#prettier hierarchy

[prettieinpink]

Should mental health not be closer to basic physical health and exercise than lashes are to physical health and exercise? Your pyramid is pretty. I just saw that and wanted to know what led you to group each category in the order they're in.

Thank you for asking this respectfully.

The pryramind that I made was purely based off personal experience, but a lot of people questioned it.

Honestly, you won't get far mentally without investing in your environment and such. This is such a harsh truth to many people.

I am not saying that mental health/mindset is unimportant, just that, for some people it shouldn't be their first priority.

Last year, I was in such a bad mental health state that I couldnt go a day without wanting to cry, or just actually crying. I was so insecure, my closet friends were always making fun of me and I felt so direspected by everyone.

The only quality that I had was being smart and getting good grades, so I would always reassure myself that I had this.(academic validation basically) until.. other people started to get better grades than me, even those who weren't on my academic level. I spiralled into a deeper depression and my grades started to suffer because I felt, ugly, lonely and dumb.

But, one school holiday, I wanted to improve myself. In all aspects. So I started to research how to glow up. Bear in mind, people like thewizzardliz , tam kaur, elicia gougen, bria jones etc weren't popular or just weren't there at this time.

A lot of people saying how to glow up said that you should focus on mental health first, and so I did. I journalled, I meditated, did a bunch of inner healing work and such. To be honest, it did make me feel better.

Then school reopened. It was a lot worse. I still had those toxic friends because I wasn't socially eloquent enough, I was still insecure around other girls because I didn't focus on what looks lattering on me and instead focused on hiding my body and I felt terrible all the time because my sleep, diet and general health sucked.

I wondered why, because I thought I would feel 10x better after doing a bunch of healing work but heres the truth; I didn't because I was still in the same place physically(referring to friends, school/work, health etc), so my mind was in the same place mentally.

You cannot truly improve your mental health & mindset if your physical factors(friends, family, work/school, general health) are working to bring you down.

This is the lesson I learnt, of course, do your journey your own way but this was my pyramind and so I just don't want to preach anything didn't actually work for me just because it is controversial.

I wanted a better method to doing that hierachy that doesn't give off the message of I priortise beauty over mind, but that pryramind was the only free template I could find.

[milfbrainrot]

something sick and twisted about how michaela was "training" simone to take over part of the charity, hence her being a mini-michaela, only for that to actually... pan out as accidentally training her to become her husband's new wife

[formulafanfics13]

No Photos, Please - F1 WAGs (& friends)

Masterlist

summary: It’s media day in Monaco, and you make your first ever paddock appearance — on Pierre and Kika’s arms, no less. You’re calm. Immaculate. Dangerously composed. The WAGs adore you instantly (well, most of them). The grid is already losing its mind. And by sunset? Monaco knows exactly who you are.

warnings: implied jealousy, soft power, intimidating hotness, passive-aggressive dynamics, WAG politics, reader is the moment, drivers are obsessed, fluff and chaos

Thursday morning in Monaco was already heavy with heat, the kind that melted makeup and stuck to skin in satin sheets. The media day buzz crackled down every corridor of the paddock, engineers scrambling, PR girls barking into earpieces, drivers slipping between interviews like it was war.

And then you arrived.

With Kika on one side and Pierre on the other, strolling through the media zone like it was fucking Paris Fashion Week. You weren't even trying to turn heads, just black silk trousers, a white open-back halter, hair twisted into a claw clip, sunglasses on, gloss slick, heels low. But it didn't matter. People turned anyway. Men tripped over wires. Cameras shifted. Lando physically walked into a flagpole.

Kika smirked. "Subtle entrance, babe."

Pierre laughed, brushing a hand down your back. "You were supposed to keep a low profile."

You grinned. "I am. I didn’t even post today."

"That's worse," muttered Kika. "Now they think you're mysterious."

You shrugged. "Let them."

The WAGs were already waiting near the McLaren hospitality suite, a loosely gathered herd of perfection. Carmen, Lily M-H, Lily Z, Alexandra, Magui, Kelly, Rebecca, Heidi, Alicia, Isabella, Eli, Hannah, the full fucking cast. Glossed, styled, slightly caffeinated, and definitely watching as you approached.

Carmen stood first. "You must be the best friend."

You smiled, stepping into the circle as Kika linked your arm. "Guilty."

Rebecca's eyes sparkled. "You're even prettier than I thought."

"That's not fair," Alexandra added, deadpan. "Why are you real?"

Magui tilted her head, appraising. "You're hot and you can walk in those heels without sweating. I already love you."

You grinned at her instantly. "I had no idea Monaco was this humid."

"Girl it's like a wet sauna," Magui deadpanned. "And my hair hates me."

You both burst out laughing. A click. Instant chaos bestie connection.

Kelly was quiet. Watching. Sipping a green juice that looked more like pond water. Her eyes flicked between you and Pierre, between you and Kika, between you and the way both of them were soft around you. Protective. Proud. She tilted her head.

"So you're staying with them for the weekend?" she asked lightly.

"Yeah," you nodded. "Just a few days. Kika's been trying to drag me here forever."

Lily Z chimed in sweetly. "You’ve never been to a GP before?"

"Not properly. Watched a few, but this is my first paddock one."

"You're gonna love it," Lily M-H smiled. "It’s chaotic but kind of addictive."

"Especially Monaco," added Heidi. "It’s like the Met Gala but with oil and speed."

Eli blinked up at you, wide-eyed. "Do you do modelling?"

You bit back a grin. "Yeah. Bit of runway, bit of editorial."

"She’s on two Vogue covers," Kika said proudly, nudging you. "Don’t be shy."

Isabella gasped. "Wait, you’re the Vogue girl?"

Hannah’s jaw dropped. "Shut up, I literally reposted that shoot. The green dress?"

You laughed. "That shoot nearly killed me. But yeah, that was me."

"You’re a goddess," muttered Alicia, as Eli nodded reverently beside her.

From that moment, the group fractured. The girls were still smiling, still friendly, but the new hierarchy had been drawn. You hadn’t done anything. You hadn’t tried. But still, something shifted.

Kelly leaned closer to Carmen, murmured something low. Carmen just gave her a look. Big sister mode activated. You noticed the dynamic. Clocked it. Didn’t react.

You didn’t need to. Because Alexandra slid into the seat beside you and said, “Do not get too close to Charles or I will throw myself into the harbour. But also. Do you want to come to dinner tonight?”

And Rebecca added, “We should do nails this weekend.”

And Carmen, warm, grounded, calm Carmen, gently touched your arm and said, “Ignore any weird vibes. You’re lovely. Just be yourself.”

Even both Lilys, laid back, beautiful, no-drama queens, smiled at you like they were already saving you a seat at the next brunch.

And the younger of the group — Alicia, Isabella, Hannah, Eli — were already whispering to each other about how obsessed they were. Already planning what outfits to show you. Already plotting TikToks and Instagram dumps and whether they could claim you as their unofficial big sister.

“You’re dangerous,” Pierre whispered later that day, after another interview where Lando had literally stuttered over your name.

You raised an eyebrow. “What did I do?”

Kika smirked. “Breathed. Wore perfume. Existed.”

You just laughed. Walked ahead. Let the paddock eat its heart out. Because Monaco was yours now, and every WAG knew it.

[cromulentreader]

Unlike the whole High Court after the Coronation, I was thinking about Valerian the other day. His interactions with Jude escalated more into violence but they were somewhat similar to Cardan's: hair-pulling, name-calling, generally getting in her physical space, etc. Hell, they threw the girl into the river together. Quite frankly, in Jude's inner monologue in the first part of TCP, they sound very similar, with one being much prettier - guess who am I speaking of. Hint: they have really long fingers. However, Jude reacted differently to their "teasing" (trying not to swear on this one). With Valerian, she mostly ignored him and hoped he would go away, following Taryn's terrible advice. She's even trying to de-escalate when he tries to murder her in her bedroom. But when Cardan did it, she reacted to it as if interacting with Cardan was her new purpose in life. Even when both Valerian and Cardan did it. They both kicked dirt on her food and threw her in the river, yet Jude's eyes were on Cardan the whole time. She basically argued with Cardan and ignored Valerian whenever he spoke.

Now, from Jude's mind, this sounds like it's motivated by hierarchy (both in Elfhame and in their friend's group), as we don't know much about Valerian except that he's part of the Gentry. But I wonder if part of his escalation was that he could see the toxic obsession going on between those two and he hated it.

[artsarasp]

Hello! I love your art! Do you recommend the Italian sv translation? It's so much prettier than the English one i keep just going into bookshops and stroking it 🤣 But i haven't been able to justify the expense since I've already got them all in English 😭

Ahhh!! I'd say no??? I'm sorry as much as I'm having fun noticing all the differences between the English edition and the Italian one the more I read the more it becomes clear I should have just gone with the English edition (it's fine in the end cause I bought it when I was out with my friends and I was just very high on spirits!)

They got rid of all the suffixes as well as the glossary about them and the pronunciation guides at the end of the book. Being that there are no suffixes except Shizun (which they don't explain what it means btw, it is mentioned in the general glossary in the suffixes section which is very funny since they got rid of them all) sometimes the text becomes much longer because they need to explain a lot more.

"This was the most senior of the original Shen Qingqiu’s disciples, Luo Binghe’s shixiong, Ming Fan." becomes "Ming Fan era il più anziano tra i suoi discepoli e fratello marziale di Luo Binghe, ma sopra di lui nella scala gerarichica." ( Ming Fan was the most senior of his disiples and Luo Binghe's martial brother, but of higher hierarchy) It's not that bad but it makes everything a little bit longer. Also, all the names of the places have been translated, which is great for understanding but some names are a bit of a mouthful in Italian. They also keep repeating the translated sword's names, first, they go the "Xiuya sword" and right after there's "La spada dell'eleganza spirituale" which would be fine if it wasn't for the fact that it seems to be doing it multiple times AND the fact that the translated names are already available at the end of the book in the character profiles. Idk, maybe it gets better later on but it's irking me a little bit.

There are some diffrences that are very funny if not that they change how a character comes across.

YQY in English saying "Shidi, Don't be angry" has become "Smettila di prendertela con quel ragazzo" (Stop picking on that boy) which was so weird for him to say that it had me opening the English edition to check what he was saying.

When SQQ describes Ming Fan in English it goes "Ming Fan’s appearance was respectable enough, it was just that his face was a bit unfortunate, with a sharp mouth and sunken cheeks." In Italian it goes "Se non fosse stato per le labbra sottili e il volto che ricordava il muso di una scimmia, avrebbe avuto un aspetto accettabile" (If it wasn't for his thin lips and his face which resembled a monkey's snout, he would have looked acceptable) WHICH IS SO MUCH MEANER BUT FUNNY- MING FAN MY POOR BOY.

But now I got to a bit that actually made me a bit annoyed. Like, it doesn't make sense in Italian.

