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amorest-viesse · 1 year

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[ETERNAL GOD] - Haruto Asuka SR Card Story Translation

Ft. Haruto, Madoka, and Shift with cameos from Tsuzuru, Reni, and Oruto

A Playwright's Observation Diary (Haruto Ver.) - Chapter One

Tsuzuru: Right, once again, thanks for collaborating with me on the play. I really appreciated the opportunity.

Madoka: The feeling is mutual. Thank you for everything as well.

Tsuzuru: I wanted to talk more at the closing party, but the atmosphere made me a little tense, so I could barely get my words out as it was.

Tsuzuru: That’s why I’m glad we had a scriptwriter-only party today to celebrate our collab.

Madoka: I agree. I wanted to talk to you as well, so I’m glad we met up again.

Madoka: Like I said at the party…

Madoka: I was able to learn a lot from you while co-writing “Twin Kingdoms," so it ended up being a lot of fun.

Tsuzuru: I wholeheartedly agree. It was a great experience for me too, and I also had a lot of fun during the process.

Tsuzuru: There were so many times you caught me off-guard with your ideas. It was exciting watching you come up with scenes and lines I never would've imagined myself.

Tsuzuru: In the end, I pulled a lot inspiration from you.

Madoka: I thought your contributions were incredible as well.

Madoka: I can only hope to be as good as you someday.

Tsuzuru: Haha, thanks. I'm a little embarrassed to hear that.

Tsuzuru: I hope we can continue to inspire each other as fellow scriptwriters instead.

Madoka: O- of course!

Madoka: Although... I’m just starting out, so I’d like to learn a little more from you if that’s alright.

Madoka: Could I ask you a question?

Tsuzuru: Err, I’m still learning myself, but I'll try to answer it if I can.

Madoka: Ah, thank you so much.

Madoka: So… As an in-house playwright, what do you usually consider when writing a script?

Tsuzuru: Hmm, that’s a good question…

Tsuzuru: If I had to say, I probably think a lot about what each actor’s life is like.

Madoka: All of them?

Tsuzuru: Yeah. The more I know about a person, the more roles and storylines I can come up for them.

Madoka: I see...

[God Troupe Practice Room]

Reni: Alright, let’s begin the practice session.

Troupe Members: Yes sir!

Madoka: (Minagi said that the more I know about an actor, the more inspiration I’ll get, right?)

Madoka: (Hopefully by observing the troupe members during their practices, I’ll learn more about them.)

Madoka: (However, it’s kind of hard to focus on all of them at once. Maybe I should just pick one...)

Madoka: (Today, I’ll focus on…)

Madoka: (Got it! I’ll observe the actor everyone in the God Troupe relies on the most—Asuka Haruto.)

Haruto: For this scene, I think you could incorporate the characters’ relationship into the line delivery a little more.

Troupe Member A: Gotcha, let me try saying this one more time…

Haruto: There you go. Now, let’s discuss the blocking for the next scene…

Madoka: (As always, Haruto is ready to give advice and offer feedback to the other troupe members.)

Madoka: (He’s really become the heart of the God Troupe's practices, how amazing…)

Shift: Haruto! Give me advice too!

Haruto: No.

Shift: Whaaa~ Oh wait! Is it ‘cause I’m so good that there’s nothing for you to say?

Haruto: Don't even think of gettin' cocky with me, ya nitwit.

Troupe Member A: Ahaha!

Troupe Member B: Those two sure get along. Haven't they gotten really close lately?

♡♥♡

Troupe Members: Good work everyone!

Haruto: Hey.

Madoka: Oh, Haruto, that was a good practice session.

Haruto: Just now, it seemed like you were watching me awfully closely. What’s up with that?

Madoka: !

Madoka: I’m really sorry if I bothered you. It’s just... well… recently, I had a talk with Minagi from the Mankai Company and...

Madoka: He told me that in order to write a good script, it was important to observe and understand the actors.

Madoka: That’s why I was sitting in on the troupe's practice today: to get to know everyone better.

Shift: Oh I get it! So it was Haruto’s turn today!

Haruto: Don’t just butt into other people's conversations!

Shift: Anyways! Since today’s practice ended early, the three of us should hang out, so you really get to know him!

Haruto: What.

Madoka: …! Haruto, please let us come with you!

Haruto: D- don't look at me with those puppy-dog eyes.

Haruto: Argh… fine! I get it! You guys can tag along.

Shift: Yes!!

Madoka: Haruto, thank you so much for this.

A Playwright's Observation Diary (Haruto Ver.) - Chapter Two

Shift: Alright! We've achieved the first objective of our mission~ Arriving at the supermarket!

Haruto: What do you mean "our mission"?

Madoka: Umm… what are we doing?

Shift: Hehe, let me explain. One of the older guys in the troupe gave me some takoyaki plates that he didn’t need anymore!

Shift: Oruto loves takoyaki, so we were gonna make some together.

Shift: The catch is... I’ve only made takoyaki a few times before. That’s why, I thought about asking Haruto since he seems like the kinda guy who knows his way around a kitchen.

Haruto: This has nothing to do with Madoka’s observation though…

Shift: Well wait until you hear about this—Our little takoyaki party is officially sponsored!

Madoka: O- officially sponsored?

Shift: After practice, I told Reni about our friendship bonding mission, and he gave me some money for it.

Shift: Mann, I didn’t expect him to do that, but I’m really glad I said something.

Haruto: What!? How shameless are you!?

Shift: But it's for our sake! Reni thought it was a good idea for us to get to know each other better too and gave it his stamp of approval.

Haruto: …! Well, I mean, if Reni said so…

Shift: Alright! "Mission: Make Takoyaki" is a go! Let’s get those ingredients!

Madoka: Yes, we probably should.

Haruto: Jeez, how do I keep getting roped into these things?

Oruto: Whoa, that's amazing! You're really making takoyaki!

Haruto: The dough’s all ready… Now we just need to heat up the takoyaki plates and add a little oil…

Madoka: Wow Haruto, you’re really good at this.

Oruto: And you're doin' it super quick too!!

Haruto: Hey, pass the chopped ingredients over here.

Shift: No problemo! Here they are!

Haruto: What the—When did you have time to buy more ingredients!?

Madoka: Other than the octopus and crunchy tenkasu bits… there’s also cheese, kimchi, pollack roe… corn, bacon and tomatoes, konjac jelly…

Oruto: Ooh, pickled plums and natto too!

Haruto: The octopus and sausages are traditional fillings… but whaddaheck is the rest a’ this junk!

Shift: We’re having a takoyaki party! Trust me, it’ll be more fun this way!

Haruto: You’ve got a lot of nerve putting this shit in front of someone from Kansai…

Shift: It'll be fine, trust me! Let’s start making the takoyaki!

Haruto: Wh- Stop that! Jeez, you really do whatever you want…

Shift: Oruto, Madoka, feel free to fill them with whatever you like too.

Oruto: Gotcha! I'm gonna add this and that~ Then mix it real good!

Madoka: It’s like this, right?

Haruto: You guys too...!? Fine...

Haruto: Have it your way, but you're responsible for eating your own garbage.

♡♥♡

Haruto: I’ve just gotta carefully flip the dough and... There we go.

Shift: Whoa! You’re crazy good at this!

Oruto: Wow!! So cool!

Madoka: They’re so nice and round… Your handiwork is amazing…

Haruto: It's no big deal.

Haruto: Alright, I’ve just about finished, so now all we have to do is add some sauce, a bit of dried seaweed…

Shift: And shake things up a bit!

Haruto: Now what the hell are ya doin'!?

Shift: We're playing Russian Roulette!

Madoka: The takoyaki's all mixed up… We can't tell what's inside what anymore…

Shift: It’s more exciting this way, trust me!

Haruto: Count your days.

Oruto: This smells so good! And it looks super tasty too!

Shift: Alright everyone, hurry up and pick one so we can dig in!

Oruto: Right behind ya!

Madoka: It looks good.

Haruto: Fine… Whatever.

Shift: Hot! Hot! Mmm...Delicious!

Shift: It’s still hot, but the outside is nice and crispy while the inside is all soft and tender. Nice job, Haruto!

Oruto: This tastes amazing! Mine had sausage inside!

Madoka: Hot, hot… But mmm, it really is delicious. Mine was octopus.

Shift: Mine was cheese and pollack roe! They went super well together!

Haruto: …! ...Sour! What is this!? Pickled plums!?

Haruto: It’s not… Inedible at least…

Shift: Ahaha! Haruto, you got it! That one's my fave!

Haruto: The heck are ya puttin’ in these!!

Madoka: They really are delicious though. It is kind of exciting to try them.

Oruto: Yea!

Shift: Alright, next time I’ll be the one to make takoyaki for you! It’ll be my special recipe filled with all kinds of ingredients!

Haruto: Keep it to ya self!

Madoka: Ahaha!

Madoka: (It’s kinda nice seeing Haruto and Shift go at each other like this.)

Madoka: (For the next script, it might be fun to write a comedy scene with Shift throwing curveball after curveball at Haruto.)

#a3!#a3! translation #madoka ikaruga #haruto asuka #shift arakawa #godza #god troupe #my first non-mhyk tl on here lol

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with-love-from-hell · 3 years

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Vacancy

{Ft. Lucifer}

Part 7 of the Body Image Series

TRIGGER WARNING: purging and graphic depictions of vomit, descriptions of physical and emotional abuse by parents, mention of self-harm via purging

Cw: eating disorders, restricting diet, forced dieting, poor body image, negative self-talk, talks of weight/appearance in general, anxiety, panic attacks, isolation, reduction in self care, swearing, use of sexist/derogatory language, mentions of suicidal ideation.

How do the brothers interact with an MC who has disordered eating habits, how they find out, what do they do, what their approach is, do they even understand what is happening, and how they comfort MC.

Genre: comfort, some fluff, some angst

Written for a GN!MC

WC: ~ 3.1k

>>>Though I do have a masters degree in Psychology and clinical training in Eating Disorder Treatment, I am not your therapist, nor is this fic intended to take the place of professional help. If you are struggling with disordered eating, please seek support from a professional. Utilize the NEDA helpline via online chat, phone call, or text. <<<

Thank you all for the love on this series. It's been really cathartic to write it, and has brought me joy to see it so well received! This is the last one I have planned, but I may revisit this with the side characters if there is a desire from the audience. Let me know if you’d want some more of this type of thing!

As a general warning, this one is a little more on the intense side because I love me some intense Lucifer Comfort!!

Beelzebub.....Mammon.....Asmodeus.....Satan.....Leviathan.....Belphegor.....Lucifer

Lucifer had known something was going on with you from the very beginning. He obviously had read over your file, and had seen your lengthy history of mental health difficulties and past abuse from your parents...and he was both worried about how you would adjust to life in Devildom, and hopeful that you would get a second chance to enjoy life despite being surrounded by threats.

After the initial tension and milieu that was present within his family that you so generously healed, you and Lucifer had grown surprisingly close. It was to the point where you were now spending many late nights in his room just...talking. He would listen intently to your woes- you told him about living in the human world with shitty parents, never really connecting with your peers, what contributed to your various mental health difficulties, and more. In turn, Lucifer would tell you stories about when he had first fallen. You found an odd sense of comfort in the fact that you had the ability to be vulnerable with him- one of the most powerful demons in hell- and that he had not used your suffering as a way to control or manipulate you. Rather, he had shown you unconditional love- the likes of which you never experienced in the human world.

You were so close in fact, that you had begun spending nights in each other’s rooms. Many nights, Lucifer would cuddle with you in front of the hearth in his room while you listened to cursed records. You would often sit in silence, until you fell asleep in his arms. On other nights, he would come to your room after a particularly late night of work with two cups of tea. To his surprise, you were often awake reading, and you would chat about the book you had been so engrossed in.

Lucifer took quite some time to realize that his eagerness to spend as much time together as possible meant he was falling for you. He found himself feeling smitten by your unconditional acceptance of his flaws, and he was able to somewhat let his walls down around you. Your ability to heal the deep wounds within his family resulted in so many positive changes in his life, and he had you to thank for that. He enjoyed your silent company just as much as your cackling laughter, and he found himself entranced by every emotion you displayed.

In turn, his love and support, as well as that of his brothers’, resulted in many of your past issues fading into the background. Devildom became your home, and you found yourself welcomed with open arms into a family. Yeah, they were demons in technical terms, but they treated you with more kindness and love than your blood relatives ever did. For once in your life, you felt happiness. And as your relationship with the eldest brother blossomed, you finally felt the stinging sentiments of your mother fade away. Perhaps you were worthy of love.

Despite the preconceived knowledge of your struggles in the human world and your willingness to be vulnerable with Lucifer, there was one thing you managed to keep hidden from him throughout your time here. It was the one thing that was not on any of your records; the one thing that you had no idea how to disclose to him; and the one thing that you were able to hide with ease...

That ailment was the Bulimia.

Lucifer did tend to notice small hints of a problem in the beginning- you would often fall sick and need to miss class, which was easily written off as a symptom of your other mental health difficulties or adjusting to new stress. Then he began noticing how you would damn near have a panic attack every time you looked in the mirror. He noticed every reflective surface in your room was covered up when he had once came to ask you something about a missed exam. He questioned all of these things, but you had somehow had a convincing answer for each. Over time, he noticed these quirks begin to diminish, and he figured that it just took some adjusting to your knew surroundings.

But even still, he questioned those past behaviors every day. He was curious as to what sort of problems lead to those symptoms and behaviors, but throughout his research, he did not come to any solid conclusions on why you would do these things...

Until today.

-------------------------------------------------

You had invited Lucifer to your room to watch one of your favorite human world movies that Levi had gotten his hands on for your birthday. Lucifer had never seen it (and he was not much into film) but your excitement about it intrigued him. Besides, he would do anything to make you happy- though he would rarely admit just how much he tolerated things he usually had no interest in for you.

When he got to your room at the scheduled time, he had found your door locked. He was puzzled- you never locked your door, but even if you had a habit of doing so, you were always so well aware of the time you had set for your little dates due to how much you cherished Lucifer’s time spent with you. He knew you were well in tuned with how busy he was, and that any lengthy time set aside for you was not to be taken lightly. So why was today so different?

“Mc?” Lucifer knocked gently on the frame. He heard muffled talking from your room when he leaned in closer to listen. He knocked lightly once more after a pregnant pause, and you shouted a quick “Hold on” from behind the door.

The lock on the door unlatched and you opened the door to greet him. He was taken aback by your current state. Your hair was tied back in a disheveled mess, your face was puffy and red, and you had an intense fury behind your eyes. You stepped aside to welcome him into your dimly lit room. He turned to speak once he entered but clamped his mouth shut when he saw your phone held against your shoulder. You put up one finger as if to signify it would only be a moment and flashed him a quick, apologetic smile. You returned the phone to your ear, and moved your way into the bathroom, shutting the door behind you. Lucifer could hear your voice where he stood, and you sounded...well...pissed off.

“Listen, mom.” You sighed in annoyance. “I told you I am spending time with a friend tonight, and he’s here. So I have to go now.”

Lucifer rose and walked toward the bathroom to eavesdrop on your conversation with your mother. He didn’t think you had spoken to her at all during your time here, as he had never caught you on the phone with her before. He knew how much of a wretched being she was and how poorly she treated you, so he wanted to ensure he could be supportive when you ended the call. He was not able to hear the beginning of her reply through the door, but he heard enough.

“...and you have some nerve whoring around with strange men while I struggle to make ends meet. Do you know how much I sacrificed for you to even have the opportunity to go to this prestigious University? And you are fucking it all away. Literally.”

“What you sacrificed?!” You were now yelling, your fist that was bare shook with anger. “You did nothing to help me get here!”

“You ungrateful little wench. How dare you speak to your own mother in that tone. If you were here you wouldn’t dare take that tone with me.”

“Only because you’d fucking slap me before I could.” You snarled back.

Lucifer felt anger at the way your mother talked to you, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t proud of your ability to stand up for yourself. He made a mental note to request Diavolo to allow you to stay permanently Devildom with him. He would never allow you to return to someone who treated you this horribly.

“Oh, well aren’t you all high and mighty. You think you’re better than us? Is that it? And you know what, you deserved to be smacked when you let your mouth run like this. It’s the only way to get any sense into you. You’ve always been a little bitch, and you’ve never appreciated any of the things we did to give you a good life. But now that you’re getting an education, all of a sudden you think you’re so smart and that we are the bad guys here.”

Lucifer wondered why you hadn’t yet just hung up the phone. He cracked the door slightly to peer into the bathroom. You were standing with your back to him, breathing heavily and trembling slightly. You didn’t seem to notice him watching you.

“A good life? Ha! Don’t make me laugh. You have brought me nothing but pain. You have acted like the victim your whole damn life, and you’ve never done anything except the bare minimum!” Your voice shook in rage as you screamed into the phone. “And sometimes not even that! Don’t you remember when you didn’t let me eat for 5 days when I was 10 because you said I was too fat?! What about that situation makes you the victim!?”

Lucifer’s eyes widened in shock. This was something he had never heard about. You had told him at length about the abuse your parents inflicted upon you, but never anything like this. In all of your blinding fury, you must have lost your filter. There was no way you didn’t think he could hear every word, even if he wasn’t purposefully listening in.

“You’ve always been a fat slob, and you should be grateful that I taught you how to have a little self control. You act like you are perfectly innocent here, but you ruined me- It’s no wonder why your father left us. You’re nothing but a lying little harlot with no sense of awareness, not to mention the disgusting way you treat your body. You think anyone will ever love you with a figure like that? Do you just live to see me suffer without any hope of grandchildren?!”

Lucifer saw your body freeze. You didn’t respond to her last comments.

“Well now, got nothing to say? Forget it. If you do have kids and they are anything like you, they’d probably be just as insufferable as you are. If you dont collect your things by the end of the week, we’re donating them to charity. I should have gave you up when I had the chance, Mc.”

And with that, he heard the line die. Your phone clattered on the floor after falling from your hands and Lucifer noticed your breathing pick up again. He then watched in pitiful silence as you dropped to your knees, pulling at your own hair and erupting pained wails from deep within your soul. He stepped away from the door for a moment to process what had just happened. He felt a crack in his heart at how your own mother could talk to you in such a way. You were so compassionate and kind, and he had come to love everything about you. How could someone treat you like this?

He tried to calm the rage brewing within him and glanced around your room to ground himself. Though, his heart skipped a beat when noticed that the mirrors in your room had again been covered- similarly to how they were when you had first arrived. He also noticed the trashcan in your room had been emptied of its contents on the floor, and the empty can sat next to the crown of your bed. He noticed some odd-looking bottles shimmering in the light on your nightstand. He approached to investigate, and his stomach muscles tensed when he noticed that one was a bottle of human-world laxatives, and the other was a bottle of Ipecac Syrup. He wasn’t sure why you had these things in your possession. The laxatives may be able to be explained away, but he knew Ipecac was only supposed to be used to induce vomiting when a human had ingested a strong poison.

He was jolted from his thoughts when he heard violent retching coming from the bathroom- a noise that was drastically different from your loud sobs before.

Lucifer bolted to the bathroom and swung the door open. He found you hunched over the toilet, fingers stuck down your throat, and vomit cascading from your esophagus. You barely paused between the retching, Tears spilled out of your eyes as you produced more bile into the porcelain bowl.

He paused for a minute, brain connecting the dots. He found himself feeling so stupid- he had read right past Bulimia Nervosa in his research, never once thinking that this could be a cause. But now the frequent sickness, upset when looking in the mirrors, and the way you overly criticized your body all began to make sense. He felt so stupid for not realizing this earlier...and now here you kneeled before him, a trembling mess coated in vomit, tears, and sweat.

He attempted to call out to you. You appeared not to hear him, so he approached you instead. He bent down to one knee and pressed a hand gently to the small of back. You jumped at the touch, clearly not expecting it in your dissociated state. Your trembling stilled as you grounded yourself.

“Mc,” He whispered as he rubbed his thumb along your spine.

You relinquished your index finger from your throat and breathed heaving into the toilet. You did not respond to him; you only stared intently into the disgusting mess in front of you.

“Its alright, Mc.” He cooed gently, pressing a soft kiss to the back of your head. “I’m here.”

Your body again began to shake violently. Feelings of embarrassment rushed to your face and warmed your cheeks. Humiliation lingered at the fact that you had lost so much control that Lucifer was now bearing witness to your shame. You had always been so careful not to let this part of your life slip out in front of him, and now here it was in full force. You folded your arms over the toilet, throwing your head in them as you again began to sob relentlessly, trying desperately to hide your face from the eldest brother- the one whom you so endlessly adored.

Lucifer continued to rub your back gently and whisper sweet nothings into your ear as you sobbed. The sorrow he felt at seeing you so small and helpless when you were usually so strong made his heart ache. The torment you must be going through- he couldn’t even imagine. He let you expel as many tears as you had within you before trying to speak to you again- waiting patiently until you lifted your body from the toilet to finally look at him.

“Mc, I am so very sorry for not noticing this earlier.” He squeezed your shoulder gently, trying desperately to meet your gaze. You avoided it, staring instead at the now vomit-stained floor around you. He squeezed a bit harder, trying to get your eyes to meet his. “Your mother...Is she the reason for all of...this?”

