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#he's parenting so hard he should get an award
ghostbsuter · 5 months
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"I can see dead people." He mentions with a shrug, using the chopsticks to fish more noodles into his mouth.
Dick stares at him. "Huh."
"Is that why you help?" He asks, getting more spring rolls.
"Yeah. Once someone becomes a ghost, word gets out quick, and they come to me. Always tatling about unfairness and justice." The kid waves the words around, rolling his eyes.
Dick just pretens to he uninterested, despite his mind racing at the new info. He is piecing past moments together, every shadow leaping away, every note with tips, leads and—
Huh.
"Do you... like it? Doing all that?" Richard approaches thus carefully, brows furrowed at the kid opposite of him.
Danny moves his head, giving a 'so-so' answer. "It's not much to like, I can see ghosts, and they know it and use it. If it brings them to peace or whatever– well, that's just a plus."
Dick stares. He places his chopsticks down and looks at Danny worried.
In turn, the kid sighs. "Sometimes gifts become curses the longer you have it."
And Dick understands.
Mind made up, he throws a pair of keys at the kid, watching fondly as the other catches them with confusion.
"Next time use these, instead of entering through the window."
Danny mock-salutes with a shit eating grin. "Yes, Officer grayson."
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brodieland · 2 months
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.˚ 𓈒 ࣪.𝝑𝝔 Two Starfish in a Reef ´ˎ˗
Percy Jackson x fem!reader Synopsis: Reader and Percy meet at Yancy, after getting close they find out something about Percy. Pre-beginning "The Lightning Thief" A/N: reader is not a half-blood. Word count: 2232
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Best friends, partners in crime, soul sisters if you will. That's what you and Percy were, an inseparable pair.
The two of you met at Yancy Academy, a plush and expensive boarding school that rich and well off families pawn their kids off too so they don't have to pay constant attention to them. Which is why you were first sent there.
You weren't a troubled kid in the slightest, nor were you at all high maintenance. Though still being in the sixth grade, you needed a parental guide that your parents just wouldn't give. Your parents are famous and well-known lawyers in not just New York, but the country, meaning they travel a lot. With a career this successful, they never planned on kids, but that didn't stop you from coming along. They never acted toward you with any sort of hostility, but they were never loving. They'll sign you up for sports, but never come to a game. They'll say an artwork you made was impressive, but never hang it up on the fridge. You can win an award and sure they'll tell you good job, but never go bragging to their friends about it. If you had to define your relationship with your parents, the best way would probably be half-assed.
You thought there was a chance things would get better once you were surrounded by kids your own age, you sadly were wrong. Arriving at Yancy, you were always one to study hard and do well in classes. Having top marks in all classes kids are often mooching off your homework answers, but never offering to sit with you at lunch. You were fine it though, you were always quiet and conserved anyways. That was until one day your sitting in the cafeteria by yourself reading a textbook for class when this blonde boy in your English class comes up to you.
"Hey, um, your Y/N right?" He asked.
"Uh, yeah, your.. um" This is kind of embarrassing.
"Its Percy, I'm in your English class" he chuckled nervously while scratching the back of his neck "Anyways, I'm in your English class and, well to be honest, dyslexia is kicking my butt and I'm failing. So, Mr. Nicoll said I should ask you to tutor me and help get my grade up to avoid summer school. So, please help me?" He held his hands together in a pleading motion, making you cracked a smile, causing him to smile along side you.
"Sure, no problem. Let's meet after school in the library, bring your homework and a list of what you need help in and I'll have you passing in no time." You said flashing a toothy smile, which he happily returned.
"Oh my gods your the best, thanks so much. Alright Y/N, I'll see you later." He said, still smiling as he waved you off as he walked away. For once, you were actually looking forward to studying.
After your last class you pack up your stuff and start your walk to the library. To your surprise, Percy was already standing there grabbing books from his bag with his back to the door.
"Wow, someone's eager to learn aren't they" you joke.
He jumped a little not realizing you were behind him "Oh hey Y/N, didn't see you there" he smiled "but what can I say, I'm ready to be turned into an A plus student."
"Alright then, let's get started"
You guys studied for about three hours, he got distracted kind of easy but you were always able to somewhat get him back on track. Aside from studying, you guys also maintained conversations and got to know each other better and learned you guys liked each others company.
"Alright well, curfews in about an hour so we should probably get going" You didn't really want to get away from him, but you knew it was time. Though his slight frown didn't go unnoticed from you, making you slightly happy at the idea he wanted to keep hanging out with you.
"Dang, your right" he blew out air from his mouth as he said this "We should do this again, you know, studying. Or even just hanging out normally, without the studying." He rambled out a little bit.
Oh my gods, he wanted to hang out again. This was awesome, have you just made your first real friend here at Yancy, and you couldn't be happier about it. "Thanks Percy, I'd love too." You were probably grinning like an idiot.
He had the same look on his face, just as idiotic as you. No one should be this happy in a library, but you guys were. And what you didn't know was he called his mom all happy and giddy to tell her about you.
After that day, the pair continued to hang out regularly, both over the moon of having found a best friend in each other. Even if you didn't end up bringing him up to a scholar, he was okay with a C average, as long as it meant being around you.
As months passed, he began to get more comfortable with you, opening up about things he's been seeing ever since he was a kid. You were skeptical at first, but both of you met this new friend Grover who introduced the pair of you to a card game where all the characters were the creatures Percy had been seeing. This helped feel a little more normal, but you knew he wasn't fully normal and something was different about him, but you didn't care. Everyone has a background, but you didn't care what Percy's background was. He wasn't a crazy kid, you could tell. He was a genuine person who never found the fun in lying to you, and you appreciated it.
Finally, it was time for you class trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where we learned more about Greek mythology and background. You knew Percy and his mother were always very close, and that she taught him a little about Greek mythology as a kid. Being here made him think of his mom, making him zone out. You called his name out twice to snap him back to reality, yelling a little bit on the third time causing him to break the lead on his pencil, jump and yell out
"Mom!"
You looked at him with a raised eyebrow as Nancy Bobofit started teasing him behind you. Gods was she insufferable. And of course, Mrs. Dobbs got mad at Percy yet again, she was insufferable, too.
You, Percy and Grover went you eat your sandwiches on the fountains ledge sitting in respective order. You sit there zoning out of the conversation while they switch sandwich ingredients and Percy is talking about shoving Nancy in a dumpster and Grover is saying you never stick up to a bully, blah blah. You weren't thinking much of there little chat, when suddenly stupid Bobofit threw her cheese at Grover's face. The hell? Before I even fully perceived the thought of Grover getting a full slice of cheddar cheese smacked across his face, Percy was already rushing up to Nancy ready to shove her into the fountain. The weird thing was, when he reached out to push her, she was already flying and slamming into the fountain getting absolutely soaked before Percy laid a hand on her.
"What the f-" You were cut off.
"Perseus Jackson," government name, not good, "we're not fools, there was only a matter of time before we found you." Okay what the f-
Cut off from your own train of thought again when you see Mrs. Dodds transform into some giant demon thing with wings knocking Percy to the ground and landing on top of him asking, yelling by the way 'where is it.' That's when the cap of his pen flew off, turning his pen into a sword, going through Mrs. Dodds like butter, turning her to dust. Okay, what the fuck. Hey, you finished it that time!
You quickly turned to Grover frantically asking him if he saw the demon thing too. He seemed to freak out more when you mentioned seeing it.
"Wait, you were able to see it, you know still remember Mrs. Dobb-" Grover clapped his hand over his mouth, realizing he said too much, but you couldn't understand what he said to much of as he ran off to Mr. Brunner, our Latin teacher. You ran up to Percy who was passed out on the ground and sat next to him slowly trying to shake him awake. He slowly opened his eyes when Mr. Brunner and Grover appeared behind you watching Percy wake up and ask for Mrs. Dodds, both of you confused because they kept claiming there was no Mrs. Dodds.
The bus ride home was quiet, nobody said a word, no matter how bad they wanted too. And waiting for Percy and Grover to get out the principles office might've been even worse. Finally, Percy stormed out with Grover walking with his head down behind him.
"Percy" you called out, but he barely stopped to look at you, as much as he wanted to stop, he didn't want to snap so he kept it quick.
"I'm expelled, gotta go pack." Then he kept walking. He was obviously upset so you'd just catch up to him later. So instead you turned to Grover and asked him what happened.
"Y/N, we need to talk."
So you guys spoke. And holy crap, did you guys talk. Greek gods are apparently real and Percy is a demigod? Demigods are kids with a mortal parent and godly parent. And you have clear sight, letting you see through the 'mist?' The mist is what covers the monsters and mythical beings from the mortal world, you can see through it though, cool..
"Grover.. I'm glad I'm getting filled in, but" you ran your fingers through your hair in confusion "why are you telling me all this? I'm sure there's a rule against telling mortals about this right?"
"Well yeah.." he replied sheepishly "but your very close to Percy and very important to him, and since you can see everything we see, you're basically are already in the know despite whether we want you to be. Good chance he'd want to tell you anyway. Plus now I can make sure you guys can stay in touch now that he has to hide out in camp" Grover shut his eyes realizing he said to much again "sorry, don't tell Percy that, let it unfold the way it was meant to. But I'll help make sure you guys stay in contact since phones aren't allowed. I gotta go, but if you wanna say goodbye, he's waiting for his ride so you should hurry up."
And with that okay to leave the conversation, you ran as fast as you could, not caring who you'd bump into. Until finally your outside and out of breathe, sliding into the seat next to him on the bench he was currently sat at.
"Hey" you said clearly out of breathe, shinning a bright smile at him. He laughed at the state you were in, messy hair, struggling to breathe but still smilingly up at him so brightly like there wasn't a care in the world.
"Hey Y/N, I'm glad you came out to see me" he looked back at you with admiration in his eyes. You loved looking into his blue eyes. You'd never say that though, the gods forbid he thought you were weird for that. "I would've swung by but I have to catch my ride you know. I'm gonna miss you most, it's gonna suck not being able to see you everyday anymore, but I'm gonna do my best and make sure we stay in touch. I promise." He held up his pinkie ready to make a pinkie promise, something only losers would break, and after reassurance from Grover, this was a promise you were happy to make.
You held up your pinkie and interlocked it with his and the pair of you leaned in and kissed your thumbs. You guys stared into each others eyes warmly, reveling in each other last moments. That's when you noticed Mr. Brunner, or Chiron as Grover called him, coming out the building, and you knew that was your cue to leave. With that, you lightly grabbed his face and planted a kiss on his cheek and held him tightly for a moment, leaving the poor boys cheeks hot.
