#they need to do that to make money to survive but they shouldn't have to ughghg

[dollsandmasks]

You know that moment where you have a crumb of free time and you could be writing, you could be finishing that fic, you could be catching up with your friends, you could take out your sketchbook and draw the most self-indulgent things, you could at least be reading or watching something interesting, but you happen to have a minor task that you don't want to do, your body is slightly uncomfortable from typical body things and your work has been a bit stressful today, so now you are in a restless scrolling more and opening the same three social media apps hoping that something will give you that hit and send your brain in motion and make you either work on tasks or do something fun.

Why am I procrastinating making a single phone call, and then doing fun things forever.

[mothmans-legs]

Ohmy fuck I feel so bad I walked past this construction guy on the way home and he actually seemed rlly nice and he said hi very cheerfully but since all the construction nearby my house started (the whole area is basically a swamp, there were like little ponds and streams with frogs in 'm and everything) that whole areas been bulldozed I didn't process the vibes fast enough and I had the Wrong expression on my face (annoyed) and I feel rlly bad, like he doesn't have a choice in this matter really like we're all stuck in an eternal loop of capitalist hell and the jobs pay well enough here that people do them a lot and ugh I really hope that didn't make him feel bad if I see him again I think I'll apologize augh

[teaboot]

Yo, no hate, I totally get the confusion!

From the perspective of someone who isn't in the arts, this would seem pretty dumb, yeah? Offering someone money for work they already did, on a picture I already have access to, thay I could just ask someone to do on me for free, right?

Well, there are a few reasons:

As an artist myself, I know how hard it is to make a career out of art. Nobody wants to hire you, those who DO don't want to pay you, and it's so, so easy to have your ideas ripped off or stolen. I believe that by giving money to artists I appreciate, I can help them continue to exist and continue creating more.

I'm benefiting from their work. I love their art, and I want it on my body, and they put work into creating it, so shouldn't I compensate them? It'd be kind of unfair for them to put blood sweat and tears into a piece on for me to walk in and go, "mine now", right? If I hired the tattoo artist to design something for me, it would cost money. So why is it fair to rob the tattoo artist AND the original artist so I can save a buck? I've just cheated two different professionals.

By asking the original artist if it's okay to get their work, and if they'd like to charge for it, I'm giving them control over their own creations. Maybe it's a personal piece. Maybe it was a commission for someone else who doesn't want matching tattoos with an internet stranger. I'm letting them choose to say what happens to the art that they've made, and in an era of the internet and pinterest and AI theft, that's not something we all get to have anymore.

TL/DR: Asking permission and offering payment is a gesture of appreciation and respect that grants an artist the dignity and bargaining power they need to survive in an increasingly hostile environment.

Or,

Failing to adequately compensate individual artists and craftsmen for their labour has directly to the death of art and craft at large.

[dumbbitchgalore]

The Manipulation of John Price

John is a very manipulative bastard and over time his job has made it worse.

It's subtle, almost unnoticeable. How he's able to twist his and your own words to better suit his narrative. He's sweet, cunning and downright dirty to his words.

"Petal, you shouldn't have to worry your pretty head about that. Sit back and I'll do it for you."

John slowly takes your autonomy away, telling you to take a step back and let him handle everything you for, telling you that he knows what's best and that there is no reason to fret over anything.

He'll do it in a way where he'll tie it into your own best interest, expressing that what he does is for your benefit, how it'll alleivate unnecessary stress and tension.

He’ll hold your hand while kissing the top of your head as he breathes in your scent. He’ll slowly make you quit your job, saying that he makes more than enough as an SAS captain for you to be working. You shouldn’t have to deal with shitty coworkers and arsehole bosses when he you can survive on his income alone without any changes to your current lifestyle. His money is your money, you don’t need to earn anything when he’s willing to get you everything your heart desires. All you have to do is sit home and look pretty for him.

Now is that his earnest justification? No.

He’s real reason is for keeping you home is because John is a traditionalist at heart. Of course he’ll respect his women colleagues, treating them like equal and listening to their commands. But that’s the thing, they’re his colleagues, friends but they’re not his. But you are, you belong to him and he’ll mould you to be his pretty little thing.

So, going back to the question of why he wants you to quit working. Simple, a lack of autonomy in terms of finance, you’ll be tied to him, increasingly dependent on him and his income. It’s easier to control you that way, to shape you in what he wants you to be

But once again, he is good with words. His true intentions will never be clear. But once you do realise- if you ever do, you’ll be shackled to his commands and fluttery words. An impossible prison of ‘love’ and dependence.

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

don't leave. l Frankie “Catfish” Morales

Summary:  it wasn't a nice conversation for you

Warnings:  angst, swearing, maybe a little bit of hope at the ending, pregnancy

A/N: it's nothing big. rather without much of a plot. please be gentle with me. your feedback is very important to me and I thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. 🖤 sorry for all the mistakes

and i would like to thank you for the few kind words i have received recently. it scared me but was very nice. thank you!

The car had barely stopped in the driveway and you had already opened the door and got out.

"Shit." he muttered under his breath and turned off the engine.

He should have known that this conversation wouldn't be one of those pleasant ones, but he was counting on something different. Either way, you were furious, and now he had to somehow survive it all.

He hadn't even gotten out of the car, and you were already pulling the groceries out of the trunk and without even waiting for him, you headed towards the house.

"Wait! You shouldn't have!" he called after you, but you still didn't listen to him.

Maneuvering with the bags, you somehow managed to open the door and get inside before Frankie reached you. You were pissed.

He took a deep breath, took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair. Moments like this were the worst, and he didn't know what he should do or say to fix it. The urge to have a drink was huge, but also to get in the car and drive away.

Step by step he dragged himself home. To you.

The noises from the kitchen indicated that you were in a wild frenzy of putting away the groceries and that's where Frankie went. He placed his hands on the counter and watched you. More cabinet doors slammed and you almost crushed the eggs throwing them into the fridge.

"Sweetie..." he began uncertainly "Talk to me, please. We can't just leave it like this."

"Oh, suddenly you want to talk." You snorted without even looking at him. "That's funny because, you know what, I feel like you've already told me everything. I have nothing to add."

"This is a big chance for us. We need this money."

A can of tomatoes fell loudly to the floor and rolled. Frankie quickly picked it up and tried to hand it to you, but you completely ignored him.

"We're fine, Frankie." you replied, your voice shaking so much that you could barely control it "You'll get your license back soon, you'll be able to go back to what you love. I don't understand why you have to go there with them!"

"Pope asked me, I told you."

He finally had your attention. Your pupils dilated in an instant, and your jaw clenched.

"Pope asked you." you repeated "But when I ask you not to go, somehow it doesn't matter. Maybe you should bond with him, huh?"

Frankie sighed "You just don't like him. But he's my friend."

"And what the fuck am I?! Did you tell him?" you noticed Frankie looked away "Did you tell him, Frankie?"

Brown eyes landed on your slightly rounded belly. How could he ignore something so important to you both? But it was for this little one that he wanted to do it. And for you. For both of you.

