#people see me and suddenly are overcome with the need to say and do weird shit

[fox-mulder-gets-pegged]

Incredibly funny of my boss (who I barely know outside of work) to call me (sick and in significant pain) to spend 10+ minutes complaining about two of my coworkers.

[vincentintheflesh]

Head On Over

“Damn, I look so fucking hot..” He mumbled to himself as he admired the picture of his exposed self.

“Wonder which one I should use for the next post..”

…

Draft edited 05/04/2015

Sup guys! Jason here.

As you can see, I’ve been taking pictures of myself out in the open and exposed! Why? Well, people don’t really pass by these areas and it gives me this weird (but good) feeling when I show myself off. Not in the kind of way where you feel like you could get caught- but in a way where someone is actively watching you. No one was ever there when I checked around though. Dunno. I swear I never got this feeling before getting to this place but it’s prob nothing.

Aside from my sexy little shots, everything here is pretty cool. Lots of nature, sunlight, mountains, and hot locals. One of the guys here in particular has really stuck in my mind. He didn’t really do anything interesting- he just seems to be everywhere. Dunno how he does it but I see him at least 3 times whenever I go out, and he has a different outfit on each time. Not gonna lie I was a bit creeped out because I thought he was stalking me. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that he never glanced in my direction until I approached him. I was able to talk to him a bit and I guess he’s cool and pretty hot up close. Also noticed something about his neck but I didn’t say anything.

He also told me that I was welcome to “head on over” anytime. Wasn’t sure if I really wanted to enter a stranger’s house at first,  but we’d already talked for a good bit so why not? What could go wrong? I could totally beat his ass if needed to. And I’m pretty sure that this area is relatively safe too so maybe he won’t kill me lol. Don’t really have much else to do anyway since my vacation is almost over. Might as well have a bit more fun before I go.

Draft edited 05/05/2015

Alright, I’m heading over to that guy’s house. Wish me luck dudes.

…

“Hey! Good to see you, Jason.” He nonchalantly said as he waved his muscular left arm at Jason. His smile was wide as he sat up from his shaded porch to walk towards him. As he moved into the sun, his hard and defined muscles revealed its chiseled form under its light. 

“What’s up, man.” Jason returned the smile, his eyes darting between the man’s face and abs.

“Come on in.” He said with a knowing smirk  “I’ve only got milk for drinks right now. Is that alright?”

“..You hinting at something?”

“...No.” He smirked as he pulled the door open.

…

The moment I walked through that door… I suddenly remembered the pictures that I took of myself and the feeling of it. Huh, that’s random.

Before I could question it any further, his voice pulls my attention towards him.

“Follow me.” He said in his usual friendly manner.

I immediately listened for some reason. I assumed that he was going to lead me to the living room or something, but he just kept bringing me to these doorless, empty, and identical hallways. We occasionally took a few turns but that was it. And throughout it all, he seemed a bit.. Out of it? Each time I tried to make conversation, he just gave me clipped answers with that same smile. What was up with him..? 

I looked behind me, contemplating whether or not I should leave but only saw the endless hallway.

“Oh- we’re almost there! Don’t turn around just yet!” He suddenly called to me from farther ahead. At this point, I really didn’t want to be here anymore. When I tried to just leave though, my feet just wouldn’t budge. It was like the carpet was gripping onto me whenever I tried to step away from the man, so the only way was towards him.

Ugh…

We eventually reached a room that seemed to somewhat resemble a living room. Wooden floor, two couches and a table.. And that was it. No windows or decorations. I knew it- this guy was a weirdo… I sigh as I stepped forward.

…

The moment he stepped into the room, he was overcome by an overwhelming numbness.

“…”

“…”

… Wait.. Why does my neck- Why can’t I feel anything…? 

“Sorry- ” the man apologetically said as he turned to me.

What’s going on..? 

“I’ve really been needing this..and so has the house so… Yeah.”

He shrugged. There was a bent smile on his lips.

“But I’ll take good care of your body, alright? It’s a promise.”

What the fuck is he talking about?? What’s happening?!

I tried to scream as I felt his cold hands gently clasp around my neck. And then, they suddenly tightened and pulled upwards.

Pop

“There we go!”

My eyes widened as I looked down after hearing the noise.

Is that.. 

My body? 

…

The man gently placed Jason’s head down onto the little table, facing him in a way that guaranteed that he would see what was about to happen. He silently smirked at Jason as he roamed his hands around the headless body’s bulging muscles. As he did so, his hands slowly inched towards his pants… and suddenly, the body’s semi-hardened package straining against his jocks was in full view for both Jason and the man. Jason couldn’t believe his eyes as he witnessed what was unfolding. His very own body twitched and squirmed whilst under the mercy of the grinning man.

For a moment, he stopped his groping and stepped back.

“Alright, give it to him.” He said, clapping his hands twice.

Just then, the spot of the ceiling directly above the body began to twist and morph as if it were slime. It only did so for a few seconds until something familiar emerged from it. A hint of recognition passed through Jason’s eyes as he watched it cleanly plunge onto the stump of his headless body. He glanced between the man that brought him here, and the head. They shared the same dark hair, dark eyes, stubble, thick eyebrows, styled hair, and mismatching skin tones on their necks… Suddenly, everything made sense to him.

The newly attached head slowly opened its eyes and looked around. Its lips curled into a smirk when its eyes fell upon Jason’s bodiless form. 

“Finally…”

Its right arm rose up and bent into a flex, while its other hand made its way down to its bulging jock, firmly squeezing it.

“Mmmm… Fuuuuck…” It moaned as it began to peel away its jockstrap to free his throbbing member.

As it controlled Jason’s limbs to feel its stolen muscles up, the other man approached his body from behind, pressing his tented pants against his bubble butt. The two of them lustfully grinned at each other before pressing their lips together. Their tongues twisted into each other whilst their warm bodies grazed on one another. The head began to stroke his hardened length and the man hungrily rubbed his cock against his ass, the both of them desperate for a release. The man then pulled away and repositioned himself in front of the body. He kneeled down and quickly took its length deep into his throat. Wet squelches of his mouth echoed throughout the room as he relentlessly thrusted his head back and forth.

The body thief reeled its head back and grunted in pleasure. It thrusted forward, grasping the man’s head as he erupted, warm drops of white leaking out from the corners of the man’s mouth.

And throughout all of this, Jason could only watch as a bystander- hindered by his bodiless form. 

“...It’s… cold…” he finally said. His eyelids became heavy as he drifted off to a deep slumber. The ceiling shifts again, twisting and turning. This time, thick tendrils emerge from it, reaching down onto Jason’s head and encircling it. As if accepting an offering, it pulled his head into itself.

“Do you think he’ll mind a little makeover?” The man nonchalantly asked the head as he looked at the ceiling.

“Well, who would mind looking like me… or rather, us?” The head replied with a laugh.

The man smiled “Hm, no one of course- but we’ll need to find a body for him.”

“Right right… But why don’t we have a bit more fun before that..?”

“I'm all yours.”

[ponderingmoonlight]

Heyyy! I wanted to say i rlly luv your fanfic and it would be great if you wrote a nanami kento one with prompt 6 🩵✨

There you go! Sorry this took me quite some, guess I'm too much of a hurt writer. But since 3 people requested prompt 6 with Nanami, I just couldn't let this one slide. Hope you like it though <3 I also added Promp 64 to this! 6. "I'm not crying. It's not worth crying." 64. "Don't be stupid, I'm not leaving you."

Beautiful mistake

Pairing: Nanami Kento x fem!reader

Word Count: 1,8k

Synopsis: You are in a secret but healthy relationship with none other than Nanami Kento despite being the sunshine to his rain. Until one day, you accidentaly spoil your secret to Gojo Satoru.

Warning: None, slight language like always

Your heart is pounding against your ribcage. The sun has just set, which means he’ll be here any second. You nervously fumble on the hem of your sundress. Do you look good? Hopefully he likes your new dress.

It’s always weird to meet outside of Jujutsu High in everyday clothes. Of course you should be used to it by now, considering that it’s been like this for two years now. Nanami and you decided it is best to keep your relationship private, far away from work. Therefore no one knows about your meetings late at night or the fact that you basically live at Nanami’s place. And this is just fine, perfect the way it is.

“There you are, sweetheart. Is this dress new? It suits you very well.”

The sound of his voice alone sends shivers down your spine, you greet your boyfriend with a wide grin and a tight hug. As usual, he smells absolutely breathtaking good. You need to finally ask him about his perfume.

“Glad you came”, you reply, face buried in his suit.

You love the fact that he’s always wearing suits, it definitely does something to you.

“You know I would never miss spending an evening with you. Here, I just couldn’t show up empty-handed.”

He hands you a gorgeous bouquet of purple, white and rose flowers, perfectly arranged and coordinated. You smile to yourself, taking in the delicious scent of lavender that now hangs in the air. Words can’t express how much you love the man standing in front of you. Even if he acts aloof and uninterested, he has a heart of gold. Suddenly you feel overwhelmed by your feelings, tears water your eyes. Unlike Nanami, you are terrible at hiding your feelings.

“I’m not going to cry”, you whisper to yourself, fanning air into your face to stop the tears from running.

“It’s not worth crying, I bring you flowers almost every time. But I’m glad you like them.”

Strange how your frequent bursts of emotion don’t bother him at all while everyone else is getting on is nerves. You truly are something special for him, the sunshine that scared away his rain, the joy that helps him to overcome his numbness. You are a gift, a true sweetheart, loved by everyone who knows you. Maybe this is the reasons why no one seems to even notice the chemistry between you two when working together as jujutsu-sorcerers. You are an absolutely poor liar, bad at hiding your feelings and the blush that creeps up your cheeks whenever you look at him. Even an untrained eye would be able to see your affection towards him – everyone expect members of Jujutsu High, as it seems.