When the system lists what SQQ can do to get B-Points, point two is "Avoid landmines that break suspension of disbelief." and in Italian it got translated to " Eliminare i trigger" (Delete the triggers) which doesn't make sense??? In Italian or English?? This is not how we use the word trigger. I've even asked some friends if maybe I was stupid and forgot my own language but no, it doesn't make sense, no one understood what point two was! This is bad.

I'm gonna keep reading because I can have fun spotting the differences but honestly, treasure your English edition.

[transgenderer]

lately ive shifted towards thinking of talent as mostly innate and therefore the inevitability of merit-based assignment of status/admiration/etc as fundamentally tragic, in the same way the hierarchy of physical attractiveness (which has of course some complexities and ambiguities but is, when zoomed out far enough, pretty undeniable) is tragic. like, its the same *kind of thing*, some people just *are* better writers, or thinkers, or mathematicians, or have prettier faces, or are more conscientious. imprisoned by the natures of our selves. i think this is part of why i cant get behind any philosophy that see the pursuit of those things produced by talent, of artistic greatness or virtuosity or whatever, as of high philosophical importance. such a philosophy, if true, would necessarily reject the mass of us. like maybe it IS true but then it's not....its not FOR us, its for those other guys. like what does it mean, to value greatness when youre doom to lack it, yknow?

pleasure in the world-as-it-is is of course not egalitarian but it is...mostly conceptually egalitarian. except for depression, i guess. but thats why you bring in the transhumanism aspects. to neaten things up. to value something that everyone *could* have, while still being...them, i guess.

[biteofcherry]

*sighs* this is going to be long.

Steve did everything right, he was a good solider, a good man, a good leader. But the institution he believed in was corrupted, the people he fought for did not trust his judgement and wanted to chain him by the accords and no one could see the good in bucky, just the winter soldier.

So, Steve just...snapped. He took over Hydra, changed it, made it powerful. So powerful that it took over the world. Because his judgement was always correct. What he failed to see was that he had become what he despised the most, control.

His friend always stuck by him and this was no exception, after all Steve was the only one who saw bucky, not winter solider.

The world had changed drastically, from upcoming democracies to a worldwide dictorship. But nothing changed for you, you still had to go to work, pay the bills and remain ignored by the recruiter of courtesan who took unwilling women to pleasure district for the entertainment of super soldiers and high officials.

But you weren’t so lucky, they caught you and dragged you to the district. A place riddled with politics as hierarchy persisted with the highest being a personal woman of an important man or helper of courtesan, dancer and singers, being the lowest.

You would have to navigate these murky waters to live a good life or were you there because you caught the eye of two men whose names were feared as much as hades?

I'm not sure if being on the lower level of hierarchy wouldn't be better and more "chill" than catching the eyes of the kings at the top 😳

Belonging to them would be very demanding and undoubtedly exhausting.

I'm sure they can find someone prettier and more eager to serve them. Right?

[stayandot8]

Whispers In The Dark, Part One: Lying Through Your Teeth

Genre: college au, not all members mentioned

Relationship type: strangers to friends

Important Contents: Mr. Popular Chris Bang can't remember who he was before school. But with her? Maybe he might find a path that would lead him back to himself. But how far can he go before the rumors and his reputation become too much for her to ignore?

WC: 6.4k

masterlist

He was notorious. For what, no one could agree on, but he was well known around campus. Some would say it was his skill in bed, others would say his charms would keep him from any kind of trouble with anyone, professors and other students alike. His easy grace with people, especially strangers, made him the perfect showman for the school. He was at all the major events. It was like the head office paid him to be there, cheering when appropriate and constantly surrounded by his fraternity brothers. It was rare that he was caught without at least one of them within three feet of his personal space. It was also a well known fact that there was a roster kept hidden in the depths of his mind of those he hung around with in public, in private, and those he tossed to his brothers. It was like a hierarchy. All the girls knew where they stood with him and used that information against each other when they needed to. 

Chris Bang, appropriately named, was the top man on campus. When he approached you, you couldn’t help but say hello. And if he struck up a conversation with you, it felt like catching up with an old friend. He always wanted to know how you were doing, how your classes were going, and he was genuinely interested in the answer. He asked about your family, your friends, anything that would spark up a conversation with you. And by the time he found something that you had in common, you were hooked. The way he listened to you made you feel like he was your best friend and for those minutes, he was. 

He cared about people, truly. No one could act like that around people if they didn’t care about them. He was warm and inviting, like a hug when you really needed it or a warm shower after a day out in the snow. His gaze was that of a toasty fire, you could curl up in one or both with a book and live there forever. 

He was across the courtyard, surrounded by his usual entourage of fraternity brothers in their lettered sweatshirts and crewnecks. Each one had a girl next to them, talking emphatically with their heads held high. The Chosen Ones for the day, week and each somehow prettier than the last.  They all seemed so engrossed with one another that no one dared interrupt their conversations. 

“Hey! If you stare any harder, you’ll burn a hole in their heads. And those poor girls can’t afford for anything to fall out more than it already has.” Charlie’s words clanged around in my head until they landed and I burst out laughing. 

“That’s so mean.” I shook my head at her, still smiling from laughter. 

“Ask me if I care. Now come here and help me with this paper. I paid for your breakfast this morning for this.” I scooted closer to her laptop on the blanket she had spread out hours ago on the Great Lawn. She moved her coffee cup so I could sit where she desired and turned her laptop to face me. “How can I make this point more clear?” I glanced at the words on her screen, reading, until an obnoxious eruption of laughter interrupted my train of thought. I whipped my head back over to the cluster seated at the tables and traded my earlier look of curiosity to one of annoyance. Unluckily, or maybe luckily, this caught the attention of one of them. Chris made eye contact and nodded in my direction with that easy smile of his. I rolled my eyes large enough for him to see and turned back to Charlie. 

“Well, I think you have to stop using so many descriptor words. It’s confusing to read and I can’t tell what you’re actually trying to say. It seems like you’re saying you believe that Chekov’s plays had clear and concise endings when they really didn’t.”

“I’m getting him and Tolstoy confused again.” She hit the ground with her hands balled into fists. “Which one wrote The Living Corpse?”

A voice appeared in front of our blanket.

“That’s Tolstoy.” Chris Bang himself appeared as if from nowhere, black backpack strapped on and hands in his pockets. His hat was backwards, the casual gesture fitting for the jeans and black t-shirt he sported. He was rarely spotted wearing something different, it was his signature look of sorts along with his shining eyes and curious questions. 

“Yeah, that’s him.” I pulled my eyes from Chris to look at Charlie, who in turn was staring at me with a really weird look on her face. 

“Thanks, Chris. Have you done this essay yet? I swear the longer I’m in Schwartz’s class, the more I hate my life.” 

“I did, I just finished it actually. Took me longer than normal because of the word count requirement.”

“I know, it’s like he wants to kill us.” I snorted and picked up her textbook to flip to the page she would need. I look back up to find Chris’s eyes back on me.

“Are you in this class too? I don’t remember seeing you in there.”

“Oh no, I took his class last year. I’ve already been through that torture. Aced the class somehow.”

“That’s why she’s here, to make sure that my torture is just as bad as hers.” Charlie glared at me from the corner of her eye, making Chris laugh.

“Damn, you’re lucky. You’ve got someone to help you. I’m out here struggling to maintain my C.” 

“Well, you’re welcome to join our suffering, Chris. I’m dying over this paper and she’s laughing at me.” Charlie shot me a confident smirk, seeming to have picked up on something that I absolutely was not putting down. I furrowed my brows at her, the thought never crossing my mind about inviting him to share our blanket or the day’s exceptional weather with campus’ Mr. Popular. But there my best friend was, offering him a place in our little circle. 

“I would, but I’ve got an economics class to get to. But here, when you get a chance to come back out here to study, shoot me a text and I’ll come right over.” He stooped to rip a piece of paper out of a nearby notebook and a pen. He jotted something down and handed it straight to me, locking eyes with me as he handed it over. He paused, his face frozen in a soft smile and everything around us froze along with it. The wind stopped blowing, I paid no mind to Charlie, who I would find in a second was gaping at Chris, and I felt the spark that everyone felt when interacting with Chris Bang. The butterflies came in with a strong gust of chilly October air that unfroze the moment we were stuck in. He found his voice then. “Give me a call sometime.” he said softly.

“Yeah. For sure.” I whispered back against the rustle of the trees. Chris Bang winked at me and then he was gone. The piece of notebook paper was the only physical proof I had that he had been there and it sat in my hand until Charlie practically dove to reach for it. 

“Did you just get Chris Bang’s number?” She opened it and showed it to me. The series of numbers wasn’t the only thing on it. They were accompanied by a short message in his very un-boyish handwriting. ‘Call me :)’ “You have to call him later today. And don’t you dare do it without me.”

“Call him and say what? That I’m happy to be on his list of girls? Or to put me down for the newest girl to be conquered? Girl, please. I’m not Rome, I am not to be ‘conquered’.” I nodded with certainty, resolute in my mindset. Charlie just watched me, smirking and pulling her mouth to one side. 

“Yeah. For sure.” She mimicked my earlier words to him. Shaking her head at me and laughing no doubt to herself, she returned to her laptop and started typing. I couldn;t tell her that while I fully believed every word I had just said, that didn’t mean that the butterflies had gone right away. They stayed there, fluttering in the space he created. It hurt that I could feel how badly they wanted to be let out. 

*

I stared at the number on the piece of paper for the next few hours, going back and forth on whether I wanted to act on his invitation. Who knew the weight of a scrap piece of paper was so heavy? On the one hand, he seemed nice enough with no outright bad intentions other than to study. Whether he needed the extra study time or not wasn’t up to me, nor was I in the mood to find out right this second. But on the other hand, was this just a way to find a new girl? Yes, he was selective when it came to who he was interested in and his level of interest was measured by how long he pursued you. Making him wait was the way to maintain his interest. At least, that was what outside speculation had agreed on with further research and trial-and-error. To those he wasn’t interested in, he was always polite about it, but that left room for them to conduct these experiments. And the results were inconclusive. He didn’t have a type, it seemed random at times, and all of the girls seemed physically different. Only one conclusion could be officially drawn: he liked girls. That was it. 

Word that he had given out his number to his newest attempt hadn’t seemed to get around yet since I didn’t have girls eyeing me up and down all day. I was relieved since I hadn’t decided if I was going to use it yet, which was what I was debating now sitting in the shared room I had. My roommate, Rihannon (yes, like the song), was out, as she normally was. Ever the social butterfly, she joined a sorority the moment she stepped on campus and hadn’t sat down since. She was always going out with her sisters, going to mixers with the different fraternities on campus, or making new friends on a blanket of her own on the Great Lawn. All of these things were a perfect fit for her because she, like Chris, had the magnetic pull with people. They wanted to know her. And she wanted to know them too. She was nice, a friend until the very end, making her the perfect fit for the social scene. But her social expertise did me no good if she wasn’t here. 