He nodded "I did."

"And despite everything, he wants you to go there with him?" you hissed, your fingers tightening on the kitchen counter "Beloved tio Santiago. We should make him a godfather."

Before Frankie could say anything you turned around and headed towards the stairs, you wanted to be in the bedroom. You wanted to take off these clothes, take a shower and lie down in bed. Forget about all of this and how lost you were feeling.

You had been together for a few years now. You loved Frankie madly and you were sure he felt the same. All your ups and downs, you had overcome it all together. It all seemed so beautiful to you, and when you found out about the pregnancy...

Okay, this baby wasn't planned. You were taking antibiotics, and Frankie was so close, and you already felt really good and... The two lines on the test scared you at first, because it is normal, but in reality you had both been talking about it for a long time. You wanted to be a family.

But why did you want to just leave this house and never come back? You felt this would end badly, you just felt it.

You barely took off your shirt when you heard familiar footsteps on the stairs and after a moment Frankie stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. He cleared his throat to signal that he had arrived, because you were standing with your back to him, struggling with your undershirt.

"I'll be gone only for a few weeks." he said, approaching you, his hands grabbing your undershirt, helping you take it off. "The guys need me."

"Of course." you snorted. "I'm doing great without you."

He ignored it, it was the safest way. "You know perfectly well that they're like family to me. Shit! I'm sorry. I've just been through a lot with them."

You turned around and looked at him. Tears were shining in your eyes and your whole body was tense. When you spoke you sounded like a woman on the verge of hysteria.

"I'm not going to bid against them. I know my worth, Frankie." you spoke with difficulty, your throat painfully constricting "I just want to let you know, because maybe you haven't noticed, but I'm carrying your child. And this child needs a father, a living father. I just feel like what you want to do will be some kind of fucking mess. And I don't want you to be there."

He lowered his head, his hands resting on your hips, squeezing them tenderly. Waiting for his words was torture, but you already knew.

"You've made your decision, haven't you?" you said quietly "Sweet Jesus... Why the hell am I even asking?"

"I'm doing this for us."

"I'm not so sure about that."

You pulled away from him and disappeared into the bathroom. The squeak of the lock announced that the conversation was over.

The evening was hard. You didn't come down for dinner, you didn't really even stick your head out of the bedroom. His heart was breaking because he could clearly hear you crying.

The last thing he wanted was for you to cry because of him. And even if he understood your arguments and how angry you were at him, he still thought that he was doing all of this for you. 

He wanted to provide you with stability and security. He wanted you to give birth to your child and not have to worry about anything, focusing only on the little one. He wanted to give you both everything. But he still felt inadequate.

Even if you never let him feel it and always supported him, Frankie was afraid that he would eventually let you down and thus lose you. You were so smart and beautiful, you could have anyone, and you chose him. He wanted to deserve you.

You were deep in sleep when he slid into bed and snuggled up to your back. His large hand found the place where your child was growing, quietly and safely. It was a miracle, you were his miracle.

He barely slept that night, and at dawn he started packing. You heard him move around the bedroom, but you didn't give him any signal that you were awake. If you had just opened your eyelids, streams of tears would have flooded your cheeks again.

It was only when he went downstairs and you heard him throw his bag under the door that you knew he would leave soon and you might not see him again. You quietly got out of bed and went downstairs. You noticed his broad shoulders as he drank coffee in the kitchen, even then he had a cap on his head.

"Please don't go..." you whispered so quietly that you were surprised that he heard you, he quickly approached you taking your face in his hands "Please don't go. I have such a bad feeling... I don't want to lose you."

His soft eyes gazed at you softly "You won't lose me, baby. I promise you that. I'll be back in a heartbeat. Will you wait for me? Please..." 

Tears rolled down your cheeks again and Frankie hugged you tightly, kissing your cheeks, whispering soothing words. You couldn't listen to it though, it felt like someone was tearing your heart apart. He left the house a few minutes later and you were still crying.

He had been sitting in the car for a few hours now, afraid of what would happen when he finally saw you. You must have still been at work. It had taken a bit longer than he had promised, not everything had gone as he had planned, but he was still alive. And he was terrified.

He watched your house, waiting for your car to pull up in the driveway. You didn't show up until five. He was once again amazed by your beauty when he saw you get out. Your belly seemed bigger to him, and you glowed.

Frankie thought about how fucking lucky he was to have you by his side, and at the same time he felt how much he had fucked up. The lights in the living room turned on and he got out of his car, which was parked not far from the house.

He felt as if he was sneaking into his own home. Fear crept into his heart and he didn't want to leave. What if you didn't accept him? What if you never wanted to see him again?

He left the house leaving you in complete disarray, doing something you wanted to distract him from. And you were right!

Even if you closed the door in his face now, you would be right.

He stood on the doormat and hesitated for a moment, but finally knocked.

"I'm coming!"

Your voice from behind the door made his heart tremble. You were so close. Just a second more.

The door swung open and he saw your smiling face. But soon the smile disappeared and surprise appeared. Your eyes moved over his body and face restlessly as if you couldn't believe that Frankie was actually standing there. Alive.

"Hi." he greeted uncertainly, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets "I got back a few hours ago. I drove straight from the airport. Actually... Actually, I've been waiting in the car on the other side for a few hours." your lips parted slightly, and a small wrinkle appeared between your eyebrows, you were too surprised to say anything "You look amazing, you always did... I wasn't sure if I should come."

"Why?" was the only word that came out of your mouth, and so quietly that Frankie barely heard it.

"Because I fucked up." he replied, feeling that he was telling the truth. He had let you down. "You have the right to tell me to fuck off and leave you alone." I'm just begging you, don't do this. I only have you. Only you.

You were still standing there though. In one of his shirts, barefoot. Just the way he remembered you and loved you. You stared at him with shining eyes, and your heart was pounding in your chest.

"Will you come in?" you finally asked quietly.

Frankie's face broke out into the smile you loved so much. "I was afraid you'd never ask, babe."

☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.

[chaiisms]

BALDURS GATE 3 PARTY BANTER PROMPTS LIST.

all of the following prompts are taken from party banter between the companions in larian studios' baldurs gate 3 (2023). there should be no spoilers! also, a disproportionate amount of these are from astarion and karlach. i'm not sorry.

I am enjoying our walks together, aren't you, [ name ]?

You'll be as depraved as the rest of us in no time.

Friend of yours?

Were you always so sneaky?

If there's hope for me there's hope for anyone.

How are we not there yet? My feet are killing me.

This is what I get for trying to strike up conversation.

We're not going to have trouble, are we?

If we continue this way, we may get too close for comfort.

Don't get too comfortable. We shouldn't overstay our welcome in such a place.

Do you have pet names for each other yet?

[ name ]! Was that a joke?

You know what - that is not the easiest of questions for me to answer.

Given your own nature, are you really the one to judge?

You can read?!

I'm surprised - I expected you to turn your back once you got what you wanted.

I wouldn't know a flirtation if you whacked me alongside the head with it.

