched the ball, it was sent flying in the wrong direction. Your poor performance was a result of giving into Emily’s pout about a movie night, and the nightmares that her horror movie choice had brought on. You didn’t want to go to your dominants and admit you couldn’t sleep(you were fairly independent and you didn’t want anyone to take that from you), so you did what you always did and suffered in silence. 

By the time you got to practice you were exhausted. Your playing was so bad that Jill pulled you aside after practice and told you to “take care of it,” with a disappointed glare. You knew what that meant. What that implied, as all submissive would. She deemed that you had earned yourself a punishment, and frankly the cannonball in your stomach told you the same. You knew your assigned dominates would take care of it. Would offer you the relief you so craved, but you were too stubborn to ask. You disagreed with your test results and all the stigma that came with them. You didn’t need help. 

Still, her words had immediately set the ball of guilt rolling in your stomach just like every other mistake you made throughout the day. 

Instead of going to your assigned dominants, you had decided to take care of the guilt on your own, in the only way you knew how. It was easier to just take care of it, it was less embarrassing, it was your nightly soul-cleansing ritual plus a couple more miles to make up for your fuckups at practice. With every step you took, you felt the weight in your stomach lessen just a little bit. Each drip of sweat a penance for every bad thing you had done during the day. 

You glanced down at the odometer- 14 miles down and god only knew how many more to go. You huffed, whipping the sweat from your eyes, before turning up the speed on the treadmill as high as it would go. 

*****

“Is Y/n acting a little odd?” Alex asked, sitting down at the breakfast table beside Kelley. The defender glanced towards where you were sitting by yourself, eating a bowl of oatmeal. Her eyebrows furrowed, you hated oatmeal. 

“Doesn’t she always?” Ashlyn interjected, her mouth half full of cereal. 

You weren’t like every other submissive (or even switch) on the team. In the 6 months since your call up, you hadn’t once sought out Alex and Kelley for comfort, and you absolutely despised when anyone brought up your bearing. You brushed off concern and acted as though nothing phased you, foregoing the typical (and government-mandated) remedies when you were having a bad day. None of the women knew how you did it. How you forewent your natural instincts and needs. 

“Well, more odd than usual?” Alex corrected, her head cocking to the side as Emily sat across from her, her plate stacked high with chocolate chip pancakes. Chocolate chip pancakes were your favorite, so why in the fuck were you eating a food you hated. 

“She was gone before I got up,” Emily grumbled, shoving pancake in her mouth. She was tired and hungry. Lindsey shook her head at her submissive, debating on telling her to slow down. 

“What time did the two of you go to bed,” Lindsey asked, using her thumb to while some of the chocolate from the side of Emily’s mouth. 

“Don’t know, she wasn’t there when I finally zonked out,” The defender shrugged, blind to the looks most of the veterans were sharing. 

“What the hell could she have been doing?” Ashlyn shook her head. You weren’t the typical sub, but you usually avoided breaking major team rules like curfew. 

“She had a really bad day yesterday, and I’m pretty sure Jill pulled her aside after practice,” Lindsey mumbled. 

A dark look passed over the dominant’s faces. The bearing of the team was considered team business, and as a courtesy to the team, the coaching staff didn’t reprimand a submissive without their designated dominant present. You had been assigned to Kellex the second you received your letter in the mail, and for Jill to go behind their back was a big deal.

There were several explanations for where you could have gone, especially if you felt you were deserving of a punishment. It was cruel to make a submissive wait to get that weight off of them, it would eventually drive them to insanity (and extreme emotional instability). 

Kelley met Alex’s wide eyes, her mind immediately going to the worst-case scenario. “You think she went to a center instead of coming to us?” 

Why would you choose to have a random government person punish you when there were almost a dozen (non-creepy and trustworthy) dominants in the team who would have willingly helped?

“She couldn’t have left the hotel without telling someone,”  Kelley soothed, running her hand up Alex’s back. 

Emily nodded, shoving more pancakes into her mouth. “It’s the fourth night in a row that it’s happened. They won’t let you go to those places too often without alerting your assigned dominants,” 

The woman didn’t question how she knew that… it was probably from her less than perfect experiences in college. 

All eyes followed you as you abruptly stood from the table, dumped your nearly full bowl of oatmeal into the trash, and exited the room. 

