#i got a new binder from a new brand

[bones-n-bookles]

GOOD GENDER VIBES

[dcxdpdabbles]

Would you ever consider writing out the Alley Boyfriends?

Tim's favorite brand of coffee since childhood- for one could not follow Batman and Robin around without losing some sleep- had always been the Heart Attack Coffee. It was known for its high levels of sugar and caffeine, with the added bonus of being cheap.

Heart Attack Coffee grew from a small family-run booth in Gotham's street market to five stores in Gotham, three in Bludhaven, and even one in Metropolis.

Their menu comprises about sixty percent of various coffees, but there are teas, fruit waters, and even pastries.

They rolled out signature drinks per season, and Tim was always the first one in line when the new menu was revealed. He preferred the winter ones- mainly because they were hot and always had a special kick to his coffee compared to the spring and summer that tended to lean more towards ice dreams like teas or fruit waters.

Tim adored Heart Attack with all his might. He collected their special cups, a book on all the different flavors he tried, and even cried for three hours straight after learning the Heart Attack team had made drinks inspired by the Bats.

He doesn't think he drank anything but the Red Robbin Rush for the three months the promotion ran. Yes, his heart was beating like a hummingbird in his chest the whole time, and he was a bit jitty, but it was worth it.

Then came the terrible day Bruce found out just how much caffeine was inside Heart Attack's coffee. Not enough to shut them down with health violations but enough to worry him.

He forbids the family from Heart Attack, suggesting another cafe that were safer. The thing is, Tim does not drink any other coffee. He tried of course, but unless he was the one that made it, the other coffee never came close!

That was Tim's coffee. His special coffee. He had one every day (that he was in town and not away on a mission) so much so the employees knew him by name and what time he usually showed up.

Sean, the morning cashier at the closest branch to WE, would have an experimental drink prepared for him. Sean would let him test out possible new flavors!

That's how valued he was as a customer.

Don't get him wrong, Tim tried to follow Bruce's mandatory boycott. But by the third day, his headache was killing him, and his hands were starting to get itchy.

Not only that. His whole day just felt off when he skipped out on his morning coffee or his after-work coffee. Tam had caught him re-organizing his office at least five times because his office just didn't feel right anymore. It wasn't balanced.

On the fourth day, he walked into a Heart Attack, and Sean smiled at him. He had a blond expresso Rush halfway made when Tim reached the counter. "Welcome back, Tim."

He placed a fifty in the tip jar grinning at the employee. He took his first sip of the golden nectar and felt his very soul breathe as it settled in his stomach. "Good to be back"

Tim figured that Bruce wouldn't notice because, frankly his adoptive dad wasn't the most observant when it came to Tim's habits. He got away with it for about a month.

Then came the faithful day Bruce reminded him why he was Bartman.

"I'm sorry, Tim, you've been placed on the Do not Serve Coffee list." Sean winces, showing the binder to the stunned CEO.

"I've been banned!?" He chokes, running his eyes over his own face in picture form. "What did I do!?"

"Not banned. You can still order caffeine-free teas or fruit waters." Sean reassures, but it means nothing. His apologies and his explanations mean nothing.

Sean-who he was half sure had been flirting with Tim for months- suddenly meant nothing.

Bruce has bought out Heart Attack was nearest WE in an effort to get Tim to cut back on his coffee intake. The man knew he did not like drinking any other brand, didn't function right without it, and still chose to pull this stunt.

Well, if he thought Tim wouldn't drive ten minutes to the next nearest Heart Attack, he was sorely mistaken. He got up twenty minutes early- and Tim loves to sleep okay. Just because he can't have too much of it with his busy life didn't mean he didn't adore sleep- and drove himself there to make sure he was on time for WE.

The employee gave him the same spiel, holding that dreaded binder. Bruce had also gotten to this branch. But Tim knew that while the branches could be bought out, the name was trademarked, so Bruce couldn't own them all!

He tried the Heart Attack that was thirty minutes away, showing up late to work due to him not planning the traffic for the morning rush, and still did not succeed in getting coffee.

. Then he tried the one that forty minutes, on the complete opposite side of his work, and that one failed too. By this point, a whole week had gone by since he last had a Heart Attack.

Not even on missions did he go this long. He usually bought those take-home packages when he knew the missions were going to be longer than three days at the most. They wouldn't even sell him that anymore!

The packages were just packs of Heart Attack instant coffee. It wasn't even the real deal!

He was feeling withdrawal; his headaches were getting worse, while his body felt slow with fatigue, and he was snapping at everything and everyone.

Just the other day, he yelled at Tam for sneezing. Sneezing.

Thankfully, she can give out as good as she gets. She reminded Tim why she was the one who tended to call all the shots around the office despite what others believed.

His skin was starting to burn, which didn't make sense since caffeine withdrawal did not include itchiness, but he couldn't stop scratching. Tim also hasn't slept in a while because his daily evening routines were all off now that he couldn't have Coco Connect!

He thinks he made all of his executives uneasy with his fidgeting and nasty scowl at the last meeting because he couldn't sit still when all he could think of was Heart Attack.

The last Heart Attack, the one right at the edge of the city, the one that was only a street away from Crime Alley and happened to be a forty-five-minute commute for both Wayne Manor and WE, was his last hope.

Out of all of the branches, this one was the least impressive. It was cramped with only three tables, the walls were painted a dark brown, and the light setting was all low.

It was nothing like the bright and spacious atmosphere of the other branches. It was even squished between two large buildings, the narrow doorway making it hard to even see. Tim was sure Bruce had not found this one yet.

When he pushed the door open, he jumped slightly at the chime from the bells on the door. His anxiety had been climbing to ridiculous levels, he needed his coffee.

At the counter, a boy who looked his age glanced up from his red bulky phone. He quickly slipped it into his pocket, giving Tim a friendly, if slightly bored smile. "Can I help you?"

Tim raced towards him, nearly tripping over his own feet. There was a slight note of deranged desperation in his voice as he responded. "Please, I just want a cup of coffee."

The boy nods, pressing a few buttons on his little cheap register. "What kind would you like?"

Tim's heart swelled with hope. "I want a large Blond Expresso Rush and a-"

The boy stops. He looks up slowly at the time, squinting his eyes as if trying to see into Tim's mind. Then, with a slow movement, he reached under the counter to withdraw a very familiar binder.

Tim's eyes burn with unshed tears as the stranger flips through the binder before stopping on a particular page. "I'm sorry, sir, but you are on the Don't Serve Coffee list. I can offer you some tea instead-"

"NO!" Tim yells, causing the employee to jerk back. He knows he must look like a mess, with tears rolling down his face, but he doesn't care. This was his last chance. He can't make it to the branches in Bludhaven or Metropolis, not daily and certainly not without Bruce noticing. " THIS IS THE FIFTH PLACE. BRUCE CAN'T OWN YOU ALL!"

He places his face into his hands and wails. His body is shaking with his sobs, leaning against the counter because he lost all strength to himself up.

