Hey there, check out this pinned post first!

Thanks for visiting Roleplay Better, where I believe that you can fucking do better! That kind of language, however, is why it is important for you to read this post before proceeding.

This blog and its posts are meant for an adult RPing audience; be over legal, adult age in the USA, 18+. Do not interact by submitting, asking, reblogging, commenting, or liking unless you are over eighteen years of age. By interacting with RPB or me, Vespertine, you are assumed to be following this rule. If you are breaking this rule, you will be blocked.

I have that rule because this blog can/will/does address topics inappropriate for a younger audience. Those can include, but are not limited to:

not safe for work - violence, injury, sexual language, smut, substance use

“dark topics” and themes like violence, unhealthy relationships, mental illness, trauma, graphic injury, dubious consent, substance use, and so forth addressed realistically

foul, sexual, and otherwise “Adult” language

 unpopular opinions and approaches about writing, RP, fandoms

“negativity” since literally anything can be, and my whole point here isn’t about holding back; it is likely that, at some point, in some post or another, a shoe will fit you-you need to be mature enough to handle that without taking it as a personal attack on you

images and links that may contain things inappropriate for a younger audience

this blog is founded upon the idea that fiction has reflections in reality, but that fiction does not utterly equate to reality. You should write with realism, your characters should be people in their own right, and you should absolutely be addressing many popular topics responsibly, which is to say realistically. I do not support or otherwise condone purity culture, so while realism is a big deal here, fiction = reality arguments are a no

seriously, you have no idea how fucking salty I am! I try to be fair, reasonable, and mellow with everyone, but it can and does come out.

This blog tags for common, major triggers, but it is not for those easily triggered or particularly sensitive. By proceeding, you take responsibility for yourself...like a mature adult. I expect you to utilize blacklist, unfollow, and block. Tag format is simple, it is literally just the word in most cases, with “cw” and “tw” added to particularly common things. Example, a post containing a breakdown of forms of dubcon will be tagged #dubcon #dubious consent. If that was specifically of a sexual nature, since tumblr is unfriendly to using Not Safe For Work now, I will be using #notsafe for sexual topics. In the event that this needs to change, it will be posted about, the previous tag left intact, so that you may update your blacklist.

You are always welcome to send me an ask or private message requesting a particular trigger be tagged for you. I try to check blogs I see following, especially if I follow back, so that I can tag what you require. However, I’m a person, I’m an ND, ill, busy person though, I do make mistakes!

If you find yourself desirous of telling me to tag in a hateful way, don’t. You will not be responded to with an apology and kindness. Do not be rude, it’s uncalled for when informing someone of a problem or making a request.

I will run the blog largely on a queue, and will not be following many people back. This is not personal! I just like to try to provide content at many different times, have a life elsewhere, and I am so happy that you love your fandom, but it might not be something I’ve enough interest in to have on my dash.

Don’t tumblr message me. Use the inbox or submit.

Due to recent events, I am changing this rule. It’s hard for me to receive messages unexpectedly, and I hate to imply that I’ll be able to get to these quicker because it isn’t the truth. Quicker, better responses come from the inbox. However, there have been too many incidents lately in which people needed to speak privately and had to make that a request. If you’re having a problem and need to vent, request sensitive advice, etc.? It’s alright, go ahead and drop me a PM, y’all. I’ll get back to you as soon as I am able. Please, do not be angry with me if I respond to inbox things or my queue is running! You’re important to me, I just might not have the requisite social cognition and energy you deserve at that time.

Aggressive inbox messages will be responded to in kind. I don’t care if you are on anon or not, if you haven’t an ounce of polite communication skills, I won’t have them either. This is not a “we don’t publish anon hate” blog.

I highly encourage asks and submissions on any and all RP topics, and it’s perfectly alright to be salty as fuck in them, you can totally vent here, but don’t take out your frustration on me or be demanding of me. I am always happy to help with information, advice, or just a response to your venting-it’s important to know someone is listening. However, it may take me a few days to a week to get to you, be patient. 

If you are going to vent, leave out usernames. This isn’t a callout or burnbook blog. It’s fine to state characters and fandoms, but if this becomes a problem, it’ll have to change. I don’t want this becoming a salt blog for one or two fandoms I very likely can’t even stand. Practice the fine art of alluding to things, its good experience for your writing! Besides, RPC problems are RPC problems, I promise. It might feel like it’s just your fandom, but there is something relatable in all corners.

I will not overly police comments. Keep the slurs and shit out of it, though. If there is an issue going on pertaining to a serious instance of hate speech, or behavior I, personally, deem as too inappropriate and/or immature to be taking place on my post, I will step in. Otherwise, I expect everyone to be adults in the comments and reblogs too. If you want to argue with each other, that’s your business. If you want to argue with me, I’m not sorry in advance.

Addition to the above: this is not a blog in which it will be tolerated that commentators or those submitting with the URLS are targeted for callouts, shaming, or other instances of bullying. No, I cannot make those people stop bothering you by blocking them, but the least I can do is address that by shutting down their access to this blog and it’s posts by blocking on the URLs I have for them. And I will. Fuck that “we can’t be responsible for” shit. It’s my blog, it’s my content I’m putting out there, I’m not going to just ignore shit like what went down over on COAR, thanks. Not. Cool.

This is definitely not a place for:

people who think giving muses labels, including top/bottom “dynamics,” is a good substitute for character traits, personality, and development

those with no reading comprehension skills

folks dependent upon aesthetics and aesthetics-based purple prose as filler for actual writing

anti-original character/just wants to fuck a FC or canon character club, get the fuck out immediately

y’all who see writing as an obstacle to getting down to action, be that smut, drama, or fight scenes...it’s literally a writing hobby

politics, any manner of phobe or ism, violent/non-inclusive feminists, purity/rpc/fandom/content police of any manner, and exactly any manner of racism, sexism, or religious intolerance - I give not a shit if it’s popular to hate the straights, for example, I neither believe in nor tolerate reactionary classifying of any group as blanket-statement evil

people who are going to tack onto my posts shit like, “it’s okay, OP, you can say x character.” Trust me, if I were talking about one character, I fucking would name drop them, don’t bring me into your fandom drama, I doubt I know or want to know who that anime guy is who looks like 12 other anime guys to me.

About Vespertine

You can call me that, Vespertine. I’d rather you didn’t go with Vesper, but as it is unfortunately so likely to happen, I won’t feed you to the dogs over it either. RPB Mun is also acceptable.

I’m alright with either she/her or he/him, they/them is also fine. Apparently, that was big enough clue-in for the poor reading comp crowd, so while I feel it is not of importance, I’m nonbinary, yes.

Late 30′s, chronically ill but still working adult with neurodivergence. I’m both busy and Busy, and always sick. This limits my brain power and ability to be here. I have an active RP blog that I won’t be sharing to keep responsible distance. That is always going to be my priority, it is my primary hobby.

Please, don’t tumblr message me totally random things if we don’t have that kind of relationship! I’m too ill and busy, and it really fucks my nerves to have a bunch of messages/have to suddenly interact socially with people. Don’t do it. Use my inbox, use the submit, comment on posts. I cannot do random messages of “hey” and so forth.

I only do written RP, don’t expect me to understand much of anything from tabletop. I’ve RPed for the last 23 years consistently, on every platform from AOL chats to forums to messengers and here. I also don’t do RP in discord, so I’m sorry, but I can’t advise you much on anything with a word count, except to stop it for serious RP. Other than that, I promise you that I’ve seen the trends, the drama, the fandoms. I can give a lot of advice and perspective on a wide range of topics, situations, and characters! When I don’t have a clue at all, I’ll try to do enough research to give you an answer.

Do I come off as a horrible, strict asshole? I do! I’m not going to say that I am just a shy bean who is more scared of you than you are me. I’m not. I’m honestly feral, but have common decency, compassion, and sense. All of which are lacking in the general RPC. So, if you can inbox/common/otherwise interact with anyone else on this site, you can totally handle me!

Honesty and openness are policies.

And in the spirit of that, I repeat; you can fucking do better, tumblr RPC!

FONDUE FOR TWO W/ SUE SYLVESTER // Fri. Feb 26th release

Hello, and welcome to the first ever and extra special edition of Fondue for Two on the Fondue Pot Podcast. A show where I, your host, Brittany S Pierce will ask the burning cheese melting questions so that you don’t have to. Today we have a line up of parents to shed a little light on their feelings on campus, school policy, and their terrible children... 

Now, first we have a well known alumni, renowned cheerleading coach, and all around bad guy... according to a whole slew of lawsuits but don't expect her lawyers to say so. 

Hello, welcome, I hope your time here this week has been as exciting as it used to be back in your day. Just as a background on you and to start, can you please introduce yourself to our listeners?. Let us know how many children you have attending the school and because you're an alumni, anything about today's campus that looks a little different now than how it used to....

Sue: It's good to be here, Miss Pierce, and thank you for the warm welcome.  First off, before I introduce myself, let me just say that none of those allegations were ever proven in a court of law. 

To the point, though, if your listeners don't know me then they should.  Sue Sylvester, cheerleading icon, one of the most successful coaches in the history of our sport.  I have two children attending this school, although whether I acknowledge them as such depends on their grades.

