#is it just the rise and fall (and rise and fall and rise) of xl?

[cosmic-carpals]

realizing on book 3 of tgcf that i actually don't enjoy it.....tragic

[hellcatsrtt]

“A break”

With a relationship, comes hardships to overcome.

¡!s.gojo x gn!reader

¡notes! wrote this whilst on the plane, pls no judge ;-;

“WELL I DIDN’T THINK SPENDING TIME WITH MY FRIEND WOULD MAKE YOU SO MAD BABY, FOR FUCKS SAKE!” Satoru ran his fingers through his hair as he yelled at you. His anger, clearly rising the more he spoke.

“THAT’S NOT THE POINT SATORU, I LITERALLY ASKED YOU TO MAKE DINNER AND YOU COMPLETELY IGNORED ME TO GO TO SUGURU’S HOUSE!” You stood up from the couch yelling back, just as loud, eyes gradually filling with water, threatening to fall at any given moment.

“Oh my god give me a break.” He stuffed his hands in his face, instantly regretting the words that just came out of his mouth. Sighing loudly, he manspreaded his long legs across his side of the XL L-shaped couch. Before standing up to approach you.

“Baby, I didn’t mean that.” He gently grabbed your chin, tilting it so he could look into your eyes. His regret hitting even harder as he noticed your tears. Falling from your eyes, making you look beuatiful, but that did not matter because you were crying from his wrong doings.

You looked at him, unsure of how to respond. You felt hurt. Hurt not just because of what he had just said. But because you were letting all his actions from the past two weeks,sink in and hit you hard. With all its strength.

You turned your head to the side, unleashing yourself from Satoru’s hold. Sniffling softly as more tears began cascading down your cheeks.

“No, gojo. Maybe you’re right. I’ll give you a break.” You turned to look at him, weakly smiling as he looked at you. Immense guilt and horror leaking from him.

“Baby, baby no what do you mean? I- I was just heated. I didn’t mean anything i said.” He ran to hold you by both your wrists, crouching down so he was fully, face to face with you.

“It’s not what you’ve said, you know, it’s what you’ve done too.” You whispered, trying to release yourself from his grip.

“Is it because I was with Suguru? I- you want me to stop talking to him? I don’t care,I’ll do it. It’s you, it’s only you that I want.” He was now fully kneeling down on the floor, sobbing harshly as his arms travelled all around your body, his body falling limp onto your legs.

“I’m going to Shoko’s tonight.” You finally managed to get off his tight grip, walking towards the door to the apartment.

“No- Baby, please.” He sobbed chasing after you at the door. Ready to put his shoes on and follow you, wherever you went.

“Satoru Gojo.” You turned to face him again, eyes meeting his. Seeing them bloodshot and filled with tears made you feel bad. But right now, he should be the one feeling bad not you. “Leave me alone, just for tonight. I said I’m going to Shoko’s, so I’m going there. You won’t change my mind about that. I’ll come back when- when I think is best. Please Satoru, leave me alone, for me.”

He looked into your eyes, desperate for the words I’m joking, lets go to bed to come out of your mouth. But they didn’t, he watched your body slip out of the black door. His vision turning blurry, breathe quickening and soon enough, he couldn’t take it.

“FUCK!” He shouted, punching the wall beside him, causing a large dent to be imprented on it. Turning to the glass vase beside him, he smashed it right on the floor. Then proceeded to walk straight through it. He didn’t care. He did not care, because you were not with him.

-

Eventually, Satoru fell asleep at around 6 am in your shared bed. On your side of the bed, stuffing his face in your pillow to smell the scent of your shampoo and conditioner which rubbed off onto it. He regretted it. So bad. For ever being mean to you. For shouting at you.

After the small incident that had occurred after you left. He called housekeeping to clean his mess, before grabbing his coat to follow you.

And follow you, did he do.

He watched you as you quietly cried, walking down the secluded streets which had been lit up by the dim yellow streetlights and the few shops that were still open at this time.

He watched you as you stopped walking. Turning to face a store. A korean fried chicken store. The korean fried chicken store you guys always ate from on every anniversary.

He watched as more tears fell from your face, and you turned, walking- no probably running at this point, to get to Shoko’s.

He watched you take your phone out, and fortunately from his six eyes, he could see what you were doing.

He watched as you scroll through your camera roll, admiring the pictures you had with him.

He watches as you enter the apartment complex and walk to Shoko’s door. Yet again, thankfully for his six eyes, he knows you safely went into Shoko’s house. But then again, he alao watched you crumble in her arms as you cried. Because of him.

The next morning, he waited for you. Dark circles slowly forming under his eyes. He leaned against the cold marble counter. His body lacking the usual strong and confident aura, rather radiating a mournful energy.

He didn’t move from that spot for 7 hours.

Morning became evening and he still didn’t see you enter the apartment which you two called ‘home’ . He was growing worried and debated wether or not to go to Shoko’s house where he knew you were, but he knew that doing so would probably anger you, since if you were gone for this long already. You most likely needed the time.

So he confided into calling Suguru to ask if he’d heard from either the two of you.

“Nah sorry I haven’t, want me to call them?” He asked, wanting to help his best friend who sounded very much stressed.

“Please.” Satoru responded barely above a whisper.

“I’m going to come over. Be there in 15’.”

He laid his head down on his arms, staring blankly at the large windows. Remembering how you would always gasp at the views every night even though you saw them, everyday.

Soon enough, a knock ringed around the apartment entry hallway.

Satoru walked up to open the door, assuming it was Suguru. But infact, it was not Suguru.

It was you.

Back hunched, hair messy, clothes smelly, teeth unbrushed. He stared at you, unmoving for a few seconds before capturing you in his arms.

Holding you so strongly, to the point you thought you would burst. He showered you with numbers of compliments and apologies. His cerulean eyes gleeming as they met yours.

He didn’t care if you wouldn’t accept his apology yet, all he cared was that you were with him.

After a couple minutes of taking in his affirmation, you both walked to the living room, sitting on the couch. Satoru getting as close as possible to you.

“I’m sorry.” You whispered, looking at your hands which were unterlocked with Satoru’s larger ones.

“No- no you shouldn’t be sorry, i’m the one at fault, im the one to blame-“

Before he could say anymore, you captyred hus lips, giving him a kiss which was not the usual sensualones you would give each other, but rather gave the message across of it’s okay, I forgive you.

After the kiss ended. You both ended up laying on the couch, your head laying on hus broad chest as you heard his hesrt beat softly accompanying his comforting breathing. Letting you know that he’s here, with you.

The same goes for Satoru, he has his arm tracing you from your upper thigh, to your lower back, all the way to your neck.

It stayed silent like that as you enjoyed eachothers reassuring presence. Eventually, both of you slowly drifted off to sleep, dreaming of eachother…

[bookskeepers]

third time's the charm ♡ chapter five

content warnings: light, awkward, both of them don't really know how to talk to people, reader makes a tiktok reference, abs, bra mentioned, no nsfw, tsukishima might be ooc sorry lol

word count: 1,646

a/n: i am running out of gifs. also sorry if my writing feels british my internal monologue is the same voice as baldur's gate 3's narrator 💔

also sorry this took so long ? it sat in my drafts for a week holy shit

taglist: @wakashudou

previous ♡ masterlist ♡ next

Tsukishima Kei has three rules he follows when he's hooking up with someone.