The employee stares at him with a strangely understanding expression. "Does this coffee mean that much to you? Is it.... an Obsession for you?"

Tim can only nod because words are hard to push through his cries. The teenager sighs, running a hand through his hair before leaning forward and whispering. "Look, man, I can't give you coffee under the cameras. Meet me in the back alley in twenty minutes, and I'll get you a coffee. Bring Cash."

Tim snaps his head up at once.

"How much? Five hundred, six hundred, or hell, even a thousand? I'll bring whatever you want." He sobbed, knowing he looked sort of pathetic but beyond the point of caring about his dignity.

" Chill, dude, it's a cup of coffee. Three dollars is fine." The other says with a sort of uneasy smile.

"It's not just any coffee! It's my favorite brand, and Bruce bought them out to ensure they wouldn't sell to me anymore!"

The guy holds up his hands. "Okay, okay, this coffee means a lot to you. I get it. Twenty minutes alright?"

Tim stumbles his way outside, reaching for his wallet. He has no cash, but he says an ATM is not too far down the street. He all but runs there and sprints back with a crispy twenties.

He stopped at a local flower store to ask if they would break it for him and was told he needed to buy something first. Not wanting to meet the coffee angel, he picks out a lovely bouquet of lavender roses.

He gets four dollars as his change and races back to the Alley behind Heart Attack. Just in time, too, because the back door opens and out strolls the cashier with a large travel container.

Tim throws the cash and flowers into his hands to rip off the lid and check the inside. It's a Blond Expersso Rush. Even just a sniff has something in him settling. He takes a sip, and all is right with the world for the first time in a while.

"That good?" The boy asks with a slight grin. Tim hums, smiling back as he takes another sip. "I'm glad. Want your flowers back?"

Huh? Oh yeah, he bought those. He shakes his head. "Keep them. Think of it as a thanks for doing this."

"Cool. Never had flowers as a tip before." He jokes, taking a sniff of the roses with a broader grin. "Name's Danny, by the way."

"Tim. Nice to meet you."

"You too."

Tim tips his head back, letting the coffee burn down his throat. It's hot, but that hardly matters. Danny's mouth drops. "Dude, maybe wait for it to not be so hot?"

"I can't." He whines, downing the cup's contents, and only after it's all gone does he realize he forgot to savor it. He throws it over his shoulder in the direction of the trash can. "I don't know when I'll get a chance like this again."

"Don't worry about that. I'll make you more whenever you want. Here, have my number and text me when you're on your way so I can-"

Tim throws himself onto Danny. The other fumbles with the flowers, trying to hold them and Tim simultaneously, but Tim doesn't care. "You are the best person I have ever met! I think I love you!"

The other laughs, patting his hair. "I'm glad. You've been the first to give me flowers, so you're cool, too."

"When do you get off shift? I'll treat you to dinner."

"It's not a big deal, dude."

"I insist!"

"Well if you insist. I just finished, actually. Where do you have in mind?"

Tim leans back to smile at Danny, unaware of the two shadows that leap away from the still-embraced couple. They arrived sometime after Tim finished his cup, unaware he had drunk it since it was lying on the group near the other discarded cups in the trash.

They only saw Tim in the arms of a boy, holding flowers, which represented "Love at First Sight," and the way they heard Tim offer to buy him dinner.

"See B? Tim wasn't buying coffee. He was just meeting his crush!"

"Hmm. Based on what we saw, it's safe to say boyfriend. No one is comfortable with someone unless they have known them for a while."

"I think your right. I wonder when Tim will bring him over to meet the family?"

"Try not to push too much Nightwing. You know T values his privacy."

They both smile at each other knowingly, and even though Bruce suppresses it right away for his Batman persona they don't forget what they saw.

They pretend not to notice every time Tim disappears or that his GPS puts him back in that alley. They'll wait till he's ready to tell them. Besides, the barista seems good to him; Tim is far more energetic and bright these days.

A month goes by like this, where Tim is back to his normal self, no longer needing coffee to be happy. Bruce pats himself ion the back for his plan to help cut him off working so well.

Even though he seems to be texting constantly on his phone.

Neither Dick nor Bruce noticed the narrow eye stare of worry that Jason aimed at Tim whenever he slipped away to meet Danny. He has theories on what is inside those strange containers, but he hasn't gotten close enough to confirm his suspicions yet.

Jason prays he's wrong.

He waits until he knows Tim is gone (he is not. He likes to hide in the cave's shadows to overhear the latest family gossip) before turning to Bruce and Dick.

"Tim's on drugs! I've caught him trading cash for small containers in a shady alley six times. We need an intervention."

Predictably both men freak out.

"What?! I thought that was his boyfriend!" Dick wails, looking over all the pictures of Tim and Danny standing in an alley trading cash, flowers, and containers that Jason took.

"I also thought that was Tim's boyfriend, but if it's a drug dealer, we have to help him," Bruce grunts, eyes hard as he now sees Danny Fenton in a new, less favorable light.

And Tim, who is still hiding in the cave's shadows overhead, can only whisper a heartfelt "shit."

He rips out his phone to text Danny as the rest of the Bats below begin plotting. Thank goodness they don't know what Danny has been giving him exactly. Maybe they can steal Bruce's and Dick's ideas.

Meanwhile, Danny's tiny apartment across the city is starting to appear like a greenhouse with all the flowers Tim has been giving him. His small slip of loving flowers was all Tim needed to hear.

He's taken it as a personal challenge to always have some flowers for Danny as a thank-you for the coffee he made for him.

It was nice. It helped get rid of the boredom his life had developed. He looked forward to Tim's presence. He hadn't had this much fun or clicked as easily with someone since Sam or Tucker.

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear," Danny grins as his phone dings and Tim's picture flashes on his screen.

If anyone asks you're my secret boyfriend who been making me teas in allies

Danny stares at the screen momentarily, before shrugging and texting back a confirmation. "Who the hell would believe that? But I've had a boring week, so yeah, I'm down to be a pretend boyfriend."

He's never met any of Tim's family, but he doesn't think they will be too hard to fool.

[atarathegreat]

The Student Worker. Baji Keisuke

Baji, having not the best history with school and all things intelligence related, was having the worst time going through college. Of course, it was his ultimate goal to become a vet, but right now he just wanted to survive his classes with good grades and a high GPA.

"What books did you need?" And yet he still wished he hadn't brought Chifuyu along for book hunting. "Your papers should have the ISBN, right? Let me see."

Once again Chifuyu was acting like a father taking his kids to buy binders for classes, annoying Baji to his wits end. The wrinkled paper made a racket in the quiet bookshop as he pulled them from his pocket and passed them to Chifuyu. Every year he had the same problem with the books and finding what he needed for each of his classes.