Why stay somewhere safe and comfortable when we could be in mortal peril?

Can't say I love what they've done with the place.

I'm learning to enjoy the taste of chaos. Count me in.

At least you didn't tell me to 'be myself'.

You have so much to learn. Repeat after me: honey muffin, sweetie pie, sugarplum.

Nice to be in a crowd of normal people for once.

So [ name ], how is your sad, hopeless pining going?

You seemed a million miles away just then.

I fear I've been rather hasty to judge you, [ name ].

Ready to enter the belly of the beast?

Step one of starting a conversation: think before you speak.

I hear your relationship has taken on a new aspect recently…

All right, just keep it down. We're conspicuous enough without your hyena call.

Not one for roughing it, I see.

Why not have a little fun?

You're right, of course. Forgive me.

My money's on you, [ name ].

The echoes - listen! They're coming from three directions!

Want me to carry you?

Feeling at home?

Treat them right, or you'll have me to answer to.

Oh, darling, would you?

No doubt they found me too intimidating.

A girl could get used to this.

Now I don't know what to believe.

Well - yes, it was a joke.

I know that, too. It just wasn't funny.

And here I thought I rubbed you the wrong way.

Man, it's good to be home. First round on who?

Oh, I wouldn't actually leave. After all, where would you be without me?

You've quite the knack for finding the bright side of things, haven't you?

Well what would impress you, then?

Let's just stop this conversation right here, shall we?

Must've been an awful day for the people who lived here

You've clearly thought this through a great deal. I'm impressed and appalled in equal measure.

Sure, but think of the stories you'll be able to tell.

I never was scared of the shadows.

I know you're not really as heartless as all that.

I judged you wrongly. I'm sorry.

Are you charging for this sage advice, or is sticking your nose into my business just a hobby?

Pragmatism, thy name is [ name ].

That's ironic, coming from you.

We're either very clever or very lucky.

You do not need luck to survive, [ name ]. Not when you have me.

That will make getting word to my mother rather tricky.

Stop gawking at the decor. This place is dangerous.

I can't tell if you're joking.

So, what's it like caring for someone other than yourself, [ name ]?

You think I'm beautiful?

I feel it too. Here if you need a pick-me-up.

Yet another thing we have in common. We're two peas in a pod.

Is it so unbelievable that they would simply like me?

Use your words.

You gonna catch me if I eat a brick?

[ name ], I've heard you talking in your sleep.

Let's never speak of this again.

You can take a day off once in a while, [ name ]

Hey! Something bit me.

Cheer up. It might be all downhill from here.

I love a nice secret hideaway, don't you?

Think the bar is open?

[tiredandoptimistic]

Stan and the cycle of abuse

Like a week ago I saw this good post about Stan and the twins, how with Mabel he's silly because that's what he never got but with Dipper he's stern because that's what he needed. I think the last line was about how punching was all Stan every felt he was good at. Anyways, it wormed it's way into my brain and I typed out a whole response, but it got eaten by tumblr and I lost the original so now I'm just making my own post.

What's so interesting to me about Stan's philosophy towards raising kids is that he's trying to pass on the lessons that saved his life. We don't get too many details about what his life in the time between being kicked out and the portal incident, but it's more than enough to make it clear that he's wound up in just about every shitty situation a person can find. Like he tells Ford, he's been to prison in three different countries and once had to chew his way out of the trunk of a car. He's homeless and living out of his car and motel rooms. He doesn't even have enough money to pay for a loaf of bread. He's got a bat ready to protect himself from "goons" coming to collect on some sort of debt. Being a tough guy and quick liar who'll kick anybody's ass is what's let him survive to age thirty. When Stan gets thrown to the curb, he yells "I don't need you, I don't need anyone!" and he's more or less right. Sure, he's gone through some awful stuff; but as soon as he got a stable house to live in he builds up his own business that thrives for thirty years. The lessons in boxing and cheating and "being a man" paid off in a big way, so that's what he wants to pass along to Dipper. That way, when the world picks a fight, he'll be able to fight back.

Here's the thing though: Stan shouldn't have had to do any of that.

Yes, Filbrick's "tough love" parenting is what prepared Stan for life on the streets, but it's also what tossed him out on the streets to begin with. If Filbrick was really a good dad, he wouldn't have left his seventeen-year-old son to fend for himself. Stan doesn't seem willing to acknowledge this, probably due in part to the extreme guilt and self-loathing he feels leading him to believe that he deserved the treatment he got. Filbrick was straight-up abusive in a lot of what we've seen of him, but Stan sees that as just how boys are raised, so it's what he passes on to Dipper.

It's just something about how Stan is desperate to prepare Dipper for the horrors while also fiercely protecting him. He wants to toughen Dipper up, but Dipper doesn't need to be tough and independant like Stan because he's got the support system Stan never had. If he ever got kicked out by his parents, Dipper would have Stan, Ford, Mabel, Soos, Wendy, and the entire freaking town of Gravity Falls lining up to give him someplace to stay and a warm meal. Sure, Dipper had to fight literal actual monsters at a very young age, but he was never alone for it. When Dipper falls, there's someone to catch him.

I simply love how Stan's attempts to be a good guardian lead to him being kinda shitty in an attempt to protect Dipper from things that he'll never have to face precisely BECAUSE Stan is such a good guardian. I hope that at some point he realizes that the way his dad treated him was fucked up, and that Dipper deserves some of the straighforward caring that he seems to have an easier time expressing towards Mabel.

[gremlingottoosilly]

Hostess!Reader X König?

(I assume you mean like a Japanese Hostess and not a regular restaurant one, although I would have written about Konig getting his dick so hard he blacks out over a pretty woman asking him if he has a reservation at the nearest restaurant) Konig is...tired. Extremely. A man of his position and money shouldn't spend so much of both resources on women in those clubs, but he just doesn't give a fuck anymore. Dating is hopeless - he can get a quick fuck, but then he gets attached, then he starts to message and ask them about their day, wish them good morning and get ghosted by yet another lady who just wanted a ride to big dick town for tonight. He can get past one date, and then he will ruin everything as soon as he starts talking more than a few sentences. He is yearning for love with the demeanor and outlook of a guy who would murder you in the alley and steal loot from your corpse. Que you. Charming, elegant, pretty. You might not be the most popular woman at your club - Konig wouldn't come for the lady of the night, of course, he needs to be more confident, but he will find himself some pretty underappreciated woman who might need a bit of a company. You're bored, not basking in attention from every guy in the room - so your world is just a bit brighter when Konig is around. He doesn't make you drink - already a green flag for the clients. He does order things so you could eat with him, and he sometimes asks for you to pour the shot in his mouth - a weird task, but you would take it over surviving through another night of alcohol poisoning. You light cigarettes for him, you hug him and ask him about his day. He is reluctant, that much is obvious. Your normal hostess demeanor isn't working because this guy doesn't just want a polite and well-mannered lady, he wants either an innocent angel who can't pronounce the word cock or a housewife who will get rid of his mommy issues once and for all. He practically eats out of the palm of your hand - which is enticing, seriously, you love that about him, but you also do feel kinda weird whenever he writes. You exchanged numbers because this is a good way of making him go to the club over and over, but you start regret the decision once he is bombarding you with money transfers(which is nice) and virtual postcards(which reminds you of exactly how weird the guy is)

[dailyadventureprompts]

DM Tip: The Debt Always Comes Due

Isn't it weird how little we engage with gold as a real gameplay system? Sure, at low level wealth makes a great questhook, the party is usually hurting for a payout so that they can afford necessary gear upgrades/ubiquitous healing potion restocks/their next trip to the magic item shop. After a while though the promise of raw wealth loses its lustre, and the party is less likely to go out of their way to accept bounties, go off chasing treasuremaps, or accept gigs from shady patrons.