“Well, it seems she’s got some explaining to do, especially if all she’s going to eat is a quarter of a bowl of oatmeal,” Alex said softly, grabbing Kelley’s hand and pulling her out of the room behind you.

*****

You pouted at the women across from you. You wanted to be off with the other youngins, causing trouble that you would no doubt pay for later, not getting worried looks from the women that were assigned to be your dominants. 

“It’s simple, just tell us where you were last night, and you can go,” Alex said again, her voice stern but soft, not showing her growing frustration. You were like a puppy. If they were too tough, you would just run away and hide, but you still had some answering to do. 

You huffed, crossing your arms. They had asked you the same question about 8 different times over the past half hour and you didn’t find it amusing anymore. 

“I still don’t see why it matters,” You grumbled, pouting like a petulant child. Kelley suppressed her Aw at how cute you were. How you still refused to admit your bearing was beyond them, it was so obvious in moments like this. That you needed (and somewhere deep down inside wanted) someone to take care of you. 

“Because you weren’t in your room when Sonnett went to sleep or woke up all week. You’re not supposed to go MIA, it’s a team rule remember,” Kelley reminded you, watching as your back stiffened slightly. See, most team rules weren’t really for the entire team. They were designed to keep the submissive happy, and healthy. to give them easy, non-restrictive rules that they could follow. You wished they would just say it rather than pretending it was for everyone. 

“Only if I leave the hotel. I didn’t,” You snapped back, thankful that the already heavy ball of guilt in your stomach didn’t get any bigger. 

“So why are you hiding it if you didn’t do anything wrong?” Alex said, raising her eyebrow. You shrunk slightly in your seat, looking away from the woman. Perhaps you needed something a bit firmer than they originally thought. She narrowed her eyes when you peeled up from your staring contest with the floor. Definitely a firmer hand. Especially if you were going to be as little as they thought you were, and they were ever going to help you come to terms with your bearing. 

You shivered under the weight of Alex’s gaze. Sighing at the little piece of yourself that craved her to be more dominant. To tell you what you needed right now. Your shoulders slumped in defeat. 

“I went to the gym. I always go to the gym, it just helps to take the edge off,” 

Kelley and Alex shared a glance. It was unhealthy for a submissive to try and take care of the weight that guilt brought by themselves. So unhealthy that the government had set up a mandate for there to be anonymous institutions across the country, had every submissive assigned a dominant, and a massive punishment for dominants who denied their subs a way to gain atonement. This was worse than some odd behavior, or a coach who didn’t understand dynamics. 

“What do you mean?” Kelley asked carefully, watching for every one of your tells. 

You shrugged half-heartedly, your fingers twitching erratically. “Running makes the guilt go away, usually” 

They blinked at you, taking in every shift of your body. It was as though the admission had physically pained you. Every lesson they had in school taught them that submissives couldn’t “take care of it” on their own. How long had you been doing this to yourself?

Alex grit her teeth, they needed to know just how bad it was before they could help you fix it. “How much running?” 

You bit your lip shrugging again. Running had been your coping mechanism since you got your results. At first it was just a mile or two, but over the years it had grown. Amplified by the pressure your coach constantly placed on you.“It depends on how bad I did. This time it just won’t stop,” 

You pressed your palms into your eyes, groaning. It had never been this bad before. The weight in your stomach had never lingered this long before. 

“So you decided to punish yourself instead of coming to one of us?” Kelley asked you with a raised eyebrow. You nodded. Just because there were people available to help didn’t mean you wanted it. They were your team. You needed them to see you as strong and worthy of your spot, not desperate, and unable to take care of themselves. Not weak. 

“Do you know how dangerous that is? And did you even give yourself proper aftercare?” Alex’s jaw dropped in shock when you shook your head. Aftercare was the most important part. It was essential to mental health. 

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not weak. I don’t need it to go away completely. Just enough so I play better,” You got quiet towards the end, huffing out the last part. If you couldn’t get your shit together you would lose your dream altogether. Alex’s hand gently grabbed your chin, forcing you to look her in the eyes. 

“You’re not weak. Not even close. You know how badass Alyssa is?” She said firmly. You nodded once. You knew the bold goalkeeper. She was the head of the department of defense, your fearless leader on the field. “Well she even needs Becky to help her out sometimes,” Alex finished. You blinked. It wasn’t a secret that Alyssa was submissive (just like you), but you had never considered how she dealt with your bearing. 