Chifuyu rattled off the numbers to himself, searching the shelf in front of him as he cross referenced the numbers. His whispering blended in with the soft atmosphere of the bookshop, the other people who were also whispering and double checking numbers to be sure they had the right books. Writing, math, even chemistry books were being grabbed left and right by other young adults and even some seniors who grinned to themselves over the victory of finding what they were looking for. Baji hated them, nothing personal on his behalf, he just wished it was so easy for him to buy his materials without needing Chifuyu to hold his hand.

"Hello! Is there anything I can help you find?" The student worker appeared next to them. Stupid, Baji already knew he was stupid, but he'd have to be absolutely braindead not to realize how captivating the girl was. Beautiful hair and bright eyes as she flashed her sunshine and rainbows smile. Her kindness was part of the job, that much Baji was smart about.

"Actually-" "No! No, thank you!" Baji rushed, taking has papers back from Chifuyu, "He doesn't even go here, he's just helping me look for the books, but we've got it, thanks though."

Her laugh was sweet and thick, like Baji's favorite honey brand, "Alright, well, find me if you change your mind."

That wouldn't be happening, but the guys nodded and Baji felt like he could breathe again as she left. For him to be so flustered was strange for Chifuyu to see, especially around a girl. His friend had always been cool, suave even, though he was sure that Baji lacked the ability to make a girl fall for him.

"She's out of your league."

"I know."

"You're blushing."

"I know."

Baji went back to searching for the books listed on his paper, successfully finding three of them before giving up and dragging Chifuyu from the building so he couldn't ask the cute girl for help. It was more than obvious that the girl would know where the books were that Baji needed, but he couldn't take even the idea that she would think he was dumb. Or maybe she would find his idiocy endearing?

Unlikely.

The atmosphere of his home was much different from the campus bookstore. Lighter in the sense that he knew he didn't have to be quiet, and it didn't smell of paper and wooden book shelves. But he preferred the smell of books over the booze that currently tainted the air from his late night celebration of getting through another semester. Hey, he was allowed to be proud of himself for making it through more time in school, so what if he had a few drinks...alone...watching tv. Okay, so he wasn't celebrating and he was just day drinking. Baji felt better saying that he was ringing in the new semester than admitting to himself that he drank a twelve pack by himself. And ate two bags of family sized trail mix. And drank a whole gallon of coffee, or what felt like a gallon. Baji Keisuke was more than aware of his pathetic nature. Drinking alone, eating half his weight in the food in his kitchen, chugging coffee to stay awake, and all because his friends had moved on and had their own lives and families. Yet there he was, living alone and being in college while working part time with Chifuyu and Kazutora, all while needing help with something as simple as finding textbooks.

A light pinging caught Baji's attention, an email popping up on his phone screen from his advisor.

1444badvised@college.edu: Hello, Baji! Just checking in to make sure you have all the deadlines still, and making sure the hunt for next semesters materials is being fruitful! Don't hesitate to use the many resources around the campus and even off campus!

The advisors cheerful nature only added to his annoyance. First, he rambled and made a fool of himself in front of the girl that he thought was insanely cute, and now he was faced with two links of deadlines that were coming up quick. He'd probably have to suck it up and risk having books late so he could order them online. And he would've risked it if one of his deadlines wasn't in a week.

So Baji sucked it up and took the long drive back to the campus. It was beyond embarrassing for him to walk back into the bookstore, even with his hood up so no one could see his face.

There she was again, her light pink painted lips pouting over her hand as she rested against the welcome desk, ocean eyes calmed from her boredom as she seemingly waited for anything to happen. Here Baji was to be that anything.

"Hey..." Baji slid the paper towards her, a little taken back by how swiftly she grabbed it and looked at his chicken scratch handwriting and scribbles, "I, uhm, need help finding the ones that aren't marked off..."

When she perked up, Baji couldn't help but think she looked like one of the birds at the pet shop. The ones that talk nicely when customers came by, saying, "pretty hair, pretty hair," or "wanna hug?" She was the prettiest damn bird he'd ever laid eyes on. "A couple of these are in our animal sciences, but they aren't on the shelf. I can contact our other campuses and have them here in a couple days if that is fine?" Her tilted head reminded him of the dogs, how they'd beg for people to pick them up and pet and love on them.

"S'fine, thanks." He mumbled with a slight nod. At least he would be getting them before his deadline.

Painted fingernails tapped the paper, "I can get you this one, though. Follow me."

He took the chance to notice her height. She wore flats, which for Baji meant she was practically barefoot, and couldn't hide how tall she was. Her pants were a little tight, accentuating her assets in a way he would only describe as alluring. What? He thought she was deserving of respect and he refused to think wow, nice ass.

Her fingers looked nice as she grabbed the spine of a book, leaning it out before grabbing it and looking in the cover at the numbers printed inside. "So, what are you in classes for?" The softness of her voice startled him a little, "All these animal science, anatomy and surgical books make me think vet, but maybe it's something more specific?"

Fuck, she was observant. "Vet, yeah." Baji grinned a little, his canines flashing at the worker, "Third year."

Chiming bells. That's what her laughter sounded like, "I admire the dedication. I'm going to classes for business."

"Business? Typa business?" Shit! He couldn't even speak properly?! "Business management." She passed the book to his hands, "I'm hoping to run my own shop one day!"

Baji was more focused on making his tongue from the words this time around, "What type of shop, if I can ask?"

"Arts and crafts type of things." And he never would've imagined that red looked so good on her cheeks, "I doodle and make things in my free time, so I figured I might as well make it profitable."

"That's real smart." Baji followed her back to the counter, reading her 'School Life!' T-shirt as she scanned the book.

"Why'd you choose veterinary?" She set the book close to his hand, her eyes trained on where the little receipt would be printed. Baji would have to sign a copy and she'd file it and then he'd get his copy. "I love animals." Was his simple answer that he wished was as deep as hers the second it left his stupid mouth, "I help run a shop with some buddies of mine, though I'm only working part time right now with college."

"You do? Is it around here? What's the name?" Her eagerness was cute, too. So he gave her the name and helped her find the address on Maps before signing the receipt and making his way out to his car.

Baji was many things, but he wasn't a gossip girl. At least, he didn't think he was until he was leaning backwards on the counter at the pet shop while telling Kazutora all about the pretty girl with brains that helped him get his books. Kazutora was rolling his eyes and chuckling, because of course it was Baji who had a crush on some girl that was just trying to do her job. "Let me get this straight; this girl helped you get your text books, you thought she was super cute but now you think she's even more cute?"

"Dude, she's gorgeous!" Baji leaned forward, "She's gorgeous and smart and dresses nice and she wears this really pretty pink lipstick."

"And she's here."

Baji whipped around at the girls voice, turning a deep and dark shade of red before ducking down under the desk to hide. Kazutora rolled his eyes, "What can I do for you, miss?"

And once again it was that chime like laughter that made Baji's heart flutter, "Well, Baji Keisuke was telling me that he worked here, and your website says that visitors can hold the animals."

"You can. I'm sure Baji-" Kazutora kicked him as he spoke, "-wouldn't mind helping you at all. I would, but I love to watch him suffer when he gets caught talking about someone."