Generally I'd advise that this is a sign that your party are done being run of the mill sellswords, and it's time to hit them with a big epic questline that's focused more on emotional and narrative stakes than base currency. That said, sometimes you want to run a longer adventure arc that's centred around the acquisition of wealth, but to do that, you're going to need to go against the grain on one of the foundational assumptions that underpins D&D both mechanically and narratively.

TLDR: If you want your party to be motivated by gold past their first big pay off you should consider using a "wealth hurdle", which in short is a narrative and gameplay challenge that forces them to collect not only more gold than they already have but also more gold than they could get doing what they've been doing so far. This can be anything from a crimelord calling in a debt on them or one of their allies, a powerful monster swooping in and demanding tribute, comissioning some grand construction, or funding the defence of a region. Having the hurdle active should cause problems for the party, and not clearing the hurdle before a perdetermiend deadline will immensely bad things to happen. This will force the party to take risks they otherwise wouldn't, giving a high degree of focus to their subsequent adventures that they wouldn't have if they were content.

What we're trying to fix:

At it's core, D&D is a power fantasy, and a good chunk of its gameplay mechanics regardless of edition are about acquiring new strengths, options, and assets. These assumptions are likewise built into the genre and narrative structure of most campaigns: Heroes undertake quests usually for the promise of some reward, gain experiance/hit milestones along the way, and eventually stumble across some kind of loot drop at the end. There's nothing strictly wrong with this, but it does mean that all the resource problems the heroes face in the early game (and the inbuilt motivations that come along with them) are all but resolved by the time they hit the next gameplay tier.

This is complicated by the fact that outside of 3rd party options there's not much to spend money on. The DMG (which you should totally ignore) say you shouldn't let them buy magic items, and the common wisdom would say "let them buy a keep", but that solution only appeals a niche selection of adventuring parties.

Using Weath Hurdles turns acquiring gold not just into a quest goal but a gameplay challenge, forcing your party to scour the land for potential sources of wealth (and risk upsetting whoever or whatever happens to be currently holding it) and take on challenges they'd never normally attempt if there was only survival/personal enrichment at stake.

Food for Thought:

Tradional d&d structure has the party getting a huge payout at the end of their adventure in the form of a bosshoard or questgiver reward which is a very backloaded "you can have your dessert after you finish your greens" sort of attitude. Consider switching it up sometimes: have the party's patron or employer give them a small stipend to spend on kitting themselves out, have an early game treasure haul so the party can have a mid-arc shopping episode. This is especially useful in higher level games where your party may go weeks to months without a level up as it preserves the feeling of progression and gives them new toys to play with in between the big character defining abilities.

Recently I've been learning my way around blades in the dark (can't reccomend it enough btw), and just like any other time I've wanted to learn a new ttrpg system I'm having to do a bit of neural rewiring when it comes to figuring out how to write and run sessions of the game. Coin in BitD is both an XP (used for upgrading the party's shared crew sheet) a resource (burned to upgrade the results of various rolls) and a stat ( rolled to see if the players can lay their hands on various hard to come by items). It didn't really click for me until my first group messed up really badly on what was supposed to be their introductory adventure and pissed off the local crimeboss. I was just going to have him bully them, lock them up and then have a jailbreak the next session ( it's what I'd do in d&d), but on the fly I had the idea that he'd let them go with a massive debt they needed to pay off, which forced them to either pay him a percentage of their takings on all future jobs, or do small jobs in utmost secrecy so that they could build up their own strength under his nose.

Interestingly enough, the d&d game where I thought player wealth as a resource was most interestingly used was Dimension 20’s starstruck Odessy, which was a conversion of the amazing fanmade  starwars5e system. Starstruck is a parody of hypercapitalism and aptly uses money as both a narrative and gameplay feature. One character is stuck paying weekly insurance premiums on a debt he would never be able to pay down forcing him to act recklessly to acquire wealth in the immediate future. Another character was a economic and political power player and some of the best moments in the series come from her high stakes wheeling and dealing and bouncing money between accounts while the rest of the group engages in epic space battles; the rest of the crew might’ve barely got their ship out of the dogfight, but she’s the one who ensures they can pay for the repairs once they get to the space dock.   None of this would be possible without completely ignoring the normal constraints of wealth per level: gaining and losing huge sums based on moment by moment player decisions, The need for them to play along with the absurist gig economy to boost their rating and get better paying jobs, making a devil’s bargain with a corporate sponsor all so that they could risk their lives in a deadly arena fight all for the (very unlikely) chance of winning the equivalent of a million GP.  Not every campaign should, or even could so focus on money in this way, but it was FASCINATING to watch it in action. 

Artsource

[blackpilljesus]

The rise in popularity of single childfree women should signal that we need to start preparing. I've spoken about this before but want to address a common concern of safety regarding maIe retaliation. At this point some women may think they'll be safer trying to get a maIe but the statistics show otherwise. There's a reason women fought for rights in the first place, we all know that maIes as a collective are horrible beings. If maIes were pleasant to be around & reproduce with, they wouldn't need to force women into it.

Now I dont have all the answers in terms of what to do in the face of maIe retaliation but where to start:

1 - Move in silence. MaIes dont need to know our every move. MaIes have enough power as is, them knowing our strategy on top of that wont help. Hell, play dumb sometimes. This also applies to other women, if they push marriage & kids bs be measured in your response, in the end you know your truth. At the end of the day most of these women are also aware of the danger maIes pose.

2 - Organise. This is tough, extremely tough i can't lie. For one we're scattered all over the world & people in our real lives wouldn't have the committment to this nor believe in deviating from the nuclear structure but it is something needed. Even if it's just online, find or build networks with likeminded women. I say this as a lone wolf but infrastructure & network is needed because the government will make it harder to survive alone so some would need to be able to lean on each other for support even if it's just verbal. Practice separatism as far as you can. Take up learning how to defend yourself. If you're serious about this; be prepared to break the rules at some point because playing nice & by the law wont work. These things are set up by men for men and it wont help us. I'm not saying go out there & purposefuly break the law or put yourself in harms way, just saying prepare. It sounds far out now but the current system cant be counted on, blind eyes are turned when maIes abuse women, women are punished for defending themselves under the system. Even if you dont want to go down the route of community, learn to take care of yourself & hold your own down.