After a few moments you leaned out the hug, saying "I can't wait till you come back and visit me, and tell me all about the trouble your gonna get into." You both chuckled, him rolling his eyes as he did.
He slide his hands down your arms and sliding his fingers through yours and hold your hands, swinging them side to side. He felt like the luckiest guy ever right now. "Don't worry, you'll know everything, because I'll make sure I come back to you Y/N."
That's when Chiron finally reached you guys. You guys let go and said your finally goodbyes, waving as you turned around. On your walk back to your dorm, just thinking how much your gonna miss that boy. Was best friend even enough to describe your feelings anymore?
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Happy Valentines Day👿
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dostoyevsky-official · 2 months
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Writers are paid less now than they were 50 years ago, for the same work. Ernest Hemingway was paid $1 a word in 1936. That's more than $21 per word in today's dollars. The maximum I was ever paid to write for a glossy magazine in print was $2/word, in 2021. No one (and I really mean no one) in media makes $21/word. That compensation just doesn't exist. You could be the most popular novelist in the world and not make $21/word to report. You could argue that no writer today is as good or popular as Hemingway was at his peak, but no writer today is even making half or a quarter of what he made, and writers only ever get so famous. If someone were paid $5/word in 2022—which is something I have never heard of happening and is a full $2 more than than anyone I know has ever been paid per word—that would be a quarter of what Hemingway was paid. That writer would be able to pay their rent and health insurance premiums and tuck some money away in savings off a standard-issue story per month, but again, that lucky writer does not exist. What this means is that the door a writer could step through to make a career 50 or even 20 years ago, the one opening onto a life where someone who works hard and does well could buy a house on the strength of that work alone, has been slammed shut. That's not because there isn't money to be made in any of these industries, either. Some people are making very good money in these fields, and have been for a long time. They are people who profit off art without actually making it. The reality is that the people with the most money have devised, at every turn, new and more bulletproof ways for them to make and keep more money, and for the people who make things to make less. This is the eternal story of labor and management. Why should any CEO make more than the actresses whose labor and beauty they sell? Why should a second-year management consultant at every major consulting firm make more than every single writer I have ever known? It's not even a question of principle. People buy things: services and products and experiences and feelings. How is it that the creation and provision of those things is valued so little, when it is so essential? It's a rhetorical question. The wealth that exists in this country does not come from making things that people love. People spend money on that, obviously, but they've done that long enough that those industries have had time to optimize for their own preferences. The money that sustains all this is, in enough cases that it is worth noting here, coming from young rich people's even richer parents. It is coming from giant corporations awarding it, whether out of ideological commitment or just force of habit, to people who sit behind desks all day. Some of those people might also make art, but they are not the norm. The structure built around these valuable creative products is bloated in ways that starve and imperil that creative process, but those privations also hold it in place. Baseball executives, when they are talking about the same sort of thing, like to use the phrase "cost certainty."
The Money Is In All The Wrong Places
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l0veu-somuch · 6 months
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nct dream as boy/girl dads ... 👼🏻⭐️
mark who still maintains his insane working hours and practicing late into the night even when he has his two favorite girls waiting back home (and it makes him feel terrible). he comes home when it's way past your daughter's bedtime and you're always still waiting for him even when it's three am in the morning. when the day breaks his daughter thinks she's being very quiet but she's quite clumsy as she steps all over his legs while she climbs onto the bed to wake him up. he blows raspberries onto the baby's cheeks as he trudges into the kitchen, pressing a sweet kiss to your shoulder as a thank you for the pancakes.
renjun who simply cannot contain his excitement when his daughter's painting is selected for an award in the school art competition. he brags about her drawings all the time to his parents, his friends, the elderly woman who bags his groceries. he says she got it from him. it's quite right. he cheers the loudest when her name is called, even blinks some pesky tears away (something you make sure to make fun of when you're in the car later on) when his sweet girl comes up on stage to accept her certificate and take a picture, in the dress she picked out with his help because it's a very special day.
if you ever asked jeno what he kept in his bag then you would (or would not) be surprised at the endless amount of candy and sugary treats he pulls out of it that he keeps for both himself and your daughter. it's clear where she got her sweet tooth from. usagi transforms into sailor moon on the television screen, your daughter astrode on his lap, each of them holding a pink spoon and taking turns scooping bites of cookies 'n cream and macademia into their mouths. you collapse onto the sofa with an exaggerated sigh once you finish dishes duty, your head falling into the unoccupied crook of jeno's neck. your daughter swings a spoonful of ice cream towards your mouth, calling it a reward for working hard "because daddy always does it" and you accept with a giggle.
donghyuck drums his fingers on the steering wheel to the soundtrack of moana, occasionally peeking to the back to check on his sleeping girl tucked into the car seat. he keeps a hand nestled into her soft locks as he steers her towards where you said you'd be waiting at the department store, making a very important decision on whether you should get the white or sage green kitten heels for your cousin's wedding in jeju next month. your daughter then pops on a pair of oversized celine sunglasses, and it's too funny and adorable that the salesgirl was giving the three of you the stink eye for making such a ruckus in the store. he pays for it anyways, because he'll probably steal it for himself for when he has to be at the airport at early hours to leave for an overseas schedule or concert.
jaemin tries his best, really. he just can't help it when he sees luke sitting by his son as he draws on the coffee table. you can't expect him to bake the chocolate chip cookies, watch for stains on the oak from your son's oil pastels and feed all three cats at once. he doesn't know how you do it. luckily the cookies don't burn in the oven, he puts down parchment so the oak table is safe, and all cats are soothed by your son's magic touch and gentle pressing hand. when you notice a speck of oil pastel in their furs later on you only sigh and make a call to the salon to get them a bath, noticing their claws have been getting too long to the point they can mar your precious boys' skin.
you raise a hand to shield your eyes from the blaring sunlight, the piercing rays making chenle and your son look like mere sillhouettes as they zip around the court, the boinking sound of the basketball echoing in the park that's not too crowded for a friday morning. you can tell he's being much more gentle and a lot slower than he usually does for your son, fixing his stances and the grip of his fingers on the ball as he demonstrates a three pointer. your son joyfully claps everytime he shoots, and he ruffles his hair as a thank you. he calls out to you, demanding his congratulations kiss, but there is no way you're even going to come close to two very sweaty boys under the sweltering august heat.
your son actually prefers jisung to read him the bedtime stories he keeps in his shelf. he tucks him into the crook of his arm, whispering gently of the boy who discovers a treasure box in the forest and goes on an adventure with his pet hamster. his voice is too low to catch over the running of the sink as you remove your makeup, secretly wishing your son would fall asleep faster so that you can brush your teeth together. you watch from the doorway as he very carefully detaches himself from your son's side to slip the book back into its place on the bookshelf, tuck the sheets up to his chin, and place a gentle kiss to his forehead before he clicks the star shaped light off and his arm comes up to circle around your waist, pressing you against the wall to collect his kiss that tastes like peppermint toothpaste and your scent he can never get enough of.
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manykinsmen · 6 months
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okay, here is what kind of dnd characters i think the drivers would play.
daniel: horny bard, obvs. probably a half-elf ‘cause he wants to be a little special but also he can’t get past the fact he genuinely thinks humans are sexiest. chaotic good.
charles: sorceror. he doesn’t understand the magic system and has made this so, so hard for himself. probably an elf because they’re the sexiest to him. neutral good.
carlos: he’s weirdly good at keeping track of all the rules, but isn’t playing a magical character himself (unless you count all the help he’s giving charles). some kind of monk, speciality race. maybe a kenku. lawful good.
max: rules monkey, in deep into the lore. he’s the only one who knows what a gith is and he’s head over heels for them. extreme minmaxer wizard. lawful neutral.
kevin: sticks to what he knows, which is bashing stuff (and frequently has to be reminded this isn’t pvp). on the rare occasion he isn’t just bashing stuff he brings out academy award winning character scenes. dwarf barbarian. chaotic neutral.
alex: forever cleric. his and george’s characters have a slow burn romance. firbolg, neutral good.
lando: daniel built his for him when he slept through session zero. goblin fighter. chaotic evil.
checo: well he was playing a true neutral tabaxi rogue but he dropped out after the first session because trying to parent at the same time was too difficult.
guanyu: a very shiny silver dragonborn paladin. really comes out of his shell and gets into the role play. lawful good.
george: playing a girl, just don’t read into it okay. she’s a dramatic ass drow warlock who gets sassy with her patron a lot and frequently has her powers suspended. chaotic neutral.
lewis: absolutely no idea what he’s doing, existing purely on vibes. always asking valtteri what he thinks he should do. half-orc fighter (keeping it simpleish for himself). neutral good.
fernando: are you kidding? this is shakespeare when nando is in the party. will take the decisions that actively damage the party for character reasons. chaotic neutral drow rogue.
yuki: this man has tiefling written all over him and steals from inside the party. started out chaotic good but got slowly demoted to chaotic evil. also way too excited to do the blood hunger werewolf transformation.
esteban: mischief incarnate. comes out with the most outrageous puns. gnome bard. chaotic neutral.
pierre: trying desperately to keep the party (especially yuki) on task. took shifter after yuki got excited about being werewolves together. ranger. true neutral.
valtteri: chillest motherfucker at the table. his character doesn’t talk often but when he does it’s sheer wisdom. went for a “less common” combination on purpose. goliath druid with a pet wolf. neutral good.
logan: was very very late to session zero and dan had already made him an arakocra paladin. long suffering, his ideas are great but overshadowed by dumbassery. lawful good.
lance: has not once rolled well on anything he has bonuses in. wanted to make a dramatic character and has slowly accepted that it will only ever be comedy from his dice. aasimir sorcerer, lawful neutral.
oscar: actually pretty fucking good at this shit. could probably take the boss fights and missions all by himself. human rogue, true neutral.
nico: just wanted to play a robot. wishes kevin’s character would stop using his as a training dummy. warforged paladin. neutral good.
bonus
seb: forever dm
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mytragedyperson · 1 month
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You know, I think i figured out why I like Deruth. So, I've never really seen Deruth spoken about but I've seen fanfic interpretations and it almost seems like the fandom itself doesn't quite know what to make of Deruth. Some people treat Deruth from the Birth of a Hero and Deruth from LCF/TCF as separate characters and other interpretations, the one I'm more in favour of is that both versions of Deruth cared about their son, they just didn't know how to show it or fix their relationship. Cale himself acknowledges that Deruth is awkward and doesn't quite know how to speak to Cale. I personally see Deuth as someone who made mistakes following the death of Cale's mother and wanted to fix it, but couldn't figure out how, so didn't do anything, which was a mistake in and of itself. Cale starts acting like trash and Deruth again doesn't know how to handle this or fix this, since he blames himself, so, again, he doesn't fix it. And the longer it goes without him doing something, the worse the strain on their relationship gets until it ends up how we see at the first breakfast, Deruth awkwardly trying to speak to his son but unable to, as he doesn't know what to say. So what changes? Cale. Kim Rok Soo becomes Cale, realises how awkward things are and takes the first step, as he compliments breakfast, something he doesn't think about and just does to stop things being awkward but it gives Deruth an opening. It's just a short conversation, but what a difference it makes to the probably usual silent and awkward breakfasts before where no one quite knew what to say or do with Cale, and Cale, if he shows up, either says nothing or speaks only to complain about the food and then leaves.