She giggled and smiled more than Baji had ever seen before, then again he'd only ever seen her working and behind that counter. Who could smile a lot when they were at work, anyway? Scratch that. Baji would smile about work if it was paying for college, too. She pointed at the cats pen, "Can I hold the calico?"

"Her name is Katara. She can be moody, but mostly she loves scratches right under her chin and on her chest." Baji unlocked the pen and Katara started meowing loudly, "And she's very talkative."

To ignore the redness in his face and forget that everything he had said was heard by the same girl he was talking about was too much to ask of the universe. Because he couldn't get the tingling from his cheeks off his mind and the girl kept chuckling every time she looked at him, as if his embarrassing moment kept playing through her mind. Part of him was relieved she'd heard so know he didn't have to pretend that he was just some weirdo, but now she knew that he thought those things. She knew!

"I don't want you to think I'm weird or anything..." She used a soft voice no matter where she was, it seemed, "But I looked up your campus ID and got your number. I was going to text you and let you know but I thought that would be really weird and that you'd think I was strange so I didn't but I guess showing up at your place of work and telling you this is also kinda weird..."

She rambled just as much as Baji did, and that was almost enough to put him at ease. "It's cool. Just, uh, just text me whenever you want so I have your number, yeah?" Butterflies were flitting around like crazy in his stomach, twisting everything into a knot and pulling it tight.

"I'm Y/n." She pet Katara gently, her light pink fingernails scratching softly under the kitties chin.

[possiblyawesometmblr]

alright *cracks knuckles* i'm putting up the corkboard

so: what the hell is going on with the magnus protocol (an opinion essay by me):

i think that this is exactly what was presented to us at the end of the tma finale. the ritual worked. it sent the fears to a brand new dimension, and that's what we're now seeing. an entirely different universe that it just a touch to the left of the one we've already seen, and how they're dealing with the fears. and the biggest difference is that they, unknowingly or not, have followed exactly what they talked about in tma -- the fears are far more complicated than simply splitting them into 14 seperate entities.

that's why the cataloging system is such a nightmare in a huge binder. they haven't tried to seperate the fears, because they see them as they are -- far too intertwined with each other to be able to effectively separate them. that was the whole point of the apocalypse ritual in tma, anyway -- you cannot seperate them. they don't work like that.

what we're seeing here is a direct continuation of what annabelle cane promised: the fears are in a new dimension. and it's time to see just how badly the gang from tma have doomed them.

(i also can't explain how the whole chester and norris thing happened but i think it's something along the lines of "something something oh god physical forms don't carry across dimensions very well". i'm convinced that's jon and martin. 3000%. just need someone to explain how tf they got IN there. i will also bet money right now that augustus is jonah.)

[tenthcrowley]

BINDER

Bucky Barnes x Trans!Reader (he/they)

Request: None.

Fandom: MCU.

Genre: Little angst but fluff at the end.

Words: 1370

Summary: You haven't been feeling great lately, you haven't been feeling any positive at all. After a rough day at work someone finally notice your mood.

TW: Faking happiness, intense crying (just the noise of throwing things and groans), old binder not binding enough now, reader's looks like a MESS, and just fluff? idk

This was just awful. Since you woke up you knew the day will suck. You didn't have motivation for anything and you were just sick of feeling like this. You sighed now laying down on the couch of the living room in the Avengers building. You remember the first time you entered hhere, it was like a kid with a bunch of brand new toys. Just that the kid didn't had to fight constantly.

"You okay?" You didn't realize when you had closed your eyes, wow you must be really exhausted. You open them and look up at Steve who had a concerning look in his face.

"Yeah, yeah, just... very tired." You try to smile at him but it's most like a disgusted face. He chuckled. He knows you, he knows you're stubborn and never admit you're dying to have some rest. You remind him of his younger self. Younger in like before he was frozen, but technically he hasn't changed because, again, technically he's still a young man. Never mind, he thinks you look like him when he was trying to join the war, strong, insistent, brave and a little (much) stubborn.

"Go on. Get a shower and sleep. Some rest will do you well."

You roll your eyes as you got up from the couch.

"Yes, dad." He laughs while you're leaving to your room.

You were really good at faking, lying. Everyone would think you're living the best moment of your life while you're internally dying. You're so good to put a fake smile on your face and hide all of your pain. Pain. God, when will you stop feeling pain? When will you feel free, happy.

Steve looked at your way still when you had left. Bucky placed a hand on his shoulder to get him off of his trance.

"You okay?"

Rogers nod. "I am. He's not. They say they're okay but it's just not true. I don't know why he cannot trust me yet." He's sad. Because he really loves you, you're like kind of a little brother to take care of and seeing you this way, seeing you in pain but not telling, faking, hiding it, not trusting him. It hurt his heart a lot. "They will tell you, tho." That's true. (Y/N) is always honest to Bucky. When (Y/N) opens to him, they ask him to remain silence about it. He does. But Steve wasn't born yesterday, he knew they tell each other almost everything. Didn't know what exactly but that's not of his business and he gets it.

"Uh, I can't try." The black haired man left his friend alone in the living and made his way to your room. He wasn't gonna show it, but he was very worried about you. You are really important to him, you take a big place in his heart and viceversa.

Before he can knock, he hears groans and sobs with violently punches to things, not things that can break tho. Bucky sighs and finally knocks, instantly the noise stops.

"It's me."

The door immediately opens and (Y/N)'s hand reaches him to pull him inside the room and closing the door again. When Bucky turns, your eyes are red and swollen from crying, dried tears on your cheeks being replaced by new ones, your hair is all messed up like you just got out of a street fight, but what caught his attention the most was that you were shirtless, scratching your arms without causing any injuries but leaving your skin red and burning, you were in just your binder, in your old and worn binder. Now he knows why you were all shut the entire day, you were having dysphoria the whole fucking day. He understood, being around cisgender men all day could be tough for you, he didn't know you feel, but he understood. Plus you haven't bought a binder in like a year so it's stretched out and old, which means it doesn't tightness like it used to.

No words needed for when he opens his arms and you ran to hug him. He squeezes you and puts his nose on the top of your head. You love that. His hugs are different than the rest. Despite his metal arm, his hugs are comfy and warm, it brings you back to Earth instantly, they make you feel safe and like home. Minutes passed and you just hug. He never let you go making you the one to break the wrap when you feel it's been enough. So he just stays, smelling your hair knowing you just showered and maybe that's another reason why you're like this, since your binder it's not wet you didn't wore it to get showered. Finally you pull out the hug now calmed.

"Do you want to explain it me? If not, that's okay, I understand." He smiles at you, looking directly at your eyes.

You feel your heart warm and you sigh. You've been in the Avengers for like a year now and it's been impossible to not fall for Bucky. You avoided him, all the time! But that bastard always found a way to come back to your life. Until one day you stopped fighting and just gave up to the idea of having him around almost all the time, making you fall really hard. And stuff like this, this situation right now, everytime he comes and calms you down, he gives you a kiss on the forehead, when he hugs you, when you compliments you, stuff like this makes you confuse and it's like playing with your emotions. You know Bucky doesn't realize that so at least you can be obvious about your feelings for him and he will just never know.