1. Keep all communication to Tinder.

2. No dilly dallying.

3. Do not stay the night.

Of course, rule 2 had some exceptions -- occasionally he'd watch a movie to lead up to the act, but no more than that. He views hookups as a business transaction: get the goods and dip. Luckily, both sides (usually) benefit.

♡*•.¸♡¸.•*♡*•.¸♡¸.•*♡*•.¸♡¸.•*♡*•.¸♡¸.•*♡*•.¸♡¸.•*♡*•.¸♡¸.•*♡*•.¸♡¸.•*♡

He hadn't intended to stay the night at all after your romp together. He meant to help you back into your underwear, maybe cuddle for a few minutes, and then leave. But with the way your head rests against his chest, and with how comfortable you look, how is he supposed to say no?

Your hair is splayed out around you, strands tickling his skin. He finds himself absentmindedly tracing patterns on your near-bare back with his fingers as he scrolls through his phone with his free hand, willing exhaustion to hit. Your dorm bed, despite being the same as literally every other dorm bed, is somehow comfier than his own. Maybe it's because he's sharing it with you, although he's not sure.

More often than once, he catches himself observing your sleeping form. Your head is on his chest, your torso turned so that your boobs are pressed against his own torso. He can feel the silky material of your bra against him, and he wonders if you're uncomfortable. It looks like the wire's digging into your skin from his vantage point. One leg overlaps his own while the other remains straight on the mattress, and the arm he can see is splayed out on his ribs. He watches as your chest rises and falls slowly, the pattern of your breathing steady in your sleep.

"You fell asleep so quickly," he mumbles out loud, impressed. Part of him thinks you're a little stupid; who would let someone they just met stay the night? And why would you fall asleep so quickly on a stranger?

Another part of him finds it endearing, though. To be instantly trusted by someone in such a vulnerable state... it's not a feeling he's used to.

None of what just happened was what he was used to.

Sex is a fickle thing, he thinks. He has his own experience with it, most of it involving smooth R&B playing in the background, the music intermingling with the sound of skin-on-skin and feminine -- and occasionally masculine -- moans. It's never been without music, and there's never been conversation when the act's actually started.

He enjoyed the conversation, though. Listening to you try to form sentences while he went down on you was erotic in its own way. Maybe it was the teasing nature of it, or the way you'd gasp and fall silent, head thrown back in pleasure, before struggling to gather your thoughts and continue.

He finds that his eyes are drifting shut despite trying to keep them open, that he's playing with something very dangerous. After all, he thinks it wouldn't be too hard to get addicted to this: laying in a twin XL-sized bed that's too small for two people with you using him as a mattress more than you're using the actual mattress. The weight of you on his body is more comfortable than he'd ever admit to anyone, and your mannerisms and personality have already been etched into his brain. You're different.

The thought snaps him out of his reverie and he physically cringes. He doesn't think you're the kind of person who'd enjoy being told, "You're not like other people." In fact, he thinks you'd probably smack him, although he doesn't know you nearly well enough to be confident in this assumption (but he's right. You would smack him, only because you take comfort in knowing there are other people who are as weird as you, if not weirder).

When his eyes open again, sunlight is streaming through the window on the far side of the room. At some point during the night, you must've gotten up to put on a shirt -- his shirt, he realizes with a jolt -- because you're no longer laying against him bare-chested, instead now clad in a loose, black tee. He fumbles around for his phone, discovering it underneath his ass. He taps on the screen a few times, watching as it lights up with a photo of him and his volleyball club from high school. The time reads 10:32am, and you're out like a light. No one ever said sex wasn't tiring, though.

His movements must be disturbing your slumber, because you shift in your sleep. One of your legs ends up fully over him while his free arm ends up trapped between your body and his. You sure know how to make yourself comfortable, he thinks.

Slowly, delicately, he extricates himself from your hold, each move calculated as not to disturb your slumber. After all, he hadn't intended to stay the night -- vague memories of the mild shock on your face after you asked makes him think you hadn't originally intended to ask, either.

He pulls his pants on before remembering that there's a bit of a dilemma. You're wearing the shirt he came with, and he half-heartedly wonders if anyone's out and about on campus on a Saturday mid-morning. It's not that he's embarrassed of how he looks, he would just much rather be able to blend into the crowd with ease. Being shirtless would prevent that, probably.

If he was wearing athletic shorts, on the other hand, he could pretend he was going on a run. Alas, he wore jeans to your dorm. It seems his options were either leave and demand you return his shirt via Tinder, or--

"Where're you going?"

Your sleep-tinged voice cuts through his thought process, and he snaps his head up to look at you. It seems his movements were not calculated enough, since you're now awake. He watches as you blink sleep from your eyes, turning onto your back to stretch your limbs out in all directions with a quiet groan. You sit up in the bed, glancing from him to the shirt you're wearing. "This isn't mine," you say at last.

He lets out a slight chuckle. "No, that's mine. You must've put it on during the night. And I was just heading out, actually."

You let out a gasp, clapping your hands over your heart. "Without even saying goodbye? How cold. How cruel, Tsukishima. I'm heartbroken." Your tone is light, teasing; he can't help but smile in response.

"You were sound asleep. I didn't wanna disturb you." His eyes trail over your body, hidden by a combination of his tee and the blanket that's draped haphazardly over your form.

You raise one eyebrow at him, a devious look in your eyes. "So you were just gonna leave my dorm without a shirt on?"

"Was hoping I could pass as someone going for a morning jog."

"In jeans?"

He falls silent at that, because how could he refute those words? You were just voicing his internal argument, anyways. He lets out a huff and sits on the edge of your bed, taking care to avoid squashing your feet under the blanket. "You have a good point," he finally mutters. He's not sure why he feels embarrassed, but he can feel the tips of his ears heat up as a blush begins to crawl down his features.

"I make those sometimes," you say. He glances at you and catches you looking away from his torso, your cheeks now dusted with the color of shame from being caught in the act. He lets out another chuckle.

"You can look, you know. It's not like I'm actively trying to hide it."

Your response to that is to fish out a pair of sunglasses from your nightside table and put them on before shifting your body to face him. You lean closer to his torso, remarking, "Sunglasses are so great because no one can tell where I'm looking," before straightening up and taking the accessory off. "Sorry. Got struck by divine inspiration for that one."

He just shakes his head, a look of feigned annoyance passing on his features, before he holds his hand out. "Can I have my shirt back now?"

You let out a sigh, rolling your eyes. "I guess." With swift movements, his shirt is off your body and in his hand, exposing your bra -- and upper body -- to the elements. Now it's his turn to stare, and he does so without shame.

"You literally saw all of this last night," you state after a brief period of quiet. That snaps Tsukishima out of his reverie, and he puts his shirt on.

"Yeah? You saw all of this--" he gestures to his now-clothed torso, "--last night too."

"Touché."

The silence returns as he stands and shuffles about the room, seemingly aimless in his wandering. This time, it's tinged with an undercurrent of awkwardness, as if neither of you are sure about what to say next. Finally, he relents: "I'm gonna go now."

"Sounds good!" is your automatic reply, and he watches as you immediately facepalm. "Not good as in, you suck get out, good as in, go live your life, I swear."

"Haha, I got it, no worries."

And with that, he's out the door, the image of you shirtless in your own bed seared into his retinas.

Another round wouldn't hurt, right? is all he's thinking about as he walks back to his own dorm, trying to mathematically calculate how much time should pass before he reaches out to you again. Because you, as a person, seem to have him hooked with your charm and your appeal.