However, this actually isn't the main thing I wanted to note. So, I've discussed the previous, Deruth's point of view. And I'm not gonna sit here and say he was good father to the original Cale or was the father he needed. He's not winning father of the year awards for original Cale, I can agree with that. Are there worse fathers? Yes, Marquis Stan immediately comes to mind. But it would be hard to say Deruth was a good father to original Cale. Now let's consider the third element here, KRS!Cale Henituse, a man mentally older than his new body, a man who only had caring parents for a few years and it's uncear how much he remembers of them, a man who was abused and mistreated, pitied, a man who's can't care about people, because if he does, something bad will happen to him. I think, in a weird way, Deruth was almost the parent Kim Rok Soo needed at the time. Let me try to explain.
So, imagine for a second a world where the Henituse family dynamics are different, healthier, happier. Maybe Deruth and Cale fixed their relationship, maybe Cale is closer with his step family. They'd be caring, nice, what a family should be. Imagine Kim Rok Soo, an orphan who was abused and had hardened himself to not care about anyone, would this not be more odd to him? Going from keeping everyone at arms length and not letting anyone in to having to show his care for parents and step siblings, something he's never experienced before. I honestly think Kim Rok Soo would've liked this less because he wouldn't know what to do when shown obvious care by a family when he's never head that relationship before. I don't know, I feel like this is more Kim Rok Soo's speed, Clearly care but still allowing that independence and freedom. Care when he gets hurt but awkward and distant. Deruth is not the father Cale needs but in an odd way, he is the father Kim Rok Soo needs at this point. Does that mean you have to like him or see him as a good father? No, it's not up to the child to fix ther relationship with their parent. But it gives less whiplash for Kim Rok Soo than a close, physically affectionate family would. Or maybe I just like him, like that he does care even if he struggles, like that he's trying even if it doesn't always seem like that. again, you don't have to like him or think he's a good parent. This is just my opinion, my interpretation. I don't know man. I've been thinking about this story all day.
On that note, and I could be wrong as someone who is not aroace and has limited knowledge on aroace, but I feel like Cale is on the aroace spectrum. we're in his thoughts for two years and not once does he consider getting in a romantic relationship. In his dream life there's nothing to do with getting married or having kids. Does this necessarily make him asexual? No there are people of all sexualities who aren't bothered about marriage or kids, but they still tend to want some sort of romantic or sexual relationship and Kim Rok Soo/Cale Henituse seems to have zero interest in this. He has kids, he has family, he has friends. At no point does he express any kind of want for a romantic or sexual partner. Could this be because he has bigger problems? Yes. Could this be because of his past and the curse? Yes. Is he the only character this applies to? No, most of the characters show no interest in romance. Because ultimately this book is not about romance, not even slightly. It's found family, it's friendship, it's fantasy but there is no romance and, yet, for most of the characters I wouldn't rule out the possibility of them having some form of romantic or sexual character. Even with Cale I'm not saying he can/will never have those relationships. But even when he acknowledges someone as being attractive, it doesn't seem sexual or anything. He says it like it's a fact, then moves on. This isn't to say I disagree with shipping Cale. I myself don't mind a little Alcale or Choi Han/Cale. Do I personally think they are romantic or sexual? Not necessarily. You can interpret things that way, but i personally like things as they are, no romantic ships but really close friendships, to me platonic love and platonic relationships are just as, if not more, important than romantic love. And, tbf, even in content where there are romantic relationships, those romantic relationships are never the most interesting part. I don't really watch or read things, like non-fanfiction things, where romance is the main point or main storyline. I used to, but as I've gotten older (I say pretending to be wise old woman at the age of 21), I've come to appreciate friendships non-romantic relationships more and it's the main reason I enjoy shows, for relationship dynamics of all kinds.
I think that's why I'm so, like, chill with shipping and fanfiction with like proships. Now, i don't personally read things like incest or age gap fanfiction. It's not for me, no thanks. But i do tend to ship different things for different reasons. So, if I say I ship something, it's not necessarily because I think they'd have a cute, happy, healthy, loving relationship. Sometimes it's quite the opposite. Sometimes it's because i know it would be toxic and unhealthy and dark and it may even be one-sided, but my god, is it interesting. Some ships i ship purely for the angst, for the way they destroy and ruin each other. Other times I go for fluffier, happier ships. I generally think, as long as you know wrong from right in real life, ship what you want, write and read the fanfiction you want to read, and avoid the fics and ships you don't want. Don't like, don't read does apply. Commenting and interacting just gives it more attention. We all know what we like and don't like. At the end of the day you can't tell someone's morals from the fictional media they interact with. Sometimes you don't want something happy and fluffy and safe. You want something angsty and dark and hard to read. That doesn't make anyone a bad person. Sorry, this has little to do with this post. I'm just tired of people saying "if you like reading about X, you're a bad person" and putting labels on people for reading and writing fictional content that doesn't hurt any real, living person
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donnerpartyofone · 9 months
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This has been a really hard one to talk about. I'm always very ambivalent about mourning celebrities. I try to remember that I don't know these people, that what is really mourned by most of us is the person's ongoing work, which in the best cases has helped us understand ourselves and the world in which we live. Unavoidably, though, you can start to develop the sense that you know these people personally, which isn't true or even appropriate necessarily, I mean you have no idea whether you would even like someone you've only seen on a screen or received an autograph from; but at the same time, I don't know if you can really force yourself not to feel like the deceased celebrity is a dear friend you will never get to talk to again (the last time I tried and failed was the passing of Lux Interior). Maybe this is more forgivable, and also more inevitable, if you feel like you grew up with the person.
Of course this is all about ME now, but my mother (who also died from cancer) was an extremely hip, brilliant, funny individual who for whatever reason refused to form a relationship with me. This was pretty strange, because we liked a lot of the same things--B movies, old comics, all types of camp and kitsch--but when I liked those things, it was in poor taste and punishable by exile, whereas when she liked those things, it was evidence of her cultural genius. Before I make anybody too mad I should say that I'm being a little bit unfairly reductive just so I can get to the point, which is that one of the few things we could share was Pee-Wee's Playhouse. I didn't know anything about the show's more adult origins or the fact that Paul Reubens was sort of a performance artist, but I didn't have to. Pee-Wee's Playhouse was a feast for any child's senses: stylish, hilarious, and on some subliminal level, really sophisticated. I was clued into some of what was going on just because I watched it with my mom, who always laughed at Pee-Wee's winks and nudges to the hep parents in the audience. The show might have been my first encounter with the kind of anthropological humor favored by people like David Byrne and Laurie Anderson, artists who engage subversively with cliches, stereotypes, and other memetic parts of popular culture. In Pee-Wee's Playhouse, with its sharp, edgy cast and crew, kids like me were getting into fine art without even knowing it--which is possibly the best way to learn about art anyway.
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In fact, on the other side of our house, I became obsessed with Gary Panter's incredible punk opus Jimbo In Paradise, a Dantesque comic book about an innocent young guy living in a dystopian future, where he is occasionally joined by guest stars such as Nancy and Hedorah. I was about 7 when I started reading Jimbo over and over again even though I could barely understand it, and I had no idea that Gary had pretty much designed Pee-Wee's Playhouse. I'm speaking about him so familiarly because I got to know him a little bit as a grownup. I remember Gary talking about how private Paul Reubens could be. He used to do this thing where he would accept a dinner invitation from anybody who asked, as sort of a stunt, but he had to stop doing it because people became so intrusive and entitled with him. Gary said that they'd be walking around in New York and when they saw an obvious Pee-Wee fan gearing up for an offensive, Paul Reubens would sort of transform into this totally different person, putting out an aura that let you know not to fuck with him. It's crazy-making to think that someone who was so protective of the boundary between his private and public selves had to suffer that ridiculous arrest, but it's heartening that most of society eventually grew the fuck up and forgot about it. It's also helpful to remember when he turned up later on the MTV Music Video Awards and started off by asking the audience, "HEARD ANY GOOD JOKES LATELY??"
I'm glad we got one more Pee-Wee special in the past several years, but I always wished that we would see Paul Reubens in more movies. He was such a cool actor, funny, convincing, and naturally charismatic. While people are cycling through their favorite roles of his, I want to point out that he had a great role on a recent HBO miniseries called Mosaic, an intense, engrossing crime drama that I definitely recommend if you have access. Maybe I'll rewatch it, too. In closing, here's a great story that I grabbed from Facebook that should warm everybody's heart, along with the heartbreaking statement (inappropriately cropped by Instagram of course) released upon the death of the very private Pee-Wee Herman. It makes you wish you could thank him in person, for everything. The best we can do is just remember him.
