#just genuinely curious what people are into

[call-me-strega]

Dc x Dp Prompt #20: Wishes of a Secret Romantic

Jason doesn’t really advertise it but he’s a romantic at heart. He craves having his own cliche romance with someone who will actually care about him. Sometimes he indulges in his fantasies by reading romance novels or setting up at-home dinner dates that he takes himself on. He often finds himself sighing and wishing he had someone to relate to, that would give him unconditional care and enjoy going on romantic dates with him.

~~~

Desiree doesn’t quite know how she ended up supervising this beautiful mess but she’s not complaining. If anything she has some sweet gossip to share at girls night and a story for Ghost Writer to obsess over.

~~~ It starts like this:

Ever since Frostbite had taken to teaching the young ghost boy lessons on the Realms Culture and Ghost Biology he’d made great strides in his diplomatic and medical skills. His fighting skills were already impressive but were refined under the tutelage of the warriors of Far Frozen. Personally, she thinks he is grooming the Boy to join the Council of Ancients which have taken a more active role in governance now that Pariah has been defeated for a second time.

The boy has been going around and creating treaties with his enemies in which he finds them another outlet for their obsessions. He has already worked out deals with the likes of Technus, Amorpho, and oddly enough a joint deal between Penelope Spectra and Walker.

Technus was allowed to indulge in his technological creation so long as he was supervised by the Pharoah boy or doing on of the preapproved tasks of mischief, such as causing mild inconvenience to the bastards in white.

He had set up Amorpho with a “Cosplay TikTok” on which he was able to show off his different forms and get recognition for them. He’d amassed a large following thespians and costume artists who greatly admired him.

Due to his position on the Council, the Boy managed to get Spectra and Walker to agree to take part in the new justice system the Council had been setting up. Walker could run his prison so long as he abided by the rules and scentence lengths set by the Council. And Spectra was free to torment those whom the council deemed the worthy of the worst punishments. Many ghosts had grievances against living and non-living menaces, last she heard, there was a whole list for Spectra to go down. Currently, she was in another universe tormenting a man named Eobard Thawne, who went by a ridiculous name called the Reverse Flash. Once she had her fill of torment, they would be taken to Walker’s prison.

The Ghostling continued to do this with many of his former adversaries until he came knocking at the door to her lair. She was well aware of what the GhostBoy would want, and was curious as to what he could offer her.

She granted him the grace of her presence and was charmed by his earnest nature. He genuinely wanted to know her story and obsessions so that he could find the best way to help her. She revealed to him it was not Desire as many people assumed but Fulfillment. She wanted to people to attain their desires in place of how she had been unable too. But there are consequences to wish granting so there’s only so much the Boy could do.

The ghostling had been unbelievable smug win he wished that her wishes wouldn’t have catastrophically negative outcomes. When she granted and skeptically tested this wish she found it had worked. The boy grew even more smug.

Of course balance had to be maintained so her power became not weaker per say, just more indirect. During their trial run, Desiree was granting me the wish young boy had wished for a large cookie. Instead of instantly summoning a 50 foot tall cookie as she would have previously done, she simply caused his mother to have the desire to bake cookies and then had two of them fuse together in the oven creating one larger cookie.

A bit more round about than she prefers but it got the job done.