As for this campus...well, Brittany, frankly it's hideous.  This used to be a place for the elite.  The best of the best.  Scholarships?  What is this, Communist Venezuela?  I'd be willing to accept the kids who can pay for themselves, because why not let them spend their money, that's the American way.  But a scholarship?  Embarrassing.  Those kids drag this entire campus down.

B: You heard that Devereux? Sue Sylvester herself, coming at you. 

I know your daughters. 

SHOUT OUT TO TEDDY SYLVESTER ON THE TINY ECHO MIC~~   

As far as the rest of the campus and scholarships, that seems like a totally weird thing to be bothered by but I know a lot of people in your generation have a lot of anger issues from the prohibition days. I'll try not to ask too many rage inducing questions, to be accommodating. 

But while we are on the topic of progressive and dynamic school changes... In regards to the retesting that has been and continues to be issued, do you have a stance on the new tests validity? This has been a hot topic on campus for months since the holidays last year, and I'd love to get some parent perspective on it.

S: Prohibition?  How old do you think I am, exactly, Brittany?  That was repealed in 1933, and I certainly wasn't around to see it.  Tragic day anyway, this country would have been far better off it weren't filled with alcoholic louts. 

See, a person might think I'd be against something like that - after all, your mark is your mark and it's as simple as that.  But I am in favor of tests.  If someone really doesn't have what it takes to be a Dominant?  Tell them so.  Make them a submissive, slap some cuffs on them, and go on with your life.  And those people who show that they're more than just a submissive?  Good for them!  Upward mobility, Brittany, that's what this country was built on.

B: 1933. Yeah I totally know. This campus must have been, like, an entirely different walk of life back then. 

That is really understanding of you. I bet a lot of the students who are listening that might of retested feel pretty reassured that you think so. 

Follow up question, if you were still a student and faced with a retest yourself do you suspect it would impact your current role?

S: I...was not here in 1933, Brittany.  I wasn't even born. 

As they should be.  They should understand, like everyone else in this great country, that testing is the backbone of education.  If you test well, it means that you're a good student, and simple as that. 

Absolutely not.  I was born a Dominant, I will die a Dominant, and there is no test on Earth I could take that would ever say otherwise.  Sue Sylvester does not fail.

B: Uh-huh.  All of that is a totally interesting theory. 

It's pretty cool to be secure in your role. Would you like to share a fist bump with me on it?

S: A theory?  Brittany, unlike the president I can show you my birth certificate.

 Yes, of course - much more hygienic than a handshake, I believe.

[ * muffled fist bump sounds ] 

B:  Moving on... 

 Any feelings on the class list not including French courses or modeled under typical French curriculum here at Devereux Academy?

S: It's the best decision they could have made.  What was a student in Florida going to need French for?  I'm sure if they wanted to say "I surrender," or ask for cheese and a baguette, they can do that just as easily in a proper language.  And what did their curriculum ever teach them?  How to cut the heads off of women who were only enjoying a delicious piece of cake?

B: OH! Thank you for saying CHEESE.

 [ * buzzer sound ]  

That is the HOT WORD today and lined up perfectly with the fondue pot being just warm enough. Please help yourself. It's my own cheddar gouda blend and there are plenty of dipper items to dip. I recommend the marshmallows... 

The HOT WORD [ * buzzer sound ] brings the focus in on you personally and I have one very burning question for you that I'm sure a ton of our listers who know anything there is to know about you are on the edge of their seats wondering. 

 Is it true that you are legally married to yourself?

S: I haven't had a proper fondue since the seventies.  And now that I think about it, Dick Cheney never did pay for the vegetables.  

[ muffled chewing sounds ]

 [ loud swallow ] 

That is completely true, in fact.  I have some lovely pictures from the ceremony here, if you'd like to look them over.  Isn't that tracksuit stunning?  I mean, it's more me that's stunning than the tracksuit, but still.

B: Wow..it.. it actually is super good looking. Did you save it for any of your daughters to wear at their wedding?

S: Thank you - I'm glad that you can appreciate how tasteful it was.  I did save it, but not for them - it's in a glass case on a mannequin of my exact proportions in my office at home.

B: Oh, right of course. 

I'd like to also ask, since you're solo-married, would you ever consider entering into a long term claim with yourself as well?

S: Oh god no.  I would never wear a collar for anyone, not even myself.  I can't even stomach the thought of it.

B: Thank you for answering those. That was the HOT WORD [ * buzzer sound ] and a dip into Sue Sylvester. 

Now, we're nearing the end of our time here, there are just a few more things I feel we should cover while I have you here. 

As a Legacy I'm sure you're super aware of the type of pressures that can bring but, do you have an idea or a guess of what it might be like for a child of a well known individual like yourself to be wading through gossip and the literal meaning of the word legacy in your wake?

S: Of course - it's been a true pleasure knowing there are talented journalists like yourself on campus, Brittany. 

I have no doubt that it's the most difficult thing in the world to follow someone like me.  Knowing that everyone who looks at them is constantly comparing them to me, wondering when they'll follow in my footsteps and become more like me, I cannot imagine that sort of pressure.  But I trained them, molded them, just like any legacy parent should do, and I believe they're capable.

B: Thank you Sue, I super appreciate you saying that. I'm going to save it as a sound bite to play later. 

You heard it here folks, one Sue Sylvester believes her daughters to be trained an capable. It totally sounds like you're super proud, that's amazing. Speaking of when you were attending though, there is one more personal item my assistant has pointed out to me that I have yet to touch on and I think everyone would like to hear your side... 

I heard that when you were here at Devereux the then Intro to Dominance teacher reportedly had a public breakdown and resigned. Through the help of school records I have tracked down and reached out to said retired teacher and although they sounded ancient like the skeleton from tales from the crypt. They had this to say about it, and I quote:

"I never thought that the devil walked on Earth, and then I met Sue Sylvester.  How Devereux managed to survive her long enough to let her graduate, I'll never know.  That woman tried to kill me on at least three occasions, and whether anyone could prove it or not I know the truth.  She said on day one that I sounded like a Hippo wheezing in a desert, and from then on she had it in for me." 

 Do you have a comment?

S: Oh, them being capable doesn't mean that they'll actually put in the effort. Only that I gave them every tool possible to help them on their way.  What they do with that is up to them. 

 [ sound of Sue, laughing uproariously ] 

I can't believe that old bat hasn't keeled over in her study, surrounded by her little ceramic figurines and being gnawed on by the eighty seven cats I'm sure she owns.  I do have a comment, actually.  Now that the statute of limitations has expired, I'll say that I actually tried to kill her on at least seven different occasions, and she must have missed the other four.  And with the benefit of hindsight, she sounded less like a hippo wheezing than like the musty specter of death in a Vincent Price movie.

B: Seven.  Well. I don't know if legally I should air that but I bet your lawyers will be on it if there is any trouble. 

I also want to take a moment and add a disclaimer here, this podcast or any part of Devereux administration does not condone the use of violence or bullying against their employees. 

Well, that has been a ride. And I'd really like to thank you for taking the time to talk with me and give us your sizzling take on current goings on of our school. 

Before we go, and last of all... off the top you your head, what’s the hottest dish you have to serve up for us? Any context.

S: I, on the other hand, absolutely condone the use of violence.  How else do people learn? 

It's been a genuine pleasure, Brittany, and thank you for doing the good lord's work and getting the news out to your fellow students. 

The hottest dish I've got for you...oh, I've got just the thing.  I bet no one who goes here has ever figured this out, so consider this a Sue Sylvester exclusive.  If you find just the right brick to press on in the library, you can open a secret door.  Inside is a private gym and training facility that I dubbed "the room of pain."  The first one to find it will find a one hundred dollar gift card for Bullwinkle's Restaurant hidden somewhere inside.

B: WOAH. Completely unexpected dish!! You heard it here first people, a treasure hunt on our very own campus is now afoot. 

That was Sue Sylvester, this is Fondue For Two, and I am Brittany S Pierce. 

Signing off.

🔥 ℝise Ⱥbove I̾t ◈ Chapter 047 [Teamwork]

📑 Table of Contents | ◂Backward

Word Count: 3,352

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

〈“Don’t be scared to say what’s on your mind. Show them all your colors, show your pride. And no matter what they say, know you’re a star.” Mackenzie Ziegler, “Teamwork”〉

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

I stepped inside the classroom, eyes locking with heterochromatic ones. I suppressed a shiver as I approached my desk. To think that I could have been flame fuck’s kid… I could have been Shouto’s sister. Now I feel bad about all those dirty thoughts I had when I first met him. Ugh, what was that dipshit mom of mine thinking? Was he married to Shouto’s mom back then? He had to be… right? That means he cheated on his wife – that doesn’t really surprise me, he seems the type. Did mom know he was married? Did he pay her like he paid off his wife’s family? I groaned, letting my forehead hit my desk.

A hand rested on my shoulder followed by a soft, familiar voice. “How are your injuries?”

“Todoro -” My eye twitched as flame fuck popped into my head. “I’m fine, Shouto. How are you doing?”

His eyes widened a bit at the use of his first name, cheeks dusting a light pink. “I wasn’t injured that badly.”

“Good.”