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chuluoyi · 1 month
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tw vent — a personal life problem. i just have to leave it here bc i’ve been crying for two days. it’s long… so feel free to scroll past it :’)
i’m… about to break up with my bf of 2 years
he’s a really kind person. and i don’t exaggerate it. he always makes sure to show me that he loves me through little actions like forehead kisses whenever we meet up, getting me a customized keychain with my name on it, getting me meaningful gifts and flowers on important dates unprompted… and every simple and little gift he gave me i have stored inside a box and there are so many i’m bawling whenever i look at them bc i’m so touched that a man who loves me really exists :’) he’s my prayers coming true. i used to pray for a boy who will accept me as i am and he comes at the perfect time near the end of my college year when i thought everything in this world was jaded
not only that he also spoils me, goes along with anything i say… he is serious regarding our relationship, introduces me to his parents and siblings. i thought i no longer have any worries about the future. and i can say i’m 90% content with my life now— a great job, a nice boyfriend, financially independent… my life is too good sometimes it feels scary
but there’s no such thing as a perfect life and i’ve dreaded it quite some time… because i know that both of us have been avoiding a certain issue just so we don’t burst our happy bubble… and now that issue has come to bite us
we’ve been in a LDR for two years and i’m honestly okay with it, but whenever questions about the future comes up—like “where should we live in the future?” i always clamp up bc for certain i want to live in my hometown, where my job, parents and social life are. but the thing is… he has his own thing in his city, where his parents reside and he’s the first son so he’ll inherit the family business there
i eventually voiced my worries about this to him, and do you know what his first reaction was? i was so sure he’d immediately get worked up and convince me to leave my job
but no. it never happened
he was so shaken. and yet… he never denied me. he said he’d talk to his parents about it… he said he’d be fine with this arrangement even if he has to be the one going back and forth. he said anything that would make me happy… he’d do it
and i believe him. until the end, i believe him. because he really means it even until the end
i’ve predicted it already. no way are his parents going to agree with this. i know bc just put yourself in their position—your bright first son has everything in order, set to inherit the family business, but he’s going to live a hard life of LDR only for some girl… that’s simply unacceptable
now you might wonder why i’m so dead set with living in my hometown. in chinese culture, when a girl marries, she usually lets go of everything and goes with the husband. but i really, really love my job here. i love the work i’ve been doing, community and friends i’ve made here, the salary and whatnot. not everyone gets a chance to work in my company bc it’s considered prestigious. working here gives me a purpose— i feel enabled here and i can be a part of something greater. i’ve won awards and i’m considered for a promotion too in just 2 years in this company, so it’s really hard for me to let go of it when i know i can be more than just a housewife. and so, whenever i imagine that i have to leave this company one day… i’m crushed
and not only that, my parents only have me. i’m an only child, and my father’s health condition isn’t the best either. i can only shudder whenever i think of them being alone if left them here
sometimes i think i’m too selfish for wanting this. for wanting to keep my job. for wanting to be with my parents. for keeping my social life. my bf is the one sacrificing energy and money twice a month to meet me in my city, and even then i still want to ask for more
but… i really can’t lie to myself and say it’s fine when it’s not. and what makes me cry even harder is the fact that when he finally tells me what his parents’ opinions are… he cries too and said all of these:
“i want us to be together. i feel so, so lucky to have met you. there are some days in which i thought that if you weren’t there… then it’d be much harder.”
“i’m always so happy seeing you all happy and energetic, doing things you love. i don’t want to take that from you.”
“if i make you go with me, i’m afraid that one day… you’ll regret leaving. i’m afraid you’ll be unhappy and tell me ‘if i’ve known this earlier… i wouldn’t have left at all.’”
it’s the depth in which he thought of all of these. i cried on the spot in front of him because… what have i done? what should i do? i love him, i really do but in the end, i can’t let go of everything for him either
and the cherry on top? he doesn’t even want to instigate the break up. he said everything is in my hands now. he wants nothing more than keeping our relationship, but he doesn’t have the heart to make me unhappy. even until the end, he says whatever my decision is… he’ll accept it even if it hurts
i’ve been crying since yesterday. it’s so hard to let him go when memories of the past two years pop up one by one. he’ll pick me up, hug me on hard days, tell me that i’ll do just well, adore me and make me feel confident in myself… he’s been a really great emotional support for me and i’m so, so grateful to have met him too
now we’re still in a limbo. i’m too shaken so i obviously am not able to tell him what my answer is. we agreed to think of this further and talk about our decision in 2 weeks, when he’ll come to meet me again
i don’t know what my answer is even until now. i know the best course is probably breaking up bc we can’t agree on this particular point… but it’s not easy, not when we still love each other this much
. . .
for any of you who have taken the time to read this until the end… thank you :’) this blog is the safest corner i have and i really don’t want to bring any sort of negativity here… but this time i’m just too sad with everything and i think i need a space to confide in💔
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tavshortfortavern · 6 months
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Noble!Tav
How they react to finding out you were born from high nobility and ran away when they reached adulthood to be an adventurer. Takes place when you're both already in a relationship.
Zevlor
Felt unworthy before learning you were of high status, those feelings doubled after hearning the news. You had to reassure him titles and status meant little to you.
Is there for you when he learns of your family's disapproval for becoming an adventurer and leaving that life behind. But he does appreciate it knowing you had helped so many people and his by choosing this path. He thinks its admirable you chose to help others and venture out instead of living in luxury like other nobles
When he gets the chance to see you in your noble bearings, like you had to attend a fancy gathering or a ball, he'd just look at you in awe. In a regal dress/suit, decorated with expensive jewelry and even some artful makeup, you looked everybit of a princess/prince of fairytailes. He still loved seeing you normally, even covered in dirt and blood, but this was a new side he hadn't seen.
He was used to seeing you in armor, getting into trouble, maybe cracking inappropriate jokes, laughing freely, further estranging you from your noble identity. He'd see you were barely tolerating these 'parties' and would help you leave.
He wouldn't push you to tell him everything. But he was a great listener. He learned your past, your choice to leave, the difficulties with your bloodline and the expectations placed on you.
Would be anxious meeting your family. So sure they wouldn't approve of your relationship. They probably had wanted you with some younger, more suitable match. With your fame now there were probably plenty who would ask for your hand. But then when you do introduce him your chest puffs out in pride and take his arm. Proudly announcing your relationship. He'd be emberassed when you bring him around, showing him off like a catch.
It didn't matter in the end. He saw the real you. Showing true nobility when you faught alongside your companions to defend the weak than the rest of those nobles lazed in their mansions. He'd stick by you for everything.
Would sometimes refer to you as my lady/lord before holding a hand out for you.
Rolan
The discovery hits him hard. He hated being seen as lesser, has worked hard to not be so for most of his life. You were already the hero of Baldur's Gate and savior to the refugees. He knew he had to be seen as your equal. Being the new wizard of Ramazith's tower helped a lot, he would boast whenever you two were out together as a couple but now it was revealed you had noble status.
It felt like you deliberately kept it from him. But he almost didn't believe it either. You were a menace, covered in grime and blood, without any of the elegance and poise nobles possessed. Maybe crass sometimes. Taunting and teasing him.
Some headcanons had him born to a noble woman before being given up for adoption being a tiefling. So this could sting a little more. Especially if you had a good upbringing and were given multiple great opportunities. Perhaps hearing you had gone to this well known university, recieving academic awards before graduating then got bored and took another course! He honestly would feel a little peeved you were well off enough to freely chase interests while he had to claw his way up
While he's ultimately happy you became an adventurer and met him, he could understand your parents dissaproval having paid for your studies, supported those interests (the mundane ones atleast), and got you everything you needed only for you to choose a life of danger, strife and instability. Any parent would be worried and seeing the things you get up to is giving him sympathy stress. Yeah your family should be worried.
Probably wouldn't recognize you at first when you dress up. Used to seeing you a certain way. But startles when he realizes its you, sees you all decked out in finery and has to hide his real feelings. You were already distracting, now it seems his face was permanently warm whenever he stared at you. He'd brush it off thought, play it cool, or tries too. "You- you clean up nice." eyeroll
Is more possessive. Will show up any noble ponce who tries to catch your eye. Would hate hearing your parents had certain matches in mind for you. Feeling the gap betwen you grow larger. Would absolutely try to win your family's approval.
Then sees how empty your eyes were when you were in these noble gatherings or family dinners. It felt like a switch. Whatever brightness and vibrancy you had was sucked out. You barely talked and when you did it was short, polite, fake. Plenty of people wanted to speak to you after you saved the city, but you looked drained and he's seen your stamina.
His more negative feelings shrink when he sees your strained family bonds. Your parents seemed to have a hard time understanding you and you could barely figure out how to speak. If you were someone who was usually silvertoungued and great with words its made more apparent.
He'd be at dinner, trying to make a good first impression, but he'd look over to you and see something off. You simply went with what everyone told you to do, hardly smiling. It was wrong. Not you, stubborn, determined, compassionate you. Plan ditched then, he's paying attention to you, offering to leave with you if you were uncomfortable. He'd feel unimaginably warm when you asked to return home which was his tower.
You would have a long talk about your relationship. You told him you already saw him as an equal and he admits his feelings about your origins. He should have known it wasn't all easy for you and your love wasn't tied to status. Everything returns to normal but he woud reprimand you sometimes for acting un-noble like and require some class.
Dammon
Suspected something early on. Noticed you owned an item, maybe a peice of jewelry, that was really high end. It was subtle in design, could pass as plain, but as a smith he could see it would take a lot of effort and skill to make, not to mention the purity of the material. Either pure silver or gold. It would be worth a fortune. He would notice it after you two were intimate and simply relaxing in bed, having seen it on you and ask about it.
He would remark the craftsmanship, running his fingers on it as he listened to you explain it was a family heirloom. You had it since you were young and never thought to take it off. You didn't reveal much else but he would wonder about your family if they could afford something like this. But doesn't pry.
Then learns you were noble born. Doesn't get upset you hid the fact, just curious why. Atleast on the surface. He's not without doubts. You were already a famous hero, being a noble made him feel he was really out of his league. He's not a fighter or anything like your companions, he was a blacksmith. What would a noble be doing with him?
Never thinks to keep your relationship secret or hold back any affection towards but when you accidentally run into some of your old noble friends in public he saw your alarmed expression. He worried you would be emberassed being seen with him but five minutes in the conversation you're possessively holding his arm and shooing your giggling friends who kept flirting with him.
Once they were gone you grumbled you knew this would happen if they met him. He would admit he thought you were hesitant to introduce him as your partner. That was never the case, you were more concerned your friends and others would see him as the catch he was and try something.
didn't know how to act when you came out dressed to the nines, like a vision out of a painting. Probably won't go to any events with you. It would be so out of his element. Like the tiefling party where he wasn't there. Prefers his forge and being in your company.
Would want to get along with your family but nervous. He's had to deal with discrimination as a tiefling, its stronger in nobles so there's a chance your parents would feel the same.
Seeing you stay with him, spending days in his simple home or keeping him company at his forge would mean a lot to him. It silences most of his doubts knowing your the kind of person that looks past wealth and status.
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igotanidea · 9 months
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Essay : professor!todd x student!reader part 1
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A/N: this is a completely new verse, I just couldn;t stop myself, so if you ever get ideas for that one I'll take them in a heartbeat.
A/N 2 : I was wondering whether to finish it here of give you more spice, but decided to just whet your appetite for part 2 ;)
***
Do you know how they used to call her in high school?
The unsullied.
Like in a freaking “game of thrones”
All because while her friends were partying, getting drunk and scoring, she was far more focused on her education and school work. And damn, that girl was sharp. Her writing and literature skills and instincts were something people would admire if they weren’t shallow and judgmental.
Instead she got the teasing nickname and all her peers treated her like she didn’t exist.
And of course it hurt, not having girlfriends or anyone who would even try to understand why she would rather spend her time in the library in the company of Shakespeare or Emily Bronte or Charles Dickens instead of drinking and having accidental sex. It was painful to admit that she never had a boyfriend or that she lacked experience in so many social areas. But she just clenched her teeth and pushed through, telling herself that she didn’t have to have all the answers at the age of 17.