The two brokered a deal that would allow Desiree to travel into the mortal realm and grant the wishes she desired to, so long as the would cause catastrophically negative outcomes in the future. Young Phantom had even gone as far as to direct her to the so-called Make-A-Wish foundation in which she could find many deserving children to fulfill the wishes of.

~~~

One night Desiree had been flying through the mortal realm to visit a friend, a city spirit she hadn’t seen in ages. As she flew over the city a strong sense of longing and desire resonated with her core. Where there was desire there was someone with a wish. Invisible, she flew down to the source of these feelings to investigate.

She ended up out side the window of a building that held longer traces of death and her friends magic. She peered through to see a young man putting the finishing touches on a lavish dinner. She observed as he created a beautiful meal with an air of melancholy before pouring himself a glass of wine and turning on his television to watch mediocre romantic comedies. Intrigued by this young man, Desiree decided to lurk and observe for a while, perhaps he would soon reveal the wish his heart yearned for?

-

Jason sighed into his Osso Bucco as another romantic comedy began to play. Man he really was bumming himself out wasn’t he. He shook his head and took a sip of his wine. He winced slightly as some cringey kids’ movie called How to Build A Better Boy appeared on screen. How had that even gotten in his queue? However, his laziness won out and he made no move to change it resigning himself to a hour and a half or so of second-hand embarrassment and semi-decent acting.

As he watched the best friend girl make a virtual boyfriend based on her friend, the main girl’s, preferences and huffed to himself. Oh if only things could be that easy. He hummed to himself adding on his own thoughts to the teen girl’s rambling list.

“ If only, sister. I’d wish for a sensitive and sweet guy too. Someone who wouldn’t mind death jokes, or my odd hours. Someone to I could just relax and nerd out with. Someone who’d go on romantic dates with me so I wouldn’t have to sit here eating this nice dinner on my own. Yeah, I’d wish for my perfect guy too.”

Suddenly, a chill washed over Jason and his hair stood on edge. He whipped his head around in search for an intruder only to see nothing there. He scanned the apartment suspiciously before his eyes landed on an open window. He sighed, reassured it was just a draft and turned back to the movie.

~

Desiree was touched by the earnest desires of the young man who was touched by both death and her friend’s magic. It almost reminded her of her own desires for romance while she was still living. Perhaps she would stick around to see how this wish played out for the young man~?

~

Miles away, something sparked in Danny Fenton, helping him make his final decision on which of the colleges that accepted him he should attend.

[triptych-of-voids]

kinda love that people genuinely come to you for health advice and you earnestly answer them, thank you for your work

aheh gern gesehen, its what im here for!

[secret-smut-sideblog]

Warm Blood

Gale / Astarion x F! Tav

(Warm Water part 3, can be read alone)

18+ miscommunication, misplaced anger, sex as a tool, yearning, confessed feelings, urgent sex, restraint, dom Gale, oral (f!), fingering (f!), masturbation (m!), marking, a little silliness

With a sanguine competitor now circling with the large druid, Gale can no longer put off his advances...

Masterlist, Prev Chapter

-

She hissed gently as he readjusted his hold. He would have to find a new vein it seemed. Even with him closing her wounds, their nightly feeding sessions left her skin tender to touch.

Her generosity staggered him. His body feeling far better in these last few weeks than it had in centuries. Lithe and strong. The bone aching cold he had resigned himself to thawed by her warm blood, her molten body pressed against his when he fed. Her rich blood nourishing him to his core.

Though, their arrangement made him uncomfortable on a fundamental level. She not only didn't gain anything in this exchange, she actively lost something. It was too unbalanced, and he'd be a fool if he thought the other shoe wasn't poised to drop. She would want something in return eventually, and there was only one thing he could offer.

Taking slow mouthfuls, he wound his hands around her waist. Kneading the flesh languidly.

It had baffled him when she had politely turned him down at the tiefling party. She was so handsy and touch driven, he was sure seducing her would have been rather easy. Though, there was still time. As far as he could tell she wasn't tied to anyone yet, though there were several circling already.

He slid the movements of his mouth from purely practical to sensual. Kissing and suckling gently as he drank.

She hummed, stroking his hair through her fingers.

Finding that encouraging, he slid one hand around her hip. The other rising to her ribcage, heading north.

She froze then. "Astarion, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He purred, licking her wound closed with far more tongue than needed. Dragging a flat line up her neck. "Tasting you, darling."

"Why?" Her tone genuinely curious.

He scoffed, pulling back. "What do you mean why? You're beautiful."

"I am, but that doesn't answer my question."

Gods she was aggravating. Heat rose to his neck, her blood fueling the rush.

"Is it so unbelievable that I would want you? You must know your company is highly sought after." He tried for more compliments to loosen her up. But no dice.

"Huh, interesting." She narrowed her eyes slightly at him, lips pursing in thought. "So it's out of obligation."

He threw his hands up, eyes rising to the roof of his tent. His frustration breaking his mask.

"Of course it's out of obligation!"

Far too late, he realized what he said. Eyes lowering to hers slowly. Anxiety throttling his spine.

She only tilted her head at him slightly.

"It's okay. You don't have to, Astarion." She held her hand palm up. "Are you still hungry?"

He blinked at her. Anger flaring through him again. Though for what he couldn't pinpoint.

"So I just drink you dry every night, and you get nothing in return?" He retorted.

"How do you figure I get nothing out of this?" She asked in that aggravating curious tone, not matching his anger at all.

"Gods, don't give me that." His voice rose, standing and starting to pace. "That's not how the world works! There is give and take, and all I've done is take!"

She watched him continue to tirade quietly, appearing to just be listening. Somehow, that made him more heated.

Soon he slowed, his rant winding down. She watched patiently, open and waiting for him.

"Are you ready to hear what I think?" The question genuine and not rhetorical.

He huffed, breath still hard from his efforts.

"Fine. What?" He sniped, aware that he was being childish but too wound up to stop.

"I think you and I have a lot more in common than you realize, and I think I understand more than you give me credit for."

She paused, gathering her thoughts. "When all you get from people is pain, that's what you come to find in them. Even when it's not there. And when you don't get it, it's frightening. Yes?"

The air vanished from his lungs. Her eyebrows raised slightly, seeing that she had gotten through to him.

"In the Underdark, the only hand that reached for you was painful." She pulled up her sleeve, the tapestry of scars criss-crossing her dark skin revealed to him. "So that's what you naturally associate touch with. Anger. Fear of the flesh is survival."

She smoothed her fingers in a self soothing arc across the deep tissue. "You think I seek out touch because I'm naive, or even easy."

She looked up at him, those topaz eyes cutting straight through him. "But I know pain, Astarion. Intimately. I understand deeply why you have come to where you are, why you need to push others away. It's safe that way, yeah?"

He could only nod.

"You're right. It is safer." She conceded, smiling. Pulling her sleeve down. "Can't fault you for that. But I'm greedy, I want more than just safe. And touch is so much more than pain when you let it be."

His jaw clenched, biting back the lump that had risen in his throat. Wanting to retort, but finding no words that could validate him.

His hand shot forward, pulling her into him. Her soft lips sliding against his. Pulsing out his frustration into her plush mouth, needing so much more than he had taken.

She kissed him back tenderly, saying her piece. Not falling into his angry pit for a moment. Her soft touch in clear defiance to his inciting.

He pulled away, hearing footsteps approaching.