“How was your day? Did your mission go well?”

“Oh, not at all. I’m glad you weren’t assigned to accompany me”, he signs and takes off his glasses.

Your hand gently brushes through his thick blonde hair. You can tell by one look at his tired gaze that this day was rough.

“Maybe I would have been able to help you.”

He gifts you a small but gentle smile, hands wrapped around your waist.

“Sure, but I just can’t risk you getting hurt because of helping me.”

“You know that’s also my job, right?”, you tease him.

“And you know that your job sucks, right?”

You can’t help but giggle at his response, the warm feeling in your chest keeps growing and growing. How is it that one man can make your life feel so much better just by his sheer existence? You simply cannot imagine carrying on without Nanami anymore.

“And you know that I love you, right?”

Your hands gently cup his face while your body aches to close the minimal distance between your bodies. Oh, how much you’d love to stay in this position forever, for the sun to never go down this evening. But you know all too well that tomorrow will be an exhausting day with a meeting of all higher up jujutsu-sorcerers that you and Nanami have to attend. It would be foolish to stay here any longer. But still you want to let these delicious seconds of togetherness melt on your tongue.

“Well, considering you already told me 13 times today alone, I sure hope so”, he replies before pressing his soft lips against yours.

You simply can’t believe it. The man that is holding you is the love of your life, the one you want to marry someday, the only one who has the key to your heart. Even though you are the complete opposite of him, even though no one seems to even be aware of the fact that you are in a relationship, you are absolutely mesmerized and obsessed with him.

“I hate to say it, but I think it’s better to get home. After all, we have to be up early in the morning for that stupid meeting”, he growls against your lips, face twisted in annoyance.

“How much I hate it when you’re right”, you sign while taking in his delicious scent.

“But that happens quite often. Come on, I’ll cook us dinner tonight.”

-Next day-

“There you are, golden girl!”, Gojo cries out in excitement as soon as you enter the room.

You gift him a breathtaking smile. In some way, you and Satoru are pretty similar to each other. Almost always in a good mood while wearing a bright smile on your faces along with loving a good joke and the company of other people. But unlike him, you tend to be quiet in your own way, only opening up around people you know and love.

“Nice to see you again. How have you been Gojo?”

The sincerity that glitters in your striking eyes is always a blessing for everyone around. You are so real, tender and kind in this cruel world that it’s sometimes hard to believe that you are able to survive in it.

“I’m doing better since you came here, (y/n).”

You giggle at his light-hearted comment, very aware of the fact that he’s just trying to tease you. Although you know that Gojo is very easy on women, you never felt more than sympathy for him. After all, you laid your eyes on someone else this whole time…

Oh, where’s Kento?

He told you this morning that there’s something he has to take care of, but it’s very untypically for him to show up late. Worry lines appear on your effortless features. Did you miss something? Did he maybe tell you about a meeting?

“Why do you look so worried, (y/n)?”, Gojo questions.

“I’m just wondering about Nanami-san…Normally, he’s never late”, you mumble while racking your brain.

To be honest, you’re pretty forgetful, without your boyfriend you wouldn’t even be here right now. But something important like a reason for being late wouldn’t escape you, right?

“Who knows? He never tells anyone about his private life anyway.”

Lost in thoughts, you slowly but surely fall into panic mode. Something has to be wrong. This behavior doesn’t suit him at all.

“Hey, I’m sure he’s fine, (y/n). Nanami is a tough guy”, Gojo tries to calm your tingling nerves down.

But it doesn’t work. Frantically, you swipe over your phone, desperately trying to find an excuse in one of his text messages – nothing. You try to call him multiple times only to be greeted by his mailbox.

Oh no, this is bad. This is very very bad. Something must have happened, you just know it.

“I should now if he has something to do, I mean, I’m his girlfriend after all. It’s kinda my job to know these things-“

Gojo stares at you wide eyed, mind trying to process the information that just came out of your mouth. Did you really just call Nanami your boyfriend? This can’t be true…right?

“(y/n)”, he interrupts your babbling, your innocent eyes darting at him immediately.

“Did you just call Nanami your boyfriend?”

Your heart sinks to the floor, mind going completely blank. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. You were so lost in thoughts that you accidentally spoiled your secret relationship of two years to none other than Gojo Satoru.

“Gojo, please don’t freak out”, you beg.

“So it’s true? Oh god, I can’t believe it. That are some pretty fucked up new. How long?”

“How long what?”

Kento is going to hate you for this. From all the people you could have told about your secret, why on earth did it have to be Gojo Satoru? Your face goes pale just thinking about your boyfriend’s reaction.

What if…What if he doesn’t want to be with you anymore? Your thoughts are raising, eyes getting wetter and wetter the more you think about what you just did. This was your little secret, the only thing you had to do was keeping it to yourself. And you? You ruined everything by mindlessly telling Gojo about it.

“Sorry I’m late, the traffic-“

“Nanami, when did you plan on telling me about your relationship with (y/n)? You have to be kidding, right? How the hell did you pull her?”, Gojo blurts out immediately.

You are on the brink of tears, Kento's eyes darting towards you without emotion.

“None of this is of your business. Let me talk to (y/n) alone for a second, we’ll be with you soon”, he instructs the white-haired man with firm voice.

“Only if you promise that you’ll tell me every little dirty detail about this.”

“Leave. Now.”

“Urgh, what a bummer…”

You swallow hardly, your gaze glued to the floor while you try to blink away your hot tears.

“How did this happen?”, he questions, his well-polished shoes standing right in front of you.

“I-I…I was so w-worried about y-you that I panicked and…and then it j-just slipped out…”, you stutter.

“Huh, I understand.”

Your eyes dart up at him.

“Are you going to leave me now?”, you cry out, tears now running down your cheeks uncontrollably.

Kento tilts his head and steps forward, hand gently cupping your face.

“Don’t be stupid, I’m not leaving you. Sooner or later, he would have found out anyway”, he responses.

You wrap your still trembling arms around him tightly, tears soaking into his fine suit.

“I’m really sorry”, you mutter into his chest.

It’s like a massive weight falls from your heart. For the split of a second, you really thought he’ll end things with you right here and now. You simply can’t afford to lose him, Kento is your ray of sunshine on rainy days, you love him with all of your heart and more.

“Please, don’t be. I should be sorry for you worrying about me. Be prepared for Gojo’s constant teasing though. These will be hard times.”

He brushes a soft kiss against your lips, a tender smile on his face. God, how much you feel for this man. More than any words could ever express.

“We’ll get through this together”, you reply.

“Yes. Like always.”

[triptychofvoids]

Autistic medic gives me life ❤❤. Any random hcs for him? /nf /pos

of course! autistic medic is canon to me

ive already talked a bit about him being autistic before so a few of these maybe be things ive already mentioned but ill say them anyway

this is already obvious to everyone already but his special interests are surgery and medicine! anything medical really. hes also very interested in anatomy and pigeons (specifically pigeons. he probably couldnt tell you a lot about parrots for example, but if you want 100 facts about doves then hes your guy). and of course hed have a bunch of other hobbies and interests but those are the big ones

hes more prone to shutdown than he is to meltdown. not that meltdowns would never happen, theyre just more rare. usually a shutdown would come first and on the occasion hes pushed past that then a meltdown would follow, and after a meltdown then hed have a second even worse shutdown. thankfully situations like these are rare

like ive said (and drawn) before his main stims are rocking, hand flapping, echolalia, tensing up and hand wringing, and biting. a few other less obvious/not as common that he has are sparkly/flashy visual stims, he also loves both feeling and seeing anything gorey, he likes petting his birds, certain noises would be very pleasant to him like his doves cooing or coins clinking together and the sounds of the mediguns. hed love the smell of coffee and isopropyl. hed have a few others stims too but theyd be more rare and very situational like hitting himself or toe walking.

hes weird about his gloves and his coat. as in he would put them on for a specific reason but once he gets used to having them on he would absolutely hate taking them off. he has to keep them on for the rest of the day no matter what. and vice versa, if hes not wearing his gloves or coat then he cant just?? randomly put them on?? no no its all or nothing theyre either going on for combat and then staying on for the rest of the day or not at all

hes very excitable and loves to talk and if hes engaged in a conversation or excited about something then his voice will gradually get louder and louder and he'll keep interrupting or talking over people. he wont even notice it until someone points it out to him

you cant take him to the store because hes going to touch everything and then very quickly regret it when hes suddenly overcome with the overwhelming soul crushing need to wash his hands and theres no sink around. its so over :[

bad at left vs right and identifying north, south, east, and west. nothing else to say here, its not that he gets lost easily, he can find his way around just fine its just that hes awful at directions

very strict about his routines and lists. he cannot stand it if he makes plans and they get postponed or canceled. he hates it if he makes a list of things to get and then cant get everything on the list exactly correct. hes actually more than willing to do things on impulse in the moment but only if hes already mentally planned to do that or if it doesnt interfere with something else he has going on

hes very blunt and direct. he says exactly what hes thinking and answers questions very honestly and directly. people often find him to be rude for this but he doesnt get why. speaking of him being seen as rude, he used to get in trouble for always rolling his eyes or talking back to people because for the longest time he didnt realize that trying to stretch your eyes or avoid eye contact or staring could all somehow be considered 'rolling' your eyes. or rude. and talking back... isnt that how a conversation works? hes never been very good at knowing when he is or isnt supposed to reply to statements.

ive said it before but i will say it again. he has little to no empathy. every autistic person is different of course and not all autistics have low empathy, but im tired of low enpathy being seen as a bad trait. im tired of people with low empathy (autistic or otherwise) being seen as evil and uncaring. having low empathy doesnt make you a bad person. he has very low empathy and often struggles to connect with and understand others. he frequently will have the wrong emotion for the situation and may sometimes come off as uncaring when he is not as sad about something as they are, etc etc etc but he is not some horrible evil monster for it and i do not want to see anyone saying that because its just completely incorrect. hope this helps

anyway!!!! theres some autistic medic!!!! i hope you like him as much as i do!!!!

