I've been musing a bit on that one post that went around during the recent holiday season, to which someone added their family tradition of Present Practice. My god! Imagine actually telling kids what behavior is expected, instead of expecting them to intuit it and punish them when they get it wrong!!
Separate post because this topic is a little tangential to that, but I think it does a great job of unearthing one of our very well-hidden internal biases, which goes as follows:
Good people don't need to be taught.
A good person (in this case, a good child) shouldn't need to be told to be gracious and grateful when given a gift. A good child should just know that a holiday tradition of gift-giving is a social performance to strengthen family bonds and that personal preference or genuine reactions are secondary to that performance. A good child should just know how to value gifts, how to express thanks, how to praise and compliment. No caretakers in their lives should need to put any effort into instructing or modeling these things.
Good people should just know how to be good. If they were really Ontologically Good, their inherent goodness would simply intuitively guide them to correct behaviors. If they can't do that on their own, in a vacuum, in the absence of cues, that's a sign of their inherent moral lack.
.
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...Which all sounds very reasonable and obvious, and surely a mistake that only fundie christian families would make! Except that people in the social justice sphere also do this all the time. It's not anybody's job to educate you. It's 2024, how do you not know this already? If you were a Good Person, you wouldn't need to be taught. You would simply intuit the correct philosophies and gravitate to them according to your superior internal moral compass.
If you were a Good Person, you would already know that everything you were taught by your family and/or background was wrong. You should have rejected it already. You should have cut off your family, your heritage, everything about your childhood and upbringing that was Bad and Wrong. You should have known it was all a lie.
If you were a Good Person, you should be able to find the correct way yourself. You should be able to seek out the proper educational resources, and distinguish them from bad advice leading you astray, and make sense of them all according to your own internal moral code.
If you were a Good Person, you would have found your way by the proper, dignified, official channels, not by reading a comic or watching anime. You shouldn't need entertainment or art to guide you. You should just know.
And if someone can't do these things on their own, in a vacuum, in the absence of cues, that's a sign of their inherent moral lack.
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Hey my lovely, could i equest a blurb where reader seeks one of spencer's hugs and he's all soft and mushy about it!! I just think he'd give really warm hugs and want one so bad!
shy!reader + post!prison Spencer have a hug
Spencer understands why you might find him intimidating. He did go to prison for a few weeks, and even if the idea of his being a potential felon didn’t scare you, there’s nothing wrong with being nervous around the unknown. You’ve had a few more weeks to get to know the others on the team. He tries not to take it personally that you’re closer with some of them than you are him.
Plus, you’re awfully shy.
Spencer’s been trying to communicate that he’s an idiot. He was shy, once, and he tends to be shy about things now, too, even if he’s taken to hiding that. He hides a lot, these days.
But things aren’t hopeless with you. You’re inarguably his best work friend now that Morgan’s not around, taking the desk next to his —through coincidence or insistence, he has no idea.
“What flavour do you have today?” he asks.
You show him your bag. The convenience store outside of work has the strangest sweets from all sorts of places. You’ve been bringing in a different bag each day, and you always share. “Today is apricot and peach ‘millions’,” you tell him, shaking the bright pink bag like a rattle.
Inside, the millions bounce against each other like miniscule polystyrene balls but with a heavier weight.
“Awesome!” he says, holding out his hand. “Please?”
You rip the corner and tip a generous helping of candies into his palm, doing the same in your own hand. “Ready?” you ask.
“Three, two, one.”
You both tip your heads back at the same time. Apricot and peach are similar flavours, and Spencer can’t tell the difference when they’re both in play. He can also taste apple juice and the sharp citric acid flavour they put in every candy.
He can’t tell if you like them. He quite enjoys it, will happily eat the leftovers if you’re not interested, but your attention isn’t on the candy when he looks up. You’re staring straight at him.
“What?” he asks, perturbed.
“Nothing, just. Had a rough morning. Thanks for trying the candy with me.”
He frowns. “I’m sorry. Let me know if there’s something I can do to make you feel better. I can make you a cup of hot chocolate?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Spencer’s sure that to an outsider, he and the team appear to travel to a hundred cities a month. In reality, cases aren’t as densely packed, especially with the government expanding their profiling teams, and the majority of Spencer’s day is spent answering emails and giving advice to agents, law enforcement, and his colleagues. He doesn’t see much of you (where you’re forced to work ViCAP calibration as newbies usually are, almost like a hazing) but he does take you that hot chocolate around lunch time. Just to make sure you have the option.