Shit, it feels awkward as fuck now. Silence settled over us and I briefly wondered if he’s feeling as awkward as I am. Students started to file into the room, swapping stories of their adventures during their internship.

Obnoxious laughter filled the room as Kirishima and Sero loudly chorused, “Holy crap! What the heck, Bakugo?!”

Huh? Katsuki? I can’t see anything but those two idiot’s backs. I stood up, slowly approaching the three boys.

“Stop laughing…” Kat’s voice was strained. “My hair’s gotten used to this and I can’t get it back the right way…”

“Woah,” My eyes widened as I stepped up beside Kiri. Katsuki’s body was shaking and his hair… it’s flatter than Kyouka’s tits! “Uh… new fashion choice, Kat? Actually, it don’t look that bad. You look like… a prep.”

“Did you not hear me?! I’ll kill all of you!”

“I’d like to see you try, pretty boy!” Sero laughed loudly.

“What did you call me?!” With an explosive pop, his flat blonde hair expanded outward, returning to its natural spiky state.

“There it goes!!” The two chorused, clutching their stomachs.

Before he could actually kill them, I threw my arm around his neck and dragged him over to his desk. He elbowed me hard in the gut, which was still fucking sore, before falling onto his chair. I wheezed in pain, “The fuck was that for?”

His vermillion eyes narrowed as they met mine. “You ignored all my damn messages! And then fucking Iida called me telling me you’re alive! What the fuck, tiger?!”

“My phone kinda… broke,” I deadpanned, sitting backward at the desk in front of him. “Well, as it turns out, our bad feelings were right. I put our instincts to the test, you’re welcome.”

He scowled, leaning forward on his desk. “What the fuck happened?”

I rested my arms on the top of the chair and sighed. “The hero and all of her sidekicks were all dead when I arrived at the agency.”

He sucked in a breath, his eyes widening.

“It was the League of Villains. I was actually about to call you and tell you what I found when they appeared. Tried to get away, but that damn warp gate is a pain in my fucking ass.”

“Wait…” Katsuki.exe is processing this information. “The league had you all fucking week?!”

Ojirou, currently the closest person to us, glanced over at us at the sudden exclamation and I sent him a sheepish smile before scowling at Kat. “No one fucking knows, so shut your fatass mouth!”

“You’re a fucking dumbass, you know that?” He growled, smacking his hand on the desk. “I told you not to go!”

I hummed. “I also met my dad.”

“You what?”

“Apparently, he’s a top hero over in Ireland.” I held up a finger and grinned. “But wait, there’s more! I learned some juicy shit about my mom. You won’t fucking believe -” My words paused in my throat when I felt an aura spike across the room. Holy cow, Ochaco’s aura is hella stronger than it was before!

“I’d say that it was very enlightening,” she punched the air a few times. To be honest, I feel relieved that her spirit has changed, gotten stronger. That means she’ll be safer.

“I think she found her fighting spirit,” Tsu commented.

“Yeah, that battle hero must’ve been something else,” Kyouka agreed.

“After one week, she’s like a totally different person.” Kaminari mused.

“‘Different’? Don’t be fooled, Kaminari.” Mineta got a terrified look on his face, his skin pale and eyes wide. “All women are demons at heart. They just hide their true personalities behind pretty faces…” His voice shook and I smirked. Good, that bitch put him in his place. Now let’s hope he fucking stays there.

“What the heck did Mt. Lady do to you? Everyone at my internship loved me, it was actually kinda great! Now, if you wanna talk about the ones who really changed, it was those three,” Kaminari nodded toward Shouto’s desk where he, Zuku, and Iida were gathered.

“Oh yeah! The hero killer!” Sero exclaimed.

“Glad you guys made it back alive,” Kirishima gave them a soft smile. “Seriously!”

Momo nodded. “I worried about you, too.”

“You’re lucky Endeavor showed up and saved you guys,” Sumo’s voice sounds so goddamn condescending, the little fuck.

“So cool~” Toru swooned. “Just what I’d expect from the number two hero!”

I scoffed, narrowing my eyes at the desk beside me. “Bastard didn’t do shit.”

Katsuki’s eye twitched in annoyance. “Don’t fucking tell me… you were there, too?!”

“Huh?” Kaminari’s golden eyes met mine. “You were there, too, Winchester?”

“What?” Sero added. “No way!”

Shouto spoke up, his voice and face blank. “Yeah, that’s right. He saved us.”

“Did you guys hear the news about the hero killer?” Ojirou questioned. “Everyone’s been saying that he’s somehow connected to the League of Villains. Can you imagine how frightening it would’ve been if that creep had been there when they attacked the USJ?”

“They’re not connected,” I responded blankly. “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

Kirishima tilted his head. “How do you know?”

“Uhh… woman’s intuition?”

Katsuki rolled his eyes, “What a dumbass excuse.”

“He’s scary, yeah, but did you see ’em in that weird video?” Kaminari asked. “It’s all over the internet.”

“I didn’t even know there was a video of him,” Ojirou responded in surprise.

“Yeah,” he continued. “Stain’s a pretty evil villain, but like, super tenacious! He’s almost kinda cool, don’t you guys think?”

“Kaminari!” Zuku cried out in disbelief.

“Huh?” the blonde’s gaze slipped to Iida and his expression turned guilty, his hand shooting up to cover his mouth. “Oh, uh… dude…!”

“No, it’s okay. You’re fine.” Iida replied calmly, holding his hand up. I can see the bandages peeking out from the sleeves of his jacket. “It is true that he’s quite a tenacious villain. I understand why people might think he was cool, but instead of helping the world, his beliefs led him to cold-blooded murder. No matter his motives, killing cannot be condoned.”

Kaminari lowered his head, shoulders slumping. I stood up and rested my hand on his head, ruffling his blonde hair.

Iida continued, “To keep anyone else from suffering like me… well,” he held his arm out straight, glasses glinting under the bright lights. “I promise… I will strive to be the perfect hero!”

“Yeah, let’s do it!” Zuku cheered.

I clicked my tongue, moving my arm to rest on Kaminari’s shoulder. “I hate to be that bitch -” Which is a total lie. “I get what you’re tryin’ to say, right, but~ to quote a very creepy but quite brilliant mad scientist: ‘There is no such thing as perfect in this world. That may sound cliche, but it’s the truth. The average person admires perfection and seeks to obtain it, but what’s the point of achieving perfection? There is none. Nothing. Not a single thing. I spit on perfection! If something is perfect, then there is nothing left. There is no room for imagination. No place left for that person to gain additional knowledge or abilities.’”

Sero whistled. “That’s pretty deep.”

Katsuki scoffed. “You can remember that long ass fucking quote you can’t even remember simple math equations. Dumbass.”

“In conclusion!” I met Iida’s eyes and offered him a grin. “Don’t strive to be perfect, strive to be the best hero you can be, Mr. Class Rep~”

He returned the smile, nodding his head. “You’re right. I never thought of it that way.”

Zuku looked between us with worry before sighing in relief when he realized we weren’t gonna butt heads again.

“It’s time for class to begin! Everyone, please take your seats!” Iida ordered loudly.

“He’s back…” Fumi sighed.

“This is your fault for talking about weird stuff,” Kyouka sweatdropped, glaring at Kaminari whose face fell in response.

“Sorry… I’ll keep my mouth shut…”

“Class 1-A will ensure there is peace!”

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

Class 1-A was led to a secluded area away from the school building. It was basically a mini-city, but instead of buildings, there were a bunch of warehouses and a shit-ton of pipes and empty tanks.

“I am here!” Toshi fell from the sky, as he usually does, landing in front of the class. “Hope you’re ready to return to our lessons! Today, it’s hero basic training! Feels like I haven’t seen you in a while. Welcome back! Now then, listen carefully for what’s in store. We’re going to be conducting a little race. Take everything you’ve learned from your internships and apply it to this rescue training.”

“If it’s rescue training,” Iida’s bandaged arm shot up into the air. “Then shouldn’t we be at the USJ instead?”

“Ah! That facility specializes in disasters. As I said earlier, this is a race. So prepare!” Toshi grinned. “You’re about to step into field Gamma! Inside is an area full of factories that form an intricate labyrinth, so good luck finding your way around. You’ll be competing in groups of five. Each person starts from a different location on the outskirts of the model city. I’ll send a distress signal and you do what you must to rescue me! Whoever finds me first, wins! But try to keep the property damage to a bare minimum, please.” He sent a sharp look at Bakugo while pointing his finger directly at him.

Chief didn’t even try to be discreet with that shade.

Katsuki growled, glancing away. “Why are you pointing at me?”

“Alright! First group, to your places!”

Group one consisted of Zuku, Ojirou, Iida, Sero, and Ashido. The rest of us gathered around the large screen to watch the race. Kaminari frowned at the screen, his voice filled with worry. “Iida hasn’t completely recovered yet, right? He should sit this out!”

“Yeah,” Kirishima nodded. “And everyone in this group has really good mobility.”

“I’d say Midoriya’s at a heavy disadvantage against those four,” Momo commented.

“That’s what I think,” Kyouka agreed. “Moving around quickly isn’t exactly one of his strong suits, that’s for sure.”

Momo added, “And whenever he uses his powers, he always gets badly injured.”