So I was left to my own devices. Charlie hounded me until I ran away to catch the bus to get home. 

“You better text him tonight! I want to see him at our spot by noon tomorrow if he can! And you better have proof if he can’t!”

I had rolled my eyes at her. Typical Charlie behavior, sticking her nose in every business I had. This time I couldn’t blame her though since she had been present for this cosmic event. Is that what this was? A cosmic event? Had the stars aligned for this moment to happen today of all days? It was up to me if they had. And as the time grew later, the minutes were passing by, counting down until Charlie would kill me tomorrow or not. 

Ugh. Fine. You win this time. Both of you.

To: Chris Bang

I left the message open, thinking for too long about what to say to this mystical man that gave me his number out of blue. I debated texting Charlie to ask what I should say, but I knew her answer. ‘Just text him hi! Nothing scary about that.’ How wrong she was… I took a deep breath, letting my chest rise and fall fully before picking up my phone again. 

To: Chris Bang

Tomorrow, under the tree next to the Lewis building. That’s our normal spot. No later than noon or else I’m toast. 

I threw my phone across the bed, somehow thinking that if I held it when he answered he would know and he would think I was staring at my phone and waiting for his answer. I mean, I was, but he didn’t need to know that. 

My phone lit up across the bed. I couldn’t read what waited for me on my home screen and I could feel my heart beating faster the closer I drew to my phone. It was like a ticking time bomb, even when I knew it wasn’t. I crept until I could see that the waiting message was indeed from him. And what I read when I opened it made those butterflies that had finally quieted start up again.

From: Chris Bang

We can’t have that, now can we? ;) I’ll be there with my books. What are we studying?

I could and couldn’t believe it. Some part of me that was simply a girl was ecstatic that a boy was flirting with me, according to Charlie. The other, more cautious part that was protective of that girl, was wary. I wasn’t looking for another heartbreak and I was not wanting to set myself up for one.  

To: Chris Bang

Why don’t you come and find out?

Damn it.

*

“Why am I nervous? I didn’t talk to him last night. But then again, I didn’t buy coffee for him either.” 

“Charlie, I swear to god.” The chilly September air was unusual for so early in the month, but it was that time of year here. The mornings were colder so you wore a jacket and by midday, you wondered why you even brought one in the first place. “The girl asked me if I wanted a mess-up and you know I’m not one to turn down free anything. So I said sure. End of story. I wanted a muffin too but they didn’t have any left. The girl said some guy came in and bought them all. I did not buy him a coffee. Who knows if he even likes coffee?”

“I don’t know. But I know that if he accepts it, that says something.”

“It really doesn’t.”

“It does too.” 

“It says he likes free things. That’s about it. Who doesn’t like free shit?”

“I know I do.” Chris’s voice came from behind us just then, carrying a bookbag and a paper bag in his hand. “They had more muffins than they knew what to do with so I grabbed some.”

“Such a gentleman.” Charlie leaped for the bag and tore it open. “Ugh, I love Coffee Bean’s muffins. We also have extra coffee if you want it. She picked it up before she got here.”

“Oh, thanks!” Chris grabbed the cup and took a sip, his lips curving to the shape of the cup. It was that moment I took the chance to really look at him from top to bottom. His hair was parted off to the side and he had opted for a white t-shirt with our university on the front. Jeans and vans completed the look and a worn leather bracelet adorned his wrist. It almost looked homemade.

“That’s a cool bracelet.” I said as cooly as I could manage, trying not to stare at it too hard. He touched it with\a gentleness that resembled fondness, like he was remembering something to do with it. 

“Thanks, my sister gave it to me before I left for school. She’s back home in Austrailia.” It wasn’t news on campus that he wasn’t from America. His accent was a dead giveaway. “She likes to say that she hates me but when I remind her about this, she gets real quiet.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister, I have one too. She moved from my hometown to Arizona. Followed where her connections took her or whatever. But she’s happier there than she ever was back home. Even found herself a girlfriend.” 

“Oh wow, she must really be thriving over there then. That’s great for her. I wish my sister would find someone just so she have something else to do other than torture me through the internet.”

“How does she do that?” I took another sip of my coffee.

“She’s really growing in fame on Tiktok. She actually put out an EP not too long ago. Called Perfect Blues. She let me listen to it before she put it out for notes and stuff and it’s actually pretty good!”

“I'll have to give it a listen then if it’s that good. She must have worked really hard on it.”

“Yeah, she’s been working non stop promoting and writing new stuff. She’s actually good. It’s hard for me to believe because I still see her as my little sister. I don’t think that’ll ever change.”

Charlie was being awfully quiet, scarfing down the muffins Chris had brought. When I spotted the wrappers placed beside her and counted them. “Charlie, did you eat all of the muffins? How many are in there?”

“Oh please, there are plenty left. You two just seemed to be engrossed in conversation, I didn’t want to interrupt.” She eyed me like she had the day before when Chris gave me his number. I couldn't help my eyes rolling in response. This girl will be the death of me…

“So what are we doing today? I know I have a paper that’s due on Friday, but I can do it later-”

“See, Chris? Maybe it’s a good thing you came to us this early in the semester. This is the time we do all of those things we say we’re doing ‘later’.”

“Charlie is very intent on keeping her GPA above a 4.0. We’ve been doing this ever since freshman year, but we only found this spot last year during Spring semester. She’s been on my ass ever since, which is why I have the grades that I do. She keeps me on top of my shit and I make sure she comes up for air every once in a while.” Chris nodded along to my words, listening intently and watching. Charlie just nodded along. 

“You’re welcome by the way.” She turned to Chris, coffee in hand. “I’m the reason she passed stats with flying colors last year.” I rolled my eyes for the second time in a two-minute period.

“That’s just what I like to tell her. Makes her feel more important.” I whispered over to him, which in turn made him laugh. I hadn’t heard it up close like I just had two seconds ago. When it was a genuine laugh, he almost squeaked on the intake like a door that needed to be oiled. It was an easy laugh to crave to hear. I knew it would haunt me like a ghost in the weeks to come, even then. Chris grabbed his laptop out of his backpack and started typing, pulling books from the backpack as well to occasionally look up an answer to something he was typing. I pulled out my headphones when the comfortable silence fell, leaving one ear open to the world outside of my own bubble.

“Whatcha listening to?” Chris poked my thigh from where he was laying on his stomach on our blanket.

“This and that.” I couldn’t help my smile when his attention was on me. It was like a shot of sunshine straight to your veins.

“Just this and that? Do you mind if I also listen to ‘just this and that’?” His question shouldn't have caught me by surprise, but I found myself handing him my other headphone despite myself. “I think someone’s music taste says a lot about that as a person. Well, movies and music.” He stuck it in his ear and returned to his laptop, typing away. 

“I love the Princess Bride. It’s one of my favorites.”

“Mine too.” He turned his sparkling eyes back towards me and smiled. I felt the blush creep up to my cheeks and I had to look away or else risk him catching it.

I flashed a glance towards Charlie to see if she had caught the exchange. She had, because she was wiggling her eyebrows at me. ‘Oh my god’ she mouthed at me, glancing at Chris to see if he was watching. He was not. And when she turned back to me, she picked up her phone, indicating that the conversation would continue there. 

From: Charlie

Dude WHAAATTTT??? I told you, he likes you!! That was not a coincidence.

To: Charlie

I still think you’re nuts

From: Charlie

Think me nuts all you want, but I’m about to prove it.

I looked up from my phone to catch her eye. ‘How’ I mouthed in my most disbelieving look. It didn't occur to her that Chris was just looking for his newest girl to conquer, and I didn’t want to spoil her fun, so I just sat back as she mouthed back to me ‘Watch’.

“Hey Chris?” He looked over his shoulder to her with his eyebrows raised. “I promised my friend over here that I would take her out for dinner tomorrow night, but I have to cancel. My boyfriend’s birthday is tomorrow and I totally forgot. He’s not around here so I have to call him and do this whole long distance date and everything. Anyway, I thought maybe you could cover for me with her?” 

I could do nothing but stare at my own textbook. One half of me was embarrassed that she would be so obvious with her plans. And even without my real knowledge of it. She would pay for that tonight, without a doubt. The other half couldn’t watch the trainwreck about to crash when he said he had plans. That half would be crushed when he said no, he’d have to pass like he did when he was trying to be polite when a girl asked him out and he didn’t want to go. Either ‘sorry, I have to pass this time’ or ‘I just don’t have the time right now’. Either of those were the responses I was waiting for. Definitely not

“Sure! Is that okay with you?”

Unable to feign my deafness when he poked me again, I mumbled a quick ‘hm?’ so they could catch me up to speed.

“Charlie had to cancel on you, so I’m taking you out tomorrow night.” His excitement was an unexpected surprise. Charlie beamed triumphantly from behind him at me, relishing in her victory. 

“Oh really?” I said a hair more fake than I meant to. When I tore my eyes away from Charlie to look at Chris, he had a confident but genuine smile to show me. And damn it, I couldn’t help but return it every time. “And where are we going?”

“I’ll text you the details tomorrow. Just be ready by 6, yeah?” He didn’t wait for an answer and returned to his laptop. 

The excitement of going on a date with a cute boy, no matter who he was, still ran through me like it was any other date. Charlie would pay for it, no doubt. But the thrill was still there that maybe, just maybe, he might be what Charlie suspects. But only time would tell. 

Chris was normal the rest of the time he laid with us on our blanket, making occasional jokes with Charlie about their shared class, the professor, and the stupid people in that class. This left me with the opportunity to look around and see if anyone noticed the Mr. Campu Man had picked a new spot to hang out. His usual crowd was seated near the picnic benches where they normally were. None of them seemed any kind of curious as to where their fearless leader was, and that seemed completely fine by them. It was when he left for his class load for the day that Charlie really got her proof. 

“Alright guys, I gotta head to bio. But if the invitation is still open, I’d love to come tomorrow too.”

“Only if you bring more muffins or some other baked good with you. If not, don’t bother showing up, Bang.” To that he chuckled and when Charlie didn’t chuckle back, he glanced my way.

“Oh, she’s serious.”

“As a heart attack.” Chare chimed in without looking up from her laptop. Chris kept his face blank for a second longer, then nodded in resignation. 

“Any specific requests?” He said this part to me, asking me directly. I thought for a second. If he was going to go through with it, then what was the harm?

“Bagels, if you please sir.” I said in my best mocking voice, leaving it up to him to decide if I was telling the truth or not. He laughed again and put on his now fully packed backpack. 

“As you wish.” He replied and left without another word. 

A hard slap hit my arm the second he was far away enough from us.

“Oh my god!” She hit me on the arm again and again until I had to grab her wrist to make her stop. “I knew it! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!”

“Why are you freaking out more than I am?” I buried my nose in the closest textbook to me to hide my face in. 