“Y-yeah.” You sucked in a breath and shut your eyes. Your voice was hoarse from the sobbing and acidity of the bile. “I have gone so long without doing it, I forgot how much it hurts.”

Lucifer softened his gaze and pulled you into a hug. You tried to pull away, worried about dirtying his pristine clothing, but right now he didn’t care about that. He just wanted you to feel some sort of love.

“How long?” He whispered the question into your hair.

“How long what?” You pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes.

“How long have you been doing this to yourself?” His voice was unwavering and firm, but there was a softness behind it.

“Oh...” You looked down as he pulled you back into his chest. “A long time, I guess....at least since I was 11 or 12.”

You felt Lucifer tense against you. The timbre in his voice betrayed the fact that he was hiding a burning rage. “That is...That is a very young age to be acting out in hatred against yourself.”

You nodded. “That was around the time she started becoming overly concerned with my appearance.”

Lucifer squeezed you gently and let out a sigh. He remembered what she had said to you about your weight on the phone. The idea of someone’s own parent critiquing their appearance- let along a child who is not yet done developing, made him feel terrible. He grew sick of the image of a smaller version of you forcing yourself to upchuck your dinner because of the venomous words about your weight from your parent, while other kids laughed and played in the background with their loving families. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with your appearance. Not then; and certainly not now.”

You felt tears sting your eyes once more and you gripped him a bit tighter. “She would beg to differ.”

Lucifer pulled away quickly and firmly gripped your shoulders. His gaze was intense, and bore holes into your skull as he met your eyes. “That miserable bitch does not know what she is talking about. Someone would have to be completely void of intelligence to not see the beauty you hold- both inside and out.”

You widened your eyes at him in response, not sure how to respond.

Lucifer felt his face heat up at his sudden forward speech, but he refused to hold back. He knew you needed to hear the affirmation he had for you...and after this, he refused to keep his praise and adoration for you hidden. He wanted you to feel worthy of love and admiration, because you absolutely were.

“I believe fully that you are the most beautiful specimen I have every laid eyes upon,” He continued, a light rosy hue painting his cheeks. “You are also intelligent, brave, resilient, and so very caring. Only a fool would cast you aside when you are so very obviously a precious gem among mere stones.”

You gaped at his brazen flattery. You felt your entire body swell in a fiery red glow, clearly flustered by his words. You were barely even able to speak in response. “Lucifer...I...”

He hushed you and pulled you back into his chest. “You don’t have to respond. But if you don’t mind me asking, why did you bother speaking to the foul-mouthed shrew that claims to be your family?”

You nuzzled yourself into him further, tears stinging your eyes once more as you did. “I have gone for 7 months without talking to her and things were...they were damn near perfect. But she started relentlessly calling me a few days ago...and I just...I couldn’t take it anymore. I just wanted her to leave me alone...and I figured that If I answered her call, she would stop trying to contact me.”

Lucifer pulled away and cupped your cheeks gently. He looked deeply into your eyes as he spoke. “All the pain you have gone through is needless. I will speak to Diavolo about changing your phone number, and we will erase her as your emergency contact from the human world. That way, she will not be given your new contact information.” He paused, seeing the hurt from her words still very much present on your face. “In fact, I am also going to speak to Diavolo about allowing you to stay indefinitely- if that is alright with you.”

You stared at him, mouth agape. He...he was going to let you stay?! You were unable to find the words, but you nodded aggressively and pulled him into the tightest hug you could muster. He returned it immediately, squeezing you back just as tight.

You choked back tears as you spoke, but instead of feeling sorrow you now felt joy. “Coming here was the best thing that ever happened to me. Thank you...for everything.”

He helped you to your feet and requested you take a hot shower to clean yourself up while he took care of the rest. He left the room briefly while you undressed and started your shower, returning with cleaning supplies and a garbage bag. He cleaned the area around the toilet for you, and placed a small spurt of his cologne into the air. He cast a spell that allowed the scent to remain, so that any time you felt the need to purge, you would be able to feel his presence there with you as a comfort- hoping that it would stave away the desire to abuse yourself in such a way.

He then removed the laxatives and Ipecac from your room, throwing them into the garbage. He cleaned up the other trash scattered around your room, and returned the bin to it’s rightful place by your desk. He removed the blankets that covered the mirrors, and enchanted them to display positive messages to you when you looked into them. He linked messages to his own thoughts of you- but he wouldn’t ever admit that. After finishing, the returned the cleaning supplies downstairs and threw out the garbage. He then grabbed you a glass of water, a heating pad, and a bowl of your favorite ice-cream in all of devildom- Rageberry Ripple.

He paused briefly by his room to change into more casual attire and to rid himself of the vomit-stained clothes he was currently wearing. He found himself thinking about how even after all of this, it was still a miniscule repayment for all you’ve done for his family. He wanted to do more for you, but he hoped that this would suffice for now.

When he returned to your room to set the items down and assist you in getting out of the shower, he found you standing in front of your vanity mirror in just a towel, staring at your reflection. A message displayed that said “You are an important addition to this family.” Lucifer felt happy at the way you clutched the edges of the towel against your heart. His chest grew warmer at the site, clearly admiring the way you looked so grateful for the messages he had cursed the mirror to display for you. As he gazed at you through half-lidded eyes that were filled to the brim with admiration, the message suddenly changed to “I love you.”

Lucifer's face turned pink and his face dropped in embarrassment. He didn’t realize that this could happen. He thought it would only display compliments, not his innermost thoughts.

You caught sight of him in the mirror and turned to face him, noticing his now flustered demeanor. He saw a misty haze in your eyes and a small smile twitched its way onto your lips. You ran toward him and embraced him tightly. He hesitated, but did return the embrace. He was glad your reaction was one of joy and not one of irritation or disgust, but he was still quite embarrassed at the way the mirror betrayed his secrets.

“I love you too.” You whispered, making the light pink blush that gently dusted his cheeks transform into a bright red hue.

#obey me #obey me!#obey me lucifer #obey me comfort #obey me fic #obey me angst #obey me fluff #the body image series #obey me imagines #obey me headcanons #obey me: shall we date?#shall we date: Obey me

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unproduciblesmackdown · 3 years

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after i posted that reblog & was washing dishes it was like, oh no, there was what now feels like an obvious neon point to make that i sure did not, so here i go also just giving it its own post

basically just that, in the context of this “do other people think winston is Smart, do they think he is ‘smart’ in a way that is considered an intinsic positive quality attributed to that person rather than like, well this external result i guess indicates the mechanics of your brain are good enough to produce this but it’s hardly a positive for you as a person, b/c you’re probably worse at being a person for the fact all your stats go into running endless arithmatic in there, on that note do they think he is definitively Not smart outside the [external results] of math aptitude, has winston internalized anything from this assessment & according treatment by others” that point of winston so often being right about things outside of stuff to do with math / otherwise directly quant related matters sure seems to indicate he’s not Just Good / Smart At Math, but having to compile a post about instances he’s had these valuable / accurate contributions to make was sure motivated in part by these instances not necessarily being obvious, b/c in the show when he says “off topic” things / isn’t just sticking to the quant stuff people are mostly just trying to get him to shut up / even as he’s saying this Correct, Useful stuff people are just like, revving up the disdain b/c he’s talking / acting wrong & annoying. the Extrinsic quality of his social approach making the inferred Intrinsic quality that winston’s clueless/useless or whatever & thus so’s whatever he’s actually saying, it’s wrong & it would’ve been better if he hadn’t said anything at all

plus it only kind of backs things up that i don’t think like, for viewers it’s meant to be completely obvious that winston is out here like, being insightful & perceptive & generally paying attention to everything on his own & keeping up with all of it & being attentive to / right about social elements of goings on, w/his ideas about what other people are like & what their feelings & motivations might be & how that might be playing into / relevant to various situations....a particularly clear & relevant example being his 4x11 admonishlogue, which was naturally a subjective spontaneous spiel while he’s worked up & irritated rather than like, yes this is the objective 1000% accurate rundown of the situation, but it was right enough for taylor to have listened & then we get their 4x12 conscious course correction / them acknowledging They Were Wrong & Are Sorry, & if you’re not a billions viewer failing to realize axe & taylor have these parallel plot threads in 4x11 & that taylor’s speech in 4x12 wasn’t out of nowhere, about & inspired by nothing, with no context, the implication is that taylor recognized winston made some points / was influenced thusly......but also, [all the billions viewers who didn’t get that at all] is kind of relevant here b/c you Can just suppose that automatically everything winston says is wrong & useless, & furthermore the 4x11 scene “resolves” with mafee jumping in & saying as much & just taking the Pwning A Nerd route to shout someone down into dropping the point, as always mafee doesn’t really argue with any of the actual things winston was saying, but if you’re operating with the understanding that the Axe Cap Approach of bullying less epic winner guys into shutting up is the extrinsic behavior that indicates any & all intrinsic positive qualities, aka they’re just Always Right b/c they’re the cool guys, & annoying insecure math nerds like winston are always wrong, well then

which is then also relevant to how winston of course wouldn’t / couldn’t fit in at axe cap but Can work for taylor.......thinking of how, you know, there’s these characters who are regarded as Extra Smart who also have to be perceived by other characters & viewers as having these extrinsic qualities that Intuitively indicate / prove their intrinsic smartness, i.e. / e.g. how, say, taylor has to “seem” smart pretty much immediately, to a character like axe (who can also have these moments of, without external successful results that would “prove” anything, will just be “evidently” smart in what he does/says in an exchange & how he does it), because their other extrinsic qualities would seem “wrong,” & thus what people might infer about their intrinsic qualities based on that would be negative, but axe can recognize their smartness & prioritize it over them being The Tough Guy / having successfully bullied their coworkers (or co interns) until they had some superior position because of that or the other stuff that’s supposedly the Right way to do things that proves you’re a Winner in any / every way....but, while at axe cap / dealing with now coworkers (or now subordinates) or other people in the business, taylor still had to navigate those situations even with axe’s conferred protection / approval / blessing, requiring having to consciously adopt certain extrinsic / external approaches b/c they know it’s the only way to get people to listen or take them seriously (on top of how already the approach they had re: interpersonal / social exchanges & presenting themself was titrated in the hopes of people taking them seriously / inferring helpful/positive things about them)

and then when it comes to tmc / taylor for real having the final word / ultimate authority on everything, they don’t want their employees to Have to put on the same kinds of performances they sometimes did, and they sure don’t want their employees to have to act like what was the norm at axe cap re: cool tough guy winners being terrible to everyone as a way to prove your worth, and they sure are not going to Make or even encourage anyone to do any of that. and even if any intrinsic smartness(tm) of winston’s doesn’t extrinsically manifest in the way axe cappers, or even mase cappers, think that it could/would/should, taylor’s more concerned with his intrinsic talent than extrinsic demeanor, and even if they’re suggesting these are at odds, they aren’t quite 100% directly connecting them, i.e. they’re not saying “well, your demeanor means you’re a dumbass but you’re still smart somehow,” the issue is just that he was too grating & rude to them in 3x03 (& beyond that is still Not sweet / “being a dick”) which is now, in some notable contrast with what they said in 3x03, being considered as this separate matter rather than “of course you can’t work for me b/c you hate yourself too much to Really be effective,” now it’s like, well yeah you were annoying but also you’re still skilled enough to consider....and by kompenso they obviously think he’s actually worth hiring, b/c there he is, hired, & kept on, & brought to tmc at axe cap, & still here (with him only Apparently being on thin ice when taylor has given enough control of mase carb to wendy that they no longer exactly have the final word / ultimate authority (and even if they kinda do, they don’t just wanna immediately / completely take advantage of that))

but naturally what really counts even beyond this is that, besides being the person who of course hired winston in the first place / wants him around b/c he’s good at math, taylor also just actually also always listens to & genuinely considers what winston says and, as seen in 4x11 to 4x12 for one, can actually change their mind / reevaluate a situation / decide they might’ve been wrong because of what he’s said, on top of instances like 5x03 where they’re also listening to him like, yeah he’s talking about math, but he’s Also contributing some personal, qualitative leaning insight, thanks to admitting that, you know, This’ll Be The First Live Test, he’s not saying “well yeah the numbers totally back us up” but he’s still saying that he himself thinks they can do it, and they do it.......so yeah the point is taylor must of course think he’s Smart At Math but they must also consider / (realize) that he’s also smart at other shit / just in general and, even if other characters / viewers might think that the way winston behaves / seems he must Not be smart, taylor is always listening to him & is definitely not instantly writing it off / interpreting it as outright Wrong / simply experiencing radio static ft. “ugh hate that this guy has to be so annoying” as soon as he speaks....so shoutout to taylor for that, and maybe there’s a parallel in how, their first time around at axe cap, taylor could sort of avoid axe cappers giving them as much shit as they might’ve b/c they had some protection from axe, the top shit giver, and here’s winston able to be treated as smart & valuable despite the fact other people wouldn’t see him that way b/c taylor, the smart value detector, wants him here

but you know, Not shoutout to the fact that taylor’s kind of the exception in reliably listening to Everything winston might have to say / taking him seriously & realizing that he has good contributions besides Just strictly in the quant realm, and that for the most part characters (and viewers) are kind of just automatically like boooo everything winston says is dumb and wrong and we hate him.....while, you know, the whole time he’s so often “secretly” Right about plenty of things, as long as there’s anyone actually listening and not just automatically writing him off as The Guy Who’s Wrong About Everything But Numbers

(feels relevant enough to put in the text as a postscript here: Of Note the way that axe cappers react to winston in s5, the weird contradictory 5x01 quantphobia like “they’re smarter than us and better at us. at math ig, but i guess also in general. and this is an own i guess” and “also they’re not better than us at math even or whatever,” and then dollar bill’s apparently assuming some quant would just guaranteed be able to make him money, but he’s also stomping in with no real leverage and so you’ve just got him pitting his usual bluster and bravado “this means i’m intrinsically a winner” approach against winston, whose social approach means he’s a dumb wrong nerd, but also please do your good math for me, and you know, it doesn’t really work out for bill and was just a waste of everyone’s time, kind of a failure of bill’s not only to convert his Winner Axe Cap Behavior directly into making money / succeeding but trying to do so by actually getting the math guy to do the valuable shit for him....and then they kind of all forget he exists which is very fine by me b/c you know, winston can’t really just exist in the general axe cap scape and ideally taylor should always be in the group he’s in, although it also helps if rian’s someone who just listens to him normally / hadn’t immediately judged his extrinsic / intrinsic qualities negatively (she is))

#winston billions #no read more but how about a #long post //

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liquorisce · 4 years

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decisions, decisions pt 2

Fandom : Bleach

Pairings : Ichihime (ft. some ichi x ishi bickering which we love around here)

Rating : T

Part 1

A/N: A few months ago I wrote a post-tybw-karakura-gang-finishes-high-school kinda thing called ‘decisions, decisions’ ft career choice discussions and orihime thinking of leaving town for uni. I wanted to write some more of that stuff and more ichihime pining obvs, so here it is. also i hate myself for not being able to participate in ichihimeweek2020, i suck, but anyway, ‘nuff with the nonsense, here’s the fic:

(ps: pls be nice to me and like/reblog/comment or whatevs and tell me what u think, ily thx)

...

It’s five minutes to two, and Ichigo fought to stifle a yawn. The menacing five hundred pages of English grammar exercises in front of him wasn’t helping.

“... Unbelievable,” he curses, slamming the book shut, much to the annoyance of his bespectacled classmate sitting across him. “Why the hell can’t they just teach us proper English in school?! I’m absolutely fucking positive that Honda-sensei didn’t mention more than three tenses in her class. And what kind of English lesson takes place in Japanese anyway?!”

“... Quit your whining, Kurosaki. Some of us are trying to study here.”

Ichigo fumed. By ‘some of us,’ Ishida was pointedly referring to just himself and the long-haired beauty sitting right opposite him, who, judging by her giggling at his outburst, welcomed his distraction. The same giggling that was contributing to the problem, contributing to Ichigo’s immense distraction since after dinner.

“You’re not even human, Ishida,” he says dismissively. “Keigo’s literally made his bed on my dad’s couch, you can hear his goddamn snores, and Mizuiro left to ‘watch the stars’ with some new girl thirty minutes ago.”

“You’re the one who invited us over to your place for an all-nighter group study session and you’re calling it quits before the sun is up? As expected, you’re weak.”

He was right, this had been Ichigo’s idea, Yuzu had offered to make them dinner and his dad had plans tonight, so they were guaranteed some peace and quiet. Despite the noise and the chaos of their group, he missed hanging out with his friends. Ever since the school had given them voluntary study holidays for the upcoming University Entrance Exams, he didn’t get to see much of everyone, as they were either studying or training for competitions. Even today, Tatsuki and Chad left after dinner because they had to get up early for practice and they had decided they wouldn’t be giving the exams anyway.

Ignoring Ishida’s pointed attempts to rile him up, he turns his attention to Orihime, who despite enjoying their banter, was more focused on the cram book in front of her.

“Inoue, how are you still so motivated and so… awake?,” he asks, exasperated. “It’s almost 2 am! And you’ve been scribbling away furiously for the last thirty minutes. What are you even studying?”

“Mouuu, you’re right. I’m not able to solve this proof anyway. Maybe I should call it a night?”

“Electromagnetism?” Ishida asks, skimming the title of the chapter, “Oh, I’ve done this one, I can explain this to you if you want.”

He doesn’t know what irritates him more, Ishida’s nerdiness, or the soft look in his eyes as he unfailingly offers to help Orihime out, as he’d been doing a lot more of late, ever since they had started studying for the entrance exams together. In fact, it’d been this way this entire evening, starting from when he took a seat right next to her at the table as if he fucking belonged there, leaning over into her notebook, whenever she needed help, his arm casually brushing against her long, silken locks, her answering smile bright and incredibly close to him, and - Ichigo forces that thought to a halt because it has him gritting his teeth. “... For God’s sake, give her a break,” -

“... Shut up, Kurosaki, not everyone is applying to study *English* in University”-

“And what exactly do you mean by that, asshole?” Ichigo snarls, with more venom than needed, because despite having had enough with Ishida’s condescending attitude towards his study choices, his recent behaviour had Ichigo prickling under his skin.

“... Err, Kurosaki-kun…” Orihime starts, because she’s used to Ichigo and Ishida arguing (they’re just being affectionate, she always insists), there’s a glint in Ichigo’s eyes that’s different.

“... Exactly what I said, some of us don’t have the luxury of skipping the math and science exams,” -

“Ah, Kurosaki-kun is right! I think my brain really can’t function anymore tonight,” Orihime declares loudly, inserting herself in between them. “Kurosaki-kun, I think I will leave now. Thank you so much for hosting us today.” She bows, her formality annoying him even more, but still throwing him off guard.

As always, Orihime’s pleasant demeanour diffused the rising tempers… somewhat. With one last glare, Ishida grudgingly agreed, “Then I guess I will take my leave as well.”

Ichigo wants to be polite and say something like, “we should do this more often,” but he’s pissed off, and couldn’t wait to be rid of Ishida’s arrogant mug, so instead he offers, “Inoue, can I walk you home?”

He doesn’t notice the faint red on her cheeks or the hesitation on her face, when she mumbles, “If it doesn’t inconvenience you.” And he’s torn again - tearing his eyes away from the pretty blush dusting her cheeks unable to stop himself from wondering bitterly if she’d let Ishida walk her home without much protest.

“Ishida lives in the other direction and it would be out of his way, so I don’t mind.”

“Well then,” Ishida says, looking at her with more fondness than Ichigo would have liked, “Your eyes are all red and puffy. Sleep well. Don’t strain yourself, okay?”

“Yes sir,” she gives him the salute, “... good night!”

“... And text me that you got home safe. This idiot can’t be trusted with anything,”-

“... for fuck’s sake, just go home already!”

“Kurosaki-kun,” she whispers, amused, as she watches Ishida walk away with a cheeky grin on his face, “you’ll wake the neighbours with your angry yelling.”

“Ah, you’re right,” he mumbles, rubbing his neck sheepishly, as their footsteps fall into place beside each other, “I’m sorry for all the swearing, I don’t know why I let Ishida under my skin so much.”

“Hmmm,” she says, “It’s kind of cute, your bickering. If this were a yaoi novel, I’d totally ship it!”

“... what the hell?!” His face is red, not just because the thought of him… and Ishida… Ew. But also because this is coming from Orihime, the last person he’d ever expect to engage in fantasies of this sort.

Giggling, she quickly switches to a more somber note. “You seemed... on edge today. Did something happen between the two of you?”

He doesn’t know how to answer that question. Truth be told, he’s barely able to understand it himself. Sure, there was the usual trading of insults that took place between the two of them, but it was different this time. His whole demeanour just pissed him off. The way he always seemed to know what Orihime was asking, the way he was always able to help her, the familiar way he spoke to her… and the revelation that they’d been studying together for weeks now!

“I don’t know,” he sighs, because he can’t even explain what he is feeling, let alone the reason behind it, “... I guess it’s just the stress of the exam.”

“Ugh, tell me about it,” she whines, “I’m so thankful Ishida-kun is giving the same exams as me, and we can share practice questions and tips. I really wouldn’t be able to do this alone.”

He ignores her mention of him and the tick in his jaw in reaction. “But I don’t get it. You’re giving almost all the exams. Why?!? There’s surely no need.”