Sensing the gears turning in her head and her opening, Kelley took a shot at the next step. 

 “Would you let us help?” 

You froze, worrying your lip between your teeth. If Alyssa could accept help, then it couldn’t be so bad right? It was strange, almost like you weren’t your 22-year-old self anymore as you looked into the caring eyes of the woman in front of you. The worried eyes. The eyes that weren’t staring at you like you were a disgrace. You had never felt this way before. 

The “Yes,” that left your lips was barely audible, but both women heard it. A heavy silence hung in the air between you. 

You blinked at the ground, waiting. You had never ever let someone punish you before. The hand on your chin moved to brush an errant curl from your eyes. “Remember your safe word little one?”

You nodded. It had been one of the first things they told you during the orientation meeting. They also made it clear that you could use it at any time, whether that be to stop some teasing or to let a dominant know where you were at during a punishment. 

“The traffic light system, green for good, yellow for slow down and red for stop,” 

“Good job baby girl.” Alex smiled, rubbing your quickly reddening cheeks affectionately. 

“You’re going to sit here in the corner for 15 minutes alright?” Kelley asked. You blinked and nodded in approval, nerves bubbling in your stomach. But a timeout wasn’t all that bad right? You weren’t 2, and you doubted it would do much for you. 

“Not because you’re bad, but because you made a poor choice not coming to us for help,” Alex added, leaning back. You hummed noncommittally. The women shared a look. They definitely had some work to do with you. 

“What’s your color with that baby?” Kelley asked directly, needing to hear you say the word out loud. Yes, they were your assigned dominants, but that still didn’t give them the right to overstep. 

“Green,” You mumbled, looking the women in the eyes, the single word fairly heavy on your tongue. The permission you were giving them wasn’t lost on you. Though you could stop it all with one word, it was still difficult to give up that control. 

Alex tapped her watch, setting your timer, and patted your knee as both women left you for your timeout. 

The first three minutes weren’t bad, but sitting still for long periods of time was never your strong suit. Yes, you wanted the weight of your guilt to go away, but so far that wasn’t happening. Your feet started kicking halfway through minute 4 and by minute five you were wiggling in your seat, debating on spinning the desk chair in circles. 

Hands grabbed the armrests of the chair, dreading you. You glanced up at Kelley, pouting. “Stay,” she said sternly before retreating back to Alex’s side. 

You bit your lip, managing to stay for 2 more minutes, hoping that the heaviness that filled your bones ease. But it didn’t. This was a fucking pointless exercise and you would be better off running all night at this rate.

“This isn’t helping,” You groaned, pushing yourself up off the chair, deciding to end this little foray into the exploration of your baring. 

Alex stepped in front of you, her arms crossed and her captain face on full display. “You have to stay there till the timer is up,”

You huffed, sitting back in the seat. “I don’t understand what this is supposed to do. It’s not making me feel better,” 

Alex and Kelley shared another look. If a firmer hand had worked before, then maybe that’s what they needed to do right now. Maybe timeouts would work in the future, but whatever Jill had said to you was clearly worse than a slight misstep from the day. 

“We can try something stronger,” Alex said thoughtfully, watching as you stiffened. You knew what that meant, but you trusted the women (even if you didn’t want to). 

“don’t want it,” You whined. Yes, it might help, but they weren’t something you particularly enjoyed. 

“But do you need it?” Kelley pressed, raising her eyebrow at you. You bit you lip, your fingers fidgeting. Could you admit that you needed this? Could you be honest? The guilt ball shifted in your stomach, and you nodded. You just wanted this to go away. 

“Over my lap babydoll,” Kelley patted her knees. You stared at the woman for a few seconds, before standing and carefully making your way over to her. Your cheeks flamed when she helped you position yourself across your lap, running her hand down your back and letting you grab her ankle for support. 

She patted you butt lightly. “Color?”

“Green,” You said quietly, thankful when Alex sat beside you and let you rest your cheek on her thigh. You should feel embarrassed about your situation, but you couldn’t help the warmth that bloomed in your chest. You could tell they cared with every move they made. They weren’t doing this to you, they were doing it for you. 

“Here we go babydoll,” Kelley said softly, giving you a second to adjust before it began. With every swat, the weight in your chest lightened. Every spank chipped away at the guilt that had followed you for years.