I held back my smirk as my eyes met Shouto’s. That’s right, no one knows about how much my lil cinnabon has improved or how he can now use One for All with less drawbacks aside from Iida and Shouto. Man, their surprised faces are gonna be fucking priceless! I glanced at Katsuki’s back. I bet he’s not gonna be too happy, though.

“Who’s your pick?” Kirishima asked, glancing at Kaminari. “I’m betting on Sero!”

“Oh yeah~? Hmm, I’ve got odds on Ojirou.”

“I choose Ashido!” Mineta interjected. “‘Cause she’s got a super athletic body!”

Kat humphed. “I know Deku will be last.”

“Even if he’s still recovering, I think Iida’s got this one,” Ochaco commented, to which Tsu nodded in agreement.

Fumi glanced at me over his shoulder when I moved to stand behind him. “Who do you believe will win, Jen-san?”

“Zuku,” I responded without much thought, only to immediately regret it when Katsuki glared at me.

“Is everyone ready?” Toshi raised his hand, pressing the trigger button. “Begin!”

The five of them took off, using their quirks to propel themselves over obstacles and across pipes. Currently, Sero is in the lead.

“Look at him go!” Kirishima cheered. “In a maze like this, it makes sense to be above everything else!”

“So that means Sero’s at an advantage because he can take to the sky,” Shouji mused, using one of his fake mouths to talk. I wonder if he has a real mouth. That might explain why he always wears that face mask. Hmm~

A flash of green flashed across the screen, instantly grabbing my attention. I grinned proudly, throwing my arms around Fumi’s neck. With him standing at only five-foot-two, I was able to easily rest my chin against the top of his soft, feathery head. Come on, Zuku, show everyone how much you’ve grown!

“Woah! Midoriya?!” Kirishima, Kaminari, and Mineta chorused in disbelief.

“When could he do that?!” Kaminari exclaimed.

“Crazy… those jumps… he looks just like…”

A strong, angry aura rose around Katsuki as he stared at the screen, his hands shaking. I knew he wasn’t gonna take this well… I sighed deeply, turning my gaze back to the screen. Why’s he always gotta get all pissy every time Zuku makes the smallest bit of improvement? Zuku was jumping from pipe to pipe with ease, a strong green aura around his body. He’s doing so… well…

I sweatdropped when his foot slipped off the pipe, sending him flying to the ground. “Zuku, you fucking idiot…”

Fumi chuckled, patting my arm. “He almost took first place. His improvement is impressive.”

“And~ it’s over!” Toshi grinned as the group made it to him one after another. He handed over a sash to the winner, Sero, that said ‘Thanks for saving me’. Is this the fucking Miss USA pageant? “Thanks, hero, and congratulations!”

“Alright!” Sero put the sash on, a proud grin on his face while Ashido stomped her feet in annoyance.

Zuku was lying flat on his face, clearly distraught by his mistake while Iida kneeled beside him, “Uh, Midoriya, you’re okay, right?”

“Young Sero may have come in first, but compared to the start of the year, you all showed me some incredible improvements! Keep working and preparing for your upcoming final exams!”

My body stiffened. F-Final exams?! What? When the fuck are those? What’s on them? Is it a written exam? A fight? Oh Satan, I’m totally gonna fucking fail if it’s a written exam. I mean, I did pretty well on the entrance exam written test, but that’s only because Toshi gave me a crash course before the test! Now that I’ve been here for a while and been in class, there’s no way in hell he’ll help me again.

“Are you nervous?” Fumi questioned.

“What makes you think I’m nervous?” I muttered.

“You’re shaking me like a leaf in an Autumn breeze, Jen-san.”

“Oh, shit. Sorry, Fumi.” I released my grip, sending him a sheepish smile, which he returned with a warm one.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll do well. Even if you don’t win the race, there’s no need to fret.”

“The race… right…” Fuck the race, I’m worried about the mother fucking exams!

“Group one, leave the field. You’re up, group two!” Toshi ordered.

Group two consisted of Kaminari, Fumi, Aoyama, Kyouka, and Shouto. Though it was a close one between Shouto and Fumi, Dark Shadow is just too damn powerful and adorable and Fumi ended up winning by half a second.

Group three consisted of Mineta, Katsuki, Sumo, Ochaco, and Shouji. It should be pretty fucking obvious that Kat won. He’s also still pissed off at me, if that glare is anything to go on.

Group four consisted of Kirishima, Toru, Mountain, Momo, and Tsu. Toshi decided to assign me to this group.

As we headed into the city, I threw my arm around Kirishima’s shoulder, earning a curious look. “You wanna try somethin’ with me, Kiri?”

He tilted his head. “What is it?”

“Let’s tie!” I grinned, holding up a finger. “I’ll carry you on my back while I race. Not only will we both win, but it’ll help me work on my strength.”

“I don’t know, Winchester.” He frowned, rubbing his arm. “There’s no way All Might would allow that.”

I clicked my tongue. “He never said it wasn’t allowed, did he? Besides, heroes are meant to work together to save people, right?”

He hummed, cupping his chin. “Yeah, that makes sense. Okay, let’s do it!”

“Cool. Go to your spot. As soon as the race begins, I’ll come nab ya, so be ready.”

“Got it!”

Kiri was sent to the top of an empty, circular tank while I started off on the ground. We ended up being on opposite ends with the rest of our group between us. Damn, I was hoping we’d be closer to each other. I’m gonna have to channel my inner Sanic for this one! I breathed out, squatting down as my blood began to boil within me.

“Are you ready~?” Toshi called. “Begin!”

I quickly turned my body to the left, launching myself into the air and propelling forward with flames beneath my boots. I could just faintly hear the murmurs of surprise from the class, but their words were just an illegible jumble from here. “Kiri!” I landed in front of him and he wasted no time jumping on my back. I pushed off the ground, running along the thick pipe connected to the tank.

“Yaoyorozu is in first place with Tsu close behind,” Kiri informed me, allowing me to focus on my footing.

I grinned, pushing my legs harder. “Not for long!” I jumped from the roof, using fire to propel my body forward. Come on, move faster! Kiri deserves to win! “Hey, Momo!” I yelled when I got close, startling her.

She was using a colorful parasail to fly through the air easily. Her head whipped around in surprise, eyes wide. “Jen, what -”

“Sorry!” My grin widened as I turned my body in mid-air so that my feet were slightly higher than my head. “Kiri, use harden!” I felt his weight increase on my back and I focused my power on my feet, large flames shooting from the bottom of my boots and propelling us forward like a mother fucking rocket. We shot past Momo, barreling straight toward a surprised Toshi.

Oh, wait… how the fuck do I land? My flames died and I reached out for the metal railing surrounding the roof, just barely managing to curl my fingers around it. Kiri lost his grip on me, shooting off my body and rolling across the rooftop. My body jerked backward as I flipped over the railing, my body hitting the roof and my fingers twisting painfully around the metal.

Okay… that could have gone a bit smoother…

Toshi was staring down at me in shock. No no, that’s fine. Don’t check on your students or anything to make sure they ain’t internally bleeding. I know I’m cool, Toshi, but get yo shit together, fam.

Momo landed between us, quickly unstrapping the parasail from her body, face covered with worry. “Are you two okay?”

Kirishima was on the other end of the roof on his stomach. He lifted his head with a grin, “That was… awesome!”

I was on my back, staring up at the azure sky as I lifted my hand to give her a thumbs up. “Totally tubular, yo.”

Momo smiled softly, shaking her head. “I can’t believe the two of you worked together like that.”

I forced myself into a sitting position, uncurling my fingers from the metal. They were throbbing but I don’t think they’re broken. I sent Toshi a grin, “Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Toshi finally snapped out of his shock, clearing his throat. “Congratulations young Jen, young Kirishima!”

Kirishima laughed happily, launching himself at me and wrapping his arms around my neck. I smiled warmly, ruffling his hair.

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

▸ Forward

📜 Read more by checking out my masterlist 📜

David’s Fic-Rec Friday:  2019/12/06

Hey there my fellow fic lovers.  After being off last week for Thanksgiving with the family, I’m back now with a double helping of recommended reading for you all.  So let’s get started and check tonight’s menu.

It Was My Fault by IronWoman359 (aka @ironwoman359)

This first story is a tad dark, featuring discussions of imprisonment, torture, and electrocution.  But if you can get through that, you’ll see the wonderful short story of love underneath.  Here, our boys are imprisoned by unnamed nefarious people, and in order to protect his friends, Patton takes the blame for a disturbance so that they won’t suffer a much more drastic punishment.  And while they hate to see him getting hurt, his own spirits are merely galvanized, as he declares that they’re going to escape, together.  Even the darkest themes can be used to show us the light.

In Which Patton Becomes a Baby and Stuff Happens by EffieTrinket1619 (aka @effietrinket1619)

Basically exactly what it says on the tin.  Virgil wakes up early one morning, only to be greeted by a preschool-aged Patton.  While attempts to understand why are initiated, in the meantime Virgey, Ro-Ro, and Mama Lo do their best to take care of their father figure figment turned pint-sized pappy.  Also features a brief moment with Remy taking care of a sick Emile.  Do be careful, Roman and Virgil both have potty mouths in this story, and Remy swears like a sailor.  But otherwise this is a sweet little story full of familial love.