She blushes, ashamed, “I know it sounds stupid, but I really haven’t decided what I want to study in University. I figured if I just gave all of the exams, I would have more options to choose from.”

“... Come on,” -

“... And I will also prefer to go wherever I get a scholarship.”

His fist clenches, “... So you’re definitely applying outside of Karakura?”

“Yeah, although I’m not sure if there’s any point. It’s so difficult to aim for the National Universities, I’ll never get through. But the counselor says it’s worth a shot for the scholarship.”

“... I thought your aunt was helping you with tuition?”

“... Only till high school. And I cannot burden her anymore. I’ve received so much from her already.”

Ichigo doesn’t miss the way her voice wavers at the end, the guilt evident in her words. And he can’t stand it. “... Cheer up,” he says softly, playfully elbowing her. “You’re one of the smartest kids in school. Rank #2 after all the shit we went through last year! If anyone can do it you can.”

“... You think so?” she mumbles, looking up at him, her insecurities heartbreaking in the grey of her eyes.

Everything about her is so honest, it hurts him a little bit because his first thought is to say no, to talk her out of it, because the revelation is too sudden, too jarring - he can’t bear the thought of this town without her. But he nods, smiles encouragingly, because that’s just way too selfish.

Shaking his head out of these thoughts, he asks, “... what was the counselor’s recommendation, again? As a career path?”

“Ah, Hirata-san said maybe I should just follow my love for baking,” she says, smiling.

“... and? Why don’t you consider that? You wouldn’t have to give these blasted exams then.”

He liked the idea of this, now more than before, momentarily regretting his role in convincing her to apply to university. Orihime working in the local bakery, coming around his house everyday to share the leftovers, staying back for dinner maybe…

“... but Kurosaki-kun was the one who said I wouldn’t be very good at it!” She pouts, “You said I’d make too many things in weird flavours and nobody would want to buy them.”

Crap. He truly felt like waltzing back in time and whacking the past version of him for saying something like that. Because if it were anyone else shitting all over Orihime’s dream, he’d have sent the punk flying. Where were all these feelings coming from anyway?!

“... Shit, I didn’t mean,” -

“... it’s okay, you’re right. And besides I can work there part-time through University. I was thinking…” She took a deep breath. “Well, actually, it was Ishida-kun’s idea. Maybe I could study to become a doctor? My strength is in healing people anyway…”

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Well of course, he'd say that. He's going to study medicine too." And of course he would try to talk Orihime into it. The bastard had taken every opportunity to slither by her side -

She laughs, a pretty sound, interrupting the profanity in his mind. "Yeah, he did say it would be nice to have some company… but I'm not sure." Sighing, she asks, "How did you decide on English Studies?"

It wasn't too difficult for him honestly. It helped that he was fairly certain he didn't want to study math or science going forward. "... I like stories. And I want to be able to read and share stories in a global medium, so I decided to study English."

He looks at her only to find her looking at him in fascination, "... Truth be told, I didn't spend too much time thinking about it. The career aptitude test returned similar results as well, so I just went with it." He shrugs, "I think I'll enjoy it. Let's see."

"Ahh, you sound so optimistic about your studies, Kurosaki-kun. I wish I could be like that."

They've reached her apartment building now and she turns to look at him, wistfully. He wishes he could do something for her, ease her anxieties in some way.

"What about you?" He asks.

She looks at him, puzzled.

"... You've told me all about what everyone wants you to do. What do you want to do? I'm sure you must have some inkling."

“... I,” she stops, opens her mouth again to say something, but nothing comes out. “... what I want… ah, you’ll probably think it’s silly.” She smiles wistfully to herself, because this wasn’t something that she’d ever admitted out loud.

He rolls his eyes, “... Try me.” Because she was many things, and yes, definitely silly sometimes in that unique way of hers, but he would never, could never, call her dreams silly. It’s a moment of realization for him, when he gets angry with the way she dismisses her own dreams that way, and he feels overwhelmed with the desire to pick them up, and keep them safe where no one can trample them, along with that spaced-out, wistful smile of hers.

“Well,” she gulps, nervous, “I’ve never really thought too much about going to university. Sensei says I’m wasting my potential... but honestly, I think I’ll be happy working.”

She looks at him unsurely, waiting for a reaction, an opinion, like everyone else. Everyone who’d been urging her to continue school and pursue all kinds of studies that she could possibly do, but… “I just - I want to build a simple life with someone I love. A family, maybe, someday.”

It comes out so fast, she wishes she could grab the words and shove them back in her mouth. She chances a glance at him, her cheeks hot and furiously embarrassed.

His expression is unreadable as he gazes down at her. She’s beautiful in the moonlight, he thinks, and it isn’t really a revelation to him, but the melancholy of her beauty is, the loneliness that he wishes he could extinguish as easily as he does hollows. “A simple life huh…” he murmurs. And he can almost picture it, Orihime, ten years from now, a child in her arms, a little boy maybe, with her wide brown eyes and -

“Well, looks like you have planned it out better than any of us,” he manages hoarsely, unable to look her in the eye anymore. Not with all these… feelings simmering so close to the surface. And before he can help himself, “Do you already know who this mystery man is?”

He’s come to realize how absolutely unequipped he is to hear the answer, but her unassuming statement has already taken residence inside him somehow, a burning sensation accompanying it.

His question jolts her into consciousness, and she notices they’re almost at her apartment. “Ah Kurosaki-kun is very curious today,” she laughs nervously, “only one confession per day! That’s the limit!” The fake cheer in her voice grates in her own ears but she hopes desperately it will steer him away because she’s this close to telling him sometimes, and this was one of those times. Especially in these rare moments when she feels an odd mixture of weakness and greed, where she wants to latch on to him and ask him to stay by her side, hoping selfishly that his kindness will make him say yes. But Orihime was practiced at hiding those feelings away.

“Is that right,” he smiles teasingly, albeit weakly, “... I didn’t know you were so mysterious, Inoue. Well goodnight, then.”

And as he watches her climb up the stairs to her floor, and then lean over the railings to wave goodbye one more time, he can’t help but think of that image of her again, happy and in love and so beautifully fulfilled. And he thinks of the shadow of the man next to her, who will protect that dream and that smile, and his stomach clenches bitterly.

“You deserve it,” he whispers to her retreating figure, “... You deserve all of it.”

- fin -

A/N : The ending was cheesy, I KNOW UGH

#ichihime #kurosaki ichigo #inoue orihime #bleach #liquorisce fanfiction

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stxphxn-strange · 4 years

Text

tiger: a (pseudo)villain!stephen origin story

this probably is going to have another part, but for now here is a serious contribution of mine to the world of (pseudo)villain!stephen ft. a sick tony, heavily implied established pristine, and stephen being kind of a dick

Tony was still coughing harshly, his skin still red and warm and clammy as he struggled for breath. Stephen, for all his medical and magical training, didn’t know what to do.

The light of the arc reactor flickered harshly, almost like a broken strobe. Tony’s breath hitched as he coughed for the last time… for now. He collapsed against Stephen, inhaling harshly as he struggled to regain his breath.

“Tea?”

Tony shrugged, groaning as the small motion exacerbated his chest pain. “Maybe. Even if I don’t normally drink it I’d try anything. But later. Will you stay with me a little longer?”

Stephen hated the fear that he heard in Tony’s voice, despite his partner’s attempts to keep it hidden. “Of course, I’ve got you.”

Tony coughed again. He tried to hold it back, but all that did was increase the ache in his chest. He laid on his side when it was over, trying to hide how much it was hurting.

“You don’t always hurt this much when you get a cold,” Stephen said, not really expecting a response.

“Are you suggesting it’s more than a cold?” Tony asked, shifting to rest his head on Stephen’s lap.

“Maybe,” Stephen replied. He took the obvious hint and began to play with Tony’s hair. “I’m just worried because you’re obviously in pain, and with the reactor—”

“It doesn’t make it better, I know. I’ve been really considering getting it removed, and if I don’t get any better I think I might have to,” Tony said. “Just as a precaution. I don’t need it to power the suits anymore and I feel strong enough to go through with the removal now.”

Stephen thought back to Siberia, to 2016, and he couldn’t help but scowl.

Tony reached up to cup his face. “Hey, focus on me. It’s behind us.”

“It still keeps you up at night. You’ve let go of it logically but not emotionally. I just hate seeing you in pain,” Stephen argued. “I don’t mean to be codependent when I say that.”

Tony nodded. “I know what you mean. I just want you to relax, yeah? I’m right here. I’m okay.”

He coughed again, sitting up sharply as his lungs went into mutiny.

“I’m sort of okay.”

++++

“I’m nervous Christine. What if something goes wrong? What if something happens to him? What if—”

Christine looked up, fixing her best friend with a glare. “Calm down, don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do, but Tony—”

“Will be fine. I shouldn’t have to prove to you that I’m a good surgeon—”

“You don’t! Just please be careful,” Stephen pleaded. “Please.”

“I will. I promise I’ll be careful,” Christine replied. “You can go see him while I finish my prep.”

“I see that this is your subtle way of getting me to leave you alone,” Stephen teased. “I’m gonna take you up on that and go see Tony.”

Christine sighed a bit annoyedly as Stephen left the room. He was known to hover, but this was too much. It was almost as if Christine wasn’t competent enough for her best friend. What should she have expected, though? He was undermining Christine’s ability when they were romantically involved, why would he change?

Same shit, different day.

As a cynical laugh escaped her lips, Christine stopped to wonder about Pepper. She supposed that she would hover in a similar sense if Pepper needed a major, potentially dangerous surgery, however Stephen’s emotions were notoriously much more explosive. All his worry was really doing was proving that tigers don’t change their stripes.

++++

Stephen was pacing around like said caged tiger when Christine stepped into the hallway. She took a deep breath, holding fistfulls of her scrubs in her hands. This conversation was only going to go poorly. A brief talk with Pepper calmed her down, but—

“Christine? How did it go?” Stephen asked. He still held that tone of arrogance, despite the fear that controlled his voice.

“The good news is that I got the reactor out with no problems, and upon a cautionary examination we were able to determine that there was no remaining shrapnel in his heart,” Christine began. She took a deep breath. “But—”

“But?!”

“I’ll be honest with you. I was nervous, my hands were shaking, and I accidentally reopened a previous puncture wound in his lung. I closed it immediately, but we had to induce a coma so his body can recover from all of the cardiovascular trauma it’s been through,” Christine spoke as quickly as possible. She looked down at the floor. “It was an honest mistake, I’m sorry.”

“I understand, you did your best,” Stephen replied. “But how could you be that careless?!”

“Don’t act like you’ve never messed up before,” Christine snapped.

“Not to that degree! Not when a man’s life is at stake!”

Christine sighed. “It was never that bad, Stephen. Tony knew that. You’re blinded by your worry for him which is causing you to be angry with me when you should just be happy that he’s alright.”

Stephen nodded. Christine was almost surprised at his sudden emotional maturity.

“Can I see him?”

“You ask as if anyone could stop you from trying.”

++++

The argument was ringing in his ears as he adjusted his position for the nth time. Stephen was happy that Tony would be okay and would wake up soon, but he didn’t hold his thoughts back from cursing Christine and his former coworkers. He was even finding fault with the literal hospital building itself, that’s how angry he was. And to think, the woman just believed that he’d become logical in mere seconds. He wanted to make this right, to… he wanted to avenge Tony. Stephen knew he should just wait until Tony wakes up to talk about how he feels, but where would be the fun in just talking?

The sorcerer reached out for Tony’s right hand, trying to convey all of his emotions through the gesture. “I’m not leaving, I’m going to be right by your side once you’re up and while you recover. But make no mistake, my love, I’m going to make everything right the way you deserve. It’s probably about time someone shows the rogues what it means to properly avenge anyway.”

#tony stark #pseudo villain!stephen strange #ironstrange #ironstrange villain au #christine palmer #implied pristine #(implied) anti stony #stephen strange x tony stark #implied anti steve rogers #implied anti team cap #metro general hospital

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bellsadventuresworld · 5 years

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Metabolism

You’ve probably heard about a little thing called metabolism that gets a lot of hype in the weight loss world. You’ve probably also heard something along the lines of “I have trouble losing weight because I have a slow metabolism”, “My eating disorder has destroyed my metabolism so I’ll be fat forever”, or even the most cringing of all, weight loss adds boasting: “Boost your metabolism by using this simple trick…”.

With all the propaganda and misinformation posted carelessly online, how do you know what to trust? A simple Google search on the topic can be misleading and overwhelming as research is often long, tedious and conflicting in nature. Below is a compilation of slow, methodical research from scientific journals and other sanctified, credible sources. Please note that the information in this post should never be used as a substitute for medical advice from your doctor. This is simply an attempt to evaluate the correlation between weight loss and metabolism. More specifically, this post is intended to explore what eating disorders do to the metabolism and bust some dangerous myths about increasing the rate of weight loss. Strap in my rexy friends, you’re in for the long haul with this one. Let’s educate ourselves and reach those goal weights! (If this is too long to read in one go, I get it! Book mark it for later and digest in sections)

Note that there is a lot of physiology, systems and different topics that contribute important, valid information to this particular discussion. Without writing a text book sized post I cannot possibly cover all of it. The goal of this post is to give you a brief understanding of metabolism. As I grow this blog I will break down subtopics for further explanation.

Section A: What is metabolism?

We hear about it often but few of us know what it really is or what it actually does. Your metabolism is defined as the sum total of all biochemical reactions that take place in the body over time. This includes basic life-sustaining functions like breathing, circulating blood (I.e. vasomotor tone, heart rate and contractility), repairing damaged cells/ mounting immune attacks on foreign bodies, halting cancerous cell production, supplying glucose to the brain in order to think, and a multitude of other cool, autonomic things your body does to keep you alive. Just like a car, In order to keep a metabolism running we have to supply the body with gas. In this case the currency is the dreaded calorie. Those autonomic functions we just talked about that allow us to laugh over memes or ogle over thinspo have a base need for calories called the basal metabolic rate. Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is the number of calories your body needs to survive everyday if you don’t do anything….seriously. All you have to do is lie in bed and stare at the ceiling and your body will burn calories. Pretty neat. Everyone’s BMR is different and is based on factors like height, weight, gender, and body fat percentage. Your personal BMR can be calculated easily online. We will get to why this is important in a bit or maybe in another post, but first we need to finish building some foundation. Your metabolism works like this:

There are two main functions of the metabolism: anabolism and catabolism. To illustrate this, we will describe them as construction teams. Think of anabolism as the building team responsible for installing a new skyscraper. Anabolism is the process that takes protein building blocks synthesized from the food you eat to make new materials and cells to maintain your tissues. Think of catabolism as the demolition specialists. In other words, this team is responsible for breaking down the old skyscraper to make room for the new one. Catabolism is the process that breaks down existing body fat and carbs to recycle into new energy (the bodies chosen energy source is ATP but we will discuss this topic another day as this post is already extremely long). In fact, It is estimated by some researches that as much as 10% of the calories from carbs and proteins you eat are used during digestion, meaning you don’t store those calories as body fat. One by-product of breaking molecular bonds is heat, and therefore catabolism helps regulate body temperature too (hence why most of us are freezing ALL THE TIME when heavily restricting or fasting). So all of this is great, but what does it mean?

Let’s talk about what would happen to the skyscraper if our teams didn’t work right. If the demolition team didn’t have enough usable materials from the tower they torn down to give the building team and no new materials were provided, the new tower would never get built and the project would fail. If there is no excess body fat to burn and no caloric input, catabolism processes begin to attack vital organs, muscle and bone in order to free energy. This is why eating disorders cause your hair to fall out, your skin to chap, become wrinkly and irritated, your bones to become brittle, your organs to die and you to live in a perpetual state of cold. You might be reading this thinking “I’m not underweight yet and I still have some of this happening”. You’re right. You probably do, so what’s going on? The body is really good at surviving on very little (thank you cave man ancestors) and has lots of safety guards in place that are very inconvenient to our disordered approach to weight loss. When we severely restrict and regulate our caloric intake, the brain sends signals to the body that sound all the alarms and we enter a state of starvation (we will talk hormones another day). Just like a chipmunk over the winter who doesn’t know the next time he will find food is, our metabolism gets greedy and stuffs its cheeks with copious amounts of calories to store. This is why long periods of fasting are proven to slow the metabolism and cause weight gain. Other methods like intermittent fasting are more effective weight loss techniques (again we will discuss this in another post). Note that the posts you see about fasting for ten days and losing 20 pounds may be real but are dangerous and unrealistic for most people. At that point in a fast weight loss may become rapid because the body is being forced to use the last of the reserves it has to keep you breathing. Remember that these reserves are your organs and muscle tissue- the things that keep you ALIVE.

Section B: I have control issues- so how do I make metabolism my slave?

Bottom line: You don’t, you can’t, and you never will be able to…mostly. Sorry friends, this one hurts but unfortunately your metabolism is greatly determined by your genetics, body composition, and natural sex…. All things you don’t have control over. It’s obvious we can’t change our genes or inherent sex (even if you transition into the opposite sex, you were still born with hormones and reproductive organs specific to one gender or the other. Your chromosomes don’t change even as you become who you were meant to be). Men generally have a greater proportion of muscle to body fat and therefore a faster metabolism than women. Women generally have a slower metabolism and carry a greater amount of body fat than men because we are tasked with supporting child birth. It’s also important to understand that as we age, our metabolism generally ages with us and slows down. Now let’s chat about body composition. When I was first putting together information for this post I refused to believe that I don’t control my body composition. I mean if exercise more and eat less I will have more muscle and less body fat right? There. I changed my body composition! Not quite… while that statement is true in some regards, that’s not the kind of composition we’re talking about here. We are talking about your frame and body size. I am 5 ft 1in tall and labeled as “petite”. I have a set amount of muscle on my body that is very different than a person who is 6ft tall. Regardless of how good of shape I am in and the amount of muscle mass or tone I have, the 6 footer will always have one up on me. The taller you are, generally the more calories you will burn in a day because you physically have more mass (not fat) to move. The same concept applies to animals. It will take a giraffe more energy than a Chihuahua to move its body every day because the giraffe is 49 times bigger than the Chihuahua. Does this mean the Chihuahua is fat because it uses less energy and burns less calories that the giraffe? Does it mean the giraffe is fat because it needs to consume more calories than the Chihuahua just to get out of bed? Of course not! We can’t compare the two because they are inherently different, but as humans we like to compare everything about ourselves to everything about everyone else. This leads to a lot of disappointment, binges, purges and tears. Trust me, I know this first hand as I’m sure you do too. Understanding your metabolic needs and ignoring others will help you reach that goal weight so let’s stop comparing as it just tears us down.

Section C: Are you sure I can’t increase my metabolism?

Your metabolism can be altered for short periods of time but generally stays at a constant rate. In other words, drinking your black coffee can give you a boost in calorie burning power for an hour or so but will not add significantly to your daily caloric burn. Oh, and did I mention that when the body is used to getting certain foods or stimulants it becomes dependent on the item and it loses its super power? That’s right, not only do you have to drink coffee every morning to function, but that bitter black stuff you force yourself to drink stops boosting metabolism altogether. Win-Win right?

Contrary to popular belief, your metabolism plays only a minor role in weight loss and should not be the main focus of your journey. Instead you should focus on lifestyle choices like what you eat, when you eat and how much physical activity you are doing. At the end of the day, regardless of where our calories come from, weight loss, in a nutshell ,comes down to caloric deficit. You will not lose weight if you don’t burn more calories than you eat. Below is a list of popular ways to “increase” your metabolism as well as the truth behind them.

Myth #1: Exercise boosts your metabolism long after you stop- AKA “the after burn”

Exercise will increase your metabolism in proportion with the amount of muscle you gain. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, the faster your metabolism. The concept of after burn is a novel thought that you continue to burn calories long after your work out stops. This is only half true. Exercises that elevate heart rate like swimming, biking, running and high intensity workouts burn lots of calories while you’re doing them but not so much at rest. Metabolism is kind of like breathing. You breathe hard and fast while you’re running and for a few minutes after that but then your breathing becomes normal again. The metabolism works the same way. You may continue to burn an increased number of calories for a couple hours after your workout ends but eventually metabolism will return to a resting state. Keep in mind that your brain, heart, kidneys, liver, and lungs account for most of the energy used in a day as they never get to rest. Exercise is important but is not the main source of energy consumption.

Be sure not to overindulge in calories after a workout thinking you will burn them all off. You won’t. That being said, you do need to refuel the body with some sort of clean protein after a workout if you would like to gain the muscle you worked for. You might be thinking “but I don’t care about the muscle….I care about the skinny!!” I’m here to tell you why you should care.

We aren’t talking muscle like the body builders and Instagram fitness models sport. We are talking lean, functional muscle that is vital for holding your bones together. More importantly, your heart is a muscle and needs to be maintained.

I personally aim to eat a light, healthy meal within an hour after my work out, especially if I trained hard that day. An example of something I might throw together post workout would be a bed of spiralized zucchini with homemade marinara sauce and broccoli (broccoli is high in protein) or a salad with a variety of fresh veggies, toasted nuts or seeds and a light vinegar dressing. If I really can’t stomach a real meal after working out I at least try to heat up a cup of green peas with salt and pepper. The salt is an electrolyte important for muscle contraction and green peas are surprisingly high in protein and low in calories: one cup of frozen peas has about 130 calories and contains 8.6 grams of protein not to mention vitamins A, C, calcium and iron. I like these options because they are low calorie, high volume so I feel full and I am able to sleep without hunger pains.