"Everything alright? I heard shouting." Gale lifted the flap of his tent. Making eye contact with her punctured throat with clear distaste.

"It's okay, thank you for checking." She responded warmly.

Astarion glared at him over her shoulder, the wizard giving him an equally leveling look.

"I think we could use some space, actually." She said impartially, turning to him. "Are you okay to stop for the night? I could give you a few bottles."

He sighed, rolling his eyes. "I think I can manage not withering away without this copious doting, darling."

She patted his arm, nodding. "I'll bring the bottles."

"Has anyone ever told you you're infuriating?"

She only smiled at him, turning to take Gale's upturned hand. Rising out of his tent. The flap falling closed on him alone again.

He flopped face down, groaning.

-

After she quietly dropped off two bottles of blood at the entertance to the crimson tent, Gale took her small warm hand in his. Leading her to the view overlooking the edge of the city. They were so close, the precipice at their fingertips.

She sighed wistfully, pulling him to sit with her on the grass.

"Baldur's Gate." She mused dreamily. "I wonder if it's as awful as I've heard."

He barked out a laugh. "Oh, I'm sure it's just atrocious. We're sure to hate it."

She laughed too, then gave a little thoughtful wince. "Ooh, Halsin is definitely going to hate it."

He was sure the druid was a fine person, but given his leanings, Gale was less concerned.

"Well, he can always stay outside. Who knows how much room our new camp will have anyway..."

She rolled her eyes at him, knocking her knee against his.

He caught her knee in his hand before she could pull it back. Rubbing his thumb in slow circles.

She slid up flush to him easily, leaning her head into the curve his shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" She whispered, the backs of her knuckles gently knocking on his chest.

"Ah, that." He chuckled, slightly embarrassed at her concern. "Oh, you know. Heartache is nothing new to me."

She leaned her head back and sighed dramatically at his joke, the edge of a smile on her lips.

"Just awful. I'm never asking again." She shook her head in solemn jest.

"Oh, please do. The healing touch of your disdain is tantamount to mending my heart."

He paused then, nerves fraying. The smell of his lavender in her hair bolstering him in a soft smile.

"I have been meaning to speak to you. About matters of the heart."

She turned to him, topaz eyes bright in the moonlight. Thick spirals of dark hair cascading down her back. Gods, she was so beautiful it made him dizzy.

He turned his gaze to the ground, picking up a smooth stone and turning it over in his palm. Having something to touch always helped him think.

"I've come to fancy you. Quite a lot. Though this is not the proper way I would have preferred to court you. In the dirt and blood." He sighed, wishing things were different.

"You must know you're... you're very special to me. I hope I'm special to you too, but if I'm misguided just say the word and I'll back off."

The words tumbled out of him, a vexing blush rising to his cheeks. Feeling like a school boy confessing a crush.

Her body shifted, standing on knees. In one fluid motion she hooked her leg around and straddled his lap. Bringing his eyes to hers in a hand tenderly cupping his face.

His breath was entirely taken, dropping the stone he had been holding with a soft thunk.

"Took you long enough." She teased, her dimpled smile making his heart rush.

"I fancy you too, Gale. And I'd like to show you that, if you'll let me." She hushed, her body heat radiating into his torso.

He could only nod, all blood rushing away from unimportant higher functions. Hands gripping her wide hips in a groan, the sensation far better than he ever could have imagined.

Her hands wound into his hair, pushing a heady kiss into him with a little whimper.

His eyes rolled up into his lids, just the kiss sending him under. Hand rising to the small of her back. Her lips pulsing into his with slick need. Tongue dancing along the seam of his lips in question.

He opened happily, a hungry moan leaving him when their tongues twisted. Both hands palming her ass greedily. The ample globes of flesh kneading in his fingers, her smothered mewl sending impossibly more blood to his already straining cock.

All of her touch spun around him in a lustful haze, far too much and not nearly enough.

He pulled his shirt over his head in a whip, only leaving her lips for a single moment. Her hands finding his trousers, palming him over his sleep pants.

"Fuck," He hissed, it felt too good already. Precum pooling far too soon for his liking. His body touch starved and hungrier than it had any right to be. Trying to force the tunnel vision of promised release open again.

He pushed forward, twisting her down onto her back. His hands rising under her sleep shirt to caress the unbearably soft curve of her waist.

"By the Weave..." He muttered, her body far too intoxicating. Cock throbbing insistently.

He felt completely lost, head nothing but liquid desire. Leaning down to kiss sloppily along her waist. Pushing her shirt up to her clavicle.

She squirmed under him, breath fast pants. Pulling his hair back in a fist, watching him with lust blown eyes and kiss swollen lips.

Gods, how was he already close. He couldn't be this down bad, could he?

Oh who was he kidding, of course he was.

He pulled her bralette down, her breasts springing free. A growl vibrated in his chest at the sight, gripping the front of the band, pulling it down onto her ribs.

He pulled back to slip her leggings off of her, revealing her arching hips, hip bones sliding underneath. Thighs wide and plush, dipping into her hips. Her legs falling back open, the curve of her ass teasing under her. Slick pooling from her gleaming cunt.

"Oh, come on..." He huffed, just the sight stroking down his cock in a rush. "That's not fair."

"You're one to talk. Why do you look like that wizard?" She scoffed. "All those muscles, for what? Seducing poor quivering maidens in the grass..."

"Oh, we'll get to the quivering." He smiled dangerously, leaning down to lick a stripe up her hip bone.

She whined, arching her hips up more into his mouth. The heat coming off of her cunt soaking his clavicle.

Gods below and above spare him.

Trailing his mouth down, his cock twitched in anticipation. His practiced mouth about to be seated where it longed to be. Where it belonged.

He breathed in a deep pull of her, nose nuzzling into her curls. Gods, she was divine. Her sweet musk making his mouth salivate. Truly he had been deprived before this moment.

Her hips starting rolling impatiently, and he pushed a forceful hand flat to her lower belly in response. No, he was going to savor this.

She moaned under his hold, bringing a smile to his lips. So she liked it like that...

He breathed a warm wave of air on her cunt, watching it twitch in what he knew was a clench in a devious smile.

"You bastard..." She groaned, the need apparent in her voice sending a shiver down his back.

"Language..." He chuckled. The lack of touch making her writhe deliciously under his hold.

"I'll show you language." She scoffed.

Grabbing both sides of his face she pulled his eyes up to hers.

"Bite me, choke me. Hold me down and spit in my mouth. Tongue fuck me like a whore, wizard."

His pelvis clenched, eyes rolling up into the back of his head. Hand clawing into her thigh.

"Oh Gods." He groaned, finally diving on her cunt.

He lapped his tongue in undulating waves, slurping her clit into his lips.

"Fuck!" She cried out, gripping his hair hard in her fist.

He suckled down hard, suctioning his lips around the bundle. Tongue pulsing wet curved pulls. Hands keeping her thighs forced open as they tried to clamp shut around his head.

Her high keening whines melded beautifully with the slurping sounds of his hungry mouth.

Her hips bucked helplessly against his hands, ribs arching up. Only the underside of her jaw visible above him.

He smiled into her cunt, releasing one thigh and pushing his forearm into the apex of her thighs. A bar holding her open still, his two fingers sliding slowly into her. Humming into her clit in pleasure, fingers spreading eagerly into the velvet slick pouring up into his palm.

Her head shot up, staring down at him almost in disbelief. Hand bracing her at her side.

When he began strong and slow thrusts of his fingers, her head fell back sharply. Voice only mewling calls. Thoroughly tamed, warm and pliant under his devotion.

He knew this was as close to the heavens as he had ever gotten. Harnessing all of his senses to bottle this into his everlasting memory. Though he imagined it would be very hard to forget.