3 - Stop arguing with maIes. This doesnt mean that xys are right, I say this a lot but maIes are fully aware of everything. Arguing with maIes online is a waste of time, time that can go to building for yourself or likeminded women. MaIes denying female oppression is part of the game to keep you wasting your energy on them as opposed to working on yourself. It's to keep you in their hands; doesn't matter whether you're right or not, how many statistics you throw at them, you're still biting their bait.

4 - Stack up on resources & money. If you have resources & money and the priviledge to save then start now. If/when things go downhill it wont be a snap thing but a transition so this window needs to be used to the best of our advantage. Take advantage of the privileges you have now to set yourself for the future because that could very well be gone.

I doubt we'd win tbh but I'd rather die trying than live submitting. I will mention that I know it's scary but we have to think forward. Bear in mind the system has never worked for women, some will say things like "but when women leave maIes get more violent" but there is no safety in the first place. Women are sexually harrassed & assaulted any where at any time with no protection already. Women are constantly told of all the things they should or shouldn't do to avoid maIe violence and it doesnt work anyways, maIes will continue to abuse women & girls. No amount of listening & obeying has helped women because it doesn't matter what the reason for maIe violence is, if they cant find a reason they'll create a reason because their motive is to make women suffer in addition to reproduction & having labour.

Now I know many will speak about the violence of maIe retaliation which I'll address in part 3. This is part 2 of 'the rise in single childfree women' group of posts.

Part 1

[seiarc]

OBJECT HANDLING : Boss, there is a very serious problem we need to rectify.

1. I am fine actually.

2. What problem?

3. We have enough stim toys, not listening to you lalalalalala. [Dismiss Thought]

OBJECT HANDLING : You have been aware that you are trans for...

BIOCHEMICAL PROCESSOR [Trivial : SUCCESS] : A month and 3 days.

OBJECT HANDLING : ...yet we still do not posses the fluffy beasts of the seas, the icon of the ocean's primal hunter, the sharky, the-

ANCIENT CANINE BRAIN [Legendary : SUCCESS] : THE BLAHÄJ.

OBJECT HANDLING : Boss, if we are to survive the coming nights without our girlfriend we need to posses it and hug it tightly every night.

ANCIENT CANINE BRAIN : You already fit into every other transgirl stereotype, you *want* more plushies deep down anyway.

1. But I have a second pillow for that?

2. Fair point. [Accept Task]

OBJECT HANDLING : You do.

CREATIVE SPARK [Trivial: SUCCESS] : The same yellowish pillow you've had since you were 12? Frankly we should go to IKEA and get more decorations and knick knacks, our room looks like an insane assylum.

ŚCIERZKA ASCETY [Formidable: SUCCESS] : Because it is. It's pointless to decorate it now, you have 18 months left in your degree anyway, you will move.

INGRAINED PETITE BOURGEOISE INSTINCT : And you'll save money on unnecessary expenses!

MATERIAL ANALYSIS [Formidable: SUCCESS] : The meager amount of money you feel bad for not giving away *and* spending on yourself? Let's be real, saving 80 złoty won't bring you closer or further from any of your dreams.

SELF-LOVE [Legendary: SUCCESS] : Those two have only hurt you, don't listen to them, isn't living in a way that makes you happy what being trans is all about? Just. Follow. Your heart.

BIOCHEMICAL PROCESSOR [Medium: SUCCESS] : You will still have enough money to for groceries and hormones this month.

1. But IKEA is far away...

2. ...and I'll have to go out into crowds of people.

3. I will obtain the BLAHÄJ. [Accept Task]

4. I don't need soft shark shaped objects in my life. [Reject Task]

AUTISTIC ARCHIVE [Trivial : Success] : The Silesian urban conglomeration has excellent public transit that you have used many times before, getting there won't be a problem.

FEAR OF PAIN : It's also hot today.

LOVE OF PAIN [Medium: SUCCESS] : But let's be honest, you are complacent in your girl rotting, get your fucking ass of your gaming chair and do it, if anything just to spite the motherfucker above.

FEAR OF PAIN : HEY!

SELF-LOVE : Just bring enough water.

1. ...and I'll have to go out into crowds of people.

2. I will obtain the BLAHÄJ. [Accept Task]

3. I don't need soft shark shaped objects in my life. [Reject Task]

MINUTE DETAIL DYSPHORIA : Your hair looks bad today, you shouldn't show it to other people anyway, they will see th-

ANCIENT CANINE BRAIN [Medium: SUCCESS] : Shut up.

SELF-LOVE [Formidable: SUCCESS] : Shut up.

BIOCHEMICAL PROCESSOR [Trivial: SUCCESS] : Shut up.

OBJECT HANDLING : Yeah girl just go grab it!

ANCIENT CANINE BRAIN [Medium: SUCCESS]: Your girlfriend will be happy that you didn't sit inside all day, she may even give you a click.

1. [Biochemical Processor - Trivial 2] There must be a way to get it without going outside...

2. I will obtain the BLAHÄJ. [Accept Task]

3. I don't need soft shark shaped objects in my life. [Reject Task]

BIOCHEMICAL PROCESSOR [Trivial: FAILURE]: I'm sorry my lady, I feel like there is an easier way of going about it but it seems we don't have enough sugar for thinking right now.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY & ANCIENT CANINE BRAIN : You should buy an energy drink when you go out!

1. I will obtain the BLAHÄJ. [Accept Task]

2. I don't need soft shark shaped objects in my life. [Reject Task]

[ghostieyanyan]

Could you do a Demon!Poly!Scarabia x AngelF!MC comic?

In which Jamil and Kalim are a couple of Demon Kings, but they felt that something was missing, or rather someone. And one day while walking through the forest, they find/meet MC, the Princess of Angels with her back bleeding, which leaves them both worried, so after using a spell to heal their wounds, they discover the truth about the Kingdom of Angels, that they pretend to be good just to have the adoration of humans and fight and kill demons for no reason and for power, and when MC protected and saved a demon who was going to be killed unjustly, her own parents ripped off her wings as "punishment for defending an evil demon", and before they could do anything else with her, MC fled to the forest, it turns out that this demon she saved was Najma, Jamil's sister who had been missing for a week, So as a thank you, Jamil and Kalim decided to welcome MC into their kingdom to help her hide from the angels, in addition to helping her expose the true face of angels to humans, but for the MC to be able to live and survive in the Demon Kingdom, she would have to drink a drop of blood from both kings of the kingdom and she did, and because of the blood, MC regained her wings, but now they were black. And during that time, the three began to fall in love with each other, and after exposing the truth to humans and the angels being banished, Jamil, MC and Kalim got married.