[spirit-of-beetlejuiceblues12]

My thoughts on John Mulaney & the Baby J special

There’s so many places I could start but it doesn’t matter because this is definitely gonna be long af.

So. I’m not exactly clear on what exactly the beef with Mulaney is. Here’s what I have heard:

People are upset about his addiction and stay in rehab. Honestly, I don’t understand why this is even a reason to be angry at someone. Parasocial relationships really have y’all pissed at this one man for something a lot of celebrities have done, are doing, and will continue to do. Dumb reason to vilify him.

Divorcing his wife and having a baby with another woman even after saying he didn’t want children. Okay, if he did cheat on his wife, that’s fucked up and he sucks for that. Another ‘my wife’ guy down the drain. But whether he cheated or not, the reason his marriage fell apart is not our business. Stop taking it personally.

Dave Chapelle transphobia when he opened for JM. Alright, I’ll give you this one. I don’t know the details (honestly I don’t really want to go looking for them), so I’m not going to say whether it did or didn’t happen and how bad it was. I’m a genderqueer person and it makes me sad that Mulaney may have knowingly let that joke happen. I wish he would say something.

I found Baby J comforting in a weird way. I went into it wondering if he was going to address any of the shit that happened in the past few years; I was thrilled to see that that is literally all the special was about.

Someone on tumblr said “John Mulaney is a piece of shit, but he’s still the funniest motherfucker out there” and dude. Yes. As always, his comedic timing was incredible.

Baby J made me laugh so hard. There was some killer lines in there that nearly knocked me out; his vibe is truly different, but there’s also still that token Mulaney dry humor. It reminded me why I took so much comfort in his past specials as a teenager, because his sarcasm and wit have never failed to make me smile. As I watched the special, I found myself relieved that he was back, happy that I have new John Mulaney content to meme about.

Don’t get me wrong, Baby J was not as raw and brutal as Bo Burnham’s Inside. If Mulaney had tried to make it like that, it would’ve been disingenuous and boring. He was true to his own humor and I things that’s really important.

Everything he said was blunt and honest. I noticed that he was genuinely laughing at his own jokes and the memories he was recounting. I don’t think anyone ever realized how truly buttoned up and rigid he was onstage in the last specials because we were all “hehe funny man runnin around”. Isn’t that wild? Suddenly he’s showing his real self, and I think that’s incredible. He’s imperfect and uncomfortable and that’s not something we haven’t gotten to see in celebrities very often.

I can’t speak from experience with addiction because I’ve never had an addiction. But I do understand that it’s a remarkable thing to overcome. I’m really happy for John Mulaney, and I’m very glad he’s doing better. Hopefully we’ll see some more improvement in him from here. I wish we could’ve gotten to hear more about what happened with his wife and the baby, but like I said that’s not really our business.

“When I’m alone, I realize I’m with the person who tried to kill me.” Okay but that one felt very personal, I won’t be taking questions.

TLDR; I think parasocial relationships are a big part of why people are pissed at John Mulaney, and we all need to recognize that. He’s a human being and he’s allowed to fuck up. Baby J was an incredible show from start to finish and I will be watching it a million more times.

[lucky-clover-gazette]

captive prince book 1 highlights & annotations

chapter 13 & final notes

indented text is from the book. some quotes have commentary, some do not. some comments are serious, and some are definitely not. most of them will only make sense to people who have read the series. and, like, there are spoilers. so please read the books first if you're interested!

also: part of the reason i'm doing such a close reading is to study cs pacat's style, especially in terms of how she does romance and erotica. there are "craft notes" that might seem weird, like i'm being redundant or restating something rather than analyzing, but those are more things that i want to remember/take away from the writing!

i'm going to tag these longer posts with "sam reads capri" in case anyone wants to read them all at once.

this is a google doc i wrote with overall content warnings for the captive prince series. it's not perfect, but i do think it's important to include.

It was true; it was somehow not even a surprise, more like a truth that had grown for some time on the edge of his awareness, now brought into sharp relief.

some damen brain insight! he’s not stupid or oblivious. he just ends up distracted, often, due to the more pressing things in front of him and/or subconscious avoidance.

‘You can’t go to Delfeur,’ Damen said. ‘It’s a death trap.’

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY damen doesn’t want laurent dead!!!! 🎉

‘Is your reputation so far in the dirt that you think the Council will choose your uncle for the throne anyway, unless you prove yourself?’ ‘You are right on the edge of what I will allow from you,’ said Laurent.

but he does allow SOMETHING, which is new

‘Take me with you to Delfeur,’ said Damen. ‘No.’ ‘Akielos is my country. Do you think I want her overrun by your uncle’s troops? I will do anything in my power to prevent war. Take me with you. You will need someone you can trust.’ Speaking those last words, he almost winced, immediately regretting them. Laurent had asked him for trust last night, and he had thrown the words back in his face. He would receive the same treatment. Laurent just gave him a blankly curious look. ‘Why would I need that?’

context: laurent is delusional about his capability to overcome near-insurmountable odds alone. this frustrates and concerns damen, and he isn’t able to let it go, even though he hates laurent. his values and honor come first. laurent is both confused and mildly amused by damen’s concern, because he doesn’t expect anyone—especially not damen—to actually care about his well-being.

Damen stared at him, suddenly aware that if he asked, ‘Do you think you can juggle attempts on your life, military command, and your uncle’s tricks and traps by yourself?’ the answer was going to be: Yes.

i love laurent. i love that his stubborn determination is very much a virtue, but also something that occasionally makes him act like a total idiot. and damen sees this, and understands this, for better and/or for worse.

‘He asked me to bed you, then report back to him.’ Damen was forthright. ‘Not in those words.’ ‘And your answer?’ That, unreasonably, annoyed him. ‘If I’d bedded you, you’d know it.’ There was a dangerous, narrow-eyed pause. Eventually: ‘Yes. Your style of grabbing your partner and kicking their legs open does stand out in the memory.’

the fact that laurent allowed this kind of banter to happen at all is kind of a big deal. he was definitely close to smacking damen about it, but went for a half-hearted insult instead. for laurent, that’s basically a white flag. and it’s even more meaningful, since the exchange was related to sex, which has proven to be a vulnerable topic.

‘My dear brute,’ said Laurent, ‘I want you to rot here.’

context: laurent is exhausted, stressed, and delusional about his immediate future. damen wants him to survive (for now), to see things realistically, and feel the urgency of his circumstances. i don’t think laurent cares if damen rots—he just wants him to stop saying true and helpful things.

also, this is just kind of a hot thing to say. something about the conflicting affection and contempt. i don’t know.

‘Are you that sure of yourself?’ Damen called after him. ‘I think if you could beat your uncle on your own, you would have done it already.’ Laurent stopped in the doorway. Damen saw the cupped yellow of his head, the straight line of his back and shoulders. But Laurent didn’t turn back to face him; the hesitation only lasted for a moment before he continued out the door.

he’s right! laurent knows he’s right! he’s just too proud and delusional to admit it!

probably because to laurent, admitting weakness only results in vulnerability and pain. he wouldn’t believe that anyone would actually want to offer him help without an ulterior motive. so his guard stays up, and he does what he needs to do alone.

Laurent was leaving tomorrow. Laurent, infuriating, intolerable Laurent, was pursuing the worst possible course, and there was nothing Damen could do to stop him.

“i hope she fries / i’m free if that bitch dies / i’d better help her out” (buffy the vampire slayer, once more with feeling)

It was easier to blame the death of a boy on mischance than that of a young man about to ascend to the throne. Damen could see no reason why boy-Laurent should have escaped that fate. Perhaps familial loyalty had held the Regent back . . . until Laurent had blossomed into poisonous maturity, sly-natured and unfit to rule.

context: the regent kept laurent alive as a child and teenager so he could [redacted] >:(

Laurent could inspire homicidal tendencies simply by breathing. Kastor, he thought, had no idea what lay across the border. Kastor had embraced an alliance with Vere. He was vulnerable, ill-equipped to fight a war, the bonds within his own country showing cracks to which a foreign power had only to apply pressure.

the dramatic irony here is insaaaaaaaane. damen your cognitive dissonance is showing

Did Laurent really believe he could do this alone? Laurent would need every weapon at his disposal in order to navigate this course alive. Yet Damen had not been able to persuade him of that. He was aware, not for the first time, of a fundamental inability to communicate with Laurent. It was not only that he was navigating a foreign language. It was as though Laurent was an entirely other species of animal.

romance is two strong-willed and competent people communicating despite the odds, becoming stronger and more competent together than they would be apart. also doing improv comedy to survive the horrors

He touched the starburst pattern at his shoulder. He was dressed in Laurent’s colours, and bearing his insignia. That was a strange feeling.

kinda hot. like the collar and cuffs, but they actually earned it.

submission vs. respect theme, etc.

He was to serve and obey, as any man.

but NOT, notably, as a slave.

‘Sleeping in his tent?’ ‘Where else?’ He passed a hand over his face. Laurent had agreed to this?

i love how damen’s follow-up question isn’t necessarily, “do i agree with this?” but “how the fuck did LAURENT agree to this?”

After a long moment, Damen said, ‘Whatever else you think, I don’t share his bed.’ It was not a new insinuation. Damen wasn’t sure why it rankled so much now.

probably because there is something resembling mutual respect developing between damen and laurent, so the implication that their interactions are entirely sexual is offensive. submission vs. respect again!

‘If I’d sent them after you,’ said Laurent, ‘I would have told them you went out the only way you knew, through the courtyard off the northern training arena. Did you?’ ‘Yes,’ said Damen.

hot.