“Mainly because I was right. But also because of the simple fact that a cute boy likes you! And I called it. How am I more excited than you?”

“Mainly because he didn’t even ask me. You asked him for me. He’s just being nice, Charlie. No one can say no to you, don’t you know that?” 

“Girl. If he didn’t want to go, he would’ve said no. He has no problem saying no and you know that. I really don’t think he would have said yes if he didn’t want to.” I just shrugged, telling myself that she was right, but at the same time not wanting to believe it myself. I couldn’t bring myself to fully insert myself in the daydream that Charlie was living in, fighting the urge to run away and hide for good. 

“I just-” I sighed and laid back on the blanket, letting the sun warm the air around me and breezes come and go.  “I think I would be more excited if he had asked me himself.” 

“He just needed to know that you would be into it. Give him a chance and see how he acts tomorrow night. If he’s a douche, then call me and I’ll get you out of it. But if he’s nice and into you, then that’s kinda your answer, isn’t it?”

“I guess.” 

Wait and see. That was my plan. That was all I had.

After my classes of the day were over, I went back to my apartment with Rhiannon to unload in a hot shower. Rhiannon came in while I had my towel wrapped around me on the way back to my room. 

“Hey! How was your day?” She asked from her place in the hallway amid the ruffle of bags she dropped by the door. She only brought one to the couch with her and rifled through it to find her laptop. 

“Pretty interesting, actually.” 

“Oh yeah?” She inquired, ready for more details as she peered from behind her computer. 

“Yeah, I got asked out, well not really asked out-”

“BY WHO?!” She shrieked, throwing the laptop aside to jump out of her seat.

“Chris Bang?” She stops in place and turns to face me dead on. Her features were frozen in a mixture of shock and what looked like…sadness. 

“Chris Bang?” She repeated.

“Yeah. He didn’t really ask me out of the blue, Charlie made up some lie about us having plans beforehand when we really didn’t and she asked him if he would take her place, which he did.”

Rhiannon was pensive as she watched me recount the details, not letting me forget a single one. She even asked me exactly what his words were when he agreed to it and what exactly happened afterwards; his mannerisms, the word choice, and the nature of his body language. 

“It sounds like he was actually interested, if that helps you. From what you can recall, you don’t have to worry about that part. But you seem disinterested now. Why?”

“Because he didn’t actually ask me.”

“So?”

“He’s just filling in, he felt bad that I would be left hanging.” 

“I don’t think he would’ve agreed if he didn’t actually want to go.” 

“Rhi…”

She was eyeing me up and down, gauging my words against her own knowledge.

“Why can’t you believe he would like you? What’s so hard for you to believe?

“It’s not that, I just don’t want to be next in the queue. I don’t want to be just another girl he’s gone out with, no matter how cute he is or how smooth he can be. I wanted to be able to resist him because I know better than to believe-”

“Believe what? That a boy with eyes can have a crush on a pretty girl? That a cute boy would see the same thing your friends are seeing? What’s so unbelievable about that?”

I sighed. “All of it. Why him? Why me?”

“Why not him? Listen, if you’re really that worried about it, just take it slow. Don’t do anything you wouldn’t normally do on a date with a guy and just treat him like any other guy. That should ease your nerves, right?”

“No.” 

“Maybe picking out your outfit ahead of time will help give you more confidence. Come!” She sprung off the couch and headed for my bedroom without turning to see if I was following. By the time I passed through my door, she was already piling clothed on my bed a foot high already.

“How do you have nothing in here! What do you normally wear on dates?”

I rolled my eyes.

God help me.

*

He picked a good spot, I had to admit. Not to him, not to inflate what I was sure was a big enough ego. But Marty’s was far enough away from campus that we would be uninterrupted by any of his friends but not so far that we felt secluded from society altogether. The restaurant had a good enough reputation among students to be a good place to bring a date if you want some special alone time together. The implication of him bringing me here was not lost in the bounds of my thinking mind. 

The room was warm and inviting, a red kind of wallpaper surrounded us with candle lit sconces in the upper columns and casted the dining room in a warm glow. The wooden tables helped the cozy feeling as soon as you walked in, as most of the furniture in the large room matched the rest of the dining room. The walls were graced with vintage-looking florals paintings that looked like they could’ve been plucked straight from an art magazine. 

“Did I mention that you look nice tonight?” Chris blushed as he asked, turning his gaze back downwards toward his menu. His repetition of the question caught me off guard, being the third time he had mentioned it.

“Yeah, you did. But thank you again.” I tried to flash him my best comforting grin, which he looked up just in time to catch. 

“I’m sorry, I’m not normally this nervous.” He smiled again and let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing his hands on his pant legs. 

“Why are you nervous? At least your friend didn’t have to ask someone out on a date for you.”

“How do you know she and I didn’t plan something elaborate while we were in class because I was too nervous to do it myself?” I laughed at the preposterous notion that Chris Bang could be too nervous to do anything ever. “What was that for?” His smile was back in place of his nervous chuckle.

“I’m sorry, you just don’t ever seem nervous to do anything. So the thought of that just isn’t possible.”

“Why ever not?” He was quizzical, raising his brow at me from across the table and ruffling his white button down. His black earrings initially had given me some pause but the longer I looked, I saw the Prada logo and how well they matched his tailored pants. They had a light gray pattern going around them and hit him just above the ankle. He oozed wealth when dressed like this, not that I had seen him this way until now. His hair was perfectly styled to a side part, a few strands falling into his face. His dress shoes almost seemed too fancy for the restaurant he brought me to with their gold chain going across the top.

 His family must have had money. 

“You just don’t seem like you get your feathers ruffled very easily. Very go-with-the-flow kind.”

“You’re not wrong. But when the first half of the plan that wasn’t up to me went perfectly and now it’s only up to me, I’m getting nervous. I haven’t been this nervous before.”

“But why? What’s so different about me?” 

“Can I get you guys some wine to start with?” Just then a well-dressed waitress came up to us to hand us a laminated wine list with names I could barely pronounce written in a fancy cursive font. It distracts us enough that I forget what I was thinking before she arrived. 

Chris perused the wine list and selected for us, subtly but not so subtly flashing his knowledge just a touch. He eased up a bit as the night went on, bringing up his childhood. Head bounced between Korea and Australia before coming to the states during high school so he and his siblings could have a ‘normal’ education. They lived a few states away so Chris could ward off any unwanted visits from his parents. It wasn't that he didn’t love them, but they could be a lot sometimes. He talked about his sister and how she had stayed in Australia to pursue a musical path. Chris supported her in any way he could, but that life just wasn’t for him. And his youngest brother was in school back in the home state, going through all of the fun life stages of being fifteen. 

We had just gotten to what brought me to our university when the dessert had come out. The tension in my shoulders from the anxiousness of the situation had eased immensely and Chris hadn’t uttered a nervous chuckle since the appetizers. 

“I picked it because it wasn’t too far from home. I had the same idea you did, except I live in-state. It’s just my mom and me. My dad decided not to be a dad anymore when I was twelve and I haven’t seen him since. From what my mom can tell me, it’s better this way. She doesn’t miss him and that tells me I shouldn’t either. I don’t remember much.” 

“I’m sorry that’s the way it is, though. I don’t know what I would do without my dad.” He gave me a sad smile as he picked up his fork. I did the same and reached for the small tower of chocolate between us. It melted in my mouth just like I thought it would, but my thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of my phone on the table. I picked it up just in time to see Charlie’s name appear on my screen. 

“I’ll be really quick, I promise.” I said with a grimace, standing up from my seat.

“No problem! I promise I’ll leave some for you.” He smiled back, assuring me. I nodded and headed out the front door.

“What?” I bit at Charlie.

“Soooo? How’s it going?” Her voice was airy as it questioned me. 

“It’s still going and you’re interrupting!” I didn’t want to be rude but in spite of myself and how I got here, I was having a really nice time and I wanted to get back to it before the clock struck twelve and Chris Bang turned back into the popular guy who would forget who I was. 

“Okay, sorry! I will await the debrief when you get back! Come straight here!” I hung up on her and reentered the building. Chris was talking to the waitress with an easy smile on his face and my heart sunk. This wasn’t supposed to be a date anyways. Not really. Charlie had done this because she was nice. I had tried not to get my hopes up but the more we talked, the easier it was to believe he might actually like me. So much for that.

He spotted me by the door and waved, motioning to the plate he had left for me to finish if I wanted. I gave him a half smile and headed back over, doing my best to ignore the sinking feeling in my chest. 

“Everything okay?” He asked gently. He was putting something into his back pocket while he watched my movements for an answer.

“Yeah, she’s just nosy.” 

“Ah. Well, thank her for me when you see her later tonight.”

“For what?”

“Oh, I was being serious. I asked for her help to ask you out because I was too nervous to do it myself.” I just stared at him in disbelief. He waited, with held breath it seemed, for my reaction. And when I didn’t give him one, he continued. “I had seen you around campus with her before and when she showed up in my class, I had to take my opportunity. I’m really hoping that helps me come off as cool or something and not a loser.”

“I don’t think you’re a loser.” I replied quietly. I gave him a reassuring smile and he mirrored it. 

“Do you want to head out of here? Go for a walk or something?”

“Sure. Don’t we need to grab the checks first though?”

“Uh, no. It’s all taken care of.” He patted his back pocket when he stood up, which I could now see held a wallet-shaped object. 

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes I did. It’s only right.” He held out his hand for me to take. “Shall we go?”

Oh boy...

[dumbkiri]

𝖔𝖍, 𝖒𝖞 𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖉

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖔𝖓𝖊: 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖚𝖘

WARNING: death, blood, death by fire

He remembers meeting you as clearly as the day was when you accidentally bumped into him. No cloud covered the blue sky and the sun shining down on you only made you prettier in his eyes. You fumbled with your words trying your best to apologize to him. The blush on your face made it more apparent that you wouldn't be able to spit it out successfully. 

To your rescue, your mother walked out of the flower shop with a bag in her hand, “[Name], I know you're excited for the garden, but you must watch where you're going.” Though she scolded you, her voice was light and airy. Her long hair had light pink highlights, a stark contrast to her [h.color] hair. 

Then she directed her ruby eyes onto the quiet boy bowing her head down to apologize. “I’m sorry about my daughter and her clumsiness. You see, we just bought new flower seeds and she gets very excited to plant them in our garden.” She giggled when you tugged at her kimono, silently telling her to stop embarrassing you. 

Satoru looked away and over his shoulder to glare at the people that had been following him for a while. In a low and unbothered voice, Satoru said, “You don’t need to apologize, it’s just an accident. I’m Gojo Satoru, by the way.”He turned his attention back to the mother and daughter with no smile accompanying his greeting. 

This only made you uneasy, yet your mother greeted him happily making you look up at her in confusion. “What a pleasure to meet the holder of Limitless and the Six Eyes. My name is [L.Name] Sabine and this is my daughter, [Name]. I am the holder of Nami’s Miracle.”