This was MC's angelic appearance before she had her wings ripped off and became part demon after drinking the blood of the JamiKali:

What do you think?

hehehe... i love it x3 ive thought about different story lines to do and i think i thought of one that you might enjoy. hopefully lol This is isnt going to be in the same setting as the orginal demon au but it'll still use demons and angels

~Oh no! Youre still a good angel~

Yan!Demon!Jamil x Angel!mc x Yan!???!Kalim

Warnings: yandere, themes about heaven and hell, murder, blood, kidnapping, stalking,

~~~~~

You were a freshly made angel. Made to guide innocent souls into the pearl gates of heaven! This isn't your first human and it wont be your last! You take pride in helping souls see the light and spreading that joy in the world until their last moments.

You learned to love the souls that you guide. Watching their growth and struggles, then watching them over come their struggles and become an amazing person that others can find strength in. doing your job is your heavenly pleasure.

This time, you were assigned a human named, Kalim Al-Asim. An innocent human that finds mayhem everywhere he goes. Assassins that try to kill him through food being poison to just being jumped in the streets.

Your heart broke watching this sweet boy being chased by thugs left and right. You knew you had to do something.

when you got to his home, with a little invisibility spell that makes you undetectable to mortal's eyes, you noticed that this boy's life, besides the murder attempts, was actually very nice. His family takes great care of him and they make lots of money.

"maybe that's why there's so many murder attempts made? why do humans care so much about these physical items..?"

"It's because human's need to sin."

You jumped at the mysterious voice and turn to find eyes piercing at you. It was a man! He was standing in the shadows so you couldn't make out his features. You stayed quiet and still. If this is a ordinary human, then he shouldn't have heard you, or even see you. But if he isn't an ordinary human, this could mean trouble.

Neither of you made a move, it was almost like either one of you were waiting for the other to jump...

Something finally happened as Kalim walked into the room you both were in to grab a cup of water. Kalim stayed for a bit until he went back upstairs to go back to sleep.

Once you heard Kalim's bedroom door clicked shut. The shadow jumped at you. you nearly dodged it but quickly ran to the balcony, opened your wings and took off.

even though you could cast a spell that made you invisible to mortals, it doesn't mean that the noise you make will be muted.

you were about to return to your home until something slams into you, grabbing you in mid air.

When you opened your eyes, you saw the same eyes that were looking at you before. this time with the help of the moonlight, you saw his features. dark skin and black hair, he had blacked out eyes with the pupils being grey. He wore black, red, and gold accents clothing. But the more important parts of him are his pointy ears, black wings and.. horns.

"Hello there~ I'm Jamil Viper. I'm the demon that was assigned... to you."

You tried your best at struggling but his grip on you was too strong. But what does he mean assigned to you? doesn't he mean, assign to the human..? you eventually stop your struggling to talk to him, maybe you could wait until he's distracted and fly off..?

"Youve got me. What are you gonna do now..? ...Cut off my wings? um..."

you drew a blank thinking of other torture methods. Then again, that is a demon's strong suit, it probably comes to them like second nature..

"Why in the realms would i do such a thing? You're wings are one of your greatest charms~"

Jamil pulls you close, speaking right to your face.

"I'll let you protect that HUMAN. But mind you, i will come back again-"

Black shadow-like clouds form, swallowing him up.

"- and when i do, i will collect."

You shut your eyes, still feeling his hands around you until the very end. when you open your eyes, he was gone and you were alone in the night sky...

~~~

The past few days, you've been on edge. both worried that the demon might come back to hurt Kalim or you. You tried your best to stay focused but you kept feeling the piercing eyes like someone is watching you.

The things that Jamil said is still stuck in your mind. the wording was strange. You weren't used to dealing with demons and you didn't have time to ask any other angels about it so you just have to go with your instincts... and what your instincts is telling you to do right now is to protect Kalim... as best as you can.

To say this was a hard mission, was an understatement. You loved your job, but with the paranoia about Jamil and protecting Kalim. you felt like you were on a fine line...

You were scared that if you weren't careful, someone might get hur-

"my my~ You look awful.."

You spun your head around and saw Jamil, standing by the door way. He had a knife in one hand and rope in the other. You grabbed the nearest weapon, a knife, and threw it at the demon!

Jamil smirked and faded into the mist, leaving the knife.. imbedded into one of Kalim's maid that was just passing by!

She stumbled a bit before leaning against a nearby wall for support.

Your body became ice cold as you rushed to the maid's side and inspected her wounds. She was coughing a lot of blood and she held her wound with one hand. Tears ran down her face as she looked around confused and scared. You tried your best at helping her but it was useless. she was gone in minutes and no one was around to help...

You felt cold, this has never happened before and you weren't prepared for this kind of event. the angels gave you advice about "things you should know about humans", but they never mentioned anything if you were to accidently take a life!!!

You heard Kalim yell. You turn to look at him as he runs to check the maid.

"Oh no! Oh no! I'm so sorry!! ugh... ill have to call her loved ones..."

Hot tears started to fall from your face. what were you suppose to do..? What's gonna happen to this person? what's gonna happen to you?? all you could really do was hold the body in your arms and kept repeating "I'm sorry"s.

"My my~ what will the heavens think of this..? their sweet angel... murdering an innocent soul"

You slowly turns to see Jamil looking down at you, with a sickening smile. You felt so many feelings you've never felt before. Rage, hatred, disgusted, sadness, depression, and... fear.

Jamil walks towards you and kneels to your level.

"Heaven might not accept you now. But we will~"

"Don't worry, angel~ you're still a good angel to me~"

You slowly turn to look at Kalim. he was looking straight at you, giving you his bright smile.

Jamil tried to reach out for you but you quickly pushed him to the side and took flight. Maybe if you explain to them what happened, they'll forgive you. You open a portal and tried flying through. Not only did you fly through but the portal failed. Instead of going to your sweet home to feel the warmth of your angel comrades, you felt the burning feeling of your wings changing from white to black.

It felt horrible. felt like hot tar was being poured on your wings. you screamed in pain. the pain got so unbearable that you couldn't maintain altitude. you started to fall.

you watched as this was likely the last time you'll see the pretty blue sky and those comfy white clouds...

You watched as your tears fall in a different pace than you...

You watched as your halo disappears from your head...

You closed your eyes as you just felt numb to everything. allowing yourself to just fall.

you felt something strange, when you opened your eyes, you looked and saw Kalim with Jamil! Kalim with his horns and tail...

They were both looking at you, smiling. A smile that made your stomach turn.

Everything finally clicked.

They lure you in with the innocent human act!

Youve should have known from that first night, when you ran into Jamil. How Kalim conveniently joined both of you. The stares from Jamil, in the shadows, and Kalim, in the daylight, that stayed on you a little too long.

And that maid... that unfortunate maid. She wasn't suppose to be there... unless it was all planned.

Jamil made sure to were uneasy and paranoid and Kalim made it so that if your fight or flight kicks in, you'll fight to protect a "poor defenseless human"

They wanted you to fall...

You were tricked by these TWO HORRIBLE DEMONS!!!

~~~

~~~

[helly-watermelonsmellinfellon]

There's something I don't see talked about enough in the SVSSS fandom.

The System.

I just received a comment on one of my fics - which has post-canon SQQ and SQH able to still use social media - suggesting that it would be very easy for people in the real world to point out that these characters using fake accounts to post on real life social media sites would easily be doxxed and the System would have no ability to do anything about that.