Eating after a workout also helps avoid binges (have you ever fasted and worked out like crazy? The hunger is 10,000 times harder to control). I cannot stress enough how important it is to avoid a binge, purge, restrict cycle. It wreaks absolute havoc on your metabolism. Eating disorders confuse the body and force it into a state of reduced function so we have to do our best to provide nutrients where we can.

Regular aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is the most efficient way to burn calories and includes activities such as walking, bicycling and swimming. As a general goal, include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine.

If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to increase the time you spend on physical activity even more. If you can't set aside time for a longer workout, try 10-minute chunks of activity throughout the day. Remember, the more active you are, the greater the benefits.

Safety reminder: if you are fasting or heavily restricting (below 500 cals per day), don’t work out. If you feel the need to do something, a simple walk will suffice. You wouldn’t try to run a car without gas, don’t try to run your body without food. Be smart. Life is a balance, learn to listen to your body and hear it when it tells you how much it can take.

Strength training. Strength training exercises like weightlifting a couple times a week are really good for bone structure. You don’t have to left heavy and become bulky, but putting the bones under strain and weight is a good way to strengthen them. Over time, as you continue to lift, the body will remodel your bones and they will become physically thicker around the areas under the most stress. These areas are your joints and connection points. Strengthening and thickening the bone won’t make you appear any bigger then you are, it simply offers protection to your frame. Lifting is good for everyone but a critical consideration for my female Anna’s reading this. Women are already at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis (a painful condition where the bones become weak and brittle and break easily) and adding an eating disorder on top of that more than doubles the risk of developing early onset osteoporosis. Strength training and making sure you are consuming calcium are vital for saving yourself from a lot of pain and irreversible damage to your joints and bones.

Lifestyle activities. Any extra movement helps burn calories. Look for ways to walk and move around a few minutes more each day than the day before. Easy things you can do that help keep you active without having to slave for hours in the gym or eat large amounts to keep up with heavy exercise are as follows.

Taking the stairs more often and parking farther away at the store are simple ways to burn more calories. Even activities such as gardening, washing your car and housework burn calories and contribute to weight loss. When you’re making food or tea, do some calf raises, stretch while reading a book. Movement is medicine. Include it however creatively you can

Myth #2: Eating certain foods can boost your metabolism.

Let me step on a soap box real quick. Friends, you have to believe me! Downing cups of apple cider vinegar, cold water and green tea really isn’t helping as much as you think! And really, who actually likes the taste of pure vinegar? Eating foods like green tea, caffeine, or hot chili peppers will not help you shed excess pounds. Some foods and drinks may provide a small boost in your metabolism that help jump start the body, but not enough to make a significant difference in your weight. Here’s the skinny on some popular metabolism boosting tricks.

Tea: Tea, namely green tea, is a popular go to for weight loss but slow down before you make tea time all the time. Below is a statistic that can be a bit confusing:

“Studies have found green tea contains a compound called epigallocatechin gallate, which may increase the calories and fat you burn. A 2011 meta-analysis published in Obesity Reviews found that consuming about 250 milligrams of epigallocatechin gallate (the amount in about three cups of green tea) helped boost metabolism enough to burn an average of 100 extra calories a day.”

This study talks about how green tea was found to increase the metabolism and aid in weight loss. 100 calories a day seems like a pretty good trade-off for drinking a few cups of hot, naturally flavored water. Buts lets break this down. First, this study was conducted with overweight individuals. The higher your starting weight, the easier it is to drop pounds quickly. Without further research, it’s hard to say if individuals staring at a normal weight or underweight would see the same results. Likely not. Second, this quote fails to reveal the sample volume that was used or discuss moderators of weight loss. In one review of multiple different studies on green tea and weight loss, it is clear that the correlation between dropping a few pounds and drinking tea is complicated by factors like the amount of caffeine in the tea and the ethnicity of the individual consuming the beverage. Caffeine is an appetite suppressant and can likely add to short term weight loss. It’s hard to say if caffeine free green tea helps burn fat as efficiently as caffeinated varieties. Then there is the issue of caffeine dependency and resistance. Just like coffee, eventually the caffeine loses its fat melting capabilities.

I’m not saying not to drink tea. I personally drink a lot of it because I simply enjoy it. I try to stay away from highly caffeinated teas and beverages because caffeine makes me personally feel pretty sick. There is a tea for everything. I do a post about it soon.

Cold Water/cold showers: Okay, let’s talk H2O and ice baths. Water is an extremely important part of life. We hear it every day- drink more water, drink cold water! Stand under a cold shower! Etc. But let’s take a closer look. The act of being cold does cause the body to generate heat which in turn does speed up the metabolism. The human body has a very narrow set of ranges it can survive in known as homeostasis. In order to maintain homeostasis, the body must stay balanced in PH, electrolyte levels, temperature etc. The reason cold water does technically increase metabolism is because the body has to actively burn calories to warm the water up to an acceptable temperature. In cases where you are not consuming the water but instead surrounded by a cold environment, the body induces shivering to mechanically warm itself. Shivering also actively burns calories because the muscles are contracting hard and fast to generate heat. The amount of calories burned by drinking cold water or submerging yourself in ice water is negligible and varies greatly from person to person and therefore is not a great or pleasant way to burn fat. Drinking cold water on an empty stomach can be really painful too, again I know because I’ve tried it. Last thing I want to mention is the danger of ice baths and eating disorders. If you are underweight it can be dangerous to make yourself really cold because your body doesn’t have the energy to keep you warm enough. The result of a core temperature that drops too low is unconsciousness, malfunction of organs and eventually death (that is if you don’t drown in the water after you pass out).

Spicy foods and cayenne pepper: The idea that spicy foods burn excess calories comes from a compound found in peppers and other hot foods called capsaicin. Studies have found capsaicin to burn around 10 additional calories per meal if consumed in high doses. Most people can’t tolerate the amount of spice needed to increase the metabolism by any significant degree, and even if you could, assuming you ate spicy food in appropriate doses at every meal, every day, it would take you about six and a half years to burn one pound of fat (math based on a healthy weight male individual). My point is this- if you like spicy food, by all means eat it, but if you’re forcing yourself to do cayenne pepper and lemon juice shooters in the morning, stop. It’s really not worth it and can cause more harm than help- no one wants burns in their stomach or down their esophagus.

Superfoods: Be careful what you read and trust as reliable information. “Superfoods” are often packed with nutrients, antioxidants and other beneficial compounds but no one food or drink is going to make you thin….especially not overnight. We all hate to hear this but weight loss comes with consistency, clean foods and exercise. Patience is a virtue we can all learn to appreciate on this journey. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends cutting calories by 500 to 700 calories a day to lose 1 to 1.5 pounds (0.5 to 0.7 kilograms) a week. If you can add some physical activity to your day, you'll accomplish your weight-loss goals even faster and keep yourself out of harm’s way.

Myth #4: Eating small meals during the day increases your metabolism.

Unfortunately, there is little scientific evidence that eating small, frequent meals boosts metabolism. Even though eating small snacks instead of large meals isn’t proven to boost the metabolism, spreading your meals out may help you avoid binging. A more constant intake of food can make it easier to stop once you start eating because the body is no longer worried it won’t be feed for hours on ends. Snacks should contain mostly fruits, veggies and lean proteins. Gold fish are tasty but carry no nutritional value. How much you eat is a factor in weight loss but it also matters what you eat.

Myth #5: Getting a full night's sleep is good for your metabolism.

A good night's sleep will NOT boost your metabolism but neglecting to sleep can trigger weight gain. The chronically sleep-deprived in general tend to consume more calories than necessary, possibly to deal with feeling tired. Sleep deprivation can cause your body to produce too much insulin, which can lead to increased fat storage. We’ve all been there staring into the fridge at three in the morning trying to fight off the urge to binge because we can’t sleep. Sleeping with an eating disorder can be hard. I am naturally an insomniac and sleep very little, so being a hungry insomniac is even worse! The goal is seven to nine hours of sleep per night but shoot for what you can. Some things I do to help with the sleeping issue:

-No napping during the day: If I nap, I don’t sleep period.

-No technology 1-2 hours before bed

-No food an hour before bed: Eating too close to bedtime leaves me feeling bloated and prevents me from sleeping

- Having clean sheets and a tidy bedroom: I find it easier to sleep in a clean environment. I also enjoy sleeping with a weighted blanket

-The bedroom is only for sleeping and sex. I try really hard not to do other activities in my room including playing on my phone, watching Netflix, reading etc. I want my body and my mind to understand that when I slip into bed I wish to sleep, not lie awake staring at the ceiling.

-Daily exercise: like I said, personally I naturally have loads of energy and have trouble sleeping. I find that when I exercise throughout the day it’s a bit easier to catch the Z’s at night. This being said I like to meditate and stretch before bed as well. It’s a nice peaceful way to wind down, calm any nervous energy and banish any negative thoughts that haunt you in your slumber.

-Drinking hot tea: There is no research or Proof behind this one. This is only my observation but sipping on hot herbal tea (un-caffeinated!!) helps me relax and wind down for the night. I like peppermint tea before bed because it is gentle and helps settle my stomach.

Summary:

Weight loss is a hard, frustrating journey- especially when you’re on an Anna fast track. Arming yourself with information isn’t going to make your disorder go away or make it easier to cope with but it can help you restrict safer and understand what it is you are doing to your body. If you have questions, comments concerns or topics you’d like me to discuss in further detail let me know! My inbox is always open to anyone.

As always stay safe and know that you are loved

Bell

Sources

https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo2009135

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-metabolism

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/metabolism/art-20046508

https://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/discover-health/how-metabolism-really-works

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000893.htm

https://muscleevo.net/cold-showers-weight-loss/

#anna #mia #ed #eating dissorder #not pro #knowledge #knowledge is power #ed blog #weight loss

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092219archive · 5 years

Text

incorrect fe8 quotes

ft. Eren

Ephraim, to an enemy: I’ll take you down! Come, Eren!

Eren:

Ephraim: Ere- Are... Are you red? In the face?

Eren: W-Well... the way you said that was...

Ephraim: Eren, it’s not the time for that.

Enemy: Really? Right in front of my salad?

Eirika: What’s the worst decision you’ve made while drunk?

Eren: I don’t mean to brag, but I don’t need alcohol to make really bad decisions.

Ephraim, after protecting Eren from further enemy attacks: Are you alright?

Eren:

Eren: I might need mouth-to-mouth CPR.

Ephraim: I will protect you. Just believe in me and follow my lead.

Eren: And if I don’t?

Ephraim: Then perish.

Ephraim: By the way, Eren... Is there anything you want currently?

Eren: Huh?

Ephraim, internally: Knowing Eren like I do, they’ll simply say something like, “Oh, Ephraim, I’ll be more than happy if you ust keep watching over me,” and I won’t have to--

Eren: A new set of armor... for my wyvern and I...

Ephraim: New sets of armor, you say...

Eren: Make sure to think before you speak. It’s a very important skill that you need for life.

Myrrh: Is that what you do, Eren?

Eren: Me? No, absolutely not. The words that come out of my mouth are as raw as fish.

Fomortiis: Mark my words! I will take away your happiness, no matter the cost!

Eren: My happiness...?

Eren: You think I’m happy?

Eren: Hey! I’m Eren, and this is my ex-boyfriend.

Ephraim: Haven’t I told you to stop calling me that?

Ephraim: Apologies, I’m Ephraim -- their husband.

Eren: Then, the officer said, “Anything you say can and will be held against you.”

Eren: So, I said, “Ephraim.”

Tana: Go tell them about your feelings, Ephraim!

Ephraim, awkwardly: You! You, uh... You fight good.

Eren, visibly disappointed: Oh. Thanks.

Eren: I am the strongest soldier known to man. The story of my awful deeds have spread across Magvel, to instill fear into the people, to gain the upper hand, to ensure Grado’s victory in this war. I will destroy and murder anyone who crosses my path.

Ephraim: *laughs*

Eren: I am a teenager with a crush.

Eren: About a week ago, I accidentally slept with Ephraim.

Tana: ... Really?

Eren: Yes.

Tana: You slept with Ephraim?

Eren: Yes.

Tana: Accidentally?

Eren: Yes.

Tana: I don’t understand, did you trip over something?

*First time being introduced to the rest of Ephraim’s army*

Ephraim: Just be yourself, say something nice.

Eren: Which one? I can’t be both.

Enemy: Go to hell!

Eren, quickly taking them out: Guess there’s no place like home.

Priest: Now, repeat after me-

Eren: After me.

Priest, whispering to Ephraim: Are you sure you want to marry this one?

Innes: Eren, I am-

Innes, putting his fingers together: -THIS close to smacking you.

Eren: Your fingers are touching.

Innes: Exactly.

Eren:

Innes:

*Eren immediately bolts, Innes trailing not to far behind*

Ephraim: So, I have this pretty rock that Eren gave me.

Eren: I threw it at you.

Eren: Ephraim and I are no longer friends.

Ephraim: That is the worst way to tell people we’re dating.

Eren: Ephraim sneezed earlier and I accidentally said, “shut the fuck up” instead of, “bless you.”

Innes: How do you accidentally say, “shut the fuck up?”

Eirika: It’s a little chilly...

Seth, offering his jacket: Here, my coat, Princess.

Eirika: Thank you, Seth.

Eren: I’m cold, Ephraim.

Ephraim: I can’t control the weather, Eren.

Eren: Ephraim... I can’t have children.

Ephraim: You can’t? Why?

Eren: Because I fucking hate kids.

Eren: Guess what I’m about to get?

Innes: On my nerves.

Eren: Who ate my fries? I’m gonna fucking b-

Myrrh: Oh... I did.

Eren: -buy you some more. You haven’t been eating enough.

Forde: I’m crying.

Forde: You made me cry.

Eren: Baby...

Forde: Now isn’t the time for pet names, Eren.

Eren:

Eren: I’m calling you a baby.

Eren: I’m insulting you.

Eren: Maybe hot chocolate wants to be called beautiful chocolate sometimes.

Innes: Maybe you should shut up.

Eren, uncomfortable: Why are you squeezing my body?

Ephraim: It’s a hug, Eren. I’m hugging you.

Myrrh, to Colm: You should ask Eren for help.

Myrrh: They look happy today.

Eren: *scowling*

Colm: ... Are we looking at the same person?

Ephraim: What are you two up to?

Ephraim: Oh! Eren seems to be in a good mood today.

Ephraim: I’ll give you a few minutes to cancel the rest of your plans for the day.

Eren: No need. My only plan was to buy Skittles.

Ephraim: Eren, we should be partners.

Eren: Like, partners in crime?

Ephraim: Yeah, er... that’s what I meant.

Ephraim: *gets a papercut*

Eren, under their breath: Hasn’t he been through enough?

Eirika: Who’s turn is it to give the pep-talk?

Innes, sighing: Eren...

Eren: Fuck shit up out there, and don’t die.

Ephraim, wiping a tear from his eye: Inspirational.

*Eren and their anger levels*

Eren (normal): Hey.

Eren (30%): Don’t do that again, Eph.

Eren (90%): If you don’t cut that out, Ephraim, I’m going to resort to unorthodox methods.

Eren (500%): We need to talk, Prince of Renais.

Eren: Hey, Eph. Your birthday is coming up. What do you want?

Ephraim: Thanks for asking, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

Eren: I already asked, so spill it out.

Ephraim: Alright, then. How about...

Ephraim: Your heart?

Eren: Don’t ask for something you already have.

Eren, realizing what they said: Wait--

Ephraim: *genuinely pleased despite doing nothing*

Eren: Don’t look at me like that.

Eren: Ephraim, wait.

Ephraim: ?

Eren: W... Will you go out with me?

Ephraim: Sure.

*Outside*

Ephraim: Why did you want to go out, Eren?

Eren: *internally screaming*

Eren: Okay. Stay calm. Stay calm...

Lute: Everyone is calm, Eren.

Eren: I’m talking to myself.

Ephraim: *feels slightly upset*

Eren: *kicks down the door of the room Ephraim’s in*

Eren: It’s motherfucking hug time.

Aaron: You really love my sibling, don’t you?

Ephraim: I do.

Aaron: Gods help you.

Eren: Alright, listen up, you little shits.

Eren: Not you, Eirika. You’re an angel and we’re thrilled to have you here.

Neimi: Eren’s losing a lot of blood!

Neimi: What’s your blood type?

Eren: B positive...

Neimi, crying: I’m trying!!

Ephraim: Hey, Eren. The password is 4177122.

Eren: The password to what?

Ephraim: To the wifi when you come over tonight.

Eren: Ohhh! You’re my favorite type of peanut butter!

Eren: SMOOTH

Eren: You’re so clingy.

Ephraim: You... came into MY bed?

Eren: You like me? For my personality?

Ephraim: I was surprised, too.

Eren: Wow, Eph! I wish I could pull off that outfit.

Ephraim: Go ahead.

Eren: What--

Ephraim: Next person to insult Eren will have to face me in combat.

Eren: I’m worthless. I don’t contribute to anything.

Ephraim:

Ephraim: Prepare your weapons, Eren--

Ephraim: You’re cute when you’re mad.

Eren: I’m always pissed.

Ephraim:

Eren:

Eren: ... Okay, you win this round.

Eren: Coffee or tea?

Ephraim: Tea.

Eren: Wrong! It’s coffee.

Aaron and Eren’s father: I am proud to have raised two fully, functional children.

Both of them: You have two kids we don’t know about?

Eren: Your hands... They’re big.

Ephraim: You know what they say about big hands.

Eren, with no hesitation: All the better to play with yourself.

Eren: I hate you.

Ephraim: No, you don’t.

Eren: No, I don’t.

Innes: It looks like you got no sleep last night.

Eren: I got 8 minutes.

Eren: Not consecutively though, but it’s fine. You’re not that blurry.

Ephraim: I love you.

Eren: Love? Do you mean like love or do you mean LOVE love?

Ephraim: Eren, it’s our wedding night.

Innes: I called you.

Eren: I know. I watched the phone ring.

Eren: I have to kill you.

Ephraim, confused: Eren?

Eren: I don’t know how to hit on you, so you have to die.

Ephraim: Eren, are you... seeing anyone?

Eren, sweating: No, why?

Ephraim: I just... think you’d benefit from a therapist or something.

Ephraim: Eren, can I give you advice?

Eren: Absolutely not.

Ephraim: I think we would be able to see eye-to-eye.

Eren: I’m 4′11″.

Eren, internally: Ephraim stopped talking. He wants you to respond! Say something, idiot!

Eren: I wasn’t thinking about killing you.

Ephraim: Thanks?

Eren, internally: Nailed it.

Eren: Aw, you had a crush on me.

Eren: That’s so embarrassing.

Ephraim: Eren, we’re married.

Eren: Still.

Ephraim: *does anything*

Eren: I’ve decided to give this man all of the love and affection I have to offer.

Ephraim: Good morning, Eren.

Eren, sleepy: Good morning, dearest...

Ephraim, after hearing “dearest”: :O!!!

Ephraim, bleeding severely: I think I might need a cleric.

Eren: Are you kidding me, Ephraim? I think you’re dying.

Ephraim: Eren, your hair is... interesting.

Eren: Thanks, I grew it myself.

Eren: I heard you were interested in someone.

Ephraim: Have you now?

Eren: They must be quite the looker to catch your eyes like that.

Ephraim: I didn’t think you were this full of yourself.

Eren:

Eren: Wait a minute--

Enemy: You have a lot of nerve challenging me!

Eren: You have a lot of nerve being alive.

Eirika, offering Seth food: Try some, Seth! Here.

Seth: I thank you, Princess.

Ephraim: Hey, why don’t we ever do that?

Eren: Go to hell.

Eren: I'm proud to identify as morosexual. I’m attracted to dumbasses and dumbasses exclusively. A guy asked me what kind of animal a wyvern was and I dream of kissing him under the moonlight.

The same guy: Hey, what color is the Pink Panther?

Eren, already taking off their clothes: Ephraim, you’re so fucking stupid.

Ephraim: I would like to propose--

Eren: *eyes widen*

Ephraim: -an idea...

Eren: I’m not jealous. I just get this weird, burning feeling when I think about Ephraim being with somebody else.

Tana: That’s jealousy.

Eren: I want to kiss you.

Ephraim: And if you don’t like it?

Eren: You can return it.

Eren: Did it hurt?

Ephraim: ... When I fell from heaven?

Eren: No, Eph. When you got beat up and almost died.

Eren: Do you have any pets?

Ephraim, remembering girls like sensitive guys: A cat.

Eren: Oh, what’s its name?

Ephraim, remembering girls also like tough guys: Missile Launcher.

Eren: What do I do?

Tana: Tell him “you’re beautiful!”

Eren: Good idea.

Ephraim: Hey, Eren.

Eren: I’m beautiful.

Eren: I’ve always wondered... how do tall people like you sleep at night when the blanket can’t possibly cover you from your shoulders to your feet?

Ephraim: Eren, it’s 4AM.

Eren: Oh, you can’t sleep?

Eren:

Eren: Is it because of the blanket?

Tana: Eren! That’s a really cute top!

Eren: Thanks, his name is Ephraim.