She worked hard for a couple years and that got her a scholarship and entry to the college of her own choice. And while her parents and family were pushing her to choose something big, like New York or other big city, much to their surprise and displeasure, she decided to stay in the state and attend Gotham University.
“Why?” her mother almost got a heart attack upon hearing the revelations, choking on the fancy cake served at the tea.  (one more word about the girl – she came from the really fancy, new-money family, where she never fit, being way to feisty and fiery. She could never be described as a lady despite her mother’s best efforts).
“Just because” she shrugged
“watch your tone, girl.” Her father warned “never speak to your mother like this.”
“sorry, sir.” She smiled apologetically, but it was meant more like a sarcasm then a real word of remorse “ Gotham has one of the best university literature program. And since it’s something I want to pursue….”
“I think we should let her make her own choices, father. Y/N knows what she’s doing.”
Thank god, for her older brother, Tom, who always had her back. He was the only person she was going to miss when leaving. But he was right. She knew what she was doing. And Gotham did have the best literature course. And that was because of one of the professors, Jason Todd.
At the young age of 26, being only a couple years older than her, he managed to finish his studies summa cum laude and having a few awards on his account decided to dedicate his life into teaching and shaping young minds. Y/N couldn’t wait to attend one of his classes.
Yeah, college was going to be life changing for her.
Only she didn’t know how much when she first stepped into the hall of residence.
***
Soon enough she found out that first years were not supposed to attend Todd’s classes. Apparently something about heavy and mature content on different levels.  To put it simply, no one below 21 were allowed to engage in those discussions.
But Y/N was sly and determined enough to sneak into the evening lectures, making notes to herself and being an original thinker she got so much ideas and inspirations just by sitting in the corner of the classroom and listening. It went like that for half a year and she believed herself to be clever enough to not get notices, but apparently professor Todd was even better in the art of deception. And it all started when she lost her notebook while leaving and figured it out on the way to her room.
“Shit!” she hissed turning around immediately and looking for the lost item on the way. If it were to get into unfit hands, in the worst case – dean’s – and her secret would be uncovered , she would be expelled immediately due to not abiding the rules “Fuck!” she whispered-yelled again, having reached the classroom and still not finding it.
“don’t creep there, miss Y/l/N, come on in.” Professor Todd’s voice echoed through the empty hall and she shivered. How the hell did he know she was there? And more importantly, how the fuck did he know who she was?!
“I’m sorry to interrupt professor.” She started “I’m just …. I mean, I…..”
“Lost something?” he asked, his green eyes meeting hers and it was like a spark of electricity through her. God, was he handsome. Only now, she understood  the rumours on the campus, something about girls attending his course just for him, not really for the books and stories. Shit! She didn’t really have much opportunities to watch Todd while sneaking out and watching her every step.
“Yeah, I …. I mean, I…..” she stuttered “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t even be here, and what I’m writing there is just stupid and …..”
“The only thing stupid here is that no one under 21 can join my class.” Todd laughed sonorously “come here, miss Y/N, please, sit, I won’t give your secret away.”
“You won’t?” hypnotised by his voice and eyes she took a few steps forward and perched on the first desk, out of instincts waving her legs in the air in a child-like manner.
“No. Sure not. I read some of your notes, forgive me that” he apologised quickly seeing the terror on her face “and those are good. Like really good. I don’t think I have such an original thinker here in like …. ever, to be honest” he smiled brightly “how old are you again?”
“almost 20 now.” She sighed in frustration. Here she was, sitting in front of her idol, unable to get full advantage of his knowledge.
“such a shame. Would love to know your brain more.”
“Can I just have it back and be on my way? I won’t bother you anymore, I promise I don’t want any trouble." she reached for her notebook, but did it so clumsily that it made her lost her balance in the process and she started falling to the ground, when her weight overbalanced the desk. She would probably end up on the floor, if it wasn’t for Todd’s reflexes. His strong arms found a way around her waist holding her tight, her hands locking on his arms and all of a sudden feeling safe and not so eager to leave.
“You good there?” he asked as their gazes met.
“Yeah…. I…..” once again the spark flew between them. Maybe it was just her imagination but she saw something predatory and …. lustful(?) in his eyes. “I… I really should be going now, professor. It’s late and after curfew and ….. sorry.” She grabbed the book from his hands, fixed her shirt and bag and rushed out the door.
“Miss Y/L/N?” he called after her and the girl spun around to face him.
“You can keep coming to my classes. Like I said, it’s a stupid rule and your secret’s safe with me.’
“Um, yeah, sure, professor, thank you.” She mumbled and practically took off running to her room, having absolutely no idea what was happening to her .
***
She didn’t get much sleep that night, instead taking care of the urge and itching between her legs, imagining green orbs and silky voice calling her good girl and a one particular man touching her. Good thing she had a single room with pretty thick walls.
***
It became pretty clear that classes were not enough for either of them. All things considered they kept it professional for a long time, only meeting in public places, discussing some teacher-student stuff, not really making any of the stuff suspicious. Apart from some additional rumours, nothing new on the campus, they were extremely correct and hesitant to do anything stupid.
But.
Literature talks and exchanging beliefs and ideas quickly led to getting to know each other on way more personal level. She learnt about his family, his adopted father and brothers and he got the whole story of how she was treated in school and why she chose to specialise in literature.
They were getting close.
Arguably closer than teacher – student should, but the more time they spend together the less they cared.
Soon enough their meetings moved from the classrooms and campus to the outside places. And from the days to the nights, always being careful not to get caught. But the urge and the sexual tension between them was making them slip.
It was only a matter of time before someone would lose the war of nerves and needs.
***
Since the dean was tuned in to everything that was happening on the uni ground, after a couple of months Todd was called into his office and had to some heavy explanation of why he was doing nothing less but hanging out with a student that was still under the legal age.  Barely, but sill.
And with the natural ease and smoothness the young professor talked and talked about y/n’s talent and insight and how she was wasting her potential while waiting to be admitted to his classes. He used some pretty convincing arguments about the fame and reputation the uni would get if she becomes the exception to the rule and get the permission to attend despite her age.
And all that seemed to convince the dean.
Y/N was allowed to attend Jason’s course.
And that meant more time spend together.
***
“I almost forgot. I got your essays graded.” He stated one Tuesday evening almost ending the lecture,  holding a bunch of sheets of paper in his hands and waving it around “as usual, most of you should have read between the lines, but apart from that it’s better than before. I see some progress to some of you.” He started walking around, giving the papers to the students.
Was it her imagination again or did he really brushed over her shoulder while passing her? If it was a dream she didn’t want to wake up, feeling that familiar aching in her body. God! She was still at class, acting like a horny teenager! About the teacher! That was completely inappropriate!
“That would be all for today.” Jason stated “class dismissed.”
“But….” She objected. She didn’t get hers back.
“As for you miss Y/L/N….” he trailed, waiting till everyone left  “We need to talk about your thesis. But we’re gonna need the library to prove the point. Meet me there in half an hour, all right? Take your coat with you, the night is going to be cold.”
“but…. But it’s like 8 p.m.” she frowned “I thought the library was closing at 7?”
“I got a special pass. Now go, Y/N.”
Something was telling her that this was not going to be about her writing. And she couldn't wait to discover the double meaning.
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kpopscatterbrain · 5 months
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Kdramas i've watched this year
Some of these are older dramas but i'm a procrastinator
Black Knight (2023): Loved this one! I have watched it probably 5 times now. Kim Woobin kicking ass is all i need!
Under the Queen's Umbrella (2022): I didn't watch this when it aired (no idea why). I was worried that the plot would be overrun by romance but thankfully i was wrong. Loved Kim Hye-Soo's performance (i cried a little).
Island seasons 1 & 2 (2022-2023): Honestly i only started this one for Kim Nam-Gil. I loved the cast, but the flow of the plot was a little off (don't know how, i can't put a finger on it). Was positively suprised by Cha Eun-Woo's acting, i think he needs more roles like this! Hot villain alert no.1! Sung Joon as a bad guy is either a blessing or a curse. Cgi could have been better.
Taxi Driver season 2 (2023): Loved the first season so of course i had to watch the second one. Love Lee Je-Hoon. Love the main characters. Love the plot and the message of this drama. A masterpiece. Waiting for season 3.
Weak Hero Class 1 (2022): Only heard of this drama wayyy after it aired (thanks tiktok) and god does it deserve every award there is! I was a bit hesitant because Park Ji-Hoon was the main lead, but boy was i wrong because his talent got me speechless (weren't we all). I cried, i cheered, i shadowboxed, i cried a little more and in the end i called my therapist. Thankfully season 2 is coming.
Bloodhounds (2023): Woo Do-whan and Lee Sang-Yi in the same drama beating people up? Yes please! The plot wasn't mindblowing, but sometimes just simple ass kicking is enough. Bromance was bromancing. Park Sung-Woong with another great villain character.
Revenant (2023): After dropping Mr.Sunshine i wanted to see Kim Tae-ri in other dramas, so when this aired i gave it a go. Her range is phenomenal! I have only seen couple spookier dramas, so i made a mistake and watched this at night (slept with the lights on). The eerie vibes and plot twists were well made. Hong Kyung had great chemistry with Kim Tae-ri and his cop role was refreshing to see after his performance in Weak Hero Class (if you know you know).
Flower of Evil (2020): Okay, this is one of the dramas i procrastinated hard on. It's been sitting on my "have to watch" list since it aired and i'm the only one to blame (i hype up a drama in my mind, then don't want to watch it because now i'm afraid it doesn't go the way i think it does and then i get disappointed blaablaablaa). This year i finally got over myself and why. didn't. i. watch. it. sooner!!!! It is all i ever wanted in a kdrama. 1. serial killers 2. a psychopath (but is he really?) w/ an effed up childhood 3. mindgames 4. marriage problems (but has a lot of soft & cute scenes) 5. Lee Joon-Gi. Also as a plus (hot villain alert no.2) the bad guy is kindaa (i'm sane i swear). I would be lying if i didn't say that i found the wife slightly annoying (might be me, but she went too much back & forth and sometimes i had to take a breather while watching), but all in all this drama will be hard to top and i fell in love with Lee Joon-Gi.
Moving (2023): Honestly one of the best dramas of the year. I don't usually really go for plots that have a lot of romance in them (if you haven't noticed), but i found this one to be really well balanced and the romance scenes weren't "cringy". Although Bong-Seok and Hui-Soo were great and had great chemistry, i looooved the background stories of the parents. Park Hee-Soon also pops up as kind of a non-villain villain. I hope there is a season 2.