Something I have noticed among a lot of people who read this particular book is that not a lot of consideration is given to the very thing orchestrating everything. We often think of the system as a ridiculous guide or rule book that exists solely to give the protagonist what he wants/deserves. We don't really approach it for what it is.

This was my reply to that comment:

Doubt it. The System is able to kidnap people from their worlds and place them in other worlds and bodies in those worlds as punishment. And if you don't do as it wants, to the specification it doesn't directly detail, it can send your soul to an alternate version of the present world to be tortured in another body. I sincerely doubt an abstract, otherworldly being like that, which never receives consequences for anything it does because there is apparently nothing that can canonically challenge it, is going to be threatened by doxxing. If it can create things, link universes together, steal souls, and can be anywhere at any time, I wouldn't expect it to be incapable of manipulating people's perception. I even mentioned how in this fic, it WILL erase SQQ's sister's memories if he chooses to reveal his identity to her, but it becomes too much for her to handle. This suggests it has power anywhere and can do whatever it wants. So, in my mind, if someone actually tried to doxx their accounts, it's either going to lead nowhere, lead to somewhere fake, or the info will be stripped from their lives entirely the moment they find anything/nothing.

It was a very nitpicky kind of comment in my opinion, which warranted this response, but my response just made me realize that the System is effectively an amortal, omnipresent, and omnipotent Entity. It literally doesn't go away. We even think it's over and the Extras tell us, via SQH, that it's still there and still in control.

Think about it.

Think about every single thing that happened because of the System's actions or demands. It literally never faces consequences because there is nothing that could hope to punish it. I've only read 1 fic where higher beings step in to punish the System for kidnapping, coercing, and torturing innocent people for its amusement.

Because that IS something it can do. With ease. And seems all too happy to do.

The System is very dangerous and it's weird how this is something people forget when reading fanfics. SVSSS is the kind of book where crack ideas can work in the frame of the canon story because a character like SQH exists. Because he wrote PIDW with every single plothole and contrived story beat for the sake of money and survival, we can have the weirdest shit happen and blame it on his lack of imagination when writing PIDW. It doesn't need in-depth nitpicking to make it make sense. MXTX gave us a very large and generous sandbox to play in.

You don't need to rationalize a crack plot. And you should always keep in mind that canonically, the System is a terrifying Entity capable of outrageous things. It shouldn't be the deal-breaker that the Entity that kidnaps, gaslights, coerces, tortures, and manipulates people is capable of fantastical feats in a fanfic.

[everydayyoulovemeless]

New Vegas companions (+ulysses)with a teen Courier? Like how they treat the teen and such

FNV Companions (+Ulysses) With A Teen!Courier

➼ Word Count » 1.3k ➼ Warnings » None ➼ Genre » Platonic

Boone's not entirely keen on the idea of traveling with someone so young. He feels that you shouldn't be out here at all and would tell you to go home. Of course, you don't remember your home, and once you tell him as much he feels obligated to (reluctantly) take you in. For a while, it'll be you, him, and Manny hanging around in Novac, with the two of them taking turns teaching you how to snipe effectively. After a few weeks, you need to continue your path to find Benny, and Boone agrees to go with you, if nothing else, then to protect you from the horrors of the outside world. He's still set on the idea that you're way too young to be out doing things like this, but if it's something you have to do then he'd rather it be him that goes along with you than anyone who might be a bad influence on you, especially considering you've lost all you're memories. He's a reluctant father figure, who'll stop at nothing to ensure you don't fall into the hands of the Legion, or worse, die.

Arcade isn't sure why anyone who forgot how to gamble would want to travel all the way out to Vegas, let alone Freeside. You didn't even have enough money to bypass the guards to get into the Strip when you entered the Old Mormon Fort for the first time, so whatever plan you had before traveling here is lost on him. He only begins talking to you out of pity and confusion, wanting to learn more about your motivations for making such a long hike for a payout that would surely never come. His pity for you only grows, and he'll quickly agree to come along with you wherever you plan on going next. You don't seem to remember anything at all so he'll do his best to reeducate you on the basics. Medicine, survival, reading, he'll cover them all in due time. He truly does feel guilty that you, some kid from who knows where, got caught up in such a large mess of things, and hopes that by staying with you he can make up for the acts this world has committed against you. He sees a bit of himself in you: a lost kid with no more home or family to turn to, no one to confide in, and he hopes to one day take on that familial role for you.

Raul can't help but feel a little bit embarrassed that he had to be saved by a kid with brain damage, but either way, he's happy to be able to leave Black Mountain. He'll follow you out of a mixture of gratitude and curiosity as you remind him a lot of himself back when he still lived in Mexico City. That being said, he is just the tiniest bit overprotective over you. He'd hate it if you ended up with the same fate as his family and would stop at nothing to ensure he never has to go through something like that again. The longer you travel together, the more he feels like he's found a younger sibling to watch over again. He'll tease you and generally be his sarcastic self, but he's definitely a lot softer on you than he would if you'd been an adult. He almost feels as if it's his responsibility to help raise you and keep you alive and healthy, and that's exactly what he ends up doing.

Lily would consider it to be a downright sin for her to just let you wander around on your own! So, whether you agree to it or not, she'll become your full-time grandma throughout the rest of your travels. She's just as doting to you as she would be to any of her other grandchildren and always makes a point to check in on your health and overall well-being. Grandma couldn't have her little pumpkin sad or starving now, could she? That being said, she does her best to fit in the occasional home cooking she's so famous for back in Jacobstown. Not much really changes with Lily. She's still the sweet, old grandma who adopts you regardless of everything, the only real difference being that she's more stubborn with coming along with you. Kids shouldn't be out and about without any chaperon, after all!

Cass doesn't really have much of an opinion on it. You're a kid, so what? Everyone around you was a kid at some point. She does, however, have a small soft spot for teens who aren't afraid of what the waste has to offer, and you've had to make it all the way out to the Mojave Outpost from somewhere, haven't you? She'll pat the barstool beside her, gesturing for you to come and sit down before (secretly) sliding you a glass of whiskey that the two of you share. She wants you to start from the beginning: what are you doing here? And where are your parents? She grows to respect you quite quickly and finds herself feeling some kind of connection with you. Maybe it's because you're a lot rowdier than most others your age, maybe it's 'cause of how unbothered you appear, or maybe it's the determined way you carry yourself? Either way, she's taking her place beside you to get revenge on whoever was fucked up enough to try and kill a kid.

Veronica gets a bit excited when she sees a teen approaching her at the 188 Trading Post. She thinks you're the cutest thing and would love to come along! She's constantly thinking up outfits she thinks you'd look great in, just little accessories here and there to really spice up the 'vengeful vibe' you seem to be going for. She's like the sister you never had, or at least never remembered having, and she takes that role very seriously. You need dating advice? She's your girl to go to. Want to be a better fighter? Allow her, you're amazing new best friend, to offer you some pointers. You want a group to back you up? She'll bother the Brotherhood for as long as she needs before you're accepted into their bunker. Honestly, she couldn't have asked for a better person to come along and break her out of her boredom. The two of you will cause problems like no other, but that only means you both know how to have fun and make the most of your situations.