You weren’t sure how many Kelley gave you, and you only became aware you were crying when Alex shushed you, running fingers through your hair. They checked in often, and before you knew it, you were being scooped up into Alex’s arms. She held you tight and rocked you back and forth, coping to you as if you were a small child. 

“Feel better little one?” Kelley rubbed your back and kissed the side of your head. 

“Hmm,” you hummed, not even finding it strange how difficult words were at the moment. All that mattered was that you were safe and warm and content. It was nice with all their reassuring and cooing. Perhaps you could do this again next time you had a problem. 

“Good. Now it’s cuddle time.”

[psych2go]

8 Habits That Destroy Your Emotional Well-being

Our emotional well-being is more important now than ever it seems. With the majority of people quarantined up in their homes, things can get a little… depressing. I mean there’s only so much Netflix and Zoom calls you can take before you feel like screaming out your window.

The worst part is, your favorite TV show only has so many seasons streaming. And eventually, (gulp), there will be no, more, episodes, left.

Noooooooo!

Yes, I know. Pretty dramatic. But what else is there to do all cooped up inside?

The answer may be different for everyone. Take up a hobby, learn a new instrument, color book your way to sanity again. Whatever it is that keeps you going physically, you need to take care of your emotional health as well. So, it’s best not to pick up any bad habits that affect you emotionally during quarantine.

Here are eight habits that destroy your emotional well-being. (Good for both pandemic and pre-pandemic uses.)

1. Suppressing Your Emotions, Especially Anger

While it may seem convenient at the time to go ahead and ignore that sadness or anger inside you, – I mean according to you, you have work to do! – But suppressing your emotions can actually do more harm than good in the long run.

Just because you consciously suppress your emotions, does not mean they go away. Instead, they build up. You should instead express emotions such as sadness, anger, or anxiety to someone you trust. Just imagine what could happen if you don’t allow yourself to release an emotion like anger, and instead let it build up?

“[Anger has] been linked to obesity, low self-esteem, migraines, drug and alcohol addiction, depression, sexual performance problems, increased heart attack risk, lower-quality relationships, higher probability of abusing others emotionally or physically or both … higher blood pressure and stroke,” says Dr. Schinnerer, an anger management coach who was a consultant on the Pixar movie “Inside Out”, an animated film about emotions.

Anger can also lead to insomnia, anxiety, self-esteem issues, and mental or brain fog to name a few.

This is just anger. There are physical and mental problems that can arise from any suppression of emotion it seems. Because if these emotions build up, they will eventually rise to the surface, and likely explode out of you like a volcano!

Just, uh… givin’ you a visual image.

So, what are we supposed to do about all these feelings?

Well, Schinnerer suggests one way to break this cycle, and that begins with mindfulness: “One way to do this, he says, is by becoming more aware of when you’re angry in the present moment, then looking at the emotion in a nonjudgmental and curious way. So instead of beating yourself up, acknowledge how you’re feeling and think about ways to cope.”

So, take a break if you’re feeling anger in a toxic situation, and leave the room. Pretend your favorite pizza dish has just arrived, and you need to ‘pause’ your game. That is, the treacherous game of anger. Level 5: Volcano Eruptions of Fury

Hey, I’m givin’ ya visuals here.

Remove yourself from the situation that’s making you angry, find a place or person you’re comfortable with, and feel the emotions, express them. Do this in a way that doesn’t let you overthink the situation to the point of exhaustion. You’re expressing and letting go.

Let go of any anger, grudges, or anxiety after expressing them. With sadness, express them as well, and try to focus on the things that you value in your life. It can be a good idea to talk with a counselor or therapist if you feel these unwanted emotions persist and are piling up.

Remember, this is just anger. But you can do this with all your emotions. Feel them in the moment, or express them in a calm way. Then let the emotions flow out of you. Like an ocean breeze, in the midsummer air…

Visuals! (I find it helps release them in a… cathartic and healthy way.)

2. Letting the Stress Get to You, and Letting it Pile Up

Similar to suppressing your emotions, stress can find a way to get to you. Now, it is best to express your anxiety instead of suppressing, but what if these stress levels are at an all-time high?