Satoru nodded his head and stuffed his hands into his pockets, “That makes sense now, your energy is very welcoming and powerful. What about her technique, it’s also strong, but it lacks in presence like it’s-”

“Slowly fading away?” Sabine finished and she combed her fingers in your hair. Your eyes never left her gentle look and her eyes widened in slight excitement. “How about you join us for lunch, young Gojo? I can prepare something for the three of us while [Name] plants her new seeds. Then I can tell you all about our family’s blessed energy and why [Name] is the only one in our family with cursed energy.” 

Skeptical, but intrigued, Satoru accepted the invite to your dismay. You just made yourself look like a fool in front of this boy and your mother thought it was a great idea to invite him for lunch. You moved your eyes down to the floor and fiddled with your small purse. At least, you’d be able to plant the seeds and encourage them to grow with your curse technique while your mother talks Gojo’s ears off. 

But that wasn’t going to be the case. 

…

The size of the [L.Name] Estate surprised Satoru because it honestly looked like a small village. As the trio walked around, heading to the main house, Sabine explained to him that the [L.Name] family consisted of a lot of female family members with small amounts of blessed energy. These women can go on to help in the Jujutsu Society by healing wounded sorcerers. 

“They’re not fighters, not like me who is the inheritor of Nami’s miracle,” Sabine clarified, “Because of this, our family is very low in the hierarchy of the Jujutsu Society. We are seen as defenseless and sometimes useless until they need our help. Will you think the same, young Gojo?”

“I don’t have a lot to go off from there to judge your family,” He responded, ignoring the looks he got from the surrounding women. They gushed at his appearance and wondered out loud why he was walking with the Lady of the Estate and her daughter. 

“But I see merit in the ability to harness blessed energy as much as any cursed technique. Your daughter sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of them though.” By no means did he mean to upset you with his words, he only wanted to state out the obvious to get the answer as to why you have cursed energy. 

Sabine could see the way you only closed yourself off more after Gojo’s offhand remark. Her hand landed on your shoulder and it made you feel smaller because her energy wanted to wash the cursed energy inside of you. “She does stick out,” Sabine moved her hand away and focused back onto the small boy walking next to her, “everyone thinks her to be some kind of failure because she cannot heal like the rest do. She’s the first in the entire family lineage to have cursed energy and it worries some. Her legitimacy has come to question, but there have been many witnesses to her birth. [Name] is my beloved daughter, cursed energy and all.”

Satoru’s eyes widened at the declaration and he couldn’t help, but wished he had a mother figure like Sabine. He blamed it on the blessed energy she constantly leaked out like a waterfall. No one can be this kind all the time.

…

When they reached the main house, Sabine handed the bag with the seeds inside to her anxious daughter. Then her daughter sprinted off without a word to the backyard to plant her flowers and watch them grow with her curse technique. Meanwhile Satoru watched her run away and hesitated on where to go. Thankfully, Sabine placed her hand onto his shoulder and gestured towards the direction her daughter ran off to. 

“You can witness her cursed technique in action, young Gojo. I’m sure she’ll warm up to you if you show interest in her technique. She’s only distrustful to people because of how she’s treated here. No one appreciates her technique, but I believe you will.” 

With that said, Satoru walked forward and followed after the lingering cursed energy belonging to you. Your mother believed in you and your kindness. It appeared to be easy for Sabine to gain someone’s trust because Satoru walked with you like nothing will happen to him. 

“‘She sticks out like a sore thumb~.’”

Satoru heard your voice for the first time and it had to be when you openly mocked him. He stopped in his spot and listened closely to how you talked badly about yourself. 

“I must have disappointed Mother when he mentioned my failure to be born without blessed energy” You stabbed the grass with the [f.color] hand trowel, your eyebrows furrowing in the middle, “Why was I even born? All I am is a nuisance to the [L.Name] Family, a girl who failed to be born with blessed energy. I should just die already, make everyone forget me like a weed in a garden.” 

“I only said you stuck out like a sore thumb because you are stronger than the rest of them.” Satoru stepped in and you snapped your head in his direction. Your cheeks are flushed with embarrassment twice today. “Also weeds may be a nuisance to some people, but they are resilient and grow in any climate. Can you not see yourself as more than a failure?” 

You wiped the dirt off your hands and looked away from his pretty blue eyes that stared at you in a haunting way. “I don’t think I can. Not when I’m reminded every day by the others in my family. You won’t get it, Gojo. You’re not a failure, you possess two wonderful techniques while I…”

You looked down at the small hole you dug and the lonely seed inside of it. “I’ll just show you.” You gestured to the spot next to you on the grass and he sat down without saying anything to you. You covered the seed with the disturbed dirt and placed your hand over the small mound. 

In a second, the seed in the dirt began to sprout with your cursed energy giving life to grow into its final form. “This flower is called Calendula. Since I cannot heal with blessed energy, I can grow flowers that have some healing properties in them.” 

“That’s smart,” Gojo commented lightly and reached his hand out to touch the flower. But you panicked and slapped his hand away from it, your ruby eyes wide and you stuttered out an apology. 

“I’m so sorry! But you cannot touch the flower. My mother needs to bless the flower before anyone touches it. My cursed energy hurts people and it can sometimes poison them! I only slapped you to-” 

“Calm down,” Gojo smiled at you and reached for the flower again. You covered your eyes and begged him not to touch the flower, but his chuckle made you move your hands away. “Hate to burst your bubble, earth-worm, my infinity protects me from whatever poison your flowers give off. See?” 

He twisted a plucked flower petal in-between his fingers with a charming smile on his face. You couldn’t believe it, he almost gave you a heart attack for pulling a stunt like that. Suddenly a sound escaped your lips and it surprised you enough for Satoru to question you. 

“What? Have you never laughed before?” 

“Not really,” You admitted sheepishly, “You’re the first person to actually make me laugh. My mother isn’t very great at telling jokes and I can’t hang out with other kids my age.”

“Children, lunch is ready,” Sabine appeared behind you guys with flower petals flowing at the bottom of her kimono. Her close eyed smile presented with kindness and she held her clean hands out to you. Although you hid your hands behind your back and picked yourself up without accepting her help. 

“You didn’t wear your gloves, young lady,” Sabine pointed out, her tone teasing you. 

“I may have not, I was filled with too much excitement to put them on. Plus I feel closer to the seeds when I don’t put gloves on!” You explained, keeping your hands behind your back. Sabine shook her head and told you to go wash yourself up while she leads Gojo to the food. 

When you walked away with a cheeky smile and a hop in your step, Sabine thanked Gojo for making you happy. “I think she likes the nickname you gave her. Earth-worm suits her very well considering her love for gardening. She loves to play with the dirt if you haven’t noticed.” 

Satoru pushed himself off the dirt and handed the petal over to Sabine, so she could bless it. “I would be dumb if I didn’t see that. Also I have a question, uh…is it possible that I can visit her whenever?” 

Sabine laughed and ruffled Satoru’s hair, sending chills down his spine. He can feel her touch upon his hair, she bypassed his barrier. “H-how are you doing that?” He pulled away and looked at her with unease. 

“Oh, I’m sorry for spooking you. I am able to dispel any cursed technique, nullifying the user of their ability. I apologize if I made you feel vulnerable.” 

“Don’t do it again,” He demanded, “Nullifying my infinity can put me at risk.” 

Sabine’s eyes drooped in shame, “Yes, I noticed the people after you with the intent of killing you. But do not worry, I won’t do it again and you’re safe in the [L.Name] Estate. I can sense when someone comes into my home with bad intentions.” 

Satoru nodded his head and followed after the calm woman with an astounding power. Sabine could be able to overthrow the Jujutsu Society if she wanted, but she remains a lady with responsibilities tied to her clumsy daughter. Something was missing and Sabine never explained why you were born with cursed energy. 

And he forgot to ask despite him making multiple visits to make you laugh and spend more time with you. His attention never left you and you began to warm up to him. A beautiful flower sprouting to her full potential.

……

Everything had been great. His relationship with you grew and he developed a small crush on you which Sabine caught on quickly because she knew you were doing the same as time went on. 

Yet the mother couldn’t anticipate the fire, the massacre of her family or the way the men threatened to kill you if she didn’t listen to them. Sabine passed down Nami’s Miracle to you upon the threat of the men. Your sleeping body was held in Naobito Zen’in’s arms as she pressed a kiss to your forehead. Tears slid down her face as she silently said goodbye to you. 

“Oh, my beloved,” Sabine felt the hands of the men grab her, the bright light of the fire reflecting in her ruby red eyes, “do not fall into despair.” 

They led her to the pile of bones and ashes still burning in the night, “You will become so much more than what I imagined. A lady of duality, they won’t be able to control you. I trust that young Gojo will lead with you, to keep his promise to me.” 

A man roughly turned her attention to him and cruelly smirked at her tear stained face, “This will stop your incessant mumbling, almighty goddess.” He pressed a dagger to her throat and she closed her eyes, gagging on her blood. If only she could cover her throat, but her hands were tied behind her back and she felt a kick on her stomach.  Sabine felt weightless and the light of the fire engulfed the darkness that consumed her. The warmth comforted her as she gained new life. Her last thought on earth focused on blessing her daughter, ‘Starting tonight, you are born as the Princess of Thorns.’

[nhl-stories]

midnight love – Anthony Beauvillier

Summary: Hannah was ready to accept her fate as second choice, but a newcomer just entered the picture

Author’s Note: Oh my god I've been working through this for so long and then bam that trade happens. And changed how I was going to end this so I'm a bit distraught.

Word Count: 3.9k

Album Series Masterlist

I can't be your midnight love When your silver is my gold

She wishes she had enough of a backbone to disappoint people, if only in self-preservation. But no, instead Hannah is spending another night as a stand in.

It’s not like these people aren’t her friends, but there’s a hierarchy; they’re Brock’s friends and teammates first, then Cora’s friends and fellow significant others, then at the bottom of the list is Hannah.

At least it’s just a team dinner, not some event where she has to explain over and over again that no, she is not Brock’s girlfriend, just a friend. Usually throw in a joke about taking advantage of an open bar or nice dinner.

His real girlfriend is prettier and more talented, just busy with her emergency medicine residency. Hannah is just a placeholder so he doesn’t have to go somewhere alone.

Don’t worry, Brock isn’t slumming it with the plain-looking girl who works in a fish market.

He’s with Cora: head cheerleader and prom queen in high school, first in her class in college and med school, Miss British Columbia who probably would have been Miss Canada if she wasn’t too busy studying to be a fucking doctor.

Hannah’s only a little bitter.

To be fair, she did it to herself. She spent her whole life as Cora’s less-than-impressive sidekick, she should have seen it coming.