The pre-dawn light bleached Laurent’s hair from gold to something paler and finer; the bones of his face appeared as delicate as the calamus of a feather. He was relaxed against the doorway of the stables as though he’d been there quite a while, which would explain the colour of Jord’s face.

laurent lean #9. smug eavesdropping.

And he did not need gilt to be recognised under a parade standard, only the uncovered bright of his hair.

i’m counting this as damen likes blondes mention #6. implies that laurent is “parade standard” simply because of his pretty hair.

Laurent paced forward. His eyes passed over Damen in turn, displaying jagged distaste. Seeing him in armour seemed to have drawn something unpleasant from the depths. ‘Too civilised?’ ‘Hardly,’ said Laurent.

context: “i cannot fucking believe i’m dressing up my brother’s barbaric killer like a veretian and letting him join my traveling party”

‘What is he doing here?’ ‘Captaining the Guard.’ ‘What?’ ‘Yes, it’s an interesting arrangement, isn’t it?’ said Laurent.

oh, he’s SEETHING. humor as deflection.

‘You should throw him a pet to keep him off the men,’ said Jord. ‘No,’ said Laurent, after a moment. He said it thoughtfully.

context: mainly i think laurent knows that govart’s unsatisfied libido is likely to make him screw up. but also i’d like to believe that he’s just super over the pet stuff

Laurent took it without saying anything. He tucked it carefully into a fold of his riding clothes. Then after a moment, he reached out, and touched Nicaise’s chin with one knuckle. ‘You look better without all the paint,’ said Laurent.

oh he cares about this kid so much, and clearly values his gift. this is the most affectionate we’ve seen laurent in the entire book.

‘Do you think a compliment will impress me?’ said Nicaise. ‘It won’t. I get them all the time.’ ‘I know you do,’ said Laurent.

“so did i.”

‘I’m coming back,’ said Laurent. ‘Is that what you think?’

context: this is meant as a comfort to nicaise, but nicaise hears it as a threat.

neither of them believes that they would ever deserve or receive protection.

‘I’m coming back,’ said Laurent. ‘To keep me as a pet?’ said Nicaise. ‘You’d love that. To make me your servant.’ Dawn passed over the courtyard. Colours changed. A sparrow landed on one of the stable posts close by him, but lifted off again at the sound of one of the men dropping an armful of tack. ‘I would never ask you to do anything you found distasteful,’ said Laurent.

context: this is the truth.

It didn’t surprise Damen that Laurent was popular with the townspeople. He looked the part, all bright hair and astonishing profile. A golden prince was easy to love if you did not have to watch him picking wings off flies. Straight-backed and effortless in the saddle, he had an exquisite seat, when he was not killing his horse.

NICE VS. GOOD THEME! damen thinks that if the townspeople saw laurent as he does—a bitch—they would realize that he isn’t good. because he still believes, most of the time, that niceness equates to goodness. and so every pleasant quality laurent possesses—his appearance, his title, and his skills—is in opposition with his unpleasant behavior. laurent’s unpleasant actions and qualities are, simply, Not Good. and damen is too distracted by laurent’s more tasteful qualities to consider how his distasteful decisions could be more ethical than they appear (for example, mercy killing the horse his uncle poisoned).

inversely, we have damen and akielion slavery. damen knows the gentle submission of slaves in ios, and the way their masters “honor” them—in that, he sees goodness. but when he sees the cruel way veretians treat akielion slaves, he sees wrongness, which he then advocates against. but what he can’t see, is that “palatable slavery” (gag) is still slavery, and just as wrong in akielos as it is in vere. and it is just as evil of akielos to partake in the institution, if not more evil since it’s their institution in the first place, than whatever is going on in vere. 

damen has moral integrity. he has a mind and he uses it. but he also has a massive blind spot, because he believes that everyone else in the world is as honorable as he is.

laurent has the opposite blind spot. he doesn’t expect anyone to be honorable, ever. least of all his brother’s killer.

the two of them make a good team.

final notes

damen likes blondes mentions: 6

laurent leans: 9

(nice)

character elements to watch out for: 

laurent perspective context (knowing what i know, what sense can i make?)

laurent & nicaise

laurent coping mechanisms (pretending, delusion)

damen coping mechanisms (avoidance, distraction)

damen reconsidering the ethics of akielios

mutual moral arbitration

series themes: 

niceness vs. goodness

submission vs. respect - “there is no honour in obedience”

suffering alone vs. fighting together

pain and humor

honor and integrity

sex, power, innocence, violence

trauma, desire, consent

[sharonccrter]

The thing that strikes me about Taylor is how insensitive it is and how she is talking about mental health. Did she really love Joe? Because it seemed to me she was eager for a marriage she could show off and was mad that Joe’s mental health was getting in the way of that. Because if Joe was the person she could see herself getting married to and having children with then I am sure you could have found a better way to overcome it together other than fantasize over a racist man.

I personally I’m on a long term relationship (5 years) and a few months ago I got into this very heavy depression and it was ruining our relationship. I became really closed off, in constant bad mood and didn’t notice much that my partner was also struggling with that. I constantly felt like a burden and like I wasn’t making them happy anymore. Dating someone with mental health issues isn’t a walk in the part. It got so bad that I couldn’t eat sometimes and got panic attacks very frequently. But we spoke a lot, reestablished if we wanted to be together and decided that yes we’ll work on it. I went to therapy and have been taking prescriptions (only now at times when I’m feeling particularly anxious) and I’ll say our relationship has gotten way better now. And also myself. So reading lyrics like “get your sht together so I can love you” is really weird because does that mean mentally ill people cannot be loved? That he suddenly is another person to her? Don’t know Taylor, I wouldn’t want to marry you either if this is the way you act at the first sign of trouble.

Here's the thing, I do think she loved him. Have you ever heard of the theory that famous people get emotionally stunted at the age they become famous? Because I think in the case of ts, it's a solid theory. If you hear "The Alchemy" and "So High School", the two songs written for Travis, you can see how she craves being the 'cool kid,' she wants to be the cheerleader with the footballer boyfriend. She's still acting like she's a teenager.

Going back to the theory that she was emotionally stunted in her teens, I do think she loved Joe; did she love him enough? No. She's clearly very self-obsessed, and there are times when she can be self-aware. For example, in her Instagram post, she admits that a lot of the wounds were self-inflicted. The only grace I will give her is being with someone with MH issues is hard, and it's not for everyone. But she could have left at any point. Clearly, Joe's MH got worse or had a bad spell during the end of their relationship.

If that was too much for her, she should have left. She didn't have to run into the arms of a sewer rat before their relationship was even really over. She didn't have to make out he'd wronged her, or write songs giving away details of Joe's struggle which were private.

I think ts needs to grow up.

[selfhelpforstudents]

i love your page!! Happy Birthday ❤️❤️ How did you get over your shyness?

How I Conquered Shyness (And How You Can Too)

Hey, thank you so much for the birthday love! ❤️❤️ It means a lot! So, you’re curious about how I got over my shyness? Honestly, it’s been a journey, and it didn’t happen overnight. But I’m happy to share what worked for me in case it helps you out too!

1. Accepting That It’s Okay to Be Shy

The first step for me was accepting that being shy isn’t a bad thing. It’s just part of who I was at the time, and there’s no shame in that. Once I stopped beating myself up for being shy, it became easier to work on stepping out of my comfort zone. Acceptance was a big game-changer—it helped me start seeing shyness as something I could manage, rather than something holding me back.

2. Taking Small Steps

I didn’t suddenly start doing things that scared the heck out of me. I started small—like making eye contact with people, saying “hi” to strangers, or speaking up a bit more in class. These little steps helped me build confidence gradually. The more I did them, the less intimidating they became. It was all about proving to myself that I could do it.

3. Focusing on My Strengths

Instead of dwelling on what I found hard, I started focusing on what I was good at. I found that when I leaned into my strengths, whether it was in academics, hobbies, or other activities, it naturally boosted my confidence. When you feel good about what you’re doing, it’s easier to carry that confidence into other areas of your life.

4. Finding My People

Having a solid support system was huge for me. I found that surrounding myself with people who understood and accepted me made a big difference. Whether it was friends, family, or even online communities, having that sense of belonging helped me feel more comfortable being myself. It also gave me more opportunities to practice socializing in a safe space.

5. Challenging Negative Thoughts

Shyness often comes with a lot of self-doubt and negative self-talk. I worked hard on challenging those thoughts whenever they popped up. Instead of thinking, “Everyone’s going to judge me,” I’d remind myself that most people are too focused on their own lives to worry about what I’m doing. Changing my mindset helped me push through the fear of judgment.

6. Practicing Self-Compassion

I learned to be kind to myself when I didn’t push as hard as I wanted to. Not every social interaction is going to be perfect, and that’s okay. I started treating myself with the same kindness and understanding that I would offer a friend. This helped me bounce back from awkward moments without letting them define me.

7. Putting Myself in New Situations

After I got comfortable with the small steps, I started pushing myself into new and unfamiliar situations. It could be something like joining a new club, attending a social event, or taking on a leadership role in a group project. Each new experience was scary at first, but it helped me grow and showed me that I was capable of more than I thought.

8. Learning to Laugh at Myself

One of the best things I did was learn to laugh at myself. I stopped taking every little mistake or awkward moment so seriously. If I stumbled over my words or said something weird, I’d just laugh it off. This helped me stop fearing social interactions so much, because I knew I didn’t have to be perfect.

9. Keeping the Big Picture in Mind

Finally, I kept reminding myself why I wanted to overcome my shyness in the first place. Whether it was to make new friends, succeed in my career, or just feel more confident in my own skin, having that big-picture goal motivated me to keep pushing forward. It’s still something I work on, but I’ve come a long way, and so can you.