Letting your stress get out of control, by not expressing it or over analyzing situations, can be an unhealthy habit. When stressed, your brain releases a hormone called cortisol. When this hormone is produced in large amounts it can prevent the brain from functioning as it should.

It’s best to take a mental health break when needed if your anxiety becomes overwhelming. With all this time indoors, a few minutes of meditation or doing another activity that calms you when you find yourself overthinking and overwhelmed, may be a good idea. And of course, if you find the stress to be too much, talking with someone and letting these feelings out in a healthy way can help.

3. Not Sleeping Enough

Now, lots of people have poor sleeping habits. Does that make it healthy? No.

Not getting your eight hours of sleep every day has been shown to make things worse for mental health.

What makes things worse is 60 to 90 percent of patients with depression also have insomnia, according to The Sleep Health Foundation. So people whose emotional well-being may already be suffering are possibly causing further health problems by not being able to get their full rest.

Not only do you get grumpy and groggy from not getting enough sleep, but it can also not be good for your emotional well-being in the long run.

4. Bad Posture

According to a study in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, upright posture can have a positive affect and reduce fatigue.

Everyone who doesn’t sleep eight hours a night? Stand up straight!

The preliminary study’s conclusions suggested that: “adopting an upright posture may increase positive affect, reduce fatigue, and decrease self-focus in people with mild-to-moderate depression.”

The study is pretty fascinating. You can read directly from the journal here.

5. Not Exercising

Exercise is not only important for our physical health, but for our emotional well-being as well. During quarantine, you may find yourself not exercising as much as before. This can become a habit.

Regular exercise releases endorphins which make us happy naturally. According to an article from MayoClinic, exercise can release “feel-good endorphins, natural cannabis-like brain chemicals (endogenous cannabinoids) and other natural brain chemicals that can enhance your sense of well-being.”

So get out of the house and out to the gym- oh. …never mind.

Get out of your bed! And onto your treadmill! …That is, if you own a treadmill.

Ya know what? A walk should suffice.

6. Negative Thoughts, and Feeling You’ve ‘Failed’, Constantly

Now we’ve talked about suppressing emotions, but what if the negative ones plague your mind, constantly. If you find yourself thinking you’re are a failure, or that you don’t measure up to something, or that you won’t achieve your dreams, or you weren’t who you thought you’d be- Stop it! That’s unhealthy and you know it!

Now, better said than done, right? If these thoughts become habit, you may find yourself not setting any goals at all, as in fear of not achieving them when you do try. Or you won’t even be measured up to something at all because you never left the house to buy measuring tape.

… Anyone?

It’s time to reel yourself out from your own negative thoughts and take a look at the positive ones you are neglecting. You aren’t a failure.

At least… not constantly? Seriously! Nobody can be a failure constantly. So stop thinking about it all the time!

7. Being on Social Media. All. The Time.

As much as you like mindlessly scrolling and pressing the heart button on your friends’ social media posts, posting selfies and photos of your food (Stop it! You’re making me hungry), and posting relatable memes all day- Well… that one is pretty fun.

But! As much as you like spending your undue time on social media, it isn’t always great for your mental health.

I mean, think about it. You’re often hunched over and cramped, staring at a little screen.

Straight posture everyone! Straight posture!

Not only that, but people often find themselves comparing themselves to photo shopped influencers with unrealistic lives. Plus, too much of one thing can tend to be bad, and unproductive in this case.

8. Not Being True to Yourself

Have you ever said ‘yes’ to something, simply because you were peer pressured? Or perhaps you felt that’s what others wanted from you?

Stop it! You are wonderful. So, stop doing things that aren’t true to who you are.

Phew. Gotta take it easy, I know. It’s just, you’re so god dang wonderful.

Everyone is unique. Everyone is different. So why do you tend to compare yourself to others? Or try to please them so much if it’s not pleasing you.

It’s best to ask yourself if you are living your life for yourself, or for others. Following simply what others tell you to do, in a way that is an attempt to change who you are, is likely to leave you suppressing the real you deep inside. And we all know what suppression can do for our mental health.

Taking care of your emotional well-being means taking care of yourself. And if you hide who you are to please others, who are you instead? Why not please yourself in a balanced way? If not, you may be trying to be someone else for the sake of others. And consequentially, suppressing your true values and self in the process.

Who are you? Where are you hiding?

It’s time to create some good habits and say yes to getting your emotional well-being on track.