Eren: I don’t believe in love. Love is for fools who have nothing else to believe in. Also-

Ephraim:

Eren:

Eren: Damn it.

Ephraim: How can someone say Eren is evil? They’re a soft, kind person.

Eren, wiping blood off of their face: Yeah! I’m fucking adorable.

Eren: I bet I could fit the whole world in my hands.

Ephraim: Eren, you can’t-

Eren, holding Ephraim’s face: Yes, I can.

Ephraim:

Ephraim, blushing: I have a reputation.

Ephraim: Is that my shirt?

Eren, wearing a shirt that goes down to their knees: No.

Ephraim: Are you decent?

Eren: Not morally. But I’m wearing pants if that’s what you’re asking.

Tana: Hey, Eren! Are you free next week? Maybe around 5PM on Friday?

Eren: Yeah.

Tana: What about you, Ephraim?

Ephraim: My schedule allows it.

Tana: Great! Because I’m not. You two go without me. Enjoy your date!

Ephraim:

Eren:

Eren: I would die for you.

Ephraim: I would die for you, too.

Eren, very emotionally: Please don’t.

Eren: I married my husband. I love saying “my husband,” it sounds so adult. “That’s my husband.” It’s great, you sound like a person.

Ephraim: You’re going to ace this test.

Eren, frustrated: You think that because you love me, and love has made you dumb.

Ephraim: I disagree. If anything, love has made me smarter. Remember how I boiled that egg last week?

Eren: That was big. I was really proud of you.

Innes: Why is Eren crying in the bathroom?

Lute: They’re drunk.

Innes: And?

Lute: They heard Ephraim was married.

Innes:

Innes: But they’re Ephraim’s spouse.

Lute: I know.

Waiter: What would you like to have?

Ephraim: Please bring a milkshake with two straws.

Eren: *blushes a little*

Ephraim, putting both straws into his mouth: Watch how fast I can drink this.

Ephraim, holding up a picture of Eren: Have you seen my spouse?

Seth: Not recently. Why? Are they missing?

Ephraim: Oh no, they’re fine. I just want people to look at them. Aren’t they great?

Seth: My lord,

Eirika: Eren, what are you looking for?

Eren: My will to live.

Ephraim: *walks in*

Eren: Oh, there it is.

Forde: You don’t like to admit it, but if anyone else was mean to Ephraim, you’d beat them up.

Eren: That’s incor-

Ephraim, walking into the room: Innes said he’s gonna kick my ass.

Eren, standing up: Not if I kick his ass first.

Eren: Can you turn on the lights?

Ephraim: Don’t worry, I’m the only light you need.

Eren: Eph, that’s sweet of you, but I can’t see anything.

Eren: I have high standards.

Ephraim: Lances are the superior weapon.

Eren: Oh no, he’s meeting all my standards.

Eren: I was put on this earth to do one thing.

Ephraim: You were?

Eren: Yeah. Luckily, I forgot what it was so now I can do whatever I want.

Glen: We have your spouse.

Ephraim: Spouse? I don’t have a spouse.

Glen: Then who was the one that was willing to embarrass themselves when we said we would hurt you if they didn’t?

Ephraim: Oh my Gods.

Eirika: What is it?

Ephraim: They have Eren.

Seth: What’s your greatest weakness?

Eren: I’m uncooperative.

Seth: May I have an example?

Eren, immediately: No.

Ephraim: *takes Eren’s hand*

Eren: What was that?

Ephraim: Affection.

Eren: Disgusting.

Eren:

Eren: Do it again.

Eren: Ephraim and I don’t have pet names for each other. That’s silly.

Tana: Uh huh. Hey, you know what bees make, right?

Eren: Honey?

Ephraim, from the other room: Yes, Dear?

Tana: Don’t lie to me like that ever again.

Ephraim: *does something cute*

Eren: I don’t care.

Narrator: But they did care.

Eren: *has been laying on the ground for 15 minutes*

Eirika: What’s the matter with Eren?

Tana: They’re overwhelmed.

Eirika: What happened?

Tana: Ephraim smiled at them.

Ephraim, waking up: Wh... Where am I?

Eren, sarcastically: In heaven.

Ephraim: Oh. Then, why are you here?

Eren:

Lute, reading a fortune cookie: "If you kill a killer, the number of killers in the world stays the same.”

Eren, not looking up from what they’re doing: Kill two.

Ephraim and Eren: *staring into each other’s eyes*

Innes: *opens a soda can*

Ephraim: We’re having a moment.

Innes: I’m having a soda.

Enemy: You played me like a fiddle!

Eren: Oh no. Fiddles are actually difficult to play.

Eren: I played you like the cheap kazoo you are.

Aaron: Eren, your boyfriend is on the phone.

Eren: How many times do I have to tell you Ephraim’s not my boyfriend?

Eren, talking on the phone: Hey, Babe.

Eren: It’s okay. Everyone’s afraid of something.

Person: Even you, Eren?

Eren: No.

Baby: *crying*

Eren: What is their name?

Mother: Oh! It’s Jacob.

Eren, leaning down to the baby: Shut the fuck up, Jacob.

Eren: Science side of Twitter, how do I become a jellyfish?

Innes: Jellyfish have no brains. You’re already pretty close.

Eren: Okay, first of all, fuck you,

Innes: Why is Eren on the counter?

Ephraim: They like to be tall.

*After a disagreement*

Eren: *hands Ephraim an egg*

Ephraim:

Ephraim: Is this... an apology?

Eren: *nods aggressively*

Ephraim: From now on, we’ll be using codenames. You can address me as “Eagle One.”

Ephraim: Tana-

Tana: ?

Ephraim: Codename: “Been There, Done That”.

Tana: *visibly offended*

Ephraim: Eren is “Currently Doing That".

Eren: *grumbling*

Ephraim: L’Arachel is “It Happend Once in a Dream”.

L’Arachel: You perv-

Ephraim: Kyle is "If I had to Pick a Dude”.

Kyle: My lord,

Ephraim: Innes is...

Innes:

Ephraim: ... “Eagle Two”.

Innes: Oh thank Gods.

Innes: You can’t keep doing this, Eren.

Eren: Then enlighten me, Innes! What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Innes: First of all, no one should ever be in those shoes,

Ephraim: *bleeding profusely*

Kyle: Gods! Eren, call Ephraim a cleric! Quickly!

Eren: Uh... Ephraim, you’re a... cleric.

Forde, rushing Natasha over: Eren, for crying out loud-

Eren: Do you ever get... water hungry?

Ephraim: ... Thirsty?

Eren: No, water hungry.

Eren, holding up Ephraim’s shirt: What color is this?

Eirika: Gray.

Seth: Gray.

Kyle: Gray.

Forde: Gray.

Eren, turning to Ephraim: Tell them what color you think it is.

Ephraim, quietly: Dark white.

Tana: If you had a shot for every time you made a bad decision, would you still be sober?

Eirika, Seth, Innes: Of course.

Ephraim, Lute, Kyle: Yes.

Forde: Maybe a little tipsy.

Eren, sweating: Dead.

Ephraim: Hey.

Eren: What do you want?

Ephraim: I can’t sleep.

Eren: I can. Goodnight.

Kyle: To think that you and Eren broke the bed last night...

Forde: You two must of gone wild!

Ephraim, nervously: Yeah...

*Last night*

Eren: Bet you can’t jump high enough to touch the ceiling.

Ephraim: Oh yeah?

Ephraim: How did none of you hear what I said?

Forde: I’ve been zoned out for the last two hours.

Tana: I got distracted halfway through...

Eren: I got too lost in your eyes to hear what you said.

Innes: Ignoring you was a conscious decision.

Eren: I’ve never had a friend before.

Ephraim, awkwardly: I can... be your friend.

Eren:

Eren: You know, I’ve never had a husband before either.

Eren: Ephraim kissed me.

Tana: Oh! Okay, did you kiss him back?

Eren: Why would I kiss him back?

Tana:

Eren: This has been the worst year for me.

Ephraim: It’s January.

Eren, reading the news: Someone tried to fight a squid at the aquarium.

Ephraim, covered in ink: Maybe the squid was being a dick.

Eren: I’m going to hell.

Ephraim: Save a space for me then.

Eren:

Eren, laughing: You’re not going to hell!

Ephraim: I told you in my vows - I’m going wherever you go. Save me a space.

Eren, choked up: Oh. Wow.

Eren: I can’t go. Stress is bad for the baby.

Ephraim: What baby?

Eren, softly: Me.

*Before recruitment*

Grado Ally: Has anyone in their life told you they love you?

Eren: Does my father count?

Grado Ally: Yes.

Eren: Then no.

Eren: I’ve only been in Ephraim’s army for a day and a half,

Eren: But if anything happened to him, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself.

Eren: Come on, Innes! I’m your hottest friend.

Eren: Wait, no. That’s Ephraim.

Eren: I’m your nicest friend!

Eren: No, that’s Eirika.

Eren: I’m your friend!

Innes: *preparing his bow*

Eirika: I relate to Belle because she loves to read books, and loves people for their souls.

Eren: I relate to Tinker Bell because she needs attention or she dies.

Eirika: Eren, I think we need to talk.

Ephraim: Eren, you need to react when people cry. Otherwise, it’s rude.

Eren: I did. I rolled my eyes.

Eren: I wasn’t that drunk.

Innes: You flirted with Ephraim.

Eren: What’s the big deal? He’s my husband.

Innes: You asked if he was single then cried when he said no.

Eren: Sorry I’m late. I didn’t want to come.

Tana: Do you ever want to get married?

Eren: I don’t want somebody in my house.

Eren: Unless it’s...

Eren: Oh Gods, unless it’s Ephraim.

Eren: Did you know “The Dead Sea” is the saltiest thing in the world?

Innes: Next to you.

Eren: Congrats! You just stole the spot.

Eirika: Happy Birthday, Eren! Ephraim ordered this cake for you.

Eren, looking at the size of the cake: ... He’s inside, isn’t he?

Everyone:

Eren, deeply sighing: Yes, he is.

Eren: Sometimes, I feel like dying.

Ephraim: What?

Eren: But then I think of not being able to see you anymore, and I don’t want that.

Eren: What the fuck is wrong with you?

Innes: You could have started with a “good morning.”

Eren: Good morning, what the fuck is wrong with you?

Person: I’ve been looking for you everywhere!

Eren: What a coincidence! I’ve been avoiding you everywhere.

Innes: Eren, can you get me a glass of water?

Eren, setting a glass of ice down on Innes’s table: Wait.

Ephraim: I heard you like bad boys.

Eren: Not... really.

Ephraim, taking off his shades: Oh, thank Gods.

Ephraim: That’s what significant others are for.

Eren: Gods, you’re so cute.

Eren: If I could kiss you right now, I would.

Ephraim: Eren... who says you couldn’t?

Eren: I could cuddle 23/7.

Ephraim: Why not 24/7?

Eren: Snack breaks.

Eren: Hey, want me to do a tarot reading for you?

Ephraim: I didn’t think you were into tarot reading, but sure.

Eren, laying down cards: Okay, this one tells me you’re a precious angel, this one says your smile is heavenly-

Ephraim: Eren, those aren’t tarot cards. They’re pictures of me.

Eren: Tall people! If we are walking, please take into consideration my tiny legs. I can’t keep up with you! Please think of my tiny legs! I don’t want to be jogging just to keep up with your leisurely stroll, you titans.

Ephraim: Just get a pair of roller skates and hang on to my sleeve. We don’t have all day.

Ephraim: In your opinion, what’s the height of stupidity?

Eren: I don’t know, Ephraim. How tall are you?

Eren: I don’t need to go to bed. I’m not tired.

Ephraim: But, love, I’ll be so lonely without you. Come curl up in my arms so I can feel whole again.

Eren:

Eren: Are you trying to seduce me into healthy sleeping patterns?

Ephraim: Is it working?

Eren: Ask me why I love you.

Ephraim: Why do you love me, Eren?

Eren, pulling out a 200 slide presentation: I’m glad you asked.

Ephraim: Is something burning?

Eren: Just my desire for you.

Ephraim: Eren, the toaster’s on fire.

Eren: When I said bring me back something from the beach, I meant a seashell or something.

Ephraim, struggling to hold a seagull: Well, you didn’t say that.

Innes: You know what your problem is?

Eren, sarcastically: I only have one?

Tana: Just go tell him he’s cute! What’s the worse that can happen?

Eren: He could hear me.

Tana: Oh, I wish I had the ability to make boys nervous!

Eren: Holding a sharp knife to their neck usually does it for me.

Tana: Eren, that’s not what I meant!

Eren: My boyfriend is too tall for me to kiss him. What should I do?

Lute: Punch him in the stomach, then kiss him when he doubles over in pain.

Innes: Tackle him, or kick him in the shin.

Ephraim: You could just ask me to lean down.

Eren: Come on, I wasn’t that drunk.

Ephraim: You tried to color my face with a highlighter because you said I was important.

Eren, tearing up: But you are.

Eren: I just ended a five year relationship.

Eirika: Oh no... Eren, are you okay?

Eren: Yeah, of course. It wasn’t mine.

Ephraim: Have a good day, Eren. Get well soon.

Eren: Don’t tell me what to do.

Eren: Hey, you think I could fit fifteen marshmallows in my mouth?

Innes: What is wrong with you? You’re a hazard to yourself.

Ephraim: And a coward. Do twenty.

Eirika: Eren doesn’t have a case on their phone and I’m worried that if they drop it, it’ll break.

Ephraim: Don’t worry, it won’t break from that height.

Eren: After knowing Ephraim for so long, we have this chemistry where we finish each other’s--

Ephraim: -sentences.

Eren: Don’t interrupt me.

Tana: Why is everyone so concerned about who’s a “top” or a “bottom”?

Tana: I’d just be happy to have a bunk bed.

Innes:

Seth:

Eirika:

Eren: I’m gonna tell her.

Ephraim, holding them back: Don’t you dare.

Innes: Eren, this plan... dare I say it, you’re... a genius.

Eren: I get called that a lot.

Innes: A genius?

Eren: No, Eren.

Eirika: There you are, Ephraim! Eren is hurt.

Eren: I’m not hurt. I was lightly stabbed.

Ephraim: I’m sorry, you were STABBED?

Eren: LIGHTLY stabbed.

Eirika: You guys have kissed how many times?

Ephraim: A few.

Eirika:

Eirika: That’s... not technically a friendship.

Ephraim: What’s the one thing you want to try in the bedroom?

Eren: Fall asleep without crying.

Eren: I’m going to show you all a song I’ve been working on! It’s called “My Life so Far.”

Eren: *plays a note*

Eren: *screams*

Ephraim: I’m quick at math.

Eren: Okay, what’s 38 times 74?

Ephraim: 25.

Eren: That... is not remotely close.

Ephraim: But it was quick.

Enemy: I’m going to kill you!

Eren: Okay.

Enemy: I’m going to kill Ephraim!

Eren: If you don’t lay down your weapons right now, I’ll see to it that you are never be able hold them again.

Eren: I’ve been dropping them obvious hints now. No response.

Ephraim: They sound stupid.

Eren: But they’re not! They’re really smart, actually. Just... dense.

Ephraim: Maybe you need to be more obvious.

Ephraim: Maybe something like, “Hey! I love you!”

Eren: I guess you’re right...

Eren: Ephraim, I love you.

Ephraim: See? Just say that.

Eren: Oh my Gods.

Ephraim: If that flies over their head then, sorry, Eren, but they’re too dumb for you.

Eren: Ephraim.

Ephraim: Good luck with whoever it is.

Innes: You keep hugging Ephraim when he’s upset. Next thing you know, he’s going to fall in love with you. Is that what you want?

Eren, scoffing: I don’t know, is that what I want?

Tana, loudly from the other room: Yes, that’s what they want!

Eirika: Where are you going, Eren?

Eren: To get butter or to stab someone -- I’ll decide on the way.

Eren: I don’t have a favorite friend. How could you think that? All of my friends are of equal importance and worth.

Lute: It’s Eirika, isn’t it?

Eren: I can’t help it! She has those “love me tender” eyes and I’m weak.

Person: I really look up to you.

Eren: Debatable.

Tana: So, Eren! Are you the little spoon or the big spoon?

Eren: I’m a knife.

Ephraim: They’re the little spoon.

Eren: I’m fine.

Ephraim: But you don’t look fine.

Eren: Then don’t look at me.

Ephraim: Eren,

Aaron: Hey.

Eren: New phone. Who is this?

Aaron: You can’t do that in person. It’s Aaron.

Eren:

Aaron: Your brother!

Eren: I’ve never been in a snowball fight.

Ephraim: Really?

Eren: I don’t even know the rules. Is it a point system?

Eren: Or... is it to the death?

Eren: You know, don’t take this the wrong way (or do), but I feel like you’ve become a lot more cooler since I’ve known you.

Innes: Thanks. And if I might return the compliment, I think you’ve become marginally less irritating.

Tana: I sort of did something and I need your advice. But I don’t want a lot of judgment and criticism.

Eren: And you came to me?

Ephraim: Can you pick up milk?

Eren: Yeah, it’s pretty easy.

Ephraim: I meant from the store.

Eren: I would imagine it weighs the same there, too.

Tana: Eren, how long have you been in love with Ephraim?

Eren: That’s disgusting. And wrong. I don’t even get - why would I - I’ve never been in love with anyone, anywhere. It’s none of your - you have - the nerve, the audacity. Ephraim is my friend, technically. And he’s terrible, face-wise. And how - how do I know, frankly, that you’re not in love with him? Maybe you are. Maybe you’re trying to throw me off. Check and mate.

Enemy: I will make you sorry you were ever born!

Eren: For your information, I’m already sorry I was ever born.

Eren: I’m at a loss for words.

Ephraim: Despite being at a loss for words, Eren proceeded to lecture me for 10 minutes.

Enemy: You have no idea what I’m capable of!

Eren: Don’t take it personally, but I feel like I’m being threatened by a cupcake.

Ephraim: What are we going to do, Eren?

Eren: I was thinking of dinner.

Ephraim:

Ephraim: I was referring to Fomortiis.

Joshua: What’s your biggest fear?

Eren: Being forgotten.

Joshua: That’s... wow.

Joshua: Mine is the Kool-Aid Man but I feel kinda stupid about it now.

Ephraim: Eren, please stop eating instant ramen so frequently. It’s bad for you.

Eren: How many times do I have to tell you that I’m here for a good time, not a long time?

Ephraim: Eren, please--

Ephraim: Be nice, Eren.

Eren: I am!

Ephraim: You threatened them with a knife.

Eren: But I didn’t stab them.

Person: I want to be as strong and stable as Eren is.

Ephraim:

Ephraim: I saw them drop dinner and cry for 20 minutes.

#long post #eren chats

12 notes · View notes

xuhoon · 6 years

Text

how you met: Soonyoung

hi guys! this is the first thing im posting~ its a bullet point how-you-met-soonyoung drabble. im thinking of making this a series so let me know what you think! <3

fluff, 1825 words

Soonyoung Flower Shop au

How you met Soonyoung, the cheery chipper cutie working in the local floral shop/part café

Soonyoung tends to the flowers and helps create bouquets for order

The café has a few waiters and baristas but it’s a small add-on, mostly for a coffee and a sweet

Waiters: Wonwoo, Joshua, Jun

Baristas: Jeonghan, Seungkwan

Latte Artists: Minghao, Mingyu

Florists: Soonyoung, Seokmin

Cashiers: Hansol at florist, Chan at café

Managers: Seungcheol at café, Jihoon at florist

Sometimes students would come and enjoy the cute atmosphere but it was the types to be alone because it was a small space and a bunch of friends would tip the balance.

Wonwoo was your regular waiter, Minghao was your regular maker of cute latte art

One day you came in when Soonyoung was redoing the tiny floral centerpieces for the tables and he was so friendly it caught you off guard

He asked how you felt about the new arrangement of a peony, a white rose, and some baby’s breath

“They’re pretty bridal, aren’t they?”

“Oh, you’re right. Well, that’s what spring flowers are mostly used for!”

“Maybe add some colored roses?”

“A special pop of color different at each table! I like it!”

Wonwoo interrupted to take your order, which you found gracious and Soonyoung found annoying, but Wonwoo just smiled and stuck his tongue at the flower boy

“So, y/n, what would you like today? Minghao is out with bad allergies, he kept sneezing off the foam art yesterday. Of course, we couldn’t sell those so Mingyu took over per the boss’s orders. I understand if you want to try another drink while your artist is recovering.” Common banter like this was a fun gag you two have.

“That’s okay, tell Mingyu to surprise me. He can come say hi when he has his break.”

“Any sweets today?”

“Maybe later, that’s all for now.”

“One latte with surprise art, coming up!”

Mingyu was really sweet, but wasn’t great at coming up with his own ideas

Minghao liked to do all sorts of stuff, mostly using you for practice but you never minded because everything he did was fantastic

So Mingyu decided to pull Soonyoung to the side and ask if he could have one of the table displays to copy

Ugh you thought that was the sweetest thing ever because he saw you talking to Soonyoung and thought, why not make the flower display you helped with?

But really

Mingyu was like: “Soonie, isn’t that the regular you like?”

“Aha shit what how did you know?”

“I clearly remember you asking Wonwoo to slip in ‘Hey y/n, what’s your favorite flower?’”