"I need a new binder." Being honest? That's the only thing you could say right now. You wanted to explain to him but... you couldn't. It's like if you say how you feel, all the calmness he gave you would fly away like a feather in a rough wind. Simple as that.

"Okay. We can get you one." He smiled again and you felt melting. You adore the way he smiles. He stepped closer and gave you a kiss on your forehead but staying inches from your face.

You looked at him. You wanted to kiss him so bad. So so bad. So you did, excepting that could say all your words can't. For your surprise he responded the kiss with the same sweetness and caring. You both blushed because you understood each other. This kiss speaks more than a million words and you get it. It feels like you both needed it, you both needed to let out all the sentiment you've been keeping and couldn't express. Your hands were at the sides of your body and so his. You didn't want to touch each other, at least not yet. The kiss finally broke and you could look at each other's eyes, another thing you understood.

"So you...?" He said.

"Yes." You answered fast. "You?"

"Yeah." You both giggled and finally looked at each other. You saw his blue eyes that were like a sky in a plenty summer, clear, shining and beautiful. There was love in his eyes you could tell. You smiled for real for the first time in days. You felt happy after so long. You wanted to cry of happiness, not just because Bucky feels the same way about you but because you're finally feeling good, at least for a moment.

"Go on, put a shirt on and we will go out to buy you a new binder." He said giving you a kiss on the forehead and then walking to your bedroom door.

"Really?" You said trying to hide your excitement.

He looked at you and nod smiling before leaving.

You smile got even bigger as you grabbed any t-shirt you liked to put it on then fix your hair to finally come out. You're being happy. Even if Bucky was already there for you before, somehow, now it feels even better, have him by your side like more than a friend it felt different. You felt different. Different good.

[s0fti3w1tch]

Binder Help?

Guys, I want to get a new binder. My sis got me my first one from gc2b when I was 15 (4-5 years ago). But I heard they weren't as good as they used to be nowadays?

Anyways, can y'all recommend some good brands for binders? And tell me if gc2b is still good to order from in 2023? Thanks!

[unh0lyhum4n]

Ok maybe I’m not aro cause I just got my new swim gear from HumanKind Swim and I AM IN LOVE. I was so fuxkin worried but it really is such a gender inclusive brand. I haven’t felt this pure masc euphoric joy since I first wore my binder under a tshirt. I’m actually looking forward to going to the pool this summer!!! We stan queer owned businesses❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

[wisecrackingeric-2]

Idk if you've done it before but got any serenedy hcs?👉👈

IM C E R T A I N IVE DONE THIS BEFORE BUT I LOVE ANSWERING THIS QUESTION TEHEEE GIGGLES AND KICKS MY FEET

Edit: this turned into a glorified fanfic but sssssssssshhuddup

. Luis is Like one of those dogs who are really massive but don’t realise they’re massive so they try to be lap dogs and all you can do is just sit there and accept it. You know the dogs right. Yeah that’s Luis to me; he’s tall and he’s lanky and he’s 95% limbs and he INSISTS on sitting on Leon’s lap or being the little spoon and Leon lets him every single time no matter how uncomfortable it is

. They’re both Transgender Capcom actually told me so but also I think it’d be hilarious if Leon was pre-top surgery when he went on that initial mission and first met Luis so when he tells him Luis is like “??????????????YOUVE BEEN RUNNING AROUND HIS ENTIRE TIME WITH A BINDER ON?????? WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU??????????????”

. They take their t-shots together (Capcom told me so)

. Leon goes out of his way to find the specific and exact brand of cigarettes Luis likes even though they’re really expensive and hard to find (this isnt even a headcannon the brand of cigarettes he smokes in-game are E X P E N S I V E )

. Luis would ABSOLUTELY be disabled if he DID survive the knife to the back cuz speaking from a family members experience there is NO WAY he’d be walking again with a giant hole in his spine like that

. So when Luis first started using a wheelchair and moved in with Leon at first in the mornings when they’d both just get up and Leon would be getting ready for work, Luis would always ask Leon to crouch down so he could fix his suit collar, and for the first few times alone would wave him off (classic I-can-do-it-myself Leon) but after a couple times Luis explained that being able to help Leon even with something small like that gives him a sense of agency that he’s lost so Leon immediately apologised and now every morning it’s a habit for Leon to wake up, get his suit on, and crouch down in front of Luis to let him fix the collar up (and give him a kiss on the cheek)

. They both have really weird work scheduled so most of the time Luis will stay up in the labs until midnight meanwhile Leon has a super early start but their lunch breaks line up so that they get a few hours in the afternoon to spend together, and usually that just involves them sleeping away in their shared bed hdbehdbdhdnxhxn

. Leon is one to pick Luis up from the labs (because he’s the only one with a legal licence dhbshdbshdnd) and Luis usually finishes an hour or so earlier than him so he waits at the door for Leon like a little kid and he gets super excited every single time when he sees him in the doorway no matter how many times they’ve done this BDBSHDBDHD

. I’ve said rhis before and I’ll say it again. Luis sleeps starfish style. He has every limb thrown over Leon at all times and he always somehow ends up on the floor in the mornings

. Luis buys Leon new jackets all the time. Which like. Yknow. SOUNDS cute on paper. Except he’s using Leon’s credit card cuz he doesn’t have one HXNHWNWUSNSIZMS

. Leon keeps a photo of Luis in his pocket whenever he’s on missions. Yknow. For reasons.

. Leon brought Luis a brand new copy of Don Quixote when they first moved in and as a joke Luis asked Leon to read it to him but then it became a tradition every night except Leon is a REAAAAALLYYY slow reader and he has a BAAAAD reading voice like he struggles to get through a sentance out loud and Luis finds it SO so so endearing he encourages Leon to do it more often

. Luis is allergic to cats, and he’s also not much of a dog person (for obvious reasons) but he’d LOVE to have a pet of some kind someday

. Also I will keep spreading this propaganda but Luis IS A HORSE BOY LUIS IS A HORSE BOY AND HED LOVE TO TEACH LEON HOW TO RIDE

. Luis really likes feeding birds outside and it gives Leon an excuse to slow down and chill out so he does it with him whenever he can

. Also spreading my propaganda that Leon can’t cook. What did he eat before he met Luis? God knows. Chris found him raiding his fridge for pieces of cheese multiple times. Now Luis always makes sure to cook Leon a big nice breakfast and dinner no matter how much leon insists he doesn’t have to

. Also a self indulgent headcannon that Luis is a wee bit of an artist. He learnt how to do quick realistic sketches of anomalies during his time with Umbrella so every now and then when Leon’s off in his own world doing work at the table or just staring out the window Luis will do tiny lil sketches of him just to admire him. But he’d never admit that to leon he’s way too shy HCSHNESHSNHS