So, that’s my story. Remember, everyone’s journey is different, so what worked for me might need some tweaking to work for you. But the key is to start small, be kind to yourself, and keep pushing forward. You’ve got this! And thank you again for the birthday wishes—it made my day! 😊

[haldenlith]

I'm afflicted with Ardwynn brainworms, so I gift you all a random conversation in my head between him and one of his right-hand men (or women, in this case) in his crew. A general heads up, the conversation is about sex. I'll probably build on this or include it in actual fic later, but for now it's just a silly little vignette set after TFS. Spoiler tagging only because of that and references to Crow being Hunter Vanguard.

Ardwynn listened in on the radio, listening to Crow give a report to Zavala. He wondered when The Vanguard would eventually figure out his people had bugged their comms. He was almost excited for it. It'd give him another fun little challenge to overcome, and an excuse to see Crow.

He paused his work of marking new cache locations and updating his map, biting his lip. "Mmmf, he sounds so hot when he's being such a diligent little soldier. I could listen to him all day." Eurydice looked up from her own files and rolled her eyes.

"Have you ever considered the fact that you think about that man entirely too much?" Ardwynn's head jerked back in confusion.

"What do you mean? I think about him a normal amount, considering our history." Eurydice arched up an eyebrow.

"... History?"

"... Uldren Sov?"

"What's him having been Prince of the Reef got to do with anything?"

"... We both came from the same damn place. I grew up listening to his stories. Oh, man... I had the biggest crush on him when I was teenager."

"Okay, now it's getting weird." As Eurydice began to feel pangs of regret for even commenting, Ardwynn sighed dreamily, orange eyes staring off, filling with distant, perverse nostalgia.

"I jerked off so much while fantasizing about him."

"Did you miss the part where I said this was getting weird?"

Ardwynn grinned and motioned emphatically with his hands while continuing, "So much."

"Ardwynn, what is it with you and sex? I've met some horny people before, but god-damn do you take the cake," she replied, motioning to him with a stack of papers in her hand. She'd been making notes on flight reports. They needed to update their flight routes, given everything that had happened. Then again, they weren't going out to raid The Reef nearly as much anymore, now that Ardwynn's hatred of Mara seems to have cooled.

Ardwynn straightened up, tilting his head to the side. "Eury, imagine for a moment, your dream man -" he paused. "... You're a lesbian, right?"

"... I'm concerned that you're asking, but yes."

He nodded and resumed, "Imagine, for a moment, your dream woman. She is the hottest damn woman you have ever seen. And then imagine that you finally get to have sex with her and the sex is just... SO GOOD. Ten out of ten." He paused a moment, looking at Eurydice for a reaction. Her deadpan stare and lack of said reaction spurred him on. "That woman is gonna take up a large portion of your brain after that encounter."

She continued to stare at him.

"Ardwynn. I... don't know how to tell you that some people do not think about sex that much."

The Awoken man flailed his arms and a strangled noise of confusion and frustration escaped him. "But Eury!!! SEX IS SO MUCH FUN!" He suddenly froze, wrinkling his nose. "Good sex, just to be clear. Bad sex is terrible and a waste of everyone's time. But seriously! It's fun! So much fun! It feels good, it's exhilarating, it's a little bit competitive, you can spice it up, you make it tender, you can be rough... "

"I'mma just stop you and just say that I do not care. You can be go be a slut over there, gettin' all hard for the new Hunter Vanguard, I'm going to be over here worrying about where the hell we're going to get the parts to repair three of our ships." Eurydice turned her green gaze back down to her work. Ardwynn heaved a heavy sigh and looked back down at his map.

"... I am a slut." His brows furrowed. "A slut that asked for a fucking map of The Last City YESTERDAY. How hard is it to get a map of this place? It's been here forever! I'm starting to feel like no one listens to me anymore."

"I wonder why..." Eurydice muttered under her breath.

"Hey now, that is uncalled-for, young lady." Ardwynn waved a pin in her direction. "Young mochacinno."

"Ardwynn-"

"Young dark espresso with stardust swirl on top."

"Stop. Neither of us are going to get anything done with you acting a fool over there. Shut up and go back to work." The Awoken pouted and slowly returned his attention to his map.

"... No respect."

[tepli-mravenci]

I just had an epiphany about the Barbie movie and I need to share it

So I watched Barbie like a week ago with my friend and I liked it, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't really life changing to me, it didn't really feel like I was the target audience despite having been raised as a girl and partially still identifying as a woman.

It never crossed my mind that I should change for a man, that I should serve a man or that I should tie my worth to a man, I never had to overcome that because I never really...cared about those things. I'm a lesbian and even as a kid, even as a teen I didn't think having a boyfriend was an inherently good thing, if anything I viewed it as a nuisance because my friends would mostly just complain about their partners.

I walked out of the theater thinking it was a really nice movie and feeling glad that it made a lot of people reflect on themselves and our society. I felt glad for others, because I didn't really feel targeted by any of the themes the movie was presenting.

That was until I thought about it at home and realized something. The friend I watched it with was a very femme cishet girl, she was very much the target audience of this movie. She listens to Melanie Martinez, she has a history of toxic boyfriends, all that jazz.

I remembered that during the montage of reminding the Barbies who they are, she said, out of nowhere "Oh, I hope they find the Weird Barbie doll and fix her too, that would be so nice." and I was so flabbergasted by that and I had so much to say to her about that that I just shushed her instead of saying anything and ended up forgetting about it by the end of the movie.

So when I recalled that, I also recalled that it was really hurtful, in that moment, to hear it from her and I couldn't place why.

I understood that she didn't mean it in a bad way at all. I understood that she saw the damage on Weird Barbie as traces of abuse, the sequence with the girl doing it was very violent and I understand she would've interpreted that as a traumatic event. I understood how she would view Weird Barbie getting restored as her healing from that trauma, becoming again who she was before it happened. But I... didn't really see it that way.

You see, I was in the "popular" girls group when I started elementary school, I gossiped with them, I laughed with them, I had a pool, that was all it took to be a cool kid when you were 7. But eventually it wasn't enough. They changed their style and priorities and suddenly they didn't care about Monster High and Winx anymore, they cared about boys and make-up. I was called immature and childish for still playing with toys when I was 11-12...by 12yo girls. I dressed in a very colorful expressive way, that was called weird. I was advised, by my classmates (only girls), to try dressing "normal" and try wearing a little mascara when I was 13.

The thing is, I didn't feel like the weird one, because from my point of view they were the ones who changed and were being weird now. I didn't like how they dressed and how they acted and how they presented themselves so I rejected that and continued expressing myself the way I wanted. So I was pushed away, I was silently dismissed. I was called weird behind my back and to my face. I was mocked for being myself. I was advised again and again to just try and fit in. But I didn't want to because I understood, even at that age, that it wouldn't make me happy to fit in with these people.

In high school I doubled down in the opposite direction and went full goth, which still made me stand out, but I understood that the people who would stick with me even tho I didn't look like them, were the ones worth being around. I literally wore smudged black eyeliner and black lipstick and goth casual to the Barbie movie.

So I realized, that my representation in the movie was Weird Barbie. And if she did get "fixed" I would genuinely be upset and it would also go against the message of the movie I feel. Even tho she was shunned from her community she remained kind, she was more understanding than any other Barbie, she was herself unapologetically. Yes, her looks were the result of her getting damaged by her girl but she embraced it, she expressed herself through it, she was the coolest Barbie in Barbieland.

Because she was like me.

[gwemmieee]

Sometimes, I get involved in posts here that attract the terfs, and I peer in to make sure I block anyone who's highly likely to send me hate (which has already happened a lot in just over a year on tumblr), and it's hard for me to unpack how often terf blogs hide behind edgy language that I actually sort of agree with. Stuff like women's liberation, supremacy, etc.

I am afraid of men after how much and how consistently they have traumatized me. I sometimes feel like I hate men, but I don't like to assume and judge and hate people I don't know, so I don't trudge too far down that hole. But I genuinely do think that femininity is superior to masculinity, and I do think that masculinity as we know it is only a positive force when it's used to defend others from violence, and otherwise it is at best a neutral/centrist force. And I don't know if or when any of that will change, because I have no desire to go out of my way to be closer with any man I've met so far--at least no desire strong enough to overcome the fear and trauma. And that's really saying something considering that I'm sexually bi and can find men attractive.

And almost every time I look at a terf's page, it's filled with words that seem to see eye to eye with me. Stuff about women being better, men being predators, etc., but it's all so much more sweeping and generalizing and judgey than anything I'd say (in public). But sometimes when I'm in private and really frustrated, I'll say stuff like that too, so I get it. I also see fully positive stuff sometimes and I get excited! Just today, I saw one reblog some science debunking that biological women are weaker than biological men, and that was wonderful. But she hates trans women, so I still had to block her.

As I keep reading through their pages, most of it is just them policing other people. I find a lot of hateful stuff that contradicts feminine superiority, or that has nothing to do with it. They see people who are taking longer to grow up because they've been abused and had to spend time unlearning that abuse in order to not perpetuate it on others, and they talk about those people as if they're subhuman predators, as if there's some kind of race to be all the way grown up and they're a bad person for falling behind. They get irrationally angry at people over innocent terminology disagreements or not being their ideal kind of consumer. I don't actually see much hate thrown at masculinity at all--I see a lot more hate thrown at people who it seems like they are more likely to tolerate than men, but they throw vitriol instead because those people are just not quite good *enough* for them. "This is what's wrong with our community." "This is who we need to kick out because they're a problem." I also see a lot of them digging out a single social media post saying something extremely nasty out of rage, then doing this weird magic trick where they take this leap of logic into suddenly talking as if that person represents every single other member of whatever demographic they feel like putting down this time (usually transfems). And it's weird. I understand the irony that I'm doing a version of that right now, but the key difference is I'm talking about a political camp that people have voluntarily chosen to rally behind, not a gender identity that is intrinsic to their entire being.