It’s sometime past four PM when you appear again.
“Hey,” he says, turning to you where you’re paused behind your desk chair, “you're finally done?”
“Not yet. So many case files to transcribe, opinions to cross check, signatures and…” You wince. “It’s a lot. You already know.”
“I don’t, actually. I only ever had to do ViCAP as punishment, and I was extremely well-behaved. For a while, anyway.”
You hesitate with something heavy on the tip of your tongue. You’re like every profiler wherein your tells are self-identified and quelled, but you’re still so new, and Spencer’s an expert. You want to ask him for something, but you don’t think you’re allowed. If he presses the issue you’ll shut down, and if he offers you another cup of hot chocolate you’ll simply drink it without letting him in on the real secret.
Spencer waits.
“Spencer, you don’t have to say yes, just… You’re the nicest friend I have, and you always know what I need to hear. Um, I know you don’t like touching people and I wouldn’t ask you to if you don’t want to, but it’s been a really long time since someone hugged me, and…” Your voice gets quieter and quieter, until you’re whispering, and then fizzling out.
“You want a hug?” he asks, surprised.
“If that’s okay.”
“I give really good hugs,” he warns, climbing from his chair immediately, arms opened, an unmissable invitation. “You’ll never get over it.”
“Really?”
He can’t believe you came to him specifically for a hug. He’s gonna lose his mind. Gentle, Spencer ushers you into his arms, head quick to duck down, his thumb on your shoulder.
You could’ve asked anybody in the office for a hug. Penelope would have hugged your brains out. Emily, Unit Chief and secret sweetheart, would’ve taken you off of ViCAP and given you a loving pat on the back. But you didn’t ask Penelope or Emily, you asked him.
“You don’t have to ask me first,” he says quietly.
“You don’t like touching.”
“That’s more to do with germs, and I’m not worried about yours,” he says. “Unless you’re about to tell me you have a headache.”
“It’s like this pounding behind my eyes,” you say with a laugh.
Spencer smiles, his mouth and nose to the side of your head. He gives you a good ten seconds of quiet, his palm warming your shoulder, before he murmurs, “Any better?”
“You’re really warm,” you murmur back.
Spencer resists the urge to squeeze you. “It's the oxytocin.”
“Or you’re just really, really warm.”
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Just had a fun idea but like, what about hcs on how the others would react upon realizing s/o has feelings for Alastor? Like out of everyone they could've fallen for of it HAD to be him kjbgbkjs
Thanks for the consideration and take care of yourself op! Drink water, eat food, and know ur favs adore you!
Everyone finding out that wifey is married to Alastor??? 👀 That's what I heard-
Alastor X Reader Headcanons
✅️Romantic
❌️Platonic
TW: A little suggestive in the middle bit? Angel helps wifey buy lingerie
Description: ☝️⬆️
You meet everyone at the hotel separately from your husband, so they never make the connection until they actually see you two together
Except Niffty, Alastor just had her trailing behind him one day
"Niffty! This is my darling wife! She is the lady of the house!"
"Neat! I'm gonna go find some bugs!"
"...she's cute, Alastor."
"She's a menace in disguise, my dear~"
When you first met Husker, you were playing cards when he suddenly saddled himself next to you with the kind of confidence that only an overlord has
Luckily, the game was only for fun, the two of you competing against each other in friendly competition
It's a good time between the two of you, you're charming and witty, Husk just eats it up and keeps asking you to play another game
"You're pretty good at this aren't you, beautiful? Do you gamble often?"
You simply hum and politely sip your drink, carefully thinking about how you're going to turn down the overlord
"I don't tend to frequent these sorts of places but my darling husband and I are celebrating so it's a special occasion~"
"Husband?"
"Oh, he's harmless! A real romantic...~"
He deflates a little at the mention of your husband but moves on like nothing happened and that's the last you see of him for a couple of months
That is until Alastor comes home one day looking exceptionally pleased with himself as he sweeps you up into an impromptu dance
"Alastor~! What's gotten into you~?"