Scared of the Dark by thedarkstrangeson (aka @thedarkstrangeson)

There might be a bit of a theme this week with a lot of sweetness and comfort, and it’s continued with this piece of literature.  Here, we see a Non-Binary Patton coming into Logan’s room late at night because they’re afraid of the dark.  So the next day, Logan sets out to create the perfect portable nightlight for his delightful dad-like datemate.  Wonderful and adorable in all the best ways, this one’s definitely worth a read.

Warmth by Dylanblackstorm (aka @dylanblackstorm)

A short but rather sweet fic about a surprisingly tender moment between the two-faced snake and the dirty trash man.  Deceit finds himself waking up in the living room freezing after falling asleep watching a documentary.  Too cold to even move, he’s soon found by Remus, who gleefully offers to warm him up.  Fair warning, it does allude to Remus and his... nonstandard taste in consumables.  But otherwise it’s a happy moment of comfort between the two “Dark Sides”.

Frozen Fingers, Burning Hearts by Electrikatty (aka @bombkatstic)

Another darker entry, but of a different nature than the other one.  Here, Patton is sitting alone in his cold house while his foster parents, who often remind him he’s not really part of their family, are off celebrating Christmas without him.  He’s feeling pretty bad about being alone, until his three best friends suddenly appear at his doorstep in the middle of the night to make sure he has a happy holiday, and is reminded that he still has a family who truly loves him with them.  Heartbreakingly beautiful in all the best ways, make sure you’ve got tissues for this one.  You’ll need them, trust me.

i would walk the distance (but i still don’t really know) by AshesStarsAndRedStringsOfFate (aka @magicallygrimmwiccan)

Mutual pining coffeeshop AUs are always an interesting read, and yet like seasonal pumpkin spice everything they always feel best when there’s a chill in the air.  Which means this one’s perfect for right now.  When Virgil finds himself stuck in that classic fanfic cliche in real life, he finally convinces Patton to go talk to Roman the local barista.  And in a staggering twist of fate (that everyone saw coming) he manages to get the guy’s number.  Simple and sweet with just a hint of spice, it’s as refreshing as the seasonal drinks it features.

not good enough by NiamhM101 (aka @riversritual)

Another story featuring a less-than-self-assured Patton being comforted and loved.  Here, VIrgil is doing his best to help Patton understand that he is good enough to be loved, and deserves it no matter what his parents say.  And even if Patton can’t ever believe he’s good enough for love, Virgil is still going to make it his mission to love him as much as he can for the rest of his life.  Again, grab the tissues, because this will make you cry in equal parts joy and sorrow.

they really are hopeless, aren’t they? by shesthemuscle (aka @creativemoxiety)

A more fun entry, this one sees Virgil and Patton, an established couple, marveling at the fact that Roman and Logan still haven’t managed to figure out that the other likes them back.  After discussing the matter, the two of them opt to engineer some mindscape shenanigans to get them to figure it out and admit the truth to each other.  I’m not usually one to condone manipulation, but if it gets the job done, then maybe it could be useful from time to time.  Definitely a fun read.

Comfort Of Each Other by crowsofmurder (aka @sanders-sthetis-and-fics)

Probably the second darkest on this entire list, this one features a Trans Logan going home for the first time in a long while, only to out himself to his parents in anger.  After they kick him out, he finds himself with nowhere to go but the library, until he manages to convince himself to call his friend Virgil’s enby cousin Remy to pick him up and take him to their house to meet up with Virgil, Roman, Patton, and Thomas, all wanting to make sure he’s okay.  There are some pretty deep themes of transphobia, implied homophobia, and self-revulsion.  And while it’s not exactly a happy story, it does end on a rather more positive and hopeful note.  Just make sure you’ve got some tissues left for this one.

Also, do be careful with this one.  It’s listed as being part of a series, but the first part of that is only tangentially related to this one by the theme of featuring a Trans Logan, and contains material that is... not safe for work, to put it mildly.

dance partner by lovelylogans (aka @lovelylogans)

Let’s end this on a high note.  Roman always likes to dance, but between Virgil’s social anxiety and Logan’s insistence on not participating in such frivolities, he doesn’t have a lot of options when it comes to dance partners.  Luckily for him, Patton is as much a dancing fiend as he is, and absolutely relished their dance outings in Roman’s kingdom, where King Patton and Prince Roman are well renowned for their artistic displays of movement and grace.  A fun and enticing story that actually makes me want to learn a few more dances to add to my repertoire.

*****

And now on to this week’s Featured Famder Fic Author.  And following with the same theme from last week, this week’s featured famder is:

echo_of_words (aka @song-of-echo)

Another fantastic writer in their own right, they are also working on a German translation of one of the famderdom’s most famous stories:  A Lesson in Practicality by @residentanchor, the German version of which you can find here.  I’m always impressed by those working to make the famderdom more accessible to the international community, and I applaud their efforts to do so with this as well.

*****

So, there you have it.  Do remember to give these fine stories and authors your esteemed honor and praise with some kudos, some comments, maybe even some bookmarks.  And if you’d like to be added to my Fic-Rec Friday Tag List, or if you’re already on there and would like to be removed, just hit me up and I’ll take care of it for you.

In any case, see you all next week, and happy reading!

General Tag List:

@ultimate-queen-of-fandoms2 

Fic-Rec Friday Tag List:

@kunnuglegur-tortimandi @max-is-tired @panicattheeverywheremcr

Life (Idk how to title this)

My first real post is gonna be heavy. Just a warning. I'm finally going to write this post. I needed to wrap my head around it and distance myself from it slightly. Things like this honestly hit me harder than I like to admit, it’s hard for me to know someone I had so much love and respect for is gone. It’s even worse when it’s through cancer like Alan Rickman or suicide like so many, now including Chester Bennington. I’ve always had a love for Linkin Park, it honestly helped me through a lot of personal demons. So it’s even harder for me since his music helped me not do exactly what he ended up doing. This has got to open a much needed dialogue of mental health and the reality of depression. I know it’s not easy to try to truly understand something as complicated as depression when you have never experienced it, but it’s necessary for progress. You don’t have to understand every little thing about it, but what you must do is open your eyes to the truth that it isn’t something that can be fixed by smiling, putting up a front. The only thing that does is make it harder for people to hear your screams for help, they think you only want attention, when what you really want is someone to try to help you, have someone reach out to you. You might never understand the power of a simple interaction of care, but as someone that has depression, I know how beneficial it can be to have someone simply smile at you or compliment you. No that won’t cure of us of this illness, but it might help us hold on long enough to finally begin to heal and turn our life around. Depression isn’t fake, despite what people might think, if you haven’t learned that by now looking at all the beautiful people that have ended their lives thanks to this monster that is constantly belittling us, beating us down, I really don’t know how to get you to understand. Everyone keeps saying I had no idea, none of us were expecting it, but actually go back through their music and it’s not like he’s hiding his serious struggle within himself. No one likes to acknowledge the problem/truth until it’s too late. And that just worsens the pain for people like me, the ones that know the truth and try to get others to understand it. Depression is a real thing, it terrible and hard to handle, but with help we can all begin to heal and keep going forwards even while the beast that is depression is trying to pull us back and down. People tend to only see what they want to, so they will look past obvious struggles of others around them. I get it, I do, I’m not trying to offend anyone, or make it seem like it’s your fault, it isn’t but you could save a life, I just want you to realize that. It’s really important to try to see things from others point of views, that way you can understand more and just maybe try to help them. I know how easy it is to just walk by and ignore the person that is struggling, but what is easy isn’t always right. I want to impress upon you all the importance of doing the right thing in this situation, you could help someone hang on long enough to actually keep going. I’m not pretending to know everything or make it seem like a saint, I just want to make people see. I definitely have tried everything to help as many people as possible though. I’m the type of person that will bring all the struggling people together and try to help them build themselves up again. I grew up around it and I think that is part of the reason that I’m more than willing to bend over backwards to help others living with this and other really difficult illnesses. My brother and I both have had depression since we were young, so I’ve spent a lot of my time trying to help him keep his head above the water, though I’ve almost lost him at least twice that I know of. He’s my big brother, I can’t lose him, so seeing it in him helps me help myself and many others. I will never give up on someone, no matter the situation, I’ll try everything in my power to help in any way that I possibly can. Yes I do thing like this to help others, but it also helps me with my own depression, we all have different way of dealing with our depression, they’re not always healthy, but they’re our way of pushing forwards against the odds. I’m not condoning nor am I judging the way other people deal with their depression, I have no right to judge considering I use to cut myself and the only reason I can say I use to is that I haven’t done it in over a month. Thing are difficult there is no sugar coating it. This shit is hard and it takes a lot of work to keep going, but I promise the effort will be worth it. Things will suck, but things will also be amazing beyond belief, so you just have to find a way to keep going. There are a million ways to deal with it, you can be like me and help others, you can be like others and turn it into some form of art, you can find something that drives you, you can lean on people, or something else that might help you. I definitely don’t claim to have all the answers, no one ever does. But I promise that I’ll be by anyone’s side when they need me, no matter what it takes. I know the pain of going against this monster alone, I don’t want anyone to feel that way. You’re not alone, you are never alone, someone out there is supporting you, whether you know it or not. Any of you reading this need someone to talk to I will be there in a heartbeat. Another thing I want to say is there is either a stigma about actually taking medication to help or deciding it’s best for you not to take the medication. If you are one of the ones that feel like you need to take the medication, good for you, you do what’s best for you. Never let anyone tell you that it’s not okay to be taking care of yourself, you might only need it for a short period of time or you might need it for years to come, but either way that’s okay it’s your journey to recovery and no one can tell you how to take it. And alternatively if you feel like it’s better for you not to take medication, then that’s okay too. Some people don’t do better on the medication, other things might help them, like certain vitamins or exercise or other activities that may help you move forwards. Like I said before this is YOUR journey, you decide what’s best for you in the long run, you can listen to people’s advice, but in the end you're the one with the final say. As long as you’re trying to get better, you do you. Take care of yourself the way that works best for you, you might have to try a whole bunch of things until you find what works, but it’s worth the effort. Taking a step in the right direction is the first milestone on your trek to overcoming this beast that’s trying to drag you down. Don’t let it, it won’t be easy, but it’ll be more than worth it. There are people that care and want you to get better, and honestly I do care 100% I’m that person that really cares about anyone, unless they do something I can’t look past (which honestly isn’t much). Truthfully you need someone I’m always willing to talk. The door is always open I guess you can say. And to show you that it isn’t only my brother that I constantly try to help so you believe me when I say you can reach out to me. My bestfriend that I had all through middles school and half of high school until he left and cut ties, was severely depressed and many times came to me to talk him out of taking his life, I did it every time without fail, no matter what he did or how many fights we got into, truly I was always there for him and he knew it. Not once did I hesitate to care for him, even when we dated and he cheated on me with a close friend, nothing change the simple fact I would do anything to help him. Along with him and other friends I’ve had like him, my boyfriend is depressed, extremely so, I do worry for him. But I believe that together we can find a way for him to survive this last year that he has to spend in the place that makes him the most unhappy. After that we’ll find a way to keep the progress going. I knew getting into this relationship that he had depression, did I know how bad it was? No I did not, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m more in love with him than I thought possible. He is an amazing beautiful human being, being depressed doesn’t change that fact. It just adds more layers to the man I love. Never think that being depressed ruins you or your appeal, you are all beautiful human beings and you are worth the world and so much more. I know that’s hard to believe but it’s the truth. You are all incredible and I believe in you. You will find a way to get through this. You will overcome this. You will find a way to be happy. The depression might never fully leave you, but you definitely lessen its hold on you. There has already been so much loss and death, we don’t need anymore. Please reach out to someone, even if it’s me when you feel like ending it. I promise you it’s not worth it to end it all. There is still so much for you to accomplish and see. Don’t give up. Never give up, never surrender. You are beautiful incredible and needed. Keep that in mind please. People love you people care for you and people want you to survive this monster. Even if you don’t think that people do, they do, hell I do. I’m telling you the truth I’m more than willing to lend an ear or a shoulder to anyone that needs it. Please take me up on that if you need someone. I care about each and every one of you. I guess I should end this here, but just know I’m always here and I care about all of you.