He curved his fingers up, stroking that ridged bump in hard thrusts. Clamping down on her clit again, lapping his tongue in hollow pulls, like slurping soup.

"Oh Gods," She whined.

He groaned hot into her, chasing her hips up as they tried to squirm away. Free hand grabbing her waist and pulling her back down hard. He was not even close to done.

Fingers arcing into her in vicious thrusts, unrestrained. He wrenched his head quickly side to side, sucking down in popping wet pulses of his lips.

She cried out, her pelvis tremoring hard. Unable to hold her thighs open anymore as they arched up and clenched down around his head. Muffling around his ears. Cunt clenching in hard flutters around his fingers. He looked up, drinking in her arching ribcage and scrambling hands. A strike of fluid striking his jaw. Sending his eyes up into his skull.

His hips fucked into the ground, unable to still them any longer. Removing his fingers to slurp her cum into his mouth uninhibited. Pushing out of her in creamy pulses. Greedily lapping all he could catch, rubbing into her clit to encourage more.

She let out indignant pleading whines, but he wasn't done yet. His cunt slicked fingers gripping around his cock. Drinking her cum as he fucked into his fist.

Only two or three thrusts and he was gone, wrenching ropes up his belly. Pelvis clenching in vicious pulses, shooting pleasure through his body in teeth gritting waves. The endless ache behind his navel firing out in tortuous strikes. Hand bracing next to her hip in the dirt desperately.

His mouth slowed then stopped, panting hard into her thigh. Resting his head into the seam of her hip, thoroughly spent.

"That good huh?" She teased, her own breath telling of equal pleasure.

Head still down, he held his finger up in a signal to give him a minute.

She giggled, thoroughly pleased. "My, my, Gale at a loss for words. Wait until camp hears about this..."

He looked up, glaring at her in jest. "Don't you dare."

She smiled wide. "Hmm, I dont know... It's a pretty monumental thing to go unnoted. It would be a shame to keep to myself."

He trailed up her body, balancing on elbows above her. She gave him a pout, eyes wide in mock pleading.

"How else is everyone suppose to know I'm yours?"

His cock stirred again, huffing out a groan.

"Tav, you're killing me." He admonished. She only bit her lip in a smile at him.

"Well, if you don't want me telling everyone, you better leave your mark on me." She purred, turning her chin up. Eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Oh, that I can do." He smiled, angling his head down to her neck. Pulling the soft flesh between his teeth.

She laughed then moaned, that little whimper he was already addicted to in her throat again.

Oh, it was hopeless. They were going to be here all night.

~

~

~

[olderthannetfic]

Genuine question in good faith, WHY do people do placeholder fics on ao3? Like, I assume that it's residue from being used to websites that have an algorithm, but I still don't get it bc:

Are placeholder fics REALLY that popular on algorithm-based websites anyway? If I see a fic that looks good and then I click it and I find it's just a placeholder that hasn't been posted yet, I won't want to return to it. Has Society(TM) really become that okay with placeholder fics in such a short amount of time? Again, genuine question. I'm not judging those who are okay with placeholders, so long as they keep them off the archives. Different strokes for different...websites?

2. Let's say it's not for algorithm reasons. Let's say it's, i dunno, someone who wants to advertise what's coming up in their next project and uses the placeholder as a preview until it's posted. I still don't understand why they'd do a placeholder fic. To my knowledge, ao3 allows "synopsis" fics where you post a preview of what's to come. Why not do that? And if I'm wrong and they're not allowed, put on your big human pants and write out a drabble of the first chapter/prologue of your "placeholder" fic just so you have SOMETHING to actually post. Just write a preview and edit it or add the real thing later!

Those are the only reasons I can think of why someone might have a placeholder fic. The only other reason I can think of is they want to publish something on a certain day/rearrange the order of a series or something and are unaware you can change the date on ao3 and reorder series fics.

Like, I'm not asking as a way to complain or make fun of the people who do this, I'm truly curious about what their logic is.

--

[minimingyusworld]

Smile for me

Seokmin X reader - fluff🧸

“Oh hey! what a coincidence that you’re here!” Seokmin chuckled as he walked into the cafe that you’re always at. You blushed but ignored him, focusing on your computer screen. “Whatcha working on?” He asked excitedly, joining you at the table in the way back of the cafe. “Nothing..” you mumble and he smiles brightly, almost blinding you with his huge set of white teeth. “Are you writing?” He asked, peeking over your laptop with curious eyes. You glanced at him and tried to contain your smile, wondering what it is about him that you like so much. He’s the complete opposite of you, and you usually can’t stand overly nice people, but there’s something so charming about seokmin that just gives you butterflies. “Yeah.. I’m writing..” you replied, pulling your laptop closer so he couldn’t see it anymore. “Cool.. oh by the way you left your jacket here the other day, I took it home so no one would steal it, but I forgot to bring it today..” he said with a pout, running his hand through his hair causing his muscles to flex. You bit your lip and nodded, having such a hard time focusing when he was sitting across from you like this. He was just admiring you, giving you his big puppy eyes that always make you melt. You held eye contact for a moment before he giggled and brought his hand up to pinch your cheek, which you quickly slapped away. He pouted and rubbed his hand as if you’d actually hurt him. “Why don’t you like me?” He whined jokingly, turning away from you as if he was crying. “I do like you..” you mumbled and he turned to you with wide eyes and slightly parted lips before he smiled wide. “You what!?” He asked, leaning closer to you. You blushed and bit your lip, trying not to smile. He kept leaning in until you broke, smiling softly and pushing him away. “Did you just smile?” He asked softly, genuine curiosity displayed on his face. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile.. you’re so pretty..” he said in a genuine tone, a small smile appearing on his face. “Shut up.” You scoffed and he bit his lip. “I’m serious..” he said sternly, reaching for your jaw to make you look at him. “Let me see that pretty smile again.. please?” He asked softly, rubbing his thumb against your jaw. Your heart was pounding out of your chest and you let yourself smile, giggling quietly at his compliments. His eyes lit up and he pulled his hand away from your jaw. “Cute..” he sighed, smiling softly as his ears turned red. “Seokmin?” You sighed and he bit his lip, immediately giving you his attention. “Thank you..” you choked out, finding it difficult to accept that he actually likes you. He smiled shyly and put his hands over his ears, suddenly feeling nervous around you. “I really do like you.. no one’s ever made me smile like you do..” you confessed and he bit his lip, almost falling out of his chair from excitement. “Is this real?” He chuckled and you smiled again, nodding. “Then from now on, my goal will be to make you smile all of the time..” he chuckled and you blushed and nodded, laying down on the booth that you were sitting on. You were embarrassed, shy and mostly in denial that you just told him how you feel. There’s seriously never been someone else who’s made you feel this way, and that’s saying a LOT…

[sophiamcdougall]

At the lesbian meetup, met a kind of transphobic woman. Started gearing up to get fighty and then realised... she wasn't an actual terf. She was just older, genuinely didn't know stuff, had heard some terf talking points in passing and had been made kind of anxious by them, but hadn't made it her entire personality. She was open to learning that trans women weren't actually roaming around coercing unwilling cis lesbians into sex, thanked me earnestly for giving her a basic explanation of what "non-binary" meant and truly seemed to be relaxing bit by bit the more she heard. Obviously I'm aware that I can't be sure I've given her a sufficient dose of anti-transphobe vaccine to immunise her permanently against the shit that's out there, but overall it made me hopeful. Most people just aren't dyed-in-the-wool bigots. People can be curious and relieved to hear the fearmongering they've been exposed to is untrue. Telling people this stuff isn't a lost cause.