Besides, he's already broken one rule with you -- what's the harm in breaking the other two?

[casp1an-sea]

I LIKE SHARKS

100 Follower Event

Hi, MY name is Caspian Re (Re pronounced Rey) You can call me either of my first names or alternate! I also go by Cas for short. I also like weird, silly, or comfort character related nicknames and I sometimes go by Armie online

I primarily post about Twisted Wonderland, Star Wars, Marvel, and 2000s kids shows like Octonauts

Age: 18

Birthday: 10/13 

Gender: it fluctuates between trans masc and trans Male, so I typically just shorten it to trans (pls only masc terms) 

Pronouns: He/Him, Ey/Em/Eir/Eirs/Emself on most days I have no preference but if it’s a day I do I’ll let you know

Sexuality: ✨I’m Gay✨(For now)

Zodiac: Libra Star, Pieces Moon, Aquarius Rising 

Personality type: ENFJ

If you send me an ask or msg pls feel free to mention your pronouns 

WE SUPPORT PALESTINE HERE 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Hotlines to call Incase of emergency

Master List:

I have a dating sim rp blog that is kinda popular :P

Pls check out my OCs, as well as my AUs, and my fics located in my writing post :)

—————————————————————————

commissions: Closed

requests: open!

EVENTS: KYLUX WRITING AND ART EVENT (Ongoing), May 4th Event, Twst OC Colab Event , 100 follower event

(I’ll do short writings, picrews, and possibly art if I’m in the mood. I’ll totally do my doodle style of you or a character.)

Fandoms, Writing, Moots and Tags, OCs, Comfort Characters, Just a list of Monsters I associate with myself, Moot Trail Mix Recipe, ART, Gender Envy >:(

Side blogs: @hux-and-gay (mostly Kylux, 18+), @ramblingsofamadblob (OC and world building posts to complex for my main)

rp accounts: @robinbanks-accidentally (TWST), @spring-chicken (OC), @brooklynscamp (Newsies), @hollowsdill-manor (Vampire/Werewolf dating sim), @angry-space-ginger (Hux), @rouge-space-dad (Han), @thisiswerethefunbegins (Star Wars OCs)

@thenewhestia (my mc to rp with @kal0psiapanesthesia)

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Likes: Star Wars, Marvel, Twisted Wonderland, the Life Series SMP, RPs, Random Generators (its an addiction), 2000s Kids shows, Doll customization, folklore, cats, singing, art, musicals, being in musicals, and weird sea creatures especially sharks :)

Dislikes: Sweets, Rey (if you are a Star Wars fan and you like her respectfully pls do not talk to me about her you will get your feeling hurt), Religious Topics (pls do not talk to me about Christianity or Catholicism it makes me uncomfortable), gruesome animal facts they are triggering please keep them to yourself, Mean people that disrespect me or my friends, Racists, Homophobes, Transphobes, Ablests, Sexists, etc. 

Fun Facts: 

I am Left Handed 

I am Hungarian and I love talking about my culture or my grandfather’s story if you want to ask

Romantically I am single but I do have a platonic partner, hi XEN 🫶🫶🫶🫶

I’m a Hufflepuff my Petronas is a field mouse and my wand is Willow wood with a Phoenix core

My favorite color is green 

My favorite food is Pineapple Teriyaki Burgers or Chinese food  

I am going to be a film major in the fall

I have two cats named Lilo and Stitch (both girls), and I also have multiple fish. My snail passed away :(

I REALLY WANT CRESTED GECKOS!

I was in my schools broadcasting class

I’ve performed in Willy Wonka, Newsies,  Little Mermaid, Bye Bye Birdie, Christmas Carol, and Shrek, and played the roles of James (James and the giant peach cameo), Arista (Ariel’s sister), Young Fiona, and the bird that sings in that one song in Shrek . I’ve also had solos in Try Everything, American Tears, Fields of Gold, an Mo Town Medley 

I Did competitive gymnastics for 13 years starting when I was 3, before I retired I was in XL level gold. 

I played Violin in elementary school and during Covid in freshman year I played chimes cause that was the choir alternative 

I watch lots of weird 1990s to early 2000s sci-fi shows typically from Australia, there’s suprisingly a lot of them 

I play Minecraft but I am bad at it lol

I play DND 

Where else to find me?

YouTube: @antosaurusrex3752

Pinterest:

Star Wars Force Alignment Quiz:

TWST OC CHALLENGE

My Change.Org petitions:

[tom-whore-dleston]

Pairing: Xu Shangqi x f. reader

Genre: smut

Warnings: mentions of sex, hickies, scratches, amnesia, Vegas shenanigans, alcohol consumption, hangover, Shangqi being a tease, implied smut (plz let me know if I am forgetting any)

Summary: A trip to Vegas leads to you waking up to another man in your bed. 

Word Count: 864

Notes: This started as a request from my bday sleepover almost a year ago 💀 and I lost inspo for it until I decided to take part in @the-slumberparty Warm-Up: One Word Drabble. Thank you Navy and Roo for hosting this sleepover and thank you Bri Bri for the request! Remember to reblog and comment if you enjoyed what you read 😊

word generated: club

request: 🎉 from the prompt list, specially the smutty ones, 15. “I know I should care about the reason why you’re naked in my bed, but I will just enjoy it for a moment.” and 29. “I’ll take it that you like what you see.” with Shangqi? 🫣 👀 - @hollandparkersx

You woke up to a pounding headache and dry throat. But with your friends around, you knew that you would end up drinking more than you can handle and make even more crazy decisions. Speaking of your friends.

Oh shit, what time was it?

The alarm clock on the side of your bed flashed 11:30am. You groaned, massaging your temples. 

Well, so much for brunch at The Cosmopolitan. 

In annoyance, you snatched your phone from the nightstand. Turning it on, you read a message from your best friend.

Sorry, hun! Was gonna wake you up but then we saw you snuggled up to that hottie from the club last night. Don’t worry, we’ll bring you something when we come back. Have fun with your man 😘 Lmk if you need more of those XL condoms 😉

What the fuck was she-

Oh…

On the opposite side of the queen sized bed was a naked man, whose body looked like it was sculpted like Michaelangelo himself. Not to mention, red scratch marks trailed down his back as if a rabid animal attacked him. That couldn’t have been your doing…right? 

He began to roll over, exposing his equally sculpted chest and abs that was littered in hickies and kiss marks. Your eyes widened when you realized the lip stains on his body matched the shade of your lipstick from last night. As you wiped the side of your mouth, your smeared lipstick appeared on your fingertips. Finally awake, the man stared at you, leaning against his propped arm. You tried not to stare at his bulging bicep, but he caught on as he smirked. 

“Good morning, sweetheart,” the man slurred with a low, sexy morning voice that was richer than the coffee you craved to cure your hangover. His eyes scanned your bare torso, smirking as you quickly covered yourself.

“No need to be embarrassed, sweetheart,” he chuckled and you watched his chest rise and fall. “I already know you look beautiful naked.” Your cheeks heated up and you slowly let the blanket fall in your lap.

“I know I should care about the reason why you’re naked in my bed, but I will just enjoy it for a moment.”