. Leon isn’t very good at audibly asking for attention or phsyical contact, so the two of them have come up with a system where Leon will wrap his arms around Luis’ waist or shoulders and Luis will immediately know that he wants a cuddle for whatever reason. He doesn’t pry, either; he knows that sometimes Leon just has Bad Days and needs some physical support and to feel wanted

. Leon pretends to not know how to smoke a joint just so Luis will teach him and baby him through it. He gets all clingy when he’s high ok

. I don’t think Luis would still be religious after a l l t h a t BDNEHENHEJS but I Imagine he still prays every now and then just for some comfort and he always asks Leon to sit with him while he does for some support

. Pulling this straight from my own fanfic but I think Luis would propose to Leon with one of his own rings BXNEHENEHENE and they would DEFINITELY get married with literally zero witnesses just for themselves too

. Luis forced Leon to get a car cuz he’s scared shitless of motorcycles

. Leon always helps massage Luis’ back whenever his pain is flaring up

. Leon is secretly a lot clingier than Luis and cries to himself whenever they have to be apart for whatever reason he is a big crybaby to M E

. Luis likes swimming cuz it helps his chronic pain and Leon sucks up his fear of big open waters for him HSHEHENEHDNDJ

. Luis is very very proud of his appearance and so him showing up all messy for Leon is a lil act of love <<33

. Also they accidentally steal each others clothes all the time and they look ridiculous

. Finally, this is FULLY self-Indulgent, but I do think Luis would wanna be a dad someday. Idk about Leon, but I think Luis still truly does look up to his Grandfather and wants to be the same kind of man he was and raise a kid of his own and see that kid grow and not have to abandon him the same way his Grandfather did (And I think Leon would share similar emotions too)

[yeehawthethird]

Chase headcannons because I project onto him an unhealthy amount

Trans obviously if you don’t know that I think that you’re very new here

He will forget and wear a binder for like 16 hours straight because he hyperfocuses

Inherited Douglas’s fear of needles (he knows it irrational but like…)

Obnoxiously vocal stuns by clicking his tongue e his top teeth

Or he just chews on the inside of his mouth

Had big noise canceling headphones because bionic hearing

Listens to classical music (mostly holst the planets tbh) and weird techno shit

His flannel collection rivals an American eagle werehouse (half canon but like)

Has dermatillomania (skin picking disorder) and is like super self conscious about it, pretty much refuses to wear shorts because of scars on his legs

Checks out like 50 books at a time from the library

Is way too pissed about the burning of the library of Alexandra

Drinks exclusively like raspberry iced tea or some other weird shit like that (and only from like 2 brands too)

Will eat chickpeas out a can at 2 in the morning

Once corrected the tour guide at a museum and then got told like “no that isn’t true” only for him to be proved right like 10 minutes later

Is now well known at that museum because of it

Watches weird ass shows like Victorian farm

In every single weirdass nerd school club you could think of

Joined mock trial cause it let him argue with ppl

Joined model un becuase like this dude wants to be in politics OBVIOUSLY he’d join weirdass clubs like that

Fuzzy sock enthusiast (do not ask I just know)

Will yell at you if you eat KitKats the wrong way (kaz will do it just to annoy tf out of him lmao)

Stole Bree’s aquaphor once and cannot live without it lmao

That man wears glasses and you cannot tell me otherwise bionic vision be dammed (they’re blue light)

[dianneking]

Okay this is random HOWEVER I got a couple of new binders and they arrived today in the mail and!!!

The package!!!

Is just the cutest!!!

Like, A WAX SEAL? AND A FREE STICKER?

I am swooning here.

(btw if anyone's wondering, it's from Phoenix Turnout and I wish I was cool enough to have a brand deal with them but no, I just bought it and I am excited)

[jasper-pagan-witch]

2024 Grimoire Challenge Review - January Week 1

Well, I had to wait until Wednesday to get out of the house and get a binder and some paper for my challenge grimoire this year, so I basically speedran all of the December prep and the first week of January, because I will never learn and never improve on this habit of mine.

Keeping in line with other grimoires I've used in the past (such as the Epsilon Ledger and the Delta Book of Tarot Spreads), this red binder has been named the Eta Binder. I wrote down my proper name (let's go, trans mages!), tacked @2024-grimoire-challenge onto it to remind myself that that's what we're doing, and gave it a date of working. Since I started on Wednesday, that's 1/3/2024 (because I'm an American) to an unknown end date.

I had to scramble to come up with a list of 52 plants and stones to work on. I just went through the list of herbs and teas offered by my local ("local" being half an hour away) spice shop and capped it off with some Missouri flowers. For the stones, I just flipped through Judy Hall's Crystal Bible (somehow both a really good and really bad reference book) back and forth a bunch of times until I had a list of crystals I hadn't already done dives about.

As for my magical study ideas, I mostly just threw shit down that I've been interested in or have just gotten interested in. I gave each deity I worship their own bulletpoint and also split up the specific areas of pop culture magic I'm digging more into. I made sure there was a blend of comfortable old stuff, brand new stuff that I'm not sure of, and things that are generally outside of my purview.

Through the power of "work had too many 3-ring binder dividers", I have split my binder into seven sections - 1 is Plants, 2 is Stones, 3 is Work-Related Notes, 4 is Spells Designed (if I complete any, they'll be moved into my spell binder that also houses all of my correspondence lists), 5 if Journal, 6 is currently blank, and 7 is Empty Pages.

Then I finally got started on the actual projects. For the plant and crystal prompts this week, I used an integer generator online to choose two numbers randomly and received caraway (aka Carum carvi) and muscovite (aka KAl2(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2), so I used my normal research process for the two. It was actually pretty fun, if you ignore the fact that my hand hurt so much because it ended up being 4 pages (well, 2 pages but front and back) EACH of information drawn from books and digital sources that I was all but copying word for word.

As for the Work-Related Notes, that's where I've saved things like my Definitions page, Spellwriting 101 (in my practice), and a page about my Common Tools.

I will admit that I skipped the year outline, mostly because the passing of the year means near nothing in my craft. I don't celebrate any particular "magical holidays", I don't work by the moon cycle, I'm definitely not Wiccan and thus don't celebrate the Wheel of the Year, seasons just mean whether or not I have to wear a coat, and I don't care about matching particular workings to days of the week. I'm starting to think I'm just a deeply boring person, upon reflection.

Then we get to the Work Spaces / Altars page, and oh boy! I don't actually do...workings at my altars, so they're probably better described as shrines. I have my Primary Work Space (my wooden desk, the metal microwave stand I've stolen from somewhere, and the tiny red bookshelf under the microwave stand) that is an absolute MESS at every given point that holds whatever the fuck I'm working on, regardless of what project it is. I have a Thoughtform & Spirit Shelf (which is actually a partial shelf) in my big red bookshelf that holds the anchors for my thoughtforms but also my PokeFamiliar. I have five altars around my room that are currently holding seven deities, a candle for an eighth deity, the Lokifam, three spirits, the Unknown Benefactor, the symbol of an animal spirit I want to reach out to at some point this year, and Jasper's Casper (an adorable little ghost that my coworker and her daughter crocheted for me to celebrate the first anniversary of me working at the library).