Ulysses holds a lot less resentment toward you as he believes you're naivety was abused by the NCR. That being said, when you come wandering into the Divide, he definitely puts it in your head that the NCR isn't any good and that you're a victim to this world as much as he, and the rest of the Divide, were. He'll try to brainwash you into viewing the world the same way he does: a cold and heartless mess. He takes you under his wing in a sense, raising you to be a strong and determined warrior against both the NCR and the Legion. He's invested so much energy and thought into you that he feels it'd almost be a waste if he doesn't. If you decide you're not going to follow his path and carve your own, he wouldn't have any qualms about fighting you the same way he would had you been an adult, he'd just feel it'd be a misuse in potential. He'd be a mentor figure to you, a dangerous and smart one, but a teacher nonetheless. There's no room for compromise, and he'll turn you both into a two-man army to ruin the two flags that run rampant throughout the Mojave.

[drdemonprince]

Hi I keep thinking back to your book unmasking autism, I recently was diagnosed with level 1 by my new psychiatrist but with losing my healthcare I feel lost on how to function without medical assistance. I typically mask and been learning how not to, but it always feel at the opportunity cost of more money, overly explaining to family or grief. I’ve been in a loop of feeling I shouldn’t exist due to my disability and it a sad feeling.

I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this. I'm certain you already know this, but it's not the case that you shouldn't exist because you are disabled. The vast majority of people on this planet find it absolutely soul-sucking and exhausting to present as what gets called "neurotypical" at work. It's too many hours of pretending to be someone you are not, with no space allotted for your full humanity, with not enough energy or hours left behind to look after oneself, have nourishing authentic relationships, and ample space to recover, be playful and joyful, and dream. Every person requires ample time and space for themselves to recouperate, and to listen to the actual feelings that they have inside, and capitalism instead demands that we suppress all of it, and it can slowly eat away at us and make it difficult to access authentic pleasure or connectedness. For Autistics it's especially pronounced because we are such a bad mismatch with what capitalism demands, and because we need so much energy recovery time, but it's simply the case that you are not broken or defective for failing to fit within such an oppressive system. It is that system that should not exist, and that terrorizes everybody, to varying degrees. I bet if you look at the most "well adjusted" hard working people that you know, you see how their lives have been totally ruined by overworking and killing what's wild and free about themselves, or what used to be those things.

I have spoken to hundreds of Autistic people in the situation you are in at this point, and I have found that for the majority of us, embracing our disability and articulating our needs means that very dramatic changes have to happen in our lives. Some people have to reorient how they interact with their families, establish new boundaries, push to really educate them on neurodivergence, go no contact, or rethink what family means to them altogether. Lots of us leave careers or switch to part-time or remote work, or have to get incredibly creative and resourceful in order to survive in a way that we can stand: going on disability benefits, public assistance, living with friends, pooling resources, going off the grid in some way, finding some side hustle or scam that makes it possible to survive, doing sex work or freelance, taking on childcare or eldercare duties for a friend who is employed, or something of that nature are all options I've seen a lot of unmasking Autistics pursue. None of these options are ideal, and they all come with significant costs and risk factors. But then, so does killing oneself slowly with work.

I have a whole book coming out next year in March about these specific considerations, with lots of tools and decision trees and research and quotes from other Autistics. The book is designed to help Autistics who are in that second stage of their unmasking journey sort out what a life where it is possible to be less masked means for them. Where can they live? Who is gonna support them? What matters to them in their life? How can they reset their relationships in light of their neurodivergence? What does it mean to grow old as a disabled person? These are the kinds of questions the book will hopefully help me explore, and discover the best answers for themselves. Of course, many people would say that their only way out of this is the downfall of capitalism, but I personally am of the mind that we have to make that end happen ourselves by working less hard, consuming less where possible, leaning on other people, providing support to our neighbors, becoming less reliant upon our employers and the government, and building our collective escape from the capitalistic machine. And we can all have some small part in that, even if only for ourselves and those immediately closest to us. That's enough.

I hope that you find a way of life that is sustaining and feels whole and good for you. As neurodivergent people we do things very differently. And that is both the curse and the beauty of us. The prescribed script we've been given for how life is supposed to look is never going to work for us. Indeed, it's not working for most anybody else either. There way forward will not be easy, and the lot you've been given to deal with is not fair, but there are also millions of other disabled people just like you who are leaning on one another, slowing down, refusing to play into the existing system's hand as much as is possible for them, and making a new world. And just by pondering the things that you are, you're helping already to make that new world too.

[gentrychild]

I don't think you'll have it canon to Anyone as you have a different backstory in mind, but I'm imagining Anyone AFO telling the Anyone circle his crazy backstory and them thinking he's just screwing with them while Yoichi is just like :/ in the vestige world hearing it

This is not canonical in the Anyoneverse and in any of my fics because it would wreck my AFOs. (Except maybe for the twin part. I need to see what I wrote.) However, I know exactly how the reveal would go in Anyone.

‐-------‐-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AFO: "Back in my days, we didn’t have it easy like you spoiled brats! The only minions we got was the one we spare from our daily slaughter because their powers were useless and because your brother couldn’t stop whining about how killing was bad and how he just wanted to go to pre-school!"

Izuku: *already put his let's-ignore-the-evil-white-cat playlist and has been playing with his earbuds for the past five minutes*

AFO: "And let's not even talk about having to take care of Yoichi since I was born. Some people to raise their siblings as teenagers. I started doing it five minutes after I was born."

Izuku: *head bobbing with the music*

AFO: "I didn’t even become a villain for a motive as mercantile as money. I just stumbled into it, between the moment my mother gave birth to me by the river and rats immediately tried to eat me, and the moment I had to learn to swim to escape the rats. While carrying my brother."

Izuku: *does not hear one word*

AFO: "And did I get a word of thanks for making sure my brother and I survived? No, it was always "Don't daily kill people, Big Brother!", "Could you please slow down with the slaughter, Big Brother?", "Oh, a comic book not too stained with blood!"..."

Izuku: *silently singing along the lyrics of the new All Might movie soundtrack*

Dabi, Kurogiri, Hawks and Shouto: *huddled in one side of the bar, absolutely horrified, their brains about to explode*

Nagisa, listening to them from home: "What the fuck?"

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Hawks: "Shouldn't we do something after hearing this? Like put him in therapy ASAP?"

Kurogiri: "Where will you find a therapist that can undo two centuries of *waves at all that AFO is*

Dabi: "I feel that urge to go home and to apologize to my family and to cherish them."

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16 year ago:

Hisashi: "I had problems with my brother back in the day so I think that, for this one, we should study ahead with the behavior training."

Inko: "I am so glad you're saying that because I kinda plurged for child-rearing-books with your credit card."

Hisashi: "Child rearing books?"

Hisashi: *promptly hides the Training Your Puppy For Dummies book behind his back*

Hisashi: "Yes, that’s definitely what I was talking about."