The man laughed again. “Well you and I got pretty drunk last night and I guess one thing led to another…”

Now your memories were coming back to you. You and your friends went club hopping on the strip, and you met the guy in bed with you on the bus ride there. While you were still sober, you and he chatted over how you were in Vegas for your friend’s birthday, and he was there to get over some family issues he dealt with in the past month. 

By the time you got to the club, he paid for you and your friends' drinks. You basically left both of your groups to dance with each other but would still follow each other on each ride to the different clubs. At the end of the night, you and he went back to your room while both of your friend groups stayed behind to find a place to eat. The rest of the night with him was still a blur but it was pretty clear that you both slept with each other. Only thing was, you forgot his name.

“I’m sorry,” you started, “but can you remind me of your name please?” 

“Don’t sweat it. It’s Shangqi.” You nodded and then gave him your name.

“I remember your name, sweetheart.” Shangqi smiled. “Surprised you forgot mine when you were screaming it all night long.”

You clenched your jaw as you grew wet between your legs. The urge to pounce on him was strong, especially with the way he stretched across the bed. Your gaze automatically landed on his groin that hid underneath the bed sheet. 

“I’ll take it that you like what you see,” Shangqi teased once he caught you staring. You curled your lips inward as your face warmed up. He decided to change the subject to spare you of your embarrassment. 

“Got any plans for today?” Shangqi asked.

“I was supposed to go to brunch with my friends but seeing that they found us sleeping together, they decided it was best to leave me behind.” Shangqi gave you an apologetic look, feeling bad that he kept you from your friends. You reassured him, “Don’t worry though, I had a great time last night. I mean, I don’t remember everything that happened, but I know it was fun.”

“Yeah, we went through like 5 condoms last night.” He picked up an opened condom packet, causing your breath to hitch when you realized it was a gold XL packet like your friend mentioned in the text. 

You huffed out a flustered breath. “Wow, I guess there is a lot more that I don’t remember from last night.” 

Shangqi’s next words turned you into a puddle. “Want me to jog your memory, sweetheart?” 

You bit your lip as your thighs rubbed together to ease the growing need in your core. God, this man made it extremely impossible to resist him. “Yeah, help me remember every single detail.”

Navigation | Main Masterlist | Xu Shang-Chi/Shangqi Masterlist

[hualianff]

Voice Actor HC

Modern AU where XL isn’t a huge fan of audio books because why have someone read it out loud for you when you can just sound out the voices in your head on your own?

But then XL’s been hearing a lot of rave about a certain voice actor whose popularity has steadily been rising for reading certain spicy audio books. XL happens to stumble across a short clip via the internet of Hua Cheng’s reading voice.

One audio book downloaded after another, XL gets absolutely hooked. 

And thus, pan to XL who now languidly jogs on the treadmill while listening to the newest audio book read by HC.

Until a certain scene comes up-

And hearing HC’s low voice purr the exact words “why don’t we move this conversation to the bed, hmm?”

XL ends missing his step and TRIPPING-

With his headphones scattered on the ground, XL - head throbbing and dizzy AF - suddenly hears a voice ask him, “Are you okay?”

Lo and behold, XL tips his chin up and is met with the sight of a strikingly handsome man. Dark hair pulled back into a low bun. One dark eye and one red eye staring down in concern-

And with the exact same voice that was sounding in XL’s ear just a few seconds ago!!

XL quickly clambers up to his feet, stuttering over his words, “Ahaha no worries, I’m completely fine. Probably won’t even bruise later…”

But before he can reach for his headphones, the tall man is already bending down to retrieve them for him-

With the audio book still on.

“Ahh sorry! Let me take those out of your hands,” XL cries as he leaps up to swipe the headphones away, laughing nervously. He haphazardly turns the bluetooth off, managing a shaky smile as the handsome stranger tilts his head in interest.

“No problem. As long as you’re okay…” the stranger says reassuringly. “After all, you can always replace broken headphones. But if you had been severely hurt-“

His eyelids lower as he deepens his gaze on XL.

“I would’ve taken good care of you.”

XL’s legs suddenly feel like jelly, and not just because he crash landed off the moving treadmill.

“I s-see, well that’s very kind of you,” XL says, determined not to stumble on his next few words. “I’m Xie Lian, by the way. It’s nice to meet you…?”

He waits for the stranger to introduce himself.

The stranger finally lets his smirk become visible, mirth dancing among his mismatched eyes.

“You can call me San Lang.”

“Ah, thank you for checking up on me then, San Lang,” XL says sheepishly. He feels his face heat up the longer San Lang (not actually HC, thank goodness!) looks at him with that…that amused expression. “I’m gonna go turn off the treadmill now, since I don’t think I can focus anymore after falling-“

XL turns around and to his horror, the audio book is now playing from his damn phone that is perched on the treadmill dashboard. 

HC’s voice rings out clearly.

“Lay down for me, baobei. That’s it, just like that.”

“Don’t move unless I say so, okay?”

“Hmm, your body is so sensitive here…”

XL wants the ground to swallow him while. Especially when he sends San Lang a panicked look, San Lang’s knowing smirk merely widens. 

Bastard.

[c-noveladdict]

Names of Devotion

Part1 Part2 Part3

Hua Cheng loves Xie Lian. It's a universal fact. As true as the sun rising in the east. But...was the love always same? Unchanging? I don't think so. His love and devotion has also changed with time. I want to write how his love evolved during different stages of his life.

Hong Hong'er:-

Before Xie Lian's 1st Ascension :-

Hong'er was an abused, lonely child. He didn't even have a formal name at the age of ten. His only source of warmth his mother died while he was still a little kid. His father was neglectful if not outright abusive. His stepmother abused him physically and verbally. Kids beat him and called names. To him the whole world is a purgatory and everyone is an enemy.

[The‌ ‌kids‌ ‌by‌ ‌the‌ ‌door‌ ‌teased,‌ ‌“Hey‌ ‌ugly‌ ‌monster,‌ ‌you‌ ‌sleeping‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌shrine‌ ‌again‌ ‌tonight?‌ ‌Better‌ watch‌ ‌out,‌ ‌that‌ ‌‘mom’‌ ‌of‌ ‌yours’‌ ‌gonna‌ ‌beat‌ ‌the‌ ‌living‌ ‌hell‌ ‌out of ‌you‌ ‌when‌ ‌you‌ ‌get‌ ‌home!”‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌frowned.‌ ‌Under‌ ‌the‌ ‌wrapped‌ ‌bandages,‌ ‌the‌ ‌boy’s‌ ‌one‌ ‌eye‌ ‌flashed‌ ‌with‌ ‌anger,‌ ‌he‌ ‌raised‌ ‌his‌ ‌fists‌ ‌and‌ ‌yelled,‌ ‌“I‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌have‌ ‌a‌ ‌home!!‌ ‌I‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌have‌ ‌a‌ ‌mom!‌ ‌She’s‌ ‌not‌ ‌my‌ mom!‌ ‌Get‌ ‌out!‌ ‌Get‌ ‌out!‌ ‌Keep‌ ‌talking‌ ‌and‌ ‌I’m‌ ‌gonna‌ ‌beat‌ ‌the‌ ‌crap‌ ‌outta‌ ‌you!”‌ ‌