“ahaha what, I didn’t”

“You did, I clearly remember telling you peony,” “Wonwoo when did you get there?!”

“And what’s in the display’s this week?” “Seungkwan go back to making Americanos”

Seungkwan’s famous “hmph”

Hansol staring across the flower shop and laughing at Seungkwan even though no one knew he was watching whoops verkwan is pining

“That is not why I included peonies!” “Dude, I’m already done with the design. Wonwoo, will you take this to Soonie’s crush?”

“I don’t! She isn’t my, I don’t like her!”

everyone standing within 5 ft of them “suuuure”

so Wonwoo gives you your drink and says it was inspired by your contribution to the displays, but also mentions that Soonyoung has been eyeing you ever since he saw you walk in for the first time and complimented him and Seokmin for their showcases

“w-what?”

“Why’d you think he was changing the flowers at that time when he usually does it earlier in the day?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”

basically, both of you are denying anything and it makes great entertainment for the staff

Minghao comes back the next day, having taken lots of allergy meds so he doesn’t mess up

You and he are pretty close friends so you go and sit by the counter so you can talk to him, and you tell him everything that happened when he was gone

“oh, I do love the new floral designs for the tables”

“that isn’t the point of the story, Hao!”

“I know but I love to tease you. So, are you gonna ask him out?”

“Me? What? How dare—I don’t like him. The audacity!”

“You like him”

so, the moment you really realize you like him is quite the moment

Seokmin and Soonyoung were getting a bouquet ready for a client and they started acting like grandpa and grandma

You were told that this was quite a normal occurrence when they were fulfilling orders

At first, you laughed at the two silly boys, but then you could stop staring at the indigo-haired grandma

“oh no… WONWOO!”

“ok so this is the moment when you realize you like him? When he’s acting like a grandma with Seokmin? y/n…”

“I don’t need your shit, woo, I’ll go tell Minghao”

Wonwoo and Minghao are laughing up a storm which attracts the two florists’ attention

“Soonyoung, can you come here for a second?” you’re too busy blushing like crazy to know who called him over

“Uh, yeah. One second!” he bolted over with his bright smile and hair pushed back in a snapback oh god that look, you thought you were drooling (you were)

this all happened so fast you didn’t notice that Wonwoo dyed his hair darker until Soonyoung pointed it out

another sign you were only paying attention to “Soonie”

you were so embarrassed because Minghao and Wonwoo sold you out, so you ran out of the café

Soonyoung thought of running after you, but instead he made you a bouquet of flowers to cheer you back up, but also to ask you out with his sweet honey voice

When you came back the next day, you bundled up and got your latte to-go with no art

You walked up to the cashier, Chan, who was excited to see you

“y/n!”

“SHHHHH”

“what’s wrong?”

“I can’t be seen but I need my coffee”

“Oh, well, okay. If this has anything to do with yesterday I’ll keep you a secret”

“thanks. Just tell Seungkwan to make me a latte with no art.”

When Seungkwan calls for a latte, you go to the pick-up counter and swipe the latte off the counter and rush out

“Chan, was that y/n?”

“She asked me not to tell you, but here I am telling you.”

“It’s unlike her to get anything to go.”

“after yesterday?”

“shit you right”

Soonyoung was disappointed that he didn’t see you, but he and Seokmin continued to work anyways. The bouquet for you was waiting in the back.

The day went on like normal, but Soonyoung wasn’t his chipper self. You usually spend hours in the café, so most of the staff missed you too. Instead of being at the café, you were just in your dorm unsure of what to do.

After Hao’s shift, he came to visit you to tell you that the café felt really empty.

“I know that wasn’t cool of Wonwoo and I, but you both like each other! I know you’d never make the first move.”

“I’m a wuss, Minghao, I could never!”

“Well, Soonyoung needed to know you liked him too so he is able to.”

“…what are you planning?”

“Me? Nothing. Soonyoung? I don’t know but it’s something.”

So Minghao leaves because you’re freaking out, knowing that something is going to happen, you just don’t know what

After another day of sulking in your room with your heart pounding out of your chest, Wonwoo texts you that it’s a slow day and that you should come back to familiar scenery

You thought, shit

But really, Wonwoo just wanted you back in the shop and it had nothing to do with Soonyoung preparing to ask you out the next time he saw you

Spoiler he does

You get ready to leave the dorm and realize you dressed up a bit more than normal. Yes, you’re whipped. But so is he so it’s okay.

It’s time to face that bubbly boy that makes your heart explode!

You walk in to the café and take a seat, all too quietly. Wonwoo basically yells out “Y/n!” and you’re blushing like crazy because all the staff turned around to see you

Soonyoung was like “SHE’S HERE?” and everyone’s laughing because they knew what he was gonna do (drop the flowers)

Jk he doesn’t drop them, he accidentally knocks over the vase holding your bouquet, which sucks because he was planning to keep them back there so you could take them healthy. Don’t worry, he took the flowers out before it fell. But Jihoon is angry because he broke a vase.

So Soonyoung is blushing like crazy in the back room while Seokmin is trying to shove him out, all while Jihoon has to clean up the mess per usual

Seokmin finally succeeds and Soonyoung is pushed into the middle of the café with his hands full of flowers (im so soft oh my god)

You’re blushing so you try to hide it by drinking your (very hot) coffee and you burn your tongue, causing you to flinch a bit

Soonyoung notices and rushes to make sure you’re okay because he’s a caring baby

He basically drops the bouquet on the table to check if you’re okay and lifts your chin up to look into your eyes, which makes you blush

Soonyoung is brought back to reality and carefully picks up the bouquet

He hands it to you while nervously giggling, hoping that you like them

You love them, taking the bouquet in your hands as your eyes sparkle at his.

“I’m sorry about my embarrassing friends, but at least they helped us confess, right?”

“Yeah, I guess so…” you’re trying to hide the blush but it’s not working

“With that out of the way, would you like to go out with me? I’d love to know you better.”

Your face is filled with the brightest smile as you graciously accept his offer, and he pulls you into a warm hug. You felt like melting, the hug was so warm and comfortable.

Before you could talk any longer, Jihoon was yelling from the floral department, “SOONYOUNG ITS TIME TO GET BACK TO WORK!”

He quickly sat you back down, apologized for the “little man who’s always angry,” and gave you a quick peck on the forehead

“Wait, Soonyoung! When do you get off your shift?”

“6 tonight, how about dinner?”

“Sounds like a date.” You finished up, smiling, and headed back to your dorm. You placed the flowers in a long vase on your desk, admiring how he arranged the bouquet. There’s a little card stuck in the middle of the bouquet that read: MY NAME’S SOONYOUNG, CALL ME SOON ~ ★

You laugh, knowing you’d see him tonight anyway.

#svteennet #seventeen #seventeen scenarios #seventeen writing #hoshi #seventeen hoshi #seventeen svt #seventeen fluff #hoshi scenarios #hoshi fluff #kwon Soonyoung #soonyoung

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rebekah-whyte · 6 years

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The look on her face; you could tell What you know; Two Door Cinema Club. Start//End; EDEN. Annabelle; Dessa. Pretty Little Head; Eliza Rickman. Dreams (Cover); Gabrielle, Ft.Bastille. Colors pt. II; Halsey. True Colors; Zedd, ft. Kesha. Twin-sized Mattress; The Front Bottoms. Nervous; The Neighborhood. Johnny Boy; Twenty One Pilots. Remember This; NF. Far too Young to Die; Panic! at the Disco. No One’s Here to Sleep; Naughty Dog ft. Bastille. Little Lion Man; Mumford & Sons. Forget; Marina and the Diamonds.

she was h a u n t e d

quotes under the read more

What you know; Two Door Cinema Club.

“And I can tell just what you want / You don't want to be alone”

This song kind of captures an upbeat personality, with the addition of someone not wanting to be left again which relates to Rebekah a lot Start//End; EDEN. “(And I need you to talk me down) And it's not right/ You're dead wrong ('cause I feel like I need to crash)/What are we doing?/Let's go home/ There's no hope/ It's all wrong”

This song really captures someone’s wanting to fix a situation that they aren’t going to be able to fix. It’s part hopelessness and part hope which I think captures Bek well.

Annabelle; Dessa.

“I wanna shake you, I'd prefer that you were angry with me/ You're like a bird now looking lost without a cage /And I don't know what to call it/ I'm not sure who could solve this problem of the disappearing girl/ Oh Anna, stay”

This song talks about a young girl that’s slowly fading away and a mother/ older sister figure trying to bring them back. I think it’s a pretty good song for both her and Benji, especially when they were younger.

Pretty Little Head; Eliza Rickman.

“Take a breath, my heart, and hold your tongue / It's just a cog in the year of all my love” Honestly this song feels more like an aesthetic choice then anything. I think it does well to show a scattered mind.

Dreams (Cover); Gabrielle, Ft.Bastille.

“But listen carefully to the sound/ Of your loneliness/ Like a heartbeat drives you mad/ In the stillness of remembering what you had/ And what you lost, and what you had, and what you lost”

This song is really about a cheating couple BUT I also think it works well to show a difference in Bek living a normal life versus her now kind of dealing with her powers again. She’s a nostalgic kiddo.

Colors pt. II; Halsey.

“Everything is blue (blue)/ I hope you make it to the day you're 28 years old”

This is definitely more of an aesthetic song, but I thought it fit her somehow.

True Colors; Zedd, ft. Kesha.

“A promise with a lie is broken by design/ And what I thought I knew has been swallowed by the truth/ It's time to light the flame, right before it rains/ I'm not afraid, I'm not”

This kind of is a hopefully one day song of her becoming more courageous. It’s also accepting her powers.

Twin-sized Mattress; The Front Bottoms.

“I wanna contribute to the chaos/ I don’t wanna watch and then complain/ ‘Cause I am through finding blame/ That is the decision that I have made”

This song is her both accepting, and wanting to be an active part of her life not exactly the passive part she’s always been.

Nervous; The Neighborhood.

“You've got me nervous to speak/ So I just won't say anything at all”

Honestly it’s mostly her anxiety and dealing with people. It matches her pretty well, especially with her just refusing to talk when she’s pretty bad.

Johnny Boy; Twenty One Pilots.

“Get up, Johnny Boy, Get up, Johnny Boy/ Get up, cause the World has left you lying on the ground/ You're my pride and joy, you're my pride and joy/ Get up, Johnny Boy because we all need you now”

The song deals with her friends saying that they need her for the exploring and hopefully understanding the things even though she doesn’t want to.

Remember This; NF.

“Yeah, they say when we grow up/ You'll understand when you're older/ Guess I'm still a kid, I don't know it/ If I'll ever let go of this/ Say goodbye to the old me/ We ain't friends anymore, you don't know me/ I know I could die any moment / If I do just remember this”

This song really deals with not being able to trust people with difficulties and that’s something Bek shares.

Far too Young to Die; Panic! at the Disco.

“Well I never really thought that you'd come tonight/ When the crown hangs heavy on either side/ Give me one last kiss while we're far too young to die./ Far too young to die”

I see this more of a struggle with herself instead of romantic partner. It feels more like she’s accepting whatever’s going to happen and growing from this experience

No One’s Here to Sleep; Naughty Dog ft. Bastille.

“You were always faster than me/ I'll never catch up with you, with you/ Oh I can feel them coming for me”

Her literal paranoia about the things tbh.

Little Lion Man; Mumford & Sons.

“You're not as brave as you were at the start/ Rate yourself and rake yourself,/ Take all the courage you have left/ Wasted on fixing all the problems that you made in your own head”

This is pretty much Bek’s thought process about herself if she’s honest. She’s pretty much always kicking herself to be braver

Forget; Marina and the Diamonds.

“Sometimes I think I'm not that strong/ But there's a force that carries me on/ Sick of my small heart, made of steel/ Sick of the wounds that never heal”

This is kind of a lament of wanting to move on but not being able to which matches her a lot.

#nudity tw #just incase #aplprompt1 #anxiety tw #This is so self indulgent please don't feel like you gotta read the quotes or anything

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justice-the-pandisaster · 7 years

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Humans are Space Orcs

I jumped onto the train for awhile now but now I have to contribute to it in some way. Teens. I ain't talking about the stereotypical teens that adults always talk about, I'm talking about the dorks that still laugh at the iCUP joke. But like...aliens don't know how teens are because all they have heard from adults is how stupid and immature teens could be. "Their rebellious and they won't appreciate a single thing you do for them." Human Rachel growled. "I wouldn't want them as part of the crew." "But were you not a 'teen' once yourself?" Srytx gurgle, slightly confused. "Exactly." She huffed. "So I know how they work. Take it from me, teens aren't what you want Srtyx." From the little warnings the adult humans have given the aliens makes them all worry as inevitably they are forced to harbor the human teens as well. There were many things Gypr was afraid of, but this had his pelt flash blue in worry. If the humans were warning them about their own kin was not something that stirred well in his glands. He shook his head and walked into the room that harbored the teens and two adults. Some were as small as 4 ft while others simply towered over most adults. They all seemed dissinterested, some of the females talking in a corner while the males were being annoyingly loud. There were groups of mixed genders and others with only a single gender. Gypr let our a shrill whistle between his fangs causing the humans present to turn to him. The two adults looked severely unconfortable which was understandable, his species did not give off peaceful vibes they were predatory by nature. "Welcome humans," Gypr announced. "Human adults will you please go in through that door they have a conference there for the human adults alone. Many of our other humans have said it is best to seperate the youth from them." The two adults nodded and turned to give biting glares at the teens. Some payed close attention while the other sniffed and turned away. "Don't cause trouble." The human male growled before they both walked off into the room. Gypr was slightly confused, they were not very friendly with each other. As soon as the door closed, Gypr was able to see something...odd. The loud teens from before continued to make and Crack jokes which eased some of the teens within the group. They positioned themselves to be more of a circle rather than the scattered mess they were in before. The girls glanced around almost disinterested, but Gypr could see that they were looking for something. Two teens stepped forward, one a male and the other a female. The male bowed while the female gave a nod of her head. "It's a pleasure to meet you." The male smiled when he rose. "Sup dude." The female echoed. "I'm Angel and this is my friend Stan, we were informed that you'd be helping us out till we moved onto another ship?" "Yes of Course I am Gypr," the alien hummed. "I was told by several humans that you do not obey simple rules, I must inform you that anyone that breaks the rules will be punished by the other humans as the captain sees fit." "Oh the adults told you that hu?" Human Angel snorted. "Of course they would, stupid ass adults don't know what the hell their talking about." "What my friend means," Stan interjected. "Is that we understand the implications given, and I assure you no one in our crew will step out of line." Gypr, slightly confused, nodded. He started to walk, knowing that the humans would follow. "Hey Gypr," Human angel raced to stand next to him. "I have a few questions, and I was hoping you'd be able to answer them." "Of course anything you need Human angel." Angel stood in front of him stopping them from moving any further. "You are going to show us our rooms right?" "That was the plan Human angel." "Are we going to be situated with any of the adults?" "Yes unfortunately we do not have rooms for every single person, so we Andre forced to compromise. Their are ten people to a room Human angel." "Are we allowed to choose who we go with and who goes with the adults?" "The captain nor the humans malentioned any rooming arrangements so I assume it is fine, unless situated otherwise. There are 30 of you we have two open rooms for 10 each but the others will be scattered with human adults." Gypr was expecting anger and fighting amongst the group. But Human angel and human Stan only nodded. "Okay that's good," Human Stan grinned. "Are we forced to do any activities with adults?" "No, adults mentioned that they would not get any work done with younglings like yourself in the immediate vicinity, so you will not interact with any adults unless you so desire." Gypr was surprised when about eight of the teens sobbed in relief, earning pats and hugs from their other humans. Gypr surprise and confusion must have shown as Human Stan came to explain. "Some of us have had bad run in with adults, they treat us like kids and in turn brush us aside, however their are a few of us who have been wronged by adults and we wish to keep them as far apart as possible." Human Stan explained. "Adults categorize us a certain way because they believe that they know what is best despite us being perfectly capable of making our own decisions. Not all of us are like that, but in my group we try our bests. Please exuse me and angel as we wish to comfort our friends." Human Stan bowed again before racing off to hold one of his shaking male friends. "Human Angel, I was unaware that Human Adults did not treat all you'd fairly." Gypr was slightly horrified. Angel shrugged. "Trust us, some of us were the same way. It took forever to realize what's wrong with our crew, and we can't really do much about it either. There are a lot of humans that do not understand the precious life that we hold and will often abuse it as they wish. It is not only human adults who do this, but Human elderly, teens and children as well." Human Angel sighed miserably, a sound that Gypr was told teens do not make. "Everything is so jacked up Gypr, but we learn to deal with what we have. I promise you we will try our best to not cause any trouble but please note that if push comes to shove we will probably be yelling at the other human adults aboard. It is not out of rebellion but we are all tired of the way we are treated arena as such arguments happen." Gypr stood staring at her with his three eyes, he would need to update the manual on human teens. He stood staring as the human teens eventually calmed each other down and we're ready to start moving once again. "You have not mentioned to called you only by name Human Angel and Human Stan, most other Humans are irritated by being called Human before their name." Gypr rumbled as they stopped for lunch. "Not all of us are like that." Human Stan supplied. "But if it makes you feel more comfortable calling us that way, by all means go ahead. Just remember some human won't always appreciate the way you speak." Gypr looked down as his meal, his pelt flashing green as he calmed himself. Human teens were most mesmerizing.

#humans are space australians #humans are space orcs #human teens #humans are weird #idk man #something that always bugs me

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ellymackay · 4 years

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Why My Dental Practice Treats Only TMD and Sleep

Why My Dental Practice Treats Only TMD and Sleep Find more on: www.ellymackay.com

Michael L. Gelb, DDS, MS, is all about the airway.

By Greg Thompson | Photography by Jane La Motta Photography

Michael L. Gelb, DDS, MS, learned early on that the dental profession could encompass far more than teeth. With his father, Harold Gelb, DMD, pioneering treatments for the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the young Gelb saw a commitment to total wellness.

“He treated headaches, neck pain, and back pain,” remembers Gelb, owner of The Gelb Center with offices in New York City and White Plains, NY. “He’d put heel lifts into people’s shoes and give injections to the neck, back, and shoulder. He’d be doing stuff that no other dentist in the United States was doing.”

The elder Gelb opened a 4,500-sq-ft office in the heart of Manhattan in the early 1970s, and Michael Gelb now practices in that same office, splitting time between The Big Apple and the White Plains location 45 minutes away.

“From the beginning, my practice was 50% TMJ,” says Gelb, who received his DDS from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and his MS from SUNY at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. “I never went into dentistry to fill teeth.”

As clinicians increasingly transitioned the abbreviation “TMJ” to a more accurate and descriptive TMD (temporomandibular disorders), so too Gelb’s clinical and academic understanding grew, thanks largely to an eagerness to learn every nuance, along with a willingness to accept new ideas. The exploration inevitably focused in on the importance of the airway, but it wasn’t until 1989 that Gelb began to view the airway’s primacy through the particular lens of sleep.

Right about that time, Gelb had taken over at New York University’s facial pain program as director. Two speakers—dentists Jon Parker, DDS, and Wayne Halstrom, DDS, DABDSM—made a particular impression. “Halstrom would show pictures of his Cadillac, which he had totaled three times after falling asleep at the wheel,” says the 63-year-old Gelb. “This was right at the beginning of testing for sleep apnea, and also the infancy of dental sleep medicine.”

Once again reviving an old debate started in part by his father, Gelb began to explore the effects of jaw positioning and its relation to better sleep. “It was almost heretical to bring the jaw down and forward when all the dogma had been to set the jaw back in the socket, which was actually closing the airway,” he says. “In many ways, I feel like I’m part of the history of dentistry. Students say they read about my dad and the Gelb philosophy. It’s interesting to come from that philosophical approach to dentistry, which I now understand much better 30 years later.”

Friend and colleague Leonard B. Kobren, DDS, says, “Michael began to realize that the need to open the airway meant that the lower jaw needed to be moved downward and forward, which would anatomically open the airway and allow much greater oxygenation and restorative sleep. He wrote about this in the Journal of the California Dental Association,1 where he coined the term AirwayCentric dentistry.” Gelb Technologies LLC was granted a trademark for “AirwayCentric” in April 2014.

Particularly in the early days, Gelb’s approach did not always resonate. “Initially, Michael was frustrated with dentists who were not getting what he was saying,” explains Kobren, who practices at Westchester Prosthodontics in White Plains, NY, and is an immediate past chair of the American College of Prosthodontists Education Foundation. “Our reticence to buy in was often more than he could take.

“In these early days, he was kind of condemning practitioners who were not getting it, and saying, ‘I’m here to tell you that teeth don’t matter. It’s only about the well-being of the patient, controlled by oxygenation and airway. And the second he would say those things, restorative dentists were turned off. I worked with him to find different ways to present the material so that diligent dentists like me would be excited about a new paradigm, as opposed to being told our way was antiquated and ineffective. That was my challenge to Michael.”

Softening the message helped, eventually leading to reliable referrals from practitioners who appreciated the AirwayCentric focus. “You only need one or two ENTs who really get it,” Gelb says. “I have the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of any profession are not going to get it, but there’s always a number of practitioners who want to work collaboratively and understand and are not afraid to refer out.”