FAM on the letter incident

Hi MacRobbians and everyone who reads this Tumblr,

We’ve been getting a lot of questions about the incident that has occurred over the past few days and we just wanted to write a masterpost about how we feel. We hope you are all feeling okay!

FAM Leader 1: I’m pretty upset about this whole situation myself, especially the effect that it has on lots of people since it has been released into the media. While the way this student protested was not right, I understand the situation that she is in financially and academically; that she wants to do well yet cannot go to tuition due to her circumstances. There are many other measures that are put in place for student voice to filter through to the people who can do something about it, and are doing things about it. If you have any concerns, you can always go to SRC about it, whether that’s to Caitlin and Aiko, or the other members of the SRC Family, or even go to open forums to voice your opinions. Your teachers, Dr Meath, Mr Russell, Ms Akins and Ms Baldock (Gill, our counselor) are also people you can talk to.

This situation has hurt so many people unnecessarily, and the fact that it went to the media who have framed MacRob in a seriously negative light through their articles makes it much worse. Being in school yesterday and seeing the mood was the most uncomfortable day at school ever for me, because it wasn’t just me who was upset, it wasn’t just my class, it was majority of students and also the teachers. I hope that MacRobbians who find the situation humorous or are indifferent to it start to have some consideration, especially for our teachers. I understand that not every single teacher at MacRob is the best you could ask for, but have some respect for them. Just imagine coming into school and putting your heart and soul into the work for students who you care about, and having you and your colleagues getting slammed for this, especially externally. I definitely encourage all of you to continue showing your teachers appreciation in person, even a simple thank you at the end of class as you walk out is good. Let them know that you appreciate their efforts.

My heart was so so warm when I saw the overpass being empty in the morning to quickly being filled with love and appreciation for MacRob and our teachers. I really did think, THIS is what MacRob is really all about. We are supportive of each other, and we unite against adversity. I am so proud of our year level as well as everyone else who contributed, as it made yesterday much easier to get through. I was also super glad when I saw teachers reading comments for them and just feeling appreciated, you could see it in their faces :) I even had texts from people at other schools telling me how inspiring the overpass project is, after my post on social media about it :) so well done MacRobbians!

I hope all MacRobbians continue to be one with pride, and definitely wear your uniform especially your blazer with pride. The people who started this shouldn’t be allowed to make you feel anything bad about the amazing school we go to - we should be proud to be students here. I hope everyone is feeling alright and not too upset, I promise with time things will heal. I love you all!! <3

FAM Leader #2: I’ll keep this short because ‘FAM Leader #1’ has already outlined the situation beautifully. Walking into the school at 8am on Friday seeing the overpass come to life with notes of appreciation was such an amazing sight. It made me realise how grateful I am to be at a school like MacRob where the community is so supportive and wholesome. The deed has been done, the letter has been published and the articles have been read by all. There is nothing we can do about that - however I believe that it is more important than ever to stay united and move forward from this together. I am so proud to be at a school where the teachers care about you, the staff are looking out for you and the students have got your back. I am so proud to be at a school where I’m given the opportunity to explore my interests and encouraged to be myself. Macrob isn’t perfect and I acknowledge that however moving forward I think that there are better ways to express our opinions and we can rest assured that our voices are being heard. Despite the negative portrayal of our school in news and social media outlets, yesterday we showed everyone true Macrob spirit. We showed everyone that Macrobbians are the most courageous, strong and passionate people on this planet. Who cares what other people say because we know the truth - so don’t let anyone destroy your school spirit and wear that blazer with pride.  Finally, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to past and current students, staff and school leaders for making Macrob what it is today. Special shoutout to the 2017 SRC Presidents and School Captains for handling this situation so well. Continue being awesome Macrob :)

FAM Leader #3: I personally, was not incredibly upset that there was a leak to the media, but rather the effect that followed. Being criticised by the outside community, based on the words of only a minority of students, is something that not any ordinary person can withstand. The target of the letter is just like us - a human. A human with human feelings.

I think we’ve all experienced participating in a group project. Imagine you were in a group where only 1 girl doesn’t like the way you did your section of the PowerPoint. And then she went ahead and wrote a letter posting it around the school saying that you were incompetent in doing your part of the project. Hurts, doesn’t it? Sometimes you don’t really know how your actions will affect people so before doing something, please always remember to be sensitive to other people’s feelings.

Walking into school on Friday, the mood was a bit different, and it wasn’t just the usual end-of-the-week tiredness. It was just a down kind of sad mood. But walking through the overpass at 8AM, and then throughout the day, having more and more sticky notes stuck on the windows completely uplifted the spirits. Although I was disappointed with the girls that felt the need to talk to the media, rather than voice their concerns to our fantastic student leaders (shoutout to our school captains and SRC presidents), I sort of understand why they did it but in no way do I support or condone their actions. They just wanted to be heard so please, if you know who the girls are, don’t give them a hard time. I’m sure they already feel bad enough about it so let’s just use this as an opportunity to grow as a stronger community - if that’s even possible because Macrob is such a wholesome, caring and intelligent group. I hope that this incident shows that there are always outlets for you to get help and give rise to student action within Macrob. To the girl or girls who wrote the original letter, I urge you to come forward and just talk it out with somebody. I understand your frustration and anger, and I’m sure many other girls can relate. You are not alone with your emotions, there are many other girls who are in similar positions. Although the leakage to the news outlets may have made the contents of your letter easier to dismiss, Dr Meath, Mr Russell, Ms Akins and many others are still very concerned for your wellbeing(s) and would really like to help.