Yet‌ ‌the‌ ‌group‌ ‌of‌ ‌kids‌ ‌couldn’t‌ ‌care‌ ‌less.‌ ‌They‌ ‌stuck‌ ‌out‌ ‌their‌ ‌tongues‌ ‌and‌ ‌challenged,‌ ‌“You‌ ‌dare?‌ ‌Careful‌ ‌we‌ ‌might‌ ‌just‌ ‌tell‌ ‌on‌ ‌your‌ ‌dad‌ ‌again‌ ‌and‌ ‌let‌ ‌him‌ ‌teach‌ ‌you‌ ‌a‌ ‌lesson.”‌ ‌

Some‌ ‌raised‌ ‌their‌ ‌brows‌ ‌and‌ ‌sneered,‌ ‌“Oh‌ ‌right,‌ ‌you‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌have‌ ‌a‌ ‌mom,‌ ‌because‌ ‌your‌ ‌mom‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌want‌ ‌you.‌ ‌You‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌have‌ ‌a‌ ‌home,‌ ‌because‌ ‌your‌ ‌family‌ ‌doesn’t‌ ‌want‌ ‌anything‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌with‌ ‌you.‌ ‌That’s‌ ‌why‌ ‌you‌ ‌can‌ ‌only‌ ‌sleep‌ ‌in‌ ‌this‌ ‌pitiful‌ ‌shrine...”‌ ‌] ch73

Is it any wonder that he wanted to kill himself and drag the whole world with him? So he decided jump off a wall during the God Pleaseing Parade and ruin it. So that he can drag Xian Le with him. Yet he ended up getting distracted by the Taizi Dianxia, and fall from the wall. But he didn't die Dianxia saved him.

Then Taizi Dianxia hold him while doing the parade, and told him not to be afraid he would protect him.

To xl it meant nothing. Just a child he saved in passing. Yet to Hong'er it was the first act of kindness someone directed toward him. It was the drop of water after a lifetime of draught.

Even though xl had only shown him the bare minimum of kindness he lapped it up like a blind man seeing the first ray of sunlight. He saw with his own eyes how xl bear all the scolding for almost ruining the parade just to save his life, yet he didn't regret saving him. For the first time someone thought that his life is worth something.

Once again, xl saved his life from Qi Rong and took him to Mount Taicang. Those few hours must have been the happiest and the most hopeful hours in his short human life. He must have been so happy that there was someone in this world who wanted him. Now he didn't have to live in that house where nobody wanted him instead he would live with his hero.

But alas! It didn't last long.

As soon as he went there, xl's house cut on fire and evil things attacked him. He didn't understand what was happening, yet a man said it was all his fault. He was a star of misfortune for himself and those close to him. He will ruin everything he touch. In a moment all those hopeful dreams of living with his hero vanished in smoke.

He didn't understand why it always happened to him. Why?! What wrong did he do? He was not a monster! Why everyone hated him so much? What was wrong with touching him? He was not toxic! That man was lying!

Wasn't he?

While everyone trying not to touch him as if he was something untouchable, his hero held him in his arms and told him it was not his fault. He was not anything bad. It was first time after his mother's death someone hugged him and told him 'everything will be okay'.

[Before‌ ‌he‌ ‌even‌ ‌finished,‌ ‌there‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌loud‌ ‌scream,‌ ‌and‌ ‌Hong‌ ‌Hong-Er‌ ‌leapt‌ ‌to‌ ‌his‌ ‌feet,‌ ‌running‌ ‌towards‌ ‌Guoshi‌ ‌to‌ ‌headbutt‌ ‌him.‌ ‌His‌ ‌voice‌ ‌was‌ ‌tender,‌ ‌but‌ ‌his‌ ‌screams‌ ‌were‌ ‌filled‌ ‌with‌ ‌rage,‌ ‌as‌ ‌if‌ ‌his‌ ‌heart‌ ‌was‌ ‌filled‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌brim‌ ‌with‌ ‌unspeakable‌ ‌pain‌ ‌and‌ ‌anguish,‌ ‌making‌ ‌many‌ ‌shiver.‌ ‌That‌ ‌young‌ ‌child‌ ‌was‌ ‌covered‌ ‌in‌ ‌injuries,‌ ‌yet‌ ‌he‌ ‌yanked‌ ‌and‌ ‌struck‌ ‌like‌ ‌a‌ ‌red-eyed‌ ‌rabid‌ ‌dog,‌ ‌violent‌ ‌and‌ ‌aggressive.‌ ‌] ch67

[Seeing‌ ‌that‌ ‌everyone‌ ‌was‌ ‌avoiding‌ ‌him‌ ‌like‌ ‌he‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌poisonous‌ ‌snake,‌ ‌that‌ ‌child‌ ‌was‌ ‌shaken‌ ‌and‌ ‌started‌ ‌thrashing‌ ‌even‌ ‌harder,‌ ‌biting‌ ‌and‌ ‌screaming,‌ ‌“I’m‌ ‌not!I’M‌ ‌NOT!!‌ ‌I’M‌ ‌NOT!!!!”‌ ‌] ch67

[Suddenly,‌ ‌a‌ ‌pair‌ ‌of‌ ‌arms‌ ‌wrapped‌ ‌him‌ ‌around‌ ‌the‌ ‌waist,‌ ‌encircling‌ ‌his‌ ‌small‌ ‌form.‌ ‌A‌ ‌voice‌ ‌came‌ ‌from‌ ‌above‌ ‌his‌ ‌head,‌ ‌“You’re‌ ‌not.‌ ‌I‌ ‌know‌ ‌you’re‌ ‌not.‌ ‌Don’t‌ ‌cry,‌ ‌now.‌ ‌I‌ ‌know‌ ‌you’re‌ ‌not.”‌ ‌] ch67

The kid who hadn't cried when his ribs, hands, legs were broken wailed in despair. Because he knew nothing would be okay. He would always be alone. He was a freak, a misfortune, who ruin everything. And he could never live with his saviour. Because he couldn't ruin him, no matter what.

To Hong'er Xie Lian was his saviour, his hero. Someone to respect and worship........, but from afar.

(To be continued......)

I meant to write a single post. But somehow I ended up writing the book from Hua Cheng's experience. And I'm going to post all those things in separate posts. The next one will be during the war.

[allthingsfook]

I'm gonna keep this anonymous cause personal but not really hehe!

I am a 21-year-old woman who's 5'5 and with light brown hair, fair skin, and Brown/green eyes (they change color in different lighting). I have a little mole (beauty mark) on the left side of my face, kind of full lips, and where little to no makeup daily. I'd say my body type is mid-size (192 lbs and I can fit into M/L/XL so it's hard to tell) and I'm not too curvy.

I'm an Aquarius Sun, Virgo rising, Capricorn moon, and Venus in Aquarius. My hobbies are painting, drawing, and any kind of visual art. I love rock music, both old and new, and will sometimes listen to folk music. I'm entering my fourth year of college as an Arts Management Major and Comm minor (still got a way to go till I graduate cause shit's expensive) and ideally would love to be a part-time artist and work in PR or Journalism.

I come off as shy and particular with a little stubbornness, but as you get to know me I open up and will laugh with you and share things I'm passionate about whether it's big or small. I will always try to hide my emotions around you and if we are really close you'll be able to get me to talk about it cause you know how I try to mask it all.

Extra facts: I love cats, I love pasta so much it's what I eat the most, I am a caffeine addict, and I have never dated anyone.

Who would you ship me with?

Sorry if this was long 😬

Hiiii!!! I am so incredibly sorry this has taken me this long to get through my inbox, BUT good new is…. You are last, but MOST DEFINITELY not least!!! I won’t make this drag out any longer, so lets jump into it!!