It feels like they're confused. Like, the way they speak about men, women, masculinity, and femininity, I would be forgiven for suspecting that they genuinely think masculinity is just a Y chromosome and a penis and femininity is just an X chromosome and a vulva, and I'm really glad I have no clue what they would say about intersex folks because I don't expect anything pleasant. So it's like, they're saying this high level stuff about the superiority of femininity and the predatory nature of masculinity that I actually really identify with, but they're not basing it on actual femininity and masculinity like I am. They're not considering the deeper nuance and reality around how men and women tend to behave and how that affects where our identities lie. It seems like they really do cling to the delusion that having a penis at birth means you will always and only be a predator, while having a vulva at birth means you will always and only be perfect. And... that's just so sad and limiting and out of touch. Are any of them actually interacting with and trying to listen to anyone who challenges their bubbles of thought?

I think it says a lot that they feel so safe and empowered to shit on people in public in ways that to this day my repeatedly abused and abandoned ass is still terrified to do even in private most of the time. And I'm very frustrated that they have such a monopoly on public speech that can voice the more negative sides of my own feelings around my own trauma around masculinity. The only way I can feel better is by consciously choosing to believe that most lesbians aren't like these lesbians. That most sapphics don't tolerate hate, including this brand of it. We shouldn't be dwelling on hating masculinity. We should spend more time loving femininity.

[stars-in-a-jam-jar]

[JUMPS IN YOUR INBOX] YOU! KEEP TALKING.

Saw your analysis post information Marble Sky and was incredibly intrigued by how well you connected details in the story. I hadn't caught the detail of Holly presumably being an incredibly important member of his species because of his addition to The Vault. That's a very nice catch. Additionally, I do think you're right about the Vault's function being long-term preservation rather than a holding place for people about to be killed. Holly's obviously been there long enough to put down literal roots and has been onserved to be peaceful enough that Ward was placed with him for co-habitation.

Not only does that imply that Sculptors cares about his subjects not killing each other, but he also has found through rooting around in Ward's brain that humans are social creatures and need social interaction to maintain vitality. If he has plans to kill Ward, it wouldn't make sense for him to place him with another inmate, giving him a "roomie" suggests that he plans to keep Ward long-term, and in fair mental condition. The same applies to Holly as well. Nobodies stopped him from growing plants in the Vault, despite him obviously being captured and under surveillance. If we're to assume that proximjty to vegetation is important for teegardians (tbh its important for humans too, but I digress) then it can be assumed that they're trying to keep him sane as well. Not for anything good, mind you, but it implies Sculptor isn't a "mad" scientist but rather a thorough and clinically practical one.

I have Thoughts about other aspects of your analysis (positive ones prommy) but this ask is very long. Anyway A+ analysis you forced me to overcome social anxiety to brain dump in your inbox haha

Thank you♡♡♡♡♡

I love when a scientist who's Objectively A Bad Guy is also Objectively A Good Scientist, it makes everything feel so tactile, if that's the way to describe it. "Some of you will die be horrifically traumatized and violated by weird information scraping biotech. But that is a sacrifice I am willing to make."

There seems to be established protocols around the situation with the humans. 'We found a primitive spacecraft with creatures inside.' 'The edible kind?' Ward says he feels like they're being watched. Ecliptica warns Alcor not to bite Oscar because he doesn't know where he's been. These Are Very Organized People, and because we the audience are more inclined to lean into Oscar's POV than Ward's on account of wanting to see Oscar successfully woo this big scary alien, we don't notice how Fucking Terrifying That Organization Is. An organization facilitated by Sculptor's deeply unethical science because final leadership defaults to Ecliptica due to her being the biggest and strongest.

Like. Like the Echolocators a curious species, but in a universe where they are some of the most dangerous things in space, so everyone, especially high ranking officials like Sculptor and Ecliptica, just confidently takes what they want. The hierarchy within their own colony is functionally the only thing that gives any of them pause. When Ecliptica is testing how far Oscar's trust in her not being a danger to him goes, Alcor fearfully scurries out of his arms because 'Oh shit, the moon is getting up in my space, I gotta get out of here.' and he looks on anxiously as she picks Oscar up because Oscar is his fun big dude who tastes like a great snack when he bites him and has this cool music stuff in his headphones. It's perfectly fine for Alcor to crawl all over and cling to Oscar, but suddenly Oscar is up close and personal with the most dangerous thing in Alcor's life and he just stands next to Ward anxiously flicking his tail around.

I have an idea mostly based around uhhh nothing I guess that it's not that female Echolocators are rare or anything, it's that they're Extremely Territorial and very likely to fucking Kill one another.

[maguro13-2]

Legacy of Shinra Reboot ~ Origins of the Ink Demon Chapter 1 Remake pt.12 ~

Maka Albarn : Ughhhhh...My head. Where...am I...exactly?

*Maka looks both ways to make sure everyone is here.*

Maka Albarn : That strange. Where did everybody go?

*suddenly, nobody is around here*

Maka Albarn : Seto? Solva? Ashley? Kimial? Gum?

*sadly, nobody is still around here*

Maka Albarn : I have no idea how did ended up in a strange mess.

"Joey Drew Workshop - Brooklyn New York"

Maka Albarn : So, this place. Am I underneath New York City? Wait, New York City? Hey, this is the Thompson Sisters' hometown! No, the hometown of the Mario Bros! Yeah, that's it. I must've entered some kind of place without noticing or this is a weird dream that I am must be having right now. But I don't know if this was a dream, it's probably some kind of past that I dwelled in.

*Someone walking is heard*

Maka Albarn : That sound someone's coming. I better hide.

Sammy Lawrence : Rest assure now, Master. With the powers of this profound Darkness that I given the royal bloodline of your family for generations. This requires enough power to wipe their pitiful grins off their faces. All of those who tried to take everything from us, shall overcome their fear and their hatred. But do not worry, for you see, I have planned everything together for the king and queen of the Ink Demons. Your monarch serves me purpose for you to be the prophet of giving labor to bring birth to your son.

Inky Albarn : Why thank you, Mr. Lawrence. I'll be happy to fill that in once this is completed. You sure that my dear husband wouldn't suspect a thing?

Sammy Lawrence : No, not at all. But he could sees us before even warning him a with a notice. I had people to get strictly out of the shop so that no one could suspect, but if the King surely knows giving you a labor to birth your own son, it'll be easier as that.

Inky Albarn :Well, that's your ideal. It'll be simple, but even if it costs us the place and the city itself. It won't be last long till we ever spot about being the greatest to it's best. Let's all we make sure that things are organized before Joey's daughter gets here. She wouldn't suspect that I have an intuition for the invite of coming to this shop. Everything will be going according as plan.

Maka Albarn : Oh my. I thought I never recognized this. So this is where the Black Blood comes from? All of that Ink, Have I been getting it somewhere before? I better get a hold of this.

*bumps into someone*

Bendy : Hey, watch where ya going. Say, you're not from around these parts in New York, haven't you?

Maka Albarn : Well, typically, I'm from another place in a timeline where I exist in the real world, this is the real world that live in right, I mean your world's the same as this one.

Bendy : What does it look like to you? Of course we have different worlds, do you? So don't get me on the wrong ideas there, bud. You kids best be moving along. My wife is giving labor to my very first son. Better take few notes when bringing upon darkness in your body, it's what these people are aware of that, I hope they suffer the same fate as all witches do. Hope your people doesn't know one thing about it. *leaves* Hope that you will find your freedom very carefully. You don't want to risk your life fighting for your ideals, whether your hero or not. You'll be lucky that you eventually earn it for valorous efforts.

Maka Albarn : Umm...Thanks. If you need anything about it. I would desperately have the courage to give you one reason of where to find my freedom, why was I chosen to be a hero, I'm only a kid and that's someone else that is forcing me to do all the deeds that are needed for what? Protecting the legacy who made my world a story and me! I have no purpose of why was I chosen like this.

Bendy : *stops for a moment* It's because you have a serious death wish of you getting involved of killing others, you know. We demons of this planet would owe many gratitudes to human brats like you do. I don't mind a couple of middle school kids like you in my age. That's how I will make it to the top, the top to make my self immortalized! That's when the creator decides to become the traitor. There's no vaccine to cure for our dirty needs. (slowly shifts to his demonic) And you will build up our machine...YOU DIE TONIGHT! *converts into his Ink Demon Form*

Maka Albarn : What!? This is the true essence of the Black Blood. So Crona's blood isn't his or her whatever that is, it's yours isn't it? I...I thought I...No! You...You got me into this!

*Bendy laughs evilly*

Sammy Lawrence : So, ya little brat. You knew the secrets of Black Blood. It turns out that it's not Black at all, it's the blood of Royal Bloodline that wasn't stolen by you.

Maka Albarn : So if I'm not the one who is using it, who is stealing it?

Sammy Lawrence : Let me tell you who really did it. The one who could use the power of the Ink Demon's blood is a monster to all structured society on this planet and the ones who dares to make an end for us all. The monsters that dare to bring death and destruction on this celestial body that is just right in the solar system.

Maka Albarn : What are the monsters?

Sammy Lawrence : The monsters who would dare to make ends this planet with omnicide, is those that are heartless, those that are...witches.

Maka Albarn : S-Say what?

(We show Maka that is now a witch)

Maka Albarn : No! You can't do this me! I'm no witch! I'm human! I do not serve to protect the legacy of that boy! I'm human, you hear me! I am human! I am not a witch! Please, you gotta understand!

Sammy Lawrence : Now, son of master. What shall we do with this puny earth witch that all witches wanted to crave death and destruction to this planet?

Maka Albarn : [To Inky Jr] You...What do you want now? Please, don't look at me like this! Don't come near me, You monster! Don't come near me! I beg of you! Anyone, Soul, Dad! Anyone, help! Please, help me! You guys can save me right? Guys? Please, don't look at someone who is about to be eaten! I don't want to get eaten by demons. And I thought that witches serves demons that controls them all.