"Another victory under my belt, my dear~! You know how you've been saying you always wanted a cat?"
"No?"
"Well, I went out and got you one!"
You barely have time to ask him what he means when suddenly Husk is standing in front of you, looking shocked
"Oh Alastor...tell me you didn't go after him just because he flirted with me a little.."
"Of course not, darling~! I did it beca-he did what now?"
Husk looks around in bewilderment before his eyes land on you wrapped in your husband's arms, pointing at you accusingly
"HE'S YOUR HUSBAND!? You need to look up the definition of HARMLESS cause he ain't harmless!"
You meet Charlie because she quite literally runs into you, tears in her eyes and obviously upset
"I'm so so SO sorry! I-"
"Hey hey...what are you sorry for? Are you okay, my dear?"
You can't help but mother her, wiping away her tears as she tries to excuse her tears as nothing serious
"Would you like to talk about it? I can't just leave you crying out in the street like a lost baby, now can I?"
She sniffles pathetically and nods, letting you guide her somewhere more private
"Y-yes please..."
"Come now, we'll make some hot tea and you can tell me what's got you so worked up..."
You two grow attached to each other after that and make time to meet with each other at least a few times a month
She gets anxious when she hasn't heard from you in a while and calls you whenever she's upset about something, seeking your opinion
You listen to Charlie's problems and try to offer her advice or do what you can to help her feel better, sometimes she just needs a motherly hug
She tells you about her hotel and whether you believe in her dream or not, you support her because she obviously needs it
Other times, you two talk about your respective partners and gossip
"Your husband sounds so sweet! I've got to meet him one day! When he comes back, of course..."
You laugh at her enthusiasm, gently patting her hand to calm the excitable young woman down a little and trying to quell the sadness of his absence
"And this girlfriend of yours sounds like she really cares about you, I'd love to meet her."
You feel compelled to look after her, and Charlie sees you as a source of comfort if not a mother figure to her
So she eventually introduces Vaggie to you because you've been asking to meet her, Vaggie is just excited to meet the famous Y/N
She's heard so much about you from Charlie that she had to see if you were genuine, she had to make sure you weren't using her girlfriend
Only to be taken aback by just how much she ends up liking you, looking to you for advice just as Charlie does
She's geared up, ready to fight, when one day you two are suddenly cornered by thugs out on the street, only to be baffled when you take them out with ease
Just how powerful are you?
"Wait wait wait-how did you pull off that move? I've been trying to learn how to do that for months!"
You're casually fixing your clothes and rubbing your wrist, completely unfazed by the ambush
"It's just a little something I learned from my husband~ Would you like me to teach you?"
"Y-yes! Please!"
She readily accepts, and soon she's just as attached to you as Charlie is, looking forward to the times you agree to spar with her
Her and Charlie talk about how much they love you one night before they go to bed
"So....she's great right?"
"Charlie, I fucking love her."
"Right!?"
You meet Angel at a clothing store, the two of you shopping in the same section when you catch him staring hard at the gloves
"You should try this one, the color compliments you really well, and they're made from a good material."
He jumps in surprise, obviously startled by your sudden arrival, but does genuinely seem to look at the pair of gloves you're pointing out
Angel picks them up and tries them on, seemingly more than pleased with your picks, whatever thoughts that were weighing on his mind momentarily forgotten
"Thanks..! Uh, maybe I can help you pick something out?"
He gestures to the many different lingerie in your basket, you're obviously having a hard time deciding which one to get
You have the decency to at least look a little embarrassed, a soft blush taking over your features and making you look innocent
"Would you? My husband is back, and I just want to show him how much I've missed him..."
Angel guides you to the fitting rooms, obviously excited to be of help, he could be saving a marriage for all he knows!
"Sure thing, doll! You put on each one, and Angel Dust here will tell you which one will knock your man off his feet! If I know anything! It's how to turn a man on!"
Normally, you wouldn't even THINK about showing another man your body in lingerie, but hearing that and having an inkling of who Angel is, you trust him
And it's surprisingly fun! Angel helps you narrow it down to three favorites that are sexy and comfortable, it never once feels creepy or uncomfortable
"Now pose like this when he comes in! Yes! Just like that! Your hubby is gonna lose his mind when he sees you!"