I ship you with….

Daniel Robert Wagner

Let’s start with the zodiac compatibility… Both Capricorn’s and Aquarius’ are intentional with their love lives. You are cautious, yet open-minded. You take time to build a trusting relationship, and slowly approach each other’s vulnerabilities and insecurities together. Danny would be the best partner to help you through that. He is incredible patient and kind. He would wait as long as you need him to for you; just to feel safe with him. He’d assure you along the way, not only with his words, but with his actions. Once all the walls are broken down, you’d share a stable and positive life.  

With the foundation of your relationship being extremely strong, it’s easy to see how the rest of it can fall into place. Your hobbies are things I could easily see Danny eager to do with you. Clearly Danny is a very talented man, not just with drumsticks in hand… maybe a paint brush or marker. He’d jump at the chance to hunker down into a cozy corner of the house with you, skim through pages of an activity book and color you a purple monkey. He’d hold it up to you like a proud 1st grader and sport a cheesy smile. You’d giggle and tell him you love it! I could see you discovering an old rock song one day. Playing it in the shower, the car, and around the house. Danny would recognize the tune and quickly learn how to play it on the guitar. One night while he is playing around, he’d start casually playing that song. You’d slowly catch on and begin dancing around, singing the lyrics with him. Those are the moments he would live for with you. So innocent and playful. Just what he needs after years of rigorous touring and creating.

Danny, per usual, would be extremely supportive when it came to your education. He’d understand the need to take things slow or even taking time away from it. For someone who didn’t have to go to college, he’d seem to know a lot about the woes of it. Or maybe he is just that insightful to your feelings. He’d be your biggest cheerleader on the days you get stellar grades. Then he’d be your shoulder to cry on when things get tough. No matter the circumstance, he’s always going to stand beside you. When you do complete your academics, he’ll be blushing over you. Showering you with reminders of how far you’ve come and how smart you are. When you are ready to step foot into a career, Danny would be hyping you up on social media, and getting your name out with his contacts. We love a supportive man!!!

I suppose it is the Aquarius in you that identifies with being shy and stubborn. Definitely a few things Danny would be able to handle. Compared to the other boys, Danny is certainly a little more reserved. That may be the very thing that unites the two of you when you first meet. He’d notice you behind your drink and subtle smirks over the obnoxious gal in the room. Once the two of you have been together for a while, he’ll get a taste of that stubbornness. Again, Danny is so understanding and not very quick to temper. He’ll have his ways of taming you. Not in a dismissive or demeaning way either. He’d be kind and understanding. Giving you reason and words of affirmation. Once you come back down to earth, your passionate, loving, beaming soul will shine again. The very reasons Danny would love you!

To address your tid bits:

Danny would adopt any cats you may have now, and if you don’t have any (or want more) I could see him coming home with a tiny kitten in the palm of his hand with a bell on it’s collar. He’d insist on naming it something like Ludwig or Ramone.

Danny would also love a good bowl of pasta. As I am sure you know, he is a great cook and the minute you beg for a pasta dish, he’ll be in the kitchen boiling it up.

Danny would share and feed into your caffeine addiction. If that is in the form of coffee, he’d always be making early morning coffee runs. Greeting you with a cup in hand.

And finally, Danny would be so accepting and understanding of you not being in a relationship. He’d agree to take things slow and guide you through everything. His want for you to feel comfortable and safe is so profound. You will quickly understand how deeply he would care for you!

Alright!!! I so hope you are happy with this ship! As always, let me know what you think! I always love to hear back!!!!

[ldive111]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Huge Lot Boutique clothing S-XL 40 items summer and fall retail value $1000!!.

[pajamasetsco]

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Copy from:https://pajamasetsc.blogspot.com/2024/08/stay-cool-and-comfy-with-mens-summer-t.html

[anxiouspregnantlady]

27+3

Hi! Things are going well - life feels rich, full, just enough. I'm very grateful. I sometimes imagine that I'm still not pregnant at this point in 2024 and how depressed I would feel. Instead, we have less than three months to go before Mei Mei is here, and will likely start Labor Watch in two months' time.

I am inching closer and closer to the third trimester. In the past week, I've noticed a sharp change in my overall level of function - suddenly, standing up from a sitting position is difficult, lying on my side feels bad, putting on a shoe is impossible. Still having tailbone pain. Walking is slow, but still okay. I've started to be able to articulate various body parts! I think Mei Mei is head down, with her spine running along my right belly, butt up against my right ribcage, and legs extending to my left. Will be fun to confirm at my appointment next week. She does move a ton, but it isn't usually painful...except when she hits some kind of nerve in my abdomen and it feels like an electric shock. P is as engaged and loving as ever (if a little possessive), wanting to give and feed and teach her sister the whole world.

Have started using magnesium spray - I get a bit of RLS at night. Climbing feels impossible. I went for what will probably the last time in a while this week, and ended up mostly just watching the Olympics, which was not a bad use of time. I finally bought another piece of maternity clothing - jean shorts - because the H&M at cherry hill mall miraculously had a few heavily discounted maternity pieces in their store. They're a tad big, but they have the adjustable waistband and no funny looking elastic or belly panel, and I feel quite confident I'll be able to wear them for a while. All my other shorts/pants options are slowly being put away. An elastic waist can only stretch so far. The only exception is skirts, because there is no rise to restrict how far up the skirt can sit, and thankfully I have two summer skirts and one fall skirt that I think will be on heavy rotation. I'm pleased that a pair of crossover aerie leggings I got at a thrift store is still very comfortable. The fabled lululemon align leggings (from goodwill, lol) are wearable, but to be brutally honest, not very comfortable. Heck, even my maternity bike shorts from amazon are feeling very tight! I'm only in the second trimester!

Sewing-wise, I'm full of ideas but short on time and also am loathe to be on the third floor for very long - it is the HOTTEST place in the house, and also happens to be my sewing room. Maybe this will be better in October. I would love to sew up a sleeveless nikko dress (turtleneck dress) in a veryyyyyy stretchy rib. I'm trying to gain confidence sewing knits. Also in a groove making XL boxy tshirts (free pattern, true bias jesse tee), the kind of shirts I want to labor in and sleep in because they're so roomy but still look feminine and cute. Also dreaming of making a bunch of sweats for postpartum, maybe some robe-type things, I have a lot of sweater rib knit from fabscrap. I think my plan for breastfeeding-friendly clothing is cropped tshirts and sweaters. Easy. This sounds a little silly, but I'm excited to be able to wear a bunch of my clothes again postpartum. Dressing has felt hard.

Onto less trivial matters...

I think we're set with our name. !!!! But still undecided with chinese name (though we have made progress in the past week).

Very tired, so that's all.

[schizoidnightmares]

Exodus, I: The King's Republic

A.I. placeholder artwork generated using NightCafe Stable Diffusion XL v1.0 — CC0 1.0

“Forgive me, Father. I assumed your objection,” a young man softly speaks to an older, similarly-looking fellow.

They both wear white tunics and stare out from a balcony overlooking an opulent port city of marble. The city partially encloses a saltwater bay illuminated by the faint candlelights of resting trade and fishing vessels that bob gently on the surface.

“My noble son. Your mistaken assumption does not invite my offence. You will inherit this island and the responsibility of safekeeping that comes with. I cannot tell you how you must do this, only that you must. The Assembly will question your motives, but I will not. I know your heart is pure. You think firstly of our people,” the older man tenderly replies.