Song of the Bandits (2023): Kim Nam-Gil again. 1920s Korea and gunslingers... what more could i need? After Mr. Sunshine left me with a disappointment (this might be an unpopular opinion) i craved for a drama set around the same time period, but with a little less romance (i know, i am defective). I think dramas should explore this time period more, but i understand it might still be a touchy subject. The skills of the cast were obviously great, Kim Nam-Gil killed his role like always, but Lee Ho-Jung as Eon-Nyeon shined with her performance (i am now a new fan). Hot villain alert no.3! I have seen Lee Hyun-Wook in Remarriage & Desires and seeing him as a villain made me feel things. If there isn't a second season i will cry.
The Killing Vote (2023): A "serial killer" in a dog mask making the public vote on punishing criminals and everyone suspects each other? Cyber crime? Chemistry between two cops? Major hot villain (no.4)? Sign me up. I love when crime dramas make you question your people reading skills (i have the tism so i really got none) and have all kinds of theories flying around. I liked that even Kim Mu-Chan and Joo Hyun had obvious chemistry between them it didn't overshadow the main point of the plot. I liked Seo Young-Joo's delivery and i hope he gets more bigger roles. Kim Kwon.... why does the psychopath have to be hot? He also needs more bigger roles. !spoiler! Also Park Sung-Woong killing (heh) yet another morally grey character.
The Worst of Evil (2023): Okay, first of all i have to say... the wife ruined everything (some agree and some don't). We get another bromance duo of the year with Wi Ha-Joon and Ji Chang-Wook. Loved the crime organization infiltration plot, heavily despised the romance plot (sorry Bibi baby). I was constantly on the edge of my seat and the characters started to get so morally grey that in the end everyone needs group therapy. Action scenes were chefs kiss. A honorable mention goes for Lee Shin-Ki as Seo Jong-Ryul (or Chief Seo, knife guy, the man has many names) and Bibi for her performance as Lee Hae-Ryeon.
Evilive (2023): Heavily underrated. Kim Young-Kwang doing what he does best, playing a psychopath. This combined with a bromance plot with the one and only bromance master Shin Ha-Kyun? I'm sold. The dramas literal title "villain story" really sums up the plot. Sometimes you are not sure who to cheer for. Sometimes you are not really sure about your own sanity. But to be fair, so aren't the main characters.
Vigilante (2023): Love it. Currently re-watching it. Needs more attention. Needs more episodes. I'm in love with Nam Joo-Hyuk. The best crime drama of the year, the title is all i needed to hear. Beating up criminals in well made action scenes is my favorite genre. No romance. One sided bromance? Morally grey characters (am i repeating myself now?). Yoon Ji-Tae as a beefy cop and Lee Joon-Hyuk as a slightly insane admirer? If we don't get a season 2 i will start a riot.
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wolvesandshine · 3 months
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“I don’t understand why you can’t just leave them! I’m here! My family’s here! Sirius is here! You don’t even fucking like them!”
It’s rare to see James angry, much less shouting but James couldn’t ever hide anything from Regulus, even the scary worst bits of him that he fought so hard to hide from everyone else.
Regulus stared at him, eyes burning. “You think they’ll let another son stroll out of their house without a fight? You know what happened to me when Sirius left.”
And James knew. He knew about the way Regulus was held under imperio, how even a single toe out of line might mean a crucio.
“That’s precisely why you need to get out Reg! We’ll protect you! I’ll protect you!” His voice cracks at the end.
Regulus closes his eyes, trying to focus on the anger because if he focused on the sadness in his voice, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from breaking apart.
“I can’t James. It’s not going to work out.”
James stares at him, heartbroken before the familiar anger comes out. “You’re not even trying. Don’t make excuses when you’re being a coward.”
Regulus’ eyes blaze in anger. “I’m the coward?I should have known you’d take Sirius’s side.”
“Don’t bring Sirius into this. Don’t.”
Regulus raises a challenging eyebrow. “Why not? He’s your favourite after all isnt he?”
James glared at him. “You don’t get to say that. Not when I’ve been hiding this from him. Not when I’ve been going behind his back.”
Regulus laughs derisively. “Do you want an award for being able to keep a secret? Do you want me to be happy that you’re keeping me hidden in the dark, like a dirty little secret? Cause you’re the one who suggested hiding.”
James looks like he’s been struck. “It’s cause of your parents - “
“Oh don’t give me that bullshit James. We both know it’s cause of Sirius.”
James doesn’t reply, choosing to look at the ground instead. Regulus should feel happy, he won the argument after all. But as he stares at James, all he can feel is sadness.
“Fuck you James. You don’t get to ask me to leave and call me a coward when you’re not even prepared to be with me in the light.”
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flightfoot · 6 months
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Fics with major Alya focus that Alya fans should read
So it's hard to find fics where Alya's a central character, where she has a character arc, focus, development of her own to a significant degree, so I figured I'd rec some fics that Alya fans might appreciate! She's not necessarily the main character in all of them, but if she isn't the MAIN main character, then she's still a major character (and almost certainly POV character) in her own right in the fic. I'm only reccing completed fics for this, btw. If anyone knows the tumblr name for any of the authors involved, let me know!
Also I have a blog dedicated to Alya at alyappreciation, so check that out if you're interested!
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In Direct Opposition by @generalluxun
Alya Cesaire is a brand new student to Francis Dupont, to Paris even. The first student she meets is one Chloé Bourgeois, and Alya is determined to make a friend. Things advance Chaotically. Her new 'friend' is definitely a handful, and suddenly Paris has a supervillain and two brand new superheroes! Alya finds herself balancing a lot of things, trying to live up to her ideals and those of her icons. And then reality seems to contradict itself. As time progresses it seems to happen more often. Becoming a hero, battling villains, staying alive, working through friendships. Something is lurking, tweaking events at times, changing them, and no one seems aware. Alya will need all her wits to get to the bottom of this. Her investigative mind can only get her so far though, and then she needs to rely on her friends. This is not a foe you can beat head on.
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Alya's Guide To Surviving A Magical Terrorist Which You Can't Remember by PumpkinPatchworkQuilt
In a world where the fight against Hawkmoth is kept secret from the public, one Alya Césaire sets out to bring the whole thing to light, (and possibly win a journalism award while she's at it)
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Hold Me By Both Hands by @angelofthequeers
“I know he said never to take you back,” Plagg mutters. “But he’d change his tune if he knew.” He looks Adrien straight in the eye and, more serious than Adrien’s ever seen him before, says, “There’s someone you gotta meet. He’s been looking for that book for ages.” How differently might the events of season 2 have gone if Adrien had also known of Master Fu from the start?
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Vantage Point by @ashes555
Most of the time, with more information, life get easier and things make more sense. But Alya discovers that sometimes, knowing everything is just plain complicated.
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Trust by bi_skyes
They thought that because they believed Lila’s lies, they would not be trustworthy to Ladybug anymore. They thought wrong.
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Closure by bi_skyes
After the events of “Trust”, Alya tries to find closure.
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Lean In by Rachelea3
Marinette spills her secret, and Alya does the only thing she can do.
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Alya Cesaire Should Be Allowed To Swear by @stripesandblossoms
Akuma attacks don't stop just because Alya is no longer a Hero, but that's fine, because she can still help clear civilians from the danger zone. Even celebrity-friends like Adrien Agreste.
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Justifying the Means by @ashes555
When the worst happens, Alya finds that she may be willing to do the unthinkable. Is any sacrifice to big to make for her friends?
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Accidents Are Also Miracles by @liiinerle
After some turbulent days that end with five people knowing her secret identity as Ladybug, Marinette loses faith in her ability to keep herself hidden. Wracked with doubts and insecurities, she pleads with Alya to take over as Scarabella, and tries to disconnect from heroing altogether. Along the way, she starts to date Kagami. Hard as she tries, though, she can't stop worrying - especially not once Monarch takes a particular, and personal, interest in her. At the same time, Alya tries to adjust to her new role while she works to uncover who Monarch really is, and makes some realisations about her own wishes. Kagami struggles against a controlling and abusive parent, and a girlfriend who seems bent on destroying herself - with or without Monarch's involvement. And in the meantime, Alix keeps popping her head back in with offers to help (because cool though time travel is, she misses hanging out in her own time). [Contains some spoilers for early s5 episodes, but otherwise diverges significantly from the plot of the season.]
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Alya's Amended Guide For Internet Safety (The RPF Remix) by @redrikki
Alya hadn’t meant to fall down the Ladynoir fic rabbit hole. It just happened. She didn't mean to make Ladybug to read fic about herself either. That just kind of happened too.
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You Are Just A Grin by Midnightdemonht
Oblivio was the only one to need a second separation, even after the butterfly was torn away.
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the best laid plans (of bugs and bakers) by @mexicancat-girl
Paris is buzzing with the appearance of a new ladybug-themed hero, Scarabella. Alya decides to use her second hero identity to help her best friend Marinette. A bit of her flirting with Marinette is bound to make Marinette's crushes jealous and finally ask her out! Her plan is fool-proof…! Except when it's not. Not enough people are talking about Scarabella flirting with Marinette. How can Alya properly help her best friend if the news can't be bothered to cover Marinette's budding romance with Scarabella and only posts things about Marinette with Chat Noir?! So Alya puts her all into her plan, upping up her flirting each time she appears as the newbie hero Scarabella. This totally does not backfire in any way.
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Radio Silence by @into-september
When an inexplicable change between Marinette and Adrien brings the two closer than ever, Alya is left on the outside of a secret too confounding to be about cheesemaking or puppy love. [No S4 AU]
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Creative Lies and Destructive Truths by @azuriteartist
Alya and Lila are two sides of a never-ending fight. The fight between truth and lies, between honesty and deception, between justice and personal gain. And now they have the powers to elevate that fight to a city-wide level. Can Alya stop the deception before it destroys the city? And can Lila stop the truth before it destroys her?
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The Investigation by @11jj11
Adrien and Marinette are finally dating-- which is what Alya has always wanted... but yet this sudden transformation in their relationship overnight? Things aren't adding up. They are suddenly so much closer than they ever have been before, Adrien is apparently a flirt, Marinette is no longer a stuttering mess, and not to mention the nicknames that came out of no where. Alya is happy for her friends, but she knows there's something more going on, and the reporter in her is going to get to the bottom of it.
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Cat Naps by BookGirlFan
Chat Noir doesn't care if he dies temporarily. Alya's starting to think he doesn't care if he dies permanently. Marinette's way too stressed for this, so it's up to Alya to find out why Chat Noir's willing to let his cat naps turn into the long sleep.
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Where were you the first time you were possessed? by @zanzquest
It should be an easy assignment: write about the first time a ghost took over your body to make varying degrees of mischief. There’s just one issue: Alya hasn’t been possessed yet.