Otolaryngologists can see the airway problems, and they often refer to Gelb prior to trying surgical procedures. “It’s the same with cardiologists,” he says. “They’re treating patients with arrhythmia or high blood pressure, and they now understand that sleep apnea is a very strong contributing factor. Over time, you develop relationships. There’s always one or two sleep docs who appreciate what you do and will refer patients.”

Not all of the affiliated dental disciplines are on board, but Gelb believes that’s only natural for what amounts to a paradigm shift. “Prosthodontists are deathly afraid of changing the bite,” Gelb says. “The patient could be dying, but as long as you don’t change the bite, they’re pretty happy. Dentists have been brainwashed that the bite should be a certain way, much like orthodontists who have been ignoring the airway for years.”

Expanding Understanding

Eventually, Gelb and Howard Hindin, DDS, started an organization called the American Academy of Physiologic Medicine and Dentistry (AAPMD), as well as the Foundation for Airway Health. The effort to expand understanding of the AirwayCentric approach has progressed, but Hindin and Gelb were aware from the start that it would not be easy.

“About 15 years ago, we were sitting in a diner having breakfast, and we talked about how we might change the world, and we wrote our ideas on the back of a placemat,” remembers Hindin, owner of the Hindin Center for Whole Health Dentistry, Suffern, NY. “We said, ‘Let’s start an organization, let’s write a book [which became GASP: Airway Health – The Hidden Path to Wellness], let’s start a foundation, and let’s invent an appliance. We did all of those things in the last 12 to 15 years.”

Also at that time, Gelb took his considerable passion and expertise in the field of dental sleep medicine and made the decision to stop practicing traditional dentistry once and for all. Now the practice at both locations is about 60% TMD and 40% sleep.

[RELATED: Establish Healthy TMJ Prior to Oral Appliance Therapy]

“There comes a time in your life when you look at your schedule and you get that uneasy feeling about certain patients with complicated dental cases,” Gelb says. “The majority of my training was always in TMD/facial pain, and then sleep, so I always gravitated and was probably better at treating these complicated TMJ pain and headache cases. I later found out that most of the patients who had TMJ also had concurrent coexisting sleep conditions.”

Much as he practiced in his earliest days, Gelb continues to rapidly embrace technology to aid in screening and treating sleep disorders. As a self-proclaimed disruptor and early adopter, Gelb says, “I’m on my fifth cone beam CT [computed tomography, also known as CBCT] scan now.”

While some technologies admittedly flamed out, costing time and money, the willingness to explore all possibilities has mainly led to progress. “The thing that has changed this field more than anything else I can think of is the ability to image the airway—to see the airway,” Gelb says. “In the past you’d have to go to an ENT, who would do an endoscopy,” Gelb says. “They’d have to stick a tube down your nose to look at your airway.”

With so much of the medical world embracing the importance of sleep, Gelb is able to reflect on his ongoing career, knowing that his ideas about sleep medicine are catching on throughout the continuum of care. Having once taken the torch passed down from his dad, Gelb takes pride in his own adult children, both of whom are doing well and living in New York.

As for the decision to focus solely on TMD and sleep medicine, Gelb need only ponder the patients he has helped to know he made the right choice. “I had a patient who was afraid to go to sleep,” Gelb says. “She had anxiety and panic attacks. Because I had the cone beam, I noticed this woman had a very small retruded chin and jaw and a very narrow airway.

“We were able to open the airway with a device and create a safe environment where she felt safe to go to sleep. We got rid of her fear, also with the help of a behavioral sleep therapist. It was a radical transformation, and I was never able to do that by treating TMD alone. Treating the airway and sleep has exponentially influenced the transformative process that I now can achieve with my patients. This is far beyond what I ever imagined I’d be able to do.”

“Michael’s level of expertise is extraordinary,” Kobren says. “He had access to all of the earliest champions of TMD and has spent his time distilling that and then being open-minded enough to see the value of sleep and how it affects overall health. I’ll add that he is one of the most quietly competitive amateur athletes you can imagine—a superior tennis player and golfer, a great dad, and a loyal friend.”

Hindin adds, “Michael is an incredible people person, and he’s passionate and excited about what he does. If I opened a restaurant, I’d want Michael to be the maître d’. A lot of the people who come into his practice have probably seen ten other practitioners before they came to him. When people go down that path, they get very discouraged, and they lose hope. He’s very good at giving them hope.”

Greg Thompson is a Loveland, Colo-based freelance writer.

Reference

Gelb ML. Airway Centric TMJ Philosophy. Journal CDA. 2014 Aug;42(8):551-62.

Editor’s Note: The photos featured here were taken prior to the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

from Sleep Review https://www.sleepreviewmag.com/sleep-treatments/therapy-devices/oral-appliances/dental-practice-tmd-gelb/

from Elly Mackay - Feed https://www.ellymackay.com/2020/07/08/why-my-dental-practice-treats-only-tmd-and-sleep/

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sterlingfitness · 7 years

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Circle of Life // McBerrling Para

Who: Jeff Sterling, Mason McCarthy @unstoppablemase and Rachel Berry @peculiarberry ft. Aaron Purr

What: Jeff tells two of his best friends about Luna

When: November 23rd, afternoon

Where: Sterling’s Cabin

Notes: They’re cute and they cuddle

Jeff knew he had to tell the people closest to him about Luna, and he thought it was getting easier to tell each time, but it was still nerve wracking. He didn't know how people would react. They could be understanding like Blaine, but they easily could flip on him like Cullen, and Jeff hated going in without knowing which one he would get. After telling his parents, he figured Mason and Rachel should be the next ones to know about his dark secret. He could wait until he had a closer relationship with Luna and her mother, maybe even meet his daughter before, but their support would be very appreciated. And if they didn't want to stay friends with him because of this, the sooner they leave, the less it hurts, right? Bringing them up to his childhood room, Jeff was nervously fidgeting with his fingers as he told them to sit down on his bed, before closing the door behind him. Like a band aid. He just had to tell them straight forward and then work with their reactions. Jeff knew they would understand, or at least try to, but he was afraid of the possibility of losing two of the most important people in his life "So..." Jeff started, letting out a shaky breath "I want you two to meet someone," Jeff said as he reached for his phone and pulled up a picture of his daughter. He smiled fondly at it for a second before turning his phone to Mason and Rachel, letting them pick it up to see the picture from up close "Her name is Luna..." he bit his lip for a moment, bracing himself before admiring "She's my daughter."

RACHEL was a bit confused trying to figure out what it is that could be so serious that Jeff needed to bring them up to his room for privacy. She doesn't think anything had taken place since they'd been in Colorado and she's slightly worried, but Jeff seems okay, Cullen seems okay, and his parents seem okay. Rachel figures worrying about it won't do any good and he'll be telling them what is going on once they get upstairs so she focuses her attention on getting to his room and she quietly sits on his bed as he motions for it. Jeff starts off and she looks around the room not sure what he was getting on about, she definitely hadn't seen anyone come in, but then he's bringing his phone out and it begins to make a bit more sense. He hadn't meant a person in the flesh. Rachel takes the phone from him, looking down at the child on the screen. Her nose scrunches a little, still confused until he says it. This is his daughter...it doesn't really register right away but she's staring at the picture too intensely seeing some resemblance. "Jeff...She's beautiful. Why didn't you. I mean." She closes her eyes trying not to just react loudly like she's good at doing. "I-- thank you for telling us. I'm glad you trust us."

Mason sat on Jeff's bed beside Rachel, patting the other side of him so Aaron would jump up. The cat had been following him everywhere anyway. He wasn't sure why Jeff seemed to nervous, but he was trying to stay chill in the hopes the feeling would spread to everyone else. He definitely wasn't expecting what came next though. He leaned over Rachel's shoulder and stared at the phone in disbelief. "Wait... what?"

Jeff waited nervously for some sort of reaction, wishing he could pick up Aaron right now instead. He was a good stress reliever, and at least he would protect him from anything, even if it was just yelling. He knew it was a lot to take in, sometimes Jeff didn't even believe himself, but it was true. Luna was his and only a blind man could think otherwise. Jeff was ready to start spitting out his usual explanation, just so they could understand, but Rachel's calmness left him speechless. He really wasn't expecting that, and that stopped him on his tracks. As she said Luna was beautiful, Jeff couldn't help but smile and agree "Yeah, she is, isn't she?" he reached forward and swiped to show another of the many pictures he had saved. As Mason looked confused, Jeff sighed "She's my daughter," he said again "I know it's a lot, and I'm sorry, but you two are important to me and I want you to know about this."

Rachel: "She really is." Rachel nods, still feeling rather confused. There was no way this little girl was actively in his life right? They would have caught wind of it sooner or seen him around her. Between her and Mason she thinks they take up a lot of his time so there was no way he knew about this before now, right? Rachel looks to Mason quietly, reaching for his hand, seeing the confusion all over his face. She can't stare at him for long though because Jeff is showing another picture and she really is so adorable. "She's like Aaron." Rachel gushes, before growing serious again. "Where is she? I mean you haven't..you haven't been a part time dad and we just didn't know it right?"

Mason looked over at Rachel, even more confused. "Aaron's a cat?" he said before seeing the picture and smiling a little. "Oh." She really was adorable. "She's beautiful, Jeff, but... I don't understand. When did this happen? Did you just find out about her? Sorry... I have a lot of questions."

Jeff nodded. Of course they were confused, it was a pretty confusing situation. He was glad they weren't freaking out on him, though, it made talking and explaining much easier, as Jeff didn't have to scramble for an answer. "No, I'm not being a part time dad.. That's the thing," he started there. Okay, if they didn't completely freak out with the first bomb, they probably wouldn't flip on this one too... hopefully "She just turned four so.. I was fifteen when it happened," he sighed softly, brushing his hair away from his face "And I fucked up.. Said I didn't want anything to do with it. Her mom lives in Spain, across the ocean, so I thought I'd never had to think about it again..." he looked down at the picture "Then I came across one of her pictures and I just.... I just can't pretend anymore. She looks exactly like me, I can't turn my back on her."

Rachel: tries not to let the sound leave her as she gasps a little. Fifteen was really young, gosh 19 was really young thinking of Lily's prior situation. She can't imagine being able to deal with something so big much better. "Oh Jeff...but you've changed your mind. You're older now and you can be responsible and think more rational then a little Jeff could have! Are you...I mean you've talked with the mom? Have you met her? What are your next steps? Can we do anything?"

Mason felt his eyes widen even more with all the new information. He was still trying to figure out how to kiss when he was fifteen. He laid a hand on Rachel's arm. He was surprised Jeff's head hadn't exploded yet between the two of them and all their questions. "I mean... what Rachel said," he finally contributed pathetically. He wasn't sure he could come up with any other words right now.

Jeff thought that questions was a good sign. If they're asking questions, at least they weren't yelling at him and saying what a horrible person he was, so Jeff let himself feel secure enough to open up without getting defensive. These were his friends, and Blaine was right, they'd understand. He looked between Rachel and Mason, who were obviously confused. He climbed on his bed so he would be closer to them, gently petting Aaron's head as he came to curl up next to him. Where could he start "Yeah, I recently got in contact with the mother.." that was a good start, that's where he was right now "She called me every nasty name in existence, as she should, but we're talking and she told me she might let me see Luna, if the talks go alright," he gave them a tiny, hopeful smile. He really wanted to meet her, face to face, and hug her for all those years he didn't. "I know this is a lot, but I hope it doesn't change what you guys think of me. I've made a lot of mistakes, but I'm trying to fix them, to be who everyone thinks I already am."

Rachel: smiles softly at Jeff as he comes up to his bed. He's not totally shutting down so that's a good sign. It was easy to do when revealing something so rough. She leans into Mason a bit as she takes in all Jeff is saying, nodding along to show she's paying attention. "So there is hope then? That's really great. I know you'll be able to fix this...because you want to. That's very clear." Her face falls a little at the last of his words, shaking her head quickly. "I think you're still that person Jeff and the way you're deciding to deal with this and like you said fix the mistakes you've made, it only enforces that. I'm sure there are plenty of people who just wouldn't bother."

Mason had never been super great with words. He spoke a lot of them, but he never considered himself good at the ones that mattered. Most of it was just chatter. Comfort he knew about though. He knew what helped him more than any words ever could have. So he moved over on the bed and sat beside Jeff, hooking their arms together, and he laid his head on his friend's shoulder. "This isn't going to change anything between us," he promised. "You're a father, but you're still Jeff. Just like I'm crazy, but I'm still Mason," he added with a laugh.

Jeff wanted to say more. Wanted to tell them he's an awful guy, that he only reached out because he happened to come across a picture of Luna, but he stop himself. He has a bad habit of thinking of the worst possible outcome, and when it doesn't happen, it's like he tries to get it, but this time he doesn't say anything. Jeff simply nods, leaning into Mason as he sits closer and links their arms together, reaching with his free hand to clean the couple of tears that managed to escape. "Thank you, guys.." he said quietly, motioning for Rachel to come closer, too. "I'm really thankful for having you two in my life..." It was Thanksgiving, so it was fitting "Thank you for not thinking I'm a horrible human being, even if I feel like one."

Rachel: just watches Jeff and Mason in awe really, their relationship was heart warming and though she can't see them responding to what Jeff says in any other way, she's glad that they could still do this. It's easy for her to join their closeness when Jeff motions for it, doing her best to wrap an arm around both of them. "We don't need to label, do we? I think we're just us and we're here and we're doing the right things." She shrugs, "I'm thankful for you too Jeff and I'm thankful you could share with us and you're definitely not horrible. I wish you didn't feel that way." She kisses his cheek.

Mason reached his hand out to brush over Rachel's hair when she moved to cuddle with them. "No one in this room is free from making some pretty big mistakes. None of us are horrible people, even if we've all felt that way at one point or another," he pointed out. "The important thing is we're all trying our best. And we've got each other to be there and hold us up when one's feeling more horrible than usual. We're here for you and we're not going anywhere." He squeezed Jeff's hand with his own and reached out to find Rachel's with the other one, forming a little circle between them.

Jeff nodded softly. Mason was right, it was just like Blaine told him, he made some mistakes but he owning up to them and trying to fix them. That's what matters "Just wanted to make everyone proud of me, but I ended up making it worse. I'm fixing it, though, and I'm glad I have you two by my side" Jeff gave them a little tiny smile, squeezing Mason's hand back "I love you, guys," he let out a breath and wrapped his arms around the two of them, hugging them close, glad that after admitting his biggest secret, he could still do this "Thank you."

Rachel: can only manage a small nod in agreeance to Mason’s words. He’s right and they were there for each other, always. She smiles a little as he pets her hair and it grows when he takes her hand. They are all connected and it really adds to the moment and how close they really are. “I know I’m still proud of you, maybe even more so.” Rachel says honestly, “but I love you too. A lot.”

#paras #paras:rachel #paras:mason #mason #rachel

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imagineproduce101 · 7 years

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Hot Summer

You and your boyfriend Kang Daniel decide to beat the heat by heading to the amusement park, and you’re looking forward to the chance to make new memories with him. However, your perfect day is ruined by events that spark Daniel’s jealousy, leading to you two fighting.

non idol! au

kang daniel ft. somi, sohye, sejeong, daehwi, jihoon and jaehwan (i decided who was dating by who was the same age lolol)

i tried to do angst but it’s not too angsty

you lowkey teach daniel a bit abt rape culture/blaming the victim instead of the perp

(i chose the gif bc theyre dancing to touch my body by sistar aka the queens of summer rip, and since this is summer-themed, i thought it was fitting. my mind is a bit strange?)

in addition, i just wanted to thank everyone who has followed this blog and shown the imagines so much love! it’s been a little over a week and the blog has almost 300 followers? i’m so glad that i’m able to contribute to the new beginning of the wanna one fandom ^^. anyways, thank you again!!

You smiled up at the huge sign that showed off your local theme park’s latest attractions. You and your boyfriend Daniel had decided to go on a group date to the amusement park with a few other of your friends, and you couldn’t wait. In all the dramas you’d watched, amusement park dates were super cute and romantic, and you couldn’t wait to make new memories with your boyfriend.

“(y/n), hey!” You heard Daniel exclaim from behind you.

You turned to face your boyfriend with a huge smile. Accompanying him were Daehwi and Somi, Sohye and Jihoon, and Jaehwan and Sejeong.

“Hey, Daniel,” you took the hand that he offered to you, happily heading towards the entrance of the park. You all had bought your tickets online, so getting into the park was a breeze.

“What rides do we want to ride first?” Jaehwan asked the group, map of the park in hand.

“The scary ones!” Somi laughed, cheering with you. Daehwi vehemently shook his head no, but you two managed to convince him to at least go on one big roller coaster.

Of course, you sat next to Daniel, and the thrill of the roller coaster made you two grip each other’s hands as you plummeted towards the ground, hair whipping behind you as you shrieked loudly. Once you got off the ride, you all made your way to the next ride.

“Did you have fun on the ride?” Daniel asked you with a smile, gently rearranging your hair, which had gotten messed up on the ride.

“I did!” You exclaimed happily, smiling up at him, “the day has barely started and I’m already having loads of fun!”

“Let’s go, then!” Daniel laughed, grabbing your hand and dragging you in the direction of the next ride.

Once you guys had ridden all the major rides that you wanted to, you decided to take a quick break and grab something cool to drink.

“Ah, it’s so hot,” Sohye complained, pressing her cold soda bottle against her face.

“I know, right?” You sighed, shrugging your cardigan off so that you were only dressed in your tank top and shorts. “The weather said it might get to 25 degrees!”

“And it’s just the beginning of summer,” Daehwi complained, “I hate this weather.”

“Why don’t we head for the water park area?” Jihoon suggested, “we might be able to cool off better there.”

“Good idea,” Sejeong nodded firmly, “this heat is seriously too much.”

Daniel was talking with Jihoon, Jaehwan and Daehwi about something, so you hurried forward to join your friends.

“At least it’s not cold,” Somi pointed out, “you can’t really do much if it’s cold, but you can still do things outside if it’s hot.” You all agreed—she had a point. After all, it was better to look at the positives of things.

“Damn girl, those are some legs,” some jerk leered at you as he and his friends walked past your group.

“Lemme get your number, girl,” another guy called to you, and his friends started cat-calling and whistling. You stared at the floor, mortified and embarrassed that something like that would happen—and in front of your boyfriend, too!

Daniel hurried up to you, a slightly upset look on his face. “(y/n), why don’t you wrap your cardigan around your waist?”

You looked up at your boyfriend, slightly upset that he wasn’t understanding how bad your mood had gotten in such a short amount of time.

“It’s hot,” you explained, feeling even worse about yourself now that you had to explain things. “Why should I cover up if it’s some guy looking at me?”

“Because I don’t like guys looking at you like that,” Daniel replied, clearly frustrated. He pulled your cardigan from his bag and handed it to you. “Seriously, (Y/N), you should protect yourself from guys like that. Nobody gets to look at you like that but me. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable with guys staring at you.”

“Yah, Kang Daniel,” you stopped walking, seriously pissed off at his attitude, “You’re making me uncomfortable. If a guy cat calls me because my legs are exposed, that’s not my fault, it’s his for being a fucking perverted asshole. Instead of scolding me for wearing shorts, why aren’t you beating up the guys who made those comments in the first place?” You snapped, feeling tears welling up in your eyes. Daniel was totally blaming you for the whole situation, but it wasn’t your fault at all.

“You should still know that your actions are going to have consequences,” Daniel responded, eyebrows furrowed as he crossed his arms, upset. “Yes, it’s wrong of those guys to cat-call you, but they’re guys, you should know that guys would have those kinds of actions when you wear shorts like that.”

You shook your head, doing your best to hold back tears. “I don’t need this. I’ll be going.” After bowing quickly to your other friends, you quickly raced back towards the exit of the theme park. Vaguely behind you, you could hear Daniel calling your name, but you quickly escaped to a ladies room.

You stared at yourself, doing your best to contain your tears. After splashing water on your face, you headed back out, and did your best to hold your head up high as you bee-lined for the exit of the park.

The bus ride from the amusement park to your small apartment was one of the most difficult times of your life. Every five seconds, you wanted to burst into the tears at the thought of Daniel’s heartless words. Like hell that was your fault! He should have punched each one of those punks into next week, but instead he blamed you?

Finally home, you felt the tears start. Sobbing, you toed off your shoes and yanked the stupid shorts off that had caused the whole mess, opting for your comfiest pair of sweats and t-shirt. After settling down on your bed, equipped with your phone, tissues and ice cream, you curled up into a ball, sobbing into a tissue. Just as you were getting ready to wallow in sadness and despair, the doorbell rang.

Groaning, you yanked the strings of the hoodie so that you could barely see your face and dragged yourself to the door. Daniel stood there, two cats in one hand, roses in the other, and a bag full of your favorite spicy ramen noddles hanging off of his wrist.

“(Y/N), I’m sorry,” he immediately apologized, visibly distressed, “I didn’t mean to lash out at you or make you the victim of the situation. You were right, I should have just punched those guys, but my jealousy that other guys could see how beautiful you were got in the way of me thinking properly.”

“You brought all this just to bribe me into forgiving you?” You asked through a watery half-smile, “I’m not forgiving you that quickly, I really felt bad after you said that about me.”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” Daniel scooted forward a bit, pushing your hood off so that he could see your face better. He tenderly brushed some of your tears away, and pulled you into a hug. “I messed up, and I’m really sorry. I’ll do my best to be a better boyfriend in the future.”