[sleeplesssmoll]

Reverse 1999 HC: Jealousy

Playing with the idea of jealousy and how it would manifest in the pookies because I couldn't sleep.

Note: I'm a firm believer in emotions existing outside of reason, but it's the way we manage them that reveals who we are. You are not your sadness, anger, or jealousy, but the way you deal with these emotions is a reflection of your character.

Sonetto

Manifestations: Jealousy manifests as anger. If left unaddressed, it will turn into confusion and hurt.

Coping: Sonetto will cling to her partner. She will be vocal about her feelings, though it may be hard for her to put her feelings into words since she struggles understanding them herself. Once she is alone with partner, the clinging will intensify.

What to do: a smile, words of affirmation, a hug, or any signs of affection will dispel the jealousy. She can't stay mad at her partner.

What not to do: do not dismiss her feelings or ignore her. It will absolutely break her heart. Due to her loyalty and devotion she'll stay with her partner even if they make her miserable and may try to "fix" things.

Reversed: putting aside the fact Sonetto isn't a flirtatious person to begin with, she's too loyal and devoted to flirt with anyone else. Because jealousy is such an ugly emotion, she won't inflict it on her partner although she is very curious to see how they would react.

Schneider

Manifestation: depeneds on the situation. If her partner is being flirted with (one-sided), She will make herself known to the threat whisk her partner away. However, if her partner was also flirting, the jealousy will appear as coldness or quiet anger.

Coping: She's fought for everything else in her life, so for once she wants someone to fight for her. She is also not above flirting with someone else to get a reaction from her partner, but this is out of anger and without real investment into the poor soul on the other side. She may also withdraw from her partner and hopes they'll do the right thing and come to her first.

What to do: Because her partner will get the cold shoulder, it's up to them to bridge the gap (if they were the one who screwed up. Schneider wouldn't be mad at them if it was one-sided flirting from the other side). Loyalty and love must be proven if her partner wants forgiveness. However, reconciliation will be full of affection. She loves her partner a lot, but she needs to know they feel the same.

What not to do: the Mafia Boss won't tolerate betrayal and disloyalty. Expect to wake with a gun to your head. A bit of flirting is forgivable, but anything beyond that is unacceptable.

Reversed: Outside of anger, Schneider won't flirt with other people once she's in a relationship. She'd be too occupied with her beloved to even see other people. Non-stop flirting and PDA.

Vertin

Manifestation: Vertin is very hard to make jealous because she is a the "I'm happy as long as you're happy type." However, if her partner is being very brazen about it, that changes things. There will be no outward signs of jealousy, but once she is alone with her partner she will ask them if she did something wrong or if there's something else they want from her but aren't getting. On the inside, she takes this a personal failure to make her partner happy and it manifests as self-loathing or disappointment in herself.

Coping: She will try to find out why her partner acted the way they did, which will end up with her assuming she did something wrong. She will try to make her partner happy and "fix" things and may lather them with gifts and affection. If she believes she can't make you happy, she will end the relationship first. She won't fight for your love if she genuinely believes you'd be happier with someone else. However, she'll always fight for you as a person even if things will never be the same between you.

What to do: Accept her gifts and the extra attention even if they're odd (like when you accept the dead bug your cat brought you because you know they just want to show how much they love you by sharing their hunt). Her partner should be open about their thoughts and feelings. She prefers talking things out and straightforward conversation. She's also a tactile person so physical intimacy can help reinforce the bond.

What not to do: don't dismiss her efforts to make you happy. Don't try to make her jealous, it will backfire. Lack of physical contact could be mistaken for anger (a touch on the hand or a hug would prevent this. I'm talking about absolutely no touch).

Reversed: Vertin is the worst out of the trio because she isn't trying to flirt or come off as interested, but her touchy ways and lack of boundaries lead to misunderstandings. This behavior is hard to curve because she's always been this way but also because she doesn't quite understand what she's doing wrong. That being said, she'd never want to upset her partner and will try to change her ways if they mention it bothers them.

[buckttommy]

Curious on your thoughts of the Buck cheating storyline in s5..... personally I was not a fan but wondering what you thought of it?

I didn't mind it and, that's the thing, I don't mind a cheating storyline so long as it's done well and serves a purpose. Buck wasn't in a great place in 5x11. Chimney was gone. Maddie was gone. He and Chimney parted on bad terms. Eddie was struggling enormously, but he was also gone. Taylor was... there... and that was a problem in itself, so Buck did what Buck did best: he acted recklessly and harmed himself (and Taylor in the process). I know some people disagree with that reading, and that's okay, but that's just always how I interpreted that event. Buck isn't a cheater by nature—he is, and always has been, desperate for a family and a love of us his own—but what he is is a chronic self-harmer. He regretted the kiss immediately, and then proceeded to stew in guilt for however long it took him to tell Taylor (I don't remember off the top of my head). Him cheating was a classic Buck move.

And, I know you didn't ask, but I always find it easier to just dump all my related thoughts into one post and move on, so I'm going to address the speculation / theory that Buck/Eddie are going to cheat on Tommy/Marisol at the wedding and just get it over with, because I've, quite literally, never hated a theory more and that's saying a lot.

If Buck cheated on Tommy now, there would be no rhyme or reason for it. By all accounts, Buck is in a good place. The whole world just got blown wide open to him. He's at peace, finally, now that last piece of the puzzle has clicked into place. So a cheating storyline now would make absolutely no sense. Not from a story perspective, and certainly not from a character growth/development perspective. Buck cheating would be completely insulting to not just himself, not just Tommy, not just Eddie, not just Buck and Tommy's relationship, but to Buck and Eddie as well. These characters, these writers, and these actors have fought so long and so hard for a love story, a genuine love story that is worthy of some of the most iconic straight couples on TV - a love story that is devoid of queer stereotypes and queer problems.

So, the idea that anyone could want them to say "fuck that!" and wreck these characters' growth and development is—well, it goes back to the idea that this fandom is/appears to be genuinely incapable of demanding the same high-caliber stories our cishet counterparts receive. But it's also just so completely frustrating. I'm sure we all want Buck and Eddie to get together, probably now more than ever. Oliver's interviews over the past few days have been illuminating, infuriating, and a bunch of other adjectives. So I know we (not just us, but everyone involved) want to see this love come to fruition sooner rather than later. But doing it in the laziest, cheapest, most insulting way possible would be genuinely upsetting and would devalue these characters so egregiously.

So. Yeah. That's all I have to say on the topic of cheating re: Buck, Eddie, and all the rest of them. Lol.

[invertedfate]

what prompted you to start making the mutual crush subtext in Chara and Frisk's relationship less "one possible interpretation" and more "explicitly the intended interpretation"? don't get me wrong it's a very cute part of the story that's pretty fun to watch unfold and an interesting way to characterize their dynamic, but i'm genuinely curious as to what specifically made you decide to make them be mutually crushing on eachother over the more common interpretation of them as siblings