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Is it chill that you're in my head? by @bringthestorm
Alya stared at the picture plastered across the homepage of every single tabloid and news site, whispering every curse she could think of under her breath. SHOCKING SECRET ROMANCE BETWEEN LADYBLOGGER AND PARISIAN SUPERVILLAIN REVEALED!!! the headline announced, casually shouting the words she had been dreading for all of Paris to read. --- Alya had always assumed that someday Paris would discover that she had secretly been kissing their most wanted vigilante, but she had never thought it would happen so soon. As the domino effects of her relationship with Ladybug go spiraling through her life, Alya turns her sights towards the one responsible: the elusive superhero Hawkmoth. AKA Someone outs Alya and her girlfriend so she retaliates by deciding to take down Hawkmoth 
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Lady and the Fox by @ck2k18
Marinette and Alya, known to their subscribers as “Ladybug” and “Rena Rouge,” have a popular cooking vlog using their parents’ kitchens. While moderating comments, Alya realizes that their viewers assume the two anonymous hosts are a couple, and it causes her to look at her relationship with Marinette in a new light.
(punch punch) fall in love by @mexicancat-girl
One day, Sabrina walks up to Alya. Alone. No Chloe in sight. Sabrina wants to learn self defense. Alya agrees to teach her. Alya ends up getting way more invested than she originally thought she'd be, because Sabrina is a quick learner and sometimes her smile makes Alya's insides go weak.
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When I Grow Up by waltzofthewifi
-I want to be a superhero." The class stifled laughs. "But superheroes aren't real!" Someone called out. A look through Alya's life. One-shot.
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disconnected by just_an_ordinary_fan
Lady Wifi believes she might be the only one who does not want to obey Hawkmoth's orders. When she sees another akuma hesitate in the battle, she finds she might not be entirely alone.
Walking that Mile by @nomolosk
Nino and Alya wake up in the wrong bodies. Several things result from this, including, but not limited to, identity reveals and a better understanding of what their respective best friends are going through.
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(may we write it all down) in cursive light by @sunfoxfic
Since retiring as a journalist, Alya hasn't been involved in an interview in several years. But now that her identity is out, that's about to change.
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Strangely Familiar by @sunfoxfic
Alya Césaire’s life is perfect. Indeed, between the success of the Ladyblog, how well she’s doing in school, and the fact that she’s a superhero who has never bore the weight of a crisis of epic proportions, her life almost couldn’t be better. Almost. But Alya has always been a go-getter, and so she’ll chase after that perfect life if it kills her. Which is how she ends up rushing to move out of her father’s apartment and in with Marinette, Adrien, and a complete stranger: Nino Lahiffe. And in fact, her life does seem perfect — she and Nino are fast friends. They spend a lot of time together and get to know each other really well. But in the end, fortunate situations will bear unfortunate truths, and she learns things about herself that aren’t quite comfortable. Like I said, though: Alya has always been a go-getter, and she won’t let new feelings deter her from chasing after her perfect life.
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Trust your instincts by @ultrakart
Alya has the instincts of a fox. Nino finds it hilarious.
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Foxy Lady by WizardlyMagik
In which Nino finds himself unexpectedly attracted to Rena Rouge, tries and fails to tell his friends and get some advice, and desperately attempts to hide it from his girlfriend. (Who in fact, is planning to use it to her advantage)
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No One Can See Us Here, Alone; or, The Behaviors of Binary Stars by artEngine
"Yeah, about that," Nino turns to fall in step with her out the door, "Hows about we take a small break from the quests? Chillax, enjoy our money and things?" "You say that now," Alya eyes him from the corner of her vision, "but would you still say that if I told you this special quest was to find a hidden genie for three free wishes?" "Dude. Yes." "Fine. Look, I promise to chill if we go on this quest. Okay?" Nino narrows his eyes down at her pleading expression. This dialogue is suspiciously familiar. Somehow, he gets the feeling that this time will be different. And for some reason, he listens to that feeling. "You're lucky I like you," he concedes. Alya hip-checks him with a winning smile. "That I am." : : A series of Alya and Nino's exploits as a part of the 10,000 gamers who found themselves trapped in Akihiko Kayaba's VRMMORPG game, Sword Art Online. For AU April with the Miraculous Fanworks Discord. (Knowledge of and/or interest in SAO or ALO is not required to enjoy this fic)
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well somewhere along the way in our words i must've gotten lost by @noirshitsuji
Beelya where Queen Bee visits the Césaire house after Alya writes an article about her fighting Mr. Pigeon alone. Normally Chloé would like the publicity but Alya had titled it ‘The Birds and the Bees’. After that she ends up coming back to complain about her mother. And her father. And about the fact that her oldest friend seems uncomfortable around her. Her visits becomes weekly, then almost nightly. (Don’t forget to include Chloé redemption (and some “Bee Movie” jokes).) * Alya isn’t quite sure how she ended up here, in a place where she isn’t even surprised Chloé would seek her out to talk about her dad, where she wouldn’t even mind her doing so, where she would expect it, where she would– (–thud. She might be in trouble.)
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Me, My Best Friend, and Her Cat by @ladyofthenoodle
Ladybugs aren't known for being particularly sneaky. Good thing this Ladybug has a fox in her corner, watching her back. (And giving Ladybug's love life a nudge along the way. Maybe more than a nudge. In Alya's defense, Ladybug can use all the help she could get.)
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Best Laid Plans by @captorations
Alya Césaire had always known she was going to be a superhero one day. She even had a rather unique plan to protect her secret identity, and it worked like a charm. But tricksters have to be careful, lest they end up tricking themselves.
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Outfoxed by @captorations
Lila Rossi is not a Miraculous wielder. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t have power. Alya was under her spell, along with so many others, until the day Lila unknowingly overstepped herself. Freed at last, the true Fox recognizes magic when she sees it, even if it doesn’t come from a source she understands. She is none too happy about this pretender abusing her natural gifts to make fools of Alya and those she loves. Alya Césaire might need an enchanted necklace and the aid of a tiny deity to cast illusions, but she swore to use her borrowed abilities for the greater good long ago. There is none better suited to facilitate the liar’s downfall. And maybe she’ll help her best friend sort out her increasingly complex love life along the way.
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writer-in-theory · 1 year
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TW: mentioned past homophobia (steve's dad), steve uses the q slur to refer to himself once (quoting his dad), this is a happy ending i promise y'all
When Steve sent the invitations, he never expected his parents to actually attend. He never expected them to actually see the envelopes, even. It had been a fleeting moment of impulsivity that had led to him sending them at all, figuring it would be better to get the hurt out of the way before the ceremony came and passed without either of the people who gave him life in attendance.
And yet, when the wedding ceremony was over and the party was starting, he saw her.
His mom.
She wasn't sitting in the front row of chairs where the rest of their family was. Eddie had tried to convince Steve not to leave two chairs open beside Wayne for his parents, but he needed to see it for himself. Those empty chairs needed to be front and center, a reminder that the only people worth caring about were the ones filling their assigned chairs. Steve's mom wasn't sitting in hers, but she was there, stood in the very back where Hopper was keeping watch over the whole thing, daring anyone who disagreed with the scene to get anywhere near them.
Maggie Harrington wasn't dressed as prim and proper as she could've been, the only way Steve had ever seen her. No, today she was in a simple sundress, hair flying wildly around her shoulders in a way that reminded him with painful clarity of where he'd gotten his appearance from. The same brunette waves, the same doe eyes now staring at him like she'd never seen anything so wonderful and terrible before.
Even as everyone got up from their chairs to convert the outdoor space into the after-party, she stayed at the edge of everything, exactly as she'd been on the fray of his life since he'd left Hawkins at 19 and never looked back.
"Go talk to her," Eddie spoke, notching his chin over Steve's shoulder from behind, wrapping his arms around his middle and interlocking his fingers over Steve's belly.
"I don't know what to say." Visions of the night he'd left flashed unbidden in Steve's mind—all the shouting from his dad, the crying from his mom, him begging his mom to say something, anything. Eddie picking him up from Robin's house after he'd called, promising they could go anywhere they wanted. They'd left for Chicago the same night, and Steve had never looked back.
"Hi is a good start," Eddie teased gently, pressing a kiss to Steve's jaw before stepping back from him. "You can do it. I'll be over with Gareth and the others when you're done."
It was Eddie's quiet support—his husband's support—that pushes Steve's feet to action. Before he could begin to think of what to say, he was standing in front of her. There was too much to say, nothing at all that could rise to his lips, so he said the first thing his mind could supply.
"You didn't RSVP."
His mom winced, hands raising then stopping, fingers clenching as though she physically stopped herself from touching him. "I know, Steven, I know. I'm sorry."
This was too much. It was all too much and Steve wished he'd never sent the invitation, that he'd just listened to Eddie's fucking advice because he always seemed to know Steve best, better than even himself. "Most people RSVP for events. It's the polite thing to do, proper etiquette and all. You taught me that."
"Steven, please," his mom tried again, voice wobbling enough that some of the anger began to leech out of him. And that, well that made him more angry. What right did she have to show up on the happiest day of his life? To choose now to make him confront everything he'd fought so hard to forget? "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for everything. I want my son back."
"It took you five years to realize you missed me? That's really great, Mom, we should really give you the Mother of the Year award for that one."
"Steven," his mom finally snapped, and again her expression could have mirrored his own, that familiar flash of uncontrollable anger and hurt across her eyes before it was reined back in to a disquieted coolness. "I am trying. I am doing the best thing I can to be the mother you needed back then."
"You think I wasn't trying?" Steve's voice was eerily calm, an even-tone that clashed loudly with the tears beginning to blur his vision. "Do you think I didn't spend my life trying to be the son you wanted so badly? I did everything perfect, exactly what you and Dad expected and it still wasn't enough. It would never be enough, not once you found out what I am, right? The sports were fine, and the friends, and even retaking my SATs so I could go to college, but none of it could ever make up for the queerness could it?"
"Steven, stop it," his mom begged, tears falling down her own face now. They were drawing a crowd in the way his fights used to in school. No one was outright staring, but all of them lingered nearby, ears turned to listen, eyes glancing by every so often to catch the scene. He'd like to think they were waiting for him, waiting to see if they needed to step in.
"Oh, I'm sorry, how could I forget Dad's exact words? It's fine if I don't act on it, if I find some woman I don't love and settle down. It's fine if I become like the two of you, marrying for reputation and making my kids fucking miserable."
That did it for his mom. He could see the moment the switch flipped, when the tears turned into something harder, more focused. "Steven, I did not come here to be berated. I came to apologize, for everything."
And that, well, that was new. Harringtons don't apologize.