“Your thoughtfulness humbles me, Father. The First could not have blessed me better. I do not fear what the Assembly will think of my plan. I know what must be done. We cannot just wait here idly, waiting for the Empire to conquer us. I know they are coming, and they will not afford us mercy on behalf of our civility.”

The father turns to his son and fondly puts his hand on his son’s back. Without interrupting his son, the father allows him to continue his thoughts. They both look out at the bay.

“Even if the Assembly objects to my plan, they cannot stop me or arrest those that would follow me. I will return, Father, but not to an island of slaves. Your legacy will continue. The King’s Republic will go on as a free and sovereign state. This is my promise to you and our people. Their prince will not abandon them nor their king.”

The next day, in the early afternoon, men wearing identical white tunics with vivid blue robes atop gather in an aged marble rotunda. Sunbeams glisten past the marble openings and towering columns. The men sit on the rows of stacked benches carved smoothly in marble adjoining the walls. The father and son sit beside each other. There is much lively discussion before the father stands, quieting the chatter.

“Members of the Assembly — from the day of the first sortition, my forefathers have ruled alongside this Assembly. Each generation has commanded, without fail, the respect of our citizenry. Rest assured, this timeless tradition will continue, regardless of my son’s path, Crown Prince Sun King the Second. To relieve further doubt, may I remind the Assembly that in the gravely unfortunate event of my son’s death, my cousin, Grand Duke Frog Hand the Fifth, would succeed my reign,” the father’s voice echoes around the rotunda.

After the father sits down, an assemblyman eagerly stands up and cracks his voice, “Members of the Assembly — with all due respect to His Most Gracious Majesty, His Highness’ path is one of abandonment! It would be unprecedented. With exception to our first king, His Majesty Ocean King, a king or his heir has never left the island. Members of the Assembly, to permit His Highness to leave the island would be intolerably unwise. Should His Highness fall in the Empire’s hands, dare I not ponder the consequences! His Highness must remain, for His Highness’ sake and our people’s!”

Another assemblyman rises after the previous one sat down. He speaks in a conciliatory tone, “Members of the Assembly — the words of Assemblyman Rigid Back the Third contain wisdom but do not properly acknowledge the limits of the Assembly’s authority. As the assemblyman rightfully pointed out, our first king left the island. Surely if the Assembly cannot prevent a king from departing, then a, respectfully, less important crown prince may do so as well. His Majesty Ocean King took great risk exploring the canyons to our east, but it was His Majesty’s risk to take.”

The assemblyman lowers to his seat. Quick whispers fill the rotunda for some time before another assemblyman stands to speak confidently, “Members of the Assembly — both Assemblyman Rigid Back the Third and Assemblyman Good Ear the Eleventh forget, in good faith, that His Majesty Ocean King only left the island before His Majesty’s coronation. His Majesty did not leave after, nor has any king or heir thereafter. Perhaps the Assembly does not have the authority to regulate the travels of His Highness, but for a king or his heir to depart the island would indeed be unprecedented.”

Murmurs echo about. The assemblymen all share glances, nodding in agreement. The father rises alone as the others remain seated. He waits before they all fall silent before articulating, “Very well, members of the Assembly, I call for a—“

The son tries to stand, interrupting his father, but his father prevents him, placing his hand gently in his way. He leans down and whispers to his son, “Grant them faith.” He then returns to addressing the Assembly, “I call for a vote. Before commencing, I invite His Highness to speak for himself.”

The father returns to his seat, allowing his son to stand before the Assembly. The son takes a moment to glance around at the assemblymen and lets out a hushed, deep breath.

“Members of the Assembly — I give thanks to my father, His Majesty Sun King the First, for inviting me to speak before you. Permit me to appeal to tradition. Our civilization was built because a group of men bravely left their homeland in search of the unknown. When they discovered and settled this island, they again departed in search of greater ground, ultimately returning with new friends, who like them, had left their native land. Together, they became who we are now. Today, the world is far less a mystery than it was then. Since before I became a young man, I studied the known geography and recorded history of our world. When—if you permit me to depart, I will not be sailing into darkness. I will leave with the best of our warriors. They will accompany me at all times on my quest. We will travel where countless have before. True, there are risks, but I must think beyond myself. There is greater risk to everyone if I should stay.

“For many, I gather, Heaven’s Empire seems all too distant — regarded as a mere acquaintance for trade. By the time they do feel close enough to home to become a threat, it will be too late to act.

“No obstacle has impeded them. The Empire has conquered vast, inhospitable deserts, cold, rugged mountains, deep forests, and hostile jungles. They are conquering the Grand Savanna as we speak. They have conquered every people they have shared a border with. The badlands west of the Savanna will not pose much of a challenge, nor will the canyons beyond. That leaves only a small stretch of ocean to our island, which, since they regularly sail across the Far Ocean on the other side of the mainland, will have no stopping them. So, you see, my fellow Islanders, they will come and conquer us — unless we stop them first.”

The son lowers to his seat as quiet whispers echo around the rotunda. One of the assemblymen politely requests to delay the vote so that further questions may be addressed to the son, which the father grants. The same assemblyman stands to speak, “Members of the Assembly — many have spoken today — most notably: His Most Gracious Majesty, His Honourable Highness, Wise Beard the Ninth, Good Ear the Eleventh, and Rigid Back the Third. I rarely speak to you. My name is Tall Column the Sixth. I humbly requested a delay so that any of you may ask further questions, but mainly to ask my own. I address this to His Honourable Highness, how do you intend to stop the Empire from conquering us? Surely, we cannot compete in numbers. Our loyal warriors of the Watchmen are well-trained but, respectfully, cannot match the resources and experience of Heaven’s Martials.”

The son takes his turn to respond, “Members of the Assembly — Tall Column the Sixth is correct to ask this question. I thank the other members as well for speaking today. Tall Column is right to say that we cannot defeat Heaven’s Empire, not in any conventional battle. I don’t even propose we try. My intent is not to defeat them—”

Loud whispers interrupt the son before the father raises his hand, rendering silence for his son to continue.

“—it is to divide them. An empire divided will not focus its wars on gaining new territories. It will be too busy trying to hold onto old ones. How can they be divided, you may ask? The Empire is already stretched thin. Their technology outmatches the primitive tribes they have fought. Their strategies demoralize and destroy the cultures they enslave.

“The key weakness is their economy, which relies on slavery. The slave population far outnumbers the free population. If we instigate even one rebellion among those enslaved in the Savanna, unrest will spread. Our warriors can train the slaves. It doesn’t even matter if the first rebellion fails. Word will spread. Slaves across the Empire will learn that they can rebel.

“The Empire’s reach is on a thin thread. With the right amount of tension, it will snap. The slaves will rebel with the right encouragement. They have a choice between working themselves to death for their masters or fighting to the death for their freedom. I wager they will choose to fight.

“Once enough learn of this choice, you will have a divided empire. The slaves will build kingdoms of their own, at least just as bad or maybe even worse than their masters. These kingdoms will fight amongst themselves. The Empire will focus on trying to regain them, likely a futile effort. Meanwhile, we will be ignored or, at best, seen as a distant trade partner. The badlands and canyons are not attractive locations to expand into — at least not for a long while. Our support for rebellion may even grant us favour among the new kingdoms. They will regard each other or the Empire as their enemy.”