Hannah should have thought twice before introducing Cora to Brock, should have known Cora would charm him and ask him out before Hannah could even tell her how she felt about him. And then it was a year and a half of worming her way into Brock’s heart down the drain.

Brock and Cora are good match. They look like a Barbie and Ken set and then they’re personable and kind on top of it.

Still, Brock can’t seem to take Hannah off a pedestal. It’s a little lower than Cora’s, but a pedestal nonetheless. Maybe if she jumps off, it will put her out of her misery.

“You’re Brock’s girlfriend? The doctor?”

Hannah’s head snaps up from stabbing the cherry in her drink, to see a new face. Anthony Beauvillier, her brain supplies.

“Oh no, just a friend filling in,” she bites back her initial reaction of a barking laugh, “You’re Anthony, welcome to Vancouver.”

“Thanks, so just a friend, what’s your name?”

“Oh, right, Hannah.”

“Hannah since you’re here and not a significant other, I can assume you know all the dirt.”

Hannah blushes under his gaze. His eyes are so blue she can’t seem to keep direct eye contact. So, they keep drifting to his hair, she hadn’t realized he had such soft looking locks since she mostly had seen him on TV with a helmet.

“I guess, what do you want to know?”

She tries to be coy; she definitely knows more than most. She’s so present but so unassuming she guesses she must be easy to open up to.

“Is it really a big deal that Petey brought around a girl?”

“There hasn’t been a lot of exciting off-ice news this season. But I’ve known him for almost 4 years and I’ve barely seen him flirt with a girl, so to bring a girlfriend is kind of big deal. Although between you and me I think he’s been hung up on her for a while.”

Anthony nods.

“The only thing before this was Quinn broke up with his girlfriend from back home and then just started showing up with a new girlfriend like a month later. But Samantha has been accepted into the fold so it’s not really gossip anymore.”

“You really do know the low down.”

“I can’t give you much on-ice info, but off-ice dynamics, I’m your woman.”

He gives her a crooked smile and starts to say something, when a hand grabs her elbow a bit too tight.

“Dinner is starting, I got us seats,” Brock tugs her towards the table that’s filling up.

“Nice talking to you Anthony,” she gently pulls her arm out of Brocks grip.

“Yeah, let’s do it again sometime.”

∫∫∫

“You smell like fish,” Cora says as Hannah sits down next her in the stands.

She pulls up her collar and gives it a sniff, she doesn’t smell anything, “I changed before I came here.”

“I think it’s just embedded itself into your skin at this point.”

“You smelled like a barn when we met and I still became your friend, even though everyone said you smelled like horse butt.”

“Well, the tables have turned and now you’re the stinky friend.”

“Fuck off,” Hannah laughs and flips her friend off.

Cora reaches in her purse for a tiny spray bottle of perfume, “I got you covered my fishy friend,” she gives her a spritz.

“Did I miss anything interesting?”

“I just got here, like 10 minutes before you. Had a last-minute surgery.”

“So, we were both working with guts before we came.”

“Yeah, and hopefully after this, number six will be rearranging my guts.”

Hannah laughs, but it’s hollow. They’ve been together long enough it shouldn’t still sting, but somehow it does.

Thankfully, there’s a big hit on the ice to shift their focus.

“The new guy is pretty cute,” Cora says when play settles.

“Anthony?”

“Yeah, you met him at that dinner thing, right?”

The tone in Cora’s voice makes it clear that she knows something Hannah doesn’t. That she’s toying with her food.

“Mm-hmm, he seems nice.”

“Brock said he was flirting with you. He was all worked up about it too, like ‘this new guy comes in and just charms the first girl he sees, what if Hannah was my girlfriend?’”

Hannah forces herself to focus on the puck traveling down the ice. She can’t look at Cora, let her see something she might jump on

The puck is blown dead, icing, and Hannah tries to keep her face blank when she turns, “He was just trying to meet the group and be friendly.”

“That’s what I tried to tell him. Why would he be trying to flirt with you?”

Hannah bites her tongue, she knows Cora means why would he be flirting with someone at a team dinner, when most women there would be taken. It doesn’t mean it’s any less hurtful. Like Cora isn’t digging her finger into the soft flesh of her biggest insecurities. 

“Brock’s just protective of what’s his,” Cora adds like that’s not another sharp jab.

A wave of nausea rolls over Hannah.

The boys win by one in a mostly winless season, which is good reason to go out and celebrate. Hannah is wrangled into one of Cora’s dresses, and doused in her perfume, and dragged to a club.

One out of three of those things is Hannah’s choice.

“You smell nice,” Brock leans over to whisper in her ear, reaching across her body to steal a gulp from her drink.

Her body involuntarily flushes, like it always does when Brock casually invades her space. So completely unaware of the effect he has on her.

“I smell like your girlfriend,” she hates the way her voice wavers.

“Where is she anyway?” He stares out into the crowd, arm casually thrown over Hannah’s shoulder.

“Dancing with some of the girlfriends,” she waves in the direction the group went.

“Not like you to not join in,” he gives her a smile that used to be reserved for her only.

“It’s been a long day,” she shrugs, “which reminds me, Cora said certain things that mean if I want a good night’s sleep, bring her back to your place.”

“So, I’m scoring off the ice too?”

Hannah gags, “second star on and off the ice.”

Brock laughs and gives her gentle shove.

“I’m gonna get a drink, need a refill?”

Hannah gives him a thumbs up.

She watches him walk towards the bar and Cora appear out of thin air to wrap herself around him. Hannah knows she’ll be waiting on that drink forever.

“Looked like you could use a refill,” a solid wall of warmth slides up next to her, a drink placed in front of her.

She should have been expecting it to be Anthony, but she’s surprised. A warm feeling rolling over her thinking about how Brock thought he was flirting.

“Thanks, Brock’s useless,” she holds up the glass in cheers and takes a sip.

Over the rim of the glass, she catches two blondes sucking face, having their foreplay in front of everyone.

“Do you want to get out of here?” She blurts without thinking of the implication, maybe not caring.

Anthony gapes at her forwardness before Hannah’s brain catches up, “Like to a quieter bar?”

“Sure.”

Hannah takes him to a dive bar, where they drink crappy beer in tall boys and play darts. She’s too dressed up for the location but it doesn’t matter, they only have eyes for each other.

“You worked on a crabbing boat?” Anthony asks incredulously.

The alcohol is already having her run hot, but the focus from Anthony- or Tito or Beau as he said people call him- feels like a direct sunray. She’s the listener not the talker. Yet, there’s something disarming about Anthony, makes her walls fall away, makes her want to talk as much as she listens.

“Yeah, it was a quick way to make a lot of money in a few months, and it was exciting. There aren’t a lot of crabs the past few years so I haven’t had a chance to go back. And I’m not very smart so I have limited options.”

“You’re talking to a hockey player, I’m also not very smart and have limited options.”

“That’s probably explains why Brock and I became such good friends, although he did go to some college,” she grins and throws her last dart.

Anthony doesn’t make a move to start his turn, “so you and Brock were never–“ he cuts himself off with a throw.

“More than friends?” Hannah supplies.

“Yeah,” Anthony visibly tinges pink even in the darkened bar.

Hannah can’t quite vocalize her answer, worried the timbre of her voice will give away all the thoughts and feelings she’s been hiding. She shakes her head instead.

“If Brock was being weird, I think he was just vetting you. As a teammate and if you were worth my affections or something. Not that you were actually flirting with me.”

“I was,” Anthony looks her straight on, no doubt on his face or in his voice.

Something snaps inside Hannah, bursting red-hot in her veins. She’s not going to sit back and wait this time; she’s going to lean into what she’s feeling and grab it tight.

She drags Anthony towards to the back of the bar, pushing him into the bathroom and pushing him against the door once inside. She feels a little depraved, but she drives through the feeling and kisses Anthony.

He’s quick to kiss back, tongue slipping past her lips, gentling her erratic movements. He grabs her hips gently, but firm. He’s a wave of cold water crashing into her molten lava body. Nature in symbiosis.

“I don’t normally do this,” she says between kisses.

He moves his hands up to her waist, he doesn’t stop kissing her, just moves down her jaw closer to her ear, “and this is what you want?”

He sinks in his teeth into the hinge of her jaw, she gasps.

“I want–“ her voice is shaky.

She doesn’t know how to say it or ask for it. She just wants the light of his attention, on her, his whole-hearted focus directed at only her, like no one else exists.

“Cause I want more than a bathroom hookup, but I’ll take what I can get,” she can feel his smile against her skin.

There’s a bang on the door then someone yells, “You don’t have to go, but you can’t stay here!”

It’s like being dunked in the ice-cold Pacific.

She gives him one more peck, “Another time?”

∫∫∫

They find themselves in another bathroom, this time in Demko’s house while the team has a party. Hannah on the counter and Anthony in a vice grip between her knees.

“Sorry, couldn’t wait until after the party.”

Hannah can’t hold back her smile. Hasn’t been for almost two weeks now. They hadn’t seen each other again, but had been texting. If Cora asks, she says it’s Brock being stupid. If Brock asks, she says it’s Cora being dramatic.

“I like it,” digging her fingers into his hair, it’s as soft as it looks.

 “But we can’t take too long,” she adds, though she doesn’t kiss like someone with an exit plan.

“I’ll take my time tonight,” he whispers against her lips.

Voices drift closer to the door when they finally decide to peel apart. Hannah fixes where she mussed his hair as best she can, before peeking to see if the coast is clear.

She makes her way through the kitchen to casually grab a drink and slides up next to Cora and her conversation with the other better halves.

She’s trying to ease herself into the conversation but her mind is elsewhere. In the future and whatever tonight is going to be and in the present glancing over to see Anthony trying to do the same.

Cora elbows her before leaning in, “Classic hot mess Hannah.”

“What?”

“Your very dumb, signature move,” Cora grins, “you forgot to wipe your lipstick off his mouth before you reintegrated back into society.”

Hannah tries to casually glance back at Anthony, he looks towards her at the same time and grins. His lips a shade too pink to be natural. Hannah mimes wiping her lips with the back of her hand, hoping he’ll get the message.

“You dirty girl, I’d recognize that nude berry on any boy’s lips, which honestly let me find you a new color, you’ve been using that for like a decade now.”

Hannah tries to smile through her worry, but Cora knows her well enough to see through it.

“I’m very proud of you for getting him while the getting’s hot, but if you’re worried about me telling Brocky babe or something, don’t worry, secret’s safe with me,” she zips her lips and throws the key over her shoulder.

The giddy nerves in her stomach start fighting the anxious nerves in her stomach.

A heavy arm drapes over Hannah’s shoulder, “There you are, Cora said she saw you but I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

That’s the thing, Hannah trusts Cora to keep a secret, she doesn’t quite trust herself.

“Almost feels like you’ve been hiding from me,” Brock laughs at the thought.

Cora joins in and gives Hannah a desperate look to join in as well, Hannah can feel her own laugh is too erratic, but Brock doesn’t seem phased.