To be honest, I just never saw them as siblings in IF and found it frustrating how people treated the siblings interpretation as hard canon when it's just one possible reading. Some people treat that interpretation's popularity as a reason to bully others for having other readings of the characters, but I just think it's important to be kind, 'cause I feel like interpreting Frisk's relationship w/ the goatfam as something else is VERY different from, say, misgendering them, since how Frisk views Toriel and the others is up to player choice. I didn't actually go into IF with any particular ships in mind, but it just kinda developed in that direction, I really liked the dynamic they shared, and it just... materialized the same way IF Papyton did despite me not having strong feelings on the ship one way or the other usually. That's not to say I have anything against the siblings interpretation, and I know that some people aren't comfortable with Charisk because they prefer them as siblings. I absolutely get that, and tbh it probably doesn't help that early IF had the dubious dad stuff with Asgore. While in later chapters, Frisk realizes they barely got to know Asgore and were too impulsive and Asgore shares a similar realization, it probably doesn't help in terms of setting expectations, and that's why for the updated playable version of the Asgore fight, we made some dialogue updates/additions to help better lead into things. I need to poke Phi about getting that uploaded and recorded, 'cause while we don't have any new Rift videos ready, I think a video of the canon route for the Asgore fight with the added Flowey and Frisk conversations would at least be something nice to share. The conversation basically involves Flowey and Frisk talking about what Asgore put Frisk through at the end of part 4C, Flowey pointing out how he warned Frisk not to get too attached/get Asgore's hopes up, and just gives a little more of Frisk having conflicted feelings after they spare Asgore as well (since even if they got a happier outcome, he still tricked them into killing him, which is... a lot to put a traumatized child through who already had a close call with Lilac).

[jimraisedmeup]

TICK // 3.1 - mary jane's last dance

Rating: mature (1 homophobic slur, angst, language, sexual content)

Word Count: 1900

☾

She grew up in an Indiana town Had a good lookin' mama who never was around But she grew up tall and she grew up right With them Indiana boys on an Indiana night

☾

December 1983 - junior year

Don't be a stranger, okay?

Sure. See ya, Munson.

You lied to his face. You had every intention of being a stranger. 

All you wanted was the tattoo. You forked over the cash and bailed. Like a ghost. It was kind of your specialty… your version of "arm's distance" was a regular person's dozen football fields.

Three months had passed and snow was threatening to fall upon Hawkins, Indiana. No one in town seemed to be looking forward to the hopes and dreams of 1984, though. An air of tension and secrecy cast a shadow over the entire cursed town.

You could feel it. You could see it in the faces of your peers. But you couldn't quite place what was going on underneath the layers. Yeah, that Will Byers kid disappeared and came back. Barbara Holland was still missing. Gossip flowed among the high school students, and you received most of your information from Robin.

You, being the eldest Buckley spawn, were not stupid. But you also weren't about to speculate conspiracy theories with just anyone and become the town lunatic. So you continued to observe.

Plus, out of everything morbid that happened in Hawkins, a few halfway pleasant things rose above it.

After a request by Nancy Wheeler to study together for French, you quickly realized that Nance was someone you genuinely liked to be around. She was kind, honest, and straight to the point.

One thing led to another, and you were no longer just an acquaintance of Wheeler, her boyfriend Harrington, and the rest of the popular kids. You were a regular participant among their group of friends.

It was disgustingly easy to remain shallow and discreet while surrounded by people who couldn't hold a conversation to save their lives. The nagging feeling that some of them were hiding deep dark secrets kept you curious, too.

Jonathan Byers, who you had classes with for quite some time, approved of Nancy Wheeler as well. So that only solidified the merging friendship between the popular kids and the kids sitting right on the edge of being outcasts.

Speaking of outcasts, you completely ignored Eddie Munson and his troop of misfits. 

Sure, you were appreciative of the tattoo. Sure, he crossed your mind every time you looked at it. Which, 99% of the time, happened when she was undressing.

Don't be a stranger, oka-

"What the fuck!" you hissed quietly to yourself, angrily smashing at the overcooked peas on your lunch tray.

Nancy's head popped up from her magazine. "Everything okay, Y/N?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Just thinking about Grossman's midterm for History."

Just as Nancy was about to respond with an empathetic expression, a pair of hands landed heavily on your shoulders, making you jump slightly. 

"How about we forget all about finals, midterms… whatever." 

Steve Harrington, followed by Tommy H., appeared before you two girls. Tommy H. smirked in your direction, sending a not-so-subtle wink.

"There's a party happening this weekend at the Walker farm. You know, the old barn? This time of year the whole place is abandoned," Steve continued. "I think it'll be fun."

Casting a fleeting look to Nance, you thought she looked apprehensive. 

"Won't it be cold?" 

Steve placed an arm casually around Nancy's dainty shoulder. "Don't worry, Negative Nancy. I'll keep you warm."

☾

Well, I don't know but I've been told You never slow down, you never grow old I'm tired of screwing up, tired of goin' down Tired of myself, tired of this town

☾

Beer in your mitten-clad hand, you linked elbows with Nancy as her eyes scanned the crowd.

However they managed to pull off a party in an abandoned barn was a mystery. But you were genuinely happy - you finally got to show off your new knitted hat and scarf. Not to mention an alcoholic beverage to take the edge off. And you had Nance, who, for once, wasn't worried about Steve.

The distance between Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler was visible only to those who were the most attentive. You recalled them being up each other's asses for a long time. Then after autumn passed, there seemed to be a wall between them, slowly being built brick by brick.

"Thank you for coming with me, Y/N. I don't know if I would have come here without you."

You smiled at the curly-haired girl. "Hey, you're kinda stuck with me now. We're the only ones with IQs above average."

You felt guilty for a second as Nancy's eyes fell in a flicker of grief. You knew your friend was thinking of Barb. 

Squeezing her elbow, you led Nancy over to a couple of vacant folding chairs.

There were a lot more people than you originally thought would attend. Electric lamps were plugged into the corners, a table set up with a keg and bottles of random shit. Music was playing from a stereo that you couldn't quite see.

Though the barn was empty of any farm equipment, it was a well-built structure, and held a decent amount of warmth from the December winds blowing outside. Typical Indiana redneck party.

"Well, if it isn't Buckley."

From behind, a pair of hands grabbed your hat and jerked it down over your eyes. 

"Seriously?" 

Pushing the knitted hat back up to your forehead, you found yourself looking into those deep brown orbs you had been avoiding for months.

"Surprised to see you in my neck of the woods," Eddie exclaimed in his usual dramatic fashion, looking between you and Nancy, then down to your feet. "Is that cow shit on your boot?"

Yanking up your boot in a panic, you inspected the heel and found nothing but a bit of hay. Eddie was fucking with you.

You glared at him and dropped your boot to the floor with a dull thud. Vaguely aware of Nancy's attention to the conversation, you played it off like you didn't know him. 

"Can I help you, freak?"

The smirk fell from Eddie's lips, replaced with cold disappointment. What the hell were you doing? Not only did you ignore the boy for months, but then once he got the balls to talk to you first, your first instinct was to be like this?

What really twisted the knife was the fact that Eddie said nothing. He just shook his head and walked away, one of his friends following him with a hushed voice.

Before Nancy could comment, you turned to her. "I bet I can chug my beer faster than you."

"What?"

"Come on, Nance. Robin said she'd come pick us up if we need her to."

A pause, then a small smile. 

"Let's do it."

☾