Inky Jr : No, human child. Witched don't serve the demons to give us orders, We demons control you to give us orders instead. I hope you find something edible that is worth the snack that I eat. Bottoms up.

Maka Albarn : No...No...Nooooooooooo!!!

*CRUNCH!*

Maka Albarn : *wakes up from dream+panting*

Seto : Oi, you're finally awake.

Maka Albarn : Huh?...You guys. What happened?

Solva : You were only having a dream. I had to take care of you while you were knocked out in Tokyo, so the guys decided to bring you here. This is the place where you like to be at.

Maka Albarn : On the table, but we are in Tokyo.

Seto : Yeah, pretty much. They say that we're in the right place.

Maka Albarn : So what this place is and what am I doing on the table?

King Bradley : This is the main building of Square Enix Headquarters. Hope you were too comfortable of sleeping on my desk.

Maka Albarn : Woah!

*THUD*

Maka Albarn : I'm so sorry, sir! I didn't know that I was sleeping on your desk Who are you, mister?

King Bradley : King Bradley, Square Enix Representative, and also Fuhrer of Amestris.

"King Bradley : Fuhrer of the country Amestris"

Maka Albarn : Aren't you the person responsible for that xenophobic war, the...uhhh...

King Bradley : Ishvalan war, it was only a matter of time that we took control of the conflict between Amestris and the Ishval nation. (sips his tea)

Maka Albarn : Sounds like that place was the one that Roy Mustang didn't commit war crimes or who killed Winry's parents.

Seto : Oh yes, I forgot about the guy who killed Winry's parents.

Solva : And don't forget Scar the Ishvalan, the guy who killed that horrible father Tucker. That tucker fella was a creep. It's so sad that he turned his daughter and household pet into a chimera, you knew that Alchemy was the source of the Demon Weapon's creation, am I right? [To Seto] And you're right about that, Seto. Scar was the one who killed Winry's parents.

King Bradley : Correction. It was the Dokeshi's fault that he created the Demon Weapon in the Ohkuboverse years ago , he was using his bones to create an army of human-turning weapons with the same source material that he uses! He would do anything for Shinra's legacy, but when Truth arrived, he was convicted for committing the ultimate taboo before he would uncover the secrets of your world's story.

Maka Albarn : Shotaro, the Dokeshi did all of this? He's been running the school for me after he trying to uncover the truth about my world's existence. This...This is preposterous! I can't even think straight about it! Ohhhh...! I am so confused!

*rumbling*

Solva : H-Hey! The Shattered Resonance is getting things worse.

Seto : So much for keeping calmed down.

King Bradley : Hey now. Let's not get all with the hissy fit try to calm yourself down and relax. Here have a cup of tea.

Maka Albarn : Why...Why...Thank you, Bradley sir. (takes cup and sips it) You know, I have this weird this power that are making things even weirder and weirder every day, everytime that someone tries to hurt me, humiliate me, I hurt them back, I killed people. This power wasn't exactly had in mind. I just don't know what really happened, but what I do know is...I unleashed an amount of energy I caused, creating an explosive shockwave that killed all of Japan's people. I can't sense that there were any people in this country, not even that strange dream that I had about a demon proclaiming to be someone's son.

*flashing images showing dead bodies*

Maka Albarn : Did I...did all that? The event that I caused in Japan 10 years ago, was really my fault. I didn't known there were people around me. I destroyed fourth-fifths of the population, I had to think of it clearly that I brought waste to these people. It's so strange I...I didn't even had the chance to say goodbye to Makoto before he even saved from all that trouble. Soul felt that after he discovered that I had that power since day 1.

Soul Evans : Yeah, I eventually heard it.

Maka Albarn : *Gasps in shock*

[Echo Night - Beyond/Nebula : Track 2]

Maka Albarn : Soul!

Seto : It's that Juvenile from Texas. Guy who has the ability turn into a weapon, he's a bone from Shotaro's powers.

Solva : Does he have been like roomies or besties when they met?

Seto : Not exactly, Soul never met her as a child, he was the only kid who knows about Maka's Shattered Resonance powers before she wiped out four-fifths of Japan's population. She was called the Top Secret Weapon.

Solva : A Top Secret Weapon, belonging to the Phantonian race? That's no concern of why would they call her a Top Secret Weapon.

Seto : It's probably a coincidence since guy arrived. I'm sure he was definitely new since Shotaro and his comrades mysteriously disappeared one day while trying to uncover the world of Soul Eater and of course it's secrets.

Solva : Heh, you think so? I don't mind being a bone that becomes a weapon or anything, I'm simple and 100% human, don't get me the wrong ideas.

Soul : So it's glad that you might be the one that I have been looking for you, don't you remember, Maka? We first met at the city that we became besties or even roommates. Do I look funny? No, I'm just a simple guy who has this powers of becoming a scythe. However, In the real world, I do not turn into a scythe since Truth have ceased the ability to make us tutrn into weapons, we are now using superpowers that we can control.

Maka Albarn : Listen, Soul. I have no clue what you're saying, but did you say Truth constantly took away your weapon-shifting powers? I was supposed to do that.

Soul : Don't believe in anything? We did some things that we always do, having friends, being a great duo, what's your epiphany of creating the world's best duo sacrifice you did.

Maka Albarn : I haven't learned from since Shinra Kusakabe told me that being a hero would be cool, but it's also a dangerous to be task with. Ever since we were separated when we encountered Inky Albarn, we thought that we would've been together. Don't you remember?

*Images flashing*

[Echo Night - Beyond/Nebula : Track 20]

Maka Albarn : We could've been together, you know. I...I don't know why that demon of Inky darkness messed up everything. We had the perfect lives and I wanted to become a hero. Everything was great until Inky Albarn ruined it for us, Soul Eater's story isn't about a story of three kids, it's about me! Always me! I never though that I would be friends would with a bunch of a boys like you all the time! How can Soul Eater be a story about three people when there isn't only one, one per person for each story! You think I just wanted to make believes just because Shinra Kusakabe spread his own influence to make me the hero of today!

Soul Evans : I...I...Of course having the story of three people is what we needed! What does that have to do with your explanation about that?

Maka Albarn : So what if we did become besties while I'm stuck with a bunch of guys because of you and all because, I didn't wanted anything to bestow upon my life. I tried to be the best I could, if only there was a way to simply fix everything, but if it's true then what's true is that...I will bring the power to save this planet. But where exactly did you really think this was gonna happen?

Soul Evans : You should've let me know that I was one that was going to protect Shinra's legacy, I just wanted to be the hero of my own story to part of your boyfriend's or our that we used to be, but then the stupid Ink Demon Came and ruined everything. But why was it trying to break our relationship with you?

Maka Albarn : To be honest, I trust those who are carefully and cherished by anyone any means necessarily. I do anything to protect Shinra's legacy, but what about the costs to this planet, this planet that I grew up on, but I was only growing up on earth, just to make some kind of extraterrestial from Nevada. Cause I'm not Nevadan, I'm a Phantonian born on Jupiter.

Soul Evans : What?

[Echo Night - Nebula/Beyond : Track 9]

*images flashing showing a humanoid Phanto*

Soul Evans : You're not even human, so that's what you called yourself a weapon, a top secret weapon that you were bent on destruction that destroys all.

Maka Albarn : Yes, it's true. I don't have one father, but two dads, but I also have one mother that my other dad kept from being hidden. I don't know who she is but she's definitely the same woman who once knew about the truth about world's existence. That book, said to be truth, after reading the story, other dad took her away and kept her face hidden. I have faced tests after tests in search of my goal showing this planet how much courage that I gave it to. But all of that courage would be the end of my potential, so now...I predicted a future that Soul Eater is gonna end it's story, when it's world was about to ceased from existence! I knew I had to uncover the truth somehow. [To King Bradley] Please, let me give this a sign to you. I want a full-use of my potential to beat Inky Albarn for you. You gotta let me do this! For the sake of this world!

King Bradley : Hmmm...Well, you seemed to have a fair choice of words, Mrs. Albarn. Since you guaranteed to cooperate with others at this here company, We may let you proceed with a warning. But if you don't, we will give you fair minor executions, but pursuing on eliminating resignations with those who were fired. Just like we resigned Shotaro and his comrades after his sudden disappearance.

Maka Albarn : Fine...But it's gonna cost me more than that. I will make a deal out of you and this place. Just you wait, I will make things better when I'm facing Inky Albarn or not, this is my job to fulfill a story with a needed potential that I need.

"There's no way that I am gonna be serious over with."

"A minor collateral damage on nothing will be a lot of intelligence."

"So it's best that I'm sensing something there is no way..."

"That anyone in the world will choose to become who is the enemy."

"That's what I can really do for this world, even I'm chosen to be hero."

"Now...I just gotta find the others who are waiting for me."