“You’re squishing Rooney,” you informed your slightly idiotic boyfriend, mouth smushed against his chest.

Daniel immediately pulled away, checking to make sure that his beloved cat was alright.

“Does that mean I’m forgiven?” Daniel asked hopefully as he unlaced his shoes. You sighed, pulling your hood up again.

“Make me some ramyun and then we’ll talk.”

“Ah~ (Y/N) accepting bribes, I see,” Daniel grinned cheekily at you, and pressed a kiss first to the tip of your nose, then all over your face and finally your lips. “Was that a good enough bribe?”

“Ramyun.”

Daniel chuckled, pulling you towards the kitchen gently, “you drive a hard bargain, but it’s okay, it’s part of your never-ending charm.”

I have a lot of reading/watching videos/a quiz tomorrow for my online college course so hopefully i am able to complete a chapter of picture perfect and the seonho fluff!! <3 thanks again for all the support!

#produce 101 #produce 101 imagine #produce 101 fanfiction #produce 101 oneshot #produce 101 reaction #produce 101 scenario #wanna one imagine #wanna one fanfiction #wanna one oneshot #wanna one reaction #wanna one scenario #kang daniel #wanna one #kang daniel imagine #kang daniel fanfiction #kang daniel reaction #kang daniel scenario

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kuraiamore · 7 years

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my thoughts on the gintama live action movie

(ft. spoilers on the ending of the movie/the changes made to the Benizakura retelling, and a rant concerning my fave character, Katsura Kotarou)

When I first found out that the Gintama live action movie would be playing in the cinemas of my country, I’m pretty sure I screamed for joy, and then began impatiently checking for session dates and times so I could watch it the first chance I got.

That chance came a few days ago, when I flew to Sydney for a quick weekend getaway trip with my friend, and honestly, the opportunity couldn’t have been better.

After getting haphazardly lost and confused about Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter looking for the cinema, we walked maybe a few minutes late into the start of the movie to find a COMPLETELY EMPTY THEATRE!!

Just to confirm how empty it was but for me and my friend, I took a super blurry selfie:

It was honestly so awesome, because it meant we got to talk and laugh freely, and I could refresh her memory as to characters and their backstories and motives as needed (she’s not quite a Gintama fan, but she’s watched a few eps a long time ago and generally knows about and likes the series).

For me, this really, really added to the experience, because the movie is most definitely something you want to be able to share with friends and have a laugh about.

I have to admit that I did have my reservations about the movie before watching it, mostly because the trailer made it seem as if the movie was setting out to be a serious, action-driven version with comedy moments thrown for no seemingly coherent reason. I worried that the glaringly cartoonish CGI and post-production edits found in pretty much every live action anime adaptation would simply be too surreal and …emphatic, shall we say, for a “real” setting, and that that would continually visually jar me out of the movie to the point of being unable to enjoy it. Throw in the questionable costume designs, and the seemingly awkward acting that comes from playing exaggeratedly expressive anime characters in a straight and serious manner, and yeah, for all my excitement and anticipation, I had my doubts.

Ten minutes in, and I realised that every point of potential concern that I had had was really, genuinely what gave the movie the heart and warmth of Gintama, pushing the visuals and scenes to levels of ridiculousness that just worked. After all, how could I not giggle at CGI sparkles glinting off Kondou’s honey covered body, or at the fact that half the actors were walking around in freaking velvet lined kimonos? I was so happy at the way the movie was so self-aware and didn’t take itself seriously as per true Gintama-style, allowing them to use post-effects in genuinely funny ways.

The wacky, B-grade-feels acting was great too, because you could tell where the actors were having fun and you just had to smile too. The charming wackiness of their overacting captured the spirit of the characters exceptionally, and I have to give a special shout-out to Jiro Sato, Ken Yasuda, Masaki Suda, and Kanna Hashimoto for their respective roles as Henpeita Takechi, Tetsuya Murata, Shinpachi, and Kagura. Straight up, any scenes with them, especially the former two, were utterly hilarious, and had both me and my friend laughing for the acting.

This is all to share with you the feel-good vibes and genuine happiness I got from watching the Gintama live action, and to say that the coming rant I really made this post for does not in any way detract from my overall enjoyment and love for the movie.

But I have to say it.

(Note: this is also where spoilers come in)

I was, and remain, so, so, so disappointed with how they changed the ending to the Benizakura Arc, because it really drove home for me just how much the nuances of Katsura Kotarou’s character gets side-lined for other characters.

Perhaps this is a petty complaint driven entirely by my unashamed love and complete bias for Zura, but it is nevertheless one that left me leaving the cinema feeling disgruntled however much I enjoyed the movie in its entirety.

(Zura’s pretty face, because I couldn’t help myself and there was no one around to stop me)

Considering that this movie was made to be accessible to both Gintama fans and newcomers alike, the way characters were introduced is pivotal to how the audience is meant to understand the role of each character. In Zura’s case, his introduction, as well as his main scenes in the first half of the movie, is to set up his relationship to Gintoki as friend and comrade-in-arms.

Even before we learn of his position as Joui patriot, we learn that he would face and fight a running horde of armed police officers in support and defence of his friend, a relationship and character trait that is further highlighted in their next scene together where their history as schoolmates and war brothers is revealed.

Whether for plot purposes or not, the movie goes out of its way at the start to establishment this relationship dynamic between them, which is why it both infuriated and saddened me when at the climax of the movie, in the showdown between Gintoki and Takasugi, the script left Zura literally standing on the sidelines while his beloved childhood friends beat the ever-loving shit out of each other.

Just stood there.

Watching.

Not saying a word.

Not rushing in to separate the two closest people he has, not lifting a single finger to try and stop them.

Just stood there, until the script was ready for Gintoki to make his escape, at which point Katsura was finally allowed to come in and help a bloodied and bruised Gin to his feet so they could jump off the side of the ship together.

Leaving Katsura off to the side like that does a complete disservice to his character, as well as the complex relationship Gin, Zura and Takasugi are meant to have as battle-scarred childhood friends and disciples of Shouyou. Because it is not in any iterations of Katsura’s character to stand still and do nothing when the people he loves rage and hurt (and he loves Gin and Sugi, wholly, with every ounce of his being, and will hope and wait for them until the end of earth and time). Even at his most determined to kill Takasugi, he stands and talks to him first, tries to reason and offer something more beyond the world’s mere destruction, tries to remind Takasugi of the people still left behind. (It’s interesting in a way, how Zura accepts Takasugi in his madness and in his subtle way, wants to remind Takasugi of who he once was (who he once wanted to be) and what he once fought for, wants to slowly steer Takasugi to that person once more, the way Gintoki did for him; whereas Gintoki would kill that Takasugi to preserve the memory of the Takasugi-that-once-was.)

Zura has an extraordinarily deep and complex love for the two men he once fought beside, burdened as it is with the shared trauma of their sensei’s death and their loss in the war, and I do not accept that he would just stand there while those two men, for all intents and purposes, tried to kill each other.

There has always been a strong emphasis on the GinTaka relationship in the series, the love-hate, friendship-rivalry, resignation-rage, push-pull between them that’s unique to them—and that’s fine, except for me, this happens all too often at the expense of Zura, who’s contribution and added layered to their relationship is left forgotten or ignored. This maddens me sooo much, both in an angry way and a drives-me-up-the-wall-mad way, because it blithely disregards the intricacies and subtleties of their past, present and future, as if it never would have really mattered whether Zura was there or not.

Zura’s lack of presence and weight in formulating GinTaka’s relationship, and the role Shouyou’s remaining disciples are meant to play, has only been becoming more and more pronounced as the series has continued on and the focus concerning the relationship between Shouyou’s disciples stays stubbornly centred on Gintoki and Takasugi.

For example, in the animated Benizakura movie, Takasugi’s speech about wanting to destroy the world and his reasons for it are delivered to Katsura, and Katsura only. This then makes Katsura contemplative, resulting in his question about the divergence of their paths to Gintoki during their escape, as well as the question about each of the copies of their notebooks from their student says. With a kind of forced detachment, Gin replies that he spilt ramen on it and threw it away.

Comparatively, in the live action, while Takasugi’s dialogue about destroying the world is still delivered to Katsura, the bubbling rage of his reasons is directed at Gintoki, with Katsura off-scene assumedly dealing with Amanto. This split between who the dialogue is being delivered to subsequently puts the escape-contemplation scene out of context: without Takasugi’s reference to the man they lost and the reason for his rage against the world, would Katsura have been driven to ask Gintoki his question about their shared childhood? With Takasugi’s rage and accusation in his face, would Gintoki be able to reply, so stoically, that he threw spilt ramen on, and then threw away, a remaining memento of the man he looked up to. cherished and almost broke his soul for? (Perhaps you could argue that he would, but I think about the Shogun Assassination Arc, and I simply don’t see it.)

Like I said, perhaps this is a petty frustration, but I have been having these feelings for a while, especially with the way that Takasugi and Katsura have barely been allowed any time to interact in the manga/anime since their conflict during the Benizakura Arc. I keep feeling as if the potential for the nuances in their relations is ignored, as well as further development of each of their characters through an exploration of their three-way relationship. Just to make myself clear, I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be an indepth look at, and emphasis on, the GinTaka relationship, because that is one of the most intriguing, heartbreaking and powerful relationships in the series, or that Zura hasn’t been mostly treated decently as a character or anything along those lines. I just wish that the relationship the three of them have with each other could be explored more evenly, because I think that would add a richness and extra dimensions to their status as Shouyou’s disciples, particularly in seeing whether they have outgrown it, endeavour to live by it, or are almost destroying themselves with its weight.

My feelings about the unevenness of the GinTakaZura relationship aside, the Gintama live action movie is a must-see for Gintama fans. It’ll give you warm fuzzy feelings like hot chocolate or coffee (whatever your preference) and if you let yourself get swept along for the ride, I guarantee you’ll leave the theatre (or your living room!) grinning like a maniac.

#gintama #gintama live action #review #i need a tag for my rambles #i should read over this again later to check for typos and stuff

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the-dark-side-of-the-blog · 7 years

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Top 25 Greatest Cover Songs Ever

How often do you find out that one of your favorite songs by one of your favorite artists was originally by someone else? Happens more commonly than you think, yet it does not really undermine the work because we understand that even with the words already written there is a very precise alchemy needed to create a truly great cover. These are my top 25 best cover songs.

25) Sweet Child O’Mine, Luna (Originally Guns N’Roses): The list is 25 best covers, not 25 covers that are better than original because it would be impossible to do a cover that was better than Guns’ Sweet Child O’Mine. Say what you like about Axl and co (really say what you like) but that is truly one of the greatest songs ever, yet Luna more than do it justice. There cover is certainly a very different interpretation but also not all that detached. In terms of its composition it is not all that different but it takes the more electric energy of the original and delivers something more laconic, which should not work but yet does.

24) I Fought The Law, The Clash (Originally by The Crickets): Now some may have known that there was a version of this song before The Clash’s top 10 cover, in the form of The Bobby Fuller Four but unless you have been on the wiki page you probably wouldn’t have known that was a cover to, no matter The Clash’s version is a punk anthem that still stands up all these years later.

23) Valerie, Amy Winehouse (Originally The Zutons): People knew of this song before it was covered by Amy but her version has endured in ways that The Zutons have not. Mark Ronson displays his unparalleled knack for catchy compositions and beats, but its all about Amy and her voice, which was not only one of the most powerful ones we ever had but full of such personality, The Zutons had no chance (although they’ll thank her for all the money she has made them).

22) Jealous Guy, Roxy Music (Originally by John Lennon): Both versions are great but Roxy music might just edge Lennon out. Ferry is somehow able to infuse the song with an even greater sense of regret than Lennon did, while the rest of the band give the song a jazzier edge with the use of the saxophone, which nicely offsets the use of the piano here.

21) Tainted Love, Soft Cell (Originally by Gloria Jones): Okay it might be harsh to call Soft Cell one hit wonders because Say Hello, Wave Goodbye was certainly a hit in its own right as well, but let’s face it they never got close to what achieved with Tainted Love again. A defining track of the eighties and one of the great covers.

20) Take me to the River, Talking Heads (Originally Al Green): Memorably performed on the great Stop Making Sense live album David Byrne made the Al Green classic a staple of Talking Heads work.

19) Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, Guns N’Roses (Originally Bob Dylan): Post Appetite a lot of things held GNR back, mostly themselves to be fair, but on a purely artistic level Axl’s lyrics and their ridiculously grandiose quality has always struck me as a problem. Its not to say he’s a bad lyricist, a song like Sweet Child O’Mine has deceptively great lyrics which stop it from being a bland ballad and make it something more poignant, but after Appetite I think he was far too self-serious and over-ambitious. One way to solve that problem is to use others lyrics and who better than Dylan. This cover just makes sense and I may even go as far as to say it is better than the original.

18) Needles and Pins, The Ramones (Originally by The Searchers): Because The Ramones were such a revolutionary band it is easy to forget that they did have influences, some pretty big ones. They did plenty of great covers of bands from the 50s and 60s that Joey and co grew up with but none better than Needles and Pins which among other things highlights what an incredible voice Joey Ramone had, one that goes a little underrated.

17) Superstar, Sonic Youth (Originally by The Carpenters): Superstar is one of those songs that has been over-covered for sure but there is no getting away from what a brilliant rendition Thurston Moore and co delivered. Its heartbreankingly restrained by Moore, communicating a soft desperation with his voice and giving us some of Sonic Youth’s best work of that decade.

16) Girl You’ll Be a Woman Soon, Urge Overkill (Originally by Neil Diamond): Immortalized by its use in Pulp Fiction, if you had never heard or known of Diamond’s version you could never have guessed it was his song from the Urge Overkill version, which is so dark with Kaatrud’s vocals implying so much more than the lyrics actually say. Urge Overkill may have done little else but they will have always given us this.

15) It’s Oh So Quiet, Bjork (Originally by Betty Hudson): It is tough to say if there is any one quality that is key to a great cover, but I think it always to have a unique and identifiable voice and personality bringing them-self to the song and there are few better examples than Bjork 1995 classic. It has a grunge loud-soft quality, but without the angst, almost to the extent of a parody it fluctuates so much, but whatever the case it is unmistakably Bjork and there in lies the greatness.

14) Piece of my Heart, Janis Joplin (Originally by Erma Franklin): For an iconic artist it may come as a surprise to some that both of Janis’ most enduring hits, this and Me and Bobby McGee, were covers. Whatever the case both are great, but it is Piece of my Heart that makes the list and for obvious reasons, a classic that still holds up today.

13) Where Did You Sleep Last Night, Nirvana (Traditional American Folk song): Its funny before Kurt begins his rendition of this 100 year old song (also covered by Lead Belly) he seems in quite good spirits joking about trying to buy the Lead Belly lead singer’s guitar, but once he starts singing all of that changes. This is one of the most incredible performances ever seen, it goes far beyond showmanship and into something far deeper and darker. Neil Young described it as “like a werewolf, unbelievable” and he wasn’t wrong. There is a moment at the end where Kurt opens his eyes and breathes out for just a second and it is one of the most powerful things I’ve ever seen by a performer. It is wrong that we look at everything Kurt through the prism of suicide but with this cover it is impossible to escape the pain he felt and lived with.

12) Stop Your Sobbing, The Pretenders (Originally by The Kinks): The Kinks and The Pretenders are connected by a lot more than just this song, Hynde and Ray Davies had a child in 1983, but that is beside the point. Stop Your Sobbing is the perfect first single for The Pretenders. Hynde’s voice has this almost brutal confidence and assurance as she instructs whoever to “stop your sobbing”, it straddles the line between pep talk and dressing down perfectly and in the process far surpasses the original.

11) Walk This Way, Run DMC ft Tyler and Perry (originally by Aerosmith): I’m at best an Aerosmith agnostic I like some of their songs but they have never been the great American rock band to me. There is no doubting the greatness of Run DMC’s cover of Aerosmith’s defining hit from the previous decade, but there is also no doubting that it wouldn’t be half as good with Tyler’s contributions. Rock and rap have rarely if ever worked so well together.

10) Respect, Arthea Franklin (Originally by Otis Redding): It is a cliche to say when talking about a great cover that the person covering the song owned it but boy did Franklin own this. By changing the perspective of the song from a male to a female one she not only made a feminist classic but one of the great covers and maybe her definitive track (although there is plenty of competition).

9) Hallelujah, Jeff Buckley (Originally by Leonard Cohen): The most over-covered song? Potentially. Whatever the case Buckley’s rendition overshadows all others. Buckley’s vocals are incredible but in a way that is not very flashy. His sound set the tone for the likes of Thom Yorke and while tragedy may have prevented him from amounting the discography his talented deserved Grace is still a great album.

8) What A Wonderful World, Joey Ramone (originally by Louie Armstrong): One of the great musical parting gifts. On Joey Ramone’s first solo and final album he gave us his surprisingly perfect rendition of What A Wonderful World. The cover achieved a certain level of fame for its us at the end of Bowling for Columbine but that may misunderstand. Its use in that movie emphasizes the ironic quality of the cover, Joey Ramone who sang of wanting to be sedated now telling us what a wonderful world it is, but actually there is nothing sarcastic about this at all. Joey’s vocals are fully committed when he sings of love and hope and that’s what makes such a beautiful cover.

7) Wild is The Wind, David Bowie (Originally by Nina Simone): For all of his incredible achievements and strengths Bowie had a pretty bad success ratio when it came to covers. His Across The Universe is alright but not great, same goes for his Let’s Spend the Night Together and the less said about his God Only Knows the better. Amidst the less than inspiring rendition of classic rock anthems though Bowie delivered a haunting, atmospheric and all round beautiful cover of Nina Simone’s Wild is the Wind. The problem with some of his other covers I think is he tries to make them too Bowie, whereas here I feel he lets the song itself guide the way he sings it. It is simply one of the best album closers ever.

6) Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinead O’Connor (Originally by Prince): Throughout the 80s and 90s the music video became a medium for greater and greater innovation, yet a lot of my favorite music videos of that period are the most simple and stripped down ones, where it is essentially just a camera looking at the performer. I’ve always loved the videos that accompany Alanis Morrisette’s Head Over Feet and Radiohead’s No Surprises and maybe the best example of this comes in the form of Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2 U. Her raw emotion in the video completely re-frames this break-up song as one really about a much deeper grief, as she channeled the lose of her mother in a tragic accident. Her raw emotion made this cover unavoidable and unforgettable.

5) Killing me Softly, The Fugees (Originally by Roberta Flack) The Fugees cover takes the softness and melodic qualities of the Roberta Flack original but makes it that much darker and beautiful. It is an incredible cover. Lauryn Hill’s voice has this, I find, difficult to define quality but I’d describe it as a knowingness. I think in lesser hands this cover would have overly emphasized the hip hop traits of the song but here that drum loop is enough to make it a distinctly Fugees composition but also subtle enough to not intrude on Hill’s amazing vocals.

4) Alabama Song, The Doors (Originally by Bertolt Brecht): While Light My Fire and Riders on The Storm have endured as The Doors defining hits Alabama Song is the track I return to most. There is this offbeat darkness, it is not the smoothness most refined sound of a band from that era but it unmistakably The Doors and Jim Morrison. He may not have written the lyrics but you don’t need me to point out just how prophetic it was for Morrison to ask to be shown to the next whiskey bar and demanding you “don’t ask why”. So while it may not be Morrison or Kreiger’s words this is the song that I feel best epitomizes what made The Doors so different and so iconic.

3) The Man Who Sold The World, Nirvana (Originally by Bowie): Before I was a massive Nirvana fan I avoided listening to this rendition of what was then my favorite Bowie song (still in my top 5), I even resented people telling me it was better than Bowie’s original. Once I fell in love with Nirvana and put it on I could not believe just how perfect it was. Kurt and co’s rendition is every bit as brooding, dark and unfortunately prophetic as all the best of Nirvana’s work. The title alone feels fitting of Kurt, but it also worth mentioning how this cover is about more than him, the sound created by the band here is fantastic. Suffice to say this is one of those rare things a good Bowie cover, except it is much more than just a good one.

2) All Along The Watchtower, Jimi Hendrix (originally by Bob Dylan): It is rare for such an iconic artist that there most famous song is a cover but while Hendrix was a good lyricist his status as an icon is about more than his words. It was about his voice, his sonic experimentation and of course what he could do with a guitar. Dylan on the other hand was all about his words. All Along The Watchtower sounds like only something Hendrix could compose and play and reads like something only Dylan could write and that is a combination that can create one of the finest rock anthems ever.

1) Hurt, Johnny Cash (Originally by Nine Inch Nails): Hurt was always going to be high on this list but why it comes number one is that I think more than any song on this list it comes to define what an artist can do with someone else’s work. Everything about Cash’s rendition is trans-formative but not just for the sake of being different. There are many covers that completely change the originally but in ways that are ultimately detrimental. Cash’s Hurt changes the sound, the mood and the meaning of the song but in a way that only enhances its power. I talked about Joey Ramone’s What a Wonderful World as the perfect parting gift but this trumps even that. Its sad and introspective but so, so powerful. Cash’s voice has such gravitas and really Trent Reznor said it best when he described how it was no longer his song.

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