Oh, my, my, oh, hell yes Honey, put on that party dress Buy me a drink, sing me a song Take me as I come 'cause I can't stay long

☾

Two beers.

Before your second beer was done, you somehow ended up in a game of truth or dare with a bunch of drunk douchebags. You could spot Nancy with Steve, over by the keg, laughing over something he was saying.

"Well? Truth or dare, Buckley?"

"I think she's gonna chicken out. Does she even talk?"

Tommy H. fixed his eyes on you from a few feet away. Holding a fresh can of beer, you cracked it open and feigned some kind of backbone for these reckless social activities.

"Truth."

A couple of guys groaned at your answer, probably hoping that you would opt for a dare instead. 

Tommy sucked his teeth, thinking of a clever question. A pit of dread was forming in your stomach, suddenly wishing you had succumbed to some stupid dare instead. Why would you want any of these people to know anything about you?

"When… who was the last person you banged?"

At least ten different pairs of eyes were looking at you, all of them basically strangers. Tommy smirked at his so-called "originality".

It pissed you off. You felt defensive, on edge. But your frigid exterior gave away nothing. You could hear whispers from some girls nearby, despite the rock music echoing around them.

"Told you she was a prude."

Without thinking, delusion and anger taking over, you took a long sip of your beer and looked Tommy dead in the eye. You mirrored his smirk.

"You really want to know?"

Tommy shrugged. "Why the fuck else are we playing this game, Buckley?" He turned towards a girl sitting next to him. "I think I was right. I think she's a dyke just like her sister."

You stood up and chugged the rest of your beer. You immediately whipped the can at Tommy's face, then stormed off before you could see his reaction.

"What the fuck!" was all you heard as you made your way towards the small door at the side of the barn.

Panting a little, you squatted against the outside wall of the old barn, leaning your head back against it. The darkness of the cornfields before you filled you with mild peace.

Then, an unwelcome voice sounded from your left, in the shadows.

"Sunshine, I'm gonna be honest with you. That wasn't exactly the reunion I was hoping f-"

"Can't I get two fucking seconds of silence?" you snapped.

Shivering, you didn't bother looking at Eddie. You heard a heavy sigh from him, and thankfully no more attempted conversation.

You did your best to forget about the insults to your baby sister, to your family, forgetting all of those people inside that just wanted the latest juicy gossip. Hawkins was such a fucked up place.

You held your secrets close to your chest like a crux.

You led a compartmentalized life. Your parents knew a minimal part of you. Your friends knew a bigger part of you. Robin knew most of you.

And Eddie had his own part now, too. Even if it was a splinter.

Two beers. 

Two. Fucking. Beers.

That's all it took for you to gather up the guts that were just ripped out of you. You gathered up your scorned innards, scooped up the blood and flesh as best as you could, and crawled over to where Eddie was sitting on an upside down trough.

☾

There's pigeons down on Market Square She's standin' in her underwear Lookin' down from a hotel room The nightfall will be comin' soon

☾

The last thing Eddie ever expected was for you to be kneeling between his legs.

Before he had a chance to wonder what you were doing, what you might be thinking, or whatever the hell happened in that barn, you placed a gloved hand over his cold mouth.

"For the love of all that is holy, please don't talk."

His muffled ramblings continued. "Okay, but-"

"Eddie, I need another favor. Nod if you understand."

Not really knowing what else to do, he nodded. In the almost pitch black surroundings, he could barely make out your sparkling eyes locked on his.

"I need you to keep another secret."

Knees on the frozen ground, not another soul in sight, you lifted yourself just slightly enough to press your lips to his.

☾

Last dance with Mary Jane One more time to kill the pain I feel summer creepin' in and I'm tired of this town again

☾

(song lyrics credit: "Mary Jane's Last Dance" by Tom Petty)

TAGLIST for this series if you would like to be notified when I post new chapters!

[wlwdwtys]

Viewer arg by Rainbott

I have just found out that the main video of the Viewer arg has been taken down and I am heartbroken. A bit.

Lemme explain what the Viewer arg actually is, or, was. It was a project made by Rainbott (THEY'RE AMAZING YOU CAN FIND THEM ON YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM CHECK THEM OUT). It was an arg which started out as a dsmp quiz video on YouTube in which you could explore the smp and test your knowledge, but underneath that you could find a story about self-doubt, struggles of creators on YouTube and the stress of going to college and needing to be an adult.

Now that that's out of the way, I can say that I'm probably one of the only people who even remembers it. It was an obscure project by a small content creator, which was also unfinished and objectively, not that good. However since the moment I first went through it in 2021, I fell in love with it and have not been able to stop thinking about it ever since. (Help) It was casual but had an interesting plot and was quite atmospheric. The main video was made by a ton of different artists which all put a lot of their love and effort into it which I absolutely adored. It was interesting and enticing and it was made by someone with clearly a lot of passion for what they were doing.

Even if it wasn't particularly popular, I literally didn't care. I took that as a challenge, creating my own theories, timeline and going through the game multiple times, writing out interesting details. If you're curious then you can find the fruit of my work here:

I was quite obsessed, forcing like 3 other people, my friends, to see it.

And I was just about to continue writing the script for a whole ass video essay when I went to check and realised that the main video, as well as two songs and the iceberg video all of which had significant sections of the plot were hidden. It, honestly, broke my heart. I felt quite stupid for still liking this project that even the author seemingly deemed as stupid. But, well, I'd still like to say thank you to Rainbott for inspiring me. They said that with this project they wanted to show people that you didn't have to be big or have special programs or something to make an arg, to make a compelling story. It was them because of whom I made my first animation and even my first 3d model. Thank you. Even if you might think that this project didn't matter, please know that there are people who were genuinely affected by it. Keep doing what you love and being an inspiration to many. Thank you.

@rainbott

Even if I forget your face, please remember me - 'A lost memory' by Rainbott

[merbear25]

Could I request prompt 18 with Vash? Maybe something sweet and sappy and a little angsty <3

Hello, hello! I understand that this didn't make it on the 200 followers list, but I couldn't resist writing it for Vash! He needs to be shown so much more love. I hope you like it 💜💜

Collections of a lovesick man

CW: SFW, gn!reader, a tad angsty, fluff

There was barely anything worthwhile in your town; each day was relatively bleak and was refected in the people. So when a charismatic laugh echoed down the alley, you stopped in your tracks. Curiosity got the best of you as you went to locate such a memorable display of joy.

Laying eyes on him, the man you'd later learn to be Vash was exchanging laughs with the formly gloomy residents. Going up to him, you were eager to get to know the man who unabashedly welcomed others―such warmth was what separated him from anyone else you'd met before.

He seemed friendly enough, but the following day you saw the whole town turning on him, accusing him of being a devil. Based on the brief interactions you had, he came across as a genuine person. Doubts of whether or not you should go to him were ignored as you went against your better judgement to offer a place for this gentle stranger to reside in.

After some convincing, you eventually wore him down. The time spent together was short, yet he still managed to leave a significant impression on you. When it came to him leaving, every fiber of your being was calling out to you to go with him. You knew the risks, but you couldn't help wanting to keep his vision of peace afloat. You wanted to keep that hope alive.

Allowing you to go with him was something he couldn't even wrap his head around. That being said, seeing his passion for love and peace mirrored back in you gave him the sense of home.