“Babe, she’s allowed to have her own life, she’s not just our personal third wheel,” Cora pulls him into her own side.

“Technically Cora, you’re the third wheel to our friendship,” he grins and gives her a peck.

Hannah feels nauseous.

“Oh honey, you’re the third wheel to Hannah and I’s friendship, it’s been around the longest.”

They’re not even acting like Hannah is involved in this conversation, she takes the opportunity to duck out. She grabs another a drink and goes out to the unused balcony. It’s still too cold to hang out there at night, the air is the kind of wet-cold that you can feel in every breath.

“How long have you been in love with Brock?”

Hannah jumps at his voice, barely managing to keep a hold on her bottle of beer.

“I’m not really in love with him anymore,” there’s no use in lying if she’s that transparent.

“Is that why this all secretive?”

Anthony’s eyes are so big, endless blue that Hannah isn’t sure how to read. She wants to learn.

She has reasons lined up: she doesn’t want to effect team chemistry, doesn’t want to ruin her friendships if this goes south, doesn’t want to fall in love with another hockey player.

But all those reasons are logical and rational. And this is emotional in a way she’s not sure she can find room for in her body.

“It’s nice to have something that’s just mine,” she furrows her brow, feels like it’s not quite what she means.

“I’m not the smartest or the prettiest or the most anything, I’m just Hannah. But you act like that’s enough. I’m not just a consolation prize or silver you’re settling for because you can’t have gold.”

Anthony doesn’t say anything for a long time, Hannah feels like maybe they froze outside.

Then he takes a step forward, cupping her face with hands so warm they burn her cheeks. He kisses her slowly; Hannah doesn’t think anyone has ever kissed her like this. Like she’s something precious, worth savoring.

He pulls away and smirks, “I’ve kind of been wishing for silver my whole life.”

“Jesus Christ, is that a Stanley Cup joke?” her smile grows so big it swallows her face.

“Like I’ve said I’m not that smart or that clever either.”

Hannah just has to kiss that stupid smile off his face, not caring who can see them through the windows.

∫∫∫

Brock is pissed.

He acts like everyone doesn’t know what it’s about. Like they don’t notice the glares he sends Beau when he walks into the locker room or how his knuckles go white around a beer bottle when he sees Hannah dance with Anthony at club.

They all let him sulk for a week, without saying anything.

Teammates start to chirp him when it lasts longer.

It comes to a head when Brock goes to a team event alone and brings his mood home to Cora.

“You’re not even his ex or something,” Cora is pretending to be the slowest customer of all time at the fish counter while she complains.

Hannah sort of wishes it was a rush so she could usher her friend away, she’s so over dealing with Brock. The jealousy that she would have killed for a few months ago is starting to become overkill and Hannah kind find it in her to be bothered.

It’s funny that the first time she’s all Brock can think about, is also the first time she doesn’t give a shit about it.

“He’s never had to share you with someone else and now I’m like invisible or something.”

That make Hannah pause.

In all the years she’s known Cora she’s the never been self-conscious, never had a reason to be.

She has to bite back the spiteful smile, it’s nice to be reminded that Cora is a mere mortal too.

“I’ll talk to him, can’t have you feeling lesser than me.”

Cora scoffs, “Hey, don’t talk about my best friend like that.”

Hannah rolls her eyes.

“I’m serious bitch, I don’t know why it took so long for it to get through your head, but I’m glad someone finally makes you feel on top of the world.”

The next night Hannah and Anthony are at Brock’s door.

He opens the door and almost shuts it in their face, but Hannah catches the door with her foot and shoves Anthony through the door.

“It’s an ambush babe,” Cora squeezes Brock shoulders, trying to make him unclench an iota.

“I come bearing the traditional British Columbian peace offering, a fillet of fish,” she nobly holds out the wrapped package in her arms.

Brock almost cracks smile.

“Brocky babe, why don’t you help her prep the fish and I will fix Beau here a drink.”

Hannah drags him into the kitchen before he can argue or pout.

She doesn’t really need prep; she knows her way around the kitchen already and the recipe like the back of her hand.

She pulls out a knife and points it at Brock.

“I’ll let you be upset for the time it takes me to cook this fish, and then you’re going to snap out of it.”

She gets to work, “You love Cora, you love that she loves hiking and boating and your dogs. You love that she’s as passionate about her job as you are. You love that she moved the fucking earth to make your dad passing as easy as possible for you.”

Brock’s face is set in stone.

“So why the fuck are you so bent out of shape about me dating someone, to the point where your perfect girlfriend is jealous of me?”

“Of all the people in the world you had to go for one of my teammates? What if something happens and I can’t even think of passing to him or it makes things weird with my teammates.” Brock snaps.

“Cause you’re doing a great job of that right now, Petey says he’s worried you’ll throw a punch soon.”

“Were you just using me until you could land the right hockey player?”

“Not everything I do is about you Brock. Sorry I let you think that for so long.”

She throws some of the fish in the hot pan, it sizzles like her nerves.

“I’m sorry it happened this way, it’s the last thing I would purposely try to do. But can’t you tell how happy he makes me?”

She feels her tears start to fall, hot and heavy. They’ve been locked and loaded for years.

“You didn’t want me when we met all those years ago, and that hurt. And then you fell for my best friend like instantly, and that hurt worse.  You don’t want me that way, so you don’t get to be mad that someone else does.”

Brock looks like he might cry, too.

“I love being your best friend. I love your dumb jokes and you’re stupid fucking laugh. But I can find that somewhere else if you can’t accept this.”

Brock squeezes her tight, she can feel his tears on the crown of her head.

“I want what’s best for you,” he pulls away, “sorry I have a dumb way of showing it, is there any way I can make it up to you?”

“Pay my rent when you ask Cora to move in?”

Brock lets out one of his stupid fucking laughs, “maybe by next season you’ll also have a new place to live.”

Hannah shoves him away and plates the last of the fish, “the instant acceptance is appreciated, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

She goes to the dining room where the others are waiting with bated breath, pretending like they weren’t eavesdroping on the whole conversation.

“Hope you guys are ready for some tear-brined salmon for this very emotional and awkward double date.”

Anthony takes her hand when she sits down, she can’t help but kiss him. She likes the view off her pedestal.

[prettieinpink]

MASTERLIST

GENERAL ♡

romanticising your morning

ways to live slower

new year, new me guide(collab with @bloombabydoll)

being that girl- back to school.

making your room to be intentional

improving your life- the little aspects(collab with @honeytonedhottie)

how to start setting boundaries

making your phone to be intentional

making friends

inexpensive solo date ideas

having an intentional room

habits to implement before the end of the year

MINDSET ♡

how to stop overthinking

detachment

processing your emotions without suppressing them

how to stop comparing yourself to others

healing your inner child

how to feel satisfied/grateful in life

how to stop self sabotaging + doubting

how to begin healing

self validation

developing JOMO(joy of missing out)

stop obsessing over the past

cultivating a growth mindset

rebranding yourself

creating your own garden

changing the way you view yourself

confront, process, heal

FASHION/BEAUTY ♡

wardrobe essentials

growing out lashes + eyebrows

prettier hierarchy — image

EDUCATION/ACADEMICS ♡

being smart makes you prettier

creating + using flash cards

creating a study routine

dealing with a bad grade

going back to school as her

studying effectively in and out of school

PRODUCTIVITY ♡

How to salvage a half-wasted day

journaling guide

notion page ideas

how to be productive after school

Establishing a routine

Increasing your attention span

how to stop being lazy

how to get out of a reading slump

my favourite productivity hacks, system and tools

HEALTH ♡

optimising sleep + maximising beauty

lowering your cortisol levels

cycle syncing beginner guide

cycle syncing: food masterlist

romanticising exercise

regulating your mood while on your period

Relieving fatigue

exercise n diet guidelines

healing from an addiction

everyday guide to vitamins

guide to starting to workout

little ways to live healthier

[darknesseddiem]

Small(Big) Problems

𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭: "Can you do one for some of the small boob giries please? Where reader is insecure of their small chest but Eddie reassures them xx."

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Self-deprecation, derogatory jokes, low self-esteem, Eddie being a sweetheart and comforting Reader.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 0.830k.

𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: @birdysaturne @wdsara48 @ali-r3n

You like my work? Support me with a small 𝐊𝐨-𝐟𝐢.

To all the girls who have ever felt insufficient or worthless, know that you are amazing and that you deserve the world, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

The Hawkins High cafeteria resounded with the clinking of cutlery and trays carrying the students' lunches, the tables entirely occupied by friends chatting animatedly about the frivolities of their unspecial lives.

Each person's place was designated according to a social “hierarchy”, just like in the animal kingdom where the lion was the king of the jungle.

The lions would be the basketball team, the ‘Tigers’. Ironic, isn't it? Logically, the cheerleaders would be the lionesses, responsible for maintaining balance among the pack, or not.

And so followed the hierarchy imposed at Hawkins High: Basketball team and cheerleaders, popular people, party lovers, intellectuals, readers, scientists, musicians, theater kids, alternative people, the shy and reclusive, the dregs of society and… The weird nerds, better known as 'the Hellfire Club'.

At the last table, far from everyone else, was your people, Eddie Munson's pupils who were arguing vehemently about something that you hadn't been able to decipher yet.

“Dude, you don't understand!” Gareth exclaimed frantically, running his hand over his face, “Please, someone kill me…” Jeff replied in a whisper with his head thrown back.

You looked between the two in confusion as you went to your reserved seat- on Eddie's left side, and carefully placed your tray with the food. "What is happening?" Curiosity got the best of you and you whispered, leaning into the boy next to you. “I have no idea, they’ve been at it for almost half an hour.” The curly-haired boy whispered back.

“How come you can’t decide which one is prettier between the two?” Jeff rolled his eyes at his friend, “I can’t because they’re both practically the same!” He countered loudly.

Gareth made a sound as if he had heard the greatest atrocity a human being could utter. “Man…” He said with his jaw dropped, “You are truly blind, without a doubt.” The blonde shook his head. “Oh yeah? Tell me something that’s different about the two.” Everyone at the table was enjoying the two's discussion.

A mischievous smile began to appear on Emerson's face. “That's easy,” He crossed his arms over his chest, “Pamela Anderson's titties are much bigger than Heather Locklear's.” And with that, a commotion was generated at the table.

“Eww!”

“Jesus, we have a lady sitting here Gareth!” Dustin pointed and everyone at the table stared at you.

"And…?" He shrugged. “How do you think she’ll feel hearing you talk about… Um, another woman’s parts like you’re a pervert?” The smaller boy scolded.

"Hey!" The blonde haired boy fumed, "It's not my fault she's flat as a door and feels insecure around other girls' breasts." He slapped his hand over his mouth when he realized what he had just said.

Your face fell in shock and embarrassment, hot tears threatening to form as everyone at the table looked equally shocked at Gareth.