You can't help but laugh, not at all feeling ridiculous but enjoying Angel's antics and enthusiasm
"Thank you, Angel. We should go clothes shopping together again sometime, I had a good time today."
He winks and holds out his phone to get your number before walking away, no longer seeming so...depressed
"And you'll have an even better time tonight! See you later, doll~!"
You two shop together on the regular after that, greeting each other with air kisses and judging people together
"Ugh, do you see the hair on that gal? What an absolute wreck!"
"That hairstyle wasn't even popular when my husband and I were alive...ugh..."
"When am I gonna meet this man of yours anyways?"
"When he stops going to a tailor and agrees to come shopping with me~"
You're laying in bed with Alastor one night, nuzzled under his chin and cuddling in his arms when he suddenly speaks
"You know that little...project I've been working on?"
You're nearly asleep, the feeling of his thumb rubbing your arm soothing you more than he realizes
"Mhm..."
"Well, I was thinking maybe I could take you with me tomorrow...everyone there has been dying to meet you."
You open your eyes to look at your husband, smiling at him as you lean up to kiss him softly
"More people who don't believe that you have a wife? I'll be happy to set the record straight~"
He chuckles and rolls you two over so that he's on top of you, kissing down your neck as his hands push up your nightgown
"I can't wait to show you off to everyone~"
The next day, Alastor takes your arm in his and leads you inside, you're more than a little surprised to see that his project is a hotel
You're a bit shocked to see so many familiar faces in front of you, Niffty running up to hug your leg and Husk giving you a lazy wave
Charlie, Vaggie and Angel are all staring you like you're a ghost, eyes slowly moving from Alastor to you over and over again
Charlie drops her tray of snacks in surprise, rushing up to give you a bone crushing hug while Vaggie stands in front of Alastor as if to protect you
"Y/N! What are you doing here!? Are you here to give redemption a try? Oh, I knew you would come around!!"
You laugh and hug her back while patting her head, gently prying her arms off of you so you can pet Niffty
"It's good to see you too, my dear princess, though I'm here with my husband."
Vaggie's jaw drops, and she whips around to look at you, jabbing a finger at Alastor as you see her trying to digest the truth in front of her
"You! A-and him!? The Radio Demon?!"
Alastor takes the opportunity to pull you back to his side, a loving arm around your waist as you happily lean on him, hand on his chest
"Everyone! This is Y/N, my lovely wife~! Y/N, please tell them all that you're here of your own volition and that you are happily married to the most wonderful demon in all of hell!"
You hear Angel trying to hold in his laughter, obviously flashing back to the many conversations he's had with you about your mysterious husband
"Yes yes, I'm happily married to him and I'm not under any mind control or deal or anything else like that~"
You can hear Vaggie's soul leave her body, Charlie's delighted squeal and Angel's uncontrollable laughter at the sight of you and Alastor rubbing noses in an obnoxiously cute manner
"This is the guy you've been buyin' all those sexy clothes for!? Oh my fuck!! This is too good!"
"I can't believe Alastor was your husband this whole time!! I knew he was secretly a big softie! Oh my gosh! You should hear how he talks about you it's so cute!!"
"...I don't get what you see in him..."
"I don't either, you know that when I first met her, she called him HARMLESS? She's delusional."
"He's a bad boy and she LIKES IT~!"
Your husband looks at you in confusion, gently stroking your cheek
"All this time I spent singing your praises to earn you a decent reputation around here was for nothing? I should've known you'd have stolen their hearts already~"
You smile and kiss Alastor's palm sweetly, earning a chorus of cooing and disgusted noises from your audience
"Actually, I've met everyone here before, darling... it seems we've been unintentionally been keeping our a marriage a secret from everyone!"
Charlie is just so enamored with the way you two interact as a couple, her eyes sparkling whenever she watches you two together
Vaggie is just disappointed in your taste in men and shakes her head whenever you two are affectionate, secretly she thinks it's cute
Angel gets a kick out bugging Alastor about the clothes he helped you pick out, always asking him if he liked the lingerie
Husk is just thankful for the distraction you prove to be for Alastor because then he has more time to himself, encourages you two to go on a lot of dates
Niffty is just crazy as always 😜 She likes you two together though and will stab anyone who tries to separate you two
This one took so long!! I hope you like it!!
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