After the son finishes, Rigid Back quickly soars to speak, “Members of the Assembly — If His Highness’ plan should fail, that will seal us an enemy of the Empire! Our hopes of more trade will die! They will surely seek to conquer us and destroy us completely!”

The assemblymen share grumbling whispers before Wise Beard stands, adjusting his robes. He speaks calmly and deliberately, “Members of the Assembly — I see wisdom in His Honourable Highness’ plan and the words of Assemblyman Rigid Back the Third, but I must agree more with the latter. It would seem we have a choice. One involves waiting, and the other a bold but risky endeavour that may doom our relations with the world’s most powerful state that Man has ever known. I would rather us wait. And since this debate goes beyond whether we should allow His Honourable Highness to leave the island but also sponsor war with, may I remind the Assembly, a presently peaceful, albeit distant, trade partner — essentially a non-enemy whom we have not declared war upon… It is my view that His Honourable Highness should remain and not be allowed to instigate a conflict that, regardless of His Honourable Highness’ intentions, would directly connect back to us. We must not allow it, and our warriors must be ordered not to accompany him should he attempt to leave the island against our—“

The son suddenly stands, interrupting and shouting down at Wise Beard, “They will not take your order over a grand prince!” His father yanks his son down. The whole rotunda falls silent in shock. The father stands, keeping his hand firmly on his son’s shoulder.

“Members of the Assembly — I apologize on behalf of my son for his outburst. No matter his status, that does not permit him to disrespect an assemblyman. However, debate on this matter has gone far enough. It is now time to vote. Those in favour of prohibiting His Highness Grand Prince Sun King the Second from leaving the island… This would be with, naturally for His Highness’ own protection, an armed escort of some of our finest warriors. Please stand.”

Well over half of the assemblymen stand.

“I’m sorry, Son…” the father whispers softly to his son, who is still fuming in his seat. The father then addresses the assemblymen, “Members of the Assembly — your wishes are clear. His Highness shall not leave the island. I give you my word—“

The son glares up at his father, his face bursting with anger.

“—he will respect your wishes. The Watchmen will be informed of this decision. This concludes this gathering of the Assembly.”

The son storms out of the rotunda as his father watches on and sighs tiredly.

Thank you for reading

This story is the opening scene of “Exodus,” the fourth short story in Schizoid Nightmares Anthology I. The third short story is available here (its last scene is available here). The next scene is available here.

[marcopollio]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Retro Colorful Print Skull Heart Print YAK PAK Multi Color School Bookbag as is.

[houseofgerrard]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: SO Slimming Brigitte Diamond-Print Slim Crops XL 3​​​​.

[carolineasweet-blog]

Our bodies, our selves

My mom was on Weight Watchers as far back as I can remember. It was the 80′s and 90′s of course, and I think it was a norm for women at the time. The death of the busty supermodel and the rise of heroin chic. Although neither is arguably healthy. I’ve always struggled with thinking I’m chubby. I was actually quite chubby as soon as my hormones kicked in. “All my kids have a chubby phase,” I overheard my mom say one day. So I knew it would go away - eventually. Neither my older sister or brother were still chubby. But that didn’t help me at all when every girl in 3rd through 5th grade was wearing Limited Too, and I couldn’t fit into a single article of their clothing. Not true, actually. There was one XL sweatshirt - bright pink with three ski boots embroidered across it. I was one of the only kids I knew that could ski, so I hoped they thought that’s why I wore it all the time when the truth is, it’s the only trending clothes that could fit. 

Right before 6th grade, my mom and I went back to school shopping. She dreaded it. I dreaded it. I had a taste for fashion, and a body that rarely fit. I remember buying a pair of GAP chino khakis. I was between a woman’s size 10 and 12. I couldn’t even shop the kids department if I wanted to, though I’d already had my period for a year by then, so I don’t know why I would want to anyway. But I wasn’t willing to accept that I was 11 years old and a women’s size 10... or 12. I yelled at my mom as we crossed the mall parking lot, “I hate these hips, and I hate you for giving them to me.” I meant it. 

Through 6th grade and into 7th, I decided I would do Weight Watchers too. The points system had just come out, and I used my mom’s sliding points calculator to figure out that I’d need to eat 18-25 points per day. Easy! An apple was 1 point. A bag of no butter popcorn? 2 points. And if I sprayed “I can’t believe it’s not butter” spray all over it, I would only add 5-10 calories and NO points!!! For a year, I ate between 18-25 points per day, and I watched the weight fall off. I thinned out, I got taller too, I’m sure, and eventually, I bounced around between a women’s size 6 and an 8. I started to get compliments, from teachers too! Female ones, this isn’t that kind of story. And I started to wonder, if 18-25 points could do all this, what could I do with less? So I had competitions with myself - how FEW points can I get by with per day? I remember a steady flow of 12 point days - a huge feat. For lunch, I’d bring a diet caffeine free Coke and a bag of carrots - zero points. A whole, satisfying lunch for ZERO Points! I felt good, accomplished. On Spring Break in 7th grade, while on vacation in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I got sick - probably strep throat. And I remember going into the Doctor’s office to get my amoxicillin prescription, being weighed, and coming in at 117 pounds! 117!! I hadn't been that small since the end of 2nd grade. I was amazed. But I was also scared. Should I be 117 pounds? I was mostly a size 4 now, but I could fit into a few size 2′s. Size 2′s felt like someone else’s life, not mine. 

I don’t remember what happened after I bottomed out at 117, but I know eventually, I went up and down and up and down again. Through periods of barely eating and periods of eating anything and everything I could because I wanted to be rebellious. Against who? The unnamed patriarchy that I was sure was keeping tabs on me, I suppose. I remember hearing that quote from Meryl Streep - the almighty Meryl Streep - when she had been asked about one thing she wish she knew as a younger actor, and she replied, “I wish I worried less about my weight.” I wish I did too. I wish I had that brain power back, the mental space consumed with “what I am eating and when?” How much freer I’d be. And most of all, I wish when I hear that quote, I didn’t think “yeah, Meryl, but you’re naturally thin, so you never NEEDED to worry, but I do.” 

I wonder if it’s worse because of my chosen industry, and I’m sure it is. But I also don’t know any woman who doesn’t think about it. Struggle with it. How much am I eating and when? How can I change this body - control it - the look of it. To give them what they want. What do I want? And do I even know what that means? How can I extract what I want from what you see? 

My mom would occasionally eat a whole pan of brownies after dinner and say, “why did I do that? I feel sick.” Me too, mom. Me too. 

[thewarlockslsd]

Merch Update I caved into everybody asking me about XL Size T shirts and made a small run. We don’t normally carry many XL or XS because a lot of the time they just sit forever. To make the min I ordered more some more LARGE and a small run of long out of print “Knives” design from the Phoenix tour 2003. That’s going to be it for a while so make sure grab them now as I can’t run the store forever. It’s far too time-consuming for me and to put it nicely a labor of love! More stories soooooooonnnnn! XOBH OOHHH<> Also Songs From The Pale Eclipse has been reissued on red Vinyl (black is sold out!) & of course pick up your copy of “Rise and Fall” while you can! We only made 1000 and there are no plans to repress it! the fine folks @cleopatrarecords takes care of all the vinyl & Cds and I do the T Shirts, Patches Misc FYI! Link in bio. Rock on. https://www.instagram.com/p/Clh1DmsLnqk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=