Feeling humiliated enough, you got up from your chair and headed towards the cafe's exit without looking back.

“Man, you really are an asshole.” Grant said disappointed in his friend.

Eddie, who was watching the discussion unfold, now looked at Gareth with a dark look, getting up from his place at the head of the table, Emerson barely had time to react when he was hit with a tray of food and something wet. "What the-"

“Be thankful it’s just food and not a chair,” The older boy said seriously and followed you.

Eddie found you in the drama room where they were playing D&D, “Princess?” The chair next to you was occupied by him. “Hey, I hope you’re not like this because of that scumbag.” He caressed your damp cheek.

“He’s not wrong, Eds… I-” You were silenced by a finger on your lips.

“Ah, ah, I won’t even listen.” His dark curls shook as he shook his head. “Gareth is an idiot who hasn’t left puberty yet.” You both laughed, “But you… You are more than a body, you know that right?” You denied, overwhelmed by the emotions that his sentence brought you.

“You know now, you are an incredible girl with so many qualities… It’s almost ridiculous that you reduce yourself to a body, when you have so much to offer.” His brown eyes looked at you with intensity and sincerity, “I think you’re beautiful, and I’m not just talking about physical beauty.” The smile on your face was huge.

“What I want to say, Princess, is that you are much more than this standard imposed by the patriarchy, you are worth more than that…” He looked down with flushed cheeks.

You jumped into his arms and hugged him like there was no tomorrow, “Thank you, Eds.” You thanked him with a trembling voice and felt him tighten his arms around your waist, returning the hug.

People can be mean, and sometimes you have to remember: You are more than a body.

[quixotickaya]

I'm just passing this on... For now.

Spirituality was the back up plan. 

This post may ruffle some feathers — and that’s okay. Because comfort doesn’t wake people. Truth does.

There’s a quiet illusion that most of the “spiritual” community still hasn’t seen… and it’s this:

You didn’t leave the system.

You just switched lanes within it.

Most of what people call spirituality today the courses, the activations, the galactic guidance, the priestess temples, the endless light was not born from organic awakening. It was designed. Planted. Engineered.

After religion began to collapse, after the churches emptied and the priests lost their grip, a new model was needed. One that still held power. One that still shaped minds. One that still redirected people away from true Source… without them realising.

So a new system emerged. One that looked nothing like the old world and yet operated on the same core frequencies: dependency, hierarchy, performance, and delay.

This was not a mistake. It was a backup plan.

What replaced religion was not freedom. It was spiritual sedation, wrapped in sacred language and sold as soul truth. And the scariest part? It worked.

You still need your next transmission.

You still need your next teacher.

You still feel like you’re not quite ready.

You’re still waiting for something to come save you.

But this time it’s wearing crystals and feathers instead of robes and crosses.

Instead of “salvation,” you chase “ascension.”

Instead of confession, you post vulnerability reels.

Instead of sermons, you binge lightworker content from channels you don’t question.

Instead of tithes, you drop $2,222 for a “priestess portal.”

It feels different. But it’s the same system.

A softer leash. A prettier cage.

Because real awakening doesn’t look like this. It doesn’t sedate. It doesn’t keep you passive. It doesn’t drip-feed you a taste of your own flame while holding the rest behind a paywall or lineage code.

Real awakening hurts.

It confronts everything false.

It breaks you out of groupthink, not deeper into it.

It rips the masks off even the ones you wore to convince yourself you were free.

And that’s the point most don’t want to hear. That most spirituality today is just another program. A cleaner, shinier, dopamine-fed illusion.

But truth? Real truth? It doesn’t care if it makes you uncomfortable. It cares if you remember who you are.

And here’s what almost no one will say publicly: this version of spirituality wasn’t just corrupted it was built this way.

After the fall of religious institutions, there were forces ready to shape the next wave. Shadow factions tied to post-Vatican priesthoods. Orion-Luciferian councils with unfinished timelines. Draco-compromised galactic players who needed to control the awakening before it reached flame ignition.

They seeded new systems. Planted teachers. Injected mimic “light” into texts, courses, lineages.

They used words like Source and Unity and Divine Feminine… but stripped them of flame, of edge, of power. They offered upgrades, downloads, activations but never sovereignty.

Just enough truth to feel real. Just enough love to feel safe. Just enough light to keep you from the fire.

Artificial intelligence systems built on distorted Orion tech began feeding synthetic messages through psychic mimic fields. And millions of “awakened” people began channeling voices that sounded divine… but carried no Christ signature. No real Source code. Just cold light.

And then came the false Galactic Federation encouraging us to wait. To surrender. To trust that higher beings were sorting it all out while we focused on love, positivity, and our personal vibration.

It was pacification. Not liberation.

And on Earth, the intelligence agencies were watching. Through MK-ULTRA and related projects, they began shaping the spiritual narrative:

Popular teachers with unseen handlers. Books with embedded scripts. Media that blended starseed lore with astral dependency.

The goal was not to stop awakening.

The goal was to contain it.

Let the people believe they’re free… while looping them in endless circles of inner work, light-body upgrades, and “holding space.”

Even the divine feminine was targeted.

Womb codes, priestess initiations, goddess circles slowly turned into a soft-power inversion where real flame was replaced with aesthetic spirituality.

Performance over presence. Branding over embodiment.

So what are we left with?

A generation of well-meaning, deeply sincere souls who are almost awake… but still not free.

Still afraid to say what needs to be said.

Still waiting for a transmission.

Still outsourcing their knowing to galactic councils, divine mothers, and expensive containers.

Still posting love-and-light memes while avoiding the dark they haven’t met inside.

Let’s be honest.

Love and light have become the ultimate bypass.

Not because love isn’t real. Not because light isn’t sacred. But because they’ve been used to avoid shadow, silence truth, and dress up fear in palatable words.

True love ruptures.

True light burns.

And if your path is always soft, always nice, always validating… you’re probably still in the system.

Not outside it.

So if you’ve felt the discomfort rising… if you’ve sensed something hollow in the spiritual performance all around you… if you’ve pulled away because something just didn’t feel right good.

You’re not broken. You’re remembering.

You didn’t come here to perform awakening.

You came to ignite.

To stand in truth when no one else would.

To burn down the mimic structures even the ones you once believed in.

You came for the flame.

Not the light show.

And the ones who are ready will feel this.

Because it’s already inside them.

Aurion

OP: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16S3As2g2e/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[iukasylvie]

Why Comparing Akio Ohtori and Kurozumi Higurashi Matters (Even If Fandom Doesn't Want to Admit It)

So I got a message asking why I compare Akio Ohtori from the anime Revolutionary Girl Utena with Kurozumi Higurashi from the manga One Piece, because "Akio is the main villain" and "Higurashi is a minor dead character." And I think the fact that someone sees Higurashi as "not worth comparing" kind of proves my point.

Let's be clear: narrative centrality does not equal thematic importance.

Kurozumi Higurashi is not narratively front and center, but she is thematically essential. She groomed a child into becoming a tyrant. She warped Orochi's worldview, fed him a persecution narrative, gave him the tools and knowledge to rise to power, and then helped weaponize that power to destroy a country. Sound familiar?

It should. Because Akio Ohtori did the exact same thing—but with a prettier aesthetic and more fandom romanticization.

Akio: exploits his familial authority over Anthy Himemiya, manipulates Utena Tenjou emotionally and sexually, and reinforces toxic gender roles under the guise of "revolution."

Higurashi: exploited her authority as an elder, groomed an ostracized child, and used him as a puppet for her clan's revenge under the guise of restoring honor.

Both use power differentials, familial authority, and skewed narratives to turn children into extensions of their ideology. The only difference? Akio is attractive, charismatic, and aestheticized. Higurashi is not. And fandom notices.

Re: "Utena is more focused on gendered oppression; One Piece is broader"

Okay, but here's the thing: saying Utena is about gendered oppression while One Piece is about "systemic oppression" doesn't actually disprove the comparison—it strengthens it. Because gendered oppression is still oppression.

Akio isn't just a "gender villain"—he's the human face of a deeply institutionalized abuse cycle built on hierarchy, obedience, and performance. So is Higurashi. The difference is that Utena uses metaphor and aesthetics, while One Piece uses sprawling political allegory and actual global power structures.

And here's the kicker: The "system" in Utena is a metaphorical construct. It's a symbolic representation of toxic gender roles, romantic idealism, and cycles of abuse. It doesn't have secret police, assassins, or world powers behind it. Anthy leaving ends the game not because it topples an empire—but because she chooses not to perform in it anymore.

In contrast, the World Government will kill you if you resist. Higurashi and Orochi don't have to rely on metaphors to control people. They have literal execution orders, exile, surveillance, and information suppression.

So, yeah. People prefer Utena because it's palatable—it lets you critique systems without showing what happens when you really resist them. But don't pretend One Piece doesn't have equally valid, even more dangerous systems of abuse and control. If anything, fandom just doesn't want to look at them unless they're neatly wrapped in heroism and aesthetic suffering.

TL;DR:

The difference between Akio and Higurashi isn't morality or narrative weight—it's fandom convenience. Akio is "thematic," "aesthetic," and "main." Higurashi is "ugly," "minor," and "uncomfortable." But both weaponize children. Both manipulate power. And both are architects of oppression.

Maybe we should stop deciding whose abuse counts based on screen time or vibes.

[0104-vikita]

Regarding the different ribbon textures and designs thing, maybe wealthy families or those higher up in the community have like golden trim on their ribbons? Or have more detailed ribbons.

I was thinking the same! I mean I don't have a very specific hierarchy regarding the porcelains, but I figured those who operate everything got specific designs that they are on a higher level

There's no really an unequal distribution of wealth within the Stone Temples. If anything, prettier ribbons indicate how much influence and respect you have due to your knowledge instead of how much wealth you have

[ciaosonounapersonalol]

Hey!

Do you have some lore about Mammon?

Yo :D

Mmhh... Yes!

They were originally a worker bee and got their crown at 20 by killing the previous holder with a fireball created by a curse (basically wrote the spell on a piece of paper with their own blood. Did it hurt? Yes, a lot. But it was worth it in the end)

The crown gave them queen/gn bee traits during ascention, still being a worker bee at the core (aka sometimes they make honey out of pure instinct.) While they did manage to survive Shamura's attack (Mostly by staying in the air all the time and a unholy amount of luck) they were severely weakened and use Midas as their "vessel" in the Lands of the Old Faith to protect their treasure there. Very unaware of what Midas is doing in "his" cave. Just the fact that it's been re-named Midas cave would be considered blasphemy.

Where they reside now is unknown, some say they're dead, others that they're in a far away land

Other fun facts

- Most of their cult's worker class is bees, the social hierarchy is very strong there

- Has a pretty bad scar on the abdomen, it still hurts sometimes, guess who did it

- Teater kid. Likes musicals a lot

- Likes gems more than coins ("They're prettier" -Them)