Addressing the elephant in the room, yes, there are some “bad” teachers. However, all the “bad” teachers I’ve heard about, I have heard from other students that they’re actually “not that bad” and can actually be very helpful if you just ask them questions. And I think that’s a flaw within Macrob. Many times we’re afraid to ask for help because we feel like that would be admitting we’re failing, but it’s actually the opposite. Those who actively try to improve and engage with their teachers are the ones who I consider the most successful. There is nothing wrong in asking for extra help - something I had a long time coming to terms with. Teaching styles may not coincide with your learning style and that’s just life. We’re not always going to get things that suit us. Just because we go to a selective school, it doesn’t mean we’re entitled to get everything we want and that we deserve the “best” teachers. Everything in life is relative - some teacher you hate might very well be another student’s favourite teacher. Also, teachers don’t become teachers because of the “pay cheque”. They are SERIOUSLY underpaid and to those girls who say “WE PAY YOU”, are incredibly immature. WE DON’T PAY OUR TEACHERS!!! THE GOVERNMENT DOES!!!!!! Teachers became teachers because they love teaching. Anybody would be crazy to go into a teaching position thinking that it’ll be to make easy dollars. Teachers put in so much work behind the scenes and I want to say a huge thank you to every single teacher at Macrob, you guys are absolutely amazing.

And to those who think Macrob’s reputation is down the drain, I think you’re incorrect. Majority of the girls at Macrob know that our school is more than just a few girls pooping around the school. Macrob has a special something that no other school has, and it’s indescribable. But Macrobbians know what I’m talking about. The fast-action of the year 12’s initiating the overpass project just further proves that. We’re talented in all areas, especially in being kind, and I have no doubt that Macrob can bounce back from this and show everybody that we’re literally the coolest, most hard-working and generous people in the world.

FAM Leader #4: I was kind of similar to FAM leader 3 at first, because I sort of expected the story to leak (at least to the local news) from the start. I was disheartened by it definitely, not only because it cast our school into a negative light but for many other reasons. One was the judgement from the general public that followed, and the impact on our reputation as a school. However, while I sympathised with the wider impact upon the school community, I was mainly concerned about the wellbeing of the student and teacher(s) concerned. As the school stated in their letter to the school, these individuals don’t deserve to have their actions scrutinised by those outside of our school community. First, the teacher does not deserve this kind of attention, nobody does. On the other hand, the student protester is obviously troubled, and it’s easy to dismiss her feelings on the basis of her actions when you aren’t exposed to the high pressure environment that sometimes exists in macrob. And, so many of our students have tutors, so I understand her feeling of helplessness if she isn’t able to afford one. Even she is hurt by the articles, as the public is much less understanding of her plight. In my opinion, publishing the articles did no good for anyone involved and negatively impacted upon everybody. And while I thought the actions and subsequent letter by the student were in every way the wrong way to approach this issue, something I could sympathise with is the frustration they felt. Many at macrob are fortunate enough to have access to tutors, workshops and so on when they are stuck with a bad teacher (as most of us have dealt with at some point). However, some aren’t, and from seeing my friends cry, visit counsellors and rant everyday about teachers that didn’t work for them, I knew this wasn’t a singular incident and feeling. I remember one time when I was in a ¾ class with one of my worst teachers, and one student had a breakdown a few weeks before final exams. She literally dropped the the floor and just stared blankly ahead for 20 minutes, and then cried for 20 minutes after. It’s an image that sometimes haunts me when I get really stressed out, because while I think I’m handling it alright right now, I can understand how overwhelming everything can get. And when you don’t feel supported by the school, that feeling is amplified one hundred times over. I don’t know what happened after that lesson, but since then, I’ve been uncomfortable thinking anyone should just ‘handle’ having a bad teacher and be ok with that. It’s easy to think everything is ok (which I did think last year with my ‘bad’ teacher) when you can handle it, but not every can. I wouldn’t ever want anyone who feels a similar way to the student protester to feel isolated from our community. One of my teachers said it best: “I’m not naive enough to think that only 6-7 people feel this way… and it’s something that needs to be addressed”. However, as he also told us, “this was not the correct way of approaching the situation”. I agree. Although the student may have thought their actions supported their stance, I would argue that it took away from it. It’s far more difficult for people to be sympathetic to someone’s plight when they themselves have negatively impacted the lives of others who are not even the source of their anger. I suppose now, I am trying to stay optimistic. Yes, this was a terrible incident, for students and teachers alike. But already, starting from the teacher appreciation wall the year 12s have made, macrob has begun to take this incident as an opportunity to change for the better. I probably visited that wall at least 5 times yesterday, from 8:20 to 3:00. At first, it had like 50 post its, and I was happy to add my 3. At the end, it had many, many times more. I don’t know if the teachers had enough time to go and read the notes (I hope they did), but the constant presence of students taking time to read the notes (and add their own) inspired me in so many ways. And, it honestly made me feel closer to the teachers than I’ve ever felt, which was a good feeling. In an environment of stress and pressure, it’s easy to forget to look up for a moment and recognise your teachers as they are - human. I’ve been reading my texts for english recently (lol) and one of my favourite lessons from it is that we can’t change what has happened, but we can change our response. We have the opportunity to act differently. So if you know who these people are, whether they are the original protester or are those who informed the news about this incident, just leave them be. I’m sure they now understand the far-reaching consequences of their actions. I’ve felt, since then, a lot of anger and distress from many students and teachers, which is completely understandable so soon after the incident. However, I hope we can take that anger and transform it into tangible change that benefits macrob. Let’s use this opportunity to effect positive change in the school community.

FAM Leader #5: since you’ve made it down this far I’ll keep myself brief. I think it was horrible, selfish and very un-macrob- like to be releasing matters which should have stayed within the boundaries of our school into the public, into the media, and internationally. I will not make comment on the student protester as I believe there are complexities and layers to what they did and why they did it, but I stand firm on my position in saying that the act of releasing this into the public was uncalled for and undeserved. It places a negative shadow upon Mac.Rob’s image and reputation, as well as the students within it and it makes me so very angry that excellent, reputable, hardworking, dedicated, fun, all around awesome sauce 100% cool teachers are now being generalised as ‘shit’, and that the student population at Mac.Rob has become the brunt of sensationalist journalism and cruel internet jokes; generalised, stereotyped and objectified.

But I do love what happened yesterday with our tunnel of appreciative sticky notes. I love that it was wholesome and genuine and appreciative. And I love that OUR teachers, our tireless, friendly and HUMAN (just like us) teachers, responded just as enthusiastically, establishing a mutual understanding, and recognising a commonality between us. For anything to come out of this, especially something so positive, really puts my faith in the real culture of our school, and makes me appreciate my place so much more and recognise that we are strong and understanding, and loving, and we rise above adversity, and we are united, and we are full of silver linings, and I couldn’t be prouder of us.

So there you have it! This is what us FAM Leaders think of the situation at hand.

If you ever have anything or any concerns you want to talk about, please send us a question or find us on Chatstep. We’re always here for you!! :)

Love,

FAM xx.

How to Hit on a Guy so He Can Read Your Hints and Make a Move

The truth is that hitting on guys is actually quite difficult. Most of the time, they can’t even tell. Here’s how to hit on a guy so he’ll understand.

When you’re out and about and see a hot guy you like, you probably walk up to him and hit on him. Then you feel disappointed when he brushes it off and your self-esteem takes a hit. You know the funny thing about all of this? Guys usually just have no idea you’re hitting on them. Which is why you need to learn how to hit on a guy in a way that he’ll understand.

Why guys have a hard time knowing when a woman is hitting on them

Honestly, it’s mostly because they just don’t believe it. In their mind, they’re the ones who are supposed to be hitting on you. It’s hard for them to believe a woman would walk up to them and start engaging in a conversation simply because she’s attracted to him.

Those types of guys are usually the good ones simply because they’re not full of themselves. They know that a woman talking to them doesn’t equate to attraction so when a woman really does find them attractive, it’s a little hard to believe. [Read: 15 sweet ways to tell a guy you like him and win him over]

How to hit on a guy so he’ll understand that you’re into him

There are a lot of missed opportunities when women hit on men who have no idea that’s what they’re doing. Guys don’t overanalyze everything a woman does. Therefore, he probably doesn’t really think of the exchange you had as you being into him.

If you want to know how to hit on guys in a way that’ll actually show him your level of interest, you’ve come to the right place. Here are our tips for showing a guy you like him while you’re hitting on him.

#1 Smile a lot. Smiling is universally seen as a positive thing. You don’t go around smiling at people you dislike or don’t want to talk to. Usually, guys will be able to tell, at the very least, that you’re enjoying talking to them.

But sometimes you need to take it a step further. And by that, I mean you really need to be smiling and happy around him. If he sees how excited and happy being around him makes you, he’ll start to think that you might actually like him. [Read: 6 baby steps to learn to smile more]

#2 Initiate physical contact. There are some people who are generally more touchy-feely than others. Their touches don’t usually mean anything significant. However, for most people, physical touches mean you feel close and comfortable with someone.

And if you’re already touching a stranger’s arm and bumping shoulders with him, it’ll send a pretty clear message that you’re interested. Just make sure not to go overboard because that might seem a little too desperate.

#3 Give him a compliment about his looks. Guys aren’t always super clueless. In fact, if you tell him how great he looks, he’ll probably get the hint that you like him. The problem with this is that it can be tricky to do and girls don’t often have the guts for it.

Saying something simple like, “Hey good lookin’,” is more than enough to get the wheels spinning in his head. He’ll understand you like him. [Read: Compliments guys want to hear more often]

#4 Talk about getting together “sometime.” This is a line guys usually use on women but it definitely works on them too. If you’ve been talking for a little while and you’re not sure he’s picking up your hints, tell him the two of you should go do something together.