Shit's a bit cramped in here!

And today, I'm writing about my Personal Practices that have made it into my craft. I'm actually working on this now, but I paused to write up this summary. It's pretty neat to think about all the stuff I've done that I still do.

Results: My hand hurts and my head is throbbing, but c'est la vie. This is a really fun challenge, and I hope it goes all the way through 2024, unlike when I tried to do the 2023 challenge and the host of that one vanished into the aether.

[bratanimus]

33. you are such a nerd

@khaleesa, thank you for this awesome prompt! It was a lot of fun to write. And thanks to the lovely @pipergirl17 for betaing! I hope to work on the other prompts in my Ask box soon.

~*~

Hoard

Eddie sprawled on his stomach across Chrissy’s white eyelet comforter and peered over the edge of the bed, like the invisible Bilbo peeping at Smaug. All around herself, his girlfriend (someday he would stop italicizing that word in his mind, but today was not that day) had spread a veritable dragon’s hoard of paper, folders, notebooks, flashcards, pencil cases, and pens of all colors on the pink shag carpet. 

Sitting cross-legged in her running sweats, framed in a patch of afternoon sunlight, Chrissy looked luminous as she carefully pried open the lid of a box of new pencils as if it were a treasure chest.

“Tell me again,” Eddie said.

He pushed up the long sleeves of his T-shirt and rested his chin on the heels of both hands in what he hoped was a coquettish and distracting manner, his jean-clad legs bent and kicking his socked feet behind him like he was at an honest-to-god Annette Funicello pajama party. 

“Why are you doing this, exactly?”

Chrissy gave him the briefest of eye rolls, because she’d already started to explain on their way upstairs…though she’d been interrupted when they’d passed the Cunningham household’s actual dragon, who’d bellowed after them, “Door stays open!” Eddie could almost feel the mistrust billowing like acrid steam from Laura’s sewing room. Well, the old reptile would get used to him sooner or later. Or not. 

“Make fun all you want,” Chrissy huffed (oh, she was cute when she was miffed at him, and maybe he shouldn’t rile her up, but he was a dumbass still getting used to having her undivided attention, so sue him if he occasionally resorted to his old habits of poking and prodding and other sorts of ill-advised provocation, and anyway, she didn’t seem to mind). “But it’s the end of spring break.”

With that, Chrissy pinned him with a friendly glare, as if a reminder of the calendar date should’ve made everything crystal clear. 

Smirk (and dimples) still firmly in place, she broke the eraser off one of those brand new pencils, an unexpected act of violence that made Eddie’s eyebrows shoot upward. She tossed the nub into the flowery little trash can under her desk. Then she grabbed a fat, pink, arrowhead-shaped cap eraser from a pile of them and twisted it onto the top of the pencil. 

“Ah, I see,” said Eddie, not seeing at all. 

Chrissy only laughed at his confused expression, so he lay flat on his chest, chin on the bed’s edge, letting his arms dangle so he could fiddle with the felt tip pens scattered on the carpet. He stole a glance at Chrissy and pondered why one eraser might be somehow inherently better than another, so much so that she had to amputate and reattach, like some nerdy bookworm version of Mary Shelley.

“School starts back in a couple of days, right?” Chrissy went on as she attacked the next pencil.

“Uh-huh.” 

Eddie shoved aside her big green binder and slid his fingertips along the pens as he lined them up, orange and purple and red and blue—

Bonk! Another brand new nub landed in the trash can, and another cap eraser got reamed by a wooden writing instrument.

“I always reorganize my school supplies after fall break, Christmas break, and spring break. It helps me stay focused.”

“Mmm-hmm,” he bullshitted, as if he had any idea about systems for focusing.

He arranged the pens according to the colors of the rainbow, remembering Roy G. Biv, the acronym his seventh grade art teacher had taught for the progression of colors. But Chrissy owned way more than the seven basic shades here. There were at least two dozen. Did she carry these to school every day in a pencil case, a small treasure trove in her pink backpack?

“I love school supplies,” she gushed, continuing her mutilation of the pristine set of Ticonderogas, popping off a dozen heads one by one and replacing them with bloated Frankenstein ones.

He knew she had a thing about control, and Eddie had seen her do her fair share of feverish erasing in the two classes they shared this year. But were twelve cap erasers really necessary?

Messing with the felt tips on the floor, he must’ve asked that last bit out loud, because Chrissy said tightly, “Oh, you know. Just in case I need to correct a lot.”

Oops. He’d touched a nerve. He needed a distraction.

“I bet you pack five extra pairs of underwear for every overnight trip,” he mused, “just in case you have a blowout.”

“Ew!” she squealed.

An eraser nub hit him square between the eyes, which made him flinch and blink. 

“Seriously, Eddie.  Are blowouts something I should worry about?”

“Oh, I dunno. Hang around with me long enough—”

A larger arrowhead eraser smacked him on the cheek. He caught it before it fell off the bed, stuck it on his pinky, and made it speak over Chrissy’s giggles.

“Look, lady,” he Muppet-squeaked, “you have an eraser problem. And possibly an underwear problem. You need help!”

Chrissy pointed to his pinky. “Speak not to me, nor my Trapper Keeper, ever again. You’re just jealous of my loot.” 

“I have absolutely no use for dragon-guarded treasures,” Eddie murmured, quoting Tolkien as he slipped the eraser from his pinky and laid it reverently in Chrissy’s outstretched hand, “and the whole lot could stay here for ever, if only I could wake up and find this beastly tunnel was my own front-hall at home.”

Watching him, Chrissy’s eyes glimmered, prettier than any gemstones. His cheeks warmed. 

It was something to be looked at by her, wasn’t it? To be admired? He dropped his gaze back down to the pens he was arranging and hoped his face wasn’t too red.

“That’s it.” The words were barely a breath.

Eddie’s gaze rose again to find Chrissy staring down at her hoard of loot, hands upturned helplessly on her knees, the arrowhead eraser still in the center of her palm like the One Ring.

He tried to match her hushed tone. “What?”

“That’s how I feel. All the time. This house. All my things. It’s just…stuff.”

And she had no other home but this beastly one.

Eddie's heart pinched.

“Come up here,” he said.

She did, lying on her stomach next to him, chin resting on her folded arms as she watched him arrange the felt tips into different configurations with one hand. Gravity made his veins bulge a little; they looked knobbly and greenish-blue in the bright light from her window. His hand could almost be a pale dragon skittering over its mountain of treasure.

He didn’t know what to say, because he couldn’t say what he wanted to.

Come away with me. Let me be your treasure. You are already mine.