The more time you spent together, the closer you became: sharing dreams for the future and stories from the past. He was quickly earning a special place in your heart, and unbeknownst to you, you in his. Despite his habit of keeping people at arms length, he still craved connection just like everyone else. When you began journaling, noting down each and every detail the two of you encountered, he became curious. Not wanting to invade your privacy, he left you to it, writing your little heart away.

There was a time when you tossed one of your notes out, though. Unable to fight off his inquisitiveness, he took it out of the waste basket and read it. You jotted down your thoughts on what you'd set out to do with him: your hopes for success and fears of failure. Being able to have more insight into your innermost personal views felt wrong, yet he thought they should be cherished, not thrown away.

Whenever you threw out one of your notes, it was rescued by him, each one giving him a better understanding of where your head was. Spending time with you after reading these notes filled him with conflicting emotions: guilt and regret mixed with endearment and affection. With each passing day, the draw towards you had more of a pull, making it harder to hold off his rising interest in you.

Looking for something specific, you had a hunch it would be in Vash's room. Once opening a drawer, you saw a bunch of carefully folded paper that appeared to have once been wadded up. Thinking it strange to fold crinkled paper, you picked it up―then the others followed suit.

When you didn't return, Vash went to look for you, stumbling in on you discovering his little secret.

His apology for keeping such private thoughts of yours was caught in his throat, making you break the silence.

"You mean to tell me you've kept every single note?" Your tone showed no ill feelings, simply painting you in a light of bewilderment.

His heart was pounding, while he remained incapable of coming up with a proper excuse. "I did."

"Why?"

"I know you wanted to throw them away, but they seemed important. They are your feelings, after all." Looking down at the floor, shame crept in.

"Your hopes and dreams are just as important as your fears and woes." Still unable to meet your gaze, he assumed your eyes held betrayl and disgust. "I'm sorry."

Closing the gap between you, you placed a tender hand on his arm. Unsure what you could say to this, you motioned to embrace him, giving him space to refuse if he so wished.

When he finally brought his eyes to yours, the gentleness they held made him melt. In spite of his ever present fear of growing close to others, it wouldn't hurt to let you in, would it?

Opening his arms to welcome your solace lifted his spirits, set his busy mind to rest, and helped to bandage his lingering wounds.

Tightening your arms around him, you opened yourselves up to one another, allowing your vulnerabilities to be on full display. However frightening it felt, you were sure you were placing your heart in trustworthy hands.

[triptych-of-voids]

hey dove! I’m curious, you’re low empathy autistic right? I’m really curious about the details of that. What are some differences you’ve noticed between yourself and others? Do you deal with a lot of communication issues with others? (Irl or online) Are there any behaviors that others do that feel silly to you in relation to empathy? Genuinely curious :3

-🕯️

correct!! hm,,

sometimes i dont notice the differences in my behavior unless they are mentioned to me but there have been several occasions where a friend has been sad/happy/mad about something, and i am never sad or happy or mad about whatever that something is. dont even get me started on when people start crying around me, i have to resort to logic first because reacting with emotion just seems so disingenuous. i cant bring myself to feel what they are feeling or care about why they are feeling it unless it directly affects me. that doesnt mean i dont care about my friends though! even if i dont feel what they are feeling i do care about Them! i just struggle with the 'putting myself in their shoes' part of it. this does lead to some communication issues, if only because i am on some completely different wavelength than everyone else. it also tends to create situations where i attempt to show that i care about someone but i do it Wrong. we would be here all day i think if i attempted to list every example where i misinterpret, misreact to, or even altogether miss how other people are feeling and reacting to situations and/or where i try to connect with someone through what are apparently extremely bizarre means.

in terms of behaviors that i find silly.. well, the first thing that comes to mind is things like crying at movies and yelling at televised sports.. i often wonder if people are putting on some sort of show for the sake of people around them, but apparently people will weep at a tv show or yell at a referee on the screen in full sincerity, which is something i find interesting at best, annoying and ridiculous at worst. but i digress

i think this post here puts most of my experiences with having low empathy into words pretty well!!

[iamanother]

perspective.

Have you ever considered someone’s perspective of you? I find myself doing that with the people around me, regardless of our level of closeness—whether they’re friends, family, or mere acquaintances. I wonder: What do they truly think of me? Is it positive or negative? I’m genuinely curious, observing their actions and interactions in our everyday lives.

At times, I ponder whether we share the same perspective of each other. Just as I cherish moments with my friends and family, I wonder if I’ve made them feel comfortable around me or if they’re merely pretending to avoid revealing their thoughts. I yearn to know, to unravel everything.

written by: iamanother.

Photo by: Victor Rosario

[cads-the-cat]

I know interviews are not really their thing, but I need to ask Vessel/the band some questions

Like what us the song writing process like? I don't really understand much about song writing but I'm genuinely curious how the songs take shape and how they are created to fit into the entire storyline. Writing a song itself isn't easy but making it all fit into al narrative must be even harder. And what about the seamless blending of genres within songs? Like what is the process there? I need insight into the creative genius!

Also, I really need to know who is actually involved in making the albums (musically) because I've heard so many different things and I need clarification. I know it was only Vessel and II in the beginning (also heard someone say only Vessel himself for One?). I think for the recording of Sundowning it was still only them in the studio and iii and iv were only there for tours. But we haven't really gotten an update on that in a few years and I have heard so many people claim different things i just don'tknow what to believe. Are iii and ivy now real parts of the band and go to the studio as well? Or will they do so for any new music (new era and all that stuff)

I know I will probably not get answers any time soon but oh well. Another mystery surrounding the band😆

[ethicstownpod]

Audio drama tumblr, please share your wisdom with me

*after @wpwcpod, of course. This is for waaay in the future, I'm just curious about what people like.

Gothic daylight-horror set in the 1950s English countryside. Ann and her mother spend the summer with her so-called "crazy" uncle. With objects appearing and disappearing in the house, a man missing from the village, and a masked assailant stalking the property, it's all Ann can do not to go a little crazy herself. (This is not an 'ooh, is he mentally ill or are there ghosts?' fake out. This is a ghost story and also this dude experiences hallucinations. The hallucinations don't bother him, the two are unrelated).

Modern-day tragi-comedy. 21 year old accountant Chris' plans to commit suicide keep getting interrupted by their family. First it's the anniversary of their dad's death, then they're the sole person entrusted with the knowledge that their (formerly engaged) older brother is gay, someone has to help their little sister write her university application and it isn't going to be mum. All the while, Chris updates a maybe-fictitious, maybe-culpable vlog-style audience about their plans and their mental state.

Literally what it says on the tin. A very faithful modern day adaptation of Jekyll and Hyde but with Very Explicit Yearning from Utterson. Despite being called a homophobe the first time I tried to do this (I added lesbians. That did not go down well. I have zero regrets) I do have a degree in gothic lit, so I know what I'm about, son.