"I shouldn't have let your father say all those things, I shouldn't have let you leave. I didn't...you can't understand, but I was scared," she tried, reaching out for his hand and wincing when he took a half-step back to evade her touch. "But losing you, not knowing where you were or if you were happy...that was the worst thing to ever happen to me, Steven."
"Good," Steve forced out through the tears, though he's not sure he believed it. He wasn't sure what he believed. "You should've said something then, not five years later."
"I know, I know that, and that is going to weigh on me for the rest of my life. But Steven, Steve, let me try again, please," his mom begged, and God he wanted to tell her to stop because Harringtons don't beg, they demand, but she kept going and going and it reminded him of himself. "It took me too long but...I got there. I'm here. I'm here, Steve, and I promise I'll try to be the mom you always deserved. I understand we can't get that time back, we can't have what it should've been from the beginning, but please, I want to see my baby's life."
Steve wanted to yell at her. He wanted to scream and throw something and tell her to get out. He wanted to spit every vile word he could come up with at her, to make her hurt the way his dad had made him hurt. And yet, this was everything he'd ever dreamed out, all those nights when he'd cried in Eddie's arms for his parents, for them to see the life he'd built for himself.
"I can't just..." Steve sighed, looking up to the sky as if the clouds might provide him with an answer. "I can't trust you, right away. I need time, Eddie'll need time he...he's pretty protective, you know."
"Good," his mom answered, pulling a small, tearful laugh out of Steve. "You deserve to have someone looking out for you like that."
"Do you..." Steve sighed, fighting the urge to mess with his hair lest Nancy kills him for it. He glanced to Eddie, seeing him with his chin tilted back as he laughed joyously across the space, hand gripped around a champagne glass. "Do you want to meet him?"
The smile that warmed his mother's expression was worth all of it. Steve had never seen her so open, so emotional. Maybe she really had changed, really come to every realization he'd wished she'd made five years ago.
"I'd like that very much."
It would take time. There would be good moments and bad, some where Steve wondered if any of it would work out and some where he'd laughed with his mom more than he ever had as a kid. Slowly, not-so-gracefully, they found a way to make it work. She came over for weekly dinners with him and his husband (who asked more than once if her pull in the Indiana statehouse could get them an official license), she called once a week and asked about his friends, his studies, the kids he worked with at his job.
And before Steve could even blink, he had his mom back.
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beeoftheanxieties · 9 months
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So, @da-proti-toku-grem kind of inspired me to make a lengthy post, sharing some positive vibes across the fandom, listing the reasons why I love each member of Joker Out and why I would go full mom-mode on them and cook for them and bake them gluten-free cookies.
Anyway:
A Joker Out, brain-rot, appreciation post
(members listed in alphabetical order)
Bojan
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First up - as someone who had the chance to see them live, he is an insane performer
His ability to enchant the crowd is insane and you can tell really well that he has great acting abilities too
Watched him in Gospod Profesor too, spot on for someone who is a so-called amateur
His singing voice is... amazing to say the least, it feels really unique
Also, the way he talks, the sound of his voice, the words he uses, his pronunciation, if there were awards for talking he would get one
The languages he speaks, I want to study him, linguistically, he is truly a phenomenon
We of course love a bilingual king
He looks like he has his priorities straight
I also respect him so much for how open he is about his mental illness
I might relate to him a bit too much at times whoops
And the fact that he can somehow befriend literally anyone??? Love that
His friendship with Jere is the main one of course
Oh yeah and the fact that he literally helped people who collapsed at their gigs a few times
Bless him, he deserves all the rest he is hopefully getting
Jan
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First things first, I have a soft spot for math guys
And the way he talks about math is fascinating (but you still won't get me to like it Jan)
Cat dad???? We absolutely adore Igor and a man loving cats is such a green flag
I know people say he mumbles a bit and it's hard to understand him at times, but idk, he talks nice and slowly, so it's still really easy to understand him
He comes from my home region, so I am very biased haha
Also, every band needs a guitarist with luscious locks
He absolutely owns the colour red, that colour was invented specifically for him
The nose ring suits him so well too, this man KNOWS what fits him
And if that ends up being jackets with nothing underneath when he performs, THEN SO BE IT
I know people call Kris the lesbian icon, but from what I've seen lesbians are very drawn to Jan as well
Oh, and he gives me Klaus from the Umbrella Academy vibes (I blame the hair and the pink boa)
Jure
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Holy shit, sunshine in human form????
The most underappreciated one in the band imo
His surname literally means 'cat' and I am so normal that Jan has called him 'muca'
He also comes from my region haha, bias again
He's really good at filming, he actually shot a few things for RTV (national TV station) and edited them as well, god, talent
Also playing drums... I have sang, I have played guitar, played bass, but drums is something I feel like I could NEVER do, so hats off to you
As @da-proti-toku-grem pointed out, THE MOLE ON HIS LIP? weak knees, yes
He also reminds me of a good friend of mine and I vibe with him so much, I feel like I would vibe with Jure as well
I really don't like the fact that drummers tend to get ignored and I just wish there was more Jure performing content
Though I love it how every time, during Novi Val, he comes to the front and hangs with the others
His hair also looks so soft and fluffy aaaaaa
Again, biased but he resembles my bf the most out of everyone so hmmmm
Kris
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The baby of the band! (and the only one in the band I could actually call 'mulc')
In case you didn't know yet, he's half Dutch
And he speaks Dutch, which, as someone who speaks Dutch (in theory, not in practice) makes me really happy
I wish to study him linguistically as well
Also his parents' story feels very close to me, as I'm dating outside of my culture as well
According to him he was menace as a kid and I think we should normalise the fact that you can become a better person as you grow up
But pls don't honk at me on the road Kris, pls, I will cry
The songs he wrote??? NGVOT and Vse kar vem??? Oh boy, I love them, adore them
His holey sweaters are also a vibe
Dutch fans, if you don't shower him and the rest of the band with gifts at their Dutch concerts, I will be mad
Also gotta honorably mention Maks
They gotta be my fav nepo-but-not-really babies out there
Kinda like Maya Hawke?
I am ranting
He also looks like the only member of the band that I would fight, and idk why
Also, I must know if he supports Max Verstappen haha
Minus points for chemistry though, I cannot with that
Nace
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Okay everyone
Here we go
We have reached my beloved
I love all of them, but Nace just a bit more
It was love at first sight, I cannot lie
I have a soft spot for bassists and he might actually convince me to try and play bass again
He has been playing it for so long too??? like wow
Oh and of course; THE TATTOOS, BLESSETH BE THE TATTOOS
I will always go feral about his tattoos
At every concert
I know he was the last to join the band but it looks like he fits in so nicely, it's beautiful
Strong mom-codded dad friend vibes
He kinda is the dad of the band haha
And he looks like he gives amazing hugs (lucky all of you who had managed to get one already)
A nice addition to the band
Oh and he's apparently shit at sports which is like... felt
Plus the fact that he wanted to be a vet?
Me too boo, me too, but neither of us is there now
Anway, I'll stop now. In conclusion, this band has my whole heart and they deserve every good thing that happens to them and so much more.
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dearestxiao · 5 months
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Family dinner with Childe is hell because of his younger siblings. What are you going to do? Break his sibling’s hearts by saying all the horrible things their brother actually does to you?? Your beef is with Childe, not his family. These are innocent kids.
And Childe knows that you wouldn’t break their heart, which is why he can get away with a LOT more than he can when you’re alone
You’re stuck even more than you are when you’re alone. And you’re forced to smile and act happy and like you love Childe, because the alternative is even more pain all around for everyone. -Woof Woof
yes yes yes right!!! you dread family dinners with childe. they're the sole and only nights childe is able to completely back you into a corner and get you to play along into the role of a sweet, lovely couple. childe's whole family can just see how happy he is around you, and that extends to his precious younger siblings, who gleam up at you with bright innocent eyes filled with utter admiration. they've adored you since the very day ajax first brought you home. and he adores how they make you pull off such a good performance.
they're just so happy! they're not blind to just how in love their brother is, far from it. this is made especially so with how childe is able to get away with smothering you with as much love (sweet kisses, an arm constantly wrapped around your waist, big bear hugs, all of the things you'd usually pull away from) as humanly possible due to the fact you can't pull away, not infront of everyones watchful eye. it fuels their curiosity and adoration. they can't help but to ask you so, so many questions at the dinner table as everyone watches. they ask you about how you've met and how you two fell in love. they nail down how loving he is towards you and isn't ajax just the greatest? they ask if you plan to get married anytime soon and ask if you're going to be their sibling-in-law. they even exclaim that you two should be married under the tsarista, that way you'd never, ever be split away from one another.
you feel like a bug being inspected under a microscope, especially as childe is watching you carefully with a soft little smile on his face.
and you (forcibly) descend into an award-winning act while you chat with everyone, smiling and speaking in as gleeful of a tone as you could muster up while you try to hold back showing off your sheer discomfort. you answer every question as satisfactory as you can while still trying to perserve your dignity. the soft squeezes your hand recieves from childe as you speak serve as a motivator, a little reminder that he's listening to each and every word coming out of your mouth. you never stray even an inch away from the script because you know better than that.
they bring you gifts some of your visits, usually small crafts they've made specially for you. they make 'wedding rings' and 'bouquets' for you and ajax out of whatever materials they can find. they draw family portraits with you, their future sibling-in-law, included, little stick-men figures depicting you and childe and the rest of the large family holding hands. you thank them (sometimes awkwardly, usually begrungedly) for each and every little thing that they gift you no matter just how uncomfortable it makes you.
and truthfully, it all hits you right in the heart and hard. childe, of course, loves to take advantage of this.
because how could you possibly hurt them? how could you ever even think of removing those precious little smiles off of their faces by telling them the truth? how could you ruin their perception of childe, who they love and adore more than you could ever even begin to imagine? no, your grievance is with the man himself, not them.
you're less unsure of what to do in this situation and instead more aware that there's nothing that can be done. you wish, desperately, that you could tell any of them, even his parents, of the truth, show them who their son really is, but why would they believe you? he treats you so lovingly, he's practically an angel to you.
what's worse is that you know deep down that it wouldn't even matter if they did believe you. I mean, they haven't seen him this happy since before he had disappeared all these years ago. why would they ever want to take that away from him? the bottom line is, they'd give anything to keep him like that.
(also, truth be told, most of them have probably already catched on but simply do not care).
after the nights over, childe loves to give you a sweet peck on the cheek as he exclaims just how good you've done. but, truth be told, he can't help but notice just how bare that ring finger is. maybe his family is right. maybe he should hurry up and 'seal the deal' already. maybe his precious little siblings deserve a 'sibling-in-law' as amazing as you.
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