Leaning into her with one shoulder, he reached awkwardly into his front pocket and scrounged for the ever-present handful of mismatched polyhedral die, which he tossed to the floor, a field of shimmering stars around what he’d written across the landscape of her Pepto-Bismol carpet.

“Wait.” Chrissy’s head lifted from her forearms. She blew her bangs out of her eyes. “Does that say—”

It did indeed. Eddie had arranged her plethora of pens to read 

NERD

“You are such a nerd,” he whispered, creasing his brow and dipping his chin for emphasis. He wondered if she could somehow read on his face what he was really thinking.

Chrissy looked back at him and smiled like he’d just placed a crown on her head. He swallowed. Maybe she could read his thoughts. Eddie tucked her lovely smile away into his own mental hoard, for safekeeping.

“Takes one to know one,” she said, cutting the inhalation for his retort short with a kiss.

He nodded his fervent agreement until her widening grin made further kissing more difficult, but not impossible.

The eraser lay forgotten on the floor with the rest of the hoard. 

[mueritos]

Gc2b owner and founder put out a statement but I’m kinda iffy on buying from them again. Like the whole trans community kept trying to get gc2b attention on the matter but they would delete or remove any bad reviews? Like how can it take this long for anything to be done? Only when other older trans masc and trans men were showing other options to younger trans youth so they don’t resort to unsafer binding options did they start caring. Idk what to think tbh. Binding is already risking but not listening to the community when the only popular option has become unsafe? I know you had top already but what are your thoughts?

Mmm, I am quite upset by how their quality has gone down. I stopped binding around the time people said they noticed the quality starting to go down, and the times I used their binders were from when they didn't destroy people's ribs. Still, they were the only binders I binded with, and using them up until the pandemic did eventually lead me to stop binding for my health. I was experiencing rib and back pain from the years of binding for many hours, and I was using a new binder at the time I stopped.

I honestly did not keep up with the binding community (if thats what we call it) once I stopped binding, so I really had no idea how shit their binders became. I feel bad because I used to buy some folks binders from Gc2b, so I hope no one who got one from me hasn't been harmed. My twin tho has been binding with gc2b for only a few months and the pain is evident, so it aligns with everyone's recent experiences with gc2b.

I read their statement but yea, unfortunately the damage is already done. I have no idea of people are just binding unsafely or if the binders are genuinely made badly, but im leaning more on their quality just dipping. People have become seriously hurt from their binders so it's concerning to me that they didn't address that further or earlier. My last binder from them was bought before I stopped binding in 2020, and I remember spending a lot of time stretching it and the fibers just not budging, so I doubt that from the statement that quality control or materials have not changed.

it's weird. there are obviously better binders out there and im glad people are hopping onto those brands, but it is sad. Gc2b was crucial for a lot of people, so it's sad to see it start harming people like this. I'll keep an eye out on it if I can, I deleted tiktok and I saw most of the conversation about their quality there.

[thisiswhymomworries]

this is really fucking late and you have probably received questions about it before but what brand binder did you end up buying? or how should someone go about shopping for one that has the correct materials?

I personally bought several binders from gc2b. I've heard the quality has gone down, but I got two new ones semi-recently (within six months) and the only problem I've had is the stitching came out of the hem on one of them--but I also throw them in the washer and they're hand-wash only

(going through the dryer won't ruin them but it will loosen them up really fast after a few times. washing mine on cold and a low spin cycle has worked fine for me, but hand washing is better)

some basic bullet points:

--look for brands selling specifically to transgender people. if all they mention is binding or for tomboys or sports, it's probably not going to do what you want, safely

--there shouldn't be any compression! none of the materials should be meant to squeeze or constrict any part of your back or chest

--the fabric on the back, shoulders, and stomach can be a silky, clingy fabric like what you would expect from form-fitting leggings

--the torso section directly on your chest will likely be a stiffer material meant to hold a flat shape. think like a cone-shaped corset, where the front doesn't lace up, it's just a really stiff panel that's straight up and down so there's no boob shape at all

--this shouldn't push down on your chest too much, only as much as a sports bra. the main goal is to distribute the fat evenly across the whole front of your chest (like if you push in gently with your palms on your nipples), to conceal individual boob shape

--unless you already have a very small size, you probably won't get a "flat" chest from binding. cis men have pecs AND FAT there too! the goal is a uniform shape that looks flat going across, not literally up and down flat. your torso is already a 3D cone shape anyway

--layering: tighter clothes underneath loose clothes. you want looser, heavier fabrics on top. black REALLY helps disguise any shadows or bumps

[pretty-idol-hell]

Just asking because you'd be better able to know if anything was asked/answered on the JP social media, I don't Really expect that any info about this would've come out though there's a chance I'm at least not the only one curious - do you think we'll ever be getting Dreaming Girl in the app? There were two (2) new coords in Idol Time era or I'd just sigh and assume it was a forgotten relic, but it had a lot of my favorites when I first got into PriPara.

OMG WOW! I can't believe you asked this!

I was literally just thinking about this the other day when I rediscovered this monstrosity I'd completely forgotten about in one of my binders and really wished I could wear it again:

The Dreaming Girl Cyalume! You know what it reminds me of nowadays?

That coord everyone made for Matsuri in PriMagi ahaha.

Anyway, that tangent aside, I really don't spend a lot of time on Japanese Twitter, or Twitter at all really aside from official accounts. But that being said, although anything is possible I really do not think Dreaming Girl will ever be added into Idol Land for the following reasons:

Well... We never even really had it on the arcade game! I mean yeah, you could scan in Dreaming Girl coords but they were never available in the gatcha, etc. Dreaming Girl has always been an exclusive promo/merch/toy only brand as far as I know.

Also, they didn't bother to add it into the Switch game and Idol Land is heavily based on the Switch.

It's too bad! Dreaming Girl had a lot of my favorites too! Especially from the Millefeui Collection! It's so sad to think it's just lost.

[mo0nc4lf]

Y'all I ordered a new binder after my old one started stabbing me and it's SO NICE. The first one was a shitty random Amazon brand half tank (I know I know it's all I could afford at the time) but I got a full tank from Underworks (the 997 model if you're curious) and it fits so good. It's so insanely comfortable and I can actually breathe?? Like I've been cleaning and dancing and walking around and haven't once felt short of breath. And I was worried it wouldn't bind well because it's two layers of mesh all over instead of like a compressing band but y'all. I am a triple D cup and this is the flattest my chest has ever been. Plus the full tank helps suck me in a little so I look more like a fat cis dude than anything. I'm so so happy. Like I went through my whole closet and tried on all my shirts and everything looks SO MUCH BETTER. It sounds stupid but like I didn't realize just how much discomfort my chest was causing me until I saw how I looked in an actually well made binder. With the old one I only wore it a few times because I had to keep readjusting it which made me feel worse than just wearing a regular sports bra I didn't have to adjust every ten minutes. But I've been wearing this new one for four hours and haven't had to touch it even ONCE. If anyone wants like a full review lmk because I would be happy to.