~ Scene 11 : Demon's Birth ~

[the-firebird69]

There's another thing going on he's more like a starting to see that they're heading towards a disaster Tommy f is probably going to start attacking and they'll be forced to do something and they will be forced to bring The fleets out of Saturn and that will free up the empire and they're going to have to do something but the foreigners will move in it's kind of what they have to do anyways cuz they suck really bad and the pseudo empire will probably be in a little bit just to see what's going on the empire will defeat Tommy f and several Stone chips will fall as they do each year and his are floating helplessly still but this time he's going to get walloped foreigners and the max will be in the tunnels and they will be fighting over ships and laser bases corners will have a small fleet and will be threatening us too much love to take over portions of it and with the foreigners and the max fighting in Saturn which is much better this is hell nothing comment empire we'll have some latitude and we are going to have to go in and force unless unless we already are there and there will be the hidden decision people will definitely think it's the clans which is kind of like near beer and we both take the blame or the empire more likely it goes back to the clans and the empire until the empire gets partially wiped out then everybody will fight over Stone chips to try and overcome Saturn that seems to be happening before that happens we need our empress interface position not on Saturn and not near it that's a ridiculous spot coming up fairly soon with a massive war around her and even before June 4th it's a ridiculous situation but it might not heat up until then is not right but the fleet will probably not come out of Saturday until after then he's going to look at that pics probably more than 3 days but it's not 2 weeks or 3 weeks now this is intense and we're going to print it

Thor Freya

Olympus

Can't believe how he remembers I spoke and thinks but he was speaking like that so now it's kind of funny this is going to be weird all the stuff's going to be happening and he knows and the empire is going to get hit because of me messing up that's what he said and it's true we'll get him destroyed in a big chunk of the empire if not the whole thing

We'll have to take over ground bases it will probably go after the pseudo empire and it's for defense and we have some with lasers but we need a lot more

Trump

We're going to start making them we need them now and I have to be high powered this is ridiculous we're going to be defenseless in moments and huge fleets will be honest and we're going to lose our big fleet and we were real cocky and it was awful and we did nothing again as usual

Bja

Par for the course and yeah they're talking about the VW quite a bit and they said the initials are not that great and it went through it

Olympus

Got to tell you when the above but this how it goes there's a huge number of people paying attention now suddenly awakened by this revelation of what's going to happen shortly it's giant giant business and it's massively important and it is very dangerous stuff this pleaded the empire is going to be huge people need defenses they don't really have them and our son's idea was good anything is stupid and any thoughts through the whole thing and Max did in a few others and it's saying who's he leading and he's trying to lead the rebels and it's not working at least he's trying

Thor Freya

[the1975attheirverybest]

I hate that swifties just turned against Joe without any actual evidence and when the pictures of him looking rough came out, they were celebrating and going after his looks (like they are doing with Matty) and it made me want to punch them (not literally) and I'm not part of the fandom at all, it simply was trending on twitter and checked what happened. And now recently they've been putting Matty against Joe and while the majority is hyping Joe up again simply because they hate Matty, the ones who prefer Matty instead also get on my nerves because they are like "he's problematic but at least he displays affection publicly" and the reason why that upsets me so much is because everyone likes really shy introverts when they need someone they can trust but then suddenly we're "cold" and "too reserved" and "should change" the minute we're no longer useful and seeing those tweets just makes me so fucking sad because I am so quiet in public and I really don't do the whole PDA thing but my heart is feeling with love for the people I'm close with and I sympathize with how Joe must be feeling. There was a video going around of Joe at her show and you can see the heart eyes filled with emotion but you can also see that he's so shy and anxious about being in public.

And people being like "she deserves more" has broken my heart. it just triggered something in me. Everyone who's just a little bit like Joe knows the feeling of dating an extrovert or simply someone with a lot of friends and trying so hard to overcome our limitations and still seeing our efforts being ignored. And then people acting like Taylor did him a huge favor for dating him because in their heads "no way she'd be truly happy with someone like that"... We're not all bad, we've got our flaws but we deserve love too and we've got a lot of love to give... (sorry this is more like a personal rant)

As the self-appointed queen of introverts, I completely agree with you. In fact, now you're making me wonder if that's the reason I like joe? haha. I had never psychoanalyzed my soft spot for him, but, when you mentioned the videos of Joe standing in the audience and watching Taylor, you reminded me of a moment from my teens when we were at some big family party and...well, I get anxious asking the Barista for a straw at starbucks, I'm not a dancer. So, I was just kind of in the corner, clapping. much like Joe is in that clip, still having a good time in my own lil way, and my mom came up to me and gave me this whole ass speech about how I don't know how to have fun, lol.

BUT, whatever the swifties or Joe haters say, the facts speak for themselves. Fact: This has been Taylor's longest ever relationship. Fact: she literally wrote him a song that says "people think loves for show but i would die for you in secret." Is that not the best response to these idiots? Fact: she said she'd give him a child if he wanted. Does that sound like someone who isn't truly happy? Fact: one of her songs promises to marry him with paper rings even though she "likes shiny things." If the literary scholars who analyze every single word she writes and its meanings are ignoring these facts, it's because they're looking for someone to hate. Doesn't matter. Taylor and Joe know the love that they shared.

In fact, I'm feeling kind of the opposite haha. people are hating on joe's introverted nature now that he's left Taylor, but im enjoying Matty's weird nervousness around her friends now that he's enter her space. Sure he's sweet when he dances and wears her merch, but what's more important is that he's unsure and out of his element but trying his best anyway. which is how I feel in all social situations hahahaha.

everyone is just trying to get through this miserable life giving love and hoping to receive it in return. why would we make things extra hard on each other by comparing partners or deciding what Taylor should value or whatever? its dumb and pointless and breeds misery.

[enviedear]

talk to me → percy jackson

DESCRIPTION ⌙ in which y/n gets hurt and says a few incriminating things while in pain. [ warnings for injury, talk of food, blood, and playfighting ]

PAIRING ⌙ percy x fem!reader

WORD COUNT ⌙ 1.0k

hi anon i hope you love this, and i'm so sorry you haven't been feeling the best. i truly hope this can cheer you up <3

request here

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

"are you okay?" percy's voice asks from beside you.

you look up at the black haired boy, and feel your head rush— either from the stab wound in your shoulder or the fact you're hopelessly in love with him.

with a small gasp you say, "i think that empousa got me pretty good. is the bleeding bad?"

granted with the immense discomfort you're feeling in your shoulder, you're sure that your wound must be horrific.

percy bends down to you, eyes wide, "ugh yeah, it's bad— do you think you can walk? i need to get you to the river."

with a meek nod you go to stand, only to fall onto percy. eyes shut in both pain and embarrassment you utter a haste apology.

the tall boy lifts you up, princess style— and any other time the action would cause your heart to flutter straight out of your chest, but with the searing pain in your shoulder, the action goes practically unnoticed by you.

being so close to him, you can smell his musky vanilla scent, and it reminds you of his room— a messy but inviting place. it always reminds you of all the times you've sat in that room and watched him play a video game, wanting nothing but to admit how badly you liked him.

"it might take a few minutes to get there, so don't pass out on me." percy says, holding your head in the crook of his neck.

you hum out a reply and attempt to keep your eyes open. percy could heal you, sure, but if you slipped into unconsciousness— well, there was a chance he wouldn't be able to wake you up.

"it's hard to stay awake.." you drawl, pain overcoming you.

you feel percy speed up his walk, "okay, then talk to me. what did you have for breakfast this morning?"

you giggle a bit, mind halfway asleep, "pancakes with strawberry syrup. i gave the third one to connor— he begged."

"good, good. uh, what about yesterday? what did you have for breakfast then?" he questions, hands holding you tight.

you try your hardest to remember, but you can't, "i dunno. i was too busy staring at you."

percy's walking pauses before he quickly begins again, "you were staring at me?"

you nod against him, feeling faint, "you looked cute. you were wearing a new shirt."

"can you remember what i was wearing, y/n?"

"a concert tee and shorts, and you had on those ratty old converse i got you for christmas."

percy laughs a bit, "just a few more steps and then we'll be there. keep talking though, okay?"

you huff, brain beyond muddled, "i- i know you only like the shoes because i put blue soles in them, and you think that makes them lucky. that's why you wear them all the time. and- and you, you have a weird thing with always knowing what i'm thinking. i don't know how you do it."

you feel percy bend down, slipping the both of you into the river, "wanna know how i always know what you're thinking?"

you nod, feeling you hair get wet by the movement.

"because i know everything about you. every little part of you that makes you— well, you. i take pride in knowing the people i love, and i love you so much. how could i not?"

you feel the deep wound on your shoulder begin to dissipate. the pain slips away gradually and you open your eyes to see percy's sea-green's.

the boy smiles down at you, "plus you're easy to read. like right now," he bites his lip before continuing, "i can see right through you, just so you know."

head suddenly alert and clear you grimace, "what exactly do you see?"

the boy keeps the two of you submerged in the water, allowing for your wound to fully heal, "i see a girl oblivious to a boy trying to tell her that he likes her."

you furrow your brows, "you have a thing for me?"

percy checks your shoulder before shrugging, "i'd hate to state the obvious..."

you smack the back of his head, "i almost died— you're telling me if you like me or not, fish brain."

he rubs his head, "i just saved your life and you hit me— i don't have to tell you a thing."

"fine." you say, pushing away from him.

you see him roll his eyes before pulling you close again. his hands are firm on your wrists and you look up at him.

you're embarrassed by your confessions from earlier— but you're trying your best to keep the sheepish feeling off of your face.

"what now?" you ask, harshly.

percy quirks one eyebrow up, taunting you, "are you going to act like a brat or let me say what i'm trying to say?"

"i'm not a brat."

"you're right, because you're the most insufferable person ever. y/n, i've been waiting for years for you to finally admit you like me. i've planned so many dates— tired to make the perfect space for you to tell me, only for you to say it after an empousa attack."

you go to speak, but percy cuts you off, "i've been in love with you for years, you brat."

shock is evident on your face. your mind is reeling.

years? percy has liked—no, loved, you for years?

"why were you waiting on me to say it?" you ask, eyes wide.

percy chuckles, "i thought you had to of known i liked you— i made it so obvious. i wasn't going to be the one to admit something obvious."

forgetting about the previous anger you had been feeling towards the boy you jump up to place a kiss against his lips.

he responds quickly, lacing his hands behind your head, pulling you in more. despite all the times you've imagined kissing him, they definitely stand no comparison to the real thing. his lips are plump and soft and the way his hands start to trace your body make you want to never pull away.

with a final kiss, percy pulls his head from yours and looks into your eyes, "i'll take it you forgive me?"

you roll your eyes, "only because you saved my life."

the boy smirks, "and not because i kissed you like my life depended on it?"

maybe that too, but you'll keep that to yourself.