Make sure you say it in a way that suggests it’s a date. Otherwise, they may just think you’re inviting them to a group event or something that doesn’t show you like them.

#5 Be overly flirting. I’m not really one for condoning exaggeration, but in the case of learning how to hit on a guy, I’ll make an exception. Since guys have a hard time knowing whether or not you’re actually flirting and not just being nice, make it super obvious.

Seriously, you can even wink at him if all else fails. If he still doesn’t pick up on the fact that you’re being flirty after that, hope might just be lost for him. [Read: 15 obvious signs of flirting between guys and girls]

#6 Avoid subtleties. The time for subtleties is NOT when you’re trying to pick up a guy. Hitting on guys requires you to be obvious. And although you don’t want to throw yourself at him, you also can’t expect that you just saying hello is enough to make him realize you’re into him.

Try being upfront and obvious with the things you do. If you’re giving him a compliment, make it obvious that’s what you’re doing. He’ll pick up on all those hints and maybe he’ll even make a move.

#7 Ask him about his life. Asking someone deeper, more personal questions is a surefire way to get them thinking about you in a romantic way. Plus, when they realize you actually want to get to know them on that level, they’ll pick up on the fact that you’re hitting on them.

#8 Tell him he’s funny. Guys love making girls laugh. That’s especially true when it’s a woman he also likes. If you really want to make him think about you in a romantic way, tell him he’s funny.

Hitting on him in this way appeals to his ego. Guys like to be funny and be the person to make you laugh. When you bring light to that, he’ll start seeing you in a more intimate way. [Read: 20 fun compliments your man will be dying to hear]

#9 Approach him first. Who says women have to wait for guys to approach? If you see a guy you think is attractive, go up to him. Approach him and introduce yourself. Hell, you can drop more than one hint at a time just by saying, “Hey good lookin’,” as you introduce yourself.

The fact that you approached him and called him attractive should make him realize how you feel. You can even take it a step further and touch his arm. All of those will almost guarantee that he understands you’re hitting on him. [Read: How to approach a guy you like and remain calm all the way]

#10 Tell him you like him. If for some reason a guy is so clueless he still hasn’t picked up on the fact that you like him, just tell him. Come right out and say it. It doesn’t have to be anything complex or complicated.

Just say something like, “I like you. Let’s get together sometime,” will make him realize it for sure. You can even flat out ask him to go on a date right then and there. Truthfully, guys like this approach way more than any of the others ones.

[Read: 12 signs it’s time to tell him you like him]

Some guys can just be clueless. If you want to make him yours, you’ll first have to figure out how to hit on a guy in a way he’ll actually understand. These tips can help him realize your true feelings.

The post How to Hit on a Guy so He Can Read Your Hints and Make a Move is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.

Why I Am a Calvinist, Part 1 - Phil Johnson

New Post has been published on https://bedisciple.com/why-i-am-a-calvinist-part-1-phil-johnson/

Why I Am a Calvinist, Part 1 - Phil Johnson

Source: Why I Am a Calvinist, Part 1 – Phil Johnson

by Phil Johnson

. . and why every Christian is a Calvinist of sorts.  

Part I: Is Arminianism damnable heresy?

I love the doctrines of grace and don’t shy away from the label “Calvinist.” I believe in the sovereignty of God. I’m convinced Scripture teaches that God is completely sovereign not only in salvation (effectually calling and granting faith to those whom He chooses); but also in every detail of the outworking of Providence. “Whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:30). And He makes “all things work together for good to those who love God, [i.e.,] to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Quite simply, He “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11).

That’s what people commonly mean when they speak of “Calvinism.” When I accept that label, I am not pledging allegiance to the man John Calvin. I am not affirming everything he taught, and I’m not condoning everything he did. I’m convinced Calvin was a godly man and one of the finest biblical expositors and theological minds ever, but he wasn’t always right. As a matter of fact, my own convictions are baptistic, so I am by no means one of Calvin’s devoted followers. In other words, when I accept the label “Calvinist,” it’s only for convenience’s sake. I’m not saying “I am of Calvin” in the Corinthian sense.

Furthermore, I’m not one of those who wears Calvinism like a big chip on his shoulder, daring people to fight with me about it. It’s true that I can get feisty about certain points of doctrine—especially when someone attacks a principle that goes to the heart of the gospel, like substitutionary atonement, or original sin, or justification by faith and the principle of imputed righteousness. When one of those principles is challenged, I’m ready to fight. (And I also don’t mind beating up on whatever happens to be the latest evangelical fad.)

But Calvinism isn’t one of those issues I get worked up and angry about. I’ll discuss it with you, but if you are spoiling for a fight about it, you are likely to find me hard to provoke. I spent too many years as an Arminian myself to pretend that the truth on these issues is easy and obvious.

Now, don’t get the wrong idea. I do think the truth of God’s sovereignty is clear and ultimately inescapable in Scripture. But it is a difficult truth to come to grips with, so I am sympathetic with those who struggle with it. I’m Calvinistic enough to believe that God has ordained (at least for the time being) that some of my brethren should hold Arminian opinions.

Over the years I have probably written at least twice as much material trying to tone down angry hyper Calvinists as I have arguing with Arminians. That’s not because I think hyper Calvinism is a more serious error than Arminianism. As a matter of fact, I would say the two errors are strikingly similar. But I don’t hear very many voices of caution being raised against the dangers of hyper Calvinism, and there are armies of Calvinists out there already challenging the Arminians, so I’ve tried to speak out as much as possible against the tendencies of the hypers.

That’s why I’m probably a whole lot less militant than you might expect when it comes to attacking the errors of Arminianism. Besides, I have gotten much further answering Arminian objections with patient teaching and dispassionate, reasonable, biblical instruction—instead of angry arguments and instant anathemas.

Why not take a more passive, lenient, brotherly, approach to all theological disagreements? Because I firmly believe there are some theological errors that do deserve a firm and decisive anathema. That’s Paul’s point in Galatians 1:8-9; and it’s the same point the apostle John makes in 2 John, verses 7-11. When someone is teaching an error that fatally corrupts the truth of the gospel, “let him be anathema.”

But let me be plain here: Simple Arminianism doesn’t fall in that category. It’s not fair to pin the label of rank heresy on Arminianism, the way some of my more zealous Calvinist brethren seem prone to do. I’m talking about historic, evangelical Arminianism, of the classic and Wesleyan varieties — Arminianism, not Pelagianism, or open theism, or whatever heresy Clark Pinnock has invented this week — but true evangelical Arminianism. Arminianism is certainly wrong; and I would argue that it’s inconsistent with itself. But in my judgment, standard, garden variety Arminianism is not so fatally wrong that we need to consign our Arminian brethren to the eternal flames or even automatically refuse them fellowship in our pastors’ fraternals.

If you think I’m beginning to sound like an apologist for Arminianism, I’m definitely not that. I do think Arminianism is a profound error. Its tendencies can be truly sinister, and when it is allowed to go to seed, it does lead people into rank heresy. But what I’m saying here is that mere Arminianism itself isn’t damnable heresy. It’s just grossly inconsistent with the core gospel doctrines that Arminians themselves believe and affirm.

But as long as I’m sounding like a defender of Arminianism, let me also say this: There are plenty of ignorant and inconsistent Calvinists out there, too. With the rise of the Internet it’s easier than ever for self taught lay people to engage in theological dialogue and debate through internet forums. I think that’s mostly good, and I encourage it. But the Internet makes it easy for like minded but ignorant people to clump together and endlessly reinforce one another’s ignorance. And I fear that happens a lot.

Hyper Calvinists seem especially susceptible to that tendency, and there are nests of them here and there—especially on the Internet. And more and more frequently these days I encounter people, who have been influenced by extremism on the Internet, touting hyper Calvinist ideas and insisting that if someone is an Arminian, that person is not really a Christian at all. They equate Arminianism with sheer works salvation. They suggest that Arminianism implicitly denies the atonement. Or they insist that the God worshiped by Arminians is a totally different God from the God of Scripture.

That’s really over-the-top rhetoric—totally unnecessary—and rooted in historical ignorance. A couple of years ago, when I started my weblog, I mentioned that tendency in the first entry I posted, which was titled “Quick and Dirty Calvinism.” At the end of that post, I said this: My advice to young Calvinists is to learn theology from the historic mainstream Calvinist authors, not from blogs and discussion forums on the Internet. Some of the forums may be helpful because they direct you to more important resources. But if you think of the Internet as a surrogate for seminary, you run a very high risk of becoming unbalanced.

Read mainstream Calvinist authors, however, and you’ll have trouble finding even one who regarded Arminianism per se as damnable heresy. There’s a reason for that: It’s because while Arminianism is bafflingly inconsistent, it is not necessarily damnably erroneous. Most Arminians themselves—and I’m still speaking here of the classic and Wesleyan varieties, not Pelagianism masquerading as Arminianism—most Arminians themselves emphatically affirm gospel truth that is actually rooted in Calvinistic presuppositions.

This post is adapted from a transcript of a seminar from the 2007 Shepherds’ Conference, titled “Closet Calvinists.”